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 whetâer 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 vâxation of tâeir 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 agââ of their fitâes but more shârpe in admoâition 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 âee 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 disquiât 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 regeâerate 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 wâll 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 certainây 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 locât vp with the heauie fetters of desperation when he shall summon vs to the bârre 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 aduersiâie 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 lâaue 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
of the word which you knew yet if you turne to the Lord in feare serue him your sinne is remissible howsoeuer Sathan chargeth your conscience in that you haue done euill against your owne knowledge and in that you are afraide least that sinne be in you and would reioyce in God if it were not in you if you purpose to leaue your former sinnes and in truth to turne vnto the Lord I dare assure you that as yet you are free from that sinne 14 When a maide was so sore troubled that two or three held her in her fit he charged her in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ that when the agonie came she should not willingly yeeld to it but in the Lord resist it For both experience teacheth that the ouer much fearing of temptation before it commeth and little purpose to resist it when it commeth mightily incourageth Sathan and also the holy Ghost biddeth vs to resist the diuell and he will flie from vs to draw neere to God and he will draw neere to vs. And the maide was neuer after afflicted Thankesgiuing 1 OF all sacrifices most acceptable is that of thanksgiuing and therefore in many words the Saints of God haue vowed and entred into bands with the Lord to pay this oblation boâh to preuent the vntowardnes of nature which is so vnwilling to this as also to shame themselues more if happily they grow herein negligent in which repetition of their vowes and promises which argueth the great desire of their hearts for looke what one delighteth in he often speaketh of it and in many words they declare that as euen in things agreeable to nature we will helpe our delight by often speaking and repeating of them so much more this helpe is requisite in things aboue nature among all the parts of godlines which are aboue nature and chiefly in thanksgiuing which is most contrarie to nature for we will pray often for a thing but hardly giue thankes once And yet experience proueth in ciuill things that of all arguments to perswade one to giue vs a gift none is more eloquent or forcible than to promise our selues to be thankfull and mindfull for that we shall receiue 2 It is our common corruption that the immoderate griefe of euils present stealeth from vs all the remembrance of former benefits and all thankfulnes for them Vnbeleefe 1 HE gaue this aduice to one that when he felt mistrust of Gods promises he should set before him the examples of Gods mercies done to others that we may be the more assured to obtaine faith and when he began to presume he should set before him the examples of Gods iudgements that he might pray for humilitie 2 He said to a godly Christian much inueighing against her vnbeleefe I doe not now suspect your estate when you seeme to me rather to haue faith than when you seeme to your selfe to haue it For faith being the gift of God is then most obtained and increased of God when you thirsting after the increase of present feeling thinke the smallest measure obtained to be no faith and therefore be yet humbled vnder the mightie and mercifull hand of God for it Rather I suspect you when you say you haue faith because then you can lesse feare suspect your selfe and by that meanes lie open to vnbeleefe againe And surely experience proueth that when we shew we haue beleefe when we mourne for our vnbeleefe and then our faith may be least when we thinke it to be most Besides herein you are to comfort your selfe with hope of increase of faith because faith groweth by these two meanes either by some great feelings by the word and the spirit and humble thanksgiuing joyned thereunto or else by humbling our selues before the mercie seate of God for want of our faith Vngodlines 1 WE may not goe to see vngodlines to breede a great detestation of it in vs. For first in respect of our selues in so doing presuming on a thing not warranted it is the iust iudgement of God that we should learne to fall into that sin whereof before we were ignorant because naturally we are inclined to such an action Secondly in respect of our brethren it is vnlawfull for if they be strong we offend them if they be weake we misleade them Thirdly in regard of Gods glorie it is vnlawfull for such should be our zeale thereunto if not hauing heroicall spirits by the motions of Gods spirit to speake against it that we should not ouersee such a thing Dan. 3. 15. Vse of the creatures 1 AS naturall men vse Gods creatures to stirre vp a naturall comfort so spirituall men should vse them to procure some spirituall comfort and to stirre vp godly ioyes and fruitfull meditations in themselues for as Satan seeing men of a sanguine complexion and sanctified laboureth to mixe with their spirituall ioy a carnall iây so seeing some of a melancholie complexion sanctified to haue spirituall sorrowes he bestirreth himselfe to bring vpon them carnall sorrowes Vnthankfulnes 1 HE would say I feare not the time of the visitation of them that thereby doe grow in the gifts graces of God but rather I feare the time of their deliuerance least it should be ouertaken with vnthankfulnes and so wofully they should lose the fruite of that good which so dearely they had purchased of the Lord. Visions 1 BEing asked if there might now be visions agreeable to the word he said They might be extraordinarie but not to be credited but for the words sake and who so is moued with them and not with the word wherewith a man is charged to be moued and is not drawne the more by the vision to the true meanes that mans faith is suspitious And as visions haue beene ordinarie and preaching extraordinarie so now preaching is ordinarie and visions extraordinarie But if you obiect that the visions be true he said Sathan will speake truth and keepe touch twice or thrice in lesse matters to get vs in the luâch in greater matters and at length in some contrarie to the word of God Of Vsurie 1 VSurie is the diuels Alchymistrie to turne siluer into golde it is lucre by lending and they that vse it be a gracious kinde of theeues it is a sinne that hath many aduocates patrons But to whom may this be vsed Men are either poore meane or rich to the poore giue freely to the meane lend freely of the rich take vsurie The Lord was neuer the author of this diuision Aristotle by the very light of reason saw that it was a monstrous thing for money to beget money but Gods law goeth further Leuit. 25 36. Deu. 5. 19. Againe the Iewe of a Iewe might not take interest but the linke of a Christian is neerer than of a Countrie their brother-hood was but by Countrie onely ours by redemption Indeed recompence is to be made where the thing is the
partly of those which were done after our calling Euery man especially hauing his reason reformed by the word of God will graunt an examination of the life before our true knowledge of God in Christ to be most needfull But it may be some will thinke that we neede not to be so precise in the searching of those sinnes which were after our knowledge But seeing of all other sinnes these bite forest and pierce deepest for that they are aggrauated with all the mercies of God going before and sinne is then most sinfull when after we know the trueth after we haue beene deliuered from sinne after we haue beene inlightened with the grace of God we haue fallen into it I thinke that an examination most specially ought to be had of these sinnes Wherfore to iterate our former examples in a new matter as we may see the former kinde of examining of our sinnes before our calling in the sonnes of Iacob so we haue a patterne of the latter in the practise of the Prophet Dauid who at the hearing of his sinnes was so troubled in his spirit that he could not rest in the Prophets speech telling him that his sinne was forgiuen him but still was disquieted as one vtterly forsaken of God and could finde no comfort of Gods spirit in him For as it fareth often with sores it commeth to passe in sinnes we are loath to haue our wounds often grated vpon we cannot so well away to haue our sores rifled feared and lanced but fedde with healing salues so we are hardly brought to haue our consciences ground or our sinnes ransacked sifted searched and ripped vp but would still haue them plaistered with sweet promises and bathed in the mercies of God whereas it is farre safer before incarnatiue and healing medicines to vse corrosiue and mundifying waters without which though some sores may seeme to close and skin vp apace yet they proue worse and being rotten still at the core they haue aboue a thin skin and vnderneath dead flesh In like manner we would cloake we would hide and couer our sinnes as it were with a curtaine but it is more sound Chirurgerie to pricke pearce our consciences with the burning iron of the Law and to cleanse the wound of the soule by sharpe threatnings least that a skin pulled ouer the conscience for a while we leaue the rotten corruption vncured vnderneath and so we be constrained to cry out of our sinnes openly As it is a folly then to dissemble our sores whilest they be curable and after to make them known when they be growne vncurable so it is as great folly to dissemble our sinnes whilest they may be remedied so after be constrained with shame to blaze them abroad when thou maist think them remediles But of this by the way because we shall more largely touch it in the last part to come It is sufficient to commit sinne before knowledge but after some good light of the spirit to sinne breedeth either hardnesse of heart or a troubled spirit both which we shall auoid if in trueth we be carefull to watch ouer our affections and beware that after our deliuerie we fall not into sinne againe Seuerall men subiect to seuerall sinnes haue their seuerall checkes in their consciences some are ouercome with wrath and yet after the moodie fit they can tell that the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnesse of God some are subiect to lust and afterwards they say it profiteth them nothing some are giuen to a continuall course of vanitie who notwithstanding can say that mans life hath another ende some slippe deepely into worldlinesse yet they be often weakened with most terrible checks of conscience Well blessed are they whose hearts be truely grieued and let them beware that make daliance with sinne for either hardnesse of heart will ouertake them or a troubled conscience will confound them Wherefore it comes to passe that many spending their bodies on lust lament that euer they so abused their strength many giuen too much to the pleasure of this life had griefe come vpon them to remember how they haue spent Gods graces lauished his good gifts and mispent their time or else if they haue not this griefe they fall into voluptuousnesse and draw such a thicke skin vpon their hearts as will cause the strongest denouncings of Gods iudgements to rebound be they driuen on neuer so hard And sure it is the sinne of this world that men being controlled in their consciences whilest they are a praying and feele a secret charge laide against them to beware of guile in buying and selling either haue these checks lesse and lesse and so they grow to be prophane or else afterward they are wonderfully wounded that they haue beene âo worldly so greedily pursuing earthly things so coldly procuring heauenly things Thus euen our priuie thoughts not profited by are breeders of farther trouble Now the remedie against this trouble is willingly and wiâtingly not to cherish sinne to wish that the Minister should touch our most priuie and secret sinnes to be glad priuatly to be admonished to profit by our enemies when they do reproch vs and rather to desire in such a case to be humbled than to suffer our selues to be flattered This trying of ourselues must yet stretch it selfe further not onely to the committing of euill but also to the omitting of good As when after some good working and feeling of the spirit we begin to fight and conflict with our owne consciences saying though I must pray I must haue time also to prouide for my familie if I goe to heare the word of God surely I shall be in danger to loose this profit if I thus attend vpon the exercises of religion I shall be cut short in the vse of my pleasures Wherefore it shall be good to search our harts not onely in the carelesse not vsing of the meanes but also in the negligent watching ouer the fruites of the meanes saying to ourselues in this maner I haue heard a Sermon but alas without any feeling or working vpon my affections I haue beene praying but with no power of the spirit I haue receiued the sacrament but without those ioyes glorious and vnspeakable which I was wont to taste of I saw the discipline of the Church executed but without any feare of sinne at all in my selfe or compassion to the member censured And here I dare for my owne obseruation assuredly affirme that outward sinnes haue not beene at sometime so grieuous to Gods children as that they haue some times vsed the meanes with little reuerence and with lesse fruite And no maruell we shall see many men at some times not so much grieued for their sicknesse it selfe as for that they haue either willingly neglected the means which might haue preserued their health or that they haue abused the Physicke that might haue restored their health to them
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 coÌuenient 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 soeuâr 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 caiâife 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 couÌtries 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 coÌdition 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 coÌmitted 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
necessarie vse whereof we shall more plainely perceiue if wee doe wisely consider either the lamentable inconueniences which accompanie the want of the pure vnderstanding thereof or the manifold commodities which ensue the right embracing of the same The inconueniences are partly to be obserued in the wicked and partly to be noted in the children of God In the wicked who either are seduced by false doctrine or else which are carelesse of true doctrine They that are deceiued by false religion be either Papists on the one side the Families of loue with such like heretikes on the other side whereof the one that is the Papists make the Sabbath day but an ordinance and ceremonie of the Church and therefore obserue it but as a thing taken vp and retained by the Church of Rome as also they do many other holie daies in the yeere The other seeing no further into it than as it is an ordinance and ceremonie and thinking it to containe nothing morall crie out against it as willing to haue it wholie abrogated seeing all ceremonies haue had their end in Christ alleadging though nothing to the purpose that God is a spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and in truth and therefore the obseruation of a day is nothing auailable to his worship Againe what credit it hath in them that are carelesse of religion all men may see Tush say these men the Sabbath is too âewish and full of superstition and therefore vnto them it is all one with other common holie daies sauing that peraduenture they had rather haue it than want it not for any loue of religion but for easing of their flesh and the more in-glutting themselues with carnall pleasure by meanes whereof they make it a day of the world not a day of the Church a time rather dedicated to the pampering of the flesh than sincerely coÌsecrated to the building vp of the soule and spirit In the children of God otherwise well instructed haue also arisen many scruples concerning this matter how it is ceremonious how it is not which kinde of men keepe the Sabbath not as grosse heretikes and yet not as carefull obseruers by reason that they are not throughly taught in it nor fully perswaded of it Wherefore we may see how needfull this doctrine is yea although we had no care of them that are not in the Church yet in respect of them of whom we haue most care being in the Church of God with vs. And this necessitie we shall also obserue if in truth we marke the seuerall commodities which proceede from the right vnderstanding hereof For seeing the Sabbath day is the schoole day the faire day the market day the feeding day of the soule when men purely knowing the vse of it separate it wholy from other daies they shall see how they may recouer themselues from sinnes alreadie past arme themselues against sin to come grow in knowledge increase in faith and how much they shall be strengthened in the inner man Wherefore in the booke of God when the Lord will vrge the obseruation of the whole law he often doth it vnder this one word of keeping the Sabbath Againe when the Prophets sharply rebuke the people for their sinnes they particularly lay before them how the Sabbaths of the Lord are broken And to speake the truth how can a man lie long in the liking of sin who embraceth this doctrine in conscience who willingly would haue his sinnes discouered his conscience vnripped the iudgements of God against his sinnes threatned wherby he might come to a loathing grow to a further misliking of his sinnes daily Sure it is indeede that as in other things so in this the ceremonial vse little auaileth Howbeit if for the ceremoniall vse of the Sabbath because many so vse it therefore we should leaue it we might as well by the same reason put out of the doores of the Church the administration of the Sacraments the making of prayer the preaching of the word because the most part of men vse these things for a fashion neither is it the question which we haue in hand what men doe but what they ought to doe in the obseruation of the Sabbath In the setting downe whereof this order doth offer it selfe to be obserued first to speake of the commandement it selfe and then of the reasons thereof The commandement as we see is deliuered both affirmatiuely and negatiuely whereas all other the commandements are but either affirmatiuely or negatiuely expressed so that where it is said the Sabbath day keepe holie the holie vse of the Sabbath is flatly and straightly vrged where it is added in it thou shalt not doe any worke the irreligious breach of the same is plainely restrained The reasons be in number foure The first is included in the word remember and is drawne from the end which is thus much in effect Wilt thou worship me purely and loue thy neighbour vnfainedly then obserue this one thing which I haue therefore placed indifferently betweene those commaundements which concerne mine owne honour and the comfort of thy brethren The second reason is deriued from the authoritie of the lawgiuer whereby the Lord vrgeth our obedience and is expressed in these words the seuenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God The third is inferred of the equitie of this law wherein the Lord dealeth with men as it were by conference and disputeth by plaine reason that iustly we cannot denie him the seuenth for his owne glorie who hath not denied vs sixe daies to trauell in our owne affaires And this is gathered when he saith Sixe daies shalt thou labour and doe all thy worke but the seuenth day c. The fourth and last reason is borrowed from proportion of the Lords own example that as in sixe daies he made all things and in the seuenth ceased from creating though not from preseruing them so in sixe daies we may haue a naturall vse of the creatures of God but on the seuenth day we ought to haue a spirituall vse of them Vnder these may be couched another reason deriued from the time wherein the Lord first commanded the Sabbath which was in mans innocencie so that if before transgression it was an effectuall meanes to keepe out sinne then after mans fall it must needes be of force to withstand sinne It may seeme the best way to some first to intreate of the commandement it selfe and then of the reasons Howbeit because the Lord his wisedome sometime prefixeth the reason as in the first commandement and seeing it is a thing of small effect to vrge the vse to them who are not grounded on the doctrine and it is hard to ouermatch the affection vntill iudgement be conuinced we will first arme the matter with reasons and then shew both how this law is kept and how it is broken This order is commended vnto vs by the holy Ghost 2. Timoth. 2. 16.
wold be too long to tel of GedeoÌ Baruch Sampson Iepthah Dauid Asa Iehosaphat Ezechia who through faith obtained the promises subdued kingdomes escaped the edge of the sword of weake were made strong waxed valiant in battel turned to flight the armies of aliaÌts of some of which it is pressed that they did these things by faith helped by prayer and fasting and of the most part of the other it may bewel vnderstood Seeing we are compassed about with such a cloud of witnesses shal we be so bewitched as to dreame of the like victories without the like faith or to imagine of the like faith without vsing of the like meanes But it may be some will obiect that this exercise of humiliation weakeneth the hearts of true subiects and incourageth the enemies this was of old slanderously obiected to Ieremie by the vnbeleeuing and carnall Princes who would yet seeme to be wise politikes I haue heard indeed of the Arch atheist Machiauel that writeth of the Religion of Christians that it being practised in truth doth weaken their hands making them cowards and emboldeneth their enemies against theÌ although there be no doubt many that think so yet neuer haue I heard godly or wise men say so Neither doth this kind of humiliatioÌ lift vp our enemies the Papists at home or abroad but their owne proud hearts malicious attempts against Gods people by both which seeing that pride will haue a fall and before glorie goeth humility we may assure vs the rather of the victorie hauing so many promises in Gods word for the same confirmed with so many examples In the stead of many in the Psal. 119. this promise shall suffice They draw neere that follow after malice and are farre from the law thou art neere O Lord for all thy words are true The terrible iudgements of God against the pride of Moab and other Nations who conspiring together against the people of God at the last were made their owne executioners and the great destruction of blasphemous Senacherib his hoste Ezekiah king of Iudah being set free from the siege both these being wrought by publike and priuate fasting doe most euidently confirme the same which examples may serue for vs to look after others which are many in number True it is indeed that the great security with the floods of our sinnes flowing ouer the banks in euery place haue hitherto reioyced our enemies heart and if once they arme themselues with Gods wrath which the Lord turne away for Christs sake then will they certainly fray vs which to preuent all meanes will not helpe vs vnlesse in fasting weeping and mourning we rent our hearts though not our garments vnfainedly acknowledging our sinnes trembling at his iudgement that so we may turne vnto God with our whole hearts by repentance by faith beleeuing him to be gratious and mercifull slow to wrath and of great goodnesse And this doing we may assure our selues that the terrour of the Lord shall be stricken out of our hearts and the spirit of gladnes and power shall bee powred vpon vs and through faith helped by prayer and fasting shall we doe valiantly Thus the spirit of God moued Ioel the Prophet to threaten the people of his time liuing vnder a prosperous Raigne vnto whom this obiection might as iustly haue been made as against the exercise and a great deale more because his Fast was more general his threatnings more fearefull his descriptions of their dangers more terrible Againe some may obiect that fasting is an exercise of sinners what shall we say then shall the hypocrisie of man make the appointment of God of none effect yea was it not therefore appointed that he which commeth hither of custome may yet goe away with conscience may he not being reproued and rebuked in his owne soule and seeing his hypocrisie laid open labour from thenceforth to approue himselfe or at the least be without excuse against the day of the Lord. May there not be also at this exercise some that come in trueth and in the feare of God whom God will accept is it meet that these children of God should be bereft of the vse thereof for the abuse of the wicked Moreouer we are to be circumspect that we require not a daily fast for as in Physicke it is a thing most absurd to prescribe a continual vse of violent vacuation seldome of ordinarie foode euen so it is as absurd diuinitie to say it is sufficient that preaching bee vsed at sundrie times in sundrie places and that fasting should be daily vsed when as the ministerie of the word of God is as often to be vsed as milke for babes to be nourished or as meat for strong men to grow vp to the fulnes of the age of Christ fasting is to be admitted but as letting of blood or purging some corrupt humour when some great cause vrgeth the same We lament the want of diligent Preaching which some without a continuall course wherof thinke to be sufficient A Christian heart may appeale to Gods blessed word the true iudge of all them that are teachable but the iudge of all euen of the froward in the last day yea we may appeale to the great inquest of all Gods children which know their owne sinnes yea to the experience of twentie * yeeres which is a witnes so sufficient that no exception can bee made against it whether to worke all and euery point of that knowledge with a care to practise it in any sufficient measure in al places so few Sermons so little preaching in most places be not very insufficieÌt The Law saith that the mouthes of the Priests should alwaies keepe knowledge both that they might teach the people by publike doctrine and exhortation and that the people might require of them by priuate conference The Prophets are commanded to crie and not to cease and the Lord is saide by their Ministrie to rise vp earely and to stretch forth his hand all the day long and the Kingdome of God is like to the father of an house that bringeth forth of his treasurie things new and old for the daily food of the family What is this that euery true Minister is charged with as he wil answere it before the iudgement seate of Iesus Christ to preach the word in season and out of season Surely once in a quarter and once in a moneth may soone seeme to be out of season or scarse in season But sure I am that twice on the Sabbath if Gods word be the iudge can be termed no more but in season and to preach longer and oftner on the fasting dayes may not be called in the Apostle his sense out of season Now to fast euery day were more than the Pharisies did who fasted but twice in the weeke if we will be counted the sonnes of Patriarches and Prophets and the disciples of the Apostles to take that liberty of Gods creatures that they did why
them their sinnes telling them of a suretie that their iniquitie was the cause of Christ his death whereby a certaine care began to bee wrought in them in so much that being thus troubled they enquired and saide Men and brethren what shall wee doe Whereupon afterward followed the second Sermon of Peter where hee exhorteth them to continue in their repentance and teacheth vs that if our sorrowe bee good wee must goe forward therein Further hee sheweth them to this ende that they must beleeue that beleeuing they may bee baptized that being baptized they might receiue the gift of the holy Ghost Lastly it is manifest how they hearing that Sermon first receiued the doctrine and after perseuered in the practise of the same Briefly therfore three things are hereto be noted First the fruit of the former Sermon of Peter contained in these wordes Now when they heard it c. Secondly the summe of a new Sermon of Peter in these wordes Then Peter said vnto them Amend your liues c. Thirdly is set downe the fruite of their obedience In the former part of this Chapter we may know the wonderfull workes of God that the Apostles who were neuer brought vp in schooles spake with diuers tongues which when the multitude heard some are said to maruell and to be astonished some mocked them and said They are full of new wine But when Peter with great boldnesse of spirit had in this Sermon which he made set the trueth of God against their false accusations and had preached against their sinne then they left off mocking and were pricked in their hearts Where first wee may note the power of Gods word which onely is able to touch our consciences for sinne For neither the diuersity of tongues nor other gifts of the holy Ghost could prick their hearts as being able onely to cast them into an admiration What more forcible thing than that which causeth a godly sorrow and causeth our consciences to be pricked What so able to pricke our consciences as the word of God Indeede many feele sorrow and are inwardly pricked but because therewith is not ioyned the power of Gods word they bee either senselesse as blockes or in their feeling they be murmurers This commeth vnto vs by the dignitie of Gods word in that no wonders from heauen no miracles on earth can touch our hearts and worke in vs any good fruit without the same For though the Lord should shew vnto vs all the wonders from heauen which he shewed on the old world and on Sodome although he should lay al the plagues vpon vs which he laid on Pharaoh and on the Egyptians without the word of God we should be as vnprofitable beholders as euer were the Sodomites and should become as hard hearted as euer were Pharaoh and the Egyptians so that no iudgement from heauen no trouble from earth can humble vs no blessing from aboue no benefit from beneath can profit vs vntill the word of God commeth which teacheth the olde way to forsake it the newe way to enter into it and the perfect way to continue in it And thus much for the generall scope of this doctrine Now more particularly we may obserue in this first part three things First the power of the word to pricke our consciences Secondly that this pricke must not cause in vs a more rebelling against the word and Ministers thereof but rather a greater reuerence to them both Thirdly such prickes must prepare vs to a greater desire to profit For the first we must know that this is the beginning of repentance this is the entrie to godlinesse euen to conceiue a sorrowe for our sinnes and so bee wounded with a feeling of our euils For as long as men are secure it is not possible that they should seriously apply their mind vnto doctrine neither without the knowledge and feeling of our sinnes can we heartily long for Christ. To this agree the Law the Prophets and the Apostles The law because in all their sacrifices wherein Christ was prefigured was manifested also vnder darke signes the contrition of heart and acknowledging their vnworthinesse The Prophet as Dauid and Esay Dauid in the fourth Psalme and fift verse faith Tremble and sinne not where the Prophet sheweth that this is an effectuall thing to true repentance to quake and tremble for feare of Gods iudgements That wee may then truly examine our selues wee must feare and humble our selues because before trouble terrour and quaking at the iudgements of God we wil neuer be brought to offer our selues to Christ alone In Psalme 51. vers 18. 19. the Prophet likewise sheweth that no sacrifice is acceptable to God without a contrite heart that is neither prayer neither almes-giuing neither praise of thanksgiuing vnles wee bringing an humble and contrite spirit with vs cast our selues downe before his iudgement seate and sue for mercy in Christ. And here marke that he saith The sacrifices of God are a troubled spirit c. where hee vsing the plurall number sheweth that the sacrifices of repentance which must not be one but many are humblenes of the spirit and contrition of heart For the affliction of the soule and contrition of the minde doe so cast vs downe wounded with our sins and humbled with a feeling of Gods wrath as that it maketh vs to acknowledge that we are nothing of our selues and to seeke for our saluation wholy at the mercie of God No marueile then seeing by this meanes we being confounded and ashamed of our selues staying our selues on the only promises of God doe come to confesse our owne nakednes and wretchednes if the Prophet should say that the Lord is pleased with his sacrifice as with the sacrifice of sacrifices The Prophet Esay 40. 6. 7. 8. saith All flesh is grasse and the beautie thereof as a flower of grasse the grasse withereth and the flower falleth when the breath of the Lord falleth vpon it Where the Prophet painting out man in his proper colours and driuing him to seeke out saluatioÌ not in himselfe but in Christ describeth the outward part of man to be as grasse and by the flower of grasse he sheweth his gifts of minde being vnregenerate as wisdome memorie knowledge and vnderstanding So that when Gods spirit doth but breath on vs all our wisdome all our knowledge riches and authoritie fal before the presence of the Lord of hosts neither can we remaine but only by the word of God whereby we are borne againe Wherefore the considering and meditating of our transitorie estate driueth vs to a contrition and humblenes of spirit Besides the Lord God saith Esay whom the heauens cannot containe nor the earth hold will come and dwell with a lowly poore and troubled spirit and which standeth in awe of his word God doth not accept our sacrifices which are offered without trembling at his word no more than if we should kill a man and choake a dogge
is said to do it by the operation of Satan so that though the Lord be the supreme worker yet Satan is the instrument What shall we say of the rage of sinne in these dayes what shall we say how Satan daily bewitcheth vs in Paganisme Atheisme Macheuillisme Anabaptisme c Is not all this sufficient to proue that Satan taking vp the wisest men of the world to his seruice is a spirituall wickednes Whereof comes it that sodainely a poore man becomes a cunning Artist or that an ignorant man presently should speake with diuers tongues or that silly soules should be subtill disputers What is it that sinne is now adayes so subtilly so closely so wittily dispatched Why doe men to maintaine Papisme forgoe all their goods suffer their bodies to be whipped Doe not all these proue that Satan is a spirituall wickednes Againe if we looke to the height and shamelesnes of sinne to see how men prostitute theÌselues to sinne we must say Satan hath bene mighty powerfull in deluding mens minds in hardening mens hearts so that no word can pierce them therefore it is that Paul saith men are blinded in their minds therfore Paul would haue vs to tolerate and suffer such as Satan doth hold in chaines 2. Tim. 2. Here let vs see a difference of the sinnes of the godly and vngodly The wicked rage and deuise platformes the godly for a time may be vnder Satan 2. Timoth 2. but they sinne of infirmitie not of wilfull selling themselues to sinne So great a cause of thankfulnes we haue that we are not raging in hellish sinnes in that we are simple bunger like sinners Besides the godly are sillie the wicked subtill in sinne So great a cause of thankefulnes we haue that Christ the stronger man hath ouercommed The Diuell hath power but by derination he hath a strength but by limitation he hath force but in darkenes So great a cause of thankfulnes we haue seeing Christ hath wisdome enough in God to ouercome the wisdome of Satan in euill Thogh then Satan be strong yet none is greater then the Father none mightier then Christ who hath captiuated Satan vnder his feet So great a cause haue we to be thankfull that Christ will not only in his presence himselfe but in vs by his power also he ouercommeth A further vse of this is to trie when our teÌptations come of the natural corruption or of Satans malice To this we answere that as our enemies are described by power policie so when temptations come so strongly and sâily that it is aboue reason then the aduersarie abuseth our weaknes our owne teÌptations come more remissely easily but wheÌ these temptations hale vs more violeÌtly then we fight not with flesh alone but with spiritual aduersaries In the book of Exod. meÌtion is made of a spirit of jealozie which is more then natural jealozie In the booke of Iudges an euill spirit was betweene Abimelech the Sechemites which was more then frailtie of the flesh In the Gospell mention is made of an vnclean spirit returning with 7. spirits more so that the pulling of our affection is of Satan as Christ said of Satans operation to Peter that Satan sought to sift him and to deale with him and indeede Satan did so daunt and circumuent him that he spake he knew not what so that this fell not onely on the wicked but on the godly as Satan so bewitched Dauid in vnderstanding that hee made him to number his people Hereof it is that we pray not to be led into temptation because though I am well purposed yet so many vaine reasons rage in vs and forcibly drawe vs another way that wee may see somewhat more than nature Likewise when we shall without any obiect bee carried away with some affection so strongly that though our life lay on it we cannot containe our selues When Paul Ephes 5 biddeth vs be angrie without sinne hee sheweth that there is a naturall affection without sinne but because our affections are without rule and mixed with sinne hee saith iâ so doing wee giue place to the diuell So that there is a great difference betweene a naturall anger and a carnall sinfull anger which besides the instinct of nature is wrought by Satan And therfore as it is good to stop the first breaches in bankes for feare of further danger so it is good to murther the first motions of sinne by the word prayer fasting and admoniâion least giuing the sway to our affections they ouerrunne and ouerflow vs throughly and so we are carried to strange and furious sinnes Wherefore first we are to be thankfull that we may know how to preuent sinne for wee may soone let in a guest which wee cannot well let out againe and we must labour to represse such raging euils Yet another vse of this doctrine is that wee must thinke how oft wee deale with more than with men when wee deale with heretikes or with angrie bloodie men who often are stirred vp by Satan so that they spoyle themselues and others The ignorance of this doctrine breedes ielousies repinings and malice that when we thinke to reuenge others wee reuenge our selues This is now without cause now if we haue a iust cause yet for want of loue wisedome and humilitie we spoile our good cause harden our aduersaries and hurt our selues Wee must not resist policie with policie nor requite euill with euill but in wisedome be long suffering pardoning man as we would bee pardoned of God For this cause fight He bids vs not to make truce with our enemie though our enemie bee strong and subtill yet fighting vnder Christ wee are to stand fast Christ hath subdued for vs and he will subdue for vs Still wee must remember to resist with Gods harnesse which as surely exceede Satans harnesse as heauen excels earth or hell For want of this armour wee see wise and ciuill honest men fall into horrible sinnes For want of this armour come such disputes with Satan which simple soules vse not being able to discerne which is the true armour For want of this armour greene Christians and troubled consciences looking for their owne armour rather than the armour of God inwrap themselues in most dangerous labyrinths Now our armour must bee complete some haue a good heart but not a good life some haue a good life but not âuch some faith in part this comes of want of knowledge if they know the word they pray not some pray but not with continuance To come to the armour marke it was said Put on now it is said Take the armour Wee see that here is no truce with vs and Satan as in ciuill warres but we must continually say as Iehu to Iâsabel What peace my soule with Satan We must not be secure Laish or carelesse Babylonians least that wee be preuented of the enemie It is good to see sinne rather by experience particular in our selues than for general knowledge in others Aske our
tune sometime in Herods tune sometime in the Pharisies tune and sometime in the Disciples tune in all which the diuell bereaued them of the pure vse and due consideration of Christ crucified And yet some of these would hate a Iew some would spit at a Iew some would weepe to heare the name of Christ and would pitie his death I am the longer in these things to make the iudgements of God in them profitable instructions to vs by prouoking men to thankfulnes for their deliuerance if in truth they be deliuered that is if they be not now as prophane as euer they were superstitious not forsaking but changing the sinne As for the erroneous heretiques not to speake of all let vs adde somewhat of the most pestilent family of loue who shoote as much too short at this pricke as the other shoote too farre For in speaking of the birth death and resurrection of Christ these men as fooles flying one extremitie runne post-hast into the contrary extremitie and therefore these wretches imagining to themselues a spirituall Christ are as much to be maliced as the Papists are to be pittied For after Poperie yet some cause was giuen of reioycing in that the truth of the historie was left vnto vs but these fellowes vnder a colour of not being ceremoniall but altogether desiring to be spirituall take away all from vs and yet most deceitfully will seeme to graunt all If ye demaund any thing of Christ his birth they will graunt it if ye aske whether he was borne of the seed of Dauid and of the Virgin Mary they will confesse it but as vnderstanding it after this allegorie for that Mary as they say signifieth doctrine Dauid the beloued seruice so that this is their iudgement of Christ his birth that he was borne of the doctrine of the seruice of loue In like manner they will graunt the resurrection of Christ his death and his buriall but in this sense that Christ suffereth in our suffocated nature and is crucified when sinne dieth in vs and when they suffer for the doctrine of loue and that after they haue suffered and begin to be illuminated then Christ riseth againe in them and lastly when the light of nature getteth some clearer light of iudgement then Christ is readie to come to iudgement Thus a number hauing refused the Antichristian Pope are fallen into the hands of Antichristian Atheists and hauing eschued the dregs of poperie they haue wallowed most filthily in the mire of here sie And thus much of the professed enemies Now of the not hearted friends whereof the one sort is not well aduised the other are not very faithfull friends The vnaduised friends vnder a pretence of knowing nothing but Christ condemne all humane learning arts and sciences all manuall professions and these men though as yet they are not plunged in heresie yet without the speciall grace of God preuenting them are in the high way as readie to be trained vp to heresie and thus being ouer wise and ouer iust they cannot in truth reioyce in the crosse of Christ. The vnfaithfull friends being both protestants and professors though they be no plaine atheists but giue some countenance to the Gospell do neither chiefely reioyce in Christ nor truly sorrow for their sinnes which notwithstanding are so great as neither the vertue of Christ his death nor the power of his resurrection appeareth in their liues or in their deaths and these men be either by degrees tending to prophane atheisme or they are brought vp to be superstitious Papists and grosse heretiques Contrary to all these professed enemies and not heartie friends are they who so truly meditate on Christ his birth death and resurrection as they chiefely mourning for their sinnes thinke this the greatest knowledge to know Christ crucified and count this their highest ioy to reioyce in the crosse of Christ by which knowledge not of any spirituall and imagined Christ by which ioy not in ceremonie or superstition they labour to crucifie the world not to forsake or vtterly to neglect the necessarie things of this life they endeuour to restraine not to destroy their flesh finally to become new creatures and yet not here to liue likâ Angels Thus we see how requisite this treatise will be both that we may be deliuered from the Papists superstitioÌs from the monstrous conceits of Heretikes from the sinister meditation of vnaduised persons and the carnall consideration of worldly professors as also by it to come to some sound fruite of Christ his death and from the fruite feeling to engender faith that from true faith may spring true loue and from our loue may grow true practise Now to come to the words of our Apostle Be it farre from me He here sheweth how his choise came of a setled purpose and that in respect of this whereof he had made a sound and speciall choise aboue the rest he abhorred and vily esteemed all other things And this vehement phrase of speech is vsed of the Apostle in things which rather are to be detested than to be disputed against as Rom. 3. 4. when Paul abhorreth the blasphemie against the grace of God in that the vnbeliefe of a few should disanull the beliefe of many he crieth out God forbid And when he would shew his heartie hatred to the accusers of the righteousnes of God Rom. 3. he saith God forbid As also in the end of the same chapter the Apostle more vehemently meeting with the obiection of theÌ who say in that iustification came of faith would liue as they listed and would make the law of God of no purpose saith Be it farre from me Likewise Rom. 2. abhorring them that would willingly diuorce holinesse of life from iustification and remaine in sinne that Christ his grace may abound he breaketh out God forbid Thus then the holy Ghost vseth this phrase when either he sheweth some thing thoroughly to be hated or speaketh of some thing principally to be chosen and preferred And the Apostles meaning in chusing aboue all to reioyce in Christ crucified and in mourning for nothing more than for that which hindreth the crosse of Christ is nothing else but to declare that whosoeuer doth reioyce in any thing more than in Christ crucified he freeth himselfe from all the things that are in Christ and as yet he cannot assure himselfe to belong to Christ as also he sheweth what a necessarie reioycing this is in that there is no comfort in saluation no marke of Gods childe in him who either reioyceth not in this or at the least longeth for it That I should reioyce Marke he saith not Be it farre from me that I should vse thinke speake or doe any thing but the crosse of Christ but he wisheth that his affection should not principally be tied to any thing but to Christ. Neither must we from hence vnfitly gather that we should not eate drinke apparell ourselues marrie or walke in some honest trade of life but this
reioyce in any but in Christ crucified because he can present me blamelesse before God his iudgement seate hee hath nailed my sinnes to his crosse he is the immaculate Lambe that was sacrificed for me and will present me as cleare without spot before his father as euer I was created Wherefore Paul knowing the crosse of Christ able to performe all these things good cause there was why he then and we now attaining in some measure to the like knowledge should reioyce in Christ crucified by whoÌ we become crucified to the world First we are to note that they that with delight lye in sinne or haue no desire to come out of sinne cannot reioyce in the crosse of Christ. For if thou be filthie and wilt be filthie still in thy flesh how darest thou presume to reioyce in the scourged and torne flesh of Iesus Christ Canst thou ô miser still like and loue this world so much when thou doest more prick and pearce Christ with thy sinnes than euer he was pricked with thornes and nailes or can the thornes of Christ crucified be pretious to thee when the thornes of worldly cares doe so delight and choke thee How canst thou still boyle in thine anger when thou doest remember how mildly Christ crucified suffered the bitter anger of his father for thee Doest thou looke for great matters in this world considering Christ to bee borne for thee so basely to liue so poorely and to dye for thee so painfully Surely thou maist appertaine to Christ in secret election but thy sinnes thus with delight raigning in thee thou hast no assurance of Christ by thy walking Well on the contrarie doest thou thou poore sinner feele the lusts of thy flesh loathsome vnto thee that thou euen quakest to remember the place the time the occasion where sinne ouertooke thee and feelest more terrour to thinke of them than euer thou felâst pleasure in doing of them then for thy comfort remember thy sinnes are pardoned the pretious flesh of Christ was torne for thee and that thou seeing the wrath of God due to thy defiled flesh shalt receiue mercie because the crucified flesh of Christ doth acquite the filthines of thy flesh and the punishment due vnto it Againe doth the world begin to be vile in thine eyes and thou art ashamed that thine heart hath been so long set on things below the thornie cares doe now pricke and wound thine heart with sorrow then remember the head of Christ was planted with thornes and Christ for thee despised the world his hands and feete for thee being nailed his side pearced his whole body for thee being crucified Art thou angry with thy selfe that thou hast been so much giuen to anger and canst willingly take iudgement of thy selfe because thou hast abused God his presence and defiled his holy house in comming thither with an angrie heart then remember how Christ for thee sustained the anger of God his wrath to take from thee the imputation of thine anger Canst thou not be content to bee a worme of men and as it were troden on thinkest thou more vilely of thy selfe than of any other art thou now afraid of hypocrisie and feelest thy selfe troubled that thou didst not more earnestly seeke God and neuer didst so much desire the fauour of men as now thou desirest the fauour of God and thinkest it a great mercie to haue one foote in the earth then remember how vile Christ was to make thee pretious to God consider how he was the seruant of all a reproofe of men a worme and not a man troden downe euen of the worst kinde of men that he might free thee from thy vaineglory and secret pride Art thou grieued that thou hast presumed on the mercie of God and doest thou now thinke no more nor so much to be in thee as in other men and that thou art not a sinner alone but a sinner vily infected not resting thy selfe in any opinion of a ciuill life Art thou now as deepely plunged in despaire as before thou wast puft vp with presumption call to minde that Christ was not only reiected of men but of God to bring thee in fauour both with God and men and that he was trobled when he said Father if it bee thy will let this cup passe from mee remember how he laboured in a sweate and agonie not in a cold sweate but so as the warme blood was faine to runne out of their veines behold how hee was hanged betweene heauen earth as spued out of the one and accursed in the other and suffered the heauines of his soule to free thee from presumption by his mightie humilitie to helpe thee from desperation by his painefull crosse To be briefe there are two kinds of men that cannot reioyce in this crosse of Christ the one because they haue an opinion of their own righteousnes the other because they are senselesse for the securitie of their sinnes For the one because the feeling of the sore causeth vs to make much of the salue and the sense of sinne worketh a ioy in the deliuerance from sinne it is sure they cannot reioyce in the forgiuenes of sinne that neuer could lament for the guiltines and grieuousnes of sinne which are the cause of Christ his death Wherefore our Sauiour Christ Luk. 22. seeing certaine women following him with lamentation and mourning that so good a man so innocently should be put to death saith to them weepe rather ô daughters of Ierusalem for your sinnes teaching them that their most speciall cause of weeping was their owne iniquitie which was the cause why now he should suffer death Now then because we are ignorant many see not their sinnes and for that cause cannot mourne for them For they need no ioy that feele no sorrow they neede no comfort that tast no griefe they neede no release that are in no bands and none can truly reioice in the crosse of Christ but they that see their sinnes haue crucified Christ. Wherefore to helpe our blindnes in seeing and numbnes in feeling sinne wee must come to the law of God and to the iudgements of God there with adioyned Why cannot men come to the sight of their sinnes because they know not the lawe Why haue not men a sense of their sinne because they consider not the threatning of the law So that the remedie to make vs see sinne is the knowledge of the law the remedie to make vs feele sinne is the sense of the iudgements of God threatned in the law And why cannot the Papists reioyce in Christ but imagine other histories is it not because they haue imagined a coloured perswasion of the law thinking that the law may bee kept of man measuring the interpretation of the lawe and the obseruation thereof by grosse sinnes and not otherwise as did the Pharisies counting all the spirituall interpretation of the commandements but good counsels not necessarie precepts So that they not seeing the law spirituall nor
