preferment as it is probable did allure and tempt him If Iob the iust abstained from euill If Ioshua whatsoeuer others would yet hée and his houshold would serue the Lord ought not wee then in these daungerous dayes to doe the like especially séeing the Lord giueth vs warning that we cannot liue holy without great battailes The Lord of his vnspeakeable goodnesse giueth vs power and grace to ouercome all Sathans assaults in such sort as there is none excuse for vs if wee doe not as they did For they liued not in times when all things were well ordered or when men were as Angelles No they liued among Idolaters aboundance of wickednesse raigned in their time there was as great store of vice that raigned in the world then as there is at this day Yet notwithstanding they followed not the bent of other mens bowes as the Prouerbe is but they retired to them selues being well assured that they ought to serue God So then let none of vs in these daies wherein wickednesse hath gotten the vpper hand alleadge the corruption of the time in that all goodnesse is turned topsi-turuy but rather let vs consider that God by the meanes thereof prouoketh vs to bee so much the more careful by all possible meanes to shunne and auoyd those things that may any way infect vs. For seeing that wee plainely perceiue that vices are as it were an euill aire we must flie from them as if a man should tell me if I trauell such a way théeues lie in wait for me I shall be robbed my meat is poisoned I shall be slaine if I escape not another way Wherefore then are we not carefull séeing that the Lorde himselfe sheweth vs that all the vices in the world are as badde as deadly plagues And séeing that the Lord of his great mercy had giuen them his spirite to abstaine euen from not onely euill but from the appearance of euill let vs not doubt but if we by feruent and deuout prayer repaire vnto him that at this day he will assist vs with like power The second part of the eight Sermon Psal 25.18 Looke vpon mine affliction and my trauaile and forgiue me all my sinne The sense thereof is MAny and grieuous are the trauailes troubles and afflictions which I thy dutiful seruant and obedient sonne doe suffer in such sort as though thou haddest no regard thereof I most humbly beséech thée O Lord my God for the Messiahs thy dearely beloued sonnes sake to behold and looke vpon thē that thou mightest powre forth thy bowels of mercie and compassion vpon me in ridding and deliuering me out of them and because I am not O Lord onely outwardly afflicted but inwardly tormented the cause of all I most humbly and sorrowfully confesse vnto thine vnspeakeable goodnesse to be the huge and odious multitude of my sins which for filthines do stincke in thy nostrils for whose sake thou layest this heauie burthen both of outward and inward griefes vpon me I humbly beseech thee to burie them in the pit of obliuion that they neuer come into thy remembrance to cast them into the bottome of the sea that thou neuer sée them and to remitte and forgiue them al through the meanes and mediation of the Messiah thy dearly beloued sonne Christ Iesus who shal when the fulnesse of time is come take vpon him our nature and suffer the most bitter death and passion on the crosse for the redemption of all that beléeue in him both of them that liued before his incarnation in whose number and in which time I am one as also after his incarnation to the worlds end Text. Looke vpon mine affliction Doct. 1 1. Doctr. Generally out of the whole verse The principall desire of the godly is that the Lord would weigh their wofull estate The reason is Because first they know him to be a righteous iudge euer dealing fauourably with his people Secondly their consciēces do tel thē that notwithstanding they are gréeuous sinners against the Lord yet their enemies abuse them for the truthes sake Vse The Vse is to teach vs in all our miseries vnfainedly to repent vs of all our sinnes against the Lord so may wée with good consciences come vnto him with complaints in all our miseries Chastisemēts we sée are profitable for they cause the godly afflicted to come to God by praier to confesse and craue pardon for their iniquities transgressions and sinnes But yet notwithstanding we daily and hourely see that these said chastisements profite not all men also that hée giueth not all men the grace to returne vnto him For it is not enough for God to strike vs with his hand except hée touch vs within also by his holy spirit If God soften not the hardnes of our hearts it wil be with vs as it was with Pharaoh Similitude For men are like vnto stithies or Anuiles the beating vpon them is not able to change their nature for we sée how they beat backe the blowes againe Euen so then vntill God haue touched vs to the quick within it is certaine we shal in our afflictions do nothing but kicke against him and gather rancour more and more whensoeuer hée chastiseth vs we shall gnash our teeth at him and vntill regeneration alwaies storme at him And without all doubt the wickednes of men is so mischéeuous so head-strong and so desperate that the more that God chastiseth them the more do they vomit vp their blasphemies shew themselues to be vtterly past amendment so that there is no way to bring them vnto reason Let vs learne then vntill God hath touched vs with his holy spirite that it is vnpossible that his chastisements should serue to bring vs to repentance but rather to make vs worse and worse yet can it not be said that God is not righteous in so doing for thereby men are conuinced euen so much as if God held them not at a bay in such sort by punishing their sinnes they might pleade ignorance that they neuer knew of it and that they had ouer-shot themselues because God had not prouoked them to acknowledge their faults but when they haue felt the hand of God so as they haue béene faine to perceiue his iudgements in despight of their téeth and haue bene as it were summoned yet notwithstanding haue not onely gone forward from euill to worse but also bin puffed vp with open rebellion against God Héereby wee sée they haue their mouthes stopped and that they haue not any more to say for themselues You see then how God sheweth his iustice as often as he punisheth men notwithstanding it be not a correction for their amendment Obiecti ∣ on Furthermore when God chastiseth the reprobate it is all one as if he should out of hand begin to shew his wrath vpon them and that the fire of it were alreadie kindled Soluti ∣ on True it is that they are not vtterly consumed for the present time howbeit they are
