worldlinesse die in folly because the Lord recompenceth the vanitie of their youth with ignorance in their age So it is the mercy of God to giue them comfort of conscience in their death which haue had care of his word in their life Now we see because some men thinke so basely of the word of God how the Prophet hath commended it by the effects found by experience in himselfe Againe he sheweth that this was not in him by any particular prerogatiue of Gods spirit although the spirit wrought wonderfully in him but that it earne by vsing the mââââs of the word Teaching vs that as hee was wiser than his enemies because in all peâils ââ asked counsel of the word wiser than his teachers in that he rested not in their vniuââs ãâã but by meditation did appropriate them to himselfe and wiser than the Anââââ because he learned as well to line according to the word as to loue it so we also vsââg âââ ãâ¦ã shal find the like effects though not in like measure By which effects we ãâ¦ã out these meanes wee become foolish dolââish and blockish The word of God ãâ¦ã a ââeasure that if such an holy thing bee cast to swine I doe not douâââ ãâ¦ã see our God will execute his heauie vengeance and iudgements Wherof now ãâ¦ã it to passe that wâââââ young men die olde fooles emptie of Gods gracââf ãâ¦ã youth were well brought vp of their parents as Iohaz vnder Iâhoiada who also whilâst they did look into their former life and repent spake very effectually aginst sin but in their age haue not so much knowledge as before but because they continue not in the faith and in a good conscience It were better to preach to one that neuer heard of Iesus Christ than to such an old ProtestaÌt because the one is thankful the other is vnthankfull Tell me O man I speake vnto thy conscience when thine eye did see into the word when thine eare did heare it when thou diddest looke into thine owne conscience when thou feltest sweetnesse in Gods promises wheÌ thou diddest tremble with seare of Gods iudgements and diddest delight in the wayes of the Lord Oh how quiet was thy conscience what comfort didst thou finde in thy minde Oh how whole an heart was in thee And on the contrary when neither Gods promises were sweete nor his iudgements fearefull nor his waies pleasant vnto thee oh how cold was thy zeale how weake was thy conscience how feeble was thy heart in good things We shall see some now adayes and that many being but priuate men speake with greater knowledge and conscience than a Preacher Why may a Preacher spend his breath his strength and his life in preaching and so small profiting commeth of it euen because he preached well and practiseth ill Wherefore we see here how necessarily vpon the foresaide effects the Prophet pronounced as followeth Vers 101. I haue refrained my feete from euery euill way that I might keepe thy word SEeing the Lord will put much into their hands who handle a little well wee must expresse our knowledge by life and our profession by practise If a man would consider how fearfully the Lord hath made him how woÌderfully he hath redeemed him with what power he hath conuerted him should he spend his youth in vanitie or his age in worldlinesse and so become depriued of all Gods graces in death Looke into the former times Ioseph being but seuenteene yeeres old was wiser than all his brethren young Samuel was wiser than old Ely Moyses than the Egyptians Dauid than Saul Salomon was wiser in his youth than the gray haires Daniel Azariah Mishel wiser than all the Astrologians Chaldeans and Magicians Timothie being but young was preferred to the Euangelistship Paul wiser than all the Apostles Behold our age how mercifully the Lord hath blessed many young men and why are ancient men now so barren of knowledge euen because they are barren in a good conscience There was in time past lesse knowledge more practise lesse science more conscience lesse vnderstanding more wisedome but now there is more knowledge and lesse practise because men labour not to keepe the word of God in a good conscience When wee shall see therefore heretikes growe wiser then Preachers Idolaters wiser then true Professors some young impes of Sathan wiser then olde Ancients in the house of God we must knowe they are made so foolish either because they are not of a good conscience or lye in some secret sinne Would it not grieue a good ãâã to labour many Winters and Sommers and in the end to finde no Haâuest what ãâã full thing thinke you would it then be to a Minister after he hath long trauailed to ââââ no fruit The Lord vndoubtedly will punish such fruitlesse Professors with hardnes of heart iâ they will not heare with care that care may cause prayer that prayer may bring forth meditation and meditation may haue in fruit in godlinesse and practise in perseuerance In this verse then the Prophet declareth that as before he vsed the right meanes to godlinesse and therewithall had the proofe of good effects so now he had power from God to resist all lets hinderances and encombrances therunto Whereby hee teacheth vs that these two things especially make to attaine true godlinesse the one to vse good meanes thereto the other to auoyde carefully all occasions which may hinder vs from the same Neither must wee thinke that all these things can be done presently for if Rome was not built all in one day who would thinke IerusaleÌ should be built in one day Surely the necessitie of this practise is such that vnlesse men make couenants with themselues and bind themselues as it were in body and soule to auoid occasions of euill they shall neuer attaine to true godlines Manie will confesse that they ought and will learne the way to holinesse of life but in the meane time because they will not forsake their euill wayes they faile in their purpose To the bettter vnderstanding of the Prophet we must vnderstand that euill wayes are in two things considered either as they be euill in their owne natures or as they be euill by circuÌstance the first all men will confesse to be auoided as full concupisceÌce wrath murther malice such like and yet the cause why many men are lesse carefull in holy things is because they make no conscience to stay euill things noâ to vnburdeÌ themselues of all worldly delights But what is the cause that thou canst not ouercome worldlines and vanitie thou dost not consider that thy reason is corrupt and that if thou fightest not against thy corrupt reason thou canst not auoide corrupt affections If a man would fight against Ambition he must not first fight against the thing it selfe but against his own reason leauing him there unto which on this manner perswades him If I may attaine to such dignitie I shall
the one and reiect the other but most principally respecteth in the whole to edifie the heart and conscience being well assured that this part hath most neede in most Christians of direction and consolation and as we be in this part affected so be we in substance and veritie before God For this cause hee desireth and laboureth most in all these workes to stirre vp the heart and to quicken the affections to embrace true godlines that so being freed from sin by the blood of Christ made the seruants of God we might haue our fruit in holines and in the end eternall life In this Impression I haue carefully reuised and corrected in the whole worke all the faults which either by mine owne priuate reading or by the helpe of other louing friends I could obserue in word or matter Here I rest for a time requesting thy prayers good Christian Reader that now all these holy workes thus knit together may serue to Gods glorie and to the further building of the Church of God in our Land Thine in the Lord Iesus HENRY HOLLAND CHristian Reader thou hast here all Maister GREENHAMS workes as they haue beene heretofore gathered and published by the industrie of that worthy and painefull Preacher Maister Henry Holland In this edition thus much is performed viz. the 119. Psalme perfected a praier of Maister GREENHAMS in the end of his workes added and the whole Booke reduced into a more methodicall order which would haue beene dââe by Maister Holland if he had longer liued all which hath now beene thought fit to be published in this manner as may appeare in the contents following A SHORT AND GENERALL VIEVV OF ALL SVCH MATTERS AS ARE CONTAINED IN THE VVHOLE VVorkes of Mr. Greenham digested after a more Methodicall manner then heretofore The whole Booke is diuided into fiue seuerall parts as hereafter followeth with their particular Titles contained vnder euery one of the said Parts THE FIRST PART Wherein are contained these Titles hereunder following 1 THE first portion is of graue Counsels page 1 2 Another or second portion of an hundred and one and fifty graue Counsels or diuine Aphorismes page 44 3 A third portion likewise of an hundred graue counsels and diuine directions for the attaining and retaining of faith and a good conscience page 51 4 A short forme of catechising page 71 THE SECOND PART Wherein are contained these Treatises following 1 A Sweet comfort for an afflicted Conscience page 95 2 A second Treatise of the same argument page 112 3 The markes of a righteous man 118 4 Sweet and sure signes of Election to them that are brought low 122 5 A Treatise of Contract before marriage 122 6 A Treatise of the Sabaoth 128 7 Notes of saluation with the necessitie and notes of a true vpright hart 171. 172 8 A direction for the reading of the Scriptures page 173 9 A Treatise of the Resurrection 178 10 A Treatise of examination before and after the Lords Supper 187 11 A Treatise of Gods feare 194 12 A Treatise of Hypocrisie 200 13 A Treatise of Anger 204 14 A Treatise of Blessednesse 207 15 A Treatise of Fasting 210 16 A Treatise of sending the Holy Ghost 216 17 A short treatise of prayer vpon the words of the Prophet Ioel chap. 2. ver 32. alledged by Peter Acts 2. ver 21. 236 THE THIRD PART Wherein are contained these Sermons following 1 THE first Sermon of Quenching the the Spirit vpon 1 Thes. 5. ver 19. 241 2 Of murmuring on Exod. 16. v. 2. 249 3 Of Zeale Reue. 3. v. 19. 255 4 Of a Good name Prou. 22. v. 1. 259 5 Of Humilitie Prou. 18. v. 12. 268 6 Of the education of children Prou. 17. ver â1 276 7 Of Repentance and true sorrow for sinne Acts 2. ver 37. 281 8. 9. 10. Of the heauenly purchase in three Sermons on Mat. 13. 44. 287 11 Of Christian warfare on Ephe. 6. ver 10. 11. 307 12 Of diuers Christian instructions on Psal. 16. 316 13 Of flying ill company Idolatry and Sweareing on Gen. 42. v. 9. 12. 14. 15. 21. 332 14 Of the mutuall duties betweene the Ministers and the people on Heb. 13. ver 17. 339 15 Of the Confession of sinnes how many kindes of Confession how truly to confesse and the necessary vse thereof on Pro. 28. 15. 359 16 Of the first effect of Christs crosse what is meant thereby how rightly to professe this Doctrine the loue that we should beare thereunto the ioy that ariseth therefrom on Gal. 6. ver 14. 15. 363 17 Of the latter or second effect of Christ his crosses which is the power of Christs Resurrection how and by what meanes men are made new creatures on Galat. 6. ver 15. 370 THE FOVRTH PART Wherein are contained certaine Meditations on diuers portions and parts of Scripture 1 MEditations on the. 119. Psal. 381 2 Meditations on Pro. 4. vers 13. to 23. 609 3 Meditations on Prou. 14. ver 5. 6. 7. 8. 622 4 The summe of the Epistle to the Hebrewes 627 5 A briefe summe of Ecclesiastes 628 THE FIFT PART Wherein are contained godly instructions for the due examination and direction of all men to the attayning and retayning of faith and a good conscience reduced into diuers Chapters and common places as followeth Chap. 1. OF Christian Admonition 629 Chap. 2. Of the Forme and Rules of Christian Admonition 631 Chap. 3. Of Adultery and youthfull affections 635 Chap. 4. Of Affection 638 Chap. 5. Of Affliction ibid. Chap. 6. Of Anger 641 Chap. 7. Of Angels ead Chap. 8. Of Baptisme 642 Chap. 9. Of Couetousnesse and the desire of Riches 643 Chap. 10. Of Care couetousnesse and Contentation 644 Chap. 11 Of our generall and speciall calling 645 Chap. 12. Of conference and godly wisedome in the gouernment of the tongue 647 Chap. 13. Of the Church ead Chap. 14. Of the confession of sinne 649 Chap. 15. Of Conscience 650 Chap. 16. Of censure and correstion 651 Chap. 17 Of ceremonies things indifferent and of turning Christian libertie into vnchristian licentiousnesse 652 Chap. 18. Godly Meditations concerning Christs power against Sathan loue to the faithfull and how hee is our wisedome righteousnesse holinesse and of our communion with him 654 Chap. 19 Of Death and Iudgement 656 Chap. 20. Of the shortnesse of our life and the Meditation of Death how profitable 659 Chap. 21. Of dulnesse of spirit and of feeling 662 Chap. 22. Of Catechizing and instruction of youth 662 Chap. 23. Of Examples and how wee must not sinne vpon Example 666 Chap. 24. Of Examination of our selues and of all things by their issues and how to gouerne the eyes 671 Chap. 25. Of the Exercises of Religion Fasting c. and of the carefull vse of the meanes at all times 673 Chap. 26. Of the Gouernment of the Eyes 675 Chap. 27. Of Faith Iustification by faith of Iustice and iust men and of Feeling 678 Chap. 28. Of Feare 682 Chap. 29. Of Friendship Familiaritie
the steadinesse stilnesse and mildnesse of our minde in that wee will not dispute with reason against any thing in our regeneration I see that many that wil not deliuer themselues and their reasons to be captiuated vnto the truth and refuse to beleeue the mysticall power of the Gospel are in time carried away by foule and effectuall illusions For there are many who hearing in the word of the wonderful creation redemption and preseruation of man and of the matter of the SacrameÌts cannot beleeue them yet afterwards goe to witches and to be caught of the diuell which they cannot vnlesse they professe and practise an euill faith so that they which will no profit by the truth will suffer themselues to be deluded The other kinde of euill in my diuision was of things not apparantly euill As in times past we were carefull for nothing more then with libertie of minde to vse the creatures of God so now adayes nothing is lesse to be taught because loose libertie and licentiousnes serue so for the flesh and we do not by our libertie serue one another in loue We can say outward things are lawful euery man obiecteth outward things cannot desile a man I answere that when outward liberty bringeth inward bondage and the pretence of outward things lawfull hinder the necessary inward things they be made vnlawfull All things are vnlawfull saith Paul but I will not be brought vnder the bondage of any thing Well howsoeuer wee pretend this lawfull vse of outward things which in their owne natures are the good creatures to cloake our wantonnesse withal let vs know that the wickednesse beginneth in wantonnesse and wantonnesse endeth in wickednesse because it is the way of a dangerous downfall of our soules For either the Lord will punish it with present and temporall punishment or else will cast vs into some great sinnes hereafter And though I will not affirme that euery wanton young man is a meere wicked man yet I dare affirme that wantonnesse is the way to further euill Besides this am I sure of wantonnesse maketh vs vnapt to good workes it takes away the comfort of Gods spirit the ioye of the word the sweetnesse of prayer and of the Sacraments Againe as it is certaine that wantons pray not meditate not nor doe any good thing aright because that sinne desireth all euill and hindereth all good things so if the word would teach vs sinne we would learne it if it make for our good wee cannot learne it And that wee may see to how many euils youth and wantonnesse be subiect reade Galath 6. 1. Cor. 6. Eccl. 11. Psal. 25. Iob. 14. Ierem. 21. So now we know what is the meaning of the man of God in this word euill way that is that which is occasion of euill We can say in worldly things because the way is dangerous through ditches theeues pits or such like Oh that the same minde were in vs to preuent the perils of our soules Our Sauiour Christ taught vs that if our eye offend vs we should pull it out if our hand or foote offend vs we should cut them off the meaning whereof is that we should not indeed shred them off but resraine from the corrupt vsing of them and turne them to a better vse We haue shewed hitherto how carefully the man of God vsed the meanes to godlines and also how carefull hee was to auoide all occasions of euill Wee must not then thinke christianity to bee so small a thing if as lingerers wee make such friuolous excuses that it is hard to be a good man we shall surely neuer come to so high a dignitie We haue also shewed that vnles we labour to deny our selues we shall neuer buckle our selues after the graces of God Vers. 102. I haue not declined from thy iudgements for thou diddest teach me AS if he should say I haue seene and obserued that whosoeuer did resraine from euill they were wiser than their enemies they became more learned than their teachers and proued grauer than the ancient and that they which did not resraine were greatly punished plagued and trodden downe and as thou hast punished some so wilt thou also punish others wherefore I haue not declined from thy iudgements Was there euer towne people or person which truly beleeued in Iesus Christ in whose life and death did not appeare plentifully Gods mercy And contrarily how haue the vnbeleeuers bin giuen ouer to hardnes of heart and a reprobate minde many plagues wars and other iudgements of God to them incident Old Protestants are now become rustie because they made no account of Gods word in their youth Esau lost his Birth-right for a messe of pottage hee sought it afterwards with teares but could not haue it whose prophanesse grew by pleasures We see many wanton men to come to fearefull ends and silthie adulteries who beginning to condemne the word fell to spending from spending to rioting from riot to adulterie from that to theft and from stealing to death If we will obserue godly discipline we must first learne Gods doctrine if wee will learne his iudgements we must learne his mercie We attribute too much to fortune to fatall destinies to charmings and such like but no man doth looke vp to the hand of God wherein we take his name in vaine in not vsing aright his iudgements Thou hast taught me that is thou hast besides the ministeriall preaching giuen me an extraordinarie knowledge of thy iudgements Many knowe much who notwithstanding cannot profit by Gods iudgements So that the briefe and plaine meaning of the Prophet is thus much in effect O Lord I haue not had this knowledge in and of my selfe but I receiued it of thy Holy spirite it was thy mercie and thy grace that made mee knowe thy iudgements The man of God then sheweth vs in this verse that hee did alwayes set the iudgements of God before him what made him then so carefull to doe them the considering of them in his mind the occupying his eies to marke them the vsing of his eares to heare how God performed his promises to the obedient executed his fearefull threatnings on the wicked A thing than which nothing is worthie of greater meditation We heare often with our eares but with little profit the glorious promises and wonderfull vengeance of the Lord what is commaunded and what is forbidden but when we consider and see before our eyes how the Lord hath performed these things we are humbled from sinne comforted to obedience This is it that breeds triall proofe experience to see how the Lord hath in his mercy dealt with Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph Dauid his faithful seruants and how he hath plagued the Egyptians the Sodomites the olde world and other of his enemies Thy iudgements of old O Lord saith Dauid haue I considered Wee shall neuer effectually obserue the iudgements of old vnlesse we obserue the iudgements of God of late For
THE WORKES OF THE REVEREND AND FAITHFVLL SERVANT OF IESVS CHRIST M. RICHARD GREENHAM MINISTER AND PREACHER OF THE WORD of God collected into one Volume REVISED CORRECTED AND PVBLISHED FOR THE FVRTHER BVILDING OF ALL SVCH AS LOVE the truth and desire to know the power of godlinesse By H. H. THE FIFT AND LAST EDITION IN WHICH MATTERS DISPERSED BEFORE THROVGH the whole booke are methodically drawne to their seuerall places and the hundred and nineteenth Psalme perfected with a more exact Table annexed ECCLESIASTES 12. 21. The words of the wise are like goades and like nailes fastened by the Masters of the assemblies which are giuen by one Pastor GOD IS MY HELPER LONDON Printed for VVILLIAM VVELBY and are to be solde at his shop in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Swanne 1612. TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTIE MONARCH IAMES BY THE GRACE OF GOD KING OF Great Britaine France and Ireland defender of the Faith c. RIght gracious Soueraigne I doe here humbly present vnto your Highnesse the holy Labours of that worthy Seruant of Christ Mr. RICHARD GREENHAM painfullie collected corrected and published for the good of Gods Church by my late deere Husband Mr. HENRY HOLLAND a Preacher of the Gospell in your Highnesse Cittie of London VVhich I am bold to offer vnto your excellent Maiestie partly in respect of the Author a man renowned for his rare pietie and paines and for his singular dexteritie in comforting afflicted Consciences partly in regard of the worke it selfe so well accepted and approued in the Church that this is now the fift time it hath ben published But chiefly because my husband hauing a little before his death bestowed great care and paines in collecting and preparing for the presse the fourth and last part of these workes which in this edition is added to the rest straightly and many times charged mee vpon his death bed to present and dedicate the whole vnto your Highnesse as a pledge which he desired to leaue vnto the world of his most dutifull affection and earnest desire to doe your Maiestie all the honour and the Churches within your Highnesse dominions all the seruice that hee could VVherefore humbly praying that your excellent Maiestie would be pleased to accept the same at the hands of a poore widow from him that is now at rest in the Lord and hath in part receiued the crowne of his labours I doe earnestly beseech the God of heauen abundantly to heape all graces and blessings vpon your Highnesse and your royall posteritie in this life and finally to set vpon your heads the crowne of euerlasting life and glory in the world to come Your Maiesties most humble and dutifull subiect Elizabeth Holland widow TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND VERTVOVS LADIES THE LADIE MARGARET COVNTESSE OF CVMBERLAND AND THE LADIE KATHERINE Countesse Dowager of Huntington H. H. wisheth the increase of all true honour and comforts in this life and after death a crowne of glory with Iesus Christ. I May seeme to passe the boundes of Christian modeslie so to presse into your presence Right Honorable and vertuous Ladies without due regard of your persons and places But such is your wisedome that you can and your honorable affection that you will heare with patience the meanest seruant of Iesus Christ. I come Right Honorable as in the name of the faithfull seruant of Christ M. R. Greenham a man well knowne vnto your honours and to those most religious patrons of all pietie and good learning the right Honourable Earles of blessed memorie of Huntington VVarwicke and of Bedford which now sleepe in the Lord. Of them much was hee reuerenced in his life time of your Honours much lamented after death for that you know the losse of such to be no small wracke vnto the Church and people of God Now so it is right Honorable and vertuous Ladies that pietie in this declining age waxeth daily very faint impiety doth much abound and God hath not only set before you those noble examples for imitation but also hath enriched your harts with his faith feare and loue as it well appeares to embrace his blessed truth and to be as nursing mothers to the holy religion of Christ. Now then this good seruant of the Lord God gaue him to recompence his want of naturall children many sonnes and daughters begotten by the Gospell to the faith of Christ and some orphanes hee left after him which being cherished and accepted with grace among men shall truely resemble the Fathers heart which begat them and stand vp for him to speake and preach pietie and the true faith of Christ to posteritie One of which after a yeeres trauell in the nurcing and education coated and attired in the best manner that I can and now able to speake distinctly and comfortably the fathers minde and meaning to all the spirituall Sonnes and Daughters of God in our Church here I doe in loue vnfained vnto him and in dutie to your Honours humbly present vnto your Honourable protection If the holy Ghost thought good to commend his great and most diuine Oracles which haue a singular kinde of spirit life and power in them knowne to all true beleeuers to the Church and people of God vnder the patronage as it were of honourable and vertuous Nobilitie for that Inferiours neglect euen the best things which their Superiours seeme lesse to account of and examples doe best preuaile with vnbeleeuers No maruell right Honourable Ladies if the seruants of God desire the like fauour and patronage for their labors euen of those whom the Lord hath set as bright shining starres among men Your Honours shall finde in this first portion of this worke a delectable and comfortable varietie of graue experienced counsels which may serue as precious remedyes wisely applyed for many euils and holy directions for the good gouernment of a Christian life and most diuine rules grounded vpon Scriptures and well approued by his long practise seruing well to appease the rage and to quench the scorching flame and fierie darts of the diuell which so torment all poore distressed consciences in this life Such experience and good liking haue your Honours had of this man of God of his godlines and grauitie and of the manifold gifts of God in him that I neede say no more as any way doubting of your Honourable acceptation I haue beene bould thus to knit your Honours together in this one Epistle because I am well assured the spirit of Grace hath knit your hearts together in his faith and feare and for that you were so knit together in loue vnfained to this holy seruant of Christ This worke then I commend vnto your Honours and your Honours and it to the good blessing and holy protection of the Almightie Your HH to commaund Henry Holland THE PREFACE TO THE READER THe lips of the righteous feede many The true diet of the soule is an Art most rare a very diuine facultie It must be graunted that
the meanes to mortifie concupiscence which being wisely and in some conuenient time vsed with moderate exercise of the body if they do not preuaile it is like that God doth call a man to the holy vse of mariage howbeit it is to be obserued that in watching and fasting we are not to prefixe certaine set times this day or that day but then to vse it when God calleth vs vnto it by fit occasion without the which care the often vse of these exercises will breede a want of reuerence of them Cause good 1 THere is no greater enemie to a good cause than he that by euill meanes doth both handle and maintaine it 2 He said that men must profit by this if hauing had good causes in hand they haue had ill successe because herein it pleaseth God often to denie that vnto vs iustly which men denie vnto vs vniustly either for that he correcteth some sinne wherein they liue or else for that they vsed not prayer but trusted too much in the meanes and not in God Of naturall Corruption 1 HE obserued this experience in himselfe that when he would not doe a thing that was good then his owne reason and the diuell would easily teach him an excuse Lord forgiue vs this corruption 2 He thought by nature all men to be Papists heretickes adulterers c. vntill God renued them so that if all heresies Papistrie impietie were ceast among all men yet if a man be left of God he hath in himselfe sufficient matter and spawne to breede reuiue and to renew all kinds of sinne Despaire 1 HE obserued this policie in Sathan that to make men despaire hee would make them argue thus I haue no faith in this and that particular And contrarily to traine men to presumption hee would make men argue thus I haue a generall hope and faith and therefore I dâââââ not but my faith is âound in euery particular both which are hurtfull 2 When we distrust Gods promises let vs set before vs the example of his mercie done to others that we may be the more assured to obtaine faith and when we begin to presume let vs set before vs the examples of Gods iudgements that we may pray for humilitie 3 Many dispaire of helpe because of their owne vnworthinesse as though there were âo hope of Gods mercie vnlesse we bring in our gift and pawne in our hands to him but this were to disered it the Lords mercies and to bring in credit our merits and rather to binde the Lord vnto vs than vs vnto him but if our sinnes be great our redemption is greater though our merits be beggerly Gods mercie is a rich mercie if our case were not desperate and we past hope of recouerie our redemption should not be so plentifull but when all seemes to goe one way when heauen and earth the Sunne the Moone and the Starres goe against vs then to ransome vs and to make a perfect restitution is to draw something out of nothing euen as in sicknes to haue either little danger oâ in great danger deliuerance by present meanes is nothing but in extreame perill when physicke can doe nothing and nothing maketh for vs but the graue then to be rescued from the graue and to recouer our life from the pit is redemption Death 1 AS we must thinke of life as being content to die so we must thinke of death as being content to liue And they are as well to be liked of that measurably feare death as they who ioy so much at it because they that moderately feare death haue this in them more than the other which is also allowable by grace and nature that they tremble at Gods iudgements 2. He said be neuer durst desire to die howsoeuer his continuall crosses did affoord him small desire to liue therefore he feared and forewarned men of these kindes of wishes because often the Lord heareth a man in iudgement though in some mercie and when he wisheth this or that affliction he laieth it on him so that after he cannot doe that good to others which to his owne comfort he might haue done 3 To one that said she feared death he said As I would haue you to thinke of life as being content to die so thinke of death as you would also be content to liue and as for the feare of death I like as well of them that measurably feare it as of them who so ioy at it for I hope and like well of them also Howbeit I see not this in those which is in them and which is a thing both allowed by grace and nature that is that they tremble at Gods iudgements You will say that notwithstanding you see not why you should not feare death seeing you finde no comfort in life to which I answere that your life hath not been without comforts howsoeuer things gone are soone forgotten though your coÌforts were not in the full measure hoped for and it may be that plentifull measure shall be giuen you in death But what if you should die in this discomfort for my part as I my selfe looke for no great things in my death I would not thinke more hardly of you neither would I wish any to iudge otherwise of Gods childe in that estate of death for we shall not be iudged according to that particular instance of death but according to our generall course of life not according to our deed in that present but according to the desire of our hearts euer before and therefore we are not to mistrust Gods mercie in death be we neuer so vncomfortable if so be it hath beene before sealed in our vocation and sanctification Desire 1 HE said God looketh to the desires not to the deeds of his children and if we purpose to doe good howsoeuer we finde ignorance what where and when to doe good God will direct vs in occasion place and time and in mercie will pardon our weakenes though we faile in the circumstances Dispraise 1 WHen any told a thing that sounded to the dispraise of a man he as not credulous in such matters would make shew to the carnall plaintiâe that he was as one not hearing and would fence off the matter a long time by causing him to repeate often his matter Diet. 1 BEcause no particular rule can be set downe how to amend excesse and defect in diet this were the best rule generally to be obserued so to feede as that we may be made thereby more fit either to speake or heare the praises of God with more cheerfulnes and reuerence Dreames 1 A Naturall dreame which commeth of naturall causes easily slippeth away but if our dreames dwell longer vpon vs and leaue some greater impression in vs they may be thought to proceed either from God or from the diuell And by these it is good to profit if they be fauourable by thinking such a thing we might haue if we
though babish things both in life and doctrine become vs being babes yet hauing past our child-hood the Lord looks for more manly ripenesse both in knowledge in holines of life though our perfect age be not consummated before the resurrection As little children whether in teachablenes to good or reformablenes from sinne are either woââe by a faire word or âllured by a trifling benefit or awed by a checke or feared by a frowning looke or stiiled by seeing another beaten before them or else quieted by the rod so if we be children either the promises of God must affect vs or the mercies of God must allure vs or his threatnings in his word must awe vs or his angrie countenance must feare vs or his correcting of others must humble vs or else the corrections of God vpon our selues must pull vs downe But as those children are of most liberall ingenuous nature who are rather allured with faire words than driuen to dutie with the rod so they are most gracious which are most broken with the conscience of their vnkindnesse more prouoked by the promises of God then by all the curses thunderings and threatnings of the law but they that are affected with neither degenerate as yet from the affections of children Hypocrisie 1 HEe obserued some who outwardly liued an honest ciuill life yet lying hypocritically in some sinne were constrained in death or before to vtter it to their shame Which kinde of iudgements are most necessarie that God might shewe himselfe to be God and his threatnings to be true that the wicked might lesse reioyce in their exceeding impietie and that Gods children might be raised from their securitie Iudgement 1 IN our most earnest matters wee must be zealous ouer our owne heart and then especiallie examine and call to account our affections because that in such a case there is either some speciall worke of God or else it is some notable worke of the flesh or of Sathan And whereas it is a pedagogie of the soule that in all things we had neede to aske the gouernement of God by his word and spirit for that a man knoweth what hee is but not what he shall be in this or that action When wee cannot gage the depth of our heart wee must impute it to want of prayer and the not trauailing with our heart how to doe the things in wisedome 2 Though all exercises of pure religion purely vsed doe both strengthen iudgement and whet vp affections yet reading hearing and conferring do most strengthen iudgement and in part whet on affections But praying singing and meditation doe mosâ chiefly whet vp affection but in part strengthen iudgement and vnderstanding 3 Being desired to giue his iudgement of a weighty matter hee answered Syr neither am I able to speake nor you to heare for that wee haue not prayed indeede I may talke and you answere as naturall men but wee are not now prepared to conferre as tâe children of God 4 Hee fatherlie exhorted men to labour for increase of iudgment first by reason then by example by reason thus without soundnes of iudgement it is a more difficult trauailing for the childe of God with his owne heart to any fruit Againe not being stayed in iudgement one shall be troubled to commit and afraide to doe many things which indeede he might lawfully and comfortably doe if he had knowledge Thirdly wee shall not without good knowledge satisfie our godlie desire in perswading or dislwading anâe for that we cannot doe so assuredly substantially and effectually as wee ought and would doe By example he exhorted men to consider of the Prophet Dauid in his Psâlme â19 hee prayeth for knowledge hauing no one thing oftner then this Teach mee O Lorde thy statutes c. Sound ioy 1 THe more one tasteth of heauenly things the lesse is his ioy in earthly things the more one feeleth earthlie things pleasant the lesse ioy can hee haue in heauenlie Coloss 3. 1. Phil 3. 20. 2 Wee must in reading the iudgements of God obserue this rule If any man will trie conclusions against Gods conclusions hee shall prooue nothing in the ende but himselfe to be a foole And if hee faile in his triall by how much the more he might be admonished by so much the more hee shall be without excuse There are many that feare Psal. 14. 5. where no feare is but there are more which reioyce where no cause of ioy is 3 Some ioy euery man must haue either carnall or spirituall and therfore when Cain had lost his title and interest in heauen hee made himselfe a seate on earth and when hee had lost the harmony of a good conscieÌce his nephew Tubal was faine to inuent Organs that hee might haue some musicke and solace in outward things And 2. Kings 11. when the people could not haue their owne fond delights Salomon causeth Apes Peacockes and such like to bee brought from Ophir for them Men will haue ioy ât they cannot haue the more solemne melodie by Arte they will haue the common instruments of the Countrey But the reason is because the soule is mouldring and the heart is pârching drie But let these sandie mouldring earthly hearts consider that there is no secure nor true ioy which either time may loose or death dismay or the iudgements of God make afraide It is no sound ioy that either will leaue vs or wee shall be glad to leaue it as an vnprofitable possession 4 Manie had rather part from all fauour of God then loose the grace of some wittie speech which they haue deuised but cursed bee that merriment which respecteth not either dutie to God or loue to our neighbour Knowledge THere are manie who haue a generall knowledge of the Truth but when it comes to particular practise they are hindred with profites pleasures and selfeloue 2 They whose knowledge is in swelling words and painted eloquence of humane wisedome being but a doctrine of the letter in their death they are as if they knew nothing of Christ crucified and whereof comes it that there is so much preaching and so little learning but because men preach and delight to heare plausible nouelties to please the eare rather then the simple power of the Word to pierce the heart they take the bone and refuse the marrow they are content with the shell but want the kernell and not onely the law killeth but also the Gospell that is the letter of the Gospell beeing ministred without the spirite Aske the wounded conscience what comfort it is to heare that Christ dyed for our sinnes Nay aske if this gall not as much as the lawe it selfe so long as it is rather conceiued by reason than receiued by faith 3 He said how after hee knew God hee desired by prayer two things principallie the one that hee might loue the Saints the other that hee might willingly and
meaâes but if any at any time shall haue more âffectuall feelings by priuate conference let him not neglect the publike reading but with all holy humble thankfulnes yeeld this soueraigntie to the Lord that he is to dispose his gifts to whom by whom where and when it pleasetâ him 40 We are neuer the further from temptation for misliking it but the neerer vnlesse as in âudgement we mislike it so in affection we humble our selues in feare and prayer as knowing that in time it may inuade vs. 41 Though oâten we speake of things lawfull yet we want wisedome in examining the tiâââ plââe âââ persons when where and with whom wee talke and so Sathan laboureth to mâke vs silânt when wee might speake to Gods glorie For the auoyding of this tempâation wee must speake when GOD giueth vs occasion beeing thankfull for the good moâioâs of Gods spirite and humbled for our weakenesse wherby both our speeches are most sâained and we faile in many circumstances Then doing it in singlenes of hearâ onely for the loue of Gods word and of his glorie let vs wholly commit the succâssâ whââh depends not on vs though wee obserue all circumstances to the blessing of God in Iâsus Christ. 42 In the regeneration and dying of sinne we come as it were to the best head and triall of our hearts when wee come to those sinnes wherein either nature or custome doth breede delight 43 The meditation of death doth so far moue vs from suffering our delights to dwell on earthly things as reason disswadeth vs from making any cost about a tabernacle where we know we shall dwell but a while 44 Our corruption is like to the wantonnesse of children who will doe either as they list or âlââ leaue all vndone 45 Wâen we thinke that our chiefest care is to glorifie God wee indeed doe seeke our owne glorie 46 It is a gracious thing to vse all our members to Gods worship for that will comfort our coâscience when we cannot vse them 47 If we ââ notorious in sinne we shall be notorious in an euill name Many would be loâh to be ââââed wicked who can be contented to be wicked but Gods children had rather be good then accounted good as the couetous man c. 48 Maâie oft times desire that which when they haue gotten their conscience is afraid to vse 49 Lord giue me thy grace to remember the bead-row of my sinnes to humble me in prayer Lord teach me the catalogue of thy mercies truely to make me thankfull 50 As God doth rather oftentimes by heaping his benefites then powring his plagues vpon vs shew vs our sinnes so we must rather by courteous dealing then seuere handling shew others how they haue offended vs. 51 Ordinarily when God most comforteth he most humbleth before 52 If God watch ouer vs when we sleepe in vnbeliefe much more he will doe it when we wake in faith 53 The sinne of the master of a familie bringeth sinne ouer the whole familie as wee see in Abâmelech 54 Wee can marke what men are spared and so flatter our selues but we marke not how they repent least we should disquiet our selues 55 We must not denie mercie to others least God denie mercie to vs. 56 Many meddle and stirre much about a new Church gouernment which are sensles and barren in the doctrine of new birth but alaâ what though a man know many things and yet know not himselfe to be a new creature in Iesus Christ It is often the policie of Sathan to make vs trauell in some good thing to come when more fitly wee might be occupied in good things present 57 As the creatures were made for man so were they punished for man 58 If mercie must pleade for mercie Maâth 5 then mercie cannot pleade for merit 59 It is a mercie to let vs see that by Temptation which wee might feele by wofull action 60 If wee be tempted let vs first examine it by prayer whether it be contrarie to the word if it be a sinne then it bringeth the curse if it bring a curse then must we tremble if wee tremble not let vs suspect that our nature liketh the temptation and let vs applie prayer if wee tremble in truth we will neuer doe the thing whereunto we are tempted 61 The Dâuell when he cannot at the first corrupt the action he will begin to corrupt the iudgement and the affection 62 When wee must of necessitie vse inferiour things wee must vse them as readie to want them 63 As the hiding of our sinne with Adam hindreth mercie so to confesse our sinne greater then it is with Câine displeaseth God highly 64 Manie will seeke the kingdome of heauen but not the righteousnes thereof 65 A good thing if it bee let alone it will decay but if an euill thing be let alone it will increase 66 The Prophets hauing regard not what ought to be first in knowledge but first in practise respected not the perfection of order but the corruption of our nature 67 Familiaritie with sinners bringeth the punishment of ââne If the wicked that are without the tuition of God and stand onely vpon his ââââ ãâã and euery minute of an houre lye open to Gods curse and vengeance if they bee our companions then when they are punished doubtles wee shall not escape 68 Sinne may easily be conquered of vs when it is young wee may easily be conquered of it when it is olde 69 Wee must not so much reioyce for that we haue done as we must be carefull what to doe hereafter For manâe are called but few are chosen many begin gloriously which ende ignomiâiously 70 When wee deferre to haue that in affection which we haue in iudgement it is the iust iudgement of God to depriue ââââ that which we had in iudgement 71 When wee haue oftentimes qââked at a sinne and afterward although wee like it not yet if we mislike it not with as great indignation as we were woont to do but by little and little wee can well away with it it is to be feared that by degrees wee will fall to that sinne ourselues 72 We must be proud against Sathan in Christ and humble to all men in Christ. 73 The neerer Heresie commeth to the likenesse of the Trueth the more daungerous it is 74 Hee that will dissemble with God in his life will dissemble with him in his death 75 Many will take vp the sword to defend Christs cause with Peter who with Peter will shrinke when persecution commeth 76 Wee shall sometime feele by experience a terror suddenly come vpon vs when we are alone or vehemently to strike vs in the night which is sent to humble vs the Physition will say it is a melancholy passion
but it is the power of Gods presence preparing vs to prayer or some such seruice of God which when we feele if wee fall downe before God in prayer we shall finde an vnspeakable ioy following it but if we cherish it with euill surmises it will leade vs to further inconueniences 77 When we haue greatest cause of ioy for doing some good then it is a good thing most to feare our vnthankfulnes and our selfe-loue and our secure vnkindnes 78 When Sathan cannot get vs to grosse sinnes he will âssaile vs with spirituall temptations 79 Nothing in the world will so much feare and shame vs as God in his mercies powred vpon vs which meditation in receiuing graces from God will humble vs from pride in them and keepe vs in feare which be the waies to obtaine new mercies 80 We must beware of smoothering the watch word of our conscience when we are bent to sinne Euery man in his owne conscience is forewarned of sinne though the Lord speake not to him from heauen as he did to Cain 81 As a man being outlawed may take his pleasure for a while but whensoeuer or wheresoeuer he may be taken he must yeeld to that punishment which by verdict is appoynted so the wicked on whom sentence of damnation is already passed may for a while shake off their paines with vaine pleasures but afterward they shall be arrested and carried violently to the place of wofull execution But for the godly which haue the assurance of their inheritance sealed vp in their consciences though they shall be warned in the day of the resurrection to make their open appearance yet as honest men of the countrie shall stand before the Iudge not as fellonious offenders 82 We must first make men by a feeling of sinne to seeke Christ by an holy faith to find Christ and then by newnes of life to dwell with Christ. 83 Balâam prayed that he might die the death of the righteous but let vs pray that we may liue the life of the righteous for he liued not the life of the righteous and therefore he could not die the death of the righteous and if we liue the life of the righteous we shall be sure to die the death of the righteous 84 It is a great token of regeneration if we doe not onely sorrow for great sinnes and sigh for small offences but mourne for particular wants of good actions or in good actions for wânt of good affections 85 There is small hope of him which cannot discerne in himselfe the life of the spirit and the life of the flesh and it is to be doubted that he is yet vnregenerate 86 When men being young are too much giuen to carnall pleasures they being old are too much giuen to worldly profit 87 As we haue taken a vaine delight in the vaine course of this life so we must sigh and pray to be delighted spiritually in spirituall things 88 Adam should haue been no worse for his temptation no more than Christ was but that the one yeelded the other did not 89 If the blood of Christ hath washed vs from the guiltines of sinne then the holy Ghost hath purged vs from the filthines of sinne 90 When our sinne hath lesse liking in vs then there is hope that it will decay in vs especially if we sorrow for it when we cannot fully forsake it and labour to forsake it because it is sinne 91 In true mortification we must haue the first motions of sinne and condemne them as accessaries to sinne in conspiring the death of our soules 92 Hypocrisie is seene when sinne lyeth most dead vnder a cloake and most liueth vnder a closet wherewith God is so displeased that when we make no conscience of sinne in close places our priuie sinnes shall breake forth into open places 93 Particular infirmities doe not hinder the preparation of our hearts for the Lord if we haue a true loue of his word as had Iehosaphat 94 Two things are necessarie to espouse vs to Christ the one to vse the pure meanes the other to vse those meanes with a pure heart 95 If we play with our owne affections sinne in the end from sport will spurre vs to confusion For though we be twice or thrice spared yet we must know that the Lord will recompence his long tarrying with wrath 96 Through our corruption we profit more by the doctrine of a man if we thinke he be our enemie than if we thinke him to be our friend for if he be our friend we let it passe as not spoken to vs though the matter neuer so much concerne vs if our enemie if it neuer so little touch vs we thinke it to be spoken against vs. 97 Walking spirits are vndoubtedly not the soules departed but the euill spirits of the ayre 98 It is a great mercie of God to haue a large affection of weldoing when we haue good occasion thereof for God neuer ceaseth in offering occasions but we often cease in hauing affections 99 Obedience is a chaine to tye vp all the creatures of God from our hurt and as a thing to muzzle their mouthes that they cannot bite vs. Againe disobedience breaketh and openeth the mouthes of all things to our destruction 100 If we haue not the fauour of men it is either for the triall of our faith or for want of dutie vnto them that are displeased with vs or because we sought to please them by displeasing of God or because we haue not prayed for them or haue offended God for which he causeth men to be offended with vs. 1 Because we doe not to men the good we should doe God often suffereth them to report of vs the euill they should not 2 Those temptations are most dangerous which haue most holy ends 3 When a man is most merrie he is neerest danger 4 It is the easiest thing in the world to deceiue a good man 5 God hath two hands in the one he holdeth a hammer to breake the proud in peeces and to bray them to powder in the other hand he hath a horne to powre Gods blessings vpon the humble 1. Pet. 5. 5. 6 If a man should be stinted to one meale a weeke he would haue a pined body at the weekes end euen so if our soules be but fed with the word once a weeke they would be as hunger-starued if we could see it 7 You are in earth to follow your calling you are not yet in heauen Adam when he was most holy by creation and free from euery iot of sinne and corruption did walke in his calling appointed of God much more then are we comfortably to follow the Lord his ordinance seeing these outward things did not come in with sinne but were ordained before sinne 8 Whatsoeuer is vpon you
then to be admonished by vs. 126 Euen as a man hauing corne ripe when it is readie for âeare it should fall away againe into the earth reapeâh it so the Lord when a man is readie for his kingdome least he should become earthly again he cuts him off by death carrieth him into the barne 127 As when the Arke of God was with great gladnesse receiued of the Bethsaâites 1. Sam. 6. 19 when it came from the Philistims but with little reuerence vsed it caused a death and destruction to many so it is to be feared and almost looked for that vnlesse better order be taken the Gospell which should be our life will be our destruction and death 128 Because we are dimme of sight and the Lords workes haue like the curtaines of Salomon beautie within it is requisite that we hold our eyes neerer vnto them and put our heads as it were within them and consider them Cânt 1. 129 He said to one troubled You see now by experience that which the world seeth by bare knowledge that is how God corrects in mercie and with mercie corrects You are humbled for vsing euill meanes Iob said he desired to be strangled the âaylor went about to kill himselfe You sometime speake idly but when you are well you must presently be thankfull You thinke you cannot pray the Saints pray and when they pray not Christ prayes for you You feare much feare to sinne You are glad when good men are with you but take heed you tie not Gods helpe to bodily presence You must labour for two things first to come to the word secondly to the workes of your calling 130 It is a great mercie of God to be foolish and to be bunglers in sinning and as great a iudgement for men to be wise in their sinnes 131 When a man is most merrie he is most neere to danger We must feare God in prosperitie loue him and beleeue in him in aduersitie 132 He desired neuer to lay any worldly griefe neere his heart 133 When he spak to one vehemently against want of reformation he said I would our speech were lesse violent and our spirits with God more vehement Againe he said it is hard to spend our heate against our owne sinnes first next against the want of household reformation and against our enemies if they be present otherwise it is no diuine courage And saith he we must in this case euer trie our selues if we speake with mourning and pitie and we must be thankfull for the measure we haue which if it were more would couer many hypocrites c. 134 To a Noble woman asking him for good counsell he said Madame first God hath giuen you a birth blood passing many credit and countenance wealth and abundance in all which as you excell others so these things require in you the greatest care of well doing Wherfore my aduice and counsell is vnto you to trie your heart whether you haue in any measure beene answerable to these things in your obedience to the Gospell 135 To one very ciuill and vnspotted in life in outward appearance to the world yet much tempted and troubled in minde he spake not as some would do charging such with couering grosse sins vnder the cloake of hypocrisie but farre otherwise Because you are so blamelesse and vnspotted before men it is Gods great mercie least you should be an Heretike Papist or proud person to humble you euen in the sight of your naturall corruption seeing that thus you may see your selfe to want Christ as well as others 136 They that wil teach others effectually must be affected with the things they teach as he that will humble must be humbled he that will comfort must be comforted 137 There is a griefe that ends in laughter and there is a ioy that ends in weeping there is a mourning of the law for not doing good or doing euill and there is a weeping in the Gospell when we are glad if the things we haue done please God and this ends in consolation 138 Is not the sanctifying of the Sabbath commanded If they say it is a figure then I aske what truth is therein foreshewed If they affirme it to be a shadow then where is the bodie resembled If it be neither figure nor shadow but a rudiment whereunto doth it instruct vs And I would desire you to shew me where they finde it rather enioyned to the Iewes than to vs or if it was not commanded to Adam in Paradise But if they can neither shew it to be shadowing nor rudimentall but will graunt the permission of sixe daies trauell ãâ¦ã Now ââââ the working ân ãâ¦ã be a permission who ãâ¦ã ââ the ãâã of the ãâã be a commaundement who ââââ forbid it As ãâ¦ã ãâã leaue to ââte of all the fruites of the garden who could re ãâ¦ã the Lord restraining from one for his probation who could haue giuen lâââe to ââââ of it Or the Lord hauing permitted ãâ¦ã of all ãâã who for conference âââââââ forbid them The Lord hauing forbidden the vse of them in fasting who can permit them 139 He said thus to âne in an agonie vttering desperate things When you are well ãâã these speeches because God is much dishonoured by them And then ââ said that to giue place in temptation is to make ââ grow on vs we must therefore ãâã âhe diuell and he will flee from vs. And if we feele paine the best is in meekenes to ãâã to the Lord and to stay in Christ. For though many in pride of nature doe conteââââ the diuell yet that is his aduantage as much as in a fearefull nature In any wife in the temptation be afraide of yeelding for if once our mindes be out of peace if âââ forsake the word we shall goe into great extremities vnlesse it be for the prayers of the Saints For as giuing place to lust anger or sorrow is dangerous ââ also to giue place to feare is euill 140 We must in all things euery day labour for increase of faith repentance which because it cannot be done without meanes therefore we must vse them but âââ in ceremonie For we shall see that after fâââr meanes vsed in truth followes greater ãâã than vsing many meanes in ceremonie 141 To perswade a difference between ãâã and feeling he said that as we cannot feele the loue of a friend when he ãâ¦ã and yet are perswaded of his loue so we may be without a feeling of Gods loue and ãâ¦ã perswasion of it 142 It is wonderfull to see how God directeth the hearts of men simply minded in the feeblenes of their senses for as âââââ being âââââlly minded though he grâped was deceiued so Iacob being spiritually minded was by Gods prouidence directed when he blessed Iosephs children Gen. 48. 10. 14. 143 Dauid had many troubles and yet ouercame all but the falling into
