of heart and therefore it standeth vs in hand to make conscience of euery gesture of our bodie of the casting of our eyes of our laughter and of all passionate words lest thereby we shew any contempt or anger towards our brethren If it be saide how can euery gesture expressing rash anger or contempt be murther seeing the law permits a widow to spit in the face of her husbands brother or next kinseman euen before the Elders of the citie if he refused to raise vp seedâ— vnto his brother Ans. First the Lord might command her so to doe thereby to manifest his great dislike of want of loue in him towards his dead brother Secondly I answer the words may as fitly be translated thus and spit in his sight that is spit on the ground before his face that he might see her and that seemeth to be the true meaning of that place for it was very vnseemely for any one much more for a woman so publikely to spit in a mans face And in that sense is the word vsed in the same booke Deut. 4. 37. where God is said to bring Israel out of Egypt in his face that is in his sight Secondly vnder this branch of murther by signe of contempt are many abuses of the tongue most iustly condemned as first bitternesse of speech when men that be at variance giue out hard and grieuous words one against an other these are as pricks of swords as the wise man saith and therefore the holy Ghost chargeth vs that all bitternes anger and wrath be put away from vs. Secondly all wrangling and contentious speech betweene parties disagreeing when as neither will yeild but each one thinks to haue the last word Philip. 2. 14. Doe all things without murmuring and reasoning for that springs of choler and stout stomacke cleane contrarie to meekenes and patience a fruit of the spirit Thirdly crying also is here forbidden whereby men or women beeing at variance in priuate speeches doe through choler and malice lift vp their voices that they may be heard a farre off This is a fruit of raging anger and surie Fourthly threatning speeches are also here condemned when as men from an inward dislike and rage in their owne priuate cause doe giue out menacing words against others Eph. 6. 9. Masters are forbidden thus to deale with their seruants much lesse then may one brother thus threaten an other Fiftly all kind of girding and taunting others by priuie and close nipps is here condemned although there be no open rayling for thereby men seeke to disgrace their brethren and to glad their owne hearts by grieuing others which is more then to say Raca The third degree of murther is in Reviling tearmes calling our brother foole or such like this also is a sinne against the ninth commandement by robbing him of his good name for one sinne in diuers respects may be against many commandements It is a breach of this sixt commandement in that hereby we grieue and trouble our neighbour and so farre as a reproach can goe make him wearie of his life Vpon the ground of this degree of murther be all grieuous practises of men against their brethren iustly condemned for bloodie practises As first Usurie whereby men binde their brethren to returne gaine for the bare lone of money or other goods which naturally yeild no increase without all respect to their necessitie or to the successe of the imploying of it Hereby many are brought to great pouertie reuiling tearmes doe nothing so much pinch the poore as this oppression Secondly the hoarding vp of corne till times of dearth that thereby they may gaine the more these men make a priuate gaine of Gods common iudgement vpon the poore Indeede it is not vnlawfull in time of plentie to lay vp stoare against a time of dearth but to doe it with the hurt of the poore is to sucke their blood and to eate vp Gods people as when men keepe their garners full and suffer the poore to starue the peoples curse lies on such Prou. 11. 26. Thirdly fighting and striking by priuate persons or by others in their priuate causes for they wound or weaken the bodie of their neighbours which is more then to grieue him by reuiling speeches Fourthly the detaining the foode of the soule by those that cannot or will not preach is a damage against eternall life and therefore Paul to cleare himselfe from blood in this behalfe said He kept nothing backe Act. 20. 26 27. Fiftly to giue offence by word or deede whereby others are occasioned to fall this is vncharitable walking Rom. 14. 15. whereby we doe as much as in vs lieth destroy him for whome Christ died As this is cruell in all so especially in publike persons as Magistrates Ministers Parents Masters and such like because their practises are Rules to their inferiours They are like lights in an hauen which guides the shippes that saile by night which standing amisse leade the shippes vpon rockes and sands and so cause shipwracke Hauing seene the true meaning of this Law expounded by Christ let es here further obserue how he restoreth the true vse thereof We must not thinke that he did onely here intend the rectifying of our iudgements for vnderstanding and not also strike at the reformation of our hearts and liues for practise Touching the vse of this law therefore Christ here teacheth vs two things first to descend into our owne hearts and there to search how we haue broken this commandement as whether we haue borne in our hearts any malice against our brother and whether we haue expressed the rash anger of our hearts by speech or gesture or haue any way wronged him by reuiling tearmes or other iniuries against his life if we haue Christ tells vs we are murtherers Secondly Christ setting downe the curse to euery degree of murther teacheth vs vpon due examination of our hearts fuiding our selues guiltie in any degree to cast downe our selues before the Lord to accuse and condemne our selues crying out that all shame and confusion belongs vnto vs this we must doe that by the view of our miseries we may be mooued more earnestly to sue for mercie And indeede if we examine our hearts and our behauiours throughly we shall finde that we are all murtherers For though we may be free from actuall killing yet our consciences will tell vs that the motions of wrath and malice and the signes of vnaduised anger haue broken forth both in our wordes and gesture for who can say he neuer snuffed at an other by way of contempt or dislike who can cleare himselfe from deriding and disgracing others now these things and such like make vs guiltie of sinne against the law and so subiect to the wrath and curse of God which must needes be fulfilled though heauen and earth should passe away This
workes could euer doe we must therefore account of them not as the word of man but of the euerliuing God yea this must perswade vs to maintaine the bookes of Scripture against all diuellish Atheists that denie the same to be the word of God Secondly hereby we are taught from the bottome of our hearts to make that petition for our selues which Christ teacheth in his holy prayer namely that he would let his kingdome come that is not suffer sinne Sathan or the world to raigne in vs but by his word and spirit to rule in our hearts giuing vs grace to be guided thereby in all our waies We affect nothing more then happines and therefore we must oftentimes most seriously make this request to God preferring this estate with God before all pleasures and happines in this world and vse all good meanes to feele in our hearts the power of Christs kingdome Thirdly this should mooue vs to heare Gods word with all feare and reuerence for by this meanes the kingdome of Christ is erected in vs when the word of Christ takes place in our hearts by faith and brings forth in our liues the fruits of righteousnesse and true repentance then may we truely say the kingdome of heauen is in vs. Lastly Christ ascribing this happie title of his heauenly kingdom to them that be poore and of a contrite heart doth herein minister a soueraigne remedie against all temptations from outward pouertie and distresse Doubtlesse pouerty is a grieuous crosse not onely in regard of the want of bodily comforts but especially because of that contempt and reproach which in this world doth hang vpon it wherevpon many doe esteeme their pouertie as a signe of Gods wrath against them and thereby take occasion to despaire thinking the kingdome of darkenes belongeth vnto them But here consider you poore this sentence of Christ where he plainely teacheth that if a man in outward distresse can be brought to feele his spirituall pouertie and the wretchednesse of his soule by reason of his sinnes then he is so farre from hauing iust cause to despaire of Gods fauour by reason of his pouertie that on the contrary he may gather to his soule a most comfortable assurance from the mouth of him that cannot lie that the kingdome of heauen belongs vnto him Vers. 4. Blessed are they that mourne for they shall bee comforted Here is Christs second rule touching blessednesse wherein consider two points first the parties who are blessed they that mourne secondly wherein their blessednesse consists namely in receiuing comfort For the first by mourners we must not vnderstand euery one that is any way grieued but such as haue iust and waightie causes of griefe and doe therfore mourne for the words import an exceeding measure of griefe such as is expressed by crying and weeping as is plaine by Saint Luke who thus relateth Christs saying blessed are ye that now weepe And yet euery one is not blessed that mourneth vnder grieuous distresse for Caine Saul Achitophel and Iudas were all deepely affected in soule with their most woefull estates though farre from this blessednes This rule then must thus be vnderstood that they are blessed who with their mourning for waightie causes of griefe doe withall mourne for their sins for so was the former Rule to bee vnderstood of those that with the sense of their outward distresse had adioined an inward feeling of their spirituall wants and this verse is but a more full explication thereof as if he should haue said they are blessed that are poore in spirit Yea put case a man bee distressed for most waightie causes of griefe so as hee howle and crie vnder the burthen of them yet if withall hee can vnfainedly mourne and waile in heart for his sinnes notwithstanding all his pouertie and distresse he is truely blessed This blessed sentence vpon them that mourne serues sundry waies for a soueraigne salue to the conscience of a Christian. As first put the case a man were distressed with grieuous calamities and withall were ouertaken with some hainous sinne whereupon not onely his body is afflicted but his conscience also wounded and so hee is cast into the gulfe of desperation yea say further that by reason of the terror of his conscience his flesh were withered and his marrowe consumed in his bones were not this a cause of exceeding mourning yet loe our most blessed Physition Christ Iesus hath made a plaister for his sore for if this man of distresses can withall truely mourne for offending God through his transgressions he is vndoubtedly blessed for Christ hath said it whose word shall neuer faile though heauen and earth come to nothing A blessed text which beeing well applied will not onely support the heart in great distresse but recouer the conscience from vnder deepe despaire Secondly put case a man were grieuously sicke and that he felt the very pangs of death without all ease to seaze vpon him so as both speech and sight with all outward comforts began to faile him this state were lamentable yet if in his soule he can truly mourne for his offences euen in this extremitie he is blessed Thirdly put case a man were taken of his enemies and his wife and children slaine before his face hauing their braines dashed out vpon the stones afterward himselfe put to a most wofull racke and torture this were an estate more wofull then death yet herein a man must not iudge himselfe a cast-away but with mourning for this miserie he must labour to be sorrowfull for his sinnes and then he neede not feare what flesh can doe vnto him for he is blessed Christs word must stand let thy distresse be what it will if vnder it thou mourne for thy sinnes blessed art thou We cannot conceiue while we enioy peace of the worth of this rule in the euill day neither doe we know how neere the time is wherein we shall haue neede thereof and therefore we must now learne this neuer to be forgotten to season all other mourning with godly sorrow for our sinnes II. Point Wherein this blessednes consists namely in that their mourning shall haue an ende and be turned into true comfort That this is true happines will appeare by the contrarie for the woe and sorrow that is here begun and continued in the world to come is the punishment of the damned spirits the portion of the Reprobate which is endles miserie therfore vnto thē that mourne it is true happines that they shall receiue comfort This promise of Comfort is accomplished foure waies First when God tempers and delaies the sorrowes and afflictions of them that mourne according to the measure of their strength 1. Cor. 10. 13. God is faithfull and will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you are able to beare This was promised to Dauid and his seede that if they did sinne he would correct them with the
