〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to things hoped for but the words rather respect the severall faculties of our soule then the quality of those things that are the object of these faculties and so you may learne by the words of Gods covenant â—â—r 31.33 This shall bee the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel I will put my Law in their inward parts So he saith in generall and then descends to particulars I will write it in their hearts and will bee their God and they shall be my people this respects the will and the affection embracing it as good and they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest this agrees to the understanding resting on it as true And agreeable hereunto is that of Saint Paul Eph. 3.14 For this cause J bow my knees unto the Father of our LORD Iesus Christ that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory Rom. 1.17 to be strengthened with his might that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith c. He saith in the heart and will not in the understanding only For indeed this is the faith whereby the just man doth live therefore the seat of it must be in the heart And this faith is distinguished from the faith of those impure persons of whom Saint Iude speaketh in this Epistle that they turne the grace of God into wantonnesse verse 4. Rom. 1. â—8 1 Pet. 2.16 and Saint Paul that they detaine the truth of God in unrighteousnesse and Saint Peter that they abuse their Christian libertie as a cloake of maliciousnesse But our Faith lodgeth Christ in the Sanctum Sanctorum the most holy Person in the most holy place yea and there doth Faith conceive and bring forth Charitie which sanctifieth every Morall Vertue unto an heavenly end And finally by Faith it comes to passe that Gods Commandements are not grievous unto us We are not like that man that went away heavie Matth. 19.21 when he was willed to forsake all and follow Christ but like Abraham Genes 4. readie at the call of God to forsake our Countrey and our Fathers House though we know not whither we shall goe Matth. 26.39 Heb. 10.7 and with our Saviour Christ we say Not my will but thy will be done I am readie to doe thy will O Lord. By this qualifying of our Vnderstanding and Will we perceive the reason why Atheists and Epicures beleeve and regard so little Heaven and heavenly things Their Vnderstanding and Will are earthly they make Reason the Iudge of the Articles of their Faith and Concupiscence makes the choise of their happinesse But I hope none of us have I could wish none of us had so learned Christ though it is true that the life of very many of us savoureth little of a most holy Faith Most holy Faith There are three degrees of Faith Holy more holy most holy First That Faith that can remove Mountaines cast out Devils fore-tell Secrets c. is an holy Faith for it is inspired by the Holy-Ghost 1 Cor. 13.2 but it is onely in regard of the Graces of Edification notwithstanding which Christ will say to such Matth. 7.23 I know you not depart from me ye workers of iniquitie Secondly There is a second Faith more holy Heb. 6.4 5. by which men being inlightened and partakers of the heavenly gift are made partakers of the Holy-Ghost and have tasted of the good Word of God and of the powers of the World to come and yet fall away againe Their Graces indeed are in nature the same with the Graces of Adoption but they never entertained them absolutely but conditionally so farre as they might enjoy them with the profits and pleasures of this life being readie to forgoe them rather then to hazard Earth to gaine Heaven 2 Pet. 2.21 It had beene better for them never to have knowne the way of Righteousnesse then after they know it to turne from the holy Commandement given unto them and like a Dogge to returne to their owne Vomit or like a Swine to their wallowing in the Mire Thirdly finally the last degree of Faith is that which is the most holy Faith which is not onely a Grace of Adoption but also free from all condition we captivate thereby our wit simply to Gods Word and yeeld our will without exception to Gods pleasure This is a saving Faith and of this that of the Prophet is true Aâ—ak 2.4 The just shall live by his Faith His Faith So it must be saith Saint Iude Ed fie your selves in your most holy Faith I need not say much of this having alreadie proved unto you that Faith belongs as well to the Will as the Vnderstanding for nothing is more ours then that which hath gotten possession of our Will the Will being that which commands all that is within us and seasoneth whatsoever proceeds from us The generall Promises of God worke not that Peace which passeth all understanding which must keepe our hearts and minds in Christ Iesus Phil 4.7 but it is the appropriating of them to our selves when the faculties of our soule can say Christ died for our sinne Gal 3.13 1 Joh. 1 7. Christ was made a Curse for us The bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth us from all our sinnes Let the Church of Rome rest in her Catholike Faith and proceed no further our comfort and confidence is the same that was Saint Pauls Gal. 2.19 20. I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live to God I am crucified with Christ but I live yet not I but Christ that liveth in me and in that I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith in the Sonne of God who hath loved me and given himselfe for me And indeed if we should onely assent unto Gods Truth wherein should our Faith differ from the Faith of the Devils in Hell who doe also beleeve and assent unto the object ratione essentiae benevolentiae divine but without any application and so the more knowledge the more paine But we must observe that it is one thing to hold that â—here is such a speciall Faith another thing that every â—an which conceits it hath such a speciall Faith We doe â—ot patronize the erroneous conceits of men but mainâ—aine the Truth of God in whom we find that Maxime â—ncontrollable That because we are Sonnes Gal. 4.6 God hath sent into our hearts the Spirit of his Sonne that cryes Abba Father They that are Sonnes have the Spirit but we presume not to determine who are Sonnes Let every man examine himselfe as Saint Pauls directs 2 Cor. 13. and so let him judge whether his be a most holy Faith for by this we know saith Saint John that Christ abideth in us 1 Joh. 3.24 even by the holy Spirit which
