The Mystery of Mankind, Part 1
Great is the Mystery of Godlines. 1 Tim. 13. 16.
EXPLICATION.
GReat is the misery of mankind,The Lords day Rom. 5. both by originall attainder,Psal. 51. m… being conceiued,Iac: 1. bred,Apoc. 21. and borne in sinne; and also by actuall transgressions of thought, word, and deed, whereby man becommeth more and more eueryevery day the miserable bondslaue of Sath…. A figure of this wofull estate was represented vntounto vsus in the twofold bondage of Gods Children,Exod. …. the people of Israel, 2▪ Reg. 23.the one in the slauery of Egypt, the other, in the captiuity of Babylon. Into the first; the Israelites were plunged in the pers… of their Ancestors, in whose loynes they discended into Egypt, & were thereby subiected to the crueltie of Pharaohs tyranny, and needed a deliuery to rid them thence. Into the second, their own actuall fresh bleeding sinnes cast them, for thereby they prouoked God to wrath, who in his iust iudgement deliuered them to the rage and force of their enemies, who led them away Captiue; and in that wretched estate had they remayned, if they had not also from them beene graciously deliuered.
Semblable was the wofull estate of Mankind, had not Iesus Christ the eternall Son of God deliuered vsus both from the one and the other. This deliuerance of Mankind, from out this wofull and lamentable condition, whereunto wee were plunged in the loines of Adam originally, and by our owne sinnes actually, is the greatest mysterie that euer the world knew, and is therefore called the Great mysterie of Godlines. For wee beeing now deliuered by the life and death of Christ Iesus, from this originall attainder of high treason, and by holy grace purchased by the power of his Passion, Resurrection, and ascension, beeing restored to our bloud, and freed from the rule, raigne, and rage of sinne, this great misery of mankind, is turned into a great mysterie of Godlines; and wee once wretches, and miserable miscreants, are now become good, godly, and a choice company of holy ones.
This mystery the…efore is called the mysterie of Gods will; for it is Gods will wee should bee good.2 Thes. 4, 3: This is the will of God,Col. 1: euen your Sanctification. Act. 15,Sometimes it is called the mysterie of faith, as the meanes of becomming good; for our hearts are purified by faith; otherwise it is a mistie, and misled faith, that bringeth not forth goodnes. And here it is called the Great Mysterie, as the ende of our godly profession, which is the greatest blessing that euer could come to man, which is our Vnion with God in Christ, and thereby life euerl…sting. And assuredly, this Vnion with Christ, can neuer bee obtained but by godlines, without the which, no man shall see God.
Great then is this mystery,Heb. 12. for the Reuelation of this openeth vntounto vsus all other mysteries, and therefore it is Great.
It sheweth vntounto vsus the mystery of the great WhoreApoc. 17. the mysterie of iniquitie, (euen the historie of the Papacie as noble and▪ memorable Philip Morney stiles it) which misguideth so many thousand soules, and plungeth them into the misery of error and vngodlinesse, euen into the deepe darkenesse of Sathan,Apoc. 2. lewdnesse of life, and finall despaire in death. It sheweth also vntounto vsus the mystery of the last day, which is that, Wee shall not all dye, but wee shall bee all changed, 1 Cor. 15.and that in a moment, in the twinckling of an eye, by Gods last trumpet.
Godlinesse then is a mysterie? yea surely, for it is an hidden and vnknowne secret to the wise and prudent, that is, to those that thinke themselues wise and are not, and it is a reuealed & known mysterie to babes, and sucklings: that is,Mat, 18. to those that as little children subiect and submit themselues to the wise and learned in God. For he that wil be somwhat with God, must be nothing in him self;Gal. 6, for, He that thinketh himselfe somewhat, when he is nothing, he deceiueth himselfe.
Godlinesse is a mysterie, because it hath beene hid with God from the worlds foundation, who they are that in time should be godly, and should come to the true knowledge of this mysterie. And it is a mysterie, because it was not made knowne to some ages of the world in full reuelation, but was reserued for the glory and greatnesse thereof vntounto the last times, euen vntill the reuelation of Iesus, that the Sonne of God, whose pretious bloudshedding hath made so many holy ones,Sancti ceu sanguine tincti. in the sight of God the Father. And lastly, it is a mysterie, for that it is euen yet hid in Gods iust iudgement, to them that are lost, 2. Cor. 4.in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that beleeue not, l…st the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine vntounto them.