vocation adoption and iustification these and such like he can perceiue in himselfe more or lesse V. In a word hereby he can discerne the true treasure from worldly hereby he knowes the 〈◊〉 of heauenly things aboue earthly These things the naturall 〈◊〉 cannot doe but the spirituall man discerneth all things 1. Cor. 2. 15. looke whatsoeuer befalls him therein hee can see the hand of God working for his good therein he can discerne Gods wisedome power and prouidence in all which we may perceiue the most excellent vse of this heauenly wisdome The second action of this heauenly wisdome is to iudge determine and giue sentence of things what is to be done what is not to be done what is good and what is euill in practise and behauiour And here this one thing must bee remembred that the principall point of this wisdome is to determine of true happines whereto the whole life of man ought to be directed which happinesse is the loue and fauour of God in Christ. Herein Dauid shews his heauenly wisdome farre different from the wisdome of the world Psal. 4. 6. Many say who wil shew vs any good there is the worldlings happinesse But Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs there is true happinesse so Paul comming among the wisest of the Gentiles professeth that he esteemed to knowe nothing but Christ and him crucified 1. Cor. 2. 2. for whose excellent knowledge sake he thought all things to be losse Phil. 3. 8. And the same should be our wisedome for though a man had all humane learning and policie yet if he faile in this rightly to determine of true happines all his wisdoÌ„ would prooue foolishnesse for the wisdome of this world is foolishnesse with God and therefore if any man seeme to be wise in this world let him be a foole that he may be wise that is a foole to the world in esteeming the knowledge of Christ crucified onely true wisdome and the fauour of God in him true happines that so he may be wise indeed in the sight of God Another chiefe part oâ— this heauenly wisdome is a spiritual and godly prouidence whereby we forecast by all meanes how to compasse and come by true happinesseâ— herein the power of heauenly wisdome is shewed And without this though otherwise a man discerne the right yet his knowledge and wisdome is imperfect and vnprofitable And thus we see the actions of this heauenly wisdome whereby we may describe it thus It is a gift of Gods spirit to them that are in Christ whereby they are enabled to discerne of things that differ and to iudge and determine what is that true happinesse whereto the life of man ought to tend and withall to forecast and prouide by what good meanes it may be compassed And he whose minde is endued herewith in some true measure hath the single eye Now the fruit of this single eye is to make the whole bodie light that is to bring the whole life into good order guiding it in the paths of righteousnes and making 〈◊〉 abound in good works Prov. 8. 19 20. My fruit saith wisdome is â—â—â—ter then fine gold I cause to walke in the way of righteousnes and in the mâ—ds of the paths of iudgement Prov. 1â— 23. The wise heart guideth the mouth wisely and addeth doctrine vnto his lips The vse 1. Considering the mind indued with this wisdome is thus commended we must hereby learne to labour for it in a speciall maner beside this commendation of it by our Sauiour Christ which should be a spurre to prouoke vs to this dutie the singular commoditie that iedounds hereby to soule and bodie must mooue vs to affect it Now that we may the better obtaine this heauenly wisdome we must be carefull of these two things especially First to get the feare of God into our hearts which is the beginning of this heauenly wisdome Psal. 111. 10. Now this feare of God is a reuerend awe of the heart towards God whereby a man is fearefull to offend and carefull to please God in all things And this we shall get if we receiue the word of God with reuerence and applie it to our owne soules when we heare it trembling thereat when it toucheth our consciences and humbly submitting our selues vnto it without raging or repining saying as Hezekiah did to the Prophets reproofe The word of the Lord is good Secondly we must wholly close vp our eyes the eyes of our minde I meane and suffer our selues in all things to be ouerruled and ordered by the written word of God This was Dauids practise he gaue himselfe to continuall meditation in the word of God he made it a lanterne to his feete and a light vnto his pathes And hereby he became wiser then his enemies and got more vnderstanding then all his teachers Wouldest thou then be truly wise become a foole to the world leane not to thine owne wisdome but make Gods word thy whole direction Secondly hereby we are taught to walke wisely in our whole conuersation that so it may appeare we haue this single eye hereto Paul oft exhorteth vs. And thus we walk when we pracâ—â—se euery action of our life in wisdome according to these foure rules which are to be obserued in euery good action I. The thing we doe must be iust II. The means of effecting it must also be iust III. We must keepe our selues therein within the compasse and limits of our calling IV. We must doe the thing with an honest vpright and single heart And that we may worke wisely according to these foure rules we must euer haue the word of God to tell vs what is iust what meanes be iust what be the precincts of our calling and when we worke with an vpright and single heart so doing our workes shall be in wisdome and we shall haue the approbation and praise of God Thirdly seeing this single eye of spirituall wisdome makes our life to shine with righteousnesse we must learne to season our naturall wit with this spirituall wisdome Naturall wisdome is a commendable gift of God but without this spirituall wisdome it is foolishnesse in the things of God yea very corrupt in naturall actions and therefore we must ioyne therewith this heauenly wisdome which may season it and make it holy and so shall the vse of it tend to Gods glorie It is the miserie of this age that men of excellent parts for naturall wisdome haue no regard to season the same with spirituall wisdome hereby come many aberrations in matters of great importance for it is iustice with God to curse their proceedings that despising the heauenly leane altogâ—ther to their owne wisdome Fourthly seeing spirituall prouidence in forecasting how to compasse true happinesse is a speciall part of true heauenly wisdome we must become carefull practitioners hereof in our liues that so we may attaine to true happinesse
there be in thee the flesh the spirit the one haling thee one way the other another yet while thou striuest against the flesh desiring and endeauouring to be wholly subiect to the spirit though thou faile often in action yet in Christ bee thy sinnes pardoned and God accepts in thee the will for the deed Endeauour therefore to acquaint thy selfe more and more with the will of thy heauenly master and seeke to please him in all things and labour to mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit so shalt thou know God to be thy onely master and in due time perceiue thy freedom from the bondage of the flesh Vers. 25. Therefore I say vnto you be not carefull for your life what yee shall eate or what yee shall drinke nor yet for your bodie what ye shall put on Is not the life more worth then meat and the body then raâ—ment Our Sauiour Christ hauing forbidden the practises of couetousnes and preuented such obiectioÌ„s as the corrupt heart of man might frame to excuse it selfe therein doth here strike at the very root of couetousnes and seekes to remooue the cause thereof to wit distrustfull inordinate care for the things of this life though they be things necessarie as meat drinke and cloathing and in this argument he proceeds to the end of this chapter Now this verse depends vpon the former as a conclusion inferred vpon all that he had said before coÌ„cerning couetousnes from the 19. v. to this effect Seing they that seek earthly treasures neglecting the heauenly doe want the single â—iâ— of spirituall wisdome to discerne of the true treasure also are themselues seruants vnto Mammon therefore I say vnto you my Disciples be not carefull no not for thing needful immoderately and in a distrustful manner And here againe he meets with another pretence of a couetous minde wherewith it pleads for the seruice of Mammon to wit that the things they seeke for are things necessary without which they cannot liue Hereto Christ answers Yea but I say you must not seek no not for things needful to your life immoderately and distrustfully The Exposition I say vnto you that is I that am your master vpon whom you depend for all heauenly instruction directioÌ„ in all things needfull both for your soules bodies I say vnto you by this he would prepare them to attention reuerent obseruatioÌ„ of his coÌ„mandement following as being a matter of great importance whereon depends the life of all obedience in relying on Gods prouidence in regard whereof wee also must with all good conscience marke the same Bee not carefull for your life c. Least wee should mistake Christs meaning wee must knowe that there bee two kindes of care a godly moderate care and a distrustfull carking care The moderate honest care is inioyned vs by Gods commandement Prov. 6. 6. Wisdome sends the sluggard to learne diligence and prouidence for things needfull of the litle Ant or pismire and Paul saith fathers must lay vp for their children 2. Cor. 12. 14. And he that prouideth not for his owne especially for them of his family is worse then an infidell 1. Tim. 5. 8. So that there is a lawfull care euen for the things of this life Now the practise of it stands in two things First in the diligent walking in a mans lawfull calling dealing vprightly iustly therein with euery one minding onely to get things honest and necessarie in the sight of all men Secondly in leauing the successe and issue of all our labour and endeauour to God for that belongs to him we must vse the meanes soberly and honestly leaue the blessing to God This godly care Moses shewed notably in leading the children of Israel out of Egypt for what God commanded him to doe that he did he goes which way God sends him although he met with many crosses and vseth the meanes that God calls him vnto leauing the issue to God as appeares notably at the red sea when they were at a wonderful strait hauing the sea before them the Egyptians behind theÌ„ and woods and mountaines on each side yet beeing commanded to strike the waters with the rod of God he shewes notable trust in Gods prouidence Feare not saith he stand still and behold the saluation of our God And when Abraham at Gods commandement went to sacrifice his sonne Isaac askes him my father where is the sacrifice AbrahaÌ„ answers with words of faith My sonne God will prouide And thus David went to fight against the Philistims to Keilah at Gods commandement though his owne men discouraged him from it whereby it is plaine he relied on God for the issue of the battell Now this godly moderate care is not here forbidden which hath respect to obedience in the dutie and for the successe depends vpon Gods prouidence The distrustfull care is that whereby men trouble themselues about the issue of their labours and when they haue done the worke doe not rest therwith but vex theÌ„selues about the successe not relying on Gods prouidence for the blessing but onely on the meanes This distrustfull care for our better discerning of it hath these effects First it oppresseth the heart making it exceeding heaâ—â—e and pensiue for feare of want where this feare is there is this distrustful care for this argues a maÌ„ dares not trust God but would haue the successe of his labour out of Gods hand in his owne Secondly it allureth draweth men to vse vnlawfull meanes to got worldly things as lying fraud iniustice in false waights measures c. Thirdly it makes men wearie of Gods worship iâ— distracts their minds in praier and hearing the word and as Christ saith it châ—akes the word that it brings forth no fruit for when the minde is wholly set vpon the world there is no respect to the matters of God And this is that care which is here forbidden euen a distrustful carking care which as the greeke word signifies diuides and distracts the mind by troubling and perplexing it about the issue and successe of our endeauours The Use. That which Christ here forbids his Disciples is the common sin of our age time not in a few persons but in many for though this distrustfull care be the disease of the heart yet it shewes it selfe by actions in the life For first what is the cause of so little fruite of the word preached as may euery where bee discerned is not among many other this worldly care one speciall cause This wee may see in the parable Luke 8. 14. for the seedâ— that light among thornes which choaked it is the word preached to a heart possessed with worldly cares let these men obserue themselues and they shall finde that they can neither pray nor heare the word nor meditate therein without manifold distractions from these worldly thoughts Secondly there is no trade
