alienate Gods glory from him and to intitle himselfe to it therefore he shall be punished as Prov. 15.25 the Lord will destroy the house of the proud men c. even in the time wherein he magnified himselfe he is taken away as Haman and Herod c. or is punished with the losse of his gift that was the cause of his pride his tongue shall cleave to the roofe of his mouth his right hand shall forget her cunning 2. Because he will be singular as Ierome calleth it because hee will be an Vnicorne one that will have no match therefore as they rumpunt rete break the net i. humility wherein Gods prey is so hee delivereth them over to be people by themselves and so they beginne to be authors and beginners of erroneous opinions and heresies and as the Fathers of the Greeke Church say very well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall at length come to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by abstaining from usuall things they shall come to hold absurd things and to be more absurd then they were when they were young Ratio For when one is young he is marvellous fearfull to stand to any thing after when he comes to be a man and hath found as he thinketh some experience of his strength then he cannot so much distrust as before and consequently he commeth to be absurder and there is never an Heretick but may be an example that way 3. Being once brought to this that he is able by himselfe to deale well enough and to leane on his owne staffe the staffe of God i. prayer must needes give over so not craving a supply of God whereas in humility he could have withstood great assaults in his pride hee is overcome with every little temptation At a mans first entry into Christianity and regeneration God giveth him great strength for every little want whereby he may resist great sinnes and temptations because then he wholly relieth himselfe to God afterward relying to himselfe and leaving God he prayeth not and not praying he taketh tge foyle 4. When it pleaseth God to leave those three and to suffer the gift to remaine yet it is an example that they are not fruitlesse we see that where he joyneth them with this pride he doth leave them fruitlesse and no gaine returneth to God by them excellent graces of God have beene employed great eloquence hath beene shewed and yet no fruit comes of them not one soule gained to God when as a simple man with his simple gift well employed in humility shall gaine more then a glorious tongue that is as eloquent as ever Tertullus was 5. Last of all and that punishment which we ought most of all to feare it is to be observed toward the latter end of a man the Fathers call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is a thing in the minde comparable to the Palsie This dulnesse is so ordinary a punishment of pride that it falleth on the children of God but of this dulnesse doe not prevaile then followeth judgment or apoplexie in the body and it is the state that the most part of the world passeth away in a certaine numbnesse or blockishnesse that neither reason can perswade them nor all the threatnings terrifie them nor all the promises allure them nor any thing move them then they passe to death without any sense of Gods judgements so they perish and die as beasts nothing differing from them but onely for the furniture of beds and pillowes This in them is in great measure those that have their hearts as fat as brawn that can feele nothing and in small measure it is in all thus God makes our hearts and state the punishment of our pride while we not making use of pride in us there shall a dulnesse come upon us therefore 2 Cor. 12. God lest in Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the best interpreters interpret it a privie wrestling or fighting and conflict against his owne pride keeping himselfe exercised that those things might not fall out in effect which he felt within him he that feeleth any of these he may ascribe it to the blessing of himselfe in his owne heart and security of his conscience The other extreme and that is Coacta or Spuria Humilitas Alterum hâ—â—ititaâ—â— extremum Another extreme is constrained humility 1. Either constrained humility Exod. 4. in Pharaoh the practise of it is in the 6.7 8 9. chap. so long as Gods hand was on him and his people and he felt his plagues so long he humbled himselfe to the Lord and promised to let the people goe Exod. 9.27 I have now sinned the Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked v. 28. pray ye to the Lord for it is enough that there be no more mighty thunders and hailes and I will let you goe and ye shall tarry no longer but vers 34. when Pharaoh saw that the thunder and raine and haile ceased he sinned againe and hardned his heart both hee and his servants and in the next chap. he asketh Who is the Lord that he should let his people goe There is in every vertue beside the 2. extremes an habit that hath the likelihood of the good habit which they call spâ—â—tam â—iâ—â—utem a bastard vertue Malum câ—namentum humilitatis veritatis detrimentum 3. Rules how we are to stand affected in humility and to know whether our humility be in the truth Bernard expresseth it in one word videmus multos saith he humiliatos sed non humiles we see many humbled but few humble men 2. The other is that which they call Spuriam humilitatem a bastard humility common and especially in some natures that by disposition are humble Ecclus. 13.9 we must not be humiles in sapientia nostra we must be humble in a good cause not in our own conceits if we know it is Gods matter that we have in hand there must no humility be shewed in it detrimentum veritatis non est ornamentum humilitatis we must so be humble as that we keepe our humility for cases unlike In every man there is of God somewhat somewhat of nature and somewhat of the evill spirit Ephes 3.5 the Apostle warrants me to know the gift that God hath bestowed on me and that it is not to give place to the gift of nature * * * Nature must give place to grace In the gifts of nature he preferreth himself Gal. 2.15 of the gifts of nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We who are Jewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles by nature he preferreth the Jewes before the Gentiles the good gifts of nature before the corruption of nature onely this 1 Tim. 1.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chiefe Every one may thus think that in my nature there is so monstrous a masse of corruption as
