saluation and of an vpright heart 8. Necessarie rules for the profitable reading of holy Scriptures 9. A treatise of the Resurrection 10. A treatise of Examination both before and after the Lords Supper 11. A treatise of Gods feare 12. A treatise of hypocrisie 13. A treatise of Anger 14. A treatise of blessednes 15. A treatise of Fasting 16. A treatise of sending the holy Ghost 17. A short treatise of Prayer vpon the wordes of the Prophet Ioel chapt 2. vers 32. alleadged by Saint Peter Acts 2. vers 21. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SIR DRV DRVRIE KNIGHT GENTLE-MAN-VSHER OF HER MAIESTIES PRIVIE CHAMBER AND MAISTER THOMAS FANSHAW Esquire the Queenes Remembrancer in her Highnesse Court of Exchequer H. H. wisheth the increase of all mercies and comforts in Iesus Christ for euer SOme of these Treatises Right Worshipfull serue well to teach vs both the daunger and the cure of the greatest wound a man can haue on earth the rest differ in argument yet haue one generall scope as namely the building of Gods people in the faith and obedience of Christ. Herein first I request your worships patience to take some view of a short representation of the whole booke by speciall branches couching the authors owne very words and matter in this compendious forme following The first treatise is of a wounded spirit wherein this faithfull seruant of Christ teacheth vs 1. How great an euill the wound of the spirit is for that the very Pagans and Papists can beare great afflictions till their spirits be wounded but if their minds be deiected they will dispâ—tch themselues with any violent death and the faithfull also cast downe with Gods arrowes and sight of their sinnes and the feeling of Gods hand vpon their mindes Iob Dauid Ezekiah Ieremiah mourned heauily for the wound of the spirit 2. What comfort the true peace of conscience carries with it able to free vs from all discomforts of this life and contrarily how the minde appalled no blessing can long cheere vs in this present life 3. How mad they be which by violent death seeke to end their afflictions of minde for that this is the onely way to increase their torments for if their burthen be great here it is intollerable in hell 4. How most men seeme actiue painfull and prudent to preuent and foresee other troubles and euils but few regard with any care aâ— all to preuent the troubles of minde How many trauell with great skill for riches and honour c. but few take any paines for the precious treasure of the peace of a good conscience 5. Preseruatiues against afflictions of minde are the searching of our sinnes past and present great and small and the examination of our faith 6. In examination for sinne we may not content our selues to haue left them We must also heartily sorrow for them euen the sinnes of our youth for if we doe not truly repent vs of them they may againe rebound vpon vs saith he after many yeeres to the great affliction and tormenting of our minds 7. Examination of sinnes must be as well of sinnes committed after our calling as before for these sinnes of all other bite sorest and pearce deepest Couer them not but confesse them to God in time least thou be constrained to blaze them abroad to thine exceeding griefe and torment 8. After knowledge and light receiued from God note euer what sinnes sway most in thee by the often checks of thy conscience and so labour to auoide them being grieued for them which if thou doe not thou canst not escape either hardnes of heart or afflictions of minde 9. Sinnes of omission haue much distempered Gods good children the negligent vse of the meanes of saluation and for the not putting of their gifts in practise many haue beene whipoed afterwards in their naked consciences and the Lord hath euen pearced them in their secret bowels 10. Some are troubled for their priuate pride and this is a good preparatiue to receiue Christ Some for doing more in shew than in truth abusing their knowledge in that they make it but a maske to iuggle in and for that they make but theâ—r affections to fight with their owne iudgement Some righteous men are troubled when they offend not for they are their owne greatest accusers for some secret corruptions in other matters so that there is nothing more difficult than to search our hearts to the bottome for sinnes past and present for priuie pride hidden wants and secret corruptions 11. That we must carefully auoide too scrupulous a feare as well as carnall securitie If the aiuell finde vs voide of all feare he thinkes his assaults must be stronger because our resistance is the weaker but if he finde in vs a cowardly feare and fainting of heart before we strike one stroke against him he will suddenly stab vs to the heart and make a spoile of vs. 12. If we see the godly afflicted in their consciences either before or in the issues of death we may not conclude therefore they are hypocrites or great sinners before God for that the Lord may as well make triall of their faith as take punishment of their sinnes as we see in Iob and others for saith he if such affliâ—tion come principally for sinne then the greatest sinners should haue the greatest afflections 13. When any shall come to the cure of soules afflicted they must not begin with words of compassion onely God is mercifull c. but first with a gentle searching of their sores labouring to draw out of them the confession of some speciall and secret sinnes 14. All griefes are either confused or distinct â—rising of knowne or vnknowne causes The spirituall Physition must wisely consider of the originall of the euill whether it be in soule or bodie or both for this cause he warneth that in this distemper the Physitions counsell be neuer seuered nor the godly ministers labour neglected 15. The persons ministring in this affliction must be men learned of sound iudgement wise and of good experience meeke and of most louing spirits I counsell thee saith he if thou canst not come to the particular sight of sinne iâ— and by thy selfe vse the helpe of such men vnto whom thou must offer freely thine heart to be gâ—ged anâ— searched and the whole course of thy life to be examined by the bright shining glasse of the law of God 16 A certaine cause or knowne sinne is either alreadie committed and not repented or a sinnâ— not committed but whereunto we be tempted If troubles come for some speciall sinne committed say thus Doth this one sinne so displease thee and deserue I thus to be punished and farre more grieuously for this one how great then should my punishment be if thou shouldest so deale with me for all my other sinnes If the heart be terrified with feare of the commission of sinne for temptations and motions vnto siâ—ne we are not so much to dispute with our motions as to
resist them strongly by instant and extraordinarie watchfulnes in prayer 17. If thou labourest in this due examination of thy selfe thou shalt in time be able to discouer the veines bodie age and strength of many temptations in others by an holy experience which God hath taught thee thou shalt see into mens secret corruptions and be able to beget an inspeakeable ioy in others who may be tempted as thou arâ— or hast beene 18. Againe when men proceed in this cure they must remember two speciall groundes first to labour that the afflicted may be perswaded their sinnes are pardonable and their sores curable Secondly that their visitations is not so much a signe of Gods wrath and anger as a seale of his mercy and fauour for that it is not blinde and barren but like to be plentifull in good effects fruitfull in godly issues 19. Albeit some in this cure suppresse the Law and applie the Gospell onely yet I see not but that there must bee a sound sorrow for sinne before the pardon of sinne be sealed and men must know and acknowledge themselues sicke before they seeke the Physition yet here is wisedome required neither to presse the Conscience too seuerely nor to release it too vnaduisedly 20. Lastly in applying the Law to some persons afflicted hee warneth vs wisely to obserue First whetâ—er wee speake to man or woman for that wee may vrge the Law more strictly to the man as being the stronger Secondly whether they haue knowledge or no for the ignorant in this case thinkes neuer any so