f Rom. 11.36 of him and in him and by him are all things Thirdly it is the memoriall of God vnto all ages so God himselfe cals it Exod. 3.15 the memoriall of his faithfulnesse his truth and his constancie in the performance of his promises And therefore whensoeuer in any of the Prophets God promiseth or threatneth any great matter to assure vs of the most certaine euent thereof he adds vnto it his name Iehovah So here in my text Thus sayth Iehovah Thus sayth the Lord not Thus sayth Amos but Thus saith the Lord. The Lord then is the author of this Scripture and not of this onely but also of the whole bodie of Scripture The doctrine The author of holy Scripture is neither man nor Angell nor any other creature how eminent or excellent soeuer but onely the liuing and immortall God This doctrine I haue heretofore commended vnto you in my first lecture vpon this Chapter The vses of it were three The first concerned vs whom God hath set apart to be the Preachers and expounders of the Scriptures We must handle them as the holy word of God As my Prophet here comes to Iudah so must we to you with thus saith the Lord we may not speake either the imagination of our owne braines or the vaine perswasions of our owne hearts we must sincerely preach vnto you Gods gracious word without corrupting or deprauing it A second vse concerneth you who are auditors and hearers of the word preached It is your parts to giue eare vnto it with attetion and reuerence and like the Thessalonians commended by St Paul 1 Thess 2.13 to receiue it not as the word of vs men but as it is indeed the word of God A third vse concerned the aduersaries of the truth the Papists who doe vilifie and debase the sacred Scriptures and esteeme not of them as of the word of God How shamfully they haue loaded this holy word of God with disgracefull termes calling it a doubtful vncertaine and a leaden rule a poore kinde of element a booke of discord a matter of debate dead inke inken divinitie a dumbe iudge a nose of waxe Aesops fables I haue g Lect. 2. in Amos 1. pag. 18. c. heretofore deliuered vnto you But who are they out of whose mouths and pens such bitternesse against Gods holy word hath beene vented Are they our Countrymen Are they not rather strangers to vs Papists of other Nations Pighius Hosius Gretser Canon Lewis of Lateran the collocutors at Wormes and Ratisbon What are these to vs It may be our English Papists doe esteeme of the Scriptures more reuerently More reuerently Let one speake for all Dr. h Fox Martyrel vol. 2. l. 7. An. 1513. pag. 735. Bennet a Lawyer Chauncellour and Vicar generall to Richard Fitz-Iames Bishop of London called before him one Richard Butler for being of that Religion which we this day through Gods goodnesse doe maintaine and professe This Butler vsed much to read the Bible for which an article was thus framed against him We obiect to you that diuerse times and especially vpon a certaine night you erroniously and damnably read in a great Booke of heresie certaine Chapters of the Euangelists in English conteining in them diuerse erronious and damnable opinions and conclusions of heresie What Christian eare can endure such blasphemie that the Booke of God should be called a great booke of heresie that some Chapters of the Euangelists should be said to conteine in them diuers erronious and damnable opinions and conclusions of heresie What Christian care can endure this Must that Booke to which we are so often sent by i Deut. 17.11 Moses by the k Esa 8.20 Mâ—lac 2.7 Psal 1.1 and 119.2 Prophets by l Joh. 5.39 Christ himselfe by his holy m Luk. 16.29 Euangelists and n Act 17. â—1 2. Tim. 3 1â— Apostles must that Booke be noted for erronious and damnable opinions and conclusions of heresies St Paul thought much otherwise He in the 2. Tim. 3.15 speaking of the holy Scriptures sayth that they are able to make men wise vnto saluation Hee addeth further ver 16. that the whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes Magnificum testimonium A most sufficient testimonie for the authoritie dignitie and worth of holy Scripture First it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diuinely inspired of God giuen immediately from God to men Secondly it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profitable Profitable many wayes for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction Doctrine is of things to be beleeued Reproofe of things to be refuted Correction concerneth vices Instruction vertues Euery way the whole Scripture is profitable and is able to make men wise vnto saluation And yet must this holy Scripture be noted for a great Booke of Heresie for conteining