the man of God setteth downe the tearmes of his companions and sheweth how he coueted only Gods louing countenance The sicke desire health the imprisoned libertie the poore desire riches but few desire Gods countenance in the forgiuenes of sinne in the beholding of vs in Christ in giuing the graces of his holy spirit which are the pledges of his loue Many worlds are nothing worth it is a good heart which the Lord requireth Sanctification holines and the blessing of Gods spirit are true riches which we must craue and obtaine with sighs grones and teares For if we can sigh if we can grone if we can sorrow when we are but in sicknes of body or some outward calamitie what a shame is it if we cannot sigh sorrow and grone for the inward wants and necessities of the soule But if men knew what it were to haue the inward peace of conscience which passeth all vnderstanding they would surely desire it more That I might keepe thy statutes So many would haue Gods fauour to shine vnto them in libertie in health or in riches but he craueth God his fauour in his word which if we can get let the Lord deale with other things which concerne vs as pleaseth him best Will we know then when we haue a true loue to God his word It is when we especially desire it and nothing aboue it For as the greatest light that euer came to the world is the light of the Sunne so the most precious thing that can come to the world is the light of Gods word that we may see the light in God his light and behold the countenance of the Lord Otherwise if we be in prosperitie we will thinke our selues to be well when we are in aduersitie we thinke our selues ill Here we may see that as there is cleerenes when the Sunne shineth and that there is darknesse in the mists and cloudinesse so there is a vicissitude of Gods children whilest sometime their vnderstanding is cleered by the comfort of the word other sometimes it is darkened by the mists of ignorance which commeth to passe that we might the more reuerently and louingly esteeme the word For as the Lord hath the dispensation of the Sunne in heauen so hath he the disposing of his countenance to vs on earth Vers. 136. Mine eyes gush out with riuers of water because they keepe not thy Law MIne eyes gush out with water He doth here shew a cause why he did so earnestly pray for Gods louing countenance in his word for he was greatly grieued and sore afflicted and trouble compassed him on euery side The speech is not a false or fained speech but such as sheweth the greatnes of his griefe by that which is greater and it is as much as if he had said I weepe bitterly and often because men keepe not thy Law And this is the note of true zeale which easeth it selfe with teares and not with reuenge or anger and this is godly zeale when we cannot helpe a thing then by teares to commit it to God who alone is able to saue men This was not for priuate iniurie but because Gods law is broken This then is true zeale when we can deuoure priuate iniuries be zealous in Gods cause for fleshly men are hot in their owne causes and cold in the cause of the Lord. A man cannot thus be sorrowfull for another vnlesse he be sorrowfull for himselfe and then are we truely sorrowfull for our selues when we can mourne for others As Marie loued much and therefore wept much because much was forgiuen her And hereof it commeth that most notorious sinners being conuerted are most truely zealous haue greatest compassion ouer sinners for they haue felt Gods goodnes so greatly to them that they desire that others should be partakers thereof As Panl more zealous than the rest because more notorious than the rest of the Apostles PORTION 18. TSADDE Vers. 137. Righteous art thou O Lord and iust are thy iudgements AS in the latter end of the former Portion the Prophet shewed that his eyes gusht out with riuers of waters because of the generall backsliding and falling to iniquitie so here he sheweth that he had almost pined away and consumed to nothing to see the ripenes of iniquities in them which were his enemies And whereas this might haue beene a great temptation that notwithstanding there were made so many promises to the godly and such iudgements threatned to the wicked yet the godly sustained so hard things and the wicked were in so good a case he confirmeth his faith by staying his whole confidence on God and trusteth in God because he is righteous and acknowledgeth him to be a righteous God because euery part of his word is righteous and whatsoeuer the Lord hath said either concerning his promises to his seruants or threatnings to his enemies is most iust and true The selfe same must also stay vs when we are in the like temptations when we shall be counted as precise fooles and vnquiet spirits because we weepe and lament for the sinnes of others or when we seeing the wicked liue in such pleasures begin to maruell how it commeth to passe that the godly are so ill dealt withall and when the godly liue with teares and the vngodly passe their time in ioy Wherefore the man of God raiseth vp himselfe with this meditation howsoeuer those things seeme to be confounded cast together yet thou ô Lord art God and gouernest all thou art a righteous God