our end if we haue a generall intent though we faile in some God iudgeth the lesse by the greater Thirdly if we be willing to lose in sundrie cases our goods and all we haue rather than displease God Fourthly God accepteth for continuance if we striue to continue if we fall yet seldome and rise quickly and runne more swiftly In respect of our neighbour God accepteth vs if we keepe our vocation till for the further benefit of the Church we be called for Secondly if we be readie to commend good things in others as well as in our selues and for that no man can be wholy loued euery one hauing many euill things in himselfe if when and where sinne ceaseth our hatred also cease and that we be readie also to giue him our helping hand to pull him out In the courts of men we may say boldly some men are iust of whom the Scripture saith they were iust in their generation when they with whom they liued had nothing to lay to their charge and if they write a booke against them they might as Iob saith carie it on their foreheads And God iudgeth now by Christ and he is the Mediatour 6 Faith teacheth vs to iudge of things not according to the shew but according to the end for it seeth what kinde of pleasure bringeth sorrow and what kinde of sorrow bringeth ioy in the end If Moses hauing the word in Aegypt but by traditions yet had a cleere iudgement of things by faith how much more ought we to striue to this end which haue the word cleerely reuealed vnto vs 7 In persecution it is the chiefest grace of faith to suffer death for the truth if neede require but if we cannot attaine to this yet to forsake all that we haue and to flie rather than to communicate with the wicked Idolaters and to dwell with false worshippers yeeldes a good testimonie of a true faith For so Christ and his Apostles did yet some may better flie than others 8 Euery faith is not a iustifying faith but that which continueth in temptation and bringeth fruite in patience Wherefore let none presume on his faith till he see it tried by temptation 9 Moses had a weake faith yet was he carefull to be strengthened and therefore fled to the Lord for succour So must we in all our doings and troubles repayre vnto the Lord by prayers so that we come in reuerence keeping measure willing to be satisfied and trusting in the grace which the Lord giueth vs. 10 By faith we haue the right vse of Gods blessings and by vnbeleefe we are depriued of the benefite of them yea they are often turned to our hurt if wee obserue not the rules that God hath giuen Desire we then to haue the pure vse of Gods blessings let vs by â—aith receiue them set our hearts vpon God that gaue them not seeking our owne praise applying them to the benefit of our brethren If we haue this testimonie when we want them we shall haue ioy because we vsed them well whiles we had them But if we be in want and then remember we had them before and our consciences tell vs that we haue abused them this will depriue vs of all comfort and increase our sorrow 11 The more familiarly God commeth neere vs the more we goe from him It is the great mercie of God to see by faith the inward and spirituall blessings of Gods elect and by faith to see the secret curse of God in the wicked 12 The forgetting of the worke of God either in our selues or in others is the decay of faith 13 If God watch ouer vs when we sleepe in vnbeleefe much more will he doe it when we wake in faith 14 He that beleeueth in many meanes will also beleeue without meanes Gods benefits are as vailes betweene him and vs. 15 The children of God may aske of the Lord their doubts so that they obserue first that we hold our selues within the compasse of Gods truth which we must doe generally though we cannot see a particular thing by reason Secondly that we come to aske with reuerence and feare Thirdly that we doe not so much dispute with God as powre out our supplications before him Fourthly that we be willing to be resolued and not willing to continue in nor nourish a doubt in vs. Fiftly neither must we looke for miracles but be content that the Lord will giue vs by his word the certaintie of his most holy will 16 There are three things whereby we may knowe whether we be in the right way or no and they bee precious and deere in the sight of them that haue a care to please God The first is their grosse temptations for many trusting to good talke good edâ—cation good companie and thinking themselues well setled are content to rest in these meanes and trauell not to see their inward corruptions and priuie temptations which if they be burthensome vnto vs and make vs as it were sicke to carrie them it is a good token The second thing is by marking our affections if we loue nothing so much as the fauour of God feare nothing so much as the losse of it hauing found it if we carefully keepe it and hauing lost it if wee bee neuer quiet till wee recouer it being content to want all things to haue it not staying in the possession of all things if we want it this is a good signe for it is good to knowe the state of our affections because looke where willingly they rise and rest there is our state to be seene Thirdly we may comfort our selues if we feare God in prosperitie as well as in aduersitie and loue God in aduersitie as well as in prosperitie For euerie man can feare him vnder the crosse as Pharaoh Saul and Balaam and euerie man can praise God in abundance as who praised him more than Iobs wife in prosperitie 17 As a mans desire to any thing groweth or decreaseth so doth his endeuour and labour for the meanes If thy desire be strong then shall not light occasions withdraw thee from the meanes but it must be a violent occasion and let that shall stop the passage of thine endeuour and seeking after the meanes This may be a rule to measure thy selfe by and to examine thy proceeding in Christianitie If thy desire to the word of God be but weake then is thy care and trauaile but small but if thy desire be doubled then it becomes loue which putteth out of vs a vehement and carefull trauaile and seeking after it and of auoyding the contrarie meanes that may withdraw thee from it or quench thy desire None can hunger but hee that feeleth himselfe emptie no maruaile then if hee haue no hunger which feeleth not his owne wants seeing that feeling is the fountaine of hunger as if our feeling be of sinne then our hunger is after righteousnes and holines For
yet we may eate the fatnes of meate which was forbidden them And so in all the commandements the morall obseruation belongeth to vs as well as to them the ceremoniall keeping to them and not to vs. And the same we conclude of this place concerning the fire making on this day Out of the new Testament they also gather two reasons First they say it is not mentioned nor vrged so much in the new Testament as are the other precepts I an answere this is no good reason but is rather to be returned to the Anabaptists who reason that the iudiciall lawes are not to be vsed because they are not vrged Nay rather looke what the holie Ghost hath set downe more sparingly in the old Testament he hath more fully plainly supplied it in the new Testament and what thing the law containeth more fully that the Gospell handleth more sparingly because the Lord in his heauenly wisedome would not trouble vs much with one thing But we know it is named Matth. 12. and 24. Mar. 2. Iohn 5. Act. 20. 1. Cor. 16 and 16. Reuelat. â— The second argument is this The Apostles changed the day which say these men they neuer would haue done had it been morall I answere it was neuer commanded nor appointed what one certaine day should be kept among seuen but that there should be obserued a seuenth day which being kept it is sufficient and the law remaineth vnuiolated And yet we permit not that any man at his pleasure should now change this day For that which the Apostles did they did not as priuate men but as men guided by the spirite of God they did it for the auoyding of superstition wherewith the Iewes had infected it Againe as the Iewes vsed the other day which is the last day of the weeke because it was the day wherein the Lord made all things perfect so the Apostles changed it into the day of Christ his resurrection who was the beginner of the new world on which day we receiued a more full fruite and possession of all the benefits in Christ his conception birth life and death Besides this was the first day of the creating of the world wherein the Lord drew light out of darknes Lastly the holy Ghost is said on this day to come downe vpon the holy Apostles So that this day doth fitly put vs in minde of our creation to be thankfull to God the Father of our redemption to be thankfull to God the Sonne and of our sanctification to be thankfull to God the holie Ghost Now if any can alleadge more effectuall or equall reasons vnto these hee may alter the day so it be with the consent of the Church Wherefore the equitie of the law remaining it is not abrogated Circumcision as we haue shewed is