tempted and Sathan perswades him that hath knowledge that he hath sinned against the holie Ghost Thirdly whether strong or weake more or lesse wounded for their sinne Fourthly whether by nature they are more fearefull and melancholike Fifthly whether it bee a signe of infirmitie or of custome Sixthly consider well the persons age estate and condition of life for Temptations and Afflictions doe varie according to all these And yet remember well how there be many of what condition sexe knowledge soeuer they are which be more troubled for the vâ—xation of tâ—eir mindes distempered then for the vilenes and horriblenes of their sinnes committed as fearing some outward shame rather then humbled for their inward sinne Seuenthly the time is to be obserued to be more milde in the burning agâ—â— of their fitâ—es but more shâ—rpe in admoâ—ition in their intermission and rest Eightly and lastly to beare patiently the impatiencie of the sicke remembring alwaies the wordes of Gods blessed spirit A wounded spirit who can beare And thus farre concerning the principall contents and rules of the first Treatise The second is of the very same argument and here hee commendeth these holy obseruations following First he willeth vs in afflictions not so much to fasten our eyes vpon them as vpon the ende which is most sweete and comfortable 2. That the Lord shackleth vs the more witâ— the chaine of his chastisements because wee are more carefull to â—ee vnâ— urthened of our afflictions than to be freed from our sinnes 3. How the godly should reioyce in their godly sorrowe for sinne for that it is an earnest of their regeneration And that they take heede to disquiâ—t themselues because they are pestered with wicked motions suspitions delusions vaine phantasies and imaginations for that the bodie of sinne will euer send forth some filthie froth which is not onely saith he detestable to the minde regeâ—erate but also would make abashed the very naturall man and vnbeleeuer if he could see into that sea of sinne and sinke-hole of iniquitie 4. Though wee finde in our selues manifold infirmities though we know not whether we striue for feare of punishment or for loue of so good a father yet if wee feele this in our selues that we would faine loue the Lord and be better and being wearied and tired with our sinnes long gladly to enioy the peace of righteousnesse and desire to please God in a simple obedience of faith then let vs be comforted there is no time too late to repent in 5. If any say his faith is weake and cold and my conscience is as a burning furnace I feare the Lord will pursue me with his wrath I answere thou doest wâ—ll to feare but feare and sinne not For that feare which sul dueth the securitie of the flesh is in all most requisite but fight euer against that feare which hindereth the certainâ—y of faith for that will encourage our enemies more fiercely to set vpon vs 6. Hee saith that some are vtterly ignorant of the afflictions of minde and when they heare any speech of any such matter they suppose they heare a man speake in a strange language But he counselleth vs to runne vnto the Lord in this life with a troubled minde least wee tarie with such men to be locâ—t vp with the heauie fetters of desperation when he shall summon vs to the bâ—rre of his iudgement in the sight of his Angels c. 7. In prosperitie many thinke Gods blessings are their ownâ— right and binde God as it were in this life to entertaine them at full charges and sue him as it were by an obligation if he seeme to withdraw his hand from them So they prouokt him to proue to their faces by some speciall crosse and affliction that all they haue is but lent and borrowed But Gods children acknowledge continually that God hath rods in a readines though they see no present euils to beate them from their sinnes and bend all their care how they may rather suffer aduersiâ—ie to Gods glorie than to sleepe securely in prosperitie to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season For they knowe Gods graces must not bee idle in his children but well exercised by afflictions Thus farre for the second treatise The third treatise teacheth vs what be the speciall markes of a righteous man Here first hee sheweth that true righteousnesse doth not consist of any inherent qualitie be it neuer so excellent but is onely by imputation for the obtaining whereof a man must feele and finde himselfe naked and voide of all righteousnesse and full of all vnrighteousnesse by reason of that sinne which dwelleth in vs. 2. A man must desire to lâ—aue his sinnes and to escape the punishment due vnto them 3. To commit himselfe by faith vnto Christ and trusting in him and in his al-sufficient merits for his full reconciliation with God 4. A man thus iustified and reconciled is also sanctified to walke with an vpright heart before the Lord. 5. This vprightnesse is tried by foure speciall notes First we must loue all good things as well as one and hate all sins as well as one hauing respect to all Gods commandements Yet this rule may haue some exceptions saith he for we doe not at the first know all good nor all euill much lesse loue the one and hate the other as wee ought yet let euery man walke according to that measure of grace and light receiued
partly of those which were done after our calling Euery man especially hauing his reason reformed by the word of God will graunt an examination of the life before our true knowledge of God in Christ to be most needfull But it may be some will thinke that we neede not to be so precise in the searching of those sinnes which were after our knowledge But seeing of all other sinnes these bite forest and pierce deepest for that they are aggrauated with all the mercies of God going before and sinne is then most sinfull when after we know the trueth after we haue beene deliuered from sinne after we haue beene inlightened with the grace of God we haue fallen into it I thinke that an examination most specially ought to be had of these sinnes Wherfore to iterate our former examples in a new matter as we may see the former kinde of examining of our sinnes before our calling in the sonnes of Iacob so we haue a patterne of the latter in the practise of the Prophet Dauid who at the hearing of his sinnes was so troubled in his spirit that he could not rest in the Prophets speech telling him that his sinne was forgiuen him but still was disquieted as one vtterly forsaken of God and could finde no comfort of Gods spirit in him For as it fareth often with sores it commeth to passe in sinnes we are loath to haue our wounds often grated vpon we cannot so well away to haue our sores rifled feared and lanced but fedde with healing salues so we are hardly brought to haue our consciences ground or our sinnes ransacked sifted searched and ripped vp but would still haue them plaistered with sweet promises and bathed in the mercies of God whereas it is farre safer before incarnatiue and healing medicines to vse corrosiue and mundifying waters without which though some sores may seeme to close and skin vp apace yet they proue worse and being rotten still at the core they haue aboue a thin skin and vnderneath dead flesh In like manner we would cloake we would hide and couer our sinnes as it were with a curtaine but it is more sound Chirurgerie to pricke pearce our consciences with the burning iron of the Law and to cleanse the wound of the soule by sharpe threatnings least that a skin pulled ouer the conscience for a while we leaue the rotten corruption vncured vnderneath and so we be constrained to cry out of our sinnes openly As it is a folly then to dissemble our sores whilest they be curable and after to make them known when they be growne vncurable so it is as great folly to dissemble our sinnes whilest they may be remedied so after be constrained with shame to blaze them abroad when thou maist think them remediles But of this by the way because we shall more largely touch it in the last part to come It is sufficient to commit sinne before knowledge but after some good light of the spirit to sinne breedeth either hardnesse of heart or a troubled spirit both which we shall auoid if in trueth we be carefull to watch ouer our affections and beware that after our deliuerie