that in your naturall bodies if the foote bee hurt the hand is ready to lay a plaister to it Why should it bee otherwise in this our spiritual body Can your hearts suffer you seeing the poore in this time of dearth crying out vnto you at your dores and in the streets for reliefe to yeeld them no succour Bee not loath to lend vnto the Lord for hee will repay it Prov. 19.17 Learne counsell of the wise man He telleth you that whosoever giueth vnto the poore shall never lacke but hee that hideth his face from the poore shall haue many curses Proverb 28.27 Our Saviour then commanding vs to take vp our own crosses doth not forbid vs to pitie such as are to be pitied but signifieth vnto vs that the crosse which wee are to take vp is such a crosse as God in his good pleasure shall lay vpon vs thereby is made our owne Shall there bee any evill in the citie the Lord hath not done it saith Amos. 3.6 Howsoever wee are fed with the bread of affliction wee must still acknowledge God 〈◊〉 be the author thereof our sinnes mouing him thereto Miriam spake against her brother Moses the servant of the Lord. * Num. 12.2 God said a crosse vpon her for it shee was made leprous like sâ—â—â—e Num. 12.10 Baasha hee walked in the way of Ieroboam and made the people of Israel to sinne and with their sinnes provoked the highest God Behold his crosse for it Hee that dieth of Baashaes stocke in the citie him shall the dogges eate and that man of him which dieth in the fields shall the foules of the aire eate 1. King 16.4 Å¿ 2. Chro. 2.6 IEHORAM walked in the way of the king of ISRAEL as the house of Ahab had done before him â—â—e t Vers 4. slew all his brethren with the sword See God had a crosse for him in readines for he u Vers 14. smote his people his children his wiues and all his substance with a great plague yea he smote Iehorams owne bowels with an incurable disease so that in processe of time x Vers 19. after the end of two yeares they miserably gushed out 2. Chron. 21.18 What is man that he should be cleane or hee that is borne of a woman that he should be iust Iob. 15.14 God hath found no y Iob 15.15 stedfastnesse in his saints yea the heauens are not cleane in his sight z Vers 16. how much more is man abominable and filthie which drinketh iniquitie like water he is altogether sinfull sinfull in his conception sinfull in his birth in every deed word and thought wholly sinfull And can we so sinfull by our sin provoking to wrath our good God thinke to escape our due crosses let vs beleeue St Paule he telleth vs that all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution 2. Tim. 3.12 Yet behold she that hath beene so oft a Apoc. 17.6 drunken with the blood of the saynts martyrs of Iesus teacheth her followers to vndertake new crosses which are not laid vpon them by Gods finger Some must bring down theÌ„selues with needles fastings others must vowe pilgrimages full of dangers many must make choyce to liue poore hermites in an hermitage such as keepe theÌ„selues within the walls of their cloysters must watch much lodge hardly even vpon the grownd often scourge themselues All which they doe not with-out pretence for every one must take vp his owne crosse St. Austin in his 50 Epist written to Bonifacius speaketh of three kindes of deaths wherewith the Donatistes willingly desired to be killed or rather killed themselues * Ad PaganoruÌ„ celeberrimas solennitates ingeÌ„tia turbarum DonatistaruÌ„ agmina veniebant non vt idola frangeâ—ent sed vt interficerentur à cultoribus idolâ—rum Some of them would make request to the worshipers and keepers of Idols to destroy them * Quidam etiaÌ„ se trucidandos armatis viatoribus ingerebant percussuros eos se nisi ab eis perimerentur terribiliter comminantes others would offer themselues to armed men lying by the high waies side to be slaine of of them and there wanted not such among them * Per abrupta praecipitia per aquas flammas occidere se ipsos quotidianus illis ludus fuit as delighted to cast themselues down headlong from high places into the water and into the fire This these did with like pretence Everie one must take vp his owne crosse In these our daies the Anabaptistes desire to haue crosses laid vpon them without iust cause and before God layth them on there shoulders they are willing to forsake wife children substance and countrie to to oppose themselues to manifest dangers A b Gualter in Matth. homil 209. ad c. 16. Vidi ego mulierem quae cum multis annis cum maritâ— honeste vixisseâ— hoc furore percitam relictis septem liberis quidem minimo natu adhuc lactente ad Anabaptistas profugisse nec aliam sui facti excusationem praetexuisse quam quòd Christus nos ad Crucem vocat zealous preacher of late yeares of Zurich saith that himselfe saw a woman which after that shee had lived many yeares honestly