they must both ioyne together least that wee considering of them being olde and not on new should think they were not or at least that we resting on the iudgements of God executed of late not lifting vp our eyes to the iudgements of old should ascribe them to euil fortune chaunce and destinie We may then see how they which vsed the meanes of good things encreased in them and how they that resrained not from euill did slide backe vnto wickednesse Wherefore that we may throughly be perswaded of the truth of the Lord in things commanded forbidden threatned promised it is requisite to obserue the proofe of them so oft as God giueth iust occasion thereof For vntill wee looke on these things and see his blessings and his iudgements we shall neuer haue a care to doe good nor a conscience to auoid euil and to looke into them is to looke into the glasse of Gods word Many deny prouidence because they haue not a knowledge of the word or else leaning to their reasoÌ„ giue too much to naturall causes or lastly because they haue not a daily growing in the word For that may well be the sense of this place Thou dost make me to grow in knowledge Here is also commended vnto vs the teaching of the spirit by the ministry of the word For otherwise we may often read the Scriptures and yet be ignorant in Gods iudgements in not ascribing euery iudgement to his peculiar office For when we heare of an heretike wee say what is he an heretike I maruell hee is become such a one I knew him an honest man I neuer knew any euil by him yet the word of God telleth vs that some mens sinnes goe before to iudgement and some mens come after and that it is come to him either for want of good workes or for some secret sinne It followeth Vers. 103. How sweete are thy promises vnto my mouth yea sweeter than â—â—ny vnto my mouth VVEe haue heard in the ninth portion that vntill wee put our whole folicitie in the word wee shall not profit That which here is called promises I take rather for iudgements partly because in the proper tongue the word is left out and partly because he had vsed this word iudgements in the verse immediately going before But so me will say how can the iudgements of God hee sweete which are so troublesome fearefull and grieuous I answere that the godly haue no greater ioy than wheÌ„ they feele either the mercies of God accomplished towards them that feare him or his iudgements shewed vpon the reprobates Vnto my mouth That is I take as greate pleasure in talking conferring and perswading thy iudgements as my mouth or the mouth of any that loueth honie is delighted therewith So he saith portioÌ„ 2. vers 6. I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in â—â— manner of riches The meaning then of the verse is when I feele O Lord such effects of thy promises in my selfe and in others that feare thee and such fruites of thy vengeance on them that despise thee I finde great comfort in thy word The Prophet Dauid found this sweetnes by experience in himselfe and therefore spake by proofe Why doe not we feele the like comfort because we vse not the same meanes we finde not the like effects For if we could see our enemies put to the wall by the word then should our knowledge exceede the knowledge of others if we felt the allurements of the world the inticements of the flesh and the motions of the diuell bitter vnto vs then should wee taste this sweetnesse Wherefore before wee make conscience to vse the meanes of good and to auoide the occasions of euill we cannot profit Thus we haue shewed how the iudgements of God may be sweete that is vnto them that reioyce either to see the promises of God performed to the penitent or his wrath fulfilled in the impenitent This delight made the Prophet out of the abundance of his heart to speake ioyfully of them portion 2. 6. With my lips haue I declared all the iudgements of thy mouth And because they testifie no small loue to a thing which for affection to it will rise at midnight he addeth portion 8. 6. At midnight will I rise to giue thankes vnto thee because of thy righteous iudgements This is then a true note that a man hath delight in Gods word if from the abundance of his heart his mouth can speake of it and when the word of God dwelleth so plentifully in him that hee can speake it in wisedome Againe if we haue such an earnest and naturall delight being wearie to refresh our selues with fables what a dulnesse is it in vs that wee cannot finde as great comfort in the word of God Wherefore we are to examine our owne hearts that how so euer we haue bin delighted before to heare vaine and friuolous tales so from henceforth we may please our selues in true histories in the word For though other may be corrupt with flatterings yet these histories are true free from all assentation because they register as well the sins of the Kings and their kindreds as their vertues Neither can wee euer sound the Prophet vntil from the experience of our own selues we can proclaime forth the examples both of Gods promises and of his iudgements We shewed that the cause why wee felt not such profit as the man of God did in the word was because wee vsed not the like paines wee vse fewer meanes therefore our loue is the lesse to the truth wee auoide not so many occasions of euill therefore we sinne the more If we then would be more diligent in conference more feruent in prayer more giuen to meditation wee should profit more if wee would refraine from euill and abstaine from occasions of it wee should both bee great in good things and auoide many afflictions The cause then why we either speake not of Gods iudgements at all or speaking speake so coldly is because we are so dead in vsing the meanes of good and so dull in auoyding the occasions of euill The Prophet port 7. 4. saith I haue remembred thy iudgements of olde and haue beene comforted Where we are to note that wee are not at vtter defiance of sinne and in full league with goodnes vntill we haue found comfort when either the Lord shewed mercy vpon his or vengeance on the wicked And then Gods iudgements will bee sweete vnto vs when remembring that no sinne shall be vnpunished we abstaine from sin â—nd seeing that no good thing shall be vnrewarded we are moued to goodnesse For what can strengthen a man more than to consider this that God will punish sinne one day and that in time he will fulfill his promises to his childreÌ„ which walke in truth before him although in great weakenesse We haue also taught that we must vse such a moderation of our affections as we may stay
most impatient either of reproches offered vnto vs by our enemies or any iniuries by our friends yet herein we â—eruently aske of thy wise and merciful goodnes that wee may reape a good fruite euen of such euill meanes And because wee grow to bee acquainted with the pride of our spirits and sloath fulnesse of our flesh and few meanes are left vs and many offences by our selues conceiued by others and Sathan offered doe alreadie and are daily like more to assaile vs O Lord thou which hast beene our God euen from our first birth especially since our new birth be thou the God of our middle age yea of our old dayes if we liue so long vntill thou finish the last worke of our new birth begun and continued thus farre in vs. To this ende wee aske of thee that we may vow and receiuing grace from thee wee doe vowe to vse all these forenamed good meanes of our saluation more mercifully than yet euer wee vsed them in vsing of them wee aske more feare of thy Maiestie faith of thy promises purenesse of our hearts loue vnto others and withall blessing and fruite more aboundant that our latter workes may be better then our former Wofull experience O blessed Sauiour teacheth and moueth vs to call vpon thee as for these former things so to be preserued and protected by thy almightie and mercifull grace from our owne corruption to come from all Sathans temptation and accusations from all manner of contagion of the vngodly in their iniuries reproches and their benefits praises their â—orceries inchantments yea from any hurt of thy children as they bee not regenerate and from any hurt by thy creatures so farre forth as any of these things may hurt our saluation Former experience O mightie God and mercifull Father ought not onely to teach but also to enforce vs to giue thee thankes praise and glory for thy former mercies vpon vs and thy Church bestowed but wherein thou hast prouided for vs many arguments of strength of faith or ignorance forgetfulnes negligence and want of reuerence of thy mercies receiued minister iust cause of humiliation and therefore in some faith in and thankfulnesse for thy former mercifull blessings and yet in much weaknesse in the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord with our whole heart wee beseech thee giue vs a good portion of thy spirit to call carefully thy benefites to our remembrance wisely to vnderstand them and reuerently to regard and truly to be thankfull for them in mind in heart in word and deed through Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen Wee beseech thee most mightie God and mercifull Father to make partakers of our praiers and thankesgiuings all the whole Church and euery member thereof especially where dutie most chargeth promise bindeth necessitie craueth and thy glory chalengeth c. FINIS A TABLE OF THE CHIEFE POINTS OF DOCTRINE HANDLED IN THIS VOLVME GATHERED INTO AN Alphabeticall order A ABstinence vsed 807. want of it hurt the godly 808. Admonition 28. 256 789 to whome it is to be giuen 205. and in what manner 547. 698. 58. of inferiours to superiours 257. how it should be taken 58. Rules of it in generall 629. 630. 631. Adoption what it is and trials thereof 450 Adulterie what it is and how many wayes committed 676. 767. 790. Remedies against it 635. 636. Affection naturall is corrupt 1. 103. 638. 681. 727. 57. 515. 325. alwayes to bee suspected 274. 651. the triall of it 1. 671. 680. how it is renewed 243. 175. 742. goood affections required in good workes 264. 161. Dead Affections 459. 827. Affliction 2. 262. 638. causes of it 35. 640. 197. 234. 235. necessitie thereof 80. how grieuous a thing 97 ioyes in it 686. 782. who are afflicted 95. 96. 639 766. the ende and vse of affliction 1. 2. 112. 686. 533. 334. how to comfort the afflicted 6. 106 1107 114. 116. Affliction soone tries godlie and godlesse 489. three rules for it 864. 865. Ambition 99. how to fight against Ambition 466. Amitie turned into enmitie 798. Anger godlie 243. euill anger 79â— cause of it 466. Triall of anger 3. 641. 204. 547. Angels watch ouer veâ— and how 3. 646 not seene but extraordinarily 641. euill Angels 310. 311. 312. Antichrist 666 Apparell 712. Apostasie how great a sinne 627. An Arrian Heretike 110. Armour of a Christian 308. 309. Assurance of saluation 322. 323. 328. See Saluation Astonishment 24â— Atheisme 3. Austeritie 769. B BAptisme 642. Our vowe in Baptisme euer to bee remembred 477. on what day to be remembred 157. Belieuers like children 18. the belieuer not hastie 408. Blessednes 314. the causes of it 207. the effects of it 209. true blessednes wherein it consisteth 394 Blessing denied because of sinne 784 786. the way to obtaine temporall blessings 644. these are no signes of Gods fauour 645. Blindnes of men 165. causes of it 197. Booke of GOD especiallie to be taken vp with the examples thereof 421. All that can delight the heart of man contained in the booke of God 446 Brethren most vehement in Loue and so in hatred 685. Brownists 258 C CAlamities publike fearefull Tokens thereof 464. causes of it 791. publike most affect vs most 2â— Calling generall speciall 645. misliking thereof dangerous 4. 30. 38. 613. 493. Of calling vpon GOD with diuerse circumstances thereof 449. Care immoderate of outward things hurtfull 464 644 Catechising of Children whiles they are yong required 2 8. 642. 664. families must bee catechized â—9â— how and by whom it must be done 649 6â—5 distinguished from preaching ibid. reasons for it 665 Cause good why it hath ill successe who are enemies to it 8. constancie in it 50 how to prosper in a good cause 461 they may looke to bee potected that haue a good cause and handle that cause well 504 256 651 Censuring of others how it must be done 4 Ceremonies 787 their first originall 152 good and profitable 652 euill and to be hated 353 321 364 Charitie 820 voyde of suspition 79 Chastitie 78 CHRIST 654 his excellencie in all knowledge 751 how and where we must labour to finde CHRIST to apply him 397 his Temptations 490 his Passion in â—oule â—4 186 his Buriall and the vse of it 84 his Resurrection 85 178 he holdeth his Kingdome by two Titles 655 two Crownes 6â—6 his incercession how he must be followed 692 654 his power 852 Christians their estate 308 who bee true Christians 231 A Christians life is the Meditation of the Lawe of GOD c. 459 Difficulties in Christianitic 384 Church why called holie and Catholike the Authoritie and dignitie of it 648 the prospetitie thereof should make vs reioyce 275 a care of the prosperitie a note of Gods children 620 wants in it and yet tollerable 74 648 819 ChildreÌ„ foolish 276 why God giueth such to parents 2â—2 how to be brought vp ibid 662 66â— how to bee corrected 278 marks of Gods children 853 316 their calling and priuiledges
require a resurrection that the wicked may suffer for their sinnes as well in their bodies as in their soules and that the godly may be crowned c. Psalm 73 3 The power of God to performe all his promises and threatnings he that made all things of nothing can more easily restore our bodies againe being rotten or changed into the elements 4 Prouidence of God Abrahams faith concerning the resurrection 5 Christ our Mediatour can and will raise vs. Christ suffered in soule The seruice of the bodie in hearing praier Sacraments 6 Al creatures desire this day Rom. 8. Two poynts to be considered in examining our selues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tworeasons why euery one is to examine himselfe Gods preseÌ„ce must mooue vs to examination Gen. 41. 14. Matth. 22. 1. 2. Luk. 14. 1â— 2. Chro. 35. 6. 1. Sam. 21. 4. 2. Sam. 6. 6. 7. Exod. 40. 10. 11. 12. 27. 3. 4. 5. c. Iohn 19 38. 39. 40. Simile 1. Cor. 11. 27. Matth. 16. 3. Matth. 15. 17. We can neuer end when we prepare to feast with men we can neuer begin well any preparation to feast with God Our owne profite must moue vs to examination Gen 3. 22. Matth. 9. 20. 21. 22. Iohn 20 4. 5. 6. 7. â— Hag. 2. 13. 14 The polluted perâ—on polluteth all things Tit. 1. 15. 16. Simile 1. Cor. 11. 30 1 Cor. 11. 29. Exo. 4. 24. 25. 2. Chro. 20. â—â— Mark 15. 42. Preparation for the Sabbath 1 Foure sorts barred from the Lords supper Children Fooles ignorant persons impenitent persons 2 3 4 The subiect of examination is our selues Simile Simile 1. Cor. 11. 31. 32. Simile Reade as it were an inditement to our selues against our selues Bucerus Tunc optime habet qui pessimâ— habet Wherein the examination of our selues consisteth Galath 3. â—0 Matth. 5. 3. 4. 1. Tim. 1. 15. Christian charitie required Simile Math. 18. 28. 32 How we may eâ—te drink in the Eucharist Simile What we receiue in the Eucharist Gen. 14. Christs body Christs blood * or actiue Righteousnes actiue passiue before God mâ—n Why we receiue the Eucharist Meditations of Christs death How wee are united with Christ his meÌ„bers in the Eucharist Spirituall union communion with Christ. Communion with the meÌ„bers of Christ Simile The Iewes did no more crucifie Christ then the nayles the crosse and the hammer but our sins Zach. 12. 10. 11. Of examination of our selues after the receiuing of the Lords Supper Simile Obiection Answere Wee must be grieued that we can be no more grieued 2. Chron. 30. 18. â—9 Few feare God We haue no time to doe good How wee should feare and why we doe not feare Docta inscitia Knowledge without practise is no knowledge Vnprofitable hearing how dangerous Why we profit not by our knowledge Simile How wee must behaue our selues vnder the crosse Siâ—â—alâ— Two causes of our blindnes in afflictions Note How great Gods â—ratlâ— is Of the feare of God and why men doe not feare Loue without feare Sinne breeds feare how much There is more required in Religion than an outward shoâ—w Why how the Lord is sometime hot in speech Of hypocrisie how it should be abhorred Special kinds of hypocrisie * Vultum assumens * Est signum sine signato Sub splendido pallio latet nequitia Non videri volunt quod non sunt sed quantum non sunt The first kind The second kind Vtinam omnes essent hypocritae The third kind The fourth kind Notes to know an hypocrite Matth. 7. 3. The first note The second note Omne peccatum extenuari potest The third note CypriaÌ„saith Decoratissimas habent orationes The fourth note The fist note The sixt note Note The seuenth note Open offenders Matth. 7. Omnis malus plus minus hypocrita est Many kinds of hypocrites None readier to accuse meÌ„ of hypocrisie than hypocrites Si trabes sit in oculo strues est in corde The wicked terme the godly hypocrites and godlines they call the hypocrisie That there is a holy anger Triall of our anger The first Note To passe by iniuries done to our selues The second Note of holy anger not easily prouoked Psal. 133. Simile The third Note of holy anger to bee angrie with sinne wheresoeuer wee finde it Note Admonition The fourth note of holy anger To be angrie with our own sins Matth. 7. Ioh. 8. 7. The fift Note If our anger stretch beyoÌ„d the bounds or hinder holy duties Mark 6. Matth. 23. 37. 1. Corinth 5. Psal. 69. Rom. 14. Note A golden chain of tâ—e causes of Saluation 1 The cause of our happines Gods loue 2 The substaÌ„ce of our blessed nesse the redemption of Christ. 3 The formall cause of Saluation Rom. 8. Iohn 6. 4 The instrument all causes Faith A false faith 1. King 2. 7. Matth 5. The first degree of blessednesse The second degree The third degree The fourth degree Effects of blessednes 1 Peace of conscience 2 Affiance and trust in God False peace and ioyes 3 Sinceritie 4 Feare 1 Peace-makers 2 Mercie Note Matth. 9. How expeaient it were that some publike fasts should be obserued in our time Munition for warre all meanes for peace that they may be blessed vnto vs ought not to want preaching prayer and fasting Hâ—b 11. Note Pride and malice in Papists Simile Diligent and continuall preaching 1. Tim. 4. 16. This was written Aâ— Eliza 2â— Sobrietie Who fit to fast often Note this well The first â—â—â—â—mâ—n * Like the Sâ—â— * Like a lightning The regenerate doe not â—eese the spirit of sanctification Iob. 31. * Paul * Examples Moles Nehemâ—as Daniel 2. Cor. 12. 2. last verâ—e Two heads of all the doctrine of the Scripture The spirit of sanctification is effectual in all meanes which profit vs. Exercises of religion vnprofitable to them which waÌ„t the spirit The precept of not quenching the spirit belongs to theÌ„ which haue receiued the spirit Two questioÌ„ concerning the queÌ„ching of the spirit A spirituall man is indued with supernaturall gifts A spirituall man must haue an alteration or change Ioh. 16. Matth. 11. 1 A generall astonishment for sinne 2 A speciall griefe for speciall sinnes 1. Cor. 2. 14. Phil. 1. 9. 10. 3 Reason against faith 4 How the spirit renueth affections The 3. note How the spirit leades vs to Christ. Psalm 130. 4. Two arguments of our iustification Rom. 5. 1. 2. Rom. 9. 1. Phil. 4. 3. 4. 5. 1. Cor. 2. 14. 15 The 4. note Readines to obey Godly anger a Ephes. 4. 1â— b Rom. 8. 2. Gal. 5. 22. 1 Rules to know whether we haue the spirit 2 3 4 Simile The properties of fire whereby the graces and effects of the spirit are resembled 2 3 4 Foure effects of the spirit 1 2 3 4 The second question whether the spirit may be lost 1 The lighter and lesser worke of the spirit Matth. 1 3. Luk 8. Mark 4. Heb. 6. Hebr. 6. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
yet when they selâ— this wound pearcing them with griâ—fe of heart they were as Sparrowes mourning as Cranes chattering as Pellicans casting out fearfull cries they thought themselues as in the gâ—aue they wished to haue dwelt solitarie they were as bottles parched in the smoke they were as Doues mourning not able without sighes and groanes to vtter their words their harts claue to the dust and their tongues to the rooâ—e of their mouthes But aboue all if these were not sufficient to perswade vs in this doctrine there remaineth one example whom we affirme to be the perfect anatomie of an afflicted minde This is the Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ the image of the Father the head of the body the mirrour-of all graces the wisedome righteousnes holinesse and redemption of all the Saints who sustained the crosse euen from his youth vpward and besides pouertie basenesse hunger did willingly goe vnder the great trouble of contempt and reproach and that among them where he should haue had a right deserued honour in respect of the doctrine he taught them in regard of the manifold miracles he wrought among them as the healing of the sicke the giuing of sight to the blinde the restoring of life to the dead this vnkindnesse neuerthelesse did not so much strike into him But at what time he was set as a sacrifice for all when he was to beare our infirmities and carie our sorrowes at what time he was plagued and smitten of God humbled and wounded for our transgressions when he should be broken for our iniquities and the chasticement of our peace was vpon him then he cryed out My soule is heauie euen vnto the death Then he prayeth Lord if it be possible let this cuppe passe from me But how prayeth he euen with sweating how sweateth hâ— euen droppes of bloud How long prayeth he three times When endes his agonie not vntill hee was dead What saide hee being readie to departe My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Was this for his humane death as some haue imagined No no wicked men haue dyed without complaint whose patience then might seeme to exceede his it was his suffering in his humane spirit which incountred with the wrath of God his God-head suppressing it selfe for a while he suffered indeed many torments in bodie but much more heauily did the wrath of God lie vpon his soule If this consideration of an afflicted spirit in these examples doe not sufficiently shew what a grieuous thing it is to sustaine a wounded conscience let vs proceed to the comparing of this with other euils which fall into the nature of man There is no sicknesse but Physicke prouideth for it a remedie there is no sore but Chirurgerie will affoord it a salue friendship helpeth pouertie there is no imprisonment but there is hope of libertie Suite and fauour recouer a man from banishment authoritie and time weare away reproch But what Physicke cureth what Chirurgerie salueth what riches ransometh what countenance beareth out what authoritie asswageth what fauour relieueth a troubled conscience all these banded together in league though they would conspire a confederacie cannot helpe this one distresse of a troubled minde and yet this one comfort of a quiet minde doth wonderfully cure and comfortably asswage all other griefes whatsoeuer For if our assistance were as an host of armed souldiers if our friends were the Princes and the Gouernours of the earth â—f our possessions were as large as betweene the East and the West if our meate were as Manna from heauen if our apparell were as costly as the Ephod of Aaron if euery day were as glorious as the day of Christs resurrection yet if our mindes be appalled with the iudgements of God these things would little comfort vs. Let experience speake If a troubled minde impaireth not health drieth not vp the blood wasteth not the marrow pineth not away the flesh consumeth not the bones if it maketh not all pleasures painefull and shortneth not this life sure no wisedome can counsell it no counsell can aduise it no aduice can asswage it no asswagement can cure it no eloquence can perswade it no power can ouercome it no scepter will affray it no inchanter can harme it And yet on the contrary if a man languish in sicknesse so his heart be whole and is perswaded of the health of his soule his sicknesse doth not grieue him If a man be reproched so he be precious in the sight of God and his Angels what losse hath he If a man be banished and yet doubteth not that heauen is his countrie and that he is a cittizen among the Saints it doth not appall him If a man be in trouble and findeth peace of conscience he will quietly digest his trouble But if the minde be troubled who dare meete with the wrath of the Lord of hostes who can put to silence the voyce of desperation who will steppe out and make agreement with the helles to spare vs who dare make a couenant with the diuell that hee would lay no claime vnto vs if then a good conscience helpeth all euils and all other benefites in this life in themselues cannot helpe a troubled conscience we see it true in proofe which here is in prouerbe The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmity but a wounded spirit who can beare it Againe in all other afflictions we may haue some comfort against sinne this is euer accompanied with the accusation of sinne A man may be sicke reproched impouerished imprisoned and banished and yet in all these haue a cleere conscience his owne heart telling him that there is no special cause of these croâ—â—es in him but that he may â—uffer them for the tryall of his faith or for righteousnesse sake and well doing But when the spirit is wounded there is still a guiltinesse of sinne and when a mans spirit is trouâ—led he suspecteth all his waies he feareth all his sinnes he knowes not what sinne to begin with it breedes such hurlyburlies in him that when it is day he wisheth for night when it is night he would haue it day his meate doth not nourish him his dreames are fearefull to him his sleepe oft times forsaketh him if he speaketh he is little eased if he keepeth silence he boyleth in disquietnesse of heart the light doth not comfort him the darknesse doth terrifie him To prosecute our comparisons where all other euils are the more tolerable because they be temporall and pursue vs but to death this not being cured endeth not in death but becommeth eternall For euen the heathen men thought that death was the end of all miserie the perswasâ—ion whereof made them being in some miserie to make an ende of themselues and hasten their owne death as Sathan doth make many now adaies to doe who are ignorant of the hels which is a place of farre greater paines than any they can suffer in this world whatsoeuer for a tormented conscience
I will not denie it it is so indeed but yet be it knowne that with a singularitie of the benefit if none profit by it there goeth a singularitie of iudgement where it is abused and a more notable iudgement remaineth for such a place than for the other because it had been better neuer to haue heard than hauing heard so much neuer to profit It is good saith Dauid that I haue been afflicted for I haue learned thy law indeede in this respect it was good for him and yet it is not good for some to bee afflicted who not profiting by it become the worse for it as it was to Lots wife who was made a pillar of salt Two things hinder ripenes of knowledge the one is that men are proudely ignorant perswading them falsely to know that they know not the other is hardnes of hart whereby they are obdurated against the true profit of knowledge for either wee thinke we haue some deepe knowledge or else we become stonie and senselesse that if Gods iudgements be spoken we feare not if his promises be offered we reioyce not whatsoeuer is spoken we moue not into such an heart how much knowledge soeuer is powred in though it seeme to runne ouer yet the quantitie of it will amount to nothing Because we will not see Gods wrath as it is we see it in iustice for by Gods wrath is iustice signified vnto vs. And surely howsoeuer other qualities in God doe not affect vs sometime yet wrath stirres vs vp Affections are commonly stirred vp by their obiects as feare by wrath Now if we feare the anger of a man and specially of a Prince because the wrath of a Prince seemeth so great a thing to vs what shall we thinke of the wrath of God which one way or other we shall surely meete withall either for to beare it or else to be reconciled to him for the auoyding of it Wherefore to reueale to vs this wrath it is Moses his office to teach vs to see our sinne so to bring vs within the compasse of the law and of that forfeiture which the law doth award vs that so we may esteeme the more of that mercie which is offered in Christ. Now the cause why we esteeme not mercie is because we account so slenderly of our sinnes and therefore we doe lightly value our sinne because we thinke no more reuerently of Gods wrath against sinne for such is the sense of our sinne as is the feare of his wrath And so we esteeme peace as we account of warre and make a prize of our plentie as we doe of our scarsitie If we consider rightly of the want and famine of Samaria or of Idumea and see the heads of Asses sold for so much then we shall be fit to iudge rightly of plentie we are therefore in our afflictions to leuell at the wrath of God which is the cause not to stay in our affliction but still looke to our sinne without the sight whereof we shall either stand carping at Gods iudgements with Ionas or we shall fall to curse the day of our birth with Iob so farre shall we be from making our true profit by it Therefore we know not how to profit vnder the crosse because we know not the causes of it but wedwell in the effects complaine of the thing done not looking to the cause and originall of it which we see in that a man being crossed by a wicked man he stormes against the man but lookes not to God wherein he doth as if a man should quarrell with the staffe wherewith he is beaten and neuer looke to the smiter for a man is but as the rod of the Lord or as the staffe of the diuell we deale I say with the stripe not with the diuell by whose instigation that is done And as we deale with the diuell in his motiues so we deale with the Lord in his visitations we could teare the rod but not be humbled vnder him that vseth the rod. And what doe we profit by this behauiour Admit we could wrest the rod out of Gods hand what gaine is that for vs against whom he will take vp a sword and a mallet or a great rocke wherewith he will not stand to beate vs but out of hand to breake vs in fitters And therefore good wisedome it is not to wrestle with the effect but to meete with the cause Now then there are two things which blindfold vs that we cannot see Gods wrath in our afflictions the one because we are not straight consumed with the anger of God so long as men waste away by little and little and are not beaten downe at one blow they put off all suspition that God is displeased with them and neuer acknowledge his wrath vntill it come like an ambassadour of death Some are consumed by apoplexies and suddenly fall dead some by hecticks and peece by peece fall away This is so much the more dangerous because it is the lesse sensible and rather killeth vs than forewarneth vs. It is as dangerous to moulder away and as easie to dye of an hectick as it is to fall dead and to be taken with an apoplexie And therefore it is not good to tarrie for the dead blow Another cause is this that as Gods iudgementâ— are to many mercies and proceed from his loue towards vs so though we see it not many of his mercies we sent to vs in his iudgement and proceed from him in wrath So Ieremie saith that the Lord gaue Iosias in wrath to raigne ouer his people and yet Iosias was a good King The vse of all this is thus much to shew vs that the Lords anger works in him as do al other affections when they haue not their worke in vs. Hereof it is that because we are not displeased with our selues for our sinnes God is displeased with vs because we mislike not our corruptions God sheweth his misliking of them because we are not angrie with our selues God is angrie with vs. Sinne deserueth wrath and sinne must haue wrath either at our hands or at the Lords hands If we be wrathfull with our selues and take an indignation with our own selues as 2. Cor. 7. the Lord will remit his wrath if we will iudge our selues God will not iudge vs. If at any time we come to iudge of Gods wrath we account of it as of an impotent thing wrath doth worke the wrath of the least doth moue and I would we feared the wrath of the Lord as much as we doe the wrath of Princes But we thinke of Gods wrath as of his mercie we feare him as one of sillie anger and small power we thanke him for his mercies as a niggardly God and pinching giuer When we deale in duties to Godward we cut them we mince with him we measure and stint him as though we would be euen with him but when it comes to our wickednesse we are
we doe more accuse and condemne our selues than any other doth or can doe and againe if a sinne be not in vs yet we be afraid least it may bee and therefore wee vse meanes against it then if wee bee angrie with the sinne of others we haue this good warrant that our anger is good yea if we be accused or thought to be corruptly angrie either with our own causes or with our enemies insomuch that meÌ„ condemne our anger yet we haue the testimonie of our hearts and consciences to tell that it is not so and therefore herein may we take sound comfort Fiftly some men there are who when they are angrie with one they will bee angrie with all and their anger doth so chafe and ouercome them as it were that they are vnfit for duties either to God or their brethren This anger is altogether fleshly to be condemned That anger then which maketh vs vnfit to heare Gods word to goe to prayer which disquieteth our minds and troubleth vs that anger I say is to be misliked though it were for a good cause and in Gods behalfe for the workes of Gods spirit do not one let or hinder another but rather do further one another insomuch that if we were cold in prayer before yet this earnestnesse in Gods cause doth quicken vs vp and maketh vs very readie vnto prayer if wee were dull in hearing the word before wee are now better affected and this true zeale and anger in the Lords cause and for his glorie will put an edge to euery good thing we goe about True anger doth not let vs from doing our duties vnto God nor diminish our loue towards our brethreÌ„ but rather stirreth vp in vs a compassion ouer them for the wrath of God which wee see hang ouer their heads And for that cause we are in puâ—â— moued to pray for them more earnestly than before so farre are we from taking reuenge yea there is a greater care in vs how we may helpe them out of their sinne than to punish them for their sinne So that heere anger for the sinne is ioyned with a louing compassion ouer the partie and the one doth not so much moue vs to take reuenge of them as the oher doth moue them to pitie their case Here then is a speciall difference betweeâ—â— them for Christian anger hath euer a griefe ioyned with it both for the dishonour of God the hurt of our brother but carnall and fleshly anger hath a ioy and pleasure in it and â—eedeth it selfe therewith and is puffed vp Such godly anger was in Christ against the Pharisies where it is said that hee was angrie and sorrowfull and in another place when hee saw the destruction of Ierusalem for their sinnes for which he had bin angrie with them it is said of him that he wept Likewise Paul threatning the Corinthians that for their sins he would come to them with a rod saith after I am afraid that when I come the Lord doe humble me and I shall bewaile many that haue sinned contrariwise hee describeth fleshly anger to be such as puffeth men vp when they see the sinnes of their brethren Now that we may come to haue an holy anger wrought in vs for sin it is needfull that we labour for that affection which was in the Prophet Dauid when he saith The rebukes of them that rebuke thee haue fallen vpon me Where the Prophet sheweth that euery sin which was committed against God he thought that it was committed against himselfe and was as grieued and angrie therewith because the glorie of God which was committed to his care was stained and God himselfe dishonoured and this did make him angrie and zealous in the cause of the Lord and this zeale must be also in vs. Which that it may be tempered and not too rigorous we ought also to consider how the Apostle Paul appheth the same place when he would exhort them to beare the infirmities of the weake and not to deale ouer sharply with them he bringeth the example of Christ who suffered for the sins of the people as for his owne and so accounted of them So then we ought to thinke that the sinnes which by our brethren are committed are coÌ„mitted of vs and are ours which if wee can doe it will much abate rigour and sharpe dealing in admonition as also in the punishment of sinne The Apostle in another place saith Beare yâ— one anothers burthen and so fulfill the measure of Christ. Now if wee shall ioyne these two affections together in vs first to thinke that euery sinne committed against Gods maiestie is coÌ„mitted against vs and againe that euery sinne which our brother doth we in our own persons do the same the first will breede in vs an anger and zeale for the glorie of God the other will worke in vs patience and compassion because of our owne flesh and of the Image of God which our brother beareth and thereof will come a zealous anger ioyned with loue and compassion of the partie By these notes may true Christian and spirituall anger be tried and discerned from that which is fleshly and carnall that wee may follow the one as commanded in the law and wrought in our hearts by the spirit of God and that we may auoid the other as forbidden in the law and proceeding from the corruption of our flesh that we may neither be fooles which are alwaies angry for euery thing neither of the damnable and blasphemous family of fleshly loue which will not in their perfection be angry at all other differences there bee but if a man doe well consider of these and practise them hee shall easily discerne the rest FINIS A TREATISE OF BLESSEDNES HE may bee saide to haue tasted true blessednesse whom the Lorde before all beginnings hath chosen to saluation whose saluation purposed by God the father is performed by God the sonne to whom the election by God the father and redemption by God the sonne is ratified by God the holy Ghost in whome this assurance of faith is wrought by the word preached faith breeding peace of minde this peace causeth ioy ioy being accompanied with securitie securitie working in loue loue labouring with a care to please God with a feare to displease God from whence issueth a desire of weldoing to others indeuouring to bring them to the peace with God and man which he tasteth of himselfe Lastly he is truely blessed who besides all the former things knoweth how to vse prosperitie moderately and aduersitie patiently wayting and looking for the accomplishment of God his promise in the kingdome of heauen More particularly we will intreate of true happinesse by the causes and by the effects of it The originall cause is the loue of God in ordaining vs to bee heires of life eternall Ephes. 1. 4. Matth. 25 34. Wherein is laide open the bountifull riches of the mercie of God to vs ward in
of Gods iudgement 3. That we must wisely discerne betweene the true sorrow for sinne which causeth repentance not to be repented of and that worldly sorrow which causeth death For godly sorrow softneth the hart to the obedience of the word but that worldly sorrow causeth men to kicke and spurne against the word to the further hardning of their hearts 4. That many are galled and pricked with pouertie sicknes and other afflictions but few with their sinnes which is the cause of their afflictions But let men be well assured of this saith he that if a man be not troubled for sinne here he is in the way to hell if he be troubled in this life for sinne he is in the way to heauen 5. Lastly that in true repentance the pricking of the heart and sorrowing for sinne must be continued and daily renewed we must be humbled with continuall sorrow that we may bee refreshed with daily comfort in Christ. And thus farre the compendious and short view of all these Sermons This graue and reuerend Father who hath left vs these holy instructions hauing continued for many yeeres with good successe and a comfortable experience of Gods blessing on his holy ministery in preaching the Gospell of Christ his Sermons were many in number and how effectuall let the godly iudge by these fewe which Gods good prouidence hath reserued for posteritie Now right Worshipfull I offer them vnto your good patronage and protection because I am well assured you loue and what you may you further the preaching of the Gospell of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Much am I bound to remember your Worship and that vertuous Lady your wife for your great loue to me and mine I can no way require your loue yet by some poore testimonie I desire to make mine affection knowne in the performance of any Christian duty what I may The Lord Iesus Christ that hath knit both your harts by one spirit in one holy faith vnto himselfe and in loue vnfained one to another graunt you the true peace which passeth vnderstanding to keepe your hearts and mindes in his faith loue and feare vnto the end And thus I humbly take my leaue recommending you and all yours to the protection of the Almightie Your Worships euer to command in Iesus Christ HENRY HOLLAND A SERMON PREACHED BY MAISTER RICHARD GREENHAM VPON THESE WORDS THE FIRST SERMON Quench not the spirit 1. Thess. 5. 19. ALl the doctrine of the Scriptures may be briefly referred to these two heads First how wee may be prepared to receiue the spirit of God Secondly how the spirit may be retained when as wee haue once receiued it And therefore Saint Paul hauing laboured to instruct the Thessalonians in the former part of this Epistle how they may receiue the spirit doth here teach them how to keepe and continue this spirit vnto the end And this the Apostle doth by giuing them a charge and commaundement that in no wise they doe Quench the spirit thereby doubtles teaching that as the shunning of euill is the first step vnto goodnes so the readie way to continue the spirit of God in our hearts is to labour that it be not quenched Now the Apostle vpon great waightie cōsideration doth here deliuer this precept For first of all though al those be worthily and iustly condemned that neuer tasted of the spirit of God yet as our Sauiour Christ saith A more iust and fearefull condemnation is like to come vpon them that hauing once receiued it doe afterward lose the same againe Moreouer without this spirit of God no holy exercise can haue his full effect for the word worketh not where the spirit of God is wanting prayers haue no power to pearce into the presence of God the Sacraments seeme small and sillie things in our eyes and all other orders and exercises which God hath graunted ordained for man they are vnprofitable to man where the spirit is not present to cōuey them into our hearts there to seale vp the fruit of them Last of all we are fit to receiue no good grace at Gods hand nay we doe not esteeme Gods graces when we haue not the spirit to teach vs to set a due price vpon them for speake of the Law or of the Gospel of sinne or of righteousnesse speake of Christ or of our redemption and iustification by him yea speake of that huge and heauie waight of glorie wherewith the elect of God shall be crowned all this moueth not we are little affected therewith vnlesse God giue vs of his good spirit to profit by the same The Apostle therefore with good reason gaue this precept and we for many great causes are to listen vnto it least by any meanes the spirit of God be quenched in vs so we depriue our selues of all these fruits Now whereas the Apostle saith Quench not the spirit it may appeare that he speaketh to those that had alreadie receiued the spirit For as the fire cannot be said to be quenched where it is not so they cānot be said to quench or lose the spirit which haue not as yet receiued it Then know that this precept doth properly belong to thē that haue receiued the spirit of God and they especilly are to make a speciall vse of it for the other it cannot profit them vnlesse that as the seede lying in the ground a long time doth afterward budde and become fruitfull so this continue in their mindes till they haue tasted in some good sort of the spirit of God and then breed in them some carefulnes that they doe not quench it Well then to them that haue felt and found the spirit of God in them to them saith S. Paul in this place Take heede that ye quench not the spirit Of this if we doe somewhat seriously consider these two questions will offer themselues and soone arise in our minde First how we may know whether we haue the spirit of God or no. Secondly if we haue it whether it may be lost againe or no which if they bee well and sufficiently answered they will doubtlesse giue great force vnto this precept For the first then if we will knowe whether we haue the spirit or no we must surely vnderstand that as he knoweth best that he hath life which feeleth it in himselfe so he best knoweth whether he haue the spirit of God that feeleth the spirit working in him And if wee will further know this by the peculiar working and effects of the spirit then let vs marke these First of all if there bee nothing in man but the nature of man if nothing but that may be attained by the art and industrie of a man then surely in that man is not the spirit of God for the spirit is from God it is from aboue it is aboue nature and therefore the Apostle doth set the spirit of God against the spirit of the world when he saith We haue
or offer swines flesh which was counted an abominable thing among the Iewes or praise the thing that is vnright Lastly to this accordeth the Gospell and the Apostles Our Sauiour Christ Matth. 9 13. saith I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance not euery sinner but that sinner which condemneth sinne in himselfe and is wearie and laden with his sins Matth. 11. 28. Matth. 21. 32. our Sauiour Christ preferreth the harlots and Publicans before the Pharisies for they being pricked for their sinnes and conuicted did sorrow and heard Iohn preaching vnto them So then Christ giueth reliefe to those that want righteousnesse to them that feele themselues sinners ease to them which are burthened light to them which are in darkenesse life to them which are dead and saluation to them which condemne themselues The Apostle delareth 1. Corin. 14. how the Corinthians were moued with strange tongues but yet had not in admiration the word Besides hee sheweth by comparing the gift of tongues and prophecying together that if an Infidell or vnlearned man should come and heare them speake with strange tongues hee would say they were out of their wits but if he should heare them speake the word of God plainely hee would be rebuked of all men and iudged of all men and so the secrets of his heart should be made manifest he would fall downe on his face and worship God and say plainely when hee feeleth his sinnes they rifle mine heart they shew my secret sinnes doubtles this is Gods doing God is in them I will follow this religion Wherefore in this appeareth the power of the word in that it citeth and summoneth our consciences before the tribunall of God and woundeth vs with a liuely feeling of Gods iudgement that he who before through securitie did despise sound doctrine may now bee constrained to giue the glorie vnto God This appeareth more plainely Hebr. 4. 12. where it is saide that the word of God is liuely mightie in operation and sharper than any two edged sword and it pierceth through and searcheth the most secret chambers of the soule and deuideth thought from thought and then all our holines shall seeme hypocrisie all our righteousnesse shall seeme as a defiled cloth we shall finde with Paul that in vs that is in our flesh dwelleth no righteousnesse For mens consciences are colde neither are they touched and displeased with their euils so long as they be in ignorance but when the word of God pierceth into the vttermost corners of their consciences and telleth them that they haue to doe with the Lord they are throughly touched and begin to feare and entering into themselues examining their conscience they come to the knowledge of that which before they had forgotten Wee can neuer bee offered to God without his spirit Iohn 16. vers 8. For hee reprooueth the world of sinne and awaketh our consciences that those sinnes which before were hid should be made manifest Dauid did lie an whole yeere without this pricke of conscience and thought that all was well vntill Nathan came neither did he finde comfort of conscience vntill he had thus been pricked Iosephs brethren was thirteene yeeres and neuer remembred their sinnes vntill after such time the Lord laid it before them The Prophet Dauid Psalm 32. which he intituled a Psalme of instruction concerning the free remission of sinnes teacheth how we shall finde the same For many perswaded themselues that their sinnes are forgiuen when they be not He also sheweth that vntill trouble of minde did driue him to particularize and confesse his speciall sinnes to God he found no comfort Manasses did eate the bread of sorrowe and did drinke the water of griefe and vntill hee had lamented and sorrowed for his sinnes he felt no rest nor peace The woman of Samaria Iohn 4. was pleasant and iested with our Sauiour Christ vntill her sinnes were opened and then shee began to answere with more reuerence For vntill shee was willed to call her husband shee thought all was safe but after hee had tolde her that shee had plaied the adulteresse shee acknowledged him that hee was a Prophet Wherefore wee may see by this which hath been spoken that the word of God only pricketh our consciences as plainly may here appeare by the Iewes who cared not for the Apostles nor made any conscience vntill their hearts were pricked In the second place we must note that they were rightly pricked For many oftentimes are pricked which kick against the pricke and hauing their consciences galled by the word they murmure either against the preacher of the word or against the word it selfe Here then is the difference betweene the godly and the wicked the one is pricked and is made more carefull in a godly conscience the other more hardened than before But this is a godly sorrowe when wee loue the man that rebuketh vs and reuerence the word the more being by it reprooued in our conscience Doe wee loue him then that rebuketh vs then we heare profitably Let vs examine our selues in this sort I see God hath wounded me by him he is the instrument whereby God doth humble me I wil therefore loue him Contrarily if we be often touched and amend not we are in danger of Gods wrath Many indeede are pricked with pouertie many with sicknes and some with other like afflictions but few with their sinnes which is the cause of their pouertie sicknes and other afflictions Let vs then learne a willingnes to offer our selues to be taught and to bee pricked for sin as these men were The wicked also are pricked sometimes but it is rather for feare of punishment than for conscience to displease God as were Caine and Iudas Some men are pricked and to put away their sorrowe they will goe sleepe they will goe play they will goe sport they will get to merrie companie and passe away the time and so as they terme it they will purge and driue away the rage of melancholie they neuer goe to any preacher to aske of the Lord or at the mouth of his spirit they neuer respect prayer nor seeke any comfort in the word of God But to put away sorrow on this sort is to call it a againe and to feele it more freshly either in the houre of death or in hell Contrariwise if our sorrow doth driue vs to prayer or to the word of God it is good As for the wicked and prophane worldlings though as the Wiseman saith Ecclesiast 11. he spend all his dayes without any euill yet his darkenes will be greater than his light his sorrow greater than his pleasure his losse greater than his gaine his trouble greater than his vanity in hell Let vs not then so carnally shake off this godly sorrow for the word will send vs often an vnquiet spirit that wee may seeke to bee quiet in Christ. To examine our selues herein Haue we heard the
is said to do it by the operation of Satan so that though the Lord be the supreme worker yet Satan is the instrument What shall we say of the rage of sinne in these dayes what shall we say how Satan daily bewitcheth vs in Paganisme Atheisme Macheuillisme Anabaptisme c Is not all this sufficient to proue that Satan taking vp the wisest men of the world to his seruice is a spirituall wickednes Whereof comes it that sodainely a poore man becomes a cunning Artist or that an ignorant man presently should speake with diuers tongues or that silly soules should be subtill disputers What is it that sinne is now adayes so subtilly so closely so wittily dispatched Why doe men to maintaine Papisme forgoe all their goods suffer their bodies to be whipped Doe not all these proue that Satan is a spirituall wickednes Againe if we looke to the height and shamelesnes of sinne to see how men prostitute theÌ„selues to sinne we must say Satan hath bene mighty powerfull in deluding mens minds in hardening mens hearts so that no word can pierce them therefore it is that Paul saith men are blinded in their minds therfore Paul would haue vs to tolerate and suffer such as Satan doth hold in chaines 2. Tim. 2. Here let vs see a difference of the sinnes of the godly and vngodly The wicked rage and deuise platformes the godly for a time may be vnder Satan 2. Timoth 2. but they sinne of infirmitie not of wilfull selling themselues to sinne So great a cause of thankfulnes we haue that we are not raging in hellish sinnes in that we are simple bunger like sinners Besides the godly are sillie the wicked subtill in sinne So great a cause of thankefulnes we haue that Christ the stronger man hath ouercommed The Diuell hath power but by derination he hath a strength but by limitation he hath force but in darkenes So great a cause of thankfulnes we haue seeing Christ hath wisdome enough in God to ouercome the wisdome of Satan in euill Thogh then Satan be strong yet none is greater then the Father none mightier then Christ who hath captiuated Satan vnder his feet So great a cause haue we to be thankfull that Christ will not only in his presence himselfe but in vs by his power also he ouercommeth A further vse of this is to trie when our teÌ„ptations come of the natural corruption or of Satans malice To this we answere that as our enemies are described by power policie so when temptations come so strongly and sâ—ily that it is aboue reason then the aduersarie abuseth our weaknes our owne teÌ„ptations come more remissely easily but wheÌ„ these temptations hale vs more violeÌ„tly then we fight not with flesh alone but with spiritual aduersaries In the book of Exod. meÌ„tion is made of a spirit of jealozie which is more then natural jealozie In the booke of Iudges an euill spirit was betweene Abimelech the Sechemites which was more then frailtie of the flesh In the Gospell mention is made of an vnclean spirit returning with 7. spirits more so that the pulling of our affection is of Satan as Christ said of Satans operation to Peter that Satan sought to sift him and to deale with him and indeede Satan did so daunt and circumuent him that he spake he knew not what so that this fell not onely on the wicked but on the godly as Satan so bewitched Dauid in vnderstanding that hee made him to number his people Hereof it is that we pray not to be led into temptation because though I am well purposed yet so many vaine reasons rage in vs and forcibly drawe vs another way that wee may see somewhat more than nature Likewise when we shall without any obiect bee carried away with some affection so strongly that though our life lay on it we cannot containe our selues When Paul Ephes 5 biddeth vs be angrie without sinne hee sheweth that there is a naturall affection without sinne but because our affections are without rule and mixed with sinne hee saith iâ— so doing wee giue place to the diuell So that there is a great difference betweene a naturall anger and a carnall sinfull anger which besides the instinct of nature is wrought by Satan And therfore as it is good to stop the first breaches in bankes for feare of further danger so it is good to murther the first motions of sinne by the word prayer fasting and admoniâ—ion least giuing the sway to our affections they ouerrunne and ouerflow vs throughly and so we are carried to strange and furious sinnes Wherefore first we are to be thankfull that we may know how to preuent sinne for wee may soone let in a guest which wee cannot well let out againe and we must labour to represse such raging euils Yet another vse of this doctrine is that wee must thinke how oft wee deale with more than with men when wee deale with heretikes or with angrie bloodie men who often are stirred vp by Satan so that they spoyle themselues and others The ignorance of this doctrine breedes ielousies repinings and malice that when we thinke to reuenge others wee reuenge our selues This is now without cause now if we haue a iust cause yet for want of loue wisedome and humilitie we spoile our good cause harden our aduersaries and hurt our selues Wee must not resist policie with policie nor requite euill with euill but in wisedome be long suffering pardoning man as we would bee pardoned of God For this cause fight He bids vs not to make truce with our enemie though our enemie bee strong and subtill yet fighting vnder Christ wee are to stand fast Christ hath subdued for vs and he will subdue for vs Still wee must remember to resist with Gods harnesse which as surely exceede Satans harnesse as heauen excels earth or hell For want of this armour wee see wise and ciuill honest men fall into horrible sinnes For want of this armour come such disputes with Satan which simple soules vse not being able to discerne which is the true armour For want of this armour greene Christians and troubled consciences looking for their owne armour rather than the armour of God inwrap themselues in most dangerous labyrinths Now our armour must bee complete some haue a good heart but not a good life some haue a good life but not â—uch some faith in part this comes of want of knowledge if they know the word they pray not some pray but not with continuance To come to the armour marke it was said Put on now it is said Take the armour Wee see that here is no truce with vs and Satan as in ciuill warres but we must continually say as Iehu to Iâ—sabel What peace my soule with Satan We must not be secure Laish or carelesse Babylonians least that wee be preuented of the enemie It is good to see sinne rather by experience particular in our selues than for general knowledge in others Aske our
To him will I looke that is of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my words Those that are afflicted are either such as are instructed before both whence their affliction cometh and to what ende they are sent or else they are such as are ignorant and know nothing hereof They that are ignorant when they see themselues so punished they are driuen into great streights they looke onely vpon the curse of God they neuer consider the appertinances thereof and that the cause thereof is the transgression of Gods law and that it is sinne for which God is angry and that which hee punisheth in them vpon which their blindnes they attribute the cause of their paine either to Witches or to naturall causes or fortune or some such thing and hereupon to be released of their griefe they goe and runne and ride to wise men as they call them to Witches yea oftentimes to the Diuell himselfe and vse all vnlawfull meanes that they can deuise But for these what remedie is there surely euen first to consider that their afflictions are sent from God Secondly to enquire at his word the cause that moued the Lord to lay them vpon them The Lord no doubt will answere them out of his word that it was sinne Thirdly the end which the Lord hath set downe which is to humble vs. Now if wee consider that the Lord hath sent it that sinne was the cause thereof and wee bee truly humbled because of our sinnes then may wee bee bold to seeke to the waters of comfort and drinke freely of the water of life which our Sauiour hath promised to all that come vnto him to be refreshed They which are instructed both whence affliction commeth and wherefore and to what end they commonly are very sory and do earnestly repent them and although they are something troubled because before they were neuer sufficiently humbled yet are they not dismaid they haue the stay in themselues they hold it as most certaine that their God as he is all wisedome and therefore knoweth all things that are best so hee is infinite in mercie and putteth vpon him the affection of a father to those that feare him and giueth nothing to his children but those things which may be best for them and therefore they know he scourgeth as a father or beateth as a schoolemaster and no tender father or wise schoolemaster will correct the child with beating when words may serue so that they knowe the Lord was euen to take his rod in hand before hee could renew them and hereby hee meaneth to fine them that they may come out of afflictions as fined gold whom the Lord will make vessels to eternall glorie That which is set downe here of the afflictions of Iosephs brethren wee may tearme more rightly by the name of scaring than of punishment and affliction for they were but put in feare onely and though they were put in ward it was but for a very small time and wee reade of no correction that was laid vpon them no it appeareth by Iosephs affection to them who could not abstaine but was faine often to burst forth into teares when he had gone from them that he so tendred them as his brethren when by the wisedome of the spirit of God hee made a shewe as though hee would deale very hardly with them yet this fearing and searing of them it humbled them and draue them to confesse and to say one to another we haue vtterly sinned against our brother in that wee saw the anguish of his soule when hee besought vs and wee would not heare him therefore is this trouble come vpon vs. And here we see how they confessed their fault when they were scared before they â—eit any punishment vpon them which may be an argument that it was a true humbling from the heart with a griefe not of the punishment for there was yet none laid vpon them but of their sinnes which then they brought into their remembrance and it lay as a burthen vpon their conscience that they euen saw Gods iudgements readie to giue sentence of condemnation against them except they preuented him by speedie repentance Whereas if it had been done and had been in time of affliction that they had been so humbled it had been hard to say whether it had been done truely or dissemblingly with a feeling of their sinnes or the greatnes of their griefe which they sustained as is said before Thus we may learne that the Lord God doth not onely to humble vs before his Maiestie set forth the law vnto vs and preach vnto vs the threatnings thereof and then if they take no place amongst vs he laieth his rods and scourges vpon our backs but commonly of his infinite wisedome and mercie before hee afflicteth betweene the preaching of the law and affliction he scareth vs he shaketh the rod of correction ouer vs and before he punisheth hee sheweth tokens of displeasure and that wee haue prouoked him to anger wherefore we haue experience of his great mercie in this land amongst vs at this day We haue had the law preached vnto vs loe these twentie yeeres but where is any humbling any confessing of sinnes before the Lord nay wee neglect the word and haue it in contempt amongst vs wee euen loath the bread of the Lord which is of power to worke saluation to all that by faith shall feede thereon we preferre our pleasures before the keeping of the Lordes Sabbaths wee esteeme of the Lord himselfe who hath made vs of nothing bought vs with a price euen his owne blood and who one day will call all before him to iudgement as nothing we come to pray to him with lesse reuerence than to miserable men our lips say some prayers vnto God but our hearts haue some other Gods namely our belly or our goods wherein we wholy delight and in whom wee onely trust And indeed it is lamentable that prayers are saide of a number to keepe a custome and a fashion euen mocking of God and deceiuing our own soules Will the Lord suffer this Is the sacrifice acceptable that commeth not from an humbled and prepared heart no hee will not accept it All these abominations are in the land and may not the Lord haue good cause to visit amongst vs nay to come euen in iudgement against vs And yet see the vnspeakable mercie and the long suffering and the exceeding loue of God towards vs who hath for borne his rods thus long and yet destroieth vs not but before his beesome of destruction shall come to sweepe vs away hee sheweth vs foretokens of his displeasure he now beginneth to scare vs to see if yet by this meanes he may humble vs and so preserue vs from those plagues and iudgements which hee is presently purposed to bring vpon all the vngodly of the earth But how doth the Lord scare vs and what whips be they wherewith he meaneth to scourge They are many and we cannot see them all
we may not runne â—oyot but containe our selues in the word and become profitable and comfortable both to others and our selues feare must needs be ioyned with knowledge It is also necessary that knowledge be ioyned with feare first because feare without knowledge may at the last kicke against God as did Paul and the Iewes and Papists of conscience whiles they feared God without knowledge persecuted Gods children secondly because many that feare God aright yet doe hurt in good causes by vndiscreete dealing whereas they had no purpose so to do Knowledge then must direct feare and feare must season knowledge and both must be ioyned together Iob. 31. doth shew notably in many causes how needfull the feare of God is where this is rendred as a reason of many things that he feared God Vers. 80. Let mine heart be vpright in thy statutes that I be not ashamed HE prayed before for good vnderstanding here he prayeth for sound affections this order in prayer must we also vse first to pray for knowledge and then for good affection For good affections without knowledge are nothing worth knowledge without affections is nothing Then we must pray that as we haue greater knowledge than others so our affections may be better than others and our hearts more vpright Hee sheweth that there is no vprightnesse but in the Commaundements therefore what good affections soeuer seeme to bee in Turkes Papists and such as haue not knowledge these cannot bee vpright because they haue not the worde No man can knowe his owne heart but by GOD Ierem 17. and by the word which is of the same nature that God is PORTION 11. CAPH Verse 81. My soule sainteth for thy saluation yet I wayte for thy Word IN this part he sheweth his miseries that he was in and his hope to be deliuered which in the latter end he prayeth for His soule fainteth and this is amplified in the verses following His affliction was great and through the infirmitie of his flesh he was grieued with it The Philosopher thought that it was patience to contemne sorrow not to be moued with it but the examples of Scripture shewe that the children of God doe seele their sorrowe yet they are sustained by waiting for Gods mercies whereby they are at the last deliuered It is necessarie that wee should be touched with our troubles First because if we felt it not wee should be proud as the manner of worldly men is Secondly we should not come to the feeling of our sinnes for which afflictions are sent to vs Thirdly wee should haue no tryall of our Faith Fourthly if we should not know that Gods children had feeling of them then when wee feele them we should bee brought to despaire For then shall wee thinke that wee are not in the number of Gods children and therefore wee should leaue off striuing and giue ouer our good cause and so fall from God But when wee consider that as Elias so all Gods children haue had infirmities Iames 5. and Paul and Barnabas Acts 16. when wee shall see that they which are set before vs for examples were brought to streightnes and that they did not despise them but by striuing ouercame them then if we feele such weaknesse in ourselues wee shall be encouraged to take the Crosse vpon vs with hope that with them wee may ouercome It is good to knowe these things before affliction for the more we profite in this doctrine the better wee shall beare our afflictions When this man was thus afflicted hee waited on the word because of his weaknes and in patience did tarry the Lords leisure neither doubting of his owne cause nor yeelding to the euill causes of his enemies this is patience and this is the practise of Gods children as Iob 33. Then must wee looke for these afflictions because of our sinnes because of the greatnes of the wisdome of GOD and his mercie to deale thus with vs that he may heape vp blessings on vs in this life and euerlasting glorie in the life to come If we cannot abide small afflictions how should wee abide greater Againe some will abide small and short troubles yet if they increase and continue they will faile which sheweth that men haue not Faith to glorifie God For that Faith glorifieth God which belieueth Gods worde to be true and waiteth for the accomplishing of it For because we liue by Faith therefore wee haue neede of patience Hebrewes 10 for the Lorde will deliuer those that are such Psalme 147. Esay 57. For hee will saue them and come to dwell with them because hee hath a pleasure in them Vers. 82. Mine eyes faile for thy promise saying When wilt thou comfort mee THe next verse hath the same meaning the doubling of it maketh it more weighty He saith Word or promise for saluation to shew that the word bringeth and confirmeth our saluation When he saith that his eyes and bodie were troubled he sheweth that the fainting of the soule is the fainting of the body to teach vs in the diseases of the body not only to looke to naturall causes remedies but to haue an eye to the soule remedy that for a wounded spirit who can beare The way to cure the body is to cure the soule first as Psal 103. and healed Iob 33. God speaketh once or twice c his flesh shal be as c. ExaÌ„ple Ezechias was sicke but after his sins by prayer being forgiuen then his disease was healed Esay 28. and Chron. Benhadad was sicke of a 〈…〉 disease yet for his sinnes it could not be helped Iob was a very Lazar for the triall of his faith yet the way for him to recouer saith Elihu was thus to be humbled for sinne and Elihu for this was not reproued but the Lord confirmed his words from heauen Then though Gods children be not chiefely punished for sinne yet because they haue sinne in them therefore they must take this way also As we see Iob confessed his sinnes before he was restored So Hebrew 12. 3. You haue not fought to blood meaning that though God might iustly punish yet he will vse affliction for our triall and withall will kill our corruption Psalme 32. after he had called them blessed whose sinnes c. he sheweth how he was brought to it first by setting downe the corruption of men which God must cure with corrections yea they were so sore on him that his moysture was turned into drought but when he confessed his sinne then the Lord forgaue the punishment of his sinne Must this man be taught by this meanes and haue not we neede of it In the booke of the Chronicles Asa is reprooued because he sought to the Physitians not vnto the Lord. His meaning is not that Asa sought not to God at all but that he sought not chiefely nor first to God so that this is spoken by comparison that he sought not to God so much as to the Physitions
Again the purpose of Gods spirit is not to disallowe the vse of Physicke for when Ezechias was absolued of his sinnes by Esaias then did the Prophet commaund that figge leaues should be taken and laid to it and how can he then mislike that which he there commaunded This generall doctrine then may be gathered that what disease or affliction soeuer commeth to a mans body for what cause soeuer yea though it be for the triall of faith yet the way to come out of it is to looke to our soules and to clense them for if they be once purified then the body will be easily cured For if God said iudge your selues that yee may not be iudged he will be likewise sure not to iudge vs if we will iudge our selues but when we shall begin to iudge our selues he will leaue off to correct vs Psalm 89. and 1. Corinth 11. Vers. 83. For I am like a bottell in the smoke yet doe I not forget thy statutes VVE must remember the promises the commandements in all our troubles and they will sustaine vs for if any faile in trouble it is because they trust not the promises or keepe not the commandements If we will be sure then that no affliction shall hurt vs but helpe vs and turne to our good and to assure vs of life euerlasting and to be deliuered out of them in Gods good time then let vs looke to all the promises made to vs in Christ and build a good conscience vpon Gods commaundements But if we faile in these then may we be sure that in trouble we shall faile 2. Cor. 7. And these two helpe one another If thou wilt be sound in the faith then labor to keep the commandements and if thou wilt not be driuen from the obedience of the commandements then confirme thy selfe in the promises of the forgiuenes of sinnes of Gods prouidence and of eternall life For if thou canst beleeue these then neither pleasure nor paine shall make thee forsake thy obedience but these shall be so pleasant to thee that thou shalt wholy labour to please God These two reasons Paul vseth 1. Tim. 3. to moue men to obedience First the promises of the forgiuenes of sinnes secondly of euerlasting life and to these adde Gods prouidence And this is the cause of all sinne because men beleeue not that the threatnings of God are true For if they could be perswaded of that which is Psal. 89. He will visite their sinnes c. the children of God should not need to thinke of hell and other tormeÌ„ts belonging to the wicked in the life to come Because that if they knew that though they were deliuered from paines in the world to come yet the Lord would punish their sinnes in this life and would bring them to pouerty to contempt to be reproched to be slandered c. euen this would make them loth to offend And surely the Lord will doe this for if he be neither a wise nor louing earthly father which will not correct his sonnes when they doe euill surely it must needes be that God must either be vnwise not louing or he must punish them his children that offend For though he hath made a couenant with them that hell shall not preuaile against them yet hath he not made a couenant to free them in this life because that he will driue them to the crosse of Christ by laying crosses vpon them Againe if men could beleeue the promises of God made in Christ for the forgiuenes of sinnes for Gods fatherly prouidence and for life euerlasting then would they hauing these promises purge themselues from all filthines and finish the course of their saluation in seare 2. Cor. 7. vers 1. And this beliefe in Gods promises is it that maketh men leaue sin for conscience sake to yeeld obedience to Gods will so that this beleefe bringeth forth pure obedience to Gods will Againe beleefe in Gods promises is strengthened by obedience as Peter saith Make your election and calling sure by good workes For when the Lord shal see that we haue a care to do his will then will he multiplie the graces of the spirit vpon vs so that we shal be better coÌ„sirmed in his promises If we will not then be brought to doubt or despaire of Gods promises when trouble and anguish shall come then let vs labour to build a good conscience vpon the word and commandements And if we will not be drawn away with worldly pleasures then let vs consider those promises which God hath made vnto vs. For when men begin to doubt of Gods promises they begin also to doubt of the commaundements and when men doubt of the commandements they also doubt of the promises and when men doubt of both then is sinne a light matter vnto them For faith in Gods promises breedeth obedience and obedience confirmeth saith in the promises therefore we must labour for them both and pray for both Vers. 84. How many are the daies of thy seruant when wilt thou execute iudgement on them that persecute me THis verse the second verse shew that it is lawfull for Gods children to make knowne their infirmities to him so that they waite patiently for helpe from him For this onely displeaseth him when we please our selues in moyling against them otherwise when we come in reuerence it pleaseth God that we should lay out our infirmities before him Thus Abraham and Mary laying out their infirmities with misliking of them desired that they might know how the things should come to passe but Sara and Zacharie did contrarie This is a comfortable thing that when we are in any trouble we may lay our our temptations to him so that it be with trust in the promises and misliking of our infirmities with a longing after Gods mercie in a feare of his Maiestie and a desire to be helped of our euill and corrupt infirmitie When. He had beene exercised a long time and now he prayeth that he may be helped least he through infirmitie put his hand to euill Many will make their complaint but it is too soone euen before they haue been exercised But we must be contented to be in long trouble and we may yet looke for Gods helpe acknowledging it to be his great goodnes that he continued and held vs out so long in trouble Wilt thou execute This is an ordinarie prayer not against any certaine persons but rather generally against Gods enemies and their euill causes For the Lord executeth iudgement vpon his children for their conuersion as Paul Act. 9 and vpon the wicked for their confusion He prayeth against them that belonged not to God and yet not so much against their persons as their euill causes and no otherwise against their persons than they â—re ioyned with the causes And thus may we doe for the confusion of Gods enemies otherwise we cannot Vers. 85. The proude haue digged pits for me which is not after thy law
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
the day-light and of a little childe Buâ— let them couer their sins in the depth of their hearts let theÌ„ hide them with darkenes surely the Lord will keepe them in a register and in time will lay all their sinnes before them that all the world may knowe how they haue buried the long suffering of the Lord in the hollow graues of their hypocrisie Wherefore euery man that wil shew himselfe thus to be perswaded of Gods al-seeing presence must shew it by an earnest care of obedience and a reuerent feare of disobedience whereof the one that is the feare of disobedience is shewed in the first verse of this octonarie the other is shewed in the last Shall we then assure our selues that wee bee perswaded indeede that God doth beholde vs let vs search our hearts whether we haue these or the like affections For dare a subiect in the presence of his prince commit any thing against the lawes for feare of a checke or rather will he not be carefull in the eyes of his soueraigne to do all things to his liking and contentation Dare a good childe in the presence of his father willingly breake his commaundement for feare of controlment or will he not rather endeuour to bee very dutiful for hope of commendation Then doubtlesse without this care and feare wee receiue our soules with this drowsie dreame and vaine perswasion of Gods beholding vs. Wherefore how dare â—hâ— heretikes papists and family of loue perswade theÌ„selues to walke before the Lord seeing they haue not submitted themselues to his word which is the onely instrumeâ—â— that maketh naked the conscience of man as it is Heb. 4. 12. The word of God is liuely and 〈◊〉 operation c. and it is added in the verse following Neither is there any creaturâ— which is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open vnto his eyes So that they whâ—â—â— are not truely instructed in the word cannot truely haue their sins laide naked and they which haue not their sins laid open cannot in the feare of God forsalâ—e their corruptions Wherefore in like manner all ignorant persons may perswade themselues that they please God and walke before him in care and feare but they doe but deceiue their owne soules But if wee can truly say this with pure triall of it in our hearts it is most certaine it will serue in steade of an hundreth rules besides for the right direction and holy gouernment of our liues In that the man of God saith that he kept both the precepts and the testimonies he giueth vs to vnderstand that if we will in truth be perswaded that God seeth vs in all things we must beleeue his testimonies and obserue his statutes because we can neither beleeue aright vnlesse our faith worketh by loue neither be our workes acceptable but as they be the fruites of faith There is indeede a feare without this faith but it is a seruile and slauish farre differing from that childish and filiall feare which is here vnderstood For as a seruant may obey and doe his outward taske rather for feare of stripes of his master if hee should not doe it then for any pure loue and the childe is in all things obedient not so much that hee is afraide of the rod as he is loth to haue the least displeasure of his louing father so wee may vse the outward obedience in a carnall feare trembling at the seuere threatnings of God as of a iudge but without this wee shall leese the care to please him as loth to be depriued of his fatherly countenance and affection towards vs. So that without this faith we are in danger to walke either in secret pride or else in slauish feare But faith maketh vs come liberally and cheerefully â—o obedience when wee shall see that hee will not deale roughly with vs as iudging vs according to our deserts but as bearing with our infirmities and sparing vs as a mercifull father Neither as dare I affirme did euer any truely obey God which in some measure had not this feare of God before his eyes where by they feared him as a God and loued him as a father Gods children dare not dally with their most priuie thoughts for they know that God seeth in darknes as wel as in delight he is the God of the night as of the day to him they are both as one hee beholdeth their thoughts a farre off and there is no word in their tongu which he knoweth not they know he is priuy to their down lyings and vprisings to their goings out and their commings in neither can they in any place high or low far or neare early or late flie from his al-seeing presence If they doe ill they tarry not long to seeke reconcilement because they knowe that his iudgements are according to truth if they doe well they are not proude of it This worketh in them a wonderfull boldnesse in Gods causes and bringeth them to feare when their cause is not good Againe it breedeth patience in trouble profit in slaunders meeknes when the world contemneth them sene in secret sinnes knowing that when the world hath passed in iudgement on them there â—â—â—ll iudgement in greater truth be giuen of them by Christ. And againe though they escape the iudgements of man yet they shall not escape the iudgements of God But as the Lord throweth the wicked with their hypocrisiâ—s to hell So hee will humble and punish his children with sore corrections So that this is the way of them that walke before the Lord they know in time the Lord will reward and make knowne their secret godlines and in time punish and make knowne their secret sinnes If it come to passe that Gods children forget themselues sometimes to be in their Fathers presence as earthly children reioyce sometimes to be from their Fathers that they might play the more neuertheles after they come to be ashamed and grieued when they consider that all that time their Father espied marked them and though they did forget that their Father saw them being carried away with some strong lust the best they know is to returne in time For then they begin to reason on this mannner Oh what a wretch was I to doe this in the eyes of my God and in the presence of my Father so that as we see this consideration of Gods presence bringeth griefe for sinnes present so it maketh after the examinations of our selues ashamed of sinnes past Wee heard before how it also worketh patience in vs when our good causes haue not good successe because we remember that Psalm 34. The eyes of the Lorde art ouer the iust and his eares are open to their prayers Whereupon we recouer our selues with this and such like meditations Well I am misdeemed I am suspected I see I am ill thought of I know in the end that the Lord seeing my cause to be good to be vsed with a good heart will
