he seeth not yea to beleeve it then when he seeth and feeleth all to the contrary in the apprehension of carnall reason this is the praise and commendation of faith indeed We must consider what is or should bee the ground and stay of our faith not these outward props which wee are wont so much to leane on and to trust to * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Matth. hom 82. not our owne sight or sense that oft faileth and deludeth us but Gods Word and his Truth and the stability of his Promise which c Matth. 5.18 though Heaven and Earth should passe away and all things should returne to their first Chaos againe yet shall d Iosh 23.14 never in ought faile any of those that depend upon it e Psal 119.49 50. Remember thy Word saith DAVID unto thy servant wherein thou hast made me to put my trust That is my comfort in my trouble for thy Word putteth life into me And f Psal 119.114 Thou art my shelter and my shield and my trust is in thy Word And learne wee herein to imitate the earth that we tread on Though being a massie body it hangeth in the middest of the Aire environed with the heavens and yet keepeth his place steedily and never stirreth an inch from it having no props or shores to uphold it no beames or bars to fasten it nothing to stay or establish it but the bare Word of God alone For g Heb. 1.3 by his powerfull Word saith the Apostle he upholdeth all things And Thy Word saith the * Psal 119.89 90 91. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil hexam 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gregor Naz. ad Eunom 2. Quid est quod totam terrae molem sustinet universus orbis cui innititur si est aliquid quod sustineat caetera ipsum à quo sustinetur non invenitur nisi virtutis verbum omnia portans Bern. in Psal 90. Psalmist O Lord abideth for ever And Thy Truth is from age to age thou hast laid the foundation of the earth and it standeth still It abideth by it to this day by vertue of thine Ordinance And in like manner must we learne to depend upon the bare Word of God when all other props and stayes shall be pulled away from us to trust him upon his bare promise without pledge or pawne Else wee deale with him no otherwise than any Vsurer will with the veriest begger or banckrout that is when he commeth to borrow money of him Though he dare not trust him on his word nor on his bond neither it is nought worth nothing better than his word yet on his pawne or his pledge he dare trust either the poorest or the unfaithfullest man that is But as Augustine saith well That h Meretricius amor plus dona dantis quà m amantis affectum diligere August meditat cap. 5. annulum magis quâ—m sponsum amare it is but an harlotrie love for a woman to love the gift more than the giver and so to love the giver no longer than he giveth So it is but an harlotrie faith for a man to trust Gods pledge or pawne more than God himselfe and so to trust him no further than he seeth or feeleth what he doth Yea the truth is that in these cases when we dare trust God no further nor rely on him any longer than we have some pledge or pawne of his providence we trust not him but we trust his pledge i Cùm rogo te nummos sine pignore Non habeo inquis Idem si pro me spondet agellus habes Quod mihi non credis veteri fidoque sodali credis â—oliculis arboribusq meis Martial epig. 25. l. 12. as he trusteth not the poore man but trusteth onely his pawne that dare not lend him ought but upon his pawne And hereby may we trie and examine the sincerity and the soundnesse of our faith what it is indeed that we rely upon what it is that we trust to If we can say as DAVID here afterward in the shutting up of the Psalme That k Psal 13.5 we then trust in Gods mercy and expect safety from him even when hee seemeth to have forgotten us and to have hidden his face from us if we can then l 1 Sam. 30.6 comfort our selves in the Lord our God when all other aids and comforts have taken their leave of us It is a feeble faith that cannot stand without stilts a lame faith that cannot goe without crutches Hereby will appeare whether a mans stilts beare him up or no if hee bee able to stand when they are taken away from him if he can it is a signe hee rested not on them though hee made use of them if he cannot it were they not his legs that upheld him And hereby may it appeare what our faith and confidence is founded on whether on Gods word or his pledge his pawne or his promise If when the pledge or the pawne is gone yet our faith abideth still firme it is a signe that it was fixed on God himselfe and not on it But if when it is gone our faith falleth to the ground it is a signe that our faith was wholly founded on it not on God or Gods Word which abiding still firme our faith were it thereon founded would continue stedfast with it For m Psal 125.1 Those that trust in the Lord saith the Psalmist are as mount Sion that standeth fast and never stirreth And this is that that we should by all means labour and strive unto that our faith may n 2 Chron. 