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
all to be vsed when we would breed comfort in one I demaund whether if it be necessarie to maintaine the righteousnes of Christ it be not also as necessarie to preserue the righteousnes of the law Seeing the righteousnes of the law of vs not fulfilled will draw vs vnto the righteousnes of Christ to vs imputed sith the righteousnes of Christ to vs imputed is neuer throughly and truly esteemed vntill we see the righteousnes of the law of vs to be vnperformed Againe if our Sauiour Christ did foreshew his Disciples that the first work of the holy Ghost at his comming should be to conuict the world of sinne to make men know that without Iesus Christ there is nothing but sinne then that he should rebuke the world of righteousnes that they might see how Christ died not for his own sins but for the sins of others I see not why it should not be very coÌ„uenient first to lay open the righteousnes of the law that men may see their sinnes and then the righteousnes of Christ that men may see their sins discharged in him Besides where the Lord saith by his Prophet At what time soeuâ—r a sinner doth repent of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart I will put all his wickednes out of my remembrance it may well be gathered that there must be first a sound sorrow for sinne and then a true ioy of sins pardoned may more freely by vertue of his promise be both hoped for and looked for afterward Moreouer seeing all the promises of God in the Gospell are commended vnto vs vnder the title tenour of restoring sight to the blinde hearing to the deafe strength to the lame health to the sicke and life to the dead it is manifest not onely that there is no disease of the soule which Christ cannot heale but also that we must first finde our selues blind deafe dumbe lame sick dead before he will meddle with vs because they that are whole neede not the Physition and he came to call sinners not the righteous to repentance Now to doe this in wisedome by neither pressing the conscience too seuerely nor releasing the conscience more vnaduisedly it shall be a safe way to vse the well tempered speech of the Apostle to the sorcerer Repent that if it be possible thy sinne may be forgiuen thee Where he doth not wholy discourage him because it may be his sinne may be pardoned neither yet too boldly incourage him in that without repentance he sheweth it to be altogether impossible to be pardoned And that we be not too preposterous in our consolation let vs be warned by the blasphemous speech of that detestable ArriaÌ„ who of late yeeres was put to death at Norwich This hellish heretike a little before he should be executed affoorded a few whorish teares asking whether he might be saued in Christ or no When one told him that if he truly repented he should surely not perish he brake out most monstrously into this speech Nay is your Christ so easily to be intreated indeed as you say then I defie him and care not for him Oh how good a thing had it bin not to haue cast this precious stone to this swine Oh how safe had it been to haue dealt more bitterly and to haue dwelt more vehemently on the conscience of this caiâ—ife Now to attaine some discretion in curing this wounded spirit we must learne wisely to iudge both of the person afflicted and of the nature of his affliction First we may note whether it be a man or a woman because we may vrge more fearfully the vse of the law to a man as being the stronger vessell And as Sathan knew the woman to be most easie and framable to be wrought vpon at his first temptation so is he not ignorant that she is the weaker partie to sustaine any temptation now Then let vs consider whether they that are thus humbled haue knowledge or no Because if they haue no knowledge they thinke trouble of minde to be so strange a thing as neuer any before had it if they haue knowledge then Sathan is readie to accuse them of the sinne against the holy Ghost as though euery sinne done against knowledge were a sinne of presumption Further we are to enquire how strong or weake they are that if they be sorely striken we cease to humble them any further if they be not sufficiently wounded then to touch them with some deeper sense of sinne Also we must be circumspect to finde out whether by nature they are fearefull and melancholike or no as also whether they be vsuall sinners or haue fallen once of infirmitie that so vpon their disposition and inclination we may build our speeches the better To these it is good to adde the consideration of the persons age estate and abilitie as if the partie be troubled for worldlines whether he be not a great house holder if he complaine of vncleannes whether he be not a yong man vnmaried if he be humbled with couetousnes whether he be not old because diuers couÌ„tries callings ages conditions and estates of men haue their diuers and peculiar sinnes which we must rightly discerne Howbeit of what sex soeuer they are men or women of what complexion soeuer they are of what knowledge to discerne sin of what degree of committing sin of what age authoritie wealth estate or coÌ„dition soeuer they are it is good to marke that there be many who are more troubled for the vexation and disquietnes of their minde being distempered than for the vilenes and horriblenes of their sin coÌ„mitted who are wounded more with the feare of shame with the feare of being mad or with the feare of running out of their wits than with the conscience of sinne Which thing if we finde in them it is our part to trauell with them that they make a lesse matter of the outward shame and more conscience of the inward sinne Neither must we here forget to make a distinction betweene our speeches vsed to the humbled in the very time of their extreme agony burning ague of their troubles and those speeches which we vse to them the fit being past because the one and former requireth more consolation and lesse exhortation the other and latter would haue vs more abundant in admonishing and more sparing in comforting when we may wisely admonish them to beware of sinne which so procured their owne woe In this breathing time it is also expedient to exhort them that for some season vntill they shall finde greater power of regeneration they would tye themselues to some holy orders and godly vowes whereby they may either be furthered in mortifying some speciall sinne which for that they could finde no power against it did most grieue them or strengthened in some speciall grace the want where of did also wound them But before we launch deeper into this sea of particular temptations and begin to sound the
life and labours in the Church of God yet had I rather be noted of some for want of skill than of any for want of loue and affection to so louing a father I haue knowne his life for many yeeres and reioyce in heart to haue knowne it for that most rare graces of Gods spirit did shine in him all tempered as with faith vnfained vnto Christ so with bowels of compassion and loue towards men In his holy Ministerie hee was euer carefull to auoide all occasions of offence desiring in all things to approoue himselfe as the Minister of Christ he much reicoyced and praised God for the happie gouernment of our most gratious Queene ELIZABETH and for this blessed calme and peace of Gods Church and people vnder it and spake often of it both publikely and priuatly as he was occasioned and stirred vp the hearts of all men what he could to pray and to praise God with him for it continually yea this matter so affected him that the day before his departure out of this life his thoughts were much troubled for that men were so vnthankfull for that strange and happie deliuerance of our most gratious Queene from the dangerous conspiracies and practises of that time He was the speciall instrument and hand of God to bring many both godly and learned to the holy seruice of Christ in his Ministerie and to restraine and to reduce not a few from schisme and error striuing alwaies to retaine such in obedience of lawes and pretiouslie to esteeme and regard the peace of the Church and people of God When God had translated this Elias from vs then I sought to finde him in his workes for they doe liuely expresse the picture of his minde and heart and taste sweetly of that pure fountaine of God from whence they were deriued While he liued his lips often refreshed my soule when he was gone I lamented much that I had not in Christianitie made that vse of him that a Heathen doth of a naturall wise man in humanitie But now I praise God I haue found some good supplie of that which through mine owne neglâ—gence I wanted for of his workes which were then dispersed farre and neere but now by Gods prouidence the greatest and best part are come into my hands I can say for my content as much as Cyprian could say of his graue ancient and learned Tertullian both for speciall instruction and consolation He was no sooner gone from vs but some respecting gaine and not regarding godlinesse attempted forthwith to publish some fragments of his workes to the griefe that I say no more of many louing friends which haue long desired and expected the impression of all his workes And here could I wish all the godly learned were of M. Francis Iunius iudgement for hee to escape these hucksters handling endeuours wisely in his life time to preuent such a mischiefe For this cause M. D. Crooke a reuerend man for his learning and labour in the Church well deseruing of Gods people for the great loue hee bare him and desiring the good of many pervsed and corrected some part of these workes intending to reuiew the whole Now the Lord hath taken him also from vs and giuen him rest I haue endeuoured what I could to looke ouer the rest of all these workes and here I offer and recommend them to the Church of God in the best manner that I can after some labour and wearines I wanted not the helpe of diuers both godly and learned friends we haue conferred sundrie copies together and by good conference reuised and corrected all The Treatise of Counsels I found most distracted and corrupted Of many hundreds I selected these few and haue reduced them into this alphabeticall order desiring so to dispose them as that euery counsell might be set vnder one speciall head or argument whereunto it seemed to haue most reference As for example all of affections I couched vnder that title AFFECTIONS and all of afflictions vnder that title and so of the rest Of these Counsels I may anouch Christian Reader that thou shalt finde more experienced knowledge and more sound refreshing for thy soule in some one of them than in some one whole Sermon full of humane eloquence and affectation of stile which so many nice eares doe so much admire and yet still be learning and come but to a poore and meane taste and knowledge of the truth When this volume was finished and past the presse in reuiewing the whole for the correction of some verball faults I see and must confesse wee haue offended by our negligence not onely in the words but also in the matter yet so as I trust the louing and Christian readers will accept our endeuour without offence In the Counsels ye haue often this addition he thought this or he said that here I must request thee Christian reader not to iudge any such speeches to proceed from any pride or singularitie for that such obseruations as I suppose were collected and taken by others and not set downe by himselfe If his own hand had giuen these workes the last filing they might haue no doubt a farre more excellent forme and beautie But such were his trauels in his life time in preaching and comforting the afflicted that he could not possiblie leaue these workes as he desired In that one treatise of the Sabbath I found his owne hand with many corrections and yet not answering I am well assured his hearts desire There are foure yeeres past since I first purposed the collection and publishing of all these works Now thou hast good reader an impression of all which hitherto I haue collected in this forme thou seest that so by Gods good prouidence they may the better be reserued as a holy monument for posteritie Concerning which be aduertised againe good Christian that whereas some books serue well for the increase of knowledge in diuine mysteries in the causes and meanes of saluation yet thou must remember not to rest herein for many be rich in knowledge which be very poore and barren in obedience contented onely to looke on the end a farre off and thinking that when like Snailes they creepe in the way they be too forward and make too much haste to follow Christ. And againe whereas others labour much and to good purpose in books of controuersies against all the professed enemies of the Gospell this studie also hath not the like fruit in all sorts of people for howsoeuer some profit much this way the Church of God in the confutation of all the aduersaries of the Gospell yet in very many these bookes helpe little to godlines but rather fill the heads and hearts of men with a spirit of contradiction and contention as our common experience daily teacheth vs. This good seruant of Christ in all these workes doth not onely teach and informe the mind in sundry arguments handled in this volume concerning truth and error that so in iudgement wee might receiue