we fall not into sinne againe Seuerall men subiect to seuerall sinnes haue their seuerall checkes in their consciences some are ouercome with wrath and yet after the moodie fit they can tell that the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnesse of God some are subiect to lust and afterwards they say it profiteth them nothing some are giuen to a continuall course of vanitie who notwithstanding can say that mans life hath another ende some slippe deepely into worldlinesse yet they be often weakened with most terrible checks of conscience Well blessed are they whose hearts be truely grieued and let them beware that make daliance with sinne for either hardnesse of heart will ouertake them or a troubled conscience will confound them Wherefore it comes to passe that many spending their bodies on lust lament that euer they so abused their strength many giuen too much to the pleasure of this life had griefe come vpon them to remember how they haue spent Gods graces lauished his good gifts and mispent their time or else if they haue not this griefe they fall into voluptuousnesse and draw such a thicke skin vpon their hearts as will cause the strongest denouncings of Gods iudgements to rebound be they driuen on neuer so hard And sure it is the sinne of this world that men being controlled in their consciences whilest they are a praying and feele a secret charge laide against them to beware of guile in buying and selling either haue these checks lesse and lesse and so they grow to be prophane or else afterward they are wonderfully wounded that they haue beene â—o worldly so greedily pursuing earthly things so coldly procuring heauenly things Thus euen our priuie thoughts not profited by are breeders of farther trouble Now the remedie against this trouble is willingly and wiâ—tingly not to cherish sinne to wish that the Minister should touch our most priuie and secret sinnes to be glad priuatly to be admonished to profit by our enemies when they do reproch vs and rather to desire in such a case to be humbled than to suffer our selues to be flattered This trying of ourselues must yet stretch it selfe further not onely to the committing of euill but also to the omitting of good As when after some good working and feeling of the spirit we begin to fight and conflict with our owne consciences saying though I must pray I must haue time also to prouide for my familie if I goe to heare the word of God surely I shall be in danger to loose this profit if I thus attend vpon the exercises of religion I shall be cut short in the vse of my pleasures Wherefore it shall be good to search our harts not onely in the carelesse not vsing of the meanes but also in the negligent watching ouer the fruites of the meanes saying to ourselues in this maner I haue heard a Sermon but alas without any feeling or working vpon my affections I haue beene praying but with no power of the spirit I haue receiued the sacrament but without those ioyes glorious and vnspeakable which I was wont to taste of I saw the discipline of the Church executed but without any feare of sinne at all in my selfe or compassion to the member censured And here I dare for my owne obseruation assuredly affirme that outward sinnes haue not beene at sometime so grieuous to Gods children as that they haue some times vsed the meanes with little reuerence and with lesse fruite And no maruell we shall see many men at some times not so much grieued for their sicknesse it selfe as for that they haue either willingly neglected the means which might haue preserued their health or that they haue abused the Physicke that might haue restored their health to them
sinnes this is a tempting of God and this shall be laid to our charge as wee see that the Lord saith to Dauid that he was in all things vpright before him but in the case of Vriah because his other sinnes which he committed both often and grieuously were but of humane infirmitie and this was contrarie to knowledge and againe he sought meanes to hide his sin and was not easily brought from it yet did hee obtaine pardon because this was but once and he was much humbled for it But Saul often doing the same at last asked counsaile of a familiar spirit by a Witch which he before had punished wherein he did cleane contrary to his knowledge euen for this it was said that the Lord did cut him off Wherefore we haue to pray with Dauid Psal. 19. Lord who doth vnderstand the errors of his life then purge vs from our secret sinnes and keepe vs that no presumptuous sinnes doe beare rule ouer vs. so shall we be free c. For if a man sinne against man there may be an arbiter but if a man sinne against the Lord who shall deale for him As Eli saith to his Sonnes q d. If you had done this being ignorant it had beene a small matter but now you that haue beene taught of me the contrary haue now made the sacrifice of the Lord to stincke and so haue tempted the Lord. 9 As it is a great comfort that no temptation doth inuade vs but that which hath taken hold of the nature of man so this ought to make vs with profit to humble ourselues that there is no temptation vppon any man but the same may take hold on vs in time also 10 Wee are neuer the further from temptation for misliking it but the nearer vnlesse as in iudgement we mislike it so in affection we humble our selues in feare and prayer before the Lord as knowing the same in time may inuade vs. 11 Wee must not keepe our hearts too close in dangerous temptation nor denie mercie to others least God denie mercie to vs. 12 If wee be tempted let vs examine it by prayer whether it be contrarie to the word for sinne by the law is reuealed and rebuked if it be sin then it bringeth the curse for the Lawe accurseth the sinner if it bring a curse then must we tremble if we tremble not let vs suspect that our nature liketh the temptation and let vs apply prayer if we tremble in truth we will neuer doe the thing whereunto we are tempted 13 When Satan cannot get vs to omit grosse sinnes hee will assaile vs with spirituall temptations 14 Those temptations are most dangerous which haue most holy ends 15 If wee conceale our temptations long it is the policie of Sathan to make vs keepe his counsell 16 The Lord through grace doth quench in vs those temptations which would quench in vs his spirit 17 Temptations being resisted to bring a proofe of that grace that is in vs temptation being receiued argueth corruption in vs. Adam should not haue been worse for his temptation no more than Christ but that the one yeelded the other did not 18 They that tremble in the temptation shal triumph after the temptation our faith is as a pots mouth which being large receiued much and being narrowe receiueth but little 19 The godly see their temptations oft much and with profit the vngodly see them seldome scant and without profit 20 Being both feeble in body and sicke in minde when hee felt the Lords strength in his sicknesse nourishing him as also that he did cleere his iudgement and more and more giue him a misliking of euill and a liking of good hee knewe his temptation should goe away in the end CHAP. LXXI Of truth and errors sinceritie and contempt of the word THere is no profit in teaching or hearing without application Ephes. 