fill in them they haue Gods blessing inwardly in the peace of a contented minde outwardly in so much as is sufficient The wicked who haue them in greater measure haue them not vnder Gods hand nor as his blessings but as stolne wares that they shall answere for because they haue no right vnto them by Christ nor hold them in Capite that is in him Therefore their table is a snare vnto them and their prosperitie their ruine They liue to the encrease of their damnation and they die to take possession of it Fourthly they who with the glorified virgins wait for Christ in the life of the righteous are alway prepared for death when it knocketh Mat. 25.10 to open vnto it And what is a prepared death but an happy death And what followes an happie death but an happy life neuer to die againe Such goe in with Christ to his marriage of euerlasting life We see then that the last houres repentance the common refuge of worldlings as it commeth short of a sanctified life Vse so it seldome reacheth to an happy death or life after death For as the tree boweth before it bee cut downe so it falleth and in the place where it falleth there it shall be Eccles 11.3 That is as we liue so wee commonly die Or shall we thinke that men can easily begin righteousnesse at their last houre and that repentance in that houre is ordinarily good and sound repentance Let them well consider this who put off their conuersion to God and send away by hope of repenting old all those good motions that knocke at the doore of their hearts for a sanctified life One saith well While the Lord speaketh to thee make him answere and while he calleth let there bee an eccho in thy heart such as was Dauids who when God said seeke yee my face presently answered thy face will I seeke Psal 27.8 The Lord hath promised pardon to him that repenteth saith another but that hee or any other shall liue till to morrow he hath not promised Many in their puttings off fare as if they should say Lord let me sinne in my youth and pardon me in mine age But where in the meane season is their walking before God yong that peace may come when they are old And is it not a iust thing that men dying should forget themselues who liuing neuer remembred God Surely let them looke for no better who watch not the stealing steps of death in their tower of repentance in the life of the righteous And if moe things belong to repentance then can bee done in an houre and well in a mans life as to bring forth the buds of it young to beare fruits of it at more yeares to ripen it being man and to gather it toward death in the autumne of fruits how can they thinke one poore houre to be sufficient to bring the seednesse the spring the summer the autumne and full crop of these things together in so short time and how can they hope in such a span of life to prepare themselues for the Lord when so many els of long lâ—fe afford so scant measure to the best men to set them in a readinesse for him Let vs therefore while wee haue time laying vp treasures in heauen for our soules store vp in the summer of life for the winter of death which will come Prou. 6.8 In our last sicknesse and vpon our death-bed we are fitter to seeke ease for our bodies then mercie for our faults and grace for our soules Besides how fearefull will it be to be taken then by sudden death as by some vnexpected Officer without baile or warning and by it to bee brought to the goale of the earth in the bodie and in the soule to perpetuall prison in the torments of hell Of this more was spoken in the first Sermon and vse of the last doctrine there But shall they who liue well here Vse 2 liue well hereafter that is blessedly then their desperate and cursed errour is confuted who blaspheme the way of righteousnesse saying that it is to no purpose to bee so deuout godly and that they are most wise who giue themselues most libertie in the pleasures and iollitie of life So say the wicked in Malachy it is invaine to serue God Mal. 3.14 And the wicked in Iob say what profit to pray vnto him Iob 21 15. As if they should haue said we may serue God and we may pray to God but there is nothing gotten by it or they speed as well and are as wise that are cold in these matters as they who kindle and are hottest in them But they Prophet here saith that peace shall come that is they shall see the peace of God in heauen who make peace with God here and they that serue him shall raigne before him The wicked are as the chaffe which the wind driueth away Psal 1.4 That is so soon as God punisheth them with the wind of death their hope is gone But the godly haue a sure foundation and no storme either of death or of mans ill will can blow them to destruction whose house beeing builded by God not on the sand of time but vpon a rocke vnmoueable standeth fast in all changes Math. 7.25 The builder vp of Sion is the wise God whose worke abideth for euer Let the vngodly oppose themselues neuer so much they shall not be able to beate down Gods house and death is their aduantage Phil. 1.21 Or if the Princes Palace be safely guarded we must not think that any of Gods houses shall be left without their keepers sufficient watchmen and the righteous shall flourish when the hornes of the vngodly shall be broken And thus it is no vaine labour nor gamelesse seruice to serue the Lord. Doth a good life bring a good death Vse 3 Then the despairing words of Gods children in a troubled skie and when the waters enter into their soul as that God hath forsaken them that God hath cast them off in displeasure that God will not saue them and such like are words of distemper not of reason and iudgement For will God cast away his people The answere is Godforbid The meaning is hee will not Rom. 11.1 Neither can mans changeable tongue alter the decree of God that is vnchangeable Rom. 3.3.4 And we must not iudge of the estate of any man before God by his behauiour in death or in a troubled soule For there are many things in death which are the effects of the sharpe disease he dieth of and no impeachments of the faith he dieth in And these may depriue his tongue of the vse of reason but cannot depriue his soule of eternall life Which may bee spoken also of a troubled soule For as in a troubled water the face in the water cannot bee perceiued which when it commeth to be cleare is manifest so in a troubled spirit the face of Gods mercie seemeth to be changed against vs and to
this is the very case of some of those whose life we thinke to be so happie and condition of life so without knot So much for the persons that shall be rebuked the things for which follow Of all their wicked deeds which they haue vngodlily committed The matters about which the sessions of the last day shall be holden by Christ with all wicked sinners concerne their deeds and speeches according to which or the euidence of which they shall be reproued of him at his comming Their deeds are to be said vngodlily committed that is done against the law of God in the first and second table For euery sinne though it be done directly against man yet hath a kind of defect and withdrawing from God And for the manner of committing them it is not said that they were sinnes of infirmitie or accident but sinnes done after an vngodly manner or to render it by the aduerbe as here vngodlily or sinnes not weakely but wickedlie committed and not vpon occasion but of purpose that is from an vnrepentant heart and mind addicted to vngodlinesse The Apostles meaning is that they doe not euill vnwillingly but gladly nor against their mind but purposely nor sometimes of weaknesse but continuallie or that they are of the occupation of sinne and follow it as men doe their trades and for this they shall bee rebuked to damnation Doctr. 1 The doctrine here taught is That not simply the committing of vngodlinesse but the committing of sinne vngodlily bringeth death not our being in sinne but our trading in it will condemne vs. Indeed to commit a sinne deserueth death but to lie in sinne bringeth it So the Apostle Iohn is to be vnderstood when he saith He that committeth sinne is of the Diuell 1. Ioh. 3.8 For his meaning is he who giueth himselfe ouer to sinne in whom Christ neuer destroied sinne cannot be the child of God but of the Diuell nor child of saluation but of death â—inne destroied not Dauid for he repented of it but sinne destroied Saul for he would not leaue it to the day of his death If Iudas had repented for betraying of Christ as Peter did repent for denying of Christ Iudas had not perished more then did Peter Iudas did cast to doe euill Peter was circumuented therefore Peter obtained mercie Iudas died in his sinne Sin therefore doth not principally or so much condemn a wicked person as his impenitencie in sinning a greedinesse to commit sinne For a man may haue an infirmitie and not die of it and regenerate man may commit some sinnes and not be damned for them Else why came Christ Was it not to saue sinners that is repentant sinners 1. Tim. 1.15 I speake not this as if sinnes of infirmitie did deserue pardon For I haue said that euerie sinne both of infirmitie and other deserueth death Yea sinnes of infirmitie in Gods children deserue death and are sinnes but by grace they loose their power and condemnation Rom. 8.1 and so are as they are accounted not sinnes vnto death but sinnes that shall not bee condemned and his sinnes who shall not die The reasons All are sinners in Adam and all haue sinne in them that came from Adam and therefore if sinne simply should condemne a man no man should be saued Secondly a man may commit sinne as the Apostle did who said the euill that I would not doe that I doe Rom. 7.19 But sinne so committed is couered in mercie that is is accounted none or is not imputed that is standeth not vpon the booke and so goeth for no