murmuring and grudging nature whensoeuer our flesh by any occasion is prouoked thereunto FINIS OF ZEALE THE THIRD SERMON Reuel 3. 19. Be zealous therefore and amend AS Zeale can neuer be sufficiently commended so much lesse may it effectually be perswaded to many howbeit that wee may shadow out some Anatomie thereof let vs first see how God commendeth it then how hee rewardeth it that so wee may the more freely with greater authoritie speake of the thing it selfe What is the vse of the first foure Commaundements but that wee should with zeale worship the Lord The first precept chargeth all men charwith the matter of God his worship shewing what it is The second geth vs with the manner prescribing how wee must vse it The third imposeth on vs the right end of his worship and teacheth why we must doe it The fourth commaundement pointeth the time and instructeth vs when wee must solemnely professe and exercise this worship of God Concerning the large promise offered to pure zeale what is greater than that the Lord should binde himselfe to aduance them into the chaire of honour before all the world who will honour him Againe that he will defame them most surely with some notable marke of infamie that dishonour him yea and he will vomit them vp as a loathsome burthen to testifie his vtter misliking of them First now let vs consider how true zeale beginneth in our selues and taketh his proceedings to others For neuer can that man be zealous to others which neuer knew to be zealous to himselfe And as zealous men in their ascendent begin at themselues and goe to others so in their retrograde they come from others end in themselues If we consider the zeale of Abraham Moses Iosua Samuel Daniel Iehosaphat Ezekiah we shall neuer see expressely in the word that at any time they were more zealous to others than to themselues We see on the contrarie how it hath beene a fearefull note of hypocrites and such as haue fallen from the liuing God that they haue waded very deepely into other mens possessions gored very bloodily into the consciences of others who neuer once purged their owne vncleane sinkes at home noâ— drew one drop of blood out of their owne hearts How zealous as wosull and late experience still crieth in our eares were some great reformers of the Church who were readie to burst their bowels with crying against disorders abroad and yet neuer reformed their owne consciences at home noâ— found themselues any whit grieued for their owne sinnes These men being so zealous to others but onely through some secret loue of the world when they had that they sought for made knowne their hollow and rotten zeale in that without any griefe of conscience they could rush into a profound worldlinesse and without all godly sorrow could aâ—ter they had satisfied their greedie and fieshly zeale nâ—t onely more hardly â—eare vp their owne consciences but also be so chaunged that they sowe vp theiâ— lippes and â—pare their words from speaking in the like manner againe to others and so are neither zealous to themselues nor others True zeale casteth the first stone at our selues and plucketh the beame out of our owne eyes that we may the better draw the more out of anothers eye And this is the condemnation of the world that euery man can prâ—e and make a priuâ—e search into the wants of others but they account the same wants no wants in themselues The father saith thus the child dâ—th so the child saith in this dutie doth his father faile the husband knoweth what the wife should doe the wife seeth the duties of her husband we thinke in this particular another should behaue himselfe but yet the father repenteth not of the sinnes which he did being a child the child repenteth not of his sinnes being a father we call not in our consciences for those things which we dare challenge and one out for in others Here offereth it selfe the second propertie of zeale that it is sincere and in the truth it vrgeth our selues more than others it maketh vs the most seuere censurers of our owne soules it is strictest to our â—elues offereth libertie to others and this simplicitie appeareth either in inward corruption or in the liberrie of outward things the first whereof doth so humble vs in the wants present and in those corâ—uptions which hang behind vs that we are zealous of those secret â—uils which are not onely vnespied of others but euen vnknowne also to our selues Although the whole world cannot charge vs with want of dutie yet considering our priuie corruptions wee daily declaime against our selues and say with the Apostle though our consciences do not oppresse vs yet herein we are not iustified Yea such ought to be ouâ— familiaritie and acquaintance with secret infirmities in ourselues so grieuous ought they to be in our eyes in our eares to our faces that where we shall see heare and behold the sinnes of others they may be more tollerable and so learne by the sense of our owne sores to deale more mildly and mâ—ekely with the sores of others Neither doe I meane that we should make other mens sinnes no sinnes and that wee should haue no kinde of censure vnto others but that there should be that holy mixture in vs of the zeale of Gods glorie and sight of humaine corruption that for the one we may not spare to rebuke any sinne and for the other wee may moderate our rebukes with mildnes and meeknes Abraham was so strict to himselfe that he would not take of the King of Sodom so much as a threed or a latchet and yet he would not deny Aner Echol and Mamre their libertie Iob would not permit to himselfe nor denie to his children their libertie of feasting so that it is rather a Pharisaicall pride than a Christian zeale to be too tetricall in vrging of others so farre that whosoeuer in euery point is not pure and precise as we we cast them off as dogs and prophane persons and such as are vnworthie of any account or countenance This then must be our pedagogie in this point that as for the glory of God which is deere vnto vs we are not to leaue the least sinne vnespied or the least meanes vnattempted to aduance the glory of God So for the grieuousnes of sinne for the easines to fall into sin for the vilenes of corruption which we haue obserued in our selues for the knowledge of the wrath of God for sinne in vs we are loth for loue to see our brother either so vilely infected so perillously endangered to goe without our louing admonition both to draw him out of his sinne and to rescue him from the wrath of God due to his sinne Further this attribute of true zeale maketh vs as willing to be admonished as carefull to admonish and that not onely of our superiours which is
haue declared an ex 〈…〉 much vsed of the learned to expresse some matter of importance and â—he 〈…〉 in a false or light matter may bee an vntollerable lie As then is meant by 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 guâ—â—ing out of his eyes a â—â—edding of many teares and his coâ—sâ—ming â—â—â—â— with 〈…〉 his earnest affâ—ction so wee must labour to finde these exercâ—ses in â—â— according to that measure and proportion which the Lord for his glorie shall vouch 〈…〉 vs. We reade also Psal. 69. â— The zeale of thine house hath euen me aâ—◠〈…〉 rebuked thâ—e are fallen vpon â—â— The Prophet here sheweth how he was â—â— much tormented for these things whereby Gods glorie was eâ—pâ—yreâ— as if he had been â—aâ—en with infamâ—â— himselfe This we see maketh as welâ— for our imitation as for our instruction The selfe same thing is repeated Rom. 15. The rebuke of them that rebuked thâ—e c. where the Apostle inferreth this exhortation Let the same mind be in you which â—as iâ— Câ—râ—â— c. as if he should â—â—â— you must knowe that the selfesame affection though not in the selfe-same measure â—râ—uâ—â—â—e in you which was in Christ or in Daâ—iâ— for as Christ had â—â—â—â—â—â—fiâ—â—te measure and Dauid in great abundance that must you also haue in â—oâ—e measure This â—as â—â—dâ—eâ—â—eredâ—â—arie to Iesus Christ and to Dauidâ—eneâ—iciarie â—eneâ—iciarie and that which Dauid speaketh of actiuely as well done of himselfe or of Christ that the Apostle speaketh of passiuely as â—e requireth â—t to be done of others For as Dauid did suffer tâ—â—â—â—iâ—â—ies reproches and â—gâ—oâ—inâ—es which came to Gods name as his owne so Paul speaketh passiuely wisheth that wee should suffer these things with Christ euen as though wee our selues had done the iniuries â—eâ—ciueâ— the reproches or were guiltie of the ignoâ—iâ—es But wee must alwaies shew our selues guâ—â—tâ—eâ—â— in vsing all meanes to set foorth Gods glorie and in be 〈…〉 of the people with tâ—ares and with prayer Notable is that place Ezech. 9. 4 where the Lord speaketh to the man clothed with linnen â—â—â—en had the writers inâ—khorne saying Goe through the â—â—â—â— of the 〈…〉 en through the most of Ierusalem and â—â—â—â— marke vpon the fâ—â—eâ— eâ—aâ—s oâ— thâ—â— that 〈◊〉 and are sorrowfull for all the abominations that are done in the mâ—ast thereof But the other was commanded to follow after and to destroy euery mothers sonne of them which mourned not This then is no stâ—â—â—ge thing when Gods glorie and image is defaced to be grieued as much as if it were for ourselues 1. Cor. 5 the Apostle rebuketh the Coâ—â—ntâ—ians because they rested and reioyced at the sinne committed amongst them contrarie to the rule of loue which willeth vs not â—oâ—â—iâ— yâ—e iâ— inuâ—â—â—â—â— and telleth them that they had not mourned and sheweth how they had â—aâ—â—hed at him when they should rather haue mourned Where hee declareth in his owne example who was so grieued that where he had preached the Gospel one should fall into so great a sinne how all faithfull Ministers godly Magistrates and Christian householders may and ought to mourne when some of the chaâ—ge coÌ„â—iteâ— to them fall into some â—â—torious sinne And though for a while he was sorrowful that he had made them so heauie yet afterward 2. Cor 7. he telleth them that he was not sorie For faith he though I mad you sorrowfull I repent not for behold this thing thâ—t yâ—â—aue beene godly sorrowfull what great tâ—are it hath wrought in you yea what â—lâ—aâ—ing of our selues yea what indignation yea what feare yea what great desire yea what a zeale yea wâ—aâ— pâ—â—ishmâ—nt In all thing you haue shewed yourselues that yee are pure in this matter As if heâ— shâ—uld say Before ye reioiced and then were ye guilty of his blood but now that ye haue â—ourneâ— and prayed for him it shall not be laid to your charge Thus we see the Church was not cleere vntill they had mourned for this one mans sinne no more was the whole arâ—ie of the Israelites vntill they had humbled themselues in prayer and fasting for the sinne of A â—â—â— Wherefore euery man must labour in some measure to finde the same affection in himselfe which was in Christ that we may differ from the hypocrites who esteeme their owne credit more than the credit of the word So that wee alwaies remember this to bee a propertie of true zeale that as we are zealous against the sinne so we must haue a commâ—tation of the person as knowing that wee our selues may fall into the like offence Well to goe forward we see how this verse is inferred after them that goe before For hauing shewed that the Lord was righteous and that his iudgements were righteous and that euery part of his testimonies contained speciall Truths this was the thing that made him so to loue the word and louing it to haue so feruent a zeale vnto it His meaning then is thus much Seeing the word of God hath in it such exquisite goodnes such wonderfull truth such rare perfection such Eternitie such efficacie that in the time of trouble when all other comforts forsake a man this will bee a speciall comfort to him and giueth euen life to a man halfe dead and without it I see a man is but as a beast I cannot but loue and beare an heartie zeale vnto it and when I enter into the consideration hereof I am euen pined away and griefe euen eateth me vp when I see it is not esteemed and that the worde of God can haue no more honour And seeing the word of God was so exquisite so vnchangeable so glorious and so comfortable what a griefe was it to the man of God that men should be so carried away some to the pleasures of the flesh some to the profit of the world some to vaine superstitions and in the meane time the Word little regarded This was it that pricked him at the heart this touched him at the quicke He teacheth vs then thus much If the glorie of God be deare to vs the contempt of it will surely grieue vs if the saluation of our brethren bee precious to vs wee will be grieued for the contrarie Now let vs see what true zeale is I finde here the Tractate of Zeale 2. part was last to bee inlarged and therefore good Reader I would not depriue thee of this benefit Hebr. 10. 27 The nature of it is set downe where the Apostle heauily threatneth them that willingly giue ouer themselues to sinne and there is named in the proper tongue the zeale of fire For as fire is not without it heate but oft bursteth forth into a flame so zeale is hote and cannot long be held in It is described also by contraries Reuel 3. where the holie Ghost reproueth the church of Laodicea because they were neither hot nor cold but lukewarme such as the Lord would spue out of his mouth and afterward is added bee zealous amend Where we see how
