THe holy ghost (right honourable and wel­beloued) layeth forth to our consideration,Ebr. 11. toto. in this chapter, a long rehearsal of y^e faithful men of God, in the former ages of the worlde, whose perfect faith and true religi­on is made manifest, to all posteri­ties, in this place of scripture: who after that by faith they were iusti­fied before God,Rom. 3.2 & 4.5, 6. Isai. 6.3. like trees of righ­teousnes, [Page] they brought forth the fruites of al obedience, in godly cō ­uersation. Among whom the A­postle reckoneth vp the liuely faith and godly life of righteous Noe, in the latter end of the first age.Ge. 6. toto. Who beholding y^e great ripenes of sinne, and corruption of all flesh,1. Pet. 3.20 & 2. pet. 2.5. with o­uerflowing waters to be punished, being warned of God, with all re­uerence and feare, prepared the arke, for the safetie of him selfe and his houshold, and also to condemne the great securitie of that carelesse generation:Mat. 24.38 whereby hee obtained through the free mercy of God, to be called the heire of the righteous­nes which is according vnto faith. The due remembrance whereof, may enkindle in vs, if we lothe not our saluation, the vigilant care wherewith we ought to be pressed, in this last age and winding vp of these our sorowful dayes, wherein [Page] such ripenes of al iniquities, so hor­rible contempt of Gods word, and so manifest vngodlines, foretel and prognosticate the small fall of this totering world, to be very neere an end, that when the same shal come, we might be saued within y^e arke of Christes Church with faithfull Noe, rather then by our carnall se­curitie, to hazard losse of bodie and soule for euer.

The wordes of the Apostle as they lye in order, containe especial­ly, two things to be obserued. The one, whereupon it came, that Noe was moued to prepare the arke: The other, what effect y^t arke had, when it was made. The former is contayned in these words, By faith Noe being warned of God, of the things which were as yet not seene, moued with reuerence, prepared the arke. Wherein is perceiued, first an admonition to be giuen him: Se­condly, [Page] a readines in him to beleue the same: and last of all the making of the arke, to declare y^e obedience of his faith. The other followeth in the text: He prepared it, to the sa­uing of his houshold, through which arke, he condemned the world, and was made heire of the righteousnes, which is by faith. Wherein is noted, what effect it had in Noe and his familie: next of al, what effect con­cerning the wicked: & lastly, howe this obedience of Noe, was accep­ted and rewarded of God.

Albeit (right honourable and beloued) the electe of God in this life, walke through the valleye of teares and shadows of death,Psal. 23.4. yet the Lord continueth, their light & strength and rocke of sure defence,Psa. 27.1, 5. who in the time of trouble, will hide them in his tabernacle, that not one heare of their head shal pe­rishe:Luk. 21.18 but when the floodes of ad­uersities [Page] approch, he giueth them warning to escape, and so deliue­reth them out of temptation,2. Pet. 2.9. and reserueth the vniust vnto the day of iudgement to bee punished. Which warning the Lorde gaue now to Noe, with whom he had,Genes. 6.8.14. according to the riches of his grace, entred into a couenant, to the end he might prepare an arke for his deliueraunce, against the comming of the flood, wherewith the wicked shoulde bee drowned. In like maner when the sinnes of the Sodomites cryed for ven­geance from heauen,Gen. 19.15 the Lorde premonished righteous Lot, be­ing wearied with their vnclean­nes, to separate him selfe and his from them, least he shoulde haue perished in the flame of the citie, which was readie with fire and brimstone to be destroyed.Nom. 16. toto. When Corah, Dathan, and Abiron, [Page] with their companie, had repug­ned the ordinaunce of God, and contrary to his commandement, offred vp straunge incense, and so prouoked the wrath of the Lorde against them, the Lord comman­ded Moses & Aaron to exempt them selues & the rest of the con­gregation from their companie, lest they should haue bin swalow­ed vp together with them, quicke into hell. Such faythfull war­ning the spirite of God, giueth to the elected saintes in the reuela­tion, that they should come out of Babylon and touche no vncleane thing,Apoc. 18.4 least in being partakers of hir sinnes, they should haue bin partakers of hir plagues. where­in wee may learne the great care,Psal. 34.15 & 121.4. which the Lorde hath for the sal­uatiō of his people, forewarning them alwayes of the dangers to come, to the ende they might safe­ly [Page] rest vnder his protection. For surely he will do nothing,Amos. 3.7 but he first reuealeth his word vnto his Prophets, that they may warne his chosen earely and late,Iere. 7.13. to saue them selues in time of trouble. The Lord foretolde the people of Israel & of Iuda,Isa. 10.5. Iere. 25.9. by the mouth of his Prophetes, their captiuitie in Assyria & Babylon, long time before they felt any sore, that the godly might seeke deliueraunce. Our Sauiour Christ premoni­shed his elect of many daungers to come,Mat. 24.16 that those which were in Iurie, might flee vnto the moun­taines and seeke to saue them­selues, vnder the crosse.Act. 20.29. 2. thes. 2.3 1. tim. 4.1. 2. tim. 3.1. The A­postles foreshewed the comming of false prophetes, and of Anti­christ the man of sinne, and of his manifolde abominations, where­with he should poyson the world, that the godly might bee the bet­ter [Page] furnished with the woorde of trueth, to preserue them selues a­gainst his wily traines, of mans decrees and vaine inuentions. We haue bene admonished these nineteene yeeres and more, and warned by the preaching of the Gospell, to forsake papistrie and superstition, to leaue our sinfull wayes, and to folowe the righte­ousnesse of life, that we might be saued from destruction. We haue bin at our wits ende,Luk. 21.25. with signes and strange reports, and fearfull sights from heauen, calling vs to repētance. We haue felt of earth­ly cōsumptions,Deut. 28. Amos. 4. & diuers kindes of death, with losse of friends and other things, to humble vs to flie from the wrath to come. We haue bene astonied with the lamenta­ble ruine of Monarchies & king­domes rounde about vs, that we sleepe not in securitie. And dayly [Page] we doe see such troubles euerye where, as do forewarne our ouer­throwe, if in time we doe not re­pent. Wherfore as the Lord hath set watchmen ouer vs in bidding vs take heede to the sounde of the trumpet,Ezek. 3.17 & 33.4. let vs beware with reuerence and feare: for if wee walke after the stubbernes of our stonie heartes, and saye with the wicked, wee will not take heede,Iere. 6.17, 19. Iere. 5 25. then will hee bring vpon vs the fruites of our owne imaginati­ons, and all the curses of the law, and so we shall lye downe in our owne confusion, and bee couered with our shame, because wee loa­thed instruction,Prou. 1.29. and hated to bee reformed. For surely the ouer­throw of the wicked sleepeth not, though yet they liue in al prospe­ritie,Iob. 21.7. psal. 37.35. iere. 12.1, [...] and florish as a greene Bay tree. Let not vs then folowe their [...]usion of ryote,1. Pet 4.4 but in time re­ceiue [Page] the Lordes warning with Noe,Micah. 6.8. to hūble our selues to walke before our God. The Storcke in the ayre (as sayth the Prophete) knoweth her appointed times,Iere. 8.7. the Turtle, the Crane, and the Swallowe, obserue their oppor­tunitie of comming, and shall not we knowe the iudgements of our God?Isai. 1.3. Or can the Oxe know his masters stall,Isai. 1.3. or the Asse his ma­sters cribbe, and shall not Israel know his God? Let vs be war­ned by the voyce of God, let vs re­ceiue instruction and be wise be­time.Prou. 8.33. For blessed is the man, that heareth wisdome, watching day­ly at hir gates, and giuing atten­dance at the postes of hir doores: For hee that findeth hir, findeth life, and shall obtaine the fauour of the Lord, and onely this is our wisdome and perfect vnderstan­ding, to receiue and obserue the [Page] admonitions of our God.