debt and is made by remission no sinne and if no sinne by account then none to condemnation Further wee are that in account that we are in affection and hee is no sinner who striueth to be none Now if no sinner in account then no sinner vnto death But it is so with all Gods children who are in sinne as a Malâ—factor in prison that would gladly go out and cannot that is though they doe euill they would with all their hearts would doe otherwise and therfore in some sinne doth not condemn which in others sinning vngodlily that is willingly wilfully ordinarily is to condemnation Thirdly when Gods children fall out with their sinnes which they euer doe and doe by true repentance God comes in with them being in with them they are no longer accounted enemies by him but friends and so their sinnes cannot hurt them For who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen Rom. 8.33 That is who shall obiect any thing against them that shall bee able to condemne them or harme them But this should not be if the committing of sinne simply should bring death Vse 1 The vse of this point teacheth vs to distinguish betweene sinners and to put difference in sinnes committed by Gods elect and reprobates For the sinnes of Gods children are sinnes of infirmitie so are not the sinnes of the wicked that bring death and sinnes of infirmitie befall not gracelesse sinners The ordinarie drunkard though hee call his sinne of drunkennes his infirmitie yet is it his inexcusable sinne And large couetousnesse is not an infirmitie but sinne of idolatry in those that commit it Raigning anger is a great iniquitie so is the custome of swearing Buyers and sellers who trade with lying as they doe with wares are obdurate sinners not sinners of infirmitie And they who so offend let them repent quickly or they shall beare their condemnation whosoeuer they be Gods children may fall into some of these sinnes or all yet though they fall into them by infirmitie they rise vp from them by repentance but the wicked fall into them and lie in them and loue them Againe the sinne of wantonnesse is couered by sinners with a cloke of naturall infirmitie and the wicked lend a sigge leafe of excuse to prankes of vanitie in striplings and yong men But the godly say with Dauid Lord remember not the dayes of my youth Psal 25. and the sinnes of my youth they call not infirmities but rebellions If yong men dance and colt and ryot and poure out themselues to all excesse not onely on common dayes but on the Lords day cockering parents and carnall masters will iustifie all the profuse wickednesse and say Youth must haue a time But godly parents will sacrifice care for their children with Iob in such a case Iob. 1.5 and religious masters say for themselues their seruants with Iosua in a like matter I and my house will serue the Lord. Ios 24.15 And if any such wickednesse be committed by their children or any in their house they wil not beare it with the vngodly but bee against it with Dauid Psal 101.3.4.5.8 and protest against the doers of it with Nehemiah Neh. 13.21 So for mispending of time The wicked iustifie that vnthristinesse the godly bewaile their losse of precious time The wicked say how shall we passe the time They cast to doe euill the godly say let vs redeeme the
haue appeared to the world and are manifest to vs why should wee arraigne the Lord of any slacknesse or make question of the day that is so farre spent alreadie in the signes that wee haue spoken off But these matters are further opened in the Sermons that follow to which I humbly pray you and the Christian Reader in you to haue duerespect Not for want of better treatises in this kind for there are many after some of which I haue gleaned with poore Ruth in this small worke as after the men whose hands were full Ruth 2.15 but because they containe nothing in perswading to the power of godlinesse but what is written and what the word which is written doth teach for instruction to a godly life Accept therefore I pray you what is here offered by you vnto many and take in good part my endeuour therein So with many vnfained praiers for your true and full welfare which I vnfainedlie wish to you your yoke-fellow and all yours in the world and in the Lord I rest Your worships poore Nephew humbly at commandement for all christian duties ROBERT HORNE THE FIRST SERMON ECCLES chap. 12. vers 1. Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth before the euill dayes come and yeares approach wherein thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them THis Booke of Ecclesiastes was written by Salomon after hee was fallen from the good way of vertue to the high way of sinne and prophanenesse forgetting his God and forsaken of Wisedom whereof hee had great gifts when he was young and when hee followed the wisedome which is of God And he calleth it the Booke of the Preacher as if he should haue called it the Booke of his Retractations His end of writing it was That it might remaine in the Librarie of the holie Ghost as a testimonie vnder his owne hand of his turning from God by errour of life and of his returning to him by repentance where hee sheweth hauing seene all things in his wisedome that men can neuer bee happie in or for these things wherein the men of the earth repose chiefe happinesse And this hee teacheth by his owne deere-bought experience for hauing tried all things as mirth and wiues buildings and beautie and riches and honour and the like he confesseth that as a Horse in a mill after he had gone in his long circuit or blind maze of twentie yeares prouing conclusions and trying nouelties hee found himselfe to be where he was at first and further from God and goodnesse at the end of his wearie course than at the beginning wherein he had proceeded to destruction if God by his mercifull arrest had not stayed him Therefore returning into the fauour of God and wearied with the errours of his foolish way he concludeth in this Book that all is vanitie vnder the Sun More specially in this Chapter hauing in the former disswaded his young man from that follie that had almost vndone him and raigneth in young yeares wishing him not onely to flee the concupiscences of youth and all habit of mind in them but to giue no way to his corruptsenses lest they proue baits to catch him and hookes to choke him being taken with present destruction and certaine death he here sheweth him the meane by which this young man and all men may escape so great daunger and that is a carefull walking in the sight of God and obedience to God in the sight of men furthered by remembrance For as the forgetfulnesse of God is a great attractiue to sinne so they sinne not so commonly nor greedily that remember their Maker So much in general for the occasion and author of this worthie Booke and subiect of this Chapter So I come to the words now read And they containe an exhortation and the reasons by which it is amplified The exhortation is to remember wherein two things may be considered the person to bee remembred and the time of remembring him The reasons are likewise two the first is taken from the impediments that old age giueth to Gods seruice the other from the incommodities of mans last sickenesse The exhortation standeth thus If thou wilt constantly doe the works of holinesse to God neuer let it slip out of the meditation of thy heart that God doth require of thee by right of creation that thou godlily serue Him all the daies of thy life And the doctrine from hence is Doctr. 1 The remembrance of God that is the hauing of Him alway before vs in His infinite holines wisdome goodnes power truth is a speciall meane for religion and His true feare in our waies Thus Dauid reasoned I haue set the Lord alwaies before me that is God was euer in my mind to serue Him and feare Him therefore I shall not slide that is God hath set my feet vpon a rocke and in the slipperie waies of such as forget God I shall not be moued He considereth that at all times and in all places God was present with Him both as a Lord to surnay His waies left he should slip grosely and as a Father to comfort Him when He slipt of infirmitie therefore Hee kept his heart in continuall awe preparing it for the Lords presence The Lord all sufficient requireth of Abraham that He would walke before Him Gen. 17.1 that is that He would make Him the Arbiter of His thoughts the Interpreter of His words the Lord of His waies and commit all His doings to Him and then will Abraham without all question make the Lord His feare and doe all His workes in His name In Micah this is the Question wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bowe my selfe before the high God Mic. 6.6 that is how shall I please God in my waies and rest on His will and the answere is made by Micah or rather the Lord by Him Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and that is to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God verse 8 the meaning is that thou shouldst alway set Him in thy sight beleeuing that He doth guide and gouerne thee And surely when wee behold the Lord in His promises of reconciliation that He is at peace with vs of sanctification that He will renew vs and of prouidence and safetie that for our good He will watch ouer vs being at our right hand by His Angels and at our left by His creatures we cannot chuse but reuerence and loue Him at least feare to sinne against Him because of His infinite goodnes and power In the 116. Psalm the Prophet Dauid after some notable cause of thankfulnes for His deliuerance from death so neere by Sauls pursuit because He would remember by obedience what God did for Him in that wofull houre doth promise to walke before the Lord that is diligently to attend do His cōmandemēts in the Land of the Liuing that is alwaies on Earth specially in His temple It is euident therefore that this hauing of God in our sight
