the more grieuously against vs. The chiefest cause of all this was their incredulitie Psal 78. 22. they did not beleeue that the Lord had a fatherly care of them sought in all things to do them good euen as he knew what was commodious for them which was so much the greater a sinne in them by how much the Lord had so many waies testified his great loue to them not onely by his word but by his workes v. 23. where he beginneth to reckon vp so many benefits of his bestowed vpon them Therefore that we might auoide all these sinnes we must labour first of all to beleeue the forgiuenes of our sinnes by Christ Iesus and that we are receiued into Gods fauour by the imputation of his righteousnes then we must be perswaded of his fatherly prouidence watching ouer vs for good and that he hauing giuen his sonne Christ Iesus vnto vs will with him giue vs all things needefull for vs and that there beeing a kingdome prouided for vs in heauen much more are wee heyres of this worlde which faith that wee might be confirmed and strengthened in we must not onely barely acquaint our selues with the promises of the worde wherein hee testified and shewed all these thinges vnto vs but also marke his fatherly dealing with vs from time to time wherein he hath confirmed the truth of these promises vnto vs. Moreouer concerning this matter this is an especiall meanes to bring vs to a contented minde if in worldly things we neuer propound too high an estate to our selues neither looke for great matters of this life but set a meane condition before our eyes as Iacob did Gen. chap. 28. 20. If God will be with me and keepe me in this iourney which I goe and will giue me bread to eate and clothes to put on so that I come againe to my fathers house in safetie c. with words proceeding from the trueth of his heart not purposing to dissemble with God did declare a maruelous contented minde if we consider who it was that spake it First of all the graundchilde of that mightie Abraham who was able to reske we his kinsman Lot with three hundred and eighteene souldiers borne and brought vp in his house Gen. chap. 14. vers 14. and who was so rich that the land in which he soiourned was not able to beare them cap. 13. 6. Then he was the onely heyre of that rich Isaak who dwelling in Gerar sowed and found by estimation an hundred fold and was exceeding rich cap. 26. 12 13. and was so blessed that the king of the land was afraid of him v. 28. Thirdly it was he who was so blessed in all earthly and heauenly things by his father in the chap. going before and was confirmed in the same againe in this very chap. v. 1. 3. and last of all was established in the faith of it by the Lord himselfe v. 17. After all so many and great things which might haue made him looke a loft what a minde had he that desireth 〈◊〉 meate and drinke and clothes especially in so long a time of absence from his friends for he knewe well the cause of his owne departure euen the cruel rage of his brother which could not be appeased but in a long time And this is so much the more worthie to be considered if we reade the text as some of the learned translatours doe namely when the Lorde shall haue bene with me shall haue kept me in this way by the which I am to goe and shall haue giuen me bread to eate and clothes to put on and to be short when the Lord shall haue bin my God then this heape of stones which I haue set up for a pillar shalbe Gods house c. wherein as hee doth not tie Gods favour to the aboundance of these outward things but confesseth that he may be mercifull unto him yea in a meane estate so this mercie of God he desiring aboue all is contented that the Lord should shew it unto him which way it pleaseth him if it be but in meate and drinke and clothes So our Sauiour Christ hath taught us to pray for our daily bread by which though he meane all things needefull for this life yet in naming bread he sheweth us what meane things we should looke for whereunto agreeth the prayer of the wise man Proverb 30. 9. Giue me not pouertie nor riches feed me with food conuenient for me and the exhortation of the Apostle 1. Timoth. 6. 8. When we haue foode and raiment let us be contented therewith which that we might so much the more earnestly labour to attaine unto let us consider how God hath alvvaies blessed them that haue looked for small matters and punished them that haue had aspiring mindes resisting the proud and giuing grace to the humble Dauid when hee was accused of treason against the king truly protesteth of himselfe Psalme 131. Lorde mine heart is not havvtie neither are mine eyes loftie neither haue I walked in great matters which are to high for me And when Saul in pollicie offered his daughter unto him to be his wife that by that meanes he might be destroyed of the Philistines he answered VVhat am I that I should be sonne in law to the king 1. Sam. 18. 