in every knowne dutie that concerneth him of the one sort or is not carefull to shunne every kinde of evill act of the other sort doth not either observe ought in the one kinde or eschew ought in the other kinde out of any true care or conscience of his dutie and obedience to God but for some other by ends and by-respects It is a good Rule in the Schooles t Vbi unum aliquod peccatum remittitur ibi omnia remittuntur Impossibile est unum sine aliis remitti Thom. Aqum sum p. 3. q. 86. a. 3. He that hath any one sin remitted hath all sinnes remitted And so u Peccata quamvis non sint connexa quantum ad conversionem ad honum conmutabile sunt tamen quantum ad aversionem à bono incommutabili in hac parte habent rationem offensae quamper poenitentiam oportet tolli Aquin ibid. Hee that hath sincerely repented of any one sinne hath repented him of all And he that hath not repented him of all knowne sinne hath not repented yet of any For what is true Repentance but x Ezek. 18.21 27 28 30 32. 33.11 a returning againe into the right way And how is it possible for a man to returne into the right way * Psal 119.101 passim Palantes error recto de tramite pâ—llit Horat serm l. 2. sat 3. as long as he wandreth still in any by-path Or how can a man repent of this or that particular sinne because it is contrary to Gods Will or offensive in his sight but hee must needs withall repent him of whatsoever he knoweth to bee in like manner a breach of his Law and a businesse that he abhorreth Nor doth that man indeed studie sincerely and out of a love of God to please him in any thing that doth not as the Apostle Paul prayeth in the behalfe of the Colossions endevour and strive y Coloss 1.10 to fructifie in every good worke that he may please the Lord in all things z Quando servus ex Dominisui jussiâ— ea facit tantummodo quae vult jam non Dominicam implet voluntatem sed suam Salvian de provid l. 3. He doth not Gods Will saith Salvian well but his owne Will that doth it no further than himselfe will that doth not by labouring with the Apostle Paul to keepe “ Heb 13.18 a good conscience in all things †2 Cor. 5.9 11. 6.4 endevour to approve himselfe and his courses unto God as well in some things as in others This Vniversalitie therefore of care and endevour is a good argument of Sinceritie As on the other side it is a shrewd signe of unsoundnesse and insinceritie a Sciendum quia quisquis virtute aliqua pollere creditur tunc veraciter pollet cum vitiis ex aliqua parte non subjacet Greg. mor. l. 21 c. 1. when men will seeme to make conscience of performance of some good duties and yet are wholly carelesse and regardlesse of others or when they will seeme to make conscience of the forbearance of some sinnes and yet lye and live in the ordinary practice of others which yet they cannot be so ignorant as not to know or so unmindfull as not to consider to be sinnes Thus was Herods hypocrisie detected and discovered He stood in some awe of Iohn knowing him to be a very holy man and because hee would be esteemed religious and would seeme to respect him b Mark 6.20 he heard him oft and at his motion did many good things yea and it is like enough that he outwardly reformed many things amisse that Iohn found fault with either in his Court or in himselfe But yet hee would not leave the keeping of his Brothers wife for all that and therefore c Mark 6.17 when Iohn began to deale plainly with him in that point he then brake off all and committed Iohn to ward and made it evidently appeare thereby that all his former reformation and well-doing was but in shew onely and for other ends And hereby also was Iehues zeale descried to bee unsound He made a great shew a while of zeale for God and his worship and d 2 King 10.16 Ionadab must needs along with him and see it Hee was zealous e 2 King 10.28 against Baal that was f 1 King 16.31 32 33. the ruine of Ahabs house and g 2 King 10.11 against Ahabs house which it was h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot rhet l. 1 c. 15. Herod Clio. Philip. Maced not for his safetie as he thought to let stand or to leave any remainder of but i 2 King 10.31 he gave way to the Calves though no lesse abominable in Gods sight and as dishonourable unto him because k 1 King 12 27 28. that seemed to be the stay of his estate And so he shewed thereby that all his Pietie was no better than meere Policie and that he sought but his owne ends in either And in like manner when men and women shall be content to reforme their lives and conforme themselves to the Will and Word of God in some things but stand out wilfully in some other things refusing to practise the like reformation or to shew the like conformitie in them albeit they be in heart and conscience convinced of their dutie therein it is an evident Argument of unsoundesse Note 2 A second Note of Sinceritie is Vniformitie As an Vniversalitie so an Vniformitie in well doing Vniformitie when a man keepeth * Virtutem ostendit constantia omnium inter se actionum concordia quando idem semper quis est in omni actu par sibi Sen. epist 120. Tunc directae sunt viae nostrae cùm par fuerit in omnia aequalisque custodia Hilar. in Psal 119. Omne bonum quod fit propter Deum in omnibus rebus aequaliter observatur Quod autem in omnibus rebus non aequaliter observatur propter homines fit Autor oper imperf in Mat. hom 45. an equable tenour in his courses and carriage not strict in some things and slack in other though it may bee not wholly regardlesse of them but holdeth an even hand generally in his care and observance of things enjoyned him by God “ 1 Tim 5.21 Non est justa causatio cur praeferuntur aliqua ubi facienda sunt omnia Salvian de provid l. 3. I charge thee saith the Apostle to Timothy that thou observe all these things without preferring one before another and that thou doe nothing partially And saith David as before l Psal 119.128 True Christianitie esteemeth all alike Greenham in Psal 119. I have all thy Precepts concerning all things in esteeme and I forbeare not onely but even abhorre all wicked waies And againe m Psal 119.104 By thy Commandements I get understanding and therefore I abhorre not some one or two but each wicked way His zeale was not partiall but