erronious and damnable opinions and conclusions of heresie 2. Pet. 1.19 St Peter thought much otherwise He in his 2. Epist and 1. Chapter hauing proued the certaintie of Euangelicall doctrine by two arguments one drawne from his owne experience the other from the testimonie of Almightie God in a voice from Heauen vers 16 17 18. addeth vers 19. a third argument drawne from the consent of the Prophets We haue also a most sure word of the Prophets to the which yee doe well that ye take heed as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place vntill the day dawne and the day star arise in your hearts So that yee first know this that no prophecie in the Scripture is of any priuate motion For the prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were mooued by the Holy-Ghost Where first the blessed Apostle calls the writings of the Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a most sure word Secondly he aduiseth vs to be diligently conuersant in those writings yee shall doe well to take heed vnto them Thirdly he shewes the necessitie and vse of them by a comparison they are as a light that shineth in a darke place Fourthly he prescribeth the time of our diligence we must take heed vnto them vntill the day dawne and the day starre arise in our hearts Fiftly he noteth their difficultie Difficultas stimulus debet esse diligentiae the more hard they are to be vnderstood the greater must our diligence be No prophecie in the Scripture is of any priuate motion It is not in mans power rightly to vnderstand the Prophets The Treasurer to the Queene of Ethiopia confesseth as much Act. 8.31 Sixtly he poynteth at the author of Holy Scripture not mans will but the Holy-Ghost For the prophecie in olde time came not by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were mooued by the Holy-Ghost What St Peter in this place affirmeth of the
Propheticall Bookes is true also of the Euangelicall and Apostolicall what he affirmeth of the old testament is true also of the new The new and the old differ not in substance In veteri Testamento est occultatio novi in novo Testamento est manifestatio veteris So saith St Austin lib. de Catechizandis rudibus cap. 4. In the old Testament the new is trid and in the new the olde is manifested The like the same good Father hath Qu. 37. super Exodum In vetere novum latet in novo vetus patet in the old the new is couered and in the new the old is opened Old and new both doe agree in substance Now make we our collection The whole Scripture conteining both Testaments olde and new is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a most sure word to it we must take heed as to a light that shineth in a darke place till the day dawne and the day starre arise in your hearts and this we must know that no Scripture in eyther of the Testaments old or new is of any priuate motion and that neither old nor new Testament came to vs by the will of man but that holy men of God haue conueyed them vnto vs as they were mooued by the holy Ghost And yet must this holy Scripture be noted for a great Booke of Heresie for conteining erronious and damnable opinions and conclusions of Heresie The first pillars of the Primitiue Church the auncient Fathers thought much otherwise Because I cannot stand long vpon this poynt one shall serue for all Sweete Saint Chrysostome in his ninth Sermon vpon the Epistle to the Colossians thus speaketh to his hearers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yee my secular and lay auditors heare me I beseech you Get you Bibles your soules physicke if you be vnwilling to be at charge for the whole yet at least buy the new Testament the Euangelists and Apostles will be your daily and diligent teachers If any griefe befall you make your repaire hither as to an Apothecaries shop here shall you haue varietie of medicines fit to cure you If any damage if losse of friends if death come here may you finde comfort In a word the cause of all euill is not to know the Scripture You see how far this good Father is from calling the Bible a Booke of heresies as some late Papists haue done He holds it to be the greatest treasure this world hath and thinkes it for you very expedient to haue one of them in your houses that at euery opportunitie you may be reading in it If any shall here obiect I am towards the Law I am employed about publike affaires I am a tradesman I am a marryed man I haue children to maintaine I haue a Familie to care for I haue worldly businesses to looke vnto it is not my part to read the Scriptures this office belongs to them rather who haue bidden the world farewell to such St Chrysostome shall answer Homil. 