14.11 16.8 Psal 18.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rest and rely on God himselfe and his infallible and unfaileable Word of promise not upon the outward pledges and pawnes of his providence nor on the ordinary effects and fruits of his favour that so when these shall be withdrawne yea and with-held long it may be from us so that God may o Psal 27.9 in anger seeme to have hid his face from us and to have forgotten us which as we see hath beene oft-times the state and condition of Gods children yet we may not be disheartned but see * Psal 112.4 light even in darknesse and bee able “ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl epist 30. to discerne the sweet Sunne-shine of Gods favour even thorow the thickest clouds of his fiercest wrath So likewise for the Church of God when wee shall see it either in generall or in some principall parts of it so left unto the fury and rage of her malicious and mischievous-minded adversaries that God seemeth not to regard it or what becommeth of it but even suffereth them to have their owne will upon it in so much that as Gregory Nazianzen saith of his time p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. ad Nectar Gods former providence and care of keeping his Church may seeme utterly to faile and that he hath ceased and
CERTAINE SERMONS FIRST PREACHED AND AFTER PUBLISHED at severall times By M. THOMAS GATAKER B. of D. and Pastor at Rotherhith AND NOW GATHERED together into one Volume The severall Texts and Titles whereof are set downe in the leafe following LONDON Printed by IOHN HAVILAND and ANNE GRIFFIN 1637. TITLES AND TEXTS PART I. Davids Instructer PSAL 34. vers 11. Come Children hearken unto me I will teach you the feare of the Lord. Pag. 1 The Christian Mans Care MATTH chap. 6. ver 33. Seeke first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be added unto you Pag. 27 The Spirituall Watch or Christs generall Watch-word MARK chap. 13. v. 37. What I say unto you I say unto all Watch. Pag. 61 True Contentment in the Gaine of Godlinesse with Its Self-sufficiencie 1 TIMOTH chap. 6. ver 6. Godlinesse is great gaine with Self-sufficiencie Pag. 127 The Joy of the Just with The Signes of such PSALM 97. vers 11. Light is sowen for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart Pag. 175 Jacobs Thankfulnesse to God For Gods Goodnesse to Jacob. GENES chap. 32. v. 10. I am not worthy of all thy mercies and all thy truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant for with my staffe came I over this Jordan and now am I become two troopes Pag. 257 Davids Remembrancer PSALM 13. v. 1. How long O Lord wilt thou forget me for ever how long wilt thou hide thy face away from mee Pag. 311 PART II. Noaes Obedience with The Ground of it or His Faith Feare and Care HEBR. chap. 11. vers 7. By Faith Noa being warned by God of things as yet not seene moved with Feare prepared an Ark for the saving of his houshold Pag. 1 Englands Delivery from the Spanish Invasion PSALM 48. v. 7. As with an East wind thou breakest the ships of Tarsis so were they destroyed 8. As wee have heard so have wee seene in the City of the Lord in the City of our God God will establish it for ever Selah Pag. 29 A Spark towards the kindling of Sorrow for Sion AMOS chap. 6. v. 6. But they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph Pag. 47 Gods Parley with Princes with An Appeale from them to him PSALM 82. v. 6. I have said Yee are Gods and Sonnes of the most high all of you 7. But yee shall die like men and fall as one of the Princes 8. Arise O God judge thou the earth for thou inheritest all Nations Pag. 71 A Mariage Prayer GENES chap. 24. v. 12. And he said O Lord God of my Master Abraham I beseech thee send mee good speed this day and shew kindnesse unto my Master Abraham 13. Behold I stand here by the well of water and the daughters of the men of the City come out to draw water 14. Now let it come to passe that the Damsell to whom I shall say Let downe thy pitcher I pray thee that I may drink and she shall say Drinke you and I will give thy Camels drink also let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaak and thereby shall I know that thou shewest kindnesse to my Master Pag. 119 A Good Wife Gods Gift PROV chap. 19. v. 14. Houses and Riches are the Inheritance of the Fathers but a prudent Wife is of the Lord. Pag. 135 A Wife in Deed. PROV chap. 18. v. 22. Hee that findeth a Wife findeth Good and obtaineth Favour of God Pag. 147 Mariage Duties COLOS. chap. 3. v. 18. Wives submit your selves unto your Husbands as it is comely in the Lord. 19. Husbands love your Wives