successe in our affaires or see his loue in our correction and in exercising our faith 8 The people of Israel are said to feare God when hee destroyed their enemies and spared them This fruit we must haue in vs of all Gods works as well as they They did not onely feare but also beleeue which sheweth their feare to be godly for that feare onely is godly which is mingled with faith Then whatsoeuer feare wee haue it is nothing except it either confirme vs in the loue of the word or else doe turne vs thereunto that so we may beleeue 9 It is the Lord that smiteth the hearts of his enemies and giueth courage to his children as pleaseth him Ioshua 2. 9. Deut. 2. 25. 28. 18. And if of this we were throughly perswaded then would wee neuer feare in any good cause then could not the policy nor power of men dismay vs. Againe wee would be warie to deale against any of Gods children least while we striue against them we resist the hand of the Lord. 10 Ioseph might haue had many excuses when he laid vp the mony in Pharaohs house as that hee had Gods people to prouide for hee could not be espied yet did the feare of God truly grafted in him stay him from vnfaithfull dealing It may bee noted then that the feare of God causeth obedience and though wee might seeme to haue excuse and though we could escape the iudgement of men the law is not giuen to the iust but to the vniust If then the commandement onely doe keepe vs in obedience we haue not receiued the spirit of God if then we will either trust others or be trusted our selues let vs teach and learne this feare of God In that Ioseph would not deale vnfaithfully with a tyrant wee learne to vse iustice toward the wicked contrarie to the Familie of loue who because they thinke all things are theirs therefore it is lawfull to come by them as they can In that Ioseph would doe nothing without Pharaohs consent wee learne to doe nothing without those ordinarie meanes that God hath appointed CHAP. XXIX Of Friendship familiaritie familie and Fathers THe friendship with the wicked is such that to saue themselues they wil endanger their friends as we see in the King of Israel with Iehosaphat 2. Chron. 18. 19. 2 Wee must beware that wee neuer further sinne but if wee loue God wee must loue them whom God loueth and hate them whom God hateth Psalme 15. 4. 139. 21. 22. how dare many then hand ouer head and without choise bee friendes and ioyne in league with Gods enemies Prouerbs 29. 27. 3 We may haue familiaritie with some in whom though there be no great loue of religion yet there is no misliking of religion nor loue of heresies But our acquaintāce must be in outward things wee must beware our league proceed neither to the worship of God nor matter of mariage 4 The sinne of the master of the familie indangereth the state of the whole familie as wee see in Abimelech 5 It is the duty of seruants to couenant with their masters that they may so serue them as that they may serue God 6 When wee haue met our friends and haue done our ciuil dutie of salutation we must not there rest but proceed to talke of spirituall matters that we may edifie one another 7 He is a diuell that is euill among good but he is good that is good among euill 8 We become often hardned in our hearts in the companie of the godly because wee presume too much one of the goodnes of another 9 It is a good thing to haue the acquaintance of a good man for a good cause 10 Moses taketh Aaron and Hur with him knowing his owne infirmities though otherwise we see hee was a man of rare graces and great strength So it is often saide of the Prophets that they had euer some with them and the Apostles are sent by two and two to preach that one might help another Christs also sometimes takes Peter and Iohn not that he had neede so to doe but because he would leaue vs an example which we must follow being ready to vse all helps for our infirmities which the Lord shal offer vnto vs. We must not stay in our selues but vse the aduice of others for this cause it is saide that two haue better wages than one and that if one fall the other may raise him vp Where we see that when men agree together one grace of God doth set on fire another and the more the better if they consent together for a threefold cord is not easily broken yea though wee take such to vs as are inferiour to vs in gifts yet if they be faithfull the Lord by them may helpe vs as Hur was farre inferiour to Moses and yet Moses was strengthened by him And where as Moses in prayer takes but two with him wee learne to make a choise of our companie for that but few being faithfull may more profit vs and preuaile with God than a great multitude which haue but a shew in them 11 Great is the loue of nature Ioseph could not dissemble it for that hee was faine to bee alone that he might more freely breake foorth in teares to his breathrē Yea euen that rough Esau when he saw his brother Iacob a farre off his heart melted in him And like as no affection of loue and liking is so vehement whilest it lasteth so no contention is so bitter and so deadly as that of brethren A Christall broken will neuer be set together againe and there is no water will prooue so exceeding colde as that which hath been once heate Wherefore let men endeuour by all meanes to cherish naturall affection and the rather for that the spirit of God prophecieth that in the last dayes men shall want naturall affection 12 Fathers wee commonly count and call them of whom wee are by nature or vnder whom we are by gouernment whether ecclesiasticall or ciuill or behind whom we are in age and in gifts Augustine consesseth he rebelled against his father in heauen when he refused the instruction of his mother on earth for though thē saith he I could not see what shee did yet now I see that thou O Lord speakest and not shee alone and thy instruction was refused when her teaching was neglected Needfull it is then for fathers to bee taught of God who for that they bee fathers are to bee heard wherein they doe teach from God Ciuill fathers are carefully to furnish themselues with knowledge that they may learne to know when to strike and when not to strike for if they strike when God doth not command them what are they better than murtherers If they strike not when God commandeth what doe they but charge vpon themselues the sinne and punishment of others 13 That our spirituall fathers had need of God to be their teacher