or calling without his conuaiances of craft and deceipt though it doe not appeare so much in some callings as in others and hard it is to finde them that make conscience hereof when gaine and profit may come thereby which comes from this distrustfull care in mens hearts whereby they doubt of Gods blessing answerable to their desire in the vse of lawfull meanes onely But sith Christ forewarnes vs of this sinne we must beware it take not place in our hearts and for the auoyding of it we must follow the counsell of the holy Ghost in Scripture Psal. 37. 5. Commit thy way vnto the Lord and trust in him and he shall bring it to passe which is oft commended vnto vs Psal. 55. 22. Cast thy burden vpon the Lord he shall nourish thee Pro. 16. 3. Rowle thy worke vpon the Lord 1. Pet. 5. 7. Cast all your care on him for â—e careth for you In all which places we haue a most worthy instruction to this effect not exempting men from doing the duties of their calling but teaching theÌ„ that when they haue done their endeauour in the diligent sober vpright vse of meanes then they must leaue the euent and issue for good successe to the blessing of God Thus the trades-man whose liuing stands by buying and selling must be carefull and diligent about his businesse without deceit or lying and in so doing referre the successe of his bargaine to the blessing of God and so must the husbandman plow and sowe leaue earing and haruest to Gods good prouidence This is the Apostles couÌ„fell Phil. 4. 6. Be nothing carefull that is after a distrustfâ—ll or distracting sort as the word signifies but in all things let your requests bee made knowne to God with giuing of thankes where it is to be marked that distrustfull care is opposed to praier and thankesgiuing as an hinderer thereof and therefore our care must onely be to vse the lawfull meanes moderately for any blessing and then to pray to God for good successe and blessing relying wholly thereon that when it comes wee may giue him thankes But some will say it is hard for flesh and blood not to be carefull of successe how then should we be able to leaue it wholly to God Answer We must lay to our hearts the blessed promises of God made to them that depend vpon his mercy and goodnesse and labour to liue by faith thereon Psal. 127. 2. It is in vaine for man to rise early and to lie downe late and to eate the bread of sorrow meaning while hee trusts to himselfe or in the meanes but God will surely giue rest to his beloued which serue him and trust in him in the vse of meanes Psal. 34. 10. The Lyons doe lacke and suffer hunger though euery poore beast of the field bee a prey to his teeth but they which seeke the Lord shall lacke nothing that is good If wee had no more promises in the Bible yet these were sufficient to cause vs to rest vpon his prouidence in the sober vse of lawfull meanes Againe this must bee considered how wee shall relie vpon his mercie for the sauing of our soules in the time of temptation and howre of death that dare not trust in his prouidence for the things of this life Quest. But what if all things goe crosse with men will some say may I not then sticke more to the meanes Ans. Nay rather cleaue the more to God for if the blessing were in the means men would not be so often crossed God knoweth what is good for thee better then thou thy selfe and therfore rest contented with his prouidence though he crosse thine expectation for outward blessings want is many times better for Gods children then plentie and affliction then peace and prosperity as Dauid found Psal. 119. 67 71. therfore God laies it vpon them Did not good Iosias fall before Pharaoh Necho which he should not haue done but that God would chasten him for not regarding the words of Pharaoh Necho which were of the mouth of God perswading him not to fight against him and also that he might be taken away from seeing the euill to come and was not Hezekiahs heart puffed vp in time of peace in so much that wrath came vpon him and vpon Iudah and Ierusalem Therefore learne to depend vpon Gods prouidence in the moderate vse of lawfull meanes whether he giue thee blessings or take them away blesse his name for it is good for thee it should be so And thus much for the maine commaundement Now further marke in the wordes how Christ distinguisheth betweene life and the bodie and applieth meate and drinke to life and raiment to the bodie and yet we know that apparel serues to preserue life also especially in cold countries But Christ doth thus distinguish them so iust cause for though in cold countries apparell serues to preserue life as well as meate and drinke doe yet the first and most generall vse of apparell is another matter to wit to hide the shame of nakednesse which the sinne of Adam brought vpon it Gen. 3. 7. 21. for before their fall the man and the woman were both naked were not ashamed Gen. 2. 21. Here then we are to learne that the proper and maine end of apparell is for the bodie to couer the shame of nakednesse that sinne hath brought vpon vs which is so great that if necessitie would permit both hands and face should also be couered The consideration whereof as it shews their immodestie and want of shame that laie open the nakednesse of their breasts or other parts of their bodie more then need requires so it teacheth vs neuer to bee proud of our apparell but rather humbled and abashed when we put it on or looke vpon it for it is the couer of our shame and so an ensigne of our sinne the thiefe hath as good cause to be proud of the bolts on his heeles or of his braÌ„d in the hand or hole in the care as wee of our apparell for as these are badges of misdemeanour so is apparel a badge of our sinne And on the other side that we may haue comfort in this ordinance of God for our bodies wee must labour therein to expresse the graces of God in our hearts as modestie sobrietie temperance frugalitie and such like Is not the life more worth then meat and the bodie then raiment Our Sauiour Christ hauing giuen commandement against the immoderate care for things needfull to naturall life least the same should passe away without effect doth here begin to enforce the same with diuers arguments the first whereof is in these words taken froÌ„ the creation wherin God giues life and the bodie which are better then food raiment from whence Christ reasons for his prouidence thus The life is better theÌ„ food the body then raiment but God by creation giues life bodie therefore will he
be members of Christ and meeke persons then the inheritance of the earth is ours what neede haue we then to carke care so much for worldly pelfe as most men do who neuer thinke they haue enough Thirdly this serues for a iust rebuke of all those that seeke to enrich themselues by crueltie lying fraud and oppression for if thou bee in Christ thou hast right to the whole world what neede then hast thou to vse vnlawfull meanes to get that which is thine owâ—e But sure it is thou hast no part in Christ while thou giuest thy selfe to these courses for if thou haddest thou wouldest bee content with whatsoeuer God sends in the vse of lawfull meanes Philip. 4. 11. Lastly hence all Gods children may learne to comfort their hearts against the feare of any punishment for the name of Christ for keepe Christ sure and whither soeuer thou art sent thou art vpon thine owne ground for the whole earth is thine and in Christ one day thou shalt possesse it when all Tyrants shall be banished into hell Now beeing on thine owne ground what need hast thou to feare Vers. 6. Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnes for they shall be filled Here is the fourth Rule touching blessednesse which is also mentioned by Saint Luke yet some thing different from this of Matthew for according to Luke Christ directeth his speech to his Disciples and speakes of bodily hunger saying Blessed are ye that hunger now for yee shall be satisfied as if he should say You my Disciples doe now suffer hunger and thirst but this shall not preiudice your happie estate for hereafter you shall be satisfied Now Mathew goeth a degree further and laieth downe a cause and Reason why they beeing hungrie are blessed not simply for that they were pinched with bodily hunger but because withall they did further spiritually in their soules hunger after righteousnesse Thus then the two Euangelists do agree S. Luke laies downe this Rule generally but Matthew propounds therein the reason of this blessednesse This Rule as the former containes two parts first who are blessed secondly wherein this blessednes doth consist For the first the parties blessed are such as hunger and thirst after righteousnes The exposition of these words is diuers Some giue this sense Blessed are those that are grieued with the iniquities that abound in the world and withall doe in heart and soule long for the amendment and reformation thereof Others expound the words thus Blessed are those that by wrongs and iniuries are depriued of their right 〈◊〉 this world and so are constrained to hunger and thirst after that which is their owne wayting by patience to obtaine the same But there is a third exposition which doth more fully open vnto vs the meaning of Christ to wit by righteousnes we may well vnderstand in the first place the righteousnes of faith whereby a â—inner is iustified through grace in Christ and so standâ— righteous before God hauing the pardon of all his sinnes â—besides this we may here also vnderstand inward righteousnes whereby a man â—s sanctified and made holy hauing Gods image renued in him by the spirit of grace which was lost by the fall of our first parents And that this imputed and renued righteousnes may here be vnderstood will appeare by these reasons First in such places of Scripture where like sentences are repeated we must vnderstand not Ciuill righteousnes but iustification sanctification and regeneration as Isa. 55. 1. Hoe euery one that thirsteth come to the waters and buie without siluer and Ioh. 7. 37. If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke and Reuel 21. 