and thy iudgements are righteous yea euery word of thy word ô Lord is righteous and true thy promises which in time thou shalt performe will not fall away nor thy iudgements which thou wilt one day execute shall not faile Behold how we also must strengthen our faith in the like assaults This was a notable example of faith which so yeelded to the due obedience of the word of God for our instruction when we are in such distresse our eyes must not be set on any visible or earthly things but onely on things inuisible and heauenly euen on the word of God on his promises which he wil performe on his iustice which he will execute we must I say haue our eyes lifted vp further than the scope of heauen and the circuites of the Sunne we must looke to heauen where Gods promises shall be fully performed and accomplished we must looke to hell where his iudgements shall be finished fully executed For though both Gods promises may on earth be performed and his vengeance may here be executed yet all his promises are not shewed to any nor many of them shewed to all but there may be some wanting of them and the wicked may haue a great torment of minde and hell of conscience and yet all haue them not neither haue any all because many are glorious in their life and pompous in their death What then shall we say to this but with the
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
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
your conscience to make the vse of them profitable to yourselfe in the particular practise thereof Vers. 16. I will delight in thy statutes and I will not forget thy word THus doing all these things carefully you shall surely neuer forget that which you learne for though you doe not remember euery thing yet God wil by his spirit cal so much especially into your remēbrance as is needful for you to know thē especīally when you haue most neede of it as in the houre of death and in the day of temptation but as you faile in all or in any of these so may you feare to faile in the truth of them Nicolas Bownde D. of diuinitie Preacher of Gods word at Norton in Suffolke PORTION 3. GIMEL Vers. 17. Be beneficiall vnto thy seruant that I may liue and keepe thy word THe Prophet desireth life where he teacheth why mē should desire to liue that is that they might keepe Gods word for life is common to them with beasts and plants and yet all desire to liue some for one ende some for another but Gods child maketh this the end that hee might keepe Gods word And in that he ioyneth these together hee signifieth that his life without it is no life as in the 4. part vers 11. where he counteth himselfe dead vnlesse he finde a readines to obey Gods will A widow liuing in pleasure is dead whilest she liueth and this is to be vnderstood of all that liue in any sinne And this if all they considered which are not ioyned to Christ it would amaze them for though this appeare not now yet at the last day it shall appeare This cannot be perswaded to the carnall man but to vs that haue the knowledge of God it ought to be certaine and we must trie our hearts whether this be our desire to liue that we may keepe Gods word Many men doe speake this and sing this yet fewe in heart doe this therefore if we be thus minded wee must shewe it by referring all our doings to Gods glory which we shall then do when we measure all our doings by the word Therefore Paul Rom. 4. and Phil 2. desireth not life but that he may be ioyned to Christ. All other religion is of no effect till this principall end be in our hearts for no man can haue two ends of his life as to come to preferment and to be saued but this must be onely the end that we might be ioyned to Christ. He desireth not to know but to keepe which presupposeth knowledge wee are here then prouoked to practise and not to rest in knowledge but to labour to doe that we know And this is the cause why they of the olde Testament desired longer life that they might finish that onely which they had to doe at such time as they felt some signes of Gods displeasure and had not sufficiently tasted of Gods fauour so we if we cannot finde assurance of the forgiuenes of sinnes then let vs desire to liue but when we are come to this that with Paul we can say I haue finished my course with ioy then will the children of God be readie to dye Many there be that haue neither care of life nor death and although they feele and see signes of Gods displeasure yet they are not moued but the children of God knowe that it is better to be a liuing dogge than a dead lyon And seeing by their euill life they haue dishonoured God they would be ioyfull to purchase some praise to him by their holy conuersation He knoweth his great vnhabilitie to doe good and therefore desireth it of God It is not in our choyse to doe good or cuill for then this prayer had been in vaine hee knew that this was not in him to keepe Gods word and therefore in the next verse he desireth that his eyes might be opened wher he acknowledgeth that he had not so much as the knowledge of Gods word in himselfe therefore he was far from yeelding such obedience therevnto as the Lord requireth He desireth now to vnderstand which goeth before practise