This sacred mysterie is also called Great, both in respect of the matter thereof, which is maruellous, and in respect of the manner which is miraculous. The matter maruellous, that we for lorne wretches, and dust creeping wormes, blinded in our own vnderstandings, hardned in our hearts, and infected in our affections, should euer become coheires with Christ the Sonne of God, taken out as a remnant from among all other creatures; which God seemed to passe ouer, and to neglect, in respect of vsus, for God hath not communicated this mysterie in such neernesse, no not to the blessed Angels: for, To which of the Angels sayde God at any time, Sit on my right hand, Heb▪ 1.vntill I make thine enemies …hy footestoole.
The manner miraculous, that flesh… and bloud should become such holy seruants, enlightned in their vnderstandings, mollified in their hearts, reformed in all their desires, yea sanctified throughout, both in spirit, & soule, and body, and should become such resolute souldiers in Gods battels, vponupon such hard tearmes of intertainement as were proclaymed by Christ to his followers, beeing conditions so offensiue, and contrariant to the nice nature of men and women: which were, That if they followed Christ, and would liue godly in this present world, 2 Tim. 3.they should suffer persecution: they should be hated of all men, Mat. 10.they should be whipped and murthered,Luc▪ 6. yea they should fare as Lambes among Wolues. In a word, their swords of Reuenge, must be euer words of Grace and Edification; their fightings, patience; their wealth, ofttimes greeuous want; their feasting, fasting; their whole life very miserable in respect of others, they being abridged of many outward things, and their ende, (in the sight of men) ofttimes most lamentable.
Great, therefore doubtlesse is this mystery of godlinesse, which (for all these hard conditions, or whatsoeuer heresie, schisme, apostasie, the world, the flesh, or the diuell, could doe to crosse it) discerneth truth from falsehood by Euangelicall reuelation, the effect of Preaching, and by doctrine the effect of knowledge, which Saint Angustine calleth Christian Doctrine, & by the patient sufferings of Gods Saints in the bloudie butcheries and persecution of the Christian Church.
Great is the mysterie of godlinesse,Ioh▪ 1. yea so Great, that God became man, and man became God, that this God-man was manifested in the flesh, so great was it, that it was iustified by the spirit, both of power and puritie, so bright that the Angels desire to behold it, so great that the Iles a farre off heare it preached, the harts of men are subdued, there with to beleeue it, and the nature of man in the person of the Sonne of God is receiued vp in glory.
Great is this holy mysterie that m…n therby should hauehave a new birth by Regeneration, Tit. 3.a new heart by Sanctification, Ioh. 3.new desires by holy Resolution, and become good, godly and piou… men, from out all obliquities,Psal. 51▪ defects, and euills of their sinfull nature, which is wholly corrupted, as of infidels to become beleeuers, of vncleane persons to become chaste, of drunkards sober men, of lyars truth loueuers, and (in a word) of sinfull and sensuall miscreants, to become fast and faithfull Christians. Yea it is so Great, that it is miraculous, for in despight of Sathan, and all the powers of darkenesse, it worketh miraculous effects in our weake and feeble natures.
It enlightneth our vnderstandings with the sight of God,Act. 15. by faith in the mirrour of Iesus Christ,Mat. 5. for being pu…ified in heart,Mendacii multiplex diuortium. Aug. wee shall see God. It abandoneth all multiplicitie of gods in Paganism for in vntruthes there is no end of lying. It detecteth all Turkish impostures, and all Mahumetan dreames of their Miscelanian mongrill, Alcaron. It cleereth the ora…cles of Gods will, the sacred Scriptures from all the Talmudicall muddie glosses of the Iewish Rabinicall Sanhe…drim.