all ioy so God would not haue vs to murther all griefes but that the remembrance of our bodies turned to moules and of soules called to the booke should correct our vnruly hearts remembring in our deepest ioyes the lamentable cries of Syon and accompting our delight to be but as the ruines of Babell 12 Oh that men would feare and follow the Lorde Well follow they must one way or other If wee will not follow the shepheard to the folde we must follow the butcher to the shambles if we chuse rather to goe to the shambles then to the fold we are sheepe indeede and worse then sheepe too But men haue gotten an old distinction when they are not able to turne their sicke bones on their beds they then will bring a dish of sinnes and dryed skinnes to the Lorde but how vnacceptable a sacrifice such refuses are Malachit doth tell them and they shall one day trie it 13 If yee aske whether a man may not lawfully desire to be in the Ministerie or no I answere that in the Ministery are two things a worke and a worship a dutie and a dignitie the worke or dutie to the glorie of God and good of his Church a man may desire but the worship and dignitie to serue our owne loose mindes is not to be desired 14 It is the wisedome of God in his holie word not onely to instruct vs in things concerning our saluation but also to teach vs in things of this life For although all things be good in the ordinance of God yet they are not good to vs vnlesse by knowledge and faith we be able to vse them according to the ordinance of God with prayer and thanksgiuing And as it is not sufficient to be a good man onely but a good man must vse good things So it is not enough to vse good things alone but he that must vse them must see himselfe to be a good man that is to haue his heart clensed by faith and by prayer whereby he is assured that he hath fetched the interest from Christ who hath and giueth title to all being himselfe the heire of the world 15 When we examine our selues we are to sit in iudgement on our selues and to keepe a solemne court in our owne consciences to suâ—uay our memorie our wit our senses our members and to see how we haue vsed them but yet so as least we should be too faâ—ourable to our selues either in not espying out our sinnes or in not condemning our sinnes still we remember to make the law the Iudge but Christ the answerer of tâ—e Iudge 16 If God his children are readie to slip in a moment how much more dangerous is the estate of the wicked who are willing to fall continually 17 It is wonderfull to see a poore sinner readie to swound and fall dead almost at euery little sinne when nothing in the world doth feare him or driue him to this feare and yet when aduersitie strange iudgements of God persecution death come to be exceeding patient and comfortable couragious and valiant and againe it is straunge to see others who maruell that men will suffer themselues to be feared with sinne and aske what men meane to stand trembling at the word yet let sicknes come or if the hand of God be vpon them or let death come towards theÌ„ they quaile at the name of sicknes hell or death and either they proue very senselesse blocks or else they be in a most desperate estate Yea if God begin to reckon with them euery stirring of a mouse shaking of a leafe mouing of a shadow euery noise of the eare euery countenance of a godly man euery chirping of a bird or drawing neere of the least and weakest creature towards them appalles their courage and makes them most fearefull cowards They most feare when God his iudgements are executed which feare least when they are threatned and they feare least when God his iudgements are accomplished which tremble most when his wrath is denounced Wherefore as we most long for courage and most lothe cowardlines when the euill day approcheth so let vs labour for a good conscience which breedeth tâ—ue boldnes flie far from sinne which bringeth a spirit of feare on vs. And surely experimentall wisdome may teach vs that it is better to feare the euill to come when onely feare and no euill is vpon vs than to feare then when besides the feare the affliction itselfe so sorely presseth vs that we haue no libertie or leaue to breathe for any comforts or to hope for any deliuerance 18 We are wont to ascribe the afflictions of the Church or Common-wealth the defect of right discipline and gouernment to the sinnes of the Magistrates when rather if we consider things with a single eye our owne sinnes haue begot such fruites For that God who rather loueth many than one that God who for tenne good men would haue spared whole Sodom who rather taketh away Saul a sinful gouernour than punisheth his louing Israel being humbled subiects knoweth rather to take away the King if the subiects be good than he desireth to alter the whole estate for the sin of one vnlesse it be when both Prince and people agree together in sin That God which euen in the time of the Church remaining but in a few families would rebuke Kings as Pharaâ—h and Abimelech that they should doe his Prophets Abraham and Isaac no harme â—oubtlesse the sinnes of the people doe breede defects of well doing in Princes When Israel began to sinne the Lord withdrawing his grace from Dauid left him to the numbring of his people The Altars were not taken away and why in the time of Iosiah The holy Ghost saith the people had not prepared their hearts to walke with the Lord their God 19 It is farre otherwise in our Christian profession than in the profession of other Arts. Physitians loue to haue some secret experiments wherein they haue a singularitie and which in their life they will communicate to none Lawyers haue some points which they will not make common but keepe for present and priuate gaine But this is rather a note of pride and of a conceited minde in heauenly things than of godlinesse For as true godlinesse forewarneth others of that sinne the sting torment filthinesse whereof we haue found so it traineth vp others to that fruit of holinesse whose beautie glorie and excellencie we haue both tasted and proued 20 It euer hath beene and is that prayer or comming to the diuine Seruice as they call it and resorting to the Sacraments haue beene more accompted of than the word hearing of it preached Many of superstition may thus come to prayer and of custome resort to the Sacrament who either doe not at all heare the word or else they heare it at their leisure or else they doe it but in ceremonie without vnderstanding or if they vnderstand it
and for want of this order many excellent Sermons haue little effect for where iudgement by the truth is not conuinced there many exhortations fall to the ground for which cause also the holy vse of the Sabbath so little preuaileth with many in that they are not grounded with iudgement in the true knowledge of the same But before we come to the particular discourse of the reasons generally let vs consider why this commandement is in words larger in reasons fuller than any other commandement If we take a view of the whole law we may obserue how the Lord hath set downe sixe precepts in many words and foure nakedly in bare words as the 6. the 7. the 8. and the 9. why then are the first fiue commandements so apparelled with reasons and the last so dilated by a speciall amplification the other foure being so briefe and so naked Certainly the Lord and law-giuer foresaw that vnto these foure men would easily be brought to yeeld and we see how the very Heathen haue freely granted them the Philosophers haue fruitfully written of them all ciuill righteous men do earnestly maintaine them and to be briefe common honestie counteth him no man that will murther he is thought beastlike that defileth his body outward ciuilitie condemneth a theese and the common sort of men mislike a backbiter and slanderer Againe he knew in his eternall wisedome how the first fiue would neither in reason so soone be admitted nor in affection so easily embraced and therefore to meete with the subtiltie of mans nature and corruption of mans heart they are set downe more piercingly This we shall see in the first and last commandements of the second table In the first when the Lord had commanded honour to be giuen to parents he enforceth his commandement with annexing a promise of long life and why euen iudgement herein is much corrupted For many there are who granting the inconueniencie and vilenes of murther adulterie and false witnesse bearing yet denie the necessitie the excellencie of Magistracie Yea and albeit in iudgement many men yeeld to the reason thereof yet is not the equitie thereof so soone in affection embraced for experience of all ages proueth that the corrupt nature of man is most hardly brought to be subiect and these last miserable daies can witnesse the same more especially wherein men are growne to be without naturall affection Not without cause therefore is this precept fenced with reason In the last where God laieth a more precise rule straighter charge to the conscience of man than flesh and blood would willingly beare because men thinke it some rigorous dealing to haue their least affections arraigned and their secret thoughts condemned as willing to haue their thoughts not to be called into any court to hold vp their haÌ„d at the barre of iudgement he is constrained as it were by particular branches and seuerall articles to set downe the law that we might not finde some starting holes to creepe out at and to wring our selues out of the precincts of the same Yet more euidently doth this appeare in all the commandements of the first table because they are more contrarie to the iudgement of man meerely naturall although he be otherwise neuer so wise and the word of truth must only trie them for in the first commandement the reason is prefixed in the second third and fourth commaundements the reasons are annexed But here may arise this question â—o wit why the second and fourth Precepts are so amplified in words and strengthened with more reasons than anie of the other Surely herein the Lord declareth how he plainely foresaw how amongst the rest these two commandements would finde leaâ—â— entertainment and most be refused But what shall we say of the Papists Familists and Heretikes among vs in these dayes and other men also otherwise of sound iudgement which affirme that as well the second as the fourth Commandement is ceremoniall whereof the one would bring into the Church Images the other prophanenes Wherefore the Lord in his wisedome foreseeing these cauilling wits preuented their purposes so that if either they yeeld not or make resistance to the truth so manifest they oppose themselues to the knowne and open truth and so make themselues the more inexcusable Wee see to acknowledge that there is a God to honour Father and Mother to abstaine from blood not to defile our flesh not wrongfully to oppresse not to bee a notorious slanderer euery Papist and naturall man guided but by the light of reason will easilie graunt For the wonderfull order of the heauens the continuall course of the Sunne Moone and starres the outgoings of the mornings and euenings declare there is a God Reason perswadeth how the things in the world must needes be gouerned and that wee owe loue vnto him by whom they be guided Nature teacheth that mens liues must bee maintained common ciuilitie abhorreth adulterie oppression and backbiting But if yee aske how this God is to be worshipped and what times wee must sanctifie to that vse we shall see how many Countreys so many religions how many men so many deuises Thus wee see how necessarie it was that the Lorde should prouide for his owne glorie and captiuate all mans inuentions seâ—ing all these Commaundements doe most fight against the reason of man and by reason haue most beene oppugned So in the pure obseruing of these consisteth the sincere keeping of the rest of them For how shall wee knowe how to walke in pure worship with an vpright heart before the Lord how shall wee giue him the honour due vnto his glorious name how shall wee be instructed rightly and reuerently to deale with the dignitie of our brethren faithfully with their liues purely with their bodies righteously with their goods or tenderly with their credit but by those waies and rules which the Lord hath prescribed in his word and when should wee learne those rules but at such times as hee himselfe hath appointed and sanctified for that purpose Againe where these two commaundements are not rightly vnderstood there true Religion goeth to wracke For admit that wee should not carefully follow the word of God how many religions would then start vp Let this bee graunted that euery man should haue what day he would for the worship of God and then see how many dayes men would bestow on the Lord. But let vs come to the reasons whereof the first is drawne from the end of the law and is partly signified by this word remember and partly by this word sanctifie Remember the Sabbath day to sanctifie it For this word remember which is heere prefixed is set downe this word obserue in Deuteronomie wherein wee are forewarned to watch the more diligently and attend more carefully vpon this Commandement In which point wee may obserue that whereas all other commaundements are simply set downe and directly propounded this alone hath a preface prefixed which is thus
