gold that is tried will be divided from the drosse and that drosse deserveth a melting If the punishment be for example know that God will never give so ill example as to punish an innocent If men do like men in execution of Gods judgments know that God knows why he suffereth them so to do for he searcheth the hearts and reins Thus many condemned to death by the law according to probable evidence professe their innocency at their death yet can finde in the book of their conscience evidence enough to condemne them worthy of death for something else The use of all is seeing God is just and punisheth not but where he findeth sin stand in awe sinne not Vse do your best to keep from the infection lest you come under the dominion of sinne abstaine from all appearance of evill from the occasions and means of offence resist Satan quench not the spirit that should help your infirmities redeem the time in which you should do good and strive to enter into that rest Thus doing what punishment soever we suffer it is rather the visitation of peace then the rod of fury and God will turn it to our good The punishment here threatned 1. Just reprehension shall not all these take up a parable against them and say woe to him that encreaseth that which is not his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I remember the question of our Saviour to his Disciples Whom say men what I the Son of man am It is wisdome for any private man more for a great State to enquire what fame it hath abroad The wisdome of State is such as one government hath an eye to another I speak not only of confederate Nations which have lidger eyes in each others Common-wealth but even of enemy-states and such as stand neither in termes of hostility nor in termes of confederacy they have their secret intelligence and thus they know and judge each of other Nebuchadnezzar was a most potent Prince yet his neighbours did not approve his wisdome they did condemne his violence and cry out wo be to him I understand this to be a great punishment to this mighty King to be justly condemned for injustice and to deserve the curse of his neighbouring Nations For extremes do ever carry the evill words and the evill wishes of all that love vertue and they cry woe to him that encreaseth greedily and covetously that which is not his and woe to him that wasteth prodigally that which is not his The wisdome of policie doth hold violence and oppression hateful in great Princes and it calleth them pusillanimous and idle that will not stirre in the just defence of their own But there is sapientia saeculi hujus the wisdome of this world which calleth all his own which he can compasse directly or indirectly justly or unjustly which Saint Paul doth call enmity with God just Princes are tender in that pursuit holding that axiome of Caesar irreligious and unjust Si jus violandum regni causa And therefore sapientia quae est desuper the wisdome from above cryeth hand off invade not usurp not aliena jura other mens rights be content with thine own for woe be to him that increaseth non sua that which is none of his own Princes that manage the sword of justice which is gladius Dei the sword of God must be tender how they draw that sword against God that committed it to them and every attempt that their power maketh for that which is not theirs doth arme it self against God Mr. Calvine observeth well Manent aliqua in cordibus hominum Justitiae aequitatis principa ideo consensus gentium est quaedam vox naturae there abideth in the hearts of men certaine principles of justice therefore the consent of Nations is a certain voyce of nature Those Princes that care not what Nations do think and speak of them but pursue their own ends against the streame and tyde of Jus naturale natural right do run themselves upon the just reprehension of other States which wise and religious Princes do labour to avoid 1. Because the private conscience in these publike persons can have no inward peace where publike equity is violated 2. Because the old rule of justice is built upon the divine equity of nature and confirmed by experience of time that Male parta facilè dilabantur evill gotten goods soon consume 3. Because all that love this jus naturale will soon finde both will and means to resist encroachments fearing their own particular as all hands work to quench a fire But what cares Nebuchadnezzar or Alexander or Iulius Caesar so they may adde Kingdom to Kingdom and what cares his holinesse of Rome so that he may be Universal Bishop what other Kings and Bishops say of them To make this point profitable to our selves for we speak to private persons The Rule is general All that encrease their own private estate by oppression and injustice multiplying that which is not theirs making prize of all that they can extort from their brethren buying them out of house and home wearying them with suits of molestation spending the strength of their bodies with immoderate labours at so short wages as will not sustaine them with things necessary Such though their power do bear them out in their unjustice yet do they undergo the hard opinion and censure of all that love righteousnesse and they do bear the burthen of many curses Let them lay this to heart and take it for a punishment from the hand of God 2. The Derision Taunted What do these men but lade themselves with thick clay This also may passe for a sharp punishment Kings and great persons are not priviledged from the tooth of a Satyre from the keene edge of an Epigram from the bold affront of a libel We live in the age of fresh and quick wits wherein it is not an easie thing for eminent persons to do evill and to escape tongue smiting and wit blasting pens and pencils a hand up to blazon great ones and their actions and inferiour persons want not eyes upon them to behold them nor censures to judge them nor rods to whip them I must not draw from this place any authority to legitimate contumelies and disgraces and that which we call breaking of bitter jests upon another selling our salt cheap 1. Therefore understand that bitter Taunts Satyrs and Libels may be evill and unlawful and yet God may make a good use of them to lash and scourge those that deserve ill and they that are so girded and jerkt shall do well to do as David did to confesse that God sent Shimei to curse and as for Shimei he shall see that God will finde a time to pay him too That this is a punishment sent from the hand of God we have full evidence from the witnesse of Holy Scripture even in this case The Prophet Isay threatneth the Chaldeans with this judgement Thou shalt take up this Proverb the Margent
