Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	good_a	know_v	work_n	2,986	5	5.9689	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01935	Certaine sermons preached upon severall occasions viz. The vvay to prosper. The vvay to be content. The vvay to vvell-doing. A summer sermon. A vvinter sermon. Vnknowne kindnesse. The poore mans hope. By Iohn Gore Rector of Wenden-lofts in Essex.	Gore, John, Rector of Wendenlofts, Essex.; Gore, John, Rector of Wendenlofts, Essex. Way to prosper.; Gore, John, Rector of Wendenlofts, Essex. Way to be content.; Gore, John, Rector of Wendenlofts, Essex. Way to well-doing.; Gore, John, Rector of Wendenlofts, Essex. Summer sermon.; Gore, John, Rector of Wendenlofts, Essex. Winter sermon.; Gore, John, Rector of Wendenlofts, Essex. Unknowne kindnesse.; Gore, John, Rector of Wendenlofts, Essex. Poore mans hope.; Gore, John, Rector of Wendenlofts, Essex. Oracle of God.	1636 (1636)	STC 12071; ESTC S120526	199,234	334

soule such a one is a very felon to himselfe and a very theefe to his owne soule Ier. 17. 17. as a Partridge ●itteth on egges and hatcheth them not so hee that getteth riches and not by right meanes nor to a right end shall leave them in the midst of his dayes at his end shall be a foole that is all he gets by his miserablenes he leaves al his goods behind him carries nothing with him but his sins so coram domino vacuus apparet appeareth before the Lord empty I meane of grace good works how can such a one hope to be welcome to God Others spare like him Luke 12. that they may say to their soules in future times Eate drinke take thy case c. such men God commonly disappoints when they thinke to take their pleasures God sends some evill Angel to take away their soules and then ●ujus c. whose shall those things bee that thou hast layd up Others spare pretending to have to keepe them when they are sicke that is not amisse yet many times God punisheth them in that they shall spend their meanes upon Phisitians as the woman with the bloody-issue did and be never the better Others spare to leave enough to their children that is good but if that be all see Iob 20. 10. ●lij ●ius placab●nt ●●ndicos his children shall flatter the poore for bread i. an other shall possesse his meanes and his children come to poverty The onely true and right end of thrift and frugality should be to maintaine good workes and hospitality when a man spares from himselfe that he may have to give to him that needeth according to that of our Saviour Luke 11. 41. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after our owne necessities are served then give almes of those things that are within saith Christ that is within our power or within the compasse of our abilities so Pro. 5. 15. first drinke the water of thy owne ci●●er●e that is provide for thee and thine and then let thy fountaines flow forth first for our owne use then for the use of others For though Charity begin at home it must not end at home but imp●rt it sel●● to the good of others And these b● 〈…〉 ●●intayne good workes One thing onely remaines and that is the reason why they are to be maintained as David answered his brother 1. Sam. 17. 29. when hee questioned him why hee left the sheepe and came into the campe I● there not a cause saith hee so say I If you desire to know why good workes must bee maintained Is there not a cause specified in the text These things are good and profitable unto men I could shew you divers other good causes and considerations for the maintenance of good workes I will but name them and conclude 1. Propter placentia● Dei for the pacifying pleasing of God Heb. 13. 16. To doe good and to distribute for get ●o● for with such sarifices God is well pleased if we that so oft and so many waies displease anger God by doing ill will not some times and some wales endeavour to please him againe by doing good how can God take it well at our hands 2. Propter 〈◊〉 fidei for the evidence and manifestation of our faith as it is said Acts 14. 17. that God left not himselfe without witnesse in that hee did good c. his own good workes are his own witnes to testifie and prove the providence of his goodnesse to the sonnes of men so were our Saviours Opera 〈…〉 me my owne workes testifie of me that I came out from God so must wee have good workes to testifie the truth and goodnesse of our faith though as Saint Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 5. 10. Hee that beleeveth in the sonne of God hath the witnesse in himselfe that inward testimony is sufficient for a man● owne satisfaction but not for the conviction of others therefore saith Saint Iames shew me thy faith by thy workes thou maist shew it to God in another kind but to mee thou must shew it by good workes For ubi opera non apparent extra fidem non 〈…〉 esse intr● saith a father where I see not good works without I will never 〈…〉 any 〈◊〉 within 3. Propter 〈◊〉 adversary our adversaries the Dapists they upbraid us as Peninnah did Ha●●ah with our unfruitfulnesse they crake that all our Churches all our Hospitalls and Colle●ges are theirs and albeit enough is said and done to breake the teeth of their slanders yet if it be possible let us as Saint Peter adviseth 1. Pet. 2. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 muzzle them quite stop their mouthes and put them to silence by doing more good for so is the will of God saith he that with well-doing ye should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men 4. Propter indigentiam mundi the poore we have alway with us wherefore but that as the Israelites in the wildernesse did helpe one another in gathering of Manna whence it came to passe that he that gathered much had nothing over and he that gathered little had no lacke so saith the Apostle ● Cor. ● should it be among Christians one mans wealth should supply anothers want that God may have glory from both as I said before 5. Pr●pt●r consequentiam commodi from the profit and benefit ●●●ing from good workes which is the reason added in my text These things are good and profitable unto men The heathen man could say Ad utïlitatem omnes rapimur neque aliter ullo modo possimus All men living run hedlong after profit neither can they possibly doe otherwise now if ye will beleeve the Holy Ghost there cannot bee a more profitable thing then well-doing both for this life and the life to come not that I care for a gift saith the Apostle Phil. 4. 17. but I desire fruit that will further your account Every good worke that a godly man doth is put upon his score it stands upon his account so that when God and hee shall come to reckon at the last day hee shall have nothing to answer for but all his evill workes shall be forgiven him and for the good workes that he hath done shall he heare that heavenly voyce from the mouth of Iesus Christ Come thou blessed of my father inherite the kingdome prepared for thee c. To which kingdome God of his mercy bring us for Christ Iesus sake to whome with the Father and the holy spirit bee given and ascribed all honour and glory be done and performed all service and duty from henceforth for ●ver more Amen FJNJS A SVMMER SERMON VPON ELIAHS PRAYER Preached in the Cathedrall Church of St. Pauls in LONDON on the last Sonday of Trinity Terme in the after noone being a time of 〈…〉 and drought By John Gore Rector of Wenden-lofts in Essex Printed at London by Thomas Cotes for Thomas Alchorn and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the