holy Ghost hath giuen sentence vpon such that if they labour not to liue godly they be but fooles yea the more knowledge they haue so much the greater fooles they be if they doe not for conscience sake practise the same We see then what we must doe if we will not be counted fooles Now all of vs be we neuer so simple witted would be loath to be counted fooles and indeede the name is most reprochfull and will grieue a man at the very heart Therefore our Sauiour Christ doth recite it among those words that kill and murther saying Whosoeuer saith vnto his brother thou foole shall be guiltie of hell fire But howsoeuer grieuous it is yet in truth we are such if hauing knowledge we doe not bring it into practise This then must be forcible to make vs to ioyne a godly life with good knowledge and good workes with a liuely faith if before the Lord wee will not be accounted fooles Vers. 9. A foole maketh a mocke of sinne but among the righteous there is fauour THe heart of man is fraught and filled with much grosse and filthie corruption but none is worse than that which is here spoken of that a man should make a light matter of sin It is strange and very monstrous that it should be so and yet by this place we see it doth often so fall out Yea in another place the holy Ghost doth testifie and we know that his testimonie is true that the foole doth make euen a sport and a pastime of sinne Our own dayes will confirme the same For come vnto an adulterer to a false witnesse bearer and to such grosse sinners tell them that God is angrie with them that he will be auenged on them as he hath been vpon others for such sinnes and what I pray you wil they do Surely he that is filthie will be more filthie and the false witnesse will mocke at iudgement And what is this but to make a mocke and a â—est at sin â—ay what is it but to make a God of sin and to serue it in steade of God and how do they grow vnto this height and excesse of sin Surely one chiefe cause is because they be not plagued like other men because the mercy of God doth hedge them in on euery side and because they passe their time in prosperity and pleasure O what a monstrous thing is this that a man should bee made worse by the goodnes of God how miserable is that man that will make the mercie of God an occasion of his owne miserie how vnthankful is he that the more benefits the Lord doth bestow vpon him the more he will heape sin vpon sinne nay how worthily is hee destroyed that will abuse the vnspeakable louing kindnes of the Lord to his owne destruction And that there should be such the Apostle Peter foretold vs In the latter times saith hee shall come mockers which shall aske for the comming of the Lord as though hee would not come at all But these abuse the goodnesse and bountie of the Lord who would that all should be brought to repentance They therfore doe treasure vp wrath for theÌ„selues against the day of wrath wherein the Sonne of GOD shall come in iudgement and fierce wrath against them that haue made a mocke of sin haue not been led to repentance through his long patience and louing kindnes Now seeing the iudgement of God will lay hold of all those that lie in sinne and seeing we can neuer comâ— out of sinne so long as we make such light account of it let vs knowe that although one sinne is lesse than another and although a sinner in thought may bee counted a little sinne in respect oâ— a sinne in outward act yet in very deede and before the Lord no sinne will bee counted little For the infinite iustice and mercie of God is violate euen by the least sinne and therefore no sinne can be counted little for euen the least sinne is sufficiently able to condemne and confound vs from the presence of God Againe if the Lord should set the least sinne vpon our consciences and suffer our consciences to checke vs for it and Sathan himselfe to burthen vs with it doubtlesse it would be so heauy and grieuous that we should not be able to abide it How then can wee make light account euen of that sinne which of all other seemeth least Moreouer the Lord will not onely condemne the wicked as for their great so for their lesser sinnes but hee will very sharpely correct yea and seuerely punish euen his dearest children for those sinnes which in our eyes do seeme most small Thus was Adam thrown out of Paradise for eating of the forbidden fruite Moses for speaking of an angrie word dyed in the wildernes and could not be suffered to come into the promised land Ezechias did but shewe his treasures to the Ambassadors of Babel and for that sinne they were all caried into Babel yea the holy temple was spoyled the holy vessels were prophaned and their glory was giuen into the enemies hand Iosiah did goe to warre against his enemy and the enemies of God and that onely to keepe them out of his own land yet because he did not aske counsell at the Lord therefore hee was slaine in the battell What sinnes are lesse than these and yet see how sharply the Lord did punish them in his owne children and can it bee then that any sinne should be counted light Besides though it were graunted that some sinne in it selfe were but little yet for this cause could it not be counted little because in time it will draw vs and driue vs into grosse offences But seeing that in truth the least sinne is too great then how much the greater must we thinke euery sinne to be considering that it commeth not alone but either presently or shortly after bringeth in great transgressions Last of al seeing that the least sinne could not be forgiuen but by the death of the Sonne of God so that he must suffer the very pangs and paines of hell for the least sinne that euer man committed seeing that euen our least transgressions caused him to be accursed and in the extremitie of griefe to crie My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Where haue we the face or how can wee finde in our hearts to make a mocke of the least sinne Well then let vs know sinne to be sinne and labour to be sorrowfull for euery sinne so that although we be not in like measure sorrowfull for all yet let vs take heede that no sinne escape vs without some true and godly sorrow then shall wee finde fauour among the righteous yea then shall we obtaine mercy from the Lord. For the lesse wee fauour sinne the neerer we be to the fauour of God and the more we hate sinne the more we shall be sure to enioy the louing kindnes of the Lord yea
constrained to let it alone So God would haue vs pull vp the sinne whilest with one hand wee may doe it not to tarrie whilest two hands breasts and all will not doe it for feare of negligence we are to admonish in respect of our selues because the sinne is on our score that we admonish not The same God that saith forgiue thy brother if he offend saith also if thy brother offeÌ„d admonish him Many would haue their faults forgiuen but not reproued but hee sinneth as deepely that reproueth not as he that forgiueth not so fearefull a thing it is not to admonish 9 It is a good thing when wee so take an admonition as the admonition take vs. Paul reproues Peter openly and records this fault in his epistle and yet Peter for all this calleth him his brother Paul coÌ„mending his wisedome his gifts and graces accepting his admonition not as a blowe with a staffe but as a most precions balme But wee when a spot is shewed to be in our garment are readie to take vp myre and to cast it on his coate that pointed at our spot or seeing something in our face by a glasse we be ready to breake the glasse that shewed vs our blemish Againe when wee admonish wee shall meete with some that will flatly deny the fact some will graunt the offence but in part some will confesse the whole but they doe extenuate it For all which maladies as good Physitions wee must not at the first vrge the most forcible medicines but vse them in their degree and place that is when more fauourable meanes preuaile not wee must not with Rehoboam vse too strong a purgation at the first least our patients be not able to beare it but we rather cause them to be more crasie than rid them of any part of their disease CHAP. II. Of the forme and rules of Christian admonition THere are two sorts of sins some greater some lesse for Christians are neither Stoickes nor Epicures for Paul opposeth himselfe to theÌ„ both Act. 17 18. they esteeme not all sinnes alike Neither are they all one with those which haue a bottomlesse charitie who can count all euils infirmities And there is a third sort worst of al and they will make euerie sin a mote a beame when they list the earth is a beame in it selfe but a mote in the skie But we know that all sinnes are not of one last Gen. 15. I will not bring in the Israelites till the measure of the sinnes of the Amorites bee full So there is a full measure and a wanting measure all haue not one measure When Paul speaketh of a gangrene and Iob of a sinne which he calleth the rottennes of bones they meane there are diuers degrees of sinnes spreading in our flesh A Father saith some sinnes were scoured by the blood of his hands but others required his heart-blood Ioh. 19. 2 Now for that in admonition this distinction of sin is not knowne some doe trouble the eye some put out the eye Some sinnes there be that our brethren may pluck out some that are left to our selues to pluck out Trueth it is if wee consider euery sin as it is against the maiestie of God we shall see it is no mote or light matter Matth. 5. God esteemeth one â—ot of his law more than heauen and earth Doth euerie sinne require the blood of Christ how then can they be motes vnlesse we thinke his blood to be a mote also As it is said of Baltashar in Daniel so it may be said of euery one that sinneth if thy sinnes be weighed it is the losse of thy kingdome euen of the kingdome of heauen 3 The better to examine sinnes let vs not weigh them by themselues for a sinne seeming by it selfe to be but a graine waight yet by reason of some circumstaÌ„ces may counterpoise a heauie beame For example consider the sinne of Iudas you shall see it by all the sixe circumstances First of his person in that he was a Disciple put in trust with the temporall things that belonged to Christ. 2. Of the obiect for that he had confessed Christ before 3. Of the time when he receiued the Sacrament 4. Of the place where Chriâ—t went out to pray and to teach his Disciples 5. Of the manner which was in hypocrisite to say Hayle maister 6. Of the cause for such a small value So in like manner the sinnes are greater in publike persons than in priuate and that first for the offence which Christ counteth a beame There was as much sacrifice offered for the sinne of the Priest as of all the people besides for surely as the measures of the Sanctuarie were double so their sins were double Adn as this is said of the person so now of the place Publike sinnes are greater than priuate in that they haue impudencie ioyned with them in that they be committed with an high hand In respect of the time a sinne of long continuance is greater than a sinne that began but yesterday 4 There are sixe notes to know a beame by The first is taken out of that place where Christ saith it is impossible for a caâ—nell to goe through a needles eye and this is to expresse the absurdirie of those which say as Absalom said euery mans cause was good these fome out sinne without shame The second is ser downe Rom 7. where the Apostle speakes of a sin that by the light of the law he saw to be great and fearefull which before he counted as a shadow or a mote onely The third note is Reuel 17. a sinne of many heads able to be diuided to be quartered must be a beame but a mote cannot being almost as little as the Geometricall punctum It is a compound sinne The fourth Dauia speakes of Psal. 118 22. making relation of certaine stones which the builders refused such as we vse to serue at turnes to build the kingdome of ignorance Thsi must be a beame not a mote A more may be blowne out but a beame can searse be haled out with horses The sixt is drawne out of that saying of Christ Hypocrite plucke the beame out of thine iowne eye then thou shalt see so that is a beame whichmakes vs blind This is that which Salomon saith All the workers of inâ—quitie goe astray knowledge first decaieth These sins we haue and feele them not and the greater they be the lesse griefe These malladies of the soule are contrarie to those of the body for these the greater they be the more we feele theÌ„ the other the lesse Those were but small in comparison and mysticall sinnes which Paul was so grieued with Rom. 7. yet he displeased himselfe in them and sought the remedie and when he found it he esteemed it much The vse of all this is that we know when we haue motes in our eyes and that we take heede they grow not to be beames for there is one
but when wee knowe that wee haue to deale with God before whom no wickednesse will stand this will humble vs. 3 The people of Israel would not heare Moses though hee did sharply rebuke them wherein we learne to pray that our affections be masâ—red betime for many are so heady in their affections that they will giue no eare to admonitions and as it is said of the belly to haue no eares so it is of such headstrong affectioÌ„s Some giue so much place to their grief that they will not receiue comfort of the promises noâ— be rebuked by the threatnings of God in his word This griefe is carnal and dangerous and therefore euery man is to search his heart to see how such corruption is setled in him let him in time stâ—iue against it suffering himselfe to be rebuked by the word and so grace assisting him he shal ouercome it 4 Many see Gods workes with Moses but cannot profit by them because the Lord hath not giuen them the affections of Moses According to our affections so wee profit both by workes and word of God let vs therefore euer pray vnto God to fill our hearts with good affections CHAP. V. Of Affliction WHen we are in affliction we are not so wise of our selues as to see the cause of it or if we see the cause we cannot see the mercy of God that his hand which is vpon vs is not a destroying hand but a deliuering hand 2 Afflictions worke much in men but most when they come with the word of God to giue vs a more liuely sight of sinne and to manifest the rich mercies of God in Iesus Christ to deliuer vs from sinne Iehosaphat was more humbled by the speech of Iehu the Seer than he was being compassed with an host of enemies round about 3 When affliction commeth to Gods children not so much the sinnes themselues as the not auoiding of the meanes which procured their sinnes and not the vsing of the meanes which might haue preserued them from sinne will torment their consciences for as a man falling into some sicknesse if it come whilest he is walking in his calling is then lesse grieued than if through surfetting hee had procured and haâ—ched the disease in himselfe euen so it commeth to paâ—â—â—m in the other By vsing the meanes of godlines in simplicitie of heart we shall be either freed from sinne wherein we haue lyen or else be confirmed in some good things begun in vs. 4 Although the godly shaâ—l escape hell in the world to come yet they shall be punished in this world and though the wicked be not punished in this world yet shall they not escape hell in the world to come 5 When Sathan doth descaâ—t vpon our afflictions we must be comforted being Gods children because we suffer no more than Gods childreÌ„ before haue suffered and the Lord himselfe doth suffer with vs. 6 It is the Lord which sendeth crosses to his children to saue them that they freeze not with the wicked world in their dregs 7 When Moses was rebuked of the Lord for the not circumcising his sonne his faith was weake and his wife in performing that dutie was almost without faith yet the Lord saith and that if any affliction lie vpon vs it is for want of faith and if it depart without effect in vs then a sorer punishment is like to light vpon vs because we haue not profited by the crosse of Christ but if we effectually profit by it and still it lie vpon vs let vs then patiently abide for it is to trie our faith 8 If we would so prouide for our selues that no afflictions make vs quaile let vs in the time of prosperitie and quietnes cut off all headie affections as griefe sorrow and such like and then shall they not in our trouble preuaile against vs. 9 When our afflictions doe not driue vs to God nor cause vs more humbly to heare and seeke his word but rather to stoppe our â—aâ—es and to runne from it and to seeke vnlawfull meanes let vs then mourne secretly and heartily vnto God for the direction of Gods spirit for that case is dangerous 10 It is the Lordes mercie that wee are not destroyed Lamenta Chap. 3. But when we are freed from punishments and others are afflicted it is either to shewe his further mercie or his further iudgement if wee waxe better and bee more thankefull then it is of mercie but if wee waxe proude and thinke our selues better then others then is it assuredly to confound vs And heereby wee may gather comfort or griefe when wee escape punishments If hee puâ—ish not in this worlde eyther GOD is vniust or else there is a hell to punish them euerlâ—stingly But his children if they profite not by one he sends another to condemne them in this worlde that they may escape in the worlde to come 11 We must denie our selues and our owne reason that we may continue with Christ we must take vp our crosse and follow him and if wee will be glorified with him wee must also suffer with him and if we will rise againe with him we must first die with him and if we will partake of his benefits we must also drinke of his cup. But many would willingly haue in Christ forgiuenes of sinne yet would they not beare his crosse 12 We must faithfully remember Gods corrections and though our trouble be past yet still with feare to remember the hand of the Lord not to attribute our crossâ—s to Fortune complexions or humours nor health to Physicke but only to God glorifying him continually and making our daily profite by all his louing chastisements vpon vs. 13 The deliuerance of the people of Israell is often repeated in the Scripture And it is not without great cause for it serues notably for the comfort of the godly and the terrour of the wicked for if we would thinke that hee were not able to helpe vs we see that he diuided the mighty Seas If we should think our selues vnworthy of helpe he then did miâ—htily deliuer the vnworthie So that if wee being in any danger can be perswaded that the Lord is able to helpe vs and that he will helpe them that are vnworthie it wil be a notabâ—e stay vnto vs that we fall not away vnder the crosse by the vehemencie of temptations 14 Curses are turned into blessings through Christ as by sinne blessings are turned into curses The benefices of God being in themselues good yet by our corruption wee make our table a snare vnto our selues and so in other of his mercies 15 Iob serued God in trueth and yet punished and so Lazarus but this was not so much for their own sin as for the trial of their faith and that after them the Church might receiue great coÌ„fort by their examples For as it hurts not the gold to be put into the fire
both because it is thereby tried and also made more pure so is it not euil for the children of God to haue their faith tried if it be a strong faith it will beare the fire if it bee weake it will yet shine brighter if there appeare no faith but all drosse then the partie tried must more seriously seeke after Christ and the meanes of saluation that he may attaine that faith that may goe through the fire of affliction 16 It is the great goodnes of God to curbe vs by affliction not to let vs goe forward in sinne as to diminish the health of our bodies because we are carelesse of our soules and to pull away outward things that wee may learne to seeke heauenly things And contrarily it is his great punishment to leaue vs to our selues Let vs marke this that the crosses of God may be sweete vnto vs that we may the sooner profit by them For it is certaine God scoureth away the infirmities of his Saints by many afflictions yet neuer breaketh his holy couenant with them albeit they haue many tribulations which they deserue and pul vpon themselues 17 The seruice and worship of God in affliction is patience Of Gods doings wee are not to inquire a reason yet he hath reuealed to vs many causes wherfore he chasteneth his elect in this life First to declare his iustice and anger against sinne therefore the waters of strife cost Moses his life Secondly to win vs to repentance who in prosperitie are vnâ—â—med and will not heare him for vexation will teach vs vnderstanding Thirdly to know and trie vs whether we will beare his louing correction and whether we loue him so that we can endure our seruice vnto blood for his sake Gen. 22. Now I knowe thou louest me 1. Pet. 1. 7. which triall is more pretious in his sight than gold and the way to purifie gold is to make it passe through the fire Fourthly Sathan will say Doth Iob feare God for nought Therefore to triumph ouer him in our obedience the Lord doth it And saith the more it is sifted the cleaner it is the more it is cut the more it groweth the more it is troden the thicker it comes vp Fiftly to seperate vs from the wicked for which cause it is compared to a fanne and the diuell is said to winnowe vs and hee will not vse a course sieue in doing of it Lastly to conforme vs vnto Christ Rom. 8 25. that wee may haue the sympathie of his affections 2. Tim. 3. 12 all that wil liue godly must beare his crosse and in his time and measure drinke of the cup. 18 It is not to be doubted that Christ is in the kingdome of heaueÌ„ but how came he to it Luk. 24. He suffered all things so entred into glorie No man then must looke to be Diâ—es all his life time and Lazarus after death too Christ himselfe entred not on this condition the Apostles entred not on this condition for Act. 14. they knewe that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God The estate of the Church is as of a tree we see that some blossomes the cold nippeth and some the worme eateth and some continue fruitfull For some men are nâ—pped by reproaches others eaten away by corrupt example and some continue fruitfull If a man haue an heritage in the world either by gift or purchase if it haue a fine or seruice ioyned with it surely hee that will looke to haue the one must looke to doe the other else not Now the kingdome of God is the heritage we looke for and therefore we must haue the burtheÌ„ of it The burthen Christ himselfe suffered and we must suffer it euen the persecution both of Sâ—em Caine. The Lord hath annexed the burthen the heritage and he will not seperate them Nebuchadnezzer his image Dan. 2. had an head of gold breast and armes of siluer and the neerer the feete the baser it was we must not be so we must set our selues against all troubles that if God will haue vs to go â—â— to heauen in a chariot of fire we may not refuse it CHAP. VI. Of Anger IT is a good triall whether we be carnally angrie or no if we trie our selues whether it kindleth to good workes or no if it cause vs to pray with libertie of minde if it hindreth not our meditations if we can doe well to the party offending vs if we can deale with others without all peeuishnesse though all the world accuse vs it is a signe that our heart is not euill 2 Moses is said Numb 12. to be a meâ—ke man aboue all that were on the earth and so it appeareth by his patience in bearing the reuiling speeches of his brother and sister but Exod. 11. 8. and 32. chap. of the same booke he is said to be very angrie and in that his fierce anger causeth many to be slaine yet his anger is commended as good for that the cause thereof was good So Elihu is said to be very angrie Iob. 32. 2. not onely against the wicked but against godly men Christ also is said to be angrie Mark 6. and to call Peter Sathan Matth. 16 And Paul calleth the Galathians fooles Gal. 3. verse 1. And to the Ephes. 4 28. he forbiddeth and warneth vs onely of that anger which is of sinne or mixed with sinne Now then to discerne this euill anger note these markes following First if we be angrie in our owne cause that is for those things which might either pleasure vs or hurt vs and not for the glorie of God our anger is carnall and euill Secondly againe it is true that we shal neuer be angrie for Gods cause vntill we can leaue all care of our own causes and not become angrie for them further than they are ioyned with Gods cause Those then that in their owne cause will be as hot as may be and in Gods cause will be as colde as ice doe offend much in anger 3. Euery trifle must not moue anger but a great and waightie matter therefore we must be ready to beare with and to pardon many offences so they be not great but when they greatly concerne the glorie of God and are very waightie then are we iustly angrie 4. We may not be more angrie with the person than with the sinne for godly anger is onely moued against the sinne and nothing against the person and this may be tried two waies first if we mislike that sinne wheresoeuer we find it whether it be in our selues or in our dearest friends then is the anger good Secondly when our anger hindereth vs not from doing our duties to the person offending vs or to any other CHAP. VII Of Angels AS God and his good Angels are about vs so the diuell and euill angels and as the good Angels haue not been seene but extraordinarily so are the euill angels and he that
allured me to sinne I might haue beene farre from this Againe great comfort is in this doctrine by giuing vs this assurance from the Lord that how weakely soeuer we walke with God so it be sincerely it is his good pleasure to account of vs for good First the diuell if we haue our hearts vpright with God that we will be aduersaries to our owne corruption that we may be fouourers of Gods glory he shall be but as a Chirurgion which lanceth our impostumation to preserue life howsoeuer he purposed to haue gored vs to the hart to haue depriued vs of life Let vs see this in Ioseph and Dauid both men of one mould renewed by one spirit allured to one sinne Ioseph a young man vnmaried for his person beautifull for his authoritie a gouernour of his maisters familie for his fitnes to commit sin prouoked by his owne mistresse yet grace restraining his corruption he withstands her to the face he resisteth the occasion he feareth but subdueth his owne corruption and so by Gods goodnes obtained a gracious issue out of his temptation Dauid a man now striken in yeeres not so dangerously assaulted with the occasion of sin in respect of the distance of the place suffering the occasion offered to his eye to ioyne in league with that corruption which was in his heart was sodainely snared slauishly yeelded and was fouly conquered The woman was obiect to his eies his eie openeth the way to his hart his hart corrupted his hand and so that sin grew to age was perfitly accomplished In what measure we are regenerate in what measure we withstand our corruption in that measure we are sure to preuaile against our strongest temptation And looke how we faile in these so we lie open to yeeld to our temptations whatsoeuer Now to come to a more narrow triall of our selues we must search out and espie our corrupt nature either by our afflictions or by our affections Such is a man as he is in temptation If trouble doe not ouer-turne him if feare cause him not to fall if temptation cause him not to denie the truth then his heart is vpright then hath he cause of comfort but if for feare he faint if for troubles he turne away if in his temptation he forget his triall and betray the truth his heart is not vpright with God he is in the gall of bitternes he giues occasion of griefe to others and matters of humbling to his owne conscience There is a certaine disease common to all men to suffer their eyes to wander and not to lay the raine vpon their thoughts but letting them range without check or controlement to all sinne and lightnes of minde Thoughts breed in vs or stirre in vs a tickling delight desire to sin This Ecclesiast 11. Salomon goeth about to stoppe but because it cannot be brought to passe in the children of perdition therefore in that place he doth cleere himselfe of their bloud by bidding thē walke on in the thoughts of their hearts Of this a father speaking thus I did walke in the Cloyster of mine heart He maketh the walke of his heart much like the walke in a cloister that is in a secret place where no body seeth or heareth him but onely he of whom Augustine speaketh He that seeth thee when the candle is light and when the light is out in like manner him feare There is also a walking of the eye which is compared to that of Dauid in the top of his turret and to a gallery or place of prospect to see far and neere into the world A disease incident to this age who cast their eyes into all corners of the earth suffering them to seaze vpon any obiect whatsoeuer whereby they find matter to worke vpon Briefly we are not to yeeld to our affections or if we haue yeelded we are not to kindle them we must not gather sticks as Ieremie speaketh to keepe in the fire The reason is this weedes will grow fast enough and the suggestions of Sathan intertained and accepted being offered are sufficient to condemne vs. CHAP. XXXV Where is taught how we must narrowly watch ouer our heart and ouer our affections for many causes THe walking in the waies of our owne hart and of the lust of our eies are the two heads of all wickednes our inward motions and our outward occasions must both breed in vs a carefull conscience and warinesse In the Prouerbes Prophets Apostles we are bidden to restraine our heart and to make a couenant with our eyes and the outward senses These things are confessed daily and amended slowly whereof followeth that transgression of the law and that vniuersall sicknes that we daily confesse there is no health in vs which all commeth from the waies of our owne hearts This word walking hath relation vnto an allegorie For imagine we haue here no naturall citie Heb. 11. as we haue not indeed our countrie being Paradise from which Adam fell by transgression and we being here as banished as Augustine calleth vs haue receiued a new title in Christ who was content to set ouer his owne right by purchase vnto vs. Whereupon it is presupposed that we haue the naturall affection which euery man hath to his owne countrie thorough a wildernes wherein are many waies brought shortly to these two of the one Dauid speaketh Psal. 119. I will run the way of thy commaundements and this is the right way we may well runne in it The second way is the way of our owne hearts and this is the euill way whether it be by the right hand in sinning outwardly and in sight or in sinning secretly on the left hand If we meane to come to Paradise we must leaue this way and walke the other way for this will leade vs to iudgement Eccle. 11. 9. In this way are three things to be considered alluding to the peregrination of the Israelites through the wildernes The first is the little light shining in a darke place which answereth to the word in steede of which we haue a false light the desire of our owne heart The second thing is a guide which is Christ and the Saints that are gone before vs vpō whom we must looke as the author to the Hebrues willeth vs to which answere our false guides when we say we will follow the steppes of our forefathers The third thing is the companie in the way which are the great store of seducers to lead vs out of the way the Diuell chearing them forward It is a signe therefore we are in the wrong way if we do nothing but that we see the greatest part of the world doth How il soeuer the way be and wheresoeuer it lieth euery mans way is right in his owne eyes Prouerb 21. and we will defend whatsoeuer we doe There is a searcher of the heart who saith
which is within but as good merchants keeping somewhat rather in the store-house of our hearts than as bankerupts which spend all at once or make a shew of all in our shop 3 In Pharaoh ye shall finde these speciall notes of Hypocrisie Take this death from me oneâ—y this once So many being in distresse haue more prayèd for the release of paine than for the forgiuenes of sinnes which cause the paine And therefore such being released are nothing the better as may often be obserued Contrariwise if we be grieued more for sin than for the punishment and can well beare the punishment so that the sinne were taken away then it is a certaine signe that we shall liue vprightly if the cup of affliction be taken from vs and assuredly it shall be taken away or else recompenced with some spirituall grace 4 The drunken peace of hypocrites must not be â—oupled with oyle but pierced with the two-edged sword of Gods word to the discouering of the secret corruption of the heart 5 It is the temptation of the godly to feare whatsoeuer they doe they doe it in hypocrisie but they are to know for their comfort that therefore they be not hypocrites because they see their hypocrisie which kinde of hypocrisie in them is not the grosse deceiuing which is in the wicked but that secret corruption of nature which mixeth it selfe in the best actions of the godly Neither is it possible to leaue this sinne wholy as long as we liue but to see it and mislike it is all that is required and can be performed of vs. The godly doe not desire to seeme to doe any thing better than indeed they doe it neither doe they desire to seeme to doe that which they doe not And whensoeuer they doe espie any weakenes in themselues they mourne for it And this desire of a perfect sinceritie and mislike of priuie hypocrisie is vnto them a sure zeale of their saluation and sanctification in Christ. 6 When men suffer themselues to be deceiued it is to be feared they will be hardened Let vs remember that Gods grace assisting sinne may easily be conquered of vs when it is young but we may easily be ouercome of it when it is old 7 It is easie to fall into hardnesse of heart by continuance in euill customes without remorse we see then it is a good thing to be moued betimes and often to be moued for it is a precious thing to haue a melting heart as contrarie a dangerous thing to haue a hard heart not yeelding to trueth Let vs not harden our hearts least the Lord also come to harden vs Heb. 3. For many not altogether abstaine at the first yet yeelding to sinne become obstinate altogether at the last Admonition is a meanes to keepe vs from it We should then be readie to giue eare to good counsell and admonition and be willing also to admonish others It is in vaine to controll the outward senses without the rebuking of the heart 8 Exod. 10. 1. the Lord saith of Pharaoh I haue hardened his heart because Pharaoh had a long time hardened his owne heart as is recorded in the former chapters therfore here the Lord is said to harden it that is wholy to giue him ouer to the diuell So man is said to harden his heart when he will not heare Gods word the diuell when he gouerneth vs and the Lord when he leaueth vs in Sathans handling Man then is guiltie of this sinne and the Lord doth iustly harden for the punishment of former sinnes The Lord is said to harden as he is said to leade into temptation and that is when he withdraweth his spirit from vs and leaueth vs to our selues and then we stay not long till we be hardened Pharaoh had many plagues yet this is the greatest for if his heart had not been hard these would haue had an end but this hardnes made the other but tasâ—s of hel because we do lesse feare this great plague than many other We ought to correct this in our selues for the childreÌ„ of God must feare this more than any other plague For if we doe but feare worldly punishments so doe the wicked but if we doe feare hardnesse of heart and other spirituall punishments then we may be sure Gods spirit hath wrought that feare If we couet worldly things this doe the Heathen Matth. 6 but if we desire the light of Gods countenance Psalme 119. and 4. and 67. this doe Gods deare children Wherefore as we labour for these things which our nature desires feare the coÌ„trarie so let vs labour for the light of Gods spirit and feare least it be quenched in vs or else decayed as when we feare pouertie we labour to be rich and when we feare sicknesse we labour to preuent it so let vs labour for our soules so long as we feele a taste in Gods word feare his iudgements and be comforted in his mercy if we labour to encrease the graces receiued the Lord no doubt will worke with vs but if this be not in vs it is to be feared least the Lord will harden 9 All men are naturally euill so that if the Lord giue not light and softnesse of heart we may all be iustly hardened this is as iust as other iudgements of God are When any thing is spoken in the Word which toucheth another that man will greedily snatch Againe if there be any thing that may cherish them in their sinnes that they note but that which concerneth their amendment they vtterly forget And this sheweth that we are the cause of our owne hardening for when the Lord cannot preuaile with his word then will he leaue men to themselues and then they stay not till they come to hardnesse We must not stay till the Lord strike vs with punishments for if we be hardened we shall not perceiue it and therefore the case is so much the more dangerous but so soone as we feele any coldnesse or dulnesse of spirit then let vs feare and stirre vp our selues that we may continually gaine some knowledge and feeling and thus may we prouide against hardnesse of heart 10 First the hypocrite desireth rather to seeme than to be it is said such crie Lord Lord they are most glorious Secondly he is more busie about the outward worke than about the spirituall and acceptable maner of performing the same Mat. 23. 27. Thirdly he worketh his saluation securely and coldly not with feare and trembling as Phil. 2. 12. not striuing with his rebellious lusts nor longing after the gifts of regeneration nor forgetting that which is behinde endeuouring himselfe forward Philip. 3. 13. Fourthly he hath no resolute purpose to endure but is wauering and vnconstant in all his wayes not cleauing to the Lord with purpose of heart Act. 11. 23. Fiftly hee is more carefull to stop the grosse sinnes than to damme vp the fountaine
and can discourse and talke well of things but yet for that the heart is not truely touched they are as vaine in sinne and as much subiect to pinching sorrowes for sinne as any other Great cause then the fountaines bee staied and the principall parts plastered for if there bee a worlde of sinne in the tongue as Saint Iames saith then there be a great many worlds of wickednes in the hearâ—â—â— there be a beame to be sound in the eye of one hypocrite as Christ admonisheth then there is a whole staâ—ke in the heart CHAP. XXXIX Of Heresie and many corrupt kindes of knowledge and how the diuell pesterâ—th the Church with euill teachers WE must humble our selues to see Heretikes doe more for vaineglorie and for their sâ—ct than wee will doe â—or Gods glorie and for his truth 2 The neerer heresie commeth in likenes to the trueth the more dangerous it is 3 It is a dangerous thing to haue a proudâ— spirit with a vaine minde for theâ—e sinnes leade men to heresie 4 The â—â—ueâ— seemeth to be very strong for as the wise conclude if they that are couragious were also politike or tâ—ey that haue wisedome had also courage none could stand with them Wherefore these are dismembred in men but in the diuell they â—unâ—â—e both together for he is both couragious as a Lion and subâ—ill as a Serpent This is he that foyled all men from the first Adam to the last man in whose hand all the â—athers were no stronger than vanitie and in this age hee hath made the high pinacles of veâ—â—â—e the Iowe shrubs of the earth Besides this combination of strength and wisedome beside this proofe of his courage in all ages Christ himselfe who is his enemie saith â—e is strong Luk. 22. 20. Nay I will adde more Christ that ouercame him pronounceth â—â—m to be a shâ—â—â—d enemy If he hath â—een strong hee is more strong both because the world waxeth shorter and wee grow securer In these latter daies the more the dâ—uâ—â— rageth the more his strength increaseth for anger is the wheâ—â—â—one of strength the elder the world waxeth the more the diuel rageth For as he plaieth with meÌ„ so he practiseth with the world he laâ—eth his sorest siege in his last assault when death beginneth to moderate â—im And no maruell for if he take a foyle or suffer the repulse in our life time he may recouer with ease and come againe with some hope but because in death either now or neuer he must bestir himselfe he followeth with all force Secondly he rageth the more for our security or little accounting of temptation and not serious bâ—thinking of the matter makes him the stronger so as oâ—â— negligence doth inarme his diligence He is strong enough without aâ—â—our yâ—t â—o be sure he will put on armour too Goliah was strong and yet he goâ— armour which sheweth great diligence we are weake and â—eede armour yet seeke it not which sheweth extreame negligence Thus diligent is the diuel Sow no tares nor cockle and yet in the fallow it wil grow fast enough but he cannot conteÌ„t himselfe with that growth but hee wil sow also yea and plough too because he looketh for a plentiful haruest This is his good husâ—aÌ„dry though his crop would be good of it selfe yet he will sow No maruel then though Peter coÌ„tenteth not himselfe to call him a Lion but a ramping Lion and Iohn termeth him not only a Serpent but an old Serpent hauing by experience gotten a perfect habite and Paul ascâ—ibeth to him not onely darts but fiery darts The armour of this enemy is partly the reuelations of flesh and blood partly the corrupt example of the world The diuell hath a motion in vs and straightway it seemeth a reuelation to flesh and blood Doe euill saith the diuell doe so saith the flesh and strikâ—s the matter deeper doe so as Preachers doe it saith the world and this pierceth to the bone If we could wring out these two pieces of armour wee were strong Now the diuell as a Prince Iohn 13. 14. possesseth not alwaies in his owne person but by lieutenants and embassadours who take vp the title of his soule to his interest This deputie or vicegerent is sinne which taketh vs vp as tenants for the diuell and this deputie is accompanied with foure Tetrarches The first is ignorance wher with when hee had taken possession of our fathers they might keepe good houses well enough and haue many gifts indeede for hee knew that for all that they were neuer the neerer to saluation Secondly if the diuell sees knowledge must needes come in and ignorance must needs go out he sendeth out Errour which must make men if they wil needs be knowing either Trinitaries or Arriaâ—s or Anabaptists or such like who may liue well indeed and make a great shewe of godlinesse but all for his greater aduanâ—age to winne the more soules Thirdly Worldlinesse succeedeth who dares play his part euen vppon them that haue pure knowledge whom neyther Ignorance nor Errour could preuaile against but if these preuaile not then comes Hypocrisie and hee will sift vs and search vs to the quick If an Angell from Heauen should withstand vs to the face wee dare boldly pronounce that ignorant erroneous and worldly men such as will take order for God when their barnes are full and all Hypocrites haue surely vncleane spirits breathing in them Ephes. 3 2. 3. 5 There are many kindes of knowledge The common course of the worlde is set down Micah 6 26 Ombries statutes are sought for knowledge of Law-points Christ Matt. 16. complaineth of another kinde of knowledge Yee see in the Euening the skie is red c. but knowe yee the face of the Heauens and are yet ignorant of the knowledge which bringeth euerlasting life A third kinde of knowledge there is spoken of Amoâ— 8. 5. and Prouerhs 20. where a kinde of people had a grace in making of the Ephah small and the Shekle great Wee haue learned a trimme part of knowledge to trippe men in buying and selling Another knowledge there is Ecclesiasticus 30 24. when people keepe much adâ—e about keeping of bullockes and that so farre as they first preferre them but God and his kingdome are sought for afterward Indeed these things are lawfull for him that hath first affected his own soule to seeke the kingdome of God but to make the knowledge of God come after is preposterous There is another knowledge and that is of the law of God which men make so smal account of that the Lord complaineth by his Prophet how hee hath taken paines to write the mysteries of the law and men think it a strange thing the knowledge of God his word is hard to them Well we must enter one way or other and therefore it shall be profitable to search and suruey the wayes One way is
spirit may worke in our hearts and in them alwaies let vs looke for the teaching of the spirit so shall it come to passe that we shall alwaies reuerently and worthily thinke of the meanes and neuer be wearie of them but alwaies carefully vse them and yet not separate them from the spirit but looking for the working of the spirit in them we shall finde the graces of the holy Ghost most plentifully powred on vs and as it were by Conduits conueighed into our hearts 6 The Lambe was not the Passeouer but a signe of it so is bread and wine in the Supper called the Lords body and blood because it is a signe thereof This is an vsuall speech when the Scriptures speake of Sacraments to teach vs that although there be not carnall presence as the Papists imagine yet there is a true spirituall and effectuall presence of the things signified and therefore we may certainly looke for the performance of the same if by faith we can receiue it 7 He said this was his manner in dealing with them that came to the Communion if they were but indifferently instructed thereunto he by exhortation charged them to beware what they did he would not wish them to come but if they came he would not vtterly denie them if they lay in no sinne 8 Barzillai hauing done a great benefit to Dauid the King could not tell how sufficiently to gratifie him with recompence In the end he chargeth Salomon his sonne that the sonne of Barzillai should sit at his table which thing both in Dauids opinion and in Barzillais estimation was the greatest benefit wherein they could both stay either for his liberalitie in bestowing or for the others contentation in receiuing Now if this for so great a benefit seemed so great a reward how rich and how glorious is the bountifull dealing of God with vs which without any desert or deed offered on our parts hath in his loue appointed it to sit at his sonne Christ Iesus his table where not Salomon but a farre greater than Salomon is present CHAP. LXII Of sinne and how to abstaine from the least and of iniquitie and the punishments thereof THere be some which call good euill and euill good they shrinke vp euill into a narrow scantling and would faine bring it to this if they could that none doe euill but they that are in gailes But wee must take â—eede of this and therefore let vs knowe what it is to doe euill Euill is either naturally euill or euill by circumstance In all our actions to auoide euill 1. Thess. 5. 22. wee must learne this lesson followe nothing but proue it first and keepe that which is good but abstaine from all apparance of euill Be sure that it is good ye doe but if it haue but a shew of euill auoide it if it bee an euill fauoured thing to see to flie it 1. Cor. 6. All things saith Paul are not profitable though they be not plainly forbidden 2 To heare the threatnings and to tremble at them to heare the promises and to beleeue them to reuerence the Sacraments and to receiue them to pray vnto God in all our wants and to be thankfull for all his mercies are waies to keepe vs from sinne and to recouer vs from sinne when we are fallen thereinto Therefore the neglect of these doth pull downe iudgements vpon men for though Paul rebuked the Corinthians of many sinnes yet for this cause saith he some are asleepe some are sickly c. For if these had been vsed as they ought sinne should neuer haue growne so farre as it did 3 Let them that feare the Lord account it his great mercie that hee will not let them prosper and thriue in their sins least they should be carried away thereby to perdition and those who belong not to the Lord though they thinke all well so long as they feele their profit yet let theÌ„ know that the Lord doth shew no greater signe of his wrath than when he suffereth theÌ„ to prosper in their wickednesse For as a father that hateth his child most when he giueth himselfe to be ruled by his owne pleasure so it is with the Lord. Therefore let them that take pleasure in following their owne lusts and satisfie their owne desires in sin and wickednesse though for the present they obtaine that they delight in take heed least the cloudes of darknes suddenly ouershadow them and so the Lord send them to be tormented in hel before they be aware Whereas contrariwise he chasteneth his children in this world that eternally they might not be condemned 4 We shall neuer througly leaue sinne vntill we know and acknowledge sinne to be sinne and be truly sorrowfull for the same 5 The nature of the wicked is that there groweth their loue where they be not gainsaid and reproued for sinne and where they be admonished there groweth their hatred 6 If once we giue consent to sinne we are made ready to fall into moe and many sins and making no conscience of one sinne we shall not make conscience of many and great sinnes and so being once in wrapped in sinne it is an hard thing to get out of the clawes of the diuell Lord giue vs grace to see and to resist the first sinne euen the first motions vnto sinne Iam. 1. 13. 14. conferred with Heb. 3. 12. 13. 7 It is the greatest iudgement of God that can be to thriue in sinne 8 We must take heed that by the occasion of others that sinne we giue not our selues to doe the like but rather by the fall of others into sinne we must learne to rise vp vnto the Lord. 9 The occasion of sinne may be by another but the cause of it is in our owne corrupt nature which is alwaies readie to sinne 10 Sinne getteth most strength when good men fall into it 11 It is a great mercy of God to goe bungar like and foolishly about a sinne 12 It is good to resist that which nature most liketh 13 That God that drew light out of darkenesse will draw goodnes oft times out of our corruption Our corruption corrected by the mercy of God maketh vs esteeme better of good men being remoued or taken away from vs than we did when they were neere and remaining with vs. 14 One sinne goeth not alone but one sinne will open the doores of the soule to let in another 15 We neuer will labour to leaue sinne so long as we be quiet in minde but still flatter our selues and bedawbe our consciences with rotten plasters vntill we be either stricken with feare or cast downe with iudgements The greatnes and enormitie of sinne is seene by sixe points First on Gods behalfe how huge and detestable it is may be seene who by sin is so greatly dishonoured for how much the higher his Maiestie is so much the greater enormitie it is to sinne against him Secondly sinne is noted by the
perfit Prou. 30. 6. Deut. 4. 2. it is plaine Ioh. 7. 17. Whereunto we must giue our diligence bewaring that the rule of our obedience be not our owne good intent wil or deuotion nor the rebellious affections of our corrupt nature nor that wisedome inuentions doctrines of the carnal man nor the examples customes fashions manners of the world but onely the pure and perfit word of God which is compared to a sword for the cleauing and deuiding of the hard heart If a sword will not serue it is compared to fire for melting and dissoluing of such as wil not giue place to the edge but if we be so stonie as fire will not do vs good it is an hammer to batter bruise and â—ush vs in peeces CHAP. LXXIIII Of good Workes and our obedience to his word IT is written Exod. 10 5. 6. Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded them and so did they And the Apostle Paul saith that of our selues we can doe nothing Yet through the Lord Iesus we are able to doe all things Vpon such like places the Papists gather that the commandements may be kept I answere that those words concerning Moses and Aaron are to be referred to that particular action of bringing the people out of Aegypt for both before and after we see many infirmities in them yea with what temporall punishments are they punished that they cannot enter into the promised land That also that was saide of Noah is to be referred to the making of the Arke Gen. 6. 22. So when Dauid prayeth to be heard according to his righteousnes it is in respect of that cause which he had in haÌ„d for the which his enemies did persecute him Againe the children of God from time to time haue fallen into great sinnes as Noah Abraham Lot and Dauid whose examples we ought to lay vp in our hearts to keepe vs from despaire when we feele infirmities in vs. 2 Nothing is so auaileable to obedience as the due consideration of Gods ordinance 3 The obedience of God is as a chaine to tie vp all the creatures of God from our hurt and as a thing to muzzle their mouthes that they cannot bite vs. Againe disobedience breaketh the chaine and openeth the mouthes of all things to our destruction 4 In good works we must not onely be wrought vpon as patients but worke as agents There be three speciall signes of good workes first a good worke must haue it foundation in the word for a good worke is grounded on a good word and euery plant that is not planted in God his Eden shall be plucked vp In vaine we worship the Lord with our owne traditions whatsoeuer thou doest doe it because God commaundeth thee Now because wicked men may doe good things as sacrifice heare the word pray build houses vse hospitalitie c. we must next see whether these be apples of the tree of faith or no which only purifieth the heart Act. 15. and euen makes the actions pure Kain kneeleth at the altar Habel kneeleth at the altar both sacrifice both obey the commandements in both the same worke according to the same word but the one offers in faith the other not Chore offered his sacrifice Aaron offers his sacrifice the same worke but not the same faith Esau leesing the blessing wept Peter leesing Christ wept here are teares alike but not in truth alike Iudas said peccaui Dauid said peccaui here is repentance the worke like the faith vnlike Yea againe as we must looke to haue a writ from the Lord and with a good writ haue a good heart so we must beware we looke not at these things with a squint eye The Pharisie prayeth in the market places he would haue a good worke in hand but his heart was not right it was mixed with a little leauen of vaine-glorie Heere then falles all the great workes of Papists who will plucke part of their saluation from God and make the Lord to become debtor to them wheras euen the very works of Christ without the promise could neuer haue merited saluation We must say rather my well doing O Lord extendeth not vnto thee all that I doe is nothing I am still an vnprofitable seruant Now all men must doe good workes for the law being written for all shall be exacted of all Vnder the steward we are all contained we must all appeare we must giue an account euery tree that bringeth not forth fruit as well the vaste oke of Bashan as the low shrub shall be all cast into the fire It still runnes in an vniuersalitie yea the very reprobate must doe well and though he cannot attaine heauen yet his condemnation is not so deepe his worme is not so sore his stripes are not so many But is none more bound to doe well than others Yes the faithfull If a brother offend admonish him Though the ignorant shall haue stripes yet they that know the trueth shall haue moe stripes If I had not come saith Christ yee should not haue had such sinnes but now haue ye not wherewithall to couer them yea of the children of God one is more bound to good workes than another Vpon euery soule commeth tribulation vpon the Iew c. Who for that they had the Prophets the tabernacle the couenant and we for hauing good Ministers and Magistrates are especially bound to good works If we would know on whom we should shew these works I answere vniuersally on all euen as our heauenly Father doth on all yet this hath also a bound and restraint Gal. 6. 10. Let vs doe good vnto all men but especially to those that are of the household of faith Among them also they are especially to be helped which most stand in need of our helpe as we may see in the man in the Gospell that lay wounded Lastly to shew why we must prouoke and be prouoked to good workes to passe Iewes and Gentiles we will come to Protestants who are most bound to good workes We are slandered to denie good workes because we would supplant and depose them out of the chaire of Christ and denie them to haue the prerogatiue of saluation But we defend good workes First we affirme good workes out of Ephes. 5. 1. Be ye followers of God as deare children because as God hath called vs to be his children so herein we ought to resemble his image by doing good both to iust vniust Secondly where it is said Tit. 2. 12. that Christ gaue himselfe for vs to this end that he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purge vs to be a peculiar people to himselfe zealous of good workes we also say that we are debtors to doe good And surely this commends all the paines of Christ if we be zealous of good workes so not to be giuen to good works doth in some sort crucifie him again But it is enough that we haue once grieued him on
properties thereof 244 Flesh what it is 289. 224. how it must be kept vnder 808. combat betweene it and the spirit 221. 225 Fooles who be 625. diuers kindes of follie 732 Forgetfulnes the cause of it 609 Fornication 501 See Adulterie Why God seemeth somtime to forsake his children 397 39â— Frailtie to be borne with 545 Friendship Rules to bee obserued therein 14 with whom it should be made 624 Friends not profiting in godlines 857 Free-will 477 525 Freedome of ioy and freedome of sorrowes 484 Fruites 12 Furies 589 G GIfts extraordinary 15. of the spirit 694 Glorie vaine 273 God his patience mercie 694 his countenance 544. to see feele it 662 two notes of his goodnesse 847. three notes of his fauour 680 his works 748 his Temple 804 his iudgements â—â—â— no flying from it 6â—8 his Anger and wrath 696 his word the power and priuiledge thereof 8â—8 his prouidence 466 850 Godlines 533 hard to come to 466 the mirrour of it 525 true godlinesse and religion to be preferred before all worldlie things 383 two speciall things to attaine true godlinesse 466 godlie often troubled with vnbeliefe 495 Blasphe mers of the godly 3. â—orts 419 Good name 264 261 259 Good workes 15 See Workes Gospell what it is 72 88 772 824 the triall of our loue to it 766 contempt thereof punished 649 â—24 How it is said to kill 20 Grace 649 692 decay of Gods graces how dangerous 15 what miserie grace doth free vs from 38 what good things it maketh vs to enioy 381 the fruites and effects thereof 381 382 the price of Grace Ibid. the rarenesse of it 382 the continuance of it ibid. Hee which is once in the estate of Grace shall bee in the same for euer 398 how God takes away one grace from his seruants and puts another in the roome thereof ibid. Griefe 25 7â—8 522 for sinne 15 242 for other mens sinne 457 good to bee grieueed 102 681 griefe because wee cannot grieue 194 Gripings fallen in the bodie 2 H HArdnes 716 79â— the cause thereof 16 57 two kinds thereof 255 a great plague 718 to haue a feeling thereof is good 681 Haruest 165 Haste to doe good things 36 800 too great haste hurtfull 2â—1 Hatred of sinne 320 Health not to attribute it to Physicke 639 Hearing of the Word 72. the best hearing 708. how wee must heare 196. 34â— preparation thereto 709. 53. profite thereby 59. how manie sorts of hearers and what to bee obserued therein 834. 835 Heart 1â— 5. 271. 115. two causes of watching ouer it 24. nourishing of euill in the heart 171. fainting of it 6â—1 circumcision of it 70â— In ofâ—ering our selues to Gods seruice wee must search and digge deepe into our hearts 387. Fiue marks of an vpright heart 387. 388. he must haue a sound heart that would haue sound happines 38â— The description and properties of a sound heart 386. 415. 416 Hell the tâ—rmens of it 658. 695 Helpe in neede 728 Heresie â—7 45â— 471. dangerous 720 why men detest it not 472 Hereâ—ikes 529. how different from Christians 54. Ciuill conuersation of heretikes 454. They are discouered by the crosse 455. why so fewe heretikes conuerted 467 Holie Ghost of the sending of it 216 See Spirit Hope 497. 754 Humilitie 18. 796. 467. true 28â— in the godlie 269 a speciall grace 825 86â— from whence 8â—0 the meanes of it two â—34 3â—5 want of it hindereth in godlinesse 520. phantasticall 270 Hypocrisie 19. 140. 574. grosse and close 266. Markes 717. vnâ—ased 8â—0 Triall of it 44. kindes 202. how it differeth from godlines 715 Hypocrites God hath a quarrell against them 386. hee loathes their seruicâ—s ibid. they liue in continuall danger ibid. I I Dolatrie occasions of it to bee aâ—oyded 220. Idlenesse is occasion of sinne 646. of stâ—alth 78 Iealousie godlie ouer our selues a thing most necessarie 510 Iests 20. foolish â—estings 52 Ignorance of the people must make the Ministers warie 209. 15â— of old age 685. cause of disobedience 733 the Saints bewaile it 501 Ignorance a cause to humble vs 475. wilfull ignorance and voluntarie perdition 473 Ignorance and error differ 869 Imaginations if rouing dangerous 467 Impatiencie 7. 8. the cause of it 704. a good meditation against it 674 Impenitencie the causes of it 781 Impietie discouered 764 Impudencie how it commeth 79â— of our time 848 Incredulitie in Gods children 537 Infidels haue no good name â—61 Infirmities to see and to bee grieued for them 727 Iniurie how to beare 727. what are to be borne 730 Iudgement 727. what strengthen it 19 how to attaine to it 175. who are hastie therein 202. corrupt iudgement 466. day of iudgment 648. 657. how it is said to be neere 658. sudden 7â—8 three things in it 65â— consideration of them 469. foure reasons approuing Gods iudgements to bee good 414. iudgement for the word of God 406 a visible iudgement of God 501 Iusticiaries 103 Iustification by Faith 678. 848. Arguments of it 243 Iustice two Courts of it 679 Ioy 323. true 46. sweete 986. of a good conscience 693. to the Worde 14. tryall thereof 16. it may be lost 248. Difference of the godlie and godlesse therein 31. Two kindes of it 725 Ioy of saluation how great 293 to labour for it 294. two sortes of ioyes in receiuing of the Word 294 K KIngdome diuerslie taken 287. none shall appeare in it which make not an entrance on Earth 289. What must be solde before wee can possesse it 302. Kingdome of CHRIST how to know where it is 221 Keyes of the Kingdome committed to all Ministers 288 Knowledge 664. â—4 general 20. their knowledge purâ—lind that either know little or knowing neuer so much doe practise nothing 474. to what end God giueth knowledge 410. the vse and abuse of knowledge ibid. true where and how to finde it 6â—4 wrought by the Spirit 229. how confirmed 498. sinnes after it 10â— to sinne against it a tempting of God 8â—6 why wee profit not thereby 196. corrupt kindes of it 721 Knowledge ministeriall 453 L LAw of God 138. what it is 72. why giuen to all 132. morall and naturall differ 154. morall before Moses 829. morall and ceremoniall how abrogated 133. how to be preached 59. difference of the Law and the Gospell 889 Learne what a christian should specially desire to learne 396 and where ibid. League none with the wicked 611 Libertie to take heede vnto it 10â— 457 outward libertie brings inward bondage 468 Libertines against them 380 Lies 659 Life and the shortnes of it 659 it is but the present time 660 Light refused for darknesse â—73 Loue a true token of it 14 520 of God 113 695 4â—4 545 of our brethren 685 of the word 87 766 arguments of our loue to God 454 456 natural loue must giue place to heaueÌ„ly loue ibid. we may not loue that best which the world esteemes best 516 to loue God onely as wee bee taught in his word 49â— duties of loue 160 how
to folfow it 586 Seeking of God 836 Sermons â—6 twice on the Sabbath 563 SeruaÌ„ts their maisters dutie 163 177 their dutie to their maisters 784 Shame and shamefastnes 851 Shepheards and heardsmen 306 Sicknes in minde how cured 5 794 all are sicke 793 their impatiencie to be borne with 7 rules for them 34 to visit the sicke 275 what they should doe in their sicknes 640 715 Signe of grace 170 how it differeth from a figure 138 Silence in meetings not good 5 not too strict 64â— Similitudes of things naturall and better knowne applied to things diuine and lesse knowne vnto vs 11 12 15 16 18 20 21 29 4â— 4â— 244 245 247 262 264 285 613 100 â—52 162 164 166 174 874 875 876 877 294 265 636 640 651 652 655 656 659 661 673 676 682 685 689 693 7â—4 710 713 717 752 722 776 785 79â— 793 802 809 813 819 822 829 Simplicitie godly 715 Sinceritie 161 209 Sinne to finde out specialll sinnes 5 and to confesse them 10â— 484 cause of it within vs 30 in what respect worldlings leaue it 616 fearefull to make a sport of it 626 secret sinnes 37 262 272 610 5â—1 secret sinnes not repented of 461 sinnes not equal 631 euery sinne hath two reasons for it 670 the death of it in the faithful 682 first motions of sinne must be crucified 467 particular sight and loathing of speciall sins 475 wisedome of Gods children to preuent sin 514 of three things which may keepe vs from it 697 two heads of many sinnes 703 ripenes in sins 712 foure companions of sin 7â—0 the cause of the losse of many blessings 786 dominion of it 527 528 presumptuous sinnes 852 to leaue sinne and to repent 85â— differ 858 to leaue it not sufficient 304 sinne of apostacie and fiue reasons to disswade therefrom 627 A maruellous great prerogatiue to be freed from the bondage of sinne 90 we must deale with our sinnes as the iudge doth with malefacters 4â—9 Singing of Psalmes with feeling 30 Sleepe triall therein 36 Slothfulnes 1 Sobrietie at all times required 769 214 Societie 14 of the wicked ought to be shuâ— ned 610 612 â—93 Gods children how sweete 458 Sophistrie of the diuell 734 Sorrow two extremities in it 16 not to delay sorrow for sin 29 worldly 265 godly sorrow 282 signes of it 284 it must be continued 286 it is the way to heauen 285 foolishly put off 95 Soule the consumption thereof 4â—7 starued 846 847 Speech good in meetings required of dutie 647 to speake pleasing things and serue the time 750 Spirit of God comes by the word 12 two workes thereof 13 singularitie of spirit 37 religion vnprofitable to those that want the spirit 241 precepts of not quenching the spirit 242 testimonie of it 875 of faith 484 of cheerefulnes 556 Spirituall man must haue an alteration 42 Superstition 35 41 it breaketh off loue in all estates 801 popish superstition described 345 Surmises euill against others 263 666 Swearing 659 790 Swine who be 455 T TO be taught of God 469 temptation 37 702 47 when and how it breeds 39 wee must not yeeld in it 865 866 how to know whether wee be tempted 816 why many are ouertaken therewith 300 how we conspire with Sathan therein 876 how God tempteth vs 813 what it may teach vs 874 resistance of it a signe of grace 874 dispute not with Sathan 874 Terrors of minde sudden 48 Thanksgiuing 812 of al sacrifices most acceptable 40 483 to God for feeding our soules 177 it was a chiefe exercise of Dauid 458 459 How a Christian may say vnto the Lord I am THINE 449 Thoughts euill resting in the minde how dangerous 267 why Gods children are often exercised therewith 27â— euill thoughts on the Sabbath depriue vs of the fruit of Gods worship 171 two kinds of thoughts 704 what Satan doth suggest into men 748 Conscience of thoughts 543 Theefe on the crosse 794 notes markes of faith in him 693 Time the â—ithe of it to Gods worship 1â—5 To redeeme it for good meditations 471 Tinder the efficacie of it in our nature 676 Trauelling on the Sabbath 167 Tree of life Adam had it for a signe 133 Troubles necessarie to feele them for foure causes 439 Two things sustaine vs in our troubles 508 Trust. 29. to trust onely in God 494 Truth how we ought to speake it 622 Truth and peace go together 728 how God punisheth such as receiue not the truth in loue 802 3. kinds of truths 818 V VAnitie both of life and religion is deceit 501 Vertue two speciall fruites of it 260 Visitation of the sicke 275 Vnbeleefe the godly often troubled with it 95. why we see it not 5â—7 how it is shewed vs. 549 Vngodlines 41 Vnmercifulnes how great a sinne 837 Vnthankfulnes 41 punished 269 cause of it 678 Vse of the creatures 41 813 Vaine-glorie 518 Why God visiteth his dearest sernants 445 Visions how farre to be beleeued 41 Vowes rash 822 what a vow is 477 two things hinder vs from holy vowes 478 to vow against drunkennes 479 Vowes in baptisme must be remeÌ„bred 477 against Whoredome Ibid. 41. Vowes in holy purposes 397 Vsurie 41 Vulgus how it may be taken 667 W WAiting on God properties thereof 17 Wanâ— to lament it in others 457 Wantonnes ends in wickednesse 727 799 468 Watchfulnes 703 527 two causes of watching ouer our hearts 616 304 Way in it three things to be considered 703 euill way two things to be considered therein 416 The way of lying what it is 411 why it is so called ibid. the good way must be chosen ibid. Wearines in good things 531 453 Warfare of a Christian. 531 29â— 298 Description of a wicked man and why he is so called 450 451 Wicked their societie to be auoided 610 how they walke in sinne and know it not 614 the diuell helpes them in meditation 463 punished 699 Wickednesse and wantonnesse 468 Wife how the husband should gouerne her 124 Will free 525 how accepted for the deede 61 Wisedome how to hold it fast 609 what it is 625 99 how the faithfull are wise 124 461 our owne wisedome to be suspected 57 Difference betweene true and false wisedome 414 415 Wits the diuell chuseth the best for his seruice 62 Witchcraft 468 aduertisement against it 42 how cured 822 consulting with witches is to aske counsell of the diuell 578 581 Wonders to beware of 822 Word of God 649 549 preparation to heare it 42 true arguments of Loue thereto 453 the power of it 282 283 857 it is a treasure and hidden 289 few loue it therefore 290 wherfore so many neglect the word 462 how it is found before it be sought 291 famine of it 791 loue to it 440 5â—4 44â— it is necessarie for safe direction 475. to keepe it in a good conscience bringeth wisedome 466 it yeelds most profit pleasure and glory 457 whole felicitie therein 470 direction thereof safe 475 why Gods word is wonderfull 410 it neuer
Psalm 19. 7. Hebr. 3. 12. 13. 3. Cause Some secret or open sins cause the word to seeme hard vnto vs. 1 2 Friendship Common duties with godlesse men True wisedome Greatest fooles Matth 5. Fearefull to make a sporte of sinne Psal 73. Rom. 2. 4. 5. 2. Pet 3. Light sinnes with men great with God Light and small sins in appearance in Gods children seuerely punished in this world Note True sorrow for sinne SalomoÌ„ how qualified in his youth Practicall reall syllogismes far aboue imaginarie 1. Sam. 25. 31. 32. Gal. 2. 11. 12. 13. All sins are not equall qui me tradiâ—it maius peccatum habet Turbare oculum excaecare Nihil leue quod praepondâ—ratuâ— mâ—do Note Leuit 16. 6. 15. Heb. 7. 27. A man may shun a beâ—me in the darke but we cannot see motes but in the Sunne light Multiplex peccatum Saint lerome saith Si citò remouetur festuca est si durauerit trabs est Simile Accusat aggrauâ—t quaerit remedium Sathan T it 1. élenche apotómos Redargue praecisè B. Cortipiendo corripies Examples practising this dutie Note Venit quidam è Prophetis where a Father saith Hâ—ù quid est quòd venit niâ—i vnus How we must suffer reprehension A Father saith Ostendo illi lutum aspergit me â—uto ostendo illâ— speculum â—llidit parieti Exiuâ—e genâ—iâ—m Ex iure membrorum Prâ—â—â—be â—crrectioâ—em diuinam fraterna correctio Mutua appâ—obatio Mutua laus Nam non putat se peccaâ—e qui à nemine corripitur Est peccatum tuum quicquid non disâ—lâ—ceâ— ubi Who ought to be reprehended Abstiâ—â—endum metu charitaâ—â—s non metu â—upiditatis Munus proportionatur dono Per oculum mentem pervisum cogniâ—â—onem Ginóskeis anaginóskeis Cataginóskeis Sapiunt ex aâ—â—â—no pectore Note A rule Deceptus in minoribus noÌ„ debet de maioribus iudicare Mensura enim prior mensurato Potes ne alium melius noscere quam â—â— Feare Griefe for sin Remedies against vncleane lusts Note 1 2 The reason of our corruption for sinne Against the vnbrideled affection of youth Simile Simile Youth how dangerous an age Pheûge tà s neoâ—erikà s epi thumias hâ—n philâ—i Theòs apothnés kei néos Neâ—phyta Youth â—â—â—umâ—aâ—es â—â—â—â—teâ— Take heed of lusts of youth Sins of youth Dauid and Salomon no Proctors for sinnes Youth dissolute Salomons example Tria bonorum genera Adulterie She called to the men of her house Gen. 39. 14. Carnall loue 2. Sam. 13. 15. PerseueraÌ„ce 1. Sam. 24. Daâ— 3. 16. Act. 5. Note Good affections Headstrong affections Pray for good affections 2. Chor. 19. 3. How to consider of Gods hand in affliction 2. Chro. 19. 2 The conscience in afflictions 1. Pet. 5. 9. The crosse needfull Faith Note Patience Headie affections To seeke vnlawful means in affliction The Crosse of Christ. Health The Lord hath holpen the vnworthie often in afflictions Curseâ— Simile Triall of faith Sicknesse Patience For what causes the Lord chastiseth his elect in this life 1 Heb. 12. 3. 4. 5 2 3 4 5 6 The tryall of anger Patience 1 2 3 4 Baptisme how effectuall in the faithfull Baptisme in Poperie Baptisme of women vnlawfull 2. Cor. 5. 18. 19. 20. Contempt of Baptisme dangerous not the omission Godfathers in Baptisme Catechising Couetousnes Mans desire how satisfied Simile Simile Note Desire of riches Many rich men are emptie of all goodnes The nature of riches Many rich poore Simile Riches Thornes How some rich men die Vse of riches Note The heathen poore man at the first would haue of his God but 1000. sheepe but after he desired more saying Pauperis est numerate pecus Riches caÌ„not fill the soule Simile PareÌ„ts to rest â—n Gods preuidence Triall of our faith in Gods prouidence Couetousnes how dangerous The readyest way to obtain temporall blessings Carking care Carking care Earthly blessings no signs of Gods fauour Wee must take heecâ—â—â—â— to what end we vse things lawfull in themselues How Christ calleth vs. Our loadstar to Paradise Carnall reason How to obey Christ when he calleth Decay of Gods gifts Idlenesse Angels Not to enter into any calling rashly Our infirmities in our calling Ministerie Truth of our calling Triall of our selues before we enter into any calling Reason to Christ is an euill seruingman Christs two crownes Conference Not to be too strict and silent wheÌ„ occasion of good speech is offered Note Good speeches Our speech is insigne potentiae diuinae vinculum societatis humanae Tenera mollis exâ—gua Iam. 3. 6. Schismatickes and heretickes Who forsake the Church Protestants or Papists Matth. 18. Binding and loosing in the Church Rom. 3. 1. 2. The dignitie of the church The Church deer to christ Note 2 Cor. 11. Means wanting or superstition set vp howe much they differ Church of the Iewes Church of the Gentiles The day of iudgement 2. Pet. 3. Tolle hanc ipsa Angelcâ—uÌ„ gloria claudicabit O magnnm vinculum charitatis quo ipse Deus alligari voluit Diligis me plus his Pasce oues meas coÌ„firma Fratres â—ous symboluÌ„ amoris cura Ecclesiae Primitiae mundi Municipeâ— coelorum Phil. 3. 20. Hoâ—tus conclusus Foâ—s signatuâ— To acknowledge our faults one to another Grace Gods word Hiding sinne How to rise when we fall into any sin Note Conscience is tender Desire all good Luk. 16. Shipwrack of good consciâ—nce how daÌ„â—â—rous Examination of the conscience The watch-word of the conscience True peace of conscience The state of man before grace and in grace The peace of the wicked Moâ—e Psal 37. 37. Note To be iealous ouer our own corrupt affections The eye and conscience tender Schirâ—us ocuii Schirâ—hosis conscientiae How the conscieÌ„ce is hardened What sinne brings wrath Note Simile Simile qui non corrigit seipsum alij corrigent sâ— per ipsum Simile Melius est vt pereat vnus quà m vnitas We can see clearly intellectu directo but with bleare eyes iâ—â—ellectu refleâ—o Admonition how profitable Euil reports Simile A good ceremonie What ceremonies are receiued and retained in the Church with profit Col. 2. 17. What ceremonies bee abrogated Sabbath Last times Last dayes Eschátais hemérais Christian liberty turned into vnchristian licentiousnes Ecclesiast 11. Bonum iuuenile Youth Zeale tried Pleasures 1. Cor. 10. Basil Ierâ—â—ns austeritie in fasting Pleasures Christ is our Captaine Christ a Lambe Affliction of minde Christ is our wisedome Seeke not for great things in the flesh Righteousnes 3 SanctificatioÌ„ Mary Magdalen Matthew Cretians Naturall corruption Promises 4 Redemption The most holie haue need of Christs righteousnes and the most righteous of his holines Note Christ holdeth his kingdome by two titles Feeling Simile Faith without feeling The death of the soule Simile Simile Meditation of IudgemeÌ„t Simile Meditation of death Loth to die Wherefore some desire to die Iudgement Morbus magnus magnum remedium Pâ—dor Dolor Timor Augustine Maxima est poena timorem amisisse iudicij Fac fac vel
the one and reiect the other but most principally respecteth in the whole to edifie the heart and conscience being well assured that this part hath most neede in most Christians of direction and consolation and as we be in this part affected so be we in substance and veritie before God For this cause hee desireth and laboureth most in all these workes to stirre vp the heart and to quicken the affections to embrace true godlines that so being freed from sin by the blood of Christ made the seruants of God we might haue our fruit in holines and in the end eternall life In this Impression I haue carefully reuised and corrected in the whole worke all the faults which either by mine owne priuate reading or by the helpe of other louing friends I could obserue in word or matter Here I rest for a time requesting thy prayers good Christian Reader that now all these holy workes thus knit together may serue to Gods glorie and to the further building of the Church of God in our Land Thine in the Lord Iesus HENRY HOLLAND CHristian Reader thou hast here all Maister GREENHAMS workes as they haue beene heretofore gathered and published by the industrie of that worthy and painefull Preacher Maister Henry Holland In this edition thus much is performed viz. the 119. Psalme perfected a praier of Maister GREENHAMS in the end of his workes added and the whole Booke reduced into a more methodicall order which would haue beene dâ—â—e by Maister Holland if he had longer liued all which hath now beene thought fit to be published in this manner as may appeare in the contents following A SHORT AND GENERALL VIEVV OF ALL SVCH MATTERS AS ARE CONTAINED IN THE VVHOLE VVorkes of Mr. Greenham digested after a more Methodicall manner then heretofore The whole Booke is diuided into fiue seuerall parts as hereafter followeth with their particular Titles contained vnder euery one of the said Parts THE FIRST PART Wherein are contained these Titles hereunder following 1 THE first portion is of graue Counsels page 1 2 Another or second portion of an hundred and one and fifty graue Counsels or diuine Aphorismes page 44 3 A third portion likewise of an hundred graue counsels and diuine directions for the attaining and retaining of faith and a good conscience page 51 4 A short forme of catechising page 71 THE SECOND PART Wherein are contained these Treatises following 1 A Sweet comfort for an afflicted Conscience page 95 2 A second Treatise of the same argument page 112 3 The markes of a righteous man 118 4 Sweet and sure signes of Election to them that are brought low 122 5 A Treatise of Contract before marriage 122 6 A Treatise of the Sabaoth 128 7 Notes of saluation with the necessitie and notes of a true vpright hart 171. 172 8 A direction for the reading of the Scriptures page 173 9 A Treatise of the Resurrection 178 10 A Treatise of examination before and after the Lords Supper 187 11 A Treatise of Gods feare 194 12 A Treatise of Hypocrisie 200 13 A Treatise of Anger 204 14 A Treatise of Blessednesse 207 15 A Treatise of Fasting 210 16 A Treatise of sending the Holy Ghost 216 17 A short treatise of prayer vpon the words of the Prophet Ioel chap. 2. ver 32. alledged by Peter Acts 2. ver 21. 236 THE THIRD PART Wherein are contained these Sermons following 1 THE first Sermon of Quenching the the Spirit vpon 1 Thes. 5. ver 19. 241 2 Of murmuring on Exod. 16. v. 2. 249 3 Of Zeale Reue. 3. v. 19. 255 4 Of a Good name Prou. 22. v. 1. 259 5 Of Humilitie Prou. 18. v. 12. 268 6 Of the education of children Prou. 17. ver â—1 276 7 Of Repentance and true sorrow for sinne Acts 2. ver 37. 281 8. 9. 10. Of the heauenly purchase in three Sermons on Mat. 13. 44. 287 11 Of Christian warfare on Ephe. 6. ver 10. 11. 307 12 Of diuers Christian instructions on Psal. 16. 316 13 Of flying ill company Idolatry and Sweareing on Gen. 42. v. 9. 12. 14. 15. 21. 332 14 Of the mutuall duties betweene the Ministers and the people on Heb. 13. ver 17. 339 15 Of the Confession of sinnes how many kindes of Confession how truly to confesse and the necessary vse thereof on Pro. 28. 15. 359 16 Of the first effect of Christs crosse what is meant thereby how rightly to professe this Doctrine the loue that we should beare thereunto the ioy that ariseth therefrom on Gal. 6. ver 14. 15. 363 17 Of the latter or second effect of Christ his crosses which is the power of Christs Resurrection how and by what meanes men are made new creatures on Galat. 6. ver 15. 370 THE FOVRTH PART Wherein are contained certaine Meditations on diuers portions and parts of Scripture 1 MEditations on the. 119. Psal. 381 2 Meditations on Pro. 4. vers 13. to 23. 609 3 Meditations on Prou. 14. ver 5. 6. 7. 8. 622 4 The summe of the Epistle to the Hebrewes 627 5 A briefe summe of Ecclesiastes 628 THE FIFT PART Wherein are contained godly instructions for the due examination and direction of all men to the attayning and retayning of faith and a good conscience reduced into diuers Chapters and common places as followeth Chap. 1. OF Christian Admonition 629 Chap. 2. Of the Forme and Rules of Christian Admonition 631 Chap. 3. Of Adultery and youthfull affections 635 Chap. 4. Of Affection 638 Chap. 5. Of Affliction ibid. Chap. 6. Of Anger 641 Chap. 7. Of Angels ead Chap. 8. Of Baptisme 642 Chap. 9. Of Couetousnesse and the desire of Riches 643 Chap. 10. Of Care couetousnesse and Contentation 644 Chap. 11 Of our generall and speciall calling 645 Chap. 12. Of conference and godly wisedome in the gouernment of the tongue 647 Chap. 13. Of the Church ead Chap. 14. Of the confession of sinne 649 Chap. 15. Of Conscience 650 Chap. 16. Of censure and correstion 651 Chap. 17 Of ceremonies things indifferent and of turning Christian libertie into vnchristian licentiousnesse 652 Chap. 18. Godly Meditations concerning Christs power against Sathan loue to the faithfull and how hee is our wisedome righteousnesse holinesse and of our communion with him 654 Chap. 19 Of Death and Iudgement 656 Chap. 20. Of the shortnesse of our life and the Meditation of Death how profitable 659 Chap. 21. Of dulnesse of spirit and of feeling 662 Chap. 22. Of Catechizing and instruction of youth 662 Chap. 23. Of Examples and how wee must not sinne vpon Example 666 Chap. 24. Of Examination of our selues and of all things by their issues and how to gouerne the eyes 671 Chap. 25. Of the Exercises of Religion Fasting c. and of the carefull vse of the meanes at all times 673 Chap. 26. Of the Gouernment of the Eyes 675 Chap. 27. Of Faith Iustification by faith of Iustice and iust men and of Feeling 678 Chap. 28. Of Feare 682 Chap. 29. Of Friendship Familiaritie
cause of them it was both easie and sure to attribute it to our failing in religion in not doing some good which God required at our hands or if we did it because we were too ceremoniall and rested in the thing wrought If we haue failed in not doing it may be the Lord calleth vs to some thing to be done Againe by these sudden feares and griefes the Lord will sometime prepare a way to come vnto vs not much vnlike to a Prince who before his comming hath a peale of gunnes as a warning peece and then we are to meete the Lord with prayer for now is the time now is the fit oportunitie of praying because the Lord will shortly passe by vs and therefore we must stirre vp our selues And hauing prayed it is good to make an holy pursuite after him as laying a godly claime to the promises of God not in particular but in generall for who knoweth but the Lord what is good in particular for our saluation Here he shewed by his owne example to commend the vse of prayer how he being once feared with deceiuable and grieuous visions called to minde being alone in the darke night the vnbeliefe of the Disciples on the Seas where our Sauiour Christ was asleepe then he asked his owne soule whether he had prayed or no or whether in prayer he made not some haste out of it as being desirous to be rid of it Then cōsidering that he gaue himselfe to God who was the Lord of the night as well as of the day of darknes as well as of the light he prayed againe to the praise of God he spake it he slept more quietly than before after he did so striue in faithfull prayer 5 In afflictions we must search the cause first by ascending to God then by descending into our selues First we must ascend to God pleading guiltie crauing mercie and not stand quarrelling with the malice of men or hatred of the diuell against vs for as it were no good wisedome for a man condemned to die to make any long suite to the Iaylor or to the executioner for they be but vnder officers can do nothing but he must labour to the Iudge who can either reprieue or release him so it is no good policy to stand about Sathan in our temptations who doth all by constraint restraint vnder the Lord but we must goe to the principall that is God in whose hands are both the entrance the continuance and the issues of our sufferings Secondly we must search our selues how farre either reason is vnreformed or affections vnrenewed knowing that the diuell himselfe can neuer hurt vs vntill we haue hurt our selues And looke in what measure our reason is corrupt or our affections disordered in that measure are we weake and easier to be ouerthrowne of men or of Sathan and in what measure our reason is sound and our affections sincere in that measure we remaine inuincible Before and in all we must pray that the spirit may be giuen vs that we neither adde nor detract that we goe not too farre nor come too short 6 If God bestow good gifts on a man it were good to feele some crosse to seale and season them in vs. If God giue vs foode and raiment it were good to be exercised with some crosse 7 He that will haue comfort in his triall and trauels must haue a good conscience a sound cause and must be sure that he hath vsed and doth vse sound discreete and louing meanes 8 We must not like fooles stumble at the crosse but profit by the grace offered to vs in it by repenting our former state past and by giuing thankes for our state present and fearing our state to come 9 It is a great corruption in men to be more grieued when the crosse priuatly toucheth themselues than when publikely it concerneth the whole Church and common-wealth 10 Being in great paines and crosses which he suffered hee said Blessed be God that I suffer no more for the Lord that in mercie laieth this affliction vpon me might iustly punish me in my soule and bodie and cast me into hell and as soone haue taken away the life of my soule and bodie as this thing 11 To one complaining that his afflictions were extraordinarie he answered It is not so for your afflictions are farre inferiour to your sinnes and therefore howsoeuer it seemeth to you to be an extraordinarie affliction yet with God it is but ordinarie or lesse than ordinarie Besides this is a dangerous temptation for it will bring you to this conceit that you shall reason thus in your selfe that an extraordinarie crosse must haue an extraordinarie comfort and therefore you must looke for some wonderfull and strange consolation whereby Sathan will moue you to contemne or at least not so to regard ordinarie consolations which haue helped others and may helpe you by this meanes breed in you such vnthankfulnes that before you are aware an extraordinarie affliction shall be sent indeed 12 He that will suffer great things in persecution must suffer small things in peace and they that will suffer of Papists must suffer of Protestants Anger 1 THis is a good triall whether our anger be spirituall or carnall if our anger hinders not some other holy action but stirres vs vp to good workes if it hinder vs not to pray with libertie of minde if it interrupt not our meditations if we doe not omit the doing of any dutie to the partie offending vs if we can deale with others without peeuishnes then our anger is spirituall and will comfort our consciences 2 He was euer most grieued and angrie yet in loue with them whom he tendred most in the Lord and who had giuen him most credit by submitting themselues wholie to his ministerie Angels 1 TO one asking how the Angels of God watch ouer vs he answered we are rather to pray for the experience of their ministerie vnto vs than either to describe it or prescribe it This is sure if we be Gods children and walke in his waies the Angels of God do watch ouer vs and yet all see it not and when they see it it is by the effect of their ministerie for though their ministerie be certaine yet the manifestation of it is extraordinarie Atheisme 1 A Certaine man being a Papist though not so grounded as he desired to be tooke a view of the life of Papists if it were as glorious in truth as they pretended which when he found not he turned himselfe to the Protestants and looking into their conuersation he found himselfe not contented vntill in the end he met with Familists in whom he so staied himselfe that he grew into familiaritie with their doctrine The first principle that they taught him was that there was no God This boyled much in him so that he began to adde conclusions to this precept on this sort If there be a God he