the meaning is that this diligent search of Gods power in the register of his noble workes is one excellent meane of godlinesse and signe of one that is godly But what shall we say of those who take liberty to doe euill because they are made great as if he that made them were not greater Psal 76.12 and who walke stubbornely in their sinnes because they may walke quietly in them without any mans checke not caring for nor dreading his iudgement of rebuke who hath power is strong to bring sinners to destruction To such I say Doe yee prouoke the Lord and are yee stronger then hee 1. Cor. 10.22 if hee touch the Mountaines they smoke and if he strike hard shall they not burne The Sorcerers who ascribed so much to the finger of God Exod. 8.19 what would they haue said of his whole hand what is stubble to fire and what are wee to God Our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12.19 But God is our Creator Doct. 2 therefore againe we are taught to shew our selues in knowledge and obedience yea by all meanes and waies such as are readie alwaies to glorifie this our Creator This moued the Apostle of the Gentils writing to the Romans to exhort them to offer vp to God as in a sacrifice by obedience First their bodies mortifying them that is sinne in them Rom. 12.1 And secondly their minde by renuing of it that is by seeking to make it of old new of fleshly spirituall of prophane noly and of euill good and acceptable to God in Christ ver 2. But was this written to them or for them onely or doth it not also concerne vs seeing that he who made them made vs and who saued them must be our Sauiour The same Apostle writing to the Collossians chargeth them and vs in them whatsoeuer they doe in word or deede whether they vse their tongues or labour with their hands to doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus that is thankefully to ascribe all to God the father of Christ and our father in Christ Col. 3.17 And wherefore so but because the Father hath made vs and the Sonne hath redeemed vs as hee also saith in another place glorifie God in your bodie and in your Spirit for they are Gods as all are his 1. Cor. 6.20 The reasons No tradesman but would haue all that hee deuiseth or maketh to haue some vse and that vse to his minde and liking and what Man of occupation can abide that the tooles and instruments by which he worketh should by one comming into his shop be vsed to a wrong end and will not hee who hath created all things for his glorie and seruice haue Man his principall worke more principally seruiceable to his will and glorie or can he abide that one of his chiefe tooles that which was made to be to his praise should turne to his dishonour becomming an instrument of vnrighteousnesse to sinne which was made a weapon of holinesse to God Secondly Mans body is called the Temple of God or House made by God 1. Cor. 6.15.19 and shall we not keepe Gods House cleane If a man hauing a faire dwelling-House whereinto he meaneth to receaue his Prince should conuert the same into a stie or stable would not men say that hee did greatly abuse both his House and Soueraigne So if we make that which should be a Palace to God by swearing lying drunkennesse adulterie and such vnclean pranks a stie of Hell and stable for the gouernour of this world would not good men say that we reproch our Creator and dishonest the House of Him that made vs An instruction to make conscience of euerie sinfull way Vse as wee would bee afraid to pollute and dishonest the Princes Court or House and if we would be ashamed to be fit for nothing let euerie thought and purpose make vs blush which doth manifest that we can be of no vse to God when we goe on in sin let vs reason against such proceedings and say Surely God made vs to another end and this is no good vse of our creation This is not to make our bodie a vessell for God but a stie for Diuels or heard or droue of swine for vncleane Spirits to enter into Math. 8.31 And surely the more filthie a mans bodie is the more fit it is to become a lodge hold for Diuels sinne Wee haue eyes to see the Heauens and the soule in Gods image hath other eyes to looke into heauen Al other creatures goe with their eyes and bodies depressed to the ground and where other creatures haue but foure muscles to turne their eies about Man hath a fifth to pull His vp to Heauen And what is this but to teach vs that howsoeuer we necessarily seeke other things yet wee should first and chiefly respect and respecting seeke the things of God in our saluation But at this day though Men goe vpright outwardly in face hypocritically in shewes yet looke into their liues and worke and they may as well goe on all foure Is this to remember thy Creator and remembring Him as thou oughtest in feare and with obedience to set thy heart to His commandements and to adorn thy creation with good works seruing God So much for the person to be remembred the tyme of remembring him followeth In the daies of thy youth c. As god is to bee remembred so wee must begin betimes to remember him For many make a shew and wil seem to walke with God who walke in no awe nor reuerence of His word and many also forgetting with the common Parents of the world that they who transgresse shall die be it in youth or age eate the forhidden tree of putting off from day to day to turne vnto the Lord Gen. 3.2.3.6 and so thinking it too soone to beginne in the flight age of youth or at Mans estate carefully to serue God turne all their termes into vacations and like bad borrowers when one day or terme of life is past craue a longer and alonger till they be staied by the arrest of death and sent to the prison of hell and their lie bound in fetters of long night and death eternall Therefore Salomon giueth his yong Man counsell earely to begin repentance that is in the prime and bud of his life while hee is fresh and gallant and not to tarrie till the dead winter of age cause his buds to fade and lease to fall or till the brawne of his strong armes fall away or till the keepers of the house the hands which defend the bodie tremble or till euery thing be a burthen seeing euen the grasse-hopper shall then be a burthen or till they waxe darke the eies that looke out at the windowes or till the grinders cease that is teeth fall out of his head or till the dore of his lips bee shut and â—awes fallen or till the daughters of singing the eares be abased being vnable any longer to heare the sounds of
in the good way young that they may sucke the milke of the Gospel with the milk of their Mother But to moue such to doe this dutie with more thankfulnesse let it be considered first that such instruction so giuen by Parents is more naturall and kindly then that which is giuen by strangers For as a tender plant will sooner take nourishment thriue better in the soile wherein it first grew and sprung vp then in any other ground because it liketh it owne soile best so tender children will sooner take instruction and good teaching from the Parents with whom they best agree as with their best and most naturall soile in whose loines they seeded and tooke their first roote then they can or are like to doe from strange Teachers when they shall be transplanted as it were into an other stocke and family or be exposed to grow vp in another soile of people then that in the which they had their first nature and sap of being Secondly who but Parents haue such as bee very young and tender vnder their charge and direction Now while they are yong one may work in their youth as in the day Ioh. 9.4 but when the night of their stubborne yeares commeth that season for good things is commonly lost Thirdly as Plants set in the Spring grow and prosper better then they which are set in Winter or Autumne so the instruction that is giuen in the spring of youth better prospereth and doth more edifie then that which is giuen in the Autumne of manhood or winter of gray haires Fourthly as Parents haue brought forth their children the children of wrath by nature So it concerneth them by the doctrine of Regeneration as by a second better nature in all good conscience to help to make them the sonnes and daughters of God by faith Fiftly Parents will betimes put their children forth to good trades And is there any trade of their life for honour delight or riches comparable to the trade and way of godlinesse Is the trade of wisdedome as other common trades which is a tree of Life to all that lay hold of it Prou. 2.18 The meaning is it increaseth strengthneth life where worldly trades if they be wel followed spend and diminish it and where other trades are vncertaine it hath the promises of this life and of that which is to come and where other trades are subiect to the course of this world being sometimes better and sometimes worse this is not so but alwaies good for God hath sealed vp his promise to it that it shall neuer faile which being so how carefull should Christian Parents be not to put off to put out their children carely and as it were at breake of day to such a profitable certaine and happie trade of life by which they shall be sure to liue euer with the Lord But if Parents will not betimes bind their youth by precept vpon precept Esay 28.10 as by Indenture and by Christian discipline as by Indenture sealed to so good a trade I beseech their Christian youth to offer themselues vnto it Sixtly Parents should remember that they help to build or pull downe the Christian world for in their children they beget and beare Parents to posteritie And if they learne no good while they be children how shall they teach it when they be fathers Seuenthly Parents are Gods Husbandmen and their children his seed and husbandrie 1. Cor. 3.9 as therefore