stay his hand nor say vnto him what doest thou Gods speciall kingdome is that whereby hee ruleth his elect and chosen people working his will not onely by them as he doth in his generall kingdome by the deuils themselues but in them also by his holy spirit and it is called speciall because it is not exercised ouer all the world but onely ouer the elect whom hee hath ordained to eternall life This speciall kingdome of God is two-folde either of Grace or of Glorie The kingdome of grace is a spiritual estate wherein God makes men willingly subiect to his written word by his spirit I call the kingdome of grace a spirituall estate both because it is principally exercised in the conscience and also because this regiment in the conscience is by the spirit of God Secondly I shew wherein it consists namely in a voluntarie subiection of the whole man in soule and bodie and spirit to the will of God reuealed in the word Psalm 110. 3. Thy people shall come willingly in the day of assembling thine armie in holy beautie And this subiection stands in three things in Righteousnesse Peace and Ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17 18. In Righteousnes that is First in Christs righteousnesse imputed and secondly in the righteousnesse of a good conscience the ground whereof is sanctification by the spirit which Christ giues to them whom he doth iustifie In Peace that is peace of conscience towards God and peace with Gods Church yea with all creatures so farre forth as is needfull for them Now vnder peace we must comprehend loue and all duties of loue for as righteousnesse concernes the person in soule and bodie so peace respects all duties and actions of the life Righteousnesse is the root from whence springeth this peace with euery action thereof for when the heart is sanctified the life is reformed Lastly in ioy in the holy Ghost this is a fruite of both the former respecting especially the state of affliction for when a man is iustified and sanctified and hath peace towards God then ariseth in his heart a spirituall delight in God in all estates yea though great afflictions light vpon him for Gods cause yet he beareth them with inward ioy and delight knowing that the spirit of glorie of God resteth vpon him and that he shall be glorified with Christ if he suffer with Christ which things while he compareth together hee little esteemeth the afflictions of this life in respect of the glorie that shall be reuealed for the light affliction that is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and eternall waight of glorie These are the branches of this spirituall subiection which whosoeuer hath is a good subiect in the kingdome of grace as the Apostle saith in the next verse he that in these things serueth Christ is acceptable vnto God and approoued of men The kingdome of glorie is the blessed estate of Gods elect in heauen whereby God in Christ becomes all things vnto them immediately 1. Cor. 15. 28. This estate of glorie is a subiection also but yet such a subiectiō as is indeed a glorious regimēt for there we raigne with Christ in whom and through whom God himselfe becomes honour peace health foode raiment and all things needfull to the perfection of felicitie Now these two beeing Gods kingdome differ thus The state of grace is the beginning and entrance to the state of glorie and the state of glorie is the perfection of the state of grace This state of glorie is the citie and the state of grace as it were the suburbs of it In this life wee liue in the kingdome of grace but the kingdome of glorie is reserued for the life to come and this speciall kingdome of God in both these estates doe we here pray for Thy kingdome This imports that there is another kingdome euen the kingdome of Satan which is a kingdome of darkenes full of all disorder and confusion through sinne which greatly hindereth annoyeth Gods kingdome of grace especially Come That is to vs men in the world and then it commeth when God doth erect establish the same in their hearts now vnto perfection it comes by 5. degrees 1. When God giues vnto men the outward meanes of saluation wherein he doth reueale his grace fauour in Christ as the Gospel preached which is therefore called the word of the kingdome Matth. 13. 19. And so Christ hauing relation to his preaching which he confirmed by miracles among the Iewes saith The kingdome of God is come vnto you Luk. 11. 20. and beeing demaunded by the Pharisies when the kingdome of God should come he tels them it was among them Luk. 17. 21. meaning that it was brought vnto them by the ministerie of Iohn Baptist of himselfe and of his Disciples although indeed it were without profit to many of them 2. When the word preached inlightens the minde so as a man knowes and vnderstands the mysterie of the Gospel which is the law of this kingdome 3. When a man is thereby regenerate and so brought into this kingdome for by regeneration we haue effectuall entrance into the state of grace wherein Christ rules in vs by his word and spirit and wee yeeld subiection vnto him 4. At the ende of this life when the bodie goeth to the earth but the soule to God that gaue it beeing translated to the ioyes of heauen in the glorie of this kingdome 5. At the last iudgement when body and soule beeing vnited againe are both made partakers of the glorie of this kingdome and this is the full and perfect cōming of it So then our request to God in this petition is to this effect O Father let thy kingdome