The Happiness of the Church, Biblical commentary 1 · Part 8

The Happiness of the Church · Biblical commentary 1 · Part 8

p. 53To the generall assembly, and Church of the first borne which are written in Heauen.

Our Apostle hath spoken of the Churches glory typically, and topically: now he describes it materially. First, the Essence of it, what it is; The Church. Secondly, the Propertie of it, what kind of Church it is; Generall or Catholike. Thirdly, what are the parts of it, & of whom it consists; Of the first borne written in Heauen.

The Church. This word is taken in diuerse significations. p. 54For the materiall Temple. 1. Cor. 11. 18. When ye come together in the Church, I heare there are diuisions among you. For the faithfull domestikes of one Familie. 1. Cor. 16. 19. Aquila and Priscilla salute you, vvith the Church that is in their house. For the professors of one Prouince; The Church of Corinth, of Ephesus, &c. For some famous company of Beleeuers gathered together in one place. 1. Cor. 14. 4. He that prophecieth, edifies the Church. For an Ecclesiasticall Senate or Synode. Mat. 18. 17. If he shall neglect to heare them, Dic Ecclesiae, tell it vntounto the Church. For the whole number of the Elect. Mat. 16. 18. VponUpon this Rocke I will build my Church. Acts 5. 11. Great feare came vponupon all the Church. 1. Tim. 3. 15. Which is the Church of the liuing GOD, the pillar and ground of truth. Here first let me premise three circumstances concerning the Church.

1. Though it be a Generall Assembly, yet it is but one. eeCant. 6. 8.Song 6:8There be threescore Queenes, and fourescore Concubines, and Virgins without number: but my Doue, my vndefiled is but one: shee is the onelyonly one of her Mother. Indeed there be two parts of this One Church: Triumphant in Heauen, and Militant on Earth. The Triumphant part is a company of Iustified spirits, triumphing ouer the flesh, vvorld, and diuell: spirits, I say, for **Except our Sauiours, and the bodyes of Enoch and Elias, and of those Saints that rose at Christs Resurrection, of which yet many Diuines doubt.bodies are not yet ascended. They hauehave two happy priuiledges. 1. To reioyce in the conquest ouer sinne and death: the most righteous man liuing is in praelio, in a continuall warfare. But so are the other: for Saint Iohn saith, ffReue. 12. 7.Rev 12:7There was warre in Heauen. This must be vnderstood of heauen on earth; vvhere there is no truce with Satan; Pax cum Deo, bellum cum diabolo: We hauehave peace with God, but (on this condition, that) warre with the diuell. Therefore so runne the promises, Uincenti dabitur: To him that ouercomes, shall be giuen ggReue. 7. 9.Rev 7:9Palmes: to shew that they had been warriours, are now conquerours, 1. To praise God continually, and to sing p. 55Amen: Blessing and glory, thankesgiuing and honour be vntounto God for euer and euer.

The militant part is a company of men liuing vnderunder the crosse, and desiring to be with Christ. They suffer, and this is their way to glory; hhAct. 14 22.Acts 14:22through much tribulation entring into the kingdome of God. They desire dissolution, being ii2. Cor. 5. 8.2 Cor 5:8willing rather to be absent from the body, and to bee present with the Lord, not simply and absolutely desiring death: but first that they might leaue sinning, and so cease to displease God: and then to come neerer to their blessed Sauiour, whose louelove hath rauished their hearts. Now this militant Church may hauehave many parts: as the Ocean sea is but one, yet distinguished according to the Regions vponupon which it lies. So there is the Spanish Ocean, the English Ocean, the German Ocean. There is a Church in England, a Church in France, a Church in Germany: yet there is but one militant Church. Multa Ecclesiae, vna Ecclesia; saith S. Augustine. One Sunne, many beames; one Kingdome, many shires; one tree, many branches.

2. We must note, that Christ is the alone head of his Church, and can hauehave no other partner to share with him in this dignity. kkEphes. 2. 21.Eph 2:21Iesus Christ is the corner stone, in whom all the building fitly framed together, growes vntounto an holy Temple in the Lord. Hee doth not onelyonly by his authority gouerne it, but also by his grace quicken it: so that wee liue not, but Christ liueth in vsus. llCol. 2. 19.Col 2:19Let vsus hold the head, from which all the body by ioynts and bands hauing nourishment ministred, increaseth with the increase of God. He requires no deputy, he needs none. For mmMat. 18. 20.Matt 18:20wheresoeuer you are gathered together in my name, I am in the middest of you. Now eueryevery Commission ceaseth in the presence of him that giues it.

It is therefore as great arrogancy in the Pope to call himselfe Caput Ecclesiae, Head of the Church; as for a subiect to keepe himselfe in commission in the presence p. 56of the King. But they distinguish of heads; there is a Principall, and a Ministeriall Head. Christ is not so weake in himselfe, or so respectlesse of vsus, as to need any Ministeriall head. Indeed there be Heads Materialiter, who are no other then principall members. So Saul was called Head of the Tribes, Psal. 18. 43. Thou hast made me the head of the heathen, 2. Sam. 23. 8. The Tachmonite head of the Captaines. Nehem. 11. 16. Iozabad head of the Leuites. The eldest was called head of the familie, Exod. 6. 14. These bee the heads of their fathers houses. But there is a Head Formaliter, to giuegive sense, motion, vertue, gouernance: this none but onelyonly Christ.

3. Wee must know, that there is no saluation out of this Church; such as neuer become members of it, must eternally perish: they that are true members, shall be saued. nn1. Ioh. 2. 19.1 John 2:19If they had beene of vsus, they would hauehave continued with vsus: but they went out from vsus, that it might be manifest they were not of vsus. ooReu. 22. 15.Rev 22:15Without are dogs and scorners, &c. All out of the Arke perished in the waters. ppAct. 2. 47.Acts 2:47The Lord added to the Church daily such as should bee saued. First, because there is no meanes of saluation out of it; no word to teach, no Sacraments to confirm. And especially because out of the Church there is no Christ, and out of Christ no saluation. Who hauehave not the Church their Mother, cannot hauehave God their Father. This teacheth vsus to honour our Mother, and like little children to hang at her brests for our sustenance. qqEsa. 66. 11.Isa 66:11Sucke and bee satisfied with the brests of her consolations, milke out and bee delighted with the abundance of her glory. Run not to strange nurses for poyson, when you may hauehave pure milke of your owne mother. rr1. Pet. 2. 2.1 Pet 2:2Desire like babes, that sincere milke of the Gospell, that yee may grow by it. Qualis nutritio, talis complexio. The complexion of your manners, the disposition of your liues, will witnesse whose children they are.

The generall assembly: this is the property of the Church; Generall. It is Catholike in three respects; of p. 57Time, of Persons, of Place. 1. Of Time, because the Church had a beeing in all ages, euer since the Promise was giuen to our first Parents in Paradise. If there had beene a time when no Church had beene on earth, the world should hauehave then perished: for it stands for the Elects sake. 2. Of persons; for it consists of all degrees and sorts of men; rich and poore, Princes and subiects, bond and free. There is no order nor state excluded, if they exclude not themselues. ss1. Iohn 2. 1.1 John 2:1Christ is the Propitiation for our sinnes. He may be so indeed for the sinnes of Iohn, and the Disciples, but how appeares it for mine? yes; ttVers. 2.not for our sinnes onelyonly, but for the sinnes of the wholeworld; eueryevery condition of beleeuers. 3. Of Place, it is gathered from all parts of the earth; especially vnderunder the new Testament. uuMat. 26. 13.Matt 26:13Wheresoeuer this Gospell shall bee preached in the whole world. When Christ gaue his Apostles their Commission, hee gaue also the whole world for their Parish. Goe teach all nations, and baptize, &c.Mat. 28. 19.Matt 28:19

Thus we see the property of this Church, Catholike or Generall. It is one, but not tyed to one time, nor one place, nor one person: it is Catholike to all times, to all places, to all persons. Augustine sayes that the Donatists in his dayes would hauehave tyed the Church to Cartenna in Africa: as the Papists in our dayes to Rome in Italy. How is it then a Generall assembly? Thus that Antichristian rabble, which hauehave almost nothing in their mouthes but the Church, the Church; yet doe mostly infringe the liberties of the Church, and hedge it in. All of them hauehave made the Catholike Church, to be nothing else but the Romane Church; and some of them the Romane Church to be nothing else but the Pope. So in effect Papa virtualiter est …ota Ecclesia; say they. The Anabaptists imagined a Church like the Ticke, all body and no head: the Papists hauehave made a Church like the Toadstoole, all head and no body. What a monster is their Pope, that will bee all in all; eye and tongue, body and head, & taile too? As Caligula p. 58tooke off the head of Iupiter, and set on another of his owne: so they hauehave smitten off Christs head, and set on the Pope. Let them take their imaginary head: say we onelyonly to Christ: Whom hauehave we in heauen but thee? and on earth none besides thee. Our dependance be for euer on our Head the Lord Iesus.

Before I leaue this point, I desire to expresse two things: one for distinction, the other for instruction. First for distinction betwixt this Generall assembly, and particular Churches: then for instruction, to shew who bee true members of this Catholike Church.

1. The maine difference betweene them consists in this: that the Catholike Church is alwaies inuisible, the members thereof only knowne to God: particular Churches are sometimes inuisible, and lying hid; other times manifest in the open profession of Christs name. As the Moone is eft-soones ecclipsed or clouded, and often shineth in the full.

1. It lies hid through want of the word preached, and publike administration of the Sacraments. So it was in the dayes of Elias, when hee wished to die; aa1. King. 19. 14.1 Kgs 19:14I onelyonly am left. Strange Apostacie, when so notable a Prophet could not discerne the Church! yet; vers. 18. I hauehave left seuen thousand, that neuer bowed their knees to Baal. So it was in the raigne of Asa; bb2. Chro. 15. 3.2 Chr 15:3For a long season Israel hath bene without the true God without a teaching Priest, and without the Law. The Papists demand where our Church was before the daies of Luther: we answer, that an vniuersall Apostacie was ouer the face of the world, the true Church was not then visible: but the graine of trueth lay hid vnderunder a great heape of popish chaffe. But this inuisibility doth not proue a nullitie. They cannot impugne the antiquity of our Church, vnlesse they conuince themselues. For the Church of England holds no other doctrin then that the Church of Rome primarily did hold, and that which S. Paul deliuered to them in sacred writing; Iustification p. 59onelyonly by the bloud of Christ. If they be falne from this, who can blame vsus for falling from them? It was high time to leaue them, when they left the Lord Iesus. So long as we preserue the truths antiquity, wee must smile at their fond obiection of nouelty. The Church of God is Catholike, not Romane Catholike: thats iust as foolish a phrase, as the by-word of Kent and Christendome. Particular and vniuersall are contradictories. If we hauehave any thing from them, that they had from God; it is our blessing that we hauehave kept it, their woe that they hauehave lost it. Esau's blessing and birth-right is lost to himselfe, and giuen vntounto Iacob. They hauehave not so much reason to boast, as we to reioyce.