from speaking against the Sabbath in this place that hee setteth downe the pure obseruation of the same against them who peruersely and vntruely did iudge of it And here we see the Pharisees deale very cunningly with them For they might as well haue accused the Disciples of theft as of breaking the Sabbath had they not knowne that as the Lawe permitted a man to goe into the vine-yard for to gather grapes so hee caried no clusters away So they to satisfie their hunger might presently eate of the eares of corne carying none away with them Howbeit they could not see that this their trauell was not like their ordinarie trauelling on the other dayes and that it was agreeable to the Sabbath the Lawe permitting a Sabbath dayes iourney This some curiously haue defined to bee the space of a mile some two â—ome three miles vnto whom as I doe not denie the libertie of their iudgement so I thinke it to consist of that distance as a man may conueniently trauell for some holy purpose without anie hinderance of the ordinarie exercise of that day and without wearisomnes either to bodie or minde whereby he should be the vnfitter for the Lords worship or his duties And therefore they that dwelt but so farre from Ierusalem that they might oâ— that day conueniently goe to the Sacrifices and returne home without any of the former hinderances made a Sabbath daies iourney And now in our times a man may lawfully go so farre for the more comfortable or holie vse of the day in hearing so that neither his bodie be ouerwearied nor any due time of hearing be pretermitted and that without preiudice or breach of the Lords day Wherefore seeing our Sauiour CHRIST and his disciples trauelled to so holie an ende and no further then by a Sabbath dayes iourney was lawfull the end of the iourney which ought to measure this and like actions proueth that herein there was no breach of the Sabbath Neither is it likely that the Pharisees reproued and controlled the Disciples for trauelling seeing euen they themselues with them were companions in the iourney but rather they did it for their plucking the eares of corne whereby they shewed that the ceremonie of resting was not the chiefe thing in the Sabbath as now a dayes some doe thinke it but rather because they made prouision for their bodies contrarie as they imagined to Exod. 16. 24 Well it is most probable that the Disciples beeing gone farre from the place from whence they did set out because if they had then fainted they would there haue recreated themselues and farre distant from aniâ— place where they might eate for if they had bene neere any place they might rather haue refreshed themselues with other things then with corne they through fainting for want of other necessaries were constrained to satisfie their present necessitie with these things which if they had not done they shuld not haue been able to persist in their calling which was agreeable to the Sabbath the workes whereof did neuer restraine from eating which notwithstanding they might as iustly haue reprehended in the Disciples as their plucking the eares of corne The arguments whereby CHRIST doth answere them may briefly be referred to fiue heads The first is set downe in these words vers 3. Haue yee not heard what Dauid did when he was an hungred and they that were with him 4. How hee entred into the house of God ate the shewe-bread which was not lawfull for him to eate neither for them which were with him but only for the Priests Behold he speaketh here of the ceremonie of shew-bread which was broken for the preseruation of mens liues whereby hee sheweth that Ceremonies as a thing of lesse importance must giue place for lifes sake So that this is spoken of the end because the thing which is forbidden for a common end is not brokeÌ„ for a particular vse Wherefore Dauid and his companie did eate the shewe-bread to serue their necessitie and that without breach of the Law how much more may my Disciples eate the eares of corne to enable them the more to attend vpon the ordinaÌ„ce of God It is a rule in the ciuill law that it is against ciuilitie too greedily to hunt after the syllables of their Maximes and too carelesly to neglect and permit the true sense of the Law In which thing our Sauiour trappeth the Pharisees who were too seuere censurers of the letter and too seuere obseruers of the matter of the Law Our Sauiour therefore in effect meaneth thus much that as it was not lawfull to eate the shew bread vsually or ordinarily and yet to eate it vpon necessitie it was not vnlawfull so vsually to gather corne on the Sabbath euen in time of Haruest it was not lawfull and yet extraordinarilie and vpon necessitie to gather it was not vnlawfull on the Sabbath which permitted the works of necessitie whereby men might bee the better enabled and the lesse hindered to doe the workes of that day And for this cause seeing the Disciples without this helpe should haue beene vnfitter either to haue preached to others or heard our Sauiour and by it were enabled the more to either of these things it is euident that they were so farre off from breaking the Sabbath in so doing that rather they should haue broken it in not so doing