When Noe were thus admo­nished by the Lorde, he did not by and by forget his worde, or choke it with the cares of life,Luk. 8.14. and vo­luptuousnesse of liuing, then pre­uailing: but as his fayth was wrought thereby, so was he now emboldned and his fayth encrea­sed and preserued by these admo­nitions,Iohn. 1.12. Rom. 10, 17. 2. Thes. 3.3 concerning thinges to come. For as by meats & drinks the bodie is increased, and by the wholsome counsell of physitions, the sicknes to be feared, is preuē ­ted: so by the woorde of God, the fayth of Noe was increased, and by the admonitions thereof, the daungers to bee feared were a­uoyded, whilest he willingly gaue credit to that which was spoken. By this his readinesse to beleeue the worde, appeareth plainly (be­loued) the faythfull heart, which [Page] the godly ought to haue towards the same, that in beleeuing the worde of trueth,Leui. 26.3, 12. ier. 7.23 Nu. 10.29 the Lord may be their God, and they his people. This readinesse was in the Ke­nites, when they left their owne coūtry, to go with the Israelites into y^e land of Canaan, that they might be further instructed in the law of God.2. Kin. 22.21, 13. This readines was in the good king Iosias, whē his heart melted within him for feare of the plagues of God towardes the land, neither ceassed he, vntill he had enquired of the Lord what was to be done.Psal. 84, 6. This readinesse was in all those which wente through the valley of teares, from strength to strength, to seeke the Lorde in Sion. This readi­nesse was in the Prophetes and Apostles,Mat. 19, 27 whilest they left all thinges to obey the will of God.Act. 2.37. This readines was in y^e Iewes [Page] when they were fired with the wordes of Peter, and with peni­tent hearts required what to do. And this ought to be our readi­nes towards the word of our sal­uation, and towards the admo­nitions of the most highest, that whilest he speaketh, we giue eare,Pro. 1.24. ier. 7.26, 27 whilest he crieth, that wee make answere, and whilest it is said, to day,Psal. 95.7, 8 that we beleue and heare his voyce. These should be the daies, wherein men shoulde follow no more the stubbornnesse of theyr wicked hearts,Iere. 3.17. Mic. 4.1, 2. psal. 122.1. but rather should goe vp to the mountaine of the lord, to be instructed in his lawes with reuerence and feare.Esai. 2.18.20. These should be the dayes, wherein the idoles shoulde de destroyed, and men shoulde forsake their molten gods.Psal. 110.3 These should be the sweete and ioyfull dayes of Ierusalem, wherein the people shoulde offer [Page] willing offrings of obedience and thankfulnesse. These shoulde be the Halcionios dies of the Church, when righteousnesse and peace, when mercie and trueth shoulde meete and kisse eche other.Psal. 85.10. But in steade of readines to the worlde, the eares of many are vncircum­cised,Iere. 6.10. that they neither can, nor will heare the lawe of God. In stead of casting away y^e vanities of Idoles,Apo. 13.8, 16. they are marked with the beastes marke, whome they worship. In stead of quietnes & loue, the heartes of many are set on mischiefe, whilest discorde, en­uie and debate preuaile so much.Colo. 3.8. I feare therefore, these dayes are more like the daies of Noe, wher­in the cōtempt of trueth bare rule amongst so many.Gene. 6. They are the dayes of the prouocation in the wildernes,Nu. 11.4, 5. psal. 95.9. wherein the delights of Egyptiacal seruitude, is pre­ferred [Page] before the sweete Manna of euerlasting happines. I wonder what euill spirite hath bewitched men,Galat. 3.1. that they should not beleeue the truth. Why haue they put vp­on them an whorish face,Iere. 3.3. and a shameles looke, and made their hearts like an adamant,Zach. 7.12. whilest they walke in the errour of theyr hearts, and in the vanitie of their own imaginations? Euery man flattereth himselfe in his owne wayes,Esa. 65.5. & thinketh him selfe more holy then his fellowe, but yet hee pluckes not the beame of pride out of his eie.Mat. 7.3, 4.5. Wee say with fil­thie Iuda,Iere. 2.23. that we be not pollu­ted, nor haue folowed after Baa­lim: and yet we are vncleane, by meanes of popishe superstition.Apoc. 17.4 Wee bragge and boast with the proud Pharisie,Luk. 18.11. Psal. 38.4. of our righteous­nes: yet feele we not the burthen of our sinnes and faith in Christ, and therfore remaine vniustified. [Page] We say with the angell of Laodi­cea, Apoc. 3.17 18. that we be rich and much en­creased with goodes, and haue neede of nothing: & yet we know not that we are wretched, mise­rable, poore and blind & naked. What remayneth then for vs, but to bye of the Lords fine gold, that we may be rich, & white rayment, y^t we may be clothed, y^t our filthie nakednes do not appeare, & that our eies may be anointed w^t the eie salue, y^t we may see, w^t al readi­nes to obey the truth, & to be war­ned w^t Noe, to make preparation against the flouds of euil to come.

But especially (welbeloued) the faith of Noe appeared in this, y^t he saw the things to come, which presently could not by outwarde senses be discerned. For, seeing that the floud was not come, be­fore an hundreth and twentie yeeres were ended, the tract of time might haue remoued and [Page] banished away the remembrance thereof. It might also haue see­med incredible to flesh and bloud, that such a water should come so quickly: besides all these, the wic­ked folowed their delights with­out respect: and to be short, these threatnings of such floods might haue bene iudged vaine: but Noe his faith did moūt aloft, and rea­ched aboue the capacitie of out­warde senses, and looked vp to things more excellent by much, thē could by outward meanes be vnderstood: which things yet hid and not apparant, the holy ghost sealeth in our harts, for our more assurance.Ebr. 11.1. According whereunto the Apostle calleth fayth the sub­stance of things hoped for, & the sure demonstration of thinges which are not seene: thereby not onely lifting vp our fayth to things to come, but also fully as­suring vs of the performāce ther­of, [Page] for God is faithful which hath promised.Ebr. 10.23. We are alreadie saued by hope,Ro. 8.24, 25 but hope that is seene is no hope: for how can a man hope for that which he seeth? but if we hope for that which wee see not, we doo with pacience abide for it.2. Cor. 4.7. And this treasure wee haue in our earthen vessels, that the excellencie of that power might be of God, & not of vs. And there­fore our cōuersation is in heauē, from whence we looke for the sa­uiour,Phil. 3.20. euen Iesus Christ, with whom our life is hid in God,Col. 3.3, 4. that whē Christ, which is our life, shal appeare, thē shal we also appeare with him in glorie: Such a sure perswasiō of things to come had Noe, neither wauered he in fayth at all. This is that exceeding comfort, which maketh glad the hearts of the elect in the middest of the sorowes of this life, assured­ly beholding with y^e eies of faith, [Page] such thinges as neither the eie of man hath seene,Esai. 64.4. 1. cor. 2.9. nor his eare hath heard, nor yet his heart percey­ued or vnderstoode. Such an vn­doubted hope and trust had the godly fathers vnder and before the lawe,Gene. 3.15 & 15.5. & 22.17, 18. Deu. 18.18 2. Sa. 7, 16. when with the eyes of fayth they behelde the Messias & sauiour Christ to come, and so were iustified, as we beleue now, that he is come alreadie, and hath wrought our redemption. Such was the faith of Abraham, Isaac and Iacob,Ebr. 11.13. concerning the pro­mises of the land of Canaan, whē as they were but strangers vpon the earth, & had not a foot bredth to possesse, beleeuing what the Lord had promised, should surely come to passe. Such an assurāce of fayth had Moses, when he re­fused the delightes of Egypt, and the pleasures of Pharaos court,Ebr. 11.24, 25, 26. to suffer persecution with his [Page] brethren, looking to the promised rewarde. This assured fayth of thinges to come had good king Dauid,Psal. 89.28, 29. when he trusted that his throne shoulde continue, and be established for euer. This assu­rance of things to come, our Sa­uiour Christ commended to his disciples, against the assaults of persecution, promising them, that they shuld sit vpō twelue thrones with him,Mat. 19.28. luk. 22.30. and iudge the twelue tribes of Israel. This assurance had the Apostle Paul, whē he de­sired to attaine the righteousnes of fayth,Phil. 3.8, 9 10. 2. Ti. 4.8. and resurrection of the iust, that he might weare y^e crown which God had layde vp in store for him. And what els moued the saints of God,Apo. 12.11 to withstande the beast, and not to loue their liues to death, but that by fayth they sawe the newe Ierusalem? And this is that golden saying of Ig­natius [Page] going to be martyred,Euse. lib. 3. cap. 36. Nihil moror visibilium, nec inuisibilium, modo Iesum Christum acquiram. I neither (sayeth he) care for things nowe seene, nor thinges which are not seene, so that I may laye holde of Iesus Christ. This is our comfort (dearely beloued) in these daungerous dayes and byl­lowes of the world, that our faith is not fixed of things present, but of thinges to come. For though now we be the childrē of God (as sayeth the Apostle) yet doth it not appeare what we shalbe.1. Iohn. 3.2. For we know, y^t whē Christ shal appeare, wee shall bee like to him, for wee shall see him as he is. We see now in a glasse darkly, but thē shal we see him face to face:1. Cor. 13.12. we know but nowe in part, but then shall wee knowe, euen as we are knowne. We are now corruptible,1. Cor. 15.53. but we shal be clothed with incorruptiō. [Page] We are now but mortal, but this mortall shall be swalowed vp of immortalitie. We are now afflic­ted & in distres,2. Cor. 4.17, 18. but y^e same is but for a momēt, & yet causeth in vs, a most excellēt, & eternal weight of glory, while we looke not on the things which are seen, but on the things which are not seene: for y^e things which are seen, are but tē ­poral, but y^e things which are not seene,Rom. 7.23, 24, 25. are eternall. Though for a while we feele y^e reliques of sin in vs prouoking vs to euil, yet looke we dayly whē y^t time shal come, y^t this body of sin may be don away We feele in our selues the sparks and seed of much vnrighteousnes, yet do we hope in stead therof, we shalbe clothed with y^e fine reynes and righteousnes of Christ,Apo. 19.8. 1. Cor. 1.30 2. cor. 5, 21. Psal. 32.1, 2 and all our transgressions to be pardoned. We feele for a litle, hunger & colde, yet do we hope for the abūdance of all delightes & heauenly treasures. [Page] We daily sorowe and weepe,2. Cor. 4.8, 9, 10. 2. pet. 2.7. & are vexed with the vncleane conuersa­tiō of the wicked, yet trust we that our sorowe shalbe turned into ioy,Ioh. 16.20, 21. Apoc. 21.4 & all teares wyped from our eyes. We now abyde with patience the tauntes and checkes of Antichrist and his mēbers,Apo. 14.9. but yet we see by faith, that Babylon the mother of all abominations,Apoc. 17.4 shal sodainly fall and come to nought, for that her sinnes are in remembrance with God.Apoc. 18.5 We dayly feare the assaultes of sinne & death, yet do we knowe by faith that Christ hath cōquered them for vs.2. Cor. 5.21 colos. 2.14. apo. 20.14. We feele our frailtie in this lyfe, and thraldome to infirmi­ties,1. Cor. 15.31, 32. yet do we hope for euerlasting rest in the resurrection of the iust. Such is the assurance of our faith, surmounting farre the reache of mannes capacitie: shee wauereth not, she sincketh not, shee doubteth not (as saith the misbeleeuing pa­pist, [Page] leaning to his ydle woorkes) but she maketh the good conscience sure,Rom. 4.16.19. & 8.16, 38, 39. Ebr. 10.22 and alwayes hath [...], whilest shee plainly beholdeth the things as yet not seene, but surelie for to come to passe.

Further, whereas this readines of Noe was ioyned with reuerēce, it is (dearely beloued) to teache vs, that his faith was directed both to the promisse of the couenāt, where­by he was receyued into fauour, & also to the threatnings of GOD, whereby the Lord menaced the de­structiō of the world, which he be­leeued to come, and so did tremble. And as by the former, he was assu­red of gods fauour, so by the other, in respect of his own infirmitie, he feared least he should haue perished with y^e wicked. Wherein we must note two things, the one, what is the obiect of our faith: the other, how it trembleth in respect of our [Page] selues, at the plagues denounced,Psal. 42.5, 11. Rom. 8.38 & yet for all that, is assured of Gods mercie.