Our Church had a substantiall being before, but hath gotten a better being by the repurgation of the Gospell: which is maintained by our Christian Princes, iustly stiled Defenders of the ancient Faith. It was Gods Floore before, though full of chaffe: but now since ccMat. 3. 12.Matt 3:12hee that hath his fanne in his hand hath purged it, it is clearer in shew and substance. It was before a wedge of pure gold, but vsurped by the hands of Impostors: that by their mixtures, and sophistications for gaine and sinister respects, augmented it into a huge body and masse. It had the tincture of gold still, but mingled with the drosse of traditions, superstitions, will-worships. You ask where was the gold? shew vsus the place. We answer, it was in that masse: now for extracting and purifying it from the drosse, God gaue vsus the touchstone of his word, which made it sound, & manifests it to be sound. The Lord doth not then forsake his: the time was that the whole world seemed to groan, factum se videns Arrianum, beholding it selfe made Arrian; yet God had his nūber. Sardis is said to be dead, ddReu. 3. 1.Rev 3:1thou hast a name that thou liuest, but thou art dead: yet there be eeVers. 4.a few names in Sardis, which hauehave not defiled their garments. When ordinary meanes faile, by extraordinary the Lord gathers his elect. The Israelites in the wildernesse p. 60wanted both Circumcision and Passeouer, yet GOD made supply by Manna, and the Pillar of the cloud.

2. A Church is visible when it flourisheth: not that the faith and secret election of men is seene; but there are apparant signes by frequenting the Sanctuary, and submitting themselues to the Ministery of the Word. Now this visible Church is a mixt company of men professing the faith. I call it mixt, for in it are both beleeuers and hypocrites, corne and tares: it is a band of men, where be some valiant souldiers, and many cowards. It is called a Church from the better, not from the greater part. The vngodly, though they are in the Church, are not of the Church: as the superfluous humours in the veynes are not parts of the body, but rather the sicknesse of it. These professe veram fidem, sed non verè; the true faith, but not truly. Hence it appeares, that there be two sorts of members in the Church: members before God, such as beside the outward profession keepe a pure heart, a good conscience, and faith vnfained. Members before men, such as hauehave onelyonly the colour and huske of Religion, in heart denying the power of godlinesse: yet these are by vsus to be esteemed members, according to the rule of charity iudging the best.

2. Now for Instruction, what I hauehave to say consists in the examination of two points. First, whether the Church of England be a part of this Catholike Church: then next, whether the Church of Rome hauehave the same prerogatiue.

For our selues; the most infallible marke of the true Church, is the right ministration of the Sacraments, and sincere Preaching the true Doctrine of the Gospell. That is the true Mother and Spouse of Christ, that brings forth children to him ff1. Pet. 1. 23.1 Pet 1:23of immortall seed, by the Word of GOD which abideth for euer: not of traditions, miracles, dreames; but of this incorruptible seed. And when they are borne p. 61anew, feedes them with syncere Milke out of her tvvo brests, the two Testaments. This you know in your cō sciences to be true in our Mother: shee doth not giuegive vsus pro lacte venenum, but milke; euen the same that Christ himselfe put into her brests. When we grow strong, shee giues vsus meate, not bones: troubles vsus not with the subtilties of the Schooles; that hauehave Plus argutiarum quàm doctrinae, plus doctrinae quàm vsus: but Quod accepit a Domino, what shee hath receiued of the Lord; neither more nor lesse, but iust weight. She doth not say, Haec dicit Papa, but Haec dicit Dominus: not thus saith the Pope in his Decretalls, but thus saith the Lord in his Scriptures. She doth ggRom. 9. 1.Rom 9:1say the truth in Christ, and lyeth not, her conscience bearing her witnesse in the holy Ghost. She doth not sophisticate truth, not mingle wine with water, not dawbe the walls of Gods house with vntempered morter: not build vponupon the foundation straw & stubble: not adulterate the Word; like a lustfull man, whose end is not to encrease mankind, but to satisfie concupiscence. O then let vsus hang vponupon her lips, that preserue this true knowledge: and say with Peter; hhIohn 6. 68.John 6:68Lord, to whom should we goe? Thou hast the words of eternall life.

Thus wee hauehave prooued the truth of our Church by Scripture: but our aduersaries oppose the sufficiencie of this proofe, by disabling the Scriptures. They say wee cannot know Scripture to be Scripture, but by the testimony of the Church. It is false, for the witnesse of man subiect to error, is nothing to the testimony of GOD that cannot erre. Therefore the Scripture is called the iiEsay 8 20.Isa 8:20Testimonie, because it beares witnesse to it selfe. Besides, the Church hath her beginning from the Word, for there can be no Church without faith, no faith without the Word, no Word without the Scriptures. So the Church depēds on the Scripture, not the Scripture on the church. The Lawyer that hath only power to expound the Law, is vnderunder the Law. But they obiect, that Faith comes by p. 62Rom. 10. 17.Rom 10:17hearing, and hearing by the voice of the Church. Paul intends there not that generall faith whereby wee belieue Scripture to be Scripture: but that iustifying faith whereby we attaine saluation. And this comes by the voice of the Church, not of it selfe, but as it is the ministerie of Gods Word. Iohn is but Uox clamantis, Christ is Verbum clamans. Particular Churches hauehave erred; therefore the best securitie from error is in the Scriptures.

This is a Lesbian rule, able to decide all Controuersies, and it is vitio hominum, by the fault of bad Interpreters that it doth not. For whether Aliorum incuriâ that despise it, or Aliorum iniuriâ that peruert it, it suffers martyrdome, and may not be heard declare it selfe. The Papist in expounding Scripture after his owne fancie, makes himselfe Iudge, not the Scripture. But all their drift is with Gods losse to promoue the Popes gaine. He must be Iudge, yea he shall be an vnerring Iudge. Yet if the Pope hauehave this infallibility, I wonder what need there is of Councells. Here they fly to distinctions, as to familiar spirits. The Pope may erre Argumentatiuè, not Definitiuè: in his chamber, not in his chaire: Personaliter, non Formaliter: as man, not as Pope. How proue they such an exposition of the Scripture? Here they fly to the Pope, hee so expounds it. How prooue they the Pope cannot erre? Here straight they fly back againe to Scripture; Peter, I hauehave prayed for thee that thy faith shal not faile. These hang gether like a sick mans dreame. Insequeris? fugio. Fugis? insequor. Yet thus they conclude against their own wills; whiles they only proue the Pope by the Scripture, spight of their teeth they preferre the Scripture aboue the Pope.

If this be so, that the truth of the Gospell being professed, belieued, obeyed among vsus, manifest vsus against all aduersaries, to be true members of this Generall assembly: then two subordinate questions offer themselues collaterally here to be handled. First, whether corrupters of our Truth, and disturbers of our peace are to bee tolerated. p. 63Secondly, whether for some corruptions of doctrine, or vices in manners, it be lawfull for any of vsus, to make separation from vsus.

1. Seditious and pestilent seedsmen of heresies are to be restrained. If a little leuen sowre the whole lumpe, what will a little poison do? If Paul to his kkGala. 5. 9.Gal 5:9Galatians could not endure Christ and Moses together: how would he to his Corinthians, endure ll2. Cor. 6. 14.2 Cor 6:14Christ and Belial together? Hee sticks not to ingeminate Anathema's to them that preached another Gospel. The Papists cry out against vsus for persecution: they that shame not to bely the Scriptures, will not blush to bely vsus. Their prosperity, their riches, their numbers among vsus, directly proue; that a man may be a Papist in England, and liue. But if their religion turne to treason, shall it scape vnpunished? A Papist may liue, a Traitor may not liue. To perswade that a Christian king at the Popes will may, yea must be decrowned or murdered: is this the voice of Religion, or Treason? If this be conscience, there is no villany: if such an act merite Heauen, let no man feare Hell. I would aske a Papist, vvhether he be not bound by his religion to execute the Popes doctrinall will: whether if he bid him kill his King, hee may refraine from that sacred bloud, and not sinne. If he refuse treason, he is not constant to his Religion: if hee keepe his Religion, hee must not sticke at any act of treason. So that who knowes whether this day a mere Papist, may not on the Popes command to morrow be a Traytor?

But say they, this a supposition as likely as if Heauen should fall: the Pope will neuer command it. I answere, that Popes hauehave commanded it. But we hope his present Holinesse will not: we were in a pitious case, if our securitie was no better then your hope. God blesse our gracious Soueraigne from euer standing at the Popes mercy. Why should such Seminaries of heresie, and Incendiaries of conspiracie be suffered? What atonement of affection p. 64can there be in such disparitie of Religion? when some cry, God helpe vsus: others, Baal heare vsus. They to Angels and Saints, wee to the Lord that made Heauen and Earth. But the euent hath often prooued, which of these could best heare prayers. As in that memorable fight on the Leuant Seas, of fiue English ships against eleuen Spanish; they crying for victory to our Lady, wee to our Lord: it seemes, the Sonne heard better then the Mother, for the victory was ours. The Common-vvealth that stands vponupon legges, partly of yron, and partly of clay, is neuer sure. One wombe held Romulus & Remus in peace, one kingdome could not containe them.