THE Care of a Christian Conscience Ten Sermons on the 25. Psalme preached in Tewkesburie in the Countie of Gloucester By Richard Curtis NVNC AVT NVNQVAM Imprinted at London by Simon Stafford dwelling on Adling hill neere Carter lane 1600. TO THE HONORABLE AND VERtuous Lady the Lady Dorothee Stafford widdow one of the Ladies of her Maiesties bed-chamber Simon Stafford wisheth all honor and happinesse in this life and in the life to come perpetuall glorie and rest THE straight and dutifull consideration of so many great fauors with which your Honorable disposition hath vouchsafed to grace me vnworthie the least of them hath compelled me thus presumptuously to dedicate these Christian models albeit the talent of another mans zealous inuention yet as the tithe of my poore Printing-presse vnto your honourable patronage hoping that in regard of their worth and not of my deserts you will likewise peruse them at conuenient seasons The vtilitie of them I neede not rippe vp seeing that your owne deepe-grounded wisedome wil hereafter by experienced perusall find out the same far better then either my simple mind can imagine or my pen lay down Onely this I humbly craue of your Honour that my good deuotion herein bee acceptable vnto you for our Sauior Christ preferred the poore widdowes mite before the golden offerings of the rich And is it not written that Artaxerxes a Pagan King daigned to receiue a cup-full of cold water at the hand of poore Synetes Whose president I imitating am emboldened to register your Heroicall name in the forefront of this booke intituled The Care of a Christian Conscience nothing doubting at all but that your Honours name is registred in the Booke of life for the Christian Care which you haue extēded to many of the poore distressed members of Iesus Christ Thus ceasing I beseech the Lord to cōtinue you in your godly course endue you with all blessings which eyther this earth affords or heauen contains From London Aprill 20. 1600. Your Honours most bounden Simon Stafford The first Sermon vpon the 25. Psalme 1.2 3. verses 1 Vnto thee O Lord lift I vp my soule THe sence is Many are the slaunders great are the iniuries which the wicked O Lord my God the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost thrée persons and one eternall God do raise vp against me thy humble and obedient seruant being vpright as thou knowest and innocent of that great offence to séeke the destruction of thine anointed Saul which whosoeuer doth shall neuer be guiltlesse in thy sight as I now am and for as much as thou knowest that to be deliuered from lying lippes flaunderous toungs I earnestly desire that mine integritie and vprightnes being knowen vnto thy maiestie may also vnto mē appeare I put not my trust as worldlings do in any worldly thing but my trust being fully fixed in the only one God I humbly and hartily in the name and by the mediation of thy dearly beloued sonne Iesus Christ the Messias which is to come beséech thée to deliuer me so shall I praise thy name all the daies of my life Doct. 1 1. Doct. In all our afflictions we must lift vp our hearts to God only by Praier The reason is It is the hand wherwith the Lord from heauen reacheth his benefits vnto vs. Vse Vse Let vs exercise it at all times For euen as the birdes and fowles of the aire that they may escape the nettes and snares of the fowlers flie vp on high so we to auoid the infinit snares of our enemies and innumerable temptations must lift vp our selues from the corruptions lying vanities and deceitful sleights of the world by earnest and harty praier When the sacred Scriptures mention the honoring of God the chiefest point which it setteth downe to vs is prayer and had this bene obserued as it ought to be the manner thereof had bene much more estéemed among men so as they would not haue so swarued one way nor other but haue folowed that which the holy Scripture teacheth But now men regard not profitably to pray they respect not in what maner they pray that their praier might be accepted of God but most men rush in and steppe to it like blind Bayard and come not dutifully and reuerently as they ought to the Lord. From whence procéedeth this vnreuerent behauior Euen from hence Because men accompt not of it to be of so great importance as it is for if we tooke it for the chiefe point of the seruice of God as it is it is certaine wée would more hartily zealously and reuerently take it in hand 2. Doct. 1. verse Vnto thee O Lord. Doct. 2 Praier must be made to God only in the name of Iesus Christ For he onely heareth vs he onely euen Iesus Christ praieth for vs he onely vnderstandeth our praiers he onely is more ready to help thē we to aske Vse Vse Let vs therfore not pray vnto Sainctes departed for we ought not to pray to thē 2. They pray not for vs. 3. They vnderstand not our Prayers The Papists assertiō is that Saincts departed are with great profit and piety called vpon and praied vnto R. 1. Tim 2. sect 4. B. cap. 19 lib. 1. De sanctorū beatit and that it is not onely lawful but godly so to do Arg. 1. They say they pray not to Saincts as authors of any benefit or grace but as Intercessors only neither doe they make them immediate intercessors but onely through Christ concluding all their praiers Per Christum Dominum nostrum Ans 1. It is false that they pray vnto them as intercessors onely for they desire them not onely to praie for them but to haue mercie vpon them For thus they praie O blessed Ladie haue mercy vpon vs preserue thy seruants let the merites of S. Mary bring vs to the kingdome of heauen Answ 2. It is also false that they make them not immediat intercessors but conclude their praiers Per Christum Dominum nostrum for in that blasphemous praier Tu per Thomae sanguinem quem pro nobis impendit fac nos Christe scandere quo Christus ascendit By the blood of Thomas O Christ which hée shed for vs make vs to clime whither he ascended There they aske life eternal of Christ by the blood of Thomas of Canterbury How then is it true which the Rhemists affirme the Christ alone by his merites procureth all grace and mercy towards mankind Praiers are made to S. Mary S. Osmōd S. Anne S. Katherine and none of them concludeth Per Christum Dominum nostrum Likewise An. 1551. in Scotland it was as good doctrine amongst the Papists that it was lawful to say the Pater noster to Saincts that we may call them our fathers say Hallowed be your names because God hath made their names holy and that their kingdome may come because the kingdome of heauē is theirs by possession and further that their will may be done seing their
thou appointest mee to treade Doct. 1 1. Doct. The Saints of God hauing most knowledge of the will of God and of his lawes yet haue most desire to bée instructed therein The first reason is They onely sée their owne wantes and ignorance The second Reason is They onely long for the performance thereof The third Reason is Vnto them it is sweeter then the honey Psal 19. yea then the honey combe for they onely haue by the spirite of GOD the taste of the swéetnesse thereof As for the wicked no maruell though they desire not the knowledge of the waies of God for vnto them it is a burthen heauy to beare For as a burden laid vpon the shoulders of an vnwilling man Simil. is therefore gréeuous vnto him because he with an vnwilling mind beareth the same yet the same burden laid vpon the shoulders of a willing man is to him not heauy but light euen so the Lawes waies and pathes of GOD are to the children of God easie but to the wicked heauy for they bridle the lustes of the flesh they teache mortification Gods anger against sinne and whatsoeuer is contrary to the corrupt will of flesh and bloud Vse The Vse is that wée vse all the meanes which GOD affordeth vs for the