friend in thee and the poore and his enemies for thy sake Ninthly when Saints vpon earth shal ioyne with the Angels in praising God in heauen Gratiarum actio opus Angelicum when the heart shall be rauished with his praise and the tongue neuer ceasing to laud his holie name but that at midnight wee rise vp to praise him for his righteous iudgements then may we say that the loue of God is shed in our harts and that from a sense and feeling therof we render our loue to him again Lastly all those which loue the Lord grieue for their owne sinnes and the sinnes of others Psal 119.136 Rom. 6.19 they labour a continuall sanctification both of soule and bodie In a word hauing been partakers of his rich loue of his superabundant loue of his gratious promises 2. Cor. 7.1 1. Pet. 1.17 Psalm 103.4 they forth with clense themselues from al filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit and grow vp to holinesse in the feare of the Lord. Can a seruant loue his master A strange loue in Papists yeelding neither invvard affection nor outvvard obedience and yet not labour to please him a wife her husband and yet in all honest and lawfull things crosse him A child his parents and yet disobey them A subiect his Soueraigne and yet rebell against him It is impossible Can wee then disobey God reiect all obedience and cast his precepts behind our backs and yet say we loue him no no our sinnes are the souldiers that apprehended Christ that led him to iudgement that pleaded against him that caused the furie of his father the torments of his soule the thornes on his head the spitting in his face the pearcing of his sides y nailing of his hands the boaring of his feete and the scoffings of the world for though the whole world had combined to doe this against him Hebr. 6.6 if wee had not sinned they could neuer haue effected it can we then loue him and yet retaine our sins against him Remember that as manie as sinne crucifie to themselues the Lord of life And shall we rebell against him labouring to platte a new crowne of thornes vpon his head to dishonour him to rip vp his wounds and by our speares of blasphemies to pearce him thorow againe and yet say wee loue him If I professe loue to any neuer so strongly Simile and yet when his backe is turned breake his head with my weapon let me sweare neuer so much that I stand affectioned to him will you credit that I loue him so many exclaime they loue God but when wee behold their delight in sinne and small care to serue him wee may vndoubtedly conclude they are infestuous enemies vnto him For this is Christs rule If you loue mee keepe my commandements Vse 4 Fourthly whereas God gouernes all things as a king of armies hauing both small and great at his command wee learne to submit our selues in all feare and reuerence vnto him When Dauid had ascribed vnto the Lord the power of breaking the bowe Psalm 46.9 of cutting the speare and burning the chariots in the fire Psalm 115.3 presently hee inferres that man should be still and know the Lord And good reason for if God thunders the earth melts away Psalm 46.7 Hee is the Lord of hoasts and can make an inuincible armie of his weakest and basest creatures 1. Cor. 10.22 as of flies frogges or lice to plucke downe the high lookes of the most proud and stiffenecked Pharaoh vpon earth Psalm 52.6.7 Therefore let no man trust in the multitude of his riches in his wisdome in his owne strength but let euerie one see this and feare Vse 5 Fiftlie since God so gouernes all things as that hee giues strength and vertue ordereth the effects and disposeth of the ends so that it cannot so properlie be said that they worke as that God worketh in and by them wee are hereby taught this lesson continually to pray to God that he would blesse vs and all things wee take in hand Our sinnes haue caused a rebellion and corruption in all Gods creatures neither can they bee brought vnder and purified vnto vs but by him that is the ruler and sanctifier of all things neither will this ruler submit them nor this sanctifier purifie them but vpon the vsing of the meanes himself hath ordained 1. Tim. 4. that is prayer and supplications Luke 18.1 21.36 Act. 6.4 Rom. 12.12 Ephes 6.18 Iames 5.4 1 Pet. 4 7. 1. Thess 5.17 in through Christ Iesus made vnto him And therefore the holy Scriptures often excite to this dutie of watching in prayers of being instant in supplications of calling vpon God at all times Cur petere quaerere pulsare nos compellit c. Why saith Augustine doth God enioyne vs to aske to seeke to knock since he knowes what is necessarie for vs because saith he he would that our desires should be exercised in prayers whereby we might be possessed of that which he hath prepared to giue vs. The enemies are many and alwaies giuing the onset the dangers great the miseries infinite but we are weake we are fooles not able of our selues to subdue to preuēt to withstand for the enemie hath entred our walles and we haue a kingdome diuided amongst our selues Is there not good reason then wee should alwaies stand vpon our spirituall guard hauing euermore recourse to him whose wisdome must illuminate our vnderstandings whose mercies preuent our miseries whose strength subdue our enemies and whose al upholding power cause vs to stand Exod. 17.11 Hence note the strongest munitiō of the land to be the prayers of Gods children As long as Moses prayed Israel preuailed but when he ceased Amaleck had the better The reason is as the Glosse saith Plus valet vnus sanctus orando quam innumeri peccatores praeliando One holy man preuailes more by prayer then a thousand sinners by blowes Euen so as long as thou hast recourse to God by faithfull prayer thou shalt preuaile against Satan things shall goe successiuelie with thee but if thou art failing in this dutie hee will preuaile against thee thou shalt be crost in thy desires hindred in thy purposes and finde it but a left-handed action whatsoeuer thou takest in hand for although there be no apparent resistance yet there is euermore an inueterate corruption and stinging poison going with the same vntill there bee a purifying thereof by the word of God and by prayers 1. Tim. 4.8 The experience of this that nothing goes successiuelie without Gods blessing nor that God will blesse any but those which call vpon him for though Bildad did falsely assume of Iob Iob 8.5.6 2. Chron. 20.3.4 Nehem. 1.11 Nehem. 4.9 2. King 4.33 yet hee did truly auerre of God that if a man pray vnto him then he will make the habitation of the righteous prosperous made Gods children that they durst neuer take