But eueryevery mans mind is as free as the Emperors: Conscience is a Castle, and there is nothing so voluntarie as religion: faith comes by perswasion, not by compulsion. Yield all this: and say with Tertullian; Nihil minus fidei est, quàm fidem cogere. And with Bernard; Suspendite verbera, ostendite vbera. Make a man in error rather blush, then bleede. But if they breake the foundation, Non ferendi, sed feriendi. First speake to the Conscience by good counsell: but if that eare be stopt, shake the whole house about it. Speake to the eares of the inheritance, of the liberty, of the body; by mulct, by prison, by exile. Let the Liberty say to the Conscience, For thy sake I am restrained: let the Inheritance say, For thy sake I am empouerished: let the Body say, For thy sake I am afflicted. But because heresie dies not with the particular person, but kills also others: and Centum inficit, dum vnum intersicit. And because it strikes at the life of a Christian, that is his Faith; For the iust shal liue by his faith. Therfore pereat vnus, potius quàm vnitas. Haretici corrigendi ne pereant, reprimendi ne perimant. Heretikes are to be corrected lest they damne themselues, to be restrained lest they damne others. Persecutio facit Martyres, haeresis apostatas: plus nocuerunt horum Tertull.tog…, quàm illorum galeae. Persecution made Martyrs, heresie makes Apostates: the Heretikes words hauehave done p. 65more hurt then the tyrants swords. Apertè sauit persecutor Aug.vt Leo: haereticus insidiatur vt draco. Ille negare Christum cogit, iste docet. Aduersus illum opus patientià, aduersus istum opus vigilantia. The persecutor rageth like a Lyon, the heretike insinuates himselfe like a serpent. To deny Christ he compels, this man instructs. Against the former wee hauehave need of patience, against the latter of vigilance.

Excommunication, bondage, exile hauehave bin thought fit punishments for heretikes: fire and fagot is not Gods Law, but the Popes Canon-shot. An heretike dying in his heresie cannot be saued: therefore Luther thinkes, hee that puts an heretike to death is a double murderer; destroying his body with death temporall, his soule with death eternall. But saith Augustine, Diligite homines, interficite errores: LoueLove the persons, kill the errors. Presume on the truth without pride, striue for it without rage. Seueritas, quasi s…ua veritas: but verity and seuerity doe not agree. Fire and sword may put to death heretickes, but not heresies. See heere the difference betwixt the Papists proceedings against vsus, and ours against them. They dye not among vsus for refusing our faith: but vsus they burned (not for denying any article of faith, but) for not beleeuing Transubstantiation. So strange an Article, that Bellarmine himselfe doubts whether it may bee proued from Scripture or no: but that the Church hath declared it so to be. But though faith be aboue reason, yet it is not against reason. This is my body, saith Christ. Hoc, This bread: this Pronoune demonstratiue they will hauehave to demonstrate nothing. Hoc aliquid nihil est. How then? this nothing is my body: not this bread, but this nothing. Others will hauehave something demonstrated to the vnderstanding, nothing to the senses. Some will hauehave a demonstration to the senses, nothing to the vnderstanding: some partly to both: others expound it, This body: then it is thus; This body is my body: others say it is indiuiduum vagum. p. 66But Quod multipliciter exponitur, communiter ignoratur. That which is so variously expounded, is generally vnknowne. The most iudicious among them cannot explicate it.

Corpore de Christi lis est, de sanguine lis est:

Deque modo lis est non habitura modum.

What damnable cruelty then was it in them to burne silly women, for not vnderstanding this their inexplicable mysterie? Those gunpowder diuines condemned others to the fire for not knowing that, which they neuer knew themselues. Wee teach such erring soules bee corrected, that they may bee conuerted: not bee confounded. Excommunicated mm1. Cor. 5. 5.1 Cor 5:5for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus.

2. Whether a separation may bee iustly made from our Church for some errors or corruptions of life. I know that diuers, who were once among vsus, neuer of vsus, hauehave put out their owne lights, indeed excommunicated themselues. What's their plea? that our assemblies are full of enormities. I answer, that the defects and corruptions of a Church must be distinguished: they are eyther in doctrine or in manners. For doctrine, some errors are Citra fundamentum, some Circa fundamentum, others Contra fundamentum. Errors beside the foundation trouble, errors about the foundation shake, errors against the foundation ouerturne all. So long then as no foundation is harmed, it is not lawfull depart. vntill the Church separates from Christ, we must not separate from it. In two cases there is warrant of separation. First, when the substance of Gods worship is quite corrupted. nn2. Cor, 6. 16.What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols? when this is, ver. 17. Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, when Ieroboam had set vp Idols in Israel, oo2. Chr. 11. 14.2 Chr 11:14the Priests and the Leuites left their suburbs and possession, and came to Iudah and Ierusalem. Secondly, when the substance of p. 67doctrine is quite corrupted. pp1. Tim. 6. 3.1 Tim 6:3If any man consent not to the words of our Lord Iesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse, &c. From such, vers. 5. withdraw thy selfe. Paul in the Synagogue at Ephesus preached for the space of three moneths together. qqActs 19. 9.Acts 19:9But when diuers were hardned, and beleeued not, but spake euill of that way, he departed from them, and separated the Disciples. In these two cases lawfull, not else.

For corruption in manners, they make not Nullam Ecclesiam, sed malam ecclesiam; not no Church, but a bad Church. Wicked Scribes sitting in Moses chaire, and teaching the things he wrote, must be heard. rrMat. 23. 3.Matt 23:3Whatsoeuer they bid you obserue, that obserue and doe: but doe not after their workes. Separate from their priuate society, not from the publike assembly. But they charge vsus, that we deny Christ. I answere, Deniall of Christ is double, eyther in iudgement or in fact. Deniall of Christ in iudgement, makes a Christian no Christian: denyall in fact, the iudgement being sound, makes him not no Christian, but an euill Christian. When the Iewes had crucified the Lord of life, they remained still a Church, if there were any on the face of the earth: and Ierusalem was still called the ssMat. 27. 53.Matt 27:53Holy City. To them belonged ttActs 2. 39.Acts 2:39the promise, and to their children. uuRom. 9. 4.Rom 9:4To them pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the couenants. I would to God this bloudy issue were stanched: but what age hath not complained it? This mischiefe is intestine. Amara persecutio in cruore martyrum, amarior in pugna haereticorum, amarissima in malis moribus domesticorum. The persecution of Tyrants was bitter, the poyson of heretikes more bitter, but the euill liues of Christians most bitter of all. xxPhil. 3. 18.Phil 3:18Many walke, of whom I hauehave told you often, and now tell you weeping, that they are enemies of the crosse of Christ. Whereupon saith Augustine; How comes that great Champion to fall a weeping? Could he endure aa2. Cor. 11. 24.2 Cor 11:24stripes aboue measure, prisons frequent, shipwrackes, perils by sea and land; among enemies, p. 68among false brethren; hunger, thirst, cold, wearinesse, painfulnesse: bb1. Cor. 15. 32.1 Cor 15:32Did he fight with beasts after the manner of men; was he rap'd vp among the Angels? Did hee beare all these miseries? was hee honoured with all these mercies? and now does he weepe? Yes, sinne and sensuality was crept into the Church; and this made that vndanted spirit fall a weeping. Pax a Paganis, Pax ab H…reticis, nulla pax a falsis filijs. We hauehave quiet from the Pagans, quiet from heretikes, but no quiet from wicked and exorbitant professors. Our greatest enemies are they of our owne house. Lord Iesus heale this plague.

Now wee hauehave proued and approued the truth of our owne Church at home; let vsus examine whether the Church of Rome be also a true member of this Catholike Assembly. Errors that annihilate a Church, are of two sorts, some weakening, others destroying the foundation. Weakening error is the building of cc1. Cor. 3. 12.1 Cor 3:12hay and stubble on the foundation: the stubble burnt, their soules may be ddVer. 15.saued. A man breakes downe the windowes of his house, the house stands though defaced: he puls downe the lead or tiles, the house stands though vncouered: he beats downe the wals, the house stands though deformed? he plucks vp the foundation, the house falls, and ceaseth to be an house. Those which destroy the foundation, are the ouerthrowing errors; by them a Church ceaseth to bee a Church. Yet if an error be against the foundation, we are to consider the persons; whether they erre of malice, or of weaknesse. If of malice, ee2. Tim. 3. 8.2 Tim 3:8like Iannes and Iambres that withstood Moses, resisting the truth; it is no longer a Church. But if of weakenesse, wee must not so peremptorily conclude: for Paul writes to the Galatians as a Church of God, though they were peruerted to another doctrine; embracing a fundamentall error of Iustification by works. The Church of Rome doth wilfully & obstinately destroy the foundation, therfore may be concluded for no Church. If they wil be iustified by the works of the law, they are faln from Grace.

p. 69Let vsus heare how they quit themselues. First, they would doe it by retorting all this backe vponupon vsus: they tell vsus flatly, that we are no Church, and thus they prooue it. They say, we hauehave no Bishops, so no Ministers, so no Sacraments, therefore no Church. Here they clappe their wings, and crow, Victory, Victory. ffEsay 9. 21.Isa 9:21As Manasseh against Ephraim, and Ephraim against Manasseh, and both against Iudah. So they hauehave set our brothers against vsus, vsus against our brothers, Papists against vsus all. Behold the exigent we are in: the Papists say we hauehave no Ministers, because they are not made by Bishops; the Puritans say we hauehave no Ministers, because they are made by Bishops. Which of these speake true? Neither. First to answer the Puritan; Bishops may make Ministers: Paul chargeth Timothy to gg1. Tim. 5. 22.1 Tim 5:22lay hands suddenly on no man: therfore he may lay hands on some. To Titus: hhTitus 1. 5.Titus 1:5For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou shouldest ordaine Elders in eueryevery City. Now we hauehave true Bishops, therefore in Gods name allow vsus to hauehave true Ministers. For the Romanists, that tell vsus vve hauehave none of these, how strangely do they bely vsus, and themselues? Oportet mendacem esse memorem. HaueHave they forgot their obrayding vsus, that we hauehave all our Episcopall rites from them? All our ministeriall orders from them? If we hauehave it from them, then we hauehave it. They are Bristo's owne words in his Motiues: The Protestants are Apes of the Papists, the Communion-booke is made altogether out of the Masse-booke. Why then do they not communicate with vsus? It is not for conscience, but for malice. Let it be granted, that wee hauehave this from them: but then they must grant withall, that Iacob by Gods disposing hath gotten Esau's Birthright. So the Israelites were faine to go to the Philistines to sharpen their sythes. We abhorre not Episcopall ordinations, but Papall. Our substance from them, their circumstances to themselues. Papales ordinationes sunt foedaenundinationes. We hauehave their gold, they hauehave left themselues nothing but Tinkers metall. p. 70Let them keepe their owne, giuegive vsus ours.

