the Lord giue a blessing that they may be profitable Now let vs pray THE SIXTH SERMON December 19. 5. Sabboth Blessed be the Lord God of Israell world without end So be it euen so be it THe Prophet Dauid hauing receiued assuraunces of Gods fauour towards him he prayseth God the giuer What tokeÌ„s he had of Gods loue both without him and within him we haue heard in the verses before of his behauiour after the receipt therof we shall heare in this last verse He now returneth to God for his iewells such as he had prayse thaÌ„ksgiuing loue for loue praises for blessings as was his duety The Lord of loue wooeth Dauid his beloued he hath woÌ„ne his affectioÌ„ Dauid is y e Lords both in body and soule in all that he hath Dauid is happy thereby for he is samed therby but y e Lord is neuer y e richer for his gift In Dauids thankesgiuing we may obserue two things first to whoÌ„ he offereth his sacrifice of praise secoÌ„dly in what maner he offereth it For y e first it is y â— Lord to whoÌ„ he doth offer it to none but the Lord. Papistes say blessed be God our Layd blessed be God such a sainct such a sainct for this y e blessing so doth not Gods child here Ergo they are not Gods childreÌ„ in so doing A maÌ„ after Gods owne hart doth not so Ergo they are not men after Gods owne hart in doing so Great reason had Dauid great reasoÌ„ haue all y e faithfull to prayse God onely for first who kept Dauids enemies froÌ„ triuÌ„phing against him but the Lord who vpheld him in his integrity but y e Lord who set him before his face for euer but y e Lord therefore who must be praysed but the Lord This was y e Lords own doing this was y e Lords onely doing therfore he onely is to be praysed Again the Lord which saueth vs euen for his own name sake wil not haue his glory parted betwéene him his creatures but giuen wholly to himselfe as y e Prophet Esay saith â—herfore cursed be they whatsoeuer they be y â— dare ioyne any whatsoeuer as partners w t God either in his workes or in his worship For his maner forme of praising God it is most excelleÌ„t for he doth it in such wordes maner as noteth a woÌ„derfull earnest affectioÌ„ in him towardes y e Lord a great zeale of his glorie great humilitie in him selfe a great feare least he should not doe it as he ought for first he doth not say simply blessed be God but blessed be the Lord God of Israell to shew that nothing in him selfe deserued such loue at Gods hands but onely the couenaunt which y e Lord made with his Church moued him thereunto Dauid being a member of the Church Secondly as Gods loue is infinite and euerlasting so accordingly he praiseth his name for it saying world without end Thirdly to shew his hartie and vnfained coÌ„sent to that which he spake he saith So be it and as one not repeÌ„ting him of that he had said but rather fearing that he came too short in the first he doubleth his speech and with a second blow to rouse vp his hart and affection which were scant awakened with the first he saith So be it and againe I say So be it So be it euen so be it The doctrine that is to be gathered from this verse ariseth two wayes first from the matter subiect secondly from the forme of y e words The matter subiect of the verse is Dauids thankesgiuing to the Lord for that he had so many wayes sealed vp and made sure his loue vnto his soule From which example we may gather this general doctrine that after benefits receiued of God it is our dutie and our delight to returne thankes vnto the Lord if Gods loue be swéete vnto vs. And this dutie can none performe aright but the elect children of God which are led by Gods spirit endued with Gods grace enriched with Gods benefites and inflamed with his loue All of vs do begge and craue like lepers but scarce one of ten do returne praises and thankesgiuing for our healing as though Gods gifts were not worth thaÌ„ks We are not so kinde to the Lord for all his benefites as we are to a mortall man for one curtesie Onely the faithfull being once throughly enlightened and effectually called are afraid to omit or neglect this dutie and when they do faile therein they are not a litle grieued thereat and that they do for Gods spirit is in them Therefore as they pray by the spirit so by the same spirite they praise God alwayes knitting vp their prayers with thankesgiuing for they must not be separated Daniell prayed praised God thrée times a day on his knées no doubt he did it oftener as occasion was offred but this he bound him selfe vnto what businesse soeuer he had because of his dulnesse to teach vs what we must do But how many deuour the graces of God one after another like a hogge vnder the trée neuer looking vp to the trée from whence they come as though all that God sendeth were nothing Some are afraid to be acknowen who did them good or gaue them goods like the blind mans father who for feare of the Iewes durst not tel who gaue his sonne his sight Some are ashamed like Sarah who laughed at the Angels message when she should rather haue giuen thankes this is because the wicked mocke the godly for praising of God as the sonne of the bond woman mocked the sonne of the frée woman and it is now become a reproch to speake any one word amongst many to the praise of God whereof it commeth that the most part both at bed and boord do so commonly forget to prayse the Lord but like beasts they sit and lye down and like beasts they rise vp againe But litle may we do beloued if we cannot by prayer aske leaue of God to take his blessings when we haue no right to any thing but in Christ and litle may we do if we cannot giue him thanks acknowledge him to be the giuer Thus like théeues we steale the Lords benefites and do nothing for them as if we should boldly goe into our neighbours house take our diner and his plate and go away and neuer say with your leaue nor I thanke you the Lord open our eyes and touch our hearts Some that would séeme to be a litle more manerly will vtter nay I may more truely say smother out a few cold words of course like gossips protestants at large when they meete one another Here is a goodly weather God be praised Oh you haue a swéete child neighbour God blesse him God be thaÌ„ked of your vpsitting or your comming abrode againe and so foorth but if any thing be added more then these common gratulations whereby God may reape
