then be earnest and harty as we see this our Apostles was he stirreth them to it againe and againe and in many places that it may worke the like impression in them that it had in his heart Begin with thy selfe to say I haue repented and hate my sinne therefore I exhort and call vpon others to repent I haue left my swearing and therefore cannot abide it I reioyce in God and am filled with ioy and therefore I exhort others vnto it This then being a duty required of all that are to exhort obserue what speciall duty it layeth vpon the minister and publike teacher of the word of God for he being by his place and calling to exhort to euery good duty and to dehort from euery vice he had neede to take more especial and extraordinary paines with his owne heart that he may himselfe be wanting in nothing but his mouth may speake from the abundance of that which his heart hath wrought in it that there be not any vice but his heart hath both expelled it out and setled in it the hatred of the same not any vertue of faith of repentance of ioy but he hath had them already wrought in his heart Doct. 2 Againe secondly for the person that giueth this exhortation cōsider that it is Paul an Apostle that exhorteth vs as an Ambassadour sent from God and speaking from God as the preface of the Epistle sheweth Which consideration as it setteth an edge vpon the exhortation so ought it to sharpen and whet vs on to be the more eager to follow it And thus much it shall suffice to haue obserued of the party exhorting Expressed in the repetition of the exhortation I say Now I come to the persons exhorted and they are the Philippians as I said faithfull and righteous whom the Apostle in the first verse called beloued and longed for brethren and so to those who are such this exhortation in many places is expressely limited In the 32. Psalme be glad yee righteous and reioyce in the Lord and be ioyfull all yee that are vpright in heart and in Psal 33.1 Reioyce in the Lord O ye righteous for it becommeth vpright men to be thankefull here we see the wicked are shut out haue no part nor portion in this ioy and that is wel seene for what ioy haue worldly men in God or heauenly things but in pleasures profits But another duty belongeth vnto thē which the Apostle S. Iames exhorteth them vnto bidding thē to weep howle though they be rich men if they be oppressors and wicked be not rich in God And againe chap. 4. vers 9. Waile and sorrow ye sinners and weep let your laughter be turned into mourning your ioy into heauines The reason of the restraint and limiting of it to the faithfull is easy and yet very worthy to be stood vpon for as for the righteous they haue both great cause to reioyce and great neede to be stirred vp to this duty whereas the wicked haue neither any true cause of sound ioy neither feele they any need of it That the faithfull haue need to be stirred to this duty we cannot be ignorant if we consider that which the Psalmist writeth Psalme 34.19 and the whole Scripture accordeth with that Many are the troubles of the righteous And whosoeuer will follow Christ he must forsake father mother goods lands brethren sisters life al and take vp his crosse daily follow him for such is the rage of Satan the malice of the wicked as against the whole Church in generall so against all the godly that they neuer can haue as it were peaceable houres but so soone as they haue giuen their names to Christ and are entred into his schoole they haue one trouble and vexation or other to wrestle withall They see matter of griefe sorrow within them without them and round about them Within them they haue wicked rebellion of their owne harts to be as it were pricks and thornes in their flesh to gall and vex and disquiet them they haue Satan continually casting his deadly and fiery darts of tentations into their soules And all the world in a manner they shall see to be as it were banded and combined together against them in mocks in taunts in slanders in whatsoeuer iniuries and ill turnes and mischiefes they can doe vnto them Alas any one of these were cause sufficient to make the children of God heauy pensiue and sorrowfull for their strength is not the strength of stones nor their flesh of brosse as Iob speaketh of himselfe in the sixth of his booke but these pearce and wound them deepely to their very soules great need therefore the faithfull haue to be raised vp from this sorrow and heauines of heart to reioyce and be made merry in the Lord. for should they haue no ioy to help to counteruaile their sorrowes Note the life of the Christian were too tedious and grieuous to be endured by any the most patient sufferer in the world the troubles that accompany it are soe many and the sorrowes soe grieuous that they would eate out the very heart of the faithful quickly if it were not that ioy mixed and intermedled withall did mittigate the sense and ease and lighten the burthen of them As for wicked men they haue no such burthen of trouble and sorrowes to be eased of The diuell is not grieuous vnto them with his tentations be the tentations what they wil be they like them well they entertaine them they make much of them they are the welcomest guests that can come vnto them for their is no suggestion of Satan but it is euill there is no kinde of euill but the heart of a wicked man is prone vnto it If the diuell prouoke him to wrath and anger the heart is before straying after it If to vncleannesse to prophanesse to swearing c. these are all pleasing motions vnto the vnregenerate person Sin also and corruption that dwelleth and raigneth in him is not troublesome and grieuous vnto the wicked man Nay he is so farre from sorrowing because of this corruption that it is his darling and his delight It is as his right hand as his vse as his life and soule so deare is it vnto him yea rather he can endure to haue his goods his delights yea his very life taken away rather then to forgoe this sinne and corruption of his heart As for the world they and it are in a very quiet and friendly league for because they are of the world the world cannot at but loue it own as our Sauior teacheth vs Ioh. 15.19 So that the wicked haue no such enemies no troubles nor sorrowes as the righteous haue but they liue at peace with their sinne at peace with the deuill and at peace with the world They haue mirth enough and too much for them They neede not as they thinke neither care they
for God or any godly mirth to make them merry No neede therefore to exhort the wicked to reioyce that are euen surfetted already with ioy and pleasure but the righteous that mourne the righteous that be heauy these haue need to haue God and his seruants to comfort and cheere them vp Obiect 1 But here it may be replied the righteous man hath indeed need of this ioy whereunto the Apostle exhorts them but how is it possible that the righteous so beset and compassed with troubles can reioyce for this seemeth to be a strange paradoxe and opinion to the world that the righteous can in the midst of so many troubles and crosses finde any matter to take ioy in Answ But yet if we will but open our eyes wee shal easily see that the righteous man and he alone hath cause euen in his greatest troubles to reioyce and be merry and euen to triumph for ioy of heart for what though the world be bent and banded with all the spite and hate it can against him yet euen in this hath he more cause of ioy then of sorrow Reade and marke to that ende the words of our Sauiour Christ who is truth it selfe Matth. 5.2.12 Blessed are yee whē men reuile and persecute your and say al manner of euil against you for my sake falsely Reioyce and be glad for greate is your reward in heauen For so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you To be hated of the world to be reuiled persecuted slandered marke it is a signe y t we are blessed and therfore a cause to make vs to reioyce Nay we see that all the hatred reuiling persecution and slander they can raise do helpe to increase our reward and the brightnesse of our glory and the waight of our crowne in heauen Nay hereby are we assured that we are in the straight and beaten way to heauen For thus saith our Sauior they hated they reuiled they persecuted the Prophets which were before you as though he should say by this you may know that you are in the direct way to heauen For thus haue all the Prophets before you passed thither and so we see since our Sauiour Christ to haue passed this way into glory and by the same to haue carried to the same glory al his Apostles Martyrs and holy men that haue liued and died vnder the Gospell Behold then in a word what ioy euen the hatred of the world and wicked men affordeth vnto vs and that is that our heauenly reward of glory is both increased and confirmed and sealed vnto vs. And to this precept of our Sauiour wel agreeth that of the Apostle Iam. 1.2 my brethren count it all ioy when ye fall into diuers afflictions meaning as I take it of such as were inflicted by the world which then was most vsuall we must then reioyce and that withall ioy in the greatest measure we are able because thereby we attaine to be patient and so shall be perfect and compleate men in Christ An example of this precept we haue both in the example of all the Apostles