be thus zealous and so if it be for the name of our Father or any of those that we receive benefit by wee will thinke ill of our selves if we take not the quarrell upon us God is not to be accused to punish those that take his name in vaine To conclude as it is most certaine that Gods name is glorious in it selfe Psal 8.1 How glorious is thy name in all the World So it must be in every one of us If thou wilt it shall be glorified by thee willingly if thou wilt not in spite of thy teeth whether thou wilt or no he will be glorified Exod. 14.4 And I will harden Pharaohs heart so I will get me honour upon Pharaoh and upon all his Host Deut. 14.2 Thou art an holy people unto the Lord. We must be as the Israelites or wee shall be as Pharaoh Hee that will not glorifie Gods name with the Israelites shall glorifie it with Pharaoh that is by suffering Gods punishing hand For the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse The end of the third Commandement The IV. Commandement Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath day c. THE outward worship was divided into the generall or state and temporall worship The reason is this because whereas God commandeth the inward worship of the Soule in the first Commandement both of knowledge and will and in the second hee would have manifest and knowne outwardly the submitting of our knowledge wisedome and reason by reverence a worship the submitting of our affections or will by yeelding reverence of gesture and for this outward gestnre because it could be performed onely to him he would not have it done then onely but when wee were dealing with others and to others that the glory of his name might be magnified in speech and therefore the duties of the third Commandement are injoyned and these three perpetuall and generall besides these three in the fourth Commandement he taketh order that there be not onely a generall profession but also a set day a solemne profession wherein there should be a publique profession of these duties and those and wherein they should all be brought to â—ight Levit. 23.2 3. The feasts of the Lord which ye shall call the holy assemblies even those are my feasts Six dayes shall worke be done but the seventh shall bee the Sabbath of rest an holy convocation ye shall doe no worke therein It is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings The end of the Sabbath A great and holy assembly for this end either that they might be sanctified and all taught or that they might practice them to his glory in the great congregation It is true and that the Heathen man saw well Publicorum cura minor the common care is not the best care But that that is looked to of all is cared for of none and cometh to be regarded of none and so no doubt would men have dealt with God had not he provided a particuler day for himselfe and setled it by a Commandement and that in very particuler manner By that continuall and generall Sabbath they have no day of rest The drift of God in adding this Commandement shall be seene For the Commandement it selfe generally it is full out as long and longer then the second Commandement of many words and therefore moveth us to a due and no lesse consideration of it We see for the duties of the second Table foure of them are ended in a word because common honesty and writers as Philosophers politick and civill Lawes have taken order for them as in manslaughter whoredome and theft c but the fifth because God seeth there is an humour in us that will not willingly yeeld to subjection therefore it was necessary that God should fence it with a reason So likewise in the tenth there is a great particularity used in it because men thinke that their thoughts are free and not to come into judgement and therefore they may have their Concupiscence and Will free But now in the first Table every Commandement hath his reason but above them all in particular this Commandement it includeth six respects that are not found in any of the rest 1. That where the rest runne either barely affirmative as the fifth or barely negative as the rest in this both parts are expressed Affirmative in these words Remember thou keepe holy c. Negative In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke c. So that our desire and inclination to the breach of this Commandement is both wayes met withall 2. That not onely to our selves but to all others that pertaine to us which in a full ennumeration and a wonderfull kind of particularity God proceedeth here to reckon them up that with us or by us may be violators of this Commandement 3. In the other we see how the case standeth they all are imperative and they runne peremptorily the word here used though it be of the Imperative Moode yet it is rather a word of intreaty Remember and may be a note of separation from the rest this Commandement