excellencie I wil poure vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the Spirit of grace c. Signifying that he would vouchsafe vnto his Church vnder the Gospell a more plentifull measure of his Spirit that as they should haue more excellent and cleere and powerfull meanes so they should find a greater blessing vpon the vse of those meanes that whereas vnder the law they had but drops of grace distilling easily and by little and little now they should haue whole buckets full as it were yea whole flouds of grace poured downe vpon all sorts of Gods seruants By the Spirit of grace is meant the Spirit of adoption and of regeneration so called both because it is giuen out of Gods free grace and fauour as also because it worketh grace and goodnesse in all such as are endued therewith this Spirit is further described by a speciall effect viz. that it is a Spirit of prayers Till such time as men are made partakers hereof they may vse many words of prayer but they are altogether idle and vaine fruites of their flesh and not of their faith such as they haue great cause to be humbled for and no reason at all to be comforted in but when once they haue this Spirit put into their hearts they can call vpon the Lord in an acceptable and comfortable manner Then next is shewed whither this Spirit leadeth them to wit vnto Christ They shall looke on him whom they haue pierced When men begin to pray in a religious and conscionable manner they disclaime all fleshly helps and hopes betake themselues vnto their Sauiour whom they haue pierced by their sinnes for it cannot properly be said that the Scribes and Pharises or Iudas or the high Priests or the Romanes did put Christ to death-they being but instruments thereof but the iniquities of Gods elect did the fact and they were indeed the true and principall cause that brought vpon the Sonne of God all manner of affliction and persecution and execution it selfe In the next place it is said that when his children shall looke vpon him They shall lament for him or ouer him or concerning him all comes to one reckoning As soone as they see what euils and miseries they haue brought vpon Christ Iesus by their transgressions and how odious their offences are which could be healed by no other medicine but by the precious bloud of the immaculate Iambe of God the due consideration hereof will cause them to bee troubled and grieued at the very heart Which griefe is set out by two speciall circumstances to wit by the greatnesse of it and by the truth of it The greatnesse thereof is declared by two comparisons which yet are inferiour and lesse then the thing it selfe For the first comparison it is said That they should lament for him as one that mourneth for his only sonne and be sorry as one is sorry for his first borne If parents haue many children yet it will much grieue them to part with any of them but if they haue but one onely sonne who is likely to be the heire of the family and they lose him and so are disappointed of their hope then they vsually mourne with an exceeding bitter lamentation as the woman of the cittie of Nain did for the death of her onely son Luke 7.11 Such the holy Ghost saith shall be the sorrow of all true penitent persons when they apprehend the multitude and grieuousnesse of their sinnes whereby they haue slaine the Lord of life The second comparison here vsed to expresse the measure of their sorrow is taken from the example of the Iewes who when their godly worthy king Iosiah was slaine in the valley of Megiddo neere Hadadrimmon in fighting against Pharoah Necho King of Aegypt 2. Chron. 35. they lamented for him very bitterly and not onely the common people who haue not so good a gouernment of their affections mourned for him but Ieremiah the Prophet also and others of the best sort of men and women tooke this losse exceedingly to heart as seeing in the death of Iosiah the death and ruine both of Church and common wealth In which regard it was set downe as an ordinance that they should haue set times of mourning for that affliction which befell them through his death and such saith the Prophet shall be the lamentation of those that attaine to the sight and sense of their sinnes whereby they haue slaine the Lord Christ Iesus verse 11. Hauing thus set forth the greatnesse of their sorrow he commeth in the next place to expresse the soundnesse thereof The land shall bewaile euery family apart c. Not in the publicke assemblies alone where the teares of one may draw on the teares of another and so their mourning be either naturall for company or hypocritall for vaine glory but he saith that euery family should weepe apart and in priuate yea not onely the seuerall families but particular persons yea those that were most neerely lincked together viz. the husband and the wife should bee separated in this worke of humiliation and not content themselues to pray and bewaile their sinnes one with another but take some time each of them to performe this dutie in secret and if they that are so inward one with another should lament apart much more others that are further off one from another By the house of Dauid is meant as was before shewed the excellenter sort of Christians and the like is signified by the house of Nathan who was the son of Dauid of whom Christ came for the family of Salomon was wholy extinguished By the house of Leui is meant the ordinary sort of the Leuites and as for the family of Shimei it was one of the principall families of Leui. Whence we may obserue that all families without