So that Christ doth onely not abrogate the Sabbath in this place but also reprehending the Pharisies for their misconstruing of the Lawe and too strickt taking it without due consideration of the ende thereof he setteth downe a more pure obseruation of the same The second reason which is drawne from the Lawe it selfe and from the Priests owne practise may bee gathered out of the fift and sixt verses Haue yee not read in the Lawe how that on the Sabbath dayes the Priests in the Temple brake the Sabbath and are blamelesse 6. But I say vnto you heere is one greater then the Temple As if hee should haue saide Verilie yee misconstrue the Sabbath yee must better consider what kinde of works the Sabbath forbiddeth to wit the workes of mens ordinarie callings not beeing fitte for the dignitie of the Sabbath and nothing tending to the worship of God but if they beseeme the dignitie of that day and are done for God his holy worship they are not vnlawfull Aduise your selues I pray you doe not euen your owne Priests on the Sabbath-day slay their beasts to sacrifice Doe they not circumcise on that day And doe yee not carie your children to the Temple to be circumcised which are workes both in respect of your Priests and you and yet in that in these things yee are made the fitter to serue God in his worshippe yee thinke them not vnlawfull Likewise knowe that this plucking of the eares of corne in my Disciples is no worke of their ordinarie callings but to make them more able for the worship of God In that hee nameth the
that before the foundation of the world was laide the foundation of our saluation was made before we sinned the remedie against sinne was found before the maladie the Lord had prepared a medicine before wee were damned he had purposed a way how wee should be saued In respect whereof seeing we are rather to reioyce in this that our names are written in heauen than if wee had power without hurt to treade on Scorpions or had spirites subdued vnto vs Luke 10. 19. 20. wee conclude with the Prophet Psalm 65. 4. Blessed is the man O God whom thou chusest and causest to come vnto thee The substance of this blessednes is our redemptiō in Christ Iesus which is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Ioh. 1 29 by whose blood we haue the forgiuenes of our sinnes Ephes. 1. 7 and by whose Spirit when we haue beleeued the Gospel wee haue the earnest of our inheritance Ephes. 4. 14. The excellent price whereof is set out vnto vs herein in that being filthy in the blood of our sinnes he washed vs with his owne blood Heb. 9. 14. in that hee being iust suffered for vs being vniust 1. Pet. 3. 18. in that we being of no strength vngodly he died for vs Rom. 5. 6. in that we being enemies through sinne were reconciled by him to God the Father Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore seeing he is Blessed whose wickednes is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Psalm 32. 2. let not the wise man glorie in his wisedome as though it made him happie nor the strong man glorie in his strength neither let the rich man glorie in his riches but let him that glorieth glorie in this that hee knoweth the mercie of the Lord wherein consisteth our saluation Ier. 9. 23 24. And let vs all learne the meaning of the salutation of Elizabeth to the virgin Marie Luk. 42. Blessed art thou because the fruite of thy wombe is blessed The formal cause is the illumination of God his spirit making vs capable of the former mysteries sealing them to vs with such assurance in our hearts that wee dare boldly crye Abbafather that wee dare boldly say If God bee on our side who can stand against vs Such blindnesse folly and incredulitie possesseth vs by nature that of our selues we can neither see into these mysteries of our saluatiō nor beleeue the thing we see concerning our comfort vntill we haue receiued of this Spirit which cōmeth from aboue For none commeth to Christ vnlesse the father draw him and how draweth he but by inlightening the hearts of his elect by the holy Ghost Ioh. 6. 44 Wherefore seeing these things are not reuealed vnto vs but by the Spirit 1. Corinth 2. 14. we end with that blessing of the Lord Iesus to Peter Matth. 16. 17. Blessed art thou Simon thou sonne of Ionah for flesh and blood hath not opened this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen The instrumentall cause is partly within vs as faith partly without vs as the word and the appurtenances accompanying the same as Prayer the Sacramēts the discipline of the Church Faith being the ground of things which are hoped for the euidence of things which are not seene Heb 11. 1. doth so applie the promises of God to our proper and peculiar comforts that it sealeth vs vp to the Lord affoording a certaine testimonie to our hearts that we haue not in vaine receiued of the good spirit of God Now because there is a certaine kind of faith which Satan himselfe doth broach in his schoole and propounds as a principle to all his schollers seeing the Papists vrge faith in their vnwritten verities the Familists will haue it in their foolish reuelations The Turke requireth it in his dry speculations of Mahomet and the wizzard will seeme to demaund it in his deuillish incantations we must not beleeue euery spirit but trust to the word onely which is our sure load-starre and touch-stone and being it selfe firme doth make our faith in it most firme sure and vnchangeable This blessednesse to haue the Lord communicate himselfe to vs by his word is priuiledged aboue that praise which the woman gaue our Sauiour Christ Luk. 11. 27. as may appeare by his sharpe answer Yea blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Wee conclude then with the Psalmist Blessed are they that dwell in the house of the Lord they will euer praise him Blessed is the man whose strength is in the Lord and in whose heart are his waies Psal. 84. 