A Golden Chain — William Perkins

A Golden Chain · William Perkins

The seauenth and last signe, set downe by the Apostle Paul is,Rom. 11.25. that there shall be a calling of the Iewes before the Lord come to iudgement: but of the time when this calling shall be, of the manner how, or the number of them that shall be called, there is no mention made of in the word of God. Now it is likely that this signe is yet to come.

These are the signes that goe before the comming of Christ, all which are almost past, and therefore the end can not be farre off. Now follows the signe that is ioyned with the comming of Christ, called the signe of the sonne of man. What this signe is, we finde not in the Scriptures. Some thinke it to be the signe of the crosse; but that is friuolous: some, the glorie and maiestie of Christ, which shall be made manifest in his appearance: which seemes to be otherwise by the very words of Christ.Math. 24 30. Then (saith he) shall appeare the signe of the sonne of man, &c. and then they shall see him come in the clouds of heauen with power and great glorie: where he distinguisheth the one from the other. But I rather coniecture it to be the burning of heauen and earth with fire, at the very instant of Christs comming, mentioned by Peter. We must not here dispute whence this fire shall come, or how it shall be kindled, for that the word of God hath concealed: and where God hath not a mouth to speake, there we must not hauehave an eare to heare.

The vses to be made hereof, are these. When S. Peter had set downe the change that shall be at the comming of Christ, and that heauen and earth must be purged with fire, he makes this vse thereof. Seeing all things must be dissolued, what manner of men ought we to be in holy conuersation and godlines? and the reason is good. For if heauen and earth must be changed and purged at Christs comming, then much more ought we to be chaunged, and to put off the old man of sinne, and to become newe creatures created after the image of God in righteousnesse and true holinesse. If the bruit creatures must be renued by fire, then much more are wee to labour that the heat of Gods spirit may burne vp sinne & corruption in vsus, & so change vsus that we may be ready for him against his comming: els heauen and earth it selfe shall stand in iudgement against vsus to our condemnation. Secondly, the consideration of this, that the world shall be consumed with fire, teacheth vsus moderation and sobrietie in the vse of Gods creatures, as in costly buildings, gorgeous attire, and such like. What madnes is this, to bestow all that we hauehave, on such things, as at the day of iudgement shal be consumed with fire. For looke whatsoeuer abuse shall come to Gods creatures by our follie, the same shall then be abolished. Thirdly we must consider that the cause why heauen and earth must be consumed with fire, is mans sin, by means wherof, they are made subiect to vanity & corruption. Here then we hauehave iust occasion to acknowledge the greatnes & wretchednes of our sinnes. If any of vsus had but seene the Iewes leprosie, it would hauehave made vsus to wonder: for the contagion thereof did infect not onelyonly the whole man but his garments also that were about him, and sometime the walls of his house: but howesoeuer wee cannot see that leprosie among vsus, yet we may see a worse. For the leprosie of our sinnes doth not onelyonly infect our garments, and the things about vsus, with our bodies; but euen the high heauens and the earth are stained with the contagion thereof, and are made subiect to vanitie and corruption: yea by sinne in vsus the most glorious creatures in them, as the Sunne, Moone, and starres are become subiect to vanitie. Oh then, howe wretched is the heart of man, that makes no bones of sinne, which is the most noisome thing in all the world, the stinke whereof hath infected both heauen and earth. If we could consider this, wee would not be so slacke in humbling our selues for the same as we are. We can not abide to looke on a poore lazar full of blanes and sores: but if wee could see our sinns in their right colours, they would make vsus seeme vntounto our selues tenne thousand times more ougly then any lazar man can be; the contagion thereof is so great and noisome, that the very heauens which are many thousand miles distant from vsus, are infected therewith. Yet here we are to knowe, that this fire shall not consume the substance of heauen and earth, but onelyonly change the qualitie, & abolish the corruption which our sinnes hauehave brought vponupon them.

The fourth point to be considered, is the manner of the last iudgement, in which we may obeserue two things: I. who shall be iudge: II. the proceeding of this iudge. The first is expressed in this article; From thence he shall come to iudge. He, that is, Christ Iesus the second person in Trinitie. For the father hath committed all iudgement vntounto him. It is indeede an action common to all the three persons in trinitie, but yet the execution thereof appertaines vntounto the sonne. The father indeed doth iudge the world, but yet by the sonne. But some may obiect,…. …9. 8. that the Apostles shall sit on twelue thrones and iudge the twelue tribes of Israel. And S. Paul saith,1. Cor. 6.2. The Saints shall iudge the world. Howe then is this true, that …hrist is the onelyonly iudge of the worlde. Ans. The authoritie of iudgement and giuing sentence at the last day is proper to Christ alone, and doth not belong either to the Apostles or to the Saints: and they shall iudge at the last day onelyonly as witnesses and approouers of Christs iudgement. At the great day of assise beside the iudge, the iustices on the bench are also in a manner iudges, not that they giuegive sentence, but because by their presence they approoue and witnesse the equitie of the sentence of the iudge: so the definitiue sentence doth belong to Christ: and the Apostles and Saints doe nothing but approoue… and beeing present giuegive assent to his righteous sentence.

The whole proceeding of the last iudgement may bee reduced to seuen points or heads. The first is the comming of the iudge in the cloudes. Here at the first may be demanded, why Christ holdes the last iudgement rather on earth then in heauen. Ans. He doth it for two causes. One, the creature to bee iudged hath sinned here vponupon earth: and hee proceedes after the manner of earthly iudges, who holde their sessions and assises there where trespasses are commonly committed. The second, because the deuill & his angels are to be iudged, & it is a part of their punishment to be cast out of heauen. For no vnclean thing may come into this heauēly Ierusalē, & therfore they now remain in the lower parts of the world, and there must be iudged.Luk. 21.35. Furthermore, the second comming of Christ is sudden, as the comming of a thiefe in the night. He will come when the world thinketh not of him, as the snare doth on the bird. The consideration whereof must teach vsus the same duties which our Sauiour Christ taught the men of his time. First he teacheth them what they must not doe: for he knowing all things knew also the disposition of mans heart, and therfore he saith, Take heede to your selues, least at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennes, and the cares of this life, least that day come vponupon you vnawares. For these sinnes benumme the heart, and steale away all grace. This exhortation in these our daies is most needefull. For mens hearts are like the smithes stithie, the more they are beaten with the hammar of Gods word, the harder they are. Secondly he teacheth them what they must doe: Watch therefore (saith he) and pray continually: that ye may be counted worthie to escape all these things that shall come to passe, and that ye may stand before the sonne of man. But you will say: how may we be found worthie to stand before Christ at that day? Ans. Doe but this one thing: for your liues past be humbled before God, and come vntounto him by true, heartie, and vnfained repentance, be changed and become new creatures: pray vntounto him earnestly for the pardon of your sinnes in Christ, and pray continually that God will turne your hearts from your old sinnes eueryevery day more and more: and then come the last iudgement when it will, ye shall be found worthy to stand before Christ at his cōming. The repentant sinner is he, that shall find fauour in the sight of God at that day. The consideration hereof may mooue vsus to chaunge our liues. Those which were neuer yet humbled for their sinnes, let them nowe beginne: and those which hauehave alreadie begunne, let them goe forwarde and continue. But the deuill will crie in the hearts of some men, that this exhortation is as yet needelesse: for the day of iudgement is not neere, because all the signes thereof are not yet passed. Ans. Suppose the day of iudgement be farre off, yet the day of thy death cannot be so: for the common saying is true, to day a man, to morrowe none. Nowe looke as death leaueth thee, so shall the day of iudgement finde thee. Impenitent Cain died long since, and yet the day of iudgement when it commeth, shall finde him impenitent still. The same thing may bee said of Saul, Achitophel, and Iudas. They died desperatly and impenitent, & the Lord shall finde them so at his comming. So will it be with thee, whatsoeuer thou art that repentest not. Death may come vponupon thee, the next day or the next houre, therefore watch and pray. Prepare thy selfe against the day of death, that at the day of iudgement thou maist be found worthie to obtaine fauour in the sight of the Lord. Securitie doth ouerwhelme the worlde; but let vsus for our parts learne to prepare our selues daily: for if the day of death doe leaue thee vnworthie, then the Lord Iesus at his comming shall finde thee vnworthie: and the deuill shall stand before thee and accuse thee, thy conscience shall condeme thee, and hell shall be readie to swallowe thee vp. If this admonition take no place in thy heart, then at the day of iudgement it shall stand against thee, and be a bill of inditement to thy further condemnation.

Math. …5.31.The second point followeth, that Christ after that he is come in the clouds shall sit in a throne of glorie, as the soueraigne iudge of heauen and earth, after the manner of earthly kings, who when they will shewe themselues vntounto their subiects in maiestie, power, and glorie, vse to ascend into the thrones of their kingdomes, and there to shewe themselues and appeare in state vntounto all the people. Nowe what this throne is, and howe Christ sits in the same, the scripture hath not reuealed, and therefore I will not stand to search. Yet here must we further marke, that this appearance of his in endlesse glorie and maiestie shall be most terrible and dreadfull to the vngodly, and therefore in Daniel his throne is saide to be like a flame of fire,Dan. 7.…. and at the very sight hereof men shall desire the mountaines to fall vponupon them, and the hills to couer them.

The third point, is the citing of all men and of the angels before his maiestie in that day, there to answer for themselues. This citing shall be done by the voice of Christ, as he himselfe saith,Ioh. 5.23. In that day all that are in the graues shall heare his voi…e, & they shall come forth. And here we are to consider two things: I. the power of this voice: II. the ministerie whereby it shall be vttered. For the first, no doubt the power of this voice shall be vnspeakable, and therefore it is compared to a trumpet,Mat. 24.31. the lowdest and shrillest of all musicall instruments; and to the crie of the marriners,1. Thes. 4.6. whose manner hath beene in the doing of any busines with all their strength at one instant to make a common shout. And sensible experience shall manifest the force thereof. For it shall cause all the deade euen from the beginning of the world to rise againe, though they hauehave lien rotten in the earth many thousand yeares: and all vncleane spirits shall be forced and compelled, will they, nill they, to come before Christ; who shall be vntounto them a most fearefull and terrible iudge, neither man nor angel shall be able to absent or hide himselfe; all without exception must appeare, as wel high as low, rich as poore: none sh…ll be able to withdrawe themselues, no not the mightie Monarches of the earth.

