with courage and resolution for the purpose and to vertue knowledge meaning daily increase of knowledge and carefull vse of all good meanes to that end and to knowledge temperance or Christian moderation and sobrietie in the vse of all outward things as meate drinke apparell riches honour and such like not suffering our hearts to bee surcharged with surfeiting drunkennesse worldly cares pride of life or any thing of that nature and to temperance patience in bearing meekely whatsoeuer iniuries or insolencies of our aduersaries or infirmities of our brethren and fellow-Christians and to patience godlinesse endeauouring vnfainedly to grow euery day more conscionable in all our dealings with men and especially more deuout worshippers of God then other yea striuing what in vs is to double our deuotions in prayer exercise of the word and Sacraments due sanctification of the name of God and of his holy Sabbaths meditation conference and all such like duties and to godlinesse brotherly-kindnesse being as the Apostle a Rom. 12. 10. teacheth kindly or naturally affectâ—oned to loue one another with brotherly loue In honour preferring one another not slothfull to doe seruice mutually distributing to the necessities of the Saints giuen to hospitalitie ready according to the will of God b 1. Iohn 3. 16. to lay downe our very liues for the brethren after the example of Christ Iesus And to brotherly kindnesse charitie extending it selfe to do good vnto all friends foes Christians aliens being the Lady and Princesse of all those graces whereby we doe seruice one to another and as it were the mother of the maides directing and moderating all the gifts of God internall or externall to the best good of all especially of the houshold of faith all selfe-loue set apart Thus to be exercised alwaies vpon all occasions is rightly to build vpon the foundation to make our owne calling and election the highest fauours bestowed vpon mankinde sure and to be indeed wise Christians In the third place the good hearer is described by his outward condition he is lyable to most grieuous afflictions and persecutions which by diuine ordination vsually follow the hearer and doer of these sayings for his c Hebr. 12. 5 6. correction probation and purgation from the most dangerous humour of pride and haughtinesse especially As also that the Lord CHRIST his d 2. Co. 12. 7 8 9 strength may be made perfect in the weaknesse of his Saints This troublesome condition of the people of God is signified heere by the descending of the raine swelling of the flouds and blustering of the windes whereof he afterwards gaue his disciples warning in plaine termes In e Ioh. 16. 33. the world saith he you shall haue affliction but bee of good cheere I haue ouercome the world The experience of all ages maketh good that generall proposition of the Apostle f 2. Tim. 3. 12. yea and all that will liue godly in CHRIST IESVS shall suffer persecution The reason is apparant and giuen by CHRIST himselfe g Ioh. 15. 19. If yee were of the world the world would loue his owne but because yee are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of this world therefore the world hateth you Whosoeuer putteth not this into his accounts when hee giueth his name vnto CHRIST let him know that he taketh a wrong plough by the end as wee are plainly and peremptorily taught by our Lord and blessed Sauiour himselfe Luke 14. 27 28. Fourthly and lastly the good hearer is described by the fruit euent or successe which is his stabilitie and perseuerance in the greatest stormes when the Deuill and World haue done their worst It fell not saith the Text for it was founded vpon the rocke The good hearer is as wee heard founded vpon CHRIST IESVS and the promises of God which all h 2. Cor. 1 20. in him are yea and in him Amen apprehended by Faith and confessed with the mouth so that the gates of Hell cannot preuaile against him as we see Matth. 16. 16 17 18. Rom. 10. 9 10 11. This is therefore iustly placed among Salomon's prouerbiall speeches i Prou. 10. 28. As the whirlewind passeth so is the wicked no more but the righteous is an euerlasting foundation Questionlesse nothing is more sickle and vanishing then the irreligious rout seeme they neuer so well rooted and flourishing I haue saith k Psal 37 35. 37. 39. the Psalmist seene the wicked in great power and spreading himselfe like a greene Bay-tree yet he passed away and loe he was not But marke the perfect man and behold the vpright for howsoeuer he seeme to bee exposed to all dangers and miseries the end of that man is peace or happinesse And no maruell since their saluation is of the Lord he is their strength in the time of trouble They l Prou. 14. 32. haue also hope and a sure refuge euen in their death To conclude this point concerning the good hearer As a house well built vpon a rocke may bee and is commonly shaken but falleth not so the hearer and doer of these sayings well built vpon the rocke CHRIST IESVS through m Gal. 5. 