them with that affection wherewith we of them in the like case would be admonished and yet as we also remember to be admonished of them as though we were admonished of God Doest thou loue Gods glorie then wilt thou surely admonish thy brother of sinne Doest thou loue thy brother then wilt thou admonish him with compassion See here is that which teacheth all wisedome I must be grieued for sinne because it is that that casts all mankinde from the Lord because it is such a thing as thrust Adam out of Paradise it is so grieuous a thing that it ouerwhelmed the old world with waters it consumed Sodome and Gomorrah with fiâ—e it crucified Iesus Christ the Sonne of God it is such a thing as is an enemie to God the Father an enemie to God the Sonne and an enemie to God the holy Ghost and therefore I must needes be an enemie vnto it yet I must be grieued as putting my selfe in the like case that the offender is Wherefore many faithfull Ministers of God when they are most hot they haue most heauines in their soules least the curse which they must needs threaten doe turne to the confusion of the persons whom they threaten Thus we see this zeale will teach vs neither to rebuke sinne too coldly nor yet too hotly For we shall not so loue God as we shall abuse man the image of God neither shall we so loue man as we shall hinder or impaire the glorie of God for if we be sorrowfull that God is offended and that man hath offended we shall be sure to make an holy medlie Vers. 140. Thy word is proued must pure and thy seruant loueth it HEre the Prophet shewing his loue to be the cause of his zeale repeateth in effect that which he said before It may seeme strange why the man of God should make mention of this so oft that the word of God is true But we must know that he did it to strengthen his faith in the time of trouble and that then he might not faint We thinke not that there is such need of faith because we feele not the like temptations For they that haue no sight of their corruptions know not their vnbeliefe and they that feele not their vnbeliefe feele not the necessitie of this strengthning of their faith And as they that know not their vnbeliefe know nothing so they that beleeue and see their vnbeliefe know this to be necessarie They then that haue a true triall of their vnbeliefe know this faith to be a rare gift of God So that the Prophet commendeth the word of God here of experience for he saith Thy word is proued most pure His meaning is this This is the cause why I am so zealous euen because I loue thy word and therefore O'Lord I loue thy word because I finde it by proofe to be so pure That we then may make this our rule for examination why are we so cold in zeale euen because we are cold in the loue of the word For as our loue encreaseth so encrease also our delight and griefe our delight to see the thing loued to haue happie proceedings our griefe to see the thing which we loue to be despised This we see to be in euery kinde of loue For a man that truly loueth his wifâ— cannot abide to see his wife contemned and discredited nor the woman that truly loueth her husband can abide to see him reiected and despised When we loue our friend we are grieued to see any contempt offered vnto him This then we see in the nature of true loue to reioyce to see the person loued aduanced or the thing which we loue esteemed and grieued to see either the person or thing so loued to be cast downe and contemned It was a griefe euen to the Heathenish Philosophers to see their doctrine not regarded were they so moued for the small regard of that earthly doctrine which had no exact truth in it but was mingled with infinite errors and vntruths and shall not we much more be moued to see the word of God which hath so exact a truth and no vntruth contemned and little set by wherefore when we haue not this godly griefe in vs it is a manifest argument that our loue is very cold For as our loue is the greater so vndoubtedly our griefe will be the greater and so as our loue is the lesse so will our griefe to see the thing defaced be also the lesse When we haue much delight in any thing we are much grieued and who are more grieued to see the word of God troden downe than the godly because of all other their delight is most in it Not without cause then is this loue commended vnto vs to be a token of our zeale and therefore we see Psalme 67. the Church praiseth and prouoketh all the world to praise God when the word had free successe such is the loue of it to the word of God O let thy people praise thee O God yea let all the people praise thee Oh lâ—t the nations reioyce and be glad c. As then the children of God thinke themselues in ioy and prosperity when the word of God is in prosperitie so it being in any trouble death is not troublesome to them so that by their death and suffering they may any thing confirme the truth and giue countenance to it The Prophet of God sheweth his loue to the word saying All my springs O Lord are in it meaning that all his ioy his delight and affections were wholy set on the word of God Wherefore if there be such ioy in hauing it there must needes be great griefe in wanting it We are herein greatly to condemne our selues that we are no more thankfull for our vnthankfulnes bringeth this secret curse that we are no more zealous because many can hardly iudge betweene fleshly anger and spirituall zeale such is the rare feeling of this true zeale they are readie to imagine that if one be godly zealous they are straightway carnally angrie How necessary a thing therfore it is to know godly zeale all men may see for as we haue said that the Lord threatneth Reuel 3. that vnlesse the Laodiceans would be more zealous and amend he would spue them out that is he would haue no delight in them 〈◊〉 the Lord would as leeue haue vs of another religion as to be so luke-warme in his true religion For as a stomacke is easily brought to prouoke a vomite by receiuing somewhat that is lukewarme so the Lord spueth as it were out of his stomack luke warme professors as them whom by no meanes he can brooke which is a most feareful thing We know that the good father Elie 1. Sam. 3. although otherwise no doubt he was the deare seruant of God was grieued for the sinnes of his sonnes and mourned when the Arke of God was taken was reproued by the holy Ghost that he should loue the glorie of his sons
an easie thing because it is a thing whereto of necessitie wee must yeeld but also of our inferiours whom we may seeme to contemne For all men will graunt that a child ought willingly to be admonished of his father or a seruant ought obediently to be repreheÌ„ded of his master but few will in practise giue this that a father should listen to the aduertisement of his sonne or that the maister should receiue an admonition of his seruant Howbeit Iob saith he durst not contemne the iudgement of his feruant or of his maide when they did contend with him because in a dutie of pietie he looketh to them not as seruants but as brethren he looked not to the speaker onely which in respect of his calling was his inferiour but vnto the things spoken in the ordinance of God vnto whom Iob himselfe was an inferiour and before whom Iob knew there was no respect of persons Howbeit to correct the preposterous boldnes of some we rather adde this much that inferiours must rather aduise than admonish aduertise rather than reprehend their superiours that so still they may offer their pure zeale of the glorie of God in vnfained humilitie least through their corrupt zeale they doe not onely not profit their superiours but most iustly exasperate them against them For as Magistrates Ministers and maisters by God his ordinance are to admonish rebuke and reprehend so subiects inferiours and seruants by the same rule are to aduise obey and aduertise Thus zeale goeth from respect of the person to the truth of the cause Another propertie of zeale is to be constant not to be hot by fits cold in the end and onely so long as the world fauoureth it must not be earnest in the beginning and secure in the ending but keepe a continuall tenour and temperature Iobs wife seemed to goe farre so long as she could wash her paths with butter Saul and Pharaoh had some good motions by fits vpon some occasion could play fast and loose being of a strange complexion that they could be hot cold in a moment This propertie of zeale teacheth vs how to be affected in the prosperitie and afflictions of the Church namely that the publike prosperitie of Sion should comfort vs cause vs to reioyce when our priuate crosses might make vs sad As Paul being imprisoned was not so grieued at his owne bonds as he reioyced at the libertie of the Gospell of Christ. Againe that the affliction of the Saints should moue vs to a godly griefe euen when in respect of our selues we might greatly reioyce As Daniel could not finde coÌ„fort in his priuate prosperitie though he were in great authoritie and exempted from the common calamitie because he knew the Church of God to be in miserie But to goe forward pure zeale is not blinded with naturall affection but it discerneth and condemneth sinne though it be neuer so neerely resident in our kindred Many offend against this rule who neuer will rebuke sin in their friends euen vntill God reuenge it from heauen where they are farre from true friendship for whereas they might by admonishing them of their faults in time preuent the iudgements of God they do through a false loue and manifest hatred pull the iudgements of God vpon them whom they loue most deerely He loueth most naturally that hath learned to loue spiritually and he loueth most sincerely that cannot abide sinne in the partie loued without some holesome admonition But doe not many now adaies zealously mislike sinne in strangers who will not mislike the selfe-same sin if it come to kindred if it be in our wife in our children oâ— in our parents as though the diuersitie of subiects could make the selfe-same thing sinne in some and not in other some This blinde zeale God hath punished and doth punish in his children Isaac did carnally loue his sonne Esau for meate and for a peece of venison Dauid was too much affected to Absolom for his beautie and to Adoniah for his comely stature so as his zeale was hindred in discerning sinne aright in them Now Iacob was not so deere to Isaac and Salomon was more hardly set to schoole and to take paines But behold God louing Iacob and refusing Esau howsoeuer Isaac loued Esau better than Iacob made Easu most troublesome and Iacob more comfortable vnto him Absolom and Adoniah brought vp like cooknies became corosiues to Dauids heart Salomon more restrained of God leâ—le set by of Dauid was his ioy his crowne his successour in his kingdome This â—â—sease is so hereditarie to many pareÌ„ts louing their children in the flesh rather than the spirit that the holy Ghost is fame to call vpon them more vehemâ—â—tly to teach to instruct and to correct as knowing how easily nature would coole zeale in this kinde of dutie Indeed many will set by their wiues children and kinsfolke if they be thriftie like to become good husbands wittie and politike or if they be such as for their gifts can bring some reuenue to their stocke or affoord some profit vnto theÌ„ how deepe sinners soeuer they be against God that maketh no matter it little grieueth them whereby they bewray their great corruption that they neither are zealous in truth or Gods glorie nor louers aright of their children because they can be sharpe enough in reprehension if they faile but a little in thriftines yet are cold enough in admonition if they faile neuer so much in godlinesse Well let these fleshly zealous men lay to their heart the blind affection of Helâ— who being the deare child of God was seuerely punished of the Lord for that he was not zealously affected to punish sinne against God in his deere children but blessed are they that can forget their owne cause and euen with ieopardie of nature can defend the quarrell of God henceforth labouring to know no man after the flesh but to endeuour spiritually by faith to see and know Christ Iesus so as no outward league doe bleare and dazell our eyes as that we should not espie sinne in the neerest kindred to correct it or that we should not discerne vertue in the greatest aliens to reuerence it Casting off then this vaile of fleshly loue we must labour to loue most where the image of God appeareth most there shew our affections in lesse measure where sinne may be as a marke whereby God restraineth our loue euen to them where nature may soonest deceiue vs. Now whereas many haue great courage to rebuke such as either cannot gainsay them or gainsaying them cannot preuaile against them here commeth another propertie of zeale to be spoken of and that is that it feareth not the face of the mightie neither is it disâ—aied at the lookes of the proud and the loftie Such a courage was in Iob who besides that he made the yong men ashamed of their libertie and afraid of his grauitie made euen the Princes also to
who although we haue the generall rule of our doings yet faile in the particular practise thereof I beleeue He confesseth that all wisedome was in Gods word and this although we confesse yet in practise wee often thinke that some wisedome of men must be added thereto But hee confesseth that all wisedome is in the word and that it is sufficient to make men perfect Vers. 67. Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keepe thy word THis is another reason which moued him to pray that hee might not be as a horse alwayes beaten but teach me that I may preuent these beatings If I be taught of thee I misse not if I be not I erre In prosperitie I could not seeke to be taught but in affliction drawe me thereunto so that now I desire to be taught of thee If prosperitie made this man worse seeing we are in prosperitie let vs be iealous of our selues and now seeke for that which God will bring vs to by affliction and which will bring affliction vpon vs. If hee will heare when wee humbly crie in affliction how much more if wee make our humble suite in our prosperitie Afflictions come because we will not iudge our selues then it is a blessing to haue the word to iudge vs and the Preacher to rebuke vs that our wanton lusts may be corrected Then wee are fond if wee will bee wearie of the word or of daily admonition If the word helpe in affliction how much more in prosperitie if we tend thereto Whom God loueth hee correcteth and wee shall know that God loueth vs when we are corrected if we be made better by it for in it selfe it is a punishment of sinne but when in the death of Christ it is sanctified to vs so that it maketh vs dye to sinne and that sinne is loathsome to vs then is it a token of Gods fauour For afflctions are common to all Eccles. 9. but when we profit by them then are they good to vs. For if good things become hurtfull if they bee not sanctified much more shall afflictions if they bee not sanctified in the death of Christ to make vs examine our wayes and see our sinnes and to driue vs to Christ. But the wicked are either worse or no better Then wee must profit by them or else we make away for a greater punishment Vers. 68 Thou art good and gratiâ—us teach me thy stâ—tutes HE desireth to be taught by God that whether hee were in prosperitie or trouble hee might liue well because prosperitie would make him forgetfull and affliction would ouâ—â— whelme him if God did â—ot teach him This must teach vs that in what state soeuer we be we desire to be taught of God otherwise we shall false After he had shewed that he keepeth Gods commanden eâ—ts he craueth for grace where he pleadeth not his merit Though he kept the word yet he prayeth that he may still be raught because he knâ—w not all and because he was râ—adie to eâ—â—e both in practise and iudgement And tâ—â—s must teach vs not onely to desire to be taught when we eâ—â—e but euen when we doâ— well Hee prayâ—th especially for the teaching of the spirit Vers. 69. The proude haue imagined a lye against mee but I will keepe thy prâ—cepts with my whole heart HE sheweth another cause why hee would be taught and that is hee hath to fight with the world And wee haue the same causes as our corruption and the world The world loueth none but her owne And if we were as zealous as others haue beene wee should be as sore troubled For they are enuious and if wee should fight with them with their owne weapons wee were too weake and therefore wee haue neede to bee helped of God Proud Faith humbleth and infidelitie maketh proud Faith humbleth because it letteth vs see our sinnes and the punishments thereof and that we haue no dealing with God but in the mediation of Christ and that wee can doe no good nor auoide euill but by grace but when men know not this then they thinke much of themselues and therefore are proud Therefore all ignorant men all heretikes and worldlings are proud They that are humbled vnder Gods hands are humble to men but they that despise God doe also persecute his seruants By proude he here meaneth them that had good gifts to teach vs that though wee bee persecuted of them that are in high places yet this is the manner of Gods people These first mocked him part 7. then they did him iniurie part 8. and here they deuise suttle deuices against him and this is the continuall practise of the wicked This is a great temptation to set a faire face vpon an euill cause and to deface a good cause as is noted by the Hebrue word This was great grace that he could withstand it The way is to approue our selues and our cause to God for if we depend vpon men then shall wee be amazed This maketh that true which is Eccles 8. that it happeneth to the good as though they were euill and contra This is the practise of the Familie of loue to raise vp euill reports against the cause of true religion and against the persons and they preuaile much This is the practise of men in these daies to deface the persons by calling them Puritanes and the cause that it will ouerthrow states With my heart The word must haue the whole heart and not a part or else we shall not outstand this temptation He meant that he did throughly meditate not that hee did nothing else For want of this we see that many being well coloured with the word yet doe shrinke when euill reports arise Vers. 70. Their heart is sat as grease but my delight is in thy law HE further sheweth the daunger of this temptation for as they were suttle to deuise wickedly so were they able to bring their wickednesse to passe For by this speech he meaneth that they had all things at their owne will and were through their riches in great authoritie I delight He sheweth how hee ouercame this by fatting his heart with the word as the wicked fatted themselues by their riches or else he should haue been carried away Then let vs neuer rest in reading or hearing the word till wee come to such delight in it as that we fat our selues with it as the worldlings doe with their riches If wee could doe this then should we easily take our hearts from these earthly things for this is the cause that men set their delight on earthly things because they know no better And that they may finde this delight it is needfull that they finde comfort in the promises by the forgiuenes of sinnes by the assurance of Gods fauorable prouidence in this life and euerlasting life afterward which when they feele and finde then shall the word be so sweete that they shall forgoe all things for it Till wee come to this delight temptations