attainment of the knowledge thereof as the hearing reading and meditating therein day and night The cause that moued the good Prophet and king Dauid Psal 1.2 thus to pray to God To teach him his pathes waies that he might walke in thē may be gathered to procéed from a desire that he had to expostulate with God why he seruing God day and night and that not without cares should be in such great miseries as persecutions by outward enemies sicknes inward temptations and such like whereas the wicked were freed from these miseries oftentimes although not alwaies He vpon better consideration perceyued that it procéeded from ignoraunce of Gods lawes pathes and will and therefore he prayeth for vnderstanding of his way Then do we lacke wisedome Iam. 1. Let vs craue it of him which is the welspring of it and giueth it without vpbraiding For God dealeth not nigardly with vs as men do who when their goods are diminished are gréeued if they be much called vpon It is not so with GOD for hée neuer ceaseth to do vs good Therfore let vs learne to offer our selues to him whē we want wisdome and let vs not doubt but he will giue vs as much as is necessary for vs if wée heare read meditate and practise his holy word And this doctrine is exceeding necessary for our behoofe For what hath béene the cause of so much corruptions in Christendome but for that the waies pathes lawes will word of our good God haue béene peruerted and embased wrested and mingled with the filthy dung of mans wisedome but because men haue béene desirous to be ouerwise as though God had not bene well aduised but they must set him to schoole to them When mē presume to put foorth their owne inuentions to say in the seruice of God This must bee good and That must be done Such a thing must be remedied After what sort After their owne fācy And had not GOD foreséene it How commeth it to passe that he did it not before We sée what God saith and thereunto must wée hold vs. He will haue vs to hold all thinges for good and holy which he speaketh And marke men will steppe in And why They could not find in their harts to do him so much wrong as to say hée is scarce well aduised and that they themselues are wiser then he But wée shall know this matter by taking of a matter that is easie to be vnderstood which is that the Pope hath gone about to diuide those things which GOD hath ioyned together that is to wit he hath hereft the people of the Cup in the Lords Supper and taught them that they must content themselues with one kind namely with the host as they call it and that the Cup serued but for the Priests to sing Masse withall And what are his allegations Oh there would be many inconueniences True it is that all those inconueniences are grounded vpon beastly superstitions to make men beléeue that wine is no more wine but that it is turned into the blood of our Lord Iesus Christ Then marke here his allegatiō O saith he there would be many incōueniēces if the Cup should be giuen to al the people it were better that the Priest should drinke in the behalfe of all the whole company To be short it is all one as if he said We be wiser thē God we sée things that he saw not therfore we must prouide for thē After what maner By putting away the ordinance of Iesus Christ Behold our Lord Iesus Christ saith Mat. 26.27 Mar. 14 13. Drinke ye all of this Cup. He saith expresly Drinke ye all Behold the Pope cōmeth cutteth of that word saying It is true that that was the ordināce of Iesus Christ But we haue not takē away the wine without great reason it is to prouide for inconueniences I haue thought it good to haue it so And what shall we say of the Sonne of God who is the infinite wisedome it selfe and the light of the world Did he sée nothing in making this institution We sée then that mē ouershoot them without al measure when they consider not that the works of God are brought about by infinite righteousnes and wisedome Then let vs hold vs there and follow the way and pathes he sheweth vs appointeth vs to walke in and not feare that wée shall erre if he once shew vs his will and wée suffer our selues to be gouerned quietly by it Psal 25.5 Lead me forth in thy truth and teach me for thou art the God of my saluation in thee do I trust all the day The 2. part of the second Sermon The Paraphrase THe sēce is Guide my steps O Lord in the truth of thy promises which neuer faile teach me patience in this all other mine afflictions Guide mée that I desire no reuenge that I practise no vnlawfull meanes to escape out of daunger for thou art he alone O my God of whome I daily and continually looke for my deliuerance Doct. 1 The 1. Doctrine It is the property of the godly in their afflictions to pray to God to guide them in the truth of his promises The Reason is Without the assurāce of them they murmure nay vse sinister practises to escape out of daunger The 2. Reason is By them they are stayed and comforted patiently to beare the rodde of Gods correction Vse The Vse is That wée alwaies call the promises of GOD to mind which are taught vs in the word so shall wée be quiet when others rage so shall wée not reuenge when others séeke reuengement so shall wée with patience possesse our soules when others shall despaire so shall
we trust in God when others make flesh their arme so shall wée séeke for lawfull meanes to escape whē others shal vnlawfully therfore vnprofitably shal seeke to law to auoid danger We must hold therefore a generall rule that our trust must be vpon the promises of God And now let vs consider what God promiseth God saith Ps 118.1 2 3 4. that if he hath thought vpon vs to day to fauour vs he will not forget vs to morrow but wée shall be helped by his hand all our life long Psalm 89 28. My mercy will I keepe saith God for him that is Dauid for euermore and my couenant shall stand fast with him Behold what his promise is Then may we well assure our selues that GOD will alwaies kéepe vs and that by meanes thereof we shal not be in daunger of falling into decay Psal 23. But yet herewithall wee must make our accompt to be subiect to fall into many inconueniences For our gratious and louing father saith not that he will kéepe vs as it were shutte vp in a mewe that we should sée none aduersitie nor be acquainted with any trouble but be in continuall ioy and felicity he promiseth vs no such matter but onely that he will ayd and succour vs in all our necessities Wherfore it behooueth vs to vnderstand that God wil exercise vs with many aduersities that we are subiect to the cōmon afflictions of this present life that in the meane season it ought to suffice vs that wée shal be aided by him and that wée shall not be vtterly forsaken Seing the case so standeth let vs not sléepe when we be in prosperity as though this state were euerlasting so as nothing could chaunge it And therefore in presuming so farre we step beyond our bounds Why so Our louing good Father telleth vs that wee may peraduenture suffer many aduersities but hée will helpe vs continually Now then in the meane while wée shal fight yea be assailed at all assaies And they that passe their boundes shal be punished for their ouerhardines yea the faithful may euer looke