6. Paul speaking of the trueth calleth it a girdle of truth it must not bee a loose truth out of which a man may easily bee shaken it must be a tied truth not a ranging truth if it bee loose about vs it will fall away with the least flaw of winde Rom. 15. The Apostle speaketh of this putting on of Christ wee must not make a broad cloath of him to make him apparel to warme vs at the houre of death or in some time of trouble but wee must presently make him a garment that it may sit as close to vs as our coates Iames saith in his first chapter that the word must be ingrafted in vs it must not hang by vs but as there is no true grafting without the renting of the old stocke that the newe graft may hee fastned and closed vp in the rent so there is no true receiuing of the word vntill our corrupt wisedome bee rent asunder and the word of God closed vp in stead of it So that as there is truth required so a girdle of truth As Christ is our comfort so he must be put on As the word is receiued so it must bee ingrafted in vs. In more sensible things we are familiarly acquainted with this matter What profit is there in a plaister be it neuer so skilfully made vnlesse it be applied Well nothing indeed is good without applying The Sunne is comfortable but what doth it if wee bee shut vp and it neuer come to vs What nourishment is in meate what vse in apparell if we vse and apply them not So Christ and the word not applied are nothing to vs though most profitable in themselues 2 Truth is a thing specially esteemed of the Lord and it is a seruice so acceptable vnto him that he will not be without it and therefore a rent or pension due vnto the Lord. But why doth the Lord so require truth at our hands the Prophet saith The Lord hath magnified his truth and his name aboue all things and he hath put on himselfe as his name to bee called the God of truth And Christ the second person in Trinitie witnesseth his death to this in calling himselfe not the God of truth but truth itselfe and he bare witnesse before Pilate that he especially came into the world to beare witnesse to the truth so greatly he loued it For the holy Ghost we read Ioh. 14 He is said to be the spirit of truth So we see how great a thing this truth is with God for he makes himselfe glorious in this title and makes it the Crowne of his head his Sonne his Spirit his Ministers are glorified by it In a second respect truth is deare for that Adam being charged to beware of the forbidden fruite had his first assault of Sathan against the Lords truth back-sliding from it he lost all his posfession in Paradise Because of this dealing of the Diuell in Paradise euer since the Lord hath beene very iealous of his truth and wils men should whatsoeuer they doe remember to
though babish things both in life and doctrine become vs being babes yet hauing past our child-hood the Lord looks for more manly ripenesse both in knowledge in holines of life though our perfect age be not consummated before the resurrection As little children whether in teachablenes to good or reformablenes from sinne are either woâ—â—e by a faire word or â—llured by a trifling benefit or awed by a checke or feared by a frowning looke or stiiled by seeing another beaten before them or else quieted by the rod so if we be children either the promises of God must affect vs or the mercies of God must allure vs or his threatnings in his word must awe vs or his angrie countenance must feare vs or his correcting of others must humble vs or else the corrections of God vpon our selues must pull vs downe But as those children are of most liberall ingenuous nature who are rather allured with faire words than driuen to dutie with the rod so they are most gracious which are most broken with the conscience of their vnkindnesse more prouoked by the promises of God then by all the curses thunderings and threatnings of the law but they that are affected with neither degenerate as yet from the affections of children Hypocrisie 1 HEe obserued some who outwardly liued an honest ciuill life yet lying hypocritically in some sinne were constrained in death or before to vtter it to their shame Which kinde of iudgements are most necessarie that God might shewe himselfe to be God and his threatnings to be true that the wicked might lesse reioyce in their exceeding impietie and that Gods children might be raised from their securitie Iudgement 1 IN our most earnest matters wee must be zealous ouer our owne heart and then especiallie examine and call to account our affections because that in such a case there is either some speciall worke of God or else it is some notable worke of the flesh or of Sathan And whereas it is a pedagogie of the soule that in all things we had neede to aske the gouernement of God by his word and spirit for that a man knoweth what hee is but not what he shall be in this or that action When wee cannot gage the depth of our heart wee must impute it to want of prayer and the not trauailing with our heart how to doe the things in wisedome 2 Though all exercises of pure religion purely vsed doe both strengthen iudgement and whet vp affections yet reading hearing and conferring do most strengthen iudgement and in part whet on affections But praying singing and meditation doe mosâ— chiefly whet vp affection but in part strengthen iudgement and vnderstanding 3 Being desired to giue his iudgement of a weighty matter hee answered Syr neither am I able to speake nor you to heare for that wee haue not prayed indeede I may talke and you answere as naturall men but wee are not now prepared to conferre as tâ—e children of God 4 Hee fatherlie exhorted men to labour for increase of iudgment first by reason then by example by reason thus without soundnes of iudgement it is a more difficult trauailing for the childe of God with his owne heart to any fruit Againe not being stayed in iudgement one shall be troubled to commit and afraide to doe many things which indeede he might lawfully and comfortably doe if he had knowledge Thirdly wee shall not without good knowledge satisfie our godlie desire in perswading or dislwading anâ—e for that we cannot doe so assuredly substantially and effectually as wee ought and would doe By example he exhorted men to consider of the Prophet Dauid in his Psâ—lme â—19 hee prayeth for knowledge hauing no one thing oftner then this Teach mee O Lorde thy statutes c. Sound ioy 1 THe more one tasteth of heauenly things the lesse is his ioy in earthly things the more one feeleth earthlie things pleasant the lesse ioy can hee haue in heauenlie Coloss 3. 1. Phil 3. 20. 2 Wee must in reading the iudgements of God obserue this rule If any man will trie conclusions against Gods conclusions hee shall prooue nothing in the ende but himselfe to be a foole And if hee faile in his triall by how much the more he might be admonished by so much the more hee shall be without excuse There are many that feare Psal. 14. 5. where no feare is but there are more which reioyce where no cause of ioy is 3 Some ioy euery man must haue either carnall or spirituall and therfore when Cain had lost his title and interest in heauen hee made himselfe a seate on earth and when hee had lost the harmony of a good conscieÌ„ce his nephew Tubal was faine to inuent Organs that hee might haue some musicke and solace in outward things And 2. Kings 11. when the people could not haue their owne fond delights Salomon causeth Apes Peacockes and such like to bee brought from Ophir for them Men will haue ioy â—t they cannot haue the more solemne melodie by Arte they will haue the common instruments of the Countrey But the reason is because the soule is mouldring and the heart is pâ—rching drie But let these sandie mouldring earthly hearts consider that there is no secure nor true ioy which either time may loose or death dismay or the iudgements of God make afraide It is no sound ioy that either will leaue vs or wee shall be glad to leaue it as an vnprofitable possession 4 Manie had rather part from all fauour of God then loose the grace of some wittie speech which they haue deuised but cursed bee that merriment which respecteth not either dutie to God or loue to our neighbour Knowledge THere are manie who haue a generall knowledge of the Truth but when it comes to particular practise they are hindred with profites pleasures and selfeloue 2 They whose knowledge is in swelling words and painted eloquence of humane wisedome being but a doctrine of the letter in their death they are as if they knew nothing of Christ crucified and whereof comes it that there is so much preaching and so little learning but because men preach and delight to heare plausible nouelties to please the eare rather then the simple power of the Word to pierce the heart they take the bone and refuse the marrow they are content with the shell but want the kernell and not onely the law killeth but also the Gospell that is the letter of the Gospell beeing ministred without the spirite Aske the wounded conscience what comfort it is to heare that Christ dyed for our sinnes Nay aske if this gall not as much as the lawe it selfe so long as it is rather conceiued by reason than receiued by faith 3 He said how after hee knew God hee desired by prayer two things principallie the one that hee might loue the Saints the other that hee might willingly and
neuer dreaming of a troubled minde haue had their hearts set on nothing but how they might get some great fame and renowne and therefore haue slipt into such vaine-glorious attempts and foule flatteries as they haue not onely lost the peace of their consciences but also fallen most deepely into reprochful shame which they sought to shun Now as the peace of conscience ioy of minde is such a treasure as the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard nor the tongue expressed but passeth all vnderstanding so the wounded spirit is such as the eye hath not seene it the eare hath not heard it nor the tongue vttered but passeth all vnderstanding And as they onely know what the peace of minde meaneth that feele it so they alone can in trueth speake of a troubled minde that haue tasted of it by experience But let vs shew what way is to be vsed to keepe vs from this wound of the spirit It is the vse of Physicke as to cure vs of diseases when we are fallen into them so to preserue vs from sicknesse before it hath taken hold of vs it is the power of the word as to asswage the trouble of conscience when it doth once presse vs so to preuent it before it hath ouertaken vs. It is a chiefe point of worldly wisedome not to tarie for the vse of Physicke vntill we be deadly sicke but to be acquainted with Gods mercifull preseruations to defend vs from it likewise it is a chiefe policie of a godly Christian not onely to seeke comfort when the agonie is vpoÌ„ him but also to vse all good helps to meet with it before it comes And we condemne them of follie who will not as well labour to keepe themselues out of debt as to pay the debt when they owe it so it is a madnesse not to be as circumspect to auoid all occasions which may bring trouble of minde vpon vs as we would be prouident to enter euery good way which may draw vs out of this trouble when we haue once entred into it The remedies preseruatiue are first the searching of our sinnes and then the examining of our faith The searching of our sinnes is the way to the due acknowledging of our sinnes and to the true sense and feeling of our sinnes The acknowledging of our sinnes is either of those that be past whether we haue vnfainedly repented vs of them or of those which be present whether we be truely grieued for them Thirdly of those secret corruptions which in the course of our life are likely to come whether we are reuerently afraide of them and resolue to suppresse them with all our endeuour Concerning sinnes past we must call to minde the sinnes done of old in our youth in our middle age in our old age that we iudging our selues may not be iudged of the Lord that accusing of our selues Sathan haue no occasion to accuse vs and throwing downe our selues before the Lord he may lift vs vp For many going quietly away and sleeping in carnall securitie notwithstanding the sinnes of their youth and neglecting to make conscience of their sinnes done long agoe suddenly haue fallen into such horror of minde that the violent remembrance of all their sinnes surcharging them they haue beene ouerwhelmed This examination doth then rightly proceed when it reacheth to the errors of this life and to the sinnes of our youth because many men euen from their childhood by a ciuill righteous life hauing escaped grosse sinnes wherewith the world could neuer charge them haue notwithstanding caried the burthen of their secret sinnes done in their youth Dauid Psal. 25. 7. prayeth the Lord not to remember the sinnes of his youth Iob 23. 6. the man of God confesseth that the Lord writing bitter things against him made him to possesse the iniquities of his youth What shall we thinke that Dauid or Iob were giuen to notorious wickednesse in their youth No they knew they were subiect to youthfull wantonnesse and vnstayednesse of their affections which though it did not burst out yet it made them lesse carefull to glorifice God which loosenesse the way to leudnesse which weakenesse the way to strange vanities which wantonnesse the way to open wickednes is euen in the best of Gods children in the daies of their youth which being afterwards in the time of their regeneration brought as it were to iudgement and laid before their consciences doth cause them to repent But here is a thing to be blushed at which maketh mens eares to tingle when they heare it that many men farre no doubt from this true repentance can largely indeed discourse of the things done in their youth but with such a brauerie with such boastings and pleasing of themselues in the remembrance of them as besides that they prouoke others to sin in the like and set themselues a flat back byas against repentance and this christian examination they seeme to renue the decayed colours of their old sinnes with the fresh suite of their second pleasures therein But alas what pleasure haue they in those things whereof they haue no profit what profit haue they of those things whereof they should be ashamed Neither in this streine can we forget the madnesse of them who may seeme to steppe one degree farther towards this examination of sinne than did the former by thinking that the leauing of sinne and repenting of sinne is all one Against these both dayly experience and the word of God doth sufficiently decline Ioseph brethren Iacob his sonnes who deuised euill against their brother put him into the pit and sold him vnto strangers did cease from this crueltie but yet they are not read to haue remembred their sinnes with any remorse vntill thirteene yeeres after the sinne was committed as we may see in the processe of the historie Dauid had left his sinnes of murther and adulterie as thinking all quiet and well the space of a whole yeere after which time being admonished by the Prophet â—athan he repented of it And experience hath tried in many that haue had some working of God in them that though they left their sinnes many yeeres agoe yet because they repented not truely for them they haue rebounded vpon them with terrible sights and fearefull visions to humble them and to bring them to a serious examination of them being done and left long since Examples whereof we neede not fetch from farre seeing so many preachers as are acqauinted with fearefull spirits will giue witnesse hereof The fruite of which amazed mindes for sinnes alreadie left is ours to beware of sinnes which are to come And that other mens harmes may teach vs blessed wisedome let vs labour not onely to leaue sin which one may doe for profit for feare for praise or for wearisoâ—nesse but also to repent of it for conscience sake This examination of our sins past must be partly of those that we committed before our calling
ourtakes vs and we are as good as absent or else if wee be waking we goe away before it be done or if we tarrie as soone as we be gone we commit all to forgetfulnesse And so if with want of knowledge wee be mercifull and true dealers it is but after our owne braine and because the Lord hath not planted the Lord will roote it out The end of all is if men will not grow in the knowledge of God his wil they shal neuer come to the knowledge of God that is they shall not knowe God his mercy God his trueth glory and blessednesse neither will he euer know vs. For as without the knowledge of Gods will there is not nor shall be any knowledge of God so if we know not God God will neuer know vs. 11 When we shal be ioyned to God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost then shal we know as we are knowne then shall all teares be wiped from our eyes then shall our infirmities be taken from vs then shall we dwel with the Angels and with al the hosts of heauen in most happie blessednesse it selfe We see now by this chaine not forged by our own braine but framed out of Gods word that hee is indeede blessed whom God chooseth whom Christ redeemeth whom the Spirit reneweth whom faith stayeth whom the word Prayer Sacraments and Discipline buildevp in the Lord in whom faith breedeth peace peace sinceritie sinceritie loue loue a feare of displeasing and a care of pleasing God in whom this care striueth to a mortification in pouertie of minde this pouertie comming from a mourning heart possessed in a meeke spirit