Papists Mocke-Gods Swearers Swaggerers Drunkards and so forth By which means it is iust with God they not shunning the occasions of sinne are peruerted by them to their owne destruction And no lesse worthy of reproofe are those kinde of men or women that lincke themselues or their children in marriage with such as be vile wicked prophane and irreligious Alas what agreement is there betweene CHRIST and Belial God and the Diuell Light and darkenesse 1. Cor. 6. a Beleeuer and an infidell to haue such neare coniunction and fellowship with them How can such escape and not be polluted with their sinne And because men and women in this match make no better choice but marry for loue of money beauty or the like rather then for Religion Vertue or the Feare of God it commeth to passe that they liue together most vncomfortably and in great discontentment Nor sit in the seate of Scorners BY Scorners in this place are meant such wicked men as are both hardened in sinne and liue a wicked life such as are become stubborne and rebellious sinners professing all impietie contemning God and man such as being confirmed with the long practise of sinne and a bad life haue got a habite of sinne and can doe nothing else but sinne and despise all good duties and make a scoffe at all Religion Hence wee learne this doctrine Doctr. 2. The mark of a lewd and wicked man that this is the propertie of a notorious lewd and wicked man to make a mocke of all pietie and godlinesse to make a mocke of all Religion and euery Christian dutie And such a man is come to a wonderfull height of sinne and is notoriously wicked and vngodly So it is sayd that cursed Cham mocked his father Noah Gen. 9.22 and Ismael mocked godly Isaac because as it is like Ismael seeing godly Isaac performing some duty of Religion Prayer Thankes-giuing or the like hee laughed him to scorne The Athenians mocked Paul Acts 17. what will this Babler say So the Scribes and Pharisees mocked our Sauiour CHRIST saying Mat. 26.68 Haile King of the Iewes The Iewes mocked Saint Peters Sermon saying Act. 2.12 These men are full of new wine The children of Bethel mocked Elizeus the Prophet saying Go vp thou Bald-head 2. Kin. 2.22 This was the complaint of godly Ieremie O Lord I am in derision daily Ier. 20.7 euery one mocketh mee And as it was so is it still and will bee the world is full of such lewd and wicked men such Mock-gods that mocke and mow at all good duties scoffing and scorning all Religion flouting and mis-vsing Gods faithfull Ministers raile vpon them and reuile them yea if any man feare God make conscience of good duties to heare the word of God diligently and carefully to reade pray in family c. And will not sweare with the swearer drinke with the drunkard and run with wicked men into all excesse of ryot this man shall bee mocked and poynted at and called by the name of Puritan and precisian and I know not what and can very hardly endure their company Now these kinde of men these scoffing Ismaels and cursed Chams though they seeme to be neuer so honest ciuell yet the word of God paints them out in their colours as the most vile and wicked men that liue in the world because they contemne and despise they mocke and scorne Gods word and those that be most deere vnto God Let all such scorners and scoffing Vse 1 mates take heede for as they bee most abhominable in the sight of God Pro. 3.32 so they seldome or neuer escape vnpunished Looke on that cursed Cham scoffing Ismael behold Gods vengeance vpon those two and forry yonkers that mocked the Prophet Elizeus What became of them that mocked and mis-vsed the Prophets of the Lord What became of those that mocked and mis-vsed our Sauiour Iesus Christ And let men but obserue it and marke it well Esay 37 and they shall cleerely see some token or other of Gods vengeance vpon the heades of such scoffing wretches yea let all such wicked men know that they be too much their owne foes in that they hate the godly mocke Gods Ministers raile vpon his seruants they fare the better for them euery day they rise whatsoeuer wicked and vngodly men haue and enioy it is for the godlies sakes for if it were not for them and their sakes the Sunne would scarce shine vpon them the heauens would fall vpon them the earth would open her mouth and swallow them the fire would burne them the water would drowne them and all the creatures of God would arme themselues against them And therefore the children of God as one saith are like a peece of Corke cast into the Sea full of Nayles the Corke beares them vp which otherwise would sinke of themselues one by one Now then what a folly and madnesse is this to hate them to mocke them and to mis-vse them by whom they fare the better euery day they rise Seeing wicked men are so ill affected Vse 2 to God and his children because they loue the diuell and bee his vassailes and these belong to God Let vs herein be like to God our Father and most vnlike wicked men let vs loue Gods children and make much of those that feare the Lord and let vs delight in their company for as the former is a signe of a notorious wicked man so this is a signe of a godly man He despiseth a vile person Psal 15.4 and maketh much of