case and that wee be as it were vtterly lost and past hope of recouerie there is no praise of redemption Heere then is the power and profit of our redemption that when all sinnes goe ouer our heads and heauen and earth the Sunne and Moone and the Starres come as it were in iudgement against vs yet a cleare and full raunsome shall be giuen into our hands wherewith to purchase our redemption and so to procure our perfect deliuerance beyond all expectation and so as it were to fetch something out of nothing We see for example in sicknes to haue either little daunger or in great daunger to haue deliuerance by present meanes is nothing but in extremitie and perill when Physicke can doe no good and make nothing for vs to keepe vs from the graue then aboue and beyond all this to be rescued therefro and to recouer our life from the pits brinke is a worke highly deseruing So though God driuevs to ordinarie meanes this is not to withdraw our redemption in vsing the meanes but to traine vp our faith that after hee may make knowne that he hath an helpe beyond all helpes and much redemption And this is needfull for vs to learne for if the meanes be manie we rest in them but if they be fewe and faint the meditation of this redemption will be most comfortable 15 It is an experiment of Gods Children that by prayer sinnes receiue their deadly wound and a temptation by resistance yea we shall finde it both sooner to depart and to recompence the present and little paine with an after and longer pleasure and contrarywise the not resisting thereof causeth it the further to feed in vs and the small present pleasing of our selues is payed with a long bitter griefe of conscience afterward 16 If we will truely learne how to auoide sinnes let vs remember oft what punishment we haue felt for sinne If wee will be kept from vnthankfulnes we must oft call to minde the things that the Lord hath done for his glorie and our soules health in vs. Sicke and sicknesse 1 THis I take to be a fitte prescription to all parties afflicted First to labour to haue peace of conscieÌ„ce ioy of the holy Ghost through the assurance of their sinnes pardoned in Iesus Christ then to be carefull to vse the meanes which may nourish their inward peace ioy thirdly they must reioyce and recreate themselues in wisedome and well-doing with the Saints of God and holie companie and lastly they must refresh themselues with kitchin physicke and a thankefull vsing of the creatures of God 2 It is not good to vse that for dyet which is prescribed for physicke for that will not worke in the extraordinarie neede of the bodie which is vsed as ordinarie in the state and time of health 3 He marked two things commonly neglected he saw that men being in daunger of death would bee prayed for in the Church but they would not haue the Church giue thankes for their recouerie Againe hee saw that women would giue thankes after their deliuerance which is a Christian dutie well beseeming them but they would not before aske the prayers of the Church And seeing it is so rare a blessing to haue the fruit of the wombe seeing sometime the mother sometime the children sometimes both died and that the gift of both is a worke passing the Sunne the Moone and the Starres it were nothing superfluous or burdensome in such cases to pray and to be thankfull 4 It is the wisedome of God ioyned with mercie for the preseruing of his Children in humility and thankfulnes if they forget to spie out and to be humbled for their inward corruptions either to let them fall into some sinne to punish their pride and sway of their owne wit or else which is his more mercifull chastisement to breake them with some crosse vntill their harts be bruised Hereof it commeth that the Lord is constrained to correct our haughtines and coole our courage by some kinde of affliction because we are ready to breake out in time of prosperitie Wherefore to cut off the occasions of sinne which Sathan would finde out in our proude flesh after long time of health the Lord sendeth some sicknes or some weaknes vpon vs to cut short our hornes wherewith by reason of long wealth wee would like Buls of Baâ—an push at the godly the Lord sendeth fire theeues and oppressions to let vs bloud in our riches least wee should â—e too rancke and grow into a surfet The best way in the middest of our prosperitie is to labour to thinke wisely and lowly of our selues and to walke fearfully as being now most jealous ouer this our corrupt nature which least feareth when Gods graces are greatest and namely as of all blessings this is one of the greatest â—uen in abundance health credit and authoritie to carrie as humble and meeke an heart and faithfull a spirit as wee would or ought to haue euen when we come out of some affliction So this of all the plagues is the greatest to be pricked and not to feele to be striken and not to be humbled for it And yet it is no great commendation to bee made better by affliction But this is the praise of godlinesse to grow on more in prosperitie then not to forsake our first loue then to enter into a lowly conceit of our selues for as it is a signe of a more liberall and ingenuous nature to learne more by lenitie than by seueritie or if he slip to recouer himselfe as carefully at the sight of another corrected before him as if he were beaten himselfe So it is a token of a minde more reformed to haue a bruifed minde rather with the â—aste of Gods mercies than with the terror of his iustice or if he see but an inckling of Gods displeasure breeding as much to strike his heart as if the heauie hands of a fearefull scourge were vpon him And here we must beware that we lose not the fruite of the least crosse for if we breake not our hearts with a little affliction we shall afterwards become blockish in greater Wherefore seeing it is a token of a melting heart to bleed at the least blow and it is a signe of a senselesse minde not to be touched vntill the sword hath tasted deeply of our blood let vs pray for the first grace of Gods children not to neede to be corrected or for the second to be the better by the least correction or at the least that the Lord let vs not goe so farre as neither prosperitie nor aduersitie can doe vs good Sathans practises 1 SAthan is readie euer to make vs most vnwilling to that wherein the Lord will most vse vs to the greatest good of his Church 2 We must pray that the Lord giue not that measure of leaue to the diuell that we giue out to sinne but that he would rather make Sathan
feele as little as a blocke yet I must heare still because it is God his ordinance I will heare that I may obey his ordinance and though I goe an hundred times without any profit yet I shall neuer goe without some peace because though I haue not that which I desired yet I haue done that which God hath commanded This I am sure of so long as I am vnder the dressing hand of the Lord I shall not perish but in his good time I shall bring foorth fruite But thou wilt replie I may happily sometime feele but it is so short and so little and so many haue fallen away before me that I feare I shall fall and of a naturall vine I shall prooue wilde and an vnnaturall branch Well the Lord by his word will purge thee and prune thee he will dresse thee if euer thou hadst any working thou shalt haue more thou shalt not only bring forth Christ being graffed into Christ but much fruite also being trimmed by the word Onely seeke thou God in his word he will not faile to be found of thee vse thou the word which is his pruning knife and he will worke on thee at one time or at another 76 Great is our corruption which turneth the grace of God into wantonnes and maketh his bounteous liberalitie in outward things an occasion to serue our sinne whilest abundance in the vnsanctified bringeth an inglutting of the minde the inglutting of the minde breedeth vnthankfulnes vnthankfulnes causeth coldnes coldnes beginneth carelesnes carelesnes is the way to hardnes of heart and vtter prophanenes and prophanenes ripeneth vs for the iudgements of God to fall on vs. 77 Our owne kindred that should draw vs most to God often hindereth vs most from God and it is Satans policie when he cannot preuaile against vs with the world to vndermine vs with nature So he suborned Lots daughters against their father Iobs wife against Iob and our Sauiours owne kinsfolke against him Kain against Abel Ishmael against Isaac Esau against Iacob the eleuen brethren against Ioseph Ioab against Abner Saul against â—onathan 78 If we count it a great benefit to receiue a Nobleman or any appertaining to the Nobilitie into our house because they may after gratifie vs or if we thinke it a great iniurie to hurt one of the blood royall and to withstand one of princely linage then what a dignitie is it to entertaine the Saints allianced to Iesus Christ what a traiterous villanie were it traiterously to offer violence to one fearing God who is of the blood royall and of the Lordâ— linage whom he accompteth as mother brother or sister 79 Vntill we are fully staied in minde with a contentation of outward things we can neuer be very godly For if either our minde be about liuing when we haue too little for our estate or if our hearts wander as being stollen away to the things of this world wheâ— we abound we can neuer aspire to the spirituall power of true godlinesse And then are we most fit to be wrought vpon by the word and most free to striue in trauaile against ouâ— owne corruptions when we are at peace and at a point for outward things when being content with that we haue we can say O Lord thou art my portion thy word haue I chosen as mine inheritance for euer thy kingdome is my principall labour thy face is thâ— chiefest thing I seeke for thy fauour is the ioy of mine heart 80 To haue that measure which God hath appointed vs wee must vse such meanes as are warrantable and with good meanes wee must vse a right heart neither trusting too much in them least wee be worldly minded neither mistrusting too much least wee be murmurers In this vprightnes of heart wee must not onely be iust that is by euery iust title claiming our owne interest but mercifull that is remitting of our owne for pities sake euen as God remitteth vs. 81 As wee truely shew our selues to hate sinne we loue the contrarie grace and as we truly loue vertue when we abhorre the contrarie sinne so we indeed hate sinne when we hate euery little occasion to the sinne and wee truly loue vertue when wee seeke and receiue euery little meane helping to that vertue as namely euill companie which we must carefully auoide vnlesse wee haue either some speciall calling or some particular gift of God his grace which doe onely priuiledge vs in this behalfe 82 It is daungerous to proceede in iudgement against a man vpon a bare suspition when no proofe can be had both because we would be loath that the Lord should so enter iudgement with vs as also because it were the way as well to iudge good men vndeseruedly as a wicked man deseruedly for that the one may be suspected as well as the other The Lorde hath therefore appointed that rather an offender not conuicted of offence should goe vnpunished then that a man vpon surmise should suffer least so a good man should oft come into vndeserued danger The wicked shall be sunke in destruction and though they be not moued with God his iudgements yet whatsoeuer they doe they shall spinne a threed of their owne destruction and hatch an egge of poyson to themselues 83 Men must not be in wrath when they pray for then it is not pleasing vnto the Lord. For as when an Instrument is played on and it being out of tune it doth jarre the noise is not so pleasing vnto them that should heare it No more are our prayers pleasing vnto the Lorde when we are in contention one with another the Lord cannot abide it 84 When one hath broken an arme or legge and the same is healed againe will that man by and by lift withall as hee doth with that other arme which is strong and perfect in health No hee will spare it still a great while for feare hee bring it out of ioynt againe and so it should be worse to heale than it was before So when enemies are made friends they must beare one with another and not giue themselues leaue to speake anie nipping words one to the other for then they will fall out againe and so their contention will be worse then it first was 85 Wee desire for the most part to doe dutie when wee may receiue like proportion againe which thing in praying one for another ought much to moue vs. For as we pray for others by vertue of Gods commandement So by the force of the same Law are wee to bee prayed for of others all being bound vpon paine of Gods highnes displeasure to pray for vs. 86 There is a selfe-will that breeds selfe-loue and a selfe-loue that brings a selfe-will and selfe-will bewrayes pride which is a monster of diuers heads Some are proud in arrogating that to themselues which they haue not some haue the things they boast of but they thinke they proceed of
righteousnesse than the Angels than the heauens which are impure in the sight of God and in whom he findeth imperfection We must therefore come to the passiue righteousnesse wee must haue the blood of Christ sprinkled abroad in our hearts By the one we must labour so as if we would ouermatch the righteousnes of the Pharisies of the most Iuâ—ticiaries in the world but when it comes before God to liue or to die by our righteousnes then wee must let goe the olde Testament and take care for the blood of the New Testament which is giuen vs by the ministerie of Faith For our action of eating and drinking as the Church hath retained it there is a commandement giuen that we lift vp our hearts vnto the Lord and we must be as Eagles flying vp to heauen by hauing carefull meditation at that time of things inuisible of setting before vs the suffering of CHRIST in breaking of the bodie in shedding of the blood of CHRIST which being ruminated is the sending vp of our Faith by the working of the HOLY GHOST The principall end is the remembrance of the death of CHRIST which he did commend to vs at his last parting from vs which ought much to sticke in our mindes because the last words of a friend readie to depart doe oft leaue both impressions and affections in vs. Indeede when wee reade of his death it doth somewhat moue vs when we heare of it it moues vs more to meditate of it moues vs in a third degree but besides all these to haue as it were before our eyes a visible Crucifying of Christ doth mooue vs most of all This in wisedome he vsed that we might not forget him as before GOD the Father after the great deluge drowning the whole world for a remembrance of the worke of deliuering vs from water he left vs a Rainebow And when hee had supernaturally fed the Israelites with Manna from heauen he would haue a pot full of it reserued in the Arke of remembrance for a memoriall of so great a worke Wee being deliuered by the blood of Christ from the floods of our sinnes haue receiued Baptisme to keepe vs in remembrance thereof We being nourished with the Manna of Christ his bodie are commanded to vse this mysterie to continue an holy remembrance of the same Now for that vnion which is betwixt CHRIST and vs as wee haue nothing in Adam but that which conueyth death to vs so it is needfull that we should be ioyned to one that may giue light to vs the means to be thus vnited is this sacrament And what vnion can be greater then that which is betweene the thing nourishing and the thing nourished This vnion though by no reason it can be expressed must bee beleeued how Christ by being borne of Mary hath vnited our nature to him and this vnion hath euery reprobate with Christ in that he hath taken vpon him the shape of man and so farre any cast-away may be said to haue interest in the flesh of Christ. Where is then the difference Truly here is a difference if the arme ioyned to the body haue no life no sense no benefit of vitall spirits it may be indeed vnited to the bodie but it is not a part of the bodie so the wicked liuing without Faith haue no soule as it were but are as it were senslesse and liuelesse hang-byes and therefore are no true members of Christ. We must not then thinke it sufficient to be ioyned to the flesh of Christ as the kinsmen of Christ who speaking of this spirituall coniunction with him pointed vnto them that by faith receiued his word saying These are my brother my sister my mother These haue the true vnion with Christ the other haue affinitie with Christ in his flesh onely in his incarnation Therfore with the symbols to a true receiuer Christ is really giuen so all whatsoeuer belongeth to Christ in the purchase of his redemption Neither are we to looke only to our vnion with Christ but to that ioyning of our selues with them that are of the same mystical body be they neuer so many that receiue with vs. For this tries all and it is an vnion of loue and in respect here of this mysterie hath been called a Communion And because our vnion with Christ doth nothing profit God though a thousand worlds of men were vnited to him he hath set ouer the profit to others so that if I may so say is Christ is meate and drinke to vs so we should be meate and drinke as it were to others for that whatsoeuer wee haue in wisedome wee should bestow to the behoofe of the ignorant whatsoeuer we haue in holinesse we should make the best of it to the winning of others whatsoeuer we haue in outward things we should communicate it to others according to the quantity of their wants our aboundance So shall we be members not onely of the naturall but also of the mysticall bodie of Christ. There is yet another ende Seeing there is such a nature in the creatures that the outward things haue suffered many iniuries before they became good food as the corne being cut down in it perâ—ite age pressed out of the huskes with the flaile loosing all his intralles with the violence of the Mill and after passing through the parching heate of the Ouen is made good bread so the flesh of Iesus Christ went vnder many paines and the blood of Christ as the grape in it most flourishing estate was pressed out of the veines and sustained hard passions and shall nothing of vs then suffer with him Because we cannot wreake ouranger on the Iewes as Pontius Pilate as Caiphas and the rest for that they are dead and gone and yet to say the trueth they were no more the crucifiers of Christ than the nailes the crosse or the haÌ„mer but it was our sins which did crucifie him it was our vile thoughts our corrupt speeches and our own sins which did set Caiphas Pilate and Iudas on worke and they were but our seruants and hirelings in the action of his crucifying Therefore as we would wreake our anger on them seeing they I say were but hired and we haue the things in our selues which did chiefly crucifie him let vs doe that despite to our sins let vs arraigne theÌ„ let vs crucifie them let vs naile them to the crosse let vs kill them burie them for euer This is that wheron we should spend our choler and let vs beware of crucifying of Christ againe which thing though it cannot be indeede because all the Deputies high Priests are gone yet we may be truely saide to crucifie him againe when we bereauing him of the fruits of his death put new passions of griefe vpoÌ„ him For though it was no grief to Christ to dye so he might enioy the thing he died for yet to loose the fruits of his torments this doth