tokens indeed on them and such observe it when you will you shall seldome see come to good Part 4 In the fourth and last place commeth benigna pollicitatio a kinde pollicitation or promise And in it consider wee according to our former Division Branch 1 First the Agent or person teaching King David himselfe As h Eccles 1.1 12. Salomon his Sonne though a King scorned not the title of a Preacher so David his Father though a worthy Prince thought no scorne to play the part of a Schoolemaster to be a Teacher of Children even of pety Scholers of little ones Doctrine 4 Whence observe wee that Teaching even of Children is no base profession it is that that may well beseeme even the greatest Abraham though a i Gen. 23.6 Prince of God or k Sic Montes Dei i. ingentes Psal 36.6 Et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arat. in diosem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theon in schol a great Prince yet was carefull himselfe l Genes 18.19 to teach his sonnes and his servants God himselfe testifieth it of him and commendeth it in him to keepe Gods commandements David though m Psal 78.71 the chiefe Governour of Gods people and n Psal 18.43 the Head of many Heathen yet inviteth Children here to come to him and promiseth himselfe to instruct them as also else-where o Psal 32.9 I will instruct and teach thee what way to take I will guide thee with mine eye And Salomon p 1 King 3.12 2 Chron. 2.12 the wisest meere man that was ever since Adam thought it no disparagement either to his place or his person q Prov. 4.1 2. to give instructions and directions to the Children that God gave him Yea as our Saviour saith r Matth. 12.42 Behold one greater than either ſ Matth. 22.43 44. David or Salomon Our Saviour himselfe t Matt. 19.13 14 15. when Children were presented unto him and his Disciples would have kept them back from him as supposing it too meane a businesse for him to be imployed in was displeased with them for so doing and called the Children unto him And he that was so forward to embrace them and blesse them was no doubt of it as ready also to teach and instruct them so oft as opportunitie was offred him Neither ought any to disdaine or thinke meanly of this office For Reason 1 1. It is an office that hath beene formerly performed to them by others Wee are all naturally as wilde trees that by manuring and husbandry become fruitfull and usefull We brought neither Grace nor Art into the world with us If wee have ought of either wee have beene taught it by others And wee should not thinke much to performe that office unto others that by others hath beene formerly performed unto us Salomon thinketh no scorne to instruct his Sonne u Prov. 4.3 4. because his Father instructed him in like manner before Reason 2 2. It is an office most necessary and of singular use x Operum Fastigia spectantur latent Fundamenta Quintil. institut praesat Plus habet operis quam ostentationis Ibid. l. 1. c. 4. It is the foundation that lyeth lowest under ground out of sight that though it maketh least shew yet * Non sunt contemnenda quasi parva sine quibus magna constare non possunt Hierom. ad Laetam Ad nullius rei summam nisi praecedentibus initiis pervenitur Minora ista si negligantur non erit majoribus locus Quintil. institut praesat Debise fundamentum fallit opus Wainstet de Grammatica Nec siquid discere satis non est ideo necesse non est Quantil instit l. 1. c. 1. beareth up the whole building As Kingdomes and States consist of Cities and Townes so these of private Families the well-being whereof mainly dependeth upon the carefull education and training up of the youth in them Vse 1 The consideration whereof may serve first to take away the unjust and frivolous aspersions that either rude and ignorant or prophane and irreligious persons doe usually cast upon this profession Where it is strange to see and it argueth the great corruption of mans nature how that those Callings that God hath most graced in the Word are commonly most disgraced and contemned in the World How meanly doe most men think of a Priest or a Pedant as in scorne they use to terme them the one and the other And yet y Levit. 10.3 Num. 16.9 who come neerer to God than the Ministers of his word Or who come neerer to Ministers than Schoole-masters doe What is their Schoole but a private Church if it be ordred as it ought If z 1 Cor. 16.19 Christian Families be so Christian Schooles much more Or what are they themselves if they be at least that they should be but private Catechists but private Preachers But as he saith a Scientia non habet inimicum nisi ignorantem Skill hath no foe of any but such as are unskilfull themselves so none will thinke basely of so worthy and honourable a Calling but those that are themselves either rude dolts or debauched rake-hels Vse 2 Secondly it may serve to approve and commend the prudent and pious practice of those that are carefull to give incouragement to those of this profession and to provide such meanes for the maintainance of them that men of worth and good parts may be imployed in such places As also to incite others whom God hath blessed with meanes and abilitie to all due care and caution in this kinde as being a businesse whereupon the good both of Church and State mainly dependeth As b Eccles 5.