And in a word it refuteth all Popish innouations and misguiding traditions,Dan. 7. and whatsoeuer else dependeth thereon. For the Antiquitie of this godlinesse is the Ancient of dayes, and wee may easily answer all our opposits brags of Antiquitie with this, It was not so from the beginning. The counsels of this Godlinesse are Apostolicall, & Orthadoxe, Mat. 19.not Trentall, or Lateran, for the voyce frō heauen was, Heare him. Mat. 17.The fathers hereof Saint Paul, and Saint Peter, and others the fathers of the fathers. This is a mysterie indeede, and a great mysterie, and more then that, the mysterie of Godlinesse, not the curious querees of mans vain greatnesse, to wit, the secret mysteries of nature, either of the firmamentarie orelementarie world, for abstruse knowledge we leaue to Aristotle, Lemnius, Cardanus, Cornelius Agrippa, Albert us, Auerhoes, Trismegistus & such like, the searchers & inquisitors of natures niceties, the end whereof (for the most part) is vaine Phylosophy, & they that spend their dayes in such triflings, eyther fayle of this happy end to bee Godly, like those that seeke with the expence of witte, and wealth the Elixar of the Philosophers stone (the Worlds woodcocke) or fal away from God in Astrologicall calculations, with the curious, Chaldeans, and Egyptians.
But this Godlinesse is the Great Riches; for albeit it hath nothing of the World; 2. Tim. 6.yet it possesseth all the thinges of God. Thats a mysterie indeed. It dignifieth vsus with the grace of Sanctification aboue our wretched nature, and diefieth vsus with the happinesse of Glorification aboue the visible Heauens. That is a great mysterie.
It is the salt of the earth seasoning vsus, and all the acts wee doe, that we, and they may bee rationall sacrifices, acceptable to God in Christ: yea, and it is the fauour of Heauen, breathing into vsus the breath of eternall life, whereby wee are made partakers of the Diuine nature, 2 Pet. 1.in beleeuing on God in this Worlde, and in louing him shall liue for euer in the other world.
This Godlines must needs be great, when the great God by his holy Spirit is the worker thereof; for who can repaire the ruines of our rotten and corrupt nature, but the God of nature? Hee it is who onelyonly can take away the stony heart, and giuegive vsus a fleshie, plyable, and penitent heart, that onelie can rid vsus out of sathans snares &2 Tim. 2. restore vsus to a sound mind.
Great is this Godlinesse, seing nothing could moue God to doe this for vsus, but his owne great louelove to mankind,Iohn 3. and the death and Resurrection of that great Prophet Christ Iesus the Sonne of God. Great in respect of the means,Act. 7, wherby God conuayed this Godlinesse vntounto vsus, for the faith of this Godlines conuerteth vsus by the doctrine of the Law to know our selues, & our sins, by the preaching of the Gospell, to know our selues in Christ Iesus to bee saued, and oft times by afflictions, wee are weaned from the World, and are made to take liking of God and godlines.
So wee see that in the first act of our becomming good, wee are meerely passiue; for what can a dead man doe to quicken himselfe, and wee were all dead in sinnes, and trespasses;Eph. 2▪ but after wee are thus quickned by Gods acte, wee know that we are aliue, and reioyce in our godly wel doings. At the first, to worke this great …,1 Cor. 15. the grace of God is in vsus, but when we once feele this sacred power wee are willingly ledde on to goodnes, for the grace of God is with vsus; yet in all this wee hauehave here no absolute perfection, but expect the consummation thereof in glory. Tell mee then (Beloued in the Lord) is not this a mysterie, a g…eat mysterie, & the Great Mysterie of Godlinesse, the end whereof tendeth to the glory of God, who hereby regenerateth his children, prescribeth them Lawes, they obey them, and promiseth them Heauen, and they are sure of it. Is not this Mysterie Grea…, and excellent that assureth them that know it, that they are elected, is a declaration to our selues and others, that wee doe beleeue, and is a performance of our dutie in part: And lastly, is not that Great, the end wherof tendeth to the Conuersion of vnbeleeuers,Luc. 22. who seeing our good workes in this profession of Godlines, Rom. 14.glorifie our heauenly Father, and is the confirmation, and setling of our brethren that doe beleeue. Oh sacred mysterie of celestiall happines!