come to vs that be pilgrimes and strangers here on earth prepare vs for it and enter vs into it that be yet without renue vs by thy spirit that we may be subiect to thy will confirme vs also in this estate that our soules after this life and both soule and bodie at the day of iudgement may be fully glorified yea Lord hasten this glorie to vs and to all thine elect The Uses 1. Wants to be bewailed The wants we are taught to bewaile in this petition either concerne our selues or others First we must lament and mourne for our owne miserable estate by nature whereby we are the seruants of sinne and so in thraldome and bondage vnder Satan sinne leads vs into bondage for he that committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne and where sinne raigneth there the deuill hath dominion And hence it comes that wee rebell so much against the kingdome of God and refuse to stoop to the scepter of his word Indeede this bondage is weakened in Gods children but none is wholly freed from it in this life as Pauls complaint declares Rom. 7. 14. The law is spirituall but I am carnall sold vnder sin The naturall man is dead
and rebellion into our Land if this were not our peace would continue for euer for the worke of iustice shall be peace quietnesse and assurance for euer And againe in righteousnesse shalt thou be established and be farre from oppression This therefore should mooue all vngodly persons to repent and to breake off the course of their sinnes vnlesse they will continue professed enemies to the peace of the state vnder which they liue The second Point wherein this blessednesse of Peace-makers consists namely in that they shall be called the children of God that is they shall be esteemed and reputed for Gods children in this world of God himselfe and all good men and in the world to come fully manifested so to be That this is true happinesse will soone appeare by the view of the state of euery childe of God for they are vnited vnto Christ by the spirit of grace by which they are regenerate and in Christ they are adopted for sonnes and daughters and so enioy Gods speciall grace and fauour Now hereupon they are Kings children hauing God for their Father who loues them more tenderly then any earthly Parents can loue their owne children secondly they haue Christ for their brother and so are heires annexed with him hauing heauen and earth for their possession In him they are made Kings and Priests vnto God and shall be iudges of the world at the last day yea they haue the holy Angels for ministring spirits to attend vpon their persons for their defence from the power of the enemie which farre surpasseth the dignity of any guard of men on earth whatsoeuer all things worke together for the best vnto them their crosses and afflictions are no curses but fatherly trialls and chastisements yea their sinnes are turned to their good to them death is no death but a sweet sleepe vnto their bodies and a straite passage for their soules into eternall glorie yea in the acte of death they haue the comfort of life in the ioy of the spirit and the Angels readie when breath departeth to carrie their soules to heauen If this be true happinesse to be called Gods children then they that liue after their owne wicked lusts voyd of all care to keepe a good cōscience are miserable and accursed for they are the children of the diuell seruing him in the workes of sinne and expressing his image in vngodlinesse and worldly lustes It stands them therefore in hand if they haue any care of true happinesse to labour after regeneration whereby forsaking the lusts and courses of their former ignorance and embracing and obeying sincerely the word of life they may become Gods children and so happie Secondly hast thou receiued this grace of Gods spirit whereby thou art inclined to haue peace with all men and to seeke for peace between God and thine owne conscience yea betweene the Lord and others then comfort thy selfe thou art the childe of God these motions come from grace flesh and blood brings forth no such fruits labour therefore to maintaine these good motions with all other pledges of thine adoption and so shalt thou growe fully assured of thine own happines In this age men make much adoe to get good assurance of earthly purchases but what madnesse is this so greatly to regard momentanie things and to haue no care in comparison of our eternall inheritance which we shall haue assured vnto vs when wee become the children of God Verse 10. Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen 11. Blessed are ye when men reuile you and persecute you and say all manner of euill against you for my sake falsly 12. Reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you Here Christ propounds his eight Rule touching happinesse which he handles more largely then the former for hauing laid downe the Rule vers 10. he expounds the same in a speciall application of it to his Disciples in the 11. and 12. verses In the Rule it selfe note two points first the parties blessed secondly wherein their blessednesse consists The parties blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake Persecution properly signifieth pursuite such as one enemie maketh after another but here the word must be taken generally for all kind of persecution whatsoeuer Now because it is a paradoxe and absurd in humane reason to thinke him blessed that for any cause is persecuted therefore Christ to verefie the truth hereof repeats the