them with that affection wherewith we of them in the like case would be admonished and yet as we also remember to be admonished of them as though we were admonished of God Doest thou loue Gods glorie then wilt thou surely admonish thy brother of sinne Doest thou loue thy brother then wilt thou admonish him with compassion See here is that which teacheth all wisedome I must be grieued for sinne because it is that that casts all mankinde from the Lord because it is such a thing as thrust Adam out of Paradise it is so grieuous a thing that it ouerwhelmed the old world with waters it consumed Sodome and Gomorrah with fiâ—e it crucified Iesus Christ the Sonne of God it is such a thing as is an enemie to God the Father an enemie to God the Sonne and an enemie to God the holy Ghost and therefore I must needes be an enemie vnto it yet I must be grieued as putting my selfe in the like case that the offender is Wherefore many faithfull Ministers of God when they are most hot they haue most heauines in their soules least the curse which they must needs threaten doe turne to the confusion of the persons whom they threaten Thus we see this zeale will teach vs neither to rebuke sinne too coldly nor yet too hotly For we shall not so loue God as we shall abuse man the image of God neither shall we so loue man as we shall hinder or impaire the glorie of God for if we be sorrowfull that God is offended and that man hath offended we shall be sure to make an holy medlie Vers. 140. Thy word is proued must pure and thy seruant loueth it HEre the Prophet shewing his loue to be the cause of his zeale repeateth in effect that which he said before It may seeme strange why the man of God should make mention of this so oft that the word of God is true But we must know that he did it to strengthen his faith in the time of trouble and that then he might not faint We thinke not that there is such need of faith because we feele not the like temptations For they that haue no sight of their corruptions know not their vnbeliefe and they that feele not their vnbeliefe feele not the necessitie of this strengthning of their faith And as they that know not their vnbeliefe know nothing so they that beleeue and see their vnbeliefe know this to be necessarie They then that haue a true triall of their vnbeliefe know this faith to be a rare gift of God So that the Prophet commendeth the word of God here of experience for he saith Thy word is proued most pure His meaning is this This is the cause why I am so zealous euen because I loue thy word and therefore O'Lord I loue thy word because I finde it by proofe to be so pure That we then may make this our rule for examination why are we so cold in zeale euen because we are cold in the loue of the word For as our loue encreaseth so encrease also our delight and griefe our delight to see the thing loued to haue happie proceedings our griefe to see the thing which we loue to be despised This we see to be in euery kinde of loue For a man that truly loueth his wifâ— cannot abide to see his wife contemned and discredited nor the woman that truly loueth her husband can abide to see him reiected and despised When we loue our friend we are grieued to see any contempt offered vnto him This then we see in the nature of true loue to reioyce to see the person loued aduanced or the thing which we loue esteemed and grieued to see either the person or thing so loued to be cast downe and contemned It was a griefe euen to the Heathenish Philosophers to see their doctrine not regarded were they so moued for the small regard of that earthly doctrine which had no exact truth in it but was mingled with infinite errors and vntruths and shall not we much more be moued to see the word of God which hath so exact a truth and no vntruth contemned and little set by wherefore when we haue not this godly griefe in vs it is a manifest argument that our loue is very cold For as our loue is the greater so vndoubtedly our griefe will be the greater and so as our loue is the lesse so will our griefe to see the thing defaced be also the lesse When we haue much delight in any thing we are much grieued and who are more grieued to see the word of God troden downe than the godly because of all other their delight is most in it Not without cause then is this loue commended vnto vs to be a token of our zeale and therefore we see Psalme 67. the Church praiseth and prouoketh all the world to praise God when the word had free successe such is the loue of it to the word of God O let thy people praise thee O God yea let all the people praise thee Oh lâ—t the nations reioyce and be glad c. As then the children of God thinke themselues in ioy and prosperity when the word of God is in prosperitie so it being in any trouble death is not troublesome to them so that by their death and suffering they may any thing confirme the truth and giue countenance to it The Prophet of God sheweth his loue to the word saying All my springs O Lord are in it meaning that all his ioy his delight and affections were wholy set on the word of God Wherefore if there be such ioy in hauing it there must needes be great griefe in wanting it We are herein greatly to condemne our selues that we are no more thankfull for our vnthankfulnes bringeth this secret curse that we are no more zealous because many can hardly iudge betweene fleshly anger and spirituall zeale such is the rare feeling of this true zeale they are readie to imagine that if one be godly zealous they are straightway carnally angrie How necessary a thing therfore it is to know godly zeale all men may see for as we haue said that the Lord threatneth Reuel 3. that vnlesse the Laodiceans would be more zealous and amend he would spue them out that is he would haue no delight in them 〈◊〉 the Lord would as leeue haue vs of another religion as to be so luke-warme in his true religion For as a stomacke is easily brought to prouoke a vomite by receiuing somewhat that is lukewarme so the Lord spueth as it were out of his stomack luke warme professors as them whom by no meanes he can brooke which is a most feareful thing We know that the good father Elie 1. Sam. 3. although otherwise no doubt he was the deare seruant of God was grieued for the sinnes of his sonnes and mourned when the Arke of God was taken was reproued by the holy Ghost that he should loue the glorie of his sons
body to haue liued in burning fire vntill the appearing of Christ so he might then be assured of Gods fauour towards him yea his greatest comfort was this that though he should be in hell yet he hoped therin of Gods fauour to haue his torments mitigated with them that suffer least In all which troubles notwithstanding no world of reward no terror of tyrannie could cause him willingly to doe the least thing displeasing to God whom when the Lord released he would comfort himselfe in Christ saying that the diuell would take the aduantage of his sorrow to make him vnthankefull in good things 2 We are either as a Prince or as a peasant either most mightie aboue all Princes or most vile among the sonnes of men If all the Monarches in the world withstood vs our owne consciences comforting vs we ruled aboue all If the vilest vassall in the world rise against vs our owne heart condemning vs we seeme to be most miserable of all 3 He said howsoeuer men might deale with outward matters yet when griefes and fancies grew in the minde and grieued it nothing could surely cure them but onely the word of God 4 Hauing to deale with diuers humbled consciences he would mislike them that would not abide to tarry the Lords leisure but they must needs be helped at once euen by and by as soone as they heard him speake or else they would then thinke farre worse of him than euer before notwithstanding the good report had and the good opinion conceiued of him for besides that hee that beleeueth maketh not hast this is a comming rather as it were to a Magitian who by an incantation of words makes sillie soules looke for health than to the minister of God whose words being most Angelicall comfort not vntill and so much as it pleaseth the Lord to giue a blessing vnto them which sometime he doth denie because we come to them with too great an opinion of them as though they were wise men not vnto such as vsing their meanes yet doe looke and stay for our comfort wholy from God himselfe 5 Being asked how in the examining of our consciences for sinne we should find out the speciall sinne he said that could not easily be done for who doth vnderstand the errors of his life but by oft examining of our selues by acquainting of our selues with our owne estate by earnest prayer that God would reueale vs the sinne by oft hearing and reading the word by marking the most checkes of our consciences and reproches of our enemies we might be led to the neerest sight of them 6 Vnto one afflicted in minde he gaue this comfort first if you haue knowledge be thankfull for it and desire the Lord to giue you faith if you haue faith which vndoubtedly you may haue though not rightly discerning your selfe you presently perceiue it not you must waite on the Lord for feeling of it for many times he exerciseth faith with temptations before he sends feeling And though it may be you shall â—arrie the Lords leisure long yet surely he will giue it you in time In the meane time assure your selfe that the greatest faith is when there is least feeling It is easie for euery one in glorious feelings and ioyes vnspeakable to beleeue but when a man feeling no sensible comfort in the Lord can notwithstanding beleeue in the Lord and by faith waite on him this mans faith is most great 7 After some effectuall working of Gods spirit in vs most commonly in many not long after comes deadnes and dulnes against this euill we must first search the cause whether it be for some euill thing done or for some good thing not done for leauing some meane of saluation vnused whether for some sinne seene but nor repented of or some sin repented of but not soundly or for vnthankfulnes Secondly vse the remedie please not your selfe in it but rouse vp your selfe as from a slumber which willingly you would shake off from you call to minde the speciall and greatest mercy of God vse the meanes Thirdly in the meanes offer thy selfe vnto God wayting humbly and patiently for the time of deliuerance neither esteeming too much nor too little of the affliction 8 When one was troubled in minde he gaue him this comfortable note That although it came to passe that after some trauaile in the new birth Gods graces were not so sweete and our sinnes not so sower and grieuous vnto vs as they were at our first entrance into regeneration but we are now weaker in lesse assaults hauing afore beene stronger in greater temptations we are not to despayre but to consider from whence this gracious progresse did come namely of God and not of our selues who shewed himselfe more fauourable in the beginning both because he would not discourage vs newly comming vnto him and for that we forsaking our selues with a godly suspecting of our weaknes in the least temptations did flie vnto Gods helpe by prayer who in wisedome can hide himselfe vnder a clowde partly for that he will looke to see some triall of strength at our hands comming to some age in new birth partly for that now we lesse forsake or suspect our selues no not in greater temptations and so presumptuously trusting to our strength and staying our selues with our owne staffe we doe not call to God for helpe and not calling doe not obtaine and not obtaining helpe we take the foyle in the conflict that the Lord may make knowne vnto vs that notwithstanding our proceeding in Christianitie we are still but men and God alone is God 9 He said to one troubled in minde for a secret and small sinne I doe not so much feare this sinne in you as the policie of Sathan by it either in that he will not sticke to shew you the lesse sinnes hide from you the greater or else by the quicke sight of your secret and small sinnes to cast vpon you an open and grosse sinne of vaine glorie and priuie pride 10 Afflicted consciences must not dispute too much against themselues for their own actions for that being displeased with their owne persons they cannot be pleased with their owne doings 11 He tolde in loue this obseruation and experience when any came with a troubled conscience for sinne wisely to discerne whether they be meanely grieued with a generall sight of their sinne or whether they be extreamely throwne downe with the burthen of particular sinnes if so they be then it is good at the first to shew that no sinne is so great but in Christ it is pardonable and that there is mercy with God that he might be feared so on the other side shewiug the mercy to come from God but so as they are nothing fit to receiue mercie vnlesse they feele their particular and pricking sinnes But if their sorrow be more confessed in generall things then it is good to
so vile as sinne which openeth hell and staineth the earth and shutteth vp heauen 5 As of all gifts the gift of Gods spirit is the dearest so the losse of it is most daungerous for besides that wee know how few taste of it and with what paine they that haue gotten it keep it and with what hard brunts they that lose the graces of it recouer them againe we may coniecture the greatnesse of the losse by our experience in other things they that haue beene in reputation for their riches are become bankerouts are grieued and ashamed how much more then should their griefe be who by the riches of Gods graces haue beene comfortable to themselues and honourable among others and now by the decay of those gifts haue lost both the sweet ioy and peace in themselues and their credite with God and in the conscience of the godly 6 Some reioyce so much in the hearing of good things preached that they forget to be humbled for their wants againe others alwaies looking on their wants walke not thankfully for Gods graces receiued The meane way is the best so to reioyce in the grace of God that we be humbled for our wants and so to mourne for our wants that we praise God for his graces Good workes 1 AS it argueth great height and willingnes to sinne when men fearing to sinne in the day redeeme and steale time to sinne in the night so it sheweth a great height and willingnesse to godlinesse when men being not sufficiently contented to do good in the day stretch their wel-doing euen to the night also wherein they shew themselues to be free from vaineglory that none seeing them yet they doe good for the loue of God and not for outward things 2 A man may truely iudge himselfe to be truely willing to doe any good when he striues all that he can to do it although he cannot do it as he should Griefe for sinne 1 WE cannot heartily be grieued for that sinne in another whereof we haue not made great conscience in our selues 2 The things that are euill and grieue vs so farre as we see them with griefe hurt vs not 3 Seeing a woman lamenting for the sinnes of the people he said vnto her not purposing to cause her to cease from so good an action but admonishing her to looke to her affections you shall well trie your heart said he if this sorrow for sinne be first bred for your owne sinnes and from your selfe proceed to the sinnes of others Againe the measure of your mourning must be agreeable and proportionable to the sinne Lastly your griefe must so be for the person as you may be moued rather to pittie and pray for him than to hate and despise him 4 That is true sorrow and griefe for sinne which neither can by outward pleasures be stollen away nor by continuance of time be taken from vs but onely in Christ. 5 Because great naturall and worldly sorrow and ioy will cause a man to breake his sleepe at midnight he would trie himselfe whether sorrow for sinne or icy in saluation had caused him to doe the like 6 His greatest sorrow was when he spake of some good thing that was not in himselfe and the greatest ioy he had was in the contrary 7 As by nature we are long and hard to be brought to be grieued for sinne so being once downe we are hard to get vp and to rise out of griefe againe For two extremities attend vpon vs the one to be grieued and feared too little the other to â—e grieued and feared too much the one makes vs secure and the other dead and dull To meete with these two it is good in time of ioy to thinke what iudgements â—aue befallen vs heretofore what may befall vs hereafter In time of humbling we are to consider what mercies we haue receiued and what mercies are stored vp and â—â—rrie for vs againe and surely no one thing makes griefe more to waste vs than the forgetfulnes of Gods mercies past and doubtfulnes of Gods mercies to come and nothing doth more strengthen our new temptations than the forgetfulnes of Gods iudgements past and the carelesnesse of them that are to come Though mercies succeed mercies yet the sea of Gods mercies is neuer drawn drie if we claime hold of them by our faith and former experience Hardnes of heart 1 THe cause why mens hearts are hardened now adaies may be this in part because they see as great gifts of learning tongues and ciuill life in Papists and heretikes as in Gods true seruants Euen as the cause of Phaâ—â—â—hs obstinacie was this that being willing to be deceâ—ied he would not obey the Lord because other Sorcerers in Aegypt could doe as he thought as great matters as Moses and Aâ—ron 2 To one that complained of hardnes of heart he said You must waite for comfort and know that you can now no more iudge of your selfe than a man sleeping can iudge of things which he did waking or a man wandring in the darke can discerne of bright colours for as the one may while he waketh doe excellent things and yet now neither he himselfe knoweth of them nor any other can espie them in him and the other may be among flowers and for want of light can haue no vse of his eyes nor pleasure in the obiects so you haue done great good things whilest God gaue you a waking heart to put them in practise and the light of his spirit to discerne his graces in you though now you haue neither the sight nor sense of them and this is the thing which deceiueth and disquieteth many they looke for that discerning of themselues when in them Gods graces were more oppressed which they had when Gods spirit wrought in the sweetest and fullest measure in them and because there is some intermission of the worke of new birth they thinke it is a flat omission in them of the spirit of God But as it is a token of a minde too presumptuous and infatuated in time of dead securitie to perswade our selues still of that safetie for hauing those graces which sometime we had so it is a signe of a minde abiect and too much deâ—payring to thinke that because that we haue not euen present seeling of those ioyes glorious and vnspeakeable which we haue had therefore we neuer had â—â—â—m heretofore or that we shall neuer haue them againe hereafter 3 Admonisâ—ing one to preuent hardnes of heart in his childe by godly and discreete correction he said that because children incline often to the sinnes of their fathers parents correcting should in wisedome first consider if it were not a sinne before in themselues which they gaue them as it were which now they are about to correct and finding it so that they should be humbled in themselues and being humbled proceed to correction in prayer in the feare of God in wisedome in
be the principal end For as the Apostle speaketh of things indifferent so he also speaketh of things not indifferent And this we shall see if we consider of the last verse of the chapter going before and of the first of the chapter following Thus it is written chap. 13. vers 14. Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ take no thought for the flâ—sh to fulfill the lusts of it The effect whereof is thus much if it be compared with the first verse of the chapter following Although ye haue put on Christ truly know him by his word yet if another man professing the same Christ with you hath not attained to the like measure of knowledge and the same proportion of faith which ye haue I would ye should not iudge him for his wickednes any more than ye would he should iudge you for your strength but rather bearing with his infirmitie which in time may be changed to a more perfect strength labour by all meanes to winne him to soundnes of iudgement Wherfore in that he saith Him that is weake in faith receiue vnto you he meaneth them that are not established in the doctrine of the Gospell not them that are weake in a ceremonie or in things indifferent so that if any be found weake in the doctrine of Christianitie I meane in some point of it and yet be sound in all other things they should not be further intangled with intricate controuersies which they cannot conceiue but so gently intreated and mildly dealt withal as both the good things which are in them may be nourished and confirmed as also they may be won to the sight and sense of things wherin as yet they be weake Neither must we thinke that the Apostle meaneth here such imperfections as may be in the most perâ—ect but rather such weaknessâ—s as are fouÌ„â— in most Christians This is the general scope of the Apostle in this place whereuâ—to also agreeth the conclusion which is in the first verse of the chapter â—ollowing We wâ—iâ—h are strong ought to bearâ— the infirmities of the â—eâ—ke and not to please our sâ—lâ—â—s 2. Therefâ—re let euery man please his neighbour in that that is good to â—difiâ—aâ—ion 3. For Christ alâ—o would not please himselfe but as it is written The rebukes of tâ—â—m that rebuke thee fell on mâ— Where Pâ—â—l his sense is such If we haue gotten more knowledge and attained higher graces than other men haue we are not in respect thereof to despise others but we must in wisdome and patience sustaine their error a while and strongly support their weakenes not that we should nouslâ— nourish them in their error or weaknes but that by humilitie and patience we might the better build them vp in knowledge and true godlines To this end â—e alleadgeth the example of our Sauiour Christ who did not onely beare with the infirmities of his friends but also with the errors of his enemies So that this then is the true vse of Christian faith mingled with loue that who so is come to Christ as we are our wisdome may sustaine their error and our strength may support their weakenes and as Christ did beare with his weake disciples so must wee with our weake brethren not counting them as no Christians because of infirme iudgement they dissent from vs in some particular but in loue ouercome their infirmities because they consent with vs in the generall The summe hereof is also set downe 1. Câ—â— 3. 11. Other foundation can no man lâ—y than that which is â—â—id Iesus Christ. 12. And if any man build vpon this foundation gold siluer precious sâ—ones timber hâ—y â—r â—â—uâ—ble 13. Euâ—ry mans worâ—e shall be made manifest for the day sâ—all declare it because it shall be reuealed by the fire and the fire shall â—rie euery man worke of what sort it is 14. If any mans worke that hee hath built vpon abide he shall receiue wages 15. If any mans worke burne he shall lose but he shall be safe himselfe neuerthâ—lâ—ssâ— yet as it were by the fire In which place we see that so long as we be in Christ by faith and repentance although our faith be mingled with some weakenes and our repentance with some error though we build with our gold siluer and precious stones some timber hay or stâ—bble yet the Lord will beare with vs much more then for this respect in like causes must we â—eare one wiâ—h another Now for example sake the Apostle bringeth in this instance Onâ— belâ—â—uâ—th tâ—â—â— he mâ—y â—â—te of all things and anâ—tâ—â—r which is weâ—ke eateth herbes c. Some thinke that this eating of all things was meant of the Romans and that the eating of herbs was vndeâ—stood of the Iewes then being at Rome But this seemeth not to be a â—ound opinion in that we reade not in any Ecclesiasticall historie that the Iewes were at Rome neither doth the Apostle write a mixed epistle partly to the Romans and partly to the Iewes but writâ—th it wâ—olly and intitulâ—th onely vnto the Romans Againe we cannot gather out of any records of the writers that the Iewes did â—ate herbes alone True it is that pedagogically the vse of many creatureâ— was forbidden to the Iewes howbeit it doth not seeme likely that they were tied so strictly to the eating of herbes This I am surâ— of that euen now adaiâ—s the diuell hath perswaded many Christians newly come to Christ that if they eate any thing either in qualitie more delicatly or in quantitie more liberally than bare necessitie doth require they haue sinned And yet in these men there is no doubt a generall good meaning but yet in this particular they hold an error In this examplâ— the Apostle setteth downe the stronger part and the weaker the stronger part is prefixed which is a worke of faith the weaker part followeth after which is the weakenes of faith For marke he saith One beleâ—ueth that he may eate all things here is a worke of faith because â—â— hath the word for his warrant and then he saith another eateth herbes he saith not he beleeueth that may eate herbes for hee doth it in weakenes of faith and hath not the word for his warrant neither doth he beleeue that he can vse other meates This example inferred the Apostle vseth this exhortation Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not as if he should haue said let not him that is so strong in faith therefore thinke him to be no Christian that hath this error to thinke himselfe more holy iâ— he eate nothing but herbs It is added Let not him that eateth not iudge him that eateth and this is very necessarie For it is much incident to the yong ones in Christianitie to iudge others who are not so abstinent as they are Here is not then the person so much condemned as the fact For though we may iudge his sin and rebuke his errour yet must we not iudge his person
not so doe for the great ignorance carnall securitie of people For the administration of Baptisme although there be no expresse places of the scriptures shewing the practise of it on this day yet there are many good reasons agreeable to the word which will proue the same First we know Circumcision was vsed on that day therefore Baptisme which is come into the place of Circumcision is to be vsed on the Sabbath day Againe Baptisme is a publike action of faith wherby a member is to be receiued into the Church and therefore the prayers of the whole congregation ought to be made for it all must be hereby put in minde of the benefits which they haue reaped by Baptisme and so make a double profit of their presence hereat Now seeing old and young men women masters and seruants fathers and children cannot so generally conueniently meet on the weeke daies by reason of their callings as they can on the Lords day their busines set apart it seemeth by good reason that the Sabbath is the fittest day for this Sacrament Againe if the Lord in his infinite wisedome and goodnes commanded Circumcision to be vsed on the eight day both for the auoyding of superstition if any tied the grace of God to the outward signe as also for a sufficient time wherin the children might gather some strength to the cutting off of their flesh why were it not a thing requisite that Baptisme should be deferred to the Lords day both for the remouing of their superstitious opinion who think the childrē dying vnbaptized to be but damned and also for the better enabling of the child to be dipped in the water according to the ancient maner and pure nature of Baptisme Wherefore for these causes Baptisme cannot be denied to be a publike dutie of the Sabbath Cōcerning priuate exercises on the Sabbath they are either going before the publike or following after or comming betweene The duties going before are either in examining our selues or stirring vp of our selues The examination of our selues consisteth partly in surueying our estate past and partly in considering of our present condition in surueying our estate past we are to call to minde either what sinnes the weeke before we haue committed to the more humbling of our selues in prayer or we must remēber what graces of God in our soules what benefits of God on our selues or in our friends we haue receiued to the better prouoking of our selues to thanksgiuing in considering of our present condition we are to examine how we stand affected whatmeasure of faith repentance and godlines is in vs if there be any special want or occasion of publike prayer we must craue the prayer of the Pastor and congregation if any peculiar cause of a solemne thanksgiuing be offered we must giue the Preacher and people word of it as also if there be occasion of some want we are to pray for the Minister that his mouth may be opened to make some happy and holy supply by the word of it How requisite this examination is our ciuill practises may declare We see worldly thriuing men if not euery day yet at the least once in the weeke they search their bookes cast their accounts conferre with their gaine their expences make euen reckonings whereby they may see whether they haue gained or whether they haue lost whether they are before hand or come short and shall not we much more if not once a day which were expedient yet once in the weeke at the least call our selues to a reckoning examining what hath gone from vs what hath come towards vs how we haue gone forward in godly proceedings or how we haue gone backward that if we haue holy increases we may giue thankes and glorie to God if we come short we must humble our selues and endeuour the weeke following to trauaile with our selues the more earnestly to recouer our former losse This examination had we are further to stirre vp our selues before we come to the publike exercises This consisteth in reading meditating and praying whereby we may prouoke a spirituall appetite the more hungerly desirously and louingly to resort to the congregation How necessarie this is the long and wofull experience of non-proficients in the schoole of Christ doth lamentably shew For what is the cause why in the prayers of the Church we so little profit What causeth the word to be of so small power with vs whereof commeth it that the Sacraments are of such slender account with vs Is it not because we draw neere to the Lord with vncatechised hearts and vncircumcised eares without prepared affections and vnschooled senses so that we come vnto and depart from the house of God with no more profit than we get at stage-plaies where delighting our eyes and eares for a while with the view of the pageants afterward we vainely depart If we at any time are to entertaine some speciall friend or stately guestes it is ciuilitie to auoide all things noysome and to procure all things handsome in our houses and shall we not thinke it Christianitie at such times as the Lord hath made speciall promise to visit vs and to become our friendly guest to purge the loathsome affections of the heart dispose our soules in some holy order for his entertainement Are we so diligent to present our selues on the Sabbath in our best attire because then we shall come before the whole congregation and shall we be negligent to attire our soules seeing we are to appeare before God and his Angels Doe we outwardly professe this day to be a more solemne time than any other day of the weeke and shall we in inward practise denie the same Wherefore in this holy preparing of our selues we are to imitate the wisedome of worldly men who hauing a suite to the Prince or some noble personage which hath not that happie successe and issue which was hoped for by and by beginne to call themselues to account to consider with themselues in what circumstance they failed whereby lesse circumspectly and lesse aduisedly they attempted their enterprise accusing themselues of folly and vnconsiderate dealing in their cause whereby a◠wofull experience teacheth them their request fell to the ground Vnto these men herein we must not be vnlike when in dealing with the Lord we profit not so much by hearing reading praying or any other publike exercise as we should neither must we sticke to reason with our selues and to contemne our selues as faultie either in omitting something to be done or committing something to be vndone before we addresse our selues to our publike duties Now that this examining and stirring vp of our selues may the better be done it is requisite contrarie to the long and loathsome practise of the most part of men that we rise earely on the Sabbath day We see young men will rise earely to resort to matiages to feastings to goe a maying to ringing
of learning They that want this how much soeuer they haue heard or read yet shall they neuer haue sound and setled iudgement And this is one cause why it is said that the greatest Clerkes are not the wisest men Meditation of the affections is when hauing a thing in iudgement we euer digest it and make it worke vpon our affections It is continuall searching of our selues and labouring to lay vp all things in the treasures of our hearts The other will goe away except this be ioyned with it for iudgement will away except we frame our affections vnto it Meditation in iudgement goeth before then this must follow that we may be sound in iudgement before we either feare or cheere vp our hearts least we haue false feares or false ioyes Many are of sound iudgement and yet haue not their hearts purged and touched they can giue counsell to others but cannot follow it themselues because they ioyne not affection with iudgement Meditation without reading is erroneous and reading without meditation is barren The next thing is conference In naturall things man standeth in neede of helpe then much more in spirituall things he standeth in neede of others And as iron sharpneth iron so one friend another Pro. 27. And as two eyes see more two eares heare more and two hands can doe more than one so this is a speciall communion of Saints God hath promised that when two or three are gathered together in his name that he will be present with them by his spirit as he was corporally with his Disciples going to Emaus Conference is either with Ministers of God Our equals Or others This rule must be kept that conference with our equals must be of those things which we heard of our Ministers as it must be kept also in meditation which is a conference with our selues We must for a time like babes hang at the mouthes of the Ministers because we cannot runne before we goe nay we cannot goe without a leader No man may presume to vnderstand aboue that which is meet to vnderstand but labour to vnderstand according to the measure of sobrietie as God hath dealt to euery one the measure of faith and when they haue laid the foundation then build the walles and pillars The Eunuch would not interpret the word without a guide but he laid it vp in his heart as the Virgin Mary did For want of true humilitie conference is slandered because it is vsed after an euill manner as before they be surely grounded in principall points of religion to talke of other matters aboue their capacitie and knowledge Secondly we must come in loue without anger enuie or desire of victory therefore in conference we must vse the preparation spoken of before the want of which maketh much â—anglings and wranglings in companie Lastly we must procure things honest before men that it may be done wisely without confusion and destruction and not by too great a multitude that we may affoord our doings before men not with the doores shut least any man should heare This is the difference betweene the conference of the godly and religious and the conuenâ—cles of Heretikes The next thing is faith The word must be mixed with faith Heb. 42. The word which they hear a profited them nothing because it was not mixed with faith But all haue not faith therefore the Prophet Esay said Lord who will beleeue our report And Luke 18. 18. Suppose ye that the Sonne of man when he commeth shall finde faith on the earth All the former must be vsed to refine faith for as gold before it be pure is seuen fold tried in the fire so faith which is much more precious than gold must goe through all these meanes Faith here is an increase of all that in * preparation A Merchant must haue something before he be a Marchant but he occupieth to increase and get more so we must beleeue in Iesus Christ by a generall faith going before but we must vse all the forenamed meanes to increase our knowledge and faith in all particulars One may be a faithfull person generally and yet an vnbeleeuer in particulars As Christs Disciples to whom he said If â—â— had faith but as much as a graine of mustard seed c. As Abraham Rebecca and Zacharie had There is a difference betweene faith and opinion or knowledge for our knowledge and opinions vanish away in afflictions but as golde is tried in the fire so faith will abide the fire of affliction Sathan winowed Peter but his faith failed not for Christ failed not for Christ praied for him and for his Disciples and for all beleeuers that their faith should not faile Next followeth practise That we haue a desire that the word may bring forth increase of faith and repentance Psal. 119 98. By thy commandements thou hast made me wiser than my enemies for they are â—â—â—â— with me The practise of Infidels is nothing because it is not ioyned with faith But Christ saith Blessed are they which heare and doe And so saith Iameâ— that this is that assureth vs that we haue faith He that doth this is compared vnto him that buildeth his house vpon a rocke and our workes are not the foundation of the house but then we haue builded vpon Christ when we ioyne the fruits of our faith with knowledge they will speake for vs to our consciences and to others Our Sauiour Christ saith That that seruant that knoweth the will of his maister and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes for it is worse to offend of knowledge than of ignorance And why should he giue vs any more if we practise not that we haue For to him that hath shall be giuen but from him that hath not shall be taken away c. Why do many hearing the word either continue or increase in their blindnes but because they would not practise that they knew and also euen that they had is taken from them If a good conscience be not ioyned with faith faith shall be taken away and errors succeed If then we be forgetfull we must confesse that the want of practise is the cause thereof The rule of reason in all things is that the best way of learning is by practise then how much more if we practise will God increase our talents The last thing is praier which must be vsed both in the beginning in the middle and in the end Prayer must be in all the former meanes for without it we can neuer vse them nor haue any blessing by them Prayer containeth vnder it Prayer Thankesgiuing For prayer that it must be vsed when wee reade it is plaine 1. Cor. 2. The eye hath not seene c. meaning not onely the ioyes contained in the kingdome of heauen but euen those that are contained in the word And againe in the same place As no man knoweth the heart of a man but the spirit of