Act. 5. in the ende who being beaten for professing Christ went away reioycing from the counsel taking it as an honour done to them And so of this our Apostle 2. Cor. 12.10 I take pleasure saith he in infirmities in reproches in necessities in persecutions for Christs sake For when I am weake then am I strong He tooke pleasure in these because he found that euen by them God ministred greater strength and comfort to him Obiect 2 But here againe I know that many good distressed soules wil be ready to reply that if it were but for the world and for men and afflictions thence they would be cheerefull and merry in these regards we haue seene but now they haue not flesh and blood alone and these afflictions to wrestle against but against principalities and powers against Satan the prince of the world and against spirituall wickednesses which are in high places These are of great power and of great might these are continually laying siege against their soules to take them how can they be merry that be night and day besieged thus dangerously especially of legions of deuils of spirituall wickednesses that are diligent and watchfull night and day to surprize and take their soules Alas these are many and strong enemies and we are weake and in continuall combat with them Answ I answere true it is these enemies are many and of great power dilligence and subtilty ioyned with deadly hate and malice against vs. But consider againe bee they neuer so strong and powerfull yet if we doe but resist and stand out against them they will flie from vs. Resist the deuill saith the Apostle Iames. 4.7 and he will flie from you Resist him though he be neuer so strong Resist him though he haue his legions of diuels with him against thee and he shall flie from thee Marke it he shall flie and that from thee Note Thou shalt put him to flight be thou the weakest Christian in the world if thou wilt but resist him with the shield of faith the sword of the Spirit c. Heere therefore we haue greater cause of ioy and triumph then of sorrow For what cause hath he but to reioyce that may euery day so easily triumph ouer so great and so many enemies that being a poore weake man may put to flight whole armies and legions of diuels Obiect 3 But some man may except thus Indeed I haue a great promise from God I shall do this if I resist but alas many times through my weaknesse I am readie to slumber and to sleepe and cannot be euer as I should be watchfull to resist Nay I find such a cursed rebellion in my heart that carries me continually as a slaue and captiue to the will of the diuell Answ Indeed I must needs confesse there is a great cause of sorrow and lamentation Miserable man saith the Apostle Paul Rom. 7. the end who shall deliuer me from this bodie of sinne But yet we haue also by the mercie of God sufficient wherewithall to raise vs vp in this sorrow for we haue the Spirit of God within vs to helpe our infirmities we haue the Angels of God night and day to pitch their tents about vs to aid vs against the euill angels we haue God himselfe who neither slumbereth nor sleepeth that watcheth and careth for vs. Be we neuer so weake and the diuell neuer so strong God who is with vs will vphold vs and no diuell shall plucke vs from him or out of his hands If I should further enter to lay downe all the causes that may and ought to moue the faithfull vnto ioy I should not easily find an end of so large and long a Treatise I will therefore in a word only entreate euery man who is desirous to learne what cause he hath to reioyce being a righteous
man to consider first throughly with himselfe how fearefull a thing it were to fall into the hands of the liuing God And how terrible a thing the wrath of God is which shall be reuealed vpon the wicked and disobedient euen this shall giue him great cause to reioyce that by the pardon of his sins he hath escaped the wrath that is to come And secondly let him consider how great is the glorie prouided for all them that feare the Lord in which they shal be like the heauenly Angels alwayes beholding the face of God in heauen Yea their bodies shall become like the glorious bodie of our Sauiour Christ and wherein no part of miserie shall remaine but all teares shall bee wiped from their eyes and no part of blessednesse shall be wanting vnto them Thirdly let him consider how sweete the loue of God must needs be euen heere vnto the faithfull soule when he hauing loued him euen when he was his enemie and not yet reconciled to him and that he gaue his only begotten Sonne to the death for him that he might not perish but haue eternall life and that he hath now adopted him and giuen him the title and priuiledge to be called his sonne and to be the heire of God and coheire with Iesus Christ that he hath giuen vnto him and put into his heart his Spirit the seale and earnest of his adoption Fourthly let him also consider what a couenant and league of friendship he is now entred into with the Lord that he can but call and aske of God and God is readie to lend his eare to him and grant his suit that he can but knock and God stands at the doore as it were readie to open and to welcome him that he cannot seeke any good thing at the Lords hands but he is readie to minister vnto him Nay that God not only is readie night and day in season and out of season to heare his mone and to fulfill his desires but his eyes are euer vpon him to do him good euen then when he thinkes not vpon it and that which we neuer minded to craue at his hands yea that the Lord will vouchsafe to come to him to abide with him to sup and to dine and to conuerse with him as he promiseth Ioh. 14.23 and Reuel 3.20 Behold I stand at the doore and knocke if any man heare my voice and open the doore I will come vnto him to carrie him as it were into my heauenly closet and impart to him of my dainties But heere I stay for this time THE SECOND SERMON VPON THE SAME TEXT I Will proceed where I left The priuiledges of the faithfull set downe before as the peace of a good conscience cleared and clensed by the blood of Christ the hope of so great glorie to come and the so blessed communion with God that they may talke as it were friendly and familiarly and conuerse with him and he with them howsoeuer the men of the world imagine them all to be but dreames and conceits yet can they not but make the righteous man that hath the true and liuely sense and feeling of them leape and shout for ioy of heart I will not stand by further reasons which are many to enlarge the proofe of this point that the righteous as they haue need to be stirred vp to ioy so they haue iust cause notwithstanding all that may seeme to make to the contrarie to be merrie and glad in heart It is not thus with the wicked for though they haue peace with Satan and peace with the corruption of their owne hearts yet want they the pardon of their sin and therefore are at warre and enmitie with God though they labour to forget the same and all that fearefull wrath to come hangeth ouer their heads and may fall they know not how soone vpon them Secondly they want that imputation of Christs righteousnesse to couer their shame before God so that they cannot assure themselues that they haue any part or portion in the glorie of the sonnes of God that is to be reuealed They cannot behold God as a louing Father as their redeemer in Christ Iesus They are wholly possessed with the spirit of feare and bondage that they cannot with boldnesse call vpon God They haue no promise nor assurance that God will heare them nay his eares are stopped that he will not heare them his eyes are turned from them that he will not regard and pitie their miserie He will haue no communion no societie companie nor fellowship with them I cease to speake of those hellish terrors of an accusing conscience that cannot but expell all ioy and comfort foorth so oft as their sleepie conscience is awakened and omit many other things which might be added to this purpose By this little which hath bin said the truth of this point is cleere that the righteous and they alone haue both need and iust cause wherefore to reioyce we will now come brieflie to some few vses of this point and passe to the next in order Vse 1 First therefore if the righteous only and the faithfull haue need of this ioy as we haue shewed It is not for the Ministers of God to comfort and cheere vp any but these For we know the Minister is a Physition of the soule to cure the diseases and a Chirurgion to cure the wounds of the soule Now it is not for a Physition to prescribe to the whole but to the sicke nor for the Chirurgion to plaister that which is sound but that which is hurt and wounded The wicked are whole they are not sicke or wounded with sorrow No need therefore haue they of the Chirurgeon to bind vp that which is broken neither of the Physition to restore health when none is lost but the righteous man and he that truly feareth God he is cast downe with sorrow and hath need therefore to be raised vp when he is sicke of sorrow and hath need of heauenly chearing to restore him he is wounded in soule euery day and therefore hath need to haue the oyle of gladnesse to be powred into his wounds Vse 2 Againe haue the faithfull and they only iust cause to be merrie let the bad learne then to magnifie the life of the faithfull as the most happie and blessed life For this is certaine he is most happie and most blessed who hath in deed and in truth greatest cause of ioy and to reuerence their gifts that they may haue a part in them Vse 3 Thirdly haue the godly alone need of comfort and chearing because they are sicke and wounded alreadie with sorrow Then marke the Tyger-like crueltie of the wicked that are so farre from comforting and releeuing them as they ought that they adde sorrow to their sorrow and affliction to affliction what they can This is besides all bounds of common humanitie as we know and sauoureth of a diuellish nature to rend and
