hony in their mouthes but poyson in their stomacks Could Samuel tell Saul all that was in his heart 1. Sam. 9.19 could Elisha know that Gehazi had taken bribes 2. King 5.26 And shall not God bee able to knowe the deedes and thoughts of men yes if Miriam Aaron speake but against Moses the Lord will heare them Num. 12.2 old Sarah must not think to laugh and not be seene Gen. 18.13 Hel and destruction are before the Lord saith l Prov. 15.11 Solomon how much more the hearts of the sonnes of men He hath m Esai 40.12 measured the waters in his fift counted heaven with his spanne comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and waighed the mountaines in a waight the hils in a ballance there is no thought hid from him Let them therfore harkē vnto the words of this God in the 3. Chap. of Mal. vers 5. I will come neere to you to iudgement and I will be a swift witnesse against the soothsayers and against the adulterers and against false swearers and against those that wrongfully keepe backe the hirelings wages and against them that vex the widow and the fatherlesse and oppresse the stranger and against all that feare not me saith the Lord of hosts If Elah king of Iudah drinke till he be drunken his servant Zimrie must kill him 1. King 16.9 If the men of Gibea play the adulterers with an harlot 25000. Beniamites must loose their liues for it Iudg. 20.46 If Achan be found to bee covetous he all that he hath must be burnt with fire Iosh 7.24 If the swearer persist in his swearing the lyer in his lying the idle minister in his idlenesse and every wicked one in his wickednesse behold he that n Rev. 19.15 treadeth the wine presse of the fiercenesse and wrath of Almightie God shall come quickly o Vers 13 cloathed with a garment dipt in blood his eyes shall be as a p Vers 12 flame of fire out of his q Ver. 15. mouth shall come a sharp sword his reward shal be with him to thrust every one of them into the ever burning pit This shall be the portion of their cup if they will not turne from their wicked waies But if they will returne from all their sinnes and keepe the statutes of the living God and doe that which is lawfull and right God will haue mercy on them If their transgressions were more in number then the sands of the earth yet God wil be ready to forgiue them Rehoboam could no sooner humble himselfe but he was forgiven howsoever before he had forsaken God 2. Chron. 12.7 Manasseh did evill in the sight of the Lord like the abominations of the heathen and was therfore taken by the Captaines of the king of Assyria put in fetters bound in chaines and caried vnto Babel yet he could no sooner pray vnto God but his prayer was heard and God brought him backe againe to Ierusalem placed him in the kingdome 2. Chron. 33.13 If the thiefe even thē when he is on the crosse will pray to Christ to remember him Christ will tell him that he shall be that night with him in Paradise Luk. 23.43 Since then such is the compassion of our God let vs not greeue him let vs not provoke him to r 2. Kin. 21.13 stretch over vs the line of Samaria and the plummet of the house of Ahab left so hee wipe vs as a man wipeth a dish who wipeth it and then turneth it vpside downe let him that is covetous be covetous no more let the swearer sweare no more let every one mend one and then our ſ Esai 1.18 crimson sinnes shall be white as snowe and our skarlet sins shall be as wooll for God hath spoken it Esa 1.18 Is there any soule among vs that hath oft times fallen and most infinitely offended his maker with such a soule God communeth in the 3. of Ierem. 1. in this sort They say that if a woman depart frō her husband and do ioine her selfe to another man she may not return to her first husband againe for that she is polluted and defiled yet whereas thou hast departed from me and hast committed fornication with many other lovers doe thou returne vnto me againe and I will receaue thee saith Almightie God Remember the Ninevites Gods sentence was gone out against them t Ion. 3.4 yet 40. daies and Nineveh shall bee overthrowne Come see tast how good our God is u Esal 54.10 the mountaines shall remoue and the hills fall downe but Gods mercyes shall not depart from his people neither shall the covenant of his peace fall away The Ninevites could no sooner in detestation of their former liues x Ion. 3 5. proclaime a fast put on sackcloath and turne frō their wicked waies but y Ver. 10. God repented him of the evill which he had said that he would doe vnto them he did it not Let vs looke to our selues Gods sentence is given against all Idolaters adulterers wantons and the like they shal not inherite the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 6.10 yet let not such despaire of Gods mercy so be hardned to persist in living wickedly the Ninevites can assure them that they may be forgiven If they haue fallen they may rise againe if they haue been lost companions yet they may be saved if they haue committed adultery or haue been drunken for the time past they may be continent and sober for the time to come if they haue delighted in lewd and evill company they may hereafter acquaint themselues with good This only is necessary that they beginne their conversion out of hand that they repent vnfeignedly throughly reforme themselues If they do this they shall liue Yea we must all do so or else we shall not liue We must repent vs of our sinnes from the bottomes of our harts and turne frō our wicked waies and now at last begin to deny our selues and to take vp our crosses dayly and to follow Christ and this is the doctrine which I noted in the third place Diosc li. 4. ca. 77. Describing the nature of the * Nerii sive Redodaphnes Enecant folia floresque ejus jumenta quadrupedesque omnes Eadē homini contra venenatorum morsus medicinā faciunt Vide Leon. Fuchsium Comment de hist stirpium cap. 204. rose-laurel saith that the flower thereof is a very strong poison to al cattle and foure footed beasts but to men of a soveraigne remedy against poison of such a nature is this doctrine of our Saviour It is as poison to the wicked and vnbeleeving the very z 2. Cor. 2.16 savour of death vnto death but to the godly and beleeving it is a preservatiue against poison even the a Ibid. savour of life vnto life The first precept contained therein is that we must deny our selues in which the whole nature of man is
Christian souldier guided thereby ought to prepare himselfe to followe this high captaine For the better explication whereof I observed 1 That this rule was generall out of the first words And he said vnto all 2 That it was necessary as it is implyed in the condition if any man will come after me 3 That the rule it selfe consisted of 3. precepts let him deny himselfe take vp his crosse dayly and follow me You heard then that this rule was generall for that Christ delivered it vnto all yet to all not simply for the beast the Kings of the earth with their armies following this beast and fighting vnder his colours are no way to bee guided by this rule but to all with a restraint but to all the e Rev. 19.14 armies in heauen which the divine saw following him that sate vpon the white horse which howsoever they are called armies in heaven are notwithstanding men vpon the earth such are Godly Kings Princes Nobles worthie Captaines and Souldiers which with the materiall sword defend the Gospell such are zealous Ministers preachers of the truth which with the spiritual sword fight against Antichrist such are all blessed Christians walking before God in the places whereto they are called warring dayly against their proud enimies the flesh the world and the divell All which are said to be the armies in heaven albeit as yet they liue on earth in regard that their cause for which and the power by which they fight are both from Heauē These ride vpon white horses and are cloathed in fine white linnen and pure these come strongly swiftly and chearefully to this battaile these are cloathed with sinceritie integritie and puritie of faith loue and other affections for all is pure white about them To these only and to all these doth this rule appertaine for he said vnto all if any man will come after me Out of this condition you haue also heard how necessary this rule is even so necessary that neither subiect nor prince neither people nor pastor neither souldier nor captaine how godly soever they seeme in mans eies can be fit to follow this highest Captaine except he be qualified according to this rule Let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse dayly and follow me saith CHRIST Of the first two precepts I haue likewise already spoken now let vs consider the third And follow me Which words do leade me to speake 1 Of imitation or following in generall 2 Of following the best of such an imitation as beseemeth Christians Man by nature how strangely hee is giuen to following if I should hold my peace servants souldiers all inferiours would make it manifest servants will eye their masters souldiers their captaines inferiors their rulers be they good or be they bad get they honour or get they discredit come their profit or come their losse their liues will be insteed of lawes and that must bee holden for well done which is done after their example saith Siraches sonne Cap. 10. vers 2. Thus examples not lawes doe when lawes not examples should teach men to liue And so it was in former ages In regard whereof the divine Philosopher would by no meanes suffer Homers booke to bee read in his commonwealth because in them Gods Goddesses were fained to be such as no honestly minded man or woman would haue their sonnes or daughters like them Yea so it was from the beginning Eues eating the forbidden fruit was sufficient to make Adam doe the like Gen. 3.6 The younger sister wold make her father Lot drunken as well as the elder Genes 19.35 When Iudah was forward his brethren were ready to giue their consents to sell Ioseph to the Ishmeelites Gen. 37.27 Dead flies cause to stincke and putrifie the oyntment of the Apothecarie saith the Preacher Cap. 10. vers 1. Dead workes the workes of darknesse in the better sort doe cause to stinke and putrifie the towardly inclinations of the inferiours For if any man see thee which hast knowledge fit at table in the Idols temple shall not the conscience of him that is weake be boldned to eate those things which are sacrificed to Idols saith St Paule 1. Cor. 8.10 Thou that f Rom. 2.21 preachest a man should not steale doest thou steale Thou that shouldst punish adulterers and reproue swearers dost thou by thy oaths giue them example g Vers 22. dost thou commit adulterie Marvell not then if thy weake brother seeing thy knowledge become a swearer a theefe and an adulterer Thy life shall be his law Vpon consideration hereof a country man of ours hath added that we of all other people vnder heaven are most famous yea infamous too for our imitation For doe we not imitate h Rogers Ep to the followers of Christ A. 7. b. the Spanish in his braverie The French in his vanitie The Italian in his perfidie Yea we follow the Dutch in luxurie who heares not of it The Papists in idolatrie who knowes it not The Atheist in all impietie and impuritie of life why lament we not O come hither all yee that are any way either for birth or calling whether it be spirituall or temporall better then other men yea and all yee too which in the same respect are worse then others for here are lessons for you both to teach you to looke vnto your footings Is there old custome against you Respect it not for it will be foiled by a better custome Is the flesh against you Care not for it for that will be bridled by the heate of the spirit Is that old serpent Sathan against you Feare him not for he both at your prayers will fly and by your godly exercises will be made to runne away First therefore for those that are better then others wonder we may what the matter is or with what spirit they are led or what commeth into their minds that knowing their liues and examples to prevaile when laws cannot doe notwithstanding with such care and study seeke after vile and vanishing things and so seldome call their wits together to thinke of doing any good Is it not because they are perswaded that the LORD spareth the Cedar tree for his height the oke for his strength the poplar for his smoothnesse the Lawrell for his greenenesse O! then they are deceaued for from the Cedar that is in i 1. Kin. 4.33 Lebanon even to the Hysop that groweth out of the wall k Matth. 3.10 7.19 every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire Is it not because they partly thinke that God hideth his face from their sinnes seeth them not O! then they are deceaued for Samuel could tell Saul al that was in his heart 1. Sam. 9.19 And Elisha knewe that his servant had taken bribes 2. King 5.26 And shall not God bee able to knowe their deeds and thoughts yes if Miriam and Aaron speake but against Moses the LORD wil
EIGHT SERMONS PVBLIKELY PREACHED IN THE VNIVERSITY OF OXFORD the second at St Peters in the East the rest at St Maries Church Begunne in the yeare 1595. Decemb. XIIII NOW FIRST PVBLISHED BY SEBASTIAN BENEFIELD Doctor and Professour of Divinity for the Lady MARGARET ROM 1.16 I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the power of God vnto salvation to every one that beleeveth AT OXFORD Printed by Ioseph Barnes 1614. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THOMAS LORD ELLESMERE LORD HIGH CHANCELLOR OF ENGLAND AND THE MVCH HONOVRED CHANCELLOR OF THE VNIVERSITIE OF OXFORD RIGHT HONOVRABLE THese Sermons the first fruits of my labours in the Ministery preached many yeares since in the publique assemblies of this famous Vniuersity do now at length adventure to go into the Country to see what entertainement they can finde there There they doubt not of respect if they may be graced with the countenance of some worthy patronage It is my part to seeke it for them And of whom shall I rather seeke it then of your HONOVR They were studyed penned and delivered in that renowned Academie whereof now when they are published your HONOVR is the chiefe ruler To your HONOVR therfore do they of right belong Receiue them much-Honoured Lord into your protection shield them against the tongues of railers They will say Is this the myrrh the incense the gold are these the pearles we looked he should bring to the building of the Tabernacle I reply that Goats haire Ex. 35.23 and the skins of Rammes and Badgers are welcome to that worke and doe wish that some willing offering of theirs may further it If it be demaunded why at this time I offer so simple a present to your Honourable view My answere is I do it to testifie that dutifull observance thankfulnesse which I owe vnto your HONOVR We Schollers of all others must acknowledge our selues obliged to your HONOVR Many as well in this as in that other Vniversity might bury their bones in their cloysters did not your HONOVR daily send them forth to labour God graunt they all proue labourers in the vineyard of the Lord. Mat. 9.38 For mine owne particular your Honourable countenance was of late most ready to settle me in the Divinity Lecture for the Lady MARGARET and was within these few weekes as forward to advance me to a higher preferment but it pleased God otherwise to dispose of that This your Honours more then credible benignity towards one whom your HONOVR never saw can I forget It s impossible My right hand should deserue to loose her cunning Psa 137.5 would shee not take her first opportunity to write of so great bounty For this cause at this time is this poore talent of mine presented to your HONOVR Accept it Honourable Lord as the sincere testimony of my thankefull heart and vouchsafe me still your Honourable favour God Almighty showre downe plentifully of his best blessings vpon your HONOVR and make you happy and blessed in all your waies and after fulnesse of age and felicity in this world crowne he you with everlasting glorie in the Highest Heavens From my Study in Corpus Christi College in Oxford Iuly 2. 