body to haue liued in burning fire vntill the appearing of Christ so he might then be assured of Gods fauour towards him yea his greatest comfort was this that though he should be in hell yet he hoped therin of Gods fauour to haue his torments mitigated with them that suffer least In all which troubles notwithstanding no world of reward no terror of tyrannie could cause him willingly to doe the least thing displeasing to God whom when the Lord released he would comfort himselfe in Christ saying that the diuell would take the aduantage of his sorrow to make him vnthankefull in good things 2 We are either as a Prince or as a peasant either most mightie aboue all Princes or most vile among the sonnes of men If all the Monarches in the world withstood vs our owne consciences comforting vs we ruled aboue all If the vilest vassall in the world rise against vs our owne heart condemning vs we seeme to be most miserable of all 3 He said howsoeuer men might deale with outward matters yet when griefes and fancies grew in the minde and grieued it nothing could surely cure them but onely the word of God 4 Hauing to deale with diuers humbled consciences he would mislike them that would not abide to tarry the Lords leisure but they must needs be helped at once euen by and by as soone as they heard him speake or else they would then thinke farre worse of him than euer before notwithstanding the good report had and the good opinion conceiued of him for besides that hee that beleeueth maketh not hast this is a comming rather as it were to a Magitian who by an incantation of words makes sillie soules looke for health than to the minister of God whose words being most Angelicall comfort not vntill and so much as it pleaseth the Lord to giue a blessing vnto them which sometime he doth denie because we come to them with too great an opinion of them as though they were wise men not vnto such as vsing their meanes yet doe looke and stay for our comfort wholy from God himselfe 5 Being asked how in the examining of our consciences for sinne we should find out the speciall sinne he said that could not easily be done for who doth vnderstand the errors of his life but by oft examining of our selues by acquainting of our selues with our owne estate by earnest prayer that God would reueale vs the sinne by oft hearing and reading the word by marking the most checkes of our consciences and reproches of our enemies we might be led to the neerest sight of them 6 Vnto one afflicted in minde he gaue this comfort first if you haue knowledge be thankfull for it and desire the Lord to giue you faith if you haue faith which vndoubtedly you may haue though not rightly discerning your selfe you presently perceiue it not you must waite on the Lord for feeling of it for many times he exerciseth faith with temptations before he sends feeling And though it may be you shall â—arrie the Lords leisure long yet surely he will giue it you in time In the meane time assure your selfe that the greatest faith is when there is least feeling It is easie for euery one in glorious feelings and ioyes vnspeakable to beleeue but when a man feeling no sensible comfort in the Lord can notwithstanding beleeue in the Lord and by faith waite on him this mans faith is most great 7 After some effectuall working of Gods spirit in vs most commonly in many not long after comes deadnes and dulnes against this euill we must first search the cause whether it be for some euill thing done or for some good thing not done for leauing some meane of saluation vnused whether for some sinne seene but nor repented of or some sin repented of but not soundly or for vnthankfulnes Secondly vse the remedie please not your selfe in it but rouse vp your selfe as from a slumber which willingly you would shake off from you call to minde the speciall and greatest mercy of God vse the meanes Thirdly in the meanes offer thy selfe vnto God wayting humbly and patiently for the time of deliuerance neither esteeming too much nor too little of the affliction 8 When one was troubled in minde he gaue him this comfortable note That although it came to passe that after some trauaile in the new birth Gods graces were not so sweete and our sinnes not so sower and grieuous vnto vs as they were at our first entrance into regeneration but we are now weaker in lesse assaults hauing afore beene stronger in greater temptations we are not to despayre but to consider from whence this gracious progresse did come namely of God and not of our selues who shewed himselfe more fauourable in the beginning both because he would not discourage vs newly comming vnto him and for that we forsaking our selues with a godly suspecting of our weaknes in the least temptations did flie vnto Gods helpe by prayer who in wisedome can hide himselfe vnder a clowde partly for that he will looke to see some triall of strength at our hands comming to some age in new birth partly for that now we lesse forsake or suspect our selues no not in greater temptations and so presumptuously trusting to our strength and staying our selues with our owne staffe we doe not call to God for helpe and not calling doe not obtaine and not obtaining helpe we take the foyle in the conflict that the Lord may make knowne vnto vs that notwithstanding our proceeding in Christianitie we are still but men and God alone is God 9 He said to one troubled in minde for a secret and small sinne I doe not so much feare this sinne in you as the policie of Sathan by it either in that he will not sticke to shew you the lesse sinnes hide from you the greater or else by the quicke sight of your secret and small sinnes to cast vpon you an open and grosse sinne of vaine glorie and priuie pride 10 Afflicted consciences must not dispute too much against themselues for their own actions for that being displeased with their owne persons they cannot be pleased with their owne doings 11 He tolde in loue this obseruation and experience when any came with a troubled conscience for sinne wisely to discerne whether they be meanely grieued with a generall sight of their sinne or whether they be extreamely throwne downe with the burthen of particular sinnes if so they be then it is good at the first to shew that no sinne is so great but in Christ it is pardonable and that there is mercy with God that he might be feared so on the other side shewiug the mercy to come from God but so as they are nothing fit to receiue mercie vnlesse they feele their particular and pricking sinnes But if their sorrow be more confessed in generall things then it is good to
the meanes to mortifie concupiscence which being wisely and in some conuenient time vsed with moderate exercise of the body if they do not preuaile it is like that God doth call a man to the holy vse of mariage howbeit it is to be obserued that in watching and fasting we are not to prefixe certaine set times this day or that day but then to vse it when God calleth vs vnto it by fit occasion without the which care the often vse of these exercises will breede a want of reuerence of them Cause good 1 THere is no greater enemie to a good cause than he that by euill meanes doth both handle and maintaine it 2 He said that men must profit by this if hauing had good causes in hand they haue had ill successe because herein it pleaseth God often to denie that vnto vs iustly which men denie vnto vs vniustly either for that he correcteth some sinne wherein they liue or else for that they vsed not prayer but trusted too much in the meanes and not in God Of naturall Corruption 1 HE obserued this experience in himselfe that when he would not doe a thing that was good then his owne reason and the diuell would easily teach him an excuse Lord forgiue vs this corruption 2 He thought by nature all men to be Papists heretickes adulterers c. vntill God renued them so that if all heresies Papistrie impietie were ceast among all men yet if a man be left of God he hath in himselfe sufficient matter and spawne to breede reuiue and to renew all kinds of sinne Despaire 1 HE obserued this policie in Sathan that to make men despaire hee would make them argue thus I haue no faith in this and that particular And contrarily to traine men to presumption hee would make men argue thus I haue a generall hope and faith and therefore I dâ—â—â—â—â— not but my faith is â—ound in euery particular both which are hurtfull 2 When we distrust Gods promises let vs set before vs the example of his mercie done to others that we may be the more assured to obtaine faith and when we begin to presume let vs set before vs the examples of Gods iudgements that we may pray for humilitie 3 Many dispaire of helpe because of their owne vnworthinesse as though there were â—o hope of Gods mercie vnlesse we bring in our gift and pawne in our hands to him but this were to disered it the Lords mercies and to bring in credit our merits and rather to binde the Lord vnto vs than vs vnto him but if our sinnes be great our redemption is greater though our merits be beggerly Gods mercie is a rich mercie if our case were not desperate and we past hope of recouerie our redemption should not be so plentifull but when all seemes to goe one way when heauen and earth the Sunne the Moone and the Starres goe against vs then to ransome vs and to make a perfect restitution is to draw something out of nothing euen as in sicknes to haue either little danger oâ— in great danger deliuerance by present meanes is nothing but in extreame perill when physicke can doe nothing and nothing maketh for vs but the graue then to be rescued from the graue and to recouer our life from the pit is redemption Death 1 AS we must thinke of life as being content to die so we must thinke of death as being content to liue And they are as well to be liked of that measurably feare death as they who ioy so much at it because they that moderately feare death haue this in them more than the other which is also allowable by grace and nature that they tremble at Gods iudgements 2. He said be neuer durst desire to die howsoeuer his continuall crosses did affoord him small desire to liue therefore he feared and forewarned men of these kindes of wishes because often the Lord heareth a man in iudgement though in some mercie and when he wisheth this or that affliction he laieth it on him so that after he cannot doe that good to others which to his owne comfort he might haue done 3 To one that said she feared death he said As I would haue you to thinke of life as being content to die so thinke of death as you would also be content to liue and as for the feare of death I like as well of them that measurably feare it as of them who so ioy at it for I hope and like well of them also Howbeit I see not this in those which is in them and which is a thing both allowed by grace and nature that is that they tremble at Gods iudgements You will say that notwithstanding you see not why you should not feare death seeing you finde no comfort in life to which I answere that your life hath not been without comforts howsoeuer things gone are soone forgotten though your coÌ„forts were not in the full measure hoped for and it may be that plentifull measure shall be giuen you in death But what if you should die in this discomfort for my part as I my selfe looke for no great things in my death I would not thinke more hardly of you neither would I wish any to iudge otherwise of Gods childe in that estate of death for we shall not be iudged according to that particular instance of death but according to our generall course of life not according to our deed in that present but according to the desire of our hearts euer before and therefore we are not to mistrust Gods mercie in death be we neuer so vncomfortable if so be it hath beene before sealed in our vocation and sanctification Desire 1 HE said God looketh to the desires not to the deeds of his children and if we purpose to doe good howsoeuer we finde ignorance what where and when to doe good God will direct vs in occasion place and time and in mercie will pardon our weakenes though we faile in the circumstances Dispraise 1 WHen any told a thing that sounded to the dispraise of a man he as not credulous in such matters would make shew to the carnall plaintiâ—e that he was as one not hearing and would fence off the matter a long time by causing him to repeate often his matter Diet. 1 BEcause no particular rule can be set downe how to amend excesse and defect in diet this were the best rule generally to be obserued so to feede as that we may be made thereby more fit either to speake or heare the praises of God with more cheerfulnes and reuerence Dreames 1 A Naturall dreame which commeth of naturall causes easily slippeth away but if our dreames dwell longer vpon vs and leaue some greater impression in vs they may be thought to proceed either from God or from the diuell And by these it is good to profit if they be fauourable by thinking such a thing we might haue if we
conceale a sinne in vs nor againe to mistrust him too much that will not willingly be admonished at the first For as a furious or a phreneticall braine can by no meanes away with him that shall lay any hands vpon him though it were for his profit so so long as we be in impatiencie we shall suffer no man to speake vnto vs though it be for our good but the lâ—thargie of our minde being cured we marueile at our former impatiencie and are ready to shew our selues thankful vnto him that would haue a care to draw vs out of such a sinne Regeneration 1 AS good natures doe not helpe of necessitie to regeneration so euill natures cannot hinder Gods purpose in calling if the meanes with his mercie and blessing be purely and painfully vsed Repentance 1 SAthan vnder the colour of repentance bringeth many into an extreame sadnes and strictnesse in vsing the creatures of God Again vnder pretence of Christian libertie and deliuering of men from extreame griefes he allureth them to an immoderate and an vnsanctified mirth and intemperate vse of the creatures of God so blinding iudgement he afterward corrupteth affection 2 One complaining vnto him for the not feeling of his corruption which did sometime enbolden him to sinne and to adde one sinne to another as to shuffle a little sinne vnder the pretence of a great sinne and to deferre the sorrowing of one sinne vntill the more generall accounting time when we should sorrow for more and many sinnes his temptation touching him on this manner Why fearest thou to commit this one sin and this little sinne which is as pardonable by repeÌ„tance as the former sinnes which are more in number and greater than this seeing thou maist repent for this sinne when thou repentâ—st for them all He made this answere In such a temptation because Sathan is very neere we are to tremble vnder the hand of God to feare our selues to striue in prayer and to mourne for the temptation whereby Satan would cause vs after not to dispute with it and we be to suspect our selues to be rather readie to adde sinne to sinne than to repent of any sinne howsoeuer Sathan would blind vs with a kind of repenting and we must stay vpon the power and helpe of God in Iesus Christ. Reproches 1 HE said although he was subiect to many and grieuous reproches yet two things did euer comfort him the one that his heart was well and not euill affected to any man secondly that going alone he could humble himselfe and pray to God that the authors of such reproches might be pardoned Riches 1 SOmetimes good outward gifts hurt the beholders when they hurt not the possessors as we may see in the beautie of Sara and Ioseph which thing ought to humble vs in the desire of outward things and to make vs thankfull for a mediocritie 2 It is a iust iudgement that earthly riches doe deceiue our hearts when heauenly riches doe not delight vs that the outward things should carrie vs away when heauenly things cannot so much preuaile with vs. Well howsoeuer gold or siluer goe here on earth for the greatest riches before men godlines is the greatest riches before God and Angels in heauen Sacraments 1 AS Isaaks intent being to blesse Esau hindered not the will of God in blessing of Iacob so the corrupt intent of the Minister doth not hinder the blessing of God in the Sacraments it being Gods owne ordinance 2 After one had asked his aduice for sitting or kneeling at the Lords table he said As for such things let vs labour what we may to doe as much as we can for the peaceof the Church Securitie 1 SEcuritie is a forerunner of some grosse sinne or of some great crosse 2 We must ouercome our vnwillingnes sluggishnes betimes in good things and preuent delayes at the first because it is certaine the longer we delay the worse 3 There is a great corruption in our natures which makes vs most dull when we haue most meanes This ariseth either because when we haue the publike meanes more plentifully we vse the priuate more sparingly or because we doe not so much esteeme of the meanes ordinarily administred as we doe when they are lesse familiar vnto vs or if the Lord seeing vs too immoderatly desire the place where we are denieth vs the benefits and fruites of the place to correct our desire or for that we promised to our selues too large a hope of freedome from many euils by the meanes of the word therefore it pleaseth the Lord to proue vnto vs that they are nothing vnto vs without the blessing of his holy spirit Or this may arise from the temptation of Sathan who because he would make vs discontent with our present estate and calling and to hunt after new therefore he sheweth vs all the inconueniences of the place present and hides all the profits and shewes vs all the profits of the place where we haue beene or shall be and hides all the inconueniences Or because when we were the best in a whole towne and saw nothing in others but corruption we pleased our selues and prouoked our selues more to good things and being among many good men we make not so much of our goodnes and grow something secure and trust too much in the goodnesse of the place persons Or in that we like of our selues well when we are teaching and instructing others and are more impatient of silence in our selues and to be instructed of others Or because we would still be getting praise by bringing out but we are loth to store vp treasures both new and old for time to come when as yet there is a time of both Or we more see this because the last complaint seemeth the greatest though indeed we haue suffered as euill euen as a man thinketh his sicknes present to be sorer than any sicknes past The onely remedie against this dulnes is continually by prayer and by vsing the meanes to striue against it Singing 1 HE wished all men that would sing that in singing they euer sing with affection and feeling or else haue a mourning in their hart that they cannot doe so Coloss. 3. 17. Ephes 5. Sinne. 1 Iâ— we goe on still in sinne God will goe on still in iudgement but if our hearts relent from sinne God will release his sentence of punishment 2 To a Courtier complaining of the occasions of euill he said Though you haue occasions of sinne offered yet the cause of sinne is still in your selfe 3 Because God worketh the sense of sinne by degrees in his children he suspected them who at euery sinne named would shew themselues forthwith troubled 4 Sinne is such a canker that it spreadeth secretly and there is such a chaine of sinnes that he that yeeldeth to one draweth on another grant a little one and a great
I am wont to be comforted And though my former old and secret sinnes descrue that I should not only be giuen ouer to infidelitie but also that it should be in me without griefe and remorse â—et Lord forgiue me my sinnes new and old forgiue me my vnthankfulnes increase my fâ—ith And grâ—â—t good father when thou shalt restore to me this gift of faith againe that I may vse it in feare and shew it in fruites Or if this doe not preuaile giue your selfe with all humblenes to reade the word of God especially his promises and be still attending vpon the meanes waiting when the Lord shall in large your heart Or if this do not helpe goe to some faithfull brother confesse your selfe to him acknowledge your weakenes to him and be not ashamed to giue God the glorie by shaming your selfe and opening your corruption to him that so he may pray for you whose prayer according to the promise of God made to his holy ordinance herein Iames. 5 vndoubtedly shall be heard in the appointed time Thus hauing prayed by yourselfe and with another and vsed the meanes of reading for your recouerie though you haue not present reliefe yet in meekenes of minde and patience of your spirit goe to your calling knowing that your prayers and the word of God being as seede must haue some time betweene the sowing of them and the reaping of the increase and fruit of them Aboue all reason not with your temptations dispute not with the diuell as though you could preuaile of your selfe And as I would not you should dispute with your temptation so I would not you should despise it and make no account of it for in both are extremities If you take it too much to heart or maruell how you should ouercome such a temptation it will make you dull or desperate If you account of it too little and maruell how such things should come into your head which was not wont to be so it will make you not to striue and you shall be swallowed vp before you be aware If you account of it too fearefully Sathan will oppresse you before you begin to fight If you account of it too lightly the diuell needes not to wrestle with you you will ouercome your selfe therefore feare in respect of your selfe fight boldly in Christ tremble at your owne corruptions but rest and trust in Christ your saluation If still you are tempted and no body by you write your temptation and offer it to God by prayer and promise to him that you will aske counsell at his word at the mouth of his minister when he shall giue you iust occasion If all this helpe not comfort your selfe with this pledge of Election that you are ioyed when you feele your beleefe and you are grieued least you displease God by your vnbeleefe and know that as there is a vicissitude of the meanes of saluation which you must vse so there is also a vicissitude of temptations whereof this is one against which you must striue 12 Vnto one that was tempted with worldly shame and thought the distemperature of his minde proceeded thereof he said on this sort First know that Sathan hath no absolute power but a power by permission to trie vs against which we must arme our selues ly faith which will assure vs that either the Lord will mittigate our temptation if our power and patience be not great or else if he â—â—large the triall he will increase our strength according to the proportion of our temptation We must also pray that the Lord giue not out that measure of leaue to the diuell which we giue out to sinne to worke rebellion in vs against his maiestie but that he would rather make Sathan a Chirurgion to shew vs our sinnes than a Sergeant to coÌ„found vs for them It is the pollicie of the aduersarie to perswade many that the weakenes of their body and feeblenes of their braine proceedeth of their temptations when indeed it commeth of their vnstained mindes wandring too much after the motions of the diuell in that they not resting on the word nor depending on Christ nor contenting themselues to be tried nor comforting themselues by meditation attend too much and confer too often with the diuels illusions and temptations and so they complaine of the effects and not of the causes of the temptations being more grieued for their present sufferings than for their sinnes past The roote of this worldly shame is pride and haughtines of mind which is a priuie euill and hardly will be beaten into the head of them that are infected with it But sure it is that we would neuer be so grieued for the losse of a thing if we did not too much desire it and too immoderatly vse it whilest we had it Ioh. 12. 42. Which sinne of haughtines the Lord seeing in his children that they are more humbled with the losse of worldly credit than with the sense of their sinnes and losse of his glorie he striketh them with the want of that thing which is most precious vnto them because they made no conscience of that honour which is most prâ—cious vnto him Wherefore this is the best remedie rather to be grieued that we feele not our sinnes to be pardoned with God than that we are knowne to be sinners against men and that we be readie to shame ourselues that God may haue the glorie acknowledging shame and confusion and the whole pit of hellish temptations to be due vnto vs and glorie praise and compassion to be the Lords only For this is a speciall worke of the child of God by temptations rightly humbled when he is readie to shame himselfe for his sinne to glorifie God in his mercie 13 Vnto one that thought himselfe to haue sinned against the holy Ghost he said Sathans temptations follow our affections for if we lightly account of sinne he bleares our eyes still with Gods mercies If we begin to make a conscience of sinne he loadeth vs with the iudgements of God being as readie now to aggrauate this sinne more than it is in it selfe as before he would extenuate it to make it seeme lesse than it was Howbeit said he to the man thus afflicted I will say vnto you as Samuel said to the people after they had confessed themselues to haue sinned against God with a great sinne True it is said Samuel not flattering them in their iniquities ye haue sinned greatly notwithstanding if ye will feare the Lord and serue him and heare his voyce and not disobey the word of the Lord ye shall follow the Lord your God but if ye will not obey the voyce of the Lord but disobey the Lords mouth then shall the hand of the Lord be vpon you 1. Sam. 12. 14. So I will not lesâ—en your sinne but I say you haue sinned a great sinne before the Lord in that you made a mocke
but it is the power of Gods presence preparing vs to prayer or some such seruice of God which when we feele if wee fall downe before God in prayer we shall finde an vnspeakable ioy following it but if we cherish it with euill surmises it will leade vs to further inconueniences 77 When we haue greatest cause of ioy for doing some good then it is a good thing most to feare our vnthankfulnes and our selfe-loue and our secure vnkindnes 78 When Sathan cannot get vs to grosse sinnes he will â—ssaile vs with spirituall temptations 79 Nothing in the world will so much feare and shame vs as God in his mercies powred vpon vs which meditation in receiuing graces from God will humble vs from pride in them and keepe vs in feare which be the waies to obtaine new mercies 80 We must beware of smoothering the watch word of our conscience when we are bent to sinne Euery man in his owne conscience is forewarned of sinne though the Lord speake not to him from heauen as he did to Cain 81 As a man being outlawed may take his pleasure for a while but whensoeuer or wheresoeuer he may be taken he must yeeld to that punishment which by verdict is appoynted so the wicked on whom sentence of damnation is already passed may for a while shake off their paines with vaine pleasures but afterward they shall be arrested and carried violently to the place of wofull execution But for the godly which haue the assurance of their inheritance sealed vp in their consciences though they shall be warned in the day of the resurrection to make their open appearance yet as honest men of the countrie shall stand before the Iudge not as fellonious offenders 82 We must first make men by a feeling of sinne to seeke Christ by an holy faith to find Christ and then by newnes of life to dwell with Christ. 83 Balâ—am prayed that he might die the death of the righteous but let vs pray that we may liue the life of the righteous for he liued not the life of the righteous and therefore he could not die the death of the righteous and if we liue the life of the righteous we shall be sure to die the death of the righteous 84 It is a great token of regeneration if we doe not onely sorrow for great sinnes and sigh for small offences but mourne for particular wants of good actions or in good actions for wâ—nt of good affections 85 There is small hope of him which cannot discerne in himselfe the life of the spirit and the life of the flesh and it is to be doubted that he is yet vnregenerate 86 When men being young are too much giuen to carnall pleasures they being old are too much giuen to worldly profit 87 As we haue taken a vaine delight in the vaine course of this life so we must sigh and pray to be delighted spiritually in spirituall things 88 Adam should haue been no worse for his temptation no more than Christ was but that the one yeelded the other did not 89 If the blood of Christ hath washed vs from the guiltines of sinne then the holy Ghost hath purged vs from the filthines of sinne 90 When our sinne hath lesse liking in vs then there is hope that it will decay in vs especially if we sorrow for it when we cannot fully forsake it and labour to forsake it because it is sinne 91 In true mortification we must haue the first motions of sinne and condemne them as accessaries to sinne in conspiring the death of our soules 92 Hypocrisie is seene when sinne lyeth most dead vnder a cloake and most liueth vnder a closet wherewith God is so displeased that when we make no conscience of sinne in close places our priuie sinnes shall breake forth into open places 93 Particular infirmities doe not hinder the preparation of our hearts for the Lord if we haue a true loue of his word as had Iehosaphat 94 Two things are necessarie to espouse vs to Christ the one to vse the pure meanes the other to vse those meanes with a pure heart 95 If we play with our owne affections sinne in the end from sport will spurre vs to confusion For though we be twice or thrice spared yet we must know that the Lord will recompence his long tarrying with wrath 96 Through our corruption we profit more by the doctrine of a man if we thinke he be our enemie than if we thinke him to be our friend for if he be our friend we let it passe as not spoken to vs though the matter neuer so much concerne vs if our enemie if it neuer so little touch vs we thinke it to be spoken against vs. 97 Walking spirits are vndoubtedly not the soules departed but the euill spirits of the ayre 98 It is a great mercie of God to haue a large affection of weldoing when we haue good occasion thereof for God neuer ceaseth in offering occasions but we often cease in hauing affections 99 Obedience is a chaine to tye vp all the creatures of God from our hurt and as a thing to muzzle their mouthes that they cannot bite vs. Againe disobedience breaketh and openeth the mouthes of all things to our destruction 100 If we haue not the fauour of men it is either for the triall of our faith or for want of dutie vnto them that are displeased with vs or because we sought to please them by displeasing of God or because we haue not prayed for them or haue offended God for which he causeth men to be offended with vs. 1 Because we doe not to men the good we should doe God often suffereth them to report of vs the euill they should not 2 Those temptations are most dangerous which haue most holy ends 3 When a man is most merrie he is neerest danger 4 It is the easiest thing in the world to deceiue a good man 5 God hath two hands in the one he holdeth a hammer to breake the proud in peeces and to bray them to powder in the other hand he hath a horne to powre Gods blessings vpon the humble 1. Pet. 5. 5. 6 If a man should be stinted to one meale a weeke he would haue a pined body at the weekes end euen so if our soules be but fed with the word once a weeke they would be as hunger-starued if we could see it 7 You are in earth to follow your calling you are not yet in heauen Adam when he was most holy by creation and free from euery iot of sinne and corruption did walke in his calling appointed of God much more then are we comfortably to follow the Lord his ordinance seeing these outward things did not come in with sinne but were ordained before sinne 8 Whatsoeuer is vpon you
some when one is vehement say he is an Heremite too precise for vs to follow he had neede of a new world some if the Preacher be comfortable thinke he is a clawbacke and seeketh for liuing some say if they heare one for the peace of the Church tolerating some ceremonies that he is a time-seruer and man-pleaser if they heare one zealous and vnwilling to giue any little credit to superstitions then they say he is factious if he be young and vehement then they say he will grow wiser and colder in time if he be old and still faithfull then he wants wisedome and is but a doting foole But wisedome is iustified of all her children if doctrine be vsed we learne if perswasion we are moued if threatnings we are humbled if promises we are comforted if lenitie we thinke God calleth vs in mercie if seueritie God calleth vs out of securitie and so we profit by all in something though by some in more things and oftner 51 We are said to be alwaies in God his presence and yet we are said to be in God his presence in the time of God his worship The fathers are said to walke with God they were as children alwaies looking on their father to see what hee would haue them doe God being present with them though inuisible to nature yet visible to faith Yet we are said to be in God his presence in his worship because more neerely we bring our selues before him And sure it is that the more we are in his presence whiles we are in any holy exercise the more shall we be in his worship euen in our ordinarie callings Againe the more carelesse we are in his worship to bring our selues into his sight the more carelesse of his presence shall we be in our ordinarie callings 52 This is not the priuiledge of God his children not to be tempted neither is it a difference betweene the godly or vngodly to be tempted or not tempted but God his children pursue it not in the greedines of their affections but they either sin not or he drawne by delay vnto sinne God his children before feare to sinne the wicked before lay platformes of sinne the godly in sinning finde some paine the wicked a pleasure the godly thinke of their sinne with shame and griefe the world put their sinnes in a new die by speaking and doing of them with glorie and gladnes the wicked blaspheme God in sinning the godly rebuke themselues for sinnes the godly are fiercely and violently pursued of temptation the wicked are soâ—â—ishly and voluntarily infatuated by temptation the godly powre out their spirits to be cured in temptation the vngodly powre out their spirits to be strengthened in sinnes Abraham laughed Sarah laughed Abraham reioyced by faith in their promise Sarah derided by vnbeliefe the thing that was promised Zacharie questioneth with the Angell Mary questioneth with the Angell Zacharie doth it in vnbeliefe Mary doth it to be confirmed in the meanes for her faith 53 It is wonderfull how some delighting and lying in a sinne will correct the selfe same sinne in others and cannot abide it in their owne children and yet it hath been obserued that politike dames ciuill housekeepers cunning whores secretly bathing their bodies in filthines could not abide a waÌ„ton looke or vnchast behauiour in their children Howbeit these secret sinnes as all others in time haue blurted out And let such sinners know that God will still giue them some to be as a glasse to see their owne sinnes in them as it were face to face Thou complainest against thy sonne thy seruant or against thy inferiour but doest thou gouerne him hast thou taught corrected and reformed him hast thou gone in and out in godly life before him hast thou taught him publikely as well as priuately and at home as wel as abroade If thou hast though thy sonne be a reprobate or thy seruant a castaway thou hast at the least though not coÌ„uerted his hart yet striken him with confusion of conscience 54 It is both the fault and the folly of many that being rebuked of a sinne like beasts following the drouer or puppits following the play maister say they doe but as others doe wherein they rather accuse themselues of a new folly than excuse themselues of their old fault For thinking they doe well because they doe as others doe they strengthen rather than weaken the sin by ioyning to sinners and increasing the multitude of sinners in that kinde whereas on the contrarie if they for themselues would leaue the sinne the number of offenders would grow the lesse and then the number of well doers being greater than the number of euill doers would make them ashamed of themselues and though not for conscience sake yet for shame the sinne would be the sooner left In regard whereof a godly father hearing of an heresie like to spread in the Church got as many to subscribe to the true part as could be gotten which he did for this cause that the aduersaries seeing a few holding with them and many standing against them might suspect their cause and be the more ashamed of their defence And experience proueth that sinne is like to die shortly which is nourished of none but starued of all and that sinne is like to preuaile which is entertained of the most and withstood of the fewest we must beware of following a multitude to sinne 55 Looke wheresoeuer in Realme Citie towne or household there is any remnant of the Lords seede although it sustaineth for a while some iniurie as Noah in the old worlde Lot in Sodome Ieremiah among his people and Abraham with his yet as they are preferued from many iudgements by these men so their eyes shall see them fall in the end The world is not couered with water vntill Noah be prouided for in the Arke Sodome is spared vntill Lot be deliuered and the Lord euen rebuked Kings for his seruant Abrahams sake If this were so in the infancie of the Church whilest it was in one or few families how much more will the Lorde gouerne and preserue it now vnder the kingdome of Iesus Christ if peaceably wee waite vntill the arme of the Lord be reuealed vnto vs 56 It is an euill signe when gentlenesse makes vs worse and wanton more bold in disobedience more remisse in obedience and it prognosticateth good to bee made by gentlenesse more free in obedience more afraide to disobey This being as true in the spirituall estate hath caused the Lorde to cause some to beare the yoke from their youth and who are more pliable to the word Others againe not tasting of any crosses which haue beene more vntractable to all good duties Among many pawnes of God his loue this is one chiefe when God his blessings breede in vs humilitie and carefulnes among manie tokens of euill this is one when God his benefits breede pride and fluggishnes And this is a triall of
his mercies are most wonderfull there if they bee contemned the iudgements of God ensue most feareful The serpent of all beasts the wisest abusing that wisedome became of all the cursedst Sodome the beautifull valley being puft vp with pride became the filthiest pit The church of the Iewes the valley of vision not vsing it dignitie was as a scattered wildernes Ierusalem is an heape of stones Sion as a thicket the Temple as a vast vessell The Church of Rome refusing Christ is become the seate of Antichrist The churches of Asia lost their candlesticke because light comming to them they loued darknes more than light 66 Vntill a man by feeling the sorrowes of sinnes determineth to arise goe to his father the word doth say he is not come to himselfe as Luk 15. in the lost child contrariwise when a man by feeling the sorrowes of sinne saith he will arise and goe to the father the world crieth with Festus he is besides himselfe too much learning hath made him mad So farre differ the iudgements of the word and of the world 67 As the Serpent was the first instrument of sinne â—o sinne retayneth still a qualitie of the Serpent For first it windeth round about vs as though it would imbrace vs but in the end it playeth the Serpent and with the tayle it doth sting vs. For the sorrowes which belong vnto sinne do not commonly accompanie the fact to be committed but the fault already committed and doggeth the conscience to sting it to death at the time of most aduantage for sinne taketh occasion by the law and deceiueth and therefore sâ—ayeth vs. And let not him thinke that findeth not a present controlement of conscience for euery sinne committed that therefore he hath not offended God for we are oâ—t suffered to haue the spirit of slumber for a while that the spirit of Christ Iesus might more perfitly awake vs. 68 God his children are to reioyce for the day of their Resurrection is their day of Redemption Their iudgement day was when Christ was iudged at what time all that are in Christ were iudged And as the wicked are now damned but then shall haue the sentence of damnation so now the godly are saued but then they shall haue the full testimonie of their saluation by Christ yea with Christ they shall be assistants in iudgâ—â—â—â—â— to condemne others so farre they shall be from comming into iudgement to be condemned 69 Bersillai hauing done a great benefit to Dauid the King could no◠〈◊〉 estimation how sufficiently to recompence it but referred him and his children to â—eat Salomons table Bersillai thought in himselfe this to be so great a recompence that he reâ—use 〈…〉 If it were both in Dauids estimation and in Bersillaieâ— opinion so great a 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 Salomons table how much more glorious a benefit is it to sit at Christ his table 〈…〉 Salomon but a greater than Salomon is present 70 It is our corruption that we are more grieued when we suffer as â—el-doers than when we suffer for euil-doing For this is the logicke of the world I am grieued that I am thus dealt with because I neuer deserued it had I done any thing worthy of punishment it would not haue grieued me though I had beene punished Thou speakest like a foolish man thou knowest not when to be grieued and when â—ot to be grieued For whether is it better to suffer when thy conscience is free and suffereth not or when with thy outward affliction thou art afflicted also of thine owne heart And is it not a glorious thing to suffer for well doing wherein thy cause of griefe is the lesse and an ignominious thing to suffer for euill doing wherein the cause of griefe is the more For if rather the cause of affliction than affliction itselfe should grieueâ— hee then affliction without cause of affliction being for God his cause should rather comfort thee 71 Companie is the best thing and worst thing in the world how much and how 〈◊〉 are men beholding to it it maketh and marreth whatsoeuer commeth neere it 〈◊〉 as wormes do easily breede in the softest wood so doth it commonly spoyle the best â—â—â—â—sition 72 When we haue any crosse it is hard lucke say we Well that luck as you call it and prouidence as I iudge it is often more worth vnto vs than all our substance And why so the reason seemeth simple and yet is most forcible for then we begin to be in necessitie That is as you thinke a cold comfort and I should hardly perswade you that this argument is good For if I shall say that if ye did beleeue ye should see this as sure as your life I know that you would smile at it Notwithstanding it is sure that the sense of our necessitie causeth vs to looke for a remedie the asking of it by prayer doth assure vs to obtaine because of the promise 73 Herein is a difference betweene children and bastards that originall sinne in the refused hath the roote as rottennes the branch as dust the bud as blasphemie the fruite as despaire in the elect being ouerturned with the power of affliction then ariseth in stead of it both the blossoms of rising from sinne and the sweete smelling fruite of conuersion vnto God 74 There is nothing so good but priuie pride will corrupt it nothing so euill but a lye will couer it For priuie pride cast the Angels from heauen exiled Adam out of Paradise ouerthrew the deerest of God his children when they were most full of the spirit and was the last but most fierie temptation wherewith our Sauiour Christ was assaulted It is seene of others before it is espied of our selues it commeth with greatest graces of God whereas other sinnes come with sinne it was the first sinne in God his childe and it will be last For euen when all sinnes seeme to bleede and all graces seeme to stand herein we can be proude that sinne is so dead and godlinesse so abundant in vs. 75 It is good still to attend vpon hearing the word although we feele not that inward ioy and working of God his Spirit which either we haue felt or desire to feele The preaching of the word is God his ordinance if it hath noâ— wrought heretofore though it worke not presently it may worke hereafter And because we know not who is the man what is the time where is the place which is the sermon that God hath appointed to work on vs let vs in all obedience attend on the ministerie of euery man watch at all times be diligent in euery place and runne to euery sermon which we can conueniently because though the Lord touch vs not by this man in this place at this time through such a sermon yet he may touch vs by another Let euery one therefore thus meditate with himselfe Though I hearing am as dead as a stone and
saluation and of an vpright heart 8. Necessarie rules for the profitable reading of holy Scriptures 9. A treatise of the Resurrection 10. A treatise of Examination both before and after the Lords Supper 11. A treatise of Gods feare 12. A treatise of hypocrisie 13. A treatise of Anger 14. A treatise of blessednes 15. A treatise of Fasting 16. A treatise of sending the holy Ghost 17. A short treatise of Prayer vpon the wordes of the Prophet Ioel chapt 2. vers 32. alleadged by Saint Peter Acts 2. vers 21. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SIR DRV DRVRIE KNIGHT GENTLE-MAN-VSHER OF HER MAIESTIES PRIVIE CHAMBER AND MAISTER THOMAS FANSHAW Esquire the Queenes Remembrancer in her Highnesse Court of Exchequer H. H. wisheth the increase of all mercies and comforts in Iesus Christ for euer SOme of these Treatises Right Worshipfull serue well to teach vs both the daunger and the cure of the greatest wound a man can haue on earth the rest differ in argument yet haue one generall scope as namely the building of Gods people in the faith and obedience of Christ. Herein first I request your worships patience to take some view of a short representation of the whole booke by speciall branches couching the authors owne very words and matter in this compendious forme following The first treatise is of a wounded spirit wherein this faithfull seruant of Christ teacheth vs 1. How great an euill the wound of the spirit is for that the very Pagans and Papists can beare great afflictions till their spirits be wounded but if their minds be deiected they will dispâ—tch themselues with any violent death and the faithfull also cast downe with Gods arrowes and sight of their sinnes and the feeling of Gods hand vpon their mindes Iob Dauid Ezekiah Ieremiah mourned heauily for the wound of the spirit 2. What comfort the true peace of conscience carries with it able to free vs from all discomforts of this life and contrarily how the minde appalled no blessing can long cheere vs in this present life 3. How mad they be which by violent death seeke to end their afflictions of minde for that this is the onely way to increase their torments for if their burthen be great here it is intollerable in hell 4. How most men seeme actiue painfull and prudent to preuent and foresee other troubles and euils but few regard with any care aâ— all to preuent the troubles of minde How many trauell with great skill for riches and honour c. but few take any paines for the precious treasure of the peace of a good conscience 5. Preseruatiues against afflictions of minde are the searching of our sinnes past and present great and small and the examination of our faith 6. In examination for sinne we may not content our selues to haue left them We must also heartily sorrow for them euen the sinnes of our youth for if we doe not truly repent vs of them they may againe rebound vpon vs saith he after many yeeres to the great affliction and tormenting of our minds 7. Examination of sinnes must be as well of sinnes committed after our calling as before for these sinnes of all other bite sorest and pearce deepest Couer them not but confesse them to God in time least thou be constrained to blaze them abroad to thine exceeding griefe and torment 8. After knowledge and light receiued from God note euer what sinnes sway most in thee by the often checks of thy conscience and so labour to auoide them being grieued for them which if thou doe not thou canst not escape either hardnes of heart or afflictions of minde 9. Sinnes of omission haue much distempered Gods good children the negligent vse of the meanes of saluation and for the not putting of their gifts in practise many haue beene whipoed afterwards in their naked consciences and the Lord hath euen pearced them in their secret bowels 10. Some are troubled for their priuate pride and this is a good preparatiue to receiue Christ Some for doing more in shew than in truth abusing their knowledge in that they make it but a maske to iuggle in and for that they make but theâ—r affections to fight with their owne iudgement Some righteous men are troubled when they offend not for they are their owne greatest accusers for some secret corruptions in other matters so that there is nothing more difficult than to search our hearts to the bottome for sinnes past and present for priuie pride hidden wants and secret corruptions 11. That we must carefully auoide too scrupulous a feare as well as carnall securitie If the aiuell finde vs voide of all feare he thinkes his assaults must be stronger because our resistance is the weaker but if he finde in vs a cowardly feare and fainting of heart before we strike one stroke against him he will suddenly stab vs to the heart and make a spoile of vs. 12. If we see the godly afflicted in their consciences either before or in the issues of death we may not conclude therefore they are hypocrites or great sinners before God for that the Lord may as well make triall of their faith as take punishment of their sinnes as we see in Iob and others for saith he if such affliâ—tion come principally for sinne then the greatest sinners should haue the greatest afflections 13. When any shall come to the cure of soules afflicted they must not begin with words of compassion onely God is mercifull c. but first with a gentle searching of their sores labouring to draw out of them the confession of some speciall and secret sinnes 14. All griefes are either confused or distinct â—rising of knowne or vnknowne causes The spirituall Physition must wisely consider of the originall of the euill whether it be in soule or bodie or both for this cause he warneth that in this distemper the Physitions counsell be neuer seuered nor the godly ministers labour neglected 15. The persons ministring in this affliction must be men learned of sound iudgement wise and of good experience meeke and of most louing spirits I counsell thee saith he if thou canst not come to the particular sight of sinne iâ— and by thy selfe vse the helpe of such men vnto whom thou must offer freely thine heart to be gâ—ged anâ— searched and the whole course of thy life to be examined by the bright shining glasse of the law of God 16 A certaine cause or knowne sinne is either alreadie committed and not repented or a sinnâ— not committed but whereunto we be tempted If troubles come for some speciall sinne committed say thus Doth this one sinne so displease thee and deserue I thus to be punished and farre more grieuously for this one how great then should my punishment be if thou shouldest so deale with me for all my other sinnes If the heart be terrified with feare of the commission of sinne for temptations and motions vnto siâ—ne we are not so much to dispute with our motions as to
he only considereth of the body and neglecteth the soule For my part I would neuer haue the Physitions counsell seuered nor the Ministers labour neglected because the soule and body dwelling together it is conuenient that as the soule should be cured by the word by prayer by fasting by threatning or by comforting so the body also should be brought into some temperature by Physicke by purging by diet by restoring by musicke and by such like meanes prouiding alwaies that it be done so in the seare of God and wisedome of his spirit as we thinke not by these ordinary meanes to smoother or smoke out our troubles but as purposing to vse them as preparatiues whereby both our soules and bodies may be made more capable of the spirituall meanes to follow after As we require these things to be the matter of our Ministerie in such a perplexitie so we would wish the persons ministring to be men learned and of sound iudgement wise and of godly experience meeke and of most iouing spirits For when the troubled patient shall be wel perswaded of our knowledge and discretion and there withall shall perceiue vs to come in tender and louing affection I thinke an entrance is made and all preiudice is taken away so as we may the more freely worke vpon the conscience first bringing them to the sight of sinne as to some cause of their trouble Herein we must labour to put away all confusion and blindnesse of sorrow endeuouring by wisedome to bring the parties wounded to some certaine obiect and matter of their trouble and so draw out of them the confession of some seuerall especiall secret sinne I say seuerall and secret sinne because I know how many through a palpable blindnesse or disordered discerning of sinne talke of nothing so much as of sinne and yet they either cannot desâ—ry seuerall sinnes or they will not be brought to acknowledge their secret sinnes whereof the one proceedeth of the ignorance of the law of God and the other of selfe-loue which maketh vs lâ—â—tâ—â—e euen in our trauell of minde to shame our selues Now that the confession of particular sinnes is requisite it may appeare by the two and thirtieth Psalme wherein being a Psalme of instruction concerning the forgiuenesse of sinnes the Prophet by his owne experience teacheth vs that he could finde no reliefe of his sicknesse vntill he had remembred and made confession of his sinnes What shall we thinke that the Prophet of God taught so wonderfully by the word and by the spirit did not see his sinnes before Be it farre from vs. Rather let vs know that he had not seuerally particularly ripped vp his sinnes before the Lord in a seuerall confession of them Which though the Lord knoweth farre better than we our selues yet such kinde of sacrifice is most acceptable vnto him Now if in this trouble the persons humbled cannot come to the particular sight of sinne in themselues it is good to vse the helpe of others vnto whom they may offer their harts to be gaged and searched and their liues to be examined more deepely by hearing the seuerall Articles of the Law laid open before them whereby they may trie the whole course of their actions For as we said before the grossest hypocrites will generally complaine of sinne and yet deale with them in particular pointes of the particular precepts and prooue them in the applying of things to be done or not done to their owne consciences and we shall see many of these poore soules tossed to and fro now floting in ioyes now plunged in sorrowes not able to distinguish one sinne from another Now when we shall see the wound of the spirit to arise of any certaine and knowne sin it is either for some sin alreadie coÌ„mitâ—ed wherein we lie or else for some sin as yet not committed but whereunto we are tempted For the former it pleaseth God ofteÌ„times to bring old sins to minde when we had not throughly repented of them before that so as it were representing them to vs afresh we might fall into a more misliking of them And yet herein is not all to mislike our selues for some particulars although it be good to be occupied about some speciall sinnes for as it is not sufficient for the auoyding of hypocrisie to see sinne generally so it is not enough to eschue the deceiueablenes of the heart euer to be poring busily in one particular and to be forgetfull of our great and generall sinnes But let vs learne by the particulars to passe to the generals When any such one sin then doth pursue thee rest not onely therein but say thus rather to thy selfe Oh Lord is this one sin so grieuous and doth my God punish this one sinne so sorely How great then should be my punishment if thou shouldest O Lord so deale with me for all my other sinnes Let vs labour to haue a sense both of generall and of particular sinnes least in time our griefe passe away without fruite whilest that not being displeased as well with one sinne as with another we either looke too superficially to generals and not to particulars or else too superstitiously obserue particulars and not the generals Concerning those sinnes whereunto we are tempted as when a man is moued to thinke blasphemously of God the father or to doubt whether there be a Christ or no or to imagine grossely of the holy Ghost or to deny God or to doubt of the Trinitie or to be moued to murther adulterie or such like in which temptations he feeleth Gods spirit to checke him for theÌ„ so as he knoweth not in this case what to doe for that on the one side he dares not listen willingly to these fearefull and monstrous temptations and on the other side he feareth least in time by long suite he might fall into them or at the least for that he seâ—th not how to be deliuered from them I suppose these motions are not so much to be disputed with aâ— we by them are to be prouoked to more instant and extraordinarie zeale of prayer Surely these are dangerous temptations and therefore are not to be kept close which our nature will easily incline vnto but particularly are to be confessed of vs. For the diuell will come sometime to thee to keepe thee still in a generall acknowledging of sinne and vrge thee on this manner Surely thou must needes doe this sinne thou seest thou canst haue no â—ase vntill thou hast consented thou art ordained to it the reason why thou art thus incessantly tempted is because thou doest not thus take thy pleasure Goe to denie God beleeue not his word it is but a policie to keepe men in awâ— Religion is no such matter as men take it Thus for feare of yeelding on the one hand and for shame of disclosing the temptations on the other hand many men haue pined away and almost haue beene ouercome by them If we should disclose this say
so small an infirmitie in my body but the same is vnto me a messenger of dissolution Yet for all this I shall see my God and when I am couered in the belly of the graue with mouldes I am assured that he will reach me his hand to lift me vp againe to the beautie of his inheritance so that this small cottage and shed of leaues being brought to the graue shall be caried into an incorruptible tabernacle Thus communing with our owne harts and being still in the peace of a good conscience concerning our outward sufferings we shall finde that the Lord by his fatherly louing chastisements intendeth nothing more than to proue our obedience as good reason it is that he should and to confirme our faith as also is most necessarie How be it still as I said he vseth a fatherly correction that is in mercy measure and iudgement For as he striketh vs downe in anger for our sinnes with the one hand so he raiseth vs vp againe in loue for our saluation with the other hand For albeit his corrections be wearâ—some wounds to flesh and blood yet are they soueraigne medicines to the soule and conscience especially when the Lord giueth vs that priuiledge of his children that by his holy spirit he doth ouermaster vs least that finally we should be his iudge and he not ours And for this cause the Lord is often times prouoked to put on as it were a contrary face and to locke vs vp in a prison of aduersitie to restraine vs from the libertie of our sins which Sathan faine would make vs violently to rush into And surely though the wisedome of the flesh perswadeth vs that nothing is better than to be spared and not to be espied when the Lord calleth vs to reckoning yet the spirit shewing our desperate estate without the sieue of affliction and boulter of aduersitie teacheth vs that we cannot of all the blessings of God sufficiently esteeme this being the mother of humilitie and nurce of true repentance Againe the Lord often by inward temptations and outward crosses draweth vs from the stake of securitie and vntowardnes to good workes least in time we should loose the experience of our knowledge and faith in Christ and seeke some easier kinde of life for flesh and blood Neither can we truely repent vntill by some crosse we know this world to be a place of sorrow and not of mirth and delight For so long as we make our prosperitie a bulwarke to beate downe all harmes we are to looke for aduersitie to beate downe the high saile of our proud hearts whereby we gad after our owne lusts and leaue the anchor of peace which is our trust in God Let vs learne then when the world beginneth to fauour vs and we haue as it were an hundreth thousand souldiers to beare vs vp not to be secure for there is nothing more easie for a man than for to make himselfe beleeue that he shall alwaies continue in happie estate and thinke he shall die in the nest But we must be as birds on a bough to remoue at Gods pleasure and that without resistance when the Lord shall visite vs. And because we are giuen too much to thinke that we haue the things in our owne right which we hold of the free goodnes of God we are taught in affliction how hainous vnthankefulnesse it were to binde the Lord continually to entertaine vs in this life at so full charge and cost without respect of his free and vndeserued gifts or to hold plea against and sue him as it were by an obligation at whose hands we ought to begge daily and at whose gate we receiue all our maintenance or to make a rent charge of all that which he giueth of his free liberalitie Thus in the ende we chalenge Gods gifts as our owne and make account to haue their companie to the graue whereby we prouoke the Lord often to proue to our faces that all that we haue is but lent and borrowed Let vs then haue such an eye to euery blow that whensoeuer the Lord shall lay any crosse vpon vs we be readie to receiue it and to yeeld vp our bonds vnto him the condition whereof is that we be readie to remoue whensoeuer he pleaseth knowing that Gods prouidence forceth vs alwaies to the best and as most may make for the hastening of our soules to our euerlasting in heritance Let vs learne not to recken without our host and that we hold our prosperitie of the Lord not in fee simple but as tenants at will that is from day to day resigning to God the soueraigntie of reuoking vs when it pleaseth him Thus it becommeth the Lord to change our estate that we become not snared in the gifts of prosperitie and become so foolish as not to keepe on our way to the heauenly life Our naturall inclination is to forget that we are on earth as pilgrims to leape vp into the clowdes and to promise vnto our selues the whole course of our liues to be in prosperitie and so long as God letteth vs alone at our case we take our selues as it were to be pettie Gods But when we see our selues shut vp and know not what will be the ende of our miserie finding our selues to be intertained in this life but as iourney men waged for the present day but not knowing what will become of vs the day following we desire to take our rest in the bosome of Gods prouidence and so much we strike our sailes the lower when the Lord proclaimeth warre with our secure prosperitie which perswadeth vs that we shall liue for euer and driueth vs from bethinking vs of our miseries and frailties Wherefore let vs cut out our prosperitie by the patterne of humilitie and in our best estate put our selues in readines to suffer aduersitie and when we are well to looke for worse and keepe a good watch when God handleth vs most gently that in abounding we may foresee our wants in health our sicknes and in prosperitie our calamitie for concerning things of this life the faithfull are to stand in a doubt that that which they hold with one hand may be taken away with the other We must not thinke that we shall euer enioy our libertie that we shall see no crosse but we must lay open our selues to receiue stripes from the Lord knowing that our least cries will stay his greatest scourges Let vs looke to be assaulted but not vnmeasurably because God will assist vs. Let vs looke to fall but on our knees because Gods hand doth hold vs vp Let vs looke to be humbled but in mercie because the Lord sustaineth vs as we are assured where mercie hemmeth vs about on euery side it is our part continually to confesse before the Lord that we euer giue new occasions that he should follow vs with new punishments and that our sinnes doe often shake off the wings of Gods mercie
to accelerate their death or to reade mee as some haue read Plato that thereby they should hasten the time of their deliuerance but that wee should learne when God doth becke for vs wee should bee readie to remoue and that for none other causes but for faith and in hope of Gods promises a full feeling of our sinnes discharged a sure confidence of God his power in raising vs vp againe and a stedfast hope of a more glorious possession after this life By these meanes wee shall so rest in the hands of God that when nature decaieth wee shall haue our departure with calmnes and in a good time shall through a naturall ripenes rather voluntarily fall of than violently bee pulled off Wherefore wee see that this rash and vndiscreete desire off death is either in mindes that are abiect or in men in whose flesh their spirits are alreadie buried as also that the triumph of the godly proceedeth from hence euen a full assurance that he which raised them vp euery morning will raise them in the last day and that hee which raised Christ their head will also raise them his members This is that which will stay all quiuering of the flesh wherewith many are so benummed that they cannot with gladnes drinke of that cup whereunto the Lord allotted them If euer this doctrine of the resurrectioÌ„ was needfull it is now adaies most needfull wherein wicked Heretikes would depriue vs of the comfort of it It will not serue in the time of temptation whether it come immediatly from the diuell or medâ—â—tly by his instruments to rest in our infolded faith with the Papists or to say wee beleeue as it is in the Creede wee beleeue as the Church beleeueth But to leaue the diuell himselfe hee hath suborned such priuie and treacherous aduersaries of this doctrine as with impudent faces will agree with vs in matter and in word will graunt the resurrection and yet shift away in their manner and in sense and truth blasphemously denie the power of the same Thus Hymineus and Philetus would not flatly denie the resurrection nay they would graunt it but how they saide it was past Thus cunningly Satan would ouerthrow the manner of the resurrection by permitting them to dally in the matter Againe shall wee thinke that the Sadduces did generally resist it no they had their false glosses and their forced interpretations with whom Satan in policie would pretend a maintaining of that which in purpose hee sought to mangle and marre The Philosophers had many glancing and glorious speeches of the immortalitie of the soule but when they came to this point concerning the rising againe of the flesh nothing was more ridiculous and incredible vnto them In so much that many of them of the Epicures and Stoikes mocked Paul disputing of this matter and said What will this babbler say as wee may reade Act. 17. verse 18. And when hee spake of the resurrection from the dead some mocked and others said we will heare thee againe â—f this matter Surely if the rising againe had been nothing but the renewing of the minde as some fondly dreame and falsely affirme it may bee thought that the Academicks would haue conceiued this doctrine and Platoesidaea hath as great secrets But here is the point which they sticke at and can by no meanes digest it that the naturall bodie after it is consumed into the ayre fire water or earth should afterward reuiue and receiue supernaturall qualities and as Philosophers and Heretikes cannot brooke this kinde of teaching so sure it is that few of the common professors receiue it in truth as their liues doe manifestly proue Besides there is another euill more perillous than these Through the close subtiltie of Satan this mysterie of iniquitie is cunningly conueyed into the heads of the more learned sort to discourse of certane places of the old Testament which godly learned and ancient Fathers haue construed of the resurrection and are denied of these men As these places Iob. 19. 25. 26. 27. and Esaj 26 19. and Daniel 12. 2. It may be and I do thinke their intent and purpose was not to misconstrue the places Howbeit it was Sathans policie to abuse the truth and vndermine our faith it was the secret iudgement of God to suffer Sathan so farre to buffet them Wherefore that we may the better be armed against the day of triall and that we may stand strongly in the day of temptation in our possession we will by God his assistance first set downe those expresse testimonies in the word of God whereby this doctrine is confirmed Secondly we will alleage those reasons out of the Scriptures which implie this thing though they doe not plainely affirme it Afterward wee will vnâ—ase the shifting visard of Heretikes whereby they would counsell men to some liking of their opinions Wherefore that wee may the better answere the diuell and his limmes let vs first consider of that translation of Enoch Genes 5. 24. wherin the Fathers haue obserued a manifest testimonie of the resurrection with whome I agree in part but not in generall because I dare not affirme with them that the body of Enoch is in heauen seeing as yet Christ alone is risen from the dead and was made the first fruites of them that slept And albeit that Enoch and Eliah did not fall asleepe as did the other Fathers yet because it is saide Hebr. 11. 39. that the Fathers in old time among whom Enoch is mentioned receiued not the promise that is the fulnes of the promise it cannot bee that Enoch his flesh is yet in heauen And howsoeuer hee was taken away by vnknowne meanes neuerthelesse that GOD that could so hide the bodie of Moses that euen the diuell looking for it could not finde it hath also laid vp the bodies of Enoch and Eliah in such meanes aâ— are hid from vs. And as the Lord hath infinit meanes of hiding so hath he incomprehensible means of finding as well of the bodie of Enoch as of the bodie of Moses Now whereas it is saide Heb 11. 33. that they suffered that they may receiue a better resurrection it must needes be that there is a rising againe of the flesh Againe we read Exod. 3 6. that the Lord said vnto Moses I am the God of thy Fathers the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob In which place it may seeme not a sufficient proofe to confirme so great a matter Howbeit our Sauiour CHRIST vseth it as a bulwarke against the Sadduces Matth 22 32. where our Sauiour Christ to prooue the resurrection inferreth the same words adding to them thus much God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing where wee see how Abraham Isaac and Iacob being aliue haue their bodies in the Lord his hands in keeeping as well as their soules Wherefore seeing both the Prophets and Christ himselfe haue vsed this place to that ende wee also
much moued but in the Lords cause they are as cold as ice and there is no heate within them which is a testimonie vnto them that their anger is fleshly and that it doth greatly displease the Lord. Therefore if when wee see a man commit any sinne and we also know that it tendeth to the dishonour of God and the hurt of his owne soule and if then we can be grieued and if then we cannot chuse but be angry hereby we may know that our anger is good because the glory of God and the profit of our brother did therevnto moue vs and not our priuate iniuries Now if wee would be glad thus to make the glorie of God the chiefe cause of our anger let vs first learne to passe ouer iniuries done against vs and quietly to beare them and by that meanes we shal better learne more safely to be angry when the thing concerneth the glorie of God for if a man hath not learned to put vp his owne iniuries patiently and without reuenge he shall mingle it with the other and so shall passe measure and most commonly he shall make both vnprofitable Secondly some men can neuer be pleased and euery light trifle doth stirre them vp to anger which cannot but be euill and this proceedeth altogether from the flesh this anger cannot be allowed But spirituall anger is not easily stirred vp and when it is then it is measured by the quantitie of the fault a small fault a small and short anger a greater fault a greater anger of a longer coÌ„tinuance For herein must we be like our heauenly Father who is slow to wrath chideth vs not continually marketh not what is done amisse nor recompenceth vs according to our deseruings But continually vseth more meanes to cause vs to loue him than to cause vs to feare him And thus ought it to be with vs also if we wil be children of such a father so that we ought to striue and labour to be loued rather than feared and by loue to allure rather than by feare to compell Againe with the Lord wee ought to be greatly grieued for great offences for smaller offences to be lesser grieued Now if a man finde himselfe to bee of a hastie nature and quickly angrie know also that such a one exalteth folly and that anger resteth in the bosome of fooles But a man of a patient spirit passeth in wisedome Yea let him know that such anger is not good and therefore labour earnestly that it may be repressed in him which that he may dolet him think and know that before holy anger there must goe prayer that the Lord in mercie may rightly direct him in the same If therefore we cannot or do not before our anger or when the occasion is offered pray vnto the Lord that he may keepe vs vpright in the same we haue to suspect our anger for we are in danger to fall and offend therein Thirdly it is a marke of Christian anger when we are angrie with sinne in whomsoeuer wee finde or whosoeuer committeth it for many will in their own matters and causes be very angrie and in them will pretend a careful zeale of Gods glorie but if a sinne be committed which toucheth them not they can easily let it passe as if a mans owne wife bee a whore his children disobedient his seruants stubborne and wilful or if any sinne be committed which toucheth him neere theÌ„ wil he exclaim cry out for that God is dishonored and will say Who euer saw such seruants What wickednesse is in children now adaies that they be thus disobedient and what women bee these to doe thus wickedly In the meane time if another mans seruant be disobedient if his wife be an whore he cannot be angrie he cannot be grieued Such men as these must needs suspect their anger for herein they bewray want of faith want of loue want of care of the glorie of God which as it is aduanced by the obedience of others as well as by ours so it is likewise dishonoured by the sinnes of others as well as by ours But when the sinne doth not concerne vs if then we cannot bee contented but the very zeale of Gods glorie and the loue of our brethren doth moue vs thereunto then may we thinke that our hearts be vpright in that anger Againe there be diuers which when their enemies offend then wil they be readie to cry out against it and will bee highly displeased withall but if their friends offend they can beare with them and thinke the sinne in them smal or nothing But Christian and spiritual anger is cleane contrarie for it rather beares with the fault in his enemie than in his friends and will sooner more sharply rebuke it in his friend than in his enemie Therefore such friends as can smooth a man in his sinne are neither to be liked nor desired for Open rebuke is better than secret loue and the wounds of a louer are sweete Wee see that if a mans child or his wife or some speciall friend were sicke in bodie they vse all meanes that they might be restored to their health and if they did not their wife children or friends would quickly thinke they loued them not And why should it not be thus in the spirituall sicknes of sinne How doth a man loue mee when hee will not vse all meanes to deliuer me from the danger of sinne When therefore our friends doe fall into sinne if then wee can be angry and that when they doe most fauour vs because the cause is Gods and concerneth their saluation if then wee can remember old loue and temper wisely loue with anger to reproue them it is a signe that our anger is not fleshly but of the spirit Fourthly there is a note of Christian spirituall anger which though it be very like to the former yet it discerneth one from another as much as any other doth For many men will be angry with other mens sinnes but they can neuer be angry for their owne Against such as these the Lord speaketh saying Hypocrite cast out the beame out of thine owne eye first and then thou shalt see to cast out the moâ—e out of thy brothers eye And againe in another place He that is cleere among you cast the first stone at her When we therefore can be first angry with our own sinnes and more angry with them than with others yea when we can throw the first stone at our selues then is our anger of the Lord. For no man can euer bee angrie in vprightnesse of other mens sinnes which cannot first be grieued and angrie with his owne If our anger begin first with our selues and that for euerie sinne that is in vs so that there is no sin which we are willing to fauour in our selues or desirous to continue and lie in it still and no man is more grieued for our sinnes than we our selues are and
A TREATISE OF THE DOCTRINE OF FASTING Matth. 6. When thou fastest prepare thy selfe secretly not before men but God which seeth in secret and he will reward thee openly Esay 1. 16. The fasting that the Lord requireth is that you put away your euill thoughts ceasing to doe euill and learne to doe good applying your selues to equitie and deliuering the oppressed helping the fatherlesse to his right and letting the widowes complaint come before you Esay 58. Vnto whom he is like that fasteth and yet ceaseth not to sinne Behold when you fast your lust remaineth still for you doe no lesse violence to your debtors ye fast to strife and debate and smite with the fist of wickednesse Zach. 7. 9. Fasting without true workes of mercie is vnprofitable Shew mercie and â—ouing kindnes euery man to his neighbour Dan. 9. Daniel prayed vnto the Lord with fasting Ioel. 2. 12. Let vs turne to the Lord with fasting weeping and mourning 1. Sam. 7. 6. The children of Israel fasted confessing their sinnes to God Acts. 14. Paul and Barnabas praied and fasted at the ordaining of Elders 2. Cor. 6. 4. Paul proueth himselfe a Minister of God by fasting and praying Luk. 2. 37. Anna the Prophetesse serued God by fasting and praying Psalm 35. 13. Iesus Christ humbld his soule Psalm 69. 10. Weakened his knees Psalm 109. 24. And became leane with fasting SOme fasts are generall and priuate as the fast instituted of Hester and Mardoche which was commaunded generally to all the Iewes but yet priuately practised in their seuerall houses some are publike and particular as the fast of Ezra in the behalfe of the Iewes which married strange wiues This must needes be confessed first in him to be singular Secondly when they that feared the words of the Lord would adioyne themselues vnto him to be particular yet done in the Temple before and for others to be publike It may be granted that the fasts now of our time in the same sense may be said to be generally vsed that is in all and euery place of this realine for that they may be vsed according to Gods holy ordinance and in this sense it is often taken both in the Scriptures and common speech but as it is taken in our proper sense there cannot as yet be any generall fast obserued when all those things can in no measure be performed which in that kinde is necessarily required It may be indeed that such daies of generall mourning may come which God for his Christs sake turne away from vs as of generall warres plagues and famines for then men will be easilie brought to generall fasts with the Niniuites But these kinds of fasts as they are now vsed and as in the Scriptures they are commaunded to be vsed be to be taken vp in the wisedome of the spirite to mooue vs to mourne for many spirituall euils present the very causes of generall dangers to come which by these meanes may be preuented and can be vnderstood of no kinde of men but of them which are truely taught out of the word of God to see and feele their owne sins and the sins of others and to feare those iudgements of God to come And here holdeth the direction of our Sauiour Christ concerning the rent cloth and new wine for because it cannot be so generall rather then there should be none it is better that the doctrine be truely deliuered and some example thereof shewed to prouoke others by an holy emulation thereunto that both the people may be deliuered from their ignorance and also being taught the truth of the doctrine that they should not think the vse of it vnpossible Besides the true fast both publike and priuate truly taught and faithfully practised doth deliuer vs from our errours wherewith we haue bin intangled keepeth vs from carnal liberty which otherwise we might take confuteth the erronious and dangerous opinions of the Papasts about fasting and stoppeth their slaunderous mouthes who of long time haue accused vs that we fast not at all The necessity of fasting in our Church may easily be seene for that we abouÌ„d with so many sins fasting is necessarily to be vsed with prayer for the preseruation of Religion of the Estate that the word of God may be diuided aright that the coÌ„sciences of meÌ„ being terrified with their sin they may see how they haue deserued the change of Religion and alteration of this prosperous gouernment though God in his mercie hath hitherto continued both will do still if we still bewailing our sins amending our liues beleeue both his threatnings and his promises to be true But aboue all Fasting in these daies is necessarie because our sinnes do more abound than before greater tokens of Gods wrath doe appeare than before more feare of danger both in the Church and Common-wealth than before which being manifest it is requisite not onely that there should be ordinarie preaching and praying for his Maiestie his Councell the Church Common-wealth which wâ— alwaies vsed but also extraordinarie vse of those meanes with fasting to preuent the wrath of God that may ensue And coÌ„cerning the ordinary defence against euils to come it must be confessed that as they are subordinated and ioyned with spirituall meanes they may be good without them they will not preuaile because they want the help of prayer and fasting It were too great security to rest in the ordinary meanes of defeÌ„ce as of wisdome policie multitude of armes furniture of weapons c. and to boast in these because God resisteth the proud giueth grace to the humble So theÌ„ the neglect of this exercise of humbling our selues will declare our securitie securitie sheweth our pride doth bewray our infidelity Neither is the end of praier or fasting the neglect of the ordinary meanes but the pulling away of our confidence in them that we might rest in the only power and goodnes of God Which how necessarie a thing it is plainely appeareth in the two great ouerthrowes which the Israelites had of the Beniamites wheras they being more in number better appointed in the defence of a good cause were notwithstanding constrained twice to retire with great slaughter vntill at the last by casting off all confidence in themselues by prayer and fasting acknowledging themselues to be nothing they obtained victorie For then shall corporal means most preuaile when all the spiritual which God commandeth haue been truly vsed And they are fittest to vse the outward meanes of defence which haue learned to conuey their faith froÌ„ theÌ„ by the publike exercises of humiliation vnto the promises of God If with fasting and praier we can wrastle with the Archangell of God then shall we neuer be afraid of Duke Esau nor all his Edomites if we be Israelites to preuaile with God we cannot be but Iacobs to preuaile with man What should I say of our forefathers which by this faith haue obtained their victories The time
make conscience of sinne being knowne the Lord visiteth vs with priuate and publike meanes that as the wicked shall be without all hope ease or end tormented in hell so these in mercie and measure should haue their hearts broken which because they would not doe by the louing inuocating and inuiting of them by the Lord therfore it is done by some crosses Secondly it respecteth the regenerate either to continue them in their good estate or to keepe them from some grosse sins For God his children doe sometime fall and alwaies may fall if God keep them not Because Dauid and Manasses had sinned God sent them the crosse that they might not forget him Now because the same may be in vs if the Lord will powre out his wrath vpon the wicked surely he will not suffer his owne children to be vncontrolled We must not then as some are wont to doe say Did not Dauid sinne make ye so much at me was not Dauid a great sinner and yet saued It were well indeed if we would binde Dauids sinne with Dauid his repentance or if we consider how the Sunne was turned into darkenes the Moone into blood in his kingdome if we shall see the pillars of Gods iudgements and vapours of God his wrath against him among his owne how his sonnes rebelled they that would be Counsellers became traitors and how the wicked caitifes insulted ouer him we would surely know that it did little helpe vs to reckon vp Dauid his sinning This doth God to sow the lips of the wicked that they should not say that God doth spare and punisheth not sinne in his and that they should not dreame of escape when his owne seruants are so punished And although God his children presently fall not but are readie to fall he wrappeth them often in the crosses of the wicked not so much to punish any sinne present but to preuent in them some sinne to come that thereby taking away the occasion of sinning he might humble them before they fall Againe albeit they be not subiect to grosse sins yet because they are oft puft vp with priuie pride dead vnmercifull dull forsaking their first loue sometime neither hot nor cold luke warme without zeale briefly in that they are not as God his children should be or as they themselues sometimes and before haue been the Lord in wisedome correcteth these wants and infirmities that from infirmities they should not burst out into enormities from sinning of ignorance they should not sin against conscience and from secret sinnes that they commit not presumptuous sinnes For this cause Reuel 3. the Lord sent plagues on the Church of Laodicea not so much for grosse and notorious sinnes but because they were not humbled and zealous enough but such as might more easily haue fallen into deeper enormities hereafter If men vse to trie gold seuē times in the furnace not for any masse of drosse in it but to proue it how much more had the Lord neede to trie our faith although we be not giuen to any great and notable crime For as there may be two vses in the trying of gold the one to purge it from drosse the other to fine it the more so there are two vses of corrections the one to punish sinne the other to trie their faith And although the Lord more principally doth not punish sinne but rather secondarily chiefly trying the patience of his children yet when men cannot accuse vs neither we can accuse our selues yet the Lord will purge vs from some secret corruption which may breede a sinne in time to come And hereupon it commeth that priuie pride secret selfe-loue close couetousnes hidden hypocrisie and such like are counted sinnes of God his children though of worldlings they be thought good vertues But some will say Is this the truth ye sticke to Is this the Gospell which ye professe See what hurliburlies see how many opinions there are what a companie of religions are start vp see what denying of the faith what grosse sinnes are sprung vp see what deaths plagues and warres are accompanied with it Surely it seemeth that this is not the Gospel Before all things were in better case no such disturbance in religion no such noise of notorious sinnes no such turmoilings on euery side all things were at good quiet but now we haue more troubles than euer in former times were heard of The wicked do not onely breake their neckes at this blocke but God his owne children haue daungerously stumbled at it For when Iob Dauid Ieremiah without God his spirit beheld the prosperitie of the wicked and the aduersitie of the godly they confessed their feete had almost slipped sauing that they durst not condemne the generation of God his children To remedy this the holy Ghost saith that when the graces of God doe most appeare then will the Lord send greatest iudgements for the contempt of his Gospell in the wicked and for the neglect of it in the godly Now this is foretold that we might not be offended when it commeth this vse doth Christ teach vs to make of it These things haue I told you before that when they come to passe c. For to God his children being but babes in Christ this is a great temptation And to come to our daies Doth it not trouble men much that there be so many vnlearned Ministers of learned Ministers that there be so many vngodly men that they see such oppressing Magistrates such rebellious people such carelesse gouernours that there is such an height of subtiltie in couering and cloaking sin where is most knowledge such running to sinne where is most preaching and where the Gospell is receiued that there should be such sects and heresies when they shall see the Papists readie to outface the Gospell what may a man do now or how may he stay himselfe if the Lord should leaue him Surely God hath foretold it Euen as the Sunne then shining bright the Moone giuing light the cleere aire are tokens of God his loue so much more the word and as these being darkened obscured shew God his wrath so the word obscured doth testifie his wrath much more Yea if dearths plagues famine or such like come we must be forewarned of them And our Sauiour Christ when men asked him signes he told them of many and Mat. 24. that there should be such wonders in the heauens in the earth and in the seas that euen the very elect should be confounded almost Now if Christ had not forewarned these things in the equitie of his iudgement we might indeed haue had some occasion of offence And for this cause our Sauiour Christ saith Matth. 11. Blessed are they that are not offended in me because such confusions shall be that men will be readie to lay the cause of these things on the Gospell and on the word and therefore blessed are they that are forewarned of these things and know why they come If the Iewes would not