make conscience of sinne being knowne the Lord visiteth vs with priuate and publike meanes that as the wicked shall be without all hope ease or end tormented in hell so these in mercie and measure should haue their hearts broken which because they would not doe by the louing inuocating and inuiting of them by the Lord therfore it is done by some crosses Secondly it respecteth the regenerate either to continue them in their good estate or to keepe them from some grosse sins For God his children doe sometime fall and alwaies may fall if God keep them not Because Dauid and Manasses had sinned God sent them the crosse that they might not forget him Now because the same may be in vs if the Lord will powre out his wrath vpon the wicked surely he will not suffer his owne children to be vncontrolled We must not then as some are wont to doe say Did not Dauid sinne make ye so much at me was not Dauid a great sinner and yet saued It were well indeed if we would binde Dauids sinne with Dauid his repentance or if we consider how the Sunne was turned into darkenes the Moone into blood in his kingdome if we shall see the pillars of Gods iudgements and vapours of God his wrath against him among his owne how his sonnes rebelled they that would be Counsellers became traitors and how the wicked caitifes insulted ouer him we would surely know that it did little helpe vs to reckon vp Dauid his sinning This doth God to sow the lips of the wicked that they should not say that God doth spare and punisheth not sinne in his and that they should not dreame of escape when his owne seruants are so punished And although God his children presently fall not but are readie to fall he wrappeth them often in the crosses of the wicked not so much to punish any sinne present but to preuent in them some sinne to come that thereby taking away the occasion of sinning he might humble them before they fall Againe albeit they be not subiect to grosse sins yet because they are oft puft vp with priuie pride dead vnmercifull dull forsaking their first loue sometime neither hot nor cold luke warme without zeale briefly in that they are not as God his children should be or as they themselues sometimes and before haue been the Lord in wisedome correcteth these wants and infirmities that from infirmities they should not burst out into enormities from sinning of ignorance they should not sin against conscience and from secret sinnes that they commit not presumptuous sinnes For this cause Reuel 3. the Lord sent plagues on the Church of Laodicea not so much for grosse and notorious sinnes but because they were not humbled and zealous enough but such as might more easily haue fallen into deeper enormities hereafter If men vse to trie gold seuē times in the furnace not for any masse of drosse in it but to proue it how much more had the Lord neede to trie our faith although we be not giuen to any great and notable crime For as there may be two vses in the trying of gold the one to purge it from drosse the other to fine it the more so there are two vses of corrections the one to punish sinne the other to trie their faith And although the Lord more principally doth not punish sinne but rather secondarily chiefly trying the patience of his children yet when men cannot accuse vs neither we can accuse our selues yet the Lord will purge vs from some secret corruption which may breede a sinne in time to come And hereupon it commeth that priuie pride secret selfe-loue close couetousnes hidden hypocrisie and such like are counted sinnes of God his children though of worldlings they be thought good vertues But some will say Is this the truth ye sticke to Is this the Gospell which ye professe See what hurliburlies see how many opinions there are what a companie of religions are start vp see what denying of the faith what grosse sinnes are sprung vp see what deaths plagues and warres are accompanied with it Surely it seemeth that this is not the Gospel Before all things were in better case no such disturbance in religion no such noise of notorious sinnes no such turmoilings on euery side all things were at good quiet but now we haue more troubles than euer in former times were heard of The wicked do not onely breake their neckes at this blocke but God his owne children haue daungerously stumbled at it For when Iob Dauid Ieremiah without God his spirit beheld the prosperitie of the wicked and the aduersitie of the godly they confessed their feete had almost slipped sauing that they durst not condemne the generation of God his children To remedy this the holy Ghost saith that when the graces of God doe most appeare then will the Lord send greatest iudgements for the contempt of his Gospell in the wicked and for the neglect of it in the godly Now this is foretold that we might not be offended when it commeth this vse doth Christ teach vs to make of it These things haue I told you before that when they come to passe c. For to God his children being but babes in Christ this is a great temptation And to come to our daies Doth it not trouble men much that there be so many vnlearned Ministers of learned Ministers that there be so many vngodly men that they see such oppressing Magistrates such rebellious people such carelesse gouernours that there is such an height of subtiltie in couering and cloaking sin where is most knowledge such running to sinne where is most preaching and where the Gospell is receiued that there should be such sects and heresies when they shall see the Papists readie to outface the Gospell what may a man do now or how may he stay himselfe if the Lord should leaue him Surely God hath foretold it Euen as the Sunne then shining bright the Moone giuing light the cleere aire are tokens of God his loue so much more the word and as these being darkened obscured shew God his wrath so the word obscured doth testifie his wrath much more Yea if dearths plagues famine or such like come we must be forewarned of them And our Sauiour Christ when men asked him signes he told them of many and Mat. 24. that there should be such wonders in the heauens in the earth and in the seas that euen the very elect should be confounded almost Now if Christ had not forewarned these things in the equitie of his iudgement we might indeed haue had some occasion of offence And for this cause our Sauiour Christ saith Matth. 11. Blessed are they that are not offended in me because such confusions shall be that men will be readie to lay the cause of these things on the Gospell and on the word and therefore blessed are they that are forewarned of these things and know why they come If the Iewes would not
receiued the spirit not of the world but of God 1. Cor. 2. 14. Besides the spirit of God is eternall and endureth for euer but all the doings and deuices of men they perish and in time they haue an end Therefore though a man haue wisedome with great knowledge though in wit and skill he passe and excell the common sort of men yet if from aboue he hath not been inlightened if from heaueÌ„ his wisedome hath not been sanctified his knowledge shall decay his wisedome shall wither like grasse he hath not as yet tasted of the spirit of God that endureth for euer And therefore saith Saint Paul We teach the mysteries of God which none no not the Princes and the men of this world which are aboue others most excellent are able to vnderstand Secondly consider whether there bee in thee any alteratioÌ„ or change For the wise men which were expert in nature could say that in euery generation there is a corruption And we see that the seede sowen is much chaunged before it grow vp and beare fruit Then needfull it is that in regeneration there be a corruption of sinne so that as seede in the ground so sinne in our mortall bodies may decay that the new man may be raised vp the spirit of God taking possessioÌ„ of our soules Therfore the Euangelist Iohn doth make this the first worke of the spirit that it shall rebuke the world of sinne and this is so needfull that without it there is not the spirit of God neither yet can Christ come and enter into that man Here of it was that Christ compared the Iewes to children in the market place who would not dance though they were piped vnto and the reason was because they had not first learned with Iohn to mourne for they that by the preaching of Iohn learned to lament their sinnes and for their sinnes were pensiue in their owne soules they receiued Christ they danced and did reioyce to heare the ioyfull tidings of the Gospell Therefore Christ saith That whores and harlots entred into the kingdome of heauen seeing they lamented their sinnes before the proud Pharisies which were touched with no remorse for their sinnes And for the same cause it is that Christ calleth vnto him them onely that labour and aâ—e heauie ladâ—â— teaching that if they finde not sin to be a heauie loade and burthen to them they haue not the spirit of God neither are they fit to receiue Christ. Then to be rebuked of sin is the first worke of the spirit which the spirit worketh in vs by these degrees First it raiseth vp in vs a great and generall astonishment by reason of all those great and enormous sinnes that we haue committed and this doth strike vs downe it doth terrifie vs and hold vs amazed wonderfully then it dealeth with vs more particularly it bringeth vs vnto a speciall griefe for speciall sinnes it doth bereaue vs of our chiefe desires and bringeth vs out of conceit and liking with the best things that are in vs for then it doth display before vs the vanitie and darknes of our vnderstanding how vnfit and vnmeete wee are to vnderstand and conceiue those things that do aboue al others especially concerne vs then doth it let vs see the peruerse corruption of our iudgement and that before God and in things belonging to God we be as bruit beasts not able to discerne things that differ nor to put a sound difference betweene good and euill then doth it let vs see that our reason is vnreasonable nay that it is hurtfull vnto vs a great enemie to faith and a great patrone of infidelitie and vnbeleefe When it commeth to our affections it turneth them vpside downe it turneth our mirth into mourning our pleasure into painfulnes and our greatest delight into most bitter griefe If it doe proceede further and come once to the heart and to the stomacke and courage that is in vs then it cutteth vs to the quicke then doth it at once cast vs downe in humilitie vnder the hand of God for while we had to deale with men we were as stoute as any and would not start for the best We had reason to say for our selues and courage to defend our selues against all them that did deale with vs but now the spirit draweth vs into the presence of God it letteth vs see that we haue to doe with God that our strength is weaknes in respect of him Then doth our heart begin to faile vs then doe we lay our hands on our mouthes and dare not answere nay then doe we quickly take vp our crosse because the Lord himselfe hath done it Behold here how the spirit worketh behold how sinne is corrected and who so can behold here this in himselfe may assuredly say that the spirit of God is in him that it is not in vaine within him nay that it is mightie and liuely in operation in his heart The third note and effect is the bringing on forward of this worke vnto iustification for when the spirit hath brought vs thus farre then doth it begin to open vnto vs a doore vnto the grace and fauour of God it doth put into our mindes that there is mercie with God and therefore stirreth vs vp to seeke mercie at his hands afterward it doth let vs see how Christ suffered to take away the sinnes of the world that in the righteousnes of Christ we may looke to be iustified before God And this it doth not let vs see onely but doth effectually worke a sure perswasion of it in our hearts and confirmeth the same by two notable effects The first is a ioy most vnspeakable and glorious wherewith our hearts must needes be wholy taken vp and rauished when we see our selues by the righteousnes of Christ of the free mercie and grace of God redeemed from death deliuered from hell freed from the fearfull condemnation of the wicked The second is the peace of conscience which indeed passeth all vnderstanding While sinne and the guilt of sinne remained there was no peace nor rest nor quietnes to be found but feare within terrors without and troubles on euery side but when sinne is once nailed to the crosse of Christ when the guilt of sinne is taken out of our consciences and the punishment thereof farre remoued then must needes ensue great peace for our accusers dare not proceed against vs our sinnes are forgiuen vs and God is at one with vs and for this we haue the warrant and testimony of the spirit Can flesh blood perswade vs of this can any creature assure vs how God is affected towards vâ— no doubtlesse And therfore where this ioy and peace is there must needes be the holy Ghost the author worker of the saine For as no man knoweth what is in man but the spirit of man which is in him so none knoweth the will of God but the spirit of God and