men of understanding and wisdome knowne men among your Tribes and I will appoint them Râ—ulers over you And David exhorteth thus Psalm 2. Be wise ô yee Kings be learned Ps 2.10 yee that are Iudges of the earth It was a speciall Caveat in Artaxerves Letters Patents granted to Ezra Chapter 7. Thou ô Ezra according to the wisdome of thy God Ezâ— 7.25 which is in thine hand appoint Iudges and Arbiters over the people even such Iudges and Arbiters which know the law of thy God and teach thou them that know it not The reason of this rule and practise is delivered by the Son of Syrach a wise Iudge nourteâ—eth the people with discretion and the government of a prudent man is well ordered but it is a heavy judgment when fooles doe sit upon the seat of God Eccl. 10.1 Esa 3.4 God himselfe hath spoken it Esa 3. I wil appoint children to be their Princes and Babes shall rule over them Children and babes not in yeeres but in discretion and marke the reason that they may oppresse one the other every man his neighbour the young shall presume against the old and the vile against the Noble Esa 10.1 2. is not then without cause that the Preacher recounteth it for one of the evils which he hath seene under the Sun namely that folly is set in great dignity and they that are rich in understanding for so he meanes as it appeares by the Antithesis doe sit in low or base place for as snow in Summer and raine in harvest so saith Salomon Pro. 26.1 Prov. 26. is honour unseemly for a foole A Governour then must be wise and his meanes of wisdome are two the one from earth the other from heaven from earth for by his own Industry hee must conceave the grounds and rules of Law he must consider the Iudgements of former men he must compare the events of sundry times and his understanding must be multorum mens in unum collecta as Nazianzene speaketh of a History that is his understanding must be compounded of the discretion of many men Besides this from heaven hee must receave the Spirit of God that Heroicall spirit which is vouchsafed them that sit upon the seat of God Mens causes are mutable as are men and receave manifold Sophistications by the cunning of men therefore resolution of them and judgment upon them must proceed from men which can throughly sound the nature of them which is very hard for a meane naturall man therefore doth God grant an extraordinary spirit of wisdome to Moses and also to the seventie Assistants of Moses to Princes and to such as are joyned in Commission with Princes It is true that the lesse the Iewes had of meanes naturall the more they had of supernaturall but no nation was ever so furnished with the naturall but it had need of the supernaturall and God never denyeth it if men have grace to pray for it if when they are called upon earth to supply the place of God they become humble petitioners with Salomon for wisdome unto God But of that which hath beene spoken the nature and parts of the first defect may be easily conceaved Ignorance is opposite to government and that Magistrate is ignorant which wanteth those meanes which he must have either from earth or else from heaven The second defect is Negligence they consider not Heb. 4.13 Although all things be naked as Saint Paul speaketh Heb. 4. before the eyes of God yet is there a solemne inquisition and processe annexed commonly to the eminent Iudgments of God Read it of Adam of Cain of Babel and of Sodome Yea to this purpose God is said to proceede sometimes with scales or weights sometimes with line and levell and sometimes with a touchstone With scales and weights All the wayes of man are before the eyes of God saith Solomon and hee pondereth all his wayes with line and levell Pro. 5.21 2 King 21.13 Prov. 5. I will saith God 2. Kings stretch forth the line of Samaria upon Jerusalem and the plummet of the house of Ahab that is I will measure unto them the same Iudgement Sometimes with the touchstone So God is said not onely to search the hearts but also to try the reynes In a word the author of the booke of wisedome giveth this rule of Gods proceeding he disposeth all things in number weight and measure God needeth no such circumspection but his actions are mens directions Gods warinesse doth condemne mans rashnes he teacheth us that it is hard for man not to swerve from equity except hee pronounce with great maturity * Iob searcheth the cause he knew not diligently 29.16 Iudges make too much speed Lawyers take too many causes and are careles of them and of the Evidences Jurors respect more the persons then the Law vid Act. 14 19. The Emperours Tiberius in Dion and Theodosius in Theodoret are commended for deferring execution upon judgement the one tenne dayes the other thirty that deliberation might correct what is done in passion And indeed right judgment given without circumspection required in judgement doth make that decision to be a sin to the Iudge which is just in regard of the cause for God loveth not Adjectives but Adverbs that is considereth not so much what we do as how The parts of a