And the Prophet Dauid ioynes with theÌ„ Psalme â—3 in like consent the word of the Lord is righ teous and all his workes are faithfull And vnto this faithfulnes is another property annexed viz. Gods Iustice Heere is the second reason to induce vs to acknowledge our sinnes for God is iust He is iust in his anger and in his bountifulnesse who shall stand saith Nahum before the face of his wrathfull indignation and his anger is poured out like fire Ps 85. And againe it is an horrible thing to fal into the hands of the liuing God Heb. 12. Hee is iust to giue euery man according to his worke Reue. 21. therefore confesse for hee is iust Hee hath promised free pardon if thou performe this confession and of this pardon thou maist assure thy selfe because God is iust and cannot breake with thee To cleere this with many wordes were to poynt at the shining sunne and to light a candle at noone daie therefore I will descend to that which followeth That he may forgiue vs Though God be of power infinite yet wil he not saue maÌ„ without faith forgiue sinnes without repentance and a principall branch of this repentance is the confessing of sinne If thou treadest the path of repentance thus far foorth viz. to confesse thy sins and to bee ashamed of them and to be sorie for them yet if thou haue not faith if thou beleeue not that God is faithful and iust to forgiue thou commest short of true repentance For Iudas proceeded so farre as well as Mat. 27. 3. 4. thou yet he was damned because hee distrusted God he could not perswade himselfe that GOD would forgiue him and so he lost that which the theefe found Note therefore that three things are necessarie that sinnes may be forgiuen First Infusio gratioe the pouring of grace or working of Gods grace in vs as it wrought in Peter when he went to weepe Secondlie the remorse of the soule who fearing the danger of sin flies to god by repentance like the publicanes souldiours in the 3. of Luke to this belongs confessioÌ„ Thirdly a change of mind and casting off old affections by putting a new heart like Saul when a kingly spirit was giueÌ„ him The calling of sinners to repentance is liuely described by the calling of S. Mathew in whose calling we are to note foure things First he was sitting noting the carelesse securitie of sinners Secondly the place where he was viz. the seate of custome noting how this worldlie Mammon doth draw men from God Thirdly hee rose vppe shewing when grace is poured into vs then we rise froÌ„ sin It is not inough for vs to heare Christ cal but we must rise vp like Samuel and S. Mathew leauing our former state occupatioÌ„ Fourthly hee followed Christ wee must not leaue sinnes only before committed but we must indeuour to leade a godly life euer afterwards framing our selues to the example of Christ To furnish you yet with a coate of surer proofe then Saules armour euerie soule that meanes to possesse heauenly riches must be qualified with these properties He must first haue voluntatis mutationem a change of will 2 Ad deum conuersionem a turning vnto God 3 Peccati detestationem a detestation of sinne 4 Ad meâ—orem vitam intentionem an intention and earnest resolution to liue better afterwardes To forgiue vs our sinnes the certaintie of this remission is assured vs by many presidents in scripture Dauid sinned but vppon his confession God being faithfull and iust forgaue him Ahab confessed his sinne and humbled â—â—in 21 29 himselfe before God and he sawe not the euil that was threatned in his daves And so did the Niniuites and were not destroied though the hande of the Lord were alreadie stretched out within fortie daies to consume Luk. 15 22. them The prodigall sonne was receiued with great welcomes vpon his confession Notwithstanding the inuincible truth of this doctrine yet Satan whose pollicie is euer to hinder mans saluation thought to draw men from the vnderstanding hereof and shuffled into mens heads diuers errors about remission of sinne First that not God alone but man also may forgiue sins whence the selling of pardons proceeded Secondly that venial sin may be forgiuen with the infusion of diuine and heauenly grace Thirdly that there is no remission where there is not open confession to the priest Fourthly that remission of sinnes may be after this life which opinion is defended by magister sententiarum and this is the roote of Purgatorie The Pellagians affirmed that when sinne is forgiuen the punishment is also forgiuen and therefore they say the death of the bodie is not the reward of originall sinne And so they say Adam had died a bodily death whether he had sinned or not but we know it to be otherwise And these are the Locusts that creepe Reuel â— forth of the bottomlesse pit The Pelagians in maintaining this erroâ— crosse these scriptures In â—udore vultus in the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate thy bread God forgaue the sinne but the punishment still remaines God pronounced against Eue in sorrow Gen. 3. shalt thou bring foorth God pardoned the sinne but the punishment yet remaineth Dauid by confession of his sin got pardon yet the Prophet told him he should be humbled by his sonne But let these errors passe and leaue we them to him that deuised them which is the diuell who hath bin a lier from the beginning trueth will triumph ouer falshoode and the arke wil stand when Dagon falles One droppe remaineth behind vndistilled the pure Quintessence whereof being in due mixture added to this cleare fountaine of christalline water wil grace the same with a matchlesse perfection When this is supplied nothing will be wanting as nothing was lacking to the fiue Mat. 25 4. wise virgins when their lampes were burning And to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse God will not only remit sinne but he will take it cleane away as Moses said he Exo. 10. 26 woulde not leaue an hoofe behinde so God in purging wil not leaue a spot behind but we shal be throughly cleansed and made white like Abosolom who from the sole of his foote to the top of his head had no blemish 2. Sam. 14. 25. in him How filthie and polluted soeuer we were before yet nowe wee shall be cleane and white whiter than Naaman after so many washings In the one and twentieth of the Reuelation it is written that the city of god is founded vpon precious stones and in the ende of the Chapter it is said there shall no vncleane thing enter into it shewing that the soule of man must be cleane The Lord by Esay sayth I wil blot out all thine iniquities And if the wicked man wil turne from his wickednes I will remeÌ„ber his sins no more In the sixt of the Reuelation mention is made of those that were vnder the Altar the Altar is
for shee is parte of his substance he must loue her as tenderly as the rib in his owne side Hee is not to putte her downe to his heele nor must shee presume to his head She must not exercise the maistery nor must the husband make her his seruant remembring shee was taken from his side The ribbe teacheth them both a lesson of continencie the man to like and loue none but his wife and the wife none but her husband shee ought in affection to bee so neere vnto him as his owne ribbe Lastly it teacheth them both a lesson of vnity which is the band of loue the man must not prouoke his wife nor the wife her husband No bitter wordes must passe betweene them much lesse blowes for will anie man beat him selfe will anie man frette his ribbe no man saith the apostle euer hated his owne flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it Ephes 5. 29. And thus you haue breflie heard the sum of this portion of scripture in such measure as god hath opened vnto me I haue reuealed vnto you In the first parte you haue heard god coÌ„sulting in the second determining for Adam his good an help meet for him and thirdly the maner of the womans creation all shew foorth gods loue and care ouer mankind and this loue and care in God doth call for gratitude and thankfulnesse from vs by walking dutifully in our callings and supporting one another after the example of God God that sormed vs so sanctifie vs by his good spirit of grace that we fashioÌ„ our selues to his will that we may euer be doing that which is acceptable in his sight to his glory and the saluation of our soules in the righte oâ—sâ—eâ— of Iesus Christ Amen A short Treatise vpon the Commaundements Blessed are they that do the Commandements Reuel 22. 14. THe Lord when he had made man euen Adam the father of all men and the first progenitour out of the clay he formed him euen red earth which is also figured in his name and hauing inuested him with all the ornaments of excellency and perfection in making him but a little inferior to the Angels and crowning him with glory and worship as it is in the author to the Hebrewes and hauing deliuered vnto him as his vicegerent the sole and supreme soueraigntie â—uer the world and the creatures therein and hauing for the more increase of his felicitiâ— seated him in that goodly Eden and pleasant Paradise a place more rich and more excellent then all the King of Sâ—aâ—â—es golden Indies for there is pure gold and thâ—â—â— are pretious stones in great abou◠〈…〉 may reade in the 2. of Genesis Yet all this notwithstandin◠〈…〉 would not haue him to â—â—â—dâ—e 〈…〉 only in the secure coÌ„â—mpâ—â—mâ—ion 〈◊〉 â—â—rthly paradice but he tasâ—ed him 〈…〉 him a charge to diesse garden to â—ence it and to keepe it He gaue him a coÌ„maâ—â—â—ment allso saying thou shalt eate freely of al the trees in the garden but of the tree of knowledge of good and euill thou shalt not eate thereof Loe here had Adam a commaundement which if he had not viloated he had yet holden Paradice but hee had no sooner tasted of the forbidden apple but the curse of God ouertooke him and his posterity and as hee became a slaue to sinne so hee became subiect to death the stipend of sinne And so was hee driuen like an exile from Paradice and could neuer enter in thither annye more for it is kept with a fiery cherubin and with the shaking blade of a swoord that no man since Adams fall daâ—e venture to haue accesse in thither Then had Adam a new task imposed him not like the former which was as you haue heard to dresse the garden to fence it and to keepe it but a labour of sorer difficultie and harder trauell euen to digge and delue he neuer knew what labour was nor what husbandrie meant till now but now he knew it to his paine All yee husbandmen when you till and occupie your ground with toyling and moyling in the sweate of your browes thinke on Adams fall and that this your labour was inflicted you for a curse for till Adam transgressed it was neuer pronounced Gen. 3. 19. In sudore vnltus vesâ—eris pane In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate thy bread So then to descend to a particular application of that which hitherto hath beene spoken As the Lord gaue Adam a commaundement while he was yet in Paradise which you knowe and I haue partly touched so hath he giuen vs Adams posterity commandementes also not one as Adam had buteuen ten for one Wherein note what harme or inconueniâ—â—ce our first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purchased vs by the breaking of that one which first was giuen him If he had carefully obserued that one then had not these tenne been imposed vpon vs as if he should haue saide in the seueritie of his iustice looking vpon the guilt of Adams sinne haue I giuen thee but one O Adam and couldest thou not obserue that Knowe that I will enioyne a greater matter vnto thy seede after thee I will charge thee with tenne And as I imposed a curse on thee for the breach of that one so shal my haÌ„d of iudgement be vpon them and their children if they breake those tenne If they transgresse but in one or a iote of any one for hee that offends but in a tittle of the Lawe is guiltie of the whole law And as the sentence of death and the exclusion of that earthly Paradise passed against thee so shall the sentence of death and the exclusion not from that on earth but from a better and a more glorious paradise passe vpon them if they obserue not my commandements Lo what an apple hath brought vs vnto we should not eat an apple though our own handes haue planted it without this consideration but we should euen then recall to memory the curse contracted to himselfe and vs by eating the forbidden apple and withall we should aduise our selues of the penaltie that must be inflicted vs when we offend the same God in breaking the commandements which now are giuen vs. Let no man charge the Lord with seuerity in this case for it was not so much the eating of an apple that God respected when he plagued Adam as the breach of his commandement Adam testified the small loue and lesse reuerence that he bare both to God himself and his commandements when he would not sticke to incurre his euerlasting displeasure only for qualifying his lust in eating of an apple Whether it be a great matter or a small that the Lord shall command hee wil looke bee kept if thou offend in the smaller the more beast thou to prouoke God in so small a thing God lookes not vpon the matter but vpon our disobedience which God reckoneth as the sinne of rebellion Vzzah did but touch the arke being realy 1. Chro. 1â— to fal and he was striken