considered two manner of wayes either as the seale of Faith Rom. 4. or as a signe of that circumcision which wee haue in Christ made without hands In this manner considered it is ceased as it is a seale of Faith it remaineth not the same in forme and manner but the same in effect For although wee haue not the same helpe of our Faith yet we haue a helpe The Iewes had Sacraments moe in number but we more excellent in signification Though we haue not many SacrameÌ„ts and holy-dayes yet wee haue two Sacraments and one day more effectuall than all they were which the Iewes had We see therefore in truth no reason as yet why we should not obserue the Sabbath as Morall Thus hauing confirmed the doctrine of the Sabbath by the holy Scriptures and proued that there is a morall vse of the same as well for vs as for the Iewes and hauing answered all the contrarie objections that might seeme to make against this doctrine it followeth now according to our first diuision that wee should speake of the obseruation of the Sabbath it selfe shewing how it is kept and wherein it is broken For both these are expressed in the Commaundement wherein is set downe the affirmatiue to teach how to keepe it and the negatiue to shew how we breake it First then we will shew how the Sabbath ought to be kept then afterward we will declare how it is broken Where it is said in the beginning of the precept Remember to keepe holic and in the ende thereof the Lord hallowed the Sabbath so that it is not simply said Remember to keepe but to keepe holy neither is it simply mentioned that the Lord left the seuenth day but blessed the seuenth day hallowed it Hereby is insinuated vnto vs that in this day we should grow in loue towards God tender affection to our brethren wee are taught that then wee keepe the Sabbath aright when we vse it to that ende for which it was ordained that is when we vse in it as we haue before shewed thâ—se exercises whereby we may be the more sanctified and God the more glorified both on this in the other dayes of the weeke These exercises be such as are either priuate or publike The publike exercises are twice at the least to bee vsed euery Sabbath and they bee these First the word read and preached then prayers feruently made with thanksgiuing singing of Psalmes reuerend administration of the Sacraments And first for reading and preaching of the word wee reade Nehem. 8. 8. And they read in the booke of the Law of God distinctly and gaue the sense and caused them to vnderstand the reading Also wee may see this in the practise of the Apostles Act. 13. vers 15. And after the lectures of the Lawe and Prophets the rulers of the Synagogue sent vnto them saying Yee men and brethren if ye haue any word of exhortation for the people say on And as the Ministers did reade and preach the word so it was the practise of the Church to heare as Eccles. 4. vers 17. Take heede to thy foote when thou entrest into the house of God and bee more neere to heare than to giue the sacrifice of fooles And it is saide Nehem. 8. 3. The eares of all the people hearkened vnto the booke of the Law And concerning praying thanksgiuing singing the Prophet of God vseth a vehemeÌ„t exhortation to the Church Psal. 92. 1. Come saith he let vs reioyce vnto the Lord let vs sing aloude to the rocke of our saluation 2. Let vs come before his face with praise let vs sing aloude vnto him with Psalmes And Psal. 65. 1. O God praise waiteth for thee in Sion c. Now for the Sacraments generally we are to marke that as in the time of the law the sacrifices were most vsed on the Sabbath day so our SacrameÌ„ts succeeding the sacrifices are then most to be frequented As for the supper of the Lord it appeareth Act. 18. 1. Cor. 11. as it seemeth that it was administred euery Lords day although now adaies the ministers may
not so doe for the great ignorance carnall securitie of people For the administration of Baptisme although there be no expresse places of the scriptures shewing the practise of it on this day yet there are many good reasons agreeable to the word which will proue the same First we know Circumcision was vsed on that day therefore Baptisme which is come into the place of Circumcision is to be vsed on the Sabbath day Againe Baptisme is a publike action of faith wherby a member is to be receiued into the Church and therefore the prayers of the whole congregation ought to be made for it all must be hereby put in minde of the benefits which they haue reaped by Baptisme and so make a double profit of their presence hereat Now seeing old and young men women masters and seruants fathers and children cannot so generally conueniently meet on the weeke daies by reason of their callings as they can on the Lords day their busines set apart it seemeth by good reason that the Sabbath is the fittest day for this Sacrament Againe if the Lord in his infinite wisedome and goodnes commanded Circumcision to be vsed on the eight day both for the auoyding of superstition if any tied the grace of God to the outward signe as also for a sufficient time wherin the children might gather some strength to the cutting off of their flesh why were it not a thing requisite that Baptisme should be deferred to the Lords day both for the remouing of their superstitious opinion who think the childrē dying vnbaptized to be but damned and also for the better enabling of the child to be dipped in the water according to the ancient maner and pure nature of Baptisme Wherefore for these causes Baptisme cannot be denied to be a publike dutie of the Sabbath Cōcerning priuate exercises on the Sabbath they are either going before the publike or following after or comming betweene The duties going before are either in examining our selues or stirring vp of our selues The examination of our selues consisteth partly in surueying our estate past and partly in considering of our present condition in surueying our estate past we are to call to minde either what sinnes the weeke before we haue committed to the more humbling of our selues in prayer or we must remēber what graces of God in our soules what benefits of God on our selues or in our friends we haue receiued to the better prouoking of our selues to thanksgiuing in considering of our present condition we are to examine how we stand affected whatmeasure of faith repentance and godlines is in vs if there be any special want or occasion of publike prayer we must craue the prayer of the Pastor and congregation if any peculiar cause of a solemne thanksgiuing be offered we must giue the Preacher and people word of it as also if there be occasion of some want we are to pray for the Minister that his mouth may be opened to make some happy and holy supply by the word of it How requisite this examination is our ciuill practises may declare We see worldly thriuing men if not euery day yet at the least once in the weeke they search their bookes cast their accounts conferre with their gaine their expences make euen reckonings whereby they may see whether they haue gained or whether they haue lost whether they are before hand or come short and shall not we much more if not once a day which were expedient yet once in the weeke at the least call our selues to a reckoning examining what hath gone from vs what hath come towards vs how we haue gone forward in godly proceedings or how we haue gone backward that if we haue holy increases we may giue thankes and glorie to God if we come short we must humble our selues and endeuour the weeke following to trauaile with our selues the more earnestly to recouer our former losse This examination had we are further to stirre vp our selues before we come to the publike exercises This consisteth in reading meditating and praying whereby we may prouoke a spirituall appetite the more hungerly desirously and louingly to resort to the congregation How necessarie this is the long and wofull experience of non-proficients in the schoole of Christ doth lamentably shew For what is the cause why in the prayers of the Church we so little profit What causeth the word to be of so small power with vs whereof commeth it that the Sacraments are of such slender account with vs Is it not because we draw neere to the Lord with vncatechised hearts and vncircumcised eares without prepared affections and vnschooled senses so that we come vnto and depart from the house of God with no more profit than we get at stage-plaies where delighting our eyes and eares for a while with the view of the pageants afterward we vainely depart If we at any time are to entertaine some speciall friend or stately guestes it is ciuilitie to auoide all things noysome and to procure all things handsome in our houses and shall we not thinke it Christianitie at such times as the Lord hath made speciall promise to visit vs and to become our friendly guest to purge the loathsome affections of the heart dispose our soules in some holy order for his entertainement Are we so diligent to present our selues on