Magistrates negligence are three either because he taketh not sufficient time or because his industry is wanâ—ing to his time or finally looking through the spectacles of his bribes two blind affections prejudice and partiality suffer him not to see the truth although hee take never so much time I need not amplifie being but briefly uttered they may bee fully conceaved The summe of the second defect is that a sentence of a Magistrate which cannot be easily recalled must not bee rashly pronounced as God so the Magistrate must pronounce leisurely carefully unaffectionately Otherwise hee is ignorant of the cause and that willingly and hee cannot excuse himselfe before God if he judge unjustly The third defect is want of conscience they walke on in darkenesse Darkenes and light as naturally soe spiritually are opposed one to the other and may bee conceaved the one by the other Light naturally hath three properties it is cleare pure and pleasant therefore it noteth spiritually clearenes of understanding purenes of conversation and blessednes of condition so contrariwise darkenesse hath three properties naturally it is obscure impure and unpleasant and noteth spiritually obscurenes of understanding impurenesse of conversation and cursednes of condition Not to touch the other branches unto this place I fit the second by darkenesse understanding sinfulnes for that ignorance was taxed in the first note they understand not and cursednes is an effect of all three defects The middle sense then agreeth best to the place for wicked men are called Children of darkenes their state is a subjection to the prince of darkenes and their deedes are called workes of darkenes
shall find rest for your soules but they said We will not walke therein Also I set Watchmen over you which said Take heed to the sound of the Trumpet but they said We will not take heed At another time being recalled they answered desperately Jer. 18.12 Surely we will walke after our owne imaginations and doe every man after the stubbornnesse of his wicked heart The Word that thou hast spoken to us in the Name of the Lord Jer. 44.16 we will not heare it of thee but we will doe whatsoever thing goeth out of our owne mouthes The Prophets every where challenge them for choosing their owne way following their owne counsell and fulfilling their owne lusts Such workes were their owne And if we will make their case ours we may easily judge which of our workes God will reckon for our owne even all those in doing whereof we wittingly and willingly withdraw our obedience from Gods Word and Spirit But before I leave this point the Texts opportunitie and some mens importunitie occasioning me I must more fully open the difference betwixt Gods workes and ours and remove that false imputation of humane invention that is layd upon many a publike one of ours We must then further observe that of our two Guides the Word and the Spirit the Spirit is not severed from the Word it is received by the Word and being received it inlightens us to understand and inables us to obey Gods Word That the Spirit is received by the Word the Apostle teacheth 2 Cor. 3◠calling the preaching of the Gospel the ministration of the Spirit and to the Galathians he writes that by the preaching of the Gospel Gal. 3.2 they received the Spirit Againe that being received it inlightens us to understand and inables us to obey the Word our Saviour Christ teacheth us who speaking of the comming of the Spirit saith Joh. 14.26 He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance which I have told you And againe He shall lead you into all Truth Ioh. 16.13 Ioh. 17.17 which Truth is Gods Word as he elsewhere expounds it In this sense must be understood the Spirits Vnction it anointeth us to understand the Word the Spirits obsignation it sealeth unto us an assurance of the Word the Spirits sanctification it purifieth us to obey the Word Saint Chrysostomes rule is true Siquis eorum qui dicuntur habere Spiritum Sanctum dicit aliquid de seipso non ex Euangeliis non creditur siquis dicta Christi sequitur Spiritum Sanctum habet c. This must be observed against old and new Enthusiasts who thinke they can see into the secrets of Heaven without the Looking-Glasse of Heaven That they can sound the Mind of Christ without hearing the Voice of Christ That they can conferre with the Spirit without the Language of the Spirit But we must resolve That no man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 except he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no man is taught of God but by the Word of God I hope this place hath not any nor this Land many that have as yet received that evill Seed if it be rooted in any their case is to be pittied and those that are too forward by their fall must timely be admonished Our second Guide is Gods Word wherein many things are necessarily concluded which are not therein literally expressed In matters of Faith and Manners we are not tyed to the strictnesse of the Letter but the fullnesse of the Sense Our Saviour Christ is our Master in this course He proveth the Resurrection of the Dead Mat. 22.32 being an Article of our Faith against the Sadduces and the use of the Sabbath being a rule of life Mat. 12.7 against the Pharises by an inference made upon the Scripture not by any evidence of the Letter of the Scripture Christ is herein followed by the Apostles by Councels and Fathers Nazianzene hath comprehended the Doctrine in this rule Quaedam in Scripturis sunt dicuntur quaedam insunt etiamsi non dicantur and he addeth That the sticking to the Letter is oftentimes but a pretext of impietie And indeed this pretext is used by the Church of Rome who excludes that from the Scripture which is apparantly