6. I will giue to him that is a thirst to drinke of the waters of life freely all which places are one in substance for by waters we must vnderstand righteousnes which is that spirituall grace of God the fountaine of all blessings whereby sinners are iustified and sanctified Secondly that which is most of all to be desired must needes be the most excellent righteousnes but this righteousnes here mentioned is most to be desired for Christ saith men shall hunger and thirst after it thereby expressing a most earnest and vehement desire and therefore by righteousnes we must vnderstand Gods grace and mercie in Christ absoluing a sinner from the guilt and punishment of his sinnes with sanctification the fruit thereof whereby he is purged from corruption Secondly by hungring and thirsting we must vnderstand two things first a sorrow and griefe of heart in regard of a mans owne sinnes and vnrighteousnes secondly an earnest and constant desire of the righteousnes of God that is of iustification and sanctification in Christ. Answerable to these two things which are in bodily hunger and thirst to wit first a paine in the bottome of the stomacke for want of meate and drinke secondly an earnest desire and appetite after meat and drinke to be satisfied therewith And blessed is he that is so grieued for his owne vnrighteousnes and withall hath an earnest desire after reconciliation with God in Christ and after true regeneration and sanctification by the holy Ghost for this is true spirituall hunger and thirst whereto belongs this gratious promise that in due time he shall be satisfied and filled with plentie of Gods mercie and grace wherein this happinesse doth consist which is the second branch of this Rule This I take to be the true and proper meaning of these words whereupon the two former expositions depend for he that is thus spiritually an hungred is oft depriued of his owne right among men and so is said to hunger and thirst after that which is his owne in this world Againe such a man doth vnfainedly grieue at the iniquities that bee in the world and withall his heart doth most earnestly desire reformation thereof both in himselfe and others First this sentence must be remembred as a storehouse of true comfort in all grieuous temptations but especially against these three the want of faith the smallnesse of sanctification and despaire For the first many in Gods Church haue a true care to please God in all things and to liue in no sinne against their conscience and yet they finde in themselues much distrust and despaire of Gods mercie they feele more doubting then faith whereupon they are brought to doubt of their election and state of grace before God Now how may such bee releeued and be well perswaded of their good estate Answer The way is laid downe by our Sauiour Christ in this Rule Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse For here he teacheth that those are blessed who are displeased with their own doubting and vnbeleefe if they haue a true earnest desire to be purged from this distrust and to beleeue in God through Christ. Indeede this desire of faith and to beleeue is not true faith in nature but in Gods acceptance for
betweene man and man and not betweene God and man Secondly their exposition ouerthroweth the mediation and satisfaction of Christ for man to God for if as they say man may and must satisfie for his veniall sinnes euen to the vttermost then Christ did not make a perfect satisfaction for man to God for if he did why should man satisfie for himselfe Thirdly by this exposition they confound the Aduersarie and the Iudge for the Father and the Sonne are one which in the Text are made diuerse and distinct Fourthly they make a Redemption and deliuerie from hell from whence indeede there is no redemption And lastly in making a parable of this place they set their Purgatorie on a sandie foundation for from the words of a parable can no sound collection be made but onely from the maine scope thereof Others there be that vnderstand these two verses of the partie offended for say they Christ had shewed before the dutie of the partie offending to seeke for reconciliation now therefore he laieth downe the dutie of the partie offended and wronged namely that when the partie offending comes vnto him and desires reconciliation he must agree and be reconciled with him quickly This exposition how soeuer it is plausible and sit in reason yet it cannot well stand with the wordes of the Text which threaten to the partie that agrees not with his aduersarie betimes to be caried before the Iudge and cast into prison there to lie till he haue paied the vttermost farthing but there is no reason why the partie offended and wronged should thus be cast into prison and therefore it can not be vnderstood of him Thirdly others expound these words to be a parable borowed from the courts of the Iewes and hard it is to say whether they be the words of a parable or not But to leaue all these A fourth Exposition which I take most fit and proper to expresse the true meaning of the place is this The words coÌ„taine no parable but are litterally and properly to be vnderstood for Christ had before exhorted the partie doing wrong to seeke to be reconciled with his brother by acknowledging of his offence and making recompense according to the iniurie offered But because men are obstinate and stiffe necked and will not yeeld and submit themselues to this dutie therefore he further vrgeth the partie offending to the speedie performance of this dutie by the danger ensuing vpon the neglect here of saying Agree with thine aduersarie c. that is vse means to become friends with him with whom thou art at variance for an aduersarie doth not here signifie an open enemie but any one with whom we are at difference who hath an action against vs in any matter by reason of our iniurie done vnto him Quickly that is without delay stand not vpon thy supposed right but rather yeeld from thine owne right then ouer-long to deferre to be reconciled Whiles thou art in the way that is as we may plainely see Luk. 12. 5. 8. while thou art going with thine Aduersarie to haue the matter tried before the Magistrate Lest thine Aduersarie deliuer thee to the Iudge That is lest thine aduersarie hauing a good action against thee doe conuince and cast thee before the Magistrate And the Iudge deliuer thee to the Serieant and thou be cast into prison That is lest after thou art conuinced of wrong doing the Iudge commaund the Serieant to cast thee into prison And because it might bee thought a small thing to bee cast into prison for that he might quickly come out againe therefore our Sauiour Christ addeth in the last place Verely thou shalt not come out till thou hast paied the vttermost farthing this farthing was the least coyne vsed among the Iewes called a quadrin which containeth two mytes as we may see by the widowes gift cast into the Treasurie and it is the fourth part of a pennie in English so that this last phrase is prouerbiall as if hee had said Looke for no compounding or agreement with thine aduersarie when thou art once cast into prison for hee will shewe thee no fauour but vse thee as hardly as may bee remitting nothing but causing thee to make full restitution and satisfaction euen to the vttermost farthing And this I take to bee the true and proper meaning of the words The speciall points to be obserued in the words are two a Precept and a Reason thereof The Precept in these words Agree with thine aduersarie quickly whiles thou art in the waie with him that is vse all good meanes to become friendes with whomsoeuer thou hast any waies offended before the matter come to bee tried before the Magistrate The Reason is in the words following drawne from the danger that will ensue deferring of agreement lest thine Aduersarie deliuer thee to the Iudge and the Iudge to the Serieant c. The Precept is a rehearsall of the Rule of Reconciliation giuen in the former verse touching agreement with those whom wee haue offended which point Christ stands the more vpon because of the stubbornnesse of mens hearts that cannot abide to submit themselues either in yeelding a little of their owne right or in making satisfaction for wrong done to others Now this precept is further set out by two circumstances First of the time it must be done quickly not deferred vpon any pretence or shewe of our owne right Secondly of the place in the way as wee goe to the Court. In this Precept our Sauiour Christ giues vnto vs a notable Rule of equanimitie for the maintenance of peace and loue with those with whom we are to deale in the priuate affaires of our speciall callings namely to deale moderately if the matter concerne our selues without all rigour or extremitie vnlesse our place bee such wherein our silence may impeach the glorie of God or the good of his Church Phil. 4. 5. Let your patient minde be knowne vnto all men To the practise of this Rule many duties are required First we must construe all mens sayings and doings in the best part herein they failed that baâ—e false witnesse against our Sauiour Christ by applying his speech to the materiall Temple in Ierusalem which hee spake of the Temple of his bodie This mistaking and misconstruing of mens sayings and doings is the cause of much debate continually Secondly we must learne to beare with and to winke at our brothers wants Prou. 19. 11. It is the glorie of a man to passe by an offence if the same onely concerne vs and be not derogatorie to Gods glory as if he be froward hastie angrie reproachfull and so forth we must in Christian patience passe by the same as though wee tooke no notice of it till by our reproofe we may doe him good Thirdly though direct iniurie bee done vnto vs yet if the same bee priuate and doe not impeach the glorie of God our life or good name we must be content
occasions of sinne giuen by others that thereby he may enter into them for the destruction of their soules we therefore must endeauour as Paul did To keepe a good conscience in all things that is to keepe our selues pure and vncorrupt from all the occasions of sinne in the world with a watchfull eye against offences must walke on in that way that leadeth vnto life eschewing these stumbling blockes which the deuill casts in our way by other men and so shall we obey this good counsell of our Sauiour Christ. The second kind of occasions of sinne giuen are those which a man giues vnto himselfe and they arise either from his affections or from his imaginations from mans affections arise so many occasions of sinne as there be corrupt affections in him as from corrupt desire ariseth couetousnes which is so great an occasion of sinne that the Apostle calls it the roote of all euill This drawes mans heart so much to the world that he can spare no time for the meanes of his saluation herewith he is so choked that he neuer thinketh of repentance till the last gaspe Such an other occasion of sinne is pride of heart whereby many giue themselues so much to the garnishing of their bodies that they neglect their soules altogether The like is selfe-loue whereby men ouerweening their gifts thinke not themselues honoured according to their desert and so through discontent giue themselues to plotte and practise much mischiefe for the aduancing of their estate Of this sort are the Romish Priests and Iesuits as their manifold dangerous attempts against our Church and State doe euidently declare And thus we might runne through all the affections of mans heart shewing that the corrupt motions thereof are the cause of much sinne vnto him and a most dangerous meanes for the ruine of his soule In regard whereof here also we must snew how this eye may be plucked out and this hand cut off that is by what meanes we may reforme our hearts and stay the rage of our affections that they cause vs not to sinne The way is this we must mortifie and crucifie our vnruly affections and corrupt desires And for this ende we must put in practise three duties First we must beleeue that we are crucified with Christ that is as we conceiue our selues to be in Christ by faith whereby we haue communion with him so we must conceiue that this communion with Christ is in his death and buriall so as our sinnefull nature with all our corrupt affections were nayled to his crosse and buried in his graue as the Apostle shewes at large Rom. 6. 