touching the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and euerlasting life for if we can once be persuaded that Christ is ours wee shall not greatly doubt but that with Christ we shall haue all things needfull for vs. Let vs receiue this benefit though it come alone vea though it bring troubles with itâ— and then for outward things we shall possesse our soules with patience For saith this reuerend man we haue â—o true feeling of the forgiuenes of our sinnes if we cannot when we feele it be therewith contented and readie to forgoe all other things 3. To looke well to our sanctification and regeneration for if the Lord grant vs to be the glorious temples of his most holy spirit wherein his graces may shine he will not deny vs the base things of this life or if he doe we shall haue a good supplie of better things 4. To be well assured of our glorious resurrection for it is far greater to raise vs being consumed to dust than to preserue vs being aliue 5. Faith in Gods prouidence if hee made all things of nothing much more easily can hee preserue things made if hee cares for the beasts much more for mâ—n if for wicked men much more for his children if for his children when they sought him not much more when they seeke him with all their hearts and desire to serue him in holines true righteousnes 6. Lastly learne by examples that it is Gods blessing in the meanes and not the meanes without it which preserue vs. The Fathers before the flood fed on hearbes without flesh or fish and yet liued 700 800 900. yeeres The Israelites liued 40. yeeres without change of garments or any earthly and ordinarie prouision Moses and Elias liued 40. daies without meate These examples teach vs if we haue the meanes not to trust in them if we want them not to distrust in God And thus farre the summe of the second Sermon III. The third is of zeale which teacheth first how God commaundeth and commendeth zeale secondly how he rewards it The rules to know the true zeale of God are these 1. True zeale begins in our selues so proceeds to others and gaine returnes from other men ends in our selues Abraham Iob Moses c. first sinite themselues euer be more zealous against themselues than against other men for by the sense and feeling of our owne sores we be taught to deale more mildly and meekely with the sores of other men 2. True zeale is as willing to be admonished as it is carefull to admonish and that not onely of superiours where we must yeeld of necessitie but also of equals yea of inferiours whom we may seeme to contemne 3. True Zeale is not to bee hot by fits and colde in the ende 4. A very speciall marke of true zeale is this To be comforted in the publike prosperitie of the Church when priuate crosses may make vs â—ad and contrarily to mourne and lament for our brethren when priuate prosperitie might cheere our hearts 5. True zeale saith he will not spare sinne in kindred for that he loueth most naturally that hath learned to loue most spiritually and he loueth most truly that cannot abide sinne in the partie beloued without some wise and discrecte admonition 6. True zeale feareth not the force of the mightie neither is it dismayed at the lookes of the proud 7 True zeale is seene in their cause who can neuer recompence vs againe 8. The last rule of zeale is this to bee humbled in our selues for those sinnes which wee espie or censure in other men and specially such sinnes as wee espie in them which are committed to our charge for that the holy Ghost in his word accounteth their sinnes our sinnes And thus farre the third Sermon IIII. The fourth Sermon is of a good name And here he teacheth vs 1. How deare and precious a thing a good name is 2. Next what singular gainfull fruits and effects it carieth with it how God good meÌ„ are delighted with vs if we haue it 3. How careful we ought to be not to hurt our neighbour in his good name because it is an inestimable treasure which being lâ—st is most hardly recouered 4. With what care conscieÌ„ce we should seeke to find it hauing found it with all endeuour industrie to preserue it 5. He teacheth how a good name good report being good things must proceede from good causes as of vertue godlinesse and good religion 6. He noteth how the world accounteth of Gods children as of monsters if they haue but one sâ—ip and highly esteemes of a worldling for one externall gift of minde or bodie though sinnes swarme in him 7. He teacheth that if we will auoide an euill name we must first auoide all euill surmises and deuises against other men next we must haue a godly iealousie ouer our own waies that they may not breede in men any suspition of euill 8. Lastly men must be plentifull in all good workes all which must be done first with a simple and sincere affectâ—â—nâ— â—â—xt with in â—â—â—â—â—â— and diâ—erâ—tion And thus farre of a good name V. The siâ—t Sermon is of humilitie The contents of it briefly are these 1. Whereâ—ore the Lord humbleth his children before they be crowned 2. How pride rots and marres all good gifts in vs. 3. How dangerous and â—urâ—fâ—â—â— prosperitie is to many 4. How to accept good meanes in time when God calleth vs to repentance 5. How dangerous spirituall pride is to Gods children 6. How feare must increase as Gods gifts increast in vs 7. How euill thoughts doe exercise Gods best children and by what messengeâ— God awaketh them And this is the short summe of the fift Sermon VI. The sixth serues well for Christian parents for the good education of children 1. Hee warneth them that they lament not so much for their children if they bee dismembred or prooue idiots as if they prooue grosse sinners so become worse than idiots For such assuredly without repentance dishonour God greatly in this life caÌ„not escape euerlasting perdition after death but of poore idiots there is mâ—re hope 2. Next he teacheth Parents that when they finde foule sins in their children wisely to consider what causes breed them whether they be not theÌ„selues disobedient to their heauenly father hand haue been to their naturall parents and yet not repented of their sinnes 3. Lastly with what wisedome and affection we must correct our children euer mindfull how that we punish our owne sinnes in them And thus much of the sixth Sermon VII The seuenth and last Sermon teacheth vs 1. That sorrow for sinne is the first step to godlines for saith he it is impossible to hunger after Christ without it 2. That the word of God must effect that sorrow in vs by piercing our hearts and teaching vs that wee haue to doe with God and not with men and this will wound vs with a liuely feeling
receiued the spirit not of the world but of God 1. Cor. 2. 14. Besides the spirit of God is eternall and endureth for euer but all the doings and deuices of men they perish and in time they haue an end Therefore though a man haue wisedome with great knowledge though in wit and skill he passe and excell the common sort of men yet if from aboue he hath not been inlightened if from heaueÌ„ his wisedome hath not been sanctified his knowledge shall decay his wisedome shall wither like grasse he hath not as yet tasted of the spirit of God that endureth for euer And therefore saith Saint Paul We teach the mysteries of God which none no not the Princes and the men of this world which are aboue others most excellent are able to vnderstand Secondly consider whether there bee in thee any alteratioÌ„ or change For the wise men which were expert in nature could say that in euery generation there is a corruption And we see that the seede sowen is much chaunged before it grow vp and beare fruit Then needfull it is that in regeneration there be a corruption of sinne so that as seede in the ground so sinne in our mortall bodies may decay that the new man may be raised vp the spirit of God taking possessioÌ„ of our soules Therfore the Euangelist Iohn doth make this the first worke of the spirit that it shall rebuke the world of sinne and this is so needfull that without it there is not the spirit of God neither yet can Christ come and enter into that man Here of it was that Christ compared the Iewes to children in the market place who would not dance though they were piped vnto and the reason was because they had not first learned with Iohn to mourne for they that by the preaching of Iohn learned to lament their sinnes and for their sinnes were pensiue in their owne soules they receiued Christ they danced and did reioyce to heare the ioyfull tidings of the Gospell Therefore Christ saith That whores and harlots entred into the kingdome of heauen seeing they lamented their sinnes before the proud Pharisies which were touched with no remorse for their sinnes And for the same cause it is that Christ calleth vnto him them onely that labour and aâ—e heauie ladâ—â— teaching that if they finde not sin to be a heauie loade and burthen to them they haue not the spirit of God neither are they fit to receiue Christ. Then to be rebuked of sin is the first worke of the spirit which the spirit worketh in vs by these degrees First it raiseth vp in vs a great and generall astonishment by reason of all those great and enormous sinnes that we haue committed and this doth strike vs downe it doth terrifie vs and hold vs amazed wonderfully then it dealeth with vs more particularly it bringeth vs vnto a speciall griefe for speciall sinnes it doth bereaue vs of our chiefe desires and bringeth vs out of conceit and liking with the best things that are in vs for then it doth display before vs the vanitie and darknes of our vnderstanding how vnfit and vnmeete wee are to vnderstand and conceiue those things that do aboue al others especially concerne vs then doth it let vs see the peruerse corruption of our iudgement and that before God and in things belonging to God we be as bruit beasts not able to discerne things that differ nor to put a sound difference betweene good and euill then doth it let vs see that our reason is vnreasonable nay that it is hurtfull vnto vs a great enemie to faith and a great patrone of infidelitie and vnbeleefe When it commeth to our affections it turneth them vpside downe it turneth our mirth into mourning our pleasure into painfulnes and our greatest delight into most bitter griefe If it doe proceede further and come once to the heart and to the stomacke and courage that is in vs then it cutteth vs to the quicke then doth it at once cast vs downe in humilitie vnder the hand of God for while we had to deale with men we were as stoute as any and would not start for the best We had reason to say for our selues and courage to defend our selues against all them that did deale with vs but now the spirit draweth vs into the presence of God it letteth vs see that we haue to doe with God that our strength is weaknes in respect of him Then doth our heart begin to faile vs then doe we lay our hands on our mouthes and dare not answere nay then doe we quickly take vp our crosse because the Lord himselfe hath done it Behold here how the spirit worketh behold how sinne is corrected and who so can behold here this in himselfe may assuredly say that the spirit of God is in him that it is not in vaine within him nay that it is mightie and liuely in operation in his heart The third note and effect is the bringing on forward of this worke vnto iustification for when the spirit hath brought vs thus farre then doth it begin to open vnto vs a doore vnto the grace and fauour of God it doth put into our mindes that there is mercie with God and therefore stirreth vs vp to seeke mercie at his hands afterward it doth let vs see how Christ suffered to take away the sinnes of the world that in the righteousnes of Christ we may looke to be iustified before God And this it doth not let vs see onely but doth effectually worke a sure perswasion of it in our hearts and confirmeth the same by two notable effects The first is a ioy most vnspeakable and glorious wherewith our hearts must needes be wholy taken vp and rauished when we see our selues by the righteousnes of Christ of the free mercie and grace of God redeemed from death deliuered from hell freed from the fearfull condemnation of the wicked The second is the peace of conscience which indeed passeth all vnderstanding While sinne and the guilt of sinne remained there was no peace nor rest nor quietnes to be found but feare within terrors without and troubles on euery side but when sinne is once nailed to the crosse of Christ when the guilt of sinne is taken out of our consciences and the punishment thereof farre remoued then must needes ensue great peace for our accusers dare not proceed against vs our sinnes are forgiuen vs and God is at one with vs and for this we haue the warrant and testimony of the spirit Can flesh blood perswade vs of this can any creature assure vs how God is affected towards vâ— no doubtlesse And therfore where this ioy and peace is there must needes be the holy Ghost the author worker of the saine For as no man knoweth what is in man but the spirit of man which is in him so none knoweth the will of God but the spirit of God and
therefore it is the spirit of God that must certifie our hearts and spirits of the same And hereof there doth arise that which we take as the fourth note when we finde it in our selues to wit the life and nimblenes that is in vs to doe good for when a man doth finde fauour from God for the forgiuenes of sinnes then the loue of God constraineth him that ioy which he conceiueth inforceth him putteth life into him for the performance of those things which are pleasing vnto God then he beginneth to finde himselfe not onely reclaimed from euill but also applied and framed to that which is good then is his vnderstanding inlightened to see into the mysteries of godlinesse and into that great worke of his redemption and into whatsoeuer concerneth the sauing health of his soule then is his iudgement reformed and he is made able to iudge betweene false religion and true betweene the workes of the flesh and of the spirit betweene that which is good and that which is euill displeasing in the sight of God Then are his affections in some good measure altered his desire is set not vpon earthly but vpon heauenly things his ioyes are not in the earth but in the heauens his anger is wasted and spent not vpon his owne priuate cause and quarrels but vpon his owne sinnes and vpon whatsoeuer hindreth the glorie of his God This is the life of God in him thus he liueth that hath receiued the spirit and thus he leadeth his life continually for they that haue receiued the spirit are led by the spirit do liue accordingly bringing forth the fruits of the spirit But this hath weaknes ioyned with it and men through frailtie may soone fall and therefore their life is said to be hid in Christ because in full perfect manner it doth not appeare Therefore if notwithstanding these frailties and falles wee will know whether we still retaine the spirit of God we must search our selues and trie our hearts by these rules First if through frailtie we haue fallen for who is he that falleth not we will then know whether by our fall we haue lost the spirit of God or no let vs see what liking or misliking we haue of sinne for if after our fall we doe hold our former hatred of sinne and the oftner we fall the more thorough deadly hatred we conceiue against sinne vndoubtedly that frailtie hath not as yet depriued vs of the spirit Secondly come and see how it standeth with thy sorrow for so long as thy sorrow encreaseth for thy sinnes it cannot be thought that sinne and the flesh haue ouercome vtterly quenched the spirit in thee Thirdly trie thy care and if thou growe in a godly care both how thou maist be able to wage battell against sinne in the plaine field how thou maist preuent sinne in all his policies then thou hast a further assurance that sinne although it be as great as Goliah yet it hath not hitherto preuailed against thy poore and little Dauid I say against those few and small graces which the good spirit of God hath bestowed vpon thee But the last is most certaine and that is this When thou art carefull to redeeme that which by the fall thou hast lost and hast a care to runne so much faster forward by how much more thou hast been letted by thy fall then it doth appeare that the spirit is in thee yea it is liuely and mightie in operation and such as shall neuer be taken from thee vntill the day of Christ. Thus may we in some good and competent measure trie and proue whether we haue the spirit of God or no for where these fruites are to be found there is also the spirit of God For further confirmation whereof we may note the manner of speech where he saith Quench not the spirit We doe commonly vse to say the fire is quenched when the light and heate thereof is taken away and indeed nothing can properly be said to be quenched but the fire Now whereas the Apostle saith Quench not the spirit he giueth vs to vnderstand that the spirit is in some respect like vnto fire therefore if we doe but a little consider of the nature of fire we shall a great deale better iudge of the spirit And among others these properties we finde to be in the fire First of all it will burne vp consume things that may be burned and consumed and therefore lighting vpon straw stubble stickes or such like it bringeth them to ashes and doth make them as though they had not beene at all Secondly it doth purge and purifie those things that can abide to be purged and this it doth first by taking away the superfluitie of drosse that hath ouercouered the thing to be purged Then by fining the thing it selfe and by making it purer purer Thirdly it giueth light euen in the most dimme and darkest places And last of all it giueth heate and withall doth as it were put life into those things which are capable of life for whilest a man is frozen and starued for cold he is numbed and as it were without life but being brought to the fire he is heat he is reuiued he is cheered then becommeth actiue nimble These are the properties of fire and these do in some manner resemble and shadow out vnto vs the workes and effects of the spirit For first of all when the spirit of God seazeth vpon a man and entreth into his soule then it beginneth to burne to waste and consume in him those things that will be wasted after this sort euill affections noysome lusts and other stubble which is in man by the spirit of God are consumed and burned Secondly it doth purge vs from grosse sins and daily more and more doth purifie vs that we may be a cleane and holy vessell and temple for him to rest and dwell in Thirdly it is a shining lampe euer burning continually giuing light vnto vs in that way which we haue to walke And lastly it doth set vs on heate inflameth vs with a zeale of Gods glorie with a care of our dutie and with a loue of all mankinde yea withall it putteth life and lust into vs to walke in that good way which leadeth vnto life and to doe all those good workes which may glorifie God or be commodious vnto men Thus we see what likelihood there is betweene the spirit and fire for which cause the spirit in the Scripture is compared vnto fire nay it is sometimes called fire for Iohn saith That our Sauiour should baptize with the holy Ghost and with fire that is with the holy Ghost which is like vnto the fire Therefore as truly and as certainly as we may say that there is fire where we see straw and such like things consumed or gold and siluer finely purged
puffed vp with pride that they reioyce when their pride may be pulled downe or their haughtinesse abated either by some sharpe rebuke or by some fearefull threatning or by some moderate correction from the Lord. For they know that if it were needefull for S. Paul to be buffeted and that by the minister of Satan to the intent that his pride might be beaten down then it is much more needful for them after sundrie waies to be humbled Besides they doe not only desire the word but they also waite vpoÌ„ the Lord vntill it please him to worke further in them thereby and this waiting is as earnest as is theirs who hauing watched all the night doe waite and looke for the dawning of the day Secondly as they see their wants so also they see that grace they haue receiued and are for that time well appayed and contented therewith and therefore as their wants doe humble them so the graces of God receiued doe comfort them and as their wants doe call vpon them cause them to seeke more so that they haue doth prouoke them to be thankefull for that they haue receiued See then a quite contrarie course of the wicked and those that of sinceritie doe worship God see I say how contrarily the graces and gifts of God doe worke in them And therefore from the consideration hereof wee may well draw a fourth rule whereby to make triall and examination of our selues So to conclude this point in a word when a man by the spirit of God hath been inlightned vnto a certaine and sufficient knowledge of Gods will when he findeth his affection chiefly and aboue all other things set vpon God when he findeth a pure and sincere loue of God in his heart not for wages but for the worke of grace which after an vnspeakeable manner doth moue him thereunto when he doth thankfully acknowledge mercies receiued as he doth carefully attend and waite vpon the Lord til he bestow some greater measure of graces vpon him then may he bee vndoubedly perswaded that hee hath found the spirit working in him in a more effectuall manner and that therefore it shall neuer be taken from him But what then may such men cast off all care No for vnto them doth S. Paul giue this charge That they doe not quench the spirit And notwithout cause doth he giue them this charge for though the spirit it selfe can neuer be taken vtterly from them yet doubtlesse if they waxe proud if they grow secure if they fall into sinne then the graces and gifts of the spirit may decay and dye in them their cleere vnderstanding their feeling their affection and all may be gone so that in their own iudgement and in the iudgement of others it may seeme that they haue quite quenched put out the spirit Neither must this seeme so strange for if the image of God which was more perfectly placed in Adam than it is now in vs If I say this image might quite be lost and blotted out as we see it was then no marueile if the graces of the spirit of God be for a time as it were dead and drowned in vs. And that we may be the lesse offended herewith the Scriptures doe offer vnto vs such examples of men as hauing been once effectually called and truly borne againe haue yet afterward through some sinnes lost the graces of the spirit such were the Galathians for they were truly called and effectually regenerate by the spirit and Gospell of God as may appeare by this that for the words sake they reuerenced the Apostle as the Angell of God yet they were snared with false doctrine and fel very dangerously to the choking and quenching of the graces of Gods spirit in them The spirit it selfe was not takâ—n from them nay Christ did still continue in their hearts but yet for want of godly graces hee was as it were without fashion or forme so that the Apostle did as it were trauell againe vntill Christ was fashioned anew in them Dauid also vpon the committing of his sinne was brought into the like â—ase therefore in the 51. Psalme he prayeth That God will create in him a new spirit What was the spirit quite gone No for by and by in the same Psalme he prayeth That the Lord would not take away his holy spirit from him How can these two stand together first to pray that a new spirit may bee created in him and then that the spirit of God may not be taken from him Surely the spirit it selfe was still in him and therfore he prayeth that it may not be taken from him but the graces and gracious working of the spirit they were dead and gone and therefore he praieth that they may be renewed in him By this then we see that the very chiefe graces of the spirit may be quenched euen in the most godly when they fall into sinne But yet that no libertie may be taken hereby let vs a little consider what griefe and punishment they procure to themselues that do by any meanes lose the graces of the spirit First of all we must know that though the spirit of God caÌ„not be gotten by our labour yet it costeth vs much labour and wee must vndergoe much trauell and suffer much trouble before the spirit of God doe take possession of vs now when the graces of the spirit are lost all this our labour seemeth to be lost and what griefe is it to see the whole labour and trauell of a man to vanish and come to nothing Secondly when a man receiueth the spirit of God and by the same spirit is assured that his sinne is forgiuen him that he is in the fauour of God there doth arise in his heart a great ioy in the holy Ghost a ioy I say that is vnspeakeable and glorious and this ioy is lost and gone when the graces of Gods spirit are gone with how great griefe and woe they knowe that in any measure haue tasted of it Againe when the graces of the spirit are choked in men then they haue no heart to doe good they haue no affection to goodnesse but all is gone and they are made for the time as it were an vnprofitable burthen of the earth What griefe can be greater than this what sorrow can sinke more deepe than that a good man should bee cleane withholden from doing good Moreouer it is sure that wheÌ„ the gifts of the spirit are in this sort gone then he that was most righteous before may soone fall into great sinnes yea and which is more they shall also suffer the reproch of their sinnes For this is a part of the couenant that God made with his That though he will not take his mercies vtterly from them yet hee will visite their sinnes with the rodde and their iniquities with scourges and what griefe this is the example of Gods children may shew vs. What griefe was it to
an easie thing because it is a thing whereto of necessitie wee must yeeld but also of our inferiours whom we may seeme to contemne For all men will graunt that a child ought willingly to be admonished of his father or a seruant ought obediently to be repreheÌ„ded of his master but few will in practise giue this that a father should listen to the aduertisement of his sonne or that the maister should receiue an admonition of his seruant Howbeit Iob saith he durst not contemne the iudgement of his feruant or of his maide when they did contend with him because in a dutie of pietie he looketh to them not as seruants but as brethren he looked not to the speaker onely which in respect of his calling was his inferiour but vnto the things spoken in the ordinance of God vnto whom Iob himselfe was an inferiour and before whom Iob knew there was no respect of persons Howbeit to correct the preposterous boldnes of some we rather adde this much that inferiours must rather aduise than admonish aduertise rather than reprehend their superiours that so still they may offer their pure zeale of the glorie of God in vnfained humilitie least through their corrupt zeale they doe not onely not profit their superiours but most iustly exasperate them against them For as Magistrates Ministers and maisters by God his ordinance are to admonish rebuke and reprehend so subiects inferiours and seruants by the same rule are to aduise obey and aduertise Thus zeale goeth from respect of the person to the truth of the cause Another propertie of zeale is to be constant not to be hot by fits cold in the end and onely so long as the world fauoureth it must not be earnest in the beginning and secure in the ending but keepe a continuall tenour and temperature Iobs wife seemed to goe farre so long as she could wash her paths with butter Saul and Pharaoh had some good motions by fits vpon some occasion could play fast and loose being of a strange complexion that they could be hot cold in a moment This propertie of zeale teacheth vs how to be affected in the prosperitie and afflictions of the Church namely that the publike prosperitie of Sion should comfort vs cause vs to reioyce when our priuate crosses might make vs sad As Paul being imprisoned was not so grieued at his owne bonds as he reioyced at the libertie of the Gospell of Christ. Againe that the affliction of the Saints should moue vs to a godly griefe euen when in respect of our selues we might greatly reioyce As Daniel could not finde coÌ„fort in his priuate prosperitie though he were in great authoritie and exempted from the common calamitie because he knew the Church of God to be in miserie But to goe forward pure zeale is not blinded with naturall affection but it discerneth and condemneth sinne though it be neuer so neerely resident in our kindred Many offend against this rule who neuer will rebuke sin in their friends euen vntill God reuenge it from heauen where they are farre from true friendship for whereas they might by admonishing them of their faults in time preuent the iudgements of God they do through a false loue and manifest hatred pull the iudgements of God vpon them whom they loue most deerely He loueth most naturally that hath learned to loue spiritually and he loueth most sincerely that cannot abide sinne in the partie loued without some holesome admonition But doe not many now adaies zealously mislike sinne in strangers who will not mislike the selfe-same sin if it come to kindred if it be in our wife in our children oâ— in our parents as though the diuersitie of subiects could make the selfe-same thing sinne in some and not in other some This blinde zeale God hath punished and doth punish in his children Isaac did carnally loue his sonne Esau for meate and for a peece of venison Dauid was too much affected to Absolom for his beautie and to Adoniah for his comely stature so as his zeale was hindred in discerning sinne aright in them Now Iacob was not so deere to Isaac and Salomon was more hardly set to schoole and to take paines But behold God louing Iacob and refusing Esau howsoeuer Isaac loued Esau better than Iacob made Easu most troublesome and Iacob more comfortable vnto him Absolom and Adoniah brought vp like cooknies became corosiues to Dauids heart Salomon more restrained of God leâ—le set by of Dauid was his ioy his crowne his successour in his kingdome This â—â—sease is so hereditarie to many pareÌ„ts louing their children in the flesh rather than the spirit that the holy Ghost is fame to call vpon them more vehemâ—â—tly to teach to instruct and to correct as knowing how easily nature would coole zeale in this kinde of dutie Indeed many will set by their wiues children and kinsfolke if they be thriftie like to become good husbands wittie and politike or if they be such as for their gifts can bring some reuenue to their stocke or affoord some profit vnto theÌ„ how deepe sinners soeuer they be against God that maketh no matter it little grieueth them whereby they bewray their great corruption that they neither are zealous in truth or Gods glorie nor louers aright of their children because they can be sharpe enough in reprehension if they faile but a little in thriftines yet are cold enough in admonition if they faile neuer so much in godlinesse Well let these fleshly zealous men lay to their heart the blind affection of Helâ— who being the deare child of God was seuerely punished of the Lord for that he was not zealously affected to punish sinne against God in his deere children but blessed are they that can forget their owne cause and euen with ieopardie of nature can defend the quarrell of God henceforth labouring to know no man after the flesh but to endeuour spiritually by faith to see and know Christ Iesus so as no outward league doe bleare and dazell our eyes as that we should not espie sinne in the neerest kindred to correct it or that we should not discerne vertue in the greatest aliens to reuerence it Casting off then this vaile of fleshly loue we must labour to loue most where the image of God appeareth most there shew our affections in lesse measure where sinne may be as a marke whereby God restraineth our loue euen to them where nature may soonest deceiue vs. Now whereas many haue great courage to rebuke such as either cannot gainsay them or gainsaying them cannot preuaile against them here commeth another propertie of zeale to be spoken of and that is that it feareth not the face of the mightie neither is it disâ—aied at the lookes of the proud and the loftie Such a courage was in Iob who besides that he made the yong men ashamed of their libertie and afraid of his grauitie made euen the Princes also to
stay their talke and to lay their hands on their mouths And yet here we must beware of their hastie zeale who will not sticke to charge the children of God to be without zeale if presently and abruptly they rush not into an open reprehension of men that are mightie in authority as though no regard of place time and persons were to be had which opinion many by weaknes of iudgement defending finde neither fruit in others nor comfort in their owne consciences when they do admonish in that presumptuous manner for that hunting after feruentnes without the spirit of meeknes and casting off all consideration of a godly oportunitie they rather exasperate than humble the parties admonished and they themselues rather depart with confusion and shame for such posting on without warrant of wisedome and not according to knowledge than with comfort of heart for any dutie done Neither am I here ignorant how great daunger of trouble of minde commeth to many in that they being so curious obseruers and waiters of oportunitie doe for some ease of the flesh vnder the cloake of this wisedome altogether leaue off that godly dutie Wherefore as we affirme that wisedome and loue mixed together doe deepely enter into the most prefract and prodigious spirits so we mislike their fearefull delay of dutie who hauing a meane occasion offered them from the Lord doe not earnestly puâ—â—ue the quarrell of the Lord and earnestly rebuke sinne though in some higher personaâ—â—es Out of this may issue another fruit of right zeale namely when we are zealous in their behalfe who can neuer recompence vs againe for flesh and blood will easily admit to rebuke the iniuries and reuenge the oppressions vsed to men of credit and abilitie because it is a warie wisedome to patronage them in lesser things who can be our patrons againe in greater things Thus Iob deliuered the poore that cried the fatherlesse him that had none to helpe him he was the eyes to the blinde the foote to the lame at whose hands no hope of reward was to be looked for But to draw to the last and most glorious propertie this thing in zeale is most commendable when we are humbled in our owne soules for those sinnes which we espie and censure in others euen as though we our selues for want of instruction or prayer were in some sort guiltie of their sinnes If this rule were receiued in iudgement and â—uerenced in practise of Ministers Magistrates and masters when they are to admonish their inferiours of sinne it is sure it would breede in them great conscience and religion Alas wee see many who can mangle and martyr a man for some offence who neuer learned for consâ—nce sake to mourne for those infirmities which so bitterly he would iâ—ueigh against in others Let vs consider this in ministers how the Apostle saith to the Corinthians I feare leâ—â—t when I come mâ— God aâ—â—ase me among you and I shall beâ—aile many of them which haue â—â—â—ned alreadie c. Which no doubt he did as thinking that he did not duty enough but that there was euen some cause of griefe in himselfe Did the Apostle who had so little or no cause so to doe thus lament and suspect himselfe as though hee had not vsed all good meanes or with the meanes good affections and should the ministers of our time whose gifts and paines are fâ—rre inferiour nothing bee moued for the sinnes of them for whom they ought to care and mourne Well I hope that euen at this day there are some that feare they haue not in preaching publikely opened al the mysteries of God to them they thinke they haue failed in priuate admonition they suspect themselues of want of praying for them they are readie to accuse themselues that they haue not walked so wisely and warily in vsing their libertie before them or that their life hath not yeelded that example of godlinesse to them as they ought to haue done And so in the whole discourse almost of the sinnes of the seuerall Churches the holy Ghost runneth on in this tenour that whatsoeuer is spoken of the Church is spoken to the Angels that is to the ministers of the Church who are said to haue this or that sinne which indeede was in the people In the Primitiue Church when the credit of the Apostles was called into question they might seeme to haue been much troubled about the matter but they were much humbled by it they examined them selues they accused themselues and afterward they instituted a new ministerie But doth not this dutie as deepely charge Ministers and Masters to mourne for the sinnes of their people Yes doubtles and for good reason For if they will confesse that they must reioyce in the good things that befall their children and families they must also lament the euils which betide them so long as they are vnder their tuition and gouernment FINIS OF A GOOD NAME THE FOVRTH SERMON Prouerbs 22. verse 1. A good name is to be desired aboue great riches and louing fauour aboue siluer and gold ALl that is to be desired of a man is this that hee bee vertuous godly and truly religious This because it is in it selfe most excellent and most contrarie to our nature therefore the Scripture vseth many arguments and reasons to perswade vs thereunto as in this place where the Wise man would stirre vs vp to the loue of vertue by setting before our eyes two principall effects and fruits which we may receiue by it The first of these is a good name the second is louing fauour both which as they doe proceede from vertue and godlines so they doe maintaine and increase one another For as a man findeth much fauour with those that doe speake and report well of him so those that will shew a man louing fauour will or at least ought to shewe it in this that they may willingly affoord him a good report Now both these are preferred before great riches both these are accounted better than gold and much siluer and surely whosoeuer is truly wise will make this account of them whosoeuer doth rightly knowe to discerne what is good he will first and especially labour for them for a good name doth commend vs to God and to his holy Angels in whose eyes those vertues whereof a good name doth arise are most acceptable But riches are not able to doe this no the abundance of siluer and golde is often an occasion of sinne whereby we are most out of the fauour of God Againe whereas riches especially if they be euill gotten do cause men many times to hate vs this good name and louing fauour doth win the hearts of many yea it doth sometimes cause our enemies to be at peace with vs. And this euer hath been and euer will be most certaine and true whether we looke to prosperitie or aduersitie whether we looke to the common callings of this ciuill
most full of Gods spirit he was then led to be tempted in the wildernesse when he was most furnished he was most tried On like manner when wee haue receiued some great gifts wee must looke both that the Lord for his part will take some triall of them and that Satan also watching for the richest pray and gaping for a man when he hopes to haue the best spoyle will for his part there vse the most force and cunning where he findeth the rarest and most notable seruants of God partly because he most enuieth them and partly for that by pride he thinketh soonest to inueigle them Wherefore if Gods children shall truly examine their owne hearts in this sinne they shall haue some testimonie and triall in themselues whether they bee thankfull for Gods mercies in truth or no if hauing receiued much they feare much and by how much the more they increase in gifts by so much they grow the more iealous ouer their thoughts wordes and deedes and sit as it were in the watch-tower of their hearts viewing to espie euen their least declinings Which thing if we could doe in trueth hee should not so haue the graces of God and feeling of the spirit by fits but both in greater measure and longer continuance the want of which heede taking to our selues constraineth the Lord to punish vs as I sayd with dulnes and deadnes of spirit thereby to preserue vs from viler sinnes which otherwise our pride and securitie would carrie vs headlong into And were it so that in reuerence and feare wee could attend more on the Lord we should not haue his good spirit so rare a guest vnto vs wee should finde the increase and returne of greater consolations than we haue Why doe men then so much marueile at the dulnes of minde comming on them after some rare feelings of the spirit and when they haue tasted ioyes glorious and vnspeakable and thinke that now all the fruites of Gods grace are as cleane gone away in them as if they neuer had tasted of the power of regeneration seeing vnthankfulnes is so ordinary and vsuall a sinne with vs But admit we haue some good witnesse of conscience and our heart telleth vs that we haue been thankfull then must we thinke that the Lord doth trie vs and will bring vs to acknowledge that the thing we had was his onely gift to giue and take away at his pleasure and that it came not from our selues as a thing to command at our becke Howbeit vsually and for the most part our vnthankfulnes is the cause of this dulnes Now albeit this kind of buffeting be grieuous vnto vs yet wee must not desire vtterly to be freed from it because by it our pride is cured For if that chosen vessell and seruant of the Lord Paul so abounding in graces of the spirit so frequent in fasting so often in prayer watchings and temptations could not preuaile against this sinne seeing by all these former waies hee could not subdue this corruption in the flesh we must not dreame and delude our selues that wee vsing nothing so many helpes of mortification should vtterly be rid from the same When the Lord then shall exercise vs with this pricke in the flesh although it is the messenger of Satan to buffet vs yet we must take hold on this to our comfort that the Lord disposeth and moderateth it and though wee be often and long assaulted with it yet still wee must mislike it we must still be grieued for it and pray in Christ against it we must tremble and hee humbled in our selues that wee should haue such strange and doubting thoughts of Gods wisedome power maiestie and prouidence c. and yet in such manner and measure as knowing it to be Gods mercie that by these meanes the Lord would keepe vs from more vile and enormous crimes Further and besides this the Lord giueth vs to see such monsters of the minde to forewarne vs and to make vs more afraid of falling into the outward action of sinne Thus wee haue often temptations of vnbeleefe to make vs to feare the falling from the faith we haue priuie discourses of Poperie to shew what a dangerous thing it were to be giuen ouer vnto Poperie wee haue often vile thoughts of adulterie murder and theft to driue vs more earnestly to pray that we neuer fall into thâ—â—e sinnes in action And for this cause they that will not make some holesome instruction of their inward temptations nor suspect their falling into the action of sinne by the affection of sin often fall for their pride suddenly into adulteries murthers thefts heresies poperie and such like Thus the Lord coÌ„meth by the messenger of Satan the pricke of the flesh to try vs whether wee will sticke to the word preached or to such suggestions ministred to tri our faith to confirme vs in the fauour of God when wee shall obtaine the fauour of God who often assisteth his children being humbled euen in most dangerous assaults and leaueth them being puft vp in the least temptations so as they fall that thereby they may know what helpe is of God and not of man And howsoeuer flesh and blood counteth this but a paradoxe yet sure it is that our case is worse when the Lord ceaseth by such meanes to â—â—ft fanne vs than when he holdeth vs from some profitable temptation for our exercise For we shall see many who desiring rather to â—e freed from the crosse than to reape the fruite of it although for the time wherein they endured their temptations at the first they were cleere and innocent yet afterward haue fallen most grieuously because they would not profit by those temptations which the Lord sent either to punish some sinne past not throughly repented of or to correct some sinne present not espied or to forewarne vs of sinne to come not suspected of vs â—ome haue been tempted to heresie some to pride some to worldlines who disdainfully looking at such thoughts as matters of no importance though they were before vnattainted of these euils yet now haue come to be heretikes proude persons worldlings This ought to teach vs then most to suspect our selues when wee thinke our estate safest And blessed is the mâ—n that fâ—â—reth alâ—â—â—es This numbnes of the soule striueth and striketh deeply euen against the ordinance of God for our saluation I meane the word the Sacraments and praier so that oftentimes our case standeth thus we thus say iâ—â— our selues If I heare the word so it is I feele no great want of it in receiuing the Sacraments I haue no pleasure in not receiuing them I haue no griefe If the exercises of religion priuate and publike bee vsed there is noâ— much good done if they bee omitted there is no great hurt done if I haue spare time I can goe vnto them if I haue neuer so little businesse I can keepe me away
in them a great mourning as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon for the death of the good King Iosias Euen so must men mourne because they haue pierced Christ through with their sinnes wounded him with their abominations And men must know that a few drie teares when they haue offended are not sufficient repentance or sacrifice to God but they must rent their hearts and be heartily sorie and turne vnto the Lord Now many are so stricken with the sense and feeling of their sinnes that thereby they are moued to confesse and lay open their wickednesse in such sort as a man would thinke them to be such as for euer afterwards would stand in feare to offend the Lord any more but these after that they haue receiued some comfort by the word of their sinnes and haue seene that their sinnes are pardonable not distinguishing between these two that it is one thing to haue their sinnes remissible and another thing to assure themselues that they are remitted After I say this comfort receiued by the preaching of the word they labouring no further to be renewed and throughly reformed although they had some sorrow for a season yet because they did not search themselues more narrowly and endeuour to purge themselues as well from inward sinne as from outward and to be wholy transfigured and transformed into a new holie and righteous life therefore it commeth to passe that the loue of righteousnesse departeth from them and they returne againe to their old by as and are become praies for Iesuites and massing Priests such is their prophanenesse And this is because they rested onely in the vniuersall promises of God which although they bee all most true and comfortable yet they can minister no true comfort and consolation vnto mans soule except hee make a particular application thereof vnto himselfe Lastly some there be who would faine seeme to the appearance of the Church to haue forsaken and sold their sinnes and to haue made a full and perfect reformation of their former liues euilly spent which notwithstanding harbour and nourish sinnes in their hearts which afterward will breake foorth and discouer their hypocrisie and this they doe because they were but a little enlightened with the flash of the holy Ghost and were not throughly reformed inwardly which is euident in this that they couet to approoue themselues more before men than before God nourishing in their hearts secret selfe-loue as in shewing themselues zealous vntill they come to preferment or to this end that many perceiuing their zeale may flocke after them to heare them so they may procure themselues fame whom so soone as Sathan beginneth a little to buffet them they fall away and shew that they had sold sinne but for a season This is contrarie vnto that course which the true ministers of God and those which feare him aright ought to take for it is their dutie to seeke the praise of God and not of themselues to couet the profit of the people of God and not their owne priuate lucre knowing this that they serue not men but God and that they must professe religion religiously setting before their eyes the praise of God the crowne of immortall glorie the saluation of soules and the acceptation of their labour before God And all men must desire rather to be religious than to seeme so giuing themselues to the exercises of priuate praier reading fasting to priuate admonition conference and other priuate duties at such time and in such place when and where they neede not to boast of any thing done seeing it is done in secret which who so doth let him assure himselfe that there is nothing so secret but it shall be reuealed whether it be good or euill If we doe this then shall we not be in the number of those which beginning in the spirit end in the flesh or of those which serue God for a season and in the end fall away from him and his seruice Doublesse it is a strange thing to see some who haue bin themselues a light vnto others so now to shrinke from Gods truth as that they should become Papists or of the Familie of loue or of some other heresie The cause of this is because their inward stuffe was corrupt and not fullie cured by effectuall repentance And thus much of grosse sinnes Now of the infirmities of nature which remaine euer in the best this inward corruption must be sold also for it is not enough to leaue outward and grosse sinnes except also we beate downe the inward corruption of our owne nature and although we cānot altogether blot out this our naturall corruption yet the righteousnesse of Christ may be so resident and dwell in vs that it shall not onely keepe vs from grosse outward outrages and offences but also will holde downe keepe short our naturall corruptions neither must we thinke it enough to sell the fruites of our corrupt nature but we must also sell the corruption it selfe for as we see so long as the tree remaineth there will alwaies spring foorth some buds euen so of the children of God so long as the corruption of the nature raigneth in them so long do they burst out into some offences or other but most men make either little or no conscience at all of these little faults but it must be otherwise with vs or else we cannot but displease God greatly For as a riuer drieth vp vnto the fountaine yet if we doe rest from all emptying of it it will encrease againe So except the children of God doe keepe downe their naturall corruption although they offend not as the reprobate and wicked in monstrous sinnes against God yet they cannot but haue great downfals Wherefore we must not with the woman whereof the Poet speaketh see and behold good and lawfull things and follow that which is euill neither must we be as the Philosophers whose reason fighteth with their appetite but we must fight both with reason and appetite we must be as new creatures borne againe and we must be more willing to endure all shame and reproches than to fall and offend to the dishonour of God Being grieued that we see our selues ready to displease the Lord. The Apostle Paul Rom. 7. saith of himselfe I see another Law in my members rebelling against the Law of my minde and leading me captiue vnto the Law of sinne which is in my members Heere the Apostle sheweth his captiuitie vnto sinne by reason of his inward corruption now when men are in imprisonment or captiuitie then they are fed with the bread of aduersitie and affliction and therefore the Apostle viewing the miserie wherein he was by nature in the type of a true regenerate man saith O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Here he crieth out against himselfe from the truth of his heart as he findeth himselfe
seede but of the immortall seede of the word of God who liueth and endureth for euer And therefore it is necessarie that they be obedient vnto their spirituall father which hath begotten them with the word of God that hee may ioyfully extend a fatherly affection towards them which thing the Apostle S. Peter exhorteth them vnto As newe borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that you may growe thereby The Apostle here sheweth a familiar reason why they should be obedient they be as new borne babes We see that little children are not able to guide themselues no not to feede themselues at the first but must be guided and nourished by the helpe of their parents vntill they be able to shift for themselues So must the children of God bee guided and nourished by the word of God that they may grow from strength to strength from faith to faith till they come to a perfect age in Christ. Therefore it is necessarie that the people be obedient vnto the Minister to whome the Lord hath giuen his word to distribute vnto his children and to increase and strengthen their faith in Iesus Christ. But some will say is this giuen to the Ministers onely what if they teach their owne deuises and not the pure word of God and make vs beleeue wee are in an happie case when wee are in most misery and yet desire to be directed in the true pathway vnto saluation I answere that you must therfore trie the doctrine which he bringeth by the touchstone of Gods word and see that it accord therwith for in that the Lord giueth the vnderstanding and interpreting of the scriptures vnto the ministers it is not without great cause that hee doth it when as hee appointeth them by the power of his word as the meanes without which they can doe nothing to bring together his children yea by the sharpe sword of the word to pearce their soules and consciences to the vtter slaying of sinne and with the excellent vertue of the same word to heale them againe which thing if the Ministers for their part shall not faithfully execute in such order as before I intreated of speaking of the duty of Ministers euen that gift the Lorde will so straightly call to account that hee shall beare the danger of euery soule that hath perished through his default Yet shall not the people be hereby discharged for they must try his doctrine as I said before and take heede that they be not seduced for if they be they shall dye in their owne sinnes If any will say that hee is ignorant truly I say he is in a dangerous case but if God hath shewed him such mercie as to make him desirous to bee instructed in the right way to saluation let him craue knowledge at the Lords hand neuer cease but be importunate vpon the Lorde in crauing his holy spirite to worke in him all spirituall grace to worke in him true Faith and to assure him of his saluation all other worldly respects set aside and let him vse great diligence in harkening to the word of God and be obedient vnto the same Moreouer let him withdraw himselfe from all euill company and frequent the companie of the godly and no doubt but the Lord will strengthen him to worke his will whereby he shall know of the doctrine whether it bee of God or not according to the rule which our Sauiour Christ giueth vs to knowe it by Hee that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glorie but hee that seeketh the glorie of him that sent him the same is true and such must wee obey in the Lord. Now we see as it is our duty to obey the true Minister and such as carefully watch ouer our soules with the most wholsome word of God so must wee beware that we suffer not our selues to be seduced by false teachers and therefore wee must proue their doctrine by the word of God But last of all if any shall preach Iesus Christ sincerely and purely hauing some infirmitie we must not therfore reiect him but obey him for the truth sake and consider that we are all subiect to infirmities and that to some one more than another and therefore it is our dutie christian like to admonish him thereof and no doubt if he be the seruant of God he will giue him more strength against the same Besides this obedience the dutie of the people toward their Minister must extend further and they must also reuerence him and giue him honor else it is most certaine that obedience cannot take place which we may see by the example of the woman of Samaria who notwithstanding the great curtesie of our Sauiour Christ in telling her what he was and what he could do for her yet would she not obey him at the first but tell to taunting and ouerthwarting of him too vnreuerētly but when he had touched her conscience and laid open her wickednes so that she saw plainely he was another manner of man than she tooke him for then she began to reuerence him and said O sir I see that thou art a Prophet and then she obeyed him and desired to learne of him so before she obeyed she conceiued a reuerence of him and accounted of him as a Prophet It is also manifest in the 2. of the Acts when as the wonderfull miracle could not bring the people to obey the Apostles yet afterward when Peter with his sharpe sermon had touched their hearts in such sort that they felt the power that God had giuen them they began to reuerence them and where as before they were not ashamed to say that they were drunken with new wine now they cryed out Men and brethren what shall we doe which words doe plainely declare what a reuerent opinion they haue conceiued of them and after that they became obedient vnto them Common experience sheweth vs the same for which of you will commit your matter to any Lawyer except you haue a reuerent opinion of him that he can pleasure you and a sure trust that he will doe the best he can for the furtherance of your cause Likewise in Physick there is no man that will cōmit his life into the Physitians hand vnlesse he be first perswaded that he can by the help of God ease his griefe and that he is willing also to do what lieth in him except I say a man be thus perswaded of the Physition he will not commit himselfe into his hands nor yet obey those orders that he shall prescribe so is it in this the people must be obedient to the Minister therefore they must reuerence him or else it is not possible that they should obey him The Apostle S Paul doth notably amplifie the honor due to the true and faithfull Ministers The Elders that rule well saith he let them be had in double honour specially they which labour in the word and doctrine as if he should say let
if thy brother repent seauentie times seauen times thou shouldest forgiue him doth he perswade him truly confessing that hee will forgiue him and shall not then the Lord be mercifull vnto thee if thou confesse in giuing thee remission of thy sinnes and sanctification from thy sinnes Yea God is more mercifull than man when man truly confesseth We are to pray that the ministery may be recouered that the Ministers being humbled the people may also ioyne with them Another kinde is to confesse to men and not only vnto God otherwise it is hypocrisie as it is though we confesse to men and not to God We must confesse to men when we owe some dutie or when we are to receiue a benefit by them We owe them dutie when we are admonished secondly when we haue offended them They that vse good meanes and come by authoritie we must confesse vnto theÌ„ Mat. 18. Where there must be a yeelding or a proceeding with farther processe Luk. 17. It is required that a man should acknowledge or he cannot haue forgiuenes Where men offending are admonished I will confesse say they vnto God not vnto you when as the Lord requireth that it should first be done vnto men First reconcile thy selfe to thy brother then vnto God We offend our brethren when we iniurie them secondly when we are authors or counsellers of them vnto euill or thirdly when we giue them euill example Whether we haue iniured them in their bodies goods or good name Leuit. 6. 4. the same day the sacrifice was to be offered the same day must satisfaction be made And where iudgement is threatned men refusing to satisfie the parties God will not forgiue who is also offended for God requireth confession and man satisfaction Many haue charged others to do euill and haue wrought euill with others the one being humbled the other will not be perswaded it is so but hauing hurt them in their soules though by confession we cannot recouer them yet we must shame our selues vnto them that they may haue the cause of sinne vpon themselues If thinking of these things in our studies yet if we practise them not our prayers will not be acceptable We are to receiue benefit when we would haue aduise from them or would be comforted of them and we would haue aduise when we are tempted vnto sinne or accused in our consciences for sinne Though men cannot accuse vs yet there are many times speciall sinnes that we cannot get peace with God for or power to ouercome them these must be confessed to men that we may get strength in wisedome Iam. 5. Where I take acknowledging to be more than confession for a man cannot acknowledge a thing but he must needes confesse it but he may confesse and yet not acknowledge And there the Apostle speaketh of recouering one from sinne when they are tempted as the whole scope of the place sheweth In accusation the Diuell will lay sinne to our charge and the conscience is feared both in reason and affection then there must be recourse to our friends Experience wofull enough will witnes this some for light matters haue hanged themselues who if they had opened their griefes might haue beene recouered as some haue beene whose throats haue beene ripped and others who haue beene found lying in the waters God hath appointed a communion of Saints and if we will not partake of their counsâ—ile we may be brought downe for not disclosing as others haue beene There is another higher sight of diuinitie and better faith of godlines when there is griefe for sinne or for temptation to a sinne or thirdly for lying in sinne and not getting out of it and also for being prouoked to grosse sinnes Many men lying in a sinne when neither by praying nor fasting nor hearing nor otherwise they can get out of it they must seeke for strength at others and desire their prayers The Papists will haue vs bound to the Ministers S. Iames more large To come out of sinne is the best way to shame our selues and acknowledge it and this meanes vsed plainely will driue Satan away for comming neere vs. The temptations are many times strange thoughts to blaspheme God and iniurie highly whom most we loue and many such like things The family of loue had these temptations and many others who haue bene giuen ouer grosely because fighting with an euill conscience they did not vse the meanes of getting out And these are laid vpon men for corrections for things past for remedies for things to come to passe and for prouocations vnto prayer No remedie is so great as to disclose them to thy friend who loueth thee and will pray with thee Choyse must be vsed of those in whom we will disclose especially of a spirituall father must our choyse be spirituall for discerning well of the temptation and for wisedome in prescribing a remedie Not those who say it is fond lessening the sinne which should be waighed as it is that the iust proportion of Gods iudgement may be seene neither to those that shal aggrauate it least they terrifie thee too much When sinne fighteth then learning will not so much preuaile Satan is such a subtle Sophister A father he must be a brother a sister a righteous man as S. Iames saith who must haue the affection of a father for compassion taciturnitie and not vpbrayding Compassion that the heart may bleed as of a tender father and mother that though the sin be not ours yet we may haue a fellow feeling for the mercifull is blessed which followeth the poore in spirit Taciturnitie that the sinne being close it may neuer goe further thaÌ„ the cause is Vpbrayding is such a thing as it feareth many because it is the propertie of worldly men to keepe men vnder by that meanes but these fathers may not doe it Though it be true that many meeting such a father they will not vse him as a father which appalleth the spirit of a good father who if in wisedome hee shall but touch any thing that may be thought to be disclosed he is thought to doe it to vpbrayd them FINIS THE SIXTEENTH SERMON Galath 6. vers 14. 15. Be it farre from mee that I should reioyce but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby the world is crucified vnto me and I vnto the world For in Christ Iesus neither circumcision auaileth any thing nor vncircumsion but a new creature HAuing finished in a late Treatise the doctrine of the true obseruation of the Sabbath as a furtherance to nourish religion in them that are alreadie called we now haue purposed considering the small proceeding in Christian profession which ought to be found in this ripenes of the Gospell more glorious and abundant to entreate of such matter as being most agreeable to them that as yet haue not tasted how sweete Christ is and his Gospell very profitable for our senseles age wherein Christ is almost vtterly forsaken may breede some loue of religion
we must learne that we set not our harts on these things so as our ioy in them should become either greater or equall with the reioycing in the crosse of Christ but rather that hauing wiues we be as though we had none buying as though we possessed not and vsing this world as though we vsed it not For otherwise the things of this world vanish away and therefore they are no such things as we should desire to stay our affections in them 1. Cor. 2. 2. the Apostle speaking of the like thing saith I esteemed not to know any thing among you saue Iesus Christ and him crucified purposeth not to shew that he knew not any thing else or that he would denie vnto men the knowledge of tongues learning or handicrafts for we know that he was a Pharisie brought vp in good learning at the feete of Gamaliel and how he reporteth of himselfe to speake as much in the tongues as any of the other Apostles and that he was a Tent-maker exhorting also in some of his Epistles men to get their liuings with some honest trade but his meaning is that he thought nothing worthie to be knowne or coueted no knowledge as excellent in respect and in comparison of the knowledge of Christ and him crucified And therefore whereas there were some among the Corinthians a people very famous for their learning and knowledge who pleased themselues in a conceit of their great gifts and sciences the Apostle not wanting these things protesteth vnto them that he neuer made this humane knowledge the full scope drift and foundation of his labours and that he neuer vsed them as the treasure of his heart although he could tell how farre to giue them their reuerence their due time and place in others but that he esteemed them in that measure as they stood him in stead the better to offer his seruice to Iesus Christ. Againe we must not here thinke that the Apostle knew not parents Magistrates and gouernours the gifts of men and the duties to be giuen to euery one of these but if he saw that men did glorie in themselues in their titles in their dignities then he knew them not in the flesh that is he did not esteeme them for those things but so farre he knew them in the spirit as he could reioyce that they were new creatures And therefore men must not think that for these gifts we are all in all but that the crosse of Christ is the marke we shoote at without the which all authoritie learning and knowledge is accursed of God Neuerthelesse we see it is the weaknes of iudgement to reiect all other things in themselues being the good gifts of God as our vnaduised friends haue done as though the knowledge and practise of Arts Sciences tongues and handicrafts did defile a man or as though a man were the more holie for not vsing these outward meanes But in our daies few labour of this disease of such superstitious austeritie and in our carelesse times men are not so much ouerwise and benummed in iudgement in this behalfe but most men on the contrary reioyce either as much or more in these things than in the crosse of Christ and this is the euill wherewith most men haue surfeited this is the euill whereat the Apostle striketh For though men will graunt that Christ is to be reioyced in yet their workes doe shew that they reioyce in some thing more than in the crosse of Christ and if they shew any ioy to religion it is rather done to countenance their owne gifts than to gaine any credit to Christ. How many I pray you in our daies reioyce in open wickednesse as the adulterer in his lusts the wrathfull man in his reuenging the couetous man in his riches the enuious man in his emulation and the ambitious man in his honours Why doe men learne but to get preferment why doe men so labour but to attaine to profit why doe men take such paines but in the end to reape pleasure So farre are we off from reioycing in Christ crucified that men now reioyce in open sinnes and that so manifestly as couetousnes ambition creeping vnder the cloake of vertue pleade for abilitie and maintenance for place and countenance without which as they say a man cannot doe good But these men that thus labour more for promotion profit and pleasure than to find Christ crucified and cannot find the vncomparable ioy if they were new creatures may happily carrie the face of Christians but surely by outward calling as yet they belong not vnto Christ. And what are these outward things to be reioyced in Admit that a man had all learning authoritie riches and credit are they not common as well to the wicked as to the godly are they not so transitorie and insufficient that the more a man hath of them the more he may haue doe they make the possessor the better can they keepe euill from him can they minister comfort to the afflicted conscience can they make vs reioyce in the houre of death or can they saue vs from confusion before God his iudgement seate Surely this is not in wit eloquence learning friends glorie riches and authoritie all which the wicked know better to abuse than the godly to vse but in Christ which was accursed and in his crosse which was a blessing vnto vs. Seeing it is so well did the Apostle to reioyce in this aboue all For were a man neuer so good so glorious so learned so well brought vp of such authoritie he must stoope at God his iudgement seate and there fall like a miserable caitife vnlesse he vsed these things to God his glorie and aboue all reioyced in the crosse of Christ. But now let vs see what is meant by the crosse of Christ. Some vnderstand it of the afflictions which hee did suffer for the profession of Christ because the Apostle saith in another place how he did beare about with him the marks of his sufferings in his body But this sense were too hard to be brooked that we should reioyce in nothing but in affliction albeit this is a truth that we may reioyce in those afflictions which we suffer for Christ his sake Againe the crosse of Christ taken for affliction cānot be said to be a principal cause of the world crucified to vs or of crucifying vs to the world although in some respect it may be coūted an inferior cause Further if we compare this place with other places of the scriptures we shal find it to be vnderstood of the crosse which Christ suffered for vs rather than of the crosse which we suffer for him as 2. Cor 2 2. where the Apostle laboureth to know nothing as heere he reioyceth in nothing more than in Christ crucified as he calleth it in that place or in the crosse of Christ as he speaketh in this place The Apostle his meaning then briefely is this Be it farre from me that I should chiefely
reioyce in any but in Christ crucified because he can present me blamelesse before God his iudgement seate hee hath nailed my sinnes to his crosse he is the immaculate Lambe that was sacrificed for me and will present me as cleare without spot before his father as euer I was created Wherefore Paul knowing the crosse of Christ able to performe all these things good cause there was why he then and we now attaining in some measure to the like knowledge should reioyce in Christ crucified by whoÌ„ we become crucified to the world First we are to note that they that with delight lye in sinne or haue no desire to come out of sinne cannot reioyce in the crosse of Christ. For if thou be filthie and wilt be filthie still in thy flesh how darest thou presume to reioyce in the scourged and torne flesh of Iesus Christ Canst thou ô miser still like and loue this world so much when thou doest more prick and pearce Christ with thy sinnes than euer he was pricked with thornes and nailes or can the thornes of Christ crucified be pretious to thee when the thornes of worldly cares doe so delight and choke thee How canst thou still boyle in thine anger when thou doest remember how mildly Christ crucified suffered the bitter anger of his father for thee Doest thou looke for great matters in this world considering Christ to bee borne for thee so basely to liue so poorely and to dye for thee so painfully Surely thou maist appertaine to Christ in secret election but thy sinnes thus with delight raigning in thee thou hast no assurance of Christ by thy walking Well on the contrarie doest thou thou poore sinner feele the lusts of thy flesh loathsome vnto thee that thou euen quakest to remember the place the time the occasion where sinne ouertooke thee and feelest more terrour to thinke of them than euer thou felâ—st pleasure in doing of them then for thy comfort remember thy sinnes are pardoned the pretious flesh of Christ was torne for thee and that thou seeing the wrath of God due to thy defiled flesh shalt receiue mercie because the crucified flesh of Christ doth acquite the filthines of thy flesh and the punishment due vnto it Againe doth the world begin to be vile in thine eyes and thou art ashamed that thine heart hath been so long set on things below the thornie cares doe now pricke and wound thine heart with sorrow then remember the head of Christ was planted with thornes and Christ for thee despised the world his hands and feete for thee being nailed his side pearced his whole body for thee being crucified Art thou angry with thy selfe that thou hast been so much giuen to anger and canst willingly take iudgement of thy selfe because thou hast abused God his presence and defiled his holy house in comming thither with an angrie heart then remember how Christ for thee sustained the anger of God his wrath to take from thee the imputation of thine anger Canst thou not be content to bee a worme of men and as it were troden on thinkest thou more vilely of thy selfe than of any other art thou now afraid of hypocrisie and feelest thy selfe troubled that thou didst not more earnestly seeke God and neuer didst so much desire the fauour of men as now thou desirest the fauour of God and thinkest it a great mercie to haue one foote in the earth then remember how vile Christ was to make thee pretious to God consider how he was the seruant of all a reproofe of men a worme and not a man troden downe euen of the worst kinde of men that he might free thee from thy vaineglory and secret pride Art thou grieued that thou hast presumed on the mercie of God and doest thou now thinke no more nor so much to be in thee as in other men and that thou art not a sinner alone but a sinner vily infected not resting thy selfe in any opinion of a ciuill life Art thou now as deepely plunged in despaire as before thou wast puft vp with presumption call to minde that Christ was not only reiected of men but of God to bring thee in fauour both with God and men and that he was trobled when he said Father if it bee thy will let this cup passe from mee remember how he laboured in a sweate and agonie not in a cold sweate but so as the warme blood was faine to runne out of their veines behold how hee was hanged betweene heauen earth as spued out of the one and accursed in the other and suffered the heauines of his soule to free thee from presumption by his mightie humilitie to helpe thee from desperation by his painefull crosse To be briefe there are two kinds of men that cannot reioyce in this crosse of Christ the one because they haue an opinion of their own righteousnes the other because they are senselesse for the securitie of their sinnes For the one because the feeling of the sore causeth vs to make much of the salue and the sense of sinne worketh a ioy in the deliuerance from sinne it is sure they cannot reioyce in the forgiuenes of sinne that neuer could lament for the guiltines and grieuousnes of sinne which are the cause of Christ his death Wherefore our Sauiour Christ Luk. 22. seeing certaine women following him with lamentation and mourning that so good a man so innocently should be put to death saith to them weepe rather ô daughters of Ierusalem for your sinnes teaching them that their most speciall cause of weeping was their owne iniquitie which was the cause why now he should suffer death Now then because we are ignorant many see not their sinnes and for that cause cannot mourne for them For they need no ioy that feele no sorrow they neede no comfort that tast no griefe they neede no release that are in no bands and none can truly reioice in the crosse of Christ but they that see their sinnes haue crucified Christ. Wherefore to helpe our blindnes in seeing and numbnes in feeling sinne wee must come to the law of God and to the iudgements of God there with adioyned Why cannot men come to the sight of their sinnes because they know not the lawe Why haue not men a sense of their sinne because they consider not the threatning of the law So that the remedie to make vs see sinne is the knowledge of the law the remedie to make vs feele sinne is the sense of the iudgements of God threatned in the law And why cannot the Papists reioyce in Christ but imagine other histories is it not because they haue imagined a coloured perswasion of the law thinking that the law may bee kept of man measuring the interpretation of the lawe and the obseruation thereof by grosse sinnes and not otherwise as did the Pharisies counting all the spirituall interpretation of the commandements but good counsels not necessarie precepts So that they not seeing the law spirituall nor
be deepelier humbled and â—raue more earnestly the pardon of that and other sins For as the beggar is alwaies mending and peecing his garment where he findes a breach so the penitent beleeuing hart must alwaies be exercised in repairing it selfe where it findes a want Againe oft times this triall serues to quicken and reuiue the hidden graces of the heart that men may be thankfull for them and feele an increase of them in the heart The good husbaÌ„d man cuts the braunches of the Vine not that he hath a purpose to destroy theÌ„ but to make them beare more fruit In the Canticles wheÌ„ Christ left his spouse then she riseth out of her bed she opens the dore her hands drop myrrhe on the barre of the doore then further she seekes and cals for him and praiseth him more then euer before Dauid testifieth the like of himselfe In my prosperitie I said I shall neuer be mooued c. but thou didst hide thy face I was troubled TheÌ„ cried I to thee O Lord prayed to my Lord. Lastly men that liue in the Church being for a time left of God become so impeniteÌ„t as that they must be giuen vp to Satan yet for no other cause but that the flesh may be killed and the spirit made aliue in the day of the Lord. The third end is the preuenting of sin to come This appeareth in Paul Least saith he I should be exalted out of measure through the aboundance of reuelations there was giuen vnto me a pricke in the flesh the messenger of Sathan to buffet me because I should not be exalted out of measure In the former times when the Lord among many other had set out Craâ—â—er for the maintenance of his blessed truth against his Gods enemies he left him for a while to fall from his religion to make a dangerous recantation but so as therby he preuented many sins and prepared him to a glorious martyrdome As some of his owne words may testifie which he spake a little before his ende And now saith he I come to the great thing that so much troubleth my conscience more then any thing that euer I did or said in all my life that is the setting abroad of a writing contrary to the truth which now here I renounce as things written with my hand contrary to the truth which I thought in my heart that for feare of death to saue my life c. And for as much as my hand offended writing contrary to my heart my hand shall be first punished therfore for may I come to the fire it shall be first burned Answerably wheÌ„ he was at the fire first he burnt his right hand which subscribed his body suffered the flame with such constancie and steadfastnes as he neuer almost mooued his eyes lift vp to heauen often he repeated his vnworthie right hand Thus death which he most feared he most desired that he might take reuenge of himselfe for his sinne The vse that all good Christian hearts are to make of these desertions is manifold First if they haue outward rest and walke in the feare of God and be filled with the ioy of the holy Ghost let them not be high minded but feare least a forsaking follow Secondly if in any temptation they iudge themselues forsaken let them coÌ„sider this wonderfull worke of spirituall desertions which God exerciseth vpon his owne childreÌ„ very vsually then it may please the Lord they shal find it to be restoratiue against many a quame and swound of spirit conscience into which otherwise they would certainly fall Thirdly seeing God for their triall doth often withdraw himselfe from them let them again draw neere to God presse vnto him euen as a man that shiuers of an ague is always creeping to the fire If it be demanded how a man should come neere G O D the answer is by the vse of his word and praier For by his word he speakes to thee by prayer thou speakest to him Lastly seeing by desertions God will take experience of his seruants let euery man triâ— and search his waies and euer bâ— turning his feete to the waies of Gods commâ—ndements let him indeuour to keepe a good conscience before God and before all men that so he may with Dauid say Iudge me O Lord for I haue walked in mine innocencie my trust hath beene alwaies in the Lord I shall not sâ—ide prooue me O Lord and trie me examine my raines and my heart Vers. 9. Wherewithall shall a young man redresse his waies in taking heede thereto according to thy word FIrst of all be perswaded that the word of God is that onely rule whereby the whole life of euerie man and that in euerie thing must be ordered euen the life of a young man who hath most reasons for himselfe why hee should bee excused as he is most disordered Vers. 10. With mine whole heart haue I sought thee let mee not wander from thy commaundements THen vpon this perswasion giue your selfe vnfainedly to the reading and heating of God his word as the meanes whereby God hath appointed to teach you and pray to God in the carefull vse of those meanes for his holy spirit that thereby you might come to the true vnderstanding of his word Vers. 11. I haue hid thy promise in mine heart that I might not sinne against thee THat which you haue thus learned let it not onely swimme aloft in your braine but let it be deeply setled and grauen in your heart as a treasure labouring to frame all your affections according to it otherwise if thou knowe neâ—er so much it will notkeepe you from sinning against God Vers. 12. Blessed art thou O Lord teach me thy statutes YOu thus profiting giue thankes to God alwaies for that which you haue learned be it neuer so little it is more than many in the world doe know yet content not yourselfe with it as though you had sufficient but pray vnto him to be further inlightned because it is lesse than many other doe and yourselfe ought to know Vers. 13. With my lips haue I declared all the iudgements of thy mouth BVt aboue all be careful to talke of that to others which you do daily learne yourselfe and out of the abundance of your heart speake of good things vnto men Vers. 14. I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all riches THat you may doe all these things labour to haue a ioy in the word and in all the exercises of it more than in any worldly thing and to be occupied in these things with greatest delight for in what soeuer we take greatest delight that will stick fastest in vs. Vers. 15. I will meditate in thy precepts and consider thy waies LAst of all meditate and consider of that with yourselfe which you haue learned and muse vpon it alone not contenting yourselfe with the generall rules but labouring in