same Rule in the nextwerse where also he expounds euery parcell thereof wherewith I will content my selfe because Christ is the best interpreter of his owne words In the 11. verse therefore Christ sets downe three things all pertaining to the true exposition of this Rule First he explaines more particularly the parties that be blessed saying to his Disciples Blessed are yee In the beginning of the Chapter wee heard that hee cast his eies vpon them and spake vnto them and now here he doth the like again therefore this Rule must not be vnderstood of all men in the world that suffer but of all Christs true Disciples and generally it is not true for the heathen and infidels doe often suffer for good causes and yet remaine infidels without the true God and so are not blessed Againe a Chrstian professor may giue vp his life in a good cause yet not of loue to God or his truth but vpon ambition and so not be blessed for though I giue my bodie to be burned yet wanting loue it profiteth mee nothing Secondly Christ expoundeth particularly what hee meaneth by persecution naming three parts thereof first slaundering and reuiling which is the persecution of the tongue Thus the Iewes persecuted the Apostles saying they were drunke or full of sweete wine Thus Festus persecuted Paul making him madde or beside himselfe Secondly persecution meaning hereby as the word doth properly signifie first pursuite such as one enemie maketh after another when he seekes to spoile him of his goods or of his life secondly the bringing a man vnto the Barre and there of malice to accuse and arraigne him thirdly euill speaking with lying when as men of purpose be without cause malitiously carried thereunto as when the Iewes called Christ a Samaritan that had a diuell and said that he cast out diuels by Belzebub the prince of diuels and thus were the Christians in the Primitiue Church persecuted beeing malitiously accused for killing their owne children for worshipping the head of an asse for incest and such like To these three kindes of persecutions S. Luke Chap. 6. 22. addes a fourth namely hatred and a fift called separation wherby men were excommunicated and cast out of the Temple Synagogues for Christs sake and his Gospels These are the seuerall kinds of that persecution for the enduring whereof Christ pronounceth men blessed vers 10.
persecute you c. In handling the former verse we shewed the meaning of these words how they serue to expouÌ„d the former Rule The point here to be obserued is this That to reuile and slaunder yea as Luke saith to hate a man for a good cause especially for religion is persecution which shewes how fearefull the common sinne of the age is whereby men reuile their brethren with base and odious tearmes because they shewe some care to please God and to adorne their profession by a godly life But thou art a persecutor whosoeuer thou art that vsest this and therefore repent and leaue it for it is a preparation to a greater sinne in this kinde and most odious in Gods sight as the punishment hereof declares Gen. 21. 9 10. with Gal. 4. 29 30. S. Luke addes a second word And when they separate you whereby is meant excoÌ„municatioÌ„ out of the Temple and Synagogue a punishment which Christ foretold should befall his disciples This censure was put in execution in their Synagogues for besides the administration of ciuill Iustice Ecclesiasticall matters were there handled Now marke what Christ saith Though excommunication bee mine owne ordinance yet blessed are you when men excommunicate you out of the Temple and Synagogues for my names sake where hee maketh excommunication a kinde of persecution when it is denounced against men for righteousnesse sake Here then we may learne what to thinke of the Popes Bulls whereby he excommunicates Kings and Queenes and particular Churches for denying subiection to his chaire namely that they are the diuels instruments where with Gods children are persecuted and that all such as are thus excommunicated for defending the truth of the Gospel are blessed for excommunication is not the instrument of a curse to them that suffer it for good cause Secondly hence we learne that excommunication abused against Gods word is no powerfull censure though in it selfe beeing vsed according to Gods ordinance it be a most terrible thunderbolt excluding a man in part from the Church and from the kingdome of heauen and therfore all Churches must see that this censure be not abused for the abusers of it incurre the danger of the curse and not they against whom it is vniustly pronounced Vers. 12. Reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you Here Christ drawes a conclusion from the former Rule for hauing said in generall that they which suffer for righteousnesse sake are blessed v. 10. and applied it in particular to his Disciples ver 11. hereupon hee infers that they must reioyce in affliction euen then or as Luke saith in that day yea they must be glad which word signifieth exceeding ioy such as we vse to expresse by outward signes in the body as skipping and dauncing such as Dauid vsed to testifie his ioy for the returne of the Arke of God to his citie This is a most worthy conclusion often vrged and commended vnto vs in Scripture Iam. 1. 2. Brethren count it exceeding great ioy when yee fall into diuers temptations Rom. 5. 3. We reioyce in tribulation knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience and Act. 5. 