1614. YOVR HONOVRS most bounden in all duty and service SEBASTIAN BENEFIELD THREE SERMONS ON LVKE CHAP. 9. VERS 23. And he said vnto all if any man will come after me let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse dayly and follow me THE righteous a Ierem. 23.5 branch raised vnto David by the Lord God of Israel of whō it was foretold that he should come like a b Mal. 3.2 3 4 purging fire and like fullers sope and should be ready to sit downe to try fine the silver even the sonnes of Levi as also to fift Iudah Ierusalem yea all that would be his that their sacrifices and workes might bee as purified gold acceptable to the Lord as in old time having descended from the highest heavens well content in flesh to be c Esai 53.5 wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities even then when he d Esai 53.4 carried our sorrowes was by divers diversly reputed Some thought of him as of e Mat. 16.14 Iohn Baptist of others he was taken for Elias and there wanted not such as said he was Ieremy or one of the old Prophets risen againe but asking his disciples f Vers 15. whom say yee that I am he heard otherwise g Vers 16. Thou art that CHRIST the sonne of the living God And knowing that his disciples howsoever they were well assured that he was that King and Priest promised to our forefathers and foreordained by the almighty to saue mankinde were notwithstanding ignorant of the meanes of mans redēption and salvation and so were ignorantly by a common error of their time deceived looking for an earthly kingdom in him whose h Psal 45.6 scepter is a scepter of righteousnesse he taught them in a few words what estate condition both of his kingdome and priesthood should be looked for even that al our salvation must wholy depend vpon the merit of his death and vertue of his resurrection and so much he signified vnto them in the former verse the 22. vers of this chapter saying The sonne of man must suffer many things and be reproved of the elders and of the High Priests and Scribes and be slaine and the thirde day rise againe Having thus instructed them he delivereth a new doctrine in these words of my text whereby all are taught what must be done by them who are willing to be partakers of that salvation which he for his followers hath deserved Which place is so much the more worthy our memory and due consideration because small fruit may redound vnto vs from all that is delivered concerning Christ the whole worke of our redēption except we throughly vnderstand the meanes by which we may be made his disciples For to them onely belong al the promises of his kingdome and the inheritance thereof Our Saviour therefore being vnwilling that any thing should be hidden from vs which might direct vs in the pathway to our salvation hath said vnto all if any man will come after me let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse dayly and follow me The occasion of these words although omitted by this Evangelist is notwithstanding expressed by S. Matthew in the 22. ver of his 16. chapt by S. Marke ch 8. ver 32. where we read how that Peter offended at the former words of Christ wherein he mentioned his owne death began to advise him to the contrary and i Math. 16.22 tooke him aside and rebuked him Thē Christ turning backe reproved Peter saying get thee behinde me Sathan thou art an offence vnto me because thou vnderstandest not the things that are of God but the things that are of men And because he knew that this was a common fault to all his disciples
death by sinne and so death went over all men Rom. 5.12 and here all are but many for in the 19. ver of the same Chapter it is said by one mans disobedience many were made sinners Againe in the same Chapter 18. vers we read that by the iustifying of one the benefit abouÌ„ded towards all men to the iustification of life Where by all men only many are vnderstood for in the verse following 19. verse it is said By the obedience of one many shall bee made righteous So then u Gen. 12.3 all nations of the earth shall be blessed in the seed of AbrahaÌ„ not as if all must needs be blessed but because that all that shall be blessed shall be blessed in his seed so x Rom. 5.12 by one mans disobedience all must be condemned not as if all of necessitie must be condemned but because all that must bee condemned must be condemned in that one mans disobedience and y Rom. 5.11 all men shal be iustified by Christ his iustice not as if all necessarily must be iustified but because all that shall be iustified shall be iustified by Christs iustice The holy Ghost then vseth this word all to giue vs to vnderstand that none may bee blessed but in Abrahams seed none condemned but by Adams disobedience and none saved but by Christs iustice If there be z Aug. contr Iulianum Pelag lib. 6. c. 12 Sicut possumus dicere in aliquam donum per vnam ianâ—aâ—â—intrarâ— OMNES non quia OMNES homines intrant in eaÌ„dem domum sed quia nemo intrat nisi per illam one way into a house by one only dore we properly say that all men goe into that house by that dore not because all men goe into that house for thousandes will never come neere it by thousands of miles but because all that come into that house come in by that dore So is it here wee haue one way to salvation by one only dore the iustice of Christ the ever true God saith that all men shall bee saved by Christs iustice not because all shall bee saved for assuredly the lake burning with fire and brimstone never to be quenched is not prepared in vaine but because all that shall be saued shall bee saved only by Christs iustice Truth cannot passe forth without contrarieties quarrels of iudgements and no marvaile for so it hath beene from the beginning Kain could not indure that his brother Abels oblations should be acceptable to the Lord not his but hee would kill him for it Gen. 4.8 Esau hated Iacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him and thought in his mind to slay him for it Gen. 27.41 The kingdome of darknes was ever against the kingdome of light The Scribes and Pharises were grieved with Christ infinite haue beene the Hereticks which haue opposed themselues against the glory of the Gospell And now though the truth it selfe teacheth vs that these generall propositions before alleaged cannot be spoken of all simply but with a restriction and that all shall not bee saued yet they who haue giuen their names to the womaÌ„ that sitteth vpon the skarâ—â—â— coloured beast hauing beene often drunken with the blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Iesus do band themselues against the Lords annointed and teach that for truth which that lying woman the mother of abominations hath taught them saying * See Perkins golden chain cap 54. error 1. p. 199. There is an vniversall election by which Almighty God without any restraint or exception of persons hath purposed by Christ to redeeme and reconcile vnto himselfe all mankind the whole nature of man decayed in Adam even every private man so that no man may be called reprobate no man exempted from salvation But as Aarons rod devoured the rod of the Sorcerers Exod. 7 12. so will truth devoure errour They say there is an vniuersal election the truth saith few are chosen Mat. 20.16 They say that al mankind yea every privat man is redeemed recoÌ„ciled to God by Christ the truth saith that Christ gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeem vs froÌ„ al iniquity purge vs to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe Tit. 2.14 They say that Christ gaue himselfe as well for them whom we call reprobate as for the elect The truth saith I lay down my life for my sheepe Ioh. 10.15 They hereto reply that all men are Christs sheepe the truth it selfe answereth them My sheepe heare my voice and I knowe them and they follow me and I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any plucke them out of mine hand Ioh. 10.27 28. They adde further that all men shall be taught of God Esai * Sicut integrè loquimur cum de aliquo literarum Magistro qui in civitate solus est dicimus OMNES iste hic literas docet noÌ„ quia OMNES discunt sed quia nemo nisi ab illo discit quicunque ibi literas discit ita rectè dicimus OMNES Deus docet Venire ad ChristuÌ„ non quia omnes veniunt sed quia nemo aliter venit 54.13 and therefore that all men may be saued else if all men may not be saved to what end shall all be taught of God I answer them with that which St Austine hath in his booke de praedestinatione sanctorum cap. 8. If saith he in a citie there bee but one schoolmaster we may well say of him this man teacheth all in the citie not because all men in the citie are taught but because no man is there taught except he be taught by him Even so God teacheth all men to come to Christ and be saued not because all men therefore come and are saved but because no man commeth and is saved except hee bee taught by God If this be so say they what is become of Gods iustice why doth he teach some and not others choose some and not all Such busie too curious demanders may learne of S. Paul that Gods will and pleasure is the onely chiefe cause why hee electeth some reproveth the rest that this point of doctrine is to be beleeued by faith not to be examined by reason and that whosoever shall dispute to find a reason of Gods wil besides that which is revealed in his word is a pleader against God * Rom. 9.20 O man saith he what art thou that pleadest against God But I minde not to enter into the depth of this doctrin I leaue it as better beseeming greater yeares and riper iudgements and the rather because not long since this same secret how profound soever it is hath beene learnedly discovered out of this place by a zealous disposer of Gods secrets Only I may warne them that shall so plead against God in whose handes they are as a Rom 9.21 pots in the hands of the potter that they take heed least themselues be among theÌ„ whom
the same God with his scepter of yron shall b Psal 2.9 crush and breake in peeces like potters vessels And so I come to the second thing considered in my text Such is the condition for which this doctrine is delivered that thereby every one that will be Christs Disciple is assigned to the necessary observance thereof If he bee a c Rom. 9.21 vessell of honour hauing his name written in heaven exempted from the power of Sathan as deare to God as is the apple of his eie yet in comming after Christ he must bee directed by Christ his doctrine he must deny himselfe he must take vp his Crosse daily and must follow him It is not then put to our choice to doe or not to doe after this rule prescribed vnto vs by our Saviour but we must doe after it otherwise a heavie dome is pronounced against vs d Mat. 7.23 I knowe you not you cannot come after me Then shall we bee e Esai 1.30.31 as okes with fading leaues and as gardens that haue no water Our selues how well soever we think of our selues shall bee as towe and our pleasures as sparkes we shall both burne together How much better is it for vs to harkeÌ„ vnto the voice of our Lord and to be ruled by him He teacheth vs that we must deny our selues and take vp our crosses dayly and follow him if wee will be his disciples A hard doctrine indeed for flesh bloud to consent vnto yet a necessary one and therefore not to be refused You will count him a bad servant vnworthy his masters favour that will not do or grieue to doe that which his master shall command The wise man saith that howsoever the pleasure of a king is in a wise servant yet his wrath shal be towards him that is lewd Pro. 14.35 Gehazi offends his master Elisha because he takes mony and rayment of Naaman the Syrian but how shall Gehazi be rewarded for it The leprosie of Naaman shall cleaue vnto him to his seed for ever himselfe shal be a leaper as white as snow 2. King 5.27 The king of Egypts chiefe baker must not offend his master without losse of his head Gen. 40.22 If we be Christs servants why do we not or why grieue wee to do that which he enioineth vs If he be f Malac. 1.6 our master where is his feare Surely he is not a king in vaine his lewde servants shall smart for their lewdnesse Why do we grieue him If we would giue him leaue if we would but sweepe our house and make it cleane for him he would come downe vnto vs and would dwell in vs. Why do we offend him Whosoever shal offend one of these little ones which beleeue in me saith Christ it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke that he were drowned in the depth of the sea Mat. 18.6 What! shall the offenders of the little ones that beleeue in Christ bee so hardly entreated and shall we that offend Christ himselfe looke to escape blamelesse S. Chrysostome is of opinion that there cannot be a more grievous sore to a mans conscience then to offend Christ for in his 37. homil out of the 11. Chap. of Mat. he saith * Et simulti Gehennam omnium malorum supremum atque vltimum puâ—aÌ„tâ— ego tamen sic censeo sic assiduè praedicabo multo acerbiùs esse Christum offendere quaÌ„ Gehenne malis vexari Howsoever men iudge of hell as of a place of the most bitter and the extreamest torture that may be yet I thinke and will alwaies teach that it is a more bitter and an extreamer torture to offend Christ by living ill then to be tormented in hell fire Yet assure your selues that they which goe downe to hell for their transgressions against the LORD haue not very easie and pleasing punishments for their worme shall never die their fire shall never be quenched and themselues shall be an abhorring to all flesh Esa 56.24 Since then it is so daÌ„gerous a thing to offend our Christ let vs indeavour to offend him no more The displeasure of an earthly king bringeth many enimies with it and shall the King of all kings moued to wrath and displeasure by our wanton and vitious liues not be able to set his creatures against vs yes For his hand is stretched out still For him the * Iosh 10.13 Sunne abode in Gibeon and the Moone stood still in the vally of Aialon and there rained * Iosh 10.11 haylstones from heaven to take part in the discomfiting of the fiue kings of the Amorites Iosh 10.5 For him fire and brimstone fought against Sodome and Gomorah Gen. 19.24 For him the water returned covered the chariots and horsemen even all the host of Pharaoh Exod. 14.27 For him the earth opened her mouth and swallowed vp the murmurers Dathan and Abiram with their families and all the men that appertained to Korah all their goods Numb 16.32 For him the Lyons spoiled the Idolaters their wiues and their children and brake all their bones in peeces Dan. 6 24. For him two Beares came out of the forrest and tore in peeces two and fortie of them which mocked Elisha in his way to Bethel 2. King 2.24 Thus hath God dealt with them with whom he hath beene displeased and yet his hand is stretched out still O that the wicked would consider this and at last forsake their wickednesse But I feare me their blindnesse is so great that they wil not see g Esai 5.18 they draw iniquitie with cords of vanitie and sinne as with cartropes h Vers 20. they speake good of evill and evill of good i V. 21. they are wise in their owne conceits many of them are k V. 22. mightie to drinke wine and among them they are greatest who are strongest to powre in strong drinke I could wish that such would read over the 22. verse of the 5. Chapter of the Prophecie of Esay it is but short and happely it may yeeld them a soveraigne salue for their sore without doubt if they haue any feeling of God they will stand in awe of him when hee denounceth a woe against them and if they will passe but the next verse and come to the 24. they shall there find that as the flame of fire devoureth the stubble and as the chaffe is consumed of the flame so their root shall be as rottennesse and their budde shall rise vp like dust the reason is added because they haue cast off the law of the Lord of hosts and haue contemned the word of the holy one of Israel It may be they are the loather to leaue their pleasures and to part with their sinnes because they haue some perswasion that God hideth his face from them and seeth them not Let them not deceaue themselues a godly preacher assureth them that their pleasures are spurres their sinnes very hypocrits