the dignitie of a faithfull pastor and for the notable profession of his faith was pronounced blessed by the Lord Iesus Christ beginning to leaue too much to his carnall reason and his strength was called Satan and not knowing what corruption was in his hart when he most magnified his constant loue to the Lord Iesus he fell to denie him thrice and the last time to curse himselfe if he were the man But to leaue ancient and former examples and to turne the edge to our selues wofull experience by diligent obseruation of their owne hearts hath taught many that after some sweet plentifull measure of Gods mercy receiued they haue waxed lesse careful iealous ouer their owne â—ffections so for a time haue bin left of the Lord whereby though not some fearefull destruction yet some grieuous fall hath ensued vpon theÌ„ It is good therfore for vs to kâ—epe a carefull waâ—ch ouer our selues and to see whether after we haue been refreshed with some speciall graces of God in preaching praying and admonishing we haue not beene lesse carefull and so the neerer to some fall and vnfitter to receiue some new benefit vntill the Lord by humbling of vs hath prepared vs with some new desire And hereupon commeth it to passâ— that when we haue been some long time bathed as it were enbalmed with some inward feelings and outward fruits of the holy Ghost we haue beene corrected for that selfe loue and â—uffeted with some priuie pride dwelling in the flesh by some grieuous deadnes and dulnes of the spirit humbling vs vnder the hands of God as it did the Apostle Paul Now as we haue by these examples of others and experience in our selues proued that an hautie minde goeth before destruction so on the contrarie we will proue vsing none other order but that before set downe that before honour goeth lowlinesse Saul before he was exalted and aduaunced to the scepter hid himselfe in great humilitie as one that thought himselfe vnworthie so great a dignitie and so afterward was exalted Ahab though a most wicked man humbling himselfe at Elias rebuke was not punished in his owne person but in his posteritie Rehoboam being humbled with his people was exempted from that plague which otherwise was like to haue fallen vpon him But this we may behold more liuely in the godly whether we respect those reuelations and apparitioÌ„s of Angels which in former times happened to the fathers being humbled or whether we consider other graces of God in like estate bestowed vpon them Abraham was humbled Isaac was humbled Iacob was humbled then came the promise then appeared Angels then receiued they visions Ioseph though he had good graces of God yet least the violence of vnbridled youth should carrie him away he was humbled the iron pearced his soule his feete were in the stockes his place was among the imprisoned yet after some time of triall he was exalted not meanly but very highly Moses albeit he had some instinct of the Lord that he should be the gouernour of the Lords people besides his fortie yeeres in the court had fortie yeeres trauaile in the desert and afterward was aduanced After that Dauid had receiued many pledges of Gods fauour towards him as being annoynted king and in that he obtained great victories in ouermatching the Beare and the lyon in ouer throwing the furious Philistine after he had cured the raging spirit of a mad man by his sweet musicke yet as one not sufficiently prepared for the worke of the Lord he was preferred by humilitie If we consider of all the Kings of Iuda and Ierusalem as of Ezekiah Iosiah Asa and others we shall see how Ezekiah wept sore confessed his sinnes was much humbled before the health of his body was restored vnto him Iosiah before the Lord did vse him in the reformatioÌ„ of his Church had his hart broken Yea before the Apostles receiued thâ—t great gift the sending downe of the holy Ghost vpon them they were humbled with the Iewes they were shaken with a great winde and after so solemne a preparation they were endued with sweete graces of the spirit And throughout the whole volume of the booke of God it is manifest that when the Lord would appeare by visions or Angels to his holy people he humbled flesh and blood before as we see in Iâ—cob Ezechiel Zacharie Elizabeth and Marie the blessed virgin Now to come to the reasons why the Lord in wisedome vseth to deale with his on this manner we must know that therfore the Lord refuseth the seruice of the proud because then we are vnfit to glorifie his name we are vnprofitable to do good vnto our brethren we are vnprepared by pride to receiue any mercie at the hands of God And no mâ—rueile for how should wee looke that God should put honour vpon vs in vsing vs our seruice when we refuse to giue the glorie of his owne graces to him againe And why should not he dishonour vs with the want of his graces when we so dishonour him with abusing his graces Againe seeing vsually such is our weldoing to others as is our affection and compassion to them that neede our helpe and the pride of our owne abundance benummeth vs and maketh vs senselesse in the wants of others how can wee finde our hearts aright to any good dutie to our brethrens necessitie when for want of humilitie and tender affection we haue no regard of their wants nor feeling of their miserie Besides if when we are puft vp with a perswasion of perfection and rest in the securitie of our present safetie we are entangled and fettered that we cannot humble our selues in prayer before the Lord how shall we thinke our selues to be capable of any blessing from the Lord whose due time of helping is in the day of want and who refuseth to giue to none but to such as in the pride of their hearts refuse to doe so much as to pray vnto him On the contraâ—ie part when the Lord shall see vs good and faithfull seruants in returning the gaine and aduantage of all his gifts vnto himselfe and that we are content with his honour that â—e are his stewards when the sense of our owne miserie hath taught vs to shew mercie vnto others the conscience of our owne vnworthines hath emptied vs of all opinion of our selues and hath driuen vs in our beggerlike necessities to craue for euery little supplie of wants at the throne of mercie then is God most neere at hand to put vs in credit with his graces then are we most prepared to minister to the wants of others and then are wâ— fit to be filled with the hid treasures of the Lord for our comfort And hereupon it commeth to passe that many hauing had a large measure of Gods graces through pride haue suffered them to rot and consume away Hereof it commeth that
word of God were we pricked by it then haue we profited Haue wee not bin pricked thereby then as yet are we not a sacrifice for the Lord. For as was said before Christ comforteth them that are troubled hee helpeth them that doubt he easeth them which are in distresse hee setteth their feete in the way of peace and gladnesse that haue long been in darknes and sorrow Haue ye not been sorrowfull and will ye learne a salue for this sore be sorrowfull that ye were not sorrowfull be pricked in your hearts because you were not pricked Haue wee heard the word let vs examine our selues if our knowledge be the better if our affections be the holier As hauing heard the exposition of the law of God doe we feare God doe we know how to loue God doe we pray to God doe we worship God in our soules and in our bodies more carefully and in greater conscience than we haue done heretofore Are we not now as prophane and carelesse still in giuing the right worship to the true God as before wee were too superstitious in seruing Angels Saints and other false gods neither sorrowing for our Idolatrie nor caring for true religion Haue wee not blasphemed and prophaned the name of God in vnreuerent hearing his word in vnprofitable talking of his workes and abusing his owne maiestie with swearing and cursing as much as euer wee did before we heard his word Haue wee kept holy the Sabbath or haue we not prophaned it by open neglect of the word by playing sporting drinking and other vanities Doe wee not still send forth our seruants to dispatch our busines on that day as if it were the market day when they may doe such things most lawfully Are not parents householders and gouernours as slacke in prouoking obedience and children seruants and subiects as slow in yeelding obedience as euer they were parents in the meane time not seeing that children therefore rebell against them because they rebell against God nor householders perceiue that seruants doe not their duties to them because they doe not their dutie to God Are we lesse wrathfull and more mercifull Are we lesse riotous and filthie defilers of our flesh and are wee more sober chast and holie Are we lesse giuen to oppression to hard dealing one with another and more iust righteous and carefull to maintaine the good estate of our brethren Are wee not backbiters slanderers or sowers of discord causers of contention among our neighbours being farre off from maintaining loue vnitie and the good name of our brethren The cause why wee cannot see further into these things is because wee flatter our selues and because we compare our selues with our selues and with others but not with the rule of Gods word Let vs then learne to accuse our selues and to iudge our owne consciences For if God see vs condemne our selues hee will not condemne vs if we accuse our selues God will not suffer Satan to accuse vs if wee iudge our selues God will acquite vs from the fearefull iudgement to come if wee bee displeased for our sinnes God will be pleased with vs in Christ his righteousnesse On the contrarie whilest we lie in our sinnes we lie in our owne blood if wee iudge not our selues God will both iudge vs and bee reuenged of our sinne he will set our house on fire he will send enemies hee will send earthquakes he will send famines to consume our goods he wil make friends foes he wil send sicknes and sorenesse vpon our bodies a troubled spirit into our soules he will send vs an ill name thus will he bring plague vpon plague vntill we repent and come to a feeling of our sins And why doth God all this because we will not come to iudge our selues For this cause saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 11. 30. that is because wee iudge not our selues many are weake and sicke among you and many sleepe 31. For if wee would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged 32. But when we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord that wee should not be condemned with the world Likewise the Prophet Psal. 89. and 30 31. 32. 33. But if his children for sake my law and walke not in my iudgements if they breake my statutes and keepe not my commandements then will I visit their transgression with the sword and their iniquitie with strokes yet my louing kindnesse will I not take from him neither will I falsifie my truth For as a father withdraweth from his childe sometimes his loue and whippeth him with the rod of correction so the Lord dealeth often with his children and scourgeth their naked conscience God doth iudge his heere but his enemies will hee iudge in the world to come if we bee not punished here the punishment will be as thunderbolts in the day of iudgement Hast thou been afflicted and not profited Will not a little crosse serue thee a greater shal come to thee Will not a few troubles turne thee to God then many shall come vpon thee If a man be not troubled for sinne here it is the way to hell if hee bee troubled here it is the way to heauen And as they which haue not bin troubled hauing had a little ioy shall haue eternall paine so they which here haue had a little paine shall after haue euerlasting ioy They that are corrected and haue profited by it are afflicted of the Lord in mercie but they that bee vexed and amend not receiue a token of Gods further wrath Wherefore we must not looke to feele comfort in the remission of sinnes vnlesse wee also haue sorrow for committing our sinnes For neuer any of Gods children were comforted throughly but they were first humbled for their sinnes To the working of which humiliation wee must remember Gods iudgements shewed on others Hath God destroyed the whole world for sinne and can hee not or will hee not destroy thee for sinne Hath hee ouerthrowne whole nations and will hee suffer thee to lie still in thy sinnes See how full hell is alreadie and yet daily wee runne headlong thither Consider also how great thy sinne was that could not be cleansed but by the blood of Iesus Christ Oh how foule was that sinne that nothing else could wash it but Christ his heart blood Oh how great was our guiltinesse that was raunsomed by such a price How great was the sore that needeth such a salue how deepe was the wound that needed such a medicine O louing kindnes and vnspeakable loue towards vs Shall Christ â—ee slaine for our sinnes and wee not labour to slay sinne in our selues Shall Christ dye for our sinnes and sinne as yet is not dead in vs Shall Christ bee crucified for vs and will wee not crucifie sinne in our selues Shall Christ haue his heart pricked with a speare and shall not wee haue our hearts pricked with sorrow This is the true vse and meditation of Christ his passion
heauen lye open to all such as by faith receiue the same into their hearts So that wee should not come vnto the meanes with a bâ—se conceit or light estimation thereof but with a large and ample desire and expectation of taking benefit thereby If men can once espye a way how they may rise in the world either in great wealth or promotion they will bee most industrious and laborious in that course they will refuse no paines in seedes time though the weather be vnseasonable and cold and their worke euery way troublesome but they will put themselues to it with all care and industrie in hope though it be but an vncertaine hope of bettering their estate So those that liue by faires and markets will not faile one of them ordinarily neither heate nor colde winde nor raine nor any the like impediments shall hinder them from pursuing their commoditie and why then should wee bee negligent and play the sluggards while our seedes time lasteth and the Lord biddeth vs plough vp the sallow ground of our hearts that hee may sow therein the seede of life which will neuer faile to yeelde vs a plentifull haruest if we can waite vpon him for the same And why should we be slacke and carelesse when our chiefe market dayes and faire dayes come and not rather set our hearts and endeuours to seek after those things which all that seeke shall finde and being found will make vs men for euer This should be an encouragement vnto vs not to thinke any thing too much that wee can doe or suffer in or for the profession of Christianity Oh but it is an hard matter may some say to fast and pray and mourne and grieue our hearts continually for our sinnes land when we haue done all to be derided and maligned persecuted and slaine for a good causeâ— and besides all these to feele Gods hand scourging vs sometimes with pouerty and want some times with feares and terrors sometimes with temptations and inward conflicts c. These thinges seeme very great and very tedious indeede to fleshe and blood but in trueth they are but small yea matters of nothing if wee consider what is the vse of them and what will bee the ende of them and therefore let vs remember for our comfort when wee are in this straite and difficult and vnpleasant way that wee are going to be installed into a kingdome and who is there that being offered a Baronrie or a Lordship yea though it be but a Farme if so bee hee will take the paines to come for it who is there I say that would take exception and say alasse the aire is clowdy and the weather vncertaine nay it beginnes to raine or haile or snow already and therefore I will euen stay at home and neuer wet my foote for the matter Nay if there bee but likelihood of some smaller gaine and the weather fowle and the waies deepe and themselues somewhat out of temper also yet they will aduenture to goe through all and rather ferry ouer than come short of that profit that is offered how much more then ought we to breake through all impediments and swallow vp all difficulties with the consideration of this that our iourny tendeth not to the getting