and is lesser than it and yet it is the meanes to come to practise And if we cannot vnderstand it without special grace then much lesse can we practise it Many of vs in iudgement doe hate Papists yet in practise we are such seeing wee doe many things without prayer and the knowledge of Gods word Knowledge goeth before practise and therefore many in vaine doe say that they keepe the word when they labour not to know it Vers. 18. Open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law IN the former verse hee shewed that hee could not keepe the word without Gods grace now he sheweth that he cannot know it vnlesse the Lord open our eyes this is the want that is in all men but flesh and blood shall not reueale this and Paul saith that it was hid from the Princes of the world which must serue to humble all flesh and to stirre vs vp to pray to the Lord when we come to reade it otherwise wee shall reade and not vnderstand it because wonderfull things are contained therein therefore when wee see the wonderfulnes of this law this is one degree of profiting because the ignorant thinke they haue knowledge enough Dauid well instructed in the word yet made this prayer to teach vs that wee must goe daily forward for we know but by degrees and ignorance is mixed therewith therefore many continuing long fall in the end away which may teach vs to pray that he would not leade vs into this temptation that we should thinke we haue knowledge enough This is the cause why many fal into errors because that they resting in that which they haue conceiued in their owne braine and haue heard or learned of others in the meane while neuer looking to bee taught by Gods spirit when they see their teachers fall away then doe they fall away also because their ground is gone So many therefore as loue to abide stedfast in the truth and neuer to be remoued there from let them neuer rest neither in that they conceiue of themselues neither in the wordes and doctrine of men but let them alwaies by prayer craue that the Lord by his spirit may instruct them this if they doe the Lord will not turne them away emptie but will so season their hearts by his spirit that though a thousand fall away on the one side and ten thousand on the other yet shall they continue stedfast to the end The cause why we haue so great need to pray is set downe when hee calleth the things contained in the word wonders And surely if iniquitie be a mysterie as the Apostle calleth it then much more is the law of God Yet so it is not vnto al for the Prophet in this Psalme saith that the very entrance into Gods word giueth light to the simple And Psal. 88. when hee had called the
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
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
shield and I trust in thy word BEcause the Prophet could not perswade himselfe of any other safetie than of the safeâ—â—â—â— which he had vnder the Lord he sheweth that so long as he put his trust in Gods 〈…〉 s he feared nothing And surely this ought to be the principal thing among Christians to looke for none other defence than that which is to be looked for out of the promises of God For what is the cause why when wee are in daunger in pouertie in any distresse wee haue so many by-paths and can inuent vnlawfull meanes and shifts so for our deliuerance but onely because the Lord and his word is not our refuge and our shield For if we were once perswaded that God were our tower to defend vs and our shield to couer vs wee should be staied If wee then call on God in our neede we must know that Psal. 33. vers 18. The eye of the Lord is vpon them that feare him and vpon them that trust in his mercies And that Psal. 145. 18. Hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare him hee also will heare their crie and will saue them And our cause being good we neede not to doubt of him for he hath promised to be our shield and buckler So our Sauiour Christ being tempted of Sathan to turne the stones into bread was moued by him to distrust Gods prouidence What saith he doest thou thinke that if thou wert the Sonne of God thou shouldest bee left in such wants make some shift therefore for thy selfe But Christ knowing God to bee the author of his neede was assured that he would secretly nourish him vntill hee had receiued ordinarie meanes againe and so strengthened himselfe in Gods promises Likewise when we are in need or in perill Sathan will cause vs to vse one shift or other but we must answere him The Lord is my shield and tower I am sure enough and therfore I hate all ill inuentions I put my trust in the Lord. We acknowledge this with our tongue yet it is a hard thing to bee practised to put our trust in Gods word For howsoeuer wee will grant indeede that wee must put our trust in God yet we hardly yeeld vnto this that we must trust in his word but we must here correct this vnbeliefe and learne that if we seeke for helpe at God wee must trust in his word Doth Gods word threaten his iustice and can wee finde in our liues that if wee vse euill meanes we shall be punished Doth Gods word assure vs that God is mercifull and doe we beleeue that Iesus Christ came to saue sinners although we were the greatest and that he came to call sinners and not the righteous to repentance and that Iesus Christ came to saue that which was lost and to refresh all that are wearie and heauie laden Thus the man of God saith portioÌ„ 8. 