and be not bitter to them Pag. 185 Pauls Desire of Departure and Deaths Advantage PHIL. c. 1. v. 23. Desiring to depart and to be with Christ which is by much more the better Pag. 217 The Benefit of a Good Name and a Good end ECCLES chap. 7. v. 1. A good Name is better than a good ointment and the day of Death than the day of ones Birth Pag. 237 Abrahams Decease GEN. c. 25. v. 8. And Abraham gave up the Ghost and died in a good old age an old man full of yeers he was gathered to his people P. 263 Jeroboams Sonnes Decease 1 KINGS chap. 14. v. 17. The Child died Pag. 291 Christian Constancie crowned by Christ APOCAL. chap. 2. v. 10. Bee thou faithfull unto Death and I will give thee a Crowne of Life Pag. 317 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Davids Instructer A SERMON PREACHED AT THE VISITATION OF the Free-Schoole at Tunbridge in Kent by the Wardens of the Worshipfull Company of Skinners By THOMAS GATAKER B. of D. and Pastor of Rotherhith LONDON Printed by IOHN HAVILAND 1637. To the Right Worshipfull and much Honoured Sir Thomas Smith Knight Governour of the famous Companie of Merchants trading to the EAST INDIES c. Long life and health here with eternall happinesse else-where RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL BEing requested lately by my kinde Friends the Wardens of the Worshipfull Companie of Skinners to assist them in their Visitation of the free Schoole at Tunbridge founded long since by that worthy Knight of blessed memorie Sir Andrew Judde your Grandfather and committed to the charge and over-sight of that well-deserving Society I made choice of such a portion of Scripture there to treat of as seemed not altogether unfitting an occasion of that kinde After the handling whereof being then presently solicited by some and since further importuned by others to make these my weake labours more publike as not unlikely so they deemed to doe some further good I was at length drawne regarding more their opinion than mine owne conceipt thereof as well knowing it to be but a tumultuary worke amids many distractions hastily peeced together and to give them satisfaction therein that seemed so desirous of it to let it goe abroad and make triall what benefit either Teacher or Scholer or other might make of it This resolved on I began to bethinke my selfe observing the usuall manner of the times whom I should make choice of for the patronizing of it In all respects none seemed so fit as your selfe whom I have therefore made bold to addresse it unto The Schoole was first erected and endowed by your Worships Ancestor And you have worthily built upon his foundation and added liberally to his gift So that through your munificence it is very likely to flourish and not to come behind some of those that be of chiefe note Your bounty herein and in other workes of the like nature is the rather to be regarded for that you doe not as the manner is of the most unwilling to part with ought till they must needs leave all defer wholly your well-doing to your deaths-bed or your dying day but bend your selfe thereunto while you may yet surviving your owne donation your selfe see things setled in a due course and receive comfort by view of the fruit and benefit that may thereby redound both to Church and Common-weale
Propheticall and partly Consolatorie And may well bee divided into Doctrine Scope and Vse Matter Doctrine The Doctrine delivered in the f Verse 1 -9 former Part of the Psalme is concerning Part 2 the Powerfull and Potent Kingdome of Christ the Glory Greatnes Might Majesty and ample extent whereof Vse is in most Majesticall manner and with a style no lesse stately described from Part 1 Doctrine the first verse to the tenth Part 2 The Vse of the Doctrine is two-fold in the rest of the Psalme Vses 2 Partly for Encouragement And partly for Comfort Vse 1 First for Encouragement g Vers 10. to incite the Godly to cleave close unto God and to depend wholly upon him with assured expectation of safetie and deliverance from him as being so Great so Mightie so Potent a Prince Vse 2 Secondly for Comfort h Vers 12. to cheere up their hearts that so doe amids those manifold crosses and calamities that they may chance to be exercised here withall for a while Text. i Vers 11. Betweene both which is this pithie and golden Sentence inserted inferred as a Corollary upon the former prefixed as an Introduction unto the latter Connexion and so shaking hands as it were joyntly with either Light is sowen for the Righteous and Ioy for the upright in heart Division Branches 3 In it we may consider Branch 1 1 A Blessing or a Benefit and that such an one as all desire * Eccles 11.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eurip. Iphig Aul. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dion Chrys orat 3. Light or Ioy for they are both in substance the same the one put for the other as k Ester 8.16 Esa 50.10 elsewhere oft in the former part and the one of them expounded by the other in the latter part Branch 2 2 The Persons to whom this Benefit belongeth who may therefore lay claime to it and justly hope for and expect it l 1 Cor. 15.19 those that seeme to share least in it the Iust or the Righteous that is as in the latter part of the Verse it is expounded all such as are sincere and upright in heart Branch 3 3. The Manner or Measure how farre forth such either doe or may partake in it for the present It is sowen for them it is as yet but seed-time with them some beginnings of it they have already and the rest they shall have but their Harvest is behinde yet the maine Crop is yet to come Consider 3 We will first joyne the first and the second together For to speake Consider 1 much of the first apart would be to small purpose Consider 2 Then consider somewhat of the third by it selfe Consider 3 And so passe on to and conclude with the Illustration of the second ending there our Discourse where the Text it selfe endeth Consider 1 The maine Point then that in the first place offereth it selfe to us Point 1 is this that Branches 2 * Gaudium bonorum est Aug. de Civit. Dei l. 14. c. 8. Light or Ioy is the Iust mans Lot And “ Nisi justus non gaudet Senec. epist 59. The Iust Mans Lot alone Ioy belongeth to the Righteous and to the Righteous onely None but the Godly have good or just cause to rejoyce Branch 1 The Righteous have right to it Observation 1 For for them it is prepared There is * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. de bapt Light and Ioy sowen for Reason 1 them To them it is promised m Psal 68.4 The Righteous shall bee glad and rejoyce Reason 2 before God yea they shall exceedingly rejoyce And n Psal 64.10 The Righteous shall bee glad in the Lord and trust in him and all that bee upright in heart shall rejoyce To them it shall be performed o Psal 126.5 They that sow now in teares shall Reason 3 reape in Ioy. p Esa 35.10 The redeemed of the Lord shall turne unto Sion and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads Yea when the wicked shall mourne and howle they shall sing merrily q Esa 65.13 14. My servants shall rejoyce when you shall be abashed my servants shall sing for joy of heart when you shall crie out for anguish of heart and shall howle againe for vexation of spirit To them it is in part made good for the present ſ Psal 30.11 32.7 There is a snare Reason 4 or a cord saith Salomon r Prov. 29.6 in the sinne of the wicked to strangle their joy with but the righteous sing and are merry And ſ Psal 30.11 32.7 Thou hast turned my mourning into dancing saith David thou hast loosed my sackcloth and girt me with gladnesse Unto it they are exhorted Rejoyce in the Lord saith the Psalmist Reason 5 yee righteous as t Psal 33.1 else-where so * Vers 12. in the very next words to my Text. And u Psal 32.11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoyce ye righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright of heart And x Philip. 3.1 Finally saith the Apostle brethren rejoyce in the Lord And y 1 Thess 5.17 Rejoyce evermore And again z Phil. 4.4 Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes and yet againe I say Rejoyce Nor would the Holy Ghost thus incite to it if there were not good ground for it Now the Godly have a twofold cause to rejoyce Grounds 2 a Et res plena gaudio spes Gaudium in re gaudium in spe Gaudium de possessione gaudium de promissione Gaudium de praesenti exhibitione gaudiū de futura expectatione Bern. de temp 15 In regard of what they have and in regard of what they hope for In regard of the present grace and favour of God And in regard of their hope of future glory with God They are in present possession of the one they live in expectation of the other Ground 1 First for the present they are b Rom. 5.9 freed from Gods wrath they are c Rom. 5.10 reconciled unto God they are d Rom. 5.1 at one againe with him yea they Branches 2 are e Ephes 1.6 in speciall grace and favour with him First they are freed from Gods wrath Which the more heavy and dreadfull it is the greater joy it must needs be for a man to be freed from it that was before obnoxious as wee are all naturally unto it Branch 1 f Prov. 20.2 19.12 The wrath of a King saith Salomon is as the roaring of a Lion g Amos 3 8. who when he roareth who trembleth not and h Prov. 16.14 as the messengers of death And what is the wrath then of i 1 Tim. 6.15 Apoc. 19.16 the King of Kings the soveraigne Lord not of mens bodies onely but of their soules too able as k Genes 2.7 hee made both so l Iam. 4.12 Matth. 10.28 to destroy
