themselues as the affections of men are to be viewed Witnesseth that of Marke where the widowes two Mites were more regarded then the abundance of the rich men because they came from the heart Good things done with an euill minde are but splendida peccata glorious sinnes Wherfore God said O that there were an heart in this people to keepe my Commandements for where there is no heart in the action there is no faith if no faith it cannot bee well done 3. It must be done with readinesse Wee must imitate the Angels which are said to haue wings to note out their readines in executing the will of God God will haue his worke done when hee commands not when wee please While it is called to day harden not your hearts It was the saying of Christ to Zaeheus Come downe at once Delayes must not be made in Gods seruice but as Christ said in another case vnto Iudas That thou doest doe it quickly 4. And lastly must bee faithfulnesse to doe all that that God commaunds and no more for to doe lesse then God doeth commaund is disobedience and to doe more is meere presumption and will worship It was Dauids care and resolution to haue respect vnto all his commaundements Thirdly that it be righteous it must bee done to a good ende for to doe good workes and not to a good ende is either vaine-glory or meere hypocrisie as to instance it thus It is a good worke to giue almes to feede the hungry and cloath the naked But if these be done to be commended of men or for the obtaining of credit rather then for the good of the common wealth it is not commendable So we may say it is bonum in respect of the acte but not bene in respect of the ende Therefore to doe good workes to a good end take these three things along with you 1. That they be propter gloriam Dei for the glory of God That is that the loue and zeale to Gods glory constraine vs hereunto as the Apostle speaketh doe all that ye doe to the glory of God 2. That they bee propter nostram salutem for our saluation 3. That they bee done to the good and profit of others as the Apostle teacheth that euery thing may minister grace vnto the hearers for whatsoeuer is done is not right quod non conducit ad praepositam vtilitatem which belongs not to an intended profit Thus you see the word of righteousnesse that it must be the rule of all our actions as also you see the workes of righteousnesse and how to doe them Now before I let you passe from this part I would haue you to marke how our aduersaries doe slander vs saying that the Church of England teacheth faith without good works and giueth libertie to sinne being a doctrine of liscenciousnesse to all impietie insomuch that many are kept from vs by reason of these slanders falsely laide vpon vs. The consideration whereof at the first sight seemes like a great mountaine yet after deliberation it is lesse then a moule-hill For if they so blaspheme the holy word of God it is no wonder they thus slander vs. Besides it hath beene an vsuall thing with them of olde thus to slander the people of God They accuse Wickliffe that he should say that Luther did hold magistrates not lawfull that Caluin saide that Christ dispaired on the Crosse that Beza was turned to popery and so died who was then aliue and by his owne wryting prooued them lyers that Caluin fell into blasphemy with many more of the like nature But to bring this home to their doores to pay them with their owne coyne and to beate them with their owne weapons for doe not they themselues teach a doctrine of liscentiousnesse yes vnspeakeable villaynies both countenanced and canonized for worthies as murthers rapes periuries adulteries and the like as the sruite of such a diabolicall Religion Thus much for the subiect Righteousnesse now followes the propertie of the worke which is to sowe The second part of the seede-time SOwe to your selues in right consnesse The propertie of the worke is now to be obserued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sow sowing is sometimes taken for casting of seede into the ground as thou shalt not sowe the ground with mingled seede some time for preaching of the word the sower went out to sowe and sometime for our actions and so it is here yet we will not fall into the error of Pelagius A Deo habemus quod homines sumus a nobis ipsis autem quod insti sumus wee are beholding to God that we are men but vnto our selues that we are good men But the contrary is God both makes vs and makes vs good men and then being good wee labour to doe well That is as my text saith to sowe good workes as the wise man exhorts Babokar zerang eth-zargnaeca Betimes sowe thy seede That is betimes doe good and he giues the reason The sower of righteousness shall bee truely rewarded Mans life is a continuall sowing either good or bad seede the seede is the worke the ground God and man and the doing or acting is the sowing The metapher holds well for first wee knowe that the husbandman casteth his seede into the ground couers it with earth there it rots and seemes to perish as though he should neuer haue good of the same and thus would a man iudge that knowes not what belongs to that art and that he were foolish to cast his seede into the earth vpon so hopelesse a gaine Euen so the sowing of good and charitable workes seemes to be lost because we see not the fruite of our labour as Iohn noteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet it appeareth not what wee are Therefore Salomon compareth this sowing vnto the casting of bread vpon the waters which at the first seemeth to perish And this is the estate of the godly they pray fast giue almes honour God loue man obserue his lawes doe his commaundements with the like yet what is to be seene of all this What profite hath a man of all his labours saith Salomon Where is the destinction of good and bad they seeme to bee all one yet Caine and Abel in one field Cam and Iapha in one arke Ismael and Isaake in one family Esau and Iacob in one wombe Peter and Iudas in one company teares and wheate growne together in one field good and euill are not yet diserned And doe not then our labours seeme to bee lost May we not say with Esay I haue laboured in vaine So the world iudges and we in some sort finde for our life is yet hid with God in Christ Onely wee haue some peace of conscience that the world see a not and the loue of God which it knoweth not But we knowe that when he shall appeare we shall be like him as the Apostle Iohn saith and much like those verses which we read of Pithagoras
thinke few be proud of their soules and none but fooles will be proud of their bodyes Quid superbis terra Why art thou proud O earth Man of earth is called earth and I cannot passe this poynt before I haue fixed your considerations vpon this obseruation How the Lord insinuates his contempt of the wicked by cutting off their names as not worthy to stand in his booke The mention of which would be a blur to his sacred leaues This is the estemation that the wicked beare with God How thinke ye then that their persons shall sit in his kingdome whose names may not stand in his booke Thus God crosses the worlds fashion some times giuing them no names at all As that reall parrable glues the rich man no name at all but Diues Some times by cutting off their names as the seruants of Dauid were serued by the Princes of Hannon Who cut off their garments by the buttocks and shaued off halfe their beards So God cutteth off halfe their names As Aram is called Rame leconia is called Conia Surely when God takes letters from their names he intendeth also to take blessings from their persons Some times he giues them a by name as the Bulles of Basan And here the earth or fallow ground as vnworthy of any other name or title of Honor. It is not alwayes true that Quanto ornatior tanto nequtor The more adorned the more wicked For surely greatnes is the fairest obiect to the eye of the world and goodnes to the eye of heaven There is a glorious splendor in pompous honor if it come by the hand of God For They that honor me I will honor saith the Lord. And it is made as a promise of God to the righteous Zecer fsaddik The memoriall of the iust shall be blessednes full of honor Good lucke haue such with their honor But there are many to whom our bonnets vaile and our knees bowe whom the sight of heaven scornes as not worthy of those titles and complements giuen vnto them For Deus vbinon est ibi nihil eft Where God is not there is nothing For he that hath not Christ. How can he haue right vnto any thing For the condition runnes thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All is yours and you Christs But first you must be Christs before any thing can be yours Feede not your selues then with shadowes O iudex quisque sui Let euery man be a Iudge of himselfe Cum te quis laudet iudex tuus esse memento When any man prayseth thee remember to be thine owne Iudge Whether these things doe belong vnto thee or no. Plus aliis de te quam tu tibi credere noli Do not thou beleeue other men more concerning thy selfe then thou doest beleeue of thy selfe If you desire your names to be registred with the pehne of eternity in the kingdome of glory write them your selues in the kingdome of grace with the penne of obedience and there reade them to your comfort They stand sure with God before not sure to vs vntill now If you would haue God to dignifie your names with titles of honor then honor his name with songs of prayse and the fruite of odedience Remember his great and glorious name saith Moyses And fitly said Dauid that our helpe standeth Beshem Iehouab in the name of the Lord. Maintayne the glory of it then with your strenghts and sound it out with your prayse that so God may write you not without a name nor with a by-name nor with a curtolled name but that your names may stand at the full length in his booke That he reading the same as Ahashuerosh did Mordecayes then your service shall be found out with rewards arayed with the Kingds robe titles of honor set on the Kings Horse and Proclamation made This is the man whome the King will honor Honor him with reputation on earth before men and with glory in heauen before Angels O blessed are they that stand registred in the Chronicles of heauen with the penne of the eternall spirit and read in the leaues of obedience in the kingdome of grace I haue not yet don with the subiect This earth is a diuine spirituall and immortall nature called the fallow ground by a metaphor This ground is incapable of suffering terrene fragillity This is Gods ground and that in an high and mysticall sence yet proper enough The earth is the Lords Yet he hath not such respect to this ground as he hath to man for whome he made it but chiefely to the soule of man which is this fallow ground There is a wonderfull mixture of the elements in man First the Heart is placed in the midst as the earth or the center 2. The Liuer like the Sea from whence the springs of blood doe flowe 3. The veines like Rivers spreading themselues abroade into the vtmost members 4. The Braine which is placed 〈◊〉 like the Sunne giuing light and vnderstanding 5. The Senses like Starres set rounde about like ornaments And therefore man may well be called earth yea Microcesmot a little world The Earth is called Terra which betokeneth the roundnes of the earth Or it is called Terra and hath that name of the over part qua 〈◊〉 That is trod vpon as being the foundation and ground worke of all And is also called Humus and hath that name of the Sea that is moyst for without moysture the earth is vnprofitable They must be ioyned together For if it be drie which is either by too much cold and then it turnes to sande and gravell or by too much heate and then it turnes to Chauke and Oker The earth must haue moysture to make it fruitfull This moysture is Gods grace that makes the soule as profitable as the showers from heaven cause the earth to be fruitfull The heart and grace must be myxed together for it is necessary to divers ends I Illuminat intellectum It doth lighten the vnderstanding 2. Inflamat affectum It inflameth the affection 3. Frangit it cordis duritiam It breaketh the hardnes of the heart Thus when the heart and grace are ioyned together they are fruitfull Therefore the earth is called Tellus because we take fruite therof And Ops for it heapeth with fruite Such is the heart of a good christian that it floweth with the works of righteousnes as appeareth Cant 2. 12. The flowers appeare in the earth saith Salomon Obserue with me First the place Baarets in the earth This earth is the heart and soule that is the fountaine of them 2. Nireu they appeare Inward grace bringes forth outward fruite 3. The quantitie of them Hannitsanim the slowers set downe in the plurall to shewe the abundance of them as our Lord witnesseth This Earth is fruitfull when the ayre of Gods grace hath giuen influence with the seasollable dewes of his spirit and the Sunne of righteousnes hath bestowed his kindly heare then followes a plentifnll