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. oeconom Salomon saith that the Throne or the Chaire of Estate is upheld by the Plough so we may truly say that both Church and State are upheld by the Schoole For let private Schooles be neglected whence shall the Universities be supplied whence shall the Ministerie be provided how shall they teach others that were themselves never taught how shall the chiefe Offices be furnished with men of abilitie either in Church or Common-weale Both Religion and Learning will soone dye and decay if life be not kept and maintained in the root Application And here can I not wholly passe by in silence nor forbeare to put you of this place in minde of those two Honourable Knights c St Andrew Iudde the Grand-Father and d St Thomas Smith the Grand-Childe the one long since deceased the other yet living whom God hath made Instruments of a great blessing in this kinde to this place The former of them first founded a free Schoole among you for the training up of your youth in vertue religion and good learning and left land and meanes to maintaine it with stipends such as were in those times ordinarie for Schoole-master and Ushier The latter of them hath added
shall be as a Tree planted by the water side that spreadeth her root alongst the river and doth not feele when the scorching heat commeth but continueth ever green and taketh no thought for the yeere of drought nor at any time ceaseth to have fruit on her Forbeare not therefore the following hereof for fear of want but follow these things rather if thou wouldst not feare want In like manner for your Children would you have them so provided for that you should not need to take any further care for them in that kinde Distrustfull care I meane still and of uncertaine event for otherwise l 2. Cor. 12.12 Parents ought to be carefull to provide for their children and m 1 Tim. 5.8 he is worse I say not than an Infidell but n Nahum 2.13 Thren 4.3 Ipsae ferae saevissima sâ—â—tus suos fovent enâ—triâ—at â—ilvi pâ—llas circumvolâ—â—â—s rapinis prospiciâ—â— Aug. de Civit. l. 19. c. 12. than a brute beast that doth otherwise But would you so doe for them that they may bee sure not to want which otherwise o Eccles 4.14 Ample regiae opâ—s ubi ad malum dominum perveneâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 â—ssiâ—gntur S◠〈…〉 sâ—◠〈…〉 â—â—oefâ—â—â—â—rat 〈◊〉 Ovid. Trist 3.7 though you leave them never so much they may doe Doe the like for them that you are exhorted here to doe for your selves A poore man when he hath gotten his childe once into the Hospitall how glad is he hee thinketh hee need take no more care for him whether hee live or die whether he leave him ought or no and yet he will doe his best to get some what to leave him he knoweth there he shall not want But get yoâ—â— Children say I not into Christs Hospitall but into Gods Kingdome 〈◊〉 Grace and they shall then be sure indeed never to want you shall need to take no further thought for them Let this be thy first care and thy principall care as for thy selfe so for them not how to make them rich but p Genes 18.19 Deut. 6.6 1 Chron. 28.9 how to make them religious how to worke the sincere q Prov. 24.21 Ephes 6.4 fâ—aâ—e of God r 1 Tim. 4.6 2 Tim. 1.5 3.15 faith of Christ into them This when thou hast once effected thou needest not be troubled to thinke what will become of them if thou beest taken away from them or what thou shalt be able when thou diest to doe for them thou shalt leave them Gods blessing if thou hast nothing else to leave them where Religion and Righteousnesse runneth on in a race there Å¿ Psal 115.13.14 Gods blessing is also hereditarie with it and if thou leave them that though thou leave them nought else they shall be sure to doe well they shall never want ought For t Psal 37.18 19. The Lord knoweth the dayes of the upright or the righteous saith David and their inheritance shall abide for ever They shall not be confounded in the evill time and in the dayes of famine they shall have their fill And he confirmeth it further by his owne experience both concerning them and their issue u Psal 37.25 26. I have beene young and am now old yet x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Paedag. lib. 3. cap. 7. never either in my younger or elder times have I seene any righteous man forsaken or his seed driven to beg their bread But though hee be mercifull and ready to lend a meanes many times to lessen and impaire mens estates yet his seed after him inheriteth the blessing Yea but wee see even y Hebr. 11.37 godly men many times in want may some say Objection I answer in a word z Psal 37.10 64.11 They never want what is good what is necessarie Solution what is * Sicut contra de malis Chrysippus apud Plut. de commun not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ait sapientem nulla re indigere tamen multis illirebus opus esse contra stulto nulla re opus est nulla enim rescit uti sed omnibê° eget Egere enim necessitatis est Nihil autem