in the husbandrie of this world the good Husband before he reape or inne one crop will plow and prepare for another yea and get the best and purest seede that at the time of haruest he may receiue some good increase So God hauing made religious Parents his husbandmen and their children his seede and husbandrie they should see that the haruest of Gods church be in some good proofe and well comming forward in their seede and posterity before their owne croppe be inned in their owne blessed death For Gods husbandrie must not die nor be giuen ouer till death bee vanquished which is the last enemy they must deale with Hee that hath or meaneth to haue and preserue a good Orchard will haue a nurserie also of young trees to feede it with and of these tender trees hee will be more carefull then of those elder in his Orchard of fruits The reason is they may sooner be bitten or nipped or the canker may sooner take them then the other trees God loueth and maketh much of the Orchard of his Church in the old store but hee is tender of it in the nurserie and new store that consisteth of babes in Christ growing to holinesse because the canker of euill things may soonest breed in them heards not of Beasts but of Diuels may soonest bite and nip them and so the Vineyard that God loueth so well may for want of supplies from the seminarie of young men and children begotten to the Gospell become desolate and wast for euer Now is God thus tender of his spirituall Nurserie and shall Christian Parents his husbandmen neglect it Doe they not know that the old trees cannot stand alwaies and that sooner or later they must be cut downe with the axe of death should they not then looke well to the nurserie of the younger impes in their charge by hedging with good nurture and discipline the young men and young women whom they meane to set as trees of righteousnesse in the Orchard of the Lords Church should they not water them with good teaching dresse them in good and due manner paring away their riot and superfluities of apparell of pleasures of play and prouide that no dangerous worme eat into them by any carely habit in euill vnmet with or if they shall despise or post of this so important a dutie what can we call them but prophane and such as leaue Gods Church in worse case then they found it The hope of the Church is in the youth that now haue being for if they be well brought vp they will be carefull that such as proceed from them shall haue good bringing vp also that age will commend this good education to another the next to them that follow and they to others by an inuiolable tradition till there be an end of all generations on Earth And as this is a lesson for all Parents so specially for Parents of great Families for the greater the ship is and the better merchandise it carrieth the more neede it hath of an expert and carefull Pilot. And so the greater a childe is by blood possessions the more need he shall haue of some speciall Ouerseer and one that greatly feareth God to be guide to his youth The contrarie carelesse nursing vp of such in vice and idlenesse is cause of these great wasts that wee find to be made so ordinarily in the best patrimonie of the common wealth for as the fattest soile bringeth forth the rankest weedes when it is not plowed so great houses not well
nor looketh for precisenesse and exactnesse in matters of religion at the hands of Gentlemen and Noblemen and that such drudgeries are to be imposed vpon vile and abiect persons for so they speake of the poore that receaue the Gospell but what say such men to Dauid who set himselfe with his whole heart to seeke the Lord and what will they thinke of Salomon who in this booke of his repentance calleth himselfe Ecclesiasâ—es or Preacher Are they better then Dauid and wiser then Salomon or doe they thinke because they liue better that is in better estate then poore men that therefore they shal liue longer and what difference concerning death betweene a Nobleman and a Beggar Eccles 3.20 when both goe to one place when in these Acts and Scenes of seeming life as at a game at chesse the highest now vpon boord may presently be the lowest vnder boord when the breath in the nostrels of the Rich may assoone be stopped and they assoone turne to their dust as other Men A fourth impediment is taken from the pleasures or lusts of youth things that bring repentance and sorrow like sweet meates of hard digestion for what are they when they come to the shot and reckoning are they not deare penniworths to all such guests as will needes be Merchants of them Salomon in this booke tels vs that though they be pleasant to the eie eare mouth and senses of a young man yet in the mind they leaue behind them an vnsauorie after-taste or loathsome disdaine For like an vncleane spirit in him they cast him now into the water and now into the fire Mark 9.22 And these are the lusts of youth by children so earnestly desired and by old folkes so much lamented A fift impediment of godlinesse is that beautie in youth which is too delicate and tender to weare the rough garment of repentance and a strict life but how soone is it blighted and strucken as the faire flower of glasse blasted with an eastwind for beauty is but a flower which if some sicknesse strike not suddenly yet the autumne of ripe yeeres impaireth and the winter of old age killeth and what careth death which is indifferent to all for a faire and goodly complexion And is not a beautifull face as mortall as a foule hue The like may be spoken of health strength and stature of body for what are they and of what time In their owne nature they are fickle things and without good vse crosses for concerning health the deuowring vulture of sicknesse doth after some short time waste it to nothing strength is common to vs with Beasts and there are many beasts stronger then we and for our comely stature it may as soone be brought downe to death and as deepely be buried in the coffin of the Earth as a meaner cize shall Further if men haue not vsed these to Gods glory but to pride and vaine glorie nor haue made them helpes to godlinesse but haue giuen them their head at sinne it will be said after death of such that a beautifull person a strong young man a goodly tall fellow and one that neuer knew what sicknesse meant is gone to Hell Therefore of beauty and hâ—â— attendants as health and strength and a goodly stature that may be spoken which is spoken vsually of fire and water that they are good seruants but ill Masters where they are ruled they doe good seruice where they ouer-rule they make foule worke A sixt impediment of godlinesse is the bad fellowship and example of those who being themselues drunken with the pleasures of youth seeke to drowne others in the same perdition and destruction and therefore offer to them the full cup that they likewise may stagger and fall from God by the like error and disobedience But Christian young men must turne away their eyes from very seeing the inchanted cuppe of such carnall Counselours And though they beate their eares euery day with such foolish sounds as these are that it is too soone and vnkindly in youth to be religious that such yeeres are for the lap of the world not for Ezras Pulpit that youth must haue a time c. yet euery day they should set Iosephs locke vpon them of not hearkning vnto them nor of being in their company Gen. 39.10 for it is a true saying he that toucheth pitch shall be defiled with it So hee that will touch the pitch of such must looke to be defiled with the companie If a man that had wallowed in the mire tumbled in the filthy chanel should offer to companie with vs would we not loatâ— and shun him and why would wee so auoid him but because quickly he would make his filth to cleaue vnto vs And doe not bad wicked persons set their markes and sinnes vpon those with whom they company Doe they not where they come leaue of their filth that is some print or badge of their prophanenesse behinde them And shall wee sit so close to them who haue so plunged themselues in the mire of sin who should either labour to drawe them out of filthinesse or withdraw our selues that we proue not as loathsome filthy as they are Should we not rather say if any will bee filthy let him be filthy by himselfe and if any will be beastly let him be beastly alone the filthy person and beastly man shall not haue me for a companion my soule shall haue no pleasure in him Heb. 10.38 Pro. 1.10.15 4.14.15 Now where these corrupt perswaders wil tell a yong man that makes conscience of his waies That other yong men doe not so that young man if he will be Christs yong man in the Gospell must answere him say That yong men should consider not what the most doe but what the best doe that shall bee saued whose way is narrow and walkers in it not many Math. 7.14 Also that it is to be regarded not what the world doth to which we must not bee fashioned Rom. 12.2 but what Christ did and the Saints whom wee haue for leaders who yong kept the path of vertue and walked not in the common rode of sinners These and such like impediments of sanctification in young men and they who meane to giue their yong time to God must striue to ouercome yong by fighting that fight of faith and a good conscience to which their Baptisme hath sealed them 1. Tim. 1.18.19 Then Vse 3 they are here reproued who suffer sinne to grow in them by custome and vse till it bee helplesse and who suffer it so long to breede in the bone that it will not out of the flesh For we should deale with sinne as with a thorne which we will plucke vp yong and in the tender spray and not tarry till it be growne and haue daggers prickes but some suffer it till it be as an old man so deafe and froward that either it will not heare or it cannot In all their life they finde no
