he might be found in Christ not hauing his owne righteousnesse which is of the law but the righteousnesse which is of God through faith p Phil. 3. 9. And this may bee called the righteousnesse of imputation for as Christ was made sinne for vs not by infusion of sinne into his person but by imputation of our sinnes vnto him q 2. Cor. 5. 21 Delicta nostra sua delicta fecit vt iustitiam suam nostraÌ„ iustitiam faceret so are wee made righteuos before God not by infusion of righteousnesse into our persons for that serueth for many other vses but by imputation of Christ his righteousnesse vnto vs VVhatsoeuer he did for vs if we beleeue being made ours August in Psal 21. as if we had performed the same in our owne persons r 1. Cor. 1. 30 Secondly there is a righteousnesse of sanctification VVhat is the righteousnes of sanctificatioÌ„ and the vse thereof which followeth as a fruit vpon the former when as by the sanctifying spirit of God the minde is inlightned the heart mollified the will rectified and the whole course of the life reformed no more to loue and liue in sinne but to hate and abhorre it and to delight in godlines and vertue whereof Saint Paul speaketh saying this is the will of God euen our sanctification Å¿ 1. Thes 4. 3 And vnto Titus he sayth The grace of God which bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared and teacheth vs that we should denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and that we should liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world t Tit. 2. 11. Sobrie quo ad nos iuste quo ad proximum pie quo ad deuÌ„ And Saint Iohn sayth He that doth righteousnes is righteous but he that committeth sinne is of the Diuell u 1. Iohn 3 7. 8. The vses whereof are manifold but specially it serueth for to iustifie vs before meÌ„ and to make faith which is hidden in the hart seen of God to become visible apparaÌ„t vnto men Wherof S. Iames speaketh saying Abraham Rahab were iustified by their works w Iam. 2. 21. 25 Now the Lord leadeth his sheepe into the pathes of both those Righteousnesses giuing vs a true and liuely faith whereby wee are ingraffed into Christ and made partakers of all his benefits x Rom. 6. 5 6 7 also sanctifying vs through out with his holy spirit y 1. Thes 5. 23 to become new creatures z 2. Cor. 5. 17 and to offer vp our selues a liuing holy and acceptable sacrifice vnto him a Ro. 12. 1 But of the latter the Prophet in this place most properly speaketh and therefore our lesson is That all those sheepe whose saluation the great shepheard hath bought purchased with his blood they shall in time be called b Ro. 8. 30 Doctrine from walking in the sinfull pathes of vncleane Goates to walke in the pathes of righteousnesse and holinesse they shal cease to walke as the Gentiles in vanitie of mind c Eph. 4. 17 and blind hypocrisie and shall become followers of God as deare children d Ephe. 5. 1 striuing to bee holy as he is holy in all manner of conuersation e 1. Pet. 1. 15 In these pathes the Lord hath led all the flockes of his sheepe as the Author to the Hebrews hath traced many of them out by their steppes f Heb. 11. 4 5. 6. 7 which paths are straite narrow rugged and vnpleasant to daintie and tender flesh and blood g Mat. 7. 13. as requiring so soone as euer wee set foote therein How blessed and gainfull a thing it is to follow Christ in the pathes of righteousnesse a deniall of our selues and continuall taking vp of the crosse h Mat. 16. 24 but most pleasant and ioyfull to the inner man as Ieremie declareth saying Stand and enquire for the old way which is the good way and walke therein and you shall finde rest vnto your soules i Iere. 6. 16 The truth whereof we and all the Saints of God that euer walked therein haue experienced that as agreed Dauid as foreman may say for vs I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all maner of riches k Ps 119. 14 And yet is not this al for besides the inward and spiritual ioy of the soule the Lord will also bestow all good things vpon them yea so gainfull is godlinesse that it hath a promise both of this life and that which is to come l 1. Tim. 6. 6 they shall want nothing that is good m Ps 34. 10 they shall eate their bread in plenteousnesse be fed with the fat of the graine of wheate and pure liquor of the Grape he will bow downe the backes of their enemies they shall lend and not borrow be the head and not the taile n Deut. 28. 12. 