non est ibi dissolutio est vitae said Augustine where no feare of God is there is dissolution of life It is semen Iustitiae said Bernard the seed of righteousnes without which can be no ingresse into godlinesse without it can be no religion said Lactantius quod enim non metuitur contemnitur quod contemnitur non colitur for that which is not feared is contemned and what is contemned cannot be worshipped In a word it is in holy Scripture compared to a naile which being stricken into the heart of man by the hand of God keepeth it stable that neither the tyranny nor deceit of sinne can carry it away therefore doth the holy Ghost conioyne these two feare God and cleane to him The Censure But now the licentious liues of many in this age led without all feare of God proue that all haue not the Christians disposition who now vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER VIII Of his Confidence The Lords Command THe Lord is God in heauen aboue and in earth beneath Ios. 2. 11. blessed is the man that makes the Lord his trust regardeth not the proud Psal. 40. 4. for they who trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion which cannot be remoued Psal. 125. 1. The eye of the Lord is vpon them that trust in his mercy to deliuer their soule in death and to preserue them in famine Psal. 33. 18. The Lord is good and as a strong hold in the day of trouble and hee knoweth them that trust in him Nahum 1. 7. Therefore trust in the Lord for euer and you shall be assured 2. Chron. 20. Trust in the Lord and hee shall comfort thine heart Psal. 2â—… 14. Commit thy way to the Lord trust in him and hee shall bring it to passe Psal. 37. 5. Hee that walketh in darknesse and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay vpon his God Esay 50. 10. for in the Lord is strength for euermore Esay 26. 4. But in his owne might let no man be strong 1. Sam. 2. 9. leane not to thine owne wisedome Prou. 3. 5. for he that trusteth in his owne heart is a foole Prou. 28. 26. Neither put you your trust in Princes nor in the Sonne of man Psal. 146. for confidence in man is like a broken tooth Prou. 29. there is no help in him his breath doth depart and hee returneth to his earth then his thoughts perish Psal. 146. 4. Cursed is the man that trusteth in man and doth make Flesh his arme and with-drawth his heart from the Lord. Ierem. 17. 5. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command O Lord who dost preserue the state of the righteous and art the hope of Israel seeing all that forsake thee shall be confounded and they that depart from thee shall be written in the earth it is good for me to draw neere vnto thee O Lord therefore be thou my strong rock wherunto I may alwyes resort be thou the glory of my strength that by thy fauour my horne may be exalted for my shield appertaineth to the Lord and my King is the holy One of Israel Haue mercy on me O God haue mercy on me for my soule trusteth in thee and in the shadow of thy wings will I trust till these afflictions ouerpasse Giue me help against trouble for vaine is the help of man and let thy mercy be vpon me as I trust in thee through Iesus Christ. Amen The Christians Practise of this Command TRuely the hope of hils is but vaine and the multitude of mountaines but in the Lord our God is the health of Israell Ieremie 3. 23. Some trust in Chariots and some in Horses but I will remember the name of God my Lord Psal. 20. 7. The eternall God is my refuge and vnder his armes I am for euer Deutro 33. 27. I will not say to the wedge of Gold thou art my confidence Iob. 31. 34. but O Lord thou art my fort my strength and my refuge in the day of affliction Ierem. 16. 9. I trust not in my Bow nor my sword thou sauest me from mine aduersaries Psal. 44. 6. My defence is in the munition of rocks Esay 33. 16. euen in the Lord who preserueth the vpright in heart Psal. 7. 10. he is my rocke my fortresse the horne of my saluation and my refuge Psal. 81. 21. he is the strength of my heart Psal. 73. 26. his Name is a strong tower Prou. 18. therefore I will trust in the Lord and will not feare what flesh can doe vnto me Psal. 56. 4. THE OBSERVATIONS IN a worldling feare and confidence consists not together the one of them weakeneth the other in a Christian it is not so his feare of God is not without confidence in God neither is his confidence in God without feare of God and of this it is euident that the confidence by which the feare of God is weakened and empayred is carnall and not Christian. Christian confidence is that grace of God whereby the beleeuing man rests so vpon the promises of God that in greatest commotions and temptation he abides fixed stedfast and vnmoued As a rocke in the Sea beaten with the waues which are raised by euery Winde so liues a Christian in the world an obiect of all tentations sometime impugned by trouble comming from God sometime by trouble comming from men and sometime by trouble comming from Sathan but in all these assured confidence sustaines him For in such troubles as come immediatelie from God it is the Nature of faith that by it his Children cleaues fastest to God when hee seemes sharpliest to put them from him they runne to the hand that strikes them and will know no other Come and let vs returne to the Lord for he hath spoyled and hee will heale vs he hath wounded and he will binde vs vp So deeply is the assurance of Gods truth rooted in their hearts that their conclusion is set downe with that holy man Iob albeit the Lord would slay me yet will I trust in him And as for all those troubles that come by men they consider that they are moderated by God according to that which our Sauiour said to Pilate Thou couldst haue no power ouer mee were it not giuen thee from aboue And in this by manifold experience hath God confirmed them For hee made the Barbarians courteous to Paul Artarxerxes fauourable to Nehemiah the keeper of the prison friendly to Ioseph yea the Lyons peaceable to Daniel Againe hee raised Absalom against Dauid to chastise him he made Pharaoh rigorous to Israel that so hee might winne them from the loue of Egipt Seeing it is so that their harts are ruled by God to like or dislike his Children as hee sees may be for their good why shall trouble comming from them disquiet vs And by the same consideration is the