Thrice happy are they therfore,Application who vnderstand this Mysterie of Godlinesse. For Without controuersie (for that is the preamble of this Scripture) Great is the Mysterie of Godlinesse, and such as are of the generation of those that seeke the Lord, will with all diligence, modesty, sobriety, meekenesse and peace, search to know this Mysterie, laying aside all contentions, quarrels, strifes, and enuyings, which distract, and disturbe mens hearts, and hinder men from beeing good. Let Godlines be our Helena, and the truth will assuredly appeare vntounto vsus, as the learned Earle of Mirand wrote to Hermolaus Barbarus in this case. For it seuereth from it all the He…trogenean, and mongrill boastings of curious speculations, the specious glitterings of mans abstruse wisedome, as humane traditions, fanatical Enthusiasmes, and grosse commixtures of Moses rites with Christianisme.
And they that know this Mysterie of Godlines, lay aside all spleanie Controuersies, & seeke onelyonly to know God, & whom he hath sent, Christ Iesus, whereby they shall find themselues by the power thereof changed from the fashions of the World, the olde man, the first Adam, 1 Cor. 15.into the blessings of the new man,Eph. 4. Christ Iesus the second Adam, that is clothed with righteousnesse and grace.
They shall find that Godlinesse is the richest treasure, yea to bee more excellent, & more magnificent then all Maiesty enriching them with those blessings, that many Kings and Monarches of the earth could neuer attaine vntounto. Because Godlinesse shall secure them f…om all vexations and incursions of the Diuell whatsoeuer: for God will tender them,Psal. 91. 11, Zach. 2, As the apple of his owne eye, and commaund his Angels to pitch their tents round about them. There is the safety of this Godlinesse, euen a wall of fire to keepe out their enemies. Godlinesse shal beautifie them, for they shall be decked with Grace, whereby God shall accept them. For his people, his sonnes, and daughters for his Spouse, Psal. 34.and fer his exceeding great delight: Cant. 3.There is the grace of this Godlinesse, euen the rayes of Sion.
Sat…an, and all the powers of darkenesse shall bee subiect Luc. 19.vntounto them that are godly, their memorials shall bee written in Gods Register? And all things shall worke together for their good; Rom. 28.yea, euen their sinnes (as Saint Augustine noteth) There is the victory of this Godlinesse, euen a glorious conquest which many Kings and Monarches neuer atchieued. Godlinesse shal enlighten their darkenesse, (as Saint Augustine sayeth) For it is the Mirrour of the purified s…ule: And Dauid testifieth,psal. 119. That God is his light,psal. 27. and sure saluation. There is the light of this Godlinesse in Gods light, euen a verie view of Heauen. If we be ignorant, Wee shall all bee taught of God, …oh. 6.yea our knowledge in the very seeking of this Mysterie shall surpasse, psal. 119.our Tearchers shall surpasse, our Ancients. There is the true wisedome of this Godlinesse. Godlinesse, Psal. 31. 19.shall comfort vsus in despaire. O how great is the goodnes he hath layde vp for the that trust in him euen before the sons of men. There is the fauour of this Godlinesse.
The voyce of ioy and gladnes is in the dwellings of the righteous. Psal. 118. 15There is the sound solace of this Godlinesse.
No maruell then if Peter sayd,Mat. …7. It is good being here maister. Indeede there is no good being any where else. For holinesse becommeth his house for euer. For what euill can come vntounto vsus,Ca…t. 2. when Gods left hand is vnderunder our head, and his right hand doth embrace vsus. There is the protection of this Godlinesse.
This Mysterie of godlinesse quieteth the distresses of conscience.Prou. 14. The godly man is as confident as a Lion, Pro. 30.for the name of the Lord is his strong tower, he runneth vntounto it and is safe. There is the securitie of this godlinesse. Not carnall securitie, such as the custome of the world, and the vse of sinne doth oftimes besot, aud infatuate the hearts of Worldlings withall. For vnlesse I were Cleane either indeede, or in desire or indeuour, I should suspect the feare of God had neuer once come into my heart, how soeuer the subtiltie of Sathan and sinne had secured me,Psal. 19. for the feare of the Lord is cleane.