to teare the wounds that we ought to heale and to bind vp But this do the wicked when they seeke to vex and grieue the faithfull that be alreadie wounded and cast downe with sorrow in their soules yea and for that they carry corruption still about them I say not he is the happiest that reioyceth most for that no doubt many times he may do which is but in a verie wofull case as our Sauiour Christ saith wo be to you that laugh but he I say is the happiest man that hath the greatest cause of ioy For this is the argument of all those blessednesses which our Sauiour Christ pronounceth Matth. 5. the poore in spirit are pronounced blessed because they haue cause to reioyce So they that mourne they that be meeke c. are blessed because these though they do not reioyce yet they haue euery one of them iust cause to reioyce But to proceed hath the faithfull and righteous alone iust cause of ioy Then if thou desirest soundly to reioyce practise carefully and constantly a iust and righteous life for without this faith and vprightnesse it is impossible though thou hast made a beginning therein alreadie euer to find any state that will giue thee cause all things well weighed to take any ioy in it It is not the throne of a Prince nor the treasure of the earth nor the pleasures of the world that can afford it Vse 4 Lastly hath the righteous man cause to reioyce then ought he to stirre vp himselfe vnto the dutie following namely that he do reioyce indeed This nature it selfe teacheth euen naturall men that if they see iust cause why they should be glad they will stirre themselues vp to be ioyfull and merrie And the rather are the righteous to be mooued to this dutie because they haue the Lords commandement heere by the Apostle to stirre themselues vp vnto it For is the Lord so carefull of his that he cannot endure to haue our hearts possessed with sorrow but will haue it to be expelled thence by his heauenly ioyes and shall we be behind in this duty Shall he command and shall not we obay shall he exhort and shal not we attend to that which wholy tendeth to our owne ioy and comfort If the King or prince command their subiects to be merry as Salomon 1. King 8.64 Ester 5.1 this alone stirreth them vp to mirth though there were noe other cause but the kinde speeches and greetings of the prince And ought not Gods voice much more to preuaile with vs to this ende But I come now to the limitation first and then in due place to the enlargement of this ioy It is limited first by the manner of it that it must be in the Lord and then secondly enlarged by the time that it may be alwayes to reioyce in the Lord is to reioyce for that we know him to be our God alsufficient and Christ Iesus our Lord also to reioyce for the Lords cause who alone giueth ministreth vnto vs cause of reioycing as 1. Sam. 21. in the thanksgiuing of Hanna Mine heart reioyceth in the Lord mine horne is exalted in the Lord So Mary my spirit reioyceth that is my heart reioyceth because of the Lord who hath giuen mee this cause of ioy and mine horne is exalted in the Lord who hath bin fauourable and gratious vnto mee By this limitation then we see the ioy of the faithfull which only is true ioy to be distinguished from other sorts of ioyes which are many For some there are who reioyce in themselues and in that seruing of God that liketh them and not in the Lord as first many naturall men if they haue a good meaning and liue quietly and ciuilly among men they thinke they cannot chuse but be saued These men ioy but all the ground of their ioy is not from God but from themselues from their owne blinde reason and the presumption of their owne heart Secondly Papists and such as follow the ancient Pharisies These men not onely doe many ciuill good duties but they fast they pray they pay tythe of all they haue they giue almes they abstaine from iniustice extortion c. They are very strict and very precise in many things they wil not marry they wil not eate such and such meates and at such times These men they reioyce also yea and boast themselues not only before men but before God as the Pharisie did Luk. 18. But their ioy ariseth from themselues and from their owne good deeds and meritorious actions as they hould them They reioyce not in the Lord. Others yet there bee who reioyce in the things of this world For which indeed it might be lawfull for a man to reioyce but this their reioycing is altogether after a sensuall and a carnall manner They reioyce in riches in honor in pleasure but this their ioy it neither ariseth from God nor endeth in him but either it proceedeth only from the creature and resteth in it or els it is ascribed to their own paines and labour or for that they haue attained to this wealth or that place by their owne industry or some friend or other is magnified for it or els rather theÌ„ any part of their ioy should seeme to proceede from God it is ascribed to good lucke and good fortune these all offend in this that they reioyce in these things but not in the Lord as the author of euery good thing they haue Againe there are some that ioy in lawfull things but their ioy is not taken lawfully they neuer waigh whether they vse them in such a manner as God in his word hath giuen them warrant for or not They delight and ioy in duties of their calling to looke vnto their businesse This is well But to be taken vp with them as the chiefest matters and on the Lords day the day of the Lords rest when they should assemble themselues in the congregation of Gods people to heare his woâ—d and to learne his will or when they should priuately be holily occupied this is not to reioyce in the Lord for it is against the Lords will and commandement who hath giuen vs charge to rest the seauenth day So many other thinges in themselues are lawfull and a man may reioyce in them I meane recreations and refreshings of body or minde after labour but to spende whole dayes in them is euil also the fellowship of marriage and the liberty of eating and drinking but if we doe them without thanksgiuing without keeping a measure and moderation and if we reioyce in any of these actions though lawfull of themselues not banishing the sinnes that accompanie them in the world and obserue not a holy and a righteous manner in the doing of them neither doe them by faith all this our reioycing is vaine and wordly and not in the Lord because it is not with those circumstances obserued which he hath prescribed in his word But of all other the
by the kingdome of heauen Mat. 8.11 Mark 1.14 Math. 21. Why the Gospell is called the kingdome of heauen 1. Rom. 1.16 What maner of kingdome this is Matth. 20.21 Luk. 17.20 Reuel 2.23 Rom. 14.17 Rom. 5.5 The fruitfull hearer of the Gospell is like vnto a marchant man in three respects All men seeke after pearles such as in their opinion may make them happie But are neuer satisfied The voluptuous man The couetous man The ambitious man Example of Salomon Eccles 1 14· Vse The second propertie wherein the hearer resembleth the merchant man Two things here to be considered First the thing that be is said to find The Gospell in diuers respects compared diuersly In this place it is compared to a pearle Prou. 3.14 Iob. 28.15 Wherein this excellencie of it consisteth Ephes 2. Philip. 2. Iohn 4.10 The secoÌ„d point what it is to find the pearle Vse 1. Cor. 2.14 Matth. 11.25 Pray vnto God that we may see the excellency of the pearle If we see it in part pray that we may see it yet more clearly Colos 3. Tim. 1.16 1. King 3.7 Act. 26. 1. King 10.7 Mat. 13.19 3. Obseruation The third thing wherein the hearer is compared to a merchant man The pearle being found must be bought without delay Prou. 1.20 Heb. 3.15 Matth. 25.34 Luk. 14.15 By selling all and buying he meaneth not as the Papists teach Luk. 17.10 Rom. 6.23 Who may truly be said to sell al and buy the pearle Luk. 14.26 Mat. 20.37 The Gospell is not so easily come by as men suppose As men price the Gospell so will their zeale be to the hearing and practising of it Psalme 84.1 How a man maketh the pearle his owne Deut. 28.46 The summe and scope of these words The opening of the text Verse 1. Verse 2. The parts two First Gods large offer wherein three things are to be considered 1. To whom it is made namely to the thirsty Luk. 18.13 Ioh. 7.37 Luk. 5.31 Mat. 9.13 Foure things to be knowne about thirsting 1. The properties of it which are two Iudg. 15.18 Examples out of Scripture Psal 42.1.2 Psal 84.1 Experience A howrely and flitting desire no true thirsting Secondly the causes why God requireth this thirsting Luk. 1.53 Pro. 27.7 Thirdly how long we must thirst Fourthly how we should come to thirst 1. Pet. 2.2 Psal 111.2 The second branch what God offereth to them that thirst Iohn 7.37 Matth. 