farre on the other hand doe we vtterly and simply refuse all orders of the Church although sometime there be no expresse word but if by consequence if by cause or effect wee can finde it agreeable or not repugnant to the word after triall had with the holy scriptures wee will receiue it thus to make the word the touchstone the heretikes will not agree Besides as in all other artes it is requisite that whosoeuer will attaine sound knowledge of them hee must credit their principles for otherwise as the verie heathen saw there is no farther dealing in the learning of them so we haue certaine generall truthes and rudiments whereby we traine vp new commers to Christ and trie both old and yong by them which thing our heretikes will not admit We hold then certaine generall rules of the power prouidence and wisedome of God of our redemption and saluation by Iesus Christ of our effectuall sanctification of the forgiuenes of our sinnes of the hope of the glorious resurrection and of a better life of obedience prayer discipline and holy conuersation in despite of all heretikes against which though they dispute declame raile and write wee will neuer leese the hold Secondly which is a thing vnto these men vnacquainted we vse to marke the scope and drift of the writer we compare the things that goe before with the things that follow after wee conferre one place with another the olde Testament with the new the allegories with the plaine speeches we see a perfit harmonie in the scriptures wee refuse all dissenting and disagreeing doctrine to the scriptures all which neither Turke Papist nor Familist will doe and therefore we haue the trueth in these last dayes which neither Mahomet Bishop of Rome nor H. N haue and therefore we will not be iudged by their reuelations traditions and dreames but by the scriptures whereby we iudge them and in this sense we say the last dayes or fulnes of time because we haue the trueth But yet the villanoust wretches which heape vp to the brimme the measure of their sins will not also stick to say with vs that these are the last dayes that is as they interpret it who so cōmeth into the house of loue and is illuminated is now risen againe and hath heard the last trumpe and is become of an Angelicall nature needing no eating drinking or marrying after the manner of men and these are our ranging rogues who will tye themselues to no calling but liue as they thinke in the resurrection See how needefull it is to vnderstand this phrase aright of the last dayes We call not them the last dayes in respect that no further time shall be but in respect hereof that these dayes shall not be ended vntill Christ come and giue vp the kingdome to God the Father and as these last dayes were begun at his first comming in humilitie in the fleshe so they shall ende at his last comming in glorie to iudgement It followeth in our text In the last dayes saith God All the Scriptures are worthie to bee heard because they proceed from God and not from man although man may be the pen of the holy Ghost Wherefore it is said 2. Pet. 1. 20. 21. First knowe this that no prophecie in Scripture is of priuate motion For the prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost The Prophets wholy to disauthorise themselues in all their waightie embassages vse to say Thus saith the Lord of hosts Thus saith the Lord the holy one and such like whereby they would purchase the greater credit whilest they remoue the imagination of men from all dreaming of mans doing and set their faith a worke in acknowledging it to proceede from God Wherefore wee must so heare the word as though we heard God himselfe speaking to vs yea as though we either went vp to heauen or God came downe to vs. Likewise whether we reade heare or meditate priuately we must still thinke our selues in the presence of God who narrowly watcheth ouer the pure vse of his holy word remembring that holy speech of Cornelius Act. 10. vers 33. vnto Peter the Apostle Now are we all here present before God to heare all things commanded thee of God It is also said in that exhortation to the Church to praise God Psal. 95. vers 2. Let vs come before his face with praise c. This is that which will humble vs when we know that we come before God and his Angels whose presence is described Ezek. 1. and therefore the Apostle 1. Cor. 11. 10. to moue the womē of Cor. the more telleth thē that they are in the presence of the Angels This meditation breedeth religion in hearing without which whilest we behold a man speaking as of himselfe and by himselfe alone we are neuer moued threatē he promise he menace he comfort he exhort he reproue he neuer so much No we cānot throughly be wrought vpon vntil we can say Surely it is the Lord speaketh to vs it is the word of the most high God vttered by man wee will not receiue it as the doctrine of men but of God either as the doctrine to saue our soules or to cōfound vs it is the mightie power of saluation if wee beleeue it is a mightie power to cast vs downe to the hels if we doe not beleeue It is the word of God that moueth not the word of man For if a man were a Turke how should he moue a Papist or how should a Papist moue a Turke If he take away Mahomets dreames from the Turke or the Fathers traditions from the Papist or the eight man his reuelations from the Familist and vrgethem with the word they are gone so that it is the onely word of God maugre the head of the deuill that vnblindfoldeth all their errors and is able to moue them and conuert so many of them to the trueth as God will haue saued Thus we see what the perswasion of God his presence and the authoritie of his word worketh in vs. Now before we goe into the other particulars let vs by the way consider somewhat of the reason here vsed Before he vsed a reason of probabilitie from the circumstance of the time now he commeth to a reason of necessitie because neuer drunken men could speake the wonderfull things of the Spirit This argument is drawne from contraries men full of drinke cannot so shew foorth the workes of God men thus endued with God his spirit cannot bee drunken On this manner Paul thus reasoneth Ephes. 5. 18. Be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse but be filled with the Spirit As if hee should say if ye be filled with wine there is excesse if ye labour of excesse of wine surely you cānot haue the Spirit Christ also vseth this argument No man can serue two masters c. If a man wholy giue ouer himselfe to God he cannot
therefore they cannot see where a trope should haue his place Thus it went with their great Master and father of allegories Origen who giuing himselfe to follow his deuised allegories could not through God his righteous and iust iudgement see those places that will admir a trope For comming to that saying of Christ our Sauiour where he intreateth oâ— three kindes of chast persons whereof one maketh himselfe chast for the kingdome of God sake hee taking it too literally did cut off his owne members and so grossely did misunderstand it The true vnderstanding of this place then is this that in the Apostles times and in the ages following there should bee riper knowledge than was in the ages before But if it be here obiected that the men of our daies are not like the great men and Prophets of God as Eâ—â—y Dauid Ieremiah or Daniel to this wee answere that comparisons must be alwaies in the like Then if we compare the Apostles with the Prophets that were before them we know the Apostles in cleerenes and excellencie of knowledge did surpasse them And our Sauiour Christ testifieth of Iohn Baptist that he was the greatest among the Prophets and yet that the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospell were greater than he Then compare our Euangelists with the Patriarches and they saw a cleerer light than these did For Abraham sawe Christ but a farre off and to come they sawe him euidently and already come Proceede to compare the common sort of people then with the common sort in these dayes and euen we doe see Christ more liuâ—ly painted out before vs than they did they had assurance that these things should come to passe wee knowe that they are alreadie come to passe seeing plainly the effects and issues of them And thus wee see that God his graces are moe and more excellent than they were in the time of the Law Compare Christ with Mose and hee did as farre exceed him as the Master builder doth the hired seruant Compare their common Ministers the Priests and Leuites with our ordinarie Doctors and Pastors and they goe beyond them in the euidence of knowledge All these notable men of the Law knew that Christ should come and that the holy Ghost should come but the maner of their comming they saw but very darkly but we see it and reioyce therein The plaine meaning then of this place is that whereas God did in the old time reueale his will vnto some by visions and by dreames now al sorts of men young and old man and maide shall be instructed in the knowledge of God more plentifully and more perfitly For it is to be vnderstood as that Exod 19 Ye shall be a kingly Priâ—sthood c. and 1 Pet. 2. it must be interpreted as often in Esay as chap. 11. in Ieremy and in the Gospell aâ—ter Iohn it is saide They shâ—ll all bee taught of God and that which is in his Epistle the annointing shall teach you all things These doe not take away the ordinarie ministerie of the word but doe shew that men shall not onely haue the outward meanes but shall also haue the teaching of the Spirit And all of these are so begun in this life that they be not performed to the full vntill wee be vnclothed of this flesh and haue our full part with Christ in the life to come This is the meaning of the place and herein doe wee goe beyond the men of the old ages And besides this in the very manner of deliuerie there is farre more cleernes and euidence now than was in the times of the Law For the Prophets and holy men of God indeede laboured but the fruite for the most part was little and the Apostles as Christ saith Ioh. 4. entred into their labours Yâ—a the Apostle Peter goeth further and saith that they were a light shining in a darke place but wee haue a surer light of prophecie Further hee addeth in the same place that they serued not so much their owne ages and times as vs that are come after them Now hauing the right vnderstanding of this place we are to be greatly thankfull to God for that he hath not left vs to doubtfull dreames but hath giuen vs the certaintie of the word written whereunto serued all the former visions dreames and prophecies and it is confirmed vnto vs by euery one of them Thus wee haue the sense of this place wherein it was fulfilled in the Apostles times as Peter here witnesseth and in this sense it was fulfilled in the Primitiue Church as all good stories doe record Let vs further see what it is that men shall prophecie that is they shall be taught by the spirit of God in the word to trie themselues to trie the spirits of their teachers to teach others and to be able to giue a reason of their hope before their enemies for as the holy Ghost came vpon Christ so must be come vpon euery one of his members and as he was annointed a Prophet so must his members also be Prophets This sound knowledge consisteth in foure things The first thing required in a Christian is that he be able to trie himselfe and his estate â—efore God whether he be in the faith or no whether he be God his childe or no contrarie to the doctrine of the Papists and cold Protestants that rest onely on common iniunctions and accustomed proceedings Thus Paul giueth charge to the whole Church of Corinth 2. Cor. 12. Examine your selues whether yee bee in the faith or no and hereunto he addeth a fearfull speech vnlesse you be refuses Who so is not in the faith is a refuse and if a man knoweth not whether he be in the faith or no then he doth not know whether he be in Christ or no. This examination must be according to the Scriptures for so saith our Sauiour Iesus Christ search the Scriptures for they testifie of me and in another place he saith ye erre because ye know not the Scripture Then we must not hang on the Preacher nor on this nor on that man but we must beleeue because wee haue found it in the Scripture and haue been taught it by the Spirit according as the men of Samaria saide to the woman when she told them of Christ. Againe we must not simply and barely knowe the Scriptures but applie them to our owne vse and make our owne faith sure by them if we be not reprobates and this is the first thing required of Christians The second thing is that we be able to trie our Teachers not in euery thing that they speak but in things pertinent to saluation Thus we are commaunded to doe 1. Corinth 5. Ephes. 4. and in the Epistle of Saint Iohn Trie the spirits whether they be of God or no and in the epistles of Peter and Iude it is said that those were peruerted with heresies that neuer came to knowe the truth but were vnstable and carried away with euery winde of
vaine doctrine Wherefore we must not be euer learning and yet not come to the knowledge of the truth but the trueth must dwell plentifully in vs with all wisdome that wee may discerne the spiritâ— And when we haue waied and found any thing according to the word then must wee receiue it as the word of God with reuerence and if we finde any thing false in it wee must be so farre off from receiuing it that we must hold him accursed that shall bring it though he were an Angell from Heauen Foolish then is that phreneticall fansie of the Familie of Loue which will say we may not iudge we cannot condemne For euery Christian taught by the spirit may yea and ought in the libertie of the spirit to trie and condemne all that is not consonant with the holy word of God The third thing required of a Christian is that by his knowledge he be able to instruct and admonish others This doth Iude in his epistle require that we should doe wheÌ„ he exhorteth vs to edifie one another in our most holy faith This also is giuen in charge Hebr. 3. that we should admonish one another and Hebr. 5. it is said that in respect of the times we ought to be teachers Our Sauiour Christ also commaundeth vs if our brother offend that we should admonish him This dutie wee owe and this we must be able to discharge especially to them of our household of our towne of our kindred and so by degrees to all men as wee haue occasion to deale with them and as our calling shall suffer vs. The fourth thing is that wee should be able to giue an account of our hope euen vnto our enemies This Peter requireth in plaine wordes this doth our Sauiour Christ require that if we would hee should confesse vs before his Father that we should confesse him before men These things were fulfilled in the Apostles times in the primitiue Church and in Queene Maries daies and this euen among vs may be found in many places therefore this is the true and natural meaning of this place This was neuer found in the Anabaptists who the younger they were in heresie the better they were in honestie and if once they waxe old in their heresie they grow not so much in knowledge as in subtiltie to inuent mens phrâ—ses to delude