as they are healthfull and sound and aile nothing their onely care is to give themselves content by hunting and hawking by dicing and carding by drinking and drabbing c. sico sic juvat vivere to some mens thinking no such contenting life in the world as theirs till these men fall into the hands of God as sooner or later they shall surely fall and God doth begin to nip them and bruse and crush them in his hands with sicknesse of body or sorrowes of soule alas all their Content is vanisht and gone and they become like Naomi in Bethlem neither pleasing to themselves nor others These contentments are worme-eaten like Ionas Gourd that will faile a man when hee stands most in need of them and these kind of men are farre from that Content which my Text speaketh of But there are another sort of Christians and they are subacti or Ablactati mortified subdued or weaned Christians such as David was Psal 131. 2. I have behaved my selfe like a child that is weaned yea my soule is as a weaned child A childe that sucks his whole delight is to be nibling at the brest nothing quiets nothing contents him but that but let him once be throughly weaned and then though you shew him never so goodly a brest abounding with never so luscious milke and flatter him never so much you shall not get him to take it nor to touch it for then his content lies in another kind it is somthing els must quiet him and not that So it is with a mortified and an unmortified Christian nothing contents the one but the brest of the world nothing lesse than that contents the other When the soule of a Christian is once weaned and taken off from the follies and vanities of this life that he begins to savour and set his mind upon the things that concerne a better life he shall feele his disposition alo●● within him and shall find a more sensible content in enjoying his God than any worldling upon earth either doth or can finde in enjoying his goods as David affirmes Psa 4. 8. Dedisti ●●titiam c. Thou hast put more gladnesse in my heart than in the time that their corne and wine and oyle increased The meaning is he tooke more delight and more content in the Law and favour of God in the worship and service of God in conversing and walking with God more I say by farre than the men of this world could take in their joyfullest times of all when their corne and wine and oyle encreased And this is the medulla the pith and marrow of that Christian contentation which is begun upon earth and never ends in heaven This is such a happinesse that none can attaine unto but onely they that are Cribrati Christiani as Tertullian termes them sifted Christians they that have beene winnowed and fanned and sifted as it were by Gods afflictions by the devils temptations and by the worlds unkindnesses they that have beene tossed and tumbled and beaten in the world and have found by their owne experience that there is no content to be had in any estate but onely from God and that there is no estate but God may be had in if a man will himselfe these are they that have learned with S. Paul in whatsoever state they are therewith to be content And so I come more nearely to the first principall part of my Text wherein are three remarkable points to be observed 1 Sngularitas personae the singularity and propriety of the person noted in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have learned 2 Specificatio temporis the specification or intimation of the time when hee learned it noted in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he doth not say I will learne tobe content but I have learned I have done it already 3. Specialitas re● the specialty or excellency of the thing it selfe which S. Paul had learned and attained and that was to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 selfe-sufficient and what that meaneth you shall heare by and by 1. Singularitas personae I have learned Some may happily conceit that S. Paul speakes but this of his owne particular that he for his part had learned to be Content not that it is the common condition of every privat Christian to be thus qualified thus contented Answ It is true as S. Paul was an Apostle and you know hee was a great Apostle Apostolus per Antonomasian called by the name of The Apostle in all our quotations of him I say as he was an Apostle he had his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his peculiar gifts and graces proper to himselfe not attaineable nor imitable by us but that he speakes here he speakes it as a Christian as a Convert as a contented man and that a grace that 's common to every true beleever The Scripture speakes of a Common faith Tit. 1. 4. because it is common to all the faithfull and so likewise of a Common salvation Iude 3. because it is common to all that shall be saved which yet every Christian must labour to make proper to himselfe so may this be called a Commmon contentment because it is such as every common Christian must apply to himselfe and is bound in conscience to learne and practise for his owne particular for the comfort and discharge of his owne soule in the sight of God It is worth your observation that of David Psal 40. 6. where he saith of himselfe In the volume of thy booke it is written of me that I should do thy will O my God I am content to do it now let a man reade over the whole volume of Gods booke he shall not find that t is written of David that he by name should doe the will of God more than another man Why then doth David affirme this of himselfe I le tell you what I thinke the reason may be David found in the volume of Gods booke that it was thus written of men of his ranke and quality of Kings Prophets c. that they should have a speciall care to do the will of God and to be exemplary in their lives to others and this doth David appropriate and apply to himselfe in particular as if it had beene thus written of him and none else but him In like manner when you reade in the volume of this booke that it is thus written of S. Paul that he had learned to be Content you must know that it is your case as well as his and that you for your parts have as good cause and as great reason as ever David had to apply this writing to your selves and say for your owne particular It is written of me that I should be content O my God J am content to be so It was good counsell that Eliphaz gave to Iob 5. 27. Heare this and know it for thy good so we translate it but in Hebrew it is dang-lecha know it for thy selfe It is not enough for a man to

have begun entreate you to beare it contentedly whether you deserve it or deserve it not If thou doest deserve it and that by thy scandalous life thou hast throwne this dirt in thy owne face then be content and be sorry for what thou hast done and God shall repay and make up thy good name againe wee have his owne promise for it by his owne Prophet Zeph. 3. 11. In that day thou shalt not be ashamed for all thy doings wherein thou hast transgressed against me the meaning is that in the day of thy repentance God will take from thee not thy sin onely but thy shame too David by his great sinnes had in a manner quite broken his good name insomuch that his enemies began to insult and make songs upon him to disgrace him utterly yet because he was a penitent man God upon his repentance repayred his good name and he dyed saith the text full of riches and Honour first of Chronicles Chap. ult not of riches onely but of honour too all his dishonour was done away and he left a reverend and renowned name behind him when hee had gotten credit with God hee got credit with men too In a word if thou desirest that others should speake well of thee see thou have a care to doe well unto thy selfe Psal 59. 