in those things wherin he hath pleased thee August conf lib. 4. thou by ingratitude shouldest displease him This is a heauenly worke to praise the Lord this makes silly men vpon earth to be saints in heauen â—ern in Cant. Vae tacentibus de te Domine quoniam loquaces muti sunt Conf. lib. Wo vnto them saith Augustine whose ingratitude hath silenced them from praysing of thee for though they babble much yet they are dumbe Sed foelix lingua quae non nouit nisi de diuinis taxere sermonem But that is a happie tongue which as Hierome saith can tell how to frame it self to no thing but to praise the Lord. August ad Aurelium Wee can cartie nothing better in our minds vtter nothing better with our mouthes expresse nothing better with our pennes no sentence so short and pithie in speaking none so sweet in the hearing none so plaine in the vnderstanding none so profitable in the vttering It moues God to giue thee blessings which the wicked neuer enioyed and it causeth him to take from the wicked and to giue vnto thee Quod dedit gratis tulit ingratis That saith Augustine which God hath bestowed on the thankfull he hath taken away from the vnthankfull Hebr. 13. Apoc. 19. This is that sacrifice that God euer approues for it alwaies smelles sweete in his nostrils and it is that sacrifice which Satan mislikes for it euer is offensiue vnto him I may say of that Bern. in Cant. as Bernard of our louing of God If thou doest watch Satan cares not because hee neuer sleepes If thou doest fast Satan cares not because hee neuer eates any thing but if thou art thankfull to God for his mercies this is it that grieues him because thou performest that vnto God being a sillie creature vpon earth which he could not performe being an Angell in heauen And thus you see that al Gods blessings require thankfulnesse it is commanded by God pleasing in his sight profitable to vs and troublesome to Satan Therfore let men praise the Lord for his goodnesse and declare the wonders bee hath wrought for the children of men If you aske me in what things we must praise the Lord my answere is in heart in tongue in conuersation in al things we take in hand Praise him from the ground of the heart saith Dauid It must bee begun in the heart vttered with the tongue and declared in the life the tongue may praise him and it is but babling while the heart thinkes not on it the mouth may blesse him but it is but abominable if our liues shall curse him Plus valeÌ„t opera quam verba Deedes are of more force then words a man may praise him with the tongue in this world yet neuer praise him in the world to come but he which praiseth him saith Augustine both with life and with tongue shall be sure to praise him with the heauenlie Angels in the life to come If you aske with what affection with all alacritie and ioy of the heart Dauids Psalmes must bee sung with Dauids spirit If in what place before kings and not bee ashamed If how long alwaies Dignum est semper gratias agere quia deus nunquam cessat benefacere Gregor Since God neuer leaues to multiplie his blessings vpon thee thou must neuer cease to praise him therefore Dauid is not contented with the day Ingratitudo est ventus siccans fontem pietatis rorem misericordiae fluenta gratiae Bern. but at midnight he will rise and praise the Lord for his righteous iudgements Ingratitude is a nipping East-wind drying vp the fountaine of godlinesse the dewes of mercie and sweet streames of grace and howsoeuer the wicked are content to deuour Gods blessings as the swine the acornes from the tree neuer looking to the author of them yet it becommeth the Saints to bee thankfull howsoeuer our seruant shall faile in thankfulnesse yet we cannot endure our sons to be vngrarefull Vse 10 Tenthly since there is no euill of the punishment in the citie Amos 3.6 which the Lord hath not wrought since it is hee that sendeth warre that casteth downe that correcteth at all times that makes the rod great or small and strikes the blow sharpe or gentle at his pleasure we are hereby taught patiently to endure all afflictions that euer befall vs. If we endure Rom. 2.7 Hebr. 10.36 God offers himselfe as a louing father vnto vs but if wee resist we lose the reward and cause him to strike the more sharpelie If the bodie suffer and the minde resist wee rebell in what wee can and suffer what wee cannot helpe Non qualia sed qualis quisque patiatur interest De ciuit Dei It skilleth not what we suffer but how we suffer saith Augustine Gregorie shewes the reason Sine ferro slammae Martyres esse possumus non sine patientia The sword or the flame makes not the Martyr but the patience of him that shal suffer Hebr. 6.22 Apoc. 13.10 And therefore the Scriptures bid vs not to follow the suffrings of the fathers but their faith and patience in suffering and thus a true faith and meeke patience are euer ioyned together Dauid that said I beleeued and therefore I spake saith also I was dumb and opened not my mouth because thou Lord diddest it Sicut acunabulis Ecclesiae fuit iniquitas premens sic iustitia patiens saith Hierome As from the infancie of the Church there was euermore iniquitie oppressing so there was a holy Patience enduring that which he condemnes in the wicked is cruellie in persecuting that which he commends in the godly is a meeke patience in suffering What should I vrge the seuerall reasons to enduce vs vnto patience The infinit precepts Matth. 21.19 Gal. 5.22 Ephes 4.2 Colos 1.12 1. Thes 5.14 Titus 2.2 the spirit of God supporting coÌ„forting vs the benefits of the crosse the glory of God the saluatioÌ„ of our soules these haue bin partly touched and they are subiects commonlie haÌ„dled therfore I hope wel knowne vnto vs Afflictiones praecedentium consideremus non erunt grauia quae ieleramus Gregor I desire onely therefore that Christians would enter a double meditation first of Christ for if the consideration of the Fathers and Martyrs of the Church will cause vs to endure afflictions with patience shall not much more the consideratioÌ„ of the sufferings of Christ Iesus my gratious Redeemer who is tam speculum patiendi quam primium patìentis Bern. in Cant. aswell a perfect glasse to shew me how to suffer as a sure reward for those which doe suffer And though all his life was subiect to many miseries The first consideration of Christ. yet let vs especially behold him on the crosse that sight is most effectuall vnto vs behold him then his head crowned with thornes his cies blindfolded his eares filled with reproches his mouth with vinegre and