Furthermore, this voice shall bee vttered by angels. As in the Church Christ vseth men as his ministers by whome he speakes vntounto his people:Mat…. 4.31. so at the last daie he shall vse the ministerie of Angels, whome he shall send foorth into the foure windes to gather his elect togither: and therefore it is likely that this voice shall be vttered by them. And by this which hath beene said, wee must be mooued to make conscience of all sinne. For there is no auoiding of this iudgement, we can not absent our selues, no excuse will serue the turne: euen the most rebellious of all creatures whether man or angel, shall be forced to appeare: and therefore it standes vsus in hand, while we hauehave time in this life, to looke vntounto our estates, and to practise the duties of christianitie, that when we shall be cited before his glorious maiestie at the last day, we may be cleared and absolued.

The fourth point is, the separation of the sheepe from the goates, the good from the badde;Math. 25.32. for when all the kinreds of the earth, and all vncleane spirits shall stand before Christ, sitting in the throne of his glorie: then as a good sheapheard he shall separate them one from another, the righteous from the wicked, and the elect from the reprobate. He which knoweth the hearts of all men, knoweth also howe to doe this, and he will doe it. This full and finall separation is reserued to Christ, and shall not be accomplished till the last day. For so it is in the parable,Math. 13.10. that the tares must grow with the wheate til haruest, and the reapers must separate them, and gather the wheate into the barne, but the tares must be burned with vnquenchable fire. By the consideration of this one point, we learne diuers things: I. that in the Church of God in this world, good and badde are mingled togither, elect and reprobate: and wee are not to imagine any perfection of the church of God vponupon earth, as many hauehave dreamed, which when they could not finde, they hauehave therefore forsaken al assemblies. I confesse indeede that the preaching of the word is the Lords fanne, whereby he clenseth his Church in part, but yet the finishing of this worke shall not be before the last iudgement. For when the ministers of God hauehave done all that they can, yet shall the wicked be mingled with the godly. Therefore the Church is compared to a barne flore, where is both wheate & chaffe: and a corne fielde, where is both tares and good corne: and a draw net, wherin is both good fish and badde. Secondly, whereas this separation must not be before the ende of the world, hence wee learne the state of Gods Church in this life. It is like a flocke of sheepe mingled with goates, and therefore the condition of Gods people in this world, is to bee troubled many waies by those with whome they liue. For goates vse to strike the sheepe,Ezech. 34.18. to annoy their pasture, and to make their water muddie that they can not drinke of it: and therefore we must prepare our selues to beare all annoyances, crosses, and calamities that shall befall vsus in this world by the wicked ones, among whome we liue. Thirdly, we are taught, that howesoeuer the goates and the sheepe be very like, and feede in one pasture, and lie in one folde all their life time: yet Christ can and will seuer them asunder at the last day. Therefore, considering as wee are borne of Adam wee hauehave the nature of the goate, yea of the wilde beast, and not of the sheepe; it standes vsus in hand to lay aside our goatish conditions, and to take vntounto vsus the properties of the sheepe of Christ, which hee expresseth in these words,Ioh. 10.…7. My sheepe (saith he) heare my voice, I know them, and they follow me. And the properties are three; to know him, to be knowne of him, and to follow him, namely in obedience: and he that findes them all in himselfe, weareth the brand and marke of the true sheepe of Christ: but contrariwise they that make profession of Christ, and yet therewithall ioyne not obedience, howsoeuer the world may account of them, they are but goates and no sheepe. Let vsus therefore with the knowledge of Christ ioyne obedience to his word, that when the day shall come that the goates must be separated from the sheepe, we may be found to be in the number of the true sheep of Christ. We may deceiue men both in life and death, and beare them in hand that we are sheepe, but when the iudgement shall come, we cannot deceiue Christ: he it is that formed vsus, he knowes our hearts, and therefore can easily discerne what we are.

The fifth thing is the triall of eueryevery mans particular cause, a point especially to be considered. For as at the barre of an earthly iudge, the malefactour is brought out of prison and set before the iudge, and there examined: euen so in that great day, shall eueryevery man without exception be brought before the Lord, to be tried. But how shall this triall be made? Ans. By workes: as the Apostle saith,…. Cor. 5.10. We must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ, that eueryevery man may receiue the things which are done in his bodie according to that he hath done, whether it be good or euill. And the reason is, because works are the outward signes of inward grace and godlinesse. And though we be iustified by faith alone without workes, yet may we be iudged both by faith and workes. For the last iudgement doth not serue to make men iust that are vniust, but only to manifest them to be iust indeed, which were iust before & in this life truly iustified. The consideration of this very point should mooue vsus al to repent vsus of our sinnes past and to reforme our selues throughout, and to be plentifull in all good works. And vndoubtedly if we seriously thinke vponupon it, it will hold vsus more straightly to all good duties, then if with the Papists, we held iustification by workes.

Furthermore, in this triall two things must be skanned: I. how all mens workes shall be made manifest: II. by what meanes they shall be examined. Of the manifestation of eueryevery mans worke, S. Iohn speaketh,Rev. 10.12. And I saw (saith he) the dead both great and small stand before God, and the bookes were opened: and another booke was opened, which is the booke of life, and the dead were iudged of these things which were written in the bookes according to their workes. God is said to hauehave bookes not properly, but because all things are as certen and manifest to him, as if he had his Registers in heauen to keepe rolles and records of thē. His bookes are three; the booke of Prouidence, the booke of Iudgement, the booke of Life. The booke of his prouidence is the knowledge of all particular things past, present, to come. Of this the Psalmist speaketh,Psal. 136.16. Thine eyes did see me when I was without forme: for in thy booke were all things written which in continuance were fashioned, when there was none of them before. The booke of iudgement is that whereby he giues iudgement: and it is twofold. The first is Gods knowledge or prescience, in which all the affaires of mē, their thoughts, words, and deedes, are as certenly knowne and set downe, as if they were put in bookes of record. We may forget our sinnes, but God keepes them in a register; he knowes them eueryevery one. The second booke is eueryevery mans particular conscience, which also brings to remembrance and testifies what men hauehave done, and what they hauehave not done.Isa. 4.3. The booke of life is nothing else but the decree of Gods election, in which God hath set downe who be ordained to life eternall.

Now the opening of these bookes is a thing wherein the endles power of God shall most notably shew it self. For when we shall stand before the iudgement seat of Christ, he then knowing all things in his eternall counsell, shall reueale vntounto eueryevery man his owne particular sinnes, whether they were in thought, word, or deede, and then also by his mightie power he shall so touch mens consciences, that they shall afresh remember what they hauehave done. Now indeede, the wicked mans conscience is shut vp as a closed booke; but then it shall be so touched, and as it were opened, that he shall plainely see and remember all the particular offences which at any time he hath committed; and his very conscience shall be as good as a thousand witnesses: whereupon he shall accuse and vtterly condemne himselfe. The consideration of this ought to terrifie all those that liue in their sins: for howsoeuer they may hide & couer them from the world; yet at the last day, God will be sure to reueale them all.

Now after that mens workes are made manifest, they must further be tried whether they be good or euill. And that shall be done on this manner. They that neuer heard of Christ must be tried by the law of nature, which serues to make them inexcusable before God. As for those that liue in the Church, they shall be tried by the Law and the Gospel, as Paul saith,Rom. 2.12. As many as hauehave liued by the law, shall be iudged by the law. And againe,vers. 16. At the day of iudgement God shall iudge the secrets of our hearts according to his Gospell. And,Heb. 11.7. By faith Noah builded an arke, whereby he condemned the old world. If this be true, then we must in the feare of God heare his word preached and taught with all reuerence, & make conscience to profit by it. For otherwise in the day of iudgement when all our works shall be tried by it, the same word of God shall be a bill of inditement, and the fearefull sentence of condemnation against vsus. Therefore let vsus be humbled by the doctrine of the law, & willingly embrace the sweete promises of the Gospel: considering it is the onelyonly touchstone, whereby all our words, thoughts, and works must be examined.

The sixth point in the proceeding of the last iudgement, is the giuing of sentence, which is twofold: the sentence of absolution, and the sentence of condemnation, both which are to be obserued diligētly, that we may receiue profit thereby. And first of all Christ shall begin his iudgement with the sentence of absolution; which shewes, that he is readie to shew merciemercy & slow to wrath. In this sentence we are to consider foure points: I. a calling of the Elect to the kingdome of heauen: II. the reason thereof: III. a replie of the Elect: IV. the answer of Christ to them againe. The calling of the Elect is set downe in these wordes,Math. 25.34. Come yee blessed of my father, inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world. And the words are to be obserued one by one. Come ye blessed] Though Christ nowe sit in glorie and maiestie in iudgement, yet he ceaseth not to shew his tender a…fection of louelove vntounto his chosen. And this ouerthroweth the opinion of the Church of Rome, which would hauehave vsus rather to come vntounto Christ by the intercession of saints, then by our selues immediatly, because he is now exalted in glorie and maiestie. But marke, when he was here on earth, he said, Come vntounto me all ye that are heauie laden and I will ease you. And when he shall be most glorious in maiestie and power at the day of iudgement, he will then also say, Come ye blessed of my father: and therefore we may resolue our selues, that it is his will now, that we should come vntounto him without any intercession of Saints. Ye blessed of my father] The Elect are here called the blessed of God, because their righteousnes, saluation, and all that they hauehave, springs of the meere blessing of God. Nothing therefore must be ascribed to the worke of man. Inherit] that is, receiue as your inheritance: therefore the kingdome of heauen is Gods meere gift. A father giueth no inheritance vntounto his sonne of merit, but of his free gift: wherupon it followes, that no man can merit the kingdom of heauen by his works. The kingdome] that is, the eternall estate of glorie and happines in heauen: therefore in this life we must so vse this world, as though we vsed it not: all that we hauehave here is but vaine and transitorie: and all our studie and endeauour must be to come to the kingdome of heauen. Prepared] Here note the vnspeakable care of God for the faithful. Had he such care to prouide a kingdome for his children before they were? then we may assure our selues, he wil hauehave greater care ouer them now when they hauehave a beeing. For you] that is, for the elect and faithfull. Hence it appeares that there is no vniuersall election whereby (as some suppose) God decrees that all and eueryevery man shall be saued. Indeede if he had said, Come ye blessed of my father inherit the kingdome prepared for all but receiued of you, it had bin something, but he saith onelyonly, prepared for you: and therefore all were not chosen to saluation.