Our faith is leueled & directed, especially at Christ the obiect ther­of. For like as the Israelites did w^t their bodily eyes behold the brasen serpent, & were cured:Num. 21.9. Ioh. 3.14. euen so doth fayth the eye of our soule, beholde the Sonne of God lift vp vpon the altar of the crosse for our redemp­tiō. And like as wholesome meates onely nourish the body, euen so no­thing dooth feede our faith, but Christ crucified, y^e bread of lyfe:Ioh. 6.35.48.51. at whose worke of redemption, our faith must alwaies looke, or els we must needes be pressed down, with the terrour of our owne conscience into hell.Mat. 11.28 Ioh. 3.16. Col. 1.19. and 2.3. For seeing that the promi­ses of the Gospell are a readie way to leade vs to the knowledge of Gods mercy reueyled in Christ, in whom it pleaseth the father that al [Page] fulnes should dwell, and in whom are all the treasures of wisedome & vnderstanding, to whom wee can not come, but being fully perswa­ded, that our saluation resteth in his free grace and mercy: the ob­iecte of our faith, which shee doth chiefly behold, must of necessitie be the promises of the Gospel, laying forth to vs Christe crucified for our sinnes,Ioh. 3. & 5. & 6. tot. Ro. 5.19. by whose obedience our sal­uatiō is wrought, & in whom alone the Father is well pleased:Mat. 3.17. for in him our faith beholdeth the law of God fulfilled for vs, who tooke the curse thereof vpon him self,Galat. 3.13 Ephe. 1.7. & 2.13. that he might make vs blessed. In his blood our faith beholdeth perfect redemption and remission of our sinnes: & we which were farre of, are now made neere, & reconciled to y^e father.1. Pet. 2.24 By his stripes, we feele by faith, that we are made whole, & clothed with his righteousnes:1 Cor. 1.30 [Page] by his onely sacrifice done once for euer,Ebre. 9.12. & 10.10, 18 our faith beholdeth eternall redemption purchased, and them consecrat for euer, that are sanctifi­ed: so that where forgiuenesse of sinnes is, there is no more obla­tiō for sinne. In him, through him,Ro. 5.1. & 8.34. Ephe. 3.12 and for his sake, faith boldly appro­cheth to the throne of grace, to find mercy to helpe in time of need:Ebr. 4.16. for he is our peace, our aduocate and the propitiation for our sinnes.1. Iohn 2.2 Fi­nally, by faith in him wee are assu­red of Gods fauour,Ioh. 3.16. Ro. 8.1, 34. and of eternal lyfe, so that there is nowe no dam­nation to such as bee graffed in Christe Iesu, which walke accor­ding to the spirit, & not according to y^t fleshe. For it is Christ that doth iustifie vs, and therefore none can cōdemne vs, none cā lay any thing to our charge, neyther separate vs from the loue of God. And thus is Christ with his death and passion, [Page] the onely obiect of our faith. Also these two, Christ crucified, and our faith, alwayes must goe together. For, as the sunne shining in the fir­mamēt, auaileth him not, that hath none eyes to see the same, neyther him that wincketh with his eyes & will not see, but only him that doth behold the light thereof: So doeth the death of Christe profit him no­thing, which lacketh true faith to lay holde vpon the same,Galat 2.20 Ioh. 3. & 6. tot. but onely such as by a liuely & fruitfull faith, applie the same vnto them selues.

Besides that Noe his faith was specially directed to the promise of y^e couenant, yet was he made more watchful a great deale, and kept in obedience, by the terrours of the flood, and so with feare and trem­bling wrought his saluation,Phil. 2.12. not y^t he wauered in the faith, but that he feared in transgressing to be puni­shed with the wicked. For this ef­fect [Page] the plagues powred vpon the wicked, bring forth in the liues and conuersation of y^e godly, that these are made more circūspect by much to stande in feare, least they should fall.Deut. 29.2 & 18.12. When Moses counselled the Israelites to the obseruance of the law, hee warned them to feare, by the plagues powred vpon y^e Egyp­tians, and vpon the Canaanites, thereby to keepe them in obediēce. When Ieremie threatned captiui­tie vnto the land of Iuda, hee vsed the captiuitie of the ten tribes then being in Assyria,Iere. 3.8. to make them trē ­ble & afrayed. When the Apostle vnderstood the hautines of the Ro­maines,Ro. 11.18. he vsed the punishment of the Iewes,1. Co. 10.5 in whose place they were graffed, to bridle them and keepe them in obediēce. When the Corinthians waxed proude of the graces of God, the Apostle layed forth the plagues of God agaynst [Page] the Iewes in the wildernes, that who so stood, might take heede hee did not fal. And this is y^e cause why the holy Ghost calleth vs to feare, that we should not by our dissolute life shake of and lose our faith, and make the last end worse thē the be­ginning.Luk. 11.26 Mala. 1.6. The sonne honoureth his father, and a seruāt his master. If thē God be a father to vs, we must honour him, if he be a Lorde, wee must feare his stripes. O that we had the reuerent dread and feare which Noe had, it would make vs readie to know and doo the will of God, it would bring forth an vnfained loathing and hatred of sinne in vs, it would budde forth the studie of true godlines, it would set vs forwarde to the loue of God & pro­fyt of our brethrē. But though we feel the scourge of God so sore, that there is no whole part alreadie in the body,Isa. 1.6. yet are we not humbled [Page] nor afraid: though we be strikē,Iere. 5.3. we do not sorowe: though we be con­sumed, we refuse to receyue correc­tion. For why? we haue made our faces harder then a stone, and will not returne though we be warned of the future woes. In steade of keeping the commandementes of GOD,Mat. 15.9. we obserue the precepts of men, wherewith we worship God in vaine. In steade of feare & true obedience,Psal. 14.1, 2, 3. we loose the bridle to the effusion of al ryot. In steade of true religion, nothing is to be found but either meere Atheisme,Apo. 3.16. or flat dissi­mulation. In steade of holines of life, we deck our selues with pride, and in steade of iudgement & righ­teousnes,Isa. 5.7. Hos. 4.2. we bring forth oppression and crying of the poore, and bloud toucheth bloud. Where is now the reuerence and feare, wherein wee liue, or howe are we restrained frō offending, by the remembrance of [Page] the sea of euils to come? No, no (be­loued) we feare men more thē god. And if in some things we submitte our obedience, to the hearing of the scriptures, and ordinarie admini­stratiō of the Sacraments in Ec­clesiasticall assemblies, yet is such duetie in many of vs but constray­ned, and not of a good and zealous heart, delighting in the Gospell. But if we do neglect, we feare the magistrates sword. Wel, let vs not play to long with our fleeing sha­dowe,Isa. 8.13. but sanctifie the Lorde, that he may be our feare, and betime be­ginne with Noe to feare y^e worst: for if the wrath of God be kindled but a litle,Psal. 2.12. blessed are all they that put their trust in him. And thus ye see, that our faith is specially direc­ted at the promises of God, and yet must we not be careles and voyde of feare, and so do what we list, but alwayes we must stand in awe, & [Page] be afrayde to offende, lest with the wicked we haue reward.

He prepared the Arke. Whē Noe was in sundrie wise thus mooued, he addressed himself without delay to the making of the Arke, thereby to witnes his obedience of fayth. For euen as water floweth frō the fountaine, so doth this his obediēce spring from faith, whereby he had apprehended the promise of salua­tion. His obedience appeareth the more, for that the making of this work was tedious, and often hin­dred with y^e furiousnes of the wic­ked: which vnneth hee could pati­ently haue abiden, if that hee had not safely rested in the promise of y^e couenant. But faith the mistres of obediēce, brought forth such fruits as might expresse his willing mind, to obey the Lords commandemēt. This is that excellēt brāche of our religion, that our faith be not fruit­les, [Page] as our aduersaries make re­port,Mat. 7.16, 17. & 12.33 but like a good tree it must bring forth the fruites of integritie and righteousnes of life. For euen as fyre burneth & cannot be with­out heate, no more then the sunne without his light:Iam. 2.14. Ro. 12.1, 2. Ephe. 2.10 euen so is it impossible for a true faith, to be w^t ­out good workes. which although they do not iustifie vs before God, yet are they to bee done, that our obedience of faith may thereby be discerned,Mat. 5.16. Rom. 1.5. which may bee seene, whilest wee walke in the lawe of God.

When Moses was ready to take his leaue of the Israelites, howe earnestly he required of them obe­dience to the law of god,Deut. 4.6. & 28. toto. it is most manyfest throughout the whole booke of Deutero. When Samu­el had appointed y^t Iewes a king,1. Sam. 12.14. how sweetely doth hee moue them to the obedience of the law? Whē [Page] Dauid would publish and sing the praises of God, how vehementlye doth he coūsel the Iewes to heare the voyce of God,Psal. 95.7, 8. & 119. toto. and not to har­den their hearts, as in the deserte? When the Prophets would haue the people to turne to the Lorde, y^t his wrath might bee turned from them, their chief persuasion resteth herin, that they would testify their faith, not by the multitude of sacri­fices,Ier. 7.22, 23 Hos. 6.6. Micah. 6.8. but by obeying the worde of God. This obedience our Saui­our Christ requireth of his disci­ples, if they loue him,Ioh. 14.15. to keepe his cōmandements: & this is the same which y^e Apostle Paul calleth the obedience of faith:Rom. 1.5. to the end af­ter we bee iustified, wee might ex­presse the same by our obedience to the law of God,Rom. 6. toto. & 8.1. & 12.1. Gal. 5.1. Ephes. 4.1. &c. and therefore in al his epistles, after the treatise of iu­stification, he cōmandeth the fruits of newnes of life. whereby (dearly [Page] beloued) wee are to learne, how fruitfull our obedience ought to be in good workes,Iam. 2.14. 1. pet. 2.12 for so much as our faith is made manifest therby, god is glorified,Rom. 13.8. T [...]us 2.14 & 3.14. and our brethren profi­ted, hee hath made vs a peculiar people vnto him self, that we shuld be folowers of good workes, wee must therefore liue holily, soberly, & righteously in this presēt world. he hath redeemed vs frō the hands of our enemies,Luk. 1.71, 74. that we should serue him in holines & righteousnes for euer. He hath giuen vs heauenlye graces many,1. Pet. 4.10 and endued vs with his holye spirit, therefore must the bodie dye to sinne,Eph. 1.13. & 4.24, 30. Rom. 8.10. 1. Pet. 1.15 & the spirite liue for righteousnes sake. He is holye who hath called vs, therfore must we be holy in al our conuersation. Let vs therefore (deare brethren) shew forth our obedience in new­nes of life,Rom. 6. tot 2. pet. 1.10 and make strong our e­lection and calling by our good [Page] workes,1. Cor. 15.58. and our labour shal not be in vaine in the Lord.