bodie also whereby he brought grace and restored holines as well to the body as the soule seeing both body and soule had lost the same by transgression He ascēded not only in soule but in body also because he would giue glorie to the body and the soule seeing he had purchased them both Wherefore it must needes follow that there shall be a resurrection of the flesh For if by faith we are made bone of his bones and by faith are made partakers of his flesh Ioh. 6. and Christ did all these things in his body the vertue whereof we must receiue from him how should all this be if there were no resurrection The meanes whereby we come vnto Christ require also that this should be so First we know the word pierceth our bodies as well as our soules for the eye is to see the Sacraments the eare to heare the tongue to speake the word and the bodie hath it duties as well as the soule in receiuing and obeying of the word and therefore the force and fruite of the word shall as well be shewed on our bodies as on our soules Likewise in offering our prayers we haue the vse both of the soule and bodie For we lift vp pure hands and kneele with our knees we eleuate our eyes we crie with our voyces we prostrate our whole bodies and therefore as God hath made both for his glory in this life so hath he appointed to glorifie both in the life to come Again in the Sacraments there are actions of the body as well as of the soule for the body is dipped into the water and taken out againe in the sacrament of Baptisme and therefore if Baptisme be a token of our resurrection to grace and that in bodie and soule we are not to doubt but that the bodie shall rise againe as well as the soule In the Eucharist also we are solemnely occupied in both parts for as the soule in beleeuing so the eies in beholding the bread broken and wine powred out the eares in hearing the word the hands in handling the outward elements the mouth in tasting them are deuoutly occupied and therefore the fruite of it must appeare as well in the bodie as in the soule Now to proue this by other creatures of God the Angels desire this day and the other creatures sigh and groane waiting when the Sonne of God shall be reuealed the diuels feare it and therfore they crie to our Sauiour Christ Why persecutest thou vs before our time Againe the very confusion which is in things sheweth that there is a time when they shall be brought into order againe as they were created in order at the first And man himselfe especially must looke for it and cannot be without it whether we looke to the manifold profits which come by it or to the wonderfull inconueniences by the want of it Why doe men endure the crosse so patiently why doe they abstaine from euill so carefully why do they follow that which is good so cheerefully but that because they looke for a glorious resurrection which is the full end of all God his promises without the which the most godly are most miserable and the most wicked lesse vnhappie For if this were not what sanctification would appeare what sinne would not appeare how few would be good how many would be ill how should God be dishonoured how should good men be disinherited who would care to worship God in their bodies or who would make conscience to keepe their bodies from sinne FINIS A TREATISE OF EXAMINATION BEFORE AND AFTER THE LORDS SVPPER 1. Cor. 11. 28. Let a man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cuppe THese words are ordinarie and well knowne and they containe a sanction or decree whereby the Apostle taketh order for euery mans examination before the participation of the mysterie of the Supper And two things chiefely are to be stood vpon in these words First the necessitie of examination and then the manner of it For the first it may seeme speaking in the phrase of our teaching Let a man examine himselfe that it is but an aduising or a counsell rather than a commaundement yet in the originall tongue the word runnes in that tearme that Princes Parliament lawes and commaundements doe vse to runne in the word I say is as much as if it were said Be it enacted be it decreed or prouided so that the indifferencie in our tongue in the originall seemeth a necessitie Now albeit the commaundement ought to be of sufficient credite with vs and we without all adoe to yeeld vnto it yet hauing receiued it by faith we are to enter into the reasons of this streight examination and finde out the causes of the execution hereof The reasons may be reduced into two heads it standeth either vpon a great reuerence of the person with whom we are present as we see men busilie prepare themselues when they are to come before some honourable personage or beside the dignitie of the person vpon the excellencie of the profit of the things receiued in respect whereof we are also to prepare our selues as in receiuing Physicke we prepare our selues that the prescript may more effectually worke vpon vs so that for both these things we prepare our selues and they both meete together in the Lord his Supper For though we should not haue an eye at all to the profit yet the very reuerence of the person with whom we sit ought to make vs haue regard to this thing according to that rule Prou. 23. 1. When thou sittest at meate with a ruler consider diligently what is before thee and prepare thy selfe well to sit at the table with such a man Albeit Ioseph when Pharaoh sent for him knew not why he was sent for and thought little of that successe of his going which sell out afterward yet because he was to stand before a King and because he was a miserable prisoner he shaued his head and changed his raiment to go to so high and royall a personage The same is confirmed vnto vs in that parable where we see that not only they are reiected which make excuses and refuse to come but such also as hauing once been admitted come vnprepared without their mariage garmēts to honour the mariage of the Kings Sonne because they did not orderly addresse themselues Therfore this table in the Church being but a representation of the table whereat our hearts doe communicate in the kingdome of heauen where is present not only the beloued spirits hoast of Angels but the glorious Trinitie we are I say in respect of God the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost and all the Court of heauen with great solemnitie to prepare our selues But yet we ought to do it more if we consider what great preparation hath been vsed in things inferiour to this in the law though then there were no commaundement for
that before the foundation of the world was laide the foundation of our saluation was made before we sinned the remedie against sinne was found before the maladie the Lord had prepared a medicine before wee were damned he had purposed a way how wee should be saued In respect whereof seeing we are rather to reioyce in this that our names are written in heauen than if wee had power without hurt to treade on Scorpions or had spirites subdued vnto vs Luke 10. 19. 20. wee conclude with the Prophet Psalm 65. 4. Blessed is the man O God whom thou chusest and causest to come vnto thee The substance of this blessednes is our redemptiō in Christ Iesus which is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Ioh. 1 29 by whose blood we haue the forgiuenes of our sinnes Ephes. 1. 7 and by whose Spirit when we haue beleeued the Gospel wee haue the earnest of our inheritance Ephes. 4. 14. The excellent price whereof is set out vnto vs herein in that being filthy in the blood of our sinnes he washed vs with his owne blood Heb. 9. 14. in that hee being iust suffered for vs being vniust 1. Pet. 3. 18. in that we being of no strength vngodly he died for vs Rom. 5. 6. in that we being enemies through sinne were reconciled by him to God the Father Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore seeing he is Blessed whose wickednes is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Psalm 32. 2. let not the wise man glorie in his wisedome as though it made him happie nor the strong man glorie in his strength neither let the rich man glorie in his riches but let him that glorieth glorie in this that hee knoweth the mercie of the Lord wherein consisteth our saluation Ier. 9. 23 24. And let vs all learne the meaning of the salutation of Elizabeth to the virgin Marie Luk. 42. Blessed art thou because the fruite of thy wombe is blessed The formal cause is the illumination of God his spirit making vs capable of the former mysteries sealing them to vs with such assurance in our hearts that wee dare boldly crye Abbafather that wee dare boldly say If God bee on our side who can stand against vs Such blindnesse folly and incredulitie possesseth vs by nature that of our selues we can neither see into these mysteries of our saluatiō nor beleeue the thing we see concerning our comfort vntill we haue receiued of this Spirit which cōmeth from aboue For none commeth to Christ vnlesse the father draw him and how draweth he but by inlightening the hearts of his elect by the holy Ghost Ioh. 6. 44 Wherefore seeing these things are not reuealed vnto vs but by the Spirit 1. Corinth 2. 14. we end with that blessing of the Lord Iesus to Peter Matth. 16. 17. Blessed art thou Simon thou sonne of Ionah for flesh and blood hath not opened this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen The instrumentall cause is partly within vs as faith partly without vs as the word and the appurtenances accompanying the same as Prayer the Sacramēts the discipline of the Church Faith being the ground of things which are hoped for the euidence of things which are not seene Heb 11. 1. doth so applie the promises of God to our proper and peculiar comforts that it sealeth vs vp to the Lord affoording a certaine testimonie to our hearts that we haue not in vaine receiued of the good spirit of God Now because there is a certaine kind of faith which Satan himselfe doth broach in his schoole and propounds as a principle to all his schollers seeing the Papists vrge faith in their vnwritten verities the Familists will haue it in their foolish reuelations The Turke requireth it in his dry speculations of Mahomet and the wizzard will seeme to demaund it in his deuillish incantations we must not beleeue euery spirit but trust to the word onely which is our sure load-starre and touch-stone and being it selfe firme doth make our faith in it most firme sure and vnchangeable This blessednesse to haue the Lord communicate himselfe to vs by his word is priuiledged aboue that praise which the woman gaue our Sauiour Christ Luk. 11. 27. as may appeare by his sharpe answer Yea blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Wee conclude then with the Psalmist Blessed are they that dwell in the house of the Lord they will euer praise him Blessed is the man whose strength is in the Lord and in whose heart are his waies Psal. 84. 4. 5. If the Queene of Saba coūted those men happy that might stand before Salomon and heare his wisedome 2. Chron 9. 7. if Dauid thought it a high recompence and princelike benefit to preferre the sonne of Barzillai to sit at the table of Salomon how great is our happines to heare the wisedome of Christ how high is our blessednes to sit at the table of the Lord where not Salomon but a greater than Salomon is present where not Salomon but a wiser than Salomon speaketh vnto vs Behold then the causes of true blessednes which are our election redemption illumination sanctification all which are sealed vnto vs by the holy Ghost the spirit working faith through the word preached Christ Iesus so sending his Spirit to renue vs God the Father sending his Sonne to redeeme vs redeeming vs to call vs calling vs to iustifie vs iustifying vs to sanctifie vs sanctifying vs hee sealeth vs by his spirit and so by all these doth hee lay the sure ground-worke of our saluation and eternall blessednes Concerning the effects of blessednesse some are inward and some are outward the effects inward are partly in respect of our selues only partly in regard both of our selues and of others those in our selues are either concerning mortification or about our sanctification The first of these is both truly orderly couched in that sermon of the Lord Iesus Marth 5. where those men are set in the first ranke who are emptied both of the opinion of their owne wisedome and of all perswasion of their owne righteousnesse and of those it is said Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Now because many haue lost their hold in iudgement who haue not so throughly giuen ouer in affection in the next degree happines is promised to such who are so farre descended into the sight of their owne vilenes and sense of their naturall coruptions that they are not onely conuinced of an vnrighteousnesse inherent in their iudgements but also are much humbled for it in their affections of whom the Lord of comfort hath thus determined Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted Further for that Sathan laboureth and preuaileth much in ouer comming exercised mindes with pettie shames a thing oft incident to afflicted consciences the next be atitude is allotted to them that are meeke in spirit
make conscience of sinne being knowne the Lord visiteth vs with priuate and publike meanes that as the wicked shall be without all hope ease or end tormented in hell so these in mercie and measure should haue their hearts broken which because they would not doe by the louing inuocating and inuiting of them by the Lord therfore it is done by some crosses Secondly it respecteth the regenerate either to continue them in their good estate or to keepe them from some grosse sins For God his children doe sometime fall and alwaies may fall if God keep them not Because Dauid and Manasses had sinned God sent them the crosse that they might not forget him Now because the same may be in vs if the Lord will powre out his wrath vpon the wicked surely he will not suffer his owne children to be vncontrolled We must not then as some are wont to doe say Did not Dauid sinne make ye so much at me was not Dauid a great sinner and yet saued It were well indeed if we would binde Dauids sinne with Dauid his repentance or if we consider how the Sunne was turned into darkenes the Moone into blood in his kingdome if we shall see the pillars of Gods iudgements and vapours of God his wrath against him among his owne how his sonnes rebelled they that would be Counsellers became traitors and how the wicked caitifes insulted ouer him we would surely know that it did little helpe vs to reckon vp Dauid his sinning This doth God to sow the lips of the wicked that they should not say that God doth spare and punisheth not sinne in his and that they should not dreame of escape when his owne seruants are so punished And although God his children presently fall not but are readie to fall he wrappeth them often in the crosses of the wicked not so much to punish any sinne present but to preuent in them some sinne to come that thereby taking away the occasion of sinning he might humble them before they fall Againe albeit they be not subiect to grosse sins yet because they are oft puft vp with priuie pride dead vnmercifull dull forsaking their first loue sometime neither hot nor cold luke warme without zeale briefly in that they are not as God his children should be or as they themselues sometimes and before haue been the Lord in wisedome correcteth these wants and infirmities that from infirmities they should not burst out into enormities from sinning of ignorance they should not sin against conscience and from secret sinnes that they commit not presumptuous sinnes For this cause Reuel 3. the Lord sent plagues on the Church of Laodicea not so much for grosse and notorious sinnes but because they were not humbled and zealous enough but such as might more easily haue fallen into deeper enormities hereafter If men vse to trie gold seuē times in the furnace not for any masse of drosse in it but to proue it how much more had the Lord neede to trie our faith although we be not giuen to any great and notable crime For as there may be two vses in the trying of gold the one to purge it from drosse the other to fine it the more so there are two vses of corrections the one to punish sinne the other to trie their faith And although the Lord more principally doth not punish sinne but rather secondarily chiefly trying the patience of his children yet when men cannot accuse vs neither we can accuse our selues yet the Lord will purge vs from some secret corruption which may breede a sinne in time to come And hereupon it commeth that priuie pride secret selfe-loue close couetousnes hidden hypocrisie and such like are counted sinnes of God his children though of worldlings they be thought good vertues But some will say Is this the truth ye sticke to Is this the Gospell which ye professe See what hurliburlies see how many opinions there are what a companie of religions are start vp see what denying of the faith what grosse sinnes are sprung vp see what deaths plagues and warres are accompanied with it Surely it seemeth that this is not the Gospel Before all things were in better case no such disturbance in religion no such noise of notorious sinnes no such turmoilings on euery side all things were at good quiet but now we haue more troubles than euer in former times were heard of The wicked do not onely breake their neckes at this blocke but God his owne children haue daungerously stumbled at it For when Iob Dauid Ieremiah without God his spirit beheld the prosperitie of the wicked and the aduersitie of the godly they confessed their feete had almost slipped sauing that they durst not condemne the generation of God his children To remedy this the holy Ghost saith that when the graces of God doe most appeare then will the Lord send greatest iudgements for the contempt of his Gospell in the wicked and for the neglect of it in the godly Now this is foretold that we might not be offended when it commeth this vse doth Christ teach vs to make of it These things haue I told you before that when they come to passe c. For to God his children being but babes in Christ this is a great temptation And to come to our daies Doth it not trouble men much that there be so many vnlearned Ministers of learned Ministers that there be so many vngodly men that they see such oppressing Magistrates such rebellious people such carelesse gouernours that there is such an height of subtiltie in couering and cloaking sin where is most knowledge such running to sinne where is most preaching and where the Gospell is receiued that there should be such sects and heresies when they shall see the Papists readie to outface the Gospell what may a man do now or how may he stay himselfe if the Lord should leaue him Surely God hath foretold it Euen as the Sunne then shining bright the Moone giuing light the cleere aire are tokens of God his loue so much more the word and as these being darkened obscured shew God his wrath so the word obscured doth testifie his wrath much more Yea if dearths plagues famine or such like come we must be forewarned of them And our Sauiour Christ when men asked him signes he told them of many and Mat. 24. that there should be such wonders in the heauens in the earth and in the seas that euen the very elect should be confounded almost Now if Christ had not forewarned these things in the equitie of his iudgement we might indeed haue had some occasion of offence And for this cause our Sauiour Christ saith Matth. 11. Blessed are they that are not offended in me because such confusions shall be that men will be readie to lay the cause of these things on the Gospell and on the word and therefore blessed are they that are forewarned of these things and know why they come If the Iewes would not
persons loth for to pray know that prayer is not a thing of the mouth but of the minde not a sounding of the voyce but a yerning of the spirit not a labour of the lips but a trauailing of the heart and therefore will confesse giuing God the glorie to their owne shame that they had rather heare the word two houres than thus seriously striue in prayer one quarter of an houre And why It is a small thing to lend the eares in hearing it is easie to feede our delight with hearing a man renewing our knowledge but to set on worke the eye the eare the hands to trauell with the heart to set the whole bodie in a frame of subiection as becommeth them that pray to the Lord which sheweth that prayer is a thing both painfull and laborious we shall proue it to be a very hard thing Prayer bringeth the experience of the things which wee know and without it we haue as little proofe of our knowledge as they haue vse of an hidden treasure which neuer are the better for it The word maketh knowne to vs the treasures of God his wisedome but faith bringeth the experience of them by applying and appropriating these mercies of God to our selues prayer is the instrument whereby this faith is continued in vs. The word telleth vs that God will plague sinners prayer brings an experience of this The word telleth vs that God careth for vs prayer proueth this the word sheweth that the Lord hath both power and mercie to shew to his people prayer obtaineth the triall of this the word reuealeth to vs the wisedome prouidence maiestie and goodnes of God prayer conueieth the certaintie of these things into vs. God will bee glorified wholy and onely and cannot abide that wee should be fellow-partners with him therein If a man come by knowledge faith and repentance by hearing it is rather an infusion into a man than an action from a man and it is the great mercie of God but when the Lord brings a man on his knees and humbles him in prayer and constraineth him to aske all of God that wee might heare rightly and so vse the things heard this breaketh the heart of a man and makes him to say Great is the Lord. This I say humbles a man to acknowledge his wants this calleth downe many blessings both spirituall and corporall from the Lord. We know that though a father is readie and fully hath purposed to leaue an inheritance vnto his children yet to acquaint them with obedience he will haue them aske things of farre lesse value at his hands so God notwithstanding he hath purposed to giue vnto vs an heauenly inheritāce which in Christ is purchased yet to continue vs in faith and obedience he will haue vs to aske it of him If mans wisedome can come thus farre shall we not hereby gather the wisedome of God If man hath this pitie shall we doubt of mercie in God and as prayer bringeth experience of God his loue so also it proueth our knowledge faith and repentance For if we will be suiters at God his hand wee must not willingly displease him For we see that when we would obtaine a suite of a man we will be carefull not to offend him least we should suffer repulse and likewise when we pray we must addresse our hearts to obedience and therefore the Scripture speaketh of clensing our hearts of hypocrisie and vnfaithfulnes If this care be had in suites for things corruptible that willingly we will not offend him to whom we sue then must wee know that God is Lord of the spirits and therefore to pray vnto him without auoyding things displeasing him and doing things pleasing him is but grosse by pocrisie Hee must needes be a godly man then that prayes often and if wee be so bold to pray nourishing some sinne in vs besides that we are dull in prayer wee are inwardly both accused and accursed Hereof comes such plentifull acknowledging of our sinnes in prayer with a purpose to auoide them hereof come such vowes and protestations of obedience so that prayer doth not onely continue repentance but also breedeth thankfulnes For it is our corruption when we know that we obtaiened a thing any other waies than by prayer that then we ascribe it to the meanes but when we see God hath heard our prayers it sealeth our faith it confirmeth our thankfulnes True it is that God giueth many mercies without praying yet this must the more make vs thankfull and nothing slacke vs in vsing the meanes which God hath appointed That prayer further confirmeth loue to God it is manifest alreadie now we must shew how it worketh loue euen to our brethren When a man comes to pray and hath this choake-peare that he must forgiue or else not be forgiuen he must needs be either an hypocrite in his prayer or cease from prayer or forgiue his enemies It is palpable hypocrisie to desire God to forgiue vs many and great sinnes and we will not pardon our brother a few and light offences If we will take a view of the weight height length depth and breadth of our sins we will confesse it hypocrisie to craue pardon for so many sinnes being hardly brought to forgiue others a fewe trespasses And for this cause the Scripture saith If yee forgiue not others yee cannot be forgiuen If then Prayer be such a thing as nature doth least entertaine if it brings such experience of God his loue towards vs if it so confirmeth Faith continueth repentance and causeth loue both to God and man it is good cause that this is set to inferre the other and to make all other parts of God his worship the more effectuall Hee shall be saued That is in the midst of diseases he shall not be taken away in the time of iniquitie he shall not be ouertaken but in all these he shall suffer with Faith and a good conscience Besides by the word of sauing is meant the obtaining of all graces as pledges of our saluation and gages of our inheritance so that it doth not barely betoken an exempting of vs from the former iudgements threatned Will a man then escape the wrath menaced and enioy the grace promised let him vse true and heartie prayer which hath it fruite commended vnto vs both in the chapter going before in the election of an Apostle and also in the beginning of this chapter in that being gathered together in prayer the holy Ghost was sent downe Now let vs speake a little of the circumstances First of the persons it is said Whosoeuer Secondly for the extremitie of the time it is said shall be saued that is from those iudgements and endued with those graces that euen then when there shall be so many opinions that we shall not bee able well to discerne the truth when wickednes shall abound euery where examples of godlinesse be no where when wee shall be able to finde no comfort either in our selues
most full of Gods spirit he was then led to be tempted in the wildernesse when he was most furnished he was most tried On like manner when wee haue receiued some great gifts wee must looke both that the Lord for his part will take some triall of them and that Satan also watching for the richest pray and gaping for a man when he hopes to haue the best spoyle will for his part there vse the most force and cunning where he findeth the rarest and most notable seruants of God partly because he most enuieth them and partly for that by pride he thinketh soonest to inueigle them Wherefore if Gods children shall truly examine their owne hearts in this sinne they shall haue some testimonie and triall in themselues whether they bee thankfull for Gods mercies in truth or no if hauing receiued much they feare much and by how much the more they increase in gifts by so much they grow the more iealous ouer their thoughts wordes and deedes and sit as it were in the watch-tower of their hearts viewing to espie euen their least declinings Which thing if we could doe in trueth hee should not so haue the graces of God and feeling of the spirit by fits but both in greater measure and longer continuance the want of which heede taking to our selues constraineth the Lord to punish vs as I sayd with dulnes and deadnes of spirit thereby to preserue vs from viler sinnes which otherwise our pride and securitie would carrie vs headlong into And were it so that in reuerence and feare wee could attend more on the Lord we should not haue his good spirit so rare a guest vnto vs wee should finde the increase and returne of greater consolations than we haue Why doe men then so much marueile at the dulnes of minde comming on them after some rare feelings of the spirit and when they haue tasted ioyes glorious and vnspeakable and thinke that now all the fruites of Gods grace are as cleane gone away in them as if they neuer had tasted of the power of regeneration seeing vnthankfulnes is so ordinary and vsuall a sinne with vs But admit we haue some good witnesse of conscience and our heart telleth vs that we haue been thankfull then must we thinke that the Lord doth trie vs and will bring vs to acknowledge that the thing we had was his onely gift to giue and take away at his pleasure and that it came not from our selues as a thing to command at our becke Howbeit vsually and for the most part our vnthankfulnes is the cause of this dulnes Now albeit this kind of buffeting be grieuous vnto vs yet wee must not desire vtterly to be freed from it because by it our pride is cured For if that chosen vessell and seruant of the Lord Paul so abounding in graces of the spirit so frequent in fasting so often in prayer watchings and temptations could not preuaile against this sinne seeing by all these former waies hee could not subdue this corruption in the flesh we must not dreame and delude our selues that wee vsing nothing so many helpes of mortification should vtterly be rid from the same When the Lord then shall exercise vs with this pricke in the flesh although it is the messenger of Satan to buffet vs yet we must take hold on this to our comfort that the Lord disposeth and moderateth it and though wee be often and long assaulted with it yet still wee must mislike it we must still be grieued for it and pray in Christ against it we must tremble and hee humbled in our selues that wee should haue such strange and doubting thoughts of Gods wisedome power maiestie and prouidence c. and yet in such manner and measure as knowing it to be Gods mercie that by these meanes the Lord would keepe vs from more vile and enormous crimes Further and besides this the Lord giueth vs to see such monsters of the minde to forewarne vs and to make vs more afraid of falling into the outward action of sinne Thus wee haue often temptations of vnbeleefe to make vs to feare the falling from the faith we haue priuie discourses of Poperie to shew what a dangerous thing it were to be giuen ouer vnto Poperie wee haue often vile thoughts of adulterie murder and theft to driue vs more earnestly to pray that we neuer fall into thâ—â—e sinnes in action And for this cause they that will not make some holesome instruction of their inward temptations nor suspect their falling into the action of sinne by the affection of sin often fall for their pride suddenly into adulteries murthers thefts heresies poperie and such like Thus the Lord coÌ„meth by the messenger of Satan the pricke of the flesh to try vs whether wee will sticke to the word preached or to such suggestions ministred to tri our faith to confirme vs in the fauour of God when wee shall obtaine the fauour of God who often assisteth his children being humbled euen in most dangerous assaults and leaueth them being puft vp in the least temptations so as they fall that thereby they may know what helpe is of God and not of man And howsoeuer flesh and blood counteth this but a paradoxe yet sure it is that our case is worse when the Lord ceaseth by such meanes to â—â—ft fanne vs than when he holdeth vs from some profitable temptation for our exercise For we shall see many who desiring rather to â—e freed from the crosse than to reape the fruite of it although for the time wherein they endured their temptations at the first they were cleere and innocent yet afterward haue fallen most grieuously because they would not profit by those temptations which the Lord sent either to punish some sinne past not throughly repented of or to correct some sinne present not espied or to forewarne vs of sinne to come not suspected of vs â—ome haue been tempted to heresie some to pride some to worldlines who disdainfully looking at such thoughts as matters of no importance though they were before vnattainted of these euils yet now haue come to be heretikes proude persons worldlings This ought to teach vs then most to suspect our selues when wee thinke our estate safest And blessed is the mâ—n that fâ—â—reth alâ—â—â—es This numbnes of the soule striueth and striketh deeply euen against the ordinance of God for our saluation I meane the word the Sacraments and praier so that oftentimes our case standeth thus we thus say iâ—â— our selues If I heare the word so it is I feele no great want of it in receiuing the Sacraments I haue no pleasure in not receiuing them I haue no griefe If the exercises of religion priuate and publike bee vsed there is noâ— much good done if they bee omitted there is no great hurt done if I haue spare time I can goe vnto them if I haue neuer so little businesse I can keepe me away