The reason of this calling, is taken from workes as from signes, in these words, For I was hungrie and ye gaue me meate, &c. When he saith, for I was hungrie, he meanes his poore and distressed members vponupon earth: and thereby he signifies vntounto vsus that the miseries of his seruants are his owne miseries. Thus the Lord saith in Zacharie,Zach. 2.8. He which toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye. And when Saul was going to persecute them in Damasco and else where that called on the name of Christ, he cried from heauen,Act. 9.4. Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And this is a notable comfort to Gods Church and people, that they hauehave an high priest who is touched with the feeling of our infirmities:Heb 4.15. and if he account our miseries his owne miseries, then no doubt he will pitie our estate and make vsus able to beare the worst. And ye gaue me meate] Here we note, that the principall works of men are those which are done to the poore members of Christ. We are indeede to helpe all, in as much as they are our very flesh and the creatures of God; but the rule of S. Paul must be remembred,Gal. 6.10. Doe good to all, but especially to those that are of the houshold of faith, Many are of mind that the best works are to build Churches and Monasteries, but Christ tells vsus here, that the best worke of all is to releeue those that be the liuing members of his mysticall bodie.

The third point is the replie of the Saints to Christ againe, in these words, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fedde thee? &c. They doe not denie that which Christ auouched, but doe, as I take it, standing before the tribunall seat of God, humble themselues, hauing still an after-consideration of the infirmities and offences of their liues past. Here note then, that it is a Satanicall practise for a man to bragge of workes and to stand vponupon them in the matter of iustification before God. And we must rather doe as the Saints of God doe, abase our selues in regard of our sinnes past.

The last point is the answer of Christ to them againe, in these words, Verily, I say vntounto you, in as much as ye did it to the least of those my brethren, you did it to me. A most notable sentence: and it serueth to teach vsus, how we should behaue our selues in doing works of merciemercy, which are duties to be performed in this life. We are not to doe them of any sinister respect, as for praise of men or commoditie, but we must propound vntounto our selues the partie to whome we doe any good, and in him looke on Christ, and so doe it, as vntounto Christ and for Christs sake onelyonly: and this is a good worke indeede. Christ saith,Mark. 10.41. Whosoeuer shall giuegive a cuppe of cold water to a disciple in the name of a disciple, shall not loose his reward. It is but a small gift, but yet the manner of doing it, namely in the name of a disciple, that is, in respect that he is a member of Christ, doth make it an excellent worke of merciemercy. It is a speciall marke of a child of God to shew merciemercy on a christian because he is a Christian. If any would know whether he be a christian or no, let him search himselfe, whether he louelove a man, and can doe good vntounto him, because he is a child of God, and a member of Christ. For this is a plaine argument, that he also is the child of God. Many can louelove, because they are loued againe, but to louelove for Christ his sake, is a worke of Christ in vsus and a speciall gift of God.

The sentence of condemnation followes in the second place: and it containes foure points: I. the reiection of the vngodly: II. the reason of their reiection: III. the defence which the wicked make for themselues: lastly, the answer of Christ to them againe. The reiection of the wicked is vttered by a terrible sentence, Away from me ye cursed into hell fire. The vse hereof in generall is twofold. First it serues to awake and excite all men and women in the world whosoeuer they be that shall heare it, to looke vntounto their owne estates. It is wonderfull to see what great securitie reigneth eueryevery where in these our daies. Men goe on in sinne from day to day and from yeare to yeare without repentance, nothing at all fearing the sentence of condemnation at the last day; like vntounto many which for the obtaining of other mens goods are neither by the feare of arraignment or imprisonment kept in good order. The occasions of securitie are twofold: I. the prosperitie of the wicked, who of all men liue most at ease without trouble, either in bodie or in minde. II. Gods patience and long suffering; as Salomon saith,Eccles. 8 11. Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily, therefore the hearts of the children of men are fully set in them to doe euill. But to awake all those which liue in this securitie; they must remember that howsoeuer the Lord God doth now deferre his iudgement, yet there is a day wherein he will no way shew merciemercy and long suffering, when they shall heare this fearefull sentence of condemnation pronounced against them, Away from me ye cursed. The second vse is to the godly: It serues to nurture them & to keepe them in awe before God: and no doubt, this was a principall cause why this sentence was here penned by the holy Ghost. A wise master of a family will check his seruant, & if the cause require, correct him in his childs presence, that the child it selfe may learne thereby to feare & stand in awe of his father: so Christ the most carefull and wise gouernour of his Church hath set downe this sentence of condemnation against the wicked, that the children of God in this world whensoeuer they shall heare or read the same, might be mooued thereby to stand in feare of God, and more dutifully performe obedience vntounto his command…ments. Away from me] Here we may learne, what a blessed thing it is for a man to hauehave true fellowshippe with Christ in this world. For in the day of iudgement the punishment of the wicked is to be cut off from him, and driuen away from his presence. Now he that would hauehave fellowship with God after this life, & escape that punishmēt, must seeke to hauehave it in this life: and he that will not seeke to hauehave fellowship with him in this life shall neuer hauehave it after in the day of iudgement. Againe, let vsus marke that it is nothing to draw neere vntounto Christ with our lippes, if the heart be not with him: for such as come neere with the lippe and keepe aloofe in the heart, shall heare the sentence pronounced, Away from me ye cursed; and shall be seuered as farre from Christ as hell from heauen. Therefore let vsus not content our selues with formall profession, but open the doores of our hearts, that the king of glorie may come in. Ye cursed] They are cursed who are borne in sinne and liue in their sinnes, and all the daies of their liues so perseuere to the last gaspe without seeking recouerie. Whosoeuer he be, that is in this estate, the curse of God hangeth ouer his head, and will so doe till he get reconciliation with God in Christ. This beeing so, aboue all things in this world we must labour to be at peace with God, and neuer cease nor be quiet with our selues till we hauehave the same wrought and sealed in our hearts. For before such time as we be in Gods fauour, his fearefull curse hangs ouer our heads, and if we so perseuere without repentance, the day will come when we shall heare this fearefull sentence pronounced against vsus: Away from me yee cursed into hell fire. What hell fire is, we must not curiously search, but rather giuegive our whole endeauour to learne how we may auoid it: as when a mans house is on fire, his care must be, not to search how it came, but rather how to quench it: yet we are to know thus much, that by hell fire is not meant any bodily flame, but it signifies the seazing of the fearefull and terrible wrath of God both on bodie and soule for euer. For howsoeuer the bodie be subiect to burning with bodily fire, yet the soule beeing spirituall can not burne; and therefore hell fire is not a materiall fire, but a grieuous torment, fitly resembled thereby. Prepared for the deuill and his angels.] There is in eueryevery mans heart by nature this corruption; whereby when he sinneth, he thinks that there is no danger but all is well, hauing as Esai saith, made a couenant with hell. But here consider, that, although the deuill was once an angel of light, yet when he had sinned, he could not escape hell: it was prepared euen for him. How then shall vngodly men, which are not halfe so wily, thinke to escape?

Now followeth the reason of their reiection in these wordes: For I was an hungred and ye gaue me no meate, &c. Hence we learne these two points: I. that all mans religion and seruing of God is in vaine, if so be we shew no compassion toward the poore members of Christ, in feeding, clothing, lodging, and visiting of them. For we must thinke, that many of those against whome this reason shall be brought, did know religion and professe the same, yea they prophesied in the name of Christ, and called on him, saying, Lord, Lord: and yet the sentence of condemnation goeth against them, because they shew no compassion toward the members of Christ, and therefore it is a principal vertue, and a speciall note of a Christian, to shew the bowels of compassion towards his needie brethren. Here againe we note, that it is not sufficient for vsus to abstaine from euill, but we must also doe good. For it is not saide, I was an hungred and ye tooke from me, but,Math. 3. When I was hungrie ye gaue me no m…ate. They are not charged with doing euill, but, for not doing good. S. Iohn saith, The axe is laid to the roote of the tree, and the reason followes, not because the tree bare euill fruit, but because it bare not good fruite: therefore it must be cast into the fire. This condemnes a bad opinion of all worldly men, who thinke that all is well, and that God will be mercifull vntounto them, because they doe no man harme. Thus we see how the deuill blinds the eyes of men: for it will not stand for paiment at the day of iudgement to say, I hauehave hurt no man, vnlesse we further doe all the good we can.

The third point is the defence which impenitent sinners make for themselues in these words, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or thirstie, or naked, or in prison, or sicke, and did not minister vntounto thee? Thus in their owne defence, that which Christ saith, they gainsay, & iustifie themselues. Here marke the nature of all impenitent sinners, which is to sooth and flatter themselues in sinne, and to maintaine their owne righteousnes, like to the proud Pharisie in his prayer, who bragged of his goodnes, and said,Luk. 18.10. Lord, I thanke thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, &c. and in the very same manner ignorant persons of all sorts among vsus, iustifie themselues in their strong faith, and bragge of their zeale of Gods glorie, and of their louelove to their brethren, and yet indeede shew no signes thereof. And truly we are not to maruell when we see such persons to iustifie themselues before men, whereas they shall not be ashamed to doe it at the day of iudgement before the Lord Iesus himselfe.

The last point, is Christs answer to them againe in these words: Verily, I say vntounto you, in as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. This sentence being repeated againe, doth teach vsus the lesson which we learned before, that when we are to shew compassion to any man, especially if he be a mēber of Gods Church, we must not consider his outward estate or his basenes, in that he wāts food or raiment, but behold Christ in him, not respecting him as a man, but as a member of Christ. This it is, that must mooue vsus to cō passion, and cause vsus to make a supplie of his wants more then any respect in the world beside. And surely when Christ in his members comes to our dores and complaines that he is hungrie and sicke, and naked, if our bowels yearne not towards him, there is not so much as a sparke of the louelove of God in vsus.

