banished then cherished Secondly Want by the Righteous is here-by to bee shunned where such a Way is Wanting a Calling is Wanting â— where there is no Calling there is Sluggishnesse where Sluggishnesse and idlenesse beareth swaye there Pouerty and Want commeth on First suddenly because it commeth as one trauailing by the way Secondly strongly as an armed man which by the suddennesse cannot bee preuented and by the strength cannot bee Prou. 6. 11. resisted It is ordeined for man to eate his bread in the sweate of Gen. 3. 19. his browes as if it were Gods will that where there is no sweating of the broweâ— There should bee no eating of bread Where eating of bread is prohibited there want must needs bee inferâ—ed Would wee then shunne this necessitie then must wee prouide that wee may haue bread not onely in a literall sence but also as it is taken for all the necessaries of this life Would wee haue this bread lawfully ministred vnto vs then must our hands minister vnto our necessities that is to say our feete must walke our fingers must worke our browe in euery vocation and calling Ecclesiasticall or Ciuill Liberaâ—l or Mechanicall must sweate for it Euery man must say and the godly will say as sometime that famous Alphonsus King of Arragon did who being reprooued of one Matthaeus Siculus for that hee would now and then set those hands of his to the Spade which were ordeigned to swaye the Scepter made this answer Cogitas deum naturam nequicquam mihi has manus dedisse Thinkest thou that God and Nature hath giuen vnto mee these hands in vaine Where-vpon the Godlye man that hee may shunne wante doth not shunne worke but hee setteth him-selfe in some good way in regarde of this Ciuill profession in the Common-wealth necessary to his Well-being therein that Want may be shunned The third waye of the righteous is that which is spirituall of his Regeneration necessary to him for his Well-being in the Church This is the way cheefly aimed at in this place This as it is the Way of God so is it also the Way of the Godly A perfect way appertayning only to iust and Psal 101. 2. Hebr. 12. 23. perfect men The necessity of which Way concerneth the Râ—ghteous both against Sinne and also the punishment of Sinne. First this necessity concerneth the Righteous in regard of Sin which by continuance in this Way is mortified While they continue in this way they neyther haue acquaintance with sin nor sin with them theâ— are strange the one to the other Sinne may be in them but cannot raigne in them Rom. 6. 12. Secondly this necessity concerneth the Righteous in reregard of the punishment of sin For vntill we be trauailers in this Way are wee Children of Gods wrath Vpon Ephess 2. 3. Apocal 15. 7â— whome the Vials of his wrath were to be powred out but this way of our new-birth or Regeneration is become a better security to vs then the blood of the Lambe sprinckled Exod. 12. 22. on the dore posts of the houses of the Israelites For that was the materiall blood of the Typicall Lambe to be as a token to God at that time to preserue them from Temporall destruction of the Aegiptians But in this way is found the omni-sufficient blood of the True lamb of God Iohn 1. 29. Christ Iesus who taketh away the sins of the world which being sprinckled on the tables of our hearts protecteth and sheildeth vs from the spirituall destruction of Sathan This way is called A new and liuing way Heb. 10. 20. New because therein wee are Renued and changed in our mind Rom. 12. 2. not putting off leisurely but casting off speedily the old man which is corrupt through the deceiuable lustes and putting on the new man CHRIST â—phes 4. 22. 24. IESVS which after GOD is created in righteousnesse toward man and true holynesse toward God him-selfe A liuing way because wee which were Dead in trespasses and sinnes before wee entered into this way quickened againe in this way Eph. 21. quickned vnto a twofold life of grace in present possession in this world of glory in vndoubted expectation in the world to come It is a worthy speech of Saint Hilarie who compareth the man vnregenerate to an Egge the man regenerate Hilarâ—â— Mat can 24. vnto a Chicken Christ saith concerning Ierusalem How often would I haue gathred thy children euen as a hâ—n gathereth her Chickenâ— vnder her winges Mat. 23. 