4. 5. If the Queene of Saba coūted those men happy that might stand before Salomon and heare his wisedome 2. Chron 9. 7. if Dauid thought it a high recompence and princelike benefit to preferre the sonne of Barzillai to sit at the table of Salomon how great is our happines to heare the wisedome of Christ how high is our blessednes to sit at the table of the Lord where not Salomon but a greater than Salomon is present where not Salomon but a wiser than Salomon speaketh vnto vs Behold then the causes of true blessednes which are our election redemption illumination sanctification all which are sealed vnto vs by the holy Ghost the spirit working faith through the word preached Christ Iesus so sending his Spirit to renue vs God the Father sending his Sonne to redeeme vs redeeming vs to call vs calling vs to iustifie vs iustifying vs to sanctifie vs sanctifying vs hee sealeth vs by his spirit and so by all these doth hee lay the sure ground-worke of our saluation and eternall blessednes Concerning the effects of blessednesse some are inward and some are outward the effects inward are partly in respect of our selues only partly in regard both of our selues and of others those in our selues are either concerning mortification or about our sanctification The first of these is both truly orderly couched in that sermon of the Lord Iesus Marth 5. where those men are set in the first ranke who are emptied both of the opinion of their owne wisedome and of all perswasion of their owne righteousnesse and of those it is said Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Now because many haue lost their hold in iudgement who haue not so throughly giuen ouer in affection in the next degree happines is promised to such who are so farre descended into the sight of their owne vilenes and sense of their naturall coruptions that they are not onely conuinced of an vnrighteousnesse inherent in their iudgements but also are much humbled for it in their affections of whom the Lord of comfort hath thus determined Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted Further for that Sathan laboureth and preuaileth much in ouer comming exercised mindes with pettie shames a thing oft incident to afflicted consciences the next be atitude is allotted to them that are meeke in spirit
wold be too long to tel of Gedeō Baruch Sampson Iepthah Dauid Asa Iehosaphat Ezechia who through faith obtained the promises subdued kingdomes escaped the edge of the sword of weake were made strong waxed valiant in battel turned to flight the armies of aliāts of some of which it is pressed that they did these things by faith helped by prayer and fasting and of the most part of the other it may bewel vnderstood Seeing we are compassed about with such a cloud of witnesses shal we be so bewitched as to dreame of the like victories without the like faith or to imagine of the like faith without vsing of the like meanes But it may be some will obiect that this exercise of humiliation weakeneth the hearts of true subiects and incourageth the enemies this was of old slanderously obiected to Ieremie by the vnbeleeuing and carnall Princes who would yet seeme to be wise politikes I haue heard indeed of the Arch atheist Machiauel that writeth of the Religion of Christians that it being practised in truth doth weaken their hands making them cowards and emboldeneth their enemies against thē although there be no doubt many that think so yet neuer haue I heard godly or wise men say so Neither doth this kind of humiliatiō lift vp our enemies the Papists at home or abroad but their owne proud hearts malicious attempts against Gods people by both which seeing that pride will haue a fall and before glorie goeth humility we may assure vs the rather of the victorie hauing so many promises in Gods word for the same confirmed with so many examples In the stead of many in the Psal. 119. this promise shall suffice They draw neere that follow after malice and are farre from the law thou art neere O Lord for all thy words are true The terrible iudgements of God against the pride of Moab and other Nations who conspiring together against the people of God at the last were made their owne executioners and the great destruction of blasphemous Senacherib his hoste Ezekiah king of Iudah being set free from the siege both these being wrought by publike and priuate fasting doe most euidently confirme the same which examples may serue for vs to look after others which are many in number True it is indeed that the great security with the floods of our sinnes flowing ouer the banks in euery place haue hitherto reioyced our enemies heart and if once they arme themselues with Gods wrath which the Lord turne away for Christs sake then will they certainly fray vs which to preuent all meanes will not helpe vs vnlesse in fasting weeping and mourning we rent our hearts though not our garments vnfainedly acknowledging our sinnes trembling at his iudgement that so we may turne vnto God with our whole hearts by repentance by faith beleeuing him to be gratious and mercifull slow to wrath and of great goodnesse And this doing we may assure our selues that the terrour of the Lord shall be stricken out of our hearts and the spirit of gladnes and power shall bee powred vpon vs and through faith helped by prayer and fasting shall we doe valiantly Thus the spirit of God moued Ioel the Prophet to threaten the people of his time liuing vnder a prosperous Raigne vnto whom this obiection might as iustly haue been made as against the exercise and a great deale more because his Fast was more general his threatnings more fearefull his descriptions of their dangers more terrible Againe some may obiect that fasting