and euery one edifying and confirming an other On the other extremitie are they which liue in fellowship and companie which God hath ordained but not in such manner as God hath commanded for yee shall finde few fellowships of men which are vnited and knit together by the right bands Some goe together onely of a custome and to these it is a griefe for one of them to want the companie of another Ista est amicitia consuetudinis non rationis habent illam Pecora This is a Fellowship made by custome and not by Reason a man shall see it among the bruite Beasts who because of a long time they haue haunted together haue no will to be parted or sundered one from an other Others keepe fellowship onely vpon a selfe loue so Laban loued the company of Iacob and had no will to want him not so much for loue of Iacob himselfe as loue of the gaine got by Iacob this cannot continue but in the ende is turned into inimitie for these men vse their companions as a man vseth his flower who keepes it no longer then it yeeldes a sweet and pleasant smell vnto him Others there are who are moued to keepe company by the similitude of manners and these are of two sorts some are conioyned and linkt together by the similitude of their euill manners so were Simion and Leui brethren in euill and Herod and Pilate made friends by their mutuall medling with an euill cause Thus wee see that as beasts and birds of one kinde goe together so men of one fashion and condition delight to goe together But the similitude of good manners is the surest bond of friendship and it is by this sure marke that true Christians doe make choise of their companions for hee loueth another for the grace of God that hee sees in him He maketh much of those that feare the Lord but in his eyes a vile person is contemned where he sees no grace hee lookes for no good were a man neuer so wise if hee be not godly it is great wisedome to eschew him Quis enim vtilem causae altâ—…nae iudicet quem videt inutilem vitae suae It is one of the continuall cares of a Christian to slie from euill company first for feare of the euill the wicked may doe to him for the nature of things is such that when good is ioyned with the euill the good is sooner corrupted by the euill then the euill is rectified by the good And this the Spirit of God doth teach vs both by significant Phrases and cleare examples Can a man take fire in his bosome and walke vpon coales and not be burnt Canst thou be a brother to Dragons and companion to Ostriches and not sauour of their wildnesse How often haue men of most excellent Graces and singular vertues beene snared by the Companie of the wicked In the Court of Egypt Ioseph was snared to sweare by the life of Pharaoh In the companie of the Philistims godly Dauid was drawne to be a dissembler and was forced to shew himselfe in armes against Israel though sore against his heart In the Hall of Caiaphas the Apostle Saint Peter was tempted to denie his Lord and Maister Yea as Nazianzen did warne Caesarius the least euill wee doe incurre by keeping company with the wicked we are blackt with their smoake if we be not burnt with their fire Neyther doth the Christian slye the companie of the wicked for feare of the euill they may doe to him onely but also for feare hee doe euill vnto them for wicked men when they see that godly men doe not abhorre their company are so much the more strengthened and confirmed to proceede on forward in their sinnes Finally the Christian in ioyning himselfe to any company doth euer keepe this twofold respect first to doe good if hee may secondly to get good If hee doe come into the companie of euill men hee hath a care both by admonition and conuersation to make them better if they doe blaspheme hee doth blesse if they goe to excesse hee doth conforme himselfe to sobrietie euer keeping a godly care by his example to doe them good at least that by their euill example he receiue not euill His second respect in haunting companie is to get good and therefore his delight is in the fellowship of the Saints of God He knoweth that grapes cannot be gathered of thornes nor sigges of Thistles hee hath an eye to the trees of righteousnesse which are planted in the house of the Lord that by mutuall faith hee may both giue and receiue comfort from them The Censure But now the want of this holy disposition in many professors now proclaimeth to the world that all are not Christians indeed who now vsurp the Christian name A SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE CHRISTIANS DEPARTVRE OVT OF the Body The Christians disposition toward Death before death come FEW and euill haue beene the dayes of my pilgrimage Gen. 49. 7. I haue had as inheritance the moneths of vanitie and painfull nights haue been appointed vnto me Iob. 7. 3. And I know that hereafter there is laid vp for me a crowne of righteousnesse and not for me onely but for all them who loue the appearing of the Lord Iesus 2 Tim. 4. 8. Therefore all the dayes of my life will I waite till my changing shall come Iob. 14. 14. For I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ. Philip. 1. I loue to remoue out of the body and to dwell with the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 8. For I know if this earthly house of this tabernacle were destroyed I haue a building giuen of God that is an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens therefore I sigh desiring to be clothed with mine house which is from heauen 2 Cor. 5. And I heartilie looke for and doe hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but that with all confidence Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death Philip. 1. 20. For whether I liue I liue to the Lord or whether I die I dye to the Lord whether therefore I liue or I dye I am the Lords Rom. 14. 8. To him therefore be praise and glory for euer Amen His willing Resolution in the houre of death I Haue foughten a good fight I haue kept the Faith 2 Tim. 4. I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that hee is able to keepe that which I haue credited vnto him against that day 2 Tim. 1. 12. The Lord will quicken my mortall body Rom. 8. and make it like to his owne glorious body Philip. 3. 20. Yea though after my skinne wormes destroy this body yet shall I see God in my flesh whom I my selfe shall see and mine eyes shall behold and none other for mee though my reynes be consumed within me Iob. 19. 26. therefore I willingly lay downe my life