But when a Christian feeles in himselfe first Aversion from euil, whereby he hateth sinne, and of that hatred a double sorrow to proceede: One of the world working death, when wee are plunged in deuouring feares and sorrowes,2. Cor. 7. through the sight of our sin,Eph. 4. and an apprehension of Gods iust iudgements for the same, by the rigour of the Law, the other a godly sorrow, working repentance by the spirit of adoption,Rom. 8. and deliuering vsus from the spirit of bondage to feare any more, wee are not idle, or luld in securitie, but straightway wee fall to crie Father, and labor after a most godly sort, to rest in this so holy a resolution. By carefulnesse to looke more warily to our wayes,…. Cor. 7. 11 by cleering of our selues to keepe a good conscience in all things, by indignation to disdaine euer to bee brought againe vntounto the former slauery of Sathan, by Feare to dash out all relapses, and backslidings, lest our ends be worse thē our beginnings, by vehement desire to set our affections aboue, by zeale to draw others out of the fire, and by reuenge to ab…idge our selues of many things. we impotently, and foolishly, seeke, and search after in this world.
And hauing thus approued our selues, that we are turned from the euill in a true detestation thereof, wee go on in our conuersion to the good which is the other part of our Godlines, euen the quickning of our spirits by Gods grace, by illumination of our minds in the sight of those things which leade vsus on to heauen, by renouation of our minds, in the obedience of our once sullen and froward hearts, but now plyable and penitentiall hearts to Gods counsell, by reformation of all our disordered affections, in setling them to the minde, and thinke of nothing but whatsoeuer things are True, Phil. 4.honest, iust, pure, louely, of good report, of vertue, or of praise which wee hauehave learned, receiued, and seene in Gods children, these things they thinke on, and doe, that are the Lords.
Indeed hypocrites, and the reprobate are sayde in ScriptureHeb. 6. 4. 10. 29. to be sanctified in respect of their outward calling, and in their partaking of the externall preaching of the word and Sacraments receiued, but the godly onelyonly who are inwardly renued by the power of the Spirit hauehave this s…nctifying grace to expell all full consent from their hearts to offend God, and to labour & striue after righteousnesse.
Yet whiles the godliest liue in this world they cannot attaine to a full expulsion of the euill, and introduction of the good▪ but these two remaine like to opposite parties in a pittched field combating,Gal. 5. and skirmishing the one with the other, that the most holy cannot do what they would.
And as in the twilight, or dawning of the day, the light that we see is not vtterly voided of darknesse neither is the darkenesse altogether without light, and as in warm water the heate is mixed with cold; so the reluctations of the flesh and spirit that the godly hauehave in this world, hauehave no fellowship the one with the other, no more then those different qualities, yet they may remaine in one subiect, either acting his owne part, not seuerally, albeit distinctlie. Sarah the wife of Abraham is a president in this kinde, who beleeued the promise of God made vntounto her concerning her issue, being moued thereunto by the holy Ghost, yet being impatient of delay, enforced thereunto by the flesh, shee giues her mayde vntounto her husband, so that one and the same worke euen in the deerest of Gods children, may in respect of the spirit be praise worthy, & in respect of the flesh bee blameable. Sanctification in it selfe is most perfect, but when it is considered in the man that is sanctified, it is imperfect, and varies by degrees, and encreases by reason of the dayly slips, and slidings of the best, whereby their goodnesse is ofttimes greatly hindered, and neuer in this life perfected, which is the reason that the Scripture calleth this our Godlinesse, sometimes a pledge of the spirit, to assure vsus Gods fauour, and somtimes an earnest, which is to be made vp, neuer to be taken away. So that wee see this God…ines in Gods children, albeit it bee ofttimes verie weake, and feeble in respect of their many infirmities, yet it is rea…ll, because it is rooted in the inward parts, and God requireth trueth from thence,Psal. 51. whereas the vnregenerate hauehave formes and fruites also of holynesse, but their fruites are like those Apples that growe about the bankes of the dead Sea, or Asphaltique Lake, looke on the inside and you shall see nothing but earthlynesse, sensualitie, and diuellishnesse.