heare them Num. 12.2 And if Sarah laugh but within her selfe God will see her Gen. 18.13 Hell and destruction are before the Lord saith Solomon Prov. 15.11 how much more the heart of the sonnes of men Ad to this what the Prophet Esai hath chap. 40. vers 12. God hath measured the waters in his fist he hath counted heaven with his spanne hee hath comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure hee hath weighed the mountains in a weight and the hils in a balance Can their deeds then yea can their thoughts be hid from so powerfull a God Is it not because man of whose censure they stand more in awe theÌ„ of Gods wrath is not able to discrie their wickednesse which they haue so secretly wrought O! then they are deceaued For towne couÌ„try howleth and cryeth out too much overladen and wearied with adulterous Shichemites tyranous Sauls negligent Elies cruell Ahabs proud Herods incredulous Pharaohs here ambition there covetousnesse every where glutony and excesse One mole or freckle in the face offends more then many and great spots and scarres in the other parts of the body Men in authoritie all I meane that are better then others either for birth or calling are as the face of the commoÌ„wealth One small escape in them hurts more then many great grievous faults in the inferiours and therefore one was bold to compare theÌ„ to a booke after whose patterne others are printed if the first draught haue faults all the books printed thereby must needs be faulty but if there bee no fault in the first all the rest will haue the fewer Whosoever openeth a well or diggeth a pit and covereth it not and an oxe or an asse fall therein l Exod. 21.34 the owner of the pit shal make it good saith God by his servant Exod. 21.33 Hath anie of vs by bad living caused his inferiour his weake brother to sin O! let vs not be deafe beloved in the Lord. That maÌ„ whosoever he be hath opened a well and digged a pit which he hath not covered into which because his neighbour hath fallen and so perished he must look to make answer for it his blood shal be required at his hands Thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed it is the Lordes commandement Levit. 19.19 What is this militant church wherein we liue but Gods field whose husbandry yea are 1. Cor. 3.9 Whosoever in this field sitting either in Aarons seat or Moses chaire shall say but not doe shall say good things but doe the contrary shall in word sow wheat but in example cast abroad the troublesome seed of cockle and darnell hee it is that soweth mingled seed in Gods field and such are they whom the author of the booke of wisedome aimeth at chap. 6.6 When hee saith that mighty men shall be mightily tormented In the second place instruction is here to be had for such as are either by birth or calling worse then other men They seeing themselues so addicted by nature to follow others in duety ought to take speciall heed whom they follow For all may not be followed Aske counsaile of the wise man he will perswade with you by no meanes to follow gâ—uttons sleepers and drunkards for the glutton shall be poore and the sleeper shal be cloathed with ragges Prov. 23.21 As for the drunkard he shal haue no want of m Prov. 23.29 wo sorrow strife murmuring wouÌ„ds without cause and rednesse of the eies he shall be bitten as with a n Vers 32. serpent and hurt as with a cockatrice he shall be as one that sleepeth in the middest of the sea or on the toppe of the mast Prov. 23.34 Aske counsell of S. Paule and hee will perswade with you by no meanes to follow fornicators idolaters adulterers covetous persons and the like for such shall not inherit the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 6.10 Aske counsell of the LORD himselfe and he will perswade with you by no meanes to follow the o Levit. 18.3 doings of the land of Egypt or the manners of the land of Canaan For if you commit such abominations the land shall spue you out Levit. 18.28 O p Psal 1.1 walke not in the counsell of the wicked nor stand yee in the way of sinners nor sit yee in the seate of the scornfull for such may not be blessed You know who hath said it Assured I am that in Noahs arke among his three sonnes there was one cursed Ham that in Isaac's house of 2. sonnes one Esau was reiected that in Iacobs house among twelue brethren one only Ioseph was innocent that in Christs house among twelue Apostles there was a treacherous Iudas neither may I deny but that at this day among many Magistrates Preachers and Masters there are some licentious Magistrates some bad living Preachers some too too wicked Masters But what is that to vs We must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ to receiue according to our own deeds For so may we read 2. Cor. 5.10 The licentious life of the Magistrate shall not quite the subiect if he disobey the lawes the wickednesse of the Master may not excuse the servant if he be vngracious the bad living preacher is no cause to saue my soule if I be vngodly For God himselfe telleth vs that that soule that sinneth shal die the death Ezech. 18.4 And thus from the generall imitation I come to that which best beseemeth Christians Follow me The Lyon hath roared who will not be afraid The LORD God hath spoken who can but prophecie Amos 3.8 Ever worthy is his Maiestie to be revereÌ„ced whose voice nothing be it aboue or beneath in heaven or in earth sensible or insensible ought to disobey q Esai 1.2 Heare then ô heavens and hearken ô earth and therefore heare and harken both men women for the LORD hath said follow me Else whom will ye follow Is not he the way to guide you Follow him and he wil leade you in the pathes of righteousnesse Pro. 4.11 Is not he the truth to giue you light Follow him and the sunne of iustice shall arise vnto you Malac. 4.2 Is not he the life to feede you Follow him and you shall go in and out and finde pasture Iohn 10.9 He is the way in example for he hath given an example that wee should do even as he hath done Iohn 13.15 He is the truth in promises for his covenant he will not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of his lips Psal 89.34 He is the life in rewarde for howsoever the wages of sinne is death yet the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our LORD Rom. 6.23 This our LORD the way the truth and the life in his iourney towardes heaven began betime for at r Luk. 2.42 twelue yeares of age he went about his Å¿ Vers 49. fathers businesse and he kept the right way for he boldly said who can
violence and the violent take it by force Mat. 11.12 And why doth he tell vs so but to teach vs how earnest and zealous we must be in our professed religiō If we be but luke-warme you know God hath threatned to spew vs out of his mouth Revel 3.16 If our righteousnes surpasse not the righteousnes of Pharises Heaven is no place for vs we may not enter therein Mat. 5.20 If we be no more then statute protestants that is if we thinke our duties sufficiently discharged in comming once a month to the church to pray in hearing once a quarter a sermon in cōmunicating at the Lords table once a yeare well may we hope to come to Heaven but that shall be then as a late and zealous preacher hath said whē hypocrites haue leaue to come out of Hell Therfore were the golden Cherubins set vpon the two ends of the mercy seat with their wings spread out on high Exod. 37.9 to teach vs to be as quicke about the Lords busines as the Cherubins Therefore did God reiect the blind and the halting sacrifice Deut. 15.21 to shew vs how he abhorreth slacknesse in all our duties Therefore did the Apostles leaue all and follow Christ Mat. 19.27 for our instruction that we should speedily follow Christ too For he is not accursed only which doth not the Lords businesse but he also which doth the Lords businesse negligently Ier. 48.10 Watch therefore the x Mat. 2.2 starre so soone as it ariseth follow the y Exod. 13.21 Pillar so soone as it remooveth and so shall you withall speed be received into the z 2. Cor. 5.1 building that precious building not made with hands shall dwell in those a Heb. 9.11 tabernacles those ioyfull tabernacles which God himselfe hath pitched O blessed are you if you make hast yet not so vnlesse you cōtinue to the end And this is my last note Some came into the vineyard at morning some at noone but no man received any reward but they which staide vntill night Mat. 20.8 Iacob did not prevaile with God when first he began to wrestle with him but when he had wrestled with him all night Gen. 32.26 It is not your praying this day only that can do you good for you must pray continually 1. Thess 5.17 He runnes in vaine run he never so swiftly that sits him down before he comes at the goale Heaven is the goale whither our race is intended Begin we this race betimes and keepe we the right way and make we hast too yet if we continue not to the end our portion shall be as his whom CHRIST hath said the last estate of this man is worse then the first Luk. 11.26 Having hitherto beene fed delicately and brought vp in scarlet shall we now perish in the streets shall we now embrace the dung Lam. 4.5 Having as yet had our heads of gold shall we now to become like to Nabuchadnezzars image haue our feet of clay Dan. 2.33 Having already begun in the spirit shall we now end in the flesh Gal. 3.3 b 1. Cor 10.12 He that thinkes be standeth let him take heed that he fall not What shall I say saith Iosh chap. 7.8 When Israel turnes the back What shall I say The trembling of the Pillars is enough to make the whole Temple shake Peter he which said even now that c Mat. 26.33 though al should yet he would neuer forsake Christ d Vers 74. curseth and sweareth that he knoweth not the man Lot he which erst strived so much to preserue his daughters chast in Sodome doth now in the mount commit e Gen. 19.33 incest with his daughters Salomon himselfe which so lately erected a Temple for the worship of God fals now to the worshipping of Idols As if the starres were falling from their heaven and the light departing from the sunne But it is not long since we were taught that the Saints of God though they fal not finally in the end nor vtterly at any time doe notwithstanding fall grievously and dangerously of which we then heard in all plenty and sufficiency so that I may well surcease to speake thereof Only let me say once againe f 1. Cor. 10.12 Hee that thinkes he standeth let him take heed that he fall not For not every one but hee only that 〈…〉 shall be saved Mat. 10.22 and not every one 〈…〉 faithfull vnto the death shall receiue the 〈◊〉 of life Revel 2.10 and not every one but such only as are marked in their foreheads with the letter Ta◠with the note of perfection and perseverance shal enter the inheritance of the blessed Ezech. 9.4 Let the g 2. Pet. 2.22 dogge returne to his vomit and the sow to her wallowing in the mire but doe you as Abraham did hold on your sacrifices vnto the evening the last evening of your liues and so shall a full measure bee measured vnto you O ever blessed shall you be if you continue to the end Then shall the prayers which you haue devoutly made and the teares which you haue repentantly shed and the almes which you haue charitably given set vpon your heads the crowne of glory and the Angels shall triumph for your glorious coronation and the Saints shall reioice at your blessed perfection and God himselfe shall say AMEN to your never dying happinesse To which happinesse O gratious father receaue vs all for his sake in whom thou art best pleased to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all praise power maiestie and dominion both now and for ever AMEN FIVE SERMONS ON THE EPISTLE OF St IAMES CHAP. 4. VERS 10. Cast downe your selues before the Lord and he will lift you vp CVrious questions and vaine speculations how like they are to plumes of feathers each of vs in part may iudge for that many very earnestly and others nothing at all are desirous to be seene in them The time was when Paule reproved such as had their heads troubled with a 1. Tim. 1.4 Tit. 3.9 Genealogies were he now liuing to see how men and women of our daies busie their heads about as vaine questions tracing dangerously vpon the pinacles while they might safely walke vpon the pauement could he thinke you bee silent It is a world to see how many at this day are much more desirous to learne where Hell is then to bee instructed any way how they may escape Hell much more ready to heare what God did purpose before the world began then to learne what hee will doe whē the world is ended much more willing to vnderstand whether they shall knowe one another hereafter in Heaven then to know now whether themselues belong to Heaven or not Vnwise though worldlings so ready are they to search mysteries before they knowe principles so presume they b Rom. 12.3 to vnderstand aboue that which is meet not much vnlike the c 1. Sam. 6.19 Bethshemites who were not content with the
sight only of the Arke but they would also prie into it and finger it The d Mat. 2.9 starre when it came to the place whâ—â—â— Christ was stood still and went no further We likewise when we are come to the knowledge of Christ should stand still goe no further Are we better then St Paule he was content to e 1. Cor. 2.2 knowâ— nothing saue Christ Iesus and him crucified For he knew well how impossible it was for mans wit to found the deapth of Gods secrets And farther what shall it availe a maÌ„ subtilly to dispute about the TRINITIE if through his want of Humilitie hee displease the TRINITIE How can it profit thee to haue the whole booke of God at thy fingers end if through thy want of Charitie God withdraw his favour from thee it cannot benefit me schollerlike to define what sinne is if beastlike wallowing in my sinnes I provoke Gods wrath against my selfe It is an item for vs al To him that knoweth how to doe well doth it not to him it is sinne Howsoever in our age lesse knowing is not yet more doing beyond all question is required It hath pleased God to blesse many among vs with great and each of vs with some measure of knowledge this place is pleÌ„tifull in witnessing as much But how smale fruit ariseth from this knowledge our carelesse kind of living maketh to plaine a declaration So that I may fitly seeme of these our daies to make that coÌ„plaint which Ieremie made of his cha 12.11 The whole land lyeth wast because no man setteth his mind on it Because no man regardeth Gods word no man considereth the plagues which he hath sent vpon the land therefore are the destroyers come vpon all the high places therefore the Lords sword devoureth all the land from one end thereof vnto the other therfore no flesh may look for peace And why may I not vse that which he hath added in the 13. verse For see wee not Gods Ministers painefull and labour some in sowing of wheat Yet behold the badnesse of the ground is such that they can reap nothing but thornes Are they not even stoke with lamenting sinfull soules Yet where is their profit They are and that worthily because worthily they may be ashamed of such a peoples fruits which insteed of amendment groweth worse and worse Doe I speake this for a fashion only or doe not Gods heavy iudgements testifie the truth hereof doth not his fierce wrath speake as much O then let vs humble our selues vnder the Almightie hands of this revenging God that so once againe his face may shine vnto vs. Away for a time with your subtile questions attend you the amendment of your liues for if not so Gods anger may not bee appeased And that you may in part know what belongeth to the amendment of your liues let not your hearts be shut against St Iames his counsell as it is in the first words of my text Cast downe your selues before the LORD And how can you disobey this counsel if you doe but think of the reason vsed by him for perswasions sake in the words following And he will lift you vp In his counsell we obserue 3. notes 1 Not lift vp but cast downe 2 Cast downe not others but your selues 3 Cast down your selues not before meÌ„ but before