in time he repent and turne from his euill wayes And wonderfull it is how this shall conuince the wicked man in the houre of death when their conscience shall stand vp before the supreame Iudge and testifie against him in this manner O Lord I haue giuen this man according as thou deputed me warning euery day for his sinnes and hath terrified him for them but hee would not receiue my correction Oh that impenitent men could consider how this despising of Conscience shall be a great augmentation of their iudgement But on the other part to the children of God Conscience of his speciall mercy is giuen for these two vses first it is as a Paedagoge appointed by God to guide his children in the right way Secondly when they goe wrong it is a diuine warner within them which suffers them neyther to eate nor sleepe long in rest till they returne to the Lord by repentance for as Peter was wakened by the crowing of the Cock and made to weepe bitterly for his sinnes so is the crowing and accusing voyce of Conscience to the godly Thus we see how it is a great benefit to Gods children to haue a liuing feeling and wakeing Conscience for eyther it keepes them that they do not euill or that they continue not in it as we may see in Dauid whose Conscience was more troubled for cutting the lap of Sauls garment then Saul was for cutting off the liues of fourescore seruants of the Lord. Wheras on the contrary the Lord in his anger suffers Sathan so to benumbe the conscience of the wicked as if they were burnt with an hot yron whereof it comes to passe that being past feeling they commit iniquitie with greedines Surely a good conscience is mans paradice vpon earth therefore Salomon called it a continuall feast it is the fruit of righteousnesse and euer bringeth out peace and ioy in these three stands the beginning of eternall life But as Sathan enuyed Adam dwelling in his Paradice so doth he enuy euery Christian that dwels in the Paradice of a good Conscience and therefore doth what he can to entise him to sinne that so he may driue him out of it for which cause we haue neede by daily repentance to take away the euill wee haue done and by godly circumspection to eschew his snares in time to come The Censure But now the small regard which is made of a good Conscience proues that all haue not the Christians disposition who now vsurpe the Christians name CHAPTER V. Of his Affections And first Of his Loue. The Lords Command LOue ye the Lord al his Saints Psal. 31. 23. for they who loue him shall he as the Sun when he riseth in his might Iudg. 5. 31. If any man loue not the Lord Iesus let him be had in execration yea excommunicated to the death 1. Cor. 16. 22. Loue not the world nor the things that are in the world if any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him 1. Iohn 2. 15. Hee that loueth siluer shall not be satisfied and he that loueth riches shall be without the fruit thereof Eccles. 5. 9. but keepe you your selues in the loue of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall life Iude. 21. A new commandement also I giue vnto you that you loue one another Iohn 13. 34 yea that you serue one another by Loue Gal. 3. and let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which you are called in one body and be ye amiable Colos. 3. 15 He that loueth his brother abideth in the light and there is no occasion of euill in him 1. Iohn 2. 10. but hee that loueth not knoweth not God for God is Loue 1. Iohn 4. 7. and Loue commeth of God Euery one that loues is borne of God 1. Iohn 4. 7. therefore loue one another without faining with a pure heart and feruently 1. Pet. 1. 22. that your loue may be without dissimulation Rom. 12. 9. not in word nor in tongue onely but in very deed and in truth 1. Iohn 3. 18. Moreouer loue your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you pray for them that persecute you for if ye loue them that loue you what reward shall yee haue doe not the Publicanes the same Mat. 5. 44. Finally let all your things be done in Loue. 1. Cor. 16. 14. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command O Lord I know that though I speake with the tongue of Angels if I haue not loue I am but as a sounding brasse or tinckling Cymball and though I had the gift of prophecie and knew all secrets and knowledge yea if I had all faith so that I could remoue mountaines and had no loue I were nothing therefore guide thou mine heart in thy Loue Encrease me also and make me to abound in Loue towards all men Another O God of all patience and consolation grant vnto vs that wee may be all alike minded one toward another according to Christ that with one minde and with one mouth wee may praise thee endeuouring to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace and so our Loue may yet more and more abound in all knowledge and in all iudgement to the glory of thy name through Iesus Christ. The Christians Practise of this Command I Loue thee dearly O Lord my God Psal. 18. 1. the desire of my soule is to thy name to the remembrance of thee whom haue I in heauen but thee and I haue desired none on earth with thee Psal. 73. 25. Surely as the Hart brayeth for the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God Psal. 42. 1. My soule desireth after thee as the thirstie land Psal. 143. 6. and waites on thee more then the morning watch waites for the morning Psal. 130. 6. Yea it fainteth O Lord for thy saluation Psal. 119. 81. And as for the Lord Iesus Christ albeit as yet I haue not seene him yet I loue him and reioyce in him with ioy vnspeakable and glorious 1. Pet. 1. 8. And as for thy Law except it had beene my delight I should now haue perished in my affliction Psal. 119. 92. for thy promises are sweeter then hony to my mouth Psal. 119. 103. and I loue thy Commandements aboue gold Psal. 119. 127. O how loue I thy Law it is my meditation continually Psal. 119. 97. yea for the loue I beare to thy Law I loue the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honor dwelleth Psal. 26. 8. and I desire nothing more then this one that I may dwell in the house of my God all the dayes of my life to behold the beautie of the Lord and to visit his holy temple Psal. 27. 4. for thy Tabernacles are amiable to mee blessed are they who dwell in thy