sapienti necesse est quod noÌ„ habet Sen ep 9. needfull and behoovefull for them to have And whatsoever is not good and fit for them it is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diogen Laert. l. 6. better for them to be without it than with it to want than to have it Doe we not see I say not the Sons of Kings but even Kings and Princes themselves oft by the Physitians direction b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dion Chrys Orat. 14. imprisoned in their owne Palaces confined to and cowpt up in their chambers restrained of their wonted full and delicate fare and held to hard meat as wee say tied to a strict and spare diet yea and glad too to observe it because c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ib. it would otherwise be worse with them No marvell then if the godly sometime in like manner though Kings and d 2 Cor. 6.10 Lords of all things are for their spirituall health and further good restrained of some things that are not so fit for them at the present Such want is no want when a man rather e Aliud enim non habere aliud carere Cic. Tuscul l. 1. is without than wanteth that which to be without then is for his good Conclusion To end where wee began let us by any meanes take heed lest our immoderate care for the things of this life expell and justle out our care for things belonging to a better life f Congruum non est in honore solicitudinis nostra praestantioribus peâ—ora subjicere Eucher ad Valer. Let that rather yeeld to this and g Philip. 4.4 this then will discharge us of that let our maine and principall care be for Gods Kingdome and his Righteousnesse and for other things wee may then boldly h 1 Pet. 5.7 cast our care upon God who will be sure thereupon i Psal 23.1 Luk. 22.35 sufficiently yea k 2 Cor. 9.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost in hunc locum abundantly to furnish us with whatsoever l Matth. 6.32 he shall see to be needfull and fit for us FINIS A Short Catechisme for the Simpler Sort. 1 Q Who made the whole World and Man at the first A. a Genes 1.1.27 God b Eccles 12.1 Rom. 11.36 Apoc. 4.11 the Creator of all things 2 Q. What is God A. An d Psal 90.2 102.27 eternall and e Apoc. 1.8 Psal 115.3 135.6 almightie c Iohn 4.24 Spirit most f 1 Tim. 1.17 Iude 23. wise most g Esai 6.3 Apoc. 4.8 1 Sam. 2.2 holy most h Psalm 92.15 145.17 just and most i Psal 102.8 19. 145.8 mercifull 3 Q. How many Gods are there A. There is but k Esai 44.6.8 1 Cor. 8.5 6. one God
tamen demones credant contremiscant Autor ocul moral cap. 13. contempl 3. the devils saith Iames beleeve and tremble they beleeve Gods Word and they tremble at his wrath Whereas wicked man in that regard worse than they neither beleeveth the one nor feareth the other c Esa 5.19 28.15 Ierem. 5.12 13. 23.33 maketh but a scoffe and a jest of either And no marvell then if there bee no watching against sinne where there is no feare or expectation of any evill or danger by sinne no dread or awe of Gods wrath against it Helpe 5 § 48. A fift Helpe to further us in our spirituall Watch and a meane to keepe this feare of God fresh in our soules is to bee throughly perswaded and oft seriously to consider of Gods continuall presence about us and with us wheresoever we are and whatsoever we are about d Psal 16.8 quaecunque capesses Testes factorum stare arbitrabere divos Silius bell Pun. lib. 15. In omnibus quae agis Deum praesentem cogites Cave itaque ne vel signo vel facto offendas qui ubique praesens cernit quicquid facis Bern. medit c. 6. I have set the Lord alwaies before mine eies saith David For hee is at my right hand therefore shall I not fall And it would bee indeed a soveraigne preservative to keepe us from falling into this spirituall slumber and a singular meanes to make us watchfull of our waies if we could at all times remember and did seriously consider that e Prov. 15.9 There is an eye of God in every place viewing both good and bad yea that that God who is f Deus totus est sensus totus visus totus auditus Plin. hist nat l. 1. c. 7. Totus auris totus oculus Iren. l. 1. c. 6. all eye and g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesiod oper 1. whose eye seeth all h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eurip. apud Clem. Alex. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod tamen Philemoni tribuit Iustin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that seeth all himselfe unseene of any is present in all places i 1 King 8.27 not penned up in Heaven but k Ierem. 23.25 filling Heaven and Earth as l Intra omnia nec inclusus Extra omnia nec exclusus Hildebert without all things and yet not excluded from any so within all things and yet not included in any being like m Sphaera cujus centrum ubique circumferentia nusquam Empedocles apud Trithem ad Caesar quaest 1. contra aptius quà m Trismegistus apud Scalig. de subtil exerc 363. a spheare as the Heathen man sometime said whose Center is everie where and its Circumference no where So that as David said sometime of himselfe n Psal 139 7-13 There is no flying for any man from the face of God no shunning of the Spirit or presence of God if wee climbe up into Heaven wee are sure there to finde him and if wee creepe downe into hell wee shall not misse of him there neither full glad would those damned wretches bee if they could if wee could take the wings of the morning and flie as farre as the world is wide yet there should we be sure to finde the hand of God ready to catch hold of us Or if