is affirmed in the secōd place are like a yong Lion which is couragious For he goeth on his way boldly and swiftly without returning backe for feare of any The reason is For that being at peace with God hauing a good cause and a sound conscience he dreadeth no obiection nor daunger This same Integritie therefore is like Noahs Arke wherein he was preserued whē others that were without perished It is like the red thred which the spies of Ioshua gaue to Rahab which was as a charter whereby shée claimed her life when the rest were destroyed which had not the like So is this vprightnes of smal reckoning I cōfesse with men of this world which thinke that there is none other heauē but earth But as Rahabs thred was better to her then all her goods substance when the sword came so vprightnes is better to Gods children then all the world when death commeth If they haue this within they care not nay they néed not care what can come without If Sathans buffetting come this is an helmet of proofe if Sathans dartes flie this is a shield to quench them if floods of troubles come to carrie vs away this is a shippe to beare vs vp if all the world cast myre and filth in our faces wée are not a whitte the more deformed but still beautifull For the Kings daughter is all beautifull within Psalm 45.13 Let vs haue regard to a good conscience and because it is so precious a iewell I wish all persons that as yet neuer laboured to get a good conscience now to begin Reasons to induce men thereunto are sound and good First you séeke day and night from yéere to yéere for honors riches pleasures which you must leaue behind you much more ought you to séeke for this vprightnes cōsidering that conscience will be with you in this life in death at the last iudgement and for euer 2. Reason He which wanteth a conscience purged in the bloud of Christ can neuer haue any true lasting comfort in this life Suppose a mā were arraied in cloth of tissue set in a chaire of estate before him a table furnished with all daintie prouision his seruants monarches and Princes his riches the chiefest treasures kingdomes of the world but withall suppose one standing by with a naked sword to cut his throate or a wild beast ready immediatly to pull him in péeces now what can wee say of this mans estate but that all his happines is nothing but woe and misery And such is the estate of all men that abounding with riches honours and pleasures carrie about them an euill conscience which is as a sword to slay the soule or as a rauinous beast ready to sucke the blood of the soule and to rend it in péeces 3. Reason He which wanteth a good conscience can do nothing but sinne his very eating and drinking his sléeping waking and all that he doth turneth to sinne the consciēce must first be good before the action can be good if the roote be corrupt the fruites are answerable 4. Reason An euill conscience is the greatest enemy that a man can haue because it doth execute all the partes of iudgement against him It is the Lords Sergeant God néedeth not to send out proces by any of his creatures for man the conscience within a man wil arrest him and bring him before God It is the Gaoler to kéepe man in pryson in boltes and irons that he may be forth comming at the day of iudgement It is the witnes to accuse him the iudge to condemne him the hangman to execute him and the flashings of the fire of hell to torment him Againe it maketh a man to be an enemy to God because it accuseth him to God and maketh him flie from God as Adam did when he sinned Also it maketh a man to be his own enemy in that it doth cause him to lay violent hands vpon himselfe become his owne hangman or his owne cut-throate And on the contrary a good conscience is a mans best friend when all mē entreate him hardly it will speake faire and comfort him it is a continual feast and a Paradise vpon the earth 5. Reason The sacred scripture sheweth that they which neuer séeke for good consciences haue terrible endes For either they die blockes as Nabal did or desperate as Cain Saul Achithophel and Iudas 6. Reason Wée must consider often the terrible day of iudgement in which euery man must receyue according to his workes and that we may be then the better absolued the best way is to séeke for a good conscience for if our conscience be euill and condemne vs in this life God will much more condemne vs. And whereas we must passe through thrée iudgemēts the iudgemēt of men the iudgement of our consciences and the last iudgement of God we shall neuer be strengthened against them and cleared in them all but by the séeking of integrity and a good conscience Psalm 25.22 Deliuer Israel O God out of all his troubles The 2. part of the tēth Sermon THe Prophet by this clause sheweth what manner of aduersaries they were against whome he complained to God Domesticall enemies it is probable they were which as a disease inclosed in the bowels of a mā tormented vexed the people of