your conscience to make the vse of them profitable to yourselfe in the particular practise thereof Vers. 16. I will delight in thy statutes and I will not forget thy word THus doing all these things carefully you shall surely neuer forget that which you learne for though you doe not remember euery thing yet God wil by his spirit cal so much especially into your remēbrance as is needful for you to know thē especīally when you haue most neede of it as in the houre of death and in the day of temptation but as you faile in all or in any of these so may you feare to faile in the truth of them Nicolas Bownde D. of diuinitie Preacher of Gods word at Norton in Suffolke PORTION 3. GIMEL Vers. 17. Be beneficiall vnto thy seruant that I may liue and keepe thy word THe Prophet desireth life where he teacheth why mē should desire to liue that is that they might keepe Gods word for life is common to them with beasts and plants and yet all desire to liue some for one ende some for another but Gods child maketh this the end that hee might keepe Gods word And in that he ioyneth these together hee signifieth that his life without it is no life as in the 4. part vers 11. where he counteth himselfe dead vnlesse he finde a readines to obey Gods will A widow liuing in pleasure is dead whilest she liueth and this is to be vnderstood of all that liue in any sinne And this if all they considered which are not ioyned to Christ it would amaze them for though this appeare not now yet at the last day it shall appeare This cannot be perswaded to the carnall man but to vs that haue the knowledge of God it ought to be certaine and we must trie our hearts whether this be our desire to liue that we may keepe Gods word Many men doe speake this and sing this yet fewe in heart doe this therefore if we be thus minded wee must shewe it by referring all our doings to Gods glory which we shall then do when we measure all our doings by the word Therefore Paul Rom. 4. and Phil 2. desireth not life but that he may be ioyned to Christ. All other religion is of no effect till this principall end be in our hearts for no man can haue two ends of his life as to come to preferment and to be saued but this must be onely the end that we might be ioyned to Christ. He desireth not to know but to keepe which presupposeth knowledge wee are here then prouoked to practise and not to rest in knowledge but to labour to doe that we know And this is the cause why they of the olde Testament desired longer life that they might finish that onely which they had to doe at such time as they felt some signes of Gods displeasure and had not sufficiently tasted of Gods fauour so we if we cannot finde assurance of the forgiuenes of sinnes then let vs desire to liue but when we are come to this that with Paul we can say I haue finished my course with ioy then will the children of God be readie to dye Many there be that haue neither care of life nor death and although they feele and see signes of Gods displeasure yet they are not moued but the children of God knowe that it is better to be a liuing dogge than a dead lyon And seeing by their euill life they haue dishonoured God they would be ioyfull to purchase some praise to him by their holy conuersation He knoweth his great vnhabilitie to doe good and therefore desireth it of God It is not in our choyse to doe good or cuill for then this prayer had been in vaine hee knew that this was not in him to keepe Gods word and therefore in the next verse he desireth that his eyes might be opened wher he acknowledgeth that he had not so much as the knowledge of Gods word in himselfe therefore he was far from yeelding such obedience therevnto as the Lord requireth He desireth now to vnderstand which goeth before practise and is lesser than it and yet it is the meanes to come to practise And if we cannot vnderstand it without special grace then much lesse can we practise it Many of vs in iudgement doe hate Papists yet in practise we are such seeing wee doe many things without prayer and the knowledge of Gods word Knowledge goeth before practise and therefore many in vaine doe say that they keepe the word when they labour not to know it Vers. 18. Open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law IN the former verse hee shewed that hee could not keepe the word without Gods grace now he sheweth that he cannot know it vnlesse the Lord open our eyes this is the want that is in all men but flesh and blood shall not reueale this and Paul saith that it was hid from the Princes of the world which must serue to humble all flesh and to stirre vs vp to pray to the Lord when we come to reade it otherwise wee shall reade and not vnderstand it because wonderfull things are contained therein therefore when wee see the wonderfulnes of this law this is one degree of profiting because the ignorant thinke they haue knowledge enough Dauid well instructed in the word yet made this prayer to teach vs that wee must goe daily forward for we know but by degrees and ignorance is mixed therewith therefore many continuing long fall in the end away which may teach vs to pray that he would not leade vs into this temptation that we should thinke we haue knowledge enough This is the cause why many fal into errors because that they resting in that which they haue conceiued in their owne braine and haue heard or learned of others in the meane while neuer looking to bee taught by Gods spirit when they see their teachers fall away then doe they fall away also because their ground is gone So many therefore as loue to abide stedfast in the truth and neuer to be remoued there from let them neuer rest neither in that they conceiue of themselues neither in the wordes and doctrine of men but let them alwaies by prayer craue that the Lord by his spirit may instruct them this if they doe the Lord will not turne them away emptie but will so season their hearts by his spirit that though a thousand fall away on the one side and ten thousand on the other yet shall they continue stedfast to the end The cause why we haue so great need to pray is set downe when hee calleth the things contained in the word wonders And surely if iniquitie be a mysterie as the Apostle calleth it then much more is the law of God Yet so it is not vnto al for the Prophet in this Psalme saith that the very entrance into Gods word giueth light to the simple And Psal. 88. when hee had called the
obedience because the Lord hath in former times executed his iudgements he will shew himselfe righteous still and therefore the Prophet gathereth that though the wicked bee not all presently punished yet they are all accursed and in time they shall be punished By erring hee meaneth not euery slip but the falling away from God Vers. 22. Remoue from me shame and contempt for I haue kept thy testimonies IN this confidence that the Lord will destroy the wicked hee assured himselfe that hee would defend him against those that set themselues against him The iudgements of God then haue these two effects first to humble him secondly to comfort him as portion 7. and 15 so that he feareth when his heart is broken hee also loueth when he receiueth hope of helpe in confidence whereof he maketh this prayer The vse of Gods iudgements vpon others must we make to ourselues first that we be brought to acknowledge our deserts and so feare and to behold his iustice that we may haue assurance of mercy This is hard to flesh and blood for some can be brought to reioyce at the destruction of others and cannot feare some when they are feared cannot receiue comfort But those which God hath ioyned together let vs not seperate therefore let vs make these vses of Gods iudgements His prayer is this Lord let not mine enemies which pursue an euill cause let them not haue their desire in bringing mee to contempt least whiles I labour to keepe thy Law and â—m become contemptible thy Lawe also should receiue some blot First here we see that it is no strange thing that they which keepe Gods CoÌ„mandements should be standred and therfore we must reforme our iudgement which is ready to condemne those of whom they heare an euill report Secondly seeing hee prayeth against contempt he sheweth that contempt is the greatest crosse that can come to the childreÌ„ of God for many could loose their goods which yet would be grieued for the losse of their name hee here prayeth so not onely because of that naturall cause which hee had but chiefely because his name was ioyned with the glory of God All the punishmteÌ„s of Christ did not so much grieue him as wheÌ„ he was reproched therfore the diuel chiefely goeth about this that when this coÌ„meth to passe that all speake euill of vs we might doubt whether our cause were good or no so fal away therfore the Prophet prayeth thus earnestly against it When we are brought to contempt for our deserts we ought not otherwise to be grieued than that God is dishonoured but when hee shall by this meanes bring vs to the knowledge of our sinnes then shall wee bee content to shame ourselues because thereby we shall glorifie God Vers. 23 Princes also did sit and speake against mee but thy seruant did meditate in thy statutes HE was thus abused euen by Princes these did speak against him eueÌ„ in iudgement whither he was drawne as a malefactor therefore he praieth thus earnestly against it We must then prepare ourselues for euill words not only of the coÌ„mon sort but also of the chiefest Dauid had coÌ„fort in Gods statutes When we are thus dealt with rightfully then let vs be humbled but if in a good cause we be thus dealt with then let vs take heed for the diuel wil goe about either to make vs vse vnlawfull shifts meanes as to reuenge to lie or to contend by our owne wit and policie and to flatter and confesse that to bee a fault which is none or els altogether to despaire of helpe or to be carelesse of our calling and to cast it off that thereby he may haue more aduantage for he will make vs wearie of wel doing by trouble therfore many are ouercome thereby The helpe against al these is Gods word for that will assure vs that our cause is good and that God will helpe vs therein Vers. 24. Also thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellours BY this meanes had hee help by the Word by making it his delight and counsellour for this the diuell in trouble will goe about to bring men to their wittes end or else to breake their hearts and make them faint and a wounded spirit who can beare He put not away craft with craft but made the commadements his counsellours whereby hee first learned wisdome then good meanes to withstand the wicked Hereby then we shall not onely haue wisedome but also comfort we are not come yet to be called afore Princes yet who so will liue godly in Christ shall haue troubles though not alwaies in goods nor life nor banishment yet in reproch and contempt euen from thy wife thy seruants thy children thy neighbours c. The word teacheth that reproch is not without cause for when the wayes of a maÌ„ please the Lord the righteous shal be his friend the beasts of the field shall be at league with vs therefore there is some sin in vs which the Lord by this meanes would correct then let vs first looke to that and then seeke to the word that there we may find comfort wisdome to sustaine vs. For this is the cause that we are without comfort in our trouble because we meditate not in his statutes make them our counsellors If thou be Gods child and despisest lighter troubles hee will send greater till he haue broken thy heart but if thou belong not to God the curse shal be hid from thee thou shalt be eaten vp before thou be aware Thou must not striue with the diuels weapons as to requits euill for euill for fire is not quenched with fire but with water euill is not ouercome with euill but with good and therefore rough speeches must be ouercome with gentle and euer when thou art vncourteously dealt with then consider thine owne sinnes and labour to feele them and thy heart shall be brought downe for then shalt thou be brought to the presence of God who wil not suffer thee to be honoured because thou hast not honoured him c. yet consider that he doth but fatherly correct thee and therefore put thy trust in him Marke what wisdome he hath giuen to his children in the like troubles and then goe to him by prayer and lay open thy selfe to him with hope and faith and thou shalt haue comfort But if when the tentation commeth we cannot come to the word and to prayer that thereby we may finde comfort we haue not laid vp the word in our heart though we can say it all by heart therefore wee must turne a new leafe and learne after to lay vp the word in our heart PORTION 4. DALETH Vers. 25. My soule cleaueth to the dust quicken me according to thy word THe comfort and wisedome which he had was by vicissitude and change sometime comfort sometime sorrowe so Gods children finde this change both into ioye and sorrowe those know this that haue experience of it others knowe it
would not make a shewe of godlinesse and denye the power of it in their liues but earnestly desire that the good worke begunne by the Lord it might in due time bee accomplished by them Quicken me in thy righteousnes He said before quicken me in thy word here in thy righteousnes all is one for the word of God is the righteousnes of God in which is set down the rule of righteousnes In this the Prophet desires to be quickened that is to be confirmed that in cheerefulnes and gladnes of spirit hee might relye vpon the word of God If any by righteousnes vnderstand that iustice of God by which hee defendeth such as commit themselues to him I gainesay it not VAV THE 6. PORTION ¶ Vers. 41. And let thy louing kindnes come vnto me O Lord and thy saluation according to thy promise HE goeth on yet in his prayer and here beggeth of God two things First mercie secondly saluation and both because God had promised them No maruell if hee desire Gods louing kindnesse For thy louing kindnesse saith hee is better then life it were better to be in hel with Gods fauour then in heaueÌ„ without it Mans sauour is mutable Gods immutable mans temporary Gods eternall mans of desert Gods free mans respecteth somewhat in man Gods beholdeth man in Christ. This wee must desire aboue all earthly things And thy saluation First mercie and then saluation the one is the cause the other the effect By saluation he meaneth ayde deliuerance victorie and eternall life this he calleth Gods saluation because it commeth onely from him According to thy promise This is â—â— which hee â—uer chargeth God with all it is an easie matter to trust God on his word in presperitie 〈◊〉 that can doe so in aduersitie hee is the man indeede But what benefit shalt thou haue Dauid if God bee a mercifull Sauiour vnto thee c. ¶ Vers. 42. So shall I make answere to my blasphemers for I trust in thy word MAny aduersaries had this holy Prophet they came about him like bees they layde to his charge things which hee neuer did and especially because hee made his boast of God and trusted to his word they oftentimes reproached him for it and when he was driuen to any extremitie they beganue to say where is now his God Thus became hee the shame of men and thâ— contempt of the people All they that sawe him had him inderision they made mowes and nodâ—ea their heads saying Hee trusted in God let him deliuer him let him saue him seeing hee loueth him Psal. 22. 6. 7. 8. In this hee was a type of our blessed Sauiour who was taunted in the like sort vpon the câ—osse Matth. 27. 39. 40. 41 42. 43. What now doth this man of God labour for to confute and put to silence these his blasphemers Surely the performance of Gods louing kindnesse and saluation the which it pleased him to make promise of This if wee pray for in all our troubles as the propher here doth in his this if wee staye our selues vpon as Dauid euer did though our enemies hee neuer so many neuer so mightie neuer so malitious wee shall in the ende haue such assured victorie that wee shall not onely answere our aduersaries but they with shame shall answere themselues and say wee fooles thought his confidence sollie but now wee see that hee is the Lords beloued and blessed are they that trust in him Obserue 1 That it is no new thing for the aduersaries of religioÌ„ to scorne such as trust onely in God and relie vpon his promises of saluation made vnto theÌ„ These wicked ones knewe no arme but flesh no security but in the things of this life as for such as thinke the name of the Lord to bee the strongest tower them they haue daily in derision 2. Not that if we trust in the word of God we shall be able to answere all our aduersaries for Christ will giue vs a mouth and wisedome whereagainst all our enemies shall not bee able to speake or resist Luk. 21. 15. Hugo Cardinalis obserueth that there are three sorts of blasphemers of the godly the deuils heretikes and slanderers The deuill must be answered by the internall word of humilitie heretiques by the externall word of wisedome slanderers by the actiue word of good life Vers. 43. And take not thy word of trueth vtterly out of my mouth for I waite for thy iudgements HE might for a while not finde the word of trueth to answere yet he prayeth that the word be not vtterly taken from him so hee saide â—â—â—sake me not ouer long This then sheweth that our case doth alter and change ebbe flow as it pleaseth God which reproueth them that are alwayes in the same case for the children of God haue a other course and wee must looke to be so our selues And this is a comfort when wee feele our selues weake yet Gods children haue been so also it may humble vs considering that God doth for some sinne lay this vpon vs let let vs pray that we may not be so for euer For I haue wâ—â—ted c. This sheweth that we may be so for a while yet we must wait til it please him to helpe vs. For thy iudgements that thou wilt execute iudgement on the wicked that thy children may obtaine the promises for then doth the Lord execute iudgements when he punisheth the wicked as he hath threatned and when he fulfilleth his promises to his children giuing them a tong to answere his blasphemers Vers. 44. So shall I alway keepe thy Law for euer and euer IF thou wilt deale thus then shall I keepe thy worde where hee teacheth that if God doe daily assist vs we shall stand but if he do not we shall fal flat This must teach vs to pray and that earnestly and this sheweth perseuerance contrary to the Papists which teâ—â—â— to doubt of saluation for the perswasion of Gods goodnes doth assure vs that we shall continue to the ende and if wee feele our faith weake and pray with assurance of his goodnesse that he will helpe vs we may be assured to stand Vers. 45. And I will walke at libertie for I seeke thy precepts HE will walke in the commandements that he may be at libertie for that is the plaine way all other are biâ—-paths which hee shall be free from if he sticke to the commandements For this is the cause that we are troubled and intangled because we aske not counsell at Gods word and wholy sticke vnto that and therefore we fall into some sinne and be ouercome with some temptation For the word is a lanterne to direct our steps without this we shall wander but if we tend to this light wee shall be at libertie This setteth out the benefit that those haue which enioy the word and their miserie that want it This then requireth that we be thankfull for Gods word and reproueth them that hauing the word yet wander astray and
them Humilitie is a true marke of Gods children and pride is a note of the wicked Vers. 52. I remembred thy iudgements of old O Lord and haue been comforted HE sheweth how hee was staied namely by looking into the iudgements of God against the wicked his deliuerance of the iust It is not then the good nature of men the wisedome c. that can comfort against reproches but rather make worse but it is the word that comforteth Thereby hee knewe that howsoeuer the wicked florished yet they should perish and howsoeuer the godly be afflicted yet they shall be rewarded Peter speaketh against these mockers in the last chapter of the second epistle The world shall perish in fire where he teacheth to answere them that it is as easie for God to destroy the world with fire as it was with water seeing hee hath spoken it So Dauid when hee was brought to say My God why hast thou forsaken mee then hee staied himselfe by this Our fathers trusted in thee So Psal. 67. I will remember thy workes of old So Psal. 119. part 15. by all which he sheweth that as God had done so he would doe still He remembred all the iudgements of God so Heb. 11. by all the works of God shewed in his children it is prooued that we must suffer affliction patiently So Psalme 106. Then Gods people must haue a multitude of examples that if we profit not by one yet by another if noâ— by a â—ewe yet by many for so haue the children of God done from time to time This then is the cause why men faile in reproch or any other crosse because meÌ„ haue noâ— store of examples out of Gods word especially out of the stories to strengthen them for if they would looke into the word and gather them they might be staied If this man were strengthened by former workes how much more ought we which haue many moe especially this Act. 17. that the Sonne of God hath suffered that hee may iudge all the world so the great workes of God in the Apostles time the great workes of God in the dayes of Queene Mary and in thâ—se daies the iudgements of God are on many that haue dailiâ—d with his word in giuing them ouer to heresies Then how ought we to be comforâ—ed with the assurance that God will come to iudgement Obiect This soâ—meth hard that hee was comforted in Gods iudgements whereas in another place â—e sâ—ith â— feare because of thy iudgements Answ. Although they feare the iudgements in their flesh yet they dare approue them to be Gods iudgements as Dauid saith O God of my righteousnes not comparing them to God but to the wicked and looking to that promise which in grace hee hath made to vs yet not in all our life but in some righteous cause that we haue in hand as Steuen did Then if men euer feare at the iudgements and nothing else the heart is not yet vpright for they are sinners therefore wee must labour to feele comfort by them in knowing that wee are sheepe not goates that we shall haue a reward and that the wicked shall be throughly punished For otherwise the diuell will buffet vs in seeing those that men call wicked how yet they florish and the godly are in miserie Then haue wee truly profited by the word when with comfort wee can behold Gods iudgements as is often said Come Lord Iesus come quickly For the childe of God is not afraide of â—uill tidings Psal. 112. Vers. 53. Feare is come vpon me for the wicked that forsake thy law THis agreeth well with the former which was a spirituall ioy for when hee seeth that the Lord will iudge and that hee is guiltlesse he is comforted but when he seeth the wicked sinne and by sinne prouoke Gods iudgements because they are his flesh and because they are Gods image therefore hee feared The zeale of Gods glorie causeth Gods children to feare as Elias â—onely c. and Dauid My zeale hath c. and their owne sinnes as Psal. 119. part 15. Gods children then are afraide when they see the glory of God defaced and men runne to their own condemnation And here is a difference betweene true ioy and worldly in Gods iudgements Prou. 24. 1. Cor. 5. the one because their hearts desire is fulfilled the other that sin is punished that Gods glorie is reuenged and that they are deliuered for in respect of the parties punished they feare as Christ ouer Ierusalem mourned and this is vsuall in all the Prophets when they see the iudgements of God approach Here is a difference betweene the zeale of the worldly and of the godly the one when he â—eeth a sin done he laugheth and reioyceth but the other feare as The rebukes of them that rebuke thee are fallen vpon me The former is the cause that many fall by Gods iudgement into those things which they find fault with in others The other is a true note of faith to feare for the destruction of the wicked which they themselues feare not But this is especially when they see a professor fall for that grieueth them greatly The third difference is that Gods children when they are comforted they also feare for the regenerate part onely is comforted the vnregenerate part doth still feare and there is good cause that it should feare as Noah feared and Dauid Psal. 119. part 15. but the wicked haue no feare but are ouercome with fleshly ioy and therefore the Apostle saith Phil. 3. Finish your saluation with feare because of corruption that either doth or may breake forth as Dauid was afraide when he had sinned Wee must then be comforted by Gods iudgements but so that we feare Secondly we must thinke that sinne is not a small thing not to be laughed at but to be feared Thirdly that wee must bee touched for the sinnes of others as if they were our owne Fourthly to forgiue iniuries against our selues but to be greatly displeased and vexed for the dishonouring of Gods name For all these are proper to Gods children When men take a carnall pleasure in Gods iudgements they abuse the grace of God to wantonnes but the children of God as they ioy in their inward man so doe they labour to be humbled by the law in their flesh which otherwise would be proude for the flesh would hold no meane but either would be too sorrowfull or else too ioyfull Thus Dauid mourned for the sinnes of others so Paul saith the Corinthians ought to doe 1. Cor. 5. and 2. Cor. 7. where he sheweth that this was the estate of the whole Church to mourne when any one member had offended And this is not a new thing for those are saued which mourned for the iniquities of Sion Ezech. 9. Then we must be grieued for the sinnes of others to shew that we are free from their sinnes that we are louers of righteousnes and desirous to glorifie God And when this sorrow can worke in vs
are readie to be secure therefore euen then we haue most need to pray With my whole heart He sheweth that he is not an hypocrite And then shall we know that we are not when our hearts are set before God and we powre them out before him as much as we haue vttered in words before men This maketh the children of God to sigh when they pray because they haue to doe with God and this maketh the hypocrites that they cannot see themselues because they know not that they haue to deale with God And when the children of God cānot come to shewe their hearts to God then if they sigh and groane for want of a heart this is a testimonie that wee pray in the Spirit Rom. 8. But when men pray as though they prayed not and heare as though they heard not nothing doth the Lord hate more than this Haue mercie This is the chiefe of his prayer and the first that God would giue him mercie not to crowne his worke wrought contrary to the Papists which pleade merites for though the Lord doe giue new grace yet not of merite for that we haue is defiled by vs but because he hath a loue to crowne his owne gifts He doth not pray for mercie of fashion but euen in the presence of God because the true feeling of his neede did driue him to make this prayer For as when wee in the feeling of our heart can long after mercie this may be a pledge that we shall finde mercie so they that haue no feeling of their infirmities cannot long for mercie and therefore haue no assurance that they shall haue mercy for it is the feeling of our miserie that maketh the mercie of God sweete vnto vs. He prayeth not for what he lusteth but for that the Lord promised for Saint Iames saith you pray and haue not c. and this is the cause that wee haue not the thing wee pray for because we pray not according to the word His word must be the rule of our prayers and then shall we receiue as Salomon prayed and obtained hee hath promised forgiuenes of sinnes the knowledge of his word c. these if wee haue let not our hearts bee set on the other He prayes for the promise and maketh not a stipulation by the law for it is the promise that giueth grace then shall wee here haue comfort if wee can beleeue because wee haue the couenant of grace and not of merite For if wee had but the lawe the best man must faile and misse but now it is the promise of which the worst shall not faile if they doe beleeue Obiect He had some speciall promises Answ. He had but the generall promises whereon he grounded these particular The promises therfore are generally made that euery one might know that they belong vnto him and that he might apply them to himselfe as here the Prophet doth Vers. 59. I haue considered my wayes and turned my feete vnto thy testimonies HE sheweth how he came to make God his portion because he had considered the vanities inconueniences of his wayes the mischiefe that they would bring him to Thus then shall we come to turne our steps to God by examining our sinfull wayes and the reward of sinne And because men doe not thus examine themselues therefore doe they make so small account of the word of God for if they knew that the gaine of sin bringeth losse and pleasure bringeth paine then would they not continue in their sinnes The like doth Dauid set down Psal. 4. where he calleth thē to examine thēselues before God and thus Paul 1. Cor. 5. prouoketh the eloquent Preachers to the iudgemēt of God This is a new argument to proue God to be his portion for seeing hee had made God his portion it behooued him to search if there were any thing in him that might displease God that then he might auoide it If we consider that sinne maketh vs ashamed before God as Adam was it will make vs leaue sinne Rom. 6. 22. If wee then will daily consider whether we may offer them vp in Christ to God or whether they make vs ashamed and whether they be to be allowed of men or not this will make vs more warie Testimonies There is no true examination without the word for thereby we knowe that sinne bringeth death but righteousnesse bringeth peace in this life and euerlasting ioy afterward this ioy made him examine his wayes Vers. 60. I made haste and delaied not to keepe thy commandements THis sheweth his care that he had to make God his portion by this speedie haste he made All the lets that are in a man all the corruption of the world and all the baites of Satan did not stay him but the spirit made him with ioy full haste to seeke after God Paul had lets and this man had not greater perfection yet both of them speaking of a regenerate man shew that if we will not nourish occasions the Spirit will not suffer vs to be ouercome therefore we may attempt the like haste in trust of his helpe and we shall finde that we shall be inabled in some measure hereunto Vers. 61. The bands of the wicked haue robbed me but I haue not forgotten thy Law THough the troupes of the wicked band themselues against him yet he forsaketh not the Lord this is a true triall of his loue to the word that he stood in this affliction For that loue which continueth to the word in affliction is true he that hath such a loue hath a true loue For if when we are ill dealt with we doe not so againe but still sticke and continue our loue to the word it is an argument that we loue the word because it is of God and not for glorie The children of God in affliction haue beene daunted as Iob c. and this man no doubt felt his flesh yet here he sheweth that he ouercame it and staied himselfe in faith of the promises and continued in obedience Vers. 62. At midnight will I rise to giue thankes vnto thee because of thy righteous iudgements A New argument because he giueth thankes to God for his iudgements euen at midnight Then we must be occupied in setting out the praises of God for it is the speciall note of Gods children for hypocrites for need may pray The children of God feele great want in this therefore when our hearts are prepared to giue God thankes it is a great gift of God Midnight sheweth that he was both sincere and also earnest Doe we this at noone day if not then we are farre from this for he vsed this at morning noone and euening so did Daniel Singing of Psalmes was vsuall after meate as our Sauiour did Iudgements That is that God tooke vengeance on the wicked and performed his promises to his children and this confirmed his faith for here he had an experimentall faith And this if we note the iudgements of God
who although we haue the generall rule of our doings yet faile in the particular practise thereof I beleeue He confesseth that all wisedome was in Gods word and this although we confesse yet in practise wee often thinke that some wisedome of men must be added thereto But hee confesseth that all wisedome is in the word and that it is sufficient to make men perfect Vers. 67. Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keepe thy word THis is another reason which moued him to pray that hee might not be as a horse alwayes beaten but teach me that I may preuent these beatings If I be taught of thee I misse not if I be not I erre In prosperitie I could not seeke to be taught but in affliction drawe me thereunto so that now I desire to be taught of thee If prosperitie made this man worse seeing we are in prosperitie let vs be iealous of our selues and now seeke for that which God will bring vs to by affliction and which will bring affliction vpon vs. If hee will heare when wee humbly crie in affliction how much more if wee make our humble suite in our prosperitie Afflictions come because we will not iudge our selues then it is a blessing to haue the word to iudge vs and the Preacher to rebuke vs that our wanton lusts may be corrected Then wee are fond if wee will bee wearie of the word or of daily admonition If the word helpe in affliction how much more in prosperitie if we tend thereto Whom God loueth hee correcteth and wee shall know that God loueth vs when we are corrected if we be made better by it for in it selfe it is a punishment of sinne but when in the death of Christ it is sanctified to vs so that it maketh vs dye to sinne and that sinne is loathsome to vs then is it a token of Gods fauour For afflctions are common to all Eccles. 9. but when we profit by them then are they good to vs. For if good things become hurtfull if they bee not sanctified much more shall afflictions if they bee not sanctified in the death of Christ to make vs examine our wayes and see our sinnes and to driue vs to Christ. But the wicked are either worse or no better Then wee must profit by them or else we make away for a greater punishment Vers. 68 Thou art good and gratiâ—us teach me thy stâ—tutes HE desireth to be taught by God that whether hee were in prosperitie or trouble hee might liue well because prosperitie would make him forgetfull and affliction would ouâ—â— whelme him if God did â—ot teach him This must teach vs that in what state soeuer we be we desire to be taught of God otherwise we shall false After he had shewed that he keepeth Gods commanden eâ—ts he craueth for grace where he pleadeth not his merit Though he kept the word yet he prayeth that he may still be raught because he knâ—w not all and because he was râ—adie to eâ—â—e both in practise and iudgement And tâ—â—s must teach vs not onely to desire to be taught when we eâ—â—e but euen when we doâ— well Hee prayâ—th especially for the teaching of the spirit Vers. 69. The proude haue imagined a lye against mee but I will keepe thy prâ—cepts with my whole heart HE sheweth another cause why hee would be taught and that is hee hath to fight with the world And wee haue the same causes as our corruption and the world The world loueth none but her owne And if we were as zealous as others haue beene wee should be as sore troubled For they are enuious and if wee should fight with them with their owne weapons wee were too weake and therefore wee haue neede to bee helped of God Proud Faith humbleth and infidelitie maketh proud Faith humbleth because it letteth vs see our sinnes and the punishments thereof and that we haue no dealing with God but in the mediation of Christ and that wee can doe no good nor auoide euill but by grace but when men know not this then they thinke much of themselues and therefore are proud Therefore all ignorant men all heretikes and worldlings are proud They that are humbled vnder Gods hands are humble to men but they that despise God doe also persecute his seruants By proude he here meaneth them that had good gifts to teach vs that though wee bee persecuted of them that are in high places yet this is the manner of Gods people These first mocked him part 7. then they did him iniurie part 8. and here they deuise suttle deuices against him and this is the continuall practise of the wicked This is a great temptation to set a faire face vpon an euill cause and to deface a good cause as is noted by the Hebrue word This was great grace that he could withstand it The way is to approue our selues and our cause to God for if we depend vpon men then shall wee be amazed This maketh that true which is Eccles 8. that it happeneth to the good as though they were euill and contra This is the practise of the Familie of loue to raise vp euill reports against the cause of true religion and against the persons and they preuaile much This is the practise of men in these daies to deface the persons by calling them Puritanes and the cause that it will ouerthrow states With my heart The word must haue the whole heart and not a part or else we shall not outstand this temptation He meant that he did throughly meditate not that hee did nothing else For want of this we see that many being well coloured with the word yet doe shrinke when euill reports arise Vers. 70. Their heart is sat as grease but my delight is in thy law HE further sheweth the daunger of this temptation for as they were suttle to deuise wickedly so were they able to bring their wickednesse to passe For by this speech he meaneth that they had all things at their owne will and were through their riches in great authoritie I delight He sheweth how hee ouercame this by fatting his heart with the word as the wicked fatted themselues by their riches or else he should haue been carried away Then let vs neuer rest in reading or hearing the word till wee come to such delight in it as that we fat our selues with it as the worldlings doe with their riches If wee could doe this then should we easily take our hearts from these earthly things for this is the cause that men set their delight on earthly things because they know no better And that they may finde this delight it is needfull that they finde comfort in the promises by the forgiuenes of sinnes by the assurance of Gods fauorable prouidence in this life and euerlasting life afterward which when they feele and finde then shall the word be so sweete that they shall forgoe all things for it Till wee come to this delight temptations
the Prophet here setteth downe by proofe in his owne person Neither must wee thinke that as it were with a trumpet he doth here blow and sound forth his owne praise but rather by his example is desirous to stirre others vp Vers 98. By thy commaundements thou hast made mee wiser than mine enemies for they are â—uer with me THe first of the particular effects is contained in these words By thy coÌ„mandements thou hast made me wiser than mine enemies Wee see how men now adayes straine their wits to match their enemies in policies deuices but few thinke on this sound meanes whereby we shall surely preuaile against them Now if it be so that whatsoeuer is written is written for our instructioÌ„ and comfort in making mention of the meanes the Prophet of the Lord doth teach vs that it was no extraordinarie worke of the Lord proper to him but a meanes appointed of God for vs all to follow Whereby hee teacheth vs that God will blesse vs to attaine to the like wisedome if we will endeuour to vse the like meanes To apply this to our profit wee must gather the particular out of the generall doctrine on this manner whosoeuer shall haue the commaundements of God euer with him hee shall be wiser then his enemies than his teachers than the ancient but Dauid did so or wee doe so therefore Dauid and we shall finde this wisedome But some man will say Experience teacheth vs a cleane contrarie doctrine that Gods children are not so wise in their light as the children of this world are in their generation I answere That it is true experience prooueth and our Sauiour Christ teacheth but this I adde that the experience commeth from our small sight of the word and not for any want of the word it selfe when Gods children haue it on their side And our Sauiour Christ his speech tendeth rather to shew what it is through our corruption than what it ought to be so that iustly he vseth it to our shame Indeede ciuill wisedome which choketh in them all temptations with worldly delights hauing the diuell to be their schoole master doth worke in them a contentation of minde while for a season they smother as they thinke the iudgements of God breathing vpon them And because on the contarie the spirits of Gods children are occupyed in heauenly things yet often the flesh so laboureth against the spirit that whilest they would be wiser than the Lord or would vse any indirect meanes against their enemies or in vsing good meanes faile in prayer or in not staying themselues on Gods prouidence and appointed time of deliuerance it commeth to passe that they are ouercome But whilest they renounce themselues and their owne wisedome and craue counsaile of God in his word and the direction of his Spirit by prayer whilest they vse good meanes in a good cause and keeping a good conscience waite on the hand of the Lorde they shall bee sure to haue the ouerthrowe of their enemies Proofe doth teach vs that a silly soule in the Countrey which walketh in the wayes of the Lorde will soone discouer the shifting pollicies of a worldly learned man brought vp in the Vniuersitie because the wrath of the Lord hangeth ouer the one and his mercifull spirit watcheth ouer the other But so long as wee will shoote with Sathan in his owne bowe and repell policie with policie what follie shall be found in vs though we can howle loftily with the wolfe and deale cunningly with the Grecians when as the Lord will neuer suffer a good cause to be maintained by euill meanes Some of vs seeke the word but in seeking it we rest in our owne good meaning not humbling our selues before the Lord but our wisdome herein must come from the spirit For we can no more by the eie of reason see the light of the word then Howlets looke vpon the bright Sunne Wherefore the Lord will haue vs in all controuersies with our aduersaries to depend on him and to know that the cause must not depend on our owne shoulders then must we by faith in the bloodshedding of Christ beleeue that our sinnes neither new nor old shall hinder the helping hand of the Lord. We must trust on Gods prouidence and promises and stay our selues by prayer on his wisedome if we look to be wiser than our aduersaries An excellent example hereof we haue to proue that secret sinnes not repented of may hinder the Lords dealing with vs against our enemies We read that after that filthy incest mentioned in Iudg. 17. which made the Leuite whose wife was abused to cut her in twelue peeces and send her through all the parts of Israel there was warre betweene the Beniamites and Israel and the Beniamites being but few in number and maintaining an euill cause in two battels ouercame the Israelites vntil at length they humbled themselues with prayer and fasting and repented of that euill which was amongst them so that in the third assault the Lord gaue his people strength mightily to preuaile against their enemies So we may haue a good cause and vse good meanes and yet for want of reconciling our selues to God for some sinne new or old we may suffer the ouerthrow If then our cause be good we must vse good meanes faith in Christ trust in his prouidence and staying our selues on his wisedome Doe we not see by experience how the Martyrs of God humbling themselues on this maner preuailed in mightie power against their accusers Deut. 4. Moses sheweth that the enemies of God were driuen to confesse that only Gods people were wise euen because God gaue them good lawes This was it that made Ioseph wiser than his brethren Moses wiser than the Egyptians and Daniel than all the Magicians of Babylon and Dauid than all his politike enemies Marke I pray you all figuratiue hyperbolicall and darke speeches the Metaphors and Parables which are in the word of God and you shall finde that they were learned people to whom the bookes were written and had attained that measure of wisedome and knowledge which in our time none can vnderstand but they which are brought vp in learning which thing we may also obserue in them of whom the Histories of the booke of God are written and yet who were more blockish then the Iewes after they had transgressed so obstinately the law of the Lord But shall wee vnderstand this as though the children of God were in euery particular action wiser then the wicked ones No but onely in those things and then wherein and when they vsed this wisedome of the Spirit and gaue themselues and their causes to be gouerned according to Gods word Looke on Dauid who though hee was wise so long as he kept a good conscience yet harkening to policie and not willing to stay himselfe on the simplicitie of Gods word how suddenly was hee ouercome and yeelded so farre that he dissembled euen
policie and his teachers in wisedome so now he sheweth how he went before his elders in prudence and vnderstanding He was wiser than his enemies Why because in all his attempts deliberated not with flesh and blood but asked counsaile of the Lord by the word and by prayer He excelled his teachers in good learning wherefore because he contented not himselfe to stay on the naked rules by them deliuered but further laboured with his conscience to make the vse of them profitable to himselfe He ouer-reached his ancients Why because he euer had a speciall care to keepe a true faith and a good conscience whereof many had made shipwracke Whereof then commeth it to passe that the scholler is often better than his maister commeth it not from hence because the Lord worketh according to his will and bestoweth like effects where like meanes are vsed blesseth and curseth depresseth and raiseth vp according to the vsing and not vsing of necessarie meanes By meditation the iudgemēt of the godly is refined by musing the wicked grow by high degrees to the mysterie of iniquitie For as they be much giuen to this kinde of occupying their mindes so Sathan doth most thereby conuey himselfe into them putting such platformes and deuices into their head that otherwise were wonderfull to come into a mortall mans minde So then they that doe not rest in hearing and reading but endeuour by meditation to finde and draw out an vse of it in themselues wonderfully doe profit and mightily excell others Let vs not rest in our ouersights but stirre vp and prouoke our affections to take a new view of those things which we haue heard whereby we may gather more vnto our selues than that which we haue heard And why Man is a creature reasonable and by the light of nature can thus reason with himselfe if this be true then the contrarie is false if it holdeth in the greater then it holdeth in the lesser If this good thing hath good effects then tho contrarie euill hath ill issues See how knowledge by meditation doth increase Againe because euery member of Christ is annointed with knowledge according to that measure which the Spirit worketh as well the hearer as the speaker may profit by vsing the meanes For by meditation the iudgemēt is refined the wit helped the memory strengthened and stirreth vp affections as thus Is this good I will doe it Is this the obedience rewarded I will obey it Is this forbidden I will auoide it Is this threatned with so fearfull iudgements I quake and tremble to thinke of it By the helpe of this many will speake on a sudden because they speake out of the experience of their owne consciences when the learning of others is in their teachers head or else in their booke It is then the righteous iudgement of God that we are so vnapt to practise wanting dexteritie of wit bereaued of sound iudgement besides many other punishments due to the contempt of Gods word when our owne conscience shall accuse vs saying This good thou mightest haue had this comfort thou mightest haue enioyed hadst thou meditated on the word There remaineth the thrid effect which is in these words I am wiser than the ancient c. Oh notable wisedome that made him wiser than gray haires which are of longer experience He doth not compare himself with dotish old men but the wise Ancients in whom though not the quicknes of wit yet the pith and marrow of knowledge remaineth Neither doth he speake this so much to praise himselfe as to stirre vp others If then we shall see a comely old man speaking law on the bench and desire to heare some wise experience the man of God here telleth vs the way how before those times we may attaine vnto it And through the blessing of God on those meanes the graces of God shall be greater in young yeares if we labour for knowledge and with knowledge ioyne conscience and with conscience practise For the high way to knowledge is to meditate with our knowledge and to tremble in our hearts at the maiestie of the word not ceasing to labour with our selues vntill by musing we haue felt some comfort Here of it proueth that they which haue heard the word of God but a yeare haue more profited thā they which haue heard it sixe yeares For vnto him that hath more shall be giuen and from him that hath not euen that which he hath shall be taken from him If we obserue it we shall finde prophane Protestants who now haue seene three Gouernments which both are ignorant in knowledge and haue gotten many placards and curtaines for their grosse sinnes This may teach vs to see into Gods iudgement who punisheth so seuerely the decay of faith as also the mercy of God towards them that lay vp in their hearts the meditation and in their liues the practise of that which they haue heard I see no more fearefull tokens of the desolations of our times than that men promising whole worlds vnto themselues seeke so much for themselues that they neither desire Gods glorie nor the Churches profit A man may talke with a great Reader and there be some good things in him but talke with an exercised minde and you shall finde in him farre greater and more excellent wisedome Why doe not the old Protestants grow in knowledge as they grow in age but because they doe not vse to meditate Many men seemed to haue good gifts great knowledge and dexteritie of wit who now are destitute and barren of all these heauenly graces What is the cause surely the want of faith and of a good conscience doth make vs faile in many good things or else the cause may be some secret sin not repented of why there is such store of ill and such barrennes of good things So that the Lord striketh many with such follie that they which sometimes tasted of the good graces of God are now become dull heads Another reason why old men doe not grow in knowledge is because the more they haue the more they doe desire Many are so vaine and light that a man shall assoone bring an hogge from his haunt as them from their delights so the Lord doth make them end their age and life in worldlines which spend their liues and youths in vanities If we see one giuen to vanitie what say we Oh there is a wittie yong man if we see one giuen to worldlines what say we Oh there is a iolly thriuing fellow and thus for want of a sanctified wit and sight we remaine fooles and vnthrifts in spirituall things But it standeth with the righteous iudgement of God that they should be depriued of the vnderstanding of heauenly things which so greedily turne al their wits to worldlines On the contrary where we make conscience to meditate we growe from a small graine of knowledge to an whole field of vnderstanding For wee see many vsing their wits to
the Lord that as hee had giuen his heart whole vnto him so hee would confirme this grace of his Spirit in him Now seeing the Lord hath also promised to cleanse our hearts and that Iesus Christ is our wisedome and sanctification and wee are become the children of the highest our meaning is not that the full performance hereof should bee sought for in our selues but in Christ. The second thing whereby wee are hindred is that wherewith Sathan doth buffet vs wheÌ„ we haue made some breach of our couenant made to the Lord saying Thou hast not kept thy promise thou hast broken thy bond thou hast violated thy couenant and to doe this once is as good as twentie this will be a sufficient euidence against thee why doest thou therefore continue and striuest any further in vaine We see how this preuaileth oftentimes because there is no greater sinne than the sinne of them who sometimes haue beene religious and by this practise of the diuell for some particular offence haue beene perswaded that they haue made an vtter breach of their couenant Wee answere for this that seeing that Christ did not onely die for our sinnes before Baptisme but also for our sinnes after Baptisme and did not onely satisfie for our sinnes committed before our calling but for those also which we commit after our calling though through infirmitie and frailtie we haue fallen and yet not lying downe in presumption and malice but there is a reuerent feare trembling in our hearts that our corruptions rebelled against the Lord the particular couenant being broken cannot take away the generall and cannot bee excluded but must be included in the same When then wee haue made a breach of humane obliâ—â—ion and not of obstinate maliciousnes this is as well forgiuen in the generall as other sinnes Wee may see this in politike matters betweene a good Lord and his seruant for I presuppose a mercifull a curteous Lord the Lord will not bee displeased for failing in some particular performance of some particular couenant so he findeth him readie to yeeld honour and obedience to the generall couenants which are betweene them euen so the Lord whose loue exceedeth the loue of a father Psal. 103. and of a mother Esay 49. towards his will spare vs for a particular breach so it be not a general contempt and done of wilfull malice If then in such a case we will humble our selues with sorrow that we displeased our God and desire the Lord not to take vengeance for any finall breach because there was no finall intent to fall from the Lord we shall surely finde mercie and pardon at his hand This is a doctrine very requisite because it is the policie of Sathan to perswade a man that hauing broken one couenant he hath broken all The remedie then is that wee know our sinnes to be pardoned and that we renue our couenant which wee doe so oft as we come to the Sacrament Let vs learne therefore to make all our othes with the Lord in great reuerence as did Nehemiah chap 5. who caused the oath to be ministred in the presence of the Priest then must we vse prayer and all meanes whereby we may continue in the same lastly if we slip or falle in some particular we must not be discouraged or â—aint The cause then why men doe not this is either because they doe not take it in hand in reuerence or taking it in hand doe not purpose to keepe it or keeping it doe fall by despaire for some particular defect Thus we see how the man of God sheweth his earnestnes and his affection to the law of God teaching vs why many doe not so loue the word as to make it a lanterne to their feete either because they haue not such vehement affection or else they be not so permanent and therefore we are to pray both against our coldnes to the law and our inconstancie It might seeme strange to some that he should sweare to keepe Gods iudgements but we must know that this keeping is not so much in outward shew as in inward vertue Againe we see that as in making this holy o th Gods children doe not exclude but include the forgiuenes of sinnes so they doe it not but first presupposing the grace of God by prayer to be obtained for the keeping of it Besides no particular or accessorie couenant can take away the principall and generall because the one includeth the other But here we must note that then no secondarie cause can take away the first when we sinne but of humane frailtie and not of presumption and when we so craue for mercy that our hearts be set to recouer our selues and we will not be sluggish in our sinnes hereafter because then is the oath broken and couenant disanulled when we make a finall breach We must therefore fight against scrupulositie herein knowing that God wil spare vs as a father doth his children in that the whole breach of our couenant is a generall relinquishing of the same When then there ariseth a feare in our hearts to come so neere vnto the Lord although it may be good no more to powre this pretious licour into fraile coÌ„sciences than to put new wine into old bottels and rather appertaineth to them of greater graces yet we must consider that there were great infirmities in this man of God against which he would striue by this meane and so prouoke himselfe to come neerer to the Lord. So that as we must not vndertake this thing without aduice so we must not alwaies please our selues in these beginnings and when as concerning the time we should be teachers we should neede to haue the first foundation of religion laid againe Wherefore we must needes acknowledge that the cause of our long absence from the Lord is our want of the defiance of sinne and loue to the word as the Prophet had neither must we euer when occasion wall be giuen neglect this meane which may keepe vs from sliding backe And here we are to obserue that wicked or foolish vowes which hinder Christian religion and those wicked vowes of wicked religion as the ridiculous vowes of chastitie or such as may hinder vs in our callings as that a man should neuer eate flesh or should not weare some kinde of apparell are to be auoided because they haue not their warrant out of the word of God And though wine maketh drunkards being immoderately taken yet it is no reason seeing it maketh glad the heart of man in it owne nature why others should not vse it which haue weake bodies yet thus much will I grant that if a man that hath beene drunke by too immoderate drinking of wine doth vow for a time to relinquish it this is not vnaduised seeing we are commaunded if our eye offend vs to pull it out and if our foote doth hurt vs to cut it off Againe if a man giuen to
concupiscence shall solemnely vow to refraine the familiaritie of wanton women and will not come in place where light women frequent but with Iob shall make a couenant with his eyes we see this by the word also to be warrantable And thus much for meanes to auoide euill now for meanes to doe good If a man feele himselfe dull and slow in reading the word or slacke in prayer shall to the prouoking himself the more make a couenāt daily to reade some portion of the word and to bestow some time of the day in prayer if this be taken vp in the wisedome of the Spirit to cast off sluggishnesse and prouoke alacritie herein we see because at morning noone-tide and euening some of Gods children haue vsed it he may set himselfe a taske and thereby may make a stay for his wauering minde Howbeit these things must not be perpetuall as it is in other couenants For a man may abstaine from women and wine for a time and yet not for euer because it must bee done for some certaine ends and causes as also with some holy conditions As for example if a man hath taken a time of the day to pray in and at that time he shall haue some speciall cause of setting foorth Gods glorie or if his particular calling requiring an whole man shall call him away then if hee omit it there is no breach because the thing which hee is about to doe is according to Gods law This is needfull to be considered with a godly care that wee double that some other day when we shall be more at libertie which we haue for the same causes pretermitted the day before If then there be iust occasion offered of this remission for otherwise wee must not be remisse we know that the couenant is not broken in that we made it with a condition that we would vse it so farre foorth as it might not hinder Gods glory our dutie to our brethren nor our seuerall calling because in such a case to obey is better than sacrifice But if there be no iust cause of pretermitting this purpose then is there iust cause of sorrowing for breaking the couenant But here wee see an helpe wee haue not done this taske to day because of idlenes what then We must returne to the assurance of forgiuenes of sinnes and must redeeme that with double diligence which wee haue lost through wilfull negligence In these vowes then taken vp of our selues as meanes to auoid sinne or to doe good we must first take heede that they bee made within the compasse of the word Secondly that they be but for a time and not continuall Thirdly that they bee euer made with wife and discreete considerations least being broken our cōsciences be troubled Fourthly if there be any fault that it be recompenced by double dutie and diligence afterward Thus wee see how either for to pricke vs to good or stay vs from some euill wee may make a couenant vpon condition in a desire of Gods glorie and in crauing Gods grace And thus much of his care and conscience to Gods iudgements now let vs come to the third argument which is his affliction Vers. 107. I am very sore afflicted O Lord quicken me according to thy word IN that the man of God vseth this as a reason before his prayer it seemeth hee was not meanely troubled but sorely vexed as wee may see in ioyning that which he saith in the verse following My soule is continually in mine hand yet doe I not forget thy law Wherein carying his soule in his hand he meaneth that he hath no assurāce of his life but is in continuall danger of it as wee count those things which be in our hand to be hardly sure and in perill to slip from vs as we may see by other places of the word As in the booke of Iudges Iephtha saith I caryed my life in mine owne hand that is I did hazard my life 1. Sam. 28 21. where the Pythonisse saith I haue put my soule in my hand which is all one as if shee should say I haue ventured my life or I was at deaths doore Iob. 13. 14. Wherefore doe I teare my flesh with my teeth and put my soule in my hand As if hee should say Why doe I put my life in danger For euen as water lying in our hand is soone slipt out so our soule beeing in our hand is said to be at deaths doore Besides he confesseth that he had many snares and pestilent deuices of his enemies laid against him so that at his least going astray hee was layed for and readie to bee taken In that hee needed thus to pray wee may see how reason might haue moued him to the contrarie Flesh and blood might haue taught Daniel that in such narrow search hee might haue shut his window when he praied or haue conueied himselfe into some secret chamber and so to haue vsed some policie and prouided means to haue saued himselfe had not the spirit of God mightily preuailed in him against all such temptations So when by reason of some imminent danger we are at our wits end sathan would haue vs go in by-paths and not to make the word of God a lantorne to our feete Saul when hee could heare nothing from the Lord was driuen thus by his extreame daunger to goe to the witches We see then how necessary it is for Gods children in the time of triall to pray for their direction in the right wayes Againe because when we are hardly dealt with wee are ready to reuenge with policie we see how he prayeth to keepe himselfe aright It was vndoubtedly the great mercie of God to Dauid then to pray that no affection of reuenge might enter into him Oh how needfull then is it for vs whē the wicked shall deale with vs vnreasonably to pray to the Lord to be kept in iudgement from policie and in affection from reuenging and that we may stay our iudgement on Gods promises and our affections on his dealings Thirdly if all meanes be wanting to vs then will the diuell moue vs to despaire and therefore great neede haue we to pray that we may be deliuered from the darkenesse of despaire by the lanterne of Gods word We see how necessarily the man of God praied not to be tempted aboue his strength and that the rod of the wicked should not fall on his lot least he should put his hand vnto wickednesse and therefore craued wisedome in Gods word faith in his promises and patience in his goodnesse We see then the plaine meaning of the man of God in this verse if we call to minde in this word very sore afflicted that which we haue heard before that his eyes failed his heart fainted his spirit panted his naturall powers melted and to be briefe that he was an image of death As a man cannot abide great prosperitie no more can he abide great aduersitie For as we are puft vp
which way soeuer a man would turne himselfe although hee would search the world with a candle hee shall finde many euill to corrupt him but fewe good to guide him And seeing our times are worse than the times wherein the Prophet liued and wee are easier and readier to take harme by euill examples than he was we must know that whosoeuer will be truly taught to hate vaine inuentions and loue the word of God he must learne that which is written in the first Psalme that is that we walke not in the counsell of the wicked nor stand in the way of sinners Away then with them that say the Preacher indeed speaketh well and teacheth the truth aright but who doth it and rather let vs bid the euill away from vs let vs followe them that doe well so farre as they follow Christ and his word let vs be heedfull to looke to our waies and be the more careful because in former ages the Lord hath set before vs so many examples of falling Wee may communicate with them in our calling wee may be knit to them by consanguinitie wee may bee ioyned with them in affinitie and as neighbours dwell together we cannot in these things bee well free from them yet we must not deale with them as they be wicked we must not drawe in the yoke with them we must not be giuen to the like studies to the like endeuours and enterprises with them Concerning their calling in the world wee may vse them but not according to their corrupt dealing with the world Wee see the Prophet his meaning is Away from me ye wicked ye weaken my faith in Gods promises by your inuentions you inkindle mistrust in me I will not yeeld to you I will not consent to you nor take part in any of your inuentions for I trust in my God he is my shield and my refuge Here wee may also learne how to discerne betweene their persons wherein they beare the image of God and their callings which are the ordinance of God and betweene their liues which are full of corruptions If we looke but into the first commandement we shall see how hard a thing it is to keepe Gods law vnlesse wee sequester ourselues from the societie of sinne How shall we beleeue among vnbeleeuers or pray to the Lord among prophane persons or trust in the Lord among such shifters For as euil men continuing in the companie of godly men shall sodainely at one time or other be coloured with their good things so the godly abiding in the meetings of the wicked vnlesse they bee very circumspect and suspect their owne weaknes will sodainly be taken We knowe that Ioseph being in Pharaohs Court began to be coloured with the Egyptians corruptions If then wee haue any iust cause of meeting with the wicked we must not auoid their companie but we must mislike their manners we must rebuke reproue cry against their sins we must feare our selues and in euery thing suspect them But let vs see how dangerous a thing it is to bee with the wicked and what meanes there be with them for our destruction Whether we be friends and in league with them or foes and at defiance with them all is one For if wee be at defiance with them how will they bring our persons in contempt and raise many calumnious speeches against vs and affray vs with iniuries If we be in friendship with them in what danger are wee least they should inueagle vs allure vs and take vs slily away from a good conscience If we be at defiance with them they will dismay vs with threatnings if we be in friendship with them wee cannot deale so roughly against their sinnes wee can hardly gainesay them in their wickednesse wee are drawne away by them and waxe colde by little and little in those things wherein we haue been zealous Oh here then appeareth the wonderfull and vnspeakeable mercy of God to his children in this world to keepe them as sheepe among wolues and to saue them from the infection of sinne in the middest of a wicked and sinfull generation It followeth in this verse That I may keepe the commandements of my God As if he should haue said he is not your God because you put not your trust in him but follow your own inuentions he is my God I loue him I feare him I put my trust in him I loue his word because his promises are sweete to me I feare to sinne because his threatnings proue true I trust in him because of his word he is none of your God neither can you assure your selues of him For as Portion 20.3 Saluation is farre from the wicked because they seeke not thy statutes No no God is grieued and displeased with you though for a while hee spare you he shall one day punish you he is my protectour and defender This is a notable thing and worthy to be obserued The man of God recouereth himselfe because God hath promised in his word that hee will defend his as with a shield but he will put to flight the armies of their aduersaries He reasoneth therefore thus with himselfe The Lord hath promised to be a tower and buckler for them that put their trust in him and beleeue his word I beleeue this to be true I see it shall come to passe according to his word therefore he is my God my shield and my refuge Let vs learne in time of trouble thus to recouer our selues For doe we not see how now adaies some take this way and some take that way some vse this shift and some haue that policie doe their dealings shew that God is on their side or that hee will take their part nay rather that he is farre from thē We must euery one frame this reason which the Prophet vseth that euery man may say I trust in Gods word I hate the vaine shifts of the wicked God is my God My God wee must here marke that wee giue not God sufficient honour vntill we cleaue wholy vnto him as he requireth of vs in his first commaundement For we then haue him to be our onely God when we onely feare him when we onely loue him whē we onely obey him when we put our trust in him alone So that we deny him his honour vntill we leauing all other fetches and deuises of louing fearing obeying and trusting in him and loue feare obey and trust in him as we are onely and wholy taught in his word Excellent is that place of the Prophet Psalm 73. where the man of God seeing the euill men in number many in power great and good men in number few and abilitie weake began to bee in a dangerous estate in thinking almost wickedly of Gods prouidence and began to be moued and to dispute as it were with God about the prosperitie of the wicked and pouertie of the godly vntill hee came to looke into the glasse of Gods word where he found
humble they feare themselues they seeke the Lord by prayer and are desirous to be established in the promises of God they are as strong as Mount Sion which cannot be remoued but remaineth for euer Psalme 125.1 Though then we be weake yet our Christ is strong though we haue many enemies yet the Lord hath promised to be our staie against them all Let vs knowe that perseuerance is as well the gift of God as to come at first to God We know what a free gift of God it was that we came to him Hee sought vs when we desired him not he found vs when we sought him not We see how before our calling we closed our eyes and would not see him we stopt our eares and would not heare him we drew backe and refused to goe to him and the Lord was faine to draw vs out so that our beginning came of God who reformed our iudgements and renewed our affections now to be established in seeing hearing and willingly drawing neere vnto God is his onely gift also Well we must be afraide of our selues and suspect our selues For why doe we slip often into such grosse sinnes why are we carried away with our owne affections why doe so many good motions die and perish in vs but only because of our securitie we are not careful to please God we are not afraide to offend God Well if we see that securitie hath bene the cause of our woe let vs labour to be carefull which is the cause of our good if securitie hath bene the cause we feared not let vs now be carefull that we may be afraide of our frailtie and trust in Gods word Otherwise if we be quiet with our selues and yeeld to presumption God will suffer vs to fall This is the cause why our sinnes breake out often to Gods dishonour and to the griefe of our owne consciences because we doe not more carefully to looke our thoughts and watch ouer our words It is added in this verse that I may liue So he saith Portion 10.4 Let thy tender mercies come vnto me that I may liue We see heere that the children of God thinke they haue no life if they liue not in Gods life For if we thinke we are aliue because we see so doe the bruit beasts if we thinke we are aliue because we heare so do the cattell if we thinke we are aliue because we eate and drinke or sleepe so do beasts if we thinke we liue because we doe reason and conferre so doe the Heathen The life of Gods children is the death of sinne for where sinne is aliue there that part is dead vnto God Art thou then giuen to malice to swearing to cursing to breaking of the Sabbath to adultery to filthines to stealing or slandring surely then art thou dead and if God should take away thy life from thee whilest thou art in this estate thy soule should goe sooner to hell than thy bodie to the graue We now see that Gods children finding themselues dull and slowe to good things when they cannot either reioyce in the promises of God or finde their inward man delighted with the law of God thinke themselues to be dead The Prophets meaning is this I am euen as a lumpe of flesh I am like an image or like an idoll of Gods childe I beare the face of his childe but I am as dead and as a blocke or a stocke or an idoll For as an idoll hath eyes and seeth not eares and heareth not mouth and speaketh not feete and goeth not euen so haue I eyes but I see not the glorie of my God I haue eares but I heare not the word of God I haue a mouth but I shewe not forth the iudgements of God I haue feete but I walke not in the law of my God The iust shall liue by faith Hab. 2. Rom. 1. Now I liue no more but Christ liueth in me saith the Apostle Oh that men would consider this that they are dead otherwise than their life is hidden in the promise and they haue no life but in Christ and from his spirit If the Prophet sayd this of himselfe where is the faith of our protestants where is the life of the godly where is their hope of a better life where is their practise of repentance where is the peace of conscience that passeth all vnderstanding where is the ioy of ChristiaÌ„s where is the care of mortification where is the quicknesse of sanctification where are all these become They are sewe and dead to good workes they liue in sinne they be but Christians in name they are very idols There is no life but in the word which we must finde by experience in our selues When Gods children finde this life of God in them then are they merrie and glad but when they feele that God withdraweth his spirit from them then they see how they are dead dull and carelesse as they were wont to be before they were regenerate Shall not this make vs more carefull and zealous of good workes and to be more iealous of our selues Let vs consider this that it is a ioy to haue a life and that euen the life of God the life of Angels the life of Christ when we contemne this life when wee are zealous of good workes when we feele spirituall ioyes when wee looke for a crowne of glorie when we labour to be renewed to the image of Christ. This is an heauenly life and though we will sweate and eate and drinke this is common with the beasts of the field and hauing no experience of faith in vs wee are either dangerously sicke or altogether dead If wee thinke it an hard matter to restore nature in a consumption how hard a thing is it to restore grace and saluation in a consumption of the soule If wee are without hope when a man is in a languishing disease when he hath no delight to eate when hee cannot brooke his meate and his sleepe is gone from him hee cannot labour and Physitians dare not meddle with him what hope is there when we are in such a consumption that the woâ—d which we heare doth vs no good the Sacraments which wee receiue doe vs no comfort prayer doth vs no good and when we cannot abide to labour in good workes surely it is a token we are almost languished to death if wee be not already dead wee are in extreame danger The Lord indeede is gracious and would not our death but if wee bee consuming and see it not if Gods life be going from vs and Sathans life is comming to vs if Gods graces be languishing in vs surely we are as dead Let vs then search our owne corruptione that we may see how neare we are to life or how neare wee are to death whether wee growe or consume whether for the one wee are to feare and pray to God or for the other to reioyce and praise God Thus we haue heard that the faith
leaue me not to mine oppressors THe Prophet goeth on praying for the increase and continuance of Gods fauour vsing two arguments the first by shewing his afflictions which hee suffered the seconde by declaring his affection to the word whereunto is added a reason drawne from the nature of GOD that it is his time to helpe in affliction His generall desire then is to haue a further loue of Gods word to this end hee sheweth his miseries and afflictions and with what affection hee longed for helpe trusting that God would now come to doe right His prayer is that the Lord would not suffer him to bee ouercome with ouer-much afflictions but that as it is Psal. 125. 3. that the rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous least the righteous put their hands vnto wickednesse and that the hands of the oppressors should not preuaile God then giueth vs this libertie that wee may pray against our and his enemies but wee must withall consider these two reasons I haue executed As if the Prophet said Thou hast promised to helpe all them that hold causes and maintaine them well through thy grace I haue vsed a good cause well performe therefore oh Lord thy promise in me So the Prophet prayeth Psal. 41. Heare me when I call O God of my righteousnesse c. where hee sheweth that as God doth promise to helpe in afflictions so he requireth of our parts that wee should suffer as weldoers and as doing well in a good cause as if hee had expressed his minde in these words O God the cause which I maintaine is iust and I haue maintained it well let them fall then that haue an ill cause against me who hauing so righteous a cause As we haue to learne that we shall not be without oppressors if we doe well so must we learne how to behaue our selues therein It seemeth monstrous to some that we should by weldoing purchase such enemies as if when ye do well ye suffer wrong and take it patiently this is acceptable to God 1. Pet. 3. 13. Who is it that will harme you if you follow that which is good Yet it is a thing in the secret iudgement of God either to the triall of the faith of his children or the fulfilling of the sins of the wicked Who would thinke a man should haue enemies but by desert True it is if the world were aright but because wee liue in such a world wherein Christ himselfe executing iudgemēt and righteousnes did suffer because it hated him much more must we looke for it as Christ himselfe hath also fore warned because the seruant must not be aboue his maister and because we labour and cease not to hinder the kingdome of Sathan hee enarmeth the world with hatred against vs also We must not think that we can be here quiet For although we be sometimes troubled because we haue not done somewhat which we ought yet often we must be oppressed as righteous doers although not so as our enemies finally shall preuaile against vs. We see the Prophet desireth God to be the patrone of a righteous cause and of a righteous cause rightly handled we must then if we will assure our selues of Gods protection first consider if our cause be iust and hauing such a cause whether we haue rightly dealt in it Let vs therefore when we are oppressed search our cause if we feele that our conscience be guiltie then no maruell though wee suffer because the Lord correcteth either our euill cause or our ill handling of a good cause Wee must see that in the equitie of our request our cause be iust and true and being good that our dealing therein bee also iust and right Let vs see this now in particulars Our Sauiour Christ saith he came to put dissension betweene the father and the sonne the mother and the daughter and that the father in law should bee against his son in law and the sonne in law against his father in law True it is if it be for the Gospels sake and we withall haue done our duties and obedience which nature our callings require that we be hated yet must we not be dismaied although we haue the enemies of our own familie of them which by nature are ioyned to vs we are not to be discouraged if it be righteousnes which we must maintaine and vnrighteousnes which they maintaine if thē our cause being good we vse all obedience loue and dutie and yet be grieued we must recouer our selues with that which Christ hath said but if our cause bee ill or being right wee shewed not our selues humble and dutifull in the defence of it then we haue deserued iustly to be euill entreated of them If wee shall obserue this to happen either among Magistrates to their subiects or Landlords to their tenants or any other gouernours to their inferiours when they shall deale ill with vs in debts fines and exactions we must consider that if we haue done righteously we haue the libertie to comfort our soules in prayer Lord I haue done the part of a faithfull subiect or the dutie of a good tenant Lord helpe me against this man which oppresseth me wrongfully But if we haue discouraged their hearts either simply by ill doing or in a good thing by ill dealing we must know that the Lord by them doth take some good thing from vs who from them did take some good duties We must see then whether we haue done our duties in loue or not this will keepe vs from fuming and will make vs rest in prayer The ignorance of this doctrine maketh vs fret and fume who neuer consider whether our cause be good or whether in a good cause wee haue vsed good dealing or no. If Gods children looke thus into their consciences it will humble them as surely I did not well to him God suffereth him to doe the like to me againe and meateth out vnto mee the like measure with mine owne meat-yeard Where wee must learne that Gods children neuer deale so earnestly with their enemies as with their God And as this holdeth in superiours so must wee marke this doctrine in all troubles with our inferiours or equals Now if our seruants or our children doe not deale dutifully with vs we must enter into our selues on this sort Lord I haue brought vp these sonnes or seruants in thy nurture and feare I haue instructed them and prayed for them I haue vsed all meanes wherby I might bring them to good yet for all this they deale ill with me and in this case wee must knowe that God wil heare our prayers But if we haue not done our parts in cloathing feeding or teaching them or in praying for them it is the iudgement of God in that we haue not done the dutie of godly parents Christian householders in making them the children of God and seruants of the Lord neither can we say Lord release me in this case
Wherefore Iob said chap. 31. 13. that if hee did contemne the iudgement of his seruant or of his maide when they did thinke them selues euill entreated by him What shall I doe when God standeth vp and when he shall visite me what shall I answere He that made me in the wombe hath he not made him hath he not alone fashioned vs in the wombe Vers. 122. Answere for thy seruant in that which is good and let not the proude oppresse mee ANswere that is be suretie for me So though his cause was good yet he thought himselfe not so wise as to answere his enemies nor so strong as to preuaile against them in that which is good hee knewe that God would not take his part in any euill cause which must make vs if wee looke for God to be our helpe to prouide that our cause bee good His minde then is if my cause Lord were euill I durst not craue thy helpe but it is good therefore speake for me We therefore if our cause be ill are rather to craue of God to haue our sinne pardoned because the righteous God is not a defender of an vnrighteous cause Againe though our cause be good wee must not therefore thinke that wee our selues can answere it because the man of God saith portion 20. 2. Pleade my cause and deliuer me that is Lord put an answere into my mouth take my cause into thine owne hand mine enemies are too wise and strong for me Thus the Saints of God hauing good causes would not trust in them What is then the cause why oftentimes in good causes wee preuaile no more euen because wee would shoulder them out with our own strength say not Lord put wisedome into my mouth Lord put a weapon into my hand Then our good causes must neuer be seuered from our God for otherwise wee shall neuer haue good issue of them So we must beware that wee make not God a reuenger of our affections but pray that wee may bee harnessed with a righteous cause and with a right handling of it from God True it is then that in trouble we may pray not to be ouercome yet wee see the man of God confessed how hee behaued himselfe well in affliction and as by the fire the gold is both tried good and purged from the drosse so the Lord prooued in him the gold of his graces and scoured him from corrupt affections he scoured him from the loue of this world to stirre vp in him the loue of the world to come he scoured him from the workes of the flesh and quickened in him the workes of the Spirit he stirred vp his gifts to serue Gods glorie and scoured him from the loue of himselfe So by his fatherly chastisements the Lord quickeneth vs in good things and deliuereth vs from euil So we haue heard also how in our defence we must pray for Gods graces because for want of wisedome and patience we cannot answere our owne cause For as in our suites at law we get pleaders and Proctors to speake for vs so we must know that in the court of heauen we cannot pleade for our selues but must open our suites to Christ which must pleade it for vs. Now in that he saith Let not the proud oppresse me he noteth that they were such as did flatter themselues for graces receiued as though they should bee controllers vnto him No maruell then though we reproch men when we reproch Gods mercie maiestie We may learne here that wee can neuer deale mercifully with men which will not deale mercifully with our selues For our sinnes must humble vs before God before wee will be humbled with man otherwise we shall grow so proude that we shall not be farre from oppression Vers. 123. Mine eyes haue failed in waiting for thy saluation and for thy iust promise HEre is a further thing that the man of God requireth not looking to be helped at the first brunt but neuer to leaue off his suite vnto the very failing of his eyes according to that of the Apostle 1. Pet. 3. 10. If any man long after life c. 11. Let him eschew euill and do good let him seeke peace and follow after it So this man of God had long endured trouble which many will be content happilie to sustaine for a while but if it be any thing long they fall from iudgement and iustice Wee must not thinke then to deale ill with them that deale ill with vs neither must we deale well but for a time because wee must perseuere For when we slip too much we neuer shewe that we did truly execute iudgement and iustice If the man of God here so resisted the diuell and wicked men which are as the instruments of Sathan breathing for our destruction we must also fight against them after his example although his soule fainted his eyes failed his flesh parched his naturall powers melted This we may also see how the Saints of God mourned in their prayer Away then with this common saying which proceedes from inconstancie I haue borne iniuries long I haue taken much at his hand and put vp many wrongs should I suffer him still to abuse mee and let my selfe be vndone Surely euen to the failing of our eyes the Prophet sheweth vs wee must maintaine a good cause and seeing the Lord hath the issues of all things in his hand and helpeth desperate cases he will vndoubtedly helpe vs if we leaue not our case Then we see though he had deuoured many euils yet he executed iudgement and iustice so we must swallow vp many iniuries and yet neither depart from the Lord nor cease from our cause And though we would crie in our prayers to be heard to the clowdes and send foorth lowde shrikes though wee would roare as a cannon gunne yet what is it that seasoneth our prayers euen the mourning of our hearts the failing of our eyes and when we pray with vnspeakeable sighes which cannot be expressed For they be not lowde eloquent and well set prayers which are acceptable to the Lord but our staying our selues on the Lord and our continuing in well doing and our maintaining of a good cause to the vtmost so that a man might sooner pull the eyes out of our heads and the heart out of our bodies and bereaue vs of our liues than make vs leaue righteousnes and though troubles shall come we will still follow our cause to the failing of our eyes fainting of our hearts and melting of our powers Herein then appeared the true vertue of the faith of this man of God because whilest no wickednesse is offered many will doe well but after often triall with iniuries they execute neither iudgement nor iustice so that where this faith wanteth there is no true loue of iudgement and iustice besides heere we are to marke that that is a true prayer which commeth from the true feeling and deepe sense of his heart and without this well set