wee imagine that the darknesse and the nightly shade may cover and conceale us from his sight hee is able to turne o Amos 5 8. as the day into darke night so the darke night into day Yea p Psal 39.11 12. darknesse is no darknesse with him but the night is as cleare as the day light and darknesse day and night are with him both alike It is the argument that Salomon useth with the incontinent person to withdraw him from his loose and licentious courses q Prov. 5.20 21. Why shouldest thou delight saith hee in a strange woman or embrace a strangers bosome Since the waies of a man are before the eies of the Lord and he pondereth all his paths Yea not his waies alone but r Heb. 4.12 the secret motions of his minde and the inward intentions of his heart they are all ſ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naked and broken up as the inwards of a beast that is cut up and quartered to him that we have to deale with For t Psal 139.13 2. thou hast possessed my very reines saith David and thou understandest all my thoughts yea u Psal 139.2 thou understandest them afarre off or long before x Elonginquo i. longè antequam animo insederint meo Iun. Intra hominum mentes non solum tractata sed etiam volvenda cognoscit Ambr. offic lib. 1. c. 14. he seeth them ere they are they are conceived of him ere they be conceived in us hee knoweth as well what wee will either thinke or doe as what wee have already thought or done And y Prov. 15.11 Sic certè vivendum est tanquam in conspectu vivamus sic cogitandum tanquam aliquis in pectus intimum inspicere possit Quid enim prodest ab homine aliquid esse secretum Nihil Deo clusum est Interest animis nostris cogitationibus mediis intervenit Sen. ep 83. Hell and destruction saith Salomon are before the Lord and how much more then the hearts of the sonnes of men And it is the argument that Elihu useth to disswade and deterre men from wicked practices z Iob 34.21 22. Gods eies are upon the waies of man and hee eieth every step hee taketh And there is no darknesse nor deadly shade that can shadow wicked workers from his sight § 49. This was that that kept David in compasse a Psal 119.168 I have kept saith hee thy precepts and thy testimonies for all my waies are in thy sight As b Psal 18.22 119 6. all Gods lawes in his sight so all his waies in Gods sight Gods lawes in his sight by dutifull regard his waies in Gods sight through his all-seeing providence whereby c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. epitaph Athanas Potter funer ser like a well-drawne picture that eieth each one in the roome he eieth in that manner each one in the world and all the waies of each one d Sic curat universos quasi singulos sic singulos quasi solos Aug. confess l. 3. c. 11. Sed sic spectat c. Hinc Greg mor. l. 25. cap. 19. Sic intendit singulis acsi vacet à cunctis sic simul intendit omnibus ac si vacet à singulis as if his eie were upon none but him alone This was it that made Ioseph so vigilant and watchfull that he would not yeeld unto sinne though he were solicited and urged thereunto when there was both opportunity and secrecie withall none by to see them or to bewray them and so to incense his Master against him e Genes 39.9 How
shall have the one as an overplus in to the other It is a great stay of minde to a man for himselfe or his sonne if the King shall say to him as David f 2 Sam. 9.7 to Mephibosheth or g 2 Sam. 19.38 to Barzillai the Gileadite I will see that thou or he shall never want or you shall neither of you ever want if I may helpe it What a stay of minde must it needs bee to the Godly man then when the King of heaven and earth shall say as much unto him h Psal 146.3 4 5 6. hee that is able to make his word good at will and i Heb. 7.25 liveth for ever to performe whatsoever he hath promised Againe the Godly may say it and assure himselfe of it that whatsoever estate he is in that estate for the present God seeth to be best and fittest for him k Quare multa bonis viris adversa eveniunt nihil accidere bono viro mali potest non miscentur contraria Sen. de provid c. 2. If he be poore povertie is best for him or else hee should not so bee if he bee sicke sicknesse is best for him then otherwise God would not suffer him to keepe his sick-bed if in prison restraint of liberty is then fittest for him otherwise the prison should no more be able to hold him than l Act. 5.23 19. 12.6 7. it was to hold Peter when the doors were fast locked on him and a guard of souldiers set to keepe him sure If riches were good for him he should be sure to have them if health were good for him hee should bee sure not to want it if liberty m Psal 118.5 God without delay would enlarge him and restore it n Psal 34.9 10. For there shall nothing bee wanting to those that feare God The Lions shall lacke and suffer hunger but those that seeke the Lord shall want nothing that is good o Psal 84.11 God their Sunne and Shield will give them grace and glory and no good thing will he p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 17.1 15.1 who is God all-sufficient denie unto them that walke uprightly before him Marke the Apostles argument that he useth for the proofe of this point q Rom. 8.32 Qui misit unigenitum immisit spiritum promisit vultum quid tandem tibi negaturus est Bern de temp Nihil unquam ei negasse credendum est quem ad vituli hortatur esum Hieron ad Damas de Luc. 15.