them in others which will permit vs to bee grieued at euill things in our selues and yet make vs to reioyce to see the same in others True zeale loueth good wheresoeuer and in whomsoeuer it is true zeale hateth sinne wheresoeuer and in whomsoeuer true zeale loueth friends as they be God his friends true zeale hateth aduersaries so far as they are God his aduersaries true zeale loueth a good thing in our most professed enemy true loue hateth a sinne in our most assured friend if wee are perswaded that our enemies be God his children howsoeuer we disagree in some particular yet wee can swallow vp many priuate iniuries offred and we more reioyce in them as they be God his children then we can be grieued at them as they haue iniuried vs. Indeede true zeale is most grieued for the sinnes of the godly because so much is their sinne grieuouser thē the sin of another by how much they came neerer to the image of GOD then another howbeit this must alwayes be with a Christian sympathie which worketh in vs a griefe for their sinne as well as an anger for their sinne which changeth our griefe into prayer for them Though then we be neuer so far asunder we must loue them that loue God though we be ioyned neuer so neere we must hate them that hate God in the meane time in deuouring on the one hand to do all duties of loue and obedience vnto them in admonishing them praying for them and mourning for them as they be ioyned in any band vnto vs and remembring on the other hand when nothing will do them good but the matter is at this point that we must either cleaue to God and forsake them or forsake God and cleaue to them that nature and ciuilitie in the second table are to giue place to religion and pietie in the first table 5 The fift rule is that wee must not bee stricter to our selues than to any other and bee more liberal in some things to others than to our selues This will first cause vs to cast the first stone at our selues this will teach vs to pull first the beame out of our owne eyes and then the mote out of anothers eye this wil make such an experience of sinne in our selues that we shall neither flatter too foolishly men in their sins nor rebuke too rigorously men for their sinne Some we shall see iustly misliking a ceremonie refuse it in themselues yet for that it is a thing indifferent they can tolerate it in others others there be who being vnwilling to vse it themselues iudge streightly all others as haynous offenders that vse it Moses refused to take so much as a shooe-latchet himselfe from the Egyptians and yet to others that would take hee would not denye the lawe of armes so streight he was to himselfe so liberall he was to others Paul seeing that in some places hee could not so conueniently liue of other mens charges as at Corinth Thessalonica although at Colossos he receiued somewhat where they were able to bestow on him yet he would not that all men should be tied to this example to doe the like for he laboureth much in all his Epistles almost about this to shew how Ministers ought sufficiently to be prouided for so strict hee was to himselfe such liberalitie he left to others Rom. 14. 2. Cor. 8. 10. where he intreateth of things indifferent It were good then that Christians might say thus with themselues I can doe thus by Christian libertie but if it be an hinderance to the glorie of God or an offence to my brother I wil not do it if others doe it so their heart be good in this and their conscience is vsed in other good things I will not herein wage warre with them but to ioyne with them in greater and better matters I will pardon the lesse If this wisedome had beene vsed long agoe what vanitie had there been in the Church of God for want of this what trouble hath risen therein 6 The sixt and last rule is if we haue a zeale against the sinne because it was against the law of God and therewithall haue a compassion to the person because one like our selues hath offended this mixture of affections causeth anger to feede on the sinne not on the person When our Sauiour Christ going about on the Sabbath day to heale the man with the withered hand was reprehended of the Pharisies it is saide hee looked about him angerly and after it is added that he sorrowed for the blindnesse of their hearts see how anger and sorrow meete anger that men should haue such little knowledge of God or loue to their brother sorrow that being such excellent creatures they should slippe so fouly Looke vpon the Prophets which if in the heauinesse of spirite they did not vtter their word which in the zeale of God his glorie they did denounce so that when they most threatned they were most grieued that the plague spoken should fall vpon them Now that is an outreaching zeale where our anger rather seedeth on the person than on the sinne Samuel in the zeale of Gods glorie spares not flatly to tell Saul of his sinne and yet in loue to his person he was alwaies bent to lament Saules cause and to pray for him Doest thou loue Gods glorie Then wilt thou surely admonish thy brother of his sinne because zeale cannot suffer God to be dishonoured Doest thou loue thy brother then wilt thou admonish him with compassion because loue lamenteth the weaknes of thy brother who hath done that which thou mightest haue done FINIS GODLY OBSERVATIONS CONCERNING DIVERS ARGVMENTS AND COMmon places in Religion CHAP. I. COnscience is a sensible feeling of Gods iudgements grounded vpon the word nourished by the consideration of the latter day stirring vp our hearts to the approouing of our doings both before God and men It is an effect of faith faith therefore as the cause must goe before where no faith is there is no knowledge where there is no knowledge there is no conscience Many men say this is my cōscience they might better say this is mine opinion this is my fancie Knowledge is lesse than faith and opinion lesse than knowledge Againe it is placed in the heart to the stirring vp of vs and summoning of vs to approoue those things which we knowe before God We must not make our conscience like a cheuerel purse stretch it too farre or too narrow that is bee not too righteous as the Anabaptists and the Familie of loue Saul in sparing Agag would be too mercifull and afterwards waxed cruell by killing the Prophets Those that are true Puritanes are such We must not let our conscience looser than the Scriptures be for then wee fall to be prophane Take heede of extreames for vertue is a meane betweene two extreames taking something of one and something of the other knowledge of generals and
to loue best 516 how to loue superiours equall and inferiours 120 Loue of the creatures hinder 20. carnall loue 637 Lust remedies against it 635 M MAdnes the cause of it 20 Magistrates how they may winne the peoples fauour 260 they must be men of wisedom 38 haue a care of Gods glory pray for the people 778 their sinne most dangerous 79â— siâ—s of the people cause euill Magistrates 53 Markes of Gods children 25 See children of God Mâ—riners that sâ—ile on the Sabbath 164 Matrimonie notes to know whether it be of God 20 consent of parents 21 choise in it 742 the spousage before knowne by the light of nature 122 the end of it 806 Meanes 27 of saluatioÌ„ 42 all good meanes must â—e vsed 615 â—70 we ought to attend thereoÌ„ 736 neglect therof a tempting of God 674 by what meanes wee draw to God 690 to keepe vs from sin 7â—8 the vertue power of the meanes in God 844 meanes of least shew bring greatest graces 290 Mediatour who it is 80 how dangerous to appeare before God without him 694 Mediocritie 29 Meditation 615 159 574 564 in labour 4 how we be hindred therein 10 commodities of it 22. rules for it 23. of Christ his death 19â— of death in or on the word 450. to redeeme the time for it 471 Meditation must be continued 459 we will alwaies meditate thinke on the things we loue 459 Melancholy Satan and it disquiet afflicted soules 257 Memorie helpes for it 23 â—5 447 Mercie 209 of God 9 522. the rich mercy of God to the faithfull in opening their eyes when many millions are left in darkenesse and miserie 503 it is either in giuing or forgiuing 697 to the poore 69â— how it worketh in the wicked 247 to whom the mercies of God are dearâ— 782 Merit 509 Messengers of God how they binde and loose 877 must be prepared for trouble 747 their euill life how dangerous 752 messengers of Satan within vs. 306 Minde 52 cast downe 95 distempered 482 Ministers 24. the necessitie of theÌ„ â—39 â—40 the vse whereunto they are appointed 341. their dutie first to reade and studie 342. secondly to teach the word â—43 how where what he must teach 344 when 345. to pray for himselfe and the people 345. thirdly hee ought to liue a godly life â—46 fourthly hee ought to teach priuately as well as publikely 347 how a Minister may â—â—â—e 347. Miniets the porters of heauen 288. meanes to bring vs to Christ. 288 Ministers and Auditors are not alwaies alike 448 Ministerie 24 646 the haste of young men to it 24 the dignitie of it 747 the necessitie of it 340. whether a man may desire it 52. negligent in it 752 790 sufficiencie for it 546 couetous in it 735 Miracles giuen in mercy and in iudgement 736 Mirth 25 the way to godly mirth 724 Morall and Ceremoniall 132. See Law To know things morall and ceremoniall 138 Mortification goe together with remission of sinne 105 Mother 76 three good mothers breeds three euill daughters 830 Motions secret vnto sinnes 108 the spirit restraines euill motions 89 the godly are not free from euill motions 681 we must watch ouer them 703 the first motion to sinne must be crucified in vs. 467 why so few good motions come to vs 522 sudden motions to good 476 Motes what sinnes are called motes and what beames 632 Multitude to follow is dangerous 704 Murmuring the policie of Satan therein 26 how common in our daies 249. remedies against it â—51 758. how readie we are in our daies to murmure 815 N NAme good name how pretious 259 260. See good name Nature good and euil 29 natural men measure others by theÌ„selues 715 they count all spirituall things as paradoxes 457 Necessitie two kindes thereof 166 Neighbour who is our neighbour 79 O OBedience what it is 50 to the word 826. it must be free 44 triall of it 544 strict obedience to be laboured for 292. popish obseruations and workes of supererogation in the point of obedieÌ„ce confuted 393 Occasion of euil must be auoided 25 263 Offences 721 47 74 90 702. small sinnes great offences 727 Oppression 780 Order necessarie in all things 833 Othes 75 476 P PApists 3 673 disquieted in minde 96 rest in the worke wrought 689. neuer felt the power of Christ his grace 787 popish obiections against the Gospell 802 popish superstition 455 Papists goe beyond carnall Protestants in outward things 805 455 How papists follow Peter 483. papists may not be spared for their ciuill honestie 455 Popish Doctors of reason 520 PareÌ„ts immoderate loue 2â— follie 258 for what cause the Lord afflicteth parents in their children 277 their consent in mariage 743 consideration in correcting their children 798 Pastors the â—inne of the flocke their sinne 259. their office 772. See ministers Patience 6â—9 759 56â— triall of it 25 properties of it 254 vnder the crosse 761 768 the vse of Gods patience 694 Peâ—ce three-fold 7 of minde 97 of conscience 209 false peace ibid. of the wicked 6â—0 of the Church 542 People their dutie to their Magistrates 76 to their Ministers 349 Perfection God lookes not for it at our hands 390 Periurie how men fall into it 333 Persecution 670 popish persecution how great 791 Perseuerance 496 694 721 116 in the vse of the meanes 15 764 a sure triall both of knowledge and faith 510 Pâ—ruert who they be that peruert others 730 Physition properties of him 794 Pittie who are to be pittied 25 Plague 79â— boldnes and fearefulnes in it 2 extremities 104 plague threatned 790 for the contempt of the word 513 A perfume for christiaÌ„s against the plague 444 Pleasure 653 734 how we may take pleasure 726 vse of it with restraint 7 9 of sinne 323 Pollution the polluted person polluteth all things 189 Policie of the world euill 838 Polygamie 586 Posteritie care thereof 798. Iehosaphat punished in his posteritie 462 Posts on the Sabbath 165 Pouertie the cause and vse of outward want 26 Poore 261 zealous in defence of them 258 poore in godlines 784 collections for them on the Sabbath 161 Praise 27 733 749 Preaching with prayer before after 272 the power therof 283 708 sincere bring men to Christ 139 needfull by sea 164 distinguished from catechizing 664 the onely meanes to worke faith 690 346 173 Preachers how they winne fauour 8â—1 how they should carrie themselues 358 247 a true marke of a faithfull Preacher 375 See Minister Prayer 2 38 when to pray 26 to offer vp our prayers to God albeit in perplexitie of spirit wee know not how to pray 484 publike for the sicke 34 want of it cause want of faith 177 what it is 90 a remedy in temptation 873 how it is hard and what doth season it 507 619 how profitable 776 motiues thereunto 777 the more grace a man hath the more need he hath to pray 46 47 it is the best sacrifice 8â— priuate prayer necessarie 501 rules for prayer 562 563
Priests he sheweth that he rather speaketh against the persons than against the cause and strangleth them in their owne argument For the answer in effect is this If my Disciples prophane the Sabbath then did your own Priests the same Vnder this we may couch the answer of our Sauiour Christ to the Iewes who accused him for healing of the sicke man on the Sabbath day Ioh. 5. 17. My Father worketh hetherto and I worke that is as my Father ceased from the workes of Creation yet he ceased not from doing good on the Sabbath so though I and my Disciples haue ceased from our ordinarie callings yet cease wee not after the Father his owne example to doe the workes of mercie on the Sabbath For the works of God his prouidence are to be done euery day Seeing he then vouchsafeth to put vs in his stead to doe good things wee may lawfully doe them though with some bodily labour as wee may on that day resort to the imprisoned visite the sicke relieue the needie reconcile the vncharitable and admonish the vnrulie And why wee seeke not heerein our owne profite but the profite of our brethren wee desire not our owne glorie but the glorie of God In which cases wee are not forbidden but commaunded to doe good on the Sabbath If wee looke narrowly into the historie of our Sauiour CHRIST we shall see it was most vsual vnto him to heale the sicke to restore sight to the blinde to open the mouthes of the dumbe and to frequent like exercises on the Sabbath day And for what cause Because on other dayes men following their ordinarie callings could not so well followe him but on the Sabbath day their other busines set apart they attended on him willingly and resorted together so that if he had done these things on the other daies he should haue hindred the ordinary callings of men by the concourse of people or else he should haue done them to the lesse glorie to God if no companie nor concourse had bene made Wherefore as both the people on that day were fittest to come to Christ so Christ was then most ready when his works also might most make for Gods glorie Besides hee did then these things rather that hee might weane the Iewes from their superstitious opinion of the Sabbath and bring in the pure vse thereof in exercising the works of loue Now if the outward rest of the day had been the chiefest thing therin as the Pharisees then dreamed and many now a daies haue thought then how would Christ haue done these things who was to doe and fulfill all things commanded in the morall Law left nothing vndone in any one jote of the ceremoniall Law vntill the vaile of the Temple of his bodie was rent Thus wee see how the chiefe ende was morall and not ceremoniall and as it is morall giuen to all men to further them in the means of their saluation it is as needfull for vs as for the Iewes Againe Christ was asked of no one question more than of the Sabbath and in all his answeres he rather inueigheth against the peruerting theÌ„ intendeth the abrogating of the Sabbath In like manner he meaneth nothing lesse then the abrogating of the day in his Apologie against the Pharisees but rather laieth open their folly in prouing to their faces that they cauill too much for the peruerting of the Sabbath seeing they are driuen to reprehend that in others which they themselues doe The reason of his defence insinuaâ—eth thus much If yee thinke it an holie dutie to cut the flesh of children on the Sabbath because it is done in your Temple which otherwise might seeme a spice of murther and crueltie Againe if yee thinke the Temple commands the worke of slaying your beasts for sacrifice which being done in the market-place were too butcherlike then I giue you to vnderstand that my disciples doe nothing vnbeseeming the Sabbath so long as I am present with them who am greater then the Temple The third reason is contained in the seuenth verse If ye know what this is I will haue mercie not sacrifice yee would not haue condemned the innocents Here our Sauiour Christ as before he had defended his Disciples by testimonies out of the Law so now excuseth them by the witnes of the Prophets and â—iteth a place out of Hosea chap. 6. 