not the Sunne goe downe vpon your wrath Hatred againe strengthened by time brings out as abhominable Children to wit Lying Detraction and Murther By Lying the hatefull man layes that euill vpon another which is not his and by Detraction taketh from him the praise of that good which appertaines to him therefore the Apostle ioynes these as twinnes together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euny and Murther for Enuy hauing begotten Hatred Hatred bringeth out Lying and backbiting and afterward actuall Murther if God doe not stay Yea as the Basiliske slayes the man and it is not perceiued how so the hatefull man murthers his brother though no man can see how hee stroke him The Apostle cals Auarice the root of all euill and so it is yet Hatred exceeds it in euill The auaritious man will giue nothing of his owne yet hee cares not how much be giuen by another but the hatefull man can neither giue himselfe nor be content another should giue to him whom hee hates yea his eye is euill because God is good In a word among all wicked men a hatefull man is the worst other wicked men delight in their owne good at least in appearance but the hatefull man is tormented with the good of others ille diligit mala hic odit bona vt prope tolerabilior sit qui sibi vult bona saltem apparenter quam qui mala omnibus But of all this the euill returnes to himselfe for the malice of the wicked slayes themselues therefore Basil compareth Enuie to the Viper that rends the bowels wherein it was conceiued and Augustine to the rust that consumeth the yron wherein it was bred among the Ethnicks Socrates called it Serram animae a Saw that cuts and diuides the soule in two Thus in Enuy said Basil are many euils and one onely good thing to wit that it is a plague to him that hath it The Censure But now the great number of them who nourish in their hearts this poyson of the Serpent proueth that all haue not the Christian disposition who now vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER VII Of his Feare The Lords Command BLessed is the man who feareth alway for hee that hardeneth his heart shall not prosper Prou. 28. 18. The feare of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge Prou. 1. 7. it leadeth to life and he that is visited therewith shall not be visited with euil Pro. 19. 23. It is the well-spring of life to auoid the snares of death Prou. 14. 27. in the feare of the Lord is assured strength Pro. 14. 26. and nothing shall be lacking to them who feare him Psal. 34. 9. As high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is the Lords mercy to them who feare him Psal. 103. 11. The Lord hath compassion on them that feare him euen as a father hath compassion on his Children ver 13. his louing kindnesse endureth for euer vpon them verse 17. the Lord delighteth in them that feare him and attend vpon his mercy Psal. 147. 11. and he will fulfill their desires Psal. 145. 19. When thou eatest the labour of thy hand thou shalt be blessed that fearest God and it shall be well with thee Psal. 128. 2. The Lord will increase his graces toward thee and thy children 115. 14. Therefore feare the Lord ye his Saints and depart from euill Prou. â—… working out your owne saluation in feare and trembling Phil. 2. 12. passe all the time of your dwelling here in feare I. Pet. 1. 17. for nothing else doth the Lord thy God require of thee but that thou feare him and walke in his wayes to loue him and to serue him with all thine heart and all thy soule Deut. 10. 12. But if yee will not keepe this and feare this great and fearefull name THE LORD THY GOD then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderfull and the plagues of thy scede great plagues and of long continuance Deut. 28. 58. And next vnto God giue feare to them to whom yee owe feare Rom. 13. 7. My Sonne feare the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are seditious for their destruction shall rise sodainely Prou. 24. 21. And yee shall feare euery man his Father and his mother Leuit. 19. 3. and be ready to giue an answere to euery one that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekenesse and feare that in all things hauing a good conscience they who speake euill of you as of euill doers may be ashamed 1. Pet. 3. 16. But feare ye no other Gods neyther bow downe vnto them 2. Kings 17. 35. for they can neither doe good nor euill Ierem. 10. 5. Neyther feare ye the Signes of heauen whereof the Heathen are afraid Ier. 10. 2. And ye that know righteousnesse and in whose heart is my Law feare not the reproach of men nor be afraid of their rebukes for the Moth shall eate them like a garment Esa. 51. 7. Remember that I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by thy name thou art mine Esay 43. 1. I am thy God and will be with thee to strengthen thee and help thee and sustaine thee with the right hand of my Iustice. Esay 41. 10. I euen I am he who comforts thee who art thou that thou shouldest feare a mortall man and the Sonne of man who shall be made as grasse Esay 51. 12. But sanctifie the Lord God of hosts and let him be thy feare Esay 8. 13. not fearing them who kill the body but him who is able to cast both soule and body into hell Mat. 10. 28. And as for thy sinnes for which thou fearest least I forsake thee feare indeed but yet so that thou misbelieue not and distrust my mercie Feare not little stock it is your Fathers will to giue you the kingdome Luke 12. 32. for you are not now vnder the Law but vnder grace Rom. 6. 14. and haue receiued not the spirit of bondage to feare againe but the spirit of Adoption whereby ye cry Abba Father Rom. 8. Feare not therefore for thou shalt not be confounded nor put to shame thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widdow-hood any more If for a little while I forsake thee yet with great compassion will I gather thee for a moment may I hide my face from thee but with euerlasting mercy will I haue compassion on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer the mountaines shall remoue and the hils shall fall downe but my mercy shall not depart from thee neyther shall the Couenant of my peace fall away saith the Lord that hath compasson vpon thee Esay 54. 4. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command THou O Lord like vnto whom there is none among all the Gods so glorious in holinesse fearefull in praises and doing wonders I beseech