Especially to labour to be of Christes Church 3. To loue God aboue all 4. To feare him in his vvorks 5. To pray to him for a blessing on all things 6. The rich not to insult ouer the poore 7. The poore not to repine at the rick 8. None to depraue Gods gouernment 9. Thankefulnesse to God and not to sacrifice to our ovvne nets 10. To be patient in all troubles 11. To seeke to God and not vnto witches 2. From his manner of gouerning 12. To vse meanes both for sauing of soules and bodies 13. Not to despaire when meanes are vvanting 3. In that it belongs to him to punish sinne 14. To feare the committing of the least sinne FINIS A LEARNED AND PROFITABLE treatise of Gods Prouidence That all things in the World whether they liue mooue or haue a beeing are maintained and gouerned by Gods Prouidence IT is a main infirmitie crept into all and neuer cleane cured in any to be as the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obtenebratum Ephes 4.18 darkened in the vnderstanding Experience teacheth the blind man to bee incident to many miseries though the way be plaine yet hee will stumble though the path bee straight yet hee will wander though the day bee cleere yet hee sees nothing and if any thing yet verie darkely Tit. 3.3 Sinne hath blind folded all none can see but those whom God doth enlighten and none are so enlightned but that they see obscurelie Hence it is that although the Prouidence of God is that plaine way that straight path that cleere light yet some stumble at it some wander from it some see it not at al. Democritus thought God made not the world Diuers opinions touching Gods Prouidence and therefore could not gouerne it Auerroes that although he made it yet hee is ignorant of what is done in it Protagoras worse then both that it hath neither Gouernour nor Maker Some thinke that God respecteth the heauens but hath no regard to that which is done vpon Earth Some that hee cares for all but yet commits the dealing in meane matters vnto the sonnes of men as kings ouerburthened with waightie affaires put ouer inferiour causes to their magistrates vnder them Some that God gouernes all things but without the vse of second causes Others attribute so much to their working thinking all things to bee carried away with such a violēt necessity as that God cannot alter their working when he would nor hinder their effects when it seemes good vnto him This being so I hold it conuenient first to prooue Gods Gouernment and then in the second place to define and shew the manner of the same And as wee see nature hath receiued of God that a master should haue a generall care of al that is vnder him and from this in the chiefest place to respect his children in the second his hired seruants and in the third and last his cattell and baser necessaries so vndoubtedly it is originallie in that great Master of the whole families of the Earth generallie to prouide for all yet chieflie for his children lesse for his disobedient seruants and least for other things subiected vnto them Vnto the proouing whereof in order First by Gods word whose authoritie cannot be reiected Secondly from the consent of the holy fathers whose iudgements are much to bee reuerenced Thirdly from the opinions of Heathē writers whose light of nature is not to bee contemned Lastlie from meere reason by men of least reason not to bee denied Gods generall Prouidence prooued by his word WHen God that reioiceth in mercie was constrained to open the dores of his iudgemēt house vpon the whole world Genes 6. because their great and their crying sins were still multiplied against him whereas the punishment might iustly haue redounded vnto all both reasonable and vnreasonable in as much as the reasonable had most grieuouslie sinned and the vnreasonable with the contagion of that sinne were wonderfully corrupted yet God would haue Noah to make an Arke wherein not onely some of mankind but of all other creatures also should be preserned A sure president of his infinite loue to his Church and great care ouer other things God saith Iob is wise in heart Iob 9.4.5.6.7.8 and mightie in strength He ruleth the earth he walkes vpon the sea he spreadeth the heauens hee commaundeth the sunne and it riseth not hee closeth vp Orion Arcturus the Pleiades and all the starres as vnder a signet Hee alone saith Dauid numbreth them Psalm 147. and calleth them by their names He couereth the heauens prepareth raine and maketh grasse to grow vpon the mountaines Ierem. 