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Rom. hom 15. He that spared not his Sonne but bestowed him upon us how can hee but give us all things together with him And conceive wee the force of it by this comparison Suppose a man have a friend who having but one pretious Jewell of great price that he maketh speciall reckoning of is content to part with it and bestow it on him for the ransoming and redeeming of him out of captivity hee is content againe when he is sicke to be at any charge with him for Physitian and Physicke and yet when he is in the fit of a burning Fever hee will not by any meanes suffer him to have a cup of cold water May not such a one in this case reason thus with himselfe Surely if it were good and safe for me yea were it not certainly dangerous and prejudiciall unto me to drinke such cold and raw drinke this my friend that thinketh nothing too good or too deare for me that may doe me good that is content to be at all this cost and charge with me for Physicke would never denie me a cup of cold water that standeth him in nothing And consequently if he be wise he will strive against his owne desire of it and bend himselfe patiently to endure the want and denial of it as done in wisdome by his friend out of a tender regard of his good And in like manner doth the Apostle teach the Godly man to reason God that having but r 1 Petr. 1.18 19. one precious Jewell to speake of ſ Ioh. 3.16 1 Iohn 4.9 his owne Son and his onely Sonne was content to bestow him upon mee to shed his heart-blood for the saving of my soule if he saw health or wealth to be good for me he would never deny it me t Hagg. 2.9 1 Chron. 29.11 12. being no more than as a crum of bread or a drop of water with him So that so long as he with-holdeth it I know well that it is better for mee to want it than to have it and therefore * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rufus apud Arrianum dissert l. 1. c. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. l 2. c. 16. I will endevour to keepe my selfe quiet and rest content with the want of that which I want for my good This Godlinesse perswadeth every Christian unto and this Godlinesse enabled the same Apostle to doe u Philip. 4.11 12 13. I have learned saith hee x Magnus ille est qui fictilibus sic utitur quemadmodum argento nec ille minor est qui sic argento utitur quemadmodum fictilibus infirmi animi est pati non posse divitias Sen. epist 5. to abound and I have learned to be in want Taught it a man must be ere he can attaine to it and it is a lesson that is not easily learned y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Georg. Pisid de vanit vitae I have learned to be hungry and I have learned to be full The one had need to be learned as well as the other and till a man have learned it he shall never be filled I have learned in whatsoever estate I am therewith to bee content I am able to doe all things yet z Ille fortis est qui non inse sed in Deo fertis est Aug. in Psal 31. Bonus vir sine Deo nemo est an potest aliquis supra fortunam nisi ab ill◠adjutus exurgere ille dat consilia magnifica erecta In unoquoque bonorum virorum qui Deus incertum est babitat Deus Animum excellentem moderatum omnia tanquam minora transeuntem quicquid timemu◠optamus que ridentem coelestis potentia agitat Non potest res tanta sine adminiculo numinis stare Sen. ep 41. not of mine owne strength but through the power of Christ enabling mee And so passe wee to the third Point that at first wee propounded to wit that true contentment is an undoubted argument of Godlinesse A contented minde argueth a religious heart and a discontented minde argueth an irreligious spirit It is a signe that a man seeth not Gods goodnesse considereth not his owne unworthinesse when hee is ever murmuring and repining misliking and finding fault with his owne estate and envying those that bee above him So that where discontentment is lodged in the heart there is Godlinesse excluded and shut out of doores And hereby
may a man know himselfe to bee truly religious if hee have a minde contented ever with his present estate not a Feras non culpes quod vitari non potest P. Syrus Optimum est pati quod emendare non possis Sen. ep 107. leve fit patientia Quicquid corrigere est nefas Hor. carm 1.24 barely because hee cannot mend the matter or ease himselfe by being discontent at it that is a kinde b Affectio humana caninae aequanimitatis stupore sirmata Tertull de patient of doggish stupiditie rather than Christian aequanimitie as one well saith but because c Psal 39.9 119.75 Deum quo authore cuncta proveniunt sine murmuratione sequi Senec. epist 107. Quicquid inciderit non tanquam malum aspernabitur in se casu delatum sed quasi à Deo delegatum sibi lubens amplexabitur Idem ep 120. God hath placed him in it and seeth it fittest and best for him whose d Matth. 