vndefiled before God is to visit the fatherlesse that â—s the effect and fruite of true religion which God requireth with the hearing of his word is to visit the fatherlesse And Esai 58. 6. Is not this the fasting that I haue chosen to loose the bands of wickednes c. That is is not this the fruite of fasting which I haue chosen And so likewise is it meant of the Sabbath in the same place the fruite and effect whereof is to rest from sinne But why then doth the holy Ghost rather name the effect thaÌ„ the meanes the fruit thaÌ„ the cause Euen because though we haue the meanes and doe not vse them to effect it were altogether vnprofitable as we see many carnall professors who rest too long in the meanes but make no conscience to shew the effect of them What then Shall we so rest in the effects as with the Heretikes of our time we should contemne the meanes Shall we not eate and drinke because we liue not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the word of God Shall we not build because vnlesse the Lord helpeth the builder buildeth but in vaine Nay as we confesse that the meanes without the effect are vnprofitable so we affirme that to come to the effect we must carefully vse the meanes Wherfore because the cause not producing it effect is nothing worth the effect is rather set down than the cause Let not a man separate those things which God hath ioyned together If we rest in our Sacraments as the Iewes in their Circumcision we shall neuer see the fruite of them If we keepe the Sabbath if we vse fasting vntill our bodies be made most lithe and labour not to become a new creature all is in vaine we separate those things which God hath ioyned together that is the fruite from the meanes Againe if on the other side we thinke now we must obey and not heare the word if it be all that God requireth to doe good and not to pray or that we can beleeue enough without the help of the sacraments we deceiue our selues with a false imagination of righteousnes and we make as great diuorcement on the other side of the meanes from the effect as before we make a separation of the effect from the meanes Aske now the Papists what is their rule and they will shew many meanes as the rule of Heremites of Dominican Friers of their Franciscan Monks of their Augustine Friers and such like Demaund of them what rules they haue of their effects they will say they are come out of the world to liue in monkerie they haue their shauings pilgrimages whipping of their owne bodies voluntarie and monasticall vowes traditions and such like But come to the other rabble who are worse than the beasts of Egypt forsaking the sweete land of Canaan and they will denie all meanes and brag they neuer so much of effects yet in pure effects they be most barren hypocrites If they were as wise as Salomon or as holy as Dauid or as zealous as Paul yet they might frequent the Temple and thinke it a blessing to be in Sion and reioyce in the companie of Christians But to leaue these let vs learne as much as we cast off the traditions of the Pharisies so much to put on the sweete yoke of Christ and let vs carefully vse the word and with the word ioyne prayer and to prayer adde practise vsing the sacraments and by them grow in faith that by faith we may increase in repentance and with the cause marrying the effect and from the fruite neuer diuorce the meanes because God is neither pleased with our fruitlesse ceremonies if we rest in the meanes neither with our holy hypocrisie if we refuse his ordinance This rule the Apostle saith is both for the preachers and for the people for preachers because he opposed this rule against the rule of certaine false teachers for the people in that he nameth them here the Israel of God By this word peace he meaneth the fauour of God or the good successe in our enterprises by mercie he vnderstandeth the goodnes of God in pardoning our sinnes and relieuing of our infirmities First it is probable that he speaketh of these things to Teachers as well to discourage the false teachers as to embolden the pure Preachers of the Gospell against all the glorious assaults of their aduersaries Againe because the preachers of the word haue taken vpon them the guiding and gouernment of the people as well in life as in doctrine and in good example to goe in and out before them he preuenteth the subtiltie of Sathan who might by the euill slanders of the false Apostles mooue these men to some remission in their calling And to put away this temptation the Apostle Paul putteth them in minde of this rule and propounding here a promise he encourageth them notwithstanding their persecutions against all attempts of men and assureth them of God his mercifull protection This promise of the fauour of God to his faithfull Ministers is not only in this place but vsed elsewhere of the holy Ghost as Deuter. 33. 11. Moses the man of God blessing the tribes of Israell saith thus of Leui the Priest of the Lord Blesse ô Lord his substance and accept the worke of his hands smite thorough the loines of them that rise against him and of them that hate him that they rise not againe Thus he comforteth Leui shewing that his ministerie should not be contemned without reuengement And Zachary 3. 1. 2. it is said And he shewed me Iehoshua the hie Priest standing before the Angell of the Lord and Sathan standing at his right hand to resist him and the Lord said vnto Sathan the Lord reproue thee ô Sathan euen the Lord that hath chosen Ierusalem reproue thee Where we see that where God his true Ministers are there is a strife with Satan who is readie for them but yet they are before the Angell that is Christ who will smite the proud force of Sathan that he shall not be able to withstand vs. And Christ sheweth that he hath a common ministerie in and with his preaching by them beseeching some by them also threatning others and therefore as he hath giuen them gifts for his glory so he is armed with power to confound all that lift vp an high hand against them Hereupon he so much authoriseth his Apostles telling them whatsoeuer they bind on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer they loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen Neither doth this or such like promises only concerne them which in euery point of doctrine and discipline are sound and without error but euen them also who holding carefully the foundation which is Christ Iesus through some infirmitie of iudgement build timber hay or stuble as wee may see 1. Cor. 3. Wherefore if a man preach that we are all condemned through sinne and that there is no saluation without Christ
who although we haue the generall rule of our doings yet faile in the particular practise thereof I beleeue He confesseth that all wisedome was in Gods word and this although we confesse yet in practise wee often thinke that some wisedome of men must be added thereto But hee confesseth that all wisedome is in the word and that it is sufficient to make men perfect Vers. 67. Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keepe thy word THis is another reason which moued him to pray that hee might not be as a horse alwayes beaten but teach me that I may preuent these beatings If I be taught of thee I misse not if I be not I erre In prosperitie I could not seeke to be taught but in affliction drawe me thereunto so that now I desire to be taught of thee If prosperitie made this man worse seeing we are in prosperitie let vs be iealous of our selues and now seeke for that which God will bring vs to by affliction and which will bring affliction vpon vs. If hee will heare when wee humbly crie in affliction how much more if wee make our humble suite in our prosperitie Afflictions come because we will not iudge our selues then it is a blessing to haue the word to iudge vs and the Preacher to rebuke vs that our wanton lusts may be corrected Then wee are fond if wee will bee wearie of the word or of daily admonition If the word helpe in affliction how much more in prosperitie if we tend thereto Whom God loueth hee correcteth and wee shall know that God loueth vs when we are corrected if we be made better by it for in it selfe it is a punishment of sinne but when in the death of Christ it is sanctified to vs so that it maketh vs dye to sinne and that sinne is loathsome to vs then is it a token of Gods fauour For afflctions are common to all Eccles. 9. but when we profit by them then are they good to vs. For if good things become hurtfull if they bee not sanctified much more shall afflictions if they bee not sanctified in the death of Christ to make vs examine our wayes and see our sinnes and to driue vs to Christ. But the wicked are either worse or no better Then wee must profit by them or else we make away for a greater punishment Vers. 68 Thou art good and gratiâ—us teach me thy stâ—tutes HE desireth to be taught by God that whether hee were in prosperitie or trouble hee might liue well because prosperitie would make him forgetfull and affliction would ouâ—â— whelme him if God did â—ot teach him This must teach vs that in what state soeuer we be we desire to be taught of God otherwise we shall false After he had shewed that he keepeth Gods commanden eâ—ts he craueth for grace where he pleadeth not his merit Though he kept the word yet he prayeth that he may still be raught because he knâ—w not all and because he was râ—adie to eâ—â—e both in practise and iudgement And tâ—â—s must teach vs not onely to desire to be taught when we eâ—â—e but euen when we doâ— well Hee prayâ—th especially for the teaching of the spirit Vers. 69. The proude haue imagined a lye against mee but I will keepe thy prâ—cepts with my whole heart HE sheweth another cause why hee would be taught and that is hee hath to fight with the world And wee haue the same causes as our corruption and the world The world loueth none but her owne And if we were as zealous as others haue beene wee should be as sore troubled For they are enuious and if wee should fight with them with their owne weapons wee were too weake and therefore wee haue neede to bee helped of God Proud Faith humbleth and infidelitie maketh proud Faith humbleth because it letteth vs see our sinnes and the punishments thereof and that we haue no dealing with God but in the mediation of Christ and that wee can doe no good nor auoide euill but by grace but when men know not this then they thinke much of themselues and therefore are proud Therefore all ignorant men all heretikes and worldlings are proud They that are humbled vnder Gods hands are humble to men but they that despise God doe also persecute his seruants By proude he here meaneth them that had good gifts to teach vs that though wee bee persecuted of them that are in high places yet this is the manner of Gods people These first mocked him part 7. then they did him iniurie part 8. and here they deuise suttle deuices against him and this is the continuall practise of the wicked This is a great temptation to set a faire face vpon an euill cause and to deface a good cause as is noted by the Hebrue word This was great grace that he could withstand it The way is to approue our selues and our cause to God for if we depend vpon men then shall wee be amazed This maketh that true which is Eccles 8. that it happeneth to the good as though they were euill and contra This is the practise of the Familie of loue to raise vp euill reports against the cause of true religion and against the persons and they preuaile much This is the practise of men in these daies to deface the persons by calling them Puritanes and the cause that it will ouerthrow states With my heart The word must haue the whole heart and not a part or else we shall not outstand this temptation He meant that he did throughly meditate not that hee did nothing else For want of this we see that many being well coloured with the word yet doe shrinke when euill reports arise Vers. 70. Their heart is sat as grease but my delight is in thy law HE further sheweth the daunger of this temptation for as they were suttle to deuise wickedly so were they able to bring their wickednesse to passe For by this speech he meaneth that they had all things at their owne will and were through their riches in great authoritie I delight He sheweth how hee ouercame this by fatting his heart with the word as the wicked fatted themselues by their riches or else he should haue been carried away Then let vs neuer rest in reading or hearing the word till wee come to such delight in it as that we fat our selues with it as the worldlings doe with their riches If wee could doe this then should we easily take our hearts from these earthly things for this is the cause that men set their delight on earthly things because they know no better And that they may finde this delight it is needfull that they finde comfort in the promises by the forgiuenes of sinnes by the assurance of Gods fauorable prouidence in this life and euerlasting life afterward which when they feele and finde then shall the word be so sweete that they shall forgoe all things for it Till wee come to this delight temptations
THis shewed first that he prayed against their euill cause secondly that he suffered vniustly first because he suffered for the truth secoÌ„dly because he behaued himself godly in his cause not vsing vnlawful means And we must look that we haue these things before we pray this prayer first that our cause be good secondly that it be rightly handled therefore heretikes and wicked men cannot make this prayer Dauid was long in this trouble and yet he prouoked them not with euill words but laboured to ouercome their euill with goodnes as Psalm 33. So when we doe them no euill when we haue laboured to doe them good and prayed and fasted for them in patience and long suffering then iâ— it be against Gods enemies and their euill causes we may pray this prayer Vers. 86. All thy commandements are true they persecute me fulfâ—ly helpe me HE hath an assured perswasion of the truth of his cause and of the euill vsing of his enemies both which he knoweth by the truth of Gods word this maketh him to stand out in his good cause and to sticke to the truth of Gods word This is a great thing for the diuell will throw into mens minds if this cause were good it should not be persecuted but thou art more precise than needeth c. to this end that if he could once â—â—ing them to doubt of their cause they should leaue suffering for if men bee once perswaded that their cause is euâ—l or if their cause be good and yet if they know iâ— not then can they not suffer for it Therefore if wee will stand in trouble let vs now in peace be assured and grounded in the knowledge of the truth and build vp our selues now in faith and a good conscience For if this be once said to vs of the diuell Thou hast heard much and yet least not profited leaue thy cause betime or else thou wilt shame thy selfe and thy cause toâ— then it must be a great thing that will make vs stand Helâ—â— Though he had been long in trouble so that hee was readie to be destroyed yet hee prayeth contrarie to the reason of the flesh This teached that euen in the greatest trouble we may call vpon God and when all helpe seeâ—eth to be past then is the â—â—me to be holpen because the wickednes of the wicked is at the full and our â—iall is manifest For the lot of the wicked shall not c. Vers. 87. wanteth Vers. 88 Quicken mee according to thy louing kindnes so shall I keepe the testimonie of thy mouth HE sheweth that he was dead and when he desireth to be quickned by louing kindnes he sheweth thâ—t without this there is no quickening for there is no 〈◊〉 I will keep He that kept them before yet in weakenes and his afflâ—ction did somewhat hinder him as Psal. 17. Deliuer me from the affliction c. therfore he 〈◊〉 to keepe them better For troble hindreth the course of obedience and maketh vs â—â—get many things which wee haue learned Then what a benefit haue wee which now are in quiet and haue our libertie Without louing kindnes there is no quickening He playeth to be deliuered that he may keepe Gods commandements and this is the â—ight end of this prayer â—â—ther to be deliuered out of the present euill or to be preserued from it We doe â—â—â—â— pray to be preserued wee pray for our Queene c. But iâ— it be not to this end we 〈◊〉 nothing from beasts This was the end of Dauid in his prosperitie Psalm 23. and this was his ende why hee would bee deliuered from trouble that hee might dwell in Gods house a long season For it was his griefe that hee could not glorifie God Hee desireth to bee quickened to keepe Gods commandements then what are wee that are as dead men when wee heare and pray PORTION 12. LAMED Vers. 89. O Lord thy word endureth for euer in heauen THis part sheweth the comforts that staied him in his trouble his eyes fainted yet hee sawe Gods word to endure for euer in heauen And this is his saith which when hee sawe no helpe in earth yet could lift vp his heart to heauen And hee noteth the weaknes of his enemies that though they had almost made an end of Gods SaiÌ„ts in earth yet they cannot take the word out of heauen which is the seate therof This must comfort vs when persecution waxeth hot so that wee might say with 〈◊〉 I am â—â—â—â— aloâ—e yet the Lord keepeth his word in heauen from whence hee will send it to another place In the confidence hereof Dauid crieth Psalm 2. Why doe c. and in the death of Christ the Sauiour of the world seemed to be dead so that they mocked him He saued others yet Gods word was in heauen and Christ became a Sauiour to them that beleeued When the children of Israel were brought low in Egypt yet Gods word in heauen was true and they returned to the promised land When the Iewes were translated to Babylon so that all hope of returne was taken away yet Daniel and other knewe the word was in heauen that after 70 yeeres they should returne This is true in particular persons as Iob Dauid Ezechias and others being brought very low yet through hope of Gods word which is in heauen they looked for deliueraÌ„ce though they saw no helpe in earth This is good for vs to lay vp against trouble to come and this comforted Bradford Rogers c. which said God would bring his word from heauen to this land againe And because wee cannot see heauen though we must beleeue it by faith which is of things not seene therfore he sheweth that it may be seene in earth Thy truth indureth from generation to generation c. though all things vnder the Sun be changeable yet Gods truth is one for euer Heauen and earth shall passe Matth. 24. and Luk. 21. This generation shall not passe where vnder Ierusalem he setteth out the state of the world till the last day For as the Iewes did not receiue the true Christ so they were deceiued with a false and when they would not looke to cure their soules the Lord sent famine warre and pestilence to consume their bodies and as they would finde no place in their soules for his word so the Lord would leaue them no place in that good land And thus shall the word continue throughout all generations For wheresoeuer the Lord hath a number of his thither hee will send his word to worke in them faith and repentance and so to strengthen them that they shal neuer fall And as for all the rest the Lord will trie them with his word and when they shall be found not to receiue the truth in loue they shall be giuen vp to beleeue lyes afterward loue shall waxe cold and then iniquitie shall preuaile so that the Lord shall bee constrained to send famine and pestilence with which they shall bee exercised till
the Prophet here setteth downe by proofe in his owne person Neither must wee thinke that as it were with a trumpet he doth here blow and sound forth his owne praise but rather by his example is desirous to stirre others vp Vers 98. By thy commaundements thou hast made mee wiser than mine enemies for they are â—uer with me THe first of the particular effects is contained in these words By thy coÌ„mandements thou hast made me wiser than mine enemies Wee see how men now adayes straine their wits to match their enemies in policies deuices but few thinke on this sound meanes whereby we shall surely preuaile against them Now if it be so that whatsoeuer is written is written for our instructioÌ„ and comfort in making mention of the meanes the Prophet of the Lord doth teach vs that it was no extraordinarie worke of the Lord proper to him but a meanes appointed of God for vs all to follow Whereby hee teacheth vs that God will blesse vs to attaine to the like wisedome if we will endeuour to vse the like meanes To apply this to our profit wee must gather the particular out of the generall doctrine on this manner whosoeuer shall haue the commaundements of God euer with him hee shall be wiser then his enemies than his teachers than the ancient but Dauid did so or wee doe so therefore Dauid and we shall finde this wisedome But some man will say Experience teacheth vs a cleane contrarie doctrine that Gods children are not so wise in their light as the children of this world are in their generation I answere That it is true experience prooueth and our Sauiour Christ teacheth but this I adde that the experience commeth from our small sight of the word and not for any want of the word it selfe when Gods children haue it on their side And our Sauiour Christ his speech tendeth rather to shew what it is through our corruption than what it ought to be so that iustly he vseth it to our shame Indeede ciuill wisedome which choketh in them all temptations with worldly delights hauing the diuell to be their schoole master doth worke in them a contentation of minde while for a season they smother as they thinke the iudgements of God breathing vpon them And because on the contarie the spirits of Gods children are occupyed in heauenly things yet often the flesh so laboureth against the spirit that whilest they would be wiser than the Lord or would vse any indirect meanes against their enemies or in vsing good meanes faile in prayer or in not staying themselues on Gods prouidence and appointed time of deliuerance it commeth to passe that they are ouercome But whilest they renounce themselues and their owne wisedome and craue counsaile of God in his word and the direction of his Spirit by prayer whilest they vse good meanes in a good cause and keeping a good conscience waite on the hand of the Lorde they shall bee sure to haue the ouerthrowe of their enemies Proofe doth teach vs that a silly soule in the Countrey which walketh in the wayes of the Lorde will soone discouer the shifting pollicies of a worldly learned man brought vp in the Vniuersitie because the wrath of the Lord hangeth ouer the one and his mercifull spirit watcheth ouer the other But so long as wee will shoote with Sathan in his owne bowe and repell policie with policie what follie shall be found in vs though we can howle loftily with the wolfe and deale cunningly with the Grecians when as the Lord will neuer suffer a good cause to be maintained by euill meanes Some of vs seeke the word but in seeking it we rest in our owne good meaning not humbling our selues before the Lord but our wisdome herein must come from the spirit For we can no more by the eie of reason see the light of the word then Howlets looke vpon the bright Sunne Wherefore the Lord will haue vs in all controuersies with our aduersaries to depend on him and to know that the cause must not depend on our owne shoulders then must we by faith in the bloodshedding of Christ beleeue that our sinnes neither new nor old shall hinder the helping hand of the Lord. We must trust on Gods prouidence and promises and stay our selues by prayer on his wisedome if we look to be wiser than our aduersaries An excellent example hereof we haue to proue that secret sinnes not repented of may hinder the Lords dealing with vs against our enemies We read that after that filthy incest mentioned in Iudg. 17. which made the Leuite whose wife was abused to cut her in twelue peeces and send her through all the parts of Israel there was warre betweene the Beniamites and Israel and the Beniamites being but few in number and maintaining an euill cause in two battels ouercame the Israelites vntil at length they humbled themselues with prayer and fasting and repented of that euill which was amongst them so that in the third assault the Lord gaue his people strength mightily to preuaile against their enemies So we may haue a good cause and vse good meanes and yet for want of reconciling our selues to God for some sinne new or old we may suffer the ouerthrow If then our cause be good we must vse good meanes faith in Christ trust in his prouidence and staying our selues on his wisedome Doe we not see by experience how the Martyrs of God humbling themselues on this maner preuailed in mightie power against their accusers Deut. 4. Moses sheweth that the enemies of God were driuen to confesse that only Gods people were wise euen because God gaue them good lawes This was it that made Ioseph wiser than his brethren Moses wiser than the Egyptians and Daniel than all the Magicians of Babylon and Dauid than all his politike enemies Marke I pray you all figuratiue hyperbolicall and darke speeches the Metaphors and Parables which are in the word of God and you shall finde that they were learned people to whom the bookes were written and had attained that measure of wisedome and knowledge which in our time none can vnderstand but they which are brought vp in learning which thing we may also obserue in them of whom the Histories of the booke of God are written and yet who were more blockish then the Iewes after they had transgressed so obstinately the law of the Lord But shall wee vnderstand this as though the children of God were in euery particular action wiser then the wicked ones No but onely in those things and then wherein and when they vsed this wisedome of the Spirit and gaue themselues and their causes to be gouerned according to Gods word Looke on Dauid who though hee was wise so long as he kept a good conscience yet harkening to policie and not willing to stay himselfe on the simplicitie of Gods word how suddenly was hee ouercome and yeelded so farre that he dissembled euen
policie and his teachers in wisedome so now he sheweth how he went before his elders in prudence and vnderstanding He was wiser than his enemies Why because in all his attempts deliberated not with flesh and blood but asked counsaile of the Lord by the word and by prayer He excelled his teachers in good learning wherefore because he contented not himselfe to stay on the naked rules by them deliuered but further laboured with his conscience to make the vse of them profitable to himselfe He ouer-reached his ancients Why because he euer had a speciall care to keepe a true faith and a good conscience whereof many had made shipwracke Whereof then commeth it to passe that the scholler is often better than his maister commeth it not from hence because the Lord worketh according to his will and bestoweth like effects where like meanes are vsed blesseth and curseth depresseth and raiseth vp according to the vsing and not vsing of necessarie meanes By meditation the iudgemēt of the godly is refined by musing the wicked grow by high degrees to the mysterie of iniquitie For as they be much giuen to this kinde of occupying their mindes so Sathan doth most thereby conuey himselfe into them putting such platformes and deuices into their head that otherwise were wonderfull to come into a mortall mans minde So then they that doe not rest in hearing and reading but endeuour by meditation to finde and draw out an vse of it in themselues wonderfully doe profit and mightily excell others Let vs not rest in our ouersights but stirre vp and prouoke our affections to take a new view of those things which we haue heard whereby we may gather more vnto our selues than that which we haue heard And why Man is a creature reasonable and by the light of nature can thus reason with himselfe if this be true then the contrarie is false if it holdeth in the greater then it holdeth in the lesser If this good thing hath good effects then tho contrarie euill hath ill issues See how knowledge by meditation doth increase Againe because euery member of Christ is annointed with knowledge according to that measure which the Spirit worketh as well the hearer as the speaker may profit by vsing the meanes For by meditation the iudgemēt is refined the wit helped the memory strengthened and stirreth vp affections as thus Is this good I will doe it Is this the obedience rewarded I will obey it Is this forbidden I will auoide it Is this threatned with so fearfull iudgements I quake and tremble to thinke of it By the helpe of this many will speake on a sudden because they speake out of the experience of their owne consciences when the learning of others is in their teachers head or else in their booke It is then the righteous iudgement of God that we are so vnapt to practise wanting dexteritie of wit bereaued of sound iudgement besides many other punishments due to the contempt of Gods word when our owne conscience shall accuse vs saying This good thou mightest haue had this comfort thou mightest haue enioyed hadst thou meditated on the word There remaineth the thrid effect which is in these words I am wiser than the ancient c. Oh notable wisedome that made him wiser than gray haires which are of longer experience He doth not compare himself with dotish old men but the wise Ancients in whom though not the quicknes of wit yet the pith and marrow of knowledge remaineth Neither doth he speake this so much to praise himselfe as to stirre vp others If then we shall see a comely old man speaking law on the bench and desire to heare some wise experience the man of God here telleth vs the way how before those times we may attaine vnto it And through the blessing of God on those meanes the graces of God shall be greater in young yeares if we labour for knowledge and with knowledge ioyne conscience and with conscience practise For the high way to knowledge is to meditate with our knowledge and to tremble in our hearts at the maiestie of the word not ceasing to labour with our selues vntill by musing we haue felt some comfort Here of it proueth that they which haue heard the word of God but a yeare haue more profited thā they which haue heard it sixe yeares For vnto him that hath more shall be giuen and from him that hath not euen that which he hath shall be taken from him If we obserue it we shall finde prophane Protestants who now haue seene three Gouernments which both are ignorant in knowledge and haue gotten many placards and curtaines for their grosse sinnes This may teach vs to see into Gods iudgement who punisheth so seuerely the decay of faith as also the mercy of God towards them that lay vp in their hearts the meditation and in their liues the practise of that which they haue heard I see no more fearefull tokens of the desolations of our times than that men promising whole worlds vnto themselues seeke so much for themselues that they neither desire Gods glorie nor the Churches profit A man may talke with a great Reader and there be some good things in him but talke with an exercised minde and you shall finde in him farre greater and more excellent wisedome Why doe not the old Protestants grow in knowledge as they grow in age but because they doe not vse to meditate Many men seemed to haue good gifts great knowledge and dexteritie of wit who now are destitute and barren of all these heauenly graces What is the cause surely the want of faith and of a good conscience doth make vs faile in many good things or else the cause may be some secret sin not repented of why there is such store of ill and such barrennes of good things So that the Lord striketh many with such follie that they which sometimes tasted of the good graces of God are now become dull heads Another reason why old men doe not grow in knowledge is because the more they haue the more they doe desire Many are so vaine and light that a man shall assoone bring an hogge from his haunt as them from their delights so the Lord doth make them end their age and life in worldlines which spend their liues and youths in vanities If we see one giuen to vanitie what say we Oh there is a wittie yong man if we see one giuen to worldlines what say we Oh there is a iolly thriuing fellow and thus for want of a sanctified wit and sight we remaine fooles and vnthrifts in spirituall things But it standeth with the righteous iudgement of God that they should be depriued of the vnderstanding of heauenly things which so greedily turne al their wits to worldlines On the contrary where we make conscience to meditate we growe from a small graine of knowledge to an whole field of vnderstanding For wee see many vsing their wits to
our selues in meditation and that this depriueth vs of much profit herein in that we doe not appoint some certaine time for meditation moderating other things of our ordinary callings making a conscience sometimes to refraine from our common speeches So our vnderstanding our iudgement our will to practise will be bettered If then at our tables in our beds at our worke we would redeeme some time to reade to pray or to conferre wee should finde wonderfull profit and walking in earthly things we should haue heauenly mindes Vers. 104. By thy precepts I haue gotten vnderstanding therefore I hate all the wayes of falsehood AS in the beginning of this part the Prophet of God protesteth his loue to the word so now in the end he sheweth his hatred to the contrarie This then as we haue partly set down before more largely by Gods grace shall shew hereafter is a true token of loue to the word wheÌ„ we either hate falsehood in religion or corruptioÌ„ in manners We are then to looke into our hearts to see if we hate Poperie and heresie if there bee in vs an hatred against blaspheming of the name of God against adulterie false dealing and such like For we cannot loue the true worship but we must hate heresie we caÌ„not loue Gods name and yet not hate the abusers of it wee cannot loue chastitie and true dealing but we must hate adulterie and vnrighteousnesse But if wee feele our selues to be indifferent persons and come what come may we care not greatly vndoubtedly wee are of no religion For if thou doest not hate an Atheist thou louest not God if thou hatest not heresie thou doest not loue Gods law if thou hatest not adulterie thou art not truly chast if thou hatest not false dealing thou art vnrighteous We see heretiks neuer hate one another because none of them loue the trueth for the Papists can be content with the Familie of loue and the Family of loue with them Wherfore we see that many doe falsely pretend religion chastity and true dealing Note here in that he saith I haue gotten vnderstanding by thy word as though his vnderstanding was the cause of his zealous hatred of the false worship What is the cause then that men doe not hate euill in greater measure because they bee ignorant and knowe nothing Indeede noueltie displeaseth them a little but when they be somewhat acquainted with that which is taught them they will like it well enough Why doe we hand ouer head take any religion euen because we haue not gotten vnderstanding Why doth heresie get such easie entertainment with many of vs because we are vnconstant and borne away with euery blast as witnesse Peter and Iude and because wee are not fast rooted in knowledge as is mentioned Ephes. 4. Many in our countrie are stiffe in heresie because they were neuer sound in iudgement they were euer inconstant they were neuer rooted in Iesus Christ and therefore were carried away with euery puffe of vaine doctrine Some indeede as we haue said before fall for lacke of good conscience but some neuer come so farre because they heard not or else heard very negligently and therefore whosoeuer shall now come and blow an illusion in their eare he shall be heard How shall we know an enemie he commeth vnder the cloake of loue and is couered with the vizard of honestie but his vnderstanding faileth his iudgement is corrupt In that it is here saide all the wayes of falsehood we must note that we are to growe from knowledge to knowledge from faith to faith from glorie to glorie that growing in godly vnderstanding we may grow also in hatred of falsehood This verse may seeme to haue some contrarietie with the verse a little going before where he saith I haue abstained from euerie euill that I might keepe thy law but indeede there is none because no true mortification both here and in that place is required an hatred auoyding of euill Wee must knowe that the way to make good things frâ—â—â—te is the way to feele euill thing sowre As when thou art grieued to feele thine eye an occasion of euill or euill thoughts to bee in thine heart with bitternes and vexation of spirit thou must striue against them and God will giue thee strength to striue not onely without constraint but also of a loue of good and a hatred of euill The first way then vnto righteousnes is wear somâ—â—es of sinne and to striue against it though with great trouble because the more we vexe torment and disquiet our selues the more we shall come to the loue of good and then the hatred of sinne will growe of it selfe If then a man cannot finde this hatred of sinne in him hee must labour to auoide all occasions that hinder his vnderstanding of the truth as distractions troubles of minde and vse all meanes to grow in knowledge as reading hearing conferring and such like For our not profiting in knowledge is our not profiting in hating of heresies and our â—ot hating of heresie is a token of our not profiting in knowledge When we heare then if our hearing doe not worke in vs a loue of the truth and hatred of the contrarie wee haue not profited in knowledge but if we grow in knowledge we shall knowe it by profiting in the loue of the truth and in the hatred of falsehood Wee haue shewed how in the former portion the man of God testifying his affection to Gods law and concluding with his hatred to the contrarie intermiâ—gieth his reasons that because he found by experience that the word of God made him wiser then his enemies than his teachers and the aged and did preserue him from euery euill way therefore he found such comfort in it that no naturall thing was so liking to his outward man as this was to his inward man PORTION 14. NVN. Vers. 105 Thy word is a lantorne vnto my feete and a light vnto my path THis portion following is a prayer to the Lord to bee further instructed in the word of God and to haue his affections thereby more reformed The reasons which hee vseth bee three the first is his faith in the word in that he made account of it to be the onely meanes whereby he should be directed in all his wayes and this is contained in the first verse of the portion Thy word is a lantorne vnto my feete and a light vnto my steps or path The second is his constant purpose to perseuere in the obedience of Gods word in the verse following I haue sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements The third is his miserable calamitie wherein he was which constrained him to pray which appeareth in the next verse I am very sore afflicted O Lord quicken me according to tâ—â—y word These things are afterwards shewed in the verses following as his faith in Gods lawe in the two last and his calamity