6. as if he should say What workes doth the Sabbath forbid are they not the workes of our ordinarie calling What workes doth the Sabbath commaund To sacrifice onely No but to doe the workes of mercie also which is the ende of all our sacrifices Why then seeing the law doth not forbid the duties of loue to be done will yee denie this worke of mercie to my Disciples that when they fainte they might not be refreshed That this place of the Prophet is thus to be construed that the Lord will not haue sacrifice alone but mercie withall wee may proue it by other places of the scriptures as 1. Cor. 1 17. Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospell where the Apostle meaneth that he was not chiefly and onely sent to baptize but to preach also So that the place is to be vnderstood in the way of comparison that when one of the things cannot be conueniently done without the other be vndone then mercie which is better than sacrifice must be preferred as being the issue whither Sacrifice is referred And in this respect though simply in themselues considered and in respect of the persons to whom they are performed the first table of the Law and the duties thereof are to be preferred before the second table and the duties thereof yet in comparison when one of these must of necessitie be left vndone because both cannot bee done together seeing the Lord most alloweth of our obedience when testimonie thereof is witnessed by practise to his Saints and in the exercises of loue we performe that in trueth which otherwise wee labour for but by meanes the Lorde desireth mercie and not Sacrifice and the knowledge of his will more then burnt offerings So that heerein the Disciples doe not onely not breake but keepe the Sabbath This argument Christ vseth Mark 3. 4. where hee being reproued because on the Sabbath day hee healed the man that had a withered hand said to his accusers Is it lawfull to doe a good deede on the Sabbath day or to doe euill to saue the life or to kill As also Luke where hee on this manner answered the Pharisees who watched him whilest he healed the man which had the dropsie 5. Which of you shall haue an Asse or an Oxe fallen into a pit and will not straightway pull him out on the Sabbath day As if he should say why doe yee watch to take me in this thing Will ye permit the works of mercie to be done to beasts and will ye denie them to be done to men Why will yee helpe your beasts being in
make conscience of sinne being knowne the Lord visiteth vs with priuate and publike meanes that as the wicked shall be without all hope ease or end tormented in hell so these in mercie and measure should haue their hearts broken which because they would not doe by the louing inuocating and inuiting of them by the Lord therfore it is done by some crosses Secondly it respecteth the regenerate either to continue them in their good estate or to keepe them from some grosse sins For God his children doe sometime fall and alwaies may fall if God keep them not Because Dauid and Manasses had sinned God sent them the crosse that they might not forget him Now because the same may be in vs if the Lord will powre out his wrath vpon the wicked surely he will not suffer his owne children to be vncontrolled We must not then as some are wont to doe say Did not Dauid sinne make ye so much at me was not Dauid a great sinner and yet saued It were well indeed if we would binde Dauids sinne with Dauid his repentance or if we consider how the Sunne was turned into darkenes the Moone into blood in his kingdome if we shall see the pillars of Gods iudgements and vapours of God his wrath against him among his owne how his sonnes rebelled they that would be Counsellers became traitors and how the wicked caitifes insulted ouer him we would surely know that it did little helpe vs to reckon vp Dauid his sinning This doth God to sow the lips of the wicked that they should not say that God doth spare and punisheth not sinne in his and that they should not dreame of escape when his owne seruants are so punished And although God his children presently fall not but are readie to fall he wrappeth them often in the crosses of the wicked not so much to punish any sinne present but to preuent in them some sinne to come that thereby taking away the occasion of sinning he might humble them before they fall Againe albeit they be not subiect to grosse sins yet because they are oft puft vp with priuie pride dead vnmercifull dull forsaking their first loue sometime neither hot nor cold luke warme without zeale briefly in that they are not as God his children should be or as they themselues sometimes and before haue been the Lord in wisedome correcteth these wants and infirmities that from infirmities they should not burst out into enormities from sinning of ignorance they should not sin against conscience and from secret sinnes that they commit not presumptuous sinnes For this cause Reuel 3. the Lord sent plagues on the Church of Laodicea not so much for grosse and notorious sinnes but because they were not humbled and zealous enough but such as might more easily haue fallen into deeper enormities hereafter If men vse to trie gold seuē times in the furnace not for any masse of drosse in it but to proue it how much more had the Lord neede to trie our faith although we be not giuen to any great and notable crime For as there may be two vses in the trying of gold the one to purge it from drosse the other to fine it the more so there are two vses of corrections the one to punish sinne the other to trie their faith And although the Lord more principally doth not punish sinne but rather secondarily chiefly trying the patience of his children yet when men cannot accuse vs neither we can accuse our selues yet the Lord will purge vs from some secret corruption which may breede a sinne in time to come And hereupon it commeth that priuie pride secret selfe-loue close couetousnes hidden hypocrisie and such like are counted sinnes of God his children though of worldlings they be thought good vertues But some will say Is this the truth ye sticke to Is this the Gospell which ye professe See what hurliburlies see how many opinions there are what a companie of religions are start vp see what denying of the faith what grosse sinnes are sprung vp see what deaths plagues and warres are accompanied with it Surely it seemeth that this is not the Gospel Before all things were in better case no such disturbance in religion no such noise of notorious sinnes no such turmoilings on euery side all things were at good quiet but now we haue more troubles than euer in former times were heard of The wicked do not onely breake their neckes at this blocke but God his owne children haue daungerously stumbled at it For when Iob Dauid Ieremiah without God his spirit beheld the prosperitie of the wicked and the aduersitie of the godly they confessed their feete had almost slipped sauing that they durst not condemne the generation of God his children To remedy this the holy Ghost saith that when the graces of God doe most appeare then will the Lord send greatest iudgements for the contempt of his Gospell in the wicked and for the neglect of it in the godly Now this is foretold that we might not be offended when it commeth this vse doth Christ teach vs to make of it These things haue I told you before that when they come to passe c. For to God his children being but babes in Christ this is a great temptation And to come to our daies Doth it not trouble men much that there be so many vnlearned Ministers of learned Ministers that there be so many vngodly men that they see such oppressing Magistrates such rebellious people such carelesse gouernours that there is such an height of subtiltie in couering and cloaking sin where is most knowledge such running to sinne where is most preaching and where the Gospell is receiued that there should be such sects and heresies when they shall see the Papists readie to outface the Gospell what may a man do now or how may he stay himselfe if the Lord should leaue him Surely God hath foretold it Euen as the Sunne then shining bright the Moone giuing light the cleere aire are tokens of God his loue so much more the word and as these being darkened obscured shew God his wrath so the word obscured doth testifie his wrath much more Yea if dearths plagues famine or such like come we must be forewarned of them And our Sauiour Christ when men asked him signes he told them of many and Mat. 24. that there should be such wonders in the heauens in the earth and in the seas that euen the very elect should be confounded almost Now if Christ had not forewarned these things in the equitie of his iudgement we might indeed haue had some occasion of offence And for this cause our Sauiour Christ saith Matth. 11. Blessed are they that are not offended in me because such confusions shall be that men will be readie to lay the cause of these things on the Gospell and on the word and therefore blessed are they that are forewarned of these things and know why they come If the Iewes would not
He wisheth in another place that the wicked may be ashamed and confounded yea that they may be cloathed with such garments as for himselfe hee would faine liue without shame and surely no maruel for what fruite haue we of those things whereof in the ende we must be ashamed saith the Apostle Rom. 6. 21 True it is that if a man commit sin he hath good cause to be ashamed of it but it is better to carrie such behauiour in our liues that we neede not either in our selues or before men to be ashamed of any action but that he may faile vs as Saint Paul doth this is our reioycing the testimonie of our conscience c. Hee that walketh vprightly walketh boldly saith Salomon but hee that peruerteth his wayes shall be knowen I cannot here omit a worthy saying of that wise man who did write that Booke which wee call Ecclesiasticus thus I finde it chapt 41. verse 17. c. Be ashamed of whoredome before father and mother be ashamed of lies before the Prince and men of authority of sinne before the Iudge and ruler of offence before the congregation and people of vnrighteousnes before a companion friend or of theft before the place where thou dwellest and before the truth of God and his couenant or to leane with thine elbowes vpon the table or to be reproued for giuing or taking or of silence to them that salute thee or to looke vpon an harlot or to turne thy face froÌ„ thy kinseman or to take away a portion or a gift or to be euill minded towards an other mans wife or to sollicite any mans maid or to stand by her bed or to reproach thy friends with words or to vpbraide when thou giuest any thing or to report a matter that thou hast heard or to reueale secret wordes Thus maiest thou well be shamefast shalt find fauor with all men But of these things be thou not ashamed neither haue regard to offend for any person of the lawe of the most High and his couenant â—nd of Iudgement to iustifie the godly of the cause of thy companion and of strang 〈…〉 of distributing the inheritance among friends to be diligent to keepe true balance and wâ—ight whether thou haue little or much to sell Merchandise at an indifferent price and to correct thy children diligently c. Note we then here that the meanes to auoide shame before men and confusion before God and men is a reuerend respect to all Gods commaundements I say vnto all For he that offendeth in any one is guilty of all Dead flies saith Salomon cause to stincke putrifie the oyntment of the Apâ—thâ—â—arie so doth a little fâ—llie him that is in estimation for wisedome and for glorie A little hole if it be not stopped will sincke a shippe a little spot if it bee not taken out will defile a garment and a little sinne if it be not washed away by that blood of Christ which was shed for the least sinne will endanger the soule We must haue a respect to all or else we haue true respect to none Adams one sinne made him so ashamed that he could not without blushing behold himselfe much lesse durst hee come into the presence of God Dauids one sinne made him so ashamed that for a long time he could not looke vp What shall we say then of the sinners of our time who imagine mischiefe vpon their beds who drinke vp iniquity like vnto water who eate vp Gods people as it were bread who delight when they doe euill to whom it is a pastime to committe sinne whose foreheads are brasse faces iron and countenances as that of the whorish woman impudent and past shame Were they ashamed when they committed abhomination Nay they were not ashamed neither could they haue any shame saith the Lord by the Prophet Ieremie chapter 6. 15. In former times sinne walked not without a couering as we may see in Thamar Genes 38. 14. Nay sinners might not be looked vpon as we may read of Haman Hester 7. 8. But now the wicked walke on euery side they sit in the dore stand at the windowe and are not ashamed to appeare before God in his house and at his Table though in steede of their wedding garment they come cloathed with the menstruous ragges of sinne and iniquitie Shall not God be auenged of such a stiffe-necked people Yea though Noah Iob and Daniell pray for them in the ende he will be auenged For cursed are they that erre from his Commandements None can looke vp better then then the godly none shall hang downe his head sooner then the godlesse Then shall I not bee confounded By this wee vnderstand saith Caluin that so manie as followe their owne lusts and phantasies which looke this way and that way and imagine themselues a marke and forge themselues such a way as seemeth good in their owne sight that they shall be confounded and deceiued The onely way to auoide this confusion is inwardly in heart and outwardly in practise to settle our eyes vpon the law of God without turning aside either to the right hand by superstition or to the left hand by prophanenesse of life â— vers 7. I will praise thee with an vpright heart when I shall learne the iudgements of thy righteousnes BVt what Dauid wilt thou giue vnto God when he shall direct thy heart so to keepe his lawe that hauing respect to all his commandements thou needest not to be ashamed I will praise thee saith he with an vpright heart and thus as I take it is the connexion of this verse with the former The meaning is that when it shall please the Lord throughly to teach him his will which he calleth here the iudgements of his righteousnesse because it containeth in it perfect righteousnesse then will be magnifie and praise the name of God alone and that with a sound and sincere heart voyd of hypocrisie and counterfaiting Learne we here 1. what Dauid especially desired to learne namely the word and will of God he would euer be a scholler in this schoole and sought daily to ascend to the highest forme that learning to know he might remember remembring might beleeue beleeuing might delight delighting might admire admiring might adore adoring might practise practising might continue in the way of Gods statutes This learning is the old and true learning indeed and he is best learned in this art who turneth Gods word into good workes Too much of other learning will make thee mad vpon thine owne wisedome yeathy wisedome and thy knowledge may make thee to rebell but this will make thee wise vnto saluation Other wise men are ashamed they are affraid and taken Lee they haue reiected the word of the Lord and what wisedome is in them Ier. 8. But Gods wiseman hath more vnderstanding then the ancient Psal. 119. vers 15. more circumspect than his enemies Ps. 19 better learned then either the wise