18. Si benefeceris tibi If thou dost well unto thy selfe men will speake good of thee So that it lies in a mans selfe it is in his own hand to make himselfe a good name or a bad one So long as a man doth well to himself i spends his time well serves his God well leades his life well and husbands his estate well so long he shall be sure to be well thought of and well spoken of but if he doe ill to himselfe take an ill course leade an ill life and follow ill company c. if he be then ill-spoken of he must thanke himselfe and he may say to himselfe as the heart of Apollodorus the tyrant seemed to say to him who dreamed one night that he was steade by the Scythians and that his heart cried unto him out of the Caldron 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is I that have brought thee to all this Therefore if thou deservest to be ill-spoken of amend thou thy selfe and God will amend thy name But if thou be ill spoken of and deservest it not though the crosse be great the comfort is the greater for doe but rest contented and God will finde a time to bring thy innocency to light Looke how God doth with secret sinnes to bring them to light that are done in darkenesse so will he doe by secret innocency Iosephs uprightnesse was in secret none saw it or knew it but onely God and himselfe as for his mistresse shee accused him belied and slandered him and was beleeved poore Joseph either pleaded not for himselfe or his plea was not heard nor credited yet God found a time to cleare it and bring it to light so let the world raise what slanders they will looke how hee did with Ioseph so will hee deale with thee for he is a God that changeth not In the meane time doe not take too much to heart the reproches of thy enemies but pray as Austin did plue mihi mitigationes in cor ut patienter tales feram Oh my God showre downe thy gentle appeasings into my heart that I may patiently beare with such men as these Pray I say to God that hee would pacifie thy owne heart and mollifie thy enemies hearts and that 's the way to be Content 4 Mephibosheths case to be crost by perfidious friends and servants I confesse it is a hard case when such as are Viri pacis and Viri panis as the Prophet speakes that eate of a mans bread and professe friendship and love and service to a man when they shall go about to undermine him and worke him out of favour and out of his fortunes too yet the world is full of such Zibaes that care not how they collogue nor whom they slander for their owne private advantage If they see a man to be a cripple as it were that he cannot go to speake for himselfe nor come in place to answer for himselfe and to tell his owne tale he shall be sure to have his tale told for him by some that he little dreamt of that will do him a displeasure and he shall never know who hurt him Thus did Ziba deale with Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 19. 30. yet see how patiently how contentedly that good man put it up when David spake of dividing the land with Ziba Let him take all saith Mephibosheth seeing my Lord the King is come home in peace Here is the voyce of one that is a true servant to his God and a true subject to his King such a man is really content that the devils pioners I meane undermining flatterers should take all they can get and get all they can take either by Hophnies Fleshhooke 1 Sam. 2. or by those Nets and Dragges that the Prophet speakes of Hab. 1. 15. let them hooke hale and drag together the Devill and all as some I thinke will doe A contented man had rather with Mephibosheth loose all part with all and be stript of all he hath so he may but have leave to enjoy the favour of his God the safety of his Soveraigne and the peace of his owne conscience to himselfe Well if it be thy hard hap to be thus abused and undermined by a trecherous Ziba that beares thee faire in hand and secretly endeavours to worke thee out of all yet learne of Mephibosheth to be content though thou goest by the worse and desire of God as David did to stand thy friend in such a case sponde pro servo t●o in bonum Answer for thy servant in the thing that is good Psal 119. 122. as if he had said Lord thou hearest and seest how unjustly I am calumniated and evill spoken of in many places where I am not nor may not come to answer for my selfe therefore Lord doe thou answer for me or stirre up some good body to pleade my cause and speake in my behalfe Subarrha servumtuum so some translate it be surety for thy servant if they will not beleeve mee nor give credit to my words when I speake in my owne defence be thou O Lord a surety for me passe thy word for my truth and sincerity for thou knowest my cause is good Be surety for thy servant in the thing that is good Thus doe see thy cause be good thy conscience cleare thy heart unguilty of the great offence and then commend thy case to God let God alone to answer for thee And that is the way to be Content 5 The Cripples case Ioh. 5. to be crost in ones preferment as he was that lay 38. yeares at the poole of Bethesda waiting for a good houre and still one or other stept in before him and intercepted him of his

cure and put him by from all his possibilities and hopes And this is the great Cordolium the very heart-ake and greevance of many a worthy man many a worthy Scholler that hath lyen a long time at the poole of the Church and Court hoping at length to climbe up that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle calls it 1 Tim. 3. 13. that good step or stay to honour and preferment that others have done and still one or other steps in before him intercepts him of his hopes and casts him downe as low as ever his expectations raised him up If this be any of your cases I shall give you no other counsell then I desire of God to take my selfe and that 's this to learne of that Cripple to be content for a time to tarry Gods leasure to attend still at the poole I meane at the ordinances of God and you shall see at length that if Angels cannot helpe you Christ him selfe will come and doe a cure upon you and rather worke a miracle than your faith should be disappointed or your hope should make von ashamed In the meane time you must know that there is a speciall dispensation of God in his dealings with some of his servants Num. 12. 7. My servant Moses is not so saith God he is faithfull in all my house unto him will I speake mouth to mouth Here was a speciall favour that God would shew to Moses which hee would not shew to every one that was faithfull in his house You see Matth. 17. when Christ was tansfigured upon the mount hee took but three of his Disciples with him and left the rest hehind who yet were as neare and deare and as good Disciples as they Afterwards Matth. 27. when Christ arose from death it is said that many of the Saints arose to attend him Many Saints not all others that had beene as holy and as sanctified men as they stayed still in their graves and their bodies lay in the dust expecting glory Thus doth God still deale with his servants some he raiseth up to wealth and honour and preferment othersome hee depresseth and holdeth downe with poverty want and neede who yet no doubt are as true and faithfull servants to God as they that are advanced Salomon tells us Eccles. 9. 11. The race is not to the swift nor the battell to the strong nor riches to men of understanding nor favour to men of knowledge his meaning is that men of greatest abilities men of greatest sufficiencies are oft times kept low when others that are but Gregarij ordinis to our thinking are advanced and lifted up This is to learne us to be content with our estates because they are of Gods assignement and designation Content I say not onely by constraint but willingly as the Apostle speakes in another case for you know there is a twofold contentment voluntary and involuntary The Involuntary is when a man is content with his estate against his will because he cannot helpe it As Simeon of Cyrene Matth. 27. 32. submitted himselfe to beare the crosse of Christ because hee was Angariatus compelled and forced to it as the Text sheweth this is a thankelesse and fruitlesse contentment virtus nolentium nulla est God takes no pleasure in forced patience patience perforce hath small thankes with God But it is the voluntary contentment which proceeds ab intrinseco from an inward working of grace from that same free sperit that David speakes of Psal 51. when a man doth voluntarily freely and of his owne accord endeavour to worke himselfe to an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to an inward selfe-sufficiencie whether his estate please him or no as they did Ier. 42. 