6. faith that worketh by loue may bee and is diuers times fearefully shaken by reason of hard persecution and temptations but fall he cannot fully and finally The euill hearer is described Verse 26. 27. by the contraries to all the former First he ioyneth not practise to his hearing but is like vnto him n James 1. 24. that beholdeth his naturall face in a glasse and going away straight-way forgetteth what manner of man he was As if it were all Religion and not rather the greatest irreligion to heare and not to doe To simple ignorance this barren hearing addeth grosse contempt of the diuine Maiestie whose sacred sayings aâ—e by this meanes set at nought and cast behind men as altogether vnworthy to be followed Secondly the euill hearer is described by his propertie for he ranketh all such among starke Fooles who heare and doe not what they heare how sharpe-sighted and politicke soeuer they be in worldly things For whereunto may they be better compared then to patients dangerously and with out the Physicians helpe desperately sicke that make none other vse of their learned and well experienced Physicians counsell but onely to heare it letting the practise goe at their vttermost perill Or according to this present similitâ—de what can be deuised more foolish then for a man to lay out his whole estate and time vpon a building without a foundation which cannot but proue a castle of come-downe before it be long Not without cause doth the Prophet Ieremy breake forth into this vehement exclamation o Ier. 8 8. 9. How say yee that we are wise and the Law of the Lord is with vs Loe they hauereiected the Law of the Lord in respect of hearing and doing and what wisedome is in them meaning no wisdome at all in Gods account
thee according to his free and mercifull promise which aboue all things is to be beleeued beleeue that hee which looked to thee and fed thee to day will doe the like tomorrow and though hee seeme not to doe it yea though hee kill thee yet with patient Iob resolue to trust in him according to thy bounden dutie Many haue befooled themselues for trusting in God too little but neuer any for trusting in him too much and for not leaning to their owne wisdome The rule for the due obseruation of the Sabbath may and ought in some sort to take place herein that which cannot bee done before nor after and yet is necessarie to be done must bee performed euen vpon the Sabbath otherwise to bee put off so that care or prouision for tomorrow or the time to come bee it long or short which cannot indure leisure is presently to bee made as in summer against winter in youth against olde age in single estate against marriage which is full of charge in breeding time which many bruite creatures neglect not against bringing forth c. But where no such vrgent necessitie appeareth there to leaue euery thing to the owne time and place letting tomorrow alone with his owne care and worke as our Sauiour Christ heere most elegantly speaketh To doe otherwise is to double our burthen when the single alone lyeth very hard and heauie vpon our shoulders The morrow shall take thought for the things of it selfe sufficient vnto the day is the euill thereof which affordeth this lesson vndeniably vnto vs That sorrow and labour is euery dayes portion to euery man according to Gods iudiciarie sentence in the beginning i Gen. 3. 17. In sorrow thou shalt eate of it meaning of the fruits of the earth all the dayes of thy life This holdeth much more in the faithfull who besides the common cup whereof all must needes drinke haue a speciall one mingled to them for their chastisment tryall of their faith and quickning in well-doing Paul and Barnabas k Act. 14. 22. confirming the soules of the Disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith assured that wee must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdome of GOD. What follie and madnesse is it then for vs by taking forbidden thought about the necessaries of this life to adde yet more to the heape or pile of those vnauoideable euils which by Gods vndispensable appointment follow both nature and grace As if a man in a hot burning feuer or vnder the strong paines of the strangurie winde-colique or gout should wilfully increase his disease by euill dyet and surfeiting We may againe then breake forth into that holy exclamation of the beloued Disciple which can neuer be taken vp too much heere is the patience and the faith of the Saints heere is extreame need of both these of patiâ—nce to beare with a quiet minde as hauing offered our selues in sacrifice to God the daily troubles of this life or pilgrimage l Gen. 47. 9. the dayes whereof are few and euill m Iob 14. 