and aspiring to true righteousnesse all these things being ioyned with that sanctification which lamenteth the sins of others and relieueth the wants of others knowing to vse prosperity and aduersitie as pledges of Gods fauour and vndoubtedly looking for the kingdome of heauen in the life to come If any of these linkes be missing the chaine is broken if any of these members be wanting the body of blessednesse is lame and dismembred CHAP. XLV Of Miracles and how God worketh without and with meanes and how we ought to attend on the meanes THe Miracles that were wrought in the Church were partly in mercie and partly in iudgement as in turning Iereboams hand into leprosie and into cleane flesh againe but the miracles against Aegypt were onely in iudgement 2 Signes are giuen to confirme vs in the word are not more excellent than it if then they draw vs from the word we must hold them accursed as wel as the false Prophet Deut. 12. That which Paul speaketh of tongues 1. Corinth chap. 14. is true of all miracles which are signes to beleeuers which may teach vs not to desire them for if we beleeue not Moses and the Prophets neither would we beleeue if miracles were brought from heauen So is it in the Sacramēts which are ordained to nourish that faith which is ingendred in vs by the word and therefore must not bee separated from the word nor esteemed aboue the word For we shall then profite truely by Baptisme when we in and by the word shall beleeue the washing away of sinne and get power to mortifie sinne daily within vs and then shal we profit by the Lords Supper when we beleeue all the promises of our Redemption wrought by Iesus Christ and shall be vnited into his body daily more and more by the word 3 Pharaoh did aske a signe not for any purpose to yeeld thereunto but if they could not doe any he might haue the greater aduantage against Moses and the people So the Scribes and Pharisies aske a signe of Christ to whom he answered the adulterous generation seeketh a signe So many in these daies aske proofe of many things in religion not that they minde to yeeld thereto but if they cannot haue such proofe as will stop their mouthes they may more quietly continue in their error We must learne to leaue this kinde of questioning which is seldome graunted for good let vs so frame our requests as that they may be reuerent and we may haue a desire to rest in that which is graunted 4 A wonder may moue vs for a time but commonly it lasteth at the most but for nine daies and we shall neuer gather any fruite thereby except it doth prepare vs to profite more effectually by the word 5 Some think that the miraculous Manna was not so straunge because it is to be found in these daies in other countries I answere not of that colour not of that propertie Therefore this was a miracle as may appeare by these reasons following First because it was neuer seene before and then came at Gods commaundement Secondly because neither raine nor faire weather did let it Thirdly because as soone as they came to the borders of the promised Land it ceased Fourthly because if it were kept till the morning it stanke but on the Sabbath day it continued sweet albeit gathered the day before Againe when it was reserued in the Arke it putrified not Fiftly because it followed the Israelites whither soeuer they went Sixtly because it fell in such abundance as that it sustained so great a multitude 6 At what time the Lord first sent Manna the children of Israel being rauished with the loue of it called it Manna that is meate prepared of the Lord herein they acknowledged the goodnesse of the Lord. This Manna is first commended for the colour it was as white as the precious stone called Bdellium Secondly for the taste tasting like fresh oyle Numb 11. 7. Thirdly for that it was Angels foode or meate prepared by Angels Psalm 98. And yet for all this when the people had beene accustomed to it they loathed it and set light by it wherefore their sinne was the greater The reason of it may be this This Manna was giuen them not onely to be foode for their bodies but also to be a token vnto them that seeing the Lord fedde them from heauen they were not to settle themselues on the earth but to looke for their inheritance in Heauen So many therefore as did rest in the bodily foode not respecting the thing spiritually signified by it they were soone weary of it So is it also with vs for albeit all the blessings of God be very deare vnto vs and of a great price at the first receiuing of them yet when they are common the best blessings are lightly regarded If it be so in earthly things which are agreeable to our nature how much more will it be in spirituall things which are so contrarie to our nature And hereby the great corruption of mans heart is discouered which will not be moued but with noueltie As for example the sunne if it were but seldome seene how glorious a creature would it be accoūted but because we haue the daily vse of it therfore very few of vs regard it Nay the word of
properties thereof 244 Flesh what it is 289. 224. how it must be kept vnder 808. combat betweene it and the spirit 221. 225 Fooles who be 625. diuers kindes of follie 732 Forgetfulnes the cause of it 609 Fornication 501 See Adulterie Why God seemeth somtime to forsake his children 397 39â— Frailtie to be borne with 545 Friendship Rules to bee obserued therein 14 with whom it should be made 624 Friends not profiting in godlines 857 Free-will 477 525 Freedome of ioy and freedome of sorrowes 484 Fruites 12 Furies 589 G GIfts extraordinary 15. of the spirit 694 Glorie vaine 273 God his patience mercie 694 his countenance 544. to see feele it 662 two notes of his goodnesse 847. three notes of his fauour 680 his works 748 his Temple 804 his iudgements â—â—â— no flying from it 6â—8 his Anger and wrath 696 his word the power and priuiledge thereof 8â—8 his prouidence 466 850 Godlines 533 hard to come to 466 the mirrour of it 525 true godlinesse and religion to be preferred before all worldlie things 383 two speciall things to attaine true godlinesse 466 godlie often troubled with vnbeliefe 495 Blasphe mers of the godly 3. â—orts 419 Good name 264 261 259 Good workes 15 See Workes Gospell what it is 72 88 772 824 the triall of our loue to it 766 contempt thereof punished 649 â—24 How it is said to kill 20 Grace 649 692 decay of Gods graces how dangerous 15 what miserie grace doth free vs from 38 what good things it maketh vs to enioy 381 the fruites and effects thereof 381 382 the price of Grace Ibid. the rarenesse of it 382 the continuance of it ibid. Hee which is once in the estate of Grace shall bee in the same for euer 398 how God takes away one grace from his seruants and puts another in the roome thereof ibid. Griefe 25 7â—8 522 for sinne 15 242 for other mens sinne 457 good to bee grieueed 102 681 griefe because wee cannot grieue 194 Gripings fallen in the bodie 2 H HArdnes 716 79â— the cause thereof 16 57 two kinds thereof 255 a great plague 718 to haue a feeling thereof is good 681 Haruest 165 Haste to doe good things 36 800 too great haste hurtfull 2â—1 Hatred of sinne 320 Health not to attribute it to Physicke 639 Hearing of the Word 72. the best hearing 708. how wee must heare 196. 34â— preparation thereto 709. 53. profite thereby 59. how manie sorts of hearers and what to bee obserued therein 834. 835 Heart 1â— 5. 271. 115. two causes of watching ouer it 24. nourishing of euill in the heart 171. fainting of it 6â—1 circumcision of it 70â— In ofâ—ering our selues to Gods seruice wee must search and digge deepe into our hearts 387. Fiue marks of an vpright heart 387. 388. he must haue a sound heart that would haue sound happines 38â— The description and properties of a sound heart 386. 415. 416 Hell the tâ—rmens of it 658. 695 Helpe in neede 728 Heresie â—7 45â— 471. dangerous 720 why men detest it not 472 Hereâ—ikes 529. how different from Christians 54. Ciuill conuersation of heretikes 454. They are discouered by the crosse 455. why so fewe heretikes conuerted 467 Holie Ghost of the sending of it 216 See Spirit Hope 497. 754 Humilitie 18. 796. 467. true 28â— in the godlie 269 a speciall grace 825 86â— from whence 8â—0 the meanes of it two â—34 3â—5 want of it hindereth in godlinesse 520. phantasticall 270 Hypocrisie 19. 