they willingly imparted to Idolatrie shall at the day of Iudgement giue sentence against vs. A third carnall means to encourage the wicked in their traiterous purposes is the hope of such honors and preferments as may afterward befall them Great is the abiectnesse which is incident into pride and the slauerie which ambition is subiect vnto is intollerable What wickednesse is there which the hope of honour will not digest what danger is there which it will not cause to aduenture Let our first Parents be but tickled with this hope that they shall be like vnto God and they will not sticke to commit that whereby they become subiect to the Diuell Let Diotrephes haue this spurre and hee will easily make shipwracke of a good conscience Oh that our climing heads would consider this that such pleasant baites haue such deadly hooks And seing there is an eternall weight of glorie reserued for vs in the heauens which onely may bee compassed by good and holy means Oh that the hope of a certain and euer-during honour might so far prouoke vs to well-doing as the hope of this vaine and transitorie shadow preuaileth with the wicked to whet theÌ„ on to euill Well let vs trie our selus hereby least otherwise they condemne vs in the day of Christ. And so much of the Carnall meanes Now it followeth that we speake of the spirituall means By spirituall meanes we vnderstand such whereby the mind and conscience is in some sort resolued and seemingly satisfied but indeed deceiued in the doing of so great and outragious mischiefes For in vaine should Satan offer all these carnall meanes to perswade the attempting of such monstrous and horrible actions vnto those that pretend conscience and boast of exquisitie perfection in all their actions if now the conscience were vtterly vnresolued in the lawfulnes thereof What policy then doth Satan vse to perswade the conscience Surely as he is the Lords executioner to blind the minds of such who not obaying the truth are therefore iustly giuen ouer to be deceiued by strange delusions so as God of this world doth he blind the minds of Infidels not only making theÌ„ to shut their eies against the truth but further also infatuating their iudgments that they shal call darkenesse light and light darkenesse and so their iudgements being peruerted he worketh vpon their affections not onely to mooue them to doe such things as are most inconuenient but further so to flatter themselues in the doing thereof that in so doing they shall doe God good seruice So hath that great deceauer bewitched his followers not onely perswading the lawfulnes of that act of the murthering of Princes although contrary to the word of God and common law of nature and equitie but further aduancing the fact to an high degree of merit yea aduancing the authors if they will beleeue him to an extraordinarie measure of glorie for this their abhominable act of the murther of Princes And that nothing may be wanting to encourage them thereunto Behold he hath his Buls to release them of their loyaltie as if hee were able to loose that on earth which is bound in heauen and that their disobedience may not be discouered here serue his dispensations to tolerate their obedience so long till oportunitie shal serue to effect their mischiefe And when the wickednesse is to be accomplished behold then he bindes them to the same euen by the straightest bonds of their religion We read of the souldiers that lay in wait for Paul that they bound themselues by an oath that they would not eat before they bad depriued him of his life But this man of sinne is not content only with an oath but their vowes must further be in heauen as Parry acknowledgeth yea to make vp the measure of their wickednesse Behold they must confirme themselues by the sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord Iesus that so they may more desperatly shed the blood of the Lords Annointed Oh that we were wise to consider these things That seing the verdict of the coÌ„science is the warrant of euery action and yet the conscience may be so informed as to giue ayme to such vile and abhominable practices wee would therefore labour for the true information of the conscience that so it maye giue in a right verdict Certainly as there is no knowledge to the worde of God so there is none to this to informe the conscience And seing that obedience to this blessed word of God is the only meanes to haue this sauing knowledge continued vnto vs labour wee in the feare of God to make conscience of this obedience that so the conscience may not be giuen vp to such strong delusions And seeing that the knowledge of the Gospell is the doctrine of obedience oh let vs not harken to that diuelish polycy which sayth that where the people are ignorant there they may be best ruled but where they are full of knowledge there they grow busie and will prooue seditious But let vs endeauour that the word of God may dwell plentifully among vs that