18. and when it was further urged upon him he said Seemeth it a small thing unto you to be the kings son in law v. 23. yet afterwards God made him King But Adoniah Absolon both of them afterwards aspiring unto the kingdom by the punishments which God brought upon thē were made spectacles of so great ambition to the posteritie Mordecai in time of the captivitie having well deserued of the king Hest 2. 22. sought not ambitiously to preferre himselfe but serving still faithfully in his former estate was highly aduanced at the last cap. 6. Contrariwise Haman swelling with pride like a toade as it appeareth in many places of that story was at the last brought to that great shame confusion which deseruedly fell upon him And that we might in all persons consider the truth of this we shall find that if they haue no other punishment of God upō them yet they haue this which is no small one restles minds unquiet spirits For besides that the mind of man is insatiable there is no worldly thing so great but mans desire is greater therfore when he hath this that still he desires more is not satisfied we must remember that great things are very rare hard to be attained unto therfore we like to misse of them and so the mind must needs still be unquiet So the other if they haue no other blessing yet they shall haue this quiet spirits contented minds which is an especiall grace For besides that smal meane things are especially promised of God and are most common in the world therefore most like to be attained unto and so the desire soonest satisfied the
heart of Lydia to beleeue the doctrine of saluation preached by Paul It is the Spirit of God that beareth record to our spirits that we are the children of God and heyres of euerlasting life all the men of the earth if they would come beare record with vs in the day of iudgement that we are saued can not preuaile vnles God be witnes vnto our hearts consciences no if all the men of the earth should but speake to a pore soule in this life say I warrant thee man my soule for thy soule thou shalt be saued vnles God touch his heart perswade it their warrants be nothing Alas what can the witnes of the whole worlde preuaile when the Lord is witnes in the heart of the pore man against himselfe So could Franciscus Speyra cry out to thē that perswaded him to beleeue assuredly that Iesus Christ hath saued him I would said he I would beleeue but I cannot faith is Gods gift all the worlde can not giue it me you fare with me saith he as if one were fast tyed with chaines and the passers by bid him come out and loose himselfe but they can not helpe him neither can he help himselfe although he would neuer so much euen so saith he ye pitie my case and bid me beleeue in Christ I would doe so but I can not for it is Gods gift and I haue denied him before men and therefore he hath denied me and wil not giue me an heart to beleeue Let al the skoffers vpon the earth that think it so small a matter to haue a true faith in Christ and therefore take libertie to sinne freely let all the packe of thembe taught if they will be taught by this horrible iudgement of God that they can not beleeue vnlesse it be a speciall and mightie working of God and let vs good brethren let vs hereby be admonished and all the deare children of God with vs to seeke the Lord now while he may be found and let vs in this good time of mercie that he giueth vs enter deepely into our selues and examine it to the full whither we haue this faith or no in this full assurance that we be saued if we haue it not let vs neuer rest knocking asking and seeking at Gods hand till he giue it vs we shall surely haue it if we aske for he promiseth that neuer deceiueth any Aske and ye shall haue seeke and ye shal finde knocke and it shalbe opened vnto you Can a father denie his childe any good thing if he haue it this is a good thing and our God hath it in store he will neuer then denie it vs. Thus then ye see it is a greater thing to haue faith then a great number of men make account of it is the onely worke of God and a rare worke of God which he bestoweth vpon his children onely men may haue peraduenture a certaine fleshly perswasion and some carnall opinion of their saluation which peraduenture may seeme vnto them while all things be quiet and no distresse of conscience to be maruelous strong but alas because it is not from the spirite of God but onely a fleshly brauerie as soone as God doth but touch them it vanisheth away as smoake as that carnal brag of Peter which was at the very looke of a litle damsell cleane daunted So all the worldly perswasions of men which for a time keepe them in very great securitie must needs fall before the