is caught with the Lime-rodde and the Fish that is taken in the Net the more they striue the more they entangle themselues So the more impatient men are of Gods corrections the more stripes they purchase to themselues in the snare and vnder the net of that their humiliation the more intolerable also they make the tie of their crosse and the more improbable their issue and going out Hee that carrieth a weightie burthen the more he stirres and moues it the more it oppresseth him and so the more vnquiet and vnruly we are vnder the heauy burthen of the Lords chastisements for sinne the more we gall our soules and bruse our flesh in vaine where by our patience wee may auoide such needelesse vexation and tirings out it being truly said which is commonly spoken that of sufferance commeth ease Some haue no faith more then sense teacheth them who beleeue as farre as they can see and further then their sight leadeth them they will not set one foote downe toward faith Some know not the word neither what God hath promised in it to those that feare him and therefore when they come into trouble they despaire of help themselues with shifts and fetches of their owne head not attending the Lords help because they know not his power by his word nor what mercie hee will shew to those who put trust in his saluation as the word doth teach Iob knew his mercie and power and therefore did not fume against the Caldeans nor murmure against the Lord but bore his losse quietly and thankefully trusting in God Iob 1.21.22 Dauid meditated much often in the Lawe and therefore fretted not against Shimei who railed against him but searched his conscience and went vnto his sin making the Lord his hope 2. Sam. 16.10.12 And He who was like a bottle in the smoke forgate not Gods statutes that is knew Gods promises in his word and truth in his righteous testimonies and therfore receiued comfort that is that word or rather the truth of God in that word sustained him in all troubles Psal 119.147 So much for the season of his attendance The attendance it selfe followeth I would wait c. The action of Iobs attendance is deliuered by a word that signifieth to wait or to wait by hope for a thing or to tarie and abide the deferring of it till it come and to looke as seruants for their Master when hee will returne in the euening His meaning therefore is that he will wait and be ready alwaies for his happy death till it come how long soeuer it bee in comming Doctr. The point here taught is Christians must bee alwaies in a readinesse to receiue their change or to speake plainly Christians must euer bee prepared for their death Something hath been spoken of this already in the first Sermon and second doctrine but it is a matter worthy our further search Our Sauiour Christ therefore to shew that this should be the expectation and mind of Christians exhorteth them to bee as men that wait for their Master when hee will returne from the wedding which was in the night as is euident by their receiuing of him with lights and by the custome that was obserued in mariages then which was to bring the Bride from her fathers house to the mans house in the night Luke 12.35.36 And so modestie was the mufler of the maids of those daies Now they that wait for their Master that is that wait diligently for his comming home in the night will set vp lights in the house haue some in their hands These lights are the Word which as a light shineth in a darke place This world is a wildernesse and we naturally blind that is without vnderstanding and therefore we must haue the light which is put in the lanthorne of the Law to guide and direct vs stil in the dangerous waies of it Psal 119.105 and this light must be burning in vs that is wee must adde zeale to our knowledge for it is of no vse if it want fire and burning And it must bee in our hands our hands must handle the word of life 1. Ioh. 1.1 and we must not bee hearers onely but doers Iam. 1.22 Secondly they that wait for their Master stand at the gate or before the doore looking for his returne So they that wait for the day of their redemption must stand with Abraham in their tent doore and with Eliah in the mouth of the caue waiting for it Gen. 18.1 1. King 19.9 that is they must dwell in the world as in tents and as strangers in these caues of the earth wait for their house aboue Thirdly they that looke with attendance for their Masters comming will haue his house in a readinesse against his comming to it and whatsoeuer may offend shall be taken out of the way so they that looke for Christ and wait by hope for the day of his comming will purge by repentance all the roomes of his spirituall house put away sinne and bring in righteousnesse into euerie power and member of soule and bodie Fourthly they that wait for their Master with a louing and chearefull desire of his comming will take vp the time with talking and thinking of him so they that looke for Christ will reuerently talke of Christ and as Christians thinke thoughts of Christ and haue Christian musings or thinke much of death and often that they shall die which must needes keepe them in a continuall loue and expectation of Christ and of death In the booke of Esay one of the exercises of the godly is said to be their waiting for God or which may haue this meaning their waiting for his saluation by death that they may goe to God Esa 25.9 where it is entended that they did not onely reioice in his saluation but so liue that death might bring them in the Charet of their godly life to the God of their saluation Thus did Simeon that embraced Christ and thus did Ioseph that embalmed Christ waite for the kingdome of God Luc. 2.25 23.51 and their saluation by death Luc. 2.25 23.51 They liued not contented with their present estate but waited for a better and as Elijah came out of the caue when the Lord came to him so they were ready alwaies to come out of the caue of their bodies to meet the Lord. 1. King 19.11 And thus they stood in their dore who waited for the appearing of the Lord Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 1.7 that is thus they waited who waited for the day of their death wherein they might goe to the Lord and for the day of the Lords appearing wherein he would come to them Lastly this is the propertie of the sonnes that they waite for the adoption that is looke for the fulfilling of it in death by their owne full redemption Rom. 8.23 The reasons And that the faithfull ought thus to waite and bee prepared for death at all houres may further be proued First they know
of paine for the fruition of that which is perfectly pleasing and good Or to change death for life Or to passe from a wearie pilgrimage to their desired homes where they shall not onely neuer feele miserie but bee euer happie and blessed with the full sight of that the glimpse wherof shining vpon the face of our Sauiour in his transfiguration made Peter to say Master it is good to be here Math. 17.4 Salomon saith Better is the day of death then the day in which wee were borne Eccles 7.3 And why better except because when we are borne we come into misery when we die we goe out our death beeing changed by the death of Christ and made vnto vs not a death as the Law maketh it but our path and mid-way betweene this life and the other which is eternall or our doore and little wicket out of this world into that world and kingdome which is prepared for the Saints inhabited of the Angels and receiueth honour from God who is the light and temple of that Cirie Lastly death hath lost his sting his hell his victorie I speake in regard of the righteous that which remaineth if wee liue in the spirit and die in the Lord is profitable for vs. For it shall bring an end of all our labours and giue vs vp into the hands of Iesus Christ Now what feare is in all this Let them feare therefore who haue giuen vnto them a spirit of bondage and of feare in which they tremble at their owne estate and which maketh them to carrie in their breast tormenting furies that hold them day and night in the feare of endlesse death Let them feare who rest in sinne liue in errour and ignorance follow the lustes of the world and walke in all the waies of death but let not them feare who are at a couenant with themselues to haue no pleasure in such fond courses and direct waies of death but to haue their pleasure onely in the word of God to vnderstand it and in the mysterie of Christ to bee lightened with it who hate sinne that they may haue hope and walke in righteousnesse that they may walke with Christ Let not such feare for the power of death Satan is broken before such and such may haue boldnesse when they goe out of the world that they shall goe to God A comfort therefore to the faithfull Vse 3 who haue born the brunt of life for such may be comforted in death as a Souldiour who hath endured the skirmishes and scarres of warre is glad and may haue ioy that the enemie is spent and the warre ended where others because they haue spent no time or so little in the Lords seruice and giuen so few strokes if any in the cause of his truth and glorie may feare at the approach of death and iustly complaine of that day as of a day of death indeede and that eternall In the eleuenth Chapter to the Hebrewes the Apostle sheweth what great troubles the seruants of God endured and how ioyfull they were as at a royall feast in all those troubles and sufferings for Christ that they might enter vpon the comfortable death of the righteous They were so farre from fearing death as worldlings feare it that they ranne gladly to it in their hope of the resurrection and reioiced in the welcome day of death as in a day of the greatest good that could befall them The reasons were they knew with Sampson that they should slay moe at their death then they slew