therin performing obedience vnto God we may also be blessed in our obedience vnto man Let it no more be said that ignorance is the mother of deuotion but let it now appeare that ignorance is the mother of rebellion And if this be a case of conscience to lay hands vpon the Lords annoynted Oh let vs take â—â—ede of the cloake of religion which may be a broker to such vile practices Let vs not feare the curses of such an accursed religion whose vowes and sacraments imployed to the strengthening and encouraging of such damnable mischeifes do necessarily draw downe a curse not a blessing therevpon Yea detest we vtterly such an abhominable religion whose foundation is treason and whose practice is blood-sheding And in the name of God proceede wee couragiously to the rooting out thereof that so the more they curse and rage against the Lords ordinance the more the Lord may blesse and prosper the same the more they fome and breake out in the discouerie of their damnable enterprizes the more may they rypen and make vp the measure of their sinne that so the Lord may consume theÌ„ with the power of his coÌ„ming Distrust we from hence forth all popish holines which is to be approoued and gained by such impious practices And seeing this is the fruite of all forraine subiection from the bottome of our hearts renounce we all such vsurped power which thus exaltes it selfe aboue all that is called God thus controwling the woorde and abusing the meanes of Gods worship to such horrible purposes presumeth and iustifyeth the remoouall of the Lords annoynted It followeth They commune togeather to lay snares priuily and say who shall see them Behold here a second policie whereby the wicked confirme them selues in their desperate practices against the Lords Annoynted namely
thankefulnesse are two want of vnderstanding how God hath done for vs and secondly misunderstanding and misconstering of the benefits of God either in the nature of theÌ„ as if all were done of duetie and merit and not of free grace and mercy or in the measure of them as if we knew best what was fit for vs then God himselfe The former is a disuse generall vnto those that enioy great blessings man being in honour hath no vnderstanding but may be compared to the beasts that perish the other is more g speciall vnto those that thinke they haue best right and make the best vse of theÌ„ as our meritmongers wil-worshippers of al sorts By the one whereof wee shal be so blinded that we cannot see how God hath done for vs by the other wee shal be peruerted as not to knowe what wee againe are to do for God Yf our mindes shal be so blinded as not vnderstand what God hath done for vs this disease wil be known by these symptomes and accidents h First though God hath reuealed his loue towards vs euen in all the blessings which our hearts haue desired yet will wee say impudently wherein dost thou loue vs acknowledging nothing of what the Lord hath done vnto vs Secondly if in some sort wee shall apprehend the goodnesse of God yet shall we be so blinded on the right way with the loue of these earthly thinges as that though wee haue and may farther be pertakers of spirituall graces yet shall wee account these as nothing in respect of the comforts of this life but with prophane Esau resolue what is this birthright vnto me seeing I die for hunger as seeing onely with the left eye into the blessings of the left hand still shall we crie out with those carnall beasts who will shew vs any good as if there were no good but the goods of this life as if all spirituall comforts were nothing vnto vs seeing wee wanted our bellies full of these hidden treasures A verie dangerous temptation incident to our carnall ghospellers who measuring the Lord principally by the things of this life are so affected and satisfied therewith that hauing these things they take it as a sufficient pledge of Gods fauour towards them but wanting the same they by and by murmuer and repine against the Lord as if hee had at all shewed them no good Yf therefore God giue them their desire as he did the Israelits concerning the body so farre as they see him and yet send leanenesse into their souâ—es not giuing them that which they see not nor seeke after as surely as God is not vniust in giuing them herein more then their hearts can desire so they must needs be inexcusable in that hauing asmuch nay more then indeede they sought for they would not seeke yet for more of that bountifull hand which was not wanting to giue but that they wanted faith to receaue A third token of not vnderstanding what God hath done for vs is our forgetfulnesse of such benefits which are dayly bestowed certaine it is that the mercies of the Lord are renewed euery morning and yet who is there that makes vp his audite therof once in the weeke nay may we not be iustly charged with thâ—s that God is not so ready to giue as we to forget hee not so forward in bestowing as we in burying his blessings