for strokes yet neuer cease to be quiet to possesse their soules in patience How so when wée consider the chaunges turmoylings of this world we must néeds be carefull euery one of vs must prepare himselfe to receyue blowes when it pleaseth God to smite him But yet herewithall we know that in our falling we cannot but light vpon our feete because we be held vp by the hand of God nor be vtterly oppressed because he relieueth vs. We see then how we cannot be vexed with excéeding great vnquietnes yet we may be sore gréeued in our heauinesse not to withdraw our selues frō God to make none accompt of calling vpon him but to haue our recourse vnto him Ps 25.5 Lead me forth in thy truth teach me Text. for thou art the God of my saluation in thee do I trust all the day Doct. 2 2. Doct. It is the duty of vs all men and women in our afflictions to pray vnto the Lord that whatsoeuer shall come vnto vs by his permission and appointment that he would not suffer vs to fall away from his will or to be drawen away eyther through contumacy or by any other wicked desire but rather by the truth of his holy word hée would stay vs quieted vnder his holy obedience The Reason is Our owne experience doth teach that when as aduersities haue darkned our senses how hard a thing it is in that darknes to discerne what we should follow take in hand And if this demonstration was so necessary for Dauid so holy and worthy a Prophet endewed with so excellent a light of the knowledge of Gods word and holy will what shall become of vs vnlesse the Lord driue away that great and palpable darknes which we haue in our afflictions lest that it darken the sight of his light Vse The Vse Let vs therefore alwaies pray vnto the Lord so often as any temptatiō doth trouble vs that his truth may shine before vs lest we taking euil courses run astray frō his wil. Wherefore let vs shut our eies when things go contrary to our liking let vs only settle our selues vpon this point to say O Lord thou art righteous I wil by the assistance of thy holy spirit be cōtented with thy righteousnes for so the truth of thy holy word teacheth me vntil thou make me to enter into thy sanctuary there perceiue why thou orderest the state of mankind after the sort Truly if I should follow mine owne fancy as it is in these mine afflictions being daseled therwith I should murmure yea repine against thée to sée how things are confoūded here O Lord teach me instruct me with thy truth that thou gouernest the whole world in wisedome righteousnes let me confesse the same although I know no reason thereof Thou art the God of my saluation Text. Doct. 3 The Prophet by these words acknowledging his saluation from the Lorde teacheth vs that the former benefits receiued of the Lord should bee vnto vs motiues of his continuall sauour to bée vndoubtedly perswaded The Reason is It is not onely his vsuall custome but his nature so to doe For for this cause he vndertaketh the deliuerie of his seruantes and relieueth their necessities that he might still continue his grace towards them Let vs therefore know that whome the Lord loueth he loueth to the ende So long as wee know not whether the Lord loueth vs or no wée must néeds feare and with Adam shun his presence as much as is possible So as you sée in what case the wretched creatures are which haue no taste of Gods goodnesse to trust in him that they might comfort themselues Therefore let vs marke well that it behoueth vs to be perswaded of Gods loue towards vs that thereby wee may conceiue such trust as we may present our selues vnto him and bee well assured that our soueraigne good is to answere him that is not to hide our selues from his sight but to be alwaies willing to bee guided by his hand so as wee desire nothing but to be vnder his hand and at his direction Psal 95.67 Let vs consider that wee are the workes of his hands For the thing wherein wee may settle our trust that we be acceptable vnto God is that hee hath created vs and that we be his people and the shéepe of his pasture Then must we not pretend to be loued at Gods hand for any deserts of our owne but because he séeth that we are his workemanshippe and his people and shéepe Thus in Esay and the Psalmes Psa 131 8. Esay 64.8 Lord thou wilt not despise the worke of thy hands thou wilt not forsake that which thou hast begun without finishing it How be it wee must not looke onely to our first creation for the hope that wee shall haue thereby wil be very
great miserie and affliction for thou hast promised to saue all them that call vpon thy name for the remission of their sins Remember not the sinnes Doct. 1 1. Doct. In vaine doe wee pray to God to be deliuered from our afflictiōs except we pray for the remission of our sinnes both of our youth and all other afterward committed by vs. The 1. Reason is There is no hope for vs to obtaine grace except the Lord be mercifull vnto vs and how doth he loue vs except we be first reconciled to him and that by our Sauiour Christ Iesus and our confession and repentaunce of our sinnes Vse The Vse is therefore to teach vs in all our afflictions to acknowledge our sinnes to GOD onely séeing hee is gracious and fauourable to all his Doct. 2 2. Doct. It is necessarie for Gods people in their praiers to God to make vnto him onely a frée confession of their sinnes Psal 32.5 Then I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee neither hidde I mine iniquities for I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednes vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Selah Dan. 9.5 We haue sinned and haue committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly yea we haue rebelled and haue departed from thy preceptes and from thy iudgements Nehem. 1.6 I pray thee let thine eares bee attent and thine eyes open to heare the praier of thy seruant which I pray before thee day and night for the children of Israel thy seruants and confesse the sinnes of the children of Israel which wee haue sinned against thee The 1. Reason is Els we obtaine no forgiuenesse Secondly Els we haue no assurance that we haue repented séeing confession doth alwaies accompany repentance Thirdly Otherwise wée cannot rightly and throughly condemne our selues and cleare the Lord for punishing vs. Fourthly By the confession of our sinnes we are the more humbled and the better prepared to praier The Vse is First to reprooue all them that iustifie themselues like the proud Pharise and offer vp their owne workes as the Papistes doe Secondly to reprooue them that will not beare sharpe rebuke for their sinnes nor bee contented to be censured by those meanes that God hath prescribed by his word for the same purpose Thirdly it teacheth vs to loue them that admonish vs often and reprooue vs sharpely when wee haue offended estéeming them our déerest friends and auoiding them that flatter vs Leuit. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart but thou shalt plainely rebuke thy neighbour and suffer him not to sinne Math. 18.18 Whatsoeuer you binde in earth c. seeing it is the meanes to bring vs to this confession which is so necessarie Text. Remember not the transgressions of my youth nor my rebellions Doct. 3 3. Doct. True repentance worketh in vs earnest and heartie praier The Reason is First In it we see our miseries in our selues and what néede wee haue to séeke to GOD for helpe Secondly It assureth vs of Gods loue to vs and readinesse to heare vs. Thirdly It encourageth vs to call on the name of the Lord who in our conuersion hath giuen vs experience of his vnspeakeable mercies The Vse is to teach vs to bee as diligent to performe this praier aright as wee are desirous to prooue to our owne hearts that our repentance is vnfained Doct. 4 4. Doct. All our praiers are to bee made to God alone Psa 50.15 Call vpon me c. Rom. 10.14 How shall they call vpon him of whome they haue not heard The 1. Reason It is he onely that can graunt vs our request Secondly We are not commaunded in the holy Scripture to call vpon any other and therefore if we doe it is not of faith and consequently it is sinne The Vse is First to reprooue the dotage of the heathen that praied to the Sunne Moone and Starres and of the Papistes that pray to Angels and Saints Secondly to teach vs to make all our praiers to GOD alone in the name of his Sonne Christ for such things as he hath promised in his word and in such maner as hee hath prescribed Nor my rebellions Text. Doct. 5 5. Doct. It is rebellion against the Lord to despise any of his lawes although all humane lawes should approoue vs therein The 1. Reason Reu. 19.16 God is King of Kings and will bee serued without exception Secondly Els God should yéeld vnto men Thirdly Wee are to obey men onely in the Lord and no further The Vse is First to reproue rulers that require obedience of their subiects to all their owne decrees not regarding whether God be disobeyed therby or no. Secondly to reprooue them that pretend mans lawes to excuse themselues in their sinnes as in the breach of the Sabboth contentednesse with the dumbe Ministerie putting of money to vsurie Thirdly it teacheth vs alwaies to hold this both in iudgement and practise It is better to obey God then man Act. 5.29 Doct. 6 6. Doct. It is our dutie so often as the Lord shal terrifie vs with his iudgements not onely to mourne sigh and lament but to repent vs not onely for our former sinnes committed in our youth but all other sinnes since which we can either call to mind hidden or vnknowne The Reason is The Lord may laye them all to our charge The Vse is that wee neuer flatter or stroke our selues in our vices but narrowly prye into them not into others as hypocrites doe but into our owne not to espie a moate in our brothers eye to cloke our hypocrisie but to pull out of our owne eyes not onely the beames but euen the verie moates therein But according to thy kindnesse remember me euen for thy goodnes sake Text. O Lord. Doct. 7 7. Doct. The children of God expect remission of their sinnes from none but from the mercy of God onely The Reason Sinne prouoketh Gods anger which is infinite and cannot be satisfied by any that is no more then a creature Secondly The Scriptures make the Lords mercie the first part of our righteousnesse Psal 32.1 Blessed is he whose wickednes is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered The Vse is To confute them that thinke they haue it in their owne fréewil to be saued Secondly To confute them that thinke to obtaine heauen by their merites Thirdly To reprooue them that seeke for the Popes pardons and Indulgences seeing it is the Lord of his méere mercie that doth pardon vs our sinnes Psal 25.8 Gracious and righteous is the Lord therefore will he teach sinners in the way The sence is The 2. part of the 3. Sermon I Doubt not at all of the remission of my sinnes neither yet heereafter to leade an holy and innocent life séeing I consider and weigh the great goodnesse and gracious bountie of the liuing Lord as also his righteousnes in performing his promises which among others are that he will pardon the sinnes of the penitent and direct the way
mercy I am excluded from being in the number of them that kéeping thy couenant and Testimonies receaue thy great mercies and true promises Therefore O Lord séeing I see how farre I am from kéeping the same by heaping vp daily howrely so many and greeuous sinnes I humbly euen for thy glorious name and not for my deserts sake beséech thée to pardon and forgiue them all so shall all thy pathes be mercy and truth to mée Doct. 1 1. Doctrine Whosoeuer desireth that all thinges that the Lord doth to his Church procéeding of his mercy and truth should turne to his good that hée may be not onely a member of it but also with it to be partaker of his mercies must feruently zealously and earnestly pray vnto God that for his names sake he would vouchsafe to pardon him al his sinnes The 1. Reason is Except our sinnes be pardoned which without our prayer to GOD shall neuer bée all that the Lord doth to vs shall euen our meate drinke hearing the holy worde receiuing the holy Sacramentes temptations afflictions prosperities and what else soeuer wée receyue from his hand redound from him not of his mercie and so hée a blessing but from his wrath and so bée a curse against vs. Vse The vse thereof is First let vs striue against that temptation which perswadeth vs to cease praying to God for remission of our sinnes Sathan our aduersary tempteth vs on the right hand and on the left that is by aduersity and prosperity By aduersity to distrust in God as he tēpted our Sauiour when he was hungry to diffidence and distrust in the prouidence of God when he perceiued that by aduersity he could not preuaile to ouercome him he tempteth him by his confidence Math. 4. Luk. 4. That séeing he trusted in Gods protection that therefore if hée cast himselfe downe from the pinacle of the Temple he should be protected of the Lord by the ministery of his holy Angels Lo we sée that by his confidence he would haue him to tempt God Euen so he tempteth vs if he perceiue that we haue no faith he will perswade not to pray for it if he sée that we are perswaded that the Lord loueth vs he will perswade vs that we need not pray to him for that which we already haue for although we are in our consciences to the great comfort thereof in all afflictions perswaded that the Lord loueth vs yet notwithstanding we must continually pray to his maiesty for the fame and the forgiuenes of our sinnes els we kéepe not his testimonies so by consequence it is but a vaine perswasiō that we haue that God fauoureth vs which may proceede from an opinion thereof onely which the infidels may haue but as for a true faith they onely that haue the Spirite of Praier and exercise the same haue it and so by consequence they onely shall receyue remission of their sinnes Let vs therefore resist this temptation Let vs vse this holy exercise for thereby we both encrease in godlines and all things that the Lord doth to vs euen temptations and afflictions shall redound to our good and from the Lords mercie Text. For thy names sake be mercifull to my sinnes Doct. 2 2. Doct. We must be perswaded that God when he forgiueth sinnes doth for his owne sake not for any other cause whatsoeuer pardō the same The reason is He is good and gracious of himselfe Vse The vse is That