exception are tyed to this worke and ought iointly and seuerally to performe the same None are so good but they must weepe for their sinnes in secret and pray for the continuance increase of their goodnesse and as it is not needlesse for the best so neither is it bootlesse for the meanest but whosoeuer doth so shall haue a fountaine of grace opened vnto him whereby all his iniquities shall be washed away The drift then of these words wee see is to manifest and expresse the great goodnesse of God towards his seruants in the time of the Gospell and here is shewed 1 First what gift he wil bestow vpon them viz. aboundance of his holy Spirit 2 Secondly the good vse that they will make of it which is two-fold 1 First they will betake themselues vnto faithfull prayer and by the eye of faith looke vnto Christ through whom both they and their prayers must be accepted 2 Secondly they wil grow to a maruailous great loathing and dislike of their sinnes and sorrow for the same which is declared by two maine circumstances viz. 1 The greatnesse thereof which is illustrated by two comparisons 2
that wee should striue for this holy sorrow which wil melt our hearts and refine our soules neither let vs content our selues with euerie slender measure thereof but endeuour to bewaile our sinnes with a bitter lamentation Such as is mentioned in this text viz. that wee mourne as one would doe for the death of his first borne and as the Iewes did for Iosiah when hee was slaine in the valley of Megiddo But will some say if this bee required of all true Christians Obiect who can say that hee is such an one for few or none haue attained to such deepe and piercing griefe Indeed it is true for the most part Answ yet not generallie for some haue been as throughly wounded with sorrow for their hainous transgressions as any man hath bin for his childs death or as they were for Iosiahs death and as for others that haue not been altogether so deepelie plunged in griefe and anguish they take vp that in continuance which they wanted in present passion Naturall mourning is ordinarily more violent as wee may obserue in Dauids mourning for Absolon who cried out in the bitternesse of his heart so that the people might heare him but godly lamentation is more lasting and durable So that the one may be well compared to a land floud which maketh a great shew and noise for the time but come a weeke after and there will bee little appearance thereof and the other to wit godlie sorrow may be likened to a still and constant raine which entreth more deepely into the ground and remaineth longer and doth more good a great deale then a sudden violent and tempestuous shower and herein let these be iudges who are endued with the Spirit of God and are acquainted with the waies of God and let them speake who haue had the greatest crosses and haue been euen drunken with wormewood as the Prophet speaketh let them I say speake and testifie for the clearing of this point whether many of their great troubles be not in a sort forgotten in regard of any present griefe that they conceiue for them and whether the sinnes of their youth doe not more constantlie vexe and torment them then all the afflictions of their youth doe And if it be so then may it well be concluded that their sorrow for sin is greatest though it be notalwaies so boisterous and bitter for the present and therefore seeing it is a thing that may be attained vnto let vs vse all good meanes and helps whereby we may be furthered therein See the meanes in that Sermon on Isa 1. Vers 12. And the land shall bewaile euery familie apart the familie of the house of Dauid apart and their wiues apart From which words this doctrine may be gathered that It is not sufficient for vs to bee religious our selues Doct. 6 Religion required in euerie one in the family but our families also must be religious Not onely the heads and gouernours but the whole houshold must bee addicted vnto Gods seruice And whosoeuer is religiouslie disposed in Gods house he will certainely take care for the planting of religion in his owne house This testimonie the Lord giueth of Abraham I know saith he that Abraham will command his sons Genes 18.19 and his houshold that they keepe the way of the Lord to doe righteousnesse and iudgement And Ioshua protesteth and voweth Ioshua 24.15 that he and his house should serue the Lord. And Dauid also Psal 101.5.6.7 that he would not endure a wicked person neere him but if he knew any to be a vassal of the diuell to be a slanderer a proud person a lyer or the like he should not long remaine in his sight but hee would soone thrust him out of his house and banish him from his presence And it standeth with reason that good men should deale thus Reasons 1 for First he that is a friend vnto God and trulie loueth his honour himselfe will be desirous that euerie bodie else should be affected in the like sort especially such as are neare vnto him He that carrieth a loyall and louing heart towards his soueraigne will bee very vnwilling that traitours and professed enemies to his life and diguitie should haue entertainement vnder his roofe Secondly godly men doe well consider that those that are most faithfull vnto God will also shew themselues most faithfull vnto them they wil not infect their children nor corrupt one another nor bee prodigall and wastfull nor blemish them and their families by raising vp slanders and spreading abroad false reports and tales tending to their reproach and disgrace They will also bee trusty and painefull in their places