3 4. c. Now when this perswasion shall take place in our hearts it will by Gods grace keepe vs from yeilding to corrupt motions and desires and mooue vs to labour to subdue them daily for herein stands our assurance that wee haue fellowship with Christ when we haue fellowship in his death And therefore as we see malefactours to cease from stealth and robberie when they are once hanged so we beeing crucified with Christ in respect of the old man must not suffer the same to rule in our affections or to haue force in our members knowing as the Apostle saith that our old man is crucified with Christ that the bodie of sinne might be destroied that henceforth we should not serue sinne and they that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof whereupon he bids vs thinke that we are dead to sinne meaning with Christ and so cannot liue therein S. Iohn saith he that is borne of God sinneth not because the seede remaineth in him that is true faith assuring the heart that all the benefits of Christs death and passion belong vnto him whereof this is one that in our nature he suffered death vpon the crosse that we by the power of his sufferings might haue sinne crucified in vs so as it should not raigne in vs to bring forth fruits vnto death Secondly we must remember Gods commandement forbidding euery sinne and euery wicked lust and affection and withall we must applie the threatning of his wrath against the same that thereby our flesh may be subdued Thirdly we must striue against our corrupt motions and affections not giuing them libertie to beare sway in vs but ruling them by meditating in the word of God and by prayer for strength of grace to ouercome them all dealing with them as parents doe with kniues turning the edges of them before they leaue them in the hands of their children least they be hurt therewith as if our loue be set vpon the world we must labour to set it vpon Christ and his righteousnes and if our hatred be against our brethren we must labour to set it vpon sinne and so for euery affection as ioy feare c. we must so keepe them to their right obiects that they may rather further vs in well doing then become in vs the occasions of any sinne against God The second kind of occasions of sinne which a man giueth to himselfe arise from his minde and imagination And they are many I will onely note three The first is an inward conceit of perfect knowledge touching mans dutie to God and the way of his saluation that this is a common conceit in the hearts of the ignorant especially may appeare by this common speech of theirs that they know as much as any Preacher can teach them for the summe of al say they is to loue God aboue all and my neighbour as my selfe to beleeue to be saued by Christ now this they know as well as the best and hereupon they become contemners of the preaching of the word the ordinarie meanes of their saluation as of a thing needeles and superfluous This conceit is common among vs and doth much hurt to many a mans soule The way to cut it off is this the vaine man that is puffed vp with this conceit must examine himselfe touching his knowledge whether it be sufficient to his saluation And for this ende he must make inquirie in himselfe for these two things first whether he see his owne naturall blindnes and whether he be mooued thereby to labour for the knowledge of God and of his will where this is wanting there is nothing but a vaine conceit of knowledge Secondly whether his knowledge be ioyned with conuersion of heart from sinne vnto God and with reformation of life from euill to good This change of heart and life goeth with all sauing knowledge Now if these be wanting as vndoubtedly they are in all vaine persons then is their knowledge so farre from beeing sauing knowledge profitable to saluation that it rather turneth to their deeper condemnation The second Imagination in man occasioning him to sinne is the perswasion of his strong faith The more ignorant sort that want both faith and repentance will thus bragge of
of God The Second head from whence offences are taken is the doctrine of the Church grounded on the word of God The offences hence taken are manifold first from a supposed newnesse of our doctrine this is taken of the Papists and especially of our owne Recusants for they say our doctrine is but of fourescore yeares continuance since the daies of Martin Luther auouching also that for the space of fourteene hundred yeares we cannot bring record of any Church that held and professed the doctrine which we now teach and hold Now for the auoiding of this offence two points must be remembred I. that the doctrine of our Church for the substance thereof is the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles Act. 2. 42. the doctrine taught by the Apostles concerning Christ is made the foundation of the Church and looke where this doctrine is rightly helde and confessed there it is an infallible note of a true Church Againe the Apostles to iustifie their doctrine had recourse to Moses and the Prophets as we may see in the Acts of the Apostles in sundrie places now the doctrine touching Christ held and receiued in our Churches is confirmed by the testimonies of the Prophets and Apostles and therefore for substance and doctrine is theirs Secondly we must knowe that for the ground and foundation of Religion our Churches agree with the Churches after Christ which continued for the space of sixe hundred yeares for wee doe not onely allow of the Apostles Creede but of the foure generall Councells and of their Confessions and Creedes and that in the same manner and sense which they did so as the religion of our Church is vniustly slaundered to be new The second offence taken from the doctrine of our Church is from the supposed strictnesse and rigour thereof we teach indeede that a Christian man must wholly denie himselfe his owne will and desires and resigne himselfe wholly vnto Christ to be guided by his spirit according to the direction of his word Now hence some would gather that our doctrine permits not a man to laugh or be merrie or to doe any thing for his owne delight and hereupon they grow to contempt of Religion counting the profession and practise thereof precisenesse and therefore will not be bound vnto it but liue as they list and this is common among vs. The way to cut off this occasion of offence is twofold 1. we must know that by the doctrine of our Church it is lawfull for a man to be merrie so it be in the Lord Philip. 4. 4. Reioyce in the Lord alway saith the Apostle againe I say reioyce Psal. 104. 15. God causeth wine that maketh glad the heart of man and oyle to make his face to shine and bread to strengthen his heart Againe God doth put most glorious colours and delightsome smells into the flowers of the field no doubt for this ende that man might take his delight therein yea besides the skill of musicke God hath giuen to many a man a voice more sweete and pleasant then is the sound of any musicall instrument which were to no ende if a man might not therewith cheere vp his heart in a moderate delight nay laughter it selfe is the gift of nature which was in Adam before his fall and therefore is lawfull But yet I say mans reioycing must be in the Lord to cut off many abuses of delight for first there be many that cannot be merrie but in the practise of some sinne if there be a thought of God or of his word all their mirth is quasht But we must endeauour our selues so to reioyce that God may approoue thereof Againe I say in the Lord because sinne will soonest preuaile with a man when he giues himselfe to delight and pleasures This Iob knew well and therefore while his sonnes feasted each other he offered sacrifices for them particularly euery day for saith he it may be my sonnes haue sinned and blasphemed God in their hearts The second way to preuent the taking of this offence is to resigne our selues wholly vnto God that he may doe his whole will in vs and vpon vs so Christ said to his Disciples If any man will come after me let him denie himselfe take vp his crosse and follow me that is wholly resigne himselfe to be guided by me and Math. 13. 46. he that would get the pretious pearle must sell all that he hath and buie it Rom. 12. 1. We are desired by the mercies of God to giue vp our selues both soules and bodies vnto God whereby we may see that we haue iust cause to bewaile the case and condition of all such as count religion precisenes for they are like vnto Ananias and Saphyra who brought part of the sale of their possession vnto the Apostles and said it was all so these men looke to be saued by Christ they heare his word and receiue his Sacraments and therin make as high a profession as any can doe namely that they will giue themselues wholly to Christ but when they are out of the assemblies they shew themselues to haue dissembled with God for they practise no such thing as they made shew of and therefore they may iustly feare least that befall them in their soules which befell Ananias and Saphyra in their bodies euen sudden death for they are lyers vnto God himselfe Thirdly others take offence at the crosse which accompanies the syncere profession of true Religion many like well of the doctrine of our religion but yet they are loath to imbrace and to professe the same least they should be reproached for it in the world The way to cut off this occasion of offence is this we must remember that the crosse endured for the Gospel sake especially if we profit by it is an infallible marke of a child of God Heb. 12. 17. If ye endure chastening God offereth himselfe vnto you as vnto sonnes for what sonne is it whome the father chasteneth not In reason we finde this to be true for say that two children be fighting in the streete and there comes a man who taketh one of them and beateth him but the other he lets alone will not all men say that the man is father to the child whome he beateth euen so the Lord for our nurtering will send crosses vpon vs when we imbrace his Gospel now if we shall profit by his corrections and learne thereby to humble our selues vnder his mightie hand then we begin to receiue assurance of his fatherly dealing towards vs his sonnes and daughters and therefore we must be so farre from beeing hindred in the course of our holy profession by reproches and crosses that they must be meanes to incourage vs therein Iam. 1. 2 3. As from the doctrine of the Church in generall so from the parts thereof doe many both learned and ignorant take occasion of offence as first from the doctrine
brought before the Magistrate and made to sweare to this demaund or such like Whether they said Masse or knewe where Masse was said at such a time They answer vpon their oathes That they did not or knewe not though indeede they did which is according to their doctrine That vnto dangerous Interrogatories a man may frame a safe meaning vnto himselfe and sweare to it as in the former instance they sweare they knewe not where Masse was said meaning to reueale it to the Iudge But this is flat periurie for their oath is giuen them to answer according to the meaning of the Magistrates demaund and if a man might lawfully frame a meaning to himselfe in swearing hee might easily delude all truth and so should not an oath for confirmation be the ende of strife but the breeder thereof through surmise of false meaning in him that sweareth The third kind of periurie is The breaking of a binding oath as when a man vpon his oath promiseth to doe a thing that is lawfull and doth it not yet this is not alwaies periurie as First If God after the oath taken make the thing promised impossible to be done as if a man sweare to make another his heire of such and such lands now dwelling by the Sea side the Sea breaks out drownes all his land before he dieth Is this man periured because he performed not his promise bound with an oath no verely for God made the thing impossible Secondly if a man be bound in conscience to breake his oath Thus Dauid swearing rashly to slaie Nabal and his familie was yet staied from so doing by Abigals counsell and brake his oath and gaue God thankes for it for indeed his oath was vnlawfull beeing the bond of iniquitie and the doing of it had beene the doubling of his sinne Here it may well be demanded whether those that are sworne to the Statutes and lawes of societies and incorporations be periured if they breake the same Ans. The Statutes of incorporations bee of two sorts some are of the foundation of societies without which the incorporation cannot stand and these not beeing against the word of God cannot be broken without the guilt of periurie others are Statutes only of outward order and decencie as touching apparel gesture and such like as in some incorporations the Statutes require that euery man therein should weare the round cap hereunto many are sworne who alwaies weare it