when as they that trust in lying vanities doe forsake their owne mercie Ionah 2. 10. And graunt me graciously thy word He boasteth not on his owne merits but desireth all for Gods goodnes and till it please God to make vs rest in his word and in that alone we shall be carried about with euery blast of new doctrine runne a whoring after our own inuentions and neuer be guided in any good way ¶ Vers. 30. I haue chosen the way of truth and thy iudgements haue I layde before mee THough the Prophet prayed in the former verse against the way of falshood and lying yet it seemeth that by the spirit of God hee had made choyce of a good way for here hee protesteth that for his part hee had chosen the way of trueth and laide before himselfe the waye of Gods iudgements God layde before him two wayes the one straite the other wide the one of life the other of death the one of lying the other of truth which doth hee choose the waye of trueth that is that path which leadeth to trueth and wel-doing and in one word to him who is the way the truth and the life But how comes it that hee makes this choyce is it in the power of his free-will nothing lesse no man can come vnlesse he be drawn walke vnlesse he be directed runne vnlesse he bee enlarged or choose this waye vnlesse hee bee guided by the worke of Gods spirit without which we can doe nothing I haue chosen why then should not wee chuse it surely hee maketh this confession both to stirre vp others by his example and to testifie his resolution that though hee were in danger for this choyce and had fewe companions yet hee for his part would neuer seeke out any other way as Ios. 24. 15. Ioh. 6. 67. 68. 69. The way of truth thus he stâleth the word of God which alone shewes man the waye by which hee may walke safely and vprightlie But before a man can bee set in this way hee hath many seducements offered vnto him to drawe him into by paths It seemeth that Dauid ouercame them all made Gods word that Ariâdnes threed by which he passed through all sorts of Labyrinths If wee intend to make choyce of any other waye doubt not but we shall haue counsellors enough but this is the waye chuse it And thy iudgements haue I laide before me 1. Thy word according to which thou wilt pronounce sentence that haue I saide before mee it is euer in my sight it is my counsellor my comforter my guide and gouernour O happie Dauid if thou hadst euer done so then hadst thou not fallen either by pride of heart in numbring the people or vncleanesse of life with the spouse of Vriah Hence springs all impietie that we laye not GODS iudgements before vs. ¶ Vers. 31. I haue cleaued to thy testimonies O Lord confound me noâ IF euer good man had occasion by crosses to forsake his profession and hold of pietie Dauid had neuer was man more beloued of God yet neuer was man so molested by men remember his troubles and his truth will appeare Did hee now forsake his standing abandon his generall or start aside like a broken bowe no he did not In the Lord was his delight in Gods word was his comfort He did cleaue so fast vnto the word of God in which his will is testified to man that no trouble could make him to forgoe his hold Mee thinkes I may bring in heere Paul speaking as Dauid doth Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or naked ââsse or perill or sworde As it is written for thy sake are we killed all the day long wee are counted as sheepe for the slaughter Neuerthelesse in all these things we are more then conquerers through him thât loued vs. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come Nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bâe able to seperate vs from the loue of GOD which is in CHRIST IESVS our LORDE Rom. 8. 35. c. Confounde mee not If I cleaue not to thy testimonies thou wilt confounde mee as all they are who start aside from thee if I cleaue vnto thy testimonies men will confounde mee O LORDE suffer mee not to bee confounded by them or to doe that whereby I may be ashamed either before thee or before any man Thus Dauid fearing that by daily accidents his faith and profession might be shaken and he should in the ende become a scorne to his enemies as who more scorned then the most godly desireth that he might haue as he had trusted such good successe that vpon none occasion that hold which he had laide vpon Gods word might be taken from him Where we see it is the custome of the wicked to put most shame vpon them who desire to sticke most fast vnto God and to serue him with greatest sinceritie this is the great griefe of Gods Saints that they are thus confounded for well doing let them goe on as Dauid did let them pray as Dauid here doth in the ende they shall either see the confusion of their enemies or else reioyce in consolation of a good conscience that they are hated without a cause ¶ Verse 32. I will runne the waies of thy commaundements when thou shalt enlarge mine heart THis last verse is a golden verse in which he sheweth principally with what speede and cheerfulnesse he will serue God But because this race celestiall cannot be vndertaken vnlesse we know Christ and in him the remission of sinnes which alone knowledge doth enlarge the heart drawing it out of the dolors of death and perfuming it with a new ioy by which it resteth quieted in the Lord therefore as before he desired to be quickened and cheereÌd according to Gods word so heere he promiseth that he will most cheerfully goe on in the waies of Gods statutes where it shall please the Lord to set his heart at libertie by taking away from him the feare of his displeasure purchased by sinne and the furie of his enemies of whom he was in danger I will runne c. it is a metaphor borrowed from runners in a race who questionles doe runne with speede Such an one was Ahimaaz 2. Sam. 18. who outâan Chushi to bring Dauid tydings of Absolons death And Iohn who did ouerrunne Peter to the sepulcher Iohn 20. 4. Dauid will imitate these runners he will make hast and delay no time to keepe Gods righteous iudgements So would Paul himselfe Philip. 3. 13. I forget that which is behinde and I endeuor myselfe to that which is before And followe hard towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus And to this race he exhorteth the Corinthians 1. Epistle 9. Chapter Verse 2. So runne that ye may obtaine Now in this race some creepe
cause is not heard our enemies crueltie is nothing diminished but much increased as though the Lord either heard vs not or hath forgotten vs. But let vs learne to reason with the Prophet on the contrarie Our enemies O Lord are neere to hurt vs but thou art as neere to deliuer vs what doe we but obey thee what doe they but disobey thee wilt thou then forsake the godly and canst thou suffer the wicked to prosper No thou art the Iudge of the whole world it cannot be for thy deliuerance and saluation is ready and neere for them who labour to keepe faith and to ioyne thereunto a good conscience We see then when flesh and blood would perswade vs that all time of deliuerance is past euen then faith beholdeth it to bee neere at hand for when wee thinke that we are at the last cast then we see saluation and helpe is neerest As this doctrine serueth for our comfort so we must learne for our instruction that if happily we suffer the longer yet we shall receiue for our temporall euill a spirituall recompence remembring alwaies the Apostles consolation 1. Pet. 4. who would not haue vs discouraged when we suffer for they which haue done vs euill shall be iudged of him who will come to iudge the quicke and the dead Although we see not this by the iudgement of the eye and by the light of nature yet although we should die suffering as weldoers cursed are they that shall ouerlie vs Blessed shall we be for we shall rest from our labours God is the iudge of the whole world of the quicke and of the dead he will not forsake his nor leaue his enemies vnreuenged Well although wee perswade our selues of this trueth yet it is to bee feared when the abomination of desolation shall be set vp we wil notwithstanding all this stand in a mammering and doubting what is truth what is vntruth what is good what is euill But alas if the Lord should be any thing the longer from vs in helping no maruel seeing we were the longer from him in obeying Experience will proue that though we haue neuer so many outward gifts neuer so glorious wisedome yet vnlesse wee still depend on the word and promise we shall stagger and falter in the time of temptation For this was the onely staffe that vpheld the man of God at what time he was ready to stagger They are farre from thy Law that is as if hee should haue saide Thou canst not O Lord but punish them for thou hast long suffered them to see if they will turne but there is no hope that they will conuert therefore there is no cause of despaire that thou wilt not punish them Oh true faith O sound perswasion of Gods mercie most needefull in trouble yea when the face of all things shal be changed and things shall be turned vpside downe we shall know the vse of this doctrine to be aboue gold and siluer The like were the man of God his Meditations as wee may see Portion 11. when his eyes failed him his heart fainted his spirit panted and was as the bottle in the smoke The proud saith he digged piâs for me which is not after thy Law all thy commaundements are true they persecute me falsely Thus wee see hee vseth two effectuall reasons the one drawne from his owne person who maintained a good cause the other from his aduersaries who defended an ill cause Vers. 152. I haue knowne long since by thy testimonies that thou hast established them for euer I Know O Lord not of late but long since that thou euer hast beene and art the selfe same God thou art no changeling thou doest not sometime maintaine the cause of thy children and some other time forsake them I know now by the couenant and records of thy loue that thou doest defend thine euen vnto the end I know that from the beginning thou hast hated punished sinne thou hast loued and maintained righteous dealing I am perswaded that thy iudgements proue not true once or twice alone but alwayes We see how needefull it is to vs for vs to haue knowledge throughly of the testimonies of the Lord. For this was an assured knowledge of the man of God I haue laboured saith the Prophet in effect to establish my knowledge whereby I may knowe that hereafter which I know now and that I must knowe that now which I must knowe hereafter yea I haue taken great paines to confirme this knowledge in me not of late but of long time Thus we see how the man of God laboureth to fetch out many arguments to strengthen himselfe in time of temptation wherein we also must imitate him For if wee shall store vp great plentie of reasons our enemies may push at vs and shake vs but they shall neuer ouerthrow vs. PORTION 21. RESH Vers. 153. Behold mine afflictions and deliuer me for I haue not forgotten thy Law THe selfe same argument and matter is here repeated which was before but after another manner Hee saith portion 16. 1. I haue executed iudgement and iustice leaue me not to mine oppressours The which in sense being all one with the other and seeing we haue deliuered the doctrine at large before here is not much to be spoken Onely we may obserue this he here laieth his misery open and vnfoldeth his estate before the Lord Behold saith he O Lord thine eyes are vpon the righteous thine eares are open to their prayers Thou seest my case let me sâe thy grace that I may knowe for a trueth that thou lookest on me The cause then why we oftentimes are not helped is because we hide our troubles from the Lord. True it is that the Lord seeth all although we should hide all neither needeth he the displaying of our owne miseries but yet in all troubles hee would haue vs to open and acknowledge our griefe vnto him that he might the better make knowne to vs that hee hath helpe laid vp for vs. Wherefore we must beware least at any time we smoother our estate or seeke vnlawful meanes but in all things with prayer and supplication make our necessitie knowne to the Lord. His reason ioyned herewith is this For I haue not forgotten thy Law that is although O Lord there is great want of obedience in me and I cannot and haue not exactly kept thy commandements yet I am none of them that contemne thy Law wherefore O Lord help me Thus we see stil that the man of God suffered as a weldoer teaching vs that if we suffer as ill-doers the rod of correction shall not depart from vs vntill in some measure it hath wrought in vs repentance but if we suffer with him as wel-doers we may boldly vse this argument and with this reason desire the Lord that hee would take his owne cause which we maintaine into his own hand And although he was a sinner which here he doth not denie and did forget many particular
theÌ the other And such be wee and our times long rid from that superstitious generation but readie now as it is saide Deut. 29. 19. to adde drunkennesse to thirst which commeth to passe for want of circumspectnes in deliuering the doctrine of libertie And so wee fall to make Paul Galat. 5. and Peter a cloake of our licentious life Wee turne the grace of God into wantonnesse as Iude speaketh This then being as it were the common disease of these last and perillous dayes the ministers of the Gospell must stand vp as in a gap and euery one is to be watchfull ouer himselfe that he sinke not away in these pleasures which seeme to cheere bring good to the heart but such a good as maketh the graces of God in some to come to nothing and withdraweth many away from Paradise a place of pleasure to hell a place of torments You know who it was that seeing so many young Gentlemen follow Epicurus at his first setting vp saide the cause was it was young mens philosophie that was professed in that schoole For this cause Sathan laboureth especially to poyson this age because he knoweth if this be barren of good that which followeth is like to be thereafter Satan and his ministers haue for euery age estate and condition a sundrie baite laying for Youth the baite of pleasure for Age the bayte of couetonsnes c. Euery man is eateÌ vp with one zeale or other there is a zeale of old age middle age of youth Euery man may trie his zeale by the ninth of Esa. ver 7. The zeale of the Lord of hosts will performe this It was the zeale of God that he gaue his sonne for vs his most dearely beloued sonne it is then one argument of our zeale to any thing when wee will forgoe a pretious thing for the thing we professe to loue indeed Esau was zealous for his meate when hee would lose his blessing for it and such is our zeale of pleasure that wee will forgoe learning time the fauour of the godly health of bodie yea sometimes our owne soules for it 6. It hath bin alwaies the note of false prophets to preach pleasant things and for outward matters as the Priests of Iezabel And Micah chap. 2 speaketh of false Prophets that prophesied of meate and strong drinke Peter saith they praise liberty and Paul They can reason for the bellie All thingâ say they are lawfull but on the other side Gods children haue bene alwaies in the way of restraining 1. King 19. Eliah ate and gaue ouer and fell asleepe so that the Angell was sent to bid him eate more It is not the fâult of many For we haue neede of an Angell to keepe vs from eating Timothie abstained from wine and Paul biddeth him to vse it for the weakenesse of his stomacke Salomon reclaimeth yong men Eccle. 11. When Iobs children meane to banquet in course he feareth least they curse God The austeritie of the Fathers was very great concerning meates as of Basil Hierome that it gaue occasion to the superstitious abstinence which followed But now the latter times are gone and the last daies are come Superstition is past but men glut themselues with all Epicurisme and pleasures of this life 7 Christians are neither Stoicks nor Epicures Paul disputeth against both Act. 17. The Stoicke condemnes all pleasure the Epicure commends all pleasures Pleasure is not good according to our election but in respect of the obiect if the obiect or matter wherein our pleasure consisteth be simply good then the pleasure is simply good if the obiect be simply euill our pleasure is simply euill But pleasures by nature being good and bad by circumstance they are not left as things indifferent to our election CHAP. XVIII Godly meditations concerning Christs power against Sathan loue to the faithfull and how he is our wisedome righteousnesse holinesse and of our communion with him CHrist careth for vs we must not feare a stroÌg enemie because we haue a stronger Captaine The Diuell indeed is a Lion but so is Christ a Lion and that of the tribe of Iudah There is a Lion for a Lion courage for courage The diuell is a Serpent so Christ calleth himselfe the brasen Serpent there is a Serpent for a Serpent wisedome for wisedome yea a Serpent of brasse to sting all the fierie Serpents of the wildernesse But thou saist that Christ is called a Lambe and a worme Bâ not discouraged that is in respect of his Father who found him as meeke as a Lambe who might haue troden on him as on a worme but the diuell neuer found him a Lambe but a Lion The meeknes of Christ is stronger than all the power of hell Ioh. 18. When the diuell seemed to be in his ruffe he sends a great crew to take a sillie man when he told them it was he whom he sought this little word cast them downe What shall he doe then in glorie when he commeth with thousands of Angels This then is the conclusion the diuell is strong but Christ is stronger and chaineth him at his pleasure The diuell is wise but Christ is wiser and preuenteth him in all his practises 2 They that will haue a true faith in Christ must beleeue in the ends and in the mercies of our saluation The ends are that Christ is made of God vnto vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification redemption Art thou afraide that thou shalt goe out of thy wits because thou fearest sinne Are thy cogitations confounded Seest thou no knowledge no not so much as a litterall knowledge of thy saluation but all is doubtfulnes all is dulnesse all is deadnes within thee as though thou neuer knewest heardest or learnedst any thing Now know now is the time to beleeue that whatsoeuer knowledge experience power of vnderstanding was in Christ Iesu the same is made thine he is the annointing that will teach thee he is the Fathers counsellor he is wonderful he hath the knowledge of all mysteries he is the spirituall interpreter of the law vnto whom as the Fathers did approach more neerely so they did see the power of the law more cleerely He is our wisedome both the teacher and the thing taught Hast thou some good measure of knowledge and yet thy life in no part being agreeable nor proportionable to thy knowledge thou art sore troubled for not walking in the waies of righteousnesse thou feelest no goodnesse thou thinkest thy selfe as a Sere tree without all fruite Now remember that Christ Iesus who had no holinesse by the flesh by being borne of his mother who saued great sinners and made of persecutors preachers would not haue thee to seeke for great things in the flesh seeing himselfe got so little thereby but would haue thee seeke thy righteousnesse out of thy selfe in him who being no sinner indeed was an accounted sinner and punished as a sinner for
keeping it back from them that he commaunds their parents to acquaint them with that Sacrament and albeit they do not aske Deut. 6. 7. he laieth a charge on their parents to see theÌ instructed in his lawes 2 And whereas many hold that it is not materiall nor to be regarded what children do and that they are not to be examined nor censured by their doings though they be wantoÌ and childish they be confuted Pro. 20. 11. They shall be iudged by their steps As the blessing of Gods is vpon them that giue themselues to wisedome Psalm 127 128. whom Dauid compareth to a quiuer full of arrowes to oliue branches so doth he not spare those that doe euill although they be children 2. Reg. 2. 24. The boyes that scoffed Elisha were torne in peeces with two beares To this the Hebrew prouerbe may bee added in Golgotha are to be seene souls of all sizes that is death the reward of sinne commeth on the young as well as vpon the olde I saw little and great saith Iohn Apoc 20. 12. waiting for their iudgement Christ who hath said of himselfe I haue giuen you an example Iohn 13. 13. and of whom the Diuines rule is Euery action of Christ serues for our instruction hath giuen our children an example of his youth that is that at twelue yeeres he was growen as much in wisdome namely in the feare of God and in the fauour of God as in yeares He alloweth of the childrens singing Hosanna Mat. 21. 16. when the Pharisies thought it a foolish thing to regard the childrens crie He shewes that his father maketh an account of children and hath no desire that they should be lost for teaching lost must they be except they come to the Church Therefore he giueth commaundement that they bee suffered and not forbidden if they haue any desire vnto him and therefore he pronounceth a woe vpon any that when such would come to Christ doe scandalize them either by word counsell or example or any other vndue meanes keepe them from comming to him Ioh. 21. 15. Christ his charge to Peter is not to feed his sheepe onely but his lambes also and first his lambes for the increase of the whole flocke dependeth on the towardnesse of the lambes and the lambes being well fed lesse paines need to be taken with the sheepe All solemne promises we must performe as sure as we can But in our Baptisme wee made a solemne promise of learning the feare of God The aptnesse in children to vice as wee may see by their tractablenesse in any prophane or scurrile iests must make vs take aduantage and exercise this aptnesse in such things that are good for no doubt if children can say bald-head to Elisha they can say Hosanna to Christ. 3 The office of the Catechist is to make his doctrine easie to enter by giuing it an edge in perspicuitie methode c. and of the catechised often to goe ouer the same thing as a knife doth the whetstone and to repeate and iterate it till he haue made it his owne This we see in the original words specially the Greeke ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã froÌ the which we haue our English word Echo ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is indeed to sound the last fillable and such sounders happily there be enough but it is to sound the whole after one and such a repetition is required of the right Catecumenoi Catechizing is thus distinguished from preaching Preaching is the dilating of one member of religion into a iust treatise Catechizing is a contracting of the whole into a summe Preaching is to all sorts catechizing to the younger and rude Preaching is not exacted to be repeated catechizing is exacted We coÌsider here in these three things An argument or summe the genus the deliuerie of it to children the first part of catechizing the redeliuerie of catechumenoi which is the second part of the catechisme For warrant in making summes we haue Christ who Math. 22. 37. brought all the whole lawe into two heads Ioh. 3 16. an abridgement of the Gospell is set downe Cod so loueth the world c. Eccles. 12 â3 Salomon drawes all that that he had said in his whole booke of the Preacher to these two heads Feare God and keepe his commandements The Apostle Heb. 6. 1. reduceth al the principles of Christian religion to these two Repentance and Faith As also the learned think that this forme of teaching is meant by Paul in his patterne or forme of holesome words which he willeth Timothy to haue 2. Tim. 1. 13. as also by forme of doctrine Rom 6 17. and analogie of faith And if we demaund a reason hereof we may haue a Dependance that we may referre all our reading and learning to certaine principall heads and so inclose our studies in short epitomes So likewise say the Rabbins that it is as it were a hedge to the generall doctrine least we be euer in an endlesse maze So do the Fathers call it too Clemens calleth it Crepis a base or ground plot Athanasius Synopsis the first draught of a picture The second reason is the facilitie because we may in shorter time learne and comprehend them and such were the Sermons of the Apostles when they baptized so many hundreds in one day 4 And heere we must take with vs a double prouiso that we shall remaine before God his iudgement seate without excuse if that we seeke not the knowledge of God being brought into so short a compendium in such and so perspicuous a methode deliuered Secondly we must know that our sinnes are not to make vs carelesse or vnregarding of any more perfit instructioÌ seeing this catechizing was instituted but for an easie entrance only and not to perfit vs in knowledge 2. Pet. 3. 18. 1. Cor. 14. 20. Ephe. 4. 13. Heb. 5. 1â 13. Catechizing is milke more exact knowledge is strong meate Catechizing is the foorde wherein a lambe may wade more exact knowledge is the gulfe wherein an Elephant may swimme Both these are in the Scriptures concerning which Christ hath said Search the Scriptures As for euidence in catechizing before the flood Cain and Abels sacrificing is a signe which seeing there was no word written is iudged of their father to be taught them and therefore they reason probably that say without this catechizing the word of God could not haue continued After the flood some say they had the like exercise which afterwards as the learned thinke was put in writing and called the bookes of Sybille which were nothing else but traditions i. things by word of mouth deliuered and taught In Abrahams time Gen. 18 God saith hee knoweth that Abraham will be carefull to teach his family and for that cause will vouchsafe him extraordinary fauor If it be demanded what he taught Gen. 17. 2. there is the summe of the lawe Gen. 18 18. there is also the abridgement
shall pronounce the truth of vs. Christ saith Reioyce when men speake euill of you for so did your fathers of the Prophets 13 Gutturall praises must not bee giuen to God It is an easie thing to affoord a good thing a good word to crie Euge macte virtute The Prophet saith the wicked are onely mouthed men they sprinkle it with a little court-holy-water it is pretie shippe but they will not goe in it they crie Lord Lord but yet they doe nothing When the women cried out to Christ Blessed are the pappes that gaue thee sucke No no saith he Blessed are they that heare these words and do them Let the worke speake and commend it selfe not he that when he heareth a good thing straight breaketh out into glorious praises his affection is so hot but hee that is so stricken with it that he is past praysing so musing of it that the sent of it appeareth in his life long after They count Paul a wise man but behinde the doore they laugh as Sarai did Socrates Praise me that I may see it for our praise is to giue a testimony that we like it but this is the best testimonie if we follow it for if thou didst thinke it to be true wisedome thou wouldest follow it 14 Vniuersities are the Lords Lebanon froÌ whence timber is to be felled for the building of his Church his quiuers as Esay saith wherein are hidden all his chosen shafts the sonnes of the Prophets and as I may say the bayes or workes from whence salt is to bee digged with whose verdure the sacrifice is to be seasoned 15 Schollers must make a good bending of their studies and bee vertuously brought vp first that they may profit the Church and attaine more easily to the knowledge of the Scriptures they may not want humane arts Secondly if they be vertuous and godly they shall haue more authoritie to preach when men haue nothing to lay against them sinfull men blush and get not nor haue not that authoritie that others haue CHAP. XLIIII Of knowledge and ignorance and how to seeke God and of Sathans sophistrie c. KNowledge and other giftes of God not sanctified keep vs from the sight of sinne and perswade vs that they will excuse vs from wrath to come vntill our sinnes be pulled out by the eares 2 Knowledge must goe before obedience obedience must followe after knowledge with all chreerefulnes 3 The Egyptians by all Gods wonders might haue knowne him but they considered not his works so they refused knowledge therefore the Lord by a great destruction would make them feele that he was God indeede which may teach vs to get knowledge while the meanes are offered for if we will not know him while he sheweth himselfe fauourable we shall certainly know him to our owne fearefull condemnation 4 All our disobedience commeth of this that we knowe not the Lord. And wheresoeuer the word of the Lord is hee will moue those that be his to beleeue though he did the same things from the wise of the world 5 There is none almost but at one time or other do seeke God though the common sort at the last cast in extreame danger when health and friendes faile them goe to him But Malachie saith GOD is a King and will haue his Senioritie in this order of seeking manie good men are deceiued for so they deale not falsly they thinke they may scratch woridly riches but the Lord will not haue vs take the siluer of worldly things before gold of godlines Neither must the seruant first waite some houres on himselfe and then on his master but contrarilie because as there is a seeking so in seeking there is an order And this is Gods prerogatiue to be sought first Matth. 23. he is a foole which thinkes the gold of the temple that is riches better then the Pietie of the temple which sanctifiethriches Salomons chaire must be our direction Abraham sought obedieÌce before his own countrie Ioseph and Moses sought GOD rather then Pharaoh but wee seeke preposterously giuing youth to pleasure old age to God we make our eldest childreÌ Lawyers the second or yongest diuines whereas our fathers made the first-borne to seruein the Priesthood In our contracts wee first seeke wealth and then religion a cursed match well while wee thus seeke God we shall neuer finde him Wherefore let vs seeke God in his word and that not in a peece of the word but in all the word not making conscience of some sinne and yet âetaining other sinne God will not be diuided nor quartered in qualities because hee is indiuisible in substance Manie vse a restrained obedience and the world hath euer a placard for some sinne Such a one was he that would haue a dispeÌsation for kneeling in the house of Râmmon with his maister Ananias would keepe some part to himselfe GOD will bee sought totally in respect of his Worde as also hee requireth an vniuersalitie in seeking of himselfe We must not seeke God and the world together wee must not haue two strings to our bowe hauing one eye on the word and another on the world We must not thinke if we haue God it is well if we haue him not it is no great harme purposing a pietie to out felues so long as wee be in the Church and promising to our selues immunitie being out of the Church 6 Samuel the first builder we reade of Colledges calleth his Colledge Naioth that is euen beautie it selfe where must be no deformitie for a small spot in beautie is a great blemish Againe Colledges are as Epitomes of the Common-wealth as Athens was of Greece and what a thing were it in an Epitome to finde superflââtie Vniuersities are the eyes of the Common-wealth and a mote in the eye is a great trouble Briefly Vniuersities be the Lebanon of the Lorde from whence timber must be fetched to build the Temple They be the Conduits to deriue water into the whole land They be the Rocks or Bayes where Salt is prepared to season They be the polished Saphires to garnish the house of the Lord. 7 It is a parte of the Diuels Sophistrie as in good things to seuer the meanes from the ende so in euill things to separate the ende from the meanes Dauid ioyneth both together Psalm 119. I am thine O Lord saue mee The Diuell perswadeth vs God will saue vs but makes vs neuer looke to that I am thine In euill hee beareth vs in hand we may vse the meanes and neuer come to the ende and so clip off halfe as when hee can suffer this Eccles. â1 9 Reioyce O young man he would leaue out this But thou shalt come to iudgement But these hath God ioyned together and neither the subtilty of youth nor any wit of man nor all the Diuels in hell can separate them the pleasures of the flesh and the iudgements of God as to our first parents Eate yee shall not die
shall euer stand but when there shall come a change there will be a triall so when God sheweth vs tokens of his loue wee may thinke we trust in him but when hee denieth these tokens vnto vs there is the triall When the children of Israel were either in a moderate estate or in some new deliuerance they liued very godly and are commended but if abundance of things did once make them wanton they fell to Idolatrie and when they were in miserie they murmured where wee see that it is easie to come to generall obedience but in particular to embrace it in euery place and time this is harder Againe that is onely true faith which in trouble and want holdeth out constantly and faileth not for any temptation 7 The Lord doth trie his people many waies yet but with one thing at once as some times with want of bread or with want of meate or with want of water he doth not powre all his punishments at once to let them see the corruption of their harts because they are ready to distrust for euery thing and againe to let them see that for many things they cannot be thankfull This is the ordinarie dealing of the Lord with vs he doth vs good many waies he trieth vs sometime one way somtime another way doth not lay all his punishments on men at once vnlesse their sins be come to the full and they deserue it or els if he be minded to take some singular triall of men as he dealt with Iob thus he dealeth with vs to beare with our weakenes and to try vs whether the hauing of many blessings would moue vs rather to follow the Lord than the want of some one thing would cause vs to forsake him This may be seene in particular trials as when he giueth a man many things and letteth him want his health If we consider this we shall see that we are as ready to murmur as euer they were for if the Lord giue a man two yeeres health yet one yeeres sicknes doth more make him to murmur than many yeers of health doth make him thankful For the want of this will make men deny God and the Gospell and to be ready to goe to witches for their health and will not looke for helpe at the Lords hands The infidelitie of the Isralites was greatly herein bewrayed for did God make the waters of Egypt blood dried vp the red sea made bitter waters sweete would not that God also make waters to come out of the rockes in the wildernesse their murmuring is here therefore very manifest and our murmuring is now as great as theirs was For though men thinke that this people did euill to murmur think that now there are greater occasions theÌ they had let vs coÌsider their temptation and we shall see it will excuse them and greatly accuse vs. For what temptation was it to haue many children and cattell and not to know where to haue water for them We vpon lesse occasions will murmur for though we confesse that we are in better case theÌ our fathers were yet because some haue lesse than others haue therfore they are ready to murmur though they haue otherwise sufficient Much more therefore would men murmur if they had nothing and then would they bid God and his word and all farewell And hath not God dealt with vs as mercifully as with them Yea surely if we haue harts to consider Gods prouidence for who cannot see that the Lord hath deliuered him often from dangers Whom hath not the Lord dealt his mercy most liberally to Therefore are we as much without excuse as euer they were 8 Moses finding the Israelites to murmur for water calleth the murmuring a tempting of God because it did not proceed of infirmitie seeing they had tasted of and felt the wonderfull mercies of God for them farre greater than this was to giue them drinke for by the former miracles they knew that God was able and also willing to helpe them and therefore seeing they still murmured Moses calleth this a tempting of God whereas before when they murmured diuers times yet he did beare with them as such as did offend of infirmitie Where we see that God dealing with vs as with them hath borne with the time of our ignorance and we may al confesse that the Lord doth not deale with vs according to the workes of our owne hands but if we will be ignorant still and despise instruction or after we haue had experience of his goodnesse if then we will presume to tempt God it is fearefull when we know the great goodnesse of the Lord and haue experience of the same in our selues Psal. 93. 2. When we know it is a sinne which we commit and yet we will tempt God whether he will punish or no as Peter rebuked Ananias Act. 5. and Paul rebuked those who in vaine excuses would eate in Idols temples saying doe you prouoke the Lord 1. Cor. 10. And this was the temptation with which the diuell tempted our Sauiour saying cast thy selfe downe But Christ answered and said if I should so doe without Gods commandement I should denie his prouidence which only watcheth ouer men in their waies And thus he putteth away the diuell this then is to tempt God and this Moses meaneth when he rebuked the people saying why tempt yee the Lord that is to say You know your sinne well enough the dealing of the Lord with you is manifest and mine also now adde not rebellion vnto sin but if you sinne then do you tempt the Lord The Lord in Psalm 95. passeth ouer other sinnes and maketh thââ orââ of temptation ãâã be sware c. Now let vs consider when wee fall into some sinne which we know noâ the Lord is mercifull but if we then when we know it is a sinne by the law of God and when we haue felt euery way the hand of God vpon vs and the spirit of God checking vs for it and that the Lord hath vsed meanes to bring vs out of it if then I say we sinne this is a plaine tempting of God And this wee must apply to our seuerall transgressions as if a man haue bin an adulterer or an angry person or câuetous before his knowledge the lord will beare with it but after the Lord hath dealt with vs in these seuerall sinnes as before is set down then if men doe sinne this is the tempting of the Lord and this is the beginning of the wrath of God And such men stand in a very fickle estate and are in great daunger to fall into the hands of the Lord. This is then a comfortable doctrine to heare that the Lord will heare with the offences of our ignorance and will not lay them to our charge if then we will goe cheerefully forward when hee giueth vs knowledge and other meanes to draw vs vnto him but if we refuse instruction and will not be drawne from our
what say you to the Truth of Religion that is among vs why our Doctrine is sound enough that needes not to be spoken of No Yes surely very needfull it is to speake of it Truth indeede runnes about the Church-walles for eares and goeth about the Pillars but it findeth no nearers and as the wise man saith he that hath a Treasure in store and not in vse is as though he had it not so we may say of our Age men haue a little knowledge but for want of vsing it they are as though they had no knowledge and seeing wee hide our knowledge if wee haue it and we cannot speake the truth at our going in and our going out as men are charged by Moses wee cannot be said to haue the truth So in a second degree Paul would haue vs vse the world as though we vsed it not surely had hee made his wish of the Truth as hee did of the world hee had surely had it All our knowledge is a knowledge of the braine it is not a knowledge of the hart for it neuer makes vs set lesse on the score of sinne yee shall see this plaine wee know that fire will burne and because wee know it indeede by no paine almost can wee be brought to put our finger in the fire and doubtles if wee were perswaded that sinne would burne vs as a fire wee would not so easily put our hands vnto it And I would know if a man had a rule or gold-weight whereby he might measure his timber weigh his mettals and yet he neuer vseth either his rule or his weights what good it would doe him Talke of religion and begin to speake of the word and you shall haue manie that will holde you talke a whole dinner time or halfe a day and looke into their liues and common course of their conuersation and they wil falsifie whatsoeuer they haue said so they haue a thing but without all vse of it There is yet another thing mentioned Ephes 6. and that is a gyrdle of Truth it must be tyed to vs but our truth is not gyrt to vs it sitteth not close to vs it will easilie be shaken off from vs if the Crosse come and persecution shake vs a little wee can easily shift it off 4 A man would not willingly dwell by an euill nature and hatred will driue any man a way Truth is hated among vs and no maruell though it delight not to be among vs. If a man should take vpon him to plucke vp an olde-hedge and to admonish one of sinne straight way one Snake or other will bee ready to hisse at him and to sting him for his labour They that should looke to vs are hated and if a man be so bold as to tell a man of his fault he shall haue a rebuke for his paines with this scoffe or the like this is one of the wise generation which can telll the truth so cold an occupation is it to tell the truth So that we are not onely culpable for not hauing Truth but because we haue driuen Truth out of the Land It would grieue me to name mens sinnes herein but yet your selues know that a man will sell credite Faith and all that he hath to set Truth out of the way and shall wee thinke then that Truth hath any heart to dwell among vs seeing wee sell it for two-pence or a groate nay for a paire of old-shooes But let vs know seeing that CHRIST hath pronounced himselfe to be the TRVTH hee hath made these men that sell the Truth guiltie of the sinne of Iudas they sell Christ not for so much but for halfe so much nay for a quarter so much as Iudas sold him For CHRIST is TRVTH and CHRIST is solde 5 Contempt and hatred ouerthroweth all estates if either the Law be contemned or the Law-giuer hated And as in Kingdomes so it fareth for this point in the Church if the law of God be not esteemed then the iealousie of the Lord of Hostes will surely either take away his Law or punish the abusers of it The cause of contempt commonly as they say is familiaritie Familiarity breedeth contempt Indeed the wise men of the world noted that there were three excellent mothers which brought forth three very euill daughters The mothers are these first Familiaritie which is the high pitch of friendship brings vp contempt so the more we enioy the thing loued the viler it growes in our eyes Secondly truth breeds hatred The third is peace and that is the mother of idlenesse and securitie So that whatsoeuer is free in vâe once that growes vile as Manna though it were a verie precious thing did in the eyes of the Israelites Yet we must know that albeit somtime these issue from these mothers yet they be not their natural daughters The naturall child of familiaritie is not contempt but it commeth of our corrupt nature which is cleane opposite to the nature of God For as the nature of God is so perfectly good that he doth turne euen very euill things to very good things as the malice of the Iewes in putting his Sonne to death to be a meane of our saluation so our nature is so absolutely euill that it turnes very good things into euill Wherfore retaining this foolish axiome of vanitie that nothing is precious but rare strange things it commeth not of the nature of the thing which is still good but of our nature which no more esteemes it In the first of Samuel it is said the word was precious in those daies which was because it was rare for they accounted highly of Samuel because they had no Prophet long before but we must not doe so neither in other things doe we so Doe we in naturall things contemne the sunne the water and the fire because they be vsuall we doe not Then surely naturally we contemne not a thing for familiaritie but the cause of contempt is the ignorance of the vse of the thing and therefore no doubt as we doe not contemne the sunne the water the fire because we know and are perswaded of the true vse of them so therefore we doe in long vse contemne the word and prayer and sacraments because we know not the necessitie and the vse of them Whensoeuer then we begin to be cloyed let vs know the nature of a sinne doth begin to grow in vs not that in the long vse of the word we are so full of knowledge but for that we know not the vse of it and therefore like swine we leaue the pearle and goe to the shels Greatly therefore are we to pray against this Concerning hatred when the pearles are contemned the Ieweller is wrathfull and when the word is despised the Lord is surely displeased for which cause good men feeling their spirits to grow hot at the sight of such contempt and the contemners seeing themselues to be drawen out
soule I haue sinned against the Lord was it think you a small comfort that Nathan said immediately vnto him The Lord hath pardoned thy sinne I will say nothing of the prayers of so many of the seruants of Christ as haue commended your cause vnto the Lord which cannot be frustrate the Lord himselfe directing them to pray according to his word and vpon the assurance of his promise Reade Iob 33. 23. If there be present with him that is with the afflicted soule as verse 22. a messenger from God an interperter of the will of God such as is one of a thousand who may signifie vnto man the equitie of the Lord and intreating him for fauour shall say Redeeme thou him that hee goe not downe into the pit by that redemption which I haue found when he hath humblie be sought the Lord he doth graciously receiue him that hee may behold his face with ioy and hee restoreth vnto man his righteousnes In which words there are many excelleÌt things to be noted for the comfort of those that are afflicted The first is that the anguished soule finding no comfort at home and in her selfe by reason of the strength of temptation must seeke reliefe abroad at the hands of those whom God hath appointed to make glad the sorrowfull minde and to giue rest vnto the wearied and distressed conscience Wherein you must consider with all thankfulnesse how great mercie the Lord hath shewed vnto you for I doe perswade my selfe as before I haue said that since the time of your affliction there hath not been almost one that hath any special gift in that kinde who by conference writing or otherwise hath not bestowed some part of his trauaile vnto your comfort I could my selfe name a great number besides those aboue mentioned but yourselfe can remember many more Now the testimonie of many faithfull seruants of Christ witnessing the grace and goodnesse of God towards you must bee as the voyce of God himselfe who is not as man that hee should lie or as the sonne of man that hee should repent or alter that which he hath once testified And if Iob doe acknowledge that the comfort of one faithfull witnesse on the behalfe of God is enough to the erecting cherishing of the heauiest minde what can Satan say vnto the testimonie not of two or three witnesses which the law onely requireth but vnto the testimonie of two or three score the meanest and weakest whereof should be able to answere in your behalfe vnto all that the enemie is able to obiect against you The second thing I note is that these haue not come vnto you by error or by chance but by special addresse of Gods prouidence as sent from the throne of grace to bind vp your wound and to minister comfort vnto your conscience The third that these speake not their own words nor of themselues but are the faithfull interpreters of the will of God not indeede immediatly from himselfe but by viewing and esteeming of the worke of God and the fruites of his grace in those that are his The fourth that as they declare vnto the afflicted that fauour of God towards them which themselues are not able for the present to discerne so they commend them by prayer vnto the Lord who hath promised to heare to graunt their requests The fift that for coÌfort in this case we must passe out of our selues in whom there is nothing that may ease our griefe and cast our eye and cogitation onely vpon Christ in whom al fulnesse of saluation doth dwel considering that this is one of the meanes whereby Sathan doth most distresse and anguish the afflicted soules that hee holdeth them in the cogitation of their sinnes and transgressions against God and suffereth them not to see that length breadth height and depth and to knowe that loue of Christ that passeth all knowledge that they might be filled with all the fulnesse of God The sixt that the Lord both mercifully blesseth the labours of his seruants in comforting his children and also graciously heareth their praiers and supplications made in their behalfe vnto his Maiestie And the last that God in his good time erecteth the mindes of the afflicted and openeth their mouthes to praise his name to protect his goodnes that he hath brought againe their soule from the pit and hath shined vpon them with the light of life Which effect of the grace of God because you haue both seene in others and felt in your selfe many times you haue great cause to hope and expect the returne of his comforting hand in due season who also shall once determine these conflicting daies and set vs in that peace which shall neuer be interrupted and wherein all teares shall bee wiped away from our faces for euer The malice of the enemie during this life hath no end nor measure at all and therfore we may iustly feare all extremitie of attempt against vs but we must strengthen our selues in him who can and will enable vs vnto all things The last and most grieuous assault of Sathan against the afflicted is that he calleth into doubt their election For that saluation is onely of the elect hee laboureth by all meanes to snake this ground and pillar of comfort and if it bee possible to subuert and ouerthrow the same It behooueth vs here to take heede how we carrie our selues as in that temptation which of all others is most difficult and dangerous First therefore wee must beware of that gulfe wherein the enemie hopeth to deuoure vs that wee enter not into the secret and hidden counsell of God For the secrets of the Lord are for himselfe but the things that are reuealed are for vs and our posteritie after vs for euer as Moses saith What then hath the Lord reuealed concerning our election First the spirit of God witnesseth vnto our spirits that we are the children of God then it teacheth vs to cry Abba Father and stirreth vp in vs those gronings that cannot bee expressed From these let vs descend vnto faith it selfe the voyce whereof if it be not suppressed by the grieuousnesse of temptation soundeth cheerefully vnto vs that wee are beloued of God redeemed by Christ and fellow heires with him of his fathers kingdom If here also the enemie haue darkened our senses and obscured our light we must of necessitie with Iob relieue our selues from the fruits of our faith These what they are hath alreadie beene said If necessitie doe so compell vs we must flie vnto the times that are past and referre our selues vnto the testimonies of the faithfull ministers of God who as they are for their wisedome and manifold experience better able to iudge of our estate than our selues so haue they power and authoritie from God to decide the controuersie betweene vs and our enemie and to pleade our cause against him Also where the enemie from
one will follow wherefore as it is good wisedome not onely to auoide the plague but to eschewe euery little ragge that may seeme to carrie the plague so it is heauenly wisedome not onely to auoide grosse sinnes but all such shewes of sinnes as may draw on the other And as we count it pollicie not to go as neere the riuers banke as we can least suddenly or at vnawares we should slip in so it is a spirituall policie not to goe too neere sinne least we be ouertaken of it before we be aware of it 5 It is our corruption to be scrupulous in sinne in the beginning but when we are entred in a little wee runne ouer head and eares 6 This is a sure experience whether the sinne which hath often assailed vs shall get dominion ouer vs or not if the oftner we are tempted the more we are grieued the more we striue against it the more we labour for the contrary vertue we shall shortly be conquerors ouer it But if the first comming of sinne wrought some griefe in vs the often comming of it makes our griefe the lesse and causeth vs to cease to vse the meanes of with standing it and to be carelesse in the contrarie vertue then it were to bee feared that that sinne in time should preuaile against vs and that we should get no victory ouer it 7 Though it is hard to find out our speciall sinnes yet by often and diligent examining of our selues by earnest prayer that God would reueale vnto vs our sinnes by often hearing and reading the word by marking the most checks of our consciences and reproches of our enemies we might be led to the neerest sight thereof 8 If Gods children are readie to slip in a moment how much more dangerous is the estate of the wicked who are willing to fall continuallie It is wonderfull to see a poore sinner ready to swound and fall dead almost at euery sinne which a man would thinke to be nothing to feare him or driue him to this feare and yet when aduersities straunge iudgements persecutions and death doe come to bee exceeding patient comfortable couragious and valiant And againe it is strange to see others who maruell that men will suffer themselues to be feared with sinnes and aske what meane men to stand trembling at the word of God yet let sicknes come or if the hand of God be vpon them or let death come towards them they quake at the name of sicknes death or hell and either they proue very senslesse and blockish or else they be in a most desperate estate yea if God begin to recken with them euery countenance of a godly man euery chirping of a bird and drawing neere of the least and weakest creature towards them euery shaking of a leafe mouing of a shadow euery noyse of the aire appaleth their courage and maketh them most fearfull cowards They feare most when Gods iudgements are executed which feare least when they are threatned And they feare least when Gods iudgements are accomplished which tremble most when wrath is denounced Wherefore if wee long for courage and lothe cowardise against the euill day let vs labour for a good conscience which breedeth true boldnes and flie from sinne which bringeth a spirite of feare vpon vs as daily experience may teach vs. It is better to feare the euill to come when only feare and not euill is vpon vs than to feare then when besides the feare the affliction it selfe is come which so sorely besetteth vs that wee haue no libertie or leaue to breathe for any comfort or to hope for any deliuerance 9 They that will haue a true faith in Christ must belieue in him that he is our wisdome righteousnes sanctification and redemption Are then thy cogitations confounded Seest thou no knowledge not so much as a literall knowledge of Christ but all is doubtfulnes all is dulnes all is deadnes in thee as though thou neuer knewest heardest readest or learnedst any thing Now know and belieue that whatsoeuer knowledge experienced power of vnderstanding was in Iesus Christ the same is made thine hee is thine annoynting that will teach thee all Hast thou knowledge and yet thy life not brought agreeable or proportionable to thy knowledge Thou art troubled with thy sinnes thou feelest no goodnes thou thinkest thy selfe as an euill tree voide of all good fruite Now remember that as Christ being no sinner was made of God a sinner and punished of God as a sinner for thee thou hauing no righteousnesse art made through Christ righteous and shalt be rewarded of God as righteous through him It may be God hath enlightened thee with heauenly vnderstanding he hath hitherto strengthened thy desire in giuing thee to walke vprightly but now thou art afraid thou shalt not perseuere because of thy corruptions thou tremblest to remember how many excelling thee in gifts and graces haue fallen away and that all is but hypocrisie thine owne heart thou thinkest will one day beguâle thee now call to minde that Christ is made vnto thee holines not as a new Moses to follow but as a Messias to beleeue in as the author and finisher of thy holinesse so that to perseuere seemeth impossible to thee yet with him it is possible yea and more easie to continue thee in holinesse being begun than to conuert Zacheus Mathew and Mary Magdalen or to reconcile the Lambe and the Lion others which he hath surely done There is one thing yet troubles thee thou hast many things promised thee and thou thinkest they are not performed thou lookest for peace of thy minde and behold a wound of the spirit thou art the heire of the whole earth and yet pinched with pouertie thou art Lord of libertie and yet liest in prison it is so and yet in all this see Christ is thy redemption not suffring thee to be ouercome with any of these in this life freeing thee wholy from them in the life to come Admit thou werst cruelly persecuted caÌnot he that made the fire not to burne at all the three children in the furnace make the fire so easily consume thee as thou shalt comfortablie beare it Will not he that made the Lions being hungrie not once to open their mouthes on Daniel crush thee so greedily that thou shalt willingly sustaine it Now the meanes are the word prayer and Sacraments the word carrieth the spirit of faith into thy heart prayer giueth thee a feeling of thy faith the Sacraments confirme both thy faith and feeling 10 We must not be proud in our gifts for God hath in iudgement giuen iudgement to many simple ones to spie vs out If we confesse to God we must frankly and freely bring our selues into the presence of God and lay our hearts naked and bâre before him we must not as harlots wipe our mouthes and say we haue offended and yet fall into sinne againe but