in forgetfulnesse And is not this to forget the goodnesse of God all one as if wee did not vnderstand it nay surely we shall find it to lie more heauily vpon vs in that this forgetfulnesse both implies some apprehension of them and therefore makes vs more inexcuseable then if wee had not vnderstood them at al and so exposing vs most desperately vnto all impietie doth thereby hasten the wrath of God vpon vs. Thus may wee faile in the vnderstanding of the good that God hath done for vs and by meanes hereof wee lye open to two dangerous euils the one whereof is that not apprehending the good which we receiue we shall not be able to make vse of any good but as the Prophet Ieremie tels vs we shal be like the heath in the wildernesse neither being able to see when any good commeth and so not able to make any profitable vse thereof by which meanes proouing vnprofitable seruants we shall be subiect to a second iudgement not onely to haue such tallents taken from vs but in steed thereof as the Prophet Esaiah threatneth Seeing when mercie is shewed vnto the wicked he will not learne righteousnesse but in the land of quitie hee will doe wickedly and doth not consider the greatnesse of Iehouah therefore thus saith the holy Ghost Seeing they will not see oh Iehouah when thy hand is exalted to their good therefore they shall see and bee confounded with the zeale of thy people and the fire of thine enemies shall deuoure them Thus shall it befall those that will not behold the mercies of GOD to bee stirred vp thereby to thankefull obedience for the same if they shutte their eyes against Gods blessings the Lord will open them with his iudgements and they shall see in the day of Iudgement GOD the Aâ—enger which will not acknowledge him their great rewarde Wouldest thou therefore auoide that sight of Gods vengeance which shall spiritually blind thee that so thou maiest be oppressed with the horror of it and it shall necessarily open thine eyes that thou maiest bee the more confounded with the sense of thine owne miserie Oh then learne to beholde the good that is present with thee First if Gods hand bee exalted in fauour vpon thee if the eye of his prouidence hath waited ouer thee for thy deliuerance if hee haue not onely bestowed great blessings vpon thee but renewed them daily vnto thee by preuenting and remoouing the euills which might haue taken them away oh cease not againe againe to renew those streames of Gods mercies which he hath powred out vnto thee that they may lead thee to the fountaine so quite thee therein Certenly as the workes of God are worthy this dutie that they should be regarded so do they aboundantly herein requite the same in that the inuisible things of God namely his eternall power and godhead seene in the creation of the world beeing considered in his works do shew the glory of his kingdome speake of his power If therfore thou shalt not slightly passeouer the mercies of thy God but shalt take a full view of them as their worth doth require they shall be so manye teachers to instruct thee in the knowledge of thy God that so thou mayest acknowledge him the giuer of them yea they shal further lead thee to a knowledge of thy self that so finding thy selfe vnworthy of the least of Gods mercies thou maist both be humbled in the gift so giue glory to the giuer and aduanced
in it yet here is the victory of thy faith thou shalt be roused out of it Not so much by the touch of thy conscience for that is common to the wicked as by the power of the spirit which wil raise thee vp againe Doest thou fall againe into the same sinnes yet behold herein is the victory of thy faith they are not thy sinnes because it is not thou but sinne that dwelleth in thee Nay they are not the same sinnes neither the same in quality as hauing lost much of their former force Neither the same in operations working lesse hurt Doest thou desire to bee freed from all sinne Doest thou grone vnder the burthen and cry out O wretched man that thou art who shall deliuer thee from this body of sinne Behold heere is a meane victory of thy faith Be it vnto thee according as thou beleeuest Corruption in due time shal be cloathed with Corruption Thus maiest thou trye thy faith by thy sinnes and in the seuerall victories thereof confirme thy selfe therein not by each of them seuerally but by all of them in degrees As the Lord shall lead thee along in the experience of these conquests As for those euils which are so conceiued in the world namely the euills of afflictions which are iustly lead vpon thee Examine the victory of thy faith ouer these euen by these rules Art thou a christian and is affliction thy portion Let this be the first triall of thy faith to prepare thy soule vnto them Put it in thy reckoning if thou wilt liue godly in Christ Iesus that thou must necessarily suffer great afflictions Art thou entred into the combate and wouldst thou haue a triall of a conquest First submit thy