ensue a great happinesse according to that true saying of the Poet Virgil Foelix quipotuitrerum cognoscere causas O blessed hee and excellent that knowes the cause of each euent Thus for our conclusion of this branch obserue that such as are truely plowed by the word and Spirit of God are dead tosinne and sinne in them for they that are Ghrists haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Likewise the same Apostle saith If Christ be in you the bodie is dead because of sinne but the spirit is life for righteousnesse sake If you will haue an example of this that further it may be manifested turne your eyes vnto there of the Acts 18. 19. verses Many that beleeued came and confessed and shewed their workes Many also of them that vsed curious arts brought their bookes and burned them before all men and they counted the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of siluer If you aske a reason of it it is from the power of grace which is able to subdue the power of Sathan For Sathan sinne the flesh and the world can but make a finite power but wee are protected with an infinite power Greater is hee that is in you then hee which is in the word Therefore whosoeuer is borne of God doth not sinne neo potest peccare neither can sinne O excellent gift as one affirmes being donum omnium donorum maximum A gift excelling all gifts Augustine vpon this hath this obseruation Before the law we do not fight vnder the law we fight and are ouercome vnder grace wee fight and ouercome For wee are more then conquerers in Iesus Christ. It is a thing common with the Physicians to driue and purge out a lesser poyson by a stronger as we dayly see a lesser light extinguished by the greater The Sunne puts out the light of the Moone and the power of Gods grace puts cut the power of sinne Thus when the stronger man gets into the house bindes the master and spoyles him of his goods God is the stronger man his grace is the influence which comes downe from heauen to helpe vs in the midst of our conflicts Much like the elements that helped 〈◊〉 in his battell so that he got the victory whereof Claudian sung O nimium dilecte Deo cuimilitat aether Et coniurati veninut ad classica venti O Gods beloued when power aeriall And winds came armd to helpe when thou doest call Let not slip your consideration without obseruation where sinne liues and thriue there all goodnesse withers and dies Dauid put sorth a question Lord let me know mine age and the number of my dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue to liue So many doe say Lord let me know mine estate whether I belong to thee or no. And now I answere as the Frenchman did the Scots and the Irish which of long time had been at controuersie for a piece of ground to which nation it should belong The controuersie was to bee ended by the said Frenchman in this maner Put said he thereinto Serpents and Snakes If they die it belongeth to Ireland but if they liue it belongeth to Scotlands Thus the contiouersie was ended So in like maner if sinne liues and thriues in you you belong to Sathan but if it wither and die then you belong to God So our Lord teacheth vs Matt. 7. 16. You shall know them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by their fruits Thus here is an end of this branch Lastly the terrene plow makes the earth more fit for the seede Euen so doeth the tearing of the heart by true repentance makes it the more apt to embrace the mercie of God The thid part THus we haue gone thorow the subiect and the propertie of the worke now followes the proprietie of the persons lacaem your committing this worke to euery particular person Obserue that all men are agents in their faith repentance contrition and saluation Plowe vp your falowe ground your owne falowe As God saide to Ierusalem Wash thy heart O Ierusalem and by the Prophet Ioel Scindite corda vestrum Rent your hearts So I say vnto you wash and rent your owne hearts for if you will not lay to your helping hand they are neuer like to bee cleane God in the time of the Lawe commanded that lie which should offer an offering was to put his hand vpon the head of it Heb. 3. 2. Hereby shewing that we must haue a hand with God in euery part and worke of regenetation He that made without thee will not instifie thee without thee He made thee without thy knowledge and doth instifie thee with thy consent Therefore said Christ If you will find seeke If you will receiue then aske For no seeking no finding no asking no receiuing God proclaimes not Ho euery one that is athirst I will bring him water But Ho euery one that is athirst let him come and fetch water Supper is made ready by our Lord all things are prepared at his owne cost and charges and when it was ready hee said not goe carie it to these men but goe bid them come in and eate it Herevnto tend the words of Paul Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling And Peter also saith Make your calling and election sure Sure it is with God not with vs vntill then Worthily doth that sieke person perish that calleth not for the Physician but refuseth him comming of his owne accord vnto him Man by the ordinance of God is appointed an agent for his owne saluation For the subiect of faith repentance and contrition are in vs not in God Indeed God is the efficient cause the word the instrumental cause but our hearts willes and affections the materiall cause that is subiectum conuersionis the subiect of conuersion as the schoolmen define the fanie Delor est in corde Sorrow is in the heart Fuga est in voluntate Flying is in the will and that with purpose not to commit sinne any more Auertio est in corde voluntate a malo ad bonum The turning is in the heart and will from euill vnto that that is good still the subiect is in vs and so we must needes be agents For wee are not like a piece of waxe that receiues no impression but what is put into it being meerely pasaiue but actiue as formerly hath been shewed And to adde the sentence of Aristotle Nemo voleus malus nec inuitus foelix No man is euill with his will nor any man is happie against his will In thy mouth and heart is the cause of saluation saith Chrysostomes that is the 〈◊〉 use and subiect as hath beene sayd And as the subiect is in vs so euery man is best acquainted with his owne heart which other men is not able to know for What man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him it is a
87 2 How the Papists abuse the word of righteousnes from 87 to 100 3 Why the word is righteous 101 to 102 4 Of the workes of righteousnesse and how to doe them 103 to 107 2 In the sowing-time 1 How obedience seemes lost 108 2 Why thereward is not yet 109 3 Great gaine in obedience 111 4 We are to doe good to many 112 5 We are to doe the beast good 113 6 How the wicked sowe 114 7 World make obedience a labour 115 3 In the persons 1 Great men not too good to serue God 118 to 119 2 Poore not too meane to serue God 120 In the haruest time are 1 propertie of the worke 2 the manner of it 1 Generall obeydience euer rewarded 121 to 124 1 In the propertie 1 How obedience bringeth earthly blessings 125 to 127 2 The haruest of assurance of heauen 129 to 134 2 In the manner 1 All we haue is of mercy 135 2 Papists merits 136 to 137 In the consequence are 1 the action Seeke 2 the obiect the Lord. 3 the cause it is Time 1 In the action 1 We must serue God in our owne persons 139 2 That it is a labour to seeke and why 140 2 In the obiect 1 Of the name Iehouah 143 2 To seeke God in his word 145 3 The seuerall seekers 146 to 147 4 To seeke the loue of God 148 to 149 In the compelling cause 3 In the time past in it 1 The longer in sinne more cause to turne to God and why 150 to 154 2 In the time to come 1 Take time while time is and why 154 to 155 2 The continuance in seeking 156 to 157 3 How and when he come 157 4 The metaphor of the raine 158 to 159 5 Raine for teaching 161 6 Raine for abundance 162 A Table of the principall words in this Booke A A meane in words 69 Assurance of heauen here 129 Apology of the world 116 Apologie for the Church 35. 56 Adultery how committed 29 All the lawes to be executed 80 B Bishops lawfull 55. 56 Brokers 30 Blind Magistrates 82 Best good to be done 114 Boldnes of Ministers 77 Blasphemy of Papists 102 C Couetousnesse 26 Corruption of nature 16 Continuance in obedience 191 Ceremonies 39. 40 Custome in sinne 155 Church of England true Church comming of God how 157 Continuance in sinne 156 D Discipline of 3. sorts 38. 39 Death of sinne where 63 Dissembling protestants 113 Drunkennesse 19. 146 Dumbe Magistrates 82 Dead to sinne 63 Deuil cause of sinne 17. 18 Dead in sinne 152 Doctrnie of England pure 36 37 E Exchange 32 Error of Papists 132. 87 Engrosers 13 Earth for man 5. 7. 8. 9 Euill actions 66. 67 F Free will 97 Faith of our owne 75 Faith the nature of it 130 Faith only in this life 131 G Grace the power of it 72 Good to be done to many 112 God no cause of sinne 16 Gaine in obedience 111 Great men serue God 119 Good how to doe it 106 H Hypocrites 12 Heart most regarded 8. 9. 10 Heart to be rent 61 Hurt of euillworks 70 Hope of the godly 110 Haruest of magistrats 123 Ministers people 124 Haruest temporall 125 Haruest of grace 124 Heart in obedience 105 Hospitalitie 123 I Inclosers 24 Idolatry of Papists 95 Infidelity of ingrossers 24 Instruction 81 Iehouah what it is 143 Iustified how 167 K Knowledge of the word 105 Knowledge of sinne 57. 58. Knowledge of good and micked men 72 Knowledge of the heart 75 Kill sin in the heart 63 L Loue of God to he sought 148 Labour to seeke 115 Lookes wanton 29 Long in sinne 154. 155 loeke vp the word 88 to 90 Lawyer a seeker 139 Lawyer little trueth 21 M Mean in words 69 Merits of Papists 93. 136 Mortifie sinne 70 Magistrates to punish sinners 78. 79. 85 Man to worke his saluation out 73 Mercie of God 133 Murmuring 52. 53 Man part with all creatures 4 Mercie of God gause of this crop 115 Mercie of God greater then sinne 154 Merchants falow ground 21 N Nature of faith 35 Nature of the wicked 15 Nature of merits 96 Names cut off 5 O Obedience seemes lost 108 Oppression 22. to 25 Obedience profitable 122 Ordinances of God 141. 142 Obedience rewarded 121. P Pleasure of sinne 18 Profit of sinne 18 Patrons 24. 25 Pride 13. 27 Profit in words 71 Pardons 98 Purgatory 90. 91 Prayer to Saints 95. 96 Plow our selues 76 R Reward not yet 109 Raine the maner of it 159 Raine for teaching 160 Rob-altar seekes 139 Kighteousnesse of sanctification 168 Righteousnesse of iustification 166. S Slanders of the Papists 102 107 Seeke in our own persons 139 Seeking of sinne 146 148 Swearing 27 Subiect of faith in vs 74 Sathan rules the sinner 17 Sleeping magistrates 80 Sowing of the wicked 114 Sorrowe how differs in the good and bad 61 62 T Trueth not to be found 21 22 Trueth in words 67 68 Tongue to be mortified 65 Translation of the word 88 to 90 Time to seeke 150 Theft of engrossers 23 Thankes-giuing 161 Time past 150 Time to come 154 V Vsury 25 100 Vse meanes to saue the sinner 77 Vnwritten verities 97 Vnmercifulnes of the Pope 99 Vlcer of sinne 152 W Workes not perfit 135 Word righteous why 101 Wicked no right to any thing 143 Wicked sinne of purpose 14 Workes of righteonsnesse 103 Word our rule 84 Whoredome 28 In commendation of the Author VErtere si agricolas terrā est nunc laude docendo Virgilius dignus laudibus esse puto Dignum hunc nostrarum quae animarū cura libellum Sit qui nostra docet vertere corda bene Alex. Bradley To my worthy friend his Celestiall Husbandry THe Husbandry which these dead leaues doe bring Thy liuely voyce did once sweetely sing That thy learned and iudicious hearers thought The Celestiall haruest to them had brought Thereby their hearts so did inflame That they desir'd to heare it once againe Io. Ga. THe ground mans heartis Gods word the plow The harrow repentance is to breake it now The seede obedience sowen in our liues The raine Gods grace whereby it also thriues Then vse it and it will bring Thee to heauen there to sing Then now Prayse God for the gaine And the Author for his paine T. H. THE CELESTIALL husbandry RIght Honorable and well beloued in our best be loued I knowe that many haue been the flowers that my brethren the Prophets haue gathered out of the garden of Gods word giuing a fragrant smell in this place so that I know not what flowers to gather to present you withall that formerly yee haue not seene Yet in this my meditation I considered of my worthy Auditors and so fitted my text accordingly Some of them being Iudges and Magistrats that fitly I might speake to them of Iustice. An other part of them being inferiour subiects that also I might speake to them of obedience In a word considering that heere are vsually auditours of all sorts I