1. of short continuance and full of miseries as Iacob and Iob especially pitifully complaineth As flyes swarme about any raw or tender part of the bodie and though they bee scared away yet returne againe or others in their roome so doe these troubles and miseries continually swarme about our wounded and tender soules so that though there bee a resistance and chasing away of them in part through Gods good grace yet will they or a new supply returne to vexe one way or other continually and incessantly the end of one affliction prouing for the most part the beginning of another Wherefore wee haue euer need of patience it must be of daily and hourely vse as the very garments which wee weare for couering and defence without it wee may not set our foot ouer the threshold nor venture our selues into companie or businesse Grant Lord that this n Iam. 1. 4. patience may haue her perfect worke that wee may bee perfect and intire wanting nothing But aboue all the faith of the Saints is necessarie both to beare vp their patience by the helpe of hope expecting the heauenly reward apprehended by faith and also to put life into all this most holy comfortable and infallible doctrine of our Lord and blessed Sauior against worldly carefulnesse and concerning Gods diuine prouidence and prouision for vs in all our needs which wee are commanded many times ouer to rest vpon without doubting and wauering Without which faith it will all turne into smoke and our selues at the length bee turned into the fire that neuer shall be quenched And this shall suffice for this Tractate or Chapter CHAP. VII WE haue heard o From ver 1â— to the end of chap. 6. how earnest and powerfull our Lord Christ hath beene in disswading from worldlinesse and perswading to heauenly mindednesse that so he might remoue the first and chiefest of the three obstacles or lets vnto Righteousnesse Now in the next place because Righteousnesse is the doing of Gods Commandements euen to the least and teaching men so as he p Chap. 5. 19. taught before he instructeth all both Ministers and People concerning the right manner of teaching wherein hee giueth two most worthy caueats the first to beware r of iudging rashly proudly or partially the second to beware of r Verse 6. zeale without knowledge in dispensing Gods holy Mysteries As for rash iudging hee first q Vers 1. to 6. most earnestly forbiddeth it Secondly s Vers 1. 2 3 4. t Verse 5. he prescribeth a souereigne remedie against it He forbiddeth it in two words Iudge not and then deterreth euen beateth vs from it by very piercing Reasons drawne from the danger and odinesse of that sinne In saying Iudge not his meaning is not simply to forbid all manner of iudgeing for there are iudgings not onely lawfull and warrantable but necessary without which no Church or Common-wealth can stand as first publike iudging by the Magistrate Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall who haue a calling to iudge and sit in Gods place to that end euen by his owne assignement and are called Gods and their sentence Gods sentence Secondly priuate iudging which is done by way of brotherly admonition exhortation rebukes also when need requireth and the offence giuen doth iustly call for it God himselfe commandeth euery man and woman in that case and manner to iudge u Leu. 19. 17. Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer sinne vpon him Againe x Mat. 18. 15. If thy brother trespasse against thee goe tell him his fault or reproue him c. Prouided that it be done brotherly out of a pure conscience to reforme and gaine one another and not to crosse gore and shame one another or any other sinister end The thing heere forbidden is an euill Disease or Itch in our corrupt nature whereby either out of malice or in a kind of
seeme the least and most contemptible of all other as the Emmet before mentioned the h Prou. 30. 24. Conies or Mice of the Mountaines the Locusts and Spiders whose strange industry and operations wise Agur much admireth Of which and infinite such like that of the Prophet may iustly be taken vp i Psal 111. 2. The workes of the Lord are great sought out of all that haue pleasure therein To this seeking and pleasuring in the workes of God wee are called both by the manner of creating in that God made not all at once by his Word or becke as hee could haue done but by peece-meale in sixe dayes that we might follow him and consider of euery dayes worke seuerally and also by the first institution of the Sabbath in the close of all which besides other ends was ordayned to be a day of contemplation or beholding of God in his workes as the k Psal 92. Psalme or Song for the Sabbath insisting vpon the Works of the Lord plainly intimateth If we could as dutie bindeth vs be brought hereunto we should then liue in this World as in an ample and magnificent Temple furnished with most beautifull Images or Laymens Bookes of Gods owne making to admonish and comfort vs vpon euery occasion and should haue no need of Popish Images to that end directly against the expresse minde of God reuealed in his Word And let me adde thus much more for the increase and confirmation of our comfort heerein By this comparison drawne from the vnregarded foules of the Aire from Sparrowes and Rauens as wee may seec Luke 12. 6. 