in their life Iudg. 16.30 As first that they should slay their last enemie by death which is not slain but by dying And secondly that they should kill the spawne of all enmitie sinne 's sinne which bred death 〈◊〉 4.7 and the miseries of eternall death Which death in the Saints bred by sinne as the worme in the flower killeth the corrupt flower that bred it that is that sinne that caused death And this made c I doubt not but the Prophet here sinned by impatiencie but his hope was in death Eliah to desire death not life and rather to die then to liue saying It is enough 1. King 19.4 It made Dauid to lay vp his flesh in hope Psal 16.9 It made Paul to say I am readie not to bee bound onely but to die at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus Act. 21.13 And as Simeon said Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace Luke 2.29 So the godly haue such comfort in death that they say with old Simeon and all Saintes Come Lord Iesu come quickly Apo. 22.20 apprehending death as their onely way to Christ and guide to happinesse and applauding death as Iacob applauded the Chariots that Ioseph his sonne sent for the bringing of him out of a land of miserie into a land of plentie and fulnesse where hee should haue foode inough the best in the land Gen. 45.27.48 The hope of Iob and expectation of the Saints is that they shall see God and come to Christ by death presently in their soules and in their bodies at the last day when all the bones in Golgotha shall rise at that voice that shall say returne yee sonnes of Adam Psal 90.3 For though death shall swallow them vp as the Whale did Ionah and shall binde them as the Philistims did Sampson and the shroude did Lazarus hand and foote Ioh. 11.44 yet the Whale of the earth shall not hold them nor the snares of death and shroude of darknesse preuaile against them when God shall speake by his last trumpet to the graues of the earth and they shall cast out all the Lords Ionahs Ion. 2.10 The bands of death shall fall asunder as corruption and rottennesse in that day in which Christ shall command the holds of darkenesse to deliuer his Saints saying loose them and let them goe Ioh. 11.44 This then beeing all that the righteous shall loose by their gainfull death For they shall loose a short miserable life and receiue a long euer blessed life in glorie what losse can there be in death and what greater aduantage then by dying This the godly know and therefore reioyce in death as they that finde great spoiles They finde that their bodie such as it is now in the estate of corruption is an image of golde which is disfigured that it can be brought to no shape till the owner melt and refound it to a new similitude Euen so the bodie that at first was beautifull hauing such a grace and maiestie set in the face of it that after a sort and outwardly it resembled the Creators image fairer then any of Gold they finde so to bee troden in the mire and so mishapen by sinne that it can neuer receiue the beautie and condition of the first worke till it bee dissolued and new-moulded by the hand of GOD at the resurrection of all bodies and therefore they desire death as the first necessary and blessed work-house of this their
peace they haue not knowne O we are men and not Angels say some A little to tread awry and a little to goe out of the way is but a humane frailtie and an inch breaks no square But to such we may say it may be our frailtie thus to doe But if wee presume we may so doe or if we striue not to doe otherwise it may bee our destruction that wee so did and the losse of our peace for euer Indeed we are men by nature but we must correct nature by grace and labour to be good men We are not Angels it is true yet wee must imitate the Angels and an inch in finne may so far breake square as it may send vs square and roundly to hell Be perfect saith our Sauiour Christ as your heaneuly Father is perfect Math. 5.48 It was spoken to his Disciples and it is spoken in them to vs. Wee can not neithes could they be perfect in the same measure yet as they were charged so are we commanded to be perfect in the like manner by a kind of conformitie and imitation The meaning is we must endeuour to be what perfectly we cannot be And how can we then iustifie any limping in the way or little going out of the way of grace by small infitmities It is pardonable in Christ but not iustifiable by vs. Therefore where we make such littles of sinne as a little oath a little meriment a little of the fashion and a little must be borne with let vs know that Satan by such littles maketh his kingdome great For as a couetous man gathereth by halfe pennies and by pence till he come to poundes so the diuell getteth his wealth from some by littles here a little and there a little Prou. 6.10 till finne be full and many litles in finne make a great totall There is no dalying with God nor playing out and in our progresse to saluation which is to heape wrath vpon wrath til it come to a mountaine or from some small heapes to come to a treasure Rom. 2.5 The way is to giue the water no passage to pound in sinne and to giue no way to occasion to take heed we be not led away from our stedfastuesse in knowledge and grace 2. Pet. 3.17.18 not to trip if we can chuse but to make straight steps in the way and to hold on our fellowship in the Gospell from this day and hereafter Philip. 1.5 Blessed is the seruant whom his Master when he commeth shall find so doing Math. 24.46 But it is said here that they enter into peace and come to rest that walke before the Lord as it were vpon two legs the right of sound religion and the left of an vndefiled life for where one of these is lacking there is halting in the way as also where they be seuered and where both goe not together The doctrine is Doctr. A good life hath a good death and they who liue well here shall liue well that is blessedly hereafter Dauid made this question Lord who shall rest in thy mountaine that is in heauen not as Pilgrims for a time but as heires for euer Ps 15.1 and God maketh this answere He that walketh vprightly and worketh righteousnesse verse 2. that is he that liueth holily shall die purely and liue for euer He that loueth the face of God in his Church shall see the face of his pleasures in his kingdome The same Prophet with some small alteration of the words asketh the like question to which the like answere is made The question is who shall ascend into the Lords mountaine Psal 24.3 that is who shall be taken from their pilgrimage to their countrey and from this mortall vale to the hils of immortall rest and the answere is He that hath innocent hands and a pure heart verse 4. The meaning is he that liueth charitably with men and holily with God or that is not vniust to men nor an hypocrite to God He that professeth the Gospell and is carefull of his waies not walking vpon a leg and a stumpe as they doe who seeme religious and liue ill or appeare righteous and are prophane hee shall stand before the Lord for euer Esay likewise maketh a question and answere to this effect Who saith he shall dwell with the deuouring fire who shall dwell with the euerlasting burning Esay 33.14 His meaning is who shall abide the presence of God who is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 and dwel safely before him This is the question and the answere is He that walketh in iustice and speaketh righteous things c. ver 15. that is whose waies are without offence and words without guile he that saith well and doth well shall dwell on high ver 16. or rest safely in the mountaine of peace And Christ our blessed Sauiour telling vs who shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen as the hypocrites of heart who make a stirre with their mouthes and put no good work into their hands who prophecie in Christs name and doe nothing for for his name and call him Lord but make their lusts their Lords telleth vs that they shall enter into heauen who doe his fathers will which is in heauen Math. 7.21.22 All desire to rest in the holy mountaine of God but few behaue themselues as Pilgrims in his tabernacle Yea all desire with Balaam to die the death of the righteous when there are few who take care to liue the life of the righteous that they may so die Num. 23.10 Therefore our Sauiour sheweth that our talking of saluation will not bring vs to it nor our wishing to bee in heauen send vs thither If we will be saued then we must liue as the heires of the grace of life that is as the sonnes of God not as brands of hell The reasons Though nothing be due to a good life by desert on our parts or by debt on Gods yet it being his merciful promise that all such shall be happie both here and hence in this world and in Gods kingdome Psa 112.16 c. 128.1.2 he will not and because it so pleaseth him cannot call backe his word whose promises are all yea and Amen that is no sooner made 2. Cor. 1.20 but as good as done Therefore they that liue godly shall die blessed Secondly they who liue well liue in obedience to God Now they who obey a good master are in fauour and encrease in wealth and shall the seruants of God liue in miserie and die vnrewarded Also they who conforme to Gods commandements are his faithfull scruants and loyall subiects whom a good master and gracious Prince must needs countenance Thirdly the Apostles words are plaine that godlinesse hath the promises of this life and of that to come 1. Tim. 4.8 As much as if hee had said They who walke according to this rule shall be blessed here and blessed in heauen Indeede the godly doe not alway prosper in these outward things yet wanting them or their