of some small commoditie or to the purchasing of some worldly possessions or to the obtaining of any earthly preeminence or preferment whatsoeuer but that wee are trauelling toward our owne country where wee shall receiue an inualuable and eternall crowne of glorie and albeit wee must passe through many rough and craggy and thornie wayes and meete with sundrie things that will be very irksome and vnpleasant yet let vs make account withall that wee shall finde many sweete comforts and ioyes vnspeakable and glorious in the middest of our pilgrimage and in the ende shall haue the fruition of that happinesse which will make amends for all And this was it that made the Apostle Paul so comfortable in the middest of all his sufferings Therefore we faint not saith he but though our outward man perish yet our inward man is renewed daily For our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre most excellent and an eternall weight of glory Where we may note that when he speaketh of the happinesse of another life hee magnifieth the same exceedingly both for the worth of it and for the continuance of it calling it a farre most excellent and eternall weight of glory To bee excellent is much to be most excellent is farre more to bee farre most excellent is yet an higher degree but when hee calleth it a farre most excellent and withall an eternall weight of glory it maketh a great addition vnto all the former and sheweth that it is indeed an inconceiuable and vnutterable happinesse that in the heauen wee shall enioy but on the other side hee counteth his affliction light and momentanie because it passeth as it were in a thought and is a thing of nothing being laid in the balance against the neuer fading blisse that wee shall shortly come vnto And as for that weight that is in the tribulations of this life it is but as an heauy bagge of golde that will make the hart of the owner light in the very carriage of it and so much the more light by how much weightier it is And therefore by all these motiues wee should perswade yea euen compell our soules vnto patience vnder the crosse of CHRIST and to perseuerance in the practise of all the duties of godlines a patterne of which patience wee haue in the Hebrues Who after they had receiued the light endured a great sight in afflictions Partly saith the Apostle while yee were made a gazing-stocke both by reproches and afflictions and partly while yee became companions vnto them which were so tossed to and fro For both yee sorrowed with mee for my bonds and suffered with ioy the spoyling of your goods And why knowing in your selues that you haue in heauen a better and more enduring substance If their riches had bene of such value as they made shewe of and as the world takes them for they could not haue bene so quickly taken from them but sith they had betaken them to their wings these faithfull ones knewe that heauen which was reserued for them in stead thereof was farre more excellent and more durable and therefore full glad were they that for the cause of God they had made so happy and so blessed an exchange Verse 2. Blessed are those that seeke him with their whole heart c. THese words hauing bene expounded before offer vnto vs this doctrine That whosoeuer would haue sound happinesse must haue a sound heart So much sincerity as there is so much blessednesse there will be and according to the degree of our hypocrisie will bee the measure of our miserie It is not in the action done or in the wordes spoken that blessednesse consists
with the one so we are cast down with the other by mistrust in Gods prouidence and despaire of his promises Experience teacheth vs that as a little prosperitie maketh vs to forget God so many inconueniences by affliction may befal vs as either dulnesse deadnes blockishnes or wicked shifts or vngodly doubts Wherfore the man of God here teacheth vs that if he vsed such remedies in the greater troubles theÌ„ how much more should we vse them in the lesse We are here besides to accuse our vnbeleefe bewrayed in small things seeing the Prophet in so great extremities exercised his faith against all the reasons of flesh and blood As the Lord giueth not so great graces vnto vs as to him so he will not presse vs with so great temptations as he did him And if the Lord did helpe his Saints in great afflictioÌ„s surely he will also help vs if we likewise striue against mistrust We may see the Saints of God were neuer so delicately brought vp that they neuer wanted so that if the Lord hath so dealt with his most excellent and faithfull seruants what will he do to vs vnfaithfull ones if he did so to theÌ„ which were vnder the law to whom were made greater promises of outward things what will he do to vs to whom are promises made of spirituall things vnder the Gospel as of the forgiuenes of sins of the renewing our hearts of spirituall ioyes of the kingdome of heauen If the Lord then lay on vs such troubles as he laid on our forefathers how much more should we suffer them seeing we may profit by their example who were vnder the Law who were in the dawning of the day or rather in the night in respect of vs vnto whom Christ is crucified and risen again We must then be ashamed of our womanish nature who will shrinke at so little triall think that the Lord should deale more gently with vs than with them They were in the shadow of the Law we in the bright Sunne of the Gospell which if we see we shall accuse our selues of the wants of Gods graces in vs seeing he dealt thus with his dearest Saints In that he addeth quicken me according vntâ— thy word he sheweth that he meant not to escape by naturall meanes although as he would vse them so he stayed not in them he vsed these as accessaries but the word of God as principall For his principall was to be quickned by the word and his accessary was the vsing of ordinarie meanes Then in all afflictions let vs craue of God that we may not vse vnlâ—wfull meanes but rather the promises of God as our chiefest strength feeling them with Gods fauour in vs then may we vse the other to these For then will the Lord giue successe and blessing to naturall and secondary meanes when our hearts being chiefely stayed on the promises of God as our chiefest strength and feeling them with Gods fauour in vs in the forgiuenes of our sinnes and renuing of our mindes we craue a blessing on the creatures as on the second meanes Besides he acknowledgeth in this word quicken the Lord to be the author of life and that without his word he was as dead This life indeed is the shadow of death common with the reprobates and bruit beasts and our life is only in Christ Iesus So Adam was called dead what is that surely in that his soule had notâ—ing to doe with God and although God gaue him a naturall life yet spiritually he was dead Thus the Saints of God thought they were at the last cast ready for the buriers when they could not feele Gods presence and promises According to thy Word that is according to thy promises for wee haue none assurance to come to GOD vnlesse his word be giuen vnto vs. What had he especiall or peculiar promises working in him The diuers places of this Psalme will she we no such thing because this Psalme is an image of Regeneration They were generall promises as are other in many places of the Scripture Reioyce O Syon for thy redeemer commeth Euery man might applie this to himselfe as is also that place Esay 66. 2. I that dwell in heauen will looke cuen to him that is poore and of a contrite heart and trembleth at my words These promises are generall and therefore we must looke to be quickned by them For the Lord saith that though Eternitie be his place yet will he come to them that be of a contrite heart so that sith the Lord hath made this promise we must by Faith vse it Come vnto me saith Christ all that labour and are loaden Behold another generall promise which we must applie to ourselues by Faith making this argumeÌ„t without selues Lord thou hast promised this whosoeuer is wearie and heauie loaden shall of thee be refreshed Lord I am wearie and heauie loaden Lord therefore helpe me according to thy promise I came not saith our Sauiour in another place to call the righteous but sinners to repentance We see that these generall precepts must be belieued and we must craue Gods spirit that we may be quickened and receiue life by them For though they be generall to all yet we must vnderstand that euery man is to applie them seuerally vnto himselfe Howbeit we must first belieue the generall promises and then by prayer we are to craue a speciall vse of them as of them wherein we belieue Vers. 108. O Lord I beseech thee accept the free offering of my mouth and teach mee thy iudgements NOw the Prophet prayeth for the clearer vnderstanding of Gods word This is then his principall which here is set downe more plaine The meaning therefore of this verse is that I may thus be quickned cleare my iudgement that I may see how thou dealest with thy seruants that I may haue comfort in thy promises As the aire being troubled the weather is darkened so the mind of man being troubled with ignorance storms mists clouds of temptations is much distempered Wherefore he prayeth against these port 17. 7. Shew the light of thy countenance vpon thy seruant teach me thy statutes Where we may see how afflictions had hidden as it were the ccuntenance of God shewing also that the face and fauour of God appeareth in nothing so much as in the true vnderstanding of his word And port 8. 8. The earth O Lord is full of thy mercies teach me thy statutes Port 2. vers 4. Blessed art thou O Lorde teach mee thy statutes Whereas God is good he reuealeth it in nothing more then in this pure vnderstanding Teach mee thy iudgements c. As if the man of God should say This is one thing wherevnto I will giue ouer my selfe euen to see how thou doest punish the wicked and conductest thy children So that we must learne that as it is necessarie to vnderstand the law and the Gospell so is it requisite to discerne Gods
mercie He doth not meane here as the Papists he assureth himselfe of nothing of desert but though he shewed mercy vnto others yet with God he sueth for mercie and not for merite If then hee had failed in nothing hee would not haue pleaded so for mercie as Paul reasoneth in the fourth to the Romanes vers 4. To him that worketh the wages is not counted by fauour but by debt And here we see that hee doth not glorie that his executing of iudgement and iustice was his owne worke but acknowledgeth it to be the gift of God and bringing nothing of his owne he craueth pardon It is an hard matter when we haue thus done not to haue our patience broken and to doe the things which we haue done before For for this cause in that the wicked loaded him with such euils and they oppressed and set themselues both against his cause and his person and his corruption was great he praied for perseuerance And teach me thy statutes That is if thou wilt shew this fauour vpon thy seruant so it is if not in the meane time Lord teach me the true vnderstanding of thy word We craue often Gods mercy and helpe but we thinke not that his mercie of all other were the greatest as the Prophet saith I desire thy fauour but this is my greatest desire euen to be instructed further in thy word Let vs then looke on this man who being in trouble desireth nothing more than the word and wisheth not so much the ease of the flesh as hee desired to be deliuered from vnbeleefe We must therefore aboue all pray for this As in the greatest haruest we lose none occasion but if we want oportunitie we craue it by prayer and striue the more by labour to recompence the losse of time passed then in our spirituall haruest which so farre passeth the other as the soule the bodie how much need haue we to see whether we haue this carking care to pretermit none occasion of Gods word and to recompence that at one time which we lose at another And though he saith Deale with thy seruant he doth not here boast of his seruice but pleadeth for mercie If a Nobleman should take vs as vagabonds and rogues or should rescue vs out of prison when wee had any suite we would craue mercie and fauour and not speake of our seruice here is no presumption so likewise we being taken as stray sheepe and rescued from the prison of hell if we crie Lord deale with thy seruant according to thy mercie we doe shewe no presumption but plead for mercie and say Seeing thou hast vouchsafed Lord to take me to thy seruice consider with what enemies I haue bene oppressed though I am not in all things a skilfull seruant yet I am faithfull to thee in affection Lord therefore helpe me The Papists then are destitute of Gods Spirite they see not this metaphor that it is of such seruants who when they haue done all things they can yet thinke themselues vnprofitable seruants His meaning then is O Lord defend me from mine enemies for my cause is in thy seruice Verse 125 I am thy seruant grant me therefore vnderstanding that I may know thy testimonies WE see the Prophet of God neuer calleth into question the promises of GOD although they were long suspended but rather his owne incredulitie and vnbeleefe because he either did not so execute iustice iudgement as he ought to haue done or else beleeued not so throughly the couenants of God and therefore desireth hee to be taught in the statutes of the Lord that he may further beleeue his couenants For albeit he had executed iudgement and iustice yet hee was oppressed though hee waited on Gods promises yet they were not fulfilled therefore he might haue shrinked had not the Lord taught him his statutes to strengthen his obedience and exercised him in his couenants to confirme his faith His prayer is the selfesame which in effect Christ taught his Disciples commaunding them to pray Lord increase our faith that is Lord increase our faith in the assurance of our iustification according to thy statutes in the feeling of our sanctification according to thy couenants So we see now that as the man of God praied before for a further vnderstanding of the statutes of the Lord so heere he praieth for a further vnderstanding of his testimonies The Saints of God did neuer so brag of their gifts of knowledge and faith but that they still acknowledged and lamented in themselues the remnants of ignorance and incredulitie and desired the remedie of them by praier This ought to be for our instruction that though we be not conscious in our selues of any grosse disobedience or palpable vnbeleefe yet we must pray for a further sight of the law finding our vnbeleefe we must craue of God that we may be more staied in his promises Perseuerance is an excellent thing especially when Gods promises are delaied and we in greatest danger then is the sure triall both of our knowledge and faith We are also taught here that whatsoeuer good things we haue we haue them not as to locke them vp in our possession but seeing wee may shrinke away and make shipwracke both of faith and a good conscience we must pray to haue a greater knowledge of the statutes of the Lord and a greater faith in his promises And here is to be noted how the Prophet desiring a greater knowledge of Gods testimonies he doth not so much desire any corporall reliefe against his enemies as spirituall resistance against his vnbeliefe teaching vs that in perill we should especially craue the true vnderstanding of Gods will that hauing gotten that we may haue all other things as it shall please the Lord. Here we see a great difference betwixt the faith of Gods children and the presumption of the wicked flesh and blood after long triall either cast off all weldoing and perseuering in obedience or else labour to weaken our faith but in God his children it must not so preuaile either to the staying of their obedience or hindring of their faith For flesh and blood in all troubles seeke to be released from them but Gods children are taught to possesse their soules in patiēce and aboue all craue that faith which pleaseth God and that obedience which is most acceptable vnto him This then is a token of a reuerent faith in the testimonies of our God when we call into question rather our obedience and faith than Gods promises and statutes and when our consciences tell vs that we doe not so much desire to be rid from our troubles as that the rod of the wicked may not light vpon vs either in rebelling against Gods lawe or in mistrusting his couenants For as we haue said flesh and blood would rather be exempted from outward miseries than to feele the comfort of Gods promises But we must haue a iealousie of our selues and suspect our want of