Wee make great boastes and crakes, that wee be Christians, let the same be proued true or false by our liues: for not euery one, that sayth, Lord, Lorde,Mat 7.21. & 12.50. shall enter into the kingdom of heauen, but he that doth the will of God: neither is e­uery one brother or sister to Christ, but onely those which heare and keepe his word. & this is the fruite of our obedience and righteousnes towardes God.

If we couet to be blessed and haue good successe,Iosua. 1.8. 1. king. 2.3 we must needs beginne at this obedience of our faith.Leuit. 26.3 12. Iere. 7.23. Yf we will haue the Lord to be our God, and wee our selues to be his people, then must we hum­ble our selues to obey his word. yf we wil be counted the friendes of Christ,Ioh. 15.14. then must we do whatsoe­uer he hath commāded vs. Yf we [Page] will bee purified by faith in heart,1. Pet. 1.22 Acts 15.9. we must begin to obey the trueth. Yf we wil be safely armed against spiritual wickednes,Eph. 6.17. we must hold fast the word of God. finally if we couet to be saued,Rom. 1.16. we may not bee ashamed of the Gospell, but in all meeknes receiue y^e same,Iam. 1.21. for it is a­ble to saue our soules. We say with the Israelites to Moses,Deut. 5.27 29. that wee will obserue the law. But, oh, that there were such an heart in vs, to feare the Lorde, and to keepe his commandementes alway, that it might go well with vs, and with our children for euer. Wherefore as obediēce is better then sacrifice,1. Sam. 15.22. Deut. 4.6. so let this be our wisdome, with Noe to declare and shew forth our faith by our obedience vnto the word of God.

Besides al this, the obedience of righteous Noe, more plainely did appeare in that he did not folowe [Page] his owne purpose and deuise,Gen. 6.15, 16. but the appointment of God in this making of the arke. for he made it in length, in breadth, and height, & in all other partes accordinglye as he was commanded. This is the wisedome of God, who will not haue his Church builded accordīg to mannes deuise, but by the direc­tion of his worde.Exo. 25.40 Act. 7.44. Ebr. 8.5. When Moses was commanded to build the ta­bernacle, he was straightly char­ged to do it according to y^e paterne shewed vnto him in the mounte. When the Israelites were instruc­ted how to serue God,Deut. 12.29, 30, 31, 32. when they came into the land of promise, they were forbidden to serue him after the maner of the Canaanites, and onely to worship him according to his lawe, without either turning to the right hand or to the left.Ezra. 3.12, 13. When the Iewes returned out of captiuitie, and repaired the ruines [Page] of the temple at Ierusalem, they reedified it according to the former building made by Salomō. Whē our sauiour Christ builded the spi­rituall arke & temple of his church, he layed no other foundation but him selfe,Ier. 3.11. eph. 2.10. mat. 16.18. who was the rocke, a­gainst the which the gates of hel should not preuaile. For finishing wherof, in the gathering together of the saintes,Mat. 28.20 rom. 15.18 he charged the Apo­stles straitly, but to speake, what he had taught them. This ought to be our speciall care in building and reformation of religion, not to do what we thinke good, but as the Israelites before they tooke a­ny thing in hand,Exo. 28.30 nū. 27.21 judg. 1.1. asked counsell of God: so must we in all our wayes be ruled by his word, which is the way for vs to walke in:Isa. 30.21. which the holy ghost hath written,Ioh. 20.31. that wee might beleue, & in beleeuing might haue life. Wherefore whosoeuer [Page] bringeth any other Gospel, though it were an angell from heauen,Gal. 1.8. let him be accursed, neither let vs re­ceiue him into our houses,2. Ioh. 10. neither bid him, God speed. Now then, if this be the wisedom of God, which Noe folowed, when he would not build, but as he was appointed, which Moses, the Iewes, our sa­uiour Christ and the apostles haue obserued, what kinde of building may that be, which standeth onely vpon mens deuises & vaine imagi­nations, such as is the whole reli­gion of Antichrist? Surelye, it is like y^e religion of the false prophets which sewed pillowes vnder the elbowes of the Iewes, in flattring them in their sinnes,Ezek. 13.10, 15. whilest they dawbed & walled their building with vntempered morter. Or it is like the house builded vpō the sand,Mat. 7.26 which because of the weake fūda­tion can not well endure. Or it is [Page] like the straw and stubble,1. Cor. 3.12, 13. which is laid vpon the good fundation, which at the fierie triall of the spi­rit of God consumeth, and comes to nought: & like as a paper arke or ship of leaues had bene a vaine de­uise against the water to saue Noe and his familie: so is the whole re­ligiō of Antichrist in vaine to saue our soules. What a foolish paradise delight they in, which make their arke or ship, of the rotten boardes of mannes traditions,Mat. 15.8, 9. which can neuer hold together? howe loath­some an ensigne hath that vessel,Apoc. 13.17. which caryeth the marke and I­mage of the beast? How lightlie, how perilously,Isai. 55.2. & howe vainely is he fraughted, that makes the chaff of bulles and pardons, his surest traffique? What loose anchre hold hath he,Isai. 64.6. luk. 17.10. trow ye, that rests & rides vpon his owne merits and sinfull workes? Howe vncertaine is his [Page] course,Ioh. 14.6. col. 2.18. who directeth his race to saile to heauen by the mediation of saintes? What a cowardly ma­ryner is he, that alwayes is afraid at the paper rockes and painted fyers of purgatorie? What vaine ordinance is holy bread,2. The. 2.10 1, tim. 4.1. 2. tim. 4.3. 2 pet. 2.1, 2 apoc. 18.3, 4. and holye water, to fight against the powers of hell? What foode or nourishmēt can his beades, his palmes, his cā ­dles, his oyle, his ashes, and o­ther reliques, minister vnto him? What an vncertaine trumpet is sounded,1. Cor. 14. where the vanitie of or­ganes is good seruice? finally, how cā he euer saile in safety, who hath none sitting at the stearne, but on­ly Antichrist, whose purpose is to ouerthrowe the ship? In such a naughtie arke and ship they saile, that row on forward without let, in their owne inuentions and rot­ten ship of papisme and Idolatrie. but the arke & ship of God, is made [Page] of the pyne trees of his word,Ephe. 4.12 ioh. 10.27. & 17.3. Col. 1.14. Ephe. 4.30 Apoc. 7.3, 14. Mat. 11.28 Ebr. 4.14, 16. Mat. 16.18 pit­ched within & without, with the assured grace of Christ, marked with the spirit of God and faith, fraughted with y^e weighty merits of Christs passion, casting sure an­chor in his promises directed by his mediation to the father, embolde­ned with his blood against y^e rocks and gates of death, defēded with y^e ordinance of Christian armour against the force of Sathan,Ephe. 6.11 1. thes. 5.8. and nourished with the woorde and foode of life. Let vs no more then sayle with them,Apoc. 18.4 nor yet retaine any of their abominations. But let vs addresse and prepare our selues with Noe to bee warned, let vs with readinesse of fayth o­bey, and let our good life expresse the same, in furthering the buyl­ding of the Church in our seue­rall callings, in all thinges being gouerned by the woorde of God, [Page] and then with Noe we be wel ad­monished. And thus much of the former part, whence it came that Noe was mooued to make the Arke.2, Tim. 2.7. The Lorde giue you vn­derstanding in all things, and he that hath eares to heare, let him heare.

Hee prepared the Arke to the sa­uing of his housholde. The Lorde (welbeloued) hath diuers means to saue his people from destructi­on: and therefore the Arke is said first to haue had this effect, that Noe his family might bee saued thereby. For like as in the bur­ning of Sodome, the litle towne Zoar was a refuge for the safetie of Lot, and his two daughters,Gen. 19.20 & Chaldea for Gods people, in the destructiō of Iewrie, and Aegypt for Ioseph, Marie & the childe Iesus, Mat. 2.13. against the furious assaultes of Herode: euē so the Arke was now [Page] the means which God would vse for Noe his refuge, to saue him & his frō drowning. This is the lo­uing care which God hath ouer his people,Psal. 34.15 & 95.1. &c in defēding them vn­der the shadow of his wings, frō falling with the wicked. Let vs then cast our care vpon him,1. Pet. 5.7. for he is carefull for vs: and then in the perishing of the wicked, wee shall be safe within the Arke.