prayeth a sacrifice to God a scourge to the devil and his agents pag. 183 Prayer the Word and the Sacraments are means to preserve faith pag. 228 Preparation required in those who go to Church pag. 344 Pride a cause of strife pag. 25 Pride consists in three things In thinking too well of our selves contemptibly of others boasting and glorying in vain ostentation pag. 240 Pride is the ground of insatiablenesse pag. 241 Pride the ruine of Charity Justice Temperance and Religion pag. 243 Proofs of a sincere faith pag. 227 Prosperity of this world fils the hearts of men with pride and vain estimation of themselves pag. 131 Proud men resemble death and hell pag. 243 Punishment in its nature is evil yet God may work good out of it pag. 69 Punishment of Idolatry pag. 334 Punishments of Pride 247. Just Reprehension 155. Derision 257 Spoyle and destruction pag. 262 Punishments of Ambition 279. They consult shame to their own house Ibid. Sin against their own souls 283. Labour in vaine and without successe pag. 286 Punishments of drunkennesse 315. Who will punish it God 316 how he will punish it 319. Why he will punish it pag. 324 Q. OVantity of the fault is the measure of the judgment pag. 5 R. REasons why Ambition makes men unhappy Pag. 274 Religion contemned is a signe of a diseased and desperate state 38 Reasons thereof Ibid. Riligion is the knot of true Vnion that knitteth us to God and uniteth us to one another Pag. 78. Religion hath the bowels of compassion and they have no Religion that have no mercy Pag. 99 Religion the best bond of brotherhood Pag. 129 Remedy for mans fall 222. Which is Christ Pag. 223 Remedies against drunkennesse Pag. 308 S. SAthan suggesteth that the way of righteousnesse is painful pag. 287 Sathans chiefest temptation is by blemishing of Gods glory pag. 296 Seekers of strife condemned pag. 25 Service performed to God without zeal is without life pag. 51 Shame rather hardeneth then reformeth a sinner pag. 16 Sincere Faith cannot be lost pag. 228 Sharp and satyricall tartnesse not alwayes unlawfull pag. 259 Sin is a burthen to God 3. To men 4. And awakes Gods vengeance Ibid. Sins seen in others moves man to a loathing of sin and to charity pag. 68 Sin is like Leaven a little sowreth the whole lump pag. 204 283 Sins of Omission 218. Of evil motion 219. Of evil affection and of evil action pag. 220 Sins grow in clusters and one sin begetteth another 265. Examples thereof pag. 266 Sins committed against the Law of God are done against the committers souls pag. 283 Souls in heaven wait upon the performance of Gods Promises pag. 178 Stephens prayer at his death a means of Pauls conversion pag. 102 Suggestions to sin lay their foundation upon some unworthy opinion of God pag. 298 T. TEares of bitternesse are the bloud of the Soul pag. 285 Teaching by familiar resemblances is much used in both Testaments pag. 123 Temples not built in 200 years after Christ pag. 336 Temples and Churches necessary pag. 337 Temporall things can afford no true content pag. 39 There is no peace to a wicked man pag. 6 The sound of Gods Word preached cannot be truly heard by us unlesse he open our hearts pag. â—2 The soul of prayer is the holy zeal of him that prayeth pag. 22 Three speciall benefits of a godly life pag. 40. 41 The Chaldeans raised by God against the Jews pag. 56 They who are sealed with the Spirit of Promise have their infirmities lapses and relapses yet sin not to death pag. 64 They who fulfilling the Will of God which they know not do fulfill their own will which they aime at are not rewarded but rather punished for it pag. 74. 75 The way to avoid contempt is humility pag. 81 There is such a concatenation of duties of Religion and Justice that he that offendeth in one breaketh the chaine pag. 267 The fear of the wicked shall come upon himself pag. 280 The house of the righteous shall stand pag. 281 The Elect sin against their own souls in regard of the fault 283 and also in regard of the punishment pag. 284 The delivery of Gods Church and his vengeance upon her enemies gives honour to the Name of God upon earth pag. 294 The sting of the first sin pag. 297 The knowledge of Gods glory consisteth in the true consideration of his justice and mercy pag. 299 Though the Church of God live under the crosse for a time it shall not be alwayes so pag. 82 Those whom God useth as his rods are limited pag. 83 To know the glory of God here on earth we must observe the course of his judgments pag. 302 To make others drunk is a more grievous sin then drunkennesse pag. 310 U. VAnity of Idolatry pag. 326 Vncharitablenesse corrupteth a Common-wealth and makes all Gods servants complaine pag. 34 Vngodly men outragious when they finde a way open to their violence pag. 125 Vngodly men have no bowels pag. 136 Vnrighteous mens labours described pag. 287 Voluntary and involuntary drunkennesse pag. 318 W. WAnt of zeal a sinne pag. 52 Want of Faith the true cause of Idolatry pag. 90 Way to Hell all down hill yet very uneasie 286. And that is gotten by it is but meere vanity pag. 283 We ought to avoid causes of complaint pag. 34 We ought not to limit God to a set time for our deliverance nor to any set means nor measure of affliction pag. 107 We must not think long to tarry Gods leasure 173. to avoid these two evils Of murmuring against God or seeking unlawfull means to accomplish our desires pag. 178 We ought not be too busie to search into the wayes of God to know things to come pag. 174 We must beleeve Gods Promises whatsoever appearances do put in to perswade us to the contrary pag. 175 Where God is pag. 336 Whatsoever God hath decreed or spoken shall certainly take effect in the appointed time pag. 160 What duty is owing to him pag. 336 Where Religion is despised the courts of Justice must needs be corrupt 28. and power and authority degenerate into tyranny and oppression pag. 29 When God undertaketh a work he accommodateth all fit means though he need none for a full execution pag. 71 When we pray that Gods Will may be done we must also pray that it may be done for the same cause pag. 77 Whensoever God punisheth there is a fault deserving that punishment 253. Objections to the contrarie answered pag. 254 When God putteth his hand to spoyling the oppressor he will spoil him in all that he trusted in pag. 263 Whom God pardoneth Sathan tempteth most pag. 87 Whosoever gives divine Worship to a creature is an Idolater pag. 91 Wicked men have no peace pag. 84 Wicked men rejoyce at the Churches sorrow pag. 128 Woe to the man which gathereth not his own pag. 275 Written Scripture sufficient for salvation pag. 153 Z ZEale
Prophet of the tribe of Iudah and another of the tribe of Levi that heard the cause of Susanna and Ribera a Iesuite two Habakkuks But we lose time in this question for they that have not the light in the word do go in the dark and they that go in the dark know not whither they go The best use of this is to limit our search to the holy Canonical Scripture and to take all our light from thence so shall we not go astray 2. The function of this man is set down in the name Of a Prophet that is a man enlightned by divine Revelation to understand the will of God in some things and appointed to declare the same Secondly the manner how he came to it Vision that is divine Revelation assuring him of the truth of Gods will so fully as if he had seen the same with his eyes accomplished De his consule conciones super Obadiam Thirdly the matter of the Prophecie the Burden In which two questions are moved 1. Why this Prophecy is called a Burthen 2. Whose burthen this is To the first it is called a burthen in respect 1. Of the sin here punished which is onus a burthen 2. Of the punishment here threatned that is onus 3. Of the Word of God threatning that is onus 1. Peccatum onus Sina burthen 1 Deo to God 2. Hominibus to men 1. Onus deo A burthen to God God complaineth of the sins of his People that they are