37. whervpon writeth that Father Alia pullis nascendi alia viuendi ratio To Chickens there is one reason of birth another of life First they are contayned in certaine shells of Egges as it were in a prison after that being cherished by the diligence of there dame vnder the couerture of her winges they come forth and in time fly abroad Christ saith he after the manner of this familiar foule would haue gathred them together that they which weare yet as the Egge brought forth by the condition of nature being borne againe by a new spring of regeneration cherished by heat mought as it weare by there winged bodies fly vp into Heauen Thus to become Chickins brooded and fostered vnder the wing of our Blessed Sauiour is to hold this way of regeneration and quickening beeing dead and cherishing beeing made aliue by the warmeth of the spirit of Christ according to the warrant of the word of Christ wherein wee must not suffer the warmth of our zeale to goe before the warrant of our knowledge but as speaketh Saint Basil Quemadmodum coera sculpturae typo tradita c. As S. Basil de 〈◊〉 waxe set vpon the shape of any â—eale or grauing doth exactly represent the figure which is in that seale or grauing so we deliuering our selues wholy to Euangelical doctrine are both enformed onely and conformed according to the forme thereof This is the way of the righteous principally here to be vnderstood vid. there way spiritual of regeâ—â—tion necessary to there well-being in the Church both against sinne and the punishment of sinne The second point of the former branch the Lords fauour toward the godly is that The Lord knoweth this way c. The LORD knoweth it both by the knowledge of his Apprehension and also by the knowledge of his Approbation The knowledge of the Lordes apprehension it is the knowledge of wisedome wherby euery thing lay open vnto him nothing is hid from him For which cause as the number of Seauen is the number of perfection there bee ascribed vnto the Lord seauen eyes Zacha. 3. 9. vnder the name of yâ— stone there spoken off to intimate that he seeth al things He that hath giuen thee an eye to see any thing shall not his eyes see all things Hee which hath furnished thee with knowledge to vnderstand any thing shall not hee vnderstand all things The Poet Pindaruâ— could say to this purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pindaru◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉
life Dauid putteth vp a Supplication Lord remember not the Psalm 25 7. sinnes of my youth but euen in his old age when a man would thinke it were high time to leaue Sinne because sinne is ready to leaue him but then dealeth the vngodly with sinne as Phaltiel the sonne of Laish did with Michol 2. Sam 3. 16. the Daughter of Saul his wife when shee left him to goe vnto her former husband Dauid who followed her weeping It is recorded of Saint Iohn the Euangelist that hee dyed with Loue in his mouth so could the Sinner beâ— content to dye with sinne in his bosome such deliâ—ht taketh hee in Sinne euen the walke of pleasure to the wicked The third point which from hence I doe obserue it is that the Godly walke not in it The Godly walke not in it for as much as they take no pleasure in it for they well know them-selues to be the chosen of God his elect ones like a beautifull horse in the battell Not to fight the combate Zachar. 10. â— of Sathan but to Abet and defend the cause of the Lord. For their dignity the godly are said to be as a crown for their price as the Pretious stones of this Crowne for their honour like the Stones of a Crowne lifted vpp They haue therefore a great care that they may not impaire this dignity viliâ—ie this price abaâ—e this honour which they cannot auoyde but doe If they walke in Zachar. â— 16 the Counsell of the wicked and therein take pleasure in vngodlinesse It is said Ezra 4. 14. VVee haue beene brought vp in the Kings Pallace it is not meete for vs to see the Kings dishonour much more may Gods Elect say Wee haue beene brought vp in the King of Heauens Pallace that is in the Militant kingdome of GODS Church whose last Acte shall end in Triumph How then can wee see such a Kings dishonour Seneca witnesseth touching Tiberius and Caius Gracchi Seneca lib. consoâ— cap. 1. Qui bonos viros negauerit magnos fatebitur Whosoeuer shall deny them to bee good men will confesse them to bee great men but the children of God in that they are good men thinke them-selues also to bee great men and in that they are thus great men suppose them-selues necessarilye occasioned to become good mâ—n for their greatnesse is effected by their goodnesse and their goodnesse is furthered by their greatnesse They know that if this their spirituall Greatnesse should become Badnesse first the World would sooner perceiue it in them and in whome it is more eminent and conspicuous like a little spot which is more easily seene in white then in Browne paper Secondly God doth more speedily and seuerely punish it as Vincentius writeth Because Peter was a great Pastor Vincentius in speculo Nulla vel leuis in eo ferenda culpa vel curiositas No Fault at all though but a light one no Curiositie was to bee borne with all in him but him-selfe was speedily also reprooued That this fault might bee as speedily and Ibidem effectually remooued The same Author saith that if Dust cleaue to our Feete wee much respect it not but on our head wee will suffer no Defilement The Godly well know that as a man in this case is affected towards him-selfe so GOD is affected towards Man and therefore the rather with holdeth him-selfe from sinning least God should not with-hold his hand from smiting The Godly are contrary to the Vngodly as the Vngodly affect so the Godly abhorre not onely the acte but so farre as may bee the thought of Sinne euery whit euery where euer or all at all places in all times First the godly abhorre sinne euery whit or all not 1. Thes 5. 