140. 574. grosse and close 266. Markes 717. vnâ—ased 8â—0 Triall of it 44. kindes 202. how it differeth from godlines 715 Hypocrites God hath a quarrell against them 386. hee loathes their seruicâ—s ibid. they liue in continuall danger ibid. I I Dolatrie occasions of it to bee aâ—oyded 220. Idlenesse is occasion of sinne 646. of stâ—alth 78 Iealousie godlie ouer our selues a thing most necessarie 510 Iests 20. foolish â—estings 52 Ignorance of the people must make the Ministers warie 209. 15â— of old age 685. cause of disobedience 733 the Saints bewaile it 501 Ignorance a cause to humble vs 475. wilfull ignorance and voluntarie perdition 473 Ignorance and error differ 869 Imaginations if rouing dangerous 467 Impatiencie 7. 8. the cause of it 704. a good meditation against it 674 Impenitencie the causes of it 781 Impietie discouered 764 Impudencie how it commeth 79â— of our time 848 Incredulitie in Gods children 537 Infidels haue no good name â—61 Infirmities to see and to bee grieued for them 727 Iniurie how to beare 727. what are to be borne 730 Iudgement 727. what strengthen it 19 how to attaine to it 175. who are hastie therein 202. corrupt iudgement 466. day of iudgment 648. 657. how it is said to be neere 658. sudden 7â—8 three things in it 65â— consideration of them 469. foure reasons approuing Gods iudgements to bee good 414. iudgement for the word of God 406 a visible iudgement of God 501 Iusticiaries 103 Iustification by Faith 678. 848. Arguments of it 243 Iustice two Courts of it 679 Ioy 323. true 46. sweete 986. of a good conscience 693. to the Worde 14. tryall thereof 16. it may be lost 248. Difference of the godlie and godlesse therein 31. Two kindes of it 725 Ioy of saluation how great 293 to labour for it 294. two sortes of ioyes in receiuing of the Word 294 K KIngdome diuerslie taken 287. none shall appeare in it which make not an entrance on Earth 289. What must be solde before wee can possesse it 302. Kingdome of CHRIST how to know where it is 221 Keyes of the Kingdome committed to all Ministers 288 Knowledge 664. â—4 general 20. their knowledge purâ—lind that either know little or knowing neuer so much doe practise nothing 474. to what end God giueth knowledge 410. the vse and abuse of knowledge ibid. true where and how to finde it 6â—4 wrought by the Spirit 229. how confirmed 498. sinnes after it 10â— to sinne against it a tempting of God 8â—6 why wee profit not thereby 196. corrupt kindes of it 721 Knowledge ministeriall 453 L LAw of God 138. what it is 72. why giuen to all 132. morall and naturall differ 154. morall before Moses 829. morall and ceremoniall how abrogated 133. how to be preached 59. difference of the Law and the Gospell 889 Learne what a christian should specially desire to learne 396 and where ibid. League none with the wicked 611 Libertie to take heede vnto it 10â— 457 outward libertie brings inward bondage 468 Libertines against them 380 Lies 659 Life and the shortnes of it 659 it is but the present time 660 Light refused for darknesse â—73 Loue a true token of it 14 520 of God 113 695 4â—4 545 of our brethren 685 of the word 87 766 arguments of our loue to God 454 456 natural loue must giue place to heaueÌ„ly loue ibid. we may not loue that best which the world esteemes best 516 to loue God onely as wee bee taught in his word 49â— duties of loue 160 how
in death Three things to bee noted in this text The power of Gods word in the coÌ„uersion of sinners Three waies Note The first entry to godlines beginning of repeÌ„tance is a godly sorrow for sinne Psal. 4. 5. Esay 40. 6. 7. 8. Esay 66 and 57. 14. 15. Matth. 9. 13. The power of the plaine simple preaching of the Gospell The power of the word Heb. 4. 12. The word must pierce vs. Iohn 16. 8. 2. Sam. 1. 2. A false perswasion of the pardon of sins in many Signes of godly sorrow To be often touched with out amendment dangerous How foolishly many wold put off their sorrowes A true examination of our selues In our examination hee teacheth vs to follow the order of the commandements Note 1. Cor. 11. 30. 31. Simile Sorrow for sin the way to heauen Luk 16. True humiliation before sound coÌ„fort Rom. 6. 12. Zach. 12. 10. 11. Gal. 5. 24. 2â— Not to coÌ„tent our selues with sorrow for sin but to proceede to repentance 2. Cor. 7. 9 10 Note Repentance what it is Rom 6. 3 4. Phil. 3. 9. 10. 11. What is meant by the gift of the holy Ghost Act. 2. Sorrow for sin must be continued Note The scope of the text The loue of the Saints to the word 1 The diuers acceptatioÌ„ of these words kingdome of heauen 2 1 2 First it is taken for the meanes The keyes of the kingdom of heauen committed to all Ministers of the Gospell Looke to the translation Luke 17. 21. The Ministery of the word is the meanes to bring vs to the knowledge of Christ and so to his kingdome Graces bestowed on theÌ„ which vse the meanes well Obseru 1. He that will goe to heaueÌ„ must make an entrance into it on earth How to know where a treasure is Wherfore so few loue the Gospell and meanes of saluation Sacraments Meanes of least shewe may bring vs greatest graces Obseruation Few loue the word How to speak of a parable Sense of the place Doubts in our first conuâ—rsion The mindé may be deceiued the heart cannot so be being truly possest of the word How the word is found before it be sought God turnes away his couÌ„tenance from his children for a time God hath a different respect of yong and old Wherfore we waâ—t good things Ioy of saluatioÌ„ how great Gods proceedings with his children To labour for the ioy of our saluation Psal. 51. Two sorts of ioyes in receiuing the word The ioy of the minde of the heart note the difference Seate of faith An apt â—imilie A good triall of some ioy The fight of a Christian. Similitude of building Similitude of warfare Euery Christian a builder and a warrier Striue to enter in at â—â—e â—â—raite gate Premeditations before men be resolued to follow Christ. Christianitie a warfare To renounce reason first Anger To fight with reason and affections a hard battell To fight with penurie and want Satans practises in temptations Wherefore many are ouertakeÌ„ with temptations Ephes. â— Philip. 4. 14. Rom. 8. The wicked by faith purged made Gods childreÌ„ The summe of the two former Sermons Sense What must besold before wâ—â—aÌ„ possesse Gods kingdome Consider three things 1 2 3 Iames 5. The change of on sinne for another Secondly all sinne must be forsaken Herod Ananias Iudas 3 Sale of sia for euer Not sufficieÌ„t to leaue sin but meÌ„ must mourne for it vntill they come to souÌ„d griefe How many deâ—eiue theÌ„selues when they know their sinnes are pardonable not labouring any further for an assurance that they are pardoned To harbour some secret sins in our breast To be religious rather than so to seeme to be Of infirmities Inward corruptions To maister naturall corruptions Video meliora proboque de â—â—riora sequor Note The messenger of SathaÌ„ within vs. Pride How to carri-ourselues in a temptation Câ—rnall securitie feare dangerous Note A greater studie and care for the increasing of this inestimable treasure The necessitie of Ministers Pastors Docters and Elders in the Church of God 1. Thess. 5. 12. 13. This is not meant of ciuill Magistrates but of the gouernours of the Church Matth 9. 36. Mark 6. 34. The people of God without a shepheard for all the great learning of the Doctors Matth. 9. 38. Who be onely true Ministers The miserie of the people without a Pastor Matth. 23. 37. Luk. 13. 34. Ephe 4. 4. 5. 6. The ministerie of the word the most necessarie thing in the world 1. Pet. 1. 23. 1. Pet. 5. 8. Great danger of not hauing a godly Pastor The vse wher vnto God hath appointed ministers Rom. 10. 6. 7. 8. Rom. 10. 17. Preaching the onely meanes to worke faith in vs. Luk. 16 31. Matth. 16. 19. The Lord in his mercy wil haue his children certaine of saluatioÌ„ in this life to their vnspeak able comfort Exod. 20. 18. 19. If the Preaching of the word worke not faith in vs we could not beleeue though God spake to vs himselfe nor if one should come from the dead Iohn 10. 24 25. 26. 27. 28. Note Rom. â— â—â— Though their holines be neuer so great in the outward appearance they shall not stand in the end Certaine condemnation of the wicked The assured comfort of Gods childreÌ„ in Christ. Iohn 20. 