1. O Lord thou art my portioÌ„ I haue determined to keepe thy law And portion 14. 6. Thy testimonies haue I taken as an heritage for euer for they are the very ioy of my heart Thus he sheweth that we must seeke for that in Gods word which wee seeke for of him For his word is a conduit or waterpipe whereby the Lord conueying his mercies vnto vs will haue them runne through vnto vs. Doe wee beleeue then the promises that God will prouide for vs then let vs beware of al wicked shifts and trust onely in his word For if we beleeue God to be our tower we must looke to Gods word The Heathen men and the prophane worldlings will speake gloriously of the goodnesse of the strength and of the mercy of God but when they come to see it in the word they will erre altogether out of the way whereby they shew how they vtter more in their tongues than they performe in truth For the Lord hath layde that helpe on his word which he would haue vs to seeke for at his hand so Christ by the word put the diuell to flight with these words in effect Thou wouldest haue me Sathan to mistrust my Fathers prouidence and to giue my selfe to be taught of thee but I know he will keepe me in all my necessities and why because he hath said Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God the Lord hath prouided ordinarie meanes to nourish me and hath not commaunded that stones should be made bread and why then should I vse vnlawfull meanes Wherefore I will stay my selfe vpon my Fathers prouidence We see he might haue said that God is almightie and strong or that by his mightie power he might haue put off Sathan but he reciteth the words of Moses which he vsed when the Lord so wonderfully had preserued his people the Israelites in the wildernesse without ordinarie meanes We must in like manner when Sathan shall set vpon vs in time of neede say it is written The Lord is iust and true in all his promises It is written The eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares are open to their crie nothing wanteth to them that feare him The Lyons doe lacke and suffer hunger but they which seeke the Lord shall want nothing which is good It is written Rom. 8. verse 35. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword When we are tempted then with doubting in our selues that we shall not escape we must know that it is written Rom. 8. 31. If God be on our side who can be against vs 32. Who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how shall he not with him giue vs all things also If we be tempted to steale we must say as it is written Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God knowing that God is able to preserue vs without ordinarie meanes Vers. 115. Away from me ye wicked for I will keepe the commandements of my God THe cause why the man of God could not so stay himselfe on the Lord was because what way soeuer he turned himselfe he could see no man that would helpe him He had no helpe of the world euery man prouided for himself some shifted this way another that way he could see no good example of any which either beleeued Gods promises to be true or were readie to obey his commaundements Wherefore it is manifest that they were impediments rather than furtherances vnto him For else why should he say Away from me ye wicked c Were there so many impediments in his daies and shall we thinke there are not so many in ours or was that age wherein he liued more wicked than the age wherein we liue First we are nothing like him in good things he had greater graces of God than we haue he had gone further in holinesse than we we liue
vsâ—st to doe to them that loue thy name c. The words in their proper tongue signifie thus much According to thy in lgements which thou doâ—st execute to them that loue thy name according to that in the fourth verse of the seuenth portion I remember thy iudgements of old o Lord and haue bene comforted His meaning therefore in these former words is not fully expressed Here we may learne the necessarie vse of this word and how needfuâ—l a thing it is and how speciall a gift it is of God his wisedome rightly to discerne and distinguish the words Iudgements as we haue often fore shewed is taken either for executing the threatnings of the Lord denounced in wrath and in desert or else for the performance of his promises made in compassion and of mercie His meaning briefly is be mercifull in iudging me as thou art wont to iudge thy seruants let me haue iudgement in mercie and enter not into the iudgement of my sinnes for no flesh then shall be saued and deale with me as with thy deare seruant If we be guiltie of our owne crosses we must acknowledge our sinnes as the iust causes thereof for neuer any of the children of God obtained mercie without this We are then in trouble to looke to the promises of God if we by faith can finde the like testimonie of a good conscience but when we see our sinnes to be the cause of our troubles or that it is the Lord his hand of iustice vpon