word when we come to it Vers. 78 Let the proude be ashamed for they haue dealt wickedly and falsely with mee but I meditate in thy precepts AS hee had before saide that the godly should be comforted in his deliuerance so here he saith that the wicked should see their wickednesse and bee ashamed either with such shame as might bring them to repentance or which might confound them if they would not repent He prayeth against their enterprises not against their persons nor the image of God in them He hath some prayers giuen by speciall instinct for the ouerthrow of the wicked in other places but here he maketh that praier which the Church ought to make For we cānot pray that Gods people may be comforted in our deliuerance but wee must also pray that the wickednes of the wicked may turne to their shame This being obserued that wee pray not against their person but their enterprise then this that wee simply respect the glory of God and the good of Gods people For if we should doe it of some speciall grudge then should we make Gods glorie a cloke of our euill purpose sin against him We may then pray that the Lord would blesse his word among vs that he would sanctifie vs by it that our good workes might be knowne to others for his glory Therefore we may pray so that it be in loue that the heresies of Papists Families of loue and others may be discouered and ouerthrown and the persons ashamed of their doings They dealt falsely with me This sheweth that their dealings that he praied against and not against their persons because their dealings were wicked and false And this teacheth when we must thus pray euen when their wicked dealings are plaine and their doings false and then may we pray with hope because the righteous God loueth righteousnesse and if the cause be good it will come to a good end For though trueth may be ashamed yet it cannot be ashamed for euer for God will defend his owne cause and though the wicked for a time preuaile yet in the end they shal come to shame This then first comforteth vs in euery good cause that it shall haue a good issue and againe that we take no euill cause in hand for if we doe it will bring shame at the last But I meditate in thy statutes He repeateth the same thing often and surely if the world could not containe the bookes that might be written of Christ and yet for our infirmitie the Lord hath comprised them in such a few bookes and yet one thing in them often repeated it sheweth that the matter is weightie and of vs duly and often to be considered And againe we are taught that that is a thing that none do so carefully looke vnto as they ought And he sheweth that as his enemies sought by euil means to hurt him so he sought to keepe a good conscience that so they might not hurt him Then we must not set policy against policy nor Cretizare cum Cretensibus but let vs alwayes tend to the word and keepe vs within the bounds of that and fight with the weapons that it teacheth vs. And this is the cause that many good men are ouercome by the wicked because they striue with them with their owne weapons and then they must needs be too hard for vs. Againe seeing they neuer want euill meanes because they giue ouer themselues thereto so if we would giue ouer our selues to God and his word and admit nothing but that which agreeeth to the word then should we be made wiser than our enemies Vers. 79. Let such as feare thee turne vnto mee and they that know thy testimonies AS he had not his owne flesh to fight against onely but the world also so hee did not only fight himself alone but seeketh the helpe of others When many see that religion cannot be truely professed but danger will come of it because many set themselues against it they flie from it and goe to the greater part which is the wicked If we will auoyd this let vs ioyne our selues to Gods children and they will helpe vs with counsell and aduise for one may be strong when we are weake another may haue counsell when we shall not know what to do therfore by them we shall be kept from many euill things So Paul 2. Timothie 1. 16. after he had complained of the wrong that many had done vnto him he straightway giueth thankes for the familie of Onesiphorus which refreshed him more than all his enemies could discourage him so that he durst oppose this one household to the whole rabble of the wicked It may also be a comfort to vs when the temptation of Elias commeth to vs to think that godlines were gone out of the world for then shal it be good to set the children of God before vs that we may heare of them and be in their company and so be comforted Againe it is no small thing to be godly indeed for then we shall be a comfort to Gods children when they heare that we continue in godlinesse whereas otherwise we are very many stumbling blocks if we shall be readie to fall or haue fallen Againe the mouthes of the wicked shall be stopped for when the Magistrate Minister and professor continue in holines then though he would speake euill yet his mouth should be stopped and what great glorie should come to God by this so that here is a speciall spurre to moue any to stand and continue in godlines If Dauid did thus desire the company of Gods children what ought we to doe But men know not their wants they know not the communion of Saints therefore they are carelesse of this Yet Paul desired to come to the Romanes that he might receiue mutuall comfort for euery member of Christ hath somewhat wherewith he may doe thee good because he is annoynted with the same oyle that thou art therefore by him thou shalt remember something forgotten or haue thy iudgement reformed in some particular thing But we know not the profit of this because we haue no vse of it In the eight part he said this chiefely that he might doe them good and here chiefely that they might helpe him He sheweth that the feete of Gods children are directed by God and if they come to vs it is a blessing of God if they doe not it is his punishment By feare he meaneth that when good men feare God they haue a chiefe care to please God a chiefe care that they might not displease him but may be approued of him in all their doings He ioyneth knowledge with feare because that knowledge without feare puffeth vp and so becommeth vnprofitable Secondly because knowledge without feare resteth not simplie in the word but seeketh by meanes Thirdly because if men haue knowledge without feare they will not come much to the afflicted because they haue not been humbled Therefore that we may be humbled and that
Again the purpose of Gods spirit is not to disallowe the vse of Physicke for when Ezechias was absolued of his sinnes by Esaias then did the Prophet commaund that figge leaues should be taken and laid to it and how can he then mislike that which he there commaunded This generall doctrine then may be gathered that what disease or affliction soeuer commeth to a mans body for what cause soeuer yea though it be for the triall of faith yet the way to come out of it is to looke to our soules and to clense them for if they be once purified then the body will be easily cured For if God said iudge your selues that yee may not be iudged he will be likewise sure not to iudge vs if we will iudge our selues but when we shall begin to iudge our selues he will leaue off to correct vs Psalm 89. and 1. Corinth 11. Vers. 83. For I am like a bottell in the smoke yet doe I not forget thy statutes VVE must remember the promises the commandements in all our troubles and they will sustaine vs for if any faile in trouble it is because they trust not the promises or keepe not the commandements If we will be sure then that no affliction shall hurt vs but helpe vs and turne to our good and to assure vs of life euerlasting and to be deliuered out of them in Gods good time then let vs looke to all the promises made to vs in Christ and build a good conscience vpon Gods commaundements But if we faile in these then may we be sure that in trouble we shall faile 2. Cor. 7. And these two helpe one another If thou wilt be sound in the faith then labor to keep the commandements and if thou wilt not be driuen from the obedience of the commandements then confirme thy selfe in the promises of the forgiuenes of sinnes of Gods prouidence and of eternall life For if thou canst beleeue these then neither pleasure nor paine shall make thee forsake thy obedience but these shall be so pleasant to thee that thou shalt wholy labour to please God These two reasons Paul vseth 1. Tim. 3. to moue men to obedience First the promises of the forgiuenes of sinnes secondly of euerlasting life and to these adde Gods prouidence And this is the cause of all sinne because men beleeue not that the threatnings of God are true For if they could be perswaded of that which is Psal. 89. He will visite their sinnes c. the children of God should not need to thinke of hell and other tormeÌ„ts belonging to the wicked in the life to come Because that if they knew that though they were deliuered from paines in the world to come yet the Lord would punish their sinnes in this life and would bring them to pouerty to contempt to be reproched to be slandered c. euen this would make them loth to offend And surely the Lord will doe this for if he be neither a wise nor louing earthly father which will not correct his sonnes when they doe euill surely it must needes be that God must either be vnwise not louing or he must punish them his children that offend For though he hath made a couenant with them that hell shall not preuaile against them yet hath he not made a couenant to free them in this life because that he will driue them to the crosse of Christ by laying crosses vpon them Againe if men could beleeue the promises of God made in Christ for the forgiuenes of sinnes for Gods fatherly prouidence and for life euerlasting then would they hauing these promises purge themselues from all filthines and finish the course of their saluation in seare 2. Cor. 7. vers 1. And this beliefe in Gods promises is it that maketh men leaue sin for conscience sake to yeeld obedience to Gods will so that this beleefe bringeth forth pure obedience to Gods will Againe beleefe in Gods promises is strengthened by obedience as Peter saith Make your election and calling sure by good workes For when the Lord shal see that we haue a care to do his will then will he multiplie the graces of the spirit vpon vs so that we shal be better coÌ„sirmed in his promises If we will not then be brought to doubt or despaire of Gods promises when trouble and anguish shall come then let vs labour to build a good conscience vpon the word and commandements And if we will not be drawn away with worldly pleasures then let vs consider those promises which God hath made vnto vs. For when men begin to doubt of Gods promises they begin also to doubt of the commaundements and when men doubt of the commandements they also doubt of the promises and when men doubt of both then is sinne a light matter vnto them For faith in Gods promises breedeth obedience and obedience confirmeth saith in the promises therefore we must labour for them both and pray for both Vers. 84. How many are the daies of thy seruant when wilt thou execute iudgement on them that persecute me THis verse the second verse shew that it is lawfull for Gods children to make knowne their infirmities to him so that they waite patiently for helpe from him For this onely displeaseth him when we please our selues in moyling against them otherwise when we come in reuerence it pleaseth God that we should lay out our infirmities before him Thus Abraham and Mary laying out their infirmities with misliking of them desired that they might know how the things should come to passe but Sara and Zacharie did contrarie This is a comfortable thing that when we are in any trouble we may lay our our temptations to him so that it be with trust in the promises and misliking of our infirmities with a longing after Gods mercie in a feare of his Maiestie and a desire to be helped of our euill and corrupt infirmitie When. He had beene exercised a long time and now he prayeth that he may be helped least he through infirmitie put his hand to euill Many will make their complaint but it is too soone euen before they haue been exercised But we must be contented to be in long trouble and we may yet looke for Gods helpe acknowledging it to be his great goodnes that he continued and held vs out so long in trouble Wilt thou execute This is an ordinarie prayer not against any certaine persons but rather generally against Gods enemies and their euill causes For the Lord executeth iudgement vpon his children for their conuersion as Paul Act. 9 and vpon the wicked for their confusion He prayeth against them that belonged not to God and yet not so much against their persons as their euill causes and no otherwise against their persons than they â—re ioyned with the causes And thus may we doe for the confusion of Gods enemies otherwise we cannot Vers. 85. The proude haue digged pits for me which is not after thy law
our selues in meditation and that this depriueth vs of much profit herein in that we doe not appoint some certaine time for meditation moderating other things of our ordinary callings making a conscience sometimes to refraine from our common speeches So our vnderstanding our iudgement our will to practise will be bettered If then at our tables in our beds at our worke we would redeeme some time to reade to pray or to conferre wee should finde wonderfull profit and walking in earthly things we should haue heauenly mindes Vers. 104. By thy precepts I haue gotten vnderstanding therefore I hate all the wayes of falsehood AS in the beginning of this part the Prophet of God protesteth his loue to the word so now in the end he sheweth his hatred to the contrarie This then as we haue partly set down before more largely by Gods grace shall shew hereafter is a true token of loue to the word wheÌ„ we either hate falsehood in religion or corruptioÌ„ in manners We are then to looke into our hearts to see if we hate Poperie and heresie if there bee in vs an hatred against blaspheming of the name of God against adulterie false dealing and such like For we cannot loue the true worship but we must hate heresie we caÌ„not loue Gods name and yet not hate the abusers of it wee cannot loue chastitie and true dealing but we must hate adulterie and vnrighteousnesse But if wee feele our selues to be indifferent persons and come what come may we care not greatly vndoubtedly wee are of no religion For if thou doest not hate an Atheist thou louest not God if thou hatest not heresie thou doest not loue Gods law if thou hatest not adulterie thou art not truly chast if thou hatest not false dealing thou art vnrighteous We see heretiks neuer hate one another because none of them loue the trueth for the Papists can be content with the Familie of loue and the Family of loue with them Wherfore we see that many doe falsely pretend religion chastity and true dealing Note here in that he saith I haue gotten vnderstanding by thy word as though his vnderstanding was the cause of his zealous hatred of the false worship What is the cause then that men doe not hate euill in greater measure because they bee ignorant and knowe nothing Indeede noueltie displeaseth them a little but when they be somewhat acquainted with that which is taught them they will like it well enough Why doe we hand ouer head take any religion euen because we haue not gotten vnderstanding Why doth heresie get such easie entertainment with many of vs because we are vnconstant and borne away with euery blast as witnesse Peter and Iude and because wee are not fast rooted in knowledge as is mentioned Ephes. 4. Many in our countrie are stiffe in heresie because they were neuer sound in iudgement they were euer inconstant they were neuer rooted in Iesus Christ and therefore were carried away with euery puffe of vaine doctrine Some indeede as we haue said before fall for lacke of good conscience but some neuer come so farre because they heard not or else heard very negligently and therefore whosoeuer shall now come and blow an illusion in their eare he shall be heard How shall we know an enemie he commeth vnder the cloake of loue and is couered with the vizard of honestie but his vnderstanding faileth his iudgement is corrupt In that it is here saide all the wayes of falsehood we must note that we are to growe from knowledge to knowledge from faith to faith from glorie to glorie that growing in godly vnderstanding we may grow also in hatred of falsehood This verse may seeme to haue some contrarietie with the verse a little going before where he saith I haue abstained from euerie euill that I might keepe thy law but indeede there is none because no true mortification both here and in that place is required an hatred auoyding of euill Wee must knowe that the way to make good things frâ—â—â—te is the way to feele euill thing sowre As when thou art grieued to feele thine eye an occasion of euill or euill thoughts to bee in thine heart with bitternes and vexation of spirit thou must striue against them and God will giue thee strength to striue not onely without constraint but also of a loue of good and a hatred of euill The first way then vnto righteousnes is wear somâ—â—es of sinne and to striue against it though with great trouble because the more we vexe torment and disquiet our selues the more we shall come to the loue of good and then the hatred of sinne will growe of it selfe If then a man cannot finde this hatred of sinne in him hee must labour to auoide all occasions that hinder his vnderstanding of the truth as distractions troubles of minde and vse all meanes to grow in knowledge as reading hearing conferring and such like For our not profiting in knowledge is our not profiting in hating of heresies and our â—ot hating of heresie is a token of our not profiting in knowledge When we heare then if our hearing doe not worke in vs a loue of the truth and hatred of the contrarie wee haue not profited in knowledge but if we grow in knowledge we shall knowe it by profiting in the loue of the truth and in the hatred of falsehood Wee haue shewed how in the former portion the man of God testifying his affection to Gods law and concluding with his hatred to the contrarie intermiâ—gieth his reasons that because he found by experience that the word of God made him wiser then his enemies than his teachers and the aged and did preserue him from euery euill way therefore he found such comfort in it that no naturall thing was so liking to his outward man as this was to his inward man PORTION 14. NVN. Vers. 105 Thy word is a lantorne vnto my feete and a light vnto my path THis portion following is a prayer to the Lord to bee further instructed in the word of God and to haue his affections thereby more reformed The reasons which hee vseth bee three the first is his faith in the word in that he made account of it to be the onely meanes whereby he should be directed in all his wayes and this is contained in the first verse of the portion Thy word is a lantorne vnto my feete and a light vnto my steps or path The second is his constant purpose to perseuere in the obedience of Gods word in the verse following I haue sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements The third is his miserable calamitie wherein he was which constrained him to pray which appeareth in the next verse I am very sore afflicted O Lord quicken me according to tâ—â—y word These things are afterwards shewed in the verses following as his faith in Gods lawe in the two last and his calamity