23. The dutie of Ministers Ephes. 47. 8. Attendance in reading 1. Tim. 4. 13. 1. He must reade studie the worde of God diligently Malach. 2. 7. Iosh. 1. 8. To meditate in the word day and night Psal. 1. 2. To meditate in the word daily 2. He must teach the word The strait account of the Minister The order of his teaching is to build vpon the true foundation Iesus Christ. How to know onâ— that preaches with the power of the word He that â—uildeth not vpon that foundation is an Antichrist Acts 20. 27. Hee must teach all the counsell of God Luk. 24 45. 2. Tim 4. 2. Matth. 22. 29. Hee must pâ—icke forward the godly to increase in godlinesse beate downe the obstinate with the iudgements of God comfort the penitent with the promises of the Gospell To apply comfort to the penitent sinner The minister ought to go tâ— the houses of his charge Gen. 3. 19. Priuate meanes as well as publike must be vsed by the Minister Luk. 10. 38. 39 19. 9. Acts. 20. 20. That which is spoken to all is regarded of none or of few To admonish priuatly is to take all excuses away He must teach continually both in season and out of season Acts. 20. 31. Paul warned them with teares both night day 2. Timoth 4. 1. 2. Note He must pray both for himselfe and his people as wel priuately as openly 1. Cor. 3. 6. His office is to blesse the people in the Lords name Deut. 10. 8. Num. 6. 23. Psal. 118. 26. Iohn 17. Rom. 1. 9. 2. Tim. 1. 3. He must be circumspect in administring the Sacraments The minister ought to take account of their faith The sacrament pertaiâ—â—â—â—
loue and desire of their conuersion and in measure as correcting their owne sinnes after a sort in their owne children For men begetting Children without regeneration giue a naturall propagation of their sinnes without some speciall blessing of God and none in regeneration begetteth any with such gifts of nature but vnlesse they become newe borne they haue no good thing in them Heresie 1 MEn be more grieued for murther and adulterie then for superstition and heresie because these be peccata rationis the other affectionis actionis the one goeth with a priuie pride vnder colour of deuotion the other are euer apparant and are accompanied with outward shame and confusion 2 As the Gospell first began by simple Fisher-men to be preached but afterward being receiued in loue grewe to the other more learneder sort so for not receiuing the word in loue but hauing our eares tickling to new doctrine heresies and sects beginning now amongst vs but in the simpler sort and ignorant men of the Countrey are like to inuade the best learned And God purposing to punish the coldnes of our age can as well now send an hereticall spirite not onely into the common people but into 400. learned Preachers as hee did in times past send a lying spirite into the mouthes of 400. Prophets 3 Euen as polygamie was not very hurtfull to the Church so long as it was within Lamech his house and when it preast into Abrahams familie got great strength and preuailed much So ill opinions are then lesse hurtfull whilest they are amongst the wicked and ignorant but when they get fauour amongst the learned and godly they beginne to be most dangerous Heart 1 THe heart is Gods owne part and that which must goe to the Lord. Now as nothing might be imploied to common vses which was sacrificed by the priests vnder the Law So the heart which is the Lords must not be applyed to any other vse than to his seruice Haste how it argueth vnbeliefe and of Watching and waiting 1 NOthing more bewrayes vnbeliefe then not to stay the Lords leisure as contrariwise Watching and waiting on the Lord shewes Faith for those hastie and vnquiet spirits when they see not speedy redresse according to their expectation they either murmure in impatiencie or they will ease their griefe by seeking vndirect meanes And sure as nothing in prosperitie is a greater token of Gods fauour then to feare our selues so in aduersitie this is a pleasant pledge of our patience when wee can waite and attend on the Lorde for the time and the manner and the measure of our deliuerance There be some principall properties of true wayting The first is to waite in our selues for manie will not outwardly murmure and yet inwardly they boyle and fret in themselues and manie will abstaine from outward impatiencie which looke to the inward estate of their hearts but a little But it is good for vs to beginne here for if there bee a quietnes of the heart there cannot be any great disquietnes in the tongue or in the hand The second propertie is to waite on the Worde Manie will say they waite on God and yet they are maruellous impatient if yee charge them with impatiencie but weigh their waiting by the Word and it will not abide the tryall it will not goe for good Looke what Faith wee haue to waite on God vnlesse it be taught out of the Word which is as true as God himselfe it is not found Some will be content to waite on God but it is not to haue their obedience and Faith in the Worde but to obtaine some thing the sooner which they desire This is no true waiting but to waite rather for our owne profite then for Gods glorie Thâ— third property is to cortiâ—ue in it Euery man by nature can waite for a while so he may know a certaine and definitiue time of his waiting but to offer our obedience in waiting and not know for how long or how little we shall waite this is the â—ainting of the soule for if it were determined to vs how many dayes or moneths or houres we should waite the hope of the profit drawing neere and of a terme drawing out would sustaine vs but to leaue all moments and conditions to the Lord and to bee in a continuall seruice and expectation this is hard for flesh and blood We must learne to amend this fault by considering how iustly the Lord may suspend his answere and helping of vs for that our sinnes are not sufficiently bewaâ—led or our faith is not sufficiently purified or his graces not sufficiently wrought in vs. The fourth and last propertie is to continue waiting with a kinde of vehemencie keeping vs from faultring or fainting in our hope though it be long ere our suite be answered or our danger be helped To be vehement a while or lesse importunate long is little worth but to haue our affections hâ—to and for a good thing and not to slake the heate in long continuance of time and not to be made remisse or dead in the suit of our desires though no appearance of our deliuerance appeare is hard indeede And here to meete with an obiection we say vehemencie argueth faith and vehemencie bewrayeth want of faith Faith when no deferring of our desire doth breake the power of our zeale want of faith when without all hope we are greedie and rauenous to haue our request or else we cast all off Humilitie 1 MAnie deceiue themselues with a bare opinion of humilitie therfore this may be a true triall of humilitie if wee willingly suffer our selues to be taught of our inferiours if we can patiently abide our selues to be admonished of our faults 2 Heathen men were humbled by their dreames wee are not humbled by the Word they that will not profite by Gods iudgements in others shall feele them themselues Wee haue no claime to Gods mercie offered in the Gospell vâ—till we be humbled by the threatnings of the law 3 Wee must bee like children in three things chiefly first like little babes Secondly like innocents Thirdly like them that are growing from childhood First babes are neuer quiet except the pâ—p be in their mouth or else hauing late bene at it they are well fed so ought we still to desire to lie at the foode of our soules and to finde vnquietnes in our soules if we be long from it Secondly weaned children though they are not without naturall corruption yet this corruption doth rather shew it selfe by imitation than by action and if they doe any euill it is rather violent than permanent Thus should we be not making an occupation of sinne but preoccupated of sinne not forecasting patternes of sinne but bending our mindes how we may not sinne we are violently drawne thereunto by another rather then voluntarily commit it our selues Thirdly they that grow out of child-hood doe things beseeming man-hood rather then childishees so