selfe willingly vnder the mighty hand of GOD that thou maiest witnesse thy submission be are paciently what thy Lord hath laid vpon thee that thy patience may bee exercised Lay voluntary afflictions vpon thy selfe follow thy calling euen in thy greatest troubles Giue not thy bodie to fretting at the prosperity of others but fall to examining thy selfe why it is thus with thee Hauing found out the cause eyther Sinne or Tryall If sinne bee the cause by repentance remoue it If Tryall bee the cause to make experience of Gods graces in thee examine thy selfe againe how thou hast vsed the blessings of GOD see whether some rust of negligence or corruption hath not fastned vpon thee If thou shalt find it so yeeld thy selfe willingly to the tryall follow thy GOD in purging out thy drosse so at length thy righteousnesse shall breake out as the light and thy wel doing as the noone day And thus shall thy faith triumph in all these troubles Though thou art afflicted yet shalt thou not bee in distresse persecuted thou maiest bee but thou shalt not be forsaken cast downe thou shalt bee and yet thou shalt not perish die thou doest continually and yet behold thou liuest neuer free from sorrow and yet alwaies reioycing beeing poore thy selfe and yet making manie rich hauing nothing and yet possessing all things though the outward man perish yet thy inward man is renewed dayly and these light afflictions which are but for a moment causeth vnto thee a farre more excellent and eternall weight of glory Thus shalt thou not onely in affliction be more then a Conquerour through the Supporting hand of GOD giuing testimony vnto thyne innocencie euen in the face of thine enemies But further also by trusting in GOD thou shalt be deliuered out of them all not onely from such snares as are layde to intrappe thee in this life but through faith thou shalt in the ende haue a full conquest ouer them all GOD shall wipe away all teares from thine eies there shal be no more death nor sorrowe nor crying For GOD shall tread Sathan and all thine enemies vnder thy feete Lo heere the victory of thy faith ouer all thy troubles by which thou mayest try thy selfe whether thou art in the faith or no. As thy faith if it be found will vphold thee in all thy troubles that thou sincke not vnder them and deliuer thee also so farre out of them in this life as shall stand with Gods glory and thine especial aduantage so will it not leaue thee till it haue freed thee from all thy troubles and offered thee vp in marriage for euer vnto thy bridgrome Christ Iesus Thus shall thy faith inable thee to triumphe ouer all afflictions and so shall it teach thee the right vse of these outward things that so they may not bee snares and euills vnto thee It shall teach thee first to rate them at their iust and true value neither so to ouerprize them as to thinke none like vnto them as Esau did that so wee may loose the better blessings Neither so to vnderrate them as not to account them the good blessings of GOD for which wee must not giue accoumpt at the daye of the comming of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Our faith hauing taught vs to giue them their true worth will heereby also direct vs for the holy obtaining of them both in respect of the right order which is to be obserued therein as also in the meanes that must further vs to the same and also in the measure of our seeking these blessings concerning the order it hath this rule out of the word First seeke the kingdom of heauen the righteousnesse therof and all other things shall be cast thereunto Whereby wee are taught as to seeke first the best things that so wee may haue a right in these so not to neglect these things altogither though now they shal be cast vpon vs vpon presumption of Gods prouidence if wee follow the better but to remember we haue a calling to be imployed in and supplied also by these things which if we neglect we are worse then infidells which we must follow that we may be humbled thereby So hath GOD disposed the obtaining of these things and so is faith guided in the right order of procuring of thē The triall is that 1. our seeking of these things do not hinder our enioying of the better 2 that though God hath allotted vs as we may foolishly imagine six dayes for these things but one for the other yet we imploy more time in seeking the things of the soule thē the things of the body yea indeede in the seeking of these outward things which concerne this life we may haue this testimonie as that we shal in these seeke onely greater things And herein our faith doeth helpe vs exceedingly as both assuring vs that wee seeke these thinges not for themselues no not so much for our owne vse as for Gods glory whose good blessings they are and therefore that wee may yeeld obedience to his commandements and not despise his blessings Therfore wee accompt them worth the seeking and also in the seeking of them thus resoluing our consciences