and deceiue with new starched termes They will auouch nothing before a Magistrate if they bee taken they will recaâ—t if they die they will say it is for treason and not for heresie And although nowadaies there be found few Christians which be able to trie theÌ„selues their Teachers to teach theÌ„selues to admonish others to giue an account of their hope before the aduersarie yet we may lesse marueile at it though they be not ashamed of it when as some occupying the roomes of Ministers and many wise and politique Magistrates cannot examine themselues and much lesse trie others Examine them and deale with them in matters of a better life of doctrine or discipline and they can say nothing but by act of Parliament by iniunctions and the common proceedings If there were a contrarie blast of heresie blowne in their eares they could not tell what to say to it they would follow the Court and doe as most doe affirme as the superiours affirme and denie that they denie because all their religion hangs on the Councels determination and on the Kings proceedings So that euery one is not a Christian that carrieth the title and beareth the face of a Christian but they indeede are professors of Christ who are annointed with his Spirit wherewith hee was annointed whether in a dropping or more flowing measure We see then what we ought to doe and doe not wherein we may be the more ashamed that the Papist the Turke the Familie of loue delight so much in their studie They be so carefull to dishonour God we are carelesse to honour him which thing ought to moue vs and to make vs more carefull to seeke knowledge Many so farre exceede that they begin now to be ashamed and they bid away with exercises of religion they can leaue them for and post them to others I am no teacher but an husband man saith one I am not booke-learned but a poore artificer saith another I was neuer brought vp at schooles with these learned men but at home saith the third it is not for vs to be seene in these points it appertaineth rather to Doctors The words of God are here very flat I will powre out my spirit vpon all flesh c. And surely if any man hath not receiued God his Spirit the Apostle pronounceth him to bee none of God his children and if wee haue the spirit wee shall sheew it in the fruites of the spirit Wherefore let vs cast away these vaine excuses farre from vs We are young men we must haue a fling youth is vnstable it will bee time for vs to be grauer hereafter when wee become old men Howbeit the Prophet Dauid saith Psal. 119.9 Wherewithall may a young man redresse his way c. And Eccles 12. 1. it is said Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth c. If young men will appertaine to God they must haue God his spirit that is such gifts as they may doe these things Let none say wee are old our memorie failes vs if our wits were as fresh as they haue been we could doe something now we can remember nothing For men can remember things of vanitie done in their youth and in chronicling theÌ„ they will weare tongues and to fetch euidences of lands or mony which they haue hidden their memorie failes in no point Well as the Lord saith that yong men shall see visions so old men shall dreame dreames If wisedome and the feare of God be the crowne of old age and without these the aged man euen of an hundred yeeres old is accursed they had neede to labour for knowledge Old men will pleade for their priuiledge to goe before young men in worldly things and will they hope for plackards to excuse them if they come behind them in heauenly things None must say We are but seruants and vnder others wee must labour for our wages and no time can wee haue as others to learne such things it is well if wee may haue the Lord his day to rest on we must haue our recreation then wee cannot alwayes be toyling Well if ye be the seruants of God as well as the seruants of men men or maides ye must by God his spirit be able to prophecie Is your condition hard vnder the Gospell oh praise God it is nothing so hard as vnder the Law For in times past seruants were bondmen little better in condition than bruite beasts and yet men being at that time in such an estate vnder such heathen men did so carefully attend vpon the Lord in the word and in prayer that they would redeeme al times possible for to
are either ignorant in the word not knowing how to order one right step to the kingdome of God or else hauing some knowledge of God vngodlily abuse it to maintaine their carnall lust and appetite For this cause as it would grieue parents to haue naturall fooles to their children or such as either through some imperfection of nature are dismembred or deformed and misfigured in the parts of the bodie so much more should it grieue them to haue such children as either for want of knowledge and heauenly wisedome cannot walke in the feare of God or abusing the knowledge giuen them prostitute themselues to all sinne and wickednesse It is marueilous to see how greatly parents can bewaile the want of one naturall gift proceeding of some imperfection and how easily they can passe ouer without any griefe the want of all spirituall graoes springing from corrupt education In like manner it is strange that men can take the matter so heauily when their children breake into such offences as either haue open shame or ciuill punishment following them and yet can make no bones but post ouer such sinnes as are against the maiestie of God accompanied with euerlasting confusion and vnspeakable torments wherein what doe most part of men bewray but their greathy pocrisie in that neither their ioy nor their griefe is souÌ„d to their children and that they loue themselues more in their childreÌ„ than either their saluation or the glorie of God The tender loue care whereof no doubt did encrease the sorrowe of Dauid for the death of his sonne Absolon who was not so much grieued for the losse of a sonne as for that vntimely end of his sonne Let vs learne therefore to correct our affections to our children and be grieued for our ignorance impietie and sinnes whereof either our carnall compassion the not lamenting of our owne naturall corruption the want of prayer for an holy seede or prophane education armed with the wrath of God may bee a most iust occasion Can a man hope for a holy posteritie or doe wee maruaile if the Lord crosse vs in the children of our bodies when wee make as bold and brutish an entrance into that holy ordinance of the Lord as in the meeting of the neighing horse with his mate when being ioyned in that honorable estate of matrimonie either as meere naturall men without all knowledge of God wee beget our children or as too carnall men without the feare and reuerence of the Lord neither bewailing our corruption which we receiued of our forefathers nor praying against our infirmities which may descend to our posteritie we abuse the marriage bed Lastly wheÌ„ hauing receiued the fruit of the wombe we haue no care by vertuous education to offer it to the Lord that our childe by carnall generation may be the childe of God by spirituall regeneration Surely no. And yet men without all looking vp to Gods prouidence and secret counsell without all bethinking themselues of their corrupt nature from which their children are descended without all looking backe into their wicked and godlesse bringing them vp will fret against their sinnes and fume against their children yea often they will correct them and that to serue their owne corruptions not so much grieued for that they haue sinned against God as that they haue offended them Christians therefore must knowe that when men and women raging with boyling lusts meete together as bruit beasts hauing none other respects than to satisfie their carnall concupiscene and to strengthen themselues in worldly desires when they make no conscience to sanctifie the mariage bed with prayer when they haue no care to increase the Church of Christ and the number of the elect it is the â—ust iudgement of God to send them monsters vntimely births or disfigured children or naturall fooles or else such as hauing good gifts of the minde and well proportioned bodies are most wicked gracelesse and prophane persons Againe on the contrarie side wee shall finde in the word of God noble and notable men commended vnto vs for rare examples of vertue and godlinesse who were children asked and obtained of God by prayer Our first parents Adam and Eue being humbled after the birth of their wicked sonne Kaine obtained a righteous Abell of whom when by his bloodie brother they were â—ereft they receiued that holy man Seth. Abraham begetting a childe in the fleshe had a cursed Ismael but waiting by faith for the accomplishment of Gods couenant hee obtained a blessed Isaac Iacob not content with one wife according to the ordinance of God was punished in his children yet after being humbled he receiued a faithfull Ioseph Elkanah and Anna praying and being cast downe had a Prophet that did minister before the Lord. Dauid and Bethsheba lamenting their sinnes obtained Salomon a man of excellent wisedome Zacharie and Elizabeth fearing the Lord receiued Iohn the Baptist and forerunner of Christ. Looke what sinnes wee haue naturally without Gods great blessing without prayer and humbling of our selues we shall conueigh them to posteritie and although the Lord doe grant sometimes naturall gifts vnto the children of carnall and naturall men yet for the most part they receiue their naturall sinnes withall But if the children of God by regeneration do see into themselues and lament their sinnes of generation praying that their naturall corruptions may be preuented in their posterities they shall see the great mercie of God in some measure freeing their posteritie from their sinnes Now when thou shalt see such sinnes to be in thy children enter into thine owne heart examine thy selfe whether they are not come from thee consider how iustly the hand of God may bee vpon thee and when thou wouldest bee angrie with thy childe haue an holy anger with thy selfe and vse this or such like meditatioÌ„ with thine owne soule Lord shall I thus punish mine owne sinne and that in my child Shall I thus prosecute the corruptions of my auncesters Nay I see O Lord and proue that thou art displeased with me for the too carnall desire of posteritie I lay then in some sinne I asked not this childe of thee by prayer be mercifull vnto me O God and in thy good time shew some pitie vpon my child Thus thinking when thou goest about to correct the corruptioÌ„ of nature in thy childe which he could not helpe arming thy selfe with prayer repenting with Iacob thou shalt be so affected that as thou art desirous to draw thy childe out of sinne so yet to doe it with the mildest meanes and with least rigour And one thing is most wonderfull that some will teach their children to speake corruptly and doe wickedly whilest they are young and yet beate them for it when they are come to riper age Againe some will imbolden their children to practise iniquitie towards others which when by the iust iudgement of God they afterwards practise against their parents themselues
of the word of God succeeding them vnto the end of the world as it appeareth by Matthew the 28. the 19. and 20. verses Goe therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost teaching them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you and loe I am with you alway vntill the end of the world The Apostles are gathered to their fathers but the ministerie shall be for euer it continueth vnto the end of the world therefore vnto the Ministers also are committed the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and they are the porters of the kingdome of heauen as the Apostles were Now this is euident by Ephes. 4. 11. c. He gaue some to be Apostles some Euangelists some Pastors and some Doctors And vnto these hee committed the ministerie of the word vntill the time that all the elect Saints of God were gathered together and the bodie of Christ througâ—ly builded vp which should not be before the end of the world By this we see that the Ministers are the porters of heauen and that they haue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen as the Apostles had Of this kingdome our Sauiour Christ speaketh Matth. 23 13. where hee reprooueth the Scribes and Pharisies saying Woe bee vnto you Interpreters of the Law for you haue shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men for ye your selues goe not in neither suffer ye them that would enter to come in What these keyes be our Sauiour Christ sheweth Luke the 11. the 52. saying Woe bee vnto you Interpreters of the Law for yee haue taken away the key of knowledge yee enter not in your selues and them that came in ye forbad Of this kingdome our Sauiour also speaketh Matth. 9. vers 35. And Iesus went about all cities and townes teaching in the Synagogues and preaching the Gospell of the kingdome And in the 10. of Luke the 10. and 11. verses our Sauiour Christ biddeth his Disciples to goe and preach but if they will not receiue you goe your waies out of the streetes of those cities and townes and say Euen the dust that eleaueth on vs of your citie we wipe off against you notwithstanding know this that the kingdome of God was come neere vnto you And in Luk. 17. 