reports 2. When anie report the faults of others without care of their credit or when with flattering hearts they commend any man 2. Inwardly either 1. In suspition without iust cause 2. In iudgement falsly or hardly of anie man Which bee the occasions of false witnesse hearing They be fleshly hatred of our enemies the carnall loue of our selues or of our friends to get the things we loue and to auoide the things we feare or hate How are wee partakers with false witnes bearers If we either command or counsell it to be done If wee mislike it not or not stay it if we can What is here commanded 1. First in iudgement to further righteous causes so farre forth as my calling requireth 2. Secondly to speake the truth from my heart to euery man so farre forth as it is requisite for him to know it 3. Thirdly to be as carefull of the credit of my neighbour as of mine owne both in his presence and absence so farre forth as the nature of his offence will permit 4. Fourthly to hope and belieue the best of euery man Rehearse the tenth Commandement Thou shalt not couet c Arâ all motions and desires euill No for the desire of meate drinke sleepe and such like are naturall and in their owne nature good vnlesse through our corruption they become sinfull What motions be euill These motions be euill which are either against God or our Neighbour Are all those forbidden in this Commandement No for all those which are against God are forbidden in the first commandement but these motions onely are here forbidden which are against our Neighbour Seeing in the former Commandements wee are forbidden to hurt our neighbour in heart how doth this differ from the former In the former Commandements the setled desires of the heart are forbidden but the motions are onely here forbidden whereunto the heart doth not consent Whereof doe these motions arise They either arise from our owne corruption or are offered by Sathan or by the world Are all these motions sinne in vs All that arise of our corruption are sinnes in vs but they that be offered by Sathan or the world are not sinnes vnles we be infected with them How are wee infected with them 1. First when weetake pleasure in them 2. When wee be intangled with them 3. When we suffer them to tarrie in oâââinâes though our hearts doe not giue coâsent How is this Commaundement brokââ Three waies 1. First when euill motions arise of our corruption moouing vs to hurt our Neighbours 2. Secondly when we be infected with those motions which Sathan or euill men doe put ânto our mindes 3. Thirdly when we doe not with like affection desire the good of our Neighbour as wee doe our owne What is then commaunded I am commaunded to loue my Neighbour as my selfe Who is your Neighbour Euâry one that is neere mee and standeth in neede of my helpe and it lieth in me to helpe him though otherwise he be a stranger vnto me or my foe Why iudge you so Because of the Image of God in him and that hee is mine owne flesh in respect of our first parents Doth the Law of God prescribe the perfect rule of righteousnes Yea for there is no good thing in deede worde or thought but heere it is commaunded and likewise no euill but heere it is forbidden Can euery one keepe the Law of God perfitlâ They that are not borne againe of God cannot keepe it neither in all nor in any one point as pleasing God thereby in respect of themselues Why so Except a man be borne againe of God hee cannot see the kingdome of heauen not enter therein neither can hee keepe the commaundements of God moreouer all men by nature being borne and conceiued in sinne are not only insufficient to any good thing but also disposed to all vice and wickednes What punishment is due to the breakers of Gods Law In this life the curse of God and death with manifold miseries both of body or soule or both What else Where this curse is not taken away euerlasting death and damnation both of bodie and soule in the world to come But God is mercifull Hee is indeed full of mercie but hee is also full of righteousnes which must fully be discharged or else wee cannot be partakers of his mercie And cannot wee by our selues make satisfaction for our sinnes We cannot by any meanes but rather from day to day encrease our debt But doth not God wrong to man to require of him that he is not able to performe No for God made man so that hee might haue performed it but hee by his sinne spoyled himselfe and his posteritie of those good gifts Can anie creature in heauen or earth which is onely a creature make satisfaction to his righteousnesse No none at all for First God will not punish that in another creature which is due to be paid by man and besides none that is onely a creature can abide the wrath of God against sinne and deliuer others from the same What manner of man is to be sought out to bee our Mediatour and Deliuerer Hee which is indeed a very man and perfectly righteous and more mightie than all creatures that is hee which also is very true God Why must hee be man and perfitly righteous Because that the righteousnes of God requireth that the same nature that sinned should pay and make amends for sinne Why must hee be God withall Because that by his godly power hee may abide the burden of Gods wrath in his flesh and may get againe and restore to vs the righteousnes and life which wee haue lost Who is that Mediatour which is very God and very man and perfiâly righteous withall Our Lord Iesus Christ who was made vnto vs Wisedome Righteousnes Sanctification and Redemption What is the vse of all that hetherto hath bâene taught The vse is to bring vs to a sound perswasion and fâeling of our sinnes because they haue deserued so grieuous punishmeÌt as either the death of the sonne of God or hell fire Are they onely deliuered from the curse of the Lawe and made partakers of the merites of Christ that are truely humbled They onely and none other Esâi 57. Matthew 5. 3. 4. 5. and as for the Lawe heauen and earth shall passe away but one jote or title of Gods Law shall not faâe till all be fulfilled How is the truth of Gods Law fulfilled It is fulfilled in 1. Gods children because it bringeth them to be truely humbled in themselues for their sinnes and then sendeth them to Christ in whome it is fully fulfilled 2. The wicked because it declareth to them their iust confusion when to the ende they either presume or despaire Is sorrow for sinne sufficient to bring vs to Saluation No for wee must also haue a true Faith What is that true Faith that saueth vs It is a true
people and so for mee How gather you this By the annointing of Prophets Priests and Kings which were figures of him Was Christ annointed with materiall oyle as they were No but he was annointed with all gifts of the holie Spirit without measure Why dâe you call him Prophet Because hee was he is and euer shall be the onely teacher of the Church What were then the Prophets and Apostles They were his Disciples and seruants and spake by his spirit What comfort haue you by this Hereby I am sure that he will leade me into all truth reuealed in his word needfull for Gods glorie and my saluation Why call you him Priest Because offering vp himselfe a sacrifice once for all he hath satisfied for all my sinnes and maketh continuall intercession to the Father for me What comfort haue you by the Priesthood of Christ Hereby I am assured that he is my Mediatour and that I also am made a Priest How are you made a Priest By him I haue freedome and boldnes to drawe neere and offer my selfe and all that I haue to God the Father Why call you him King Because âe doth guide and gouerne me vnto euerlasting life by his word and spirit What comfort haue you by this Hereby I am assured that by his kingly power I shall finally ouercome the flesh the world the diuell death and hell Why call you him Lord Because not with gold nor siluer but with his precious bloud hee hath purchased vs to bee a peculiar people to himselfe What comfort haue you by this Seeing he hath paid such a price for mee he will not suffer me to perish What is the second thing wherein the faith of Christ consisteth Secondly I beleeue that he hath wrought my saluation indeed after that manner that is set downe in the Creede After what manner hath he wrought your saluation 1 By his most painfull sufferings for sinne 2 By his most glorious victorie and triumph ouer sinne In what words are his most painfull sufferings expressed In these words Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried he descended into hell What is the generall meaning of these words By them I shew my selfe to beleeue that Christ endured most grieuous torments both of body and soule What comfort haue you by this I am freed from all those punishments of bodie and soule which my sinnes haue deserued How then commeth it to passe that we are so often afflicted with grieuous torments both in bodie and soule Our sufferings are not by desert any satisfaction for our sinnes in any part but being sanctified in the most holy sufferings of Christ they are medicines against sinne Why are these words added Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate Not onely for the truth of the storie but also to teach that he appeared willingly and of his owne accord before a mortall Iudge of whom he was pronounced innocent and yet by the same he was condemned What comfort haue you hereof That my Sauiour thus suffering not any whit for his owne sinnes but wholy for mine and for other mens sinnes before an earthly Iudge I shall be discharged before the heauenly iudgement seate What is meant by this That he was crucified That he died not onely a common death but such a death as was accursed both of God and man What comfort haue you by this I am comforted in this because I am deliuered from the curse which I haue deserued by the breach of the law and shall obtaine the blessing due vnto him for keeping of the same What is meant by this That he died That his soule was separated from his bodie so that he died a corporali death Why was it requisite that he should die Because by sinne came death into the world so that the iustice of God could not haue beene satisfied for our sinnes vnlesse death had beene ioyned with his sufferings Why is it ârther added That he was buried To assure vs more fully that he was truely dead What comfort have you by his death and buriall 1 I am comforted because my sinnes are fully discharged in his death and so buried that they shall neuer come into remembrance 2 Secondly my comfort is the more because by the vertue of his death and buriall sinne shall be killed in me and buried so that henceforth it shall haue no power to reigne ouer me 3 Thirdly I neede not to feare death seeing that sinne which is the sting of death is taken away by the death of Christ and that now death is made vnto me an entrance into this life What is the meaning of this He descended into hell This is the meaning that my Sauiour Christ did not onely suffer in body but also in soule did abide most vnspeakable vexations griefes painfull troubles feare of minde ââto the which both before and most of all when he hanged vpon the crosse he was cast What comfort haue you by this I am comforted in this because in all my grieuous temptations and assaults I may stay and make sure my selfe by this that Christ hath deliuered mee from the sorrowfull griefes and paines of hell What beleeuest thou in this article Hee rose againe from the dead I belieue that Christ in his manhood hath suffered for mee and that he did in the third day âââ againe by his owne power from the dead Wherin doth this article minister comfort vnto thee In three things 1. His resurrection doth assure me that his righteousnes shall be imputed to me for my perfect iustification 2. it comforteth mee because it doth from day to day raise me vp to righteousnes and newnes of life in this present world 3 It ministreth vnto me a comfortable hope that I shall rise againe in the last day from bodily death What beleeuest thou in this Article Hee ascended into heauen I belieue that Christ in his humane Nature the Apostles looking on ascended into Heauen What comfort haue you thereby 1. I am comforted in this that Christ hath prepared a place for mee in heauen which now I see by Faith and herâaâter shall fully enioy 2. I am comforted by his intercession to the Father for me What fruite haue you by his intercession 1. First it doth reconcile me to the Father for those sinnes which I doe daily commit 2. Secondly being reconciled in him I can pray to GOD with boldnesse and call him FATHER What is the meaning of this article Hee siâtteth at the right hand of God the Father I belieue that CHRIST in mans nature was aduanced by the FATHER vnto that high authoritie whereby hee ruleth all things in heauen and earth What comfort haue you thereby 1. I am comforted because I shall receiue from him all things needfull for mee vnder his gratious gouernment 2. By his power all mine enemies shall be subdued and troden vnder my feete What beleeue you in this article From thence hee shall come c I belieue
that Christ shall come in his Majestie to pronounce sentence vpon all those that were dead before and vpon them that then shall befound aliue What comfort haue you by this 1. I am comforted in my greatest miserie knowing that CHRIST will come one day and ãâ¦ã of all 2. I am sure that hee will giue sentence on my side and take me to glorie with him Why say you I beleeue in God the holie Ghost Because he is God equall with the Father and the Sonne Why call you him âââ Because hee is the Author of all holinesse What fruite haue you by this 1. The holie Ghost doth assure mee that I am the childe of God by making mee to call him Aâââ Father 2 He assureth me that by the vertue of the death and resurrection of Christ that sinne dieth in mee and I am raised vp to holinesse of life 3. The holy Ghost leadeth me into all truth needfull to Gods glorie my saluation 4. Hee comforteth mee in all my troubles and in death assureth me of a better life in this same bodie and soule What is the meaning of this article I belieue that there is a Catholike Church That God hath a certaine number of his chosen children which hee doth call and gather to himselfe Why say you I belieue that there is a Catholike Church Because that the Church of God cannot be alwayes seene with the eyes of man Why call you the Church Holie Because the Church on the earth though in it selfe it is sinfull yet in Christ the head it is holy and in the life to come shall be brought to perfection of holines Why doe you call it Catholique Because God in all places and of all sorts of men had from the beginning hath now and euer wil haue an holy Church What is the meaning of this article The Communion of Saints The whole Church communicateth with Christ and euery member one with another in the benefites of Christ. What comfort haue you by this article 1. I am comforted because I am iustified by that Faith whereby Adam and Abraham were iustified which is tyed to no time or place and excludeth no person 2. I am comforted because I am made partaker of Christ and all his mercies by Faith and of all the blessings of the Church by loue What belieuest thou in this article I belieue the forgiuenesse of sinnes I belieue that God for Christs sake doth freely forgiue me not onely all my sinnes but also the punishment that I haue deserued by them Why say you I belieue the forgiuenesse of sinnes Because no reason can perswade mee but the holie Ghost onely must worke the assurance of it in my heart What comfort haue you heereby 1. First I am comforted because all the sinnes I haue and daily commit shall neuer be laide to my charge 2. Secondly I am comforted because that the weaknes and wants of all my duties are couered and supplied in Christ. 3. Thirdly I am comforted because God will heare mee praying for others that they may haue Faith to feele the forgiuenes of sinnes What belieuest thou in this article The resurrection of the body vnto life euerlasting I belieue that this bodie after it shall be dissolued into dust shall bee raised vp againe at the last day and my soule shall liue in euerlasting glorie What comfort reape you thereby 1. I am made comfortable and chearefull in well-doing seeing my labour shall not be in vaine 2. I am made to despise the pleasures and glory of this world and with patience to suffer all troubles that are laide vpon me in this present life 3. It comforteth me ouer the death of my dearest friends and maketh mee carefull in death knowing that I shall haue a part in the resurrection of the iust What fruite haue you when you belieue all these Articles All doe come to this ende that being iustified by faith I am righteous in Christ before God What be the seuerall fruites 1. First I am at peace with God although in my selfe for my outward sinnes which I daily commit and my inward corruption which remaineth I am daily accused 2. I get strength to fight against my outward sinnes to subdue my inward corruption to doe outward good workes and to delight in the law of God in the inward man 3. I haue a right to all Gods creatures so that the vse and want of them shall turne to the furtherance of my saluation 4. I am assured of the glorification of my soule and bodie in the heauens because I am made an heire of euerlasting life Why is this giuen wholly and onely vnto Faith Not because Faith doth deserue it but because the merits of Christ can be laid holde on and applyed to my selfe by none other meanes but by Faith alone Cannot our good workes in some part iustifie vs before God No for the righteousnes which is able to stand in the iudgement of God must be perfect in all respects Are not our good workes perfect No for in many things wee sinne all and againe the best workes we doe are defiled with sinne and therefore can deserue nothing at the hands of God Why then doth God promise a reward vnto them The reward that God doth promise it is not for the desert of workes but of his owne grace and mercie Will not this doctrine make men carelesse of well doing No for they that be ingraffted into Christ must needes bring forth good workes Why is it needfull that they should doe good workes 1. First that wee may by them shew our selues thankfull vnto God for all his benefites 2. That we may be assured of our Faith and election by good works 3. That by our good workes wee may edifie others How maiest thou edifie others 1. First by encouraging and strengthening those that are good 2. Secondly by winning those that are not come vnto God 3. And then by stopping the mouthes of the wicked 4. The fourth ariseth of the former and that is the glorie of GOD which is aduanced by them Are good workes so needfull that without them wee cannot be saued Yea for although good workes doe not worke our saluation in any part yet because they that are iustified are also sanctified they that doe no good workes declare that they neither are iustified nor sanctified and therefore cannot be saued Then they must much more be condemned which commit sinne and lye in it Yea for such are not onely pronounced to bee accursed by the Law but also the Gospell hath denounced that they shall not inherite the kingdome of heauen Can euery one doe good workes None can doe good workrs but they that are borne againe How can they that are thus borne againe doe good workes They that are thus borne againe and carrie in them the Image of God haue repentance wrought in them from whence good workes doe proceede What is Repentance Repentance is a turning of
saluation and of an vpright heart 8. Necessarie rules for the profitable reading of holy Scriptures 9. A treatise of the Resurrection 10. A treatise of Examination both before and after the Lords Supper 11. A treatise of Gods feare 12. A treatise of hypocrisie 13. A treatise of Anger 14. A treatise of blessednes 15. A treatise of Fasting 16. A treatise of sending the holy Ghost 17. A short treatise of Prayer vpon the wordes of the Prophet Ioel chapt 2. vers 32. alleadged by Saint Peter Acts 2. vers 21. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SIR DRV DRVRIE KNIGHT GENTLE-MAN-VSHER OF HER MAIESTIES PRIVIE CHAMBER AND MAISTER THOMAS FANSHAW Esquire the Queenes Remembrancer in her Highnesse Court of Exchequer H. H. wisheth the increase of all mercies and comforts in Iesus Christ for euer SOme of these Treatises Right Worshipfull serue well to teach vs both the daunger and the cure of the greatest wound a man can haue on earth the rest differ in argument yet haue one generall scope as namely the building of Gods people in the faith and obedience of Christ. Herein first I request your worships patience to take some view of a short representation of the whole booke by speciall branches couching the authors owne very words and matter in this compendious forme following The first treatise is of a wounded spirit wherein this faithfull seruant of Christ teacheth vs 1. How great an euill the wound of the spirit is for that the very Pagans and Papists can beare great afflictions till their spirits be wounded but if their minds be deiected they will dispâtch themselues with any violent death and the faithfull also cast downe with Gods arrowes and sight of their sinnes and the feeling of Gods hand vpon their mindes Iob Dauid Ezekiah Ieremiah mourned heauily for the wound of the spirit 2. What comfort the true peace of conscience carries with it able to free vs from all discomforts of this life and contrarily how the minde appalled no blessing can long cheere vs in this present life 3. How mad they be which by violent death seeke to end their afflictions of minde for that this is the onely way to increase their torments for if their burthen be great here it is intollerable in hell 4. How most men seeme actiue painfull and prudent to preuent and foresee other troubles and euils but few regard with any care aâ all to preuent the troubles of minde How many trauell with great skill for riches and honour c. but few take any paines for the precious treasure of the peace of a good conscience 5. Preseruatiues against afflictions of minde are the searching of our sinnes past and present great and small and the examination of our faith 6. In examination for sinne we may not content our selues to haue left them We must also heartily sorrow for them euen the sinnes of our youth for if we doe not truly repent vs of them they may againe rebound vpon vs saith he after many yeeres to the great affliction and tormenting of our minds 7. Examination of sinnes must be as well of sinnes committed after our calling as before for these sinnes of all other bite sorest and pearce deepest Couer them not but confesse them to God in time least thou be constrained to blaze them abroad to thine exceeding griefe and torment 8. After knowledge and light receiued from God note euer what sinnes sway most in thee by the often checks of thy conscience and so labour to auoide them being grieued for them which if thou doe not thou canst not escape either hardnes of heart or afflictions of minde 9. Sinnes of omission haue much distempered Gods good children the negligent vse of the meanes of saluation and for the not putting of their gifts in practise many haue beene whipoed afterwards in their naked consciences and the Lord hath euen pearced them in their secret bowels 10. Some are troubled for their priuate pride and this is a good preparatiue to receiue Christ Some for doing more in shew than in truth abusing their knowledge in that they make it but a maske to iuggle in and for that they make but theâr affections to fight with their owne iudgement Some righteous men are troubled when they offend not for they are their owne greatest accusers for some secret corruptions in other matters so that there is nothing more difficult than to search our hearts to the bottome for sinnes past and present for priuie pride hidden wants and secret corruptions 11. That we must carefully auoide too scrupulous a feare as well as carnall securitie If the aiuell finde vs voide of all feare he thinkes his assaults must be stronger because our resistance is the weaker but if he finde in vs a cowardly feare and fainting of heart before we strike one stroke against him he will suddenly stab vs to the heart and make a spoile of vs. 12. If we see the godly afflicted in their consciences either before or in the issues of death we may not conclude therefore they are hypocrites or great sinners before God for that the Lord may as well make triall of their faith as take punishment of their sinnes as we see in Iob and others for saith he if such affliâtion come principally for sinne then the greatest sinners should haue the greatest afflections 13. When any shall come to the cure of soules afflicted they must not begin with words of compassion onely God is mercifull c. but first with a gentle searching of their sores labouring to draw out of them the confession of some speciall and secret sinnes 14. All griefes are either confused or distinct ârising of knowne or vnknowne causes The spirituall Physition must wisely consider of the originall of the euill whether it be in soule or bodie or both for this cause he warneth that in this distemper the Physitions counsell be neuer seuered nor the godly ministers labour neglected 15. The persons ministring in this affliction must be men learned of sound iudgement wise and of good experience meeke and of most louing spirits I counsell thee saith he if thou canst not come to the particular sight of sinne iâ and by thy selfe vse the helpe of such men vnto whom thou must offer freely thine heart to be gâged anâ searched and the whole course of thy life to be examined by the bright shining glasse of the law of God 16 A certaine cause or knowne sinne is either alreadie committed and not repented or a sinnâ not committed but whereunto we be tempted If troubles come for some speciall sinne committed say thus Doth this one sinne so displease thee and deserue I thus to be punished and farre more grieuously for this one how great then should my punishment be if thou shouldest so deale with me for all my other sinnes If the heart be terrified with feare of the commission of sinne for temptations and motions vnto siâne we are not so much to dispute with our motions as to
if before it was begun is now continued or iâ it was not before now beginneth and neuer endeth world without ende For though true it is that sicknesse pouertie imprisonment or banishment haue ended their tearme in death yet a wounded heart which was temporall in this life is now eternall after this life that which before death was in hope recouerable is after death made vncurable and vnrecouerable It is good therefore to consider if euen in this life the torment of conscience be so fearefull how much more grieuous is it to sustaine it in hell where that is infinite which here is finite where that is vnmeasurable which here is measurable where is the sea of sorrow whereof this is but a drop where is the flame of that fire whereof this is lesse than a sparke But to shut vp this argument Some there haue beene who throughout all their life time haue beene free from all other troubles so as either they felt them not at all or else in very small measure and by that meanes neuer knew what outward trouble meant As for example some men there haue beene who for sicknesse neuer knew the head-ach for pouertie neuer knew what want meant who for discredit were neuer euill spoken of who euer put farre from them the euill day of the Lord who made a league with death as it were and a couenant with hell who though they could crucifie euery crosse rather than come vnder any crosse yet they could neuer escape a wounded conscience either in this life or in the life to come True it is that Gods children by faith and repentance doe often escape it but the wicked and such as are borne vnto it as to their sure inheritance the more they flie from it the more it pursueth them If we haue transgressed the Ciuill Iawes the Iudge by bribes may be corrupted if a man haue committed some capitall offence by flying his Countrie he may escape the Magistrates hands but our consciences telling vs that we haue sinned against God what bribe shall we offer or whither shall we flie whither shall we goe from his spirit or whither shall we goe from his presence If we ascend into heauen is not he there If we lie downe in hell is he not there If we flie to the vtmost parts of the sea is he not there also There needeth no apparitor to summon vs there needes no Bayly arrant to fetch vs there needes no accuser to giue in against vs sin will arrest vs and lyeth at the doore our owne consciences will impannall a Quest against vs our owne hearts will giue in sufficient euidence and our owne iniquities will pleade guiltie to our owne faces Thus we see both by the experience of them that haue suffered the wound of the spirit and by the comparing of it with other euils what a weight most grieuous and burthen intolerable it is to haue a tormented conscience Now let vs shew how we may preuent and by what meanes Gods children falling into some degrees of it for if it rage in extremitie it is an euill most dangerous may safely and quietly be deliuered from it And here a iust complaint is to be taken vp and it is a wonder to be marked that we see many so carefull and watchfull to auoyd other troubles and so few or none take any paines to escape the trouble of minde which is so grieuous We see men louing health and loathing sicknes in diet temperate in sleepe moderate in Physicke expert skilfull to purge and to auoid such corrupt humors which in time may breede though presently they doe not bring forth some dangerous sicknes yet to auoyd the diseases of the soule no man abateth his sleepe no man abridgeth his diet no man prepareth Physicke for it no man knoweth when to be full and when to be emptie how to want and how to abound Others caried away with the loue of riches and very slie to fall into pouertie will not sticke to rise early and take sleepe lately to fare hardly to teare and taw their flesh in labour by land and by water in faire and foule weather by rockes and by sands from farre and from neere and yet to fall into spirituall decaies to auoide the pouertie of conscience no man taketh such paines as though saluation and peace of minde were not a thing worthie the labouring for Some ambitiously hunting after honour and not easily digesting reproches behaue themselues neither sluggishly nor sleepily but are actiue in euery attempt by loue and by counsell by prudence and prowesse by wit and by practise by labour and learning by cunning and diligence to become famous and to shun a ciuill reproch yet to be glorious in the sight of God and his Angels to fall before the heauens in the presence of the Almightie to be couered with shame and confusion of conscience we make none account as they who neither vse any meanes to obtaine the one nor auoid those occasions which may bring the other Others vnwilling to come within the reach and danger of the law that they may escape imprisonment of body or confiscation of goods will be painefull in penall Satutes skilfull in euery branch of the ciuill law and especially will labour to keepe themselues from treasons murthers felonies and such like offences deseruing the punishment of death yet when the Lord God threatneth the seizure both of soule and body the attaching of our spirits the confiscating of our coÌsciences the banishing of vs from heauen the hanging of vs in hell the suspending of our saluation the adiudging of vs to condemnation for the breach of his commandements no man searcheth his eternall law no man careth for the Gospell neither the sentence of euerlasting diuorcement from the Lord neither the couenant of reconciliation is esteemed of vs. And to reach our complaint one degree further Behold the more we seeke outward pleasures and to auoid the inward trouble of minde the more we haste and runne into it and suddenly plunge our selues in a wounded spirit ere we be aware Who posteth more to become rich who hopeth lesse to become poore than the marchant man who aduentureth great treasures who hazardeth his goods who putteth in ieopardie his life and yet suddenly he either rusheth vpon the rocke of hardnesse of heart or else is swallowed vp of the gulph of a despairing minde from which afterwards he cannot be deliuered with a ship full of golde Wofull proofe hath confirmed how some men wholy set on pleasures such as could not away to be sad and to be hedged vp alwaies of godly sorrow haue had their tables made snares and euen their excesse of pleasures hath brought excesse of sorrowes and whilest they laboured to put the euill day farre from them they haue vsed such follies as haue bred them most bitter and terrible torments of their fearefull and trembling consciences There be some of another sorte who
sinne then to sustaine the sores of our bodie Sure it is that if we haue suffered our hearts to be harrowed with the rake of Gods iudgements as occasion from the Lord hath been giuen that we are become soft and well exercised in the feare of God we shall come to the feeling of our sinnes the sense whereof if it bring as it were a sicknesse to the body and a corsey to the soule it is an vndoubted earnest of our regeneration and happy are we if we finde our selues so diseased and troubled with our sinnes True it is that we can hardly being in the skirmish and agonie make any difference betweene the motions to any euill and the consent vnto the same for oftentimes euil motions do so possesse the soules of Gods children sincking downe so deeply in them that though they weepe pray and meditate which be the last meanes remedies to ease and cure them though they feele them with irkesomenesse and loathsomenesse as we feele sicknesse in our bodies yet those motions will be continually in them without diminishing the delight onely excepted Wherefore for our comfort herein we are not to martyr our selues with disquietnes of minde because we are so pestered and thronged with wicked motions and assaults but rather let vs quiet our selues and not suffer our selues to be hindered with sicknesse either of body or minde by meanes whereof we should become more vnprofitable to our selues the whole Church of God For the godly shall not be so freed from sinne but that they shall be assaulted with euill motions suspicions delusions vaine fantasies and imaginations the body of sinne shall neuer be from vs so long as we liue For the scum thereof is almost continually boyling and wallopping in vs foming out such filthly froth stinking sauor into our minds that it is not onely detestable to the minde regenerate and renewed by the spirit of God but also it would make abashed the very naturall man to looke into so loathsome a stie of sinne and sinkehole of iniquitie Yea it maketh vs often to quaile and if it were possible it would corrupt the very part regenerate For mightie is the power and raging is the strength of sinne Neither for all this must we cease to sorrow for our sinnes nor despaire on the other side although our sorrow be but small For if we be sorrowful for the hardnes of our hearts if we can be grieued for that we are no more grieued for our sinnes if we can but sigh grone because we feele our iniquities it is so much a greater comfort vnto vs as it is a greater testimonie that our hearts are not altogether hardened so that if we feele sorrow indeed although we weepe not yet we may gather comfort considering that this sorrow is for sinne with a loue and hunger after righteousnes yea if our assaults be distrust pride arrogancie ambition enuie concupiscence as hote as the fire in the furnace all our daies and though Sathan laieth out oyle in great measure and out of measure that it is the wonderfull mercy of the Lord that we stand and though our prayers be dull and full of wearâsomnesse if the striuing and straining of our selues to goodnesse be so hard that we know not whether we striue for feare of punishment or for loue of so good a Father yet if we feele this in our selues that we would faine loue the Lord and be better and being wearied and tyred with our sinnes long gladly to enioy the peace of righteousnes and desire to please God in a simple obedience of faith then let vs comfort our selues there is no time too late to repent in For he commeth quickly to Christ although in the houre of death that commeth willingly and in a desire of a better life howsoeuer sinne and Sathan at that time would especially perswade him For as the huÌming Bee hauing lost her stââg in another doth still notwithstanding make a fearefull and grieuous noyse by her often buzzing about vs but is nothing able to hurt vs so sinne death hauing lost their stings in Christ Iesus doe not cease at all euen in the height of the parching heate of our coÌsciences to make a murmuring and with furious stormes of temptations to terrifie vs and our consciences albeit they neuer sting vs. Wherefore if Sathan charge our consciences with sinne if we can feele the things a little before mentioned in our consciences let vs bid him not tell vs what we haue been but what we would be For such we are by imputation as we be in affection and he is now no sinner who for the loue he beareth to righteousnesse would be no sinner Such as we be in desire and purpose such we be in reckoning and account with God who giueth that true desire and holy purpose to none but to his children whom he iustifieth Neither vndoubtedly can the guiltines of sin breake the peace of our coÌscience seeing it is the worke of another who hath commended vs as righteous before God and saued vs. It must indeed be confessed that our owne workes will doe nothing in the matter of iustification which from Christ and in Christ is freely giuen vnto vs it must be graunted that in our selues we are weaker than that we can resist the least sinne so farre off is it that we can encounter with the law sin death hell and Sathan and yet in Christ we are more than conquerors ouer them all When the law accuseth thee because thou hast not obserued it send it to Christ and say there is a man that hath fulfilled the law to him I cleaue he hath fulfilled it for me and hath giuen the fulfilling of it vnto me I haue nothing to do with thee I haue another law which striketh thee downe euen the law of libertie which through Christ hath set me free For my conscience which henceforth serueth the law of grace is a glorious Prince to triumph ouer thee If sinne come and would haue thee by the throte send it to Christ and say as much as thou mayst doe against him so much right thou shalt haue against me For I am in him and he in me wherefore O sin I am righteous through my Christ which is become sin to free me which haue been a condemned sinner If death creepe vpon thee and attempt to deuoure thee say vnto it Christ hath ouercome thee and opened vnto me the gates of euerlasting life thou wouldest haue killed him with the sting of sin but the same being of no force thy purpose O death hath failed and he being my life is become thy death If Sathan summon thee to answere for thy debts send him also to Christ and say that the wife is not suable but the husband enter thine action against Christ mine husband and he will make thee sufficient answere who then shall condemne vs or what iudge shall daunt vs sith God
is our Iudge and acquiteth vs and Christ was condemned and iustifieth vs he is our iudge that willeth not the death of a sinner he is our man of law who to excuse vs suffered himselfe to be accused for vs. O gluttonous hell where is thy defence O cruell sin where is thy tyrannous power O rauening death where is thy bloodie sting O roring lion why doest thou fret and fume Christ my Law fighteth against thee O law is my libertie Christ fighteth against thee O sin and is my righteousnes Christ fighteth against thee O diuel is my Sauiour Christ fighteth against thee O death and is my life Thou didst desire to paue my way to the burning lake of the damned but contrarie to thy will thou art constrained to lift vp the ladder wherby I must ascend into the new Ierusalem Wherefore if we shall finde our selues forsaken of God so as we perceiue nothing but matter of despaire let vs still hold our owne in the certaintie of our faith stay our selues sith Christ is giuen vs of God that he might extinguish sin triumph ouer the law vaÌquish death ouercom the diuel destroy hel for our only comfort and consolation But peraduenture some will say my faith is weake and cold and my conscience is as a flaming lampe and burning fornace I feare the Lord will still pursue me with his wrathfull indignation Thou doest well to feare but feare and sinne not For feare which subdueth the securitie of the flesh is in all most requisite in that the weaker we are in our selues the stronger we are in God But that feare is dangerous which hindreth the certaintie of faith in that it incourageth our enemie more fiercely to set vpoÌ vs when we comming into the campe wil cast away our armour especially which should defend vs. Comfort thy selfe the Lord will not quench the smoking flaxe nor breake the bruised reede he looketh not on the quaÌtitie but on the quality of our faith For as a good mother doth not reiect her childe because through some infirmitie it is weake feeble and not able to goe alone but rather doth pitie and supporte it least peraduenture it should fall and recompenseth that with motherly affection which in her childe is wanting by occasion in like manner the Lord God our most gracious father doth not cast vs off because through our imperfections we are vnable or afraid to draw neerer to the throne of grace but rather pitieth vs and seeing vs a farre off desirous to come vnto him meeteth vs by the way and by grace and strength of his owne hand directeth our steppes vnto his kingdome And as he which freely purposeth to giue a wedge of gold will not withdrawe his gift because the hand of him that should receiue it is weake troubled with the gout palsey or leprosie so that by any meanes though in great weakenes he be able to hold it euen so the Lord purposing in free mercie to bestow on vs an immortall weight of glory will not depriue vs of it though many filthy blemishes haue polluted and weakened our faith so that in any small measure we be able to take hold of his promises neither are we to looke for the perfection of faith because we neuer beleeue as we ought but rather on that which the Gospell offereth and giueth and on Gods mercie and peace in Christ in whose lap if we can lay our heads with Saint Iohn then we are in felicitie securitie and perfect quietnes Contrariwise there be some who notwithstanding that a tormented conscience is a stinging Serpent that it were much better that all the creatures rose vp against vs euery one bringing their bane then once to come before the dreadfull face of God are so blockish that they are wholy resolued into hardnes If they be pricked with sicknes they crie alas if they be pinched with pouertie they can complaine but as for the torment of minde they cannot skill of it And euen to talke of a brused contrite and broken heart is a strange language For proofe whereof our coÌsciences are rocked asleepe so that not one amongst a thousand knoweth what it is to be pressed and harrowed with the rake of Gods iudgemeÌts But blessed are they that to their owne saluation feele this in their bodies whilest sinne may be both punished and purged For though God spare vs for a time yet we know what he keepeth for our ende Wherefore it is the best for vs to runne to the Lord in this life with a troubled minde least we tarrie till the Lord haue locked vs vp with the heauie fetters of desperation when he shall summon vs to the barre of his iudgement in the sight of his Angels and impanelling the great inquest of his Saints against vs shall denounce our fearefull and finall sentence of eternall condemnation for we see many that haue beene carelesse haue made good cheare all their life long yea and when men haue laboured to make them feele the iudgement of God they haue turned all to mockery but their iolity the Lord hath so abated when they draw towards death that in stead of resting sporting whereunto they had been giuen they haue felt the terror of death hell and damnation and lapping vp their ioyes in finall desperation haue forced out cursings against their filthie pleasures Wherefore if we in the tempest of our temptations will saile a right course neither shrinking nor slipping into the gulfe of desperation neither battering our barke against the rocke of presumption let vs in a contrite spirit crie vnto the Lord Haue mercie vpon me heale my soule for I haue sinned against thee forgiue all mine iniquities and heale all mine infirmities Thou healest those that are broken in heart and bindest vp their soares why art thou cast downe my soule and why art thou disquieted within me waite on God for I will yet giue him thankes he is my present helpe and my God Yet my soule keepe thou silence before God of him commeth my saluation he is my strength therefore I shall not much be moued His mightines is enough to giue me courage yea and shall be euen when I am forlorne I know that the diminishing of my body goods friends or any other thing is a calling of me to that which neuer shall diminish nor decay I beleeue that my Lord and my God allureth me daily thither that I might not doubt that when my body is laid in the graue and there consumed as it were to nothing yet notwithstanding my soule resting in the bosome of the Lord shall returne vnto me and shall rise to glory euen as it resting in this life in the mercies of Christ did rise to grace verily I see that with ioy that my flesh must goe to decay for looke what freshnes soeuer was in it it diminished day by day And I neede not goe farre to seeke for death for I feele not
much in effect Wilt thou learne sincerely to worship me according to that substance manner and end which I haue prescribed and wilt thou truly trie thy loue to mee by exercising the duties of loue to thy brethren then forget not to keepe holie the Sabbath wherein I shall teach thee both how thou shalt walke vprightly in the worship due vnto mee and also liue obediently in duties concerning man Againe the nature of the word remember importeth thus much that this law was not only grauen in the hearts of our forefathers as were all the other but also in expresse words inioyned vnto Adam and Eue in Paradise and manifestly practised of the Israelites in the wildernes Exod. 16. and that therefore in this common promulgating of the Law they should especially remember this which is not newly giuen as are the rest but rather renued as being giuen out before True it is that before this solemne publishing of the Law in mount Sinai this and all other Commandements were written in the hearts of our fore-Fathers as we may see in the booke of Genes For the first we reade how the Lord said vnto Abraham Gen. 17. I am GOD all-sufficient walke before mee and be vpright Concerning the second Gen. 31. 19. Rachel is saide to steale her Fathers Idols Genes 35. 2. Iacob reformed his household and cleanseth it from Idolatrie For the third we may see how religious they were in swearing Concerning the fift what authority exercised Iacob towards his children what duties they yeelde to him both in life and death How they hated murther it is manifest in that historie Both Iosephs continencie and the punishment threatned to Abimelech declare how hainous a thing adultery was vnto them Concerning theft Laban his quarrelling with Iacob and Ioseph his accusing of the brethreÌ doe shew that it was a thing vnlawfull Lastly Abimelech the king reprehendeth both Abraham Genes 20. and Isaak Genes 26. for bearing false witnesse in denying their wiues Thus we see what efficacie is couched in this preface in that it sheweth both by the precept and practise giuen and yeelded of our first fathers how this commandement alone was giuen in expresse words as also that this one precept is the schoole of all the other Commandements But to what end to keepe it as ceremoniall No to sanctifie it as morall for the end of the Sabbath consisteth in these two things first in the morall secoÌdly in the figuratiue ceremoniall or shadowish obseruation of it as wee take the word shadow here for a figure because a ceremonie is more then a shadow That I call morall which doth informe mens manners either concerning their religion to God or their duties vnto man that I meane figuratiue which is added for a time in some respect to some persons for an helpe to that which is morall as Deut 5. 15. Remember that thou wast a seruant in the land of Aegipt Howbeit that this first morall ende is here vnderstood the first words declare where it is saide Sanctifie the Sabbath day For where mention is made of the ceremonie it is saide keepe and not sanctifie the Sabbath Now what is it to sanctifie the Sabbath day but to put it apart from all other dayes for a peculiar vse of Gods worship for otherwise wee must know that all other dayes are sanctified so that to sanctifie it is to do that thing on the Sabbath for which it was commanded but of this we shall speake more largely by the grace of God in the last reason In the meane time let vs briefly obserue this that as our first parents did sanctifie the Sabbath in viewing the creatures of God for to praise him so wee sanctifie it in vsing the means which hee hath appointed for his worship So that first wee vsing the exercises of religion whereby we may be sanctified and then ioyning with them the spirituall vse of the creatures whereby wee may be furthered in our sanctification should after vse the exercises of loue whereby we may shew that wee are sanctified Our first Fathers needed not ordinarily the ministrie of the Word but had the great bookes of Gods workes We haue need of the Word both publike and priuate and therefore must learne it that hauing learned it wee might the better exercise the duties of loue So then that which was first to Adam is now the last to vs to wit the beholding of God in his creatures and the praising of him for the same In the Psalme 92. which was appointed to be sung of the Church on the Sabbath is set downe as the chiefest vse thereof the singing of Gods mercie the shewing of his righteous iudgements in rewarding the godlie though afflicted in punishing the vngodlie though here they be aduaunced as also in learning to know God in his worship and in his workes Againe Psal 95. we shall not see any ceremoniall vse of the Sabbath but that it should be vsed in praying to God in praising of God and hearing of his Word This is confirmed Exod. 31. 13. Speake vnto the children of Israel and say Notwithstanding keepe my Sabbaths for it is a signe betweene mee you in your generation that yee may know that I the Lord doe sanctifie you As also Deuteron 5. 12. Keepe the Sabbath day to sanctifie it as the Lord thy God hath commaunded thee And Ezechiel 20. vers 12. I gaue them my Sabbaths to bee a signe betweene mee and them that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctifie them In which places as the reason is adioyned of keeping the Sabbath So wee must vnderstand that where it is called a signe it is meant a document and not a figure for euery figure is a signe but euery signe is not a figure as we may see in the sacraments which are not figures or shadowes of things to come So that in that the Lorde saith My Sabbath is a signe betweene mee and you it is as much in effect as if he should say my Sabbath is a common instruction betweene you and me of mee as the Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier of you as created redeemed and sanctified so that the Sabbath is a document pledge of Gods will whereby we should know what hee is vnto vs and wherein wee should learne what we should do to him In which respect this commandement is no more ceremoniall then the first where the Lord propoundeth what he is to vs and secretly includeth what wee should be to him No maruell then though this be the principall ende which was not begun to the Iewes but first inioyned to Adam and Eue. Wherefore we may thus reason both safely and soundly Whatsoeuer is the first ende is the chiefest ende but to sanctifie the Sabbath is the first end because it was ordained so to Adam in time of his innocencie at what time it could not bee a figure because by the iudgement of
yet we may eate the fatnes of meate which was forbidden them And so in all the commandements the morall obseruation belongeth to vs as well as to them the ceremoniall keeping to them and not to vs. And the same we conclude of this place concerning the fire making on this day Out of the new Testament they also gather two reasons First they say it is not mentioned nor vrged so much in the new Testament as are the other precepts I an answere this is no good reason but is rather to be returned to the Anabaptists who reason that the iudiciall lawes are not to be vsed because they are not vrged Nay rather looke what the holie Ghost hath set downe more sparingly in the old Testament he hath more fully plainly supplied it in the new Testament and what thing the law containeth more fully that the Gospell handleth more sparingly because the Lord in his heauenly wisedome would not trouble vs much with one thing But we know it is named Matth. 12. and 24. Mar. 2. Iohn 5. Act. 20. 1. Cor. 16 and 16. Reuelat. â The second argument is this The Apostles changed the day which say these men they neuer would haue done had it been morall I answere it was neuer commanded nor appointed what one certaine day should be kept among seuen but that there should be obserued a seuenth day which being kept it is sufficient and the law remaineth vnuiolated And yet we permit not that any man at his pleasure should now change this day For that which the Apostles did they did not as priuate men but as men guided by the spirite of God they did it for the auoyding of superstition wherewith the Iewes had infected it Againe as the Iewes vsed the other day which is the last day of the weeke because it was the day wherein the Lord made all things perfect so the Apostles changed it into the day of Christ his resurrection who was the beginner of the new world on which day we receiued a more full fruite and possession of all the benefits in Christ his conception birth life and death Besides this was the first day of the creating of the world wherein the Lord drew light out of darknes Lastly the holy Ghost is said on this day to come downe vpon the holy Apostles So that this day doth fitly put vs in minde of our creation to be thankfull to God the Father of our redemption to be thankfull to God the Sonne and of our sanctification to be thankfull to God the holie Ghost Now if any can alleadge more effectuall or equall reasons vnto these hee may alter the day so it be with the consent of the Church Wherefore the equitie of the law remaining it is not abrogated Circumcision as we haue shewed is considered two manner of wayes either as the seale of Faith Rom. 4. or as a signe of that circumcision which wee haue in Christ made without hands In this manner considered it is ceased as it is a seale of Faith it remaineth not the same in forme and manner but the same in effect For although wee haue not the same helpe of our Faith yet we haue a helpe The Iewes had Sacraments moe in number but we more excellent in signification Though we haue not many SacrameÌts and holy-dayes yet wee haue two Sacraments and one day more effectuall than all they were which the Iewes had We see therefore in truth no reason as yet why we should not obserue the Sabbath as Morall Thus hauing confirmed the doctrine of the Sabbath by the holy Scriptures and proued that there is a morall vse of the same as well for vs as for the Iewes and hauing answered all the contrarie objections that might seeme to make against this doctrine it followeth now according to our first diuision that wee should speake of the obseruation of the Sabbath it selfe shewing how it is kept and wherein it is broken For both these are expressed in the Commaundement wherein is set downe the affirmatiue to teach how to keepe it and the negatiue to shew how we breake it First then we will shew how the Sabbath ought to be kept then afterward we will declare how it is broken Where it is said in the beginning of the precept Remember to keepe holic and in the ende thereof the Lord hallowed the Sabbath so that it is not simply said Remember to keepe but to keepe holy neither is it simply mentioned that the Lord left the seuenth day but blessed the seuenth day hallowed it Hereby is insinuated vnto vs that in this day we should grow in loue towards God tender affection to our brethren wee are taught that then wee keepe the Sabbath aright when we vse it to that ende for which it was ordained that is when we vse in it as we haue before shewed thâse exercises whereby we may be the more sanctified and God the more glorified both on this in the other dayes of the weeke These exercises be such as are either priuate or publike The publike exercises are twice at the least to bee vsed euery Sabbath and they bee these First the word read and preached then prayers feruently made with thanksgiuing singing of Psalmes reuerend administration of the Sacraments And first for reading and preaching of the word wee reade Nehem. 8. 8. And they read in the booke of the Law of God distinctly and gaue the sense and caused them to vnderstand the reading Also wee may see this in the practise of the Apostles Act. 13. vers 15. And after the lectures of the Lawe and Prophets the rulers of the Synagogue sent vnto them saying Yee men and brethren if ye haue any word of exhortation for the people say on And as the Ministers did reade and preach the word so it was the practise of the Church to heare as Eccles. 4. vers 17. Take heede to thy foote when thou entrest into the house of God and bee more neere to heare than to giue the sacrifice of fooles And it is saide Nehem. 8. 3. The eares of all the people hearkened vnto the booke of the Law And concerning praying thanksgiuing singing the Prophet of God vseth a vehemeÌt exhortation to the Church Psal. 92. 1. Come saith he let vs reioyce vnto the Lord let vs sing aloude to the rocke of our saluation 2. Let vs come before his face with praise let vs sing aloude vnto him with Psalmes And Psal. 65. 1. O God praise waiteth for thee in Sion c. Now for the Sacraments generally we are to marke that as in the time of the law the sacrifices were most vsed on the Sabbath day so our SacrameÌts succeeding the sacrifices are then most to be frequented As for the supper of the Lord it appeareth Act. 18. 1. Cor. 11. as it seemeth that it was administred euery Lords day although now adaies the ministers may
man so no man knoweth the meaning of the Lord in his word except God giue him his spirit to declare it vnto him And if we must pray when we come to our meate and drinke that God may giue nourishment to vs by them then how much more must we pray God to nourish vs by his word for else we cannot profit thereby And as no man dare touch meate and drinke before he pray and we haue no title to it before it be sanctified to vs by prayer how impudent are they that dare touch Gods booke without prayer or thinke that otherwise they haue title vnto it Paul may plant and Apollo may water but God giueth the encrease so if any be senselesse still and yet haue heard long it is because God hath not reuealed his wil vnto them Men may be diligent yet they shall erre if God giue not his spirit and though they meditate and conferre yet they shall be punished for giuing libertie to their rouing braine and to their tongue except they pray for Gods spirit Many rest in knowledge and want faith because they want prayer and wee rest in knowledge and neuer practise because wee pray not to God to write his law in our hearts by his spirit that now not wee but he may worke in vs. They that take any thing in hand without prayer howsoeuer they say they abhorre Poperie yet they practise it because they take vpon them to haue some power in themselues For thanksgiuing if we be bound to praise God wheÌ he hath fed our bodies how much more when he hath fed our soules And shall God be iustly offended with vs if we thanke him not for our refreshing with meates sleepe c and shall wee not tremble for feare of reuenge if we haue not praised God for any light or any good motion that he hath put into vs For want hereof âfter some lightning followeth some darkenes and after much feeling commeth deadnes and by this meanes Satan goeth about to take all Gods graces from vs. Dauid saith Blessed art thou Lord O teach me thy statutes This sheweth that wee must euer praise God before we come to reade Many are feruent in asking but cold in giuing thankes And if we would giue thankes to God it would much ease vs in asking and God would not punish vs in taking his graces from vs. FINIS A TREATISE OF THE RESVRRECTION Psalm 16. 10. For thou wilt not leaue my soule in the graue neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption Philip. 3. 20. Our conuersation is in heauen from whence also we looke for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ. Vers. 21. Who shall change our vile bodies that it may bee fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie according to the working whereby hee is able euen to subdue all things vnto himselfe ARe wee perswaded with the Prophet of God Psalm 16. that wee shall bee raised and freed from corruption that our death is a sleepe our graue as a bedde and that that God that raiseth the Sunne daily out of his denne will drawe vs also out of the earth then haue we true faith which vndoubtedly wee shall finde more strong if long before death come wee would exercise our selues with the meditations of death Many wee see by deferring all vnto the last ende die heathenishly many who would seeme to haue more heroicall spirits desire vnnaturally to dye not that they are surcharged with the burthen of their rebellion and corruption but because as beasts they neither can reioyce in things in heauen nor feare the paines in hell These are more drowsie and senselesse beasts than those who are more loth to depart in whom appeareth more nature and some conscience but the other degenerating from nature are a farre more monstrous and daungerous kinde of people Howbeit the common sort of people commend this kinde of death they say thus he departed as meekely as a lambe he went out of the world as a bird goeth out of the shell he died very quietly neuer speaking a word nay they might say more truly he died beastlike he gaue no token of repentance in acknowledging his sinnes he shewed no fruite of faith how he was saued in Christ he gaue no testimonie of his hope in witnessing a ioyfull resurrection and chaunging to a better life Thus wee see how readie wee are to extreames either fearing death too much or fearing it too little Well if wee will be rid of that feare in excesse behold here is a remedie My flesh doth rest in hope for thou wilt not leaue my soule in graue But there are othersome who can yeeld quietly to death also what is their reason what is their faith forsooth they say they must pay that willingly which is due of necessitie and seeing they owe God a death they had as lieue die at first as at last when the debt is payed it can bee no more required It is farre otherwise with the children of God who of all others haue the greatest preferment by death yet hauing tasted of the land of the liuing euen in this life cannot satisfie themselues in the multitude of many dayes with the sweete sâppe thereof vntill their measure be brimme full Then they dying in the ripenes of yeeres and in the fulnesse of dayes are gathered in their due time into the Lord his barne as a ricke of corne Then they hauing fought a good battaile runne their full race and kept a true faith can with ioy in Christ looke for the crowne of glorie which is prepared for them To this wholesome meditation and fore-thinking of death the daily mortalitie and dropping away of others ought to stirre vs vp For wee see many round about vs of the same complexions of the same age that we are of breathing of the same aire vsing the same diet which wee doe who goe before vs and are gleaned from those miserable calamities which our long contempt of the word hath threatned to fall vpon vs. Let vs labour then to lay vp our flesh in hope that our departure from hence may be as the sailing ouer the Seas as the trauailing of a woman as a deliuerie out of prison and a returning from exile Certainly a man is neuer more tried to be a Christian than in contemning death for Heretikes concerning other things may haue as great gifts as other professors but in death they will bewray their hypocrisie either in murmuring as dogs or in vnsensiblenes as blockes But in Christians there appeareth such an heroicall alacritie tempered with so gratious humilitie that they desire not to liue but to keepe a good conscience they refuse not to die for nothing but for hope of a more happie inheritance It may be that others as we said may shew some cheerefull countenance to die but it either proceedeth of some phrensie vnaduisedly or of rashnesse especially or of numnesse carelesly Neither would I haue any