Parishe Clarkes which without any manner of calling thereunto from God doe intrude them selues into the Ministers office onely for a litle filthie lucre sake and most confusedly and disorderly tumble ouer the holy things of God as the Lordes prayer with diuers things which I blush to name vnder pretence forsooth of helping the Minister to say seruice a thing which I neuer saw but in this place How acceptable the prayers and seruice of such men are or rather how detestable it is vnto God I would they had grace to consider What will hypocrites and conteÌ„ners of the word preached say to this because they cannot chuse they come to common prayer which indéede is too much negelcted but as for other excercises of preaching and Catechising of all the most néedefull most proâ—â—table they dedicate those times to bowles or cardes or tables or tipling or wanton walking I know not what and then the exercises being done they repaire to the ordinary seruice where they make a fained confession and prayers and prayses for custome sake but He that turneth his eare froÌ„ hearing the law saith the holy Ghost euen his prayer shalbe abhominable If his prayer be abhominable what is his presumptuous prating and proude blaspheming Againe let pirates and rouers at sea with vsurers oppressours by land with swearers drunkardes filthie liuers Sabboth prophaners and such like lay this to their hart and God in mercy looke vpon them for their seruice done to God is as acceptable to his Maiestie as the harlots vowes and offrings of which we read in the 7. of the Prouerbes when she went about to entice vnto follie or as if they cut of a dogges head for the Lord. Againe if there be any husbands and wiues or any neighbours liuing in discord and suffering their harts to boyle in hatred one against another how can they thinke that the Lord wilbe delighted with their wrathfull prayers and prayses when they doe offer them what should I say more I would wish and I do earnestly desire that euery one would lay it to his hart to consider w t him selfe first what a sinne it is not to pray and praise God at all next how the sinne is encreased if they be not prepared and sanctified before they do blesse God as Dauid was for the sacrifices of the wicked are like the salutations of the Iewes when they bowed the knée vnto Christ and spit in his face together THE SEVENTH Sermon December 26. Blessed be the Lord God of Israell c. THe last Sabboth day we heard that Dauid hauing receiued assuraunces of Gods fauour towardes him returned prayse and thankes vnto the Lord for it how he was prepared thereunto we also heard then declared at large we will now consider and sée in what manner and forme he praysed God First let vs consider why he saith not simply Blessed be the Lord but blessed be the Lord God of Israel In these wordes be two points to be obserued First the cause why God loued him Secondly the largenesse and the greatnesse of Gods loue But first of the cause why God loued him and why he did so assure him of his loue fauor And that was not I warrant you any worthinesse that y e Lord found in Dauid nor for his frieÌ„ds sake nor for his couÌ„trey sake nor for his vertues sake but onely for his couenauÌ„t sake which the Lord made with his Church wherof Dauid was a member therefore must néedes haue his part amongest y e rest because God had so promised Blessed be the Lord God of Israell As if he should say I giue the Lord prayse thankes which hath choseÌ„ Israel to be his people which were not his peeple and hath bouÌ„d him self by promise to be y e God of Israel to watch ouer his people to assure theÌ„ of his fauor which deserued â—â—thing but his wrath displeasure for by this meanes I am now assured of his loue and fauor towards me which I should neuer haue had if the Lord had not chosen me to be one of theÌ„ vpoÌ„ whoÌ„ he meant to bestow his loue according to his gracious promise which he made to my fathers AbrahaÌ„ Isaac Iacob which was afterwardes called Israell and according to his promise which he made not onely to them but also to all their séede that is to all the faithful so hath he delt with his seruaunts blessed praysed be his name for it Now we sée the fountaine from whence springeth all the good that we haue blessed is Israell because the Lord is their God and blessed is England because the Lord is our God By this we may sée what an excellent thing it is to be of the Church of God for theÌ„ the Lord Iehouah the Lord almightie is our God and we are his people and if he be on our side who can be against vs or if any be against vs who caÌ„ preuaile against vs then are we in safetie from our enemies then are we vpholden in our integritie and prouided for according to our wants So that the Lord doth not saue vs nor helpe vs because we deserue it but because he hath so promised in Christ Iesus neither doth he chuse vs because he saw some goodnesse in vs but therfore is his goodnes grace bestowed vpoÌ„ vs because he hath first elected and chosen vs to be his people But now sée what a thing it is to be of the Church of God that is of the companie of Gods people and within the coÌ„passe of Gods couenaunt The Lord loueth the the gates of Sion that is the gates of his Church more then all the habitations of Iacob to shew how he loueth his Church for if he beareth such affection to the gates what affection doth he beare to the Citie If he loueth the most inferiour euen the porters of his Church that are set to kéepe the gates what doth he for the chief Citizens the common wealth of Israell no maruell though Dauid desired to be a doore kéeper in y e house of God for to be such a one yea to be the meanest in Gods Church is to be the beloued of the Lord at the least that wheÌ„ it is at the least is greater then all y e pleasures treasures of the earth yea it is better then wine saith the spouse of Christ in the Canticles that is better then all pleasures profites in the whole world But what doth he for his Church sée what he doth God is knoweÌ„ in Iudah saith y e Psalmist his name is great in Israel as if he should say god hath made his will and his counsels knowen to his Church the heatheÌ„ haue not the knowledge of his wayes The godly are of his couÌ„sell as Abraham was and is this a small matter But see yet more In ShaleÌ„ is his tabernacle his dwelling is in Zion as if he should say the dwellings of