if we haue no loue of the Sacraments no care of discipline if our hearts be hardened all is not well either some iudgement of God is at hand or else we are to feare to be cast into some heresie or such like euill I finde that after Esay had prophecied a long time The Lord God who would not haue his name plasphemed seeing no amendment in his people comes with a greater maiestie and bids the prophet Esay 6. to tell them that they should heare but not vnderstand they should plainly see but not perceiue hee commandeth him moreouer to make their hearts sâ—t to make their eares heauie and to shut their eyes least they should see with their eyes heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts And because they would not make the word of God the sauour of life vnto life it should bee vnto them the sauour of death vnto death As this is especially meant of the vngodly yet surely the godly escaped not but by repentance It is the wisedome of God to vse all meanes and then to vse destruction when his word wil not serue We may be comforted euen at this day that the Lord yet giueth a scattering of his people and giueth vs some good ministers and magistrates but if we coÌ„sider of the Lords long suffering of vs of the peace abundance and many other graces bestowed on vs and yet so small amendment we trust for the remnants sake that the generall iudgement of God shall not as yet come vpon vs yet this sore saying should make vs afraide it is time for thee Lord to put to thine hand c. This may be much for the comfort of Gods children and for the discomfort of the wicked Vers. 127. Therefore loue I thy commandements aboue gold yea aboue most fine gold MArke here the spirit of the man of God Doe wee not see that this is a common rate the lesse religion is esteemed the lesse it is of the most regarded the greater the corruption of manners is the greater is the follie then this is a rare blessing of God when religion is in euery place hated euen then to loue religion when manners are euerie where corrupted euen then to be of good conuersation When in our time then we see so many kinds of religion as papistrie the sect of the Iesuites the family of loue Anabaptists and such like it is a singular grace of God to bee established in the loue of true religion When wee looke into their manners whether we turne vs to Magistrates or subiects wee shall neither finde zealous gouernment nor faithfull obedience If wee liued in a heauen among Angels or in a paradise with Saints and would defile our selues with sinne wee were worthie to be cast out of Paradise with Adam and out of the Church with Cain But to liue with Noah vprightly and to walke before God with him when all flesh hath corrupted his wayes or to liue iustly with Lot in the middest of filthie Sodomits or to keepe a pure religion or worship of God with Elias when not one can bee found that hath not bowed to Baal or to liue in keeping iudgement and iustice with Dauid where are so many oppressors of the truth to haue in this case an heart vpright both in religion and manners oâ— consider this to be an especiall worke of grace This we may also see both by naturall and ciuill reason we see the more generall and contagious a disease is the greater care we vse to watch ouer our health and the greater mercie of God we count it if we be not infected with the rest and shall wee not iudge the same in spirituall and more heauenly matters that the more hot sinne groweth to bee and like to ouerrun all shall wee not grow the more zealous of the saluation of our soules and thinke it the rarer grace of God if wee being subiect to the common sinnes are preserued from them In ciuill matters doe wee not see that now deceite in buying and selling vnfaithfulnes in bargaining is so great euery maÌ„ is circumspect to discerne ill dealings euery man almost is become a lawyer no man is ignorant of the common shifts of the world yet this maketh not men therefore to giue ouer their deedes but they make their deedes more sure neither doth deceitfull dealing keepe them the more from markets and faires but men are more carefull in their bargayning Do we loue the Church theÌ„ though there be so many corruptions of religion and so many corruptions of manners Let vs be more afraide of our selues and more carefull of the word and heedie in our liues than wee haue beene let vs listen to the word before the Lord hath sealed vp the prophecie least the wicked preuaile and the iust man make himselfe a pray Now is the time to repent it may bee that the Lord will mitigate his iudgements when they fal wil make his punishment particular and easier For then we truly feare the publike iudgements of God when wee feare the cause of them in our selues when we carrie not for the height of sinne but submit our selues with reuerence to all meanes of true religion and godly life and speedily iudge our selues for not looking to the least occasion of sinne watching ouer our soules that we become not remisse or with looser conscience of prayer the word sacraments or discipline And as it is a secret iudgement of God to passe from one sinne to another without any remorse of conscience vntill wee come to the contempt of the word so it is a speciall grace of God to be grieued with sinne in the beginning And surely that so many are giuen to ill workes and so few to good it is a manifest token seeing the word wil not moue vs to be zealous that the Lord will shortly send a iudgement vpon vs if not generall yet at the least particular This then is worthie noting in the man of God that the more religion decayed the more religious was hee the more godlinesse departed the more godly was hee which is a thing farre contrarie to our practises who allowe that which most doe and loue that least which most doe like making other mens examples placards for our sins For many will say how I pray liueth such a man how doth he doth not he liue an honest life can I follow a better man wee must not doe as other men doe but as the Lord commandeth by his word Let this then be a sure rule whereby euery man may examine himselfe if the more religion and manners decay thou art the more religious and godly thou shalt not be carried away with the common destruction but if thy zeale and care of godlines be the lesse then feare vnlesse thou repent as thou art wrapped in the common sinne thou shalt also be taken in the common reward of sinne Now that corruptions may not preuaile against vs wee must thinke there is as great
vsâ—st to doe to them that loue thy name c. The words in their proper tongue signifie thus much According to thy in lgements which thou doâ—st execute to them that loue thy name according to that in the fourth verse of the seuenth portion I remember thy iudgements of old o Lord and haue bene comforted His meaning therefore in these former words is not fully expressed Here we may learne the necessarie vse of this word and how needfuâ—l a thing it is and how speciall a gift it is of God his wisedome rightly to discerne and distinguish the words Iudgements as we haue often fore shewed is taken either for executing the threatnings of the Lord denounced in wrath and in desert or else for the performance of his promises made in compassion and of mercie His meaning briefly is be mercifull in iudging me as thou art wont to iudge thy seruants let me haue iudgement in mercie and enter not into the iudgement of my sinnes for no flesh then shall be saued and deale with me as with thy deare seruant If we be guiltie of our owne crosses we must acknowledge our sinnes as the iust causes thereof for neuer any of the children of God obtained mercie without this We are then in trouble to looke to the promises of God if we by faith can finde the like testimonie of a good conscience but when we see our sinnes to be the cause of our troubles or that it is the Lord his hand of iustice vpon vs we cannot in truth vse this prayer of the Prophet There is a iudgement in righteousnesse and there is a iudgement in mercy Of the first the man of God speaketh when he saith Enter not into iudgement c. the iudgement in righteousnesse of the second the Prophet Ieremie speaketh Correct me O Lord yet in iudgement that is in the iudgement of mercy and fatherly correction And because we faile for the most part either in our outward actions or inward affections we had neede to pray that the Lord would deale with vs according to his mercifull iudgement True it is that the Saints of God doe say O God of my righteousnesse O God of my saluation but that is to be vnderstood in respect of men and not in respect of God but they that come with their case to be iudged and pleaded before God must needes say Lord be mercifull to thy seruants We must neuer draw neere then in prayer before the Lord without this clause that the Lord would accept vs in Christ hiâ— obedience and that we doubt not of mercy when the Lord iudgeth vs in his Christ. Here we are to obserue how the Prophet maketh an experience of the Lord his dealing and thus reasoneth with him I see thou Lord dealest mercifully with them that loue thee but I loue thee therefore Lord deale mercifully with me This deceiueth many we reade not the word of God for imitation or as thinking that those affections which we reade to haue been in the children of God are to be required in and of vs also but let vs know that whatsoeuer haue been the strangest and rarest affections of God his children they are for vs to follow For though we cannot attaine to them in the like measure that this man of God because we will not deny that he had a greater measure of Gods spirit than we haue yet we must by vsing the like meanes attaine to some measure if not an hundred fold yet threescore and thirtie fold Now we see that he hauing obtained the like graces with God his people craueth here the like mercies with theÌ„ For his sense is euident as thou diddest not make a couenant with thy seruants after their sinnes but according to thy mercy euen so Lord deale with me Here is no speciall thing mentioned but he setteth downe that which hath been and may be in the children of God He prayeth noâ— for any speciall mercie then but for that mercy which by experience he hath seene ratified in others likewise he speaketh not here of any extraordinary graces of God his holy spirit but of theÌ„ which are ordinarie and incident to any one of God his children as to another although not in like measure And surely we haue not the like mercies with them because we haue not the like graces that they had To loue the word of God as gold to gape after it to breath and â—â—nt for it are singular gifts of God but giuen to none in that time with such speciall prerogatiue as they may not in some measure be giuen to the Saints of God in our time if we soloued the Lord. For that which the Apostle Peter said of them that feared the Lord to wit the Lord hath no respect of persons but they that feared the Lord are accepted the same the Prophet speaketh here in effect of them that loue the Lord. For when the promises are generall in pronouncing we must make them particular by a seuerall applying of theÌ„ to our sâ—lues Let vs then be ashamed of our selues for our wants of loue The Lord hath not graunted vnto others nor denied vnto vs any speciall priuiledges as they thought among the Papists who in their readings had wont to admire much at the Saints of God and to follow them but little The Lords hand is not shortened that he can lesse helpe vs than he hath in times past our forefathers neither is his mercy lesse that he will not helpe vs for his is the kingdome his is the power his is the glorie for euer but our sinnes as saith the Prophet haue made a partition and a diuorcement betweene the Lord and vs our loue is lesse our sinnes are greater than they were in our forefathers Let this comfort vs the man of God here prayeth not for any extraordinarie mercy For as the loue of God to vs ward is common with other of his children in like manner our loue to Gods word must be common with them and if we haue the like graces with them we shall obtaine the like mercies with them For in the substance of saluation if we haue faith the Lord will deale with vs according as he dealt with Abraham Isaac and Iacob with the Prophets and Apostles Wherefore the Lord as we said a little before hath set downe his promises iâ— generall words which we must deriue by faith as particular and proper to our selues Now if we had this sealed in our hearts that they were neuer confounded nor deceiued which put their trust in the Lord we should be assured that his arme is not shortned he is as able to reach it out vnto vs as euer he was before if onely we will beleeue and say with the Prophet of God Amen We must take â—eede that we suffer not as ill doers and that the Lord finde vs not lying in some sins for then we cannot in truth vse the Prophets prayer for the like mercies in that we
direct a man that is blind Now therefore he teacheth vs to pray that though wee haue the word yet the Lord would inlighten our vnderstandding and affections by his Spirit which may guide vs in our iourney And seeing the man of God hath vsed this prayer before vs wee are to learne that in reading hearing meditating and receiuing of the word wee are altogether vnprofitable vntill the Lord shall take the gouernment of our steps into his owne hand and shall direct vs by his Spirit My steps Loe he prayeth here for affection and not for iudgement as he doth in a verse following where he saith Shew the light of thy countenance vpon me and teach me thy statutes Here the Prophet instructeth vs as well to pray for affection to be mooued by the word of God as for iudgement to vnderstand it For if this were not needful then were this prayer but a vaine babling and often repeating of one and the selfe-same thing contrary to that rule of our Sauiour Christ Mat. 6. 7 When ye pray vse no vaine repetitions as the Heathen for they thinke to be heard for their much babling Why doth this man then vse this repetition Surely because it is another matter greater than we think of He saw there was much blindnes in our minds there is much rebellion in our affections and great sluggishnes in our hearts that without light we cannot tread in the right path yea though wee bee deliuered from by-paths if the candle be obscured and our way darkened yet wee returne to them againe For as a man being in the darke may easily goe out of the way and being out cannot easily come in againe but is faine to wander in vnknown and vncertaine places so if God guide vs not by his word and Spirit wee shall hardly finde the right way of knowledge and if we finde it we can hardly continue in it but may easily goe out of it and being out we can hardly recouer it againe Wherefore hitherto appertaineth the saying of our Sauiour Christ Matth. 7 13 Enter in at the streight gate c. because the gate is streight and the way narrow that leadeth vnto life wherein as it is hard to continue so to goe on either side out of it is most easie We see then how he prayeth that his paces might be guided by the word and that the spirit of God might carrie this lanterne of the word before him without whose guiding we cannot goe three steps but we shall misse of our way and leese the path and being once out we may easily erre and once erring we shall not returne aright Many would thinke this ridiculous but Gods children know by experience that there is a necessarie vse of these things by reason of the blindnes of our minde and that it is a speciall grace of God to be guided by his spiritual grace That no iniquitie haue dominion ouer me The simple sense of this verse is this Lord if thou doest not order my goings surely iniquitie will haue dominion ouer me The end of his request as we touched before is that he might not miscaâ—â—â—e in his way Hee acknowledgeth that a man being out of the way may be enforced to wander and after wandâ—ing can hardly recouer himselfe Wherefore he prayeth to this effect Lord so keepe me that though I â—rre yet I may returne so â—uide me that though I goe out a little yeâ— suffer me not to waâ—der altogether least iniquitie ouer runne me Thus we see Godâ— children feare themselues and why because though the raging raigne of sinne be takeâ— fâ—â—m them â—et the massiâ— lumpe of naturall corruption dwelleth in them and the very daungerous of sinne are very daungerous Wherefore our Sauiour Christ â—aught vs â—o pray Lâ—aâ—â— vs not into temptation the meaning whereof is here of the Prophet plainly set downe which is that though we cannot auâ—ide the causes of temptation which is ouâ— corrupt nature yet that euery man must resist and noâ— yeelde in willing coâ—sent vnto sinne that it should get the dominion ouer vs. It euery Saint of God â—ee commaunded to say this in â—â—uâ—h and not in hypocrisie of heart â—â—â— euery Saint hath neede of this prayer for euery man is subiect â—o temptation and iniquitie in him may haue the vpper hand True it is there are many weakenesses and infirmities in Gods â—â—iâ—â—ren asâ—râ—th and anger yet by how much they be the more and the greater the more and the oftner they are to watch ouer themselues Shall they then giue place and 〈…〉 themselues in anger Some man will say wee are full of corruption wee cannot but often fâ—ll Wee answere we must be the more watie of our selues for it is one thing to be tempted and another thing to nourish and foster a temptation for if a man being pâ—oâ—oâ—â—â— to anger and let the Sun goe downe in his wrath can fall asleepe in his anger and can be angrie still when he awaketh againe the spirit of God there hath not the chiefe rule but iniquitie hath dominion ouer him Wherefore when temptation ariseth let vs learne by prayer to preuent the raging of it As thus Lord I will not thus much trust myselfe that I can match with sinne Lord I haue corruption in me but cleanse thou me from my sinne and let it not vtterly preuaile against me The Saints of God dare not tarrie vntill the dead blowe commeth but they suspect the first strokes of sinne they â—arrie not to be stung to death but they feare the least bâ—zzing of sinne because they may easily be carried out of the way through the deceiuablenes of sinne and the deceitfulnesse of sinne may bring hardnes of heart Wherefore the Apostle Hebr 3 exhorteth them to applie one another with exhortations whilest it is called to day least any of them should be hardned through the deceitfulnes of sinne And the holy Ghost saith Psal 95 vers 8. To day if ye will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Wherefore the Saint of God thus prayeth that if hee should giue a little roome and sâ—â—ll libertie to his affections Gods grace could not continue in him Neither can the children of God being out of the way easily recouer themselues as we may see in Dauid who thought himselfe after that he had sinned to be cast from the presence of God to be for sakeÌ„ of his holy Spirit and vnlesse the Lord would cast him into the wombe againe vnles the Lord would cast him into a new mould there was no hope that he should recouer himselfe The violence of sinne is so impetuous that a man may soone slip and easily fall but hardly rise againe Wherefore the Wiseman saith Prou 28. 14. Blessed is the man that â—eâ—â—th alway but he that hardeneth his heart shall fâ—ll into euill that is blessed is he that in euery action examineth his heart that he fall not Not without cause then haue I this iealousie that when men are
difference or like danger â—â— their sins Is it not one thing for a man to betray his owne Maister for couetousnes of a little money and another for feare and infirmitie to denie him Is it not one thing to purposâ— well doing yet to fâ—ll for feare and another thing willingly to suffer the dâ—â—â—â—â—â— to carry him from action to action to haue the purse deliuered him to be forewarned of it to take the soppe of him whom he should betray and yet to perseuere in his wickednes Is there no difference betwixt him who when hee had sinned wept and â—ined away for sorrow and another that after he had sinned hauing an hellâ—â—h desperation tooke vengeance of himselfe Thus we see that there is a manifest difference betweene the sinnes of the godly and of the wicked the sinne of the one was not a purposed sinne the sinne of the other waâ— forepurposed the one when he heard of his sinne striued to get out of it the other being admonished was carelesse Finally the one renued himselfe by Faith in Iesus Christ the other hauing sinned vtterly deâ—paiâ—ed For saith the Lord. 2. King 15. 5. Dauid did right c saue onely in the matter of 〈◊〉 tâ—e Hittiâ— did not Dauid else sinne we know he numbred his people â—e would haue killed Nabal he had conceiued an euill of Mâ—â—â—bosheth howbeit the holy Ghost counteth not as it were of these sinnes as being done of infirmitie but saith the spirit of God this was a soule sinne For the other sinnes the Lord would not deale with them but passed them ouer as it were but this sinne must needs be punished And wherein did this sinne become so great aboue the rest did he not first sinne with his eye wherwith he had before almost made a couenant was he not an hypocrite in desiring to hide his sinne when this could not be done he still was deceiued by Sathan and when he saw the fact must needs out and should come to light when it should now be knowne and the woman must be examined what did he then although he had neither hatred to the man Vriah who had deserued wel of him nor earnest loue to the woman yet sendeth he a Captain with his letters whereas in the warres they vse to set for lorne persons in the forefront of the first hand hee had appointed Vriah to be the man in that battaile and still he perswaded himselfe that he killed him not and after to auoid publike infamie he tooke home the woman to him Thus was Dauid deceiued of Sathan both subtillie and dangerously and yet not so but that there is a difference betwixt him and another that should make an occupation of adulterie and still bathe himselfe in filthie loue But the Prophet Nathan comes no sooner to him and telleth him but closely and slenderly of his sinne but see hee is sâ—â—icken to the heart hee controlles him not though he were a King but he admitteth him vnto him and receiueth him humblie He had sinned before but hee did not see it before we see here no presumption for hee flatly accused and not excused himselfe saving I haue sinned against the Lord. Where are they now that will make the sinnes of others placardâ— for their sinnes where are they that will make such grosse presidences for sinning because there are some infirmities and ignorances in Gods children let them consider rightly of these differences of sinnes We see then the plaine meaning of the man of God he prayeth not to haue no sinne within him but that he might noâ—â—ly in sinne There is then a difference betweene affectate ignorance and diuelish presumption and the weake ignorance and infirmities of God his children there is a diffâ—rence betweene sinning in fewe things and sinning in manie betweene sinne committed and repented of and sinne committed without any repentance betweene infirmities and presumptions Wherefore the Apostle saith Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies and yet the same man saith Ro 7. that sinne dwelt in him and that he was solde vâ—to sinne There is a difference betweene permitting a Prince as our lawfull gouernor to rule and raigne ouer vs and to yeelde obedience to him willingly and a griuous Tyrant whom wee resist and performe no obedience to him because he commeth with vsurped authoritie who would inforce vs whether we will or no and caryeth vs violently to prison So the meaning of the Apostle when he saith let not sinne raigne is this acknowledge not sinne to be your King delight not in it and if he do come let him come like a tyrant and as one that would hale you into prison that you may shâ—w your selues not to be willingly drawne into his seruitude crie out Oh mortall man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of sin death Is there not then a difference betweene him who when he hath sinned is afraid to pray to God trembleth to come before God feareth euen to goe on the earth and another who when he hath sinned is merry and pleaseth himselfe in it and maketh but a delight a pastime and an occupation of it Is there not a difference betweene him that fighteth boldly and him that will not fight at all against sinne Wherefore though Gods children haue such infirmities yet they vse all meanes to resist them and account much of hearing praying meditating and conferring of the worde that thereby iniquitie might not haue the vpper hand of them Thus we see how the children of God are violently haled to sinne the wicked are voluntarily carried headlong into sinne the godly recouer themselues the wicked fall from sinne to sinne the godly yeeld to admonitions the vngodly thereby are worse and worse Vers. 134. Deliuer me from the oppression of men and I will keepe â—hy precepts AS we haue oft declared it is the lot of Gods children to bee troubled with the vngodly and therefore this man setteth himselfe down as a patterne therein and seeing the Lord Iesus hath made himselfe a chiefe exaÌ„ple in the house of example who is our head it is meere that we who are his members should also suffer troubles that wee may be made like vnto him What is the cause then why wee are so much at quiet with our selues both Minister and Magistrate people and subiect but because we doe not so much resist Sathan fight against the world striue against our selues For we beginning to rebuke the world of sinne the world cannot away with vs and when we stir vp our selues against the diuell he setteth himselfe and all his impes against vs and when wee checke and controll our selues we can neuer finde quiet True it is that sometimes wee shall haue quiet but this is but a breathing time yet that must be fulfilled in the members which was begunne in the head that we being like to him in suffering may also be like to him in glorie remembring alwaies that which
Prophet Righteous art thou ô Lord and righteous are thy iudgements Although then the promises of God are not at all times by and by performed nor his iudgements presently executed but the godly do often grone vnder miseries and the vngodly wallow in their delights yet the Lord after death will shew that he is righteous when he wil erect magnifie his iustice before his glorious throne This thing appeareth to be manifest by that historie Luke 16. of the rich man and Lazarus who that the Lord might make knowne his iustice died both together but as their life was altogether diuers so their death did altogether differ For the rich man liued delicately and fared daintily but Lazarus lying sore and hungrie at his gate found more courtesie at his dogs which licked him than at his hands which should haue relieued him Well when they were both dead it is said that the rich man being in hell in torments lifting vp his eyes and seeing Lazarus a farre oft in Abrahams bosome cried Father Abraham send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and coole his tongue but Abraham answered Thou art far deceiued and disappointed my sonne the places are far distant between thee and vs so that the inhabitants must keep their places And my son cōsider of the equity of Gods iustice herein for thou in thy life time didst liue in health in pleasure and prosperitie and didst not glorifie God thereby therefore it is meet and right with God that thou shouldest now haue paine and torments and this man hauing pouertie sicknesse and miserie desired Gods glorie wherefore it standeth with the righteous promise of the Lord that he should now receiue ioy comfort So Christ also teacheth vs though at the first the Lord regardeth not all good at the 〈…〉 yet he that rewardeth one will reward all and he that punisheth one will surely in time punish all either here or in some other place either now or at some other time We must then be content to haue our liues hidden in Christ that it may appeare with Christ at his cōming Now as this doctrine seemeth profitable for comfort so is it necessarie also for terrour For if a man shall lie in sinne and yet through impunitie because neither the hand of God is vpon him nor the authoritie of the Magistrate taketh hold on him shall not repent and because as the wise man saith Eccles. 8. 11. Sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to doe euill as we may see in profane persons in abusers of the name of God in breakers of the Sabbath in disobedient persons murderers adulterers theeues and back biters let him beware and not flatter himselfe in iniquitie and though God doth not at the very instant when sinne is committed punish all nor the Magistrate presently apprehend all if a man begin to be hot and would haue all men like himselfe and is offended because there is no present execution of iudgement yet God is righteous he will not iustifie the sinner but he hath his fierce wrath vengeance indignation laid vp in store to fal suddenly fearefully vpon the vngodly For assure thy selfe ô man whosoeuer thou art he that hath said that no whoremonger nor adulterer nor couetous person shall enter into the kingdome of heauen and he that hath promised in this life to trie those that be his will surely if thou be the child of God punish thee here that thou mayest not be condemned with the wicked if thou be not he will both in this life and in the world to come plague thee eternally If thou art not presently punished for thy sinnes the Lord calleth thee to repentance if that will not serue the Lord will vndoubtedly breake thy necke and presse thee downe with further iudgements Thus we see how needfull it is to vrge this doctrine to the abusers of the Lords long suffring and contemners of his righteous iudgements Psal. 89. the man of God sheweth that albeit the Lord had made a couenant of mercy with his people yet if their children did forsake his lawes and walke not in his iudgements if they did breake his statutes and kept not his commandements he would 32. visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquitie with strokes And surely if we will not be remoued by the word calling vs from our securitie we shall taste indeed of the Lords heauie scourges and fearefull strokes Wherefore in time let vs humble our selues vnder the louing hand of God learne to deny our selues Vers. 138. Thou hast commanded iustice by thy testimonies and truth especially HE sheweth that in all the holy writings the Lord had set downe speciall mercies and speciall iudgements and that the iustice and truth which the Lord hath taught in his word is a speciall iustice and a speciall truth and euery part thereof is iust and true yea and if there could be degrees therein they are most iust and most true according to that Psal. 19. 9. The iudgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether So that without exception all the threatnings of the Lord are iust and all his promises true Sure it is then that he will performe his wrath threatned and fulfill his couenants promised for there is nothing in the word which is not truth and iustice it selfe Thus we must learne when we are in trouble to looke to God his word and to knowe that euery title thereof is righteous and true and though heauen and earth doe passe yet not one io◠of it shall faile This is necessarie for vs to beleeue for from hence springeth faith Wherefore the Prophet seeing that this would hardly be beleeued and that euen Gods children sometime are slacke in faith hope and loue and are not so soone perswaded that euery man must performe this but rather that it was a speciall thing the Prophet I say reciteth this word fiue times in the compasse of eight verses being but one portion So much doth he shew incredulitie to raigne in Gods children and declareth it the more vehemently because the wicked will not be brought to beleeue this For what is the cause of sinne either in failing of doing those things which are to be done or in failing to doe those things which ought not to be done in omitting of good things or committing of euill but onely incredulitie Could we beleeue the word of God Oh happie were we can we not beleeue oh cursed are we We shall see as the wicked in all things so Gods children in many things discredit the word of God as the wicked beleeue not at all so the godly beleeue but in part see but in a glasse And doubtlesse they want the comfort which they should haue in that although they consent generally to the truth yet when they come to particulars they reason this with themselues
are to beware of this and so much the rather because the Lord hath plagued them that in outward shewe haue borne a great countenance of religion whose liues priuily were filthie whose cases and vizards when the Lord hath taken from them and hath reuealed their corruptions they haue appeared hypocrites The second obseruation is that we looke to the priuie corruptions of nature lurking in our hearts which containe such a bottomlesse pit of corruption that it is the special grace of Gods spirit to gage them to the depth Wee must therefore learne to search our hearts for it is the fearefull iudgement of God when we make no conscience of sinne secretly to haue our sin breake forth publikely As when we haue no care to pilfer secretly we shall be brought to steale openly by the secret wrath of God whereby also secret lusts malice hatred nourished in the heart and affections are permitted to breake out in time euen into our outward actions This is a plague to them who rather would seeme to be than in truth desire to be godly Couetous men haue this propertie that they rather would be rich than be accounted rich such ought our affections to be that we should indeede rather be godly than desire to bee so accounted of Let vs labour to doe well secretly howsoeuer for a while it be hidden from the world that God which seeth our doing in secret will reward it openly and in his good time will giue vs grace to doe well publikely But peraduenture the wicked will say what ground what intent what cause haue you to labour so much about the disclosing of the secret corruptions of our heart But yet alas they are ignorant of this that because they know not the secret corruptions they fall the more violently to grosse sinnes and euery man shall trie this to be true in himselfe that he that maketh conscience of his thoughts will vndoubtedly make conscience of his words and deedes and he that maketh no conscience of his thoughts he may come to make no conscience of his words and deedes Besides he that beginneth to reforme his heart hath this promise in the word that he shall not be confounded as Psal. 119. 6. Then shall I not bee confounded when I haue respect to all thy commandements And Port. 10. 8. Let my heart be vpright in thy statutes that I be not ashamed Wherefore if wee will bee truly zealous wee may adde another rule that we haue none other end of our zeale than how wee may glorifie our God whether it be in prosperitie or aduersitie This then is the third rule that we keep a right course tenour of zeale in both estates We must especially look to that wherunto we are most ready that is whether we be more zealous in prosperitie and fall away in aduersitie or whether we are more feruent in affliction and ouerwhelmed in abundance whether by the one wee are not puft vp with securitie and secret pride or whether with the other we be not too farre humbled and abased For many in time of peace are religious who seeing persecution to followe the Gospell slide backe and flie from it Iobs wife whiles her husband was in prosperitie could worship God and shew her selfe in outward things as zealous as Iob himselfe but when affliction came she was readie to curse God We know in prosperous times many were very forward in religion who in time of trouble shrinked from the truth some so long as they may haue credit by giuing countenance to the Gospell goe farre but when discredit comes they will leaue all But the Prophet saith I am small and despised yet doe I not forget thy word O ther'on the contrarie part so long as God exerciseth them with any crosse are zealous professors who being set aloft and comming once aboue begin to be secure We see many in time â—f their misery to be much humbled and whilest they want liuings and preferments we see both preachers and people very godly who when they haue gotten them some liuing obtained that which they sought for haue their zeale choked Do not many pray for the continuance of the peace of the Gospell that they themselues might continue in peace and prosperitie Doe not many mourne in the aduersitie of the Gospell because they mourne for their owne aduersitie Oh great corruption of our hearts Oh bottomles pit of hypocrisie If wee were ashamed that wee are no more grounded on the word and that we can be no more holy and vpright in our hearts surely the Lord would so gouerne vs that hee would not suffer either prosperitie to quench and carrie away our zeale to bee buried in the graue of securitie or aduersitie too much to dismay and discourage vs. This is then our triall herein if when we are in greatest prosperitie we can mourne with them that mourne in the Lord and when wee are in greatest aduersitie if wee can reioyce with them that reioyce in Christ. This is a sure token wee loue not the Gospell nor fauour the word because wee haue a loue to prosperitie neither are zealous to see the word conremned because we haue an hatred of aduersitie Daniel concerning outward things was an happie man as being neere to the Crowne and yet when he saw the God of Israel his glorie to bee defaced and an abominable Idoll to be erected hee could content himselfe with nothing so much as with weeping fasting and prayer And Paul being in bonds for the testimonie of Iesus Christ and concerning his outward man in a miserable case reioyced greatly and as it were reuiued when hee heard that the Gospell prospered and howsoeuer hee was in bands hee neuer felt them grieuous vnto him for the ioy which he had that the Gospell was at libertie If this zeale were in vs that the word of God were so exact pure and holy in our eyes that when wee are most aloft wee could be sorrowfull if the word of God hath a fall and when wee were in our greatest downefull yet we could bee glad that the word of God were set aloft then surely we would labour to sanctifie the creatures of God which we vse with the word and by prayer and at the least giue the tenth part of the day to the worship of the Lord. But if wee cannot bestow on him the tithe it is a token that wee labour more for the bodie than for the soule And if our soules bee farre more pretious than our bodies and it is an harder thing to prouide well for the soule than for the body we must deuide our times the better that daily wee may bestow some part of our time in the word and prayer if wee would truly espie our thriuings and proceedings in our seuerall callings and take a diligent view of our selues in our vocations we should vndoubtedly see the plentifull blessing of God when in truth wee vse the word and prayer and his
tell you the word is true and this is mine onely comfort O Lord that though the wicked rage thy promise for euer is vnchangeable Proued true What could deceiue it could the Serpent in Paradise No. What could wash it away could all the flood in the deluge No. What could consume it could all the firie furnace of Gomorrah of Egypt and of Babylon No Looke from the first father of all Adam vnto this day and how many seruants the Lord hath died and sound pure so many examples wee haue of the purenes of the word This then we see is a word pure by proofe We esteeme greatly of armour of proofe which neither the speare could pearce nor the shot of gun batter nor dart in any battaile could bruise oh how hath the word encountered with Sathan and with all his adherents How many darts of the worldlings hath it sustained and neuer yeelded but as a sword of proofe hath not onely striken off the heads of Sathan and of all heresies and schismes but also hath mightily preuailed against powers and authorities and principalities in heauenly things When wee haue an approued medicine we thinke it a thing of great price being such a one as neuer failed but wheresoeuer it was laid it wrought the feate so here is a tried medicine for the soule which neuer did deceiue any that vse it a right This is a most rare medicine and soueraigne salue For neuer sore was so great in mans soule neuer maladie so grieuous neuer corruption of sinne so fare gone neuer was there any wound of conscience so desperate which either this did not cure being vsed or might haue cured if it had been vsed This hath been tried and is approued by all the sicke soules that euer were since the beginning of the world to this day whereof some were deliuered from many sores of their conscience many euen rescued from the depth of their sorrowes We count him a tried friend and approued which in no troubles that euer did befall vs shrunke from vs and failed vs but stood vs in all stead possible but whom I pray you hath the Lord euer deceiued vs that put their trust in him or in whom hath the word of the Lord euer failed which wil stick with vs to the end which will saue vs from all euils accompany vs in all dangers recouer vs in all infirmities pitie and relieue vs in all miseries which will saue vs from hel and will speake for vs before the ludge and pleade our cause and euen whilest life lasteth will still stand vs in stead Wherefore seeing the word of God hath in it such excellencie that it taketh vp all the delights of Gods children and the contempt thereof taketh vp all the sorrowes of the Saints of God seeing for being eaten vp with the zeale of Gods word whatsoeuer we lose in the outward man we gaine and are recompenced for it in the inward man contrarie to the eating zeale in all other things whatsoeuer seeing the neerer wee come to God in his word and the further we go from our selues though we were thrown to the ground wee should be reedified seeing if we were tried in the furnace wee should finde such an happie exchange that as the gold wee should lose no weight but become more pure seeing it only reneuth vs in trouble and we cannot more discredit the word of God than euer to suffer it to be contemned or not sufficiently esteemed as becommeth a thing of such perfection glorie eternitie and exact righteousnes seeing it is such an armour of proofe so tried a medicine so approued a friend let vs craue of God that he would open our eyes and cleere our vnderstanding that we louing it for these causes may zealously be set on fire and truly be grieued to see it contemned Thus we see how exact how pure how comfortable how euerlasting the word is Thy righteousneâ— saith the Prophet is an euerlasting righteousâ—â—â— Psal. 11. thou haâ—â— O Lord set downe a perfit righteousnes which hath been is and shall be for euer one and most constant thine is the kingdome the power and the glorie for euer thy hand is not shortned more than it hath been thy word neuer could be accused onely let vs say Lord increase our faith let vs say Lord giue vs the like faith of thy seruants and wee shall haue like graces with them though not in so large measure as they had Vers. 141. I am small and despised yet doe I not forget thy precepts HIs meaning briefly is this Lord seeing thy word is so pure I loue it for it owne cause though nothing come withall if thou wilt bestowe any thing else of thy seruant I thanke thee if not I loue it still yea though I should suffer discredit for it I am content For I loue thy word because it is a pure word and worthie to be loued with what crosse soeuer it be accompanied As the common prouerbe is Trueth may be blamed but trueth can neuer be ashamed and iniquitie may be ocuered for a time but yet iniquitie one day shall bee discouered It cannot be denied that it is a singular blessing which is said of our Sauiour Christ to grow in fauour with God and man and to be loued of both as it is reported of Samuel because as it is Eccles 7. 3. A good name is better than a good oyntment and Prou. 22 1. is to bee chosen aboue great riches and louing fauour is aboue siluer and aboue gold neither can there come a more grieuous crosse to a liberall nature and stout person than want of it Howbeit to search out the cause of discredit wee must alwayes enter into it whether our conscience telleth vs that wee suffer as well doers not as ill doers For euen the very Heathen said that a mans conscience is as a theater in the world Wherefore if wee suffer discredit iustly because of sinne it is to be lamented but when we haue faith in Gods promises and a good conscience flowing from our faith though we neuer so much bee discredited it is a small thing Great is the loue of our selues and great is the care which we haue to maintaine our credit For many will bee content to hazard their liues which cannot bee conteÌ„t to endanger their good name For if a man liue bereft of his good name he had almost as liue bee bereft of his life And therefore Heretikes as the Familie of loue giue in precept that they should rather die than suffer the credit of their sect to fall And no maruell for they see no better life neither do they feele any true comfort of God in their prosperitie neither can they truly call vpon him in their trouble Thus we see how a name is esteemed in the world This then is a true argument of zeale euen when wee are despised and suffer discredit still to beare good affection to the word For many are liuely and quicke
mercy and there is a iudgement of seueritie the first whereof is vnderstood in this place as we may gather by the wordes going before Heare my voyce O Lord according to thy louing kindnes of which couenant of mercy hee also maketh mention in the next portion vers 7. Consider O Lord how I loue thy precepts quicken me according to thy louing kindnes This is that couenant of grace wherein the Lord hath promised to pardon our sinnes and to heare our prayers wherefore though in respect of Gods wrath and our sinnes we dare not appeare before his Maiestie yet in comparing our cause which is the Lords cause with the cause of our aduersaries who are also the aduersaries of God and in respect of his mercy in defending his owne cause and in preseruing them that maintaine a good cause we may come with boldnes vnto him and with an assured hope that our prayers shall be heard Thus wee may call to minde how God is accustomed to deale with his people fearing before him in respect of our selues but recouering our selues through hope in his sweete promises whereon wee must â—o stay our selues as the remembrance of them may support vs and to doe this the better we must obserue the accomplishment of them both in our selues and in others Thus we may see what a great stay it is in trouble to know that no other trouble ouertaketh vs none other temptation hath inuaded vs than such as haue ouertaken and inuaded other of Gods children wherein they haue found deliuerance Further wee may herein desire the Lord to affoord sentence with vs when our cause is good though we be not so vpright in defending it as wee ought to be or when our good cause is well handled and that not for our selues but in respect of our aduersaries ill cause he would deliuer vs. Wherefore when we will obtaine our requests we must endeuour as much as in vs lieth to offer a good cause vnto the Lord and well handled Vers. 150. They drawe neere that followe after malice and are farre from thy law Vers. 151. Thou art neere O Lord for all thy commaundements are true WE shewed before that the man of God to the obtaining of his request vseth three especiall arguments the one drawne from his person in the first foure verses the other from the person of God in the fift verse the third and last from the person of his aduersaries contained in these two verses The plaine sense whereof briefly is thus much They O Lord that haue an ill cause are readie to bring their wickednes to an end and as they are readie to hurt me so they are farre from thy law wilt thou then maintaine such they being so neere my necke No they are no more neere to hurt than thou art neere to deliuer me they are not neerer with malice than thou art with deliuerance Thus hee draweth away his consideration from the iudgemeÌ„t of flesh and blood and looketh down to his watch-tower and to the Lord his sanctuarie O Lord saith he I haue cried I haue called vpon thee and that with mine whole heart I preuented the morning light and the night-watches I waited on thy word I mediated on thy word I haue obserued thy iudgements of old when I am thus neere wilt thou forsake me They are farre from thy word canst thou leaue them vnpunished no thou art neere their punishment and my deliuerance I know as they depart from thee so they shall not escape vnpunished in the end because their sinne is come to such ripenes as thy iustice can no longer suffer them It is a great temptation to Gods children which haue walked vprightly and kept a good conscience that the wicked should still be neere their neckes Wherefore if any such thing hereafter happen to vs we must not be discomforted or thinke it very strange seeing wee see this man of God was not without it it is no new thing wee must bee content seeing God hath so dealt aforetimes with many of his children On what great cause of thanksgiuing now haue we that hauing much more deserued to haue our enemies tramble vpon vs than others of Gods Saints haue notwithstanding so long time beene deliuered And if it come to passe that in time we come to the like temptation let vs labour to be profitable in the like meditation For flesh and blood thinke it strange that wicked meÌ„ should flourish in the defending an ill cause and that good men should be troden downe for maintaining a good cause This troubled Iob Dauid Ieremie and Habacuk to see that Gods people should be so tempted Wherefore when we see the generation of Gods children condemned and the generation of the wicked iustified we must call to minde this or such like meditations Seeing thou hast borne with mine enemies so long it is now the day time to punish The cause now why the wicked flourish so long and why the Lord deferreth to helpe his childreÌ„ is that the wicked may either by his long suffering come to repentance or else be left excuselesse Yea after he often stayeth to powre forth his vengeance because their sinnes are not accomplished and their iniquitie is not come to the full height measure and number and that his children might haue their secret sinnes punished here that is to humble them to allure them to obedience to trie their faith to proue their patience to worke in them a contempt of this world and a desire of the world to come so that that which they suffer vniustly of men iustly they suffer of God And when Gods children doe not thus profit the Lord in mercie will let the rod still tarrie vpon them vntill they haue profited in some good measure Thus wee see the iustice of God wil not suffer him to punish vntill sinne be come to the full and the loue of God will not leaue to correct his vntill there grow some profit and yet so as in the meane time the chilren of God sustaine no losse because whatsoeuer they outwardly lose they inwardly gaine Wherefore seeing the Lord hath promised that the rod of the wicked shall not fall on the lot of the righteous and that our temptation shall not bee greater than wee shall bee able to beare we must knowe that when the godly once begin to faint and the wicked thinke they are come to their height euen then it is due time with the Lord to send happie deliuerance to the one and a speedy ouerthrow of all the counâ—â—ls of the other The man of God then hauing these effects in him was neere his deliuerance but the wicked being in their pride were neere Gods vengeance How necessarie this doctrine is common practise may admonish vs for thus reasoneth flesh and blood in time of aduersitie We haue thus long kept a good conscience neither haue wee done against the will of God we haue serued the Lord this while yet this is our gaine our
cause is not heard our enemies crueltie is nothing diminished but much increased as though the Lord either heard vs not or hath forgotten vs. But let vs learne to reason with the Prophet on the contrarie Our enemies O Lord are neere to hurt vs but thou art as neere to deliuer vs what doe we but obey thee what doe they but disobey thee wilt thou then forsake the godly and canst thou suffer the wicked to prosper No thou art the Iudge of the whole world it cannot be for thy deliuerance and saluation is ready and neere for them who labour to keepe faith and to ioyne thereunto a good conscience We see then when flesh and blood would perswade vs that all time of deliuerance is past euen then faith beholdeth it to bee neere at hand for when wee thinke that we are at the last cast then we see saluation and helpe is neerest As this doctrine serueth for our comfort so we must learne for our instruction that if happily we suffer the longer yet we shall receiue for our temporall euill a spirituall recompence remembring alwaies the Apostles consolation 1. Pet. 4. who would not haue vs discouraged when we suffer for they which haue done vs euill shall be iudged of him who will come to iudge the quicke and the dead Although we see not this by the iudgement of the eye and by the light of nature yet although we should die suffering as weldoers cursed are they that shall ouerlie vs Blessed shall we be for we shall rest from our labours God is the iudge of the whole world of the quicke and of the dead he will not forsake his nor leaue his enemies vnreuenged Well although wee perswade our selues of this trueth yet it is to bee feared when the abomination of desolation shall be set vp we wil notwithstanding all this stand in a mammering and doubting what is truth what is vntruth what is good what is euill But alas if the Lord should be any thing the longer from vs in helping no maruel seeing we were the longer from him in obeying Experience will proue that though we haue neuer so many outward gifts neuer so glorious wisedome yet vnlesse wee still depend on the word and promise we shall stagger and falter in the time of temptation For this was the onely staffe that vpheld the man of God at what time he was ready to stagger They are farre from thy Law that is as if hee should haue saide Thou canst not O Lord but punish them for thou hast long suffered them to see if they will turne but there is no hope that they will conuert therefore there is no cause of despaire that thou wilt not punish them Oh true faith O sound perswasion of Gods mercie most needefull in trouble yea when the face of all things shal be changed and things shall be turned vpside downe we shall know the vse of this doctrine to be aboue gold and siluer The like were the man of God his Meditations as wee may see Portion 11. when his eyes failed him his heart fainted his spirit panted and was as the bottle in the smoke The proud saith he digged piâ—s for me which is not after thy Law all thy commaundements are true they persecute me falsely Thus wee see hee vseth two effectuall reasons the one drawne from his owne person who maintained a good cause the other from his aduersaries who defended an ill cause Vers. 152. I haue knowne long since by thy testimonies that thou hast established them for euer I Know O Lord not of late but long since that thou euer hast beene and art the selfe same God thou art no changeling thou doest not sometime maintaine the cause of thy children and some other time forsake them I know now by the couenant and records of thy loue that thou doest defend thine euen vnto the end I know that from the beginning thou hast hated punished sinne thou hast loued and maintained righteous dealing I am perswaded that thy iudgements proue not true once or twice alone but alwayes We see how needefull it is to vs for vs to haue knowledge throughly of the testimonies of the Lord. For this was an assured knowledge of the man of God I haue laboured saith the Prophet in effect to establish my knowledge whereby I may knowe that hereafter which I know now and that I must knowe that now which I must knowe hereafter yea I haue taken great paines to confirme this knowledge in me not of late but of long time Thus we see how the man of God laboureth to fetch out many arguments to strengthen himselfe in time of temptation wherein we also must imitate him For if wee shall store vp great plentie of reasons our enemies may push at vs and shake vs but they shall neuer ouerthrow vs. PORTION 21. RESH Vers. 153. Behold mine afflictions and deliuer me for I haue not forgotten thy Law THe selfe same argument and matter is here repeated which was before but after another manner Hee saith portion 16. 1. I haue executed iudgement and iustice leaue me not to mine oppressours The which in sense being all one with the other and seeing we haue deliuered the doctrine at large before here is not much to be spoken Onely we may obserue this he here laieth his misery open and vnfoldeth his estate before the Lord Behold saith he O Lord thine eyes are vpon the righteous thine eares are open to their prayers Thou seest my case let me sâ—e thy grace that I may knowe for a trueth that thou lookest on me The cause then why we oftentimes are not helped is because we hide our troubles from the Lord. True it is that the Lord seeth all although we should hide all neither needeth he the displaying of our owne miseries but yet in all troubles hee would haue vs to open and acknowledge our griefe vnto him that he might the better make knowne to vs that hee hath helpe laid vp for vs. Wherefore we must beware least at any time we smoother our estate or seeke vnlawful meanes but in all things with prayer and supplication make our necessitie knowne to the Lord. His reason ioyned herewith is this For I haue not forgotten thy Law that is although O Lord there is great want of obedience in me and I cannot and haue not exactly kept thy commandements yet I am none of them that contemne thy Law wherefore O Lord help me Thus we see stil that the man of God suffered as a weldoer teaching vs that if we suffer as ill-doers the rod of correction shall not depart from vs vntill in some measure it hath wrought in vs repentance but if we suffer with him as wel-doers we may boldly vse this argument and with this reason desire the Lord that hee would take his owne cause which we maintaine into his own hand And although he was a sinner which here he doth not denie and did forget many particular
points of the Law yet hee purposeth rather to shew how hee was no notorious sinner or such a one as did fouly and grâ—ssely forget the Law So his meaning is thus much in effect Although I haue offended yet haue I not cast thy Law behind my backe I find and confesse how of frailtie and infirmitie I haue offended â—â—â— not maliciously and obstinately Wherefore although we cannot be free from all sins yet we must beware of presumptuous â—â—â—â— and although we are weake yet we must not willingly and wittingly depart from the law What then is the cause why oft it is so long ere we be deliuered euen because wee lie in some secret sinne For wee must plead our cause in a right plea if wee will pleade with God if we suffer as wel-doers wee may pray to the Lord for defence but if wee suffer as euill-doers we must labour to repent Wherefore in all discredit reproches and ignominies we must labour to say in the trueth of our hearts I haue not forgotten thy Law Vers. 154. Pleade my cause and deliuer me quicken me according to thy word THis agreeth also in the second place with the second verse of the 16 Port whereof we spake before Answere for thy seruant in that which is good The children of this world are wiser in their kinde than the childreÌ„ of God the man of God had such enemies as in subtilties were wiser in force stronger and more valiant than hee which made him enforce his praier to the Lord that he would be his tower against their assaults and his aduocate against all their policies Thus we see he trusteth not to the equitie of his owne cause but to the Lord whereby wee may gather that the cause why our oppressors preuaile oft against vs is because wee trust too much in our owne wits and leane too farre vpon our owne inuentions opposing subtiltie to subtiltie one euill deuice to another matching and maintaining policie by policie and not commit our cause to the Lord. Wherfore in such a case we are to pray to the Lord to put wisedome into our mouthes that wee may bee taught what to speake and strength into our hands that we may know how to fight Quicken me according to thy word whether the Prophet desireth to be quickned corporally or spiritually whether for that hee was readie to be swallowed vp of his aduersaries or for that hee needed some inward comfort or whether it were for both it is not greatly materiall but I thinke we may safely take it in both senses For if he were quickned in the spirit he knew that the other comfort would follow after So that if we vnderstand it spiritually he prayeth that by faith and quickning grace hee might be encouraged to goe on forward and that he might no more faint hereafter than he had done heretofore Without which grace supporting and renewing him he was like to quaile vnder the burden Thus we see Gods children are often at deaths dore in body and soule and therefore had neede to pray to be quickned In that he addeth according to thy word he giueth vs to wit that all our helpe is in the word of God and that all our helpes which proceede not from the word and promise of God in the end become vaine Although this doctrin seemeth at the first to be a common thing yet the onely cause why wee so often faint vnder the crosse is because wee forget Gods promises or elâ—e we cannot beleeue that the truth of them particularly belongeth vnto vs. And this is that that maketh the very children of God so often to stagger the want whereof is great Suppose yee saith our Sauiour Christ that the Sonne of man when he commâ—th shall find faith on the earth whereby he noteth what an hard thing it is to haue true faith which so is fixed in God as neuerthelesse there is no faith but in his word Verse 155. Saluation it farre from the wicked because they seeke not thy statutes HE said in the portion going before they are farre from thy law here he saith they seek not thy statutes in which words he expresseth his meaning more plainely In the former place he saith they were farre from the law here he confesseth they sought it not at all His meaning of this verse is thus much I see their manners are wicked I know they cannot prosper in them for thou art the iudge of the world therfore they haue no interest to saluation And why there is no coherence betweene wickednes and saluation If we were in truth perswaded of this we would not so ly in sinne For if we did surely beleeue that saluation pertaineth to none but to them that keepe a true faith and therewith labour to ioyne a good conscience how durst we be so bold Idolaters so prophane swearers so vnreuerent breakers of the Sabbath If blasphemous mouthes were throughly perswaded of this would they not tremble and quake that now mocke and scoffe at the ministerie and ministers of the word we see then how pâ—arcing words these are They that depart from God by going to wisards they that go farre from his word by changing his holy Sabbath which is as a day of medicine for the soule into an hurtfull day the Lord will also depart from them the Lord will be farre from their saluation All sinnes wherein men lie and continue put them far from saluation But who then shall be saued euen they that labour for faith and a good conscience Who then shall be damned they that are farre from faith and seeke not Gods law As this doctrine is to the terrour of the wicked so it maketh for the comfort of the godly We see the vngodly proue very couragious and thriue very notably in their sinne not being presently punished because such is our corruption that vntil we taste some outward smart we become hardned This declareth in that we abstaine from sinne onely for punishments sake and we would sinne at riot were there no punishing that we are but Hypocrites and such from whom saluation is farre off Well if saluation be farre from them that seeke not Gods law then may we gather on the contrarie that saluation is neere them that seeke his law for like is the rule of contraries If we then labour for faith and a good conscience we may assure our selues of saluation Wherefore wouldest thou haue assurance to be saued let the word be neere thee in thy mouth and in thine heart Rom 10. 8 Let it dwell plentifully in thee with all manner of wisedome Col. 3. 16. Here is also a good rule as we see whereby we may discerne who be good and who be euill Here the Lord hath set downe one stedfast order which is a touchstone to trie al men and howsoeuer we account of it it is alwaies the same and like to it selfe condemning sinne commending holines Oh to what extremities should we be brought in these
latter dayes of sinne and iniquitie wherein heresies haue so corrupted doctrine and vngodlines hath so stained our liues if we had not this constant rule of Gods word among vs Oh what a treasure is it whereby we may see heresie and auoide it whereby we may see truth and follow it Which rule of equitie seeing willingly the wicked depart from they are worthily plunged and plagued in their owne sinnes Vers. 156. Great are thy tender mercies O Lord quicken me according to thy iudgements THat is True it is I am a sinner O Lord but yet I am not a desperate sinner as mine enemies are but such a one as on whom thou wilt shew thy mercies therefore I hope that thou wilt helpe If thou shouldest simply deale with me according to my deseruings I should be condemned for who can stand in thy sight iustified but I compare not my selfe with thee but with them who are become mine aduersaries According to thy iudgements Such is thy fatherly mercy which forgiueth my sinnes and heareth my prayers that thou wilt not reward me according to mine iniquities but wilt fauourably looke vpon me according to the multitude of thy mercies Vers. 157. My persecutors and mine oppressors are many yet doe I not swarne from thy testimonies THis sentence is the same in effect with diuers other in diuers portions of this Psalm As The proude haue had me exceedingly in derision the proude haue digged pits for me the wicked haue laid a snare for me and such like Now in that he saith my oppressors are many he sheweth that he had not to doe with one man or two but with many It is a matter as wee haue shewed before to be godly among the godly but he is a diuel that is euil among Angels and therefore was he worthily cast downe into hell and he is a sinner that will sinne among Saints and therefore iustly was Adam throwne out of Paradise If we liue among the godly what praise is it to be godly nay what an horrible thing were it not to be godly If the Church discipline were truly executed it were a small commendation to do well and to abstaine from sinne yet now in this want it is praise-worthie to abstaine from sinne for feare of God But it may be we taste not of such troubles as the Prophet tasted of because we liue not so carefull of godlinesse as he did which if in truth we did we should haue troubles as he had Well we are in this world as sheepe among wolues to trie vs whether we will be corrupted with the euil examples of this world or whether we will swarue from the Lord our God whilest he proueth vs. Their carnall reasoning commeth to nothing which say the world is set on euill the world was neuer so wicked charitie was neuer so colde a man cannot now professe without taunts scoffes and troubles For we see here that the Prophet in his time had many and great persecutors whom notwithstanding so manifold corruptions could nothing mooue Wherefore we must learne although sometime we are slaundered though sometime we are euill spoken of taunted and troubled our estate is not worse than our forefathers hath bene and the beloued Saints of God haue had before vs. So long as we are well entreated of God and man we will keepe the lawe but when we suffer reproaches taunts iniuries losse or discredit we then run either to euill meanes or to reuengement or to dispaire Where many iniuries haue bene offered many haue bene rendred againe if they haue not requited iniury for iniury with reuenge they haue vsed some ill means to escape out of their trouble if they haue not vsed ill meanes yet they haue secretly begun to mistrust God his promises and prouidence and haue gone to wisards and witches if they could doe nothing in malice they would doe something in policie if they could preuaile with neither they would fall to dispaire But the Prophet of God vseth here no vnlawfull meanes he goeth not in his affliction to Sorcerers hee recompenceth not ill for ill hee did not dispaire in God his promises he did not thinke with himselfe that the Lord would defend his enemies cause and forsake him but hoped still in God his good and appointed time to receiue helpe wherein the man of God is set before vs for our imitation in that neither his faith could bee shaken nor his obedience slaked nor daunted And surely this is Sathans last refuge and most daungerous assault to perswade vs in affliction that therefore the Lord doth plunge vs in miserie because he hath no loue towards vs. But the man of God opposing his faith to all such temptations saith I know O Lord by the records of thy law that thou hast laide vp helpe for mee and that thou art my defender How sweete and comfortable this is they which are humbled and well exercised by temptations know What greater assault vsed the diuell to our Sauiour Christ than this what saith he doest thou thinke if thou werst Gods childe thou shouldest want bread it is not like if thou werst the sonne of God that hee would or could suffer thee to be without food Like are his temptations to vs art thou thinkest thou the childe of God then thou shouldest be helped then thou shouldest not lie in this case This was his last dart which he threw at Christ on the crosse if thou art the childe of God then we doubt there is nothing but thou canst helpe thy selfe Well we see here that the man of God neither mistrusteth Gods promises nor forsaketh his law Neither surely is our faith sound vntill we can beleeue in miserie neither is our obedience pure vnlesse we continue euen when we are oppressed not of a few but of many For then we may perswade our selues to haue true faith when it is wrought in prosperitie and tried in aduersitie and being voide of all helpe of men wee still hope for helpe of God that we may say I will not be afraid often thousands of the people that should beset me round about Psalm 4. 6. Though I walke through the vallie of the shadow of death I will feare no euill for thou art with me thy rod and thy staffe doe comfort me Psalm 23. 4. I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other thing shall be able to separate vs from this loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Verse 158. I saw the transgressors and was greiued because they kept not thy word THis also in substance we had before where the Prophet saith Mine eyes gush out with riuers of water because they kept not thy law my zeale hath euen consumed me because mine enemies haue forgotten thy word The Prophets words in a word haue this meaning Lord as for mine owne things or priuate iniuries I am cōtent to put
them vp but when I saw they began to breake thy law this pinched me at the heart Here we see he was not very nice and delicate in the defence of his owne case but when it came to Gods cause he was not smally mooued Whereby we must learne to translate our zeale to Gods cause and in defence of his glorie to haue our heart blood waxe hot so that euen a godly anger with griefe be stirred vp in vs. For this is the difference betweene a holy and spirituall anger and prophane and carnall anger holy anger is with griefe of the sinne and without reuenge of the person carnall anger is with reuenge of the person and without griefe of the sinne Wherefore if we will haue our anger holy it must be tempered with griefe as we did speake before of zeale wherein we taught that our anger should feede vpon the sinne and coÌ„passion should make vs bleed with griefe for the persons sinning Well we may learne that if we will not swarue from Gods law we must not onely be grieued for our sinnes but also for the sinnes of others For this is the triall of a godly griefe when we are first grieued with our owne and then are grieued with the sinnes of others because true griefe beginneth first in our selues and from our selues it passeth truly vnto others On the contrarie we much bewray our hypocrisie if we first wade vpon other mens sinnes and suffer our owne to grow and if we can fret angerly at a little sinne in another and can be no whit displeased with a great sinne in our selues This is a preposterous griefe to weep to sorrow to sigh for sinnes in others and not to weepe for the sinnes of our owne soules and this is want of the true loue of Gods word To be grieued when wee our selues doe sinne and to be nothing grieued for the sinnes of others Wherefore if we be in place where we want time and opportunitie openly to rebuke sinne and reforme it at the least let vs labour to be grieued which griefe must sit so neere our hearts that when any time or opportunitie serueth we cease not nor stay to vtter it with our mouthes For they that are throughly grieued at the heart will at one time or other burne vntill they haue vttered it with their mouth Wherefore we must labour whatsoeuer sinne we mislike in iudgement to be grieued for the same in affection for many can mislike sinne and it is an easie thing but few are grieued for sinne for it is an hard matter If euer we had neede to mourne for the sinnes of others we had neede at this day that our griefe of sinne in time of prosperitie may shew vs what faith we shall finde in trouble But no marueile though we be no more grieued with sinnes in others because we are so little grieued with sinne in our selues For if we were throughly and sincerely grieued with sins in our selues we should also be grieued with it in others wheresoeuer we found it Which griefe we shall not truly haue vntill we can deuoure all priuate iniuries And seeing this is the ioy of a true Christian to see the Gospell haue free passage and this is the sorrow and griefe of the childe of God to see this Gospell hindred they who reioyce not at the one nor sorrow for the other haue either the loue of the word cold in them or altogether none And as it is an argument of Gods childe to be grieued more for one breach of Gods law than for many priuate offences so it is an argument of selfe-loue to take to heart so grieuously priuate euils and little to be moued as key colde to see the contempt of Gods glorie Wherefore it followeth in the next verse Vers. 159. Consider O Lord how I loue thy precepts quicken me according to thy lâ—ving kinnesse HEre is an argument of true loue Lord saith the man of God I loue thy law in my selfe I loue it also in others for looke what good thing is in me I wish the same in others I hate sinne in my selfe I am sorie for it in others For looke what euill I mislike in my selfe I am grieued for it in others That we may make this a rule to examine our hearts by doe we loue the law of God how shall we know it euen when we are as glad that others doe well and fare well to their saluation as we would be for our selues when we are as much grieued when others doe ill as if we our selues had done it For many will come so farre as to mislike sinne and to speake vehemently against sinne but few come to be grieued for sinne wherefore seeing sinne is so ripe let vs so be grieued for it as we may pray against it and let vs craue of God to haue this godly griefe stricken into vs that by that meanes we may be stirâ—ed vp to prayer and so we shall in time to come either reioyce to see our prayers graunted and our mournings effectuall or else we shall beare the testimonie of a good conscience and in as much as in vs doth lie we shall be guiltlesse of their sinnes Neither in saying Consider how I loue thy precepts doth the man of God say out his good deedes but humbly confesseth to the Lord his owne graces receiued as may appeare by the words following where he pleadeth mercie and not merit This loue wherewith he loued God came from that loue wherewith God first loued him For he seeing the great loue wherewith God loued him he was mooued and inforced to loue God againe so that his purpose is thus much Thou seest Lord that I am an enemie to sin in my selfe for I forget not thy law thou seest I am an enemie to sin in others for I am grieued to see them transgresse thy law wherefore O Lord quicken me and let thy louing mercie whereby thou hast created me and redeemed me in Christ whereby thou hast deliuered me from so many troubles and enriched me with so many and continuall benefits renew reuiue quicken and restore me Thus we see it was not his deserts but Gods louing kindnes whereof he speaketh which if we would often meditate of in seeing how fearefully we are made how gratiously we are preserued how mercifully we are redeemed from how many sinnes we are deliuered what fearefull iudgements we haue escaped we should prouoke our selues the more to the loue of God and his word Againe in that he saith quicken me we see he acknowledgeth no other life but that which is from the word and that we liue by faith and therefore he teacheth vs that we should craue our life both temporall and spirituall of God And if without the word we are not able to liue in the bodily life much lesse without it are we able to liue the spirituall life Whereas he repeateth this request three times in this one portion we
c. Therefore the Lord denounceth plagues and punishments on euery side to fall vpon them Looke into the destruction of the old cities namely of the Egyptians of the Moabites of the Assyrians and of the Philistines and yee shall see how witcherie was the most especiall cause of their destruction So shall we thinke now that the feare of God doth touch their hearts who for losse of so small pelfe runne to wizards Well we are here to learne that as where the Lords feare doth so rule our hearts that we sanctifie the Lord therein we are free from the greatest temptations So where this reuerent feare of God is wanting there is no temptation though neuer so vile and grosse but we will yeeld vnto it The prouidence of the Lord being so rich and his hand so wide and large we must not be afraide of so small a losse of worldly goods Wee know that Zedechiah being a Prince Iere. 37. when the feare of God was gone from him feared that the very common people would mocke him so that he could not obey the Prophet Againe we know that Ieremiah being the Prophet hauing this reuerent feare of God seasoning his heart was nothing dismaid with all that either Zedechiah or any other of the kings could do vnto him Among many places excellent is that Iob. 31. where the man of God partly to stop the mouths of his aduersaries partly to comfort his own soule with the record of a good conscience and partly to shew the secret iudgements of God and that he did not suffer for his sinnes as he was accused but for som secret cause best known to the Lord he testifieth how free he was from fornication from adulterie from iniuries from vnmercifulnes from crueltie with his seruants and from oppression and sheweth the cause why all these things were in him because the Lord beheld all his wayes and told all his steps First for fornication he made a couenant with his eyes because there is no portion no inheritance from the Almightie to the wicked but destruction and strange punishments to the workers of iniquitie and as of fornication so also he speaketh how he was preserued by the feare of Gods iudgements from adulterie ' and afterward comming to shewe his innocencie in not cruelly dealing with his seruants he saith If I should contemne the iudgement of my seruant c â—hat then shall I doe when God standeth vp and when he shall visite mee what shall I answere Againe he professeth that the cause why he did not oppresse nor iniurie others was not that hee refrained for feare of men but for feare of God For saith he If I haue lift vp mine head against the fatherlesse c. I thinke my shoulder bones would goe out of their sockets Gods iudgements were fearfull vnto me I could not be deliuered from his Highnes c. And though he might by his great countenance which he did beare haue dealt roughly with men and might haue made afraide a great multitude Yet saith he the most contemptible of the families did not feare me Yea though the men were farre lesse then hee yet hee could not hide his sinne as Adam he could not conceale his iniquitie in his bosome Whosoeuer then wil be trulie religious and make a conscience of sinne in sinceritie he must thus walke in the feare of God and though he might so doe as no man could euer touch him for his outward conuersation though he did not run into the hand of the Magistrate and no man thogh he would could say Black is his eye he must submit himselfe to what perill soeuer and ouercome all feare of mans power with feare of Gods punishments And we must know that if there be some sin in vs on which the ciuill law can take no hold yet the fear of the law of God must be in stead vnto vs of all lawes knowing that though we escape the court of men we cannot escape the iudgements of God who will iudge vs not according to the law of man but according to his own law So that the children of God are so far off froÌ„ flattering themselues in these sinnes where mans lawes faile and which they doe not punish that they labour the more against them fearing that God will punish those sins more grieuously in the world to come which by the law of man in this world he doth not correct And because by mans punishing we are oft brought to repent of those sinnes wherein now oft times we die without any repentance So that we see how effectuall an instrument of God this feare of his law is against all kinds of sinne whatsoeuer For though in politike lawes there be no lawes against swearing breaking of the Sabbath or filthie speaking yet Gods children are not for that cause such as cast off all feare but such as by so much the rather feare and suspect such sinnes Now in that the man of God saith in awe of thy word see the man of God performeth that feare to Gods word which he oweth to God himselfe This is profitably to be considered of vs. If any deale now adaies with a prophane worldling in things concerning the true knowledge of God and the way of saluation he will answere What tell yee me of these things tell me what you can I am sure of this you can tell me no more than this Loue God aboue all and thy neighbour as thy selfe and I trust I shall loue God as well as you or the best learned But here is their hypocrisie descried in that they haue so small loue to the word For our Sauiour Christ witnesseth Iohn 8. He that is of God heareth Gods word if ye were of God ye would loue his word so one may say to this effect if we feare God we stand in awe of his word Wherefore the man of God saith Oh how loue I thy law protesting that loue to the law which he had to God And as he saith O Lord thou art my portion so he saith also thy testimonies haue I taken as an heritage Thus we must honour God in Christ and Christ in his word For looke what honour God would haue he would haue vs shew vnto Christ and looke what honour Christ would haue he would haue it done to his word Wherefore the Apostles not reuerencing our Sauiour Christ onely for his person but also for his word said Maister whither shall we goe from thee thou hast the word of spirit and life As this corrupt opinion of the feare of God is in the worldlings so also is it in heretikes and in the familie of loue who perswade themselues to loue God when they loue heresies more than the word but herein are those hypocrites and heretikes descried they will generally confesse they loue and feare God but examine them in any particular either of doctrine or of life and they will bewray their want of loue by heresie and their want of feare