The seuenth point in the proceeding of the last iudgement is, the retribution or reward in these words: and they shall go into euerlasting paine, and the righteous into life eternall. How doe the wicked enter into hell and the godly into heauen? Answ. By the powerfull and commaunding voice of Christ, which is of that force, that neither the greatest rebell that euer was among men, nor all the deuills in hell, shall be able to withstand it. And seeing that after the day of iudgement we must remaine for euer either in heauen or in hell, we are to looke about vsus and to take heed vntounto our hearts. Indeede if the time were but a thousand or two thousand yeares, then with more reason men might take libertie to themselues: but seeing it is without ende we must be most carefull through the whole course of our liues so to liue and behaue our selues, that when the day of iudgement shall come, we may auoid that fearefull sentence of euerlasting woe and condemnation, which shall be pronounced against the wicked. And whereas all wicked men shall goe to hell at Christs commaundement, it teacheth vsus, willingly to obey the voice of Christ in the ministerie of the word. For if we rebell against his voice in this world, when in the day of iudgement sentence shall be pronounced against vsus, we shall heare an other voice, at the giuing whereof, we must obey whether we will or no, and thereupon goe to euerlasting paine, whither we would not. Let vsus therfore in time denie our selues for our sinnes past, and onelyonly relie vponupon Christ Iesus for the free remission of them all; and for the time to come, lead a new reformed life.

Thus much of the order of Christ his proceeding at the day of iudgement. Now follow the vses thereof, which are either comforts to Gods Church or duties for all men. The first comfort or benefit is this, that the same person which died for vsus vponupon the crosse to worke our redemption, must also be our iudge. And hence we reape two speciall comforts. I. The people of God shall hereby inioy ful redemption from all miseries and calamities which they had in this life. So Christ himselfe speaking of the signes of the ende of the world saith to his disciples;…k. 21.28. When you see these things, lift vp your heads: for your redemption draweth neere. Then he shal wipe all teares from their eyes. Secondly, we shall hereby hauehave a finall deliuerance from all sinne. Now what a ioyful thing it is, to be freed from sinne, may plainly appeare by the crie of S. Paul: O wretched man that I am, who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death? And certen it is, that he which knowes what sinne is, & seriously repents him of the same, would wish with all his heart to be out of this world, that he might leaue off to sinne, and thereby cease to displease God.

The second comfort is this: the godly in this world hauehave many enemies: they are reuiled, slandered, and oftentimes put to death: well, Christ Iesus at the day of iudgement will take eueryevery mans case into his owne hand: he will then heare the complaint of the godly, howsoeuer in this world they found no remedie: and then he will reuenge their blood that is shed vponupon the earth, according to their prayer.A…c. 6.10. This comfort is to be cōsidered especially of all those that are any way persecuted or molested by the wicked of this world.

Now follow the duties to be learned of eueryevery one of vsus, and they are diuers. First, the consideration of the last iudgement serueth to teach all ignorāt persons and impenitent sinners, repentance and humiliation for their sinnes, and to mooue them with all speede to seeke vntounto Christ for the pardon of the same. When Paul preached to the Athenians, he willed them to repent vponupon this ground and reason,… …7.3. because the Lord hath appointed a day wherein he will iudge the world in righteousnes. To speake plainly; we can be content to heare the word, and to honour him with our lipps, yet for the most part, all is done but for fashions sake: for still we liue in our old sinnes: our hearts are not turned: but in the feare of God let vsus bethinke our selues of the time, when wee shall come before the iudge of heauen and earth, and hauehave all our sinnes laide open, and wee must answer for them all. This is the point which the holy Ghost vseth as a reason to mooue men vntounto repentance: and assuredly if this will not mooue vsus, there is nothing in the world will. Secondly, to this purpose Paul saith.1. Cor. 11.…1. If wee would iudge our selues, wee should not be iudged. Wouldest thou then escape the iudgement of Christ at the last day? then in this life iudge thy selfe. Nowe a man in iudging of himselfe, must performe foure things: I. he must examine himselfe of his owne sinnes: II. he must confesse thē before the Lord. III. he must condemne himselfe & as a iudge vponupon the bench, giuegive sentence against himselfe. Lastly, he must plead pardon, and crie vntounto God as for life and death, for the remission of all his sinnes: and he that doth this vnfainedly shal neuer be iudged of the Lord at the last day: but if we slacke and neglect this dutie in this life, then vndoubtedly there remaines nothing but eternall woe in the world to come.

Thirdly, by this we may learne, one not to iudge or condemne another, as Paul sayeth,1. Cor. 4 3. Iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come, who lighten all things that are in darknes, & make the counsels of the hearts manifest. And Christ saith,Rom. 14.10. Iudgement is mine: and iudge not, and ye shall not be iudged. And againe Paul saith to the Romans, Why doest thou iudge thy brother? for we must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ: but some will aske, howe doth one iudge another? Ans. Thus: I. when a man doth well, to saie of him that he doth euill: II. when a man doth euill, then to make it worse: III. when a thing is doubtfull, to take it in the worst part. And by any of these three waies we are not to iudge either of mens persons or of their actions.

Fourthly, wee must endeauour our selues to keepe a good conscience before God and before all men. This is the practise of S. Paul,Act. 24.15. who in consideration and hope of a resurrection vntounto iudgement as well of the iust as of the vniust, endeauoured himselfe to hauehave alwaies a cleare conscience both towards God and towards men. His example is worthie our marking and imitation; for fewe there be that vponupon this occasion make any conscience either of duty to God or to their brethren.

Fifthly, the last iudgement must stirre vsus vp to a reuerend feare of God, & cause vsus to glorifie him: as the Angel saith in the Reuelation,Rev. 14 17. Feare God and giuegive glorie to him: for the houre of his iudgement is come. And doubtlesse if any thing in the world will mooue a man to feare the Lord, it is this, to remember the fearefull and terrible daie of iudgement.

Nowe hauing spoken hitherto of the first person the father, and also of the sonne, it followeth in the next place to speake of the third person in these wordes, I beleeue in the holy Ghost. In which wee may consider two things, the title of the person, and the action of faith, repeated from the beginning. The title is, Holy Ghost, or spirit. It may here be demanded, howe this title can be fit to expresse the third person, which seemes to bee common to the rest: for the father is holy, and the sonne is holy: againe, the father is a spirit, and the sonne is a spirit. Ans. Indeed the father and the sonne are as wel to be tearmed holy in respect of their natures, the third person: for all three subsisting in one and the same godhead, are consequently holy by one and the fame holinesse: but the third person is called holy, because beside the holinesse of nature, his office is to sanctifie the Church of God. Nowe if it be said that sanctification is a work of the whole Trinitie, the answer is, that although it be so, yet the worke of sanctification agrees to the Holy Ghost in speciall manner. The father sanctifieth by the sonne and by the holy Ghost: the sonne sanctifieth from the father and by the Holy Ghost: the holy Ghost sanctifieth from the father and from the sonne by himselfe immediatly: and in this respect is the third person tearmed holy. Againe the third person is tearmed a Spirit, not onelyonly because his nature is spirituall (for in that respect the father is a spirit and the sonne is a spirit;) but because hee is spired or breathed from the father and from the sonne, in that he procedes from them both. Thus wee see there is a speciall cause why the third person is called the Holy Ghost.

Nowe the action of faith which concernes the third person, is to beleeue in him. Which is, I. to acknowledge the Holy Ghost as he hath reuealed himselfe in the word. II. In special to beleeue that he is my sanctifier and comforter. III. To put all the confidence of my heart in him, for that cause. In these wordes are comprised foure points of doctrine, which are to be beleeued cō cerning the holy Ghost. The first, that he is very God. For we are not to put our affiance or confidence in any but in God alone. And no doubt the penners of the Creede in that they prefixed these wordes, I beleeue in, before the article of the third person, meant thereby to signifie, that he is true God, equall with the father and the sonne, according to the tenour of the Scriptures themselues. Peter saith to Ananias: Why hath Satan filled thine heart, that thou shouldest lie vntounto the Holy Ghost? Act. 54.4.and continuing the same speech, he changeth the tearme onelyonly, and saith, Thou hast not lied vntounto men, but vntounto God. Whereby hei nsinuateth that the Holy Ghost is very God. In the vision of the Prophet Isai,Isa. 6.9. the wordes by him set downe are thus: I heard the voice of Iehoua, saying, Whome shall I send, &c. and he said, God and say to this people: Ye shall heare indeed, but ye shall not vnderstand. But Paul quoting the same place, spake on this manner:Act. …8.15. Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esay the Prophet, saying, Goe vntounto this people and say vntounto them. Now these places being compared togither make it plaine, that the title of Iehova, agreeth to the holy Ghost. But yet the enemies of this truth which thinke that the Holy Ghost is nothing els but the action or operation of God, obiect out of the Scriptures to the contrarie: I. God knoweth the sonne:Mat. 11.…7. the holy Ghost knoweth not the sonne: for none knoweth the sonne but the father: ergo the holy Ghost is not God. Ans. That place excludeth no person in Trinitie, but onelyonly creatures, and false gods, and the meaning is this: None, that is, no creature, or idol god; knoweth the sonne of God, but the father. And the opposition is made to exclude creatures, not to exclude the holy Ghost.…om. 8.16. Againe they obiect, that the holy Ghost maketh request for vsus with grones and sighes that can not be vttered: therefore (say they) the Holy ghost is not God, but rather a gift of God. For he that is true God, can not pray; grone, or sigh. Ans. Pauls meaning is thereby to signifie that the Holy Ghost causeth vsus to make requests, and stirreth vp our hearts to grone and sigh to God: for he said before, we hauehave receiued the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, father. Rom. 8.1.Yet further, they obiect the words of the Angel Gabriel to the virgin Marie, saying, The vertue of the most high hath ouershadowed thee: Luk. 1.3….and hence they gather, that if the holy Ghost be the vertue of God, then he is not God indeede. Ans. As Christ is called the Word of God, not a worde made of letters or syllables, but a substantial word, that is, beeing for euer of the same substance with the father: so in this place the holy ghost is called the vertue of the most highest, not because he is a created qualitie, but because he is the substantiall vertue of the Father and the sonne: and therefore God equall with them both. Furthermore they alleadge, that neither the scriptures nor the practise of the Primitiue Church doth warrant vsus to pray to the holy Ghost. Ans. It is not true. For whēsoeuer we direct our praier to any of the three persons, in him we pray to them all. Besides we hauehave example of praier made to the holy Ghost in the word of God. For Paul saith to the Corinthians,2. Co…. 13…1…. The grace of our Lord Iesus, the louelove of god the father, & the fellowship of the holy ghost be with you all. And the words are as if S. Paul had said thus; O Father, let thy louelove, O Sonne, let thy grace, O holy Ghost, let thy fellowship bee with them all. And therefore this first doctrine is true, and as well to bee beleeued as any other, that the Holy Ghost is God.