This is the chiefest of all that it cannot bee taken from vs for all heresies and sects are discerned by the word truly vnderstood by this I say that the word truly vnderstood giueth faith whereby wee are surely perswaded of the life to come and of the resurrection Paul saith Act. 20. that without faith in the resurrection there is no religion so Ioh. 6. and Phil. 2. Therefore Heresie Papistrie and Paganisme can giue no true inheritance because they cannot assure vs of our saluation Againe the truth giueth vs not imaginarie good things but good things in truth and assureth vs truly that wee shall bee saued and they haue not these they therefore haue no true inheritance He doth not only confesse that he made the Lord his inheritance but also he saith that hee maketh the testimonies of God his inheritance both because they are the meanes whereby we come to haue inheritance in heauen and also because they are assurances of the same For the word is as it were the deede of gift and the Sacraments are as it were seales of the same Almost all men will confesse that the word is to bee had in this singular account but yet few doe attribute this dignitie to the Sacraments And yet as the indenture when the seale is taken away is nothing worth so if we take power from the Sacraments then can we not haue our assurance good If we cannot come to make this account of the word and Sacraments yet as Dauid did let vs be sorie that we cannot He when he was driuen out of his kingdome and banished from the Temple said this will I require that I may behold the faire beautie of the Lord c. Hee had now lost his kingdome wife children and all yet these if they might be restored could not satisfie him vnles he might also be in the house of the Lord. Then let vs labour to haue this desire that if we cannot with ioy finde it wee may with sorrow labour after it Vers. 112. I haue applied mine heart to fulfill thy statutes alway euen vnto the end IN the former verse he shewed his faith and his ioy which came thereof now he sheweth that here in this ioy he will keepe the commandements whereby hee sheweth that this was a true ioy because it wrought a care to doe good For if we beleeue the promises truly then we also loue the commandements otherwise faith is vaine a care to liue a godly life nourisheth faith in Gods promises Here is the cause then why many regard not the word and Sacraments or if they doe a little it is to no purpose because they labour not to keepe the commaundements For vnlesse they haue care to doe this the word of God to them cannot be profitable nor the Sacraments sacred He further sheweth that this was a true care in that it began at his heart for here is the beginning of al goodnes here is the roote of religion and here the foundation of our faith must be laid It is not the refraining from outward actions it is not the restraining of the outward man but it is the heart that wee must trauell about and take care for Hereof it came to passe that many of the Kings people in the books of Chronicles continued in godlinesse and kept an euen and equall course because they prepared their hearts as Ezechias Iosias and others and hereof it came to passe that many fell from the faith because they sought not God in their hearts as the Scribes and Pharisies which clensed the outward actions onely It must then be our lesson which we must studie on to take care to our hearts aboue al things and to make the beginning there For the cleannes of that pleaseth God and the filth of that displeaseth him But when he saith I haue inclined doth hee meane that of himselfe hee could applie his heart as he listed No no he meant nothing lesse For he was conceiued in sinne and how then were the preparations of his heart in his owne hand Againe he prayeth portion 5. Incline mine heart vnto c. where hee doth plainly shewe that it was God that turned his heart at his good pleasure And no maruell truly for the heart of man can no further bee tried out or spied than the Lord doth gage and open it that wee may see thereinto Ierem 17. 9. And againe the hardnesse of mans heart is such that it will sooner breake than bend and may sooner be applied vnto any thing than vnto goodnes Where in the follie of Papists and other heretikes is more than manifest which by this and such like places would proue the freewill of man and that he can incline himselfe to goodnes sâ—eing that here is nothing else meant than that men doe then incline their hearts when God doth incline them so that the Lord he worketh all and yet is it attributed to men when they receiue and pursue the working of God so the heart is free if God maketh it free not else If we presume of our free will when we haue it not we shall purpose and God will otherwise dispose for hereof commeth it that so many fall from their purposes God is not pleased but with voluntarie offering therefore he applieth his heart and we must beware of seruile seruice The constantnes of his purpose to coÌ„tinue in this obedience he sheweth when he saith he will doe it for euer and euer and that at al times not onely at a communion or at a fast or in sicknes but at all times PORTION 15. SAMECH Vers. 113. I hate vaine inuentions but thy law doe I loue HE shewed in the last words of the former part that hee meanes to bee constant to the ende now hee sheweth foure reasons thereof the first reason is the hatred that hee had of all wickednesse in this first verse Hee hath vsed many arguments to proue to his heart that hee loued God and to commend it to others by his example as Paul doth This was one the loue that he had to Gods law secondly his trust in the word thirdly his care to keepe it c. and therefore he often prayeth for it He sheweth his loue of it in that he preferreth it to all other things as in the eight portion The earth is full of thy goodnesse teach me thy statutes hee maketh it sweeter than hony and better and more pretious than siluer His desire that he had to keepe it and the prayers that he maketh for it are to be seene almost in euery portion Here he vseth a proofe drawne from the contraries which is a true and sensible kinde of reason hee loueth the law because hee hated all the waies of false hood either in doctrine or life Our reason will teach vs that there is no agreement betweene fire and water betweene light and darkenes and so if we goe through all the course of nature we shall see that there is no agreement betweene
is it to giue vs his truth to enrich vs with his Gospell and to blesse vs with such abundance of temporall things Oh that this were knowne of vs oh that euery man would say Oh Lord what am I that thou shouldest shewe mee such mercie to giue mee the enioying of thy word and Gospell more than any other and giuing it to mee makest me to vnderstand it aboue many oh what am I that thou shouldest offer to mee this goodnesse I was borne and conceaued in sinne I haue multiplied and enlarged my corruptions both before since my calling my vnthankfulnes is great my vnworthines therefore greater and yet thou hast not ceased to preferre me in mercies before many If we consider the fearefull iudgements of God in consuming all hypocrites who will not say that many haue beene called and few chosen When we shall see I say in the day of the Lord his seuere iudgements to tread downe these hypocrites and cause them to goe from his presence to hell oh how wil we esteeme that we are in Christ and say Oh how loue I thy law For I see thy iudgements are equall and thou dealest not with me in iustice but in mercie not in anger but in loue not in wrath but in pittie therfore they couenant is sweete because I haue deserued thy iudgements and thou hast spared me Vers. 120. My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am afraide of thy iudgements HEre may seeme at the first to be some contrarietie betweene feare and loue sith loue causeth not but casteth out feare For he had saide in the verse going before that hee loued the testimonies of the Lord and here he saith that his flesh trembled for feare Wherefore at the first sight here is some shew of contrariety but indeed there is none For he saith My flesh trembleth c. whereby he sheweth that as he loued the law of God in his inward man and with his part regenerate so it is the outward and olde man and the part vnrenued which is full of corruption that did feare So that as hee had Gods spirit to renue his minde hee had this witnesse in him that he did loue the promises of God but because his flesh rebelleth against the Spirit and hee found many corruptions of nature remaining in him and threatning him that after hee was like to fall againe if the Lord yea but a little should leaue him he saith I am afraid least for my vnthankfulnes and vnworthie refusing of thy mercie thou shouldest leaue me to my selfe and so shouldest make a way to thy iudgements Thus there is an harmonie in the Prophet for because as the flesh hath a trembling feare so the spirit reioyceth Thus as wee haue often heard Gods children finde to their comfort in themselues faith in Gods promises and a delight in his word sometime they are grieued for the absence of this sweetnes of faith in the same For as the presence of Gods spirit bringeth ioy so the absence thereof feare as faith breedeth a loue of Gods promises so infidelitie maketh vs afraid of his iudgements Although Noah had great cause to loue the promises of God for his wonderfull deliuerance so he had great cause to feare himselfe that he might haue fallen afterward Lot also hauing good cause to beleeue and embrace the couenant of God for his safegard had iust occasion also to haue suspected himselfe that he was subiect to falling It is said Prou. 28. 14. Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies but hee that hardeneth his heart shall fall into euill For where feare is not there is securitie securitie breedeth hardnesse of heart and hardnes of heart bringeth Gods wrath Wherfore the Apostle writing to the Philippians shewing that God worketh in vs both the will and the deede of doing good least hereby they should draw to themselues security addeth that they must fill the course of their saluation in feare and trembling For if wee doe only well by Gods grace working in vs wee are much to feare the absence of it Wherefore wee see how the man of God did iustly feare his part vnregenerate This feare of Gods children differeth much from the feare of the wicked for it bringeth vs to the Lord and driueth vs not from the Lord it helpeth and hindreth not our prayers it hurteth not but furthereth our duties For it maketh vs to feare least wee should lose Gods grace it causeth vs to waite more and more to haue it and hauing it moueth vs by prayer to continue it When Noah had Gods fauour he feared and being warned of God as Heb 11. 7. of the things which were as yet not seene moued with reuerence prepared the Arke c So Habacuk hearing of the iudgement of God which should fall vpon the faithfull by the Chaldeans saith Hâ—b 3. 16. My bellie trembled my lips shooke at the voyce rottennes entred into my bones and I trembled in my selfe Paul said he preached with feare and trembling Thus wee see how the good Saints of God did feare because they knewe that if the Lord should enter into iudgement with vs no flesh should be saued and that there was nothing in them but of mercie and therefore they acknowledge their weaknes vnworthinesse and wretchednesse Wee see also that Gods children haue diuers affects according to their diuers estates and though sometimes they are quickened through faith other times they are most ready to sinne if they doe not sinne No maruell then though the children of God feare when they see that God restraineth their will the greater their feelings are yet are they mixed with a reuerent feare of Gods maiestie and sight of their own corruptioÌ„s least they should not abide his glorie and least they should not continue in their good things We see moreouer that this feare humbled Noah that the Prophets Apostles spake in feare which the Lord gaue vnto them either to prepare them to some grace which they should receiue or else more zealously to keepe some grace which already they haue receiued And where it might be obiected that loue casteth out feare wee must vnderstand of that seruile and excessiue feare which driueth vs away from God And seeing though wee feele Gods loue by faith wee will feare then much more had we neede so to doe when by infidelitie wee feele not this loue So wee must haue both feare to prepare vs to grace and wee must haue loue to continue vs in this grace And surely onely they with whom this thing hath been familiar doe knowe how loue and feare doe dwell together For as blessed experiencâ— hath taught some that by this feare they haue attained to speciall graces and continued in them by the same so also by wofull experience some haue found that for want â—f this they either haue not tâ—sted of the grace of God or else not continued in the same PORTION 15. AYN. Vers. 1â—1 I haue executed iudgement and iustice
vsâ—st to doe to them that loue thy name c. The words in their proper tongue signifie thus much According to thy in lgements which thou doâ—st execute to them that loue thy name according to that in the fourth verse of the seuenth portion I remember thy iudgements of old o Lord and haue bene comforted His meaning therefore in these former words is not fully expressed Here we may learne the necessarie vse of this word and how needfuâ—l a thing it is and how speciall a gift it is of God his wisedome rightly to discerne and distinguish the words Iudgements as we haue often fore shewed is taken either for executing the threatnings of the Lord denounced in wrath and in desert or else for the performance of his promises made in compassion and of mercie His meaning briefly is be mercifull in iudging me as thou art wont to iudge thy seruants let me haue iudgement in mercie and enter not into the iudgement of my sinnes for no flesh then shall be saued and deale with me as with thy deare seruant If we be guiltie of our owne crosses we must acknowledge our sinnes as the iust causes thereof for neuer any of the children of God obtained mercie without this We are then in trouble to looke to the promises of God if we by faith can finde the like testimonie of a good conscience but when we see our sinnes to be the cause of our troubles or that it is the Lord his hand of iustice vpon vs we cannot in truth vse this prayer of the Prophet There is a iudgement in righteousnesse and there is a iudgement in mercy Of the first the man of God speaketh when he saith Enter not into iudgement c. the iudgement in righteousnesse of the second the Prophet Ieremie speaketh Correct me O Lord yet in iudgement that is in the iudgement of mercy and fatherly correction And because we faile for the most part either in our outward actions or inward affections we had neede to pray that the Lord would deale with vs according to his mercifull iudgement True it is that the Saints of God doe say O God of my righteousnesse O God of my saluation but that is to be vnderstood in respect of men and not in respect of God but they that come with their case to be iudged and pleaded before God must needes say Lord be mercifull to thy seruants We must neuer draw neere then in prayer before the Lord without this clause that the Lord would accept vs in Christ hiâ— obedience and that we doubt not of mercy when the Lord iudgeth vs in his Christ. Here we are to obserue how the Prophet maketh an experience of the Lord his dealing and thus reasoneth with him I see thou Lord dealest mercifully with them that loue thee but I loue thee therefore Lord deale mercifully with me This deceiueth many we reade not the word of God for imitation or as thinking that those affections which we reade to haue been in the children of God are to be required in and of vs also but let vs know that whatsoeuer haue been the strangest and rarest affections of God his children they are for vs to follow For though we cannot attaine to them in the like measure that this man of God because we will not deny that he had a greater measure of Gods spirit than we haue yet we must by vsing the like meanes attaine to some measure if not an hundred fold yet threescore and thirtie fold Now we see that he hauing obtained the like graces with God his people craueth here the like mercies with theÌ„ For his sense is euident as thou diddest not make a couenant with thy seruants after their sinnes but according to thy mercy euen so Lord deale with me Here is no speciall thing mentioned but he setteth downe that which hath been and may be in the children of God He prayeth noâ— for any speciall mercie then but for that mercy which by experience he hath seene ratified in others likewise he speaketh not here of any extraordinary graces of God his holy spirit but of theÌ„ which are ordinarie and incident to any one of God his children as to another although not in like measure And surely we haue not the like mercies with them because we haue not the like graces that they had To loue the word of God as gold to gape after it to breath and â—â—nt for it are singular gifts of God but giuen to none in that time with such speciall prerogatiue as they may not in some measure be giuen to the Saints of God in our time if we soloued the Lord. For that which the Apostle Peter said of them that feared the Lord to wit the Lord hath no respect of persons but they that feared the Lord are accepted the same the Prophet speaketh here in effect of them that loue the Lord. For when the promises are generall in pronouncing we must make them particular by a seuerall applying of theÌ„ to our sâ—lues Let vs then be ashamed of our selues for our wants of loue The Lord hath not graunted vnto others nor denied vnto vs any speciall priuiledges as they thought among the Papists who in their readings had wont to admire much at the Saints of God and to follow them but little The Lords hand is not shortened that he can lesse helpe vs than he hath in times past our forefathers neither is his mercy lesse that he will not helpe vs for his is the kingdome his is the power his is the glorie for euer but our sinnes as saith the Prophet haue made a partition and a diuorcement betweene the Lord and vs our loue is lesse our sinnes are greater than they were in our forefathers Let this comfort vs the man of God here prayeth not for any extraordinarie mercy For as the loue of God to vs ward is common with other of his children in like manner our loue to Gods word must be common with them and if we haue the like graces with them we shall obtaine the like mercies with them For in the substance of saluation if we haue faith the Lord will deale with vs according as he dealt with Abraham Isaac and Iacob with the Prophets and Apostles Wherefore the Lord as we said a little before hath set downe his promises iâ— generall words which we must deriue by faith as particular and proper to our selues Now if we had this sealed in our hearts that they were neuer confounded nor deceiued which put their trust in the Lord we should be assured that his arme is not shortned he is as able to reach it out vnto vs as euer he was before if onely we will beleeue and say with the Prophet of God Amen We must take â—eede that we suffer not as ill doers and that the Lord finde vs not lying in some sins for then we cannot in truth vse the Prophets prayer for the like mercies in that we
is in Psalm 125. The rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous So that the man of God prayeth here that his affliction might not hinder his glorie And no maruell for his enemies first laboured to daunt his faith then they went about to loade him with iniuries either subtilly to circumuent him or openly to oppresse him when these things would not serue they striued to bring his person to contempt and his cause to discredit as also they went about to bring themselues into estimation and their cause into credite No maruell then though he thus prayed least that they resisting him too long hee should be ouermatched Wherein we are to learne that wee must not ouercome ill with ill subtiltie with subtiltie violence by violence but by praier And seeing the Lords eares are open to the prayers of the iust and his eyes vpon them that feare him seeing his eares are shut to the wicked and hee will not looke vpon them in mercy but his face is set against them the Lord vndoubtedly will heare vs and looke vpon vs and will confonud our enemies And I will keepe thy testimonies Behold the man of God promiseth thankefulnes and if it pleaseth the Lord to free him from these euils hee would keepe his law not that we must thinke that he before did breake them but though the proude had him exceedingly in derision Psal. 51. though the bands of the wicked had robbed him 61. though the proude had imagined a lye against him 69. though they had dealt wickedly and falsely with him 78. though they had almost consumed him vpon the earth 87. and he was like the bottle in the smoke so that hee was wonderfully distracted in his calling yet if the Lord would vouchsafe to free him from these euils as before in part so now in whole he would bestow his life on the Lord. We are then to learne that in trouble wee are to desire to none other end to be deliuered than the better and more freely to serue the Lord and that when wee haue made so solemne a promise to the Lord we throughly purpose in trueth to performe it For though affliction of it selfe helpeth vs nothing vnto godlinesse but is rather some hindrance why in our calling wee are lesse profitable yet as it is sanctified in Christ and receiueth a blessing from God to worke in vs it keepeth vs from euill and prouoketh vs the more to doe good But wee if we be in aduersitie if wee haue trouble or losse of goods or losse of friends oppression of enemies or such like make large vowes and plentifull promises and crie Oh if I might be deliuered from this sicknes if I might be freed from this trouble if I might be vnburthened of this euill I would surely serue the Lord I would become a new man I would change my life and enter the waies of repentance but we looke not to performance This thankfulnes of heart made the Prophet Psal. 116. 12. to cry out What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord I will pay my vowes vnto the Lord euen now in the sight of all his people Where wee see that it was the custome of Gods people to stirre vp themselues after their deliuerance vnto thankfulnes We shall see now by examining our selues how it is so in vs. Oh say we that I were recouered of my health oh that the Lord would restore those things to me againe which I haue lost then doubtles would I wholy giue my selfe to the Lord. But let vs see if in all these things wee bee not vow-breakers and are rather growne worse than wee were so greatly are we to feare our selues God hath deliuered vs from our enemies freed vs from warâ—es saued vs from scarcitie penurie pouertie plagues and sicknesse and hath blessed vs with peace abundance plentie health and all other blessings let vs see how we vse these things We know the times haue been such when we could not haue this liberty to reade and heare the word of God but wee are now freed from such miserie and set in great libertie whether doe wee vse this time to Gods glorie and increase of our knowledge and building vp of our faith or not We know that there is a vicissitude in all things and one thing succeeedeth another and as the Lord hath long time vexed other nations with trouble and graunted to vs a long time of libertie and quietnes so our course must come by the order and change of things to be vexed with troubles and others shall be set at some libertie Are we the better then for this benefit If wee bee all is well if not will it not thinke wee be laide to our charge that what time the Lord had giuen vs wherein we might reforme our selues wee haue abused in being so little reformed what our time hath been to set forth Gods glorie how little glorie the Lord hath gained by vs. We haue often heard that our two principall props in trouble are faith in the promises of God and a testimonie of a good conscience which wee see often to be in this Prophet Wherefore what doth fasten and comfort faith euen a good conscience what doth make it wither and wauer euen because we haue been fruitles and haue not done good workes This then must be our comfort in trouble that we suffer not as ill doers that we may look for Gods promises But if our sinnes accuse vs and we suffer as ill doers wee shall not bee able to feele any comfort in God his promises Then let vs see the fruit of this prayer The Saints of God and deare Martyrs of Christ made this prayer before vs the fruit and effect whereof is growne vnto vs. For their sufferings were our prosperitie their losse our gaine their imprisonmeÌ„t our libertie their death our life as true as old is that saying proued The blood of the Martyrs is the seede of the Church For their blood hâ—th cried vp to heauen with the blood of Abel for our comfort and brought downe vengeance on our enemies and obtained mercy for vs. They did sowe in teares and wee haue entred into their haruest with ioy let vs beware least wee sow euill to our selues and for others they sowed comfort for their posteritie let vs take heede that wee sow not discomfort for them that shall come after vs. And as their death hath stayed the wrath of God from heauen that it is not fallen vpon the vine seeing many yeeres he hath planted among vs a vineyard seeing he hath hedged it and gathered out the stones of it and hath planted it with the best plants and hath built a tower in the middest thereof and made a wine-presse therein and hath looked it should bring forth grapes but it hath brought forth wilde grapes so our sinnes so
who hearing the word were neither hote nor cold Seeing then we are rather Laodiceans than Dauids wee must crie Lord giue vs vnderstanding that we may liue Then let vs learne by other mens harmes which is a princely and heroicall kind of teaching For as Princes children are taught themselues in their owne persons but are not beaten seeing rather others beaten before them so the Lord preacheth to our persons but punisheth other persons round about vs sparing vs that we by their sinnes and stripes may learne to amend and to repent in prayer There is a winter after haruest after heate colde and it is vsuall with the Lord to tempeâ— his blessings most sweete with some crossings most sower Wherefore let vs pray with our Prophet for the vnderstanding of God his word not onely to be bettered in our mindes but also reformed in our liues Then no diuell no hell no plague no pestilence shall hurt vs yea those troublesome trials which vnto others are testimonies of God his wrath shall be vnto vs seales of his loue which although the world cannot discerne yet by faith we shall both finde it and feele it PORTION 19. COPH. Vers 145. I haue cried with mine whole heart heare me O Lord and I will keepe thy statutes Vers. 146. I called vpon thee saue mee and I will keepe thy testimonies IN the last verse of the former part he set downe the righteousnesse of GODS lawe hee prayed therefore that hee might haue vnderstanding and liue and therefore they that are ignorant haue no life in them because life is onely reuealed in the word Sinners then hauing not receiued the word are dead for the life of sinne is the death of man And our first father was dead when hee had sinned and they who liued in pleasure and all other sinners are dead though they for a while prolong their life on earth yet at death the soule goeth to hell and waiteth there for the bodie and this cuise waiteth on all Cursed are all that continue not in all things c. and after Gods great suffering they shall be cut off Hee knew that the beginning of this life was in the word and hee also knewe that the continuance of it was in the word by the grace of God and therefore hee laboured to haue it increased by the word because he was conuinced by his infirmitie that hee might lose it as Adam did and therefore hee seeketh to finish the course of his saluation with feare If Dauid whose zeale had consumed him did yet in this sort pray how much more ought we which for euery light trouble are discouraged in our dutie He prayeth for the vnderstanding of the word because the diuell wil be ready to allure vs from the word if we be inclined thereto as he dealt with Christ when he laide our scripture against it And yet he liketh not of those that rest in the literall sense but hee craueth the spirit to teach him according to the word for the spirit quickeneth and flesh and blood doth not reueale these things and all that are of God must bee taught of God Isa. 54 yet alwaies agreeable to the word Now in this part he prayeth that he may haue vnderstanding and ease from his trouble this request he groundeth on these reasons first of his earnestnes in the foure first verses secondly in respect of his enemies in the sixt verse and thirdly in respect of Gods mercies in the fift seuenth and eight verses In the foure first verses he setteth downe his earnest desire and zeale that he had and he prayeth that he may haue a good conscience in the first verse and faith in the promises in the second verse teaching that these two were al the comfort that he had in trouble when he suffered for well-doing and had his sinnes forgiuen and had the fauour of God Then if we will stand in trouble let vs labour to be grounded on the promises of forgiuenes of sinnes of a new life of his fatherly prouidence and let this purge vs from sin and if we can doe this then nothing shall seperate vs from God as Paul saith Rom. 8. and againe he saith there is no condemnatioÌ„ to them that are in Christ for they haue his spirit to purge them from sinne and to strengthen their faith The want of these causeth men to step backe and the weakenes of our faith the carelesnes of these causeth such feare in Gods children and such shrinking for the diuel layeth their sinnes to their charge which they see not discharged and their faith is weake and therefore they are diuing vp and down And surely trouble must come to all for so it is ordained though to some lesse than others and therefore when it commeth we are faint if we haue not been carefull to keepe a good conscience and to strengthen our faith But if we haue done thus then shall death be pleasant vnto vs for wee shall be blessed Apoc. 12. and our workes shall follow vs that is our faith and the fruites of our faith Againe if wee suffer for our sinnes c. then wee want faith and a good conscience and therefore we murmur and crie out yea and goe to witches and wisards Yea Gods children though they come not to this grosse sinning yet they inwardly grudge and they haue secret murmurings because they haue failed in strengthening their faith keeping a good conscience but the children of God that make Christ all in all they say the Lord giueth and the Lord taketh this is the patience of Gods children And Iob did not faile till his faith failed and though his three learned aduersaries reasoned against him to proue him an hypocrite yet his conscience sustained him and therefore reckoneth vp his vertues chapter 28. and 31. And he also confessed his faith I know that my Redeemer liueth this was his faith and this was his conscience that in his trouble sustained him These things haue no lesse fruite in prosperitie for the want of them cause men to lift vp themselues on high but the word represseth pride lust and loue of worldly things so that they are â—â—uÌ„â—le in prosperitie for the worldlings seeke after the things of this world because they neuer felt the peace of conscience they seeke their owne glorie because they neuer felt what the glory of God was and neuer seeke knowledge because they know not what the soule is Yea the children of God because they labour not continually to keepe a good conscience and to strengthen their faith they are carried away with the loue of earthly things after the example of the wicked for prosperitie is as a floud which carieth all things with it and as well good as bad and therefore they are often caried away with the loue of these outward things But the children of God which doe diligently labour after these things they behaue themselues so as that God may be glorified by their prosperitie and aduersitie
more willingly and easily we are brought vnto If any haue occasion seuen times and often to praise the Lord it is our age who from the abundance of God his blessings should not onely haue our hearts enlarged but also from our aboundance of the heart our mouthes with praises should be filled Because of thy righteous iudgements This is not the onely thing in the word but there are promises and threatnings but the iudgements of God comprehend all in that they are seene as we haue shewed in fulfilling his promises and executing his threatnings True it is we must praise him for the creation of the world for his louing promises made vnto vs but we can neuer see truly the â—rration vntill wee obserue his prouidence neither can we effectually praise him for his promises vntil we diligently obserue his iudgements For then we truely praise God for his promises and threatnings when wee praise him for his executing of them This therefore requireth an experimentall faith and therefore we shal see in all the Psalmes of Moses Deborah Ezechiah Dauid and Esay that it was vsuall to them then to make them wheÌ„ either they had receiued some notable deliuerance or their enemies had some notable ouerthrow or the Church obtained some speciall benefit As after the deliueraÌ„ce by the read sea after they had safely passed through the wildernes and had put to flight the armie of the alâ—â—â—â—s â—â—â— what els doth the History which is 〈…〉 of things pâ—â—t â—â—ach vs but to praise God by â—â—eing God to be such ◠〈…〉 he is in his pâ—â—â—isâ—s Looke what the law generally speaketh of 〈◊〉 concerning these 〈…〉 to be done or lâ—f vndone either of pâ—â—â—â—es or 〈…〉 of the Prophets the things done which were comâ—â—unded 〈…〉 to them which did according to Gods 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 forbidden or else the threatnings executed on them which did â—o 〈…〉 mandemeÌ„t This we shall see wonderfully to increase our faith if we 〈…〉 of the Prophets with the time of the law If we compare our 〈…〉 our Sauiour Christ Matth 24. 24. that there 〈…〉 Christs 〈…〉 to feare that they which would not learne of the truth shall learne of 〈…〉 We may call to mind how many earnest professors in king Edward 〈…〉 papists in Queene Maries dayes and how many heretofore christians â—â— Queene Maries dayes are now become zealelesse worldlings and they that were â—â—en 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—â—t height they are growne and wee shall see sufficient matter to praise God his righteous iudgements Againe if we consider the great mercy of God 〈…〉 our country men who were in banishment we shall haue great cause to be thankefull Vers. 165 They that â—â—â—e thy law shall haue a greâ—t pâ—â—â—â—â—ritie or rather shall haue no mâ—â—â—â—r of offence or occasion of stâ—mblâ—â—g and they shall haue no hurt THâ—se in seâ—se agree with that which the man of God sâ—iâ—l Port 65. I 〈…〉 libertie for I seeke thy 〈◊〉 In which places the Prophet sheweth 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 â—â—aue peace in minde and shall walke at libertie not be entangled they 〈◊〉 â—â—ue no manner of offence neither shall any stumbling blockes be lâ—â—â— in their waies which carefully seeke to obey the will of God This is the benefit of them that know receiue the word in loue that they shall escape dangers doubtes in streights and plagues so that in all thâ—se they shall finde happie issues and wholsome out gâ—â—e in what streights or troubles they aâ—◠〈◊〉 They then â—â—t walke in this knowledge and loue of God his law shall â—â—uâ— this grace and no man shal be able to take it from them seeing then it is 〈◊〉 in vsâ—l to be careful of nothing more then to be directed in our plagues â—et most of vs faâ—lâ— in â—â—◠〈◊〉 to â—â—â—â— by following too much their owne deuises and not the prescript rule of the worâ— Here 〈◊〉 is described the happie estate of God his children that by faith and loue shall 〈…〉 and continually haue the blessing of God watching ouer them in all 〈◊〉 â—oâ—â—gs whatsoeuer tumult come on them yet they shall possesse their soules in patience and not be plunged and ouerwhelmed in these miseries as other men are O most sinâ—ulâ—r commendation of the word in working such peace in promising such successe in our affaires and in deliuering vs from all ill things That loue thy â—â—â— Wee see here is required that faith which worketh by loue for many will say that they beleeue who bewray their want of faith by want of loue It is then that saith which worketh by loue that maketh vs so to delight in the law of the Lord. Herehence commeth so much disquietnes and so many crosse blowes in our atâ—â—mpâ—s because our faith is so small our loue to the word â—o little When we shâ—l 〈◊〉 then the destruction of our mindes so many ditches hedges walles gâ—ins snares we must consider the chiefe cause to be our want of loue to the word not that it alwayes so appeareth â—â— fleshe and blood but that to faith it is apparant which learneth out of the word Iohn 17 In the world â—â—â—â— shall haue troublâ—â— but â—â— me they shall haue pâ—ace as if our Sauiour should haue saide howsoeuer flâ—sh and blood thinke others iudge ouer vs heauen and earth shall passe but his pro 〈…〉 le Yee shall haue peace in trouble for God that hath â—â—oken it is no more liberall in promising than faithfull in performing if theÌ„ we haue trouâ—les it is for want of faith loue of the word And as here is a plentiful comfort for them who loue the word so is there a fearful threatning to the wicked which the Prophet Esay in his 47 48. chapters speaketh there is no peace saith the Lord vnto the wicked but the wicked are like the raging sea that cannot rest whose waters cast vp mire and durt In which place after the Prophet had promised this good successe to God his people hee addeth that the wicked shall not bee partakers of it For as the Sea hoysteth vp and is stirred more vehemently with the tempest and winde and being once moued one waue fighteth with another so that in that continuall conflict much froth and filthie scumme is cast and spued out so so soone as any tempest of temptation hath stirred vp a wicked mans minde and one temptation beginneth to fight with another many foming and corrupt affections are spued out which disturbe the peace of the minde and offend all the beholders God his children seeing those troubles to helpe them which hurt the world finde only the truth of this doctrine howsoeuer in time of prosperitie the wicked would seeme to be in as great quietnes as the other But as the deepe sea in a calme day seemeth to be as still as other waters vntill by the tempest of windes the raging of the one make a plaine difference from the other so the wicked doe seeme to haue as great