23.24 He is present as himselfe saith by Ieremie to all his creatures not as an idle beholder as some foolishly haue imagined but as a powerfull Gouernour as Paul teacheth the men of Athens giuing life and breath vnto al things Act. 17.24.25.26 making of one blood all nations of men to dwell on the face of the earth But how and in what manner determining the seuerall times appointed and also the boūds of their habitations Yea as it followes in him wee liue wee mooue and haue our being But what more cleere then the words of Christ Ioh. 5.17 As yet the father workth I also worke But what worketh he and how worketh hee the latter Paul shewes Ephes 1.11 According to the purpose of his will to the former Dauid answers Psalm 113.5 He dwelleth in the highest and beholdeth the base things vpon earth Psalm 136.25 Hee feedeth all flesh both man and beasis He maketh the earth to bring forth fruite for the vse of man Psalm 138.6 Psal 145.16 Psalm 147. And who is like vnto the Lord that dwelleth in the highest and yet beholdeth the base things vpon the earth He giueth life vnto all creatures Deut. 30. Deut. 28. prolonging or shortning the same as best seemeth good vnto him He bestoweth his blessings vpon the righteous and punisheth the sinnes of transgressors Wherefore since God thus ordereth the heauens the earth and the sea feedeth all creatures sendeth raine in his appointed seasons openeth the fountaines of riuers causeth the Sunne to arise on good and bad worketh all in all according to the purpose of his will feedeth the little sparrowes and cloatheth the verie lillies of the field let vs conclude with Iob The Lord looketh vpon the ends of the world Iob 28.24.25.26 c. and hath a regard vnto all things God speciall Prouidence ouer his Church prooued his Word THe Church of God and the wonderfull loue our most gratious Father beareth vnto it being the cause why all other things were created and being created why they are maintained it seemeth fitter to fall with Paul and Peter into an admiration of Gods great mercie and goodnes vnto vs Ephes 1.3.1 Pet. 1.3 then to goe about to prooue the same Yet since it will mooue to that Angelicall worke of thankfulnesse Good
gouernment hath effected whence we conclude that hee is not so tied to second causes as that when they faile his Prouidence ceaseth vnto vs for sometimes he worketh without meanes and sometimes contrarie to their nature for the declaration of his mightie power and wonderfull goodnesse But it is to be obserued that when God worketh either of these two waies hee vseth an incomprehensible and innisible vertue of working proper to his Deitie only thereby teaching vs not to put any confidence in second meanes but euen thē when they wholly faile assuredly to hope for deliuerance from God who at the very time of greatest distresse is alwaies neerest vnto his children The third and vsuall way of Gods gouerning 3. Vsually by meanes is by second means appointed in his heauenly wisedome for that purpose As by the heate of the Sunne and dropping of the clouds the earth to yeeld her fruite the grasse of the mountaines to nourish the beasts man to bee maintained by the sweat of his browes to bee fed by bread to be warmed by the fire to bee kept from cold by his cloathes by studie to get learning Foolish conclusions from the immutabilitie of Gods decree are here condemned by learning to come to prefermēt by foresight to eschew dangers and so vsually in all other things So that the neglect of ordinarie meanes is a contempt of Gods ordinance and a sin of presumption This the Lord giueth vs to vnderstand when hee saith Hosea 2.21 I will heare the heauens the heauens shall heare the earth the earth shall heare the corne wine and oyle and the corne wine and oyle they shall heare Israel And thus much for these two first what Gods Prouidence is secondly the order hee vseth in gouerning by the same Now to the answering of certaine questions which offer themselues after this manner Quest. 1 The first Why God doth somtimes worke without meanes and sometimes against means that is contrarie to their naturall working Ans By one godly meditation the minde is led vnto another and by a diuine contemplation of Gods wonderfull working the soule is moued to take ioy and comfort and to stay it selfe on the Creator alone Therefore although Gods children are not curiously to fearch into the reasons of their heauenly Fathers gouernment yet the rules of godly humilitie being obserued we will enquire somewhat into them Reasons of Gods working sometimes without sometimes against meanes The first whereof may seeme to be this that wee should learne and know that hee doth not alwaies gouerne by meanes because hee cannot rule without them but that hee will at his pleasure manifest his infinite power ouer his creatures and his exceeding great mercie to those which loue and feare his name Secondly whereas it is the nature of men where they see no ordinarie meanes of effecting there to attribute the euents vnto chance and fortune the Lord therefore declareth this his wonderfull power to shew himselfe the sole effecter of all things Lastly God sheweth this his power in gouerning to the end wee should put no confidence in second causes but wholly relie vpon his power and goodnesse begetting in vs this double assurance the first that he is able the second euer readie to helpe in our greatest miseries Quest. 2 The second question is why God doth gouerne the world vsually by meanes whereas he is able to gouerne it without them Ans The answere is first Reasons of Gods gouerning vsually by meanes wheras be is able to gouerne without them to shew his wonderfull loue and goodnesse to his creatures in that by the vse of them he approues of what he hath created and further giues this honour vnto them to bee if I may so say coworkers with him in his wonderfull gouernment Secondly whereas we are naturally subiect to blindnes error and ignorance God vseth means in his gouernment to be as certaine steps to bring vs to the knowledge and acknowledgement of him A third reason is to manifest that he is the Creator of all things appearing in this in that hee hath the commaund and vse of all things for the accomplishing of that which in his heauenly wisedome he had decreed A fourth reason is to excite vs to heartie thanksgiuing If they prooue othervvise it is because of our bad vsing them in that all creatures are meanes of our good and ordained by God to bee helpes and furtherances both of soules and bodies vnto eternall glorie Indeede they often turne to our greater condemnation but this is by accident in respect of vs not of the creatures Simile As wholesome meate in a good stomacke is well digested but in a bad stomacke and a diseased bodie turnes into cruditie The cause is not in the meate for then it would worke the like effect in all but in the stomacke of the bodie that is euill affected Fiftly whereas God vseth all his creatures as meanes in his