41. The Disciples reioyced that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Christ. Here we learne then that Gods church and people that suffer in a good cause must reioyce and be glad This must be remembred for we â—aue bene many times in great danger of our enemies for the Gospels â—ake and it may please God to leaue vs in their hands for our manifold sinnes and great abuse of his heauenly blessings which if he doe what must be our behauiour must we be swallowed vp with sorrow and griefe no but humbling our selues for our sinnes we must remember for what we doe suffer and reioyce and be glad in that behalfe for though our outward man perish yet the inner man shall bee reuiued Now because it is a hard thing to reioyce in grieuous afflictions therefore Christ doth giue two reasons to mooue them hereunto first from the Recompense of reward after this life in these words for great is your reward in heauen This point I haue handled heretofore therfore I will here onely shewe how the Papists abuse this text to prooué the merits of mans workes of grace for hence they reason thus Where there is a reward there is merit But in heauen there is a reward for mans works of grace and therefore in this life there is merit by them To this it is answered diuers waies I will touch the heads of the principall First the word reward must not bee vnderstood properly but figuratiuely for Christs speech is borrowed from labourers who after they haue done their worke doe receiue their wages which is the reward thereof euen so after Christs disciples and seruants haue suffered afflictions for the name of Christ at the end of this life they shall receiue life euerlasting Secondly when wee read of wages and reward in Scripture wee must not dreame of any thing due by right of debt and merit but conceiue thereby that which is giuen by promise and of meere mercie like as when an earthly Father promiseth to his sonne to giue him this or that thing if hee will learne now the Fathers gift is not merited by the childe but is freely giuen the more to incite the childe to learne his booke Thirdly if we vnderstand reward properly then we must referre it not to our sufferings but to the sufferings of Christ for there is no proportion betweene our sufferings and life eternall the afflictions of this present life are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs Rom. 8. 18. The second reason is taken from the example of the auncient Prophets for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you In this Reason Christ intendeth two things First to teach his Disciples and vs that persecuâ—ion for good causes is no newe or strange thing Secondly to comfort his Disciples and seruants in their sufferings for that thereby they should bee made comformable to the ancient worthy Prophets who were of old renowned among men and are now glori fied of God in heauen Hereto wee must compare the words of Luke ' spoken to the same purpose for after this manner did the Fathers to the Prophets By Fathers we must needs meane the auncient people of the Iewes for here hee speaketh to his Disciples and others that were Iewes by nation Now hence obserue a strange point to wit that the auncient Prophets who were most worthy men of God were persecuted in their time not so much by forrainers and enemies to religion as by those that were outwardly members of the Church of God and professors of religion This may seeme strange that men liuing in Gods Church should growe to this height of impietie to become persecutors of Gods Saints but Saint
c. Here also we say Gods power is his owne that is of himselfe alone not receiued from any other as is also said of kingdome and glorie to distinguish the true God from all creatures who haue not power and kingdome and glorie of themselues but from God whereas all these in God are of himselfe alone And the glorie By Glorie is meant excellencie and maiestie and this propertie rightly ariseth from the two former for seeing he hath an absolute soueraigntie ouer all things and power answerable to dispose and gouerne them at his pleasure therefore of right all glorie and maiestie and excellencie belongs vnto him yea the glorie of all creatures is from him so that sinnefull man must say with Daniel Vnto vs belongs shame and confusion Dan. 9. 7. but vnto God be honour and glorie and power and dominion for euermore The vse I. This reason thus conceiued and vnderstood containes a notable ground of trust and confidence in God and of praier to God in all distresse of life and death for we haue a father whose is kingdome power and glorie now his power assures vs that he is able to helpe vs and is he our King and we his subiects then he is willing to helpe vs. Is glorie his why what can make more for his glorie then to shew mercie to his people in hearing their praiers and helping them in distresse Psal. 50. 15. I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie my name II. These words are a notable forme of giuing thanks and praise to God for when the heauenly creatures are said to giue thanks to God they doe it to this effect Rev. 4. 9. 11. Thou art worthie O Lord to receiue honour and glorie and power Againe Phil. 4. 6. Be distrustfull in nothing but in all things let your requests be made knowne to God with giuing of thankes where we see praier and thanksgiuing must goe together Now this beeing a perfect forme of praier must needes comprehend thanksgiuing with petitions as therefore in the sixe petitions Christ taught vs to aske all needefull things of God so in this reason he teacheth vs how to giue thanks for these three kingdome power and glorie doe generally comprehend all matter of praise and thanksgiuing vnto God yea it is a summe of all the Psalmes of praise and therfore when Dauid blessed God it was to this effect 1. Chron. 