But those that hauehave this name of Godlinesse written in their hearts by the finger of God, are iustified by their faith, and this Godlinesse is a fragrant flower, and holy fruite of that their holy faith.
Thy euer looking after the sequell of this Holines, which is Happinesse, reserued for them in the heauens, for God bringeth his children by this way of Holinesse to the life of Happinesse, there being great difference betwixt the Way that leadeth vntounto the kingdome of heauen, and the cause of our attaining both the way, and eternall life, which is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. What now can disturbe or distract the peace of Gods holy ones, seeing they hauehave such pledges, assurances, and earnests of Gods fauour; that they shall neuer vtterly faile, or fall away from God. Oh this blessed securitie, and happy peace of conscience Is more to bee desired then gold, Psal. 19.yea then much fine gold, sweeter also then the honey, and the honey Combe, called of the most wise, the Continuall Feast. There is their absolute contentment of this Godlinesse. Thus Godlinesse benefiteth vsus in this life, and blesseth also in our death, yea after death.Psal. 11. Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints. Luk. 16.They are carryed of Angels into the euerlasting habitations. Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord, Apoc. 14.for they rest from their labours. Most blessed therefore are the people that are in such a case, Psal 144▪that know this Mysterie, and practise this Godli…sse, for in themselues, albeit not of themselues, they are the vesselles of honour by Illumination, 1. Thess 4.their life the rule of Christianisme by sanctification, their pedigree i… in descent from the royall Priesthood by deuoute inuo…ation;1, Pet. 2. 9. their practise is to Purge themselues for the hope of heauen by Mortification, 1. Ioh. 3. 3.their reputation is not to runne to the same excesse of ryot with others, in hope of Glorification, but their whole life is Euangelilicall, yea Angelicall (as the Apostle speaketh)Phil. 3. For theyr Conuersation is in Heauen: Yet for all this, wee see wise men seeke Greatnesse, few Godlinesse: For, if wee bestowed but halfe the diligence to bee godly, as wee doe to be great; wee should hauehave more pietie, and lesse wicked policie. And thats the reason why Mammon hath so many Schollers, and Christ so few Followers; For most men desire to know the mysterie how to be great; but few desire to know how to bee good. Machiauels Prince, Lipsius Politeques, Bodins Commentaries, and Bookes of such subiects, are matters preciously accounted of by some, whereby they imagine to become great in practizing these principles, whiles the booke of God, and other meanes to reduce them to bee good, are neglected. Many men bind themselues for terme of time to learne a mystery how to thriue, and rise in the World, and ofttimes with much hardnes & intollerable bondage endure the attainement thereof: But wee see how few t…ere are, that can endure, (I will not say, seuen years Apprentiship, no scarce seuen hou…es seruice to vnderstand and know this Mysterie of Godlines in Christ, to whose seruice all Christian men are bound by the law of God, and their vow of Baptisme to bee as obliged Votaries all their life long.