iudgement seate of God there can nothing stand against the deuil death hel sinne Satā but onely that which proceedeth from him who hath ouercome hel death sinne Satā It may be that for a time it may be couered as it were a sparkle of fire in ashes but gathering strēgth by gods promises depēding only vpon him it passeth through al douts til at lēgth it getteth victorie Thus ye see thē the true and liuely faith of Gods children is not in the power of any to haue it when he will it is the speciall gift of God and peculiar onely to his people and therefore can giue no libertie to sinne vnto the carnall man in hope that he can beleeue when he wil. And yet here on the other side we must beware of an other vice tending to the same and yet growing of a contrarie cause A great number of worldlings and others which care neither for God nor deuill hell nor heauen so they may liue at ease in this world those I say hearing that faith whereby we come to saluation is the onely gift of God and not in mans power these iolly fellowes set cocke on hoope as they say and vtterly cast away all care of their saluation For say they seeing faith is the gift of God and not in our owne power wherefore should we trouble our selues about it we will neuer care to seeke for it for if so be God will giue it vs wee shall haue it though we neuer seeke after it but lie snorting in our beds and if God will not giue it vs we can neuer haue it therefore we neuer purpose to care for the matter but euen sit vs downe and take our ease and fill our paunch and if God will giue it vs he will giue it vs euen in our greatest securitie But here I aske these senselesse caytiffs of whome they haue their life and beeing and who doth feede their bodies and preserue their life they must needes confesse it to be God that giueth foode to all liuing creatures I aske them whether they will sit them downe and neuer neither eate nor drinke because it is God that feedeth vs they should within a little while tast of such horrible contempt and be guiltie of their owne death at the hande of that God that gaue them both life and the meanes to preserue their life For although God doth feede vs yet he doth it by the ordinarie meanes of meats and drinkes which if they be reiected the life it selfe is reiected Euen so the Lord our God hath prepared a remedie against these wranglers against their own saluation for although he onely do giue faith whereby we come by saluation yet he plainly in his word doth shew vnto vs a way whereby he giueth it vnto vs and that is the preaching of the word for so he saith Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God least we should think it were a sufficient means the hearing of the word read he addeth saith Who cā beleeue without the hearing of the word preached by this mean of preaching the word hath the Lord appointed to giue faith ordinarily by no other ordinarie means For who saith he can beleeue without a preacher vnles we beleeue there is no saluatiō for whosoeuer beleeueth not is dāned if this thē ordinarie means of preaching the word be reiected we reiect our saluation so are we willingly guiltie of our own dānation So then
doth cōmit the outward fact but also euē when the heart doth break it although the body haue not done it that thou art guilty before God when thy heart hath broken it euen whē thou hast lusted after thy neighbours wife thou hast cōmitted adultery in thine heart saieth Christ yea and if thou speak but a railing or reprochfull sentence thou art guilty of hel fire although thou neuer neither kill thy brother nor smite him yet if thou hate him in thine heart thou art a mankiller before God who condemneth the thoughts of our hearts Yea further it must be done not only with thy heart after a cold fashion with some part of thy good vvill liking but cheerfully vvith all the heart with all the mind yea with all the soule So that although vve could fulfill all the cōmandements of God yet break but one of them once in al our life yea although it were but in our heart yet that vvord condēneth vs as guilty of Gods curse vvhich saith Cursed is euery one which doth not fulfill all that is written in the booke of this law if any one cōmandemēt be but once in all our life brokē all is not fulfilled therfore is a curse pronounced against vs. This is brought in against vs ye see and alledged to prooue vs guiltie of the curse and vengeance of God for breaking his commandements the least of them although it were but in thought yet sufficient to throw vs downe to hell all this is brought against vs out of the word of God in this iudgemēt therfore cannot be answered with gloses we may vvel enough surmise of our own head what we think good here below whē we come before god nothing wil serve but his vvord It vvill not