gouernment it is to teach vs that none of them are in their kinde to be contemned or despised because they are the creatures of God and instruments of his glorie Lastly God doth commonlie vse meanes in his gouernment because we should not presume of his power or Prouidence either by neglecting the meanes appointed by himselfe for the sauing of our soules or by reiecting the helpes ordained for the preseruation of the body For in all things we must haue respect vnto Gods will reuealed in his word and not vnto his secret wil wherof wee are ignorant Now the reuealed will of God teaching by his owne ordinance at first in the person of Adam Gen. 3. as also euer since both by precept and practise that wee must vse the meanes appointed 1. Tim. 4. Not the vvant but the contempt of meanes doth abridge vs of helpe from God being sanctified vnto vs by his word and prayer wee shall not only tempt God in the neglect of them but also become vnnaturall vnto our selues in that we regard not the meanes whereby our safetie is procured Lest therefore we should be guiltie of the one or faultie in the other it hath pleased God for our example commonly to vse them who otherwise because his power is infinite could as easily gouerne without them Quest 3 The 3. question is what these meanes are which God vseth in his gouernmēt Ans As Gods power is infinite and his creatures not to bee numbred so because GOD rules by all the meanes are not to bee counted They may bee reduced into two sorts heauenly or earthly concerning this life or concerning a better yet none can in very deede be so properlie said to concerne this life as that they doe not after a certaine maner concerne a better also But I will onely recite a few and those especially which concerne Gods children As the Law the Gospell the Administration of Sacraments the ministerie of men prosperitie aduersitie good Angels and the heauenly hoast as the Sunne the Moone the starres
him and the sorrowes of the graue caught hold vpon him he cannot but breake forth vnto the acknowledgment of this dutie I loue the Lord because he hath heard my voice my prayers That is compassed him about as he saith elsewhere with songs of deliuerances Exod 21. Deut. 6.5 When the Lord would excite his people to the keeping of the first and great commandement Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me which as Christ expounds it in his answere to the demand of the Pharisaicall Lawyer is no other thing but to loue the Lord with all our heart Matth. 22.37 with al our soule and withal our mind His arguments of perswasion are taken from his fatherlie care and mercie vnto them saying that hee was their God which brought them out of the Land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage So that this is a speciall vse to bee made of Gods benefits and great care ouer vs that when as hee doth superabound in blessings wee should abound in loue the onely sacrifice which God accepts and that onlie dutie which we may best performe Hoc praeceptum breue leue vtile est This lesson to loue God for his benefits is short light and profitable Short that all may learne it none can complaine of length or hardnesse light that the sick man in his bed the poore man in his want the captiue in his bondage the prisoner in his chaines and that which is hardest the rich man in his wealth without selling his substāce may learne to performe it Profitable none can complaine of losing thereby nay who euer loued the Lord which hath not thereby gained his owne soule which is more then the world and God himselfe more then a thousand soules Nor doe those benefits onely whereof wee haue an euident sense and feeling moue vs to loue the Lord but euen those also whereof wee are made partakers by their more remote operatiō which being lesse sensiblie felt as causes farther remoued Prouocations to make vs loue God are not so easilie perceiued by vs and yet continuallie admonish vs to loue the Lord. Caelum terra omniae quae in ijs sunt eccè vndique mihi clamant vt te amem domine Heauen and Earth saith Augustine and all things therein contained Clamant dupliciter 1. Ostendunt dignitatem 2. Ostendunt bonitatem doe make a continuall cry round about me that I should loue thee O Lord. They shew thy worthinesse and declare thy bountie such a world such heauens such an ocean such an earth such spirituall such earthlie creatures insensible sensible reasonable all wonderfully framed Quocunque te vertis veritas vesti◠ijs quibusdam quae operibus suis impressit loquitur tibi te in exteriora relabentem ipsis exteriorum sormis intus reuocat Aug. de Arb. lib. Lord how mightie how wonderfull how wise art thou that made them and therefore worthie our loue and being thus made thus to blesse to continue to increase to multiplie them yea more to fill vs with them for thou hast said Wherin haue I grieued or failed you and we could not tell thou hast said What could I haue done more to my vine then I haue done but wee could not iustlie complaine and therefore thy bountie thy superabundāt bounty must needs make vs to loue thee Vnto this loue meere nature excites vs the horse loues his keeper the dogge his master the hawke the faulkner the seruant the Lord the sonne the father Pudeat ab exiguis enimalibus nos trahere mores Seueca shall these follow the course of nature and shall wee degenerate doe these loue that they might liue here and shall not wee loue our Lord our Master our Father that wee might liue eternally Nor doth nature onely teach this but reason also Bern. Quod nisi per ipsum valuit esse sine ipso non potest sustineri Quisque ita conditus est vt ipsum necessariò habeat protectorem quem habuit conditorem Euery one is so framed that hee must necessarily haue him to be his protector whom he had to be his maker because that which could not haue his beeing but from him cannot be sustained but by him Now God being this sole protector there is good reason why we should loue him A protector that is wise and can dispose for our good omnipotent therefore able to effect it mercifull and therefore will doe it iust and therefore will not decerue faithfull and