the Sabbath in our best attire because then we shall come before the whole congregation and shall we be negligent to attire our soules seeing we are to appeare before God and his Angels Doe we outwardly professe this day to be a more solemne time than any other day of the weeke and shall we in inward practise denie the same Wherefore in this holy preparing of our selues we are to imitate the wisedome of worldly men who hauing a suite to the Prince or some noble personage which hath not that happie successe and issue which was hoped for by and by beginne to call themselues to account to consider with themselues in what circumstance they failed whereby lesse circumspectly and lesse aduisedly they attempted their enterprise accusing themselues of folly and vnconsiderate dealing in their cause whereby a◠wofull experience teacheth them their request fell to the ground Vnto these men herein we must not be vnlike when in dealing with the Lord we profit not so much by hearing reading praying or any other publike exercise as we should neither must we sticke to reason with our selues and to contemne our selues as faultie either in omitting something to be done or committing something to be vndone before we addresse our selues to our publike duties Now that this examining and stirring vp of our selues may the better be done it is requisite contrarie to the long and loathsome practise of the most part of men that we rise earely on the Sabbath day We see young men will rise earely to resort to matiages to feastings to goe a maying to ringing
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
the secret counsel of the Lord herein we must know that neither the promise of the Lord is so vniuersall that euery particular childe of a faithfull man should be within the couenant for if of many there be but one blessed the promise is performed Yea which more is though that a faithfull man haue neuer a good childe yet if vnto the thousand generation there be but one good the couenant is not broken Neither must wee tie the Lords worke so much to man that a good man may not haue an euil sonne seeing though the Lord visit not his sinnes yet hee may visit the sinnes of some of the forefathers to the third and fourth generation going before To the second I say that an euill father hauing a good child though the Lord shew not mercie to that particular man therein yet he may remember his promise to some of the forefathers in the thousand generation going before And though that an euill man haue no cursed child yet the curse may be accomplished in the third and fourth generation following Wherefore not speaking of election or reprobation which we leaue onely to the Lord to make good or bad according to the good pleasure of his owne will I exhort parents to vse the ordinarie meanes to bring vp their childreÌ„ so as they either by some good tokens may see them the children of God and heires of the couenant or at the least be comforted in their owne consciences if the Lord refuse their children for some cause vnknowne in that to their abilitie they haue vsed all good meanes to bring them vp well and offered them to God And if parents haue cause to be grieued when thus trauailing in good education they cannot see good in their children how much more cause of griefe may they haue when they haue vsed no labour at all to bring them vp in the feare of the Lord and yet many will be grieued for the one that will not be grieued for the other Wherefore let vs learne if we will conueigh Gods blessings to our posterities to vse all holy duties thereunto and on the contrarie if we will be loath to conueigh Gods iudgements to our children let vs carefully auoide all meanes that leade vnto them And surely as it is a blessed thing in the houre of death with Simâ—on to depart in peace leauing our wife children and seruants spouses to Christ children to God and seruants to the Lord so in death no one thing will be more grieuous to a man than the Lords hauing giuen him the charge and dignitie of so many soules to be furthered to saluation that his owne tormented conscience shall presse him how in as much as he could he hath helped them forward to their damnation and so which is more fearefull he shall haue them spuing and foming out in his face continual curses in hell accusing him for euer to be the murtherer of their soules Howbeit I doe not exempt children from all blame so charging the parents as though the children were free from all guiltinesse herein for I am not ignorant that as in the time of Ezekiel so in our dayes youth is readie enough to take vp this Prouerbe The fathers haue eaten sowre grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge But I affirme that though the occasion be offered of such wicked parents yet the cause of destruction is still in the children themselues And besides that it is sure that the soule which hath sinned shall die the death Seeing also there be some yong men who notwithstanding the great prophanenes of the most the manifold corruptions offered abroade the vngodly examples abounding at home are so mightily preserued by the seede of grace that they escape safely in an holy course of life lamenting when they see the least occasion of euill reioycing in the least occasion of good things the rest who please themselues and hope to shelter their sinnes vnder their parents defaults are plainely left without excuse and are iustly guiltie of the blood of their owne soules Labour therefore ye yong men to wipe away the teares of griefe from your fathers eyes and stay the sorrowfull spirits of your tender mothers and consider with your selues if you haue any good nature in you and haue not buried the vse of common reason what a shame it is to be a shame vnto your fathers to whom ye ought to be a glorie and thinke ye wanton wits that haue not cast off all naturall affections what a contempt it is to be a contempt vnto your mother to whom ye haue offered as it were a despightfull violence in that ye are as it were a corrosiue vnto her heart when as ye should haue bin a Crowne vnto her head The end of al this briefly is thus much that parents hauing children not walking either in knowledge or in a good conscience must make some vse of so iust a cause of griefe examining themselues and accusing their owne soules before the Lord either for that their meeting was prophane to so holy an estate or brutish because they desired rather a seede like vnto themselues in flesh and blood than such as might be like to Christ by grace and new birth or that they begat their of spring as meere naturall or very carnall men or because they either prophanely neglected al educatioÌ„ or monstrously misliked that in their children which they liked in themselues and punished in them their owne corrupt precepts or for that they suffered iniuriously their children to doe euill vnto others which they could not suffer them to doe vnto themselues or vntaught that at home which was taught abroad or in that they doe lie in some sinne vnrepented of or else because they neuer made conscience to bring their posteritie within the couenant of saluation but still loued their flesh in their children not their soules And children must here also learne that it is one speciall propertie of a liberall and ingenuous nature to be carefull so to liue that in time they may bee a glorie to their fathers and a ioy to their mothers which the Lord grant to vs all for his glorie and our euerlasting comfort through Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour FINIS OF REPENTANCE AND TRVE SORROVV FOR SIN THE SEVENTH SERMON Acts 2. vers 37. 38. Now when they heard it they were pricked in their hearts and saide vnto Peter and the other Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe Then Peter saide vnto them Amend your liues and bee baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes c. IN this portion of the holy booke of God is set downe to vs an effect or rather a fruite of Peter his sermon which hee made for the answering of the slanderous reports of the Iewes at what time they sawe the wonderfull gifts of God sent downe vpon the Apostles In which Sermon the Apostle had pricked their consciences with shewing