not now though I say not that they are faultlesse altogether yet they are not periured because this Statute of order binds not a man simply but either to obedience or to paie the mulct which if a man be content to paie he satisfies the Statute and benefits the societie as much as if he kept the Statute Hauing shewed what periurie is with the kinds thereof let vs see whether we be free from it After examinatiō it will appeare that mens liues are full of periurie for where is much swearing vsually there cannot but be much periurie because they that sweare in their common talke doe forget their oathes as they doe their communication But say we are cleare from periurie yet are wee in danger of Gods heauie iudgements for the breach of our vow in baptisme wherein wee promise to beleeue in God to serue him forsaking the world the flesh and the diuell now the breach of this vow is as ill as periurie for therfore may Baptisme be called a Sacrament because of the oath and vow which a Christian makes to God therein for the word Sacrament properly betokeneth the oath which a Souldier maketh to his Captaine for his fidelitie The breaking of Iosua his oath vnto the Gibeonites by Saul caused 3. years dearth and was not satisfied but with the blood of 7. of Sauls kindred And Zedekias periurie to the King of Babel was one cause of the Lords fierce wrath against Ierusalem and the Princes thereof Now shall one mans periurie cause such iudgements and shal we not thinke that among other sinnes this our periurie vnto God in breaking our vow in Baptisme bringeth vpon vs Gods heauie wrath by plague famine and vnseasonable weather Wherefore let the consideration hereof perswade vs to repentance and to a more conscionable care of performing our vow vnto God III. Point The grieuousnesse of this sinne of periurie which here the Lord forbids appeares by these three sinnes which are contained in it First the vttering or maintaining of a lie Secondly the calling on God to be a witnesse vnto a lie wherein men doe as much as in them lieth set the diuell himselfe the father of lies in the roome of God and so greatly robbe him of his honour and maiestie Thirdly in periurie a man praies for a curse vpon himselfe wishing God to bee a witnesse of his speech and a iudge to reuenge if he sweare falsly so as herein a man is his owne vtter enemie as much as in him lieth doth cast both bodie and soule to hell Quest. Seeing this sinne of periurie is so great whether may such a man be put to his oath as is certainely thought will periure himselfe if he be put to sweare I answer men that put others to sweare are either priuate persons or publike Magistrates a priuate man for his owne priuate cause may not put such a man to his oath for hee should haue greater care of Gods glorie and of the other mans soule then of his priuate gaine and therefore ought rather to depart from his temporall right then suffer his brother so to dishonour God and to hurt his owne soule But if a Magistrate bee to put such a man to his oath as is verely thought will periure himselfe he may lawfully doe it but yet he is first to aduertise the partie of the waight of an oath and of the fearefull sin of periurie and then if the order of Law and Iustice so require he may minister an oath vnto him leauing the euent to God for the execution of iustice must not staie on mans misdemeanour nor waite till they make conscience of sinne for if it did no common wealth could stand no warre could bee made Moses and the Leuites executed vengeance vpon the idolatrous Iewes without waiting for their repentance But shall performe thine oathes vnto the Lord. These words are not set downe in any of Moses bookes but are a collection from the former law of Moses gathered by the Iewish Teachers which collection though it be not expresly set downe yet is it the very sense of the Law for if a man cannot without periurie breake a lawfull binding oath then that Law which forbiddeth periurie bindeth man to performe all that he hath lawfully sworne vnto God Here then in this collection of the Iewish Teachers is set downe an excellent point touching the straitnesse of the bond of an oath In euery lawfull oath there is a double bond First it bindes one man to another for
we professe our selues to be Christians for he that hath not the spirit of God is none of his Rom. 8. 9. And if we be in the spirit wee must obey the motions thereof and learne of Christ who was meeke and humble and following him wee shall finde rest for our soules Secondly when Christ sets downe these three examples of suffering wrong he applies himselfe to the present outward estate of the Iewes which was this For one man to suffer wrong of another in his bodie and in his goods and yet to rest contented without reliefe or amends Now the cause of this their miserable condition was their seruitude to the Romane Emperour who a little before Christs comming had remooued the Scepter from Iuda made Iuda a Prouince tributarie vnto Rome so as they were ruled not by a Prince of their owne but by a forraine enemies Deputies In this estate we may see the miserable condition of any people that are in bondage to a forraine enemie their liues are euery way miserable for besides their personall bondage they are constrained to suffer losses and wrongs in goods and in their names without all remedie or reliefe The consideratioÌ„ hereof must teach vs First to be heartily thaÌ„kfull vnto God for the happie outward peace which with the Gospel of Gods grace we now enioy vnder our dread Soueraigne being free from subiection vnto any forraine power Secondly to praie earnestly vnto the Lord for the good estate life and health of our Prince by whom vnder God we enioy such ioy and prosperitie as also for the continuance of Gods holy hand of protection to preserue the whole land against all forraine power whatsoeuer Thirdly to repent vnfainedly of all our sinnes that so we turning vnto God from them he may continue vnto vs those happy daies of peace wherein we haue freedome from subiection to forraine tyrannie for our sinnes are our greatest foes they lay open the ports of our lands and the gates of our cities to the spoyling enemie they will put downe our strong walls and take away the strength of our armed men no enemies can doe vs so much harme as our owne sinnes and therefore we must humble our selues for them and if we haue not repented now we must beginne and if we haue begunne we must proceede and renew the same more and more If we had felt the miserie of subiection to foraine power as these Iewes now did it would touch vs and therefore before these euills come vpon vs let vs meete our God by true repentance that so he may keepe from vs this fierce wrath vers 42. Giue to him that asketh and from him that would borrow of thee turne not away Christ hauing forbidden priuate reuenge doth here command the requitall of good for euill in two particular examples of well-doing taken from giuing and lending by both which though not expressely yet in sense and meaning Christ would teach his hearers thus much Let the man be what he will doe thou good vnto him for euill For the first Giue to him that asketh c. These words must not be taken simply but in this sense Giue to him that asketh on a iust cause beeing poore though be cannot requite thee againe nay though he had done thee wrong and were thine enemie This exposition is plaine Luk. 6. for hauing set downe his commandement for giuing v. 30. he renders this reason thereof in effect because they cannot requite thee againe v. 33. which plainely imports that it must be to the poore Here now first obserue the forme of Christs words they are commanding Giue to him c. whence I gather that a man is bound in conscience vpon paine of death to giue Almes and releefe Matth. 25. 41 42. Christ adiudgeth some to hell for the neglect of this dutie now there could be no such course if there were no commandement that did bind their conscience to doe that for want whereof they are condemned Againe in the sixt commandement we are bound to doe all duties that may preserue our neighbours life of which sort is giuing releefe vnto the poore without which they cannot liue If it be saide that Daniel made Almes deedes no commandement but a matter of counsell vnto Nebuchadnezzar I answer that things commaunded may be propounded by way of counsell so doth Christ to the Church of Laodicea I counsell thee to buie of me gold c. Againe Daniel vsed this forme of speech to the King Let my counsell be pretious vnto thee not because it was no commandement but because he would so temper his speech that it might better take place in the stout heart of this proud king And when as Paul 2. Cor. 8. 8. speaking of Almes saith he speaketh not by commandement it is to be vnderstood not simply of Almes giuing but of thâ— measure thereof as the former verse doth plainly shew Here then wee see those men confuted which say they may doe with their owne what they will this is not so for mens goods are not their owne simply but Gods also and they indeede are but the Lords stewards to dispose of them as he commands now his will is that part thereof should be giuen to them which want Secondly we see here also that those men sinne grieuously who are so couetous that they will giue nothing to the poore sell they will and lend also vpon a good pawne for their owne aduantage but by free gift they will part with nothing These are miserable persons who doe what they can to condemne themselues for Gods commandement binds men in conscience to giue vnto the poore and that freely Yet here we must know that not onely they who giue fâ—eely doe a worke of mercie but also they who lend and sell when as their lending and selling will as much profit the poore as giuing this in effect is almes deedes here also commanded and therefore is Ioseph commended not onely for giuing but for selling corne to the Egyptians and others in the time of dearth Thirdly this beeing a commandement binding conscience must stirre vs vp to doe all good duties of releefe with cheerefulnes that so meete and decent prouision for the poore may not onely be begunne but also continued for it is acceptable vnto God A second point here to be obserued is what kind of commandement this is Giue to him that asketh Gods commandements be of two sorts Affirmatiue and Negatiue and in the Morall law the one is alwaies comprehended in the other now this commandement is affirmatiue which must be noted because negatiue precepts lay a straighter bonde vpon the conscience then the affirmatiue and therefore are the precepts of the Morall law for the most part propounded negatiuely for the negatiue precept binds a man to obedience alwaies and to all and euery time as when God saith Thou shalt not kill a man is neuer exempted from obedience hereunto but an affirmatiue