availe thee a stravv vvhen thou shalt stand before the iudgement seat of God it will not availe thee to say O good Lord I graunt indeed I haue sinned but yet they are but small sinnes for strait thou shalt haue ansvver Cursed is every one that doth not fulfill all not onely the great but also the small these gloses vvill not serue at that day and yet see hovv many are caried avvay novv a dayes by such imagination of Gods commandements For a great number think that if they be not notorious sinners before men they shall be vvell enough for they think that the rest of their sinnes are not of so great vvaight because they be knovvn only to God not greatly hated of the vvorld this the fall into because they measure the breach of Gods commaundement by the rule of their ovvne iudgement or by the common opinion of men But alas good brethren it vvill go farre othervvise vvith vs before the iudgement seat of God vvho vvil measure the breach of his blessed vvill not by mens vvord but by his ovvne vvorde that vvord telleth vs that the revvard of the lest sin is death We must seeke then for more sound stuffe then this to answer our cause or all vvill else go vvrong vvith vs. We go on yet further vvith the matter vvhen vve are conuicted that our sinnes are great grieuous before God vve acknovvledge it to be so but vve haue remedy enough for it as vve thinke for vve bring in to ansvver the matter the punishments vvhervvith vve haue punished our bodies as pining our selues vvith fasting vvhipping scourging such like and these things vve thinke be a sufficient recōpense to God for our sins as so much as he must needs be satisfied vvith therfore vve call them Satisfactions oh say vve vve haue sinned indeed our sins be grieuous but yet for al that vve haue pinched our body for our sins vve haue scourged our selues euery day vve haue gone on pilgrimage in frost snovv barefoot and therfore although vve haue sinned yet we haue satisfied God for our sins vve trust this vvill be a sufficiēt recōpense to God for our sins yea but let us see whether this wil be a sufficient ansvver before God vvhether God vvill take this recompence for our sins or no. The Lorde our God hath appointed in his vvord a far greater punishment and recompense for our sins then can be fall the body of man whē they haue pined it all that euer they can the punishment and due debt of our sinne by the word of God is not onely a punishment of the bodie but also of the soule not onely for a certaine time of daies and yeares which haue an ende but daies and yeares which neuer ende It is the fire which neuer goeth out which can neuer be quenched it is the worme which neuer dieth it is a second death where men be alwaies dying and neuer can make an end because it is euerlasting this is the iust recompence of our sinnes we must not then thinke we haue trimly satisfied for our sinnes when we haue vndergone and taken vpon vs certaine punishments in our bodies which we thinke be very grieuous for although we should our whole life long pine our selues with the greatest and extreamest torment that could be it is nothing in comparison of that full measure of punishment for our sinnes which God setteth downe for that is not for a day or two or as long as we liue no not for twentie thousand yeares but for euer euer euer and hath neuer ende and not onely in the torments of the bodie but also in soule the griefe whereof can not be expressed a thousand times more intollerable then any griefe that can come to the bodie Doth the Lord God say VVhipped be that bodie for certaine yeares which doth not fulfill all that is written c. no he saith not so but he saith Accursed be he I trow the curse of God stretcheth further then the bodie of man the curse of God containeth in it all the torments that can be deuised both in soule and bodie euen as his fauour and goodnes containeth all happines This curse of God which is due for our sinnes as it containeth all the torments which can be deuised both of soule and bodie so is it set forth vnto vs in Scripture by such things as seeme terrible vnto vs to expresse vnto vs more deepely the terrour of it by such things as seeme terrible vnto vs in this earth as fire that can not be quenched burning lake second death damnation where is weeping and wayling and gnashing of teeth and such other like kinde of speeches to expresse vnto vs the horrour of the same not that any terrible thing in this life can sufficiently expresse the horrour of these paines as they are in deede for the tongue of man can not vtter nor heart thinke the torment prepared for sinne The burthen thereof caused the deare Sonne of God to sweat not vsuall sweat but droppes of blood not one or two drops but in such abundance but in such
