Hatches he sitteth quiet and holdeth the Sterne he doth not indeede as they doe but he doth farre greater and better things The Church and Common-wealth are not vnfitly compared to a mans body which consist of many partes all needefull and necessary yet all haue not the same vses and functions If the members of a mans r Halicar Roman antiquit lib. 6. Plutar. in vita Coriolani Liui. decad 1. lib. 2. body should rise and rebell against the belly if the feet should plead that they onely beare vp the waight of the whole body if the handes should affirme that they labour painefully earne their liuing and bring many other commodities if the shoulders should say that they beare all burthens or the head that it seeth and heareth the mouth that it speaketh and then if all ioyntly should turne themselues to the belly and accuse it to be without profit to remaine in the midst of the body without doing anything and sustaine no labour to the maintenance of the rest of the partes were not this a foolish conceit of reasoning and would not this tend to the ruine of the whole body In the body politicke if the people that dig and delue should complaine and conspire against the Prince and Nobles who labour by care rule by authority foresee by wisedome and manage by gouernment because they worke not with their hands would not this draw with it the destruction of the Common-wealth So is it in the Church and in the offices of the Church As the people labour by working so doe the Ministers in studying and preaching All haue not one office all haue not one vse Therefore the Apostle saith Å¿ 1 Cor. 12 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21. The body is not one member but many if the foote should say Because I am not the hand I am not of the body is it therefore not of the body And if the eare should say because I am not the eye I am not of the body is it therefore not of the body If the whole body were an eye where were the hearing And if the whole were hearing where were the smelling But now hath God disposed the members euery one of them in the body at his owne pleasure for if they were all one member where were the body But now are there many members yet but one body and the eye cannot say vnto the hand I haue no need of thee nor the head againe to the feete I haue no neede of you Whereby we see that the body consisteth of many members all haue their necessary vse for the preseruation of the whole and yet all haue not one and the same function So then they despise the Ministers of the Gospell and so account the Ministery of the word needlesse and vnprofitable because they work not with their hands and not labour with bodily labour are as madde and monstrous as they that would haue all the body to be an hand no mouth no head no foot For albeit the Teachers of the Church be not the hands of the body to handle the Carpenters Axe or the Shepheards Crooke or the Husbandmans Plough or the saw of the Sawyer yet he is as the eye of the body to giue light to them that sit in darkenesse and in the shaddow of death as the mouth of the bodie to speake to God and to poure out supplications before him for the people yea he is also as the belly for as the belly which receiueth all meats that nourish mans body doth send them backe againe with aduantage to the nourishment of the whole body so the Minister receiuing maintenance from the Church doth feed them againe and nourisheth them with the bread of life to the saluation of their soules He receiueth temporall things but he soweth vnto them spirituall things The Apostle saith t 1 Cor. 9 7. Who goeth a warfare any time at his owne cost Who planteth a Vineyard and eateth not the fruite thereof Or who feedeth a Flocke and eateth not of the Milke of the flocke The Souldier liueth by the receiuing of his wages the Husbandman by the fruits of his labours the Shepheard by the encrease of his flock and therefore it must not seem strange vnto vs that the Lords Souldiers should enioy their pay and that his Workemen should haue their hire Vse 3. Lastly seeing the celling of the Pastour set ouer the people is painefull it offereth good considerations and profitable Meditations both to the Pastors and to the people Touching the Ministers it serueth as a good admonition to such as purpose and intend to enter into this great calling of the Ministerie that they doe it wisely and warily that they runne not before they bee sent that they enter at the Doore and climbe not in at the Windowe that they considet what prouision and store of new and old they haue to goe through the worke Such as meane to builde u Luk. 14 28 31. doe first make great prouision and preparation The Kings of the Nations and Princes of the Earth with great aduise and consultation doe proclaime warres The Ministery is a going to Warfare it is a building of Gods House and therefore it is to bee enterprized not rashly but aduisedly not meanely stored but plentifully furnished with all manner of prouision fit for the Lordes worke Againe beeing the Souldiers of Christ and the leaders of his people they must seeke to please a Gal. 1 10. not men but their Captaine that hath chosen and called them they must take heede they doe not intangle and snare themselues in worldly matters and so hinder their worke in hand whereby they are made vnfit to serue God and his Church The order and