concluded within the sense of the Scripture in the Doctrine of the Trinitie the Sacraments and some other points of moment and having raysed this mist closely conveyes Articles of Faith and Rules of Life into the Doctrine of the Church not onely besides but contrary to the Scripture and yet in their late many and wordie Pamphlets would perswade men that our Doctrine is our owne and not Gods that theirs is not their owne but Gods Let the true Christian conferre the proofes and for his owne eternall comfort judge whether they deserve not the censure of Christ Math. 15.9 In vaine doe they worship me teaching the Doctrines of Men. Another worke there is which must bee examined because the World is therewith much perplexed I meane the Ceremonies and Discipline it must be inquired Whether the observance of them be a worke of Gods or ours And heere these three Rules are of all hands acknowledged First No Discipline or Ceremony must be contrary to the Word of God Secondly None must be equalled thereto Thirdly Both must edifie us therin These three Rules being observed I say First whatsoever thing is in its owne nature indifferent may by lawfull power be limited Secondly Being lawfully so enjoyned it must be obediently used Thirdly No Man with a good Conscience may forgoe his Vocation for this cause onely because he cannot be released from the use of such a thing The reason of all is plaine for the deniall of the first takes away the Magistrates lawfull power the deniall of the second argueth ignorance of Christian obedience and the third proveth that such mens credit is the measure of their care and they are more wedded to their fancy then truly zealous of Gods glory These poynts have beene largely amplified and Fatherly recommended but as yet the world will not be satisfied the Church cannot intreate so much of her Children as to be dutifully obeyed It is thought by too many a meete deliberation who should yeeld whether the Fathers which stand for that which is well grounded and lawfully authorized or the Children which stand against the Fathers of their Country and Fathers of the Church It were meete the foundations were razed before the buildings be ruined and the Reasons answered before the Church be altered But they have found at least a Simile to make good their cause The Church is like mans body Our Soveraignes new entrie may bee compared to the Spring Saint Pauls comparison is acknowledged and for our Spring the Lord be blessed But what then As mans body so the Church this Spring time must be purged An old Simile new furbished For indeed our Church evidences doe tell us of two such
he hath given to us You see the Grace is most heavenly and our proprietie therein most comfortable but we have it not all at once we rise by many degrees therefore we are willed not onely to build but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to build upon The phrase doth containe a double sense either that we must rest our selves upon our Faith or that we must goe on in Faith The first implyes a comparison betwixt Faith and other Vertues whereon we cannot so securely build as we may on Faith for Faith correlatively understood as in this argument it is doth comprehend Christ in which sense we say we are saved by Faith that is by Christ layd hold on by Faith and so to build on Faith is to build on Christ and Christ is the Rock whereon is built the Church 1 Pet. 2.4 Matth. 16.18 as the Fathers out of Saint Peter expound that of Saint Matthew Yea Saint Paul calleth him the Foundation and the Chiefe Corner Stone Eph. 2.20 So that though Grace inherent faile us yet Christ imputed will ever support us so that the Gates of Hell shall not prevaile against us And unto this the Church of Rome doth yeeld For Bellarmine teaching that we have a double Title to Heaven one by Adoption in Baptisme the other by Merit by fulfilling the Law of God resolves finally Bellar. de Iustif l. 5. c. 7. That to avoid Vaine-glory and for the uncertaintie of our Merit it is the safest course to rest our selves upon the first Title which is nothing else but to build on Faith But the words also beare a second sense and that most proper in this place which is that we must goe on in Faith for no mans Faith is perfect at the first there is duplex perfectio essentiae molis vir enim non est magis homo quam puer licet sit maior In Baptisme when we receive the Grace of Adoption our Faith hath perfectionem essentiae but not molis we are truly fideles faithfull members though but modicae fidei of weake Faith and therefore Saint Peter wills us 1 Pâ—t 2.2 as new-borne Babes to desire the sincere Milke of the Word that we may grow up thereby Our Lesson then is that we must be like Saint Paul a Phil. 3.13 Brethren I count not my selfe that I have attained but one thing I doe I forget that which is behind and endeavour my selfe unto that which is before Our Faith must dayly b 2 Thess 1.