29. 11 12. Thine O Lord is greatnesse and power and glorie and victorie praise for all that is in heauen and earth is thine thine is the kingdome O Lord and thou excellest as head ouer all both riches and honour come from thee and thou raignest ouer all and in thine hand is power and strength c. This point well obserued directeth vs in two Christian duties first that we must be earnest and frequent in giuing prayse and thanks to God for the first thing we aske is grace to glorifie Gods name and the last thing we here doe is to ascribe glorie to God indeede Secondly here we see in what maner we must giue thanks to God namely in euery blessing we must ascribe kingdome and power and glorie vnto God as in the vse of meate and drinke first therein labour to see and accordingly to ascribe the kingdome to God that is acknowledge Gods soueraigntie in that creature that the right and interest thereto belongs to God and that thou hast it from him and not of thy selfe Secondly see and acknowledge the power and prouidence of God in that creature his prouidence in that thou hast it and his power in that it serues for thy good and comfort in thy nourishment and refreshing Thirdly when thou art comforted therewith giue honour and glorie to God so thou shalt be truly thankefull And thus must we be thankefull to God for his word and all other blessings that we enioy Yea this direction must we obserue for our behauiour in affliction we must labour to see and acknowledge Gods soueraigntie and power ouer vs as we are his creatures and that he hath right to dispose of vs at his pleasure and therefore we must humble our selues vnder his hand desiring grace so to behaue our selues therein that we may glorifie his name And thus shall we honour God euen in affliction III. Here we see a way whereby we may obtaine the things we aske of God namely we must confesse our owne vnworthinesse taking shame and confusion to our selues and giue all praise and honour and glorie to God Thus did Iacob Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthie of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed vnto thy seruant so Dan. 9. 7. To thee O Lord belongeth righteousnes but vnto vs open shame And thus comming in humilitie of heart renouncing our selues and all that we can doe and endeauouring to giue all glorie to God we shall finde mercie with the Lord for the obteining of all our requests IV. Is kingdome power and glorie Gods then is he to be feared aboue all creatures for howsoeuer Satan and earthly Monarchs haue dominion and power yet it is not of themselues but from God they can doe nothing but by power and permission from God but God of himselfe can punish and destroy Lastly hereby we must be mooued to loue God and to yeild obedience vnto him in all good duties for to such will he shew his soueraigntie and power for all good things that so they may giue the glorie of all to God that giues them Amen We haue heard the preface and the petitions of this praier now we come to the third part of it which is the Conclusion in this word Amen which is as much as verely truly It is commonly taken to be a word of wishing in this place importing as much as So be it I wish it be so or such like But we must know that it hath here a further vse to wit not onely to expresse our desire of the things we aske but also to testifie our faith in assurance of receiuing them according to our desire for so it is vsually taken in the new testament where it is vsed to affirme or asseuere a thing with vehemencie and certentie Againe our Sauiour Christ giuing both direction and incouragement to praier saith thus Whatsoeuer you desire when ye pray beleeue that ye shall haue it and it shall be done vnto you Mark 11. 24. where he shewes two principall things required in prayer the first an earnest desire of the grace and blessing we aske the second is faith whereby we beleeue that God will graunt vs the things we aske Now our desires were sufficiently expressed in the sixe petitions and therefore this beeing a perfect platforme of praier here vndoubtedly is propounded the testification of our faith to this effect As we haue craued these things at thy hands O Lord so doe we beleeue that in thy good time thou wilâ— for Christs sake graunt
is narrow and straite the way to destruction is broad and wide For the first The way of life is narrow and straite from the first entrance to the last pâ—â—sage why so First because the way of life is onely one single path 〈◊〉 the way of death is manifold containing sundrie paths Secondly 〈◊〉 that walke in the way of life containe themselues within the bonds and lists of Gods word for the words of the wise are as nailes and pales to keepe vs in Eccles. 12. 11. Thirdly in the way to life there are many afflictions and offences as Act. 14. 22. Through manifold afflictions we must enter into the kingdome of heauen and Hos. 2. 6. I will stoppe thy way with thornes meaning that by sharpe afflictions he would hedge them in the way of obedience But some may say why then doth Christ say his yoake is light Math. 11. 3. and S. Iohn his commandements are not grieuous 1. Ioh. 5. 