and callings euen when their gouernours are absent as well as when they are present as knowing that though they be not by yet God is alwaies by who wil cal them to an account for all their workes Thirdly religious persons in a family wil pray for their gouernours as also for themselues that they may haue good successe in their busines and affaires and that is it which brings the blessing of God vpon a family euen as we see Potiphars house was blessed for Iosephs sake and Labans estate much bettered and his wealth exceedingly encreased for Iacobs sake Would wee then haue a testimonie vnto our soules Vse 1 that we are led by Gods Spirit then let vs as many of vs as are gouernors of families take the way to haue piety grounded in their hearts that are about vs that so our houses may bee little Churches as diuers Christian families were in the Apostles time that God may bee serued and feared his word read heard and embraced his name priuately and publikely inuocated and called vpon and all other seruices performed among vs which doe appertaine vnto Christians If we be to plant an Orchard we will not take euery tree that growes by the high waies side but rather send farre and bee at some charges to procure good trees then fill vp our grounds with crab-trees or the like how much more carefull should we be of our house which is nearer and of better vse then our orchard that it may bee planted with such as truly feare the Lord that so the deaw of his blessing may continually descend vpon vs. Furthermore here is an instruction for seruants Vse 2 that they should learne to know their duty and be ready to ioyne with their gouernours in al godly and Christian exercises assuring themselues that none are in truth good seruants vnto men but those that are withall faithfull seruants vnto almightie God Euery family apart the family of the house of Dauid apart and their wiues apart c. The doctrine hence to be gathered is this that It is not sufficient to come to publike religious exercises in the familie Doct. 7 Christian duties are to bee performed in priuate but euery one must performe the same in priuate and apart Therfore it is to be noted that in this place it is said
like case euen so they which haue beene stung with sinne themselues can more easily be moued to shew compassion towards poore sinners like themselues because by the feeling of misery men learne the practise of mercy Heb. 2.17.18 in that Christ suffered and was tempted he is able to pittie and to succour those that are tempted Against this rule doe all hypocrites offend who will wade very deepely into other mens soules and very bloodily gore other mens consciences who yet neuer once purged their owne vncleane sincks at home nor drew one drop of blood out of their owne corrupt hearts Such were the Pharises who pleased themselues much in iudging and censuring our Sauiour and his Disciples Luk. 16.15 18.9 but were so farre from condemning themselues as faultie in any thing that they instified themselues before God and men Such also are the Brownists which are readie to burst their bowels with crying out against disorders abroad and yet neuer reforme their owne soules at home for if they did they would also reforme their liues and their families But what kind of zeale these mens is wofull and late experience still crieth in our eares for manie of them being so zealous to others but onely through some secret loue of the world when they had that which they sought for made knowne their hollow their rotten zeale in that without griefe of conscience they could suddenly rush into a profound worldlinesse and without all godly sorrow could after they had satisfied their greedie and fleshly zeale not onely more hardlie seare vp their owne consciences but also be so changed that they could sowe vp their lippes and spare their words from speaking in like manner againe to others and so are neither zealous to themselues nor others Heere also are all such to be censured as faultie that can prie and make a priuie search into the wants of others accounting the same wants no wants in themselues The father saith this my childe doth amisse and the childe in this my father faileth the husband knoweth what the wife should doe and the wife what the husband should doe c euery one in the meane time neglecting their owne duties whereas indeed euery ones principall care should bee to know and doe his owne dutie and to be grieued where he commeth short of the same And thus much for the third rule that true zeale must beginne in our selues Now further we are to vnderstand that there must be an order kept in being thus zealous namely Wee must make greatest account of the vveightiest matters Matth. 23.23 that first and especiallie wee make conscience of the principall matters of the word and after of the lesser as our Sauiour telleth the Scribes and Pharises These things ought yee to haue done that is the weightier matters of the Law and not to haue left the other vndone viz. matters of smaller importance Which sheweth that their zeale is verie corrupt and faulty who as our Sauior saith straine out a Gnat swallow a Camell who are very hot about matters of ceremonie but altogether cold in matters of substance as also theirs that on the other side will crie out against them that rob by the high-wayes side yet they themselues make no conscience of pilfring cosoning and secret defrauding of their neighbours as if small sinnes were not to be left as well as great Another rule of true zeale is that wee looke as carefully to our hearts before God We must look to the inside as vvell as to the out-side Ier. 4.14 Iam. 4.8 as to our carriage before men for so the Lord commandeth Cleanse thy heart ô Ierusalem c how long shall thy euill thoughts remaine within thee And againe Purge your hands yee sinners and your hearts yee hypocrites Which serueth to ouerthrow the hypocrisie of such Pharises as make cleane the vtter side of the cuppe and platter Matth. 