22. Iude ver 23. onely in Existence but euen in appearance hating the very garment spotted by the flesh Secondly the Godly abhorre Sinne euery where or at all places not onely publiquely in the eyes of men but Priuately also before the eyes of God In whose presence the darkenesse and light are both alike therefore will hee Psal 1â—9 12. surely know it and finde it out Thirdly the Godly abhorre Sinne euer or in all times not onely in time of Age then like vnto the foolish Pilot cutting the Cables of iniquity and waighing his sinnefull Anchors when him-selfe is feeble his Sailes torne Maste crased Shipp leake when the Sea is troublesome and the windes contrarye In so much as there seemeth then great difficultie and with-out Gods especiall ayde impossibility euer to attaine to the Hauen of Happinesse but euen in the time of his youth from his very youth making him-selfe a Samuel dedicate to the Lord consecrating vnto GOD the first fruites of his youth as hee 1. Sam. 1. 28. is ALPHA and the last Acte of his Age as hee is Apocal. 1. 8. OMEGA God protesteth by his Prophet Michah that his soule longeth for the first ripe Grapes which is the Godly one euen in the strength of his age while there is store of oyle in his lampe while his bones are ful of marrow his brest runneth full of milke while he is fresh as a Bridegroome comming out of his chamber and strong as a Gyant to runne his course The Godly then abhorreth to walke in the counsell of the wicked euer in Age because then hee would bee most wise in Youth for asmuch as hee knoweth Epist Iude. vers 11. it standeth him in hand then to be most wary He detesteth to walke in the way of Caine because hee desireth to walke with God as Henoch Gen. 5. 24. Wisdome Prouer. 8. 11. is praised to bee better then pretious stones and all pleasures are not to bee compared to her This riche Wisdome is to bee found in the Godlye Wise and therefore this Pleasure in the walke of sinne in comparison of her owne Pleasure is despised and shunned by her Wisdome perswadeth the Godly to despise and shunne the walke of sinnes pleasure or the pleasure of sinnes walke First because shee knoweth and assureth the soules Rom. 6 21 Ibid. vers 23 of the righteous that it is pleasure without profit therefore vnfruitfull if there be any fruite theâ— of it is Shame or Death Florida quidem rosa est sed mihi tristitiam infligit Saint Bâ—sil de paradiso The Rose is flourishing but the Thorne therein affecteth mee with sorrow because it putteth mee in minde of my sinnes for which the Earth hath beene condemned to bring forth Thornes and Thistles So the Beauty of Sinne bringeth Bane the sweete soure Pleasure paâ—â—â— with it And the Bane is more then the beauty the sowre more then the sweet the Paine more then the Pleasure as among Roses the Thornes are more then the Flowers Secondly because shee knoweth and aâ—sureth the Soules of the righteous That it is pleasure with-out equity and therefore vnlawfull for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sinne is the transgression of the Lawe
flesh had corrupted his waye but the Reason of the future consuming of such flesh as this is by fire may be because all such flesh stands in a corrupt way euen this way of Sinners here spoken of Saint Gregory saith of Sinne that it is Cathena infernalis Saint Gregâ—r An infernall chaine and so indeed may it bee thought to bee because with the ligature thereof as with the Iron linkes of a Chaine the Sinner is so tied bound as hee cannot stirre or mooue him-selfe either one way or other but is enforced to stand still He standeth in the waâ— of Sinners The third thing which here-out may bee obserued is that the Godly stand not in the way of Sinners They stand not in it For as much as they are euer watchfull ouer them-selues so neere as may bee that they may not so much as stepp into it Who will stepp into that way wherin they know a Serpent to bee The way of Sinners as the Godly well know is such a way and therefore are they so farre from stepping into it as they flee from it Eccles 21. 2. Sinnes are the weapons of vnrighteousnesse for Rom 6. 13. which cause the Righteous are affected vnto them no otherwise then Dauid was vnto the weapons and Armor of Saul who put them off when hee went against Goliah 1. Sam. 17. 39 as they which were vnfitt and vnmeete for him The Godly wishe not to sinne not so much for feare of punishment as for loue of Vertue which Vertue in as much as it commeth from God and leadeth to God the godlye esteeme as their Summum honum their cheefest highest and supremest good Amiable Estimable Desirable not in any by-respects but of and for it selfe onely It is a saying Nolens peccare propter se fit volens propter aliud Hee which is vnwilling to sinne for sinnes sake is made willing for some other consequence sake which may depend vpon it whether it bee Pleasure Lucre Honour or the like but the Righteous-one admitteth of neither reiecteth both hee prayeth so to bee furnished by the seauen spirits Apocal. 