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 till it become such as Saint Peter describes c 1 Pet. 1.7 much more precious then Gold tryed in the fire like a d Eph. 6.16 shielâ— of proofe that can quench all the fierie darts of the Devill till we are so e Iam. 2.5 rich in Faith as Saint James speaketh that we thereby can f 1 Ioh. 5.4 overcome the World and become g 2 Tim. 2.21 vessels of honour fit for the Palace of God I say that our selves may be such Vessels for Saint Iude bids us to build up our selves Mater Ecclesia c. saith Saint Austine Our Mother the Church in Baptisme doth lend us when we are infants other mens feet to come other mens mouthes to speake yea and other mens hearts to beleeve but when we are come to age we must use our owne and that not for others onely but for out selves It is true that no man can procreate himselfe or quicken himselfe being dead but being procreated and quickened he can feed and encrease himselfe As it is in Nature so in Grace no man can give himselfe a spiritual being or repaire it if it be lost but having received it he is to cherish it and to proceed therein Yea although God have appointed Pastors 1 Cor. 3.9 10. whose Title is to be Architech and Builders of his Church yet is every Christian man to be a Labourer in this Building A Labourer I say but noâ— an Architect he must take his directions from them how to worke himselfe fit to sort with the other parts of the Church I say againe to work himselfe not others for that is the charge of the Pastor and Magistrate the Pastor by spirituall means the Magistrate by corporall both prescribing to all others that are but labourers in their severall places every one to attend his owne worke in the Church Or if they will cast their eye on others it must be like the Wiseman in the Proverbs Pro. 24.30.31 32. I passed by the field of the sloathfull and by the Vineyard of the man destitute of understanding and loe it was all growne over with thornes and nettles had covered the face thereof and the stone wall thereof was broken downe Then I beheld and considered it well I looked upon it and received instruction Cant. 1.6 The Spouse in the Canticles complaines The sonnes of my Mother were angry with me they made me keeper of the vines but I kept not mine owne Vine The world is very busie and this age findes many faults and indeed there are very many to be found but few there are that see their own Wee can say Brother let mee plucke out the mote that is in thine eye when we deserve to heare Thou hypocrite plucke out first the beame that is in thine own eye Mat. 7 4 5. Rom. 2.1 Luk. 19.22 for thou that judgest another condemnest thy selfe and Ex ore tuo judicabo te serve nequam c. With God there is no respect of persons nor no exception of sinnes Consider what I say and the Lord give you understanding in all things Keepe your selves in the love of God From profiting come we to persevering for according to that of Cyprian fides non accepta sed custodita vivificat And indeed he hath profited well that will persevere For perseverance imports that we have cast our accounts and set up our rest it argues that we are resolved de fine though we have not passed so sarre as we should in medijs ducentibus ad finem And indeed the greatest cause of inconstancy is an irresolutenesse about the end which makes men passe as Salomon did Eccl. 2. he reports it himselfe in the booke of the Preacher from knowledge to pleasure from pleasure to wealth c. till at the last he found it true that the end of all is Eccl. 12.13 feare God and keepe his Commandements for this is the whole duty of man Such a resolution of the end doth hearten us to persevere in persecution of the meanes till we have attained the end And therfore when Christ asked his Dâ—sciples upon occasion that many revolted from him Will ye also goe away Saint Peter answered Master Job 6.68 69. to whâ—m shall wee goe thou hast the words of eternall life And we beleeve and know that thou art Christ the Son of the living God In the love of God Note that where the three persons are
thwarting one the other teach us that the wordes are to be understood indefinitely and once or twice is often very often many wayes and many times if hee might worke us any wayes or at any time the doubling of a speech representing us the same lesson as it doth testifie Gods constancy so it doth intimate our infirmity GOD doth not alter and hee can hardly alter us Wee have watery memories and stony hearts Gods word leaves little impression in us in the one and makes as little in the other Esay compares us unto weanelings whom hee makes to understand the thinges that hee speaketh to them that are weaned and drawne from the breastes Secondly Saint Paul compares us unto babes in capacity when wee should be men in time So that wee must be fed with milke when wee should be fit for stronger meates And thirdly hee tels the Galathians that they will goe backe againe into the wombe of the Church that which Nicodemus wondred at Can a man enter into his mothers belly and be borne againe Little children saith hee of whom I am in travaile againe till Christ Iesus be formed in you What wonder then if Precept must be upon Precept and line upon line here a little and there a little And Saint Peter wrote a second Epistle to stirre us up to call to remembrance the words which were told us before even twice before by the prophets and also by the Apostles Neither doth it grieve Saint Paul to write the same things to the Philippians and hee assures them that for them it is a safe thing for during this life God cannot speak unto us as altogether spirituall We will be very much corporall men our wits will not be exercised sufficiently to discerne good and evill much lesse our heartes established so with grace as we shall not be seduced by the will The people therefore are too dainty when they conceipt of spirituall food as they doe of corporall Occidit miserâ—s crambe repetita magistros and are weary of the same dish the second time The loathing of Manna cost the Israelites deere God satisfied the lusts of their bodies and sent leanenesse withall into their soules and many starved themselves ghostly while they much longed after variety How often in the same Epistle doth Saint Paul urge righteousnes by faith and Saint Iohn in his the love of God and of our brother Saint Chrysostome reiterated his sermon against swearing Nazianzene his Oration of Peace others of other matters the minister must not spare speaking because wee are not quicke of