those that feare the Lord. Againe 1 Iohn 3. Hereby we know that wee loue God if wee loue the brethren Againe All my delight is in the Saints and such as excell in vertue Such as be religious feare God and liue a godly life These be to be beloued be they neuer so poore It is lamentable to see the course of the world let a lewd man come into company that is notorious wicked an Atheist a blasphemous wretch one that laughes at God and all goodnesse a drunkard or the like this man shall be too too welcome and we will eate and drinke and bee mery with him But let a godly man a Prophet of the Lord a faithful and zealous Minister come into our company we are weary of him wee cannot endure his companie hee marres all our mirth wee cannot be merry for him Thus men say Oh Hel-hounds and wicked wretches thou maist as well say thou canst not be merry when God is present Hee that despiseth you despiseth mee These men onely delight in the Diuell and his cursed instruments And thus much for the first part of the description of a godly man negatiuely described Hee doth not walk in the counsell of the wicked Hee doth not stand in the way of sinners nor hee doth not sit in the seate of the scorners The first Psalme VERSE 2. But his delight is in the Lawe of the Lord and
harbour there it guideth the affections loue hatred sorrow c. Such a man loues nothing more then God hates nothing more then sinne reioyceth in nothing more then in doing the will of God and sorrowes for nothing more their that hee should offend so good and gracious a God Againe it is the foundation of all our obedience For without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 And without it wee can neither pray heare or performe any duety that shall bee acceptable with God 2 Of repentance The second is the fruite of Repentance whereby a man is humbled for his sinnes past and is affraid of sinne in time to come This fruit of Repentance is of absolute necessity to saluation according to that of our Sauiour Except yee repent yee shall all perish Luk. 13.5 And onely godly sorrow must worke this true repentance in a man Godly sorrow causeth repentance in a man to saluation 2. Cor. 7.10 And therefore in the Scriptures are recorded the mournings of the godly in the daies of their humiliation Dauids Fainting Psal 6.6 Ezechias chattering like a Crane Esay 38.14 Iob abhorring himselfe in dust and ashes Peter weeping bitterly Math. 26.75 Mary Magdalene washing Christs feete with her Teares Luke 7.38 And Paul crying out O wretched man that I am Rom. 7.24 Wee must mourne with these heere Psal 126.5 if wee will reioyce with them heereafter And surely if there were neither heauen nor hell neither reward nor punishment yet the godly would sorrow for sinne for offending their good and gracious God and louing Father Besides this sorrow in a godly man for his sins past he is exceeding affraid of sin in time to come as Dauid was who prayed vnto God so earnestly that hee would Stablish him with his free Spirit Psalme fifty one and the tenth verse That seeing hee had such woefull experience of his owne weakenesse he prayes vnto the Lord that hee would giue him his preuenting grace that hee might neuer fall into the like sin againe So the godly Israelites in Ezra his time Ezr. 9.10.3 when they had with griefe of heart bewailed their sinnes vnto God they resolue to make a Couenant with God and solemnly to bind themselues to put away their strange wiues whereby they had so much dishonoured him And so it is with all the faithfull euen as a good child hauing by his vntowardnesse vexed his father is carefull afterwards to please him againe by all meanes possible Well then dost thou finde these fruits of true repentance in thee art thou grieued and euen payned at thy heart for thy wicked life for thy ignorance vnbeleefe hardnesse of heart thy neglect of prayer and calling on Gods Name Art thou grieued for want of reuerence in Gods worship for thy abusing Gods Name by swearing cursing and banning for contempt of his Word and Sacraments for prophaning of his Saboaths carelesse gouerning of thy Family for thy malice vnbeleefe vncleane proud and couetous thoughts drunkenesse vncleanesse and the like Againe dost thou finde in thee an earnest desire to walke with God in obedience to all his Commandements to liue in no knowne sinne but in all things to please God to the vtmost of thy power These be the fruites of righteousnesse whereby wee are knowne to bee of God The third is the fruite of New Obedience or of a godly life 3 Of Obedience both in the obedience of Gods Lawes in the first and second Table Christ makes this the eare-marke of his sheepe To heare his voyce and follow him Ioh. 10. And wee are willed by the Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrews to cast away euery thing that presseth downe Heb. 12.1 and the sinne that hangeth so fast on and to runne with patience to the race that is set before vs. This was godly Dauids resolution I will runne the way of thy Commandements Psa 119 32 and Dauid describing the true worshippers of God Psa 119.1 Psal 15.2 saith They goe on from strength to strength seruing God in truth of heart without hypocrisie And it is said