But further they obiect the continuance of their succession. We answere, the succession of Person is nothing worth without the succession of Doctrine; which they want. If it were by vsus granted, what neuer shall be by them proued, that Peter is succeeded by the Pope: Yet as Matthias succeeding Iudas was neuer the worse, so the Pope succeeding Peter is neuer the better. Perijt dignitas Cathedrae, quando veritas Doctrinae. But they say that in the Romane Church, Baptisme is rightly for the substance of it administred; therefore it is a true Church. Indeed they hauehave the outward washing, but quite ouerthrowne the inward; which stands in iustification by the imputed righteousnesse of Christ. But the Samaritans had Circumcision, yet were they not a true Church. Baptisme seuered from the preaching of the Gospel, is of no more force, then a seale when it is plucked off from the Indenture. Indeed truly, though they hauehave Baptisme, yet it belongs not to them, but to a hidden Church among them. For doubtlesse God hath his chosen and sealed number in the midst of those Apostates. As the light in the Lanthorn belongs not properly to the Lanthorne, but to the Passenger. That Sacrament in the assembly of Rome, is like a true mans purse in a thiefes hand: it no more proues them a true Church, then that purse prooues the theefe a true man. The Lord of his goodnesse, that hath giuen them the signe of the Grace, giuegive them also the grace of the signe, true vvashing away of their sinnes in the bloud of Christ.

Some hauehave obiected, and they seeme to be kind friends to Rome: that Antichrist must sit in the Temple, that is the Church: therefore this sitting of Antichrist in Rome, proues them to be a true Church. But I am sure by this argument what they get in the hundred, they lose in the Shire: they may put these gaines in their eye. I hope they will not confesse their Pope Antichrist, to hauehave vsus grant p. 71them a true Church. Therefore some of them hauehave affirmed, Hominem non Christianum posse esse Romanum Pontificem. And would not hee be a strange Head of Christs Church, that is not a true member of Christs Body? But howsoeuer, their argument holds not: for it is one thing to be in the Church, another thing to be of the Church. Antichrist sits in that place, not as a mēber of the Church, but as an Vsurper. So the Pyrate sits in the Merchants ship, yet hath no right to it. All that can be prooued hereby is, that among the Papists there is a hidden Church, in the midst whereof Antichrist dominereth, but hath no part of saluation in it. What cause then hauehave we to blesse our GOD, that hath brought vsus from Babylon to Ierusalem, out of darknesse into his maruelous light, from the Romish Synagogue to the Generall Assembly, and Church of the first borne vvhichwhich are vvritten in Heauen? and the Lord of his merciemercy preserue vsus in it for euer and euer.

To conclude, there be diuerse Censures of the Romane Church. Some say it is no Church, but Aequiuocè; as the picture of a man is called a man: or a painted fire, a fire. It is no more a Church, then the carkase of a dead man, that hath on a liuing mans garments, is a liuing man, looke it neuer so like him. These looke vponupon it Oculo vero, sed seuero: with a true, but a sharpe eye. Others say, It is non sanum membrum, sed membrum: It is not a sound member, but a member. It hath Scriptures, but corrupted with Traditions: but indeed they hauehave nullified the natiue sense; and so are Lanthornes that shew light to others, none to themselues. They hauehave the Articles of the Creed, and make the same generall confession of faith: yet ouerthrow all this another way. Herein they are like a fond Father, that with much indulgence tenders the body of his child, would not suffer the cold wind to blowe vponupon him, yet by secret conueyances inwardly infects the heart, & destroyes him. Thus they say, it is still a member, p. 72still a Church; as a braine-sick man is a man. The Romane Assembly is Verè Ecclesia, sed non vera Ecclesia: truely a Church, but not a true Church. A leprous man is a man: Adultera vxor, tamen vxor est: an adulterous wife is still a wife. So Duraus. In Papatu est Ecclesia, et Papatus non est Ecclesia. Vt Ecclesia Dei, vt Papalis Diaboli. In Poperie is a Church, yet Popery is not the Church. As it is a Church, it is of God; as Popish, of the diuell. It is Incurata Ecclesia, an incurable Church, that hates to be reformed: therefore no Church. Wee would hauehave cured Babel, but she would not be cured. She hath apostated into treason, clipped Regiam monetam, the great Kings coine, the Word of God: turned that pure gold into sophisticate Alchimy: prayer to Christ, into inuocation of Saints. These men conclude, that it is not a body diseased, & full of wounds, that hath the throat cut, yet with some life and breath remaining: but a rotten and dead carkase, void of spirituall life. It hath blended Iudaisme and Paganisme together with Christianitie, and so sweld vp a superstitious worship of God; therefore no Church.

For my part I iudge not: GOD reserues to himselfe three things; The reuenge of iniuries, The glory of deeds, The iudgement of secrets. I will not iudge, but like a witnesse giuegive in my testimony. And here Qui bene distinguit, bene docet. The best construction is that which enclines to charitie: that is, there is no probable saluation in the Zanch.Church of Rome. Infants dying before they come to these errors, I beleeue saued: for others, Nescio quid dicere; I know not what to say. They hauehave damnable heresies, as that of Free will, of Merites, &c. yet the persons that of weakenesse defend them, may be saued. God pardons euen wilfull errors, if they be truly repented. Therefore I belieue that many of our forefathers went to Heauen, though through blindnesse. Now indeede they are more inexcusable, because our sound is gone out among them. There are Seducentes and Seducti: the wilfull blind p. 73lead the wofull blind, vntill both fall into the ditch. If they will not see, there is no helpe, no hope. If simple ignorance mislead, there is hope of return: but if affected, it is most wretched. Our office is to helpe them with our prayers: and let vsus pray for them as Paul for his Ephesians; That the eyes of our vnderstanding beeing enlightened, Ephe. 1. 18.Eph 1:18they may know what is the hope of Gods calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance is in the Saints. Many of them hauehave ready hearts, but they want eyes: wee hauehave open eyes, God grant vsus ready hearts.

The first borne which are written in heauen. This is a description of the persons, of whom the Church consists. The Church it selfe is a number of men, which God hath set apart by an eternall decree, and in time sanctified to become reall members of it. They are written in heauen, there's their eternall election; and they are the first borne, that is … borne, theres their Sanctification. For the two parts of the description, Their Primogeniture, and Registring in Gods booke; are but borrowed speeches, whereby God would ratifie the euerlasting Predestination and saluation of his Church. That as the First borne is not to bee defeated of his inheritance; and the Enrolled names are neuer to be obliterated: so certainly shall they inherite eternall life.

The first borne. Some vnderstand by the first borne not all the Elect; but onelyonly the Patriarchs, and such ancient Saints, the noble & primitiue parts of the Church. Caluin. Then this should hauehave beene referred onelyonly to the Church triumphant in heauen; but the Catholike Church is here expresly meant, which cōprehends also the Saints vponupon earth: therefore they also are first borne. Besides, they are said to be written in heauen, which had beene a superfluous speech of those who are already in heauen: they that are there, need no writing. Unusquisque Elect…est Pimogenitus.

But this seemes to infringe the Primogeniture of p. 74Christ, to whom that Name is by speciall title and right giuen. Primogenitus inter multos fratres, saith Paul: he is the aaRom. 8. 29.Rom 8:29First begotten among many brethren. Primogenitus vniuersae creaturae; the bbCol. 1. 15.Col 1:15first borne of eueryevery creature. Primogenitus mortuorum; the ccVers. 18.first borne from the dead. He is the first borne, as he is the Sonne of God, and as hee is man. As he is the Sonne of God, in respect of time, before all things, the beginning of all: in respect of dignity, because hee is the foundation of all good to his Church. ddIoh. 1. 16.John 1:16Of his fulnesse hauehave we all receiued, and grace for grace. As he is man, he is the first borne, not in respect of time, but of excellency and vertue. In respect of his miraculous conception; the first that euer was conceiued without sinne, and eeLuk. 1. 35.Luke 1:35by the ouershadowing of the holy Ghost. In respect of his birth, he was the first borue of Mary. ffMat. 1. 25.Matt 1:25Shee brought forth her first borne Sonne, and called his name Iesus. In respect of his resurrection; when GOD raised him out of the graue, he is said to beget his Sonne. ggPsal. 2. 7.Ps 2:7Thou art my Sonne, this day hauehave I begotten thee. And lest the interpretation of birth onelyonly should be deduced from that place, Saint Paul expressely applies it to his resurrection. Acts 13. 33. God raised vp Iesus againe, as it is written in the second Psalme; Thou art my Sonne, this day hauehave I begotten thee. Lastly, in respect of his preeminence: hhCol. 1. 18.Col 1:18hee is the first borne from the dead, that in all things he might hauehave the preeminence. So the priuiledge of primogeniture is singularly and indiuidually his.

How then are the faithfull heere called the first borne? To answer this, we must know that God hath sonnes by nature, and by grace. Christ by nature onelyonly, all the elect by grace. Christ is a Sonne begotten, not made; we are sonnes made, not begotten in respect of nature. Christ as God is begotten, not borne: as man he is borne, not begotten. We see the priuiledge of Christs primogeniture: from his let vsus looke to ours, for from him wee hauehave it. The elect are called First-borne in three respects.

p. 751. Because they are vnited to the first borne. iiHebr. 2. 11.Heb 2:11For both he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren. Hee that is made vnus cum primogenito, may be well called primogenitus: one with the first borne is a first borne.

2. Because they are culled and called out of the world. Many wicked are created before them, but they are elected in Gods decree to life before the other; for the wicked are not chosen at all. Esau was Isaaks first borne, but Iacob was Gods first borne. Many of the worlds firstborne hauehave beene reiected. kkGen. 48. 17.Gen 48:17Israel laid his right hand vponupon Ephraim the younger, and his left vponupon Manasseh the elder. llGen. 49. 4.Gen 49:4Reuben, thou art my first borne, but thou shalt not be excellent. Cain Adams first borne; Ismael, Abrahams first borne, were cast off. mmExod. 4. 22.Exod 4:22Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my sonne, euen my first borne. The Lord had first chosen that nation to be his people, yet afterward reiected them, and accepted the Gentiles: so that the elder serue the younger. But Gods first borne are neuer refused: whom hee hath predestinated to be sonnes, hee hath also called to bee heyres. So that this primogeniture is not in respect of generation, but of regeneration. Though they be not primò conditi, they are primò reconditi. nnIohn 1. 13.John 1:13Flesh and bloud hath no worke in this birth, nor the will of man; but the will of God. ooIam. 1. 18.Jas 1:18Of his owne will begate he vsus, with the word of trueth, that wee should be a kinde of first fruits of his creatures. The Spirit begets of immortall seed, grace; in the wombe of the Church; the meanes of this Birth being the Word. ppIohn. 3. 3.John 3:3Except a man be borne againe, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Out of that vniuersall apostacie God sent his Sonne, to beget some first borne to himselfe.