vnto prayer 2. Secondly after that he hath studied the word of God he must come out of his study to teach and instruct his flocke to deliuer forth vnto them wholesome doctrine for the nourishment of their soules 3. Thirdly he must liue a godly life shewing himselfe an example and patterne of godlinesse for his people to imitate that the mouthes which are ready to slaunder the Gospell may be stopped and hee must watch ouer his flocke that they be not deceiued with false doctrine 4. Last of all he must not refuse to giue his life for them Concerning the first that Ministers must giue themselues diligently to reading as it is manifest in the fourth chapter of the first Epistle to Timothie where he exhorteth Timotheus with these words Till I come giue attendance to reading to exhortation and to doctrine If that reading the word of God were not very needefull yea and the first poynt of the Ministers of God this faithfull seruant of God Saint Paul would neuer haue willed Timotheus to vse such diligence therein who neuer moued anie to do those things which were not profitable and himselfe for the example of others vsed the same therefore it is certaine that Saint Paul vsing great diligence therein found such commoditie as moued him to exhort Timotheus and in him all other Ministers thereunto But if Saint Paul who was more than a Minister euen an Apostle called thereunto extraordinarily by the mouth of Iesus Christ himselfe from heauen if he I say which was placed in so high an office and called with so worthie a calling gaue himselfe diligently to reading and studying the word of God how much more ought the Ministers which haue not so excellent a calling as he had The Prophet Malachie sheweth a reason hereof The Priests lippes should preserue knowledge and the people should seeke the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hostes if the people must learne the will of God at the Ministers mouth it is requisite that he himselfe studie and reade the wâ—rd of God diligently where his holy will is reuealed that he may be able to declare the same vnto the people to the which end the Lord hath placed them ouer his people So that he must be as it were the storehouse of the Lord and the children of God must come to learne and he must minister necessarie doctrine vnto them as occasion shall be offered that all seuerall heresies may be rooted out of the peoples hearts and so be brought vnto God to serue him in true holinesse according to perfect religion hereby we may know that whosoeuer doth not thus is not the seruant of the Lord. The reading and meditating in Gods word is so necessarie that the Lord commaunded Iosua being a ciuill Magistrate That the booke of his law should neuer depart out of his mouth but that he should meditate therein day and night Noting thereby how hard and vnpossible a thing it is for Magistrates to gouerne the Common-wealth aright and orderly without continuall studie of Gods word which is the perfit and absolute rule whereby as well Magistrates as all other sorts of people must measure their affaires and order of life for this cause also must not the ciuill Magistrate be ignorant of the law of God that their ciuill law might be established according to the law morall and therefore they ought continually to reade and meditate therein but if this be the dutie of ciuill Magistrates to be alwaies conuersant in the word of God how much more is it the dutie of spirituall Pastors whose office consisteth in the ministerie thereof The Prophet Dauid in the first Psalme when he would describe who are they that are blessed includeth them in this number They that delight in the law of the Lord meditate therein day and night so that euery priuate man if he will be blessed must continually meditate in the word of God and haue his whole delight and pleasure therein The Minister therefore of necessitie must teach the people he must learne first for it is not possible for him to teach another that which he himselfe hath not learned which is a strong argument to prooue the first part concerning his studie and reading of the word which as we haue prooued to be the first point in his office so will we God willing make manifest in this point of his duty that he ought also to teach the same and must not keepe continually in his studie filling himselfe with knowledge till he become as full as a tunne that will not sound when one knocketh vpon it but he must come out of his closet and preach the word of God and deliuer forth holsome doctrine and so declare by feeding of the flocke of Christ that they loue their maister Christ whose seruants they professe themselues to be Let these deepe learned Clerkes which bragge and vaunt of such deepe knowledge and abundance of learning come forth and shew the same that we may beare record that it is so for if they be the seruants of the Lord they must not haue knowledge buried in themselues but in their lippes that Gods children may be taught thereby to attaine vnto saluation for the Lord hath ordained the preaching of his word to be the onely meanes whereby he calleth together his elect and to that ende hath he giuen gifts to men that by their labour the body of Iesus Christ might be perfited He gaue them not a talent to hide in the ground but to occupie increase the same let them be assured therefore when our King shall come to call vs to account they shal as hardly be handled for not occupying increasing it to his glory as they should if they coÌ„temptuously throw the same away The Minister therefore of Gods word must not onely be learned but must teach also for how can he be a minister of doctrine but in this respect that he teacheth executing that office of his ministry And this teaching is none other thing but to preach the word of God sincerely and purely with a care of the glory of God and a desire of the saluation of our brethren secoÌ„dly a reuerent administration of the sacraments according to the order institution of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Whosoeuer therefore shall not thus labour is not the minister of the Lord but a robber and spoiler of the people of God which thrust themselues into the ministrie to fill their belly only with the sweate of other mens browes Now as it is necessary that the Minister ouer and besides reading and studying the word must also â—each the same So hee must take heede that he obseruâ— the right order of teaching and must not deuâ—â—e doctrine of his owne head But if hee will be a good builder his foundation must be Iesus Christ for another foundation can no man lay and vpon the same he must not
our selues against all enticements whereby we might be allured to sinne either in hart or in behauiour when pleasure smileth vpon vs or filthy lucre setteth on our hearts or preferment calleth for vs c. Let this be as a buckler whereby to repell all the fiery darts of the Diuell It is a blessed thing to worke none iniquitie and what should it profit a man to winne the whole world and to loose his owne soule Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne and the preferments of Egipt for a season It was a foolish mad part of the Israelites to desire to returne into Egypt the house of their bondage that they might eate of their flesh-pots and of the leekes onions that in time past they had there enioyed but much more void of sense reason are they that wheÌ„ they haue bin once deliuered froÌ„ that spirituall seruitude wil cast theÌ„selues into thraldome againe when they haue bene puld out of the snares of the diuel wherein they were held at his pleasure will returne againe to folly intangle theÌ„selues the second time Wherefore let this put strength into vs in all conflicts that we may stand resolutely as against other assaults so against that of the example of great mighty men who vsually take their liberty in all voluptuous and licentious kinds of liuing This consideration I say should arme vs against it The Lord hath pronounced them blessed that worke none iniquitie and if I â—ee of the number of them I shall be more happy in renouncing sinne then the greatest Potentate on the earth is or can bee in committing of sinne And therefore let vs deale as Eliphaz did in the booke of Iob I haue seene the foolish well rooted saith hee and suddenly I cursed his habitation not by way of imprecation but of denunciation of Gods iudgements due vnto them for their euill workes shewing that they tooke such courses as did make them and theirs accursed and bring the vengeance of God vpon them the meditation whereof was a strong bulwarke to fence him against all temptations vnto the like sinfull and vile practises 2. This maketh for the terror of all such as doe drinke in sinne with greedinesse and giue allowance to themselues in blaspheming in Sabbath-breaking in wantonnesse in lying and slandering and scoffing and such other foule vices If they be blessed that do not worke iniquitie then cursed are they that make a common practise thereof But I hope will some say a mans heart may bee good though hee ouer-shoote himselfe by rapping out an oath now and then and by speaking foolishly and lightly c. you must not iudge say they God knoweth our hearts Hee doth so indeede and he hath made knowne vnto vs by his word that an ill tongue and an ill life doe alwayes argue an ill heart for out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and a good tree cannot bring forth such rotten fruite nor a pure Fountaine send foorth such muddie and filthy streames as doe euermore issue foorth at their prophane mouthes and are deriued from their impure consciences vnto all or to the most part of their actions Vers. 4 Thou hast commaunded to keepe thy precepts diligently THe doctrine that these wordes affoord is this that nothing