haiuest The blessed heart returns ten for one yea a hundred for one as our Sauiour Christ saith Obserue that the chiefest care of a Christian must be to furnish his heart with grace and to plowe it vp with true repentance which counsell is giuen by the wise man miccal 〈◊〉 nitsor libbeca Aboue all things keepe thy heart with diligence The like conucell is giuen by 〈◊〉 thy hart O Ierusalem This also is confirmed by the author to the Hebrues It is Good the heart be established with grace And to confirme it with the words of Christ Take heed vnto your selues that your hearts be not oppressed This course or order is not amisse for the cause goes before the effect Can there be a good life which is the effect before there be a good heart which is the cause not Causaefficiens but Causamaterialis as Chrysostome obserues In ore et corde tuo salutis causa In thy mouth and in thy heart is the cause of thy saluation In thy mouth to confesse it and in thy heart to beleeue it If thou confesse with thy mouth and beleeue with thy heart thou shalt be saued So then to haue good fruit is to haue a good tree A good cause brings forth a good effect for Qualis causa talis effectus Such as the cause is such is the effect And common sence and reason doth teach vs as Aristotle obserues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In euery action the end and the meanes of the end must goe togeather The Smith heats his yron before he beats it The Carpenter lays his foundation before he can erect his building The husbandman plowes his ground before he reaps his haruest And a christian must haue a good hart before he can haue a good life And as it is the ground worke so it is the strength of man both in nature and in grace In nature it is the first that liues and the last that dyes And it is called Cor and hath that name of Cura businesse for it is in continuall worke It is in man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The little world Homo est coeli simulacrum interpres naturae Man is the picture of the heauens and the interpreter of nature in whome is the heart as God is in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great world Primus motor The first mouer It is no lesse in grace the first that is sanctified and the first that liues in grace and is the castle of man The consideration wherof made Dauid to conclude that that man neede to feare no euill why Samuk-libbo his hart standeth firme And surely it had neede for the Deuill dealeth with the heart of man as the King of Aram dealt with the King of Israell Which shootes neither against small nor great but against the heart the King and strength of man Thus he dealt with Adam insinuating himselfe first into their affections thereby stealing away their halts and so drewe them to sinne Thus he dealt with Iudas for he put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the heart of Iudas And thus he fitst worketh with the hearte and then the other parts of man And as it is the strength of man so it is the salt that seasons our obedience whereby it is made acceptable vnto God for obedience without the heart is like the sacrifice of a dog and the hire of a whore A good worke without the heart is but a glorious sinne Non tamres ipsa quam hominum affectus spectantur Not so much the things themselues as the affections of men are here to bee considered saith Faius Potest quis in paupertate magno in diuitys pusillo animo esse One may haue a franke minde in pouerty and a sparing mind in riches So it is not the worke but the mind Vnum opus sed non vnus affectus It is one and the same worke but not the same minde Thus the Lord regards not so much the worke as the heart and minde of the worker as the Prophet saith This people honoureth me with their lips but their hearts are farre from me And therefore in vaine doe they worship me saith Christ. And as Augustine well obserues Quia non quid faciat homo considerandum est Because we must not so much to consider what it is that a man doth sed quo animo facit but with what minde he doth it If wee doe build onely on the worke wee haue no better euidence to shew for our saluation then the deuils and the reprobates If we relie vpon miracles and casting out of deuils these are the euidences that the false prophets will bring Lord haue wee not done many great workes and cast-out deuils in thy Name yet away from mee I know you not will Christ say Or shall wee build vpon preaching the Gospel supposing that to be a good euidence for our saluation This is the euidence of Iudas and yet hee is gone to his owne place Not the worke then but the heart is that that will stand and goe for currant To shew this the Lord would haue a free-will offering among all the rest of his sacrificet Hereby shewing that the heart must be ioyned with obedience Yea so did the Lord regard the heart that he would not admit of any gift for the building of the Temple but what came from a free will which was but a type of the spirituall Temple To the building whereof euery man is to bring the timber and stones of obedience and that with a good heart And therefore as the author to the Hebrews saith Let vs draw neere vnto God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a true heart that so wee may serue him that wee may please him For God is a consuming fire And as the heart seasons our obedience so in the heart is the euidence of our saluation there sealed by the Spirit of God Our euidence lieth not in any externall thing it lieth not in the ancient calling of husbandrie for Cain miscaried in that nor in strength for Golias could not preuaile thereby nor in the office of a Prophet for that serued not Saul or Balaam nor any kingly dignitie that would not priuiledge Pharaoh nor riches they helped not Diues nor glorious apparell for it did Herod no good nor policie in Achitophel nor beauty in Absalom could giue assurance of saluation Temporale non potest esse causa aeterni No temporall thing can be the cause of that which is eternall In all these can be no euidence of our saluation Nihil est firmum vel stabile in rebus humanis There is nothing stable in humane affaires It remaineth that the heart is the register of our saluation Per fidem facti sumus vnum in Christo. By saith wee are made one with Christ. And the subiect of faith is the heart for with the heart man beleeueth unto saluation The other they are
extra nos these intra nos vero spiritu Dei inscripta Written by the very Spirit of God For God hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into our hearts whereby wee crie Abba Father And though the sound of saluation delighteth the eare yet the ioy and sweetnesse is in the heart Deus est mel in ore God is hon is in the mouth Melos in aurc Musicke in the eare iubilum in corde and ioy in the heart Veniet veniet dies indicy vbi plus valebunt pura corda quam astutia verbis conscientia bona quam marsupia plena quandoquidem index ille nec verbis falletur nec donis flecteur The day will come the day of iudgement will come when cleane hearts will more auaile then crastinesse in words and a good conscience then a full purse seeing that the Iudge will neither be deceiued with words nor mooned with gifts If then a good heart shall bee of such worth at that day it is principally to be regarded in this lise Now before we passe-from this note with mee here the hypocrites which haue onely the outside of greatnes like stage-players which appeare like Kings vnto others themselues being no better then beggars These hypocrites serue the Lord in shew not in trueth Christians onely in name Saints onely in shew These are painted boxes wherein are hid deadly poysons vnder Iesabels painted face a whorish behauiour These cleanse the outside but within is a denne of theeuish affections O generation of vipers how should ye escape the damnation of hell Vnto this purpose serueth that storie wherein I reade of Hercules which begot Scithes on a monster whose vpper parts were like a woman and her lower parts like a viper Me thinkes the hypocrite resembles this monster his vpper parts shall be like a woman I meane his smooth and splendent words but his lower parts or if you will his heart is like the viper For as historians report the viper eates a way out of the belly of her damme with the danger of her life that bred her so the hypocrite eates vp the bowels of his mother the Church that brought him foorth crying out against disorders abroad whiles there is none at home in his owne heart I speake not against professors but against hypocrites to whom I say as Chrysostome said Aut esto quod appares aut appare quod es Either be as thou seemest or appeare as thou art I would to God they would bee either open enemies that so we might beware of them or faithsull friends vnto Christ and his Church These are sicke of wantonnesse in religion and are so hote about the question de modo that it is to be feared the enemy steales away the matter of religion out of their hearts It is strange to see if that wee will not shew our selues refractarie wrangle about shadowes and speake against authority our sermons are hissed at and our persons are derided These are prosessors of note when they speake bitterly their names cary it away strongly with our scandals Note here the proud persons with their top and top-gallants that build towers in the ayre and a heauen on earth whiles there is a hell in their consciences The proud person is Deo odibilis diabolo similis and sibi damnabilis Odious vnto God like the deuill and damnable to himselfe witnesseth the saying of the Apostle God reiecteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble Eucry proud man is an idolater because he loues his pride and makes that his God no maruell then if hee be reiected For Nemo potest Dominis rocte seruire duobus No man can serue two masters God and Pride Yet the proud man will and if either be vnserued God shall he will be sure to couer his backe with externall brauerie whether God line his soule with grace or no. You shall see many of these gallants put a whole inheritance into a trunke and metamorphise a whole mannour into a sute of apparel And no maruell when the best farme in it will doe no more then pay for a paire of shooe-strings besides a band in the fashion starched with the deuils liquor and in the punke colour to beautifie it And now they flourish it out in brauery what with their curled haires painted faces and foolish if notfooles coates Thus shine they like starres thinking themselues to be Gods among Saints when God knowes and I feare they be but deuils among men I conclude with the authour to the Hebrewes It is good to haue the heart established with grace and as Seneca saith It is better to haue a soule furnished with grace then a bodie decked with glorious apparell that so wee might be like vnto Nathaniel of whom it is said Behold a true Israelite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom there is no guile Ioh. 1. 