the Lord. And in delivering this third note I may bee fitly occasioned to speake somewhat of the reason brought to perswade vs to the obedience of this counsell for we must cast downe our selues before the LORD who as he is most liberall to vs most present with vs most able to helpe vs when we stand in need is also most willing at all times to worke our ease and therefore hath our Apostle added and he will lift you vp Cast downe your selues before the LORD and he will lift you vp Lift not vp but cast downe It hath beene observed that the Peacocke as proud as hee is of his gallant feathers as soone as he beholdeth his foule feete abateth himselfe and is humbled Here might we learne so much wit as by the feeling sight apprehensioÌ„ of many our foule feet of our corrupt perverse passions which rule and raigne in vs to humble our selues to abate our pride ingendred but of a few feathers and those indeed very blacke howsoever they cary an appearance of beautie But the prince of darknes that subtile serpent which f Luk. 10.18 fell from Heaven like the lightning not content with that rule which he hath over the children of vnbeleefe hath soe busied himselfe to obscure even those which should shine as lights in this world that although the g Esai 24.23 Moone shall bee abashed and the Son ashamed when the Lord of Hosts shall raigne in Mount Syon and in Ierusalem yet wee dust and ashes cloathed in iniquitie and replenished with the loathsome infection of sinne are bold to lift vp our heads in the presence of Gods Maiestie nothing ashamed of our selues and that at this time when in our Syon and Ierusalem he raigneth gloriously For examine we our selues and we shall scarse finde one that can indure to cast downe that striueth not with all his might to lift vp himselfe Some are never contented with their present estate but would faine be higher these do ambitiously lift vp theÌ„selues Others pretend glory praise in those gifts graces which they haue received from the Lord and these do proudly lift vp themselues Ambitious men and proud men both are lifters vp fowle sinnes and infectious most of you know them to be such Notwithstanding that we may the better see into them and by seeing into them more willingly endeavour to avoide them let not a severall examination of each of them seeme tedious vnto you The first is Ambition an evill deeply rooted in mans hart Ambitio subtile malum secretum virus pestis occuâ—ta doli artifex mater hypocrisis Livoris parens vitiorum origo criminuÌ„ somes virtutum aeâ—ugo tinea sanctitatis excoecatrix cordium ex remedus morbos creans generant ex meditina languorem an evill that maketh man evermore discontented with his present estate a secret poison a hidden sin a forger of fraud a mother of hypocrisie a spring of envie the fewell of all vice a moath to holinesse a blinding of the heart it converts remedies into diseases and medicines into languishing so saith S. Bernard Serm. 6. in Psal 91. Here might we wonder how it can be possible that man so excellent a workmaÌ„ship favoured so highly and adorned so singularly with all celestiall gifts that by the highest God should suffer so fowle a moÌ„ster to nestle with in his breast Yet so it is man hath a long time fostered yet is not weary of making much of his sweet Ambition A long time it hath beene fostered the beginning of al ages witnesseth as much Eue would be as a Goddess Gen. 3.5
The builders of Babel would vp to Heaven Gen. 11.4 Miriam and Aaron would speake for the Lord as well as Moses Num. 12.2 Looke we to succeeding ages and they wil speake the same Did not Ionathan say vnto David Thou shalt reigne and I will be next to thee 1. Sam. 23.17 Did not Zebedees wife make suit to Christ that her children might sit in his kingdome the one one his right hand and the other on his left Mat. 20.20 Did not Christs disciples among themselues contend who should bee the greatest Mark 9.34 Yeeld we then that a long time Ambition hath beene fostered and yet behold we are not weary of making much of it The Church and Common wealth both do find it to be so The Church shee groaneth for that shee is almost eaten vp The Cōmon wealth hath cause to lament too for albeit shee yeeldeth to every one sufficient for his vocation yet no man is contented with that he hath Both in Church and Common wealth everie one is set to lift vp himselfe For the Church what shall we say Sisac must be lifted vp his wealth must be encreased but how even thus He will spoile the Temple he will take away the treasures of the Lords house Salomons golden shields shall be turned in Rehoboams shields of brasse 1. King 14.26 Dionysius his religion is not forgotten if Iupiters coate be rich it must be had away it is too colde for winter and too heavy or to hot for summer It is a shame the son should haue a beard sith the father had none and thus wittily they think they cary away the golden beard In that old Arke of the testament overlaid round about with gold were these three things Manna Aarons rod and the tables of the testamēt for so may we read Heb. 9.4 Our Arke had these sometimes but those times are gone Many Sisackes and many of Dionysius his schollers haue fatted themselues with a great part of our Manna that little which remaineth they snatch at too and would willingly feed thereon could they but pul downe Aarons rode and so would they leaue vs nothing but the two tables nothing but poore schollers bookes to liue by So common a thing it is to rush into Gods treasury and to rob his sanctuarie It may be they are perswaded that herein they doe God no wrong If they be so perswaded the surely they remember not or they care not for Dan. 5.5 that writing hand which appeared to Belshazzar while he was drinking in the place which his father had taken from the Temple in Ierusalem for some of them haue done so and more and then surely they remember not or they care not for the word of the Lord who hath said yee haue spoiled me by deteining your tithes and offerings Mal. 3.8 for many of them haue done so and more and then surely they remember not or care not for the dreadfull iudgement which befell Ananias Act. 5.5 10. and his wife for keeping backe part of the price of their owne possession which they sold to the vse of the Church for all of them haue done shall I say so I may not for neither their ancetors haue ever brought so much as one stone to the foundation nor themselues so much as one tile to cover the roofe of the church but I must say al of them haue done much more and more wickedly And yet they are not without all excuse for were there no buyers there could be no sellers would no man giue them the liuelyhood of the Church they could not take it Ambitious Pastors do make their Patrons rich Thus while the seller defends himselfe by the buyer the taker by the giver the patrone by the hireling and each by the other they are all become like to Samsons foxes Iud. 15.4 in their tailes they are vnited they are knit togither in mischiefe they haue their firebrāds too to burne vp the commodities of the CHVRCH Silvester 2. gaue himselfe to the Devill that hee might attaine to the papacie so writeth Platina in the life of Silvester Silvester hath left many sons behinde him as desirous of preferment as himselfe I forge it not neither suck I it out of mine owne fingers ends the decayed maintenance of some of our Bishoprickes Deaneries Probends Personages and Vicarages cries out and tels you it is so I meddle not with particulars being very willing with Sem and Iaphet to cloake and cover our fathers nakednesse For I perswade my selfe I may not reveale all their sins lest the vncircumcised reioice yet know I withall that I may not cover some of their sinnes iest the vncircumcised encrease One saide if some mens drunkennesse were not reproved they would bee drunken still and make a common wealth of drunkards let me change the speech I say if Simonie were not reproved in some they would vse Simonie still and fill the Church with other like themselues To what end serue those warnings reproofes excommunications and corrections which Christ hath appointed if every mans nakednesse should be covered We may and must be content to cover the first nakednesse if they will repēt and do no more so But now when in the hardnesse of their hearts that cannot repent they say they stumble not although every man may see them lie groueling on the ground shall we follow them like a blind mans boy to stay them so oft as they fall Shall wee say all our Bishoprickes are as good as ever they were shall we saie none of our Deaneries are impaired shall we say all come freely to their Prebends their Parsonages their Vicarages shall we thus cover their nakednesse So should we indeede make a cloake for their Simony but it were a cloake of flattery not of reverence and therefore not worth the having Wolues are not the Lambes fathers but the Lambes butchers shepheards learning findes that to be true The maintenance of the Church the liuelyhood of the yong Lambes the Lambes not yet borne is even consumed by the greedinesse of the Wolues How can we cal them Fathers since they are our Butchers Let them speake to their own children to cover them let the dead bury the dead the wicked are fittest to cover the wiked We haue a rule and this it is Them that sinne openly reproue openly that the rest may feare 1. Tim. 5.20 You haue heard the groaning of the Church consider now what cause the Common wealth hath of lamentation Her members will be no longer members they must be exalted too But how How they care not so they be exalted Athaliah woulde be sole governour and Queene and that made her destroy all the Kings seed 2. King 11.1 It was a kingdom that Sellum looked for and therfore Zacharie must be done to death 2. Kings 15.10 Abimelech will not sticke to murther his 70 brethren if so thereby he may attaine to a soveraignety Iud. 9.5 And what shall I say more For the time would be
the people shouting out and saying the voice of God and not of man God resisted him made the vile wormes to bee his murderers Act. 12.23 God resisteth the prowd and giveth grace vnto the huÌ„ble Flatter not your selues whosoever professeth of himselfe that hee is not as other men are that he is no extortioner no adulterer no sinner his profession is as the professioÌ„ of that Pharisee Luk. 18.11 God wil resist him but learne yee of him who in humility of spirit hath said LORD i Luk. 18.13 be mercifull to me a sinner and you shal be exalted Whosoever speaketh pleasingly to himself and saith Is not this great BABEL which I haue built for the house of MY kingdome and honour of MY Maiestie Haue I not done thus or thus wel by the might of mine owne power his words are as the words of Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4.26 and God wil resist him but learne yee of him who in humility hath said k Ioh. 5.30 I can do nothing of my selfe and you shall be exalted Whosoever thinketh with himselfe I will ascend into Heaven and exalt my throne aboue besides the starres of God and will be like the most high his heart is as the heart of Lucifer Esay 14.13 and God will resist him but learne yee of him who in humility of spirite l Psal 110.7 dranke of the brooke in the way and became for vs a m Philip. 2.7 servant and you shall be exalted And now that wee may the better apply our selues to this humility of spirit let vs here also take two notes with vs. 1 Let vs enter into a due consideration of our estate as it is by nature which shall easily appeare vnto vs what it is if we do but call to minde the metall whereof wee are made the shortnesse of our liues and the miseries to which wee are subiect Consider we the metall whereof we are made You know it is no better then clay no better then mire no better then the very slime of the earth And therefore it best and most naturally agreeth with vs if we be beaten as small as the dust and troden vnder foot as the mire in the streets This was well knowne that I may omit the rest to Abraham Iob and Paule for our bodies in Abrahams iudgement are dust and ashes Gen. 18.27 very ready with every bâ—ast of wind to be scatered And in Iobs iudgement they are houses of clay Iob. 4.19 very easie to bee broken And in Pauls iudgement they are earthly tabernacles 2. Cor. 5.1 certainely and within short time to bee destroyed The cogitation hereof made Moses to say who am I that I should goe to Pharaoh Exod. 3.11 it made David to cry out and say I am a worme and no man Ps 22.7 and it made Ieremy to say I cannot speake Ier. 1.6 And could the like cogitation but touch our hearts it would crop yea more then so it would pull off and consume all our figge leaues of vanitie Hee that hath a heart to consider let him consider of what mettall hee is made and then be he proud if he can And consider we the shortnesse of our liues All flesh is grasse and the glory thereof is as the flower of the field the grasse withereth and the flower fadeth a voice bad Esay crie so Esay 40.6 Wisdome in the 5. chapter of that booke verse 9. telleth you that all things are passed away like a shadow and as a post that hasteth by A ship passeth over the waues of the water but when it is once gone the trace thereof cannot be found neither the path of it in the floods a bird flyeth through the aire yet no man seeth any token of her passage an arrow is shot at a marke it parteth the aire but immediatly the aire commeth together againe and then cannot you knowe where it went through As is this shadow this post this ship this bird this arrow so are our liues in great hast and speedely flying away we are no sooner borne but we beginne to draw to our end All things saith St Chrysostome homil 19. ad Eutropium are but a night and a dreame the day commeth and they vanish away Smoake was but that is dissolued bubbles were vpon the water but they are broken Spiders webbes haue beene in our windowes but we haue swept them downe Here we haue patternes of our liues We that are met here together at this present doe liue together but we shall be dissolued and therein are we like smoke but we shall be broken and therein are we as bubbles vpon the water but we shall bee swept downe with the besome of death and therein doe we resemble spiders webs Now would yee vse some accompt to finde out of what length your liues are So may yee follow either Iacobs or Davids or the Hebrewes or the Fathers account Would you follow Iacobs account then must you not reckon yeares for wheÌ„ Pharaoh asked him how old he was he made this answer few and evill haue my daies beene Gen. 47.9 and Moses prayer to the Lord was to bee taught to number his daies Psalm 90.20 thereby shewing how small wisdome is seene in reckoning after either yeares or monthes or weekes Would you vse Davids accompt then may your hand serue you for a measure for so your life will be found to be but a spanne long Psa 39.5 Would you reckon like the Hebrewes Then thus doe yee first deduct your time of sleepe so that if your yeares bee threescore and tenne as it is Psalm 90.20 fiue and thirtie of those at once must be dashed out then take away the time of your youth for it is not so worthy to be called life as vanitie saith Ecclesiastes chap. 11.10 and last of all abate yee the time of your sorrow wherein you had rather die then liue This reckoning once made what a small remnant will there be for your liues But would yee make choice of the Fathers account then thus proceed yee first cast away the time past for it is not then account not of the time to come for it is vncertaine and thus shall you leaue nothing for your liues but the time present nothing but a moment and what is a moment to your expectation What is a moment to eternitie He that hath a heart to consider let him consider how short his life is and be he proud if he can And consider we also the miseries to which we are subiect A long time would bee too short for mee to recount them all Let a general view of them suffice The o Dictamnum herbam extrahendis sagittis cervi monstraveâ—e Goates of Candie being shot in with a shaft or iavelin doe forthwith seeke out the hearbe Dittanie and eate it by vertue whereof the arrowes or iavelins fall out and their wounds are cured If the p Chelidoniam visui saluberrimam hirundines monstrauere vexatis pulloruÌ„ oculis illâ medentes young