26.39 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arrian Epictet dissert lib. 2. cap. 17. Placeat homini quicquid Deo placuit Senec epist 74. ob hoc ipsum quod Deo placeat Hieron alicubi Deus quod vult qui vult is semper est foelix holy will hee desireth to conforme his owne to and e Thymarides Pythagoricus cum discedenti quidam quasi benè precatus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dii tibi dent inquit quaecunque volueris at ille 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bona verba inquit Velim ego potuis quaecunque Dii dederint Iamblych de vita Pythag. l. 1. c. 28. Magnus est animus qu◠se Deo tradidit pusillus degener qui obluctatur de ordine mundi malè existimat Deos mavult emendare quà m se Senec. epist 107. not to writhe and wrest Gods to his and therefore f Iob 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marc. leg spir 159. is willing to receive as well evill as good from God and g 1 Sam. 3.18 Si Deus bonus Diabolus malus nec à malo boni quicquam nec à bono mali quicquam potest provenire August to rest content with whatsoever he doth whom he knoweth h Esa 39.8 to doe nothing but good and i Psal 119.71 67. to doe all things for his good that which is true piety and a good note of sinceritie wheresoever it is found But here every man will be ready to say that he may seeme religious that he is well content with his estate and thanketh God for it with k Iob 1.21 Iob whatsoever it be Well if it be so as Saint Iames saith l Iam. 2.18 Shew me thy faith by thy workes so let us m Aesuanimitas vestra nota sit Philip. 4 5. shew our contentment by the effects by the fruits of it Of a note or two of contentment then a word or two and so an end One signe of contentment then is the use of lawfull means onely When a man desireth not nor endevoureth to better his estate by indirect and unwarrantable courses when a man doth n Psal 37.1 8. 73.12 13. not fret to see wicked men rise by bad meanes nor is sory that he may not doe as they doe much lesse is moved to doe wickedly and to take such courses as hee seeth wicked ones thrive withall while himselfe and other godly as himselfe seemeth to observe either decay or else stand at a stay o Genes 14.23 Abraham when the King of Sodome offered him some part of his spoyles refused to take so much as a shoe-latchet of him that the king of Sodome might not say that hee had made Abraham rich that men might not say that Abraham had beene made rich not by Gods blessing but by the Kings meanes hee might thanke the King of Sodome for his wealth So a godly man will not gaine nor desire to gaine so much as a shoe-string or shoe-thred by prophaning Gods Sabbaths with p Nehem. 13.16 the Zidonian Merchants by fraud of deceit by oppression and extortion by biting usury the Devils brokery or by any other unlawfull and indirect course that the devill may not say that he hath made him rich as hee said sometime to our Saviour q Matth. 4.9 All this will I give thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me For * Illas tibi divitias Diabolus dat quas per furtum quas per fraudem acquiris Operis imperf apud Chrysost hom 5. it is of the devils gift all that is gotten by such means that is compassed by such courses and he hath neither a contented minde nor a religious heart that will seeke or take ought at the devils hand As the r Num. 9.22 23. Israelites therefore travelling through the wildernesse towards the land of promise which to have gone the next way had not been a journy of many daies yet were they many yeers about they were to goe as God led them as they saw the cloud goe before them and not to take that way that seemed best or most compendious in their owne eyes So must we ſ Observare vias Domini Psal 18.22 Heb. 11.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo de migr Abr. Idem Arrian dissert l. 1. c. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pythagor apud Boeth de consol lib. 1. pros 4. Laudat Plut. in conviv Cic. de fin l. 4. Sen. de vita beata cap. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cleanthes Epictet enchir Duc me parens celsique dominator poli Quocunque placuit nulla parendi mora est Assum impiger fac nolle comitabor gemens Malusque patiar quod bono licuit pati Ducunt volentem fata nolentem trabunt Sen. ep 107. observe Gods wayes in our trading and trafficking in our walking towards wealth wee must keepe the way that God leadeth us goe no other way than we can see him going in before us follow the line of his Law though it seeme to lead us in and out backward and forward as if wee were treading of a maze and not take those wayes leaving the guidance of it that seeme gainer and neerer in our owne eyes and much more compendious than the other Though wee might compasse wealth with a word or two with the bow of a knee only the one way where as we must travell and toile and moile much ere wee come by it the other way tho wee might attaine to it within a day or a weeke the one way whereas we are like to stay long many yeers it may be ere we come at it the other way yet this way must we keepe and t Matth. 4.10 refuse all the world with our Saviour if it be offered us to intice us out of it Otherwise as the u Num. 14.44 45. Israelites when they went out of Gods precincts they went withall out of Gods protection and so fell before their foes into whose hands they fell forsaking Gods
have it Reason 4 Fourthly God dealeth thus many times with his children o Ad majorem peccati detestationem to work in them a greater hatred and detestation of sin whereof this hiding of his face from them is oft a fruit and an effect p Esa 1.15 When you stretch forth your hands saith God by the Prophet I will hide mine eyes from you and though you make many prayers I will not heare you because your hands are full of blood And saith the same Prophet speaking in the person of Gods people q Esa 64.7 Thou hast hid thy face from us and hast consumed us because of our iniquities Yea in the Lamentations the people of God complaine that r Lament 3.24 43 44. God had overwhelmed them with his wrath aâ—d covered himselfe with a cloud that their prayers might not passe nor have accesse to his Highnesse because they had sinned and rebelled against him and he therefore had not