we acknowledge that there is none other name giuen vnder heauen whereby we are saued that our sinnes are forgiuen vs without the which there is no saluation but onely the name of our Lord Iesus none other meanes none abilitie power aucthoritie in any neyther in man or Angel but in the Lord onely * Similit Euen as an horseman holding the reynes of his horse guideth him as he wil euē so the Lord holdeth vs to guide vs at his pleasure either not to pardō or to forgiue vs our sins Act. 10. God holdeth the reynes in his handes to guide men at his pleasure and if it please him to punish our sinnes we haue nothing to reply why he should not condemne vs and if it please him of his great mercy wholy to pardon vs who shall resist him who shall let him to shew vs fauour True it is that this is strange to mans vnderstanding at the first sight For seing that God accepteth not the persons of men we aske wherefore he forgiueth some forgiueth not othersome wherfore tolerateth he the wicked seing him so disorderly Then may we trouble our heads to be curious to know wherefore doth the lord so deale But what cōclusiō must we make Euē only to refer al things to his wisdome purpose knowing that it is not in vs to rule him we cānot cōprehend those thinges that are aboue our reach And if it please God to forgiue vs let vs vnderstand that it is not for our deserts but of his frée mercy through Iesus Christ onely And this must bee well marked because the matter that I haue already spoken of comming naturally into mens imaginations hath béene the cause that false wicked doctrines haue ouerflowed in Christendome Psal 25.12 What man is hee that feareth the Lord Him wil he teach the way that he shall chuse The 2. part of the fifth Sermon 12. What man c. The sence is ALthough we know not of our selues what is right acceptable and pleasant to the Almightie what we might to Gods approuing and our owne profiting elect and chuse so that we feare the Lord in suffering our selues to be directed by him to a godly life wee shall alwayes find him a sure and holy guide vnto vs. Doct. 1 1. Doct. Whoso doth feare the Lord shall by his holy Spirite be directed how to frame his life The reason is Iob 1.1 Iob by fearing God is said to eschue euill was an vpright man and a iust man Vse The vse is That wee pray feruently vnto the Lord our God to giue vs his holy Spirite that wee thereby may lead our liues in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the daies of our life Luke 1. The feare of GOD is not a slauish feare Rom. 8. but filiall yea it is a reuerence and an honor which wee owe and performe vnto the Lord our God séeing he is our good and gracious God mercifull master and louing father Haue wée then the feare of God before our eyes Then without all doubt all other things we estéeme not in comparisō of doing him homage seruice and honor then we will wholly addict our selues to his seruice It also comprehendeth the knowledge of our good God Do wee know him Then we do it in such maner as hee hath vttered made himselfe to be knowen not otherwise that is that he is our maker our maintainer and one that hath shewed such fatherly goodnesse towards vs that wee of dutie
against it So then hath vnrighteousnes gotten full scope Are the wicked growen so headstrong and lusty that they confoūd all things Do they handle so corruptly their matters that there séemeth there can bee no redresse nor remedie to bee had to deliuer the deare children of GOD out of their trappes and nets which they haue laid to entrappe entangle them The Spirit of God aduertiseth vs that it is Gods will to hide his face after that maner to the end that thereby hee might trie our obedience Therefore let vs stay vntill he enlighten vs and then shall wee vnderstand that not without cause hath he sent these troubles vnto vs. The faithfull as Dauid desire of God to shew and lift vp his countenance towards them Psal 80.20 Turne vs againe O Lord God of hosts cause thy face to shine and wee shall bee saued for that is it wherein all our ioy blessednesse and welfare consisteth What is therefore most to be desired of vs the face and countenance of God euen as contrariwise when hee turneth his backe vpon vs and hideth himselfe from vs we must of necessitie be discouraged miserable forlorne and out of heart for there is nothing wherein a man may finde rest but onely in knowing that God hath a care of vs. So long then as God vouchsafeth to cast his fauourable face vpon vs wee haue cause to reioyce and bee glad for wée are assured that hée will maintaine vs that wee shall haue no cause nor néede to dreade or feare any thing But if GOD forget vs and turne away his face from vs wée are at our wits end and that not without great cause For then we are as it were left open to sathan to praie vpon vs and an hundred thousand deaths beset vs round about without recouerie We sée then that Gods face is a thing to be prayed for which wee shall haue especially if we come to him by praier in all humblenesse with a desire true and ful purpose and intent to cleaue vnto him But if we looke aloft and haue foreheads of brasse and bee puffed vp with the Pharise to vaunt our selues before God as it were in despite of him then must he be faine to looke vpon vs with another maner of countenance which shal not comfortably chéere vs but vtterly destroy vs. Then one looke of God can rid all men quite and cleane out of the world whē they cast a proude look against him Wherfore with Dauid let vs hold downe our heads and let vs goe vnto God to doe him seruice and obedience let vs pray vnto him to enlighten our eies that we may seeke him as our good father let vs beséech him of his great goodnes vnspeakeable mercie that he would looke vpon vs in such wise that thereby we may haue al perfection of ioy and contentation to rest vpon Turne thy face O Lord c. Doct. 2 2. Doct. The only refuge in distresse is to flie to the Lord by faith and feruent praier 1. Reason Because it is he that smiteth and none els can heale Iob. 5.18 Secondly He hath promised to heare and deliuer vs calling vpon him in the day of our troubles Psalm 50.15 Vse The vse is first to reproue them that repine against God waxe impatient or vse vnlawfull meanes to wind themselues out of their troubles Secondly to teach vs in all our distresses to labour our owne hearts that wee may pray vnto the Lord for his grace to deliuer vs and in the meane while for strength to support vs. Text. For I am desolate poore Doct. 3 3. Doct. The miseries inflicted on Gods childrē by the wicked being alleadged in praier to the Lord is a forcible reasō to moue him to heare relieue thē 1. Reason The Lord pitieth the miseries of his seruants Secondly the Lord loueth them with an euerlasting loue Thirdly the wicked afflict them for their profession and religions sake Vse The vse is to alleadge it in our prayers when wee desire to be freed from such miseries Secondly with patience to waite the Lords leysure being assured that in good time hee will rescue his seruants from all the wrongs that they can suffer of the wicked for well doing The eighth Sermon vpon the 25. Psalme 17. 