13. Now I beseech you let vs make application of these things vnto our selues ApplicationÌ„ The true cause of all the miseries that haue fallen vpon vs or are further threatned there is nothing more common then to heare men euerie where complaine of the great dearth wee haue sustained or the pestilence botch of Egypt hot burning feauers consumptions and grieuous diseases of the bodie wet and vnseasonable weather and so forth and some lay the cause here and some there some complaine of this and others of that but few see or regard the true cause indeed to set to hand to remoue it the verie cause of all euils is for that we haue not hearkned to the voice and whistle of our shepherd calling vs to follow him in the pathes of righteousnesse but rather wee haue troden the pathes of death and our footesteâ—ppes haue caught holde of hell as if we were at a league and couenant with both o Esa 28. 15 wee haue added drunkennesse vnto thirst p Deut. 29. 19 we haue not zealously and fruitfully entertained his word For if we had marke what God saith Oh that Israell had walked in my wayes I would soone haue humbled their enemies and haue fed them with the flower of weate and honie out of the rocke q Psa 81. 13 14 What is the reason then I pray you of all these euils and farre greater if we repent not who is so blind that seeth not VVe haue refused to bee taught and instructed in Gods word r Iere. 9. 6. despised his wholesome counsels and admonitions abused his patience and long sufferance to presumption which should haue led vs to repentance Å¿ Rom. 2. 4 the more he hath corrected vs for our amendment the more haue we fallen away from him t Esay 1. 5. hardning our faces as Brasse against his feare u Iere. 5. 3. and dealing most frowardly with him in his couenaunt that neuer might hee more iustly complaine of the Iewes than of vs All
rest with God and who first turned my feet towards Gods Kingdome Your Worships were my first encouragement to the study of Diuinitie and that with no small hindrance to your childrens proceeding in learning whom I taught by your meanes did I first enter into this office and was called vnto this place where I do now exercise and from you and yours haue I receiued manifold encouragements in my ministrie the Lord register them in his Booke that they may be remembred and come in your good accounts at the glorious day of his sonne and be requited seauen-fold into your bosomes wherefore hauing none other thing that I may not be vnthankfull In gratum si dixeris omnia dixeric which of all other sinnes euen amongst the heathen hath euer been reputed most vile odious whatsoeuer respects others haue onely to avoide the note of ingratitude doe I prefume to dedicate to your Worships these first fruits of my labours in this kind that as you heard the first Sermon that euer I preached your Sonne was the first child that euer I baptised your daughter the first that euer I maried so you would vouchsafe to patronize these few Sermons being the first that euer I published let then this poore Infant which knoweth not whither to flie but vnto you as you haue giuen coÌ„fort vnto his Father find some shadow vnder your roofe till the stormes of virulent tongues bee ouerpast Accept of this small testimonie of my great good will according to your wonted curtesie and surely if I shall heare that it is fauourably entertained of you and curteously accepted of the brethren I shall not onely greatly reioyce but also shall hereby be stirred vp and pricked forward to the publishing hereafter of other things with more time better aduice exacter diligence mature deliberation and sounder iudgement Non in principiis perficta quaeruntur sed de paruis principiis ad ea quae perfecta sunt perueniture Ambros thorough the grace of God increasing his guifts in me The Lord for his mercies sake graunt that these my first labours may bee accepted of the Saints and tend to the glorie of God And I hartely beseech the Lord God of all grace the Fountaine of all goodnesse and giuer of all spirituall blessings both for your selues your sonnes daughters brethren sisters and kinsfolks and your whole religious Stocke and Familie and specially for that reuerent religious Matron your deere mother whom God hath many waies honoured and after many great storms sweetly refreshed to her euerlasting consolation in Christ to endue all your foules with heauenly knowledge faith zeale and loue to God his truth and Saints and bestowed great worldly blessings of wealth wisedome and reputatation so it would please him to preferue and keepe you all in pure Religion perfect peace feruent loue vnfayned faith reuerent feare and true holynesse all the daies of your liues that the course of this miserable wretchednesse finished you may receiue the happie fruit of the glorious Gospell with all the Saints and bee crowned with immortall glorie in his purchased Kingdome wherevnto he speedily bring vs for his mercies sake in Christ Amen From Wye in Kent the last of September 1603. Your Worships in all Christian dutie to commaund THOMAS IACKSON TO THE GODLIE DISposed Reader and specially to his Countreymen Kinsfolkes and friends in Lancashire GRace mercie and peace with increase of all godlinesse and pietie from God the Father of all mercie thorough the inualluable merites of Iesus Christ our onely all-sufficient Redeemer by the working of the most mightie and liuely spirit the elects comforter for euer be multiplyed Amen Although it hath pleased God who hath the starres euen all the Angels or Ministers of the Churches in his right hand a Reu 1. 