discipline of the Warres is such that so soone as the Souldier hath enrolled and giuen his name to his Captaine he leaueth his house and other affaires which might with-draw his minde and mindeth nothing but the battell So ought we to bee wholie loosed and throughlie freed from the impediments and incumbrances of this Worlde that Christ may haue our seruice in this warfare This is that vse which the Apostle maketh of this Doctrine 2. Tim. 2. Thou therefore suffer affliction as a good Souldier of Iesus Christ b 2 Tim. 2 3 4. No Man that warreth entangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life because he would please him that hath chosen him to be a Souldier Touching the people they must know that when God sendeth such Labourers among them they must bee esteemed and accounted as the greatest defence and preseruation of a Citty and Kingdome This is confessed by Ioash the King of Israell when Elisha fell sicke of his sicknesse whereof he died c 2 Kin. 13 14. O my Father my Father the Charet of Israell and the Horsemen of the same The prayer of Moses d Exod. 17. preuailed more then the Sword of Ioshua and all the furniture of war against the Amalekites The Apostle writing
delight hath the Nurse then to see her child liue in health grow vp in strength and stature and prosper in the world So there is no comfort like to this comfort no ioy like to this ioy no delight like to this delight to behold the haruest of the Lord the sheepe of Christ the Children of God to flourish and to encrease more and more to grow from faith to faith from grace to grace b Ephe. 4. 13. vntill they all meet together vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnes of Christ Hence it is that after the Apostle had testified his ioy and thankes to God for the faith and loue of the Colossians he addeth c Col. 19. 10. for this cause we also since the day we heard of it cease not to pray for you and to desire that ye might be fulfilled with knowledge of his will in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding that ye might walke worthy of the Lord and please him in all thinges being fruitfull in all good workes and increasing in the knowledge of God and let vs by this example comfort our selues in such as increase in good thinges and pray for such as are comming forward We liue in a decaying and declining time wherein many haue forgotten their first loue we see the cold season and Winter of all Godlines wherein men are frozen in the dregs of Sinne. Wee may behold with our eyes if we be not starke blinde a generall wasting languishing and consumption of the heate and heart of Religion If then in this common pining of the vital parts we may discerne any reuiuing and refreshing to appeare or any flourishing of Godlines which seemed dead at the root to spring vp let it be a comfort vnto vs and teach vs to giue God the glory who maketh light to come out of darkenesse and life to arise out of death This serueth to reproue those that neuer desire the profiring of their people nor regard what their estate and how their standing is in heauenly thinges they neuer consider whether they goe forward or backward whether they grow vpward or downe-ward to Heauen or to Hell to God or to the Deuill to Saluation or to damnation These are they that feed themselues to the full but regard not to feed the flocke ouer which the holy Ghost hath made them ouerseers These are they that liue of the Alter but care not to minister at the Alter they will be sure to reape carnall things but they haue no conscience to sow spirituall thinges They liue of the Gospell but they will not preach the Gospell The Apostle testifying his longing and thirsting after the saluation of the Church said I seeke not yours but you But these men if they would speake the truth from their hearts might say we seeke not you but yours we care not what become of you so that we may find the sweetnes of that which is yours How farre are these from the zealous affection of the same Apostle who became all thinges to all men if by any meanes he might saue some he teacheth that a necessity lay vpon him to preach the Gospell and denounceth a woe vpon himselfe if he preach not the Gospell Let vs all in our places follow his example and pray vnto God to giue the grace of conuersion to turne the hearts of men to the sauing knowledge of the Gospell and where he hath granted this mercy let vs pray him to encrease it more and more and to continue it vnto the day of Iesus Christ Vse 2. Secondly as the growing in good thinges is matter of ioy so on the other side it is caused of great sorrow and griefe of heart when the professors of the saith and hearers of the word and such as seemed louers of the truth do not profit but reuolt do not goe forward but goe backward do not grow better and better but become worse and worse It must not seeme strange that great sorrow ariseth vnto the seruants of God when men do not profit in good thinges We see what worldly sorrow is found in worldly men that causeth death the least occasion of losse the least feeling of trouble the least crossing of their humors can draw from them abundance of teares But such as are led by the spirit of God are spiritually minded d 2. Cor. 7. 10. they haue godly sorrow that causeth repentance vnto saluation not to be repented of This was in the Prophet Dauid when he saw a decay in Godlines and a growing in wickednesse e Psal 119. 