can be vnderstood of Christ in whom was no sinne and therefore no rising from sinne And thus much for the places of the old testament now we will alleage those places of the new First let vs consider of the words wherewith our Sauiour Christ confuâeth the Sadduces Math. 22. 32. I am the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Iacob God cannot be sayd to be the God of Abraham being dead except he raise his body againe which he hath in keeping as well as his soule For he saith not I am the God of Abrahams soule but I am the God of Abraham the God of his whole man wherefore it must needes be that Abraham must rise againe Mât. 25. 31. When the Sonne of man commeth in his glorie and all the holy Angels with him then shall hee sit vpon the throne of his glorie Likewise Luke 14. 13. When thou makest a feast call the poore the maymed the lâme and the blinde 14. And thou shalt be blessed because they cannot recompense thee for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the iust As if our Sauiour Christ should say although thou maiest think that all the things thus giuen are lost here yet there commeth a time when thou shalt reape the recompence plentifully and haue thy reward with the iust Ioh. 5. 28. 29 The Lord sheweth the resurrection of both estates and willeth them not to maruell that he should raise their soules to life which would raise their bodies from death â8 Marueilâ not at this saith he for the houre shall come i. the which all that are in the graues shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of man â9 And they soâll come forth that haue âââ good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation Ioh. 11. Martha as we shewed before plainely testifieth of the resurrection and confesseth her faith therein Act. 3. 19. The Apostle Peter calleth this rising againe the time of refreshing a thing most comfortable for as the wearisome way saâing man recreateth himselfe with his Inne at night so the godly shall surely after their troubles bee renewed and refreshed at the presence of Christ. Act. â3 6. Paul sheweth to the Pharisies how hee was accused of the hope and resurrection of the dead And Act â4 15. Paul protesteth his faith of the resurrection that it should bee both of the iust and the vniust which thing wrought in him as it ought to do in all a carefull conscience of well doing and therefore he addeth in the verse following 16. And herein I indeuour my selfe to haue alway a cleere conscience toward God and toward men What is more largely proued and confirmed than this 1. Cor. 15. 10. in the whole chapter throughout Besides 2. Cor. 5 10. Wee must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ saith the Apostle that euery one may receiue the thiâgs that are done in his bodie according to that he hath done whether it be good or euill Philip. 3. 21. it is said that Christ shall change our vile bodies the place is set downe before The manner and end of this resurrection is also set downe 1. Thes. 4. 14. 15. 16. 17. If wee beleiue saith Paul that Iesus is dead and is risen euen so them which sleepe in Iesus will God bring with him 15. For this say wee vnto you by the word of the Lord that wee which liue and are remaining to the comming of the Lord shall not preuent them which sleepe 16. For the Lord himselfe shall descend from heauen with a shoute c. The Epistle to the Hebrues chapter 11. painteth out the manifold martyrdomes of the saints and sheweth how some were racked and would not be deliuered others were tried by mockâ and scourgings by bands and imprisonments they were stoned they were hewen in sunder they were tempted and so forth and why did they indure these things The Apostle telleth vs verse 35. That they might receiue a better resurrection than any deliuerance they could haue here Againe verse 39. These obtained not the promise that is not the accomplishment of the promises verse 40. Why God prouiding a better thing for vs that they without vs should not be made perfect for euen the first member of Christ dying many thousand yeers agoe shal not receiue the fulnes of the promise that is in bodie and soule vntill the last member be readie But of all places most excellent are these 2. Pet. 3. 10. The day of the Lord wil come as a theefe in the night in the which the heauens shall passe away with a noyse and the elements shall melt with heate and Reue. 20. 11. And I sawe a greate white Throne and one that sate on it from whose face fled both the earth and the heauen and their place was no more found 12. And I sawe the dead both great and small stand before God c. 13. And the Sea gaue vp her dead which were in her and death and hell deliuered vp their dead which were in them Now as we here haue receiued the trueth of the doctrine so now let vs see into it further by reason that as on the one side we cannot denie there is a resurrection seeing the word doth confirme it vnlesse we will depart from the faith and denie the word so on the other side when we shall see how these things are we cannot withstand it euen with reason vnlesse we be senselesse The reasons therefore which we will vse are partly drawne from God himselfe partly from the order of nature and from the creatures partly from the commodities which accompanie the trueth of this doctrine and from the inconueniences which ensue the contrarie Those proofes which are drawn from the Lord himselfe are to be considered either in his owne person simply or as we consider of him in his Mediatorship and as the second person in the Trinitie Concerning those things which are in his owne person we must obserue his trueth his iustice and his power his trueth because heauen and earth shall passe but no title of his word shall faile and his promises in Christ Iesus are Yea and Amen Wherefore whatsoeuer the Lord hath set downâ in his word to bee done it must beare with vs that credit that it is our part with Abraham to yeeld to it though outward meanes seeme cleane contrary and with Marie to beleeue it although no visible meanes are apparant His iustice is so espoused to his trueth that whatsoeuer we haue heard out of the word the equitie of his iustice doth require both to the accomplishment of his promises in rewarding the godly and the fulfilling of his threatnings in reuenging the vngodly This we see Matth. 25. 33. where by the rule of righteousnesse he seâteth the sheepe on the right hand and the goates on the left Luk. 16. 23. it is set downe how the rich man being in
counteruaileth all the rest and saith that the Lord will giue them his Spirit to be powred out vpon all flesh which may seale and season all other his benefits and which neuer should leaue them vntill they were come to life euerlasting Aboue all gifts then in the world this is the gift of gifts the Spirit of God in which one the Lord preferres vs not onely aboue all other earthly creatures but also aboue many men like to ourselues whilest he maketh vs Kings Priests Prophets by powring the same spirit vpon vs. The excelleÌcie of this benefit Christ himselfe teacheth vs where he teacheth the people to pray saying Which of you iâ your childe shall aske you a peâce of bread will insteâd of bread giue him a stone c if you that be euill doe know how to giue vnto your children good things when they aske them how much more shall your heauenly father giue you good things saith Matthew his Spirit saith Luke This is the top this is the head this is the height this is the depth of all good things euen the Spirit Now if this is life eternall Ioh. 17 3. to know the Father to be the only very God and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ and no man can euer doe this but by the spirit of God whereby we know and beleeue this according to the word and so liue for euer who will denie this gift of all gifts to be most principall If this be the dignitie of dignities that we are the children of God and heires of a better life how precious a thing is it to haue the priuiledge of God his owne spirit which giueth vs the full title interest and assurance of all these things vnto vs Againe if this be the âulnes of our reioycing in the day of Christ that he is made of God vnto vs wisedome and righteousnes and sanctification and redemption and that through him we are as fully more assuredly perfect as euer Adam was in his creation and we cannot haue this wisedome vnlesse the Spirit telleth vs how we are cleered thereby from our ignorance we cannot reioyce in this righteousnes vnlesse the spirit assureth vs that by it we are acquited from our guiltines we can haue no comfort in that holines vntill we know by God his spirit it answereth for our impurenes and prophanenes and so seuereth vs and putteth vs apart to the works of sanctification we cannot triumph in our redemption vntill the comfortable spirit of God stay our impatient spirits by an vndoubted expectation for the glorious appearing thereof without this spirit all things are death but with this all things are life This bringeth knowledge in the things whereof we are ignorant this brings to our remembrance the things which we haue knowne and forgotten this assures vs of things wherein we haue been wauering this ioyneth vs to God and vniteth vs to Christ when we goe astray we come home by the spirit when by it we are renewed and by the same we are established come life come death come honour come dishonour prosperitie aduersitie wealth or woe the one shall not too much lift vs vp the other shall not too much cast vs downe If the Lord giueth vs an healthfull bodie credit riches and authoritie we are hereby resolued to glorifie God by these things to redeeme the time and so to possesse them as though we possessed them not if the Lord denieth vs these things and sendeth sicknes discredit pouertie and obscuritie the Lord will send a recompence of inward things and wanting bodily health he will giue the saluation of our soules in stead of outward credit we shall haue credit with God and be well thought of among his children and if wanting worldly riches we be enriched with heauenly things we haue lost nothing hauing changed drosse and dung for gold Without this wit becommeth subtiltie wisedome worldly policie authoritie is armed to tyraÌnie dignitie breedes ambition riches engeÌders couetousnes Physicke is made vnfaithfulnes Law proueth craftines Diuinitie degenerates into heresie to be briefe without this heauenly gift of God sanctifying all gifts the wiser man the fairer man the stroÌger man the fitter pray for the diuell the meeter subiect for him to work vpon But to haue wit and therewith the spirit of God sanctifying it what a thing is this To haue riches and the spirit of God to vse them is a double blessing to haue authoritie and in it to be guided by God his spirit what good may one hauing this benefit doe either in Church or Common-wealth If the spirit be absent all turneth to our hurt to God his dishonour to the establishing of Satans kingdome and with this all things are seasoned with their vse seruice and ministerie vnto vs. Oh how are we to pray that Ministers that Magistrates that euery one of vs may haue so great a good The Ministers that they may purely boldly preach Iesus Christ that they may be Ministers of the quenching spirit not Ministers of the bare and killing letter that they may preach the crosse of Christ sincerely and not themselues vain gloriously Magistrates that they may prouoke obedience by good gouernment that we our selues might liue holily both before God and men This then is that which keepeth a tenour in all things this giueth the pith and marrow of goodnes to euery thing If religion come once but to serue for fashion all wil be confounded Among many rules this is a notable rule to haue our hearts filled with heauenly and spirituall delights which fenceth out as at the doore and first entrie many idle discourses and vaine platformes of worldly deuises and causeth vs to vse this life as though we vsed it not And as they that are giuen to the world are not fit for God his kingdome so they that are replenished with good things haue such an inward and sufficient working in them as they seeke not after earthly things with those greedie affections wherwith others doe The Papists and Anabaptists rather babling than prophecying shew they haue no true reuelations how soeuer they bragge of them because they haue not the spirit and yet in that they are so painfull by their illuding spirit wherewith they were deluded to delude others this must make vs ashamed either of our ignorance or that hauing knowledge and the holy Ghost teaching vs we trauell no more to winne others vnto Christ. For whosoeuer is so ignorant that he cannot giue an account of his faith to God his glorie and the edifying of others he cannot say that he hath the spirit of God If any haue Christ his spirit he is Christs if he be Christs he must be a Prophetable to giue an account of his faith being required and so he is Gods if he be Gods then come life come death come health come sicknes come what will all comes well if a man hath outward things he is not too much puft vp with them if he hath them not
touching the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and euerlasting life for if we can once be persuaded that Christ is ours wee shall not greatly doubt but that with Christ we shall haue all things needfull for vs. Let vs receiue this benefit though it come alone vea though it bring troubles with itâ and then for outward things we shall possesse our soules with patience For saith this reuerend man we haue âo true feeling of the forgiuenes of our sinnes if we cannot when we feele it be therewith contented and readie to forgoe all other things 3. To looke well to our sanctification and regeneration for if the Lord grant vs to be the glorious temples of his most holy spirit wherein his graces may shine he will not deny vs the base things of this life or if he doe we shall haue a good supplie of better things 4. To be well assured of our glorious resurrection for it is far greater to raise vs being consumed to dust than to preserue vs being aliue 5. Faith in Gods prouidence if hee made all things of nothing much more easily can hee preserue things made if hee cares for the beasts much more for mân if for wicked men much more for his children if for his children when they sought him not much more when they seeke him with all their hearts and desire to serue him in holines true righteousnes 6. Lastly learne by examples that it is Gods blessing in the meanes and not the meanes without it which preserue vs. The Fathers before the flood fed on hearbes without flesh or fish and yet liued 700 800 900. yeeres The Israelites liued 40. yeeres without change of garments or any earthly and ordinarie prouision Moses and Elias liued 40. daies without meate These examples teach vs if we haue the meanes not to trust in them if we want them not to distrust in God And thus farre the summe of the second Sermon III. The third is of zeale which teacheth first how God commaundeth and commendeth zeale secondly how he rewards it The rules to know the true zeale of God are these 1. True zeale begins in our selues so proceeds to others and gaine returnes from other men ends in our selues Abraham Iob Moses c. first sinite themselues euer be more zealous against themselues than against other men for by the sense and feeling of our owne sores we be taught to deale more mildly and meekely with the sores of other men 2. True zeale is as willing to be admonished as it is carefull to admonish and that not onely of superiours where we must yeeld of necessitie but also of equals yea of inferiours whom we may seeme to contemne 3. True Zeale is not to bee hot by fits and colde in the ende 4. A very speciall marke of true zeale is this To be comforted in the publike prosperitie of the Church when priuate crosses may make vs âad and contrarily to mourne and lament for our brethren when priuate prosperitie might cheere our hearts 5. True zeale saith he will not spare sinne in kindred for that he loueth most naturally that hath learned to loue most spiritually and he loueth most truly that cannot abide sinne in the partie beloued without some wise and discrecte admonition 6. True zeale feareth not the force of the mightie neither is it dismayed at the lookes of the proud 7 True zeale is seene in their cause who can neuer recompence vs againe 8. The last rule of zeale is this to bee humbled in our selues for those sinnes which wee espie or censure in other men and specially such sinnes as wee espie in them which are committed to our charge for that the holy Ghost in his word accounteth their sinnes our sinnes And thus farre the third Sermon IIII. The fourth Sermon is of a good name And here he teacheth vs 1. How deare and precious a thing a good name is 2. Next what singular gainfull fruits and effects it carieth with it how God good meÌ are delighted with vs if we haue it 3. How careful we ought to be not to hurt our neighbour in his good name because it is an inestimable treasure which being lâst is most hardly recouered 4. With what care conscieÌce we should seeke to find it hauing found it with all endeuour industrie to preserue it 5. He teacheth how a good name good report being good things must proceede from good causes as of vertue godlinesse and good religion 6. He noteth how the world accounteth of Gods children as of monsters if they haue but one sâip and highly esteemes of a worldling for one externall gift of minde or bodie though sinnes swarme in him 7. He teacheth that if we will auoide an euill name we must first auoide all euill surmises and deuises against other men next we must haue a godly iealousie ouer our own waies that they may not breede in men any suspition of euill 8. Lastly men must be plentifull in all good workes all which must be done first with a simple and sincere affectâânâ ââxt with in ââââââ and diâerâtion And thus farre of a good name V. The siât Sermon is of humilitie The contents of it briefly are these 1. Whereâore the Lord humbleth his children before they be crowned 2. How pride rots and marres all good gifts in vs. 3. How dangerous and âurâfâââ prosperitie is to many 4. How to accept good meanes in time when God calleth vs to repentance 5. How dangerous spirituall pride is to Gods children 6. How feare must increase as Gods gifts increast in vs 7. How euill thoughts doe exercise Gods best children and by what messengeâ God awaketh them And this is the short summe of the fift Sermon VI. The sixth serues well for Christian parents for the good education of children 1. Hee warneth them that they lament not so much for their children if they bee dismembred or prooue idiots as if they prooue grosse sinners so become worse than idiots For such assuredly without repentance dishonour God greatly in this life caÌnot escape euerlasting perdition after death but of poore idiots there is mâre hope 2. Next he teacheth Parents that when they finde foule sins in their children wisely to consider what causes breed them whether they be not theÌselues disobedient to their heauenly father hand haue been to their naturall parents and yet not repented of their sinnes 3. Lastly with what wisedome and affection we must correct our children euer mindfull how that we punish our owne sinnes in them And thus much of the sixth Sermon VII The seuenth and last Sermon teacheth vs 1. That sorrow for sinne is the first step to godlines for saith he it is impossible to hunger after Christ without it 2. That the word of God must effect that sorrow in vs by piercing our hearts and teaching vs that wee haue to doe with God and not with men and this will wound vs with a liuely feeling
The Lord left vs a lesson that wee must learne thereby namely that it is not the meanes but the blessing of God vpon the meanes that nourisheth vs and therefore if we haue them wee must not put our trust in them and if we want them wee must not distrust in God Did Moses and Eliah liue fortie dayes without meate and did the Israelites walkein the wildernesse fortie yeeres in the same apparell which waxed not olde whereas othersome hauing meate in abundance yet are hunger-starued and being laden with clothes yet quake for cold shall we not yet learne that the blessings of God are all in all and that the other are but meanes prouided for our weaknes Dauid proued by experience that the righteous seede of the righteous parents were neuer forsaken nor begged their bread If we no doubt could come to such measure of obedience as they did then and if we could be righteous as in his time men were the Lord would prouide for vs as well as he did for them and we should haue as good experience hereof as euer had Dauid To this prouidence of God wee must bring a patient minde which first must bee contented with whatsoeuer the Lord sendeth alwaies acknowledge godlines to be great riches For we ought not to seeke great matters nor suffer our desires to be carried after high things for this did the Lord by his Prophet Ieremie rebuke in Baruck And CHRIST giueth vs another rule when he teacheth vs to pray for daily bread which when we haue then must we be contented This minde was in our father Iacob when hee prayed for nothing else but meate and clothing And this doth Paul generally command to be in all saying When we haue meate clothing let vs be contented We must first therefore seeke the kingdom of God and the righteousnes therof we must first labour for the forgiuenes of our sinnes in Christ that so we may be in the fauour of GOD and enioy the light of his louing countenance which when we haue and feele let vs esteeme it aboue all earthly treasure as Dauid doth let vs receiue it though it come alone yea though it bring troubles with it then for outward things we shall possesse our soules in patience If the Lord giue plentie of them wee shall take it as an ouerplus of his fauour but if he giue the lesse yet shall we be contented because we binde not his fauour to these outward things but if wee cannot rest in the fauour of God though wee want these outward things it is certaine wee neuer truly esteemed the fauour of God neither did we euer feele the forgiuenes of our sinnes if wee could not when we felt it be therewith contented and ready to forgoe all other things The second propertie of a patient minde is simplie to giue vp it selfe vnto God and commit itselfe into his hand waiting at all times for helpe from him who onely is the aâthor of all goodnes yet neither prescribing the meanes nor appoynting the time nor in any case indenting with him for the Lord will haue the disposition of his mercies free vnto himselfe to giue and to bestow when and where and how it pleaseth him and as it may most make for his glorie We must then euermore and with our whole hearts desire and craue of the Lord that his blessed Name may be glorified that his Kingdome may be enlarged and his holy will performed but the meanes to bring these things to passe we must whollie leaue vnto him who knoweth what is best and in other things which concerne our outward estate we ought alwayes to rest in his good pleasure This iâ we can once doe so mercifully doth hee vse to deale with vs that when wee least desire them wee shall haue them and when we freely giue them vp to him he will soonest giue them vs againe Salomon desired wisedome of the Lord but for outward things his prayer was that hee might haue a meane estate then the Lord gaue him wisedome which his heart so much desired and riches also which he did not once desire Oh happie man if in his heart he had desired to walke before the Lord in feare Abraham gaue vnto the Lord Isaack his sonne which when the Lord did behold he quickly gaue him his sonne againe euen thus also must we thinke it standeth now with vs. The readiest way to obtaine life is to be heartily well contented either to liue or to die and to commit our selues vnto the Lorde knowing that nothing euer perished that was committed to his keeping so is it also in all other outward things the readie way to obtaine them is to giue them vp wholly into his hands But yet wee must not commit these things to the Lord with this condition that hee should giue them vs againe for that were to mocke the Lorde but without all care to haue them wee must giue them to him beeing in respect of his glorie and because his good pleasure is so heartily well content to forgoe them and then if they be good for vs we shall receiue them againe if not wee shall receiue some spirituall grace which better shall supplie the want of them Yea the infinite wisedome and mercie of God doth wonderfully appeare herein for sometimes he keepeth vs long without these things because that if wee had them hee seeth we would abuse them and would preferre them before spirituall blessings And sometime the Lorde seeing our small regard and accompt of spirituall things will by the want of these outward things bring vs to make greater accompt of them that when wee can well want the one and highly esteeme the other we may haue both together Let vs therefore reuerence this great goodnes and wisedome of the LORD and be content with the vse of life which he in mercie graunteth vs knowing that it is better to be a liuing dogge then a dead Lyon For whilest we liue we haue time to repent and time to glorifie God but after death there is no time left for repentance Whosoeuer then doth not account the vse of life a singular benefit though he doe euen want things necessarie for the same he is vnworthie of life or of any other the blessings of God therein The end of all then is this that patience is wrought in vs strengthened by the assurance of Gods mercies by faith in Christ by hope of euerlasting life and by trust in Gods prouidence and therefore the carking care of these things is left to the Gentiles which are ignorant of the forgiuenes of sinnes of Gods prouidence and of euerlasting life so that if we be like them in these greedie desires it argueth that either we know not these things or if in iudgement we doe conceiue them yet in heart we doe not beleeue them By meditation therefore of these things we must learne patience whereby we may ouercome our
life or the callings of the Church For such is the corruption of mans nature that naturally they doe not loue the Magistrates that God hath placed ouer them but when the Magistrate hath gotten a good report by the due execution of iustice by his pitifull dealing with the poore and by his fatherly fauour to all that be good then will his subiects loue him then will they embrace him then wil they willingly commit their matters into his hands and then will they with faithfull and friendly hearts cleane and sticke fast vnto him To be short that Lawyer hath most clients that Physition hath most patients and that Merchant most customers whose vertuous and godly dealings haue gotten them a good report In the callings of the Church this also is true for if any preacher by the faithfull discharge of his dutie and by his godly life haue once gotten the fauour and friendship of men how gladly will men heare him how quietly will they be ruled by him in what simplicitie will they make known their griefes vnto him how careful wil they be to procure his good The Schoolemaster also that hath the name of learning to teach of discretion to rule of godlines to traine vp his schollers in the feare of God he neuer wanteth schollers but the most and best men of all will flocke vnto him Contrariwise if any of those be discredited through any euill name if the Magistrate be accompted an oppressor or a tyrant the Lawyer be reported to deale deceitfully if the Minister bee corrupted either in doctrine or life if the Schoolemaster be once knowne to be insufficient in learning vnwise in gouernment prophane and of no religion then will all men be afraide to haue any dealing with them Those things are often found true in peace and prosperitie but in aduersitie as in the time of warre in the time of sicknesse and in the time of want and pouertie they be found most true Will not all the poore comminaltie in the time of warre seeke some aide at that Magistrate who in the time of peace did good vnto them Nay rather will they not all with one consent come together to helpe and defend them euen with all their might and with life it selfe seeing that he hath vsed all good meanes to saue and âefend their liues Contrariwise how many Kings how many Captaines how many Magistrates haue euen in their greatest neede been left and forsaken of their subiects souldiers because they haue too sharply and vnmercifully ruled them And which is more than this the subiects haue euen procured the death of their princes the souldiers haue laide violent hands vpon their captaines and the tenants haue been the first that haue sought the death of their Landlords because no pity no compassion no friendship and louing fauour hath been shewed vnto them Againe if Magistrate Minister Maister or any other man by executing the duties of loue haue wonne the hearts of the people and gotten a good name among them then in his sickenesse they wil pray for him they will visite him they will beare with him a part of his griefe Againe what can bee more comfortable to a man than this is this will glad him at the heart and this will turne his bâd in all his sicknesse In pouertie also he is soonest and most holpen which hath the best name and hath obtained through vertue most fauour with men For good men doe consider their owne case in him and therefore are most readie to helpe him yea euen the euill and vngodly men although they beare him no great good wil yet they are forced to helpe him partly because his godly life doth witnesse vnto their soules that he doth deserue to be holpen and partly because the Lord doth turne their hearts to fauour him The widow therefore that came to Eliah for helpe vsed this argument to perswade Eliah O man of God saith she my husband is dead and died in debt yet he feared God therefore helpe I pray thee seeing the creditors are come and immediately Eliah helped her On the other side if a man be euil reported of if he be an adulterer an Atheist an Idolater a riotous person or a man of hard dealing and if such a one be once brought into some low estate if he once fall into pouertie and neede then the hearts of men are shut vp against him no man will pitie him and all men will see and say his owne sinne is brought vpon him And thus hath the testimonie of the Prophets who did often threaten such kinde of punishments to vngodly men so that no man should say Ah my father or ah my mother but the whole citie should be glad of their departure This did the heathen people see in some part and therefore all of them did greatly desire a good name and as euery one of them did excell in strength and in courage or in wit or any kinde of knowledge so they did labour by that thing to get some credit to themselues And to conclude this point though a man haue many good things in him though a Magistrate doe feare God greatly though a Minister be excellent in many points though a Physition or Lawyer be skilful in their profession yet if they haue not a good name they can doe little good with their gifts All this doth teach vs that indeed to be true which Salomon here saith that a good name is to be chosen aboue great riches and louing fauour aboue siluer and gold Now the instructions which we may gather out of this place are chiefly two The first is that we ought not to hurt our neighbours aboue all things in their good name and therefore the Lord in his law hath ordained that he which doth such a thing should haue the same punishment which he purposed to bring vpon another Men would be loth to steale the goods of any man from him yet the name of a man is more worth than all things in the world therefore if any man by raising vp false reports doe impaire his brothers credit he doth hurt him and sinneth more grossely more grieuously than if he had taken away his lands or his liuing his corne or his cattell or any other thing that he hath And though the thing be false which he reporteth yet he sinneth neuerthelesse for after that time euen good men will be more suspicious and the wicked will not let it goe out of their mindes But if this be against a Preacher or professor of the Gospell then the sinne is the greater because God and his word becommeth dishonoured thereby The second instruction is that we must be carefull by all good meanes to get and maintaine our good name For if it be a sinne to discredit another man then much more is it a sinne to discredit our selues if we be charged to further the good name of our
many haue laboured much spoken abundantly and trauailed in great eloquence and yet haue neither gained glorie to God nor affoorded fruit to the hearers Hereupon it is that some that haue been as full as the vessell that hath no vent haue become as barren as the flint-stone is of water because they haue sought glorie but not by humilitie they haue shunned destruction but not left their pride Contrariwise we shall obserue how many speaking in the singlenes of their heart and humilitie of their spirit haue wonne many soules to the rich inlarging of Gods honour and kingdome Many vsing few words with a pitifull and sellow feeling affection haue comforted afflicted consciences instructed ignorant soules throwne downe proud spirits confounded hautie hearts profited abundantly them with whom they were to deale Many being lowly in their owne eyes haue not so much gloried in noâ receiued glorie for their great gifts which God hath bestowed vpon them as they were comforted in their owne consciences with a rich testimonie of the sanctifying spirit who wrought in them some carefull vsage of the gifts receiued to his glorie that gaue them The Lord refuseth the seruice of wicked men he will not vse a proud spirit in his worke and therefore if we shall see that God doth not blesse our labours let vs suspect our selues to lie in some sinne let vs feare our owne hearts that they be not humbled before the Lord. And here it is good that we should be forewarned what lowlinesse it is the Lord requireth of vs least wee deceiue our owne soules in a false and phantasticall humilitie Wherefore as all men will grant humilitie to be voide of murmuring and grudging so we affirme that that is not a minde rightly humbled vnder the hand of God which is still perplexed and affrighted with immoderate feare of the daunger of some euill to come For as we condemne that hellish securitie which is voide of all feare so wee mislike that abiect minde which is oppressed with too much feare stil breathing out of such trembling voyces Oh what shall become of mee I am afraide that some euill will befall mee I shall neuer be able to beare it I had rather dye then feele it WheÌ we thus distrusting the Lord begin to teach him what he shall giue to vs or what he shall take from vs we are in the hie way to meete with the euill wee feared and nothing in the world will sooner bring the danger vpon vs. We therefore commend and affirme that to be true humilitie which as it repineth not grudgingly against the Lord so it shrinketh not too distrustfully before the Lord but as on the one side wee are readie to be thankefull if it bee the good will of the Lord to deliuer vs so on the other side wee are willing to laie our head to the blocke and offer our bodie to the striker if the Lord in wisedome should make triall of vs. This will teach vs to possesse our soules in meekenesse and patience this will strengthen vs to say boldly Lord if thou send this deliuerance thy name be praised if thou shalt further trie me Lord thy holy will be blessed Lord here I am spare mee if thou wilt trie me if thou pleasest This humilitie was in Abraham Isaac Moses Dauid Daniel Azariah Sidrach Abednâgo and others of the Saints and seruants of God Abraham when hee was most readie to offer vp his sonne euen then the Lord gaue him his sonne againe Dauid when he was prepared to surrender both life and liuing to the Lord obtained both life and kingdome for longer time At what time Ezekiah had resigned himselfe to dye at the will of the Lord the Lord gaue him his health againe and made him as it were a lease of his life for fifteene yeeres to come And surely there is no readier way to obtaine life than to offer our selues vnto death no better meane to auoide sicknes pouertie reproach or banishment than to haue our wils wholy resigned to Gods will as willing to beare the crosse as to be freed from it For as the more we striue against the will of God the lesse we preuaile so the sooner wee yeelde wee shall the sooner bee deliuered And yet I meane not that yeelding which the Lord by his threatnings or iudgements as by strong hand getteth of vs which is no voluntarie submission but a violent subiection and constraineth vs rather than allureth vs to obey the will of the Lord but I meane that willing humbling of our selues before the face of God which commeth from an hart bleeding at the conscience of his owne vnworthinesse and bruised with the sense of the Lords vndeserued goodnesse and that more kindly than if it were threatned with al the iudgements of the wicked and were braied and broken with all the plagues of hell The other extremitie which agreeth not with true humilitie is blockish senselesnesse and that dead and diuelish apoplexie of the minde which runneth without all foresight as neither caring for good nor bad sweete nor sowre heauen nor hell They that labour of this disease thinke it an high point of humilitie to say I am at a point let God doe what he will I care not if he saue me so it is if I be damned what remedie let men iniurie me as they will come what come will I passe not And these kind of men as past all feeling and now more brutish and blockish than any bruite beast in their life neither tremble at Gods iudgements nor reioyce in his promises in death they feare not hell they desire not heauen they are not grieued if they be damned they are not comforted to heare they shal be saued they confesse not their sinnes they professe not their faith they shew not their hope they liue like stockes and die like blockes And yet the ignorant people will still commend such fearefull deaths saying he departed as meekely as a lambe hee went away as a bird in a shell when they might as well say but for their fetherbed and their pillow hee died like a beast and perished like an oxe in a ditch But to come to the vse and fruit which we may gather out of this doctrine First let vs consider that if we be come to haue such a brawned and thicke skinne ouer our consciences as neither by publike preaching nor priuate reading as neither by the Law nor by the Gospell as neither with threatnings nor promises as neither by praying nor meditating wee can finde neither matter of comfort nor humbling wee are so farre from humilitie that we are as men rather dead than humbled and our case is most fearefull For in this Stoicall apathie and want of feeling wee feare nothing fearing nothing wee are easie to be deceiued being easie to be deceiued wee may soone be hardned and so by securitie being depriued of all heedfulnes we are snared of the tempter ere we
Wee are wont to defie the Iewes for accusing Christ wee spit at Iudas for betraying Christ and wee condemne Pilate for condemning Christ but wee are much more to bee at defiance with our sinnes which accused him before the iudgement seate of God wee are to accuse our selues who haue and daily doe betray him wee must condemne ourselues whose sinnes haue condemned him But if neither the iudgements of God hell nor the crosse of Christ can moue vs then let vs examine our selues how wee can reioyce in Christ. It followeth to speake of the counsell of Peter Repent as if he should say I know your hearts are pricked howbeit I wil shew you how it is the policie of the diuell to make these good motions quickly to waxe drie in you hee will stay you from perseuering you must therefore endeuour to continue in this godly sorrow The Apostle saw that this sorrow which as Paul witnesseth is not to be repented of as well begun in them but in continuing his Sermon still to that effect hee sheweth that our sorrow must be also continuall Many sorrow as hath been shewed but in a worldly sorrowing which bringeth eternall death not in a godly griefe which bringeth repentance neuer to be repented of Wherefore we are to note that repentance beginneth in vs continueth and endeth with sorrow Now if it might bee it were expedient to shewe what repentance is In one word repentance is not a bare leauing of sinne but an vtter condemning and misliking of that sinne which wee haue left For though we haue left it yet it may make vs to sorrow for it many yeeres after yea euen at the point of death Dauid had left his sinne but it caused him to sorrow many yeeres after Iosephs brethren had forsaken and almost forgotten their sinne yet it troubled them and grieued them thirteene yeeres after Our pricking of heart therfore must be continued and daily renued This repentance is figured in Baptisme both in that wee must dye to sinne and burie it and also that we must rise againe to newnes of life for a man cannot dye to sinne but by the vertue of Christ his death neither can he rise to righteousnesse without power of his resurrection Now wee must know that as our sinnes are forgiuen so we must also receiue Gods spirit If God promiseth mercie to our children much more to vs if wee beleeue and receiue his promises if to them which are a farre off much more to them that are neere And yet though wee haue been baptized an hundred yeeres and haue not receiued the holie Ghost wee may dye in our sinnes Some vnderstand by the gift of the holy Ghost the graces of God bestowed on the Apostles but in my iudgement their opinion is not sound because that was a particular thing giuen onely to them of that time this promise is generall and respects all posterities We are then to note that repentance is a continuall course of sorrow and if wee haue this in trueth then may wee boldly seeke for comfort out of Gods word and from his ministers and looke What comfort they giue vs on earth the same shall be seaâed also in heauen Wherefore as it is requisite continually to till the group ãâ¦ã f we will haue fruit and daily to eate if we will liue so in spirituall things we must be humbled with continuall sorrow that we may be refreshed with daily comfort in Christ in whose name let vs pray Our Father c. FINIS THESE THREE SERMONS FOLLOVVING viz. the 8. 9. and 10. concerning the heauenly purchase were preached vpon the 13. Chapter of the Gospell of Saint Matthew vers 44. THE EIGHTH SERMON Matth. 13. vers 44. Againe the kingdome of heauen is like vnto a treasure hid in the field which when a man hath found hee hideth it and for ioy thereof departeth and selleth all that hee hath and buyeth that field THe whole scope and drift of the holy Ghost in this place is to shewe that the word of God is to the children of God more deare than heauen and earth and that the Word is the onely treasure that God hath left vnto them the which indeede is a hidden treasure vnknowne vnto many but knowne vnto the children of God and the onely treasure which they desire for they which doe knowe it and perceiue the true vse of it doe make such a reuerent account thereof as that they are readie to leaue all things and to seeke for it and when they haue found it they are readie likewise to loose all and to depart from all things that may hinder it which they haue and to doe all things which serue as good meanes to keepe it to the end that they may come to the full assurance and possession thereof Although I might make a diuision of this Text into two parts as first the inestimable value of the word of God and secondly the precious account that is to be made thereof yet because euery word hath his weight and the text yeeldeth a sufficient method as it lieth I will omit the diuision and come to the words as they lie Againe the kingdome of heauen c. The kingdome of heauen is taken in two diuers senses first as all men doe know it is taken for that glorious estate which the Saints and the children of God shall enioy when they shal arise with Christ Iesus and raigne after this life with God and his Angels sinne hell and death being subdued which because it is apparant vnto all men we will not stand to approue The kingdome of heauen is also taken for the entrance which Gods children haue into Gods kingdome in this world which is of two sorts partly of the meanes whereby God offereth his kingdome vnto them partly of the graces of his spirit which he offereth by the meanes For proofe that it consisteth of the graces offered by the meanes we reade that Iacob Genesis the 28. when hee saw the vision of God and the Angels ascending and descending and had the comfortable promise of saluation and of Gods continuall presence and assistance made vnto him then he awaking said Verily this is none other thing but the house of God and this is the gate of heauen And that it is of the meanes it appeareth by the 16. chapter of Matthew where our Sauiour Christ saith vnto Peter And vnto thee will I giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen-and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen And this meanes of entrance into the kingdome of heauen as it was committed vnto Peter so was it also vnto the rest of the Apostles as it ap peareth by Iohn the 21. whose sinnes saith Christ yee remit are remitted and whose sinnes yet retaine are retained And as vnto them so vnto all the true Ministers
bodily enemies to remaine eternally in the glorie of God of Christ Iesus the Spirit and the holy Angels is not this an infinite and incomprehensible ioy Wherefore men must leaue off the false ioyes of this world and the pettie ioyes of sinne and cleaue vnto this ioy and seeke after it Now euery one the greater treasure that hee findeth the more hee doth reioyce and so euerie one the neerer that hee draweth vnto saluation the more ioyfull and glad he is For the kingdome of God doth not keepe one and the same tenour in all men This ioy is not in all the children of God alike God he doth sometime hide his louing couÌtenance from them some times he giueth comfort and sometimes againe more sorrow And as wee see that the Lord sendeth sometimes wet weather and sometimes againe more faire weather sometimes he sendeth stormes tempests and boysterous weather and by and by most calme and still euen so dealeth he with his children sometime he hideth his graces from them which other sometimes he maketh apparrant vnto them And as after stormes and tempests come faire weather so after sorrowes and troubles ioyes and pleasures doe come vnto the children of God after their anguish and paines are past great calmenesse and peace of mind and quietnesse in conscience ariseth vnto them And as it is saidâ in Psalme 30. 5. The anger of the Lord endureth but a while but in his fauour is life Weeping and sorrow may abide for an euening but ioy commeth in the morning Wherefore euery one is to examine himselfe whether he hath this ioy or not for whosoeuer hath it not certainly he hath not his saluation Yet it may be that he may haue some sight of it but it was neuer hid deepely in his heart And here we are to know that there are two sorts of ioyes in receiuing the word There is a ioy in the wicked in hearing of Gods word but it hauing but a small crust of the earth to nourish it it withereth quickly away and remaineth but for a time as is shewed in this chapter in the parable of the seede which fell in hard stonie ground There is another ioy which endureth and continueth vnto the ende which although it haue many intermissions yet it doth not altogether cease but will at the length haue the victorie against all sorrow whatsoeuer The one of these is the ioy of the minde the other is the ioy of the heart The first is deceitfull the second is effectuall A man may therefore be deceiued in ioy and thinke that he hath it before hee hath found it and that there is a ioy when a man thinketh that hee hath found a treasure when hee hath not and another ioy when he knoweth indeede hee hath found it euen so is there a double ioy in the kingdome of God For there is a ioy in the hearing and knowing of this that the kingdome and graces of God are offered vnto vs It is a ioyfull thing for a man to knowe his saluation and to know that God offereth vnto him eternall life and redemption but if this ioy doe but abide and swimme as it were on the top of their braine and goe no further then is there but a crust of the earth as it were in these hearers and their stonie and hard hearts are hardened with deceitfulnesse of sinne and there is also another ioy in this when a man is assured and fully knoweth that he is saued There is a ioy of the minde when a man doth see the mysterie of his saluation there is a ioy of the heart when a man hath the experience thereof the former of these ioyes may be deceiued the other cannot The former remaineth but for a time if a man doe rest onely in the knowledge of his saluation a man can minister no true comfort vnto this man For it is one thing to know there is eternall life and another thing to know that eternall life is ordained for thee For it is one thing to know that sinnes are pardonable and another thing to know that thy sinnes are pardoned neither doth it follow that because thou seest the way to heauen that therfore thou art there Wherfore thou must know that the seate of faith is not in the braine but in the heart and that the head is not the place to keepe the promises of God but the heart is the chest to lay them vp in Therefore as the minde must be conuinced of sinne so the heart must be continually rebuked feared humbled and terrified from sinne it must be the closet wherein the word of God must be kept With the heart saith the Apostle a man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse The minde of man if it be troubled it is nothing but if his heart be troubled the trouble thereof is great Therefore as the griefe of the minde is nothing to the griefe and sorrowe of the heart so the ioy of the minde is nothing comparable to the ioy of the heart And then it is indeed a true ioy when a man hath in his heart an experience of the mercies If I can say now not I but Christ Iesus which liueth in me O this is the ioy of the heart which passeth the reach of all vnderstanding Many cannot distinguish betweene this ioy of the minde and the ioy of the heart But let such men know that a temptation may change the minde and motion of the braine but the heart and affection being roote in goodnesse it can neuer change it For although there be sorrow in thy heart in the euening and for a season yet ioy againe will come in the morning The Lord he is faithfull who hath called his and he will alwaies perfect his worke in them first in raising vp the bodie in the last day and then in ioyning it together with the soule and making both partakers of that blessednesse and glorious happinesse which is prepared for them in the kingdome of heauen THE NINTH SERMON PREACHED ON PART OF the 44. verse of the 13. Chapter according to Saint Matthew MATTH 13. vers 44. And for ioy thereof departeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field IN the former Sermon wee shewed that the kingdome of God was taken in two diuers senses as namely First for the glorious estate of Gods children after this life when they shall liue eternally with God and enioy the presence of the holie Angels triumphing ouer sinne hell death and condemnation and secondly for the entrance which Gods children haue into the kingdome of God in this world This kingdome is of two parts one of the meanes whereby God offereth his kingdome vnto them the other of the graces of the Spirit which hee offereth by the meanâs Here we are taught that none shall euer haue fruition of the ioyes of heauen but those which take possession of them in earth none shall rise againe with Christ to glorie which doth not here arise
exhortatios of the Gospell commands that which Christ is readie to giue vs and it chargeth vs not so much to do it but to beleeue that Christ by his blessed spirit will worke euery good thing in vs. For the Gospell being the Ministerie of ââfe giueth life and strength from aboue when we are dead weake The not discerning of this difference makes many good precepts fall to the ground The lawe indeede reueales sinne but the Gospell cures sinne the law woundeth and so must it do but the Gospell healeth vs which the law can neuer doe Hitherto wee haue heard thus much first wee must prouide that wee fight in Gods harnesse not with Satans weapons whether they be wit reason policie education or such like We fight against a Prince and principalitie who wants not wit knowledge ciuill gifts or any such things which things haue beene geuen euen vnto the heathen for they were wise and learned men yet many of them lay in great sinnes in idolatry some fearefully ended their liues Let not Christians then say haue I not wit reason and education beseeming a man Well so did the Philosophers and Poets and yet behold their fruits behold their ends but let vs deny reason and withstand wit for it will surely faâle in the houre of death and in the houre of temptation No gift of nature no gift of bringing vp can withstand Satan or sinne vnlesse from heauen God change vs Neither is this the sinne only of the vnregenerate but in the regenerate who still sliding to reason or ouerweying of God his power are foiled and therefore we see many ouercome who purpose to withstand yet striuing in their owne wisedome they are spoyled be their purpose neuer so great Many will say why this is a monstrous temptation I will neuer yeelde to this yet they fall This we shall see both in temptations and accusations when ââen striue and dispute with reason with so subtill a sophister so the more they striue the more they are intangled for they want strength to fight with the strong man who will not be subdued vnlesse we put on the armour of the stronger man which is Christ Iesus which armour is afterward set downe Neither is it enough to haue a peece of harnesse but we must haue all the whole armour for what is it to couer the head if the breast be bare what if the armes be armed when the back is vnharnesseâ we cannot auoid the darts which come against euery place So we must not haue one grace and want another for then Satan comes in the open place who obserues whether we want a head-peece â gauntlet a brest plate or whatsoeuer wherefore we must thinke that Satan as a politique souldier lookes not so much to the armed part as to the naked part If he seeth vs afraid of him theââ will he tempt vs to dispaire if we will not be pearced with vncleannes then he will shake ãâ¦ã s with couetousnes If he sees vs pettish and vnarmed with loue then Satan wil tempt v ãâ¦ã o anger Alas it is our weake nature to reserue one sinne or other it giues Satan aduantage we âe Heroaâan courtiers and Christians we are halfe perswaded with Agrippa to be ChristiaÌs but we must throughly be harnessed least as a dead flye corrupteth much good oyn ãâ¦ã h one sinne we defile many graces Euery one hath his familiar sinne which ãâ¦ã ur to espie as an aduersarie and to fight against as an enemie whether it bee pl ãâ¦ã r couetousnes or such like Whereas then thou seest some graces yet be hu ãâ¦ã hose which especially are wanting to thee and wherein thou art most vnarmed then pray labour for more helpe by grace in Christ Iesus But what if we haue good armour and all armour yet without vse of it we may be strangled in our armour What if wee ãâ¦ã good graces and all graces yet without experience and vse of them our soules may ãâ¦ã urthered in the midst of them Many may come to the assemblies and heare ye ãâ¦ã ey either faile in knowledge or in practise of it And sure such is a man as he is in temptation What is it to haue many precepts against anger yet be ouercome of anger What is it to haue rules against couetousnes to see the issue of it yet to be a couetous man Let vs know that it is one thing to learne to fight against Satan and another to fight against men In materiall coÌflicts there is some time of truce but with Satan there is no truce with vs but for his aduantage for him we must be armed as well in the night as in the day in outward battels winters make warre to cease we haue no quietnes neither in summer nor in winter That yee may bee able to withstand The Apostle describes our enemies If wee had to deale but with our selues or with men like to our selues or with the world wee had neede of God his power but seeing beside all these wee are to deale with all the hellish armie much more we neede this we are not only to fight against the flesh and the world but against the diuels neither must we thinke that Paul denieth in this place that wee should fight with our owne corruption but he sheweth we fight not only with ourselues and with the world but with Satan too and so that we neede more armour By two things hee describes our enemies by their might and subtiltie For their might he cals them principalities and powers This title is giuen to the diuels Rom. 8. Colloss 1. Indeede these names are giueÌ to the good Angels as Ephes. 1. Hebr. 1. so that looke what titles are giueÌ to the good Angels are giuen to the wicked spirits which except sanctification are equall in gifts to the good Angels for though these spirits haue lost their goodnes yet haue they not lost their strength and wisedome They be worldly gouernours God be blessed their gouernment reacheth not to heauen but to the world yea of the darknes of the world Thus he distinguisheth of the world as it is by creation and so God is the prince of it and as it is now by corruption and so the Diuell is the god of the world This teacheth vs wheÌ Satan shall preuaile euen ouer men liuing in ignorance and vngodlines The world was made good by creation but degenerated to euill by corruption Well we see the diuell is called the prince of the world and he saith of himselfe that all is his It is not so by creation but be the righteous iudgement of God all is in his hands to punish our sins or try our faith It followes to speake of his subtiltie in these words Against ambushments c. Euen as ambushments are vsed priuily to vndermine the enemy so by wiles Satan goeth about to trap vs. But this is larger said against spirituall wickednesses If one could see the enemie he might be