I am wont to be comforted And though my former old and secret sinnes descrue that I should not only be giuen ouer to infidelitie but also that it should be in me without griefe and remorse âet Lord forgiue me my sinnes new and old forgiue me my vnthankfulnes increase my fâith And grâât good father when thou shalt restore to me this gift of faith againe that I may vse it in feare and shew it in fruites Or if this doe not preuaile giue your selfe with all humblenes to reade the word of God especially his promises and be still attending vpon the meanes waiting when the Lord shall in large your heart Or if this do not helpe goe to some faithfull brother confesse your selfe to him acknowledge your weakenes to him and be not ashamed to giue God the glorie by shaming your selfe and opening your corruption to him that so he may pray for you whose prayer according to the promise of God made to his holy ordinance herein Iames. 5 vndoubtedly shall be heard in the appointed time Thus hauing prayed by yourselfe and with another and vsed the meanes of reading for your recouerie though you haue not present reliefe yet in meekenes of minde and patience of your spirit goe to your calling knowing that your prayers and the word of God being as seede must haue some time betweene the sowing of them and the reaping of the increase and fruit of them Aboue all reason not with your temptations dispute not with the diuell as though you could preuaile of your selfe And as I would not you should dispute with your temptation so I would not you should despise it and make no account of it for in both are extremities If you take it too much to heart or maruell how you should ouercome such a temptation it will make you dull or desperate If you account of it too little and maruell how such things should come into your head which was not wont to be so it will make you not to striue and you shall be swallowed vp before you be aware If you account of it too fearefully Sathan will oppresse you before you begin to fight If you account of it too lightly the diuell needes not to wrestle with you you will ouercome your selfe therefore feare in respect of your selfe fight boldly in Christ tremble at your owne corruptions but rest and trust in Christ your saluation If still you are tempted and no body by you write your temptation and offer it to God by prayer and promise to him that you will aske counsell at his word at the mouth of his minister when he shall giue you iust occasion If all this helpe not comfort your selfe with this pledge of Election that you are ioyed when you feele your beleefe and you are grieued least you displease God by your vnbeleefe and know that as there is a vicissitude of the meanes of saluation which you must vse so there is also a vicissitude of temptations whereof this is one against which you must striue 12 Vnto one that was tempted with worldly shame and thought the distemperature of his minde proceeded thereof he said on this sort First know that Sathan hath no absolute power but a power by permission to trie vs against which we must arme our selues ly faith which will assure vs that either the Lord will mittigate our temptation if our power and patience be not great or else if he ââlarge the triall he will increase our strength according to the proportion of our temptation We must also pray that the Lord giue not out that measure of leaue to the diuell which we giue out to sinne to worke rebellion in vs against his maiestie but that he would rather make Sathan a Chirurgion to shew vs our sinnes than a Sergeant to coÌfound vs for them It is the pollicie of the aduersarie to perswade many that the weakenes of their body and feeblenes of their braine proceedeth of their temptations when indeed it commeth of their vnstained mindes wandring too much after the motions of the diuell in that they not resting on the word nor depending on Christ nor contenting themselues to be tried nor comforting themselues by meditation attend too much and confer too often with the diuels illusions and temptations and so they complaine of the effects and not of the causes of the temptations being more grieued for their present sufferings than for their sinnes past The roote of this worldly shame is pride and haughtines of mind which is a priuie euill and hardly will be beaten into the head of them that are infected with it But sure it is that we would neuer be so grieued for the losse of a thing if we did not too much desire it and too immoderatly vse it whilest we had it Ioh. 12. 42. Which sinne of haughtines the Lord seeing in his children that they are more humbled with the losse of worldly credit than with the sense of their sinnes and losse of his glorie he striketh them with the want of that thing which is most precious vnto them because they made no conscience of that honour which is most prâcious vnto him Wherefore this is the best remedie rather to be grieued that we feele not our sinnes to be pardoned with God than that we are knowne to be sinners against men and that we be readie to shame ourselues that God may haue the glorie acknowledging shame and confusion and the whole pit of hellish temptations to be due vnto vs and glorie praise and compassion to be the Lords only For this is a speciall worke of the child of God by temptations rightly humbled when he is readie to shame himselfe for his sinne to glorifie God in his mercie 13 Vnto one that thought himselfe to haue sinned against the holy Ghost he said Sathans temptations follow our affections for if we lightly account of sinne he bleares our eyes still with Gods mercies If we begin to make a conscience of sinne he loadeth vs with the iudgements of God being as readie now to aggrauate this sinne more than it is in it selfe as before he would extenuate it to make it seeme lesse than it was Howbeit said he to the man thus afflicted I will say vnto you as Samuel said to the people after they had confessed themselues to haue sinned against God with a great sinne True it is said Samuel not flattering them in their iniquities ye haue sinned greatly notwithstanding if ye will feare the Lord and serue him and heare his voyce and not disobey the word of the Lord ye shall follow the Lord your God but if ye will not obey the voyce of the Lord but disobey the Lords mouth then shall the hand of the Lord be vpon you 1. Sam. 12. 14. So I will not lesâen your sinne but I say you haue sinned a great sinne before the Lord in that you made a mocke
themselues some thinke their gifts proceed from God but by their owne deserts some acknowledge Gods gifts to be free and vndeserued but they are proud of them 87 It is strange that we should not abide to be threatned and yet can be content to be afflicted when as naturally wee rather desire the lesse euill or we would leuer bee admonished of an euill then punished with an euill Now a threatning forewarnes but plagueth not an affliction punisheth rather than forewarneth Howbeit this bewrayes the great pride of mans heart in that hee had rather be pressed vnder the hand of God than reproued of a man 88 In the estate of mariage choise may well be made of foure things First wee are to looke the woman be religious Secondly that she be chaste Thirdly that she be louing to her husband Fourthly that she be an huswife For other things if God cast them on vs they are not to be refused if we want them we must remeÌber godlines is the best dowrie 89 As God his children haue the greatest âlâssingâ so haue they oft the greatest crosses which would seeme strange but that God his wisdome must stay our ranging wits It is good therefore to promise this assurance that we belong to God which will most comfort vs though affliction so belongs to vs. 90 Because a truth may be taught and not an whole truth it comes to passe that many learned men though not of purpose open the doore to many heresies 91 As in receiuing of a purgation a man shall thinke himselfe sicker then in receiuing a cordiall and yet in the end hee is not so so it is incident to troubled mindes to thinke themselues worse in hearing threatnings than in receiuing of the promises and yet it is not so For by hearing of the Law both their title is better to the promises and the promises more appertaine to them 92 As no gift or bribe doth so much whet vp the minde of a good Physition or skilfull Lawyer as to râlie and rest in their Arte and faithfulnes for which they will doe farre more then for any other thing so there is nothing doth more drawe out more assurance from GOD as when hee seeth that throughly and confidently yet with all humilitie we depend vpon his promise prouidence and power 93 It is a danger to make a priuate offence publike because priuate offences would be priuately admonished Howbeit if we see that notwithstanding our priuate dealing the sinne doth still growe then wee are rather to make some hole into the same than to loose the soule of such an offender and in such a case not wee but they haue published their owne names 94 Although we are not to accept persons yet we may make difference of persons because some are more capable of good things than others In which respect our Sauiour Christ tooke some of his Disciples with him to pray and yet but two ââd those of choise shewing and teaching vs thereby that as wee must auoide popularitie to seeke our owne glorie so we must not hinder God his glorie nor cease to doe pure things before others who for their faithfulnes haue vpright harts and for their wisdome can discerne of things to be well iustructed thereby 95 It is one thing to haue as it were the pricke of a point of a needle and another to haue a wound with the dint of a sword It is one thing to bee stung with the tongue of Serpent and another thing to be hissed aâ of a Serpent hauing lost his tongue it is one thing to drinke the cup of gall and poyson to the dregges and another to drinke of a cup the bitteânes whereof is drawne out Balme placed in the steed of ât it is one thing to drop a fewe teares and another to sweate drops of bloud it is one thing to be grieued in measure and another thing to be heauie vnto death it is one thing to feele the wrath of God for sinne in our selues but discharged in another another thing to haue the sinne committed of another and sustained in our selues 96 It is a good thing to looke to ones hart in all things especially for vncleannes euen creeping vpon vs in holy things and with most holy persons as when one shall desire in comforting afflicted mindes to doe it rather with women then with men and with beautifull women rather then with others and with rich women rather then with poore women wherein the heart is very corrupt and full of matter to humble vs. 97 The diuell is a skilfull pyrate as for emptie Barkes he neuer makes after them but for those that are poâsed and furnished with best wares those he pursues with maine sailes so those that haue nothing in them the diuell esteemes them no preye but if once wee be fraught with Gods graces then hee malignes vs and hoysteth euery saile to take vs as his spoyle 98 No man hath so good a memorie but hee shall forget a benefit no man hath so ill a memorie but he shall remember an iniurie 99 It is worthie to be marked that Paul saith flie Fornication and Iameâ saith resist the diuell for Fornication must not be stood long withall but to put our safetie out of question let vs flee all occasions of it and contrariwise Sathan must not be fled from for that will embolden him but he must be resisted by the word and by prayer and the power of Christ. 100 It is a maruellous thing that a young man should be so zealous in youth and about 40 or 50 yeares should be honest and hold his owne but haue no such vigor as before But we must know that euen his heate is mixed much with heate of youth which shooteth and thrusteth out a little with a great heate and outward shew in the beginning and that afterward the strength of godlines being sounder a man shall be lesse vehement but farre more solid at what time his pure zeale being naked in it selfe for that his yong heate forsakes him seemeth happily to be lesse but sure it is more sound and substantiall than it was before 101 It may seeme strange that we are so much moued with the sermons of godlie men at our first calling and after we haue long beleeued that we should find ourselues so coldly and seldome mouâd Here we must know that at our first entrie to Christianitie there is a more combustible matter in vs that euery little sparke of fire would inflame vs that is that we had such great ignorance that euery principle of knowledge did affresh vs and such prophanenes that euery precept tooke hold on vs but afterward being much purged and clensed both in life and iudgement wee are not so lightly moued we are not so soone caried away euery course diât will not satisfie vs as at the first Againe the graces of God are sweetest
againe In like manner I say it fareth with them who either vnreuerently haue refused the meanes which should keepe their soules from surfetting or else vnthankefully haue abused those helpes which might haue recouered them againe From hence it coÌmeth that some men are as much grieued for not vsing their good giftes to the benefit of Gods Church as others are troubled for pestering the Church with vnprofitable corruptions or as we shall see a rich man sometimes as much humbled for not giuing money to the poore which he might haue done as for heaping vp riches falsely which he ought not to haue done And thus many hauing receiued good gifts and graces from the Lord are seasoned sanctified by afflictions whereby they are taught to put their gifts in vre and to offer their seruice to Christ and others are forced to hide their gifts which cannot be without some decay of Gods glory without offence to the weake without the losse of many soules which otherwise might be wonne to the Gospell and without strengthening the hand of the aduersarie to slander our darke and dumbe profession All which things will in the ende bring terror of minde because if the Lord cannot worke vpon vs by taking away goods friends credit wife children or such like to bring vs to repentance he will surely whip our naked consciences he will enter euen into our very entrailes and pierce our secret bowels As we must examine our selues thus for sinnes of time past and present so must we vse this practise in sinne to come and this is very needfull For were it so that our life and conuersation were such as neither before nor after our calling man could iustly accuse it yet the hidden corruption of our nature may threaten some hainous downfall in time to come which hath made men of very good report conuersation to hang downe their heads and feare their secret hypocrisie as that which may breake forth to the shame of all their former life in time to come But because we forget to speake of them that in the examining of their liues past are much grieued for the want of sinceritie and for priuie vaine-glorie in themselues let vs before we goe to the searching of our hearts in sinne to come speake somewhat of this Men troubled for this priuie pride are either touched or not touched If the veile of sinne was so great in them that it hid Christ from them it is the good will of God that by this sight of their secret sinnes they should come to see the righteousnes that is in Christ Iesus and so they shall the better be kept from being iusticiarie Pharises For when being a long time well brought vp and leading a ciuill life the diuell would perswade vs of some inherent righteousnesse in vs it is the wisedome of our God to touch vs with the conscience of most hidden corruptions as also to certifie and make knowne vnto vs that euen from our birth there was a secret seede of sinne in vs which without the Lord watching ouer vs would surely haue broken forth to his dishonour As for them which haue had some working in them and yet are often plunged with sore distresses this trouble commeth to them for two especiall causes either for some hypocrisie that they did more in shew than in truth wherefore the Lord bringeth them backe againe to see their corrupt proceedings and that they may know all their religion to be but hypocrisie and all their righteousnesse to be but vnrighteousnesse or for the abusing of their knowledge in that they made it but a maske to iuggle in and that they made their affections to fight with their owne iudgements We must remedie this by not thinking of our selues aboue that which is meete and by labouring to imbrace the truth in truth And here let vs note that many of Gods children accuse themselues of hypocrisie when indeed they offend not in it for the most righteous persons are their owne greatest accusers and yet the accusation doth iustly arise from some fault on their parts for though they haue done things in truth yet because with truth they laboured not to see their secret corruptioÌs in some other matters they sustaine this trouble of minde So that there is nothing harder than to siât and search our hearts to the bottome whether we respect our sinnes past or our sinnes present whether we looke to our priuie pride hidden wants or secret corruptions And to returne from whence we digressed to the examination of our hearts in sinne to come let vs obserue that in Gods children there is such a iealousie as they tremble at the very first motions and quake at the least occasion of sinne although because vice will sit in resideÌce very neere vnto vertue there may be in them sometime too much scrupulousnes This feare causeth the dearest of the Saints of God to reason on this sort O Lord I see how many excellent in gifts and constant in profession for a long time whose ende hath not answered their beginnings whose deaths were not like to their liues This is true whether we looke into the word or into the world and it is a thing that may much humble vs. For though we may remember what we haue beene and know what we are yet who can tell what may come vnto him hereafter Oh that the serious meditation hereof would dwell long vpon our consciences that with an holy iealousie we might preuent the sinne that is to come But alas there be some venturous knights which think it no masterie to offer themselues to masking minstrelsie and dauncing nor to runne into quarrels braules and contentions as though they had their eares their eyes their hands and their feete in their owne power and at commandement to vse and gouerne as themselues list Howbeit Gods children better fenced with his grace than those bold bayards are afraid of these occasions as knowing full well that their eyes may soone be prouoked to lust their eares may quickly listen vnto vnchast delights their hands may suddenly strike a deadly blow and their feete may easily be sâared in carnall pleasures Beware O man be circumspect O woman that thou prostitute not thy selfe to too much libertie for although in comming to such lasciuious and contentious places thou diddest purpose none euill yet for thy ventring without warrant thou maist be ouer thy shoes in sin and plunged in some wicked attempt ouer head and eares ere thou beest aware And because vice is so confine vnto vertue beware also of superstition for still the enemie laboureth either to make thee too hardie in sinne or else he will cause thee to be too fearefull and superstitious either he will puffe thee vp with presumption or assault thee with desperation To these tentations our nature is very pliable first to presumption as may appeare by our common speech âush the preacher is but a man as
also too short and missed of the marke when because besides the sense of sinne pardoned by the death of Christ they felt not also the vertue of his passion crucifying sinne in them but saw that with the remission of sinne was not ioyned the mortification of sin they feared that there was no forgiuenesse for them but stil languishing with sorrow they thought themselues to stand charged with their former guiltines Yea and which is more for that such men haue not truely been instructed nor surely haue been grounded in the doctrine of Christs death and resurrection that is for that they saw not as well power flowing from his death to slay sinne in them as vertue to pardon sinne in them for that they felt not as well strength to sanctification streaming from the rising againe of Christ as they were perswaded of iustification righteousnesse therein they haue lien still bleeding at the heart in such sort as the wound of griefe could hardly or neuer be stayed and stanched Wherefore let vs strengthen our weake soules with this sixe-fold corde of consolation against these bitter assaults Let vs first labour to know sinne then to sorrow for sinne after to feele our sinnes in Christ forgiuen further to looke for power to crucifie the same then to lay hold on iustification by his resurrection and lastly hope for strength to proceed from thence to further vs in sanctification and holines of life euen vnto the end And thus much briefly for the second thing which we matched in company with the examination of sinne euen the triall of faith both which rightly vsed shall in some measure sauegard vs from the trouble of an afflicted minde Now let vs hasten to the third part of our diuision to shew how Gods children being fallen into this wound of spirit may be helped out of it which God willing we will also performe after we haue answered a necessarie obiection which in the former part might seeme to incounter against vs. There is no man but will graunt that Dauid Iob and others of the Saints of God had a sight of their sinnes a sorrow for their sinnes and a taste of the remission of their sinnes how then commeth it to passe that these men were so troubled in minde To this I answere that their trouble so befell them either for failing in some of these former things or else they were rather afflicted for triall of their faith than for punishing of sinne in them And therefore be it alwaies prouided that we thinke not euery conflict of conscience continually and chiefly to be for the pursuing of our sinnes but sometimes and principally that it commeth for the triall of our faith and yet secondarily or lesse principally for the scourging of sinne as we may see in Iob. Whereupon let all men be admonished when they see good men thus humbled throwne downe in minde to lay their hands on their mouthes from saying Surely these men are but hypocrites doubtlesse these men be great sinners the Lord hath found out their hypocrisie For good reason there is that such silence should be vsed for that the Lord may as well make triall of their faith as take punishment on their sinnes For if such affliction should alwaies and chiefly be sent for sinne then it should follow that all others as they exceeded them in sinne should also exceed them in the punishment of sinne But now comming to the saluing of this sore I shall seeme very strange in my cure and so much the more be wondred at by how much in manner of proceeding I differ from the most sort of men herein I am not ignorant that many visiting afflicted consciences cry still Oh comfort them oh speake ioyfull things vnto them Yea there be some and those of the most learned who in such cases are full of these and such like speeches Why are you so heauie my brother why are you so cast downe my sister Be of good cheere take it not so grieuously What is there that you should feare God is mercifull Christ is a Sauiour These be speeches of loue indeed but they often doe the poore soules as much good herein as if they should powre cold water into their bosomes when as without further searching of their sores they may as well minister a maladie as a medicine For as nutritiue and cordiall medicines are not good for euery sicke person especially when the body needeth rather a strong purgation than a matter restoratiue and as incarnatiue medicines may for the time allay the paine of the patient but after the griefe becoÌmeth more grieuous so the comfortable applying of Gods promises are not so profitable for euery one that is humbled especially when their soules are rather further to be cast downe than as yet to be raised vp so those sâgred consolations may for a while ouer-heale the conscience and abate some present griefe but so as afterwards the smart may be the sorer and the griefe may grow the greater hereof insueth this effect that comfort seemeth to cure for a while but for want of wisedome in the right discerning of the cause men minister one medicine for another and so for want of skill the latter fit grindeth them sorer than the former Some there be who without all precept and practise will be their owne Physitions and these so soone as the fit commeth vpon them thinke it the best to chastise and to chase away their sorrow by drinking at tauernes by minstrelsie in merie companie by purging melancholie in taking Physicke all which may seeme to weare away the paine for a while but yet after it biteth more deeply when the burning feuer of their spirits shaketh them with a second recourse and for that before they were not truely searched purged âeared and launced it commeth to passe that the second relapse is more dangerous than the first impression To come to our purpose we must know that all griefes are either confused or distinct and sure it is that the minde is appalled either for some cause knowne to vs as certaine oâ for some thing vnknowne to vs and vncertaine To them which are troubled with such blinde griefes whereof they can see no reason as often it happeneth to Gods children in secret prouidence who either neuer knew God or else had but a generall knowledge of him I answere that as I denie not Physicke to be ministred if it in part proceed from a naturall cause so I require the word especially to shew the principall and originall cause to begin in the soule And this I doe the rather because I would haue wisedome both in considering the state of the body if neede so require in looking chiefly to the soule which so few thinke of If a man troubled in coÌscience come to a Minister it may be he will looke all to the soule and nothing to the body if he come to a Physition
worship him on the Sabbath onely but also in the other sixe daies it should be lawfull for them to haue holy assemblies and Christian meetings which though they now should doe but in part by reason of their ordinarie calling hereafter they should doe it both continually and perfectly in the kingdome of heauen Which thing was performed euen of the Apostles who although they obserued one solemne day yet had they their godly assemblies for holy exercises on other daies also True it is that the Family of loue pretends a shew of the kingdome of God in this life by rising from sinne saying that we here sit in heauenly places But the scriptures in this case speake of the begining not of the consummation of God his children in glorie For in this life we possesse but in hope that which perfectly we shall enioy We be here admitted but into the entrie of this kingdome we here take vp our hold we receiue our deedes our lease and euidence are giuen vs in this world to assure vs that hereafter we shal haue the full fruition perfect possession Wherefore another Prophet saith Ierem. 31. 33. 34. This shall be the couenant that I shall make with the house of Israel After those daies saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward parts c. 34. And they shall teach no more euery man his neighbour and euery man his brother saying I know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest saith the Lord. Where we may see that though the full accomplishment of our glorie and knowledge is in heauen yet true it is that here it is begun and shall be finished hereafter when we shall perfectly know God whom now we know but in part and as it were in a mirrour For euery one as it is Hebr. 5. 12. concerning these times should be able through God his spirit to teach others according to that calling wherein the Lord hath placed him And as that place reacheth not that all should be Doctors but that there should be knowledge in all though in greater measure in some so our Prophet meaneth not that euery day should be a Sabbath but that Christians in euery day of the weeke should prouide for the worship of God in some measure though more fully and more solemnely on the Sabbath So we see the force of this to be in the way of a comparison that Christians should not satisfie themselues concerning the worship of God with the Sabbath but that also as their calling would permit they should worship from Sabbath to Sabbath As for the second answere to proue against the maintainers of a continuall Sabbath that this place is meant of the Church triumphant and not of the Church militant it shall easily appeare if we consider diligently what goeth before what commeth after which rule is worthilie to be followed in sifting out the true sense of the places in the Scriptures Now in the verse going before mention is made of the new heauens and the new earth whereby he meaneth not the first appearing of Christ in humilitie but his second comming in glorie as may appeare 2. Pet. 3. 13. where the Apostle repeateth the same words saying We looke for new heâuens and a new earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnesse Surely if the Prophet had meant this to haue beene in Christ his comming in the flesh it is most like it should haue beene in the flourishing estate of the Church and glorious times of the Apostles but that it was not so it is manifest by the Apostle his owne words We looke for new heauens c. In the verse following the Prophet speaketh of the worme that shall not die and of the fire that shall not be quenched which vndoubtedly is vnderstood of the hels whereinto the wicked shall be cast at the last iudgement day as may be gathered by our Sauiour Christ his words Mark 9. 43. 44. where he maketh mention of hell Where the worme dyeth not and the fire neuer goeth out Wherefore by the premises and sequele we conclude with the learned that the Sabbath here mentioned must be kept in the kingdome of heauen And therefore their continuall Sabbath which they should haue in this life is a deuise of their owne braine and not gathered out of this place And thus much of the reasons which seemed to proue the Sabbath ceremoniall taken out of the prescript words of the olde Testament As for that which we alleadged out of Ezechiel chap. 20. it is alreadie answered sufficiently in confuting their first reason which was drawne out of Exod. 32. Now it remaineth in like manner to consider of their arguments which they take out of the new Testament and that either out of the historie of Christ or from the writings of his holy Apostles And because the foure Euangelists agree in one harmonie we will briefly reduce all their reasons into one or two principall places namely Matth. 12. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Marke 2. 27. In Matth. 12. it is said At that time Iesus went on a Sabbath day through the corne and his Disciples were hungry and began to plucke the eare of corne and to eate 2. And when the Pharisies saw it they said vnto him Behold thy disciples do that which is not lawfull to do vpon the Sabbath 3. But he said vnto them Haue ye not heard what Dauid did when he was an hungred and they that were with him 4. How he entred into the house of God and eate the shewe bread which was not lawfull for him to eate neither for them which were with him but onely for the Priests 5. Or haue yee not read in the Law how that on the Sabbath dayes the Priests in the Temple brake the Sabbath and are blamelesse 6. But I say vnto you that here is one greater than the Temple 7. Wherefore if yee knew what this is I will haue mercie and not sacrifice ye would not haue condemned the innocents 8. For the sonne of man is Lord euen of the Sabbath The occasion of this doctrine of Christ is that he going abroad to preach with his Disciples they for huÌger pulled the eares of corne Hereof arose by the Pharises this Controuersie who accused the Disciples for trauelling on the Sabbath day as though they had done a worke on the Sabbath which was not lawfull to de done because the Law said that no man should trauaile on that day Our Sauiour Christ hearing this accusation defendeth his Disciples whereof some conclude that our Sauiour here abrogated the Sabbath But what could they haue forged more vntrue For if as they say he now had abrogated the Sabbath then our Sauior Christ did not obey euery part of the ceremonies vnto death which to affirme let them tell the danger of it Nay rather according to the iudgement of the better learned we affirme that Christ is so farre off
be the principal end For as the Apostle speaketh of things indifferent so he also speaketh of things not indifferent And this we shall see if we consider of the last verse of the chapter going before and of the first of the chapter following Thus it is written chap. 13. vers 14. Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ take no thought for the flâsh to fulfill the lusts of it The effect whereof is thus much if it be compared with the first verse of the chapter following Although ye haue put on Christ truly know him by his word yet if another man professing the same Christ with you hath not attained to the like measure of knowledge and the same proportion of faith which ye haue I would ye should not iudge him for his wickednes any more than ye would he should iudge you for your strength but rather bearing with his infirmitie which in time may be changed to a more perfect strength labour by all meanes to winne him to soundnes of iudgement Wherfore in that he saith Him that is weake in faith receiue vnto you he meaneth them that are not established in the doctrine of the Gospell not them that are weake in a ceremonie or in things indifferent so that if any be found weake in the doctrine of Christianitie I meane in some point of it and yet be sound in all other things they should not be further intangled with intricate controuersies which they cannot conceiue but so gently intreated and mildly dealt withal as both the good things which are in them may be nourished and confirmed as also they may be won to the sight and sense of things wherin as yet they be weake Neither must we thinke that the Apostle meaneth here such imperfections as may be in the most perâect but rather such weaknessâs as are fouÌâ in most Christians This is the general scope of the Apostle in this place whereuâto also agreeth the conclusion which is in the first verse of the chapter âollowing We wâiâh are strong ought to bearâ the infirmities of the âeâke and not to please our sâlââs 2. Therefâre let euery man please his neighbour in that that is good to âdifiâaâion 3. For Christ alâo would not please himselfe but as it is written The rebukes of tââm that rebuke thee fell on mâ Where Pââl his sense is such If we haue gotten more knowledge and attained higher graces than other men haue we are not in respect thereof to despise others but we must in wisdome and patience sustaine their error a while and strongly support their weakenes not that we should nouslâ nourish them in their error or weaknes but that by humilitie and patience we might the better build them vp in knowledge and true godlines To this end âe alleadgeth the example of our Sauiour Christ who did not onely beare with the infirmities of his friends but also with the errors of his enemies So that this then is the true vse of Christian faith mingled with loue that who so is come to Christ as we are our wisdome may sustaine their error and our strength may support their weakenes and as Christ did beare with his weake disciples so must wee with our weake brethren not counting them as no Christians because of infirme iudgement they dissent from vs in some particular but in loue ouercome their infirmities because they consent with vs in the generall The summe hereof is also set downe 1. Cââ 3. 11. Other foundation can no man lây than that which is ââid Iesus Christ. 12. And if any man build vpon this foundation gold siluer precious sâones timber hây âr ââuâble 13. Euâry mans worâe shall be made manifest for the day sâall declare it because it shall be reuealed by the fire and the fire shall ârie euery man worke of what sort it is 14. If any mans worke that hee hath built vpon abide he shall receiue wages 15. If any mans worke burne he shall lose but he shall be safe himselfe neuerthâlâssâ yet as it were by the fire In which place we see that so long as we be in Christ by faith and repentance although our faith be mingled with some weakenes and our repentance with some error though we build with our gold siluer and precious stones some timber hay or stâbble yet the Lord will beare with vs much more then for this respect in like causes must we âeare one wiâh another Now for example sake the Apostle bringeth in this instance Onâ belââuâth tâââ he mây ââte of all things and anâtââr which is weâke eateth herbes c. Some thinke that this eating of all things was meant of the Romans and that the eating of herbs was vndeâstood of the Iewes then being at Rome But this seemeth not to be a âound opinion in that we reade not in any Ecclesiasticall historie that the Iewes were at Rome neither doth the Apostle write a mixed epistle partly to the Romans and partly to the Iewes but writâth it wâolly and intitulâth onely vnto the Romans Againe we cannot gather out of any records of the writers that the Iewes did âate herbes alone True it is that pedagogically the vse of many creatureâ was forbidden to the Iewes howbeit it doth not seeme likely that they were tied so strictly to the eating of herbes This I am surâ of that euen now adaiâs the diuell hath perswaded many Christians newly come to Christ that if they eate any thing either in qualitie more delicatly or in quantitie more liberally than bare necessitie doth require they haue sinned And yet in these men there is no doubt a generall good meaning but yet in this particular they hold an error In this examplâ the Apostle setteth downe the stronger part and the weaker the stronger part is prefixed which is a worke of faith the weaker part followeth after which is the weakenes of faith For marke he saith One beleâueth that he may eate all things here is a worke of faith because ââ hath the word for his warrant and then he saith another eateth herbes he saith not he beleeueth that may eate herbes for hee doth it in weakenes of faith and hath not the word for his warrant neither doth he beleeue that he can vse other meates This example inferred the Apostle vseth this exhortation Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not as if he should haue said let not him that is so strong in faith therefore thinke him to be no Christian that hath this error to thinke himselfe more holy iâ he eate nothing but herbs It is added Let not him that eateth not iudge him that eateth and this is very necessarie For it is much incident to the yong ones in Christianitie to iudge others who are not so abstinent as they are Here is not then the person so much condemned as the fact For though we may iudge his sin and rebuke his errour yet must we not iudge his person
of learning They that want this how much soeuer they haue heard or read yet shall they neuer haue sound and setled iudgement And this is one cause why it is said that the greatest Clerkes are not the wisest men Meditation of the affections is when hauing a thing in iudgement we euer digest it and make it worke vpon our affections It is continuall searching of our selues and labouring to lay vp all things in the treasures of our hearts The other will goe away except this be ioyned with it for iudgement will away except we frame our affections vnto it Meditation in iudgement goeth before then this must follow that we may be sound in iudgement before we either feare or cheere vp our hearts least we haue false feares or false ioyes Many are of sound iudgement and yet haue not their hearts purged and touched they can giue counsell to others but cannot follow it themselues because they ioyne not affection with iudgement Meditation without reading is erroneous and reading without meditation is barren The next thing is conference In naturall things man standeth in neede of helpe then much more in spirituall things he standeth in neede of others And as iron sharpneth iron so one friend another Pro. 27. And as two eyes see more two eares heare more and two hands can doe more than one so this is a speciall communion of Saints God hath promised that when two or three are gathered together in his name that he will be present with them by his spirit as he was corporally with his Disciples going to Emaus Conference is either with Ministers of God Our equals Or others This rule must be kept that conference with our equals must be of those things which we heard of our Ministers as it must be kept also in meditation which is a conference with our selues We must for a time like babes hang at the mouthes of the Ministers because we cannot runne before we goe nay we cannot goe without a leader No man may presume to vnderstand aboue that which is meet to vnderstand but labour to vnderstand according to the measure of sobrietie as God hath dealt to euery one the measure of faith and when they haue laid the foundation then build the walles and pillars The Eunuch would not interpret the word without a guide but he laid it vp in his heart as the Virgin Mary did For want of true humilitie conference is slandered because it is vsed after an euill manner as before they be surely grounded in principall points of religion to talke of other matters aboue their capacitie and knowledge Secondly we must come in loue without anger enuie or desire of victory therefore in conference we must vse the preparation spoken of before the want of which maketh much âanglings and wranglings in companie Lastly we must procure things honest before men that it may be done wisely without confusion and destruction and not by too great a multitude that we may affoord our doings before men not with the doores shut least any man should heare This is the difference betweene the conference of the godly and religious and the conuenâcles of Heretikes The next thing is faith The word must be mixed with faith Heb. 42. The word which they hear a profited them nothing because it was not mixed with faith But all haue not faith therefore the Prophet Esay said Lord who will beleeue our report And Luke 18. 18. Suppose ye that the Sonne of man when he commeth shall finde faith on the earth All the former must be vsed to refine faith for as gold before it be pure is seuen fold tried in the fire so faith which is much more precious than gold must goe through all these meanes Faith here is an increase of all that in * preparation A Merchant must haue something before he be a Marchant but he occupieth to increase and get more so we must beleeue in Iesus Christ by a generall faith going before but we must vse all the forenamed meanes to increase our knowledge and faith in all particulars One may be a faithfull person generally and yet an vnbeleeuer in particulars As Christs Disciples to whom he said If ââ had faith but as much as a graine of mustard seed c. As Abraham Rebecca and Zacharie had There is a difference betweene faith and opinion or knowledge for our knowledge and opinions vanish away in afflictions but as golde is tried in the fire so faith will abide the fire of affliction Sathan winowed Peter but his faith failed not for Christ failed not for Christ praied for him and for his Disciples and for all beleeuers that their faith should not faile Next followeth practise That we haue a desire that the word may bring forth increase of faith and repentance Psal. 119 98. By thy commandements thou hast made me wiser than my enemies for they are ââââ with me The practise of Infidels is nothing because it is not ioyned with faith But Christ saith Blessed are they which heare and doe And so saith Iameâ that this is that assureth vs that we haue faith He that doth this is compared vnto him that buildeth his house vpon a rocke and our workes are not the foundation of the house but then we haue builded vpon Christ when we ioyne the fruits of our faith with knowledge they will speake for vs to our consciences and to others Our Sauiour Christ saith That that seruant that knoweth the will of his maister and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes for it is worse to offend of knowledge than of ignorance And why should he giue vs any more if we practise not that we haue For to him that hath shall be giuen but from him that hath not shall be taken away c. Why do many hearing the word either continue or increase in their blindnes but because they would not practise that they knew and also euen that they had is taken from them If a good conscience be not ioyned with faith faith shall be taken away and errors succeed If then we be forgetfull we must confesse that the want of practise is the cause thereof The rule of reason in all things is that the best way of learning is by practise then how much more if we practise will God increase our talents The last thing is praier which must be vsed both in the beginning in the middle and in the end Prayer must be in all the former meanes for without it we can neuer vse them nor haue any blessing by them Prayer containeth vnder it Prayer Thankesgiuing For prayer that it must be vsed when wee reade it is plaine 1. Cor. 2. The eye hath not seene c. meaning not onely the ioyes contained in the kingdome of heauen but euen those that are contained in the word And againe in the same place As no man knoweth the heart of a man but the spirit of
preparation For this cause these holy men the vertuous predecessors were alwaies carefull in euery particular meane to be prepared as namely going about to pray they had their eiaculationes that is certaine short prayers before they entred into the solemne action and they tooke halfe the day before the sabbath to prepare them to it Now if preparation be necessary at these things in seuerall seeing all these concurre in the Sacraments excuselesse must hee bee that runneth to the Sacraments vnprepared Now as the Commaundement doth binde vs to this Examination So the contrarie inferred shuts out foure sorts of people First if anie for want of yeares as children bee not able to examine themselues all such are remoued Secondly if anie for want of wit discretion iudgement the vse of râsaâon and such internals the defect whereof howsoeuer they are in age makes them as children cannot trie themselues as foolish and furious persons these are also excluded Thirdly if they haue a naturall conceiuing with gifts of reason and humane vnderstanding and yet are ignorant in the grounds of Religion and in the doctrine of the Sacraments which chiefe points of saluation are necessarie to be knowne if I say they haue not attained to these rules all such are debarred And last of all if they haue a generall notion of these things and vnderstanding of these rules and in the abuse of their knowledge remaine wicked stubborne and impenitent persons that neuer goe about to proue themselues all these also are to be separated as vnfit and vnworthie Guests of this Table The subiect of Examination is our selues and not others as the Apostle saith Let euery one examine himselfe As euery one looketh to the preparing of his owne meate so must euery one looke to the sanctifying of his owne heart for this spirituall meate is better than the heauenly Manna if we spoyle it not through our owne malignitie And because if there bee but one Publican in the Church wee looke to him and our eye cannot easilie goe from him therefore the Apostle would haue our examination reflexed on our selues as the Sunne-beames in the ayre Touching the manner of examination we must consider the nature and vse of the word The Word in it proper tongue is taken from the Gold-smiths shop and it is a trying as it were of mettalles and therefore the learned would haue vs trye our selues by the rules of Gold-smiths and this is not by the sound or Eccho that it maketh for in the best it is deceiuable but setting aside this they come to the touchstone and furnace which are two things of proofe to trie withall and they match with the touchstone the word and compare with the furnace the crosse But because those be more vniuersall I thinke they may rather trie the whole course of a mans life in generall than this seuerall poynt in hand Others because the bread and the wine be foode follow herein the rules of the physitians If a man haue a full body though his repletion come of a very good humour as of blood it needeth not filling but emptying againe full bodies if their fulnes come of euill humours are not to be nourished but rather they must be purged as flegmatike bodies which are full of moysture Euen so fareth it with all those which thinke themselues full enough of their own righteousnes and such as are stuffed with corrupt humours grosse sinnes are not to come hither hauing no interest or claime therein vntill the one be emptied of the fond conceit of his own righteousnes the other purged of the loathsome disease of his owne wickednesse Notwithstanding if we consider the words that follow If wee would iudge our selues we should not be iudged and againe but when we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord because we should not be condemned with the world it may appeare that the Apostle vnderstandeth it of a iudiciall examination as before a iudge And the very word though it were deriued from the gold-smiths yet the vse of it is from a iudiciall manner of proceeding Well then let vs take it this way that in this triall wee must so proceed with our selues in iudgement and when we are by our selues alone wee must erect our iudgement seate in our selues and examine our selues precisely whether we eate worthily or vnworthily For the plainnes of it we cannot be better directed than by that rule 2. Cor. 13. Proue your selues whether ye are in the faith that is as I interpret it and most men of sound iudgement thinke with me whether the faith be in thee and whether yee haue receiued the spirit of Christ which is his vicar For by this yee shal know whether yee are worthy or vnworthie for surely hee shall eate Christs fleshe and drinke his blood that hath his spirite But how shall wee trie our selues whether wee haue the spirit or no I answere according to that saying Ephes. 3. 17. When Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith And this now is enough for hauing this wee haue Christs spirit and so Christ himselfe and consequently wee neede not doubt of the other Here it is good to take this word faith as largely as wee can and take it in as generall a sense as the law that is for the whole word And so first wee are to sit in iudgement on our selues according to the whole forme of Gods iustice and it is good to take the record of our selues and that catalogue which the diuell himselfe hath in store against vs which yet indeed he hideth will bring forth because he reserueth it to lay it to our consciences in the houre of death when all our sins shall flocke together against vs to driue vs to despaire It is good I say according to the ten words of the law to frame ten seuerall actions enditements arraignments and so many seuerall sentences of condemnation and then wee shall finde a great spoyle of obedience in vs and we shal see our selues marueilously to bee defectiue Thus hauing arraigned our selues we must further consider how vnkindly we haue dealt with so kind a Sauiour since our calling and so pronounce a perpetual confusion due to vs with a shame for that which is past with a greefe for that which is present and with a feare of that which may come hereafter And when wee can bring our selues out of conceit with our selues and haue brought our selues into the worst taking that can bee then hee is in the best taking that taketh himselfe to be in the worst For the principall purpose of our examinatioÌ is to shew vs our indignitie and to bring our selues into the lowest conceit of our selues that can be Hauing in truth pronounced this shame and confusion of face to be due vnto vs God will suspend his iudgement and cease from his sentence of anger nay hee will say This man behold hath condemned himselfe I