The second point is, that the Holy Ghost is a distinct person from the father and the sonne. Hereupon the articles touching the three persons are thus distinguished: I beleeue in the father, I beleeue in the sonne, I beleeue in the holy Ghost. This point also is consonant to the Scriptures which make the same distinction. In the baptisme of Christ, the father vttereth a voice from heauen, saying,Mat. 15.16. This is my beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased: and not the sonne, or the holy ghost. Secondly the sonne stood in the water, and was baptized by Iohn, and not the father, or the holy Ghost. Thirdly, the holy Ghost descended from heauen vponupon Christ in the forme of a doue; and not the father, or the sonne, but the holy Ghost alone. Christ in his commission vntounto his disciples, saith,Mat. 28.1…. Goe teach all nations, baptizing them into the name of the father, the sonne, and the Holy Ghost. Now if the Holy Ghost had beene the same person either with the father, or with the sonne, then it had bene sufficient to hauehave named the father and the sonne onelyonly. And the distinction of the third person from the rest, may be conceiued by this, that the Holy Ghost is the Holy Ghost, and not the father or the sonne.

The third point to bee beleeued is, that the holy Ghost proceedeth from the father and the sonne. For a further proofe hereof, consider these places. Paul saith,Rom. 8.9. Ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit: for the spirit of God dwelleth in you. But if any man hauehave not the spirit of Christ,Gal. 4.6. hee is not his. And againe, Because ye are sonnes, God hath sent forth the spirit of the sonne into your hearts: where we may obserue, that the holy Ghost is the spirit both of the father and of the sonne. Now the holy Ghost is called the spirit of the father, not only because he is sent of him, but because hee proceedeth from the father; as Christ saith to his disciples:Ioh. 15.26, When the comforter will come, whome I shall send vntounto you from the father, euen the spirit of trueth vvhichwhich proceedeth of the father, hee shall testifie of me. And therefore likewise he is the spirit of the sonne, not onelyonly because he is sent of the sonne, but also because hee proceedeth from him. Againe, in the Trinitie the person sending doth communicate his whole essence and substance to the person sent. As the father sending the sonne doeth communicate his essence and substance to the sonne. For sending doth presuppose a communication of essence. Nowe the father and the sonne send the holy Ghost: therefore both of them communicate their substance and essence vntounto the same person. Thirdly Christ saith, The holy Ghost hath receiued of mine which he shall shewe vntounto you, Ioh. 14.16.namely knowledge and trueth, to be reuealed vntounto his Church. Whence we may reason thus: the person receiuing knowledge from another, receiues essence also: the holy Ghost receiues truth and knowledge from Christ to be reuealed vntounto the Church: and therefore first of all he hath receiued substance and essence from the sonne. But some peraduenture will say, where is it written in all the bible in expresse wordes, that the holv Ghost proceedes from the sonne as he proceedes from the father. Answer. The scripture saith not so much in plaine tearmes, yet we must know that that which is gathered forth thence by iust cōsequence, is no lesse the truth of god, then that which is expressed in words. Hereupon all Churches, saue those in Greece, with one confent acknowledge the trueth of this point.

The fourth and last point is, that the holy Ghost is equall to the father and the sonne. And this we are taught to acknowledge in the Creede, in that wee doe as well beleeue in the Holy Ghost, as in the father and the sonne. And though the holy Ghost be sent of the father and the sonne, yet (as I hauehave said before) that argues no inequalitie (for one equall may send another by consent) but order onelyonly, whereby the Holy Ghost is last of all the three persons. Againe in that the holy Ghost receiueth from the sonne, it prooues no inferiority. Because he receiues frō the sonne whatsoeuer he receiues by nature, and not by grace. And he receiues not a part, but all that the sonne hath, sauing the proprietie of his person.

Nowe followe the benefits which are giuen by the holy Ghost, and they are of two sorts: some are common to all creatures, & some are proper to men. The benefit of the Holy Ghost common to all creatures, is the worke of creation and preseruation. For all things were created and made, and afterwarde perserued by the holy Ghost. So Elihu saith,Iob. 33.4. The spirit of God hath made me. And Moses saith,Gen. 1.2. In the beginning the spirit mooued vponupon the waters. The phrase is borrowed from a bird, who in hatching of her young ones, sits vponupon the egges, mooues her selfe vponupon them, and heats them. And so likewise the holy Ghost in the beginning did by his own power cherish and preserue the masse or lumpe whereof all things were made, and caused it to bring forth the creatures. This beeing euident, that the Holy Ghost hath a stroke in the worke of creation and preseruation, wee must vnfainedly acknowledge that we were first created, and since that time continually preserued by the benefit euen of the third person.

The benefits proper vntounto men, are of two sorts: some are common to all men both good and bad, and some proper to the elect and faithfull. The benefits common to all men are diuers: I. the gift of practising a particular calling. As in the bodie seuerall members hauehave seuerall vses; so in eueryevery societie seuerall men hauehave seuerall offices and callings, and the gifts whereby they are inabled to performe the duties thereof, are from the holy Ghost. When Gedeon became a valiant captaine to deliuer the Israelites,Iud. 6.34. it is said he was clothed with the spirit. Bezaleel and Aholiab beeing set apart to build the tabernacle,Exod. 31.…. were filled with the spirit of God in wisdome and in vnderstanding, and in all workemanship, to finde out curious works, to worke in gold and in siluer & in brasse; also in the art to set stones, and to carue in timber, &c. By this it is manifest, that the skill of any handicraft is not in the power of man, but comes by the holy Ghost. And by this we are taught to vse al those gifts wel, wherby we are inabled to discharge our particular callings; that they may serue for the glorie of God, and the good of his Church: and those that in their callings vse fraud and deceit, or else liue inordinately, doe most vnthankfully abuse the gifts of God, and dishonour the spirit of God the author of their gifts, for which thing they must giuegive an account one day.

The second gift common to all,Heb. 6.4. is Illumination, whereby a man is inabled to vnderstand the will of God in his word. The Iewes in the reading of the old testament had a vaile ouer their hearts: and the like hauehave all men by nature, to whome the word of God is foolishnes. Paul at his conuersion was smitten blind, & skales were vponupon his eyes: the like also be ouer the eyes of our mindes, and they must fall away, before we can vnderstand the will of God. Now it is the worke of the holy Ghost to remooue these skales and filmes from our eyes.1. Ioh. 2.20. Apoc. 3.18. And for this very cause he is called the annointing and eye-salue: for as it doth cleare the eyes, and take away the dimmenes from them; so doth the holy Ghost take away blindnes from our mindes, that we may see into the truth of Gods word. This beeing a common gift, and receiued both of good and bad, it standeth vsus in hand not to content our selues with the bare knowledge of the word, but therewithall we must ioyne obedience, and make conscience thereof, or else that will besall vsus which Christ foretold, that he which knoweth his masters will and doth it not,Luk. 12. 47. shall be beaten with many stripes.

The third gift of the holy Ghost,1. Cor. 12.10. is the gift of prophecie, whereby a man is made able to interpret and expound the Scriptures. Now albeit this gift be very excellent and not giuen to eueryevery man, yet is it common both to good and badde. For in the day of iudgement when men shall come to Christ and say, Master, we hauehave prophecied in thy name, he shall answer againe, I neuer knew you, depart from me ye workers of iniquitie. Hereupon those that are in the calling of the ministerie, and hauehave receiued the gift of prophecie, must not herewithall be puffed vp. For if they be not as well doers of Gods will, as teachers, their gifts will turne to their further condemnation. As the carpenters that built Noahs arke when the flood came were drowned, because they would not obey Noahs preaching: so those that hauehave the gifts of prophecie, and are builders in Gods house, if they build not themselues as well as others; for all their preaching, at the day of iudgement, they shall be condemned: and therefore it standeth them in hand, not to content themselues with this, that they know and teach others Gods will, but they themselues must be the first doers of the same.

The fourth common gift of the Holy Ghost, is Abilitie to bridle and restraine some affections, so as they shall not breake out into outragions behauiour. Haman a wicked man, and an enemie to Gods Church, when he sawe Mordecai the Iewe sitting in the kings gate, and that hee would not stand vp nor mooue vntounto him, he was full of indignatiō: neuertheles the text saith, that he refrained himselfe. And when Abimelech an heathen king had taken Sara Abrahams wife, God said vntounto him:Hest. 5.10. Gen. …0.6. I knowe that thou didst this with an vpright heart: and the text addeth further, I hauehave kept thee, that thou shouldest not sinne against me. And thus the Lord giueth to men, as yet without the spirit of sanctification, this gift to bridle themselues, so as in outward action they shall not practise this or that sinne. For why did not Abimelech commit adulterie? surely because God kept him from it. Againe in the histories of the heathen we may read of many that were iust, liberall, meeke, continent, &c. and that by a generall operation of the holy Ghost that represseth the corruption of nature, for the common good. Here then if any man aske, howe it commeth to passe that some men are more modest and ciuil then others, seeing all men by nature are equally wicked, the answer may be, not as the common saying is, because some are of better nature then others (for all the sonnes of Adam are equall in regard of nature: the child newe borne in that respect is as wicked as the eldest man that euer liued) but the reason is, because God giues this common gift of restraining the affections more to some then to others. This must be considered of vsus all. For a man may hauehave the spirit of God to bridle many sinnes, and yet neuer hauehave the spirit to mortifie the same, and to make him a newe creature. And this beeing so, we must take heede that we deceiue not our selues. For it is not sufficient for a man to liue in outward ciuility, and to keepe in, some of his affections vponupon some occasion (for that a wicked man may doe) but we must further labour to feele in our selues the spirit of God, not only bridling sinne in vsus, but also mortifying and killing the same. Indeed both of them are the good gifts of Gods spirit, but yet the mortification of sinne is the chiefest, being an effectuall signe of grace and proper to the elect.