21. when the Pharisies asked Christ a questioÌ„ when the kingdom of Christ should come hee answered them and said The kingdome of God commeth not by obseruation and glorious signes neither shall men say loe here and loe there for the kingdome of God behold it is among you And here wee must beware of these translations who haue it thus translated the kingdome of God is within you for we must not thinke that the kingdome of God was in euery one of the Scribes and Pharisies but that it was amongst them so that euery one is not the kingdome of God as the Familie of loue teacheth And in Matthew 21. vers 43. Christ speaking vnto the vnthankfull Iewes saith The kingdome of God shall be taken from you and shall be giuen vnto a nation that shall bring foorth fruite Where we see that the kingdome of God is taken for the ministerie of the Word and the application of the kingdome of God vnto vs and here wee are to know that by these meanes of the ministerie of the Word as Fasting Prayer c. the kingdome of God is offered vnto vs but these are not the kingdome but the meanes to bring vs thereunto as is euident by Esay 52. vers 14. the which afterward is repeated and applied vnto this end of the Apostle Paul Rom. the 15. and 21. verse To whom hee was not spoken of they shall see him and they that heard not shall vnderstand him where it is apparant that the ministerie of the Word is the meanes to bring vs to the knowledge of Christ and so to his kingdome The kingdome of God is wholy spirituall as Romanes the 14 and 17. verse The kingdome of God saith the Apostle is not meate and drinke but righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holie Ghost And that the kingdome of God consisteth partly of all the graces of the spirit proceeding from this meanes it is euident by the 2. of Peter the 1. and 4. verse c. Therefore giue all diligence thereunto ioyne vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temporance and with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and with brotherly kindnesse loue for if these things bee among you and abound they will make you that you neither shall bee idle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ. Wherefore brethren giue diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you doe these things you shall neuer fall for by these meanes an entrance shall bee ministred vnto you aboundantly into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Thus then we see that the kingdome of God consisteth in these things as in respect of the outward meanes which is the Word and in respect of the fruite of these meanes it consisteth in these graces which fruite God bestoweth on them which vse the meanes Here then wee learne that none shall make appearance in the kingdome of God hereafter which maketh not an entrance into it here He which taketh not possession of it in this life shall neuer possesse it in the life to come none shall rise and raigne with Christ which doth not with him here crucifie himselfe and rise from sinne on earth for who so will be made partaker of the kingdome of heauen must here wholie addict himselfe to seeke the kingdome of heauen Therefore it behooueth euerie man to make an especiall account of these meanes seeing that by them wee haue alreadie passed the second death and entred into the kingdome of God which whosoeuer doth not enioy here can neuer enioy it in the life to come wherefore the kingdome of God is and may well bee called a treasure The righteousnesse of Christ Iesus with the peace of conscience ioy in the holy Ghost vertue faith knowledge temperance patience godlinesse brotherly kindnes loue c. these bee sure gages seales and pledges vnto vs of our entrance into the kingdome of God and therefore most excellent treasures For if that bee a treasure which if a man haue he needeth nothing else and without which if he haue all things he hath nothing then may this rightly bee called a treasure for all things without them are nothing and these without al other things are sufficient for our saluation Therefore this being so great and inestimable a treasure is highly to be esteemed of vs. Haue we this treasure then wee neede not to esteeme of all other things In iudgement men doe see that the onely treasure of man is the saluation of the soule this is a granted rule neither doth this neede so much to be proued vnto
men of the East or all the wisedome of Egipt 1. King 4 30. But where is this learning found in the booke of God soundly vnderstood and sauingly applied vnto the conscience Who is the teacher the principal maister is God himselfe They shall be all taught of God saith Ieremie God opened the heart of Lydia saith Luke He sits in heauen that teacheth the heart saith Augustine Paul may plant and Apollos water but it is God that giueth the encrease saith Paul The ministers indeed are Gods instruments in the Church maisters of families ought to be his instruments in the house yet as Iohn only baptised with water Christ with the holy Ghost so these may speake to the outward â—are it is God that must giue vs vnderstanding in all things If we pray God to be taught as the Eunuch did Philip he will say vnto vs Ephatha be thou opened for an huÌ„ble petitioner findeth that knowledge which a curious searcher can neuer find out This well is deepe we haue nothing to drawe let downe the bucket by this chaine and thou shalt drawe vp liuing waters of eternall life But thou hast drawne vp and drunke them downe and findest them sweeter than the honie combe forget not with the prophet to praise the Lord he desireth no more he delighteth in nothing else Let his praise be in thy mouth when his law is in thine heart But take heed that thou praise him in sinceritie For faire without foule within white without blacke within and in a word all painted sepulchers they are abominable in the sight of God Chrysost speaketh to such persons thus thou hypocrite if it be a good thing to be good why wilt thou appeare to be that which thou art not if it â—e an euill thing to be euill why wilt thou be that which thou wilt not appeare if it be a good thing to appeare good it is better to be good if it be an euill thing to appeare euill it is farre worse to be euill Therefore either appeare that which thou art indeed or be that which thou dost appeare Euery one who desireth to seeme that which he is not indeed is an hypocrite saith Augustine Verse 8. I will keepe thy statutes O forsake mee not ouer-long THe Prophet now considering all that he had saide namely that all were in a blessed estate which keepe Gods commandements that they worke none iniquity that God had commaunded the obseruation of his law that hee desired to obserue it lest he should be confounded and that he should haue iust cause to magnifie Gods name when hee had learned Gods word hee concludeth this portion in these wordes I will keepe c. In which obserue 1. a promise 2. a prayer A promise I will keepe thy statutes a prayer O forsake mee not ouer long 4. I will keepe c. 1. By thy grace and assistance for otherwise I am not able I will laye vp thy statutes not in my closer to preserue them from corruption nor in thine house to keepe them from ruine but in my memorie to remember them in mine heart to loue and like them and in my life to bee directed by them The word statutes is in our Englishe Leitourgie translated Ceremonies and indeede the hebrewe word signifieth properly such constitutions and rites as were vsed in the Leuiticall Priest hood And they were so named because the ceremonies of Moses were not idle spectacles or obseruations belonging to the outward man but types shadowes and pictures of farre greater things But happily by that figure Synechdoche this part of the law is vsed for the whole word of God Yet note that Dauid was not an improuident reader or obseruer of the Ceremoniall lawe but was carefull to knowe what was meant by euery ceremonie that in them hee might finde CHRIST the ende of the Lawe and in a worde that the Types of the ceremoniall Lawe and impossibilitie of the morall might bee as a schoole-maister to bring him to IESVS CHRIST If the King of Israel keepe Gods statutes the people of Israel will bee ashamed to neglect them Caesar was wont to say Princes must not say Ite goe yee without mee but Venite Come yee along with mee So saide Gideon Iudg 7. 17. As yee see me doe so doe yee Once againe note that for the better obseruing of Gods law wee should euer carie with vs holie purposes and for our better going on in that way laye vowes vpon our selues Dauid in this verse promiseth to doe so and verse 106 sweareth to doe so I haue sworne and will performe it to keepe thy righteous iudgements Last of all doth Dauid labour to finde CHRIST in the law Why then doe not we labour to finde him in the Gospell and vpon euery occasion to applie him to our selues When I am saith Augustine assaulted by some wicked thought I then bâ— take mee to the wounds of CHRIST when my flesh casteth mee downe by the remembrance of my Sauiours woundes I rise vp againe Deth Sathan assault mee I flie to those bowells of mercie who are in my Sauiour and hee departeth away from mee Am I enflamed with lust I quench that fire with the meditation of Christs Passion Am I in any trouble I finde no more effectuall remedie then the woundes of CHRIST in them I sleepe securely and repose my selfe without feare CHRIST died for vs there is nothing so deadly which is not cured by the death of Christ. I see saith he the bowels of CHRIST through the wounds of CHRIST euen through the holâ—s in his side I behold the secrets of his heart O Lords forsake mee not ouer long God had begunne a good worke in him his desire is that hee would finish the same and therefore he prayeth that howsoeuer by the corruption of his owne heart the malice of Sathan or the pleasures of the world hee should perhaps faile in keeping that vowe which hee had formerly made and therefore for a time be left to himselfe and forsaken of God yet it would please him not to forsake him ouer long but that though he fell he might rise againe being taken vp by Gods owne hand Saul was forsaken aâ—d forsaken vtterly Dauid fearing the like desertion desireth that hee might not be forsaken for euer True it is indeede that for the correction of some sinne the triall of their faith the exercise of their patience the manifestation of his glorie and for their owne better knowledge of themselues GOD seemeth to withdraw himselfe from his seruants And as a Nource dealeth with young children to leaue them to themselues and to hide her selfe at some Pillar or vnder some curtaine that they taking some falles may both see their owne weakenesse and knowe how much they are beholding to her for preseruing them when they fell not and taking them vp beeing fallen Thus Peter was forsaken for a minute CHRIST IESVS for a fewe houres Dauid for a fewe moneths and Iob for a fewe
zeale is opposed to luke-warmnes which is too temperate a warmenes for the profession of the Gospell Wee must not then onely renounce coldnes farre from vs and put away lukewarmnes but wee must be very hote and feruent in the profession of the truth Againe 1. Cor. 14. 1. that which our common translation hath Follow after loue couet gifts but especially prophecie the naturall Text hath bee zealous after the more excellent gifts And Rom. 12. Be feruent to the spirit that is let Gods spirit inkindle in you a fire which may cause you to flame with a zeale of Gods glorie and with a loue of mankinde Now there are diuers kinds of zeale there is a zeale of the world there is a zeale of the flesh there is a zeale of false religion there is a zeale of heresie and there is a zeale of the true word of God First wee see the zeale of the world maketh men to labour day and night to get a transitorie thing The zeale of the flesh tormenteth mens minds early and late for a momentarie pleasure The zeale of heresie maketh men trauaile and compasse Sea and Land for the maintaining and increasing of theis opinion Thus wee see euery man is eaten with some kinde of zeale The drunkard is consumed with drunkennes the whoremonger is spent with his whoredome the Heretike is eaten with heresies oh how ought this to make vs ashamed who are so little eaten spent consumed with the zeale of the word And so much the rather because godlie zeale leaueth in vs an aduantage and a recompence which the worldlie and carnallie zealous men haue not For when they haue spent all the strength of their bodies and powers of their minde they haue no gaine nor comfort left but torment of conscience and when they are outwardly spent they are inwardly neuer the better whereas the godly being consumed for a good thing and eaten vp with the zeale of Gods glorie haue this notable priuiledge and profite that howsoeuer their outward man perisheth and decayeth yet their inward man is still refreshed and nourished to euerlasting life Oh what a benefit it is to bee eaten with the loue and zeale of a good thing Leauing now the carnall and worldly zeale wee know how zealous Idolaters were that they would euen offer their children in the fire We know the zeale of the Iewes Math. 13. who would compasse Sea and Land to make a man a Proselyte Heretikes as we see spare no labour and let not for aâ—â—e cost to maintaine their Heresies but these are not good The true zeale is that whereof the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 11. I am iealous ouer you with an holie jealousie Rom 10. the Apostle â—aith the Iewes had the zeale of God but not according to knowledge Wherefore to shewe some properties of true zeale whereby we may trye our selues let vs first know that our zeale must be grounded on knowledge for otherwise it will carrie vs further to destruction as it did them who oppreâ—â—ed the truth and persecuted the deare seruants of God and yet thought that they did well Wherefore in true zeale it is requisite to haue knowledge going before Wee see the zeale of the Prophet did arise here of the contempt of the law of God For seeing it to be â—o exquisite perfit euerlasting powerfull comfortable it is a manifest argument that he was well grounded on the word This zeale then that we may the lesse be deceiued with the contrary hath these few rules first as we haue already said it must be agreeable wholy with the word of God to begin where it beginneth to end where it endeth Therefore we may thus trie our true zeale If first and especially wee make conscience of the principall matters of the word as of prayer of the Sacraments of discipline of charitie and then of the lesse things that are commaunded if wee will doe them if anie be forbidden wee also auoide them yet euer tollerating through loue little things as they that would not trouble the Church of God Wherefore the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 11. 