freedome or libertie left to mens choise whether they will doe it or no but a matter of iustice and the not doing of it is iniustice against the law of God and of nature which require that the poore should be maintained at home without begging abroad Secondly this should mooue vs to lay aside some portion of our goods to giue vnto the poore for the poore haue interest into thē for this cause we ought to cut off our superfluities in feasting in attire in sports and pleasures that so we may be better inabled to doe iustice in giuing vnto the poore for hereby commonly men are disabled to doe this part of iustice Thirdly this should teach vs according to our places to see those good orders well maintained and set forward which are prouided for the conuenient releefe and maintenance of the poore for the neglecting of them is iniustice and a kind of theft against the poore Secondly obserue the word translated Almes it is very pithie signifying mercie and pitie whence we may learne first what it is that makes our giuing to the poore to be Almes it is not the thing giuen but the mercifull and pitifull heart of the giuer be the thing neuer so small as was the poore widows mite and therefore all our almes must proceede from a pitifull heart Secondly it sheweth what a one that partie must be that is to be releeued namely such a one as is to be pitied not our lustie beggers but infants orphanes the lame blind weake maimed and aged persons Thus much for the words now followeth the commandement it selfe Take heede that you giue not your Almes before men to be seene of them This commandement tendeth to this ende to teach men how to auoide the vnlawfull manner of giuing Almes for a good thing may be done in an ill manner and vsually men offend this way in their good deedes Now this commandement prescribes a double circumspection in giuing Almes first touching the ground secondly touching the ende of almes giuing The ground of our Almes must not be the pride of our hearts this Christ forewarnes vs of if we looke it should be good and acceptable in the sight of God This is a point of great importance and therefore for the better obseruing of it I will here shew two points I. what this pride is II. why it must be so carefully auoided in our almes deedes By pride I meane not outward pride in apparell but that which is inward in the soule consisting partly in the minde and partly in the will and affections Pride of minde is a corrupt disposition thereof whereby a man thinks himselfe to be better more excellent then indeede he is this was the sinne of the Pharisie who boasted vnto God of his owne goodnesse Luk. 18. 11 12. And hence it came that the Church of Laodicea gloried in her selfe saying I am rich and increased in wealth and lacke nothing when as indeede shee was poore and blind and miserable and naked This conceit is most dangerous especially in the point of grace causing many to deceiue their owne soules by thinking they haue grace when they haue none and ouerweening that which they haue Pride in will is an inward affection whereby a man is not contented with that estate wherein God hath placed him but desires a better This befell Adam and Eue who sought to be like vnto God himselfe and this taketh hold of most men in euery age Now from these two proceedeth that practise of prìde in mans life whereby he endeauours to doe whatsoeuer he can for his owne praise and glorie This pride is not in some few persons alone but in euery man naturally that comes of Adam Christ Iesus onely excepted And where it takes place it is so strong that it will not be crossed for rather then a man will not haue his will in this he will commit any sinne This caused Absalon to banish his father out of his owne kingdome and Achitophel to hang himselfe when his counsell was refused and some Popes as histories makes mention to bequeath their soules vnto the deuill for the obtaining of the Popedome And this is that inward corruption which Christ here forbids to be the ground of our Almes deedes II. Point The reasons why this inward pride must be carefully auoided be these two First because whatsoeuer outward good worke the child of God can do by grace the same may a wicked man do thorough pride as conceiue a prayer preach the word and practise the outward duties of repentance of loue and such like for pride is a sinne that will counterfeit grace and man cannot discerne it but God onely Secondly many other sinnes preuaile in the wicked but pride is the sinne that troubleth the children of God and when other sinnes die then will pride reuiue yea it will arise out of grace it selfe for the child of God will be proud because he is not proud therefore Paul ' must be buffeted by the messenger of Satan least he should be puffed vp with abundance of reuelations Now the way to auoide this daungerous sinne stands in two things first we must be carefull to know the pride of our owne heart for euery man hath it in him more or lesse and the more we see it the lesse it is but the lesse we see it the more it is in vs indeed and though we know nothing by our selues yet let vs suspect our selues hereof and labour to see it in our hearts for he that is the most humbled is not altogether free from this inward pride Secondly when we see ouer pride we must labour to subdue it which we shall doe first by considering the Iudgements of God vpon this sinne were not our first parents cast out of Paradise when they would needes be as Gods and Herod was eaten vp of wormes when he tooke vnto himselfe the glorie due vnto God Act. 12. 23. Therefore Peter saith God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble A man that would begge an almes must not goe in proud apparell and so he that would procure the fauour of God must not come with a proud heart Secondly we must search into our selues and labour to see our owne wants and corruptions as our blindnes of minde and ignorance our vnbeleefe c. and the sight of our sinnes will be a meanes to humble vs for they that feele no wants in themselues cannot choose but be puffed vp Thirdly we must meditate vpon the death and passion of Christ which he endured for our redemption how he sweat water and blood and suffered the wrath of God both in soule and bodie for our sinnes now how can a man thinke that Christ endured all this for him and yet be not cast downe with the sight of his owne sinnes which had a part in the cause of all the curse that caused Christ to crie My God my
drought and yet the Prophet crouched vnto the earth and put his face betweene his knees no doubt humbling himselfe in praier to God for it as S. Iames saith Where we may see that praier is not contrarie to Gods decree but a subordinate meanes to bring the same to passe and therefore we must rather reason thus that because God hath decreed the euent of all things and hath appointed praier as a meanes to effect sundrie of his decrees therefore we must vse it Considering then that praier is necessarie notwithstanding all that can be saide against it we must learne with speciall â—euerence to giue our selues vnto this dutie both publikely in the assemblies of the Saints and priuately in our families beeing masters and gouernours for no family ought to want this morning and euening sacrifice of praier and thankesgiuing yea we must pray by our selues particularly in regard of our particular wants Indeede the most doe thus plead for themselues that they vse to pray often but the truth is that the coÌ„mon practise of our people in prayer is nothing els but lippe-labour and a mocking of God for what be their praiers but the saying ouer the ten Commandements and the Creede which are no praiers yea their repetition of the Lords praier without vnderstaÌ„ding or deuotion is no praier with God when they doe it onely of custome and rest in the worke done But here is required an other manner of praier then this And to incite vs vnto it let vs consider the worthie examples of Gods seruants herein Moses praied for the sauing of the Israelites fourtie daies and fourtie nights without meat or drinke Dauid praied seauen times a day and our Sauiour Christ spent whole nights in prayer Now these examples were written for our learning to teach vs to addict our selues to this holy dutie wherein our hearts speake vnto God The want hereof is the cause of the common Atheisme that is in the world of iniustice and crueltie in mens callings of swearing pride backbiting in mens liues for if men would often set themselues in the presence of God by vnfained inuocation the remembrance thereof would still be before their eyes and cause them to abstaine from all these iniquities for who beeing stained with such transgressions durst present himselfe before the maiestie of God who is a consuming fire against all sinne and wickednes hauing fierie eyes to see their sinnes and feete of brasse to bruise them in pieces that will not repent Secondly in this prohibition against hypocrisie in praier we may see that to conceiue a praier and to make profession of religion may for the outward worke as well be performed from pride of heart as from the grace of God carnall men may doe it in pride which Gods children doe by grace as we shewed in the former point of Almes giuing that therfore which Christ said of hearing the word take heed how you heare must be conceiued to be spoken to vs of praier and the profession of religion take heed how you praie and how you professe religion And indeed before we pray we ought to enter into our hearts and there to search out our corruptions diligently that we may be able to discerne in our selues between pride and Gods grace and so perceiue vpon what ground we pray that it be not from a damnable pride but from the sauing grace of Gods holy spirit Thirdly in this prohibition Christ condemnes this false ende of praier when men doe it to haue praise of men whereby we may see that it is a thing incident to the professors of the Gospel to doe the duties of religion for the approbation of men which notably bewraies the hypocrisie of our hearts which naturally haue more respect to men then to the Lord euen then when we haue to deale with God himselfe Thus did the Scribes and Pharisies and it is to be feared the same fault is common among vs for men are farre more forward and carefull to performe the publike duties of religion in the assemblies of the Church then priuate duties either in their families or by themselues Many will praie in the Church that neuer regard priuate praier at home Againe in performing publike duties men haue more care of the outward action then of truth and sinceritie in the heart and many studie more for fit words to delight mens eares then for good affections which God approoueth for what is the cause that many ancient professors when they come to die know not how to commend their soules to God Surely this especially that in the whole course of their profession they more respected men then God and therefore in the time of death when they must needs deale with God indeed they know not what to doe nor how to behaue themselues Lastly Christ here reprooues their behauiour in praier which was standing without all humbling of themselues either in soule or bodie This is a thing incident to many in our congregations who vse to shew no manner of reuerence or humilitie in the time of praier but either stand or fit as though they had no need to humble themselues or else intended onely that men should see them But we must know that howsoeuer the word of God prescribes no peculiar gesture in this action yet it is not a thing indifferent either to vse or not to vse some seemely gesture of humiliation in this worship of God but some must needes be vsed to expresse and further the humilitie of the heart which is chiefly required Isay 6. 2. the Sâ—raphims standing before God couer their feete and faces with their wings in regard of Gods presence and the poore Publicane that praied with the Pharisie howsoeuer he praied standing yet he cast downe his countenance and smote himselfe on the breast to testifie his humiliation Yea Christ Iesus our Lord when hee bare the punishment of our sinnes in the garden fell downe vpon his face and praied thus also did Moses and Aaron Elijah Ezra Daniel humble themselues And it hath alwaies beene the practise of Gods seruants in praier by some conuenient gesture of the bodie to expresse the humilitie of their hearts which checketh the custome of our common people in praier who are so farre from bringing a broken heart to God which is the thing he chiefly requires that they know not what to aske and many there be that will not submit themselues to such outward gesture as might expresse their inward humiliation These things are farre vnseemely for Gods people and therefore let vs learne to humble our selues at Gods footestoole first in our very hearts and withall we must be carefull to testifie the same by some conuenient outward humiliation Verse 6. But when thou praiest enter into thy chamber and when thou hast shut thy doore pray to thy father which is in secret and thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly Christ hauing