The fifth grace and gift of the holy Ghost is, to heare and receiue the word of God with ioy. In the parable of the sower, one kind of badde ground are they,Luk. 8.13. which when they hauehave heard, receiue the worde with ioy. And this is that, which the authour of the Hebrues calls the the tasting of the good word of God, and of the powers of the world to come. We knowe that there is great difference betweene tasting of meate and eating of it. They that sit down at the table do both tast and eate, but they that dresse the meate do onelyonly see and taste thereof: so it is at the Lords table. Many there be that hauehave this gift; truely both to tast and eate of the bodie and blood of Christ offered in the word and Sacraments: and some againe doe onelyonly taste and feele the sweetnesse of them and reioice therein, but yet are not indeede partakers thereof. Nowe if this be so, then all those which heare the word of God must take heede how they heare, and labour to finde these two things in themselues by hearing: I. that in heart and conscience they be throughly touched and humbled for their sinnes: II. that they be certenly assured of the fauour and louelove of God in Christ, and that the sweete promises of the Gospel doe belong to them: and in consideration hereof they must make conscience of all sinne both in thought, worde, and deed, through the whole course of their liues. And this kind of hearing bringeth that ioy which vanisheth not away.

Thus much of the benefits of the holy Ghost common to all men both good and badde: nowe followe such as are proper to the elect, all which may be reduced vntounto one, namely, the inhabitation of the spirit, whereby the elect are the temples of the holy Ghost: who is said to dwell in men, not in respect of substance (for the whole nature of the holy Ghost cannot be comprised in the bodie or soule of man) but in respect of a particular operation: and this dwelling standes in two things. The first, that the holy Ghost doth abide in them, not for a time onelyonly, but for euer: for the word dwelling, noteth perpetuitie. Secondly, that the holy Ghost hath the full disposition of the heart, as whē a man commeth to dwell in an house, whereof he is lord, he hath libertie to gouerne it after his owne will. Nowe this disposition of the hearts of the faithfull by the holy Ghost, stands in fiue special and notable gifts; eueryevery one worthie our obseruation.

The first is a certen knowledge of a mans owne reconciliation to God in Christ. As it is said in Esai,Esai. 53.11. Ioh. 17.3. By his knowledge my righteous seruant shall iustifie many. And Christ saith, This is life eternall that they knowe thee to be the onelyonly verie God, and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. This knowledge is not generall, for then the deuils might be saued; but it is particular, whereby a man knoweth God the father to be his father, and Christ the redeemer, to bee his redeemer, and the holy Ghost to bee his sanctifier and comforter. And it is a speciall worke of the holy Ghost, as Paul saith,Rom. 8.16. 1. Cor. 2.12. The spirit of God beareth witnesse to our spirits, that we are the children of God. And, we hauehave receiued the spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are giuen vntounto vsus of God.

The second gift is regeneration, whereby a man of a limme of the deuill is made a member of Christ, and of a child of Satan (whome eueryevery one of vsus by nature doe as liuely resemble as any man doeth his owne parent) is made the child of God.Ioh. 2.5. Mat. 3.11. Except a man (saith our Sauiour Christ) be borne againe by water and the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen. Iohn Baptist in saying that Christ baptized with the holy Ghost and fire, compares the spirit of god to fire and water. To fire for two causes: I. as it is the nature of fire to warme the body that is benummed and frozen with colde: so when a man is benummed and frozen in sinne, yea when he is euen starke dead in sinne, it is the property of the Holy Ghost to warme and quicken his heart, and to reuiue him. II. Fire doth purge and eate out the drosse from the good mettall: now there is no drosse nor canker that hath so deepely eaten into any mettall as sinne into the nature of man, and therefore the Holy Ghost is as fire to purge and eate out the hidden corruptions of sinne out of the rebellious heart of man. Againe the holy Ghost is compared to cleare water for two causes: I. man by nature is as drie wood without sappe, and the property of the holy Ghost is as water to supple and to put sap of grace into the dead and rotten heart of man. II. the propertie of water is to clense and purifie the filth of the bodie: euen so the holy Ghost doth spiritually wash away our sinnes, which are the filth of our nature; and this is the second benefit of the Holy Ghost. By this we are taught that he which would enter into the kingdome of God, and hauehave the Holy Ghost to dwell in him, must labour to feele the worke of regeneration by the same spirit: and if a man would knowe whether hee hauehave this worke wrought in him or no, let him marke what Saint Paul saith, They that are of the spirit, sauour the things that are of the spirit: but they that liue after the flesh, sauour the things of the flesh. Rom. 8.5.If therefore a man hauehave his heart continually affected with that which is truely good, either more or lesse; it is a certaine token that his wicked nature is changed, and he regenerate: but contrariwise if his heart be alwaies set on the pleasures of sinne, and the things of this world, hee may iustly suspect himselfe that he is not regenerated. As for example: if a man hauehave all his minde set vponupon drinking and gulling in of wine and strong drink, hauing little delight nor pleasure in any thing els, it argues a carnall minde & vnregenerate, because it affects the things of the flesh; and so of the rest. And on the contrarie, he that hath his minde affected with a desire to doe the will of God, in practising the workes of charitie and religion, he I say, hath a spirituall and a renued heart, and is regenerate by the holy Ghost.

The third worke of the holy Ghost is, to gouerne the hearts of the elect: this may be called spirituall regiment. A man that dwelleth in a house of his owne, orders and gouerns it according to his own will: euen so the holy ghost gouerns all them in whome he dwelleth, as Paul saith, they that are the sonnes of God are led by his spirit, Rom. 8 …4.a most notable benefit: for looke where the h. Ghost dwelleth, there he will be Lord, gouerning both heart, minde, will, and affections; and that two waies: I. by repressing all badde motions vntounto sinne, arising either from the corruption of mans nature, from the world, or from the deuil. II. by stirring vp good affections and motions vponupon eueryevery occasion: so it is said, The flesh (that is, the corruption of mans nature) lusteth against the spirit: & the spirit (that is, grace in the heart) lusteth against the flesh;Gal. 5.17. & that after a double sort: first by labouring to ouermaster and keep down the motions thereof: secondly, by stirring vp good motions and inclinations to pietie and religion. In Esay the holy Ghost hath most excellent titles:Esai. 11.2. The spirit of the Lord: the spirit of wisdome and vnderstanding: the spirit of counsel, & of strength: the spirit of knowledge, & of the feare of the Lord. Now he is so called, because he stirres vp good motions in the godly, of wisdome, of knowledge, of strength, of vnderstanding, of counsell, and of the feare of the Lord. And S. Paul saith, that the fruits of the spirit are ioy, peace, louelove, long suffering, gentlenesse, goodnesse, faith, meekenes, temperance, &c. Gal 5 22.all which are so tearmed, because where the holy Ghost ruleth, there he ingendreth these good gifts and motions of grace: but among all the inward motions of the spirit, the most principall are these: I. an vtter disliking of sinne, because it is sinne. And that is, when a man hath an eye not so much to another mans sinnes, as to his own, & seeing them, is truely sorrowfull for them, and disliketh them, and himselfe for them; not so much because there is a place of torment, or a day of iudgement to come, wherein hee must answer to God for them all: but as if there were no hell or iudgement, because God is displeased by them, who hath beene vntounto him a most louing and mercifull father in redeeming him by Christ. The second is an hungring desire aboue all things in this worlde, to be at vnitie with God in Christ for the same sinnes. This is a motion of the holy Ghost, which no man can hauehave but he in whome the holy Ghost doth dwell. The third, the gift of hearty praier. For this cause the Holy Ghost is called the spirit of supplications, Zach. 12.10,because it stirreth vp the heart, and makes it fit to pray: and therefore Paul saith,Rom 8.26. that the spirit of God helpeth our infirmities: for we knowe not what to pray as we ought, but the spirit it selfe maketh request for vsus with sighes which cannot be expressed. This is an ordinarie worke of the holy Ghost in all that beleeue: & he that would knowe whether he hauehave the spirit dwelling truely in his heart, shall knowe it by this: A mother carrieth her child in her armes; if it crie for the dugge, and sucke the same, it is aliue: being obserued many daies togither, if it neither crie nor stirre, it is dead. In like manner it is an vnfallible note of a true child of God to crie to his father in heauen by praier, but he that neuer crieth nor feeleth himselfe stirred vp to make his mone to God, is in a miserable case, and he may well be thought to be but a dead childe; and therefore let vsus learne in praier vnfainedly to poure out our soules before God, considering it is a speciall gift of the Holy Ghost bestowed on the children of God.

The fourth worke of the holy Ghost in the heart of the elect is, comfort in distresse,Ioh. 15.26. …sa… 45.9. and therefore our Sauiour Christ calleth him the comforter whome he will send: and in the Psalme hee is called the oyle of gladnesse, because he maketh glad the heart of man in trouble and distresse. There be two things that fill the heart full of endlesse griefe: the first, outward calamities, as when a man is in any danger of death, when he looseth his goods, his good name his friendes, and such like. The second is, a troubled conscience, whereof Salomon saith, A troubled spirit, who can beare it? and of all other it is the most heauie and grieuous crosse that can bee. When as the hand of God was heauie vponupon Iob, this was the sorest of all his affliction, and therefore he crieth out that the arrowes of the almightie did sticke in his soule. Nowe what is the comfort in this case? Ans. In the middest of all our distresses the holy Ghost is present with vsus, to make vsus reioice and to fill vsus with comforts that no tongue can expresse out of the word of god and specially the promises thereof. And hereupon, the vngodly man when afflictions befall him, is readie to make away himselfe because he wants the comfort of the holy Ghost.