47. But I haue not yet done with the subiect New fallow your fallow it was plowed before but for the sowing of euill seede The husbandman in the countrey can better vnderstand this then the citizen The maner of the husbandman is to fit his tillage according to his seede The ground wherein he sowes Barley Oates Pease and Tares needeth but one yeeres plowing whereas the ground where Wheate and Rye is to be sowen hath two yeeres plowing During the time that it lies plowed and not sowen it is called fallow ground Such is this fallow ground of their hearts which was made ready for the sowing of iniquitie As the same Prophet witnesseth Cikerbu cattannur libbam For they haue made ready their hearts And as another Prophet witnesseth They lie in waite for blood Likewise Dauid sayth That they lie secretly as a Lyon in his denne Thus the wicked not of infirmitie but of meditation and deliberation runne into sinne Prauus vsus vix aboletur A wicked vse is hardly abolished Assidua consuetudo vitium in naturam conuertit saith Augustine A continuall custome conuerteth vice into nature For it is a pastime to the wicked to doe euill whereas the godly hath no delight in sinne Seneca by the light of nature could say that Bonus animus nunquam erranti obsequium accommodat A good minde neuer reacheth the helping hand vnto error Insomuch that the heathen said that Bona cupido animi bonus Deus est A good desire in the minde is a good God Whereas the minds of the wicked are bent to commit sinne with greedinesse as Salomon saith Come say they let vs lie in waite for blood Of purpose you see not by infirmitie notwithstanding the Lord by the Prophet pronounceth a woe against them that imagine wickednesse vpon their beds There are two things that make the wicked thus bent in their minds to sinne The first is the corruption of nature which is corrupt of it selfe and iudges those things to be good which are euill and those things euill which are good As the Apostle witnesseth The naturallman knowes not
from man it is damnable to reb God for the thest is so much the greater by how 〈◊〉 God is greater then man and spiritual riches better then temporall Let Dauid be brought foorth for the condemnation of these which concludeth that it is a greater sinne to robbe a poore man then a rich Where Dauid concludeth that hee that had stollen the poore mans sheppe should die you may apply it thus Man is rich God is poore for man hath six dayes allowed him God but one what a shame is it then to steale that one day from God and to appropriate the same to our owne pleasure O great ingratitude that cannot be content to allowe that vnto God which cost thee nothing what wouldest thou doe if it should cost the somewhat hauing sixe dayes canst thou not finde in thy heart to let God haue that one day that hee hath reserued to himselfe What wouldest thou doe if God had taken sixe to himselfe and giuen thee but one yet euen then it had beene a sinne to haue taken any part of those daies from him hen much more now Sinne is tollerable in none and lesse tollerable in some The poore hath no law to prophane the Saboath much lesse the rich These are rich if not too rich and what neede haue veluet coates to steale the Saboath or any part thereof from God These are silken theeues and rather then they will abate any thing the Saboath shall goe to wracke God shall be dishonoured and his word despised If I should tell you that there were man slaughter euery Saboath day in the Exchange you would abhorre it but I say vnto you there is worse for the Saboath day is broken a greater sinne then murther But these will appologise for themselues that it is after they haue beene at the Church well grant it be so yet tell me whether that be not a breach of the law to wound a man though he kill him not or to couzen by craft though he robbe not by force or to lust though the adultery be not committed So then I conclude though we prophane not the whole day yet if any part thereof be prophaned it is a breach of the precept And that it may appeare so turne your considerations to that of Esay Wherein the Lord teacheth vs two things 1. negatiuely a. affirmatiuely Negatiuely he doth dehort vs from two things the one is externall that we should doe no actions belonging to this temporall life either of profit or of pleasure saying Turne away thy foote and speake no vaine word Thus as he doth prohibite the externall prophanation of it so he doeth the internall prophanation also Namely that we should not thinke our owne thoughts And affirmatiuely he commaundeth the sanctifying of the Saboath saying if thou turne away thy foote one the Saboath from doing thine owne will on mine holy day and call the Saboah a delight to consecrate it as glorious to the Lord and shalt honour him not doing thine owne wayes nor seeking thine owne will nor speaking a vaine word That you may see the greatnes of this sinne note how the holy Ghost makes this the marke and period of a wicked man Then the land shall enioy her Saboaths Hereby shewing that the wicked are ripe in their wickednesse when they beginne to prophane the Saboath With this compare the saying of Amos. Though they were wicked and cruell and greedy after gaine in the selling of their wares yet would they stay till the Saboath was past Hereby shewing that the breach of the Saboath is a greater sinne then the destruction of the poore You will say that these are strangers that haue their inambulation in the Exchange Well it is so and what of that shall they haue a tolleration thereby to prophane the Saboath Remember that God made one lawe for the Iewe and the stranger and by my consent if they will not be obedient to our law they should haue no benefit by it but I must leaue them to authoritie I haue almost done with the subiect there is but one field more But how is my heart oppressed with sudden passion to transport you into this fielde sowne with a shewe of puritie a hot profession of religion and I hope also with vprightnesse of heart yet there are dangerous teares of murmuration that are ready to choake this good corne and of necessitie must be plowed vppe I speake not this to dull the edge of your profession but rather to sharpen your loue and to ripen your iudgement in true godlinesse For non auditores sed factores legis not the hearers of the lawe shall bee iustified but the doers nec eadem profitentes sed eidem obedientes not professors but performers shall bee glorified Thinke not that I am so far void of charity to condemne these as hypocriticall mocke-gods that altogether run out of the way but steppe aside with one foote whereas they should turne neither to the right hand nor to the left Giue me leaue to say as the holy Ghost saith to the Church of Ephesus I knowe thy workes thy labour and thy patience and thy faith I knowe these haue the fruite of the spirit they are diligent to heare the word conscionable to keepe the Sabbaoth vsing holy exercises in their samilies and hauing a great measure of prayer the Lord increase it an hundred fould more then it is Yet I haue somewhat against them They are too vnnaturall children speaking euill of their mother and those that are in authoritie darting forth male volent speeches slanders and imputations against the gouernours and gouernment both of our Church and common-wealth and disgorging themselues to the great scandall of Religion and griefe to our Clergie Shall the poyson of aspes bee found vnder your tongues you that should defend vs by your speech to offend vs in your words One blowe of you Israelites wounds vs deeper then an hundred stripes of the Edomites If it had beene our enemines that had done vs this dishonour we could well haue endured the same But it is you O professors I that haue lifted vp your hilles against vs. O let me say as God saide by Hosea Though Israel play the Harlot yet let not Iuda sinne Though Papistes seeke to blowe vs vp the Brownistes to forsake vs the Deuill to tempt vs the flesh to rebell the world to allure and the wicked to perfecute vs yet let not zealous professors reuile vs let not Iehosephat ioyne with Ahab and take part with the enemies of the Lord least a curse follow It seemes strange vnto me to see how our endeuours are rewarded with vngratefulnesse Be we learned eloquent powerfull zealous painefull and godly in life yet all our labours are requited with a depart from vs we know you not Why Because we are conformalists so that one herbe of this kinde shall spoyle the whole pot of pottage Our conformitie to established orders shall dull the edge
doore into ioy and happinesse for If sinne by repentance be not presently done away by the waight it will draw a man to more sinne Therefore the onely way to keepe vs from sinning is to repent of our former iniquity for a wicked vse is hardly abolished Repent and thou shalt be free from it but before thou canst haue ioy in the holy Ghost first thou must vndergoe the smart of repentance Qui'cupit opt atam cur su contingere metam Multa tulit facirque miser sudauit alsit He that desireth first to touch the marke taketh much paines sweateth abundantly and runneth exceeding swiftly Let vs therefore be waile our sinnes that ought to be bewailed great sinnes require great lamentation sweet meate must haue sower sauce Therefore let vs bee as prone to lamentation as we haue been prone to sinne Come let vs water our hearts with the salt teares of contrition and sweepe them with the broomes of hearty sorrow Here giue me leaue not to let this point passe in obscurity nor the soule in doubtfulnesse Sorrow is common both to the good and bad therefore I will shew the difference so then be iudges of your owne estate First they differ in causa impulsiua in the impulsiue cause of this sorrow in both The wicked are grieued Non propter offensum Deum Not for offending God as the Godly are but tantum propter poenam but for the punishment The one greeues because hee doth offend God and dishonour him The other greeues for the iudgements of God that are like to come vpon him Secondly they differ in causa efficiente In the efficient cause which breedeth sort owin both The wicked torment themselues ex diffidentia desperations from distrust and desperation casting themselues off from God and his promises but the godly they mourne and grieue Ex fide sin fiduoia misericordiae 〈◊〉 From faith and confidence in the mercie of God feeling some sweetnesse in their hearts of the same Thirdly they differ In ipsaforma In the forme it selfe The griefe of the godly is Conuersio ad Deum a diabolo a peccatis anatura veteri A conuersion vnio God from the deuill from sin and from the old man They come more and more vnto God the more they sorrow the neerer they are vnto the Lord and surther from Sathan sinne and the flesh But the sorrow of the wicked is Auersio a Deo adipsum diabolum A turning from God vnto the deuill himselfe flying from the Lord crying to the hilles and mountaines Fall on vs and couer vs from that wrathfull iudge Fourthly they differ Ineffectu In the effect In the godly sequitur noua obedientia followes new obedience For They crucifie the flesh with the lustes and effections thereof But in the sorrow of the wicked Non sequitur noua obedientia followes no new obedience They still continue in their sinne and wicked wayes Thus you see the difference of this sorrowe and contrition Be now iudges of your owne estates if any mans griefe be for feare of punishment or because God forsakes him if he flee from God and still bring foorth the fruite of sinne there can be no comfort in this sorrow But if it be because wee cannot please God as we would if Gods promises constraine vs hereunto if the more God cuts our hearts the nearer we cleaue vnto him and a good life followes the same 〈◊〉 then this is of God and great comfort may bee had in this 〈◊〉 Then lauandum est cox poenitantie lacrimis Let vs wish our hearts in the troubled to area of repentance And thus you see their agreement in the second branch In the third place obserue that the plowe in turning vp the earth causeth the weedes to perish rotting the blade vnder the clots and withering