but of a patient faith and the cause of impatiencie is want of faith Of this faith speaketh the Prophet Esai 28 16. Behold I will lay in Sion a stone a tried stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation He that beleeueth shall not make haste to wit to by-waies and indirect meanes as casting off his hope of God his promises Of the contrarie the want of faith speaketh our Sauiour Christ Luke 18. 8. When the Sonne of man commeth shall he finde faith on the earth Likewise Heb. 10. when the Apostle had said The iust shall liue by faith If any withdraw himselfe his minde is not vpright in him my soule shall haue no pleasure in him Againe Habac. 2. when the Lord had commanded the Prophet to waite he saith He that lifteth vp himselfe his minde is not vpright in him that is he hath a troubled minde and vnquiet spirit Wherefore let vs attend vpon that exhortation of the Apostle Iam. 5. 11. Ye haue heard of the patience of Iob haue knowne what end the Lord made As if he should say ye are not ignorant of that my errour of patiēce who when the Lord suspended his iudgements still waited for the accomplishments of his promises Whosoeuer then thinketh himselfe to haue faith and by patience cannot waite for the Lord his leisure and due time of helpe but withdraweth himselfe and maketh haste to other meanes and not staying himselfe on God his word and promises but hastneth and cannot be quiet in his minde vntill presently he haue gotten some helpe he is as yet an vnbeleeuer And I haue done thy Commandements Euen as without faith it is impossible to please God so is it impossible truly to trust in God his saluation vnlesse we labour by faith to serue him in loue and to please him with good workes Wherefore as the Apostle hath taken vp the truth of this rule so he sheweth Heb. 11. how all the Fathers by their faith did trauell in good workes By faith saith he Abel offered vnto God a greater sacrifice than Cain by faith was Enoch taken away by faith Noah prepared the Arke by faith Abraham obeyed God through faith Sarah receiued strength to conceiue c. A contrarie argument to that which we haue in our times where our faith and profession is so barren of good workes True it is that when we will glorie before God all boasting in good workes is shut out in that if he entreth into iudgement with the best of our actions he shal find them polluted with many imperfections so that we can by no meanes stand before him but in faith but Iam. 2. 20. Wilt thou vnderstand O thou vaine man that the faith which is without workes is dead was not Abraham our father iustified through workes c. where we must note the diuers significations of the word iustifie if we will shew these two propositions to be true and how they may be reconciled we are iustified by faith we are iustified by workes For as God sanctifieth vs when he maketh vs partakers of his holinesse and we sanctifie him when we shew him to be holie so God is said to iustifie vs when we are approued iust before God and we iustifie God when we testifie that he is iust In like maner faith iustifieth vs in that it acquiteth vs before God from our sinnes for Christ his sake in whom we beleeue workes iustifie vs in as much as they witnesse to vs and to men that we are iustified by faith before God whereof our sanctification is a pledge So that we meane nothing else when we say we are iustified by works than if we should say We declare and make knowne that we are iustified by these works For when euery good worke is of the spirit of God and the spirit of God is giuen to none but to the children of God when we faile in doing many things whereunto we are by Gods spirit moued and in those things which we doe we corrupt those motions so that our best actions stand in neede of faith to haue them purged in Christ his perfit obedience it is manifest that our workes onely giue a testimonie to our selues and others that we are iustified If then we haue true faith it must worke by loue that as faith doth acquite vs from sinne before God so good workes may giue euidence thereof before men When then we are carried away with dulnesse in good things and with deadnesse in weldoing we are to trie our hearts if we want God is not pleased with vs if we haue saith without workes we deceiue our selues The meaning then of the man of God in this place is thus much Because I know that they haue happie successe that loue thee and obey thy word this moueth me to keepe a good conscience So we haue learned thus much that it is but follie to boast of faith without good workes For as we iudge a man to be aliue so long as we perceiue his vitall spirits his animall powers and naturall operations to exercise themselues and thinke that he is not dead whilest the faculties of the minde are exercised in the senses mēbers powers of the body but notwithstanding that life it selfe is a thing most secret yet by a mans seeing hearing tasting touching going and working we discerne the same euen so so long as we perceiue the fruits of God his spirit and new birth and the effects of grace and fruites of sanctification in the soule we thinke him not spiritually dead in whom these things are And notwithstanding saith which is the life of Gods children be a most secret thing yet when we can open our eyes to see the wonderfull word of God to his praise and shut them from seeing vanities when our eares are open to the works of God and closed and dull to heare worldly vanities when our mouthes can speak of Gods iudgements and are dumbe in leasings we may iudge by these and the like effects that there is the life of Christ in vs. And herewithall we must obserue as these naturall workings are not the cause of life but that rather insomuch as we liue these things do exercise themselues in vs euen so the good workes are no cause why we are good or liue by faith but because by faith in Christ we are accounted good and iust before the Lord therefore we are good For as the tree hath not his goodnes of the fruits but the fruits haue their goodnes because first the tree was good so we cannot be said to be good in respect of our workes but our workes are good in respect of vs iustified before by faith And although the sap life and nourishment of the tree be a thing most secret and hidden from common sense yet by the leaues buds greenes and fruits thereof we draw knowledge of the life in it so though our life which is hidden in Christ be hidden from flesh and
blood yet by the holy practises of good workes we easily discerne the same Now for want of this we may see the great iudgement of God in suffering the Papists heretikes familie of loue to spoile vs of this peace of conscience by teaching their false opinions of iustification by workes Which thing seeing they hold the rather with seeing the cold profession of worldly Protestants it must needs humble vs. For thus reason they that are vnstable in the truth Surely their profession is not according to the truth it is so barren of good works and they maintaine not the true doctrine whose liues are so contrary to their professions Woe be to them by whom these offences do iustly come and woe be to them that take such offences and that shut wilfully their eyes and will not see the truth Howbeit we are to profit hereby and to trauell in a greater care of good workes whereby we may stop these blasphemous mouthes of the aduersaries Vers. 167. My soule hath kept thy testimonies for I loue them exceedingly HEre he confirmeth the same doctrine which he vsed before for in saying my soule hath kept thy testimonies is all one as if he should haue said I haue looked or waited on thy saluation For as we often obserued the man of God meaneth the couenant which engendreth faith as the records and testimonials of Gods fauour towards vs. So that the effect of these words is thus much I haue an entire care in sinceritie of faith to encrease the blessed witnesses of thy loue toward me It is an vsuall phrase among the Hebrues when they would expresse their vehement affection to any thing to say My soule as Psal. 103. 1. and 104. 1. My soule praise thou the Lord and Luk. 1. My soule doth magnifie the Lord. So that here the Prophet doth not only outwardly coÌ„mend the law but saith that he hath sworne and will performe the keeping of God his testimonies With the heart saith the Apostle we beleeue shewing that the heart is the proper place of faith and not the braine and that we must as wel be touched in affection as in outward bettering of our iudgement They must be vehement passions of the minde wherewith we must let the testimonies of God sinke down into the depth of our hearts Wherefore we are here to learne that our ouer profession of the Gospell will not acquite vs before God his iudgement seate For I loue them exceedingly that is They are not of small value with me I loue them entirely because they are things most precious vnto me This is the high dignitie estimation which we owe and should performe to the sweet testimonies of our saluation Wherefore our Sauiour Christ saith the kingdome of heauen is like vnto a treasure which is hidden which when a man findeth for ioy he selleth all that he hath to purchase that Thus we see the man of God hauing made mention of faith maketh mention also of loue teaching vs that true faith worketh by loue Also he sheweth vs that the cause why the comfortable promises of the Gospell so soone slip from vs and our comforts are so momentany and griefes so sore charge vs and ouerwhelme vs is euen because we haue laid vp these promises rather in the braine than in the heart This is too short cold and small a loue for the profession of the Gospell and bewrayeth the want of faith the want of faith declareth a want of loue For if we know aright what an inestimable treasure the promises of God were in that in them we haue the assurance of all our sinnes pardoned of God his prouidence watching ouer vs his Angels ministring to vs his creatures wayting on vs that we shall be companions not onely with his Saints and Angels but heires and fellow heires with Christ and that after this life a happie crowne of glorie is laid vp for vs we should more highly esteeme of them then we doe and more heartily loue them For what maketh worldlings so to loue golde but that they thinke it the most precious mettal what causeth ambitious men so to set by prefermeÌ„t but that they thinke it the best thing for them what causeth the man so to loue or like his wife or the woman her husband but that they are perswaded that none in the world were fitter each for other When our Sauiour Christ would haue Peter to be carefull in ouerseeing his flocke he vseth this triall louest thou me Peter And the Apostle said how through loue he was inforced to preach Christ to the Church This theÌ„ must not be faint and feeble loue but a streightned and â—aborsome affection which is stil occupied in adorning the thing loued and cannot satisfie it selfe in thinking of it and in speaking of it and in doing it so that the greatnes of the perswasioÌ„ draweth out the greatnes of the affection It is then a drowsie dreame which some hold for a setled opinion who thinke that loue goeth before faith when the very heathen saw by the light of nature that a man could not loue that which he knew not And we know that faith is a knowledge with a ful perswasion so that if we loue the word exceedingly we are perswaded by an exceeding faith of the word which we loue and this faith shewing it selfe in loue is fruitful in good workes Look in what measure we are perswaded of the goodnes of the thing in that measure we loue it Vers. 168. I haue kept thy precepts and thy testimonies for all my wayes are before thee WE haue heard the man of God speaking of his faith and loue whereunto now he ioyneth his feare which moued him to keepe both the testimonies of the Lord and his precepts So that if we will grow to this measure of obedience we must first labour for faith to beleeue faith must worke by loue loue breede in vs a reuerent feare of God his maiesty which feare must engender in vs a care to please God and a griefe to displease him so that we may thus shew the prophet his meaning Lord I set all my doings open in thy sight wherefore I am carefull to doe any thing which thou commaundest and afraide to do any thing thou forbiddest So that we learne for our instruction that as the very motions of his heart were laide open before the Lord whereby he was armed with this care and feare so if we will be beautified with the like affections we must vse the like meanes True it is that God seeth all mens wayes and gageth the hearts of al as well of the wicked as of his children howbeit all beleeue not all see not this in themselues The wicked may confesse it so to be in outward things but doubtles they are not in truth perswaded that God doth see their hearts For if they were how durst they do that in the sight of God and his Angels which they dare not doe in the sight of
owne nature and kinde are good yet doe become euill sinfull through vs. This may be perceiued in all the parts of our life let vs then a little fee how our corruption deceiueth defileth vs in many things First this is without all controuersie that is onely the corruption of our owne hearts which causeth vs to be slacke in doing good or to leaue it altogether vndone or else to do that which is euill and odious in the sight of God For albeit many causes may be pretended which sometime may haue a shew of goodnesse yet those causes are but corruptions there is no goodnesse in them Some men are kept back from doing good to their familie by catechizing them because they would not haue all meâ—â—â— talke of them and because they would not hazard the credit of their name Some are 〈◊〉 backe from being zealous in godlinesse because they might stil vse their libertie in buying and bargaining whereby they might prouide for their selues and families And for euery thing they doe they will haue a colourable excuse they will doe nothing without a reason But their excuses are but colours their reasons are very rawe not seasoned with the word They are deceiued through the deceitfulnes of sinne their corruption deceiueth them they are beguiled because they make no triall of their hearts The same thing commeth to passe euen in those things which in their kinde are good To leaue sinne is a very good thing yet if wee doe not herein take heede vnto our hearts we may besore deceiued for when wee be minded and doe purpose to leaue sinne let vs consider the cause why wee purpose and goe about such a thing and we shall often finde that it is not the conscience of sinne but the feare of punishmeÌ„t or the shame of the world which moueth vs so to do The adulterer doth many times abstaine from his filthie adulterie not because that sinne is odious in the sight of God but because it will bring him to open shame among men The theefe without any hatred of theft doth sometimes keepe himselfe from the outward act that hee may auoid hanging and the outward danger of the lawe And that the shame of the world and feare of men doth more preuaile with many than the feare of God it may appeare by this that they wil abstaine from such things whereunto there belongeth shame or for which some grieuous punishment amongst men is appointed as for theft murther adulterie c. yet they will passe by great sinnes for which there is no penall statute as swearing c. For if there were any true conscience of sin in them they would make a conscience of all sinnes but especially of these sinnes which in Gods eyes are most abominable Againe we must not rest when we haue left any sinne as though that were sufficient but we must narrowly search into our hearts to see what cause hath moued vs so to doe for if we doe not with sorrow repent vs of our wickednes and leaue it for the feare of God but forsake it either because it will bee no longer profitable vnto vs or because wee be sickly or olde or weake and take no longer pleasure in it then our labour is but lost our hearts haue deceiued vs. And many no doubt are thus deceiued yea they shew that they be deceiued by this that they can still speake of their sinnes without sorrowe and laugh at others which commit the same sinnes Verily if they had repented of their sinnes the remembrance of them would haue bene grieuous vnto them yea they would be very sorie when they saw others fall into the like sinne But seeing they can laugh and make a sport at it when any man doth it as they haue done most sure and certaine it is that their hearts haue deceiued them they are yet in their sinnes though they haue left them outwardly Let vs proceede a little further that we may see into the corruption of our hearts We purpose to deale faithfully we purpose to heare the word to reade it These things in themselues are very good yet if wee be not carefull ouer our hearts their corruption will pollute and defile them For if we be moued hereunto not with any zeale of Gods glorie but with a care of our owne credit not because in Truth wee would countenance the Gospell but because wee would get some countenance by it the thing good in it owne nature is made euill vnto vs and sinfull because our hearts are not right in the thing And how manie bee thus deceiued may soone appeare by the small fruit which most men doe get by the word For when wee see manie very diligent in hearing of the word yet profiting nothing nor desiring to profite it is vndoubtedly true that those men are deceiued by their owne hearts which are not right with God If there were any conscience if there were any heart or spirit in men they would profit something or at least they would be greatly grieued for their not profiting Moreouer when wee haue brought our purpose to practise and haue done any good thing indeed euen then I say may wee be beguiled if wee take not good heede The corruption of our heart is readie to make vs proude of well-doing whereas indeed we should be humbled it is readie to make vs glorie in that for which we should giue glorie to GOD it is readie to make that an occasion of slothfull carelesnesse which should be as a spurre to make vs more carefull Therefore when the thing is done when the worke is wrought and when all our purpose is brought to passe wee must still be carefull ouer our hearts wee must still haue an eye to them that our corruption bee in no wise hurtfull to that good grace which God hath giuen vs. Thus whether wee purpose to leaue sinne or wee leaue it indeede yet we may be deceiued by our hearts if they bee not right in doing of them Therefore aboue all things we must take heede vnto our hearts otherwise we may doe many goodly glorious things in the sight of men yet our hearts wil one day accuse vs for them our conscience will check and controll vs and God which is greater then our consciences will vtterly condemne vs. Now contrariwise when our heart is vpright with God when it is sound and sincere then will the Lord fauourably accept of our doings and through his Sonne he will count them righteous Thus if we with a pure heart doe leaue sinne though the dregs therof remaine with vs if with a good heart to Godward we labour after goodnes though wee cannot doe the good which we would this vprightnes of our hearts doth please God greatly and he will surely pardon the other imperfections through Christ. True it is that no man can say his heart is pure if he compare it with the rule of Gods word or with the iustice of God and therefore
who so seeth not great corruptions in his heart hee seeth nothing Yet the children of God may say that their hearts are pure by Christ which by Faith purifieth them and hath wrought the death of sinne in them though some corruption remaine in their hearts This doctrine hath two speciall vses First to humble vs secondly to comfort vs. We haue good cause to bee huÌ„bled seeing that it teacheth vs that the very cause of all our sins is in our selues cannot be laide vpon any other It is our owne corruption which causeth vs to sinne whilest it giueth place to the suggestions of Sathan to the policies of peruerse men and to the temptation of our owne flesh If this corruption were not in vs no temptation should preuaile against vs if this corruption were not rooted in our hearts we should ouercome euill through goodnes Christ was free from all sinnes and voide of all corruption therfore sathan by teÌ„ptations could not preuaile against him no sathan could not preuaile against our first father vntil his hart through vnbeliefe was corrupted but we through our corruption doe yeeld vnto our temptations and therefore we are the cause of our owne sinnes That saying therefore is altogether vnsauourie which theeues and others haue often in their mouthes when they say woe be to such a man or to such a woman that euer I knew them for if I had neuer fallen into their companie I had neuer come to this stay and wofull state For albeit euill company might be a great occasion of their fall and though such men and women did sinne greatly in tempting them to sinne yet their owne corruption caused them to be ouercome by euill companie and therfore the cause of their sinne resteth vpon themselues Secondly this doctrine doth greatly comfort vs seeing â—t giueth assurance of victorie against all temptations if wee be renued in our inward man if our hart be purified by Faith and if we labour against them by flying vnto Christ. And this shall seeme comfortable indeed if we consider that euery man hath some corruption either more or lesse in his heart according to the measure of his regeneration And againe if wee consider that the diuell as a deadly enemie goeth about to ouerthrowe him and to subuert his Faith by meanes of that corruption These things if we thinke of it wil be very comfortable to know that we shall perseuer and continue not able finally to be ouercome of any temptation it will be very comfortable to know that the diuell for all his furie is like vnto that souldier which launced the impostume of his enemy and preserued his life when hee purposed nothingelse but to haue slaine him Ioseph was regenerate and when the temptations of his Miâ—â—risse came into his eare hee did fight against them fledde vnto Christ and had a good issue of his temptations Dauid contrariwise though in part regenerate and truely renued yet when the like temptation was offered he yeelded and was ouercome because he looked not vnto his heart distrusted not his owne weakenes set not the Lorde for the time before his eyes fled not vnto Christ nor fought not couragiously himselfe against it therefore in what measure we be regenerate in what measure we vnto our regeneration doe adde the feare of God for the purging of our hearts and a distrust of our weakenes to driue vs vnto Christ in that measure shall we withstand all temptations and â—s we faile in all these or in some one of these so doe we yeeld vnto temptations and so are we buffeâ—ed by Sathan If we be pure in heart and stand stedfast the diuel the world wicked men our owne corruptions and all may tempt vs yet they shall not hurt vs. They may let vs see some corruption that is in vs some sinne whereof wee haue not throughly repented of or something that is not right within vs yet if wee yeeld not vnto them they shall doe vs good and not euill they shall driue vs to CHRIST before whom wee must lay open our wounds that hee of his goodnesse may binde them vp This doctrine then as wee see doth teach vs reuerent and Christian humilitie withall it doth â—â—nister most worthie matter of singular comfort Now that wee be not deceiuâ—d herein it is requisite that wee make some triall of our hearts whereby we may be truly humbled if we finde them corrupted or we may be comforted if through the blood of Christ wee doe feele our sinnes washed away Our hearts are tryed two wayes either by afflictions and temptations or else by the motions and affections thereof For if there be any corruption in our hearts it will appeare by one of these Sure it is that as a man doth shew himselfe in troubles and temptations such a one he is indeed if troubles doe not ouerturne him if feare cause him not to fall away if temptations cannot moue him to forsake the truth or to deny his profession then verily he hath a good argument that his heart is vpright he hath great cause of comfort and reioycing But contrariwise if for feare his heart faint if for troubles he turne away if in temptation he forget his triall and betray the truth his heart is not vpright with God he is in the gall of bitternes he ought in his heart to be greatly humbled Before this time of triall come hee may thinke well of himselfe he may perswade his heart that there is great godlines in him but if he examine not himselfe if he do not streightly looke vnto his heart his vertue will proue vanitie and such godlinesse will worke his griefe There be many men which now in this time of the Gospell doe account themselues verie religious and they will beare a countenance with the best and will outwardly appeare very forward but because they resting in their profession doe not examine their heart their hope faileth them and they fall away For when the state of the Common-wealth shall be changed when religion shall be altered when the truth shall be persecuted when the Lord shall take from them the light of his word and shall suffer Sathan to tempt them with heresie then their corruption will ouercome them and cause them to beleeue lyes Likewise men that haue beene brought vp by godly parents and men that haue the companie of good men may seeme to be sure setled in sound religion but whilest they rest in these outward meanes and labour not after some inward truth their hearts doe deceiue them and in time they shew themselues to be but hollow hearted hypocrites for when the benefit of good companie is taken from them and when they light vpon wicked companie their former godlinesse is forgotten they will frame themselues vnto that companie Therefore if they be tempted vnto theft they will proue theeues if occasion of filthines or other vices be offered they will take the occasion and stay themselues with many
vncleannes securitie and such like sinnes haue so beaten and trampled vpon thy heart that it is euen hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne but repent thee of thy former sinne and put away the euill of thy workes and then come to the word with a holy heart and then thou shalt see and feele thy vnderstanding inlightened thy iudgement reformed and all the words of wisedome plaine and easie vnto thee All this is confirmed vnto vs by plaine and daily experience for when a man hath been buffeted with some sinne when he hath yeelded too much to pride worldlinesse anger and such like when he hath fallen into some misliking of the word or of the preacher then in hearing he heareth not and the word is a sealed booke vnto him Contrariwise when men doe most mislike themselues for their sinnes when they be most grieued for their dulnes when they thinke themselues most vnapt and most vnworthie of knowledge and yet desire to finde comfort in the word wish to be inlightened and led into the true knowledge of it then doth the Lord very often giue them the deepest insight into his heauenly mysteries then doth he worke in them a most comfortable feeling then doth he also put and stirre vp most heauenly and holy motions in their minds By all this must we learne many things first when we heare the word without fruite then we must returne into our selues and know that our sinnes are the cause of blockish dulnesse which is come vpon vs. Anger hath troubled our affections and pleasure hath stollen away our hearts profit hath corrupted our iudgements therefore our iudgements doe not yeeld vnto the word it cannot enter into our hearts neither can it worke vpon our affections We are then in this case to bewaile our sinnes to labour for repentance to pray for the spirit of sanctification whereby these sinnes may be consumed and then returne vnto the word with prayer and the Lord wil blesse our vnderstanding Againe when we see our iudgements reformed and our hearts touched so that the word worketh vpon our affections then we must know that the good worke of God hath gone before his mercy hath disburdened vs of the heauie burthen of sin his goodnesse hath emptied our hearts of vnprofitable thoughts and his good spirit hath wrought all in all in vs. Then to shut vp this verse let vs know that as sinne doth hinder and holde the word out of our hearts so doth the loue of the word as it were open the doore of our hearts and make a broad and large passage for the word to enter into vs and to worke that good worke for which it was sent It followeth in the next verse Vers. 7. Depart from a foole when thou perceiuest not in him the lips of knowledge GOD hath ordained that men should liue together that one might bee helpfull to another But there is a neerer bond of friendship when one entreth into league with another or when one maketh choice of another for some neerer bond of friendship affinitie or such like And because this bond cannot stand but where there is a great likenes of conditions and qualities and it is commonly seene that the partie better affected is sooner chaunged therefore in this place we be admonished to beware least at any time we ioyne our selues to those that are foolish and vngodly Not that it is altogether vnlawfull to haue any dealing with them but that wee may not come too neere vnto them For to eate and drinke with them to dwell in the same towne by them and such other common duties be not vnlawfull But to ioyne in marriage with them to make them priuie to to our counsels or to vse them as more neere and speciall friends this is vnlawful and this is here forbidden For little or no good at all can bee gotten by them they will hardly or not at all be brought to goodnesse and such is their subtiltie that one of them is able to peruert the faith or at least to corrupt the manners of very many Good cause therefore there is why we should depart and get our selues from them on the contrary side wee bee taught to seeke out good company and to ioyne our selues to them as neerly as may bee yet with this full purpose of heart that wee may receiue fruite and profit by them Nature doth call vpon vs to doe this the communion of Saints requires it at our hands our own profit should compel vs the examples of euery mā in each calling may moue vs therunto For men doe desire to be in companie of their betters the scholler would be in companie of him that is better learned the worshipful man desireth the companie of the noble man and the honorable delighteth much in the fauour of the Prince Yea in the basest occupations and handicrafts men doe still desire to bee in the company of them that are most skilfull And all this is to obtaine the knowledge of earthly things and the fauour of them that can helpe them how much more then should we desire the companie one of another that we might be helpfull one to another in heauenly things Nay how intirely should wee be ioyned one to another and receiue good one by another in all kinde of goodnesse And yet must this bee done in great discretion for the best men haue their faults Therefore wee must be most carefull as to receiue what good we can by any so to receiue hurt or hinderance by none at all It followeth Vers. 8. The wisedome of the prudent is to vnderstand his way but the foolishnesse of fooles is deceit THat is true wisedome indeede which beginning at knowledge doth goe forward vnto practise and beginning at faith doth further proceede vnto the fruites of faith For vnlesse there be profitable vse of knowledge both in our generall and particular callings it hath neither the sense nor the sauour of heauenly wisedome Then we be here admonished to labour that our knowledge may growe vnto faith and that we builde a godly life vpon faith And that we may thus do we must especially trauell that our hearts may stand in awe of Gods word and that we may haue a charitable and louing heart vnto men This if we can obtaine then shall wee in feare and loue doe the good duties which may glorifie God profit men and haue sure arguments that we haue true wisedome But the foolishnes of fooles is deceit That is they doe either take a wrong course of life or else if they take a right course yet their hearts are not aright and therefore they deceiue both themselues and others All this commeth to passe because with conscience they do not apply euery general point of doctrine to their particular estate and labour not to make practise of it We giue titles vnto men count them wise and politike men that can foresee and preuent worldly displeasure But the