3. Because the priuiledges of the first borne are theirs. These were many, as we may find in allusion to the Law. 1. The excellency of strength: qqGen. 49. 3.Gen 49:3Reuben my first borne, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignitie, and the excellencie of power. Man decayes, and the p. 76children of age are not so strong as the children of youth: therefore the first borne are called the beginning of power, and the excellency of strength. True it is, that there's no decay in Gods Spirit that begets: yet because the faithfull are first in Gods intention of fauour, and hee giues them that strength of grace to resist sinne, and to serue him, which the world hath not; therefore they are called his Firstborne, the excellency of his power. Though we be weake in our selues, yet his strength is glorified in our weakenes, his rr2. Cor. 12. 9.2 Cor 12:9Grace is sufficient for vsus.

2. The name of the family was giuen to the first borne. ss1. Sam. 9. 21.1 Sam 9:21Is not my family the least of all the families of the Tribe of Beniamin, saith Saul? ttIudg. 11. 1.Judg 11:1Gilead made his whole family to be called Gileadites. For further exemplying of this priuiledge, read Numbers. chap. 26. ver. 23. to ver. 52. Is this dignity lost vnderunder the Gospell to the first borne in Christ? no, for euen the wicked dwelling among the righteous, are for their sakes vouchsafed the name of Christians. The name of the first borne hath christned all the familie.

3. Priesthood and the right to sacrifice. uuExod. 24. 5.Exod 24:5Moses sent twelue young men, according to the twelue tribes of Israel, to offer burnt offerings, and sacrifice peace offerings vntounto the Lord. Those young men are thought to bee no other, but twelue of the first borne of the chiefe of the Tribes: to whom the right of sacrificing & Priesthood did belong, till the Leuites were separated for that end. xxNum. 3. 45.Num 3:45Take the Leuites in stead of all the first borne among the children of Israel. Neither is this priuiledge lost by the Gospel: yyReu. 1. 6.Rev 1:6Christ hath made vsus Kings and Priests vntounto God his Father; to offer vp spirituall sacrifice of thanksgiuing to him. Priests, but Priests to God; lest the Schismaticke should take aduantage thereby to trouble the ciuill state. The Propitiatory sacrifice is offered for vsus by our high Priest Iesus: the sacrifices of our Priesthood are onelyonly gratulatory.

4. Double portion. aaDeut. 21. 17.Deut 21:17If a man hauehave two wiues, one p. 77beloued, and another hated, and children by them both: if the first borne sonne be hers that is hated, yet when he maketh his sonnes to inherit, though perhaps hee would fauour the sonne of the loued, yet hee shall acknowledge the sonne of the hated, by giuing him a double portion of all that he hath: for hee is the beginning of his strength, the right of the first borne is his. So the elect hauehave a double portion: not onelyonly a share in the things of this life, but much more in heauen. bb1. Tim. 4. 8.1 Tim 4:8Godlinesse hath the promise both of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. It is a false imagination that God makes none of his children happy in this life. Abraham was rich, Dauid a King. But if he denies them opulencie, hee neuer denies them content. This is the cheefe riches; for we see others Esurientes in popina; as the by-word is, staruing in a Cookes shop, wretched in their highest fortunes. The godly hauehave so much share of this world, as may stand with their eternall blessednesse in the world to come. And such may bee content with a small portion here, that are sure of the inheritance heereafter. Iehoshaphat gaue great gifts of siluer and gold, and precious things, to all his children: cc2. Chr. 21. 3.2 Chr 21:3but the kingdome hee gaue to Iehoram, because he was the first borne. Our Law giues the first borne sonne the inheritance: God will not depriue his of it. Thus hath Christ promised a double portion to the faithfull; ddMark. 10. 30.Mark 10:30He shall receiue an hundred fold now in this time, and in the world to come eternall life. And indeed the Birth-right with the Iewes was a type of euerlasting life. The consideration of this excellent priuiledge doth teach vsus three lessons.

1. That we are dedicated to God. Exod. 13. 2. Numb. 3. 13. Sanctifie to me all the first borne. ee1. Sam. 1. 28.1 Sam 1:28So Ha…nah dedicated her first borne Samuel to the Lord. ffLuk. 2. 22.Luke 2:22Mary brought Christ to Ierusalem, to present him to the Lord; as it is written in the Law; EueryEvery male that openeth the wombe, shall be called holy to the Lord. To robbe God of his tythes is sacriledge; but to take away from him our soules, this is the p. 78highest sacriledge. In this we hauehave a sequestration from common vse, we are no longer as we were. They are mine, saith the Lord: not onelyonly by a common right, so al things are his. The earth is the Lords, and the fulnesse of it. nor onelyonly for a gratefull acknowledgement, that the increase of all things comes from him. But as the Israelites were Gods by a speciall claime; because he preserued them in Egypt, when the first borne were slaine. For whose redemption he accepted the first borne of their beasts: when he might hauehave commanded all, lest this should seem grieuous to them, he required but the first part. Hee onelyonly reserued what he preserued. So we were all by nature in as much danger of Gods wrath, as were the Israelites of the destroying Angell when the first borne of the Aegyptians were smitten dead. But the Lord sprinkled the dores of our hearts with the bloud of his holy Lambe Iesus. Hath the Lord spared vsus? then hee chalengeth vsus. To take from man his owne is iniurious, from God sacrilegious. gg1. Cor. 6. 20.1 Cor 6:20Glorifie God in your body, and in your spirit. why? for they are Gods, ye are not your owne, saith the Apostle. Thus hee confessed himselfe not his owne man: hhActs 27. 23.Acts 27:23There stood by me this night the Angell of God, whose I am, and whom I serue. Wee are Gods possession, the first borne which he hath redeemed by his owne First-borne, Christ. This wee acknowledge when wee present our children to God in Baptisme. Yet O strange and forgetfull inconstancy! when wee hauehave giuen them to God in baptisme, by a foolish indulgence wee take them away againe in education. A Prince abhorres to hauehave his eldest sonne marry with a harlot; this were to vilifie and ignoble that royall bloud. And shall God brooke his First borne to be contracted with that vgly strumpet, Sinne? This were to forfeit and make void the right of primogeniture.

2. Seeing we are Gods first borne, let vsus offer our first and best things to him. The Lord hath deserued the priority p. 79of our seruice: iiMat. 6. 33.Matt 6:33First seeke the kingdome of God, and the righteousnesse thereof. Our first studies, our first labours must bee consecrated to God. The Law required three properties in the sacrifices offered to God. 1. They must be first borne: vt illi reddamus prima, qui nobis debil omnia: that vvee should vvillingly giuegive him the first, that had bountifully giuen vsus all. So vve must giuegive the first houre of the day, the first vvorke of our hands, the first wordes of our lips to the Lord. 2. They must bee cleane beasts, for God abhorred the vncleane, maimed, or deformed. kkMal. 1. 8.Mal 1:8Ye offer polluted bread vponupon mine Altar. If ye offer the blinde for sacrifice, is it not euill? if ye offer the lame & sicke, is it not euill? offer it now to the gouernor, will hee be pleased with it? So vvee must hold vp to God cleane hands, and send vp pure hearts: llHebr. 12. 13.Heb 12:13making straight paths for our feete, lest that which is halting be turned out of the way. 3. The sacrifices must be Males, because the best and most perfect things are to be giuen to God. Multi homines, pauci viri. Let vsus offer vp our masculine vertues, mmEph. 4. 13.Eph 4:13growing to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ. We must aime at this perfect sacrifice.

Besides in the Law there were three other rules obseruable in the consecration of the first borne. 1. That they should be seuen daies with the damme, and the eight day be giuen to God. Exod. 22. 30. wherein there vvas not onelyonly a respondence to the rule of circumcision, limited to the eight day, Gen. 17. 12. But to preuent their fraud in offering to God things of no seruice, being too soone taken from the damme. 2. In voluntary oblations they were forbidden to dedicate to the Lord any of the first borne. nnLeuit. 27. 26.Lev 27:26The firstling of the beasts which should be the Lords firstling, no man shall sanctifie it. The reason is, because that vvas the Lords already. Wee hauehave such names highly recorded on our Hospitall-walls, painted on the windowes of our Churches, often engrauen in marble the memorable tenent of worthy acts, for excellent benefactors. Yet p. 80All their beneuolence to God, is not the Tenth of that they hauehave robbed God, & taken from his Church. Foole, giuegive of thine owne, if thou wilt hauehave reward in Heauen: first restore iustly what thou hast gathered vniustly. To giuegive of that is not Liberaliter dare, sed partialiter retribuere: thou bestowest on God a Lambe of his owne Evve. Doost thou looke for thanks for such a gift? Alas, it was Gods owne before. 3. They were commanded neither to worke nor sheare the first borne. ooDeut. 15. 19.Deut 15:19Thou shalt doe no worke with the firstling of thy Bullocke, nor sheare the firstling of thy Sheepe. To curbe their couetousnesse: though they would not deceiue the Lord of his first borne, yet they would take so much profit of it as they could. But they are restrained from diminution; they must not present a worne Bullocke, nor a shorne Sheepe. Now if the Lord was so ielous of first borne beasts, how is hee ielous of first borne soules? Let vsus not thinke our choisest and most excellent things too deare for God, that hath made vsus his first borne in Iesus Christ.

3. Lastly, let vsus vponupon no condition part vvith our Birthright. Hath God aduanced vsus to this honour? (ppPsal. 89. 27.Ps 89:27 I will make him my first borne, higher then the Kings of the earth) then let vsus neuer sell it. qqHeb. 12. 16.Heb 12:16Let there be no person profane as Esau, who for one morsell of meate sold his Birthright. Hath the elder brother Primariam potestatem? rrGene. 27. 29.Gen 27:29Be Lord ouer thy brethren, and let thy mothers sonnes bow downe vntounto thee. Let no lust subiect vsus seruire minori, to serue the younger. The enemies rage against them, but saith God to Pharaoh; Let my sonne goe that hee may serue me: if thou refuse to let him goe, behold I will slay thy sonne, euen thy first Exod. 4. 23.Exod 4:23borne. Thus saith the Psalmist; God reproues euen Kings for their sakes. Now Omne beneficium petit officium: eueryevery benefite is obligatory, and binds to some thankful duty Hath God dignified vsus with a Priuiledge, he expects that our carefulnesse should neuer forfetit. Naboth would not sell his Vineyard: yet his Vineyard was but a part of his p. 81Inheritance, & his Inheritance but a part of his birthright. Though Ahab profferd him a better vineyard, or the worth of it in money; yet saith Naboth, tt1. King. 21. 3.1 Kgs 21:3The Lord forbid it me, that I should giuegive the inheritance of my fathers vntounto thee. And shal we for trifles passe away our eternall Birthright? It is a wretched bargaine: yet the Blasphemer sweares away his birthright, the Epicure feasts away his birthright, the winebibber drinks away his Birthright, the Lauish spends his birthright, the couetous sels his birthright for ready mony.