1. 10. If anie man lust to be contentious we haue no such custome neither the Churches of God as if he should say If any man will striue about matters of lesse importance wee according to the order of the Church will not striue with them but rather will beare many things in loue and yet so as still we vse this caueat That we account nothing small or little which is Gods word This doctrine may be manifested by familiar examples If a man shall steale things of great weight or some great summe of money which deserueth hanging and the cutting off of life we will abhorre him but when it coÌ„meth out that they may â—eale lesse things as wood and corne and that not of necessitie but euen of greedinesse of minde thinking it not to be subiect to so high a punishment they will make no conscience of it But if Adam was cast out of Paradise for the biting of an apple wee must not thinke any thing that the word commaundeth or forbiddeth to be little or that the doing or not doing is but a trifling sinne least that through the iust iudgements of God we falling by little and little by degrees fall into great monstrous sinnes And as this is in life so is it much more in the worship of God It is a great fault that wee will make a scruple in matters of small importance and will not sticke to be dissolute in things of greater weight Indeed it must needs be confessed that our grand zeale must be in great things and yet wee must not lightly esteeme of any thing in the glorious word of God The second rule of true zeale is that wee must looke to the things which are within as well as to the things which are without This also our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs by reprehending the Pharisies in telling them that they made cleane the outside of the platters but left the inside foule shewing that their liues outwardly was without reproofe but inwardly they were full of secret pride disdaine selfe-loue and hatred Our zeale must beginne within and in time appeare outwardly and as we will not sinne outwardly so we must be as loth to sinne inwardly Wherefore here also are two things to be obserued the first is that we feare no more to do ill before men then we do by our selues For wee be giuen to be loth to be accounted ill and yet make no such conscience to be ill we see theeues whores and ill-doâ—rs are loth to bee so accounted and yet in the meane season if they can doe this secretly they make no care of it We outwardly are carefull to maintaine our credit and to trauaile with our selues yet secretly wee can commit sinne greedily What is this but to be painted sepulchers and dishes cleane without but foule within Wherefore wee
Wherefore we must needes see and confesse that either hee was very vile and wee very holie or he most holie and we very vile Shall we hope to attaine this without vsing the like meanes Did not hee attaine to Knowledge without so many meanes and shall wee attaine to it with vsing of no meanes Shall wee thinke the Lord will be more partiall with vs than he was with his beloued Prophet Did not the man of God obtaine without asking often and shall we obtaine without asking at all Shall he crie and call pray and complaine watch and wake to get vnderstanding and shall wee slugge and doe nothing Or did it more appertaine to him to doe these things or doe they lesse concerne vs seeing he did them for our instruction The holy Ghost hath for no other end blessed the commendation of so good men to vs then for a type of godlines which we must follow and wherby he vouchsafeth as it were to open heauen gates for vs and to giue vs accesse to the treasures of heauen Surely it was not for any profit of the Prophet himselfe who did it but for all posteritie to come to put vs in minde of our corruption to shew how we should striue against it Wherefore it standeth vs in hand more carefully more frequently more feruently to vse prayer if euer wee will hope for the like graces For the Lord hath promised that if wee knock on this sort the doore of knowledge shall be opened if we seeke wisedome on this sort wee shall surely finde her if wee craue vnderstanding with this affection and alaâ—â—â—â—e we shall receiue plentifully We must then in our behalfe know that wee must knocke and that instantly we must seeke and that carefully we must aske and that diligently with an holy importunitie Away then with our old drowsines God will not bestow his hidden secrets his treasures his mysteries his iewels vpon them who vouchsafe not to aske them For seeing the things which he promiseth in his word be no small things but such as the eye hath not seene the eare heard tongue expressed nor heart conceiued shall we thinke to come to them by shutting our eyes by making dull our eares by closing vp our mouthes and hardning our hearts Surely no. Behold then this vehement praying of the man of God for a president for vs to follow But why should the man of God here pray for vnderstanding had he not often prayed for it before was he a nouice in knowledge being a Prophet doth not our Sauiour Christ reprehend repetitions and babling in prayer True it is our Sauiour Christ doth reprehend that babling which is without faith and knowledge and a feeling of our wants but he speaketh not against these serious and often repetitions which proceede from a plentifull knowledge abundant faith and liuely feeling of our necessities Againe although it cannot be denyed but he was a man of God and had receiued great graces yet God giueth knowledge to his dearest Saints in this life but in part and the most which we see and know is the least thing which we see not nor knowe Besides when wee haue knowledge and knowledge must be brought into practise wee shall finde such difficulties such wawardnes such forgetfulnes such wants that although we haue had with the Prophet a very good direction in the generall things of the word which are vniuersall and few yet we shall finde many distractions in our practises which must bee particular and many and wee shal either faile in memorie by forgetfulnesse or in iudgement by blindnes or in affection by dulnes So easily may we slippe when wee thinke we may hold our iourney on Wherfore the man of God through that examination which he tooke of his heart and affections seeing those manifold streights and difficulties prayeth in the verse following not for the renuing of men in generall troubles but for the hindring of his particular estate and condition Vers. 170. Let my supplication come before thee and deliuer me according to thy promise WEl now if we only coÌ„sider those former causes we shal see that here is no vaine repetition and that in nothing this prayer was made too often For besides that as we said we know here but in part we forget also that which we know and wee cannot practise that which we remember so that it is a rare thing to haue a good iudgement but rarer when wee haue a good iudgement to haue a good affection and most rare when wee haue a good iudgement and a sound affection to haue them still For wee haue not in vs any indwelling righteousnes Againe as it had not been sufficient for vs to haue had light heretofore and not to haue it now or hauing it now vnlesse we haue it hereafter so it is requisit for our life which we hold in Christ that we haue not onely had iudgement heretofore vnlesse we haue it now and it is not sufficient to haue it now vnlesse we haue it hereafter For they that thinke their iudgement is perfit enough and their affections holy had no need to haue Christ to be their schoolemaster who teacheth the simple and ignorant they that are whole need him not to be their physition who came not to cal the righteous but sinners to repentance But God his children seeing their ignorance and corrupt affections euen by experieÌ„ce the schoolemistresse of schooles know how needful it is daily to craue knowledge and continually to labour for a good conscience On the contrary part who so bolde as blinde bayard who so loftie as hee that vnderstandeth least who so proud as hee that hath but slender knowledge But surely the children of God who are conscious still of their deadnes dulnes in heauenly things would euen haue despaired had they not seene the same in the Saints of God before them and had they not receiued from God this holy Psalme both for a patterne of godlines to their instruction and also for an example how they might be rid from their ignorance deadnes dulnes and how they might be comforted when after much striuing and shaking them off they returne to them againe to their consolation For when we see that the Saints of God before vs haue had such fightes not onely with corruptions of ill iudgement and corrupt affections which they had of nature but after they haue beene renued by knowledge and therewithall consider that by prayer alone they haue bene reuiued we are assured and comforted that if wee continue and renue our prayers GOD will continue and renue his graces in vs. Thus we see as well to our consolation as instruction that the Saints of GOD were not onely not safe from presumptuous sinnes but also they laboured to see the errors of this life and also desired to bee rid from the daungerous and sluggish sinnes of prophane professors who will see nothing at all According to thy Word These wordes will beare
let vs bee afraide to tell a lye in the very lightest and most secret causes But if this will not at all moue vs yet let vs bee ouercome with the consideration of those fruites which will come of true speaking specially let vs consider of these two First the loue of the Trueth doth breede and beget in vs a great and singular comfort when wee see that herein wee resemble our heauenly Father who is the God and author of Trueth Secondly the loue of the trueth is a speciall helpe to reuoke vs from sinne For as the lyer can so cloake his sinne and set such a colour vpon it that no man can accuse him no admonition or rebuke can take hold vpon him no threatning feare him So the sillie soule that in simple truth doth confesse his sinne is open vnto rebukes and holy censures his heart lieth naked before the word which doubtles will worke effectually to reclaime him from sinne The second thing which we must learne out of these words is this that albeit we must speake the trueth at all times and in all places yet must we be especially carefull so to doe when we be called as witnesses before the iudgement seate For the whole state and order of iudgement doth depend vpon the witnesse so that the Questmen the Iudge and all doe proceed either falsly or truly according as the testimonie of the witnesse is either false or true Last of all we learne that good care must be vsed in chusing of witnesses so that we may not take periured persons or common liers no not such as doe often lie though it be but in light matters but if there be any one man that of conscience speaketh truth in all things he is worthie and fit to be a witnesse This condemneth the practise of the receiuing all indifferently to be witnesses in court and specially such as be knowne to be common liers Thus much for this verse Vers. 6. The skorner seeketh wisedome and findeth it not but knowledge is easâ— for him that will vnderstand BY the skorner is here meant the proud contemptuous man who in the pride of his wit will compasse any thing neglecting yea contemning those holy meanes which God hath ordained This proude and contemptuous skorner shall not finde knowledge By knowledge we may vnderstand not the knowledge of the letter floting in the braine and flowing euen at the tongues end which indeed is not worthie the name of knowledge but the true vnderstanding of the word taught by the spirit which entreth into the heart and worketh on the affections frameth to obedience and assureth of euerlasting life This indeed is healthfull knowledge which the skorners though they seeke shall neuer obtaine And hereunto doth our Sauiour Christ giue witnesse when he saith Many shall seeke to enter in and canâ—ot Now if we would see the cause hereof it is this they doe refuse the right and direct meanes whereby to come to knowledge or else vse the meanes with corrupted hearts For if they seeke and search in the prophane writings of Heathen men or in the corrupted writings of hellish heretikes no marueile if they neuer finde this knowledge For how can they finde trueth in falsehood How can they finde the true knowledge of God in the fained deuises and inuentions of men Againe though they cast off all these and come to the holy word of God yet if their hearts be not sound and right if they seeke profit preferment and vaine pleasure doubtlesse they shall neuer attaine to this holy knowledge For sure if the heart be corrupted when they come to studie vpon the word they shall be made worse and not better by it The experience of this doe we see in many who seeking and searching after knowledge either to get liuings or to gaine credit or to some such like euill and corrupt end they haue beene disappoynted of their hope and haue failed of that which they sought after By the example of others then let vs beware and learne to seeke after the knowledge of God and of godlinesse in the written word of God which onely is able to make vs godly Againe aboue all things let vs take heede vnto our hearts that they be vpright and sound in seeking for it Now for the triall hereof let vs examine whether we seeke knowledge that we might be better able to glorifie God and to profit our brethren let vs examine whether we seeke Christ for Christ whether in Christ we seeke nothing but Christ and this if we can truely see and feele euen in the truth of our hearts then our heart is vpright then haue we before vs a right