1. 4. which are before the throne of GOD that if it may be he may not fall at all But if his spirit be so vanquished by his flesh as hee not onely falleth but falleth seauen times a day a lott from which euen the righteous man is not priuiledged Prou. 24. 16. Yet as Saint Ierome writeth Saint Ierome Pâ—â—nie Epâ—st 4â— looseth hee not the name of a righteous man because hee as often riseth by repentance againe Plinie mentioneth a certaine fresh water which retaineth the freshnesse though it runneth among the brinish waues of the Sea Such are the righteous who though they liue in the darkenesse of this world yet doe they not the workes of darknesse though they bee among Sinners yet with Sinners doe they not stand in the way of Sinners but are righteous still much more performing that by the light of grace which Anacharsis a Scythian did by the glimpse of Nature who Erasmus in vidua Christi being at Athens as writeth Erasmus in which Cittie it was a most hard thing to bee a good man Nihil tamen de sua seueritate remisit yet diminished hee nothing from his grauity So the righteous doe much lesse impaire any thing in their goodnesse but tanquam margarita in Coeno As Pearles in a Puddle so doe they keepe their vertue still It appeareth then by the premised matter that there is a two-fold way The one of the Righteous the other of Sinners That also there is a great difference betweene these Two wayes both in regard of the entrance into the Way Company in the Waye passage out of the Waye that more-ouer the Vngodly-one Standeth that is Planteth and Setleth him-selfe in this Waye On the contrary side that the Godly standeth not in this waye because hee is carefull what in him lyeth by the direction of GODS spirit not so much as to steppe into this waye Oh let vs then in the feare of GOD if wee would bee accompted as wee are and bee as wee are accompted Let vs I say refraine our feete from this Waye yea euen from the Path that is the least meanes of conueyance which may leade vs to this Waye If wee Prou. 1. 15. will of necessity be-take our selues vnto a Waye oh by how much is it better for vs to be-take our selues vnto the waye of GODS Commandements saying as Iob. My Iob. 23. 11. foote hath followed his that is GODS steppes his waye haue I kept and haue not declined Though the Sinner sâ—pposeth that hee standeth in the waye of Sinners Yet as Saint Bernard witnesseth hee rather falleth by Sinne Saint Berâ— de â—â—na domini then standeth in the waye of Sinners and his fall hath beene as that Father speaketh on stones to bruise him and on pollution to defile him a pollution so base and despiceable Ezech. 24. 6. as it is called by the name of Scumme which first ariseth of corruption secondly is light thirdly is vnprofitable So is Sinne also Corrupt Light Vnprofitable and hee which standeth in it standeth in Corruption Vanitie Vnfruitfulnesse Whereas the Righteous ought to bee Incorrupt Vertuous Fruitfull as hee which looketh to receiue a Crowne Incorruptible Glorious Precious and therefore hee which is in the way of suâ—h preferment as Heauen is will auoide to stand in the waye of such defilement as sinne is The third perticular point in the Negatiue Contestation whereby the Euidence of the Godly mans Vertues may appeare vnto vs is that hee sitteth â—ot in the seate of the scornefull Wherein there bee considerable First what is meant by the scornefull heere spoken of Secondly that there is a seate of such scornefâ—ll ones Thirdly that the wicked doe sitte iâ— this seate Fourthly that the Godly doe not sitte in it First it must then appeare what the scornefull are or what is meant by them Scorners heere spoaken of are of two sorts eyther such as scorne Men or such as scorne GOD. Such as scorne Men bee eyther such as doe it of Pride because they thinke them-selues better then others or of Enuie because they would haue none better then themselues or else of Mischiefe because they wilâ— haue none worse then them-selues The first fruite of Scorning groweth from the roote of Pride which maketh them who are there-withall tainted to suppose that they are better then others and therefore in regarde of them-selues doe they contemne and ouer-looke others This kinde of Pride is called by the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is necessarily ioyned with the disdaine of others These kinde of Men if they haue Wealth waxe proud of it and scorne other who are poorer then them-selues If they haue Honours they swell with them and scorne others who are meaner then themselues If they haue Strength they are puffed vpp with it and scorne others who are weaker then them-selues