meditations of iudgement This is a medicine whereby if we profit it is bitter and wholesome as the treacle but if we doe not it is a poyson bitter and deadly Let vs remember iudgement in the midst of the desires of our hearts and delights of our eyes 6 Let vs learne how to order our eyes for we know in what case Cham was when hee saw his fathers nakednesse Such are the senses as are the thoughts that arise by them The eye is not euill but we iudge of it by the effects Prou. 17. 1. 1. Sam. 18. Prou. 3. Psal. 101. 5. if good things can cleare thy sight vse them Let vs make conscience of our eyes our Sauiour Christ saith If thine eye offend thee plucke it out if thou doest not vse thine eye well thou wilt wish thou hadst plucked it out in good earnest make cōscience of motes Mat. 7. Iob saith I haue made a couenant with mine eyes Psal. 119 part 5. Lord turne away mine eyes least they behold vanitie Lament 3. Ieremie crieth out Death hath entred into my soule as by windowes And againe Mine eye is my Death Dauids song is to be noted Thy iudgements are euer in my sight God commaunded Lot that he should not looke backe to Sodome but Abraham looked towards it and hee saw the smoke ascend Let vs keepe our mindes well exercised and our eyes may goe whether they will for then the eye in seeing seeth not the minde seeth and the minde heareth But if a man be inwardly affected as Dauid was after his after-noone sleepe wee thinke of things that neuer were nor shall be And yet otherwhiles though a man bee in great contemplation yet such is our corruption that if there stand an euill thing before vs we must needes looke on it Therefore wee had neede make a couenant with our eyes that is the surest way We will end this with that good counsell Gouerne thy selfe take heede and be safe but yet more safe if thou doest not fasten thine eye vpon the tree of life 7 That we may the better know ourselues let vs learne also to examine and know our sinnes well which are often cloked and couered vnder nature and grace We doe not fall at the first into grosse sinnes but by degrees as Christ reckoning the retentiues Matth 22. which keepe vs from the meanes as farmes oxen mariage c. And Paul reckoning the workes of darknes peraduenture would not satisfie a carnall man in his computation hee maketh mention of banquetings feastings c. These things seeme lawfull but certainly and of a truth sinne lies hidden in them and these things may turne to our ruine Sin is a cunning and skilfull suiter shee playeth as Harlots who seeing and obseruing the grauitie and modestie of former ages as though they were very demure matrons would not at the first shew their faces as we may see in Thamar but the world groweth bigger and prouder in sinne they began to withdraw their vailes and were not ashamed to become shamelesse and impudently bold So sinne at the first modestly insinuateth herselfe vnto vs vnder the vaile of things lawfull which no man can denie vntill hauing by little and little corrupted vs she doth boldly vncouer her selfe in things vnlawfull vnto vs. And that shee might find the more courteous entertainment at our hand she commeth not alone but either she getteth into the companie of nature or she creepeth into familiaritie with grace that being with these for her companions sake at the least shee may not haue repulse As Achab said so saith shee I would not haue come hither but for Iehosaphat For wee know it often comes to passe that we are content to admit and receiue some for their companions sake who if they came alone should scarsely bee welcome at our hands This sinne knoweth well and therefore sometimes she comes hand in hand with nature that is in such behauiour as naturally we like and are affected with as sometimes in ioyes if we be of a lighter mould sometime in griefe if we be of a sadder sod sometime she commeth cheeke by cheeke with grace as our Sauiour Christ sheweth vs hypocrisie to come in prayer fasting and almesgiuing c. It is not like that Salomon at the first lept into idolatry nay by degrees his heart was stollen away with the immoderate and excessiue vse of things in their owne vse and nature lawfull And therefore the Saints of God haue rather chosen to sit a little on this side of them than to iumpe and iustle hard by them as we may see in Timothie and in Elias 1. King 19. who was faine twice to be called vpon by the Angell to rise vp and eate Salomon did begin to build yea he began to build the Lords house 2. King 6. 7. c. and yet as all good writers agree excessiue building was the beginning of his falling away He was building the Lords house seuen yeeres but in building his owne house hee was thirteene yeeres This growing in proportion when he would exceed the Lords work this drawing out of his building was the onely thing that the Scriptures haue left vnto vs as a note of his falling away to teach vs that by the vse euen of lawful things our hearts be seduced and by degrees hardened to fall away from the liuing God For if we loue a thing excessiuely our loue groweth to lust and our lust drawes on to the often vse and brings on custome custome at the length brings necessitie Thus when we find too much reliefe in things we fall in such a loue with Aegypt and in such a disliking of Canaan that we will neuer depart but we will still dwell by our flesh-pots Well then wee say thus the farme is no sinne but when the farme holdeth vs backe from grace and the meanes of grace then is it sinne vnto vs. CHAP. XXV Of the exercises of religion fasting c. and of the carefull vse of the meanes at all times WE must not tarie to fast vntill the trumpet be blowne and the bell be rung but we must fall downe at the trumpet of Gods word and at the bel of our guiltie conscience for without this priuate exercise we are but hypocrites in publike fasts 2 Our holy daies may be the fittest most conueniēt times for fasting daies because wee may then best redeeme the time in resting from our calling 3 All our exercises in godlinesse must principally respect two things first Gods glorie secondly our edification and increase of faith and repentance otherwise to our selues they are vaine and fruitlesse 4 Albeit the Lord hath appointed ordinarie causes yet hee hath reserued in his owne soueraigne and iurisdiction the staffe of them the vertue infusion and working of them For as the Physition prescribing a medicine made with wine it is not the bare wine which nourisheth though it be the instrument to conuey the
worse than the former times which Salomon saith is follie to aske The sight of some present iudgements are an amazing without knowledge of some of the former times they of the former times doubtfull without these So there are two vses of this prudence and certaintie The third vse is that the workers of vanitie may know that they are seene which thinking they are not say in their secret hearts who seeth they thinke they walke in a clowde but this would restraine them from much wickednesse But there are two sorts of the contrarie the one of them that will not set themselues to inquire what is amisse as those that follow Absalom and Ishmael There be others that see and will not as the souldiers the other are blinde these blinde themselues and the people There must be one Elias to see and that to keepe the wicked in awe To conclude this with Augustine graunt me this one simple request which is that you would come and see and yet after ye shall examine it ye shall finde that there is not any one greater thing to be respected CHAP. XXVII Of faith iustification by faith of iustice and iust men and of feeling THere is a generall faith that is common to the godly with the wicked and a particular faith the generall faith beleeuing that God is and that he is such a God as he is manifested to be in his word the particular faith more neerely applieth the things spoken of God to our selues This particular is either of the Lawe or of the Gospell of the Lawe as an actiue faith of the Gospell as a passiue faith That I call actiue which apprehendeth that which the Law promiseth that is if we keepe euery iot of the Law and continue in it we shall liue by it That I call a passiue faith which apprehendeth that which the Gospell offereth that is righteousnesse done by another and imputatiue not done by vs as inherent as when we seeke the doing of the Law not within our selues but without our selues beleeuing it to be done by another which we so through faith doe attaine as if we should fulfill the Law in our owne persons The actiue faith was in Adam and it may be in the diuell and most wicked and yet none of them hauing the iustifying faith for Adam knew that so long as he kept the will of God he should liue who at that time had not passiue nor iustifying faith because as it was needlesse so it was vnknowne to him no sinne as yet being committed and therefore no obedience of any other Mediatour for the forgiuenesse of sinne required The diuels may haue this to beleeue that had they not broken the law of God they should haue liued and not haue seene damnation so may also the wicked beleeue and yet because neither of these doe beleeue that they shall be iustified before God by the righteousnesse of another couering their vnrighteousnesse they haue not the true iustifying faith The actiue faith is either of the iustice of God or of his iudgements of his iustice either in bidding good things or in forbidding euill things of his iudgements either in promising life to the obedient or in threatning death to the disobedient The passiue faith respecteth both the end which is saluation it selfe and the meanes which bring vnto the end the end as to beleeue that Christ Iesus is made of God to vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption the meanes as the right vse of the word prayer and Sacraments c. 2 They which beleeue not Gods word and holy promises cannot perceiue when he fulfilleth them Moses beleeuing the promises of the Manna before did behold and consider of the trueth of all Gods promises when he saw them performed but the Israelites not beholding it before now when God performed it they knew not what it meant This we see in the threatnings of God which when they are not beleeued then if the Lord strike such with sickenes c. they thinke it is fortune or some other chance and so profit nothing by it And so when the Lord helpeth out of any danger and we beleeue not his promise made to vs before then we attribute it to physicke or some other meanes and so are neuer thankefull 3 If we cannot rest by faith in the fauour of God though we want outward things it is certaine that we neuer truely esteemed the fauour of God and those neuer felt truly the forgiuenes of their sinnes which hauing it cannot be content to forgoe other things we must then learne to rest in the fauour of God whatsoeuer it bringeth with it 4 This is true faith when we yeeld to the word and beleeue it though we feele not the effect for when we beleeue after experience this is experimentall and hath not such commendations And this is so also in the threatnings when we measure them not by our senses but when we heare him threaten vs for some sinne which is in vs then we certainly beleeue that he will punish and therefore we tremble and studie to preuent that wrath And as we preuent the threatnings by giuing credit to the bare word so that is true faith in the promises when we beleeue them though we feele not the effect for feeling is the effect of faith Therefore when we are in miserie euen then hearing and recording Gods promises we must beleeue them and rest in them though we feele not present comfort And this is the cause why we cannot see God when he accomplisheth his promise because at the first we did not beleeue his word when we heard it And this is the cause that sinners cannot yeeld when they are punished but doe make a stumbling blocke of that which should leade them to repentance And this is the cause that any of Gods children doe profit in humilitie before God by afflictions because they first gaue some credit to the word though in much weakenes dulnes But the wicked are so by the diuel bewitched that they can profit nothing by their afflictions because they first hardened their hearts against the word 5 Noah Iob Zacharie Cornelius were iust men but we must know the two Courts of Iustice The first is the Kings Bench where yee haue strict iustice the other is the Chancerie where there is a mittigation of that strict course of iustice In the first court there is none found iust in the second court of acceptation some are accepted for iust men By his strict iustice God requireth that we keepe all the commandements that we haue but one ende that we neuer swarue from God In his court of acceptation he requireth first that we haue an endeuour to keepe all a full purpose to haue respect to all to flatter our selues in no sinne but being tolde of it to be readie to lament this God for his Christ accepteth for obedience to all his commaundements Secondly for
vnthankfulnes by remaining still in our corruption to let him loose his labour in all his sufferings wherein as we haue no care of our saluation so we manifest an open contempt of his most pretious Passion well worthie are we to die and vnworthie are we to liue in that the choise being set before vs we chuse rather to be murdered with our sinnes than to be rescued to life by Iesus Christ. For iustly is the reward promised to such as ouercome Reuel 3. 15. 12. 22. that is to such as will not onely strangle presse out the breath of sin and close vp the eyes of it at the fall and death of it but also follow it to the graue and couer it with moules so as it neuer rise againe Not that we thinke that sinne in this life is so wholy martyred but that the life of sinne may well be weakened counting it a rebell to regeneration not a Prince ouer the spirit of sanctification And as a Serpent cut in diuers peeces hath but certaine relicks of poyson and remnants of fiercenes in the maimed members and mangled parts thereof and is not able to exercise the like violence to a man as when it was whole and perfectly membred so howsoeuer some relicks of sins remaine in our old but in our martyred Adam yet it hath no such force or fiercenes to preuaile against vs as when it was in it perfect age like rather a mightie Monarch than a poore prisoner 22 It is vsuall either in deliuering or hearing doctrine to seuer disioyne those things which in their owne nature are conioyned by the holy Ghost Thus some deale in the doctrine of faith For when it is said The iust shall liue by faith they forget the former proposition that is the iust shall liue For here are two doctrines first he that is iust must liue by faith then that he must not liue by faith except he be iust Here must be no seuering of things because they may well be coupled together CHAP. XXVIII Of Feare MAny causes we haue to feare first for want of perseuerance we should leaue our estate in so great a danger that being swept and garnished yet the diuell at his comming should be accepted and make his reenter into vs againe There is another feare the feare of offence least by our halting we should draw others after vs and so weaken their hands and their knees The third feare is of comforting our enemies and of grieuing others that haue beene our defence I meane the Angels who as they are comforted in the perseuerance of the iust so they mourne at the falles of the righteous 2 True feare hath many properties as first it breeds in vs a maruellous humilitie as wee see in Iacob who was much afraid of his brother Esau therefore comming towards him he falles down seuen times There is a feare humbling and it is the worke of God to bring vs to himselfe And surely the Lord takes great delight in it and what is the reason of it because the Sonne of God in his humilitie hath done greater things for vs than euer hee did in his glorie for being God and vouchsafing to bee humbled euen to a worme hee hath done vs more good and more glorious things than euer hee did whiles hee was among the Angels Now the world is full of such proud spirits that nothing can qualifie them A second qualitie of feare is that it is very credulous This againe wee see in Iacob for when one told him his brother came against him so well furnished he feared greatly yet disputed not long in the matter It is the glorie of our age to dispute and gaine say a man and to say surely though you be of such an opinion I am not thinke as you will I thinke thus So that our dealings are so full of doubts and so ambiguous as though there neuer had been world before vs or as though now it were high midnight in Poperie The third qualitie in feare is diligence This also we see in Iacobs example who was marueilously studious to salute his brother disposing wisely of his children and cattell in the best order he could to preuent his brothers furie 3 It is a kindly thing to feare at Gods threatnings therefore when the iudgements of God were denounced it was noted as a signe of great deadnesse of heart if the most wretched sinner were not smitten with terrour hee that was in the highest degree of reprobation as Pharaoh feared for it is the nature of an iron rod easily to breake an earthen pot But for promises to bring vs to feare it is as strange a thing as it is in nature that thin water should breake a bodie and yet some bodies there be of so weake substance that any thing wil dissolue them Such is the nature of them who seeing and finding in themselues a great vnworthinesse to inherite such gracious promises of God are euer readie to melt away and to breake in sunder as beaten with an iron rod. Wherefore if wee can thus feare in loue and loue in feare we may haue a good testimony to our owne consciences that we haue a good feare because tasting how gracious and marueilous the Lord is in all his Saints we feare least we should lose so good and so gracious a Lord. 4 It is good to be stricken with feare so that we lie not in it willingly but being humbled therewith search our owne corruption and so to bee moued to enquire further after God and his word 5 The wicked feare not before affliction commeth and then they feare too much the godly feare before it comes and then their feare ceaseth For impietie triumpheth in prosperitie and trembleth in aduersitie but pietie trembleth in prosperitie and triumpheth in aduersitie 6 If Moses and the deare seruants of God were afraid when hee did appeare in mercie to them what shall the confusion of the wicked be when hee commeth to iudgement Wee cannot be prepared to receiue God his mercie vnlesse wee be striken with a reuerent feare both because we are his creatures and also sinfull God is alwayes God and is to bee feared 7 Many men maruell how men bee so smitten with such feares and so despaire that they cannot beleeue but these neuer consider the iudgement of God in hardning them and thus by a carnall admiration are depriued of all profiting by such examples In all things we should turne our eyes from man and onely behold God and know that it is hee which maketh our enemies to loue vs our inferiours to obey vs our friends to hate vs our superiours to loth vs. If we had this in our hearts we would surely cast off the feare of man and flatterie and striue to feare God in all sinceritie and to knowe that if the feare of God preuaile with vs we shal preuaile with men and haue
inditement to be executed there against some sinne Therefore when we blesse our selues for our riches and say the Lord be blessed for my wealth this is a goodly inheritance My lines are fallen in a faire place we must also say though this also be a good saying All this I haue of the Lord and hold whatsoeuer I haue of him doe I keepe that part of the couenant which is of my part as he hath performed his part of his condition with me If I doe then I am no vsurper for he hath giuen me a condition and I haue kept it he commended knowledge to me and I know in knowledge so that I am able to make an account of it c. but otherwise though I neuer come for any other sinnes to iudgement yet our action for dwelling in our possessions is sufficient to stand against vs. For if we keepe not the couenant the Lord hath or will enter an action and to thee or thy posteritie he will surely performe the execution of it CHAP. LXI Of Sacraments GOd might haue wrought miracles without the rod which he willed Moses to vse for he vsed it not for himselfe but for Moses and the people of Israel to helpe their infirmities So must we receiue the Sacraments as helpes Contraâ—aereticos And as the rod in it selfe was a common rod but being appointed of God for more excellent vse was so to be accounted of them So water bread wine although in themselues common yet put apart for the vse of the Sacraments are to be esteemed and receiued as the ordinance of the Lorde for the strengthening of our Faith wherein also the Lord will trie our obedience whether we will worship him in these things which haue so small a shewe 2 The neglect of Gods Sacraments doth prouoke him against vs as it did against Moses for the neglect of the Circumcision of his Sonne The Lord met Moses with some such affliction as that he was readie to die according to the threatning Gen. 17. Where we may see the neglecting of Gods ordinance punished but not the want for Moses did omit it either to please his wife or his father or both wherein hee honoured them more then the Lord. The like is said of the Passeouer Num. 9. Deut. 27. Our Baptisme and the Lords Supper doe answere these Sacraments therefore the neglect of them requires the like punishment Wee haue no lesse grace offered to vs in our Sacraments then they had in theirs if they then were worthily cut off much more are wee if we refuse either of our Sacraments vnlesse it be for necessities sake And although the Lord doth not presently meete vs as he did Moses yet is he the same God as in mercie to those that vse them in Faith so in iudgement to take vengeaÌ„ce vpon the contemners of them But some wil say they would come but the Ministers will not suffer them If the Ministers do hinder them without cause they shall beare their condemnation but if for want of Faith and repentance he doe stay them and be diligent and willing to teach and warne them and they still continue carelesse their blood shall be vpon their owne heads they can claime no part in the companie of Gods children for hee should communicate with them in their sinne if he should receiue them being vnworthie either for want of knowledge or because of sinnes which they lie in 3 The institution of the Passeouer Exod. 12. hath in it some things which are peculiar to the first celebration other some things which belong to the continuall obseruation as in the â—â— verse and before that they must not goe out of the doores c. These belonged to the first celebration of it afterward were not to be vsed because they had respect onely to the present Time therefore our Sauiour Christ offended not when they did eate the Passeouer sitting and went forth after the institution of the Lordes Supper some things were personall and had respect to the present time which were not after to be vsed as that it was to be eaten with vnleauened bread for then there was none other then that it was at Night in a parlor which was that it might be shewed that the other Passeouer was abrogated and this came in it stead other things that had no such particular respect are whollie and onely still to be obserued 4 We must be prepared to receiue the Lords Supper with sinceritie and holines which is the truth of the ceremonie of vnleauened bread for vnleauened bread had first respect to true doctrine as our Sauiour Christ himselfe expoundeth it Beware of the leauen of the Pharisies And this teacheth vs not onely to beware of all false doctrine as the doctrine of the Papists or such like which in it selfe is euill but also to beware that wee be not defiled with the corruption of the true doctrine which in it selfe is most pure for the doctrine of the Pharisies was much of it true yet somewhat mingled and otherwise defaced and this corruption of true doctrine is called leaueÌ„ because if it be suffered it wil corrupt the whole Secondly this hath respect to maliciousnes for so Paul expounded it The leauen of maliciousnes where also not onely the grosse sinnes are said to be of the nature of leauen but euen the very rootes of sinne maliciousnes Contrary to this are we commanded to come in a pure and sound religion and doctrine also in sinceritie and trueth of heart hauing respect vnto and hauing a desire to fulfill all the commandements of God Thirdly whereas it is called the bread of tribulation Deut. 16. 3. it sheweth with what affection wee must eate this Passeouer namely that as the poore man hath much paine and labour before he can get bread so that his hart fainteth with want or when all taste is gone by reason of his sicknes and when he hath gotten bread or findeth nourishment thereby he euen weepeth for ioy so should wee euen a long time bewaile our sinnes and repent vs of the euill which we haue done and euen saint for the desire of IESVS CHRIST that so we comming to the table of the Lord being refreshed may effectually receiue grace and be heartily thankfull 5 This is one great cause why the Family of loue and others doe with so deadly hatred despise our Sacraments because they neuer felt the power of them nor sought to haue by them the assurance of the merits of Christ conueied vnto them and sealed in their hearts Would we not then be like vnto this kinde of people in dâ—spising the Word Sacraments and other holy graces let vs not then rest in the bare vse of them let vs not come to them of fashion let vs not content our selues with hauing the outward things but let vs labour to feele in our hearts the power of the spirit let vs pray that by them the
speech into sharpenes as Mat. 6. If light be darknes how great is that darknes If sweetnes become bitternes how great is that bitternes Euery thing when it degenerateth into his contrarie becommeth most contrary as of the sweetest wine is made the sowrest vineger and that which is coldest when it is boyled is most feruent the sea calmest when it is moued is most raging Augustine saith that his laughter is more to bee feared than his anger That which he speaketh with laughter let vs reade with weeping For God neuer vseth such speeches of derisioÌ„ but there followeth immediatly destruction Prou 1. 26 27. Psal. 2. Hee will laugh them to scorne and then will breake them in peeces And because this is the last warning before iudgement when wee finde the Lord speaking so vnto vs it is as much as if he should say Now heare the word or neuer Well these speeches are vsed to wilfull sinners as Micaiah speaketh to the King that would go to battaile whatsoeuer came of it Go to and prosper Prou 2. Because you haue not heard any word nor profited by my sermons nor by my inward checks nor come when I shewed out my benefite but refused my correction then commeth this I will laugh at your destruction Ephraim will needes follow Idols well let him saith God Iosu 4 Psal. 2. We will not be yoked and will ye not goe to the Lord in heauen will yoke you And againe such as drinke iniquitie till they haue no vse of God his gifts in them woe be to them 4 We must redeeme time euen from our ordinary callings to read the holy Scriptures 5 It is best to note the general vertue of the word and not to vse exceptions but vpon particular and constraining necessitie 6 It is the grace of God when the word of God is of such credit with vs that it humbleth vs more than all manner of corrections 7 The vsuall dealing of the Lord is that hee first sendeth his word then his wonders which if they preuaile not then doth hee fall to afflicting vs and the ending of one crosse shall be the beginning of another till he hath brought vs to him if we be his or till we bee hardened if we belong not to him 8 The word of God is the sauour of life to some and the sauour of death to others it bringeth some to repentance and others it hardeneth 9 We must esteeme highly of the Sacraments admonitions of our brethren because in contempt of these we despise Gods ordinance and they can neuer haue their fruit in vs. For whosoeuer haue felt the fruites of the spirit can tell that nothing is so comfortable to vs as that great ioy which they felt in the right vse of these holy ordinances of God And hereof commeth that continuall ioy which the children of God take and finde in reading hearing and speaking of his word prayer Sacraments Therfore let vs learne to esteeme the word of God which hath been offered so long and let not our corruption as in other things so in this lesse esteeme it because it hath been long with vs which through corruption we shall doe if God by his great grace doe not sustaine vs. 10 Our father Adam had nothing to leade him by but the great booke of the creatures which when by sinne it was blotted the Lord supplied this want by the word though not written which is cleere for that without faith it is impossible to please God but Abel by faith pleased God and that faith presupposed the word therefore they had the word for which cause some were called the sonnes of God because they were ruled by the word of God And this word is said by the Apostles and Prophets that it endereth for euer therefore our Fathers had this word though not alwayes written 11 We must learne principally those things which the spirit of God most purposeth to teach vs and be more sparing in those things which to knowe Gods spirit is the more sparing to teach vs. 12 Although the word of God is alwayes in season to be ministred yet mens hearts are not alwayes in season to receiue it 13 To one that said she had a thing told her in the spirit that should vndoubtedly come to passe he answered how it might bee of God who after some great and grieuous conflict comforteth her But euermore such workings are according to the word if they be of God And seeing such inward motions for the most part are either offered or wrought by our owne corruption or sent of the diuel as an illusion we must trie these motions by the word whether they be for spirituall or temporall things if they be of God and according to his word beleeue them for the words sake and not onely because of the reuelations if they agree not to the word how pleasant soeuer they seeme to flesh and blood listen not then to them too much and lesse beleeue them 14 The word of God is reuerenced with many titles it is the reuealed will of God the librarie of the holy Ghost the cubit of the Sanctuarie the Lanterne of Israel Psa. 119. â—09 the spirituall Manna Christ his Aphorismes the wisedome of the crosse the Lord his legacie the touchstone of error the key of the sheepfold the mystery of godlinesse the oldest way of life and truth Prou. 28 the fulnes of knowledge the Schoole-master of mankind the beacon of the soule the seede of new birth the mouth of the Lord Iehouah the two-edged sword the acts and statutes of the highest Parliament the mint of the Church the lode-starre of the faithfull pilgrim the signeâ— of God his right hand â—he Lambes book the watch-bâ—l the glasse of our life 1. Pet. 2. 2 the scepter of his kingdom the arch of the truth the breath of the holy Ghost God his Oracle the Epistle of God to the world the inestimâ—ble pearle the tenour of our freehold the couenant of promise the Court-roule of his fiâ—es and amercements the well of the water of life the Lord his treasurie the lightning and thuÌ„der of the most High WheÌ„ God speaketh any thing although it be no more than once spoken we ought to receiue it with that faith and deuotion as if it had often bin spoken Wee must thinke of the Lord his writings at the least to be as sure as the proclamations of the Medes and Persians which alter not Dan. 6. 12. Euerie iot title in the librarie of the holy Ghost is fined hath passed seuen times through the fire ere it come to our hands so it shall not neede the furnace of our vaine reason for it further triall Psal. 12. This word was giuen first by God in his owne person secondly by the ministerie of Angels thirdly by his seruants the Prophets fourthly by his owne Sonne Coloss. 2. 3. it was written 2. Pet. 1. 21. it was inspired 2. Timoth-3 â—6 it is
them in others which will permit vs to bee grieued at euill things in our selues and yet make vs to reioyce to see the same in others True zeale loueth good wheresoeuer and in whomsoeuer it is true zeale hateth sinne wheresoeuer and in whomsoeuer true zeale loueth friends as they be God his friends true zeale hateth aduersaries so far as they are God his aduersaries true zeale loueth a good thing in our most professed enemy true loue hateth a sinne in our most assured friend if wee are perswaded that our enemies be God his children howsoeuer we disagree in some particular yet wee can swallow vp many priuate iniuries offred and we more reioyce in them as they be God his children then we can be grieued at them as they haue iniuried vs. Indeede true zeale is most grieued for the sinnes of the godly because so much is their sinne grieuouser thē the sin of another by how much they came neerer to the image of GOD then another howbeit this must alwayes be with a Christian sympathie which worketh in vs a griefe for their sinne as well as an anger for their sinne which changeth our griefe into prayer for them Though then we be neuer so far asunder we must loue them that loue God though we be ioyned neuer so neere we must hate them that hate God in the meane time in deuouring on the one hand to do all duties of loue and obedience vnto them in admonishing them praying for them and mourning for them as they be ioyned in any band vnto vs and remembring on the other hand when nothing will do them good but the matter is at this point that we must either cleaue to God and forsake them or forsake God and cleaue to them that nature and ciuilitie in the second table are to giue place to religion and pietie in the first table 5 The fift rule is that wee must not bee stricter to our selues than to any other and bee more liberal in some things to others than to our selues This will first cause vs to cast the first stone at our selues this will teach vs to pull first the beame out of our owne eyes and then the mote out of anothers eye this wil make such an experience of sinne in our selues that we shall neither flatter too foolishly men in their sins nor rebuke too rigorously men for their sinne Some we shall see iustly misliking a ceremonie refuse it in themselues yet for that it is a thing indifferent they can tolerate it in others others there be who being vnwilling to vse it themselues iudge streightly all others as haynous offenders that vse it Moses refused to take so much as a shooe-latchet himselfe from the Egyptians and yet to others that would take hee would not denye the lawe of armes so streight he was to himselfe so liberall he was to others Paul seeing that in some places hee could not so conueniently liue of other mens charges as at Corinth Thessalonica although at Colossos he receiued somewhat where they were able to bestow on him yet he would not that all men should be tied to this example to doe the like for he laboureth much in all his Epistles almost about this to shew how Ministers ought sufficiently to be prouided for so strict hee was to himselfe such liberalitie he left to others Rom. 14. 2. Cor. 8. 10. where he intreateth of things indifferent It were good then that Christians might say thus with themselues I can doe thus by Christian libertie but if it be an hinderance to the glorie of God or an offence to my brother I wil not do it if others doe it so their heart be good in this and their conscience is vsed in other good things I will not herein wage warre with them but to ioyne with them in greater and better matters I will pardon the lesse If this wisedome had beene vsed long agoe what vanitie had there been in the Church of God for want of this what trouble hath risen therein 6 The sixt and last rule is if we haue a zeale against the sinne because it was against the law of God and therewithall haue a compassion to the person because one like our selues hath offended this mixture of affections causeth anger to feede on the sinne not on the person When our Sauiour Christ going about on the Sabbath day to heale the man with the withered hand was reprehended of the Pharisies it is saide hee looked about him angerly and after it is added that he sorrowed for the blindnesse of their hearts see how anger and sorrow meete anger that men should haue such little knowledge of God or loue to their brother sorrow that being such excellent creatures they should slippe so fouly Looke vpon the Prophets which if in the heauinesse of spirite they did not vtter their word which in the zeale of God his glorie they did denounce so that when they most threatned they were most grieued that the plague spoken should fall vpon them Now that is an outreaching zeale where our anger rather seedeth on the person than on the sinne Samuel in the zeale of Gods glorie spares not flatly to tell Saul of his sinne and yet in loue to his person he was alwaies bent to lament Saules cause and to pray for him Doest thou loue Gods glorie Then wilt thou surely admonish thy brother of his sinne because zeale cannot suffer God to be dishonoured Doest thou loue thy brother then wilt thou admonish him with compassion because loue lamenteth the weaknes of thy brother who hath done that which thou mightest haue done FINIS GODLY OBSERVATIONS CONCERNING DIVERS ARGVMENTS AND COMmon places in Religion CHAP. I. COnscience is a sensible feeling of Gods iudgements grounded vpon the word nourished by the consideration of the latter day stirring vp our hearts to the approouing of our doings both before God and men It is an effect of faith faith therefore as the cause must goe before where no faith is there is no knowledge where there is no knowledge there is no conscience Many men say this is my cōscience they might better say this is mine opinion this is my fancie Knowledge is lesse than faith and opinion lesse than knowledge Againe it is placed in the heart to the stirring vp of vs and summoning of vs to approoue those things which we knowe before God We must not make our conscience like a cheuerel purse stretch it too farre or too narrow that is bee not too righteous as the Anabaptists and the Familie of loue Saul in sparing Agag would be too mercifull and afterwards waxed cruell by killing the Prophets Those that are true Puritanes are such We must not let our conscience looser than the Scriptures be for then wee fall to be prophane Take heede of extreames for vertue is a meane betweene two extreames taking something of one and something of the other knowledge of generals and