How can this be by what meanes possible should this be so and therefore the Lord suffereth them to miscarrie in iudgement and punisheth them in their affections Thus we see how the man of God doth strengthen him and vs by faith in beleeuing that God is righteous and his iudgements to be righteous and that euery part of them is most righteous iust and true wherefore our Sauiour Christ in his holy Gospell vseth so often Doest thou beleeue beleeue and thou shalt be made whole according to thy faith be it done vnto thee which he doth to shew vs our incredulitie Wherefore we must pray Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeleefe Lord increase my faith that beleeuing thy iudgements I may feare thee beleeuing thy mercies promises I may be comforted beleeuing the things thou commandest I may do them beleeuing the things which thou forbiddest I may auoide them Verse 139. My zeale hath euen consumed me because mine enemies haue forgotten thy word LEt vs here trie our faith which perswade our selues to haue such faith behold here is a triall True it is that to all is not giuen the like measure of faith vnto some are giuen tenne talents vnto some fiue vnto some two neither haue all grounds like measure of seede nor render againe like measure of increase for some ground according as it hath receiued bringeth fourth one an hundreth fold some sixtie some thirtie fold according to the good wil and wisedome of our God Neither must we thinke that it is required of vs that we cannot otherwise be faithfull and zealous vnlesse we euen consume away or our eyes gush out with riuers of waters for we must not thinke that it was so in the Prophet himselfe as though riuers of teares were in his head or that he was vtterly pined away but rather they are figuratiue speeches to shew some rare zeale and notable kinde of sorrowing in him Now whatsoeuer exhortation is to be drawne from hence it will little auaile vs vnlesse we beleeue that there is no one thing here in this Psalme but in some measure it is to be performed of euery Christian. For politike men caÌ„not profit by such things because they doe not thinke that it containeth any generall doctrine but rather that it is a particular doctrine But seeing this Psalme is the type and image of a regenerate man and no one treatise so fully and wholie though peraduenture some whole booke may doe it expresseth the same and yet so that neither the man of God as with a trumpet doth blow forth his owne praise nor womanishly painteth fourth his owne miseries by moanes and complaints but aduanceth Gods glorie and putteth vs in minde what graces of God should be in vs and humbleth himselfe and sheweth vs what infirmities raigne in vs. What then will some say meane these speeches My soule fainteth mine eyes failed mine heart breaketh my soule cleaueth to the ground my soule melteth mine eyes gush out with riuers of water What say they appertaineth it to vs that he saith Seuen times a day doe I praise thee I preuented the morning light and cried mine eyes preuented the night watches I opened my mouth and panted how sweete are thy promises to my mouth yea more than honey vnto my mouth I am like a bottle in the smoke I haue remembred thy name in the night the law of thy 〈…〉 better vnto me than thousands of gold and siluer I haue had as great delight in thy â—estimâ—â—iâ—s as in all manner of riches I loue thy commundements aboue gold yea aboue most fine gold â— râ—â—oyce at thy word as one that findeth a great spoyle These were extraordinarie things and we haue not to deale with them To answere these we may see the same doctrine in other persons and in other places of the booke of God Iob. 33. Elihu there declareth that the Lord speaketh diuers times vnto men but they see it not if they profit not by the word he sendeth them afflictions if they profit not thereby he will send one among a thousand to shew his mercies vnto them Psal. 14. God speaketh once or twice and one seeth it not c. 23. If there be a messenger with him or an interpreter one of a thousand to declare vnto mâ—n his righteousnes then will he haue mercie vpon him and will say Deliuer him that he goe not downe into the pit for I haue receiued a reconciliation then shall his flesh be as fresh as a childs and shall returne as in the daies of his youth And though the Lord punished not grosse sinnes in Iob yet he punished incredulitie impatience selfe-loue vaine glorie in him for though Iob were a good man yet he stood in some neede of greater mortification The Apostle Paul sheweth that the wrath of God should fall on the Corinthians if they presumed without due examination of themselues to eate the body and blood of Christ that from thence came sudden deaths and vnnaturall deaths languishing and pining diseases 1. Cor. 11. For this cause saith the Apostle many are weake and sicke among you and many sleepe for if we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged So he speaketh this of the Corinthians which were learned men who had great knowledge and excelled in many good gifts as he himselfe reporteth of them and yet he sheweth them this truth Neither do these things especially and onely come for sinne but more particularly for the trying of faith prouing and perfecting of patience although afterward it may be for punishing of sins by degrees for euen in the triall of faith and prouing of patience is also a secret punishing of sin Wherefore we must not suffer for a while but euen to the shedding of our blood and spending of our liues as witnesseth the author to the Heb. chap. 12. where the Apostle hauing set down in the chapter going before a register of the fathers in the old Church and of their workes whereof some may also seeme to be extraordinarie although indeed they be alleaged but as fruites of their faith inferreth in the 12. chapter this exhortation Heb. 12 1. Wherefore let vs also seeing that we are compassed with so great a cloude of witnesses cast away euery thing that presseth downe let vs runne with patience the race that is set before vs 2. looking vnto Iesus the author and finisher of our faith Who for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame c. 4. Ye haue not yet resisted vnto blood striuing against sinne and ye haue forgotten the consolation which speaketh vnto you as vnto children c. Here the Lord sheweth the faith and gifts of his Saints declaring that he would bestow on vs the like graces according to that proportion which he thinketh good In that they are called witnesses it was because they gaue witnesse to the truth of Gods promises and to shew how the Lord would enable sinfull flesh thus
are good for that which is good doth alwayes good They haue a mixte nature retaining some vse as a blessing of their creation and much euill by the fall of Adam And they haue bene euer greater causes of harme then of good by occasion And therfore saith a Father on the Prayer Prou. 30. Lord giue me neither riches nor pouertie Pouertie saith he hath bene the decay of many a man but riches of a farre greater number 3 Many desire that which when they haue gotten their conscience is afraide to vse 4 Nothing is ours but as we feele our title in Christ and as it is sanctified by praier and by the word 5 Manie are outwardly well and rich in this world which are inwardly ill and poore in godlines and many hate outward euill things which for want of spirituall knowledge fee not the corruptions of the heart 6 Though the hawthorns in spring-time haue a faire white flower pleasant to the sense yet indeed it is but a pricking thorne so riches glorious to the eye by Christs own mouth are called thornes They pricke both hand heart CHRIST hath spoken it in his time and it is not to be thoght that they haue changed their own nature since And though we feele not these pricks in the beginning yet we shall find this true in the end Though some die as swine in a ditch as benummed as men already plunged in the pit of hell yet haue others wished on their death-bed that they had neuer gone further then the shouell spade 7 There are two kindes of loue among vs as may be gathered by our common talke First we say we loue our friends that is we would haue them doe well Next when wee be said to loue money the meaning is we wish to haue it But let vs obserue that whatsoeuer we loue we wish the good of it And the good of euery thing is the end For which God hath created it to serue his glorie For this cause the Prophets tell vs that the wood and stones of our houses shall come and giue witnesse against vs at the great day for turning them violently to another vse than God hath ordained them Now the vse of riches is to be communicated else God might haue made all rich If we wisely note this we loue not riches when we desire so greedily to haue and keepe them None would be so loued of his friends as hee loues his meate that is to be eaten and deuoured as great men deuoure the poore and riches 8 And to shewe that God is highly displeased with this immoderate loue of riches hee punisheth it with itselfe hee doth punish a desire with a desire As the Prophet Nathan saith Thornes are folded one within another So it is in the desire of riches one desire followeth another Such men are well compared to great Mastiues who hauing receiued one morsell swallowe it vp greedily and waite for another The holy Ghost compareth them to horsleaches who sucke blood till they burst their skinnes When men begin to be rich their desire is infinite and they like not their substance when it may be numbred or manifested But we see Luk. 12 there is no other speech vsed of the rich man then of most poore men What shall I doo There is mention made of a beast in Daniel and in that hee was a beast indeede which wept because there were no more worlds for him to ouercome So is it with the couetous rich men 9 It is no maruell if riches fill not the soule for they were all made for man his soule for GOD. Whatsoeuer is capable of God that can neuer be satisfied with any thing else all riches all preferments cannot satisfie one soule but when God is come it is full and whatsoeuer is added more it runneth ouer Mans desire is like a burning fire and riches are the wood and fuell which may seeme to slake the fire for a time but it will burne more vehemently afterward The wise Preacher concludeth this saying Hee that loueth siluer shall not be satisfied with it and hee that lovethriches shall be without the fruit thereof Eccle. 5. 9. CHAP. X. Of Care Couetousnesse and Contentation IT is no great thing for a man liuing on another mans charges not to be couetous but for one that hath wife and children c. for to rest vpon Gods prouidence and to vse onely lawfull meanes with patience this is an argument of Faith So if death or age make vs carefully couetous and vnfit for heauenly exercises we may soone see what faith is in vs. This triall must be diligently taken in prosperitie least if we neglect it our Faith doe faile vs in aduersitie For if we doe not in the good day store vp our selues with comforts we shall be emptie in the euill day when it commeth If in prosperitie we set our delight on heauenly things wee shall easily want earthly things because wee neuer set our hearts on them But if our delight be in richesâ— then assuredly when they are taken from vs our Faith must faile vs because our ioy is taken away with our riches Beware then of couetousnes which is a sinne when all other sinnes waxe olde this waxeth young in thee for we see daily manie freed from other vices yet fouly spotted with this 2 We must take heede that we indent not with the Lord but simplie giue vp our selues to him and seeke the grace of God at all times with all our hearts and let vs aske other things as it pleaseth him For when we giue these outward things to the Lord then will he soonest giue them vs againe Salomon desired Wisedome and God gaue him wisedome which his heart desired and riches which his heart desired not O happie man if withal he desired the feare of the Lorde Abraham gaue the Lord his sonne Isaak the Lorde then gaue Isaak to Abraham againe So the readyest way to obtaine outward things at Gods hand is to giue them vp to the hands of the Lord not that we must commit them to the Lord with this condition for that were to mocke the Lord but with Abraham wee ought to giue them to him freely without hope to receiue them againe and yet being content in respect of the Lordes glory and will with the want of them and then if they bee good for vs wee shall haue them or else some spirituall grace which with the better shall supplie the want Therefore the carking and greedy care of these things is left to the godlesse which are ignorant of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and of Gods prouidence 3. Wee may not aske earthly blessings as signes of Gods fauour neither must wee esteeme the wants of these things as tokens of his displeasure Againe the Lord often keepeth these things from vs for that wee would abuse them and set more by them than by spirituall things