a burthen to him Behold I am prest under you as a cart is prest that is full of sheavs The very service that these sinners do seem to perform to God is a burthen to him as he complaineth Your new Moons your appointed feasts my soule hateth they are a trouble unto me I am weary to beare them Hierom. Laboravi sustinens So the Prophet Malachie complaineth Ye have wearied the Lord with your words Mal. 3. â—7 yet ye say wherein have we wearied him When yee say every one that doth evill is good in the sight of the Lord and he delighteth in them or where is the God of judgement Three things weary God 1. When we multiply our own sins 2. When we tender God service continuing in sin 3. When we justifie sinners and flatter them in their sins as though God had accepted them 2. Peccatum onus est hominibus Sin is a burthen to men Christ calleth none to him but such as are weary of this our-then of sinne to such he promiseth refreshing Ask the first sinners if they found not their sin their burthen when they hid themselves from the presence of God Ask the first murtherer if any place were safe for him who thought and said that whosoever met him would kill him They that think that Lamech kild Cain read the text occidi hominem in vulnus meum Ask Iosephs brethren when they saw their sad constraint in Aegypt both at their first coming to buy corne and after the death of their father if the trespasse against their brother Ioseph did not lie heavy upon them Ask the tender conscience of any of Gods children if any weight or burthen be like unto that of the body of sinne and if he do not cry with Paul Quis liberabit me Who shall deliver me Till we come to this to feele the burthen of sinne and to be weary of it we are the sons of wrath and every man may call himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A wretched man Here is pride and vanity cloathing of us here is gluttony and drunkennesse feeding of us here is the mouth full of evil words the hands of violence or bribes giving or taking the day the night the yeare spent in pleasure and recreations Gods Sabbath is neglected Gods Word not regarded he time served the humours of sinful men observed and when these thingâ— are no burthen to the bearers thereof there is wrath gone forth from the Lord against them and if timely repentance do not stand in the gap it will break in upon them that do such things like a flood and no man shall escape that is pursued by this judgement Let me therefore entreat you to hear a word of exhortation Give not the members of your bodyes servants to sinne Give not for indeed what have you to give seeing you brought nothing with you into the world and what have yee that you have not received or if you will needs be giving hands off give not the members of your body for your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost or should be if you would give so comfortable a guest welcome or if you will give your bodies away do them not the wrong to put them out to service for they are bought with a price the dearest pennyworth that was ever bought their liberty cost the binding their sanitie the breaking their ease the smart and aking their life the death of the holiest body that ever lived upon earth Or if you will needs give your body a servant let it not be to sin for that is ponderous in the weight noysom in the stinch bitter in the smart the burthen of sinne is the wrath of God Here let me awake your thankful hearts to an acknowledging consideration of that great redemption performed by Jesus Christ to his Church who came to take this burthen upon him and to ease us of it Agnus qui tollit peccata the Lamb that taketh away sins from us that he might wash us in his bloud upon himself he bore our infirmities and God made the iniquitie of us all to meet on him He did not rob us as Israel did the Egyptians of our jewels of silver and jewels of gold he only took our infirmities and our sins from us and whereas once we might have said with Cassiodore Quantitas delicti mensura est repudii the quantity of the fault is the measure of the judgment for by our sins we might have taken measure of the wrath and judgment of God now there is an unsâ—aled height an unsounded depth and unbounded bredth of love which hath said to the Church of the whole burthen of sin Cantantes ut eamus ego hoc te fasce levabo let us sing as we go I will ease thee of this burthen 2 The punishment here threatned is a burthen to man 1. Homini Issacher under his double burthen saith that rest is good he found rest amongst his burthens But there is no peace to the wicked man a sinner that hath any sense of sin will say as David Non est pax ossibus meis propter peccatum There is no rest in my bones because of my sinne he was so overcharged with the fear of Gods judgments that sometimes he doubted that God had forgotten to be mercifull and that he would be no more intreated Who can stand in thy sight when thou art angry I can tell you who could not stand not the Angels that kept not their first estate heaven was
bounds we are taught that they whom God employeth without their knowledge and Privity do only seek their own ends neither is God in all their ways 3. As this passing over signifieth the short joy of their victory so it teacheth that an ungodly man can never be an happy man nor a sinful man a wise man for in short time he will lose that what he hath unjustly gotten for though God intended the taking away of the Iews land from them he intended it but for a time he meant the Jews a sharp chastisement not an eradication I understand those words of a cessation from any further prosecution of this warre against the Jews for he shall carry away some captive into his own land and the meaner sort he shall leave behind to husband Judaea and so shall cease And this doth strengthen our former doctrine that those whom God useth as instruments of his Justice shall at length desist God will not suffer them beyond his decreed time 3. They shall offend Let no man mistake this place as if God did lay upon them a necessity of offence but he doth out of his Prescience foretell that they will offend God as with all their other sinnes so particularly with this their service done to him They are stirred up to this warre by God Doctr. and it is his just will to punish the Iews yet the Chaldaeans that execute this will do offend which was before proved by their evil intention and will after more appear in the close of this text wherein we have charged the action upon God and the evill of the action upon the Chaldaeans Doct. 2 2. God foreknoweth the sins of men He foreknew the fall of Adam and provided a remedy for it in his eternal counsel He foreknew the sins of the old world and provided a judgment to punish them He foreknew the sinnes of his Israel and therefore he made all his promises conditional and referred them to their obedience He foreknew the trespasse of Judas the cruelty of the Iews the injustice of the Romanes against his sonne and he made his death medicinal and cordial for his Church and a ruine to the enemies thereof the same stone which was the corner stone of the Church was a rock of offence to her enemies This is the ground of Gods Justice against the Chaldaeans in the next section of this chapter for fore-seeing how