tune sometime in Herods tune sometime in the Pharisies tune and sometime in the Disciples tune in all which the diuell bereaued them of the pure vse and due consideration of Christ crucified And yet some of these would hate a Iew some would spit at a Iew some would weepe to heare the name of Christ and would pitie his death I am the longer in these things to make the iudgements of God in them profitable instructions to vs by prouoking men to thankfulnes for their deliuerance if in truth they be deliuered that is if they be not now as prophane as euer they were superstitious not forsaking but changing the sinne As for the erroneous heretiques not to speake of all let vs adde somewhat of the most pestilent family of loue who shoote as much too short at this pricke as the other shoote too farre For in speaking of the birth death and resurrection of Christ these men as fooles flying one extremitie runne post-hast into the contrary extremitie and therefore these wretches imagining to themselues a spirituall Christ are as much to be maliced as the Papists are to be pittied For after Poperie yet some cause was giuen of reioycing in that the truth of the historie was left vnto vs but these fellowes vnder a colour of not being ceremoniall but altogether desiring to be spirituall take away all from vs and yet most deceitfully will seeme to graunt all If ye demaund any thing of Christ his birth they will graunt it if ye aske whether he was borne of the seed of Dauid and of the Virgin Mary they will confesse it but as vnderstanding it after this allegorie for that Mary as they say signifieth doctrine Dauid the beloued seruice so that this is their iudgement of Christ his birth that he was borne of the doctrine of the seruice of loue In like manner they will graunt the resurrection of Christ his death and his buriall but in this sense that Christ suffereth in our suffocated nature and is crucified when sinne dieth in vs and when they suffer for the doctrine of loue and that after they haue suffered and begin to be illuminated then Christ riseth againe in them and lastly when the light of nature getteth some clearer light of iudgement then Christ is readie to come to iudgement Thus a number hauing refused the Antichristian Pope are fallen into the hands of Antichristian Atheists and hauing eschued the dregs of poperie they haue wallowed most filthily in the mire of here sie And thus much of the professed enemies Now of the not hearted friends whereof the one sort is not well aduised the other are not very faithfull friends The vnaduised friends vnder a pretence of knowing nothing but Christ condemne all humane learning arts and sciences all manuall professions and these men though as yet they are not plunged in heresie yet without the speciall grace of God preuenting them are in the high way as readie to be trained vp to heresie and thus being ouer wise and ouer iust they cannot in truth reioyce in the crosse of Christ. The vnfaithfull friends being both protestants and professors though they be no plaine atheists but giue some countenance to the Gospell do neither chiefely reioyce in Christ nor truly sorrow for their sinnes which notwithstanding are so great as neither the vertue of Christ his death nor the power of his resurrection appeareth in their liues or in their deaths and these men be either by degrees tending to prophane atheisme or they are brought vp to be superstitious Papists and grosse heretiques Contrary to all these professed enemies and not heartie friends are they who so truly meditate on Christ his birth death and resurrection as they chiefely mourning for their sinnes thinke this the greatest knowledge to know Christ crucified and count this their highest ioy to reioyce in the crosse of Christ by which knowledge not of any spirituall and imagined Christ by which ioy not in ceremonie or superstition they labour to crucifie the world not to forsake or vtterly to neglect the necessarie things of this life they endeuour to restraine not to destroy their flesh finally to become new creatures and yet not here to liue likâ Angels Thus we see how requisite this treatise will be both that we may be deliuered from the Papists superstitioÌs from the monstrous conceits of Heretikes from the sinister meditation of vnaduised persons and the carnall consideration of worldly professors as also by it to come to some sound fruite of Christ his death and from the fruite feeling to engender faith that from true faith may spring true loue and from our loue may grow true practise Now to come to the words of our Apostle Be it farre from me He here sheweth how his choise came of a setled purpose and that in respect of this whereof he had made a sound and speciall choise aboue the rest he abhorred and vily esteemed all other things And this vehement phrase of speech is vsed of the Apostle in things which rather are to be detested than to be disputed against as Rom. 3. 4. when Paul abhorreth the blasphemie against the grace of God in that the vnbeliefe of a few should disanull the beliefe of many he crieth out God forbid And when he would shew his heartie hatred to the accusers of the righteousnes of God Rom. 3. he saith God forbid As also in the end of the same chapter the Apostle more vehemently meeting with the obiection of theÌ who say in that iustification came of faith would liue as they listed and would make the law of God of no purpose saith Be it farre from me Likewise Rom. 2. abhorring them that would willingly diuorce holinesse of life from iustification and remaine in sinne that Christ his grace may abound he breaketh out God forbid Thus then the holy Ghost vseth this phrase when either he sheweth some thing thoroughly to be hated or speaketh of some thing principally to be chosen and preferred And the Apostles meaning in chusing aboue all to reioyce in Christ crucified and in mourning for nothing more than for that which hindreth the crosse of Christ is nothing else but to declare that whosoeuer doth reioyce in any thing more than in Christ crucified he freeth himselfe from all the things that are in Christ and as yet he cannot assure himselfe to belong to Christ as also he sheweth what a necessarie reioycing this is in that there is no comfort in saluation no marke of Gods childe in him who either reioyceth not in this or at the least longeth for it That I should reioyce Marke he saith not Be it farre from me that I should vse thinke speake or doe any thing but the crosse of Christ but he wisheth that his affection should not principally be tied to any thing but to Christ. Neither must we from hence vnfitly gather that we should not eate drinke apparell ourselues marrie or walke in some honest trade of life but this
and no condemnation to them that beleeue in Christ and teacheth that we must be crucified to the world and become new creatures though he doth not all other things perfitly and absolutely yet keeping this foundation hee shall finde mercie But if a man destroy the Temple of God that is labour more about the establishing of ceremonies and maintaining of errours than hee doth to maintaine and establish the power of the Gospell the Lord will surely destroy him As then we dare not say that a man purely preaching Christ crucified though he faile in some smaller points of discipline shall be damned so we affirme that a man maintaining corruptions and nothing labouring to preach the crosse of Christ and neglecting the doctrine of being crucified to the world and of becomming a new creature is to feare least that if hee repent not the Lord destroy him For if they destroy the Temple of God that is the people of God by not teaching the truth and by keeping out from entring into the truth not only themselues but others the Lord will vndoubtedly destroy such This place maketh much also for our comfort against heresie and poperie because as God promiseth peace and mercie to them that preach and embrace the doctrine of our saluation by Christ so hee threatneth on the contrarie his curse and vengeance both to the preachers and followers of the contrarie doctrine howsoeuer they hope for a day or coÌtemne the flocke of Christ. For the same God that made the Israelites a valiant people in pursuing their enemies so long as they continued in the rule he had appointed them brought them low and made them flie before their enemies when they forsooke this rule so as one chased tenne of them and tenne put to flight an hundred of them Let vs boldly then both preach and receiue this doctrine of Christ and not feare any corrupt Teachers whatsoeuer seeing their supposed felicitie shall be accursed and our supposed miserie shall be blessed Which curse manifestly appeareth in many Papists this day that become rebels traitors and murtherers as also in heretikes who are become mad and frantick the Lord watching ouer them for euill and not for good And vpon the Israel of God Heere with the Preachers the Apostle ioyneth the people of God shewing that they that willingly heare and carefully imbrace the doctrine That by the law we are condemned for sinne and by the Gospell wee are saued through faith in Christ and therfore from henceforth endeuour to haue this world crucified vnto vs and vs to be crucified to the world and to become new creatures shall also be saued and finde mercie and peace Israel properly signifieth one that preuaileth with God Now because there was Israell in the flesh which many did boast of hee heere speaketh of the Israell in the spirit as he speaketh of the Iewes Rom. 2. and therefore calleth it the Israel of God making a distinction betweene that counterfeit Israell resting in the ceremonie and outward title of the name and that true Israell whose praise is of God and not of men Before the Iewes tooke the whole priuiledge of the couenant of God but now the Gentiles also are contained in the couenant because all ceremonies abolished there is one shepheard and one sheepesold This promise then belongeth no more to all professors than to all preachers but to them alone which are truly called to be the true Israel of God Whereby we are to learne that all Christians shall not obtaine mercie and peace but the Christians of God that is true Christians in life doctrine Wherefore all counterfeit Christians are to feare their estate can they neuer so well say their catechisme were they neuer so well baptized or confirmed were they neuer so often comming to the Church to heare the word receiue the sacrament Now if Israel the beloued of God not reioicing in the crosse of Christ not being crucified to the world not being a newe creature shall not finde mercie and peace what comfort are wee to looke for being Gentiles wanting the same things And yet we must remember the consolation aboue named that though Christians be in some points infants in doctrine iudgement life and conuersation yet if they carefully hold the foundation and build thereupon a godlie life in trueth and sinceritie though in some weakenes infirmitie and imperfection they shall obtaine mercie and peace in the ende The truth of this promise and sure wrath of God on the wicked may appeare to vs both in the life and in the death of the true and counterfeit Christians in seeing what mercy and peace appeareth in the one what anguish and impatience breaketh foorth in the other The deare Martyrs of God neither were afraid of death on the one side but reioyced in that they were made worthie to suffer for the truth neither senselesse and blockish as feeling no paine on the other side The learned heretikes which would seeme to suffer either yeelded being ouercome with the paine or else died like stocks stones being halfe dead before they came to be executed As for others that haue died in their beds the Lord hath giuen a manifest distinction betweene the true prophets false teachers betweene christian professors and obstinate Papists The children of God euer haue laboured to make confession of their faith to make knowne their hope to witnesse their abundant ioy at their departure neither ouercome with immoderate feare neither sincking downe in too much blockishnes the other haue died some desperately without hope some presumptuously without true faith some murmuringly without all ioy FINIS THE FOVRTH PART OF THE WORKES OF THE REVEREND AND FAITHFVL SERVANT OF IESVS CHRIST MAISTER RICHARD GREENHAM MINISTER AND PREACHER OF the Word of GOD containing an Exposition of the 119. Psalme found vnperfect amongst other writings of Maister GREENHAMS and perfected by Robert Hill Doctor in Diuinitie whose obseruations may be knowne by this marke ¶ VVHEREVNTO ARE ADIOYNED OTHER Meditations vpon certaine parts of the Scripture the Titles whereof appeare in the next page following VERITAS VIRESSIT VVLNERE TC AT LONDON Imprinted by Thomas Creede for William Welbie and are to be solde at his shoppe in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Swanne 1611. THE MEDITATIONS CONTAINED IN THE FOVRTH part are these hereafter following 1 AN exposition of the 119. PSALME 2 Meditations on PROV 4. from verse 13. to 24. 3 Meditations on PROV 14. vers 5. 6. 7. 4 The summe of the Epistle to the HEBRVES 5 A briefe summe of ECCLESIASTES TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE IOHN LORDE STANHOP BARON OF HARINGTON VICECHAMberlaine to the Kings most excellent Maiestie and one of his Honorable priuie Councell Grace and Peace RIght Honourable Though Diuinitie as an Hand-maide attende all other callings and by reason of her pouertie serues manie Masters yet if shee were esteemed according to her worth shee were worthie to become a Mistresse to the most Her Conception is Celestiall her
one man cannot possiblie fill the vnlimited desire of the soule So vnquenchable is the thirst of mans soule vntill it bathe it selfe in the riuer of life and in the vnmeasurable Ocean of goodnes and wisedome Secondly they cannot secure the conscience distressed with the apprehension of the wrath of God or preuent his iudgements as wee may see in Nebucadnezzar Dan. 4. and his sonne Belshazzar Dan. 5. vers 6. and Prophecied of Zeph 1. 17. 18. Ezech 7. 19. Obad 4. When our sinnes are ripe and readie to take the flame of Gods fierie indignation then neither the wedge of golde nor the height of place can priuiledge or protect vs. Lastly they cannot stretch themselues to eternitie they all can bring vs no further then our death bed then are they vtterly disappointed of their weake imaginarie sweetnes and are wholly turned into wounds and wormewood into gall and vexation They leaue indeed a sting in the conscience that neuer dies but themselues die all at our deaths and lie downe with vs in the graue Iob 20. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9 10. c. But to come to the blessed man indeede in that when the Prophet would make knowne vnto all the world who are in the happiest estate and in the highest place of account with God he describeth setteth them forth by this property that they are sincere in heart and vpright in life and conuersation in a word such as truely feare the Lord. The point hence to be noted in generall is this that Grace and Religion is the way to all blessednesse This doctrine the Psalmist confirmeth vnto vs in sundry other places as Psalme 1. and 112. c. In the former whereof he declareth who is a man truely religious to wit he that escheweth ill counsels and sinfull practises and on the other side embraceth and delighteth in goodnesse and godlinesse and in the meanes of obtaining and increasing the same and then he pronounceth such a man blessed Blessed saith he is the man that doth âct walke in the counsell of the wicked nor stand in the way of sinners c. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law will he meditate day and night And to the same effect is that in the other Psalme before named Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and delighteth greatly in his commandements c. Throughout which Psalme we may obserue as the true and certaine notes of a righteous man so also his priuiledges which are very many and very great both in regard of himselfe and of his posteritie which shall speed the better for his sake Notable likewise is that place of Deuteromonie where the Lord speaketh vnto his Church in this manner Blessed art thou ô Israel who is like any â thee ô people saued by the Lord the shield of thy helpe and the sword of thy glorie which speech is not to be vnderstood as pertaining only to that nation but as belonging to all that are the ââue Israel of God and that serue him with an vpright and faithfull heart Now what saith he of them Who is like vnto thee O Israel Why if they should haue looked to outward things they might haue answered the Egyptians the Edomites Assyrians nay the very Canaauites themselues are like vnto vs yea farre beyond vs for at that time when this was spoken they were in the wildernesse trauelling towards the promised land and what great matters had they then Moses who was the best of them had not a house to rest his head in none of them could say this is my ground there is my corne thus large are my reuenews by the yeare c. but they were all tenants at will at a daies or at an houres warning or lesse euen as Gods pleasure was yet the Lord maketh a challenge against all the world Who is like vnto thee ô people saued by the Lord meaning indeed that no nation vnder heauen was comparable vnto them in regard of the wonderfull things that God had wrought for them and in regard of those heauenly prerogatiues which he had vouchsafed vnto them the meanest hewer of wood or drawer of water amongst them was to be preferred before the mightiest Monarch in the world and that may be said of all true Christians which was spoken of them Who is like vnto thee O people saued by the Lord The truth of this will more euidently appeare if we well weigh the things that follow Namely 1. What miserie grace doth free vs from 2. What good things it maketh vs to enjoy 1. In this life 1. Estimation 2. Safetie 3. Comfort 2. In the life to come all manner of happinesse 1. First therefore that wee may see what miserie it frees vs from wee must consider that men naturally are the children of wrath vnder the curse and malediction of God subiect to horrible vexations and terrors all their life long they liue in feare of death and of such iudgements as are forerunners of death their table is a snare and their prosperitie their ruine their aduersitie is imbittered and their callings accursed and in a word nothing maketh them better but euery thing a great deale worse all being infected and poysoned vnto them by their owne sinnes and Gods fearefull vengeance vpon the same If they liue it is to the increase of their damnation if they die they goe to take present possession of destruction if they refuse to eate and drinke they are murderers of themselues if they doe eate and drinke they are vsurpers of that which is none of their owne If they come not to the Word and Sacrament they are contemners of Gods ordinances if they doe come they are profaners of the same and so shal be further hardened to their finall perdition and is not this a wretched case Though for their apparell they were cloathed as Salomon in the midst of his royalty though their Robes were as rich as was Aarons Ephod or breast-plate or the most costliest parts of his garments all were of no worth without grace though they fed on the daintiest dishes and did eate Angels foode as the Israelites are saide to doe yet if they be sinfull and rebellious they shall perish as Corah Dathan and Akiron and manie other of them did Though their habitations were as sumptuous delightfull as Paradice was yet they could haue no more comfort therein then Adam had when he had once broken the commaundement of GOD in eating of the forbidden fruite Notwithstanding all things remaining in their excellencie as before yet hee was surprized with the terrours and feares of a guiltie conscience and could take no pleasure in the goodly riuers in the pleasant fruites in the varietie of all the creatures that were in the garden of Eden c. but hee was faine to flie from Gods presence and to hide himselfe among the Trees of the garden And last of all though their dignitie were neuer so great their
part of their worth but as for this it is both precious and rare There are but a very few selected ones that the Lord hath singled out to bee partakers of the life of Grace and to be afterwards Heires of the Kingdome of Glorie which maketh it to bee a gifte of farre greater estimation 3. Lastlie if it were both deare and rare yet if it were to bee enioyed but a while it were the lesse to bee regarded Therefore this addition there is vnto the happinesse of this estate that it is also durable yea Euerlasting And whereas all worldhe Excellencie and all Earthly promotions are Temporarie and vanishing So that a man may bee very high this day and as lowe ere the morrowe and none can be happy in possessing those things through the losse whereof he may so quickly become miserable it is otherwise with them that are in the state of grace for that neuer falleth once a Christian euer a ChristiaÌ as the Lords purposâ changeth not so neither doth our condition change âut if we haue begun in grace wee shall end in glory that neuer shall haue ende Psal. 16 11. Dan. 12. 2. Is it so that Religion and true piety is the ready way to the highest aduancement then hence let vs learne to set our hearts chiefly therevpon and aboue all the treasures in the world principally to affect that We account it good husbandry in the first place to sâeke after those things that will doe vs most good if siluer be offered we will preferre it before brasse if gold be offered we wil take it rather than siluer Now concerning this heauenly wisedome it is saide Receiue mine instruction and not siluer and knowledge rather then fine gold For wisedome is better then precious stones and all treasures are not to bâe compared vnto her And this should encourage vs rather to vse all industrie for the obtaining of this bleââed estate because it is a thing haue-able It were in vaine for a base person to sue to be a King a Duke or a Lord none almost is so foolish as to seeke for such preferments because they knowe it would bee but lost labour But there is not the meanest seruant slaue or bondman but may attaine to this spirituall dignitie which is farre beyond all aduancement that the kingdome of this world can possibly yeeld He that can pray heare meditate conferre and iudge himselfe in secret before hee commeth to the Sacrament and with all good care and conscionable respect vse all Gods ordinances for the obtaining of faith and other graces which doe euer accompanie the same shall bee sure of good and happie successe for the Lord will bee sound of those that seeke him with a true heart therefore let vs not so cast our eyes on earthly commodities as that in the meane time wee neglect this pearle of price and this inestimable Iewell that will so exceedingly enrich vs. The Apostle telleth vs that those that runne in a race for a prize though it be but a garland that is set vp so that they can gaine onely some small credit of their agility and nimblenesse in ouâ running one another yet they will put off all that might clogge and hinder them in their race but especially if they should runne for a crowne of gold neither will they bee so foolish as to stoope downe to take vp euery pinne or point that lieth in the way and yet they runne but at an vncertaintie when they haue done their best another may carry away both the honour and commodity from them and certaine it is that but one alone can winne the prize and euen hee also though he haue the applause at one time may goe away with the disgrace at another or if his credit doe continue all his life time yet death will take it away at last From all which the Apostle would haue vs drawe this conclusion that if such kinde of persons notwithstanding all that hath been saide will so bestirre themselues and seeke to acquit themselues euery way like men then much more ought wee to put our selues to it and with all alacrity runne the race that is set before vs sith wee runne not at an vncertainty but are sure to obtaine the crowne oâe shall not preuent nor depriue another but all shall vndoubtedly get that which they doe expect and especially seeing that withal we striue for an incorruptible crowne and shal attaine vnto not a fading and vanishing but an abiding and euerlasting dignity O but will some say if wee bestow our pâânâs and endeuours so much about spirituall things in the meane time wee shall neglect those earthly things that are needfull and so bring our selues to pouerty Nây not so prouision for our euerlasting estate doth neuer impaire our present estate for g ãâ¦ã th the promises of this life and of that which is to come and thereby shall all matters be blessed vnto vs. Haue we inheritance wealth reputation dignity c. This will assure vs that wee haue a good tiâe vnto all and season and sweeten all that euery one of them shall bee comfortable and profitable vnto vs making it cleare vnto our hearts and consciences that the Lord sendeth them in mercie as pledges of greater mââters that hee mindeth to bestow vpon vs. Haue wee not these outward things Godlinesse will make a supply in stead of all for that is great gaine with contentment in comparison of which all the promises of contentednesse that other thinges make vnto vs will bee found to bee but meere illusions because it certifieth our soules that God will prouide sufficiently for vs which perswasion alone is able to stay the restlesse and vnsetled mindes of the sonnes of men from pursuing after the vnprofitable deceitfull and lying vanities of this present euill world Seeing religion is such an incomparable treasure it should instruct vs in the second place to haue the meanes in due estimation whereby we may be made truly religious by which our mindes that are blinde may be inlightned our hearts of crooked may be made straight of proude may bee made humble and of fraudulent may be made true and faithfull And those meanes are the Word the Sacrament Prayer and the like which are the steps whereby wee must ascend vnto this honourable estate for it is as possible for men to make staires to climbe vp vnto the sky as for vs without these to ascend vnto heauen by any deuises of our owne framing The word is the key that must open hell gates to set vs at libertie from the bonds of sinne of Sathan and of death and to vnlocke heauen gates that wee may haue entrance into glory in which respect it is that Christ saith vnto Peter that hee would giue vnto him and consequently to all Ministers of the Gospell the keyes of the kingdome of heauen that is the dispensation of the word which maketh the way vnto
thou forsaken me this was the complaint of Gedeon Did not the Lord bring vs out of Egipt but now the Lord hath forsakeÌ vs deliuered vs into the hands of the Midianites Iudg. 6. 13. M. Robert Glouer martyr at Couentrie after hee was condeÌned by the Bishop was now at point to be deliuered out of the world it so happened that two or three dayes before his death his heart beeing lumpish and desolate of all spirituall consolation felt in himselfe no aptnesse nor willingnesse but rather a heauinesse and dulnesse of spirit full of much discomfort to beare the bitter crosse of Martyrdome readie now to bee laide vpon him wherevpon hee fearing in himselfe least the Lord had withdrawn his wonted fauour from him made his moane to one Austine his deere friend signifying vnto him how earnestly he had prayed day and night vnto the LORD GOD and yet could receiue no motion nor sense of any comfort from him vnto whome they saide Austine answered againe willing him patiently to waite the Lords pleasure howsoeuer his present feeling was yet seeing his cause was iust and true he exhorted him constaÌntly to sticke to the same to play the maÌ nothing doubting but the Lord in his good time would visite him and satisfie his desire with plentie of consolation c. The next day when the time came of the Martyrdome as he was going to the place and was now come to the sight of the stake although all the night before praying for strength and courage he could feele none suddainly he was so replenished with the holy Ghost that he cryed out clapping with his hands to Austine and saying with these words Austine he is come he is come c. and that with such ioy and alacritie as one seeming rather to be risen from some deadly danger to liberty of life then as one passing out of the world by any paines of death Desertion in sinne is when God withdrawing the assistance of his spirit a man is left to fall into some actuall and grieuous sinne And for all this no man is to thinke that God is the authour of sinne but onely man that falleth and Sathan A resemblance of this truth we may see in a staffe which if a man shall take and set vpright vpon the ground so long as he holds it with his hand it stands vpright but so soone as he withdrawes his hand though he neuer push it downe it fals of it selfe In this desertion was the good King Hezekiah of whom the holy Ghost speaketh thus Hezekiah prospered in all his waies therefore dealing with the Ambassadours of the Princes of Babel which sent to him to inquire of the wonder which was done in the Land God left him namely to the pride of his heart to exalt himselfe in tempting him that he might trie out all that was in his heart To this place appertaine Noahs drunkennesse Dauids adulterie Peters deniall of Christ. The reason of such desertions may be this If a patient shall be grieuously sicke the Physition will vse all manner of meanes that can be deuised to recouer him and if he once come to a desperate case the physition rather then he will not restore him will imploy all his skill he will take poyson and so temper it and against the nature thereof he will make a soueraigne remedie to recouer health The elect children of God are diseased with an inward hidden and spirituall pride whereby they affect themselues and desire to be something in themselueâ foââh of Christ and this sinne is very dangerous first because when other sinnes die in a man this secret pride gets strength for Gods grace is the matter of pride in such wise that a man will be proud because he is not proude for example if any shall be tempted of the diuell to some proud behauiour and by Gods grace get the victorie then the heart thus thinketh Oh thou hast done well thou hast foiled the enemie neither pride nor any other sinne can preuaile against thee such and such could neuer haue done so and a very good man shall hardly be free from such kind of motions in this life Secondly there is no greater enemie to faith then pride is for it poysoneth the heart and maketh it vncapable of that grace so long as it beareth any sway for he that will beleeue in Christ must be annihilated that is he must be brused and battered to a flat nothing in regard of any liking or affection to himselfe that he may in spirit mount vp to heauen where Christ sits at the right hand of the Father and as it were with both the hands of faith graspe him with all his blessed merits that he may be wisedome righteousnesse sanctification redemption life good workes and whatsoeuer good thing he is neither in nor by nor for himselfe but euery way forth of himselfe in Christ. Now this blessed condition of a beleeuing heart by naturall selfe-loue selfe-liking is greatly hindered God therefore in great mercy to remedie this dangerous corruption lets his elect seruants fal into trouble of minde conscience if they happily be of greater hardnesse of heart into some actuall sin so declaring his wonderfull mercy in sauing them he is faine against his mercy to bring them to his mercy and by sin to saue them from sin By this means the Lord who can bring light out of darknesse makes a remedy of sin to slay pride that inuisible moÌster of many heads which would slay the soule Though this be so yet none must hereupon venter to coÌmit any sin against Gods commandemeÌts least in so doing they cast away their soules For the godly man though he fal into sin yet it is against his purpose and it makes his hart to bleed the course of his life shall be alwaies vpright and pleasing vnto God because he is led by the spirit of God The ends for which God vseth desertions are three the first is the chastisement of sins past in the former part of mans life that he may search them out coÌsider them he hearâily sorrowfull for them for this end was Iobs triall Thou writest saith he bitter things against me and makest me to possesse the sinnes of my youth The second end is that God may make triall of the present estate of his seruants not that he is ignorant what is in man but because he would haue all men know themselues To this effect saith Moses And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God lead thee in the wildernesse for to humble thee and to prooue thee to know what was in thine heart whether thou wouldest keepe his commandements or no. This also was the end why the Lord left Ezechias to prooue and trie what was in his heart The triall by desertion serueth for two purposes for other whiles the Lord vseth it for the manifestation of some hidden sinne that the godly may
be deepelier humbled and âraue more earnestly the pardon of that and other sins For as the beggar is alwaies mending and peecing his garment where he findes a breach so the penitent beleeuing hart must alwaies be exercised in repairing it selfe where it findes a want Againe oft times this triall serues to quicken and reuiue the hidden graces of the heart that men may be thankfull for them and feele an increase of them in the heart The good husbaÌd man cuts the braunches of the Vine not that he hath a purpose to destroy theÌ but to make them beare more fruit In the Canticles wheÌ Christ left his spouse then she riseth out of her bed she opens the dore her hands drop myrrhe on the barre of the doore then further she seekes and cals for him and praiseth him more then euer before Dauid testifieth the like of himselfe In my prosperitie I said I shall neuer be mooued c. but thou didst hide thy face I was troubled TheÌ cried I to thee O Lord prayed to my Lord. Lastly men that liue in the Church being for a time left of God become so impeniteÌt as that they must be giuen vp to Satan yet for no other cause but that the flesh may be killed and the spirit made aliue in the day of the Lord. The third end is the preuenting of sin to come This appeareth in Paul Least saith he I should be exalted out of measure through the aboundance of reuelations there was giuen vnto me a pricke in the flesh the messenger of Sathan to buffet me because I should not be exalted out of measure In the former times when the Lord among many other had set out Craââer for the maintenance of his blessed truth against his Gods enemies he left him for a while to fall from his religion to make a dangerous recantation but so as therby he preuented many sins and prepared him to a glorious martyrdome As some of his owne words may testifie which he spake a little before his ende And now saith he I come to the great thing that so much troubleth my conscience more then any thing that euer I did or said in all my life that is the setting abroad of a writing contrary to the truth which now here I renounce as things written with my hand contrary to the truth which I thought in my heart that for feare of death to saue my life c. And for as much as my hand offended writing contrary to my heart my hand shall be first punished therfore for may I come to the fire it shall be first burned Answerably wheÌ he was at the fire first he burnt his right hand which subscribed his body suffered the flame with such constancie and steadfastnes as he neuer almost mooued his eyes lift vp to heauen often he repeated his vnworthie right hand Thus death which he most feared he most desired that he might take reuenge of himselfe for his sinne The vse that all good Christian hearts are to make of these desertions is manifold First if they haue outward rest and walke in the feare of God and be filled with the ioy of the holy Ghost let them not be high minded but feare least a forsaking follow Secondly if in any temptation they iudge themselues forsaken let them coÌsider this wonderfull worke of spirituall desertions which God exerciseth vpon his owne childreÌ very vsually then it may please the Lord they shal find it to be restoratiue against many a quame and swound of spirit conscience into which otherwise they would certainly fall Thirdly seeing God for their triall doth often withdraw himselfe from them let them again draw neere to God presse vnto him euen as a man that shiuers of an ague is always creeping to the fire If it be demanded how a man should come neere G O D the answer is by the vse of his word and praier For by his word he speakes to thee by prayer thou speakest to him Lastly seeing by desertions God will take experience of his seruants let euery man triâ and search his waies and euer bâ turning his feete to the waies of Gods commândements let him indeuour to keepe a good conscience before God and before all men that so he may with Dauid say Iudge me O Lord for I haue walked in mine innocencie my trust hath beene alwaies in the Lord I shall not sâide prooue me O Lord and trie me examine my raines and my heart Vers. 9. Wherewithall shall a young man redresse his waies in taking heede thereto according to thy word FIrst of all be perswaded that the word of God is that onely rule whereby the whole life of euerie man and that in euerie thing must be ordered euen the life of a young man who hath most reasons for himselfe why hee should bee excused as he is most disordered Vers. 10. With mine whole heart haue I sought thee let mee not wander from thy commaundements THen vpon this perswasion giue your selfe vnfainedly to the reading and heating of God his word as the meanes whereby God hath appointed to teach you and pray to God in the carefull vse of those meanes for his holy spirit that thereby you might come to the true vnderstanding of his word Vers. 11. I haue hid thy promise in mine heart that I might not sinne against thee THat which you haue thus learned let it not onely swimme aloft in your braine but let it be deeply setled and grauen in your heart as a treasure labouring to frame all your affections according to it otherwise if thou knowe neâer so much it will notkeepe you from sinning against God Vers. 12. Blessed art thou O Lord teach me thy statutes YOu thus profiting giue thankes to God alwaies for that which you haue learned be it neuer so little it is more than many in the world doe know yet content not yourselfe with it as though you had sufficient but pray vnto him to be further inlightned because it is lesse than many other doe and yourselfe ought to know Vers. 13. With my lips haue I declared all the iudgements of thy mouth BVt aboue all be careful to talke of that to others which you do daily learne yourselfe and out of the abundance of your heart speake of good things vnto men Vers. 14. I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all riches THat you may doe all these things labour to haue a ioy in the word and in all the exercises of it more than in any worldly thing and to be occupied in these things with greatest delight for in what soeuer we take greatest delight that will stick fastest in vs. Vers. 15. I will meditate in thy precepts and consider thy waies LAst of all meditate and consider of that with yourselfe which you haue learned and muse vpon it alone not contenting yourselfe with the generall rules but labouring in
your conscience to make the vse of them profitable to yourselfe in the particular practise thereof Vers. 16. I will delight in thy statutes and I will not forget thy word THus doing all these things carefully you shall surely neuer forget that which you learne for though you doe not remember euery thing yet God wil by his spirit cal so much especially into your remeÌbrance as is needful for you to know theÌ especiÌally when you haue most neede of it as in the houre of death and in the day of temptation but as you faile in all or in any of these so may you feare to faile in the truth of them Nicolas Bownde D. of diuinitie Preacher of Gods word at Norton in Suffolke PORTION 3. GIMEL Vers. 17. Be beneficiall vnto thy seruant that I may liue and keepe thy word THe Prophet desireth life where he teacheth why meÌ should desire to liue that is that they might keepe Gods word for life is common to them with beasts and plants and yet all desire to liue some for one ende some for another but Gods child maketh this the end that hee might keepe Gods word And in that he ioyneth these together hee signifieth that his life without it is no life as in the 4. part vers 11. where he counteth himselfe dead vnlesse he finde a readines to obey Gods will A widow liuing in pleasure is dead whilest she liueth and this is to be vnderstood of all that liue in any sinne And this if all they considered which are not ioyned to Christ it would amaze them for though this appeare not now yet at the last day it shall appeare This cannot be perswaded to the carnall man but to vs that haue the knowledge of God it ought to be certaine and we must trie our hearts whether this be our desire to liue that we may keepe Gods word Many men doe speake this and sing this yet fewe in heart doe this therefore if we be thus minded wee must shewe it by referring all our doings to Gods glory which we shall then do when we measure all our doings by the word Therefore Paul Rom. 4. and Phil 2. desireth not life but that he may be ioyned to Christ. All other religion is of no effect till this principall end be in our hearts for no man can haue two ends of his life as to come to preferment and to be saued but this must be onely the end that we might be ioyned to Christ. He desireth not to know but to keepe which presupposeth knowledge wee are here then prouoked to practise and not to rest in knowledge but to labour to doe that we know And this is the cause why they of the olde Testament desired longer life that they might finish that onely which they had to doe at such time as they felt some signes of Gods displeasure and had not sufficiently tasted of Gods fauour so we if we cannot finde assurance of the forgiuenes of sinnes then let vs desire to liue but when we are come to this that with Paul we can say I haue finished my course with ioy then will the children of God be readie to dye Many there be that haue neither care of life nor death and although they feele and see signes of Gods displeasure yet they are not moued but the children of God knowe that it is better to be a liuing dogge than a dead lyon And seeing by their euill life they haue dishonoured God they would be ioyfull to purchase some praise to him by their holy conuersation He knoweth his great vnhabilitie to doe good and therefore desireth it of God It is not in our choyse to doe good or cuill for then this prayer had been in vaine hee knew that this was not in him to keepe Gods word and therefore in the next verse he desireth that his eyes might be opened wher he acknowledgeth that he had not so much as the knowledge of Gods word in himselfe therefore he was far from yeelding such obedience therevnto as the Lord requireth He desireth now to vnderstand which goeth before practise and is lesser than it and yet it is the meanes to come to practise And if we cannot vnderstand it without special grace then much lesse can we practise it Many of vs in iudgement doe hate Papists yet in practise we are such seeing wee doe many things without prayer and the knowledge of Gods word Knowledge goeth before practise and therefore many in vaine doe say that they keepe the word when they labour not to know it Vers. 18. Open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law IN the former verse hee shewed that hee could not keepe the word without Gods grace now he sheweth that he cannot know it vnlesse the Lord open our eyes this is the want that is in all men but flesh and blood shall not reueale this and Paul saith that it was hid from the Princes of the world which must serue to humble all flesh and to stirre vs vp to pray to the Lord when we come to reade it otherwise wee shall reade and not vnderstand it because wonderfull things are contained therein therefore when wee see the wonderfulnes of this law this is one degree of profiting because the ignorant thinke they haue knowledge enough Dauid well instructed in the word yet made this prayer to teach vs that wee must goe daily forward for we know but by degrees and ignorance is mixed therewith therefore many continuing long fall in the end away which may teach vs to pray that he would not leade vs into this temptation that we should thinke we haue knowledge enough This is the cause why many fal into errors because that they resting in that which they haue conceiued in their owne braine and haue heard or learned of others in the meane while neuer looking to bee taught by Gods spirit when they see their teachers fall away then doe they fall away also because their ground is gone So many therefore as loue to abide stedfast in the truth and neuer to be remoued there from let them neuer rest neither in that they conceiue of themselues neither in the wordes and doctrine of men but let them alwaies by prayer craue that the Lord by his spirit may instruct them this if they doe the Lord will not turne them away emptie but will so season their hearts by his spirit that though a thousand fall away on the one side and ten thousand on the other yet shall they continue stedfast to the end The cause why we haue so great need to pray is set downe when hee calleth the things contained in the word wonders And surely if iniquitie be a mysterie as the Apostle calleth it then much more is the law of God Yet so it is not vnto al for the Prophet in this Psalme saith that the very entrance into Gods word giueth light to the simple And Psal. 88. when hee had called the
when as they that trust in lying vanities doe forsake their owne mercie Ionah 2. 10. And graunt me graciously thy word He boasteth not on his owne merits but desireth all for Gods goodnes and till it please God to make vs rest in his word and in that alone we shall be carried about with euery blast of new doctrine runne a whoring after our own inuentions and neuer be guided in any good way ¶ Vers. 30. I haue chosen the way of truth and thy iudgements haue I layde before mee THough the Prophet prayed in the former verse against the way of falshood and lying yet it seemeth that by the spirit of God hee had made choyce of a good way for here hee protesteth that for his part hee had chosen the way of trueth and laide before himselfe the waye of Gods iudgements God layde before him two wayes the one straite the other wide the one of life the other of death the one of lying the other of truth which doth hee choose the waye of trueth that is that path which leadeth to trueth and wel-doing and in one word to him who is the way the truth and the life But how comes it that hee makes this choyce is it in the power of his free-will nothing lesse no man can come vnlesse he be drawn walke vnlesse he be directed runne vnlesse he bee enlarged or choose this waye vnlesse hee bee guided by the worke of Gods spirit without which we can doe nothing I haue chosen why then should not wee chuse it surely hee maketh this confession both to stirre vp others by his example and to testifie his resolution that though hee were in danger for this choyce and had fewe companions yet hee for his part would neuer seeke out any other way as Ios. 24. 15. Ioh. 6. 67. 68. 69. The way of truth thus he stâleth the word of God which alone shewes man the waye by which hee may walke safely and vprightlie But before a man can bee set in this way hee hath many seducements offered vnto him to drawe him into by paths It seemeth that Dauid ouercame them all made Gods word that Ariâdnes threed by which he passed through all sorts of Labyrinths If wee intend to make choyce of any other waye doubt not but we shall haue counsellors enough but this is the waye chuse it And thy iudgements haue I laide before me 1. Thy word according to which thou wilt pronounce sentence that haue I saide before mee it is euer in my sight it is my counsellor my comforter my guide and gouernour O happie Dauid if thou hadst euer done so then hadst thou not fallen either by pride of heart in numbring the people or vncleanesse of life with the spouse of Vriah Hence springs all impietie that we laye not GODS iudgements before vs. ¶ Vers. 31. I haue cleaued to thy testimonies O Lord confound me noâ IF euer good man had occasion by crosses to forsake his profession and hold of pietie Dauid had neuer was man more beloued of God yet neuer was man so molested by men remember his troubles and his truth will appeare Did hee now forsake his standing abandon his generall or start aside like a broken bowe no he did not In the Lord was his delight in Gods word was his comfort He did cleaue so fast vnto the word of God in which his will is testified to man that no trouble could make him to forgoe his hold Mee thinkes I may bring in heere Paul speaking as Dauid doth Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or naked ââsse or perill or sworde As it is written for thy sake are we killed all the day long wee are counted as sheepe for the slaughter Neuerthelesse in all these things we are more then conquerers through him thât loued vs. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come Nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bâe able to seperate vs from the loue of GOD which is in CHRIST IESVS our LORDE Rom. 8. 35. c. Confounde mee not If I cleaue not to thy testimonies thou wilt confounde mee as all they are who start aside from thee if I cleaue vnto thy testimonies men will confounde mee O LORDE suffer mee not to bee confounded by them or to doe that whereby I may be ashamed either before thee or before any man Thus Dauid fearing that by daily accidents his faith and profession might be shaken and he should in the ende become a scorne to his enemies as who more scorned then the most godly desireth that he might haue as he had trusted such good successe that vpon none occasion that hold which he had laide vpon Gods word might be taken from him Where we see it is the custome of the wicked to put most shame vpon them who desire to sticke most fast vnto God and to serue him with greatest sinceritie this is the great griefe of Gods Saints that they are thus confounded for well doing let them goe on as Dauid did let them pray as Dauid here doth in the ende they shall either see the confusion of their enemies or else reioyce in consolation of a good conscience that they are hated without a cause ¶ Verse 32. I will runne the waies of thy commaundements when thou shalt enlarge mine heart THis last verse is a golden verse in which he sheweth principally with what speede and cheerfulnesse he will serue God But because this race celestiall cannot be vndertaken vnlesse we know Christ and in him the remission of sinnes which alone knowledge doth enlarge the heart drawing it out of the dolors of death and perfuming it with a new ioy by which it resteth quieted in the Lord therefore as before he desired to be quickened and cheereÌd according to Gods word so heere he promiseth that he will most cheerfully goe on in the waies of Gods statutes where it shall please the Lord to set his heart at libertie by taking away from him the feare of his displeasure purchased by sinne and the furie of his enemies of whom he was in danger I will runne c. it is a metaphor borrowed from runners in a race who questionles doe runne with speede Such an one was Ahimaaz 2. Sam. 18. who outâan Chushi to bring Dauid tydings of Absolons death And Iohn who did ouerrunne Peter to the sepulcher Iohn 20. 4. Dauid will imitate these runners he will make hast and delay no time to keepe Gods righteous iudgements So would Paul himselfe Philip. 3. 13. I forget that which is behinde and I endeuor myselfe to that which is before And followe hard towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus And to this race he exhorteth the Corinthians 1. Epistle 9. Chapter Verse 2. So runne that ye may obtaine Now in this race some creepe
promises belong and then we may know that we shal be holâââ because through his promises he is become a voluntary debtor to vs. As a man that is able to help vs yet we haue no assuraÌce that he wil help vnlesse he giue his word to vs. Then though God be merciful yet is not the misery or worldly men cured because the promises doe not belong to them vnlesse they beleeue Then it is no maruell though the Papists doubt of their saluation because they haue no faith nor will haue to applie the generall promises of grace to their owne hearts There is a difference betweene Gods children and the wicked in their trouble first the children of God are conuinced both in iudgement and in affection but the other are but only conuinced in iudgement as Pharaoh Ahab Saul For where the iudgement affection are both conuinced there followeth conuersion now because these were conuinced yet not conuerted therefore it was onely in iudgement and not in affection Secondly the children of God doe so confesse his Iustice as that they also confesse âim mercifull which setleth them in sound iudgement and inflameth their affections but the other doe only confesse his iudgement and therfore we see theeues and whores recâât and yet returne to their filth again because iustice can breake yet mercy only chaÌgeth from euil to good Thridly the children of God by one fault are brought to amendment of their whole liues through sorrow which worketh repentance but the wicked by Gods iudgements are brought to a confused thinking of sinne and amendment or else rest so much in one that they looke not to any other as Pharaoh confessed that God is righteous but he let not the people of Israel goe Achab confessed yet he restored not the vineyard againe and Pharaoh by this one sin was not brought to the sight of his Idolatric nor to any care to leaue it If we will then haue vse of this threefold difference let vs euer pray that our affections may euer yeelde to that which our iudgements doe subscribe to and that not onely for feare of punishment but because with the Lord there is mercie and when we are conuinced of any one sinne let vs so labour to amend that as we also looke the whole course of our life to amend whatsoeuer is amisse therein Vers. 77. Let thy tender mercies come vnto me that I may liue for thy Law is my delight IN that he doubleth this request in two verses hee sheweth that he had no light feeling of sinne yea that he was as a dead man because hee felt not the life of God in him This must wee marke that when wee are brought to so lowe estate that all comfort seemeth to bee past yet let vs remember that Gods children haue beene so and therefore let vs double our prayers knowing that with the Lord is mercie with him is life in death and helpe in the greatest extremitie This if we can doe then shall we be armed against the greatest temptation that Satan hath and that is this to perswade vs that our case is such as neuer any of Gods children were in our temptations such as no man had our sins such as none haue committed with which if he can preuaile then doth he make vs past hope of recouerie then doth he make vs past vsing any meanes to be recouered for when wee are perswaded that the disease is incurable then wee leaue all meanes that might helpe vs Marke the tender consciences of Gods children If this man of God which had beene no common sinnââ was so humbled for sinne that his moysture was turned into drought Psal. 32. before he could be brought to confesse his sinne it first sheweth how greatly sorrowfull we should be and againe the great hypocrisie that is in our hearts whereby the diuel worketh in vs to thinke that our sinnes are but small therefore to be careles of them that at the last he may make them so great as that we shal thinke they be not able to be forgiuen This is his practise and his purpose therefore let vs take heede of it That I may liue He did eate and drinke and he had the vse of his senses yet this he counted no life because he felt not himselfe reconciled to God but was in sorrow and heauinesse yet hee was skilfull in musicke which might haue put sorrowe away hee had also friends and many valiaÌt men in whose company he might haue delighted yet in all these he tooke no pleasure but still this was in his minde how he might be reconciled to God What shall wee say then of them which so that they may haue these outward things they neuer care for Gods fauour or if they bee in trouble they onely sâeeke to put away their trouble by company play c. and neuer seeke with their heart to bee reconciled to God Both these are farre from the affection of this man and let vs knowe that though we had kingdomes at our pleasure though wee had at commaundement all pleasure and pastime yet if wee were not reconciled to God and if they were not sanctified to vs in Christ they would nothing auaile vs and the end of them would be but heauinesse Then let vs not flatter our selues for the life of sinne is the death of the soule and without Christ there is no life but if through Christ we be reconciled to God then can no miserie make vs miserable and though we want all outward things yet wee haue all in God through Christ. For thy Law is my delight He felt not this presently but he meant that when God should restore him to life that he might not deceiue himselfe he should feele Gods mercie in his word so that without Gods mercy in his word hee felt no comfort Many will confesse them to be miserable if they haue not Gods mercy but few will with Dauid acknowledge that without mercy in the word they are miserable The word is the meanes to bring vs to Gods mercy therefore by the word we must esteeme Gods mercies Let vs examine if the reading hearing and meditating of Gods word bee as sweete vnto vs as our very life or whether we haue speciall feeling of Gods fauour in his word so that the feeling of Gods goodnesse doth euen make vs with this man of God to delight in it The great delight in Gods word ouershadoweth all worldly pleasures and will make men vse them as though they vsed them not but if we cannot come to this delight then is it no maruell if that we put our whole pleasure in these outward things The way to come to this delight is to keepe a continuall warre against our affections for if we please our selues in them then shall not the word be pleasant till those affections be controlled but if we can tame our affections of anger lust c. then shall we feele sweetnesse in the
who truely knoweth God should fall downe before an image Lactantius said well Non dubium est quin nulla sit tbireligio vbi simulacrum est How shall they call vpon him whom they haue not beleeued how shall they beleeue on them which are no Gods but the worke of mens hands I am thine This indeed is an excellent motiue to drawe from the Lord helpe in trouble I am thine thine by creation I was made by thee thine by adoption I was assigned ouer to thee thine by donation I was giuen to thee thine by marriage I was espoused to thee thine by redemption I was purchased by thee thine by stipulation I haue vowed my selfe vnto thee Saue me for I am thine Then 1 God hath especiall care of his 2. he aboue the rest hath regard of his annoynted 3. a sinner may be Gods child nay vnlesse a sinner first not Gods at all The whole haue no need of the Physitian but such as are sicke 4. none can truely call vpon God but such as are perswaded they belong to God 5. a man may nay he must be perswaded that he is Gods childe 2. Cor. 13. 5. Omnis anima saith one est aut sponsa Christi aut adultera diabols Euery soule is either the spouse of Christ or the diuels strumpet He will not be his owne he must not be the diuels he dares not be the worlds he is Gods owne childe he will not serue two maisters In this seruice is true libertie to be Gods sonne is the truest nobilitie We thinke the Barbarians seelie people who in many places of the world preferre iron or leade or some base mettall before gold but as for such amongst vs as make gold their God wee thinke them wise men seest thou a man wise after this sort there is more hope of a Barbarian then of him For I haue sought thy precepts Many signes there be and trials of our adoption as Rom 8. 15. I he spirit witnesseth to our spirits that we are the children of God and Ioâ 3. 14 by this we knowe that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren And Ioh. 8. 47. He that is of God heareth Gods words But to seeke out the knowledge of Gods will and to practise it in life and conuersation this is the very badge of Gods childe Reade but this one Psalme and you shall finde Dauid many times protesting his loue to Gods lawe promising his obedience to Gods commandements praying for knowledge of Gods will and valuing this treasure aboue all the treasures of the earth Seeke them to knowe knowe to remember remember to beleeue beleeue to practise and you shall be blessed in your deed It is curiositie to seeke onely to knowe or at least to knowe that which is aboue our knowledge it is pietie to seeke to knowe and doe those things which belong to the peace of conscience and pure conuersation ¶ Vers. 95. The wicked haue waited for me to destroy me but I will consider thy testimonies HE prayed before that God would saue him had he not need thinke you when the wicked waited to destroy him thus this and the former verse haue their coherence Here then he complaineth against his aduersaries and protesteth notwithstanding his recourse to Gods word He describeth his aduersaries by their names calling them wicked ones 2. by their diligence they lay waite 3 by their malice they waite to destroy him For the first the hebrew word translated wicked if the letters be transposed signifieth a rich man because it is hard to finde goods and goodnes riches and righteousnes in one person and I thinke that Salomon calleth riches the treasures of iniquitie Prou. 10. 2. not onely because they are gathered by badde meanes but also because often their owners are bad men These wicked persons strangers from the wombe the sonnes of men the children of Beliall scoffing Ishmaels parasiticall Doegs persecuting Sauls Dauid often complaineth of in this Psalme as veres 23. 52. 61. 69 78 85. 87. 110 241. 157 261. and here and in many other Psalmes And surely not without cause for many were these euill spirits that vexed him his brother Eliab accused him of pride Goliah the Philistine despised him to his face Saul the King hunted him as a partridge Doeg the Edomite slandered him to his Lord Absolon his sonne draue him out of his kingdome Achitophel his counsellor counselled against him Mâchoâ his wife contemned him in her heart Shemey his subiect rayled on him in his miserie Nabal the Charmelite played the churle with him and they that did eate of his breade and were entertained as friends became in the ende his vtter enemies and all because the Lord loued him and he followed that which good was When Caine and Abel can agree in one field Ishmael and Izaak in one house Iakob and Esau in one wombe then shall the wicked and godly agree together not before see Prou 29. 29. It is the nature of the wicked to be opposite to the good and persecutors of the godly therefore are they compared to Lions Beares Tygers Bulls Serpents Adders Archers and Foulers the godly man is the Partridge they the Hauke 1. let the Hauke all her lifetime sit vpon her Lords fist yet when she dies she is but cast vpon the dunghill let the Partridge be chased all the daies of her life yet after her death she shal be brought in a siluer dish to her Lords table Yet knowe that if thou oppose thy selfe against the godly thou art to be reputed but a wicked man Waited They were vigilant diligent and wise to doe hurt neuer did Cat so waite for the mouse or Wolfe for the sheepe or Lion for the Lambe or Hauke for Partridge or Fouler for Bird or the Souldier for his enemies as they waited for him they bent their bowe they made readie their arrowes vpon the string that they might secretly shoote at him that was vpright of heart Dauid complaineth of this so may wee Dauid prouided for these so ought we and though they waite day and night and lay all kindes of battes that can be yet in the ende Dauid hath the best for in the name of the Lord he shall destroy them This is our comfort waite they may but they can doe no more Luke 22. 31. For me Dauid had many followers in the time of his troubles yet his aduersaries aymed especially at his life Strike say they the Shepheard and the sheepe shal be scattered Stub vp the roote and the branches will wither chop off the heade and the members will perish if Dauid be once gone who shall resist Thus the worthiest Princes grauest counsellors and most vigilant Ministers haue euer beene the marke of wicked Archers Thus like the King of Aram they say 2. Chron 18. 31. Fight you not with small or great but against the King of Israel onely Experience wee haue had of this in the daies of our gracious Queene Elizabeth