to stay the Lordes mercie for the other wee must depart because of that abomination 6 The world is as the Lords great chamber whereunto all are admitted the Church is as the chamber of presence The natiuitie of the Church is a greater worke then the creation of the world The world was finished with a Word but many dayes and many yeares did the Lord trauell before the Church could be brought forth to his good liking Hee shooke the earth darkened the heauens turned the whole course of nature before he had framed and set vp the little Church of the Iewes But in gathering the Church of the Gentiles the Sunne became blacke as a pot the Heauens were couered as with a haire-cloth the vayle of the temple rent the earth trēbled the graues opened aboue all the GOD of nature suffered But of all the third gathering shall be fearfull when heauen and earth shall not abide to see but shall melte and consume away at the glorifying of that Church which the world so contemneth yet on this Church hangeth the continuance of the world For certaine it is the world standeth and all the foure windes are stopped till all be sealed and in that moment that this number is filled this world shall out of hand vanish away 7 In the world wee doe as it were but see the Lords backe parts we see him as a thing in a troubled well dwelling but in the neather and outward courtes of the Temple but in the Church we see him almost face to face 8 That mightie Sampson suffered himselfe to be shauen and his strength to bee as another mans for the great loue of his Church hee shed his precious blood from all parts of his bodie for it and that no bloud might be too deare for vs with his heart bloud he hath testified how much he doth loue vs his loue and spouse the Church of the faithfull 9 It is true that the Psalmist saith Psal. 16. the Lord hath no neede of our seruice and therefore he hath set ouer his loue to the Chuch there to be answered vnto her in obedidience furtherance of his members there he would haue it seene how we value his benefits All blessings are continued on this earth for the Church sake The Sun doth shine vpon the earth vpon the iust and vniust but vpon the vniust for the iust mans sake 10 The Church is the household of faith the citie of the liuing GOD the spouse of the Lamb CHRIST the kings daughter the childrē of light of the liuing God the children of promise of the freewoman a chosen generation a royall priesthood an holy nation people gotten by purchase the mysticall body of Christ the sold of the Prince of Pastors the virgin Israel the children of Abraham the elect seede of God heires of grace ioynt heires with Christ the Sanctuary of the Lord the daughter of Sion the Lords heritage the people of his pasture the sheepe of his hands the temple of the holy Ghost the price of his blood the Lords Eden Thrice blessed and happy are al the liuing stones of the most beautifull building Confer Psal. 147. 2. 3. 1. Pet. 2. 9. 10. Phil. 3. 8. Ephes. 2. 19. 20. 1. Thes. 2. 19. 20. 2. Cor. 3. 2. 2. Cor. 6. 11. 12. 1. Thes. 2. 8. Rom. 9. 3. Reuel 21. 10. CHAP. XIIII Of the Confession of sinne THis is a good affection of Christianitie to conceale a fault and this also is a good affection of men regenerate to testifie their faults to all men whereby they make knowne their thankefulnesse in that whereas by nature they were thus by grace they are so and so Againe men vse it to comfort others that though they bee in their old estate yet they may receiue grace if they hinder not themselues and shut out the grace of God from them Thus the children of God are wont to aggrauate their sinnes that others might haue comfort in the like case Matthew in the ninth chapter and the ninth verse shameth himselfe by the name of a Publican and yet if we looke to his sinne it was not like the sinne of Peter against the ninth commaundement nor like the sinne of Dauid against the sixe and seuenth commaundements the sinne of Paul against the first as of them that crucified Christ himselfe But that which he concealeth the other Euangelists blase abroad that which they conceale he blaseth abroad And this is one argument of the truth of the word for wheras other Chronicles do euer cōmend themselues and their owne natiue countries best as if you read the Chronicles of England you will thinke it the hest nation it is contrary in the word the deniall of Peter is more expresly set downe of Marke than of any other yet did he write the Gospell out of his mouth Paul setteth out his own faults in more sharpe measure and manner than any other can doe Act. 26. Moses Gen. 49. seemeth to discredit his owne birth Wee see all these were of God who is then most glorified when we are most cast downe 2 As the hiding of our sinne with Adam hindreth mercie so to testifie our sinne to be greater than it is with Cain displeaseth God highly 3 Confession without yeelding and feeling is nothing but a testimonie against our selues let vs then so confesse that it may moue vs to loue the truth 4 Pharaohs confession is rather in iudgement than in affection in respect of the punishment not of his sin ergo it is not enough yet he hath profited further than many of vs which will not confesse our sinnes at all 5 Whensoeuer we haue sinned it is good to haue this or the like meditation good Lord wilt thou call me to iudgement and enter thine action with mee How shall I doe then I will take this order I will disagree and fall out with my selfe But is there any hope that God will then shewe mercy Yea no doubt for if the Lord were minded presently to imprison vs he would neuer by his prophets forewarne vs by a writ hee might vse the whole host of the creatures to execute his vengeance euery houre but hee deales more mercifully with vs if we confesse our sinnes 6 Naturally we be all slowe to confesse our sinnes we cast short reckoning on our owne faults Adam said I haue not sinned Lord hee lesseneth his sinne in conceit saying The woman gaue it me and I did eate Iob seemeth to make an apologie as being vnworthy of such a punishment But wee must learne that a sinner the more hee doth extenuate and hide sinne the more he doth aggrauate sinne and hasten iudgement the more freely he doth confesse and iudge himselfe the more he is freed from Gods seate of iustice Pro. 28. 13. 2. Cor. 11. 31. 32. CHAP. XV. Of Conscience LOoke how is our Conscience so is our confidence it is a tender peece we must
wisedome personage or blood that he shall think it a disgrace to consecrate all his life to the ministery of the Gospell Can flesh puffe vp it selfe so farre aboue the Saints aboue the Angels aboue the Lord himselfe or if he doe shall he not be rewarded Yes surely for if the Lord would keepe silence the very creatures themselues would be reuenged of him 7 We must desire that which is truely good for there are many kindes of good There is Isachars good Genes chap. 49. Isachar an Asse of great bones couching downe betweene two burthens saâ—e that which was good and was content to beare Howsoeuer many big-boned Asses lay them downe betweene a paire of burthens for ease hastning onely to auoy de the burthen and the heate of the day There is Demetrius his good the siluer-smith Sirs yee know that by this craft we haue our goods For we know that the labour is nothing so great now as it hath beene and that in these daies a clusâ—er of the common or ciuill lawe is worth an whole vintage of diuinitie There is Balaacks good Numb chap. 22. I purpose to doe thee good to promote thee There is Peters good Be good to your selfe â—or we knowe if he dare say to the King thou art impious he may carrie Iohn Baptists reward for his labour and send his head for a second course And yet there is a better good For we must not saith Syracid Aske of a woman touching whom she is â—ealous nor of an ambitious man touching thankefulnesse nor of anâ—ireling for the finishing of â— worke nor of the men of the world touching the things pertaining to God for the world is a great fauourer of the heresie of the Libertines and if we fall to counsell with flesh and blood we may doe to the booke of God as Ieconiah did to the Prophecie of Ieremiah cutte it in peeces with a pen-knife and cast it into the fire for the wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with God 1 Cor. 1. 8 Whatsoeuer is written for vs it is written and if it be written for vs and for our sakes Let me heare saith Dauid what the Lord will say concerning me and so we must attend to heare the Lord what he will say concerning vs. As for me although I doe but sitte and mend my nettes and haue no part nor fellowship in this businesse being vnworthie to be matriculated into the high calling of the Ministerie yet feeling my soule hath chosen the tabernacle of the Lord for his portion and seeing the day may come that I may keepe a doore in the same as the Lord liueth before whom I speake he knoweth that in his feare I speake to this end that by mine owne mouth I may be stirred vp to prepare my selfe to this calling and that all you as Augustine said in his case when it was as mine is now hearing what my desire and purpose is may pray to God for me that I may haue power and strength giuen me to performe it 9 In prouiding for the Ministerie good men would be preferred God can doe much they say he may make them able It is like Saunders argument God is omnipotent Ergo there is transubstantiation Nay he hath enabled diuers well In the wildernesse when meate could not be gotten he rained quailes but in Canaan when they were in case to prouide for themselues that prouision ceased Many simple men at the first comming of the Gospell were stirred vp when the Vniuersities were the greatest enemies of his truth but now when he hath restored to vs the plentie of Canaan we must know that the date of that extraordinarie calling in our daies is expired Yet he may doe well True he that casteth blindfold may hit the marke but yet no wise man will lay any wager on his head If I might see a fierie tongue sit on his head I would say somewhat After his receiuing vp into glorie wheÌ„ he ascended vp on high then he gaue gifts vnto men such gifts as on their Coronation daies Kings are wont in great abundance to scatter among the people The Conduits ranne with wine and all the cocks with rose water and his Missilia new coyne of gold siluer by handfuls were throwne amongst them Such were the gifts of tongues prophecying healing all knowledge and other graces Now although he giue vs all things liberally yet he coÌ„tinued not his largesse daily as at his inauguration We must not looke alwaies to haue the like MAN for gathering it vp but returne to our occupations and let vs remember the Lords steward must be fraught with all store new and olde fitte to entertaine the sonne and daughter of the great King of heauen Prophecying the signe of learned men Numb 11. 25. Euen poore Bezâ—â—â—l and Aâ—oliab before they could make curtaines and worke in blew silke yet for so much as it belonged to the Lords tabernacle they were filled with the Spirit of God in these mechanicall handâ—-workes Esay 6. 7. his mouth was touched with the hotte cole then sent verse 8. â—erem 1. 9 his mouth is tou ched with the Lords hand and he was bidden goe and crie chap 2. 1. of Christ this question was asked Iohn 7. 15. How knoweth this man the Scripture their testimonie is of him Ioh. 7. 46. Matth. 7. 28. he speakes with power and what this exceliencie is may appeare by his disputation with good schollers as it was likely Luke chap. 2. verse 46. by his Hebrew Ephathah whereas their vulgar speech was Syrian by his perfect and often quoting of the Scriptures and the Thalmud in discourse of the traditions of Corban and the other of the gold of the temple c. by Herods great expectation and questioning with him of many things Luke chap. 23. verse 9. by Sadduces and Scribes putting â—â—â—th hard questions as of the woman hauing seuen husbands of paying tribute and his stopping their mouthes and by teaching by Parables which was the learning most accounted of in these times and as yet amongst the Iewes best thought of by the desire that the Greekes had to see him which came vp to the seast Iohn chap. 12. verse 21. by the counsell of his brethren that he should get him abroad and shew himselfe to the world thought to be famous By his owne testimonie Behold a wiser than Salomon is here by Nicodemus Iohn chap. 3. verse 2. which confesseth him to be a Teacher sent from God Mâ—tth chap. 13. verse 51. The Apostles daily taught by Christ the best Schoolemaster for three who eyeere together and yet more were commaunded to tarrie and waite for the promise of the â—ather the Comforter to be sent Apollos through his learning a great helpe to the Apostles Act. chap. 18. verse 24. and 28. Paul was brought vp at the feete of Gamâ—lâ—â—l a perâ—â—ct Pharisie Act. chap. 21. vers 3. an expouÌ„der of the law though
qualitie of a sinner Sinnes are made so much the higher greater the more that a man is bound vnto equitie for the more and greater benefits he hath receiued of God so much the more is he bound to doe his will Thirdly it is waighed and noted in the qualitie of the matter whereabout the sinne is committed for a sinne against mans person or name is greater than against his substance or goods but those sinnes are most grieuous which are directly done against God which doe impeach and touch his Maiestie so neerely piercing him as it were to the quicke as distrust despaire blasphemie idolatrie c. Fourthly sinnes measured by meanes of the end which the sinner bendeth to for the worse that the intent or purpose of the sinner is the more grieuous is his sin Fiftly circumstances are to be respected of time and place Sixtly of the very deformitie of sin it selfe according to it selfe the which is alwaies so much the greater and more loathsome as the vertue is more excellent and worthie which is contrarie to it whereupon as the loue of God is the highest vertue so on the contrarie part the hatred of God is the greatest vice S. Gregorie saith A vile and stinking carrion is more tolerable to mans sent than a sinfull soule vnto God So then if we feare and be vnwilling to appeare vile filthie and detestable before the holy and most worthie Maiestie of God and if we abhorre that the countenance of our Creator should be turned from vs let vs then auoide sinne with all carefulnes and pure affection within and without for no deformitie can so disfigure vs in mans eye as the reasonable soule by sinne is deformed and made vile and hatefull in the eyes of God and before his sight for by sinne the soule of man is made like the diuell himselfe 16 Euill doers shunne the light what they cannot auoide they endeuour to conceale they do things they shame to heare of they walke disorderly and thinke to shroud themselues in the cloudes That which the feare of God cannot cause thē wholy to auoid that the shame of men enforceth them to conuey frō the eyes of the world So sin is ashamed of it selfe and sheweth that God had naturally implanted in all a sentence and condemnation against sin which though we commit yet committing it we condemne it and because we condemne it in our selues we conceale it from others Yet many haue so depriued themselues of this naturall remorse they open the face of sinne to the view of all men let a man shut his eyes neuer so close How earnest was Athanasius with the Emperour sharply to correct the Pastors in his time going from their flock If for the reuerence of their persone saith that good man thou wilt not constraine them to dwell with their flockes suffer me to auoide them out of thy gouernment and if God aske me a reason why I do so I will shew it him And yet these sins being written in the open foreheads of many in this land how many doe pull downe their hearts one whit the more for it Thus to walke in sinne without shame at all is it marueile if the godly bewaile to see it If there were but one vniust man iniquitie for this one mans sinne were lamentable much more when whole families when whole streetes nay when whole townes and cities are such the case is to be lamented And be it that generally the common sort of men be so ill inclined yet so long as the Ministers be vnpolluted with blood there is hope the rest may be recouered but if they be as a theefe that laies waite for his pray And liuing not onely of but from the altar work euill in the eyes of the people what then can be hoped for Yet hope of better is not only cut off if those that be in authoritie correct both the one and the other and censure both people and Pastors But if a state be so ruinous that they do the greatest wrongs which sit in the highest roomes when iniquitie authoritie kisse each other when the workers of iniquitie will not be controlled and cannot be corrected then it is a time of mourning and lamentation If the Prophets in their daies did bewaile such things what should we doe whom God hath cast into such daies wherein we see the bookes had and