Neyther must we thinke that the Arke was able to haue pre­serued Noe and his family from drowning: No no, it was the grace of God,Gen. 6.8. who had receiued him into fauour, which grace hee did assure him of, by preser­uing him aliue within the Arke. Which thing the Apostle Peter doth declare,1. Pet. 3.21 where he compa­reth Baptisme and the Arke to­gether, for like as in Baptisme, not the putting away of the fil­thines [Page] of the flesh saueth vs, but a good conscience, that maketh re­quest to God, by the resurrection of Iesus Christ: euen so, not the outward making of the Arke, but fayth, beleeuing the promise of God vnto saluatiō, iustified & pre­serued Noe, whereof y^e Arke was a holy signe or sacrament, for the confirmation thereof: wherby we must obserue, not to giue that vn­to the Sacramentes, which is proper to the grace signified ther­by. For Sacraments,1. Sa. 4. tot. Ioh. 1.33. 1. Cor. 10.5 neyther of them selues, nor in them selues, include the grace of God: for that belongeth to the Creator, and not vnto the creature. But they be as instruments, seales,Gen. 17.10 exo. 12.11. mat. 26.26. & 28.19. pledges and confirmations of Gods promi­ses, whereby he doth make more strong his graces in our hearts, the fruits whereof we do receiue by a liuely fayth. For the saluati­on [Page] of Gods chosen resteth not in sacramentall signes,Tit. 3.5. but in the [...] and good pleasure of God.Ephes. 1.9. Abraham, to whom the promise was made,Gen. 15.6. Rom. 4.3, 4 was iustified in belee­uing the woorde of grace, long time before he receiued the signe or Sacrament of Circumcision, which afterward was added for the confirmation of the promise. Iacob was chosen,Gen. 25.23 Rom 9.11, 12. Act. 10.44, 47. when he was yet vnborne, & neuer had hearde of any Sacramēt. Cornelius and his cōpanie, beleeuing the words of Peter, were endued with the holy ghost, bef [...] [...]hey were bap­tized. Whereby wee learne that our saluatiō resteth not in y^e out­ward Elementes, but in the pro­mise of Gods free mercie & grace in Christ,Eph. 1.4, 5 who before the funda­tions of the worlde were layed, chose vs by him to bee adopted vnto saluation, which grace hee [Page] sealeth in our hearts by the Sa­cramentes, for our more behoofe, the vertue whereof we do receiue by fayth.

Neyther herein must wee (be­loued) abbridge or extenuate the dignitie of the Sacraments, and thinke they be but onely signes of grace, (as the papists falsely slan­der vs) But as we saye not with the Iewes, nor with the papists,1. Sa. 4. Conc. tri­dent. ses. 6. cap. 8. that the Sacramentes doe giue grace, and so with them commit Idolatrie: so doe wee not saye that they are onely bare signes vnto the godlies fayth, but right­ly hold the meane betweene them both, & belieue assuredly, with the sacramentall signe,Tit. 3.5. Mat. 26.26. that grace is present vndoubtedly to the faith of him, that doth receiue the same aright. And thus ye see, that not the Arke, but the grace of God preserued Noe and his familie, [Page] for whose saluation and deliue­rance, the Arke was made an in­strument and meanes.

It is not without good consi­deration, that the Arke was for the safetie of Noe his housholde: for it doth expresse the right go­uernement of his well disposed family, wherein the feare of God did florish and continue. For like as when the head is wel & sound, and also the stomacke pure from hurtfull humours, the bodie is commonly well affected: euen so where the head or chief of any fa­mily is founde in fayth and fea­reth God, it commonly goeth wel with all the housholde. For this cause Moses gaue commaunde­ment vnto the Iewes,Deu. 6.5, 6 7. & 31.12. that the law might be kept in their fami­lies, that they might prosper in all that they went about.2. Sam. 6.11. When Obed-edom had receiued y^e Arke [Page] of God into his house, which sig­nified true religiō, the Lorde bles­sed him and all his housholde. When the widowe of Zarephath in the dayes of Eliah, 1. King. 17.10. &c. and the o­ther widowe of Israel in the dayes of Elisha, 2 King. 4.1 &c. had receiued the Prophets of God into their hou­ses, how mightily and merciful­ly the Lorde prouided for them, who is ignorant? Whē our Sa­uiour Christ had restored the ru­lers sonne to his health,Ioh. 4.53. the ruler beleeued and all his family. Af­ter Zacheus had receiued Christ into his house,Luk. 19.9. and was conuer­ted, saluation came to the same houshold. To be short,Act. 10.44. whē Cor­nelius the Centurion embraced the Gospel, his family also belee­ued and was baptized, and the holy Ghost fell vpon them all which heard the preaching. How well that house was ordered, [Page] where Timothie was broght vp,2. Tim, 1.5. & 3.25. his knowledge in the scriptures from a childe can witnes. This is the care of religion, which ought to bee kept in our houses, and this is the good conuersati­on which the Lord looketh for at the handes of the housholders of al degrees,Ephes. 6.1. &c. especially if they looke for the blessing of God to fall vp­on them, & to be saued with Noe in the Arke of Christes Church. But looke rounde about vs, and what shall we finde in our fami­lies? Is it not verified of vs, which the Prophet Ieremie spake so long agone vpon the Iewes: The children gather stickes,Iere. 7.18. the fathers make the fire, & the wo­men bake cakes for the queene of heauen? So fowly are our fami­lies for the most part corrupted, with ignorance and superstition. In stead of y^e knowledge of God, [Page] and true religiō, there is nothing to be found, but Atheisme & grosse idolatrie. In steade of the reue­rence and feare of Gods maiestie, blaspheming of his name,Hos. 4.3. and e­uerye other woorde most horribly powdered with an oth. In stead of honest and sober liuing,Ro. 13.13. cham­bering and wantonnes, banque­ting and minstrilsie,Isa. 22.13. eating and drinking like Epicures, for to morowe wee shall dye, thus fee­ding our selues as an Oxe vnto the slaughter. In steade of godly meditations, abominable ga­ming, as carding, dycing, & con­suming of the giftes of God,Luk. 16.1. not lent to vs for such a purpose. In steade of reading and hearing of the word of God,Col. 3.16. to comfort and exhort one another, the reading and good liking of prophane fa­bles and fruitlesse bookes, more meete for Mearcers shoppes, to wrappe [Page] their spices in, then for a wel dis­posed family to be taught & nur­tured by. O where shall we finde a good Noe, to order his hous­holde aright in feare and true o­bedience, and to forewarne them of the flood of euill to come? If to gouerne a family aright, were to purchase land, or for a man to en­riche him selfe, or leaue a welthie sonne, fewe were behinde with this endeuour. But O vaine mā, hast thou more desire to leaue thy sonne a fayre buylding, and ful of lands, then for to instruct him in the way of godlinesse, and leaue him a vertuous conscience? Hast thou rather a desire to hoorde vp treasure for him,Mat. 6.19. with rust and mothe to be consumed, then for to teach him the knowledge of God, which will not canker but last for aye?Deut. 6.5. & 28.2. If eyther thou or thine will prosper well, you must be­ginne [Page] in true religion to serue the Lorde, and then you shall bee blessed. Wilt thou thē know how to order thy family? Nourishe none, keepe none, I saye, make much of none,Psal. 15.4. but such as feare the Lord. The godly king Dauid describing the gouernement of his wel disposed family, speaketh in this wise:Psal. 101. toto. I will (saith he) walke in the vprightnesse of my heart, in the middest of my house. I will set no wicked thing before mine eies: I hate the worke of them that fall away, it shall not cleaue vnto mee. A fro­warde heart shall depart from me: I will knowe none euill. Him, that priuily slandereth his neighbour, wil I destroy. Him, that hath a proude looke and high heart, I cannot suffer. Mine eies shalbe vnto the faythful of the lande, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfite way, he shall serue me. There shall no de­ceitful [Page] person dwel within my house. He that telleth lyes, shal not remaine in my sight. &c. Wherein we may plainly see, the right paterne of a well disposed familie. We read in the Ecclesiasticall stories of the primitiue church,Euseb. de vita Const. lib. 1. ca. 11. that when Cō ­stantius the Emperour woulde take a tryal of his houshould ser­uants, he commaunded them to shew forth of what religion they were. And when the time was appoynted vnto them, either to sacrifice vnto the Idols, and so to remaine his seruantes, or other­wise to confesse Christ, & so to de­part away, (for thus he thought to trie them) when euery one had shewed what he was, all such as were Idolaters, & denied Christ, he banished from his Court, sup­posing them neuer to be faithfull towards him, who were vnfaith­full towardes God: and contrary [Page] to their expectatiō, he made much of them that feared the Lord, and did cōfesse his name. An apt way for our behoofe, to vanish sinne & superstition from our families, that when the ende shal come, we may be saued with Noe and his familie in the Arke.