thee hearken to the prayer of thy seruant who desireth to feare thee Giue me good Lord that holy feare of thy Name which thou hast commanded that I may not erre from thy wayes nor harden my heart from thy feare for I know that great is thy goodnesse which thou hast laid vp for them that feare thee Lord therefore knit mine heart vnto thee that I may feare thy Name and may receiue grace to serue thee so that I may please thee with reuerence and feare through Iesus Christ. The Christians Practise of this Command VVHo would not feare thee O King of the nations for to thee appertaines dominion Iere. 10. 7. Surely I tremble for feare of thee and am afraid of thy iudgements Psal. 119. 120. My whole conuersation hath beene in weakenesse feare and much trembling 1. Cor. 2. 3. I haue had fightings without and terrours within 2. Cor. 7. 5. Yea from my youth I haue suffered thy terrours doubting of my life Psal. 61. yet will I not feare what Flesh can doe vnto mee Psal. 56. 4. nor be afraid of ten thousand of the people that should beset me round about Psal. 3. 6. Neyther will I be afraid of euill tidings because mine heart is fixed and beleeues in the Lord Psal. 112. 7. hee is mine hope and strength in trouble ready to be found therefore I will not feare though the earth be moued and the mountaines cast into the sea Psal. 46. 1. Yea though I should walk through the valley of the shadow of death yet will I feare none euill for the Lord is with me his staffe and his rod they comfort me Psal. 23. THE OBSERVATIONS FEare among the rest of our Affections is also disordered by Nature so farre that now wee feare where there is no cause and do not feare where we haue cause to feare Naturally men are more afraid of Sathans shadow then of Sathan himselfe his apparition without terrifieth men but the power of his kingdome commanding their affections within is not feared It is now the matter of mans feare which should be the matter of his ioy Adam in his innocencie placed not his ioy in the creatures which were vnder him and gaue him obedience but in the Lord who was aboue him and with whom hee had his familiar conuersation but now after his apostacie it is become far otherwise the Lord is become a feare and terror vnto man who before his fall was his principall ioy And where it shall be our ioy in heauen to see that glory of Christ which hee had with his Father from the beginning wonderfull it is that those three Disciples who were pillars of the Church should haue beene confounded and afraid at the onely representation of that glory which was made to them on mount Tabor so vnmeet are wee now to haue fellowship with God by reason of our sinnes that as I said the matter of our ioy is become the matter of our feare Yea so farre are wee now fallen away from a similitude with our God that wee are afraid at the sight of one of those holy Angels that minister vnto him Nay if a man like our selues in regard of our bodies should come from him illuminate with his brightnesse we might not abide him no more then Israel could abide the shining face of Moses when he came down from the Lord but ranne away from him therefore doth Basile call our corrupted feare a certaine ebrietie which makes vs be strange with our friends and start at shadowes that is to say feare where no cause of feare is We are therefore to consider how in the regeneration this affection is renewed and rightly ordered and how in holy Scripture there is a feare commanded and commended which we must embrace another forbidden and condemned which wee must eschew Feare renewed in our regeneration is the daughter of Faith the sister of Loue the mother of Humilitie and Obedience Therefore Moses Deut. 10. 12. ioynes these three together that to feare the Lord to loue him and to serue him is all that God requires of Israell The obiects of godly feare in the man regenerate are either in God in our selues or in the creature without vs. The obiects of our feare in God are first his iudgements secondly his mercies For first we are taught to feare him as our iudge then to feare him as our Father For the holy Spirit in the work of our regeneration keeps this order first he rebukes vs for sin terrifies vs with the iudgements of God due to them and then comforts vs with the sense of his mercie in Christ. This feare of Gods iudgements primus est incipientium gradus it is the first steppe of them who are beginning to learne godlinesse If thou hast not yet learned to loue God deerely yet it is a good beginning if thou feare him If thou loue not the pleasures of Paradice yet be afraide of the torments of Gehenna Sicut enim aqua extinguit ignem c. For as water quencheth the fire so this feare queneth the heat of sinne And this feare of iudgement in the Christian begets at length a feare of God for his mercies therefore Basile called it a Paedagogue that instructs the man to godlinesse Timor transit in Charitatem said Gregorie Vincat itaque in te pius timor erit amor let therefore godly feare ouercome in thee and at length there shall be loue feare shall not abide in thee but as a Master shall lead thee vnto loue Therefore said I that the second obiect of our feare in God is his mercy according to that in the Psalmist Mercy is with thee that thou maist be feared And this reconciles that apparant discord between the Psalmist and the Apostle The feare of the Lord is cleane and endures for euer saith Dauid Perfect loue casts out feare saith Saint Iohn If feare be cast out how doth it endure but the answere is that feare whereby we feare the iudgements of God and is as I said in the godly an introduction to the loue of God shall be cast out when our loue is perfected but that feare whereby wee feare him for his mercies and reuerence him as our Father shall endure for euer In heauen wee shall haue no feare of Gehenna wee shall be so filled with his Loue yea euen on earth the more wee grow in the loue of God the lesse feare of his iudgements is in vs Maior est peregrinantium timor minor propinquantium nullus peruenientium The obiects of Feare in our selues are our sinnes which wee haue done and our infirmities by which wee are ready and prone to sinne againe This feare ariseth in the godly from the feare of God for his mercies for the sweeter and more desired his mercies are vnto vs the more fearefull vnto vs are