as wee may shewe as well our infirmities as our excellent graces Againe because hearing is the sense of discipline and many will attend on reading and hearing which will not bestowe time to conferre to pray to giue thankes to meditate or vow their obedience to the Lord he comprehendeth the one in setting down the vse of the other For if in our reading and hearing for want of meditation we doe not profit we are as coloured in the Sunne wherefore wee must admonish and âee admonished we must pray and prouoke to pray we must meditate and often thinke oâ those things which we haue heard or read Indeede knowledge reading and hearing are sweete euen to a naturall man âut to conferre to be admonished to pray to giue thankes be things hard and difficult It may be that some can pray to serue the times because of the law which constrained them but how many shall wee finde that doe it priuately in trueth and voluntarily Some read and they rest in the generall rules not making any vse of it to themselues and so learne that which is another mans not appropriating it to themselues for want of meditation Whereof it commeth to passe that wee see many make a learned sermon in generall precepts who when they come to particulars to comfort those that lye sicke or to raise vp them that are tempted for want of practise in themselues can say nothing The very Heathen could grant and you know who speake it that a mââs life was a cogitation of death But because we can meditate of death for that we ioyne with it the hope of immortalitie I say that a Christian mans life mây well besaide to bee a meditation of the law of God and how hee shall stand before Gods iudgement seate Which meditation in this man of God sheweth that euen from the heart he loueth the law of God If we examine our selues we shall finde our tongues to cleaue to our teeth and to the roofe of our mouthes whereby wee see that we cannot say this with the prophet that from the abundance of the heart our mouth speaketh For we sinde by practise that we heare reade and sing so coldly as we shew that our affections are almost dead within vs. There followeth in the end of the verse continually Wee know by proofe of daily experience that whatsoeuer we loue of that we continually thinke And in that this qualitie or circumstance is ioyned with meditation we are taught that though we must reade heare conferre pray and giue thanks often yet we must meditate continually For as it is absurd to say that a man should be continually reading or conferring so we must know that it is requisite in all these things to examine our selues by meditation whether we reade profitably conferre effectually or pray vnderstandingly That we now haue this continuall meditation we must pray that we may haue a loue to the word Loue indeed were of it selfe eloquent enough if we had it in any good measure but to stirre vp this loue we must vse many reasons about the nature of the word how it is mysticall pure and eternall which when we see in truth we shall loue the word Where he saith in it is my meditation wee must vnderstand that it was no rouing meditation but that it was circumscribed within the compasse of the law of God Now to our profit let vs learne to meditate according to the law of the Lord and so as vnder the generals we may touch the particulars to make the vse of them in our selues Thus we haue seene the cause of this effect to be loue For as the rich men of this world meditate of gathering goods naturall louers of their loue and ambitious men of their preferments so the man of God hauing no greater riches pleasure nor glorie than in the word maketh it his whole delight and studie For where we loue thither loue doth easily drawe our affections with it We haue heard why mention is made only of meditation namely because it is the life of all the other meanes and maketh them more fruitfull and why his meditation was maried to the law euen because it excludeth all vaine collections which proceede of general knowledge Besides therefore is meditation named because it most agreeth with the nature of loue For though we cannot alwaies be reading hearing or talking of those things which we ââââ we may alwayes thinke and meditate of them Now what is the cause that ãâã ãâã is preached and âo little is practised but because wee vse so little conference prayer and meditation The remedie hereof is to knowe what a sinne this is and that among all ãâã in the day of trouble none so great to torment our consciences as that we haue tested in a generall ãâã and ââââng of the word without applying of it to our seuerall practises by meditation He hath shewed now his loue in the verses following hee setteth downe the fruite of his loue For as hee shewed that the word of God is of such nature that aboue all other things iâ is eternall so also hee sheweth that the effects thereof are eternall And whereas men desire nothing more than that wisedome whereby they may excel their enemies in policie their teachers in doctrine and the aged in counsaile he declareth that hee made this choyse to set his loue on Gods word which performeth all these things As loue then is the mother that breedeth meditation and meditation is the nurse to cherish this loue so here because the argument of the effect doth most with men preuaile hee sheweth the mightie power and operation of the word of God What is the reason why men do not râst and stay themselues wholy on Gods law Surely because they are not perswaded that there is such excellent wisedome in the same We see then that wee must learne for the generals to bee wise in sobrietie and according to the word of God knowing that the Scriptures are sufficient to touch to improue and correct and to instruct iâ righteousnesse that the man of ââââ may bee absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes 2. Tim. 3. The Wiseman counsaileth vs Eecles 7. 18. that wee should not âââ iust euermuch ââ make our selues ouerwise least web ãâã Where he sheweth that this is the way to bring blockishnes to make our selues wiser than God and to deuile to become more iust than the word prescribeth vs. What is the cause why so many are so foolish in their death when they haue ouerreached themselues as Achitophel Surely because the Lord doth inââuate them whilest they would be wiser than the Lord so that their wisdome is ãâã into childishnes and their policie commeth to nothing What is the cause that we are no more occupied in the reading and hearing of the word Doubtlesse because it is a base and simple thing in our iudgemenââ and containeth not so high mysteries in it as
to fight against Gods enemies Whiles he was in his fetching policies did not the Lord send enemies the instruments of destruction to his wife and children Whilest he would rest on God hee was wise but when he would number his people he was confounded What did his policie in adulterie preuaile to disguise in such sort Vriaâ to make him drunken to set him in the forefront of the battaile was he not much foyled Salomon who whilest he walked before the Lord was wiser than his father Dauid when hee gaue himselfe to many wiues and began to be secure and to runne into grosse Idolatrie was greatly displeasing in the sight of the Lord. Iehosaphat so long as he obeyed the Lord was feared but when in policie he ioyned himselfe in affinitie to a wicked King he was almost confounded and surely had been punished had hee not in repentance turned and humbled himselfe before the Lord whose policie also in ioyning his ships with the ships of Ahaziah was afterward punished in his posteritie Vers. 99. I haue had more vnderstanding than my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation IN the second particular effect the Prophet saith he did excell his teachers which hee doth not to bragge or boast of himselfe but commending the free graces of God he stirreth vp himselfe to make other men not onely to content themselues with a care of hearing the word but also to make conscience of meditation This then is leât of the Spirit of God for our comfort in that we may find the like fruite vsing by praier the like meanes so that if we bring not forth an hundreth fold yet threescore or at the least thirtie fold according to Gods wisedome True it is that the scholler often becommeth better learned than the teacher which is a singular blessing of God that the learned man should ascribe nothing to himselfe and to giue God the glorie hee enlighteneth where he thinketh meete and encreaseth when he seeth it good Now we may see this by experience euen in heathen men Aristotle was wiser than his Maister Plato in whom this blessing of God appeared in that they ioyned studie and meditation with their learning In Law Physicke they are most frequented who with much reading haue vsed much musing and practising None either in peace or warre haue euer gouerned excellently but they were great musers and did often sequester themselues from company then more freely to attend on meditation This doctrine shall be taught in a contrarie thing We know there is a speciall kinde of musing whereby Sathan doth often teach and communicate things to many in greater measure than they can receiue by all the books in the world so also there is a speciall meditating whereby the spirit of God communicateth to vs more heauenly things than either wee heare or reade As when Sathan will polish a mans wit to any euill hee will haue him to waite on him so God would haue vs to fill our iudgements in the particular meditation of things heard to see how all circumstances hold and faile This is then the wit which experience confirmeth that when wee are taught any thing which by reason is conceiued wee can adde if this bee true then that is false if it holdeth in the lesser then it holdeth in the greater On this sort let any man heare with meditation he shall finde something by the generall rule heard hauing the Spirit of God for his teacher which the Preacher had not or saw not or seeing expressed not Doe they then most profit who after hearing doe meditate and see more by the ministerie of the Spirit than by the ministerie of the Pastor Let vs marke it then by the blessing of God vpon it and let vs note the contrary by Gods curse vpon it What is the cause that there is so little profit by the ordinarie ministerie of the word and so great fruites arise where it is more seldome vsed but because meditation is the life of learning and the death of things conceiued is the want of musing Mans minde is infinite which nothing can satisfie but God or the diuell and continually rolleth either in good or ill In that he addeth thy testimonies are my meditation wee must note that to haue a sound meditation wee must be circumscribed within the limits of the word otherwise it will be erroneous but being ioyned with knowledge it refineth our knowledge and teacheth the vse of it If Philosophers saw that a mans life was a meditation of death whereby as they abstained from many pleasures they became neuerthelesse very vaine-glorious yet could they not attaine to any sound comfort because they were destitute of the hope of a better life But Gods children meditating on the last iudgement day make a conscience of many things past pare away many present corruptions and sigh for the remembring of their poysoned temptations to come How godly people haue excelled their teachers it needeth not long proofe out of the Scriptures Moses excelled all the learned men in Egypt Daniel surpassed all the Magicians in Babylon Paul excelled his teacher Gamaliel because though the Egyptians were learned and the Babylonians profound yet Moses and Daniel refined their knowledge humane with the studie of Gods word And Paul being brought vp in the doctrine of the Iewes vnder Gamaliel after he came to meditate on the Gospell of Christ excelled not onely his teachers but ouer-reached all other of the Apostles in heauenly knowledge We may then blush at the great knowledge in times past but herein we may be comforted because they as they were wise were also wicked but we may be as wise vsing their meanes and more godly meditating on the word which cutteth off all errors in doctrine and corruptions of life Againe Elie brought vp Samuel who proued wiser than Elie by his continuall meditation Salomon excelled Dauid by studie and prayer vntill he forgetting himselfe gaue himselfe to women Paul was taught of Ananias the principles of religion but he excelled him as far in the learning of the Spirit as he surpassed Gamaliel in the doctrine of the Iewes Let vs marke then the blessings of spirituall meditations which make vs fit in wisedome to admonish and in the spirit of consolation to comfort For in my iudgement their wisedome which depend on generall rules is in their bookes and must be fetched from their teachers but meditations may well be called a readie mother of knowledge and a nursing mother of wisedome If men then will whet their wits and helpe their memories they must vse meditation because when Gods word hath taught vs we shall neuer neede to consult with our booke nor take aduice of our teacher Vers. 100. I vnderstood more than the ancient because I kept thy precepts IT followeth I vnderstood more than the ancient c. As we haue heard of the glorious effects of the word in this man of God how he excelled his foes in
not become so much subiect to others but others shall submit themselues to mee I shall purchase to my selfe credite countenance and authoritie to pleasure my friends and withstand mine enemies Thus we see why we cannot ouer-wrastle the vanities of this life because we striue not aright Now likewise how are we so enabled to forsake our worldlines euen because we doe not depend on Gods prouidence Then the way to fight against couetousnes is to fight against the distrust of Gods prouidene and want of beliefe in the word of God in that for too much loue of this world and too little loue of the word they doe not deuide their times that sometimes they may giue themselues to prayer to reading to conferring of the word And how doe these men reason with themselues I shall one day be olde and Age is accompanyed with many euills of weaknes and impotencie I must not thinke then to liue without miserie vnlesse I liue now with some care I must prouide for my wife and children and not leaue them to the broad world it standeth me therefore in hand to worke and to take paines whilest I may So the pleasure of this temptation taketh away the sweetnes of the meditation of the life after death Manie striue against anger and yet the more they striue the more they fret because they resist not the beginning of their Anger which is a secret pride conceiued in their mindes For of pride saith the holy-Ghost in the booke of the Prouerbs commeth contention Such men haue this reason whereunto they yeelde I haue deserued well of their hands I neuer did them iniurie they ought to haue esteemed otherwise of mee they haue abused mee greatly who therefore can beare such contempt and miuries Now if we fight in humblenesse of minde against this corrupt reason wee shall fight against our Anger I suppose a bruite beast is not so ill in his kinde as a man in his corrupt iudgement Then lowlinesse in taking a fight of our wants in good and heauenly things is the thing that will humble vs. This is that which will cut our combes when wee thinke too well of our selues when we see too much by our painted sheath this will make vs to pull downe our peacocks tayle What maketh young men so loose and profit so little by all the admonitions which are vsed to them but onely their corrupt reason which on this sort deceiueth their soules Why is not this lawfull doe I any body harme in so doing doe not all others this as well as I Well if they will not bidde warre against these corrupt imaginations they shall neuer preuaile against their euill affections Whereof is it that the wisest men become whore-hunters and the wisest women often become whores is it not because the Lord punisheth the pride of reason with filthinesse and whilest they will not fight against corrupt reason they cannot get the victorie ouer their filthie affection they will thus reason I haue beene thus long married and haue no children my wife is neuer quiet she is a shrew I will see if I can haue children with another and haue quietnesse abroad Bid battell then to reason if you will fight against sinne for iudgemeÌt being conuinced we may the better encombate with affection Let vs then take heede to those conceits which are not yet in the bowels of the braine for then the diuell is brought to infect reason and so draweth neere to corrupt affection All idle thoughts discourses comming but to the mind must make vs afraide least we become corrupted And let vs remember that wee must loue the Lord with al our hearts mindes that he taketh vp to his glory al our cogitatioÌs And therfore though we yeeld not to lust in affection we must strike at coÌcupisence at the first motion because our thoughts haue not been wholy with the Lord We must destroy the broode whilest it is in hatching and wound sinne before it haue receiued a perfect shape For it is better to striue against sinne whilest reason is on our side than when both reason and affection are conspired against vs. Now let vs examine our selues euery man search his own heart whether we be grieued for the sudden discourses and glauncing imaginations in vs or rather whether they be not sweete vnto vs. What is the reason why wee refuse to sinne is it not because wee thinke thus with our selues What shall I doe this thing Shall I commit this fact It is a beastly thing it is a dangerous attempt For there are some which will mislike to haue themselues misled with the temptations of murder of stealing or adulterie and yet will let passe quietly in them rouing imaginations and idle cogitations We see in many after their fall repentance commeth for if in iudgement we could before sinne preuailed discerne the corruption of reason deceiuing and leading captiue our affections as wee doe after wee haue sinned wee should not so soone be deluded For we see it commonly commeth to passe that we repent vs and mislike our selues for some foregoing euil we say Oh what a foole was I that could not consider of this where was my wit how was I besotted Conuince a naturall man of his reason and he wil be ashamed of his purpose but so long as he hath reason on his side hee will not yeeld an inch Why commeth it to passe that there are almost no Heretikes conuerted and so many profane professours conuerted but because the sinne of these men is the sinne of affection the sinne of the other is the sinne of reason and iudgement Peter of whom we reade in the Gospell did not so much sinne of affection as in reason For being put in minde of Christ his afflictions how he should goe vp to Ierusalem and suffer many things and consulting with reason thought it a very straunge thing and not agreeing to equitie that such a Prophet and mirrour of the world and that he that had done so many good things and had wrought so many miracles in that country neuer doing any harme to any man should suffer of such men Wherefore when as our Sauiour Christ sawe Peter giuen so much to naturall reason in that he cried Maister saue thy selfe hee checked him saying Come behind mèe Sathan thou sauorest not of things which are of God but of fleshe and blood Vpon which occasion least the other Disciples also should haue presumed our Sauiour Christ gaue this generall doctrine that if any would become his Disciples they should take vp their crosse and follow him As also that none could follow him in truth vnlesse they denied theÌselues where in denying of our selues he meaneth nothing else as the occasion of his foregoing speech plainely sheweth then the forsaking of the reason of the flesh S. Iames chap. 1. teacheth vs that if wee will mortifie our affections wee must first vse the meanes secondly
concupiscence shall solemnely vow to refraine the familiaritie of wanton women and will not come in place where light women frequent but with Iob shall make a couenant with his eyes we see this by the word also to be warrantable And thus much for meanes to auoide euill now for meanes to doe good If a man feele himselfe dull and slow in reading the word or slacke in prayer shall to the prouoking himself the more make a couenaÌt daily to reade some portion of the word and to bestow some time of the day in prayer if this be taken vp in the wisedome of the Spirit to cast off sluggishnesse and prouoke alacritie herein we see because at morning noone-tide and euening some of Gods children haue vsed it he may set himselfe a taske and thereby may make a stay for his wauering minde Howbeit these things must not be perpetuall as it is in other couenants For a man may abstaine from women and wine for a time and yet not for euer because it must bee done for some certaine ends and causes as also with some holy conditions As for example if a man hath taken a time of the day to pray in and at that time he shall haue some speciall cause of setting foorth Gods glorie or if his particular calling requiring an whole man shall call him away then if hee omit it there is no breach because the thing which hee is about to doe is according to Gods law This is needfull to be considered with a godly care that wee double that some other day when we shall be more at libertie which we haue for the same causes pretermitted the day before If then there be iust occasion offered of this remission for otherwise wee must not be remisse we know that the couenant is not broken in that we made it with a condition that we would vse it so farre foorth as it might not hinder Gods glory our dutie to our brethren nor our seuerall calling because in such a case to obey is better than sacrifice But if there be no iust cause of pretermitting this purpose then is there iust cause of sorrowing for breaking the couenant But here wee see an helpe wee haue not done this taske to day because of idlenes what then We must returne to the assurance of forgiuenes of sinnes and must redeeme that with double diligence which wee haue lost through wilfull negligence In these vowes then taken vp of our selues as meanes to auoid sinne or to doe good we must first take heede that they bee made within the compasse of the word Secondly that they be but for a time and not continuall Thirdly that they bee euer made with wife and discreete considerations least being broken our coÌsciences be troubled Fourthly if there be any fault that it be recompenced by double dutie and diligence afterward Thus wee see how either for to pricke vs to good or stay vs from some euill wee may make a couenant vpon condition in a desire of Gods glorie and in crauing Gods grace And thus much of his care and conscience to Gods iudgements now let vs come to the third argument which is his affliction Vers. 107. I am very sore afflicted O Lord quicken me according to thy word IN that the man of God vseth this as a reason before his prayer it seemeth hee was not meanely troubled but sorely vexed as wee may see in ioyning that which he saith in the verse following My soule is continually in mine hand yet doe I not forget thy law Wherein carying his soule in his hand he meaneth that he hath no assuraÌce of his life but is in continuall danger of it as wee count those things which be in our hand to be hardly sure and in perill to slip from vs as we may see by other places of the word As in the booke of Iudges Iephtha saith I caryed my life in mine owne hand that is I did hazard my life 1. Sam. 28 21. where the Pythonisse saith I haue put my soule in my hand which is all one as if shee should say I haue ventured my life or I was at deaths doore Iob. 13. 14. Wherefore doe I teare my flesh with my teeth and put my soule in my hand As if hee should say Why doe I put my life in danger For euen as water lying in our hand is soone slipt out so our soule beeing in our hand is said to be at deaths doore Besides he confesseth that he had many snares and pestilent deuices of his enemies laid against him so that at his least going astray hee was layed for and readie to bee taken In that hee needed thus to pray wee may see how reason might haue moued him to the contrarie Flesh and blood might haue taught Daniel that in such narrow search hee might haue shut his window when he praied or haue conueied himselfe into some secret chamber and so to haue vsed some policie and prouided means to haue saued himselfe had not the spirit of God mightily preuailed in him against all such temptations So when by reason of some imminent danger we are at our wits end sathan would haue vs go in by-paths and not to make the word of God a lantorne to our feete Saul when hee could heare nothing from the Lord was driuen thus by his extreame daunger to goe to the witches We see then how necessary it is for Gods children in the time of triall to pray for their direction in the right wayes Againe because when we are hardly dealt with wee are ready to reuenge with policie we see how he prayeth to keepe himselfe aright It was vndoubtedly the great mercie of God to Dauid then to pray that no affection of reuenge might enter into him Oh how needfull then is it for vs wheÌ the wicked shall deale with vs vnreasonably to pray to the Lord to be kept in iudgement from policie and in affection from reuenging and that we may stay our iudgement on Gods promises and our affections on his dealings Thirdly if all meanes be wanting to vs then will the diuell moue vs to despaire and therefore great neede haue we to pray that we may be deliuered from the darkenesse of despaire by the lanterne of Gods word We see how necessarily the man of God praied not to be tempted aboue his strength and that the rod of the wicked should not fall on his lot least he should put his hand vnto wickednesse and therefore craued wisedome in Gods word faith in his promises and patience in his goodnesse We see then the plaine meaning of the man of God in this verse if we call to minde in this word very sore afflicted that which we haue heard before that his eyes failed his heart fainted his spirit panted his naturall powers melted and to be briefe that he was an image of death As a man cannot abide great prosperitie no more can he abide great aduersitie For as we are puft vp
with the one so we are cast down with the other by mistrust in Gods prouidence and despaire of his promises Experience teacheth vs that as a little prosperitie maketh vs to forget God so many inconueniences by affliction may befal vs as either dulnesse deadnes blockishnes or wicked shifts or vngodly doubts Wherfore the man of God here teacheth vs that if he vsed such remedies in the greater troubles theÌ how much more should we vse them in the lesse We are here besides to accuse our vnbeleefe bewrayed in small things seeing the Prophet in so great extremities exercised his faith against all the reasons of flesh and blood As the Lord giueth not so great graces vnto vs as to him so he will not presse vs with so great temptations as he did him And if the Lord did helpe his Saints in great afflictioÌs surely he will also help vs if we likewise striue against mistrust We may see the Saints of God were neuer so delicately brought vp that they neuer wanted so that if the Lord hath so dealt with his most excellent and faithfull seruants what will he do to vs vnfaithfull ones if he did so to theÌ which were vnder the law to whom were made greater promises of outward things what will he do to vs to whom are promises made of spirituall things vnder the Gospel as of the forgiuenes of sins of the renewing our hearts of spirituall ioyes of the kingdome of heauen If the Lord then lay on vs such troubles as he laid on our forefathers how much more should we suffer them seeing we may profit by their example who were vnder the Law who were in the dawning of the day or rather in the night in respect of vs vnto whom Christ is crucified and risen again We must then be ashamed of our womanish nature who will shrinke at so little triall think that the Lord should deale more gently with vs than with them They were in the shadow of the Law we in the bright Sunne of the Gospell which if we see we shall accuse our selues of the wants of Gods graces in vs seeing he dealt thus with his dearest Saints In that he addeth quicken me according vntâ thy word he sheweth that he meant not to escape by naturall meanes although as he would vse them so he stayed not in them he vsed these as accessaries but the word of God as principall For his principall was to be quickned by the word and his accessary was the vsing of ordinarie meanes Then in all afflictions let vs craue of God that we may not vse vnlâwfull meanes but rather the promises of God as our chiefest strength feeling them with Gods fauour in vs then may we vse the other to these For then will the Lord giue successe and blessing to naturall and secondary meanes when our hearts being chiefely stayed on the promises of God as our chiefest strength and feeling them with Gods fauour in vs in the forgiuenes of our sinnes and renuing of our mindes we craue a blessing on the creatures as on the second meanes Besides he acknowledgeth in this word quicken the Lord to be the author of life and that without his word he was as dead This life indeed is the shadow of death common with the reprobates and bruit beasts and our life is only in Christ Iesus So Adam was called dead what is that surely in that his soule had notâing to doe with God and although God gaue him a naturall life yet spiritually he was dead Thus the Saints of God thought they were at the last cast ready for the buriers when they could not feele Gods presence and promises According to thy Word that is according to thy promises for wee haue none assurance to come to GOD vnlesse his word be giuen vnto vs. What had he especiall or peculiar promises working in him The diuers places of this Psalme will she we no such thing because this Psalme is an image of Regeneration They were generall promises as are other in many places of the Scripture Reioyce O Syon for thy redeemer commeth Euery man might applie this to himselfe as is also that place Esay 66. 2. I that dwell in heauen will looke cuen to him that is poore and of a contrite heart and trembleth at my words These promises are generall and therefore we must looke to be quickned by them For the Lord saith that though Eternitie be his place yet will he come to them that be of a contrite heart so that sith the Lord hath made this promise we must by Faith vse it Come vnto me saith Christ all that labour and are loaden Behold another generall promise which we must applie to ourselues by Faith making this argumeÌt without selues Lord thou hast promised this whosoeuer is wearie and heauie loaden shall of thee be refreshed Lord I am wearie and heauie loaden Lord therefore helpe me according to thy promise I came not saith our Sauiour in another place to call the righteous but sinners to repentance We see that these generall precepts must be belieued and we must craue Gods spirit that we may be quickened and receiue life by them For though they be generall to all yet we must vnderstand that euery man is to applie them seuerally vnto himselfe Howbeit we must first belieue the generall promises and then by prayer we are to craue a speciall vse of them as of them wherein we belieue Vers. 108. O Lord I beseech thee accept the free offering of my mouth and teach mee thy iudgements NOw the Prophet prayeth for the clearer vnderstanding of Gods word This is then his principall which here is set downe more plaine The meaning therefore of this verse is that I may thus be quickned cleare my iudgement that I may see how thou dealest with thy seruants that I may haue comfort in thy promises As the aire being troubled the weather is darkened so the mind of man being troubled with ignorance storms mists clouds of temptations is much distempered Wherefore he prayeth against these port 17. 7. Shew the light of thy countenance vpon thy seruant teach me thy statutes Where we may see how afflictions had hidden as it were the ccuntenance of God shewing also that the face and fauour of God appeareth in nothing so much as in the true vnderstanding of his word And port 8. 8. The earth O Lord is full of thy mercies teach me thy statutes Port 2. vers 4. Blessed art thou O Lorde teach mee thy statutes Whereas God is good he reuealeth it in nothing more then in this pure vnderstanding Teach mee thy iudgements c. As if the man of God should say This is one thing wherevnto I will giue ouer my selfe euen to see how thou doest punish the wicked and conductest thy children So that we must learne that as it is necessarie to vnderstand the law and the Gospell so is it requisite to discerne Gods
humble they feare themselues they seeke the Lord by prayer and are desirous to be established in the promises of God they are as strong as Mount Sion which cannot be remoued but remaineth for euer Psalme 125.1 Though then we be weake yet our Christ is strong though we haue many enemies yet the Lord hath promised to be our staie against them all Let vs knowe that perseuerance is as well the gift of God as to come at first to God We know what a free gift of God it was that we came to him Hee sought vs when we desired him not he found vs when we sought him not We see how before our calling we closed our eyes and would not see him we stopt our eares and would not heare him we drew backe and refused to goe to him and the Lord was faine to draw vs out so that our beginning came of God who reformed our iudgements and renewed our affections now to be established in seeing hearing and willingly drawing neere vnto God is his onely gift also Well we must be afraide of our selues and suspect our selues For why doe we slip often into such grosse sinnes why are we carried away with our owne affections why doe so many good motions die and perish in vs but only because of our securitie we are not careful to please God we are not afraide to offend God Well if we see that securitie hath bene the cause of our woe let vs labour to be carefull which is the cause of our good if securitie hath bene the cause we feared not let vs now be carefull that we may be afraide of our frailtie and trust in Gods word Otherwise if we be quiet with our selues and yeeld to presumption God will suffer vs to fall This is the cause why our sinnes breake out often to Gods dishonour and to the griefe of our owne consciences because we doe not more carefully to looke our thoughts and watch ouer our words It is added in this verse that I may liue So he saith Portion 10.4 Let thy tender mercies come vnto me that I may liue We see heere that the children of God thinke they haue no life if they liue not in Gods life For if we thinke we are aliue because we see so doe the bruit beasts if we thinke we are aliue because we heare so do the cattell if we thinke we are aliue because we eate and drinke or sleepe so do beasts if we thinke we liue because we doe reason and conferre so doe the Heathen The life of Gods children is the death of sinne for where sinne is aliue there that part is dead vnto God Art thou then giuen to malice to swearing to cursing to breaking of the Sabbath to adultery to filthines to stealing or slandring surely then art thou dead and if God should take away thy life from thee whilest thou art in this estate thy soule should goe sooner to hell than thy bodie to the graue We now see that Gods children finding themselues dull and slowe to good things when they cannot either reioyce in the promises of God or finde their inward man delighted with the law of God thinke themselues to be dead The Prophets meaning is this I am euen as a lumpe of flesh I am like an image or like an idoll of Gods childe I beare the face of his childe but I am as dead and as a blocke or a stocke or an idoll For as an idoll hath eyes and seeth not eares and heareth not mouth and speaketh not feete and goeth not euen so haue I eyes but I see not the glorie of my God I haue eares but I heare not the word of God I haue a mouth but I shewe not forth the iudgements of God I haue feete but I walke not in the law of my God The iust shall liue by faith Hab. 2. Rom. 1. Now I liue no more but Christ liueth in me saith the Apostle Oh that men would consider this that they are dead otherwise than their life is hidden in the promise and they haue no life but in Christ and from his spirit If the Prophet sayd this of himselfe where is the faith of our protestants where is the life of the godly where is their hope of a better life where is their practise of repentance where is the peace of conscience that passeth all vnderstanding where is the ioy of ChristiaÌs where is the care of mortification where is the quicknesse of sanctification where are all these become They are sewe and dead to good workes they liue in sinne they be but Christians in name they are very idols There is no life but in the word which we must finde by experience in our selues When Gods children finde this life of God in them then are they merrie and glad but when they feele that God withdraweth his spirit from them then they see how they are dead dull and carelesse as they were wont to be before they were regenerate Shall not this make vs more carefull and zealous of good workes and to be more iealous of our selues Let vs consider this that it is a ioy to haue a life and that euen the life of God the life of Angels the life of Christ when we contemne this life when wee are zealous of good workes when we feele spirituall ioyes when wee looke for a crowne of glorie when we labour to be renewed to the image of Christ. This is an heauenly life and though we will sweate and eate and drinke this is common with the beasts of the field and hauing no experience of faith in vs wee are either dangerously sicke or altogether dead If wee thinke it an hard matter to restore nature in a consumption how hard a thing is it to restore grace and saluation in a consumption of the soule If wee are without hope when a man is in a languishing disease when he hath no delight to eate when hee cannot brooke his meate and his sleepe is gone from him hee cannot labour and Physitians dare not meddle with him what hope is there when we are in such a consumption that the woâd which we heare doth vs no good the Sacraments which wee receiue doe vs no comfort prayer doth vs no good and when we cannot abide to labour in good workes surely it is a token we are almost languished to death if wee be not already dead wee are in extreame danger The Lord indeede is gracious and would not our death but if wee bee consuming and see it not if Gods life be going from vs and Sathans life is comming to vs if Gods graces be languishing in vs surely we are as dead Let vs then search our owne corruptione that we may see how neare we are to life or how neare wee are to death whether wee growe or consume whether for the one wee are to feare and pray to God or for the other to reioyce and praise God Thus we haue heard that the faith
of Gods children are not so sirme as that it is neuer shaken they are not alwaies in the tenour and as the Lord giueth them of his grace in measure so hee giueth them at sometimes more at sometimes lesse he often humbleth them with incredulitie to exercise them in prayer and to confirme them the more by his Spirit whereof they haue had a pledge in his word Wee haue learned that the Prophet thought himselfe to haue no life but as he had the feeling of the life of the Sonne of God to be conueyed to him by the spirit of God through the working of the word of God and that as we breathe eate playe and labour wee haue nothing differing from bruite beasts as we haue fiue wits to discourse of things we haue nothing more than the heathen than the Turkes than the vngodly infidels The Scriptures shew that all that liue in ignorance and sinne are dead for they that liue in ignorance sit in darkenes and in the shadow of death as it is in the song of Zacharie and if we liue in sinne the Apostle witnesseth we are but dead Ephes 2.1 The death of sinne is the life of a man and the life of sinne is the death of a man sinne then I meane to liue in vs when wee giue ouer our selues to sin with pleasure and lye in our sinne with delight And yet here is a further thing for the man of God speaketh of the experience of Gods children who when they feele delight in prayer and their inward man delighted with the word of God they thinke they are aliue and that so long they walke in the land of the liuing but when they fal into some sinne and become vnthankfull or pensiue there comes a dulnes and deadnes of heart they are not able to see any difference betweene themselues and the reprobates and finding in themselues such an heape of ill inclinations they think themselues to be dead It followeth in the verse And disappoint me not of mine hope As if he should say O Lord euen as I trust in thy word so my hope is that thy word shall be accomplished As faith is the mother of hope so hope is the daughter and nurse of faith for faith breedeth hope and hope nourisheth faith faith assureth vs of the trueth of Gods word hope waiteth for the accomplishment of it His meaning then is Lord as I trust in thy word so strengthen my faith and disappoint mee not of my hope for howsoeuer the wicked continue for a while I beleeue that I shall haue a glorious end I beleeue it is not lost labour to serue the Lord O Lord I hope to see them troden downe that breake thy statutes Thus we see how Gods children feare their vnbeliefe and nourish their faith with prayer so the true Minister of God cannot but be zealous to stirre vp his people to feruent and frequent prayer We see the one halfe of this Psalme to bee prayer and that in euery portion two or three or foure verses be prayers And the man of God being willing to bring his knowledge to feeling hath still this prayer Stay mâe in thy word teach mee thy statutes disappoint me not of my hope establish thy promises to thy seruant For as reading hearing and conferring doe more increase knowledge than feeling so meditating praying and singing doe more nourish feeling than knowledge Had he that had such a faith in Gods word such ioy such delight such life in the spirit neede so often and feruently to pray then I beseech you let vs pray pray pray Vers. 117. Stay thou me and I shall be safe and I will delight continually in thy statutes THis agreeth with that in the verse going before stablish mee according to thy promise Hadst thou need Dauid to be staied didst thou wauer oh how need we to be stayed and to pray against our wauering he meaneth here thus much although I am well minded and delight in thy law yet I am so brittle and so slipperie that if thou stay mee not I shall sall I am gone Oh man of God feeling his owne wants and infirmities I shall be safe that is If I be not stayed by thine hand I shall be at the last cast Psal. 30. 6 he said hee should neuer be remoued here is another spirit where he saith he should be safe But here wofull experience taught him that he durst not be stayed on himselfe whereby he declareth that as without Gods word he could not be safe so come what come would befall what danger could befall in the Lords word he was staied sufficiently Then we are to learne that the promises of God must engender in vs a care and feare of our selues for if we begin once to be quiet with our selues when wee begin to be secure and presumptuous let vs assure our selues that we are not farre from sinne But if we feare that wee are staggering and reeling persons and that we are very slipperie is there not cause of humbling that this humblenes should breed carefulnesse carefulnesse should cause watchfulnesse watchfulnesse should vse the meanes and the meanes should be sanctified by prayer Then come hell come the diuell come the world come the flesh if the Lord stay vs we shall liue and not die we shall surely not miscarie And I will delight continually in thy statutes Wee see here that there is no free will for he prayeth likewise Port. 5. 1. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes Neither did he promise of himselfe before but did hope in the Lord. Such brittlenes is in the world such sleights in the flesh such slinesse in SathaÌ such corrupt examples in the world that vnlesse the Lord stay vs we are so farre off from delight in good that we are ready to fall into great sinnes Euery man therefore is to search his owne heart and by the cause we may come to the effects and by the tree may coniecture of the fruite so by the effects we may iudge of the cause and by the fruite we may iudge of the tree Where is now this delight when we heare the word we heare it with such coldnesse therefore it is a manifest proofe we are not staâed in the Lord. For whosoeuer doth not delight in the word he may deceiue his owne soule but surely as yet he is not staied on God If we are not delighted then are we stâied on our own selues but if the Lord work in vs then shal we feele delight This is a griefe of my soule that I see no delight in the Lords day all things are done for fashion but the power of godlinesse is not among vs. The cause is the want of priuate exercises the want of priuate reading and praying and this bringeth a secret curse of publike exercises and therefore I cannot but so often vâge priuate prayer and meditation Vers. 118. Thou hast troden downe all them that depart from
if we haue no loue of the Sacraments no care of discipline if our hearts be hardened all is not well either some iudgement of God is at hand or else we are to feare to be cast into some heresie or such like euill I finde that after Esay had prophecied a long time The Lord God who would not haue his name plasphemed seeing no amendment in his people comes with a greater maiestie and bids the prophet Esay 6. to tell them that they should heare but not vnderstand they should plainly see but not perceiue hee commandeth him moreouer to make their hearts sât to make their eares heauie and to shut their eyes least they should see with their eyes heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts And because they would not make the word of God the sauour of life vnto life it should bee vnto them the sauour of death vnto death As this is especially meant of the vngodly yet surely the godly escaped not but by repentance It is the wisedome of God to vse all meanes and then to vse destruction when his word wil not serue We may be comforted euen at this day that the Lord yet giueth a scattering of his people and giueth vs some good ministers and magistrates but if we coÌsider of the Lords long suffering of vs of the peace abundance and many other graces bestowed on vs and yet so small amendment we trust for the remnants sake that the generall iudgement of God shall not as yet come vpon vs yet this sore saying should make vs afraide it is time for thee Lord to put to thine hand c. This may be much for the comfort of Gods children and for the discomfort of the wicked Vers. 127. Therefore loue I thy commandements aboue gold yea aboue most fine gold MArke here the spirit of the man of God Doe wee not see that this is a common rate the lesse religion is esteemed the lesse it is of the most regarded the greater the corruption of manners is the greater is the follie then this is a rare blessing of God when religion is in euery place hated euen then to loue religion when manners are euerie where corrupted euen then to be of good conuersation When in our time then we see so many kinds of religion as papistrie the sect of the Iesuites the family of loue Anabaptists and such like it is a singular grace of God to bee established in the loue of true religion When wee looke into their manners whether we turne vs to Magistrates or subiects wee shall neither finde zealous gouernment nor faithfull obedience If wee liued in a heauen among Angels or in a paradise with Saints and would defile our selues with sinne wee were worthie to be cast out of Paradise with Adam and out of the Church with Cain But to liue with Noah vprightly and to walke before God with him when all flesh hath corrupted his wayes or to liue iustly with Lot in the middest of filthie Sodomits or to keepe a pure religion or worship of God with Elias when not one can bee found that hath not bowed to Baal or to liue in keeping iudgement and iustice with Dauid where are so many oppressors of the truth to haue in this case an heart vpright both in religion and manners oâ consider this to be an especiall worke of grace This we may also see both by naturall and ciuill reason we see the more generall and contagious a disease is the greater care we vse to watch ouer our health and the greater mercie of God we count it if we be not infected with the rest and shall wee not iudge the same in spirituall and more heauenly matters that the more hot sinne groweth to bee and like to ouerrun all shall wee not grow the more zealous of the saluation of our soules and thinke it the rarer grace of God if wee being subiect to the common sinnes are preserued from them In ciuill matters doe wee not see that now deceite in buying and selling vnfaithfulnes in bargaining is so great euery maÌ is circumspect to discerne ill dealings euery man almost is become a lawyer no man is ignorant of the common shifts of the world yet this maketh not men therefore to giue ouer their deedes but they make their deedes more sure neither doth deceitfull dealing keepe them the more from markets and faires but men are more carefull in their bargayning Do we loue the Church theÌ though there be so many corruptions of religion and so many corruptions of manners Let vs be more afraide of our selues and more carefull of the word and heedie in our liues than wee haue beene let vs listen to the word before the Lord hath sealed vp the prophecie least the wicked preuaile and the iust man make himselfe a pray Now is the time to repent it may bee that the Lord will mitigate his iudgements when they fal wil make his punishment particular and easier For then we truly feare the publike iudgements of God when wee feare the cause of them in our selues when we carrie not for the height of sinne but submit our selues with reuerence to all meanes of true religion and godly life and speedily iudge our selues for not looking to the least occasion of sinne watching ouer our soules that we become not remisse or with looser conscience of prayer the word sacraments or discipline And as it is a secret iudgement of God to passe from one sinne to another without any remorse of conscience vntill wee come to the contempt of the word so it is a speciall grace of God to be grieued with sinne in the beginning And surely that so many are giuen to ill workes and so few to good it is a manifest token seeing the word wil not moue vs to be zealous that the Lord will shortly send a iudgement vpon vs if not generall yet at the least particular This then is worthie noting in the man of God that the more religion decayed the more religious was hee the more godlinesse departed the more godly was hee which is a thing farre contrarie to our practises who allowe that which most doe and loue that least which most doe like making other mens examples placards for our sins For many will say how I pray liueth such a man how doth he doth not he liue an honest life can I follow a better man wee must not doe as other men doe but as the Lord commandeth by his word Let this then be a sure rule whereby euery man may examine himselfe if the more religion and manners decay thou art the more religious and godly thou shalt not be carried away with the common destruction but if thy zeale and care of godlines be the lesse then feare vnlesse thou repent as thou art wrapped in the common sinne thou shalt also be taken in the common reward of sinne Now that corruptions may not preuaile against vs wee must thinke there is as great
the man of God setteth downe the tearmes of his companions and sheweth how he coueted only Gods louing countenance The sicke desire health the imprisoned libertie the poore desire riches but few desire Gods countenance in the forgiuenes of sinne in the beholding of vs in Christ in giuing the graces of his holy spirit which are the pledges of his loue Many worlds are nothing worth it is a good heart which the Lord requireth Sanctification holines and the blessing of Gods spirit are true riches which we must craue and obtaine with sighs grones and teares For if we can sigh if we can grone if we can sorrow when we are but in sicknes of body or some outward calamitie what a shame is it if we cannot sigh sorrow and grone for the inward wants and necessities of the soule But if men knew what it were to haue the inward peace of conscience which passeth all vnderstanding they would surely desire it more That I might keepe thy statutes So many would haue Gods fauour to shine vnto them in libertie in health or in riches but he craueth God his fauour in his word which if we can get let the Lord deale with other things which concerne vs as pleaseth him best Will we know then when we haue a true loue to God his word It is when we especially desire it and nothing aboue it For as the greatest light that euer came to the world is the light of the Sunne so the most precious thing that can come to the world is the light of Gods word that we may see the light in God his light and behold the countenance of the Lord Otherwise if we be in prosperitie we will thinke our selues to be well when we are in aduersitie we thinke our selues ill Here we may see that as there is cleerenes when the Sunne shineth and that there is darknesse in the mists and cloudinesse so there is a vicissitude of Gods children whilest sometime their vnderstanding is cleered by the comfort of the word other sometimes it is darkened by the mists of ignorance which commeth to passe that we might the more reuerently and louingly esteeme the word For as the Lord hath the dispensation of the Sunne in heauen so hath he the disposing of his countenance to vs on earth Vers. 136. Mine eyes gush out with riuers of water because they keepe not thy Law MIne eyes gush out with water He doth here shew a cause why he did so earnestly pray for Gods louing countenance in his word for he was greatly grieued and sore afflicted and trouble compassed him on euery side The speech is not a false or fained speech but such as sheweth the greatnes of his griefe by that which is greater and it is as much as if he had said I weepe bitterly and often because men keepe not thy Law And this is the note of true zeale which easeth it selfe with teares and not with reuenge or anger and this is godly zeale when we cannot helpe a thing then by teares to commit it to God who alone is able to saue men This was not for priuate iniurie but because Gods law is broken This then is true zeale when we can deuoure priuate iniuries be zealous in Gods cause for fleshly men are hot in their owne causes and cold in the cause of the Lord. A man cannot thus be sorrowfull for another vnlesse he be sorrowfull for himselfe and then are we truely sorrowfull for our selues when we can mourne for others As Marie loued much and therefore wept much because much was forgiuen her And hereof it commeth that most notorious sinners being conuerted are most truely zealous haue greatest compassion ouer sinners for they haue felt Gods goodnes so greatly to them that they desire that others should be partakers thereof As Panl more zealous than the rest because more notorious than the rest of the Apostles PORTION 18. TSADDE Vers. 137. Righteous art thou O Lord and iust are thy iudgements AS in the latter end of the former Portion the Prophet shewed that his eyes gusht out with riuers of waters because of the generall backsliding and falling to iniquitie so here he sheweth that he had almost pined away and consumed to nothing to see the ripenes of iniquities in them which were his enemies And whereas this might haue beene a great temptation that notwithstanding there were made so many promises to the godly and such iudgements threatned to the wicked yet the godly sustained so hard things and the wicked were in so good a case he confirmeth his faith by staying his whole confidence on God and trusteth in God because he is righteous and acknowledgeth him to be a righteous God because euery part of his word is righteous and whatsoeuer the Lord hath said either concerning his promises to his seruants or threatnings to his enemies is most iust and true The selfe same must also stay vs when we are in the like temptations when we shall be counted as precise fooles and vnquiet spirits because we weepe and lament for the sinnes of others or when we seeing the wicked liue in such pleasures begin to maruell how it commeth to passe that the godly are so ill dealt withall and when the godly liue with teares and the vngodly passe their time in ioy Wherefore the man of God raiseth vp himselfe with this meditation howsoeuer those things seeme to be confounded cast together yet thou ô Lord art God and gouernest all thou art a righteous God and thy iudgements are righteous yea euery word of thy word ô Lord is righteous and true thy promises which in time thou shalt performe will not fall away nor thy iudgements which thou wilt one day execute shall not faile Behold how we also must strengthen our faith in the like assaults This was a notable example of faith which so yeelded to the due obedience of the word of God for our instruction when we are in such distresse our eyes must not be set on any visible or earthly things but onely on things inuisible and heauenly euen on the word of God on his promises which he wil performe on his iustice which he will execute we must I say haue our eyes lifted vp further than the scope of heauen and the circuites of the Sunne we must looke to heauen where Gods promises shall be fully performed and accomplished we must looke to hell where his iudgements shall be finished fully executed For though both Gods promises may on earth be performed and his vengeance may here be executed yet all his promises are not shewed to any nor many of them shewed to all but there may be some wanting of them and the wicked may haue a great torment of minde and hell of conscience and yet all haue them not neither haue any all because many are glorious in their life and pompous in their death What then shall we say to this but with the