Let vs remember then that we liue not to eate as doe bruite beastes we liue not to liue as doe the heathen we liue to liue well as hauing all the creatures to serue to our vse we must liue to Gods glory according to his will It is requisite that Christians in this lie should be prepared to praise God in the life to come with Angels for how shall wee câ—ie holy holy holy with Angels vnlesse we learne to praise God with his Saints in this life Neither is there any thing more effectual to enforce this doctrine thaÌ„ to know how our life is giuen vs of God to his glorie and that it shall returne to him againe And as the children of God vse this world as though they vsed it not but they vse prayer the word and Sacraments most carefully so the vngodly vse prayer the word and sacraments as though they vsed them not but they vse the world most carefully Some can put on a good face and run slily away with sinne but when Gods children see the occasion of weldoing taken from them oh how it woundeth them Oh how it grieueth them that they haue dishonoured God it pincheth theÌ„ so to the heart that â—hey had rather die a thousand deaths than so displease God They then deceiue themselâ—es that thinke they can be saued and vse their pleasures too but God his children darâ— not fully vse their libertie euen in lawfull things least by little and little they should abâ—se it And here is to be noted the vehemencie of his delight that hee contented not himselfe in the verse going before to say thy law is my delight but thy law is my delight and thy iudgements shall helpe me that is and to confirme my selfe herein I will set before me thy iudgements which are the reall records of thy truth for as thy word is my delight so I will marke how thou doest ratifie the same both by accomplishing thy promises and executing thy â—hreatnings And whereas other men make no conscience to obserue thy iudgements yet â— will marke them that I may goe on to the end If we will liue then to the praise of God â—e must see how he doth deale with men considering as he hath a word written so also he â—ath an hand working The word teacheth that God gouerneth the world and the obserâ—ing of this gouernment confirmeth the word indeede heathen men attribute things to â—hance or to fortune for want of knowledge of the word but seeing we haue Gods mysteâ—ies in his word we must obserue them in his workes This obseruation consisteth in things alreadie past and in things hereafter to come in â—hings past as if the Prophet had said Whereas I see that flesh and blood would discouâ—age me because my faith is weake I consider thy workes of old and I finde thy children â—ere neuer finally forsaken and that their enemies in the end were ouerthrowne Let vs earne in this strength first to looke into the word of God and from thence to obserue the workes of God let vs consider how he hath dealt with the â—â—triarches Prophets Euangelists and Apostles and all our forefathers that put their 〈◊〉 in him and we shall see his â—ich mercie to the repentant and his treasures of vengeancâ—â—n the impenitent And as we looke into the iudgements of olde so are we to thinke that 〈◊〉 will deale in time to come for whatsoeuer is written of olde is written for our learning that we might receiue comfort in the accomplishing of the promises and feare by the execution of the threatnings This the Apostle sheweth 1. Cor. 10 who after hee had feared them with the examples of Gods iudgements in the Iewes in the 11. chap. Now all these things came vnto them for â—nsamples and were written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come As if hee should say For this cause these things remaine in record to his 〈◊〉 to instruct vs that if we coÌ„mit these or like sinnes we shall haue these or like punishment Thus we haue them not as personall but reall examples The Apostles Peter and Iude gather the examples of Gods wrath on the Angels on Sodome on Gomorrah on the old world and on Iudas to threaten sinners and to enforce their threatnings for as God will neuer leaue his so vpon the heape of sinne he will bring the full heape of destruction vpon the wicked whipping their naked bodies to the graue and scourging their wretâ—câ—â—d soules vnto hell fire Vers. 176. I haue gone astray like a lost sheepe seeke thy seruant for I doe not forget thy commaundements HE compareth himselfe to a sheepe which of all other is most simple and standeth in most neede of a guide so that here he confesseth his need of a guider and this appeareth in that there is a coÌ„tinual comparison of a sheepe shepheard in the Scriptures Againe though a sheepe goe astray yet it is soone called backe by the voyce of the shepheard My sheepe heare my voyce Thus Dauid when hee went against Nabal was called backe by the Lords voyce in a woman and when hee had slaine Vriah hee was brought againe by Nathan And therefore if wee will be sheepe then though we sometime me goe astray yet we must be easily reclaimed Seeke c. Before we be come to the Lord we cannot desire to be fought but he of his owne pleasure must looke vpon vs. Thus he prayed then after his calling that he might not erre Forgotten A thing is said to be remembred either which is wholy remembred or else in part so that it may be easily brought to remembrance and after this sort had not he forgotten the word that is not wholy but yet in part he might for wee haue the holy Ghost not only to teach vs new things but also to bring to our remembrance things forgotten FINIS This verse 〈◊〉 should haue come in after the verse 86. in the page 442. Vers. 87. They had almost consumed me vpon earth yet did I not forsake thâ— statutes HEre is another argumet oâ— Dauids faith constâcie nothing could make him forsake Gods word He was like a bladder bottle in the smoake verse 83. Pits were digged for him in which he was neere fallen hee was in a manner consumed vpon and from the earth yet nothing can make him to forgoe his holde abandon his generall runne from his colours and forsake that profession which he had made of Pietie Thus the malice of the wicked will neuer haue an end the state of Gods children is oftentimes desperate and so long as the vngodly remaine vpon earth the godly must thinke by them here to be troubled In the world saith Christ yee should haue trouble but in me peace be of good comfort I haue ouercome the world Iohn 16. There 1. Saul his courtiers his generation and alliance yea and many of Iudah by his meanes they thine enemies the Churches enemies and the enemies to
resort to the children and people of God which in this verse are called righteous The righteous men whose companie wee must keepe and to whom we must associate and ioyne our selues are here described by two notes The first note of a righteous man is this that his life bee ordered and guided by the word of God which shineth out before him as a light to his feete and a lanterne to his paths When a man therefore hath a desire and care to measure all things by the word he walketh in the light his light shineth he hath an argument that shee is a righteous man The second note of a righteous man is that he still growes vp and maketh daily good proceedings in godlines But here may some man say I feele not this encrease and going forward nay I am so far from that that I am somtimes driuen to commit sinne To this I answere that such a state is both doubtfull and daungerous yet if in a good conscience thou labour to prouide for the peace of thy soule then trie thy selfe and thine owne heart by these notes First if the conscience of thy former carelesnesse doe make thee carefull if the remembrance of thy former sinnes do cause thee more to hate and abhorre sinne more to flie from it and the more manfully to striue and fight against it and to be short if thou caâ—st make euery thing that befalleth thee an occasion to help thee forward then maiest thou thinke that euen in these things thou makest some good proceedings for as wee knowe that the cloudes can neither lessen the light of the Sunne nor let the course thereof because at the last they are scattered by the heate of the Sunne which shineth out most comfortably so we may be sure that although sometimes our righteousnes be couered with our infirmities yet if we ouercome them driue them away the course of our righteousnes is not hindred And againe as a man is not letted by a fall in his iourney when hee learneth thereby to take better heede and to haste faster forward so wee by our falles and infirmities are not stayed if they make vs more careful of our selues and more earnest in going forward yet must we not say heere it is a light matter to sinne that thereby they may be made more carefull for if a man haue once truely felt the griefe of heart for sinne if hee know how hard it is to get victorie ouer it if hee consider how much hee hath displeased God by sinne if he consider the fearefull punishment which he hath procured to himselfe and if hee be perswaded that none can raise him vp from sinne but God alone then hee will be most afraide to sinne because hee knoweth not whether God will rayse him vp or no and therefore if anie thinke that it is but a small matter to sinne it is certaine that they haue not as yet vnfainedly repented they are not as yet washed from their sinnes This first rule is good and very fit to trie ourselues when to our owne feeling we can perceiue no encrease of godlines within vs which doth cause vs when wee see it to esteeme more highly of the word and to make greater account or it for if our former negligence or some sin through infirmitie whereunto we haue slipped doe make the word more sauorie lightsome vnto vs then it is certaine that the Lord of his goodnesse by this fall hath helped vs forward Contrariwise if our former carelesnesse do make vs more carelesse if our slippes or sinnes doe make the word vnsauourie or vnseasonable vnto vs we are in a most fearefull plight we are in great danger to fall away therefore let vs striue against these let vs labour to vse euery thing to helpe vs forward let vs labour to finde sweetnes in the Word and thus we shall haue comfort euen in our infirmities then shall our light shine brighter euery day vntill we come to our dying day now the meanes which God hath appointed to preserue and increase this light in vs is his holy Word by which as we receiued our light so must wee labour to haue it continued therefore iâ— wee will not â—auâ— our light quenched wee must not despise prophecie if we will haue it to burne clâ—â—â—e then we must attend vnto hearing reading conferring meditating and other exercises of the Word we must eschue euill and the occasions of euill then our light shall flame out continually Vers. 19. The way of the wicked is darknesse they knowe not wherein they shall fall THe former verse is amplified by the contrarie estate condition of the wicked their way is as darknes because they be destitute of the light of Gods word and they know not wherein they shall fall they sin see it not they run vnto heresies and knowe it not the iudgements of God hang ouer their heads they espie it not therefore when they thinke least they shall be brought into greatest danger trouble shal assaile them like an armed man and their sorrow shall come vpon them like as vpon a woman that trauelleth with â—hild In this case are all those which are not inlightened by the word this is the state of all those that make not the word their lanterne continually to shine out before them But the children of God are in a contrary case they are directed by the word in all their doings and in the light of the word they see light They see the subtiltie of sinne and therefore they shunne it and they are taken with an horror as it were of all manner of heresies they foresee Gods iudgements and preuent them and so are they kept safe and preserued from euil Thus farre haue we bene dehorted from vngodly company both by precepts and reasons The second part of this dehortation followeth from this place to the end of the Chapter Vers. 20. My sonne attend vnto my words incline thine eare vnto my sayings HEre followeth the dehortation wherein we are forewarned of the corruption which â—s in our selues yet before the Wiseman commeth to giue any speciall or particular precepts of this corruption he doth after this maner deliuer some generall precepts for the vse of the word whereby this corruptioÌ„ may be cured in vs. These general precepts are set forth in these 3. verses wherin first there is generally required of vs great attendaÌ„ce vnto the whole word of God in these words Attend vnto my wordes Secondly wee are commaunded to heare the word This precept bindeth vs to heare whether the word be read or preached or whether it be conferred of for all these wayes we may get great profit by hearing the word And because wee are not easily drawne vnto this hearing therefore the precept is very effectually deliuered in these wordes Incline thine eare In which kinde of speech there is first noted our naturall slothfulnesse and securitie which of our selues
haue no good desire or inclination to heare vnlesse GOD by his spirit doe worke it in vs and bore through our eares Secondly there is noted this that wee should heare though it be plaine for vs to doe wee must striue and struggle with our selues that wee may heare when the Lord doth neuer so little stâ—â—â— vs vp therevnto Vers. 21. Let them not depart from thine eyes but keepe them in the middest of thine heart IN these words is a third charge giuen vnto vs and that is this that wee should make a profitable vse for our selues in the reading of the word and in beholding of the creatures for both these wayes we may winne great and good strength to ouercome our corruption and both these exercises are in the word commended vnto vs. The fourth and last precept is contained in the latter end of the verse in these words Keepe them in the middest of thine heart In this precept is prescribed the manner of the vsing and doing of the former duties for all of them must be done with the heart wee must giue attendance to the word not onely with the stilnes and quietnes of the outward members but wee must also be attentiue with our hearts we must heare the word read preached and conferred of not with our outward eares alone but also with our very hearts Wee are not to rest in the simple reading of the word or the bare beholding of the creatures but wee must labour for a fourth thing wee must looke that our hearts be present when wee either reade the word or behold the creatures And yet there is a further thing to bee here obserued for by this commandement we are charged to lay vp in our hearts all the profit which we learne by these meanes It is not sufficient to vse them it is not enough to feele some present vse and profit by them but wee must lay vp in our hearts whatsoeuer gaine wee get that wee may be stored and prepared for the time to come This must be done by prayer and meditations for if wee pray feruently before after and in the vsing of these meanes and if after we haue vsed them we do diligently meditate vpon them both that we may be confirmed in each dutie and also that wee way applie them to our own particular priuate vse then vndoubtedly God will giue a blessing to his meanes rightly vsed and will write the fruite of them in our hearts yea the Lord will giue a further blessing vnto them life vnto vs and health vnto our flesh as it followeth in the 22. verse which before hath beene expounded These verses are very notable and worthie of all remembrance for they commend vnto vs all the meanes whereby Gods word is made effectuall vnto vs as hearing reading preaching praying conferring meditating and such like godly and heauenly exercises In other places of the scripture sometime one sometime another is mentioned But here all are expressely named and this no doubt was done by the great wisedome of God the holy Ghost which by this hath met with the corruption of our owne nature For this corruption much preuaileth and beareth great sway in vs that wee vsing some one meanes diligently doe neglect all the rest Some men doe so rest in their priuate reading that they neglect hearing praying other holesome meanes some do so highly esteeme hearing that they will neuer reade to confirme the thing that they haue heard nor vse any other meanes And so of the rest for there are men of all sorts But the holy Ghost commendeth all vnto vs and chargeth vs with all and that so straightly that we cannot with hope looke for any blessing from God vnlesse wee bee carefull and diligent in all It is the dutie then of euery man to be seriously exercised and occupied in all thos exercises that God may blesse al or if not that sometime one sometime another according to his good pleasure may profit vs. These 9. verses because they giue vs in charge to vse with diligence the hearing and other exercises of the word must bee referred vnto the second commaundement Vers. 23. Keepe thy heart with all diligence for thereout proceede the actions of life IN this verse hee doth call vs from all kinde of inward euill which secretly lieth lurking in our heart for as much as that in very deede is the wel-spring of all wickednesse and because Salomon doth here note the heart as that which is the cause of al sinful actions so that although we should neuer see any man doe euill and although wee should not at any time be tempted to doe euill by any yet our owne hearts would corrupt vs and cause vs to sin We do hereby see that the doctrine both of the Papists and of the Familie of loue is most vntrue for they do teach that a maÌ„ is not naturally inclined vnto euil that his nature is not wholy corrupted with sinne but that hee is corrupted and infected either by the allurement or example and temptation of others True it is that the occasion of euill may be offered by some other man but Salomon doth here teach vs that the cause of our euill is in our selues and for this cause he commaundeth vs aboue all things to bee watchfull ouer our hearts for from them doe proceede the actions of life or of death Now the causes why wee are charged to keepe such straite watch ouer our hearts are in number two The first is because the heart doth carrie with it euery way all our senses so that as the Heathen said It is not the eye that seeth but the heart it is not the hand that toucheth but the heart and so the other senses So from hence it commeth that there be oftentimes great sounds and much noyse yet because our eares doe attend vpon our hearts which are earnestly occupied about some other matter wee heare not the sounds we doe not listen vnto the noyse From hence it commeth that we see not goodly sights and shewes when they bee sometimes offered vnto our eyes because our eyes are set vpon that thing about thwich the heart is occupied Yea from hence it commeth that we sometimes stumble in the plaine ground and our feete doe faile vs euen in â—â—â—â— places because our feete are carried with our heart which is earnestly occupied on some other matter Therefore although we ought to keepe with great care our eyes our handâ— our eares and other parts of our body yet doth it most stand vs in hand to keepe all watch and ward ouer our hearts seeing they rule all the rest The second cause why we should watch ouer our hearts is because it maketh or marreth all our actions for if our heart bee pure then all our actions bee pure and accepted of through Christ though some want bee in them and contrariwise if our hearts bee not sound but corrupted and vnpure the things that in their
owne nature and kinde are good yet doe become euill sinfull through vs. This may be perceiued in all the parts of our life let vs then a little fee how our corruption deceiueth defileth vs in many things First this is without all controuersie that is onely the corruption of our owne hearts which causeth vs to be slacke in doing good or to leaue it altogether vndone or else to do that which is euill and odious in the sight of God For albeit many causes may be pretended which sometime may haue a shew of goodnesse yet those causes are but corruptions there is no goodnesse in them Some men are kept back from doing good to their familie by catechizing them because they would not haue all meâ—â—â— talke of them and because they would not hazard the credit of their name Some are 〈◊〉 backe from being zealous in godlinesse because they might stil vse their libertie in buying and bargaining whereby they might prouide for their selues and families And for euery thing they doe they will haue a colourable excuse they will doe nothing without a reason But their excuses are but colours their reasons are very rawe not seasoned with the word They are deceiued through the deceitfulnes of sinne their corruption deceiueth them they are beguiled because they make no triall of their hearts The same thing commeth to passe euen in those things which in their kinde are good To leaue sinne is a very good thing yet if wee doe not herein take heede vnto our hearts we may besore deceiued for when wee be minded and doe purpose to leaue sinne let vs consider the cause why wee purpose and goe about such a thing and we shall often finde that it is not the conscience of sinne but the feare of punishmeÌ„t or the shame of the world which moueth vs so to do The adulterer doth many times abstaine from his filthie adulterie not because that sinne is odious in the sight of God but because it will bring him to open shame among men The theefe without any hatred of theft doth sometimes keepe himselfe from the outward act that hee may auoid hanging and the outward danger of the lawe And that the shame of the world and feare of men doth more preuaile with many than the feare of God it may appeare by this that they wil abstaine from such things whereunto there belongeth shame or for which some grieuous punishment amongst men is appointed as for theft murther adulterie c. yet they will passe by great sinnes for which there is no penall statute as swearing c. For if there were any true conscience of sin in them they would make a conscience of all sinnes but especially of these sinnes which in Gods eyes are most abominable Againe we must not rest when we haue left any sinne as though that were sufficient but we must narrowly search into our hearts to see what cause hath moued vs so to doe for if we doe not with sorrow repent vs of our wickednes and leaue it for the feare of God but forsake it either because it will bee no longer profitable vnto vs or because wee be sickly or olde or weake and take no longer pleasure in it then our labour is but lost our hearts haue deceiued vs. And many no doubt are thus deceiued yea they shew that they be deceiued by this that they can still speake of their sinnes without sorrowe and laugh at others which commit the same sinnes Verily if they had repented of their sinnes the remembrance of them would haue bene grieuous vnto them yea they would be very sorie when they saw others fall into the like sinne But seeing they can laugh and make a sport at it when any man doth it as they haue done most sure and certaine it is that their hearts haue deceiued them they are yet in their sinnes though they haue left them outwardly Let vs proceede a little further that we may see into the corruption of our hearts We purpose to deale faithfully we purpose to heare the word to reade it These things in themselues are very good yet if wee be not carefull ouer our hearts their corruption will pollute and defile them For if we be moued hereunto not with any zeale of Gods glorie but with a care of our owne credit not because in Truth wee would countenance the Gospell but because wee would get some countenance by it the thing good in it owne nature is made euill vnto vs and sinfull because our hearts are not right in the thing And how manie bee thus deceiued may soone appeare by the small fruit which most men doe get by the word For when wee see manie very diligent in hearing of the word yet profiting nothing nor desiring to profite it is vndoubtedly true that those men are deceiued by their owne hearts which are not right with God If there were any conscience if there were any heart or spirit in men they would profit something or at least they would be greatly grieued for their not profiting Moreouer when wee haue brought our purpose to practise and haue done any good thing indeed euen then I say may wee be beguiled if wee take not good heede The corruption of our heart is readie to make vs proude of well-doing whereas indeed we should be humbled it is readie to make vs glorie in that for which we should giue glorie to GOD it is readie to make that an occasion of slothfull carelesnesse which should be as a spurre to make vs more carefull Therefore when the thing is done when the worke is wrought and when all our purpose is brought to passe wee must still be carefull ouer our hearts wee must still haue an eye to them that our corruption bee in no wise hurtfull to that good grace which God hath giuen vs. Thus whether wee purpose to leaue sinne or wee leaue it indeede yet we may be deceiued by our hearts if they bee not right in doing of them Therefore aboue all things we must take heede vnto our hearts otherwise we may doe many goodly glorious things in the sight of men yet our hearts wil one day accuse vs for them our conscience will check and controll vs and God which is greater then our consciences will vtterly condemne vs. Now contrariwise when our heart is vpright with God when it is sound and sincere then will the Lord fauourably accept of our doings and through his Sonne he will count them righteous Thus if we with a pure heart doe leaue sinne though the dregs therof remaine with vs if with a good heart to Godward we labour after goodnes though wee cannot doe the good which we would this vprightnes of our hearts doth please God greatly and he will surely pardon the other imperfections through Christ. True it is that no man can say his heart is pure if he compare it with the rule of Gods word or with the iustice of God and therefore
who so seeth not great corruptions in his heart hee seeth nothing Yet the children of God may say that their hearts are pure by Christ which by Faith purifieth them and hath wrought the death of sinne in them though some corruption remaine in their hearts This doctrine hath two speciall vses First to humble vs secondly to comfort vs. We haue good cause to bee huÌ„bled seeing that it teacheth vs that the very cause of all our sins is in our selues cannot be laide vpon any other It is our owne corruption which causeth vs to sinne whilest it giueth place to the suggestions of Sathan to the policies of peruerse men and to the temptation of our owne flesh If this corruption were not in vs no temptation should preuaile against vs if this corruption were not rooted in our hearts we should ouercome euill through goodnes Christ was free from all sinnes and voide of all corruption therfore sathan by teÌ„ptations could not preuaile against him no sathan could not preuaile against our first father vntil his hart through vnbeliefe was corrupted but we through our corruption doe yeeld vnto our temptations and therefore we are the cause of our owne sinnes That saying therefore is altogether vnsauourie which theeues and others haue often in their mouthes when they say woe be to such a man or to such a woman that euer I knew them for if I had neuer fallen into their companie I had neuer come to this stay and wofull state For albeit euill company might be a great occasion of their fall and though such men and women did sinne greatly in tempting them to sinne yet their owne corruption caused them to be ouercome by euill companie and therfore the cause of their sinne resteth vpon themselues Secondly this doctrine doth greatly comfort vs seeing â—t giueth assurance of victorie against all temptations if wee be renued in our inward man if our hart be purified by Faith and if we labour against them by flying vnto Christ. And this shall seeme comfortable indeed if we consider that euery man hath some corruption either more or lesse in his heart according to the measure of his regeneration And againe if wee consider that the diuell as a deadly enemie goeth about to ouerthrowe him and to subuert his Faith by meanes of that corruption These things if we thinke of it wil be very comfortable to know that we shall perseuer and continue not able finally to be ouercome of any temptation it will be very comfortable to know that the diuell for all his furie is like vnto that souldier which launced the impostume of his enemy and preserued his life when hee purposed nothingelse but to haue slaine him Ioseph was regenerate and when the temptations of his Miâ—â—risse came into his eare hee did fight against them fledde vnto Christ and had a good issue of his temptations Dauid contrariwise though in part regenerate and truely renued yet when the like temptation was offered he yeelded and was ouercome because he looked not vnto his heart distrusted not his owne weakenes set not the Lorde for the time before his eyes fled not vnto Christ nor fought not couragiously himselfe against it therefore in what measure we be regenerate in what measure we vnto our regeneration doe adde the feare of God for the purging of our hearts and a distrust of our weakenes to driue vs vnto Christ in that measure shall we withstand all temptations and â—s we faile in all these or in some one of these so doe we yeeld vnto temptations and so are we buffeâ—ed by Sathan If we be pure in heart and stand stedfast the diuel the world wicked men our owne corruptions and all may tempt vs yet they shall not hurt vs. They may let vs see some corruption that is in vs some sinne whereof wee haue not throughly repented of or something that is not right within vs yet if wee yeeld not vnto them they shall doe vs good and not euill they shall driue vs to CHRIST before whom wee must lay open our wounds that hee of his goodnesse may binde them vp This doctrine then as wee see doth teach vs reuerent and Christian humilitie withall it doth â—â—nister most worthie matter of singular comfort Now that wee be not deceiuâ—d herein it is requisite that wee make some triall of our hearts whereby we may be truly humbled if we finde them corrupted or we may be comforted if through the blood of Christ wee doe feele our sinnes washed away Our hearts are tryed two wayes either by afflictions and temptations or else by the motions and affections thereof For if there be any corruption in our hearts it will appeare by one of these Sure it is that as a man doth shew himselfe in troubles and temptations such a one he is indeed if troubles doe not ouerturne him if feare cause him not to fall away if temptations cannot moue him to forsake the truth or to deny his profession then verily he hath a good argument that his heart is vpright he hath great cause of comfort and reioycing But contrariwise if for feare his heart faint if for troubles he turne away if in temptation he forget his triall and betray the truth his heart is not vpright with God he is in the gall of bitternes he ought in his heart to be greatly humbled Before this time of triall come hee may thinke well of himselfe he may perswade his heart that there is great godlines in him but if he examine not himselfe if he do not streightly looke vnto his heart his vertue will proue vanitie and such godlinesse will worke his griefe There be many men which now in this time of the Gospell doe account themselues verie religious and they will beare a countenance with the best and will outwardly appeare very forward but because they resting in their profession doe not examine their heart their hope faileth them and they fall away For when the state of the Common-wealth shall be changed when religion shall be altered when the truth shall be persecuted when the Lord shall take from them the light of his word and shall suffer Sathan to tempt them with heresie then their corruption will ouercome them and cause them to beleeue lyes Likewise men that haue beene brought vp by godly parents and men that haue the companie of good men may seeme to be sure setled in sound religion but whilest they rest in these outward meanes and labour not after some inward truth their hearts doe deceiue them and in time they shew themselues to be but hollow hearted hypocrites for when the benefit of good companie is taken from them and when they light vpon wicked companie their former godlinesse is forgotten they will frame themselues vnto that companie Therefore if they be tempted vnto theft they will proue theeues if occasion of filthines or other vices be offered they will take the occasion and stay themselues with many
cast off all our admonition with a iest Some thought Paul should haue reproued Nero but it was a rule in the Primitiue Church and the Schoole men haue obserued that furious Tyrants may not be reproued least they disturbe the peace of the Church Elias was more plaine with the Kings in his time albeit he was left alone If thou hast authority thou maist reproue all that are vnder thee Reproue strangers onely of open and known sinnes no Samaritan at al vnlesse he be wounded Let vs in performing this dutie obserue diuine rules well for some are as vnfit to reprehend and to be reprehended as Esaus Plowâ—â—are was to make a sword 11 Though good duties are to be done yet euery man is not fit to do euery good duty therfore let vs see who is fit to execute this worke of reprehension The eie is a tender part euery finger must not be taking in it for of an action without skil commeth an end without fruit This dutie doth not consist in readines of vtterance nor in bitternes stinging words but in good sound iudgement which maketh a man fit And to this are required three things which answere to those in the bodily sight first the cleerenes of the eye secondly the right situation of it thirdly not to be hindred without By the eie the minde the seate of knowledge is vnderstood here in they must be rich It is promised Esa. 64. that the people vnder the Gospell should excell in knowledge the Leuites vnder the Law and it may appeare it was so in the Primitiue Church for they became most ready and familiar in the holy Scriptures in so much that womeÌ„ began to grow so cunning that there was a generall prohibition that they should not speake in the Church Daniels prophesie was that in the later times men should run ouer bookes and if wee cannot so abound yet must wee get a through knowledge of things against which wee deale by reprehension Christ finds the Pharisees often short and blind albeit they gloried of great knowledge though the Phylacteries were broad yet their heads were shallow So it is also with vs ther are many dim eyes which haue need of that eye salue Reuel 3. If any thing be ambiguous we cannot hit the ioynt to restore the member that is loosned Gal. 6. 1. And so in our building all will downe in the tempest that we build with vntempered morter Nothing can abide soundly in affection that is not surely grounded in the iudgement That which Philip said to the Eunuch may heere well bee vsed a little changing the word in the originall Doest thou knowe what thou doest condemne And it is said well of Peter that many speake euill of those things they know not but they doe as Balaam fetch their diuinations from others and so cannot speake according to time place persons but as they are then prouided Secondly the eye must stand rightly in his proper seate for if it stand awry we cannot see well how cleere soeuer the eye be This site and right place of the eye the old writers call intentio vitae and that is that which euen their owne consciences knowe and other men often see they leuell at in their whole life The right situation of the eye is this if we set before vs this scope to please God without any sinister respect albeit some can looke awry and that sildome and that shortly and waxe not worse and worse but more zealous He lookes not aright that hath a worldly end as Balaam would now then looke to Gods commandement but because his heart and minde was fixed on the wages of iniquitie his eye was euer ouer his shoulder and in the end shewed hee was blinde indeede Thirdly the outward hinderances are the beames that are in the eye and they are those sinnes that are past shame and sorrow and such as may be felt at midnight They receiue many diuisions they vpholde wicked practises they bee such as the Disciples cannot cast out they are directly opposite to the calling of a Christian. They that worke this trad are workers of iniquitie of whose eye and iudgement marke Dauids question the answere whereof is soone made Are they not all without vnderstanding that worke wickednesse And this is the reason why the Fathers hauing lesse meanes of knowledge than wee yet saw more concerning heauenly things then we Albeit Christ saith of this eye thou seest a mote yet hee speaketh but of his false imagination for it is hard for him to see a mote that hath a beame in his owne eye hee may onely thinke there is a mote where there is none and therefore no man is to beleeue him And yet this man challengeth to himselfe authoritie not only to dispute but also to reproue yet little reason is there of the first but none of the second Besides whereas the end of reprehension is amendment hee is like to make him worse for seeing how little hee accounteth of the beame that is in his owne eye he may gather if that hurt not him his mote will hurt him lesse nay he is more like to plucke out the eye than the mote out of the eye It is a generall rule that hee that doth willingly reprehend and feeles not a mixt affection of sorrow and feare is not fit for it Our owne loue is the measure of our loue to others he cannot then be good to others that is not first good to himselfe Chrysostome saith Canst thou know another better than thy selfe He that loueth another more than himselfe in spirituall things he is void of charitie We must therefore euer take heede of these beames in our owne eyes for if we so cast aside our eye after preferment wee set the fist commandement aboue the first and make our selues vnfit for the practise of the dutie of Christian admonition 12 The people so profited by Moses sharpe rebuke that they after came to aske him counsell as loth to displease him when they sawe that he was angrie for Gods cause and their sinnes Where we see how needfull it is for a man to haue his conscience ript vp and to take heed when the Minister of God doth with anger rebuke that then we doe rightly interpret his anger for the diuell will be too busie to perswade that he doth it for his own pleasure And the Ministers of Christ must take heede to rule their anger euer intending principally Gods glorie and the profit of their brethren 13 In admonition when we loue too much the person we slacke our zeale against the sinne when we are too zealous against the sinne we forget meeknes and loue to the person It is the greatest iudgement of God vpon the corrupt iudgement of the world that vntill sinne be prodigious and monstrous such as goeth round about the world wee are not moued with it When wee admonish others of sinnes as of iesting and such like
to them There was a voyce put vp for making a golden Calfe and there was not one against it There was a voyce what should be done with Iesus and all cried crucifie him Another was whether God should be God or Bâ—al should be God and none held with God but Eliah Also whether Christ or Barrabas should be loosed and all chose Barrabas And in a good matter whether Ioseph should goe into the pit or no and all but Ruben consented he should In religion we can grant that vniuersality is no note of the truth and if any obiect vnto vs what so many Princes so many Nobles and yet haue they not the true religion we can answere out of Paul not many noble not many mighty hath the Lord chosen but in our life we caÌ„not be drawne to confesse the same Wherefore let vs beware of following the multitude 5 Particular examples may be made generall instructions when the cause of them is generall When an example is grounded vpon a generall equitie then may it be followed but when it hath some particular respect and contrarie to the generall equitie it may not be followed though it were well done Yet that was not well done of Zipporah because it was the office of a man to doe that she did as appeareth Gen. 17. for in that the Lord departed it was rather for the faith of Moses than that the thing was right So was it in the example of Simeon and Leui who sinned yet had the Lord more respect of their fathers faith to crowne it than of their sinne to punish it yet was it still sinne Therefore when we cannot doe well as we thinke because of others as wife friend husband c let vs know that the fault is in our selues for if we were faithfull they should be so farre from hindering vs that euen by vs perhaps they might be saued 1. Cor. 7. 6 It were a good thing to make other men our looking glasse and in their falles and infirmities either to behold ours present or to suspect them to come 7 It is not good to binde any to our examples 8 It is euermore a safer thing to insist in the generall rules than in the particular examples 9 We may not follow euery good example in Scripture and when we follow any we must looke we haue the same spirit and the like affection 10 Many call euill good by speaking for it by not speaking against it by defending it in themselues defending it in others who are worse than Saul 1. Sam. 15. for after a while he bethought himselfe he coÌ„fessed but these men after they haue once taken vpon them to defend a sinne will defend it still they will dwell in it liue in it die in it goe to hell in it Proctors they are of ill causes parasites I would they were only in comedies such as sowe pillowes Ezech. 13. and Psal. 10. such as they Act. 12. the voyce of a God such as Absalom 2. Sam. 15. that said that all matters that came before him were good These perswade others to sinne either by shew of reason Gen. 3. or by shew of religion as Absalom did or by shew of stature Ioh. 19 we haue a law by faire promises as the diuell to Christ all this I will giue thee or by saying ye shall finde more ease Ieroboams reason for the Calfe with a Pilate voyce or if you will not say as Nâ—buchadnezzar saith you shall into the furnace But some of these doe say 1. I neuer spake word in commendation of this or that euil matter But haue ye not heard the common saying * the thing it selfe speaketh The heauens declare the glory of God Psal. 19 and yet speake neuer a word Their actions speake lowder and plainer than their tongues These in iudgement absolue Barrabas and condemne Christ and so bestow on the euil such things as belong to the good They bestow preferments on them that least deserue as Ieroboam did the Priests office on the basest sort of the people and so it is in our times for many haue places both in Church coÌ„monwealth which can serue for nothing but to be coÌ„sonaÌ„ts alwaies following the sound of their vowels hauing none of their owne 2. Some speake not against sinne when Hely had let his sonnes faults passe God said he hououred them more than him God counteth vs honoured of sinne when we see and say nothing Psalm 50. When thou sawest a theefe c. Though we doe but stand by and looke on as Paul did we are made allowers of the fact So Peter makes the Iewes Act. 4. You haue killed the Lord of life We say the gardiner is the cause that weeds doe growe because he letteth them grow And so it may be said in Church and common-wealth of them which will not rebuke sinne when they may because they will not be medlers 3. But some haue a little more care but yet thinke it sufficient to be of Gamaliels minde Let it alone if it be not of God it will come to nought loth to speake against euill and so they see it and say nothing 4. Or as those which say something but yet as good as nothing as Ely did ye doe not well my sonnes they speake as a seruant to his master softly because he would not wake him they hit peraduenture the skirt when they should smite the head and sometimes misse altogether or hit those they should not 5. Or seeme to speake somewhat roundly but be so short witted or so short winded that they cannot speake much a little they doe and soone leaue off as King Ioash 2. King 13. 14. 10. 11. 6. Some speake out of time when they first let an ill matter passe then they speake against it 7. But some are worse than all these which giue men some morsell to stop their mouth as Aeneas is said to giue Cerberus a soppe that he might not barke or muzzle theÌ„ that they cannot speake taking away their tongues and liuings or prescribe what they shall say as Micah 2. 11. Prophesie of wine or as Amazias said to Amos Prophesie not against Israel Amos 7. 11. 12. 11 Wee must learne a Logick of the holy Ghost Exod. â—3 2. to answere the topicks of the world which defend their doings by Others doe so and learnedner and wiser than you haue dâ—â—â— it And indeed we must not onely forsake a multitude but we must also adde this to dissent from the traditioÌ„s of the elders It commeth all to one end for it differeth not whether we say many or one great one as many for if one thing be equiualent to a multitude we may say as the Hebrue and the Greeke doe that they are al one ten shillings and an angell are all one There be that thinke it is of more force many smite like haile stones but great men like great
also in doing of good otherwise than we ought to doe To leaue sinne in it owne nature is a commendable thing but if we doe it for feare of punishment or for shame of the world rather than for conscience of sin it is not at all praise worthie The adulterer may restraine his loathsome and sinfull action not for that he feareth to defile himselfe with sinne in the sight of God but because he would not be knowne to haue sinned in the sight of the world the theefe may surcease from actuall theft for feare of the law and to auoide the gallowes but neither of these haue repented of their sin though after a sort they haue left their sin This is manifest in that they leaue not euery sinne as true repentance doth without all exception or dispensation but onely those bloodie faced sinnes which ciuill discipline censureth with shame and suffrings as murther treason adulterie and theft making no bones to commit sins as grieuous before God though not so punishable before men as are swearing prophaning of the Sabbath lying drunkennes such like which sinnes if they were worthy of imprisonment by law either men must change their accustomed course or all the prisons in the realme would not be able to receiue the offendaÌ„ts Such men learne the common statutes and penall lawes of the land the lawes of the Lord the statutes of the highest they will learne hereafter If they had a conscience of sin then it should be in vniuersall not in particular because one sinne is as grieuous to the Lord as another and no sin must haue a placard before his presence Other will leaue sinne because they haue beene in seruice so long and spent their body so much in sinne that now not that their action is lamed but because their abilitie is gone they for feare of some sickenesse will leaue it but if they might runne through a new body they would runne through their old course againe Others haue consumed all to feede and cloath sinne and therefore now because their purse constraineth them not because the law commaundeth them or the curse feareth them they count it for husbandrie to staie a while Others being somewhat politike thinking it good to get some profit that may giue longer life to pleasure hereafter for a while bridle in their wantonnesse whiles they haue gotten some sure hold of their inheritance and after so soone as they haue brought with sorrow their fathers olde age to the graue recompence the diuell with their hote pursuite of sin much more than they lost in their former sparing of sin Others when either for deadnes of nature or want of abilitie or feare of man they dare not or cannot commit sinne in their owne persons yet they drawe ouer as much pleasure as men in their case may doe by commending and chronicling of their owne sins past or by laughing in their sleeues at the artificiall sinning of some other present They can laugh at sinne hartily whereby they shew they cannot mourne for sinne hartily they make a mocke of it therefore bewray they haue little conscience of it and therefore they die in their sinnes howsoeuer they haue left their sinnes To deale carefully in Gods worship and faithfully with man are things both commaunded and commended and yet to doe them without zeale of Gods glory and with a care or our vaine glory rather to win credit to our selues than to gaine credit to the Gospell is neither commended nor commaunded And yet how many beguile their owne soules hreein it may appeare by so many frequenters of the word and so few fruitfull hearers of the word if they profit not it grieues them not if they remember it not they â—est at it if they cannot speake of it they scoffe at it and yet they thinke they be great protestants Many goodly and godly things we may seeme to doe before men and be thought to be petty Angels come out of the cloudes and yet being impoisoned at the hart with vaine glory the Lord hath no delight in vs our owne hearts euen in these glorious workes doe accuse vs our consciences doe controll vs and without repentance God that is greater than our conscience will in the end condemne vs Contrariwise be our action neuer so beggerly for want of abilitie neuer so deformed for want of beautie in the eyes of man yet if it commeth from a sincere heart sound and sincere in the eyes of the Lord it is acceptable and through Christ accounted righteousnes vnto vs. If then for sins sake we leaue sin and leauing sinne repent of sinne repenting of sin leaue sinne though the lees of it remaine in vs if for righteousnesse sake we labour for righteousnesse â—hough an essentiall righteousnesse be not inherent in vs though we do not all good we loue but in loue desire to doe it though we leaue not all sinne we hate but in hatred of it labour to resist it the good we do is accepted the good we desire to do is imputed the euill we leaue is discharged the euill we desire to leaue shal not be imputed True it is indeed no maÌ„ can say my hart is vpright I am pure if he measure himselfe by the rule of the law which thing whosoeuer seeth not by his manifold corruptions as yet he seeth nothing as he should see yet the children of God may say their hearts are right within them when by faith in Christ and a pure purpose to approue themselues vnto God their hearts are purified so as they labour for the death of sinne though the whole body of sinne be not slaine in them and labour for true righteousnesse though the man of righteousnesse be not fully fashioned in theÌ„ This doctrine then hath two especial vses the one to humble vs the other to comfort vs. Good cause we haue to be humbled by it seeing it teacheth vs that the cause of sinne is stil in our selues and cannot be charged vpon any other as the cause thereof For if our corruption were not neither Satan by feare and tyranny neither the world by preferment and glory neither the fleshly delights by subtiltie neither our enemies by their feares and tyrannie could euer preuaile against vs Christ Iesus was thrise vehemently assaulted yet because the Princes of this world could find nothing in him and all his temptations were as a little arrow shot at a brazen wall no corruption being in his heart no guile being found in his lips they nothing preuailed against him Adams heart was corrupted before Adams hand had sinned Sathan doth offer we doe yeeld vnto our temptations he is the occasion but we are the cause of our owne woe The fond sophistry and lying logicke of theeues is here to be withstood who thinke they wash their hands from all sinne by crying woe worth such a man that euer I knew him for had not he constrained me and
Esay 55. your waies are not as my waies and because there be wrong waies Ierem 18. Let euery man turne from his owne waies these euill thoughts 1. Pet. 2. 11. are said to be the diuels Souldiers and to warre against the soule they follow their captaine and we follow them and then you may easily know whither we goe Ierem. 17. There is a wickednes said to be in the heart of man and that not easie to be espied but it is a subtile wickednes and the subtiltie thereof is vnsearchable This is euery man before he be regenerate Isaiah saith The hart of man to God is as the clay to the Potter Indeed saith he it is clay to God but waxe to the Diuell that is to say it must haue much tempering and great adoe to bring it to God but in Sathans shoppe very pliable to any worke he shall put it to Although we neuer saw any euill example nor were tempted at all outwardly yet our owne hearts would teach vs wickednesse It is mine owne heart that is the cause of sinne in me and it is follie to say woe to that man but for him I had neuer fallen thus and therefore if the issue of mine owne corruption be stayed and stanched in me it is God that restraineth mine owne heart or else I should runne into all wickednesse whatsoeuer the gallowes punish This must bring a man out of loue with himselfe By this we see how wicked speeches those be let him doe what he will and I will doe what I list but there is no mention of Gods will Basill when he had perswaded himselfe that if he could be in the wildernesse he should be happie and serue God more deuoutly being out of the companie of men when he came thither he said I haue forsaken all things but I retaine mine olde heart still If this euill were not all euill temptations could not preuaile against him For Adam was not ouertaken with the temptation vntill he was corrupted in his heart Therefore it is saide Ierem. 4. wash thine heart This filthinesse of the heart was so great Gen 6. that it was faine to be washed away with that great deluge and now water will not serue it must haue fire to purge it Prouerbs 4. watch and ward ouer thine heart keepe it with a great many of lockes Our heart is a wandering thing it is like the mill that is euer grinding still setting vs a worke with more commaundements than euer God gaue vs. If we follow Gods way there is some end but if we follow our owne way there is an endlesse maze Ierem. 4. the heart must be circumcised It is a little member it will not serue a kyte for a meale and yet all the world will not serue it there is so much superfluous matter in it it had neede be circumcifed Cast downe thine heart saith Esay It must be plucked downe and kept in some worke A good way the way of the heart is not but how it lieth it is to be considered The first entrance is the thought either by occasion or by his owne motion The Scripture deuideth them into two sorts iniected and ascending both naught Iniected be those which the diuell casteth in as he did into the heart of Iudas ascending be such as rise out of the heart which doe breath out Of these our Sauiour Christ speaketh to his Disciples why do thoughts arise in your hearts The second thing that makes thee walke easie is when we are well affected to it and will entertaine it and stay to talke with it Then there is a lingring delay to stay in it and a mans conscience telleth him it is euil and he leaueth it and commeth straight to it againe Further when a man conceiueth a pleasure in these imaginations so that the very sent of them delighteth him for they carrie the smell of them in themselues and euen as the rauens will not goe farre from the dead carcasse though a man be with it they will be sure to be within sent of it After comes a desire of taking fruit of it by wishing I would I might as also a consent of the will and that is with God a full action as Christ saith to Iudas what thou dost doe quickely when as yet as he did act nothing outwardly Next followeth the endeuour and deuising by al meanes possible to bring it to passe as Iezabel did to bring Naboth to his death Thē ensueth the act it selfe that is the sinne of the hands or of the feete then perhaps we do it twice often Then commeth a benummed conscience he forgets to be sorrowfull for it it prickes him not Lastly followeth I will stand to it then men will call light darknesse and darkenesse light We may adde boasting in sinne say what you can they will not doe it they will doe it to spite you This is the chaire of the wicked at their iournies ende and because they should not be without a cushion if you will haue any thing else the next is damnation Peter saith Their damnation is nigh This is the measure of the age of Sathan this is the ladder or these be the steps to hell yet God doth not marke euery declining of man but as the Apostle saith he ouerlooketh them they are but in the regenerate to humble them and to make them confesse the grace of God Touching these thoughts let these be two rules what we shame to speake let vs be ashamed to thinke he that seeth our thoughts knoweth what we are I remember in the new Historie of Scotland there is mention made of a controuersie betweene Scotland and Ireland for a certaine Isle betweene them both After much adoe they put it to the determinatiō of a wise Frenchman whose iudgement was that they should put a snake in it and if it liued the ground should belong to Scotland I speake it in this respect that if these poisoned venimous thoughts doe liue in our hearts it is a signe our heart belongeth to that countrie which they appertaine to If they die presently in our hearts it is well It behooueth vs to haue a present striuing against them and if they yet remaine an indignation a feare and a crying to God to tell him that we are troubled with them Here we must outreach and vnteach a foolish speech that is common amongst vs. Thought is free No thy cogitations by iust title be the seruants of the Lord. Bernard saith Iustly doth he challenge my hart which gaue his owne heart to be pearced for me Therefore we must vse them wisely we must walke no longer after our owne hearts but we must striue and that before reason be corrupted for then it is hard to restraine There must be a washing of the heart This is the burthen of the Lord as the Israelites were wont to say when they went to Ieremiahs
God which is his arme to draw vs to saluation when it hath beene a little while among vs it is a thing smally esteemed wheras cōtrariwise in those places where it is newly recouered they flocke together farre and neare and will make it their talke and songes and whole delights The like reason is of the Sacraments other blessings of God which while men doe vse of fashion and custome or else doe rest in the outward thing not looking into them nor beholding the spirituall grace offered by them it cannot be but that they must needs fall into a superstitious abuse of them or else despise and loath them 7 Our Sauiour Christ giueth two notable titles and commendations to the exercises of the Church Matthew chapter 7. verse 6. he calleth them holy and precious First for holines we know there is no sound holines but in the Lord or of the Lord and therefore it was said holines to the Lord it was the inscription of Aarons miter And it is said in the Gospell that none is good but God that is none is essentially good but God the word the Angels so forth are holy but in respect rather of some thing receiued than of their own nature and so the word is holy after a double manner either for that it commeth from God who is perfitly holy and it is of the nature of him or else for that by it we receiue holines and are made holy For the first it is sure that the law-giuer doth alwaies impart to the lawe something of his owne nature and therefore among the heathen looke what kind of men set downe the lawes the law had a smacke of their disposition Solon a very moderate man his lawes were very moderate and tasted much that way Draco his lawes were seuere like to himselfe and therefore they were said to be written with blood So are the Lord his ordinances they comming from the holiest of all carie frō him in them a sensible rellish of holines and are vnited to the nature of God And as the law commeth from one holy and so teacheth holy things likewise cōmeth holines into our hearts by applying them therevnto our hearts of themselues not being holy and so the law hauing a qualitie of God himselfe it hath it not for it selfe alone but for vs. In this respect as the law is liuely so it is a quickning law making aliue as the word is wise so it maketh wise as it is holy so it is a sanctifying law making vs wise For preciousnes the Scriptures sticke not and cease not to set a price of the word as Psalme 19. and 119. Dauid compares it to spoiles a thing full of precious things wherein are things of great price And yet for that in spoiles are things of all value some more some lesse precious after he compares it to gold then to fined gold afterward to much fined gold yea to thousands of gold and siluer and not contenting himselfe he ioyneth to gold precious stones and least yet he might say too little he compares it to all manner of riches The reason hereof is this that for as much as the soule of a man euen of him that perisheth is precious and the soule of euery good man more precious then the soule of the holiest Christ Iesus is most precious Now for as much as the Gospell hath it foundation in opening of the signe of the blood of Christ therefore the Gospell in a singular degree of excellencie must needs be most precious 7 When some penitent sinners are executed for theft we see they are more grieued fo◠whoredome than for theft because it brought them to theft but most of all they sorrow for neglect of the word which hath made them most loose in al their life Seeing then this is warranted by the experience of our times let vs take heed we neglect it not but see the want and neglect of these meanes to be the cause of other sinnes but if we will not doe this the Lord will punish sinne by sinne which is most feareful for this is the only meanes to keepe vs from sinne to heare the word pray giue thankes heare admonitions receiue the sacraments with reuerence and in truth As these meanes doe keepe vs from sinnes so do they recouer vs from them when we are fallen thereinto as when great trouble is vpon vs pouertie disquietnes against these the word of God doth giue a remedie teaching vs that as it came by Gods prouidence so he must take it away contrarie to the familie of loue who denying the prouidēce of God attribute it to outward causes Example of a man which sayd his sicknes came by Gods visitation they replyed vnto him did you not take cold he answered that is but a meanes to serue his prouidence so the familie left him For we take cold often and yet are not sicke because the Lord hath all things in his hand to dispose at his pleasure and then shall we rest in this when we are certainely perswaded of this doctrine Psalme 32. The Prophet saith that before he acknowledged his sinne moysture was turned into drought but when he confessed his punishment was taken away so Iob. 33. when men wil not profite by his word then the Lord wil seale this former doctrine by a correction which if we profite not by it will lie so long on a man that his bones shall sticke out being in this case if the Lord reueale him this he shal be restored to his former state It is plaine that the cause of these corrections is the neglect of the instruction of God in his word which if we would throughly giue ouer our selues vnto we might be sure that no presumptuous sinne should preuaile against vs. But if we esteeme not the word of God or receiue it so as that we profit not by it then let vs not maruaile though the Lord doe visite vs and that in great mercy too if we can be brought so highly to esteeme of the word and of prayer as of nothing more CHAP. XLVI Of Magistracie or Gouernment AFter that Iethro Exod. 18. 21. had tolde Moses a better course in the gouernment of the people hee describeth what manner of men they should bee and to the properties which are there set downe there may be added three in the first of Deuteron vers 13. First then Magistrates must bee wise that is skilfull in all those causes which shall come before them otherwise if they be not men of knowledge they be not fitte for that place Yea though they bee well minded and willing to doe good yet if they haue not knowledge of those things which they must deale in it is not sufficient For as in handicraft matters a good man is not straightway a good Artificer So and much more is it in this waightie calling 2 Secondly it is required that they bee endued with prudence or experience for Sapientia and
shall we auenge our selues vpon men But many men will be content to iudge and condemne this sinne in the Israelites and neuer looke into themselues to see the same but this sinne is as rife now as euer it was and this no doubt is a cause why many cannot profit by the examples of the old Testament because they imagine grossely of the sinnes of that people and thinke that there is no such grosse sinnes now whereas indeed if the case were duely considered the same sinne is grosser now than it was then for as much as the mercies of God are more plentifully vpon vs and with greater continuance than vpon them 13 The children of Israel did so much as in them lay to prouoke Moses diuers times to murmure against the Lord yet we may reade how he yeelded not neither was at any time ouercome except once Numb 20. Psal. 106 for which the Lord said he should not enter into the land of promise and Moses found the truth thereof for when he much desired the same the Lord would not be entreated but he must die in the Mount where all men must learne that they praise not the children of God too much though they be strong haue receiued great gifts for by Moses example they may here see that by such violence of temptation they may fall And againe all Gods children must take heede that they yeeld not to temptations when they are offered for though the occasion be of another yet the cause is in our selues and we shall be chastised for the same if we doe yeeld And againe we must take heede that we doe giue no occasion to the Magistrate or the Minister to murmure least the Lord punishing them we also be depriued of the benefit which we should receiue by them CHAP. LII Of Patience vnder the Crosse. THere is a difference betweene Gods children and others for Gods children haue the patience that others doe want though not at the first yet in continuance though with some infirmitie first because they are perswaded of forgiuenes of sinnes and secondly are sure of their vocation by good workes which are the fruites of sanctification thirdly the knowledge of Gods prouidence which disposeth all things for our good fourthly because they looke for another life and when they faile of any of these then they begin to quaile and the wicked because they vtterly want these therefore they are altogether confounded 2 Patience is not so much in â—â—e outward stilnes of the bodie and shewe of the faee as in the inward quietnes of the heart and meeknes of the spirit Therefore Dauid Psal. 4 biddeth vs examine our selues vpon our beds and be still and Esai 30 the Lorde saith your helpe shall be in silence and peace and therefore Dauid and Iob being in trouble saide they would lay their hands on their mouthes for when a man doth thus possesse his soule in patience he is most fit for the mercies of God and then shall hee receiue the greatest profit by them For as in bodilie diseases to be quiet is a great ease and helpe so it in other troubles whatsoeuer and therefore must we especially labour for it 3 Manie will say that GOD is mightie but they belâ—eue it not as appeareth in that they are ouer fearefull when they bee in daunger whereas Gods children haue some presert feeling thereof and afterward are more strengthened So that if wee cannot trust in God in the want of all helps we doe not belieue this power if wee depend not on him pray not vnto him striue not to obey him we belieue not this For this cause did the holy men write of the power of God which they haue felt that after they may be strengthened and so must we consider of Gods power that we in patience may looke for helpe from God in trouble and in prosperitie see his hand that blesseth the same vnto vs and so vse the same vnto his glorie and giue him all the praise 4 To a good action it is requisite that our intent be according to the word that then our action being good we vse right meanes if our meanes be good then must we haue faith if we haue faith then must we haue sound hearts if our hearts be sound we must deuoure through peace all hindrance and waiting for the good time of the Lord we must possesse our soules in patience 5 There are diuers plaine Israelites that will suffer a vaile to be put before their faces and they will vse them as the Pharisies did Iohn Baptist to obiect him against Christ Iohn and his Disciples fast and why doe others so but to haue a cloake for their wickednesse These are abused for want of wisedome and would mislike their practises in their heart if they could sound the depth of them Praestat esse caudam Leonis quam caput vulpis Better to be the taile of a Lion than the head of a Fox Well it is good to be iust and wise but yet not for our selues but yet such as will not keepe their wisedome to themselues but tell it out or write it come to wrack Because he will not follow the counsell of Amazias See not he hath the reward of the Prophets all the Prophets except foure perished The cause was they were more wise than was for the Princes aduantage In respect euen of God his permissioÌ„ it is iust that the iust should perish we may say is this his reward but we must know that when for corruption of time God his children caÌ„not liue without hazard of their hazard he taketh theÌ„ away neither in so doing doth he breake his promise that giues them for a long life eternall life for a bag of siluer a bag of gold for in so doing he promiseth the lesse and performeth the more We would indeed be the Lords seruants if we saw his seruice would alwaies preuaile but because sometimes we see their seates without honour that serue God we will be none of his seruants or we learne by reason to iudge no action by the person yet we say if he preuailed not he tooke no good course or if we cannot but say he is wise we say he is too wise The Prophet Prou. 30. saith he will write his vision to Ithiel and if Veal be with him to him too or else not the meaning is Ithiel is God with vs he would write it to please God Veal is to preuaile if that be with the other he will haue both else keepe to the other and let Veal alone When a man goeth to the market cum obâ—lo if he like lettesse he may take them giue his ebolum if he like his halfepeny better he may keepe it but if one would haue both ebolum lactucas so if we haue vpright dealing and will esteeme the fauour of men in authoritie better we may change it for that but if we esteeme our vpright dealing better
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
say they will do so no more and yet because they repent not therefore they fall againe So is this seene in angrie persons which are rather grieued for shame or losse or such like causes not for the loue of GOD so it is in thieues which come to the gallowes againe although once receiued their pardon This also may be seene in Tale-bearers when their dealing is knowne they maruell at themselues yet not repenting they fall to their sinne againe The Apostle Saint Iames in his fourth chapter teacheth vs not only to clense the hands but to purge the heart also for we must see our hearts defiled with the sinne wee leaue or else it is impossible to repent for the heart being still defiled will yeeld to a new occasion The means to leaue these sins is there set downe to howle and weepe c. Iam. 4. for the burnt child feareth the fire but because God doth not throughly punish men because mens hearts do not feele the grieuousnes of sinne and Gods iudgements due to them for the same therefore they sinne afresh but if they did feele Gods wrath and the grieuousnes of their sinnes then no doubt they would shake at the appearance of euill Therefore that we may come to this and hate those sinnes that especially do preuaile against vs we must vse sharpe medicines as in an old festered sore they vse corrosiue salues for there are some kind of sinnes like to some kind of diuels which cannot be cast out without prayer and fasting And when wee cannot bee healed with ordinarie meanes the disease still continuing then must we vse extraordinarie which if wee doe the Lord wil lift vs vp and in the end giue vs power to trample sinne vnderneath our feet For if we had more griefe for our chiefest and greatest sinnes God would giue vs a heart to hate them and to feare the least occasions that might draw vs vnto them so should wee bee for euer preserued from them they should neuer preuaile against vs. 5 Sinne doth much grieue the Lord although in great mercie he doth long and oftentimes forbeare the punishment therof which should much moue vs and cause vs when we see our often fallings greatly to bee greued thereat and highly to bee displeased with our selues for the same least we fall into presumption And when our owne consciences the diuell doe accuse vs for such sinnes as we haue committed against the Lord as then we are to bewaile and lament our goings astray and displeasing of our God so are wee to trust in his promises and to embrace his mercies least we bee ouewhelmed with griefe and so fall into despaire for the diuel euer and continually laboureth to bring vs either to the one or the other presumption or desperation Therefore when wee haue sinned and yet doe rebuke our selues being much displeased with our selues because of Sinne wee are to comfort our selues the Lord will shew his mercie vpon vs for if hee shewed vs his mercie when we were not grieued how much more when wee vnfainedly lament If hee hath waited vpon vs to doe vs good before wee repented how much more shall his goodnes appeare towards vs vnfainedly repenting 6 What is the cause that men can be so well content to lie in their sins without repentance and thinke all is well if they can for a while forbeare and abstaine from them This no doubt is the cause because they set not themselues before the iudgement feare of God and of Christ and therein feare to consider how grieuous a thing sin is in the sight of God how greatly it displeaseth him and what fearfull condemnation abideth them that securely and carelesly continue in their sinnes For if men could consider this that their sins prouoke the wrath of the Lord against them and do procure euerlasting condemnation to be powred out vpon them they would no doubt feele sinne most grieuous vnto them yea a burthen that presseth them downe to hell then would their spirits be vexed within them and their hearts bruised with the due consideration of their sinnes yet all this would not bring them out of their sinnes For the law condemneth and worketh wrath and the iudgements of the Lord doe cast down wound and kill that so we might be fit to receiue the Lord Iesus who came to raise vp to heale and giue life to such as are fallen sicke and dead And still is hee present to helpe those which are in like manner distressed for till such time he will not worke vpon them to cure and deliuer them from their sinnes hee was sent onely to the sicke c. and those no doubt he will heale Hereof it commeth to passe that many doe continue in their sinnes and are not deliuered from the power of them because they are not wounded with a feare of Gods iudgement and so driuen to seeke their helpe in Christ but in their owne power for thinking sin to be but a small matter they goe about to suppresse it by their own strength and by their owne power to subdue and ouercome it Wherefore the Lord that hee may let them see that without the helpe of Christ their strength is nothing and their labour spent in vaine doth suffer them againe and againe to be buffeted with their sinnes yea and if they wil not then flie out of themselues vnto Christ they shall receiue the foyle be ouercome therewith to the end they might be brought framed at the length if they belong vnto God to be fit matter for the Lord to worke vpon And then no doubt if we can come thus humbled in our selues vnder the mightie hand of God and by vnfained praier craue forgiuenesse at the Lords hands for Iesus Christs sake and desire continually the assistance of his holy spirit wee shall encrease in faith and feele the cleare forgiuenes of our sins and in him we shall find strength against sinne and shall feele his power working in our weakenes or as sorrow must goe before so repentance must come fast after forgiuenesse 7 Some when they haue sinned reason thus the Lord doth not punish me for my si 〈…〉 s therfore he hath forgiuen them but this kind of reasoning is false and dangerous because it abuseth the great mercie of God to hardnesse of heart and that the Lord will punish though he forbeare for a time it is plaine Exod. 34. 7. Which if wee would consider then would the goodnes and the long suffering of the Lord lead vs to repentance Rom. 2. â—4 8 The Lord wil spare his iudgements in them in whom he sâ—eth a true loue of true Religion for they that loue Religion will desire to heare and hearing the word they wilâ—â—ot fall to any sinne or if they fall into sinnes they will not lie in them long 9 When our sin hath lesse liking in vs there is hope that it wil decay in vs
of our infirmities hindring our perseuerance are also to be made euen 9 We must not thinke that sinne will goe from vs of it selfe or that saluation will be wrought with a trice but we must deale forcibly with nature because when sinne and the word cannot dwell together Sathan will take such order as he will by all meanes hinder vs froÌ„ the word which if he cannot doe then he stirreth vp a fight in vs like the strugling of the two children in Rebeccaes wombe so as sometime we are readie to say with Rebecca had I knowne of this I would neuer haue done so I would neuer haue heard the word Rebecca had two nations in her wombe Paul had two Princes in him and we haue two Monarches dwelling within vs. We can be content to heare vntill the word rifle vs. But as a purging potion as long as it is a drinking is but as another drinke vntil it work and then we could be content to cast it vp againe or as a drawing plaister seemeth fauourable enough vntill it worketh and after we could willingly put it off againe so we can quietly heare the word vntill it workes vpon vs and then we could forsake it But if ye be such as because ye will not for your health suffer a little paine but wil cast vp your purgation and scratch off your plaister go to ye shall be seered and a crust shall be vpon you and ye shall not feele it but in death the crust shall be taken off This fight must be in vs as it was in Dauid Psal. 42. and in Paul Rom. 7. whose heires if we will be we must follow their steps But here is the helpe many will keepe off the word that it shall not haue a full blow and so they shield and ward that stroke that should martyr and crucifie sin in them Let vs thrust the word vpon him by hearing and meditation but alas many giue so few blowes or so weake strokes in vsing these exercises so seldome that they preuaile little But thou wilt say Christ hath ouercome for thee True it is but had he suffered a thousand times he neuer ouercame for thee vnlesse in some measure he ouercome in thee Now we must ouercome euen as Christ Matth. 4. did ouercome Doe this doe that saith the diuell No saith Christ it is not agreeable to the word But how did Christ ouercome the world euen by being ouercome of the world First of the crosses of the world a strange thing to obserue by being ouercome and so shall we doe How then must we ouercome the flesh By crucifying it Galath 5. We crie against the Iewes for killing of Christ we may crie as iustly against the nayles of the Crosse and say that they crucified him it was the corruption of my heart that crucified him the workes of mine hands did naile him my sinnes were the speare that pierced him What did my faults crucifie him Well I will be euen with them I will haue a Scriptum est for them I will surely naile them and in the reuenge of the death of the Sonne of God Christ Iesus I will neuer make much of them I will certainely persecute them Alas how can we make of our desires seeing they crucified Christ We must kill them and burie them that so caused Christ to be killed and buried Nay if we see one that would kill our sinnes we would kill him and on those sinnes which on Christ did set a crowne of thornes we are not ashamed to set a gorgeous garland But if we can ouercome God may we not easily ouercome the Diuell the world and the flesh What is there a way to ouercome God I surely euen as a poore woman ouercame him this is your victorie euen your faith as thus God hath set downe this rule Whosoeuer calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saued the woman marking this calleth on Christ Christ would not heare her a hard point he had promised to saue her and now he will not heare â—er Well she comes againe to him what then He saith nothing to her This was strange yet she prayeth againe Now he speaketh but with small comfort I am not sent saith he but to the lost sheepe of Israel The sillie woman replies by the word then he yeeldeth and consesseth himselfe to be ouercome saying O woman goe thy way thy faith hath saued thee See she held still the word of the Scripture more than the word of Christ. Well then faith is the victorie and by it God is ouercome and much more sinne the world the flesh and the diuell 11 This is the plea of the Lord against vs that we dwell in a land where we are vsurpers and haue no right No man is of so reprobate a sense but he will grant that whatsoeuer we haue we haue it at the Lords hand But are these free gifts and without all condition No Come to the land of Canaan Was it giuen to the Israelites vpon no couenant or without any agreement It is not so For it is plaine Psal. 105. The Lord gaue them the possessions of the Heathen What barely No but vpon this condition that they should keepe his statutes There is no man hath a foote of ground or neuer so small a possession to dwell in but he hath it on this condition Whosoeuer inhabits this or any other land he keepes all by violence because he keeps it without performance of the condition but if we keepe the Lords statutes we keepe the condition and consequently haue a good right and the Lord hath nothing against vs otherwise I say we are violent vsurpers because the Lord his grant is vpon limitation and for such a one if the Lord either remoue him from the land or take the land from him he cannot say but that the Lord his action is iust against him Now albeit if we seeke elder times this people of England hath as much been dispossessed as any countrie But it is all one whether this displacing be generall or particular in losing some part of our possessions If we enquire of the reason why it comes to passe that tenures and lands be often alienated so as they be here among vs our verdit is that howsoeuer sinfull the father was the sonne is an vnthrift I aske then why another keepes his inheritance Thus they say he is wiser then this man was a foole True the question is how he comes to be so answere is made the fault is in education But there is no end in these things Men will not see the cause to be sin but they flie to couerings and curtaines Let vs come then to the Lord his awarding and that is because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge but killing stealing and whoring Hos. 4 1. 2. Whether then we know of whole townes or of particular families that haue lost their inheritance we must know the Lord his
them nor haue any good holy and profitable vse of them Contrariwise if the spirit doe teach vs and assure our hearts that all the creatures of God are sanctified vnto vs by the word and by prayer then shall we giue God due glorie in them finde profit by them and haue them so long continued vnto vs as shall be expedient for vs. Some do looke on the word of God onely to get knowledge or to be as others are at the last it will be loathed of them So the Minister of God if we like him onely for fauour o◠some gifts that he hath and not for that he is the minister of our saluation we tha◠quickly either make him an Idoll or else vtterly despise him Therefore if we will alwaies haue them in due estimation let vs acknowledge them to be such as labour for our saluation 7 As oftentimes it falleth that some men receiue naturall sicknesses from their naturall parents so doe some likewise receiue from their naturall parents naturall sinnes 8 When some had admonished him for making mention of old sinnes when he was at the death of any he said first I esteeme not men as they are in the time of their sicknesse but ordinarily I measure them as they were in their liues Againe they are not guiltie of olds sins in death which repented truly of their old sins in health and life Besides if they be not guiltie my prayer or speech hurteth them not but profiteth others if they be guiltie the trouble of them shall turne to their good in that they shall finde the iudgement of this world and escape the finall iudgement that is to come 9 He thought that there should not be one Minister for the sicke and the whole in the time of the plague but that one should minister to the whole whilest their owne Pastor tended the sicke 10 So greatly he reioyced in troubles that he would not wish to be vtterly freed from often infirmities because the Lord had very much by them prouoked him often to examine himselfe 11 A certaine godly and especiall friend of his making knowne his purpose in taking physicke to helpe him in a lesse infirmitie he said Sir your physick may ease you of some paine but I hope it shall not purge you of the fauour of God for although you be eased in this yet for that God loueth you he will meete with you in some other thing 12 Asa was reprooued because he sought not the Lord when he was sicke of the gowte which was a punishment of his vnlawfull couenant 2. Chron. 19 though it came of his age and trauaile The children of God must so thinke of the meanes that they see God disposing nature destituting them of grace if they faile in the right vse of the meanes Many now adaies in sicknesse goe to the Physitions with Asa neuer considering their sins the iust cause therof It is good to seeke to the Physitions so that God be first sought to by repentance of that sinne which we thinke to be the cause of the same But when the Physition cannot helpe them and when they know no cause of their sicknesse but are strangely stricken and suddenly then they are found and say they are taken as Moses Exod. 4. iuddenly stricken saith that the Lord hath met him so the strangenesse of the thing did sooner bring him to God Therefore as the children of God are by this meanes sooner brought to God as Moses and Iob so the wicked in the like cases doe flie further from God and thinke it lawfull to goe to witches when their Physitians cānot help Let vs then both in ordinarie and extraordinarie meanes of blessings and punishments alwayes confesse that the hand of the Lord hath wrought it and seeke to bee cured of him by whom we haue been wounded And let vs so looke to the meanes as that wee first reconcile our selues to God for our sinnes and pacifie him in that hee may blesse and not curse the meanes of Physicke 13 The Lord sendeth plagues one greater than another yet alwaies threatneth before the plagues doe come so that if wee would profit by the threatnings wee should preuent the plague that it should not come And this vse ought we to make of the threatning that so we may escape the iudgements by profiting by the word and by them 14 Some will say that they doe not finde in themselues those fruits of true repentance by their sicknes and troubles which are set downe to bee in the children of God Such must take heed that they doe not denie that which God hath wrought in them Iob could neuer be brought to doe so But if thy afflictions continue and thou findest not that profit that should be in thee reason thus with thy selfe I am the child of God and am afflicted and yet profit not as I ought therefore God doth continue the same vpon me that I may reape due profit by it Therefore I willingly yeelde to the crosse and take it vp but if thou feelest not this yet if in thy heart thou doest loue Gods word and his children and all goodnesse and hatest sinne and all wickednesse thou must needes be his child and therefore be comforted for because thou art not humbled therefore thou reapest not the fruit of affliction and therefore they lie still vpon thee that at what time soeuer thou art humbled the Lord may take away the crosse and giue thee the fruite of thine afflictions For when thou art humbled he will cease to afflict 16 A godly Physition in the time of persecution hauing three patients resorting vnto him to be cured of one great euill said this strange disease and sicknesse be tokeneth some strange sinnes and corruptions to be in you and therefore if you will by me be freed from the sicknesse reconcile your selues to God that he may free you from your sinnes They all at once excused themselues wherein they bewraying their great ignorance the Physition vnripped their liues and at the first inquired of them if they did not frequent the Masse They could not plainly denie it but couertly excused it saying that therein they did but as others which when the man of God perceiued haue you so highly displeased God and know not of any sinne to be in you goe your wayes and first learne how grieuous your sinne is before God for the Lord hauing laide his rod vppon you I dare not take it off vnlesse yee shew fruites of repentance And thus he dismissed them vntill they knowing and acknowledging their sinne with griefe returned and afterward were healed CHAP. LXIIII. Of Sathans practises and of Schisme and securitie THe Diuell setteth an high estimation of a man for that as wee may reade in the Gospell hee thinkes himselfe whilest hee is in a man to bee in a palace but when he is out of a man hee thinkes himselfe in a desert Hereof it is that being cast