with her husband and among her neighbours instructed by the Anabaptists ran away from her husband and forsooke her seven little children nothing pitying the youngest although a sucking child and when she was asked why so vnlike a mother shee left her children shee had that pretence which the rest of the Anabaptists haue Every one must take vp his owne crosse Monks Donatists and Anabaptists all account themselues blessed for their voluntary taking vp of their owne crosses The searchers out of naturall causes doe teach that in many senselesse things there is a secret friendship so that the one is much the better for the presence of the other Pliny saith that the Elme florisheth if it be set by a vine Lib. 16. cap. 17 that Rue groweth best being planted vnder a fig-tree Lib. 19. c. 8. and the Heliotropium spreadeth her leaues at the presence of the Sunne Lib. 22. cap. 21. All which will not bee of so good liking if these their naturall loues be remoued from them the Elme will scarse thriue the Rue will hang downe her tops the Heliotropium will close her leaues againe Me thinks that zeal is not of a farre vnlike condition If it be ioined with a good cause how gratious is it in the eies of the Lord The zeale of Phinâ—has manifested in his killing Zimrie and Cozbi was of force to turne away the anger of the Lord from the children of Israel Numb 25.11 The zeale of Hezekiah breaking in peices the brasen serpent set vp by Gods word when it was abused vnto Idolatrie was a sweet smelling sacrifice the Lord was with him for it and he prospered in all things that he tooke in hand 2. King 18.7 The zeale of Moses commanding the
t Ioh. 8.46 accuse me of sinne he made speed for he spake and did more good things in 33. yeares then might be contained in all the u Ioh. 21.25 bookes in the world and hee continued vnto the end for he x Mat. 27.50 died y Act. 8.32 like a lambe z Luk. 23.34 prayed to his father and forgaue his enemies See here those foure notes to which my desire is you should well listen because they may be much for instruction in this Christian imitation wherein you are to begin betime to keepe the right way to make speede and to continue to the end And first begin betime Know yee not that man assone as he was created had a law given him Hence may we learne that every one of vs from the first day of his birth is to liue vnder obedience to the great lawgiver Doth not experience teach you that in infancie yee are baptized in the name of God Hence are we taught that when we are not able to runne to Christ yet should we as well as we may creepe vnto him Is it possible for you to forget your dayly praier Therein you pray first that Gods will be done and then you aske your dayly bread to shew vs that the very food whereby we liue is no way to be preferred before the blessed will of God God requirest the first borne for his offering and the first fruits for his service and dare we presume to present him with our second labours He requireth a morning sacrifice as wel as an evening Abraham rose early in the morning to sacrifice his sonne to God Gen. 22.3 So should we rise early in the morning of our liues even in our youthfull daies and sacrifice our selues to God We should giue vp our bodies a Rom. 12 1. living sacrifices holy and acceptable to him For why should not he that is b Rev. 1.8 Alpha the first the beginning in every thing be the first and the beginning in our conversion too Manna was to bee gathered betime before the rising of the sunne otherwise it would melt away Exod. 16.21 So fareth it with him whom yee ought to follow if you come not to him betime but stay till businesse pleasures arise vnto you well may you seeke him but you shall not find him For wisdome her selfe hath said they which seeke me early shall find me Prov. 8.17 but of them which are slow in seeking her she hath also said they shall seeke mee but they shall not find me Prov. 1.28 The guests are bidden yet no man commeth all things are ready yet no mā regardeth One saith I haue bought a c Mat. 22.5 Luk. 14.18 farme and must needs goe out and see it O let me be excused a second saith I haue bought d Luk. 14.19 Oxen and I goe to proue them I pray thee haue me excused another saith I haue e Vers 20. maried a wife and therefore I cannot come if our f Mat. 8.21 Luk. 9.59 fathers bee vnburied if our friends be not g Luk. 9.61 bidden farewell then in reason wee thinke wee may be excused for not comming O saith one were I a freeman and another were I a rich man and a third were I an olde man then should we be at leasure to come to Christ but yet till then let vs be excused Thus the whole h Esai 1.5 head is sicke and the whole heart is heavie and within vs is nothing but i Vers 6. wounds and swelling and sores full of corruption For although wee perswade our selues that Christ ought by vs to bee followed yet can wee not by any meanes accord of the time when to beginne to follow him Wherein we are not much vnlike those Iewes spoken of Agge 1. 