should eâ—en dissolue all eies into teares If the eie be drie at any time it ought in no case to be drie when we should weep for sin No teares are lost that fall from the eies of â—odly men for god catches them before they can fall to the ground and he treasureth them Psal 56 8 vp in his bottle If you will direct this watery humor to his due course and deriue this floud of affection to the right channell we must weepe for our sinnes like Peter Such weeping is both the salue and smart of sinne curing that which it chastneth with true remorce and preuenting neede of new Cure with detestation of the disease Teares tie the tongues of all accusers and soften the rigor of the seuerest iudge when they are most pittiful they are most powerfull and when they are most forsaken they are most victorious full of strength like to Samsons hairy lockes euen to foile whole armies Iud. 16. This heauenly dew of deuotion neuer falleth but the sunne of righteousnes drawes it vp and vpon whose face soeuer it droppes it makes the same most amiable and glorious like the face of Moses when he came downe Exo. 34 35 from the Mount Most sweetly was it vttered by a diuine of sweetest vtterance that repentant eies are â— cellars of Angells and penitent teares thâ— sweetest wines which the sauour of life pâ— fumeth the taste of grace sweetneth and tâ— purest colours of returning innocency higâ—ly beautifieth O that our hearts were such a limbeckâ— euermore distilling so pure a quintessencâ— drawen out from the weedes of our offencâ— by the fire of true contrition Heauen woulâ— mourne at the absence of so precious a water and earth lament the losse of so fruitfuâ— showres Sure till death close vp the fountaines the shall neuer faile running and then shall ouâ— soules be ferried in them to the hauen of life that as by them we were first transporteâ— from sinne to grace so in them wâ— may bâ— wafâ—ed from grace to glory And thus haue I deliuered vnto you the three degrees of Peters repentance which steps we must all pace if we will treade the way that leadeth to eternall life And nowe if I might be so priuileged 2. Chro. 1. 7 that I might receiue what I would at Gods hands like Solomon I would intreat no more but this of him that he would direct euery one of vs to keep these steps which his apostle S. Peter hath troaden out afore vs. There is none of vs but hath offended â—th Peter we haue denied Christ as he did â—hough not in the same manner yet sure in as â—â—eat a measure and had we liued to haue â—â—ne Christ in the flesh and had bin in like â—ort vrged as Peter was we would not haue â—icked to haue likewise offended But how many are among vs that though â—hey confesse Christ in name do not denie â—â—m in deedes and workes we professe the â—â—me of christians but liue like infidells haâ—ing a shew of godlinesse but denying the power of it We haue nothing from Christianity but the name like Labans Idols that were called gods and yet were but blockes What fruit hath the word wrought in vs what amendment of life what reformation euery man sound himselfe and descend into his owne conscience and he shal find himself now nothing better than he was many score yeares ago as prowd now as euer as couetous now as euer as vaine euery way now as euer as vnapt to serue God now as euer and what els is this then to denie Christ Although Christ is preached vnto vs euery Sabbaoth and we all in good measure acquainted with the will of God opened vnto vs in his word yet who careth to walke wâ— thy of his knowledge and to practise in a â—â—ly obedience that which we know and is â— this to deny Christ Wee heare how straightly God coâ—maunds vs to keep his Sabbaoth and yetâ— wilfully violate the same if we present oâ— selues in the beginning of the Sabbaoth offer vnto God the morning sacrifice weâ— not come in the afternoone to giue him â— euening incense But we reserue the beâ— part of the day to our selues and do bestâ— it vpon our lustes and is not this to dâ—â— Christ Peter after he had weighed the greatnesâ— his sinne was so offended with himselfe thâ— he had almost drowned himselfe in his owâ— teares Since we haue sinned with Peter vs repent with Peter â— who after this did sinâ— no more The same Peter after this tooâ— penance of himself for his Deniall and coâ— ragiously gaue vp his life for the testimony â— Iesus Christ Let euery one of vs theÌ„ go forth with Petâ—â— and weepe before the Lord like Ezechial that he may forgiue vs our misdeedes If wâ— had as many eyes in our heads as there bâ— grasse-piles vpon the ground yet we ougâ— â—o weepe them all out for our sinnes If euer there were a time for teares then â—â—is is the time wherein eye-streames ought â—o be most behoouefull for this is the time of our visitation this is a time that should be deuoted wholly to mourning meditations â—â—ke the Captiue Israelites vpon Babilons banckes Were Ieremie now aliue and saw the iniquity of these times and the vialls of Gods wrath already powred out vpon this land â—nd the inhabitants thereof for the sin thereâ—n committed hee would againe renue his tragicall ditty in the ninth of his prophecy O that my head were a well of water and mine eies a fountaine of teares that I may weepe day and night for the slaine of the daughter of my people The scarcity and streightnes wherewith we yet are and of long time haue bin afflicted should force vs to take vp a lamentation and to howle out with those husbandmen in Ioel his time for the wheat and for the barly because the fields are wasted and the haruest is perished Our Ephah is become small but the shekel great and God hath vtterly broken the staffe of our bread as Ezechiel speaketh and had we not need to weep bitterly with Peter aâ— with Dauid to water our couch with teareâ— Yet notwithstanding all this where is â—â— humiliation that is required who yet 〈◊〉 neth to the Lord nay we seeme to be haâ—â—ned in our sins and we haue mâ—de our haâ— like the adamant that the impression of Goâ— graces cannot enter Resembling herein wicked Pharaoh anâ— those senceles Aegyptians who were so frâ—zen in the dregges of their sins and their haâ— so stony that the ten plagues powred vpâ—â— them did no whit humble them or maâ—â— them to relent The like remorceles obduration we read Amos 4. of in the fourth of Amos there the Lorâ— checketh the people for their rebellious obstinacy in not reforming themselues accoâ—ding to his righteous iudgements I haue giuen you cleanesse of teeth in â— your citties and scarcenes of bread in all youâ— places yet you haue not returned vnto mâ— saith the