had the foolish eie but his two brethren Sem and Iaphet covered their fathers nakednesse and looked an other way and they had the wise eie Gen. 9.22.23 The Edomites looked vpon the afflictions of their brethren and are reproved Obad. 12. for their foolish eie made thē reioice to see it But Iobs friends looked vpon his afflictions are not reprooved for their wise eie wrought in them a sorrowe for it Be wise then and ioy not when thine enemie a Prov. 24.17 falleth nor let thine heart reioice when he stumbleth lest as the b 2. King 5.27 leprosie went from Naaman to Gehazie so God turne his wrath from them that haue fallen and make it light vpon thee Be wise then and when thou seest thy brothers nakednesse let it moue thee to a cōpassion on him a feare of thy selfe Be wise then when any spectacle of frailty is in thine eie thinke with thy self that thy neighbours house is on fire that it is thy warning for what priviledge from sin hast thou or any man that another hath not You know that the greatest light may be eclipsed the fairest beauty stained and the goodlyest fruit blasted So is it with your soules the purest may be corrupted What if godly c Ruth 3.14 Bohaz and Ruth will not passe the bounds of continencie Yet d 2. Sam. 11 4. David and Bathschebah godly also may be overtaken with that folly What if good e Gen. 39.12 Ioseph refuse his lady and mistresse yet f Gen. 38.18 Iudah a good man also may be allured by his disfigured daughter in law What if many endued with great graces of Gods spirit doe like g Luk. 19.8 Zacheus distribute the greatest part of their possessions to satisfie their iniuries and relieue the poore yet many partaking also the like graces are to much given to the loue of mony Yea two of the Apostles h Mark 10.37 Iames and Iohn will desire the superiority and the highest places in the church howsoever all the rest envie and disdaine them for it Thus are many of the Lords tallest Cedars blowne downe to the ground and thinkest thou O much inferiour to a Cedar to stand firme S. Paule giveth thee friendly counsaile 1. Cor. 10.12 He that thinkes he standeth let him take heed that he fall not Hast thou hitherto beene fed delicately and brought vp in scarlet take heed ere long thou maist perish in the streets thou maist embrace the dung Lam. 4.5 Hast thou as yet had thy head of gold take heed least to become like Nebuchadnezzars image thy feete turne to clay Dan. 2.32.33 Hast thou already begun in the spirit take heed as good as thy selfe haue ended in the flesh Gal. 3.3 Peter he which said even now that h Mat. 26.33 though all should yet he would never forsake Christ i Vers 74. curseth and sweareth that he knoweth not the man k Gen. 19.1 Lot hee which erst strived so much to preserue his daughters chast in Sodome doth nowe in the mount cōmit incest with his l Vers 36. daughters Solomon blessed Solomon for so I reckon him which so lately erected a tēple for the worship of God falleth now to the worshipping of Idols as if the starres were falling from their Heaven and the light departing from the Sunne I will not trouble you with the relation of m Gen. 9.21 Noahs drunkennesse n 2. Sam. 12.9 Davids murther o Gen. 18.15 Sarahs lie p Gen. 27.3 Rebeccaes perswading her sonne Iacob to beguile his owne father the theft of q Philem. 11. Onesimus the many concubines of the Patriarkes and the like onely I say as David said in another case O noble Israel how are the mighty overthrowne 2. Sam. 1.19 When Elisha told Hazael whst wickednesse he should do in time to come that he should slay and trample men women and children vnder foot what said Hazael Am I a dogge that I should do this 2. King 8.13 If I should say to you that the time shall come wherein you that seeme most holy shall become murtherers adulterers theeues or the like I doubt not but every one of you would haue his answere in readinesse what Am I a reprobate that I should do thus or thus But I say not so of you those good graces of the Lord in you do promise better things yet let me desire you to remember S. y 1. Cor. 10.12 Pauls coūsel He that thinks he standeth let him take heed that he fall not What shall we do then when we here of or see the slips and escapes of other men Heare what our Saviour saith Iudge not that yee be not iudged Mat. 7.1 The wise man passed by the field of the sloathfull and lo it was all growne over with thornes nettles had covered the face thereof and the stone wall thereof was broken downe Prov. 24.30.31 But what did he when hee saw such a confusion Himselfe telleth you in the verse following I beheld I considered it well I looked vpon it I received instruction the marginall note of our English Bibles is That I might learne by an other mans fault Our neighbours life resembleth this field which because he is sloath-full and slacke in husbanding can bring forth nothing but thornes and nettles so that through the stone wal which lyeth wasted and broken down there may be seene al manner of filthinesse and abhomination In such a case what must we do Even as Salomon did that is we must behold it we must consider it well we must looke vpon it and receiue instruction that wee may learne by our neighbours fault Doth our neighbour stand in a slippery place where it is easie for him to slice So doe wee Is hee sent forth weake naked and vnarmed to fight with powers and principalities with the Devill with the world withall their adherents So are wee Is his flesh as false vnto him as Gehazi was to Elisha 2. King 5.25 Is it ready to lie vnto him to face him out that it hath not sinned even then whē it commeth frō sinning So is ours Then iudge we not that we be not iudged The best men wee see haue had their fals yet they haue risen again the godliest they ſ Mat. 14.30 sinke with Peter yet they perish not because they are t Vers 31. lifted vp and saved by CHRIST as Peter was Old Adam hath caused the children of light to commit many and grievous sinnes yet their new Adam hath removed them all Then iudge we not vncharitably of them Do our brethren in our knowledge fleete from one sin to another like a fly which shifteth from one sore to another Doe they like the Iews 1. Cor. 10.6 tempt the Lord do they murmure doe they lust doe they commit Idolatry doe they serue the flesh doe they sit downe to eate and rise to play doe they every day fall so grievously or more then
so Yet may they rise againe Why then should wee iudge otherwise of them then in charitie God forbid by speaking thus I should encourage any to sinne for howsoever grace aboundeth aboue sinne yet cursed are they yea ever cursed shall they be which doe sinne that grace and blessing may abound vnto them Rom. 6.1 Wee are forbidden u Rom. 3.8 to doe evill where wee certainely knowe that good may come of it much lesse may we make the mercy of God a defence for our sinnes Let this then be vnto vs as a MemoraÌ„dum never to be forgotten There is no x Rom. 8.1 condemnation to the righteous although he fall seven times a day but if any man shall sinne presuming of Gods mercies let him knowe that his damnation is iust and himselfe is like that theefe which stealeth because he seeth one among 20. pardoned by the Prince And so come we to our last note Cast downe not others the third thing we learne here is not to condemne the whole profession because all liue not in the same perfection The grapes of the vine haue some lesse some more sweetnesse yet sense teacheth that all are grapes and doe growe of the vine so is it with the Saints of God some haue more purity and some lesse yet all are Saints and doe grow in Christ that true vine Ioh. 15.1 What if some saith the Apostle Rom. 3.3 haue not beleeued shall their unbeleefe make the grace of God of none effect and Rom. 11.22 What if some haue fallen into sin shall the whole Gospell for their sakes be discredited Iacobs family may be blemished the wife of his loue that sleepes in his bosome may bee all spotted yet evermore shall Iacobs sacrifices be acceptable vnto God and his familie shall be cared for as the house of the Lord. Iericho may be conquered and rased by Ioshua salt may be sowne in it to make it barren and he whosoever shall attempt to build it againe may be cursed Iosh 6.26 Yet see in this rased Iericho in this barren soyle in this cursed citie Christ hath his spirituall harvest hee hath his holy Temple he hath his blessed building Cursed Iericho hath a blessed Zaccheus Luk. 19.2 Aholah sister to Aholibah Idolatrous Samaria may be set on fire with her louers play the harlot Ezech. 23.4 she may be made as an heape of the field her stones may be tumbled downe into the valley her foundations may be discovered Micah 1.6 Yet may such a city a wasted citie afford many that beleeue in Christ Ioh. 4.39 yea from Galilee from whence some thought no good thing might come Ioh 7.52 Christ called diverse of the Apostles Ioh. 1.43 Fyrre trees and thornes nettles and myrrh trees may grow together in the good-mans garden and why may there not be in the Lords field as well brambles as lillies why not as well tares as wheat The husbandman knew well it was so therefore he charged his servants to suffer the tares to grow vp with his wheat vntill the harvest Maâ— 13.30 Assured hee was that the wheat would continue wheat still howsoever it was accompanied with the tares Let y Gen 11.28 Chaldaea be never so vnrighteous yet may it haue a righteous Abraham let z Gen 13 12. Sodome bee never so vniust yet may it haue a iust Lot let Babylon bee ever wicked yet may it haue a godly a Dan 1 6. Daniel yea let the whol world for ought we can see be tied together with cartropes of vanitie yet shall b Tob. 1.3 Niniveh haue a devout Tobias and c Iob. 1.1 Huz a patient Iob and Damascus a zealous Nehemias Condemne not then the whole profession howsoever all liue not in the same perfection We shall impiously conclude if against truth we draw our argument from a multitude neither will it follow many Ministers many Christians haue devoted themselues wholy to the flesh to the world to the Devill therefore all of both sorts are naught For what are wee that wee may not iudge amisse as well as Elias did He coÌ„plained that he was left alone Nay saith God thou art not alone I haue reserued vnto my selfe seaven thousand which haue not bowed the knee to Baal 1. King 19.18 In regard hereof St Paule telleth vs that of Israel there is a remnant left Rom 11.5 And that great shepheard speaking of the Chuâ—ch calleth it a little flock Luk. 12.32 Feare not little flock for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome But seaven thousand but a remnant but a little flocke and yet you shall not be discomfited feare not for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome A kingdome therefore for all inferiour things he will not sticke with you Sauls court shall yeeld a Ionathan to favour David 1. Sam. 20.28 Achabs court shall haue in readinesse an Obâ—diah to entertaine the Prophets 1. King 18.13 Zedechâ—â— court shall afford a Ebed-melech to entreat for Ieremie Ierem. 38.7 O the mercifull kindnesse of the Lord how it endureth for ever and ever vpon them that feare him Iobs bones and flesh may be in the Devils hand but God will saue his life Iob. 2.6 Peter may be imprisoned by Herod but the Angell of the Lord will bring him out Act. 12.7 Shadrach Mesâ—ach and Abeduegâ— may be cast fast bound into the seuen times hot fierie fornace but the Lords Angell will come and vnbind them walk with them in the midst of the fire so that not one haire of their head shall perish Dan. 3.25 Doe you remember this little Churches complaint Ps 129.1 There she saith Many times haue they fought against me even from my youth vp Heare now how shee comforteth her selfe vers 2. But they haue not prevailed against me Doe you remember how she further complained vers 3. The plâ—â—ers plowd vpoÌ„ my backe and made long furrowes Heare now her comfort in the verses following But the righteous Lord hath cut the cords of the wicked and they that hate Sion shall be all ashamed turned backward they shall be as the grasse on the house rops which withereth afore it groweth vp And therefore I cannot say too oft O the merciful kindnesse of the Lord how it endureth for ever and ever vpon them d Psal 103.12 that feare him This kind and mercifull God hath reserued to himselfe eveÌ„ in the midst of Wolues Lions some Isaac some Ioseph some Bohaz some Daniel some Zacharie some Elizabeth some few or more whom all the world with all the malice it hath cannot blemish Condemne not then the whole profession howsoever all liue not in the same perfection And knowe that all liue not in the same perfection know that some of the best haue had their falls for these reasons I will but point at them 1 That wee bee brought from that errour which some maintaine namely that the elect and regenerate sinne not 2 That the worke of repentance
bee pleased with thousands of rammes or with ten thousand rivers of oile Wil you giue your first borne for your transgressiō Wil you giue the fruit of your body for the sinne of your soule The Lord hath shewed thee o man what is good and what hee requireth of thee surely to doe iustly and to loue mercy and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God Micah 6.8 to bee of a contrite heart to be poore in spirit and to tremble at Gods word Esay 66.2 And this is it which in the Lord I wish may bee printed in our hearts by this caveat Cast downe your selues not before men What then may we not fast or pray or giue almes may we not doe good workes in the sight of men Yes wee may must doe our good workes even before men And therefore are wee counselled to haue our lights burning Luk. 12.35 to let our light shine before men Mat. 5.16 and to make our faith knowne by our good workes Iam. 2.18 Whereas then wee haue beene counselled to beware how we doe any good thing in the sight of men we haue beene counselled onely to beware of Hypocrisie to beware of vaine glory to be warie that wee neither giue almes nor doe any other good thing before men with a purpose to gaine vnto our selues praise and commendation of men And therefore when our Lord forbids vs to doe good in the sight of men he adds that which makes it vnlawfull Wee must take heed that we do it not to be seene of men or to be praised of men As also when he chargeth vs to let our light shine before men that they may see our goodworkes he adds that which makes it lawfull we must doe our good workes before men that by thē our heavenly father may be glorified So then to doe good workes before men in it selfe is not evill yea it is commendable it is necessary but to doe them to this end that wee may be well spoken of that makes it faulty In like sort to doe no wicked thing before men in it selfe is not evil yea it is commendable it is necessary but to abstaine from doing wickedly for feare of mans censure rather then of Gods displeasure that makes it faulty To doe good workes to abstaine from doing wickedly before men both are such I cannot but commend them but so to doe good workes but so to abstaine from doing wickedly as if we regarded man more then God both are such as Christ vtterly detesteth them Would you now knowe for those good workes which you are to doe in the sight of men how to present them before your God pure and spotlesse Heare what our Saviour saith Make cleane within and all will be cleane Mat. 23.26 It was the Lords commandement to Noah to pitch the Arke with pitch as well within as without Gen. 6.14 Without only was not sufficient it was to be pitched with pitch as well within as without It is the Lords commandement to you to sanctifie your selues and to be holy for the Lord is holy Levit. 