is an exercise of sinners what shall we say then shall the hypocrisie of man make the appointment of God of none effect yea was it not therefore appointed that he which commeth hither of custome may yet goe away with conscience may he not being reproued and rebuked in his owne soule and seeing his hypocrisie laid open labour from thenceforth to approue himselfe or at the least be without excuse against the day of the Lord. May there not be also at this exercise some that come in trueth and in the feare of God whom God will accept is it meet that these children of God should be bereft of the vse thereof for the abuse of the wicked Moreouer we are to be circumspect that we require not a daily fast for as in Physicke it is a thing most absurd to prescribe a continual vse of violent vacuation seldome of ordinarie foode euen so it is as absurd diuinitie to say it is sufficient that preaching bee vsed at sundrie times in sundrie places and that fasting should be daily vsed when as the ministerie of the word of God is as often to be vsed as milke for babes to be nourished or as meat for strong men to grow vp to the fulnes of the age of Christ fasting is to be admitted but as letting of blood or purging some corrupt humour when some great cause vrgeth the same We lament the want of diligent Preaching which some without a continuall course wherof thinke to be sufficient A Christian heart may appeale to Gods blessed word the true iudge of all them that are teachable but the iudge of all euen of the froward in the last day yea we may appeale to the great inquest of all Gods children which know their owne sinnes yea to the experience of twentie * yeeres which is a witnes so sufficient that no exception can bee made against it whether to worke all and euery point of that knowledge with a care to practise it in any sufficient measure in al places so few Sermons so little preaching in most places be not very insufficiēt The Law saith that the mouthes of the Priests should alwaies keepe knowledge both that they might teach the people by publike doctrine and exhortation and that the people might require of them by priuate conference The Prophets are commanded to crie and not to cease and the Lord is saide by their Ministrie to rise vp earely and to stretch forth his hand all the day long and the Kingdome of God is like to the father of an house that bringeth forth of his treasurie things new and old for the daily food of the family What is this that euery true Minister is charged with as he wil answere it before the iudgement seate of Iesus Christ to preach the word in season and out of season Surely once in a quarter and once in a moneth may soone seeme to be out of season or scarse in season But sure I am that twice on the Sabbath if Gods word be the iudge can be termed no more but in season and to preach longer and oftner on the fasting dayes may not be called in the Apostle his sense out of season Now to fast euery day were more than the Pharisies did who fasted but twice in the weeke if we will be counted the sonnes of Patriarches and Prophets and the disciples of the Apostles to take that liberty of Gods creatures that they did why
by their doings the Lord hath pronouÌ„ced by the mouth of his Prophet Malachy that he will bring a curse vpon them and will curse their blessings he will corrupt their seede and cast dung in their faces Thus will the Lord deale with such vnfaithful seruants that nothing shall prosper but euen their very seede shall be corrupt and he shall be called to a straight account and he shall beare the burden not only of his owne sinnes but of all the sinnes of the people and euery soule that hath perished thorough his negligence shall be laid to his charge and so shall he become a notable Diuell in hell there to be tormented with euerlasting and vntolerable paine Finally if the people doe not their dutie vnto the Minister they shall make him full of griefe and sorrow maruellously troubled in spirit nothing ioyfull in his calling but alwaies mourning and moreouer the Lord will harden the peoples heart that the word shall not be profitable vnto them but euen as S. Paul testifieth a â—auor of death vnto death and in the end they shall be rewarded in hell fire which shall neuer be quenched nor the worme shall neuer die but there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Thus haue we learned first how necessary a thing it is to haue Ministers in the Church of God because without them the people should be as sheepe without a shepheard ready to be deuoured of their aduersary the diuell secondly that the Lord hath appointed them to this vse by them to call together the number of them that shall be saued by the preaching of the word wherewith he hath giuen them power to open heauen to all beleeuers and to giue as good assurance of their saluation by the word as if Iesus Christ himselfe were present to certifie the same and on the contrary to shut out all the vnpenitent from the kingdome of heauen and to binde them ouer to euerlasting woe which they shall be so sure of as they see the light that shineth in the day And therfore it behoueth all such as desire to be saued to learne the way to saluation of them and to harken vnto them for because the Lord hath appointed no other meanes in the world for to attaine to the knowledge thereof and hath said plainely that whosoeuer will not beleeue the truth at their hands shall not beleeue though one should come from heauen to tell them who shall be saued and another from hell to tell them who are damned We haue also heard that when the Lord determineth to beget soules he appointeth spirituall fathers fit and able for that purpose by reason that he giueth them gifts for the accomplishing of that busines and herewithall we haue learned what is