of Gods children are not so sirme as that it is neuer shaken they are not alwaies in the tenour and as the Lord giueth them of his grace in measure so hee giueth them at sometimes more at sometimes lesse he often humbleth them with incredulitie to exercise them in prayer and to confirme them the more by his Spirit whereof they haue had a pledge in his word Wee haue learned that the Prophet thought himselfe to haue no life but as he had the feeling of the life of the Sonne of God to be conueyed to him by the spirit of God through the working of the word of God and that as we breathe eate playe and labour wee haue nothing differing from bruite beasts as we haue fiue wits to discourse of things we haue nothing more than the heathen than the Turkes than the vngodly infidels The Scriptures shew that all that liue in ignorance and sinne are dead for they that liue in ignorance sit in darkenes and in the shadow of death as it is in the song of Zacharie and if we liue in sinne the Apostle witnesseth we are but dead Ephes 2.1 The death of sinne is the life of a man and the life of sinne is the death of a man sinne then I meane to liue in vs when wee giue ouer our selues to sin with pleasure and lye in our sinne with delight And yet here is a further thing for the man of God speaketh of the experience of Gods children who when they feele delight in prayer and their inward man delighted with the word of God they thinke they are aliue and that so long they walke in the land of the liuing but when they fal into some sinne and become vnthankfull or pensiue there comes a dulnes and deadnes of heart they are not able to see any difference betweene themselues and the reprobates and finding in themselues such an heape of ill inclinations they think themselues to be dead It followeth in the verse And disappoint me not of mine hope As if he should say O Lord euen as I trust in thy word so my hope is that thy word shall be accomplished As faith is the mother of hope so hope is the daughter and nurse of faith for faith breedeth hope and hope nourisheth faith faith assureth vs of the trueth of Gods word hope waiteth for the accomplishment of it His meaning then is Lord as I trust in thy word so strengthen my faith and disappoint mee not of my hope for howsoeuer the wicked continue for a while I beleeue that I shall haue a glorious end I beleeue it is not lost labour to serue the Lord O Lord I hope to see them troden downe that breake thy statutes Thus we see how Gods children feare their vnbeliefe and nourish their faith with prayer so the true Minister of God cannot but be zealous to stirre vp his people to feruent and frequent prayer We see the one halfe of this Psalme to bee prayer and that in euery portion two or three or foure verses be prayers And the man of God being willing to bring his knowledge to feeling hath still this prayer Stay mâ—e in thy word teach mee thy statutes disappoint me not of my hope establish thy promises to thy seruant For as reading hearing and conferring doe more increase knowledge than feeling so meditating praying and singing doe more nourish feeling than knowledge Had he that had such a faith in Gods word such ioy such delight such life in the spirit neede so often and feruently to pray then I beseech you let vs pray pray pray Vers. 117. Stay thou me and I shall be safe and I will delight continually in thy statutes THis agreeth with that in the verse going before stablish mee according to thy promise Hadst thou need Dauid to be staied didst thou wauer oh how need we to be stayed and to pray against our wauering he meaneth here thus much although I am well minded and delight in thy law yet I am so brittle and so slipperie that if thou stay mee not I shall sall I am gone Oh man of God feeling his owne wants and infirmities I shall be safe that is If I be not stayed by thine hand I shall be at the last cast Psal. 30. 6 he said hee should neuer be remoued here is another spirit where he saith he should be safe But here wofull experience taught him that he durst not be stayed on himselfe whereby he declareth that as without Gods word he could not be safe so come what come would befall what danger could befall in the Lords word he was staied sufficiently Then we are to learne that the promises of God must engender in vs a care and feare of our selues for if we begin once to be quiet with our selues when wee begin to be secure and presumptuous let vs assure our selues that we are not farre from sinne But if we feare that wee are staggering and reeling persons and that we are very slipperie is there not cause of humbling that this humblenes should breed carefulnesse carefulnesse should cause watchfulnesse watchfulnesse should vse the meanes and the meanes should be sanctified by prayer Then come hell come the diuell come the world come the flesh if the Lord stay vs we shall liue and not die we shall surely not miscarie And I will delight continually in thy statutes Wee see here that there is no free will for he prayeth likewise Port. 5. 1. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes Neither did he promise of himselfe before but did hope in the Lord. Such brittlenes is in the world such sleights in the flesh such slinesse in SathaÌ„ such corrupt examples in the world that vnlesse the Lord stay vs we are so farre off from delight in good that we are ready to fall into great sinnes Euery man therefore is to search his owne heart and by the cause we may come to the effects and by the tree may coniecture of the fruite so by the effects we may iudge of the cause and by the fruite we may iudge of the tree Where is now this delight when we heare the word we heare it with such coldnesse therefore it is a manifest proofe we are not staâ—ed in the Lord. For whosoeuer doth not delight in the word he may deceiue his owne soule but surely as yet he is not staied on God If we are not delighted then are we stâ—ied on our own selues but if the Lord work in vs then shal we feele delight This is a griefe of my soule that I see no delight in the Lords day all things are done for fashion but the power of godlinesse is not among vs. The cause is the want of priuate exercises the want of priuate reading and praying and this bringeth a secret curse of publike exercises and therefore I cannot but so often vâ—ge priuate prayer and meditation Vers. 118. Thou hast troden downe all them that depart from
can walke in the loue of God and obedience of his will doubtlesse this is a speciall grace of God In this sense the Prophet prayed on this sort Therefore haue I doubled my prayer because I see so little helpe among men I cannot see any good example to edifie me Lord helpe me It is time for thee O Lord to worke for men haue destroyed thy law We see then how well this dependeth on that which goeth before For in the beginning of this Portion he prayed that he might not be oppressed of his enemies now he prayeth that his enemies might be suppressed At the first sight this would seeme not to be a charitable kind of dealing to pray against enemies because loue requireth that we should pray for our enemies how then doth this agree with the rule of loue or shall we thinke that the man of God did any thing here against the law of charitie We haue shewed that the children of God were neuer inkindled with wrath for their owne cause but for the breach of the law of God so this man of God had no respect of himself but of Gods law his cause was good his persecutors cause was euill he hurt them not but laboured by all meanes to ouercome them with good he did not for a while but continued long in it he was not wearie of his wel doing but went forward euen to the very failing of his eies yea his eies as he saith in the last verse of Port. 7. gush out with teares because their sins were so great he sought peace ensued it and yet he saw no amendment but that they were worse and worse wherefore seeing their sinne was past recouerie and that there was no ordinarie help on earth he prayeth God to deale with them from heauen Neither doth he pray here for their confusion and vtter perdition as some may falsely thinke but rather sheweth that it is now time that the Lord should vse some chastisement that they may know that there was a God and that they had broken the lawes of God that they might come to a sight and feeling of their sins that they might be punished if it were so the wil of God to their conuersion or at the least that they might be no more a plague to the world and a reproch to the word When our affections are mingled with our cause we are to suspect our selues but otherwise when we haue a good cause and see that we haue perseuered in executing iudgement and iustice and yet the iniquitie of our aduersaries laieth it selfe so open that it groweth desperate then we may desire the Lord to take his cause into his owne hand And here we are to obserue the Prophet saith They haue c. where he noteth not any particular person nor maketh mention of the destruction of any singular man but vseth a generall rule wherefore for our instruction these rules are more diligently to be obserued First we are to looke that our cause be good and our aduersaries cause be euill Secondly that we be not incensed with anger because we are contemned but because Gods word is despised that is that the cause why we pray against them be Gods and not ours Thirdly that we keep our selues in well doing and thereby heape coales of fire vpon their head that we beare them euen to the breaking of our backes Fourthly then when we haue vsed curteous admonitions and by the ministerie of the word or Magistracie if the matter so require and may be obtained haue sought to turne them Fiftly when we haue prayed for their amendment and wept for their sinnes and yet all these things will not serue we may say as in a last refuge Lord take the rod into thine hand spare them not alwaies prouiding this that we pray not against any particular person but leaue them to Gods secret iudgement Thus we see here is no breach of charitie But now adaies we may hereby see men reuenge rather their owne affections than defend Gods glorie Wherefore when we haue prayed ill against them for whom we neuer prayed for good I say to them tremble and feare for this is not the zeale of Eliah this is not the zeale of Dauid it is a zeale of the flesh and not of the spirit it will worke their singular woe vnlesse they repent It is time That man of God here teacheth Gods children that when Gods law is destroyed it is time for the Lord to wake This euery man may confesse but blessed are they that can say in a good conscience I haue liued iustly I haue vsed no ill against mine enemies I haue prayed for them I haue deuoured many iniuries at their hands I neuer reuenged Secondly we are here to learne that when the law of God is once brought into contempt whether it be in a nation in a countrie in a citie or particular person let that nation countrie citie or particular person know that the wrath of God is not farre off either to their amendment or to their further and more speedie destruction If we goe through the doctrine of the Prophets we shall see this to be true As first we may see in the first second third sixt seuenth and eight of Esay the Prophet of God threatneth the Israelites that because they came to worship of a custome but lay still in their sinnes because they were rebellious giuen to pleasure and contemners of the word they should be led captiue of the Assyrians and denounceth many plagues against them which all came to passe in the daies of Ahaz they were carried away captiue and were no more a people of seuentie yeares after as may appeare Esay 6. And although Gods children haue their infirmities and euen they which are Gods children by calling may fall into grosse sinnes yet because there is in them no general falling from honestie but they haue in them a special care and feare of Gods word so that they loue nothing more they feare and tremble at nothing more than at it though it may be in the meane time they fall into sinne yet they will not fall from sinne to sinne surely the Lord will in time draw them out of their sins and spare them from the common destruction as he did here Dauid who though not this generall contempt of the word yet some sinne he had This is then in the children of God truely called that although sometime more carnall than spirituall and slide into many wants and infirmities yet they fall not from one sinne to another sinne but they tremble being rebuked by the word they esteeme reuerently of the prayers of the faithfull they thinke highly of the Sacraments vsed in the congregation are obedient to all discipline of the Church in these there is great hope that they shall be reclaimed from sinne and exempted from the punishment of the same But when we ioyne sinne with sinne and draw sinne
is in Psalm 125. The rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous So that the man of God prayeth here that his affliction might not hinder his glorie And no maruell for his enemies first laboured to daunt his faith then they went about to loade him with iniuries either subtilly to circumuent him or openly to oppresse him when these things would not serue they striued to bring his person to contempt and his cause to discredit as also they went about to bring themselues into estimation and their cause into credite No maruell then though he thus prayed least that they resisting him too long hee should be ouermatched Wherein we are to learne that wee must not ouercome ill with ill subtiltie with subtiltie violence by violence but by praier And seeing the Lords eares are open to the prayers of the iust and his eyes vpon them that feare him seeing his eares are shut to the wicked and hee will not looke vpon them in mercy but his face is set against them the Lord vndoubtedly will heare vs and looke vpon vs and will confonud our enemies And I will keepe thy testimonies Behold the man of God promiseth thankefulnes and if it pleaseth the Lord to free him from these euils hee would keepe his law not that we must thinke that he before did breake them but though the proude had him exceedingly in derision Psal. 51. though the bands of the wicked had robbed him 61. though the proude had imagined a lye against him 69. though they had dealt wickedly and falsely with him 78. though they had almost consumed him vpon the earth 87. and he was like the bottle in the smoke so that hee was wonderfully distracted in his calling yet if the Lord would vouchsafe to free him from these euils as before in part so now in whole he would bestow his life on the Lord. We are then to learne that in trouble wee are to desire to none other end to be deliuered than the better and more freely to serue the Lord and that when wee haue made so solemne a promise to the Lord we throughly purpose in trueth to performe it For though affliction of it selfe helpeth vs nothing vnto godlinesse but is rather some hindrance why in our calling wee are lesse profitable yet as it is sanctified in Christ and receiueth a blessing from God to worke in vs it keepeth vs from euill and prouoketh vs the more to doe good But wee if we be in aduersitie if wee haue trouble or losse of goods or losse of friends oppression of enemies or such like make large vowes and plentifull promises and crie Oh if I might be deliuered from this sicknes if I might be freed from this trouble if I might be vnburthened of this euill I would surely serue the Lord I would become a new man I would change my life and enter the waies of repentance but we looke not to performance This thankfulnes of heart made the Prophet Psal. 116. 12. to cry out What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord I will pay my vowes vnto the Lord euen now in the sight of all his people Where wee see that it was the custome of Gods people to stirre vp themselues after their deliuerance vnto thankfulnes We shall see now by examining our selues how it is so in vs. Oh say we that I were recouered of my health oh that the Lord would restore those things to me againe which I haue lost then doubtles would I wholy giue my selfe to the Lord. But let vs see if in all these things wee bee not vow-breakers and are rather growne worse than wee were so greatly are we to feare our selues God hath deliuered vs from our enemies freed vs from warâ—es saued vs from scarcitie penurie pouertie plagues and sicknesse and hath blessed vs with peace abundance plentie health and all other blessings let vs see how we vse these things We know the times haue been such when we could not haue this liberty to reade and heare the word of God but wee are now freed from such miserie and set in great libertie whether doe wee vse this time to Gods glorie and increase of our knowledge and building vp of our faith or not We know that there is a vicissitude in all things and one thing succeeedeth another and as the Lord hath long time vexed other nations with trouble and graunted to vs a long time of libertie and quietnes so our course must come by the order and change of things to be vexed with troubles and others shall be set at some libertie Are we the better then for this benefit If wee bee all is well if not will it not thinke wee be laide to our charge that what time the Lord had giuen vs wherein we might reforme our selues wee haue abused in being so little reformed what our time hath been to set forth Gods glorie how little glorie the Lord hath gained by vs. We haue often heard that our two principall props in trouble are faith in the promises of God and a testimonie of a good conscience which wee see often to be in this Prophet Wherefore what doth fasten and comfort faith euen a good conscience what doth make it wither and wauer euen because we haue been fruitles and haue not done good workes This then must be our comfort in trouble that we suffer not as ill doers that we may look for Gods promises But if our sinnes accuse vs and we suffer as ill doers wee shall not bee able to feele any comfort in God his promises Then let vs see the fruit of this prayer The Saints of God and deare Martyrs of Christ made this prayer before vs the fruit and effect whereof is growne vnto vs. For their sufferings were our prosperitie their losse our gaine their imprisonmeÌ„t our libertie their death our life as true as old is that saying proued The blood of the Martyrs is the seede of the Church For their blood hâ—th cried vp to heauen with the blood of Abel for our comfort and brought downe vengeance on our enemies and obtained mercy for vs. They did sowe in teares and wee haue entred into their haruest with ioy let vs beware least wee sow euill to our selues and for others they sowed comfort for their posteritie let vs take heede that wee sow not discomfort for them that shall come after vs. And as their death hath stayed the wrath of God from heauen that it is not fallen vpon the vine seeing many yeeres he hath planted among vs a vineyard seeing he hath hedged it and gathered out the stones of it and hath planted it with the best plants and hath built a tower in the middest thereof and made a wine-presse therein and hath looked it should bring forth grapes but it hath brought forth wilde grapes so our sinnes so