6. Whether it be good or whether it be evill we will obey the voyce of the Lord c. Not onely when Gods Will and ours sute together but when there is an utter disagreement betwixt them then to be content without constraint is thanke worthy with God You see by experience A man that comes to an Inne if hee can get a better lodging and better attendance he will if he cannot yet he will be content with it for why Hee considers it is but for a night and hee is gone thus wee come into the world as it were into an Inne which is a place of passage no place of abode if we can get a better estate or a better condition use it in Gods name if not yet learne to be content for why it is but for a night for a short space and you are gone And so I come to the last case of all and that is 6. Hezekiahs case to be crost in ones departure to be called to die at such a time when a man desires most to live when God shall shorten a mans dayes in his journey as David speaketh and take a man away in the midst of his age in the minority of his children in the unsetlednesse of his estate this of all the rest may seeme the heaviest crosse yet learne of Hezechiah to be content to live as long as God will spare thee and when God will have thee be content to dye When a loving mother sendeth forth her childe to nurse and the nurse hath kept it long enough if the mother thinke good to take home her owne child againe hath the nurse any cause to grudge or complaine how much lesse cause have wee to shew any token of ungodlinesse and discontent that God should take home our departing soules the worke of his owne hands the plant of his owne grafting who tenders it more than a mother doth her child and will keepe it better and safer for us than wee can keepe it for our selves It is said of David Act. 13. 35. When hee had served his time by the will of God then he fell asleepe and was gathered to his fathers Every one hath his time set him to serve God in this world some a longer some a shorter time as it pleaseth God to predetermine and set it downe now when a man hath served his time as David did and done that he came for into the wotld I meane when hee hath repented of his sinnes reformed his wayes provided for his familie and made heaven and salvation sure to his owne soule if then it shall please God to send forth that same Ang●lum mortis as the Hebrewes speake the Angel of death to call him home and fetch him into his fathers kingdome what just cause hath such a one to take Iobs wives counsell in the best sence and even to blesse God and die It is a lamentable case when a man must die whether he will or no when God comes to pull away a mans soule as Iob speakes Iob 27. 10. What hope hath the hypocrite when God comes to pull away his soule Iust as you see when a great fish is taken with an Angle the man pulls and the fish pulls and the man pulls again and by force of Armes twitcheth it

by the mercy of God to save the soule of every true beleever if our workes were but answerable to our faith and our lives correspondent to our Religion we might truely 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 a 〈…〉 nation indeed admired and unparraleld of all the world according to that of the Apostle 2. Thes 1. 10. God will bee glorified in his Saints and Admired in those that beleeve Two sorts of men are to blame amongst us the first are Nullifidians men of no faith that neither beleeve in God nor in his word onely passe on their times more su● after a fashion such as it is but for matter of faith and Religion they desire to have nothing to doe with it these men the Apostle termes unreasonable and absurd it is an absurd thing you know for a man to bee without that which he hath universall use of as for a husbandman to bee without a plow a Carpenter without a rule a Preacher without a Bible it is an absurd thing and so is it for a Christian to be without faith which hee hath universall use of and without which it is impossible to please God it is a thing unreasonable and absurd How can such a one repeate his Creede I beleeve in God c. but he must multiply lies as fast as hee multiplyes words every word hee speakes is a lye to God to the world and to his owne soule I hope there be but few of this sort amongst us if there be let them heare their doome and reade their Necke verse Iohn 3. 18. He that beleeveth not is condemned already hee needes no further triall or conviction his sentence is past and though he live in the world like a thee●e in a common ●ay●● ●ee is a condemned man in the sight of God But what is their no reliefe no remeady no redemption for such a one but he that 〈◊〉 now an unbeliever must of necessity be damned eternally God forbid I would be loath to interclude the hope of salvation to any man whatsoever and therfore take this comfort with you you know there is alwaies a space of time some distance betwixt the condemnation and the execution of any Malefactor during which time if he can worke meanes to procure a pardon his condemnation is disanulled so that though a prisoner be cast by the ●ury and condemned by the Iudge yet no man can say directly hee shall suffer death because the mercy of the King may pardon and release him In like manner though an unbeleever bee condemned by the verdict of his owne conscience and by the sentence of Gods word which shall iudge a man at the last day yet there is a latitude a space of time I meane the terme of this life betweene the condemnation and the execution and this space is spara miser●cordi● the compasse or circuit wherein Gods mercy and our repentance ●●●ves if in this Interim a man can make meanes to Iesus Christ to procure him a pardon from God as that he hath promises to procure for any poore sinner that makes meanes unto him for it is his office to bee our Advocate and you know a good Advocate doth alwaies helpe a bad cause I say if he can out 〈◊〉 out his pardon before 〈…〉 of his 〈…〉 his some shall bee 〈◊〉 before the 〈◊〉 of God and his 〈◊〉 shall bee as i● they had never beene So much by the way o●●●e comfort of such 〈◊〉 are 〈…〉 faith The second sort are 〈◊〉 men that have nothing else but faith that make profession of faith and a good conscience but have no other vertue no manner of good 〈◊〉 to commend them to God or to the world The 〈…〉 adde to your 〈◊〉 vertue 2. Pet. 1. 7. because though the excellency of a 〈◊〉 lye chiefely in his faith wherby he 〈◊〉 hold upon ●esus 〈◊〉 for life and salvation ye● this ●aith is not complea●● 〈◊〉 perfect and right ●s it ought to be unlesse it have belee●e added to it As Solomon saith Eccle. 7. 11. Wis●●ome is good 〈…〉 it doth well without it but better with it so doth ●aith with vertue And the reason is ●aith hath 〈…〉 a drawing property it drawes home grace and mercy to a mans owne soule as a loadstone if it bee not rubbell with Garlike will draw so will faith if it bee not suffyed with sinne vertue hath 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 our 〈…〉 that vertue was gone out of him he did not keepe his vertue to himselfe but was content it should goe out of him that others might be bettered and amended by it Have but patience a little and 〈…〉 you the 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 bee ●dde● to ou●●aith by the 〈…〉 of those whose 〈◊〉 was commended by our Saviour Christ himselfe tobe a 〈◊〉 and a saving ●aith 1. Fides 〈◊〉 Mat. 〈◊〉 The faith of the woman with the blood● 〈◊〉 ●●ee came creeping 〈…〉 our Saviour and drew vertue ●●cretly from him and went her way and made no words of it And our Saviour saith unto her Go thy way thy faith hath 〈◊〉 th●● whole what kind of faith was 〈…〉 was a private a secret faith a ●aith that can go to ●od and make no 〈◊〉 of it that can draw vertue from 〈◊〉 make no boast of it that is one property of a saving faith 2. Fides 〈◊〉 th● faith of the 〈◊〉 wo●an Mat. 15. to whom our Saviour promised such an unlimited Bo●ne what 〈◊〉 of ●●ith 〈◊〉 here it was a patient and an humble faith she 〈…〉 to be 〈◊〉 to be despised to be called a dog to her own face any thing whatsoever so that shee might but 〈…〉 ●avour and wring some 〈…〉 the hands of God This is ●●other vertue of a saving faith it makes a man 〈◊〉 humble in all discourtesies no man living can thinke so basely or speake so 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 as he thinkes and speakes of himselfe his enemies and he are well agreed they 〈◊〉 h●● and he 〈◊〉 himselfe 〈…〉 and ●ee reviles himselfe they 〈…〉 of him he thinkes and speakes as ill o● worse of himselfe and so the 〈◊〉 is quickly ended This also is a vertue that mu●● be 〈…〉 〈…〉 you know how 〈…〉 at 〈◊〉 that wa● as one 〈◊〉 interpr●●s it that God through Christ ●ight looke upon her and ●he through Christ might look● upon God 〈…〉 washing his 〈◊〉 with 〈…〉 with the hayres of her 〈◊〉 well ●aith our 〈…〉 thy way th●●aith hath saved thee what kinde of faith was he●● it was a weeping a 〈…〉 faith without 〈◊〉 will 〈…〉 the repenting ●aith that is the saying 〈…〉 4. Fides 〈◊〉 the ●aith of the 〈◊〉 leaper Luke 17. Th●● 〈◊〉 and gave 〈…〉 God and to ou● Saviour 〈…〉 Go● thy way thy 〈…〉 of ●aith was his it was a 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 witho●● 〈…〉 without expression o● ou●●uty to God will 〈…〉 that is the saving 〈…〉 be added to our faith 5. Fides Bartim●i the faith of Bartim●ius the blind begger Luke 18. that cryed so improtunately to our Saviour Christ Iesus thou sonne