they would offend He did also fore-decree how he would punish them He is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a seer for all things are manifest in his sight the eye of the Lord is over all the world he seeth both the good and the bad God foreseeth offences before they be come into the hearts of men as Christ knew Judas would be a â—raitour before Judas knew it himself 2 Reg. 13.8 and God by his Prophet told Hazael how cruel he should be before Hazael was King and when Hazael though such wickednesse could not have bred in him Am I a dog that I should do this great thing And Christ told Peter that he would deny him when Peter protested against it very strongly 1. Because he knoweth the heart in which sinne breedeth and knows how apt it is to conceive sinne He knoweth whereof we be made 2. He foreseeth the temptations wherewith man shall be tempted 3. He knoweth what measure of strength and vertue is gone out from him to man to enable him against these temptations Vse 1. Let no man therfore flatter himself that he can commit any sinne so secretly that the eye of God shall escape it he knoweth our thoughts long before there can no darknesse hide us from this eye but the darknesse is as light as the day to him darknesse and light are both alike And if God foresee offences to come much more doth he remember sins past and observe sins present 2. Let this stirre us up to the feare of the Lord which is a continual putting of us into the presence of God and filleth us with fervent prayers to God to keep us from sinne either from the desire of it or from the committing of it or from the punishment of it by giving us strength to resist sinne tempting us or at least to hate the evil which we do against the law of our mind transported by the law of our members or to give us the grace of repentance that we may turn to him and break off our sins by righteousnesse and godly life This is that petition in our Lords Prayer Lead us not into temptation Which petition followeth that former forgive us our trespasses for whom God pardoneth them Satan tempteth most both because he despighteth God and because relapse into sins once pardoned is a double danger And he prayeth God not to lead him into the temptation because we must not only remember with grief the sins we have committed but we must consider with feare what sins our infirmities may fall into Into which God leadeth us by withdrawing his grace from us or from which he keepeth and preserveth us by his assisting grace The foresight of God is in respect of himself and his own perfect knowledge infallible and certain that will come to passe which he foreseeth and this is his wisedome though man have a free will to do evil yet he knoweth how far this his free will shall mislead him And for that cause he hath set such a guard of Angels about the just to keep them in all their ways that they fall not to take them up again when they fall and he hath given his word and lanthorn to their feet to guide and direct their paths Yet we may say that this foresight of God may be in respect of the means conditional and so God may foresee such an event upon some secret condition which yet by means may be prevented and not succeed A great example hereof in Davids story He heareth that the Philistims do rob Keilah David goeth against the Philistims 1 Sam. 23. and overcometh and saveth the men of Keilah Saul hearing of it armes his forces to surprize Keilah secretly David asketh of God Vers 12. Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul The Lord said They will deliver thee up Here God foresaw a sinne in the men of Keilah which was never committed but Saul had sent and God knew the corruption of the heart of those men and gave warning Here his foresight in respect of himself was certain which was that David should take this warning to escape But in respect of the successe it was conditional because it hath reference to the means of evasion So God foresaw the death of Ezechiah by his conditional will deferred but by his revealed will present and his revealed will doth not always make necessity of event but sometimes it is a warning to escape it Thus God foreseeth the spawning of sinne in mans life in the seed or root thereof which is
a life which else were a death for the wicked are dead in trespasses and sins so Christ saith let the dead bury their dead and the wanton widdows are said to be dead even whilest they live But by faith our natural life hath life put into it as the Apostle saith And the life which I now live in the flesh Gal. 2.20 I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me And surely this comfort must be applied in my text so though not so only to cheer the natural life of the distressed Jews against the many oppressions of the Chaldaeans that their faith in the promise of God must be their life as David saith I had verily fainted but that I believed to see the goodnesse of God in the land of the living There faith preserved the natural life of David 2. This includeth also a spiritual life which is the conjunction of our soule with God by Jesus Christ for what doth quicken us but our faith for by faith Christ dwelleth in us and by faith we are rooted and grounded in him Eph. 3.17 Col. 2 7. 3. This includeth an eternal life for how do we come to be where Christ is but by faith Christ first testifieth of the faith of his Church then he prayeth Father I will that they which thou hast given me may be with me that they may behold the glory that I had with thee c. They that overcome this world do overcome it by faith and such as have this faith do grow boysterous and violent They take the Kingdome of God perforce And this perchance gave occasion to the various lection some reading in the present vivit doth live some in the future vivet shall live some understanding the natural and spiritual only others only the eternal life But I understand the promise extended as the Apostle saith to both for godlinesse hath the promises of this life and that which is to come This sheweth what is meant here by faith not the historical faith by which we understand what the Will of God is Not a temporary faith which trusteth in God for a time and after falleth off from him Not the faith of miracles which even some wicked Persons whom Christ will not know at the day of judgement had Not the faith of hypocrites which seemeth and is not but a justifying and saving faith For we must live by the same faith here by which we must be saved hereafter And this faith is called the ground of things hoped for Cicero defineth the Latine word fides of fiat for it implieth performance Saint Augustine of the word fides saith Duae syllabae sonant Fides prima à facto secunda à dicto which may have a double construction 1. With reference to God for his dictum doth assure factum and that is our fides 2. With reference to us for as Augustine saith fac quod dicis credis do what thou sayst and thou beleevest I will not conceal from you the dissection of this word Fides as a witty Ancient hath anatomized it into five several letters by which he collecteth the ingredients which must meet in a saving faith 1. F implyeth facere to do as the Apostle saith Rom. 2. Not the hearers but the doers of the law shall be justified And Christ saith Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord Mat. 7. shall enter into the Kingdome of heaven but he that doth the Will of my father which it in heaven For a man must not be of the number of them who confesse God with their mouths and deny him in their works 2. I this importeth Integritatem Integrity which doth expresse it selfe in believing all the Articles of Christian faith for that faith which is not entire doth not hold fast and there is no trusting to it 3. D that implyeth Dilectionem love Gal. 5. for our faith must work through love And Saint Bernard saith Mors fidei est separatio charitatis faith without love is dead And again he saith ut vivat fides tua fidem tuam dilectio animet And in the schoole that faith which is not joyned with love is called fides informis an unformed faith It is St. Augustines saying Cum dilectione fides est Christiani sine dilectione fides est daemonis For we find that the devils confest Christ Confitebantur saith Saint Augustine Daemones Christum credendo non diligendo fidem habebant charitatem non habebant 4. E implyeth Expressè expressedly for it is not sufficient to retain faith in the heart but we must also strive to expresse it two wayes 1. In the fruits of faith good life 2. In the outward profession as the Apostle doth joyne them together With the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse and with the tongue he confesseth to salvation Rom. 10. Against those Nicodemites which come to Christ by night and all those who think it enough to reserve the heart for God though their outward deportment be fashioned to the time and place and persons where when and with whom they do live 5. S. which standeth for Semper alwayes which doth express perseverance for it is no true faith if it do not hold out to the end Let us now put all together a true faith must be entire working alwayes by love so that men may see our good works and glorifie God which is in heaven In a word the faith here mentioned is an holy apprehension and a bold application of the favour of God to his Church in the mediation and merits of Jesus Christ by whom we do beleeve that God is in Christ reconciling us to himself and the just man doth live by this faith De verbis hactenus The words thus cleared we come now to the division of this text It containeth an Antithesis wherein two contraries are set in opposition one against the other 1. The man that is lifted up 2. The just man 1. Of the first he saith non recta est anima ejus his soule is not upright 2. Of the second he saith ex fide vivet he shall live by faith In the first I note two things 1. His notation Elevatus lifted up 2. His censure Non recta est anima his soule is not upright 1. His notation Elevatus This is a thing that God loves not for it it said God resisteth the proud that is the point of doctrine in this place God taketh offence at such as are lifted up Doct. It was the fall of the Angels that kept not their first estate ero similis altissimo It was the fall of man Behold man is become like one of us knowing good and evill Some think this part of the text meant of Nebuchadnezzar the proud King whose heart was so big swolne with his great victories that in the ruffe of self opinion he ascribed all to himself and therefore was turned to graze as in the story of Daniels prophecie
nor can sin 2. Veniall so every man sinneth but this kind of sinning saith he doth not break the law of God because they deserve not the wrath of God and condemnation Lyndanus Levicula vitiola lapsuum quotidianorum aspergines naevuli sunt qui per se non maculant contaminant sed quasi pulvisculo leviter aspergunt vitam humanam Yet as light as they make of this pollution it is no way to be purged but by the blood of Christ and Christ is answerable to the Father and to the justice of his Law even for the least of these Therefore the Prophet saith God laid upon him the iniquity of us all and all our sins met in him this cannot but include veniall sins for the elect have no mortal sins Yet our tenet is that all even the least obliquity of thought primi motus ad peccata sunt peccata the first motions to sinne are sins and directly against the tenth Commandment and he that breaketh the least of the ten is guilty of all for he breaketh the Law So then the veniality of sin is not in the nature and merit of sinne Ps 22.1.2 but in the favour of God by Christ he suffering and satisfying for it and we by faith applying this to our selves and it will follow for in its own nature every sin is mortal deserving death and the just are not said to be blessed because they have no sinne but because their iniquities are forgiven and their sin is covered and because God imputeth not their sinne to them as some are quit by Proclamation because no evidence is given in against them 2. We must then fly to Evangelical righteousnesse which hath two parts The one is called the righteousnesse of faith the other of a good conscience Rom. 10.6 Pray for us for we trust we have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly Heb. 13.18 1. The righteousnesse of faith This is Christs righteousnesse by faith received of us by grace imputed to us as the Apostle saith Christ is the end of the law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth Rom. 10.4 The end of the law is to save those that fulfill it this by reason of the body of sinne that we do bear about us none of us can perform but Christ hath fulfilled the law for us and his obedience is by the favour of God imputed to us and by our faith applyed and we justified and saved thereby For what the law exacted of us is accapted for us as if we in our owne persons had done it because we believe it done by Christ for us 2. The righteousnesse of a good conscience This is a work of the Holy Ghost in us by which we do approve our selves to God and man by our indeavour to do that which the law commandeth And such a righteous person David describeth Surely he doth no iniquity Ps 119.3 but walketh in the way of God If any man object Object Then is he no transgressour of the law because he doth none iniquity then is his obedience full because he walketh in the way of the Lord. St. Paul doth answer for himselfe Sol. and therein for all the elect of God and sheweth wherin his innocency consisteth and saith For that which I do I allow not for what I would do that I do not Rom. 7.15 but what I hate that do I. If then I do that which I would not Vers 16. I consent unto the law that it is good Now then it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me 17.22 I delight in the law of God in the inward man Here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 know if thou be an elect child of God thou consistest of a double man so long as thou livest here on earth 1. There is in thee an outward man that is the unregenerate part of thee 2. There is an inward man that is the regenerate part For we must know and confesse that we are not capable in this life of a total and full regeneration which is an utter abolition of the body of sin There is Corpus peccati the body of sin there is lex membrorum a law of the members there is Concupiscence which doth carry us into the evil which we know in our understandings to be against the law of God and our conscience trembleth at it