therefore will not forsake if man wil euer chuse an absolute friend why should not man in reason chuse such a friend Foure things mouing to loue others what can hee desire that this blessed friend affoords not vnto him if delight there is pleasure at his right hand for euermore if alliance in Christ he is thy gratious father if present gaine thou art fild with his benefits and compast with his deliuerances if future glorie thou art not onely attended with a guard of Angels in this life Ama vnum bonum in quo sunt omnia bona satis erit August but shalt further be crowned with euerlasting glorie in the life to come And therefore reason teacheth that wee should loue God such a father so delightfull so gainefull so profitable to those that place their affections vpon him And though these doe continuallie craue our loue yet the riches of his grace and mercie do challenge it much more they doe mooue but this compels vs to loue him The consideration of this being the fountaine of all Christian duties yea giuing life and taste vnto them and yet alas slenderly regarded and lesse performed it will not be vnprofitablie though perhaps vnfitly annexed to this my purpose to shew Gods loue to vs thereby to excite ours to him againe Wherein consider the state we were in vessels of wrath bondslaues to sinne to our owne lusts to Satan of our selues castawaies for euer the state we now are in vessels of glory free denizens of heauen children of God heires of eternall happinesse how this is accomplished Iohn 3.16 in that God sent his onely begotten Sonne to redeeme vs from that fearefull miserie and to bring vs to this exceeding glorie but how by deposing his crowne of dignitie his glorious estate his absolute honour his perfect ioyes and so to become man in the flesh to vndergo hunger nakednesse want with other infirmities whereunto mankind is subiect sinne onely excepted This is wonderfull loue but behold greater hee became Asham as Isaiah saith a sacrifice for sinne hee drew vs as Hosea saith Hosea 11.4 with the coards of man that is as the Septuagint expounds it was willinglie bound with coards himselfe that hee might vnloose the coards wherewith wee were tied Ephes 2.18 Hee redeemed vs as Paul saith with his bloud shed on the crosse an ignominious death a fearefull death in which hee vnderwent the furie of his father and the torments of hell both
iudgement with vs. For surely though the world makes but a iest at sinne and a toy to commit iniquitie though they play with it as the fish with the bait in her mouth not regarding the hooke till she see it hath caught her yet at last they shall find that it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God Hebr. 10. and that when his register of what is done amisse shall bee opened before them they shall not be able to abide it As is the meanes the theefe can vse for his deliuerie and the disposition of the Iudge before whom hee is to bee arraigned so is hee raised vp to hope or driuen downe to despaire Now all haue sinned if wee vse the meanes Christ Iesus the sole Redeemer of the world by a liuely faith exercised in the workes of righteousnesse wee shall be freed from the censure of condemnation but if thou shalt reiect Christ and vnrepentantly delight in the workes of darknesse behold the nature of the Iudge and from thence the fearefulnesse of his iudgement and so auoide I beseech thee the sinnes that will cause it First therefore we consider that God is infinit in mercie here and therefore will very seuerely punish in the life to come The meanes of present maintenance addes to the grieuousnes of the theft and the clemencie of the Prince makes the rebellion more punishable how then shal the wicked appeare before the Lord when the heauens and the earth with all things therin cōtained shall declare both his worthinesse and bountie whē his Ministers shal obiect their infinite sermons their preaching of the Gospel their daily exhortations when his Angels obiect their attendance seruice ministerie when as Christ himselfe shal obiect his poore estate the obseruations of the wicked the contradictions of his enemies the reproches of the scornful the scarres in his bodie the speare in his side the nailes in his feete the bowing of his head the spreading of his armes the shedding of his blood and all for to cleanse thee how strict will God bee in punishing when thou wouldest not be clensed Secundum magnitudinem misericordiae in praesenti erit magnitudo furoris in futuro As God is most abundant in mercie now so he will be most furious in punishing thē And therfore saith Gregorie Greg. in Moral how shall he endure his displeasure there that contemned his rich mercy heere The second consideration is of the iustice of God If hee spared not Adam for eating the forbidden fruit Genes 3. if not the whole world because they rebelled against him Genes 7. if not the Angels that sinned 2. Pet. 2.4 but committed them to chaines of perpetuall darknesse yea if hee punished his righteous Sonne for the sinnes of the elect Eph. 2.13 Esay 53.8 rather then sinnes should go vnpunished how hopest thou to escape which art by nature the child of wrath Ephes 2.3 which art but one which maiest not be compared to the Angels which art a wicked seruant what shall become of the vnprofitable shrubbe of the desert when that goodly Cedar of Paradise shall be stricken Hieron Dan. 7. Malach. 3. Isai 30. Ose 11. Amos. 4. Apocal. 6. Neither shall God appeare to the vnrepentant in the strictnesse of his iustice only but also in the zeale and furie of the same so that then they shal crie Hide vs from him that sitteth on the throne and from the furie of the Lambe Tunc nec diuitiae diuitibus prosunt He that by nature is a lambe is enforced by sinne to shevv himself a Lion nec paerentes parentibus intercedunt nec Angeli pro hominibus verbum faciunt quia natura iudicij non recipit misericordiam At that time saith Chrysostome riches shal not profit them one mā shal not make intercessiō for another the Angels shall not pleade for them Ezech. 