18. verses 17. The sorrowes of my heart are enlarged draw mee out of my troubles The sence is SO great O Lord my God is the heape and increasing multitude of the sorrowes of my heart minde which for my sins thou hast inflicted vpon mee which as a dammed vp riuer rushing and ouerflowing a whole countrey possesse euerie part and parcell as I may say of my soule that except thou be good and gratious vnto me in drawing me as it were forcibly out of them I should surely bee ouerwhelmed with them wherefore séeing none can redresse them but onely thou O Lord my God and séeing that thou hast pittie of the afflictions of the minds which of all others are the grieuousest and greatest of thy deare children that trust in thy mercie cal vpon thy maiestie I humbly entreate and beséech thée of thine accustomed clemencie to draw me out of those terrible troubles which now I am in and pardon my sinnes so shall I praise glorifie thée O Lord for thine vnspeakeable goodnes towards mee The sorrowes of my heart c. Doct. 1 1. Doct. The Lord for our sins inwardly so afflicteth his deare children that they haue neither rest nor quietnes within them The Reason is they are so many and odious in his sight Vse The vse is that wee anoyd sinne alwaies as that which procureth vs the greatest hurt both in this life in that life to come We must therefore to auoyd Gods indignatiō vse the meanes to eschew euill feare God and be vpright in heart First let vs pray to the Lord our God to giue vs sound vpright hearts that we may not haue an heart and an heart that is be double-hearted hypocrites that wee serue not God in outward appearance onely with our féete hands and eies but that our hearts march before and that wée haue a pure and single meaning to giue our selues ouer to God to be wholy his and to abhorre al hypocrisies At this poynt we must begin if wée would be deliuered frō sorrowes if we would haue our life well ruled approued of the Lord wee must shewe outwardly what lieth within vs so that if the root be good it shal presently bring forth good fruits that our workes may witnes that our shew of seruing God and our assurance of all things néedfull which we shall receiue at his bountiful hands are not in vaine And this consisteth in two things that wée deale with vprightnesse and equitie amongst our neighbours Also that we haue religion in vs to serue God asscribing al goodnes to him the author and fountain thereof We may not then do as the most do regard and be louers of themselues séeking not
them but theirs which are their neighbours but forasmuch as the Lord in one body hath bound vs we ought to be carefull to benefite our brethren and profite our neighbours to maintaine brotherly communion and equitie not to doe that to others which wee would not to bee done vnto our selues Doct. 2 2. Doct. In all our troubles and tribulations when the sorrowes of our hearts are enlarged let vs come to God by prayer humbly beséeching him to draw vs and deliuer vs from them all then shall our troubles when it séemeth méete to his heauenly wisedome haue an end The Reason is first it is his propertie for hee is a gratious and louing father Psalm 130. As a father hath pittie vpon his children so is the Lord mercifull to them that feare him Secondly he hath promised to heare the prayers of his Church and of euerie particular member thereof Psal 50.15 Call vpon mee in the day of trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie mee Vse The vse is that wee exercise prayer at all times but especially in aduersitie séeing that it is the greatest meanes to attaine to comfort in affliction Dauid did vnfainedly powre foorth his complaints and sorrowes vnto God Hée was not benummed as infidels and incredulous which among the Christians like an huge streame lamentable it is to consider thereof do ouerflow Christendome this Land yea this Towne are If God handle them any thing roughly they thinke yea many times they say Sée this misfortune that is happened vnto me they looke no further Dauid did not so But he knew and was fully resolued that it behooued him to impute these thinges vnto God Had we learned this lesson we had profited well for one day I meane if we had practised it throughly as we ought to do For most can well enough confesse that diseases deaths and other miseries as warres plagues famines and all such things come of God but if it come to the proofe wée are amazed and not able to make this sound conclusion within our selues Well seeing that God visiteth and commeth home vnto vs it behoueth vs now to returne vnto him Hitherto wée haue like loose colts as it were flung into the aire wée haue wilfully runne astray from him and nowe with a rough bitte hee rayneth vs he shaketh his rodde at vs yea hée maketh vs to feele it therefore we must learne to stoope vnder his hand But contrariwise how deale wée in that behalfe If a man be afflicted any way either in the losse of his goods of his libertie of his life or be gréeued in spirite what will hée else doe but chafe and grind his téeth in grudging against God Wherefore no doubt if a man tell him he hath offended GOD he will easily grant it to bee true but hee hath no true remorse to restraine himselfe Wherefore Because wee haue but a confused conceite thereof Hereby it is euedent that few they are and smal is the number of persons that haue this lesson well printed in their hearts That all afflictions are Gods Archers and that hée is garded with them to shew himselfe to be our Iudge As much is to be said of the ordinary aduersities that GOD commonly inflicteth If people or a whole countrie bee touched with warre when pollings extortions and other outrages are there done how many people are there that thinke vpon the Lord Wee sée that all is out of order to our séeming yet wee consider not that God guideth the sterne When we sée such turmoylings we are admonished to marke and not so much the more the sacred Scriptures wherein GOD sheweth vs as in a looking glasse or rather as in a liuely picture that on what side soeuer man be afflicted it becommeth him to acknowledge the same to be the hand of GOD and especially if an whole country be plagued it must be acknowledged to be Gods visitation Wherefore when any such thing commeth let vs follow the example of Dauid to desire our good and gracious GOD to extende his holy hand and powre forth his bowels of compassion vpon vs. When we are scourged that we can to our thinking beare no more his heauie hand in afflicting vs let vs flie to our good God for succour And if we wéepe before him so it be with true lowlinesse surely there shall not one teare droppe from our eyes which shall not come to be accompted of in his presence For euery one of them are sacrifices according as it is said in the Psal 51.11 That a sorrowfull heart or an heart cast downe is a pleasant sacrifice to God If our teares sighes pantings and gronings tend to this ende and be as witnesses of our flying vnto God with all lowlinesse acknowledging that for as much as his hand is against vs and that our onely remedie is to beseech him to be mercifull vnto vs it is certeine he will greatly account of them Whosoeuer is wise wil ponder these things and he shall vnderstand the