may reape in ioy through Iesus Christ. Amen The Christians Practise of this Command MY life is wasted with heauinesse and my yeeres with mourning Psal. 31. 10. All the worke wrought vnder the Sunne is grieuous to me for all is vanitie and vexation of Spirit Eccle. 2. 17. Specially because the good I would I doe not but the euill I would not that I doe for there is a Law in my members rebelling against the Law of my minde and leading me captiue to the Law of sinne Rom. 7. O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death ver 24. Woe is mee that I remaine in Mesech and dwell in the tents of Kedar My soule hath too long dwelt with them that hate peace Psal. 120. 5. for I am in daily heauinesse through continuall temptations 1. Pet. 1. 6. therefore I sigh in my selfe waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of my body Rom. 8. 23. And beside this I am vexed euery day with godly Lot by hearing and seeing the vnlawfull deeds of the wicked among whom I soiourne 2 Pet. 2. 8. as Dauid was grieued when hee saw how that transgressors did not keepe Gods law Psal. 119. 158. for which his eyes gushed out riuers of water vers 136. As Ieremie weeped in secret for the sinnes of his people Ier. 13. 17. and as Ezra rent his clothes and plucked his haire off his head and beard when hee heard that the people who came home from the captiuity had sinned against the Lord Ezra 9. 3. As our Sauiour mourned for the hardnesse of heart in the Iewes Mar. 3. 5. and weeped sore because Ierusalem knew not those things that belonged to her peace Luke 19. 41. As Paul had great sorrow and heauinesse of hart for his brethren Rom. 9. 2. and in great affliction and anguish with many teares craued their amendment to whom he wrote 2 Cor. 2. 4. euen so hath my teares been my meat night and day Psal. 42. 3. and I mourne for all the abhominations that are done by others in the Citie Ezech. 9 4. Moreouer as godly Nehemiah was sorrowfull for Ierusalems desolation Nehe. 2. 3. and as the Iewes weeped in Babell when they remembred Sion Psal. 137. 1. As the wife of Phinees was not so sorrowfull for the losse of her husband as for the captiuitie of the Arke and departure of the glory of God from Israell so doe I mourne for the affliction of Ioseph Amos. 6. 6 and mine eyes droppes downe teares night and day for the trouble of Ierusalem Ier. 14. 17. for aboue all things I wish her peace and prosperitie Psal. â—…22 Finally I am sorrowfull with him that is afflicted and I weepe for euery one that is in trouble and my soule is in heauinesse for the poore one Iob. 30. 25. yea with godly Samuel I will mourne euen for wicked Saul 1 Sam. 15. 35. and with louing Dauid for rebellious Absalom 2 Sam. 18. 33. but much more with good Ionathan will I weepe sore if Dauid be reuiled and persecuted 1 Sam. 20. 34. THE OBSERVATIONS OVr ioy in this life is not without griefe and heauinesse so witnesseth Saint Peter we reioyce in the saluation prepared for vs and yet wee are in heauinesse through manifold tentations the like we finde in our owne experience As wine failed euen in that banquet at which Christ was present so comfort sometime is interrupted euen in that heart wherein Christ dwels but as in the one hee turned water in wine in the end so in the other shall he turne all sorrow into ioy at the last The causes of griefe in a Christian are threefold the first is the consideration of that which wee haue beene the second is the consideration of that which we are the third the consideration of that which we would be and are not As for the first so long as a man and his sin are one he neither feeles the weight of it nor the wrath that followes it but reioyceth in that which should be the matter of his griefe but so soone as man by grace is parted from his sin then becomes sin a burden to him and a matter of his griefe which before was the matter of his ioy One example of this we haue in Dauid who hauing committed adultery and going about to cloake it with murther was neither troubled himselfe with this abhominable sinne nor yet would haue others troubled with it and therfore wrote he to Ioab a command indirectly to slay Vriah and there withall subioyned let not this trouble thee but how much it troubled him when God renued him by repentance the 32. and 51. Psalmes doe testifie Another we haue in the Apostle Saint Paul who while hee was in his sinnes persecuted with pleasure the Saints of God but when God sundred him from his sinnes what a griefe that sinne in speciall was to him he witnesseth himselfe I am not said hee worthy to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God For when the Lord looseth a sinner from his sinne hee bindeth him to a perpetuall hatred of his sinne and therefore is it that when hee hath taken away the guiltinesse of a sinne yet hee will haue the memory thereof to remaine for as thornes which are euill in the garden are good in the hedge to fence it so sinnes which are euill in the affection hindring the growth of grace in the soule are good in the memorie to humble vs for our former sinnes and guard vs against sinnes to come And this godly sorrow for sinne committed being no other but the dolors of our new birth should not discourage Gods children but rather they are to be comforted with it Certainly the Lord our God is best pleased with vs when wee are most displeased with our selues Mourners might not stand in presence of the Persian Kings therefore Mordecai clad in sackcloth got not entrance at the Kings gate but whom doth the Lord comfort is it not those who mourne to whom grants hee most familiar accesse surely to those that are most entirely humbled and cast cowne before him Then are wee most welcome to God and our face most pleasant vnto him when it is watred with the teares of repentance therefore is it his comfortable speech to his Church My Doue which mournes in the clefts of the rocke shew me thy face As for the second the consideration of that which wee are is also to a Christian the matter of his griefe first in regard of our continuall temptations to sinne Sathan euer seeking to recouer his old possession in vs. As Pharaoh followed Israel so Sathan followeth the redeemed man doing all that he can to bring him backe againe to his former seruitude and bondage Secondly also in regard of our manifold crosses and troubles which like vnto the waues of the sea one after another come