in a second degree torment him This is an actiue crucifying now comes in a passiue crucifying And this is a cuppe not of the Communion for that needs the sonne of thunder the child of Zebedeus but it is the cuppe of the crosse whereof he himselfe did drink this is the Baptisme wherewith wee must be baptized as he was that is not with the water of Iordan for euery child of a seuen-night old may bee washed with it but of affliction whereof wee must taste And as Christ hath now a Crowne of glorie but hee had another crowne before euen a crowne of thornes so in this feast we haue a cup without bitternes but there is a cuppe of bitternes which either we haue drunk or must drink or both The drinking of that cup binds vs to drinke of this And surely suffer we must some haue their passion in death and inwardly and that is most sore better it is to haue it before death and outwardly for surely drinke we must if we participate of the one we must also participate of the other But as it is good to vse this trial before so there is another examination more profitable that followes after A man may by the sight of the soile gather by some gesse what fruit wil come vp and what it wil beare A man may by the ingredience of the medicine coniecture what effect will ensue vpon it But when we see the fruite come vp it is farre more sure and when the purgation hath wrought wee may more certainely iudge of the effect of it And because these accideÌts of repentance from dead works faith in Christ loue toward men going before may deceiue vs it is good to put the matter out of all doubt to trie our selues afterward if we can heare the word more ioyfully if we trauell for righteousnes of Faith more soundly and make the skore of our sinnes lesse then they were before they are comfortable fruites of the truth of our hearts Now if any say that these signes antecedent the beginning whereof is in repentance and sorrow for sinne the end whereof is charitie and these also that follow after are very good things and yet entring with himselfe into the triall he findeth himselfe more discouraged than encouraged to him I say if a man had Repentance and Faith in most perfect and ample manner that man were not to receiue with the Saints for these mysteries were prouided for their helpe which haue wants and therefore for imperfections no man must discourage himselfe to come hither Onely let him looke to this that he doe whatsoeuer he doth though not perfectly yet sincerely Then as it is most sure that by our examination we should fall into the agonie of Christ to sweate blood and if it were possible euen to be couered with the drops of blood so because mans nature cannot bee brought to this by reason of that cold sweate and cold repentance that is in vs. Christ therefore was brought into this sweate by a glooming heate Christ I say who enduring this agonie became not onely a satisfaction for our sinnes but also for our imperfections in good things he doing good things absolutely therefore Christ fell into these bathes that his perfection in suffering might satisfie for our imperfection in well doing The rather we are to sticke to this because if we cannot bring our selues immediately into the first degree of sorrow yet that we stay not to come to the second degree that is that wee be grieued that wee can be no more grieued and if wee come to this this shall be sufficient And to all such as thus in truth shall prepare themselues doe those prayers of Hezekiah 2. Chron. 30. belong that the Lord will fulfill the measure of their righteousnesse and pardon their sinnes that prepare their whole hearts to seeeke him And thus much for the triall before and after the Lords Supper FINIS A TREATISE OF GODS FEARE THe stile of Moses Psal. 90. 11. doth vehemently set downe the paucitie of them that truly feare God hee saith who feareth c. wee knowe the thing sought for and enquired after is not knowne to the Asker for then the question were vaine and superfluous and the verie nature and institution of a question is to haue relation euermore to the increase of knowledge in some thing not sufficiently knowne wherefore it is like that Moses knew few fearing God aright and in generall this stile is very needefull in all Gods things for wee are slenderly acquainted with them but in euill things there is no question or enquiry to be made as being a thing comming into the eyes eares and hearts of all men enough and as wee see by daily experience too much Now if wee will goe from Moses time to Dauids time we shall see hee makes the like question Psalme 15. 1. Lorde who shall dwell in thy tabernacle c. as one that saw a great want of men desiring that way but come to the contrarie and Psalme 14. hee sheweth that all are gone out of the way all are corrupt there needes no question to be made of such Goe yet further to the dayes of Esay and we see his stile to iumpe with both the former as Esay 53 Who hath beleeued our report as though they could hardly bee found that would credit his words but euen in the very first chapter he was not afraid simply and without inquirie to say that all were so full of sinne that there were no place voide of wicked men from top to the toe If wee come to Christ his time he saith in his dayes Who is a true and faithfull seruant who is a trustie seruant who when his Lord commeth he shall finde faithfull but of the ambitious Pharisies we knowe there was great store If wee chronicle from Moses to Dauids time from Dauid to Esaies time from Esay to Christ his time and from Christ to the end of the world wee shall finde it a matter of controuersie to haue men fearing God but of the other sort it is a thing without all manner of controuersie And here we must not thinke that it might be many feared God but they knew not mens hearts for God himselfe the searcher of the heart acknowledgeth the same that they doe as Esay saith 59. 4. No man calleth for Iustice no man contendeth for trueth 16. and when he sawe there was no man hee wondred that none should offer himselfe neither is this excesse of euill noted onely in the persons but euen the times are full of euill Genes 6. 6. It is saide the thoughts of mens hearts were euill continually or euery day Micah saith they spent the whole night in euill and so goeth further so that Moses hauing set downe all the day and Micah all the night wee may say all time is stuffed with euill if we haue any time for good it is in purpose not in practise it is
in the time to come not in time present in regard whereof the Prophet saith the silly fowles and birds of the ayre the Storke the Doue and others keepe their time but we neuer can finde our time to doe well in Beyond all this as all persons and times so all places are tainted with this euill Heauen it selfe hath not been voide of wickednesse for euen from thence fell the wicked Angels Paradise was not exempted the Temple was not free from notable hypocrisie the number exceeded euen in the actions themselues wherfore Dauid crieth out at the view of such a packe Lord who doth vnderstand the errors of this life Our daies may be numbred as wee see Psalm 90. but our sinnes are without number and therefore are compared to the sand of the Sea Then wee see in regard of the person time places and actions few doe good and therefore such is the complaint and question of the men of God in this behalfe The fruit which we are to reape by this is thus much that if we see occasion of offence and matter of grief be offered vs we see no more than Moses saw long agoe than Dauid Esay and Christ himselfe saw in their times before vs in comparison wherof we may make our aduantage that seeing the time of Moses was a time of affliction and the dayes wee liue in are daies of peace it is lesse marueile to see euill in the daies of peace than in the time of trouble and therefore Luther vpon this question who feares Psalm 90. maketh this answere no man before affliction shewing that affliction should specially leade vs to feare and being once affected with feare wee should either say Lord what shall I doe or with Dauid say What shall I repay vnto the Lord Seeing the Lord is faine to complaine of the smal number of such as feare him we must take order to mitigate this complaint that it fall not more iustly vpon vs. In the time of Moses at the least there was Iosua and Caleb in Christs time Simeon and Anna At the least we must looke there be one true worshipper as in Elias time and so doing we shall make the question vaine and surely if we desire to be such fewe will put vs by our desire for as our sinnes be well called an hereditarie sicknesse which if it were not so wee would purchase them fast enough so that knowledge and feare of God not being hereditarie are not withstanding cheapened of few men Great cause there is then why we should feare it is an act of the euerlasting Parliament that we must once die Hebrues 9. and Iob saith that our life is but short and doe wee not heare that all of all kindes are gone this way all wise men all men of pleasure no Patriarkes escaped it no Prophet was exempted our eares can testifie this doe wee not daily misse our friends when Gods wrath hath taken them away and the graue hath buried them in silence Doe we not daily in comming to the congregation passe ouer the graues of men sufficient monuments of the execution of the generall day Doe wee not vse as a generall prouerbe as sure as death and yet the seruants of God complaine that wee know not the wrath of God Surely wee doe not know this for all that which Moses Psalme 90. proues by two reasons first hee prayes to bee taught in it and if it were alreadie exactly knowne then should this prayer be superfluous againe he argueth of the effect that for so much as there followes no feare therefore there is no knowledge of the wrath of God for the want of feare sends a want of faith herein and were wee perswaded that Gods wrath were such a thing wee would feare and therefore we feare not because wee are not so perswaded of the wrath of God in it In naturall things wee will not easily runne into things feared nor feare those things which wee thinke not to be euill and therefore because we feare the fire will burne the water will drowne wee are hardly brought to runne into the fire or into the water much more should we so doe in things supernaturall if we did truly feare them wherefore though wee knowe in some part the wrath of God yet wee are not come to the perfect knowledge of it required at our hands Hitherto we must vnderstand it is one thing for man to determine of knowledge and another thing for God to iudge of it as Esay pronounced a difference betweene our esteeming of fasting and Gods iudging of it Esay 58. for that if wee see a man abstaine from meate we think he is a good deuout faster but the Lord determines otherwise so we may pronounce a difference betweene the valuation of knowledge in our eyes in the Lords eies It is nothing for vs to say this haue we quoted thus haue we read this haue I vttered and therefore I know this for this is nothing in Gods iudgement for as he determineth of the fast so will he determine of the knowledge of them that passe the auncient Rabbins of the Iewes and outreach the wise men of the Heathen And no maruel for as we say there is a wise kinde of ignorance a learned vnskilfulnesse so surely there is an ignorant knowledge a sottish kind of wisedome and this now possesseth the whole world And that wee may walke within our warrant we shal fetch our proofe from the sixt of Esay which place for the excellencie of it is oft repeated in the new Testament Matthew 13. Acts 28. and Rom. 11. where wee see there may be a seeing without seeing a kind of hearing and yet no hearing indeede Euen so there may be a knowledge and yet no knowledge before God the cause is for that the Lord accounts of no knowledge which comes not into practise and if we haue neuer so much knowledge and practise it not it is nothing in Gods booke And according as this is God his reckoning so it is our vsuall account for if wee haue taken paines to put precept vnto precept and to teach one that hath not profited by our paines how attentiue soeuer he seeme yet wee account him and accuse him as one that heard not at all Better is no candle than a candle vnder a bushell and the Lord accounts no light vnder a bushell for light Better to haue no eares than the eares of an Idoll And indeed they are no eares for they heare not so it is no knowledge that is separated from practise Wee doe beguile our selues in our accounts when wee thinke wee haue a great knowledge for that wee haue heard many Sermons whereunto because we haue not ioyned practise we may well blot out of the score many of those Sermons for such Sermons in Gods account be to vs as no Sermons We can say and cry that where there is a want of the meanes there is a great token of Gods curse and
I will not denie it it is so indeed but yet be it knowne that with a singularitie of the benefit if none profit by it there goeth a singularitie of iudgement where it is abused and a more notable iudgement remaineth for such a place than for the other because it had been better neuer to haue heard than hauing heard so much neuer to profit It is good saith Dauid that I haue been afflicted for I haue learned thy law indeede in this respect it was good for him and yet it is not good for some to bee afflicted who not profiting by it become the worse for it as it was to Lots wife who was made a pillar of salt Two things hinder ripenes of knowledge the one is that men are proudely ignorant perswading them falsely to know that they know not the other is hardnes of hart whereby they are obdurated against the true profit of knowledge for either wee thinke we haue some deepe knowledge or else we become stonie and senselesse that if Gods iudgements be spoken we feare not if his promises be offered we reioyce not whatsoeuer is spoken we moue not into such an heart how much knowledge soeuer is powred in though it seeme to runne ouer yet the quantitie of it will amount to nothing Because we will not see Gods wrath as it is we see it in iustice for by Gods wrath is iustice signified vnto vs. And surely howsoeuer other qualities in God doe not affect vs sometime yet wrath stirres vs vp Affections are commonly stirred vp by their obiects as feare by wrath Now if we feare the anger of a man and specially of a Prince because the wrath of a Prince seemeth so great a thing to vs what shall we thinke of the wrath of God which one way or other we shall surely meete withall either for to beare it or else to be reconciled to him for the auoyding of it Wherefore to reueale to vs this wrath it is Moses his office to teach vs to see our sinne so to bring vs within the compasse of the law and of that forfeiture which the law doth award vs that so we may esteeme the more of that mercie which is offered in Christ. Now the cause why we esteeme not mercie is because we account so slenderly of our sinnes and therefore we doe lightly value our sinne because we thinke no more reuerently of Gods wrath against sinne for such is the sense of our sinne as is the feare of his wrath And so we esteeme peace as we account of warre and make a prize of our plentie as we doe of our scarsitie If we consider rightly of the want and famine of Samaria or of Idumea and see the heads of Asses sold for so much then we shall be fit to iudge rightly of plentie we are therefore in our afflictions to leuell at the wrath of God which is the cause not to stay in our affliction but still looke to our sinne without the sight whereof we shall either stand carping at Gods iudgements with Ionas or we shall fall to curse the day of our birth with Iob so farre shall we be from making our true profit by it Therefore we know not how to profit vnder the crosse because we know not the causes of it but wedwell in the effects complaine of the thing done not looking to the cause and originall of it which we see in that a man being crossed by a wicked man he stormes against the man but lookes not to God wherein he doth as if a man should quarrell with the staffe wherewith he is beaten and neuer looke to the smiter for a man is but as the rod of the Lord or as the staffe of the diuell we deale I say with the stripe not with the diuell by whose instigation that is done And as we deale with the diuell in his motiues so we deale with the Lord in his visitations we could teare the rod but not be humbled vnder him that vseth the rod. And what doe we profit by this behauiour Admit we could wrest the rod out of Gods hand what gaine is that for vs against whom he will take vp a sword and a mallet or a great rocke wherewith he will not stand to beate vs but out of hand to breake vs in fitters And therefore good wisedome it is not to wrestle with the effect but to meete with the cause Now then there are two things which blindfold vs that we cannot see Gods wrath in our afflictions the one because we are not straight consumed with the anger of God so long as men waste away by little and little and are not beaten downe at one blow they put off all suspition that God is displeased with them and neuer acknowledge his wrath vntill it come like an ambassadour of death Some are consumed by apoplexies and suddenly fall dead some by hecticks and peece by peece fall away This is so much the more dangerous because it is the lesse sensible and rather killeth vs than forewarneth vs. It is as dangerous to moulder away and as easie to dye of an hectick as it is to fall dead and to be taken with an apoplexie And therefore it is not good to tarrie for the dead blow Another cause is this that as Gods iudgementâ are to many mercies and proceed from his loue towards vs so though we see it not many of his mercies we sent to vs in his iudgement and proceed from him in wrath So Ieremie saith that the Lord gaue Iosias in wrath to raigne ouer his people and yet Iosias was a good King The vse of all this is thus much to shew vs that the Lords anger works in him as do al other affections when they haue not their worke in vs. Hereof it is that because we are not displeased with our selues for our sinnes God is displeased with vs because we mislike not our corruptions God sheweth his misliking of them because we are not angrie with our selues God is angrie with vs. Sinne deserueth wrath and sinne must haue wrath either at our hands or at the Lords hands If we be wrathfull with our selues and take an indignation with our own selues as 2. Cor. 7. the Lord will remit his wrath if we will iudge our selues God will not iudge vs. If at any time we come to iudge of Gods wrath we account of it as of an impotent thing wrath doth worke the wrath of the least doth moue and I would we feared the wrath of the Lord as much as we doe the wrath of Princes But we thinke of Gods wrath as of his mercie we feare him as one of sillie anger and small power we thanke him for his mercies as a niggardly God and pinching giuer When we deale in duties to Godward we cut them we mince with him we measure and stint him as though we would be euen with him but when it comes to our wickednesse we are
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 Eâây 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 liuâly 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 Priâsthood c. and 1 Pet. 2. it must be interpreted as often in Esay as chap. 11. in Ieremy and in the Gospell aâter Iohn it is saide They shâll 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 Yâa 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 âefore 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
persons loth for to pray know that prayer is not a thing of the mouth but of the minde not a sounding of the voyce but a yerning of the spirit not a labour of the lips but a trauailing of the heart and therefore will confesse giuing God the glorie to their owne shame that they had rather heare the word two houres than thus seriously striue in prayer one quarter of an houre And why It is a small thing to lend the eares in hearing it is easie to feede our delight with hearing a man renewing our knowledge but to set on worke the eye the eare the hands to trauell with the heart to set the whole bodie in a frame of subiection as becommeth them that pray to the Lord which sheweth that prayer is a thing both painfull and laborious we shall proue it to be a very hard thing Prayer bringeth the experience of the things which wee know and without it we haue as little proofe of our knowledge as they haue vse of an hidden treasure which neuer are the better for it The word maketh knowne to vs the treasures of God his wisedome but faith bringeth the experience of them by applying and appropriating these mercies of God to our selues prayer is the instrument whereby this faith is continued in vs. The word telleth vs that God will plague sinners prayer brings an experience of this The word telleth vs that God careth for vs prayer proueth this the word sheweth that the Lord hath both power and mercie to shew to his people prayer obtaineth the triall of this the word reuealeth to vs the wisedome prouidence maiestie and goodnes of God prayer conueieth the certaintie of these things into vs. God will bee glorified wholy and onely and cannot abide that wee should be fellow-partners with him therein If a man come by knowledge faith and repentance by hearing it is rather an infusion into a man than an action from a man and it is the great mercie of God but when the Lord brings a man on his knees and humbles him in prayer and constraineth him to aske all of God that wee might heare rightly and so vse the things heard this breaketh the heart of a man and makes him to say Great is the Lord. This I say humbles a man to acknowledge his wants this calleth downe many blessings both spirituall and corporall from the Lord. We know that though a father is readie and fully hath purposed to leaue an inheritance vnto his children yet to acquaint them with obedience he will haue them aske things of farre lesse value at his hands so God notwithstanding he hath purposed to giue vnto vs an heauenly inheritaÌce which in Christ is purchased yet to continue vs in faith and obedience he will haue vs to aske it of him If mans wisedome can come thus farre shall we not hereby gather the wisedome of God If man hath this pitie shall we doubt of mercie in God and as prayer bringeth experience of God his loue so also it proueth our knowledge faith and repentance For if we will be suiters at God his hand wee must not willingly displease him For we see that when we would obtaine a suite of a man we will be carefull not to offend him least we should suffer repulse and likewise when we pray we must addresse our hearts to obedience and therefore the Scripture speaketh of clensing our hearts of hypocrisie and vnfaithfulnes If this care be had in suites for things corruptible that willingly we will not offend him to whom we sue then must wee know that God is Lord of the spirits and therefore to pray vnto him without auoyding things displeasing him and doing things pleasing him is but grosse by pocrisie Hee must needes be a godly man then that prayes often and if wee be so bold to pray nourishing some sinne in vs besides that we are dull in prayer wee are inwardly both accused and accursed Hereof comes such plentifull acknowledging of our sinnes in prayer with a purpose to auoide them hereof come such vowes and protestations of obedience so that prayer doth not onely continue repentance but also breedeth thankfulnes For it is our corruption when we know that we obtaiened a thing any other waies than by prayer that then we ascribe it to the meanes but when we see God hath heard our prayers it sealeth our faith it confirmeth our thankfulnes True it is that God giueth many mercies without praying yet this must the more make vs thankfull and nothing slacke vs in vsing the meanes which God hath appointed That prayer further confirmeth loue to God it is manifest alreadie now we must shew how it worketh loue euen to our brethren When a man comes to pray and hath this choake-peare that he must forgiue or else not be forgiuen he must needs be either an hypocrite in his prayer or cease from prayer or forgiue his enemies It is palpable hypocrisie to desire God to forgiue vs many and great sinnes and we will not pardon our brother a few and light offences If we will take a view of the weight height length depth and breadth of our sins we will confesse it hypocrisie to craue pardon for so many sinnes being hardly brought to forgiue others a fewe trespasses And for this cause the Scripture saith If yee forgiue not others yee cannot be forgiuen If then Prayer be such a thing as nature doth least entertaine if it brings such experience of God his loue towards vs if it so confirmeth Faith continueth repentance and causeth loue both to God and man it is good cause that this is set to inferre the other and to make all other parts of God his worship the more effectuall Hee shall be saued That is in the midst of diseases he shall not be taken away in the time of iniquitie he shall not be ouertaken but in all these he shall suffer with Faith and a good conscience Besides by the word of sauing is meant the obtaining of all graces as pledges of our saluation and gages of our inheritance so that it doth not barely betoken an exempting of vs from the former iudgements threatned Will a man then escape the wrath menaced and enioy the grace promised let him vse true and heartie prayer which hath it fruite commended vnto vs both in the chapter going before in the election of an Apostle and also in the beginning of this chapter in that being gathered together in prayer the holy Ghost was sent downe Now let vs speake a little of the circumstances First of the persons it is said Whosoeuer Secondly for the extremitie of the time it is said shall be saued that is from those iudgements and endued with those graces that euen then when there shall be so many opinions that we shall not bee able well to discerne the truth when wickednes shall abound euery where examples of godlinesse be no where when wee shall be able to finde no comfort either in our selues
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 souÌd 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 âust 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 âereft 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
corrupt within euen so must the children of God doe and they must make a conscience to keepe downe their corruption or else that filthy fountaine will grow vp still and they shall see that it will so worke with them that euen if Sathan were away and should doe nothing it would pull and draw them from God except they do suppresse it and continually meditate vpon it This is painefull vnto the wicked but very ioyfull and pleasant vnto the children of God when they shall sell all their sinnes for euer for the more of them they sell the more sweet and comfortable it will be vnto them Besides this we haue an aduersarie within vs euen the pricke of the flesh the messenger of Sathan for so the Apostle witnesseth of himselfe 2. Cor. 12. 7. Least I should be exalted out of measure through the aboundance of our reuelations there was giuen vnto mee a pricke in the flesh the messenger of Sathan to buffet mee because I should not be exalted out of measure Who or what man was more in taking paines than the Apostle Paul Who went through more perils for the testimonie of Christs truth Who was more zealous in aduancing the Gospell of Christ Iesus Could not all the Apostles watchings all his fastings his dangers his continuall prayers finally could not all his giftes and graces which were in him aboundantly beate downe and cure this pride and arrogancie of the spirit in him Who therefore or what are we that thinke we can get so easily a victorie of sinne seeing the Apostle who was carried vp to the third heauen cannot doe it When all other sinnes are ended in a man and when he thinketh himselfe safe from sinne then commeth pride for it ariseth of well doing and therefore the Apostle saide that the pricke of the flesh did buffet and boxe him Where hee sheweth that this sinne was so grieuous vnto his soule that hee fought against sinne and Sathan euen as Christ did fight against him when after he was baptised he was tempted of him Euen so it commeth to passe with the children of God when they are deliuered as it were wholy from sinne and thinke themselues most farre off from offending God then Sathan commeth like an Angell of light seeking by this meanes to deceiue them that in well doing they should please themselues ouermuch and so displease God wherefore the vertue of God must appeare in our infirmities For as the Apostle saith Gods power is made perfect through weakenesse and therefore when any temptation shall happen vnto vs we are to beware that we neither make a light account of them neither be too much afraide of them for as it is with the bodily enemie so is it likewise with the spirituall if thou be carelesse then thine aduersary setteth vpon thee at vnawares if too fearefull then he ouer commeth thee at the first assault euen so is it with Sathan if thou be secure and passe not for him then he suddenly taketh thee napping if thou be ouer feareful then likewise he seeketh thy destruction Wherfore take good heed vnto Sathan see that thou make not too light account of his temptations but still consider with thy selfe that the diuell is euer knocking at the doore readie if thou haue but one euill thought to enter into thee Wherefore beware least by reason of thy securitie the diuell do enter into thee be humble in thy soule as it becommeth the child of God on the other side feare him not too much but knowe that God Christ Iesus the holy Ghost and the Angels in heauen and all the Saints of God in earth will take thy part against him THE ELEVENTH SERMON PREACHED BY MAISTER RICHARD GREENHAM as followeth EPHES. 6. vers 10. 11. 12. 10 Finally my bââthâââ be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might 11 Put on the whole armour of God that yee may bee able to stand against the assaults of the diuell 22 For we wrestle not against fleshe and blood but against principalities against powers and against the worldly gouernours the princes of the darkenes of this world against spirituall wickednesses which are in the hie places AFfter the Apostle had vsed generall doctrine and in forced thereupon particular exhortations hee returneth from his specials to generall exhortationâ againe as wee may see in these verses wherein âee exhorteth them to stand strongly and therefore putteth them in mâââe of armour without the which they must needes lye oâân to their aduersaries The perill whereof is so much the greater by how much their aduersaries were the sorer and for that cause the Apostle falles into the description of them with whom they must encounter Afterward the seuerall peeces and parts of our defence are set downe c. More plainly these things are worthie to bee noted The exhortation it selfe in these wordes Bee strong in the Lord. Secondly the way how to stand by putting on the armour of God Thirdly the reason which is For wee wrestle not with flesh and blood alone c. Lastly a description of the weapons and armour it selfe Finally that is to conclude or what remaineth or take this the conclusion and corollarie of al that you must not thinke it a small thing to professe Christ his Gospell as some doe neither yet on the other side must âe be discouraged at the difficulties of the professio but as on the one side you must still thinke of a battel and not dreame of peace so you must know that the Lord will harnesse you euen with his owne coate armour thereunto Thus he noteth with two extremities incident to Christians that is that either they forget that they are in a warfare by securitie and presumption and thinke it to be lesse than it is or else they are too much dismaid at the first view of it and so desperatly yeeld ere they fight But doe any here marueile that Paul should speake thus to Gods children and well approued Christians To them I answer that besides other miserable experieÌce of latter times present time which doth declare it too openly Dauid a deare child of God Peter a professed an approued Christian will sufficiently teach them in this point One would little thinke Dauid had had an adulterous heart or bloodie hand if one should haue told Peter that he would haue âorsworne his soueraigne Sauiour it had been a matter of quarrell But seeing Dauid in the conflict shrunke and Peter in the triall failed let vs beware we be not daring Dauids nor prowd Peters speaking further then we try our hearts No doubt of it Peter spake simply and as he thought yet he saw not what he thought he knew not his owne heart It is another thing as Gods children can well tell vs to haue a general knowledge of our strength and another thing to haue a particular feeling of it let vs thereupon still remember that heauenly apophthegme Who so will followe
we must learne that we set not our harts on these things so as our ioy in them should become either greater or equall with the reioycing in the crosse of Christ but rather that hauing wiues we be as though we had none buying as though we possessed not and vsing this world as though we vsed it not For otherwise the things of this world vanish away and therefore they are no such things as we should desire to stay our affections in them 1. Cor. 2. 2. the Apostle speaking of the like thing saith I esteemed not to know any thing among you saue Iesus Christ and him crucified purposeth not to shew that he knew not any thing else or that he would denie vnto men the knowledge of tongues learning or handicrafts for we know that he was a Pharisie brought vp in good learning at the feete of Gamaliel and how he reporteth of himselfe to speake as much in the tongues as any of the other Apostles and that he was a Tent-maker exhorting also in some of his Epistles men to get their liuings with some honest trade but his meaning is that he thought nothing worthie to be knowne or coueted no knowledge as excellent in respect and in comparison of the knowledge of Christ and him crucified And therefore whereas there were some among the Corinthians a people very famous for their learning and knowledge who pleased themselues in a conceit of their great gifts and sciences the Apostle not wanting these things protesteth vnto them that he neuer made this humane knowledge the full scope drift and foundation of his labours and that he neuer vsed them as the treasure of his heart although he could tell how farre to giue them their reuerence their due time and place in others but that he esteemed them in that measure as they stood him in stead the better to offer his seruice to Iesus Christ. Againe we must not here thinke that the Apostle knew not parents Magistrates and gouernours the gifts of men and the duties to be giuen to euery one of these but if he saw that men did glorie in themselues in their titles in their dignities then he knew them not in the flesh that is he did not esteeme them for those things but so farre he knew them in the spirit as he could reioyce that they were new creatures And therefore men must not think that for these gifts we are all in all but that the crosse of Christ is the marke we shoote at without the which all authoritie learning and knowledge is accursed of God Neuerthelesse we see it is the weaknes of iudgement to reiect all other things in themselues being the good gifts of God as our vnaduised friends haue done as though the knowledge and practise of Arts Sciences tongues and handicrafts did defile a man or as though a man were the more holie for not vsing these outward meanes But in our daies few labour of this disease of such superstitious austeritie and in our carelesse times men are not so much ouerwise and benummed in iudgement in this behalfe but most men on the contrary reioyce either as much or more in these things than in the crosse of Christ and this is the euill wherewith most men haue surfeited this is the euill whereat the Apostle striketh For though men will graunt that Christ is to be reioyced in yet their workes doe shew that they reioyce in some thing more than in the crosse of Christ and if they shew any ioy to religion it is rather done to countenance their owne gifts than to gaine any credit to Christ. How many I pray you in our daies reioyce in open wickednesse as the adulterer in his lusts the wrathfull man in his reuenging the couetous man in his riches the enuious man in his emulation and the ambitious man in his honours Why doe men learne but to get preferment why doe men so labour but to attaine to profit why doe men take such paines but in the end to reape pleasure So farre are we off from reioycing in Christ crucified that men now reioyce in open sinnes and that so manifestly as couetousnes ambition creeping vnder the cloake of vertue pleade for abilitie and maintenance for place and countenance without which as they say a man cannot doe good But these men that thus labour more for promotion profit and pleasure than to find Christ crucified and cannot find the vncomparable ioy if they were new creatures may happily carrie the face of Christians but surely by outward calling as yet they belong not vnto Christ. And what are these outward things to be reioyced in Admit that a man had all learning authoritie riches and credit are they not common as well to the wicked as to the godly are they not so transitorie and insufficient that the more a man hath of them the more he may haue doe they make the possessor the better can they keepe euill from him can they minister comfort to the afflicted conscience can they make vs reioyce in the houre of death or can they saue vs from confusion before God his iudgement seate Surely this is not in wit eloquence learning friends glorie riches and authoritie all which the wicked know better to abuse than the godly to vse but in Christ which was accursed and in his crosse which was a blessing vnto vs. Seeing it is so well did the Apostle to reioyce in this aboue all For were a man neuer so good so glorious so learned so well brought vp of such authoritie he must stoope at God his iudgement seate and there fall like a miserable caitife vnlesse he vsed these things to God his glorie and aboue all reioyced in the crosse of Christ. But now let vs see what is meant by the crosse of Christ. Some vnderstand it of the afflictions which hee did suffer for the profession of Christ because the Apostle saith in another place how he did beare about with him the marks of his sufferings in his body But this sense were too hard to be brooked that we should reioyce in nothing but in affliction albeit this is a truth that we may reioyce in those afflictions which we suffer for Christ his sake Againe the crosse of Christ taken for affliction caÌnot be said to be a principal cause of the world crucified to vs or of crucifying vs to the world although in some respect it may be couÌted an inferior cause Further if we compare this place with other places of the scriptures we shal find it to be vnderstood of the crosse which Christ suffered for vs rather than of the crosse which we suffer for him as 2. Cor 2 2. where the Apostle laboureth to know nothing as heere he reioyceth in nothing more than in Christ crucified as he calleth it in that place or in the crosse of Christ as he speaketh in this place The Apostle his meaning then briefely is this Be it farre from me that I should chiefely
Birth in Paradise her education in Canaan her foode Mannah her habite righteousnes her Armes the Lambe her children Saintes her kinred Angels her habitation vpon Earth is the Church militant and in Heauen the Church triumphant This poore Ladie hath euer yet liued by milke which being drawne out of the two dugs of the Olde and Newe Testament is called the syncere milke of the word of God after which all her true children doe thirst as after that foode which must nourish their soules This Worde it was decreed by God the Father preached by God the Sonne inspired by God the holie Ghost and by Angels Prophets Apostles and Euangelists successiuely made knowne to the children of the Church The Church of the Iewes knew it onely for a time there he thewed his wayes vnto Iaakob his statutes and ordinances vnto Israel The Church of the Gentiles shall know it for euer he dealeth now graciously with euery Nation and the Heathen haue knowledge of his Lawes True it is indeede the Iewes haue the Bible but by reason of that curtaine drawne before their eyes they cannot see him who is the ende of the Bible there is a great diference betweene them and vs. They as Hierome saith haue the bookes wee the worde of those bookes they the Prophets wee the vnderstanding of the Prophets they are killed by the Letter we are quickened by the Spirite They haue Barrabas the murtherer deliuered to vs is deliuered CHRIST the Sonne of God Iudas solde him the Iewe bought him the true Christian is the possessor of him whom he findeth in this Word feeleth in the Sacraments and feedeth on in his heart by a liuely Faith The antiquitie necessitie dignitie and commoditie of Helie writte if it were truely thought of as it should would breede a greater loue to the reading of it desire to the knowledge of it and care to the practising of it then is now a dayes in the most of the worlde For Antiquitie it is in part as ancient as the first Adam and in whole as olde as the second in whome all the Promises contained in this booke are Yea and Amen For necessitie as needfull as the true knowledge of God whome to knowe is eternall life For dignitie so greas that it alone must be called the Law of God yea that law then which no man can shewe a better to serue God by or by which hee may better knowe his dutie to man Compare wee this our Christian lawe with those of Lycurgus Draco Solon Zaleucus Numa Pompilius Romane twelue tables themselues which Cicero preferreth aboue all the bookes of Philosophers and the difference will bee as great as the light of the Sunne to a candle the Cedar to the shrub and the little Ant to the great Elephant âââââ Augustine considering but one sentence of this booke writeth thus What disputations what writings of Philosophers what lawes of any Cities are to bee compared to these two Precepts vpon which as CHRIST saith depend the Law and the Prophets Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength and thy Neighbour as thy selfe Heere are Physiques here are Ethiques here is Logique here is the laâdaâlâ gouernement of the Common-wealth c. Againe would we knowe the commoditie of the Word of God Psalme 19. 7 c. Dauid saith the Law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule the Testimonie of the Lord is sure and giueth wisedome to the simple the Precept of the Lord is pure and enlighteneth the eyes The feare of the Lord is cleane and endureth for euer the iudgements of the Lorde are true and righteous altogether They are more to bee desired then golde yea then much fine golde Sweeter are they then the honie the honie combe By them also is thy seruant made circumspect in keeping of them is great reward 2. Tim. 3 Paul saith the Scriptures make wise to saluation are profitable to teach to reproue to correct instruct and to make the man of God that is Gods minister who only in the Scripture is termed a man of God perfect to euery good work And surely if men now a dayes could lay aside curiosity in searching after things not meet affection in louing and hating men too much ambition in seeking their owne glorie selfe-loue in liking their owne opinions best pertinacie in maintaining preconceited errors and in a worde preiudicate opinions of some mens gifts and a popular following of most mens conceipts and that bitter calumniation which is vsed one against another if men I say could lay aside these and onely hearken what God doth say in his Worde there would bee an ende of many Controuersies which till then will neuer be without controuersie The Prophet that hath a dreame will tell a dreame he that hath Gods word will speake Gods word Ierem. 23. If once wee reiect the word of the Lorde what wisedome is in vs Iâââ 8. 9. I had rather heare what God saith by his Prophets and Apostles then what all the Fathers and Schoolemen and Doctors and Casuists in the world can say though also I will be content to hearken vnto them when they also should hearken vnto the Lord. It is well obserued by Erasmus in his prefuce before Ireneus that that holy father did onely with the weapons of the Scriptures encounter with the whole troupe of heretickes The sung of Dauid against Goliah the sword of Goliah against the Philistines are not comparable to these weapons The word of the Lord it is the sword of the spirit wee must fight with it the light of the soule see by it the guide of our life walke by it the fire of the Sanctuary be warmed by it the water of life be purged by it the food of heauen be nourished by it the interpreter of Gods will we must know him by it the meanes of consolation be comforted by it and that mallet to knocke out the braines of Antichrist we must euer haue it in our hands If euer the Perditionââe ââe ouercome it must be by this meanes To the reading of this word the Fathers especially Chrysostome in many places exhorteth the people and Erasmus in his preface to the new Testament protesting his dissent from such as would not haue priuate persons to reade the Bible saith that the Sunne in the firmament is not so commoÌ as the Doctrine of Christ. No man euer hated this light but either he that wanted yes to behold it or feared the light to discouer his workes of darkenes O then let vs reade this and to reading adde meditation to meditation prayer to prayer humilitie to humilitie an ayming at Gods glorie and our good and to all a desire to turne Gods word into good workes This euery word of God is pure and is to be preferred before the golde of Ophir And to the ende wee might all delight in it there is set downe in the Bible all such
your conscience to make the vse of them profitable to yourselfe in the particular practise thereof Vers. 16. I will delight in thy statutes and I will not forget thy word THus doing all these things carefully you shall surely neuer forget that which you learne for though you doe not remember euery thing yet God wil by his spirit cal so much especially into your remeÌbrance as is needful for you to know theÌ especiÌally when you haue most neede of it as in the houre of death and in the day of temptation but as you faile in all or in any of these so may you feare to faile in the truth of them Nicolas Bownde D. of diuinitie Preacher of Gods word at Norton in Suffolke PORTION 3. GIMEL Vers. 17. Be beneficiall vnto thy seruant that I may liue and keepe thy word THe Prophet desireth life where he teacheth why meÌ should desire to liue that is that they might keepe Gods word for life is common to them with beasts and plants and yet all desire to liue some for one ende some for another but Gods child maketh this the end that hee might keepe Gods word And in that he ioyneth these together hee signifieth that his life without it is no life as in the 4. part vers 11. where he counteth himselfe dead vnlesse he finde a readines to obey Gods will A widow liuing in pleasure is dead whilest she liueth and this is to be vnderstood of all that liue in any sinne And this if all they considered which are not ioyned to Christ it would amaze them for though this appeare not now yet at the last day it shall appeare This cannot be perswaded to the carnall man but to vs that haue the knowledge of God it ought to be certaine and we must trie our hearts whether this be our desire to liue that we may keepe Gods word Many men doe speake this and sing this yet fewe in heart doe this therefore if we be thus minded wee must shewe it by referring all our doings to Gods glory which we shall then do when we measure all our doings by the word Therefore Paul Rom. 4. and Phil 2. desireth not life but that he may be ioyned to Christ. All other religion is of no effect till this principall end be in our hearts for no man can haue two ends of his life as to come to preferment and to be saued but this must be onely the end that we might be ioyned to Christ. He desireth not to know but to keepe which presupposeth knowledge wee are here then prouoked to practise and not to rest in knowledge but to labour to doe that we know And this is the cause why they of the olde Testament desired longer life that they might finish that onely which they had to doe at such time as they felt some signes of Gods displeasure and had not sufficiently tasted of Gods fauour so we if we cannot finde assurance of the forgiuenes of sinnes then let vs desire to liue but when we are come to this that with Paul we can say I haue finished my course with ioy then will the children of God be readie to dye Many there be that haue neither care of life nor death and although they feele and see signes of Gods displeasure yet they are not moued but the children of God knowe that it is better to be a liuing dogge than a dead lyon And seeing by their euill life they haue dishonoured God they would be ioyfull to purchase some praise to him by their holy conuersation He knoweth his great vnhabilitie to doe good and therefore desireth it of God It is not in our choyse to doe good or cuill for then this prayer had been in vaine hee knew that this was not in him to keepe Gods word and therefore in the next verse he desireth that his eyes might be opened wher he acknowledgeth that he had not so much as the knowledge of Gods word in himselfe therefore he was far from yeelding such obedience therevnto as the Lord requireth He desireth now to vnderstand which goeth before practise and is lesser than it and yet it is the meanes to come to practise And if we cannot vnderstand it without special grace then much lesse can we practise it Many of vs in iudgement doe hate Papists yet in practise we are such seeing wee doe many things without prayer and the knowledge of Gods word Knowledge goeth before practise and therefore many in vaine doe say that they keepe the word when they labour not to know it Vers. 18. Open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law IN the former verse hee shewed that hee could not keepe the word without Gods grace now he sheweth that he cannot know it vnlesse the Lord open our eyes this is the want that is in all men but flesh and blood shall not reueale this and Paul saith that it was hid from the Princes of the world which must serue to humble all flesh and to stirre vs vp to pray to the Lord when we come to reade it otherwise wee shall reade and not vnderstand it because wonderfull things are contained therein therefore when wee see the wonderfulnes of this law this is one degree of profiting because the ignorant thinke they haue knowledge enough Dauid well instructed in the word yet made this prayer to teach vs that wee must goe daily forward for we know but by degrees and ignorance is mixed therewith therefore many continuing long fall in the end away which may teach vs to pray that he would not leade vs into this temptation that we should thinke we haue knowledge enough This is the cause why many fal into errors because that they resting in that which they haue conceiued in their owne braine and haue heard or learned of others in the meane while neuer looking to bee taught by Gods spirit when they see their teachers fall away then doe they fall away also because their ground is gone So many therefore as loue to abide stedfast in the truth and neuer to be remoued there from let them neuer rest neither in that they conceiue of themselues neither in the wordes and doctrine of men but let them alwaies by prayer craue that the Lord by his spirit may instruct them this if they doe the Lord will not turne them away emptie but will so season their hearts by his spirit that though a thousand fall away on the one side and ten thousand on the other yet shall they continue stedfast to the end The cause why we haue so great need to pray is set downe when hee calleth the things contained in the word wonders And surely if iniquitie be a mysterie as the Apostle calleth it then much more is the law of God Yet so it is not vnto al for the Prophet in this Psalme saith that the very entrance into Gods word giueth light to the simple And Psal. 88. when hee had called the
this is foolish curiositie or to be knowne this is vanitie or to gaine by this is couetousnes but to edifie our selues this is wisdome and to edifie others this is charitie The woman of Samaria had no sooner a knowledge of Christ Iohn 4 but thee runnes into the Cittie leauâs her pitcher and saith Come see a man that hath told me all that I haue done Is not he the Christ Am I my brothers keeper was Kayns speech Gem4 But he that belieueth in me saith Christ out of his belly shal flow riuers of the water of life âoââ I will mâditââe Three things saith Luther make a good diuine Prayer affliction meditation this last is as the chewing of the cud which we reade of in Lâââtâcus Meditation without reading is often erroneous reading without meditation makes a barren student In thy wonderous workes Or wonders that is either of those wonderfull things that are contained in thy law as verse 19. of this Psalme and verse 129 which being high and hidden mysteries did cause him to haue them in admiration and reuerence or of those wonderfull workes which God before had done in the world and daylie did amongst the sonnes of men and which ought to be had in perpetuall remembrance Note we first first that Gods word is wonderfull because it containeth in it such things as transcende the reach of mans capacitie and without illumination from aboue cannot be vnderstood by the wisest in the world But especially if we consider the power of this Word in that it is that immortall seede by which we are begotten againe that sincere âilke by which wee are nourished that siluer Trumpet by which wee are awakened that Christ all glasse in which wee may behold what manner of persons we are and that mightiâ arme of GOD by which we are corrected for sinne and protected from sinne we must needes say that this Word is wonderfull Giue mee a man as lasciuious as a Goate as rauâââââ as a Wolfe as couetous as Hell as prosuâe euery way as the prodigall sonne if this Word assisted by Gods spirite seize vpon his soule it will chaunge him as if hee were a newe man and to say as one once did to his wanton louer it is not I. Now as for the workes of God whether wee looke vpon them in the creation or preseruation of them they are euery way wonderfull Dauid could not looke vpon them but hee cryeth out Psal 8. O Lorde how wonderfull are thy workes throughout the worlde And Psal. 139. But considering the frame of his owne bodie he saith I will praise thee O Lorde for I am wonderfully and fearefully made ¶ Vers. 28. My soule melteth for heââines raise me vp according vnto thâ Word ME thinks I see Dauid here resolued into teares and pouring them out at his cies as at â well with two buckets by reason that the hand of God was heauy vpon him Hee can find no comfort but in the word of God therefore he to be raised vp by it be taketh himselfe to this ciaculatory prayer He thought it not enough to say My soule cleaueth to the dust vers 25. but here wil he adde that it melted for heauines The spirit of a man may beare his infirmities but a wouÌded spirit who can beare saith the wise man Prou. 18 14 There is much in this booke concerning afflicted consciences therefore I need not to adde much In all those sorrowes which the soule hath arising from the consideration of Gods wrath for sinne the first consolation is from the word of God in which is promised grace and forgiuenes of our sinnes Thus it will quicken and comfort vs in trouble and assure vs of this haruest that though we sowe in teares we shall reape inioy But because wee can neither apprehend nor apply this word further then wee receiue grace from God wee must with Dauid pray to the Lord that hee would so guide vs that wee wander not vphold vs that we fall not confirme vs that wee funt not encourage vs that wee despaire not and quicken vs that wee dye not This verse requires rather the meditation of a penitent conuert then the Exposition of a learned Diuine as for the wicked they vnderstand not what is here written Though the righteous fall hee shall not bee cast off for the Lord putteth vnder his hand Psal. 37. 24. ¶ Vers. 29. Take from mee the way of lying and graunt mee graciously thy lawe AS before hee prayed to vnderstand the way of Gods precepts so here hee would bee kept from the way of lying and because they whom God keepeth are best kept he therefore continues his prayer to God desiring so to bee instructed by his word that his minde being purged from all vanitie he may be taught to obey Gods word The way of lying is that which the Prophet calleth vaine inuentions Vers. 113. falshood Vers. 163. the way of the wicked Psal. 1. Our owne wayes Ezech. 18. In a word the Prophet here desireth to be confirmed by God against all corruptions in doctrine and disorder of conuersation which Sathan by his wittie and wilie instruments doth seeke to set abroach in the world These are called the way of lying 1. Because they are inuented by Sathan the father of lies 2. They are countenanced by mans witte the store-house of lyes 3. They seeme to bee that which they are not which is of the nature of lyes 4. They are contrary to God and his truth the discouerers of lyes This way of lying before sinne came into the world it was a way so vnknowne to man that indeede it was as a desert wildernesse in the which neuer any foote had troâe but now it is so broade and wide a way that the most in the world walke in it The heathen by his Idols the Turke by his Alcoran the Iesuite by his newe Gospell the Lutheran by his Contransubstantiation the Protestant by his denying the power of godlinesse the Schismatike by his pretenced puritie haue walked so along in this way that the way of trueth they will not knowe Wee haue wrangled so long about trueth in religion that as hee could not finde Rome in Rome so wee cannot finde Religion in Religion And wee haue cloaked so long trueth in conuersation that true dealing is banished from the sonnes of men hee that will vse it must dye a begger Hijs diebus iam peractis nulla sides est in factis mâl in ore verba lactis fel in corde fraus in factis Helpe Lord for good and godly men doe perish and decay And faith and truth from mortall men is banisht quite away Had we not neede then with this holy Prophet to hate al vaine inuentions but to pray most earnestly with him to the Lord that he will take from vs this lying way and to teach vs that good and olde way in which if we walke all the dayes of our life we shall in the end finde rest to our soules