some part of this recompence for their sinnes For the blessed word of God which setteth forth vnto vs Iesus Christ a full ransome of our sinnes doth also giue vs to vnderstand that none are benefited to saluation sauing only those vvhich do beleeue So God loved the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne to the end that all that beleeue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life he saith not all the world but all that beleeue he saith on the contrariwise whosoeuer doth not beleeue is dāned looke now none are saued saue only those which doe beleeue in Christ if we do not beleeue the word of God saith we are condemned ye see then although Christ hath suffered for sinne yet vnlesse we beleeue we can not be saved But yet here ariseth another doubt which might seeme to bring with it also a liberty to sinne for it should seeme if all are saued that beleeue in Christ then all England France Ireland Spaine Italy and all Europe shalbe saued none should be damned but the Turke Iewe such other as denie Christ for all Europe doe beleeue in Christ acknowledge Christ whether they be papists or protestants none doeth deny Christ all beleeue that Christ is God the sonne of God borne of the virgine so forth therfore it should seeme that none of those should be damned for they all beleeue True it is I graunt all these do beleeue so do the deuils too yet are damned They do beleeue confes as fast as the best of them all that Christ is God sonne of the living God we know whō thou art say they euen Christ the sonne of the highest God yea they beleeue he shal come to iudgemēt art thou come to tormēt vs before the time to be short there is no article of our faith but they know it as wel as we beleeue it to be true yet notwithstanding they do nothing but tremble shake must utterly be damned The whole company of them that beare the name of Christ are called Christians do beleeue that Christ is God so doe the diuels They beleeue that Christ is the sonne of God so doe the diuels They beleeue that Christ was borne of the virgine suffered vnder Pontius Pilat was crucified for mans sin rose again ascended into heauen shall come againe at the latter day all this do the divels beleeue yet are damned seeing thē the word of God setteth down vnto vs two kinds of faith or beleeving in Christ the one such as the diuels wicked mēbers of Satan haue to damnation the other such as the childrē of god haue to saluation we must therefore be very carefull to seeke out that true sound faith of Gods people lest we flatter our selues thinke we beleeue wel enough when we haue no other beleefe then the very deuils in hell haue we must be therfore very carefull to know in what points the deuils faith doeth differ frō the sound faith of Gods people First of all the diuels although they beleeue that all that Iesus Christ did was truely done yet they do not beleeue that he did it for them although they can acknowledge confesse all the articles of our faith yet they can not apply them unto thēselves although they can beleeue that Iesus Christ is God soone of God hath paid the punishment of mans sinne yet they can not beleeue that he hath done this for them they can not beleeue that he hath paid the punishment for their sins they can not beleeue that for they haue not assurance therof out of the word of God nay they know the clean contrary that Christ came not to saue thē for the Apostle to the Hebrewes writeth that Christ tooke not vpon him the nature of spirits angels to ransome them but the nature of man therfore although the deuills can say neuer so fast we beleeue that Christ hath paid the punishmēt of mās sinnes yet they must needs withall say acknowledge and beleeue he hath paid the punishment of mans sinnes but not for ours therfore we looke beleeue to be tormented This is then the most chiefe and principall point in our beleefe that is that we beleeue whatsoeuer Christ hath done for the saluation of man pertaineth to vs our selves as well as unto others we must beleeue euery one of us that wilbe saued that the ransome which Christ hath performed is euen the ransom of our sins yea every one of vs particularly must apply it unto himselfe say I beleeue that Iesus Christ did suffer to pay the punishmēt of these my sins I beleeue that he hath purchased euerlasting life euen for me as well as for others Otherwise if we beleeue neuer so much that Christ hath suffered for the ransome of others not for us our selues it is no faith but a deuils faith such as makes us tremble before our God For alas what would it availe me if I could neuer so much beleeue that Christ had ransomed other mens sins in the mean time could not beleeue that he had ransomed my sins I beleeue indeed he hath purchased life for others his elect but alas not for me I must looke for