hearing and it is well of we can say truly as King David here doth The Lord spake once or twice and I heard And so I come from the undeniable Author to the unchalengeable witnesse It is a grounded truth the report caryeth weight according to the Worthinesse of the Reporter This report then must be of greater weight because the reporter is of so great worthinesse A man of God yea a man after Gods own heart A man of God it is more than like that God would speake with him a man after Gods own heart it is very unlikely that he would report what he heard not from God the sacrednesse and sanctity of his person makes his witnesse without exception and worthy our imitation Adde hereunto that he was now a King at least annointed to be a King a renowned Warriour yea a Conquerour of great possibilities if not possessions yet doth such a person so noble so mighty learn to deny to the world what is due to God he rests upon no power or mercy but his he esteemes himselfe an accomptant to God and so he might expect his doome and who of us may stop his eares when King David openeth his for rather doth not the same duty taught so many wayes so many times require that duty of us whereof King David here is a paterne unto us And I heard it God speakes that we may heare heare my people and I will speake And the Lord challengeth the Iowes wherfore came I and there was no man I called and no man answered Quid juvat ad surdas si cantet Phemius aures We have grace and Apostle-ship that obedience might be given to the faith Yea the Word of God is called in the Hebrew Shemina But our Saviour Christ hath a caution Videte quomodo audiatis so that we are farther to enquire how King David did heare surely himselfe was not ignorant how to heare for he delivered that admonition to day if yee will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Saint Paul by way of exposition of that Text saith that hearing must be tempered with faith The case of the eare is fitly by Elihu in Iob paralysed to the tast 34. 〈◊〉 3â— 3 The eare tryeth the words as the palate tasteth meat Now the tast doth relish to swallow that which is wholsome and to refuse the contrary that should be the practise of the eare for we eate spirituall food by the eare as we do corporall by the mouth man liveth not by breâ—â— only but by every word that goeth out of the mouth of God We heare then as David did when like Saint Paul we are obedient to the heavenly Vision when we consult not against our instruction with flesh and bloud and the proverb is Sapiens audiens sapientior fit And this kinde of hearing is commended in both Testaments Thou must diligently hearken ô Jsrael unto the voyce of the Lord thy God and doe that which is right in his sight give eare untâ— his Commandements and keepe all his Ordinances And so in the new You have not learned to live like the Gentiles saith Saint Paul if so be you have heard him and have beene taught by him as the truth is in Iesus that you must cast off the old man Finally this is the eare which the Spouse the Church doth lend unto the bridegroome to Christ and it is described by King David Hearkenâ— daughter and consider incline thine eares He which hath aâ— eare to heare let him heare for every one hath not such aâ— eare it is not an eare of nature but of grace God muâ—â— prepare this eare of which Esay thus speaketh The Lord in the morning will waken mine eare to heare as the learned the Lord hath opened mine eare and I was not rebellious neither turned I backe And agreeable hereunto is that oâ— Nazianzene Can Gods word be conceaved of the Pastoâ— expounded to the people and heard to our comfort buâ— by the gift of the Holy Ghost This is the cause why Elihu saith God speaketh once or twise and one seeth it not And Moses to Israel You have seene all that the Lorâ— did before your eyes in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and 〈◊〉 all his servants and yet hath not the Lord given you aâ— heart to perceive nor eyes to see and eares to heare unto thâ— day Christ To you is given to know the secrets of the â—ingdome of
stickes not to say Regis admirabilem gloriam effecit splendidiorem he was a King admirable for his vertues but more admirable for his repentance as it was a stranger sight to see a King of Ninive come downe from his Throne clothed in sackcloth and sit in ashes then King Solomon sitting upon his Throne and speaking parables unto the Queene of Saba Behold then whom God chose to be a Patriarch to whom he gave a name like one of the great ones like that of Abraham he entered into a Covenant with Abraham and he entred into a covenant with David he sware to Abraham and he sware to David and he sware unto David as unto Abraham concerning his issue The fruit of his body Children are called fruit of their Parents body to note that they are only fathers of their flesh they have another namely God which is father of their spirits Saint Paul teacheth it and the use of it Heb. 12. Heb. 12.9 And this checkes their opinion that will have soules propagated no lesse than bodies I will not trouble you with such an unnecessary dispute Rather this I note that whereas every mans first desire is immortality because hee cannot in this world attaine it hee offereth supply thereof by his posterity This phrase then promiseth solatium immortalitatis a kind of immortality Our mortall part the Sonne of Syrach doth excellently set forth Chr. 30.4 A man that hath issue though he die yet he is as though hee were not dead for hee hath left one behind him that is like him Jn his life he saw him and had joy in him and hee was not sorry in his death neither was hee ashamed before his enemies And why he left behind him an avenger against his enemies and one that