the roote aboue Euen so t is in this spirituall plowing for the turning vp our sinnes causeth them to die and perish This is called mortification Mortificatio veteris hominis siue caruis As the Apostle speaketh They that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the lustes and affections thereof which is called detestatio it fuga peccati a hatred and a flying from sinne First in the iudgement to condemne it secondly in the affections to hate and detest it and thirdly in the whole man to crucifie it Recessus amalo a for saking of euill accessus adbonum a returning to that which is good This mortification of sinne is very frequent in the word especially in the new testament For in the Epistle to the Romanes the Apostle speaketh thus If you martisie the dcedes of the body by the spirit yee shall liue Hereby to shewe vnto vs that the plowing vp of finite causeth the death of sinne the like he saith Mortifie your members which are on the earth fornication vncleannesse the inordinate affection euill concupisoence and couetousnesse and the like This mortification of sinne consisteth first in the heart cruoifying the motions thereof for as we vse virriculo penitentiae the broome of repentance to sweepe them out so wee must gladio spirituali the sword of the spirit to cut and mortifie them in their yong and tender age before they get strength for inquisption shall bee made for euery evill thought prenent it s therefore before the day For this purpose you must deale with the motions of your hearts as the Egyptians did with the Israelites destroying their children while they were young For as a little draft at the first is easily bowed which in time growes so or at that will not 〈◊〉 it So euill motions at first are easily cut downe which in time may ouermaster vs. Naturalis est ordo vt ab imperfecto ad perfectum quis moueatur It is a naturall course euen in euill by degrees to come vnto perfection Therefore that caueat is very good that the author to the Hebrewes giues Take heede least any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne for as Iames saith Lust when it is conceiued brings foorth sinne Hereby shewing that lustes are to bee mortfied in the hatching and not a motion to passe vncrucified Happy shall they be that take these young ones and dash their heads against the stones Follow therefore the counsell of the Apostle in shunning the former lustes of ignorance and not there to stay but also to kill the very motion that brought forth that sinne For the man of wicked imaginations God will condemne Let no man thinke with the wicked ones all is well when they haue preuailed so farre as to mortifie some sinne in the act yet still retaine the motion in the heart whereas the crowne of a Christian is to mortifie the inward man in the lustes thereof Latius regnes audium domando Spiritum quam si libiam remotis Gadibus iungas et vterque paeius Seruiat vni He that can conquer his affects rebelling Hath larger Monarchie then he that swayes the
the question Lord who shall dwell in thine holy hill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answere He that speaketh the trueth a corde sue from his heart Truth is a debt that we owe vnto God vpon a threefold band First ratione creationis by right creation for he that created vs is the God and Father of trueth and we should be the children of trueth 2. Ratione redemptionis By right of redemption for hee that redeemed vs is the way the life and the trueth And therefore all that looke for saluation by him must learne to speake the trueth But Ratione sanctification is by reason of our sanctification for bring sanctified by the spirit of trueth our tongues ought to bed exercised in speaking the trueth The second way or meanes to mortifie our speech is to haue 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 profit in our words So saith the wise man 〈◊〉 lipd of the right eaun there is wisedome found as a well of life and as fined silver euery word must be pondered with salt that it corrupt not it selfe not infect others all our speach must tend to edification The Heathen were wont to say that the two masters or vshers of the world were action and speech But wee are yet to speake of wordes where of O ate saide Verba attendenda 〈◊〉 loquentis The words are to be attended not the mouil of the speaker There fore thou shalt if its profite Here by 〈◊〉 that wee should so speake that there may be some profit in our wordes for euery word that tends not to some good use is an idle word as Ierom defines it An idle word is that that is spoken without edification either of the nearer or of the speaker when our words doe neither minister comfort vnto our consciences nor instructions to others in the way of pietie and godlinesse Such a kinde of speach is to bee mortified Therefore let vs with David set a watch before our mouthes and keeper be doore of our lips that with the said Dauid we may vtter the righteousness and prayses of the Lord and our wordes being gratious may strike some impression into the hearers hearts For as Plato saide Worde without good effect are like water that drowneth the people and doeth itselfe no good Lastly if we will mortifie our speach wee must haue Moderamen in verbis 〈◊〉 means in words as the wise man saith Let thy words be fewe for in many words there cannot want iniquitie Therefore he that restalneth his lippes it wife saith he i fon fraistra fit per plura quod fierl potest pauciora It is in vaine to vse many words when fewer words will conteins the matter So then not to vse vaine tautologies in our speach will be a good meanes to mortifie our tongues A foole saith Salomon is accounted wife when he holdeth his peace and prudent when ke stoppeth his lippes not wise in saying nothing at all but in vsing a meane in wordes Hereunto tend the words of Christ When thou prayest vse few words shewing hereby that multiplicitie of words is a means re draw vs to offend And if Christ will not haue vs to vse many words in prayer then his mind is that we should vse a meane in other things As Salomon saith A wise man will guide his words with discretion and vse knowledge aright And to borrow the words of Cato 〈◊〉 Deo qui sort ratione dcore He is next unto God who knoweth in redson to keepe silence Hereunto sutes the saying of Syrach The wordes of the wise are 〈◊〉 in the balance both for the nature qualitie and quantity of them Thus much for the mortifying of the tongue Lastly in the third place as sinne is to bee mortified in the motion and tongue so likewise in the action If ye liue after-the flesh ye shall die but if ye mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit yee shall liue And as the same Apostle saith The grace of God that brings saluation hath appeared teaching vs to due is all ungodlinesse and vnrighteousaesse and that wee should liue godly in this present world knowing as a Father faith that we must haue remotionemmali aremouing of euill before we can haue substitutionem boni aplacing in of that which is good as God taught the Iewes cease to doe euill learne to doe good As Paul said to the Ephesians so I say vnto you Cast off the old man as Matthew left his calling and Zacheus his bribing so leaue your sinful actions to conclude with Crates Thebanus which could not follow the study of Philosophie because his money was an hinderance vnto him and therefore said Ego pordam to ne tu perdas me I will destroy thine lest thou mayest destroy mee So destroy thine euill deedes lest they destroy thee The reasons to perswade vs to abandon all euill actions are these First our actions doe the greatest hurt and dishonour both to God and man and therefore obserue the Decalogue and you shall finde that in the first table the Lord forbids but one sinne in the heart Thou shalt haue no other Gods before mee and another in words Thou shalt not take my name in vaine But hee forbids two in action first the making and bowing to false Gods And secondly the prophaning of the Sabbath Looke into the second Table and you shall find the like first one sin of the heart Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours oxe c. and another of the tongue Thou shalt not beare false witnesse c. But there are foure of workes or actions forbidden first Thou shalt not disobey thy 〈◊〉 c. Secondly Thou shalt not steale Thirdly Thou shalt not commit adultery Fourthly Thou shalt doe no murder Hereby shewing that God is most dishonoured and man oppressed by outward actions And this is manifest by that of Amos We will make the Ephah small and the shekel great and falsifie the weights by deceit wee will buy the poore for siluer and the needie for shooes and sell the refuse of the wheate These are all outward actions The old saying is true in this Words be but winde blowes be vnkind Euill thoughts and words are blowne away with the ayre but actions leaue an impression behindethem Not their words but their ingrossing of corne doth starue the poore not their thoughts but their hands robbes their states suckes their bloods and grinde their faces Ad as actions doethe most hurt so doe they continue longer then words Euen as the visage of him who passeth by is soone forgotten but if it be pictured the memorie of it continues long So sinne in words is like the same entring in at the one eare and out at the other But sinne in action is a picture dayly to looke vpon witnesse that of leroboam that neuer ceased vntill the kingdome ended Therefore it is good to withstand the beginnings knowing that the end will bring much euill that so there may
prerogatiue that belongs to God to know the heart The difference stands thus Other men know nothing of our heart our selues know somewhat and God knowes all that may bee knowen There is not a word in my tongue but thou knowest it O Lord and there is nothing hid from thee O God saith Dauid Yet euery man knows somewhat of his owne heart I know saith Paul Rom. 7 that in mee there dwelles no goodnesse This made him to crie out so bitterly not against others but against himselfe This is a true saying that Christ came into the world to saue finnert 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us ago 〈◊〉 Whereof I am the chiefe because hee knew his owne heart and not the hearts of others And from his owne experience teacheth the same to others Proue your selues know yee not your owne selues which not to know were very strange And as euery man is best acquainted with his owne heart and therefore the fittest to be his owne plowman so likewise euery man is to be saued by his owne faith and grace The iust shall liue 〈◊〉 in his faith Other mens faith may doe vs good by way of exhortation to build vs 〈◊〉 in the wayes of godlinesse But it is our owne actuall faith that might saue vs for as the Apostle saith If thou beleeue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in thy heart not in my heart for that will not saue thee Therefore as it was said to Dauid To thy house O Dauid so I say to thine owne heart O man haue a speciall care But for all this that hath been spoken doth not God impose too great a worke vpon vs which neither we nor our forefathers were able to beare It is beyond our power and arte This is ars aritum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the arte of arte and the gouernement of soules It is open Dei as Christ doth witnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the works of God that ye beleeue Why then doth God impose the same vpon vs Not because wee are causa efficions but because wee are causa materialis Therefore as Iohn saith Let vs looke to our selues for surely it is a worke very necessary to bring the plowe home to our owne hearts Many will be busie Bishops in other mens Diocesse spending their time in other mens ground and suffering their owne to be barren There be many Arguses in these dayes with an hundred eyes apiece that can quickly espie the moates that are in other mens eyes but cannot feele the beames that are in their owne Peter will bee medling in Iohns affaires yet without thankes for Quidest hoc tibi What is that to thee The Pharises would wash the hands of Christ and yet their owne hearts were foule filthy and odious A preposterous kinde