more glorie that is a note of a Puritane and he is too holy for our company Some would giue God thankes oftener then they do but they cannot remember him without a picture or a crucifixe or some Popish relicke like the Ioclatrous Iewes which could not remember God til they saw a calfe As though the Lords dayly benefits were not sufficient remembrances liuely pictures of the Lords goodnesse or as though when any doth bestow a benefite vpon vs by his sonne we should not thanke his father because we neuer saw him and we want his picture Some will for fashion sake giue God a good word or two and say perhaps God is a good God God be blessed I thanke God for my deliuerance c. but then they must run a long discourse of them selues but if I had not done this and that if I had not played y e man had a good forecast c. it had not gone so well with me as it did Thus many deale with God like him that when he hath tolde out his money to his creditor which he ought him and taken vp his bond snatcheth vp his money againe and for an hundred pound giueth him a penie and a boxe on the eare But to leaue all these to the Lord this is most certaine if we be afrayd or ashamed or forgetfull or indifferent to praise the Lord or if we be vnreuerent or idolatrous or superstitious in praising God how can we assure our selues to be the children of God But note further in this holy seruant of God how he was qualified and prepared before he would or before he could offer any sacrifice of praise acceptable to God First he examineth his heart and findeth his affectioÌ„s holy and vpright before the Lord his heart frée from reuenge his spirit humbled vnder the hand of God his soule assured of Gods fauour and his faith setled in his promises this being done he procéedeth and saith Blessed be the Lord God of Israell c. assuring him selfe that when his person is accepted with God his praises thankesgiuing shall not be reiected This is to teach vs that they which come vnsanctified and vnprepared by a liuely faith and true repeÌ„tance and haue nothing to coÌ„mend them vnto God but their pride their hatred their infidelitie their impietie and such like they cannot prayse the Lord and if they do it is returned vpoÌ„ their heads as sinne so they are sent away not onely emptie but in worse case then they came like the vnworthy guest that came to the Kings feast without his wedding garment And this doctrine runneth currant thorough the whole body of the Scriptures and no man doth aske from whence it commeth or whither it goeth but euery one of the Lords Seers and seruants giueth testimonie vnto it The Psalmist is of y t mind for he saith The eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares are open to their crie but the face of the Lord is against them that do euill to cut off the remembrance of them from off the earth to shew how little the Lord regardeth their prayers or any thing that they can offer vnto his maiestie Salomon is likewise of the same mind for he saith The sacrifice of the wicked is abominatioÌ„ to the Lord but the prayer of the righteous is acceptable vnto him He sheweth a good reason why For saith he the way of the wicked is abomination to the Lord but he loueth them that followe righteousnesse In another place he saith High talke becoÌ„meth not a foole If high talke becometh not a â—oole much lesse doth diuine talke become a wicked man for what talke hiâ—her theÌ„ talke with the most high and who so foolish as the wicked and profane The Prophet Esay is also of the same mind for he speaking in the person of God saith thus When you shall stretch out your hands I will hide mine eyes from you though you make many praiers I will not heare you for your handes are full of bloud that is your déedes are full of oppression and therefore your prayers and praises are stained with your bloudy hands S. Luke saith That deuils came out of many crying and saying thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God but Christ rebuked them and suffred them not to say that they knew him to be that Christ because they were deuils For our Sauiour Christ will not be praised out of a deuils mouth for their commendation tendeth rather to his discredite theÌ„ otherwise so deuilish men may perhaps come out of many houses to Church cry we prayse thée O God we know thée who y u art Iesus the sonne of the liuing God glory be to the father and to the sonne and to the holy Ghost and many good wordes and spéeches moe they vtter but surely the Lord is so farre from accepting any such thing at their hands that he is more prouoked to anger against them for it because they are deuilish and come without repentance into the presence of the most holy The like in all respectes shall we read of in the 16. of the Actes A certaine maid had a spirite of diuination she was such a one as some ignorantly call a cunning womaÌ„ no better then a witch or a coÌ„iurer one that wrought by the deuil could by helpe of the deuil tell where things were y t were lost such a one followed Paul and Silas crying These are the seruaunts of the most high God and this she did many dayes But Paul being greeued turned about and said to the spirite I commaunde thee in the name of Iesus Christ that thou come out of her Now as Gods seruaunts could not abide the confession of the deuill much lesse can God him selfe abide it being onely for feare and not of loue A straunge thing that deuils which are at defiaÌ„ce with God should confesse him And yet all things duely considered it is not so straunge as it may séeme to be for what if they do it of constrainte whether they wil or no or what if it be for feare onely and not for loue or what if they do it to bring credit vpon their own matters and to bring Gods matters into contempt then the strangenesse of the matter is diminished for indéede this is common not onely among the deuils but amongest all the reprobate SathaÌ„ shall alledge Scripture to credite his owne cause and Balam will not because â—e cannot passe the boundes of that which God hath put in his mouth wheÌ„ his hart hunteth for y e wages of iniquitie Sometime to make them inexcusable God will wring a confession from their own mouthes as he did from Pharao Sometime the wicked will doe that which their hart goeth against to bring Gods seruaunts in question amongest men like the cunning maide before mentioned Sometime to deceiue the more easily and strongly he will chaunge him selfe into the likenesse