There be some, 1. that sell their Birthright: it is said of the Lawyer that hee hath linguam venalem, a saleable tongue: the couetous venalem animam, a saleable soule: the harlot venalem carnem: a saleable flesh. Esau sold his birthright, Ahab sold himselfe to worke wickednesse, Iudas sold his soule for thirty peeces. uuEccle. 10. 9.Eccl 10:9There is not a more wicked thing then a couetous man: for such a one setteth his soule to sale, because while he liueth he casteth away his bowels. Others pawne their Birthright: they are not so desperate as to sell it outright, but they will pawne it for a while. They seeme to make conscience of their waies generally, and to be good husbands of their talents: but when an opportune temptation comes, with meat in the mouth; a fit aduantage of much wealth, of high honour, of secret pleasure; they will embrace and fasten on it, though they pawne their soules for a season. And indeed he that knowingly ventures to sin, doth as it were morgage his birthright, puts it to the hazard of redeeming by repentance. But it is dangerous to be a Marchant venturer in this case: the birthright is precious, if that infernall Broker get but a colour of title in it, hee will vse tricks to make thee breake thy day, and then sue out a Iudgement against thee. 3. Some lose their Birthright; profane and negligent wretches, that leaue their soule perpetually vnguarded, vnregarded. They may be carefull about many things, but one thing is necessary, to keepe their Birthright. While they sleepe, the enemy sowes tares: it is a p. 82wretched slumber, that sleepes, and slips away the birthright. 4. Others giuegive away their birthright, & these are specially the enuious and the desperate. Malice giues it away, and hath nothing for it. The Ambitious bargaines to hauehave a little honour for his Birthright, the Couetous to hauehave some gold for his birthright, the voluptuous to hauehave some sensuall pleasure for his birthright: but the malicious giues it away for nothing, except it be vexation, that doth anguish him, and languish him. The desperate destroying his body, giues away his birthright: hee hath nought for it but horrors within, and terrors without. These men serue the diuels turne for nothing. Looke O miserable man vponupon the Purchaser of thy Birthright Christ, & consider the price it cost him: if thou sell that for a little pleasure, that he bought with so much paine, thou thinkest him an idle Marchant. No Lord, as thou hast giuē it to vsus, so keepe it for vsus: that hauing now the assurance of it in grace, vvee may hauehave one day the full possession of it in glory.

Written in heauen. This phrase is often vsed in the Scripture, and is but a metaphor whereby God declares the certaintie of some mens eternall predestination, and eternall saluation. Tostatus makes three written bookes of GOD. 1. The great booke, wherein are written all persons, actions, and euents, both good and bad. Out of this are taken two other bookes. 2. The booke of Predestination, consisting onelyonly of the Elect. 3. The booke of Gods Prescience, which he calls the Blacke booke, wherin are registred onelyonly the Reprobate. But this latter booke hath no warrant in the Scriptures: it is true, that as there is a certaine number to be saued, so the Lord knoweth them that are ordained to destruction: but the Scripture giues onelyonly a name of booke to the first, not to the worst. Non quòd scribuntur in aliquo libro, sed quòd non scribuntur in illo libro. aaPsal. 69. 28.Ps 69:28Let them be blotted out of the booke of the liuing, & let them not be written among the righteous. bbReue. 17. 8.Rev 17:8Whose p. 83names are not written in the Booke of Life from the foundation of the World. Not that they are written in any other booke, but that they are not written in that booke. Indeed God may be said to hauehave diuerse Bookes.

1. Liber Prouidentiae, the booke of his Prouidence, wherein God seeth and disposeth all things that are done by himselfe in the World. ccPsal. 139. 16.Ps 139:16Thine eyes did see my substance yet being vnperfect: and in thy booke were all my members written, when as yet there was none of them. Not a sparrow falls from the house, not a haire from our heads, without the record of this booke.

2. Liber Memori…, the booke of Gods memorie, wherein all things done by men, whether good or euill, are registred. ddMala. 3. 16.Mal 3:16A booke of remembrance was written before GOD, for them that feared the Lord, and thought vponupon his Name. eeReu. 20. 12.Rev 20:12The bookes were opened, and another booke was opened, which is the booke of Life. Hence it is plaine, that there are other bookes besides the booke of Life. This is that which manifesteth all secrets, whether mentall, orall, or actuall. ffEccl. 12. 14.Eccl 12:14Whereby GOD shall bring eueryevery vvorke into iudgement, with eueryevery secret thing, be it good or euill. This Booke shal be opened in that day, ggRom. 2. 16.Rom 2:16vvhen God shall iudge the secrets of all hearts by Iesus Christ.

3. Liber Conscientiae, the booke of eueryevery mans conscience: this is a booke of Record or testimony; not so much of Iudicature, as of witnesse. hh1. Ioh. 3. 20.1 John 3:20If our heart condemne vsus, God is greater then our heart, and knoweth all things. There is Conscientiae per…rsa, that doth wholly condemne: there is Conscientiae dubia, that doth neither condemne nor acquit: there is Conscientiae b…e ordinata; such a one had Paul, iiRom. 9. 1.Rom 9:1I say the truth in Christ, I lye not, my conscience also bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost. EueryEvery mans conscience beareth witnesse: but vbi cogitatio non habet quòd accuset, where the thought hath no matter of accusation against a man, that conscience doth beare vvitnesse in the holy Ghost. Looke well to thy life, for thou bearest about p. 84thee a booke of Testimonie, that shall speake either with or against thee.

4. Liber monumentorum, a booke of Monuments; which containes the acts of the Saints for the memorie of times to come. Of this nature were the Chronicles, the Acts of the Apostles, that martyrologie or golden Legend of the Saints in the Chapter preceding my Text. God threatens the false prophets, that kkEzek. 13. 9.Ezek 13:9they shall not bee written in the writing of the house of Israel.

5. Liber veritatis, the booke of Truth: this may also be called the booke of Life, because it containes those rules, that lead and direct vsus to life eternall. As that is called a booke of vvarfare, wherein the precepts of the Military Art are written. llIohn 5. 39.John 5:39Search the Scriptures, for therein yee hauehave eternall life. mmEccl. 24. 23.Sir 24:23All these things are the booke of the Couenant of the most high God.

6. Liber Vitae, the booke of Life it selfe, wherein onelyonly are written the names of the Elect, whom GOD hath ordained to saluation for euer. This is to be written in h… uen. nnReu. …1. 27.Rev 1:27Into that holy City shall enter nothing that defileth: but only they which are written in the Lambes booke of Life. Paul speakes of his fellow labourers, ooPhil. 4. 3.Phil 4:3vvhose names are in the booke of Life. When the Disciples returned said; Lord, euen the diuells are subiect to vsus through thy Name: true saith Christ, I saw Satan as lightning fall from Heauen. ppLuke. 10. 20.Luke 10:20Notwithstanding, in this reioyce not, that the spirits are subiect vntounto you: but rather reioyce because your names are written in Heauen. This is a borrowed speech; Sicut nos ea literis consignamus, As we cōmit that to writing, the memory whereof we would hauehave kept. So doth God, not that he needes any booke of remembrance, but because all things are present with him, as if they were written in a booke. They among men which are chosen to any speciall place or seruice, are written in a booke: so the Romane Senators were called Patres conscripti: and it is called the Muster-booke, wherein stand the names p. 85of the Souldiers pressed to the warres. To conclude, this writing in heauen, is the booke of Election, wherein all that shall be saued, are registred.

Here vnauoydably wee come to the maine question, that may seeme to infringe this happy priuiledge of the Church. Whether to be written in Heauen be an infallible assurance of saluation: or whether any there registred may come to be blotted out. The truth is, that none written in heauen can euer be lost; yet they obiect against it, Psal. 69. 28. Let them be blotted out of the booke of the liuing, and let them not be written among the righteous. Hence they inferre, that some names once there recorded, are afterwards put out. But this opinion casteth a double aspersion vponupon God himselfe. Either it makes him ignorant of future things, as if he foresaw not the end of elect and reprobate, and so were deceiued in decreeing some to be saued, that shal not be saued. Or that his decree is mutable, in excluding those vponupon their sinnes, vvhom he hath formerly chosen. From both these weakenesses S. Paul vindicates him. 2. Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of GOD standeth sure, hauing the seale, The Lord knoweth them that are his. First, the Lord knowes them that are his; this were not true if Gods Prescience could be deluded. Then his foundation stands sure: but that were no sure foundation, if those hee hath decreed to be his, should afterward fall out not to bee his. The very Conclusion of truth is this; Impossibilis est deletio: they vvhichwhich are vvritten in heauen, can neuer come into hell. To cleare this from the opposed doubt, among many I will cull out three proper distinctions.

1. One may be said to be written in heauen simpliciter, and secundum quid. Hee that is simply written there, In quantum praedestinatus ad vitam, because elected to life, can neuer be blotted out. Hee that is but written after a sort, may; for hee is written Non secundum Dei praescientiam, sed secundum praesentem iustitiam: not according to p. 86Gods former decree, but according to their present righteousnesse. So they are said to be blotted out, not in respect of Gods knowledge: for hee knowes they were neuer written there; but according to their present condition, apostating from grace to sinne. Lyran.

2. Some are blotted out, non secundum rei veritatem, sed hominum opinionem: not according to the truth of the thing, but according to mens opinion. It is vsuall in the Scriptures, to say a thing is done, quando innotescat fieri, when it is declared to bee done. Hypocrites hauehave a simulation of outward sanctitie, so that men in charity iudge them to be written in heauen. But when those glistering starres appeare to be onelyonly Ignes fatui, foolish meteors; and fall from the firmament of the Church; then we say they are blotted out. The written ex existentiâ, by a perfect being, neuer lost; but ex apparentiâ, by a dissembled appearance, may. Some God so writes, In se vt simpliciter habituri vitam; that they hauehave life simply in themselues, though not of themselues. Others hee so writes, vt habeant non in se, sed in sua causa; from which falling they are said to be obliterated. Aquin.