the duty of these spirituall fathers or Ministers which we finde to consist in foure principall points 1. He must reade and study the word of God diligently that he may be able to teach and instruct his people 2. When he hath studied he must come forth and deliuer wholesome doctrine that their soules may be refreshed for therefore must he study to haue knowledge for them and sing to himselfe and his muses not filling himselfe so full of knowledge till he become as a tunne that will giue no sound but he must keepe knowledge not only in his heart but also in his lips for the Minister must be the mouth of the Lord from whence Gods people must know the will and counsell of God also he must obserue the true order of teaching that is to build vpon the true foundation Iesus Christ for he that buildeth vpon any other foundation is an Antichrist and not the Minister of God but the messenger of Sathan Moreouer he must by all meanes pricke forward the godly to increase in godlines beate downe the obstinate and hardharted with the terrible iudgements of God and after to raise vp thâ— penitent with the sweete promises of the Gospell the which he must doe not onely openly in the pulpit among the congregation but priuately also in euery house because that generall doctrine doth not driue the people to such a consideration of their estate as when they are particularly admonished of their sinnes exhorted to repeÌ„t for them Thus must the Minister labour to make his doctrine profitable and that continually supposing it not sufficient to be done now and then but he must do it in season and out of season omitting no opportunitie wherein the Lord may call home some into the Church of Christ and that God may the rather vouchsafe to blesse his ministry he must pray continually for himselfe and his people both openly and priuately be very circumspect in administring the Sacraments 3. He must liue a godly life aad set himselfe as example for his flocke to follow and so much the rather ought he to looke more neerely to all his waies because the aduersaries if any thing be otherwise than well with the Ministers will straightway with open mouth blaspheme the Gospell which is most pure and vnreproueable whereas if they haue nothing whereof to accuse the Minister neither can they blame the word which they onely heaue at to ouerthrow it if it were possible taking occasion by the Minister to blame the word For an other cause also must he liue vnreproueable and that is because hee must watch ouer the soules of other which charge he cannot performe except he be able to watch ouer his own Thirdly in this respect that his election may be surely known vnto himselfe least in preaching of the election vnto other he be a reprobate himselfe So that when he threatneth the iudgements of God against other hee shall condemne himselfe and when he raiseth vp the penitent with the promises he himselfe shall fall into the hole of his owne condemnation and no man shall be able to comfort him 4. Last of all he must â—â—â—â—e his flocke so deerely that he must giue his life for them But because it were contrarie to the wordes of our Sauiour Christ to say he might not flye at any time and on the other side if wee say he may flye wee should put no difference betweene the true Ministers and the hirelings wee haue heard that the Lord will teach his faithfull Ministers by his holy spirit when it is good to flye and when not Thus much haue we learned concerning the dutie of Ministers In the second part we haue heard the dutie of the people towards their Ministers which we haue learned to consist first in obedience because it were altogether in vaine and an vnprofitable labour for the Minister to teach the people if they should not bee obedient vnto his doctrine and also because it is impossible for any to bee saued that will not bee obedient vnto the word of God besides which the Lord hath appointed no meanes for man to attaine vnto the knowledge of saluation and therefore hath he giuen it vnto his
varietie of learning as may giue content to each seuerall Reader Histories for the Temporist Philosophie for the Naturalist Ethiques for the Moralist Mysteries for the Artist and languages for the Linguist Heere is a Flood for the great Elephant to swimme in and â— Foorde for the little lambe to walke in Would wee be acquainted with the vanitie of the worlde what better meanes haue wee then the booke of the Preacher would wee know how to liue in the worlde whence better can we haue it then from the booke of the Prouerbes and if we would powre out prayers to God Dauid in his Psalmes hath a platforme of praying which one little booke is the Epitome of the Bible Caluin calls it the Anatomie of the soule Another the prayer-booke of the Church Athanasius the definition of humane life Basil the prediction of things to come Nazianzene the sweete Companion of life Augustine the common Treasurie of all good things Ambrose the Medicine of Mans salutation Chrysostome a Salue against euery sore Gregorie that Stone which killed Goliah And Bernard saith that whosoeuer faithfully and deuoutly doth sing the Psalmes in a sort is in association with the Angels without which deuotion what Quirister soeuer shall sing them in the Church I may say vnto him as Augustine once saide to the singing men of his time Plus placet Deo mugitus Boum latratus Canum grunnitus porcorum hinnitus Equorum quà m cantus Clericorum luxuriantium The bellowing of oxen the barking of dogs the gâ—unting of swine and the â—eying of horses doe more please God then the singing of luxurious Quiristers Now though euery Psalme be of speciall Obseruation yet this one is especially remarkeable It was penned by King Dauid that sweete singer of Israel it hath in euery verse a commendation of the word of God it