therefore imperat persuadet doth both command and perswade in the word Remember 4. Againe beside the Commandement it yeeldeth a reason and perswadeth but not with one reason as the other but with one maine reason indeed and three others so that this exceedeth all by the multitude of perswasions 5. Another is this that we see in the former Commandement the reason is fearefull so it is in the second Commandement In this it is a farre more easie and reasonable for the great and maine reason is this that we should doe no more then God hath done 6. That as we see by the preface annexed Recordare Remember when we know it is that word that we expresse an especiall charge by because we thinke that it maketh no matter that it is but a trifle whether a duty be broken or kept and therefore he wileth and chargeth us to have an especiall regard of it and not forget him The Commandement as it standeth is divided into the 1. Precept and 2. Aetiologie that is the reason or perswasion First the Precept Remember that thou sandine a day unto me a day of rest to the Lord. For the understanding of it wee must know what is meant first by day of rest or Sabbath secondly what by sanctifying A day of rest or Sabbath properly in the Originall tongue betokeneth such a rest as there hath a worke gone before it Cessaâ—iâ— such a rest is plainely set downe Levit. 25. When the Land hath beene laboured and tilled six yeares he chargeth it to be suffered to rest the seventh yeare and lye fallow a politick Law So that after a labour of six dayes this is it that God requireth that there should be a day of ceasing Sanctifying is here attributed to two in this Commandement in the end that the Lord sanctifyed the Sabbath here in the beginning that wee must remember to sanctifie it The
speaketh Be not mercifull to them that trespasse of malitious wickednesse Psal 59. and Keepe thy servant from presumptuous sinnes Psal 19. These sinnes proceed not from that necessity of sinning which doth accompany our nature but from that corruption of nature which the Apostle doth call the superfluity of wickednesse Iames 1.2 These proceed not from sinne that dwels in us but from that sin which reigneth in us Rom. 6. And as we desire that God will pardon our necessary tentations so especially we are to pray that we may not fall into these superfluous sinnes as the Prophet doth pray Psal 19. Keepe thy servant from presumptuous sinnes that they get not the Dominion over me And Order my steps in thy word Ne dominetur mihi omnis iniquitas Psal 119. For the better understanding of this point we are to consider what are the tentations and tentamenta that is the things whereby wee are tempted The Tentations are either without us or within us Without first the Devill that is the Tempter 1 Thes 3. Secondly the corruption that is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1. The Tempter within us is our owne concupiscence Iames 1.14 without which the outward Tempters should not onely not hurt us but also greatly profit us for the Devill shall in vaine tempt us and the evill examples of the world shall not allure us unlesse we in the lusts of our hearts doe suffer our selves to be overcome and therefore one saith well Teipsum vince victus est mundus Satanas If there be neither covetousnesse in us nor the lust of the flesh the Devill shall not be able to prevaile against us but we shall stand unconquered both of worldly lusts and of the lusts of the flesh The things whereby the Devill tempteth us are Massah and Meribah Psal 95.8 whereby is understood Prosperity and Adversity One while as a Serpent he allureth us by pleasures and if he prevaile not that way then like a roaring Lion he terrifieth with violent danger and that he may have his will of us by one of these meanes hee bewitcheth our understanding Gal. 3. so that we either make great account of those things which indeed are of least value or else judge the danger which he threatneth to be more terrible then it is From this Petition we are to acknowledge that where we pray that God will deliver us from tentation first in regard of our selves we are unable to encounter with these temptations and to withstand the least temptation and yet the grace of God is sufficient for us so that albeit in the light of our owne understanding we cannot discerne what is true pleasure or what is in deed to be feared yet as the Prophet speakes In lumine tuo videbimus lumen In thy light we shall see light Psal 36. and though the messenger of Satan buffet us never so much yet Gods grace shall make us to have the victory without which we are not able to resist the first temptations Which considerations serve to keepe us from pride and to worke in us humility 2 Cor. 12. Secondly in regard of our tempters we are to acknowledge that the Devill much lesse any thing else cannot be able to tempt us without Gods permission so he was not able to touch Iob untill hee had leave of God nor the heard of swine till Christ had permitted him to enter Matth. 