11.28 Act. 2.37 Rom. 5.6 He that thirsteth truely for saluation abhors sinne The third branch what God requireth of them whose thirst he will quench namely that they beleeue Iohn 9. â—â— Rom. 8.33 Why God will haue them beleeue 3. Pet. 1. â— How a man may prooue that he hath faith Gods people are euer thirsting in this life Hosea 14.6.7 Luke 6.28 Verse 2. The second part of the text containing a reproofe and an exhortation The reproofe Romish teachers reproued heere Esay 1.12 Mat. 15.9 Carnall Gospellers Mat. 15.8 Mat. 7 2â— Rom. 8.7 Rom. 9.31.32 The Exhortation The word of God onely directeth to true happinesse How and when it doth it Prou. 2.3 Amos 3.3 The opening of the text The parts two 1. The curse pronounced vpon these cities 2. The reason of it Three points in the first part 1. The end of all miracles and preaching is the conuersion of the people Iohn 14.12 Matth. 17.11 Act. 8.6 c. This end should be aimed at in bearing The power of the word Act. 2.37 Hebr. 4.12 Rom. 8.8 Iames 4.4 Prou. 2.10 Psalme 84.10 Matth. 19.29 De Orat. lib. 1. 2. Thess 2.9.10.11.12 The sound plaine and powerfull preaching of the Gospell amost blessed gift of God The causes why preaching is in so little account Heb. 4.12 Ioh. 21.15 1. Cor. 1.21 The second point of the first part Few regard or looke after the right end of preaching Luk. 19 42. Esay 22.1 Ier. Ier. 9.1 Mat. 5.20 Mat. 3.7 Mat. 23.37 Luk. 19.42 Luk. 17.26.28 Act. 26.28 Ioh. 10.32 Micha 6.6 Mat. 13.21 Apoc. 3.1 Esay 55.1 Act. 26.29 Luke 13.3 The third point They that neglect the meanes of saluation shall pay dearely for it Matth. 3.7 Matth. 23.27 Iohn Hebr. 12.14 Luke 1. Sam. 15.32 Numb 16.32 and 25.8 Act. 12.23 Iames 4.8 A simile Rom. 2.4 Esay 53.1 Ephes 5.6 Few see or beleeue the danger they are in Psalme 50.22 Iames 2.19 Lament 3.40 Rom. 2.8.9 Iohn 3.18 Reasons to draw men to repentance Reuelat. 6.16 Luke 16.24 Matth. 22.13 2. Pet. 1.10 The first point in the second part Matth. 21.31 Act. 2.37 Act. 8.8 Luke 15.1 Matth. 9.36 Verse 38. The Gospell with due reuerence preached returnes not in vaine The â—â—rmer doctrine exemplified 〈◊〉 experience How a Minister should deale with a people to do them good Such as are leaud and farre gone may be reclaimed Luk. 8.2 1. Tim. 1.15 This giues no incouragement to the bad and wilfull The second point in the second part Repentance not to be deferred 2. Cor. 5.1 Psal 119.54 2. Tim. 4.2 Three causes why we should hasten our repentance Mat. 20.5.6 2. Tim. 3.13 Eccles 12.1 Psal 84.11 Luk. 15.7 Psal 51.14 Dan. 12.3 Cant. 1.4 Three causes why the repentant estate is in so meane accouÌ„t Micah 7.8 Prou. 14.10 Reuelat. 14.3 Iohn 4.10 Hebr. 11.25 The last point in the second part Repentance must be sound not hypocriticall The opening of the text The parts of it two Iude 19. First the state of the Churches 1. Vnder the crosse Reuelat. 3.19 Hebr. 12.5 1. Pet. 1.6 Rom. 8 2â— Iohn 6.33 Iob. Luk. 9.23 Iam. 1.2 Secondly in prosperitie Hos 6.2 Psal 30.5 Psal 125.3 1. King 4.25 The benefit of prosperitie and peace Math. 13.45 Iudg. 17.6 Iudg. 5.7 Lam. 1.1.4 Psal 42.4 The second part What vse the godly made of their peace 1. They were edified Acts 2 43. Deut. 28.47 Psalme 19.14 How all sorts should be occupied in the time of their peace 2. Pet. 3.17 The right vse of peace little looked after 1. Thess 1.7 Iohn 7.38 Euen Gods children are ouer taken with this sinne Deut. 6.10 Ministers faultie herein 2. King 4.10 1. Tim. 4.13 2. Tim. 4.10 Luke 8.18 People also iustly reproued Psalme Iob 1.9 The second vse of their peace They walked in the feare of God Rom. 8.15 Prou. 28.13 Prou. 15. Deut. 5.29 To walke in the feare of God what 2. Cor. 12.6 Matth. 5.16 Act. 23.1 Gen. 39 9. Gen. 50.19 Rom. 2.28 Ios 24.15 2. Sam. 7.2 Rom. 12.1 Num. 24.9 1 Tim. 4.12 1. Pet. 4.4 The third vse The comfort they found as a fruit of the two former Two things to be obserued here The first that they liued a comfortable life Psal 37.4 Phil. 4.4 Ioh. 15.10.12 Men neglect the sweet liberty that God offereth for that which is worse then nothing Gen. 25.33.34 Heb. 12.16 Heb. 11.24 What need we haue of spirituall comfort The second â—how and by what meanes they atteined to such a comfortable life The godly life is the onely sweetlife 2. King 2.2 Deut. 5.28.29 2. Cor. 1.12 Iohn 16.22 Reuelat. 14.3 Prou. 14.10 The vse that the bad made of peace They were conuerted to God and ioyned to his people Encouragement to the bad to returne and seeke after God 2. Cor. 5.19.20 How they should do it Prou. 8.33 Act. 17.11 Act. 9.27 The diuision of the text The first point the person that maketh this exhortation Doct. Pro. 26.9 Psal 50.16 Rom. 2. 2. Cor. 4.13 2. Cor. 1. â— Luk. 22.32 Psa 51.15 A teacher must so alwaies begin with himselfe The second point the persons exhorted Psal 32.11 Psal 33.1 Luk. 10.20 Iam. 5.1 Iam. 4.9 Why this exhortation is limited to the faithfull Psal 34.19 Iob. â— 12 The wicked haue no neede to be exhorted to reioyce Ioh. 15.19 Iob. 22. Math. 5.2.12 To be hated of the world a signe of blessednes and therefore a cause of reioycing Iam. 1. â— Acts. 5.41 2. Cor. 12.10 Iames 4.7 Ephes 6.16 Rom. 7. the end 1. Iohn Psalme Psalme Causes of ioy Hebr. 10.31 2. Cor. 15. Iohn 1.12 Rom. 8. Iohn 4.10 Iohn 14.23 Reuelat. 3.20 The wicked haue no part in this ioy Iohn 9. Ministers duty He is the happiest man that hath greatest cause of ioy Ester 1. King 8.64 The limitation of this ioy it must in the Lord. Ioh. 17.3 Hereby it is distinguished from many other sorts of ioyes Vse Try our mirth by these notes 2. Cor. 5.1 Phil. 1. 1. Cor. 15.31 Thes 5.16 To reioyce in the word c. hinders not our reioycing in the Lord. Psa 1 6. The enlargement of this ioy Prou. 14.13 The righteous may reioyce at all times And in al things he goeth about Deut. 28.47 Ephes 6.6 Psalme 19.11 Eccles 7.2 Reuel 14.14 Hebr. 13. Genesis Philip. 4.4 2. Cor. 2.3 Acts 16. Reasons why this precept is redoubled Psalme 4.43 1. Iohn 5.13 1. Iohn 1.3 The Ministers dutie The dutie of the people Answere Rom. 15.13 Rom. 5.5 Pet. 1.7 He that is not partaker of this ioy here shall neuer partake the ioyes of heauen How this ioy may be begun here in this life we must first be reconciled to God Reconciliation to be proceeded in by three degrees Iohn 3.14 Act. 2.42 How to keepe and encrease this ioy The first meane The second The third Mens excuses answered Acts. 4.11 A fourth meane The fifth meane Practise Eccles 2. Psal 32.10 The sixt meane Prayer The seuenth Thanksgiuing The eighth Not to quench the spirit Quench euill motions Our ioy in the best things must be predominant How this may be attained Intermission of good duties dangerous The last meane To submit our selues to the Lord in our troubles Of the recouery of ioy The first meane to recouer our ioy being lost The second meane The third meane If our ioy be lost neuer rest til we finde it againe Let none take thy crowne from thee Motiues to ioy in God Psal 84.13.14 A note of an Hypocrite not to ioy in God Matth. 24.51 Galath 5.22
make them trulie happie for euer CHristian and gentle Reader I offer to thy view in this little booke certaine Sermons tending to the good of all that can finde time and willingnes to reade and regard them And more particularlie at this they aime some of them that they may helpe forward and perswade ignorant profane bad persons and hypocrites to distast and waxe wearie of their euill and dangerous course For out of all these kinds of wicked persons doth the Lord daily call home some effectually where the Gospell is soundly plainly and powerfully preached And I would they should know as much as I say to the end they may not harden their hearts against God as they may possibly and easily doe while they see many safely and happily guided in their liues and themselues nothing so but may heare his voice willingly by repairing to such wholesome Sermons wherein the Lord sheweth himselfe willing to be reconciled vnto them and wherein he thus speaketh O nation not worthie to be beloued yet for all this if thou wilt returne from thine iniquitie I will receiue thee graciously And what should make them like glad as the hearing of this as the Gentiles were when they heard first that God had granted vnto them as well as to the Iewes the glad tidings of saluation Euen this sort of people may haue no small incouragement by reading these Sermons and especially those among the rest which shew how they that wander out of the right way may returne and come home vnto it againe Some of these Sermons doe aime at this to keepe such as are drawne out of their sinfull course alreadie to the certaintie of saluation and to keepe such stedfast in their faith hope and repentance and that they may not fall from them And other some of them serue to helpe forward all such so stablished that they may grow in knowledge and grace and so bring foorth fruits beseeming the Gospell And I would they might finde no lesse fauour and acceptation with the readers then I am sure they found with them who heard them preached I haue shewed what the matter is that is handled in these Sermons now I will shew my reasons why