16 to fixe me in these Southerne parts to giue light vnto his people b Mat 5. 14 and not suffer me according to my hearts desire to fasten the cords of my remoouing Tabernacle among est you yet no distance of place or continuance of time can alienate or estrange mine affections from you S. Paule wished himselfe accursed and seperate from Christ for the good of them that were his kinsfolkes according to the flesh c Rom. 9. 3. And surely my heart were harder that flint if I should not haue speciall affection to my natiue soyle where I haue so many louing brethren and a sister deere kinsfolkes and faithfull friends yea my heartie desire and prayer vnto God is that you may come to the knowledge of the trueth and be saued d Ro. 10. 1. 2 Tim. 3. 7 2. Pet. 3. 9 that as nature hath bound vs together wee my also be tyed in a straiter and neerer bond of Religion being borne againe after a spirituall birth e Gal. 4. 19. Iam. 1. 18. 1. Pet. 1. 28 Iohn 1. 13. speaking all the language of Canaan f Esay 19. 18 For your sakes therefore deere Countreymen kinsfolkes and friends and specially so many as loue the Lord Iesus Christ and his Gospell dwelling in Bromley Colne Mersden or thereabouts haue I specially beene drawne to the penning of these few Lectures and to you do I commend them as all equitie and reason would that I should returne the first fruits of my labours thither from whence I came and where I had my first being and bringing vp accept therefore at my hands this poore mite as a token and pledge of one that loueth you vnfainedly in the Lord that whereas by the far distance of place and the great charge committed vnto me to bee attended vppon I am letted from coÌ„ming vnto you in regard of bodily presence that I might be comforted together with you thorough our mutuall faith both yours and mine g â—o 1. 12. Yet by this means the same might be in some measure supplyed on my behalfe I hope you will acknowlede it as a flower of your owne Garden that with greater delight you may smell vnto it and the fruit of your owne field and euen in that respect more willingly eat of it cheerefully digest it to the increase of that stature and strength whereunto you haue alreadie attained in Christ Oh what a ioy it was the last time that I was amongest you to obserue euen a generall and most blessed change that whereas heretofore nothing but blind and superstitious deuotion raigned men generally being like old vessels which could not bee seasoned from retayning the sent of their first liquor whereof many dregs remained that so they might be fit to receiue the pure liquor of the Gospell h Mat. 9. 17. Nay alas where were they that should haue seasoned them the word of God being much more precious than in the daies of Elie i 1. Sa. 3. 1. scarce one Sermon within many miles once a yeere to bee heard Now it hath pleased God to send vnto you many most godly and learned Preachers Againe in the people what a
false witnesse to kill to come orderly to the Church to pare off some sinnes to be friendly to the professors of the Gospell and to lead a ciuill life when as in the meane time thy heart within is filthy full of infidelitie ignorance pride couetousnesse malice What is all this thy Religion now surely as much regarded of God as the cutting off of a dogs necke and offering of swines bloud as the Prophet saith l Esa 66. 3. Thou art like a goodly sepulchre full of filthinesse Oh then striue to haue the inside of the cup and platter clensed m Mat. 23. 26 let the hidden man of the heart bee decked with a meeke and quiet spirit n 1. Pe. 34 and specially with loue a good conscience faith vnfayned o 1. Ti. 1. 5 for the kings daughter as her apparell is of wrought gold so is she glorious within p Ps 45. 13 which spirituall beauty is a thing much set by without which whatsoeuer we seeme to haue whether we be superstitious Papists or ceremonious Protestants in the sight of God it is nothing worth What is then more to be feared thā this that the nūber of true conuerts is very small whose harts are vpright with God and can truely say with Dauid The Lord hath conuerted my soule and I feare in the day of visitation when the Lord will search vs to the quick most mens conuersion will be found but copper not able to abide the Lords touchstone and when hee shall waie vs in the ballance of his sanctuarie Balthasars Embleme may be written in our foreheads Mene Numerauit appendit diuisit mene Tekell vpharsin thou hast been weighed in the ballance and art found too light q Dan. 5. 