18. Thus we see that Satan is chained by God so that he cannot goe further then God will give him leave which maketh for our comfort Temptation is necessary and therefore we pray not ne tentet nos Satanas but ne Deus nos inducat For it is Gods will to use Satans service in this worke and that if we feele that our corruption doth yeeld to sinne we are to say with the Prophet Let God arise Psal 68. and Save me O God Psal 69. Also with Ezechiah Domine vim patior responde pro me Isa 36. O Lord I suffer oppression comfort thou me Touching the leading into tentation we desire not to be led which hath two expositions first that God who knowes our weaknesse will not give leave to the Devill to tempt us at all by any of those meanes because the issue of tentation is doubtfull for many excellent men even the Saints of God have beene overcome thereby Secondly at the least ne inducat that he leade us not into them which have three differences first in respect of God that albeit the Devils desire be to sift us Luke 22. yet ne inducas tu though the lying spirit be ready to intice us that we might fall yet that God would not command him to goe forth 1 King 22. yet that he would not deliver us over in Satans hands and leave us to our selves Secondly in regard of us that we commit not sinne that leads thereunto for qui ducitur volens ducitur but that if we needs must yeeld to temptations it may rather lay hold on us by violence against our wils then leade us so the Apostle speakes 1 Cor. 10. Tentatio vos non apprehendit Tentation hath not taken hold of you and when our Saviour saith to his Disciples Orate ne intretis intentationem pray that ye enter not into tentation his meaning is that willingly and wittingly and of delight of your selves otherwayes then as the infirmity of your flesh doth compell you for if any willingly enter into tentation these God suffers to be led into it so as they cannot get out any more that is the Gentiles till they be effectually called are said to commit all uncleannesse with greedinesse Eph. 4.19 So we doe not devoure the temptations that are incident to our nature and that as the Syriake word used by our Saviour is we take not paine to satisfie the tentations of Satan as it were to climbe up into an high tree Thirdly in respect of the nature of the Greeke word which is rather ne inferas the ne inducas Of Christs leading into tentation Matth. 4. it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is so led as that he was brought backe againe but our leading by the Devill is so to be carried into temptations as that withall we are left there to our selves Christs tentation had an issue 1 Cor. 10. nostra non habet exitum ours hath no issue but our prayer is not onely that it be against our will if at any time we be tempted but that in the tentation he would so hold us by the hand that we may get out of it that albeit we be led into it that we may be brought backe againe From whence this question ariseth Whether God lead any into tentation so as they never get out of it againe The answer is that there are some such but they are those that first suffer themselves to be led even as he hardeneth no mans heart but his that first hardeneth his own heart Of Pharaoh it is said that albeit Aarons
delectatio diligentia sese mutuò necessariò consequuntur Love delight diligence doe mutually and necessarily follow each other seque necessariò consequuntur Delight love and diligence doe mutually and necessarily follow one another 2. Pars. Auscultate mihi The second part Hearken unto me Newnesse of life Esay 29.13 This people come neere to me with their mouth and honour me with their lips but their hearts they have removed farre from me and their feare towards me was taught by the precepts of men As also Marke 7.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This people honoureth me with their lippes but their heart is farre from me which the heathen man declareth by that which they call praesens absens present absent Therefore in this respect it is required that we be so present as that we give eare and have our hearts so neere as our bodies i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to listen unto to obey Psal 40.8 Sacrifices and offerings didst thou not require but mine eares hast thou opened Esay 22.3 the Lord to Esay The eyes of them that see shall not be shut and the eares of them that heare shall hearken Exod. 5.17 Pharao of this opinion that religion is an idle mans exercise The heathen thinketh that all the duty lieth on the speaker But Christ maketh it a great matter to heare well Luke 8.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Take heed how ye heare He addeth his reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for to every one that hath to him shall be given and whosoever hath not from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have Because he that heareth well the spirit will reveale more unto him from him that heareth not well Plutarch lib. de auditione p. 168.5 soloecismes in heaâ—ing shall be taken away that little which he had before And the Gentiles set downe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that one may as well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commit soloecismes in hearing as to commit a soloecisme in speaking There be five soloecismes in hearing 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contraria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A looking like one that is goggleeyed the straying of the eye contrary to those Luke 4.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The hanging downe of the countenance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A casting downe of the countenance contrary to that 2 Cor. 9.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not grudgingly or of necessity for God loveth a cheerefull giver Col. 3.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And whatsoever ye doe doe it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the variation of the body which argueth a wearinesse in hearing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The altering or change of the body 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sleepy yawnings gasping cleane contrary to auscultation which argueth a desire to sleepe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sleepy yawnings for which Christ Matth. 