24. wee are taught that no sence of our owne vilenesse or want of meanes ought to plucke vs from resting vpon Gods Prouidence but rather send vs to it Shall l Mat. 10. 29. Sparrowes sold so good cheape and rauening Rauens safely rest vpon it in their kind without all meanes and not be disappointed And shall not we made after Gods owne Image redeemed by the bloud of his onely begotten Sonne sealed by his Spirit vnto the day of Redemption to whom it is his good pleasure to giue the Kingdome doe it much more The third Reason propounded also with a vehement Interroation doth demonstrate the vanitie and vnprofitablenesse of taking thought about outward supplyes m Verse 27. Which of you by taking thought can adde one Cubit to his stature What manner of reasoning this is Christ himselfe sheweth elsewhere n Luke 12. 26. If then yee be not able to doe that which is least why take yee thought for the rest So that hee maketh it a reasoning from the lesse to the greater to be of tall or lowe stature conferreth little or nothing to a comfortable life yet are wee not able by any solicitude or carefulnesse to mend our selues therein any whit All that wee can doe is to vse the meanes which God hath appointed to that end by taking sustenance and preseruing our health so much as in vs is and to leaue that increase of our stature and of our childrens to God alone so in like manner are we for competencie and suffizance in outward things to vse the best industrie and prouision that wee can and then in faith and holy dependance to expect the successe from God o Prou. 10. 22. Deut. 8. 17 18. Psal 127. 1. whose blessing onely maketh rich and giueth content The short is that as our stature so our state of life commeth meerely from the hand and appointment of Almightie God That notable comparison which Irenaeus taketh vp to illustrate the doctrine concerning the communion of Saints may well bee taken vp in this case As one lumpe and one loafe cannot bee made of drye wheate without moysture so neither can wee being many be made one in Christ without the water which is from heauen In like manner how wise and working heads soeuer men haue and what meanes and indeauours soeuer they vse yet the lumpe or leafe of thrift cannot be kneaded or raised vp without liquor from heauen that is without Gods blessing Where that is wanting great husbands with all their great trauell and cares doe but as bowlers who crye rub rub and bend their body which way they would haue their bowle to goe but all in vaine Hitherto our Lord Christ p Verse 25. 26 27 hauing earnestly taxed men for torturing their minds about necessarie foode doth now the like about rayment q Verse 28. 29 30. And why take you thought for rayment consider the Lillies of the field how they grow they toile not neither doe they spinne c. vsing the like vehement interrogation and vndeniable reasoning from the comparison of the lesse as before And heere also in so low a degree that it ought to make vs ashamed of our vnbeliefe to haue the least mistrust that hee should not cloathe vs who cloatheth the Lillies not of the garden onely which are regarded of men but of the fields which no body looketh after whose beautie and brauerie hee maketh to goe beyond Salomons the mirrour of maiestie and magnificence which thing he calleth vpon vs to consider and diligently meditate on Shall God our heauenly father so cloathe the grasse which is to day and to morrow is cast into the furnace or else otherwise soone withereth and dyeth away and shall hee not much more cloathe vs for whom hee hath made these and all other things and whom out of his rich mercie and grace hee hath cloathed with his sonne Iesus Christ the Lord of glorie Let vs stay here a little and obserue well and lay to heart how irreligious and absurd this carefulnesse about apparell must needs bee Since it is not onely against our Lord and Masters most earnest prohibition but against a more sure word and ordinance of Almightie God then that of the Lilies if anything can be more sure For they being in appearance dead in Winter yet by vertue of Gods operatiue r Gen. 1. 11. word grow againe in the Spring and without their labour and spinning are so arrayed as Christ here speaketh Wee haue for this purpose the word of the same God in a farre more excellent maner both his vocall word promising Å¿ Psal 34. 10. that they which seeke the Lord shall not want any good thing auouching also that hee t Deut. 10. 18. loueth the stranger who of all other is most to seeke giuing him food and rayment and his operatiue word also in making good that promise from time to time as we see in our first parents u Gen. 3. 21. whose nakednesse he cloathed in Iacob x Gen. 28. 20. and 32 10. whose petition for bread to eate and rayment to put on God most graciously and plentifully answered in the Israelites y Deut. 8. 4. and 29 5. following him through the barren wildernesse to whom most miraculously he did the like fortie yeares together To let this passe obserue heere by the way how