is superfluous that is done in obedience to Gods holie will The word translated Diligently doth signifie in the originall tongue wonderfull much so that the wordes goe thus Thou hast commaunded to keepe thy precepts wonderfull much And this the Apostle vrgeth the Corinthians vnto Hauing such promises beloued let vs purge our selues from all fithinesse of the flesh and of the spirit that is from all manner of corruption as wel inward as outward And that was the â—rift of Christ Iesus in giuing the true interpretation of th law which the Pharisees had corrupted by their false Expositions I say this was the drift to draw men from resting on the outward obseruation thereof and to bring them to haue regard vnto their thoughts and to the affections of their hearts and moreouer in their practise to doe those things which heathen men and hypocrites could not attaine vnto and therefore he often vrgeth this sentence to shew the slâ—ndernesse and insufficiencie of their obedience What singular thing doe yee Implying that Christians must in many things bee singular and differ from and goe beyond the common sort of men If one could doe as much good as an hundred yet he could not doe the hundreth part of that which a Christian ought to performe Let him say still for it is a truth I am an vnprofitable seruant I haue done no more then my dutie nor so much as my dutie As Christ came to fulfill all that his Fathers law required so it behoueth vs to obserue euery thing that wee are commanded though not in perfection which wee cannot attaine vnto yet in vprightnesse and with our best indeuours When the Israelites told Moses that if he would goe neare and heare what the Lord saide and declare it vnto them they would heare and doe all that the Lord should say the Lord himselfe testified the equitie of their words that they had well spoken all that they spake wished that there were such an hart in them to feare him and to keepe all his commandements alway that it might goe well with them and with their children after them Whereby we are informed what is acceptable vnto God and profitable for our selues namely entire obedience for our comfortable welfare and constant obedience for our continuall happines and to the same purpose tendeth that serious instigation of Paul to the Corinthians Therefore my beloued brethren be ye stedfast vnmoueable abundant alwayes in the worke of the Lorde for as much as yee knowe that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. 1 First no vaine thing is commaunded but euery precept that he giueth is holy and euery dutie prescribed to vs is needfull to be performed he requireth nothing but that which is good and iust and who can charge vs to doe more than enough whiles we deale onely in that which is iust and good 2 Secondly the Lord desireth to be serued with all due care and faithfulnesse Can any man say I am before hand with him and I haue done more for his sake than he hath for mine doe we not receiue from him breath and being and life and liuing and preseruation and saluation it selfe and all things else 3 Thirdly our labour is not lost nor trauell mis-spent in yeelding obedience to him for he will reward it at the full and aboue all desert No man worketh for him without wages not a godly action not a godly word not a godly purpose not a godly motion of heart shall passe without pay and compensation 4 Fourthly euery default and omission of well doing at euery
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
more than the glorie of God because he did not more seuerely and more zealously rebuke his sons and in that there wanted in him that feruencie of spirit whreby he should haue cut off his sonnes from their office wherefore the hand of God did cut off his life and depriued all his posteritie of the Priesthood Although this good man was offended and grieued with the euils of his sonnes yet his coldnes in zeale brought â—pon him this plague Elias whose zeale as much pleased the Lord as the coldnes of Elie displeased him was of a feruent spirit for when the Lord asked him where he had been he answered I haue beene zealous for the Lord God of Hosts sake and when he complained that he could finde none which had not bowed vnto Baal the Lord vouchsafeth to comfort him and telleth him there be 7000. which neuer bowed their knees to him Well because he continued zealous in beating downe Idolatrie the Lord came downe visibly with a firie Chariot and fetched Eliah from earth to heauen We need not here speake of the great zeale of Moses Phinees and other of the seruants of God We see and know the cause of this loue in the man of God was the purenesse of the word We heard in the first verse that the iudgements of the Lord were righteous we haue heard in the second verse that the testimonies of the Lord contained a speciall righteousnesse wee shall heare in the sixt verse that the righteousnesse of the Lord is an euerlasting righteousnesse wee may see in the seuenth verse that it made him delight in trouble and in the eight verse that the righteousnesse of the Lord is euerlasting Wherefore doth hee this as we haue alreadie said to strengthen his Faith for after hee had said that the riuers of teares through zeale and griefe burst out of his eyes hee addeth and rehearseth these things What shall we say they are vaine repititions Nay we know the holy Ghost reproueth them Math. 6. We see then that in so oft commending the word of God the Prophet sheweth to vs our vnbeliefe which he felt so much in himselfe When do idle repetitions so much displease the Lord Surely when our tongues walke idlie and in our prayers wee speake we know not what But when a mans heart is full of sorrow and fraught with griefe of his sinnes or earnestly longeth after a thing then let vs crie Lord haue mercie vpon mee then let vs powre out our spirits say Sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me Lord I belieue helpe my vnbeliefe Thus when the heart is loth to bee ouercome of vnbeliefe and when it desireth to shewe forth his sorrow or when Gods children would exercise their Faith or feele in themselues any rare ioy which they would gladly expresse then they vse manie repetitions as wee may see both in the booke of Chronicles and the Psalmes Praise yee the Lorde because hee is good for his mercie endureth for euer where wee shall see in 26. verses this still repeated for his mercie endureth for euer What shall wee say now that here is any needlesse repetition No well we see here then that wee must not speake simplie against repetitions but in great wisedome of the Spirit because the heart of the godly cannot satisfie it selfe with Faith and feeling of Gods promises vnlesse it breaketh foorth as a fire into many speeches Hereby we know now that the man of God here expresseth his faith we are to learne that without some liuely feeling of faith of ioy or of griefe we are not to vse oft repetitions vnlesse happily they be vsed to stirre vs vp the more to these or such like So cried the woman of Canaan O Sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me and being rebuked she still cried O Sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me We would thinke it somewhat strange and as a great matter to see a poore body shoote out so many prayers at once when they speake out of the abundance of their heart which is stuffed with so many griefes and troubles Thy word saith the Prophet is proued true it hath no changeable goodnesse but hath in it an euerlasting righteousnes seruing for all ages for all persons and for all times Mens opinions faile the wisedome strength and authoritie of man in time hath an end but this Word is exceeding large and neuer hath end Thy word is proued pure Many would thinke this to be but a small commendation for the word of God but come to a man when his minde is much troubled and tell him of the word and what purenesse what comfort will he finde in it Surely he will be as one that hath no taste in it and as one that feeleth no more sweetnesse than a sicke man doth taste in a chip And notwithstanding all that the word shall doe to him he will still follow his owne waies and goe on forward in the deuices of his owne head Doe men then feele such infinite comfort in the word so much is their comfort as is their faith and so little is their faith as little is their comfort Looke into Gods children how greatly they lament their vnbeleefe looke into Dauid looke on Iob looke on the late and blessed Martyr of God Bradford who almost in all his bookes and in euery meditation complaineth of his vnbeleefe notwithstanding that he was a man so rich in the graces of God so throughly mortified to the world so stayed in faith and yet the neerer he came daily to Christ the more he stil crieth against vnbeleefe Wherefore Paul seeing this to be a common disease among all men saith This is a faithfull thing and worthie of all men to be remembred That Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners this is a faithfull saying with such like speeches which the Apostle vseth as preparatiues to stirre vp our faith The purenesse of the word is mentioned of the Prophet when after he had lamented the miserable ellate of the godly and the great decay of godlinesse he crieth out to the Lord speedily to assist his children saying Helpe Lord Psal. 12. 4 for there is not a godly man leâ—â— c. and by and by he addeth verse 6. The wordes of the Lord are pure words as the siluer tried in a furnace of earth fined seuen fold If we should imagine the purest siluer that is often tried and serueth in the court for Princes euen so pure must we beleeue the word of God to be which not seuen times alone but seuentie times seuen times hath beene tried in the fire of aduersitie and still hath remained most pure and neuer could any corruption bâ— found in it Wee haue seene good men as it were confounded and yet comforted and being tried are found to be pure The meaning of the man of God in that place is trie the word as you doe trie the purest mettals with persecution with torment with contempt or howsoeuer I