relaxata deperit quia se per infima inutiliter spargit Greg. ubi sup water pent up in a pipe shooteth up higher than it would otherwise had it scope and space to disperse it selfe so our thoughts and desires that would otherwise be straying abroad and wandring in the ends of the world being by affliction and anguish straitned and restrained might bee caried higher to heaven-ward as r Aqua diluvii arcam ad sublimiora sustulit August de temp 181. Noahs Arke was with the waters of the Deluge and confined unto him whom they were wandring from before as ſ Pulli à matre liberius divagantur donec milvi supervolantis impetum formident the Chicken from her damme till shee be frighted with the Kite And this is the use therefore that wee should make of such desertions that we be thereby incited to strive t Apoc. 3.2 3. to hold that the faster that we seeme in danger to lose that u Esa 64.7 wee stirre up our selves to take faster hold on God as those that looke downe from some steepe place when they feele their heads beginne to swimme or finde themselves in danger of falling are wont to take better hold of the raile that may stay them cling closer about him x Fingit mater se filium quem in ulnis gestat in terram dejecturam ut ipse tenacius haereat Simon Cass in Evang l. 14. as the nurse-childe hangeth on the nurse or the mother when she seemeth about to leave it or threatens to throw it downe and as the y Rota ab unda rejecta in amnem revolvitur wheele of the water-mill the more violently the flood driveth it away from it the more violently doth it still turne againe upon the streame So the more violently God with both hands seemeth to thrust and shoove us away from him the more instantly and eagerly should wee enforce our selves to presse upon him Since for that end he doth it z Non deserit ut deseratur Simon Cass in Evang. lib. 8. cap. 37. Deserit potius ne deseratur Ideò videtur deserere quia non vult deseri not that hee desireth to be rid of us but that he may not lose us that we may come nearer home to him abide firmer with him and sit closer by him than formerly we have done like the father that when his sonne hath some way displeased him biddeth him away out of his sight though he would be loth he should so doe not to drive him away indeed but to make him draw nearer to him and by humble submission more earnestly endevour to pacifie and appease his fathers wrath and seeke to regain his favour and good will againe or like as he did with Moses when a Exod. 32.10 Dissimulat Dominus exaudire rogantem feriendi licentiam quaerit à Mose qui secit Mosem Bernard de temp 83. Quid est servo Dimitte me dicere nisi deprecandi ansam praebere Greg. Mor. lib. 9. c. 12. Sine me inquit dispergam eos ut ille postulando semetipsum offerendo non sineret Tertull. contrá Marc. lib. 2. hee bade him let him alone that hee might destroy that rebellious and idolatrous people not that Moses should so let him alone indeed but rather that hee might not leave him but be the more earnest in suit with him on his peoples behalfe and not give over till he had obtained his suit for them And in like manner should we be affected also in regard of Gods Church when we shall see it to bee in such estate as was formerly observed We should make her case our owne and take occasion thereby to bee the more instant with God that his face may bee turned to it that seemeth to bee turned from it and that in mercy and goodnesse he will remember and thinke upon her as his Spouse whom now when b Lament 1.1 2. like a widow forlorne and desolate shee sitteth weeping and wailing he seemeth to have forgotten and not at all to regard Thus may we observe that DAVID concludeth divers of his Psalmes made when hee was in such estate himselfe with suit and supplication for the Church of God in generall c Psal 51.18 Oh be favourable for thy good pleasures sake to Sion and build up the walls of Ierusalem And d Psal 25.22 Deliver Israel O Lord out of all his troubles His owne present condition was a meane to put him in minde of the afflicted and distressed estate of other of Gods servants And the like use should we all make either of Gods hand on our selves or of his dealings in this kinde with his Church and children abroad albeit wee our selves remaine free e Esa 62.7 8. You that are mindfull of the Lord saith the Prophet what ever you be be not silent be importunate with him and give him no rest till hee repaire Sions breaches and set up Ierusalem againe to be the glory of the world For to this very end doth God oft as it were winke and withdraw himselfe from his people that we may with strong cries on all hands awake and fetch him againe True it is indeed that God is not as Baal of whom Elias sometime said to his Priests f 1 King 18.27 Quid sibi volunt excitationes illae quas canitis matutine collatis ad tibiam vocibus obdormiscunt enim superi remeare ut ad vigilias debeant Quid domitiones illae quibus benè ut valeant auspicabili salutatione mandatis Somni enim quiete solvuntur occupatique ut hoc possint lenes audienda sunt naniae Arnob. contr gent. l. 5. Sic Homer Iliad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et Iliad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 clamore bellico Crie aloud peradventure hee sleepeth and you must wake him No g Psal 121.