nothing but hell what I say could all this beleefe helpe me Alas nothing but make me looke for Gods dreadfull vengeance and therefore euery houre tremble and shake So could that miserable poore caytiffe Francis Speyra acknowledge confesse when they brought out of the word of God that Christ was the Saviour of the worlde the ransome of mens sinnes that by his death he had pacified Gods wrath that hee had purchased everlasting life for vs so forth all this is true saith he I beleeue it as well as you but all this pertaineth nothing to me he hath done this saith he for his people not for me I beleeue saith he that he suffered the punishment of the sinnes of his people not for my sinnes I looke for nothing but extreme horror vvhich I do already tast of For this cause doth the worde of God set forth unto us Iesus Christ to be ours not onely other mens but our ovvne Christ is become our righteousnesse our iustification our sanctification our redemption and for this ende is the holy spirit of God sent into our hearts that we might cheerfully beleeue God to be our Father hee beareth recorde to our spirits that we are the children of God not onely others but that we our selues are the children of God And this our true faith doeth not onely let vs see Christ a farre off to appertaine vnto others but bringeth him to vs and maketh him ours euen to dwell in vs euen in our hearts not onely in others but in vs yea in our heartes The promises of God which be in generall to his people the particular faith of every one applyeth them to himselfe and maketh him say
is no law I trow forbiddeth this vnlesse I say the law of the purse And if thou say I can not there be able to liue I answer thee first seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and all other things needfull shall be giuen vnto thee as ouerplus So we see there is nothing can excuse us before God vnlesse we get vs preachers I know there be other kind of excuses that vve frame unto our selues as we thinke sufficient to exempt vs from the preaching of the word but let vs not deceiue our selues vnlesse there be preaching the people perish vnlesse they haue beleeued they are damned and beleeue can they not without preaching Away therfore with all vaine excuses which might make vs thinke our selues well enough without preaching these gloses will not serue before God the Lord will haue his people taught there is no shift otherwise we shall all of vs answer for it so many of vs as haue our hands stained with the blood of them that perish And let all of vs in the feare of this our God fall seriously to meditate of this geare and now at the length begin to make more diligent and careful preparation for the preaching of the word then hitherto we haue done seeing it so standeth vs in hand vnder paine of damnation God may otherwise saue vs as I haue told you if he will but it hath pleased him to let vs vnderstand that he will haue vs saued by preaching if we shal not be carefull and carefull againe to prepare for that meanes of our saluation surely we shall declare our selues either to be wiser then God esteeming his heauenly wisdome but base and foolish or else plaine contemners of God in despising so heauenly and wholsome ordinance Wherefore good brethren if ye will be saued get you preachers into your parishes that may instruct you in the wayes and meanes of your salvation against that day that yee must appeare before this iudgement seate bestow your labour cost and trauell to get them ride for them runne for them stretch your purses to maintain them we shall begin to be rich in the Lord Iesus and so much riches also of this world we shall haue as our God shall make vs contented withall and then our ioy shall be full in the last day when we must leaue all these earthly things receiue at the hands of the Lord Iesus an heauenly an euerlasting crowne Thus farre then good brethren how we are discharged in this iudgement seat from the euerlasting curse and condemnation which euery one of us haue fallen into by breaking Gods cōmandements ye haue heard how we are discharged from this punishment by Iesus Christ who hath fully taken it upon him ouercome it how it is made ours applied vnto us by faith not such a faith as the deuils haue but such as teacheth unto us all that euer Christ did for us maketh Christ dwell with us not in our tongues but in our hearts not in a wauering maner but in a true certenty not by a vaine perswasion of the flesh by the liuely witnes of Gods spirit all this to be deliuered unto vs by no other ordinary means but onely by the preaching of the word Here is then the full waies means of our saluation declared unto us to be in Christ onely in Christ in no worke deed or merit of ours or any saint or angell for us but in Christ alone none