of an Angell of light and put vpon a fowle matter a faire cloake of holinesse The truth wherof may sufficiently appeare in the kingdome or Poperie amongest the Monkes and Friers which vnder pretence of holinesse commit all kinde of wickednes I haue knowen some Arian heretiques whose life hath bene most strickt amongest men whose toungs haue bene tired with Scripture vpon Scripture their knées euen hardned in prayer and their faces wedded to sadnesse and their mouthes full of prayses to God while in the meane time they haue stoutly denied the diuinitie of the sonne of God and haue not sticked to teare out of the Bible all such places as made against them such were Hamond Lewes and Cole heretiques of wretched memorie lately executed and cut of in Norwich what shall I say of Fraunces Ket another Arian which succéeded them in opinions more monstrous then his predecessours for he held that whosoeuer wilbe saued must before he dye go to Ierusalē that Christ with his Apostles are now personally in Iudea gathering of his church that y e faithfull should miraculously be preserued at Ierusalem with a wall of fire be fed with Angels foode from heauen but these were his dreames yet such dreames as rather then he would for go them hauing once embraced them caused him to plunge him selfe ouer head and eares in most damnable cursed heresies for behold to maintaine his former fancies he held most impudently that Christ Iesus is not God but a good man as others be and that which was neuer heard before that Christ hath suffred once for his own sinnes and shall before y e end of the world suffer again for the sinnes of the world and that being done he shalbe then made God after his secōd resurrection And yet as monstrous as he was in opiniō sée how holy he would séeme to be in his outward conuersatiō The sacred Bible almost neuer out of his handes him selfe alwayes in prayer his toung neuer ceased praysing of God when he went to the fire he was clothed in sackcloth he went leaping and dauncing being in the fire aboue twentie times together clapping his handes he cried nothing but blessed be God blessed be God blessed be God and so continued vntill the fire had consumed all his neither parts and vntill he was stifled with the smoke that he could speake no longer all which I was a witnes of my self But shall we thinke that the Lord tooke any delight in the prayers or prayses of such a deuill incarnate farre be it from vs. A straunge and fearefull example of a desperate of a hardened and a cursed creature and yet not to be wondered at for the deuill hath his souldiers and martyrs aswell as the Lord and oftentimes they are more resolute in the deuils quarrell then some are in Gods quarrel As for his willing and ready going with his cōstant enduring it was no more then is perfourmed by such as hang them selues or drowne themselues but what pleasure hath the Lord in the sacrifices of such What shall we say of our English Donatists our schismaticall Brownists followers of Barrow and his crue they hold our Church for no visible Church neither that we haue so much as a face of a Church amōgst vs they cōdēne all our assemblies at their pleasure terming vs our Churches to be but dunghils and Sinagogues of Sathan our Ministerie no Ministerie our Sacramēts no Sacraments our teachers they terme Baals Priests the taile of the red dragon the whole Church of England they call Babilon Sodom Egipt all that naught is thus they cast mire in y e face of their mother in whose bowels they were first begotten if euer they were begotten to the Lord separating thē selues frō all the holy things of God because euery thing is not iust as they would haue it But in the meane time to get more credite vnto their pretended cause of separation they séeme to be very deuout in prayer and as though the spirite of prayer were proper vnto them they condēn◠all other mens prayers their mouthes alwayes thundering out the iudgements of God while they take a felicitie in condemning their brethrē they come vnder a cloake of sinceritie and reformation while they go about to plucke vp the Lordes vineyeard by the rootes and none more zealous in their profession none more deuout in praysing of God none more ready in the Scriptures then they yea as plentifull in their proofes and textes of Scripture they séeme to be for vpholding of their errors shcisme as Kett was for the defending of his heresies but what pleasure the Lord hath in such schismaticall prayers prayses which haue nothing to present them to the Lord but a spirite of pride and errour I feare to speake y e Lord open their eyes to see their sinne that so many as belong to him may be conuerted and be saued Thus we sée it manifest both by testimonies and examples that the sacrifices of the wicked vngodly are vile before the Lord how holy soeuer they séeme to be amongest men and they can not prayse him but as the deuils did confesse him But if any come before the Lord as his beloued spouse decked with their garment of diuers colours I meane their soules clothed with the riches of Gods fauour as true repentaunce a liuely faith brotherly loue lowlinesse of spirite integritie of hart patience in affliction ioy in the holy Ghost if any come to the Lord depending on Gods grace naked in himself yet clothed in Christ doubting of himselfe yet assuring himselfe of Gods fauour both promised purchased in y e bloud of Christ Iesus they may bring their offering w t Dauid say Blessed be the Lord God of Israell and the king of glory shall then haue delight in their beautie for he loueth the prayses of his people and of none els This doctrine if it were throughly applied and closely layd to the conscience of euery estate calling it would I hope make vs all more warie and carefull in offering our selues with our presents of prayses and prayers vnto the Lord while we liue And first of all what will Idolaters and persecuters of Gods Sainctes say vnto this In a merry note they sing Te Deum laudamus Benedictus Deus Israel c. But whether such Popish and bloudy seruices be accepted of God or no I would wish them to consider In our Church if there be any in y e plate of seers watchmen ouer the Lords people and yet haue neither will skill nor courage to lead the people of the Lord in the wayes of righteousnesse and also do wearie them selues in the wayes of loosenesse and prophanesse and yet wil come into Gods house and without repentance offer vp cōfessions prayers thākesgiuings for themselues the people how acceptable such sacrifices are vnto the Lord I would wishe them also to consider Agayne there are some called