the new testament wherin we are washed with water in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost to signifie that we are receiued to grace by the vertue of Christs death that by bloud wee are clensed from our sinnes and are regenerate by his spirit and therin are bound to testifie a newnesse of life after our new birth This baptisine conteineth three things The signe water the ceremonie the sprinkling of the water and the things themselues viz. the sprinkling of Christs blood and the imputation of his righteousnes This other of the Supper of the Lord representeth likewise Christ crucified and assureth vs that by his death we are freelie saued from the malediction of the lawe assuring our selues that as our mouthes receiue the bread and wine so our soules receyue Christ and his righteousnes These Sacraments are as conduits to conueigh Gods graces vnto vs the one is to purge our soules from sinne the other is to feede vs after we be purged The first is a bath made of Christ his owne blood to wash and bathe our wounds therein thesecond is amost comfortable and rich garment to couer our soules after they bee washed In the first Christ hath substituted in his place his spouse the Church to pronounce in his name remission of sinnes In the second he hath left himselfe and his owne flesh and blood sacramentally to be a precious food to cherish her withall I purpose onely at this time to shewe you the comfort and edification that we receiue by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper For my text doth leade me thereunto In the night that he was betrayed Heere is set downe the verie Institution of this Sacrament with circumstances thereunto belonging The Lord Iesus There is the author of it In the night There is the time He tooke bread There is the signe He gaue thanks That is the first action in the sacrament Hee brake it There is the ceremonie Hee gaue it There is the vse of it Saying Take eate this is my body There is the fruit of it Do it in remembrance of mee There is the charge of it When Christ died the law ended and the Gospel reuiued after his death circumcision was abolished and the Pascal lamb no more vsed for that the law and ceremonies thereof were now to haue an end In steed wherof he instituted these two sacraments Baptisme for circumcision and for the Pascall lambe his last Supper so called for that it was instituted in the night that hee was betrayed Much neede not bee spoken concerning the Author of this institution onely wee are here called vppon for a most dutifull reuerence in the celebration thereof since it is heere noted by the Apostle to proceed immediatly from Christ If it had pleased God to haue vsed the ministery of an angel or of maÌ„â—in the deliuering forth of this sacrament we had notwithstanding beene pressed to a carefull obseruation thereof But to the end he might stamp in this holy mysterie a greater impression of excellencie in regard of the singular comfort lapt vp in the same therefore hee hath conueyed it vnto vs imediatly from himselfe It ought therefore to be more highly reckoned euen for his sake that was the authour of it For if the woord spoken by Angells was Heb. 2. 2. stedfast and euery transgression receiued a iust recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great saluation which first was preached by the Lord himselfe and was afterwardes confirmed by them that heard him The people of Israel did not omit to obserue the Passeouer throughout their generations because Moses the seruaunt of God had so commanded them Much more carefull ought we to be in the retaining of this Sacrament since not Moses but Christ himselfe hath coÌ„manded vs to obserue the same for euer throughout our generations For this man is counted more worthy of glorie than Moses inasmuch as he is more excellent then the Angells being the brightnes of the glorie and the ingraued forme of Heb. 1. 3. his person as we reade in the author to the Hebrewes In the night that he was betrayd at his betraying he ordained this sacrament comfort was reuealed vnto vs when christ was discoÌ„forted When he was in greatest heauines he prepared for vs a solemne feast euen a more sumptuous banquet then that of Ahaâ—uerus for whoso eateth of this bread shall liue for euer A better and more nourishing meate is here presented vnto vs than Sampson found in the dead lion Iudas and the scribes were this night deuising how to betray Christ how to destroy him that should haue saued them But Christ was deuising how to finish the worke of our redemption and to fulfill his fathers will Iudas was deuising how to take away his masters life but Christ was deuising how to giue them life who were dead in the life of grace Iudas as he was wont to carry the bagge so Ioh. 12. 6. he thought to mend the bagge as Gehezi thought to inrich himselfe with Naamans 2. Kin. 5. 22. gold He sold Christ in that night for mony but Christ bought vs with a deerer price than sâ—luer or gold for it cost him his heart bloud all this amplifieth the greatnesse of the loue wherewith he loued vs. In the night when he was betrayed It was a bitter night an heauy night vnto Christ as the history of his Passion declareth a night of sorrow and anguish a night of perplexity and feare a night wherein all the sorowes of death gate hold vpon him What a night was it to see his owne disciples forsake him how grieuously was he troubled in Gethsemaneh himselfe testified â—is exceeding sorow when he said my soule â—s heauy vnto the death Looke the twenty sixt of Mathew twise he repeateth his passionate prayer O lette this cuppe passe from me What a terror was it vnto him to see his owne Disciple Iudas come and betray him with a kisse a great multitude following him with swords and staues to take him And when they had takeÌ„ him what iniury did they not vnto him how was he mocked spitted at and beaten with fists Such a bitter night was it vnto Christ but it was to vs a night more comfortable than the day of our birth a night brighter than the brightest day â—a night more comfortable vnto vs then that night of deliuerance was to Exod. 12. the Israelites when they went out of Aegypt from Pharaoh and from the Aegyptians for in this night was the mystery of our redemption begun He tooke breade Now we are come to the institution As there is no substance with out his shadow so there is no Sacrament without his signe And the signe in this Sacrament is the bread and wine God in these familiar matters shrowdetâ— instruction of greater mysterie We are best acquainted with the vse oâ— bread and we well know what strength our bodies receiue by it the same and more is