other herein remaineth our whole comfort ioy which passeth all the ioyes of the earth But I haue yet one thing more to answer which the deuill might bring into the head heart of the carnall gospeller hereby What saith that filthy Epicure this is sweete doctrine in deede now I may take my pleasure at will liue at lust in my sinne for I beleeue in Christ therfore must needs be saued it maketh no matter I will sin my belly full for I beleeue that Christ hath borne the burthen of my sin therfore what need I care I answer these abuses of Gods mercy that if there be any such that either hath such a blasphemous tongue to speake or an heart to purpose to sinne or one minute of an houre to continue in sinne because he beleeueth that Christ hath paid the punishment of his sinne if there be any such that thus say or purpose I say with the worde of God that such haue no sparkle of true faith for the word of God setteth forth unto vs this true faith not such a faith as filleth the heart with sinne and all uncleannesse as these carnall Epicures speake of but such a faith as maketh the heart pure such a faith as doth not incourage men to sinne but such a faith as maketh men to hate their sinne lothe abhorre it because this true faith of Gods people proceedeth frō the spirit of Christ maketh Christ dwell in vs by his holy spirit which spirit of Christ can neuer dwell in one and the same heart with sinne wickednes in such maner as to be at agreement with it to like well of it take pleasure in it but continually striveth and struggleth against it And although sin doe continually hang on vs yet this spirit of Christ dwelling in vs will not let sin raigne rule in vs therefore such carnall wretches as shall loue sinne take pleasure in their sinne doe sufficiently declare that they haue no part nor fellowship with Gods spirit consequently no true liuely faith They haue no part of the spirit of Christ that suffered death for sinne but the spirit of Satan the authour of sin the spirit of the world the imbracer of sin the spirit of the flesh the nource of sinne for it filleth the heart with the fruits not of the spirite but of the flesh lust whordom fornication uncleannesse wantonnes vanity filthinesse couetousnes extortiō usury oppression pride contempt disdain flattery dissimulation idolatry witchcraft hatred malice division drunkennes gluttony c. And I warrant them let these carnal swine that thus wallow in their sinne taking their full ioy pleasure in it yet say stoutly that they haue a beleefe that Iesus Christ hath paid the punishment of their sin let them I say enter a litle more deep into their own heart they shal find a thing within them that shal speak the clean contrary euen their own cōscience doth cry aloud within their brest if they would let it speak that they beleeue no whit at all of the discharge of their sin by Christ for then they would not loue like wel of their sin which was the cause of the death of Christ Is it like they hold any thing of Christ which ioyne hands with the wicked Iewes to put Christ to death They neuer therfore haue any true faith in Christ unlesse they detest their own sin which
their estate was so good as it was and therefore had so many causes to be contented therewith For besides that they were deliuered from the cruell bondage of Aegypt they had many singular testimonies of Gods fauour both for this life and the life to come and therefore the Prophet Dauid Psal 78. 12. doth thus set forth the indignitie of their sinne declaring howe many benefits of God they did enioy when they begunne thus to murmure And if we doe but consider the manifold publique benefits in the Church and common-wealth as the word of God this long peace vnder so gratious a gouernment with so great plentie and freedome from so many plagues whereby all these are so much the more comfortable vnto vs besides the priuate commodities which euery one of vs many particularly remember in daungers escaped in good things receiued vpon soule and bodie for this life and the life to come in our owne persons and such as appertaine vnto vs we must needes acknowledge that there is great cause why euery one of vs should be contented with our estates and that our sinne in murmuring at any time should be very great But yet we must come vnto that whereof the Apostle speaketh Phil. 4. 