3. de Lazaro Quid aâ— homo What sayst thou man Is it not a part of thy businesse to turne ouer the Scriptures because thou art distracted with many cares Immo tuum est magis quam illâ—rum Yea the reading of the Scripture belongeth to thee rather then to them who haue bidden the world farewell because they need not so much the helpe of Scripture as you doe who are as it were tossed in the waues of troubles To conclude this poynt Let Papists set light by the Sacred Scriptures let them debase vilifie and disgrace them to their owne vtter confusion and perdition wee through Gods goodnesse haue learned a better lesson that the word of God which we call Scripture is o Chrysost hom 7. de poenitentia a hauen free from raging surges a well fortified bulwarke a toâ—re not staggering an aduancement not to bee taken from vs by violence no not any way to bee diminished a stable blissefulnesse at no time languishing a neuer-failing pleasure whatsoeuer good a man can speake of Sacrâ comperiet in Scripturâ he shall finde it in the Holy Scripture So saith sweet Chrysostome Homil. 7. De poenitentia In my first Sermon before you vpon this chapter I deliuered vnto you the same effect thus The word of God which we call Scripture it is his most royall and Celestiall Testament it is the Oracle of his heauenly Sanctuary it is the onely Key vnto vs of his reuealed counsels it is Milke from his sacred brests the Earnest and Pledge of his fauour to the Church the Light of our feet the Ioy of our hearts the Breath of our nostrils the Pillar of our faith the Anchor of our hope the ground of our loue the Euidence of our future blessednesse Now therefore as the Elect of God holy and beloued let this word of God dwell plenteously in you in all wisdome frequent this place to heare it read and expounded vnto you and at home teach and admonish your owne selues in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs My exhortation is the same that S. Paul made vnto the Colossians Chap. 3.16 Thus much of the preface The prophesie followeth The first part thereof is a generall accusation of Iudah For three transgressions of Iudah and for foure Wherein we are first to consider who are the accused in the name Iudah Secondly whereof they are accused For three trasgressions and for foure First of the accused The accused are the inhabitants of the Kingdome of Iudah The Kingdome of Iudah is taken sometimes latè sometimes strictè sometimes in a large sometimes in a strict sense In the large it betokeneth all the twelue tribes of Israel in the strict sense it betokeneth onely two tribes Iudah and Beniamin Iudah and Israel at first were but one kingdome which afteward was diuided into two the Kingdome of Iudah and the kingdome of Israel When and how this was done it is expressely deliuered in 1 Kings 12. in 2 Chro. 10. It was after the death of King Salomon and thus Rehoboam King Salomons sonne censured by Ecclesiasticus chap. 47 23. to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the foolishnesse of the people and one that had no vnderstanding succeeding in his fathers throne did vpon aduise giuen him by his young counsellours promise sharpe vsage and hard measure vnto his people My least part my little finger shall be bigger then my fathers loynes whereas my father did burden you with a grieuous yoke I will make it heauier my father hath chastized you with rods but I will correct you with scourges This his vnkinde and euill entreating of a people which of late in King Salomons time saw good and peaceable daies did cause a rebellion and reuolt Ten of the twelue tribes much discontented brake forth into speeches of impatiency What portion haue we in Dauid We haue no inheritance in the sonne of Ischai to your tents O Israel now see to thine owne house Dauid So they forsooke Rehoboam their rightfull Lord and set vp
after time as Esay speaketh Chap. 42.23 It is to marke and vnderstand and remember and beleeue and follow that which you heare This duty of hearing as we should we shall the better performe if as Moses at the commandement of the Lord did put off his shoâ—es the shooes from off his feet because the place wherein be stood was h ly ground Exod. 3.5 so shall we as oft as we come to this or the like holy place the House of God to heare his Word read and preached vnto vs put off our shooes too not our shooes from off our feet but our much fouler shooes our lusts our thoughts our cares our fancies our businesses euen all that corruption and sinne wherewith in this life we are clogged which as the dust to the shooe and the sh oe to the foot cleaues fast to vs. If thus prepared we come to heare the Word of God wee