A thousand woes then must needes attend them, that are not acquainted with this Mysterie of Godlinesse, who are eyther plunged into the Deepe…esse of the Diuell, Apoc. 7.being so chained and fettered by him in their vngodly courses, that they cannot rayse themselues out of this bottomlesse pitte, or else are misled by the mysterie of iniquity, which busily worketh euen amidst the Church,2. Thes. 2 Both by lying, wonders, and wonderfull lies, being strong delusions to beleeue lyes, as was long before prophesied, or else are besotted with the vanity of the world,1. Ioh. 5. which is Alt…g…ther set vponupon wickednesse: For there bee many Antichrists in the World, and in a Countrey, where all, or the most part be Negroes, It is no blemish there to be blacke. And thats the cause of our dulnesse in thi… point, that wee liue so secure and wicked without any desire to know & vnderstand how to bee godly. Such are they that hauehave Iacobs voice in prating of Godlinesse, but Es…us hands in practising vnhappinesse. Such are they that professe a Linzie wools…y Religion, beeing hatefull to God, because they are not reall, hatefull to the World, because they are religious, albeit they be but in shew, and hurtfull to themselues, because they are hypocrites, and deceyue themselues with seeming Godlinesse: These are such as are misled with the mysterie of iniquity; such a one was Pope Paul the third, who at his end, sayde. Now shall I know three things, whereof I doubted all my life; to witte, whether there bee a God; or Hel, or whether the soule be immortall, (O damned Infidell!) Such another was Leo the te…th, who accounted the Gospell of Christ a Fable, and shewing his Fauouri…es, (saide) See what heapes of treasure I hauehave gathered by that fable of Christ (O wretched misc…eant.) The doctrines that pleaseth those that are thus misled with the mystreie of iniquity, are traditions, amphibolous equiuocations, mentall reseruations, and the like deuises. Their Religion is policy, their faith eyther implicite, or wauering; like that of Lucius consisting of words or wonders, with Moses Egyptius, as Ruffinus recordeth, would not admit of, nor endure, that Lucius should lay his handes vponupon him, but tolde him, that hee would rather beleeue his eyes then his eares; that is, he would rather embrace the Religion which is seene, then that which is only heard. And for them that without blushing say,Psal. 14. There is no God, and blot out all Religion with one dash, or with Zenaherib, Holofernes, and Ph…raoh, scoffe at Godlinesse, or with Rufus entertaine the Religion of the place where they liue, what euer it be, or turne Religious godlinesse into worldly policie, by practising (as I sayde) Machiauels Prince, Bodins Commentaries, Lipsius Politiques, and such like Discourses: That of Saint Paul is verified of them:2 Cor. …. 4. For if o…r Gospell be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of them that beleeue not, lest the light of the glorious Gospell of Chrict, who is the Image of God should shine vntounto them: For to these it is euen yet a hidden mysterie; And in such fearefull case are all light headed Zebuls, scoffing Iebusites, scorning Cains, vile Iulianists, impious Lucianists, and contemners of all piety, religion, and godlinesse: But Beleeuers consider, That the vngodly shall bee turned into hell, Psal. 9.and all the Nations that know not god, Rom. 9.and the whole creation on groneth to bee deliuered from such burthens as these miscreāts are,Heb. 10. Who tread vnderunder foot the son of God, and account the bloud of the new testament as an vnholy thing, whereby they are sanctified, and do despite the spirit of grace. And Beleeuers see euen by the ve…y glimpse of right reason, that nothing but man maketh account of greatnes, God doth not, for with him is no respect of persons;Act. 10. Nature doth not, for the children of Princes are borne naked,Mors aequo pede pulsat▪ pauperum taberna: Regumque turres Horat. as wel as the Cottagers, and death assayleth the Court as well as the cart. Goodnes onelyonly is that wherein God delighteth, and good men tender it as their breath: Godlinesse beeing the gracious mother, and goodnesse the holy daughter.
Lastly, they that beleeue, know that godlinesse hath the promise of this Life, to be gracious in Christ, and of that to come, to bee glorious in Christ, and therefore it is the onelyonly thing they desire to know, It is the one thing necessa…ie,Luk. 10. they practise, it is the Manna of their soules, the ioy of their hearts, the touchstone of their actions, the Gynosura of their affections, the Dauids harpe for their …ares, the Word for theyr mouthes, the Mirrour for their liues, the path for their feet, the station for theyr watch, the salue for theyr griefes, the Key of Heauen, and the Heauen on Earth: To thee therefore O Lord, doe I lift vp my heart in the mercies of thy Sonne Christ Iesus.