Sathan the Christian as he will not speake filthie language so he will not heare it As he will not murther with his hands so stops his eares from hearing of bloud Esa. 33. and as hee will not slander with his tongue so will hee not receiue in his eares a false report when another hath made it Psal. 15. For I pray you what difference is there betweene the willing reporter and receiuer of a false tale but that where the one carryeth Sathan in his tongue the other carryes Sathan in his eare The forger of falshood is the striker of Sathans coine the willing hearer is Sathans resetter and hee that after hearing reports it for a truth which he knowes not to be true is Sathans ventor this man turnes his eares into his eyes while as that which he hath heard hee giueth out for as vndoubted a truth as if he had seene it Therefore is it that as the mouth tastes the meat and lets none goe downe to the stomack vnlesse it be approued so the eare of the godly tastes words and lets none goe downe to the soule which is not from God And herein the Christian takes not so much heed to the speaker as to that which is spoken were the person neuer so honourable yea like an angell of God the heart that feares God receiues not his speech without examination so Mary discussed in her minde the words of the Angell and thought with herselfe What manner of salutation may this be And if otherwise for outward estate the person were neuer so contemptible yet if he speake the words of God he is reuerenced of the Christian for euen the feet of him that brings the glad tidings of peace are beautifull to him No man despiseth good corne because he finds it in a contemptible sack nor reiects precious pearles because they are in earthen vessels far lesse will the Christian refuse the message of grace because it is brought by a base messenger As the eare was the first port by which the Seducer entring in brought death to the soule so is it the first by which our Sauiour enters and restoreth life vnto it Hearing must goe before seeing wee must sit downe and reuerently heare the Lord on earth that wee may ascend and ioyfully see the Lord in heauen then shall wee sing that song As we haue heard so haue we seene in the citie of our God but if wee will not heare the Lord speaking in his word on earth we shall neuer see the Lord shewing his ioyfull face in heauen The Lord Iesus accounts our voyce sweet to him delights to heare it My Doue let me heare thy voyce for it is sweet Cant. 2. 14. And shall not we esteeme his voyce sweet vnto vs and delight to heare it Certainely if wee delight not in his word whereby hee speakes to vs hee shall take no pleasure in our prayers whereby wee speake vnto him For hee that turnes away his eare from hearing of the Law his Prayer shall be abhominable Yet it is not inough to heare Our Sauiour also warnes vs to take heede how wee heare Some heare malitiously such as come to trap the Preacher as the Pharisees often heard Christ that they might snare him This now is a common sinne that men resorts to preaching as if they come to amend the Preacher and not to amend themselues Others heare for curiositie seeking rather tidings of occurrents among men then the glad tidings of peace sent from God these are like vnto Herod who hauing our Sauiour Christ present before him sought a miracle to feede his curiositie but sought not grace whereby hee might be saued Some againe are not so euill disposed as any of the former two yet they heare vnpofitably for the present they are somwhat moued but carry nothing away whereby they may be mended these goe out of the Church as the vncleane beasts went out of the Arke that is they go out vncleane as they came in vncleane The Apostle compares them to vessels that runne out or to the sieue â—…ribrum which as long as it is in the water is full but if you take it vp no water remaines in it something they haue while they heare but so soone as they goe out it goes from them the remedie of this euill were to lay vp the word in our heart as Mary did The last sort of euill hearers are they who heare the word remember it and can report much of it to others but not as of a thing that concerneth their life and therefore while they speake of it to others they forget to doe it God hath placed in the body the eare the tongue and the hand not far asunder to teach vs that what wee heare with our eare and professe with our mouth we should practise with our hand The Censure And of this also it is euident that all are not Christians indeed who now vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER III. Of his Eyes The Lords Command THe eyes of a foole are in the corners of the world Prou. 17. 24. but the wise mans eyes are in his head Eccles. 2. 14. Cast not thine eyes vpon that which is nothing Pro. 23. 5. For all that is in the world as the lust of the slesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the father but of the world Ioh. 2. 16. As the graue and destruction can neuer be satisfied Pro. 27. 20. so the eyes of man are not satisfied with seeing Eccles. 1. 18. Let not therefore thine eyes and heart be for couetousnesse Ierem. 22. 17. neither full of adulterie Iude. 7. Haughtie eyes the Lord abhorreth Pro. 6. 17. and the high looke of the proud shall be humbled Esa. 2. 11. The eye that mocketh his father and despiseth the instruction of his mother let the Rauens of the valley pick it out and the young Eagles eate it Pro. 30. 17. Cast away therefore the abhomination of thine eyes Ezech. 20. 7. Let not my word depart from thine eyes but obserue wisedome and counsell Prou. 3. 21. that thine eyes may behold the right and thine eye-lids direct thy way before thee Prou. 4. 25. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command BE mercifull to mee O Lord and blesse mee cause thy face to shine vpon mee that I may know thy way vpon earth Let mee not be like the wicked who haue not the feare of God before their eyes But as thou hast made both the eares to heare and the eyes to see so I pray thee good Lord to teach me thy feare Turne away mine eyes from regarding vanitie and let not mine heart walk after mine eye except when I looke to my Maister and when mine eyes are toward the holy One of Israel that so I may be deliuered from euery euill worke and preserued to