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil Sel. hom 21. he that hath the charge of Israel neither slumbereth nor sleepeth And yet he winketh if I may so say and seemeth sometime to sleepe as h Matth. 8.24 our Saviour slept in the ship when his Disciples were like to have beene cast away the whilst and he doth thus sleepe to make us awake he seemeth to sleepe i Vt excitetur quae dormit fides nostra Aug. de temp 245. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil Sel. homil 21. to make us awake out of our sleepe and crie the louder to wake him out of his seeming sleepe k Psal 44.23 24. Vp Lord say they why sleepest thou Awake we beseech thee and stand not aloofe off for ever Why dost thou hide thy face away from us and forgettest what misery and affliction we are in As the Disciples to our Saviour when they awoke him out of sleep l Matth. 8.25 Save us Master m Mark 4.38 Carest thou not that wee perish And againe n Psal 78.65 The Lord awaked as one that had beene asleepe Thus at this very present doth
assurance I shall not need to say much because the Argument hath by m Mr Chibald Triall of Faith a reverend Brother been of late handled at large Answer Onely I make it plaine by this familiar Comparison Put case a poore man hath occasion to make use of some great Courtier for the effecting of some businesse of great consequence for him even as much as his life lieth on or all that ever he is worth as suppose the procuring him his pardon for some capitall crime from the Prince And this great Courtier telleth him that though hee bee but a stranger one that can claime no such thing from him yea one that hath deserved many wayes evill of him yet if hee trust onely to him and rely wholly upon him he will doe that for him which the poore wretch requireth of him This poore man now in this case may trust onely to him and neglecting all other means that either others may advise him to or himselfe sometime thinke on rely wholly upon him and yet he may not be fully perswaded that he will effect it for him neither The consideration of his owne want of worth and evill desert n quod nimis miseri volunt Hoc facilè credunt Immò quod metuunt nimis Nunquam amoneri posse nec tolli putant Prona est timori semper in pejus fides Senec. Herc. fur 2.1 Nec tutum patitur esse securum pavor Idem de gaudio Luk. 24.41 his immoderate feare arising from the apprehension of the great danger that hee is in and the subtill perswasion of others that would beare him in hand that hee will but delude him and not doe for him as hee saith may either severally or joyntly bee a meanes to hold his minde in suspence and to keepe him from such assurance Yea his very mistaking and misconstruction of the great mans meaning when he saith If you will trust to or rely upon mee alone for it being possest with a conceit that his want of a full perswasion that hee will doe it which hee cannot yet for his heart-bloud bring his minde to any setled assurance of doth evidently shew that hee doth not trust to him may bee a meanes to make him beleeve that hee will never doe it for him because hee doth not what hee supposeth is therein absolutely required of him which to that great man also if hee should bee demanded of it not daring to tell an untruth would appeare And yet for all this hee may resolve to sticke to his mediation only and to rely wholly upon him and not to seeke or trie any other way whatsoever any man shall perswade him to the contrary or whatsoever the issue and event of it shall be And even so may it well bee and is questionlesse with a Christian soule many times o Iohn 3.16 36. 5.24 God hath proclaimed and published a Patent of Pardon and salvation by Christ to all that trust to him for the same A man may so doe encouraged thereunto by this gratious offer and the condition to it annexed yea many an one so doth and yet partly out of the sight and consideration of his owne unworthinesse partly out of a kinde of timorousnesse and pusillanimitie of Spirit partly by reason of some strong melancholike imagination and partly also through some powerfull delusion of Satan not bee able possibly to perswade himselfe that Christ is yet his or that hee hath interest in him hath his sinnes pardoned for him and shall live eternally by him Yea the very mistaking of the true Nature of saving Faith and supposing the very essence of it to consist in this particular perswasion which yet is onely an effect and a fruit yea such a fruit of it as doth not necessarily alwayes spring from it p Psal 31.22 77.7 8 9. 