of zeale to begin where we should make an end I deny not but this is to be done yet not to leaue the other vndone As in Dauid we see a worthy example hereof Before he purged the land hee cleansed his house and before his house he purified himselfe Obserue his proceeding at the second verse he saith I will walke betham lebabi in the perfection of my heart And then at the 7. verse he saish No wicked person shall abide in mine bouse And then in the 8. verse-he beginnes to purge the land Thus you may behold the three steppes to perfection First his heart then his family lastly the realme Excellent proceeding to keepe Sessions at home within the heart and to be executers of our owne sinnes Niru lachem 〈◊〉 now fallowe your fallowe It is a good lesson for vs that are to plowe vp your fallowe first to turne vp our owne we must not be like the sonnes of Eli 1. Sam. Least we cause the Gospell to bee euill spoken of our name and office must agree we are called lux 〈◊〉 by our vocation and wee must be lumen in 〈◊〉 by life and conuersation Then may we as wee must the better plowe vp your fallowe ground Crie aloude spare not lift vp thy voyee like a trumpet shewe my people their transgressions and to the house of Iacob their sinnes There is nothing so necessary and more commendable then reprehension if it be seasonable and reasonable I thinke none ought to be more wisely bold then vs Ministers for sinne is bold saucy and presumptuous O miserable when hoot sinners and coole Ministers meete when the one sort is infected with burning feuers and the other with shakinge agues And when they that should lift vp their voyces like a trumpet doe but whisper through a trunke Nihil interest scoleri an faueas an perpetras There is no difference whether thou fauour a wicked action or commit it Dauid hath a song of two parts like Ianns with his two faces I will sing mercy and iudgement wee must vse Leuitiues preseruatines and restoratiues with Paul We beseech you to be reconciled to God 2. Cor. 5. 19. But if this will not serue to rowse these sleepers out of the dead sleepe of sinne but that they will be still as worldly as Demas enuious as Caine couetous as Iudas treacherous as Absolon and as stony-hearted as Pharaoh the text of mercy befits not these but the sword of iudgement The learned haue compared the soure Euangelists to the foure beasts in Ezekiel 10. 14. comparing Marke vnto a Lion because hee begins with the thundering voice of the Law crying in the wildernesse repent When sinnes be crying sinnes wee must become crying preachers Esay cries and Ieremie weepes and we must not be sparing in reprehension Where men are bold in sinning preachers must be bold in reprouing We must put on yron foreheads to reprooue such as haue whorish faces cut them to the quicke This is the way that they may bee cured with the good Surgeon to cut out the dead flesh It is a smarting corasiue yet a healing plaister as Ierome saith Dum pungit 〈◊〉 Whiles that it 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not if euer there were a time for this now is the age where shamefastnosse hath left the stage and presumption now actech her part desperation attending ready to shut vp all with a dreadfull catastrophe Sinne wounding the conscience accusing hell gaping and God striking the land being ouerspread with sinnes Caines murther Pharaohs hardnesse Naboths churlishnesse and Amnons incest We haue spent much time in plowing vp this fallowe ground yet the profit I hope will more then equalize our paines the sinnes haue beene cited a iurie pannelled they sound guiltie and are condemned by the great Iudge of heauen and earth What remaines then but that you the magistrates see them executed wee can but plowe them by the word it is you that must plow with the sword you are put in trust to see the king of heauen his lawes obserued the righteous defended the oppressed relieued and the offenders punished Solan being asked what best preserued a common-wealth answered
was with the Athenians For the more good they did know the lesse they did But Scire tuum nihil est nisi te scire hoc sciat alter Thy knowledge is nothing vnlesse another man know that thou hast knowledge Fiftly it is fitly compared vnto sowing because the best seede is to bee put into the ground to teach man what seede of obedience to sowe namely the best And to shew the same God commanded in the Law they should offer the best of all their cattell and without blemish It is not the sowing but the good sowing that brings this haruest of happinesse For the husbandman knowes if he should cast bad seede into the earth that either it would not spring vp or being sprung vp it would come to bee lanke and emptie corne So if wee sowe seede which is not good it will die and perish or if it doesping vp to giue vs any comfort it is vnitable and vanishing Therefore our seede must be such as that it will endure the earth vndergoe the stormes and boisterous weather When the merchant sets his shippe to the sea hee lookes that it be sound within and without and able to endure the weather or else shee is neuer like to returne home againe but with losse Would a Christian send forth his seede of obedience let it bee good that it may endure all weathers otherwise it will hardly returne againe and if it doe it will bee with a broken conscience and a weather beaten spirit God commanded the Tabernacle to be made of the best stones wood gold and other things and the best spices for ointments principally to teach the people that their obedience must be of the best sort Answerable hereunto was that of Marie who brought oyntment and that very costly to anoint Christ Shee knew she ought to obserue the custome of the Law in bringing the best as strictly should wee obserue and performe this duety in sowing the best obedience For it will be more glorious vnto God and with greater profit returne againe vnto our selues Here I cannot but condole and wish mine eyes to weepe day and night for the seede of our dissembling Protestants who like the Grecians speake much and do little They beleeue as Christians but liue as Pagans ciuile in speach rude in their manners The name of God is in their tongues but the feare of God is not in their hearts The Papists call vs Solifideans but our workes doe declare vs rather Nolifideans for the more we knowe the lesse good we doe we frie in words and freeze in deedes speake by elles and worke by inches changing workes into wordes and godly deuotion into bare knowledge O remember that the Vrim and the 〈◊〉 must goe together That is light of knowledge and holinesse of life for there is as great danger in not doing of good as there is profit in forbearing of euill It was a question whether it were better to haue a soe that hurts not or a friend that helpes not The rich man is in hell Non quod abstulerit Not for taking away another mans Sed quod non donarit sua But because he gaue not of his owne Barrennesse was euer accounted a curse a shame and areproch The first borne of idlesle is to doe nothing The second is to doe some thing to no purpose And the third is to doe that which is pernitious and hurtfull Some will take no paines in sowing vnlesse the deuill set them a worke and too many haue wee of these sowers in this land So that I thinke there was neuer more filthinesse in Sodome drunkennesse in Flanders lying in Creete and hypocrisie in Iurie then is now practised in England The custome of iniquity hath so chased away the shame of sinne that common wickednesse is taken for no priuate offence He ere is such vnmercifulnesse bribing oppressing and grinding the faces of the poore as if there were no God to honour Deuill to dread Heauen to hope for nor hell to shunne Men are more ready to keepe their money then their consciences and their soules are of lesse credit then their seales Is this the sowing of our Christians the practise of our profession the seale of our faith and the fruite of our Religion O remember the tree that had no fruite on it was accursed how much more when there is euill fruite thereon as drunkennesse adultery swearing lying stealing killing brybing c. Some cruell as Lions craftie as Foxes filthy as swine enuious as dogges and as rauenous as wolues Homo homini lupus est Man it to man a wolse Therefore let my counsell bee vnto you as Daniel was vnto the King Breake off your sinnes by righteousnesse and your iniquity by mercy towards the poore let your soules be pure your hearts zealous your liues religious your actions holy and your handes 〈◊〉 or good workes that it may be saide to you as it was to that good seruant Well done thou good and faithfull seruant enter into thy masters ioy Giue me leaue to speake one word more of this terrene sowing which is a worke very laborious yet not like vnto the spirituall sowing a worke very hard yet effected with ease greatly opposed yet not hindered much neglected yet most necessary commonly despised yet none more amiable A worke it is saith Saint Paul Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling For the kingdome of heauen comes not with obseruation there belongs more vnto it then haue and hold it dilligence that industerous worke-master must worke it out it is not gotten by speculation For the life of man is short the way is long if thou wilt come vnto the worke beginne to runne with speede The more a man hath to doe and little time allowed the greater is his labour to effect it Qui cupit optatem cursu contingeremetam Multa tulit facitque miser sudauit alist He that in running doth desire the wished marke to tuch He runneth very speedily and sweateth very much Nothing can bee effected without labour and shall wee thinke heauen to be obtained with a song Idlenesse in humaine affaires is accounted a sinne but in Religion a double sinne and many are infected therewith which rather then they will take a little paines to walke in the pathes of righteousnes that leades to heauen they will tumble in the greene pleasures of iniquitie which leade to hell The common harlot the world with her painted amorous face hath so bewitched the fooles of this age that they are sicke of loue and euery one is ready to doe her the best seruice they can Some are so infected with the silken dropsie that they cannot tread in the pathes of saluation without a Coatch and then they goe but like vnto a snaile least they should come there too soone The vsurer would walk in this would walke in this way but he hath not yet read ouer his billes nor gotten the waxe cleare from his fingers and