136. mine eyes gush out with Riuers of water because they keepe not thy law This was in the Prophet Ieremy f Ier. 9. 1. and 4. 19. O that mine head were full of water and mine eyes a fountaine of teares that I might weep day and night for the slaine of the Daughter of my people This was in Christ our Sauiour when he came neere to Ierusalem he beheld the Citty and wept for it g Luke 19. 41. 42. O if thou hadst euen knowne at the least in this day those thinges which belong vnto thy peace but now are hid from thine eyes This was in the Apostle Paule when he saw the reuolting and back-sliding of the Galathians h Gal. 4. 19. and 5. 7. O my little Children of whom I trauaile in Birth againe vntill Christ be formed in you I am in feare of you least I haue bestowed on you labour in vaine ye did runne well who did let you that ye did not obey the truth This is a speciall note to discerne and distinguish true Pastors from hirelings and faithfull shepheards from Wolues for the true Ministers of Christ are inwardly touched and grieuously pained to behold the present sinnes of the people and the future iudgments of God hanging ouer their heads This is a great griefe of heart and goeth neere them to see so little growth of Godlines so little fruit of their labours so great encrease of all vngodlines This reproueth those that make a mocke of sinne and can laugh as heartilie at the committing of iniquitie as at the best ieast and the greatest sport If we begin once to laugh at sinne we will not make any conscience to commit it When once we do not sticke to ieast at it we will quickly come to it in good earnest When we can make a play of it there is but a short step to put it in practise The very Heathen i Plutar. in Solone Valer. Maxim lib. 2. Cap. 6. saw thus much that had but halfe an eye that if they suffered euill to be committed merrily and in sport they should finde it practised in their earnest contracts common affaires And many of the heathen by other Heathen are commended k Tacit. in his description of Germany among whom vices were neuer laughed at But how many are there among vs that would be counted and are indeed called Christians
danger of thy life it may be taken from thee and thou from it which maketh it to bee but a shadow of true gaine But the profit of godlinesse is of a contrary Nature if once we haue gotten this Pearle the Theefe cannot steale it the moth cannot corrupt it the Sea cannot drown it the rust cannot fret it the Land cannot loose it the length of time cannot consume it the greatnesse of danger cannot take it from vs the vnfaithfulnesse of seruaunts the subtlety of enemies the fraud of false Brethren the force of the mighty the violence of the Oppressor the partiality of the Iudge the wresting of the Lawe can neuer depriue vs or debarre vs of this benefite yea b Cicer. pro Archia poeta that which an Heathen man saide once of humaine learning may more truly and iustly be spoken of godlinesse which indeed is true learning the which whosoeuer wanteth what Ornaments of Nature and Art soeuer otherwise he hath is vtterly vnlearned nay a starke foole It will follow vs as a sweete guide abroad to solace vs it will stay with vs a pleasant companion to delight vs at home it will lye with vs as a bed-fellow in the night to teach vs whereon to meditate it will sit downe with vs as a guest at the Table to direct vs it wil bee with vs as a skilfull Physitian in sicknesse to comfort vs it will sticke and stand to vs in prosperity to humble vs it will cleaue fast to vs in aduersity and in the euil day to refresh vs it will waite vppon vs in death it will descend with vs into the graue it will ascend with vs into heauen and alwayes follow vs from place to place as the shadow doth the body This made the Apostle Iohn say Blessed are they that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Reuel 14 13. To conclude therefore so often as wee thinke of true Religion or remember the day of our conuersion we must think with our selues that we made the most blessed change that euer was made and hold this for a firme and sure principle that no gaine is like to this gaine no profit like to this profit Vse 2 Secondly seeing Christian Religion planted in the heart of a man maketh him good and helpfull to others who before was vniust and vnprofitable let euery one proue his effectuall calling and true conuersion by earnest seeking after the good of others and by a carefull abstaining from hurting troubling and wronging of others It is to be chosen as a better thing to suffer then to offer wrong to receiue then to requite to take then to giue Obadiah liuing in Ahabs Court is commended for the manifestation of his Faith by his Workes as the Tree that sheweth what it is by the fruites hee hid c 1 Kin. 18 13 the Prophets of God from the sword of the persecutor and fed them in the Caue in the time of famine The Prophet affirmeth and assureth that such shall dwell in the Tabernacle of the Lord and rest in his holy mountain as make much d Psal 15 4. of those that feare the Lord and honour them whome God hath honoured To this purpose the Apostle setteth this downe as a certain signe of our adoption that God accepteth vs as his sonnes and daughters to wit our loue to the Saints e 1 Ioh. 3 14 We