Christs body should be offered and his bloud powred out for our sinnes Giuen for vs. Here is all merite excluded the meere loue of God caused Christ to die for vs. So God loued the word that he gaue his only begotten Son that so many as beleeued on him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Hauing now the participation of his bodie and bloud we may sing with S. Paul now there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus God spared not his only sonne but gaue him for vs al to death and again who shall condemne it is Christ who is dead or rather who is â—isen for vs. This should make vs loue God and this should stirre vs vp to be thankfull vnto him for so inestimable a benefit And God doth call vpon vs for this thankfulnes in the following words Doe it in remembrance of me O it is a thing especially to be remembred this benefit of our redemption O it ought to be printed vpon our nailes and vpon our tables and vpon our beds that we might neuer forget it Let vs remember Christ his death for it is our life it saues vs from death euen eternal death Dauid could say of Ierusalem If I forget Psa 137. 5. thee O Ierusalem let my right hand forget her cunning yea lette my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth if I preferre not Ierusalem to my cheefest ioy So let vs say the same of Christ if we forget thee O our redeemer let our right hand forget her cunning yea lette our tongues cleaue to the roofe of our mouthes if wee preferre not thy death to our cheefest ioye Remember thy creator saith the Preacher Eccle. 12 1 so I say remember also thy Redeemer Thou oughtest sooner to forget thy selfe as Messalah did his name theÌ„ to forget him that died for thee Consider this you that forget God you that dwell in sinful Ierico leaue your sinnes they procured Christs death Christ hath died for vs that henceforth we should learne to die to sinne and walke in newnesse of life knowing that our olde man is crucified with him to thend the body of sinne should be destroyed You then remember him as yee ought when you lay all the storie of his Passion before you as if you looâ—ed vppon him nowe crucified and hanging on the crosse induring all the torments and paines of hell both in body and soule for our sakes consider of all the tortures and bitter pangs of his innocent passion which Nazianzene compriseth in three words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Buffets and blowes mockes and mowes railings and reuilings whips and scourges prickes and thornes hammers and nailes cordes and ropes crosse and gibbet thirst and vinegar reede and speare these were the instruments of our redemption Al this and more then can be vttered did he sustain patiently for our sakes in his most blessed body Which though they be now past in him ought not lightly to passe from vs but euer to be fresh in memorie as Dauid saide I will neuer forget these iustifications of thine so let vs say we will neuer forget these torments of thine The christian soules of men should liue Act. 7 55 and die in the meditation of Christs life and death like Stephan in the contemplating of his glory If the Philosophers call contemplation the greatest and chefest felicitie certainelie then in this contemplation consists the greatest felicity The forgetfulnes of this benefite driues vs blindfolded into al sin for wheÌ„ we forget Christ we straightwaies forget our selues too and so this proud flesh of ours wil not suffer vs to crucifie our crooked affections What flesh can be proud that beholdeth our Sauiour so poore and contemptible vpon the crosse or what soule hauing any spark of grace like the maimed faith of Agrippa caÌ„ nowe giue himselfe ouer vnto sinne considering the seueritie of Gods iustice vppon his owne naturall and only begotten Sonne for our sinnes which otherwise could not be cleered but by so deere a price euen the hart bloud of so glorious a person But of this inough although inough can neuer be spoken and it ought rather to bee mused vpon in our harts than amplified in words Here may wise men studie and wonder like the disciples gazing after Iesus ascending or like Elisha when his maister was taken from him I will end with the woordes of this shorte charge in this place Do it in remembraunce of Christ Remember Christ hath redeemed you Christ hath reconciled you his bloud hath purged you his faith doth iustifie you his appearing will glorifie you to him with the father and the holy spirite bee glory for euer Amen Christ Combating with Satan Then was Iesus ledde aside by the spirit into the Wildernesse to be tempted of the diuell And when hee had fasted forty dayes and fortye nights he was at the last an hungry Then came to him the Tempter and sayd if thou be the Sonne of God command these stones to be made bread c. Math. 4. 1. This Historye is recorded for our learning and for our exhortation for our learning to the end we should know that Christ by this his faste hunger temptation and victory ouer Satan did all this for our sakes and therein worketh our good and safetie The faithfull in Christ must know that they shall neuer be left in temptation nor ouercome in affliction because our head Christ Iesus hath in his owne person ouercome al these things for vs according to that sweete testimony of himselfe in the 16. of Iohn Be of good cheere I haue ouercome the world We are exhorted after this example of Christ to indure hunger temptation and any necessitie or crosse of affliction soeuer that God shal lay vpon vs when and so ofteÌ„ as it shall please God to exercise vs with any such triall arming our selues with patience and much constancie and we shall vndoubtedly be deliuered at Gods hands al in good time God wil comfort vs when we are most pinched as in this place hee comforted his sonne after his long fast by causing the Angels to minister vnto him In the time of trouble and heauines when wee combat with the diuel and our owne flesh comfort seemes for a time to be hid like fire that is raked vp in the ashes vntil the bellowes of Gods prouidence blowe vpon it and then it shewes it selfe vpon a sodaine like the sunne out of a cloude when the storme is past God requireth that we stay his leysure and at length though his helpe and succor seeme as farre from vs as Lazarus in Abrahams Luc. 16 22. bosome yet it wil come at last to do vs most good as the Sunne that was rising is risen and as the sheaues fell afore Ruth in the gleaning time If when wee bee no sooner downe God presently raiseth vs vp Ruth 2 16. why here can bee no triall of patience but God is woont to leaue vs for a time to the