of the Gospell In thy seed shal all nations be blessed The fruit of Abrahams catechizing his sonne went out to pray Gen. 24. 37. his seruant praieth before his busines vers 12. and giueth thanks after vers 26 he refuseth to eate till he had discharged himselfe of his maisters message In the time of the lawe Deut. 6. 7. so soone as the lawe was giuen the Lord commaunded them to teach their children The practise of this we may see in Hanna deliuering Samuel to Hesi his instructor so soone as he was weaned 1. Sam. 1. in Dauid as Salomon testifieth of him Pro 4. 4. Iehoida taught the young King Iehoash 2. King 12. 2. After the captiuitie because there the Bible endeth we must giue credit to other histories 5 If we beleeue the Rabbins there were neuer in Ierusalem from Christ to Antiochâ—â— vnder 400. houses of catechizing what time also they made their decree that their children at thirteene yeeres should be put to catechizing And to this order among them may Paul seeme to haue relation Rom. 2. 18. where hee affirmeth the Iewes are catechized in the lawe Ephes 6 4 they are willed to bring them vp in instruction Paul as some thinke sometime bearing this office saith 1. Cor â— 14 that I may catechize For catechized we haue Luk. 14. Theophilus Act. 18. 25 Apollos 2 Tim 3. 15. Timothie Marke catechizing at Alexandria with great profit was commended by Philo Iudaeus as Eusebius maketh mentioÌ„ After Clemens next Origen We haue also the catechisme of Cyril Gregory Nisâ—n the bookes of Augustine of catechizing the ignorant and foure bookes de symbolo ad catechumenos Also Athanasius his Synopsis of sacred Scripture and Fulgentius de Fide ad Petrum Diaconum In the Fathers time it may be seene by the sixt canoÌ„ of the councel holdeÌ„ at Neocaesaria By the sixe seuen canons of the councel holden at Iberis in Spaine 2 councel of Braâ—caria 1. Can. 4. Tolet. Can. 24. After that is there no mention made till the time of Luther Touching the great good that the frequenting of this exercise hath done this may be added that Aegesippus saith that by the vertue of catechizing there was neuer a kingdom but receiued alteration in their heathenish Religion within 40 yeers after Christ his passion Iulian the Apostata that was thought to be the wisest enemie that euer the Church had when he went about to suppresse Religion did not vse torments but put downe schooles and all catechizing Againe when catechizing was put downe ignorance began to grow The Papists acknowledge that all the ground we haue got of them is by catechizing as it appeareth by the Popes Bull de motu propriâ— before the catechisme of the councel of Trident it is thought if euer they get ground of vs again it wil be by their more diligeÌ„t exacting of their catechizing Now why we may exact the catechisme again these reasons may serue Christ his reason to moue me to carefulnes in this Thou shalt render an account wheron we ground this rule that euery one wil heare more attentiuely that which he must repeat againe then that whereof he must giue no account Besides we are all bound to giue an account of our faith 1. Pet. 3. 15. And if we doe it before our catechist we shal be able the better to doe it before a stranger Thirdly because Christ is become not onely our Priest and King but also our Prophet and that all this is to this ende that we also may become Prophets to him our prophesie coÌ„sisting in examining the doctrin we haue heard 1 Ioh. 4. 1. in examining of our selues 2. Cor. 13 5. in admonishing our brethreÌ„ Rom. 13. 14. it is expedient specially in such an exercise to witnesse the same This also is to be exacted in regard of our Pastor or Catechist for that it is requisite the Minister should haue an assurance of his hearers profiting in particular Forasmuch as then we see by the practise of the whole Church that catechizing is a thing commanded by God we must knowe that whiles we shall be in this holy action we are doing a thing well pleasing vnto God 6 Children must be taught precept by precept line by line sometime in the catechisme to informe them sometime in histories to refresh them 7 We must not alwaies measure a man by his present affection but by his perseuering action for many more profit in the ende which angerly receiue the doctrine than they which receiue it cheerfully at the first 8 It is a foule sinne and worthie of publike reprehension publikely to reuerence the doctrine willingly and priuately to gain say it because it bewrayeth vs rather of solemnitie than of good conscience to receiue it 9 Many reiect doctrine presently as though they made no account of it who afterward will embrace it willingly and after aduisement and the working of Gods spirit receiue it thankfully 10 Moses being well brought vp could not be well drawne away neither by Aegypt nor when he went thence which appeareth also in Ioseph Daniel and his brethren This ought to moue vs to teach our children in word and action and afterward they may haue Gods blessing vpon that good beginning the want whereof causeth many men to be punished in their children 11 We must preuent hardnes of heart betimes in children by godly and discreet correction instruction Children haue oftentimes the sinnes of their parents and therefore when they chasten them they should in wisedome first consider if that it were not a sinne which they gaue them as it were which now they are about to correct and finding it so they should first be humbled in themselues and so proceede to correction with prayer in the feare of God in wisedome in loue and desire of their conuersion and with that measure as correcting their owne sinnes after a sort in their children For men begetting their children without regeneration giue a naturall propagation of their sinnes without some speciall blessing of God preuenting it and none in regeneration begetteth any with such gifts of nature as they haue by grace CHAP. XXIII Of Examples and how we must not sinne vpon example and of diuers occasions of sinne OVr plaine excuses now adaies are mosest it is a custome sic vinitur there be many others that liue so Are not our arguments now adaies such as the Eunuches 1. King 22. vnto Micheah See all the Prophets which are foure hundred speake good to the king i. as the king would haue them therefore I pray thee say thou so too This is one argument and how do ye answere it Euen as Chusa said to Absalon that hee went not with his friend because the multitude was not with him for where the multitude is euen there will I be Heere is the practise but where is a precept for it I will shew you where ye