why are the children of God in such contempt and pouerty and the off scouring of all things to this day as we see Eliiah was persecured and the false prophets fauoured Michaiah sinitten and the lying prophets honoured Diues rich and Lazarus poore Wherunto answere is made that it is no safe concluding because they possesse them not they haue no right vnto them For by the same argument wee may conclude they haue no right to the kingdome of glory The argument is thus framed Whosoeuer are not in possession of glory haue no right to it But men liuing vpon earth possesse it not Ergo Those that possesse not glory haue no right vnto it The like argument may be framed concerning earthly blessings Those that possesse not riches haue no right thereto The righteous possesse them not Ergo Obedience hath no right thereunto The maior of both these syllogismes is false For possession of a thing doth not argue aright thereunto no more doth not possession argue no right But as a man which hath bought land payd his money writings being made deliuered vnto him hath right to the land though he possesse it not So the godly haue right to them though they possesse them not Besides this it may be the time is not yet come when God will giue vs these things Ioseph was in prison before he came to honour Iacob serued many yeeres before he had his riches Dauid was persecuted before he came to the kingdome Daniel in the denne before he was one of the gouernours Mordecai sate at the gate before he came to preferment And all these in the state of grace long before they came to taste of this haruest Againe there may bee some cause knowen to God why he doth not giue these things generally to his children Why Abraham was rich and Lazarus poore Dauid a king and Mordecai at the gate Surely there is great difference in the natural qualities of men and such an antipathie there is betweene the same and riches that often they steale away our hearts from obedience and therefore God as a wise father giues not what is our right but what is good for vs. I must not forget the wicked which neuer sowed the seed of righteousnesse yet reape they this earthly haruest as fast as the godly and with carying this crop into their barnes the deuill is often conuayed into their hearts There is no more difference betweene Iudas and them then this Iudas had the bag and the deuill in it These haue riches and the deuill with them For vnto the impure all things are impure Their meate apparell riches and honour are cursed vnto them For hee that sayd What hast thou to doe to take my name in thy month and hatest to be reformed saith also What hast thou to doe to take this crop into thy possession And yet who prospers so as these who so beautifull as Absalom so rich as Nabal so honourable as Haman who flourish so well as the sonnes of Belial And yet with Iudas they do but bag vp to their owne confusion He that is much honoured in the way at the end of his iourney is damned and as it were through a faire pasture hee passeth to a prison who by the prosperity of this life present goeth to destruction and confusion This is the end of these men and how can it otherwise be seeing they liue by robbing the Saints of God Zeuxis was a true embleme of these that looking on a picture brake out into a laughter which brought him to the graue in mirth and so died These men haue a day of mirth their life is in the noone of pride but their Sunne shall set in darkenesse and their seeming ioyes shall bee turned into true eternall woes Therefore seeing they haue got the houses of God in possession and the inheritance of the holy ones into their handes let them bee as sparing as may bee to themselues and very liberall to others that seeing they must bee arraigned for theeues and goe to their owne place with Iudas their iudgements may bee more easie This is for the temporall and terrene haruest now followes a spirituall and more comfortable to the soule namely the assurance of saluation with the fruites therof as peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost It was Zacheus his honour that Christ came to his house and it is our comfort to get his promises into our hearts This haruest is so needfull that we cannot be without it for while we are without this we want true ioy the conscience still crying out what shall I doe to be saued But now the good Christian falles hard to worke comes closse to the corne of Gods promises layes hold thereon with the hand of faith and cuts it downe with the sickle of confidence brings it home into the Garner of his soule thrasheth it out by meditation and feedes vpon it by application to his consolation And thus farre doeth the word of my text leade me for kitsru which comes of katsar signifies to licke vp Obserue that the children of God are assured of the kingdome of glory while they liue in the kingdome of grace holy Iob had made such a seede time that in the ende hee came to reape this haruest to his comfort I knowe saith he that my redeemer liueth And thus all the godly can say to the ful assurance of glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Iohn now are we the sonnes of God and can say with Paul Christ Iesus liueth in vs and therefore if this earthly tabernacle were destroyed we haue a house eternall in the heauens Thus the childe of God can speake with confidence of assurance of glory while he liues in the kingdome of grace The Apostle saith God hath sealed vs to the day of redemption not so much that he might knowe vs as that wee might knowe our selues to bee his for here wee either receiue or loose life eternall Which thing being so needfull made Salomon to say in the person of the Church Bring mee O King into thy chambers and that this is the true reading obserue the wordes in the originall habiani hammaelaek chadarau which words are in the Imperatiue moode in the originall let the King bring me but fitly put into the Indicatiue moode in the English the King hath brought me yet howsoeuer it shewes the truth of this doctrine for if in the Indicatiue mood it sheweth that it is if in the Imperatiue moode then it sheweth that it must be For no man shal follow the Lambe in glory which hath not followed him first in grace Will you now know the reason thereof hearken then to the trueth of God which telleth vs that wee are iustified by saith now the nature of faith is to assure our hearts of the certainty of his promises First in regard of the nature of faith which is not only historicall to beleeue the
a coniunction copulatiue ioyning of things together and this is ruach Elohim God the Spirit In a word the Father hath but one respect that is he is produceus non productus producing and not produced The Spirit hath one respect likewise hee is productus produced not producens producing But the the Sonne hath two respects that is he is productus a Patre vna cum Patre producens spiritum sanctum produced from the Father and is one with the Father producing the holy Spirit This is the Trinitie in vnitie and the vnitie in Trinitie three Persons yet but one God And now what is it that you would haue Is it Power to protect you Mercy to forgiue you and Grace to sanctifie you Then seeke eth Iehouah for as Salomon sayde get wisedome get vnderstanding so get Iehouah and get all things For they alone possesse all things which possesse the possesser of all things Well might Dauid say our helpe standeth besham Iehouah for there we haue power and protection mercy and redemption grace and sanctification But this is a Sunne so glorious that wee are not able to behold it a Sea so deepe we cannot sound it and a maiestie so great wee cannot comprehend it I must say with Barnard To enquire of the Trinitie is a peruerse curiosity to beleeue and to hold as the holy Church holdeth is faith and securitie to see it as it is is most perfect and chiefe felicitie And now I say vnto you as Alanus saide to his auditours who told them that hee would open the misterie of the Trinitie and when hee was to speake hereof at the time appointed saide Sufficit vobis vidisse Alanus It is sufficient that you haue seene Alanus So it is sufficient that you haue heard thus much of the incomprehensible Trinitie and this great glorious name Iehouah Eth Iehouah wee will not so let him goe but as Iacob would not let the Angell goe before hee had got a blessing so we will not giue ouer till we haue found the Lord for though we cannot come neere him because of his glory yet let vs tread in his footsteps and that will bring vs to him at length For as the onely way to come to the sea is to follow the streame to the nearest way to follow the Lord is to follow him in his word and this will bring a man peace at the last saith Dauid And this is that which the Lord commaunded saying Seeke mee and you shall liue but seeke not Beth. el. His meaning is that they should obey his word and follow the same and not Ieroboams calues at Beth el. This was commended in Iofiah which sought the Lord that is the will and word of the Lord to doe accordingly Which thing beingsoneedful that the apostle saith Proue that good and acceptable will of the Lord that is to doe it for this is truely to seeke the Lord. When Christ said Seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse hee meaneth that we should doe that righteousnesse And whosoeuer thus seekes the Lord shall finde him to his comfort But here take heede you seeke him not in Poetry Philosophie or in Historiographie for non est hic He is not here The wisedome of the world knew not God in the wisdome thereof Therfore well might the Apostle say Take heede that no man spoyle you through Philosophie A disease whereof many are sicke hauing more delight and being better experienced in humane stories then in godly Diuinity In the one they are cunning in the other they are ignorant When they come to the word they must doe as men that want their sight which put on their spectacles before they can reade so these must turne to the Table before they can finde the Booke Surely it is not like there can be a strong faith when the knowledge is so weake The men of this age are taken with a kinde of giddinesse in the braine and are sicke of curiositie in Religion more ready to enquire after Melchi sedecs father then the way to finde God Much like Adrian who would needes know who was Euandars nurse and great grandfathers granfather to Priamus Maximus reports that Eucledes who being asked wherewith the gods were delighted answered for other things I know not but this I am sure of they hate all curious persons It was strange that the Iewes should forsake the Manna and loue the Garlike and Onions of Egypt But more strange it is to see the men of this time to forsake the word of God and to loue the foame of mens inuentions How are our Sermons now despised if they bee not garnished ouer with historie or Philosophie How many come hither rather for affected wordes then to learne how to practise obedience and to fill their eares with curiositie rather then their hearts with grace There is no great difference betweene the foode of the body and the foode of the soule for good meate must be set out with floures good clothes with toyes and so sound Diuinitie with history These are seekers but for deuils diuintie Looke on the drunkard and you shall finde him a diligent searcher not for the Lord but for strong drinke Hee beginnes with the Sunne-rising and continues till it set and often hee calles for a candle because the whole day is too short and there he and others search till neither witte in their heads grace in their soules nor money in their purses is to be found The adulterer is a searcher not after the Lord but harlots He seekes all in the darke by owle-light lest the chaste birds of honestie should see him and wonder at him and at length findes a bodie going to the graue full of sores and a soule going to hell miserably sinfull The Incloser is a great seeker but to the poore mans cost and his beasts destruction he hedges in the poore mans Common and keepes pasture from his beast and so he is a murderer both of man an beast Not long since by God such an Incloser was strucken dead suddenly from heauen in the very acte of his sinne I could name him I will not The Ingrosser is a great seeker euen to the foure corners of the Land but in all this inambulation hee cannot or will not find the Lord not so much as set a foote in the path of obedience like those dogs running by the riuer Nilus not once giuing a lap at Iacobs Well These seeke not for grace but graine and commodities like the Pharises that compasse sea and land to fill their ware-houses with commodities Surely wee neede not complaine for want of bread were it not for these Inclosers The ambitious man is a diligent seeker hee lookes high and seekes in the ayre yet not for the Lord but for the honour of promotion like Haman that seeke to ride on the Kings horse and thinke the highest step of promotion too low for them