26 40. rebuketh his disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What cold ye not watch with me one houre 5. Smiling one upon another whispering in the eare beckning one to another c. Smiling nodding whispering beckning c. The heathen before their mysteries and ministring of their sacrifices had some one that stood up in the middest of them and cryed aloud Hoc agite attend to this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is an easie thing to heare a hard thing to obey Esay 32.3 Iames 1.23 If any man heareth the word and doth it not he is like to a man that beholdeth his naturall face in a glasse for when hee hath considered himselfe he goeth his way and forgetteth immediately what manner of one he was So also may we say of them that though they heare attentively yet lay not up those words that they heare in their hearts A Rabbin compareth such kind of eares to an houre-glasse When the one glasse is full of sand it is turned and the sand runneth out againe into the other glasse These kind of eares are the worst and not worthy to participate the mysteries of God 3. Signe that we give our mind to it There must not onely be a laying up in memory but in our hearts also so long 2 Pet. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vntill the day dawne and the day-starre arise in your hearts Amongst the Schoolemen Axioma Quod cor non facit non sit there is this Axiome Quod cor non facit non sit what is not done with the heart is not done Else shall we be like Pharao Exod. 7.23 Pharao returned and went againe to his house neither entered it into his heart Therefore the precept is set downe Deut. 6.6 And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart And againe this order of catechising there briefly set downe Deut. 6.6 1. Write them 2. Bind them that we remember them 3. Speake of it to worke thereafter Pro. 4.21 Let them not depart from thine eyes but keepe them in the middest of thine heart Pro. 3.1 Let thy heart c. 3. upon the table of thy heart 5. with all thy heart The talking of these must be to this end that they may worke more knowledge in us We are for the most part in these daies content with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 1.4 To give to the simple sharpnesse of wit to give to the children knowledge and discretion A learned man saith That he learned much of his Master more of his fellowes most of them whom he taught Prov. 2.10.11 When wisedome entereth into thine heart and knowledge delighteth thy soule then shall counsell preserve thee and understanding shall keepe thee Therefore the writing 2. This practise is the fruit committing to memory and talking of them is to this end that they may worke deeper knowledge in our hearts Concerning them therefore that we may not onely be able to intreate of them but also to practice them we have these 3. rules 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 probatio examination 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meditation 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dilatio vel potius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 communicatio conference Because the Lord would have us to be called to his word he commandeth us to search the Scriptures 1. Rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 examination For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—iall John 5.39 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Search the Scriptures Esay 8.19 c. When they shall say unto you inquire of them that have the spirit of Divination c. Revel 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Thou hast tried them which say they are Apostles c. Acts 17.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 searching the Scriptures 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 care meditation 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meditation Besides the manifold iteration Psal 119. Abrahams servant Gen. 24.33 Most plaine 1 Tim.
â—â—iplex Our love to God is mixt with feare for a three-fold reason 1. Reason The doctrine of feare sheweth plaine that it is vaine 2. Reason The reason why it pleased God when love commeth to command feare is threefold 1. that the vaine dreame of many spirits of error dreaming of a perfection in this life might be overthrowne Prov. 28.14 Beatus qui semper pavidus If any have perfection in this life he cannot fall if he cannot fall feare is superstuous but because we might know that during this life there is an unperfect perfectnesse therefore this feare is alwayes necessary 2. The children of God feele alwayes in themselves how feeble their faith how doubtfull their hope how cold and unsavory their prayers how slacke their repentance and how all the rest of the duties are weakened in them in some more in some lesse as the Spirit in measure more or lesse communicateth to them as they did in David yet if feare remaine we shall recover our selves to God againe and he that loseth it not Prov. 28.14 his heart shall never be hardened there is a good preservative for the heart Though all other duties be failing yet if this tarry there shall come no despaire Bernard saith In veritate comperi that he knowes the truth of it by experience that for the keeping recovering assuring of the vertues and duties that God hath commanded there is not a more profitable rule then to feare while the grace of God is present with us The Fathers Custos omnium virtutum est timor Feare is the guard of all other vertues and when that is once departed then there is nothing left but to feare and never