accompanied and strengthened and actuated by the co-operation or fellow-working of the spirit of God The Scriptures of God thus qualified may in seuerall properties bee likened vnto water First water serueth as a Looking-glasse wherein a man may see the blemishes and defilements of his countenance so is the word of GOD as a Glasse Iam. 1. 23. Whereby a man may perceiue the spottes and staâ—nes of his soule Secondly Water doth not oâ—ely shew and detect these blemishes and defilements but also can cleanse and washe them away so the word of GOD hath a puâ—gatiue vertue if it shall bee employed to wash away and purifie the blottes and staines of our spirits and conscices For which purpose after the Kingly Prophet Danid had propounded that demaund Where-with-all sâ—all a young man cleanse his way hee forth-with makketh this answer Euen by ordering him-selfe according to thy word Psal 119. 9. Thirdly water hath no colour in it so the worde of GOD is and ought to bee with-out glosse The word of God is and ought to bee like God himselfe with-out coulour or shadowe Iam. 1. 17. If the Water hath any colour it is that most ordinarily which it receiueth from the skye whose colour it for the most part â—epresenteth if it hath any other colour it is but artificiall and accidentall so the word if it receiueth any colour it ought to bee that whose tincture is from aboue otherwise it is to bee reputed forreigne and adulterine Fourthly Water quencheth heate so the worde of God also restinguisheth the heate of our ouâ—r-inflamed passions which may appeare vnto vs First by the repressing of the enkindled passion of lust Which is as a fire which neuer leaueth as saith Saint Basill till it hath consumed Basâ—â—â—de Virginita the matter which it hath beene bred in a fire which if a man bee but singed with blisters doe certainly arise thereof yet the word serueth as water to quench it Secondly it may appeare vnto vs by the restinguishing of the inflamed passion of wrath a flame that ariseth of the ouer-heating of bloud for which cause the Prophet Dauid Psal 18. 7. 8. speaking of Anger mentioneth there-withall smoake consuming fire and the kindling of Coales S. Basil saith also Basil Hom. de ira that the Angry man à daemonibus neque formae neque animâ— affectu differt differeth not from the Deuills neither in forme neither in affection of minde whose kingdome is in fire to shew that Anger is fierie yet the worde of GOD by the sacred praecepts therein serueth as water to quench it Thirdly it may appeare vnto vs by the putting out of the ouer-hott passion of praeposterons zeale which if it bee not alayed with knowledge will prooue like Iames and Iohn who forth-with would haue commanded fire froÌ„ heauen to haue consumed the Samaritans where as in the Luke 9. 53. same place they alledge the example of Elias our Sauiour Christ made answer vnto them that their spirit was different from that of Elias for they knew not which no doubt was knowne to Elias what spirit they were of Luke 9. 55. This intemperate zeale may bee compared to the feauer Hâ—cticke which consumeth the body wherein it is The very cause and originall is this of trouble and tumults among men in reasonings and dâ—sputations as writeth Gregory Nazianzen Like to the ouer-swift motion of Gregor Naz. oration 21. the highest Sphaeres in the heauens which vnlesse it were repressed and allayed by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or counter-motion of the inferior Orbes would as it is probable set the whole world on a fire like the benefit of the water of the word to represse and redresse vnbridled zeales-violence Fiftly and lastly Water doth fructifie and make fruitfull those places which bee watered and drenched by it An example of this matter wee haue in Nilus The inundations of whose streames fructifieth euen to this day the whole country of Aegipt in which sence most properly in this place the word of God is to be accepted and thereof to abound with fruite or to fructifie in aboundance To this intent Iesus the sonne of Sirach among other things where-vnto hee resembled Simon the sonne of Oniah who had beene very bountifull and beneficiall vnto his countrey likeneth him to expresse the better the fruites of his well-doing to the Lâ—lies by the Springs of waters And when God had ordeined his Paradise appointed Eccle. 50. 