2. who knowing that the Lords house ought by them to be builded did notwithstanding sing alwaies this song The time is not yet come that the Lords house should be builded And did they for this escape vnpunished Read yee but the 6. verse of the same chapter and you will say no for they did sow much but brought in little they did eate but had not enough they dranke but were not filled they cloathed themselues but they were not warme they did earne wages but the wages was put into a broken bagge We knowe that the Lord is k Ioel. 2.13 gratious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse otherwise doubtlesse ere this his scepter of l Psal 2 9. Iron should haue crushed and bruised vs in peeces For what is he among vs all that in his heart hath not said the time is not yet come that the Lord Iesus should be followed How long how long o yee sonnes of men will yee m Psal 4.2 turne Gods glory into shame by louing vanitie and seeking lyes you say the time is not yet come that the Lord Iesus should be followed but the holy Ghost saith behold now the acceptable time behold now the day of salvation 2. Cor. 6.2 To day if yee will heare his voice Psal 95.7 To day even this day if yee will heare his voice harden not your hearts There was at Ierusalem the poole Bethesda where the sicke the blind the halt and the withered lay once in the day an Angel came and stirred the water then whosoever stept in first was made whole of whatsoever disease he had Ioh. 5.4 He which stept in first was made whole saith Iohn none but hee which stept in first This is the acceptable time this is the day of salvation this is the day wherein we may heare Gods voice take we then this opportunitie while it is offered let vs not forslow the time for the strongest of vs all is not able to assure himselfe that he shall liue till to morrow Elias would be serued before the widow although shee had but a little cruse of oyle although she had not enough for her selfe 1. King 17.13 And can we be so senselesse to thinke that God will bee serued after vs after the flesh after the Divell God would not haue the labourers hire stay in thy hands all night but would haue thee pay him before thou sleepe Levit. 19.13 Yet wee dare keepe Gods due from himselfe shall I say day and night I may say many daies and many nights many weekes many months yea perhaps many yeares too Thus haue we cast behind vs the first lesson which Iohn Baptist taught that was repent for the kingdome of Heaven is at hand Mat. 3.2 Thus haue we set at naught the first lessō which the Disciples taught and that was repent for the kingdome of Heavē is at hand Mat. 10.7 Thus haue we spurned against the first lesson which Christ himselfe taught and that was REPENT too for the kingdome of Heauen is at hand Mat. 4.17 n Mat. 11.15 He that hath eares to heare let him heare REPENT is the first lesson to be learned both
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
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
Could any in that great want of bread in the wildernesse haue looked for * Exod 16.15 Ps 105.40 Manna from Heaven Many a dewe and frost had they seene vpon the ground before but never the like Durst any presume to thinke that Iordan should run back that the red Sea should devide it selfe never did they so before yet now * Ps 114.3 5. Iordan runneth backe the red * Ps 136.13 Ex. 14 21 22. Sea devides it selfe The Babylonians woulde haue sworen that the Lions shoulde haue devoured Daniel and the fire the three children yet against nature the a Dan. 6 18. Lions became meeke and the b Dan. 3.26 fire merciful when they were to deale with the servants of the most Highe Excellent is that of CHRIST sleeping in the ship on a pillow suffring his disciples to be so long tossed with the violence of the Sea till they cried out LORD saue we perish for now in this extremity hee awaketh rebuketh the windes stilleth the stormes of the Sea and causeth a peaceable calme to follow Mat. 8.23 I shal not need to trouble you with the remēbrance of Sampson of Iob of Peter of Paule of Lazarus and manie others miraculously aboue all hope freed from thirst from miseries from imprisonmēt from shipwracke from the graue it selfe and the like out of that which is before delivered the truth of the second proposition may be inferred God oftentimes differreth his helpe till greatest necessity Both these laide to our heartes and consciences and duely thought vpō wil affoord comfort to our most fainting spirits for that they will stay our mindes on the leasure of the Lorde Thus should we thinke with our selues are we better then the spouse of Christ better then David better then any other the children of the Lord If not then in our greatest afflictions in the deepest griefe of our consciences voide of all spiritual cōfort learne we of the spouse to seeke and never leaue seeking til we finde our best-beloved learne we of David to waite and never leaue waiting till our God encline to vs and heare our crie learne we of the rest of Gods children to request never leaue requesting with vnexpresseable sighes till God come with his right hand stretched-out to lift vs vp Why should we at the first looke to haue our desires Abraham was old before he had any children and so was Zacharie and yet in the end the Lord promised and also performed It is a certainety when we haue lest hope for obtaining our desires we may soonest receiue them God vseth not at the first to grant our requests but differreth them for the triall of our faith and patience that like as the wheat corne groweth not til it be dead so his workes may not answere our expectation till they seeme to vs vnpossible And therefore as Iudeth chap. 8.14 spake vnto the governour of Bethulia so let me to you my brethren provoke not the Lord our God to anger the words are in the latter end of the 14. verse My brethren provoke not the Lord our God to anger it followeth for if he will not helpe vs within these fiue daies he hath power to defend vs when he will even every day or to destroy vs before our enimies Do not you therefore bind the counsels of the Lord our God bind not the counsels of the Lord our God For God is not as man that he may threatned neither as the sonne of man to be brought to iudgement therfore let vs waite for salvation of him and call vpon him to helpe vs he wil heare our voice if it please him he wil heare our voice if it please him Therfore be of good comfort you that now sorrow for you shal be comforted you that now be hungry for you shal be satisfied you that now weep for you shal laugh The Lord wil shortly come beare but a little and in his time all shall be well with you all teares shall be wiped from your eies and be you assured that whatsoever he hath promised to you so true is he so good is he so himselfe is he so constant so vnmoueable is he it shal be fulfilled the LORD will rise earely to do it he will set wheeles as it were to his power and goodnesse that he may speedily bring it to passe And hath he promised in his good time to lift you vp So will he lift you vp Now a word or two of the thing he promised vnto you it is your exaltation your lifting vp Where we must be warned not to dreame of any temporary exaltation of any worldly lifting vp like the Iewes who dreamed of the restitution of Davids kingdome Mark 11.10 or like the Apostles who looked that Christ should shortly restore the kingdome to Israel Act. 1.6 Preferments should not be aimed at ambition should be put apart from vs for our exaltation is spirituall we shall be lifted vp but in a spiritual sense I deny not but it is God that advanceth the heads of the mighty over their brethren by him kings reigne and true it is preferment is neither from the * Psal 75.6 East nor from the West nor frō the South God is iudge he maketh low and he maketh hie he is the bestower of all temporall blessings Yet withall I know that such his blessings are bestowed in common as well on the wicked as the godly the Sunne shineth as well on the evil as on the good the raine falleth as wel on the vniust as the iust God bindeth not himselfe either to one or other but storeth vp his blessings for both health wealth honour and whatsoever else this world may affoord he storeth vp for both iust and vniust good and evill according as himselfe shal dispose to both Certaine it is he will dispose to both sorts but to whom of both sorts he will dispose it is not in man nor in any sonne of man to discerne Set we then our hearts at rest for any assurance wee haue of these temporall blessings without doubt our exaltation is spirituall and so shall we be lifted vp The holy are vouchsafed to enter into the kingdome of God but wee know this entrance must be through many afflictions Act. 14.22 Through persecutions and tribulations 2. Thess 1.4 All that will liue Godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution 2. Tim. 3.12 Giue care yee faint spirits be strengthened yee weak hands yee feeble knees receiue comfort Is it true indeed that the godly must be known by the badge of afflictions of tribulations of persecutions Yet be yee not dismaide Be the burdē you beare never so vnwildy be it never so heavy there is one in Heaven he can come a pace for he flieth vpon the wings of the winde who is able to master it to lighten it And therefore though we walke in the very shadow of death we must not take discomfort at it The Lord sitteth aboue the water flouds hee