tell you the word is true and this is mine onely comfort O Lord that though the wicked rage thy promise for euer is vnchangeable Proued true What could deceiue it could the Serpent in Paradise No. What could wash it away could all the flood in the deluge No. What could consume it could all the firie furnace of Gomorrah of Egypt and of Babylon No Looke from the first father of all Adam vnto this day and how many seruants the Lord hath died and sound pure so many examples wee haue of the purenes of the word This then we see is a word pure by proofe We esteeme greatly of armour of proofe which neither the speare could pearce nor the shot of gun batter nor dart in any battaile could bruise oh how hath the word encountered with Sathan and with all his adherents How many darts of the worldlings hath it sustained and neuer yeelded but as a sword of proofe hath not onely striken off the heads of Sathan and of all heresies and schismes but also hath mightily preuailed against powers and authorities and principalities in heauenly things When wee haue an approued medicine we thinke it a thing of great price being such a one as neuer failed but wheresoeuer it was laid it wrought the feate so here is a tried medicine for the soule which neuer did deceiue any that vse it a right This is a most rare medicine and soueraigne salue For neuer sore was so great in mans soule neuer maladie so grieuous neuer corruption of sinne so fare gone neuer was there any wound of conscience so desperate which either this did not cure being vsed or might haue cured if it had been vsed This hath been tried and is approued by all the sicke soules that euer were since the beginning of the world to this day whereof some were deliuered from many sores of their conscience many euen rescued from the depth of their sorrowes We count him a tried friend and approued which in no troubles that euer did befall vs shrunke from vs and failed vs but stood vs in all stead possible but whom I pray you hath the Lord euer deceiued vs that put their trust in him or in whom hath the word of the Lord euer failed which wil stick with vs to the end which will saue vs from all euils accompany vs in all dangers recouer vs in all infirmities pitie and relieue vs in all miseries which will saue vs from hel and will speake for vs before the ludge and pleade our cause and euen whilest life lasteth will still stand vs in stead Wherefore seeing the word of God hath in it such excellencie that it taketh vp all the delights of Gods children and the contempt thereof taketh vp all the sorrowes of the Saints of God seeing for being eaten vp with the zeale of Gods word whatsoeuer we lose in the outward man we gaine and are recompenced for it in the inward man contrarie to the eating zeale in all other things whatsoeuer seeing the neerer wee come to God in his word and the further we go from our selues though we were thrown to the ground wee should be reedified seeing if we were tried in the furnace wee should finde such an happie exchange that as the gold wee should lose no weight but become more pure seeing it only reneuth vs in trouble and we cannot more discredit the word of God than euer to suffer it to be contemned or not sufficiently esteemed as becommeth a thing of such perfection glorie eternitie and exact righteousnes seeing it is such an armour of proofe so tried a medicine so approued a friend let vs craue of God that he would open our eyes and cleere our vnderstanding that we louing it for these causes may zealously be set on fire and truly be grieued to see it contemned Thus we see how exact how pure how comfortable how euerlasting the word is Thy righteousneâ— saith the Prophet is an euerlasting righteousâ—â—â— Psal. 11. thou haâ—â— O Lord set downe a perfit righteousnes which hath been is and shall be for euer one and most constant thine is the kingdome the power and the glorie for euer thy hand is not shortned more than it hath been thy word neuer could be accused onely let vs say Lord increase our faith let vs say Lord giue vs the like faith of thy seruants and wee shall haue like graces with them though not in so large measure as they had Vers. 141. I am small and despised yet doe I not forget thy precepts HIs meaning briefly is this Lord seeing thy word is so pure I loue it for it owne cause though nothing come withall if thou wilt bestowe any thing else of thy seruant I thanke thee if not I loue it still yea though I should suffer discredit for it I am content For I loue thy word because it is a pure word and worthie to be loued with what crosse soeuer it be accompanied As the common prouerbe is Trueth may be blamed but trueth can neuer be ashamed and iniquitie may be ocuered for a time but yet iniquitie one day shall bee discouered It cannot be denied that it is a singular blessing which is said of our Sauiour Christ to grow in fauour with God and man and to be loued of both as it is reported of Samuel because as it is Eccles 7. 3. A good name is better than a good oyntment and Prou. 22 1. is to bee chosen aboue great riches and louing fauour is aboue siluer and aboue gold neither can there come a more grieuous crosse to a liberall nature and stout person than want of it Howbeit to search out the cause of discredit wee must alwayes enter into it whether our conscience telleth vs that wee suffer as well doers not as ill doers For euen the very Heathen said that a mans conscience is as a theater in the world Wherefore if wee suffer discredit iustly because of sinne it is to be lamented but when we haue faith in Gods promises and a good conscience flowing from our faith though we neuer so much bee discredited it is a small thing Great is the loue of our selues and great is the care which we haue to maintaine our credit For many will bee content to hazard their liues which cannot bee conteÌ„t to endanger their good name For if a man liue bereft of his good name he had almost as liue bee bereft of his life And therefore Heretikes as the Familie of loue giue in precept that they should rather die than suffer the credit of their sect to fall And no maruell for they see no better life neither do they feele any true comfort of God in their prosperitie neither can they truly call vpon him in their trouble Thus we see how a name is esteemed in the world This then is a true argument of zeale euen when wee are despised and suffer discredit still to beare good affection to the word For many are liuely and quicke
mercy and there is a iudgement of seueritie the first whereof is vnderstood in this place as we may gather by the wordes going before Heare my voyce O Lord according to thy louing kindnes of which couenant of mercy hee also maketh mention in the next portion vers 7. Consider O Lord how I loue thy precepts quicken me according to thy louing kindnes This is that couenant of grace wherein the Lord hath promised to pardon our sinnes and to heare our prayers wherefore though in respect of Gods wrath and our sinnes we dare not appeare before his Maiestie yet in comparing our cause which is the Lords cause with the cause of our aduersaries who are also the aduersaries of God and in respect of his mercy in defending his owne cause and in preseruing them that maintaine a good cause we may come with boldnes vnto him and with an assured hope that our prayers shall be heard Thus wee may call to minde how God is accustomed to deale with his people fearing before him in respect of our selues but recouering our selues through hope in his sweete promises whereon wee must â—o stay our selues as the remembrance of them may support vs and to doe this the better we must obserue the accomplishment of them both in our selues and in others Thus we may see what a great stay it is in trouble to know that no other trouble ouertaketh vs none other temptation hath inuaded vs than such as haue ouertaken and inuaded other of Gods children wherein they haue found deliuerance Further wee may herein desire the Lord to affoord sentence with vs when our cause is good though we be not so vpright in defending it as wee ought to be or when our good cause is well handled and that not for our selues but in respect of our aduersaries ill cause he would deliuer vs. Wherefore when we will obtaine our requests we must endeuour as much as in vs lieth to offer a good cause vnto the Lord and well handled Vers. 150. They drawe neere that followe after malice and are farre from thy law Vers. 151. Thou art neere O Lord for all thy commaundements are true WE shewed before that the man of God to the obtaining of his request vseth three especiall arguments the one drawne from his person in the first foure verses the other from the person of God in the fift verse the third and last from the person of his aduersaries contained in these two verses The plaine sense whereof briefly is thus much They O Lord that haue an ill cause are readie to bring their wickednes to an end and as they are readie to hurt me so they are farre from thy law wilt thou then maintaine such they being so neere my necke No they are no more neere to hurt than thou art neere to deliuer me they are not neerer with malice than thou art with deliuerance Thus hee draweth away his consideration from the iudgemeÌ„t of flesh and blood and looketh down to his watch-tower and to the Lord his sanctuarie O Lord saith he I haue cried I haue called vpon thee and that with mine whole heart I preuented the morning light and the night-watches I waited on thy word I mediated on thy word I haue obserued thy iudgements of old when I am thus neere wilt thou forsake me They are farre from thy word canst thou leaue them vnpunished no thou art neere their punishment and my deliuerance I know as they depart from thee so they shall not escape vnpunished in the end because their sinne is come to such ripenes as thy iustice can no longer suffer them It is a great temptation to Gods children which haue walked vprightly and kept a good conscience that the wicked should still be neere their neckes Wherefore if any such thing hereafter happen to vs we must not be discomforted or thinke it very strange seeing wee see this man of God was not without it it is no new thing wee must bee content seeing God hath so dealt aforetimes with many of his children On what great cause of thanksgiuing now haue we that hauing much more deserued to haue our enemies tramble vpon vs than others of Gods Saints haue notwithstanding so long time beene deliuered And if it come to passe that in time we come to the like temptation let vs labour to be profitable in the like meditation For flesh and blood thinke it strange that wicked meÌ„ should flourish in the defending an ill cause and that good men should be troden downe for maintaining a good cause This troubled Iob Dauid Ieremie and Habacuk to see that Gods people should be so tempted Wherefore when we see the generation of Gods children condemned and the generation of the wicked iustified we must call to minde this or such like meditations Seeing thou hast borne with mine enemies so long it is now the day time to punish The cause now why the wicked flourish so long and why the Lord deferreth to helpe his childreÌ„ is that the wicked may either by his long suffering come to repentance or else be left excuselesse Yea after he often stayeth to powre forth his vengeance because their sinnes are not accomplished and their iniquitie is not come to the full height measure and number and that his children might haue their secret sinnes punished here that is to humble them to allure them to obedience to trie their faith to proue their patience to worke in them a contempt of this world and a desire of the world to come so that that which they suffer vniustly of men iustly they suffer of God And when Gods children doe not thus profit the Lord in mercie will let the rod still tarrie vpon them vntill they haue profited in some good measure Thus wee see the iustice of God wil not suffer him to punish vntill sinne be come to the full and the loue of God will not leaue to correct his vntill there grow some profit and yet so as in the meane time the chilren of God sustaine no losse because whatsoeuer they outwardly lose they inwardly gaine Wherefore seeing the Lord hath promised that the rod of the wicked shall not fall on the lot of the righteous and that our temptation shall not bee greater than wee shall bee able to beare we must knowe that when the godly once begin to faint and the wicked thinke they are come to their height euen then it is due time with the Lord to send happie deliuerance to the one and a speedy ouerthrow of all the counâ—â—ls of the other The man of God then hauing these effects in him was neere his deliuerance but the wicked being in their pride were neere Gods vengeance How necessarie this doctrine is common practise may admonish vs for thus reasoneth flesh and blood in time of aduersitie We haue thus long kept a good conscience neither haue wee done against the will of God we haue serued the Lord this while yet this is our gaine our
cause is not heard our enemies crueltie is nothing diminished but much increased as though the Lord either heard vs not or hath forgotten vs. But let vs learne to reason with the Prophet on the contrarie Our enemies O Lord are neere to hurt vs but thou art as neere to deliuer vs what doe we but obey thee what doe they but disobey thee wilt thou then forsake the godly and canst thou suffer the wicked to prosper No thou art the Iudge of the whole world it cannot be for thy deliuerance and saluation is ready and neere for them who labour to keepe faith and to ioyne thereunto a good conscience We see then when flesh and blood would perswade vs that all time of deliuerance is past euen then faith beholdeth it to bee neere at hand for when wee thinke that we are at the last cast then we see saluation and helpe is neerest As this doctrine serueth for our comfort so we must learne for our instruction that if happily we suffer the longer yet we shall receiue for our temporall euill a spirituall recompence remembring alwaies the Apostles consolation 1. Pet. 4. who would not haue vs discouraged when we suffer for they which haue done vs euill shall be iudged of him who will come to iudge the quicke and the dead Although we see not this by the iudgement of the eye and by the light of nature yet although we should die suffering as weldoers cursed are they that shall ouerlie vs Blessed shall we be for we shall rest from our labours God is the iudge of the whole world of the quicke and of the dead he will not forsake his nor leaue his enemies vnreuenged Well although wee perswade our selues of this trueth yet it is to bee feared when the abomination of desolation shall be set vp we wil notwithstanding all this stand in a mammering and doubting what is truth what is vntruth what is good what is euill But alas if the Lord should be any thing the longer from vs in helping no maruel seeing we were the longer from him in obeying Experience will proue that though we haue neuer so many outward gifts neuer so glorious wisedome yet vnlesse wee still depend on the word and promise we shall stagger and falter in the time of temptation For this was the onely staffe that vpheld the man of God at what time he was ready to stagger They are farre from thy Law that is as if hee should haue saide Thou canst not O Lord but punish them for thou hast long suffered them to see if they will turne but there is no hope that they will conuert therefore there is no cause of despaire that thou wilt not punish them Oh true faith O sound perswasion of Gods mercie most needefull in trouble yea when the face of all things shal be changed and things shall be turned vpside downe we shall know the vse of this doctrine to be aboue gold and siluer The like were the man of God his Meditations as wee may see Portion 11. when his eyes failed him his heart fainted his spirit panted and was as the bottle in the smoke The proud saith he digged piâ—s for me which is not after thy Law all thy commaundements are true they persecute me falsely Thus wee see hee vseth two effectuall reasons the one drawne from his owne person who maintained a good cause the other from his aduersaries who defended an ill cause Vers. 152. I haue knowne long since by thy testimonies that thou hast established them for euer I Know O Lord not of late but long since that thou euer hast beene and art the selfe same God thou art no changeling thou doest not sometime maintaine the cause of thy children and some other time forsake them I know now by the couenant and records of thy loue that thou doest defend thine euen vnto the end I know that from the beginning thou hast hated punished sinne thou hast loued and maintained righteous dealing I am perswaded that thy iudgements proue not true once or twice alone but alwayes We see how needefull it is to vs for vs to haue knowledge throughly of the testimonies of the Lord. For this was an assured knowledge of the man of God I haue laboured saith the Prophet in effect to establish my knowledge whereby I may knowe that hereafter which I know now and that I must knowe that now which I must knowe hereafter yea I haue taken great paines to confirme this knowledge in me not of late but of long time Thus we see how the man of God laboureth to fetch out many arguments to strengthen himselfe in time of temptation wherein we also must imitate him For if wee shall store vp great plentie of reasons our enemies may push at vs and shake vs but they shall neuer ouerthrow vs. PORTION 21. RESH Vers. 153. Behold mine afflictions and deliuer me for I haue not forgotten thy Law THe selfe same argument and matter is here repeated which was before but after another manner Hee saith portion 16. 