3. Augustine sayes, wee must not so take it, that God first writes, and then dasheth out. For if a Pilate could say, Quod scripsi, scripsi; what I hauehave written, I hauehave written; and it shall stand. Shall God say, Quod scripsi expungam, what I hauehave written I will wipe out, and it stall not stand? They are written then Secundum spem ipsorum, qui ibi se scriptos putabant; according to their owne hope that presumed their names there. And are blotted out, Quando ipsis constet illos non ibi fuisse; when it is manifest to themselues that their names neuer had any such honour of inscription. This euen that Psalme strengthens, whence they fetch their opposition. qqPsal. 69. 28.Ps 69:28Let them bee blotted out of the booke of the liuing: and let them not be written among the right…ous. So that to bee blotted out of that booke, is indeed neuer to bewritten there. To bee wiped out in the p. 87end, is but a declaration that such were not written in the beginning.

But how then shall wee iustifie Moses his desire? rrExod. 32. 32.Exod 32:32If thou wilt forgiue their sinne, faire and good: but if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy booke, which thou hast written. Did Moses wish an impossibility? Some opinionate, that this was not the booke of life that Moses meant: but they erre. 1. Some by this vnderstand the booke of the Law: as if this were his meaning. If thou destroy the people to whom thou hast giuen the Law, let not my name be mentioned as the Law giuer. But it is answered. 1. that the booke of the Law was not yet written; and he could not desire blotting forth of a booke that was not. 2. This was in Moses his power when he wrote the Law, to leaue out his owne name; he needed not to trouble God about it. 3. He opposeth the greatest losse he could sustaine, against the greatest benefit the people could obtaine: but this was no great losse to bee blotted out of that booke. 4. Moses speakes of a booke that God had written: but the booke of the Law, sauing onelyonly the Decalogue, Moses wrote himselfe. 2. Ierome vnderstands this desire of Moses for death in this life; Perire in praesentem, non in perpetuum. But if he conceiues no more then a temporall death, Gods answere confutes it; Whosoeuer hath sinned against mee, him will I blot out. ver. 33. OnelyOnly sinners are raced out of this booke; but from the booke of terrene life, both sinners and iust come to be blotted: for good and bad are subiect to temporall death. 3. Caietan vnderstands it De libro Principatus in hac vita, to be the booke of Soueraignty: because it is decreed by God as in a booke, quòd isti vel illi principentur: that this or that man should hauehave the dominion. But God answeres, onelyonly sinners are raced out of the booke: but in the booke of gouernment are bad Kings, so well as good. And for that booke, Ezek. 13. 9. as if he wished no more, but not to be counted of Israel; or hauehave his name among the Patriarchs and Prophets. If p. 88Israel had perished, the booke of his Couenant with Israel had also perished. So for that booke of Iasher. Iosh. 10. 13. it is thought to be lost; therefore no great matter to be put out of it. It must needs bee then the booke of life, and how could Moses wish a racing out of that booke?

Some say, that by sinne a man may come to be blotted out of that booke, wherein he thought himselfe written. But if it could not be done without sinne, this construction were to make Moses Petere peccare mortaliter; to beg power to sinne mortally, that hee might bee blotted out. Neyther doth God for vnrighteousnesse race out any, but indeed they race out themselues. Some take it to be a parabolicall speech, to shew the intention of his desire. As Rachel said to Iacob, ssGen. 30. 1.Gen 30:1GiueGive mee children, or else I die. Yet she had rather liue and hauehave no children, then hauehave children and presently dye. As if one should say; Do this, or else kill me: yet he had rather hauehave the thing omitted, then himselfe killed. Tostat. But this were to make Moses speake one thing, & meane another: whereas he desired it from his heart. Others thinke Moses spake affirmatiuely, after this sense: that if God would not pardon the peoples sinne, it would follow that himselfe should be blotted out. Rupert. But this had been against the iustice of God, that one should be damned for the sinne of another. Againe this had conuinced Moses of wauering and doubtfulnesse of his saluation: but the faithfull hauehave confidence, that though thousands should perish, yet they are sure of eternall blisse.

Some say, Moses wished this after the disposition of the inferiour part of his soule; and not in voluntate rationem superiorem sequente; not in that will which is gouerned by reason. They exemplifie it in Christ, who desired the cup to passe from him, yet simpliciter vellet pati, simply he would suffer. But there is great difference in the example. 1. Christ eschewes death, Moses ensues death: p. 89the obiect of their desires was vnlike. 2. Christ by his office was to beare the sinne and punishment of his people: Moses was neuer called to such a mediatorship. 3. Christ prayeth there as a man: for as God hee prayeth not, but is prayed to. There is Duplex affectus, Mentis & Sensus. Christ in the affection of his minde was willing to suffer, but in his affection of Sense he desired the cup to passe. So that in Christ to escape death, was a naturall desire: in Moses to wish death, yea an eternall death, was a contranaturall desire: it proceeded not from the sensuall part, but from his inward feeling and meditation.

Others thinke hee prayed, quia turbatus erat, being troubled: not considering at that instant whether that was possible that he begged. …x impetu passionis, saith Lyranus, vehementia fuisse abreptum, vt loquatur quasi ecstaticus; saith Caluin. But this accuseth him of rashnesse: for it is fit he that prayeth, should bee of a calme and composed spirit. Others conclude, that Moses preferred the safety of the people before his own soule. Caluin. He thought of nothing, but vt s…luus sit populus, that the people might be saued. But this is against the rule of charity: for though anothers soule be dearer to me then my owne body: yet my owne soule ought to be dearer vntounto me then all mens soules in the world. yea if all the soules of the Saints; yea of the Virgin Mary her selfe, should perish, except my soule perished for them: saith Tostatus: Citius deberem eligere omnes illas perire quàm animam meam. I ought rather to chuse to saue my owne soule, then all theirs.

Lastly, the most and best rest vponupon this sense. Because the saluation of Israel was ioyned with the glory of God: both in respect of the promises made to the Fathers, which was not for his honour to frustrate: and to preuent the blasphemies of the enemies insulting on their ruine; God hath forsaken his people: Moses ante omnia gloriam Deispecta…t: He respected the glory of God aboue all: in regard whereof, he was carelesse of his owne saluation. p. 90Precious to vsus is the saluation of others, more precious the saluation of our selues, but most precious of all is the glory of God. Such a wish as this great Prophet of the olde Testament, had that great Apostle of the new. ttRom. 9. 3.Rom 9:3I could wish my-selfe accursed from Christ, for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh. They say, to cleare both these desires from sinne, there is no other solution but this: that both of them for Gods glory in Israels safety desired a separation from glory for a time, not damnation of body and soule for euer. Howsoeuer, there was some difference in their wishes. Chrys. Moses wished Perire cum caeteris, Paul perire pro caeteris. Moses cum pereuntibus, Paulus ne pereant. Moses desired to perish with them that perished: Paul desired to perish, that they might not perish. But the aime of both was the Lords glory, and the peoples safety. Their zeale was ineffable, their example inimitable, their affection vnmatchable. Yet thus farre desirable, that all Ministers, like Moses and Paul, zealously seeke their peoples saluation. And I am perswaded, that a Parent doth not more earnestly desire the welfare of his childe, then doth a good Minister the sauing of his flocke. What we desire for you, doe you labor for your selues, and the Lord Iesus worke for vsus all.

There be some that would hauehave it granted, that Moses and Paul did sinne in those wishes; and the concession thereof doth safely end all controuersie. I see no preiudice in this answere, for the best Saints liuing hauehave had their weakenesses. But if you please after all these, to admitte also the hearing of my opinion. Mine I call it, because I neuer read or heard any yet giuegive it: I call it an opinion, because vnusquis que abundat sensu suo, and may take which his owne iudgement best liketh. By this Booke I thinke he meanes Gods fauour: as we vsually say, to be in a mans fauour, is to be in his bookes. We speake of one that dissemblingly cousoned vsus, such a man shall neuer come in my bookes. For you will not enter that man into your p. 91booke, whom you doe not both trust and fauour. To be blotted out of Gods booke, is to bee liable to his displeasure, subiectuall to his iudgements. Now I cannot bee perswaded, that Moses euer imagined God would eternally destroy Israel: therefore nor did he beg eternall destruction to himselfe. Hee wished no more to himselfe, then he feared to them. But it is expresly set downe, ver. 14. that God would not cast away Israel to euerlasting perdition. The Lord repented of the euill, which hee thought to doe vntounto his people. But thus; Lord, if they must needs vndergoe thy wrath and seuere punishment for their sin, so punish me in the same measure that hauehave not sinned. If thou wilt not fauour them, forget to fauour me: let mee feele thy hand with them. It was not then euerlasting damnation, that hee eyther feared to them, or desired to himselfe: but onelyonly the desertion of Gods present louelove and good pleasure to him, together with subiection to his iudgements; whereof they should taste so deepely, as if God had neuer booked them for his owne. This seemes to be the true sense by Gods answere; Those that hauehave sinned, I will blot out of my booke. The offenders shall smart, they that hauehave sinned shall bee punished. So Dauid and other Saints felt grieuous impositions, though they neuer perished, but were ordained to eternall life.

To conclude, they that are written in heauen can neuer be lost. Woe then to that Religion, which teacheth euen the best Saint to doubt of his saluation while hee liueth. Hath Christ said, Beleeue: and shall man say, Doubt? This is a racke and strappado to the conscience: for hee that doubteth of his saluation, doubteth of Gods louelove: and he that doubteth of Gods louelove, cannot heartily louelove him againe. If this louelove be wanting, it is not possible to hauehave true peace. O the terrors of this troubled conscience! It is like an Ague, it may hauehave intermission, but the fit will come and shake him. An vntoward beast is a trouble to a man, an vntounto ward seruant a great trouble, an vntoward p. 92wife a greater trouble, but the greatest trouble of all is an vntoward conscience. uuPsal. 32. 1.Ps 32:1Blessed is the man whose sinnes are forgiuen: where there is no remission of sinnes, there is no blessednesse. Now there is no true blessednesse but that is enioyed, and none is enioyed vnlesse it be felt, and it cannot be felt vnlesse it be possessed, and it is not possessed vnlesse a man know it, and how does he know it, that doubts whether he hath it or not?