20.26 to be holy outwardly only will not serue your turnes you must bee holy as well within as without Your hearts are within they must be holy Let your u Psal 45.1 hearts indite good matters and your tongues must needes be the pennes of ready writers Decke your hearts with faith repentance and then shall your prayers your almes your fastings all your good workes be acceptable in the Lords sight There is a melodie may bee made in your heartes to which only the Lord will listen and therefore Paule adviseth you to make melody to the Lord in your hearts Eph. 5.19 So Christ did who said it was meat drink to him to doe his fathers will Ioh. 4.34 so did David when with all his might he danced before the Arke 2. Sam. 6.14 so did the Israelits when they offered willingly vnto the Lord with a perfit heart 2. Chron. 19.9 But where this melody is wanting the Lords delight also will bee wanting and therefore the Pharisees prayer the harlots vow the traitours kisse are nothing to him and therefore he respecteth not the sacrifice of Cain nor the fast of Iezabel and therefore let Ananiah bring his oblation and Esau his teares they will be abhominable in his sight There is a melody may bee made in your hearts to which only the Lord will listen this is that melody to cast downe your selues not before men but before the Lord. Now therefore spare a little more time to be remembred how you may Cast downe your selues before the Lord which is my second part This our Lord may and ought in reverence to be considered of vs as our Creator as our King as our teacher as our father as our spouse and as our Master In all which respects diverse duties without excuse must by vs bee discharged if wee will aright Cast downe our selues before the Lord. Therefore as he is our creator it is required of vs 1. That we glorifie him 2 That we be wholy moved in him and by him 3 That we rest contented in his holy will As he is our king so must we feare him 1 Because of the power and authority which hee hath over vs. 2 In regard of his Maiestie compared with our meane condition 3 In regard of the infirmity of our owne nature And this feare of God hath three notable vses For it serveth as a bridle 1 To restraine vs from falling from God by our disobedience 2 To keepe vs from all presumptuous bold and vndecent behaviour in respect of God 3 To put vs in minde to make vs acknowledge as the basenesse infirmity and mutability of our own nature so also the infinite power authority maiesty of God As he is our teacher so two duties are enioined vs. 1 We must be ready to learne whatsoever it shall please him to teach 2 We must beleeue it all As he is our father so must we yeeld him sonne-like subiection for we must reverence him we must imitate him we must seeke vnto him for those things we stand in need of and lastly we must haue patience in regard of those manifold bee they never so grievous afflictions wherewith it shall please God to chastice trie and nurture vs his children As he is our spouse hee looketh that we endeavour withall our might to please him and that we renounce al other things in the world to cleaue fast vnto him without separation As hee is our Master so we owe him three duties 1 Wee must obey him 2 Wee must minister vnto him 3 Wee must profit him O that our heads were full of x Ierem. 9.1 water and our eies fountaine◠of teares that wee might weepe day and night for daie and night had wee need to weepe for our continual backslidings from the observance of such duties as by our Creator by our King by our teacher by our Father by our spouse and
ioyned with faith in Christ for perfect obedience yet he requireth the perfect obedience both of body and soule Now let vs lay these things to our owne hearts and consciences and see whether we haue conformed our wils to the will of God with a resolution to doe it whether wee haue performed our obedience to our great Master To iudge of your heartes is not within the compasse of my commission yet if it bee true that a f Luk. 6.43 good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit if it bee true that g Mat. 7.16 grapes growe not of thornes nor figges of thistles then may I boldly say that your wils are not conformed to the will of God that you haue much failed of that obedience which your Lord and Master hath enioyned you The Prophet Hoseah 4.1.2 told the Iewes that the LORD had a controversie with them because there was no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in their land because by swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring they breake out and blood touched blood Whether this same complaint may iustly be made of you I appeale to yourselues as iudges It may be your cheekes will bee redd to talke of Christ as theirs were who went to h Luk. 23.13 Emaus and you will blush apace to seeme so holy but say will not the black-moore blush faster then you when fearefully and fowly you sinne against the Lord Is there any delight more wicked then other we are by and by desirous to wallow in it to tumble in it to ioy in it to liue and growe old in it So bath we in all pleasure and ease this mater of earth and wormes meat wherewith we are clogged as if there were neither corruption to rot it nor Heaven to receaue it nor Hell to burne it Hence is it that we are dead in sleepe and watch not at all over the soules of our children our servants and all others committed to our goverments who were they rightly trained vp by vs in the grounds of Christian religion might happely grow vp like to glorious oliues for the Church Commōwealth We read Gen. 31.53 that when Laban swore by his false Gods then Iacob swore by the feare of his father Isaac so excellent was the instruction given him by his father that in the presence of Idolatrous Laban neither for feare nor favour would he alter his religion yea it was so fastned in him that having been 20. years among the Idolatrous Syrians he chāged not the maner of the oath which hee learned of his father Are our fathers so carefull to teach their children in religiō Indeed if to bee skilfull in oathes be to be religious I cannot finde fault with their nurturing But so they should not learne Christ The time was when servants prayed to the God of their Masters Gen. 24.42 But in these daies if they should doe so some must pray vnto pride some to coveteousnesse some to gluttony most to ignorance Now may we say as commonly is said like servant like Master if one loue the wicked the other will loth the godly like father like sonne if one sell vertue the other will buy sinne like Priest like people if one freeze in loue the other will boyle in malice as the governour is so are they that are ruled if one refuse Christ the other will choose Barabbas such as the seed is such is the harvest every one layeth away life and playeth with death Yet let the children of Abraham doe like Abraham let them teach their sonnes their daughters their servants their people and al that are ruled by them the covenants of the Lord let them teach them to conforme their wils to the will of God let them teach them to doe his will let them teach them perfect obedience both of body and soule So they with all their seed and posteritie shal be blessed not only in this life with a temporall promise but also in the life to come with that ever during promise that they shall bee inheritours of the kingdome of God Of which promise vouchsafe good Lord to make vs all partakers through faith in Christ Iesus to whom with thee and the holy Ghost three persons and one God be rendred all praise power maiestie and dominion for evermore Amen THE FOVRTH SERMON ON THE EPISTLE OF SAINT IAMES CHAP. 4. VERS 10. Cast downe your selues before the Lord and he will lift you vp WEE are come to the promise of the blessing made vnto vs Hee will lift you vp Wherein let vs consider 1 The person who it is that may fulfill this promise it is HEE the Lord none but he vaine is the helpe of man HE the Lord will lift you vp 2 The certaintie of his promise for it is not said hee will assay hee will trie he will doe his best to lift you vp but simply it is said he WILL lift you vp 3 The time when this promise shall bee fulfilled which note we must borrow out of 1. Pet. 5.6 where the matter of my text is thus repeated Humble your selues vnder the Almightie hand of God that he may lift you vp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in opportunitie of time in due time in a time when himselfe shall thinke it most meet He will lift you vp in due time 4 What it is that is promised vnto you even your exaltatiō your lifting vp He wil lift you vp Of these few notes at this time as God shall assist me with his holy-spirit The first is the person who may performe so sweete a promise it is HE the Lord none but HEE vaine is the helpe of man HE the Lord will lift you vp The word of God worthely tearmed the shoote-anker of an vpright conscience teacheth that every plant how gallant or how faire soever yea though for beautie it may bee compared to the tree which springing vp in the midst of the garden was exceeding pleasant in the sight of man yet if it be not planted by our heavenly Father shall be rooted out It teacheth that all coynes be they never so currant among men yet if they cannot abide this sacred touch shall be counted of a base mettall as of tinne or altogether counterfeit and so shall be burnt like drosse It teacheth that the great ones of this world how mightie soever they are yea though their heads reach vnto the cloudes though they bee to all others as the tallest Cedars of Libanus are to the low and little shrubs of the wildernesse of Cades yet if they build their hope vpon any thing besides the Lord they shall perish for ever a Iob. 20.7 8. like their dung and you which haue seene them shall say where are they they shall flie away as a dreame and you shall not find them they shall passe away as a vision of the night And because you haue so good a teacher well may you bee perswaded that a horse his helpe is vaine Ps 33.17 that mans
receaue evill Iob. 2.10 God hath promised and hee cannot but performe that whosoever calleth vpon his name giueth care to his voice as to the only shepheard of his soule good things shall betide him in this world and his soule shall liue Ier. 38.20 his plants shall prosper his counsels shall take effect his corne and oyle shall multiplie he q Deut 15.6 28 12. shall lend to many but shall not borrow himselfe his children like so many oliue branches r Psal 128.3 shal enclose his table round about If this cannot perswade you and what godly heart can it not perswade to forsake those your wicked helpers and to rely only on the Lord then heare farther God hath promised he cannot but performe that whosoever will not giue care to his voice but will relieue himselfe by the practises of cunning men witches coniurers and the like preferring Belial before Christ the Prince of darknesse before the ever-shining morning starre errour because it pleaseth before truth because it smarteth may ſ Deut. 28.38 sow his field but shall never reape it for the grashoppers shall destroy it may t Vers 39. plant his vineyard and dresse it but shall never drinke of the wine nor gather the grapes for the wormes shall eate it may haue u Vers 40. oliue trees in all his coasts but shall not annoint himselfe with the oyle for his oliues shall fall may x Vers 41. beget sonnes and daughters but shall not haue them for they shall goe into captivitie The Lords still-stretched-out hand shall smite such a one with a y Vers 22. consumption with a fever with a burning ague with fervent heate with a sword with blasting with mildew all these shall pursue him till hee perish z Vers 23. the Heaven that is over his head shall be brasse and the earth that is vnder him shall be yron You that haue knowne it may remember you that haue not knowne it may learne that in the 28. of Deut. from the 15 verse to the 68. there are besides those which I haue recited many other as grievous plagues assuredly allotted to all such as disobeying the Lords voice shall rely vpon such helplesse helps as I haue already mentioned We read 2. Chron. 16.12 that King Asa was punished with death for no other cause but because in his sicknes he sought for help at the Phisitians not of the Lord and can we be so senselesse as to thinke when for recovering of our lost goods or of our healths wee seeke to Sathans instruments that we shall escape vnpunished If Ahaziah consult with Beelzebub the God of Ekron about the recovering of his health the Lord wil send him word that he shall not come downe from his bed but shall there die the death 2. King 1.4 If Saule aske counsaile of a witch the archers shall wound him and his owne a 1. Chro. 10.4 sword shall kill him 1. Chron. 10.13 If Manasseh vse them that haue familiar spirits God wil send him such evils that who so heareth of it both his eares shall tingle 2. King 21.12 If this cannot perswade you and what godly heart cannot this perswade to forsake those your wicked helpers and to rely only on the Lord as you haue heard what dome abideth you for running to such helpers heare also how such may bee deciphered vnto you out of the holy Scriptures Would yee knowe how to cal them yee may tearme them rebels against the light Iob. 24.13 brethren to dragons Iob. 30.29 snares of a fowler in all their waies snares for the vngodly Hos 9.8 if thou list to scanne their descent they are the seed not of Iudah but of that cursed father of Canaan their fathers are Amorites and their mothers Hittites Ezec. 16.45 If their alliance Samaria is their elder sister Ezech. 16.46 If the lot of their inheritance it shall be a never-ending kingdome but full of weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 8.12 where their table shall bee a table of Devils 1. Cor. 10.21 their diet worse then that Coliquintida 2. King 4.40 their mirth folded vp in the pride of a smoake Esay 9.18 So is it not for nothing that witches may not be suffered to liue The charge is giuen against them Exod. 22.18 The Prophet Ieremy hauing roundly glanced at their faults foretels their fall that they shall surely bee consumed with famine and with the sword chap. 14. ver 15. with famine for their disquiet with the sword for their execution And c. 50. v. 35. he saith there shal be slaughter vpon the Chaldeans a slaughter vpon the southsayers the rather because they are the vengeance of the Lord the vengeance of his Temple Ch. 51. v. 11. The like favour for all the world is to be found at the hands of Ezechiel chap. 13.9 where hee denounceth against all glosing Prophets which see vanitie divine lies that the scourge of God shall be for ever vpon them that they shall not bee in the assembly of Gods people that they shall not be written in the writings of the house of Israel in the booke of life that they shall not enter into the land of Israel that heavenly Ierusalem Of like severitie is that sentence pronoūced by the Prophet Esay chap. 47. Where willing the Babylonians to repaire to their sooth-sayers to their astrologers to their starre-gazers to their Prognosticators for all these names hee there vseth verse 12.13 And to make triall whether they can finde profit or strength among them he speaketh to them in the 14. vers thus Behold they shall be as stubble the fire shall burne them they shall not deliver their owne liues from the power of the flame yea they shal be so consumed with the flaming fire as that there shall not be anie thing remaining no not to much as one coale to warme at nor anie light to sit by Considering then your owne lots and this their portion can yee hope for anie helpe at their hands Iudge vprightly you shall finde that neither their leaues are delightfull nor their blossoms gracefull nor their fruits restoratiue yea you must confesse that they are but so manie broken reedes full of splinters whereto if you leane you may wound your hands you may pierce your hands you shall never helpe your selues By this I doubt not but it appeareth what affiance may bee had in all worldly helps of what sort soever Now would I perswade you that all true helpe is to be sought for at the hande of the God of Iacob For it is he the Lorde none but he since all worldly helps are vaine it is he the Lord that will lift you vp And of this shall yee be well perswaded if yee meditate vpon Gods presence vpon his liberality vpon his ability vpon his willingnesse for as he is most present with you most liberall to you most able to helpe you when you stand in need so also