Prophet Righteous art thou ô Lord and righteous are thy iudgements Although then the promises of God are not at all times by and by performed nor his iudgements presently executed but the godly do often grone vnder miseries and the vngodly wallow in their delights yet the Lord after death will shew that he is righteous when he wil erect magnifie his iustice before his glorious throne This thing appeareth to be manifest by that historie Luke 16. of the rich man and Lazarus who that the Lord might make knowne his iustice died both together but as their life was altogether diuers so their death did altogether differ For the rich man liued delicately and fared daintily but Lazarus lying sore and hungrie at his gate found more courtesie at his dogs which licked him than at his hands which should haue relieued him Well when they were both dead it is said that the rich man being in hell in torments lifting vp his eyes and seeing Lazarus a farre oft in Abrahams bosome cried Father Abraham send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and coole his tongue but Abraham answered Thou art far deceiued and disappointed my sonne the places are far distant between thee and vs so that the inhabitants must keep their places And my son coÌsider of the equity of Gods iustice herein for thou in thy life time didst liue in health in pleasure and prosperitie and didst not glorifie God thereby therefore it is meet and right with God that thou shouldest now haue paine and torments and this man hauing pouertie sicknesse and miserie desired Gods glorie wherefore it standeth with the righteous promise of the Lord that he should now receiue ioy comfort So Christ also teacheth vs though at the first the Lord regardeth not all good at the ãâ¦ã yet he that rewardeth one will reward all and he that punisheth one will surely in time punish all either here or in some other place either now or at some other time We must then be content to haue our liues hidden in Christ that it may appeare with Christ at his coÌming Now as this doctrine seemeth profitable for comfort so is it necessarie also for terrour For if a man shall lie in sinne and yet through impunitie because neither the hand of God is vpon him nor the authoritie of the Magistrate taketh hold on him shall not repent and because as the wise man saith Eccles. 8. 11. Sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to doe euill as we may see in profane persons in abusers of the name of God in breakers of the Sabbath in disobedient persons murderers adulterers theeues and back biters let him beware and not flatter himselfe in iniquitie and though God doth not at the very instant when sinne is committed punish all nor the Magistrate presently apprehend all if a man begin to be hot and would haue all men like himselfe and is offended because there is no present execution of iudgement yet God is righteous he will not iustifie the sinner but he hath his fierce wrath vengeance indignation laid vp in store to fal suddenly fearefully vpon the vngodly For assure thy selfe ô man whosoeuer thou art he that hath said that no whoremonger nor adulterer nor couetous person shall enter into the kingdome of heauen and he that hath promised in this life to trie those that be his will surely if thou be the child of God punish thee here that thou mayest not be condemned with the wicked if thou be not he will both in this life and in the world to come plague thee eternally If thou art not presently punished for thy sinnes the Lord calleth thee to repentance if that will not serue the Lord will vndoubtedly breake thy necke and presse thee downe with further iudgements Thus we see how needfull it is to vrge this doctrine to the abusers of the Lords long suffring and contemners of his righteous iudgements Psal. 89. the man of God sheweth that albeit the Lord had made a couenant of mercy with his people yet if their children did forsake his lawes and walke not in his iudgements if they did breake his statutes and kept not his commandements he would 32. visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquitie with strokes And surely if we will not be remoued by the word calling vs from our securitie we shall taste indeed of the Lords heauie scourges and fearefull strokes Wherefore in time let vs humble our selues vnder the louing hand of God learne to deny our selues Vers. 138. Thou hast commanded iustice by thy testimonies and truth especially HE sheweth that in all the holy writings the Lord had set downe speciall mercies and speciall iudgements and that the iustice and truth which the Lord hath taught in his word is a speciall iustice and a speciall truth and euery part thereof is iust and true yea and if there could be degrees therein they are most iust and most true according to that Psal. 19. 9. The iudgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether So that without exception all the threatnings of the Lord are iust and all his promises true Sure it is then that he will performe his wrath threatned and fulfill his couenants promised for there is nothing in the word which is not truth and iustice it selfe Thus we must learne when we are in trouble to looke to God his word and to knowe that euery title thereof is righteous and true and though heauen and earth doe passe yet not one ioâ of it shall faile This is necessarie for vs to beleeue for from hence springeth faith Wherefore the Prophet seeing that this would hardly be beleeued and that euen Gods children sometime are slacke in faith hope and loue and are not so soone perswaded that euery man must performe this but rather that it was a speciall thing the Prophet I say reciteth this word fiue times in the compasse of eight verses being but one portion So much doth he shew incredulitie to raigne in Gods children and declareth it the more vehemently because the wicked will not be brought to beleeue this For what is the cause of sinne either in failing of doing those things which are to be done or in failing to doe those things which ought not to be done in omitting of good things or committing of euill but onely incredulitie Could we beleeue the word of God Oh happie were we can we not beleeue oh cursed are we We shall see as the wicked in all things so Gods children in many things discredit the word of God as the wicked beleeue not at all so the godly beleeue but in part see but in a glasse And doubtlesse they want the comfort which they should haue in that although they consent generally to the truth yet when they come to particulars they reason this with themselues
and in an holy courage to be delighted in weldoing For the godly whose onely stayes in trouble are faith and a good conscience are brought by their affliction to a sight of their sin to a desire to haue them pardoned to a feeling of God his mercy in hearing their prayers to an hatred of their sinnes Thus if we can support our faith in Gods promises wee shall reioyce in trouble When heretikes suffer for their illusions and being taught of man they quickly shrinke but when Sathan deludeth them with strange fantasies they are ready to suffer much Doe we know that heretikes wil suffer for their illusions and shall not wee much rather suffer for the truth And yet we see the Lord maketh a distinction betweene their sufferings our martyrdomes For Christians through faith can sing Psalmes in the midst of the flame heretikes by their roring shewe they haue no such ioy It stands therefore vpon vs euen now to be iealous of our prosperitie to bestow the time which we haue in weldoing and striue against sinne For we shall breake the first wall by this and so come with ioy to the other And as the word is a comfort in trouble so is it a bridle from sinne in prosperitie For as it doth not let vs fall in trouble so also it bridleth vs from sin in prosperitie For to this end we read and heare the word that in prosperity it should subdue sin and in aduersitie it should minister comfort But what is the iudgement of God vpon them that know not the word If they bee in health they seeke for nothing but for pleasures for profit and for gaine and thinke whatsoeuer they do to be lawfull yea admonish a man of his couetousnes by the word yet will hee not repent vntill eyther theeues or fire or some other iudgement of God vtterly consume him but hee will obiect why should I not get riches why should I not maintaine my gaine Admonish a theefe at his libertie of his theft and it prevaileth no more then if ye should tel him a storie vntill wofull experience âeach him the truth of it by the prison or by the halter There is no hope to any profit to perswade the adulterer vntill some plague of God haue wrought vpon him So we see when fire is on our houses when we must goe to prison or yeeld to any other calamitie men wring their hands teare their haire and rent their clothes crying for woe to themselues and saying they cannot liue they wil not be seene in the world they are ashamed to looke their friends in the face and why because they haue no feeling of the ioyes of the life to come they haue no stay on Gods prouidence they feele no comfort in his promises but they curse they moyle and pine away with sorrow If we see then the great mercie of God in staying vs from sinne in time of prosperitie and in aduersitie telling vs that he doth not punish vs in wrath but in loue and as a father doth teach vs the contempt of this world the desire of the world to come faith in his promises patience and repentance let vs reuerently esteeme the word Verse 144. The righteousnes of thy testimonies is euerlasting graunt mee vnderstanding and I shall liue IN repeating the same againe which hee had saide before the man of God here vseth two words the righteousnes of thy testimonies whereas before he vseth this one word thy righteousnes so that he meaneth here nothing els but the righteousnes of God reuealed to vs in his word For they bee called testimonies both in respect that they bee records of Gods loue towards vs as also they are testimonials of our obedience towards God So the words may beare this sense true it is Lord that that part of thy word where in thou hast comforted vs with thy promises is euerlasting and that part of thy word wherein thou hast set downe our duties is also euerlasting And I shall liue That is what doe men desire but life that I may liue therefore in godly pleasure Lord teach me to vnderstand thy testimonies See the man of God doth rest his life in this vnderstanding of the word They then that are ignorant are dead in sin Ephes 2. They sit in the shadow of death Luk 1. they are bound in the chaines of âââââ as Paul witnesseth of the widowes that liue delicately For as we cal him a man of death on whom not the Iudge but the law or not the lawe but the fact hath already giuen iudgement so they are subiect to the spirituall death on whom not God but his word or not the word but the sinne hath pronounced guiltie What is then life surely this was life the estate wherein Adam liued before hee fell his other life afterward which now is common to vs is a death and wee in him are all dead For when there was no sinne there was no shame when there was no shame there was no trouble when no trouble no death Wherfore sinne bringeth in shame trouble and death and hath left vs dead spiritually by cutting vs off from God For as a ciuill life is when wee are obedient to the ciuill lawes so we liue in God when wee liue according to his lawe And as he is dead ciuilly that by transgressing the lawes of the realme hath cut off himselfe from the common people so we are spiritually dead when sinne hath cut vs off from God The Prophet Abacuk saith chap. 2. 4. Hee that lifteth vp himselfe his minde is not right in him Where the Prophet sheweth that though a man for a time swel not hauing an vpright heart yet afterward he sodainely vanisheth away as a bubble of water for as a bladder with the wind is soone drawne out so the vngodly with conceit of his reason seemeth to bee puft vp but all is but inconstancie The iust man saith the Prophet shall liue by faith not by workes as some would dreame for all the shift of them that will be righteous in themselues will bee as a bubble of water but the iust man beleeuing the forgiuenes of sinne looking for euerlasting life staying himselfe on the promises and prouidence of God hath true soundnesse in him Hee shall liue saith the Prophet noting perpetuitie of time So the man of God his meaning is I shall liue i. perpetually and for euer Wee see then the great mercie of God that commeth by the knowledge of the Worde in that wee finde how hee deliuereth vs from wrath and taketh vs into his fauour he rescueth vs from sinne and clotheth vs with righteousnes he taketh from vs death and restoreth to vs life But marke who speaketh these words doth this man of God attaine to such an heroicall spirit as to crie graunt me vnderstanding and shall wee thinke ourselues sufficiently rich well sighted and that wee are so well clothed that wee neede no such prayer We are like the Laodiceans
who hearing the word were neither hote nor cold Seeing then we are rather Laodiceans than Dauids wee must crie Lord giue vs vnderstanding that we may liue Then let vs learne by other mens harmes which is a princely and heroicall kind of teaching For as Princes children are taught themselues in their owne persons but are not beaten seeing rather others beaten before them so the Lord preacheth to our persons but punisheth other persons round about vs sparing vs that we by their sinnes and stripes may learne to amend and to repent in prayer There is a winter after haruest after heate colde and it is vsuall with the Lord to tempeâ his blessings most sweete with some crossings most sower Wherefore let vs pray with our Prophet for the vnderstanding of God his word not onely to be bettered in our mindes but also reformed in our liues Then no diuell no hell no plague no pestilence shall hurt vs yea those troublesome trials which vnto others are testimonies of God his wrath shall be vnto vs seales of his loue which although the world cannot discerne yet by faith we shall both finde it and feele it PORTION 19. COPH. Vers 145. I haue cried with mine whole heart heare me O Lord and I will keepe thy statutes Vers. 146. I called vpon thee saue mee and I will keepe thy testimonies IN the last verse of the former part he set downe the righteousnesse of GODS lawe hee prayed therefore that hee might haue vnderstanding and liue and therefore they that are ignorant haue no life in them because life is onely reuealed in the word Sinners then hauing not receiued the word are dead for the life of sinne is the death of man And our first father was dead when hee had sinned and they who liued in pleasure and all other sinners are dead though they for a while prolong their life on earth yet at death the soule goeth to hell and waiteth there for the bodie and this cuise waiteth on all Cursed are all that continue not in all things c. and after Gods great suffering they shall be cut off Hee knew that the beginning of this life was in the word and hee also knewe that the continuance of it was in the word by the grace of God and therefore hee laboured to haue it increased by the word because he was conuinced by his infirmitie that hee might lose it as Adam did and therefore hee seeketh to finish the course of his saluation with feare If Dauid whose zeale had consumed him did yet in this sort pray how much more ought we which for euery light trouble are discouraged in our dutie He prayeth for the vnderstanding of the word because the diuell wil be ready to allure vs from the word if we be inclined thereto as he dealt with Christ when he laide our scripture against it And yet he liketh not of those that rest in the literall sense but hee craueth the spirit to teach him according to the word for the spirit quickeneth and flesh and blood doth not reueale these things and all that are of God must bee taught of God Isa. 54 yet alwaies agreeable to the word Now in this part he prayeth that he may haue vnderstanding and ease from his trouble this request he groundeth on these reasons first of his earnestnes in the foure first verses secondly in respect of his enemies in the sixt verse and thirdly in respect of Gods mercies in the fift seuenth and eight verses In the foure first verses he setteth downe his earnest desire and zeale that he had and he prayeth that he may haue a good conscience in the first verse and faith in the promises in the second verse teaching that these two were al the comfort that he had in trouble when he suffered for well-doing and had his sinnes forgiuen and had the fauour of God Then if we will stand in trouble let vs labour to be grounded on the promises of forgiuenes of sinnes of a new life of his fatherly prouidence and let this purge vs from sin and if we can doe this then nothing shall seperate vs from God as Paul saith Rom. 8. and againe he saith there is no condemnatioÌ to them that are in Christ for they haue his spirit to purge them from sinne and to strengthen their faith The want of these causeth men to step backe and the weakenes of our faith the carelesnes of these causeth such feare in Gods children and such shrinking for the diuel layeth their sinnes to their charge which they see not discharged and their faith is weake and therefore they are diuing vp and down And surely trouble must come to all for so it is ordained though to some lesse than others and therefore when it commeth we are faint if we haue not been carefull to keepe a good conscience and to strengthen our faith But if we haue done thus then shall death be pleasant vnto vs for wee shall be blessed Apoc. 12. and our workes shall follow vs that is our faith and the fruites of our faith Againe if wee suffer for our sinnes c. then wee want faith and a good conscience and therefore we murmur and crie out yea and goe to witches and wisards Yea Gods children though they come not to this grosse sinning yet they inwardly grudge and they haue secret murmurings because they haue failed in strengthening their faith keeping a good conscience but the children of God that make Christ all in all they say the Lord giueth and the Lord taketh this is the patience of Gods children And Iob did not faile till his faith failed and though his three learned aduersaries reasoned against him to proue him an hypocrite yet his conscience sustained him and therefore reckoneth vp his vertues chapter 28. and 31. And he also confessed his faith I know that my Redeemer liueth this was his faith and this was his conscience that in his trouble sustained him These things haue no lesse fruite in prosperitie for the want of them cause men to lift vp themselues on high but the word represseth pride lust and loue of worldly things so that they are ââuÌâle in prosperitie for the worldlings seeke after the things of this world because they neuer felt the peace of conscience they seeke their owne glorie because they neuer felt what the glory of God was and neuer seeke knowledge because they know not what the soule is Yea the children of God because they labour not continually to keepe a good conscience and to strengthen their faith they are carried away with the loue of earthly things after the example of the wicked for prosperitie is as a floud which carieth all things with it and as well good as bad and therefore they are often caried away with the loue of these outward things But the children of God which doe diligently labour after these things they behaue themselues so as that God may be glorified by their prosperitie and aduersitie
in prayer Wherefore God often denyeth vs our requests because we vse not to pursue and prosecute them with seruent prayer For if we haue prayed twice or thrice for one thing and yet are not heard but receiue as it were the repulse wee straitway surcease and leaue off our prayers contrarie to the practise of this man of God who would not suffer any repulse but still continued his prayer both morning and euening So that wee are to know that if we will obtaine mercie God will sometime deferre his graunt to trie vs whether wee aske carefully or no whether wee truly and reuerently esteeme of the thing prayed for whether wee belieue throughly his mercies and promises and whether wee will as thankefully vse it when we haue it as we did carefully pray for it before we had it The Lord cannot away with our cold asking and when we giue but one sigh and there comes sometime one teare which is as the teare of an harlot he seeth that we feele not our wants throughly wee esteeme not of his mercies reuerently wee make not our request earnestly and therefore he sendeth vs often as emptie away as we came Wee must then giue the Lord no leisure to be free but prosecute our prayers with importunitie as did the Widow mentioned in the Gospell But we must remember in our often prayer to vse the wisedome of the spirit which was the second thing obserued in diligent prayer For some vse prayer often who wanting heauenly discretion turne it to their owne discommoditie For some haue peruerted most wickedly these places before alleaged through too strict a consideration of the assiduitie of praier and thought that they might giue ouer all their callings in an actiue and cruil life and wholy and continually bestow all time on prayer But this was too preposterous a diligence which that wee may auoyd it shall be true wisdome so to deuide the times and seasons as we may impart those times on prayer which most may make for Gods glorie and which best make for our calling And for those places of our Sauiour Christ and the Apostle wherein wee are commaunded to pray continually the meaning is that we should alwayes be ready and affected to pray in prosperitie and aduersitie and at all seasons fit for prayer that is when the Lord doth call vs to it and our estate doth require it This doctrine is easie to be heard but hard to be practised Well then this is true wisdom to choose the Sabbath wholy to be spent in the word and prayer from morning to night and so to deuide the seasons in the other dayes of the weeke as with Dauid and Daniel we may pray at morning noontide and euening and that therewith we haue a speciall care to bestow the rest of our time in walking in our calling For as there is a time of hearing so there is a time of putting that in vse which we haue heard as there is a Sabbath for Gods owne worship so there is sixe dayes for vs to labour in and as there is a time of praying so there is also a time of practising Neither would the Lord haue vs alwayes reading hearing or praying but after we haue read heard and prayed to shew forth the friââ of them in our conuersation to his glorie And as heretikes in the primitiue Church and since that time Monkes and Friers haue laboured to teach a continuall praying so euen at this day Sathan bewitched the hearts of many with that perswasion wherefore wee must knowe that the Lord will haue obedience rather than sacrifice and mercie more than burnt offerings For why doe we heare but to learne obedience and why doe wee pray but to put our prayer in practise or why haue we knowledge but to vse it to Gods glorie Neither doth that saying of our Sauiour Christ to Martha vithstand this doctrine although many heretikes haue both obiected and peruerted this place to make it serue their purpose who falsely alleage the place saying Mary hath chosen the better part whereas the true wordes are Mary hath chosen the good part in which place Martha was not reproued in that shee was a good huswife or for that she entertained Christ but for ouermuch labouring in her huswiferie and entertainement at such time as she should haue been better occupied Neither was Mary commended for that she did nothing but heare and pray but for her wisedome in hearing Christ carefully at that time when he preached and in that she knew that Christ did lesse care and would be better satisfied though her pâouâsion was more slender than that to more solemne preparation they should neglect the doctrine which was the fooâe of their soules Otherwise it must be supposed that Mary was as carefull an huswife as Martha for els vndoubtedly our Sauiour Christ would not haue so commended her for wisely discerning the times especially seeing the holy Scriptures count them worse than infidels which will not prouide for their families But this doctrine is sweet to them that maintaine it that thereby they might auoide all laborious callings and al crosses which commonly accompanie the same âor it is the subtill policie of Sathan when hee cannot get vs to neglect prayer to endeuour to bring vs preposterously to vse and frequent prayer by causing vs to lay aside our callings which according to Gods holy ordinance we had professed wherefore let vs labour in this wisedom of the spirit wholy to take vp the Sabbath to the Lord and so dâuââe our other times as we may still perseuere in our callings which if we doe we shal haue better motions and not incurre so dangerous opinions as we should doe if we gaue our selues to continuall reading and praying But shall we speake of this doctrine in this our age which rather needeth a spurre than a bridle wherein many pray but obtaine not because they are not diligent many heare but are fruitlesse because they vse no diligence For besides that they want this wisedome of the Sabbath that that is appointed for the growing of their soules is spent in worldly cares These kinde of men haue their soules very barren who neither vse the Sabbath nor redeeme other times of their callings to bestowe any thing in hearing or praying or if happily they doe heare they rather make it a matter to âarpe at than to be instructed by it These men as they will heare no true things so they will heare false and though they will marke no good things yet they will marke ill things not that there is any thing false or ill in the word but in that as to an humble spirited man the Lord maketh the word the sauour of life vnto life so vnto them that are ill minded the Lord maketh it the sauour of death vnto death and giueth them ouer in the pride of their hearts vnto Sathan that hee may delude them by deceiueable colours For
latter dayes of sinne and iniquitie wherein heresies haue so corrupted doctrine and vngodlines hath so stained our liues if we had not this constant rule of Gods word among vs Oh what a treasure is it whereby we may see heresie and auoide it whereby we may see truth and follow it Which rule of equitie seeing willingly the wicked depart from they are worthily plunged and plagued in their owne sinnes Vers. 156. Great are thy tender mercies O Lord quicken me according to thy iudgements THat is True it is I am a sinner O Lord but yet I am not a desperate sinner as mine enemies are but such a one as on whom thou wilt shew thy mercies therefore I hope that thou wilt helpe If thou shouldest simply deale with me according to my deseruings I should be condemned for who can stand in thy sight iustified but I compare not my selfe with thee but with them who are become mine aduersaries According to thy iudgements Such is thy fatherly mercy which forgiueth my sinnes and heareth my prayers that thou wilt not reward me according to mine iniquities but wilt fauourably looke vpon me according to the multitude of thy mercies Vers. 157. My persecutors and mine oppressors are many yet doe I not swarne from thy testimonies THis sentence is the same in effect with diuers other in diuers portions of this Psalm As The proude haue had me exceedingly in derision the proude haue digged pits for me the wicked haue laid a snare for me and such like Now in that he saith my oppressors are many he sheweth that he had not to doe with one man or two but with many It is a matter as wee haue shewed before to be godly among the godly but he is a diuel that is euil among Angels and therefore was he worthily cast downe into hell and he is a sinner that will sinne among Saints and therefore iustly was Adam throwne out of Paradise If we liue among the godly what praise is it to be godly nay what an horrible thing were it not to be godly If the Church discipline were truly executed it were a small commendation to do well and to abstaine from sinne yet now in this want it is praise-worthie to abstaine from sinne for feare of God But it may be we taste not of such troubles as the Prophet tasted of because we liue not so carefull of godlinesse as he did which if in truth we did we should haue troubles as he had Well we are in this world as sheepe among wolues to trie vs whether we will be corrupted with the euil examples of this world or whether we will swarue from the Lord our God whilest he proueth vs. Their carnall reasoning commeth to nothing which say the world is set on euill the world was neuer so wicked charitie was neuer so colde a man cannot now professe without taunts scoffes and troubles For we see here that the Prophet in his time had many and great persecutors whom notwithstanding so manifold corruptions could nothing mooue Wherefore we must learne although sometime we are slaundered though sometime we are euill spoken of taunted and troubled our estate is not worse than our forefathers hath bene and the beloued Saints of God haue had before vs. So long as we are well entreated of God and man we will keepe the lawe but when we suffer reproaches taunts iniuries losse or discredit we then run either to euill meanes or to reuengement or to dispaire Where many iniuries haue bene offered many haue bene rendred againe if they haue not requited iniury for iniury with reuenge they haue vsed some ill means to escape out of their trouble if they haue not vsed ill meanes yet they haue secretly begun to mistrust God his promises and prouidence and haue gone to wisards and witches if they could doe nothing in malice they would doe something in policie if they could preuaile with neither they would fall to dispaire But the Prophet of God vseth here no vnlawfull meanes he goeth not in his affliction to Sorcerers hee recompenceth not ill for ill hee did not dispaire in God his promises he did not thinke with himselfe that the Lord would defend his enemies cause and forsake him but hoped still in God his good and appointed time to receiue helpe wherein the man of God is set before vs for our imitation in that neither his faith could bee shaken nor his obedience slaked nor daunted And surely this is Sathans last refuge and most daungerous assault to perswade vs in affliction that therefore the Lord doth plunge vs in miserie because he hath no loue towards vs. But the man of God opposing his faith to all such temptations saith I know O Lord by the records of thy law that thou hast laide vp helpe for mee and that thou art my defender How sweete and comfortable this is they which are humbled and well exercised by temptations know What greater assault vsed the diuell to our Sauiour Christ than this what saith he doest thou thinke if thou werst Gods childe thou shouldest want bread it is not like if thou werst the sonne of God that hee would or could suffer thee to be without food Like are his temptations to vs art thou thinkest thou the childe of God then thou shouldest be helped then thou shouldest not lie in this case This was his last dart which he threw at Christ on the crosse if thou art the childe of God then we doubt there is nothing but thou canst helpe thy selfe Well we see here that the man of God neither mistrusteth Gods promises nor forsaketh his law Neither surely is our faith sound vntill we can beleeue in miserie neither is our obedience pure vnlesse we continue euen when we are oppressed not of a few but of many For then we may perswade our selues to haue true faith when it is wrought in prosperitie and tried in aduersitie and being voide of all helpe of men wee still hope for helpe of God that we may say I will not be afraid often thousands of the people that should beset me round about Psalm 4. 6. Though I walke through the vallie of the shadow of death I will feare no euill for thou art with me thy rod and thy staffe doe comfort me Psalm 23. 4. I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other thing shall be able to separate vs from this loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Verse 158. I saw the transgressors and was greiued because they kept not thy word THis also in substance we had before where the Prophet saith Mine eyes gush out with riuers of water because they kept not thy law my zeale hath euen consumed me because mine enemies haue forgotten thy word The Prophets words in a word haue this meaning Lord as for mine owne things or priuate iniuries I am coÌtent to put
peace as the godly whilest no trouble bloweth vpon them but so soone as the storme of temptation ariseth then the hellish waues of their fearefull torments yeeld a manifest distinction betweene their rage and the estate of the godly The very Heathen had a taste of these vnquiet brunts anguishes of spirit which they tearmed Furies which tosse a mans conscience with such continual accusations as neither eating nor drinking nor sleeping nor waking nor speaking nor keeping silence they can finde any quiet Neither is there any greater plague than this as testifieth the Wiseman in the booke of the Prouerbs Giue mee any plague sauing the plague of the heart c. No maruaile for when our reason and appetite fight one with another and there is an hurly burly within vs wee shall finde nothing to be more pretious than the peace of conscience which so commendeth vs to God that we shall finde in trouble peace in banishment our countrie in imprisonment libertie in death life What madnesse then is it to put this peace from vs and to hale towards vs as with cart ropes these direful plagues of the spirit which so torment vs in this life without repentance in death wil bring vs to hell If then by the grace of God his spirit wee would oft set before vs some serious meditation of death and thinke earnestly of our departure from hence euen as our deliueraÌce out of the flesh were then at hand doubtlesse we should finde by that an approued triall of the image of that estate which we should haue if death indeede were present And if in the quietnes of our mindes on our beds at midnight we would without hypocrisie present our selues before God his iudgement seate as if Christ in that instance did appeare in the cloudes we would redeeme this benefit and peace of conscience with all the goods in the world Wherefore as the Prophet exhorteth vs it is good thus to examine our selues and not to tarrie the triall of our hearts vntil affliction commeth vpon vs but in the calme of our minds to vse this practise in trembling Let vs pray then that this may still sound in our eares that vnto them that loue God all things shall turne to the best as wee may see Iosh. 1. Psalm 1. Rom. 8. And as to them that loue all things counted ill doe turne to the best so to the wicked all things that are counted good doe turne to the worst so that when a mans conscience doth boyle with finne all his pleasures profits and glory will the further feede on him to his griefe and awake the more the troubles of his minde Contrariwise the godly in the death of Christ shall haue all their troubles so sanctified that reason would wonder to see their happie issues out of so fearfull dangers Yet we see God his promise will bring it to passe Well we see how this verse followeth of experience the verse going before as if the Prophet had said I see O Lord that they that loue the law haue good successe and whatsoeuer befalleth to flesh and blood most contrarie it is turned to their saluation contrariwise in them that feare thee not I obserue thus much how they are plagued here and there and how in their chiefe felicitie they are subiect to thy curse For as for theÌ that are delighted with thy law if they be rich they swell not if they abound they are not puffed vp if they prosper in name bodie and goods they are not proud but vse this world as though they vsed it not if thou callest them to a contrarie estate they are thankfull and if they want or fall into sicknes or infamie they fret not they despaire not they are not so appalled in their spirits but still they beleeue on thee they call on thee they glorifie thee euen vntill their deaths Wee shall not onely see the truth of this in the Patriarches and Prophets and Apostles and in the Primitiue Church but also in the Saints of God of late memorie in King Edward his daies who vsed their time as though they vsed it not when affliction came they neither feared nor forswore themselues but quietly suffered imprisonment banishment torment and martyrdome as the deare children of God We may call now to minde how the blessed man Dauid behaued himselfe in all his miseries and how Saul plunged himselfe in disobedience who thinking in time of God his iudgement to followe his owne wiâ fell from sinne to sinne vntill he fell into a furie when hee began to aske counsaile of the diuell and afterward by the iustice of God had a miserable death The like we may see in the Egyptians Babylonians Caldeans and Israelites when they forsooke the Lord. In comparing these things together wee shall marke the workes of God and how they that loue not the truth in loue are plagued of the Lord with anguish distractions and terrors of minde some ending their liues in treasons some in prophanenes some in heresies some in shame and some otherwise They that loue thy law c Rom. 8. 28 We know that all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God c. This is a thing worthie of obseruation that he saith Thây that loue thy law For it is an easie matter to say that wee loue God as Heretikes Atheists and the Familie of loue will bragge but they loue not with the man of God the word which is the true and onely touch stone to tâie vs whether wee loue God or no. Wherefore the Apostle Iohn saith 1 Ioh. 5 3 This is the loue of God if we keepe his commandements This then must be remembred whatsoeuer loue we pretend to God we must beare it to his word and looke how little our loue is to the word so little in trueth is our loue to God And this is that which discerneth the feruent loue of the godly from the cold loue of the wicked Wherefore as the Prophet saith Psalm 16. 5. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance so hee saith Psal 119. 111. Thy test montes haue I taken as mine heritage for euer We must thinke then that this doctrine standeth in neede of our meditation and prayer to trie ourselues if wee fââre the Lord how we feare his threatnings if we loue the Lord how wee are affected to his promises and to that which he commandeth So shall wee see that the godly haue the Angels of God continually waiting on them least they should hurt their foote against a stone and though they haue many troubles yet they take no offence at them If we diligently consider how Dauid prospered whilest he continued in the loue of God what distresse in his affaires disquietnes of mind streights in his kingdome punishments in his children be felt when he began to loue carnally we shall haue a sufficient truth of this doctrine And for our example wee haue seene how they that loued God either
haue no good desire or inclination to heare vnlesse GOD by his spirit doe worke it in vs and bore through our eares Secondly there is noted this that wee should heare though it be plaine for vs to doe wee must striue and struggle with our selues that wee may heare when the Lord doth neuer so little stâââ vs vp therevnto Vers. 21. Let them not depart from thine eyes but keepe them in the middest of thine heart IN these words is a third charge giuen vnto vs and that is this that wee should make a profitable vse for our selues in the reading of the word and in beholding of the creatures for both these wayes we may winne great and good strength to ouercome our corruption and both these exercises are in the word commended vnto vs. The fourth and last precept is contained in the latter end of the verse in these words Keepe them in the middest of thine heart In this precept is prescribed the manner of the vsing and doing of the former duties for all of them must be done with the heart wee must giue attendance to the word not onely with the stilnes and quietnes of the outward members but wee must also be attentiue with our hearts we must heare the word read preached and conferred of not with our outward eares alone but also with our very hearts Wee are not to rest in the simple reading of the word or the bare beholding of the creatures but wee must labour for a fourth thing wee must looke that our hearts be present when wee either reade the word or behold the creatures And yet there is a further thing to bee here obserued for by this commandement we are charged to lay vp in our hearts all the profit which we learne by these meanes It is not sufficient to vse them it is not enough to feele some present vse and profit by them but wee must lay vp in our hearts whatsoeuer gaine wee get that wee may be stored and prepared for the time to come This must be done by prayer and meditations for if wee pray feruently before after and in the vsing of these meanes and if after we haue vsed them we do diligently meditate vpon them both that we may be confirmed in each dutie and also that wee way applie them to our own particular priuate vse then vndoubtedly God will giue a blessing to his meanes rightly vsed and will write the fruite of them in our hearts yea the Lord will giue a further blessing vnto them life vnto vs and health vnto our flesh as it followeth in the 22. verse which before hath beene expounded These verses are very notable and worthie of all remembrance for they commend vnto vs all the meanes whereby Gods word is made effectuall vnto vs as hearing reading preaching praying conferring meditating and such like godly and heauenly exercises In other places of the scripture sometime one sometime another is mentioned But here all are expressely named and this no doubt was done by the great wisedome of God the holy Ghost which by this hath met with the corruption of our owne nature For this corruption much preuaileth and beareth great sway in vs that wee vsing some one meanes diligently doe neglect all the rest Some men doe so rest in their priuate reading that they neglect hearing praying other holesome meanes some do so highly esteeme hearing that they will neuer reade to confirme the thing that they haue heard nor vse any other meanes And so of the rest for there are men of all sorts But the holy Ghost commendeth all vnto vs and chargeth vs with all and that so straightly that we cannot with hope looke for any blessing from God vnlesse wee bee carefull and diligent in all It is the dutie then of euery man to be seriously exercised and occupied in all thos exercises that God may blesse al or if not that sometime one sometime another according to his good pleasure may profit vs. These 9. verses because they giue vs in charge to vse with diligence the hearing and other exercises of the word must bee referred vnto the second commaundement Vers. 23. Keepe thy heart with all diligence for thereout proceede the actions of life IN this verse hee doth call vs from all kinde of inward euill which secretly lieth lurking in our heart for as much as that in very deede is the wel-spring of all wickednesse and because Salomon doth here note the heart as that which is the cause of al sinful actions so that although we should neuer see any man doe euill and although wee should not at any time be tempted to doe euill by any yet our owne hearts would corrupt vs and cause vs to sin We do hereby see that the doctrine both of the Papists and of the Familie of loue is most vntrue for they do teach that a maÌ is not naturally inclined vnto euil that his nature is not wholy corrupted with sinne but that hee is corrupted and infected either by the allurement or example and temptation of others True it is that the occasion of euill may be offered by some other man but Salomon doth here teach vs that the cause of our euill is in our selues and for this cause he commaundeth vs aboue all things to bee watchfull ouer our hearts for from them doe proceede the actions of life or of death Now the causes why wee are charged to keepe such straite watch ouer our hearts are in number two The first is because the heart doth carrie with it euery way all our senses so that as the Heathen said It is not the eye that seeth but the heart it is not the hand that toucheth but the heart and so the other senses So from hence it commeth that there be oftentimes great sounds and much noyse yet because our eares doe attend vpon our hearts which are earnestly occupied about some other matter wee heare not the sounds we doe not listen vnto the noyse From hence it commeth that we see not goodly sights and shewes when they bee sometimes offered vnto our eyes because our eyes are set vpon that thing about thwich the heart is occupied Yea from hence it commeth that we sometimes stumble in the plaine ground and our feete doe faile vs euen in ââââ places because our feete are carried with our heart which is earnestly occupied on some other matter Therefore although we ought to keepe with great care our eyes our handâ our eares and other parts of our body yet doth it most stand vs in hand to keepe all watch and ward ouer our hearts seeing they rule all the rest The second cause why we should watch ouer our hearts is because it maketh or marreth all our actions for if our heart bee pure then all our actions bee pure and accepted of through Christ though some want bee in them and contrariwise if our hearts bee not sound but corrupted and vnpure the things that in their
both because it is thereby tried and also made more pure so is it not euil for the children of God to haue their faith tried if it be a strong faith it will beare the fire if it bee weake it will yet shine brighter if there appeare no faith but all drosse then the partie tried must more seriously seeke after Christ and the meanes of saluation that he may attaine that faith that may goe through the fire of affliction 16 It is the great goodnes of God to curbe vs by affliction not to let vs goe forward in sinne as to diminish the health of our bodies because we are carelesse of our soules and to pull away outward things that wee may learne to seeke heauenly things And contrarily it is his great punishment to leaue vs to our selues Let vs marke this that the crosses of God may be sweete vnto vs that we may the sooner profit by them For it is certaine God scoureth away the infirmities of his Saints by many afflictions yet neuer breaketh his holy couenant with them albeit they haue many tribulations which they deserue and pul vpon themselues 17 The seruice and worship of God in affliction is patience Of Gods doings wee are not to inquire a reason yet he hath reuealed to vs many causes wherfore he chasteneth his elect in this life First to declare his iustice and anger against sinne therefore the waters of strife cost Moses his life Secondly to win vs to repentance who in prosperitie are vnââmed and will not heare him for vexation will teach vs vnderstanding Thirdly to know and trie vs whether we will beare his louing correction and whether we loue him so that we can endure our seruice vnto blood for his sake Gen. 22. Now I knowe thou louest me 1. Pet. 1. 7. which triall is more pretious in his sight than gold and the way to purifie gold is to make it passe through the fire Fourthly Sathan will say Doth Iob feare God for nought Therefore to triumph ouer him in our obedience the Lord doth it And saith the more it is sifted the cleaner it is the more it is cut the more it groweth the more it is troden the thicker it comes vp Fiftly to seperate vs from the wicked for which cause it is compared to a fanne and the diuell is said to winnowe vs and hee will not vse a course sieue in doing of it Lastly to conforme vs vnto Christ Rom. 8 25. that wee may haue the sympathie of his affections 2. Tim. 3. 12 all that wil liue godly must beare his crosse and in his time and measure drinke of the cup. 18 It is not to be doubted that Christ is in the kingdome of heaueÌ but how came he to it Luk. 24. He suffered all things so entred into glorie No man then must looke to be Diâes all his life time and Lazarus after death too Christ himselfe entred not on this condition the Apostles entred not on this condition for Act. 14. they knewe that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God The estate of the Church is as of a tree we see that some blossomes the cold nippeth and some the worme eateth and some continue fruitfull For some men are nâpped by reproaches others eaten away by corrupt example and some continue fruitfull If a man haue an heritage in the world either by gift or purchase if it haue a fine or seruice ioyned with it surely hee that will looke to haue the one must looke to doe the other else not Now the kingdome of God is the heritage we looke for and therefore we must haue the burtheÌ of it The burthen Christ himselfe suffered and we must suffer it euen the persecution both of Sâem Caine. The Lord hath annexed the burthen the heritage and he will not seperate them Nebuchadnezzer his image Dan. 2. had an head of gold breast and armes of siluer and the neerer the feete the baser it was we must not be so we must set our selues against all troubles that if God will haue vs to go ââ to heauen in a chariot of fire we may not refuse it CHAP. VI. Of Anger IT is a good triall whether we be carnally angrie or no if we trie our selues whether it kindleth to good workes or no if it cause vs to pray with libertie of minde if it hindreth not our meditations if we can doe well to the party offending vs if we can deale with others without all peeuishnesse though all the world accuse vs it is a signe that our heart is not euill 2 Moses is said Numb 12. to be a meâke man aboue all that were on the earth and so it appeareth by his patience in bearing the reuiling speeches of his brother and sister but Exod. 11. 8. and 32. chap. of the same booke he is said to be very angrie and in that his fierce anger causeth many to be slaine yet his anger is commended as good for that the cause thereof was good So Elihu is said to be very angrie Iob. 32. 2. not onely against the wicked but against godly men Christ also is said to be angrie Mark 6. and to call Peter Sathan Matth. 16 And Paul calleth the Galathians fooles Gal. 3. verse 1. And to the Ephes. 4 28. he forbiddeth and warneth vs onely of that anger which is of sinne or mixed with sinne Now then to discerne this euill anger note these markes following First if we be angrie in our owne cause that is for those things which might either pleasure vs or hurt vs and not for the glorie of God our anger is carnall and euill Secondly againe it is true that we shal neuer be angrie for Gods cause vntill we can leaue all care of our own causes and not become angrie for them further than they are ioyned with Gods cause Those then that in their owne cause will be as hot as may be and in Gods cause will be as colde as ice doe offend much in anger 3. Euery trifle must not moue anger but a great and waightie matter therefore we must be ready to beare with and to pardon many offences so they be not great but when they greatly concerne the glorie of God and are very waightie then are we iustly angrie 4. We may not be more angrie with the person than with the sinne for godly anger is onely moued against the sinne and nothing against the person and this may be tried two waies first if we mislike that sinne wheresoeuer we find it whether it be in our selues or in our dearest friends then is the anger good Secondly when our anger hindereth vs not from doing our duties to the person offending vs or to any other CHAP. VII Of Angels AS God and his good Angels are about vs so the diuell and euill angels and as the good Angels haue not been seene but extraordinarily so are the euill angels and he that
our guide and goe before and we must follow after Many make strange to follow his call they will not giue vp their names they wil it may be goe before him or euen by him or cheeke by cheeke but they will not follow after And wherefore Surely they will doe all with reason But Christ requireth faith and reason to Christ is a very euill seruingman A great number already taught in the word will not follow it but if any thing proceed from the forge of their own reason that they magnifie that they wil follow So Ezech. 20. certaine prophets would not follow God and his word but their own spirits and yet there is no greater ods in the world than betweene our owne reason and Gods wisedome as Esa. 55. My thoughts saith the Lord are not as your thoughts Well if wee will follow Christ wee must follow him not as a great Lord to graunt vs great leases fat farmes or high towers but as a man contemned as the reproch of the world as a man full of sorrowes Christ hath two crownes the one of thornes the other of glorie he that wil be honoured with the last must be humbled with the first CHAP. XII Of Conference and Godly wisedome in the gouernment of the tongue AS we often speake of things lawfull but yet for want of wisedome to examine the time place and persons when where and with whom we talke Sathan laboureth to make vs strict silent in our speech when often we might speake to Gods glorie to the auoyding of which temptation we must endeuour to speake when God giueth occasion and that with thankefull acknowledging of Gods spirituall grace by the motion whereof we speake as also with humble acknowledgement of our weakenes who being measured with Gods iustice we should be found to haue stained our speeches and Gods graces with great corruptions and to faile in many circumstances How be it if we do it in a single heart and euen because we loue Gods word and in zeale of Gods glorie we may boldly speake committing the successe which on vs if we obserued all circumstances did not depend to the omnipotencie of God to the blessing of Christ and to the working of the holy spirit for we being neither God nor Christ nor Angels must not thinke to preuaile of our selues by our speeches nor stay vntill we thinke our selues most fit but coÌmend our hearts to the Lord who vndoubtedly spareth weakelings 2 Being Christians we must not stay our selues in our meetings for others to begin good speeches but if God giue vs any good thing in our mindes let vs with all humblenes put it forth to be examined if we feele nothing let vs complaine of our dulnesse and deadnesse euen thereby we shal giue occasion of good conference For as in silence among euil men one euill word setteth abroch many so in deadnes among good men one good word may quicken many 3 It were to be wished that godly men in their meetings would first by prayer offer vp their speeches to God to vse them aduisedly reuerently and not passing their bounds of knowledge and if they could not speake of any thing yet they should aske some thing if they could not aske yet they might speake of the communion of Saints if they could say nothing yet at the least they should complaine of the dulnes of their mind so that of their dulnes and deadnes should arise quicknesse and life of speech againe 4 We must be carefull in vsing and watchfull in restraining the tongue Dauid prayed for a watch before his tongue and for a porter at the doore of his lips he would keepe his mouth with a bridle that it should not go riot nor open oft without a cause The eie glaunceth our hands slip our foote treads awry yet if we hold our tongue qualified we shall doe the better It is a little peece of flesh small in quantitie but mightie in qualitie it is soft but slipperie it goeth lightly but falleth heauily it striketh soft but woundeth sore it goeth out quickly but burneth vehemently it pierceth deepe and therefore not healed speedily it hath libertie granted easily to goe forth but it will finde no meanes easily to returne home It is compared with perillous things to a sharpe two edged sword to a razor to sharpe arrowes to an Adders sting to the poyson of an Aspe to fierie coales and being once enflamed by Sathans bellowes to the fire of hell CHAP. XIII Of the Church THe Papist of pride the Familie of loue of hypocrisie and many of singularitie haue singled themselues from vs as Hymenaeus did But we are little discouraged and lesse follow it For if they separate themselues as stones from the building and as members from the body what hope is there of them The Papists will say we forsake them and not they vs. We forsake them in the wall they vs in the foundation For our faith was before their opinion though their persons were before ours As Noah forsooke the world as Lot forsooke Sodome as Abraham forsooke Aegypt as our Sauiour Christ forsooke the Pharisies so wee for sake them and Christ shall be the iudge who hath bene the runnagate who hath bene the Apostata 2 Behold a miracle heauen made subiect to the earth O what is man that thou art so mindfull of him not onely to giue him the rule of the earth but euen of heauen Whom the Church doth loose on earth the Lord doth loose in heauen and whome the Church hath bound on earth he also hath bound in heauen Hee doth manie things without vs yet when we haue done this he will not alter it nor doe otherwise 3 Albeit the Church be base and contemptible in the world yet hee counteth it as the apple of his eye The earth the aire and the heauens attended on it and hee hath made the Angels to serue it Hee hath committed his treasures to it And what bee his treasures Surely when Dauid commeth to value it hee saith that it is better than golde than much golde than much fine golde than all pretious stones The word of reconciliation the couenant of grace the broade seales of his kingdome Baptisme and the Lords Supper binding and loosing life and death are left and committed to the Church and her holy Ministers 4 The Church is euen the quintessence of the world such as Sathan hath sifted to the proofe it is euen washed and made cleane with the bloud and water which issued out of Christs side It seemeth hee forgot to loue himselfe that hee might loue vs yea if that one death and suffering had not beene sufficient hee would yet once more come againe for vs. 5 It is one thing to liue where meanes of pure worship are wanting another to bee where false worship is erected for the first we are not to flie the Church but by prayer and patience
knowe we shall dwell but a while Yet such bare imaginations of Death may build vp in the meane time the kingdome of pride in vs. Wherefore it shall be more auailable if with our meditation of putting off this earthly tabernacle we thinke also of putting on the heauenly Tabernacle and of putting on the royall robe of Christs righteousnes without which we shall neuer stand with comfort before the great Throne of Gods Iudgement 4 The cause why we beso loth to die is because we cannot finde in our conscience that we haue done that good thing for which we came into this life 5 If there be a desire in thee to die in respect of some iniurie shake it off it is better to be a liuing dog than a dead Lion for so long as thou liuest there is time to repent but after death there is none Therefore labour for to feele his fauour in Christ which if thou doe thou shalt neuer faile till thou come to him 6 God dealeth contrary to the course of our common Physitions which first giue one medicine and then if that will not serue a stronger but God giueth the strongest first The argument of iudgement is the last that can moue vs. That argument moueth most in Logicke which hath the best reason and most sense howsoeuer it seemeth to some yet sure I am the argument of iudgement hath the most sense or shall haue and may best serue to moue all sensual men There be three things to moue euen euil disposed men in that great iudgement shame griefe and feare Let it moue vs for shame and if this will not let vs remember the feare which then shall possesse vs if wee want this our state is lamentable for then neither Prophets nor Apostles nor the holy Ghost can tell what to say vnto vs. 7 Many are of opinion that teach without discretion that it is euill to doe any thing for feare of iudgement but all for loue and if we abstaine from any euill for feare that we are in a wrong course I haue been of this error my selfe but the holy Ghost is content to vse this as a good reason and will bee beholding to vs if wee feare to doe euill for iudgements sake Heare what Augustine saith Doe this for feare of punishment if thou caâst not as yet obey for the loue of iustice Bernard likens the feare of God to a needle and the loue of God to a threed first the needle entreth and then followeth the threed First feare keepeth vs from doing next loue causeth that we doe not euen then when we can doe This is tââ meanes as Augustine saith A timore bonavita à bona vita bona conscientia inde nullus timor atque ita dulcescit Deus peccanti c. First we are Gods enemies then his seruants if we behaue our selues wel in his seruice we shal be made his adopted children 8 This word iudgement I would no man would let it passe without iudgement and yet there is no word read with lesse iudgement In the law the title de iudicio is best studied and it is a great title Chrysostome saith if we had that care which they haue that be arraigned before an earthly iudge we should doe well Though his iudgements be as the great deepe as the Psalmist saith yet they may be brought to foure heads and first into two the iudgement of man and the iudgement of God the iudgement of man either when another giues iudgement of vs or we giue iudgement of our selues the iudgement of God either in this life or eternall Iob chap. 29 speaketh of some yong men in his daies that feared his iudgement This feare is to be seene in heathen men as in him that ran further into the Tauerne to auoyde the sight of the Philosopher The boyes of Bethel that wanted this feare and reuerenced not Elisha the Prophet were so far gone that it was time to cut them off He cursed them and two she-beares came out of the wood and slew them But as Lucina saith of the consistorie of Christians this is a miserable Consistorie a poore iudgement euery man will pleade with the friar We are exempted Lord yet true it is they that shall iudge the world can best iudge but they shall be iudged also The second is the iudgement seate within vs which God hath made to make vs esteeme his the more It is counted an absurd thing for a man to be his owne iudge This is our owne conscience This is Gods register that registreth all things which we doe or speake and it is also our remembrancer when we are alone Blessed is the man that despiseth not this iudge no man can haue a more seuere iudge than himselfe albeit a man doe acquite himselfe the wicked is sometimes secure but neuer in safetie This is that whereby God would call vs home Euery sinner is his owne tormentor Here be surdo verbera strokes that cannot be heard and yet strokes indeed Then if there be within them such torments why are wicked men so merrie Surely I must answere them thus Peccator est sui carnifex but these are remoued from the way of sinners to the seate of scorners and then all is quiet Euery sinner is condemned in himselfe or by himselfe if he become not brutish his conscience feared and hardened And as for young mens consciences Augustine compareth them to water in a bason the water is stirred and there is no face seene but so soone as maturitie of yeares come then it will stand still and we shall see our faces and crie with Dauid and Iob Lord wipe away the sinnes of my youth The third iudgement may be compared to a quarter sessions that doth consist in depriuing of commodities the mulcte is the losse of Gods grace an vnsensible punishment but so great that if all the creatures should mourne saith Chrysostome it were not sufficient when grace is taken away from one man If we will not be moued with the losse of that which God makes account of hee will take away that which we make account of as by taking away our preferment wit c. for I account that man to haue lost his wit which is turned into a Foxe which hath nothing but craft and subtiltie Then he sendeth sicknes reproches and hearts griefe to humble vs or some singular sharp iudgement on some of very good hope and loue and taketh them out of this life to warne vs that are a great deale worse to the terrour of the wicked and that they might not see the punishments he is to bring vpon the vngodly for sin Now for as much as a man in the first iudgement is coÌdemned in the second quited in the third repriued Therfore the Lord hath appointed a fourth iudgmeÌt which shall pay them home and that may be compared if I