shall be sure of a blessing When the woman said to Christ Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the paps which thou hast sucked Christ replyed Luk. 11.28 Yea rather blessed are they that heare the Word of God and keepe it By this his reply he sheweth that his Disciples were more blessed for hearing him than his Mother for bearing him Yet hereby hee denieth not his Mother to haue beene blessed euen for bearing him but insinuates onely that she was more blessed in being his childe than in being his Mother Saint Austine De Sancta Virginitate cap. 3. well expresseth it Beatior percipiende fidem Christi quà m concipiendo carnem Christi The blessed Virgin the Mother of Christ was more blessed by receiuing the faith of Christ then by conceiuing the flesh of Christ Christ said vnto his Disciples Matth. 13.16 Blessed are your eares for you heare shewing that they were more blessed than all the world besides because they had this one blessing to heare the truth This is the blessing which you come hither for God in the abundance of his goodnesse brings it home vnto you And well may you call it a blessing For the word which we bring vnto you is verbum regni Mat. 13.19 The word of a Kingdome it brings a Kingdome with it It is verbum vitae Ioh. 6.68 the word of life it brings life with it It is not onely a word of authority to command and bind the conscience nor onely a word of wisdome to direct you nor onely a word of power to conuert you nor onely a word of grace to comfort and vphold you but the word of a neuer-fading Kingdome and of eternall life to make you perfectly and for euer blessed Thus farre hath my first Doctrine carried mee The Doctrine was deliuered in these words The word of the Lord is diligently to be hearkened vnto It was grounded vpon the first branch of my Text wherein is contained the first perswasory argument of attention drawne from the authority of the word to be hearkned vnto Heare this word that the Lord speaketh against you The next argument of perswasion to enforce attention in the hearer is drawne from the persons of them who are here inuited to giue eare They are Filty Israel the children the sonnes the posterity of Israel a people descended from the holy Patriarke Iacob chosen aboue all other nations to bee Gods peculiar people with whom God had made a couenant and had on his part most absolutely performed it preseruing them from their enemies and multiplying vpon them all his benefits So graciously did God deale with these sonnes of Israel not onely whilst they loued him kept their coniugall faith with him and serued him according to his word but euen then too when they had despised him and forsaken him had violated their faith with him and committed spirituall whoredome with false gods Yet when those their impieties disobediences and rebellions were growne to the height God was resolued to come against them in iudgement and to punish them This his resolution appeareth in the many menaces and threats which from time to time the Lord sent vnto them by his holy Prophets One of which is in my Text Heare this word that the Lord speaketh against you O children of Israel Against you to punish you O children of Israel euen you My obseruation here is God will not spare to smite his dearest children when they sinne against him One reason hereof may bee that the Lord may declare himselfe an aduersary to sinne in all men without partiality A second is that the Lord may reduce his children from running on headlong to perdition with the wicked And the vses may be two One to teach vs to magnifie the righteousnesse of God as generally in all his workes so particularly in the afflictions of his people The other to admonish vs that we looke not for any certaine earthly peace though we are by faith the children of Israel but that we prepare our selues for a continuall succession of crosses and calamities The third argument of perswasion to moue attention in these children of Israel is taken from the commemoration of their greatest deliuerance their deliuerance out of Aegypt Heare this w rd that the Lord speaketh against you O children of Israel against the whole family which I brought vp from the land of Aegypt My obseruation is The temporall benefits and manifold deliuerances which the Lord bestoweth vpon his people are euer to be had in remembrance and in thankefull acknowledgement This very doctrine for the substance of it I haue heretofore in your hearing propounded and proued in my fifteenth Lecture vpon the second chapter of this booke occasioned thereunto by the tenth verse wherein this great deliuerance out of Aegypt is mentioned I will not therefore