but the forbidden fruit and so he swallowed the bait that proued to be his bane As the Prophets children cried death is in 2. kin 4 40. the poâ— so Adam might haue cried death is in the apple The belly hath no eares and therefore is apt to receiue no instruction And this was the first hooke that euer Satan baited to intrappe vs in the belly He well knew mans daintines and therefore he applied himselfe to his humor and so we were neuer ware of the hooke he had so subtily couched it till it was in our throates The belly will tempt vs to incredulitie and distrustfulnesse as it tempted that Prince on whose shoulder the King leaned 2. King 7. who though he had heard it proclaimed by the Prophet Elisha that there shuld be plenty of vittels that a measure of flower should be sold for a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel by the next morrow yet he was faithles said it could not come to passe though the Lord should make windowes in heaueÌ„ but it came to passe and as a iust punishment of his incredulity he was â—oden to death in the gate and he saw it but might not taste of it Let this Prince be a president of terror to all vnbeleuing wretches that will distrust the diuine prouidence Why should we distrust God since we know that he careth for sparrowes and how much better are we than many sparowes Iob. 39 3. Yea he feedeth the rauens that cry vnto him and himself chargeth vs not to be carefull for our bodies what raiment we shall put on nor for our bellies what meate we shall prouide for after all these things do the Mat. 6 25. Gentiles seeke He that spake vnto Paul saying my grace 2. cor 12 9 is sufficient for thee saith the same vnto vs and to all the godly my gace is sufficient for you And therefore why are ye carefull O ye of little faith The belly made the Israelites distrust God in the wildernes when they murmured and wished themselues among the flesh pots in Aegypt for there say they wee ate Num. 14. bread our bellies full but now we must die with famine they would not rely vpon God longer than he fed them with bread from heauen or gaue them water out of the hard rocke God requireth that his children do waite his leisure for he staieth and restrayneth his blessings from vs for a season because our faith and our pacience may be sounded It is no maruaile if their faith stand sure who liue at ease and are not humbled with any crosse of affliction that haue all their heart can desire that haue long life like Methusalah great store of wealth like Salomon honor like Haman lands and possessions like the rich yong man in the Gospel These were neuer driuen to the desart but let God lay his hand vpon theÌ„ take from them all that euer they haue returning them to the world as naked as Iob let him take away first their children after that their goods then touch them in their bodies with sicknesse and it will appeare whether they haue faith or not and that constancy that was in Iob who after al his losses yea his own wife standing at his elbow tempting him to curse God yet could say shall we receiue good at the hands of God and not euill Iob. 2. 10 I rather suppose that a great sort beeing tempted with the losse of goods or any such like triall would rather shrinke away from God like Demas or like the accusers that ranne from Christ or like the young rich man that went away sorrowfull when hee heard that he must part with his goods if he Mat. 19 22 wold inherite life Hee loued his riches better then Iob did his and therefore hee mist that which Iob found viz. a better Paradise then Adam lost O let vs be warie and circumspect when we shall at anie time be thus tempted that we shake not the profession of our faith as 2. Tim. 4 10. Demas did when he imbraced the present world nor let vs yeelde to Satan though he driue vs to the desart Hee hath driuen Christ thither afore vs and he in getting the victorie ouer Satan in this his temptation hath promised to giue vs the victorie likewise when we shal be in like maner tempted We are not better then the Apostles and Disciples of Christ they haue been led into the desart Ducti fuerunt in desertum sed non deserti Looke the eleuenth to the Hebrues they Hebru 11 were stoned hewen asunder tempted slaine with the sword they wandred vp and down in sheep-skins goatskins being destitute afflicted and tormented they wandred in wildernesses in mountaines and dens All this did they indure in patience knowing that they should finde in heauen a better and a more induring substance Faith must sustain vs as it sustained them for the iust shall liue by faith and this fayth Rom. 1 17 shall neuer fayle till the heauens bee no more For he that said vnto Peter I haue prayed Luk. 22 23 for thee that thy faith faile not saith the same vnto vs also and to all the faithfull I haue prayed that your faiths faile not And when he had fasted fortie dayes and forty nights c Here is set downe the miraculous abstinence in fasting fortie dayes without meate which is not therefore pende to the end we should imitate the same for our indeuour would faile in the attempting of it for who is able to fast forty daies without receiuing any nourishmeÌ„t but it is rather set down for our comfort the strengthning of our faith which is the end and scope of al his other miracles Howsoeuer our aduersaries the Papists haue in a superstitious coÌ„ceitednes supposed that our fast of fortie daies in the lent time vsually holden hath his warraÌ„t from this fast of Christ in the desart But they are vtterly deceiued and this opinion of theirs hath not any shadowe of truth or probabilitie Christ rather in this sheweth the harmonie and consent betweene the newe and old testament as Moses the seruant of God receiuing the lawe on mount Sinai did fast fortie daies without meate so would Christ fast so many daies bringing to vs the newe law viz. the Gospel This fast then of fortie daies which wee celebrate hath not his ground from hence but it is a meere ordinance of man and if it be not obserued as it ought in his true vse viz. being taken onely for a ciuill ordinance profitable to the coÌ„mon-wealth for preseruing and increasing of that which otherwise would be extraordinarily consumed it will carry with it matter rather of foolish superstition then of any sincere deuout religion Further if it had been expedient for vs to haue imitated this fast of fortie daies Christ would haue in his Gospel commaunded it but we finde no such commandement nor can any probable collection