from the evill man Tu noli tibi esse malus liberet te Dominus à te c. Be not thou an evill man to thy selfe pray to God to deliver thee from thy selfe being an evill man and of an evill man to make thee a good man that thou maiest not hurt thy selfe and then never feare any hurt that any other evill man can doe thee Wee say Nemo laeditur nisi à seipso No man takes any hurt but he may thanke himselfe his owne sinne is the cause of it were it not for sinne heaven could have no quarrell against us hell could have no power over us our sinnes are they that hurt us they are those that undoe us The Scripture speakes of sinne lying at the doore Gen. 4. 7. If thou dost ill sinne lies at the doore Of all doore keepers in the world sinne is the worst for if that lie at the doore it doth a double mischiefe it keepes Gods blessing out and it lets Gods judgement in therefore if you desire to dwell in saferie and to prosper in your familie let not sinne lie at your doore as long as that lies there without repentance you must never looke to prosper The Scripture speakes of some that are sonnes of Belial and daughters of Belial the sonnes of Eli were sonnes of Bel al Sam. 2. and 1. Hannah saith to Eli Count not thy hand-maid for a daughter of Belial Now a son of Belial is taken generally for one exceedingly wicked the very child of the devill that lives absque jugo without a yoake without any feare of God before his eyes but it seemeth to be derived of Beli which signifies without and jagnal which is to be profitable or to prosper and so Belial noteth such a one as is altogether unprofitable and which cannot shall not prosper If any such be here or if any of you that be here finde your selves to be such that you are unprofitable members of the Common-wealth that you doe cannot prosper in your course of life I will not say yee are sonnes of Belial what have I to doe to judge you onely this let mee advise you that you would consider with your selves what sinne it is that lies at your doores and keepes Gods blessing out Remove but that drive but that a way by a sincere repentance and reformation of life and then there is hope to prosper We see it is the nature of a streame if it be stopt in his course that he cannot make a way in his wonted channell it will turne in upon it selfe and flow backe againe towards the fountaine and to the place it came from so when you finde your selves stopt in your proceedings that you cannot make away into the world so prosperously so succesfully as you desire then doe as the streame doth remeate flow backe reflect recoyle and turne in upon your selves to see where the fault lies what sinne is the cause of it for that 's the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the object or barre that hinders good things from us and when you have turned backe into your selves then turne forward unto your God desire him to pardon and amend you and that 's the way to prosper I have not yet done with this point I beseech you give me leave and I beseech God give mee grace that I may apply it severally and effectually to your soules and consciences for application is the life of all instruction a thing proved is true to all but it is good to none but onely to them to whom it is applied Let me intreat therefore your patient attention yet a little longer and you shall heare what I have to say unto you not in any biting or galling manner I never delighted in that straine but in gentlenesse and mildnesse to teach you how to prosper First you that are tradesmen Shop-keepers Handicrafts-men that have nothing to betake to but what your honest labours and endeavours must helpe you to doe you desire to prosper in your trades and callings then seeke the Lord before you set to worke doe as they doe at Sea that have oculos ad coelum manus ad clavum their hand upon the helme and their eye upon the heaven so when a mans hand is upon his worke and his heart upon his God then is his businesse like to prosper Contrariwise he that sets to his worke before he seekes to his God takes a preposterous course and commonly thrives thereafter You know what Peter confest to Christ Master we have laboured all night and taken nothing and no marvell for Christ was not with him in the Ship as soone as ever hee had gotten Christ immediatly he had good successe Beleeve it brethren except Christ be with a man in his Shop as he was with Peter in his Ship there 's no good to be done in any trade What 's the reason that so many Tradsmen breake and hide their heads and runne away but because they have not sought the Lord nor gotten Christ unto them they first breake with God then breake with men first lose their credits with God and then ' its just with God they should lose their credits with men first leave their honestie then lose their prosperitie if you desire therefore that your dealings should prosper and your trading hold and thrive get Christ into your shops and hee will bring you in Customers hee will blesse your takings hee will uphold you that you shall never breake but if ye expell Christ out of your shops by your wickednesse as Peter out of weakenesse would have had Christ beene gone out of his Ship saying Lord goe from me for I am a sinfull man then farewell all good fortune and never looke to prosper And if you would have Christ to keepe with you to dwell and make his abode with you and so to blesse and prosper you then be sure that you use a good conscience in all your dealings take heede you do not deale with your Customers as the Prophet Amos complaines of the dealers in his time Amos 8. 5. That they made the Ephah small and the Shekle great that is they made the measure little and the price great take heed of that 't is an abomination to the Lord and hee that useth it shall never prosper Remember the saying Iob cap. 8. 5. 6. Seeke the Lord and be upright and he will make the habitation of thy righteousnesse prosperous 3 You that have occasion to travell by land or by water that have any journey to goe that you desire should prosper then seeke to God before you set out of doores take God along with you request his company crave his conduct and guidance pray as Eleazer did Gen. 24. 12. O Lord God of my master Abraham I beseech thee send me good speed this day and God heard him and granted his desire hee sped as well as his heart could wish If thou wouldst be prosperous and speed well be religious and pray well for hee that

of David 〈…〉 upon me and would take no repulse but else more they rebuked him for his clamour so much the more he cryed Thou sonne of David have mercy on me God thy way saith our Saviour thy faith hath saved thee what kinde of faith was his it was ●n earnest ●aith a zealous a prayerfull faith faith without zeale without 〈…〉 and importunity to God in prayer will never save 〈◊〉 man it is the zealous faith that is the saving faith That is another vertue that must be added to our faith 6. Lastly Fides 〈◊〉 Mat. ● The faith of the Centurion 〈◊〉 Saviour himselfe admired it and said I have not found so great faith 〈…〉 in Israel What kinde of faith was his it was a mercifull a compassionate faith the Centurion ayled nothing himselfe onely he had a poore servant that lay sicke at home visited by the hand of God and his heart could 〈◊〉 bee as rest till h●e had wrought a meanes to our Saviour to relieve and restore him Here is 〈…〉 man 〈…〉 to them that are in misery Faith without compassion and mercy to the poore and needy will never save a 〈…〉 it is the mercifull faith that is the saving Faith These be the vertues that 〈◊〉 be added to our faith without which whatsoever we professe are cannot 〈…〉 in truth and reality to beleeve 〈◊〉 in God If 〈◊〉 bee away all the rest of ●osephs brethren