I haue gathered not one but sundrie of the same argument together and set them foorth so And after I will declare to thee in what order I place them in this treatise and why The first reason why I set downe many in one booke of the same argument and not of diuers is this for that this matter and doctrine of the conuersion of a sinner is very hard to be perceiued and discerned of many hearers and especially so as they may cleerely see how to trace the way and goe in it Therefore that which could not so easily be perceiued in one sermon I haue thought good to lay foorth in many and out of diuers texts of Scriptures which tending all to this end to wit to set downe the conuersion of a sinner to God doe giue more light in this matter and offer occasion of more things about it then one alone can doe These therefore being read with consideration may through Gods blessing make this point cleere who how and when a man is conuerted and make him able to trie whither he himselfe be so or no. And if one be well grounded in the doctrine that teacheth this and haue the vse of this he shall much the easilier attaine to further knowledge and consequently to the vse thereof both which are meanly and of few attained to seeing so few are well setled in the other The next reason of this my thus doing is because this doctrine of the conuersion of a sinner is but little and too seldome taught I meane al the parts of it are seldome set downe together especially at one time and in one sermon All which were meete to be done and oft the weake capacitie slipperie memorie and many other defects in the most hearers requiring it and that they might see both how farre they are from conuersion while they are in their first condition of ignorance and vnbeliefe and how they are to be brought to it and also how contrarie their hearts and liues should be to that they were before when they be conuerted These parts of it are seldome handled altogether in preaching though one sometime another of them another time be taught and deliuered But it is a long time though the word be diligently preached as in few places it is before the most part of the hearers are able to lay one part and point of it with the other and to make the whole worke of conuersion of them all And to adde the third reason seeing all that the people know and practise without conuersion is nothing I meane either pleasing to God or profitable to saluation vnto themselues They may I denie not know many points and learne sundrie instructions as concerning the letter but to know so as they beleeue without which faith it is impossible for them to please God they cannot without conuersion and to practise so in their liues as that they may be said to repent and liue holily without which they shall perish and neuer see the Lord that is impossible without the same conuersion For these causes and some other of which this is not the least that by experience I haue seene great fruit come of this doctrine diligently and much taught and little fruite where it hath not been much in vse for such causes I say I haue of purpose set out many sermons of this argument desiring that the people may be made better acquainted with it and that such Preachers as thinke me worthie to be heard in this request would frame themselues to teach it in their owne or in other places where they come As for them that feare they shall glut the people with beating thus vpon the same things as though they could preach no other I answere if wee preach to the end the people may practise that which we teach and if the people also make vse of that which they learne about this matter it shall be found so hard and precious to know themselues conuerted that they shall themselues desire that doctrine concerning it to be taught againe and againe and namely of faith and repentance rather then to be wearie of it for they shall see that when the same thing shall be taught out of new texts euen the old matter shall be in manner new to them Now it followeth to shew why these texts are set downe in the order in which they are placed in the treatise The first texts are Acts 16.24 and Matth. 24.12.13 and the sermons on both tend directly to shew how a sinner is conuerted except the beginning of the Sermon in the 16. of the Acts which yet maketh a way to the doctrine of conuersion in the storie of the Iailer And in those two Sermons the reader may see the three parts of conuersion And diuers of
with afflictions and those that they haue laid on them be not sore nor grieuous therefore when any come vpon them of any waight indeed they cast them off as impatient in bearing the burthen Neither let any say to me this that the children of God are alwaies vnder the crosse neither are they long without some afflictions seeing their life is compared to a sowing in teares For notwithstanding this many are their outward blessings also especially where the pure preaching of the Gospell is enioyed for many troubles may be easily swallowed vp where that is to helpe to digest them And yet what poore and weake commendation may be giuen of the ioyfull welcoming of the troubles which are sent to such for the most part And this to be true which I say those times do proue wherein they haue some load of affliction laid vpon them for what earnest seeking to God is in them or patience to beare them Indeed if they continue or waxe more grieuous so that they can neither auoid them neither is there any hope of earthly helpe left vnto them to come out of them then perhaps and not till then for the most part when they see no other remedy it may be seene that God is sought vnto seriously and then they stirre vp their faith to lay hold of assistance from God with some confidence when all other helpe faileth For example when by some sore visitation and sicknesse that is like to be vnto death God awaketh any of his the disease permitting and giuing libertie to the partie afflicted for some sicknesse is more violent then other it may be seene sometime that he lieth more like vnto one that preacheth and giueth encouragement and exhortation to repentance ioyfully rather then as one readie to die but how rare is this to see for in many smaller troubles perhaps patience will hardly be found And whereas some of Gods corrections cause sorrow only to the afflicted without paine to the bodie as the losse of friends or goods some cause sorrow that commeth from paine as sicknesse and grieuous diseases it may be that the former may worke some good now or then but for the most part the latter if extremitie hinder not leaue the best fruit behind them Howsoeuer it be there is no doubt but that this grace is too much wanting and the rather it is the lesse sought seeing we leane too much to temporarie holds and stayes and for that our hearts runne after earthly things inordinately as health riches peace c. though we see by long experience that there is no hold of them nor any safe resting in them And this lingring heere like Lots wife must be purged out of vs and chased from vs or else we shall degenerate from the faithfull in former ages and shew too truely that we be not led with their spirit when we being so nestled heere can so hardly go out of our selues to welcome the troubles which God sendeth to weane vs from hence and do not rather pray that we may reioyce vnder them and be thankfull in them The third thing in this first part of the text is that euill persons shall haue small cause in the end to reioyce of their hard proceedings against the seruants of God howsoeuer they pursue them with great delight for God will surely take part with them against their enemies As heere we see in the Iailer whom he terrified while Paul and Silas sung for ioy in so much that he and other his companions when they heard it might see that they had a God that could and would comfort them when hee himselfe their wicked aduersarie thought he had loaden them with anguish and sorrow and that this their God could astonish him with feares and desperatenesse when they whom he oppressed were merrie How God doth this in the world to come it is cleere enough by that Scripture to the Thessalonians where it is said That it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble his and to them that are troubled rest when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mighty Angels in flaming fire Indeed in this world that is not alwaies seene but yet God doth it euen heere also while he professeth that he will blesse them that blesse his and curse them that curse his and while he sheweth fearefull iudgements vpon them who did sore vexe his good seruants and constraineth other to crie out and with their owne mouthes to acknowledge that he plagueth them for their sakes whom they hated and persecuted For examples of the first kind Zidkiiah is one the arch-prophet of Baal who did not only feed Ahab with lies and false messages as from God when he demanded of him what the will of God was in a doubtfull and waightie case but also smote Micaiah the true Prophet of the Lord and withstood him for speaking the truth For this very cause he was constrained afterwards with feare to hide him from chamber to chamber Another example of the first kind is Corah with his companie for resisting and rising