3. and David I will walke at large or libertie Psal. 119. 45. I answer they way is straite and narrow in respect of our nature but yet broad and caâ—e by his assisting grace and helpe Here theÌ„ we see what course we must take if we meane to come vnto Christ namely we must tread in this narrow way and become like vnto him in suffering afflictions for this way he went here on earth and so entred into his glorie The propertie of the way of death is breadth Now the way of death is broad first because the way of sinning is manifold euen as truth is onely one and error manifold Secondly they that walke in this way breake out of the bounds of Gods word and doe not containe themselues therein Thirdly herein they meete with few crosses and impediments as David saith They are not in trouble as other men they prosper alway and increase in riches Psal. 73. 5. c. 12. And the reason is because they seeke by all meanes to satisfie their hearts desire whether by right or wrong saying with the foole in the Gospel Soule soule take thy rest liue at ease Luk. 12. 19. IU Point What men doe in these waies namely the greatest part of men walke in the broad way but few in the narrow way Hence we learne sundrie instructions I. We must not be offended or discouraged when we see most men liue either in a false religion or in grosse impietie for the greatest part walke in the broad way II. We must not follow the multitude in matters of religion but those that follow Christ the Patriarks Prophets and Apostles for the most goe wide and the fewest hold the right way of life III. That vniuersalitie is no marke of a true Church for the true Church is in the straite way but therein the smallest number walke IV. Vniuersall grace is a deuise of man for few fiade the way of life and therefore it is hid and vnknowne If it be said that all might finde it if they would I answer they can not for the word finding doth presuppose a seeking as if Christ had said though many giue themselues to seeke the way of life yet few they be that finde it The like phrase we haue Matt. 24. 38. In the daies of Noah they ate and dranke that is they gaue themselues to eating and drinking Againe Saint Luke hath it thus and shall not be able to finde it why then doe not the most finde the way to life Is it because they seeke it not no verely Saint Luke denies that Why then is the way hid to the most and reuealed to fewe this Christ teacheth vs because it so pleaseth God Matth. 11. 25 26. U. Point What must we doe in regard of these two waies we must enter yea as Luke hath it striue to enter into the straite way and to passe by the broad way This is the commandement of our Sauiour Christ wherein three things are inioyned vs first that we must come into this straite way and eschew the broad way secondly we must not be discouraged for the straitnes of the way and thirdly we must striue to enter in The first is a necessarie dutie in these times for we are like vnto mariners which passe by many pleasant countries and stately buildings and doe onely behold them a farre off but not enter into them nor land vpon them We must therefore cease onely to talke of the way of life and beginne to walke in it If any shall aske how we may come to walke in this way I answer read Ier. 6. 16. see there a notable lesson First we must inquire which is the old way for the old way is the right way But where shall we learne out the old way Answ. In the holy Bible there shall we see the way that the Patriarks Prophets and Apostles went Secondly hauing found the right way we must labour to know all the turnings of it We must see what things we are to beleeue and doe hauing the mysterie of faith in a good conscience 1. Tim. 3. 9. Thirdly we must walke in this way Ier. 6. 16. for it is not sufficient to know the will of God and to make profession of religion but we must put in practise the things which we know And lastly we must be circumspect to keepe our selues in the right way Hagg. 1. 5. Set your hearts on your waies Psal. 119. 59. I considered my waies and turned my feete vnto thy testimonies The second charge in this commandements that when we walke in the way to life the straitnes of the way must not discourage vs from going forward therein This is the principall point intended by our Sauiour Christ in this commandement euen to arme vs with courage and perseuerance against afflictions crosses and temptations which might dismay daunt vs in this way And in this charge we are taught sundrie waightie duties to be practised in the profession of Christs true religion I. Dutie That we are not to giue to our selues the libertie of heart which nature desireth in all of vs but we must restraine our selues thereof and bring our mindes our thoughts affections our wills speeches and actions into the straites of the word of God This restraint of our naturall desire is two-fold by the law and by the Gospel In the Law euery commandement ministreth his particular restraint as we shall see in their order The first Commandement concernes the hauing of the true God for our God By nature we take libertie to our selues to conceiue of God at our owne pleasure for commonly men conceiue of God out of the Trimtie and worship the persons one out of another the Iew the Turke and all the heathen will not be restrayned of this libertie but the people of God who submit themselues to his word they by this law are restrained of this naturall desire and are taught to choose and haue to themselues the true God for their