exhortationum The Lawe had his roote in Paradise his branches in the Desart his fruit in Christ the rootes bitter to Adam the braunches heauy to the Israelites the fruites death to Christ because he died to fulfill the lawe This lawe is a Schoolemaister sending vs to Christ This lawe is like a glasse wherein we may beholde two kindes of sights wee may beholde our owne imperfections and also we may see the absolute perfection of Christ Iesus When the yron fell into the water Elizeus 2. Kings 6 tooke a peece of woodde and threw it in and the yron came to the toppe of the wate We were as yron suncke vnto the bottome of the waters of desperation and our heauenly Elizens Christ Iesus with a peece of wood that is suffering for our sinnes vpon a woodden Crosse raised vs vp and caused vs to swimme vppon the toppes of the waters of despaire But before wee proceede to a particular view of the Commaundements I will briefly acquaint you with the substance of them which is this They comprehend the duety of man towards God and the duety of man towards man the duety of one man towards another Our dueties towardes God are deliuered in the foure first Commandements first table our dueties towards man in the six last being the second table Wilt thou knowe howe thou maiest performe all this that God requireth of thee in these his Commandements why loue God and loue thy neighbour and thou hast done all Do this and thou shalt be as free from the â—reach of these commandements or anie of them as Naaman was free from his leprosie when he had washed in Iordan The whole fulfilling of the lawe consists but in one word but in this word Loue it is â—ut a sillable But thou must knowe that this loue is more than a bare loue a naked loue a colde loue for the wickedest and loosest liuer in the world will say he loues God he loues his neighbour too But thou must loue God entirely and purely and as he will be loued thou must loue him with these circumstâ—â—ces viz. with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength and then thou must loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Thou must loue God aboue al thou must loue him more than thy selfe more than thy father that begate thee or thy mother that bare thee or thy brother the son of thy mother or thy wife that lieth in thy bosome he Mat. 10. 37 that loueth father or mother sister or brother wife or children or kinsfolks morethan me is not worthy to be my disciple Wee come short of this loue when wee loue the world like Demas or our pleasures like Belshazar or our riches like the young man in the Gospell who before he questioned with Christ thought hâ— had had this loue we now speake of for he iustified him Mat. 19. 22. selfe saying All these haue I kept from my youth vppe But Christ knew â—ee loued his riches and possessions and his landes better and therefore he bade him goe and sell all hee had and giue it to the poore and hee shoulde haue treasure in Heauen but he went away sorrowing not sorrowing for that hee came short of this loue wee speake of but for that he must part with his goods if he would inherite lift for the text saith he was very rich If ye loue the world the loue of GOD dwelleth not in you but when yee begin to loue the Lord in the sinceritie of your harts then and neuer till then will the loue of the world fall from you with the vanities thereof as the white scales fell fro Tobias eyes Loue euen this pure loue whereof wee speake is the first lincke that in an holie vnion dooth ioyne GOD and vs together and this one lincke drawes twoo others with it feare and obedience loue looks vppon Gods mercie feare lookes vpon his iustice the one stayeth vs from presumption the other keepes vs from desperation These two support our faith as the twoo Lions supported Solomons throne and to what soule soeuer these two shall haue recourse euen thither shall obedience comc also These three are better welcome vnto God than the three presents offered by the wise men vnto Christ These three graces loue feare and obedience are like those robes of righteousnes to couer and beautifie the Saintes of God which Saint Iohn extolleth with a threefold commendation they were pure fine and shining This loue holdes me to it like an adamant and yet I may not part with it till I haue planted it in you for if I teache you this one lesson I teach you all which is to loue God aboue all We must loue him for that he is mercifull in making vs when wee were not in protecting vs being made but most of all for sauing vs when we had lost our selues as Adam lost himselfe among the figge trees for giuing vs the ayre to breathe with the Sunne to giue vs light the raine to fructifie the earth the fire to warme vs the beastes and foules and fishes to feede vs all that is within and without our bodies This world and the goodly frame thereof This ought to make vs loue god and in our loue to exclaime like Dauid O Lorde what is man that thou so gratiously visitest him but looking vpon our selues and our ingratitude that doe not loue god for all this we haue cause to crie out vpon our selues to say O man what is god that thou so lightly regardest him O Lord saith Augustin in Soliloquijs if thou for this vile body giue so innumerable benefits from the firmament from the ayre from the earth from the sea by light and by darkenesse by heat and shadow by dewes and showers by wind and raine by birds fishes by beasts and trees by multitude of of hearbs and variety of plants and by the ministery of all thy creatures O sweete Lord what gratitude what loue and thankefulnesse should we owe thee for all this how should we honour thee as thou deseruest All the creatures of God do call vpon vs to loue God and yet are we short of this loue we praise him not we thanke him not for his benefits we honour him not for his goodnesse so beyond al measure vngratefull are we like those nine lepers that being clensed forgat him that clensed them Alas what meane we to forget to be thankfull to so gracious a God what meane we now after so many blessings that God stil powreth vpon vs in a plentifull measure we haue not yet learned to loue him This is the A B C of religion and fiâ—st Catechising Principle for them to learne that will be trained in the schoole o Christ and we haue not learned so much such trowanting schollers are we In this loue is all the whole duty of man consisting and wilt not thou learne this one thing which teacheth thee all things O but you will say if all