here That the fruit of a godly man doth neuer fade And howsoeuer the worke of mortification is neuer perfected in this life but that the remnants and reliques of sinne will still remaine euen in the godly themselues yet they euer sinne with griefe of heart and CHRISTS death doth set such a worke-against all sinne that the regenerate man can truely say It is not I but sinne that dwelleth in mee So then if thou desirest to please God in all his Commandements at all times and in all places and to doe all duties of loue vnto men required in the Commandements of the second Table shewing thy fruites in doing good to the poore distressed Members of Iesus Christ feeding cloathing and comforting them in their need In thy generall calling to bring forth the fruit of godlinesse to bee much and often exercised in Prayer Hearing Reading Meditating c. As also in thy particular calling to do thy duety with faith and a good conscience without fraude guile deceipt c. These be the fruits that are required in all those that are the Members of Iesus Christ and ingrafted into his mysticall body This Doctrine doth flatly condemne Vse 1 all such as vnfruitfull and barren Trees as bring forth no fruit of a godly righteous and religious life such as liue in continuall ignorance blindnesse hardnesse of heart in contempt of the Word prophanation of the Sabaoth our ciuill honest men which are so much admired if they bee not good Christians who should And if they bee not saued I know not who should goe to heauen Well euery good Tree brings forth good fruite Math. 7.17 Where bee your good fruites No fruit of faith no fruit of repentance nor new obedience but in stead thereof the fruites of infidelity hardnesse of heart and disobedience Alas that poore soules should thus goe blinde-folde to hell to thinke that such should be saued what then should become of hell As though a man might be a true member of Iesus Christ and ingrafted into his mysticall body and yet bee barren of good fruite No no it cannot bee for there is such a liuely power in this stocke of life Christ Iesus That they who are once ingrafted into him bring forth fruite incontinent As wee may see in the Theefe vpon the Crosse Luke 9. what fruite hee bare in an instant of time confessing first his owne sinnes secondly reprouing the sinnes of his companion Thirdly cleering Christ to be innocent Lastly praying that Christ would remember him when hee came into his kingdome And this wee may see in Zacheus Lydia c. Math. 22. Actes 16. Who were no sooner conuerted but brought forth fruit incontinently And yet wee see how many dry fruitlesse and barren trees deceiue the world as the figge-tree Christ Oh hee is a very honest man keepes a good house Math. 3.10 doth
for this cause the world knoweth you not because it knoweth not him God is become their Father the Sonne their Redeemer and the Holy Ghost their Sanctifier the Angells their attendants the Scriptures their Euidences and the Sacraments Seales vnto the same This the Apostle teacheth whē he saith All things are yours and yee Christs and Christ Gods they are blessed then that are thus reconciled to God in Iesus Christ they are blessed that haue their sinnes pardoned and not imputed vnto them they are blessed that inioy this sweet peace of conscience and ioy in the Holie Ghost they are blessed that haue attained to this assurance that the kingdome of Heauen eternall life and saluation shall be their reward But the godly man is partaker of all these what then shall hinder his happinesse Three sorts of men confuted This serueth then to confute three sorts of men First the Voluptuous man who placeth his felicity and happinesse in delights pleasures 1 Voluptuous sports and pastimes hee loues and likes them aboue all other things and most eagerly doth hunt after them Luke 12. This appeared in that rich man in the Gospell who bad his soule eate drink and be merry as if there were nothing else to be looked after or as if mans chiefe felicity did consist in these things Rom 14 17 Eccles 2. And this was the case of Salomon in the dayes of his vanity vntill he saw that all was but vain Let vs then be careful that we be not deceiued with these sinfull pleasures of this life as to thinke therein wee are happy but let vs take heed vnto this hooke of Sathan least we bee taken within his snare It is written to the euerlasting commendation of Moses that he refused to bee called the son of Pharaohs daughter Heb. 11.24 and chose rather to suffer aduersity with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt for he had respect vnto the recompence of reward The second sort of men heere reproued are the ambitious 2 Ambitious that makes honor preferment his God as if mans chiefe felicity did consist in that this is their care and study how to climb vp to preferment like Absolom that sought to steale the hearts of his fathers subiects And Achitophel that was so proud that he could not indure a man in fauour but himselfe and therefore when he saw Hushaies counsell receiued and his reiected went and hanged himselfe Hest 2.3 So proud Haman was so vexed with Mordecay that hee could not bee quiet till hee had wrought his owne distruction and the reason of all is this prosperity puffeth vp and stealeth away the heart of man 1 Tim. 6 9. making a man both to forget God and himselfe and therefore prosperitie is a very dangerous slippery estate and howsoeuer it bee much desired and admired yet it is full of dangers and hedged in with many perils and howsoeuer many are drawne away from God through persecution and affliction yet prosperity is more dangerous for by it many more are drowned in sensualitie and euen lulled asleepe in carnall security 3 Couetous The third sort of men here reproued are the couetous Cormorants of the world such as make gold their God loue it and delight in it more then God as if their chiefest happinesse did consist in the multitude of their riches Coloss 3. whereas indeed godlinesse alone hath the promise of this life and that which is to come And of all other sinnes our Sauiour giues this caueat against this sinne Luk. 12.15 saying Take heede and beware of couetousnesse and this is that which the Prophet Dauid doth pray against when hee saith Ps 119.36 Incline my heart vnto thy testimonies and not vnto couetousnesse 1. Ioh. 2.15 Hereunto agreeth that exhortation of the Apostle Mat. 6.24 If anie man loue this world the loue of my Father is not in him So then whether wee consider that couetousnesse is the roote of all euill or that there is a flat opposition betweene God and the world wee must hold this as an euident truth that there is no blessednesse to be found in them This may seeme to reprooue that Vse 2 cursed yet common opinion of the world namely that of all men the godly man is most miserable We see heere that the LORD himselfe doth proclaime from Heauen that hee accompteth the godlie man a blessed and happy man but yet the world that is wicked men in the world iudge and deeme the godlie man wretched and miserable such a man as truely feareth God hates all iniquitie disliketh lewd companie makes conscience of good dueties as to pray in his Familie to instruct his seruants and children is diligent and carefull to frequent Sermons this man is as an Owle amongst Birds whooted at and poynted at men reproach him and of all men hee is most contemned But as Paul saith thus it must bee wee are brought vpon the stage we are made a gazing-stock to wicked men and accounted as dung for Christes sake Vse 3 This may serue to stoppe their mouthes that say and thinke it is in vain to serue the Lord that it is lost labour to be religious that there is no good got by hearing of Sermons and leading of a godly life It is and euer hath beene the cursed thought of mans heart to thinke so as in the time of the Prophet Malachie It is lost labour to serue the Lord Mal. 3.14 and what good comes there by seruing of GOD So in these dayes it is cleare men thinke it is in vaine to be religious to liue godly and in all things to labour to keepe faith and a good conscience before God and men But it is manifest heere that it is not in vaine to serue GOD Note nay it is that alone that brings a man to happinesse and true comfort here and an eternall measure of glory in the world to come and withall this may serue to comfort euery poore childe of God against al the discomforts discouragements of the world by satan his cursed instruments namely that whatsoeuer thy estate be neuer so poore in this world and subiect to neuer so many afflictions yet if thou be a godly man certainely then thou art Blessed Heb. 11.24 12.23 Thou that art in Gods fauour thou that art reconciled to God in Iesus Christ and hast thy sinnes pardoned eternall life belongs vnto thee and therfore feare not bee not any whit discouraged hold out vnto the end certaine it is thou art a Blessed Man and in so doing thou shalt haue a crown of life Hence wee learne that as many Vse 4 as desire to bee truely happy and blessed may heere behold the way to bee happy and blessed Wouldst thou bee truely happy and blessed heere in this life and heereafter in the life to
applying of the heauenly doctrine of the word of God And indeede this is heere set downe as a true fruit of our loue to the word as the loue of the word is made a true fruit of a godly man for as it is impossible a man should be truely religious and feare God yet haue no sound loue nor delight in the word of God so is it likewise impossible a man or woman should truly loue the word of God in their heart that seldome or neuer bestow any paines in the serious and earnest meditation of the same Dauid calls God to witnes that the loue he bare to the law of God was exceeding great when he said O how do I loue thy Law Psa 119.97 And in the same verse he seemes to proue the same to God it is my meditation continually which indeed is a note of true loue to be euer thinking of the thing beloued And in very deed the carefull and diligent study the often and earnest meditation of the word of God is the very life and strength of all our worship and seruice of God for if men should reade much and neuer meditate it would doe them no good if men should heare much often neuer meditate they should be little the better If men should pray much and often and neuer meditate they should finde small comfort If men come often to the Sacraments and