All soules are passengers in this world, our way is in the middle of the sea: we hauehave no sure footing: which way soeuer we cast our eyes, wee see nothing but deepe waters, the Deuill and our owne flesh raising vp against vsus infinite stormes. God directs vsus to Christ, as to a sure Anchor-hold, he bids vsus vndoe our Cables, and fling vp our Anchors in the vaile, fasten them vponupon Iesus: we doe so and are safe. But a sister of ours passing in the shippe with vsus, that hath long taken vponupon her to rule the helme, deales vnkindly with vsus; shee cuts in pieces our Cables, throwes away our Anchors, and tels vsus wee may not presume to fasten them on the Rocke, our Mediatour. Shee rowes and roues vsus in the midst of the sea, through the greatest fogs, and fearefullest tempests: if wee follow her course, wee must looke for ineuitable shipwracke. The least flaw of winde will ouerturne vsus, and sink our soules to the lowest gulfe. No, they that are written in the eternall leaues of heauen, shall neuer be wrapped in the cloudy sheetes of darkenes. A man may hauehave his name written in the Chronicles, yet lost: written in durable marble, yet perish: written on a monument equall to a Colossus, yet be ignominious: written on the Hospitall-gates, yet goe to hell: written on his own house, yet another come to possesse it. All these are but writings in the dnst, or vponupon the vvaters; where the characters perish so soone as they are made. They no more proue a man happy, then the foole could proue Pontius Pilate a Saint, because his name was written in the Creed. But they that be written p. 93in heauen, are sure to inherite it.

Now to apply all this vsefully to our selues; some perhaps would be satisfied how wee may know our names written in heauen. It is certaine that no eye hath looked into Gods booke, yet himselfe hath allowed certaine arguments and proofes, whereby wee hauehave more then a coniecturall knowledge. The principall is the Testimonie of Gods Spirit concurring with our spirit. Rom. 8. 16. But of this I hauehave liberally spoken in some later passages of this booke; together with the most pregnant signes of our election. Here therefore I am straightned to insert onelyonly some (there omitted) effects. Which are these foure; If our hearts be on Gods booke, If the poore be in our booke, If wee well order the booke of our conscience, Lastly, if we can write our selues holy in earth, then be bold we are vvritten happy in heauen.

1. If our heart be on Gods booke; and this wee shall find è conuerso, if Gods booke be in our heart. Mary laid vp Christs words in her heart. It must not lye like loose corne on the floore, subiect to the pecking vp of eueryevery fowle; but it is ground by meditation, digested by faith: manet alto corde repostum. God saies, My sonne, giuegive thy heart to me: doe thou pray, My Father, first giuegive thy selfe to my heart. I aske not whether this booke lyes in thy study, but whether the study of it lyes in thy heart. The life of the Scriptures is not in verborum folijs, sed in medulla cordis; not in the letters and leaues, but in the inwards of the heart. It is not lectio, nor relectio, but dilectio: not reading, but leading a life answerable, that assures vsus. If we syncerely louelove this booke, wee are certainly in Gods booke. Mary zealously louing Christs word, is said to chuse the better part, that shall neuer be taken from her.

2. If the poore be in thy booke: and this is reciprocall, then thou art in their booke: and the conclusion is infallible, thou art in the booke of Life. For the relieued poore by their prayers, xxLuke 16. 9.Luke 16:9entertaine, or make way for thy p. 94entertainement into euerlasting habitations. And Christ at the last day calls them to himselfe, that hauehave beene charitable to his members; Come yee blessed, receiue the kingdome prepared for you. Your works hauehave not merited this kingdome, for it was prepared for you: but as that vvas prepared for you; so your charitie hath prepared you for it: Come and take it. Let not thy left hand knowe vvhat thy right hand doth: Doe thou write it in the dust, the poore will write it in their hearts, GOD findes it in their prayers, their prayers preuaile for thy merciemercy, & mercy writes thy name in heauen. aaActs 10. 4.Acts 10:4Thy prayers and thy almes are come vp for a memoriall before God. Therefore Cast thy bread vponupon the waters, drowne it in those watry eyes: it is not lost in that Riuer; like Peter thou throwest in an angle, & bringest vp siluer; enough to make thee blessed. Via coeli est pauper: si non vis errare, incipe erogare. The poore is the Aug.high-way to heauen: if thou wouldest not wander in thy iourney, shew mercy. Non potes habere nisi quòd acceperis: non potes non habere quod dederis. Thou canst hauehave nothing vnlesse thou receiue it: thou canst keepe nothing vnlesse thou giuegive it. Him that the poore writes not charitable on earth, nor doth God write saueable in heauen.

3. If thy name be written Christian in the booke of thy Conscience, this is a speciall argument of thy registring in heauen bb1. Iohn 3. 21.1 John 3:21For if our heart condemne vsus not, vvee hauehave boldnesse and confidence towards God. Ang. VVhat if mans ignorance and vnmercifull ielousie blot thee out of the booke of his credite; Si de libro vinentium nunquam propria deleat conscientia: so long as thy owne conscience doth not blot thee forth the booke of blessednesse. If the good spoken of vsus be not found in our conscience, that glory is our shame. If the euill spoken of vsus be not found in our conscience, that shame is our glory. Therefore it is that Hugo calls the cōscience Librum signatum et clausum, in die Indicij aperiendum, a booke shut and sealed, onelyonly at the Resurrection to be opened. Conscientiam, magis quàm p. 95….famam attende: falls saepe poterit fama, conscientiae nunquam. Looke to thy Conscience more then to thy credite: fame may often be deceiued, conscience neuer. The beames that play vponupon the water, are shot from the Sunne in heauen: the peace and ioy that danceth in the conscience, comes from the Sonne of righteousnes, the Lord Iesus. If a hearty laughter dimple the cheeke, there is a smooth and quiet mind within. VponUpon the wall there is a writing; a man sitting with his backe to the wall, how should hee read it? but let a looking-glasse be set before him, it vvill reflect it to his eyes, he shall read it by the resultance. The writing our names in heauen is hid, yet in the glasse of a good conscience it is presented to our eye of faith, and the soule reades it. For it is impossible to hauehave a good conscience on earth, except a man be written in heauen.

4. If the booke of Sanctification hauehave our names written, then surely the booke of Glorification hath them, and they shall neuer be blotted out. For God ddEphe. 4. 1.Eph 4:1hath chosen vsus in Christ before the foundation of the vvorld; that wee should be holy and vvithout blame before him in louelove. Now as we may reason from the cause to the effect, so certainely from the effect to the cause. Election is the cause, Holinesse the effect: as therefore eueryevery one written in heauen, shall be holy on earth, so eueryevery one holy on earth, is written in heauen.

This sanctitie is manifested in our obedience; vvhichwhich must be Ad totum; eePsal. 119. 6.Ps 119:6I had respect to all thy commandements. Per totum; ffver. 112.I hauehave enclined my heart to keepe thy statutes Alway, euen to the end. De tote; ggver. 69.to keepe thy precepts with my whole heart. In Rome the Patres conscripti were distinguished by their robes: and they of the Liuery in London hauehave a peculiar habite by themselues, to differ from the rest of the Company. Is thy name enrolled in that Legend of Saints? thy liuery will witnes it; hhPhil. 3. 20.Phil 3:20thy conuersation is in heauen. A Senator relating to his sonne the great honours decreed to a number of Souldiers, p. 96whose names vvere written in a booke: the sonne was importunate to see that booke. The father shewes him the outside; it seemed so glorious that he desired him to open it: No, it was sealed by the Councell. Then saith the sonne, tell me if my name be there: the father replyes, the names are secreted to the Senate. The son studying how he might get some satisfaction, desired him to deliuer the merits of those inscribed Souldiers. The father relates to him their noble atchieuements, and worthy actions of valour, wherewith they had eternized their names. Such are written, and none but such must be written in this booke. The sonne consulting with his owne heart, that he had no such trophies to shew; but had spent his time in courting Ladies, rather then encountring Knights; that he was better for a dance then a march: that he knew no drumme but the tabret, no courage but to be drunke. Hereupon he presently retyr'd himselfe, repented, entred into a combate with his owne affections: subdued them, became temperate, continent, valiant, vertuous. VVhen the Souldiers came to receiue their wreathes, he steps in to challenge one for himselfe. Being asked, vponupon vvhat title; he answered, If honours be giuen to Conquerers, I hauehave gotten the most noble conquest of all. Wherein? These hauehave subdued strange foes, but I hauehave conquered my selfe: and indeed this is iudged the greatest victory. The application is familiar: thou desirest to know whose names are written in blessednes, it shall not be told thee, This or that indiuiduall person: but generally thus, men so qualified: faithfull in Christ, and to Christ: obedient to the truth, and for the truth: that hauehave subiected their owne affections, and resigned themselues to the guidance of the heauenly will: these men hauehave made noble conquests, and shall hauehave Princely Crownes: find in thy selfe this sanctimony, and thou hast a sure testimonie: thou art written in heauen.

But all men challenge this: they beleeue and obey, and p. 97doe good deeds: and therefore some to be sure of putting in themselues, constantly affirme all men are written. But infinite numbers vvill be deceiued at the last. For if there were vniuersall inscription, there should follow vniuerfall Election: if vniuersall election, then vniuersall saluation. If the former vvere true, then vvere not election any such name. If the latter, to vvhat purpose did God make hell? ii1. Ioh. 3. 16.1 John 3:16God so loued the world, that he gaue his onelyonly begotten Sonne: What, that all should be saued? no, but that Whosoeuer beleeues, might hauehave euerlasting life. Not all; for he that takes all cannot be said to chuse. Let this stirre vsus vp to get security that our names are vvritten there. Benefits common to all, as light of the Sunne, dewes of heauen, are little regarded: but quae rarissima, carissima: things hard to come by, are much set by. Because God doth not giuegive riches to all men; but isti multum, illi paruum, huic nullum: much to one, little to another, none at all to a third: hereupon men debase themselues to moiling slaues, yea to earth-rooting beasts, to get them. For the race of this vvorld, vvhere onel the first obtaines the goale, gets the money; all trusse vp their loynes, run apace, none vvill be hindmost. For heauen, vvhere all that runne well, shall speed well, and hauehave for their prize a Crowne of righteousnesse; men are so courteous, they will giuegive another leaue to goe before them. But let thy grace in this life, witnesse thy hope of glory in the life to come.