8. hee also the riuers of Pishon Gihon Hiddekell and Perath to water the same and to cause it to bee fruitfull to intimate vnto vs the barren ground of our hearts the Trees here spoken of cannot fructifie with-out the Water of the Word and therefore are they heare sayd for their better fructification to bee as a Tree planted by the waters Secondly this Tree is said to bee planted by the riâ—ers of waters where-out I am first to handle the Quality a Riuer Secondly the Plurality Riuers of waters First this Tree is said to bee Planted by those waters which for their quality are a riuer Two remarkable properties be obserued in a Riuer first that the guise thereof is to flowe forth without standing second that by reason of this perpetuall flow it holdeth fresh and sweete without corrupting In the first place the quality of a Riuer is to flow without standing answerable where-vnto ought the Word to bee as a riuer euer-flowing by the currant of a double streame the one of reading the other of preaching The riuer of the word floweth and ought to flow by yâ— streame of reading a thing which though not in so great râ—easure as preaching yet hath beene very profitably begun and from time to time continued in the Church of God When the children of Isarel stood halfe of them ouer against Mount Garizim and halfe ouer against Mount Eball Ioshuah read al the words of the Lawe the blessings and cursings according to all that was written in the booke of the law there was not a word of all that Moyses had commanded which Ioshuah red not hefore the congregation of Israell as well before the women and children as the stranger that was conuersant among them Ezras also is said to read the Law of Moyses in the broad place of the gate of the Temple from Ioh. 8. 34. 35. morning to middâ—y before the Men and the Women and all the multitude hearkned therevnto 1. Esd 9. 41. they so approued it as they weare very attentiue Thus read Baruch the sermons of Ieremy Paule exhorteth Timothy to giue Bar. 1. Iâ—r 36. attendance as well to reading as exhortation and Doctrine 1. Tim. 4. 13. The same Apostle chargeth the Thessalonians that his Epistle should be read to all the brethren the Saints 1. Thessalo 5. 27. Hee also instructeth the Ephesians that by reading his Epistle they mought know his understanding in the mistery of Christ Ephes 3. 4. What should I tell you that Moses had them
rammes shall 1 Sam. 15. 22. we faile to bee obedient Is there nothing more displeasing to God then disobedience which is therefore branded with the marke of rebellion and stiled the Sinne of witch-craft and shall we like to be disobedient O how 1 Sam. 15. 23. much better were it for vs to submit our selues to the commandements of Gods voyce that wee may become fruitfull as the vine Psal 128. 3. then feele the voyce of his iudgements which will cause vs to shiuer for feare and breake into shiuers though we be as tall as the Cedar that Psal 29. 5. so our duty in becomming fruitfull trees may answer to his authority who commandeth vs to be trees bringing forth fruit Thirdly wee are to bring forth fruite in regard of God because he is gloryfied by it Let your light so shine before Math. 5. 16. men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen Our Fructifying then is made Gods Gloryfying What greater praise and cause of ioy can theâ—e bee vnto vs then to see the glory of him inlarged who hath prepared for vs a far most excellent and an eternall weight of glory Doth the King of glory crowne man 2 Cor. 4. 17. Psal 8. 5. with glory and worshipp and shall not man augment and increase the glory and worship of the King of glory Was it not a wofull voyce as euer was bruited in Izraell which occasioned the wife of Phinehas old Elies soâ—ne to call hiâ— sonne Ichabod because the glory was departed from Izraell And shall it not bee a rumor of farre more mournefull report to haue it noysed that glory is departed from the God of Izraell Is God so iealous of his honour 1 Sam. 4. 21. that he will giue it to no other and shall wee bee cold Esay 42. 8. in tendering to him the thing nee so greatly loueth The Heathen thinke they bestowe a kinde of glory on their Idols when they make them of Gold or siluer but it is most true that wee shall magnifie the glory of the God of heauen if as fruites of this â—ree wee shall charitabley bestow our gold and siluer The Wise man saith Ecclesi 10. 23. That the glory of the ritch is the feare of the Lord But we may say that the charitable fruite of the ritch is the glory of the Lord. The glory of man without gloryfying 1 Math. 2. 62. of the Lord is but dung and wormes but this dung and worme by glorifying God shall be made gloryous When Phil 3. 21. Christ shall come to iudgement hee shall come with power and great glory With power Why to punish no Mar. 13. 26. doubt the reprobate with glory Why to glorifie no doubt the godly that they which haue as the sonnes of God brought forth the fruite of their planting in ascribing vnto him and procuring for him glorious praise may be in Gods good time recâ—â—â—ed into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God Rom. 8. 21. Secondly wee are as trees of Gods planting to become fruitfull in regard of the ghospell that it may bee beutified by it that as the feete are beutifull of them which bring vnto vs the glad tâ—dings of the Gospell Rom. 10. 15. So also the hands of them may be bountifull which do receiue the same If we heare the words of the Gospell and bring not forth the fruites of the Gospell We are like barren ground which receiueth seed from the hand of the Husband-man and yeeld him no increase As a woman is not adorned with outward apparrelling as with broyded hayre or gold put about or the putting on of apparell but when the hid man of the heaâ—t is vncorrupt 1 Pet 3. 