my mouth Zeph. 3. 13. but my words shall be in the vprightnesse of mine heart Iob. 33. 3. Neyther will I suffer my mouth to sinne by wishing a curse to the soule of him that hated mee Iob. 31. 30. There is no lewdnesse nor frowardnesse in my words Prou. 8. 8. My tongue also shall spread abroad knowledge Prou. 15. 7. and my mouth shall be as a well-spring of life Prou. 10 11. I will vtter the words of grace Eccles. 10. 12. that my lips may feed many Prou. 10. 21. and the comf◅ of them may asswage the sorrow of the afflicted Iob. 16. 15. confirming him that is ready to fall and strengthening the weak knees Iob. 4. 4. for God hath giuen me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to minister a word in season to the weary Esa. 50. 4. and hath enriched me with all kinde of speech and necessary knowledge for the which grace I thank my God in Christ Iesus THE OBSERVATIONS AS in the Apostasie of Adam the poyson of sinne like a fretting canker ranne through the whole nature of man so in the regeneration the grace of our Lord Iesus goes through the whole man sanctifying him throughout both in soule and body to make him a new creature Sinne hath not taken away the members of mans body but the right motion and vse of them for the eye still lookes the tongue speaketh the hand moueth but not as they should When the Palsie looseth the members of the body to moue against the will of him that possesseth them it is counted a pittifull disease but now when sinne hath loosed them to moue against the will of him that made them and the well of them that owe them it is a pitie to see how foolishly naturall men reioyce in it not considering it is a sicknesse which tends to the second death If man had beene created for God onely he should not haue needed a tongue for the Lord knowes the meaning of the minde without the tongue and if hee had beene made for himselfe onely the motions of the mi◅e had ben sufficient for himselfe also but God hath made one man to be a comfort to another and therfore hath giuen him such Organe◅ as whereby euery man may giue intelligence of his minde to another For this is the office of the tongue to be a faithfull interpreter of the minde and a trench-man betweene hart and hart but as they who vnderstand not others languages though they see others faces can conclude nothing between them without the helpe of a faithfull interpreter so cannot the heart of one man communicate the conceptions thereof to another vnles the tongue be as Ambrose calls it speculum mentis a glasse wherein the minde may be seene But that which God made for good Sathan hath turned into euill for now the hart and tongue are so peruerted from their originall innocencie that now the tongue is imployed by the heart to deceiue exponing in word the thoughts of the hart otherwise then they are indeed A threefold diuision hath ensued vpon the sall of man as a punishment thereof first a diuision of harts secondly a diuision of tongues thirdly a diuision of the tongue from the hart The diuision of one mans heart from another is a iust punishment of mans diuision from God so long as Adam and Euah liued at one with God they liued at one among themselues but so soone as they were diuided from God by sinne they became also diuided among themselues Adam blaming Euah and accusing her to God in whom before hee reioyced as bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh And this hath proceeded so far among their posteritie that looke how many men there are in the world as many sundry iudgements and wils there is among them which would not faile to breede horrible confusion if God had not locked vp the heart of man and made it vnknowne to another or otherwise where it is knowne did not restraine the heart of man and that for entertaining a societie and fellowship among men As for the diuision of tongues it came into the world as a iust punishment of mans rebellion against God in the building of Babel for where before the sloud for the space of one thousand and sixe hundred yeares and more the whole world spake one language and one hundred and thirtie yeare after the Floud also for their high conceit in building of Babell to get themselues a name God confounded their languages And yet it is strange that this diuision of tongues inflicted on man for a punishment of his pride and threatned also by God as a curse vpon his people to send a nation vpon them whose language they vnderstand not should be receiued into the Popes Church as a blessed policie for there hee that is in the roome of a builder speakes that which the people vnderstands not But the diuision of the tongue from the heart is the worst of all being not onely a punishment of sinne as the former but a sinne also and such a sinne as is a protector and maintainer of many sinfull and mischieuous conceptions of the heart Whereof it comes to passe that innumerable euils are committed by the tongue for which Saint Iames iustly termes it A world of wickednesse and accounts so much of the gouernment or misgouernment of the tongue that the one he esteemes the proofe of a perfect man the other an argument of an irreligious man For this cause also Nazianzen affirmes that the halfe of the sins of our life are committed by the tongue lingua dimidiam humanorū vitiorum partem sibi vendicat but Basil going further saith tota vita nostra linguae delictis est referta that our whole life is full of the sinnes of our tongue If we goe through the decalogue wee shall finde the tongue guiltie of the transgression of all the precepts thereof a seruant to all sorts of sinnes which breake out in action Against the first Commandement it offends by blaspheming God as Pharaoh did while hee said Who is Iehouah as Sennacherib did your God is not able to deliuer you as the foolish do who say there is not God as the prophane do who say he seeth not or he doth not regard these are stout words against the Lord. Or else in cursing by the name of the Diuel some customably sacrifice to him deuoting that in their anger to Sathan which should be dedicated to God others seeke vengeance from Sathan vpon such as haue offended them not remembring that God is the God of vengeance thus both of them by a most horrible impietie set vp Sathan in the roome of God Lamentable it is to heare how this sinne abounds in this Land as if it were Calicut or Narsinga where Sathan is worshipped Against the second Commandement the tongue offends in speaking reuerently