7.19 because the nature of the iudgement admits not of mercie Mallent omne tormentum sustinere quà m faciem Iudicis irati videre They had rather saith Augustine suffer any punishment Prou. 11.23 then behold the angrie countenance of that fearefull Iudge whom by their sins they displeased The third consideration is that he to whom it belongeth to punish sinne is an Al seeing God Many breake the lawes of the Prince vpon hope of concealing their offence but the sinnes we commit against the Prince of Princes cannot be hidden hee knowes the secrets of the heart Iob 11.11 1. King 16.19 Psalm 139.3 Ierem. 16.17 searcheth the reines and vnderstandeth the thoughts long before Thou compassest my pathes saith Dauid and my lying downe and art acoustomed to all my waies Whereupon saith the Glosse God doth so consider the waies and compasse the paths of euery one that euery idle word and vaine thought shall be iudged Lord how shall the wicked be able to appeare before thee whē not one but all their sins shal be mustered in thy presence how shall they be able to vndergoe thy censure for all in nūber like the sands of the sea whē they cannot make answere for one and that of the smallest Ierem. 29.23 Malach. 3.5 But what men haue committed that cannot be concealed for God is both the Iudge and the witnesse Boetius Indicta est probationis necessitas cum agamus coram oculis Iudicis cunctae cernentis In the diuine law the necessitie of proouing is forbidden because wee doe all things in the sight of the Iudge that shall trie vs Sicut capillus non perit de capite ita nec momentum de tempore As the haire perisheth not from the head but God takes note of it so no time passeth saith Bernard but God keepes account of it Therefore seeing our sinnes are so infinit and that they are al knowne vnto God who shal iudge them it behooueth men to feare the committing of moe because the account they are to make is so large alreadie The last consideration is that this Punisher of finne is Almightie Isai 14.27 Isai 51.15 Matth. 10.18 Iames 4.12 Isai 47.11 He is a God of armies the Lord of hosts is his name when he will saue none can destroy and when hee will destroy none can deliuer Chrysost Nee resistendi virtus nec fugiendifacultas we haue neither power to resist nor meanes to flie away Hee which caused the mountaines to shake at his Maiestie in giuing the law he shal cause the proudest sinner to feare and tremble when hee shall denounce his sentence of iudgement vpon the violaters thereof Qui ceciderun ad vnam vocem Christi monituri quid facient sub voce indicaturi August in Ioh 18.6 If the souldiers fell downe at the voice of Christ in the forme of a seruant admonishing them how shall the stoutest gallant bee strooke to the ground at the voice of the Lord of life in his glory and Maiesty iudging them Therefore howsoeuer the world the flesh and the diuell doe deceiue men howsoeuer they iudge the seruing of God lost labour and that they had rather liue and die in their sinnes then remember their Creator in the daies of their youth yet let them at last returne to the truth againe the nature of their sin is a beastlike rebellion the punishment eternall destruction the punisher Almightie thou canst not escape him Maiesticall thou canst not abide him Al-seeing thou canst not hide thy selfe nor thy sinnes from him Iust for he punished his righteous Sonne and therefore will not spare his vile seruant Rich in mercie now and therefore will abound in wrath and furie in the life to come therefore when thou art entised to continue in thy sinnes and to deferre thy conuersion to God say vnto thy soule Genes 16. as the Angell to wandring Hagar O my soule from whom hast thou fled from the Lord of life a gratious God and mercifull father to all those that obey him and what art thou doing defiling thy selfe with sinne and iniquitie and enfolding thy selfe in infinite miseries And whither art thou going to be punished by an Almightie most iust and Al-seeing God now most mercifull but when he shall enter into iudgement exceeding furious now gentle then angrie now long suffering then auenging therefore O my soule what canst thou answere when hee demands an account what wilt thou doe when hee shall enter into iudgement with thee peccata latere erit impossibile peccatorem apparere intollerabile That thy sins should be hid it is impossible that a sinner should appeare it is intollerable Backe then againe O my soule goe to the Lord thy God right humblie confesse thy sins and acknowledge thine iniquities say vnto him Father I haue sinned against heauen and earth and am not worthie to bee called thy seruant but O Lord rich in grace infinite in mercie true in thy promises for thy deere Sonnes sake put away my sinnes instruct mee that I may strike my hand vpon my thigh and vnfainedly repent for them Shew me thy saluation that they swallow mee not vp worke in mee by thy holy Spirit and word a true faith in Christ Iesus my gratious Redeemer and being thy redeemed O my sweet Sauiour stay mee with thy Spirit that I fall not frō thee vphold me with thy grace that I be no more the seruant of sin yea create in mee a new heart and a new spirit that as I haue been a weapon of vnrighteousnesse euer heretofore so I may be a member of righteousnesse alwaies hereafter that as thou hast been infinit in mercie to mee I may encrease in obedience to thee then shall I no longer feare the terror of the great Iudge but to the ioy of my heart say my Redeemer liueth then shall I desire no longer the deferring of thy comming as the wicked seruant but as a good child desiring alwaies to see the face of his father and as one in pure loue espoused wishing no thing so much as to bee with her beloued euen so will I for my selfe and all that loue thy comming crie Come Lord Iesus come quickly euen so for thee and vs al Amen Amen FINIS