hotter then it was before yea they would haue sent vs Rehoboams message and his measure vz. that their litle finger should haue bene greater vpon vs then their loines were vpon them And whereas they did burthen them with a grieuous yoke they would haue made our yoke heauier and whereas they chastised them with rods they would haue corrected vs with scorpions if they had triumphed ouer vs as they made full accompt By this then we may know that the Lord loueth vs alas a nation not worthie to be loued because our enemies did not triumph against vs. Blessed be his name for euer But doth God loue none but those whom he deliuereth out of their enemies handes Yes surely that he doth for it is no matter how we be ouercome of our bodily enimies so that our spirituall enemies do not ouercome vs. For euerie Christian hath two sorts of enemies as Dauid had bodily and spirituall our spirituall enemies be our sinnes and the temptations of the world the flesh and the deuill which fight against the soule as S. Peter saith Now these do often trouble the children of God rebelling against them and many times leading theÌ„ captiues to the law of sinne yet finally they do not triumph against them because they do not willingly yéeld them selues to sinne with delight in sinne as the wicked do but they do coÌ„tinually striue against them by earnest prayer vnto God by hearing the word of God and by faith in Iesus Christ they are made more then conquerours in the end as S. Paule teacheth in his doctrine to the Rom. By this I knowe that thou fauourest me c. Without doubt the Prophet Dauid had néede of many blessings moe which the Lord did not bestow vpoÌ„ him but kept them back from him and all to humble him and yet he did not murmure against God for the want of them but gaue him thanks for those which he had alreadie receiued Although the Lord did not suffer him to take any rest because of his enemies yet he praiseth God because they did not triumph against him a good lesson for vs to learne WheÌ„ y e Lord shal afflict vs with any maner of affliction as losse of goods losse of friends losse of health or whatsoeuer else we should remeÌ„ber then what benefites we haue still which we are vnworthie of Then thus may Gods childreÌ„ say to God Though the Papists do molest vs and speake all euill of vs though our enemies séeke and sift vs yet they misse of their purpose and thou doest raise vp friends vnto vs. Though Athiests scoffers worldly beasts do â—out at thy preachers yet thou doest not let them discourage them whereby we know that thou louest vs. And hath the Lord taken away thy goods c. yet remember that he hath gâ—uen thée leaue to enioy thy sight thy spéech thâ— hearing thy vnderstanding thy wits his spirite c. all wich are more then thou deserâ—est and more then he doth for euerie one So we may say for matters of reformation although euery thing be not in all respectes as it should be and as if were to be wished yet let vs thaÌ„ke the Lord for these good things we haue Though the growth of the Church be yet hindred by many ignoraunt Ministers and idle nonresidents yet hath the Church many good Pastours and teachers to whom the porter Iesus Christ hath opened the doore and furnished with singular graces for the good of his Church Let vs thanke his Maiestie for them and not as some do which for the want of some things condemne all the things which we haue because the Church forsooth is not so purely purged as it ought to be therefore we haue no Church no Ministers no Sacraments c. as it please our schismatiques to affirme and therefore in a maâ— rage being carried with pride and tempestuous spirites whose glorie is altogether iâ— condemning their brethren they cry separate your selues come out from amongest theÌ„ as though we had nothing left amoÌ„gâ—t vs which might be a token of Gods fauoâ—r loue towardes vs. Ah my good brethreâ— is this to shew our selues thaÌ„kefull for that we haue receaued shall we acknowledge nothing good because all is not perfect we ought to striue orderly and lawfully I confesse vnto perfection if it may be that Zion may shine in perfect beautie But in y e meane while let vs feare that the Lord for our vnthankefulnesse and scornefull contempt will take away those good things which we haue before he giue vs any more If we should want nothing we should waxe waÌ„toÌ„ forget the Lord as Dauid did who thought wheÌ„ God had made him strong he should neuer be moued and therefore to humble vs and kéepe vs vnder the Lord still kéepeth somewhat from vs. But now let vs sée what vse we may make of all y t hath bene said we haue heard that y e Lord doth not onely loue vs but also that he maketh his loue knowen vnto vs by sauing vs from the cruell hands of our enemies this is no small matter for the Lord to bestow such loue vpon his enemies which deserue nothing but his hatred and heauie displeasure should not this make vs loue the Lord againe That we do will euery one be ready to say but if you loue me saith our Sauiour Christ kéepe my commauÌ„dements how is it now that we say we loue God and yet for the loue that he beareth to vs and we to him many will not leaue one iote oâ— their pleasure nor any vnlawfull gaine no nor a haire of their head by this we may be sure that we hate the Lord. The vsurer whoremonger will say they loue God so will the swearer and the drunkard say wheÌ„ their whole life is nothing but a warre against God You prophane y e Lords Sabboth and refuse to heare his word wheÌ„ it is preached and yet you will say you loue God a spitefull loue The scoffer at Religion and euery hypocrite will tell vs that he loueâ—h God or els it were hard when yet they will do nothing that God commaundeth them If you loue me saith Christ to Peter feede my flocke to shew that if Ministers féede not y e flocke of Christ with the foode of their soules the liuely preaching of the word they loue not Christ and yet both ignoraunt Ministers negligent Pastors carelesse non-residents will beare men in hand they loue God O cruell loue that suffreth meÌ„s soules to sinke downe to hell with their owne for whoÌ„ the Lord Iesus hath shed his bloud You Magistrats will say you loue God if you do so indéede let it appeare in couÌ„tenauÌ„cing his word when it is preached and encouraging his Ministers in reforming his Sabboth in suppressing of lewdnesse in vpholding of goodnesse and iudging iustly which if you do not by this you may be sure you loue not God If you loue me saith Christ