on as inceptors in Christianitie others walke on as proficients in Christianitie a fewe runne on as absolute christians in the race First Euery christian is the runner Secondly they begin to runne after iustificatioÌ by faith in Christ Regeneration Before which the shackles of sin hinder their running Thirdly the ende of this race is the ende of their life Fourthly the race it selfe is the way of Gods statutes Fiftly the place for these runners is this present world for in the world to come we neede not to runne we shall then receiue the ende of our faith which is the saluation of our soules Sixtly the marke at which they ayme is Iesus Christ that they may perfectly knowe loue and possesse him and therefore this race is nothing else but a continuall and most ardent desire studie and endeuour to profit in the knowledge faith loue incorporation and possession of Christ. Seuenthly The price appointed for such as runne well is eternall life with Christ in heauen Eightly this race hath in it these degrees maturè properè rectè constanter First maturè begin betime Secondly properé make hast Thirdly recté keepe on right Fourthly constanter continue to the ende All which that we may performe we must resolue First that we haue neuer runne farre enough for this were to dreame of an Anabaptisticall perfection SecoÌdly we must euer ayme at our marke which is Christ Iesus Thirdly we must forget our ground behinde vs and all those steps we haue troden in it Fourthly we must euer endeuour to that which is before vs. Fiftly we must cast off all impediments in this race Sixtly and lastly let vs consider that when we haue runne heere as fast as we can yet is our reward and crowne in heauen and this will make vs to runne on still When thou shalt enlarge mine heart Some thinke that the Prophet straitned because of his enemies meaneth that if God should graunt him victorie ouer them then his feete should be as hindes feete to runne on in the aboue named way But it is probable he speaketh of that griefe he had at the consideration of Gods wrath for sinne and indeed such sorrowes doe so drawe together the heart that they make a man not onely slowe to doe good but that he cannot moue a foote in this way but if God remoue them and quiet the conscience Rom. 5 1. we are so readie and fit to euery good worke that we will not onely walke in these paths but with great alacritie runne on in the same Nothing can stay vs when that sorrowe is taken from vs no not contempt imprisonment or losse of life THE 5. PORTION ¶ Verse 33. Teach me ô Lord the way of thy statutes and I will keepe it vnto the ende I obserue that in this one octonarie which is not to be found in any of the rest namely that in euery seuerall verse there is a seuerall prayer In the first whereof he prayeth to be taught and then promiseth to take that which God shall teach him He had before resolued to runne in this way but he felt forthwith his owne naturall aberrations and therefore commeth to this guide to be taught Teach me O Lord As the Eunuch in the Acts desires Philip to teach him and a schollet in the schoole his maister to teach him or a stranger in his iourney some guyde to teach him so Dauid heere desires God to teach him It seemes this way is hard to be found by any man and worthie to be found out by all men in which Dauid so often desires to be directed He was no doubt a guide to the blinde an instructâr of the ignorant and a learned scholler in the schoole of Christ but fearing all his owne wayes and hungring after greater knowledge which is as the principall wheele of a clocke to the rest he still beâaketh himselfe vnto prayer Why then shall we thinke that if he haue once gotten a gliâpse of Gods glory reuealed in his word a smaâch of that knowledge manifested in his will a tast of that sweetnes which is in his Lawe or some vnderstanding of that way which leadeth to life we haue enough and are of our selues able tâ behold that glorie apprehend that knowledge relish that sweetnes or runne on in that way O let vs rather say as Dauid doth Teach me ô Lord. Thus the faithfull after God hath liberally bestowed on them great graces ought alwaies to walke in feare and humilitie knowing that they are subiect to many temptations which they are neuer able to resist vnles he that hath begunne his good worke in them doe make them to continue in the same And I will keepe it vnto the ende It is not enough to begin well but we must goe on this is the comeplement of true pietie righteousnesse Is our garment it must be like Iosephs partie coloured coate downe to the heeles not like that of Dauids Ambassadors cut off in the middest It is the Christians sacrifice and God requires not onely the head that is the beginning but also the tayle that is the ending of this sacrifice Remember Lots wife let vs reade that historie least we our selues become an historie ¶ Verse 34. Giue me vnderstanding and I will keepe thy Law yea I will keepe it with my whole heart Giue me vnderstanding c. We thinke that wisedome is only found amongst the politicians of this world that he who can prouide for himselfe preuent his enemie circumuent his friend and see furthest into the affayres of this world he is the man yea the onely wise man But Dauid here thinks that true wisedome is in vnderstanding and keeping the Lawe of God Moses thought so Deutr. 6. Salomon thought so Prou. 1. 6. Iob thought so chapt 28. 28. and hee that is not of this minde shall one day be enforced to say Alas I haue reiected the word of the Lord and what wisedome is in me Isa. 8. If any one therefore doe want this true wisedome let him as Dauid doth and Iames exhorteth all to doe aske it of him who giueth liberally to all men and vpbraydeth none Iames. 1. 6. And I will keepe it with my whole heart As he promised before pââseuerance so he promiseth sinceritie The heart is the Christian sacrifice the fountaine of all both good and euill actions and the principall gift which God beggeth at our hands My sonne giue me thy heart It was once ââ saying of the Bishop of Rome when he would giue licence to our English Catholiques to come vnto our Churches and so be present at our prayers Fili da mihi cor tuum sââssicit Sonne giue me thine heart and it sufficeth but he hath retracted this his teleration now he will haue all or nothing Our God is not like their God our aduersaries being iudges He indeed requireth the heart because if we bestow it on him we will forthwith giue him all the rest Let vs not thinke that any seruice
in that he is the punisher of sinne and rewarder of goodnes we shall haue strength against the temptations which shall be offered to make vs thinke that sinne is not punished and that it is lost labour to serue God and of this argument are many of the Psalmes And this he did at midnight when all things are most fearefull and therefore a fit time to examine our selues in feare and this shewed that his faith was sound seeing he could now praise God His subscription to the righteousnes of Gods iudgements was an argument of his faith for the nature of flesh is to thinke they are rigorous Vers. 63. I am companion of all them that feare thee and keepe thy precepts TO receiue helpe from them and to be helpfull vnto them so Psalme 16. Then if we will make God our portion we will make much of good men for if Dauid did this how much more ought we It is an argument of pride to despise the company of others If thou want knowledge it is to make thee seeke it of them that haue it if thou haue more than others then oughtest thou to bestow it vpon others so that thou oughtest not either for the greatnes of thy knowledge or for the want of knowledge to withdraw thy selfe from the companie of them that feare the Lord. If he loued good companie he hated euill men Pro. 29. for they are abomination one to another as he saith I hate them that hate thee And this is the propertie of a good man Psalme 15 yet this must not stay vs from doing them good in our callings as the Magistrate to the subiect c. As the euill may be in good mens companie yet not companions to them so may the good be with the euill and yet not their companions for we beleeue onely the communion of Saints That feare Here is the description of Gods children first that they feare God which is the foundation of all Prou. 1. and then they that feare God rest not in the iudgement of men but approue themselues to God to doe or to leaue vndone any thing as it pleaseth or displeaseth God This feare bringeth foorth obedience and without this fruite it is but to boast of feare And these men are they that we must be companions vnto Vers 64. The earth O Lord is full of thy mercie teach me thy statutes THe same thing was in the second verse yet after another manner Though the whole earth be full of mercie yet he desireth onely the statutes of God and this is the eight argumeÌt So he saith shew me thy fauour teach me thy statutes part 9. 1â because he made this the chiefest signe of Gods fauour to knowe his word it is an argument that the Lord was his portion Let vs see how oft wee haue made this petition and how vaine our petitions are desiring riches c. he desired not his kingdome so much as this He was a Prophet yet he desireth it and this is it the more wee know the more we must desire to know and neuer make any stay He prayeth chiefly for the teaching of the Spirit without which hee should erre Hee differeth farre in desire from the men of this world for they craue many things before knowledge and if they haue knowledge they rest therein and neuer look nor aske for the teaching of the Spirit Secondly he confirmeth himselfe that the Lord will teach him because his goodnes is ouer all the world hee letteth his Sunne rise on the euill how much more will he graunt the good requests of his children When we would then pray to receiue we must remember all Gods goodnes and wee must desire the teaching of the Spirit so farre as agreeth with the word and not desire the reuelation of the Spirit without the word PORTION 9. TETH Vers. 65. O Lord thou hast dealt gratiously with thy seruant according vnto thy word HE putteth the Lord in minde of his former mercies and so comforteth himselfe For when hee had saide that the Lords goodnes was ouer the earth and that hee also had found the same hereby hee comforteth himselfe in that hee shall receiue more For God is not as man is but take we neuer so much from his treasure there is neuer the lesse and the more hee giueth the readier hee is to giue Hee knewe that Gods gifts are without repentance and that hee is not wearie of weldoing but will finish the thing hee hath begunne and nothing is more forcible to obtaine mercie than to lay his former mercies before him Here are two grounds first if he dealt with him well when he was not regenerate how much more will he now and secondly all the gifts of God shall bee perfectly finished And here is a difference betweene faith and an accusing conscience the accusing conscience is afraid to aske more because it hath abused the former mercies but faith assuring vs that all his benefits are tokens of his fauour bestowed on vs according to his word is bold to aske more accusing our selues of our vnworthines and labouring to come out of our sinnes When he asked according to Gods word he made the word a rule of his prayer which assured him that his prayer should bee heard we must not then abuse Gods mercies least they accuse vs but if wee accuse our selues then let vs see if they haue been giuen according to Gods word and then may we aske new Vers. 66. Teach me good iudgement and knowledge for I haue beleeued thy commaundements HE maketh this prayer oft but we doe not so and therefore the vanitie of our prayers is rebuked which so often aske other things and so seldome aske this Hee was the man of God regenerate therefore he maketh this spiritual request which though carnall men mislike because they caÌnot conceiue of the word yet it is a signe of faith He maketh this prayer though he beleeued because his knowledge was in generals but his practise in particulars therefore if God in the particulars did not direct him he should faile in doing Hereof commeth it that the learnedst men are deceiued in particulars because they rest in their generall knowledge Example of admonition we haue generall rules to teach vs to admonish but when we come to practise in particulars then must we either haue the new grace of God or else we shall faile in the practise If this man that beleeued prayed thus how much more ought they that beleeue not And they that beleeue generally must confesse their blindnesse in particulars and therefore they should pray for it Although ignorance be helped yet it is not altogether cured therfore haue we need to pray Secondly because our knowledge is in generals but practise is in particulars and therein must we haue a new assistance Therefore when wee haue not good successe in our busines wee must not as men are wont lay the fault on this or that but wee must see the cause in our selues
THis shewed first that he prayed against their euill cause secondly that he suffered vniustly first because he suffered for the truth secoÌdly because he behaued himself godly in his cause not vsing vnlawful means And we must look that we haue these things before we pray this prayer first that our cause be good secondly that it be rightly handled therefore heretikes and wicked men cannot make this prayer Dauid was long in this trouble and yet he prouoked them not with euill words but laboured to ouercome their euill with goodnes as Psalm 33. So when we doe them no euill when we haue laboured to doe them good and prayed and fasted for them in patience and long suffering then iâ it be against Gods enemies and their euill causes we may pray this prayer Vers. 86. All thy commandements are true they persecute me fulfâly helpe me HE hath an assured perswasion of the truth of his cause and of the euill vsing of his enemies both which he knoweth by the truth of Gods word this maketh him to stand out in his good cause and to sticke to the truth of Gods word This is a great thing for the diuell will throw into mens minds if this cause were good it should not be persecuted but thou art more precise than needeth c. to this end that if he could once ââing them to doubt of their cause they should leaue suffering for if men bee once perswaded that their cause is euâl or if their cause be good and yet if they know iâ not then can they not suffer for it Therefore if wee will stand in trouble let vs now in peace be assured and grounded in the knowledge of the truth and build vp our selues now in faith and a good conscience For if this be once said to vs of the diuell Thou hast heard much and yet least not profited leaue thy cause betime or else thou wilt shame thy selfe and thy cause toâ then it must be a great thing that will make vs stand Helââ Though he had been long in trouble so that hee was readie to be destroyed yet hee prayeth contrarie to the reason of the flesh This teached that euen in the greatest trouble we may call vpon God and when all helpe seeâeth to be past then is the ââme to be holpen because the wickednes of the wicked is at the full and our âiall is manifest For the lot of the wicked shall not c. Vers. 87. wanteth Vers. 88 Quicken mee according to thy louing kindnes so shall I keepe the testimonie of thy mouth HE sheweth that he was dead and when he desireth to be quickned by louing kindnes he sheweth thât without this there is no quickening for there is no ãâã I will keep He that kept them before yet in weakenes and his afflâction did somewhat hinder him as Psal. 17. Deliuer me from the affliction c. therfore he ãâã to keepe them better For troble hindreth the course of obedience and maketh vs ââget many things which wee haue learned Then what a benefit haue wee which now are in quiet and haue our libertie Without louing kindnes there is no quickening He playeth to be deliuered that he may keepe Gods commandements and this is the âight end of this prayer ââther to be deliuered out of the present euill or to be preserued from it We doe ââââ pray to be preserued wee pray for our Queene c. But iâ it be not to this end we ãâã nothing from beasts This was the end of Dauid in his prosperitie Psalm 23. and this was his ende why hee would bee deliuered from trouble that hee might dwell in Gods house a long season For it was his griefe that hee could not glorifie God Hee desireth to bee quickened to keepe Gods commandements then what are wee that are as dead men when wee heare and pray PORTION 12. LAMED Vers. 89. O Lord thy word endureth for euer in heauen THis part sheweth the comforts that staied him in his trouble his eyes fainted yet hee sawe Gods word to endure for euer in heauen And this is his saith which when hee sawe no helpe in earth yet could lift vp his heart to heauen And hee noteth the weaknes of his enemies that though they had almost made an end of Gods SaiÌts in earth yet they cannot take the word out of heauen which is the seate therof This must comfort vs when persecution waxeth hot so that wee might say with ãâã I am ââââ aloâe yet the Lord keepeth his word in heauen from whence hee will send it to another place In the confidence hereof Dauid crieth Psalm 2. Why doe c. and in the death of Christ the Sauiour of the world seemed to be dead so that they mocked him He saued others yet Gods word was in heauen and Christ became a Sauiour to them that beleeued When the children of Israel were brought low in Egypt yet Gods word in heauen was true and they returned to the promised land When the Iewes were translated to Babylon so that all hope of returne was taken away yet Daniel and other knewe the word was in heauen that after 70 yeeres they should returne This is true in particular persons as Iob Dauid Ezechias and others being brought very low yet through hope of Gods word which is in heauen they looked for deliueraÌce though they saw no helpe in earth This is good for vs to lay vp against trouble to come and this comforted Bradford Rogers c. which said God would bring his word from heauen to this land againe And because wee cannot see heauen though we must beleeue it by faith which is of things not seene therfore he sheweth that it may be seene in earth Thy truth indureth from generation to generation c. though all things vnder the Sun be changeable yet Gods truth is one for euer Heauen and earth shall passe Matth. 24. and Luk. 21. This generation shall not passe where vnder Ierusalem he setteth out the state of the world till the last day For as the Iewes did not receiue the true Christ so they were deceiued with a false and when they would not looke to cure their soules the Lord sent famine warre and pestilence to consume their bodies and as they would finde no place in their soules for his word so the Lord would leaue them no place in that good land And thus shall the word continue throughout all generations For wheresoeuer the Lord hath a number of his thither hee will send his word to worke in them faith and repentance and so to strengthen them that they shal neuer fall And as for all the rest the Lord will trie them with his word and when they shall be found not to receiue the truth in loue they shall be giuen vp to beleeue lyes afterward loue shall waxe cold and then iniquitie shall preuaile so that the Lord shall bee constrained to send famine and pestilence with which they shall bee exercised till
who truely knoweth God should fall downe before an image Lactantius said well Non dubium est quin nulla sit tbireligio vbi simulacrum est How shall they call vpon him whom they haue not beleeued how shall they beleeue on them which are no Gods but the worke of mens hands I am thine This indeed is an excellent motiue to drawe from the Lord helpe in trouble I am thine thine by creation I was made by thee thine by adoption I was assigned ouer to thee thine by donation I was giuen to thee thine by marriage I was espoused to thee thine by redemption I was purchased by thee thine by stipulation I haue vowed my selfe vnto thee Saue me for I am thine Then 1 God hath especiall care of his 2. he aboue the rest hath regard of his annoynted 3. a sinner may be Gods child nay vnlesse a sinner first not Gods at all The whole haue no need of the Physitian but such as are sicke 4. none can truely call vpon God but such as are perswaded they belong to God 5. a man may nay he must be perswaded that he is Gods childe 2. Cor. 13. 5. Omnis anima saith one est aut sponsa Christi aut adultera diabols Euery soule is either the spouse of Christ or the diuels strumpet He will not be his owne he must not be the diuels he dares not be the worlds he is Gods owne childe he will not serue two maisters In this seruice is true libertie to be Gods sonne is the truest nobilitie We thinke the Barbarians seelie people who in many places of the world preferre iron or leade or some base mettall before gold but as for such amongst vs as make gold their God wee thinke them wise men seest thou a man wise after this sort there is more hope of a Barbarian then of him For I haue sought thy precepts Many signes there be and trials of our adoption as Rom 8. 15. I he spirit witnesseth to our spirits that we are the children of God and Ioâ 3. 14 by this we knowe that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren And Ioh. 8. 47. He that is of God heareth Gods words But to seeke out the knowledge of Gods will and to practise it in life and conuersation this is the very badge of Gods childe Reade but this one Psalme and you shall finde Dauid many times protesting his loue to Gods lawe promising his obedience to Gods commandements praying for knowledge of Gods will and valuing this treasure aboue all the treasures of the earth Seeke them to knowe knowe to remember remember to beleeue beleeue to practise and you shall be blessed in your deed It is curiositie to seeke onely to knowe or at least to knowe that which is aboue our knowledge it is pietie to seeke to knowe and doe those things which belong to the peace of conscience and pure conuersation ¶ Vers. 95. The wicked haue waited for me to destroy me but I will consider thy testimonies HE prayed before that God would saue him had he not need thinke you when the wicked waited to destroy him thus this and the former verse haue their coherence Here then he complaineth against his aduersaries and protesteth notwithstanding his recourse to Gods word He describeth his aduersaries by their names calling them wicked ones 2. by their diligence they lay waite 3 by their malice they waite to destroy him For the first the hebrew word translated wicked if the letters be transposed signifieth a rich man because it is hard to finde goods and goodnes riches and righteousnes in one person and I thinke that Salomon calleth riches the treasures of iniquitie Prou. 10. 2. not onely because they are gathered by badde meanes but also because often their owners are bad men These wicked persons strangers from the wombe the sonnes of men the children of Beliall scoffing Ishmaels parasiticall Doegs persecuting Sauls Dauid often complaineth of in this Psalme as veres 23. 52. 61. 69 78 85. 87. 110 241. 157 261. and here and in many other Psalmes And surely not without cause for many were these euill spirits that vexed him his brother Eliab accused him of pride Goliah the Philistine despised him to his face Saul the King hunted him as a partridge Doeg the Edomite slandered him to his Lord Absolon his sonne draue him out of his kingdome Achitophel his counsellor counselled against him Mâchoâ his wife contemned him in her heart Shemey his subiect rayled on him in his miserie Nabal the Charmelite played the churle with him and they that did eate of his breade and were entertained as friends became in the ende his vtter enemies and all because the Lord loued him and he followed that which good was When Caine and Abel can agree in one field Ishmael and Izaak in one house Iakob and Esau in one wombe then shall the wicked and godly agree together not before see Prou 29. 29. It is the nature of the wicked to be opposite to the good and persecutors of the godly therefore are they compared to Lions Beares Tygers Bulls Serpents Adders Archers and Foulers the godly man is the Partridge they the Hauke 1. let the Hauke all her lifetime sit vpon her Lords fist yet when she dies she is but cast vpon the dunghill let the Partridge be chased all the daies of her life yet after her death she shal be brought in a siluer dish to her Lords table Yet knowe that if thou oppose thy selfe against the godly thou art to be reputed but a wicked man Waited They were vigilant diligent and wise to doe hurt neuer did Cat so waite for the mouse or Wolfe for the sheepe or Lion for the Lambe or Hauke for Partridge or Fouler for Bird or the Souldier for his enemies as they waited for him they bent their bowe they made readie their arrowes vpon the string that they might secretly shoote at him that was vpright of heart Dauid complaineth of this so may wee Dauid prouided for these so ought we and though they waite day and night and lay all kindes of battes that can be yet in the ende Dauid hath the best for in the name of the Lord he shall destroy them This is our comfort waite they may but they can doe no more Luke 22. 31. For me Dauid had many followers in the time of his troubles yet his aduersaries aymed especially at his life Strike say they the Shepheard and the sheepe shal be scattered Stub vp the roote and the branches will wither chop off the heade and the members will perish if Dauid be once gone who shall resist Thus the worthiest Princes grauest counsellors and most vigilant Ministers haue euer beene the marke of wicked Archers Thus like the King of Aram they say 2. Chron 18. 31. Fight you not with small or great but against the King of Israel onely Experience wee haue had of this in the daies of our gracious Queene Elizabeth
the steadinesse stilnesse and mildnesse of our minde in that wee will not dispute with reason against any thing in our regeneration I see that many that wil not deliuer themselues and their reasons to be captiuated vnto the truth and refuse to beleeue the mysticall power of the Gospel are in time carried away by foule and effectuall illusions For there are many who hearing in the word of the wonderful creation redemption and preseruation of man and of the matter of the SacrameÌts cannot beleeue them yet afterwards goe to witches and to be caught of the diuell which they cannot vnlesse they professe and practise an euill faith so that they which will no profit by the truth will suffer themselues to be deluded The other kinde of euill in my diuision was of things not apparantly euill As in times past we were carefull for nothing more then with libertie of minde to vse the creatures of God so now adayes nothing is lesse to be taught because loose libertie and licentiousnes serue so for the flesh and we do not by our libertie serue one another in loue We can say outward things are lawful euery man obiecteth outward things cannot desile a man I answere that when outward liberty bringeth inward bondage and the pretence of outward things lawfull hinder the necessary inward things they be made vnlawfull All things are vnlawfull saith Paul but I will not be brought vnder the bondage of any thing Well howsoeuer wee pretend this lawfull vse of outward things which in their owne natures are the good creatures to cloake our wantonnesse withal let vs know that the wickednesse beginneth in wantonnesse and wantonnesse endeth in wickednesse because it is the way of a dangerous downfall of our soules For either the Lord will punish it with present and temporall punishment or else will cast vs into some great sinnes hereafter And though I will not affirme that euery wanton young man is a meere wicked man yet I dare affirme that wantonnesse is the way to further euill Besides this am I sure of wantonnesse maketh vs vnapt to good workes it takes away the comfort of Gods spirit the ioye of the word the sweetnesse of prayer and of the Sacraments Againe as it is certaine that wantons pray not meditate not nor doe any good thing aright because that sinne desireth all euill and hindereth all good things so if the word would teach vs sinne we would learne it if it make for our good wee cannot learne it And that wee may see to how many euils youth and wantonnesse be subiect reade Galath 6. 1. Cor. 6. Eccl. 11. Psal. 25. Iob. 14. Ierem. 21. So now we know what is the meaning of the man of God in this word euill way that is that which is occasion of euill We can say in worldly things because the way is dangerous through ditches theeues pits or such like Oh that the same minde were in vs to preuent the perils of our soules Our Sauiour Christ taught vs that if our eye offend vs we should pull it out if our hand or foote offend vs we should cut them off the meaning whereof is that we should not indeed shred them off but resraine from the corrupt vsing of them and turne them to a better vse We haue shewed hitherto how carefully the man of God vsed the meanes to godlines and also how carefull hee was to auoide all occasions of euill Wee must not then thinke christianity to bee so small a thing if as lingerers wee make such friuolous excuses that it is hard to be a good man we shall surely neuer come to so high a dignitie We haue also shewed that vnles we labour to deny our selues we shall neuer buckle our selues after the graces of God Vers. 102. I haue not declined from thy iudgements for thou diddest teach me AS if he should say I haue seene and obserued that whosoeuer did resraine from euill they were wiser than their enemies they became more learned than their teachers and proued grauer than the ancient and that they which did not resraine were greatly punished plagued and trodden downe and as thou hast punished some so wilt thou also punish others wherefore I haue not declined from thy iudgements Was there euer towne people or person which truly beleeued in Iesus Christ in whose life and death did not appeare plentifully Gods mercy And contrarily how haue the vnbeleeuers bin giuen ouer to hardnes of heart and a reprobate minde many plagues wars and other iudgements of God to them incident Old Protestants are now become rustie because they made no account of Gods word in their youth Esau lost his Birth-right for a messe of pottage hee sought it afterwards with teares but could not haue it whose prophanesse grew by pleasures We see many wanton men to come to fearefull ends and silthie adulteries who beginning to condemne the word fell to spending from spending to rioting from riot to adulterie from that to theft and from stealing to death If we will obserue godly discipline we must first learne Gods doctrine if wee will learne his iudgements we must learne his mercie We attribute too much to fortune to fatall destinies to charmings and such like but no man doth looke vp to the hand of God wherein we take his name in vaine in not vsing aright his iudgements Thou hast taught me that is thou hast besides the ministeriall preaching giuen me an extraordinarie knowledge of thy iudgements Many knowe much who notwithstanding cannot profit by Gods iudgements So that the briefe and plaine meaning of the Prophet is thus much in effect O Lord I haue not had this knowledge in and of my selfe but I receiued it of thy Holy spirite it was thy mercie and thy grace that made mee knowe thy iudgements The man of God then sheweth vs in this verse that hee did alwayes set the iudgements of God before him what made him then so carefull to doe them the considering of them in his mind the occupying his eies to marke them the vsing of his eares to heare how God performed his promises to the obedient executed his fearefull threatnings on the wicked A thing than which nothing is worthie of greater meditation We heare often with our eares but with little profit the glorious promises and wonderfull vengeance of the Lord what is commaunded and what is forbidden but when we consider and see before our eyes how the Lord hath performed these things we are humbled from sinne comforted to obedience This is it that breeds triall proofe experience to see how the Lord hath in his mercy dealt with Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph Dauid his faithful seruants and how he hath plagued the Egyptians the Sodomites the olde world and other of his enemies Thy iudgements of old O Lord saith Dauid haue I considered Wee shall neuer effectually obserue the iudgements of old vnlesse we obserue the iudgements of God of late For
our selues in meditation and that this depriueth vs of much profit herein in that we doe not appoint some certaine time for meditation moderating other things of our ordinary callings making a conscience sometimes to refraine from our common speeches So our vnderstanding our iudgement our will to practise will be bettered If then at our tables in our beds at our worke we would redeeme some time to reade to pray or to conferre wee should finde wonderfull profit and walking in earthly things we should haue heauenly mindes Vers. 104. By thy precepts I haue gotten vnderstanding therefore I hate all the wayes of falsehood AS in the beginning of this part the Prophet of God protesteth his loue to the word so now in the end he sheweth his hatred to the contrarie This then as we haue partly set down before more largely by Gods grace shall shew hereafter is a true token of loue to the word wheÌ we either hate falsehood in religion or corruptioÌ in manners We are then to looke into our hearts to see if we hate Poperie and heresie if there bee in vs an hatred against blaspheming of the name of God against adulterie false dealing and such like For we cannot loue the true worship but we must hate heresie we caÌnot loue Gods name and yet not hate the abusers of it wee cannot loue chastitie and true dealing but we must hate adulterie and vnrighteousnesse But if wee feele our selues to be indifferent persons and come what come may we care not greatly vndoubtedly wee are of no religion For if thou doest not hate an Atheist thou louest not God if thou hatest not heresie thou doest not loue Gods law if thou hatest not adulterie thou art not truly chast if thou hatest not false dealing thou art vnrighteous We see heretiks neuer hate one another because none of them loue the trueth for the Papists can be content with the Familie of loue and the Family of loue with them Wherfore we see that many doe falsely pretend religion chastity and true dealing Note here in that he saith I haue gotten vnderstanding by thy word as though his vnderstanding was the cause of his zealous hatred of the false worship What is the cause then that men doe not hate euill in greater measure because they bee ignorant and knowe nothing Indeede noueltie displeaseth them a little but when they be somewhat acquainted with that which is taught them they will like it well enough Why doe we hand ouer head take any religion euen because we haue not gotten vnderstanding Why doth heresie get such easie entertainment with many of vs because we are vnconstant and borne away with euery blast as witnesse Peter and Iude and because wee are not fast rooted in knowledge as is mentioned Ephes. 4. Many in our countrie are stiffe in heresie because they were neuer sound in iudgement they were euer inconstant they were neuer rooted in Iesus Christ and therefore were carried away with euery puffe of vaine doctrine Some indeede as we haue said before fall for lacke of good conscience but some neuer come so farre because they heard not or else heard very negligently and therefore whosoeuer shall now come and blow an illusion in their eare he shall be heard How shall we know an enemie he commeth vnder the cloake of loue and is couered with the vizard of honestie but his vnderstanding faileth his iudgement is corrupt In that it is here saide all the wayes of falsehood we must note that we are to growe from knowledge to knowledge from faith to faith from glorie to glorie that growing in godly vnderstanding we may grow also in hatred of falsehood This verse may seeme to haue some contrarietie with the verse a little going before where he saith I haue abstained from euerie euill that I might keepe thy law but indeede there is none because no true mortification both here and in that place is required an hatred auoyding of euill Wee must knowe that the way to make good things frâââte is the way to feele euill thing sowre As when thou art grieued to feele thine eye an occasion of euill or euill thoughts to bee in thine heart with bitternes and vexation of spirit thou must striue against them and God will giue thee strength to striue not onely without constraint but also of a loue of good and a hatred of euill The first way then vnto righteousnes is wear somââes of sinne and to striue against it though with great trouble because the more we vexe torment and disquiet our selues the more we shall come to the loue of good and then the hatred of sinne will growe of it selfe If then a man cannot finde this hatred of sinne in him hee must labour to auoide all occasions that hinder his vnderstanding of the truth as distractions troubles of minde and vse all meanes to grow in knowledge as reading hearing conferring and such like For our not profiting in knowledge is our not profiting in hating of heresies and our âot hating of heresie is a token of our not profiting in knowledge When we heare then if our hearing doe not worke in vs a loue of the truth and hatred of the contrarie wee haue not profited in knowledge but if we grow in knowledge we shall knowe it by profiting in the loue of the truth and in the hatred of falsehood Wee haue shewed how in the former portion the man of God testifying his affection to Gods law and concluding with his hatred to the contrarie intermiâgieth his reasons that because he found by experience that the word of God made him wiser then his enemies than his teachers and the aged and did preserue him from euery euill way therefore he found such comfort in it that no naturall thing was so liking to his outward man as this was to his inward man PORTION 14. NVN. Vers. 105 Thy word is a lantorne vnto my feete and a light vnto my path THis portion following is a prayer to the Lord to bee further instructed in the word of God and to haue his affections thereby more reformed The reasons which hee vseth bee three the first is his faith in the word in that he made account of it to be the onely meanes whereby he should be directed in all his wayes and this is contained in the first verse of the portion Thy word is a lantorne vnto my feete and a light vnto my steps or path The second is his constant purpose to perseuere in the obedience of Gods word in the verse following I haue sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements The third is his miserable calamitie wherein he was which constrained him to pray which appeareth in the next verse I am very sore afflicted O Lord quicken me according to tâây word These things are afterwards shewed in the verses following as his faith in Gods lawe in the two last and his calamity
in the first and sixt verses with prayer couched in the middest of the portion It is a marueilous strange thing that one thing should bee so often repeated as this to commend still Gods law and to pray still to be taught in the same This proceedeth from the comfort which he felt in the word and from the fight of the corruption of his owne heart and is commended to vs in writing to shew vs our corruption and to labour for the like fruite Wherfore seeing experience hath taught vs thus much we must learne that we can neither see the comfort of our seeking after God nor our calamitie and miserie to be deliuered out of it vnlesse we pray with the Prophet for the right knowledge of the law of God so that we are much to thanke our God that he giueth vs in another such a fight of our owne corruption As in the first verse there is a notable commendation of the word so is there also a singular declaration of his faith Thy word O Lord is a lantorne to my feete and a light vnto my path This seemeth to all men to haue been learned long agoe and belched out in time of Poperie and that it is no new thing but a saying very well knowne but when we looke into the seuerall practises of men which is the righteous iudge of all mens iudgements wee shall finde men to be farre from any inward faith shewed in such fruits This made the Prophet to sweare in that he saw on one side his happines so great in the word the corruption of his heart on the other side And in meditating day and night in Gods law and considering his righteous iudgements he saith in trueth Thy word is a lanterne c. If we will looke into our selues we shall finde that those things which seeme to be most easily beleeued are furthest from faith and that things most easie to be learned are furthest from practise True it is that euery man will say Who will not beleeue this what a beast were he that would denie the truth of Gods word But alas our carelesse reading our rare meditating our cold praying and praising of God for his word our seldome conference of the word will testifie against vs in time to come that we neuer truely beleeued We must first looke and note our selues and then we shall profit somewhat more The man of God opposeth here the word to mans wisedom which he had meÌtioned in the verse going before as light is contrarie to darknes For as in darknes we cannot goe safely without the light of a lanterne or such like euen so are we in ignorance and rebellion if we be not continually guided by the word of God and his Spirit This then is a further thing how durst blind bayards be so bold who liuing in the darknes of Egypt thinke they are in the light and being vnable to discerne betweene persumption and despayre betweene promises and threatnings betweene things streightly commanded voluntarily done suppose themselues to be sharpe sighted Nay we shall finde these fruites to be but in few It is said Matth. 22. 23. The light of the body is the eye if then thine eye be single thy whole body shall be light 23. But if thine eye be wicked then all thy body shall be darke Where our Sauiour Christ borroweth his speech from the senses of the body and translateth it to the powers of the soule For as euery part of the body is lightsome whilest the eye seeth so a man being inlightened with the word and the Spirit hauing his eyes alwaies to heauen hath his affections aright and on the contrarie as all things are lothsome to that bodie which for want of the eyes is wholy darkened so a man sitting in the darknes of ignorance hauing his mind wholy set on earthly things hath his affections disordered Now that there is no light in vs but all is darknes in our soules the Apostle Peter doth plainely shew it 2. Pet. 1. 19. We haue a most sure word of the Prophets to the which ye doe well that ye take heede as to a sure light in a darke place c. Where he commending the Christians for their care of the word sheweth that it is a light in the darke and teacheth vs that how much knowledge we haue so much we are in good affections Also Paul Ephes 4. 17. 18 saith I testifie in the Lord that ye henceforth walke nât as other Gentiles walke in the vanitie of their minde 18. Hauing their cogitation darkened and being strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them c. Where he sheweth that the man vnregenerate hath his minde vnderstanding and heart corrupt and blinde in that life which God liueth in his and that as the man which seeth being in darknes or in light the blind man gropeth vncertainely euen so all our doing are endlesse and headlesse which are without the light of knowledge Shall we thinke now that euery man beleeueth this to be true No for if they did they would doe otherwise If they felt this in affection in any measure would they not come out of their prison to the liberty of Gods saints would they not auoid the darkenesse to see the bright sunne What a follie were it for a man who hauing scales and gleamy diseases on his eyes might be cured and will not This is a double fault that when men may know they will lie in errours and ignorance and when they may be conuerted they will dwell still in Heresie Oh what a thing is this wilfullie to remaine in darkenesse and to sleepe at the hearing of the word when the Lord giueth them a lanterne for their feete and offereth knowledge and yet to be no better than the stockes they sit on If it pleased the Lord who giueth vnderstanding to the ignorant and draweth light out of darkenesse to reueale the light into their darke coÌsciences they should know that when light came vnto them they refused it and that they are louers of darknes more than of light But he that worketh all things mightily iâ all men must shew this light vnto their darkenes because they that are in hell thinke on none other heauen they that lie in vnrighteousnes thinke of no other righteousnesse and sitting in the vallies of death they remember none other life We must therefore pray that the Lords glorious light of the gospel may open the eyes of their consciences and let euery man examine his owne heart that he may pray to haue his iudgement cleared by the true knowledge of the word and his affections renewed to the due obedience of the same For how much knowledge wee haue so much light haue we and looke how much we lie in ignorance so much we lie in darknes Wee know but in part when we are at the highest in this life how great then is that darkenes
when we know not so much as the word may instruct vs in When a man seeth as much in a Papist as in a blocke let him consider that as little as the care is which we haue of the word and as small as our conscience is in the obedience of the same so little is his light in heauenly things Yea though we haue knowledge and liue not after it we are yet in darkenes wee grope as it were a farre off who hauing knowledge haue no conscience A saying that may touch vs to the quicke that wee are but hauing a glimmering light as Paul had in the outward man at his conuersion or being as purblinde men not hauing our eyes cleane out nor our sight cleere when we haue knowledge and labour not to build vertue vpon vertue If then thou hast not a care to profite by the word thou hast a darke sight and a glimmering light there is a shadowe before thine eyes thou canst not discerne chalke from cheese No maruaile then why so few are sharpe sighted in the word sith either we know little or knowing somewhat we practise nothing Againe as if wee haue gone some part of the iourney in light and yet passe the other in darkenes it is very dangerous likewise in regeneration though wee haue spent some part of our life in the obedience of true knowledge and in the residue of our life do not escape the willnes of the flesh we cannot without dangerous darknes hold forth our course in the Spirit If we mingle light and darknes together and confound the world and the Church the wisedome of God and the inuentions of man we doe not as yet truly obey nor walke in the light of the word For as whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne and whatsoeuer is not in the light is darknes so whatsoeuer is not done according to the light of knowledge is done in the darknes of ignorance In all our affaires then we must learne to aske counsell of the word Here then is a good comfortable doctrine also that wee are so much in darknes as in whole or in part we be in ignorance so whether in part or in whole wee be warranted by the word of God for our doing so farre we haue a guide we haue a load-starre a lanterne and a sure light as Peter witnesseth to conduct vs. The Papists then are here confuted which say the word containeth hard things wee graunt indeed that there are many mysteries in the word of God and that the testimonies of the Lord are wonderfull especiallie in the doctrine of saluation and to a naturall man yet there be many things easie to a man regenerate and the very entrance into them giueth light to the blinde and to them which are lowly in their owne eyes It is our great corruption that when wee know in part we are as they that haue a glimmering sight of their way and therefore least they should bee accounted starke blinde refuse a leader But although wee see as in a glasse in part and in measure yet as a man may follow if he be not blinde the light of the lanterne so we may come to knowledge vnles wee shut our eyes at the truth We may therefore as safely for the soules health follow the light of the word as we may for the safegard of our body follow the light of a lanterne The way of saluation prescribed in the word is an high plaine and heaten way if anie thing hinder vs therevnto it is the curse and our sinne in that wee are not carefull to be directed For surely this is the word to open our vnderstanding yea though wee be borne blinde if you doe not willingly shut your eyes But wee must note that Gods word is a lanterne when Gods spirit worketh thereby for whilest we goe about the bare and literall sense it is no otherwise then if a blinde man should reade or a man hauing sight should put a vaile before his eyes Wherfore the man of God praieth port 17. 5. Direct my steppes in thy worde c. and vers 7. Shew the light of thy countenaunce vpon thy seruant teach mee thy statutes Why then do we so little profit by the word because we thinking that of our selues we can conceiue aright doe not pray to be taught by God his spirit For as no man seeth or can see what is in man but the spirit of man that which he vttereth with his tongue no more can we see what is in GOD but being taught by the spirit of God and his word Wherefore the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 2. 20. God hath reuealed them vnto vs by his spirit for the spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God 11. for what man knoweth the things of a man but the spirit of a man which is in him euen so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God Flesh and blood as our Sauiour witnesseth to Peter cannot reueale the things of our saluation vnto vs but the spirit of God And why then are we yet so vnprofitable surely because we are not guiltie of our owne infirmities and we see not the darkenesse and blindnesse which is in vs or if wee see it wee feele not our selues pressed with the miserable captiuitie and bondage wherein it holdeth our soules This sight made the Prophet so often vse this prayer Teach me true iudgement teach me true vnderstanding teach me thy statutes c. All which repetitions might otherwise haue seemed to haue bin a vaine babling had he not vsed such a narrow sight of his inward corruptions with a desire to be deliuered from them which may condemne vs of our darknes and teach vs that there is no light in vs but by the word Many indeed are of a modest spirit and haue some sight of their ignorance yet they haue not a feeling of their miserie in particular things and doe not examine themselues in euery particular thing what it is to be in darkenes and therefore as we haue said doe no more desire to be enlightned and gouerned by another than he that hauing a slender eye-sight hardly discerning his way refuseth to haue a guide as though he were blinde And though the Lord often shineth vpon vs and maketh vs guilty of our blindnes yet we doe not see how loathsome yrksome and vncomfortable a thing darkenes is nor how pleasant amiable and comfortable a thing light is although we confesse in generall that we haue not the light but are in darkenes The want of seeing the monstrous vglines of this palpable darkenesse maketh vs dull in prayer for the light of Gods spirit Wherefore we must desire that that may be stricken into our consciences which we haue in iudgement that is that we may see how amiable glorious and heauenly a thing it is to be enlightned with Gods light and how horrible a thing it is to be plunged in the darkenes
that though the wicked seemed to haue an happie time for a while yet through Gods secret curse they had a fearefull end and though Gods children were tried with many troubles yet through Gods secret blessings they had happie issues Thus saith he Was I so foolish and ignorant and as a beast before thee whiles by mine owne wit and reason I would goe about to search out thy secret iudgements Yet saith hee I was alway with thee thou hast holden mee by my right hand and howsoeuer it went with the wicked my faith in thy prouidence did assure me that thou diddest watch ouer me and wouldest not finally forsake me Whom haue I in heauen but thee and I haue desired none in the earth but thee Though my flesh should pine away and I should consume yet am I perswaded that thou wilt not forsake me they goe a whoring and thou destroiest them but as for me it is good that I trust in thee that is let all the world fall from thee yet I see their end shall be fearefull and therefore I will still trust and stay on thee Marke what word he vseth to paint forth mistrust in God he calleth it to goe a whoring we know what a grieuous thing it is for a woman to prostitute herselfe to a baude so monstrous a thing it is to giue our trust to any but to God Wherfore we must fight against the corruptions of the world not by the sight of reason but by looking into the glasse of Gods word Let vs search then which be the promises of God to stirre vs vp to doe good which be his threatnings to make vs afraide of sinne what examples we haue of good men that wee may follow them what examples of euil to auoide them For here be the pictures of good men here bee the liuely anatomies of the godly here wee may take delight in beholding them Let vs discerne by the word who are true worshippers who are Idolaters Let vs look what rules the Lord doth giue in his word to know the truth and in whom it is to discerne heresies and in whom they be Then wee shall see that this man is sound in religion and carefull of a good life the Lord is his God this man is voide of true knowledge and breaketh the law of the Lord therfore vndoubtedly God is far from him This man though his knowledge be vnperfect yet he loueth to learne the truth this man is a good companion for me that man is an vnbeleeuer and trusteth not in God I will not therfore meddle with him Well now we haue learned that we neuer cleaue wholy vnto God vntill all the corruptions of the world be not able to dismay vs but rather being stayed and established on the word of God we know assuredly that the Lord wil not be among the wicked We haue bin taught that if we will truely beleeue in God we must beleeue in him according to his word otherwise he is but an Idoll vnto vs or a false God framed vnto vs after the imagination of our owne hearts And if we will truly discerne betweene good men and euill wee must not iudge them by our owne reason the common opinion of men or according to their prosperitie and aduersitie for so the world cannot perceiue who be Gods children because the wicked often flourish and Gods children are vexed but we must look into the word and see there how God setteth himselfe against the wicked and promiseth to bee neare at hand to his saints This may commend vnto vs what a necessary thing the study of the Scriptures is which teach vs to know God and his true worshippers for otherwise we shall iudge heretikes to be true worshippers and count wicked men honest Vers. 116. Stablish mee according to thy free promise that I may liue and let mee not bee disappointed of mine hope HEre the man of God desireth that the Lord would keepe him safe and sure and that he would confirme him and strengthen him in his word where we see he prayeth for a thing meÌtioned before Faith is not a sleeping thing lying dead in vs but it is quick and is nourished by the word For Gods children doe not so beleeue but that they are often troubled with vnbeliefe yea the Lord doth often suffer them to see their vnbeleefe in themselues to striue against it We see here how the man of God felt some wauering in himselfe he was not alwaies in one estate his faith was not euer at one stay his beliefe had some vnbeliefe with it and beleeuing he was afraid of himself Thus we know Gods childreÌ are such as do not presume but they suspect themselues thinke humbly of themselues which maketh them often to pray that they may be confirmed to perseuere For when we begin to be secure and to thinke too well of our selues then we cast off prayer and lay aside all trust in Gods word so that God casteth vs off for our pride and Sathan is readie to beguile vs. We must not then satisfie our selues if we beleeue but our faith must make vs to grow in feare to be more carefull to please and more grieued to displease God wee must desire of God to haue his promises coÌfirmed and ratified in vs because we are in a very slippery estate For as a man walking on slippery ice and not heedfull to his steps nor fearing himselfe is most readie to fall so we in this world vnlesse we looke very circumspectly to our selues are in great danger of sliding down So fickle and fraile is the world that in euery place we may take a fall and as they which are on an high hill and steepe are in perill of falling down so in the world which hath such a downefall vnlesse wee be very wary and stay our selues on Gods word we are most ready to slippe We may see in former times how the deare Saints of God haue fallen through securitie and for want of this feare of themselues Noah though a man preserued from the corruptions of the olde world was beguiled of Sathan for presuming in his own strength Lot also through his corruptioÌ and Sathans policy was deceiued not suspecting himselfe WheÌ Dauid had not this feare but hoped that he was sure as he thought Psal. 30. he should neuer be remooued hee fell fouly and yet so deceitfull that hee could not see his fall in the space of an whole yeere Wee see then how hard a thing it is to keepe on our course in this world and that it is the mightie power of God as witnesseth Peter in his former Epistle that wee are kept in the faith Wee are not our owne guardians we are not able to take the gouernment of our selues nay our Sauiour Christ saide that if it were possible the very elect should bee deceiued so great is the power of the world the subtiltie of the flesh and guilesulnesse of the diuell But because they be