88.14 116.11 nor is at all times of the yeere ever constantly found on it and that therefore hee doth not trust in Christ so long as hee wanteth it is a maine meanes to keepe many from it and from the comfort of it which yet have true Faith and doe unfainedly trust in Christ for all that As by many other sound and undoubted Arguments which if they bee questioned with and urged to it not daring to deny them lest they should lie against their owne Conscience may bee drawne from their owne confessions and answers concerning themselves when there is no feare of Hypocrisie lest they should therein dissemble being more prone to charge than to cleare and to alledge matter against themselves than to produce any thing for themselves will evidently appeare Among which Arguments also even this though it come last yet is none of the least if their Conscience unfainedly can testifie for them that though they have not yet such a perswasion and assurance of Gods mercy toward them in Christ for the remission of their sinnes and the salvation of their soules yet they q Psal 51.11 12. unfainedly desire and r 2 Pet. 1.10 labour instantly for it and though they cannot yet attaine to it yet they ſ Ephes 6.24 love the Lord Iesus heartily and t Coloss 1.4 his members for his sake and u 2 Chron. 14.11 rest and repose themselves wholly upon him and Gods mercy in him x Act. 4.12 Iohn 6.68 renouncing all other meanes of remission of sinne and salvation without him with y Iob 13.15 a full purpose of heart and resolution still so to doe z Psal 40.1 expecting when God shall in mercy be pleased to looke gratiously upon them and to vouchsafe them that assurance that as yet they have not * Prov. 16.10 Who so trusteth in the Lord saith Salomon O blessed is hee And what a great measure of grace is it for a man to trust thus in God * This is that certaintie of adherence distinct from the certainty of evidence of which Mr Hooker on Abakk 1.4 and cleave fast unto him while hee lieth yet under the sense and apprehension of his wrath Conclusion Those therefore whatsoever they are that having by these or the like Notes and Signes examined themselves have found their hearts to bee sincere and upright with God albeit this their beginning of Grace bee mixt with much weaknesse they may know thereby and assure themselves that they have right to and interest in the Light and Ioy of the Iust here spoken of and they may therefore safely lay hold on it admit it give way to it receive it and harbour it in their hearts yea that they wrong themselves Gods grace in them and his goodnesse towards them when a Psal 77.2 they refuse and repell it having so good and sure ground for it having so great cause as wee have here shewed to rejoyce Light and Ioy being sowen here not for the righteous alone but for all that are upright in heart Which Ioy the Lord in mercy vouchsafe b Esa 61.3 to all
in Sion that yet want it and increase it dayly in the hearts of all those that already have it untill wee come all to meet and partake together in that c Psal 16.11 fulnesse of Ioy which shall never againe bee interrupted or eclipsed in us d Iohn 16.22 shall never in whole or in part bee taken againe away from us Amen FINIS Iacobs THANKFVLNES TO GOD FOR GODS GOODNES TO IACOB A MEDITATION ON GENESIS 32.10 Wherein by the way also the Popish Doctrine of Mans Merit is discussed By THOMAS GATAKER B. of D. and Pastor of Rotherhith LONDON Printed by IOHN HAVILAND for FVLKE CLIFTON 1637. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Sir WILLIAM WHITMORE of Appley in Salope Knight And Mr. GEORGE WHITMORE of London Alderman Saving Health true Honour and eternall Happinesse RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL I stood obliged to the Stock you both sprang from before I was able to apprehend what such obligation meant Your worthy Mother was one of those that presented me to the sacred Laver and that undertooke there in my behalfe Shee answered there for me * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Priusquam respondere possem uti Iunius vertit Psalm 119.67 when I could not answer for my selfe and did further also then seale up her free affection to me with a reall testimonie of her Love Neither did her kindnesse towards me then and there expire but as it was oft renewed in her life time when occasion thereof was offered so it ceased not untill her selfe deceased Shee performed one of the first religious Offices for mee soone after my birth and it was one of her last Pious works to remember me among others whom she had performed the like Office for at the time of her decease Some monument of my thankfull acknowledgement hereof being desirous to have extant whom