meate which though he eate against his stomacke and presently feeleth no benefite of it yet we knowe by experience it doth him good and himselfe afterward shall receiue the same In our great feare we are lesse to be feared those are to feare which feare not Sometimes the Lord doth bring vnbeleeuers that wander from him by crooked waies vnto himselfe Reuerence those words and workes of God which you vnderstand not As the sense of an aguish man is corrupt so is the iudgement of one that is in temptation Muscul. so that things that are either seeme not to be or not such as they are The patient bearing of miserie is an acceptable sacrifice vnto God When the Goldsmith putteth a peece of gold into the fire to make better vse of it it seemeth to the vnskilfull that he vtterly marreth it so the children of God in affliction seeme to the iudgement of the naturall man vndone and brought to nothing but spirituall things are spiritually discerned As none can discerne of the Sunne but by his owne light so neither of the Spirit Hereof arise the diuers iudgements of the tempted of themselues because sometime the good spirit doth inlighten them and other times they are left in their naturall blindnes and Satan also easily deluded them Beleeue alwaies your estate to be the worke of God and varie not therein for your humiliation your consolation the glorie of God and the good of others Beware that you doe not often alter your iudgement of your estate as saying sometimes it is God his worke sometimes Melancholie sometimes your weaknes and simplicitie sometimes witcherie sometimes Satan for these diuers thoughts will much trouble you you may thinke Melancholie may bee an occasion but no cause and so of the rest Looke stedfastly to the hand of God surely resting on this that hee not onely knoweth thereof but that whatsoeuer is done directly or indirectly by meanes or immediatly al is done and gouerned by him Beware of reasoning of musing of solitarines of impatiencie of spirit of murmuring of anger enuie wishes suspitions ielousies too often eating c. or fastings much medling with wordly businesse or much idlenes lying musing in bed vaine mirth Say not you cannot be helped for that may hinder the worke of God Say not if I were in such and such a place I should be well Whereas in consideration of the falling away of many excelling you both in the ages and graces of the new birth you feare you shall not perseuere to the end your meditation and collection is good so long as it preserues you from the carelesnesse of your flesh but it is euill when it would dissolue the assurednes of your faith Indeede so long as you looke vpon your selfe you haue cause of feare because you are vnable to prolong as you are to begin new birth but if you looke to God you haue nothing but matter of faith for that whom he once loueth he loueth for euer Againe as a man swimming in deepe waters is neuer in danger of drowning so long as his head continueth aboue the waters so though you swimme in deepe feare of dangerous temptations yet you are sure and secure because Christ Iesus your head is still aboue all your troubles and therefore is able to draw you his member to the shore of saluation without all perill of perishing It is hard to take vp and beare the yoke of Christ but much harder it is to continue drawing and panting in it vnto the end This caused a godly father to pronounce that in godlines not so much the beginnings as the endings are to be looked to Iudas began gloriously but he ended shamefully Paul began ill but he ended well Then let vs say to our owne soules Good Lord what if our first loue be growne cold how fearfull is it to come a great way out of Sodome and in the end to become a pillar of salt Oh let vs neuer put our hand to the plough and looke backe keepe vs deare God from the beginning in the spirit and ending in the flesh Oh suffer vs not to be the first in outward vocation and the last in inward sanctification let vs feare hauing beene once lightned to be darkened Remember how sometime thy heart hath wrought and trauelled in prayer how the springs of your ioy haue beene in the Lord and his Christ how all thy delights haue been in his Saints how it hath beene thy glorie in singing and praising to be familiar with thy God These former fruites make me looke for after fruites A streight course of religion is somewhat an vncomfortable companion but blessed be that mortificatioÌ„ which so farre estrangeth vs from the world that it chaÌ„geth vs to the similitude of Christ to whom we must be coÌ„formed in sufferings that we may be like him in glorie Suffer not your heat to bee straight narrow and vncomfortable in heauenly things this draweth away both the breath and bud and the life of true godlinesse The Lord keepe you from euill and the Lord satisfie you with gladnesse the Lord giue you the spirit of prayer and heare your prayers the Lord bee your teacher your guide and your comfort oh pray pray pray it is the best sacrifice to God and the most comfortable duty you can doâ— I am not loth to put you in minde of these things you haue many carefull for you in other things O pardoÌ„ me if I be bold in this one thing I trust I reioyce more in the good of your soule than euer I should reioyce in the fruite of mine owne bodie it would be a thousand deaths to me as tenne thousand hels to see your soule miscaâ—ie O let me be accepted more than a ciuill friend more than a friend of the world giue me this benefit to be thought further than a friend in the flesh No griefe shame or sorrow pleaseth the Lord which goeth altogether separated from a sweete perswasion of his fauour Againe no pleasing our selues in the assurance of pardon is acceptable to God which altogether reiecteth the care of espying bewailing and auoiding of sinne Wherefore let this be the barre and bound of your affections in these cases so long as Christ goeth with you so long as the mercies of God accompanie you so long as the grace of the Spirit shineth vpon you be dealing with your sinnes and condemne them to death likewise while you are tender of conscience afraide of sinne reuerently prepared to walke holily with your God laugh at Sathans accusations despise destruction and set at nought the terrors of hell You neuer erre one way or other but by failing of one or both of these that is either in your griefes you are grieued without comfort or in your ioyes you reioyce without reuerence whereby it falles out in the end that as in vnnecessarie griefes you can finde no spirituall pleasure
euill is present with you and that when you do the euill you would not then do you not it but sinne in you when it leadeth you captiue Rom. 7. much more then whē Sathan worketh withall buffeting you assure your selfe that God hath pitie on you that the vertue of his power shal be perfect in your weaknes 2. Cor. 12. 9. If you belieue according to your faith it shall be done vnto you But you will say you cannot belieue that this vile and crooked hardnes of your heart can bee remitted and renewed and euen this was the second point which in the former part of my letter I gaue you to vnderstand was the cause of your excessiue distresse I beseech you and I charge you in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you will not willingly lie nor offer iniurie to God his spirit nor to your selfe who haue receiued it tell me what is the reason why you think you haue no faith Verily because you haue no feeling nor no other fruites thereof as you thinke Well first then agree with me herein as you must if you will not disagree with the truth that feeling is but an effect and a fruite of faith And therefore there may be faith without feeling as well as the cause may be without the effect and the tree without any appearance of fruite yea of sappe for a season And as a man sore wounded or diseased may for a season be depriued almost of all operations of the naturall life to the outward shew and his owne iudgement and feeling so may a spirituall man be so sore wounded by Sathan and diseased by present sight and feeling of his sinfull corruptions specially in temptation that he may thinke yea and may appeare to others that the life of the spirit is not in him Thus Peters faith did not wholy faile as you haue heard or else the prayer of our Sauiour preuailed not Thus when Dauid Psal. 51. 12. declared that his heart was vncleane and his spirit crooked or vnstable and vers 14. that he had lost the ioy of his saluation and the spirit of libertie or adoption yet vers 13. he prayeth that God would not take his holy spirit from him therefore hee was not depriued of the spirit of sanctification Here seemeth repugnance but there is none He was depriued for a season of the graces of the fanctifying spirit but none of the holy Ghost wherewith he was sanctified Which graces as God restored vnto him so I am perswaded he will vnto you yea I doubt whether you are depriued of them but onely that partly melancholy and partly Satan worketh therewith make you doe iniurie to your selfe and to the graces of the spirit in you which I beseech you take heede of But the messenger cannot stay and therefore I cannot write as I would either of this or of the remedies you should vse which hereafter I will as God shall inable me And I pray you let me vnderstand as I requested in the beginning of your estate iu particular somewhat more and that by this bearer if you can because hee is of your acquaintance and will bring it vnto me faithfully Onely I adde now vnto that I haue written of hardnes of heart at large that you must diligently obserue the word Create which Dauid vseth Psal. 51. declaring how hee had no feeling of his heart To this ioyne that which the Prophet Esay speaketh in the person of God chap. 57. 23. I create the fruite of the lips to be peace peace as well to him that is fare off as to him that is neere Therefore in faith you may as well pray with hope to obtaine as did Dauid Therefore say with him often and with God his people Esay 64 12. O Lord thou art our father we indeede are clay but thou art our maker and we are the worke of thy hand c. Know you that God can cause Wolues Lions Leopards c. dwell louingly with Lambes Calues Kine Esay 11. 6. c and that which is vnpossible vnto men is possible vnto God euen to cause a cable rope to goe through a needles eye that is to change the hard heart of the vnbeleeuing couetous wretched man much more yours Yea knowe you that all things are possible to him that beleeueth crie then I beleeue O Lord helpe my vnbeleefe And I dare promise you in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you shal haue your harts desire in goodnes Thus abruptly I must make an end I commend you vnto God and the word of his grace which is able to build you vp and giue you the right of inheritance among them which are sanctified And the very God of peace sanctifie you throughout that your whole spirit and soule and body may be kept blamelesse vntill the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ faithfull is he which hath called you which will doe it Amen I pray you pray for me and I trust as I haue so I shall pray for you and much more Yours in Iesus Christ to vse in any neede A LETTER CONSOLATORIE TO Mistris Mary Whitehead THe Lord Iesus Christ by whose blood you are iustified stay and strengthen you now and for euer Amen Seeing we be so miserable blessed bee God that wee bee also mortall seeing wee be subiect to sinne praised bee God that wee are also subiect to corruption It would now grieue vs to bee mortall because wee sinne and by sinne purchase miserie it is sufficient that we shall then neuer die when we shall neuer sinne and then wee shall no more taste of corruption when wee shall no more so much as feare condemnation In regard whereof good Mistris looke not so much to your griefe for the death of your sonne which you see to be the cōmon lot of al and the happie lot of the godly as vpon his freedome from misery his libertie from sinne and his holy change to eternall felicitie And albeit he was young in yeares yet was hee come to sufficient yeares to goe to God that hee that hitherto did grow in Christ should now bee gathered and reaped vp to the kingdome of Christ so that we cannot thinke him to die in his flowers whose perfection groweth to so blessed a maturitie before the Lord. If then you reioyced in him as he was the interest of the Lord you are not much to sorrow that the Lord hath his right Which if your loue to him was right you know did euer appertaine vnto him Hee must not of you his earthly parents be deemed to be lost which of his heauenly father is so surely preserued And without all question his very growing in godlines vnder so manifold afflictions in this life could not haue been so profitable to him and comfortable vnto you as the losse of a few and faint pleasures recompenced with so infinite and vnspeakable ioyes in the life to come are I hope and must be vnto you Be not then so grieued for that
such was Dauids state After that Nathan had reproued him and Gods spirit beganne to worke with him yet hee crieth out as yee heard before of the losse of Gods graces and when hee saith that God will accept of no Sacrifices bee they neuer so manie nor precious without a contrite heart and broken spirit he sheweth that for a time euen after the Prophet had reproued him hee wanted both This is your case and therefore you a in the state of saluation For Dauid was in this case euen after he had confessed his sin and had receiued absolution and pardon from God by the ministerie of Nathan although he neuer felt ioy thereof nor true griefe for the other yet because in trueth of heart he confessed his sinne as my trust is you doe and was certainely perswaded of the pardonablenes of it by Gods mercy although he was farre off from the feeling of it or applying it to his wofull conscience his state was good and very well to be hoped of And you must know to be perswaded that those things which are written of Gods Saints and namely of Dauid and Peter and such others are examples for vs if we will stay our selues vpon the word of God in the ministerie of his seruants and waite vpon the Lords good time till he come neerer vnto vs by his spirit neerer I say for he is come alreadie vnto you or it may be he neuer went from you because to be grieued and humbled with blindnesse of minde and hardnesse of heart to beleeue certainely the truth of Gods promises in generall and to reuerence the seruants of God which bring the glad tidings of saluation and to long after the comforts vsing the meanes of the word and prayer the Sacraments of the Supper and the company of Gods children contrarie to hope vnder hope yea without any present feeling all this is a certaine argument that Gods spirit is with such and therefore with you This estate although it be very grieuous yet it is neuer dangerous much lesse is it fearefull vnlesse any be so wilfull that they perseuere and continue desperate refusing all good meanes vnlesse they perseuere I say for that through the spirituall aduersarie and his forcible power whereby God suffereth him sometime for a season to winnow them as wheate they are so bewitched and intoxicated that they are carried by violent force of temptation to waxe wearie of or to refuse all meanes of comfort by fits yea almost to haue no desire at all vnto them yea sometimes to speake very euill of them but all this is but temptation and therefore God will be mercifull vnto them for Christs sake Thus Iob cursed the day of his birth and wished to be strangled Ieremie almost repented that euer he preached in the name of the Lord both scarcely abstaine from blasphemie Dauid mooued with the spirit of ambition though dutifull admonished wilfully went on in numbring the people Peter also vaingloriously presuming of his owne strength being most wisely and effectually preadmonished of his weakenes euen by our Lord Iesus yet wittingly rushing as a horse into the battaile euen then very cowardly yeeldeth yea doubly denieth yea strengtheneth his sinne with a threefold cord and fasteneth it with bannings and cursings and yet for all these he obtained mercie most bountifully For why as Sathan had desired to winnow them so our Lord Iesus prayed for them that their faith though it was vehemently assaulted yet should not be ouercome although it was bartered yet that it should not be destroyed and though it was oppressed yet that it should not be extinguished And here be you fully perswaded that albeit Luke 22. 31. the words seeme to runne as belonging but to Peter viz. I haue praied for thee that thy faith should not faile yet he prayed for the rest of the Apostles yea for all the faithfull For first he saith not Simon Satan hath desired to winnow thee but you Why then saith he I haue praied for thee Verily because he should more grieuously offend than the rest although their offence was very great therefore his our most blessed Sauiour applied to him the promise but did not appropriate it vnto him onely and restraine it from the rest Compare with this place Iohn 17. 20. and you shall see that the heauenly veritie affirmeth that he prayed not onely for the Apostles but for all those that should beleeue through their word yea further Our Lord Iesus Christ was yesterday is to day and shall be for euer And as the forefathers were baptized into him did eate his flesh and did drinke his blood so was his prayer effectuall euen to them vnder the law much more to vs vnder grace And when you can finde testimonie in your heart that when you would doe well euill is present with you and that you doe the euill you would not then do not you it but sinne in you when it leadeth you captiue much more when Sathan workes withall buffetting you assure your selfe that God hath pitie on you that the vertue of his power shall be perfect in your weakenes If you beleeue according to your faith it shal be done vnto you But you will say you cannot beleeue that this vile crocked hardnes of your heart can be remitted and renewed and euen this was the second point which in the former part of my letter I gaue you to vnderstand was the cause of your excessiue distresse I beseech you I charge you in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you will not willingly lie nor offer iniurie to Gods spirit or to your selfe who hath receiued it Tell mee what is the reason why you thinke you haue no faith Verely because you haue no feeling nor any other fruites thereof as you thinke Well first then agree with me herein as you must if you will not disagree with the truth that feeling is but an effect and fruit of faith and therefore there may be faith without feeling as well as the cause may bee without the effect and the tree without any appearance of fruite yea of sappe for a season And as a man sore wounded and diseased may for a season be depriued almost of all operations of the naturall life to the outward shew and to his owne iudgement and feeling so may a spirituall man bee sore wounded by Satan and diseased by the present feeling of his sinfull corruptions specially in temptations that he may thinke yea appeare to others that the life of the spirit is not in him Thus Peters faith did not wholy faile as you haue heard or else the prayer of our Sauiour preuailed not Thus when Dauid declared that his heart was vncleane or his spirit crooked or vnstable and that he had lost the ioy of his saluation and the spirit of libertie or adoption yet hee prayeth that God would not take his holy spirit from him therefore he was not
most impatient either of reproches offered vnto vs by our enemies or any iniuries by our friends yet herein we â—eruently aske of thy wise and merciful goodnes that wee may reape a good fruite euen of such euill meanes And because wee grow to bee acquainted with the pride of our spirits and sloath fulnesse of our flesh and few meanes are left vs and many offences by our selues conceiued by others and Sathan offered doe alreadie and are daily like more to assaile vs O Lord thou which hast beene our God euen from our first birth especially since our new birth be thou the God of our middle age yea of our old dayes if we liue so long vntill thou finish the last worke of our new birth begun and continued thus farre in vs. To this ende wee aske of thee that we may vow and receiuing grace from thee wee doe vowe to vse all these forenamed good meanes of our saluation more mercifully than yet euer wee vsed them in vsing of them wee aske more feare of thy Maiestie faith of thy promises purenesse of our hearts loue vnto others and withall blessing and fruite more aboundant that our latter workes may be better then our former Wofull experience O blessed Sauiour teacheth and moueth vs to call vpon thee as for these former things so to be preserued and protected by thy almightie and mercifull grace from our owne corruption to come from all Sathans temptation and accusations from all manner of contagion of the vngodly in their iniuries reproches and their benefits praises their â—orceries inchantments yea from any hurt of thy children as they bee not regenerate and from any hurt by thy creatures so farre forth as any of these things may hurt our saluation Former experience O mightie God and mercifull Father ought not onely to teach but also to enforce vs to giue thee thankes praise and glory for thy former mercies vpon vs and thy Church bestowed but wherein thou hast prouided for vs many arguments of strength of faith or ignorance forgetfulnes negligence and want of reuerence of thy mercies receiued minister iust cause of humiliation and therefore in some faith in and thankfulnesse for thy former mercifull blessings and yet in much weaknesse in the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord with our whole heart wee beseech thee giue vs a good portion of thy spirit to call carefully thy benefites to our remembrance wisely to vnderstand them and reuerently to regard and truly to be thankfull for them in mind in heart in word and deed through Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen Wee beseech thee most mightie God and mercifull Father to make partakers of our praiers and thankesgiuings all the whole Church and euery member thereof especially where dutie most chargeth promise bindeth necessitie craueth and thy glory chalengeth c. FINIS A TABLE OF THE CHIEFE POINTS OF DOCTRINE HANDLED IN THIS VOLVME GATHERED INTO AN Alphabeticall order A ABstinence vsed 807. want of it hurt the godly 808. Admonition 28. 256 789 to whome it is to be giuen 205. and in what manner 547. 698. 58. of inferiours to superiours 257. how it should be taken 58. Rules of it in generall 629. 630. 631. Adoption what it is and trials thereof 450 Adulterie what it is and how many wayes committed 676. 767. 790. Remedies against it 635. 636. Affection naturall is corrupt 1. 103. 638. 681. 727. 57. 515. 325. alwayes to bee suspected 274. 651. the triall of it 1. 671. 680. how it is renewed 243. 175. 742. goood affections required in good workes 264. 161. Dead Affections 459. 827. Affliction 2. 262. 638. causes of it 35. 640. 197. 234. 235. necessitie thereof 80. how grieuous a thing 97 ioyes in it 686. 782. who are afflicted 95. 96. 639 766. the ende and vse of affliction 1. 2. 112. 686. 533. 334. how to comfort the afflicted 6. 106 1107 114. 116. Affliction soone tries godlie and godlesse 489. three rules for it 864. 865. Ambition 99. how to fight against Ambition 466. Amitie turned into enmitie 798. Anger godlie 243. euill anger 79â— cause of it 466. Triall of anger 3. 641. 204. 547. Angels watch ouer veâ— and how 3. 646 not seene but extraordinarily 641. euill Angels 310. 311. 312. Antichrist 666 Apparell 712. Apostasie how great a sinne 627. An Arrian Heretike 110. Armour of a Christian 308. 309. Assurance of saluation 322. 323. 328. See Saluation Astonishment 24â— Atheisme 3. Austeritie 769. B BAptisme 642. Our vowe in Baptisme euer to bee remembred 477. on what day to be remembred 157. Belieuers like children 18. the belieuer not hastie 408. Blessednes 314. the causes of it 207. the effects of it 209. true blessednes wherein it consisteth 394 Blessing denied because of sinne 784 786. the way to obtaine temporall blessings 644. these are no signes of Gods fauour 645. Blindnes of men 165. causes of it 197. Booke of GOD especiallie to be taken vp with the examples thereof 421. All that can delight the heart of man contained in the booke of God 446 Brethren most vehement in Loue and so in hatred 685. Brownists 258 C CAlamities publike fearefull Tokens thereof 464. causes of it 791. publike most affect vs most 2â— Calling generall speciall 645. misliking thereof dangerous 4. 30. 38. 613. 493. Of calling vpon GOD with diuerse circumstances thereof 449. Care immoderate of outward things hurtfull 464 644 Catechising of Children whiles they are yong required 2 8. 642. 664. families must bee catechized â—9â— how and by whom it must be done 649 6â—5 distinguished from preaching ibid. reasons for it 665 Cause good why it hath ill successe who are enemies to it 8. constancie in it 50 how to prosper in a good cause 461 they may looke to bee potected that haue a good cause and handle that cause well 504 256 651 Censuring of others how it must be done 4 Ceremonies 787 their first originall 152 good and profitable 652 euill and to be hated 353 321 364 Charitie 820 voyde of suspition 79 Chastitie 78 CHRIST 654 his excellencie in all knowledge 751 how and where we must labour to finde CHRIST to apply him 397 his Temptations 490 his Passion in â—oule â—4 186 his Buriall and the vse of it 84 his Resurrection 85 178 he holdeth his Kingdome by two Titles 655 two Crownes 6â—6 his incercession how he must be followed 692 654 his power 852 Christians their estate 308 who bee true Christians 231 A Christians life is the Meditation of the Lawe of GOD c. 459 Difficulties in Christianitic 384 Church why called holie and Catholike the Authoritie and dignitie of it 648 the prospetitie thereof should make vs reioyce 275 a care of the prosperitie a note of Gods children 620 wants in it and yet tollerable 74 648 819 ChildreÌ„ foolish 276 why God giueth such to parents 2â—2 how to be brought vp ibid 662 66â— how to bee corrected 278 marks of Gods children 853 316 their calling and priuiledges
to loue best 516 how to loue superiours equall and inferiours 120 Loue of the creatures hinder 20. carnall loue 637 Lust remedies against it 635 M MAdnes the cause of it 20 Magistrates how they may winne the peoples fauour 260 they must be men of wisedom 38 haue a care of Gods glory pray for the people 778 their sinne most dangerous 79â— siâ—s of the people cause euill Magistrates 53 Markes of Gods children 25 See children of God Mâ—riners that sâ—ile on the Sabbath 164 Matrimonie notes to know whether it be of God 20 consent of parents 21 choise in it 742 the spousage before knowne by the light of nature 122 the end of it 806 Meanes 27 of saluatioÌ„ 42 all good meanes must â—e vsed 615 â—70 we ought to attend thereoÌ„ 736 neglect therof a tempting of God 674 by what meanes wee draw to God 690 to keepe vs from sin 7â—8 the vertue power of the meanes in God 844 meanes of least shew bring greatest graces 290 Mediatour who it is 80 how dangerous to appeare before God without him 694 Mediocritie 29 Meditation 615 159 574 564 in labour 4 how we be hindred therein 10 commodities of it 22. rules for it 23. of Christ his death 19â— of death in or on the word 450. to redeeme the time for it 471 Meditation must be continued 459 we will alwaies meditate thinke on the things we loue 459 Melancholy Satan and it disquiet afflicted soules 257 Memorie helpes for it 23 â—5 447 Mercie 209 of God 9 522. the rich mercy of God to the faithfull in opening their eyes when many millions are left in darkenesse and miserie 503 it is either in giuing or forgiuing 697 to the poore 69â— how it worketh in the wicked 247 to whom the mercies of God are dearâ— 782 Merit 509 Messengers of God how they binde and loose 877 must be prepared for trouble 747 their euill life how dangerous 752 messengers of Satan within vs. 306 Minde 52 cast downe 95 distempered 482 Ministers 24. the necessitie of theÌ„ â—39 â—40 the vse whereunto they are appointed 341. their dutie first to reade and studie 342. secondly to teach the word â—43 how where what he must teach 344 when 345. to pray for himselfe and the people 345. thirdly hee ought to liue a godly life â—46 fourthly hee ought to teach priuately as well as publikely 347 how a Minister may â—â—â—e 347. Miniets the porters of heauen 288. meanes to bring vs to Christ. 288 Ministers and Auditors are not alwaies alike 448 Ministerie 24 646 the haste of young men to it 24 the dignitie of it 747 the necessitie of it 340. whether a man may desire it 52. negligent in it 752 790 sufficiencie for it 546 couetous in it 735 Miracles giuen in mercy and in iudgement 736 Mirth 25 the way to godly mirth 724 Morall and Ceremoniall 132. See Law To know things morall and ceremoniall 138 Mortification goe together with remission of sinne 105 Mother 76 three good mothers breeds three euill daughters 830 Motions secret vnto sinnes 108 the spirit restraines euill motions 89 the godly are not free from euill motions 681 we must watch ouer them 703 the first motion to sinne must be crucified in vs. 467 why so few good motions come to vs 522 sudden motions to good 476 Motes what sinnes are called motes and what beames 632 Multitude to follow is dangerous 704 Murmuring the policie of Satan therein 26 how common in our daies 249. remedies against it â—51 758. how readie we are in our daies to murmure 815 N NAme good name how pretious 259 260. See good name Nature good and euil 29 natural men measure others by theÌ„selues 715 they count all spirituall things as paradoxes 457 Necessitie two kindes thereof 166 Neighbour who is our neighbour 79 O OBedience what it is 50 to the word 826. it must be free 44 triall of it 544 strict obedience to be laboured for 292. popish obseruations and workes of supererogation in the point of obedieÌ„ce confuted 393 Occasion of euil must be auoided 25 263 Offences 721 47 74 90 702. small sinnes great offences 727 Oppression 780 Order necessarie in all things 833 Othes 75 476 P PApists 3 673 disquieted in minde 96 rest in the worke wrought 689. neuer felt the power of Christ his grace 787 popish obiections against the Gospell 802 popish superstition 455 Papists goe beyond carnall Protestants in outward things 805 455 How papists follow Peter 483. papists may not be spared for their ciuill honestie 455 Popish Doctors of reason 520 PareÌ„ts immoderate loue 2â— follie 258 for what cause the Lord afflicteth parents in their children 277 their consent in mariage 743 consideration in correcting their children 798 Pastors the â—inne of the flocke their sinne 259. their office 772. See ministers Patience 6â—9 759 56â— triall of it 25 properties of it 254 vnder the crosse 761 768 the vse of Gods patience 694 Peâ—ce three-fold 7 of minde 97 of conscience 209 false peace ibid. of the wicked 6â—0 of the Church 542 People their dutie to their Magistrates 76 to their Ministers 349 Perfection God lookes not for it at our hands 390 Periurie how men fall into it 333 Persecution 670 popish persecution how great 791 Perseuerance 496 694 721 116 in the vse of the meanes 15 764 a sure triall both of knowledge and faith 510 Pâ—ruert who they be that peruert others 730 Physition properties of him 794 Pittie who are to be pittied 25 Plague 79â— boldnes and fearefulnes in it 2 extremities 104 plague threatned 790 for the contempt of the word 513 A perfume for christiaÌ„s against the plague 444 Pleasure 653 734 how we may take pleasure 726 vse of it with restraint 7 9 of sinne 323 Pollution the polluted person polluteth all things 189 Policie of the world euill 838 Polygamie 586 Posteritie care thereof 798. Iehosaphat punished in his posteritie 462 Posts on the Sabbath 165 Pouertie the cause and vse of outward want 26 Poore 261 zealous in defence of them 258 poore in godlines 784 collections for them on the Sabbath 161 Praise 27 733 749 Preaching with prayer before after 272 the power therof 283 708 sincere bring men to Christ 139 needfull by sea 164 distinguished from catechizing 664 the onely meanes to worke faith 690 346 173 Preachers how they winne fauour 8â—1 how they should carrie themselues 358 247 a true marke of a faithfull Preacher 375 See Minister Prayer 2 38 when to pray 26 to offer vp our prayers to God albeit in perplexitie of spirit wee know not how to pray 484 publike for the sicke 34 want of it cause want of faith 177 what it is 90 a remedy in temptation 873 how it is hard and what doth season it 507 619 how profitable 776 motiues thereunto 777 the more grace a man hath the more need he hath to pray 46 47 it is the best sacrifice 8â— priuate prayer necessarie 501 rules for prayer 562 563