rest till we have made our selves fit for the receiving of it againe knowing this quia si deficit illa deficis tu if once thy feare decay thou decayest with it and when we have recovered it then to feare lest we should lose it againe for feare of relapse will make us more circumspect Jerome calleth it Custodem omnium virtutum the preserver of all other vertues 3 That this excellent duty love 3. Reason the effect of this feare might not waxe carclesse Cant. 3.1 Love fell asleepe with her beloved in her armes and her beloved was gone so if there be not a mixture of feare with our love it falleth asleepe and waxeth secure and so it loseth her beloved therefore that we may be sure we keepe love in our armes and keepe her waking there must be a mixture of feare with it So in these three Reasons feare is necessary even in our perfect estate And withall this wee see how that Solomon Prov. 1.7 as also David Psal 111.10 how they call it the beginning of wisedome As feare is the first so it is the last worke and thus is timor castus Col haadam This filiall feare the whole man or the summe of all The Negative part and Col haadam the whole man In the end of the Preacher the conclusion of all things Feare God and keepe his Commandements Prov. 14.27 it is called fons vitae the feare of the Lord is a well-spring of life c. Faith is the beginning of Christian religion as principles of sciences so feare is the beginning as the first worke so the other the reverent feare that is the conclusion of all things There is forbidden here first want of feare the effect whereof is hardnesse of heart and that is of two sorts and the first is a way to the second The first commeth of a false erroneous perswasion Eccles 8.11 Because sentence against those that set their heart on evill is not speedily executed the children of men they harden their hearts there goeth away feare and the conclusion of this is Psal 50.21 they will say to us God is like to us that will suffer men to do wickedly and let them goe unpunished whereas Rom. 2.4 they ought to have reasoned that God doth delay his punishment that we should not delay but be brought to repentance Prov. 29.1 If we delay and profit not by it his destruction will be sudden upon us By this meanes commeth it to passe which the Prophet saith Psal 36.1 that his heart giveth him that there is no feare of God before the eyes of the ungodly Gen. 20.11 as Abraham said there is no feare of God in this place therefore no care of the Commandements of God no care of duty According as thou art feared so is thy displeasure 2. So secondly because there must be still a proportion betweene the object and the power apprehending Psal 90.11 our feare if it be not according to the power of Gods wrath we shall not have so reverend an esteem of his judgements as we ought not that we can feare God as much as he ought to be feared Si contereremur usque ad pulverem though we grind our selves to powder though we should tremble till one bone fell froÌ„ another yet there is a measure Our feare must goe farre beyond mans tradition Esa 29.13 when a man is sure he feareth God beyond mens precepts Mat. 15.2 that he abstaineth from such things as mans law forbiddeth not nor punisheth if he goe no further then mans law his feare is short This then is the triall of our feare if we make the like conscience of doing those things which mans law doth not forbid as of those which both Gods and mans law do take hold of This feare is in respect of an object that is not to be feared it pleaseth God to punish the feare of man 2. wayes 1. In this life Psalm 53.6 2 Prov. 10.24 that whereas they give over the feare of God that which they most feare shall fall on them as Exod. 1. and 1 King 12.11 Againe as want of feare is forbidden so on the contrary to feare that we should not feare Psal 53. the reprobates have this for their punishment v. 2. Corrupt are they and become abominable in their doings v. 6. They were afraid where no feare was c. Trepidaverunt timore ubi not erat causa timoris So we see where superstition and the religion of God are mixed there is small account made of Gods feare that he hath set downe and of the other what man hath invented there is great feare of conscience So likewise Luk. 12.4 the feare of man is forbidden Revel 21.8 the fearefull that for feare have transgressed their portion shall be with the unbeleevers We have examples Pharaoh was afraid of the growing of the Israelites into too great a number and made edicts to kill the male children of the Israelites 1 King 12.27 Jeroboam feared the heart of the people would returne to their Lord Rehoboam if they should go up and do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem and therefore he made two calves of gold and so brought the people to Idolatry Mat. 2. Herod was afraid that hee should lose his Kingdome therefore