is artificially written euery eight verses beginning in the Hebrue tongue with one Letter of the Hebrue Alphabet and the longest Meditation that euer Dauid had either concerning Gods word or workes it seemeth hee had it when he penned this Psalme which the Iewes vsed as a Catechisme for their children To the ende this Psalme might bee vnderstood of all it hath beene expounded by many worthie men especially by that worthie man of God M. Richard Greenham memorable in our Church It is pittie that all his meditations on this Psalme come not yet to light but that in former editions about fortie verses were left vnexpounded Now that godly man who hath the sale of his workes was very desirous that there might bee an Exposition vpon euery verse and to that purpose hath employed mee And I finding the foure first verses expounded by a worthie Elisha vpon whom the spirite of this Eliah doth rest was bolde to set downe the same as I found it the rest I haue finished according to the grace giuen vnto mee and thus offer them to the Church of God I remember that an ancient Father saith Iudicem aditurus patrâ—num quaere Must you appeare before the Iudge seeke a Patron I am now to appeare before as many Iudges as Readers I desire a Patron and I finde none fitter then your Honor who hauing for manie yeares post beene a bountifull Patron to my labours in the Church will I doubt not vouchsafe to become a Patron of these labours for the Church If euer wee must looke for a blessing from Counsellors it is then when they consult with the Lord and are not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ. Among manie such Honorable Senators in our Kingdome we haue good cause to number your Honor. What Sabbath is there which you passe ouer without the morning and euening sacrifice what Minister is there who preacheth before you whome you sende away without a blessing what moneth is there in which you once are not a CommunicaÌ„t at the Eucharist what day is there that passeth ouer your head in which you vse not both prayer and meditation You were once gracious in the eyes of that Queene then whome the Church neuer had a more nourcing mother you are nowe gracious in the eyes of that King then whom the Church will neuer haue a more nourcing Father in this honorable Parish wherein you liue what good you do by your owne example in frequenting Gods house your liberalitie bountie in maintaining Gods Saints your care that your familie may be the Church of God I had rather be silent then say little Your old age is a crowne of glorie being thus found in the generation of the righteous The consideration of your honorable respect to pietie and godlines hath made me a long time to honour you in mine heart and the consideration of your fauour to mee a poore preacher emboldeneth mee to publish these my labours vnder your Honorable name If it please you to allow that your name which I am perswaded is written in the booke of life may remaine in this liuing and worthie booke I haue that which I desire by this Dedication Thus crauing pardon I humbly take my leaue beseeching the Lord to continue you long a trustie Counsellor to our most gracious King your Honourable Ladie the Ladie Margaret a precious Iewell vpon your right hand and your hopefull and happie Children as Oliue plants rounde about your Table London From Salisburie Rents at S. Martins in the fieldes Nouember the first 1611. At your Honors seruice Robert Hill WHOSOEVER IS DESIROVS TO LEARNE AND REMEMber the Word of God that he might liue after it let him consider of that which is written in the 119. Psalme ALEPH. THE FIRST PORTION ¶ Verse I. Blessed are those that are vpright in their way and walke in the Lawes of the Lord. THat which all men seeke for and few finde the same is set out in the word of God namely felicitie and true happines And because God would haue all men to know wherein their blessed estate doth consist therefore Christ begins his first Sermon with it Math. 5. Dauid his first Psalme with it Psal. 1. And the Prophet in this place his first verse with it describing therein a blessed man A description opposite to all that vaine felicitie which euer vaine Philosophers deuised out of their deepe speculations or prophane men frame out of their corrupt affections not consisting in pleasures riches honors greatnes in ciuill honestie formall hypocrisie or the whole possibilitie of nature but in the sinceritie of the heart and continuall walking in the waies of God Salomon saw this and therefore after he had sought happines in all things of this life he willeth vs to heare the end of all namely to feare God and keepe his commandements for thus saith hee this is the whole man If this saith one be the whole man then without this man is no man no though hee wallowe in wealth swimme in pleasures and be carried alofte vpon the wings of Honor For first all these though they were all in the possession of some
as wee may shewe as well our infirmities as our excellent graces Againe because hearing is the sense of discipline and many will attend on reading and hearing which will not bestowe time to conferre to pray to giue thankes to meditate or vow their obedience to the Lord he comprehendeth the one in setting down the vse of the other For if in our reading and hearing for want of meditation we doe not profit we are as coloured in the Sunne wherefore wee must admonish and â—ee admonished we must pray and prouoke to pray we must meditate and often thinke oâ— those things which we haue heard or read Indeede knowledge reading and hearing are sweete euen to a naturall man â—ut to conferre to be admonished to pray to giue thankes be things hard and difficult It may be that some can pray to serue the times because of the law which constrained them but how many shall wee finde