God For by the word Deliuer or Redeeme we gather that the Church of God was with great seruitude gréeuously oppressed Therefore I doubt not but the Prophet in praying to bée deliuered both himselfe particularly the Church generally from their troubles prayeth to be deliuered from the hands of Saul other tyrants that were for this purpose to torment and persecute not onely the Prophet but the whole Church vnder his tyrannicall gouernment The sence is O Lord our God I hūbly beséech thée for Christes sake to redéeme not only me thine vnworthy seruant but also thy whole Church which is greatly vexed and miserably kept in seruitude by Saul and other tyrants O Lord we are thy seruants and the shéep of thy pasture and thou art our Shepherd thou art our father and wée thy children therefore wée beséech thée extend thy fatherly compassion to deliuer vs thy deare children out of our miseries so shall wee both in this lyfe and that to come glorifie thy holy name world without end Doctr. The Doctrine is Wée must in all our troubles pray to GOD not onely for our selues but for all the whole Church to bée deliuered from our miseries The Reason is If one member suffer other must needs suffer 1. Corinth 12. Vse The Vse Let vs therfore performe this dutie towards the whole Church that shée may also do the like for vs then shall wée bee assured that the Lord will deliuer vs when hée séeth it méete for his glory and our good seing he hath promised to graunt the requests of his spouse the Church This grace the Lord graunt vs all for his mercies sake to whome with the Sonne and the holy Ghost be all glory wisedome thankes honour power and might both now and for euer Amen Soli Deo gloria
our selues that GOD doth it not without cause and therefore wee ought to glorifie him in all his iudgements although they bee incomprehensible to vs. Psalme 25.20 Keepe my soule deliuer me let me not be confounded for I trust in thee The second part of the ninth Sermon The sence is FOrasmuch O Lord my God as all my whole trust and confidence I repose in thy mercie and none in flesh bloud nor any other meanes whatsoeuer to be deliuered from perill and danger which mine enemies to the losse of my life yea to my vtter confusion doe lie in waite to inflict vpon mée and forasmuch as thou art a God of power and therefore art able to deliuer a God of compassion and therefore regardest the afflictions of thy déere children trusting and calling vpon thée in their afflictions and aduersities I humbly beséech thée for Iesus Christs sake the Messiah to come to kéepe and preserue my foule from destruction and my bodie from the tortures which mine enemies would lay vpon it so shall I glorifie thy name among thy Saints in the great congregation and after this life sing prayses with the Saints and Angels in thy kingdome to thy glorious name for euer Doct. 1 1. Doct. Whoso trusteth in the Lord in the time of persecution by his enemies will flie to him to preserue his soule and his body by prayer The Reason is Where hope in God is there is also prayer to God seeing it springeth necessarily from it as the fruit doth from the trée The vse is That as we would be assured that we hope in God so also that wee exercise prayer séeing that wee cannot assure our selues of the cause without the effect Lette vs therefore according to his commandement in our afflictions and necessities seeke to GOD in the name of Iesus Christ for succour by continuall prayer and calling vpon his name Let vs call vpon him in the day time and in the night season lette vs powre out our complaints before him daylie and hourely let vs make our prayers vnto him although wee feele our selues nothing released but oftētimes worse worse which maketh vs oftentimes almost to doubt of his goodnes Psa 77. that he doth reiect and giueth no heede vnto them whereby we almost thinke it in vaine to pray séeing that we finde no release But this is our weakenesse and frailtie of our flesh which will not willingly bee subdued to the spirite Which lette vs beséech the Lord to forgiue vs for hee séeth our conflicts and looketh vpon our continuall sighes and petitions but hee deferreth and prolongeth his helpe the longer and doth not at the first helpe vs to this ende that wee may sée fully our owne weaknesse learne by little and little to subdue our rebellions to his gratious will who knoweth better what is meete for vs then we for our selues Therefore lette vs beseech him to strengthen vs by his holie spirite that wee may still perseuere and continue in prayer and with longing desires patiently waite for him being fully assured that although it presently appeare not yet hee is alwaies present with vs and heareth our sighes and complaints and will when hee seeth his time declare himselfe manifestly in kéeping our soules and deliuering our bodies in preseruing vs from confusion and in renuing our harts with spirituall ioy Lette vs earnestly entreate him to stirre