might as good stay at home so if vertue be wanting our faith will stand us but in little stead to 〈◊〉 and therefore marks what followes in the 〈…〉 God 〈…〉 I might here by the way observe from 〈◊〉 order of the words that before a man can doe good workes that may be acceptable to God and availeable to his owne soule hee must first be a beleever and be endued with faith and other graces from above for if the water be soule in the well it must needes be soule in the bucket if the heart be uncleane within the workes that issue from it must needes bee so much the worse But I never loved to dishearten any man from well-doing to tell men as some doe because they have alittle authority for it that the best workes that men can doe if they be unsanctified to their thinking and unregenerate are but splendida pec●ata glorious and glittering sinnes that may perhaps slake the fire of Hell but not extinguish it and make a mans damnation it may be somewhat more tolerable but not a whit the lesse durable what miserable comfort is this to a weake well meaning Christian it is just for all the world like that which Bias calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Backeward forwarding of a cause it is rather terrifying then induring and wil sooner drive a man off then draw 〈…〉 God with his substance and to helpe himselfe to heaven by well-doing for my owne part I am of the same minde for matter of good workes that Saint Paul was for matter of preaching Phil. 1. 15. some saith the Apostle preach Christ of ●●vie and strife and 〈◊〉 of good will and love what then saith he why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 whether in pretence or in truth so that Christ bee preached I therein doe rejoyce yea and will rejoyce for I know that somebody shall fare the better for it It shall 〈…〉 my 〈◊〉 ver 18 19. Thus say I some men doe good workes out of faith and a good conscience others perhaps out of vaineglory and ostentation what 〈◊〉 Why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Any way so that good workes be done sincerely 〈…〉 sincerely I for my part both do wil cōmend 〈…〉 for I 〈◊〉 that God must needes have some glory the Church the poore some good and themselves without all doubt shall be ultra condig●um rewarded for it In the 9. of Luke there was one that cast out devills in Christs name who followed him not the Disciple tell our Saviour they had forbidden him our Saviour rebuked them and said noe I will none of that Forbid him n●t for ●ee that is not against us is for us ver 50. Christ would have no man hindered or discouraged from well-doing whether hee follow him or follow him not but let them have all the encouragement that may be to forward and further men in doing good You know what God sayd to Caine Gen. 4. 7. If thou doest well shalt thou not be accepted and you know what Caine was to shew that God will accept of any mans well doing Some men no doubt doe good workes Obediently because God commands them so to doe others perhaps doe it onely R●tinually because they thinke well of it themselves what then as long as God accepts it what reason have we to speake against it I say no more but what was said to Gideon Vp a●●kee doing and the Lord shall 〈◊〉 with you for good So I come more neerely to the Apostles in junction touching the maintenance and continuance of good workes among men which are of three sorts 1. Opera pirtatis workes of piety and devotion to God as prayer thankesgiving besides other divine expressions and exhibitions of ou● duty of 〈…〉 our God for Gods services are of two sorts some are cheape services that come gratis and cost us nothing comming to Church hearing of Sermons receiving the Sacrament and few there bee that make any scruple of these because they come of free cost yet the old world was 〈…〉 other some a●● chargeable service● 〈…〉 the may●tenance of Gods ministry the building and repayring of his sanctuary and those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostle speakes of Heb. 7. 4. paying tythes of the best and principall of allthings in 〈…〉 did when it comes to these as 〈◊〉 said 〈…〉 The Lord pardon his servants in these things 〈…〉 have not one to an hundred but will haggle and dodg● with God most shamefully and basely when it comes to a matter of cost what law compels them that they doe but it is 〈…〉 God knows against the haire nay against the very heart of them to part with any to the Lord from whom they have received all things just as one said of his Saint Martyn Martinus ●onus in auxilio churu● in negotio he was a good saint for his assistances but a chargeable saint for his businesses so basely doe many thinke of God they like his succour well but hot his service He is a good God for his comforts but for his costlinesse they would willingly have that abated Time was when men faulted in excesse the Iewes were faine to be restrained by Proclamations our Ancestors were faine to be restrayned by Statutes of Mortmayne now there needes none of all this men know how to shut their hands alone and strive rather to be injurious then any way helpefull to God and his Church I say no more but referre you to our Saviours determination Hee oporte● facere these works of piety must not be left undone

of piety to God but when the poore and hungry come to them as Christ came to that Figtree hoping to pull some fruite of charity and mercy from them there is nothing to be found but leaves good words perhaps and that is all beleeve it such men are nigh unto cursing and it is Gods infinite mercie if hee doe not blast their estate as Christ did the Fig-tree that it shall never prosper to them nor theirs The other wonder of Christ that did any hurt was that Mat. Chapter eight The drowning of the Swine and yet that was the devils doing Christ onely gave way to these evill spirits which seeke the destruction of man and beast to carry them headlong into the 〈◊〉 as they would carry us too but that God above who stiles himselfe The preserver of men is pleased in mercy to keepe out of their clutches and this was symbolicall too to let us understand how God hates all those that are of a swinish disposition that is all drunken sots that like swine have neither wit nor grace to moderate themselves in the use of Gods creatures and all lazie beasts that mind nothing but their bellies as you know a Swine is one of the laziest creatures that a man can keepe it doth him no worke nor service at all or lastly All hoggish worldlings and miserable muck-wormes of the earth that never doe good till they come to die let all such tremble and feare and call to God for mercy least in his just judgement hee deliver their soules into the hands of those hellish Fiends to carry them headlong as they did the swine into the lake that burneth with fire and brimestone for evermore there shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth These are the two severest wonders that ever our Saviour did or suffered to be done as for all the rest looke into the Stories of the Gospel which are the Acts and Monuments of Iesus Christ you shall finde to be all gracious all beneficiall all healing and saving wonders Never any man came to him for sight that went away blind never any came to him for hearing that went away deafe never any came to him for health that went away sicke In a word you shall never finde that ever any man or woman came to our Saviour for any help or mercy that ever went away confounded or disappointed of their hopes Now beloved Christ is the same Iesus still that then he was Coelum non animum as we say though he have changed his place he hath not changed his nature but is still as favourable as indulgent to mankind as ever he was if we doe but as truly seeke unto him for our soules health as they did for their bodies So you see the nature of these wonders is altered from that they were in Eliahs times the severity of the Law suites not with the lenity of the Gospel and we must now imitate our Saviour in works of mercy not follow Eliah in prayers for judgment We see Luk 9. 