that doe it priuately in trueth and voluntarily Some read and they rest in the generall rules not making any vse of it to themselues and so learne that which is another mans not appropriating it to themselues for want of meditation Whereof it commeth to passe that wee see many make a learned sermon in generall precepts who when they come to particulars to comfort those that lye sicke or to raise vp them that are tempted for want of practise in themselues can say nothing The very Heathen could grant and you know who speake it that a mâ—â—s life was a cogitation of death But because we can meditate of death for that we ioyne with it the hope of immortalitie I say that a Christian mans life mâ—y well besaide to bee a meditation of the law of God and how hee shall stand before Gods iudgement seate Which meditation in this man of God sheweth that euen from the heart he loueth the law of God If we examine our selues we shall finde our tongues to cleaue to our teeth and to the roofe of our mouthes whereby wee see that we cannot say this with the prophet that from the abundance of the heart our mouth speaketh For we sinde by practise that we heare reade and sing so coldly as we shew that our affections are almost dead within vs. There followeth in the end of the verse continually Wee know by proofe of daily experience that whatsoeuer we loue of that we continually thinke And in that this qualitie or circumstance is ioyned with meditation we are taught that though we must reade heare conferre pray and giue thanks often yet we must meditate continually For as it is absurd to say that a man should be continually reading or conferring so we must know that it is requisite in all these things to examine our selues by meditation whether we reade profitably conferre effectually or pray vnderstandingly That we now haue this continuall meditation we must pray that we may haue a loue to the word Loue indeed were of it selfe eloquent enough if we had it in any good measure but to stirre vp this loue we must vse many reasons about the nature of the word how it is mysticall pure and eternall which when we see in truth we shall loue the word Where he saith in it is my meditation wee must vnderstand that it was no rouing meditation but that it was circumscribed within the compasse of the law of God Now to our profit let vs learne to meditate according to the law of the Lord and so as vnder the generals we may touch the particulars to make the vse of them in our selues Thus we haue seene the cause of this effect to be loue For as the rich men of this world meditate of gathering goods naturall louers of their loue and ambitious men of their preferments so the man of God hauing no greater riches pleasure nor glorie than in the word maketh it his whole delight and studie For where we loue thither loue doth easily drawe our affections with it We haue heard why mention is made only of meditation namely because it is the life of all the other meanes and maketh them more fruitfull and why his meditation was maried to the law euen because it excludeth all vaine collections which proceede of general knowledge Besides therefore is meditation named because it most agreeth with the nature of loue For though we cannot alwaies be reading hearing or talking of those things which we â—â—â—â— we may alwayes thinke and meditate of them Now what is the cause that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is preached and â—o little is practised but because wee vse so little conference prayer and meditation The remedie hereof is to knowe what a sinne this is and that among all 〈◊〉 in the day of trouble none so great to torment our consciences as that we haue tested in a generall 〈◊〉 and â—â—â—â—ng of the word without applying of it to our seuerall practises by meditation He hath shewed now his loue in the verses following hee setteth downe the fruite of his loue For as hee shewed that the word of God is of such nature that aboue all other things iâ— is eternall so also hee sheweth that the effects thereof are eternall And whereas men desire nothing more than that wisedome whereby they may excel their enemies in policie their teachers in doctrine and the aged in counsaile he declareth that hee made this choyse to set his loue on Gods word which performeth all these things As loue then is the mother that breedeth meditation and meditation is the nurse to cherish this loue so here because the argument of the effect doth most with men preuaile hee sheweth the mightie power and operation of the word of God What is the reason why men do not râ—st and stay themselues wholy on Gods law Surely because they are not perswaded that there is such excellent wisedome in the same We see then that wee must learne for the generals to bee wise in sobrietie and according to the word of God knowing that the Scriptures are sufficient to touch to improue and correct and to instruct iâ— righteousnesse that the man of â—â—â—â— may bee absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes 2. Tim. 3. The Wiseman counsaileth vs Eecles 7. 18. that wee should not â—â—â— iust euermuch â—â— make our selues ouerwise least web 〈◊〉 Where he sheweth that this is the way to bring blockishnes to make our selues wiser than God and to deuile to become more iust than the word prescribeth vs. What is the cause why so many are so foolish in their death when they haue ouerreached themselues as Achitophel Surely because the Lord doth inâ—â—uate them whilest they would be wiser than the Lord so that their wisdome is 〈◊〉 into childishnes and their policie commeth to nothing What is the cause that we are no more occupied in the reading and hearing of the word Doubtlesse because it is a base and simple thing in our iudgemenâ—â— and containeth not so high mysteries in it as