23. but within are full of bribery and excesse of pride disdaine selfe-loue and hatred Now that wee may the better trie our selues by this rule two things are to be obserued 1. That wee feare to commit any sinne secretly and when wee are alone as well as when wee are in the presence of men Iob. 31. Gen. 39. So did Iob and so did Ioseph and this mooued them so to doe euen that the Lord did behold them and could punish them for secret as well as for open offences Which condemneth them of grosse dissimulation that are loth to be accounted ill and yet make no conscience to be ill What is this but to be painted sepulchers that are faire to looke vpon but within full of rotten bones Matth. 23. Wee may deceiue men but God is not deceined and therefore let vs beware of this hypocrisie and so much the rather because the Lorde hath fearefully discouered and plagued them that in outward shew haue borne a great conuntenance of religion and yet haue liued in secret filthinesse and other vile sinnes which in time haue come to light to their shame and ruine The second thing to be obserued is that wee haue an eye to the priuie corruptions that lurke in our hearts and maintaine continuall warre against them as Paul did Rom. 7. and this we should the rather doe because it is a fearefull and yet an vsuall iudgement of God and that vpon many professors that making no conscience of entertaining wretched lusts and vile affections secretly they haue broken foorth to the committing of the grosse actions and so haue shamed themselues publikely And this is a iust stroke vpon those that would rather seeme to be then in truth desire to be godly that making no conscience of their thoughts and inward desires they should in time be so giuen vp as to make no conscience of their words or deeds The sixth rule is that wee be more strict vnto our selues then vnto others Wee must be more strict to our selues then to others and more seuere against our selues then against others giuing more libertie vnto them then wee will take vnto our selues And first concerning seueritie vnto our selues such ought to bee our acquaintance with our inward and outward corruptions and so grieuous ought they to be in our eyes that our heate being spent vpon our selues wee may thinke the sinnes of others more tollerable and so learne by the sight and sense of our owne sores Titus 3.1 to deale more mildely and meekely with others whose corruptions either for greatnes or multitude we cannot so thorowly see as wee may our owne Secondly as we must deale most sharpely against our selues so must we be ready to giue more outward libertie vnto others then to our selues And for this we haue the example of Abraham who was so strict to himselfe that he would not take of the King of Sodome so much as a threed or latchet and yet he would not denie Aner Gen. 14.23.24 Escol and Mamre their liberty So Iob as
he would not permit to himselfe so neither would he deny to his permit to himselfe so neither would he deny to his children their liberty of feasting But especially the example of Paul is notable for the confirmation of this point for seeing that in some places he could not so conueniently liue of other mens charges 1. Cor. 4.12 1. Thess 2.9 as at Corinth and Thessalonica he would labour with his owne hands rather then be chargeable to any of them yet he would not that all men should be tied by his example to doe the like 1. Cor. 9. 1. Tim. 5.18 and therefore he laboureth much in his Epistles about this that Ministers ought to be prouided for so strict was he to himselfe such liberty left he vnto others Whence we may easily perceiue that it is rather a Pharisaicall pride then any Christian zeale to be too tetricall and rough in vrging men so farre that whosoeuer in euery point is not so strict and precise as our selues we cast them off as dogges and prophane persons and such as are vnworthy of any account or countenance The next propertie of true zeale is not to be blinded with naturall affection Zeale condemneth sin in friends as vvel as in foes Mat. 16.23 Gal. 3.1 1. Cor. but to discerne and condemne sinne euen in those that are neerest and dearest vnto vs. That was it that made Christ so sharply to rebuke Peter and Paul to deale so roundly with the Galathians and Corinthians Many offend against this rule who will neuer reprooue sinne in their friends till God reuenge it from heauen wherein they are farre from true friendship for whereas they might by admonishing them of their faults in time preuent the iudgements of God they do through a false loue pull the wrath of God vpon them whom they loue most dearely Hee loueth most naturally that hath learned to loue spiritually and hee loueth most sincerely that cannot abide sinne in the partie beloued without some wholesome admonition But doe not manie now adayes seeme zealouslie to mislike sinne in strangers who can winke at the same fault in their kindred in their wiues in their children in their parents as if the diuersitie of persons could change the nature of the sinne This blind zeale God hath punished and doth punish his children Isaac did