at this time stand to inlarge it Onely let me now tell you that this deliuery of the Israelites out of Aegypt is not appropriate onely vnto them but that in some sort it appertaineth to the Church of God in all ages for as much as it was a type of a more surpassing deliuery from that fearefull Kingdome of sinne and darknesse It appertaineth euen vnto vs whom God of his infinite goodnesse and mercy through the precious bloud of his Sonne and our Sauiour Christ Iesus hath deliuered from this spirituall Aegypt the Kingdome of sinne and darknesse and will in his good time giue vs safe passage from hence to that heauenly Canaan the true Country and Inheritance of all Saints Whither most gracious God vouchsafe to bring vs all Amen THE Second Lecture AMOS 3.2 You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities THis second verse is the second part of Amos his second Sermon concerning the Kingdome of the ten Tribes the Kingdome of Israel It is the proposition and containeth the very substance of the whole Sermon which is to let the Israelites vnderstand that for as much as the Lord hath beene good vnto them aboue all the Nations of the
which there is no resistance For to say that the effectuall grace of God can be resisted is to deny it to be effectuall It implieth a contradiction and it is blasphemie to affirme that God with his effectuall grace is subiect to mans resistance That of Saint Paul Rom. 9.19 Who hath resisted the will of God being an Interrogation of a denier implying that no man hath or can resist it is in very reason it selfe most certaine For the superiour cause can neuer suffer of the inferiour therefore if mans will should goe about to resist or frustrate the will of God it were euen against reason it selfe for then should Gods will suffer of mans will which is an impossibilitie Saint Augustine hath a fit saying for the establishing of this truth It is in his booke De corrept grat cap. 14. Deo volenti saluum facere nullum hominum resistit arbitrium If God be willing to saue a man no will of man can resist him Sic enim velle nolle in volentis aut nolentis est potestate vt diuinam voluntatem non impediat nec superet potestatem for to will or not to will is so in the power of him that willeth or willeth not that it neither hindreth the will of God nor ouer-commeth his power Thus much by occasion of Rupertus his exposition Let vs goe on Can a bird Dionysius the Carthusian will tell you that this fowler according to the Expositors is either the Deuill or man or God and that their snares are either Laquaei culpae or Laquaei poena either snares of sinne or snares of punishment That the Deuill is in holy Scripture compared vnto a fowler I deny not for I reade of his wiles Ephes 6.11 where we are aduised to put on the whole armour of God that wee may be able to stand against the wiles of the Deuill I reade likewise of the snares 1 Tim. 3.7 2 Tim. 2.26 His snares are the snares of sinne by which he entrappeth men and leads them captiue But that the Deuill is the fowler in my text I affirme not Nor may it be denied but that man also is in holy Scripture compared to a fowler To a fowler he is compared in a two-fold respect in respect of others and in respect of himselfe Man is a fowler in respect of others Hee hath snares and cords and nets and grinnes to catch others with Such fowlers were King Dauids enemies his proud enemies Saul and Doeg of whom Psal 140 5. he thus complaineth They haue hid a snare for me and cords they haue spread a net by the waies side they haue set ginnes for me And such are they those wicked men Ierem. 5.26 They lay wait as he that setteth snares they set a trap they catch men And such are they of whom the complaint of the faithfull is Lament 3.52 Mine enemies chased me sore like a bird without cause They chased me like a bird It is true then Men are fowlers in respect of others fowlers they are to catch others Yea and fowlers they are in respect of themselues euen to catch themselues Such a one is he Psal 7.15 He made a pit and digged it and is fallen into the ditch which he made And he Psal 9.15 16. In the net which he hid is his owne foot taken he is snared in the work of his owne hands And he Prou. 5.22 His owne iniquities shall take himselfe and he shall be holden with the cords of his sinnes Not amisse then hath Carthusian affirmed that men sometimes doe fall in laqueum culpae into the snare of sinne by their owne inclination or naughtinesse For as Origen witnesseth Quamuis non essent Diaboli adhuc homines concupiscentijs pulsarentur though there were no Deuils at all yet should men be ensnared with their owne lusts Thus we see Man