25 Oh then whilst the time of grace and mercie lasteth let vs follow the councell of S. Peter euen giue all diligence to make our calling and election sure r 2. Pet. 1. 10 that as the sheepe of Gods pasture wee may in truth thankefully aknowledge with Dauid our fold-mate and say Hee hath conuerted my soule It followeth And leadeth me in the pathes of righteousnesse 5. dutie of a good Shepheard The holy Prophet still prosecuteth this allegorie And because the sheep is of a straying nature and subiect to many enemies that seeke to pray vpon her it is therefore the dutie of a verie good Shepheard not onely to prouide pasture water shadow and to cherish the weake but also to guide and lead them in the plaine way from the fold to the pasture and from pasture to pasture according to that of our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell of S. Iohn A good Shepheard calleth his sheepe by name and leadeth them out and when hee hath sent forth his owne sheepe hee goeth before them and the sheep follow him ſ Ioh. 10. 3. 4. That it might therefore appeare that God is not wanting in the perfourmance of any good dutie to his people he thereunto alludeth saying and he leadeth me in the pathes of righteousnesse q. d. The Lord not only conuerteth the soules of his people and quickneth them by his spirit from the graue of sinne but also being quickned and conuerted knowing how weake and proane they are to runne in the path of destruction he leaueth them not vnto themselues but taketh charge of them and leadeth them in the path of righteousnesse finishing the good worke which he hath begunne in them to his owne glory and their eternall saluation The generall doctrine from this straine The generall doctrine from this sentence is this viz That as in God is the cōuersion of our soules so from him is the continuance of our vpright walking before him if euer he leaue vs to our selues we fearefully start aside as we haue an example in that faithfull and zealous King Ezekiah who being left of God to trie him in stead of thankefulnesse both for his gracious deliuerance out of the hands of his enemies for his miraculous restitution to health he bewrayed great pride of heart in shewing to the messengers of Merodache Baladan King of Babell all his treasures of siluer gold and armour t 2. Cro. 32 31. VVherevppon the assurance of the perseuerance of Gods Saints is grounded Q. If this be our weaknes what is then the ground of our assurance that being once conuerted and brought into the state of grace we shall continue therein A. Euen here it is laid down The Lord will lead vs in the pathes of righteousnesse this grace hath Christ prayed for who was heard in all thinges u Ioh. 11. 42 Holy Father keepe them in thy name euen those that thou hast giuen me and sanctifie them with thy truth thy word is thy trueth w Ioh. 17. 11. 17. Yea God himselfe hath promised who is faithfull and cannot lie I will not faile thee neither forsake thee x Heb. 13. 6 So that howsoeuer for a moment he may leaue and forsake vs for our triall that hauing experience of our weakenesse we may the more earnestly cleaue vnto him yet doubtlesse he will not forsake vs ouer long but so order our goings and lead vs forth in the right way that for the beginning continuance and end of our saluation his name may haue all the praise The vse whereof is Vse that no man glory in his owne strength which is but as a read that will breake to shiuers but hee that glorieth glorie in the Lord y Ierem. 9. 24 And say with Dauid The Lord is my strength and my saluation z Ps 18. 2. he is on my right hand that I shal not greatly fall a Ps 16. 8. yea let vs continually pray with Dauid Lord lead mee in thy righteousnesse because of mine enemies make thy way plaine before my face b Psa 5. 8. And againe Cast me not off in the time of mine age forsake me not when my strength faileth me c Ps 71. 9. So much for the doctrine and vse of this whole straine in general now let vs more neerely come to scanne the words in particular as they lye in order for they are verie significant and yeeld verie profitable obseruatiōs for our instructiō comfort Diuision of this sentence wherein first we are to consider what the lord doth he leadeth secondly where in the pathes 3. what manner of pathes 1. part of righteousnesse of these in order He leadeth 1. note he saith not he sheweth as if it were inough for Gods people to know the way and then they haue power sufficient of themselues to walke therein but the Lord doth lead conduct them shewing them the way and giuing them power to walke therein This doth the Church acknowledge in the Canticles where she desireth Christ to draw her d Can. 1. 3. Alas good virgin her onely ioy and desire is to runne after Christ in whom she knoweth her felicitie consisteth and yet her legges