this is an inward man which in Peter is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 3.4 So that the inward man which keepeth the law is the understanding and conscience and the outward man that breaketh the law is the will and the appetite and the instruments thereof in the act of sin So then I shall now describe to you whom the Prophet here meaneth by the just man even him who in his understanding apprehendeth the good and perfect Will of God and maketh conscience of obeying it according to the measure of grace given to him for this is an Evangelical righteousnesse The use of it is great for the Prophet saith of Christ Jesus that he put on righteousnesse as a Brest-plate He that came to loose the works of Satan and therefore to bid him battel Is 59.17 did not come into this life which is militia super terram a warfare upon earth unarmed he is the General of Gods forces against the Kingdome of darknesse against the Prince that ruleth in the ayr against the god of this world against Principalities and Powers and no sooner was he baptized and began to appear to his employment but the spirit led him into the field to a duel with Satan for fourty days together where this Brest-plate of proofe was a sufficient wall about his vital parts and did preserve him against Satans fury and force And we that are his souldiers who must ambulare sicut ille walk as he we are taught by the Apostle both to get and put on this righteousnesse as a Brest plate The benefits that this righteousnesse doth bring with it are many 1. It is a proofe against temptations for howsoever our affections do receive some titillations from the outward senses to affect them with evil 1. Benefit our understanding like Goshen will always see the Sunne although the rest of our Aegypt be benighted Howsoever our Will may be corrupted for a time our conscience will continue zealous of good works In our minds we shall serve the law of God and this will keep our heads always above water that though we be put to it to strive and labour hard for life in the deep waters both of temptations and afflictions yet through many dangers and painful struglings we shall at length recover the shore The distrest conscience troubled with the terrour of sin though it cannot escape Satans sifting and buffeting and wounding yet can it not fall into final despair because this righteousnesse cannot be lost 2. This maketh our calling and election sure 2. Benefit
power which every one desireth and few do know how to manage The Chaldaeans having obtained some victories are now ambitious to be lords of all the earth It is said of Pyrrhus King of the Epirotes he sits studying how he may get the next Kingdom to him to make himself strong enough to bid the next King battel and to get the conquest of him that the fear of his power may make the next King yeeld himself And Alexander when he had conquered the world sate down and wept that there were no more worlds left for him to conquer The Bishop of Rome from a Diocesan Jurisdiction hath swelled by degrees partly by his own ambition partly by the connivence of Princes to an universal Hierarchy and his Parasites make him the man to whom belongs Omnia subjecisti pedibus ejus thou hast put all things under his feet His eldest son hath fairly dilated his empire we know that in 88. he had not enough he would have faine been dividing of Shechem and meating out the valley of Succoth In inferiour places how are men transported with desire of power and command and how unsatiable in that desire witnesse the many offices the various employments which some have desired and obtained to be congested on them I say no more of this unsatiable gulf of desire then my text saith it is like two things that they love not Hell and Death Death is not satisfied but with all it is named last in my text as the greediest of the two hell desires all the ungodly of the earth it is a pit digged for the ungodly But death swalloweth all Statutum est omnibus semel mori what man liveth and shall not see death So insatiable is the desire of power This resemblance doth shake the strength of that desire much if we think upon it well I labour and strive to get many under my command and death is labouring together with me to bring me to the grave and if I do not use my power to the glory of God and the good of my brethren hell is as busie and as greedy to devour me This is one of the crying sins of our Land insatiable pride this makes dear rents and great fines this takes away the whole cloathing of many poore to adde one Lace more in the suits of the rich this shortens the labourers wages and addes much to the burthen of his labour This greedinesse makes the market of spiritual and temporal offices and dignities and puts well-deserving vertue out of countenance This corrupts Religion with opinions justice with bribes charity with cruelty it turns peace into schisme and contention love into complement friendship into treason and sets the mouth of hell yet more open and gives it a new appetite for more souls The use of all is the doctrine of contentation as we professe that we have our being not of our selves but of God In him we live move and have our being He made us and not we our selves so let us be content with his provision for us It was Satans first suggestion to Adam for so he had formerly corrupted himself and lost his first estate to suggest pride he would shew man a way how to be like God and then all the fruits in the garden would not content him he must taste also of the forbidden fruit Haman was as high as the favour of the King could advance him Hest 5.13 and yet he confest All this doth me no good Pope Julius the third was forbidden to eat Pork by his Physitian and no other dish would please him he commanded it to be set before him in despight of God Therefore hear the Apostle Is is good to have the heart stayed or established with grace Heb. 13.9 and not with meats which have not profited them c. The grace of contentment is like the ballast of the ship which gives herher trimme and makes her strong and jocund upon the great waters Faith doth bring us to God it stoopeth us to him it fastneth us upon him Pride maketh us shift for our selves and divideth us from God he offereth his wings to such and they will not be gathered together Let us know that we are never past the wings of Gods protection here and therefore let us resort humbly to them for there is safety and rest and sufficiency of all good things Let us remember we call him our Father and therefore we may cast our care upon him Let us know and remember that nothing but God can fil us we are like broken vessels that can hold nothing without he fashion us behind and before we are like fusty vessels that corrupt all things we receive without he purify our hearts by Faith we are leaking vessels that let go all things without he calce us and make us teight We are bottomlesse bagges wide-mouthed to take in but unbottomed to retain any thing except he do give us contentment to stay our stomaks and to remove from us 1. An inordinate love of that which we have 2. An inordinate desire of more 3. An inordinate use of all The punishment will be terror domini the terrour of the Lord. Vers 6. Shall not all these take up a Parable against him and a taunting Proverb against him and say woe to him that increaseth that which is not his how long and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay 7. Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee and awake that shall vexe thee and thou shalt be for booties unto them 8. Because thou hast spoyled many nations all the remnant of the people shall spoyl thee because of mens blood and for the violence of the land of the city and all that dwell therein 2. The punishment of pride now followeth Concerning the Words SHall not all these take up a Parable against them By all these he meaneth all those whom the King of Babylon and his Chaldeans have troubled and persecuted and all lookers on also By taking up of a Parable which word is rendered by Apophthegma a grave and wise speech is here meant declaring that the wisdom of men shall check the pride of the Babylonians and proclaime them vain The taunting Proverb which the seventy render here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth Dicterium a bitter quip uttered in an aenigmaticall manner of speech a secret gird full of salt and sharpnesse where under some obscurity of words is secretly couched some galling and cutting tartnesse of meaning We must search this speech for two things for here must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wise saying and here must be a taunt and salt taxation in some obscure and aenigmatical speech The first is in the former words wherein he denounceth a woe to him that makes up his heap wich other mens goods and he cryeth to him how long taxing his insatiablenesse The sharp and salt reproof is in these words And to him that ladeth himself with thick clay For first wherein he
have alwayes the poor with you and this generation of oppressors will be ever teeming so long as they have such matterto work upon for the rich and mighty will shift for themselves 3. It incurreth the severe censure of Gods justice for if God say Go ye cursed to them that did not dare sua give their owne quid faciet eis qui rapuerunt aliena woe to them that take that which is none of theirs 4. This sin of rapine doth incurre the curses of them that are robbed for every man crieth woe to such as congest that which is not their own 5. This sin doth hinder the ascent of the prayers of them that commit it God will not admit them to his presence for so God saith Relieve the oppressed judge the fatherlesse plead for the widow Isa 1. 18. Come now and let us reason together 6. The time shall come when those that suffer wrong shall judge their oppressours for the Saints shall judge the world Therefore let every man make conscience of doing violence doubtlesse there is a God that judgeth in the world let us value men as our brethren and seek their good let us direct our intentions subventions to that only end that he that loveth God may declare it by loving his brother also let our brethren grow up with us and let us joy in their prosperity 4. Cruelty is charged upon them For they build in blood and cruelty is also one of the companions of ambition and covetousnesse If Ahab have a desire to Naboths Vineyard either Naboth must part with his Vineyard or his life They are not all innocent of this great offence that keep themselves from shedding of blood they that invade the meanes of the maintenance of life that pinch the labourer in his wages or that make the hireling work for nothing or that let their hire sleep in their custody whilst he pineth for want of things necessary are all guilty of this accusation of blood It was the provocation wherewith God was provoked against the old world for which he brought upon them the great floud that destroyed them all This was Edoms sin in Obadiah There is a manifold cruelty as you then heard 1. Cruelty of combination when we make our selves strong in a faction to oppresse all that oppose us and go not out way 2. Cruelty of the eye when we can be content to look on to see injures done to our brethren without any compassion or subvention 3. Cruelty of heart when we rejoyce against them that suffer wrong and make our selves merry with their afflictions 4. Cruelty of the tongue when we insult over them and brand them with taunts 5. Cruelty of the hands when we 1. Either persecute their persons with molestation 2. Or touch their liberty with unjust restraint 3. Or rob them of their goods by cruel direptions 4. Or hinder the course of justice that should do them right 5. Or procure their death because they do stand in our light and hinder our rising of all these I have spoken heretofore We now hasten to the declaration of Gods just vengeance against this ambition 2. The punishment 1. They consult shame to their own house 2. They sin against their own souls 3. They labour in vaine and without successe 1. They consult shame to their own house Ambition doth affect to build up an house to establish a name that may continue in the blood and posterity in succeeding generations with glory and honour David hath a crosse prayer which is in the hearts and mouths of many that hate such pride let not their wicked imagination prosper least they grow too proud These words do shew that ambitious pride shall not prosper and whereas they study honour and consult glory in their aime and intention God turneth it all to shame in the event The words of my text are the words of God he knoweth what he meaneth to do and he saith they consult their own shame because he purposeth to turne all their glory into shame Shame is the thing that an ambitious man doth desire to decline above all things all his studies bend their strength against it and pursue glory which is the contrary to it To this purpose covetous men gather riches and then with mony purchase great offices and great titles to make great houses and nominous families upon earth to survive them But where this greatnesse is begun by ambition maintained and supported by rapine and cruesty pride will have a fall he that meaneth to give it the fall saith so God whose power none hath ever resisted he will turne that glory into shame The wiseman saith He that is greedy of gaine troubleth his own house Pro. 15.27 For The house of the wicked shall be overthrown he doth not mean domus Pro 14.11 the house but familia the family the whole name and posterity the glory all shall perish and come to shame And Prov. 15.25 Solomon tels us who shall do it The Lord will destroy the house of the proud Pro 15.25 this is their shame to come down again when men have been aspiring and setled their nest on high and made themselves beleeve that their honour shall be established upon their house for then 1. God shall laugh them to scorne the Lord shall have them in derision saying Behold the man is become as one of us 2. Men shall laugh at them and say Lo Psal 52.7 this is the man that made not God his strength but trusted in the abundance of his riches and strengthned himselfe in his wickednesse for Solomon saith When the wicked perish there is shouting Pro 11.10 3. The Lord shall be glorified in the shame of the proud covetous cruel man for every man shall say strong is the Lord God who judgeth them Rev. 18.8 Vers 20. as over Babel thus is God praised Rejoyce over her thou heaven and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her This point is of excellent use 1. For Doctrine Pro. 10 24. it teacheth us that which Solomon hath said The feare of the wicked shall come upon him the proud man feareth nothing so much as shame the covetous man feareth nothing so much as want the cruell man nothing so much as revenge the glutton nothing so much as hard fare the drunkard nothing so much as a cup of cold water and God hath threatned these offenders with all these judgments 2. It commendeth to us wisdome and righteousnesse and humility and all holy vertues for they be all builders and raise up houses and lay the foundation sure Ab auditione mali non timebit Psal 112.7 Pro. 28.2 The just man is hold as a Lyon as Solomon The wicked are overthrown and are not but the house of the righteous shall stand Prov. 12.7 Humility layeth the foundation of it low Faith worketh by love to furnish it Honour and much glory are the roofe of it peace