this life and her perfection in the world to come yet â—s it not idle but working nor naked â—ut clothed with good workes the fruites of faith so soone as it is begotten to this iustifying faith is alwayes ioyned the sanctifying spirite which worketh by loue and is continually occupied in purifying the hart â—or Christ Iesus and in applying of Iesus Christ vnto the hart of the owner And thus â—aue you heard both by what meanes the Lord doth conuay the assuraunce of his loâ—ing fauour vnto his children in affliction â— also how we are to vse the same meanes Let vs then diligently and carefully vsâ— these meanes and then shall we be effectually assured of Gods loue and fauour in Christ Iesus and being once assured oâ— that we may baldly cast downe the gantâ— let bid defiance to hell and all the deuilâ— in hell and make that chalenge which thâ— Apostle Paule doth make in the behalfe oâ— all Gods children Who shall separate vâ— from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine oâ— nakednesse or perill or sword As it iâ— written for thy sake are we killed all thâ— day long we are compted as sheepe for thâ— slaughter Neuerthelesse in all these thingâ— we are more then conquerours through hiâ— that loued vs. For I am perswaded that neiâ—ther death nor life nor Angels nor priâ—â—cipalities nor powers nor things presenâ— nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shalbe able to sepaâ—rate vs from the loue of God which is â—â— Christ Iesus our Lord. To this Iesus Chriâ—â— which hath so dearely purchased this fauoâ—â— for vs to the Father of our Lord Iesâ—â— Christ which hath so fréely bestowed suâ—â— fauour vpon vs and to this holy spiriâ—â— which doth so comfortably assure vs of this fauour thrée persons and one eternall God be all prayse glory for euer Amen THE THIRD SERMON Nouember 28. 2. Sabboth And as for me thou vpholdest me in mine integritie and doest set me before thy face for euer THe Prophet Dauid by two sortes of arguments assureth himselfe that Gods fauour belongeth vnto him the first is drawen from his outward estate in respect of the world which was very good in as much as his enemies did not triumph ouer him The second ariseth from a view of his owne inward estate in respect of God which was much better for that the Lord vpheld him in his vprightnesse and had a continuall care both of his soule and body The first argumeÌ„t of Gods fauor is strong but being ioyned to the second it is sure The first is great but because it is a generall thing and may be giuen to the vngodly to ouercome his enemies I meane the enemies of his body therefore Dauid resteth not in that but searcheth within himselfe to sée if he can finde any inward tokens of Gods fauour and searching he findeth two within himselfe the first was Gods hand vpholding him from falling away from his God the second was Gods eye alwayes vpon him for his safetie And hauing found these at home in himselfe he triumpheth and blessed God the giuer So that now the king sheweth what inward token he had receiued of Gods fauour for God doth more for his children then for the wicked he speakes comfortable things to the soules of his people Ioseph loued all his brethreÌ„ but Beniamin he loued with a more speciall loue and therefore he gaue messeâ— of meate to them all but Beniamins messâ— was fiue times so much as the rest so Goâ— giueth liberally to all his creatures as a good and a louing God in so much that the earth is full of his mercies but his loue to his elect children by Christ is a thousand times more then to the rest for them he vpholdeth in their integritie and doth set them before his face for euer Gods loue is more to men then to beasts of men his fauour is more to his Church then to all the world besides for he loueth the gates of Zion more then all the dwellings of Iacob he hath chosen that for his resting place he hath a delight in that there brake he y e bow he knapped the speare in péeces he burnt y e chariots with fire yea he wounded euen kings in the day of his wrath for Zions sake that is for y e loue that he bare towardes his chosen people Againe in this visible Church he fauoreth his elect more then the rest and his louing fauour to themward is greater then to all the world besides For Gods Church is like a noble maÌ„s house wherein are vessels of gold and vessels of earth and his vessels of gold are set vp safely kept more daintily vnder locke key theÌ„ the other Sing vnto the Lord saith Dauid sing vpon the harpe vnto our God which couereth the heauen with cloudes and prepareth raine for the earth and maketh the grasse to grow vpon the mouÌ„taines Which giueth to beasts their foode and to the young raueÌ„s that cry Thus much he doth for all his creatures but as for his seruaunts which feare him atteÌ„d vpon his mercies he delighteth in them and takes great pleasure in theÌ„ such pleasure he takes not in the strength of a horse nor in the legs or stature of a man From all the creatures in generall he descendeth to the Church in particular and saith Prayse the Lord O Ierusalem prayse thy God O Zion For he hath made the barres of thy gates strong and hath blessed thy children within thee He setteth peace in thy borders and satisfieth thee with the flower of wheat But hath he done no more for his Church then so Yes that he hath He sheweth his word vnto Iacob his statutes and his Iudgements vnto Israell He hath not delt so with euery nation neither haue they knowledge of his iudgements In the first of the Canticles the Church desireth to be kissed with y e kisses of Christes mouth that is to haue more testimonies and tokens of his loue then one or of one kind for by outward things saith the wiseman a man can not know loue and hatred because all things come a like to all Therefore saith the Church vnto her spouse kisse me with the kisses of thy mouth for thy loue is sweeter theÌ„ wine that is let me haue a continuance of thy fauour towardes me and many sure tokens thereof for no pleasure or profit is comparable to thy loue The kisses of Christ are his blessings bestowed vpon his Church his blessings are either teÌ„porall or eternall corporall or spirituall His spirituall blessings are of two sortes either outward or inward His outward yet spirituall blessings whereby he witnesseth his loue to his Church they are the preaching of the word and the administration of the Sacraments these be great benefites and swéete kisses of the Lord our God but