1. I haue executed iudgement and iustice leaue me not to mine oppressours The which in sense being all one with the other and seeing we haue deliuered the doctrine at large before here is not much to be spoken Onely we may obserue this he here laieth his misery open and vnfoldeth his estate before the Lord Behold saith he O Lord thine eyes are vpon the righteous thine eares are open to their prayers Thou seest my case let me sâ—e thy grace that I may knowe for a trueth that thou lookest on me The cause then why we oftentimes are not helped is because we hide our troubles from the Lord. True it is that the Lord seeth all although we should hide all neither needeth he the displaying of our owne miseries but yet in all troubles hee would haue vs to open and acknowledge our griefe vnto him that he might the better make knowne to vs that hee hath helpe laid vp for vs. Wherefore we must beware least at any time we smoother our estate or seeke vnlawful meanes but in all things with prayer and supplication make our necessitie knowne to the Lord. His reason ioyned herewith is this For I haue not forgotten thy Law that is although O Lord there is great want of obedience in me and I cannot and haue not exactly kept thy commandements yet I am none of them that contemne thy Law wherefore O Lord help me Thus we see stil that the man of God suffered as a weldoer teaching vs that if we suffer as ill-doers the rod of correction shall not depart from vs vntill in some measure it hath wrought in vs repentance but if we suffer with him as wel-doers we may boldly vse this argument and with this reason desire the Lord that hee would take his owne cause which we maintaine into his own hand And although he was a sinner which here he doth not denie and did forget many particular
owne nature and kinde are good yet doe become euill sinfull through vs. This may be perceiued in all the parts of our life let vs then a little fee how our corruption deceiueth defileth vs in many things First this is without all controuersie that is onely the corruption of our owne hearts which causeth vs to be slacke in doing good or to leaue it altogether vndone or else to do that which is euill and odious in the sight of God For albeit many causes may be pretended which sometime may haue a shew of goodnesse yet those causes are but corruptions there is no goodnesse in them Some men are kept back from doing good to their familie by catechizing them because they would not haue all meâ—â—â— talke of them and because they would not hazard the credit of their name Some are 〈◊〉 backe from being zealous in godlinesse because they might stil vse their libertie in buying and bargaining whereby they might prouide for their selues and families And for euery thing they doe they will haue a colourable excuse they will doe nothing without a reason But their excuses are but colours their reasons are very rawe not seasoned with the word They are deceiued through the deceitfulnes of sinne their corruption deceiueth them they are beguiled because they make no triall of their hearts The same thing commeth to passe euen in those things which in their kinde are good To leaue sinne is a very good thing yet if wee doe not herein take heede vnto our hearts we may besore deceiued for when wee be minded and doe purpose to leaue sinne let vs consider the cause why wee purpose and goe about such a thing and we shall often finde that it is not the conscience of sinne but the feare of punishmeÌ„t or the shame of the world which moueth vs so to do The adulterer doth many times abstaine from his filthie adulterie not because that sinne is odious in the sight of God but because it will bring him to open shame among men The theefe without any hatred of theft doth sometimes keepe himselfe from the outward act that hee may auoid hanging and the outward danger of the lawe And that the shame of the world and feare of men doth more preuaile with many than the feare of God it may appeare by this that they wil abstaine from such things whereunto there belongeth shame or for which some grieuous punishment amongst men is appointed as for theft murther adulterie c. yet they will passe by great sinnes for which there is no penall statute as swearing c. For if there were any true conscience of sin in them they would make a conscience of all sinnes but especially of these sinnes which in Gods eyes are most abominable Againe we must not rest when we haue left any sinne as though that were sufficient but we must narrowly search into our hearts to see what cause hath moued vs so to doe for if we doe not with sorrow repent vs of our wickednes and leaue it for the feare of God but forsake it either because it will bee no longer profitable vnto vs or because wee be sickly or olde or weake and take no longer pleasure in it then our labour is but lost our hearts haue deceiued vs. And many no doubt are thus deceiued yea they shew that they be deceiued by this that they can still speake of their sinnes without sorrowe and laugh at others which commit the same sinnes Verily if they had repented of their sinnes the remembrance of them would haue bene grieuous vnto them yea they would be very sorie when they saw others fall into the like sinne But seeing they can laugh and make a sport at it when any man doth it as they haue done most sure and certaine it is that their hearts haue deceiued them they are yet in their sinnes though they haue left them outwardly Let vs proceede a little further that we may see into the corruption of our hearts We purpose to deale faithfully we purpose to heare the word to reade it These things in themselues are very good yet if wee be not carefull ouer our hearts their corruption will pollute and defile them For if we be moued hereunto not with any zeale of Gods glorie but with a care of our owne credit not because in Truth wee would countenance the Gospell but because wee would get some countenance by it the thing good in it owne nature is made euill vnto vs and sinfull because our hearts are not right in the thing And how manie bee thus deceiued may soone appeare by the small fruit which most men doe get by the word For when wee see manie very diligent in hearing of the word yet profiting nothing nor desiring to profite it is vndoubtedly true that those men are deceiued by their owne hearts which are not right with God If there were any conscience if there were any heart or spirit in men they would profit something or at least they would be greatly grieued for their not profiting Moreouer when wee haue brought our purpose to practise and haue done any good thing indeed euen then I say may wee be beguiled if wee take not good heede The corruption of our heart is readie to make vs proude of well-doing whereas indeed we should be humbled it is readie to make vs glorie in that for which we should giue glorie to GOD it is readie to make that an occasion of slothfull carelesnesse which should be as a spurre to make vs more carefull Therefore when the thing is done when the worke is wrought and when all our purpose is brought to passe wee must still be carefull ouer our hearts wee must still haue an eye to them that our corruption bee in no wise hurtfull to that good grace which God hath giuen vs. Thus whether wee purpose to leaue sinne or wee leaue it indeede yet we may be deceiued by our hearts if they bee not right in doing of them Therefore aboue all things we must take heede vnto our hearts otherwise we may doe many goodly glorious things in the sight of men yet our hearts wil one day accuse vs for them our conscience will check and controll vs and God which is greater then our consciences will vtterly condemne vs. Now contrariwise when our heart is vpright with God when it is sound and sincere then will the Lord fauourably accept of our doings and through his Sonne he will count them righteous Thus if we with a pure heart doe leaue sinne though the dregs therof remaine with vs if with a good heart to Godward we labour after goodnes though wee cannot doe the good which we would this vprightnes of our hearts doth please God greatly and he will surely pardon the other imperfections through Christ. True it is that no man can say his heart is pure if he compare it with the rule of Gods word or with the iustice of God and therefore
must haue a continuall hearing Will yee heare how God hath taken answere for this it is said Psal. 95 Heb. 3. To day if ye will heare his voice This we knowe is read to day and to morrow and euery day and so â—or euer and yet all is but to day Wee cannot exempt our selues this bindes our hearts and will haue vs hold out as long as it is saide to day So then as wee must pray and be prepared to heare and come with a purpose to heare vniuersally so must we heare continually Yet wee must adde a fourth thing and that is wee must bring a desire to practise the things we heare And euery man must come thus affected I haue prepared my selfe to heare I will heare all as well that which is misliking as that which liketh me but beware of this last come what come will I will not obey But if we vow not to heare to lay vp in our memorie that our memorie may call vpon our conscience and our conscience call vpon vs to put it in practise we cut off the sentence by the halfe He that heareth the word and keepeth it is blessed and keepes it here is a coniunction copulatiue and in no case we must leaue it out And there is good reason it should bee so for as Augustine saith The word is compared to an hammer to a fire to a sword and not for nothing The hammer bruiseth so the word must soften our hard hearts the fire purgeth and purifieth so the word purgeth our grosse affections and purifieth our hearts the sword pearceth and so the word diuideth betweene the marrow and the ioynts If the word workes not these effects it loseth his power The word is a word of power and lâ—t euery man reckon with himselfe If in hearing the word I draw not neerer to the mercie of God I shall draw neerer to his wrath if not to my saluation sure to my destruction 3 We oft heare the word but not as the word of the Lord and therefore wee heare it but in part because we thinke it is the word of Esai of Peter or of the Minister wee thinke it is Hose or Paul that speakes but not the Lord. Well if we will tarrie vntill the Lord himselfe come wee shall not heare nor see him vntill the heauens roll vp together as a scrole and a globe of fire consume the face of the earth vntill the Sunne be turned as blacke as a pot and the sea boile as a pot of oyle and then we must rather giue an accompt of our hearing than stand to heare againe Well then how are we said to heare the word of the Lord First we must know that Christ receiued a commission from the Lord This is my beloued Sonne heare him Here is his commission Then our Sauiour Christ being to goe to his Father left a commission with his Apostles Who so heareth you heareth me who so receiueth you the same receiueth me but who so refuseth you refuseth me So that to heare the Ministers is to heare Christ and to heare Christ is to heare the father so that to heare the Ministers is to heare God And the words of Hose and of Peter they be the Lords words And all this word sent from God shall be as effectuall by the mouth of the Ministers to conuert as if they were spoken by Christ himselfe And we know that Christ being the Minister of circumcision conuerted not all his auditors nay he conuerted but a few of his hearers Peter conuerted more at one sermon who was but his Apostle than we reade that hee himselfe euer conuerted all his life long But if it will not be but still we thinke it is the word of the Preachers surely by our owne imaginations the Lord will punish you that is it shall bee vnto you a mans word Hosees word or Peters word not the word of the Lord. And then if we heare it not as the word of God but as the word of man it will neuer doe vs good it may breede some little purpose in vs but it wil neuer breede in vs any great practise to our comfort So then if we heare it but as from men we shall â—ot in our sinne and so lye stil vntill the Lord finde vs out in the searching day of his iudgement 4 Because the doctrine of accusing condemning and threatning is a scripture vnwillingly receiued of men and we shall see in most of the Prophets so long as they prophecy peace and speake of heauen of grace of mercie they are willingly heard but if at any time they strike on the other string the people would no loÌ„ger heare but oft breake forth and say prophecy peace vnto vs because I say the people hauing made a league with death and hell cannot abide to heare such vnsauory and nipping speeches it must needes be that the Lord sometime vse speeches of quarrel and controuersie and of his falling out with the people I knowe that besides that it is the general corruption of nature it is a speciall fault of these times and of this age that if the Minister of God thunder out the threanings of God hee shall bee straight discharged to bee a Minister of Christ hee shall be now the Minister of the Law and of Moses For the words of grace mercie and saluation are sweete wordes and men can well away to heare them but the Sonne of God hath not alwaies a streame of milke and hony running out of his mouth but sometime a two edged sword Apocal. 1. and it is as profitable for God his children sometime to haue a song of Sinai as a song of Sion and then specially is this requisite when the mercies of God come not by the hynn or by the peck or by small portions but by the Goâ—â—er by the Ephath and in full measure Because then we may be drawne into forgetfulnes and therefore least these things should cloy vs it is good for euery maÌ„in the day of peace to think of the day of controuersie in our most quietnes to knowe the Lord hath an inditement and an action against vs though when this age is ripped vp wee shall see the Lord his inditement rightly framed and his â—isiprius iustly put vp against vs yet when the day of the iudgmeÌ„ts of God be threatned we must not say they appertaine to strangers we must take the action to proceede against our selues 5 Though the Ministers take the Lords quarrell in hand and iudge his cause as the Lord biddeth Ezechiel to auenge his quarrellâ— though the Prophets I say doe this or if they cease to doe it the very stones and creatures shall doe it against vnbeleeuers yet as other times we see in the Prophets how al cease and the Lord himselfe pleads the controuersie Though therefore we could arme our selues and make our part good against the creatures and could shift off his Prophets yet the Lord himself