vp our dull and sluggish nature to call vpon him continually appoynting him neither the time nor the meanes of our deliuerance but leauing al to his good will and pleasure we may in the meane time neuer cease by continuall prayer to call for his merciful helpe and assistance vntil such time it shal please his goodnesse to send vs full deliuerance Although wee féele our selues through the malice of Sathan verie vnwilling to prayer seeing that wee doe not fully perceiue them to bee heard but goe on still languishing in our sorrowes as though GOD had no care of vs. Yet this our dulnesse let vs entreate our mercifull father to pardon in vs and grant that wee may bee raised vp and pray for aide and reliefe of him continually and although we should sée no signe of fauour yet that we may continue still with the faithfull woman of Canaan and neuer cease in heart mind and mouth till he graunt our requests at his appoynted time when he knoweth it shall be most méete for our behoofe and his glorie And that when the Lord shall mercifully looke vpon vs we then fully with our whole hearts acknowledge his goodnesse towards vs and let it neuer slippe out of our hearts but continue thankfull for the same all the dayes of our liues whereby his glorie in vs may be declared and our soules relieued The tenth Sermon vpon the 25. Psalme verses 21.22 21. Let mine vprightnes and equitie preserue me for my hope is in thee The sence is O Lord my God whereas mine aduersaries persecute me thou knowest that they haue no iust cause so to doe séeing that thou hast giuen me integritie vprightnesse and iustice and seeing that it is not sufficient to bee of a sound and vpright conscience to bee deliuered from dangers but to trust to thy swéete promises therfore my safetie O Lord I committe to thy protection 1. Doct. The best way to stay vs in the time of our trouble to kéep our patience inuiolable is to look in for a good conscience sée that we be falsly accused which if we find thē al goeth well we are ioyfull at home howsoeuer the world shall say or doe abroad for wee may say with Salomon See the root therof Leu. 16.17 Prou. 28.1 Euerie wicked man flyeth when none pursueth but the iust are like a yong Lyon which is couragious This holy Prouerbe teacheth that wickednesse maketh the wicked verie fearefull and that righteousnesse maketh the innocent secure and bold In it first the wicked man is resembled to a bird or some such timorous creature which betaketh it selfe to flight when no cause is offered For the guiltie person after he hath committed some abominable act as theft or murther imagineth that some lie in waite for him doubteth he shal be taken the reason is for the although none is néere to pursue him yet the sound of terrour is in his eares as the Aramites are for example who cāping about Samaria 2. Kin. 6.7 The Lord had caused the campe of the Aramites to heare a noyse of chariots and a noyse of horses and a noyse of a great armie so that they sayd one to another Behold the kind of Israel hath hired against vs the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to come vpon vs. vers 7. Wherfore they arose and fled in the twylight and left their tents and their horses and their asses euen the campe as it was and fled for their liues The sting of conscience will not suffer him to be quiet in any place But the iust as
a father he is to his children Therefore Iudgement and way signifie none other thing then the gouernment whereby he sheweth himselfe as an excellent good father to his children Doct. 1 The 1. Doct. The poore in Spirite onely are directed by the Lord to haue a right iudgement in all things that concerne the glory of God the saluatiō of their soules The Reason is God resisteth the proud 1. Pet. 5.5 such as are wise in their owne conceit Decke your selues inwardly in lowlinesse of mind for God resisteth the proude and giueth grace to the humble Math. 13.11 And he answered said Because it is giuē to you to know the secrets of the kingdome of God The vse is That we pray to God to giue vs his spirit of iudgement of the workes of the Lord. And first of his word Let vs consider how gratious the Lord is to them that are méeke to them he will open his iudgements which to the prowde are secrete vnknowen as to the Papistes many others A foolishnes of self estimation of self-wéening of our selues that wée are of some value is so rooted in man possessed with the spirit of pride that it is very hard to bring thē euen vs regenerate to a right vnderstāding of our owne wāts so as we might be cléere from all pryde presumption Concerning the doctrine of Election Reprobation Wheras the Apostle knew that flesh blood would dispute Why should God elect some refuse other some Rom. 9.20 he answereth But O man what art thou which pleadest against God Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it Why hast thou made me thus vers 21. Hath not the potter power of the clay to make