Doubtles,Inuocation. O holy and heauēly father, man disquiet…th him selfe in vain; for thou didst make him righteous, but he after the vanity of his owne hart which is falne from thee, hauehave sought many inuentions. Thou O God canst not please vsus with thy patiēce, nor humble vsus with thy present and future iudgements, nor allure vsus with thy gracious promises. Such is the peruersitie of our infirm natures, such is the p…euishnes of our corrupt condition, such is the euil of guilt & action that we hauehave in vsus, Thy lessous are al of peace, and w…e runne counter into controuersies, eueryevery day deuising to our selus an opinion, a fancie, a faction, and to make good these, what stone do we not mou…? what corner do we not ra…s…ck…? what earnestnes and acrimonie do we not apparantly reueale? or else like some stupid or dul beast we hauehave no sence or feeling at al of thee, or of thy greatnes, but liue onelyonly to liue, and to del…ght our selus with our selus in our grosse mistakings. If we pretend religion Satan tempteth vsus with faction, if puritie, with hypocrisie, if zeale, with vncharitable ioalo… sie. O Lord some yeares hauehave I liu…ed, wretched man, that I am among other of thy seruants, & knew not whether there were a Iesus, a Christ, an holy Ghost or no? So besotted hauehave I bin with the louelove of the world, so befooled with mine own fancie, so plunged into the darke deepeues of the diuel, and so transported with the fashions of others, who know as little, and vnderstand as little, or lesse then my selfe. But now O Lord God, lo…king backe into the misery of my selfe, I shudder and tremble, seeing a far of a mystery wherof as yet I could neuer attain the knowledge, albeit I hauehave obserued many of my brethren with great diligence, and zeale to abound in all Godlinos, forwardnes, & sācti…ony, gladly hearing, frequenting, conferring, following after the light, that shined vntounto them in the darkn…s of this Life, yea aduenturing their liues, their liuelyhoodes, their credite and esteeme among the sonnes of men, and accompting all things else as dung in respect of the knowledge and seruice of their heauenly Maister. To me O Lord, among other the rest of thy seruants, this is a great mysterie, that hauehave felt in my selfe no minde, no meaning thereunto. What shall I doe, O Lord, in this my misse led, and misperswaded est…te? I now perceiue, O Lord, by that glimpse of right reason, which maketh eueryevery man vnexcusable, and by that sparke of light, which enlightneth eueryevery one that cōmeth into the world, that my sinnes, my sinnes, my great and gri…uous sinnes, like to some huge mountaine, hauehave vpreard themselues betweene me and this most glorious light, dimming vp mine eyes that I cannot see, and damming vp that heauenly splendor which should enlighten mee, and hauehave set such a controuersie betweene thee and me, that my soule is like vtterly to bee diu…rced from thy louelove, vnlesse thine eye of pittie consider me. O looke vponupon mee deere and tender hearted Father in the face and fauor of Iesus Christ my Sauiour, and for his sufferings sake, dispell the mystie clouds of my wreatched nature, with the light of thy countenance, and shew me this Mysterie of Godlinesse. Illuminate mine vnderstandings with the glorio… rayes of Sion. Blesse mine imagination that I m…y thinke of no euill, but of goodnesse continually. Incline my will that it may bow it selfe to the obedience of thy commandements. Put this Mysterie of Godlinesse into my heart, by the invisible singer of thy sacred Trinitie, that it may make me good by shining vponupon mee, and piercing into mee, that I may be sanctified thereby, both in body, soule, and spirit. O Lord, let not the Mysterie of iniquitie misleade me, nor the deepenesse of Sathan deceiue me, nor the deceitfulnes of sinne by flesh and bloud carry me away to forsake or neglect thy goodnes, but let this light of thine O Lord be euer more pretious vntounto mee then the balme of Gilead, more magnificent then the royaltie of Solomon, and more deare then the apple of mine eie. That thereby I may be acceptable vntounto thee, in thy Christ, in whom thou art well pleased. That my seruice in this sacred Mysterie of Godlilinesse, may bee as Physicke for to cure mi…e vngodlinesse, as my Counseller to direct me in the affayres of my life, and as my casuist to resolue the cases of my distressed conscience: So shall I euer magnifie thy name, O Lord, that hast shewed mee such louing kindnesse in a strange cittie, in reuealing to me, to me I say the vnworthyest of many thousands, the Mysteries and light of the kingdome of heauen, in the darkenesse and shadow of death, So shall I be euer telling of thy truth, and mercy to the as sembly of thy Saints, and to the generations which a…e yet for to come. Grant these fauours vntounto me O King of heauen, God of all peace, Father of mercies, Fountaine of wisedome and goodnesse for the vnspeakeable merits and sufferings of Iesus Christ our onelyonly Mediator and Redeemer. Amen.