against Moses the true seruant of God charging him to be an vsurper of the Priests office and to take too much vpon him and himselfe to bee Gods true Priest for the which as Moses witnesseth he was swallowed vp of the earth with those which were of his conspiracie Examples of the latter sort is Pharaoh who after ten warnings by God in strange punishments for not letting the people of Israel go to serue the Lord out of his land but pursuing them still euen into the sea was in the middest thereof drowned when he was constrained to confesse that the Lord tooke part with Israel against him all the Egyptians saying We will flie from the face of Israel for the Lord sighteth for them against the Egyptians Another example is Iudas who betraying his Master into the hands of the high Priests for money was compelled to confesse before them that set him on worke in a most heauie torment of conscience casting the money againe before them I haue sinned in betraying the innocent blood By all these it appeareth that they shall haue small cause to glorie of their winnings in the end who offer hard measure to Gods people the Lord himselfe crying out thus vnto them Touch not mine annointed nor do my Prophets no harme Neither let any obiect heere that they know them not to be such for so they will affirme in their mad mood and raile on them who yet when they will speake as they are perswaded in good aduisednesse will say of them as Saul did of Dauid that he was more righteous then he and as the King of Babylon said to Daniel thou art the seruant of the most high God So let faithfull Christians rest in their innocencie and in the witnesse of a good conscience and let them count it banquetting
before the world was drowned with waters which times were fraught with all impietie and iniquitie with contempt of Gods word and all abomination Saint Paul agreeth with our Sauiour Christ herein and saith In the last dayes as these are wherein we liue shall come perillous times yea and know saith he that it shall be so But if yee would know how perillous hee answereth such as wherein men shall be louers of themselues couetous boasters proud cursed speakers disobedient to parents vnthankefull vnholy without naturall affection truce breakers false accusers intemperate fierce no louers at all of them that are good trayterous high minded headie louers of pleasures more then louers of God And if all these with the like do now flow is it not true that iniquitie aboundeth But for that let experience from which the second reason is to be drawne declare what is found in this part of the latter age in which we live and whether the times be so bad as it was foretold they should be Consider it by the ages of men as yong or old by the sexe as men or women and by their estate and condition as the rich and the poore the mightie and the meane To say a little of euery one what stoutnesse pride disobedience is to be seene euery where in youthes who being but as the flower that to morrow withereth yet lift vp their crest as though they were riuited into a long life and had a promise of eternitie heere which if it were yet had they but an estate in miserie But I may not stay to make large discourses of euery one What ignorant senselesnes to conceiue knowledge of heauenly things is in the aged and as much vnwillingnes to learne And what else but frowardnes malice and an insatiable desire of getting while yet they haue more then one legge in the graue In so much that he who should hope of the saluation of the most of them must stretch out his charity beyond his warrant and ground As for the wealthie what is their occupation and practise but to seeke with might and maine to grow more wealthie minding that labour as if they sought after heauen it selfe In the meane while not regarding the multitude of those that want to serue the necessitie of them with their superfluitie neither embracing the Christian life euer the more for all the goods they haue but turning aside from it rather and as little longing after heauen it selfe which kind of life while they so please themselues in what wise man would iudge any otherwise of them but that they thinke they shall neuer die or that they shall come againe when they be dead to take the benefit of that which they haue But what say we then of the poore The Prophet Ieremie saith of them surely they are foolish they know not the way of the Lord nor the iudgement of their God And experience proueth it to be so For who doth not see that the poore sort take themselues to be priuiledged that they should not seeke after knowledge For these are their speeches Sermons are for rich folke as though they had no account to make to God and therefore we see they are rude and brutish for the most part contemning instruction speaking ill of the wealthier sort shifting stealing idle further then necessitie driueth them to worke and labour And by this that hath been said of them it is not hard to iudge of the rest namely how miserable as our Sauiour hath heere foretold their whole course of life is And the like may be said of Minister and people and of one and other What faithfulnes to God is in the most of them who take vpon them to bee guides to Gods inheritance What loue is there in them to their flocke what diligence in preaching and priuate studie and reading And for their liuing with thē if so be they do liue with thē what is their conuersing with them but either in hollow peace and fained loue in gaming and carnall merrie making or else they liue among them in strangenes hating one another and in sutes and controuersies but what fellowship haue the people with them for their instruction and edification but that they feare or flatter them for a peniworth in their tithes and for their priuate commoditie And thus by laying open the particular kindes of persons it is too manifest that iniquitie aboundeth and that Christs prophecie of our age is most true in fortelling that it should be so What remaineth therefore seeing scripture and experience proue it to be thus and yet that the workers of iniquitie shal be driuen from Gods presence and are accursed what remaineth I say but this First that it be proued by plaine demonstration who are they that cause it to increase for as much as few or none will applie this to themselues but will shift it off one way or other Secondly when it shall be seene who they be that they make all possible haste to repent and seeke mercie And to finde out who they be that fill the world with iniquitie it is no hard matter and they may all fitly be brought to foure kindes The first are notorious sinners and such as cannot be hidden as adulterers drunkards idolaters oppressors reuengers and such like These as they cannot be ignorant that their doings are odious and horrible so they goe not alone but haue their attendants and handmaides waiting vpon them as the Apostle describeth them in the Epistle to the Romanes saying walke not in gluttonie and drunkennes in chambering and wantonnes in strife and enuying These therefore whosoeuer they be whose sinnes may be written in their foreheads with great letters for the appearance and certaintie of them these I say fill the world with sinne and cause iniquitie to abound they cannot bee excused they haue nothing to cloake them The second sort are such as are counted honest townes men who looking after nothing for the most part but how they may liue are as forward in and as fit for one religion as another Who partly for law sake partly by example and custome seeing what others doe come to Church indeed but for any knowledge or goodnesse they get thereby all is one whether they goe or not And if it were no more but this that they haue neither zeale nor knowledge to worship God by it may easily bee gathered what their liues be towards men These although for want of better they must beare office in townes yet all disorder is where they dwell seeing they are as bad themselues as others vnlesse perhaps some of them haue a little more ciuilitie then the worst and rudest And who doubteth in the meane while but that all kinde of sinne swarmeth there as the bold prophaning of the Sabbath drunkennes whoring contention vniust dealing scorning of those that bee better then themselues cauilling reuenging stoutnes to reiect all good admonition with