end then doe we rightly seeke God and he whom he hath sent Iesus Christ euen to the saluation of our soules True it is that the Lord may and doth often bestow liuings riches and such other outward helpes and benefites on his children but they doe not chiefly seeke these They take these as an handfull yea as an ouerplus of his fauour but their hearts are not set vpon them Their loue is set vpon God and vpon his glorie that they especially labour for that they doe toyle and trauell about and that is the ende of all their labours in what measure they obtaine that in that measure they be quiet though they want other things but in what measure they doe not finde that in that measure are they grieued though they abound in outward things WheÌ„ a man is of this mind when he hath this heart when he hath this good will to learne then among many other blessings he shall be sure to finde that which followeth in this verse Knowledge shall be easie to him that will vnderstand There be two things whereat many men are much offended and whereby they are driuen from that due care which they ought to haue of the word The first is because they see that great and wealthie men of this world little esteeme it and make light account of it But men should know that the affections of such are for the most part weaned from the word their loue is set vpon their profit vpon their pleasure and vpon such other things below Now the minde and heart being forestalled yea and surcharged with the liking of these things they cannot with desire receiue the word into their soules and seeing that they haue little liking of it and lesse will and desire to learne it no maruâ—ile though it be as vnsauourie salt vnto them The second thing which feareth and offendeth many is the hardnes of the word Oh say they we would gladly learne indeed but the word is so obscure and hard that indeed it cannot be learned See the shamelesse vngratiousnesse of some men who to cleere themselues will lay a fault vpon the holy and pure word of God But know this O man that the word is hard because thy heart is hard through sinne Couetousnesse anger
holy Ghost hath giuen sentence vpon such that if they labour not to liue godly they be but fooles yea the more knowledge they haue so much the greater fooles they be if they doe not for conscience sake practise the same We see then what we must doe if we will not be counted fooles Now all of vs be we neuer so simple witted would be loath to be counted fooles and indeede the name is most reprochfull and will grieue a man at the very heart Therefore our Sauiour Christ doth recite it among those words that kill and murther saying Whosoeuer saith vnto his brother thou foole shall be guiltie of hell fire But howsoeuer grieuous it is yet in truth we are such if hauing knowledge we doe not bring it into practise This then must be forcible to make vs to ioyne a godly life with good knowledge and good workes with a liuely faith if before the Lord wee will not be accounted fooles Vers. 9. A foole maketh a mocke of sinne but among the righteous there is fauour THe heart of man is fraught and filled with much grosse and filthie corruption but none is worse than that which is here spoken of that a man should make a light matter of sin It is strange and very monstrous that it should be so and yet by this place we see it doth often so fall out Yea in another place the holy Ghost doth testifie and we know that his testimonie is true that the foole doth make euen a sport and a pastime of sinne Our own dayes will confirme the same For come vnto an adulterer to a false witnesse bearer and to such grosse sinners tell them that God is angrie with them that he will be auenged on them as he hath been vpon others for such sinnes and what I pray you wil they do Surely he that is filthie will be more filthie and the false witnesse will mocke at iudgement And what is this but to make a mocke and a â—est at sin â—ay what is it but to make a God of sin and to serue it in steade of God and how do they grow vnto this height and excesse of sin Surely one chiefe cause is because they be not plagued like other men because the mercy of God doth hedge them in on euery side and because they passe their time in prosperity and pleasure O what a monstrous thing is this that a man should bee made worse by the goodnes of God how miserable is that man that will make the mercie of God an occasion of his owne miserie how vnthankful is he that the more benefits the Lord doth bestow vpon him the more he will heape sin vpon sinne nay how worthily is hee destroyed that will abuse the vnspeakable louing kindnes of the Lord to his owne destruction And that there should be such the Apostle Peter foretold vs In the latter times saith hee shall come mockers which shall aske for the comming of the Lord as though hee would not come at all But these abuse the goodnesse and bountie of the Lord who would that all should be brought to repentance They therfore doe treasure vp wrath for theÌ„selues against the day of wrath wherein the Sonne of GOD shall come in iudgement and fierce wrath against them that haue made a mocke of sin haue not been led to repentance through his long patience and louing kindnes Now seeing the iudgement of God will lay hold of all those that lie in sinne and seeing we can neuer comâ— out of sinne so long as we make such light account of it let vs knowe that although one sinne is lesse than another and although a sinner in thought may bee counted a little sinne in respect oâ— a sinne in outward act yet in very deede and before the Lord no sinne will bee counted little For the infinite iustice and mercie of God is violate euen by the least sinne and therefore no sinne can be counted little for euen the least sinne is sufficiently able to condemne and confound vs from the presence of God Againe if the Lord should set the least sinne vpon our consciences and suffer our consciences to checke vs for it and Sathan himselfe to burthen vs with it doubtlesse it would be so heauy and grieuous that we should not be able to abide it How then can wee make light account euen of that sinne which of all other seemeth least Moreouer the Lord will not onely condemne the wicked as for their great so for their lesser sinnes but hee will very sharpely correct yea and seuerely punish euen his dearest children for those sinnes which in our eyes do seeme most small Thus was Adam thrown out of Paradise for eating of the forbidden fruite Moses for speaking of an angrie word dyed in the wildernes and could not be suffered to come into the promised land Ezechias did but shewe his treasures to the Ambassadors of Babel and for that sinne they were all caried into Babel yea the holy temple was spoyled the holy vessels were prophaned and their glory was giuen into the enemies hand Iosiah did goe to warre against his enemy and the enemies of God and that onely to keepe them out of his own land yet because he did not aske counsell at the Lord therefore hee was slaine in the battell What sinnes are lesse than these and yet see how sharply the Lord did punish them in his owne children and can it bee then that any sinne should be counted light Besides though it were graunted that some sinne in it selfe were but little yet for this cause could it not be counted little because in time it will draw vs and driue vs into grosse offences But seeing that in truth the least sinne is too great then how much the greater must we thinke euery sinne to be considering that it commeth not alone but either presently or shortly after bringeth in great transgressions Last of al seeing that the least sinne could not be forgiuen but by the death of the Sonne of God so that he must suffer the very pangs and paines of hell for the least sinne that euer man committed seeing that euen our least transgressions caused him to be accursed and in the extremitie of griefe to crie My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Where haue we the face or how can wee finde in our hearts to make a mocke of the least sinne Well then let vs know sinne to be sinne and labour to be sorrowfull for euery sinne so that although we be not in like measure sorrowfull for all yet let vs take heede that no sinne escape vs without some true and godly sorrow then shall wee finde fauour among the righteous yea then shall we obtaine mercy from the Lord. For the lesse wee fauour sinne the neerer we be to the fauour of God and the more we hate sinne the more we shall be sure to enioy the louing kindnes of the Lord yea
cast off all our admonition with a iest Some thought Paul should haue reproued Nero but it was a rule in the Primitiue Church and the Schoole men haue obserued that furious Tyrants may not be reproued least they disturbe the peace of the Church Elias was more plaine with the Kings in his time albeit he was left alone If thou hast authority thou maist reproue all that are vnder thee Reproue strangers onely of open and known sinnes no Samaritan at al vnlesse he be wounded Let vs in performing this dutie obserue diuine rules well for some are as vnfit to reprehend and to be reprehended as Esaus Plowâ—â—are was to make a sword 11 Though good duties are to be done yet euery man is not fit to do euery good duty therfore let vs see who is fit to execute this worke of reprehension The eie is a tender part euery finger must not be taking in it for of an action without skil commeth an end without fruit This dutie doth not consist in readines of vtterance nor in bitternes stinging words but in good sound iudgement which maketh a man fit And to this are required three things which answere to those in the bodily sight first the cleerenes of the eye secondly the right situation of it thirdly not to be hindred without By the eie the minde the seate of knowledge is vnderstood here in they must be rich It is promised Esa. 64. that the people vnder the Gospell should excell in knowledge the Leuites vnder the Law and it may appeare it was so in the Primitiue Church for they became most ready and familiar in the holy Scriptures in so much that womeÌ„ began to grow so cunning that there was a generall prohibition that they should not speake in the Church Daniels prophesie was that in the later times men should run ouer bookes and if wee cannot so abound yet must wee get a through knowledge of things against which wee deale by reprehension Christ finds the Pharisees often short and blind albeit they gloried of great knowledge though the Phylacteries were broad yet their heads were shallow So it is also with vs ther are many dim eyes which haue need of that eye salue Reuel 3. If any thing be ambiguous we cannot hit the ioynt to restore the member that is loosned Gal. 6. 1. And so in our building all will downe in the tempest that we build with vntempered morter Nothing can abide soundly in affection that is not surely grounded in the iudgement That which Philip said to the Eunuch may heere well bee vsed a little changing the word in the originall Doest thou knowe what thou doest condemne And it is said well of Peter that many speake euill of those things they know not but they doe as Balaam fetch their diuinations from others and so cannot speake according to time place persons but as they are then prouided Secondly the eye must stand rightly in his proper seate for if it stand awry we cannot see well how cleere soeuer the eye be This site and right place of the eye the old writers call intentio vitae and that is that which euen their owne consciences knowe and other men often see they leuell at in their whole life The right situation of the eye is this if we set before vs this scope to please God without any sinister respect albeit some can looke awry and that sildome and that shortly and waxe not worse and worse but more zealous He lookes not aright that hath a worldly end as Balaam would now then looke to Gods commandement but because his heart and minde was fixed on the wages of iniquitie his eye was euer ouer his shoulder and in the end shewed hee was blinde indeede Thirdly the outward hinderances are the beames that are in the eye and they are those sinnes that are past shame and sorrow and such as may be felt at midnight They receiue many diuisions they vpholde wicked practises they bee such as the Disciples cannot cast out they are directly opposite to the calling of a Christian. They that worke this trad are workers of iniquitie of whose eye and iudgement marke Dauids question the answere whereof is soone made Are they not all without vnderstanding that worke wickednesse And this is the reason why the Fathers hauing lesse meanes of knowledge than wee yet saw more concerning heauenly things then we Albeit Christ saith of this eye thou seest a mote yet hee speaketh but of his false imagination for it is hard for him to see a mote that hath a beame in his owne eye hee may onely thinke there is a mote where there is none and therefore no man is to beleeue him And yet this man challengeth to himselfe authoritie not only to dispute but also to reproue yet little reason is there of the first but none of the second Besides whereas the end of reprehension is amendment hee is like to make him worse for seeing how little hee accounteth of the beame that is in his owne eye he may gather if that hurt not him his mote will hurt him lesse nay he is more like to plucke out the eye than the mote out of the eye It is a generall rule that hee that doth willingly reprehend and feeles not a mixt affection of sorrow and feare is not fit for it Our owne loue is the measure of our loue to others he cannot then be good to others that is not first good to himselfe Chrysostome saith Canst thou know another better than thy selfe He that loueth another more than himselfe in spirituall things he is void of charitie We must therefore euer take heede of these beames in our owne eyes for if we so cast aside our eye after preferment wee set the fist commandement aboue the first and make our selues vnfit for the practise of the dutie of Christian admonition 12 The people so profited by Moses sharpe rebuke that they after came to aske him counsell as loth to displease him when they sawe that he was angrie for Gods cause and their sinnes Where we see how needfull it is for a man to haue his conscience ript vp and to take heed when the Minister of God doth with anger rebuke that then we doe rightly interpret his anger for the diuell will be too busie to perswade that he doth it for his own pleasure And the Ministers of Christ must take heede to rule their anger euer intending principally Gods glorie and the profit of their brethren 13 In admonition when we loue too much the person we slacke our zeale against the sinne when we are too zealous against the sinne we forget meeknes and loue to the person It is the greatest iudgement of God vpon the corrupt iudgement of the world that vntill sinne be prodigious and monstrous such as goeth round about the world wee are not moued with it When wee admonish others of sinnes as of iesting and such like