carnally loue his sonne Esau for meat for a peece of venison Gen. 15.28 Dauid was too much affected to Absalon and to Adoniah for their comely personage so as his zeale was hindered in discerning sinne aright in them Now Iacob was not so deare to Isaac and Salomon was more hardly set to schoole and made to take paines but behold God louing Iacob and refusing Esau howsoeuer Isaac loued Esau better then Iacob made Esau more troublesome and Iacob more comfortable vnto him Absalon and Adoniah brought vp like Cocknies became corasiues to Dauids heart Salomon more restrained and better instructed was his ioy his crowne his successor in his kingdome This disease is so hereditary to many parents louing their children in the flesh rather then in the spirit that the holy Ghost is faine to cal vpon them more vehemently to teach to instruct and to correct as knowing how easily nature would coole zeale in this kinde of dutie Indeed many will set by their wiues children and kinsfolkes if they be thriftie like to become good husbands wittie and politicke or if they be such as for their gifts can bring some reuenue to their stocke or affoord some profit vnto them how deepe sinners soeuer they be against God that maketh no matter it little grieueth them whereby they bewray their great corruption that they are neither zealous in truth of Gods glory nor louers aright of their children because they can be sharpe enough in reprehension if they faile but a little in thriftinesse and yet are too too cold in admonition if they faile neuer so much in godlinesse Well let these fleshly zealous men lay to their heart the blinde affection of Heli 1. Sam. 2. 3. 4. who being the deare childe of God was seuerely punished of the Lord for that he was not zealously affected to punish the grosse and foule offences of his children but blessed are they that can forget their owne cause and euen with icopardie of nature can defend the quarrel of God labouring hencefoorth to know no man after the flesh nor suffering any outward league so to bleare and dazle their eyes as that they should not espie sinne in their dearest friends to reforme it or that they should not discerne vertue in the greatest aliens to reuerence it Now whereas many haue great courage to rebuke such as either cannot gainsay them Zeale opposeth it selfe against the sins of the mighty or gainsaying them cannot preuaile against them heere commeth another property of zeale to be spoken of and that is that it feareth not the face of the mightie neither is it dismaied at the lookes of the proud and loftie Such was the courage of Iob who besides that he made the young men ashamed of their liberty afraide of his grauity made euen the Princes also to stay their talke Iob. 29.8.9 and to lay their hands on their mouthes And yet heere we must beware of their hasty zeale who will not sticke to charge the children of God to be without zeale if presently and abruptly they rush not into an open reprehension of men that are mightie in authoritie as though no regard of time place or persons were to be had which opinion many by weakenesse of iudgement defending find neither fruit in others nor comfort in their owne consciences when they doe admonish in that presumptuous maner for that hunting after feruentnesse without the spirit of meeknesse and casting off all consideration of a godly opportunitie they rather exasperate then humble the parties admonished and they themselues rather depart with confusion and shame for such posting on without warrant of wisedome then with comfort of heart for any duty done Neither am I heere ignorant how great danger of trouble of minde commeth to many in that they being so curious obseruers and waiters of opportunity doe for some ease of the flesh vnder the cloake of this wisedome altogether leaue off that godly dutie Wherefore as we affirme that wisedome and loue mixed together do deeply enter into the most prefract prodigious spirits so we mislike their fearefull delay of duty who hauing a meane occasion offered them from the Lord doe not zealously and earnestly rebuke sinne though in some higher personages Out of this may issue another frutit of holy zeale namely when we are zealous in their behalfe who can neuer recompence vs againe and that in defending their right against oppressors that are craftier mightier then they Thus Iob deliuered the poore that cried Iob. 29.12 the fatherlesse and him that had none to helpe him He was the eyes to the blinde and feet
of husbands and wiues that they shall lament apart euen they that are linked in the nearest bonds and might with most conueniencie lay open their harts each before other yet they should not content themselues with those seruices which they performed together vnlesse God and their consciences might somtimes meete in secret And as our Sauiour chose for himselfe priuate and solitary places where he might with more freedome pray vnto his Father so doth he giue the like aduice vnto others Matth. 