care herein as they do who neuer can content themselues in carking and caring when they are to bring in the fruites of the whole yeare in their haruest Many would thinke that this praier of the man of God is superfluous but if they truly knew their owne decaies of faith and shrinking in obedience they would not suspect this Psalme of any needlesse repetition but would acknowledge that it is the wonderfull wisedome and goodnesse of Gods Spirit so to prouide for our vnbeleefe and disobedience And as the holy ghost doth here set down the glasse of regeneration and teacheth vs how to pray for the continuance of our obedience and strength of faith so we must so behold our corruptions therein as from henceforth we may haue a greater iealousie of our selues in them both We learned in these two prayers how contrary to the doctrine of the Sophisters hee craued knowledge not of desert or merite but of grace and mercie Where we are to remember that when we are to craue of God any new mercie to be receiued or perseuerance in some mercy alreadie receiued we must say with the man of God Deale with thy seruant according vnto thy mercie Now in that he doubled as we may see his request he sheweth the great necessitie of it and that the mysterie of faith is great This is a thing that much deceiueth many when we thinke that we haue eyes and can see into matters as farre as other men we haue eares and can heare as much as another man can doe we haue as good wits and reason we can conceiue and iudge of a thing as soone and as well as other men commonly doe Here is a great iudgement of God that we cannot acknowledge our dulnes and deadnes and that we cannot attaine vnto the mightie power of the word as we ought to doe for wanâ of this we become so fruitlesse in reading and in hearing because we cannot truly vnderstand what we reade or heare we gather one thing here and another thing there we gather many things falsely and often finde fault with the deliuerie of the word when the fault is in our selues in that we neuer suspect our selues our reason nor iudgement The children of God must be iealous ouer their owne affections must know that there is no such naturall thing in them but that all is the gift of God We are here then to learne continually to pray that our iudgement may be enlightened with the true vnderstanding of the word and our affections renewed into the due obedience of the same If we should see in how many things our reason erreth and our affections wauer in vs we should surely acknowledge that there are no superfluities in this Psalme For vntill we be fully acquainted with the dulnesse of our hearts we shall not see our necessitie in vsing the like prayers but he that seeth the blindnesse of his minde and corruptions of his heart and desireth nothing more than to become a new man in Iesus Christ and to learne nothing more than Iesus Christ crucified howsoeuer others perswade themselues of more mysticall knowledge without this in truth knowing nothing he will count all other knowledge but lothsome and as dung in respect of the doctrine of regeneration whereby he is become a new man in Christ. For it is a greater blessing where this knowledge doth abound and other gifts are in lesse measure than where this is but small though in many other gifts we doe abound For euery man must not be learned euery man is not to trauell in the profound mysteries of the Scriptures but euery one had neede to be humbled and we being all destitute of grace had neede to be taught of God as children that being spirituall we may iudge our selues that the Lord will not iudge vs and howsoeuer we thinke of our selues now when the Lord shall take from vs the darknesse of our hearts and the mists of our affections we shall espie our dulnes and blindnes to be very great Vers. 126. It is time for thee Lord to worke for they haue destroyed thy law AFter the man of God in the verses going before had praied for himselfe now he commeth to pray against his enemies after he had prayed for ease of his trouble which he had amoÌgst his enemies when he himself in the meane time had deserued well of them and had prayed that his knowledge might be ratified both in the law and Gospel of God he now commeth sheweth a reason why he would the Lord should so do with him euen because of the generall flood of iniquitie and vniuersall corruption both in religion and maners as knowing that it was now high time to keep and to be taught the statutes testimonies of the Lord to be confirmed both in obedience faith because happy were they that now could beleeue the law and keep the couenants when on no side one might finde examples of the one or of the other His meaning then briefly is this O Lord seeing there is no further place left for prayer for them seeing I haue executed iudgement and iustice euen to the failing of mine eyes seeing for all that I can do or say they wax worse worse and whereas before they had some reuerence of thy iudgements and now they are growne to the contempt and confounding of thy law seeing mercy will not preuaile with them but the longer thou bearest with them the more they are hardned but iudgement must be vsed it is time O Lord to put to thy helping hand The man of God we see breaketh not out suddenly into this prayer but vpon the great neede which vrged him thereunto We are here to learne first that though at all seasons it be needfull to pray to be guided in the true vnderstanding and due obedience of Gods word yet then especially when through the generall floods of iniquitie all without that especiall grace of God all are like to be carried away For as common and vniuersall floods sweepe all away before them with their swift and violent course so in the common floods of corrupt religion and manners euery man thinkes that the best religion which most men doe hold and that those things are most lawfull which are most vsuall But this is a peculiar and speciall grace of God to be exempted from that generall corruption as was Enoch who was preserued to walke before the Lord in that corrupt age Noah reserued when all flesh had corrupted his waies and Lot who liued a iust man euen among the filthie Sodomites If then we shall be preserued from corrupt religion when religion is vsed but of custome and not of conscience when it is vsed coldly and there is no heate in it if when mens manners are generally become corrupt so that there is no humilitie no mercie no pitie no chastitie no puritie no righteousnesse no true dealing no care of our neighbours credit we
it in our braine and when we haue throughly set our affections on it our life though it should be taken from vs yet our soule would sticke to the thing whereon our affections are so earnestly set So Ionathans heart was saide to bee knit to Dauid wherefore let vs labour to say with the Virgine Mary My soule doth magnifie thâ Lord my spirit reioyceth in God my Sauiour Thy testimonies are wonderfull Hereof say the Papists that the word of God being mystical should not be taught to the common sort of people the common people say themselues what will ye haue vs doe with the word of God what should simple men meddle with it we are not like the learned it is for you it is for you that are learned not for vs. The holy ghost here most fitly prouideth against the Papists and the common people Let vs know then this that a simple man of the countrie though at the first he be not so capable yet offering and submitting his heart and whole reason to the Lord and his word he shall afterward attaine to great knowledge They are wonderfull then to humane wit and reason not sanctified and the more wise men wander in the skyes and houer aloft in vaine conceites and yet haue not learned Christ Iesus crucified haue nothing in them when as poore simple people desirous to be taught doe vnderstand wonderfull things The Prophet saith Psalm 78. Heare my word O my people c. I will open my mouth in a parable c. and hee addeth afterward we will not hide them from their children He calleth them high speeches and darke sentences to mans capacitie but Gods people can vnderstand them they are hidden to them that trust too much to their owne reason and are reuealed vnto them that renounce their owne reason Marke here he saith the ãâ¦ã into thy statutes Will then the beginning giue vnderstanding what will it doe to them that are gone forward in it what hindreth vs why we goe forward no more but euen the too much trusting to our owne wits What haue we such wits in outward matters and are so grosse in matters concerning our saluation Oh hypocrites saith our Sauiour Christ you can discerne the outward seasons c. What meaneth then this dulnes and deadnesse in heauenly things but that men deceiue their owne soules For if their wits were sanctified they would as well conceiue spirituall things as corporall To doe ill saith âeremie this people is wise but to doe good they haue no wit What a curse of God vpon our wits is this that wee are so quicke in worldly things and so dull in heauenly things surely it is the punishment of the Lord for the pride of mans reason The meaning then of this place is not that they which are altogether bereaued of discretion haue such a light in the word but it is vnderstoode of them who being lowly in their owne eyes abase their pride of wit to the pure wisedome of Gods spirit so that neither the simplicitie of the baser sort is any hinderance to the gospell neither the wisedome of the mightie any thing auaileth thereunto vnlesse it be sanctified howsoeuer men brag of an holy foolishnes For Ioseph Iob Dauid and Daniel had good wits but sanctified and subiect by Gods spirit to the word Wee are then to learne by the things which we haue spoken that no man hateth sinne with a godly zeale in another but he first hated it in himselfe we must cast the first stone at ourselues True it is that we cannot auoide all ill wayes yet we must hate one euill way as well as another and though we cannot doe all good things yet we must loue one commaundement as well as another This then is that which the Lord requireth euen to heare âl his commaundements alike Againe so much we profit by the word the more when we must esteeme of those things against which our reason doth most resist and our affections most fight We shewed also out of the 129. verse that the Prophets meaning was not that there were some profound mysteries in the word but that all were mysteries what thing soeuer therein contained We shewed that the man of God did not place the word in his vnderstanding onely but also in his heart and affections We must labour to ioyne iudgement and affection for in âoble if affection bee not ioyned with iudgement iudgement will not helpe because affections rebell and wee shall finde such a conflict that we will say we haue lab ãâ¦ã much in iudgement and too little in affections When then in temptation we shall not onely haue iudgement but also affection on ourside we shal be able the better to ââââ unter with ãâ¦ã things commaunded a speciall meane to embrace them is to trauaile as well with affection âs with iudgement in things forbidden these two ioyned together will make vs the better to auoyde them Wherefore it is good for a man thus to ârie himselfe Lord giue mee a sight of my former estate why did I not according to knowledge why did I so little profit either in particular duties or in particular troubles surely I euer laboured so after my affections as after iudgements I laid vp thy word more in my minde than in my heart Vers. 131. I opened my mouth and panted because I loued thy commendements SOme would thinke this zeale to be madnesse because they had neuer such feelings nor affections But what saith this man of God more of himselfe hee saith that with his feete he walked in the lawe of God his eyes looke to it his hands were lift vp his spirit panted and as a man being wearie gapeth to take breath and swalloweth vp the ayre so the Prophet in the wearinesse of his troubles swallowed vp the word of God O hungrie soule which the Lord did âatisfie and with his word alone could comfort The metapher is taken from wearied and panting Hinds which after long pursuing and chasing was very drye through heaâe and desire nothing more than the water bâookes So that as he chased Hart longeth after the waters so his thirstie soule desired nothing more than to be satisfied with the word This Psalme is giuen vs by Gods blessing to remoue vs from our dulnesse and to teach vs that we should not labour more after knowledge that after affection why then profit we no more in the word there is little hunger in vs much ãâã doth ãâ¦ã vs we examine not ourselues at midnight we are not humbled we thust not we pant not All Gods promâies are chiefly made to them that hunger after them it is said Pro. 2. 4. It thou seekest knowledge as siluer and searâhest for her as for treasure 5 Thâââ shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the Lord c. Here we see the holy ghost calleth ãâ¦ã word a âreasure that is âid and sheweth how we must seeke search for it Awakethe your affections awake your affections
readie to deceiue themselues they are in daÌger of being hardned because the maÌ of God here so ioyneth both together that he should haue âis steps directed least that iniquitie should haue the dominion ouer him for I take the whole verse to be but one request The sooner we meete with temptation the better we shall ouer match it the longer wee continue and let it alâne the longer will be our conflict If we begin betimes we shall easily conquer it if we let it alone we shall easily be conquered For it will either get ground of vs ouerreach vs and get the vantage or else we must get ground and vantage of it if it ouercome vs wee shall hardly recouer our paces This is then the wisedome of God his spirit in his children which men call precisenes to set a warie and heedy watch ouer euery affection that we thinke ouer euery word which we speake ouer euery deede we doe least wee be deceiued and through deceite bee hardened and so iniquitie get the dominion ouer vs. Thus we see the Prophet desireth the gift of perseuerance acknowledging that to continue is Gods gift as well as to begin And in that he desireth speciall mercy to perseuere he declareth that many begin well but afterward iniquitie getteth the vpper hand and they fall away so that it is a peculiâr mercy of God to preserue his to the end And in praying as well here for the ãâ¦ã affections as he did before for the direction of his iudgmeÌt he giueth vs to vnderstand that if we purpose to perseuere we must no lesse looke to our affections than to our iudgement This then is a double grace of God on whomsoeuer first to haue our iudgement enlightened and then to haue our affections touched Direct my feete c. As our feete carie our bodies so our affections support our actions It is a good thing to stay our affections when our outward actions are rightly ordered and for this cause mention is made so often in the booke of God of lifting vp our eyes of holding vp our hands of walking with our feete As then we will haue our affections truly touched for we must not contemne this outward gouernment Now whereas he prayeth that the secret masse of corruption which lieth in him may not breake out in him he noteth that they who are carelesse of their finall perseuerance make little conscience of their former corruptions But such are greatly to feare least that in the latter end of their regeneration they bee cast our of Paradise with Adam and throwne out of the Church with Cain For if Adam sinned in Paradise whilest as yet he was perfect how easily may we fall which are in the dayes wherein iniquitie doth raigne and are full of imperfections Againe as we touched briefly before God his children doe not tarrie so long as to labour for life and striue for breath in temptations but in the beginning they espie their errours whereby they see how they might sail further were it not that Gods spirit mightily did preserue them And surely euery man by experieÌce shal find that the sooner we begin to ãâ¦ã the more speedily and easily we shall preuaile against it whether it be that we are tempted to leaue good things vndone or to doe things not to be done For let a man once leaue the searching of his heart vpon some great necessitie cease from the ransacking and rifling of his conscieÌce when he hath not happily slipt notoriously we may see we may find our recouery to our exercises againe But if we haue omitted these exercises a long time and often when we should come to practise them and put them in vre againe what a strange thing will this seeme to vs how hardly shall wee get our hearts to yeeld to it our flesh is vnwilling this thing is so vncome vnto vs that we are faine to sweate againe for those practises of prayer and priuate examination which by vsing we had with ease and by not vsing we had almost lost Wherefore as proofe maketh euident like as in a tree though the rootes be somewhat mangled yet there will sprout buds which with a small instrument by daily resorting to them and keeping vnder may be kept from much growing and yet afterward by negligence and permission as with a hatchet they will hardly be hewen down And as in a great concourse of waters though the fountaine be stopped yet the riuers remaine open which being taken in time with a floud-gate may bee staied and leesing long oportunitie by great bankes from ouerflowing caÌnot be restrained euen so a man in the beginning of his temptation whilest as yet it is but in the sprout and hauing a little course is vnable to make any great breach by prayer and the spirit of God may bee kept vnder and stayed but if it be left alone not looked to as before the extraordinarie spirit of the Preacher or the extraordinarie trauell of a man in prayer and fasting will not be able to remedie it Well many there be that charme the charmer neuer so wisely they will not heare that they might preuent the rage of sinne If when we shall vse all meanes to subdue sinne all is too little if we giue it any libertie how great is the daunger If a man in vsing a sparing dyet moderate apparell and little sleepe shall still finde in himselfe a selfe-loue and liking of sinne how much more when hee frameth himselfe to all the guises and fashions of the world shall he see selfe-loue preuaile against him when wee are iustified in Christ and ingraffed into him by faith and yet haue not the rootes of sinne throughly pulled out not the riuers of iniquitie dried vp but onely the spring head is staied I know there be many who thinke it a precisenesse to be so much afraid of our owne weakenes and to be watchfull and warie of our owne affections yea and oftentimes in those things which to iudgement are lawfull yet abstaineth in life and in our practise but blessed be that feare and happie is that precisenesse which is so carefull ouer our owne infirmities and so much suspecteth our owne wants and weakenesse Wherefore the man of God still prayeth for perseuerance In thy word In that he maketh the word of God his meanes of perseuering he teacheth vs that though we haue profited neuer so much yet vnlesse the word of God enlighten our iudgements and reforme our affections we may easily erre out of the way We knowe but in part our heart is reformed but in part our knowledge is bettered but in part and that which we haue is giuen of God by the preaching of the word and working of his spirit and that we may yet be deliuered from those affections which in vs remaine corrupt wee had neede to pray for the vse of the word Againe in that he would be grieued by the word the man of God sheweth
is in Psalm 125. The rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous So that the man of God prayeth here that his affliction might not hinder his glorie And no maruell for his enemies first laboured to daunt his faith then they went about to loade him with iniuries either subtilly to circumuent him or openly to oppresse him when these things would not serue they striued to bring his person to contempt and his cause to discredit as also they went about to bring themselues into estimation and their cause into credite No maruell then though he thus prayed least that they resisting him too long hee should be ouermatched Wherein we are to learne that wee must not ouercome ill with ill subtiltie with subtiltie violence by violence but by praier And seeing the Lords eares are open to the prayers of the iust and his eyes vpon them that feare him seeing his eares are shut to the wicked and hee will not looke vpon them in mercy but his face is set against them the Lord vndoubtedly will heare vs and looke vpon vs and will confonud our enemies And I will keepe thy testimonies Behold the man of God promiseth thankefulnes and if it pleaseth the Lord to free him from these euils hee would keepe his law not that we must thinke that he before did breake them but though the proude had him exceedingly in derision Psal. 51. though the bands of the wicked had robbed him 61. though the proude had imagined a lye against him 69. though they had dealt wickedly and falsely with him 78. though they had almost consumed him vpon the earth 87. and he was like the bottle in the smoke so that hee was wonderfully distracted in his calling yet if the Lord would vouchsafe to free him from these euils as before in part so now in whole he would bestow his life on the Lord. We are then to learne that in trouble wee are to desire to none other end to be deliuered than the better and more freely to serue the Lord and that when wee haue made so solemne a promise to the Lord we throughly purpose in trueth to performe it For though affliction of it selfe helpeth vs nothing vnto godlinesse but is rather some hindrance why in our calling wee are lesse profitable yet as it is sanctified in Christ and receiueth a blessing from God to worke in vs it keepeth vs from euill and prouoketh vs the more to doe good But wee if we be in aduersitie if wee haue trouble or losse of goods or losse of friends oppression of enemies or such like make large vowes and plentifull promises and crie Oh if I might be deliuered from this sicknes if I might be freed from this trouble if I might be vnburthened of this euill I would surely serue the Lord I would become a new man I would change my life and enter the waies of repentance but we looke not to performance This thankfulnes of heart made the Prophet Psal. 116. 12. to cry out What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord I will pay my vowes vnto the Lord euen now in the sight of all his people Where wee see that it was the custome of Gods people to stirre vp themselues after their deliuerance vnto thankfulnes We shall see now by examining our selues how it is so in vs. Oh say we that I were recouered of my health oh that the Lord would restore those things to me againe which I haue lost then doubtles would I wholy giue my selfe to the Lord. But let vs see if in all these things wee bee not vow-breakers and are rather growne worse than wee were so greatly are we to feare our selues God hath deliuered vs from our enemies freed vs from warâes saued vs from scarcitie penurie pouertie plagues and sicknesse and hath blessed vs with peace abundance plentie health and all other blessings let vs see how we vse these things We know the times haue been such when we could not haue this liberty to reade and heare the word of God but wee are now freed from such miserie and set in great libertie whether doe wee vse this time to Gods glorie and increase of our knowledge and building vp of our faith or not We know that there is a vicissitude in all things and one thing succeeedeth another and as the Lord hath long time vexed other nations with trouble and graunted to vs a long time of libertie and quietnes so our course must come by the order and change of things to be vexed with troubles and others shall be set at some libertie Are we the better then for this benefit If wee bee all is well if not will it not thinke wee be laide to our charge that what time the Lord had giuen vs wherein we might reforme our selues wee haue abused in being so little reformed what our time hath been to set forth Gods glorie how little glorie the Lord hath gained by vs. We haue often heard that our two principall props in trouble are faith in the promises of God and a testimonie of a good conscience which wee see often to be in this Prophet Wherefore what doth fasten and comfort faith euen a good conscience what doth make it wither and wauer euen because we haue been fruitles and haue not done good workes This then must be our comfort in trouble that we suffer not as ill doers that we may look for Gods promises But if our sinnes accuse vs and we suffer as ill doers wee shall not bee able to feele any comfort in God his promises Then let vs see the fruit of this prayer The Saints of God and deare Martyrs of Christ made this prayer before vs the fruit and effect whereof is growne vnto vs. For their sufferings were our prosperitie their losse our gaine their imprisonmeÌt our libertie their death our life as true as old is that saying proued The blood of the Martyrs is the seede of the Church For their blood hâth cried vp to heauen with the blood of Abel for our comfort and brought downe vengeance on our enemies and obtained mercy for vs. They did sowe in teares and wee haue entred into their haruest with ioy let vs beware least wee sow euill to our selues and for others they sowed comfort for their posteritie let vs take heede that wee sow not discomfort for them that shall come after vs. And as their death hath stayed the wrath of God from heauen that it is not fallen vpon the vine seeing many yeeres he hath planted among vs a vineyard seeing he hath hedged it and gathered out the stones of it and hath planted it with the best plants and hath built a tower in the middest thereof and made a wine-presse therein and hath looked it should bring forth grapes but it hath brought forth wilde grapes so our sinnes so
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 aââe 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 âaith 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 oppreââed 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 âo 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 coÌmeth out that they may âeale 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-doârs 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
in prayer Wherefore God often denyeth vs our requests because we vse not to pursue and prosecute them with seruent prayer For if we haue prayed twice or thrice for one thing and yet are not heard but receiue as it were the repulse wee straitway surcease and leaue off our prayers contrarie to the practise of this man of God who would not suffer any repulse but still continued his prayer both morning and euening So that wee are to know that if we will obtaine mercie God will sometime deferre his graunt to trie vs whether wee aske carefully or no whether wee truly and reuerently esteeme of the thing prayed for whether wee belieue throughly his mercies and promises and whether wee will as thankefully vse it when we haue it as we did carefully pray for it before we had it The Lord cannot away with our cold asking and when we giue but one sigh and there comes sometime one teare which is as the teare of an harlot he seeth that we feele not our wants throughly wee esteeme not of his mercies reuerently wee make not our request earnestly and therefore he sendeth vs often as emptie away as we came Wee must then giue the Lord no leisure to be free but prosecute our prayers with importunitie as did the Widow mentioned in the Gospell But we must remember in our often prayer to vse the wisedome of the spirit which was the second thing obserued in diligent prayer For some vse prayer often who wanting heauenly discretion turne it to their owne discommoditie For some haue peruerted most wickedly these places before alleaged through too strict a consideration of the assiduitie of praier and thought that they might giue ouer all their callings in an actiue and cruil life and wholy and continually bestow all time on prayer But this was too preposterous a diligence which that wee may auoyd it shall be true wisdome so to deuide the times and seasons as we may impart those times on prayer which most may make for Gods glorie and which best make for our calling And for those places of our Sauiour Christ and the Apostle wherein wee are commaunded to pray continually the meaning is that we should alwayes be ready and affected to pray in prosperitie and aduersitie and at all seasons fit for prayer that is when the Lord doth call vs to it and our estate doth require it This doctrine is easie to be heard but hard to be practised Well then this is true wisdom to choose the Sabbath wholy to be spent in the word and prayer from morning to night and so to deuide the seasons in the other dayes of the weeke as with Dauid and Daniel we may pray at morning noontide and euening and that therewith we haue a speciall care to bestow the rest of our time in walking in our calling For as there is a time of hearing so there is a time of putting that in vse which we haue heard as there is a Sabbath for Gods owne worship so there is sixe dayes for vs to labour in and as there is a time of praying so there is also a time of practising Neither would the Lord haue vs alwayes reading hearing or praying but after we haue read heard and prayed to shew forth the friââ of them in our conuersation to his glorie And as heretikes in the primitiue Church and since that time Monkes and Friers haue laboured to teach a continuall praying so euen at this day Sathan bewitched the hearts of many with that perswasion wherefore wee must knowe that the Lord will haue obedience rather than sacrifice and mercie more than burnt offerings For why doe we heare but to learne obedience and why doe wee pray but to put our prayer in practise or why haue we knowledge but to vse it to Gods glorie Neither doth that saying of our Sauiour Christ to Martha vithstand this doctrine although many heretikes haue both obiected and peruerted this place to make it serue their purpose who falsely alleage the place saying Mary hath chosen the better part whereas the true wordes are Mary hath chosen the good part in which place Martha was not reproued in that shee was a good huswife or for that she entertained Christ but for ouermuch labouring in her huswiferie and entertainement at such time as she should haue been better occupied Neither was Mary commended for that she did nothing but heare and pray but for her wisedome in hearing Christ carefully at that time when he preached and in that she knew that Christ did lesse care and would be better satisfied though her pâouâsion was more slender than that to more solemne preparation they should neglect the doctrine which was the fooâe of their soules Otherwise it must be supposed that Mary was as carefull an huswife as Martha for els vndoubtedly our Sauiour Christ would not haue so commended her for wisely discerning the times especially seeing the holy Scriptures count them worse than infidels which will not prouide for their families But this doctrine is sweet to them that maintaine it that thereby they might auoide all laborious callings and al crosses which commonly accompanie the same âor it is the subtill policie of Sathan when hee cannot get vs to neglect prayer to endeuour to bring vs preposterously to vse and frequent prayer by causing vs to lay aside our callings which according to Gods holy ordinance we had professed wherefore let vs labour in this wisedom of the spirit wholy to take vp the Sabbath to the Lord and so dâuââe our other times as we may still perseuere in our callings which if we doe we shal haue better motions and not incurre so dangerous opinions as we should doe if we gaue our selues to continuall reading and praying But shall we speake of this doctrine in this our age which rather needeth a spurre than a bridle wherein many pray but obtaine not because they are not diligent many heare but are fruitlesse because they vse no diligence For besides that they want this wisedome of the Sabbath that that is appointed for the growing of their soules is spent in worldly cares These kinde of men haue their soules very barren who neither vse the Sabbath nor redeeme other times of their callings to bestowe any thing in hearing or praying or if happily they doe heare they rather make it a matter to âarpe at than to be instructed by it These men as they will heare no true things so they will heare false and though they will marke no good things yet they will marke ill things not that there is any thing false or ill in the word but in that as to an humble spirited man the Lord maketh the word the sauour of life vnto life so vnto them that are ill minded the Lord maketh it the sauour of death vnto death and giueth them ouer in the pride of their hearts vnto Sathan that hee may delude them by deceiueable colours For
more willingly and easily we are brought vnto If any haue occasion seuen times and often to praise the Lord it is our age who from the abundance of God his blessings should not onely haue our hearts enlarged but also from our aboundance of the heart our mouthes with praises should be filled Because of thy righteous iudgements This is not the onely thing in the word but there are promises and threatnings but the iudgements of God comprehend all in that they are seene as we haue shewed in fulfilling his promises and executing his threatnings True it is we must praise him for the creation of the world for his louing promises made vnto vs but we can neuer see truly the ârration vntill wee obserue his prouidence neither can we effectually praise him for his promises vntil we diligently obserue his iudgements For then we truely praise God for his promises and threatnings when wee praise him for his executing of them This therefore requireth an experimentall faith and therefore we shal see in all the Psalmes of Moses Deborah Ezechiah Dauid and Esay that it was vsuall to them then to make them wheÌ either they had receiued some notable deliuerance or their enemies had some notable ouerthrow or the Church obtained some speciall benefit As after the deliueraÌce by the read sea after they had safely passed through the wildernes and had put to flight the armie of the alââââs âââ what els doth the History which is ãâ¦ã of things pâât ââach vs but to praise God by ââeing God to be such â ãâ¦ã he is in his pâââisâs Looke what the law generally speaketh of ãâã concerning these ãâ¦ã to be done or lâf vndone either of pââââes or ãâ¦ã of the Prophets the things done which were comââunded ãâ¦ã to them which did according to Gods ãâ¦ã the ãâ¦ã forbidden or else the threatnings executed on them which did âo ãâ¦ã mandemeÌt This we shall see wonderfully to increase our faith if we ãâ¦ã of the Prophets with the time of the law If we compare our ãâ¦ã our Sauiour Christ Matth 24. 24. that there ãâ¦ã Christs ãâ¦ã to feare that they which would not learne of the truth shall learne of ãâ¦ã We may call to mind how many earnest professors in king Edward ãâ¦ã papists in Queene Maries dayes and how many heretofore christians ââ Queene Maries dayes are now become zealelesse worldlings and they that were ââen ãâã ââââât height they are growne and wee shall see sufficient matter to praise God his righteous iudgements Againe if we consider the great mercy of God ãâ¦ã our country men who were in banishment we shall haue great cause to be thankefull Vers. 165 They that âââe thy law shall haue a greât pâââââritie or rather shall haue no mââââr of offence or occasion of stâmblââg and they shall haue no hurt THâse in seâse agree with that which the man of God sâiâl Port 65. I ãâ¦ã libertie for I seeke thy ãâã In which places the Prophet sheweth ãâã they ãâã ââaue peace in minde and shall walke at libertie not be entangled they ãâã ââue no manner of offence neither shall any stumbling blockes be lâââ in their waies which carefully seeke to obey the will of God This is the benefit of them that know receiue the word in loue that they shall escape dangers doubtes in streights and plagues so that in all thâse they shall finde happie issues and wholsome out gââe in what streights or troubles they aââ ãâã They then âât walke in this knowledge and loue of God his law shall ââuâ this grace and no man shal be able to take it from them seeing then it is ãâã in vsâl to be careful of nothing more then to be directed in our plagues âet most of vs faâlâ in âââ ãâã to ââââ by following too much their owne deuises and not the prescript rule of the worâ Here ãâã is described the happie estate of God his children that by faith and loue shall ãâ¦ã and continually haue the blessing of God watching ouer them in all ãâã âoââgs whatsoeuer tumult come on them yet they shall possesse their soules in patience and not be plunged and ouerwhelmed in these miseries as other men are O most sinâulâr commendation of the word in working such peace in promising such successe in our affaires and in deliuering vs from all ill things That loue thy âââ Wee see here is required that faith which worketh by loue for many will say that they beleeue who bewray their want of faith by want of loue It is then that saith which worketh by loue that maketh vs so to delight in the law of the Lord. Herehence commeth so much disquietnes and so many crosse blowes in our atââmpâs because our faith is so small our loue to the word âo little When we shâl ãâã then the destruction of our mindes so many ditches hedges walles gâins snares we must consider the chiefe cause to be our want of loue to the word not that it alwayes so appeareth ââ fleshe and blood but that to faith it is apparant which learneth out of the word Iohn 17 In the world ââââ shall haue troublââ but ââ me they shall haue pâace as if our Sauiour should haue saide howsoeuer flâsh and blood thinke others iudge ouer vs heauen and earth shall passe but his pro ãâ¦ã le Yee shall haue peace in trouble for God that hath ââoken it is no more liberall in promising than faithfull in performing if theÌ we haue trouâles it is for want of faith loue of the word And as here is a plentiful comfort for them who loue the word so is there a fearful threatning to the wicked which the Prophet Esay in his 47 48. chapters speaketh there is no peace saith the Lord vnto the wicked but the wicked are like the raging sea that cannot rest whose waters cast vp mire and durt In which place after the Prophet had promised this good successe to God his people hee addeth that the wicked shall not bee partakers of it For as the Sea hoysteth vp and is stirred more vehemently with the tempest and winde and being once moued one waue fighteth with another so that in that continuall conflict much froth and filthie scumme is cast and spued out so so soone as any tempest of temptation hath stirred vp a wicked mans minde and one temptation beginneth to fight with another many foming and corrupt affections are spued out which disturbe the peace of the minde and offend all the beholders God his children seeing those troubles to helpe them which hurt the world finde only the truth of this doctrine howsoeuer in time of prosperitie the wicked would seeme to be in as great quietnes as the other But as the deepe sea in a calme day seemeth to be as still as other waters vntill by the tempest of windes the raging of the one make a plaine difference from the other so the wicked doe seeme to haue as great
blood yet by the holy practises of good workes we easily discerne the same Now for want of this we may see the great iudgement of God in suffering the Papists heretikes familie of loue to spoile vs of this peace of conscience by teaching their false opinions of iustification by workes Which thing seeing they hold the rather with seeing the cold profession of worldly Protestants it must needs humble vs. For thus reason they that are vnstable in the truth Surely their profession is not according to the truth it is so barren of good works and they maintaine not the true doctrine whose liues are so contrary to their professions Woe be to them by whom these offences do iustly come and woe be to them that take such offences and that shut wilfully their eyes and will not see the truth Howbeit we are to profit hereby and to trauell in a greater care of good workes whereby we may stop these blasphemous mouthes of the aduersaries Vers. 167. My soule hath kept thy testimonies for I loue them exceedingly HEre he confirmeth the same doctrine which he vsed before for in saying my soule hath kept thy testimonies is all one as if he should haue said I haue looked or waited on thy saluation For as we often obserued the man of God meaneth the couenant which engendreth faith as the records and testimonials of Gods fauour towards vs. So that the effect of these words is thus much I haue an entire care in sinceritie of faith to encrease the blessed witnesses of thy loue toward me It is an vsuall phrase among the Hebrues when they would expresse their vehement affection to any thing to say My soule as Psal. 103. 1. and 104. 1. My soule praise thou the Lord and Luk. 1. My soule doth magnifie the Lord. So that here the Prophet doth not only outwardly coÌmend the law but saith that he hath sworne and will performe the keeping of God his testimonies With the heart saith the Apostle we beleeue shewing that the heart is the proper place of faith and not the braine and that we must as wel be touched in affection as in outward bettering of our iudgement They must be vehement passions of the minde wherewith we must let the testimonies of God sinke down into the depth of our hearts Wherefore we are here to learne that our ouer profession of the Gospell will not acquite vs before God his iudgement seate For I loue them exceedingly that is They are not of small value with me I loue them entirely because they are things most precious vnto me This is the high dignitie estimation which we owe and should performe to the sweet testimonies of our saluation Wherefore our Sauiour Christ saith the kingdome of heauen is like vnto a treasure which is hidden which when a man findeth for ioy he selleth all that he hath to purchase that Thus we see the man of God hauing made mention of faith maketh mention also of loue teaching vs that true faith worketh by loue Also he sheweth vs that the cause why the comfortable promises of the Gospell so soone slip from vs and our comforts are so momentany and griefes so sore charge vs and ouerwhelme vs is euen because we haue laid vp these promises rather in the braine than in the heart This is too short cold and small a loue for the profession of the Gospell and bewrayeth the want of faith the want of faith declareth a want of loue For if we know aright what an inestimable treasure the promises of God were in that in them we haue the assurance of all our sinnes pardoned of God his prouidence watching ouer vs his Angels ministring to vs his creatures wayting on vs that we shall be companions not onely with his Saints and Angels but heires and fellow heires with Christ and that after this life a happie crowne of glorie is laid vp for vs we should more highly esteeme of them then we doe and more heartily loue them For what maketh worldlings so to loue golde but that they thinke it the most precious mettal what causeth ambitious men so to set by prefermeÌt but that they thinke it the best thing for them what causeth the man so to loue or like his wife or the woman her husband but that they are perswaded that none in the world were fitter each for other When our Sauiour Christ would haue Peter to be carefull in ouerseeing his flocke he vseth this triall louest thou me Peter And the Apostle said how through loue he was inforced to preach Christ to the Church This theÌ must not be faint and feeble loue but a streightned and âaborsome affection which is stil occupied in adorning the thing loued and cannot satisfie it selfe in thinking of it and in speaking of it and in doing it so that the greatnes of the perswasioÌ draweth out the greatnes of the affection It is then a drowsie dreame which some hold for a setled opinion who thinke that loue goeth before faith when the very heathen saw by the light of nature that a man could not loue that which he knew not And we know that faith is a knowledge with a ful perswasion so that if we loue the word exceedingly we are perswaded by an exceeding faith of the word which we loue and this faith shewing it selfe in loue is fruitful in good workes Look in what measure we are perswaded of the goodnes of the thing in that measure we loue it Vers. 168. I haue kept thy precepts and thy testimonies for all my wayes are before thee WE haue heard the man of God speaking of his faith and loue whereunto now he ioyneth his feare which moued him to keepe both the testimonies of the Lord and his precepts So that if we will grow to this measure of obedience we must first labour for faith to beleeue faith must worke by loue loue breede in vs a reuerent feare of God his maiesty which feare must engender in vs a care to please God and a griefe to displease him so that we may thus shew the prophet his meaning Lord I set all my doings open in thy sight wherefore I am carefull to doe any thing which thou commaundest and afraide to do any thing thou forbiddest So that we learne for our instruction that as the very motions of his heart were laide open before the Lord whereby he was armed with this care and feare so if we will be beautified with the like affections we must vse the like meanes True it is that God seeth all mens wayes and gageth the hearts of al as well of the wicked as of his children howbeit all beleeue not all see not this in themselues The wicked may confesse it so to be in outward things but doubtles they are not in truth perswaded that God doth see their hearts For if they were how durst they do that in the sight of God and his Angels which they dare not doe in the sight of
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 alaââââe 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 coÌsider 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 experieÌce 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
a double interpretation for either the meaning of them is giue me vnderstanding which is according to the prescript truth of thy holy Word or else according as thou hast promised in the Worde to them that by prayer aske it of thee But because this latter sense comprehendeth the former I more willingly embrace the latter For if God helpe vs according to his promise it is doubtles according to his word for hee promiseth nothing which is not agreeable with his word Besides this may be prâued by that wich is added in the verse following where hee saith according to thy promise Now in that he repeateth the same thing he sheweth that certainly God hath promised to helpe and relieue his necessitie Neither must we thinke that this promise was made to Dauid alone who alone had not such infirmities but hee speaketh as a member of the Church for the promise appertaineth to the Church to all in the Church vniuersally Howbeit looke what the Lord had promised to all generally he applieth to himselfe particularly For we may see both in this Psalme Port 17 2. The entrance into thy word sheweth light and giueth vnderstanding to the simple as also Psal. 19. 7. The testimonie of the Lord is sure and giueth light to the simple that the promise is generall and as well appertaineth to vs as to him So that the meaning of this latter part is nothing else but this as thou hast promised to giue knowledge to them that seeke it so Lord giue it mee for I thus seeke it Thus we see how needfull it is to haue knowledge of God his word seeing none obtaine but they that pray according as God hath promised in his word according to that Ioh. 5. 4 This is the assurance that we haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his will hee heareth vs. Ye aske saith S. Iames cap. 4. 3 and receiue not because ye aske amisse We must not pray then for euery phantasie and for euery grace that commeth into our minds but for those things for which we are taught to pray according to the word But how can we doe this without knowledge how should we pray to him in whom we haue not beleeued or how should we beleeue in him whom we haue not knowne Whosoeuer then will pray aright must pray in faith and he that will pray in faith must also pray in knowledge Againe we are heere to obserue thus much that whosoeuer he be that will be directed in singular actions he must acquaint himselfe with the particular knowledge of the word Wherefore let vs learne to vse often reading hearing and meditating of the word and with often reading hearing and meditating let vs vse often praying applying and examining of our selues that we may both seeke vnderstanding in knowledge and the obedience of it in our affections For often reading hearing and meditating bring ripenes of iudgement often praying applying and examining our selues bring quicknes of our affections We shall see then for often praying the Lord will driue vs to it with often giuing of his graces with the giuing of his graces he will giue necessities with the giuing of necessities he will often giue occasions to set forth his glorie How shall we pray now without iudgement or how shall we meditate without knowledge Wee must often heare for knowledge sake we must often meditate for conscience sake For as we cannot haue profit in the generall knowledge of a thing without particular meditating of it so can wee not meditate without some troubling of our minde vnlesse we doe it of iudgement no more then not hauing knowledge we can pray without great turmoyling and troubling of our minde Thus we must ioyne all meanes together as first by conference wee must labour for knowledge to make our knowledge more effectuall wee must ioyne meditation and that both knowledge and meditation may be sanctified we must vse prayer Let my supplication come before thee and deliuer me according to thy promise Here he prayeth to bee rid from these streights and encombrances which did hinder this vnderstanding of the word which hee desired For whereas some vnderstand it of outward and common troubles I thinke by those things which goe before and comparing it with those things that follow after that he meaneth that deliueraÌct which might rid him from those things which are contrarie and preiudiciall to the things before prayed for that so both being enlightened with true knowledge and deliuered from all blindnes hee might praise God more freely and liberally both for his vnderstanding and for the escapes of those distresses perplexities doubts and ignorances of his mind And thus considering that he prayeth to obtaineÌ the good things and to be deliuered from the contrarie euill things let vs consider of that which followeth According to thy promise If wee will obtaine any thing of the Lord wee must first vow thankfulnes and as we be suiters we must be thanksgiuers as we be suppliants wee must be plentifull in prayses to the Lord. For this is the end of our creatioÌ this is the end of our redemption this is the end of our sanctification this is the end of all our praying and obtaining euen plentifully to praise the name of our good God Vers. 171. My lips shall speake praise when thou hast taught me thy statutes AS wee learne now that the end of all Gods blessings is thanksgiuing and vnlesse wee purpose and will performe this we must neuer looke to obtaine any thing in fauour so we are also to learne that before God teacheth vs from aboue we are as tonguetide and cannot pray before he by his spirit doth instruct vs we caÌnot once speake of his word This he sheweth both in the first portion and seuenth verse I will praise thee with an vpright heart when I shall haue learned the iudgements of thy righteousnes and in the second portion where after he hath prayed to be taught in the statutes he promiseth with his lippes to tel the iudgements of the Lord. We cannot then blesse God before he instruct vs. When the Lord rectifieth our knowledge with cleere iudgement and renueth our hearts with holy affections wee are most readie to praise the Lord according to that in the Psalme Lord open thou my lippes and my mouth shall shew thy praise And Rom. 8. 29. The spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee knowe not how to pray as we ought c. Wherefore if wee liue to eate to drinke to sleepe and not to praise God we liue no better than bruit beasts or rather worse for they praise God in their willing seruing of mans necessities and according to their kinde in their waies But man to whom the Lord hath giuen eyes to looke to heauen eares to heare his word speech to sound his praises a mind to conceiue his glorious works and blessed word seeing he hath these gifts aboue beasts it is certaine there must