be quite gone which out of temptation and in a calme time shineth wonderfully in our eyes Besides for these outward things whether they befall a man in life or death all things come alike to all Eccles 9.2 And so one may die like a lambe and goe to hell and another die in exceeding torments with lamentable vnquietnesse and shrikes of slesh and goe to heauen But you will say They both say and thinke that God hath cast them off And I say againe that it may be their speech and opinion and yet nothing to the preiudice of their saluation by Christ For when and why doe they so speake and thinke It is not then and because they are sicke of that despaire which ariseth either of the weakenesse of nature or of the conscience of sinne toward death And what maruell if then in that taking they vtter some distempered words and haue strange and vnquiet thoughts Therefore though they should thinke they are damned and speake it in such a disturbance and at such times it can be but the voice and opinion of their sicknesse and a sick mans iudgement of himselfe is not to be regarded So much for the act of walking the obiect before whom followeth Before him The obiect of our conuersation is God the righteous walk before him or haue him before them in all their life looking vpon him as vpon a God of glorious maiestie that wil not iustifie the wicked of gracious mercy that pardoneth sinners of speciall prouidence that numbreth our steppes and of infinite knowledge that seeth all our waies or they haue God before them in Christ and Christ in God beholding his iustice behind the skreene of his mercie and perceiuing his mercie through the darke cloud of his iustice And they who so doe Doctr. cannot but do that which is good in his sight The doctrine then is The best meane of a good conuersation is to set the Lord alway before vs. This hath beene partly spoken of in the first sermon and first doctrine The way to walke aright is to behold the Lord in all our waies So did Eliah who therefore saith to Ahab As the Lord lineth before whom I stand 1. King 17.2 Where hee confirmeth his speech with an oath and lest Ahab should thinke he made no conscience of what he said addeth this clause that he stood in the presence of God As if he should haue said I set God before me in my sayings and therefore make conscience of that I say Cornelius in like manner considering that hee was before God in Peters ministery prouoketh himselfe and others with him to a solemne hearing of what shold be spoken from God vnto them and therefore said Wee are all here present before God to heare all things that shall be commanded vs of God Act. 10.33 His meaning was as if he should haue said to Peter though wee much reuerence thee yet wee more reuerence a greater in place then thou art to wit that terrible God and consuming fire that speaketh by thee And indeed who is he that setting alway before him the God who is of pure eyes and cannot behold euill Habac. 1.13 will not loth the practising of iniquitie if he haue any sparke of grace in his heart or blood of shame in his face for what Subiect would dare to walke vndecently and not feare to doe euill in the eye of his Prince or would a man steale in the presence and before him that must iudge him for his theft And how then can we sinne presumptuously if we set him alway before vs Qnest who is iudge of quicke and dead But how shall we set the Lord before vs that we may liue so as is here required and bridle sinne that it haue not the head among vs I answere Answ We must set him before vs in his last assise remember him as our dreadfull iudge and this will much restraine vs from sinning against him The euill Steward when he remembred that hee had a Master who wold shortly take his office from him did wisely though not iustly in it Luc. 16.4.8 The contrary for getting of the iudgement to come and Iudge that will come is the cause why so many so much differre to knocke at the gate of Heauen with the hand of repentance and voice of their praiers putting off till there be no opening Math. 25.11 And therefore as riotous persons who hauing little in their purse doe in their Inne call for all sortes and varietie of Cates forgetting that a reckoning and shot will come so these gracelesse spenders in their Innes of ease forgetting or putting off the shot and doome of the last day doe nothing but bath themselues in the delights of sinne and put inough vpon the reckoning account to come that they may walke securely acording to the course of this world in all manner lusts and vnrighteousnesse contemning God Am. 6.3 Secondly we must set the Lord befóre vs in his word for so shall we doe wisely and not goe out of the good way till he come vnto vs in our death or at his great day Ps 101.2 Ios 1.8 and largely in the 119. Psalm throughout For this cause the word is called a treasure Mat. 13.44 A treasure which is to be found onely in the field of the scriptures of the old and new testament that we may hide it in our hearts as we safely lay vp a treasure Papists therefore who walke in their owne inuentions as in by-waies and Protestants that walke not in the way of Gods commandements but in the blind-way of their ignorant and foolish hearts that are full of darkenesse Rom. 1.21 Set not the Lord but all manner sinne and concupiscence before them to worke the same with all greedinesse Eph. 4.19 Thirdly we must set the Lord before vs in his mercies and louing kindnesse and this will bridle a good nature from sinning against him For the kindnesse of a father manie times ouercommeth a bad nature and then what is it not able to doe with a good nature Gods kindnesse to vs and tendernesse of vs is more then the kindnesse of any father and tendernesse of any mother to the child whom they dearely loue Esay 49.15 And if we doubt of this remember we the stories of Dauid and of the prodigall sonne For how did the fatherly compassion and motherly pitty of the Lord worke nay exceed toward both of them Dauid committed two great sinnes not repenting for them but lying in them and adding diuers other great euils vnto them The Lord did not for all this reiect him but had great care of him and when he sought not his pardon sent it home vnto him by Nathan in these words The Lord hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not die 2. Sam. 12.13 The prodigall sonne had run a long and wild course of errour yet did the pittifull father at his comming backe not driue him away but meete him in the way nor speake roughly to
to all the persecutors of Gods Church and people Vse 2 who driue from their pastures and send to the slaughter-house the harmelesse lambes of Christs fold For Christ will come to iudgement against all those who in such manner and so cruelly smite their fellowes with imprisonment and death Math. 24.49 And the beast and false Prophet shall bee cast into the lake of fire and brimstone there to be tormented day and night for euermore Apoc 20.10 Men may not iudge the Antichrist of the West though he doe neuer so badly yet God will iudge him And such portion shall they haue from the Lord euery one that smiteth downe his people and vexeth his heritage So much for the first of those things for which the wicked shall be rebuked the second followeth And of all their cruell speakings which wicked sinners haue spoken against him The last of those things whereof the vngodly shall be iudged is their cruell speakings that is words proceeding from a cruell minde in all vngodly and railing tongues of euill men For men shall receiue according to that which is done in the bodie or any part of the bodie whether hands or tongue Doctr. 2. Cor. 5.10 The doctrine from hence is The wicked shall not onely answere for their euill deedes but for their bad tongues So saith our Sauiour Christ By thy words to wit if they be gracious thou shalt be iustified and by thy words if they bee wicked thou shalt be condemned Math. 12.37 Salomon did confesse as much when hee said that death and life are in the power of the tongue Prou. 18.21 as if he had said as a man ordereth his tongue well or ill so shall hee receiue his sentence from the throne that iudgeth right either vnto death or life And hee further saith He that keepeth his mouth his meaning is is considerate or wise in the words of his mouth speaking but when hee ought and what hee should keepeth his life that is prouideth well for his saluation hereafter as contrarily he that is carelesse of his tongue or cruell in talke shall come to destruction Prou. 13.3 The Prophet Dauid saith hee that desireth life and loueth good dayes let him keepe his tongue from euill Psal 34.12.13 Then they who keepe not there tongue shal neither see life nor the good dayes of life but inherit the euill that they haue paid for with their bad tongues And Saint Iames saith that a fierie tongue shall haue a fierie doome Iam. 3.6 For as it hath done so God will doe vnto it Iudg. 1.7 And it is iust that that which hath set on fire the course of nature should it selfe be set on fire by the curse of God The reasons If as we heard sentence must be giuen for euerie thing that is done in the bodie then for words which are vttered by the tongue a part of the body 2. Cor. 5.10 Secondly the mouth is the sin-hole of the vncleane heart for out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Mat. 12.34 And what is due to the one is payable to the other If the one deserue iudgmēt both deserue it and if one be punishable both are Thirdly cruell tongues are compared to sharp arrowes and coles of Iuniper to shew that as arrowes sent out of a bow by the hand of a strong man flye with great force and violence and as Iuniper-coles are not onely very hot but doe long continue so So cruell words forced out of an euill heart and wicked speeches fired by the malice of a spitefull soule doe not only pierce violently through the name of the innocent but leaue a long and incurable wound in it after the blow giuen And doe not such tongues