to weare a breast plate with foure rowes of precious stones In the first row a Rubie a Topace and a Carbuncle In the second row an Emeraude a Saphire and a Diamonde In the third row a Turkis an Achate and a Hemetite In the fourth row a Chrysolite an Onix and a Iasper And the stones shalbe according to the names of the children of Israell twelue according to their names grauen at signets euerie one after his name and they shalbe for the twelue Tribes all this is to shew what accoÌ„pt the Lord doth make of his chosen people But where must these stones 〈◊〉 worne he sheweth where in the 29. verse So Aaron shall beare the names of the children of Israell in the breast plate of IudgemeÌ„t vpon his hart wheÌ„ he goeth into the holy place for a remembraunce continually before the Lord. And Aaron shall beare the Iudgement of the children of Israell vpon his hart continually And what is this for but to shew the continuall care that Christ hath of his Church For Aaron is a figure and resemblaunce of Christ the precious stones are a figure of the Church of Christ. Aaron must weare them vpon his breast that is in his sight so Christ hath his people alwayes in his sight As it was impossible for Aaron to forget the stones which were in his sight so is it impossible that Christ our true Aaron should forget his people which beléeue in his name but hath them in continuall remembraunce being now gone into the holy of holies that is the kingdome of his father the most holy place of all And the same care which the Lord Iesus had of the Iewes his choise people at the first the same care hath he of the Gentils that is of vs and other nations of the earth which beléeue in him because the wall of separation is pulled down and there is now no respect of persons with the Lord but in all nations he that feareth the Lord and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him As for me thou doest set me before thy face for euer This then sheweth that none are in such safetie as the godly none so wel guarded as the godly none so well prouided for as the godly for God doth set them before his face for euer so that howsoeuer the world goeth yet God doth alwayes remeÌ„ber theÌ„ as he did remember Abraham wheÌ„ Sodome was destroyed for as he was mindfull of his promise which he made to our forefather Abraham which is called the father of the faithfull so will he be no lesse mindful of his promise which he made to his séede y t is to all y e faithfull for euer Because he is the Lord â—haungeth not Who dareth offer violence to the Princes beloued in the presence of the Prince Who shall presume to take the â—â—gnet off the Princes finger Who will take a praye out of the Lions claw And who shal snatch the Lordes choseÌ„ out of his hand whoÌ„ he hath set as a signet vpon his right haÌ„d Iâ— there be no safetie in the preseÌ„ce of y e owner where is safetie Nature doth teach vs no lesse The child fearing to be hâ—â—rt of any body runneth before his father or his mother and then thinkes him selfe safe Nature hath taught the very dogge to runne before hiâ— master when he feareth any body that commeth to hurt him but yet these may be deâ—ceiued for what if the father be so vnnaturall that he will not rescue his child or if he be willing what if he be not able being ouermatched or if he be able and willing at one time what if his minde chaunge what if his affection be estranged at another time if he be not altered in affection what if he knoweth not when his sonne is iniuried if he knoweth when what if he knoweth not by whom if he knoweth by whom what if he cannot come by him And many things moe what then why then Vltra posse non â—st esse He can do no more theÌ„ he can But with the Lord our heauenly father it is not so for as he is able being almightie so he is most willing being our father through his sonne Christ. As he is willing so is he vnchauÌ„geable as he is vnchaungeable so hath he all knowledge and therefore knoweth by whoÌ„ at what time in what place in what maner and for what cause any thing is done in the whole world and as he hath all knowledge so is his Maiestie euery where present therfore there is no flying from his preseÌ„ce And as he is euery where so is he iust and true and therefore cannot be bribed nor peruerted as he is all in all things so all things are his and of him are all things whatsoeuer they be and therefore he hath néede of nothing What shall we say more shall not therefore Gods children be most safe most happy before his face in whose presence is life and at whose right hand are pleasures for euermore no doubt of it Let the wicked then tremble let Sanballat and Tobias be astonished let Ashur Pashur be abashed let Corah and his coÌ„panie be confounded let Ioab and Iudas go hang them theÌ„selues with their trecherous kisses and their traiterous conspiracies let Ananias disseÌ„ble his wifâ— take his part and let them perish in their hypocrisie And the foxes which séeke to destroy the Lordes vineyeard and their cubbes by whose vndermininges the vine hath buâ— small grapes let them take héede that they be not taken in their owne wilinesse foâ— they cannot go so closely nor yet so cuningâ—ly to worke against Gods children but thâ— Lord â—éeâ—h them well inough For he hath seâ— his children before his face for euâ—â— This was it y e dismayed Paâ—rie y â— bloudâ—butcher when he came with a full resolutiâ—â— to lay hands vpon the Lordes annointed hâ— saw in her very countenaunce the face 〈◊〉 God that is some litle sparke of his Maiestie which did so coole his courage that his traiterous hand was not able to accomplish the bloudie deuise of his hart the Lordes name be blessed for euer And were it possible for her to haue escaped so many daungers as she hath passed through euen from her infancie if the Lord had not set her before his face and geuen his louing kindnesse charge to waite vpon hir The Lord therefore set her in his sight and defend her with the light of his countenaunce for euermore But if this be true will some say why do the wicked séeme to preuaile so often as they do against those which feare the Lord Surely it is true they séeme indéede to preuaile against them when they confounde themselues And for the most part their laughter is but from the téeth outward and the end of their mirth is heauinesse But y e truth is so that God séeing his children to were proude of his presence and to forget themselues like