know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the Brethren Euery one must be able to shew the soundnesse of his faith and the truth of his conuersion by the fruits of his calling f Math. 3 8. and by the workes of regeneration and amendment of life An iniurious man that loueth himselfe but not another that hath no care to doe good to his Brother but to himselfe onely is not yet truely conuerted to God nor deliuered from the bondage of sinne nor made a member of Christ nor engrafted into the true Church nor endued with the grace of sanctification he is yet in the flesh and not in the spirit he is yet in death not restored to life he is the bondslaue of Sathan not brought into the liberty of the sonnes of God For where there is no change in conuersation there can bee no assurance of true conuersion The meditation of this point must enter deeply into our harts teach vs to try our selus whether as yet we born again by water and the spirit or not Whosoeuer can say thus I haue beene in bondage to sin now I am set free I haue beene the prisoner of Satan now I am at liberty I haue liued vnprofitably to God vnprofitably to my selfe vnprofitably to others now I haue learned to lead my life to the honour of God to the benefite of my brethren and to the comfort of mine owne soule whosoeuer I say can say thus may be assured of his conuersion and turning vnto God and that God hath begun his good worke in him which hee will finish at the appearance of Iesus Christ Let vs all therefore know and consider that it is required of vs to repent of sinnes to turne to God to chaunge our hearts and to amend our liues that so we may bring forth the fruits of righteousnesse and expresse our obedience to the Gospell To be without the fruits of the Gospel is to denie the Gospell and to be without godlinesse of conuersation is to be without Christ and to bee without an heart inwardly sanctifyed and without a life outwardly regenerated is to be without faith It had beene better for vs that we had neuer had the Gospell offered vnto vs then to haue it to contemne it It had beene better we had alwayes remained in darknesse then to haue light come among vs and not to walke in the light It is a worthy exhortation that the Apostle maketh to the Thessalonians g 1 Thess 5 5 6 7 8. Yee are all the Children of light and the children of the day we are not of the night neither of darkenesse Therefore let vs not sleepe as others do but let vs watch and be sober for they that sleepe sleepe in the night and they that bee drunken are drunken in the night but let vs which are of the day be sober putting on the Brest-plate of faith and loue and of the hope of saluation for an Helmet It is not euery h Math. 7 21. one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heauen but he that hath an earnest and carefull endeuour to do his will It is not enough for vs to bee called a Christian to beare the name of a Protestant to renounce the name of a Papist to make shew of the true Religion and to be an hearer of the word we haue learned better things and must giue an account of a farther dutie Obiection We will say peraduenture we hate and detest all the blinde and erroneous
conuerted by vs ought to be deare and feruent We learne from hence that the loue which Christians ought to beare to all the Saints especially to those whom they haue beene meanes to conuert ought to be entire deare hearty earnest most faithfull and most feruent It is our duty to loue all men more especiallie the Saints but most especially such as haue beene gained to the Faith by vs. The Lord himselfe testifieth his tender compassion toward his Children to prouoke them to follow his example The Prophets declare l Deut. 32 10. Zach. 2 8. That he which toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye So Zachariah blessed the God of Israell m Luke 1 78. Who through his tender mercy gaue life to them that sate in darkenesse and in the shaddow of death and guided their feete into the way of peace This appeareth notably in Christ Iesus n Heb. 2 17. Who was made like vnto his Brethren that he might be mercifull he will not breake the bruised Reede nor quench the smoaking Flaxe o Iohn 15 12 13. and 13 34. These thinges saith he haue I spoken vnto you that my ioy might remaine in you this is my Commaundement that ye loue one another as I haue loued you greater loue then this hath no man when any man bestoweth his life for his friends This affection we finde in many places in the Apostle p Phil. 1 8 9. 1 Thess 3 7 8 God is my record how I long after you all from the very heart-roote in Iesus Christ we had consolation in you in al our affliction necessity through your Faith for now are we aliue if ye stand fast in the Lord. The Euangelist Luke describing the Church of God gathered together after the ascention of Christ saith q Act. 2 44 45 All that beleeued were in one place and had all thinges common and they sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men as euery one had neede This is a precept giuen in the Law and no duty more often vrged and touched in the Gospell Moses saith r Leuit. 