54. When the disciples fingers itched to be revenged on the Samaritans for their base discourtesie in not entertaining our Saviour Master said they wilt thou that we command fire from heaven and consume them as Eliah did We have a president for it it is a booke case Eliah did so let us doe the like these men deserve it as bad or worse than they with whom Eliah had to doe No saith our Saviour the case is altered ye know not of what spirit ye are the spirit of the Law required severity the spirit of the Gospel requires meekenesse and mercy Farre is it from the good Spirit of Christ and of God to stirre up any mans heart to private revenge not an Eagle but a Dove was the shape wherein that holy and healthfull Spirit made choise to appeare Let us therefore all that are called Christians follow no other president but our Saviour Christs whose onely lesson that ever he set us to learne of him was 〈…〉 and meeke and so doing we shall finde Requi●m animabus 〈…〉 owne soules The third and last reason that may warrant Eliah in praying for a judgement was 3. Necessitas rei the necessity of the thing it self that holy Prophet had spent his strength in vaine Sermon upon Sermon warning upon warning threatning upon threatning and when he saw that nothing would worke them to goodnesse then he prayes for a judgement not in a vindictive way to be revenged upon them but as a desperate remedy knowing that that or nothing would bring them to good as it is said 2 Chron. ult God sent his Prophets rising early and sending them and used all gentle meanes to reclaime them till there was no remedy then he sent destruction In this sence if a man have a child or a friend or any one that he wisheth well to his soule if he be growen to that passe so hardned in sinne that no perswasions no warnings no threatnings will worke upon him I am perswaded it were neither uncharitable nor unpleasing to God if a man should pray Lord smite him correct him lay some medicinall some healing punishment upon him that he may see the errour of his wayes and may returne and repent and so be saved Vpon these and the like grounds I suppose Eliah might with a safe conscience pray for a judgement but then the next question is Why hee should make choise to pray for this kinde of judgement of drought and dearth for want of raine rather than any other I will tell you what I think the reasons may be 1. Because it was an uncontrouleable a convincing judgement if Eliah should have brought any earthly or visible judgement as Sword or Pestilence c. they would have imputed it presently to some secondary meanes and causes now this was a heavenly an invisible judgement the stoppage of the cloudes the detaining of Raine and the burning and scorching of the 〈…〉 judgement from heaven and 〈…〉 needes confesse to be Digitus the 〈…〉 God not Aliqnid humani no handy worke of any mortall man For this was the fallacy which the Scribes and Pharises put upon our Saviour Mat. 16. 1. When they had seene all the miracles and wonders of Christ how hee cured the sicke c. they conceited that these things might be done by slight of hand by art Magicke by Beelzebub or by Conjuration c but say they Shew us asigne from Heaven and then we will beleeve They knew that a Magician or a devill might doe much upon earth but he could doe nothing in heaven therefore say they shew us a signe from Heaven and we will beleeve So here to prevent all misconceites Elias prayed and procures a judgement from heaven and that a convincing a cutting judgement for you must know that the people at that time left off to worship the true God and fell to worship Baall the Sunne the Moone and all the Hoast of Heaven trusting no doubt that these gods of

unrighteous men from having to doe with him and make choise of one that is right-wise and honest to smite and to reprove him for such a one will doe it sine contumeliâ without disgrace 4 Sine adulatione without flattery without abetting or justifying a man in his evill courses For there is as one hath well observed a twofold Iustification 1 A Iustification of a sinner from his sinnes 2 A Iustification of a sinner in his sinnes the first is an act of Gods mercy the second is an act of mans flattery the former is an happy an blessed thing when God is pleased in mercy to justifie and acquit to discharge and free a guilty soule from the bond and punishment of all his sinnes by the merits and by the bloud and by the Spirit of Iesus Christ The latter is a wofull and accursed thing when a man shall speake good of evill and labour to justifie another mans actions though never so vile and foule it is such a Iustification as without Gods infinite mercy will bring a man to everlasting condemnation and yet such servile spirits there be that for their owne advantage will sooth a man up if hee be rich or great in all his wayes and wickednesse Let him sinne what he will they will not checke him project what he will they will not thwart him say what he will they are ready to second him and let him be what he will they applaud and admire him Oh what amiable friends are these these love a man as the Ravens love his eyes or as Dalilah loved Sampson when she hugged and lulled him in her lap and then cut off his locke which was the onely ligament that tied and fastned him to his God so she did what lay in her even to cut him off from God These are they whom the Prophet termes Caementarios diaboli the devils dawbers Ezech. 13. 10. the comparison stands thus when a man dwels in an old ruinous house the Mason comes and plasters and dawbes it over making the Indweller beleeve that all is well that it is a sound and a solid wall and he may dwell safely in it when the house is indeed ready to fal drop down and smother him Such are they that will not sticke to perswade a man that his case is good to God-ward that he hath no cause to be discontented or ill-conceited of himselfe when there is an ulcisci in promptu as the Apostle speaketh when vengeance is in a readinesse to fall downe and seize upon him Another calls them the devils Vphosters in relation to that Ezech. 13 18. if they see a man leane towards a sinne they will sow a pillow under his arme-hole i sooth him up in his inclination that he sleepe securely in it with as little trouble and unrest as possibly may be These be wofull friends God deliver every good man from having such burs hang on his sleeve from having his head broken with these precious balmes as our Translation reads my text For my part saith David give me a true friend that will smite me as for a flatterer that will smooth me I hate and abhor him give me such a friend as is like those sawces which a man commends with teares in his eyes whose reprehension is like some wholsome potion though it make a man sick for the present it wil purge him do him good for the time to come it be these rough hands as one said of Iacobs that bring us savory meate and carry away the blessing when they have done As David blessed Abigail when she met him and staied him from his evill purpose 1 Sam. 25. 32. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel that hath sent thee to meete mee this day and blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from shedding of bloud A flatterer may please a man at the first but a plaine-dealing friend hath his blessing at the last and such a one did David desire to be smitten by because he knew that he would doe it sine adulatione without flatery Lastly if a righteous man smite though he doe it as I have shewed 1 Sine felle without gall 2 Sine publicatione without notice 3 Sine contumeliae without disgrace 4 Sine adulatione without flattery yet which is the maine of all 5 Non sine Deo not without God If David could say of his enemy that cursed him Let him alone for God hath bidden to curse much more safely maist thou say of thy friend that reproves thee let him alone for God hath bidden him to smite And as the Apostle saith of Ministers that God doth entreat you by us so perswade your selves that God doth reprove you by them Doe not therefore resist do not reject good counsell least thou be found to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an opposer a fighter against God For beleeve it if thou dost not hearken to God when hee reproves thee by thy friend thou shalt one day heare him to thy cost when God will reprove thee by himselfe Give eare and tremble at that same tuba terroris as Saint Austin calls it that trumpet of terrour or that terrible trumpet Psal 50. 