all that now Christ is readie to come because we see small faith on the earth For if euer this was it is now wherein is not onely a defect of faith which euer was but because now men goe cleane against faith for now not onely the principles of the faith are not obserued but they are thought absurde and things cleane contrarie are prescribed Is it not monstrous that now some teach for doctrine that a man may lie and forsweare without sin or shame Seeing that sinne is now in it ripenesse which was before but in the eare could the diuell from hell broch more profound blasphemies If the regions begin to grow white and sin groweth ripe and yellow we must looke for the Angell shortly to thrust in his sickle Well whensoeuer the dave of iudgment is I feare the day of the departure of the Gospel is at hand Our securitie is such that we may rather say the Lord hath suffered vs too long then that we can accuse God for seuerenesse in striking vs too soone Be it then that as yet the day is not come wherein the world shall crackle about our eares or though we see not our Ierusalem destroyed yet we know our day of death cannot be farre off and quickely we shall come to our doome CHAP. XX. Of the shortnesse of our life and the meditation of Death how profitable IT is the vsuall manner of the Holie Ghost 1. Pet. 4. Iam. 2. Iohn 12. to perswade men to godlinesse because they haue but a quantitie of dayes This is such an ordinarie Argument that vse hath taken away the force of it yet Dauid saith that euen ordinarie things by grace moue vs and where grace workes not euen extraordinarie things moue vs not Concerning shortnes of life the heathen could say that a man is but a man of a day olde and the Philosophers teach that his life cannot be long But we will leaue all them without the Church and come to them within Dauid said it was a span long Moses and Salamon say it is a life of dayes and I will obserue withall that Moses Ioh Dauid Salomon when they describe the life of man they can find nothing to rest on as vaine enough whereunto they might compare it so base a thing is this life that it may abide any extenuation in the world In regarde whereof they haue compared it to a bubble a sleepe a vapour and they cume so farre at the length that they compared it to a thought whereof wee know there may be no fewer then a thousand in one day Esay 38 it is saide it may be spent before night And 2. Cor. 5. it is compared to a booth or a shepheards tent which we see doth last but a while In our daily and ordinary prayer Christ admonisheth vs of this point when hee teacheth vs to pray that wee may haue a portion for a day as though our life were shutte vp or may bee shutte vp in one day There are long spaces which by a speedy course are quickly ended and there be short spaces which hauing a slow moouer are long in going but if the space be short and the motion swift there is no hope of continuance and such a one is our life The Israelites went no further in thirtie yeares by their slowe motion than by a swift passage they might haue gone in eleuen dayes So that one may bee going a long iourney in a little time and a little iourney a long time Our way is short and for the manner of our motion in this short way it is compared to a Weauers shuttle and to a Poste and to a shadowe to a Poste Nay it is not of so long continuance for a Poste leaues a print of his steppes behinde him but a man doth leaue no impression he is still going the motion neuer ceaseth The swiftest thing in nature for motion may stay but mans life doth not stay For though at the praier of Ioshua the Sun stood still which is wonderful swift yet the time of mans life stood not stil but euen then a dâies iourney went forward Salomon considering of mans life called it vaine and then as not thinking that a sufficient word he corrected himselfe called it Vanitie it selfe But Dauid going further Psal. 62. saith man is lighter than vanitie too If we adde this that nothing befals vs all our life long but it may befall vs any day or euery day we shall confesse this life is vaine The calculating of this time is good but the increasing of our account is the cause of all euill Matt. 25. the enuious seruant was ouertaken in his account be thought he had many daies to come which he had not before his Lord appeared The Virgins were truely foolish that dreamed of a day which was denied them Luk. 12. the rich man ouershot himselfe and was preuented contrarie to his account It is the vsuall complaint of the Prophets that men say The prophecie is deferred the plague shall not come yet and we say in our hearts the Bridegrome wil not come yet our Lord wil be long in comming the burthen of the Lord shall ouerpasse vs so forth It is good reason to remember the praier of Moses Psal. 90. 12. that we beguile not our selues in the computation who cryeth Lord teach vs to number our daies For numbring of people Dauid is an example for numbring our money our sheepe our lands and our frames euery man can be an example But to number our daies is a rare kind of numbring it is a strange Arithmetike what rearages we are fallen into with the Lord for our time not spent to his glory this is a numbring wherewith we are vnacquainted Oh that we knew what it were to account of time surely this I will say if there were many worlds in the possession of some that are departed they would giue them vs for one day or houre which we haue in such plentie and so little esteeme of Well in the numbring of our yeeres we neede take no great paine for Moses hath set it downe to be 70. yeeres If our life last but so long a little Arithmetike will cypher it out and we know it is a matter of no great arte to number our yeeres euen from our first father to this age A worldly man in this businesse would begin to adde and to multiply putting still to the times past that which is to come and withdrawing from time to come times past But we must know that all that is past is to be substracted and to be counted nothing and the daies to come are not to be added for an addition must be of a thing existent but the time to come is not But let vs make a supposition of that to be which is not that a man may write of 70 yeeres let vs I say set that downe as the grosse summe Halfe that time is
spent they say in sleepe which theÌ we may well detract from the great number then there remaines but 35. yeeres From these we may deduct 14. yeeres in our youth wherein we are vnfit to glorifie God or doe good to man and so there remaines sixteene yeeres and of these sixteene to set downe the dayes of sicknesse or those times which we sinfully spend in yeelding to anger to our lustes or to worldlinesse wherein we are as vnprofitably occupied as though we were not halfe of the number would be cut off and so we should leaue but seuen or eight yeeres But now we haue the summe from whence we might take out but not that time out which is past we know seeing now it is nothing what is to come we know not and it cannot be added time is but short and therefore great neede we haue of God his spirit to teach vs. To this we know how suddenly death doth take from vs time to come Iobs children in the middest of their banket were stricken dead Ishbosheth died before night could come vpon him neither hath the strongest liuer any surer charter of his life The best way then to recken aright is to make the number which we may take out and that which we would substract all one and that is none If in the way we haply finde something we may take it for our aduantage and see that we vse it to God his glory For this being set downe that our daies past are none and the daies to come none neither so that no daies past or to come can be counted part of our life and consequently haue none but the present time which is very little and as little as a thought vnlesse we could haue a lease of our life as Ezekiah in some soât had of his by Esay wherein he had very ill successe And so finding our time to be none we shall be most bent to labour to attaine to wisedome And here we must vnderstand what manner of wisedome this skill of counting brings vs there is wisedome of health and there is wisedome of sicknesse and this is it which we shall learne And what is that wisedome surely by a continuall thinking that death is nigh and perswading our selues that death is within a minute what no lawe prince parents or punishment could do that death wil easily dispatch By this they that before had no delight in the word if once they take this account that euery day they thinke they drawe their last breath the word will be full of comfort to them And then the meditation of death working aboue the hope of long life the wisedome of sicknesse will be found to be aboue the wisedome of health In this case men will giue counsell that before could take none and this is that wisdome of the point of death nothing can teach vs better We see the effect of this in Ezekias when the talie of his daies was left him we see his meditation which was such as the holy Ghost hath put it in perpetual record we see his behauiour most worthy our meditations Neither is this in Ezekiah onely a well disposed man but euen in the wicked as Baltashashar who seeing the number of his dayes and that hee was found too light begun to quake and his knees did shake presently and so began to bee wise Thus wee see an effect both in the wicked and in the godly of this meditation most necessarie 2 The readiest way to obtaine life is to be content either to liue or die and to commit our selues to the Lord knowing that nothing euer perished which was committed to him Let vs be content with the vse of life which the Lord giueth vs to repent in and account it a great benefite that the Lord graunteth vs a great time of repentance knowing that it is a greater benefit to be a liuing dog than a dead lion for while we liue there is a place for repentance but after death there is none And therefore those that account it not a benefit to liue are vnworthie of life or any benefit therein all these things must serue to teach vs patience and to refraine our murmuring nature whensoeuer by any temptation our flesh is prouoked thereunto 3 As it is a maine point of wisedome to learne to die so there be many vnder rules proceeding from this First it helpeth our procrastinating and putting off of the euil day and our kind of repentance which is euer in purposes and promises neuer in practise performance We see that men in their iourney if they thinke they haue day enough they are slâck enough but if they see they haue but little day so that they begin to nuÌber they ply themselues Wherefore seeing time goeth away when we lay no hold on it yea when most sure hold that can be is laid on we must labour for heauenly wisdome and a compendious rule thereunto is to number our daies There is another thing and it is like the great Dragon in the Reuelation it hath drawen away and deceiued the third part of the world and that is want of wind and fainting of heart in affliction to the remedying whereof it is good to consider that as we suffer daily so we are dying daily that which the world afflicteth is drawing to corruption which shall exempt vs from their tyrannie And here in wee take our mortalitie for an aduantage against them that seeing wee are subiect to so many euils we are also mortall and after death we shall be immortall when nothing shall hurt vs. For as we would not be immortall now being subiect to sinne and misery so we shall then not be mortall when we shall be recompenced with righteousnesse and felicitie Now by considering of this shorte time of mortalitie and of the glorie of our immortalitie wee suffer without fainting we fancy not many daies here which might discourage vs but we thinke our yeere may want moneths our moneth daies our daies houres and so we are encouraged Another thing is this It is sure we loue this life by a rule of follie in trusting to this life that it will be long for our estimation of a thing growes by the continuance of it and therefore if we could be perswaded of the shortnes of this life it would draw vs to the contrary rule of wisedome But wee are all Damas his disciples wee commend things present howbeit it were better to haue Moses our Master who in his time began to number and yet we know that he might haue beene sure that the day of iudgement would not be in his time for that the promised Messiah was not yet come we feare it lesse number nothing so fast vpon whom the day it selfe may as suddenly come as vpon them who tarie for nothing to it but for the fulfilling of the elect the accomplishmeÌt of the number of them that shall
worse than the former times which Salomon saith is follie to aske The sight of some present iudgements are an amazing without knowledge of some of the former times they of the former times doubtfull without these So there are two vses of this prudence and certaintie The third vse is that the workers of vanitie may know that they are seene which thinking they are not say in their secret hearts who seeth they thinke they walke in a clowde but this would restraine them from much wickednesse But there are two sorts of the contrarie the one of them that will not set themselues to inquire what is amisse as those that follow Absalom and Ishmael There be others that see and will not as the souldiers the other are blinde these blinde themselues and the people There must be one Elias to see and that to keepe the wicked in awe To conclude this with Augustine graunt me this one simple request which is that you would come and see and yet after ye shall examine it ye shall finde that there is not any one greater thing to be respected CHAP. XXVII Of faith iustification by faith of iustice and iust men and of feeling THere is a generall faith that is common to the godly with the wicked and a particular faith the generall faith beleeuing that God is and that he is such a God as he is manifested to be in his word the particular faith more neerely applieth the things spoken of God to our selues This particular is either of the Lawe or of the Gospell of the Lawe as an actiue faith of the Gospell as a passiue faith That I call actiue which apprehendeth that which the Law promiseth that is if we keepe euery iot of the Law and continue in it we shall liue by it That I call a passiue faith which apprehendeth that which the Gospell offereth that is righteousnesse done by another and imputatiue not done by vs as inherent as when we seeke the doing of the Law not within our selues but without our selues beleeuing it to be done by another which we so through faith doe attaine as if we should fulfill the Law in our owne persons The actiue faith was in Adam and it may be in the diuell and most wicked and yet none of them hauing the iustifying faith for Adam knew that so long as he kept the will of God he should liue who at that time had not passiue nor iustifying faith because as it was needlesse so it was vnknowne to him no sinne as yet being committed and therefore no obedience of any other Mediatour for the forgiuenesse of sinne required The diuels may haue this to beleeue that had they not broken the law of God they should haue liued and not haue seene damnation so may also the wicked beleeue and yet because neither of these doe beleeue that they shall be iustified before God by the righteousnesse of another couering their vnrighteousnesse they haue not the true iustifying faith The actiue faith is either of the iustice of God or of his iudgements of his iustice either in bidding good things or in forbidding euill things of his iudgements either in promising life to the obedient or in threatning death to the disobedient The passiue faith respecteth both the end which is saluation it selfe and the meanes which bring vnto the end the end as to beleeue that Christ Iesus is made of God to vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption the meanes as the right vse of the word prayer and Sacraments c. 2 They which beleeue not Gods word and holy promises cannot perceiue when he fulfilleth them Moses beleeuing the promises of the Manna before did behold and consider of the trueth of all Gods promises when he saw them performed but the Israelites not beholding it before now when God performed it they knew not what it meant This we see in the threatnings of God which when they are not beleeued then if the Lord strike such with sickenes c. they thinke it is fortune or some other chance and so profit nothing by it And so when the Lord helpeth out of any danger and we beleeue not his promise made to vs before then we attribute it to physicke or some other meanes and so are neuer thankefull 3 If we cannot rest by faith in the fauour of God though we want outward things it is certaine that we neuer truely esteemed the fauour of God and those neuer felt truly the forgiuenes of their sinnes which hauing it cannot be content to forgoe other things we must then learne to rest in the fauour of God whatsoeuer it bringeth with it 4 This is true faith when we yeeld to the word and beleeue it though we feele not the effect for when we beleeue after experience this is experimentall and hath not such commendations And this is so also in the threatnings when we measure them not by our senses but when we heare him threaten vs for some sinne which is in vs then we certainly beleeue that he will punish and therefore we tremble and studie to preuent that wrath And as we preuent the threatnings by giuing credit to the bare word so that is true faith in the promises when we beleeue them though we feele not the effect for feeling is the effect of faith Therefore when we are in miserie euen then hearing and recording Gods promises we must beleeue them and rest in them though we feele not present comfort And this is the cause why we cannot see God when he accomplisheth his promise because at the first we did not beleeue his word when we heard it And this is the cause that sinners cannot yeeld when they are punished but doe make a stumbling blocke of that which should leade them to repentance And this is the cause that any of Gods children doe profit in humilitie before God by afflictions because they first gaue some credit to the word though in much weakenes dulnes But the wicked are so by the diuel bewitched that they can profit nothing by their afflictions because they first hardened their hearts against the word 5 Noah Iob Zacharie Cornelius were iust men but we must know the two Courts of Iustice The first is the Kings Bench where yee haue strict iustice the other is the Chancerie where there is a mittigation of that strict course of iustice In the first court there is none found iust in the second court of acceptation some are accepted for iust men By his strict iustice God requireth that we keepe all the commandements that we haue but one ende that we neuer swarue from God In his court of acceptation he requireth first that we haue an endeuour to keepe all a full purpose to haue respect to all to flatter our selues in no sinne but being tolde of it to be readie to lament this God for his Christ accepteth for obedience to all his commaundements Secondly for
of couetous cares consuming them and that so strongly as if there were no hope to be recouered How be it when the Lord hath soked and softned them a little in the brine of affliction they are lesse starke and beginne to yeeld there is a great change and wonderfull alteration in them their lust is cooled their wrath is pacified their concupiscence is abated their gluttonie well tempered their couetousnesse fullie satisfied their affections are so tamed and their corruption so subdued that they thinke themselues highly indebted and much beholden to the cunning skill of affliction which so wonderfully bringeth them downe 3 Now let vs consider how vnder the crosse we are made more zealous in the meanes of our saluation How customably heare we how coldly pray we how carelesly receiue we the Sacraments what feare what indignation what heat what wrath what repeÌtance doth the discipline of the Church worke in vs what maiestie appeareth in our publike exercises what authoritie and fruite in our priuate meditations But if the Lord rouse vs vp from this apolexie and dead numbnesse of spirit by some fatherly correction how profit wee by the word how beautifull are the feete of them that bring the glad tidings of saluation how sweete are the promises how soone doe the threatnings worke on vs how zealously will wee pray how glorious are our feelings what ioyes vnspeakable in the Sacraments what feare of sinne what trembling at God his iudgements what indignation with our selues doth the Church censure worke in vs and whereof commeth this Surely because being driuen out of euery crannie and creuis where wee were went to bee harboured wee can finde no rest vntil we come vnder the roofe of the Lord his house who in all our dangers and after all our rebellions will not push vs out of his doore he wil take vp such Lazarus and not into a spittle house but into his Arke of comfort and Tabernacle of consolation Oh deepe sea of Gods mercie which neuer can be sounded that when men growe to such a Lordlinesse as they will not heare vs nor see vs nor vouchsafe to speake to vs he should not refuse to giue vs free audience and by his readie hearing moue vs to bee eloquent and long in our prayers to him who as soone as he doth but looke on vs doth promise a release from our miserie 4 When our friends will not speake to vs the Lord calleth to vs hee will enter some long speech with vs and denieth vs not all the comforts which the promises of the Gospell may affoord When our familiar acquaintance will scarcely lend vs a potsherd to scrape off our scabs the Lord by his SacrameÌts reacheth out the surest pledges of his eternall good will towards vs. But yet behold another worke of affliction it bringeth vs to the contempt of this world and breedeth in vs the loue of the world to come whereunto in prosperitie we are very hardly brought For besides that wee see few noble rich healthie strong and honourable men desire death or to be wearie of this life be it neuer so long if wee consider how loath such men are to depart how gladly they would indent that their life and tearme of their lease might after an hundred yeeres expired bee renewed for an hundred yeeres longer wee shall see prosperitie will perswade all and ouercomes many to die in the nest Nay which more is affliction can hardly call vs away or knock vs off wee grow so deafe and take hold so fast of the world For who is so sick but euen in paine hee would rather wish to liue the longer than to die the sooner who so clogd with pouertie that to be freed from his clog would desire to die If the Israelites panting and breathing vnder the yoke of most seruile impositions and trauels were hardly drawne towards the promised land of libertie and easily would haue retired to the former labours of their seruitude what thinke you should haue allured them out of Egypt if they had liued there in some preferment and ease as did Ioseph in the court what could Moses and Aaron haue done to haue driuen them out of the place And I pray you if we being neuer so sick neuer so poore can still be content to haue our abiding in this life what will we doe if the Lord still graunt vs friends leaue our conscience vntouched our bodies vnharmed our goods vnconsumed Surely we would not haue leasure to think of death much lesse to die as our common speeches of our wise strong and wealthie men doe shew who when death dealeth with them crieout what must I needes away alas I neuer thought of anie other heauen I am not fit to depart I am very loth to die Thus it is the wisedome and goodnes of God to waine vs from the world by affliction which as it causeth vs to finde great comfort in beholding God but euen in a glasse so it hasteneth vs to taste of the fulnes of comfort in him by beholding him face to face 5 Ioseph saying thy seruants are men occupied about cattell might seeme to dissemble but it is not necessarie alwayes to speake all Truth and they confessed the principall truth that is that they were shepheards which kinde of men were abhorred of the Aegyptians and this turned to their profit for being seuered from the Aegyptians they might better maintaine peace among themselues be kept free from the corruption of the Aegyptians whereinto by familiâritie they might haue fallen This teacheth vs that we should not be ashamed of our kindred though they be contemptible in the world For Ioseph being a chiefe ruler in the land of Aegypt yet confessed all his fathers to be shepheards he would not haue his brethren change their trade thogh he might haue gotten for them great preferments Our of all this may be gathered that the Lord worketh a contempt of this world in the harts of his children and that they had rather be doore-keepers in the house of the Lord then to dwell in the tents of the vngodlie wee ought likewise not to bee ashamed to be called the people of God the Disciples of Christ no nor yet Precisians and such like names as are coÌmonly giuen to Christians This may teach vs that the meane estate is alwayes best so that wee ought to giue God thanks for it and not to be ambitious for they that would be great in the world can hardly be religious But because many will be called brethren which be noâ so indeed it shal be good to set downe some notes of brotherhood and the first is to helpe one another in neede yea though it be with danger of our liues therefore it is said that a brother is made for the time of aduersitie the godly brethren hazarded their liues for Paul for those that sought Paules death would likewise haue slaine these if they had knowne them There are diuers examples of
and through him looke for the promise which belong to godlinesse euen then we may see that for weaknes of faith and coldnes in repentance and slacknes in our sanctification we doe iustly feele the want of Gods sweet promises 7 We shall not accuse God of hard dealing if we consider how many waies he blesseth vs and in how few things he humbleth vs and if we thinke how many sinnes we commit and how few he punisheth how few duties we doe and how many blessings he giueth vs. Let vs neuer maruell why we are often or much afflicted why we haue not Gods promises fulfilled vnto vs nay rather let vs for euer maruell at the goodnesse of God which so plenteously rewardeth our small obedience 8 We must not say with Peter Lord I am a sinner depart from me but Lord I am a sinner come neere to me and draw me neerer to thee They that will not draw neere to the thorne of Mercy in this life shall draw neere to the throne of Iustice in the life to come so they shall go from the East of Gods mercy to the West of his iustice And if the Lord hath sanctified your hearts ye must know that we drawe neere to God by meanes The first meanes is prayer we goe to God by prayer not by paces Prayer is a sacrifice to God a refuge to man a whip for the diuell The second meanes is hearing of his word if we will haue God heare our prayers it is meete God should claime thus much of vs that we shuld heare his word If we will say Lord heare my prayer he must say my sonne hearken to my words The Lord vttereth his affection in this O that Israel would haue heard my commandements O Ierusalem Ierusalem saith Christ how often haue I called and thou wouldest not heare let all men know that there hath been no word from our birth to our death spoken to vs but in way either to our saluation or damnation The third meane whereby we draw neere to God is by the Sacraments The word it selfe is an audible word the Sacrament is a visible word the commandement is flat 1. Cor. 11. Doe this Esay 55. Come buy and eate Matth. 11. Come ye that are heauie c. 9 Great is the wrath of the Lord if we looke to strength are we stronger than the Lord Do we thinke to shift escape his anger or that we can abide the furiousnes of his wrath That we cannot escape it it is plaine for the Lord is euery where if we run from him we run as in a circle the further we run from one side the neerer we run to another and still we are in the Lord his compasse If we run from the East he will meete vs in the West the Lord hath a chaine for vs and will hold vs in darknes so that easily we shall not be able to escape Now for making our part good with the Lord we are not as Iob saith rocks or if we were mountaines we should smoke when the Lord doth blow on vs we are but potsherds and the Lord hath a rod of yron to bruise vs and such is the power of God which we shall trie in our destruction if we will not trie it in our saluation What shall we then doe Surely hauing so mighty an aduersary it shall be good to seeke peace and reconciliation with him For as this is comfortable he shall be our Aduocate which is our Sauiour and he that is our Sauiour shall be our Iudge so this is as fearefull a thing that he shall be our accuser which is our Aduocate Yet therein is the Lord mercifull that he doth not bring vpon vs a sodaine Outlawrie but he fore-telleth vs of his suite and therefore it is good to be reconciled and for our reconcilement because the first part standeth in a confession we must acknowledge that we haue offered as much violence to the law of the Lord as we can and that so we haue forfeited all our benefits our bread our sleepe our apparell to the Lord. The confession of the whole plea is lost if we confesse not all otherwise we are in Adams case to bee condemned who would hide his fault and in the estate of the damned Matt. 25. who being accused did plead againe Lord when saw we thee or heard we thee c. There is no standing out with the Lord but seeing we haue lost all we must confesse all that for knowledge the pap is stil in our mouthes and in respect of our liues we are certainely fellonious vsurpers of his creatures and so promise that hereafter we will doe otherwise but if wee stand out I say with the Lord nothing is to bee looked for but eternal condemnation mourning and woe And as we must confesse this so must we stand against our selues and so goe vp into the chamber of our own conscience and award shame to our selues and hauing such an hote controuersie with our own soules the Lord will remit all 10 We must learne to loue the Lord for himself not for our good let vs learne not to indent with God as if he will giue vs riches or health or power then we will serue him or else not for men cannot away with this indenting with them but let vs say rather Lord take away my sinnes and as for other things Lord doe as it pleaseth thee Thus Dauid did when he was so disquieted in his kingdome by his sonne Let vs desire this heart of God for hee hath wrought euen in sinfull flesh to see life in death health in sicknes wealth in pouertie And this if wee belieue we may see the wonderfull worke of God as well as our fathers haue done 11 Many worldly wise men suspects vs of lightnes of beliefe when we can so soone credite the Word but let no man thinke wee can be too credulous herein seeing euery jote therein is as true as if it had beene from Christ his owne finger or vttered with his owne tongue Deliberation is a goodly thing to a man indeede but yet reason will let a man be credulous enough and as hasty as an horse rushing into the battell vnlesse it be in matters of religion and of conscience and then we feare that Christ would seduce vs and we deale with him his preachers as though they were dangerous fellows And therefore though Gods coÌmandements be neuer so plaine yet they must goe vnder the examination of reason And because worldly men say either with Thomas Shew me by experience this or with Nicodemus Shew me that by reason and I belieue you God can haue no dealing with vs Oh is it not marueilous that the lumpe of foolishnes should call into question the Trueth of God ' which is Trueth himselfe and dares not mistrust the worde but of a friend of one that is in some authoritie though smaller credit aboue him And yet
acknowledge it not hauing his word regard it not enioying his mercies inful measure wilfully resist them all If we so lie vnder sinne and fancie to our selues the Gospell and promises and mercie we deceiue our selues for as those that haue the fruites of the spirite haue no lawe written against them so they that haue not such fruites haue no Gospell written for them It is not the vniust man that shall liue by faith for hee lyeth vnder the law but the iust Gala. 3. Rom. 1. 17. Heb. 10. 38. Might not a man thinke you pen a Psalme of as many verses wherin the foote might run in this tenour For his Iustice endureth for euer as Dauid had done of his Mercie Psalme 136. The Lord will not part from any drop of his mercy to them which first haue not bin swallowed vp of his iudgements which haue not laboured and been heauie laden which haue not beene locked vp in hell for a season and felt for a time the fire thereof in their bones which haue not been baptized with the baptisme of their owne teares He that feeles not these things in some measure here elsewhere shall he feele them It is the iudgement of Abraham The diuels policie in youth in health in prosperitie is to sing vs songs of God his mercy but in age in sicknes in tribulation vpon thy death-bed he will make such reasons for his iustice as we shall neuer be able to answere Wherefore the Lord hath to make it more terrible in our eyes put vpon it the name of his most wrathfull indignation fierce and heauie displeasure It is not for vs as we do to put the remembrance of this farre from vs or to shift it lightly by turning ouer to a Psalme of mercy but to terrifie our owne soules with it and to cast our selues downe with the trembling consideration of his iudgements Of one example without a precept nothing is to be concluded and therefore in great wisedome that men at the last gaspe should not vtterly despaire the Lord hath left vs but one example of exceeding extraordinary mercy by sauing the theefe on the crosse by faith onely yet the peruersnes of all our nature may be seene by this in that this one serueth vs to loosnes of life in hope of the like whereas we might better reason that is but one and that extraordinary and that besides this one there is not one moe in all the Bible and that for this one that sped a thousand thousands haue missed what folly is it to put our selues in a way where so many haue miscarried To put our selues in the hand of that Physition that hath murthered so many going cleane against our owne sense and reason whereas in other cases we alwaies leane to that which is most ordinary and conclude not the spring of one swallow It is as if a man should spur his asse till he speake because Balaams asse did once speake so grossely hath the diuell bewitched vs. And yet if we mark in that example which the diuell so oft tempteth vs with we shall see euen in that little time he liued sundry good works as many as in that time case would be required first prayer secondly confession thirdly glorifying of Christ fourthly humilitie remeÌber me fifthly reprouing of his fellow sixtly acknowledging of his own deserts seuenthly patience And it is to be thought by these few that if he had liued he would not haue been behind any of the Saints The root being holy the braÌches must needs be like vnto it My senteÌce is that a man lying now at the point of death hauing the snares of death vpoÌ him in that streight of feare and paine may haue a sorrow for his life past but because the weaknes of flesh and the bitternes of death doth most commonly procure it we ought to suspect our selues if we neuer sorrow till then And therfore let vs store our selues with good things against the euill day come vpon vs for our life past for as that man which in his health and good successe hath been diligent to feare God and to do good feeles in his sicknes an vnspeakable comfort which he would not misse for all the world and a mighty boldnes to speake vnto God towards whom he knoweth he hath not beene vnkind doth not feare at all so that man which whiles the world prospered with him neuer thought of God nor regarded his word nor the preaching thereof when the visitation of the Lord is vpon him when God shall take his soule from him his case is most miserable feeling no comfort nor daring to speake to God whom he hath neglected And sorrow such a one neuer so much yet he doubteth and must needs doubt for that he knoweth not whether his remorse be of the loath somnes of sin or for the feare of death whether he be humbled before the Lord or before sicknes It is good policie to print his iudgements first in our bowels and to diet our selues more sparingly with his mercies least making vp our sins in the remembrance of his mercies they breake forth flame to our confusion in body soule euerlastingly Eccles. 12. Psal. 73. Heb. 12. Rom. 11. Thy iudgements are as the great deeps Then to feare God when he sheweth mercy and to loue him when he executeth iudgements are two hard things yet necessarie Howsoeuer God doth now forbeare he will not doe so alwaies but he will set him downe in his iudgement seate and throne of iustice and our chiefe care must be how we may appeare without feare and trembling before him This is it that we must thinke of at midnight what we shall answere that dreadfull Iudge when he shall aske for our account Let vs set him before our eyes not as our fond braine is wont to imagine of him but as the Scriptures describe him When he will arise to commaund the Angell to blow his trumpe such a God as the Seraphins hide their faces at his glorie at whose presence the mountaines smoke and melt away whose wrath shall shake the foundations of the earth who ouertaketh the wise in their policie who wil not account the guiltie innocent at whose purenesse all our innocencie is as a stained cloth whose iustice the Angels themselues dare not call for whose iudgement when it is once kââdled burneth to the bottome of hell Let this God take his place let him trie our hearts and examine our thoughts let him call for the account and take his reckoning let vs thinke how we shall stand before him quietly with peace of conscience who is it that can doe it Esa. 33. 4. let him of vs come forth Alas none shall dare to doe it If the Lord in his owne person should appeare vnto vs without Christ a redeemer we should flie from him with horrour and feare and neuer be able to stand in his sight 2 He that searcheth
slender thing of hearing is the way to saluation But yet a degree further Naaman refusing the commandement of the Prophet concerning the washing himselfe in a riuer which was not at home in his owne countrey his seruant saith vnto him Father if hee had commanded thee a greater thing wouldest thou not haue done it and why then is it much to wash in this riuer So may wee say of the word If wee will not doe so much as heare the word which is so easie a matter to doe what would wee haue done if we should haue climbed vp to heauen to haue fetched it from thence or digged to the hels to fetch it thence or crossed the seas to haue had it thence But the Lord saith the Apostle Rom. 10. hath dealt more mercifully for vs and prouided better for our ease we neede not take such paines as to goe vp to heauen or downe to hell for the word but it is brought euen to vs and preached familiarly and therefore in respect of the right that the Lord hath vnto vs in respect of the best employing of our senses in respect of the dignitie of the word and in regard of our easinesse in hearing wee must needes heare the word Another argument is this because when I called vpon and stretched mine arme daily to you saith the Lord by his Prophet and ye would not heare me crie as long as ye can cry I will not heare you But if wee doe heare the Lord he will heare vs and communicate vnto vs the graces of his holy spirit and whatsoeuer is needfull for our saluation If then the matter stand so vpon our obedience to the Lord that we shall reape so great a benefit because he requires but euen by the law of nature to doe to him as we would haue him deale with vs it is good equitie that if we will not heare the Lord when he speakes speake wee neuer so loud or long we should not be heard of him The last reason is this when Mary was occupied in hearing our Sauiour Christ and Martha was busied in ministring things about her house Christ saith flatly Mary hath chosen the good part and why It shal not be taken away from her Marthas part in death shall be taken away and come to nought and so may we safely say of all our things concerning our trades in this life they must cease and when death comes they shall haue an end but Maries part shall not bee so that is whatsoeuer faith loue or obedience wee haue attained by the word preached it shall abide by vs with peace of conscience in this life and afterward it will accompanie vs euen to the kingdome of heauen But Martha was Martha for Christ we are Marthas for Martha wee are all for the world but this shall be taken from vs Euery man may therfore safely reckon thus with himselfe Surely all my paine my profits my trade and all will end in death this is not the good part therefore I will heare the word and this shal neuer be taken from me So that as in the former we are made partakers of the omnipotencie of God if wee heare his word so here we see we shall communicate in the eternitie of God if we choose Maries part but if we prefer the other we must goe but our part must tarrie after vs and be taken from vs. Good cause then haue wee to heare the word but who is he that thinkes himselfe happy to haue the word or thinkes not himselfe more happie to get a good bargaine who being in a iourney or sicke in his body thinketh it a speciall crosse and findes in himselfe a griefe that he could not come to the congregation of the Lord 2 Many reading in the sermoÌs of the Prophets Apostles how they exhort to the hearing of the word marueile at it And if at this day wee be spoken so to heare wee can say Why we sit here for no other end we came hiâher for that purpose our feete made hast to heare and therefore it seemeth to be a vaine speech Wherefore we must vnderstand that this word heare hath a further meaning than so Ezechiel chap. 3. saith Lât him that hath eares to heare heare so that there are two kindes of hearing else this had beene a friuolous speech We must know therefore that Iob. 42 there are two hearings There is an hearing of the eare and there is an hearing of the heart there is a speaking to the eare and there is a speaking to the heart âoâ saide hee heard the Lord but with his eares with his gristles only and afterward he heard the Lord better and that was with the hearing of the heart We must learne then to draw vp our hearts vp to our eares that so one sound may pearce both at once But to heare with the heart there are foure things to bee performed the first is set downe Eccles. 4 17. Looke to thy feete when thou goest into the house of the Lord. And 2. Chron. 34. because men did not prepare their hearts in their houses at home or by the way abroad all was in vaine they lost their successe in heauenly things The first thing then is preparation And comming to the Church euery man is to deale thus with himselfe I shall now goe where I may sit among reprobates least therefore I should set on more on the bill and beadroule of my sinnes I will prepare my selfe and pray in serious manner and earnestly for the grace of God to teach me The second thing is that we must heare the word as good Catholikes that is we must not heare the word by parcels and by clauses as we list and giue our eare vntill it come to our speciall sinne and sit quietly till our bodie be touched but we must heare vniuersally as well the things that mislike vs as the things that please vs. Wee must be affected to heare the word as the people were to heare the Lord in the mountaine who saide Speake the Lord what he will wee will heare him This is a good kinde of hearing and it pleased the Lord so well that hee said Oh that this heart were alwaies in this people c. Wee will commend any that will please our humours and preach such things as follow our appetite As if oppression be spoken against and we be oppressed of some this common place is very plausible to vs because it is against one that hath iniured vs. Or else wee come to the word as Herod came Let Iohn speake as much as he will I will heare him but if he come to this that I may not haue my brothers wife I will not heare him But if he come to teach the Lord to speake to teach him wisedome and prescribe him to say this and not to meddle with that wee shall neuer heare fruitfully A third thing is continuall hearing the word is a rare thing therefore we
and can discourse and talke well of things but yet for that the heart is not truely touched they are as vaine in sinne and as much subiect to pinching sorrowes for sinne as any other Great cause then the fountaines bee staied and the principall parts plastered for if there bee a worlde of sinne in the tongue as Saint Iames saith then there be a great many worlds of wickednes in the hearâââ there be a beame to be sound in the eye of one hypocrite as Christ admonisheth then there is a whole staâke in the heart CHAP. XXXIX Of Heresie and many corrupt kindes of knowledge and how the diuell pesterâth the Church with euill teachers WE must humble our selues to see Heretikes doe more for vaineglorie and for their sâct than wee will doe âor Gods glorie and for his truth 2 The neerer heresie commeth in likenes to the trueth the more dangerous it is 3 It is a dangerous thing to haue a proudâ spirit with a vaine minde for theâe sinnes leade men to heresie 4 The ââueâ seemeth to be very strong for as the wise conclude if they that are couragious were also politike or tâey that haue wisedome had also courage none could stand with them Wherefore these are dismembred in men but in the diuell they âunââe both together for he is both couragious as a Lion and subâill as a Serpent This is he that foyled all men from the first Adam to the last man in whose hand all the âathers were no stronger than vanitie and in this age hee hath made the high pinacles of veâââe the Iowe shrubs of the earth Besides this combination of strength and wisedome beside this proofe of his courage in all ages Christ himselfe who is his enemie saith âe is strong Luk. 22. 20. Nay I will adde more Christ that ouercame him pronounceth ââm to be a shâââd enemy If he hath âeen strong hee is more strong both because the world waxeth shorter and wee grow securer In these latter daies the more the dâuââ rageth the more his strength increaseth for anger is the wheâââone of strength the elder the world waxeth the more the diuel rageth For as he plaieth with meÌ so he practiseth with the world he laâeth his sorest siege in his last assault when death beginneth to moderate âim And no maruell for if he take a foyle or suffer the repulse in our life time he may recouer with ease and come againe with some hope but because in death either now or neuer he must bestir himselfe he followeth with all force Secondly he rageth the more for our security or little accounting of temptation and not serious bâthinking of the matter makes him the stronger so as oââ negligence doth inarme his diligence He is strong enough without aââour yât âo be sure he will put on armour too Goliah was strong and yet he goâ armour which sheweth great diligence we are weake and âeede armour yet seeke it not which sheweth extreame negligence Thus diligent is the diuel Sow no tares nor cockle and yet in the fallow it wil grow fast enough but he cannot conteÌt himselfe with that growth but hee wil sow also yea and plough too because he looketh for a plentiful haruest This is his good husâaÌdry though his crop would be good of it selfe yet he will sow No maruel then though Peter coÌtenteth not himselfe to call him a Lion but a ramping Lion and Iohn termeth him not only a Serpent but an old Serpent hauing by experience gotten a perfect habite and Paul ascâibeth to him not onely darts but fiery darts The armour of this enemy is partly the reuelations of flesh and blood partly the corrupt example of the world The diuell hath a motion in vs and straightway it seemeth a reuelation to flesh and blood Doe euill saith the diuell doe so saith the flesh and strikâs the matter deeper doe so as Preachers doe it saith the world and this pierceth to the bone If we could wring out these two pieces of armour wee were strong Now the diuell as a Prince Iohn 13. 14. possesseth not alwaies in his owne person but by lieutenants and embassadours who take vp the title of his soule to his interest This deputie or vicegerent is sinne which taketh vs vp as tenants for the diuell and this deputie is accompanied with foure Tetrarches The first is ignorance wher with when hee had taken possession of our fathers they might keepe good houses well enough and haue many gifts indeede for hee knew that for all that they were neuer the neerer to saluation Secondly if the diuell sees knowledge must needes come in and ignorance must needs go out he sendeth out Errour which must make men if they wil needs be knowing either Trinitaries or Arriaâs or Anabaptists or such like who may liue well indeed and make a great shewe of godlinesse but all for his greater aduanâage to winne the more soules Thirdly Worldlinesse succeedeth who dares play his part euen vppon them that haue pure knowledge whom neyther Ignorance nor Errour could preuaile against but if these preuaile not then comes Hypocrisie and hee will sift vs and search vs to the quick If an Angell from Heauen should withstand vs to the face wee dare boldly pronounce that ignorant erroneous and worldly men such as will take order for God when their barnes are full and all Hypocrites haue surely vncleane spirits breathing in them Ephes. 3 2. 3. 5 There are many kindes of knowledge The common course of the worlde is set down Micah 6 26 Ombries statutes are sought for knowledge of Law-points Christ Matt. 16. complaineth of another kinde of knowledge Yee see in the Euening the skie is red c. but knowe yee the face of the Heauens and are yet ignorant of the knowledge which bringeth euerlasting life A third kinde of knowledge there is spoken of Amoâ 8. 5. and Prouerhs 20. where a kinde of people had a grace in making of the Ephah small and the Shekle great Wee haue learned a trimme part of knowledge to trippe men in buying and selling Another knowledge there is Ecclesiasticus 30 24. when people keepe much adâe about keeping of bullockes and that so farre as they first preferre them but God and his kingdome are sought for afterward Indeed these things are lawfull for him that hath first affected his own soule to seeke the kingdome of God but to make the knowledge of God come after is preposterous There is another knowledge and that is of the law of God which men make so smal account of that the Lord complaineth by his Prophet how hee hath taken paines to write the mysteries of the law and men think it a strange thing the knowledge of God his word is hard to them Well we must enter one way or other and therefore it shall be profitable to search and suruey the wayes One way is
his sonne for he knew that the Lord who had made the promise who wold prouide the meanes also to bring it to passe so if wee be perswaded that our sinnes are forgiuen vs we shall not doubt that any other thing shall hurt vs for seeing sinne the cause of all miseries is taken from vs we may be sure that no miserie shall hurt vs and if the Lord hath giuen vs his sonne he will giue all things with him and the loue wherewith he loueth vs in his sonne will not suffer vs to want the things that are for our good for if a father will prouide for his sonne the Lord will prouide for vs who is a heauenly father and cannot bee changed though earthly fathers he 4 To this faith in the free forgiuenesse of our sinnes and the imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ wee must adde the faith in the sanctification of the spirit for if wee beleeue that the Lord hath made vs of sinfull men iust men of varieâs vessels of righteousnes and temples of his spirit if he can make the Leopard and the Kââ to lye together Esay 11. if he can make the couetous person liberall and the whoremonger a chaste person if wee beleeue that the Lord will and is able to change vs from any sin be it neuer so great and strong by nature or by euill custome wee may then be sure that the Lord in this life will not suffer vs to faile in any thing needefull for vs neither are wee to doubt thereof seeme it neuer so vnpossible for it is a greater worke to change a sinner than to worke wonders in nature 5 Fourthly if we beleeue that the Lord will prepare a kingdome for vs in the heauens we cannot but beleeue that in this life he wil perserue vs. For if we beleeue that our bodies shall be turned vnto dust and yet raised vp againe we shall be sure he will not but prouide for vs in this world for it is a greater thing to raise vp the body from death and out of the dust than to preserue iâ being aliue And to this faith of our redemption we must beleeue in the prouidence of God first in creation so that if wee beleeue that the Lord made all things of nothing we shall beleeue that he will giue vs sufficient for we see that the light was before the Sunne Moone and Starres and the grasse before the raine and dew that we should not put too much trust in them and to teach vs that without these meanes we may haue these blessings for the Lord hath prouided these meanes not for his weaknes but for ours Do we beleeue that God made all men and shall we feare men therefore we beleeue not these things or els we would not so much feare the want of earthly things for if a sparrow fall not on the ground without his prouidence shall we thinke he will not prouide for vs wee must then beleeue the particular prouidence of God in the gouernment of all things which will be an helpe to keepe vs from distrust and murmuring doe wee beleeue that the Lord made vs then shall wee not thinke that hee will preferre vs for it is more wonderfull Psal. 1. and 139. Eccles. 11. 6 We are therfore to beleeue the prouidence of God first generally ouer all creatures then particularly ouer euery one of them yea euen ouer the sparrowes Againe if the Lord hath care of beasts as indeede hee hath because they were made for man hee will much more haue care of man for whom they were made He hath a care for the wicked to do theÌ good for hee filleth their bellies with his hidden treasure then wil he much more reioyce ouer the godly to doe them good if he loued vs when we were his enemies will hee not prouide for vs being reconciled to him by the death of his owne and onely sonne If hee did vs good when we sought him not will he not much more when wee doe seeke him in praying vnto him as he hath commanded If he hath done vs good when for our sins hee might haue punished vs will he not when with his spirit he hath sanctified vs Oh then let vs not be vnfaithfull and so become murmurers against the Lord but let vs be faithfull and to looke vnto the Lord to doe vnto vs according to our faith 7 Furthermore this prouidence of God must bee confirmed by the example of Gods children in all ages as in the time of the fathers before the flood who did eate nothing but hearbes veâ some of theÌ liued nine hundred yeeres to teach vs that men liue not by these meanes âf by these meanes he nourished them he will by greater as by flesh and fish nourish vs. The Israelites were fed with Manna which was neuer seene before nor since for the space of fourtie yeeres If they gathered any more thereof than the Lord commanded it stanke yet being kept before the Arke 400. yeeres it did not so and when they came to the promised land it ceased whereby we may learne that it is not the meanes but the blessing of God vpon the meanes that giueth nourishment Did not Moses and Elias liue fortie daies without meate and the children of Israel goe fortie yeeres in the same garments not waxing old and othersome hauing meate in abundance been hunger-starned and shal it not teach vs that these things are ordained for our weaknes and that the Lord without these meanes can nourish vs If Dauid proued by experience that he neuer saw a righteous man of righteous parents begging his bread if wee bee now righteous as they were then the Lord will prouide for vs now as well as he did then for them and we shal haue the like experience 8 To this prouidence we must come with a patient minde to let the Lord giue what he will and therefore wee must haue contented miââes and know that godlinesse is great riches and not to looke for great matters Ier. 45. as it was said to Baruch and therefore are wee taught to pray for daily bread so that we may haue the same minde that was in our father Iacob Gen. 28. who was content with meate and cloath which generally is commanded to all 1. Tim. 6. if the Lord giue more than this take it as an ouerplus A patient minde prescribeth not to God the meanes nor the time nor indenteth with God but is content with the grace of God in forgiuenes of sinne and the sanctification of the spirit though it want other things our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs not too desirously to seek after earthly things but rather after the kingdome of God and wee ought to receiue the loue of God with all contentment though it come alone and for outward things to enioy them or not to haue them as it pleaseth him for the children of God doe for outward things possesse their soules in patience and commit the rest
some one sinne The Angels that conceiued but an opinion of pride as some write though they were almost as Gods were for it cast downe to hell Man with whom the Lord was conuersant with whom he talked and walked to whom hee gaue the Lordship and soueraigntie ouer all earthly creatures and with whom hee was familiar for eating of the forbidden fruite was cast out of Eden Moses and Aaron the mirrors and miracles of the world falling into Gods displeasure were denied to enter into the promised Canaan Dauid who was honoured with the title of being a man after Gods owne heart falling into sinne fell out of God his fauour But that which is aboue all and ought to moue any man Christ himselfe the glorie and image of his father could not escape the most bitter cup which he drunke of though he begged it three times at the hands of his Father because he became sinne for vs. And yet sinful men bold sinners and presumptuous sinners perswade themselues that they shall escape the hand of God But to leaue them and come to the other I marueile what they can challenge by workes seeing whatsoeuer they doe they are still debters and therefore no deseruers Let them therefore learne of their learned Doctors to know that they haue no merits but Christs mercies and let them say with the ancient Fathers This is our merite that wee haue no merit CHAP. LIII Of Prosperitie and Aduersitie and of Griefe and of the temptations incident to it GOd by the multitude of his benefits warneth vs and prepareth vs for some troubles and temptations to come for surely he putteth not on the armour but hee will also prouide for vs the battell 2 Now it is no great thing to fauour the Gospell because it is in fauour but to embrace it in trouble is of true loue which wee may trie if being in prosperitie wee can feele the miserie of others for if we can reioyce in the prosperitie of the Church though we be in miserie if we can be moued and grieued with the miserie of the Church though wee be in prosperitie this sheweth that our hearts are vpright and that true zeale remaineth in them 3 In prosperitie if we vse our goods to our owne ease and waxe carelesse that is vnbeleefe but if we giue God glorie and waxe more carefull this is an argument of true faith Let vs then striue against infidelitie both in prosperitie and aduersitie and trie our faith by these meanes for if God worke in vs humilitie in the abundance of his mercy it is a signe of our faith if in wants wee be disquieted it argueth infidelitie but if wee stay our selues vpon God it is faith 4 They that continue safe in prosperitie by Gods grace shal perseuere in aduersitie but I dare not warrant them safe in prosperitie who haue beene safe in aduersitie 5 The more prosperitie encreaseth to Gods children the more they feare 6 In prosperitie it is good to vse the song of Salomon and in aduersitie the lamentations of Ieremiah 7 God suffereth euill men to prosper in this world for two causes first that euery good man hauing in him some sinnes might for his few euill things haue here a temporall punishment and euery euill man hauing some good things might be rewarded with temporall benefits Secondly God often chastiseth his and suffereth the wicked that it might be seene that good men serue not God for the things of this world as Sathan reckoned by his account with Iob as also for that the Lord maketh not his bookes cleere in this life but reserueth the full and finall account vnto the last day of iudgement wherein eueriething shall be fully recompenced whether it be good or euill 8 Wee must not marueile at wicked mens successe it is no new thing Iob saw it and Dauid especially Psal. 73. Zachar. 3. the followers of Iehosua the High Priest are monstrous persons Paul doth expound it wil calling them a gazing stock And though God say hurt not mine annointed yet are they harmed Elias for speaking against Ahab and Iohn Baptist for telling Herod his sinne If Paul speake against the Idole of Diana he is a seditious fellow It was some thing no doubt that made Moses so loath to goe to Pharaoh when God sent him To consider the troubles of the godly it were enough to make Ieremiah write new bookes of Lamentations to make Dauid sit him downe by the riuers of Babel for the tower of Babel is higher than the hill of Sion Poore little Isaac must goe to slaughter while Ismael sits at home good Iacob must bee set to keepe sheepe whiles my Lord Esau rides on hunting If you looke for Ioseph you shall finde him in prison Daniel in the Lions denne and so it is true of all for the most part yet I knowe it shall be well with them that serue God 9 If we waste our strength and spend our prayers and are not answered wee suffer then some griefe in withstanding a secret sollicitation to mistrust Griefe would faine haue ease whereof it is that it laboureth alwayes to lay it selfe open and to moue pitie it feareth nothing more then to be hidden And for this cause nature hath giuen more helps to bewray this affection then any other as heauines of the countenance hanging of the forehead mouing of the eyes sighes and groanes It teacheth eloquence and maketh vs to change our speeches and so wee learne to amplifie the causes of our woe Hereof it commeth why falling vpon the obiect of griefe we are loath to depart from speaking of it we double our speeches on that Theame We know the matter of Ezeckias griefe forced his tongue to touch it twice The tongue the tongue shall praise thee c. When Christ spake words of doctrine and exhortation to Ierusalem once to name it was enough but when hee spake in an Argument of griefe then he must needes say Ierusalem Ierusalem Doe we not see how Dauid in his heauines dwelt vpon the name of Absolon Habacuc chap. 2. hee strikes twice on one string and speakes not onely to shew his minde but to satisfie his griefe 10 This griefe in it selfe is indifferent in vs good or bad according to the cause of it If God would not haue vs grieued at all why did he not frame our hearts of brasse or why were not wee hewed out of marble Indeede to be sorrowfull where we should not or to laugh where wee should weepe this beseemes not wise men much lesse Christian men to doe Simplie to be grieued is not reproueable but to be grieued out of Time measure or place is fault worthy When the light of the world began to be darkened by Eclipse when the life of the world began to goe to the shadowe of death women somwhat well affected followed him bewailing him But Christ told them these teares wasted on him