while some that take vpon them to preach are vnsound in religion some ignorant some stuffe their sermons with authorities of men whereas it is the word of God that hath authority ouer mens consciences some go aboue the peoples capacity and reach few preach diligently constantly and carefully that I speake not of the lose and dissolute behauiour that is not tolerable amongst their hearers how should preaching keepe the credite that it ought to be in and bee like to drawe or perswade people to faith and repentance Nay what greater cause is there of the generall ignorance carelessnes and profanes of life in the people then these and such like abuses seene in the Ministery And while they he thus farre out of the way them selues they are yet more bold to open their mouthes against the diligenter sort who knowing that Christ requireth it at their hands that as they loue him they should feed his sheepe and his lambes doe of conscience seeke to discharge their duties and they are therfore cried one of as doing more then they need And whiles this is suffred what hope is there that any great remorse for sinne or pricke of conscience should be wrought in the people by their standing vp amongst them or any true hope of eternall life wrought in many But these things being remoued and good preaching and liuing in stead thereof interteined and practised such a Ministery as it is highly pleasing to God and commanded by him so it giueth good hope of gathering a plentifull people vnto him As for the profane speeches of them which count the preaching of Christ and suffering for his name to be foolishnes let Saint Paul put them to shame if not to silence who hath taught them if they will learne their answer from him that they whom God wil saue shall and must by this obtaine it or else they shall neuer haue it I haue now spoken of the first point that the end of this great worke of Christ namely preaching is to conuert the bearers thereof to God now the second in this first part followeth and that is this Though that be the ende of it yet the most part commonly regard it not neither consider it but goe away without that blessing Euen as our sauiour here chargeth these cities for their contempt saying If some yea such as in your own iudgement are profane and worldly had seene and hard the great workes of God that haue been done among you they had repented but ye haue not done so vnto this day The complaint is iustly made of the like carelesnes in all ages that when the people had the Prophets and Apostles yea our Sauiour himselfe by whom they might haue beene made happy and with the eyes of faith seene the saluation offred them yet they sought not to know the things that concerned their peace Noah the preacher of righteousnes was dispised and laughed to scorne when he told them of the destroying of the whole earth by water and yet he gaue them an example by his preparing the Arke and so they had a double motiue to beleeue it Esay crieth out when he saw the people made a mocke at his preaching and a iest of his children whom he begat to the Lord thereby saying turne away from me and let me weepe bitterly and labour not to comfort me because the people perish Ieremy to whom they of Anathoth answered preach no more to vs in the name of the Lord for we will not heare thee but preach vnto vs pleasant things bewailed them thus Oh that mine eyes were a fountaine of teares that I might weepe bitterly for the losse of this people Iohn Baptist when he saw the Pharisies come to his Baptisme of whom Christ said to his Disciples except your righteousnes exceed theirs ye cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen said to them O ye generation of vipers who hath taught you to flie from the vengeance to come Bring forth fruites of amendment and say not with your selues we haue Abraham to our father And how our Sauiour lamented the people as many places testifie so that one doth liuely proue O Ierusalem Ierusalem which stonest my Prophets and killest them whom I haue sent vnto thee how oft would I haue gathered thee together as the henne doth her chickens but thou wouldest not Behold thy dwelling shall be left to thee desolate And againe O that thou haddest knowne in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace but they are hidden from thee And Paul oft turned from the Iewes and refused to teach them because of their contempt All the which with others many like vnto them doe proue euen as our Sauiour foretold that it should be in these latter dayes as it was in the time of Noah and Lot that for all the cost the Lord bestoweth vpon the people in sending the glad tidings of saluation amongst them yet admirable and fearefull to say few receiue and imbrace them but it commeth to passe what by mens rebelliousnes and vnthankefulnes and all the ingines and allurements that stand vp in their way that they that come forwardest a very few excepted be but as Agrippa that is almost Christians One would thinke that when God hath done more for one place and people then for others And that he hath giuen to it for a long time sound and sauory instruction while others haue wanted it that he should looke both for much people there and those also well seasoned although it be not so among others but when they shall faile there how iust cause shall he haue to expostulate with them and to complaine as Christ doth here that they contemned and set light by his kindnes And yet where almost shall hee find it otherwise If not as he found it among the Iewes to whom he spake in the tenth of Iohn verse 32. where he sayeth many good workes haue I shewed you from my father for which of these workes doe ye stone me yet at least as is mentioned in the fifth of Esay vers 4. that when after great cost bestowed vpon his vineyard he looked that it should bring forth grapes it brought forth wilde grapes So it was with them of whom we read in the Prophet Michah who acknowledged that they owed much to God and desired much more at his hands but what fruit did they yeeld him euen wilde grapes euen false and feined repentance for that which was true and sound For that they could not hitte vpon when yet excepting that they offred him seruice with their great cost For thus they say as one man Wherewith shall I appeare before the Lord and bow my selfe before the high God Shall I come before him with burnt offrings and with calues of a yeare olde will the Lord be pleased with thousand of rammes or with ten thousand riuers of oile Shall I giue my first borne of
that he would be reuenged vpon them to whom he answered am not I vnder God or doe not I feare God as if he should haue saied dare I by any such doings prouoke God So that by all this which hath bin said it may easily be gathered that we are not to rest contented with the well ordering of our hartes alone but we must also testifie it by the gouernment of our liues And this is the second vse that these Churches made of their peace and rest from persecution which is commended by the holy Ghost to all true Christians to follow them in and to teach them that when God enlargeth their liberties and multiplieth his blessings vpon them they should not as the men of the world doe eate and drinke and sleep and play as though they should neuer be called to their account for the mispending of their time and the ill vsing of his benefits but rather they should know first that all Gods good blessings are talents committed to them of their heauenly father and therefore that they should occupy them carefully and faithfully till he come to demand how they haue vsed them and what good they haue done with them And secondly that they should consider that it is the very end why God hath freed them from many great calamities and set them at more liberty then sundry others of their brethren to the end that they may thus honour him with a godly and a fruitefull life which they that want them can hardly doe So that although he is not a Christian who is onely one in outward shew as Paul speaketh of the Iew yet whatsoeuer inward grace men haue it must be testified by forsaking all sinne outward and by a godly life both in their word and deed This did that noble gouernour Iosua with high commendation regard and this vse he made of Gods fauours that as in godly zeale and other grace inward he excelled others so he professed boldely that whatsoeuer others did in and about their religion he and his house would serue the Lord. And the example of Dauid was whiles he liued of great force and to this day an example worthy to be followed Who when he saw that God had giuen him rest from his enemies on euery side he could not tell how he might sufficiently rest and content himselfe in shewing himselfe thankefull and therefore resolued to builde an house euen a temple to the Lord for all the people to worship him in And al such as haue duely considered and throughly weighed Gods louing kindnes to them haue euer thought it their duty to consecrate themselues wholly both soule and body as the Apostle also wisheth and earnestly exhorteth vnto the Lord. Which practise in men as it is the most beautifull sight to behold as Balaam was constrayned to say of Gods people how goodly are thy tents O Iacob and thine habitations O Israel so it is blessed to themselues who are such and to those who wish well to them according to another of his prophecies where he sayeth blessed is he that blesseth thee and cursed is hee that curseth thee But doe we make this vse of our peace and other fauours of God which we inioy to professe our selues such as indeuour to walke vnoffensiuely and without reproofe in the middest of a froward generation which hateth to be reformed And they who go indeed for beleeuing Christians and are so counted doe they glory in nothing more then in glorifying God Then should their innocency breake forth as the light and their vprightnes shine as the noone tyde Then should such be examples in communication and conuersation to the shame of their enemies and accusers As God be thanked some doe and yet acknowledge themselues in humility to be farre frō that they ought to be that is vnprofitable seruants But howsoeuer they who beleeue in Christ are careful to doe