indifferently behold neither perfectly But let them forsake the viewing of the earth and it is a signe they behold the heauens And therefore I conclude with Gregorie Quantum frigescit quis à curis seculi tantò surgit ardentius in amorem Dei By how much the more a man forsakes that filthie vice of louing the world so much the neerer hee attaines that blessed vertue of purely louing God A second effect of louing God is alwaies to meditate and speake of him Verborum abundantiam transmittit affectio Philos It is a true rule that our hearts are vpon our delights and much loue sends out many words Christ the busband euery Christiā espoused to him Consider this ye vvhich alwaies speake of your owne matters Jn Rom. 8. If a woman loue her husband she is euer talking and meditating on him in the time of his absence and put her by that subiect vpon any occasion yet she presently returnes vnto it againe This is verified in the Church Cant. 5. neuer satisfied but when she is talking speaking of him Therefore I conclude with Chrysostome Amantium mos est de amato semper loqui The louer is euer meditating and speaking of the partie beloued A third effect is to desire to be more neerely vnited and to bee with Christ As the louing wife is neuer satisfied in time of her husbāds absence but though she hath no want of other things yet all other are wants because her husband is wanting so Christ being in bodily presence absent from his Church she is neuer quiet till hee come vnto her or she be taken to him And therfore she saith My soule thirsteth after thee with my soule haue I desired thee Isai 26 9. Rom. 8.23 Come Lord Iesus come quickly and if thou pleasest to stay a while yet I desire to be dissolued and to bee with thee Marke this yee vvhich at no time desire to die nor Christ to come to Iudgement And thus as Bernard saith Anima amans fertur votis trahitur desiderijs The soules which loue are alwaies wishing and euer desiring either that they might goe where the beloued is or that the beloued would come to them Fourthly to haue the law of God in high estimation to meditate vpon it Matth. 21. Intrauit Iesus templum Glos Jngressus vrbem primò adijt templum to heare it with reuerence and to lay it vp in our hearts with all diligence to preferre it before our pleasures before our profits for therein is Gods loue known and assured vnto vs and thereby is ours incensed vnto him Psalm 84. Psalm 2.2 Psalm 119.15 Psalm 107. Luke 2. Act. 10.33 Act. 16.14 Act. 17. And therefore such as snatch at small occasions to hinder them from hearing Gods word such as will busie their minds about any thing saue on that thing such as will begin the day with any worke saue with reading hearing or meditating on Gods law these shew they are not his sheep because they heare not his voyce they are not of his household because they first runne not to his home Namque proprium boni filij est primò currere ad domū patris For it is the propertie of a good and louing sonne as Chrysostome saith it s he first place to runne to the house of his father Jn Matth. 21. Fiftly it is a certaine effect of our louing God to loue those which are his children and especially his Ministers which declare Gods loue to his beloued which bring glad tidings of peace which present the fauours of his loue which deliuer the seales of our redemption which offer the supplications of the Church to God and reueale his will and intent to them again Those which reiect these reiect the Lord himselfe but those which loue these with other his children shew that they themselues are Gods children because they loue the brethren for this is an vndoubted marke of Gods childe to make much of him that loues and feares the Lord. Sixtly if wee loue God wee will willingly suffer persecutions for his sake When a poore subiect that is in all dutifull affection deuoted to his Soueraigne shall haue that offered wherein his loue may be surely tried and most manifested euen then is hee most ioyfull because the declaration of his loue is the ioy of his heart much more then doe Christians in the time of persecutions when the abundance of Gods loue is most felt in their hearts when the heate of their loue is most incensed vnto him for persecutions are but bellowes which blow the sillie sparkes in vs and those strong flames in God reioyce that they may shew their little loue to God and that God may extend the riches of his loue to them And thus the Apostles hauing been beaten for preaching in Christs name departed Act. 5. reioycing they were counted worthie to suffer for his sake Seuenthly they which loue God take part with him that is when he is dishonoured by the wicked they grieue they shew their dislike they reproue much lesse do they giue the occasions of committing sinne or encourage and soothe vp men in the cōmitting of it Yet herein they must bee wise as Serpents Necessary to be obserued by Noblemens Chaplanes and Attendants on great Personages not casting pearles before swine but keeping them within limits of their calling euer cōsidering the time the place the person and the occasion offered It is strange to see how many will be holie at home before their Minister before their religious Landlord but if they come to companie with the wicked if they aime at an office if they depend vpon some mans fauour whether Atheist or Recusant presently they sute their behauiour according to his disposition and so strengthen him in his sin and proue themselues to be time-pleasers such as neuer can please God But let Gods children learne that they must shew their loue before Kings and not be ashamed God will haue the whole heart and all the affections they must neither be parted nor dissembled Ambr. in Hexam The earthly master permits it not in his seruant much lesse our heauenly Father in his children Quid enim nostro Creatore dignum referrimus cuius cibo vescimur dissimulamus iniurias For what can we offer our Creator worthie his person or fit to bee accepted whilest we professing our selues his seruants feeding on his foode and cloathed with his liuories doe yet notwithstanding dissemble the wrōgs and iniuries which are offered vnto him Eightly when we so long hold a man our friend as our friend loues God and therefore loue the poore and our enemies because God hath commanded to loue them This is a certaine effect of Gods Spirit surely then and not vntill then doe such men loue God Ipse enim Domine amat te qui amat amicum in te pauperes inimicos propter te For he O Lord doth loue thee which loues his