6.6 When thou prayest saith he enter into thy chamber and when thou hast shut thy doore pray vnto thy Father which is in secret Whereby chamber hee meaneth any secret place where a man may freely lay open his wants before the Lord. Hence was it that Peter after the deniall of his master is said to goe out and there to weepe bitterly Now the cause why we must do thus is First because it wil be a witnes vnto our soules that we do duties in truth and not in hypocrisie for in secret albeit we shed teares aboundantly for our sins none can accuse vs of vain-glory neither will our owne hearts charge vs therewith whereas in publicke there may be some such suspicion in others or doubt arising in our selues And as our sorrow wil thence appeare not to be hypocriticall so will it also bee cleare vnto vs that it is not naturall nor for company such as may be in a ciuill man who seeing a great many weeping and mourning can hardly refraine himselfe from teares but will bee apt and readie to lament with them Secondly there is no man or woman but hath some sinne or other which is not meere for them to acknowledge before their nearest friends because such is the corruption of their nature they will be ready to thinke the worse of the party The most louing and wise husband that is if his wife should discouer vnto him all her thoughts and ill affections would entertaine somewhat a harder conceit of her then before he did and therefore God would haue many sinfull cogitations and motions laid open onely vnto himselfe who is infinitely mercifull and pittifull and not vnto any creature in the world beside This doctrine serueth for the iust reproofe of many professonis Vse 1 who are all in the Church and nothing in the familie or if they haue prayer and reading of the Scriptures twice a day publicke with their whole family they imagine that they haue gone as farre as they need to do though they neuer throughout the whole week performe any seruice vnto the Lord in secret neuer conscionably meditate on the word neuer earnestly bewaile and confesse their hidden corruptions neuer feruently cry vnto the Lord for the sauing graces of his holy Spirit nor performe any such duty apart as all Christians are bound to do Such kind of persons may assure themselues that their hearts are not right with God and that they are not led by the Spirit of grace which drawes those in whom it reigneth vnto the performance of good duties apart as well as with companie in their closets in their chambers in the fields or in some such priuate places or other as well as in the Church or with the whole societie where they liue How much more are those to be condemned who are so farre from seruing the Lord in secret that they either refuse to do it in publike or if they affoord their bodily presence yet they are idle or profane or wanton in their lookes and in their gestures letting all that are neare them see the vile disposition of their hearts by their leaud and abominable carriage These sinfull wretches are so farre from being excused by being at religious exercises that they are much to bee condemned for that in the land of righteousnesse as the Prophet speaketh they worke wickednes and in the places where they should shew al manner of holines they expresse such notable profanenes These are euen like Iudas who was plotting to betray his master euen then when he was at the Lords table to bee partaker of the holy Sacrament and they shall speede euen as hee did for when affliction and misery seazeth vpon them as come it wil sooner or later if they preuent it not by hearty repentance then shall they not bee able to stand before the Lord nor before the face of their accusing consciences but shall be ouerwhelmed with horrour and amazement and be moreready to lay violent hands on themselues then to seeke vnto the Lord for mercy whom they haue so hainouslie and presumptuously offended Secondly let vs hence learne to bee the same alone for matters of godlinesse as we are in company and to do duties when no body sees vs euen because God beholds vs as well as when many eyes are cast vpon vs. This will be a testimonie vnto our soules of great sincerity and vprightnes and these priuate exercises of religion wil maruellously fit vs for the publike And thence it comes to passe that many are so loth to appeare before God in the congregation or in the family and do feele the seruices of God so tedious and wearisome because their hearts haue not been exercised therewith in secret for he that deales with his owne soule alone shall find so many defects in himselfe that he will be very desirous of the helpe of the Saints in publike assemblies Therfore let vs tie our selues euery day to spend some time in meditating on the word in searching our harts in hūbling our selues for our offences past presēt in praying to the Lord to strengthen vs where we are weake to resolue vs where we are in doubt to shew vs our errours and to direct vs in the right way to let vs see our wants and to supply them of his rich grace let vs I say constantlie performe these and the like duties in secret and then shall it bee plaine vnto our soules that wee are guided by Gods good Spirit And howsoeuer the diuell will obiect that wee are not sincere because we haue many times more in shew outwardly then wee haue in substance inwardly yet hereby shall we be able to approue the sinceritie of our hearts that albeit we haue not that within vs which wee seeme to haue yet wee desire to haue it and striue to attaine to it and he only is an hypocrite which neither hath nor desires to haue that which he maketh semblance to haue The end of the first Sermon vpon the twelfth of Zechariah THE SECOND SERMON VPON THE SIXTH OF LVKE LVKE 6.47 c. Vers 47. Whosoeuer commeth tome and heareth my words and doth the same I will shew you to whom he is like 48. He is like a man which built an house and digged deepe and laid the foundation on a rocke and when the waters arose the floud beate vpon that house and could not shake it for it was grounded vpon a rocke 49. But he that heareth and doth not is like a man