fasting to the doctrine of praier which is a speciall part of Gods holy worship Now touching a religious fast I will here handle sixe points First what kinde of worke a fast is The Scripture speakes of two kinde of workes some commanded of God others left indifferent Workes commanded be good works and parts of Gods seruice because he commandeth them as praier thanksgiuing Almes-deedes c. Workes indifferent be in themselues neither good nor euill because they be neither commanded of God nor forbidden as to eate drinke buie sell c. And to this kind of works must we referte fasting for it is not simply commanded of God and so no part of his worship in it selfe more then eating is And yet consider fasting in it circumstances to wit as a meanes to further and to testifie our humiliation in repentance and our zeale in praier and so it is a good worke for in that vse and to that ende God commandeth it and it is a part of his worship If it be saide there is no commandement for it in the new Testament I answer if we consider it in the forenamed vse and ende there is for the same commandement that inioyneth praier and humiliation inioyneth fasting because it is a meanes to further them both for euery commandement includeth all necessarie furtherances to the maine dutie Againe we haue in the new Testament examples of ordinarie fasting which are without all exception in our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles with the occasions thereof set downe whereupon they fasted Now this is a rule in Diuinitie that the ordinarie examples of the godly approoued in Scripture beeing against no generall precept haue the force of a general rule and are to be followed II. Point How a religious fast is to be performed In a religious fast three things are required First Abstinence from meate and drinke for one day at least til the euening for abstinence from morning till noone is no fast When Hester required the Iewes to fast for her shee forbids them to eate or drinke during the fast And when Dauid fasted and praied for his child begotten in adulterie he would eate nothing till he had ended his humiliation perceiuing that the child was dead This is a thing graunted by all Protestants And the very names of fasting vsed in the old and new Testament import a totall abstinence for that time which must be obserued to discouer the absurditie of Popish fasts wherein they allow men to drinke oft if they will and eate also so it be not flesh but in fasting abstinence must be vsed from all meat and drinke so farre as health and strength will suffer Secondly Abstinence from all delights of nature whereby the outward man may be cheered and refreshed as musicke sweete smells soft apparell recreations and such like This Daniel obserued for three weekes of daies I ate saith he no pleasant bread neither came flesh or wine in my mouth neither did I anoint my selfe at all and the like may we see in many examples of the old Testament They cast dust and ashes vpon their heads in stead of anointing themselues with oyle and for soft apparell they put on sackcloath next their skin they waked when they should haue slept and lay vpon the ground in stead of beds the bridegroome went out of his chamber and the bride out of her bride-chamber for mirth there was mourning and howling in stead of singing Thirdly a man must humble and afflict his bodie in fasting and therefore must be sparing in his diet and delights before the day of fasting for a man may so pamper and full himselfe that he shal not neede to eate or drinke for one whole day but such persons fast not the time of our fast must be a time of humiliation men must afflict themselues therein as Ezra saith they must beate downe the bodie and bring it into subiection as Paul did for though Ahabs fasting was but outward yet thus he humbled himselfe before the Lord 1. king 21. 27. 29. Gods children therefore must see in their religious fasts that their bodies be humbled with their soules Here indeede care must be had that in humbling our bodies we destroy not nature or so weaken our strength that we difable our selues to serue God in our callings afterward such afflicting of the bodie the Apostle disaloweth Coloss. 2. 23. III. Point Touching the right ends of a religious fast which be foure especially I. To be a spurre and prouocation to true humiliation and repentance for this cause the Ninevites did not onely fast thēselues but caused their beasts to be without food water that by hearing their lowing and bleating for meat they might more deeply be humbled by the consideration of the desert of their owne sinnes and so more vnfainedly repent This stands with good reason for a mans abasing and pinching of his bodie shewes him his vnworthinesse of the comforts of Gods creatures by reason of his sinnes it leades him to see his desert of Gods wrath by reason of his transgressions and so his heart is more deepely stricken with conscience of his owne sinnes whereupon he doth more freely confesse them vnto God and more carefully turne from them afterward II. A religious fast serues for an outward testimonie and profession of our humiliation and repentance for by our abstinence from the delights of nature and the comforts of the creatures we solemnly professe our vnworthines thereof and of all Gods blessings for this the Lord bids proclaime a fast when he would haue his people to testifie their humiliation III. It serues to subdue the flesh and the corruption of nature this end is necessarie for the soule worketh by the bodie the inclination of the affections is greatly swaied by the bodily constitution and the soule is stained with many sinnes by reason of the distemper of the bodie But yet this ende is not so generall as the two former for there bee two sorts of men in Gods Church some of so weake a constitution of body that their ordinarie sobrietie and temperance in diet doth sufficiently subdue the rebellion of their flesh now these neede not to fast for this end others there be whom ordinarie temperance and sobrietie will not serue to tame the rebellion of their flesh and these are they that must vse religious fasting for the subduing of the flesh to the spirit besides their ordinarie moderation in diet IV. Fasting serues to prepare vs vnto praier and to further vs therein for first it causeth watchfulnesse cuts off drowsinesse and so makes a man the more liuely and fresh in prayer wherevpon our Sauiour often ioynes these together Watch and pray Secondly it makes vs feele our wants and miseries and so brings vs to some conscience of our sinnes whereupon the heart is more deepely humbled and so stirred vp more
shall be giuen you seeke and ye shall finde knock and it shall be opened vnto you In this verse and those which follow vnto the twelft is laid downe the third part of this chapter concerning praier and it consisteth of two branches a commandement to pray and effectuall reasons to perswade vs thereto The commandement is propounded in three seuerall teannes Aske seeke and knocke each whereof hath his promise annexed thereto Ye shall haue ye shall find and it shall be opened vnto you Now for our better vnderstanding of Christs meaning herein two rules must be obserued I. That Christ here speakes not of euery kind of asking in praier but of that onely which himselfe commandeth and alloweth for we may aske and not receiue because we aske amisse as S. Iames saith but he that asketh according to Christs direction in this place shall receiue Now in all acceptable praier to God foure conditions must be obserued I. We must aske while the time of grace and mercie remaineth for if the day of grace be once past we may aske seeke and knocke but all in vaine this is plaine by the fiue foolish virgins who asked sought for oyle but found none yea they called and knocked but it was not opened vnto them Matth. 25. 8. 9. 12. Now the time of this life while God offers mercie vnto vs in his word is the acceptable time and the day of grace 2. Cor. 6. 2. and therefore herein must we aske seeke and knocke II. We must not aske as seemeth good vnto our selues but according to Gods will and as his word alloweth The sonnes of Zebedie were denied their request because they asked they knew not what Matth. 20. 22. But this is our assurance that we haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs 1. Ioh. 5. 14. III. We must aske in faith that is beleeue that God will graunt vs those things which we aske according to his will Iam. 1. 5 6. If any man lacke wisdome let him aske of God but let him aske in faith and wauer not for the wauering minded man shall receiue nothing of God therfore saith Christ Whatsoeuer ye desire in praier beleeue that ye shall haue it and it shall be done vnto you Mark 11. 24. IV. We must referre the time and manner of Gods accomplishing our requests to his good pleasure It was the sinne of the Israelites that they limited the holy one of Israel by prescribing him what they would haue for their prouision and when they would haue it Psal. 78. 41. we therefore must waite on God as Dauid did Psal. 40. 1. I waited patiently for the Lord and he enclined his eare vnto me and heard me God deferres the graunting of our requests because he would trie the affections of his children Cantic 3. 1. The Church seeketh Christ but cannot finde him that is where and when shee will And indeede herein doe we shew forth faith when we referre the time and manner of receiuing our request to the good pleasure of God for he that beleeueth will not make hast Isa. 28. 16. The second rule to be here remembred concerning prayer is That these promises are not made directly to the worke of prayer but to the person that prayeth and yet not to him simply as he doth this good action of praier but as he is in Christ for whose merite sake the promise is accomplished and therefore Christ here speakes to them whome he takes for graunted to be the true members of his mysticall bodie which is his Church This rule must be remembred for the right vnderstanding of the promises of God concerning prayer for hereby it is plaine that our prayer is not the cause of the blessings we receiue from God but onely a way and instrument in and by which God conuayeth his blessings vnto his children for a true praier is a fruit of our faith in Christ in whome alone all the promises of God are yea and amen that is sure and certen vnto vs. Now hauing found Christs meaning let vs come to such instructions as are to be gathered hence First obserue that Christ doeth not barely propound this commandement to pray but repeates the same by a kind of gradation in three distinct words Aske seeke and knocke whereof the latter imports more vehemence then the former And this he doth to checke the slacknesse and coldenesse of our prayers and to stir vs vp to feruent zeale and diligence in this duetie both in publike and priuate And to mooue vs to godly zeale and diligence in this dutie consider the reasons following I. Christs owne example which in morall duties is a perfect rule Now though he had little need to pray in respect of himselfe for he did neuer sinne yet how often and how long and with what feruencie did he giue himselfe to this dutie he spent whole nights in prayer Luk. 6. 12. and in prayer in the garden he swet water and blood We haue also Moses example who spent fourtie dayes and fourtie nights in praier and fasting for the people when they had sinned Deuter. 9. 18. 19. If he were thus feruent in prayer for their sinnes how earnest would he be for his owne And Daniel humbled himselfe many dayes and prayed feruently for his people Dan. 9. 3. 4. c. Dauid prayed seuen times a day and rose vp at midnight to giue thankes to God Psal. 119. 164. 62. And Paul willeth the Romans that they would striue or wrestle with him by praier to God Rom. 15. 30. All these are worthie examples vnto vs and if we compare our selues with them we shall see we haue much more cause so to doe for our sinnes abound aboue theirs and therefore we had need to pray for the preuenting of Gods iudgements which our sinnes call for against vs. Also we come far short of them in grace and therefore had need to pray for supply thereof against the time of neede for our dayes of peace will not alwayes last wee haue enioyed it long and therefore must looke for dayes of triall for the state of Gods Church is interchangeable II. Reason All of vs must come to deale with God both in the day of death and at the day of iudgement at both which times all worldly helpes and comforts will forsake vs and by no meanes can wee shunne that accompt therefore it will be good for vs while we liue often to set our selues before the Lord that so we may make our selues familiar and acquainted with him against that day But if now we estrange our selues from God in regard of this exercise of prayer then at our ende wee shall finde the Lord to be strange vnto vs and to professe that he knowes vs not which will be woe vnto vs. III. Reason Euery good thing we haue or stand in need of comes from the mercie and bountie of God in Christ and prayer is an