be thankfulnes in man aboue that which is in beasts vnlesse man will be iudged euen by the bruit beasts to bee more guiltie of his condemnation For as there is no more praying in vs than there is beleeuing so there is no beleeuing without knowing God and there is no thankesgiuing without both knowing and also beleeing in God If in any measure therefore we will praise God wee must in some measure know God if we will praise God more than the common sort of men wee must labour to know more than the common sort of men But what meaneth the Prophet to desire to bee taught was hee not well seene in the word had he not learned much as becommeth a Prophet what teaching doth hee here meane knowledge puffeth vp and is voide of humilitie confessing our wants This is the teaching of the spirit For it is no doubt but he had eyes to see as well as others he had cares to heare hee had an heare to conceiue hee was a man of God Howbeit wee are to know that though our eyes be vpon our booke and the word be sounded in our eares yet it is the spirit of God that maketh vs teacheable in iudgement and frameable in our affections What haue we which we haue nor receiued it is the gift of God and to you it is giuen saith our Sauiour Christ to his Disciples to vnderstand the mysteries of God This then being giuen of God by his spirit must cause vs to bee thankefull Why doe so many excell in knowledge and why doe so few giue thankes surely because they are taught by the letter and not by the spirit For a man may attaine to the knowledge of the word as others attaine to the knowledge of humaine arts but to his iuster condemnation Wherefore in a word we may conclude if the man of God might haue atchieued such knowledge without such meanes he was either too much busied in that wherein he needed not haue troubled himselfe or else an hypocrite But if we reade that the blinde which were restored to their sight the deafe whose eares were opened the dumbe who by the finger of Christ his power did speake againe acknowledged this to be the only worke of God and were thankefull although indeed of the ten leapers which were cleansed one onely was thankful and nine held their peace how much are wee bound to praise and magnifie the name of our good God who hath deliuered vs from blindnes and ignorance wherein we were plunged to see the bright beames of the glorious Gospell who hath opened our heauie and dull eares to heare the sweet voyce of the sonne of God who hath vntied our tongues and vnclosed our lips which were sewed vp from sounding the praise of our saluation yea and which more is hath vntied restored our feete to walke in the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God and hast cast out of vs the diuell and his power and spoiled from henceforth his kingdome in vs that we might serue the Lord in newnes of conuersation We see now that whosoeuer is taught aright to the kingdome of God he shall praise the Lord. But what is the cause why this effect is so little found in vs of praising God euen because we are voyd of the cause that is of teaching of the spirit For either surely we haue none vnderstanding or else we haue not the vnderstanding of the spirit O blessed work of Gods spirit thankesgiuing This made the Propher say Psal 16. 2. My weldoing extendeth not to thee O Lord. And 116. 12. What shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benefits towards me I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord. That is I will acknowledge his olde graces receiued and hope that I shall haue his mercies continued But herein is another thing worthy to be obserued that according to the proportioÌ of his praiers is the proportion of thankesgiuing For as the two former verses containe two prayers so the two latter verses containe two thankesgiuings And marke how according to the vehemeney of his praier there is a vehemencie of thankesgiuing For as he had said let my complaint come before theâ so he addeth my lips shal powr eforth thy praise continually A word drawn from spoutes or spring-heads which aboundantly yeeld water out from them So to complaints answereth the word of powring out In the second he saith Let my supplication come before ãâã Whereunto answereth my tongue shall intreat of thy word Where he promiseth to be no ââsse shrill in thankesgiuing than loude in praying to the Lord. Oh âââs throweth downe the hearts of Gods children that they can in no measure nor proportion be thankefull for Gods benefits This vnthankefulnesse must needes be grieuous vnto the Lord which is so odious in the sight of man wee see bestowe a benefit on a begger their suites and complaints doe in many degrees exceede their thankesgiuing and certainely as this vnthankefulnesse is from man to man so also it is from man to God For let vs be in paine in sickenesse in pouertie or any other affliction and what prayers make we what protestations vowe we how often crie we Lord helpe me Lord haue mercie upon me rid me now Lord and I will giue thankes to thee But when the rod is off how many among ten returne to giue thankes for our deliuerance peraduenture one Thus wee see how liberall we are in praying because it is easie to see our wants and how sparing wee are in thankesgiuing because we doe not so easily see our benefits We see how often wee are in praying how seldome in thankesgiuing we see how feruent wee are in crauing how cold we are in acknowledging the supplie of our wants If we attaine not to this measure and proportion of thanksgiuing with the man of God at the least let vs complaine and mone our vnthankfulnesse and dulnesse For we must be assured that if we offer not in some degree the calues of our lippes the Lord hath lost his mercies and spent them as it were in vaine and we depriue our selues of the fruit of them to be continued vnto vs hereafter Vers. 172. My tongue shall intreate of thy word for all thy commandements are righteous ANd though the man of God saith here My tongue shall intreate of thy praises Wee must not therein denye but that our liues must expresse the fruites of the same as wee may see port 5. vers 1. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I will keepe it vnto the end And port 1. vers 8. wheÌ the man of God hath promised to praise the Lord with an vpright heart he addeth in the verse following I will keepe thy statutes c. As also port 19. 1. Heare me O Lord and I will keepe thy statutes So that not onely in word but in our liues must we endeuour to praise God It followeth in the same verse For all
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 canâot 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 maruâile 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
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 âeeth 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 haÌds 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 Iâmini 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
and can discourse and talke well of things but yet for that the heart is not truely touched they are as vaine in sinne and as much subiect to pinching sorrowes for sinne as any other Great cause then the fountaines bee staied and the principall parts plastered for if there bee a worlde of sinne in the tongue as Saint Iames saith then there be a great many worlds of wickednes in the hearâââ there be a beame to be sound in the eye of one hypocrite as Christ admonisheth then there is a whole staâke in the heart CHAP. XXXIX Of Heresie and many corrupt kindes of knowledge and how the diuell pesterâth the Church with euill teachers WE must humble our selues to see Heretikes doe more for vaineglorie and for their sâct than wee will doe âor Gods glorie and for his truth 2 The neerer heresie commeth in likenes to the trueth the more dangerous it is 3 It is a dangerous thing to haue a proudâ spirit with a vaine minde for theâe sinnes leade men to heresie 4 The ââueâ seemeth to be very strong for as the wise conclude if they that are couragious were also politike or tâey that haue wisedome had also courage none could stand with them Wherefore these are dismembred in men but in the diuell they âunââe both together for he is both couragious as a Lion and subâill as a Serpent This is he that foyled all men from the first Adam to the last man in whose hand all the âathers were no stronger than vanitie and in this age hee hath made the high pinacles of veâââe the Iowe shrubs of the earth Besides this combination of strength and wisedome beside this proofe of his courage in all ages Christ himselfe who is his enemie saith âe is strong Luk. 22. 20. Nay I will adde more Christ that ouercame him pronounceth ââm to be a shâââd enemy If he hath âeen strong hee is more strong both because the world waxeth shorter and wee grow securer In these latter daies the more the dâuââ rageth the more his strength increaseth for anger is the wheâââone of strength the elder the world waxeth the more the diuel rageth For as he plaieth with meÌ so he practiseth with the world he laâeth his sorest siege in his last assault when death beginneth to moderate âim And no maruell for if he take a foyle or suffer the repulse in our life time he may recouer with ease and come againe with some hope but because in death either now or neuer he must bestir himselfe he followeth with all force Secondly he rageth the more for our security or little accounting of temptation and not serious bâthinking of the matter makes him the stronger so as oââ negligence doth inarme his diligence He is strong enough without aââour yât âo be sure he will put on armour too Goliah was strong and yet he goâ armour which sheweth great diligence we are weake and âeede armour yet seeke it not which sheweth extreame negligence Thus diligent is the diuel Sow no tares nor cockle and yet in the fallow it wil grow fast enough but he cannot conteÌt himselfe with that growth but hee wil sow also yea and plough too because he looketh for a plentiful haruest This is his good husâaÌdry though his crop would be good of it selfe yet he will sow No maruel then though Peter coÌtenteth not himselfe to call him a Lion but a ramping Lion and Iohn termeth him not only a Serpent but an old Serpent hauing by experience gotten a perfect habite and Paul ascâibeth to him not onely darts but fiery darts The armour of this enemy is partly the reuelations of flesh and blood partly the corrupt example of the world The diuell hath a motion in vs and straightway it seemeth a reuelation to flesh and blood Doe euill saith the diuell doe so saith the flesh and strikâs the matter deeper doe so as Preachers doe it saith the world and this pierceth to the bone If we could wring out these two pieces of armour wee were strong Now the diuell as a Prince Iohn 13. 14. possesseth not alwaies in his owne person but by lieutenants and embassadours who take vp the title of his soule to his interest This deputie or vicegerent is sinne which taketh vs vp as tenants for the diuell and this deputie is accompanied with foure Tetrarches The first is ignorance wher with when hee had taken possession of our fathers they might keepe good houses well enough and haue many gifts indeede for hee knew that for all that they were neuer the neerer to saluation Secondly if the diuell sees knowledge must needes come in and ignorance must needs go out he sendeth out Errour which must make men if they wil needs be knowing either Trinitaries or Arriaâs or Anabaptists or such like who may liue well indeed and make a great shewe of godlinesse but all for his greater aduanâage to winne the more soules Thirdly Worldlinesse succeedeth who dares play his part euen vppon them that haue pure knowledge whom neyther Ignorance nor Errour could preuaile against but if these preuaile not then comes Hypocrisie and hee will sift vs and search vs to the quick If an Angell from Heauen should withstand vs to the face wee dare boldly pronounce that ignorant erroneous and worldly men such as will take order for God when their barnes are full and all Hypocrites haue surely vncleane spirits breathing in them Ephes. 3 2. 3. 5 There are many kindes of knowledge The common course of the worlde is set down Micah 6 26 Ombries statutes are sought for knowledge of Law-points Christ Matt. 16. complaineth of another kinde of knowledge Yee see in the Euening the skie is red c. but knowe yee the face of the Heauens and are yet ignorant of the knowledge which bringeth euerlasting life A third kinde of knowledge there is spoken of Amoâ 8. 5. and Prouerhs 20. where a kinde of people had a grace in making of the Ephah small and the Shekle great Wee haue learned a trimme part of knowledge to trippe men in buying and selling Another knowledge there is Ecclesiasticus 30 24. when people keepe much adâe about keeping of bullockes and that so farre as they first preferre them but God and his kingdome are sought for afterward Indeed these things are lawfull for him that hath first affected his own soule to seeke the kingdome of God but to make the knowledge of God come after is preposterous There is another knowledge and that is of the law of God which men make so smal account of that the Lord complaineth by his Prophet how hee hath taken paines to write the mysteries of the law and men think it a strange thing the knowledge of God his word is hard to them Well we must enter one way or other and therefore it shall be profitable to search and suruey the wayes One way is
set downe Ephes. chap. 4. 17 where the Apostle planting true knowledge forewarneth of going away in the vanitie of their owne minde neither by adding or detracting Deut. 4. 2. and. 12. 32 Apoc. 22. 1â nor by cutting out the booke in peeces as in Ieremie This way is more flatly set down Deut. 12. 8. Ye shall not âoe whatsoeuer euery man thinketh good in his owne eyes that is if ye euer purpose to thriue in heauenly knowledge ye must not say Me thinks this is good or that is good but ye must fetch all from the fountaine of the knowledge of God which is warranted A second way is chalked out 2. Chron. 17 3 4 where the Lord beginneth to commend Iehosaphat for walking vprightly after his commaundements not after the manner of Israel But we walke after the trade of Israel Be it spoken therefore to the face of all flesh what man soeuer walketh thus after the trade of Israel his blood be vppon himselfe The third way is sounded to vs 1. Pet. 3. 17. 18. Because wee perswade our selues to walke well when wee walke after example because thus and thus did our fathers walke Peter meeteth with this way and saith Christ hath redeemed vs from the traditions of the fathers This way would the woman of Samaria haue walked Iohn 4 had not our Sauiour put her into the right way Let vs learne to walke out of the way of custome and to come into the way of God Though all the world goe this way or that way yet let vs say with Iosh. chap 24 13. I and my house will walke aright and so shall we grow from knowledge to knowledge vntill all appearâ before God in Sion We must not then make Gods word a stranger because wee will haue it thus if it be according to my reason or according to the fashion of the world or according to my forefathers but setting these aside let vs grow in the word of the Lord. There is another thing much hiÌdring this knowledge of God that is wheÌ we haue a glimmering sight we cast of al guides yet in worldly things we haue no end where shuld be an end our âns are neuer gray headed but in heaueÌly knowledge we quickly make an ând where should be no end Many can be coÌtent to know but Paul would not haue vs children in knowledge therfore writing to the mother citie of good learning he runneth stil on this point with the Corinthians know yee not know yee not a speech of a reprehension Sometime we shall see in his allegations no Prophet no book no Chapter no verse named a greater matter a high knowledge they had without all quotation wee haue Prophet Booke Chapter verse named and yet no knowledge Yet these are the times that Daniel chapter 12. 4. speaketh of the increasing of knowledge and Ioel chapter 2. 28. saith that the Lord will not droppe but powre out knowledge on all not on the Iewes alone but Esay more plainly chap. 52 8. reporteth that we shall see eye to eye and chap. 62. hee saith that the knowledge of the men vnder the Gospell shall be greater than the knowledge of the Priests in the lawe if we should be such wee had neede to beginne betime Well it is an hard saying that this knowledge is required of vs but it is true and wee shall surely bee met withall Looke on the Primitiue Church and ye shall see women so desirous of knowledge that they would bee so eger of it that they would be asking questions in the Church so as the Apostle was faine to moderate them But we neede not this moderation of whom Esay speaketh more truly that precept must bee vpon precept line vnto line there a little and there a little and all littles make but a little with vs Esay 28. 10. A wonderfull thing Ministers cannot now adaies bring out of their treasury things new and olde because they must still teach principles Well it is a note of reprobation still to be learning and not to be learned to be still at the dug and neuer to be past our A. B. C. But to doe ill wee haue wit at will Iere. 4. 22. wee refuse the running water we chuse puddle water but for the pure water we neither haue it nor will haue it 6 Euery Church euery common-wealth euery Vniuersitie hath both land and dunghill howsoeuer wee shuffle them togther making the land where the dung-hill should be and the dung-hill where the land should be because we consider not that wee haue the charge of Acheldama i. of a field not of Iudas blood but of Christs blood And hereof it is that sinne is the rankest corne in this field which shall neuer bee otherwise vntill wee cease making husbandmen of the shreds and dregs of the people But it is Sathans policie not to strike at euery shrub on the hill but at the trees of Libanon in mount Sion from whence should come sound sure timber to the building of Salomons Temple Hee knoweth it is more dangerous to poyson the fountaine whereof all drinke than the cup whereof one drinketh and therefore hee hath well prouided the Ministerie to bee but a spring whereat all the wilde Asses quench their thirst 7 Men must looke what followes of sinne Heathen men say that a man differs from a beast in this that he sees things to come in his actions saying What shall I get of this or that or what will become of it if I doe it I get this commoditie c. A beast is onely caried to preuent things doth that which is before sense some of them perceiue somewhat as the weather but that is not by discourse of reason as man doth but by instinct of nature which God gaue them at the creation The same difference is betweene the spirituall man and the carnall the carnall-man sees what will follow but goes no further than this world and compasse of it as what profit or harme will come by this or that the godlie goes to the word and sees what that speaketh of life to come CHAP. XL. of the iudgements of God and how iust he is in iudgement and how his promises and threatnings to Israel appertaine to vs. LEt the wicked rebell as they will and thinke how by their subtilties they may escape Gods threatned iudgements for a while yet they shall be pursued from farre and shall taste the heauie hand of God both fearefully and wonderfully as we see in Achab 2. Chron. 18. 33. and others wherefore let the iudgements of God euer humble vs for if they doe not humble vs assuredly they fall vpon vs. 2 It is a good propertie of faith to feare the word when we see not Gods iudgements So beleeued Noah before the flood came So feared Iosiah and hee had peace so feared Ahacuck chap. 3. This if we doe we shall escape punishments as those did but if we
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 âound 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 Aâes 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
ourtakes vs and we are as good as absent or else if wee be waking we goe away before it be done or if we tarrie as soone as we be gone we commit all to forgetfulnesse And so if with want of knowledge wee be mercifull and true dealers it is but after our owne braine and because the Lord hath not planted the Lord will roote it out The end of all is if men will not grow in the knowledge of God his wil they shal neuer come to the knowledge of God that is they shall not knowe God his mercy God his trueth glory and blessednesse neither will he euer know vs. For as without the knowledge of Gods will there is not nor shall be any knowledge of God so if we know not God God will neuer know vs. 11 When we shal be ioyned to God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost then shal we know as we are knowne then shall all teares be wiped from our eyes then shall our infirmities be taken from vs then shall we dwel with the Angels and with al the hosts of heauen in most happie blessednesse it selfe We see now by this chaine not forged by our own braine but framed out of Gods word that hee is indeede blessed whom God chooseth whom Christ redeemeth whom the Spirit reneweth whom faith stayeth whom the word Prayer Sacraments and Discipline buildevp in the Lord in whom faith breedeth peace peace sinceritie sinceritie loue loue a feare of displeasing and a care of pleasing God in whom this care striueth to a mortification in pouertie of minde this pouertie comming from a mourning heart possessed in a meeke spirit and aspiring to true righteousnesse all these things being ioyned with that sanctification which lamenteth the sins of others and relieueth the wants of others knowing to vse prosperity and aduersitie as pledges of Gods fauour and vndoubtedly looking for the kingdome of heauen in the life to come If any of these linkes be missing the chaine is broken if any of these members be wanting the body of blessednesse is lame and dismembred CHAP. XLV Of Miracles and how God worketh without and with meanes and how we ought to attend on the meanes THe Miracles that were wrought in the Church were partly in mercie and partly in iudgement as in turning Iereboams hand into leprosie and into cleane flesh againe but the miracles against Aegypt were onely in iudgement 2 Signes are giuen to confirme vs in the word are not more excellent than it if then they draw vs from the word we must hold them accursed as wel as the false Prophet Deut. 12. That which Paul speaketh of tongues 1. Corinth chap. 14. is true of all miracles which are signes to beleeuers which may teach vs not to desire them for if we beleeue not Moses and the Prophets neither would we beleeue if miracles were brought from heauen So is it in the SacrameÌts which are ordained to nourish that faith which is ingendred in vs by the word and therefore must not bee separated from the word nor esteemed aboue the word For we shall then profite truely by Baptisme when we in and by the word shall beleeue the washing away of sinne and get power to mortifie sinne daily within vs and then shal we profit by the Lords Supper when we beleeue all the promises of our Redemption wrought by Iesus Christ and shall be vnited into his body daily more and more by the word 3 Pharaoh did aske a signe not for any purpose to yeeld thereunto but if they could not doe any he might haue the greater aduantage against Moses and the people So the Scribes and Pharisies aske a signe of Christ to whom he answered the adulterous generation seeketh a signe So many in these daies aske proofe of many things in religion not that they minde to yeeld thereto but if they cannot haue such proofe as will stop their mouthes they may more quietly continue in their error We must learne to leaue this kinde of questioning which is seldome graunted for good let vs so frame our requests as that they may be reuerent and we may haue a desire to rest in that which is graunted 4 A wonder may moue vs for a time but commonly it lasteth at the most but for nine daies and we shall neuer gather any fruite thereby except it doth prepare vs to profite more effectually by the word 5 Some think that the miraculous Manna was not so straunge because it is to be found in these daies in other countries I answere not of that colour not of that propertie Therefore this was a miracle as may appeare by these reasons following First because it was neuer seene before and then came at Gods commaundement Secondly because neither raine nor faire weather did let it Thirdly because as soone as they came to the borders of the promised Land it ceased Fourthly because if it were kept till the morning it stanke but on the Sabbath day it continued sweet albeit gathered the day before Againe when it was reserued in the Arke it putrified not Fiftly because it followed the Israelites whither soeuer they went Sixtly because it fell in such abundance as that it sustained so great a multitude 6 At what time the Lord first sent Manna the children of Israel being rauished with the loue of it called it Manna that is meate prepared of the Lord herein they acknowledged the goodnesse of the Lord. This Manna is first commended for the colour it was as white as the precious stone called Bdellium Secondly for the taste tasting like fresh oyle Numb 11. 7. Thirdly for that it was Angels foode or meate prepared by Angels Psalm 98. And yet for all this when the people had beene accustomed to it they loathed it and set light by it wherefore their sinne was the greater The reason of it may be this This Manna was giuen them not onely to be foode for their bodies but also to be a token vnto them that seeing the Lord fedde them from heauen they were not to settle themselues on the earth but to looke for their inheritance in Heauen So many therefore as did rest in the bodily foode not respecting the thing spiritually signified by it they were soone weary of it So is it also with vs for albeit all the blessings of God be very deare vnto vs and of a great price at the first receiuing of them yet when they are common the best blessings are lightly regarded If it be so in earthly things which are agreeable to our nature how much more will it be in spirituall things which are so contrarie to our nature And hereby the great corruption of mans heart is discouered which will not be moued but with noueltie As for example the sunne if it were but seldome seene how glorious a creature would it be accouÌted but because we haue the daily vse of it therfore very few of vs regard it Nay the word of
Prudentia doe thus differ that the former is the generall comprehension of knowledge of things the latter is the experience of that knowledge in particular actions Experience in other things doth shewe how necessarie this propertie is For wee see in Physicke and other Artes manie by much reading to haue obtained singular knowledge so that they thinke with themselues they could doe great matters yet when they come to haue the vse of their knowledge in some particular maiters they are oftentimes behinde hand and their knowledge for want of experience doth soone faile them the reason hereof is this by reading they get the knowledge of generall rules which when they are applied to particular cases are altered by circumstances and manie exceptions may be made against them So that in all Artes and Sciences this is generally holden that so much is thorowly and soundly knowne as is knowne by experience It is necessray therefore that a Magistrate bee not onely a man of knowledge but also that hee be well experienced in the matters that be incident to his calling 3 The third propertie necessarie for a Magistrate is that hee bee of a good heart and courage For although hee bee able for his knowledge and experience to deale in anie matter yet if hee haue not a couragious heart to goe about them the others will little profite him And if wee consider with whome hee shall deale and in what matters how hee is subiect to the rebukes of those that are aboue him to the hatred of his inferiours and to the euill speeches of all then wee shall easilie see how needefull it is for him to haue courage that hee may proceede in his calling and with nothing be discouraged 4 It is fourthly required that they bee such as feare the Lorde By this feare of GOD they shall both examine their courage whether it bee good and also they shall moderate and rule it by the same feare For as courage when it once passeth the bounds of knowledge and experience doth oftentimes prooue to be but a heady rash boldnesse So likewise if it bee not seasoned with the feare of GOD it doth often ende in oppression This feare of GOD with whomsoeuer it preuaileth doth cause them to abstaine from doing of wrong to anie as Ioseph reasoneth with his brethren I feare God therefore I will not doe you wrong as contrariwise wheresoeuer it is not truly planted no sinne so great nor no wickednesse so grieuous which men for their pleasure sake will not easily bee brought to commit as Abraham Genesis â0 answereth Abimelech Therefore must Magistrates euermore set the feare of God before their face as Iob chapt 31. doth witnesse that hee himselfe did that thereby they may both make a conscience in doing Iustice and also be kept from doing wrong 5 Fiftly it is needfull that they bee true dealing men this true dealing hath first respect to the Mâgâârates themselues that whatsoeuer they spe ãâ¦ã and what they promise they be carefull to performe and that ãâ¦ã they thinke This simple and vpright dealing doth purââaâe ãâ¦ã re vnto a Magistrate Secondly it hath respect to the case that they ãâ¦ã to ãâ¦ã that they take paââes to search out the truth thereof and giue righteous ãâ¦ã râquireth For as the Lord iudgeth according to right so ought they ãâ¦ã re his Ministers Therefore they must not further the euill cause of a good âââ though otherwise he be good neither must they hinder the good cause of any man thâââgh otherwise he be euill they ought not to be carelesse of a stranger because he is a stranger neither must they goe busily about the euill cause of their friend or neighbour because he is their neighbour or their friend To conclude they must neither behold the persoâ of the rich nor of the poore to peruert iudgement for their cause but giue true iudgement without respect of person 6 Sixtly they must be haters of filthie gaine Couetousnesse is the mother of appression and extortion which doe differ in this that oppression hath the colour of ââââ and law and extortion is when man getteth by hooke or by crooke and careth not how so he may haue it but these two are not onely here forbidden but euen the louâ of âââe and rewards which are of such nature that they will blinde the eyes of the prudent and sloppe the eares of the righteous Yet is it not altogether vnlawfull to giue gifts and rewards for Salomon saith that a gift in the bosome pacifieth much strife and if it be ââââly bestowed it prospereth whithersoeuer it turneth Againe Mordeeây and Hâstersâeast âeast is mentioned with this commendation that they sent gifts euery man to his neighbour but when they are giuen with corrupted purposes or receiued to peruert right then are they of all men to be abhorred but specially of Magistrates 7 The seuenth and last propertie of a good Magistrate is that he be well knowne to all men and this hath respect to all those that went before he must be knowne then to be endued with wisedome and experience to be of a valiant and couragious heart to haue the feare of God before his eyes to be vpright in his dealing and a hater of filthie gaine So Paul would haue the Ministers to haue a good report euen of those that are without And surely it is great reason that they should be well knowne or else they shall hardly haue any credit with vs. For the weakenesse corruption of our nature is such that when he who is not well knowne vnto vs shall speake as sound a truth and deliuer it peraduenture more plainely yet doth not his word beare so much credât with vs as another whom we know and haue some experience of For our natures do for the most part suspect strangers and we are loth to commit our selues and our matters to them we know not Wherefore to the end that Magistrates may beare credit among vs it is very meete that they should be well knowne and their gifts also 8 This doctrine must teach vs first to consider what calling the Lord hath in mercy placed vs in and whether we haue gifts answerable to our callings that we may thereby be brought to pray vnto the Lord that he would giue vs that which we haue not and increase that which we haue and euermore supplie that which is wanting Secondly it serueth to teach vs to giue due honour to those in whom we see the true properties of Magistrates to be and to acknowledge their lawfull calling Thirdly that in all our elections we make choise of such Magistrates as are endued with these properties Fourthly that we may pray that such Magistrates may be profitable where they are and that the Lord would giue them to such places as haue them not And last of al that the Lord in mercy would vouchsafe to giue these properties to all Magistrates which now are set ouer
note that both prosperitie and aduersitie drawe vs neere to God if wee haue once receiued the Spirit of God but without that in their owne nature they are forcible to drawe vs away from God as may bee seene in the Israelites who for all their trobles in Aegypt could not bee brought to the Lord let vs learne then to glorifie God in our owne present estate and to vse that well and then shall wee bee prepared to âeare well whatsoeuer commeth Iacob at his death giueth his Sonnes that which hee himselfe had neuer the possession of which declared his faith grounded on the word for heâ faith God said thus Thus must we beleeue when wee haue the word though it seeme ridiculous but wee must not beleeue without the word CHAP. LVI Of Prophecie and Preaching THe office of a Prophet is not onely to foretell things although many did so the grosse vnderstanding whereof hath put downe our prophecies but also to teach to pray and plainly to interpret with a fit application to the people by the reuelation of the Spirit 1. Corinth 24 Genes 18. and 19 Number 11. Deuâ 18. 1. Sam. 12. This reuelation commeth sometimes by meanes sometimes extraordinarily but alwayes spirituallay for this difference is betweene prophecying and teaching that a man may teach that he hath learned in the Schooles but the other hath a further reuelation of the Spirit to applie the word to times and persons fitly that euery one may haue his portion Reuelation is ordinarie or extraordinarie ordinarie when hee spiritually speaketh of the word as the word of God with power deuiding it aright as the Apostle Pauâ saith If any be spirituall let him vnderstand what I say Extraordinarie when by some reuelation of Gods Spirit hee can note and specifie the time or manner or place of Gods threatnings here againe I say as the Apostle saith If any be spirituall let him consider what I say and the Lord giue them vnderstanding yet this is not to bring in the reuelations of the Familie of loue or any other Heretikes which dreame of such things as are not in and according to the word 2 To receiue a Prophet in the name of a Prophet is effectually to profit by their doctrine for all things are written for our learning so are all gifts which God bestoweth vpon others 3 As they that receiue a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receiue a Prophets reward so he that is receiued in the name of a Prophet must performe the dutie of a Prophet 4 It is one thing to speake daily by meditation and to beate vpon the consciences as a Pastour and another thing to set downe a thing with iudgement and deepe studie as a Doctour must doe 5 There are three kindes of false Prophets The first teacheth false doctrine The second teacheth true doctrine but applieth it falsely The third teacheth and applie well but liue ill 6 It is good to preach according to the state of a mans owne conscience vnlesse wisedome require a consideration to be had of the time person and place 7 Pastors were not able to deuoure their great paines to the people vnlesse they should consider what paines Christ deuoured for them and that their paines may bee the more profitable as the Pastor or Preacher should pray for the people so in like sort the people should pray for the Preacher 8 We care not though the Lord accuse or condemne neuer so much so he doth it in another court and touch vs not So long as Ieremy prophecied against Edom against Moab against Ammon or against mount Sâir so long presently after the threatnings the people would goe to the Church they were willing enough to heare the burthens of the Lord so long as it concerned not Iudah and Ierusalem but when he came to the burthen of Iudah and Ierusalem then they say the Lord hath not sent thee thou art taught to speak euil c. Wherefore wee must bring our selues to this to bee as glad to heare and with as great patience the action of the Lord commenced against vs as against any other And we may note it as a fault and marke of false Prophets to prophecie against other countries and to be full of generall tearmes but to come to particulars that they were loth to speake and others were loth to heare Being at Samaria they speake against Ierusalem and being at Ierusalem they speake against Samaria being at Bethel they prophecie against Gilgall and when they are at Gilgall they speake against Bethel at Dan against Sheba at Sheba against Dan. This is a sinne of false Prophets the true Prophets doe not so 9 The honour of a Prophet is not from the breast of his Mother it is not so materiall who was his father as who was his teacher In whom chiefly is to bee considered what the Prophet speaketh how The Prophets did somtimes threateÌ sometimes promise sometimes comfort sometimes reprooue but this they did rather as teachers than Prophets as whose proper function specially was in speaking of future things we doe not so much imbrace good things as wonder at strange things The Prophets spake that by inspiration which they knew by reuelation God disposing both their words and writings so that all that they spake and wrote they did but as instruments from God so great a difference is there betwixt our speeches and theirs Though we conceiue exquisitely how long are wee before we can speake And when we haue meditated wel doe not our tongues falter in our mouthes Though our tongues vtter most the puritie of knowledge when wee vtter the wisedome of God yet when herein we adde much indeuour how sore we grieue our hearers sometimes by obscuritie sometimes by vnsauorie and sometimes by vnseemly speeches In things of arte or reason be they Prophets bee they Apostles be they Euangelists or be they Pastors they may be deceiued Was not Moses counselled by his father in law Iethro Was not Peter conuicted of error by Paul Was not some of the Prophets conuicted by Ieremiah and Ezechiel But how then are the bookes of the Prophets so generally allowed Answere is that the Prophets were exempted from all possibilitie of errour in those things which they receiued by diuine reuelation indeede they must be voide of errour because God teaching them immediatly euery word and writing is voide of errour But how shall wee know that these their bookes were of such diuine reuelation and deliuered from God himselfe We must know that the certaine knowledge hereof to the prophets was one and to the hearers was another The Prophets by vision most certainly knew that the things they deliuered were from God The knowledge and certaintie of these things were confirmed to the hearers by miracle and oracle by miracle the persons of the Prophets were authorized for without doing of miracles they were accounted of as the
inditement to be executed there against some sinne Therefore when we blesse our selues for our riches and say the Lord be blessed for my wealth this is a goodly inheritance My lines are fallen in a faire place we must also say though this also be a good saying All this I haue of the Lord and hold whatsoeuer I haue of him doe I keepe that part of the couenant which is of my part as he hath performed his part of his condition with me If I doe then I am no vsurper for he hath giuen me a condition and I haue kept it he commended knowledge to me and I know in knowledge so that I am able to make an account of it c. but otherwise though I neuer come for any other sinnes to iudgement yet our action for dwelling in our possessions is sufficient to stand against vs. For if we keepe not the couenant the Lord hath or will enter an action and to thee or thy posteritie he will surely performe the execution of it CHAP. LXI Of Sacraments GOd might haue wrought miracles without the rod which he willed Moses to vse for he vsed it not for himselfe but for Moses and the people of Israel to helpe their infirmities So must we receiue the Sacraments as helpes Contraâaereticos And as the rod in it selfe was a common rod but being appointed of God for more excellent vse was so to be accounted of them So water bread wine although in themselues common yet put apart for the vse of the Sacraments are to be esteemed and receiued as the ordinance of the Lorde for the strengthening of our Faith wherein also the Lord will trie our obedience whether we will worship him in these things which haue so small a shewe 2 The neglect of Gods Sacraments doth prouoke him against vs as it did against Moses for the neglect of the Circumcision of his Sonne The Lord met Moses with some such affliction as that he was readie to die according to the threatning Gen. 17. Where we may see the neglecting of Gods ordinance punished but not the want for Moses did omit it either to please his wife or his father or both wherein hee honoured them more then the Lord. The like is said of the Passeouer Num. 9. Deut. 27. Our Baptisme and the Lords Supper doe answere these Sacraments therefore the neglect of them requires the like punishment Wee haue no lesse grace offered to vs in our Sacraments then they had in theirs if they then were worthily cut off much more are wee if we refuse either of our Sacraments vnlesse it be for necessities sake And although the Lord doth not presently meete vs as he did Moses yet is he the same God as in mercie to those that vse them in Faith so in iudgement to take vengeaÌce vpon the contemners of them But some wil say they would come but the Ministers will not suffer them If the Ministers do hinder them without cause they shall beare their condemnation but if for want of Faith and repentance he doe stay them and be diligent and willing to teach and warne them and they still continue carelesse their blood shall be vpon their owne heads they can claime no part in the companie of Gods children for hee should communicate with them in their sinne if he should receiue them being vnworthie either for want of knowledge or because of sinnes which they lie in 3 The institution of the Passeouer Exod. 12. hath in it some things which are peculiar to the first celebration other some things which belong to the continuall obseruation as in the ââ verse and before that they must not goe out of the doores c. These belonged to the first celebration of it afterward were not to be vsed because they had respect onely to the present Time therefore our Sauiour Christ offended not when they did eate the Passeouer sitting and went forth after the institution of the Lordes Supper some things were personall and had respect to the present time which were not after to be vsed as that it was to be eaten with vnleauened bread for then there was none other then that it was at Night in a parlor which was that it might be shewed that the other Passeouer was abrogated and this came in it stead other things that had no such particular respect are whollie and onely still to be obserued 4 We must be prepared to receiue the Lords Supper with sinceritie and holines which is the truth of the ceremonie of vnleauened bread for vnleauened bread had first respect to true doctrine as our Sauiour Christ himselfe expoundeth it Beware of the leauen of the Pharisies And this teacheth vs not onely to beware of all false doctrine as the doctrine of the Papists or such like which in it selfe is euill but also to beware that wee be not defiled with the corruption of the true doctrine which in it selfe is most pure for the doctrine of the Pharisies was much of it true yet somewhat mingled and otherwise defaced and this corruption of true doctrine is called leaueÌ because if it be suffered it wil corrupt the whole Secondly this hath respect to maliciousnes for so Paul expounded it The leauen of maliciousnes where also not onely the grosse sinnes are said to be of the nature of leauen but euen the very rootes of sinne maliciousnes Contrary to this are we commanded to come in a pure and sound religion and doctrine also in sinceritie and trueth of heart hauing respect vnto and hauing a desire to fulfill all the commandements of God Thirdly whereas it is called the bread of tribulation Deut. 16. 3. it sheweth with what affection wee must eate this Passeouer namely that as the poore man hath much paine and labour before he can get bread so that his hart fainteth with want or when all taste is gone by reason of his sicknes and when he hath gotten bread or findeth nourishment thereby he euen weepeth for ioy so should wee euen a long time bewaile our sinnes and repent vs of the euill which we haue done and euen saint for the desire of IESVS CHRIST that so we comming to the table of the Lord being refreshed may effectually receiue grace and be heartily thankfull 5 This is one great cause why the Family of loue and others doe with so deadly hatred despise our Sacraments because they neuer felt the power of them nor sought to haue by them the assurance of the merits of Christ conueied vnto them and sealed in their hearts Would we not then be like vnto this kinde of people in dâspising the Word Sacraments and other holy graces let vs not then rest in the bare vse of them let vs not come to them of fashion let vs not content our selues with hauing the outward things but let vs labour to feele in our hearts the power of the spirit let vs pray that by them the
pay him truth The third respect why the Lord will haue truth is because it is a thing most concerning vs and comforteth vs in the agonie of a distressed coÌscience For in this case mercie cannot so comfort vs for God hath iustice as well as mercie and hee is iust as well as he is mercifull and for Christ he cannot comfort vs for he is not giuen to all and it may be not to thee and therefore in these two onely there is no comfort But to challenge the Lord his truth is best and his faithfulnes in giuing Christ whom he hath promised is our chiefest hold and nothing can put vs beside it This is the surest tenour of our saluation because by this we hold whatsoeuer we hold and howsoeuer we are defectiue in other things yet in respect of truth we must make much of it Thus in these respects that truth is the diadem of the Lord in respect that Sathan doth so assault it it is the tenour of our saluation it is sure that it is a pension to bee paid But to come neerer whether this truth be in vs or no we see the earth it selfe is not only true but liberall to vs. And as it hath truth and mercie so knowledge is in it too for it knoweth al times and seasons When to receiue when to returne it shewes it selfe a cunning Scholler and it keepes such a comely course in all seasons as if it had perfect knowledge and this is another reason why wee must labour for truth We may well be compared to a land For though there be a soule in vs of the substance of heauen and comming into our bodies made of earth should make them like to heauen and so heauen should lift vs vp to heauen from the earth yet our bodies which by the soule should be more heauenly haue so weighed down heauen as it were to the earth pressed downe the soule to things below That we haue set earth as it were aboue heauen in all our attempts and imaginations and so our soules are become a very ground and land for all our intent being earthly we are iustly called earth 3 There are found out three truths First The truth of life which euery man must labour for The second is The truth of Iustice which is in Common-wealths The third is Truth in doctrine and religion which is in the Church For that truth of life which ought to be among men that we may better vnderstand it wee will shew it in measures and weights In a measure there is a Standard and in weight there is a Seale and if our measure be equall with the standard and if our weights be iust with the seale so as they be neither lighter nor heauier than the standard weight our measures and weights are true Now to applie these things the maine and standard truth is set downe Ioh. 17. Thy word is the truth Then here is the point the word is trueth If our thoughts bee agreeable to this standard and then our tongues be agreeable to our harts well agreeing to the standard if our doings agree with our tongues then comes sinceritie of heart simplicitie of speech and constancie of life Now here is the question then whether the conclusion wee make in our braine be equall with the standard or else our hearts are false and they being false our tongues are out of rule and our outward life can neuer be true For surely if the word haue not taught vs our truth wee haue no truth in the world and then wee truly measure all things according to the truth when we esteeme all things as the word doth esteeme them looke what conclusions the word hath set downe of the world and of other things that must be our conclusion and principle in euery thing Phil. 3. Paul who doubtlesse knew the truth and deliuered nothing but measured by the standard of the truth hath this conclusion that to winne Christ he would lose all there was nothing so glorious in the world but he counted it riffe raffe for the attaining of Christ. This is then the first thing to doe al things by the analogy of the word and then we shall haue but one heart not a heart and an heart Otherwise wee shall be as deceiueable as the vineyard that Esay speakes of whereof grapes were looked for but it brought foorth wilde grapes And because men haue worldly conclusions and the world not the word is their standard so that they are resolued of their principles speaking thus secretly in their hearts We will keepe this gaine and profite they haue lost the truth So must it be in the simplicitie of our speech for vnlesse our words bee according to our hearts we delude our selues For if in the Church we shall haue an Amen a great praising of heauen and a large cursing of sinne and yet no regard of this simplicitie all is but an illusion When men shall publikely sing out of the Psalmes that nothing is more precious than the word of God and yet wee set by nothing lesse this is plaine mockerie to beare the world in hand that we loue the word and yet our thoughts are more large and deepe and attentiue to the world So that wee haue false hearts and dissembling words and truly though we dare not shew this to the world and though in our hearts wee care not for a Sermon once in seuen yeeres yet if wee were asked how wee stood affected to the word what great credit and commendations would flie out of our mouthes But now let vs come to the truth of our actions in stedfastnesse of life that a man may bind on our word the ouerthrowing of our liues doe so much drowne the voice of our mouthes that whatsoeuer we protest in word wee spoyle in our workes The blood of Habel was an action and it cried vp to heauen our Amen in our mouthes is drowned by the blood of our actions crying so loude before the Lord. For our actions bewray men for there is such wringing going ouergoing and incroching that there is no Truth in our liues in respect of the concordance of the tongue And whatsoeuer their bonds are we must haue other forfeiture vpon forfeitures to proclaime their falsehood to the world Now come to the Truth of the Common-wealth wee see as the Prophet saith Iudgement is turned in to Worme-wood that is a man had as good eate a hand-full of Worme-wood as haue our cause pleaded in the Courte Let Noble-men be neuer so wise to open the Truth yet the Diuell hath made many wiser in breaking of the Truth then any can be wise in setting it downe It is knowne too well that many grieuances haue beene for that men haue growne more cunning in ouerthrowing of Iustice then manie haue bene able to establish Iustice. But euery man would be content to beare this burthen because it concernes another Courte But