but will be led headlongly caried away with popish seminaries and such wicked guides as sowe false doctrine and leade them into all errors and heresies The Sorcerers could not take away the plagues of the Frogges c. but indeed they caused moe to come wherby the King and his people were the more troubled so is it in all false religion they will bring men â—â—to many troubles but they cannot helpe them out of one they will helpe to perfect sinne in men but they cannot rid men out of one sinne It is proper to the word of God onely and to the true doctrine deliuered out of the same that ministreth comfort to Gods people in their troubles and stayeth them in their distresses as Dauid saith Except thy law had been my delight I had perished in my troubles Psalme 119. 92. Wherefore if in death and in troubles wee will bee quickned and comforted let vs delight in the statutes of the Lord and wholy depend vpon the doctrine of his word 12 Moses was not so well when he was in Madian as if hee had beene in Canaan yet better than when hee was in Aegypt for though Iethro had not the worship of God pure in euery respect yet was not he an Idolater For then Moses would not haue dwelt with him nor yet haue sacrificed with him if he had offered to a strange God Whence we learne two things the first that if we haue the chiefe and principall points of religion with vs although there may be some wants and defects yet that we make much of Gods great blessing therein and labour carefully diligently to vse them shewing our selues thankful to God for them so wil the Lord in his due time bestowe moe blessings vpon vs minister that which is wanting vnto vs Secondly that the Lord will alwayes haue some to keepe his truth to the glorie of his own name and the condemnation of the wicked Iethroes religion may be tried by these notes 1. That he reioyced more for the deliuerance of Gods people than for the promotion of his sonne 2. Because he was carefull to confirme his faith by the experience of them which had receiued greater graces 3. Because his ioy did breake out into an open profession of sacrifice 4. His diuine speech and good counsaile which he gaue to Moses doth testifie that he was a pure worshipper of God at the least he held the chiefest and was not a nouice in religion By Iethro his example we may learne to trie our religion if it bee pure then it worketh in vs a care to vse all the meanes 2. We take ioy in them 3. We expresse the fruites of it in our life 4. We reioyce more at the prosperitie of Gods people than at our owne preferments or commoditie CHAP. LXVII Of Regeneration and Sanctification IT is a greater miracle that a man should become a new creature than a man should be cured of neuer so strange a disease Hereunto agree the Prophets as Esay 11. where it is shewed that men as sauage as wilde beasts shall change their nature and become tame so that the Prophet counteth this a miracle yea if wee our selues saw the wilde beasts tamed we would count it a miracle The Fathers thinke that the regenerating of a man is more miraculous than to turne water into wine for the wine is of the grape the grape is of the tree the tree is nourished by the water so that wine after a sort doth come of water so that the one is more common the other is to bring out one contrary out of another a thing of that which haue no cause going before and he that marueileth not at the conuersion of men he hath not tasted of the gift of regeneration and new birth 2 Men must first bee made by feeling of their sinnes to seeke after Christ then by an holy faith to finde Christ and then by newnes of life to dwell with Christ. 3 Wee haue nothing to doe with God the Father the Sonne or the holy Ghost vnlesse we be regenerated 4 As wee haue taken a vaine delight in the vaine course of this life so wee must sigh and pray to be delighted spiritually in spirituall things If the blood of Christ hath washed vs from the guiltinesse of our sins then the holy Ghost hath purged vs from the filthines of our sinnes 5 The reason why the graces of God are sweetest in our new birth is because wee doe after the same fall somwhat to the flesh againe otherwise it would not bee so And regeneration Ioh 3. is the worke of the spirit only although in respect of vs it seemeth contrarie betweene vs and the world for the world thinkes the pleasures present alwaies sweetest so doe not the children of God euen of their spiritual delights nay they are contrary in another thing to themselues for they thinke their present corruptions and temptations euer greatest as in sicke men the last sicknesse is the sorest but they thinke the present feelings of the spirit euer least though it may be they be as great as euer they were before but who knoweth the cause of these things seeing it proceedeth wholy from the spirit of God who as the winde bloweth here and there and in what measure it pleaseth him 6 Seeing we are the temples wherein the Lord will vouchsafe to dwell it is good reason we should cleanse our selues In respect wherof first the Prophet Esay 52. 11. and then the Apostle 1. Cor. 6. 17. building the exhortation of cleansing presuppose this that where God will dwell there is a place cleansed and indeed a temple 7 There is no man of iudgement that though in other places he thinkes many things lawfull or at the least indifferent in their owne nature to be done yet he will not doe them in the temple So consequently if wee be Gods temple as euery Christian ought to bee wheresoeuer he goes we must be cleansed Againe for that the Lord hath made vs priests and we must carry the vessels of the Lord therefore we must be cleane Reuel 1. for priests were to cleanse others and therefore good reason it was they should be cleane and wee if we will be cleansers of others necessarily we must be cleane our selues Yet there is a third argument Iere. 31. 1. which is most effectuall and that is because our heauenly father is holy And if this moue vs not we are rather as seruants holy for feare of the whip or we are mercenaries we will cleanse our selues for hope of reward God our father is cleane therefore we his children must be also cleane God is of pure eyes and no defiled thing must enter into the new Ierusalem wherefore we must cleanse our selues because wee be the Lords Temple because we be priests because our father is cleane and holy A thing is filthy in the Law either by touching another thing that is
and to giue a greater light vnto the same As we see in Moses who came to bring the Law vnto this people not a new Lawe nor contrarie to that which was before but hee renewed it confirming and making it more cleare and that which they had before deliuered from hand to hand that hee gaue in Tables and that which they afore had practised he giueth forth vnto them now in Precepts For by the whole story of Genesis it is soone perceiued that not onely the morall Lawe contained in the two Tables but eueÌ„ the Ceremoniall the Iudiciall law were knowne vnto Abraham and others that liued before the law it was neuer lawfull for them to haue any more gods but one only and true God and so consequently that his pure worship which was according to his will The Sabbath was obserued and kept not onely in Paradise but euen of the Israelites when they were in Aegypt before they came to the wildernes which they could not haue done had they not receiued it by traditions The duties also in the second Table were as common and as well knowne as any others were And when we reade in Genesis of Priests and Altars and sacrifices differences betweene cleane and vncleane beasts c. it doth easily appeare that the substance of the Ceremoniall law was long before Moses his time the death of adulterers and the punishment of murtherers doe plainely declare that they had the politicall Law before the dayes of Moses that he was not the first giuer therof vnto the people he taught therefore no new or strange doctrine nor yet contrary to that which was before He was only the means to confirme it and to make it more easily to be vnderstood for he deliuered it in plainer maÌ„ner than it was deliuered vnto the Fathers The Prophets did expound it more plainly then he and as euery Prophet was more nere the time of Christ so did he bring greater light to that which went before Iohn Baptist had cleere reuelations than any of the Prophets For our Sauiour doth prefer him before them not in respect of his person but in respect of his office and calling but the Lord Iesus euen our God and Sauiour our onely Prophet of al others hath brought most cleere light which hee hath reuealed and made knowne vnto the world both by himselfe and the Apostles whose Epistles and writings are by many degrees more plaine and manifest than the writings of the Prophets which were before them And do we not see that since the time that the Lord began to renue the light of the Gospell and to deliuer vs as it were from the darknes wherewith we were well neere oppressed Doe we not see I say that greater light doth more and more appeare that many things are now more manifest than they haue beene in former times and ages Moreouer the law had testimony from the couenaÌ„t made with Ahraham Isaac and Iacob The Prophets did proue their doctrine by the law and the couenants and our Sauiour hath his witnes out of the law and the Prophets and his Apostles did draw their proofe from all The law is in the Gospell and the Gospell in the law and therefore whosoeuer shall not make their doctrine agreeable to the law the Gospel they may nor ought not to be receiued but in the boldnesse of Gods good spirit we may say with S. Paul Let them be accursed For the Lord is not contrary nor vnlike to himselfe As the spirit spake in old time in the Patriarkes and Prophets so spake he in the Apostles of our Sauiour Christ and so will he speake in his true seruants and ministers to the ende of the world there is with him no variablenes nor shadow of change but hee abideth euer the same most like vnto himself and so doth his word which is of the same nature Whosoeuer then shall bâ—ing vnto vs any doctrine not warranted by Gods word or contrarie to that which before hath beene deliuered yea if he bring it in harder and more darke speeches than the word of God is or if hee deliuer it more strangely or obscurely and yet wil beare vs in hand and make vs beleeue that he hath cleerer reuelations we may then iustly suspect him of vntruth and vtterly refuse him further than by certaine grounds reasons out of Gods word he doth confirme his Doctrine And as we may rightly hold all the doctrines of men accursed when they speake or write any thing contrary to the holesome word of truth or else doe adde anything thereto So likewise if any shall take away from the word of God one iot or tittle we may in the feare of God and in the zeale of his truth pronounce against him that sentence wherewith God in great wisedome hath closed vp his holy Scriptures The Lord will take his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy citie and out of those things which are written in this booke 2 Iohn saith the Spirit bloweth where it listeth so also as much as it listeth sometime breathing softly like the coole ayre and sometime like the whirle-winde for man is full of wandring thoughts and imaginations especially when he heareth the word but nothing is more dangerous than the yong mans heart which is in all places of the world at once if you speake not what he thinketh he doth not attend if hee be not astonished and for this cause doth the holy Ghost often offer galling concessions and pinching permissions as Eccl. 10. God seemeth in such speeches at the first to fauour sinne But as we lift vp a thing high to driue it the harder so God vseth such speeches to throw them to eternal destruction to breake them to fitters Yea we would thinke the Lord to be a proctor of euill if hee should not sometimes be very vehement The bitterest kind of deniall is to bid vs go yet so â—â—ine would God worke on our heart that he vseth such vehemencie 3 It is as farre from God his nature to deride any man as it is for him to repent but our sins are so great that if it were possible yee should make him a scoffer But as when saluation is wrought in the highest measure it is wrought in greatest compassion so the highest point of reuenge is derision Wee know the nature of God is full of pitie and vnlesse it be to very euill persons his speeches are full of compassion Speake my people saith he Micah 6. And Esay 5. What haue I not done that I could doe to thee And Oh that my people would haue heard Psal. 81. And when they would not heare he speaketh to the dumbe creatures Heare heauen and earth Esay 1. And Christ saith O Ierusalem Ierusalem c. These are good and royall speeches which are very sweete and sweetnes it selfe But when he speaketh to the desperate and wicked he changeth his
them in others which will permit vs to bee grieued at euill things in our selues and yet make vs to reioyce to see the same in others True zeale loueth good wheresoeuer and in whomsoeuer it is true zeale hateth sinne wheresoeuer and in whomsoeuer true zeale loueth friends as they be God his friends true zeale hateth aduersaries so far as they are God his aduersaries true zeale loueth a good thing in our most professed enemy true loue hateth a sinne in our most assured friend if wee are perswaded that our enemies be God his children howsoeuer we disagree in some particular yet wee can swallow vp many priuate iniuries offred and we more reioyce in them as they be God his children then we can be grieued at them as they haue iniuried vs. Indeede true zeale is most grieued for the sinnes of the godly because so much is their sinne grieuouser thē the sin of another by how much they came neerer to the image of GOD then another howbeit this must alwayes be with a Christian sympathie which worketh in vs a griefe for their sinne as well as an anger for their sinne which changeth our griefe into prayer for them Though then we be neuer so far asunder we must loue them that loue God though we be ioyned neuer so neere we must hate them that hate God in the meane time in deuouring on the one hand to do all duties of loue and obedience vnto them in admonishing them praying for them and mourning for them as they be ioyned in any band vnto vs and remembring on the other hand when nothing will do them good but the matter is at this point that we must either cleaue to God and forsake them or forsake God and cleaue to them that nature and ciuilitie in the second table are to giue place to religion and pietie in the first table 5 The fift rule is that wee must not bee stricter to our selues than to any other and bee more liberal in some things to others than to our selues This will first cause vs to cast the first stone at our selues this will teach vs to pull first the beame out of our owne eyes and then the mote out of anothers eye this wil make such an experience of sinne in our selues that we shall neither flatter too foolishly men in their sins nor rebuke too rigorously men for their sinne Some we shall see iustly misliking a ceremonie refuse it in themselues yet for that it is a thing indifferent they can tolerate it in others others there be who being vnwilling to vse it themselues iudge streightly all others as haynous offenders that vse it Moses refused to take so much as a shooe-latchet himselfe from the Egyptians and yet to others that would take hee would not denye the lawe of armes so streight he was to himselfe so liberall he was to others Paul seeing that in some places hee could not so conueniently liue of other mens charges as at Corinth Thessalonica although at Colossos he receiued somewhat where they were able to bestow on him yet he would not that all men should be tied to this example to doe the like for he laboureth much in all his Epistles almost about this to shew how Ministers ought sufficiently to be prouided for so strict hee was to himselfe such liberalitie he left to others Rom. 14. 2. Cor. 8. 10. where he intreateth of things indifferent It were good then that Christians might say thus with themselues I can doe thus by Christian libertie but if it be an hinderance to the glorie of God or an offence to my brother I wil not do it if others doe it so their heart be good in this and their conscience is vsed in other good things I will not herein wage warre with them but to ioyne with them in greater and better matters I will pardon the lesse If this wisedome had beene vsed long agoe what vanitie had there been in the Church of God for want of this what trouble hath risen therein 6 The sixt and last rule is if we haue a zeale against the sinne because it was against the law of God and therewithall haue a compassion to the person because one like our selues hath offended this mixture of affections causeth anger to feede on the sinne not on the person When our Sauiour Christ going about on the Sabbath day to heale the man with the withered hand was reprehended of the Pharisies it is saide hee looked about him angerly and after it is added that he sorrowed for the blindnesse of their hearts see how anger and sorrow meete anger that men should haue such little knowledge of God or loue to their brother sorrow that being such excellent creatures they should slippe so fouly Looke vpon the Prophets which if in the heauinesse of spirite they did not vtter their word which in the zeale of God his glorie they did denounce so that when they most threatned they were most grieued that the plague spoken should fall vpon them Now that is an outreaching zeale where our anger rather seedeth on the person than on the sinne Samuel in the zeale of Gods glorie spares not flatly to tell Saul of his sinne and yet in loue to his person he was alwaies bent to lament Saules cause and to pray for him Doest thou loue Gods glorie Then wilt thou surely admonish thy brother of his sinne because zeale cannot suffer God to be dishonoured Doest thou loue thy brother then wilt thou admonish him with compassion because loue lamenteth the weaknes of thy brother who hath done that which thou mightest haue done FINIS GODLY OBSERVATIONS CONCERNING DIVERS ARGVMENTS AND COMmon places in Religion CHAP. I. COnscience is a sensible feeling of Gods iudgements grounded vpon the word nourished by the consideration of the latter day stirring vp our hearts to the approouing of our doings both before God and men It is an effect of faith faith therefore as the cause must goe before where no faith is there is no knowledge where there is no knowledge there is no conscience Many men say this is my cōscience they might better say this is mine opinion this is my fancie Knowledge is lesse than faith and opinion lesse than knowledge Againe it is placed in the heart to the stirring vp of vs and summoning of vs to approoue those things which we knowe before God We must not make our conscience like a cheuerel purse stretch it too farre or too narrow that is bee not too righteous as the Anabaptists and the Familie of loue Saul in sparing Agag would be too mercifull and afterwards waxed cruell by killing the Prophets Those that are true Puritanes are such We must not let our conscience looser than the Scriptures be for then wee fall to be prophane Take heede of extreames for vertue is a meane betweene two extreames taking something of one and something of the other knowledge of generals and
sinned as also that hee might haue hindred this euill But the Lord was no more the cause of sinning than the soule is the cause of halting in a man For as in a lame man the soule is onely the cause of mouing and the shrinking of some veine or crookednes of the legge is the cause of vnperfect mouing likewise God is the cause of euery action in man but our owne corruption is the cause of the sinne of the action and yet for all this the Lord draweth out good euen from the vilest actions Wherfore neither doth the Lord euill himselfe nor suffereth euill to be done but as hee driueth out a more good than there is ill in the action it selfe 2 Some men leaue sinne as adultery theft or murther for open shame or for punishment but in other cases which offend God as much as negligence in their calling prophanation of the Sabbath neglect of hearing the word they make no conscience at all Therefore we must haue a labouring against all sinne Others leaue sinne but it is for age or fayling in pleasure or some such thing which hindreth them of which diuers will tell of their sinnes with such mirth and make much of them that fall into the same when as the mention of them should be odious It is not all one to leaue sinne and to repent of sinne Others haue a purpose to do good and are attentiue in hearing of the word but to winne credit by it but not to credit it whereupon it is that many doe not profit by hearing nay they doe not desire to profit nor are not sorie when they doe not profit This is plaine poperie they get the worke done they care not how Some others haue done good but their doing of good doth work in them such a pride that they take some glory of it to themselues they are made more carelesse which is abhomination before God Sinne shame and death came in together liue together and shall dye together as in Adam he was naked and had no shame so in Christ and in the godly at the last day no sin shall be in them nor shame as in the Angels now they are not CHAP. XX. Of profit and pleasure PAul diuiding the times 1. Tim. 4 and 2. Tim. 3. into the latter dayes and the last dayes telleth in the spirit of prophecie of them both that in the one there should bee much superstition which are gone and in the other into which wee are fallen and they are fallen on vs that men shall bee louers of pleasures more than of God and account gaine godlinesse so the one esteeme our life as a pastime the other thinke of it as of a market to be getting at all hands Although Marthaes part be the worse and Christ hath saide so because it shall bee taken away from her yet all choose her part and yet this otherwise hath often a great scourge of God ioyned vnto it It is the errour of the world in these dayes to thinke all is well so we get not our riches by euill meanes but I say though wee vse no euill meanes at all to get them euen in louing the bare things themselues too much wee offend For not onely things corrupt are impure but also things mingled with such things as are corrupt are made vnpure so things impure mingled with the soule corrupt it because the soule is onely for the Lord. CHAP. XXI Of Christs power THe Sonne of God taketh care of that thing which wee thinke no pitle needes to be bee taken of that is of the peace of conscience When men heare of their neighbours to come vnder this new Lord they thanke GOD they are not so and when they themselues are a little waked out of sleepe and feele their head not well but thinke the chamber goeth round about they quietly can lye downe and fall to sleepe againe Well then seeing Christ taketh care of vs wee must not feare a strong enemie because wee haue a more valiant Captaine The Diuell indeede is a Lion but so is Christ a Lion that of the tribe of Iudah there is a Lion for a Lion courage for courage The Diuell is a Serpent so Christ calleth himselfe a brasen Serpent there is a Serpent for a Serpent and wisedome for wisedome yea a Serpent of brasse to sting all the fierie Serpents of the wildernes But thou saiest Christ is called a Lambe and a worme Be not discouraged that is in respect of his Father who found him as meeke as a Lambe who might haue troden on him as on a worme but the Diuell neuer found him a Lambe but a Lion So that though before God hee was as a Lambe or a worme yet before the Diuell a Lion for a Lion a Serpent for a Serpent The weakenes of Christ is stronger than all the power of hell Iohn 18. when the Diuell seemed to be in his ruffe when hee had a proud shew he sends a great crue to take a sillie man when hee told them it was hee whom they sought this little word cast them downe a word of a man humbled and readie to be iudged by the breath of his mouth cast downe legions What shall this Christ doe now in glorie nay what shall he doe when it commeth with thousands of Angels This then is the estimation the Diuell is strong but Christ stronger the Diuell is wise but Christ is wiser CHAP. XXII Of Temptation OF all punishments this is the sorest to be suffered to walke as we list Ps 78. the people would needes haue Quailes Almightie God saith Let them haue Quailes but he destroyed them euen when the meate was in their â—â—outhes for with their morsels they swallowed wrath Oh saith the Lord that the people would walke in my way and Israel obey me but because â—hey would not God gaue them ouer to their hearts lust Rom. 1. 24. Idolâ—trie the greatest sinne that can be God punished with this whereby we see how heauie a sinne it is in God his sight how light soeuer wee make of it to be giuen ouer to our owne hearts lust In the booke of Numbers there is mention made of a place where the children of Israel were plagued called the graues of lust wherof a learned Father saith In these daies there are many graues of lust for his bodie that liues in pleasure is a graue of lust And this is that which I desire we may see that we might once haue a feeling of thornes in pleasure and that God punish vs not by suffering vs still to goe on I reade in the Scriptures of deliuering a man to Sathan and of deliuering a man to himselfe the first there may follow saluation as wee see to the man in the Epistle to the Corinthians but if wee fall into the second it is dangerous For it were better to be deliuered ouer to the diuell than to his owne lust for thither it will bring him and that so as he shall
other part yet remaining in vs still subdued vnder sin in which the Lord of mercie doth not esteeme vs but in that new man which is fashioned againe according vnto his own Image In so much as S. Paul doubteth not to say that the sinnes of the faithfull proceeding from the remainder of corruption yet abiding in them are not their works but the works of the flesh which being already wounded vnto death by the power of the death of CHRIST languisheth more more and shal finally be abolished by death which is the ende and accomplishment of our mortification and fullie endeth the battaile betweene the flesh and the spirit What shall I say of the loathing of this life and the vanitie thereof of that desire which is in the children of God to be dissolued and to be with Christ of contentment in all estates patience in afflictions constancie in truth loue towards those that loue the Lord pitie towards those that are in miserie and the desiring of the good euen of their enemies and thos that hate them Which vertues though they beare not an equall saile by reason of the weaknes of the flesh and of the malice and resistance of the enemie yet are they vndoubted testimonies of our loue towards God which is not but in those who are first beloued of him and haue tasted how good and gracious he is If we shall looke vnto the exercises of pietie of the worship of God though we may here aâ— else-where complaine of our wants and defects yet we shall through Gods goodnes finde matter of comfort Remember therfore what mercie the Lord hath shewed you in this part with what desire affection you haue heard the word of God how precious it hath bene vnto you aboue gold euen the most fine golde how sweet and comfortable euen aboue the hony the hony combe Remember with what fruit of knowledge in the will of God increase of Faith in his promises purpose and endeuour of amendment of life you haue oftentimes heard the same Call to minde with what zeale and earnestnes of spirit you haue sometimes called vpon the Name of God both publikely and priuately with others and alone by your selfe with what ioy and reioycing of the soule you haue praised the Lord for his mercies towards his Church and towards your selfe Call to minde what hath bene in you at any time the power of those Sacraments which are annexed as seales vnto the promise of saluation by Christ and how farre they haue by the blessing of God erected your minde in hope and assurance of his goodnes towards you If your present discouragement resist the comfort of these meditations it is no newe thing that in our weaknes wee should after the manner of those that be sicke disaduantage our selues of that which might doe vs good yet remember how iniurious a thing it were to esteeme the children of God by their present agonies and conflicts of conscience rather then by the comfort of that estate wherein the grace of God shined plentifully vpon them and in them For as when men are diseased it cannot thereof be concluded that they were neuer in health so the present discomforts of the children of God though they take away the sense of his mercie for a time yet they are no repeale of his former goodnesse and fauour towardes them nor denie them to haue bene euen in their owne iudgement and feeling deare vnto the Lord and still to bee though the storme and tempest of their present affliction suffer them not so liuely and comfortablie to enioy the same as before For which cause they must with Iob and Dauid call to remembrance the comforts of times past from thence to assure themselues of the returne of the good hand of the Lord in due time I doubt not but you can be witnes vnto God and to your owne selfe that the time hath beene when your comfort and assurance of Gods fauour was such as Sathan himselfe could not denie the testimonie which then the spirit of God did beare vnto your spirits Now the gifts and calling of God are without repentance and whome hee loueth he loueth vnto the end neither doth our saluation depend vpon any thing of our owne for then we should a thousand times perish and fall before the enemie but vpon that eternall and euerlasting loue of God wherewith he hath loued vs in IESVS CHRIST before the foundations of the world were laide which loue of his if it hath at anie time bene made knowne vnto vs and apprehended of vs we haue assurance greater then the testimonie of men and Angels But you will say that which sometimes I felt is now gone and in stead thereof I am perpetually oppressed with the horror of the wrath of God iust against me for my sinnes It is true that the power and sense of Faith is not alwayes alike in the children of God yet is it a false and sophisticall conclusion suggested from him that is a lyar from the beginning and the father of lying to say we feele not faith therfore there is no faith in vs. For in many diseases of the body wee haue no sense of life and yet wee liue the Sunne shineth not in the night season nor when it is obscured with cloudes shall wee say therfore that there is no Sunne or that it hath vtterly no operation Admit also which yet may not be admitted that the Lord had for a time vtterly giuen vs ouer can wee conclude thereof that he will neuer againe be mercifull vnto vs Nay hee that found vs when wee sought him not will surely returne vnto the worke which hee hath begun though he seemeth for a while to haue forsaken it There is sometime as it were an eclipse of our faith and of the feeling of the grace of God towards vs but let vs assure our selues that as the Sunne and Moone doe not perish in their eclipses nor loose their light for euer so in this eclipse which happeneth for a time vnto our faith and sense of Gods goodnesse the same shall not perish or lose his vertue for euer but shall in good time bee restored or rather quickened in vs againe vnto our further and more assured comfort This you haue seene in many deare children of God whose heauinesse hath beene knowne vnto you that they haue not beene forgotten for euer but that the Lord who seemed for a while to frown vpon them did in the end cause his most gracious and louing countenance to shine vpon them againe you haue felt it in your selfe that there hath beene an interchangeable course of sorrow and comfort of faith and feare and that the one hath continually succeeded the other that the same hand that humbled you did raise you vp againe that he that inflicted the wound into your soule applied thereunto the
to loue best 516 how to loue superiours equall and inferiours 120 Loue of the creatures hinder 20. carnall loue 637 Lust remedies against it 635 M MAdnes the cause of it 20 Magistrates how they may winne the peoples fauour 260 they must be men of wisedom 38 haue a care of Gods glory pray for the people 778 their sinne most dangerous 79â— siâ—s of the people cause euill Magistrates 53 Markes of Gods children 25 See children of God Mâ—riners that sâ—ile on the Sabbath 164 Matrimonie notes to know whether it be of God 20 consent of parents 21 choise in it 742 the spousage before knowne by the light of nature 122 the end of it 806 Meanes 27 of saluatioÌ„ 42 all good meanes must â—e vsed 615 â—70 we ought to attend thereoÌ„ 736 neglect therof a tempting of God 674 by what meanes wee draw to God 690 to keepe vs from sin 7â—8 the vertue power of the meanes in God 844 meanes of least shew bring greatest graces 290 Mediatour who it is 80 how dangerous to appeare before God without him 694 Mediocritie 29 Meditation 615 159 574 564 in labour 4 how we be hindred therein 10 commodities of it 22. rules for it 23. of Christ his death 19â— of death in or on the word 450. to redeeme the time for it 471 Meditation must be continued 459 we will alwaies meditate thinke on the things we loue 459 Melancholy Satan and it disquiet afflicted soules 257 Memorie helpes for it 23 â—5 447 Mercie 209 of God 9 522. the rich mercy of God to the faithfull in opening their eyes when many millions are left in darkenesse and miserie 503 it is either in giuing or forgiuing 697 to the poore 69â— how it worketh in the wicked 247 to whom the mercies of God are dearâ— 782 Merit 509 Messengers of God how they binde and loose 877 must be prepared for trouble 747 their euill life how dangerous 752 messengers of Satan within vs. 306 Minde 52 cast downe 95 distempered 482 Ministers 24. the necessitie of theÌ„ â—39 â—40 the vse whereunto they are appointed 341. their dutie first to reade and studie 342. secondly to teach the word â—43 how where what he must teach 344 when 345. to pray for himselfe and the people 345. thirdly hee ought to liue a godly life â—46 fourthly hee ought to teach priuately as well as publikely 347 how a Minister may â—â—â—e 347. Miniets the porters of heauen 288. meanes to bring vs to Christ. 288 Ministers and Auditors are not alwaies alike 448 Ministerie 24 646 the haste of young men to it 24 the dignitie of it 747 the necessitie of it 340. whether a man may desire it 52. negligent in it 752 790 sufficiencie for it 546 couetous in it 735 Miracles giuen in mercy and in iudgement 736 Mirth 25 the way to godly mirth 724 Morall and Ceremoniall 132. See Law To know things morall and ceremoniall 138 Mortification goe together with remission of sinne 105 Mother 76 three good mothers breeds three euill daughters 830 Motions secret vnto sinnes 108 the spirit restraines euill motions 89 the godly are not free from euill motions 681 we must watch ouer them 703 the first motion to sinne must be crucified in vs. 467 why so few good motions come to vs 522 sudden motions to good 476 Motes what sinnes are called motes and what beames 632 Multitude to follow is dangerous 704 Murmuring the policie of Satan therein 26 how common in our daies 249. remedies against it â—51 758. how readie we are in our daies to murmure 815 N NAme good name how pretious 259 260. See good name Nature good and euil 29 natural men measure others by theÌ„selues 715 they count all spirituall things as paradoxes 457 Necessitie two kindes thereof 166 Neighbour who is our neighbour 79 O OBedience what it is 50 to the word 826. it must be free 44 triall of it 544 strict obedience to be laboured for 292. popish obseruations and workes of supererogation in the point of obedieÌ„ce confuted 393 Occasion of euil must be auoided 25 263 Offences 721 47 74 90 702. small sinnes great offences 727 Oppression 780 Order necessarie in all things 833 Othes 75 476 P PApists 3 673 disquieted in minde 96 rest in the worke wrought 689. neuer felt the power of Christ his grace 787 popish obiections against the Gospell 802 popish superstition 455 Papists goe beyond carnall Protestants in outward things 805 455 How papists follow Peter 483. papists may not be spared for their ciuill honestie 455 Popish Doctors of reason 520 PareÌ„ts immoderate loue 2â— follie 258 for what cause the Lord afflicteth parents in their children 277 their consent in mariage 743 consideration in correcting their children 798 Pastors the â—inne of the flocke their sinne 259. their office 772. See ministers Patience 6â—9 759 56â— triall of it 25 properties of it 254 vnder the crosse 761 768 the vse of Gods patience 694 Peâ—ce three-fold 7 of minde 97 of conscience 209 false peace ibid. of the wicked 6â—0 of the Church 542 People their dutie to their Magistrates 76 to their Ministers 349 Perfection God lookes not for it at our hands 390 Periurie how men fall into it 333 Persecution 670 popish persecution how great 791 Perseuerance 496 694 721 116 in the vse of the meanes 15 764 a sure triall both of knowledge and faith 510 Pâ—ruert who they be that peruert others 730 Physition properties of him 794 Pittie who are to be pittied 25 Plague 79â— boldnes and fearefulnes in it 2 extremities 104 plague threatned 790 for the contempt of the word 513 A perfume for christiaÌ„s against the plague 444 Pleasure 653 734 how we may take pleasure 726 vse of it with restraint 7 9 of sinne 323 Pollution the polluted person polluteth all things 189 Policie of the world euill 838 Polygamie 586 Posteritie care thereof 798. Iehosaphat punished in his posteritie 462 Posts on the Sabbath 165 Pouertie the cause and vse of outward want 26 Poore 261 zealous in defence of them 258 poore in godlines 784 collections for them on the Sabbath 161 Praise 27 733 749 Preaching with prayer before after 272 the power therof 283 708 sincere bring men to Christ 139 needfull by sea 164 distinguished from catechizing 664 the onely meanes to worke faith 690 346 173 Preachers how they winne fauour 8â—1 how they should carrie themselues 358 247 a true marke of a faithfull Preacher 375 See Minister Prayer 2 38 when to pray 26 to offer vp our prayers to God albeit in perplexitie of spirit wee know not how to pray 484 publike for the sicke 34 want of it cause want of faith 177 what it is 90 a remedy in temptation 873 how it is hard and what doth season it 507 619 how profitable 776 motiues thereunto 777 the more grace a man hath the more need he hath to pray 46 47 it is the best sacrifice 8â— priuate prayer necessarie 501 rules for prayer 562 563
deceiueth 501 hard to beleeue it 508 sixe meanes to profit by it 173. 174 c with out it no faith sacrament or repentance 237 three questions of the operation of it 857 a good note of our loue to the word wherein it consisteth 470 a true marke thereof 471 generall plagues for the contmpt thereof 513 Words idle and euill prophane the Sabbath 170 World 43 their iudgement of the godly 262 the loue of it 721 in what respect it loueth sâ—nne 616 how farre it fauoureth the Gospell 820 Workes 15 826 two rules of good works 〈◊〉 the reward is of mercie not of merit â—â—7 motiues thereunto 827 they are necessarie for all 828 workes without warrant are works of darkenes 475 why good workes are to be done 838 Worship God requireth the vse of the body as well as the soule in it 808 147 wil-worship condemned 810 826 Wrath what sinne brings iâ—â— 651 how to speake of the wrath of God 696 how great it is 197 Y YOuth the sinnes thereof 100 vnbridled affections thereof how dangerous 636 726 it is dissolute 637 it being spent in vanitie commonly ends old age in prophanenesse 464 Sathan laboureth especially to poyson it 653 it must renounce pleasure 800 it is blessed of God 465 Z ZEale properties of true zeale rules of it 255. 256. 829. 830. 50. 542. 543 c. triall of it 653. 814. incident to all 517. diuers kinds of it 541. zeale of the flesh 46â— FINIS Or Posthumes Luk. 1 3. 2 Ioh. 1. Prou. 10. 21. Ephes. 4. 13. Intemperantiae genus est Seneca lib. 13. epist. 89. Non discentes necessaria quia superuacua didicerunt Seneca In his Schoolmaster 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hip. lib. 1 Aphor. 1. Pro. 25 11. Cypr tract 4. de Idolor vaâ—it Magnum esse solem Philosophus probabit quantus sit Mathematicus qui vsu quodam exercitatione procedit sed vt procedat impetranda illi quaedam princifia sunt Sen lib. 13 Epist. 89. In his Apologie In the same Booke D. Lopes Noctâ—s Atticâ— Gellius Phauorinus Da mihi Mâ—strum In his Epistle before his notes on the Reuelation M. Hopkins He knew right well the Poets wittie counsell Vos ò Pompilius sanguis carmen reprehendite quod â—â—n multa dies multa litura coercuit atque perfectum decies non castigauit ad vnguem Heb. 9. 14. Rom. 6. 22. Donat. in vit Virgil. Gen. 6. 9. Ruth 2. 20. Luk. 21. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 1. 26. Mat. 25. 34. Triall of affections How to labour for knowledge and affection Naturall affections When to suspect affectioÌ„ See more in the title of iudgement sect 1. Slothfulnes Feeling Of sudden gripes and nips in the bodie and feares in the minde Prayer In afflictions to descend into our selues and to ascend to God Deut. 30. 1. 2. 3 4. Simile The diuell cannot hurt vs till we haue hurt our selues The crosse doth seale and season Gods graces in vs. Three things in all trials Publike calamities must affect vs most Extraordinarie affliction in appearance See Affections pag. 1. Psal. 91. Heb. 1. A Papist became a â—amiiâ—st and so an Atheist and his end Feare of Atheisme to increase rather than Papisme The mistiking of our ordinary callings how dangerous Meditations in labour Mariage Entring into a calling without gifts to discharge it Change of places Immoderate or distracting cares Matth. 6. How blinde many be in themselues A dead silence in meetings * Iosias hearkened not to the words of Necho which were of the mouth of God 2 Chro. 35. 22. The godly afflicted consciences feare to displease God A good conscience how sweet and comfortable Prou. 15. 15. The word cures the conscience Esay 28. 16. The true Ministers of Christ neuer cure nor comfort the sicke hastely as wizards doe To find out our speciall sinnes 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Faith without feeling Causes of deadnes of minde 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. How it comes to passe that Gods graces are more sweete vnto vs at our first entrance into regeneration than after A conscience touched for small sinnes How to proceed in comforting the afflicted 1 2 3 Our ioy in the holy Ghost we cannot expresse Philip. 4. Rom. 14. 17. A threefolde pealce Psa. 41. 1. To beare with impatiencie of the sicke A sweet consolation for weake consciences after their often fals Rom. 11. Simile To powre forth our griefes into Gods bosome Not to hide any one of our sinnes 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Fasting Mariage Neglects in any occasioÌ„ of doing good The spawne of all sinnes in euery man A particular faith Examples God is most free in his mercie therfore let no thought of vnworthines keâ—pe thee from him Simile A measurable feare of death commandable Wishes of death euill Maister Greenhams death Not to iudge of any man according to his state in death How to profit by dreames 1. A naturall dreame 2. A good dreame 3. An euill dreame 4. A terrible dreame Vncleane dreames See more in the title of Humilitie sect 2. How we be hindered in godly meditations Deadnes and dulnes Rules concerning doctrine drawne from examples in Scripture 1 2 3 As Nicodemus Iohn 3 Simile Of starting ioyes and affections to the word which some haue while they are in the Church See before of corruption in C. Hard for the rich to beleeue Simile Faith sound how needfull 1. Ioh 5. 4. The spirit comes by the word Gal. 3. 2. yet is he the first cause of our faith and loue to the word Smile Our care for our familie Feeling How to distinguish betweene Gods spirit and his graces in vs. Simile Prayer without feeling In any case take heede ye draw not carnall ioyes into the place of spirituall ioyes Two works of Gods spirit Euident tokens of true sanctification 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 CautioÌ„s concerning a relapse 2 3 Immoderate feares To submit our selues to Gods haÌ„d acknowledging that he may iustly confound vs yet desiring to meete with his mercies in Christ Iesus To cherish the feare of God in men Noscitur ex comite qui noÌ„ cogno citur ex se. Psalm 1. 1 Rules to discerne such as wee receiâ—e into our societie 2 A true token of loue Societie PerseueraÌ„ce in the vse of the meanes Extraordinarie gifts The pollution and pow er of sin The decay of Gods graces how dangerous Simile Three rules to trie our sorrow for the sinnes of other men 1 2 3 Triall of our ioyes Two extremities of ioy and sorrow Simile Note Conferre this with the 6. Sermon concerning the education of Children Harlots are sooner reclaimed then heretikes Wee find this true alreadie in our time 1 Properties of constant waiting on God 2 3 4 Admonition 1 how the faithfull must â—ee liâ—â— little children â—2 1. Pet. 2. 1. 3 Heb 5. 12. Simile How the wicked often discouer themselues in their death Affections What exercises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meÌ„ what fâ—rre vâ— affection
they differ The sins of the people moue God to punish them with euill gouernours c. How Christians should communicate good things Preparation to the hearing of the word All our power in prayer commeth from the word The life of faith very secret and often hardly discerned How we must haue not onely a knowledge by the last commandement of our naturall corruption but also an experience Prophaning of holy exercises Note well Sathans diligence We must be as diligent to serue the Prince of glorie as the 〈◊〉 are the Prince of darknes The 〈…〉 the light law Law â—â— Gospell in â—â—â— ages till Christ came No thriuing in sinne The feare of God the strong bridle of the faithfull The great power of Gods feare Thankesgiuing How feruent prayer preuailes with God A sweete consolation The heart whose it is by right A great mercie not to thriue in sinne Patience Hardnes of heart Simile To suspect our own wisedome in matters of saluation Diuers infirmities of men Admonition How can rebuke kindly A good counsell Iudgement To vse well the graces which God hath giueÌ„ vs. The generall promises of outward things 1. Tim. 4. 8 To learne to obserue inward corruption by the outward sense How some respect neither cursing nor blessing Sinne how terrible An experienced faith Gods prouidence The Church hath a mixture of good and bad Simile Our faith the same with the Fathers How the law and the Gospel is to be preached Of profiting by hearing of sermons Of Gods presence and how to present our selues before him in his worship Heb. 11. 26. 27 Differences of sinning in the godly and godlesse How some can correct the same sin in others which they like in themselues How many couer sinne by example What respect God hath to his children in the execution of his iudgements A good signe of Gods grace when Gods sweete blessings make vs more free in his seruice How God accepteth the will in some for the deede Of our happy communion with Christ how thereby wee haue an assurance of all his insearchable riches Iustification sanctification goe together If we respect Christ his Crosse wee may not continue in the filthines of our sinnes How sinne dwâ—lles in the godly How the diuell chuseth the best wits for his seruice How many sinnes may lie couered vnder one How to preserue a teÌ„der conscience to keepe our hearts from hardning How dangerous to reiect grace and light offered How coÌ„trary the iudgmeÌ„ts of the word worldare How sinne 〈…〉 the qualitie of the Serpent The iudgement day of Gods 〈…〉 day of 〈◊〉 redemption To sit 〈…〉 Note â—â— How profitable â—he crosse it Children and bastards how they differ Priuie pride Matth 4. The hearing of the word preached How corruption â—urneth grace into wantonnes How our own kindred may hinder vs with God How to entertaine and loue the Saints How to labour for contentation if we will profit in godlinesse How to attaine the measure of blessings which God hath appointed for vs. A good note of our loue to vertue Not to proceed rashly in iudgement against any man The ende of the wicked Prayer How to cure contention Prayer Selfe-loue selfe-will Pride Admonition Matrimonie Affliction Doctrine How troubled mindes feare threatnings How greatly God is pleased with faith on his prouidence Admonition How to put difference betweene persons The passions of Christ in his death Obserue well the heart in all things How the diuell malignes the best Memorie Wherefore the Lord bids vs flee Fornication but re sist the diuell The zeale of youth and of age The differeÌ„ce between our feelings in our first conuersion and afterwards Simile Prayer The end tries all To be faithfull in our owne busines Anger The godly mans peace Chaplaines Hardnes Iudgements To seeke first the kingdom of God The Diuels registers Sound profession How to hide our treasure How God rewardeth vs. Not to dwell in sinne To empty our selues of euery one Priuate examination and confession * Or spiritual Differences in sinne Children regenerate Affections Tithe Studies A liuely faith Vehement speeches Admonition Death The coÌ„tempt of the Gospell a signe of wrath How to respect aduisedly the workes of God A coÌ„solation to one afflicted Iob. 7. 15. Act. 16. 27. * The afflicted must flie idlenes Sinne. Mirth Griefe Vehement speeches A graue counsell to Ladies To a man of ciuill life much troubled in minde Teachers 2. Cor. 1. 3. Ioy griefe Sabbath How to â—â—rrie our selves in the temptation Few meanes vsed in truth better than many in ceremonie Faith and feeling How God blesseth and directeth the single and simple heart Isaac was blinde and so was Iacob Sinne. Heretikes To lie in any one sinne how dangerous To walke vprightly To thriue in sinne Deceitfulnes of sinne Iohn 3. 4 All must reade the Scriptures Act. 17. Heb. 3. 12. 1. Pet. 3. Reading the Scriptures in the Church Heb. 4. 2. Preaching Hearing the Word Law Gospell Amoâ— Dei amorem proximi geâ—eâ—at Generall obseruations concerning the Dâ—calogue Rules 1. Preâ—â—pt Euill forbidden Good commanded The second commandement Generall euils Speciall euils Occasions of the breach of the secoÌ„d law What wee must tolerate in a Church which lies not in our power to reforme General good Speciall good thing Occasions of good Sufficient prouision for Godâ— sâ—ruie 3. Precept 4. Precept Publike exercises Priuate exercises 5. Precept Triall of the loue of children to Parents Triall of the loue of Parents to children Triall of the loue of Seruants to their Maisters Triall of the loue of Maisters to Seruants The sixt Precept The seuenth Precept A man may commit adulterie with his owne wife Meanes of Chasti ie 8. Precept Idlenesse Restitution 9. Prccept False witnes Psal. 15. Suspâ—â—ion against any man without any iust cause a sinne against the ninth commandement 1. Cor. 13. Charitie suspecteth no euill 10. Precept Motions What motioÌ„s are forbiddeÌ„ in the tenth Commandement How wee be infected with the motions which come from Sathan the world Who is our Neighbour Ioh. 3. Ephès 2. 3. The Mediator described 1. Cor. 1. Faith defined What Creatiâ—â—â—â— Vse of the first article of the Crâ—eâ—e Christ verie GOD. Christ very Man Vse of holie Conception Vse of Christs Prophesie Vse of his Priesthood Vse of Christs kingdome Christs passion most grieuous in bodie and soule Vse of Christs buriall Phil. 3. 9. 13. Rom. 6. 12. Vse of the article of the Resurrection Iohn â— 14. Vse of Chrstes intercession 1. Thess. 4. 26. 1. Cor. 15. Phil. 3. 10. Rom. 12. 13. Church The holie Ghost alone giueth vs the assurance of the pardon of sinnes * By Faith wee come by degrees to feele to haue a comfortable experience of the pardon of sinnes The comfortable vse of all the articles of the Creede Faith onely iustifieth Rom. 3. 28. A reward to workes is promised of Gods free mercie and not for merit Workes Law and Gospell coÌ„demne sinners which
commonly despised We may not loue that best which the world esteems best A good rule Depth of mystery in plainnes of words Heart seat of diuinitie Triall of heart Note Note Affections Note Popish doctors of reasoÌ„ A wit not huÌ„bled hinders vs in godlinesse Loue. Canticles Griefes Motions Mercie 〈…〉 nts 〈…〉 they 〈…〉 〈…〉 câ—p 7 7. 〈…〉 true sense A two fold iudgement the one in righteousnes another in mercie We are to follow the holy Prophets c. in their holy affections Note Note The name of the Lord. The word the onely glasse to see and know the Lord. Iohn 14. 23. Psalm 119. A mirrour of godlinesse Freewill Albeit wee haue the light of the word yet the Lord must opeÌ„ our eyes before we can see Affection Anger Watchfulnes Simile To meet with teÌ„ptations before sinne be perfected Simile Godly feare The dominion of sinne Rom. 6. 12. Not to bee tempted Heretikes 〈…〉 â—0 Note Simile The blindnes of sinnes Simile Note the louing mercie of the Lord couering our manifold infirmities Simile The ChristiaÌ„ warfare The end of all deliuerances Thankfulnes Two principall props in trouble Esay 5. Godlinesse Afflictions Gods countenance Godly sorrow Loue to Gods word Simile God iust in his prouidence Note Diues and Lazarus Matth. 5. Incredulitie in Gods children Beleeuing the word That the 119. Psalme concernes all the regenerate Iobs sinnes Note A true propertie of zeale Galath 6. 1. Zeale for the contempt of the Word Of Zeale Diuers kinds of zeale 1 2 3 The first propertie of true zeale The first rule of true zeale Toleration of many things for the peace of the church The second rule of true zeale Two obseruations The second obseruation Simile Conscience of thoughts The third rule of zeale The fourth rule of zeale Triall of our obedience To heare with the frailties of Gods children Duties of loue euen to Gods children The fift rule of zeale Sufficiencie for the ministery The sixt rule â—â— zeale Difference betweene fretting anger and pining zeale Admonition Our vnbeleefe and wherefore we see it not Triall of our zeale Our vnbeleefe is shewed vs in the often repetitions of the commendatious of the word No idle repetitions in this Psalme M. Bradford and holy Martyrs much lamenting euer fâ—r their vnbeleefe The word of God a tried friend in troubles Simile Dauid against Goliah Triall of our loue to the word Triall of our loue to the word How Christians differ much from heretikes Heretikes cannot abide the word Good notes for prayer 1. Importunate in praier with God Luk. 1â— 1. 2 Wherfore God delayes to graunt our requests 2. Wisedome of he spirit in prayer Our times for prayer Sabbath Luk. 10. 41. 42 Callings Diligence in hearing and prayer Note Sabbath two Sermons the mornings 〈…〉 eâ—es Note Preparation and meditation Preparation The minâ—sâ—eâ— Balaams witchcrafe Num 23. 22. 23. Meditation The morning meditation 1 2 3 Note 1. Cor. 7. Ierem. 7. 13. Iob. 8. 2. Matth. 21. 18. The third point cheerefulnes in prayer Spirite of cheerfulnes a singular grace Note The fourth propertie in prayer is Faith Faith and patience A iudgement of mercy and of seueritie Note Note Note Secret sinnes Note Witchcraft Zeale Anger Hypocrisie Note Note Rom. â— 3. 4. 5. Luk. 7. 47. Dulnes Esay 25. â— Feare Consulting with witches Is Gods feare be wanting there is no temptation so great but we faâ—â— inâ—o it Triall of our feare of God False feare Simile Witchcraft A true note of Gods child The true ioy of the faithfull howfor it exâ—â—â—des all carnall ioy Triall of our ioy Simile Sabbath Dulnesse in prayer and other holy exercises Feare and ioy tempered together Loue to good things and hatred of euill things may not slakâ— in vs. Prayer AdmonitioÌ„ Relapse Polygamie Heresie or profâ—â—â—nesse like to follow our securitie The true faith worketh by loue Iohn 17. Furies Application Waiting an effect of faith AsouÌ„d faith breedeth a good conscience Incredulitie hastie A patient faith Impatience True faith not without good workes To iustifie diuersly taken How we are iustified by workes Simile Simile Simile RepetitioÌ„s in prayer how reprooued Simile Promises are generall Prayer must bee ioyned with faith knowledge Ripenes of iudgement and quicknes of affections whence Thankesgiuing the end of Gods blessings Many thinke they loue God his word religion wheÌ„ indeed they doe not Simile How to holde fast true Wisedome The cause of forgetfulnes is carelesnes Two things to be auoided first vanitie of minde secoÌ„dly worldlinesse if wee will entertain and possesse wisedome What to be auoided Simile To auoyd the societie of the wicked Citò longè tardè Psalm 119. and 1â—0 1 The practises of the wicked against the godly 2 3 What euill examples doe No hope of Lucre or preferment must linke vs in any league with wicked men Reasons of the former precept The delight of the wicked A true marke of the wicked How we must endeuour to sâ—irre vp otâ—ers â—o â—â—ad neâ— â—â—â— be 〈…〉 we haue not performed any such autie Psal. 119. It is not sufficieÌ„t to flie the counsells anâ— companies of the wicked Wee must hasteâ— to the societie of the godly 〈…〉 〈◊〉 â—â—al â— 1. 2. 〈◊〉 16. â— Gen. 16. 8. Vaine and vnprofitable changes of places of callings c. Two marks of a righteous man 1 2 Notes of a good conscience 1 2 3 Simile Simile Simile Good cautioÌ„s to keepe vs from sinne How the wicked walke in sinne know it not Profit by reading preaching conferring of the word We must store vp the word in our heart by prayer meditations We must not rest in the vse of one good meanes 1 Two causes of watching ouer our hearts 2 The second cause of watching ouer our hearts In what respects the worldlings leaue sinne The triall of our hearts whether in sinceritie wee loue the Gospell for the Truths sake or because we get some gaine glorie by it Cause of all sinne in our owne selues SataÌ„ is made a chirurgion to cure the corruptionâ— of the Saints How the pure heart stadeth fast in temptations Our hearts tried two waies The first by afflictions The second triall of the hart by our ioy and griefe in good and euill Desire of saluation How to discouer a couetous heart Care for the prosperitie of the Church a speciall note of Gods children Psal. 122. True triall of our ioy and sorrow Paul afflicted yet great ly comforted wheÌ„ he heard of the peace of the church and prosperitie of the gospell Triall of the heart in prosperitie To loue and speake the trueth in the least matters How God chasteneth his children for lying To speake the trueth in iudgement Scorne True knowledge where and how to finde it Triall of our hearts whether we principally respect Gods fauour in all our actions Contempt of the word what causes breed it 1 We say the rich and the mightie estâ—eme it not 1. Cor. 1. 2 We say it is too hard
5. Comfort to Gods children in feeling their secret corruptions Note Hardnes of heart A sweete consolation for a troubled spirit The godly are not free from euill motions The feeling of Gods promises and fauour written in our heart Christ freeing vs from the condemnation of sin will also free vs from the corruption and power of sinne The death of sinnne in vs. Simile 1 Three kinds or causes of feare 2 3 Properties of feare Esay 5. 3. Feare Gods threatnings Note 1. Pet. 1. 23. Feare Gods promises Pietie in aduersitie Note Feare mixt with faith Friendship Note Familie Seruants Note Presumption Note Exod. 17. â—2 24 14. The loue of brethren Simile Affection 2. Tim. 3. 3. Of Fathers Iohâ— Simile Ignorance of old age The vse of Affliction 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. To seek mens fauour more then the fauour of God Sweet ioyes and feelings vnder the crosse Gods fauour and coâ—â—tenance in affliction Sacraments The afflictions of the Church in Egypt were Gods rod to driue them forth to the promised land Notes of brotherhood Coloss. 1. 14. Deceit in contracts Matth. 18 3. Reuenge Note Note Gods iudgement Simile Prayer Papists rest in the worke wrought By what meanes we must draw neere to God Non gressib sed precibâ—itur ad Deum Oratio est Deo sacrificium homini subsidium Daemoni flagellum That we can neither suffer the wrath of God nor flie from it the best is to yeeld vnto it Confession Knowledge Psal. 32. 45. We may not indent with God We pause to passe in heauenly things though we be guided but wee runne fast enough in earthly things thogh no man guide vs. Simile Faith We cannot serue two coÌ„trary maisters How we must follow Christ Certaine indices or notes to know whether we iourney to heauen 1 2 3 Simile Seeing wee must follow Christ we had better follow to saluation than to destruction Simile Simile Simile Simile Fruits of the spirit Mercie and Iustice. Thâ— theefe on the Crosse Simile Notes and markes of faith in the theefe on the crosse The ioy of a good conscience vnder the crosse 2. Cor. 1. 12. Sorrow How to prepare our selues against the day of death and iudgement To appeare before God without a mâ—diator how fearefull Gods mercie Psalm 103. Christ suffered in soule Grace The couetous desire of riches 2. Pet. 3. 18. Simile PreseueraÌ„ce Gifts of the spirit Rom. 2. 4. Gods patieÌ„ce How we may trie our loue 1 to God or rather to the world 2 3 4 5 Psal. 144. 6 7 Zich 13. 1. The paines of hell are endlesse casâ—lesse and hopelesse Tereâ—t Note Of the wrath of God If any thing cause the lord to be angrie it is sinne Why the anger of God is oft set downe by fire Of three things which may keepe vs from sinne 1 Shame 2. Griefe 3. Feare Simile Why mercy is to be loued Mercy is either in giuing or forgiuing Pension of mercie to be shewed and paid to our brethren Simile Note Giuing Mercy to the poore Psalm 16. A talent of riches A talent of knowledge That which goes for currant good payment in this world is not currant in another Of the punish ment of the wicked Simile Albeit this meditation concerning the keeping of the heart be past in the fourth part Tit. Of meditatioÌ„s on Pro. 4. v. 23. yet for that here we haue some amplificatioÌ„ and some difference in his manner of handling this argument I thought it lesse offeÌ„ce to giue thee both good Reader than to depriue thee of either of thim Fabula vulgi Causam pro non causa Conscience of sinne Note To laugh at sinne what it argueth Carnall Protestants Note Of good affections and desires Rom. 7. Looke most of all temptations and griefes on thy Corruption naturall TemptatioÌ„s Simile Dauids adulterie Note TemptatioÌ„s How we may trie our selues by our afflictions and affections We must watch ouer euery motion of the heart and occasion of the eye Est quaedam cogâ—tare voluptas Spatiabaâ— in claustiâ— cordis mâ—â— qui cum lucerna splendeâ— videt te cùm lucerna extincta eâ—â— videt â—e ipsum time Immistae cogâ—ationes Two heads of many sinnes Bernard quid est cortuum nisi voluntas tua Niâ—â—l itaque punit Deus nisi voluntatem tâ—lle haâ—c â—nternum non erit Two waies The first way of Gods Commandements The second way of our owne hearts Three thiÌ„gs to be considered concerning our way 1 2 Heb. 6. 12. 12. 1. To follow the multitude Note To follow our owne lusts Lutum Deo sed cera Daemoni 2. Pet. 3. 14. 15. 16. Simile Note Immissae ascendentes Two kinds of thoughts Iohn 13. Simile The rauens will not goe farre from a dead carcasse But delight still to be in the sent of it euen so doe we with sin 6 7 Scala Inferni Simile A controuersie concerning an Iland between Scotland and Ireland Faith contrarie to reason Hope contrarie to experience Many will say If I can fetch it within the compasse of my braine I will beleeue it This man may cast the Bible in the fire for any profit he reapes by it Of the circumcision of the heart How we must circumcise the foreskin of our hearts Vers. 9. Thoughts not free The tenth coÌ„mandemeÌ„t The spaâ—ne of finis is in euery man 1. Creation 2. ProuideÌ„cs 3. RedemptioÌ„ A sound A voyce A word The word of God Simile Hearing the word of God is the best hearing 1. Cor. 1. Preaching How we must heare the word Note these foure things 1. PreparatioÌ„ 2. To heare all that is taught vs not parcels 3. Constancie in hearing 4. A desire to practise the thing we heare Hebr. 4. 12. Wee must heare the word as Gods word while it is daye It is good to heare of the threatnings as well as of the promises Simile * That is in Prosperitie Why the Lord oft threatneth in his owne person * As in publike calamities Preachers Great graces Simile 1. Pride 3 4 Ripenes in sin Gen. 5. Rules for the right vsage of the creatures and of Gods blessings and graces receiued 1 Arguments for humiliation 2 2. Cor 11. Numb 12. 1. 3 Meanes to cure pride Rom. 7. 2. Cor. 12. Simile Humilitie See 1. p. counsels Hypocrisie Of two sorts of pride Mater heraeseôn Vermis diuitiarum Pride in apparell and strange attire Pride of women which set vp signes in their foreheads Iob. 39. 37. 38. 1. ta mora tòâ—â—osmou 2. tà as ther è 3. tà agâ—â— 4 tà exouthâ—â—â—mâ—â—a 5. tà mè â—â—ta How hypocrisie differeth from true godlines Simile Hypocrites like bankerupts Triall of our ioy after affliction Sicknes Note well They that sâ—e their secret hypocrisie with griefe shall doe well Godly simplicitie Hardnes of heart Psalm 95. Rom. 1. Heb. 3. Peccatum paena peccati Psal. 69. 27. Note 1 2 4 Markes of hypocrisie 5 6 7 8 9 De agris populo diuidendâ—s Liuiâ—s l. 2. 10 11 12 Simile 1
of a stammering prayer if wee speake in heauines of soule and vprightnes of heart Feeling Magistrates Ministers praying for the people Lifting vp of hands The feruent prayers of a righteous man What exercises increase knowledge most what feeling Genes 46. Gen. 31 3. Isaack False coÌ„forts Verball prayers how dangerous TemptatioÌ„s Barren in grace for waÌ„t of payer Singing of Psalmes How we must coÌ„uert to the Lord the notes of a true conuersion 1 All sinnes 2 We must not repent only of stâ—ring and grosse sinnes 3 Speedy repentance Simile Non dico saluabiâ—uâ— non dico damnabitur Age tu poenitentiam dum sanus â—â— Repentance must bee continued Micrópistoi Simile Repent in faith Simile Katalambánein Properties of true peniteÌ„â—s NoÌ„ nouâ— substantia creatur sed lâ—â—befactata repatatur After our repentance our strife with Sathan doth continue to the end of our dayes What sinne we repent not truely of wee fall to it againe Note Sorow for sin How to ouercome our particular sinne The people which murmured in the wildernesse gaue a mani est â—igne thereby that they repented not of their murmuring in Aegipt To leaue a sin wee must first haue griefe of heart for it 2 a feeling of Gods mercies in forgeting it 3. a hearty hatred of it Wee must see our harts desiled with the sin we leaue else it is impossible to repent Simile Wee must haue most griefe for our chiefest and greatest sinnes Note a good lesson The causes of imâ—netency 1 2 3 4 Note Repentance after forgiuenes How to know whether one speciall sinne shal get dominion ouer vs. Priuiledges of the Elect. 1 2 3 4 Repentance Gods gift Afflictions open the eares of many Iob. 33. 16. The mercies of God to whom they are deare pretious Be not sad Esay 23. Verse 5. Whom yee sold. Note The miserie of rich men quicunque diues aut iniquus aut iniqui haeres Riches stinke in a short time How riches are abused and how many waies they may decay with vs and deceiue vs. Simile Simile Simile How to haue both earthly and heauenly riches Seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof Matth. 6. Iohn 17. The worldling prefers one corporall blessing before many spirituall graces Note Wherefore God denieth vs many earthly blessings Poore in godlines qui diligit legem diligit Regem qui diligit Verbum diligit Deum Strife in the regenerate Rom. 7 Simile Christ must not onely ouercome for vs but also in vs. Our sinnes crucified Christ. Zach. 12. 10. Christ â—ow ouercome to our comfort The Lord will coÌ„demne vs for the vnworthie possession of his creatures Sin the cause of the losse of many blessings Our Sacraments Neglect of Sacraments CoÌ„teÌ„pt of our Sacraments is death To receiue the vnworthy at the Lords Supper The truth of the ceremony of vnleauened bread 1 2 1. Cor. 5. 3 Papists heretikes neuer felt the power of Christs grace nâ—r any assuâ—â—â—â—e of salâ—â—tion â—y the Sacrament and therfore despise them Sacramental phrases wher fore vsed Câ—â—â—uniâ—ants but indifferently prepared for the Sacraments We must abstaine from the least sin and from all shew of sinne Two kinds of euils Meanes to keepe vs from sinnes c. â— Cor. 11. 30. 31. To prosper in sinne a signe of wrath See Admonition Note Sixe notes of the greatnes and enormitie of sinne 1 2 3 4 5 6 Simile Of iniquitie and the punishment thereof Negligence in the Ministerie Swearing Oppression and adulterie Poore Plagues threatned Famine of Gods word Idlenes in the Ministerie Calamities for the contempt of the Gospell and Gods worship neglected Popish persecution how great Persecution To be mooued onely with palpable and prodigious sins a signe of securitie Occasions of sinne Gouernment of the eyes A note of the diâ—els child and Gods Verse 12. Hearts The greater place we are in the greater our sins The Magistrates and Ministers sinne most dangerously 1 2 3 4 Simile Great sinnes must first out Degrees of sin 1. 2. 3. 4. Excommunication 1. 2. 3. 4. The order of the ancient discipline Suspensis 1. 2. 3. 4. Admonition 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Simile Psalm 40. 12. Note All sicke Properties of an expert Physition 1 2 To be truly humbled in sicknesse to beare the Lords crosse Hardnesse of heart The theefe on the crosse How to entertainâ— the Ministers of Christ. Plague If a crosse be remoued before we profit by it God will send an other Exdo. 4. 24. Fruites of repentance So soâ—â—e as we bâ—e humbled wâ— haue the fruite of our afflictions Deut. 6. 3. 4. Sathans seruice Dauids adultorie How Sathan shreds Scripture See the first part Securitie Note Griefe Feare of sin Securitie Enmitie Reconciliatio Sudden iudg ments See the first part of Education Exod. 17. 14. Prouide for posteritie Families must be Catechised Young age is a dangerous age Late repentance dangerous We must vse pleasure but with restraints Sinne by degrees growes to impudencie Wantonnes ends in wickednesse Against verball professors which turne Gods graces to wantonnesse Iud. Haste to doe good Youth must renounce pleasures Sathans policie Superstition To be present at the Masse how dangerous God requireth the vse of the bodie in worshipping him as well as the soule How iustly God may challenge of vs to serue him in bodie and soule We must not be of a darke and close Religion or of a double profession Gods presence Simile Eccles. 4. 17. Mal. 1. Popish obiections against the Gospell Note this proportion Mal. 3. 14. 15. 16. How God punisheth such as receiue not his truth in loue 1. Thess. 2. 11. Iethro no Idolater Triall of Religion RegeneratioÌ„ how wonderfull We must delight spiritually in spirituall things Of feeling We are Gods Temple How we must purge our selues how many wayes we may be defiled 1 2 3 Note Tit. 1. 15. We must be throughly washed and sanctified Our sanctification must not be of one part The godly are 1. Straight 2. Sound Simile Two sortes of men hypocrites 1 2 We must sanctifie both bodie and soule to the Lorde PagaÌ„s Papists haue better outward things then carnall Protestants Spirit What is required to be sanctified Our sanctification must be continual and is not perfected vntill our resurrection Death is the complement of our mortification Death To fulfill the daies of our sanctification The sanctification of a Nazarite A true discription of our ignorant and idle Protestants Simile The Palme tree Rom. 5. 10. Affliction Temperance abstinence Practised of God children Lots posterity 1 King 19. 6. Simile The flesh must not rule Faith Note The religious obseruation of the Sabbath Two extremities for want of the religious obseruation of the Sabbath 1 2 3 The sanctification of the Sabbath Simile Marriage 1. Sam. 15. Will worship euer condemned Num. 15. The breach of the Sabbath punished The Lords day Kindling of fire on the Sabbath Note The breach of the Sabbath punished and how to order our affections in
the viewe of such iudgements 1 2 3 4 5 Diem or Sabbathum 6 7 Of vnthankfulnes Vse of the creatures Simile How God tempteth vs. Phil. 2. 14. 15. Deut. 29 21. God trieth men as well by benefits as by wants The triall of our seruice and zeale of God The Diuels obiectioÌ„ Iob. 1. Doth Iob feare God for nothing Trial of faith We are as ready to mur mur as the Israelites What it is to tempt God To sin against knowledge is a tempting of God God beares long with the offences of our ignorance To refuse knowledge is a tempting of God Dauids sins 1. Sam. 2. 1. Cor. 10. To tremble in teÌ„ptation Simile Application of doctrine how necessarie Simile Truth how great speciall arguments 1 1. Father 2. Sonne 3. Holy Ghost 2 3 Men may be compared to laÌ„dor earth Note There are three kindes of truth Note The true standard of truth Note Truth in simplicitie of speech Truth in action Truth of the Common-wealth Truth in the Church Simile Verball profession Why Truth is not found among vs. Contempt of the Worde dangerous Familiaritas parit contemptum veritas parit odium Three good mothers bring forth three euill daughters Note Charitie is true The people of Mediolanum or Millaine Amittere animas quà m Episcopum The world followes and fauours the Gospell when it brings prosperitie with it Against scorners Adde these foure sections to the chapter of Temptation Simile The cure of Witches Voweâ— Wonders Notes of diuine wonders Who be deceiued with the lying wonders of Antichrist Simile The law Morall was before Moses and obserued in the in the Church before it was written The light of the Gospell hath dispeld the mist of Popery The Lord often vseth vehement speeches to spurre our dull hearts In Rhethorike Permssio cum Catastrophe In Logicke Per obliquum ductum Why God vseth vehemencie of speech and how we must reade it Risus Dei prae omni ira Dei. quod cum risu loquitur tâ— leges cum luctu A speciall grace to be humbled by the word Wonders * So the sinne hardneth the clay but softe neth the wax Sacraments Admonition The Fathers of the first age had the word Titles giuen to the word Duo ecclesiae vbera Cum Deus aliquid dieit etfiâ—d non amplâ—us quam semeâ— dicat ea fide ac deuotione accipien dum est ac â—i saepissimè dixerit Chrysoâ—t aduers. vituper Monasticae vitae Will worship Numb 20. Obedience Good workes Three signes of good works 1. Word 2. Faith 3. The end Gods glorie On whom to conferre our well doings Protestants most bouÌ„d to good workes 1 2 3 Motiues to good works 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Perdere beneficium dare non dare perdere We must doe good though it seeme to be in vaine Good works Scôtos tò exóteroâ— Amartimata exótera Extreame sinnes goe into extreame darknes We must doe good to all men 1 2 3 To doe good duties to the soule 4 Conferre this chapter with the sermon of zeale in the third part True zeale the properties thereof Conferre this with the 3. sermon of zeale the third part The recompence of true zeale Note Properties of true zeale 1 2 Zealous in a ceremonie in principall points as cold as ice Two rules 2 Hypocrisie vncased A third Rule A true triall of our zeale A fourth Rule Good notes of true zeale How to be grieued for the sinnes of others A fift rule Prouision for the Ministerie The cause of many 〈◊〉 contemâ—â—â— in the Church A sixt rule Anâ—er aâ—â— sorrow 〈…〉 be ten 〈…〉 toge 〈…〉 Coâ—s 〈…〉 mens ag 〈…〉 sinne Note * The old heretikâ—s Virtus est medium vtrinque reductum 2 Psal. 32. 1. Psal. 103. Simile Order Praeposteratio annihilat actum 1 Sterile officium Non facienduÌ„ quia multifaciunt sed quia bonum Vt bonum faciaÌ„ an bene satis mihi suÌ„t pauâ—i satis vnus satis nullus Augustine Si poteÌ„tiores faciunt non faciam quia faciunt sed gaudeo quia faciunt H◠ô theò◠ekathárise su mè koinou Touto gar esti to thélema tou theou ho agiasmos humôn Meanes for the sanctification of the Sabbath 2 Guides 1 2. 3. 3 4 1 2 3 4 * Visito poto cibo redimo lego rolligo condo * Corrige fuade doce solaâ—e remitte fer oâ—â— The Sabbaths vse Punishment for the breach of the Sabbath Recreations Sabbaths rest Sabbath a signe Nostri iuris Excommunication How dangerous to despise the censures of the Church Psal. 19. Discretion necessarie in discipline 1. King 9. Oratorious periods in preaching Patrones of Churches falsely so called Negligent Pastors Shame how to discerne it Impudencie of our times Obiection Answere 1 Two notes of Gods anger in exercising vs after sinne with shame 2 A secret hiding of sinne Sabbath Rom. 3. 28. Popish perfection Puritans be the old Catharoi and the Paepists Apt similitudes in scrip ture sorting and fitting all callings to instruct all degrees concerning Gods kingdome To stirre vp our owne drie and barren hearts considering and viewing the fruitfulnes of the ground Ioh. 15. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Matth. 3. To trie the hart whether it be barren Foure signes 1 1. If our eares hearts lie common for passengers 2 2. If we be not busie to driue away bad and corrupt affections 3 3. No blessings better vs. 4 4. The preaching of Gods worde discernes it to be fallow SathaÌ„s policy 1 3 1. Cor. 7. 4 Luk. 8. Mark 4. Matth. 13. 5 Matth. 7. Regeneration To leaue sin to repent of sin differ Opus operatum 1. TeÌ„ptation 2. TeÌ„ptation 3. Exercises of religion 4. Comfort discoÌ„fort 5 False feare 6. To discerne the spirit 7. Carnall securitie 8 Complaining 6. Disputation 10 Punishment 11 Not to distrust Gods helpe 12. Secret thoughts and speeches 13. Enuie 14. How to be affected in others weale woe 15. Crosses with blessings 16. Want of an outward blessing 17 Calling 18. Motiues vnto prayer 19. Sinne. 20. Iustification and sanctification 21 The bloud of Christ must be sprinckled by the holie Ghost in our heart Christ fastiÌ„g and prayer 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Note well this rule 20 21 22 23 24 Simile 25 A sweete Prayer 26 27 28 A sweete counsell 29 Friends not prâ—fiting in godlinesse 30 False feare Gal. 2. 20. In temptations striue to stand in faith and not to yeeld to the aduersarie Our corruptioÌ„ desires delights in the meanes we cannot haue Blindnes of mind hard nes of heart Many false perswasions come to the weak for waÌ„t of sound iudgement 1. Cor. 10 13. Esay 63. 15. Esay 59. 10. Esay 38. 14. Psal. 51. 10. The feelings of the faithfull in temptation lost Two kinds of hardnes of heart 1 Not perceiued nor felt 2. Perceiued and felt B. of 2. sorts 1. of purpose to resist good motions 2. Securely negligeÌ„tly to lie in sinne * or discerned The second kind of hardnes of heart not felt Note the difference between perceiued felt 2. kinde of hardnes perceiued felt is of two sorts Esay 63. A troubled conscience perswaded his sinne is pardonable but yet not feeling it is pardoned yet it may be God hath pardoned it as we see in Dauid Satan driues the faithfull in their teptations to be weary of yea sometimes to refuse the meanes The prayer of Christ belongeth to vs as well as to the Apostles 10. 17. Heb 13. Rom. 7. 2. Cor. 1. 23. There may be faith with out feeling Psal. 51. 3. 10. Vers. 11. Vers. 12. Sathan and melancholie disquiet afflicted soules Psal. 51. Esay 17. 19. Esay 11. 6. Leuit. 5. 15. Numb 15. 38. Ignorance and error differ Gods childreÌ„ may fall after their calling into many foule faults Exod. 24. 6. 7. Esay 1. 10. 11. Vers. 8. Esay 31. 6. Esay 63. 10. Esay 63. 9. Iere. 31. 18. 20. Psal. 50. 5. 22. Psal. 89. 30. 1. Ioh. 2. 2. 1. Cor. 1. 6. 7. 1. Cor. 3. 15. 2. 3. 1. Cor. 10. 7. 13. Psal. 19. 13. True humilitie proceedeth from faith 2. Cor. 1. 4. The testimonie of the spirit The nature of faith Maâ—k 9. 24. Matth. 17. 2. Colos. 2. 10. 1. Cor. 1. 30. Rom. 8. 34. Rom. 5. 19. 2. Cor. 5. 21. 2. Cor. 1. 20. Coloâ— 1. 19. Rom. 8. 1. 1. Ioh. 21. Dispute not with Sathan intemptation Whether we haue faith or not Ioh. 8. 24. 25. Mark 2. 24. Act. 16. 18. A desciption of faith 2. Tim. 1. 12. Simile Simile The afflicted desireth to be leeue cannot discerne his estate Matth. 4. Ioh. 5. Temptation what it may teach vs. Simile Resistance in temptation a sure signe of faith and grace Remedie in temptation 1. Dispute not with Sathan 2. Exercise prayer reading 3. Be painfull in the workes of thy calling Faith proued by the fruits Psal. 77. 6. Psal. 119. Iob. 31. Rom. 3. 28. Rom. 8. 10. Ioh. 15. 2. Rom. 7. 17. Rom. 6. 2. Death the complement of mortification Loathing of this life c. Phil. 1. 21. Comfort froÌ„ the exercises of pietie The hearing of the word Prayer Praising of God Sacraments Simile To record our faith and comforts past Heb. 10. 32. 34. Iob. 29 3. Psal 77 6 12. Psalme 23 all Rom 8 16. Rom â—1 29. Ioh 13 1. The testimony of the spirit of adoption better theÌ„ the testimony of men and Angels Simile An eclipse of faith In teÌ„ptations how we conspire with Sathan against our selues 1. Pet. 5. 9. 1. Ioh 5. 4. Ephes. 6. 16. CoÌ„mfort froÌ„ the benefits of this life Rom. 8. 28. A speciall fauour of God to haue his faithfull seruants to pitie vs in our afflictions Matth. 18. 18. Esay Iam. 5. 15 Vers. 41. Ioh. 20. 23. How Gods faithfull Ministers binde and loose 2. Sam. 12. 13 Notes out of Iob. 33. 23. for the comfort of the afflicted 2 3 4 5 Ephes. 3. 18. 6 7 Apoâ— 7. 18. 14. 13. Against the doubt of election Deut. 29. 29. 3 4 Iob. 31. 5 6 7 Phil. 2. 13. Luk. 23. 42. The afflicted conscience like the couetous man Phil. 3. 11. Phil. 2. 13. 2. Pet. 1. 10. He that beleeueth maketh no hast
members of the body So that the cause why we shew no mercy is because we cannot perswade our selues to be members Of the primitiue Church and the faithfull congregations gathered by the Apostles it is saide there was but one heart one will among them and therefore no doubt but one body for there can be but one heart in one body and it were monstrous in one body to haue two hearts The lawe of members is that looke what one member receiueth is receiues not for it selfe alone but for all the rest too The eye it sees not to defend and helpe itselfe alone but it sees for the hand for the foote and for the other parts of the body And so by the law of members if wee haue any thing wee must bestow it on the whole body and as well on the foote as on the head Euen so doth one member receiue the benefite of another that as the eye seeth so all seeth as the hand writeth so all write and wee knowe the least benefite or hurt which is in any member is ascribed to the whole body as if but the finger ake we say we haue an ach if the naile be hurt we say we are hurt if the foote be whole wee say we are healed Then if this affection be not in vs mercifully to impart one to another as one member is seruiceable to another mercie is not in vs. If we be grieued for any it is but a complaint of the mouth we can giue him a Lord helpe him but Christ did not onely see one so but he wept ouer him he wept not onely but touched the verie leprous yea and he healed them Well if there be no mercie in vs with what face can we come to the Lord and say giue vs a kingdome let thy kingdome come if wee denie to our brethren the gift of so much as of a peece of bread and how can wee looke vp to heauen with any hope to come thither if we haue laid vp no store there before hand God scummeth away the drosse of his Saints by Crosses yet breaketh not his holy couenant with them but performeth it through many tribulations which they deserue and pul vpon themselues When the Lord threatneth we are often driuē into a secret murmuring and impatiencie of spirit but we must know that his minae be as medicinae the meanes of the Lord are medicines And wee are too nice Christians if wee cannot abide to bee threatned seeing God his iudgements are often greater mercies than euen the continual ordinary mercies themselues Nay because the Lord would not destroy vs hee threatneth vs hee hath not delight in the death of a sinner therefore he threatneth death vnto vs because he would not haue death come vpon vs. For as the mercies of God are iudgments to some that abuse his mercies so the iudgments of God are mercies to others because they cause them to obserue his wil and to enter into a new league with him And this is that the Apostle saith all things turne to the best to them that loue God all things the very melancholie of the diuels euen hell fire for the bitternes of threatnings are fore-warnings to the godly that they should not be destroyed with the world in the ende CHAP. XXXIIII Teaching vs why we are specially to keepe watch and ward ouer our hearts SO corrupt is the heart as being the fountaine of all sinfull actions that although wee shoulde neuer haue patternes of impietie yet our owne heart would schoole vs sufficiently to the waye of destruction Reprooued then bee their Doctrine who thinke that a man is not naturally inclined to euill or that nature is not wholie inclined to sinne but that by example and allurement man is corrupted and infected by others The occasion of euill may bee outward but the cause of it is inwarde not of others but in our selues And good reasons there bee therefore that wee should still haue an eye to our hearts First our hearts doth carrie with it most commonly all our senses so that nature taught men of the world that the eye seeth not but the heart it is not the hand that toucheth but a certaine force proceeding from the heart and exercised by the hand and seeing nor sense left in the body From hence it commeth that great sounds and strange noyses are nothing heard of our eares attending vpon our hearts and our hearts being throughly occupied about some other obiect From hence it is that goodly shewes able to rauish the sight with delight are not so much as seen of vs our eies being wholly restrained about other things whereabout the heart is occupied yea from hence it is that wee stumble sometime on the plaine ground and our feet do faile vs in most faire places our feete attending on our hearts and our hearts being carried vehemently vnto some other matter Although then we ought to keepe with great care our eyes our eares our hands with all other parts of the body yet it standeth vs in hand to keepe diligent watch ward ouer our hearts by which all the other partes are moderated and ruled Another reason why wee should haue speciall regard to our heartes is because they make or marre all our actions If the heart be pure all our affections are pure though Christ through some defectes be mixed therewith if our hearts be not sound but corrupt then the things in their owne nature good by vs are made impure corrupt It is without all controuersie that it is our corrupt nature which corrupteth vs either to be slacke in weldoing or to leaue a good thing altogether vndone to be so prone to euil-doing or to rest too securely in it being done And albeit many occasiōs may be pretēded to stay vs from good which may seeme to carrie some shew of good yet they are deceiuing corruptions and full of rottennesse at the core as experiēce prooueth Some are kept backe from catechising of their familie because they would not be made the by-talke of the people they would not men should talke of them and tear me them a precise company Some goe aloofe and walke along from pure zeale in good works that they might retaine their libertie in buying and selling and so better take order for domesticall expences which they thinke would fall to the ground if God should be purely worshipped And indeed euery thing creepeth vnder colour of a good thing and they will turne out nothing naked but with one ragged reason or other although their pretences be of an ill die or their reasons not able to keepe them from any iniurie of the weather whatsoeuer They are carried away with the deceiueablenesse of sinne their corruption deceiueth them they are beguiled with the diuels sophistrie in putting that for a cause which is no cause at al. But this hypocrisie of hart may appeare not onely in not doing of good which we should doe but