is a fowler a fowler to catch others and a fowler to catch himselfe and his snares are laquei culpae the snares of sinne Yet that man is the fowler in my text I affirme not It remaineth then that by this fowler God must be intended For God is a fowler too and he hath snares too but his snares are laquei poenae they are snares of punishment Of snares of this kinde hee hath no want He powres them forth like raine This is that we reade Psal 11.6 Vpon the wicked shall the Lord raine snares fire and brimstone and a burning tempest this shall be the portion of their cup. Behold a raine of snares vpon the wicked King Dauid deuoting his enemies to destruction Psal 69.22 Wisheth their table to become a snare vnto them and that which should be for their welfare to become a trap vnto them The place Saint Paul alleageth with some little difference Rom. 11.9 Let their table be made a snare and a trap and a stumbling blocke and a recompence vnto them And here behold a mans owne table and that which should yeeld him much comfort becomes a snare and a trap for God to entangle and catch the wicked with Remarkable is that of the Prophet Esay chap. 8.14 where it is said of the Lord of Hostes himselfe that to both the houses of Israel he shall be for a stone of stumbling and for a rocke of offences and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for a ginne and for a snare and that many of them shall stumble and fall and be broken and be snared and be taken And here againe behold The Lord of Hosts he that is euer to the faithfull a rocke of refuge and saluation he is to the wicked and the vnbeleeuing a ginne and snare to ensnare and take them with It is not to be denied but that God may very well be resembled to a fowler And him I take to be the fowler in my text Now the resemblance betweene God and a fowler stands thus As snares wherewith birds are catched fall not on the ground at all aduentures and by chance but are laid of purpose by the skill industrie and fore-sight of the fowler so the calamities and miseries of this life wherewith men are vsually taken and snared come not by chance but are sent among vs by the prouidence of God So this text is as before I intimated an adumbration of the prouidence of God by which he ruleth all things The point of doctrine which from hence I would commend vnto you is this Nihil accidere nisi à Deo prouisum that nothing falleth out in this life no calamitie no misery nothing good or euill but by Gods prouidence Aquinas 1. quaest 22. art 2. makes this demand Vtrum omnia sint subiecta diuinae prouidentiae whether all things are subiect to the prouidence of God For the resolution whereof his conclusion is Sith God is of all things the prime cause and knoweth all things in particular it is of necessitie that all things are subiect to his prouidence not tantùm in vniuersali sed etiam in singulari not only in genâ—rall but
not broach or publish any vâ—in imaginations of their own but those things onely which God g ueth them in charge They must heare what God saith and that alone must be their message Againe they must remember they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioh. 15.27 and Act. 1.8 they are witnesses for Christ They are to beare witnesse to the truth of Christs person to his threefold office his Priestly Princely and Propheticall office and to the benefits that doe flow from thence for the edification of the Church All this they are to heare from the mouth of God speaking in his holy Word and thereof to make their contestation in the house of Iacob to beare witnesse thereof to Gods people not by their preaching only but if need be by their dying too The other vse is for hearers For if the Preacher be first to heare what God speaketh and then to testifie the truth thereof to the house of Iacob the people of God then are the people of God all the house of Iacob to giue attentiue care to the Preachers message Hearers in hearing are to know that they are to deale with God and are to receiue the Word deliuered by the Minister not as the Ministers word but as the Word of God Such Hearers were those Thessalonians commended by S. Paul Epist 1. Chap. 2.13 For this cause saith he thanke we God without ceasing because when ye receiued the word of God which ye heard of vs ye receiued it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that beleeue The example is well worthy our imitation Beloued if an earthly Prince speake or send a message to vs we giue all shew of reuerence and heare him with diligence This Word whereof we now entreat is not of flesh and bloud it proceedeth not from Kings or Emperours or Parliament or from Councels of