spared them And certainly that is one principall cause the sinnes of Gods Church and Children their rebellious courses their untoward cariage their wickednesse their wantonnesse their evill demeanure towards him that maketh God to turne away his loving countenance from them and that not onely for a time to looke off them till they humble themselves before him but †Multa cogitur homo tolerare etiam remiffis peccatis quamvis ut in eam veniret miseriam primum suerit causa peccatum Productior est enim poena quà m culpa ne parva putaretur culpa si cum illa siniretur poena Ac per hoc vel ad demonstrationem debitae miseriae vel ad emendationem labilis vitae vel ad exercitationem necessariaâ— patientiae temporaliter hominem detinet poena etiam quem jam ad damnationem sempiternam reum non detinet culpa Aug. in Ioan. 124. even for some space of time after also to looke strangely upon them He doth as a wise and discreet Father who when his Sonne hath offended him though upon his submission hee be reconciled unto him and be inwardly as well affected againe towards him as ever yet will make some shew of anger still it may be and lowre and frowne on him for a long time after that he may not suddenly take heart to grace as wee say againe but may by that means be drawne to be both more seriously sory for his offence past and more fearfull for the future of offending his Father So dealeth God with his Children when they have done amisse and runne riot though upon their repentance he be at one againe with them yet he concealeth it long many times neither is his countenance oft the same for a long time after towards them that formerly it had beene Thus dealt DAVID with Absolom and thus God himselfe with DAVID Å¿ 2 Sam. 13.38 39. After that Absolom by a traine had made away his brother Ammon and was fled upon it to Geshur DAVID a Father but too indulgent t 1 King 1.6 2 Sam. 18.5 that was his fault and hee smarted shrewdly for it after some space of time when the sorrow for his sonne Ammon was over began to earne inwardly after Absolom and since that Ammon was gone hee was loth to lose the comfort of his Absolom also whom he loved but too well and farre better than his Absolom loved him And though he strove to conceale it yet u Sed malè dissimulat quis enim celaverit ignem Lumine qui semper proditur ipse suo Ovid. ep 12. Apparet facilè dissimulatus amor Ibid. he could not but discover it x 2 Sam. 14.1 2 3 19 20. Ioab wisely discerned it and used the woman of Tekoa as a Midwife to deliver DAVIDS heart of that that * Ita Christus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur Basil Sel. homil 19. it went great with and was full of paine withall and to draw that from him as by constraint or importunity which DAVID was of himselfe over-willing unto already y 2 Sam. 14.21 22. Thus Absolom his exile must be called home at length though with some difficultie and the matter must proceed not as from DAVID but from Ioab DAVIDS affection to Absolom must by all means bee concealed Yea after Absolom was returned though DAVID no doubt longed still after him and in some sort doated on him and was more seriously and sincerely desirous to see Absolom than Absolom was to see DAVID yet z 2 Sam. 14.24 28. Let him turne saith he to his owne house and not see my face And so dwelt Absolom DAVIDS best beloved sonne for he had not yet Solomon for the space of two yeeres in Ierusalem where the Court most was and yet might not all that while so much as see the King his Fathers face or have accesse once to his presence DAVID no doubt was perfectly reconciled in heart to him and counted it no small crosse that he must thus be deprived of him but knowing Absoloms disposition how soone he might be returning to some such like practice if he were suddenly taken into grace again was content to enforce himselfe to this harsh and unpleasing cariage towards him unpleasing I say as well to DAVID himselfe as to Absolom to prevent some such further mischiefe if it might have beene that might otherwise both befall himselfe and Absolom as upon the change of his countenance towards him shortly after ensued Now looke how DAVID dealt with Absolom so dealt God himselfe with DAVID After that foule abuse of Bathsheba and the murther of Vriah albeit a 2 Sam. 12.13 DAVID had to Nathan freely confessed his offence and Nathan from God againe assured him of the free and full forgivenesse of it The Lord hath taken away thy sinne thou shalt not die for it Yet the Lord the more throughly to humble him for it and to make him the more wary for the time to come of shunning that that might produce againe such fearfull effects * Est quidam etiam tranquilli maris tremor aut lacus qui ex tempestate requievit Sen. de tranquill c. 1. did not looke upon him so lovingly for a long time after as before hee had wont to doe Read but the Psalme that hee made after Nathan had beene with him and see how earnestly and instantly he crieth and calleth upon God still b Psal 51.1 8 9 11 12. to turne his face away from his sinne and to looke in mercy upon himselfe not to cast him wholly out of his sight nor to take his good Spirit utterly away from him to restore unto him againe those inward comforts and joyes which c Psal 4.6 7. through the light of Gods countenance he had formerly injoyed but had in a manner cleane lost and was wholly deprived of for the present And in like manner doth God deale with many other of his deare servants after some hainous and notorious crimes by them committed hee