y e Lord they are in peace for Shalem is peace There brake he the arrowes and the bow the shield and the sword the battaile The stoute harted are spoiled they haue slept their sleepe and all the men of strength haue not founde their handes At thy rebuke ô God of Iacob both the chariot and the horse are cast a sleepe therefore because thou art the God of Iacob for he is so tender ouer his Church that he will not abide any to annoy or molest his Church except it be for y e greater good of his Church the further greater confusion of their enemies Whō shall we now praise for our deliuerance we recken our ships giue them high prayses we vse to say in the forgetfulnes of Gods goodnes we may thanke such a ship such a thing and such a meanes so forth but we should say Blessed be the Lord God of Israell for it is he that wilbe and must be knowen in his Church Whom haue we to stād by vs if euer our enemies come againe but the Lord God of Israell Let vs say thē as the Psalmist saith God is our hope and strength and helpe in troubles ready to be found Therfore will we not feare though the earth be moued Some will say we haue ships at sea the hope the reuenge the dread nought and so forth nay God is our hope God is our reuenge God is dread naught indéede Though the waues of the sea be troubled and rage and the moūtaines shake at the surges thereof Yet there is a riuer whose streames shall make glad the Citie of God euen the sanctuarie of the Tabernacles of the most high God is in the midst of it therfore it cannot be moued The Lord of hostes is with vs the God of Iacob is our refuge Now marke what followeth Come and behold the workes of the Lord what desolatiōs he hath made vpō the earth He maketh warre to cease he breaketh the bow and cuts the speare and burneth the chariots in the fire Now heare what y e Lord himselfe saith Be still saith he know that I am God I wilbe exalted among the heathen and I wilbe exalted in the earth In the next verse they doe exalt him saying Th◠Lord of hostes is with vs the God of Iacob i◠our refuge Noting nothing to be the caus◠of all these workes but onely his couenant which he made with his Church In the first of S. Luke this is plaine He hath vpholdē Israel his seruant being mindeful of his mercy As he hath promised to our fathers Abrahā and his seede for euer The virgine Marie is of the same minde He hath sent vs deliueraunce saith she from our enemies and from the handes of all that hate vs but the cause thereof was his mercy which he shewed to our fathers in remembring his holy couenaunt and the othe which he sware to our father Abraham not mentioning any thing in her selfe Therefore whensoeuer we stād in néede of the Lordes helpe as we do continually let vs be sure that we are the Israell of God and then claime his promise and let vs not then doubt for he is faithfull and cannot denie him selfe And so much for the cause y t moued God to be so good vnto Dauid The second thing that I obserue in these wordes is the large extēt of Gods loue For therfore doth the Prophet call him the Lord God of Israell to shew y t God is not a God of one onely but of all y e faithfull to the end of the world He was not onely Dauids God but he is our God also or els perhaps some might say Oh Dauid was an excellent man and a man after Gods owne hart and God did assist him wonderfully But God is the same God to vs that he was to Dauid and will assist vs as mightely as he did Dauid if we call vpon him as Dauid did Yea to euery one of vs he is the same for God is no accepter of persons not the Iewes more then the Gentils the wall of separation being pulled downe But in euery nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him Whosoeuer is a right Israelite is such a one as feareth God and whosoeuer feareth God is a right Israelite therefore when Iesus saw Nathaniell he said Behold indeede an Israelite in whom is no guile therfore he that feareth God and is without guile is an Israelite indéed that is one of Gods children indéede what a comfort is this to all the faithfull though they be neuer so poore and base in the sight of men yet God is their God they being his people and they may chalēge his promise aswell as any other and God will surely heare them and they shall say Blessed be the Lord God of Israell Now are we to cōsider of the next words why he saith world without end He doth not praise God so long as the benefit of deliuerance lasteth and no longer but so long as his mercy endureth and that is for euer for it hath pleased the Lord to chuse vnto him selfe a Church and a kingdome out of Angels and men which neuer shall haue end and those shall praise him continually as well for his iudgements as for his mercies And this is it that S. Iohn set downe by the spirit of prophecie when he saith I heard a great voyce of a great multitude in heauen saying Halleluiah saluation and honor and glorie and power be to the Lord our God for true righteous are his iudgements We vse to say if a mortall man doth shew vs any curtesie or bestow any benefit vpon vs Oh giue him great thankes but how great thanks and what presents shall we offer to God who gaue it him first and gaue him a heart to giue giueth for euer If a Prince should send vs any thing were it neuer so litle for a remembrance we will thanke him according to the worthinesse of his person not according to the value of the thing which was sent But God is the Prince of al Princes and he giueth more then trifles for in him we liue and moue and haue our being and he hath giuen vs his Sonne who hath purchased a kingdome for vs which shal neuer haue end And if it were but our bare being here he were to be praised for euer how much more for such and so many benefits as can neither be numbred nor valued Yea for his infinite wisedome which he hath caused to shine in all his works of creation if we consider but the excellent wisedome of God in a poore litle flie he is to receiue infinite praises for the same How much more for his infinite goodnesse power mercie iustice and prouidence ouer all his creatures and his vnspeakeable loue towards his children in his couenant of grace If a sily man shall frame