to folfow it 586 Seeking of God 836 Sermons â—6 twice on the Sabbath 563 SeruaÌ„ts their maisters dutie 163 177 their dutie to their maisters 784 Shame and shamefastnes 851 Shepheards and heardsmen 306 Sicknes in minde how cured 5 794 all are sicke 793 their impatiencie to be borne with 7 rules for them 34 to visit the sicke 275 what they should doe in their sicknes 640 715 Signe of grace 170 how it differeth from a figure 138 Silence in meetings not good 5 not too strict 64â— Similitudes of things naturall and better knowne applied to things diuine and lesse knowne vnto vs 11 12 15 16 18 20 21 29 4â— 4â— 244 245 247 262 264 285 613 100 â—52 162 164 166 174 874 875 876 877 294 265 636 640 651 652 655 656 659 661 673 676 682 685 689 693 7â—4 710 713 717 752 722 776 785 79â— 793 802 809 813 819 822 829 Simplicitie godly 715 Sinceritie 161 209 Sinne to finde out specialll sinnes 5 and to confesse them 10â— 484 cause of it within vs 30 in what respect worldlings leaue it 616 fearefull to make a sport of it 626 secret sinnes 37 262 272 610 5â—1 secret sinnes not repented of 461 sinnes not equal 631 euery sinne hath two reasons for it 670 the death of it in the faithful 682 first motions of sinne must be crucified 467 particular sight and loathing of speciall sins 475 wisedome of Gods children to preuent sin 514 of three things which may keepe vs from it 697 two heads of many sinnes 703 ripenes in sins 712 foure companions of sin 7â—0 the cause of the losse of many blessings 786 dominion of it 527 528 presumptuous sinnes 852 to leaue sinne and to repent 85â— differ 858 to leaue it not sufficient 304 sinne of apostacie and fiue reasons to disswade therefrom 627 A maruellous great prerogatiue to be freed from the bondage of sinne 90 we must deale with our sinnes as the iudge doth with malefacters 4â—9 Singing of Psalmes with feeling 30 Sleepe triall therein 36 Slothfulnes 1 Sobrietie at all times required 769 214 Societie 14 of the wicked ought to be shuâ— ned 610 612 â—93 Gods children how sweete 458 Sophistrie of the diuell 734 Sorrow two extremities in it 16 not to delay sorrow for sin 29 worldly 265 godly sorrow 282 signes of it 284 it must be continued 286 it is the way to heauen 285 foolishly put off 95 Soule the consumption thereof 4â—7 starued 846 847 Speech good in meetings required of dutie 647 to speake pleasing things and serue the time 750 Spirit of God comes by the word 12 two workes thereof 13 singularitie of spirit 37 religion vnprofitable to those that want the spirit 241 precepts of not quenching the spirit 242 testimonie of it 875 of faith 484 of cheerefulnes 556 Spirituall man must haue an alteration 42 Superstition 35 41 it breaketh off loue in all estates 801 popish superstition described 345 Surmises euill against others 263 666 Swearing 659 790 Swine who be 455 T TO be taught of God 469 temptation 37 702 47 when and how it breeds 39 wee must not yeeld in it 865 866 how to know whether wee be tempted 816 why many are ouertaken therewith 300 how we conspire with Sathan therein 876 how God tempteth vs 813 what it may teach vs 874 resistance of it a signe of grace 874 dispute not with Sathan 874 Terrors of minde sudden 48 Thanksgiuing 812 of al sacrifices most acceptable 40 483 to God for feeding our soules 177 it was a chiefe exercise of Dauid 458 459 How a Christian may say vnto the Lord I am THINE 449 Thoughts euill resting in the minde how dangerous 267 why Gods children are often exercised therewith 27â— euill thoughts on the Sabbath depriue vs of the fruit of Gods worship 171 two kinds of thoughts 704 what Satan doth suggest into men 748 Conscience of thoughts 543 Theefe on the crosse 794 notes markes of faith in him 693 Time the â—ithe of it to Gods worship 1â—5 To redeeme it for good meditations 471 Tinder the efficacie of it in our nature 676 Trauelling on the Sabbath 167 Tree of life Adam had it for a signe 133 Troubles necessarie to feele them for foure causes 439 Two things sustaine vs in our troubles 508 Trust. 29. to trust onely in God 494 Truth how we ought to speake it 622 Truth and peace go together 728 how God punisheth such as receiue not the truth in loue 802 3. kinds of truths 818 V VAnitie both of life and religion is deceit 501 Vertue two speciall fruites of it 260 Visitation of the sicke 275 Vnbeleefe the godly often troubled with it 95. why we see it not 5â—7 how it is shewed vs. 549 Vngodlines 41 Vnmercifulnes how great a sinne 837 Vnthankfulnes 41 punished 269 cause of it 678 Vse of the creatures 41 813 Vaine-glorie 518 Why God visiteth his dearest sernants 445 Visions how farre to be beleeued 41 Vowes rash 822 what a vow is 477 two things hinder vs from holy vowes 478 to vow against drunkennes 479 Vowes in baptisme must be remeÌ„bred 477 against Whoredome Ibid. 41. Vowes in holy purposes 397 Vsurie 41 Vulgus how it may be taken 667 W WAiting on God properties thereof 17 Wanâ— to lament it in others 457 Wantonnes ends in wickednesse 727 799 468 Watchfulnes 703 527 two causes of watching ouer our hearts 616 304 Way in it three things to be considered 703 euill way two things to be considered therein 416 The way of lying what it is 411 why it is so called ibid. the good way must be chosen ibid. Wearines in good things 531 453 Warfare of a Christian. 531 29â— 298 Description of a wicked man and why he is so called 450 451 Wicked their societie to be auoided 610 how they walke in sinne and know it not 614 the diuell helpes them in meditation 463 punished 699 Wickednesse and wantonnesse 468 Wife how the husband should gouerne her 124 Will free 525 how accepted for the deede 61 Wisedome how to hold it fast 609 what it is 625 99 how the faithfull are wise 124 461 our owne wisedome to be suspected 57 Difference betweene true and false wisedome 414 415 Wits the diuell chuseth the best for his seruice 62 Witchcraft 468 aduertisement against it 42 how cured 822 consulting with witches is to aske counsell of the diuell 578 581 Wonders to beware of 822 Word of God 649 549 preparation to heare it 42 true arguments of Loue thereto 453 the power of it 282 283 857 it is a treasure and hidden 289 few loue it therefore 290 wherfore so many neglect the word 462 how it is found before it be sought 291 famine of it 791 loue to it 440 5â—4 44â— it is necessarie for safe direction 475. to keepe it in a good conscience bringeth wisedome 466 it yeelds most profit pleasure and glory 457 whole felicitie therein 470 direction thereof safe 475 why Gods word is wonderfull 410 it neuer
deceiueth 501 hard to beleeue it 508 sixe meanes to profit by it 173. 174 c with out it no faith sacrament or repentance 237 three questions of the operation of it 857 a good note of our loue to the word wherein it consisteth 470 a true marke thereof 471 generall plagues for the contmpt thereof 513 Words idle and euill prophane the Sabbath 170 World 43 their iudgement of the godly 262 the loue of it 721 in what respect it loueth sâ—nne 616 how farre it fauoureth the Gospell 820 Workes 15 826 two rules of good works 〈◊〉 the reward is of mercie not of merit â—â—7 motiues thereunto 827 they are necessarie for all 828 workes without warrant are works of darkenes 475 why good workes are to be done 838 Worship God requireth the vse of the body as well as the soule in it 808 147 wil-worship condemned 810 826 Wrath what sinne brings iâ—â— 651 how to speake of the wrath of God 696 how great it is 197 Y YOuth the sinnes thereof 100 vnbridled affections thereof how dangerous 636 726 it is dissolute 637 it being spent in vanitie commonly ends old age in prophanenesse 464 Sathan laboureth especially to poyson it 653 it must renounce pleasure 800 it is blessed of God 465 Z ZEale properties of true zeale rules of it 255. 256. 829. 830. 50. 542. 543 c. triall of it 653. 814. incident to all 517. diuers kinds of it 541. zeale of the flesh 46â— FINIS Or Posthumes Luk. 1 3. 2 Ioh. 1. Prou. 10. 21. Ephes. 4. 13. Intemperantiae genus est Seneca lib. 13. epist. 89. Non discentes necessaria quia superuacua didicerunt Seneca In his Schoolmaster 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hip. lib. 1 Aphor. 1. Pro. 25 11. Cypr tract 4. de Idolor vaâ—it Magnum esse solem Philosophus probabit quantus sit Mathematicus qui vsu quodam exercitatione procedit sed vt procedat impetranda illi quaedam princifia sunt Sen lib. 13 Epist. 89. In his Apologie In the same Booke D. Lopes Noctâ—s Atticâ— Gellius Phauorinus Da mihi Mâ—strum In his Epistle before his notes on the Reuelation M. Hopkins He knew right well the Poets wittie counsell Vos ò Pompilius sanguis carmen reprehendite quod â—â—n multa dies multa litura coercuit atque perfectum decies non castigauit ad vnguem Heb. 9. 14. Rom. 6. 22. Donat. in vit Virgil. Gen. 6. 9. Ruth 2. 20. Luk. 21. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 1. 26. Mat. 25. 34. Triall of affections How to labour for knowledge and affection Naturall affections When to suspect affectioÌ„ See more in the title of iudgement sect 1. Slothfulnes Feeling Of sudden gripes and nips in the bodie and feares in the minde Prayer In afflictions to descend into our selues and to ascend to God Deut. 30. 1. 2. 3 4. Simile The diuell cannot hurt vs till we haue hurt our selues The crosse doth seale and season Gods graces in vs. Three things in all trials Publike calamities must affect vs most Extraordinarie affliction in appearance See Affections pag. 1. Psal. 91. Heb. 1. A Papist became a â—amiiâ—st and so an Atheist and his end Feare of Atheisme to increase rather than Papisme The mistiking of our ordinary callings how dangerous Meditations in labour Mariage Entring into a calling without gifts to discharge it Change of places Immoderate or distracting cares Matth. 6. How blinde many be in themselues A dead silence in meetings * Iosias hearkened not to the words of Necho which were of the mouth of God 2 Chro. 35. 22. The godly afflicted consciences feare to displease God A good conscience how sweet and comfortable Prou. 15. 15. The word cures the conscience Esay 28. 16. The true Ministers of Christ neuer cure nor comfort the sicke hastely as wizards doe To find out our speciall sinnes 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Faith without feeling Causes of deadnes of minde 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. How it comes to passe that Gods graces are more sweete vnto vs at our first entrance into regeneration than after A conscience touched for small sinnes How to proceed in comforting the afflicted 1 2 3 Our ioy in the holy Ghost we cannot expresse Philip. 4. Rom. 14. 17. A threefolde pealce Psa. 41. 1. To beare with impatiencie of the sicke A sweet consolation for weake consciences after their often fals Rom. 11. Simile To powre forth our griefes into Gods bosome Not to hide any one of our sinnes 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Fasting Mariage Neglects in any occasioÌ„ of doing good The spawne of all sinnes in euery man A particular faith Examples God is most free in his mercie therfore let no thought of vnworthines keâ—pe thee from him Simile A measurable feare of death commandable Wishes of death euill Maister Greenhams death Not to iudge of any man according to his state in death How to profit by dreames 1. A naturall dreame 2. A good dreame 3. An euill dreame 4. A terrible dreame Vncleane dreames See more in the title of Humilitie sect 2. How we be hindered in godly meditations Deadnes and dulnes Rules concerning doctrine drawne from examples in Scripture 1 2 3 As Nicodemus Iohn 3 Simile Of starting ioyes and affections to the word which some haue while they are in the Church See before of corruption in C. Hard for the rich to beleeue Simile Faith sound how needfull 1. Ioh 5. 4. The spirit comes by the word Gal. 3. 2. yet is he the first cause of our faith and loue to the word Smile Our care for our familie Feeling How to distinguish betweene Gods spirit and his graces in vs. Simile Prayer without feeling In any case take heede ye draw not carnall ioyes into the place of spirituall ioyes Two works of Gods spirit Euident tokens of true sanctification 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 CautioÌ„s concerning a relapse 2 3 Immoderate feares To submit our selues to Gods haÌ„d acknowledging that he may iustly confound vs yet desiring to meete with his mercies in Christ Iesus To cherish the feare of God in men Noscitur ex comite qui noÌ„ cogno citur ex se. Psalm 1. 1 Rules to discerne such as wee receiâ—e into our societie 2 A true token of loue Societie PerseueraÌ„ce in the vse of the meanes Extraordinarie gifts The pollution and pow er of sin The decay of Gods graces how dangerous Simile Three rules to trie our sorrow for the sinnes of other men 1 2 3 Triall of our ioyes Two extremities of ioy and sorrow Simile Note Conferre this with the 6. Sermon concerning the education of Children Harlots are sooner reclaimed then heretikes Wee find this true alreadie in our time 1 Properties of constant waiting on God 2 3 4 Admonition 1 how the faithfull must â—ee liâ—â— little children â—2 1. Pet. 2. 1. 3 Heb 5. 12. Simile How the wicked often discouer themselues in their death Affections What exercises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meÌ„ what fâ—rre vâ— affection
commonly despised We may not loue that best which the world esteems best A good rule Depth of mystery in plainnes of words Heart seat of diuinitie Triall of heart Note Note Affections Note Popish doctors of reasoÌ„ A wit not huÌ„bled hinders vs in godlinesse Loue. Canticles Griefes Motions Mercie 〈…〉 nts 〈…〉 they 〈…〉 〈…〉 câ—p 7 7. 〈…〉 true sense A two fold iudgement the one in righteousnes another in mercie We are to follow the holy Prophets c. in their holy affections Note Note The name of the Lord. The word the onely glasse to see and know the Lord. Iohn 14. 23. Psalm 119. A mirrour of godlinesse Freewill Albeit wee haue the light of the word yet the Lord must opeÌ„ our eyes before we can see Affection Anger Watchfulnes Simile To meet with teÌ„ptations before sinne be perfected Simile Godly feare The dominion of sinne Rom. 6. 12. Not to bee tempted Heretikes 〈…〉 â—0 Note Simile The blindnes of sinnes Simile Note the louing mercie of the Lord couering our manifold infirmities Simile The ChristiaÌ„ warfare The end of all deliuerances Thankfulnes Two principall props in trouble Esay 5. Godlinesse Afflictions Gods countenance Godly sorrow Loue to Gods word Simile God iust in his prouidence Note Diues and Lazarus Matth. 5. Incredulitie in Gods children Beleeuing the word That the 119. Psalme concernes all the regenerate Iobs sinnes Note A true propertie of zeale Galath 6. 1. Zeale for the contempt of the Word Of Zeale Diuers kinds of zeale 1 2 3 The first propertie of true zeale The first rule of true zeale Toleration of many things for the peace of the church The second rule of true zeale Two obseruations The second obseruation Simile Conscience of thoughts The third rule of zeale The fourth rule of zeale Triall of our obedience To heare with the frailties of Gods children Duties of loue euen to Gods children The fift rule of zeale Sufficiencie for the ministery The sixt rule â—â— zeale Difference betweene fretting anger and pining zeale Admonition Our vnbeleefe and wherefore we see it not Triall of our zeale Our vnbeleefe is shewed vs in the often repetitions of the commendatious of the word No idle repetitions in this Psalme M. Bradford and holy Martyrs much lamenting euer fâ—r their vnbeleefe The word of God a tried friend in troubles Simile Dauid against Goliah Triall of our loue to the word Triall of our loue to the word How Christians differ much from heretikes Heretikes cannot abide the word Good notes for prayer 1. Importunate in praier with God Luk. 1â— 1. 2 Wherfore God delayes to graunt our requests 2. Wisedome of he spirit in prayer Our times for prayer Sabbath Luk. 10. 41. 42 Callings Diligence in hearing and prayer Note Sabbath two Sermons the mornings 〈…〉 eâ—es Note Preparation and meditation Preparation The minâ—sâ—eâ— Balaams witchcrafe Num 23. 22. 23. Meditation The morning meditation 1 2 3 Note 1. Cor. 7. Ierem. 7. 13. Iob. 8. 2. Matth. 21. 18. The third point cheerefulnes in prayer Spirite of cheerfulnes a singular grace Note The fourth propertie in prayer is Faith Faith and patience A iudgement of mercy and of seueritie Note Note Note Secret sinnes Note Witchcraft Zeale Anger Hypocrisie Note Note Rom. â— 3. 4. 5. Luk. 7. 47. Dulnes Esay 25. â— Feare Consulting with witches Is Gods feare be wanting there is no temptation so great but we faâ—â— inâ—o it Triall of our feare of God False feare Simile Witchcraft A true note of Gods child The true ioy of the faithfull howfor it exâ—â—â—des all carnall ioy Triall of our ioy Simile Sabbath Dulnesse in prayer and other holy exercises Feare and ioy tempered together Loue to good things and hatred of euill things may not slakâ— in vs. Prayer AdmonitioÌ„ Relapse Polygamie Heresie or profâ—â—â—nesse like to follow our securitie The true faith worketh by loue Iohn 17. Furies Application Waiting an effect of faith AsouÌ„d faith breedeth a good conscience Incredulitie hastie A patient faith Impatience True faith not without good workes To iustifie diuersly taken How we are iustified by workes Simile Simile Simile RepetitioÌ„s in prayer how reprooued Simile Promises are generall Prayer must bee ioyned with faith knowledge Ripenes of iudgement and quicknes of affections whence Thankesgiuing the end of Gods blessings Many thinke they loue God his word religion wheÌ„ indeed they doe not Simile How to holde fast true Wisedome The cause of forgetfulnes is carelesnes Two things to be auoided first vanitie of minde secoÌ„dly worldlinesse if wee will entertain and possesse wisedome What to be auoided Simile To auoyd the societie of the wicked Citò longè tardè Psalm 119. and 1â—0 1 The practises of the wicked against the godly 2 3 What euill examples doe No hope of Lucre or preferment must linke vs in any league with wicked men Reasons of the former precept The delight of the wicked A true marke of the wicked How we must endeuour to sâ—irre vp otâ—ers â—o â—â—ad neâ— â—â—â— be 〈…〉 we haue not performed any such autie Psal. 119. It is not sufficieÌ„t to flie the counsells anâ— companies of the wicked Wee must hasteâ— to the societie of the godly 〈…〉 〈◊〉 â—â—al â— 1. 2. 〈◊〉 16. â— Gen. 16. 8. Vaine and vnprofitable changes of places of callings c. Two marks of a righteous man 1 2 Notes of a good conscience 1 2 3 Simile Simile Simile Good cautioÌ„s to keepe vs from sinne How the wicked walke in sinne know it not Profit by reading preaching conferring of the word We must store vp the word in our heart by prayer meditations We must not rest in the vse of one good meanes 1 Two causes of watching ouer our hearts 2 The second cause of watching ouer our hearts In what respects the worldlings leaue sinne The triall of our hearts whether in sinceritie wee loue the Gospell for the Truths sake or because we get some gaine glorie by it Cause of all sinne in our owne selues SataÌ„ is made a chirurgion to cure the corruptionâ— of the Saints How the pure heart stadeth fast in temptations Our hearts tried two waies The first by afflictions The second triall of the hart by our ioy and griefe in good and euill Desire of saluation How to discouer a couetous heart Care for the prosperitie of the Church a speciall note of Gods children Psal. 122. True triall of our ioy and sorrow Paul afflicted yet great ly comforted wheÌ„ he heard of the peace of the church and prosperitie of the gospell Triall of the heart in prosperitie To loue and speake the trueth in the least matters How God chasteneth his children for lying To speake the trueth in iudgement Scorne True knowledge where and how to finde it Triall of our hearts whether we principally respect Gods fauour in all our actions Contempt of the word what causes breed it 1 We say the rich and the mightie estâ—eme it not 1. Cor. 1. 2 We say it is too hard
other doctrine Good things cannot long find entertainement in our corruptions vnlesse the holy ghost hath changed vs from our old delights to conceiue pleasure in these things Where loue is there is no lack in pleasure there is no paine and when we finde the pearle of price which passeth all vnderstanding we will sell all our former delights and depart from our vaine pleasures to purchase this It is a continuall ioy that worketh a conscience to vse the meanes of any thing it is an abounding delight that auoydeth and fenceth off all wearisomnes in good things wherefore the holy Ghost saith Be yee filled with the Spirit and in another place Let the word of God dwell in you plenteously In which place we are to gather that there is in vs sometime an emptinesse of the Spirit and a scantnesse of the power of the holy ghost the spirit of God is not so mightie in operation grace is not so plentifull the word is not so powerful in vs and from hence commeth our momentarie ioy and transitorie gladnes And my tongue reioyceth That which in truth is inward will in time shewe it selfe outward as wee may see in these holy affections of the man of God The Prophet himselfe confirmeth this in another place Psalm 116. 10. I beleeued therefore did I speake which the Apostle repeateth in the person of the whole Church 2. Cor. 4. 13. because we haue the same spirit of faith according as it is written I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken We also beleeue and therefore we speake And Rom. 10. 10. it is saide With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the tongue man confesseth to saluation and sure it is that of the abundance of the ioy of the heart the mouth reioyceth as coÌ„trariwise of the abundance of the griefe of the heart although there may be for a while an inward deuouring binding and suppressing of sorrow yet it will in time breake forth and wee shall euen rore for disquietnes of minde and cannot hold long vntill we haue eased our hearts with some outward complaint For we see if a man haue a through griefe how it consumeth him vnlesse he vtter it Againe if a man hath conceiued a true ioy how he longeth how hee is rauished how hee trauaileth vntill he hath brought it forth If then in any good measure we feele the ioy of the spirit the tongue will be at commaundement to vtter it Wherefore we are to try our selues and examine our hearts whether we heare reade pray or sing with this grace in our hearts with this ioy in our spirits with this comfort of conscience let vs lament considering how singing and spirituall reioycing is decayed how great a stranger the word is with vs what little delight and alacritie we haue in holy and religious exercises and let vs accuse our selues that therefore our tongues cleaue to the rough roofe of our mouth because our hearts are lockt vp in securitie which vndoubtedly is so open to all men that there is no man but bewaileth his want of inward ioy Many indeed as hypocrites can blow and bellow outwardly who make no melodie in their hearts who sing not in grace who haue not the sweete and naturall voyce which commeth from a well affected and right ordered minde either ioyfully shewing a godly digested mirth or dolefully breathing out into the passions of an exercised minde My flesh also doth rest in hope See his godly ioy made him haue a securitie in his flesh It is our naturally infirmitie that wee haue a trembling of the flesh which hindereth in vs many good actions as may be seene in our thoughts suspecting of dangers scarefull imaginations and wandring conceits forecasting this euill and that euill to the great disturbing and disordering of the peace of our minds all the which excessiue feares were in this man of God wisely corrected though not vtterly remoued but suppressed in him by faith Whereof commeth then our carnall and immoderate feares in dangers but of want of faith This our Sauiour Christ teacheth his disciples at what time they were with him being asleepe in a tempest on the seas when they through vnbeliefe feared his diuinitie to haue slept with his humanitie where he saith vnto them O yee little faith why doe you not beleeue Heere wee see hee rebuketh their excessiue feare which thing hee also doth almost in the same manner When they carnally feared him to haue been a spirit as he walked on the seas they were not throughly perswaded that God was their portion their inheritance and watched ouer them for if they had they would haue corrected these fleshly and immoderate feaâ—â—s that they should not haue hindred their holy meditations of God his powerful prouidence nor their prayers for his gratious assistance nor any other good exercises of their mindes Thus we see how the sure perswasion of God to be his inheritance his mainteiner both in soule and body his reacher both by day and by night both by his word and his spirit made the man of God secure both in soule and body And what caused this partly that which wee spake of before partly that which followeth for thou wilt â—ot leaue my soule in the graue neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption so that the promises already tasted of and the sure expectation to haue the good worke begunne to bee finished in him made him rest in hope and hauing God his cause in hand he saw how the Lord would not onely watch ouer him for his present estate but also would guide him to immortalitie Behold how his inward assurance wrought an outward safetie wherby wee plainely see that where there is a want of this comfort and faith in the soule there is a want of peace and securitie in the body It is our vnbeliefe then that hatcheth and nourisheth wandring thoughts and filleth our braine with suspitious phantasies and fruitlesse illusions dreaming of dangers where there are none and imagining mountaines where scarsely are molehils Let vs then strengthen our faith and certifie our soules that our flesh shall stand before God which will so worke in vs that neither flesh and blood shall weigh vs downe with securitie in time of prosperitie nor ouerlode vs with desperate terrours in time of aduersitie Neither as we said must we thinke Dauid to be a senselesse Stoick as feeling no troubles but that by the power of God he was in trouble a triumphant conquerour and in all these dangers through faith more than a victorer For as God reserueth his vnspeakeable ioyes for his children in vntolerable agonies so he neuer armeth them strongly but he prepareth them a field wherethey must fight stoutly Oh that this heauenly ioy were in vs more aboundantly and of moe men more frequented then should not the small remnant that now alwayes vse it be counted and called precisians then should wee giue more liuely testimonies of our effectuall faith to
our owne consciences then should wee offer to others a larger cause of magnifying the name of God who hearing vs vse such spirituall gladnes might bee prouoked to an holy emulation and say surely this is the power of the holy Ghost this is vndeceiueable ioy happie are they that can thus reioyce in the Lord. Oh that the Lord would giue vs of the spirit and fill our hearts with such gladnes thus others vndoubtedly would plentifully bee rauished by our godly examples Though some would laugh at vs as they did at the Apostles when they had receiued the holy Ghost yet others would reuerently maruaile at it and willingly followe it Wherefore when with the man of God we shall be perswaded of our immortalitie both of body and soule when wee hauing God his cause in hand shall vse it in a good conscience as he did wee shall surely and sincerely with him reioyce And what I pray you in the night season in thundering and lightning in earthquakes blazing starres and fierie starres in extraordinarie working of the heauens maketh vs so dismaid and at our wits end want of faith What maketh vs at the death of our friends to mourne and that wee will not be comforted Paul 1. Thessal 4. 13. telleth vs want of hope FINIS OBSERVATIONS ON THESE VERSES FOLLOVVING Being part of the 42. Chapter of Genesis THE THIRTEENTH SERMON 9 Ye are spies and are come to see the weakenes of the land 12 Nay but ye are come to see the weakenes of the land 14 This is it that I spake vnto you saying Ye are spies 15 Hereby shall ye be proued by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not goe hence c. 21 We haue verily sinned against our brother c. IOseph a good man and yet lieth so was Lot a good man and yet loth to part from Sodom These were great offences Whence come they from custome no doubt Ioseph being amongst prophane men had some smell of their wordes And Lot though their wickednes and Sodomitry vexed his righteous soule yet through custome hee could haue found in his heart to haue liued still amongst theÌ„ So first wee must here bee taught to eschewe ill custome and companie The second note hence to be obserued may answere a peece of a doubt in the former two examples of Ioseph and Lot For some man may say Ioseph and Lot both good men dwelt and kept companie with the wicked therefore wee may doe so But it may be answered that examples proue nothing without the warrant of the word And as for Ioseph God had sent him extraordinarily to prouide for his fathers familie but Lot chose to dwel in SodoÌ„ for his lucre as ye may read in the thirteenth chapter of this booke the tenth verse and therefore this greedie desire was altogether vnlawfull and though the Lord in mercie deferd the punishment thereof he punished that yet at length in his wife who was turned into a pillar of salt in himselfe and his owne daughters with whom hee committed abominable incest Therefore we see that it followeth not because they dwelt among the wicked therefore we may It was not sufficient for Ioseph to haue had a misliking of lying but hee should haue abstained from it and detested it in heart No doubt he being a godly man otherwise had a misliking of it but because he did not euen abhorre it we see how in time he was brought vnto it and as it were to make no conscience of it So it is not sufficient for vs to haue a misliking of vnlawfull apparell playes sport naughtie and vngodly talke but we must in heart detest it much more in practise otherwise by euill companie wee may easily bee drawne to follow them The Physitions meanes is to bee vsed in time of sicknes and the plague to be auoided in flying from it so we must vse meanes to auoide sinne by the word and praier and as much as we may the place where it aboundeth least we be infected And if it so be that wee cannot auoide for it may bee the Lord will sometimes trie vs with the companie of foolish vaine and prophane worldlings to see how wee will cleaue to him if then wee cannot auoide but our eyes shall behold vanitie our eares shall bee filled with vngratious and gracelesse graces in lying swearing and blaspheming the name of our God then shew your selues to the world that you are not of the world assure your owne soules that you are called and chosen of the Lord not only by a cold kinde of misliking of these things but by an vtter abhorting and detesting them from the heart otherwise we may be by Iosephs example drawne not onely to approue them but also to commit the like and to forget our selues and to heape vp the wrath of God against vs so that when their destruction commeth except the Lord shew mercie but if we tempt him hee will shew no mercie wee shall be pat takers of all their plagues and the vengeance which the iust and most righteous God hath threatned to throw downe vpon them Vers. 14. Againe Ioseph said vnto them This is it that I spake vnto you saying Yee are spies Ioseph maketh another lie So wee see that vse is a sore matter which had brought him to this that he stucke not at a lie and yet we know that the lier euen killeth his owne soule Nay but see he left not here he went further yet In the fifteenth verse Hereby yee shall bee prooued By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not goe hence Ioseph smelleth by this vse of Idolatrie hee forsaketh the Lord and sweareth by him which is no God Besides another fault he commeth neere for swearing and periurie because his oth commeth very neere a lie and wee know that vntruth and an oth iumping together maketh periurie and it cannot bee but those that sweare readily must sometimes be for sworne Ioseph was a Magistrate Magistrates may goe farre in examining and searching and sifting suspected persons when they appeare before them that they might come to the truth of the matter but to affirme flatly and falsely is against Gods commandement and therfore a grieuous offence Vers. 17. So he put them inward three dayes Now hee did not imprison them of any corrupt affection or desire of reuenge but there may bee great reasons to shew that hee vsed great wisdome in his doing First if Ioseph should not haue done thus but should at the first haue made himselfe known vnto theÌ„ they for shame would neuer haue gone back againe to their father Secondly this dealing thus with them was a meanes to humble them Thirdly he might doe thus that he might be more fully certified of the state of his father And lastly the short time of his imprisoning them was a token of his loue towards them Vers 18. Then Ioseph said This doe and liâ—e for I feare God As though hee should say Doe not you feare for I feare God I am
died well as they liued well or else by their martyrdome glorified God and edified others who neuer sought great things in prosperitie nor were impatient in aduersitie If wee feare with Baruch Iere. 45. the wofull troubles at hand wee are vnfit to purchase glorie to the Lord but if wee be of Ieremiah his minde as considering how God hath alwaies assisted his and that if we beare the crosse patiently with his children who were iustified sanctified and blessed wee also shall be iustified sanctified and blessed and shall haue our faith strengthened whereby we may the better glorifie him For as the curse causelesse shall flie away and doe no harme so heauen and earth shall passe but not one word of the Lord shall faile Vers. 166 Lord I haue trusted in thy saluation and haue done thy testimonies HEre the man of God particularly applieth that to himselfe which generally before he had spoken whose meaning is thus much I haue seene that they that labour to keepe a good conscience shall haue peace therefore I labour to keepe a good conscience in hope that the same will come to me Now let vs first carrie away the lesson namely to apply that particularly to ourselues which wee heare reade or receiud of others generally And as he seeing the peace of the godly generally laboured to feele the same in himselfe particularly euen so we are not to satisfie our selues with the generall threatnings of the law and promises of the Gospell but to make them seuerall and particular to our selues We see whatsoeuer the law teacheth generally the prophecies inculcate particularly whether it be in threatnings or promises in things commanded or forbidden Wherefore let euery man desire of God that he may be a Prophet to himselfe by laying the line of the word to his owne conscience in this or such like manner This thing the Lord commanded therefore I must doe it for he commandeth me this thing the word forbiddeth therefore I must auoide it for it is forbidden me this the Lord threatneth to such a sinner if I lie in that sin I am to feare it this the Gospell promiseth to them that repent then I hope vpon repentance to feele the comfort of it For this is the true vse of hearing when by this meane we are either comforted and incouraged to doe well or terrified and dismaied to doe ill The words in their originall tongue signifie thus much I haue waited for thy saluation Wherein is commended vnto vs a speciall effect of faith which must be seene in waiting for that which is promised The first generall truth that we must here take profit by is that if we will keep a good conscience we must haue a sound faith which breedeth a good conscience and without which it is impossible to please God If we then will doe good things we must beleeue in God as the author of all goodnes wisedome and eternitie and that he hath made a sweete couenant with vs and beleeuing this to be true we must labour to keepe his commandements For without this faith we doe good or auoide ill either for hope of reward or for feare of ill so that our obedience is violent constrained and not free He beleeued not onely but also looked patiently for those promises which is here shewed by waiting For many say they loue the word who doe not in truth beleeue it or if they beleeue it as they wil say they doe not patiently waite for it and many thinke they feare God who worship rather an Idoll and stay not themselues on God his promises Many so perswade themselues to haue faith who will make haste that God should presently helpe which if it come not they withdraw themselues seeke meanes to serue themselues These declare themselues not to haue this waiting faith Faith saith the holy Ghost Heb. 11. 1. is the ground of things which are hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene So that it is a thing which bringeth vs to the hope of that which afterward we shall possesse As he that beleeueth shall liue by faith so he that waiteth not on the Lord hath no true faith because he will not tarrie for the Lords appointed time but will prouide for himselfe The Prophet saith Esay 30. 18. Blessed are all they that waite for the Lord. And Habac. 2. 3. Though the vision tarrie saith the Lord wâ—ite for it shall surely come and not stay Againe it is said Psal. 147. 11. The Lord delighteth in them that feare him and attend vpon his mercie A doctrine worthie to be written with the Diamond of God his Spirit in our hearts This then is one of the chiefest effects of faith when we waite on the Lords leisure and make a distinction of the time of making and accomplishing Gods promises vnto vs. For betweene the one and the other God sendeth often crosse things in the way to trie vs whether we will waite or no. Indeed at the first whilest our faith is but tender it pleaseth him to feede vs as it were with pap and to performe his promises plentifully vnto vs but when we are growne to some strength he will not still deale with vs as with children but will often proue vs by suspending for a while his promises If we consider how Abraham waited tenne yeeres vntill the promise was accomplished and how Iacob staied himselfe one and twentie yeeres vntill he also obtained and if we call to minde how long the Lord proued Ioseph after he had dreamed and how he tried Dauid with many troubles and yet notwithstanding after so many temptations and dangers they beleeued we shall see approued witnesses of this true effectuall faith And as it is the nature of true faith to waite so it is the nature of incredulitie to be hastie so that if we haue not things presently to helpe vs we cannot be merrie we must make some shifts to helpe our selues For how coÌ„mon a fruit of our vnbeleefe is it that we so often haue in our troubles and bring forth of the rotten stocke of our corrupt nature when helpe is a little deferred to say I haue prayed I haue asked counsell of Physitions I haue vsed all the meanes I can I haue staied thus long I may waite indeede vntill my heart breake I haue made hue and crie I can finde no release I am neuer the better I must needes goe seeke out I must aske counsell abroad I must needes goe to some wiseman I thinke now the Lord would haue me to vse some meanes for my reliefe Thus Sathan after our Sauiour Christ had long fasted thinking that after so long waiting his temptation should come in some good season moued our Sauiour Christ to seeke out and to make some shift to helpe himselfe and as he was the Sonne of God so he might the better and more easily prouide for himselfe Thus we see the man of God speaketh not onely of a small faith