And where as the holy Ghost sayeth, that the arke was for the sauegard of Noe and his familie, it is to admonish vs also, y^t there is no saluatiō without the church of Christ, prefigured by the arke. For as the branche can not beare fruite,Ioh. 15.4. except it doo abide within the vine, for else it dieth and wi­thereth: and as the hande cut frō the body, can not liue, but wasteth and consumeth for lack of life: no more can we, except we do abyde in Christ: he is the vine, we are the brāches. This made the pro­phete Dauid call vpon the Lord, [Page] to remember him with the fauor of his people,Psal. 106.4. & to visite him with his saluation. Whē the prophets described the restauration of the Church in the later dayes,Isai. 37.32. ioel. 2.32. they did not teache that euery man should be saued by what religion so euer he reteined, but onely pro­mised saluation to such as fled to mount Sion, and to Ierusalem, therby vnderstanding the church of Christ.Ezec. 13.9. When Ezechiel denoū ­ced the wrath of God against the false prophets, he tolde them that they should not be in the assembly of the Lords people, neither shuld be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shuld en­ter into the lande of Israel, ney­ther shoulde knowe that he was the Lord God. Here then (welbe­loued) it standeth vs vpon, to trie whether we be within the arke of the church of Christ or not, for els [Page] we perish. For as the light of the sunne auayleth not him that ly­eth in a darke and close dungeon, where is alwayes night and ne­uer day: euen so the graces of god do nothing helpe those that lie in darkenes, and shadow of death, vntill they haue accesse into the Church of the faythfull. For so lōg as we be without the church and number of the faythfull, we are aliants, strangers, pilgrims,Eph. 2.19. and men without God in this worlde: yea,Rom. 5.10. wee bee enemies to God, vntil we be reconciled to the father by Christ.1. Pet. 2.10 Ezec. 16.6. We are without mercy, and polluted in our bloud, vntil by him we obtaine grace, & be washed from our sinnes.Apoc. 1.5. Ephe. 2.1, 2. &c. We are dead in trespasses and sinnes, till we be raised vp with the righ­teousnes of Christ.Apo. 14.8. & 17.2. & 18.3. We be drunkē with the poisoned dregges of su­perstition, vntil we haue the soue­raigne [Page] triacle of Gods promises in the worde of the truth, for our preseruation. How thē ought we, think you, to make haste into this arke? your owne cōsciences here­in shal be my iudges. Surely, we can not be partakers of the hea­uenly graces,Ioh. 15.1. &c. except we be with­in the church of Christ: for onely vpon the same, they are bestowed. Where can our soules be fed with the worde of God, but among the faythfull,Ioh. 10.27. who are the sheepe of Christ, & heare his voice? Where shall we shew our thankfulnesse, and confirme our faith with the sacraments,Mat. 26.26. & 28.19. but in that Church, where thei be sincerely ministred? Where can we haue forgiuenesse of our sinnes,Rom. 3.25. Eph. 2 8. Gal. 4.6. 1. Pet. 4.10 the grace of God, y^e holy ghost, the righteousnesse of Christ, and other his benefits, vn­lesse we be within the Church, for whom he wrought the same? If [Page] therefore we hope for happines, & looke assuredly for saluation, thē must we keepe within the arke, & then we shall be safe and sounde. And y^t we be not deceyued with the title of the Church,Iere. 7.4. & 18.18. mat. 3.9. which the aduersaries always haue in their mouthes, y^e Lord hath left vs his true and sincere worde,Ioh. 10.27. Acts. 2.42. ephe. 5.25, 26, 27. the right administratiō of his sacraments, and ecclesiasticall discipline, to be the perfect marks of this his spi­rituall arke, whereto whilest we do cleaue & stick, we cannot be de­ceyued, or perish with the wicked.

What then (sayth the papist) shall we thinke of all those, which liued in the time of ignorāce, and were without the Church, which now we haue, which was so late­ly found? shall we iudge them to be damned? which thing we must needes do, except wee make the Church of Rome, the arke and [Page] Church of Christ. Concerning the Church of Rome, this is to be obserued: that this Church of Rome which nowe is, is not the same, but only in place, with that which was in y^e primitiue time. For then they followed the doc­trine of the Apostles, nowe they haue reuolted from the same, and Antichrist sitteth in the Temple of God.2. Thes. 2.4 apoc. 13.11. &c. And though the auncient fathers speake much in the com­mendation of y^e Church of Rome, yet speake they only of the church before that superstition crept in­to the same.

And now before I answere to this question, I must propounde the like to them. Before the time of Boniface the third, then Pope of Rome, when superstition and corruptiō crept into the Church, and the light of the trueth began to be darkned, were all damned, [Page] which neuer before or after yeel­ded to the sea & religion of Rome? Were all vndone which neuer be­leeued transubstantiation, con­cluded by Innocētius the third? or those which neuer worshipped their breaden god, which thing Honorius did decree? What need I speake of other vanities? Were all the Prophetes and holy men of God, was Christ and his Apo­stles, and the auncient fathers of the primitiue Church, beside the way, and out of the arke, which had the spirite of God,Isai. 59.21. iohn 16.13 to lead thē into all truth, who taught the sa­cred verities, and all things ne­cessarie to saluation, and yet did neuer retaine such vanities, as these men holde?Matth. 24.2. thes. 2.4. 1. tim 4.1. 2. pet. 2.1, 2 And if they did foretell any thing thereof, it was but to bid the Church beware of such vngodlinesse.

And as for the arke or Church [Page] wherein we bee, it was before theirs was euer deuised, not newly and of late yeeres, as many iudge, begunne, but renued and reformed of late, according to the worde of God, and is in substāce and doctrine, all one with the Church of God,Gen. 3.15. & 22.18. deut. 18.18 ioh. 8.56. hebr. 13.8. from the begin­ning, directed by his spirit, and by the scepter of his worde. And albeit it was long hid through the tyrannie of the deuill, who draue the woman into the wil­dernes,Apoc. 13.8 yet ceased there not infi­nite numbers, to withstande and gainsay the pollutions of Idola­trie, whom God preserued by his grace, though they could not bee seene by the eyes of men. For like as faith is chiefly knowē to God, and cannot be discerned by out­warde senses, otherwise then by the declarations thereof:2. Tim. 2.19. so the Lorde knewe onely who were [Page] his, whose fayth was knowne by their resistance to the beast. When Iohn foretold the corruptions of the later times, and of the man of sinne, he shewed that there was of all tribes many sealed with the spirit of God,Apoc. 7.4. and marked with the blood of the Lambe, receyued by fayth, who perished not in the lake of Antichristes pollutions. He tolde that the two witnesses of Christ (whereby he meant the smal number of the true Church)Apoc. 11.3 should be murthered by the beast:Apoc. 13.7 who should make warre with the saints of God, and torment them to death,Apoc. 17.6 who should be drunken with the blood of saints and holy martyrs, which could neuer haue beene, if there had bene none, to haue gainsaid his wicked ways. I neede not speake of the chur­ches of Grecia, who still with­stood y^e popish vanities: yea there [Page] neuer ceased some, to withstande hir erronious religion. Neither must we thinke that all was lost, that liued thē. For why? the Lord hath wayes & meanes vnknowen to man, to saue his people, as hee saued the thiefe,Luk. 23.42 euen in the last houre,Ephes. 1.4. vpon the crosse. And as he hath chosen in his secret purpose, vnknowne to man, who shall bee saued:Ioh. 6.37. & 10.28. so will he not lose one of them, but call them in due time.

As for this argument, which they vse herein,Psal. 78.7, 8. iere. 9.14. ezek. 20 18. it hath bene a stū ­bling blocke to the wicked of all ages. The Iewes were mooued with nothing so much, to gainsay the doctrine of the Prophets, cal­ling them from their Idolatrie, but that their fathers had liued, as they did at that present: and yet they ought not to haue folow­ed their fathers further, then their fathers folowed the worde [Page] of trueth.Iohn. 4.20, 22. The woman of Sa­maria reasoned thus against our Sauiour Christ: Our fathers (saith shee) worshipped in this mountaine: but hee made hir an answere, that they worshipped they knewe not what, for salua­tion came of the Iewes.

But it is not y^e part of a good cō ­science, whē y^e trueth is opened, to leape from the same, into the seat of iudgement, and define who were saued, who were not: but rather referring al to the mercy and good pleasure of God, both concerning our forefathers & all others, to la­bour our wittes to do his will. For now this thing is condemnation,Ioh. 3.19. that light is come into the world, & men loue darknes more then light. And to saye the trueth, if some of our elders in the times of ignorāce, had had the trueth as wee haue no we reueyled, they would long [Page] since haue repented in sackecloth & ashes.Mat. 11.21 But it is greatly to bee fea­red, which our sauiour Christ doth threaten to come to passe against the Iewes, to be layde against vs. For as the men of Niniue repēted at the preaching of Ionas,Mat. 12.41 and not y^e Iewes at y^e preaching of Christ, who was greater thē Ionas: euen so the good and faithfull dealing which they had in times past in ci­uill causes, doth reprooue our ini­quities, and tell what they would haue bin if they had had the light. And therefore a good father saieth full well:Beza epis. 1. Men had better cōscien­ces then, and lesse knowledge: now haue they more knowledge & worse consciences.

But if these men will bragge of auncientie, thē must they looke vn­to the olde wayes of the Prophets and Apostles,Iere. 6.16. & to Christ y^e trueth it selfe,Col. 2.3. in whom are all the treasures [Page] of wisedome and vnderstanding: for Antiquitie without veritie, is nothing worth. If they would boast of vnitie, the same must be re­posed in true doctrine,Ephes. 4.3. phil. 2.2. and the ho­ly ghost, & not in ydle ceremonies. If they will glory of succession, the same will helpe thē nothing, except they follow the ancient fathers,Ephe. 5.1. phil. 3.17. in sinceritie of doctrine and godly cō ­uersation: for they be not the true successours of holy men, which al­wayes sit in their chayres, but they which folow their faith and godly workes.Dist. 40. And if they make theyr vaunt of multitude, the most parte are not alwayes best inclined. For why? narowe is the way, that lea­deth vnto lyfe,Mat. 7.13, 14. and fewe there be that fynde it, but wyde is the way y^t leadeth to perdition. And though many be called, yet fewe be chosen.Mat. 22.14 Only Noe his familie which were but eight in all, were saued aliue,Gen. 7. [Page] when all the worlde besides was drowned. And though they bragge much of the title of the church,Iere. 7 4, [...]1. the church, yet haue they made thereof a denne of theeues,Mat. 21.33 mar. 12.1. & brokē downe the vineyard of the Lorde, & erred frō the way of trueth. Let vs ther­fore repaire not vnto them, but vn­to the Arke of Christ, & so wee shall be sure and safe, from drowning & destruction.