rod eate up the inchanters rods that yet he hardened his heart Exod. 7.13 After Exod. 8. when the Sorcerers told him Digitus Dei hic est this is the singer of God yet he hardened his owne heart and then God seeing his obstinacie Induravit corejus hardened his heart Exod. 12. So when Ahab had first sold himselfe to worke wickednesse 1 King 19.20 then it pleased God to deliver him to the lying spirit to deceive him that he might fall 1 King 22. Because Ephraim would have many Altars to serve God gave them many Altars Hos 8.11 That we be not led into tentation the meanes that we are to use is that we put from before our face the stumbling blocks of iniquity Ezek. 14. that we restraine our eyes and mouthes from beholding or speaking that which is evill that we restraine our feete as the Wiseman saith Keepe thy way farre from her and come not into the doore of her house Prov. 5.8 For can a man take fire in his bosome and his clothes not be burnt Prov. 6. Therefore if we will not be led into tentation we must not lead our selves nor tempt our selves nor grope for sinne for the Devils tentation cannot hurt us it shall be a meanes to grace us if we withstand it but if we will be drawne away of our owne lusts then wee cannot but be led As we must forbeare the occasion of sinne so must wee use the meanes that may keepe us from it that is prayer We must make a covenant with our eyes Iob 31. so we shall not bee tempted As we prayed that Gods will touching sanctification 1 Thes 4. and suffering may be done of us so we are to pray not generally to be delivered from the temptations of sinne but particularly from the temptation of any severall sin whereunto we are inclined if to worldly lusts Tit. 2.12 that he would keepe us from them If to the lusts of the flesh 1 Pet. 2. that he will not suffer us to be tempted of them neither that as our tentation increaseth so his strength may increase and if not increase then that he will cause his tentation to decrease THE SEVENTEENTH SERMON MATTH 6.13 But deliver us from evill THis last Petition concerneth the last of those three evills which we desire to have removed from us under which we comprehend all miseries and calamities of this life for that is it which our Saviour understandeth by the evill of the day in the last verse of this Chapter So there is a plaine opposition betwixt this Petition and the fourth As there by daily bread wee understood all things necessary for this present life so when we say Deliver us from evill we seeke to be delivered from all such things as are laborious and troublesome to us in the same There are that make but sixe Petitions of this Prayer saying that the two last are but one but they have no warrant for it The ancient Church hath alwaies divided it into seven and this division they grounded upon the motive which caused our Saviour Christ to pen this prayer which was the avoyding of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Heathen Matth. 6. v. 7. into which they cannot chuse but fall which affirme that these two last Petitions containe but one thing wherein they are deceived for temptation and evill are not of one scantling Every evill is not tentation neither is every temptation evill Some things are evill in their owne kind as wolves and Kites other things are not onely evill in themselves but bring forth evill effects for our sinnes are not onely evill but the calamities and miseries which our sinnes bring upon us are also evill and therefore we are to pray no lesse against the one then against the other Touching the misery of this life we are to pray as the Prophet wils us for the deliverance from them Psal 50. Call upon mee in the day of thy trouble That this and the former cannot be one Petition appeareth for where we pray that we be not led into temptation we desire that we may do no evill when we pray that we may be delivered from evill our desire is that we may suffer no evill In the first we pray against malum culpae in the second against malum poenae The first is an evill of our owne doing the other of Gods doing as the Prophet speakes Amos 3. Non est malum in Civitate quod non facit Dominus As before sinne committed wee desired non induci so here when we have committed sinne our desire is that God would not deliver us to our Ghostly enemy that he may afflict us in this life with temporall plagues nor in the life to come keepe us in eternall torments When we desire that God will deliver us from the miseries of this life and of the life to come we have these things to consider first that the case of Christian men is not like the state of the Heathens for they had Joves white gods from whom they received good things and blacke gods whom they called depulsores malorum but Christians have but one God to flie to whom they acknowledge to be both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a God that doth not onely give us good things but takes from us those that are evill so God testifieth of himselfe to Abraham that he is not onely his exceeding great reward but also his shield Gen. 15. both which we are to consider in this that in Scripture he is compared to a rocke Secondly that the devill hath a desire to carry us away into sinne and transgression to the end he may endanger our soules and if he cannot hurt us that way then he will labour to do us some outward mischiefe if he cannot prevaile as a tempter yet that he may hurt us as a tormenter So he dealt with Job who for that he was a just and perfect man so as Satan could not tempt him to sinne against God therefore his desire was that he might touch his body and torment him with outward losses for his delight is evermore in doing of mischiefe if he can no longer vexe the soule of man yet he will crave this leave that he may torment the poore hogges Luk. 8.32 Thirdly that we have two kind of helpes against this evill first that precaution which our Saviour tells us of in the former Petition that before we commit sin we pray non induci that neither temptation come at us nor we at it Secondly that albeit wee by sin are fallen into evill yet there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or salving to be looked for of God who will deliver us after that we are delivered into the hands of our adversarie as in the first Petition we pray that we may not fall into evill by yeelding to temptation so here if wee be fallen yet God would deliver us out of it Both these helpes are ascribed to God Of the