sonnes of the Prophets not as Prophets by oracle their bookes were tried by offering them to the view of other of the Prophets and of the Priests who asking counsell of God for the wârâant of them were answered by oracle from God 10 Another scruple is yet to be answered whether the Prophets did speake these things being in themselues or as rapt out of themselues True it is the Heathen Prophets did speake things to others onely the Prophets of God did otherwise as they that were themselues rauished and affected with the things giuen out to others The promises of God by them deliuered were as honey in their owne mouthes so sweetly were they mooued with them the threatnings denounced abroad left a sharpe sting in their owne bowels and made themselues to tremble the word of obedience taught to others bound them as straightly as if others had been the teachers of that word and they to be taught by it Seeing then this is the certaintie and dignitie of the writings of the Prophets is it not strange that the Prophets at whose doores and thresholds stood Princes and Gouernours in times past to aske counsell should now of euery meane person be either wholie contemned or reâchlesly receiued wheÌ they are read or interpreted Though the greater thing is to do yet the first thing is to learne For as hearing without doing addeth to our confusion so doing without knowledge is neither acceptable to God nor profitable for vs. Let vs not therefore heare only or heare vanitie let vs not heare the Preachers as we heare Minstrels least that when we should be old men in knowledge and children in malice wee become old men in malice and remaine as children in vnderstanding 11 It is a greater thing in a Pastour to deale wisely and comfortably with an afflicted conscience and soundly and discreetly to meete with an Heretike than to preach publikely and learnedly 12 He said to some dwelling in a place where the word was preached Oh consider it is the easiest thing to heare it is the painfullest thing to preach the Gospell The sitting of one houre receiueth a fruite vnto immortalitie for howsoeuer men thinke the Ministers of God to speake euen whatsoeuer commeth into their mouthes it is not so they speake that which many yeeres they haue studied for earnestly they haue prayed for which by experience they haue bought and by a painfull life dearely payed for If a Prince should giue out by portion a mint of money for the fetching who would spare to goe The Lord offereth the mint of his mercie to bee deuided to them that will but heare and beleeue it and no man almost regardeth it 13 We must not so presse the Law that we suppresse the Gospell in mens consciences 14 All applications of doctrine must be referred to one of these heads 1 To teach and establish true opinions 2 Or to consute false opinions 3 Or to correct euill manners 4 Or to frame good manners 5 Or to comfort withall The first foure are set downe in this text the whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable First to teach Secondly to conuince Thirdly to correct Fourthly to instract inrighousnes c. 2. Tim. 3. 16. The fift and last in this text Whatsoeuer things are written afore time are written for our learning that we through Patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope Rom. 15. vers 4. These thigns are profitable saith the Apostle to Timothie And these things are written for our learning saith the same Apostle to the Church of the Romanes therefore by these things we must onely profit and onely learne by these for as application is a concluding of one thing out of another so these are the fiue heads from which all application must flow and he that thus speaketh attaineth to the purpose of S. Paul as elsewhere âe noteth He that prophecieth speaketh vnto men to edifying to exhortation and to comfort 1. Cor. 14 3. That is to say applieth the vse of his doctrine to edification exhortation and comfort 15 The meanes to increase our faith is the word preached prayer the Sacraments and the discipline of the Church The word crucifieth thee a new in thine heart Prayer giueth thee a feeling of thy faith The Sacraments confirme both thy faith and feeling and discipline continueth vs in obedience both of the word and prayer and the Sacraments and consequently is a meanes to continue in vs al those comforts which by the other meanes are to be found in Christ. 16 The word of God is as a Glasse it blusheth not to tell our faults yet great infirmities haue beene in them that should carrie this glasse Moses foreseeing his cold entertainment in the faith saith Exod 4. Mitte quem missurus As Ionah when he should haue carried the Glasse of Gods word and of the peoples sinnes sayled from Niniuie flat East to Tharsis flat West Nathan 2. Sam. 12. Though Dauid was a man easie to be spoken to made off notwithstanding a good while vntill the king had made the premises himselfe he would make no conclusion To come to our times some there be that doe not onely sow pillowes but draw Curtaines and spread Couerlets ouer mens sinnes Others there are that for gaine will runne apace and yet with Balaam will neither blesse nor curse Some there are that doe conceiue and are readie to bring forth yet they cannot be deliuered Others there are who very softly and easily doe their dutie as Elie did to his children 1. Sam. 2. Others there be that speake with some courage but keepe a loofe and in a generalitie Lastly some there are who can and will particularize duties but when they spare some either rich or noble these can be very hot vehement against those that be absent CHAP. LVII Of Gods prouidence EVery one that leadeth a godly life and trusteth in God his Prouidence shall finde that in extreame dangers he will put such things into their mindes that they shall be cheered and comforted when others shall be disquieted and deiected This we may see in the parents of Moses because they beleeued and led a godly life Heb. 11. This is the blessing but the wicked shall want this good issue for the Lord will punish their wickednes in such a case as appeareth in the time of the glorious Martyrs who liued well before and in their deaths were crowned but Apostataes had their former hypocrisies punished and in such danger they shall not know what to doe but the godly trusting in Gods prouidence if they haue a way to escape shall haue their life for a prey but if they want this way yet they will offer themselues a sacrifice to the Lord. 2 When Moses and the rest of the children of Israel had receiued some good handsell of the goodnes of God in his prouidence ouer them they gathered thereupon that the Lord
them nor haue any good holy and profitable vse of them Contrariwise if the spirit doe teach vs and assure our hearts that all the creatures of God are sanctified vnto vs by the word and by prayer then shall we giue God due glorie in them finde profit by them and haue them so long continued vnto vs as shall be expedient for vs. Some do looke on the word of God onely to get knowledge or to be as others are at the last it will be loathed of them So the Minister of God if we like him onely for fauour oâ some gifts that he hath and not for that he is the minister of our saluation we thaâ quickly either make him an Idoll or else vtterly despise him Therefore if we will alwaies haue them in due estimation let vs acknowledge them to be such as labour for our saluation 7 As oftentimes it falleth that some men receiue naturall sicknesses from their naturall parents so doe some likewise receiue from their naturall parents naturall sinnes 8 When some had admonished him for making mention of old sinnes when he was at the death of any he said first I esteeme not men as they are in the time of their sicknesse but ordinarily I measure them as they were in their liues Againe they are not guiltie of olds sins in death which repented truly of their old sins in health and life Besides if they be not guiltie my prayer or speech hurteth them not but profiteth others if they be guiltie the trouble of them shall turne to their good in that they shall finde the iudgement of this world and escape the finall iudgement that is to come 9 He thought that there should not be one Minister for the sicke and the whole in the time of the plague but that one should minister to the whole whilest their owne Pastor tended the sicke 10 So greatly he reioyced in troubles that he would not wish to be vtterly freed from often infirmities because the Lord had very much by them prouoked him often to examine himselfe 11 A certaine godly and especiall friend of his making knowne his purpose in taking physicke to helpe him in a lesse infirmitie he said Sir your physick may ease you of some paine but I hope it shall not purge you of the fauour of God for although you be eased in this yet for that God loueth you he will meete with you in some other thing 12 Asa was reprooued because he sought not the Lord when he was sicke of the gowte which was a punishment of his vnlawfull couenant 2. Chron. 19 though it came of his age and trauaile The children of God must so thinke of the meanes that they see God disposing nature destituting them of grace if they faile in the right vse of the meanes Many now adaies in sicknesse goe to the Physitions with Asa neuer considering their sins the iust cause therof It is good to seeke to the Physitions so that God be first sought to by repentance of that sinne which we thinke to be the cause of the same But when the Physition cannot helpe them and when they know no cause of their sicknesse but are strangely stricken and suddenly then they are found and say they are taken as Moses Exod. 4. iuddenly stricken saith that the Lord hath met him so the strangenesse of the thing did sooner bring him to God Therefore as the children of God are by this meanes sooner brought to God as Moses and Iob so the wicked in the like cases doe flie further from God and thinke it lawfull to goe to witches when their Physitians caÌnot help Let vs then both in ordinarie and extraordinarie meanes of blessings and punishments alwayes confesse that the hand of the Lord hath wrought it and seeke to bee cured of him by whom we haue been wounded And let vs so looke to the meanes as that wee first reconcile our selues to God for our sinnes and pacifie him in that hee may blesse and not curse the meanes of Physicke 13 The Lord sendeth plagues one greater than another yet alwaies threatneth before the plagues doe come so that if wee would profit by the threatnings wee should preuent the plague that it should not come And this vse ought we to make of the threatning that so we may escape the iudgements by profiting by the word and by them 14 Some will say that they doe not finde in themselues those fruits of true repentance by their sicknes and troubles which are set downe to bee in the children of God Such must take heed that they doe not denie that which God hath wrought in them Iob could neuer be brought to doe so But if thy afflictions continue and thou findest not that profit that should be in thee reason thus with thy selfe I am the child of God and am afflicted and yet profit not as I ought therefore God doth continue the same vpon me that I may reape due profit by it Therefore I willingly yeelde to the crosse and take it vp but if thou feelest not this yet if in thy heart thou doest loue Gods word and his children and all goodnesse and hatest sinne and all wickednesse thou must needes be his child and therefore be comforted for because thou art not humbled therefore thou reapest not the fruit of affliction and therefore they lie still vpon thee that at what time soeuer thou art humbled the Lord may take away the crosse and giue thee the fruite of thine afflictions For when thou art humbled he will cease to afflict 16 A godly Physition in the time of persecution hauing three patients resorting vnto him to be cured of one great euill said this strange disease and sicknesse be tokeneth some strange sinnes and corruptions to be in you and therefore if you will by me be freed from the sicknesse reconcile your selues to God that he may free you from your sinnes They all at once excused themselues wherein they bewraying their great ignorance the Physition vnripped their liues and at the first inquired of them if they did not frequent the Masse They could not plainly denie it but couertly excused it saying that therein they did but as others which when the man of God perceiued haue you so highly displeased God and know not of any sinne to be in you goe your wayes and first learne how grieuous your sinne is before God for the Lord hauing laide his rod vppon you I dare not take it off vnlesse yee shew fruites of repentance And thus he dismissed them vntill they knowing and acknowledging their sinne with griefe returned and afterward were healed CHAP. LXIIII. Of Sathans practises and of Schisme and securitie THe Diuell setteth an high estimation of a man for that as wee may reade in the Gospell hee thinkes himselfe whilest hee is in a man to bee in a palace but when he is out of a man hee thinkes himselfe in a desert Hereof it is that being cast
speech into sharpenes as Mat. 6. If light be darknes how great is that darknes If sweetnes become bitternes how great is that bitternes Euery thing when it degenerateth into his contrarie becommeth most contrary as of the sweetest wine is made the sowrest vineger and that which is coldest when it is boyled is most feruent the sea calmest when it is moued is most raging Augustine saith that his laughter is more to bee feared than his anger That which he speaketh with laughter let vs reade with weeping For God neuer vseth such speeches of derisioÌ but there followeth immediatly destruction Prou 1. 26 27. Psal. 2. Hee will laugh them to scorne and then will breake them in peeces And because this is the last warning before iudgement when wee finde the Lord speaking so vnto vs it is as much as if he should say Now heare the word or neuer Well these speeches are vsed to wilfull sinners as Micaiah speaketh to the King that would go to battaile whatsoeuer came of it Go to and prosper Prou 2. Because you haue not heard any word nor profited by my sermons nor by my inward checks nor come when I shewed out my benefite but refused my correction then commeth this I will laugh at your destruction Ephraim will needes follow Idols well let him saith God Iosu 4 Psal. 2. We will not be yoked and will ye not goe to the Lord in heauen will yoke you And againe such as drinke iniquitie till they haue no vse of God his gifts in them woe be to them 4 We must redeeme time euen from our ordinary callings to read the holy Scriptures 5 It is best to note the general vertue of the word and not to vse exceptions but vpon particular and constraining necessitie 6 It is the grace of God when the word of God is of such credit with vs that it humbleth vs more than all manner of corrections 7 The vsuall dealing of the Lord is that hee first sendeth his word then his wonders which if they preuaile not then doth hee fall to afflicting vs and the ending of one crosse shall be the beginning of another till he hath brought vs to him if we be his or till we bee hardened if we belong not to him 8 The word of God is the sauour of life to some and the sauour of death to others it bringeth some to repentance and others it hardeneth 9 We must esteeme highly of the Sacraments admonitions of our brethren because in contempt of these we despise Gods ordinance and they can neuer haue their fruit in vs. For whosoeuer haue felt the fruites of the spirit can tell that nothing is so comfortable to vs as that great ioy which they felt in the right vse of these holy ordinances of God And hereof commeth that continuall ioy which the children of God take and finde in reading hearing and speaking of his word prayer Sacraments Therfore let vs learne to esteeme the word of God which hath been offered so long and let not our corruption as in other things so in this lesse esteeme it because it hath been long with vs which through corruption we shall doe if God by his great grace doe not sustaine vs. 10 Our father Adam had nothing to leade him by but the great booke of the creatures which when by sinne it was blotted the Lord supplied this want by the word though not written which is cleere for that without faith it is impossible to please God but Abel by faith pleased God and that faith presupposed the word therefore they had the word for which cause some were called the sonnes of God because they were ruled by the word of God And this word is said by the Apostles and Prophets that it endereth for euer therefore our Fathers had this word though not alwayes written 11 We must learne principally those things which the spirit of God most purposeth to teach vs and be more sparing in those things which to knowe Gods spirit is the more sparing to teach vs. 12 Although the word of God is alwayes in season to be ministred yet mens hearts are not alwayes in season to receiue it 13 To one that said she had a thing told her in the spirit that should vndoubtedly come to passe he answered how it might bee of God who after some great and grieuous conflict comforteth her But euermore such workings are according to the word if they be of God And seeing such inward motions for the most part are either offered or wrought by our owne corruption or sent of the diuel as an illusion we must trie these motions by the word whether they be for spirituall or temporall things if they be of God and according to his word beleeue them for the words sake and not onely because of the reuelations if they agree not to the word how pleasant soeuer they seeme to flesh and blood listen not then to them too much and lesse beleeue them 14 The word of God is reuerenced with many titles it is the reuealed will of God the librarie of the holy Ghost the cubit of the Sanctuarie the Lanterne of Israel Psa. 119. â09 the spirituall Manna Christ his Aphorismes the wisedome of the crosse the Lord his legacie the touchstone of error the key of the sheepfold the mystery of godlinesse the oldest way of life and truth Prou. 28 the fulnes of knowledge the Schoole-master of mankind the beacon of the soule the seede of new birth the mouth of the Lord Iehouah the two-edged sword the acts and statutes of the highest Parliament the mint of the Church the lode-starre of the faithfull pilgrim the signeâ of God his right hand âhe Lambes book the watch-bâl the glasse of our life 1. Pet. 2. 2 the scepter of his kingdom the arch of the truth the breath of the holy Ghost God his Oracle the Epistle of God to the world the inestimâble pearle the tenour of our freehold the couenant of promise the Court-roule of his fiâes and amercements the well of the water of life the Lord his treasurie the lightning and thuÌder of the most High WheÌ God speaketh any thing although it be no more than once spoken we ought to receiue it with that faith and deuotion as if it had often bin spoken Wee must thinke of the Lord his writings at the least to be as sure as the proclamations of the Medes and Persians which alter not Dan. 6. 12. Euerie iot title in the librarie of the holy Ghost is fined hath passed seuen times through the fire ere it come to our hands so it shall not neede the furnace of our vaine reason for it further triall Psal. 12. This word was giuen first by God in his owne person secondly by the ministerie of Angels thirdly by his seruants the Prophets fourthly by his owne Sonne Coloss. 2. 3. it was written 2. Pet. 1. 21. it was inspired 2. Timoth-3 â6 it is
lust and the gamester on his pastime is not wearie in sitting vp whole nights and daies so the godly on Gods law they studie in it night and day they studie not by fits and starts as some doe but continually Dauid prooueth his loue to Gods word because he placed his whole delight and felicitie in it as appeareth by the griefe he had in the want of it 5 When many meanes are vsed men stand more excuselesse that in so often repeated and reiterated mercies and methode of teaching will neuerthelesse buy out their condemnation by a willing ignorance and will not be taught Againe we are fitter one time than another to make our profit Tell men of their sinnes to day and they may fleare at it tell them to morrow of it and the teares may trickle down their cheekes and Elihu saith God speaketh once or twice and yet man heareth not till a third time come And shall we thinke our fathers needed this rather than we Surely there cannot be a more sure token that God his spirit is our teacher than that we finde a desire still to more and often hearing and who seeth not that we are subiect to spirituall transmutations and how easily fierie inflamations raised betwixt God and vs doe die if God be silent yea but a little Therefore let vs say with the Church in the song of Salomon chap. 8. vers 13. Cause vs still to heare it Some think to stand in some sort though the Lord build theÌ not although as the Psalmist saith Except the Lord build all is in vaine so there is a learning of things without the Lord yet the profitable building and learning is onely of the Lord. We are therefore to be deliuered of this common errour which makes vs when we do not profit to accuse our Teachers and to carpe at his matter or to quarrell at his manner of deliuerie wherein as we do not free and excuse all Teachers as faultlesse so it is a certaine truth that teach he neuer so well soundly and orderly yet that will not serue we must haue a greater thing Christ we know made many sermons yet there were many so farre from profiting by him that all that he gained in his life and in his death were not aboue sixe score persons and therefore no marueile though at our preaching some profit not It may be some thinke that if they should heare Christ speake personally to them they should profit and be made by and by perfect good Christians but it is not so Though Dauid was taught by Nathan and Gad two excellent men yet how oft doth he pray after they had taught him that the Lord would teach him To this purpose therefore we must learne two things the Minister teacheth but the eare he that teacheth the heart his chaire and his pulpit is in heauen so that at one time we must attend as it were on two Preachers Now if we thinke all to be one labour perswading our selues that it is enough to listen to men we deceiue our selues and this deceit hath wrought that either we bring no hearts at all but onely our eares and so though the Minister haue some part yet God hath nothing to worke on or else we bring such worldly hearts that there is no roome left within to any further teaching than the eare Hitherto come then the short and the long If we will be taught of God though Christ come to teach vs in his owne person yet we must labour for a double hearing that is both of the eare and of the heart both inward and outward else it shall fall out with vs as with sundrie other things there are some fruites both of corne and plants which come vp but not of any sound seede which commeth to a blade or so but it neuer yeeldeth a ripe substance so there is a momentanie springing vp of some knowledge from some corrupt seede as of eloquence of pleasing words but these men haue nothing but as it were a wilde egge ingendred in them and the fruite of it will neuer last long be the Preacher neuer so forcible in his speech But when God teacheth Amos the heardsman from his cattell Peter taken from his nets and fishing boate doe much profit vs. Many of the Saints of God before vs to this end haue shewed how they haue beene taught Augustine after he had nine yeeres studied Diuinitie in which time no doubt he oft read ouer the Bible yet at the length was much mooued with a place in the 13. of the Romanes Put on the Lord Iesus and this was the place that after often reading he was nothing but ordinarily touched with and yet after Gods spirit laying it to his heart is was the meanes whereby he confesseth himselfe to be conuerted CHAP. IIII. Who be swine and who be dogges BY nature we are all swine and dogges for that wee folllow our owne vncleannesse but especially wee that were Gentiles for in that respect Christ calleth so the Cananitish woman making the Iewes whom hee called children in a priuiledge aboue vs but since the wall is pulled downe Beside our naturall condition we are all vessels of wrath followers of our own gorge vntill that stroÌg strange change be come vpoÌ vs Esay 11. when of dogs we become lambs of vncleanenes we become cleane Howbeit the Scripture doth not so vnderstand vs to be dogges but such are meant by our Sauiour Christ to be dogges and hogges who hauing the continuall meanes either breake into the contempt of the things themselues or fall to an open despite and violence against the Ministers that bring them Whether it be then that wee turne againe to our owne righteousnes and to seeke iustification by the lawe in which respect Paul calleth them dogges and concision or whether being raised in the blood of Christ we do not onely slip but plunge our selues into the gulfe of sinne againe in this respect wee may bee called swine and dogges For we see this is the estate of the dogge that continuing and carying in himselfe the torment of his owne body and bearing the burden of paine in his bowels he for a while casteth it out and being discharged of it he after chargeth himselfe with it againe so they that carie a fire of griefe in their owne bosomes euen a confidence of their owne righteousnes if hauing for their comfort cast it off resume it are well compared to dogs Such are our papists heretikes and familists The nature of the swine is that being cleane she retireth to her filthines so they on the other side who by the water and fire of the spirit haue beene so cleansed that there hath appeared an open and a sensible change among them if after they fall greedily to their former vanitie they are as swine And so both the falling away from true religion and the reuolting to the former corruptions of life the malitious refusing or brutish persecuting of the word or Ministers
value it he saith that it is better than gold yea than much gold than much finde gold than all pretious stones Yea and that he might leaue nothing out he saith it is better than all things else Yea the Kings of the earth doe and ought to fetch the law at the hands of the Leuites although they now being corrupted seeke counsellers like vnto Achitophel Thus we see how the Lord esteemed his Church whom he maketh thus his treasurer We know that Kings make great account of those men whom they make their Lord Chancellers The second note of the dignitie of the Church is in that the Lord hath committed his broad Seales vnto them What hath the Lord seales Yea and therefore the Lord said to Ieconiah though he were the signet of his hand yet he would put him off And what seales be these Surely it is the Sacrament of Baptisme and of the Supper and these are the seales which the Lord hath giuen to his Church The third note of this dignitie of the Church is that the execution of iudgemeÌt is giuen vnto them and this maketh men esteemed when they are put in such high places Well then the Lord hath committed into the hands of the Ministers the execution of life of death and therefore they are said to iudge the world and if they be Iudges of the world they will not reuerse their sentence and therefore they shall surely be condemned whom the Church bindeth And though that they may not boast of their power to destroy but to edificate for al venemous beasts can they destroy c. and so can the halter yet they haue great glorie thereby for the censure of the Church as one saith was and is the day of iudgement before the great day of iudgement come So that by this we see to what dignitie the Lord hath in all points aduanced his Church 6 It is said that the Diuels dispossessed thought not so highly of themselues but they could be content and desired to be cast into a heard of swine so that this is the estate of this vile fiend that so he may be in some neither dogge nor hogge is misliked of him he refuseth not the very she but he will haue it It is farre otherwise with our Sauiour Christ he will not communicate nor haue communicated his holinesse and his sacrifice to such soules as haue not clensed themselues from the corruptioÌ of nature as swine or from corruption of custome as dogges hee himselfe denies his pretious things to such vile creatures Matth 7. 5. Therefore if Christ denie these things who dares graunt them For as in the beginning of his workes he separated the light from darknes and in the end shall separate the sheepe from the goates so will hee haue vs to make a separation betweene his Saints and swine and therefore he hath not onely charged his Ministers who are in office next to him to take order for the separation of the pretious from the vile but also euery particular man according to the measure of his calling But in our common course we offend as not giuing where wee should giue so by giuing where wee should not giue as by not casting where wee should cast so by not casting to them wee should cast Indeede in particular to iudge of a man to be a swine or a dogge as Paul did Hymeneus Philetus and the Copper-smith we cannot If we see euident signes of a scorner of a foole that is of one vtterly destitute of the grace of God of a reuiler of the word of one couered with the leprosie of sinne and pleasing himselfe in the wallow of his filth when hee is thus that is while he is such a one that whatsoeuer is bestowed on him is lost we must stay the casting of pearles or giuing of pretious things to such vntill the Lord by the touch of his finger hath turned him vntill I say the Lord hath taken order for a way to bee made for the applying of that which wisely is to be administred But if we neglect to giue pretious things when and where we should giue them and then after giue when where wee should not by rebuking a man in his rage wee should rather driue into a further blaspheming than take away his former sinne CHAP. XI Of Meanes ALthough God haue appointed ordinarie causes yet hee hath reserued in his owne soueraigntie and iurisdiction the staffe of them and the vertue infusion and heate of them For as the Physition prescribing a medicine made with wine it is not the bare wine that nourisheth but it is the thing steeped in the wine that worketh so although wee haue things ministred vnto vs by the best meanes vnlesse the Lord put to his staffe all is but in vaine For as wee may see some continually fedde with cordiall and nutritiue meates notwithstanding labour of a consumption so we shall see others fedde with water-gruell and yet to be very well nourished On this manner GOD can worke with meanes and this he can worke without the meanes because the Lord would shewe that he reserueth a power beyond meanes although hee established all things in a naturall course yet he brought foorth euery thing without meanes so the light was created the first day the Sunne the foorth day Men seeing their corne not to grow crie for raine but her bes and fruits grew before raine True it is that we looke for things ordinarily now by meanes but they began without meanes as God making man at first without seede now will increase them with seede his blessing being with his ordinance and not else But behold a further thing God worketh not onely by meanes and without meanes but contrarie to meanes also Christ when hee would restore sight to the blinde man doth it with that meanes which wee thinke would put out a mans eyes and blinde the sight of him that can see whereby he sheweth that euen contrary things obey him Eliah 2. King 4. to make salt waters sweete putteth salt in them such is the power of our God which bringeth light out of darknes which is the destruction of light The meanes to reape profit by the word of God are 1. reading 2. hearing 3. praying 4. conference 5. meditation 6. practising By meditation we disgest things meditation maketh vs haue vse of that we reade or heare Knowledge is gotten first by hearing else one may go mumbling a long time vnlesse he haue one to direct him and it is a prouerbe among men that the doctrine of the Maister is the learning of the scholler Secondly because it is not good to hang our knowledge on other meÌs sleeues therfore we must reade Thirdly many reade bookes but they are but book-learned as we say such a man is book-learned these haue nothing else of their owne therefore is meditation necessarie it maketh learning our owne Fourthly we may be deceiued we may thinke we haue knowledge when we haue
Seâ Psal. 119 vers 116. 1 Reasons to labour for increase of iudgement 2 3 Triall of our ioy Iests A generall knowledge Simile How the Gospell may be said to kill Loue the Saints 1 Notes of an holy mariage 2 3 4 5 6 If our owne heart condemne vs no man can acquite vs. Simile See before title of concupiscence The father to giue his daughter in marriage Consent of parents Second mariages not to be hastened Est mulâer inâamis propter nuptiarum festinationem si ante annum nubit In authenticis Iustiniani collatione quarta de nuptiiâ What meditation is Godly meditation painfull False feares of mâlancholie Psal. 119. I am wiser than my teachers Horat. lib. 1. Eâist 2 In vââba juraââ mag iââ Meditation helps memorie Iosh â 8. 1 Tim 4. 13. 15. How to helpe our sudden failing of our memorie in preaching the word The haste of young men to the ministery Mirth Temptation 1 How to discerne and discouer the 2 waies of men 3 Triall of our patience Some eate vp their hearts with griefe Cause of outward wants Murmuring CoÌtentation The simple preaching of Christ. 1. Cor. 2. 2. 3. 2. Cor. 4. 5. 6. 7. Hypocrisie Preachers must be farre from wrath 1. Tim. 2. 22. The corrupt actions of the body proceed from the corrupt affections of the soule To attend the holy ministerie and Preaching of the word Prayer in the night Prayer in the day To see our infirmities and waÌts in prayer and to be grieued for them Iames 5. Secret corruptions may hinder successe in good actions Immoderate loue of parents Feelings most vnder the crosse 2. Cor. 12. 9. Meanes The long prosperitie of the Church Rules for admonition 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A louing admonition What to consider in reprouing both little and great sinnes How vnwilling wee be to accept an admonition Motiues to practise admonition Simile Neuer trust him that will conceale a sin in vs. Simile Good euil natures Extreame sadnes To deferre sorrowing for some one sinne vnto the more generall accounting time who dangerous Triall of our hearts in reproches A mediocritie A triall of the rich mans faith Delayes Triall of our dulnes 1 2 3 4 5 Change of place and calling 6 7 8 9 Affection and feeling in singing Psalmes Cause of sin within vs occasions without vs. Sins be linked and chained one in another Heb. 3. 12. 13. Simile The triall of our state against any one speciall sinne often assailing vs. To know our speciall sinne How the godly feare sinne more theÌ externall crosses How the godly godlesse differ in their ioyes and feares Note True remedies against deadnes and auâes Christ is our wisedome Christ is our holines Esa. 11. 3. 4. 5. Christ is our redemption Note Spirituall pride How hard it is to confesse our sinnes to God Sundrie euasions of sinners 1 2 3 Admonition 4 5 6 7 8 9. 10. Discouer confesse the mother sinne 1 Consolations against diuers kindes of griefeâ 2 3 4 5 6 Consolation against the feare of our owne vnworthines Sinne is wounded by prayer and temptation by resistance Rules for the sicke 1 2 3 4 Publike prayers for the sicke How the Lord corrects the pride of our prosperitie 1 2 Note Sathan buffeteth vs two waies 1 2 Possession 1. Cor. 6. Ye are not your owne Prophanenes Causes of great afflictions 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 The golden chaine of our free election 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 * Or as another copie is taken of them that vse violence to come to it Sermon-sicke Schismes Singularitie of spirit Checke of conscience Sathan feared in superstition too much and now in the light too little The crosses of the faithfull euer take away some drosse from them To resist our corruption in temptation Outward temptations Strange teÌptations Against great temptations When to manifest our temptations to our brethren Sathanicall temptations To be tempted with vnbeliefe and the remedies 1 Prayer 2 Reading of the word 3 Confession 4 Attend on your calling with patieÌce 5 Nât to reason with our temptations or the diuel 6 To waite the temptation and so to offer it vp to God in prayer 7 Remedie To be teÌpted with worldly shame and the remedies 1 2 When and how temptations breed How Satans temptations follow our affections One fearing he had sinned against the holy Ghost Toresist teÌptation Note Against presumption and dispaire Faith and feeling The growth of faith by two meanes 1 Not to be present at the Masse or any such superstitious seruice 2 3 Visions and preaching Lucrum ex ââââo Lââoââs puluinarii PreparatioÌ to the hearing of the word 1 2 3 4 Simile Meanes of saluation Aduertisements against witchcraft 1 2 3 4 * Not for that they are good or lawfull but of blind people so called and reputed The morning how fit for Gods worship 1 2 3 4 Note Simile 1 2 3 4 5 Preperation to the word and Sacraments Of profiting in holy exercises All our power in prayer commeth from the word Simile Simile Hearing the word profitablie 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Meditation and Prayer Our obedience must be free not constrained Triall of Hypocrites Ceremonies Pride Church Against deââââs of repentance Repentance Afflictions of the reprobate Afflictions of the elect before grace in grace Note Heb. 3. 13. A sweete consolation Regeneration repeÌtance painfull but very gainfull Against spirituall pride Simile The fountain of the heart Simile Death To loue Christ more then his benefites Hearing of the word The loue of the world Word and Sacraments Hearing the Word Carnall Protestants Loue. Zeale Triall of our loue to God Regeneration Regeneration Ioy. Ioy. Loue of the world Ioy. True ioyes Gods presence Repentance Sinne. Repentance Affliction Prayer Word To respect future ioyes and griefes See Psal. 119. Ministerie Temptation Conference Regeneration Meditation of Death Obedience Vaine-glory Gods worship A good name Desires Prayer Offences Humiliation Prouidence Familie Repentance Mercie Regeneration Creatures Merit Temptation Temptation Sathanicall suggestions Mâanes Consession Hypocrisie Good things Prophets Familiarity Sinne. Perseuerance Affection Repentance Humilitie Heresie Repentance Persecution Sudden terrors of mind Vnthankfulnes Temptations Humilitie Conscience Securitie Feeling Death Regeneration Regeneration Youth Youth Temptation Sanctification Repentance Mortification Hypocrisie Infirmities Our spiritual vinion with Christ. Affections Admonition Spirits Goodworks Obedience Fauour Report Temptation Mirth Deceit Gods hand Word Vocation Affliction Zeale Temptation Godlinesse Grace Mercie Simile The securitie of the faithfull wandring through all the tribulations of this life Hebr. 12. 15. Custome Eye A coÌparison betweene the children of light and darknes How to examine our selues Note well Iudgements Feare ioy Ioy in afflictions The minde The pure vse of all blessings Foolish iesting Late repentance Ministerie The right vse of the creatures Tit. 1. 15. Rom. 4. ExaminatioÌ Sinners The âââre of the godly and godlesse how
they differ The sins of the people moue God to punish them with euill gouernours c. How Christians should communicate good things Preparation to the hearing of the word All our power in prayer commeth from the word The life of faith very secret and often hardly discerned How we must haue not onely a knowledge by the last commandement of our naturall corruption but also an experience Prophaning of holy exercises Note well Sathans diligence We must be as diligent to serue the Prince of glorie as the ãâã are the Prince of darknes The ãâ¦ã the light law Law ââ Gospell in âââ ages till Christ came No thriuing in sinne The feare of God the strong bridle of the faithfull The great power of Gods feare Thankesgiuing How feruent prayer preuailes with God A sweete consolation The heart whose it is by right A great mercie not to thriue in sinne Patience Hardnes of heart Simile To suspect our own wisedome in matters of saluation Diuers infirmities of men Admonition How can rebuke kindly A good counsell Iudgement To vse well the graces which God hath giueÌ vs. The generall promises of outward things 1. Tim. 4. 8 To learne to obserue inward corruption by the outward sense How some respect neither cursing nor blessing Sinne how terrible An experienced faith Gods prouidence The Church hath a mixture of good and bad Simile Our faith the same with the Fathers How the law and the Gospel is to be preached Of profiting by hearing of sermons Of Gods presence and how to present our selues before him in his worship Heb. 11. 26. 27 Differences of sinning in the godly and godlesse How some can correct the same sin in others which they like in themselues How many couer sinne by example What respect God hath to his children in the execution of his iudgements A good signe of Gods grace when Gods sweete blessings make vs more free in his seruice How God accepteth the will in some for the deede Of our happy communion with Christ how thereby wee haue an assurance of all his insearchable riches Iustification sanctification goe together If we respect Christ his Crosse wee may not continue in the filthines of our sinnes How sinne dwâlles in the godly How the diuell chuseth the best wits for his seruice How many sinnes may lie couered vnder one How to preserue a teÌder conscience to keepe our hearts from hardning How dangerous to reiect grace and light offered How coÌtrary the iudgmeÌts of the word worldare How sinne ãâ¦ã the qualitie of the Serpent The iudgement day of Gods ãâ¦ã day of ãâã redemption To sit ãâ¦ã Note ââ How profitable âhe crosse it Children and bastards how they differ Priuie pride Matth 4. The hearing of the word preached How corruption âurneth grace into wantonnes How our own kindred may hinder vs with God How to entertaine and loue the Saints How to labour for contentation if we will profit in godlinesse How to attaine the measure of blessings which God hath appointed for vs. A good note of our loue to vertue Not to proceed rashly in iudgement against any man The ende of the wicked Prayer How to cure contention Prayer Selfe-loue selfe-will Pride Admonition Matrimonie Affliction Doctrine How troubled mindes feare threatnings How greatly God is pleased with faith on his prouidence Admonition How to put difference betweene persons The passions of Christ in his death Obserue well the heart in all things How the diuell malignes the best Memorie Wherefore the Lord bids vs flee Fornication but re sist the diuell The zeale of youth and of age The differeÌce between our feelings in our first conuersion and afterwards Simile Prayer The end tries all To be faithfull in our owne busines Anger The godly mans peace Chaplaines Hardnes Iudgements To seeke first the kingdom of God The Diuels registers Sound profession How to hide our treasure How God rewardeth vs. Not to dwell in sinne To empty our selues of euery one Priuate examination and confession * Or spiritual Differences in sinne Children regenerate Affections Tithe Studies A liuely faith Vehement speeches Admonition Death The coÌtempt of the Gospell a signe of wrath How to respect aduisedly the workes of God A coÌsolation to one afflicted Iob. 7. 15. Act. 16. 27. * The afflicted must flie idlenes Sinne. Mirth Griefe Vehement speeches A graue counsell to Ladies To a man of ciuill life much troubled in minde Teachers 2. Cor. 1. 3. Ioy griefe Sabbath How to âârrie our selves in the temptation Few meanes vsed in truth better than many in ceremonie Faith and feeling How God blesseth and directeth the single and simple heart Isaac was blinde and so was Iacob Sinne. Heretikes To lie in any one sinne how dangerous To walke vprightly To thriue in sinne Deceitfulnes of sinne Iohn 3. 4 All must reade the Scriptures Act. 17. Heb. 3. 12. 1. Pet. 3. Reading the Scriptures in the Church Heb. 4. 2. Preaching Hearing the Word Law Gospell Amoâ Dei amorem proximi geâeâat Generall obseruations concerning the Dâcalogue Rules 1. Preââpt Euill forbidden Good commanded The second commandement Generall euils Speciall euils Occasions of the breach of the secoÌd law What wee must tolerate in a Church which lies not in our power to reforme General good Speciall good thing Occasions of good Sufficient prouision for Godâ sâruie 3. Precept 4. Precept Publike exercises Priuate exercises 5. Precept Triall of the loue of children to Parents Triall of the loue of Parents to children Triall of the loue of Seruants to their Maisters Triall of the loue of Maisters to Seruants The sixt Precept The seuenth Precept A man may commit adulterie with his owne wife Meanes of Chasti ie 8. Precept Idlenesse Restitution 9. Prccept False witnes Psal. 15. Suspââion against any man without any iust cause a sinne against the ninth commandement 1. Cor. 13. Charitie suspecteth no euill 10. Precept Motions What motioÌs are forbiddeÌ in the tenth Commandement How wee be infected with the motions which come from Sathan the world Who is our Neighbour Ioh. 3. Ephès 2. 3. The Mediator described 1. Cor. 1. Faith defined What Creatiââââ Vse of the first article of the Crâeâe Christ verie GOD. Christ very Man Vse of holie Conception Vse of Christs Prophesie Vse of his Priesthood Vse of Christs kingdome Christs passion most grieuous in bodie and soule Vse of Christs buriall Phil. 3. 9. 13. Rom. 6. 12. Vse of the article of the Resurrection Iohn â 14. Vse of Chrstes intercession 1. Thess. 4. 26. 1. Cor. 15. Phil. 3. 10. Rom. 12. 13. Church The holie Ghost alone giueth vs the assurance of the pardon of sinnes * By Faith wee come by degrees to feele to haue a comfortable experience of the pardon of sinnes The comfortable vse of all the articles of the Creede Faith onely iustifieth Rom. 3. 28. A reward to workes is promised of Gods free mercie and not for merit Workes Law and Gospell coÌdemne sinners which
be vncorrupt Popish superstition described The true religious and irreligious discerned in temptations and afflictions Simile Heretikes discouered by the crosse A shame to Protestants to suffer Papists to be more righteous than they be Papists may not be spared for their ciuill honestie Simile The 2. argument of our true loue to God loue to the word Application 1 2 Ieroboam RehoboaÌ how like one another 3 The third argumeÌt of our loue to God Gods word yeelds most profit pleasure glorie Note this of libertie The naturall man counts all spirituall things as paradoxes 1. Cor. 2. 14. To lameÌt the waÌt of others Application Many grieue for their own sinnes which are not grieued for the sinnes of others The fourth argument of our loue to the word * * Cor 1 3 4 Rom 1 1â How sweet and comfortable the ãâã is of Gods children Conference and admonition Rom 1 12. 13 Heb 3 12. ââ Iud. ver 22 23 2 Prayer Note 3 Thankesgiuing Meditation The 119 Ps. iâa Psalm of experience More attend hearing and reading than coÌference meditation A Christians life is the meditatioÌ of the law of God c. Affections dead Meditation must be conâââââd Psal. 1. 2. Meditation must ãâã or on the word We will alwaies thinke meditate of the things we loue Wherefore so many neglect the word Application Obiection Answere Carnall securitie * How enemies are ouercome Not to shoote with the diuell in his owne bowe Secret sinnes not repented of Note How to prosper in a good cause How farre the faithfull are said to be wise Iehosaphat punished in his posteritie Meditation Note The âinde of man Schollers wiser thaÌ their teacher Note The diuell helpes the wicked in their meditations Carnal Protestants * Fearefull tokens of publike calamities Most read not the wisest men WaÌt of faith and of a good conscience make many barren in good things Youth spent in vanitie commonly ends oldage in profanenesse Good death Note Old doting and âarnail Protestants Youth blessed of God To keepe the word in a good conscience brings a man to wisedome Two speciall things to attaine true godlines True godlines âow hardly come by Euill waâes how manie wayes considered Ambition how euery sin nâr reasoâeth Striue against reason Couetousnes how to ouercome it Anger Corrupt iudgement Humilitie The first motions vnto sin must be crucified Iam. 1. 13. Rouing imaginations daÌgerous Why so few heretikes are conuerted How to labor against our corrupt reasoÌ Witchcraft If outward liberty brings inward bondage theÌ outward things may defile a man Wickednesse and wantonnesse Note To be taught of God The consideratioÌ of Gods iudgements Iudgements Whole folicitie in the word Meanes to he carefully vsed A good note of our loue to the word Note To redeeme the time fâr good meditations Of our loue to the word the true marke To hate sin Heresie Note Why we doe not more deteââ heresies The part branches of this portion Note Simile Simile Wilfull ignorance and voluntarie perdition Simile Light refused for darknes Purblinde they are that either knowe little or knowing neuer so much doe practise nothing Darknes or light in whole or in part A lanterne yet may leade a man that will follow the light thereof Simile Particular sight and loathing of speciall sinnes Note Warrant one of the word Worke without warrant is a worke of darknes The word necessarie Ignorance cause to humble vs. Safe when the word directeth vs. Curiositie Godly care and studie The second argument SuddeÌ motions to good An oath The Prophet had our waÌts weakenes Our vow in Baptisme euer to be remembred of vs. What a vow is Particular couenants Free-will How wee bee kept from holy vowes 2 Obiection of Sathan Answere Note well Simile We renue our couenant so oft as wee come to the Sacrament Heb. 5. 12. To vow against drunkennes To vow against whordome Vers. 107. 110. My soule is in my hand Against desire of reuenge The promises of God to his people vnder the Gospell Feeling This Pslame is an image of regeneration Simile The minde distempered Note Pray that thou maist see how God proceedeth with his children in the worke of their saluation Prayer and thanks giuing best sacrifices How Papists follow Peter Abels offering Heb. 11.4.5 Prayer âostirre vp ourselues in prayer Spirit of faith Zach. 12. 10. To offer vp our prayers to God albeit in perplexitie of spirit wee knowe not how to pray Rom. 8. 26. 27 Simile Confession of sinne Freedome of ioy and freedome of sorrow 1 God with his prouidence will watch ouer vs. 2 3 Similie Note well affliction soone tries godly and godlesse The wicked are but cowards vnder the crosse Christs teÌptations Matth. 4. Hard to trust and rest on Gods promises Simââ Few men truely fearing Simile To be poysoned with false doctrin or stung with an euill conscience No familiaritie with the wicked How the faith of Gods children suffereth from the vane imaginations of vnbelieuers Simile DiffereÌce betweene persons callings and liues Note Note well the societie of the wicked Note To loue God only as we be taught in his word Similie To trust onely in God The godly often troubled with vnbeliefe Perseuerance Simile The coÌsumption of the soule How Gods saints haue many changes in this life and wherefore Ignorance Rom. 6. 2. Hope Feeling and knowledge how confirmed Wherfore the Lord doth no more blesse publike exercises Vers. â0 Simile Good conference Note the goodnesse of the Lord to his children when hee plagueth the wicked Seuerall punishmeÌts for seuerall sins Scorners Fornication Prayer A visible iudgement of God All vanitie both of life and religion is but deceit The word of God only neuer deceiueth vs. Testimonies The rich mercy of God to the faithful in opening their eyes when so many millions are left in darknesse and miserie Excessiue feare They may looke to be protected that haue a good cause and de ohandle that cause well Perseuerance Prayer Constancie in a good cause Feeling of wants Hard to belieue the word The triall of our faith when God delaies to perform his promises Two things sustaine vs in troubles Merite Simile The Saints euer bewaile the remnants of ignorance and incredulitie Perseuerance Difference betweene the faith of Gods children and presumption of the wicked Decaies of faith must make vs repeat our petitions often A godly iealousie ouer our selues a thing most necessarie Hic deinceps No superfluitie in this Psalme Coherence to be noted Simile Constancie in the faith in generall backesliding How to pray against enemies Note Rules for prayer against enemies 1 2 3 4 5 Some prayed with the zeale of the flesh When men proceed to the vtter contempt of the word God will rise against theÌ Generall plagues for the contempt of the word Contempt of the word in priuate persons Vse of the doctrine The wisedom of Gods children to preuent sin A singular grace to loue religioÌ when it is most
timore poenae si nondum potes amore iustitiae Simile Cùm dicis timeo quid dicturus sum malè times vanè times Dominus ablato timore suâjcit timoâââ dicturus sum âlanè time Primum timoâne facias deân amor ââ veââs faceâe âââââsi possis Of the day of iudgement Verbum hoc iudicij vtinam nemo transiâer siue iudicio Si iâ nobis ea essât cura quae coram terreno iudice sistendorum sâââiciter ageââmâs 1. IudgemeÌt of man 2. The iudgment seate within vs. Iudgement of the conscience The strokes of mans conscience Young mens consciences Simile â IudgemeÌt Losse of grace What men are beside their wits Iudgement Vertâs ille iudic jâdies in quo omniâ causa caâit Venâer veniââ ille dies in quo malè iâdicatus reâudâcabitur Three things in iudgemeÌt â Action * Quârks in Iaâ Apex iuris pro iure ââmââe ââbtâli âpinolaque di putatione Vâpian Note 2. Sentence 3. ExecutioÌ No flying from Gods iudgement Simile Luk. 16. A description of the torments of hell Against theÌ that are either carelesse or curious in things concerning the day of Iudgment A worthy meditation of the day of iudgement The ancients erred concerning the day of iudgemeÌt How the day of iudgement is said to be âeerâ Lying Swearing Securitie The shortnes of life Anerh eméraâ Psal. 90. 9. Simile Space short and motion swift Life howe short To number our daies To number our daies a rare kind of Arithmeticke Psalme 90. 70. yeeres How to num ber our daies Sodain death Our life is but the present time Wisedome Death The readiest way to prolong life How the meditation of death is profitable 1 Simile 2 Fainting of heart in affliction the meditation of death a preseruation against it 3 Against the vaine loue of this present life Marie and Marthaes wisedome Dulnes when God hath inruâhed vs with his graces Good speeches in conference A spirituall blessing A secret curse To see and feele the shining countenance of the Lord. To beleeue the word before feeling Faith vnder the crosse without feeling Note Education of children Ho neoâ ouâ estin ââkotoâ aki òaaes ton etkikon See Clement Alexand. pedagog 3. booke Porphyr principio quaest Homer Cyril wriâ 24. Catechis Aristotles meaning of this Inuends hon est idonâââ auditer moralis Philosophiae Note Children punished for sin Note Christsyouth ChildreÌ must not be lost for teaching Children apt to vice Deut â The office of a Catechist Preaching and Catechizing how distinguished Summes or Epitomes * Hupotúposi âeche gugiaââontôn logôn * ãâ¦ã n didacâes We may not be secure after we sipped a litle knowledge in the Catechisme Catechizing before the flood Catechizing after the flood Sibils bookes Catechizing ânder the lawe 400. Houses of catechising in Ierusalem Katechoúmenos ek tou nomon Who catechized De catechizandis rudibus No kingdom if not but by catechizing receiued the Gospel within forty yeers after Christs passion Coloss. 2. 23. Reasons for Catechizing 1 2 3 4 Esay 28. See the first part Note Education ef children See the Sermon of education in the third part Antichrist De raris non praecipitur Note How far we may follow others * De vita beata Pecora campi Hard to iudge but we soone credit Nemo sic denarios suos To consent to sinne is cosen to the committing of sinne How this word vulgus is to be taken Great things are not alwaies good and the greatest number is not alwaies best Victâ est prouocare ad populum CircumcisioÌ by Zipporah Exod. 4. Examples in Scripture how to be followed 1 2 3 4. The defence of sinne qui laudant peccatores 1 2 3 4 5 6 Res ipsa loquitur PrefermeÌts Simile Impedire qui potest si non vâtat iubet Alicna peccata si feras facis tua Seneca Ambros. ad Rom. 1. Sunt quidam qui se reos non putant si non operentur quae mala sunt assentiunt autem facientibus assentire enim est si cum possint reprehendere taceant qui quia fomitem praebent illorum peccatis digni sunt vt pari crimine censeantur Multi perentiunt vt graâdines Potentes vt fulmina Malâ errate cum Plaâone quà m verum dicere cum alio Authorem magnum sequi est penè sapeâe A. It is rather desipere quod exemplo fit iâ iure fieri videtur A. The Lawyers answere videtur sed stultis Patres principes propheiae 1. Sam. 29 6. We haue two reasoÌs for sin and we often bolsterit with authoritie of great men or example of the learned which wee must not doe It is not good to smother sin whiles it is young Heart Affection Sinne must haue iudgement Gregor Moral O Iob bene enumerasti vitam imprâborum dic finem quaeso Tââminum ad quem Simile Non qua sed quo Iudgement How we must order our eyes Noli mihi dicere pudicum oculum impudicum cor Oculus videns non videt 1. Impera 2. Caue 3. Tutus eris 4. Tutior si lignum non aspexeris Rom. 13. 13. Note Heb. 3 12. 13. Villa He meanes for religious fasts not gainsaying any thing the ciuill fasts commanded by law for nauigation sake Simile Meanes The apish imitation of poperie in the coniuring of holy water with salt is ridiculous Vse the exercises of religion for spirituall cofort c not for ostentation c. ToteÌpt God in neglecting the vse of meanes A good meditation against impatience * Being truly huÌbled in a religious fast * Gnain Oculum fontem significat The eyes springs of lust As of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh so of the abundance of the senses the heart thinketh Note * Ampliare praecepta Simile Vna gutta limbus tantum Matth. 17. More dangerous to see than to heare euil Simile Tinder The couetous eye The adulterous eye The eye of idlenes The eye of pride Simile Innocens intuituâ aspectu fit nocens quicquid placet sensui non potest non placere Vbi dolor ibi manus * or sound Vbi amor ibi oculus Of apparell Bernard omnia pulcherima ipsi cum sint turpissimi Himatismòs * Poluteles Costly apparell * Oiâonâmââ Prayer Imo non cupio âffe idem cupio nâ iis contrarius Prophets Matth. 6. 20. Praeterita praesentia sunt vmbrae futurorum Prophets The ordinariâ workes of Gods prouidence most admirable if we would coÌsider them daily Psalm Malach. 3. 16. The eye the sense of certaintie Plus mihi profuit dubitatio Thomae quà m credulitas Mariae Prudentia certitudo Faith actiue and passiue Cause of vnthankefulnes Contentation Experimenall faith Faith and feeling Ius ceÌsorium Ius praetoriuÌ Two courts of iustice Persecution To see by faith the secret blessings and curses of God on man in this life Decay of fath * In aduersitie Note Doubts 1 Three notes of Gods fauour 2 Note Affection 3 Desire Loue. The hunger after righteousnes Mat.