Prudentia doe thus differ that the former is the generall comprehension of knowledge of things the latter is the experience of that knowledge in particular actions Experience in other things doth shewe how necessarie this propertie is For wee see in Physicke and other Artes manie by much reading to haue obtained singular knowledge so that they thinke with themselues they could doe great matters yet when they come to haue the vse of their knowledge in some particular maiters they are oftentimes behinde hand and their knowledge for want of experience doth soone faile them the reason hereof is this by reading they get the knowledge of generall rules which when they are applied to particular cases are altered by circumstances and manie exceptions may be made against them So that in all Artes and Sciences this is generally holden that so much is thorowly and soundly knowne as is knowne by experience It is necessray therefore that a Magistrate bee not onely a man of knowledge but also that hee be well experienced in the matters that be incident to his calling 3 The third propertie necessarie for a Magistrate is that hee bee of a good heart and courage For although hee bee able for his knowledge and experience to deale in anie matter yet if hee haue not a couragious heart to goe about them the others will little profite him And if wee consider with whome hee shall deale and in what matters how hee is subiect to the rebukes of those that are aboue him to the hatred of his inferiours and to the euill speeches of all then wee shall easilie see how needefull it is for him to haue courage that hee may proceede in his calling and with nothing be discouraged 4 It is fourthly required that they bee such as feare the Lorde By this feare of GOD they shall both examine their courage whether it bee good and also they shall moderate and rule it by the same feare For as courage when it once passeth the bounds of knowledge and experience doth oftentimes prooue to be but a heady rash boldnesse So likewise if it bee not seasoned with the feare of GOD it doth often ende in oppression This feare of GOD with whomsoeuer it preuaileth doth cause them to abstaine from doing of wrong to anie as Ioseph reasoneth with his brethren I feare God therefore I will not doe you wrong as contrariwise wheresoeuer it is not truly planted no sinne so great nor no wickednesse so grieuous which men for their pleasure sake will not easily bee brought to commit as Abraham Genesis â—0 answereth Abimelech Therefore must Magistrates euermore set the feare of God before their face as Iob chapt 31. doth witnesse that hee himselfe did that thereby they may both make a conscience in doing Iustice and also be kept from doing wrong 5 Fiftly it is needfull that they bee true dealing men this true dealing hath first respect to the Mâ—gâ—â—rates themselues that whatsoeuer they spe 〈…〉 and what they promise they be carefull to performe and that 〈…〉 they thinke This simple and vpright dealing doth purâ—â—aâ—e 〈…〉 re vnto a Magistrate Secondly it hath respect to the case that they 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 that they take paâ—â—es to search out the truth thereof and giue righteous 〈…〉 râ—quireth For as the Lord iudgeth according to right so ought they 〈…〉 re his Ministers Therefore they must not further the euill cause of a good â—â—â— though otherwise he be good neither must they hinder the good cause of any man thâ—â—â—gh otherwise he be euill they ought not to be carelesse of a stranger because he is a stranger neither must they goe busily about the euill cause of their friend or neighbour because he is their neighbour or their friend To conclude they must neither behold the persoâ— of the rich nor of the poore to peruert iudgement for their cause but giue true iudgement without respect of person 6 Sixtly they must be haters of filthie gaine Couetousnesse is the mother of appression and extortion which doe differ in this that oppression hath the colour of â—â—â—â— and law and extortion is when man getteth by hooke or by crooke and careth not how so he may haue it but these two are not onely here forbidden but euen the louâ— of â—â—â—e and rewards which are of such nature that they will blinde the eyes of the prudent and sloppe the eares of the righteous Yet is it not altogether vnlawfull to giue gifts and rewards for Salomon saith that a gift in the bosome pacifieth much strife and if it be â—â—â—â—ly bestowed it prospereth whithersoeuer it turneth Againe Mordeeâ—y and Hâ—stersâ—east â—east is mentioned with this commendation that they sent gifts euery man to his neighbour but when they are giuen with corrupted purposes or receiued to peruert right then are they of all men to be abhorred but specially of Magistrates 7 The seuenth and last propertie of a good Magistrate is that he be well knowne to all men and this hath respect to all those that went before he must be knowne then to be endued with wisedome and experience to be of a valiant and couragious heart to haue the feare of God before his eyes to be vpright in his dealing and a hater of filthie gaine So Paul would haue the Ministers to haue a good report euen of those that are without And surely it is great reason that they should be well knowne or else they shall hardly haue any credit with vs. For the weakenesse corruption of our nature is such that when he who is not well knowne vnto vs shall speake as sound a truth and deliuer it peraduenture more plainely yet doth not his word beare so much credâ—t with vs as another whom we know and haue some experience of For our natures do for the most part suspect strangers and we are loth to commit our selues and our matters to them we know not Wherefore to the end that Magistrates may beare credit among vs it is very meete that they should be well knowne and their gifts also 8 This doctrine must teach vs first to consider what calling the Lord hath in mercy placed vs in and whether we haue gifts answerable to our callings that we may thereby be brought to pray vnto the Lord that he would giue vs that which we haue not and increase that which we haue and euermore supplie that which is wanting Secondly it serueth to teach vs to giue due honour to those in whom we see the true properties of Magistrates to be and to acknowledge their lawfull calling Thirdly that in all our elections we make choise of such Magistrates as are endued with these properties Fourthly that we may pray that such Magistrates may be profitable where they are and that the Lord would giue them to such places as haue them not And last of al that the Lord in mercy would vouchsafe to giue these properties to all Magistrates which now are set ouer
say they will do so no more and yet because they repent not therefore they fall againe So is this seene in angrie persons which are rather grieued for shame or losse or such like causes not for the loue of GOD so it is in thieues which come to the gallowes againe although once receiued their pardon This also may be seene in Tale-bearers when their dealing is knowne they maruell at themselues yet not repenting they fall to their sinne againe The Apostle Saint Iames in his fourth chapter teacheth vs not only to clense the hands but to purge the heart also for we must see our hearts defiled with the sinne wee leaue or else it is impossible to repent for the heart being still defiled will yeeld to a new occasion The means to leaue these sins is there set downe to howle and weepe c. Iam. 4. for the burnt child feareth the fire but because God doth not throughly punish men because mens hearts do not feele the grieuousnes of sinne and Gods iudgements due to them for the same therefore they sinne afresh but if they did feele Gods wrath and the grieuousnes of their sinnes then no doubt they would shake at the appearance of euill Therefore that we may come to this and hate those sinnes that especially do preuaile against vs we must vse sharpe medicines as in an old festered sore they vse corrosiue salues for there are some kind of sinnes like to some kind of diuels which cannot be cast out without prayer and fasting And when wee cannot bee healed with ordinarie meanes the disease still continuing then must we vse extraordinarie which if wee doe the Lord wil lift vs vp and in the end giue vs power to trample sinne vnderneath our feet For if we had more griefe for our chiefest and greatest sinnes God would giue vs a heart to hate them and to feare the least occasions that might draw vs vnto them so should wee bee for euer preserued from them they should neuer preuaile against vs. 5 Sinne doth much grieue the Lord although in great mercie he doth long and oftentimes forbeare the punishment therof which should much moue vs and cause vs when we see our often fallings greatly to bee greued thereat and highly to bee displeased with our selues for the same least we fall into presumption And when our owne consciences the diuell doe accuse vs for such sinnes as we haue committed against the Lord as then we are to bewaile and lament our goings astray and displeasing of our God so are wee to trust in his promises and to embrace his mercies least we bee ouewhelmed with griefe and so fall into despaire for the diuel euer and continually laboureth to bring vs either to the one or the other presumption or desperation Therefore when wee haue sinned and yet doe rebuke our selues being much displeased with our selues because of Sinne wee are to comfort our selues the Lord will shew his mercie vpon vs for if hee shewed vs his mercie when we were not grieued how much more when wee vnfainedly lament If hee hath waited vpon vs to doe vs good before wee repented how much more shall his goodnes appeare towards vs vnfainedly repenting 6 What is the cause that men can be so well content to lie in their sins without repentance and thinke all is well if they can for a while forbeare and abstaine from them This no doubt is the cause because they set not themselues before the iudgement feare of God and of Christ and therein feare to consider how grieuous a thing sin is in the sight of God how greatly it displeaseth him and what fearfull condemnation abideth them that securely and carelesly continue in their sinnes For if men could consider this that their sins prouoke the wrath of the Lord against them and do procure euerlasting condemnation to be powred out vpon them they would no doubt feele sinne most grieuous vnto them yea a burthen that presseth them downe to hell then would their spirits be vexed within them and their hearts bruised with the due consideration of their sinnes yet all this would not bring them out of their sinnes For the law condemneth and worketh wrath and the iudgements of the Lord doe cast down wound and kill that so we might be fit to receiue the Lord Iesus who came to raise vp to heale and giue life to such as are fallen sicke and dead And still is hee present to helpe those which are in like manner distressed for till such time he will not worke vpon them to cure and deliuer them from their sinnes hee was sent onely to the sicke c. and those no doubt he will heale Hereof it commeth to passe that many doe continue in their sinnes and are not deliuered from the power of them because they are not wounded with a feare of Gods iudgement and so driuen to seeke their helpe in Christ but in their owne power for thinking sin to be but a small matter they goe about to suppresse it by their own strength and by their owne power to subdue and ouercome it Wherefore the Lord that hee may let them see that without the helpe of Christ their strength is nothing and their labour spent in vaine doth suffer them againe and againe to be buffeted with their sinnes yea and if they wil not then flie out of themselues vnto Christ they shall receiue the foyle be ouercome therewith to the end they might be brought framed at the length if they belong vnto God to be fit matter for the Lord to worke vpon And then no doubt if we can come thus humbled in our selues vnder the mightie hand of God and by vnfained praier craue forgiuenesse at the Lords hands for Iesus Christs sake and desire continually the assistance of his holy spirit wee shall encrease in faith and feele the cleare forgiuenes of our sins and in him we shall find strength against sinne and shall feele his power working in our weakenes or as sorrow must goe before so repentance must come fast after forgiuenesse 7 Some when they haue sinned reason thus the Lord doth not punish me for my si 〈…〉 s therfore he hath forgiuen them but this kind of reasoning is false and dangerous because it abuseth the great mercie of God to hardnesse of heart and that the Lord will punish though he forbeare for a time it is plaine Exod. 34. 7. Which if wee would consider then would the goodnes and the long suffering of the Lord lead vs to repentance Rom. 2. â—4 8 The Lord wil spare his iudgements in them in whom he sâ—eth a true loue of true Religion for they that loue Religion will desire to heare and hearing the word they wilâ—â—ot fall to any sinne or if they fall into sinnes they will not lie in them long 9 When our sin hath lesse liking in vs there is hope that it wil decay in vs
782 their comfort in this life 341 their loue to parents and the Triall of it 76 chastized and wherefore 640 787 subiect to two extremities 307 how Gods children haue many changes in this life and wherefore 497 Gods goodnes towards them when he plagueth the wicked 499 Circumcision 668 705 Combat of the faithfull 81 CoÌ„fort for a troubled mind 6. 33 109 112 681. 768. See afflicted false coÌ„fort 778. Company of the wicked to be auoided 332 Communion with CHRIST 1â—2 with his members 1â—3 318 the benefit of obseruing all Gods commandements 395 Hee that offendeth in any one commandement is guiltie of all ibid. Concupiscence how to auoide it 8. 458 Conference necessary 5. 614 12â— 647. 662 Confession of sinne 38 484 Confession of sinne 649. of all 690 of speciall 107 hard to confesse sinne 32 33 the benefit of the confession of our sins 409. confession two folde publike priuate to God to men 360 361 Conscience afflicted 5. 6. 37. See afflicted Of sinne 701. tormented 9â— 99. 639 hardnes 651. a good conscieÌ„ce 5. notes of iâ— 313. examination of it 650 peace of it 650 209 tender 650 773. 611 troubled yet pardoned 867 Scriptures for a weake conscience 854 what it is 3â—8 ConstaÌ„cie in a good cause in the faith 511 Contempt of the Gospell punished 791 Contention 801 419 Contentation 26 678 759 770 Contâ—act of Matrimony vsed of the heatheÌ„ 122 commended in Scripture 123 what it is and how the contracted must bee taught 123. 124. a forme of coÌ„tract 1â—8 Controuersies how farre permitted in the Church and wherefore 727 Conuersion 281 how hard a thing 252 the onely outward meanes of it 282 Correction how the Lord correcteth and why 34 6â—2 7â—5 How men ought to rect 278 651 See Censure Corruption naturall 8. 636 703 secret corruption 10â— how knowne 58. knowledge and feeling of it necessarie 11. 681 delighteth in meanes it cannot haue 92 hindereth good actions 27 Couenants particular 477 Couering infirmities 7 Couetousnes vnsatiable 643. 6â—4 how discouered 6â—0 604. how to fight against it and ouercome it 466 Curtesie of the wicked what it is 837 Counsell 612 Creation what it is 82. right vse of the creatures 312 783 what it is to bee a newe creature 370 ioy therein â—64 Crosses refine the Faithfull 2. 38. 117 they are necessarie 649 the vse of it 116 ioyes vnder it 68â— three things required to finde comfort therein 2 the wicked cowaâ—ds vnder the crosse 48â— Crosse of CHRIST what is meant thereby 366 36â— how crosses of wood and other things came 36â— Curiositie 475 Curse a secret curse 662 680 Custome 332 D Dauid 552 his adulterie 7â—2 â—auncing a sinne 169 Death sudden 66â— good 465 violent â—8 quiet to some men an euill â—igâ—â— 2â—1 measurable feare of it commendable â— 250 wishes of it vnlawfull 9 meditation of it profitable 656 6â—3 how to die the death of the righteous 49 the godlie die in the fittest time 45 their sinne abolished by it 875 806 no man to be iudged according to his state in death 9 Debt two kindes of it 754 Decalogue 73 Deceir 688 Delights 612 Dâ—sertion what it is 398 It is twofolde Ibid. Three endes for which God vseth desertions 401 the vse that Christians ought to make thereof 402 Desire 735 respected of God more then the deede 9 6 8 How to examine it 680 800 7â—2 mans desire vnsatiable 6â—3 why we haue it not 760 Despaire and remedie against it 8â—9 Diet 10 charitable iudgements of professors in cases of desperation 400 their iudgement to be left to God ibid. Dâ—â—t 10 DiffereÌ„ce between persons callings 49â— Dâ—ligence to serue God 55 Dâ—sobedience 3â—0 Discipline of the ancient Church 768 842 Discretion necessary therein 84â— Dispraise 10 Distraction froÌ„ a good matter the cause of it 10 Diuine â— things make a good diuine 410 Dâ—uell how he may hurt 2 how he tempteth and accuseth â—04 his subtilty 7â—4 his strength 7â—0 of diuers names giuen vnto him 845 Doctrine 772 three rules to examine it by 11 false doctrine infections 491 Dreames the causes vse of them 10 326 Dulnes and deadnes 10. causes of it 6 30 273. 496. 584. how to auoid it 160. 662 329 the most perfect earhly things are imperfect shall haue an end pag 4â—2 E ECclesiastes a briefe summe of it 628 Education of children See children Elders 352 Election 719 Elect their priuiledge 782 Enmitie 798 the way to ouercome our enemies 464 rules to be obserued when wee pray against them 512 Enuie 732 Error 817 Examination of our sins 101 of our selues 31 284 1â—7 642 671. 703. Example 247 249 263 268 96 632 vse of example 9 666 how farre to bee followed 11 720 721 Excommunication what it is and how dangerous to despise 842 discretion required therein 843 who were excommunicated in the ancient Church 792 Exercises of religion publike 11 75 priuate 158 498 the vse benefit thereof 6â—3 to strengthen iudgment to whet affection 19 778 to whom vnprofitable 241 498 wherefore the Lord doth no more blesse publike exercises 498 Exhortation Legall Euangelicall 3â—9 Experience 11 Bucharist what we eate and drinke therein and how 192 why 193 examination before and the reasons thereof 187 Eye of idlenesse 676 Eyes the gouernement of them 671 677 not gouerned how hurtfull 792 5â— the vanitie of them 416 F FAlling the childe of God may fall 13 the strongest may fall 761 Familie what care is to be had of it 12 278 the whole familie punished for the sinne of the master 684 Familie of Loue. 453 Famliaritie with the wicked forbidden punished 492 Fasting 8. no set time for it 135. publike fast 152. How expedient in our Time 151. the austeritie of the Fathers in it 653. Humilitie therein required 674 Fauour of God 682. found in affliction 687. to be sought more then the fauour of men 686 Faires on the Sabbath day 165 Faith 11. what it is 81. How needfull 12. 484. faith worketh 588. triall of it 640. 814. How the faith of Gods children differeth from the vaine imaginations of the wicked 492. the triall of our Faith when God delayes to performe his promises 508. decay of it 176. 510. Eclipse of it 265. the life secret 54. without feeling 655. 662. faith only iustifieth 86. want of faith and of a good conscience make many barren in good things 464. Spirit of faith 484 faithfull how farre they are saide to be wise 461 Feare Three kindes of feare 682 properties of it 683. godlie feare 248. 528. 3â—3 353. 55. difference of the godly and wicked therein 31. 53. immoderate feare 504. 13. 504. scrupulous feare 1â—5 false feare 857 fewe men trulie fearing 491 Feastings 14. on the Sabbath day hazard soules 168 Feeling 1. 6. 12. 40. 273. 286. 679. 777. 804. 481. vnder the crosse 27. of the forgiuenes of sinnes 254. of a spirituall gâ—ace 655. Dauid lost it 248. 866 867. of wants 507 Figures 132 Fire the