it no more Wee will now proceede to the second Commaundement The secoÌ„d commandement IF thou loue God as thou oughtest and as he requireth thou wilt make no Image of God for so runneth the commaundement Tbou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image And if thon mayest not make it much lesse mayst thou worship it no Commaundement Exe. 34 14 throughout the Scripture is more pressed than this thou shalt bow downe to no other God because the Lorde whose name is Iealous he is God This Commaundement was greatly violated in the dayes of Ieremy the prophet chargeth Iudah that according to the number of their Cityes were their gods they could say to a tree thou art my father and to a stone thou hast begotten me Remember saith Moses when God spake vnto you out of the fire you hard the voice Deu. 4. 12. of the wordes but saw no similitude saue a voyce only As we are forbidden in this commandement to make the Image of God so are we likewise charged not to make the Image of any other thing either to worship it or god sainct or angell by it for God will not bee worshipped after our owne fancies but as his word commaundeth God will be worshipped in spirit and truth according to the paterne of the word as Moses did all thinges according to the patterne he saw in the mount In vaine ye worship me teaching for doctrine Mark 7. 7. the precepts of men This controules the vaine and idle conceitednesse of ignorant people who being demaunded why they maintaine this or that superstition they answere no other thing but this our father 's held the same before vs and wee holde the same too by tradition from them as if religion came by discent so folishe are some and ignorant euen as an horse or mule which haue no vnderstanding Ambrose in his twenty ninth Epistle saith that the Iewes are the rather estranged from Christian religion because they find Images erected in the Papistes Synagogues The Iews smarted many times for their Idolatrous worship therfore now detesting it in themselues they abhor it in others also Osee telleth the Iewes that because they counsailed with their stocke and staffe and went a whoring from vnder their god therfore their daughters should be harlots and their spouses whores What sencelesnesse is it saith a learned diuine for the Image of God to fall downe before the Image of a man Danid painteth out the vanitie of superstitious worshippers when speaking of Idols he saith the Idolls of the heathen are siluer and gold euen the worke of mens hands they haue mouths and speake not they haue eies and see not they haue eares and heare not neither is there any breath in their mouth they that make them are like vnto them so are all they that put their trust in tâ—â—m Liclantius peremptorily giues out this censure there is no doubt saith he but that no pure religion can be there where any Image is receiued Againe if thou loue God thou wilt cary The third commandement such ar euerent estimatioÌ„ of him as that thou wilt not abuse so much as his name thou wilt both speak and think reuerently of him Thou dost violate this commaundement so often as thou dost blasphemously apply the name of God to inchauntment sorcery cursing and periury The iniquity of these times and the necessity of reforming the grosse abuses of men wilfully and wittingly incurring the breach of this commaundement would require whole volumes of inuectiues witchcraft forceries charming they are sinnes too commonly practized in this age If ones finger do but ake or any part of thy body be extraordinarily touched with any infirmity straight to the witch thou runnest or sendest and so for things that be lost or stolne for the which the wiseman or the wise woman must be consulted with alas beloued is God as Baal that he should not care for your abuse nor call you to an accouÌ„t for the breach of his commandements Or are you yet to be taught whether this be a sinne or not For so many shame not to answer when they are challenged for going to a wise man or woman why say they we hope we do well we find that good comes of it we get our health we recouer our goods that were lost and so they crosse S. Paul his rule Non facienda sunt mala vt veniant bona we may not do ill that good may come of it If thou hast not yet heard the Lord condemning this sinne heare it now and henceforth condemne it in thy selfe Let none be found among you that vseth Leuiti 20. witchcraft or that is a regarder of time or a sorcerer or a charmer or that councelleth with spirits for all that do such things are an abhomination to the Lorde The Canaanites for this cause were expelled Exo. 22. 18. from their good land let not a witch liue In the sift of the Gallathians it is reckoned among the sins of the flesh and condemned Wilt thou behold the terror of the Lords wrath vpon this sinfull generation and euer after beware of a witch looke vppon Saul whom God did not spare though he were a King for consulting with the witch at Endor he was vtterly forsaken his kingdome taken 1. Sa. 31. 4. 6 from him the next day folowing he and his three sonnes were slaine Will ye haue another president of Gods iustice vpon another who was a King too Achaziah being sicke of a bruze taken with a fall would needes send to Beelzebub 2. King â— of Ekron to know whether hee shoulde recouer or no but the Lorde by the mouth of Eliah sent backe the messenger before he could come to the witch and bade him returne this colde comfort to his master is there no God in Israel that thou sendest to inquire of Beelzebub wherefore thus saith the Lorde thou shalt not rise vp from the bed whereon thou art gone vp but shalt die the death If you or any other when you go to a witch should receiue this or the like sentence at the Lordes mouth I resolue you would be more warie I cannot part with this sinne because I would beate it downe and stamp it into hel from whence it came Oh would I could find that stone that might kill this Goliah I would throw it at him with al my might and make it sincke into the midst of his temples to returne glory to Israel and shame to the Philistins Most notable is that place in Ezech. where God pronounceth an heauy woe against these wise-mongers Woe vnto the women that sow pillowes Ezec. 13. 18 vnder euery arme-hole wil ye hunt the souls of my people wil ye pollute me among my people for handfulls of barley and for peeces of bread to stay the soules of them that should not die can you giue life to the soules that come vnto you why do ye hunt the soules of my people