at the first draught ouer-running his noates and referring vs by signes and markes to displaced wherein peraduenture wee haue not rightly traced him or discried his directions in euerie place This I thought good to prefix in excuse of the forme but as for the matter of the Booke it is able to speake for it selfe and that in such sort as I doubt not will preuaile with such as feare God and which can discerne betweene badde Bookes or paltrie Pamphlets which haue of late pestered the land and betweene sound Sermons or profitable Treatises that carrie their waight with them and serue substantially for the building and beautifying of the Lords house As this Booke is thus able to vouch testimonie for it selfe out of God his most holie Oracles so I can beare this witnesse vnto it that being in Kent when the most of these Sermons were preached I haue heard them commended and God thanked for the Authour by such as whose hearts I perceyued were touched nay much mooued at the hearing of them And further touching the man sith I am indyting this Preface without his priuitie and writing not to claw him whereby nought can bee gained nor to giue Tytles to men to whom belongs nothing but shame but to gaine glorie to God to whom all praise is due for raising vp such instruments to the furnishing of the ministerie and building vp of his Saints I say touching the man this I may truly and not to no purpose report that hee comming from Emanuell Colledge in Cambridge for want of maintenance as I suppose euen in his young yeares before hee was ripe and afterwards as himselfe reporteth in his Epistle Dedicatorie going before spending some yeares and those not vnprofitably as appeareth when after that hee addressed himselfe to the Ministerie and was newly young as yet entered thereinto and placed at Wie in Kent where now he is he seemed to haue the thoughts of Moses Exod. 4. 10 13. I am not eloquent send whom thou wilt c and of Ieremie Ier. 1. 6. I cannot speake I am a child and of Paule 2. Cor. 2. 16. Who is sufficient for these things The consideration whereof not onely mooued but euen enforced him to fall roundly to his studie and hauing gotten good Bookes about him hee so laboured therein rising earlie and sitting vp late adioyning also practise of continuall preaching to his set order of reading as that in short time hee ouer-tooke such as in those parts had beene before him in Christ and had been accounted chiefe in the labours of the Gospell yea hee matched the proceedings of many who stay longer take further degrees of schooles in the Vniuersities And thus becomming a man well knowne for sufficiencie was called vpon to make one in the combination at Ashford where for the space of certaine years he hath kept his course as his turne came about with credite and like a good steward brought forth those things both new and old where with hee had before furnished himselfe in his priuate studies and by his publike and painfull preaching in his more priuate Congregation so much of the man Concerning his manner of preaching at the first I haue then noted and since heard himselfe acknowledge it that it was somewhat conceipted and fantasticall sauouring more of Wit then of Wisedome stuft with humane learning and borrowing withall some flowers of the Fathers out of Hibernicus pleasing also himselfe many times with wittie Alligories And to be short taking a course more painfull then profitable Now these his Sermons shew what he hath read and that he contemneth not either the Schoole-men or the old or new Writers no nor the Humanitans themselues as hee hath beene challenged yet this I can say withall that hee shewes himselfe more plentifull by making shew hereof in this his penned Treatise then hee was in the Pulpit in preaching of the Sermons The which no doubt he hath done with aduised iudgement considering that a man may by reading at leysure ponder the sentence and sense of an Authour alledged which in hearing on the suddaine especially if it be cited in a strange tongue he can not doe without finding his attention therewithall much troubled Againe if a Preacher were bound to cite authoritie for all that he speakes hee should neuer haue done for as the Wise man saith What is it whereof man may say behold this is new so also we may often say Nihil iam dictum quod non dietum prius Yea further I do not see for my part any such profite in the great curiositie of some of late much practised in quoting chapter and verse so thicke and three-fold as they doe no not out of the holy Scriptures themselues For it may be obserued that our Sauiour himselfe and his Apostles are oftentimes contented to quoate at large not citing so much as the Psalme or Chapter whence they alledge much lesse the Verse but pointing as it were to the place they presently bend themsleues to make vse of it according to the purpose they haue in hand as in Math. 4. 