3. with a meeke and quiet spirit which is before God a thing much sette by So the Gospell cannot be said to be beautified when the outward partes thereof are materially garnished with Emblemes decked with stones of price or filletted with gold but when the inward sence thereof is so digested in the heart as the same also prospereth fâ—uctifieth in the outward actions and dealings of our life The Apostâ—e protesteth that he is not ashamed of the gospell of CHRISTE Oh wee ought to bee euer and seriously Rom. 1. 16. carefull that the gospell of Chriâ—â— be not ashamed of vs shall the Turks grace their Alcaron with good works which are earnestly vrged aâ—dâ—lâ—igently practised among theâ— and shal not we beutify the most holy gospel of Christ by adding the fruits of the Pomgranates to the bels of Aron the substance of our good deeds to yâ— sound of Gods glad tidings Is the Gospel a light that shmeth in darknesse And shal wee become as a thicke and pa pable darknesse to blinde Luke 1. 79. and obscure this light Hath GOD giuen the Word that blessing if wee haue grace to apprehend it that it would iusufie â—rrchsie and might one day glorifie vs and shall not wee so much as beautifie it The way to 〈◊〉 t is to â—â—â—â—â—fic by it As the Philippians profitting Philip 4. 1. by the labours of Paul are câ—lâ—ed Acrowne so they 〈◊〉 according to the precepts of the Gospell become plentifull in good workes become a Crowne to the Gospell to dignifie and grace the same It is said that an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 woman is a crowne to her husband but â—â—ee that maketh 〈◊〉 ashamed is rottennesse to his bones l â—ou 12. 4. The fiugali and fruitfull Christian may bee compared to this huâ— wifely and painefull Woman which thereby becommeth a Crowne to the Gospell as shee to her husband but if hee shall bee idâ—e or euill dooing eyther nothing or naught therein becommeth â—ee a shame to the Gospell as such a Wife is to her Husband yea and in some sort rottennesse to the bones thereof because hee grieueth the holy spirit of GOD I phes 4. 30. The Gospell Matth 13. is sayd to bee the Kingdome of GOD. Did Salomon so garnish the Porche of the Temple that it was there-vpon called Beautifull and shall not wee reioyce Acts. 3. 2. that by our â—â—uitâ—s not the Porch of the Temple which may haply not seeme much but the Temple it selfe and the Holy of Holyes of the Temple is adorned because the Gospel and by coâ—â—â—quencâ— the Kingdome of God which contâ—ineth the whole frame of the Temple not onely materiall but also dragogicall i beautified Thirdly we are as Trees of GODS planting to become fâ—uâ—tâ—full in regarde of man both our selues and others Touching our selues wee are as Trees to become fruitfull to make our saluation sure For certaine it is that though wee bee not saued by our workes yet can we not bee saued with-out our workes Non sunt causa regnandi sed via regni saith Saint Bernard They are not the cause Bernard of reigning but the way of the Kingdome As a man then cannot come to his iournies end
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The store-houses of al our actions are in heauen These actions of our haue been euerlastingly laid vp in the euer-liuing treasure-house of Gods omni-science or power to know all things These be those Idea which Plato speaketh off being certaine Essentiall impressions in the minde of God of all Plato things which according to that forme should be without such a forme praecedent could not be in the world A Sparrow is but a vile thing two of them are sold for a farthing Math. 10 29. yet God so knoweth them as he hath a speciall care of them that not one of them fall to the ground without him The grasse or flower of the field seemeth to be a viler thing as Math 6. 30. that which is to day and to morrow it is cast into the ouen yet God not only knoweth it but regardeth beauty fieth it so As Salomon in all his royalty was not arrayed like one of Vers 29. these The haâ—e of a mans head is without compare the vilest thing of al yet God so knoweth it as he hath numbred it Math. 10. 