19 18 Math. 5 43. Rom. 13 9. Gal. 5 14. Thou shalt not auenge nor bee mindfull of wrong against the Children of thy people but shall loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe I am the Lord. The Apostle Paule among many precepts that he giueth this is one of the chiefe and principall Å¿ Rom. 12 9 10. and 13 8. Let loue bee without dissimulation abhorre that which is euill and cleane vnto that which is good be affectioned to loue one another with brotherlie loue All these testimonies of God the Father of Christ Iesus our Lord of the Apostle of other Christians and of the whole Church doe sufficiently teach vs that howsoeuer all the Saints of God are to be loued yet those especially that haue beene conuerted to vs. Reason 1. The reasons that may be rendred to vphold as firme pillers to strengthen this Doctrine are many and infallible For first there is great labour imployed long time spent many meanes vsed and continuall care bestowed to conuert a Soule to God It is no idle worke it is not brought to passe without much adoe A Woman hauing had an hard labour with her child doth loue it the more and will vse speech accordinglie saying This was a very deere Childe vnto me I must needes loue it yea her loue t Iohn 16 21. is so heartie and entire that shee forgetteth the paines and sorrow that shee hath sustained Beniamin among all the Sonnes of Iacob was most tenderly beloued in whose byrth the Mother dyed the fruite was saued but the Tree withered and fell downe he cost Iacob therefore dear euen his best beloued wife and indeed his onely lawfull wife whom Laban promised for whom he serued u Gen. 35 18. so that he called him Beniamin the sonne of his right hand If then that which is dearly bought be deepely beloued it is no maruell if it worke effectually in spirituall things where the greatest paines and labor is shewed We see this in the Galathians who had put the Apostle to much trouble and exceeding torment in their recouery to Christ x Gal. 4 11 19 are by him called his Little Children of whom he trauailed in birth againe vntill Christ were formed in them and he was in much feare and perplexity least hee had bestowed on them labour in vaine This appeareth in his behauiour toward the Israelites to whom pertaineth the adoption the glory and the Couenants y Ro. 9 1 2 3. I say the truth in Christ I lye not my Conscience bearing me witnesse in the Holyghost that I haue great heauinesse and continuall sorrow in mine heart for I would wish my selfe to bee separated from Christ for my Brethren that are my Kinsmen according to the flesh The like affection is bewrayed in Moses toward Gods people who had carried them in his bosome as a Nursse doth the sucking Childe when God was offended with them and threatned to consume them he cried vnto the Lord z Ex. 32 31 32 Oh this people haue sinned a great sinne and haue made them Gods of Golde therefore now if thou pardon their sinne thy mercy shall appeare but if thou wilte not I pray thee rase me out of thy Booke which thou hast written Thus he shewed the bowels of his loue toward that people with whom hee had taken so great paines for whom he had so often prayed and by whom he had been so oftentimes prouoked Reason 2. Secondly by testifying of our loue and shewing forth the fruites thereof we gather great assurance that we are of the company of the faithfull of the Communion of Saints and of the society of them that belong to the trueth when we loue vnfaignedly those that are of the truth The Apostle Iohn teacheth that our loue to the brethren is a fruite of true faith a 1 Iohn 3 14 19. Heereby we know that we are of the truth and shall before him assure our hearts And againe hee saith We know we are translated from death vnto life because wee loue the Brethren he that loueth not his Brother abideth in death Whereby hee sheweth that we are assured that we belong to God are his children by the fruites of loue which are certaine tokens of our election to eternall life Reason 3. Thirdly loue is the liuery of Christ and as it were the badge and cognizance whereby we are knowne to be his Disciples and to be taught and directed by his spirit This agreeth with the Doctrine of Christ b Ioh. 13 34 35. A newe Commandement giue I vnto you that yee loue one another as I haue loued you that ye also loue another by this shall all men knowe that ye are my Disciples if yee haue loue one to another Christ Iesus did instruct his Disciples especially in loue and did as it were graft it and engraue
3. Thirdlie such motions receiue a blessing from God If we craue and desire nothing at the handes of others but that which is right our perswasions shall be accepted of God who hath the hearts of all men in his owne power to change and alter as it pleaseth him When Ester asked of the King to haue k Ester 7 3. her life giuen her at her petition and her people at her request shee had it granted and more also then she asked On the other side vnlawfull and vngodly suits do oftentimes turne to the confusion of such as obtaine them albeit they may florish for a time yet in the end they are snared with the words of their owne mouth We see this in the example of Haman who after he was exalted in honour next vnto the King he craued of the King very earnestlie l Ester 3 9. That all the Iewes should be slaine and put to death in one day this he obtained and preuailed in his suit but he neuer liued to put it in execution but was hanged on the tree which he had prouided and prepared for Mordecai Wherfore seeing it is a cheefe and principall rule in friendship to request and require onely