should shew favour to his friends Good cause therefore why another Psalme of degrees tels us that Children are an inheritance of the Lord and the fruit of the wombe is his reward As are the arrowes in the hand of the strong man so are the children of the youth Blessed is the man that hath his quiver full of them Surely for a King to have his quiver empty is no small curse God himselfe hath spoken it Ier. 22.30 O earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord write this man and that man was Iechonias the King write him I say destitute of Children a man that shall not prosper in his dayes and what is that but that he shall be cursed he addes the reason for there shall be no man of his seed that shall sit upon the Throne of David or beare rule any more in Judah Esa 38.14 King Ezekiah when he was but threatned it confesseth thus he chattered like a swallow mourned like a Dove And what said Abraham O Lord God what wilt thou give me seeing I goe childlesse and loe the servant of mine house shall bee mine heire Happie then was David and so every one of Davids ranke is happy that hath a fruitfull Vine and Olive branches round about his Table Of whom we may truly say Vno avulso non deficit alter Aureus et simili frondescit virga metallo But marke the King was busie to build Gods house and see how God answers him promising the building of â—â—e Kings house God requites a building with a builâ—ing There is a very apt allusion in the word upon which the sonne of Syrach also playes when he saith that â—hildren and the building of a City make a perpetuall â—â—me how much more if they be a royall off-spring that â—e destined to sit upon a Throne And God promiseth â—avid sons for this honourable end To sit upon his Throne It appeares among the buildings of Solomon and in the Chronicles of other Monarchs that the King had a seciall publike seat wherein he was placed when he possessed himselfe of his kingdome and afterwards sate as in his proper seate the Scripture cals it solium Regni as if a kingdome and the Throne were inseparable So that this phrase doth signifie insigne Regni an essentiall an incommunicable rite of a Kingdome This seate is incommunicable the Altar and the Throne saith one are â—â—th proper the Altar to God the Throne to the King The pride of usurping the Throne will as hardly be brooâ—ed by a Soveraigne on earth as the usurping of the Altar will be borne by the Lord of heaven Therefore Pharaoh though he did highly advance Ioseph added Only in the Kings Throne will I bee above thee As it is incommunicable to others so is it essentiall to a King In regard whereof Saint Peter calls Kings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supereminent supereminent in the Throne But wherein stands this supereminency surely in state and power In regard of the state it is called solium gloriae 1 Sam. 2.8 Pro. 20.8 and in regard of the power solum judicij These two must not be severed A King must in state ascend above all that hee may be the more respected when he doth command God himselfe that did often shew himselfe as a King did shew himselfe in that Majestie that hee alloweth unto Kings The places be knowne in Ezechiel Daniel Revelation I need not quote them But solium is therefore gloriae because judicij The state is to countenance the power it must not be only a Throne of glory but of judgment too Nazianzene hath an apt description of Kings they are persons saith hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are not be without a paire of scales in their hands in imitation of God of whom the Psalmist saith Thou sittest iâ— the Throne that judgest righteously And such a Throne indeed was King Davids At Ierusalem are Thrones for Judgment even the Throne of the house of David In such a Throne should the sons of David sit they were to 〈◊〉 but God would set them there It is superfluous for me to remember you that Promotion commeth neither from the East nor from the West 〈◊〉 from the North nor from the South It is God that take downe one and setteth up another Which is evident by the Prophesies of alterations in the most eminent Monarchiâ— of the world As for the Anabaptists that admit no Soveraigne title in a Christian Common-weale upon a falâ— ground that it is a fruit of Adams fall which ceased us on the Redemption by Christ it is enough to touâ— their ignorance not distinguishing between Directâ—â—â— and Coercive power The later is made necessary by sin the former is as naturall as sociablenesse is to man Tâ—â— Romanists detest Anabaptisme but they cherish a mâ—sterie of iniquity that may not be indured by this peculiar of God I will set them For in their Pontificale Remanum they insert such clauses as have within late yeere given occasion of Rebellion in this land Rebellion justified at the Barre upon this ground that the King is 〈◊〉 King till he be anointed In that booke as it is reformâ— by the