is he at all times most willing to worke your ease First of his presence We hold it as a truth vndoubted that God is every where and in all things by his essence by his power and by his presence by his essence in regard of his creating the world by his power in regard of his operation his working in the world by his presence in regard of his preserving his governing the world It may fit our purpose in general only to vnderstand that God in presence is every where and in al things Against those of Israel which should seek to flee frō the presence of the Lord we haue the words of the Lord as they are writtē Amos 9.2 Though they dig into the hell thence shall mine hand take them though they clime vp to heaven thence will I bring them down though they hide themselues in the top of Carmel I wil search and take them thence though they be hid from my sight in the bottome of the sea thence will I commande the serpent and he shall bite them and though they go into captivity before their enemies thence will I command the sword and it shall slay them b See my 10. Lecture vpō the fi st Ch. of Amos p. 115 Lect. 14. p 159. No corner in Hell no mansion in Heavē no caue in the top of Carmel no fishes belly in the bottome of the Sea no darke dungeon in the land of captivity can hide Israel from the presence of the LORD Am I a God farre off saith the LORD and not a God at hand Can any hide himselfe in secret places that I shal not see him saith the LORD Do not I fill heaven earth saith the LORD Thus hath the Lord spoken Ierem. 23.23 24. Nere or farther of in Heaven or in Earth in places most secret our Lord is a God he seeth all things he fils both Heaven and Earth To like purpose is Davids answere to his owne question His question is c Psal 139.7 whither shall I go from thy spirit Or whither shall I fly from thy presence O Lord His answere is d Vers 8. if to Heaven thou art there if to Hel thou art there if to the vttermost parts of the sea thou art there if to the darknesse thou art there also Nor Heaven nor Hell nor Sea nor darknes could hide David from the presence of the Lord. Yea the darknesse hideth not from thee O Lord but the night shineth as the day the darknesse and light are both alike so should we confesse with David Psal 139.12 Consider the e Mat. 6.28 Lilies of the field the Lord hath cloathed thē f Mat. 10.29 Sparrowes light vpon the ground but not without the foresight of the Lord the clowds drop fatnesse but every drop is by Gods ordinance and cold salt teares trickle down our cheeks with remembrance of our sinnes committed every such teare should be numbred in the Lords g Psal 56.8 bottle The Lilies the Sparrowes the clowds or teares are all regarded by the Lord. How then can we deny his presence And let vs not be moved to thinke that Gods purity is anie whit stained because in presence he beholdeth the crimsin and scarlet sinnes the most vile and filthy actions of wretchlesse mā The Sunne you know casts his most glorious beames into foule and sordide places yet none of you wil thinke that the Sunne is therefore defiled But grant we a possibility for the Sunne to be polluted by shining into such vncleane places yet impossible shall it be for God all pure all holy to partake any variablenesse or shadow of change Wicked man wallowing in his wickednesse because God holds his tongue may think wickedly that God is even such a one as himselfe but God all pure all holy partaking no variablenesse nor shaddow of change shall at last reproue man for his wickednes and for before him the things that he hath done Psal 50.21 It cannot be that the presence of God who sitteth vpon the circle of heaven and thence beholdeth the inhabitants of the earth as grashoppers whose h Mat. 5.34 throne is the Heaven of Heavens whose i Vers 35. foot-stoole is the Earth whose waies are in the great deepe it cannot be I say that the presence of such a God should be avoided * Ipse manet intra omnia ipse extra omnia ipse supra omnia ipse infra omnia superior est per potentiā inferior per sustentationem exterior per magnitudinem interior per subtilitatem Sursū regens deorsum continens extra circumdans interius penetrās c. He is aboue all beneath all without all within all aboue by his might beneath by his helpe without by his greatnesse within by his subtilitie aboue he ruleth al beneath he cōtaineth all without he compasseth all within he pierceth all It is S. Gregories Moral expos in Iob. lib. 2. cap. 12. I will not trouble you with many authorities of the Fathers who in this point are very excellent and plentifull Out of that which hath already beene delivered it is manifest that nor Egypt nor anie region beyond the seas not a couch in a chamber nor a cabin in a ship nor clowds of the day nor the darknesse of night nor the moūtaine caues nor the Sea bottome nor a secret friend nor a more secret conscience not Heaven nor Hell nor any like evasion can hide vs can hide any our actions frō the Lords presence Which manifest truth if we shall yet doubt of I shall dare pronounce that according to the proverbs we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more foolish then Corabus more foolish then Melitides those though naturall yet most happy fooles of whom the one was never able to number aboue fiue nor the other to tell of which parent he was borne But such palpable and grosse ignorance is farre from vs. For knowing as we do that God was well knowne in Iurie his name great in Israel we cannot well be ignorant that God is the same God with vs and the presence of his godhead no lesse among vs and in our country Which may make vs the rather wonder to thinke how boldly we dare deale with God how impudently we dare behaue our selues in his presence how wickedly we dare do evē before his eies as if our reckoning were that he had neither eie to see vs nor sword to punish vs nor iudgement seat to condemne vs. Do we not commit all vncleannesse even with greedinesse in the presence of our God which for our liues we durst not bee so bold as do in the presence of a childe were he but a doozen yeares old So ready are we to eschew momentary shame that might be discovered by a childe when we care nothing at al to incurre Gods eternall displeasure Deceaue we not our selues beloved in the Lord we might haue long since learned that God hath
You shall see now whether my word shall come to passe or no vers 23. A Prophet may prophecie in the greatest famine of Samaria albeit an Asses head Doues dunge be bought at an vnreasonable rate that yet to morrow at a certaine howre a measure of fine flower and two measures of barly shall be sold at a reasonable rate but a great man will not beleeue it but a prince will say though the LORD would make windowes in Heaven can this thing come to passe 2. King 7.2 But what saith Elisha to this Prince Beholde thou shalt see it with thine eies but shalt not eate thereof vers 2. Distrustfull men to satisfie our selues in such distrustful reasonings Heare we what S. Austin saith Ep. 3. ad Volusianum concerning the workes of God to vs vnprobable Tota ratio facti potentia facientis considera autorem tolle dubitationem the whole reason of the doing is the power of the doer it is God that hath done them Consider the author and all doubts will cease Sing we with the sweet singer Exod. 15.11 Who is like vnto thee O LORD among the Gods Who is like thee So glorious in holynesse so fearefull in praises so doing wonders Say wee with the shipmen Ionah 1.14 Thou O LORD hast done as it hath pleased thee This point as it cannot wel choose but strike a terrour into the seared cōsciences of the wicked because God is able to cast both body and soule into hell fire so may it well yeeld comfort to the Godly comfort to the barrē for he was able to make Hānah fruitfull comfort to the afflicted for he was able to deliver Iob from his miseries comfort to the hungry for he was able to send food to Elias by ravens comfort to the thirstie for he was able of an Asses tooth to make a spring of water to quench Sampsons thirst comfort for all for God is able to do al in all able to deliver from the fiery fornace able to make the shadow in the diall of Ahaz to run backe 10. degrees able to cause the Sunne and Moone to rest from their courses Thou haste done great things O LORD LORD who is like vnto thee O consider the Almightinesse of our God and say whether you are not thereby perswaded that it is he the Lord and none but he since all worldly helps are vaine that it is he the Lord that will lift you vp A fourth motiue to the same perswasion is the willingnes of God whereas hee is most present with you most liberall to you most able to help you whē you stand in need hee is also at all times most willing to work your ease This willingnesse of God importeth the necessity of the fulfilling of Gods promises and so concurreth with the second general note whereof in the next Sermon THE FIFTH SERMON ON THE EPISTLE OF SAINT IAMES CHAP. 4. VERS 10. Cast downe your selues before the Lord and he will lift you vp THE second note is of the certainety of the fulfilling of this promise concerning our lifting vp It is not here saide he will assay he will try he will doe his best to lift you vp but simply he will lift you vp The promises of God made vnto the sonnes of men in the word of God are of two sorts either they haue a condition annexed vnto them or else they are without condition the Gospel which is Gods power to salvation to them that beleeue is the foundation of the one the law which is his rod of yron to crush them in pieces that transgresse is the wel-spring of the other Both one and other assuredly true in their time shall be fulfilled For is the a 1. Sam. 15.29 strength of Israel as man b Num. 23.19 that hee should lie or as the sonne of man that he should repent Is he not c Heb. 13.1 yesterday and to day and the same for ever That d Rev. 1.4 was that is and that is to come My meaning is not only in substance but in will and intention doth he vse lightnesse Are his wordes yea and nay Hath he beene knowne to affirme deny too No. All his promises all his threatnings all his mercies all his iudgmēts all his words yea all the titles of all his words are e Rev. 1.7 Yea and Amen so firmely ratified that they cannot be broken so stāding immutable that they cannot be changed f Mat. 5.18 Heaven and Earth may passe they may be changed they may waxe old like a garment but the word of the Lord endureth for ever When Ahiiah the prophet had foretold Ieroboam of his overthrow namely that God would sweepe away g 1. Kin. 14.10 the remnant of his house as a man sweepeth away dunge till it be all gone that of his stocke none should die in the city but the dogs should eat none in the fields but the fowles should pray vpon that there should a king come over Israel to set abroach all those evils vnwilling to leaue any hope that this time was not yet to come that it was far of removed he correcteth himselfe with suddaine and quicke demaund and maketh the answere vnto it what saith he Yea evē now 1. Kin. 14.14 as if he had said what said I it should come to passe thus or thus Yea even now it is come to passe it is already done What this Prophet hath spoken concerning the Lords threatnings against Ieroboam may be verified of all the promises of the Lord such is their certainety ratified by the Lords owne wordes My covenant will I not breake nor alter any thing that is gone out of my lippes Psal 89.34 confirmed by his visiting of Sarah as he had saide and doing vnto her according as he had promised Gen. 21.1 allowed of by Ioshua's consent when he told the Israëlites that there had failed nothing of all the good things which the Lord had said vnto them but all came to passe Iosh 23.14 What shall I say then that Gods promises shall be fulfilled Yea even now even now they are come to passe they are fulfilled already God hath spoken once and I haue heard it twice that power belongeth vnto God saith David Psal 62.11 and so let mee say God hath spoken once and I haue heard it twice that truth belongeth vnto God God is very constant in the performance of his promises To driue it into our conceits hee hath spoken it once and twice not once but once and twice many times he hath spoken it eternally vnmoueably effectually without revokemēt once in the law and againe againe in the Gospell This sweet milke may be suckt plentifully out of both the breastes of the Church out of Moses and out of Christ out of the Prophets out of the Evangelists out of the Law and out of the Gospell O happy are they that feed only on this milke It is commonly said that truth cannot passe forth without contrarieties and quarrels
minds as that they thinke all externall fact al outward observance altogether needlesse And thus haue they thought because they find that many haue beene said to haue done the will of God to haue walked in his waies to haue done iudgement and iustice to haue kept their feet from treading in any evill path and so to haue beene reputed for Saints who notwithstanding haue manie waies and most grievously fallen For they can tell you of Peters deniall of Lots incest of Salomons Idolatry of Noahs drunkennesse of Davids murther of Sarahs lie of Rebeccahs perswading her sonne Iacob to beguile his owne father of the theft of Onesimus of the many Concubines of the patriarchs and the like of whose obedience to the will of God we may not doubt because we may not doubt of their salvation Which opinion of theirs as I may not altogether reiect so will I not simply allow of for wee haue two propositions of certaine truth 1 Externall obedience is necessary to the doing of the wil of God and therefore that which they thinke is not simplie to be allowed 2 The fulfilling of the wil of God consisteth chiefly and especially in our hearty and earnest desire of doing it and therfore what they thinke may not altogither be reiected That outwarde obedience is necessary for our doing of Gods will is so plaine that it needs no proofe For to whō gaue God his commandements to be done Was it not to man Now who knoweth not that man consisteth of a body as well as of a soul The body then is bound to obey as well as the soule The inward desire serues not the turne outward obedience must be practised Outward obediēce I say not perfit for that is impossible do we all we can do we shal be vnprofitable servāts yet I say outward obedience must be practised And therefore S. Paule hath beseeched you to giue your bodies to God Rom. 12.1 shewing that your bodies should be Gods servants as wel as your souls Both are too little one cannot be enough Will you glorifie God in your souls you shal do wel but glorifie him in your bodies too 1. Cor. 6.20 Do your hearts beleeue yet that is not enough your monthes must cōfesse too Rom. 10.10 your tongues must be kept from evill and your lips that they speake no guile too Psal 34.13 your eares must heare too Matt. 11.15 your eies must behold the right too Prov. 4.25 your hands must be lift vp to his sanctuary too Psa 134.2 your feet must be removed from evill too Prov 4.27 The summe of all is you must giue your bodies a sacrifice to God Now a Sacrifice as you know is wherein all the members are offered together Levit. 