into the red sea The most that we read of Moses concerning any art in naturall Philosophy is that Moses was brought up in all the wisedome of the Aegyptians and no man thinketh that he got all their wisedome from them how then did not the wisedome of the Aegyptians at time serve the Aegyptians themselves when this was done 6 Another memorable miracle of this passage was that before all Israel had recovered the further shore the same passage was safe to Israel and pernitious and fatall to the Aegyptians which appeared 1 Because God did not let the waters come together to hinder the Aegyptians pursuit but kept them divided till they vvere all within the verge of the sea for this God could have done as it after follovveth 2 That to hinder their journey of pursuit God turned the pillar of Cloud behind Israel between them and the Aegyptians so that Israel led the vvay by a clear light the Aegyptians follovved them in the dark 3 That their chariot vvheels vvere smitten off in the night so that they drove uneasily 4 That the vvaters came together upon their consultation to return and drovvned them all before all the children of Israel had recovered the further shore 7 The last memorable wonder was the casting up of the bodies of the Egyptians upon the further shore which Israel had recovered and whereon they pitched to make good the word of Moses you shall see them no more that is living to terrifie you thus Israel saw what God had done for them and their eyes had it desire against their enemies All these be things worth remembring 3 He addeth another wonderful mercy in cleaving the earth with rivers which hath reference as you have heard to Numb 20.11 In which 1 It is wonderfull that God hearing the murmur of his people for want of water had not punished their sin with present death but did choose rather to give them their hearts desire and to satisfie them with water 2 That he made the rock to yield them water which did not naturally but by vertue of his word 3 That it should have been done so easily as by a word of Moses that it was done so easily as by twice smiting 4 That those waters did follow the hoast to relieve it all the way of their journey till they had other supply as also the Manna did till they came to come in Canaan so these waters ran into no sea 5 That these rivers dryed up after Israel and no shew of any river ever since vvhere these vvaters ran in dry places to shevv vvho ordained that stream and for whom Though God hath had his praise for all the things before yet they desire Canticum novum a new song Here and here it is work for the rector Chori 2 The motive that induced God to do all this for his people 1 Affirm exprest in two things internus motor 1 His desire of the preservation of his Israel For he did ride upon his Horses and Chariots of salvation Pharaoh followed Israel into the red Sea on horses and in chariots these were the horses and chariots of destruction God took off their wheels and they failed in their speed But God went forth with salvation Israel could not but see in all these wonderfull works of God that God was for them 1 In their setting forth to bring them out of the house of bondage even through the sea 2 In the way of their journey to quench their thirst in the dry and unwatered wilderness 3 At their journeys end to open them a passage into the promised land through Jordan Israel is a type of the Catholique Church of God on earth and their passage from Egypt to Canaan is a type of our passage from the wombe to heaven and God is the same his Church is as dear to him as ever it was and he hath taken upon him the care of it He is called by Job The preserver of men especially of his elect Here are onely mentioned three of the most eminent wonders of God there were many more which David repeated Psal 105 106. All these were the effects of the free favour of God to his people Ps 106.21 whereby he got the name of a Saviour And thâ— Psalmist prayeth Remember me Ps 106.4 O Lord with the favour that thou bearest to thy people O visit me with thy saluation This was a singular favour for he saith also Non fecit taliter he did not so to any Nation That I may see the good of thy chosen Verse 5. that I may rejoyce in the gladness of thy Nation that I may glory with thine inheritance For this favour of God to his Church is a speciall grace above his universall protection This it is that the Spouse of Christ doth pray for Set me as a seal on thy heart Cant. 8.6 and as a Signet upon thine arm That wish of the Church then was thus and is now an Article of Faith that prayer was then and now is our Creed But much more evidently hath this eternall love of God to his Church in Christ Jesus shewed it self since Christ our Saviour was made manifest in the flesh and much more hath it extended and dilated it self since he was believed on of the Gentiles and preached to the world For when God once had fitted him with a body and therewith had given him a heart like ours and such an arm as we have and such hands it hath been more discerned how we were set as a seal upon that heart how we are worne upon that arm how we are ingraven in the Palms of those hands For that heart was pierced with a spear those hands were nailed to the Crosse and these be the stamps and Characters of his love to us And as the affection of love is noted to be most vehement in a woman as David doth imply when he bewailed Jonathans death Thy love to me was wonderfull passing the love of women 2 Sam. 1.26 so our Saviour to take upon him this affection in the dearest tenderness and most intense measure and degree is said to be made of a woman and she a Virgin And that sin might not corrupt this affection Ga. 4.4 or harden the heart He was conceive by the Holy Ghost The Church doth well to remember this interest that God gave them in this land for there out suck they no small advantage This calls God the God of Israel and it cals Israel Gods peculiar people this doth spread the wings of this Hen over all her Chickens and gathereth them together under the same it makes them roome in the bosome of God 2 Another motive vvas the oaths of the tribes even Gods Word that is the covenant of God made vvith Abraham and his seed for so the Psalmist doth expresse it He hath remembred his Covenant for ever Ps 105.8 the word that he commanded to a thousand generations Which Covenant he made with