men but from God the Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ When this Word is read Princes and Emperours stand vp and lay downe their sword and vncouer their head and bow their body in token of reuerence because they know it to be the word of God which God himselfe hath vttered that it should be as the a Deut. 32.2 dew of Heauen to moisten our drie soules as a b Ioh. 4.14 Well of water springing vp to euerlasting life as a c 2 Cor. 2.16 sauour of life vnto life and the very d Rom. 1.16 power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth Without this Word we are vndone we perish we receiue no comfort we see not the light we grow not in faith we abide not in the Church of God Wherefore suffer yee a word of exhortation It shall be in S. Peters words 1 Epist 2.2 As new borne babes desire yee the sincere milke of the Word that yee may grow thereby Be yee so affected to the word of God as new borne infants are to their mothers milk You know well how that is A little infant euen by the instinct of nature almost as soone as it is borne seeketh that nourishment it is not long well without it when nothing else will that will stil it So euen so be ye affected long ye after the word of God as your spiritual nourishment reioice in it place your happinesse in the vse of it let it be your chiefest comfort This indeed hath beene euermore the right disposition of Gods holy ones O how great was the felicity that Dauid felt in this word of God In one Psalme Psal 119. He preferreth it before profit before pleasure before glory Before profit V. 127. I loue thy Commandements aboue gold yea aboue fine gold Before pleasure vers 103. How sweet are thy words vnto my taste yea sweeter than hony vnto my mouth Before glory vers 57. Thou art my portion O Lord I haue determined to keepe thy words and vers 111. Thy testimonies haue I taken as an heritage for euer for they are the reioycing of my heart Now because in a spoile all those things doe meet together Profit in the treasure Pleasure in the ouerthrow and Glory in the conquest or triumph he addeth vers 162. I reioyce at thy Word as one that findeth great spoile Thus was holy Dauid determined and resolued to content himselfe with the word of God in stead of all profit pleasure and glory For his profit was his support in trouble and aduersitie his pleasure was the peace of a good conscience his glory was to be in the fauour of God All which is wrought by the precious and vnvaluable word of God This word of God was vnto Ieremy Chap. 15.16 the ioy and reioycing of his heart And Ezechiels roll the symbole of this word was in his mouth as hony for sweetnesse Chap. 3.3 And Iohns little book which he receiued from the Angell the badge of this word was in his mouth sweet as hony Reu. 10.10 When Philip was gone downe to the Citie of Samaria and had preached Christ vnto them the text saith there was great ioy in that city Act. 8.8 When the same Philip had taught the mystery of Christ to the Eunuch the Eunuch went on his way reioycing in the same Chapter vers 39. The Angell relating to the shepherds the Natiuity of Christ said vnto them Feare not for behold I bring vnto you good tidings of great ioy that shall be to all people Luk. 2.10 Good tidings of great ioy Happy shepherds to heare so good tidings from an Angell Princes would haue been glad to haue heard it but they heard it not Yet to Princes as well as to others this good tidings of great ioy belongeth Good tidings of great ioy Great ioy it is first in respect of the matter thereof which is very great euen our reconciliation with God Secondly it is great ioy for the diuturnity and stability thereof it abideth and continueth constant for euer Thirdly it is great ioy for the vniuersality of it it reacheth vnto all generibus singulorum to all kinds of people though not singulis generum to all particulars of all kinds but only to such as shall receiue it by a true faith Last of all it is great ioy quia spirituale because it is spirituall and belongeth to the saluation of the whole man body and soule And the good tidings of this great ioy is deriued vnto vs in these our dayes through the ministery of the word of God Wherefore dearly beloued let me againe put you in minde of your Christian duty concerning this word of God that as new borne infants ye desire the sincere milk thereof to grow therby Long ye after it it is your spirituall nourishment reioyce in it place your happinesse in the vse of it Let it be your chiefest comfort Whensoeuer you shall heare this word of God read or preached remember whose Word it is you heare and thinke yee thus euery man with himselfe Surely this is the