21. These things hast thou done and I held my peace whereupon thou thoughtest wickedly that I was such a one as thy selfe that is one that seeth evill done and by silence gives consent and takes pleasure in them that doe it But I will reprove thee saith God and set thine sinnes in order before thine eyes Tremble I say at the voice of this Trumpet Thou that wilt neither reprove thy selfe when thou hast done evill nor suffer others by reproofe to doe thee good assure thy selfe there is one above that will reprove thee when hee comes to judge thee who will so marshall and ranke and set thy sinnes in order before thee that thou shalt not be able to answer him to one of a thousand Therefore as Saint Austin desired of God in another case Domine hic ure hic seca ut in posterum sanes Lord cut me and scorch me here that thou maist heale me and cure me hereafter so let thy prayer to God be to the same effect Lord smite me and reprove me here that I may have nothing to answer for nothing to be questioned for when I goe from hence So much briefly for the second generall part of my Text why David did make choise of a Righteous man to smite him The next is 3 Acceptatio fraternae correptionis the well-taking of brotherly reprehension the text saith It shall be a kindnesse But what will the world say if smiting be a kindnesse a man shall be sure to have enough of it if he will take that so kindly he shall not want for kindnesse as this world goes Such kindnesse as this Ananias could afford Saint Paul Acts 23. 2. Smite him on the mouth saith he when he was speaking how he had lived in all good conscience before God

8. postulaa me c. desire of mee and I will give thee the heathen for thy inheritance c. If hee that was sole heyre of Heaven and earth haeres ex toto asse as the Romans used to stile them could no otherwise come by his inheritance but by way of petition to desire it afore he had it much more so is it with us where no desire it looke for no gift no prayer no grace We see in Esay God makes a gracious promise to his people that he would put away all their sinnes take them all into his favour as though they had never sinned but marke the condition for all these things I will be sought unto saith God So though God offer his grace to men hee will not force it upon them against their wills hee will have them sue for it hee will have them desire it or they may thanke themselves if they goe to hell without it and God may justly complaine of them as David did of Naball 1. Sam. 25. 21. All is in vaine that I have done for these men Seeing then there is no backwardnesse in God to make deniall of his grace but hee is willing to bestow it upon all that are desirous to imbrace it oh be not wanting to thy owne mercy ne deficias doe not faile of it 2. Seeing that grace is the Lords nè superbias be not proud of it doe not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Saint Iames his word is cap. 3. 5. doe not magnifically lift up thy selfe aboue thy brethren whose graces are not so eminent as thine but rather as the eares of corne and the bowes of trees the more they are laden with fruit the lower they hang to the earth so the more God hath laden thee with his graces and favours be thou so much the more lowly in thy owne eyes and thinke not scorne to doe as thy God doe who though his Glory bee above the heavens saith David Psal 113. ● yet hee doth Abase himselfe to behold the things that are in the earth and as the more direct the Sunne is over us the shorter and lesser is the shadow so the more that Gods grace is over thee and in thee the lesser let the shadow of pride bee seene to come from thee for consider saith the Apostle what hast thou that thou hast uot received or what is that thou canst properly call thine owne but mendacium peccatum lying and sinne as our Saviour said of the devill Iohn 8. when hee speaketh a lye hee speaketh de suo of his owne God never put that into him so for thy sinnes thou must thanke thy selfe or rather indeede beshrewe and blame thy selfe for they are thy owne but if thou hast any grace or any vertue in thee thanke God for that for it is not thine it is the Lords seeing then thou art but a Tributary to God and hast nothing that good is but what thou art beholding and must be countable to the Lord for it nè superbias be not proud of it 3. Seeing Grace is the Lord to bestow on whom he pleaseth nè invideas doe not envie it let not thine eye be evill because God is good nor thinke the worse of another man because God is better to him then unto thee for Gods grace is his owne he may give it to whom he will When God shall take of his grace and of his good spirit as Samuel said to Saul shall give it to a neighbour of thine that is better then thou what cause hast thou to be envious at this and not rather to humble thy selfe and thinke that as Daniel told the king cap. 5. 27. God hath weighed thee in a ballance and found thee minus habens wanting to God and to thy selfe and therefore hath justly with holden his favour from thee and given it to one that will use it better for his glory and for the Churches good farre be it from any child of God to Cherish in his brest the spawne of that old serpent the divell for envy is no better as the learned have well observed there is so neere a resemblance betwixt an envious man and the divell that in the booke of God the one is taken for the other so the divell is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an envious man Mat. 13. 28. an envious man is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a devil Iohn 6. 70. How farre better would it become us in this respect to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the Angels of heaven who now at Christmas time when they saw that our Saviour would in no wise take their nature which was far better then ours but tooke our nature upon him which was farre worse then theirs and which was most of all and would have gone most against our stomackes commanded them to worship it Heb. 1. 6. they were so farre from envying or taking offence at this as that elder brother did in the Gospel when the yonger was received to grace after his riotous course that even then they sung an Anthem for the joy of our happinesse and even to this day Saint Peter tells us 1. Pet. 1. 12. they doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stoope downe as it were in duty and love to honour the mistery of Christs incarnation and to admire the grace and favour of God to mankind In a word then seeing that the Honouring of Gods grace wheresoever it lights is a quality so Angelicall and the contrary so diabolicall let it bee thy practise evermore to reverence him that hath it to judge thy selfe unworthy of it seeke it in Gods name and get to bee partaker in it but in any case ne invideas doe not envie it 4. Seeing that grace proceedes from so holy a fountaine as is the Lord ne Abutaris doe not abuse it doe not vitiate nor staine it with sinne as Lot entreated the men of Sodome Gen. 19. 8. that they would not abuse the Angels of God seeing they were come to shelter themselves under the shadow of his r●ofe so let me entreate you all in the name of Christ that you would not abuse the graces of God seeing they are come from heaven to take shelter and harbour in your brests and bosomes The Apostle speakes of some Iud. 4. that turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and that 's a woefull kinde of Alchymie as one saith singularly well would we not esteeme that man prodigally foolish and mad that would spend all his time all his substance and all his industry to finde out a perverse Philosophers stone that should turne all the gold it touched into lead and drosse even such are they that pervert the grace of God and turne it into wantonnesse into lasciviousnes into all manner of scurrility and deboistnesse and never lin till they have made a poyson of an Antidote and baned themselves with that which would have beene their blisse lucerna dei in spiritu hominis saith Salomon Pro. 20. 27. The