vs we cannot in truth vse this prayer of the Prophet There is a iudgement in righteousnesse and there is a iudgement in mercy Of the first the man of God speaketh when he saith Enter not into iudgement c. the iudgement in righteousnesse of the second the Prophet Ieremie speaketh Correct me O Lord yet in iudgement that is in the iudgement of mercy and fatherly correction And because we faile for the most part either in our outward actions or inward affections we had neede to pray that the Lord would deale with vs according to his mercifull iudgement True it is that the Saints of God doe say O God of my righteousnesse O God of my saluation but that is to be vnderstood in respect of men and not in respect of God but they that come with their case to be iudged and pleaded before God must needes say Lord be mercifull to thy seruants We must neuer draw neere then in prayer before the Lord without this clause that the Lord would accept vs in Christ hiâ— obedience and that we doubt not of mercy when the Lord iudgeth vs in his Christ. Here we are to obserue how the Prophet maketh an experience of the Lord his dealing and thus reasoneth with him I see thou Lord dealest mercifully with them that loue thee but I loue thee therefore Lord deale mercifully with me This deceiueth many we reade not the word of God for imitation or as thinking that those affections which we reade to haue been in the children of God are to be required in and of vs also but let vs know that whatsoeuer haue been the strangest and rarest affections of God his children they are for vs to follow For though we cannot attaine to them in the like measure that this man of God because we will not deny that he had a greater measure of Gods spirit than we haue yet we must by vsing the like meanes attaine to some measure if not an hundred fold yet threescore and thirtie fold Now we see that he hauing obtained the like graces with God his people craueth here the like mercies with theÌ„ For his sense is euident as thou diddest not make a couenant with thy seruants after their sinnes but according to thy mercy euen so Lord deale with me Here is no speciall thing mentioned but he setteth downe that which hath been and may be in the children of God He prayeth noâ— for any speciall mercie then but for that mercy which by experience he hath seene ratified in others likewise he speaketh not here of any extraordinary graces of God his holy spirit but of theÌ„ which are ordinarie and incident to any one of God his children as to another although not in like measure And surely we haue not the like mercies with them because we haue not the like graces that they had To loue the word of God as gold to gape after it to breath and â—â—nt for it are singular gifts of God but giuen to none in that time with such speciall prerogatiue as they may not in some measure be giuen to the Saints of God in our time if we soloued the Lord. For that which the Apostle Peter said of them that feared the Lord to wit the Lord hath no respect of persons but they that feared the Lord are accepted the same the Prophet speaketh here in effect of them that loue the Lord. For when the promises are generall in pronouncing we must make them particular by a seuerall applying of theÌ„ to our sâ—lues Let vs then be ashamed of our selues for our wants of loue The Lord hath not graunted vnto others nor denied vnto vs any speciall priuiledges as they thought among the Papists who in their readings had wont to admire much at the Saints of God and to follow them but little The Lords hand is not shortened that he can lesse helpe vs than he hath in times past our forefathers neither is his mercy lesse that he will not helpe vs for his is the kingdome his is the power his is the glorie for euer but our sinnes as saith the Prophet haue made a partition and a diuorcement betweene the Lord and vs our loue is lesse our sinnes are greater than they were in our forefathers Let this comfort vs the man of God here prayeth not for any extraordinarie mercy For as the loue of God to vs ward is common with other of his children in like manner our loue to Gods word must be common with them and if we haue the like graces with them we shall obtaine the like mercies with them For in the substance of saluation if we haue faith the Lord will deale with vs according as he dealt with Abraham Isaac and Iacob with the Prophets and Apostles Wherefore the Lord as we said a little before hath set downe his promises iâ— generall words which we must deriue by faith as particular and proper to our selues Now if we had this sealed in our hearts that they were neuer confounded nor deceiued which put their trust in the Lord we should be assured that his arme is not shortned he is as able to reach it out vnto vs as euer he was before if onely we will beleeue and say with the Prophet of God Amen We must take â—eede that we suffer not as ill doers and that the Lord finde vs not lying in some sins for then we cannot in truth vse the Prophets prayer for the like mercies in that we
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
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
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