perpetrari scelera and so to extenuate his sinne But for the ground of this necessity men have sought to opposite places some to heaven and some to hell The opinion is ancient that fetcheth it from heaven Adam was the author of it that layed his sinne to God The woman that thou gavest me she gave me of the Tree and J did eate And 〈◊〉 lesse ancient is that which fetcheth it from hell for the woman put it to the Devill The Serpent beguiled me 〈◊〉 J did eate Both opinions have had many Schollars To the first the sonne of Syrach speakes in his dayes Eccl. c. 15. ver 11. say me that it is through the Lord that I turne backe for thâ—â— oughtest not to doe the thing which he hateth say not that 〈◊〉 hath caused me to erre for he hath no need of sinfull man 〈◊〉 need of Psa 5.4 nay no delight in a sinfull man Thou art a Gâ—â— that hast no pleasure in iniquity And Abacuc his pure eye cannot behold the wicked yea they that with-draw themselves shall perish hee hateth all them that goe a whorâ—â—â— from him The Manichees they were Scholars to Eve and their tenent was as Saint Austine sets it downe Non tu peâ—cas gens tenebrarum peccat thou deservest no blame for sin for it is not thee but the Devill by thee that acts the sinne But Saint Austin addes well non est hoc tollere sâ—â— geminare peccatum this excuse is worse than the fault For as the same Father speakes well may the Serpert sollicit he cannot compell non extorquet 〈◊〉 nobis conseâ—sum sed petit he doth move us he doth not inforce us And Prosper Diabolus est illecebrarum adjutor non voluntatuâ— generator he allures us to sinfull delights he actuates not the will he recommends it but we may refuse it Be his meanes never so great to strengthen the tentation yet except we will he cannot defile us with corruption Our selves judge evill to be good we imbrace evill for good yea we prefer evill before good Our selves are the true cause of our own fall Therefore the H. Ghost bids us spart much unnecessary paines either of climing into heaven to know what God hath decreed of us or descending into hell to enquire how farre the devill may prevaile against us but stay at home and there find the right party that doth supplant us and that is our will Man as Solomon often speaketh perverteth his owne way Perditio tua ex te Every man when he is tempted is tempted â—â—d c. Wee fall because wee take no heed As if Saint Paul should say we should not fall if we did take heed Not fall I say though we should sinne For though all sinnes be in their owne nature falls And therefore Christ 〈◊〉 the Lords Prayer teacheth us to aske forgivenesse for â—â—em yet Saint Paul here meanes no ordinary but â—reat fals haynous and enormous sinnes Heresie Blasâ—hemy Profanenesse Adultery Treason Murder and the â—â—ke these by an eminence are called fals and if we did â—â—ke heed we might avoyd these fals Videat saith Saint â—aul let him see that he fall not Eccl. 2.14 A wise mans eyes are in â—is head but a foole walketh in darknesse Surely these Obâ—ects are proportionable to our sight though smaller sins â—re not they surprise us before we discerne them therefore God in Christ doth pity us because of our yet dim â—â—ight when we fall into them But God will not so excuse him that winkes when he may see as the Prophet speaketh or at least will not use his eyes to the uttermost that he may see The Serpents wisdome is much in his â—â—es and we should be wise as Serpents The devill ofâ—â—rs at one place and strikes at another therefore we must bee armed at all points The seed perished many wayes Wee must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Chrysostome speaketh we must walke circumspectly The perspectives â—â—ch us that nothing is seene difficultly but that whereâ—â—on we fixe our eye directly The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let 〈◊〉 that standeth see c. He distinguisheth betweene â—naturall and a spirituall man him that is downe and â—â—m that is up A naturall man hath no eyes he cannot perceive the things of God But of a spirituall man he â—aith Wee are children of the day and light in the Lord therefore good reason that God should call to us for Vi 〈◊〉 that we walke as children of the day The same diâ—â—â—nction Christ maketh He that walketh in the day stumâ—â—â—th not because hee seeth the light of the world but if a â—â—n walke in the night he stumbleth because there is no light 〈◊〉 him The stander then must see But that we may a little more fully comprehend it and bee moved to it we must observe the distinction so usuall of Gratia operans and Cooperans for although in regard of the first grace which giveth us the being of standers or righteous men we are meerely passive yet in regard of the second wherin we doe manifest our selves to be standers wee are also active Now in this cooperative grace wherein we concurre with God it is a grounded truth That except the Lord build the house Psal 1â—7 1 they labour in vaine that build it except the Lord keepe the City the keeper watcheth in vaine And as Saint Peter We are preserved by the power of God who giveth his Angels charge over us that we dash not our feete against a stone And therefore as this Apostle tels the Ephesians We must be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might In the greatest stormes or conflicts Christum vehis must be our hope and Spes mihi magna subit cum te fortissime Christe Quae mihi respicio dum mea facta cadit The King putteth his trust in the Lord therefore shall he 〈◊〉 miscarry Although in standing the sinewes of our stability is the conquering power of Christ yet this poweâ— of his is arbitrary not necessary he workes but when and as much as he will and this will ordinarily inclines and proportioneth it selfe unto such duties as he requiretâ— of us and those are principally foure wherein stands the most that wee can doe and that which wee are bounâ— to doe In our Take heed first Christ will be acknowledged the chiefe Efficient of our standing without him wee câ—â— do nothing we cannot so much as thinke a good thoughâ— but all our sufficiency is of him Therefore if any mâ—â— want wisdome he must aske it of the Father of lights Christ will support but he will be prayed to The firâ—â— point of our heed is Prayer Watch and pray saith Christ that you enter not into temptation Christ did 〈◊〉 himselfe when hee conflicted with his most grievoâ—â— temptation If then we want strength and have it not it is because we aske it not S. Paul was better advised whobeing tempted prayed and prayed often Thrise he