honest thinges seeing such requestes though they bee great giue comfort and assurance of obtaining and seeing they receiue a blessing at the handes of God it followeth that whatsoeuer we prouoke or procure men to doe must haue a faire warrant and be agreeable to the will of God Vse 1. The vses of this doctrine are not to be omitted First we learne from hence other truths for the strengthning of our Faith So long as any of our Bretheren aske that which is good craue of vs to giue our consent to that which is lawfull we ought to haue our eares and our hearts opened to hearken vnto them No request among ten thousand is more reasonable then when the word of exhortation is offered vnto vs and we are moued to repent and bring forth the fruits of amendment of life So long as we follow our owne lustes and delight in the prophanenesse of our corrupt hearts wee walke in darkenesse and in the shaddow of death and runne the way that leadeth to destruction If then any come vnto vs and perswade vs to turne vnto God and to forsake our former waies who are better or greater or surer Friends vnto vs then these For who can wish vs greater good or procure vs greater benefit then to seeke to saue our soules and to make vs inheritors of Gods Kingdome Wee ought therefore to make much of them and not send them away from vs weeping These seeke not themselues but vs they ayme not at their owne profit but ours it is our duty one to another to exhort one another while it is called To day Are they charged and commanded to haue mouths to speak vnto vs and ought not we to haue eares to hear them and hearts to obey them On the other side it is necessary to deny whatsoeuer is vniust and vnhonest and vnreasonable whatsoeuer we are required and by whomsoeuer we are importuned For as it is a commendable vertue not to deny m Prou. 3 28 or delay a Christian request put vp vnto vs so is it as praise-worthy to refuse to hearken and yeelde to any vnlawfull and wicked desire What though we be deare friendes or great acquaintance or neere Brethren What though we haue a mutuall communion of good thinges among vs Should we therefore abuse this coniunction that we haue one with another It is accounted by the Heathen Philosophers n Haec prima lex in amicitia sanciatur vt neque rogemus res turpes nec faciamus rogati Cicer de amicit as the first Law to be obserued in friendship that we neither request things shamefull and dishonest neyther doe them when we are requested It is an absurd thing to imagine that they which refuse to gratifie vs in vngodly things and to follow our corrupt minds and to be ready at our pleasure to call light darkenesse and darkenesse light good euill and euill good should be saide to part friendship and to transgresse the limits of peace and concord For it is a base and blinde excuse and a weake pretence not to bee allowed for a man when he hath done euill to confesse he did it for his friendes cause or at his friendes request There is no man so closely tyed vnto any that for their sakes he should submit himselfe to that which is euill and so make himselfe partaker of their sinnes There is little difference betweene him that committeth euill and another that yeeldeth to the committing of it Let vs therefore know that God requireth of vs this dutie to take diligent heed that we giue no consent to euill nor incline our hearts to obey those that would prouoke vs vnto it They are Instruments of the Deuill that would draw vs to iniquitie and pull vpon our owne heads the heauy wrath and displeasure of God so that we ought as much to abhorre them and to fly from them as if we heard the Deuill himselfe speake vnto vs and therefore to say vnto them Come behinde mee Sathan or auoyde Sathan thou art an offence vnto me We haue a worthy example of this in Ioseph when his Maisters Wife cast her eyes vpon him and saide Lye with me he hearkned not vnto her but denied her request and refused to be in her company Behold saith hee o Gen. 39 8 9 my Maister knoweth not what he hath in the House with me and hath committed all he hath to mine hand there is no Man greater in this House then I neither hath he kept any thing from mee but onely thee because thou art his Wife how then can I doe this great wickednesse and so sinne against GOD. A Carnall Man that is nothing else but a Lumpe of Nature and a Masse of Flesh and an heape of corruption would maruaile much at the great simplicitie of Ioseph in this place and thinke hee dealt like an vnwise man who by obeying his Mistresse might haue gotten great honour purchased much fauour and rid himselfe from much trouble which afterward hee fell into as well through the false accusation and information of his Mistresse as also through the rashnesse and hastinesse of his Maister Yea Ioseph himselfe if he had looked no farther then to the beholding of glory and prosperity might haue reasoned thus with himselfe What shall I doe in this case I am in great trouble on euery side If I doe not consent vnto her I shall be falsely accused euilly intreated hardly imprisoned and cruelly handled I shall liue in all woe and misery all the daies of my life were I not therefore better to hearken vnto her voyce and thereby auoyd all these troubles that hang ouer mine head whereas on the other side I am likely by her meanes to come to honor and preferment and to be in greater