good workes as occasion shall be offered yet if they should not be commended till the ignorant and profane should doe it they were not only like to go away with little allowance but euen with great disgrace and reproch seeing they count the best the worst and haue no other cause to speake il of them then this that they be so vnlike themselues in euill As S. Peter sayeth therefore they speake euill of such because they walke not after the same excesse of riot that they doe But to say no more of this it may appeare that they which make right vse of their peace and other sweet benefits which God bestoweth vpon them are herein commendable that they not onely haue the feare of God in their hearts but they are as carefull to walke in it through the whole course of their liues It followeth in the next words that as they walked in the feare of the Lord so did they also In the comfort of the holy Ghost For so are the words to be red as I haue saied before not as in some translation they are set downe namely thus And were multiplied by the comfort of the holy Ghost but they ought not so to be taken neither is this reading according to the Greeke coppy Therefore to follow the first translation the third vse that they made of their peace is set downe namely that they passed their dayes and walked through them comfortably and in ioy and gladnes of heart And in these words note two things The one is the vse they made of their peace namely that they liued comfortably The other how or by what meanes they did so for we know that all such as liue in peace and haue rest from persecution do not for all that liue comfortably The meanes whereby they obteined it was their godly life for they building vp themselues in grace and walking in the feare of the Lord did thereby obteine this also to liue comfortably By the first of these two we all who professe the feare of God are taught to make this vse of our freedome from great affliction and trouble to liue ioyfully and to delight our selues in the Lord and in his al sufficiency Which thing one would thinke is more then God would affoord vs. For there is no greater blessing inioyed in our life then to reioyce aright and to liue comfortably we see how greedily al earthly delight and pleasure is laied for and imbraced and yet it is all but a shadow of this that I speake of euen as this holy and heauenly ioy is but a glimpse and taste of that which is eternall And but that the Lord hath giuen this liberty nay commandement to seeke this ioy we might easily be perswaded that it is aboue our reach and not to be inioyed of vs in this vale of misery wherein we liue And yet as great a gift and as precious as it is he is forced to hire vs to it by promises and incouragements as in the Psalme saying delight thy selfe in the
Lord and he will giue thee thine heartes desire As though he would shew that of our selues we hasted not after it but held backe from it Also Saint Paul to the Philippians thus writeth so that men be willing to reioyce in the Lord and so to imbrace the true ioy they may hold it as long as they will euen alwayes without loosing The which two Scriptures if they be duely considered doe shew that although the people of this world preferre the vaine pleasures of this life before the best things yet of Gods seruants this spirituall and holy reioycing is principally to be regarded and cared for And that doth so much the more commend the examples and practise of these Churches for y t in the time of their peace they so laboured this point namely to seeke for the ioy which the holie Ghost worketh insomuch that their commendation is set downe vnto all posterity And to say the truth what should more be regarded of vs then to follow their example and to prouide whiles we may liue in outward peace in the world that we may be comforted in God and make our dayes which otherwise are euill to be pleasant and sweet by abiding in his loue which maketh all things sauoury and sweet which we goe about or take in hand And if we neglected so weighty commandements as this is that we should reioyce in the Lord If I say we neglected this for greater and weightier causes it were another matter but what is of like weight vnto it or what is to be so much desired as that we may liue in sound comfort from day to day whereas yet we who lose our part therein which with Gods good allowance and liking we might inioy wee cast it away and reiect it for moone shine in the water as they say euen for nothing nay for lesse then nothing euen for the pleasing of our selues in that which is not a shadow of pleasure to him that can iudge and thereby make our selues as ridiculous as Esau who for his belly lost the greatest benefit and for a messe of pottage the kingdome of heauen For if we duely consider it what is it that men preferre before this precious iewell of sound ioy but the pleasures of sinne which yet last but for a season as whorishnes deceiuing and oppressing enuy reuenge c. which are properly so called the dreaming of the painted felicity of this world and drowning themselues in it till they be meerely besides themselues by it though I say not for all this that dealings in the world be in their owne nature euill A man would thinke that except people were bewitched they meeting with so many calamities as make their liues euen wearisome to thē and bring thēselues to their wits end should seeke out if there were not some way to abate their sorrowes and vexations and if they know how and can finde any then to ease themselues speedily without any stay Also whē they see that they walke among many poysoned allurements which they cannot but be snared and deceiued with and yet sting as the serpent and Cockatrice when they haue their fill of them who would thinke but when by experience they had found it so that they would be wise after and beware of being in like manner carried to their accustomed baits being their bane but being stung a man would thinke they would seeke to be healed especially knowing that there is such a soueraigne medicine as this heauēly comfort is that I speake of to heale al anoyance whatsoeuer yea and is it selfe able to giue them contentment aboue all other delights But when they shall not haue wisdome to helpe themselues against these two so sore anoyances namely calamities to moderate and asswage them and vaine pleasures to renounce them as this one reioycing in God will do both what wilfulnes or rather madnes may it be accounted And yet if it were the case of professed euill men only to do thus it might be the lesse marueiled at but when better then they yea euen such as desire to be reckoned among the best shall thus be besotted and thus disguise themselues to thinke that because they liue among thē that do so they must needs be like vnto them how can this be sufficiently bewailed Now if we haue not this care and wisdom to prouide wel for our selues when we may and to seeke to serue God with ioy and gladnes without the which our life is not so much as a shadow of a life but the best that can be inioyed is but a dainty misery how are we like to care for others our owne especially to the which yet we are streightly bound by the commandement of God But of this vse of their peace namely that they atteined thereby to a sweet and comfortable life and how we by their example should make the like vse of ours thus much The next point to be considered as in the entring into this third vse was mentioned is how and by what meanes they made this vse of it For all haue not this sound comfort in their liues who are free from persecution and haue outward peace in the world And how this came to passe is shewed in the text namely that they builded vp themselues in grace and walked in the feare of the Lord and hereby were comforted by the holy Ghost which to set it downe more plainly is thus much They liued godly and therefore they liued sweetly and comfortably This point though it be most cleare in it selfe yet the blinde multitude are of a contrary iudgement yea they fight with tooth and naile as they say against it vpholding among them that the pleasant life hath no greater enemie then godlines and therefore this must be well proued To this purpose read that saying of Dauid to Salomon his sonne a little before his death His wordes are these I goe the way of al the world be strong therfore and take heed to the charge of the Lord thy God to walke in his wayes and keep his statutes commandements and iudgements and his testimonies as it is written in the law of Moses that thou maiest prosper in all that thou doest and in euery thing whereunto thou turnest thee what doth he here teach to be the direct way to prosper but the looking to the charge which God giueth that is to liue godly And what differs his speech from the Lords owne word in Deuetronomie For thus he saith this people hath saied well all that they haue saied But oh that there were such an heart in them that they did feare me and keepe all my commandements alwayes that it might go well with them and their children for euer Loe what is mens prospering ioy or well liking in their liues but that which riseth from hence that they resolue to liue godly Agreeing with that which Paul speaketh This is our reioycing euen the testimonie of