Furthermore, it is to be noted, that notwithstāding Noe and his familie were safe within the Arke, and sure from drowning, yet were they tossed to & fro, with the feare­ful waues & sourging seas, & also dismaid with the cloudy & mistie ayre, not much vnlike vnto y^e dis­ciples of our Sauiour Christ,Mat. 8.24. mar. 4.35. a­fraid vpō y^e seas at the dāgerous tempestes, tossing the ship where­in they were. But as then our sa­uiour Christ most comfortably [Page] did awake, and commaunde both winds and seas to be still: so was the merciful God careful for Noe in these afflictions within the Arke, and after many wearisome dayes, did bring him safe to land. Thus is the Church of God al­wayes in the raging tempestes and byllowes of this worlde af­flicted with many tribulations,Ioh. 16.33. act. 14.22. 2. tim. 3.12. before she can arriue to the hauen of heauenly happines. Albeit A­braham had the Lorde to bee his buckler and exceeding great re­warde,Gen. 12. & 20. vnder whose defence hee was safely garded, yet was hee tryed by famine and other daun­gers many, for the better exercise of his faith.Psal. 27.1. & 66.12. The Prophet Dauid was well assured of the Lordes fauour and mightie protection, that hee needed not to feare, yet was his fayth and patience pro­ued by many afflictions, both of [Page] wicked Saul and others mo, and him selfe ordayned to go through fire and water, before he came to the place of sweet refreshing. Be­fore our Sauiour and captaine Christ,Mat. 16.21 the head of the Church did with our fleshe ascende into hea­uen, hee passed through the grie­uous torments of the crosse. Be­fore the saintes and holy men of God attained euerlasting happi­nesse, their fayth & patience was tryed by the manifolde persecu­tions of Antichrist and his mem­bers.1. Pet. 4.12 Apoc. 11.7. & 12.11. & 14.12. And euen in these dayes, the beast and man of sinne, and sonne of perdition, together with many kings and nobles of the earth,Psal. 2.2. Apoc. 17.12, 13. doth breathe grieuous threates and wicked counsell against the Church and spouse of Christ, and stirre vp strife all the day long, wherein we must learne (dearely beloued) to arme our selues with [Page] fayth and patience against such persecutions. For although wee be within the Arke, yet will the waters of afflictions streame and striue against vs.Mat. 7.24. Though our fayth bee buylded vpon the rocke and sure fundation Christ Iesus, yet will the boysterous blastes and windes of wickednes assault & shake vs, if it were possi­ble to make vs fall. Wee must needs be like fashioned to our ma­ster and captaine Christ,Rom. 8.29. 2. Tim. 2.11.12. to suffer with him, that wee may raigne with him, to dye with him, that we may rise againe with him,2. Cor. 1.5, 7. to be partakers of his sorowes, that we may be fellowes at his ioyes. Wee must needes be tryed as fine golde from base mettall,1. Pet. 1.7. & 4.12, 13, 14. Ebr. 12.7. &c. as the godly from the vngodly, and as children from bastardes in the fierie fornace of afflictions. Wee must needes haue the reliques of [Page] sinne punished in vs, and therfore wee are tossed within the Arke & chastised of the Lorde,1. Cor. 11.32. least with the wicked worlde we should be condemned. Hereby the Lord wil also haue vs to bee stirred vp, to seeke for succour from his throne of grace in calling vpon him in the day of trouble.Psal. 50.15. Our fayth, our patience and other vertues moe, must needs be explored & known.1. Pet. 1.7. iam. 1.3, 4, 12. 2. Cor. 5.1, 2. we must be inflamed with the de­sire of the life immortall, where­with we shalbe crowned, after we haue endured tentation. Neither must we in the middest of these af­flictions be discomfited or faynt-hearted: for why? wee abide no­thing, but it is according to the will of God,1. Pet. 3.17 Mat. 5.11, 12.1. pet. 2.21. neyther happeneth any thing vnto vs, but the same hath happened to the godly of all ages. And although for a time we cate the breade of teares, and [Page] drinke the waters of aduersitie, yet afterwarde shall we be filled with the heauenly Manna,Apoc. 2.17 & 22.17. Psal. 30.5. & wa­ters of euerlasting life. Heauines may well endure for a night, but ioye commeth in the morning. The Lorde hath promised to bee present with vs, by his grace,Mat. 28.10 1. pet. 4.14 & 2. pet. 2.9 and to comfort vs in distresse, and to deliuer vs out of tribulatiō. And though wee bee tossed in the Arke for a yere, perhappes for more, yet shall wee rest at length vpon Ar­menia,Gen. 8.4, 5 and the floodes bee dryed vp: and then the Lorde shall take vengeance of them who here af­flict and molest vs.Apoc. 18.20. And in the meane time, he shall turne their hearts that they do vs no wrong, as hee turned the heart of Esau towardes Iacob.Gen. 33.4. Hee shall call them backe from persecuting vs, as hee called Saul from folow­ing and pursuing after Dauid,1. Sa. 23.27 [Page] yea hee shall put such a snaffle in their mouthes, then they shall doe no more then in his secrete proui­dence he hath appoynted.Act. 2.23. & 4.28. Where­fore,Ephes. 6.12. when we be impugned by sa­than and the spirituall powers of wickednesse aboue our bodily reache, when wee walke through the middest of many false brethrē,2. Cor. 11.26. and by these aduersaries of the trueth be reproched, slandered, re­uiled and persecuted, & also wea­kened through our owne infir­mities, let this bee our hope and comfort, that wee bee within the Arke, and once the ioyful day wil come,Isai. 25.8. apoc. 7.17 when God shall wipe away all sorowes from our eyes, and crowne vs with glory and wor­ship. And therefore, whilest we be within the Arke, let vs not des­paire for trouble and aduersitie, for God is faythfull who hath promised.Ebr. 10.23. And thus much of the [Page] first effect of the Arke.

The seconde effect it had, was touching the wicked, for y^e scrip­ture saith, Whereby he condemned the worlde. Whilest Noe and his family (dearely beloued) were lōg exercised in the making of the Arke, and thereby obeyed the cō ­mandement of God, they did con­demne the stubbernes of the wic­ked which refused to do the same, and to be warned, and so tooke a­way al excuses from them, so that as the Arke was for the safetie of Noe, so was it likewise a cōdem­nation for the wicked. This is (deare brethren) the nature of the admonitions and warnings of God, which for the most part haue a double effect, for to y^e god­ly, which beleeue the same, they are the sauour of life, to life,2. Cor. 2.16 but to the wicked which refuse y^e same, they are the taste of death vnto [Page] destruction.Exo. 14. For as the redde sea was a safe passage for the Israe­lites comming out of Egypt, and a drowning to the Egyptians: And as the fire of Babylon hurt not the three childrē cast into the Ouen,Dan. 3.21, 25. but yet burnt the mini­sters which cast them in: And as the Lyons saued Daniel aliue,Dan. 6.22, 24. but quickly did deuoure his accu­sers: euen so is the nature of the word of God. Wherefore it is cō ­pared to the fire, which melteth waxe, and hardeneth clay, and to the trumpe in battell,Iere. 6.17. which en­courageth some, & discourageth other some. And as the rayn com­ming down frō heauen returneth not thither againe,Isai. 55.10. but maketh the earth fruitfull: euen so shall the woorde of God accomplish e­uery where, whatsoeuer his will is. And therefore as it is a con­demnation to the wicked, so is it [Page] the power of God vnto saluatiō,Rom. 1.16. to all those which beleeue y^e same. Let vs therfore submit our selues & all our cogitations to the same,2. Cor. 10.5. least in refusing it, we be condem­ned thereby, and all excuse taken from vs.

But it fareth with this gene­ration, whereof fewe embrace the trueth and liue therafter, as it did with the worlde in the dayes of Noe. For as then they were diso­bedient to Noe,Genes. 6. 1. pet. 3 20 & 2. pet. 2.5 and contemned the preaching of righteousnes: so nowe many good Noes preache the woorde sincerely, but alas, it falleth into the heartes of many,Mat. 13.3, 4. but as good seed into euill groūd, and therefore, eyther bringeth forth litle, or els no fruite at al: the contempt whereof was then, and so is nowe, the cause of manye plagues.Gen. 3. What banished Adam out of Paradise, & brought so ma­ny [Page] woes vpon him & all his poste­ritie,Rom. 5.19. but the contempt of Gods worde? what ouerthrewe the Is­raelites in the wildernesse,Psal. 95.9. ebr. 3.12. &c. Iude. 5. &c. & pla­gued their posteritie in the lande of Canaan so often, but the con­tempt hereof? what lost Saul the fauour of God and the scepter of his kingdome,1. Sa. 15. or what led Is­rael and Iuda into captiuitie,2. Kin. 17.14. iere. 9.12, 13. luk. 14.18. rom 11.21. ebr. 4.1. but the contempt of this? what helde the Iewes frō the heauēly supper & graces of God? what depriued them of the dignitie of y^e childrē, & benefite of the kingdome, but the contempt of this? what should I speake of the manifolde plagues of God powred vpon this realme of England, & nations rounde a­bout vs for the contempt of his worde? And then how happeneth it,Nom. 11.5, 6, 7. that we still loath the same, as the Israelites did Manna in the wildernes? or is it that we would [Page] be in the spiritual Egypt of filthie papistrie againe, and so depriue our selues of the land of rest?

But as in Noe his time,Gen. 6.12. all fleshe, euen all degrees were sore corrupted: so is it nowe, most la­mentable to beholde, all fleshe is gone astray, and iniquitie ripe on euery side. Looke into the heads & high estates of al sorts, who shuld haue knowledge & bee lightes for others: & euen these (as the Pro­phet saith) haue broken the yoke & burst the bonds asunder.Iere. 5.5. Where should be zeale and true religion? Where shoulde be godlinesse and innocencie of life, but chiefly in these? but doe we not see many of them, eyther professed papistes, or manifest dissemblers? Where should the ministerie be relieued and vpholdē, but by these? and do not diuers o [...] them make spoyle & hauocke of the Church goodes, to [Page] cloath and feede them selues, and starue the poore? Where shoulde the good and godly lawes of En­glande be better executed, but by these? They doe not make, they marre and breake the lawes. And if there bee some godly statutes made,Isocrates [...]. it is to true in some, which the Oratour sayth, [...]. Manie lawes we make, but wee litle re­gard or keepe them. And as the Poet saith, Auro venalia iura. Why are the lawes like spyders webs, to let the waspe escape and to tor­ment the flye? If gentlemē offend, as their hands are ryfest in trans­gression,Ezra. 9.2. they haue their purse, & courtly friendes, they shall escape vnpunished: But aye the poore goes by the walles. What els is this, but euen to make and sel the lawes? I neede not speake of bry­bing and insatiable officers, who [Page] rather seeke for gaine, then for maintaining of the trueth,Psal. 14.4. who make the poore their praye and spoyle. But this I saye, as some­times an ancient king hath said: Saepè boni iudices habent malos vicarios, Foxus. to 1. pag. 111. quorum reatibus ipsi domini constringuntur, si non eos coër­ceant, & à rapacitate cohibeant. that is, Of­tentimes good magistrates haue euill vicegerentes, or vnder offi­cers, with whose offences the heades them selues are chayned, if they stay them not, and refraine them from greedines. And what may we rightly iudge to bee the cause of these offences, but euen the neglect of the woorde of God, which should teache vs to doe a­right, and to flee from euill?