The last benefit wrought in the hearts of the elect is, the strengthening of them to doe the weightiest duties of their callings: and hence the holy Ghost is called the spirit of strength. E…i. 11.2.There be diuers things to bee done of a Christian man that are farre beyond the reach of his power; as fi…st, when he seeth his owne sinnes and is truely humbled for them, then to lift vp the hand of faith to heauen, and thereby to catch holde on the mercy of God in Christ, is the hardest thing in the whole world: and this doe all those knowe to be true in some part, which knowe what it is to beleeue. Secondly it is as hard a thing in the time of temptation to resist temptation, as for drie wood to resist the fire when it begins to burn. Thirdly, when a mā is put to his choice, either to loose his life, goods, friends, and all that he hath, or els to forsake religion; euen then to forsake all and to sticke vntounto Christ, is a matter of as great diff…cultie as any of the former. Fourthly, when a man wanteth the ordinary meanes of Gods prouidence, as meate, drinke, and cloathing, then at the very same instant to acknowledge Gods prouidence, to reioyce in it, and to relie theron, is as much as if a man should shake the whole earth. It is against our wicked nature to trust God, vnlesse he first lay downe some pawne of his louelove & merciemercy to vsus. How then, will some say, shall any one be able to doe these things? Ans. The holy Ghost is the spirit of strength, and by him we do all things; as Paul saith,Phi…. 4.12. I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which strengtheneth me.

Concerning these gifts of the holy Ghost, two questions may be mooued. First, what is the measure of grace in this life. Answ. Small, in respect. In this world, we receiue, as Paul saith, not the tenths,Rom. 8.23. but the first fruits of Gods spirit: & the earnest of the spirit. 2. Cor. 1.22.Now the first fruits properly are but as an handfull or twaine of corne, to a whole corne field, containing many acres & furlongs of ground. And the earnest in a bargain it may be is but a penie laid down for the paying of twentie thousand pound. The second question is, whether the graces of the holy Ghost may be wholly lost or not. Ans. The common gifts of the spirit may be lost and extinguished. But the gifts proper to the Elect can not. Indeed they may be diminished & couered as coales vnderunder ashes, and as the sappe in the roote of the tree in the winter season, not appearing at all in the branches; & the feeling of them may be lost: but they can not either finally or totally be abolished. It is true that God doth forsake his children; but that is onelyonly in part,2. Chr. 32.3…. as he left Ezechias to prooue and trie what was in his heart. A mother that loues her child most tenderly, sets it downe in the flore, lets it stand, and fall, and breake the face, and all this while shee hides her selfe, not because her purpose is to leaue her child quite, or to make it hurt it selfe; but that whē shee taketh it vp againe, it may louelove her the better. So dealeth the holy Ghost with men to make them see their owne weaknes and frailtie: he hides himselfe as it were in some corner of the heart for a season, that they may the more earnestly hunger after grace, the want whereof they feele.

The vse of this article whereby we confesse that we beleeue in the holy Ghost is manifold. First, considering that all the gifts which any man hath, whether they be gifts of knowledge in the word of God, or of humane learning, or againe gifts whereby men are inabled to practise their trades or handicrafts, doe come not from our selues but from the holy Ghost, we are taught this dutie. Looke what gifts soeuer we for our parts hauehave receiued of the spirit of God, we must vse them so, as they may euer serue for the glorie of God and good of our brethren, and not to the practising and setting forth of any manner of sinne, and by consequent to the seruice of the deuill. For that is as if a man receiuing riches and reuenues of his prince, should straight way goe to the princes enemie and employ them for his benefit; which were a point of exceeding trecherie.

Furthermore, in eueryevery place the greater part of men are blinde and ignorant persons both yong and old; and aged folkes, as they are ignorant themselues, so they nuzzle vp their youth in ignorance. Conferre with them, you s…all finde that they can say nothing but that which may be learned by common talke, as that there is a God, and that this God must be worshipped: but aske them further of the meanes of their saluation, and of their duties to God and man, and they will answer you, that they are not booke-learned: tell them further that the ordinarie meanes to bring men to knowledge is the preaching of the word, which if they will not vse, they shall be inexcusable; they will say, alas, we are dull of memorie, and cannot learne. Wel, for all this, thou saiest thou beleeuest in the holy Ghost, and he is thy schoolemaster to teach thee: though thy capacitie be dull, yet he is able to open thine vnderstanding: for as there is outward teaching by the minister, so the worke of the holy Ghost is ioyned withall to enlighten the conceit of the mind, that they which heare the word with reuerence may profit thereby and get knowledge. But if for all this men will not learne, but remaine ignorant still, then let them marke the example of the sonnes of Eli: he in some part did rebuke them for their wickednes, but yet they would not obey; and the reason is there set downe,1. S…m. ….25. because the Lord would destroy them. In the same manner howsoeuer we may not iudge of any mans person, yet this may be said, that if men refuse to heare the word of God when they may, or if in hearing they will not obey, it is a fearefull signe that God will at length destroy them. When a trumpet is sounded in a mans eare, and he lies still, not stirring at all; he is certenly dead. And surely when the trumpet of the Gospel is sounded in the eares of our hearts, if we awake not out of our sinnes to newnes of life, we are no better then dead men before God. Wherefore the case beeing thus dangerous, and the punishment so great, let vsus labour in time for the knowledge of Gods will, & preuent Gods iudgements before they light vponupon vsus.

Thirdly, as the Apostle saith,Gal 5. 5. If we liue in the spirit, we must walke in the spirit, that is, if we be dead vntounto sinne by the power of the holy Ghost, and be raised vp to newnes of life, then we must walke in the spirit. Now to walke in the spirit, is to lead our liues in shewing forth the fruits of the spirit.…sa. 44.3,…. In Esai the holy Ghost is compared vntounto water powred forth on the drie land, which maketh the willowes to blossome and to beare fruit: wherefore those that hauehave the gifts of the spirit must be trees of righteousnes bringing forth the fruits of the spirit, which (as they are set downe by Paul) are principally nine.

The first fruit is louelove, which respects both God and man. LoueLove vntounto God is an inward and spirituall motion in the heart, whereby God is loued absolutely for himselfe. This louelove shewes it selfe in two things: I. when a mans heart is set and disposed to seeke the honour and glorie of God in all things. II. when a man by all meanes striues, and endeauours himselfe to please God in eueryevery thing, counting it a most miserable estate to liue in the displeasure of God: and the heart that is thus affected, can hauehave no greater torment then to fall into sinne, whereby God is offended and his displeasure prouoked. By these two signes a man may know whether he louelove God or no, and by them also must he testifie his louelove. Now our louelove to man, is a fruit of this louelove of God: for God is to be loued for himselfe: man is loued for God. This louelove must not be in shew onelyonly, but in deede and action.1. Ioh 3.18. S. Iohn biddeth vsus not to louelove in word and tongue onelyonly, but in deede and truth. Brotherly louelove doth not alwaies lie hid, but when an occasion is offered, it doth breake forth into action; it is like fire, which though for a time it be smothered, yet at length it breakes forth into a flame. And so much louelove a man sheweth to his neighbour, as he hath; and where none is shewed, none is.

The second fruit is Ioy, when a man is as glad at the good of his neighbour as at his owne good: and this is a speciall worke of the holy Ghost. For the nature of man is to pine away, and to grieue at the good of another; and contrariwise it is a worke of grace to reioyce thereat. Paul saith,Rom. 12. 1…. Reioyce with them that reioyce. And this was the holy practise of the friends and neighbours of Zacharias and Elizabeth, when Iohn Baptist was borne,Luk. 1.58. they came and reioyced with them.

The third fruit of the spirit, is peace. Of this Paul speaketh most excellently, saying,Rom. 12.18. If it be possible, as much as in you is hauehave peace with all men. It is nothing els but concord which must be kept in an holy manner, with all men, both good and badde, so farre forth as can be. Isai the Prophet speaking of the fruits of the Gospel saith,Esa. 11.6. The wolfe shall dwell with the lambe, and the leopard with the kidde, &c. Where note, that in the kingdome of Christ, when a man is called into the state of grace, howsoeuer by nature he be as a wolfe, as a leopard, as a lyon, or as a beare; yet he shall then lay away his cruell nature, and become gentle, & liue peaceably with all men. Now for the practising of this peace, there are three duties especially to be learned and performed: I. rather then peace should be broken, a man must yeeld of his own right. When Publicans came to our Sauiour Christ for tribute, he had a lawfull excuse: for how soeuer he liued in low estate among them, yet he was the right heire to the kingdome, and therefore was free: neuerthelesse he stoode not on his priuiledge, but calleth Peter, saying,Mat. 17.26,27. Least we offend them, goe to the sea and cast in an angle, and take the first fish that cōmeth vp: and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt finde a peece of twentie pence: take it, and giuegive it to them for thee and me. Here we see that our Sauiour Christ, rather then he would breake the common peace, yeelds of his owne right; and so we must doe if we will be good followers of him. Secondly, when any man shall sinne either in word or indeede, specially if it be vponupon infirmitie, we must auoid bitter inuectiues and mildly tell him of his fault, and in all meeknes and louelove labour for his amendment. So Paul teacheth vsus, saying,Gal. 6.1. If any man be fallen into any fault by occasion, restore such an one with the spirit of meeknes, considering thy selfe, least thou be also tempted. &c. Beare ye one an others burden. Thirdly, eueryevery man within the compasse of his calling, must be a peace-maker betweene them that are at variāce. This is a speciall dutie of godlines and christianitie, and therefore our Sauiour Christ doth highly commend such, and pronounceth this blessing vponupon them,Math. 5.9. that they shall be called the children of God.