should I addresse it unto rather than your selves the only two Principals now left of that Family Being therefore moved to make publike two of my weake Discourses containing the explication of two portions of Scripture of some neare relation the one to the other the one of them relating a memorable example of the performance of that that is promised in the other to wit of Gods blessing of those with temporall things that are carefull to looke after the spirituall This of the twaine I chose the rather to present your Worships The Worshipfull Companie of Haberdashers withall partly because at the motion of the one of you being then Head of that worthy Societie which I acknowledge my selfe also a debtour unto it was by word of mouth at first delivered and partly also that it may helpe for the best also even * Genes 35.1 Jacob himselfe in this kinde need helps to egge you on whom God hath blessed with so large a portion of his bountie unto those religious offices that by occasion of Jacobs example men of your rancke are therein encited unto whether risen from meane estate as with him here it had beene or from the first largely and liberally endowed as your selves The Worke indeed is growne much larger than at first was delivered by reason that a Question betweene us and the Romanists concerning Mans merit is therein now discussed which was then but touched upon and pointed at onely neither the streights of time admitting over-long discourse then nor such matter of controversie so well befitting the occasion that then was The rest without any materiall alteration or addition is the same for substance that then it was Which recommending entirely as now it is to your Worships together with my Love and Christian service to you both and mine heartie Prayers to God for the well-fare spirituall especially of you and yours with the rest of the Branches of that Family wheresoever now transplanted I take leave of you for the present and rest Your Worships ever in the Lord THOMAS GATAKER IACOBS THANKFVLNES TO GOD FOR GODS GOODNES to JACOB GENESIS 32.10 I am not worthy of all thy Mercies and all thy Truth which thou hast shewed unto thy Servant For with my staffe came I over this Jordan and now am I become two troopes THese Words are parcell of a Prayer conceived by the Patriarch Iacob in a time of distresse Coherence after his departure from Laban when a Verse 6. tidings were brought him that his brother Esau was comming in armes against him with foure hundred men at his heeles His Prayer consisteth of foure parts Iacobs prayer Parts 4. There is in it Part 1 1. A serious Protestation concerning the ground of his journey and his leaving of Laban to wit b Tu â—hâ—isti Vers 9. Gods owne Word hee had not done what he did of his owne head but by c Chap. 31.3 13. Gods speciall direction a good argument to assure him that God would therein secure him having his Word and Warrant for the ground of his Action d Summa est Deum sequi ducem secaritas Incedit tutâ—s qui ducem sequitur Deum Ambr. de Abraam s 1. c. 2. He walketh surely that walketh warily He walketh warily that walketh with warrant Part 2 2. An humble Confession and e Vers 10. acknowledgement of Gods goodnesse towards him illustrate and amplified by his owne unworthinesse of it and so f Indignitatis agnitio ingratitudinis amolitio a secret insinuation of his thankfulnesse for it Part 3 3. An instant suit and Supplication to God that hee would vouchsafe to stand by him in his present distresse and g Vers 11. deliver him out of the great danger that hee was in at that instant walking in no other way than that God himselfe had set him in Part 4 4. An Allegation of h Vers 12. Gods gracious promises i Chap. 28.14 15. formerly made him which might seeme likely to faile and to be utterly frustrate if he were now left to the mercie of his mercilesse Brother who minded nothing but the destruction of him and all his The words of my Text Text. are the second Part Part 2 And therein are these Particulars Particulars 1. His owne Vnworthinesse I am not worthy 1. Iacobs unworthinesse 2. Gods Goodnesse 2. Gods goodnes laid downe 1. In the Grounds Grounds 2. of it Mercie 1. Mercie and Truth 2. Truth Mercie in promising Truth in performing 2. In a Fruit Fruit. and Effect of it Iacobs Iacobs Penurie present estate now at his returne from Laban compared with what it was when he went thither He went over Iordan with his staffe alone And he was now become two bands or two troopes Gods bountie Where first in Generall Generall observe we ere we come to the Particulars * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost tom 8. serm 14. Iacobs Iacobs thankfulnesse Thanksgiving promised before his Petition How before he come to crave what he would have of God he doth in thankfull manner mention what already he had