11. I haue learned in what soeuer estate I am therewith to be contented Nowe that we might the better see into the sinne of this people to auoid it we must marke by what steppes they came vnto the height of it First of all they did lesse esteeme of that pleasant foode then they should and did not see it to be so excellent conuenient for them as it was for they speak of it very contemptuously saying There is nothing but this Man when as it was not onely able to nourish them but was as pleasant as holesome for it had the tast of pure oyle and sweete honie besides it beeing giuen them daily they might see in it the speciall prouidence of God towards them in feeding them from hand to mouth as it were so that this should haue beene vnto them in stead of all dainties in the world if they could haue seene it but as though all this were nothing they say There is nothing but this MaÌ„ Therfore we must heed take least at any time we doe denie or lesson the benefits of God but labour to see them all and acknowledge them to be so great as they be â—hat so in respect of them wee may confesse our estate to be so good as it is and therewithall to be contented And euen then when we begin to mislike any thing because it is not such as we wish it were then we must also remember how otherwise it may be commodious vnto vs what great vse we may haue haue of it and so beholding the goodnes of God towards vs in it to rest with thankefulnesse well contented therewith But they giuing place to the deuill their own corruption in this from hence it came to passe that they preferred any other food which they had not before that excelleÌ„t meat which they had in deede thus Satan dealeth with men wheÌ„ he hath brought theÌ„ to a misliking of that which they should not then he wil offer theÌ„ many other things perswade theÌ„ to like of any rather then of it And this is to be marked so much the rather because they esteeme onyons leekes such like fish not of the daintiest but such as the poorest were wont to be fed withall before this most holsome pleasant meat and so are contented to chaÌ„ge for the worse And they were so much the more wicked in all this because they say they had the other food for nothing though in deede they had not for they being vsed as cruelly as might be were no doubt constrained to pay for euery thing to the vttermost but they meane they had these base coÌ„mon things for a small price yet they might haue truly saide of the Man that they had that for nothing euen for the gathering But now in a murmuring spirit they had rather giue some thing for the worse then enioy the best for nothing would not onely change for the worse but also giue somthing for the exchange thus had an imagination that it should be meruelous well with theÌ„ if they were any otherwise then they were yea though it were much worse Therefore wee must endeauour to profit by our present estate to serue God in it neuer imagining that if it were any otherwise with vs we should be very well we would doe great matters when in the meane season we cannot keepe a tollerable course in that coÌ„dition we be presently in But whether God blesseth vs we must be thaÌ„kful rightly vse it or whether he chastiseth vs vve must be huÌ„ble profit by it be assured that it is a meere illusion of the deuil to be perswaded that if we were otherwise theÌ„ we would be a great deale better wheÌ„ as now we caÌ„not be as we should forif we haue no power ouer owne will in time present what hope is there we should haue it in time to come vnlesse vve presently labour for it And if they could haue serued God with Man then there had bin hope that if that they had bin driuen to onions and leekes they should haue done there duties then also as he that serueth God in a single life may hope to serue him also in mariage he that doth it in one estate may hope to doe it in an other But they that ignorantly dreame that if this were not their estate let befall then what will they hope to do well ynough or let this crosse be remooued and let any other be laid vpon them and they will beare it and let their estate be but any waies changed and they will indure it they shal finde it farre otherwise by experience euen as this people who not vsing well their owne condition when they were fedde with Man after when the Lord gaue them not common meate but quailes they were ten times worse then they were before The deuill doth not here leaue them but draweth them on further and they following the corruption of their own hearts doe not here stay but beeing once perswaded contrarie to all reason that to be fedde with onions were better for them then with Man doe as men void of all reason so vnsatiably desire them like vnto bruit beastes as they will not be quieted till they haue their greedie desires satisfied for they say their soule is dried away vers 6. As indeede this is the nature of any immoderate affection that it worketh vpon the bodie to the hurting and consuming of it especially a lingring and vnreasonable desire So that there fault was not onely in that they desired that which they should not but most of all that they had no gouernment of their affections to stay them but did let them range so inordinately But here if we demaund