doe not before and after meditate of the Couenant of grace they should not receiue much good thereby so that you see that Meditation is all in all it puts life to our reading hearing praying receiuing and without it al our reading hearing praying and receiuing will stand vs in small stead For without this Meditation this Lawe that is the word of God will eyther in time be forgotten whereby wee shall become vnmindefull of it or else it will prooue as a Talent hid in the ground vtterly vnfruitfull vnto vs for this Meditation indeed is the third steppe of a true conuert The first is to heare the word of God readily the second to remember it diligently and the third to Meditate on it seriously and this is compared to the Chewing of the Cud Deut. 14.6.7 which is neuer found in the vncleane but in the cleane beasts True it is that hearing and reading the Word will beget knowledge but Meditation is the speciall meanes to worke vpon the affection for else all our knowledge shall onely be in generall idle and swimming in the brayne which may well bee called braine-knowledge but no heart-knowledge but by serious Meditation wee doe applie that wee heare to our owne selues in particular laying the Doctrine to our owne hearts applying it to our selues to comfort our sad soules to humble them for our sinnes and to square our liues thereby that wee may in all things keepe a cleare conscience before God and man The Lord giues Ioshuah a straight charge to doe thus Let not the Booke of the Lawe depart out of thy mouth But meditate therein day and night That thou mayest obserue and doe according to all that is written therein for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous and thou shalt then haue good successe Ioshua 1.8 and Deuteron 6. vers 6.7.8 And thus the seruants of God haue been much exercised in meditation and thereby haue growne woonderfull not only in knowledge but in practise as we may see in Dauid Psa 119. who tooke great delight in Gods Lawe and made it his meditation continually And of Isaac it is reported that hee went out into the fieldes in the euening to meditate Genesis cha 24. This reprooues the common fault Vse 1 in the world that most men vtterly neglect this duety seldome or neuer settle themselues to meditate in the Lawe of God and his heauenly Doctrine It is hard to finde a man or woman that makes any conscience of this duetie to set themselues apart and set themselues in Gods presence to call to minde that they haue heard and learned to applie it to themselues in particular to humble them or to comfort them And this is the cause why most men hearing and reading so much as they haue yet profit so little in knowledge faith repentance and obedience They can be content to heare the word preached and taught and it may be now and then to reade a chapter but to thinke vpon it to ruminate vpon the word of God and as it were to chew the Cudde to call the same to minde againe to applie it to themselues to labour to profit by it this they cannot indure this they care not for For if men did carefully meditate of the things they heard and read how could they be so ignorant in Gods word as most be So voyde of knowledge faith repentance humilitie zeale patience and the like gifts and graces which accompany godlie and holie meditation For bookes of Statutes men wil not only haue them in their houses but at their fingers ends but Bible they haue none And if they haue it lieth vpon the deske or table and they reade it not And if sometimes they reade yet they neuer meditate thereon This may admonish all men as Vse 2 they loue their owne soules to make more care and conscience of the performance of this duetie to call to minde that wee doe heare or reade to thinke and muse vpon it to chew the Cudde to lay it to heart yea and to applie it to our owne soules and consciences in particular This is like the rumination or chewing of the Cudde to lay it to bee found onely in the cleane beasts whereas they which chewed not the Cudde Deuter. 14 6.7 were vncleane This is the marke and propertie of a godlie and Blessed man whereas the not doing it is the marke of a wicked vngodly man Let vs then remember that we make the word of God our Meditation continually Many men meditate much some in one thing and some in another as they are led by fond affection some thinke of honours some of pleasures some of riches some of one thing and some of another And of these they doate and dreame talke and speake continually But heere wee are taught another lesson namely that our mindes must especially be set vpon the word of God that must be our delight and the ioy of our heart 3. Point The last point in this Verse is the circumstance of Time namely not by fittes But the godly man keepes a continuall course in the study and meditation of the word of God so as hee setteth apart some time for the worship and seruice of God at least twice a day to meditate and study in Gods Booke Hence wee learne that euery one Doctr. 4. A godly man sets some time apart euery day for Gods seruice that will liue a godly life and so please God that he may find comfort to his owne soule and be blessed in the end must set some time apart euery day for