And as the contempt in this degree is horrible, so woulde I wishe it spreade no further: then should our ministerie be the freer from offence, and our gospel haue the better speede. But it is herein, [Page] as Ieremie said,Iere. 2.8. The priests say not, Where is the Lord? and they that should minister y^e law, know not the Lorde: the pastours haue offended against him, & the Pro­phets prophesie in Baal, and goe after things which do not profit. Our ministerie is fowly (to saye the trueth) corrupted: for whilest ignorant ministers and dombe dogges,1. Kin. 12.31. 2. chro. 13.9. isa. 56 10. more like to Ieroboams priests, and sacrificing massemon­gers, haue cure & charge of soule, while tagge & ragge may bee ad­mitted to this function, whilest gentlemen may haue the profits of the flocke, and hire Sir Iohn Lackelatine to sing or say the ser­uice, howe shall the Gospell haue good successe? whilest Church to Church is ioyned,Act. 20.28. nehe. 6.3. and non resi­dencies borne withall and well liked, what can go forewarde in the building of the Lorde? where [Page] preaching is but once a quarter (I say not where it is seldome or ne­uer, which I might) or once a mo­neth (which some thinke more thē needes, & if it be eche Saboth, it is counted a worke of supereroga­tion) how can the people be reclai­med from their vanities, or kept within the fold in dew obedience? Go to, what springes of such con­tempt in these estates? euen effu­sion of all ryot, and running into sinne, of the inferiour sort. For as the wall within and eke without, is made of squared stones, be­tweene the which the lesse stones are contained, to make the buil­ding vp: euē so the minister with­in the Churche, & the Magistrate in the common weale, should sup­port and vpholde the meaner sort in dewe obedience. If then the squared stones within, or els with out fall downe, the lesse can neuer [Page] long endure, because they lacke their stay. And of cōtempt in these degrees, it comes to passe, that lacke of discipline & good liuing is the cause of many sinnes,Mat. 18.17. both in the Church and commō weale. Neither woulde I haue this for­gotten, that whilest ecclesiasticall officers may for money dispense with offendours,1. Sa. 15.8. 1. kin. 20.42. and also vayne pitie in the common weale maye shadowe iniquities, the Churche can not go well. Surely, Surely it is with Englande, as the Pro­phet Osee saide it was with Is­rael:Hos. 4.1, 2, 3. The Lord hath a controuer­sie with the people of the land, be­cause there is no mercy, no truth, no knowledge of God in the land. But by swearing, lying, killing, stealing and whoring men break out, and blood toucheth blood: therfore shal the land mourne, &c. How ripe the sinnes of England [Page] be for y^e sickle of Gods vēgeance,Apoc. 14.15. euerye Christian eye can testifie. And yet for all this, we are fast a sleepe with the carelesse world, in the time of Noe. We eat & drinke,Mat. 24.37 luk. 17.28. 1. pet. 3.20 we marie & giue to mariage, most like, vntill the flood shall take vs hence:Amos. 6.4. wee lye vpon our soft cou­ches, and put away the euill day farre frō vs: we blesse our selues,Deut. 29.19. when wee heare the threatnings of the Lord and curses of his law, and say, We shall feele none euill: we are drunken with foolish Na­bal,1. Sa. 25.36 vntill Abigail bring vs word that we must dye. We spoyle, and make our selues merie with the goods of other men,1. Sa. 30.16 as the Ama­lekites did in Ziklag, vntill Da­uid, Gods scourge come vpon vs to wounde vs to death and make a reskewe.Da. 5.3, 30. We drinke with Bal­thasar in bowles, vntill the Me­des take away our kingdome. we [Page] enriche our selues,Luk. 12.18. & also enlarge our barnes, and laye vp treasure in store for many yeres, and yet this present night our soule must be taken away,Luk. 12.20. and then who shal possesse our substance? we waste and spoyle our masters goodes,Luk. 16.1. & liue vnmindfull of our duetie, vn­till we be called to render an ac­compt of our stewardshippe. we sleepe full harde with the foolish virgins,Mat. 25.5. and our lampes quite put out, till that the bridegrome be gone in, and the doore fast loc­ked that we can not enter. We sit like the proud strumpet Babylon,Apoc. 18.7, 8. & feede our selues with folly, that we shall feele no sorowe nor wi­dowhead, & yet al sorows shal so­dainly come vpon vs. Finally we say,1. The. 5.3. Peace, peace, & all things qui­et, euen when the end is at hand. Nay rather,Mat. 25.13 let vs watche & pray, and haue our lampes of righte­ousnes [Page] burning, that we may en­ter into rest with the bridegrome at his comming, & leaue betimes our great securitie, least we perish with the wicked.

It is reported of Tamberlane the king of the Parthians, who tearmed himselfe Iram dei & orbis vastitatem, to haue set vp three se­ueral dais three seueral kinds of tents, wherof the first was white, betokening mercie, if his enemies would y^t day yeeld: y^e secōd day, the tēts were red, betokenīg y^e blood­shed of the rulers, the thirde was black, signifying the burning and destruction of the citie, neyther was there hope of mercie when the white tents were takē down, although they humbled them­selues with lawrell. Let vs goe foorth with lawrell braunches in this our time and day of grace, for it is a fearefull thing to fall [Page] into the hands of the liuing God, who is a consuming fire: let vs be admonished by the woorde of trueth, or els the same will con­demne vs with the wicked.

But the time is past, & I haue wearied you to much, I wil ther­fore note one worde or two, of the last wordes, and so make an ende.

He was made the heire of righte­ousnes, which is according to fayth. This is nowe the acceptation & reward of Noe his faith, who first was receiued into fauour by be­leeuing the promise of God, and thereby had God a mercifull fa­ther. Of whō, this his obedience was accepted, not for anye the worthines of flesh & blood, which was none,Ro. 8.33, 34. but by the free grace of God, accepting in good worth, what he did. For when faith bele­ueth the promises of God concer­ning saluation,Rom. 8.15, 17. & apprehendeth [Page] the adoption of the children, then foloweth the inheritaunce of our righteousnesse, for that we being by fayth the children of God, are heires, euen felowe heires with Christ of his kingdome. For after we beleeue, we are sealed with the spirit of promise, which is the ear­nest of our inheritance,Ephe. 1.13 14. vntill the redemption of the possession, pur­chased vnto the praise of his glo­rie. This is that which the Apo­stle saith,Tit. 3.7. that wee being iustified by y^e grace of God, should be made heires, according to the hope of e­uerlasting life. And for this cause is Christ y^e mediatour of the newe Testament, that through death,Ebr. 9.15. which was for the redemption of the transgressions which were in the former Testamēt, they which were called, might receiue the promise of the eternal inheritāce. Blessed be God therefore, (let vs [Page] all say) euen y^e father of our Lord Iesus Christ,1. Pet. 1.3. which according to his aboundant mercie, hath be­gotten vs againe, vnto a liuely hope, by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead, to an inheri­tance immortal and vndefiled, re­serued in heauen for vs.

This inheritance of righteous­nes,Gen. 12.1. ebr. 11.8. Abraham behelde with the eyes of fayth, whē he forsooke his owne countrey looking for a bet­ter, and euerlasting in heauen, re­ioycing in spirite to see the day of Christ the Messias.Ioh. 8.56. This inheri­tance Dauid longed after,Psal. 42.1. & 27 13. when like as the Harte desired the wa­ter brookes, euen so his soule lon­ged after the Lorde, hoping to see the goodnesse of the Lorde in the lande of the liuing. This inheri­tance the Apostles beleeued to haue,Ioh. 6.68. when they confessed Christ to bee the Sonne of God, and [Page] to haue the woordes of Eter­nall life. This inheritance the Saints in the reuelatiō cast their eyes vpon,Apoc. 12.11. & 14.1 [...] when with patience they endured the tormentes of death, because they woulde not yeelde to the pollutions of Anti­christ. And this is that crowne of righteousnesse which wee desire, whilest wee dayly pray,Luk. 11.2. Apoc. 22.20. Thy king­dome come. Come Lorde Iesu, come quickly. Finally this is that inheritaunce of fayth, which our Sauiour Christ hath already ta­ken possession of for vs, and which we shal feele, when he shal sweet­ly saye,Mat. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my fa­ther, possesse the kingdome prepa­red for you, from the beginning of the worlde.Apoc. 21.48. Then shall all sorow and teares hee wiped from our eyes, then shal we see death, sinne, Sathan, Antichrist & his mēbers trodden vnder foot,1. Cor. 15.55, 56, 57. and swalow­ed [Page] vp in victorie,Apoc. 14.2 whilest we shall sing y^e songs of triumph before the throne of y^e lamb, & this shalbe the reward of y^e obediēce of our faith. Wherefore whilest we see the end to draw nere,1. Pet. 4.7. & 2. Pet. 3.11. let vs prepare & ad­dresse our selues, that we may be foūd in y^e Arke of Christs church, so shal we be sure frō destruction, & assured of euerlasting happines, to be the reward & inheritāce of our faith, giuen vs of God for the loue & worthines of his onely sōne Ie­sus Christ,Ro. 6.23. our onely redeemer & Sauiour: to whome with the fa­ther and the holy Ghost three di­stinct persons, and one inuisi­ble and euerlasting God, be al honour, glory, praise and dominion for euer. So be it.