1.9 13. Therefore must you giue your members also to God Your eies your eares your tongues your hands your feet with all the rest must be emploied in the service of God For he who commanded you to loue the LORD with al your soule and with al your minde Deut. 6.5 hath commanded you also to loue him with all your strength to teach you that the strength of your handes eies and eares and every other part of you must wholy be emploied in his service And therefore as we would be changed in our thoughes so must we also be changed in our wordes so must we be changed in our works we must be carefull that our tongues speake no more idely that our eies behold no more vanity that our eares heare no more folly that our hands worke no more iniquitie and as oft as we shall go about the service of God which we cannot do to oft everie one of vs should cal all his powers togither and saie with David Psal 103.1 My soule praise thou the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy name And thus much of the first proposition of the necessity of our outward obedience The second proposition if you remember was this The fulfilling of the will of God consisteth cheifly and especially in our hearty and earnest desire of doing it The proofe hereof is easy The chiefest part of man is his minde therfore the fulfilling of the Law especiallie consisteth in the desires and intents of the minde and it so consisteth in these affections that touching the elect who only beleeue in Christ and alone may be said to do Gods will God resteth contented with this inwarde desire as long as this flesh encombreth them All other imbecilities are not imputed vnto thē This godly purpose earnest desire of doing Gods wil stands them in steed For it is so gratefull to God as that he accepteth this begun obedience for most perfit And reckons of thē that are thus obedient as if they had kept the whole law which he so doth not for this their desire not for this their begun obedience but because by faith they are engrafted into Christ So chiefly the fulfilling of Gods wil consisteth in our inward obedience but not wholy I deny not but that Hezekiah trusted in the Lord God of Israel so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Iudah neither were there any such before him for hee claue to the Lord and departed not from him but kept his commaundements which the Lord had cōmanded Moses for so we read 2. Kin. 18.5 6. yet we read also that this same Hezekiah did some things which pleased not the Lord 2. King 20.13 Neither may I denie but that Iosiah did vprightly in the sight of the Lord for so it is written 2. King 22.2 yet it is written also that this Iosiah would not obey the word of God 2. Chron. 35.22 Neither will I denie but that David fulfilled the will of the Lord for he is bold to saie of himselfe O Lord I haue refrained my feete frō every evil way haue not declined frō thy iudgements O Lord Psal 119.101 102. yet his notorious murther and adultery are witnesses of his not fulfilling the will of God So then of Hezekiah of Iosiah and of David I may say that they haue fulfilled the will of God because with integritie of inward affections they haue desired the fulfilling thereof but to say that absolutely and simply they haue done this will of God I may not I dare not open my mouth If thou O Lord shalt mark what is done amisse O Lord who is able to abide it Let this then be our resolution concerning this point the holy Scriptures by this speech by this phrase to doe the will of God doe signifie perfect obedience of the whole man towards God perfect obedience both of body and soule yet because the chiefest part of this obedience is rooted in the minde the Almightie by the same phrase signifieth that hee is willing to accept the readinesse of our minds if it bee ioyned with faith in Christ for most perfect obedience to the Law And I adde this howsoever the Lord will accept the integritie of our mindes when it is
seaven eies which goe through the whole world Zach. 4.10 You may interpret them with me many millions of eies he is i Hieronym in Psal 94.9 See my 10. Lecture vpoÌ„ Amos. 1. p. 115. totus oculus altogether eie for he seeth all things We might haue long since learned that God hath hands to measure the waters and to span the heavens Esay 40.12 You may interpret it with me that hee hath many Millions of hands he is totus manus altogether hand for he worketh all things We may well remember that God hath feet to set vpon his footstoole Mat. 5.35 You may interpret it with me that he hath many millions of feet he is totus pos altogether foot fot he is every where O then farre be it from vs to plucke out the eie of knoweledge as when we sinne to say with those Psal 10.11 Tush who seeth vs God hath forgotten he hideth away his face will never see Let vs rather confesse with the blessed Patriarch that all places are filled with Gods Maiestie as he said the Lord was in this place and I was not aware how fearefull is this place This is the house of God and the gate of HeaveÌ„ Gen. 28.16.17 So let vs for that place and this place and all other places vpoÌ„ the face of the earth are alike let vs I say let each of vs in particular wheresoever and whensoever we shall be entised with sinnes too pleasing bait rouse vp our selues and bee awaked as Iacob was and say with him The Lord was in this place and I was not aware how feareful is this place this is the house of God and the gate of Heaven The due consideration of this all-eyed all-handed all-footed presence of God as it must needs strike a terrour into the hardest hearts of the children of darknesse while they k In circuitu impii ambulaÌ„t Psa 11.9 vul walke by compasse in their crooked and circular endlesse waies so also must it needs affoord a sweet comfort to the afflicted soules of the children of light walking with a right foote toward the l Phil. 3.14 marke in hope to attaine to the price set before them For wheÌ„ they shal perswade themselues that God is at hand with them in all their crosses and tribulations they cannot chuse but endure with patience the worst that may befall them especially knowing that all all things worke together for their best because they loue God Rom. 8.28 So doth Gods presence perswade his children that it is he the Lord none but Hee since all worldly helpes are vaine that it is He the Lord that will lift them vp A second motiue to the same perswasion is the Lordes liberalitie whereof many things worthy our meditation might be delivered but let it suffise for our present occasion to vnderstand that all the good things we haue are from the Lord. Meate to nourish vs wee haue it from the Lord apparell to cloath vs wee haue it from the Lord the Sunne to comfort vs the Moone to pleasure vs wee haue them from the Lord life for our being riches honour whatsoever else for our wel being all commeth from the Lord. What hast thou saith St Paul that thou hast not receaued 1. Cor. 4.7 Art thou rich it is not of thy selfe the LORD giueth saith Iob. ch 1.21 Art thou in estimation in this world It is not of thy selfe The LORD setteth vp saith Hannah 1. Sam. 2.7 Hast thou cuÌ„ning or skil in any thing whatsoever It is not of thy selfe God teacheth handy-crafts-men to worke Himselfe saith so to Moses Exod. 31.3 It is impossible for me to recount those manifold blessings wherewith our gratious God from time to time hath blessed vs such is their infinitie Let every one goe downe into the closet of his owne breast and then say hee whether the Lord hath beene liberal to him O yee righteous m Psal 33.1 reioyce in the Lord for it becommeth well the iust to be thankfull yea it becommeth each of vs very well to take vp Davids song and to say with him O Lord let my mouth be filled with thy praise that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long Psalm 71.8 Vpon which place a blessed n Augustine Father hath this meditation What meaneth the Prophet by these words al the day long He meaneth saith he continually O let my mouth bee filled with thy praise CONTINVALLY because in prosperitie thou hast been to me a comfort in adversitie thou hast given mee chastisement when I was not thou madest me since I haue beene thou hast preserued me when I had offended thou forgavest mee at my conversion thou receavedst me and for my perseverance thou hast crowned me O let my mouth be filled with thy praise that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long that I may sing continually And the rather doe I commend to you the due consideration of the liberalitie of our God because I would put you in minde of your principall meanes to avoid desperation It is a principall meanes to avoid desperatioÌ„ to cal to mind the goodnesse of the LORD forepassed either to our selues or others If we thâ—nke with our selues that it was the LORD that tooke vs from our mothers wombe that HEE hath beene our hope ever since we hung at the breasts that HEE hath opened his hands from time to time to fill vs with his goodnesse if thus we think vnfeignedly can we thinke that HE will not blesse vs still Here should we compare and lay the times together as Davids vse was Thus he argued I haue heretofore slaine a Lion and a Beare at the fold therefore God will also enable me to prevaile against the hand of this Philistine 1. Sam. 17.37 So may we reason The mercies of the Lord haue beene bountifull towardes vs in former times to create vs of the slime of the ground to breath into vs a living soule to nurse vs vp in a civill countrey to redeeme vs with the blood of his only begotten sonne to visit vs with the light of his glorious Gospell to blesse our garners with store and our baskets with increase to be nowhere wanting to vs in any thing that may doe vs good such and in such sort haue the blessings of God beene vnto vs his arme is not now shortned hee is the same to day that hee was yesterday therefore shall his loving kindnesse be vpon vs for evermore Why should any afflicted child of God take vp Sions complaint Esai 49.14 and say The LORD hath forsaken me my Lord hath forgotten me Never would any so complaine if hee would thinke vpon the Lords name as it was proclaimed in mount Sinai Exod. 34.6 7. The LORD the LORD strong mercifull and gratious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse in truth reserving mercy for thousands forgiving iniquitie transgression and sinne Never would any so complaine if hee would remember why Ioel would
haue vs turne vnto the Lord Ioel 2.13 His reason is the Lord is gratious mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse repenteth him of evill Never would any so complaine would he but beleeue the Lords answere to Sions complaint Esai 49.15 Can a woman forget her child and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe Bee that possible yet will I not forget thee saith the Lord. O all yee that thirst come to the waters of comfort bibite inebriamini let me vse the words to you although in another sense Ier. 25.27 bibite inebriamini drinke and drinke till your soules bee more then satisfied Call to remembrance how hee hath accepted the thiefe vpon the crosse confessing Matthew sitting at the receipt of custome the womā washing his feet with her teares the Canaanitish womā begging for her daughter the woman taken in adulterie the Publican standing a farre off the Disciple that denied him that other Disciple which persecuted him and his followers the wicked that crucified him call to remembrance these his mercies yea call to remembrance all other the tender mercies of the Lord which haue beene ever of olde and say whether such his liberalitie hath not perswaded you that He the Lord none but He since all worldly helps are vaine that He the Lord will lift you vp A third motiue to the same perswasion of no lesse weight then the two former then that of Gods presence the other of his liberalitie is his abilitie of which the schoolemen in generall teach thus That God is absolutely Almightie In this generall they all agree but when they come to scanne how God may be said to be thus Almightie they vary much Some say that God is therefore said to be Almightie because he is able to doe whatsoever he will doe These doe so tie Gods power to his will as if he were able to do nothing but what his wil is to doe But St. Austine was of another mind in Enchirid. c. 95. where he saith Deum multa posse quae tamen nolit nihil autem velle quod non possit God is able to doe many things which hee willeth not but willeth not any thing which he is not able to doe plainely shewing that Gods will power are not equall that his power is extended to more things then his will that those things which God is able to doe are more then those things which he willeth The Scriptures also doe confirme this difference of Gods will and power Thinkest thou saith Christ that I cannot pray now to my Father and he will giue me more thē twelue legions of Angels Mat. 26.53 Christ was able to aske his Father and his Father was able to giue him that host of Angels but neither would he aske nor his father giue God is able of these stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham saith our Saviour Mat. 3.9 He is able but will not God hath mercy on whom he will haue mercy and whom hee will hee hardneth saith the Apostle Roman 9.18 Is it not herehence plaine that God is able to haue mercy on all and is able to harden all but will not So true is it against the first opinion That God is not therefore said to be Almightie because he is able to doe whatsoever he will doe Others are of opinion that God is therefore saide too bee Almighty because he is absolutly simply able to do al things whatsoever may be spokē or thought of If you shal aske thē whether God can sin their answer is he can but wil not if whether he cā suffer they say he can but will not if whether he cā lie they say he can but wil not But this opinion is as more wicked so more foolish then the former For to say that God is able to doe such things as are repugnant to his nature is as to say the fire is able to cause cold the Sun to make darknesse a bad tree to bring forth good fruit But S. Paule hath not feared to say that God cannot do some things 2. Timoth. 2.13 He saith If we beleeue not yet abideth he faithfull yet abideth God faithfull he cannot deny himselfe he saith not he will not deny himselfe but plainely he saith he cannot deny himselfe And why can he not deny himselfe The reason is set downe before because he is faithfull He is faithful non tam voluntate quam naturà the is naturally faithfull and therfore can he not deny himselfe I adde he is naturally living and therefore cannot die hee is naturally righteous and therefore cannot sinne he is naturally immutable and therefore cannot be changed hee is naturally God and therefore cannot be like man Quam mult a non potest omnipotens est Here is matter to wonder at God cannot do many things yet he is Almighty yea because he cannot do those many things therfore is he Almighty For could he die he were not Almighty could he ly he were not Almighty could he be deceived could he deceiue could he do wickedly he were not Almighty Quā multa non potest Deus omnipotens est How many things is God not able to do and yet is Almighty saith S. Austine de Symbolo ad Catechumenos lib. 1. cap. 1. So true is it against this second opinion that God is not therefore said to bee Almighty because he is absolutely and simply able to doe all things whatsoever may be spoken or thought of But why thē is God said to be Almighty Out of that which is already delivered this proposition may be gathered God is therefore said to bee Almighty because he is able to do all such things as naturally in themselues and simply are not impossible with God The truth whereof as it might evidently appeare by particulars whereon I cannot now stand so also may it sufficiently be manifest if in generall only we will consider this Alablenesse of God I deny not but earthly man hard to beleeue the workes of God in mans eies vnprobable hath ever beene ready to demand How How can this or these things bee An Angell from heaven may tell Sarah of a sonne after it hath ceased to be with her after the manner of women but shee will laugh within her selfe but shee wil say what after I am waxen old and my Lord also Gen. 18.12 But what saith the Angell to her Shall any thing be hard to the LORD vers 14. God may promise a whole moneths meate to the children of Israel lusting after flesh but Moses will hardly beleeue it but Moses will say Six hundred thousand footmen are there among the people among whom I am and thou saiest I will giue them flesh to eate a moneth long Shall the sheepe the beenes be slaine for them to finde them Either shall all the fish of the Sea be gathered together for them to suffice them Num. 11.21 But what saith God to Moses Is the Lords hand shortned