Christi aduentu By consummation and glorification of the Church in the second comming of Christ and vntill then we must seeke the Lord. The last pare the ende VVE are come now by your patience to the last branch of our text And teach you righteousnesse where in obserue 1. the propertie of it Teach 2. the forme of it Rightcousnesse 3. the persons You. The propertie of the worke comes first to be handled Raine This part would bee better vnsoulded by some Phylosopher then by me Raine is impression that commeth of much cold vapour and moist gathered into a body of a cloude drawne out of the earth or waters by the heate of the Sunne into the middle region of the ayre whereby cold it is so knit together that it hangeth vntill either the waight or heate cause it to breake Some thinke the raine and cloudes are not aboue nine miles in height Albertus Magnus saith they are but three miles in height and some thinke that they be but halfe a mile and some againe by Geometricall demonstrations make it aboue fiftie miles to the place where the cloudes and raine are gathered but not to be too curious to seeke for that whereof we haue no neede To conclude sometime they are higher sometime they are lower according to the waight thereof where they breake to the great feare and no lesse danger of man and beast but to come to the true raine here intended Raine the word iorch doth signifie to raine yet a supernaturall showre which makes glad the city of God Gods word is compared to raine and is this raine fo saith the Lord my word shall droppe as the raine Likewise his spirit is compared to raine I will power water on the dry ground And fitly is his word and grace comcompared to raine 1 Raine is called Imber and hath that name of Imbuendo for it springeth and tempereth the earth and maketh it beare fruite Man is compared to earth and the word and grace to raine If this raine be not showred downe vpon this earth it is vnfruitfull therefore to make this earth fruitfull God sends downe the showers of this raine vpon it as the operatiue meanes and working cause to make the hearts of men fruitfull in faith loue and the like and their liues full of good workes And to this belongs the saying of the wise man Arise O North and come O South because in these two places are the signes which concerne the water and the earth as Taurus Virgo and Capricornus which are in the South and be earthly signes The other are Cancer Pisces and Scorpio in the North and bee watery signes Now when the earth of mans heart and the raine of Gods grace doe meete there followes a fruitfull haruest 2 Raine is called Pluuia and hath that name of pluralitate pluralitie of drops and that drop after drop that the earth might receiue it the better A droppe is part of a cloude being broken which destilleth downe droppe after droppe A fit embleme of this supernaturall raine which from one cloude the spirit destilleth into the hearts of men grace after grace and gift after gift Man hath not all the graces of God at the first but by degrees as the Apostle saith We must first haue milke and then strong meate first a lesse grace then a greater and after that full perfection Regeneration is compared to a birth where first the braine is made then the heart after that the liuer then the sinewes arreryes and pipes and lastly the handes and feete And thus is it in the spirituall birth first knowledge and vnderstanding then faith and repentance after peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost and lastly full assurance of all Gods mercies 3 Raine is a maker of peace for often wee see the windes and other elements in an vproare where by the stout Cedars are bowed to the ground Towres and Castles trembling and the waters roaring But now comes a showre of raine from the cloudes and mittigates all this fury Euen so when since the conscience Gods wrath and the terrors of hell accuse vs within and Gog Magog Moab and Ammon I meane wicked men persecute vs without then are wee in great feare and trembling But now comes a showre of grace and mittigates all feares and secures vs from all terrours 4. Raine is Medicus a good Phisition hauing a powerfull efficacie to cleanse the ayre when by infectious fogges and contagious vapours it is corrupted washing away with the showres thereof all the noysome putrifaction euen so when the iudgement and vnderstanding are infected with the filthy fumes of errours and heresies and the trueth almost stifled then commeth a shoure of grace and cleanseth the soule from all these infectious fogges 5. Raine mollifieth the hard earth and makes it more apt for tillage whereby the bowels of the earth are cut with coulters and shares Euen so the hard and obdurate heart of man is made soft and apt to euery good worke by the showres of Gods grace Happie earth whereon this raine falles that is so operatiue and donum omnium donorum maximum A gift farre aboue all other gifts Ioreh of iarah and signifies to teach as well as to raine For while we liue in this world we are in the schoole of Christ and haue need of teaching and the chiefe teacher is the Spirit of God as Christ The comforter whom the Father will send in my Name shall teach you all things outward meanes without this will doe no good For Paulmay plant Apollo may water yet it is God which teacheth by the Spirit or otherwise all is in vaine For Non verbis hominis sit vt intelligatur verbum Dei facit Deus vt intelligatis The wordes of man cannot make man to vnderstand the word of God but it is God that maketh them to vnderstand The outward ministery worketh no grace in the hearts of men It is but a subordinate meanes and causa instrumentalis The instrumentall cause and not causa efficiens The efficient cause Therefore sayth the Apostle Haue you receiued the holy Ghost Intimating thereby that if they wanted the Spirit they could haue no faith for Hoc est opus Dei This is the worke of God Gods assisting grace and the ministery of man must go together else thereis no power in our perishable voyces to effect your consciences Breake away this Analogie and vertuall association of the spirit from the word and you shall bee like those women euer learning but neuer able to come to the knowledge of the trueth Learne then First to follow the counsell of Christ to giue God the things that belong to God and to Cesar that which belongeth to Cesar. If by the ministerie of man you haue gotten some good measure of knowledge faith loue repentance and the like forget not your duetie to the messengers of God Haue them in singular respect for their workes
sake Yet we must say with Peter Thinke not that we by our owne power or godlinesse haue done you this good No it is the spirit and grace of God And therefore we must say with Dauid Non nobis Domine non nobis Not vnto vs Lord not vnto vs sednomini tuo da gloriam but to thy Name giue the glory For the principall praise belongs to God Secondly bee not forgetfull of that which Salomon teacheth Take heede to thy feete when thou entrest into the house of God Goe not to heare Gods word without the performance of this dutie to pray to God for his grace that the word may bee made fruitfull vnto you And hence it is that the Church hath appointed prayer to be made before Sermons that the word may be blessed vnto the hearers It is not to bee forgotten how God would haue the place of Diuine seruice vpon a mountaine to teach the people that while their bodies went vp to the Temple to heare the Lawe their soules should goe vp to heauen by prayer And therefore as Christ saith in another kinde That which God hath ioyned together let no man put asunder Thirdly if you would haue this raine of grace to fall vpon you keepe vnder the clouds the Ministers of Gods word For by and in the hearing of the same doth God raine downe these showres of his grace For on as many as heard the word did the holy Ghost fall Often his word goes without grace but his grace neuer goes without the word We are called Starres and they are called Stellae of Stando to stand Ministers must bee like them confined to their stations not gadding and wandering Meteors Comets portending delusion to others and confusion to themselues Starres are also called Sidera and haue that name of Considerando taking heede for of them Astronomers take heede and also ship-men by sea Such and much more heed ought you to take of vs for you must seeke the Law at our mouth and by that the spirit this gratious raine Lastly it is said to raine to teach vs what abundance of this grace and mercie hee will bestow vpon vs Solomon saith his name is Shemen turak is as oyle powred out Answerable hereunto saith God I will powre out my spirit Gods mercies are like himselfe infinite so sayth Dauid I know no end thereof they are deeper then the sea larger then the earth and higher then heauen Hoc mirum hoc magnum And haue not wee had good experience of this loue and fauour of God yea Here is no complaining in our streetes no leading into captiuity our children like oliue plants about our tables And hereunto are added the word and Sacraments with other spirituall blessings the milke of exhortation the wine of compunction and the oyle of consolation Thus mercie doth compasse vs on euery side his patience in forbearing his mercie in forgiuing and his constancie in continuance Hee might haue strucken vs with death for one lye with Ananias stoned vs for one wedge of gold with Achan and cast vs out of heauen for one ambition with the deuill But O the tender mercy of God that such sinnes for number so many for qualitie so great and for continuance so long should haue fauour with God In hoc demonstratur virtus potentia Deinarratur Herein is the vertue and power of God declared Let this teach vs that are Ministers to raine down the words of exhortation and admonition you that are magistrates to raine down execution of iustice betweene man and man and you inferiour people to raine downe mutuall dutie one to another The second branch of righteousnesse WE are almost got to the hauen of happinesse and safely arriued in our countrey we haue but this Righteousnes to passe ouer and then we are at home Pareus vpon this word saith that God would teach them Righteousnesse that was to flee hypocrisie for they were giuen much thereto so saith Esay God will haue no compassion on them Quia omnis hypocritaest For euery one is an hypocrite And I could wish that this guilded deuill had not got shipping for England and lande likewise But he walkes inuisible and dares not be seene it may be sometime he is in the countrey among their cold paulsies and shaking agues sometime in the City with our burning feuers and firie zeale the inflamations and impostumes of hypocrisie And were it as odious to man as it were abominable to God it would quickly be banished out of the land Others vnderstand this Righteousnesse Pro misericordia Dei For the mercy of God as Dauid saith Shewe thy louing kindnesse to them that know thee Et iust itiam tuam ad 〈◊〉 corde and thy righteousnesse to the vpright of heart Then the meaning of this is that God will raine downe his mercy vpon vs in the pardon and forgiuenes of sinnes Huge doth handle it thus and saith that Misericordia est quasi fons in affectu Mercy is as the fountaine in the heart and affection and miseratio quasi riuulus in effectu Bountie is as the riuer flowing foorth to the outward action And this is that which God here promiseth I will raine righteousnesse vpon you This word tsedek Righteousnesse is of a great latitude What good is there which will not be brought within this cōpasse It is either creata iustitia or increata iustitia Created iustice or vncreated iustice vncreated Righteousnesse is Deus ipse But we disputenot of this righteousnes Created righteousnes is the creature and is Legall and Euangelicall but iustitia legalis cannot be showred downe vpon vs for the vertual power of that is gone It is Iustitia Euangelij that must doe vs good which may bee deuided thus 1. a righteousnesse of iustification 2. a righteousnesse of sanctification So Sedulius The righteousnesse of God is sanctification by faith and remission of sinnes Righteousnesse of iustification is Remissio siue absolutio A remission or absolution first a veccate secondly amorte from sinne and death Then followes imputatio iustitii an imputation of righteousnesse God remooueth away the guilt putting righteousnesse in place thereof and couering vs with the righteousnesse of Christ. For he is made vnto vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption for which righteousnesse the Apostle prayeth that he may be found in him hauing this righteousnesse on him Thus all the faithfull are truely iustified from all their sinnes yet non vt non sit in nobis peecatum sed non imputetur not that wee are cleared from hauing sinne in vs but that it is not imputed vnto vs for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus This righteousnesse standeth thus FIrst misericordia gratia Dei the meroy and grace of God vt causa principali impulsina in Deo as the principall impulsiue cause in God for his onely mercy mooued him He so loued