30. God who hath made all things in weight measure and number knoweth the weight measure number of all thinges This moued Plotinus though he were but a Platonist and no Christian as witnesseth Saint Augustine to say that Gods apprehensiue prouidence doth Aug. de ciui deâ— â—â— 10. c. 14 extend it selfe ad ipsos flosculâ—s foliorum pulchritudinem to the very flowers and beauty of leaues On which flowers and leaues if wee would some-what seriously contemplate and meditate with our selues the wounderous variety and collour of the one and the naturall art or artificiall nature as I may so say of the enterfolding and embroydering of the stringes iunctures and twistes the one of them with the other In the other we may well breake out into that Patheticall exclamation with the Prophet Dauid Psalm 104 â—4 O Lord how manifold are thy workes in wisedome hast thou made them all If God made them then must it be also granted that hee knew them and as witnesseth Holy Augustine If God made all things with Aug de ciui dei li. 11. c. 10 vnderstanding hee made those thinges also which hee knew Ex quo occurrit animo quiddam mirum tamen verum c. Whervpon commeth to mind a certaine woundrous but a true matter that this world could not bee knowne vnto vs vnlesse it were but vnlesse it were knowne vnto God could haue no being at all Which as it is true concerning the whole world so is it as true concerning euery singular member of it This is the knowledge of Gods Apprehension or Wisedome The second knowledge of God it is that which is of his Approbation and Fauour The knowledge of Gods Apprehension as it did extend it selfe to all things so also did it comprehend whatsoeuer doth or may apperteyne to the way naturall and of generation ciuill and of profession of the righteous which as it is a way meerely naturall and of generation ciuil and of profession the Lord apprehendeth it onely approueth it not Because it may be found among the Turkes and Heathens which haue both naturall being and ciuill trading and yet because they are not become members of Christ and to bee found in the way spirituall and of regeneration or knowne therein vnto God not in the knowledge of his Approbation but Apprehension onely Would we theÌ„ be certified what knowledge is here ment It is no doubt the knowledge of Gods Approbation Would we also bee informed what way of the righteous it concerneth verely there way Spirituall or of Regeneration the way of there new birth the way of there ingrafture into the vine Christ of becomming the misticall members of there head Christ of there inâ—ouling into the assembly of the heauenly Denizens and of their intitling to the inheritance of Gods Kingdome This oh this is the way of the righteous which God so knoweth as hee acknowledgeth so acknowledgeth as he approueth The other waies in his children God respectiuely it may bee approueth for the cause of this way but neuer alloweth he therein any place at any time among any people without this way This me thinkes that God thus knoweth the Way of his righteous ones Seruantes Saintes and Children not onely so as hee apprehendeth it in his wisdome but approueth it in his mercy should moue and egge on the righteous ones the Seruants Saints and Children of God in Gods Schoole to take forth a two-fold lesson Whereof the one is of Patience in afflictions the other of Practise of good actions The former is the lesson of Patience in afflictions for GOD seeth knoweth and approueth there way herein Some great Prince or mighty States-man vpon earth apprehendeth the more in his thought and loueth more in his heart that champion of his which so with Fortitude fighteth his battell as hee also with Patience beareth the woundes of his Aduersary whereby as the loue of his LORD is inkindled toward him so like-wise he knowing that the eies of his Lord looketh vpon him increaseth his courage and inlargeth the manlynesse of his hardy combat This world indeed it is the appointed Acheldama or Field of blood wherein God is our King and wee be his champions to fight the battels of his truth against the Princes of the darknesse of this World spirituall wickednesse in high places God our King so beholdeth vs as hee knoweth vs so knoweth vs as hee approueth vs. Oh how ought then this to animate vs with courage and arme vs with patience against all the troupes of of afflictions against all the assaultes of our enemies That wee may stand against all the waues of troubles as a Rocke against the billowing surges of the raging sea cleansed it may bee but not moued much lesse remoued That wee may become like Athanasius of whome Gregor Naziaâ—z Greg. Nazian oratio â—unâ—b in Athanas reporteth that hee was Dissidentibus magnes percutientibus adamas A Load-stone whose nature is to drawe yron the hardest matter vnto it to them which were at variance An adamant which is very hardly broken with stroakes to them which smote him winning the affections of men by the one bearing afflictions from men by the other The conquering captaine doth tryumph saith S. August because he conquered but he had not conquered but that hee fought that by how much his danger hath been the greater in the battell by so much his ioy may be the more in the tryumph We expect a greater tryumph then this not in earth among Men but in Heauen among Angels And shal wee thinke that wee shall tryumph without a conquest or conquer without a battell or remaine in the battel without patience A tempest tossing the Maryner threatneth wracke of his vessell all waxe pale for feare of death on the sodaine the Heauen is calmed the Sea asswaged wherevpon their ioy is the larger