will haue it so hee will haue the vineyard so that Naboth was a foole to dye Let vs come to the open reasons for sinne which are two Commaundement to doe the sinne or example for it commaundement from them in authoritie example from the learned for commandement you shall see it in Esay 36 Rabsakah his commandement the King saith so he bid me doe it Now if he had spoken this of Dauid as he did of Rabsakah a most wicked wretch yet had it not been enough for his warrant For if that were sufficient then were it enough to slay Amon at Absolons commaundement and as soone as the seruants shall haue taken witnesse that their master gaue them leaue or bad them they might kill Amon they might doe it and because Iesabel commandeth to slay Naboth the Elders may by this reason lawfully slay him if they bee so wise as to keepe Iezabels letters to shewe for themselues And if Plato could say that the Common-wealth is like a fish that perisheth first at the head and as a cunnies skinne that strippeth off easily vntil it come at the head there stayeth so alwayes reformation stayeth there The second argument which is example ye shall finde Ierem. 18. The Iewes being reproued of Ieremy say Come let vs imagine somewhat against him let vs smite him with the tongue Why Counsaile shall not perish from the Priests We follow them therefore we cannot erre Can my Lord Pashur not know this and shall it be reuealed to this Ieremie So in the Gospell Can Caiphas and Annas not knowe this Christ and shall we receiue him Nicodemus was learned and saide you may not condemne this man Oh say they you must looke better on your booke Caiphas he saith you are starke fooles and see nothing better it is that one die than the people perish Looke what the statutes of Omrie will affoord and Achab suffer so farre God shall bee serued but if Caesar bid me doe no more God shall haue no more At the first comming to Balaac Balaam thrice setteth down a good proposition I would wee could followe it I would not for this house full of gold doe otherwise he thought by keeping this good rule to haue beene preferred by the King But the King saith to him goe your wayes I had thought to haue preferred you and afterward for lesse than halfe a house full of gold hee willeth the King to mingle harlots with the children of Israel so to cause them to sin And this I see to be generall in men that if they presse not and guide not their affections by the word they wil carry them away 13 Euery sinne hath a small beginning First the diuell will craue of vs to yeelde him but a little but in the end he will come further Hee will and so will his champions at the first binde vs with a little corde that we may breake when we list but in the end it groweth to a rope and then we cannot breake it Moses would not yeeld for one hoofe because hee had no commaundement for it A marueilous strange fellow will he not yeeld a little what not for so little as for an hoofe why men thinke it nothing to yeeld a little de minimis non â—urat lex But a great matter is made of a little pricke and a great tree will arise of a little mustard seede CHAP. XXIIII Of Examination of our selues and of all things by their issues and how to gouerne the Eyes IF when God doth crosse vs with punishments we doe not examine the whole processe of our proceedings and imaginations wee profite not 2 Wee must search our owne hearts carefully how well soeuer others report of vs for wee may speake of our selues of knowledge when others doe speake of charitie 3 If wee will truly examine our selues then let vs set our selues before the Lord who shall and will examine quick and dead for to him wee must render a iust account and then let vs tremble and feare and so trie whether the Lord doth allow of our doing if he doe and we haue a warrant out of his word then may we haue comfort though trouble come thereof But if we cannot tremble nor cannot see our hearts and if the Lord looke not to vs to shewe vs our hearts wee haue to feare and know that our cause is not right Therefore when we will effectually performe this dutie let vs set Gods feare before vs which may subdue our affections reasons otherwise our affections will controll vs and our reason will carry away our hearts which in it hath many starting holes But if we feele that our affections are subdued and that our reason will subscribe to those things that are contrary thereto then let vs trie our worke by the word whereto if it be agreeable then will the Lord allow of it though not as perfect yet in his sonne Christ. This is the way to raise vs when we are fallen to strengthen vs when we stand and euer to maintaine the peace of our consciences 4 It is a blessed rule to learne to iudge our selues that we be not iudged of the Lord if we considering any sinne in vs then straightway by the word learne to amend it But if we doe it not then certainly the Lord will iudge either in this world or in the world to come for sinne cannot be allowed but must needes be iudged Then if we by Gods spirit bee not taught to iudge our selues and so to lament our sinnes wee cannot preuent Gods iudgement but the Lord will take the cause into his owne hands and then if we be his hee will not cease till he hath brought vs to him and if wee belong not to him then will it be corruption in our bones till it hath consumed vs. 5 Iob. chap. 21. from the seuenth vers to the fourteenth doth describe the vaine conuersation and merie liâ—es as they say of impious men Whereon an old writer saith thus O Iob thou hast well described the life of wicked men now let vs heare what is their ende whereby wee bee taught to haue a speciall respect to the end Philosophie teacheth vs to iudge of euery motion by the terme or point wherein it tendeth wee may not so much regard the way for a man may goe through a faire ciâ—â—e to execution and that is an ill motion And againe a man may goe to a feast through a blind lane and this we count a good motion It is our common prouerbe That is well which endeth well We must therefore carefully examine the end of all our wayes A man may goe for a time by the gallerie of merrie deuices but they helpe not long for the end of them is iudgment Eccles. 11. In the latter end wee shall see all vaine delights come to iudgement Now therefore let vs preuent that iudgement as we be warned by iudging our selues and the continuall
specially in the eye 4 There is in euery man since Adams fall the diuels promise fulfilled that their eyes should be opened and this as it was the first punishment so it was not the least and besides this it is an argument of follie for Salomon saith A fooles eyes are in all the corners of the world and a wise mans eyes are in his head I looked into the streetes Prouerb 7. and sawe a young man c. Looke what obiects our eyes doe see such are our actions as it is saide of Iacobs sheepe looking on the rods they brought sorth young coloured like the rods not like themselues so our actions are like the obiects of our eyes The eye goeth before and bringeth the hart after and as Salomon saith he knoweth not that there is a snare And what followeth euen that which Gregorie saith that the innocent beholding becomes nocent or hurtfull by sight and his reason is for what he beheld vnaduisedly he cannot forsake willingly and hee addeth yet another reason of this for that which pleaseth the sense best liketh vs. Here is a sensuall appetite for as where the paine is there is the hand so where our loue is fastened there our eye is fixed The eye is not satisfied with seeing what then Surely as this was the first degree of walking the heart followed the eye so is it the second degree as saith Gregorie He that vseth the outward eye negligently hath a blind eye within and it is a second consequent the heart being corrupted it doth corrupt the eye for the heart will leade the eye to seeke all manner of euill sights for it So we become such as are mentioned Numb 7. As goe after their owne eyes 3 Againe Gregorie here saith Consider what a shame it is for men to sin in that from which women are commanded to abstaine The Apostle vseth a word strange and seldome vsed in those that writ since the Apostles time it is to note the strangenes of apparell The law of nature condemneth it Augustine saith He that exceedeth the boundes of custome in outward things is a very wicked man Ezech. 23. we see the iudgement of God vpon them for looking on strange apparel Zephan 2. 1. God saith he will sit in iudgement vpon the Kings sonnes and then what shall become of the base people And thus much for the fashion now for the cost for the Apostle forbiddeth also costly or pretious apparell He that breaketh into these expences of apparell more than is beseeming his state he is a theefe There is yet a third thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must thinke that he meant by this the putting on of apparell It is that whereof a Father speaketh They pray for one minute and be an whole houre in attyring themselues And yet we haue renounced this in our Baptisme with all the vanities of the world which the sonnes of Beliall must inuent and we must practise To conclude note one thing in Saint Barnards sermon which he made vpon the celebration of S. Iohn Baptists day where he speaketh to his auditorie on this wise Whose memorie doe ye celebrate this day Is this â—one in vaine delight or shew of gay attire what is tâ—â—â— to Iohn what you would haue vs goe in Iohn Baptists coate I wish not that thou beest like him iâ— attire but yet I would not you should be flat contrarie Finally this is the accusation of Corah and his companie Numb 16. What will yee pull Gods Prophets eyes out of their heads â—o but we would haue them vsed to the glorie of God as all the members ought to be 6 The Seraphins were full of eyes betokening they see euery way some thing to glorifie God Though other men haue indulgencie for their sight yet the sonnes of the Prophets are called seers for the vse of their eyes they must needs vse them The high places were frequented of the Prophets and Patriarches that from them they might see medowes full of grasse fields full of corne riuers townes and many things to consider the greatnes and goodnes of God that beholding these they might be drawne as Dauid was into that meditation What is man and as Christ in beholding the lillies are ye not much better than they These hils had this good vse at the first but afterwards they were vsed to il practises There was not one of the Prophets that vsed not this helpe Things past and present saith one are shadowes of things to come And no doubt though they had speciall reuelation yet they vsed the view of their present estates and did in wisedome foresee many things and we if we laid wel our estates with them might be more wise to foresee things to come The Prophets had their notes wherein they did insert those actions which they sawe in their times and so they made vse of that they saw besides the reading of histories which is also lawfull and commended in Assuerus and Daniel 11. Augustine maketh two questions What went yee out into the wildernesse to see water changed into wine this yee may see and not goe thither Or went yee not to see the bush burne and not consume as you may see the water turned into wine without the desert in that the Lord bringeth it through the vine tree so this also ye may see daily great fires made to consume the Church and it perisheth not What went yee into the histories to see There are as great things saith he in our daies done for the Church by Constantine as hath been before time there are now as great abominations as strange iudgements and so sufficient in euery age to proue the Lords arme is not shortened and to confirme vs in Gods promises if al the histories in the world were burnt If we did as God keepes a bottell for our teares and a booke of remembrance for our good workes keepe an Ephemerides of the actions of our time we might say with Dauid I neuer saw the godly begging their bread I haue seene the wicked flourish and I beheld againe c. Thus we might come by good experience It is said for her commendation that she is the mistris of fooles for that she teacheth very plainly Againe howsoeuer Aristotle saith Hearing is the sense of learning and of wisedome yet the eye is the sense of certeaintie God said therefore I will go downe and see God saw saith the Scripture The wise men say in the Gospell Let vs goe to Bethlehem to see The Apostle Thomas is discommended for not beleeuing till he saw and felt and Mary is commended for her quicke beleeuing But a man compassed with infirmitie may say with Gregorius Magnus Thomas doubting hath more profited me than Maries beleeuing If we could well see we should eschue that foolish question How commeth it to passe that these daies are
some one sinne The Angels that conceiued but an opinion of pride as some write though they were almost as Gods were for it cast downe to hell Man with whom the Lord was conuersant with whom he talked and walked to whom hee gaue the Lordship and soueraigntie ouer all earthly creatures and with whom hee was familiar for eating of the forbidden fruite was cast out of Eden Moses and Aaron the mirrors and miracles of the world falling into Gods displeasure were denied to enter into the promised Canaan Dauid who was honoured with the title of being a man after Gods owne heart falling into sinne fell out of God his fauour But that which is aboue all and ought to moue any man Christ himselfe the glorie and image of his father could not escape the most bitter cup which he drunke of though he begged it three times at the hands of his Father because he became sinne for vs. And yet sinful men bold sinners and presumptuous sinners perswade themselues that they shall escape the hand of God But to leaue them and come to the other I marueile what they can challenge by workes seeing whatsoeuer they doe they are still debters and therefore no deseruers Let them therefore learne of their learned Doctors to know that they haue no merits but Christs mercies and let them say with the ancient Fathers This is our merite that wee haue no merit CHAP. LIII Of Prosperitie and Aduersitie and of Griefe and of the temptations incident to it GOd by the multitude of his benefits warneth vs and prepareth vs for some troubles and temptations to come for surely he putteth not on the armour but hee will also prouide for vs the battell 2 Now it is no great thing to fauour the Gospell because it is in fauour but to embrace it in trouble is of true loue which wee may trie if being in prosperitie wee can feele the miserie of others for if we can reioyce in the prosperitie of the Church though we be in miserie if we can be moued and grieued with the miserie of the Church though wee be in prosperitie this sheweth that our hearts are vpright and that true zeale remaineth in them 3 In prosperitie if we vse our goods to our owne ease and waxe carelesse that is vnbeleefe but if we giue God glorie and waxe more carefull this is an argument of true faith Let vs then striue against infidelitie both in prosperitie and aduersitie and trie our faith by these meanes for if God worke in vs humilitie in the abundance of his mercy it is a signe of our faith if in wants wee be disquieted it argueth infidelitie but if wee stay our selues vpon God it is faith 4 They that continue safe in prosperitie by Gods grace shal perseuere in aduersitie but I dare not warrant them safe in prosperitie who haue beene safe in aduersitie 5 The more prosperitie encreaseth to Gods children the more they feare 6 In prosperitie it is good to vse the song of Salomon and in aduersitie the lamentations of Ieremiah 7 God suffereth euill men to prosper in this world for two causes first that euery good man hauing in him some sinnes might for his few euill things haue here a temporall punishment and euery euill man hauing some good things might be rewarded with temporall benefits Secondly God often chastiseth his and suffereth the wicked that it might be seene that good men serue not God for the things of this world as Sathan reckoned by his account with Iob as also for that the Lord maketh not his bookes cleere in this life but reserueth the full and finall account vnto the last day of iudgement wherein eueriething shall be fully recompenced whether it be good or euill 8 Wee must not marueile at wicked mens successe it is no new thing Iob saw it and Dauid especially Psal. 73. Zachar. 3. the followers of Iehosua the High Priest are monstrous persons Paul doth expound it wil calling them a gazing stock And though God say hurt not mine annointed yet are they harmed Elias for speaking against Ahab and Iohn Baptist for telling Herod his sinne If Paul speake against the Idole of Diana he is a seditious fellow It was some thing no doubt that made Moses so loath to goe to Pharaoh when God sent him To consider the troubles of the godly it were enough to make Ieremiah write new bookes of Lamentations to make Dauid sit him downe by the riuers of Babel for the tower of Babel is higher than the hill of Sion Poore little Isaac must goe to slaughter while Ismael sits at home good Iacob must bee set to keepe sheepe whiles my Lord Esau rides on hunting If you looke for Ioseph you shall finde him in prison Daniel in the Lions denne and so it is true of all for the most part yet I knowe it shall be well with them that serue God 9 If we waste our strength and spend our prayers and are not answered wee suffer then some griefe in withstanding a secret sollicitation to mistrust Griefe would faine haue ease whereof it is that it laboureth alwayes to lay it selfe open and to moue pitie it feareth nothing more then to be hidden And for this cause nature hath giuen more helps to bewray this affection then any other as heauines of the countenance hanging of the forehead mouing of the eyes sighes and groanes It teacheth eloquence and maketh vs to change our speeches and so wee learne to amplifie the causes of our woe Hereof it commeth why falling vpon the obiect of griefe we are loath to depart from speaking of it we double our speeches on that Theame We know the matter of Ezeckias griefe forced his tongue to touch it twice The tongue the tongue shall praise thee c. When Christ spake words of doctrine and exhortation to Ierusalem once to name it was enough but when hee spake in an Argument of griefe then he must needes say Ierusalem Ierusalem Doe we not see how Dauid in his heauines dwelt vpon the name of Absolon Habacuc chap. 2. hee strikes twice on one string and speakes not onely to shew his minde but to satisfie his griefe 10 This griefe in it selfe is indifferent in vs good or bad according to the cause of it If God would not haue vs grieued at all why did he not frame our hearts of brasse or why were not wee hewed out of marble Indeede to be sorrowfull where we should not or to laugh where wee should weepe this beseemes not wise men much lesse Christian men to doe Simplie to be grieued is not reproueable but to be grieued out of Time measure or place is fault worthy When the light of the world began to be darkened by Eclipse when the life of the world began to goe to the shadowe of death women somwhat well affected followed him bewailing him But Christ told them these teares wasted on him