of the same lūpe one vessell to honour and another to dishonour And this he setteth downe after that he had alledged the obiections wherein men thinke thēselues to haue a faire colour to dispute against God and to demaund why hée should destroy those whom he hath created why he should put difference betweene one and another without knowing any causes so that the one should be loued the other refused Therfore whēsoeuer any such temptation hath taken hold on vs let vs pray vnto GOD to make vs lowly and poore in Spirite then shall we haue a right iudgement of his secrete mysteries and wonderfull workes When we treat of Gods word euery man almost falleth to it at aduenture and euery one shootes out his verdit as though they reasoned but of moon-shine in the water so vnreuerently wée speake thereof The things therein contayned be such as passe all mans vnderstanding and yet notwithstanding it is manifest that some are bold to treat of Gods high mysteries without reuerēce which ought to rauish our wits to wonder at them which with al feare trembling we ought to honour I say we are bolder to babble of them then if a man spake of a matter but of 5. shillings value or of some trifle I know not what And what is the cause thereof but that men haue not cōsidered how God hideth ouercasteth his owne secrete determinatiōs hath in his holy Scriptures vttered vnto vs his wil whereunto it behoueth vs to be subiect We sée on the one side how the Papistes blaspheme God wresting falsifying marring corrupting the whole holy Scripture so that they spare not to scorne God his word And why They neuer knew what it is to haue a right iudgement in Gods will word they are possessed with the spirit of pride the spirite of sound iudgement is farre from thē they scorne at our answere when to their demand Who shal iudge of the true meaning sence of the Scriptures we say The holy spirit shal doth lead not onely the whole Church but euery particular singular member of the Church into all truth Campianan ratione Sophismat Also there are drunkards which could find in their harts to subdue God in their fantastical mind Yf they were the wisest men in the world the best séene in the holy Scriptures yet shall they be faine to stowpe to this point that Gods purposes are aboue our reach But they are vtterly dull brutish there is neither skill nor reason in them the wine ouer-mastereth thē they are worse then swine yet will néeds be Diuines and wil controll things in such sort that if a man should now beléeue them he should be driuen to forge and frame a new Gospell Let vs alwaies know that whensoeuer wée speake of God of his workes or of his word they are high matters On the other side what is it that we cā bring forth of our selues except wee be truly humbled what is that little that wee can conceiue in our vnderstanding Euen wordes without knowledge Let men put themselues into the balance and they shal be found lighter then vanitie it selfe as it is said in the Psalme Psal 62.10 So much the more it behooueth vs to marke this doctrine that there is neither skill aptnesse nor iudgement in vs to entreat of Gods workes or his word except he vouchsafe by his blessed Spirite to direct vs. Let vs therfore pray vnto his diuine Maiesty to vouchsafe of his vnspeakeable mercy and goodnesse to powre downe his holy Spirite into our hearts that whereas by the fall of our first parents our Iudgements concerning Gods mysteries his workes and word are corrupted and therefore haue néed of direction that by the same Spirite of truth and iudgement wée may be ledde into all truth and iudgement so shall wée iudge according to his holy will Let vs also mislike our selues to the end wée may resort vnto him to find the goodnesse there which wanteth in our selues that thereupon it may please him so to gouerne vs by his holy Spirite that beyng replenished with his glory wée may haue wherewith to glory not in our selues but onely in him And teach the humble his way Text. Doct. 2 2. Doct. The Lord will surely teach the humble the way of his gratious fauour The Reason is Vnto him that hath it shal be giuen by him As the Lord hath giuen him humility which is a spirituall gift and grace bestowed vpon the elect onely whom he especially loueth as a father Psalm 103. much more will he cause him to tast of his prouidēce which extendeth it selfe in respect of sustentatiō not onely to the wicked but to euery liuing creature be it neuer so base Vse The Vse is That wee magnifie the glorious name of our good and gratious Father who so mercifully causeth vs the childrē of wrath to become his children by adoption and assureth vs without all doubting of the continuance of his fauour towards vs. This doctrine of Gods fauour towardes the humble his children is comfortable to our conscience and therefore the longer to be vrged and taught Euery man naturally séeketh to comfort himselfe some by voluptuousnesse some by worldly wealth some by