read wherein iniquitie is prescribed As for swearing and prophanenesse these are the sins of poore men they that will beare a top in the world must now think oppression and adulterie be things indifferent so far are the precepts of iniquitie spread euen in our highest places This thou feest O Lord and canst thou suffer it that what thou condemnest for a crime we should account it vertue When such things are among vs and suffered and practised in stead of harmonious songs the musicke of Ierusalem should be to lament Otherwise it will bring those times when it will be our greatest mishap that euer we haue been happie so much our present sorrowes shall be augmented by our by past ioyes Then it will be time to burne our Crowne to ashes when for these abominations we that seemed as Gods shall be trampled vnder foote as dung when the Nobles that are as the purest gold become to be as earthen vessels when our Ministers that were honorable shall become contemptible when the Babylonians shall drink in our holy and honourable vessels of Gods worship Oh that this could teach vs wisedome to make the bowels of the poore the coffers of our treasures Yet herein is not all our sinnes deserue a greater scourge Our children for whom we would not promise an heauenly inheritance shall wallow in their owne blood before our faces when that comes to passe though thy childe be deare yet remember that he should not haue been so deare to thee as he that shed his blood both for him and thee And yet beyond all this our ground shall be burnt to the ground our vines shall drie our trees shall be eaten vp with fire our pastures scorched as an heath our sumptuous buildings shall be ruinous houses our fields shall be like vnto the paued allies and our cities shall be as a plowed field the enemie shall finde a Paradise and shall leaue vs a wildernesse But you will say what is all this to vs as yet I answere if the least of the Saints which be precious stones in the Lords Sanctuarie be better than all buildings in the world who can think of our spiritual vastation and not to haue his countenance sad with the remembrance therof Hath not the Lord euen in our daies and in our eyes puld off the bark from euery pleasant tree how hath he made it bare is there one branch which the enemy hath not made white How do the heards pine away how do the flocks perish That which the Paliner-worme hath left
the Canker-worme hath eaten that which the Canker-worme hath left the Caterpiller hath eaten they haue spoyled the Church from hand to hand Wherefore it behoueth those places that haue so cast the Lord out to labour the haruest may be recouered and that the branches be new planted that the holds cast down may be reedified and that the vines decaied may be repaired For want whereof euerie priuate mans field being as a garden and euerie mans garden being as a Paradise the Lords garden whether for want of manuring or for the sleeping of the dressers I know not lyeth like the field of the sluggish man and his vineyard like the vineyard of one that is idle And where euery house is curiously sieled euery citie aptly compacted the house of the Lord whether for that the spirituall workmen are confounded among themselues or the ouerseers of the worke be willingly corrupted lieth void waste in many places so that they that see it are constrained to say O Lord why doest thou behold vs thus and sufferest to see such vastation Neither yet shall the voyce of the enemie crying in the day of reuenge race it race it downe to the ground strike vs with such a terror as when violence shall come vpon vs our wiues our children without all respect of age and estate It is not possible that we in our great securitie should cōceiue a shadow of that inexplicable griefe which shall follow that persecuting plague hastning towards vs when the carkases of our friends shall make a way and be as a path in our streets when our women shall villainously be abused in the Lords Sion the children put to the edge of the sword the Princes hanged vp by the hands no sparing shall be of sexe or of age and besides so outragious a rage when our foes shall come to tread as holy ground where the glorie of God his house should strike them stone dead when their sword should be abashed and lose it glittering when it should see the Maiestie of the Lord in his Ministers and Preachers This is a matter of griefe and indignation for the harmelesse blood powred out by the king of Babel on the ground being compared to the blood of the Saints shed by the Pope it would be but as a spoonfull in respect of the Sea When this moodie Tigre comes he will pretend that he rootes out heresie but then why doth he suck the blood of infants who are not capable of heresie Well if this be his intent to roote out heresie is the sword a fit instrument to do it Paul and Peter and the rest of that blessed colledge and Christ himselfe put many notable heretikes to silence by the force of reason and not by dint of sword Was it Christ his meaning that the successor of Peter should draw out his sword when Peter himselfe was bidden to put it vp And yet this royall Priest and Bishop generally will drowne the Church in her own blood And do we not see how the guides Pastors and ouerseers of the Church are driuen out of sundry places where this Bishop hath set his foote whose harts could haue bene better contented at once to haue sealed their doctrine with their blood than to be separated from them to whose soules they had deuoted themselues An heauie farewell no doubt they took of their congregations when as we reade of some who filled their high waies with their beasts laid their children at the feet of the Pastors whē they departed from them crying vnto them What shall be our estate now ye are gone to martyrdome Who shall wash our children in the cristall waters of Baptisme Who shall ease our afflicted consciences when the aduersary shal accuse vs Who shall leade vs the way of life and bring our soules to rest Recompence them O Lord as they haue deserued that are the cause of this O Lord giue them sad harts So heauy a crosse will it be to see an irremediable desolatiō of holy things we know not yet the bitternes of this cup yet we haue them amōg vs which haue tasted it whom let vs entertaine with Ioseph with teares of mercie and let vs in their suites say to the Lord they haue beholden miserie O Lord cause them to behold the light of thy louing countenance for their reliefe comfort So be it 17 It is the great iudgement of God vpon the corrupt iudgement of the world that vnlesse sinne be prodigious and monstrous such as goe round about the world we are not mooued with it When we admonish other sinnes of iesting and such like forsooth we must smile when we doe so and we must laugh vpon them least we moue choler and giue offence Well for all sinne in equall measure and for the least of all sinnes Christ Iesus the Sonne of God was faine to shed his precious blood Howsoeuer sinne seemeth little to vs in committing it was very great to Christ in suffering for it They be small sins to vs which are vsuall to all but if they were not vsuall they would seeme prodigious 18 All the senses especially the eyes as they are most singular instruments to receiue good things by if they by Gods spirit be directed so if they be not well ordered do bring greatest euils and therefore Dauid prayeth that his eyes might be guided aright and Iob maketh a couenant with his eyes vnder which the other parts are included as also when Dauid maketh a couenant with his mouth Ioseph his mistresse first offended in looking without a cause for the wantonnesse of vaine lookes bewray the corruption of the heart we must then striue to haue a lawfull cause of all our doings that so we may be assured of Gods prouidence to watch ouer vs least if any harme happen vnto vs we be the iust occasion thereof Secondly she offended in not keeping a measure for whosoeuer seeth his owne corruptions truely will be afraid of the very appearance of euill as Iob although he was neuer adulterer yet priuie to his corruption he made a couenant with his eyes Iosephs mistresse spake to him day by day and he refuseth she abideth stil in her euill purpose but he still refuseth her and here is the difference betweene Gods children and the wicked the one continueth still in wickednesse and would haue all others such the other perseuere in godlinesse and would bring all men to the same she was conuinced of her fault and yet sorrowed not but continued Where note the oftner sinne the lesse griefe a note of the children of the diuell But contrarily the oftner sinne the more griefe a note of the child of God Ioseph was young about thirtie foure yeeres and yet chast contrarie to those that say fornication is but a tricke of youth Ioseph was entised and yet yeelded not a signe of a pure heart for although temptations be offered of those yet it proceedeth of our corruption
How natural men measure others by theÌ„selues 2 3 Deut. 28. Leuit. 26. Prou. â—8 To feare meÌ„ Feare the remedie of it A hardened heart a greater plague than any of the plagues of Aegypt Psal. 119. Gen. 41. 56. 2. Pet. 3. 1â— Psal. 77. If we applie we must applie to the heart Mark 6. Heresie Note In what thiÌ„g and how far the diuel may be saiâ— to be strong Omnia facit diabolus non tam potentia sua quà m negligentia nostra Simile Examples see before Therâ— bee foure speciall companions of sinne 1. Ignorance 2. Errour 3. Worldlinesse 4. Hypocrisie Of many corrupt kiâ—dâ— of knowledg what is the right knowledge 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 Example 4 PreseueraÌ„ce Note Knowledge Conferre Zach. 12. 10. Ioel. 2. 28. with Esay 2. Cor. 4. 3. 4. The diuel pestereth the Church with ill teachers and blinde guides The flocke of Christ is bought with Christs blood See death and iudgement Micah 6. 1. Esai 1. 1. The Lord is iust when he doth iudge How God is an accuser and an acquiter The promises or threatnings of Israel appertaine to vs. Sorrow Mirth Melancholy Chairein ano charas bios ou bios To adde drunkennes to thirst Vers. 19 Non noti sumus ad ludâ— 1 2 3 4 The second kinde of ioyes Pettiâ— ioyes Bitter sweet ioyes Seeming ioyes A mouldie soule and a drie heart Simile 1. Aischrótes â— Morologia Eutraâ—eleia Si pudeat audire pudeat diceâ—e 1 áâ—â—gos 2 EucharistiaÌ„ Tauerne-mirth It is his Catastrophe 3 Ducunt in bonis dies suos to puncto temporisibunt in infernum 4 quum debes assistere iudicio quomodo sic rides Take no pleasure in pleasure How far wee may reioyce Note well YouÌ„g age is a daÌ„gerous age We may vse pleasure but with restraiÌ„t Affections Verecunda initia suntomnis peccati Wantonnesse ends in wickednesse Iniurie Helpe Reuenge OffeÌ„ces small sinnes Matth. 5. Num. 20. How far controuersies are permitted in the Church oâ— God Fiaâ— pax as fiat lux Wherefore controuersies and heresies be in the Church 1 2 3 Truth and peace goe together * See chap. 71. Flabellum Sedition In dissention what we must obserue 1 2 3 4 5 Vtilius scandâ—lum nascitr quà m veritas deseritur We will either doe as we list or not doe any thing at all Of giuing voyces in ciuill or Ecclesiasticall assemblies Who they be that preuent and what it is to preuent others Anger What iniuries are to be borne To win with loue Worldlings know not the God of prouidence Simile Iudgement Iudging Learne wisely to consider of Gods works Of folly diuers kinds 1 2 3 Praestat nasci iumentum quam comparâ—r â—umeâ—tâ— Iudging and reprouing Against Libertines We are too censorious in the sinne of other and too remisse in our owne Enuie wheÌ„ it dispraiseth ana flattery when it praiseth must bee â—ad in ieaâ—ousie The best kind of praise is not in word but in deede to commend Lauda vt videam How wee ought to seeke God and how many seeke him peruersly 1. Sam. 19. 18. Schooles The Diuels sophistrie disioyneth things conioyned by the Lord. Pleasures The wisdome of God is apparent in all the â—â—rd and yet in some place more then in aenother Diáphthalma It is a foolâ— choise to chuse earthlâ— things before and rather then heauenâ—â— things to make God the last least part in our desires Caelarum Argeâ—â—um Priùs plus Couetousnes in the ministerie Riches haue two endes 1. Either to leaue thee 2. or thou shalt leaue them Obiection of the multitude against knowledge answered Howsoeuer oâ—r fathers were mercifull iust c. yet they were guiltie of ignorance and the people of our time contrary want mercie and iustice 1. King 13. 5. 6 His hand was dried vp and restored to him againe Signes which drawe men from the true God and his word 2. Thess. 2. 10. 11. Manna miraculous Manna Meanes to keepe vs from sinne Confer Exod. 11. 21. with Deut. 1. 13. 1 Magistrates must bee men of wisedome How wisdom prouideÌ„ce differ 2 Magistrates must be prudent men 3 The Magistrate must be a man of a good heart courage 4 The Magistrate must be a man fearing God The Magistrate must be one that to â—â—â— to deâ—â—â— truely and to walke vprightly The Magistrate may not respect persons 6 The Magistrate must hate filthy gaine The differeÌ„ce between oppression and extortioÌ„ Gifts 7 The Magistrate must be a man well knowne and well reported of Vse of the former doctrine The Magistrate must temper loue mercie and iustice together Discipline The Magistrate is specially to care for Gods glorie and the safetie of Gods people Psalm 16. 3. Contempt of Magistrates Note The sinnes of the people imputed to the Magistrates and Ministers Affections agreeing in good things Chosen in mariage 1. Pet. 3. â— 7. How far the husband is to honour his wife 2. Sam. 6. Iob. 2. God giues the blessing of holy marriage to make men more seruiceable vnto him The subiection of the wife to the husbaÌ„d how God requireth it 1. Pet 3. 1. 2. 3 The loue of the wise to the husband Wiues must helpe their husbands in Gods affaires 1. Cor. 7. 3. 4. â— A good lesson for all Consent of parents Not to tie God to one meane for the breeding and increase of faith What to breake in our Ministerie Simile To pray for the Ministerie Not to offend a godly Minister Tit. 1. 11. 12. 13. Ioh. 16. The Minister must reproue sinnes sharpely The weightie caâ—ing of the Ministerie requireth a wary entring into so high a dignitie Advtrumque paâ— ati Semel constituendum diù deliberandum A good admonition to such as purpose to enter the great calling of the ministerie Attendite vobis In matters of great wisdom Christ vseth both grauitie wisdom to make vs more diligent in hearing which also teacheth vs the right kinde of hearing Acroasâ—e How dull maÌ„ is in hearing the Word The hearing of the heart 42. Hom. in IohanneÌ„ Capit capitur Sermones Dei si caniuntu 1 capiunt How wee are to deale with allegories Of the high dignity of the Ministerie and of the great indignitie which some put vpon it Preachers must bee prepared for trouble If wee will profes Christ wee must beare the cros of Christ thoughâ— bee an heauie yoke to flesh and blood What thoughts Sathan doth suggest into men to dislike their callings Outreaching raging coÌ„mendations must learne modestie and measure of the holy Ghost A description of God his worke Light Darknes A pithie praise of the calling of the Ministerie Labralactucas The sacriledge of our time in Church robberies oh that the learned wold more preach it and write against it Psalm 42. Ecclesiastes Heb. 1. ver last Diuers kinds of good Speake pleasing things and serue the time A modest preoccupatioÌ„ in speaking of the Ministerie What care to be had in admitting any to the calling of the Ministery *