their whole possessions to giue to the preachers as it was done in the primitiue Church 5 The nature of true zeale is set downe Heb. 10. where the Apostle heauily threatneth them that willingly giue ouer theÌselues to sinne there is named in the proper tongue the zeale of fire For as fire is not without heate so zeale is hot cannot long be holden in It is set downe by the contrary Reu. 3. when after the Church of Laodicea for her lukewarmnes is threatned to be spued out of the Lord his mouth it is added be zealous and amend where we see zeale to be opposed to lukewarmnes which is too temperate an heate for the profession of the Gospell Againe I. Cor. 14. 1. that which in our common translation we reade Follow after loue couet spirituall gifts c. the naturall text hath Be zealous after the more excellent gifts And Rom. 12. Be feruent in spirit i. let God his spirite kindle in you a fire which may flame out of you Now there are diuers kinds of zeale as the zeale of the world of the flesh of false religion according to the world And euery man is eaten spent consumed with some kind of zeale which must shame vs if we haue not the true zeale for that this zeale leaueth in vs some aduantage and recompeÌce which the world and carnall men haue not For when they haue spent set on tilt all the strength of their bodies powers of their minds they haue no gaine but torment of conscieÌce wheras the godly being spent in a good cause haue that repaired in the inner maÌ which is coÌsumed in the outward Now to know what that true zeale is as neere as by properties we may describe it wee must first vnderstand that it is grounded on knowledge For if our zeale be not according to knowledge much like to the zeale of them spoken of Rom. 11. wee may come to persecute the Trueth and thinke we do very welll Our zeale must begin where the word begins end where the word ends that in all things it be proportionable to the word Our Sauior Christ rebuketh the Pharisies for straining out a gnat swallowing vp a Camel for tithing cummin seed and mint and for pretermitting the weightier matters of the Law wherein they bewrayed a rotten zeale in that they were carefull in the lesse and carelesse in the greater points So now a dayes many rather desiring to be counted zealous then to be zealous for a ceremonie wil be as hot as may be and yet in more principall poynts of religion they are as cold as can be in greater causes let this be our canon to vse greater zeale in lesse matters let this be our pedagogie to vse lesse zeale so that we remember to count nothing small in the word and that we can increase decrease in affection as the thing loued doth increase or decrease in goodnes If I say we can zealously pursue the most principall things and for the peace of the Church can tolerate lesse things for if any man in matters of lesse importance list to be contentious we haue no such custome neither the Church of God wee shall obserue this 1. rule still remembring this caution that we count nothing small commanded or forbidden in the Word The second rule is that wee haue an eye as well to things inward as outward our Sauiour CHRIST reprehendeth the Pharisies for that they made cleane the out side of the platter and left the inner-side foule whose liues though outwardly they were without reproofe yet inwardly they were full of pride disdaine self-loue such like Wel our zeale must begin within and in time appeare without we must no lesse feare to doe euill being by our selues alone then if we were eyed of the whole world least that we become as painted sepulchres and as such dishes as are cleane without and foule within A branch of this Rule is to haue a narrow and iealous eye of our owne corruptions lurking in the bottomles pit of nature and gaged onely by the word and spirit When we loue to be hypocrites in dissembling this naturall corruption and yet are busie in pretending some outward sanctimonie the iustice of GOD in time will vncase vs then the sinne which we would hide shall appeare in the face outwardly and the good which in Truth wee neuer loued shall be seene neuer to haue bene in vs. Herein then we may go to schoole with the couetous man who had rather be rich than be counted rich that we may rather be godly indeed than be counted to be godly least that seeing wee be not such indeed as we would bee we become notoriously to be such as we would not be 3 The third rule is that we keepe a tenor of zeale in both estates as well in aduersitie as in prosperitie Manie in peace are professors who in time of troubles are persecutors who louing the peace of the Gospell not the Gospell it selfe doe more bewray that they were neuer truely zealous Others whilest they be vnder the Crosse are very demure and deuout who if once they come aloft forget the simplicity of the Gospell and fall to the securitie of the world Hereof comes that fearefull complaint that men hote in preaching and professing while they are vnder are choked in their zeale when they come to preferment Such men are glad not of the gospell but of the prosperity of the gospell such men will be sad not for the want of the Gospell but for the aduersitie which followeth the persecutors of the Gospell Our triall herein may bee thus if our priuate estate be prosperous wee lament with Dauid the estate of the Church being ruinous or if our priuate estate being perilous wee can reioyce with Paul in the estate of the Church being prosperous our zeale is according to truth Dauid neere the Crowne for his happines fasted for the estate of the Church lying in abhominable filthines Paul a prisoner in bonds thought himselfe at libertie so long as the Gospell was free 4 The fourth Rule is that in pure zeale wee be patient in our owne causes and deuoure manie priuate iniuries that the Lord his cause may the better be prouided for haue the better successe Many can be as hot as fire in taking vp their owne cause who are as cold as yee in defending the Lord his cause This Rule obserued would sow vp the lips of the aduersarie who though for a time he thinke vs to be cholerike mad-men madly reueÌging our priuate affections yet one day should confesse that we sought not our own coÌmoditie but God his most precious glorie And to stretch this examination of our harts one degree further let vs beware of that corruption which springing from self-loue will giue vs leaue to reioyce at good things so long as they be in our selues but repineth at the sight of
none there it is good to make many doubts and hence commeth conference all these meanes are to be vsed for God sometime blesseth one and not another we must vse all least we should tempt God some heare and not reade some reade and not meditate some keepe their studie and neuer conferre Faith is a knowledge it is called a demonstration it hath alwaies relation vnto the word as the schollers learning is the Maisters doctrine Wicked men know the Scriptures as it is a knowledge but they cannot applie it and haue the true vse men of God speake as if they were moued therfore the interpretation of the scripture must be of the same spirit no man knoweth the minde of God but Gods spirit CHAP. XII Daemonis appellationes or the diuers names giuen to the Diuell in scripture THE Diuell is called Daimôn of his great knowledge and great experience Diábolos of his slaundering and false accusing peir ázan of sifting boring and broching the faithfull to see what is in them skoloposarkòs of making vs subiect to the rebellion of the flesh the Diuell of doing euill or à diuellendo or else as in the old english monuments the diuels fetched from the Greeke Diábolos for his authoritie the Prince of this world that is of the corrupt estate of the world for his forme and vgly shape the Prince of darkenes for his vntruth a lying spirit for his filthines an vncleane spirit for his hurting a serpent for his experience in hurting an old serpent for his strength a Lion for his greedines a ramping or roaring Lion for his poyson a Dragon for his alluring a tempter for his constraining an armed man hauing store of darts sometimes he ramps and roares in one sharpe with hornes and clawes full of terrour in a Lions skinne which is especially in the euill day at the houre of death Sometimes he transformes himselfe into an Angels shape in bright apparell full of compassion in the mantle of Samuel in a religious habit full of scripture euery other word is scriptum est setting an ambush of Diuels to inuade vs holding the crosse and this is his craft If he be able to change himselfe into an Angell of light much more is he into a shadow of the night for he setteth his nets and diggeth his pits in euery thing to take vs in our flesh by ease or pleasure or pride of the eyes suis mimis by death and the feare of it In our soule he hath his forge and bellowes euill motions lusts suggestions to kindle the fire of concupiscence in our affections bending our feare and our loue and such like to that which they should not be imployed vnto in our reason by casting doubts and planting the roote of bitternes in vs which is infidelitie in the creatures by abusing of them or by vnthankfull receiuing of them in the world by hauing his nets in riches preferments euill examples customes and euill companie in melancholie humors perswading despaire to be true sorrow in cholericke bodies perswading wrath to be good zeale in ciuill wisedome by mingling policie with Christianitie in our best motions by mingling with repentance distrust in Gods mercies with faith securitie in making vs measure Gods loue or hatred by blessings or afflictions of this life in preuenting vs of good by breeding in our hearts a loathsomnes of the word and wearines in the meaner in stripping Christ of his high Priests garments and true office of mediatorship vrging sometime these sayings Except ye also repent ye shall all likewise perish which kinde of sentences are not so properly his as belonging to his office which is a Mediator and true Sauiour 2 Sathan is inuisible changeth himselfe into an Angell of light that he cannot be discerned by the eye no nor by reason he windeth himselfe into our reason Peter thought Christ should not dye what reason was it that the sonne of man should dye CHAP. XIII Of the contempt of the Ministerie 1 IEhu being threatned called the Prophet a madbraine for so they iudged of them that digressed any whit from the set composition of words and orderly precepts of their arte which no doubt therefore hath and will come to passe because men can no longer either lend eye or eare than either they can see by reason or discerne by arte or whiles the speaker keepeth himselfe within this ordinarie course of stile or carieth himselfe euen in an orderly and oratorious period so long as wittie inuention comely compassing of matter proportionable measure of words are afforded but if a man come to cut vp the conscience and in some vehemencie of spirit dealeth more roughly and lesse orderly with their speciall sinnes then he is brainesicke and runneth as they say besides the text Neither are these complainers sillie soules but learned Parthians and wise Arabians men elaborate in arte skilfull in precepts and proud Babylonians who cannot discerne betweene a godly vehemencie of spirit for the Lord of hosts sake and a rayling austeritie of speech for malice or vaine glorie sake If then Paul be misconstrued wrongfully he must recompence such sinnes with meekenes patiently whereby often the Lord hath brought to passe that the proudest heart of most obstinate gainesayers haue beene more broken seeing the mild sufferance of the Ministers of Christ than if they had beene pursued with most hote reuengement which then especially experience hath proued true when the Lord with some crosse and humilation sealing the truth of his faithfull and zealous seruants hath caused many to thinke themselues to haue resisted the graces of God and persecuted the gifts of God in them whom they thought before to be curious precise and seekers of singularitie 2 Grieuous enough it is when our corne our cattell our goods and treasure shall come to the tables of our enemies but what though we be yet freed from such Chaldaeans yet is there a great famine in the land which they little thinke of that are the Church-robbers whom we falsely call Patrons of the Church Little thinke they of it who in stead of feeding to saluation starue many thousands to destruction in whom if there were any loue of God from their hearts I dare say and say it boldly that for all the promotions vnder heauen they would not offer that iniurie to one soule that now they offer to many hundred soules But Lord how do they thinke to giue vp their reckning to thee who in most strict account wilt take the answere of euery soule committed vnto them one by one Or with what eares doe they often heare that vehement speech of our Sauiour Christ feede feede feede With what eyes doe they so often reade that pearcing speech of the Apostles feede the flocke whereof you are ouerseers looke vnto the flock committed vnto you But if none of this will mooue them then the Lord open their eares to heare the grieuous grones of many soules lying vnder the grislie altars of destruction
so in vnaduised ioyes you can find no spirituall profit He was not so much moued at the reproches of his enemies as at the not profiting of his friends Yet herein he had this comfort first if all profited not by his speeches yet so that one among tenne profited he thought he had the winnings that Christ had secondly if they profited not which he spake to presently yet they might profit hereafter thirdly if none of them profited yet he knew the word should not be in vaine It is the policie of Satan as to blinde and beset the world with a quiet possession of an vniust mirth thereby to keepe them from the true sight of their sinnes so to oppresse the sillie flocke of Christ with false and causelesse feares thereby to keepe them from the glorious feeling of their redemption He knoweth to his griefe that your ioy may temporally be interrupted but not finally or eternally be denied you therefore he plieth himselfe though he cannot extinguish it yet to diminish your iust and royall right in your Christ in regard wherof you staÌd guiltie of not maintayning the Lords royaltie giueÌ to his elect if in the least measure you yeeld to these slauish feares of the aduersarie This subtill Serpent is not ignorant that by these pensiue practises he doth weare to a dulnes the edge of your prayers and that he draweth from you with an vncomfortable tediousnes the fruits of your faith and consequently by these meanes you are depriued of the fruit of a more comfortable seruice to your God the weake ones fearing also by your example the profession of Christ to be strict and comfortlesse Of the power and priuiledges of Gods word THhe Word of GOD is mightie liuely in operation Heb. 4 12. 13. This place commendeth vnto vs the Word by it effects shewing that it is not a sound in the aire to tickle mens eares please their conceits but it worketh with further power like a two edged sword to humble men and being humbled to raise them vp againe Hereunto therefore is due a speciall prerogatiue and honor because the worke of it shal be ratified in mens consciences whether they be good or euill elect or reprobates For the word is the power of GOD to all that an Anatomie of our corruptions laide before vs wee might be driuen out of our selues to IESVS CHRIST First of the words then of obseruations out of the doctrine The word is liuely Therefore not dead as the wisdome of Philosophie It is sharper then a two edged sword This Metaphor is vsed Esay 48. 2. where the Word is compared to a sword or an arrow wherewith men are shot at Also Ephes. 6. it is compared to a sword And entreth to the deuiding asunder of the soule and the spirit c. This declareth how the word reuealeth inward hypocrisie and telleth vs that all our holines is but dissimulation all our wisedome foolishnes all our righteousnes as a defiled cloth And of the ioynts and of the marrow This is added to shewe that though wee hide our hypocrisie and would âurie it in the most secret parts yet euen the bones shall tremble and the marrow in the bones shall turne to rottennes as Iob. 33. 19. Psal. 51 8 Psal 32. And is a diâcerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Here we see that where no law of man can take hold of vs there the Lord will finde our intents by his word and will gage vs to the bottome Hence arise three questions First how the word doth thus worke in men It is when we vse good meanes and God his Spirit worketh vpon the meanes The vsuall meanes are hearing reading conferring and meditating and praying This we may see 1. Corinth 10. Proâ 29. Ephes 4. 1. Thess. 5. by the vertue of the word preached To preaching we must ioyne reading of it Act. 17. As for conference and meditation we must know that neuer any shall come to the marrow of knowledge without this meane For meditation is the life of learning the want where of causeth that the greatest Clerkes are not the wisest men Of prayer Matth. 6. and 11. 1. Cor. 2. how needfull this is so many must acknowledge as confesse the word to be a mysterie and therfore not to be conceiued without the working of God his Spirit which we must pray for 2 Cor. 4. Secondly it is asked of what part of the word this is meant I answere of both that is of the Law and of the Gospell Zâch 12. 1. Cor. 14. Thirdly In whom these effects of the word are found Both in the godly and in the wicked though not alike Where we must know that there is a feeling in both of these men which is inward and not seene Secondly this power is not alwaies presently felt but it worketh in God his appointed time We shall see the word will often strike the vngodly though they be loth to heare and although when they haue heard they would shake it off by inglutting their hearts with eating drinking and sleeping yet it will wring them on their beds at their tables in their chambers when they are with their companions And although God his deare children do not alwaies feele this power to saluation yet they haue it in greater measure at one time or at another Hence obserue three vses First we must come to know the word For the diuell moueth this fearefull question vnto many How knowest thou this is the word rather than any other doctrine To leaue grosse heresies I answere by an interrogatorie Whose words if he were but a man and spake as a man alone did euer driue thee to hell whose words did euer rip vp thy secret and close sinnes who hath drawne teares out of thine eyes and sorrow out of thy heart with a conscience of thy sinne at which thou wert wont to laugh Whose words haue taken thee from the hell of thy conscience to heauen who hath giuen thee ioy in sorrow comfort in trouble What words of Philosophers can make of a Leopard a Lambe of a viper a childe of a leacher a chast person of a couetous carle a liberall man All eloquent Oratours without the word are bare Physitions to a troubled minde Secondly the word needeth none other helpes 1. Cor. â and 2 and 3. 2. Cor. 2. and 3. and 4. Howbeit we may vse other words besides the bare phrase of the Scripture but we must beware of humane inueÌtions take heed we vse not vncertain phrases for certaine If we vse the authoritie of Heathen men we doe ill We may alleadge them but most sparingly and not naming them but by way of an argument we may shew that the Heathen saw this and that and therefore we should not be ignorant of it Similitudes may be vsâd if they be naturall and not constrained We must vse them as sauce to prepare vs for better things We must not straine them least we presse
782 their comfort in this life 341 their loue to parents and the Triall of it 76 chastized and wherefore 640 787 subiect to two extremities 307 how Gods children haue many changes in this life and wherefore 497 Gods goodnes towards them when he plagueth the wicked 499 Circumcision 668 705 Combat of the faithfull 81 CoÌfort for a troubled mind 6. 33 109 112 681. 768. See afflicted false coÌfort 778. Company of the wicked to be auoided 332 Communion with CHRIST 1â2 with his members 1â3 318 the benefit of obseruing all Gods commandements 395 Hee that offendeth in any one commandement is guiltie of all ibid. Concupiscence how to auoide it 8. 458 Conference necessary 5. 614 12â 647. 662 Confession of sinne 38 484 Confession of sinne 649. of all 690 of speciall 107 hard to confesse sinne 32 33 the benefit of the confession of our sins 409. confession two folde publike priuate to God to men 360 361 Conscience afflicted 5. 6. 37. See afflicted Of sinne 701. tormented 9â 99. 639 hardnes 651. a good conscieÌce 5. notes of iâ 313. examination of it 650 peace of it 650 209 tender 650 773. 611 troubled yet pardoned 867 Scriptures for a weake conscience 854 what it is 3â8 ConstaÌcie in a good cause in the faith 511 Contempt of the Gospell punished 791 Contention 801 419 Contentation 26 678 759 770 Contâact of Matrimony vsed of the heatheÌ 122 commended in Scripture 123 what it is and how the contracted must bee taught 123. 124. a forme of coÌtract 1â8 Controuersies how farre permitted in the Church and wherefore 727 Conuersion 281 how hard a thing 252 the onely outward meanes of it 282 Correction how the Lord correcteth and why 34 6â2 7â5 How men ought to rect 278 651 See Censure Corruption naturall 8. 636 703 secret corruption 10â how knowne 58. knowledge and feeling of it necessarie 11. 681 delighteth in meanes it cannot haue 92 hindereth good actions 27 Couenants particular 477 Couering infirmities 7 Couetousnes vnsatiable 643. 6â4 how discouered 6â0 604. how to fight against it and ouercome it 466 Curtesie of the wicked what it is 837 Counsell 612 Creation what it is 82. right vse of the creatures 312 783 what it is to bee a newe creature 370 ioy therein â64 Crosses refine the Faithfull 2. 38. 117 they are necessarie 649 the vse of it 116 ioyes vnder it 68â three things required to finde comfort therein 2 the wicked cowaâds vnder the crosse 48â Crosse of CHRIST what is meant thereby 366 36â how crosses of wood and other things came 36â Curiositie 475 Curse a secret curse 662 680 Custome 332 D Dauid 552 his adulterie 7â2 âauncing a sinne 169 Death sudden 66â good 465 violent â8 quiet to some men an euill âigââ 2â1 measurable feare of it commendable â 250 wishes of it vnlawfull 9 meditation of it profitable 656 6â3 how to die the death of the righteous 49 the godlie die in the fittest time 45 their sinne abolished by it 875 806 no man to be iudged according to his state in death 9 Debt two kindes of it 754 Decalogue 73 Deceir 688 Delights 612 Dâsertion what it is 398 It is twofolde Ibid. Three endes for which God vseth desertions 401 the vse that Christians ought to make thereof 402 Desire 735 respected of God more then the deede 9 6 8 How to examine it 680 800 7â2 mans desire vnsatiable 6â3 why we haue it not 760 Despaire and remedie against it 8â9 Diet 10 charitable iudgements of professors in cases of desperation 400 their iudgement to be left to God ibid. Dâât 10 DiffereÌce between persons callings 49â Dâligence to serue God 55 Dâsobedience 3â0 Discipline of the ancient Church 768 842 Discretion necessary therein 84â Dispraise 10 Distraction froÌ a good matter the cause of it 10 Diuine â things make a good diuine 410 Dâuell how he may hurt 2 how he tempteth and accuseth â04 his subtilty 7â4 his strength 7â0 of diuers names giuen vnto him 845 Doctrine 772 three rules to examine it by 11 false doctrine infections 491 Dreames the causes vse of them 10 326 Dulnes and deadnes 10. causes of it 6 30 273. 496. 584. how to auoid it 160. 662 329 the most perfect earhly things are imperfect shall haue an end pag 4â2 E ECclesiastes a briefe summe of it 628 Education of children See children Elders 352 Election 719 Elect their priuiledge 782 Enmitie 798 the way to ouercome our enemies 464 rules to be obserued when wee pray against them 512 Enuie 732 Error 817 Examination of our sins 101 of our selues 31 284 1â7 642 671. 703. Example 247 249 263 268 96 632 vse of example 9 666 how farre to bee followed 11 720 721 Excommunication what it is and how dangerous to despise 842 discretion required therein 843 who were excommunicated in the ancient Church 792 Exercises of religion publike 11 75 priuate 158 498 the vse benefit thereof 6â3 to strengthen iudgment to whet affection 19 778 to whom vnprofitable 241 498 wherefore the Lord doth no more blesse publike exercises 498 Exhortation Legall Euangelicall 3â9 Experience 11 Bucharist what we eate and drinke therein and how 192 why 193 examination before and the reasons thereof 187 Eye of idlenesse 676 Eyes the gouernement of them 671 677 not gouerned how hurtfull 792 5â the vanitie of them 416 F FAlling the childe of God may fall 13 the strongest may fall 761 Familie what care is to be had of it 12 278 the whole familie punished for the sinne of the master 684 Familie of Loue. 453 Famliaritie with the wicked forbidden punished 492 Fasting 8. no set time for it 135. publike fast 152. How expedient in our Time 151. the austeritie of the Fathers in it 653. Humilitie therein required 674 Fauour of God 682. found in affliction 687. to be sought more then the fauour of men 686 Faires on the Sabbath day 165 Faith 11. what it is 81. How needfull 12. 484. faith worketh 588. triall of it 640. 814. How the faith of Gods children differeth from the vaine imaginations of the wicked 492. the triall of our Faith when God delayes to performe his promises 508. decay of it 176. 510. Eclipse of it 265. the life secret 54. without feeling 655. 662. faith only iustifieth 86. want of faith and of a good conscience make many barren in good things 464. Spirit of faith 484 faithfull how farre they are saide to be wise 461 Feare Three kindes of feare 682 properties of it 683. godlie feare 248. 528. 3â3 353. 55. difference of the godly and wicked therein 31. 53. immoderate feare 504. 13. 504. scrupulous feare 1â5 false feare 857 fewe men trulie fearing 491 Feastings 14. on the Sabbath day hazard soules 168 Feeling 1. 6. 12. 40. 273. 286. 679. 777. 804. 481. vnder the crosse 27. of the forgiuenes of sinnes 254. of a spirituall gâace 655. Dauid lost it 248. 866 867. of wants 507 Figures 132 Fire the
properties thereof 244 Flesh what it is 289. 224. how it must be kept vnder 808. combat betweene it and the spirit 221. 225 Fooles who be 625. diuers kindes of follie 732 Forgetfulnes the cause of it 609 Fornication 501 See Adulterie Why God seemeth somtime to forsake his children 397 39â Frailtie to be borne with 545 Friendship Rules to bee obserued therein 14 with whom it should be made 624 Friends not profiting in godlines 857 Free-will 477 525 Freedome of ioy and freedome of sorrowes 484 Fruites 12 Furies 589 G GIfts extraordinary 15. of the spirit 694 Glorie vaine 273 God his patience mercie 694 his countenance 544. to see feele it 662 two notes of his goodnesse 847. three notes of his fauour 680 his works 748 his Temple 804 his iudgements âââ no flying from it 6â8 his Anger and wrath 696 his word the power and priuiledge thereof 8â8 his prouidence 466 850 Godlines 533 hard to come to 466 the mirrour of it 525 true godlinesse and religion to be preferred before all worldlie things 383 two speciall things to attaine true godlinesse 466 godlie often troubled with vnbeliefe 495 Blasphe mers of the godly 3. âorts 419 Good name 264 261 259 Good workes 15 See Workes Gospell what it is 72 88 772 824 the triall of our loue to it 766 contempt thereof punished 649 â24 How it is said to kill 20 Grace 649 692 decay of Gods graces how dangerous 15 what miserie grace doth free vs from 38 what good things it maketh vs to enioy 381 the fruites and effects thereof 381 382 the price of Grace Ibid. the rarenesse of it 382 the continuance of it ibid. Hee which is once in the estate of Grace shall bee in the same for euer 398 how God takes away one grace from his seruants and puts another in the roome thereof ibid. Griefe 25 7â8 522 for sinne 15 242 for other mens sinne 457 good to bee grieueed 102 681 griefe because wee cannot grieue 194 Gripings fallen in the bodie 2 H HArdnes 716 79â the cause thereof 16 57 two kinds thereof 255 a great plague 718 to haue a feeling thereof is good 681 Haruest 165 Haste to doe good things 36 800 too great haste hurtfull 2â1 Hatred of sinne 320 Health not to attribute it to Physicke 639 Hearing of the Word 72. the best hearing 708. how wee must heare 196. 34â preparation thereto 709. 53. profite thereby 59. how manie sorts of hearers and what to bee obserued therein 834. 835 Heart 1â 5. 271. 115. two causes of watching ouer it 24. nourishing of euill in the heart 171. fainting of it 6â1 circumcision of it 70â In ofâering our selues to Gods seruice wee must search and digge deepe into our hearts 387. Fiue marks of an vpright heart 387. 388. he must haue a sound heart that would haue sound happines 38â The description and properties of a sound heart 386. 415. 416 Hell the târmens of it 658. 695 Helpe in neede 728 Heresie â7 45â 471. dangerous 720 why men detest it not 472 Hereâikes 529. how different from Christians 54. Ciuill conuersation of heretikes 454. They are discouered by the crosse 455. why so fewe heretikes conuerted 467 Holie Ghost of the sending of it 216 See Spirit Hope 497. 754 Humilitie 18. 796. 467. true 28â in the godlie 269 a speciall grace 825 86â from whence 8â0 the meanes of it two â34 3â5 want of it hindereth in godlinesse 520. phantasticall 270 Hypocrisie 19. 140. 574. grosse and close 266. Markes 717. vnâased 8â0 Triall of it 44. kindes 202. how it differeth from godlines 715 Hypocrites God hath a quarrell against them 386. hee loathes their seruicâs ibid. they liue in continuall danger ibid. I I Dolatrie occasions of it to bee aâoyded 220. Idlenesse is occasion of sinne 646. of stâalth 78 Iealousie godlie ouer our selues a thing most necessarie 510 Iests 20. foolish âestings 52 Ignorance of the people must make the Ministers warie 209. 15â of old age 685. cause of disobedience 733 the Saints bewaile it 501 Ignorance a cause to humble vs 475. wilfull ignorance and voluntarie perdition 473 Ignorance and error differ 869 Imaginations if rouing dangerous 467 Impatiencie 7. 8. the cause of it 704. a good meditation against it 674 Impenitencie the causes of it 781 Impietie discouered 764 Impudencie how it commeth 79â of our time 848 Incredulitie in Gods children 537 Infidels haue no good name â61 Infirmities to see and to bee grieued for them 727 Iniurie how to beare 727. what are to be borne 730 Iudgement 727. what strengthen it 19 how to attaine to it 175. who are hastie therein 202. corrupt iudgement 466. day of iudgment 648. 657. how it is said to be neere 658. sudden 7â8 three things in it 65â consideration of them 469. foure reasons approuing Gods iudgements to bee good 414. iudgement for the word of God 406 a visible iudgement of God 501 Iusticiaries 103 Iustification by Faith 678. 848. Arguments of it 243 Iustice two Courts of it 679 Ioy 323. true 46. sweete 986. of a good conscience 693. to the Worde 14. tryall thereof 16. it may be lost 248. Difference of the godlie and godlesse therein 31. Two kindes of it 725 Ioy of saluation how great 293 to labour for it 294. two sortes of ioyes in receiuing of the Word 294 K KIngdome diuerslie taken 287. none shall appeare in it which make not an entrance on Earth 289. What must be solde before wee can possesse it 302. Kingdome of CHRIST how to know where it is 221 Keyes of the Kingdome committed to all Ministers 288 Knowledge 664. â4 general 20. their knowledge purâlind that either know little or knowing neuer so much doe practise nothing 474. to what end God giueth knowledge 410. the vse and abuse of knowledge ibid. true where and how to finde it 6â4 wrought by the Spirit 229. how confirmed 498. sinnes after it 10â to sinne against it a tempting of God 8â6 why wee profit not thereby 196. corrupt kindes of it 721 Knowledge ministeriall 453 L LAw of God 138. what it is 72. why giuen to all 132. morall and naturall differ 154. morall before Moses 829. morall and ceremoniall how abrogated 133. how to be preached 59. difference of the Law and the Gospell 889 Learne what a christian should specially desire to learne 396 and where ibid. League none with the wicked 611 Libertie to take heede vnto it 10â 457 outward libertie brings inward bondage 468 Libertines against them 380 Lies 659 Life and the shortnes of it 659 it is but the present time 660 Light refused for darknesse â73 Loue a true token of it 14 520 of God 113 695 4â4 545 of our brethren 685 of the word 87 766 arguments of our loue to God 454 456 natural loue must giue place to heaueÌly loue ibid. we may not loue that best which the world esteemes best 516 to loue God onely as wee bee taught in his word 49â duties of loue 160 how
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 phrâses to delude and deceiue with new starched termes They will auouch nothing before a Magistrate if they bee taken they will recaât 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 theÌselues their Teachers to teach theÌselues 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
iudgement for a sinne in another man and wee can point out euery part of it lay this sinne to our selues and we can say nothing So that we see it is easie to know sinne but it is hard to feele the practise against it Let vs not then let the harnesse hang on the wal but let vs put it on Here marke one thing that it is a policie of the diuell to perswade vs there is no diuell as it is the policie of wizards to perswade vs that there are no witches And so as hee comes at the first as a sillie Serpent whilest he would creepe in but after hee prooues a roring Lion when he is once entred yet let vs beware wee feare not too much for that emboldeneth the enemie For as man feareth man keeping courage and is pursued without courage nay as bruite beasts are bolder by seeing one which feareth them so the diuell is the bolder if hee seeth vs afraide of them And besides that feare drieth vp the blood and weakeneth nature it doth also depriue vs of faith in God his prouidence which doth assure vs that Satans power is all by deâiuation and limitation it cannot touch the bodie without permission much lesse the soule which is manifest for that witches though they preuaile in pettie and little things yet when they come to great points they can doe nothing So singular a presaruatiue to the godly is the prouidence of God as the Vnâcornes horne to the inferiour beasts But we wil herein strengtheÌ our faith that the crosse of Christ hath triumphed against Satan for the godly Coloss 2. and therefore if hee now aâsault vs he doth cure rather than slay vs. For as an enemy oft by Gods goodnesse thrusts his sword into an vlcer rather to purge that which would haue bred death than to kill so oft God purposeth to cure vs of the impostumation of pride euen by the malice of Satan so wonderfully can hee drawe good out of euill The diuell brings vnrighteousnesse wee alleage righteousnesse he brings terrour of conscience we meete him with peace he offers vanitie we refuse it with truth he comes roring we auoide it by praying Wherefore that proclamation must bee made here that was in the Israelities armie that is that those that are feareful returne home and beware how they come into this conflict And let vs oppose to the strength of Satan the strength of Christ who being our head shepheard wil not suffer vs to miscarrie though wee seeme to be in the wolues mouth and that in the deepe valley of death But what of all this harnesse It must be put on We shall see oft none so weake in affection as they that haue much knowledge Who will better declaime against anger generally than the angrie man Who is more seuere against wantonnes in education than a most shamelesse harlot Why doe men thinke others blessed being troubled in minde and count themselues cursed being in it All this is because wee haue harnesse but vse it not In the euill day The day of temptation is called an euill day because the temptation is euill Iames calleth it a good day and that wee must reioyce in it and it is so in respect of God his wisedome turning it to good So that this may bee a good day and euill day in diuers respects Hauing finished all Luk. 4. After Christ was tempted the diuell went away for a season though that temptation ceased yet he pursued him with afflictions And though as children of the mariage the dint and edge of temptation be blunted to vs yet the enemie still enuieth vs. And therefore we had aboue all neede of perseuerance no daunger like to that which is in the ende When thou hast ouercome the popish diuell the worldly diuell comes Hast thou ouercome the swearing diuell then the lying diuell comes Hast thou ouercome the filthie diuell the worldly diuel comes Hast thou ouercome all these diuels the proud diuels come That thou maist stand This is a promise and we shall not faile of this armour of proofe nor of the profit of it And so as wee are exhorted to put on the armour so wee shall haue the fruite of it by standing so we still pray Da Domine quod iubes iube quod vis Thus Christians by faith and standing fast in the euil day must change the other euill nature of affliction into a good qualitie still being mindfull to comfort themselues in this that the Euangelicall exhortations giue by promise through the holy Spirit a certaine strength to doe the thing commanded the Law leauing vs in our weakenes Againe to the armour Stand. We must alwaies be in a readines and at the first call what time of yeere moneth day or night soeuer the aduersarie prouokes vs. He begins with the girdle because in former ages as there were diuers manners of eating sitting or warring so Paul here speaks of such things as were vsed theÌ The girdle is not now which was theÌ vsed as we haue some armour familiar to vs vnknowne to them as gunnes c. The vse of the girlde was to gird fast the nether parts this is Truth which is not takeÌ for the whole word as Ioh. 17. but for a sincere and vpright heart or for faithfulnes And as we take faith either for our faithfulnes to God or Gods faithfulnes to vs so truth meaneth sometime vpright dealing either from God âo vs or from vs to God Truth is counted then for a true performance as Roman 2. The iudgements of God are with truth that is faithfulnes Al the waies of the Lord are mercie and truth that is a performaÌce of his mercie Well here it is not spoken of that truth which is the word but of vprightnes of heart and sinceritie Againe the truth of the word is after spoken of and here can be no vaine repetition Well as the girdle knits all together on the bodie so the vprightnes of heart is the band of all vertues and hypocrisie is as a wide or loose sacke wherein nothing can tarrie This vprightnes of minde is in diuers places as Psalm 32. Blessed is the man who with comfort in his remission of sinnes without guile laboureth for a godly life The same commendation is Psal. 15. and 24 and 119. This is a thing accompanied with blessednesse by Christ his owne words Matth. 5. The Author of the Hebrues willeth him that comes to God to come with a pure heart the want of which integritie is reprehended in the Iewes Iam. 4. But what of all these porches to such an house Surely because a true heart âurseth all graces to the end and the false heart dissipateth all gifts and disgraceth such hypocrites Psal. 125. vprightnes of heart is such a thing that the Prophet specially prayes for such as haue it and leaues them in God his iudgement that want it Psal. 119. Then shall I not be confounded when my heart is vpright Portion 10. vers
not Here then is a mirrour of Gods children the worldly minded men would alwayes keepe one tenour and neuer bee moued but the children of God doe thus change they cannot finde this wisedome and comfort at the first but then when they are brought lowe Many when they heare a promise thinke to haue it by and by but they maâke not that a promise and the fruition of it is not all at once for the lawe will make them fit before they enioy it This causeth many to fall from the promises which seemed to beleeue because they haue not helpe at the first but the children of God melte and cleaue to the dust and yet trust in God and waite on him and then feele comfortâ others in the beginning of trouble pray and waite a little but if helpe come not quickly then cast they all away But the child of God hath a patient spirit and therefore feeleth comfort when the hasty minded man wanteth not his woe He marketh the deliuerance of others and hopeth for the same and so waiteth still on God Hee was as good as dead and saw no helpe but the word The nature of man is readie to trust in meanes so long as hee hath them therefore God pulleth all meanes from vs that we may onely trust in him Let vs thinke that God hath deliuered others and therefore hee will deliuer vs. ¶ Vers. 26. I haue declared my wayes c. VEers 59. He considereth his wayes that is his inward imperfections outward aberrations from the straite and stâeight wayes of God and here he is not ashamed to declare them that is to acknowledge and confesse that all this came vpon him because hee was forgetfull to doâ Gods will My soule claue vnto the dusâ because I claue not to thee I haue declared my wayes of wickednes teach thou me the wayes of rigtâeousnesse I haue declared my wayes Our wayes are our sinnes or rather that course which we followe in sinning wee ought with the Prophet to declare them that is wee must deale with our sinnes as the iudge dealeth with malefactors 1 Apprehende 2 Aâraâgââ 3 Condemne our selues as guiltie before God For he that hideth his ãâã shâk not prââpâr Proâ 28. 13. See what declarations or rather declamations the Saints mââe against themselues 2. Sam. 12. Psal. 32. 51. Neh. 9. 33. 34 35. Daâ 9 5 6. 7 8. 9 10. It were good for vs in our life time to keepe a register of all our sinnes to recount them often before God that hauing from him our estâere âere wee may not hereafter bee called to an account Men carefully looke how they stand in the world but are carelesse to see how they stand before God and therefore may iustly haue the statutes of bancke-rupts sued against them And thou heardest me This is the benefit that commeth vnto vs vpon the vnfained confession of our sinnes He that confesseth and forsaketh them shall finâe mercie Prou. 28. 13. Vncouer thou God will couer declare thou God will heare In the seate of Iustice vpon earth we say open confession open confusion here it is farre otherwise 1. Ioh. 1. 9. And thou heardest me God heareth our prayers two wayes first in mercie when he granteth the requests of such as call vpon him in the feare of his name Secondly hee heares mens prayers in his wrath Thus he gaue the Israelites quayles at their desire Psal. 78. 29. 30. 31. and Hos. 13 10. 11. Thus men often times curse themselues and others yea their children caâtell and accordingly they haue their wish Dauid was not euer heard at the first neither are we ouer heard at the first It pleaseth God to deale with vs as with the woman of Canaan Matth. 15. 24. 1. To proue vs by delay 2. To exercise our faith 3. That we may acknowledge from whom we haue receiued that which we praied for 4. That wee might more esteeme of the graces giuen by importunitie 5. To whet on our desires after such things as we pray for and 6 that others may learne that he that beleeueth will not make hast Isay 28. 16 Nay it pleaseth God ofteÌtimes not to heare vs at all 1 Because we theÌ know not to aske as we ought Matth. 20. 22. 2. Because wee aske amisse Iames 4. 3. 3. Because they are not good for vs 2. Cor. 12. 7. But because the Prophet saith thou heardest me after what maÌner doth God heare the prayers of his seruaÌts Answer 1. By graunting the thing which was asked according to his wil. 2 By denying the thing desired by giuing something proportionable vnto it We aske temporall he giues spirituall blessings we aske deliuerance he giues patience The Cup was not remoued at Christs prayer his manhood was inabled to beare Gods wrath The pricke in the flesh was not taken from Paul but he heard this voyce My Grace is sufficient for thee Teach me thy statutes This often repetition of this one thing in this Psalme argueth 1 The necessitie of this knowledge 2 The desire he had to obtaine it 3 That such repetitions are not then friuolous when they proceed from a sound heart a zealous affection and a consideration of the necessitie of the thing prayed for 4 That such as haue most light haue little in respect of that they should haue 5. As couetous men thinke they haue neuer gold enough so christian men should thinke they haue neuer knowledge enough ¶ Vers. 27. Make me to vnderstand the way of thy precepts and I will meditate in thy wonderous workes HE goeth on in his former petition and considering that euerie man is a beast in his owne vnderstanding like the owle that cannot beholde the sunne and the Mole that wanteth sight hee desireth that God would partly by his spirit partly by his ministers partly by afflictions partly by studie and labor make him to haue a right and sounde vnderstanding not onely of his statutes but of the wây of his statutes that is after what sort and order he may liue and direct his life according to those things which God hath commaunded him in his Lawe Learne heere first how hard a thing it is for man ouerweening himselfe in his owne wisedome to knowe Gods will till God make vs to knowe wee are fooles and slowe of heart to belieue all that is written in the Worde till CHRIST open our eyes Luke 24. wee say with Nâcâdemus how can these things be Iohn 3. Secondly it is not enough to vnderstand the Word but to knowe the waye to walke in it that by it wee may be directed what to doe when where and how wee ought to performe euery action And I will meditate or as some reade speake of it as if he should say if thou teach me I by thy grace shall teach others and surely to what ende doth God giue knowledge but that wee should be carefull to edifie others by it Wee may not desire this knowledge onely to know
will daunt vs but if we once can come to this that wee can make the word all in all that is our glorie our honour worship riches fame credit pleasure c. then shall wee bee soone brought to accompt these outward things as nothing so that wee may haâe and enioy the benefit of the word and the comfort thereof Vers. 71. It is good for me that I haue been afflicted that I may learne thy statutes HE vttereth the same thing that he did before but hee addeth somewhat thereto First he saith that it was good for him that he had been afflicted noting the goodnes and mercie of God in taking riches health c. from him and giuing him affliction which turned to his good Riches health c. are the good blessings of God but âll manner of affliction as sicknesse pouertie c. of themselues bee euill because they are the âagges of Gods curse and punishments of sinne How then can it come to passe that good things should become euill and euill things become good The good blessings of God when by our corruption they are abused to wantonnesse are made hurtfull vnto vs because they make our condemnation greater but these crosses when in the crosse of Christ they are sanctified vnto vs then are they good for as much as they worke a care in vs to keepe the commaundements Where he saith it is good that he hath been afflicted and not that I am afflicted it agreeth with that which is in the epist. Heb. 12. No affliction is ioyous for the present time for in pouertie there are no riches in sicknes no health c. wee must not then looke presently when any crosse comes to say it is good for this commeth afterward when we haue been so exercised with it as that we are more humbled vnder the hand of God and haue some greater caâe to please him when I say wee haue been thus exercised then will the crosse bring the quiet fruite of righteousnesse and then shall we say it is good for vs that we haue been afflicted But if we be impatient or if the crosse make vs either more carelesse or no better than we were before that crosse is but a preparation to another c. I will learne c. Because there is none but he will vowe and promise amendment when the hand of God is on him but the children of God alone reape fruite afterwarde therefore in these words doth the Prophet seuer himselfe from the wicked and whereas he said before that he did keepe the commandements noting a present fruite of his affliction so he now moreouer addeth that he will keep them noting that the vse of his trouble should continue with him for euer Let vs then consider of this all of vs either at one time or other haue vowed somewhat to the Lord let vs see if we be now carefull to keepe and performe it if we be not our affliction hath done vs no good we haue no profit by it Vers. 72. The law of thy mouth is better vnto me than thousands of golde and siluer HEre he noteth one fruite of his affliction that he was brought to make such account of Gods word as that hee preferred it to infinite numbers of gold and siluer And truly if we consider that it is the word of God that sustaineth vs in our trouble and is our comfort we cannot then chuse but make much of the word No number of goods can helpe vs in miserie and if the word doe that which al other things cannot doe very meet it is that the word should be preferred to all other things whatsoeuer PORTION 10. IOD Vers. 73. Thine hands haue made me and fashioned me giue me vnderstanding therefore that I may learne thy commaundements HE prayeth still for wisedome and vnderstanding Those men are beasts which being in ignorance loue it better than knowledge and darkenes better than light these men must be sent to the beasts to learne Esa. 1. The Oxe c. The heathen say that this is a naturall propertie to desire knowledge The Lord must teach these men with rods for they will not heare the voyce of the charmer charme c. He seeketh knowledge out of the word to make a difference betweene him and the heathen which by their knowledge get nothing but commendation but our wisedome must be out of the word Deut. 8. He desireth knowledge that he might practise it whereby he condemneth them that seeke knowledge and care not for practise and teacheth vs to seeke all knowledge onely to practise it Seeing he desireth to be taught he condemneth them that thinke they may come to this knowledge by their owne studie and diligence without the teaching of the spirit Dauid so well learned prayed thus earnestly and shall we be thus cold he so much to feele want and we to be without feeling for to be without knowledge is to be without desire of more and a little knowledge if men rest in it maketh proud How goeth it then with them that think they know all things seeing this man to whom they are inferiours prayeth thus This request was made before but he addeth a new reason So in the first part and second and third and fourth and fifth and almost in euery part this request is made and in euery place a new reason to moue the Lord to heare his prayer He putteth the Lord in minde of his former mercie that he might obtaine more and saith he is a creature euen a man with a soule and not a beast therefore giue knowledge c. wherein he confesseth that if the Lord giue not knowledge to him he were better be a beast and such are all those that are but onely men for all the pleasures in this life are not worthy the sorrow in the life to come Eccles. 11. Therefore if men haue not their reason sanctified by the word in faith and loue to serue God they are no better than beasts Seeing God hath giuen reason he will giue knowledge with this he is comforted Obiection But how can he hereby be comforted seeing others haue reason also Answere All mercies must be considered in Christ through whom they are sanctified and by whom we are sure that the Lord will crowne his owne gifts Another reason to teach vs when we haue the gifts of God sanctified vnto vs is when we are humbled in our selues and mislike our selues though we haue receiued more than others for we must thinke our selues vnworthy of them and desire that God will yet more sanctifie them to vs and giue vs the right vse of them then shall we and we may lay them before God as an argument to moue him that he would deale mercifully with vs and further continue and increase his mercie and good will towards vs because hereby we know that in Christ they are sanctified vnto vs. Vers. 74. So they that feare thee seeing me shall reioyce
because I haue trusted in thy word HEre is an ende why be desireth knowledge for that others by my example shall be moued to seeke thee and shall haue hope that thou also wilt heare them when they crie This then is a great honour that we shall not only saue our owne soules but also be helpes to others that they may be saued wherin the Lord vouchsafeth vs great honor for to cause the carelesse to seeke God and to confirme the weake is a great honour Likewise hereby we shall stop the mouthes of them that speake against the waies of the Lord. Contrariwise when a professor falleth away he loseth his soule he hurteth the weake hardeneth the wicked and openeth the mouthes of the wicked Thus by the one God is glorified and our brethren profited and by the other the cleane contrary When we see any man trusting in God to be deliuered out of remptation then may we be confirmed and comforted with hope that we also shal be deliuered This is said Psal. 34. Other shall be comforted And Psalm 40. They that see mee let them be comforted For when the Lord confirmeth any of his promises to any of his children we may likewise be comforted that we shall finde them also true So the Apostle reasoneth Abraham was iustified therefore shall wee so Hebr. 11. As contraâiwise when wee see the trueth of Gods threatnings vpon any then we should knowe that if we haue the same sinne wee shall also feele the same punishment Then must wee consider of Gods children how that by nature they are no better than we therefore if we can beleeue then shall we haue hope to become like them for God doth not accept persons We must likewise consider of the wicked that by them also âe may be instructed None shall reioyce at the example of the godly but they that feare God and this feare is the beginning of all goodnesse some that feare God may haue a doubtfull conscience and they shall haue comfort by the examples of Gods mercies in others Without this feare men can not rightly consider of Gods workes but who so feareth he shall profit by them Here is the true vse of all the Scriptures not to maruell onely at the examples of Gods mercies or iudgements but to bee comforted and confirmed by the one and to feare by the other Vers 75. I knowe O Lorde that thy iudgements are right and that thou hast afflicted mee iustly THis is somewhat like that It is good that I haue beene afflicted but after a new manner as though he should say Thy iudgements are righteous and iust though my flesh doth perswade me the coÌtrary And to shew the certainty of this he saith I know This know ledge he had by the word because we shall then subscribe to the iustice of God when we can subscribe to the word Then if we would subscribe to the righteousnes of Gods iudgements let vs by the word meditate vpon his threatnings promises and though we cannot see the reasons of all yet must we acknowledge them to bee holy because the Lord is holy and his word is holy therefore his workes are holy If we be not able to behold the beames of the Sunne much lesse can we see the brightnes of Gods works and let vs euer accuse our selues of blindnes and rebellion rather than the Lord of iniustice He is then acknowledged to be iust when we yeeld to the righteousnes of his precepts And when we can confesse his iustice thus wee shall well confesse his mercie Then if we will confesse the iustice of God we must confesse his iudgements to be holy otherwise we doe not And that This is a speciall Note of faith that hee can apply that particular to himselfe which the Lord had giuen generally and till wee doe thus wee neither beleeue promises nor threatnings We must not rest theÌ in generals but apply them to ourselues whether they be promises or threatnings and this will draw vs out of sinne and comfort vs in trouble In faithfulnes He had before confessed Gods iustice and now hee confesseth his mercy as if he had said Thou of thy mercie hast thus laid thy rod vpon mee that I may be such a one as thou mayest performe thy promise to as Psalm 130. This must make affliction sweete because the speciall ende thereof is not to punish vs but to make vs fit to receiue his promises and he vseth it as a remedie and medicine against sinne as he sheweth his iustice in that he suffereth not sinne in his children so he sheweth his mercy in that thereby he cureth them Vers. 76. I pray thee that thy mercie may comfort me and according to thy promise vnto thy seruant BEcause he had confessed the mercifull dealing of the Lord therfore he craueth mercy for he knew that with the Lord is mercie to be feared Psal. 130. He dare not stand to the rigour of Gods iustice but he flieth to his mercie contrarie to the Papists Pâlagâaââs and Familie of loue And thus must we labour to cure our vnbeleese by his promises that we ââll not to despaire for we are readie to presume in prosperitie or to despaire ãâã but they must be both cured the one by the meditation of Gods iudgements in prospââââ the other by the promises in trouble For then the iudgements haue done with vs when they haue brought vs to humble our selues to the Lord because of our sinne then are we to looke for his mercie for then are we fit for it We must then couple iustice and mercie together and make vse of both He had ioy before and yet he craueth comfort where we note the change of the consciences of Gods people sometime ioyfull sometime sorrowfull This must be a stay to vs against the temptation which Sathan will âffer saying Thou art âickle and ââââ chââging all is vaine Nây we are as the children of God in all ages haue beene Accordiââ ãâã had no speciall promise but applied the generall promise to himselfe for all the ãâã ãâã made in generall manner Come all c. that all the Church might haue their part in ãâã and âore should thinke that they were shut out This hâd the woman of Cânaââ whââ ãâã to Christ because she stated on this generaââ promise that he was sent to the ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã As we cân ãâã leaue ãâã or come to true repentance vnlesse we beleeue that that God which hath puââshed ãâ¦ã will also punâââ sinne in vs so shall we neuer receiue comfort by the promises vnâââse we can ãâã apply those promises to our selues which are generally made to the Church But iâ we can doe this we shall haue comfort in our soules and strength to withstand the âââptation which the diuell ministreth saying What promise haât thou that thou shalt be saued To know that God is mercifull is not enough vnlesse we be among those to whom the