10. Iohn 7. 38. Ro. 9. 25. Rom. 10. 15. Rom. 11. 26. Heb. 2. 6. Iam. 4. 4. In many of which places we may also obserue the sence rather than the words to be alleadged yea the sence also sometimes rather collected than expressed And so also Master Caluin a man pregnant in the Text verie often in his writings doth in such sort quoat and cite the Scriptures And touching the Author of these Sermons as he hath changed his first kind of preaching as I said into a better method so also in his present manner of handling the word he is not so plentifull in alleadging places as in this his treatise hee hath set downe By which his course and conscience in the labours of his ministrie seeking his peoples good not his glory what good hath been don in his charge bringing into good compasse that people which not many yeeres agoe were out of square I had rather ye should find it in M. Stoughtons Treatise of Or the vanitie of Poperie the Gospels prosperous successe than read it reported by my pen. Onely this in this place I will remember that these paines in studie and carefull ouersight in teaching and gouerning the people committed to his charge hee hath imployed in a place where both Parsonage and Vicaredge being impropriate swallowed downe into the gulfe of those High places that sometimes stood in this land as this was into the Abbey of Battell the stinted allowance for this mans maintenance after all defalcations the fat offerings for the priests who in those dayes liued being now ceased is xvii pound by the yeare and no more the rest is supplied by way of contribution wherein I cannot but commend both Preacher and people the one for being contented with such allowance as is made the other for extending so farre as they doe But my hope is that ere it be long some good order will bee taken whereby Preacher and people both in this place and many others shall bee otherwise prouided for the one secured with a certaine or standing stipend the other freed from a chargeable contribution which comes the more vnwillingly from them by meanes they are neuer awhit the more eased from yeelding their impropriate both great and small tythes In which regard heere fitly commeth to be had in thankefull and honourable remembrance the Royall bountie of our late Soueraigne and gracious Queene Elizabeth who at the instance of that most worthie religious and deepely prudent Councellour Sir Frauncis Walsingham Chauncelour of the Duchie of Lancaster was pleased to impart a large portion of those her Reuenewes certaine hundred pounds to yeeld standing yerely stipends of Fiftie pounds a peece to some Master Midglie M r. Harrison c. Preachers to labour in that shire before as it may seeme but slenderly prouided for in that behalfe which I thinke also to be the cause that mooued this Authour their Countrey-man to be so carefull of that County as appeareth before in his Epistle to his friends and kinsfolks of Lancashire But to returne and so to draw to an end after hee had preached many other Sermons at Ashford aforesaid in his seuerall turnes at last hauing begun and fully finished the 23. Psalme in these seuen Sermons hee was much importuned by many to put them in print especially by Master H. H. who being the first man that gaue him certaine and full information of our late Queenes departure and of the Proclaming of our present most gracious King in London on the Thursday before he did so stirre him vp to fit himselfe to speake the next Saturday being his course to preach which fell out to bee the last of these Sermons that he in such sort spake vpon those two the one dolefull the other ioyfull occasions as that there was not an eie in that plentifull audience of right worshipfull and others met about the said Proclamation to bee made also there but sent out abundant testimonies of that their ioyfull-sorrow Thus commending this booke to the kind acceptance the which I do the more desire in regard of the timerous disposition wherewith I haue perceiued the Author to be much oppressed euen since hee committed his booke to the Presse from which his bashfull feare if he shall be by the curtesie in some measure set free hee may be brought to impart mo of his Meditations wherinto he hath alreadie made some entrance And commending thy selfe to the word of grace which is able to build thee further to an inheritance among the Saints I bid thee farewell From London the last of September 1603. Thine in the Lord Iesus Iohn Swan