thunderbolts And if we consider it well if one be slauish the multitude is as a waspe the great man like a Lyon with bloodie â—eeth and therefore of greater force If we vrge the multitude a man may caution against them they are but sculles without braines authority is a great scholler if such a Rabbi be of the opinioÌ„ it is not like they should be out of the way Men commonly say that there are but the great matters of the Church and common-wealth to be cared for other matters are but rattels for children to play with But Dauid prayeth as well for the little hils as for the great mountaines and Christ saith we must be faithful in little and if we cannot better one talent the Lord should do iustice if he shuld put no moe into our haÌ„ds Elihu supposeth that in the Rabbins must needs be wisedome yet after he perceiueth that the greatest is not the wisest but the inspiratioÌ„ of the Almighty giueth wisdome Kimkie writeth that in their colledges they suffered the younger schollers to speake first to shew their opinions that they might not be oppressed with the authoritie of the elders and then afterwards the Rabbins and this order is kept in diuers Vniuersities vntill this day Many will say I had rather erre with Plato than speake truth with another a most prophane sentence And marke how these men going thus against the holy Ghost doe euen destroy Logike it selfe For what argument is this such a one saith it therefore I may doe it It is not against reason And to doe that which is nought and then to affirme it by authoritie young schollers haue learned to hisse it out and yet our Rabbins vse it themselues and cannot learne to denie it when it is vsed of others Againe in authoritie we know that it is required both that the author be not deceiued for if he be blind the blind followeth the blind also that we be sure that he will let vs know the truth But the holy Ghost saith all men are lyers therefore they will deceiue and our knowledge is in part euen in that part of our ignorance may the controuersie fall out and all our goodnesse is as a stained cloth and therefore no warrant is for vs in men but in God onely who hath all skill goodnes and therefore him we may follow not men and vnlesse Christ come down and worke among vs we may follow no mans example Cursed is the man saith the Lord Ierm 17. that maketh flesh his arme This Axiome and error was once in diuinitie The Pope cannot erre therfore the curse of God was on it we at this day denie it and say Pope Councels Church may erre This we say and hold in diuinitie but in morall matters wherein are most slippes wee haue let in the former Axiome Here Protestants will set themselues vp a Pope yea many Popes but the curse of God remaineth on it for flesh is their arme With great reason therefore the holy Ghost setteth it downe This were plaine enough if men had not a prodigious spirit of errour in them but for all this this is the fig-tree still and they that haue eaten the forbidden fruit come hither for fig-leaues Rabble such a one Looke through the bookes of the Prophets and you shall heare the people alwaies answere our fathers did it our Princes gaue vs leaue our Prophets defended it Let vs resume the argument of the Eunuch to Micheas he saith behold all speake good to the King for therein lieth the force of his argnment for it is as forcible to a carnall man to say the King would haue it so as all the Prophets to denie it Now I will shew you how a King was moued with this argument that you may see the force of it 1. Sam. 29. Dauid must be gone from Achish to morrow before day saith the King looke you be gone Why saith Dauid what haue I done thou hast done good in my sight saith the King neither haue I found any euill in thee Why then must I goe my Princes fauour thee not saith the King they thinke thou art not good Is that enough Dauid proceedeth and defendeth himselfe The King replieth thou art in my sight as an Angell of heauen but the princes of my people will haue thee gone Here the King is carried away with his Rabbins A strange thing that the King should thrust him out whom his owne heart iustified for two or three sonnes of Beliall Ioh. 7. they send to Christ two or three to entrap him in his speech they returne and say we neuer heard man speake as hee doth this was it onely that caried them Doe any of the Scribes and Pharisies or of the rulers fauour him But Ioh. 19. yee shall see the strangest thing of al they would haue Christ to be put to death wee haue a law say they by which he must dye The maior followeth for he made himselfe the sonne of God the law is Leuit. 24. So that their syllogisme might seeme very good but their minor was naught Well the law would nothing moue Pilate therefore they seeke a new argument for Pilate and that is If you let him goe Pilate you are not Caesars friend Presently against his owne conscience hee condemneth him to death Will you not doe it why Caesar will haue it so yee see then what force is in this Logicke argument and no doubt it will moue vnles wee put off both Pilates and King Achish nature 12 Euery sin hath two reasons for it an open and a secret reason the open is to blind the world withall yee shall see it in Iudas his open reason was the poore better it is the poore should bee prouided for than waste should bee made his secret argument was the bagge hee carried the bagge and paid himselfe for the carrying So that whatsoeuer they pretend the secret reason is the bagge The second argument is made out of the Smiths forge but schollers cannot answere it By Diana wee get our gold saith Demetrius and therefore great is Diana So that Diana shall be great if wee can get by het This is their secret argument profit makes it honest Thirdly we set downe with our selues euen to consume our selues so we may get And for this looke 1. Sam. 23. in Sauls oration Hearken yee sonnes of Iâ—mini can this sonne of Ishai giue you fields and vineyards and make you captaines ouer hundreds and thousands No no it is I that can doe it and will yee then follow him So that he that can preferre you or giue you a field or a vineyard either in Church or Common-wealth him yee follow So Balaac saith to Balaam Why come ye not when I sent for you am not I able to preferre you So that is alwaies their inward argument whatsoeuer is pretended outward Their fourth reason is this It is foolish to stand against him the King
to who me some Salomon might haue saide if it seeme pleasant to you eate it but death shall come So in these two that Ezechiel hath ioyned the ease of the Pastour and the blood required at his hands he might haue said Go to build you tabernacles where you may take most profit and giue eare to wealth yet God shall bring you to iudgement God with an Adamant chaine hath knit the pleasures of this world with iudgement he that hath one must haue both 8 There are many places most effectuall and worthier meditation than others in the Scripture wherein Spiritus multum spirauit for I thinke that the Spirit not onely bloweth where it listeth but also when and in what measure hee listeth As in some places namely Psalme 45. and 49. 1â— the Lord calleth as it were a congregation of all sorts and conditions signifying some great point of wisedome that he requireth so great a Theatre The ancient expositours say this wisedome is where this word Selah is â—ound For whether it signifie as the seuentie Interpreters say a great pause that the verse going before may be meditated on or a repetition as Rabbi Abraham saith that that verse for it excellencie should bee twice sung or both as Tremellius it must needes signifie great wisedome and matter in the verse 9 These dayes shall not continue alwayes but there shall come a day wherein the conscience shall be dismayed a day of death wherein wee will not care for riches beautie learning praise or estimation And yet there be some that care not for this which loue as Tully saith of Verres siluer better then heauen they thinke it a greater matter to liue in a beggerly estate then to loose their soules But this is follie prooued by two reasons First thus do the beasts Balaams wisdome and his Aâ—es wisdome is all one For the Asse which hath but a soule of one life when he dieth his soule vanisheth into the ayre if he haue a good pasture and then get a Lyons skin to make the beasts of the field afraid of him can kicke one with his heeles and make him lie before him this is a beasts honour but the honour of a man is greater which hath two liues to whom this life ought onely to be for the suretie of the soule and rather a way to another life then a life it selfe This hath bene answered by the Fathers I will deale so with the world that I may remember God but a learned father saith Thou must put in first more or els leaue out I will remember God Deceiue not thy selfe thou giuest all to the world God will not onely bee serued but in his order Malachie calleth him a great King and therefore he looketh for the first seruice and Daniel calleth him the Ancient of dayes a great Senior and therefore hee will be serued before his Iuniors Luc. 17. The seruant that had laboured all day is not bidden first to eate and drinke but to serue his maister and then to take his repast Contrarie is our practise as in marriage wee looke for beautie and riches first and then after our religion comes in for a corollarie wee will not be much against it Ionathan must carry Saules armour and Mephibosheth must looke to the Arke We make choise before God we bestow our first yeeres on our selues and then the rest wee bestow on God Those are vaine men which will first seeke the adiectiues caetera then the kingdome of GOD. Augustine saith if thou wilt needes thou mayest seeke but thou shalt neuer finde I haue heard and knowne amongst vs those that would make accounts first to be well prouided for and then they would serue God in their callings who hauing gotten three hundred or foure hundred by the yeare then haue bin further off then they were before The second reason is if any man be so foolish he shall yet be more foolish he preferreth the shadow of these transitory things before the eternall things they shal loose both the shadow the thing it selfe as Aesops dog did Augustine saith they shall haue an ende either their owne that is they shall leaue thee as Iobs goods did him or thine thou shalt leaue them as the glutton in the Gospel but that which is worst wheÌ„ they shal haue left thee yet the sinne whereby thou gottest them shall remaine with thee Genes chapt 4. Sinne sleepeth at the doore it is quiet all thy life long but when wee goe out of the doore of this life it shall compasse about our heeles and our hands and we shall neuer be rid of it 10 Knowledge of the word is as necessary an arte for Christians as the arte of Husbandrie is necessary for Husbandmen Men can say they can learne nothing of the Preachers but to loue GOD aboue all and our Neighbours as our selues and as for this lesson they say they are not now to goe to schoole But this is as much as if one should say Husbandrie is an easie thing and there is nothing to bee learned there but to Sowe Plough and Reape and yet to set his hand to any of these without knowledge of the trade he is altogether foolish Well then as in this so in all other Artes we will confesse that we cannot come to the practise of particulars without knowledge of the principles and yet come to the great Arte of Knowledge which is the maine profession of all and needeth most teachers and best schollers and wee thinke we can learne that with sitting still and taking of our case But there is a knowledge of the worlde and they that come to be our schoolemaisters to that they shall bee had in high estimation Howsoeuer we account of knowledge the Prophet sayth that vnder CHRIST our knowledge excelleth the knowledge of the Priestes and in Pauls time the women were so full of vnderstanding that the Apostle was faine to take order that they should not speake in their open assemblies where they would needes bee speaking The holy Ghost Colos. chap. 3. would not haue the word of God to dwell in vs beggerly thinnely or strangely but plentifully and surely without this knowledge we know nothing to doe as we should doe it And for this cause in the former age though the diuell could be content men should be as merciful and as true dealers as they would because they were guiltie of Ignorance and wanted knowledge to direct them herein yet now because knowledge is come he cares not how vnmerciful and deceitfull men become nay now he takes away mercie and truth and knowledge and all The reason is because we make no more precious account of knowledge we can bee content to sitte at home by the fire rather than to come abroad to heare or if the diuell giue vs leaue and we get so much masterie of the diuell that we come to the sermon yet sleepe