deserue to be rebuked in iudgement Psal 120.4 Yea surely And therefore among the rabble of reprobates spoken off 1. Cor. 6.10 railing persons and railing tongues are in the number But shall cruell speeches and speakers be iudged to condemnation Vse 1 It shall be then an admonition to the godly patiently to suffer the reuilings of men and not to render euill for euill one euill word for another Rom. 12.17 Some giue reproch for reproch as if they would fight against an iniury not with the weapons of Christ who being reuiled reuiled not againe 1. Pet. 2.23 But with the Diuels weapons of impatiencie and reuenge The Prophet saith his enemies laid a snare for him Psal 119.110 Did hee therefore lay another for them No he would not shoote with Satan in his own bow recompencing sin with sin but stuck to the word committing all to him who saith Vengeance is mine I will repay Heb. 10.30 Rom. 12.19 This is written for our learning and therfore seeing that the reuiling tong shall be brought into iudgement let the Lord iudge it let not vs iudge it before the time And as our Sauiour saith resist not euill Mat. 5.39 So let vs bee so farre from fighting with the wicked at their owne weapons auenging our selues that we be ready rather to suffer two wrongs then to reuenge one ver 39.40.41 Dauids example is notable in this case who when Shemei that Cur-dog snarles fiercely at him being then King would suffer nothing to be done vnto him for it but with remembrance of his owne sinne and wicked sonne suffered him to goe on leauing him to a higher Iudge 2. Sam. 16.5.6.7.8.9.1.11.12 An instruction to looke carefully to the good ordering of our tongues Vse 2 seeing wee must bee brought to our account for speeches as well as for deeds Saint Iames saith be slow to speak and slow to wrath Iam. 1.19 As if hee should haue said If thou bee of an hastie minde keepe thy tongue long in thy mouth the scabbard thereof and draw not that sword hastily so shalt thou neither prouoke so much nor be prouoked so soone Salomon the Preacher giueth like good counsell bidding a Christian not to be rash with his mouth Eccles 5.1 His meaning is the Tongue is an edge toole that will cut where it should not if we handle it rashly and nimble and light tongues cannot but doe much harme and therfore we must keep the tongue in the sheath if we would not be cruell speakers and such as must come to our answere for bloud Set a watch before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lips was Dauids prayer and must bee our practise Psal 141.3 And why did the Prophet pray the Lord so earnestly to set his watch at the gate of his lippes but because he knew wel that without Gods watch ouer his words they wold rather pursue mischiefe then follow peace And shold we not fear more then he to let our tongues goe at such liberty without a keeper and watch man being nothing so able to guide them as he was This would be considered of those who turne their tongues loose and giue them leaue to vtter whatsoeuer the lusts or malice of their heart can inuent For lewd words do not only worke
on themselues but on those that heare them on themselues to destruction and on their hearers to infection and malicious tongues doe not onely destroy the soule that vseth them but wound the innocent name of those against whom they are bent and vsed So they are to giue a double account for their wicked speeches one for hurting themselues another for harming their brethren So much for the last of those things that are to be iudged which is further amplified and that by two properties as first that those speakings are cruell and secondly that they are spoken against Christ Cruell speakings c. The speakings of the wicked are said to be cruell speakings because by them they cruelly raged against the righteous and after a sort drew blood from them in the point of their credit and sometime in the case of their life bitterly accusing or tauntinglie mocking them And now where these things are stiled with the name of crueltie The doctrine is Doctr. That the scornes and reuilings of the wicked incident to Gods children are persecutions Among the grieuous trials of the Saints this that they were tried by mockings was reckone one Hebr. 11.36 And thus was Isaac persecuted by scoffing Ismael Moses saith no more but that Sarah saw the sonne of the Egyptian mocking her sonne Gen. 21.9 yet S Paul speaking to that point saith He persecuted him Gal. 4.29 Saint Pauls meaning is that scoffes and girds at men for good waies are sore afflictions and the point of cruelty at their heart It was not the least part of Christs suffering that the instruments of his death and many limmes of the Diuell so despitefully wagged their heads at him in great disdaine and that they spate upon him and spake vnto him so disgracefully and so cruelly saying Thou that destroiest the temple and buildest it in three daies saue thy selfe c. Math. 27.40 A great portion of the cup of his bitter Passion consisted in this that hee was mocked for his confidence in God For they said He trusteth in God let him deliuer him now if he will haue him Psal 22.8 Math. 27.43 The reasons First it is a degree of murder thus to speake Math. 5.22 For to speake cruelly is to speake wrathfully with despitefull tongues and goomes in blood Secondly such speeches proceed from a contempt of the grace of God in those who so suffer And it greeueth them more and they set it more to heart that God is contemned then if themseles were to suffer reproch and contempt yea losse of their goods and that which is dearer to them their life Hebr. 10.33.34 Act. 20.23.24 Lastly that which sauoureth of cruelty must needs be an affliction But cruel speakings are such for they are cast vpon the righteous with terrible indignities and therefore cruell speakings are afflictions First Vse 1 this doctrine doth teach vs to feare to be scorners of our brethren as we would be afraid to be persecutors of them The practise of godlinesse which standeth by the law of God and the good lawes of this land is called Puritanisme and the professours of it in a by-name Puritans But let such reprochers of the good way of the Lord in their fellow-christians bewaile such cruell speeches lest proceeding so to doe the Lord rebuke them at his comming And for the Papists whose bitter railings we haue heard and rancor against the truth of Christ we know let them learne here that they are right Ismaelites and therfore bound ouer to condemnation for their cruell speakings against Christ and the Church of Christ Like iudgement is to be giuen of all filthy speeches of vncleane Sodomites which gall the simplicitie and very soules of the righteous Secondly Vse 2 true christians here learne to prepare for to bear the scourge of tongues For among other persecutions that they must looke for persecution by euill tongues is one The Disciple is not aboue his Master Math. 10.24 Thus men dealt with Christ and they must expect accordingly to suffer that are in Christ It is our Masters reproch and we must beare it Hebr. 13 1â— or properly our own reproch and good reason wee should beare it So much for the first propertie of the wiâ—ked the second amplified propertie followeth Which wicked sinners haue spoken against him That which was spoken against the godly is here said to bee spoken against Christ For hee taketh the iniuries of his Saints to bee iniuries done vnto himself they that deale despitefully with them deale contemptuously with him The point taught is Doctr. Whatsoeuer is spoken or practised against the godly for their righteousnesse is esteemed as spoken and done vnto Christ for whose sake and cause they so suffer The people had cast off Samuel whom God had chosen Therefore the Lord counted himselfe despised because they had despised him whom he had chosen 1. Sam. 8.7 Saul persecuted the church and Christ saith I am Iesus whom thou persecutest to wit not in my person but in the church my members Act. 9.4.5 Also concerning his Disciples Christ saith and concerning all the godly in them Hee that despiseth you despiseth me Luc. 10.16 The reasons That which is done against the bodie concerneth the head but Christ is the head of his church and the church is his bodie Ephes 1.22.23 And therefore what is done against the Church is done against Christ Secondly It is not we that are hated but the cause of Christ in vs when we suffer for righteousnesse And wil not he reuenge his owne abuse and desend his own glorie He that spurneth against his truth spurneth against him And shall not the Lord turne to confusion all his despisers A terrour to those who reproch a good man for his goodnesse Vse 1 and a religious man for the truth For the Lord will proceede against such not onely for their iniury to man but for their blasphemie to God So they that smite his seruants shall be as they that smite himselfe For as hee that beateth a mans scruant abuseth the master So he persecuteth Christ that vexeth his seruants Pharao Saul Senacherib Herod and others found the truth of this in their fearefull destruction because like desperate wretches they fought against God in his Saints A comfort to those who defend a good cause Vse 2 For they stand not alone but hee standeth with them who is stronger then all men And of God bee on our side who can bee against us Rom. 8.31 If wee haue such a cause as Hezekiah had we may say with like confidence as Hezekiah didâ— there be 〈◊〉 with vs then are with them 2. Chron. 32.7 2. King 6.16 Dauids cause was the Lords and hee found that God would bee neare to auouch his owne truth in the middes of his enemies Therefore was hee deliuered from the battell that was against him for many were with him Psal 55.18 To conclude therefore let vs prouide our selues of a good cause and wee shall be sure of a strong