The fourth fruit of the spirit, is long suffering: and it standeth in two points: I. when a man deferreth his anger and is hardly brought to it: II. beeing angrie doth yet moderate the same, and stay the hotnesse of that affection. For the first, to bridle anger, it is a speciall worke of the holy Ghost, & the meanes to attaine vntounto it are these: I. not to take notice of the iniuries & wrongs done vntounto vsus, if they be not of great moment; but to let them passe, as not knowing them. Salomon saith,Pr…v. 19.11. It is a mans discretion to deferre his anger. Now how is that done? it is added in the next words, It is the glorie of a man to passe by infirmitie: that is, when a man shall ouershoote himselfe, either in word or in deede, to let it passe either wholly, or till a time conuenient, as though we knew not of it. The second way to deferre and bridle anger is, when a man hath iniuried vsus either in word or deede, to thinke with our selues that we hauehave iniuried other in the same manner: and for this cause Salomon saith,Eccles. ….23. GiueGive not thine heart to all the words that men speake, least thou heare thy seruant cursing thee: for oftentimes thine heart also knoweth that thou hast cursed others. A man must not listen to eueryevery mans words at all times: but he is to thinke that he hath spoken or done the same to other men, and that now the Lord meeteth with him by the like, as it is said, With what measure yee mete, it shall be measured to you againe. Math. 7.2.This is a thing which fewe consider. Euill men desire good report and would hauehave all men speake well of them, whereas they can speake well of none: but indeede they must beginne to speake well of others before others shall speake well of them. Thirdly, a man must consider how God dealeth with him. For so often as he sinneth he prouoketh God to cast him away and to confound him eternally; yet the Lord is mercifull and long suffering. Euen so when men doe offend and iniurie vsus, we must doe as God doth: not be angrie but fight against our affections, endeauouring to become patient and long suffering as God is with vsus. The second propertie of long suffering, is to keepe the affection of anger in moderation and compasse. It is not alwaies a sinne to be angrie, and therefore it is said of Christ (in whome was no blemish of sinne) that he was angrie: Mark. 3.5.yet we must looke that our anger be moderate not continuing ouerlong, as Paul saith, Let not the sunne goe downe vponupon your wrath.

The fifth fruit of the spirit is gentlenes, whereby a man behaueth and sheweth himselfe friendly and courteous to eueryevery man, as Paul saith to Titus,Tit. 3.2. Put them in remembrance that they speake euill of no man, that they be no fighters but soft, shewing all meekenes vntounto all men, whether they be good or bad. This gentlenes standeth in these points: I. to speake to eueryevery man friendly and louingly. II. to salute friendly and courteously. III. to be readie vponupon eueryevery occasion to giuegive reuerence and honour to eueryevery man in his place. It is made a question of some, whether a man is to salute and speake vntounto them that are knowne to be leud and wicked men: but here we see what our dutie is in that we are taught to be courteous to all men both good and bad, yet so as we approoue not of their sinnes: as for that which S. Iohn saith of false prophets,2. Iob 10. receiue them not, neither bid them God speede, it is to be vnderstood of giuing an outward approbation to false teachers.

The sixt fruit is goodnes, which is, when a man is readie to doe good and become seruiceable in his calling to all men at all times vponupon all occasions. This was to be seene in that holy man Iob: he saith; that he was eyes to the blind, Iob. 36.…5.and feete to the lame, a father vntounto the poore, and when he knew not the cause, he sought it out. And S. Paul shewed this fruit most notably after his conuersion, for he saith,1. Cor. 9.2… that he was made all things to all men that he might saue some. He was content to vndergoe any thing for the good of any man. And as we hauehave heard, the godly are trees of righteousnes bearing fruit not for themselues but for others, and therefore Paul in the epistle to the Galatians giueth this rule, Doe seruice one to another in louelove. Gal. 5.13.In these daies it is hard to finde these duties performed in any place. For both practise and prouerb is commonly this, EueryEvery man for himselfe, and God for vsus all: but it is a graceles saying; and the contrarie must be practised of all, that desire to be guided by the spirit.

The seuenth fruit is faith. Faith or fidelitie standeth in these two duties. One, to make conscience of a lie, and to speake eueryevery thing whereof we speake, as we thinke it is, and not to speake one thing and thinke an other. A rare thing it is, to finde this vertue in the world now adaies: who is he that maketh conscience of a lie? and is not truth banished out of our coasts; considering that for gaines and outward commodities men make no bones of glosing and dissembling? but alas, the practise is damnable, and the contrarie is the fruit of the holy Ghost,Psal. 15. namely to speake the truth from the heart: & he that can doe this, by the testimonie of God himselfe shall rest in the mountaine of his holines, euen in the kingdome of heauen. The second point, wherein fidelitie consisteth is, when a man hath made a promise that is lawfull and good, to keepe and performe the same. Some thinke it is a small matter to breake promise, but indeede it is a fruit of the flesh; and contrariwise a fruit of the spirit to performe a lawfull promise: and a mans word should be as sure as an obligation: and in conscience a man is bound to keepe promise so farre forth as he will, to whome the promise is made. Indeede if a man be released of his promise, he is then free: otherwise if we promise and doe not performe, we doe not onelyonly cracke our credit before men, but also sinne before God.

The eight fruit of the spirit is meekenesse, which is a notable grace of God, when a man prouoked by iniuries doth neither intend nor enterprise the requitall of the same. And it stands in three duties. The first is to interpret the sayings and doings of other men in better part as much as possibly may be. The second, when men mistake and misconsture our sayings and doings, if the matter be of smaller moment, to be silent & patient as Christ was, when he was accused before the high priests & Pharises: this being withal remembred, that if the matter be of weight and moment, we may defend our selues by soft and mild answers. The third, is not to contend in word or deed with any man, but when we are to deale with others, to speake our minde, and so an ende.

The last fruit of the spirit is temperance, whereby a man bridleth his appetite or lust in meate, drinke, and apparell. In bridling the lust, these rules must be obserued. I. Eating and drinking must be ioyned with continuall fasting, after this manner. We must not glut our selues, but rather abstaine from that which nature desireth, and as some vse to speake, leaue our stomackes crauing. II. A man must so eate and drinke, as afterward he may the better be inabled for Gods worship. Creatures are abused when they make vsus vnfit to serue God. The common fault is, on the Sabbath day men so pamper themselues, as that they are made vnfit both to heare and learne Gods word, and fitte for nothing but to slumber and sleepe: but following this rule of temperance these faults shall be amended. III. This must be a caueat in our apparell, that we be attired according to our callings in holy comelinesse. The Lord hath threatned to visit all those that are cloathed in strange apparrell. And holy comelinesse is this, when the apparell is both for fashion and matter so made and worne,… 2.3. that it may expresse & shew forth the graces of God in the heart, as sobrietie, temperance, grauitie, &c. and the beholder may take occasion by the apparell, to acknowledge and commend these vertues. But lamentable is the time, looke on men and women in these daies, and you may see and read their sinnes written in great letters on their apparell, as intemperance, pride, and wantonnesse. EueryEvery day new fashions please the world; but indeede that holy comelines which the holy Ghost doth commend to vsus, is the right fashion when all is done. And these are the nine fruits of the spirit, which we must put in practise in our liues and conuersations.

Fourthly, if we beleeue in the holy Ghost, and thereupon doe perswade our selues, that he will dwell in vsus: we must daily labour as we are commaunded to keepe our vessells in holinesse and honour vntounto the Lord: 1. Thess. 4.4.and the reason is good. If a man be to entertaine but an earthly prince or some man of state, he would be sure to hauehave his house in a readines, and all matters in order against his comming, so as eueryevery thing might be pleasing vntounto so worthy a guest: well now, behold, we put our confidence and affiance in the holy Ghost, and doe beleeue that he wil come vntounto vsus, and …anctifie vsus, and lodge in our hearts. He is higher then all states in the world whatsoeuer; and therefore we must looke that our bodies and soules be kept in an honourable and holy manner, so as they may be fit temples for him to dwell in. S. Paul biddeth vsus… not to grieue the holy spirit, Eph. 4.30.where the holy Ghost is compared to a guest, and ou… bodies and soules vntounto Innes: and as men vse their guests friendly and courteously, shewing vntounto them all seruice and dutie: so must we doe to Gods spirit which is come to dwell and abide in vsus, doing nothing in any case, which may disquiet or molest him. Now there is nothing so grieuous vntounto him as our sinnes, and therefore we must make conscience of all manner of sinne, least by abusing of our selues, we doe cause the holy Ghost (as it were) with greefe to depart from vsus. When the arke of the couenant which was a signe of the presence of God, was in the house of Obed Edom, the text saith, that the Lord blessed him and all his house: but when the holy Ghost dwels in a mans heart,2. Sam. 6.17. there is more then the arke of the Lord present, euen God himselfe: and therfore may we looke for a greater blessing. Now then shall we grieue the holy Ghost by sinning, seeing we reape such benefit by his aboad? It is said that our Sauiour Christ was angrie when he came into the temple at Ierusalem, and saw the abuses therein. Now shall he be angrie for the abuses that are done in a temple of stone, and seeing the temples of our bodies which are not made of stone, but are spirituall, figured by that earthly temple, seeing them (I say) abused by sinne, will he not be much more angrie? Yea we may assure our selues, he can not abide that. And therefore if we beleeue in the holy Ghost, we must hereupon be mooued to keepe our bodies and soules pure and cleane. And further, to perswade vsus hereunto, we must remember this, that when we pollute our soules and bodies with any manner of sinne, we make them euen stables and styes for our wretched enemie the deuill to harbour in. For when Satan is once cast out, if afterward we fall againe to our old sinnes & loosenes of life, and so defile our bodies, they are then most cleane and neat for them to dwell in: whereupon he will come and bring seuen other deuills worse then himselfe, & so a mans last end shall be worse then his beginning. Now what a fearefull thing is this, that the bodie which should be a temple for the holy Ghost, by our sins should be made a stable for the deuil.1. Thess ….1…. Furthermore S. Paul biddeth vsus, not to quench the spirit. The graces of the holy spirit in this life, are like sparkes of fire, which may soone be quenched with a little water. Now so oft as we sinne, we cast water vponupon the grace of God, and as much as we can put out the same: therefore it stands vsus in hand to make conscience of eueryevery thing wherein we may offend and displease God. And we may assure our selues, that so long as we liue and lie in our corruptions and sinnes, the holy Ghost will neuer come and dwell with vsus. He is a spirit most pure and chast, and therefore must hauehave an vndefiled temple to dwell in.

A Golden Chain, Text 1 (10 of 13)