louing kindnesse of the Lord. The sorrowes of my heart are enlarged Text. Doct. 3 3. Doct. As our sinnes euen so shall our sorrowes increase 1. Reason New sinnes must haue new afflictions Examples are many in the sacred Scriptures Pharaoh and the Egyptians as they hardened their hearts in not suffering the Israelites to go into the wildernes to sacrifice to the Lord Exo. 7.8 9.10 so GOD sent plagues vpon plagues vpon them The ten Tribes Amos 4.6 And therefore haue I for your peruerting of Iustice and your idolatrie sent vnto you cleannesse of teeth in all your cities and scarcenesse of bread in all your places yet haue you not returned vnto me saith the Lord. vers 7. Also I haue withholden the raine from you when there was 3. moneths to the haruest I caused it to raine vpon one citie haue not caused it to raine vpon another citie c. Thus did the Lord by Moses presage Leuiticus 26. from the 14. verse to the 40. Deut. 28.15 to the ende The vse is that as we desire our sorrowes to be mitigated euen so we cease increasing heaping vp sinne vpon sin When we shall sée the whole world corrupted so that we are as it were among bryars and can sée nothing but euill examples let vs resist all such things Wherefore If wee be so lazie as to make excuse that because the world is wicked and froward wee may wel doe as others doe that is fond and foolish for Lot Iob and Ioshua are set before vs to condemne vs. For if Lot were so iust that hée not onely abstained from the grosse sinnes excepting drunkennesse and incest which hee committed as pride fulnesse of bread aboundance of Idlenesse and vnmercifulnesse and that namelesse sinne which they committed but that for their sinnes his soule was vexed from day to day in séeing their abominations If iust Ioseph abstained from that sinne of whoredome whereunto his mistresse not without promise of great
our selues that GOD doth it not without cause and therefore wee ought to glorifie him in all his iudgements although they bee incomprehensible to vs. Psalme 25.20 Keepe my soule deliuer me let me not be confounded for I trust in thee The second part of the ninth Sermon The sence is FOrasmuch O Lord my God as all my whole trust and confidence I repose in thy mercie and none in flesh bloud nor any other meanes whatsoeuer to be deliuered from perill and danger which mine enemies to the losse of my life yea to my vtter confusion doe lie in waite to inflict vpon mée and forasmuch as thou art a God of power and therefore art able to deliuer a God of compassion and therefore regardest the afflictions of thy déere children trusting and calling vpon thée in their afflictions and aduersities I humbly beséech thée for Iesus Christs sake the Messiah to come to kéepe and preserue my foule from destruction and my bodie from the tortures which mine enemies would lay vpon it so shall I glorifie thy name among thy Saints in the great congregation and after this life sing prayses with the Saints and Angels in thy kingdome to thy glorious name for euer Doct. 1 1. Doct. Whoso trusteth in the Lord in the time of persecution by his enemies will flie to him to preserue his soule and his body by prayer The Reason is Where hope in God is there is also prayer to God seeing it springeth necessarily from it as the fruit doth from the trée The vse is That as we would be assured that we hope in God so also that wee exercise prayer séeing that wee cannot assure our selues of the cause without the effect Lette vs therefore according to his commandement in our afflictions and necessities seeke to GOD in the name of Iesus Christ for succour by continuall prayer and calling vpon his name Let vs call vpon him in the day time and in the night season lette vs powre out our complaints before him daylie and hourely let vs make our prayers vnto him although wee feele our selues nothing released but oftētimes worse worse which maketh vs oftentimes almost to doubt of his goodnes Psa 77. that he doth reiect and giueth no heede vnto them whereby we almost thinke it in vaine to pray séeing that we finde no release But this is our weakenesse and frailtie of our flesh which will not willingly bee subdued to the spirite Which lette vs beséech the Lord to forgiue vs for hee séeth our conflicts and looketh vpon our continuall sighes and petitions but hee deferreth and prolongeth his helpe the longer and doth not at the first helpe vs to this ende that wee may sée fully our owne weaknesse learne by little and little to subdue our rebellions to his gratious will who knoweth better what is meete for vs then we for our selues Therefore lette vs beseech him to strengthen vs by his holie spirite that wee may still perseuere and continue in prayer and with longing desires patiently waite for him being fully assured that although it presently appeare not yet hee is alwaies present with vs and heareth our sighes and complaints and will when hee seeth his time declare himselfe manifestly in kéeping our soules and deliuering our bodies in preseruing vs from confusion and in renuing our harts with spirituall ioy Lette vs earnestly entreate him to stirre vp our dull and sluggish nature to call vpon him continually appoynting him neither the time nor the meanes of our deliuerance but leauing al to his good will and pleasure we may in the meane time neuer cease by continuall prayer to call for his merciful helpe and assistance vntil such time it shal please his goodnesse to send vs full deliuerance Although wee féele our selues through the malice of Sathan verie vnwilling to prayer seeing that wee doe not fully perceiue them to bee heard but goe on still languishing in our sorrowes as though GOD had no care of vs. Yet this our dulnesse let vs entreate our mercifull father to pardon in vs and grant that wee may bee raised vp and pray for aide and reliefe of him continually and although we should sée no signe of fauour yet that we may continue still with the faithfull woman of Canaan and neuer cease in heart mind and mouth till he graunt our requests at his appoynted time when he knoweth it shall be most méete for our behoofe and his glorie And that when the Lord shall mercifully looke vpon vs we then fully with our whole hearts acknowledge his goodnesse towards vs and let it neuer slippe out of our hearts but continue thankfull for the same all the dayes of our liues whereby his glorie in vs may be declared and our soules relieued The tenth Sermon vpon the 25. Psalme verses 21.22 21. Let mine vprightnes and equitie preserue me for my hope is in thee The sence is O Lord my God whereas mine aduersaries persecute me thou knowest that they haue no iust cause so to doe séeing that thou hast giuen me integritie vprightnesse and iustice and seeing that it is not sufficient to bee of a sound and vpright conscience to bee deliuered from dangers but to trust to thy swéete promises therfore my safetie O Lord I committe to thy protection 1. Doct. The best way to stay vs in the time of our trouble to kéep our patience inuiolable is to look in for a good conscience sée that we be falsly accused which if we find thē al goeth well we are ioyfull at home howsoeuer the world shall say or doe abroad for wee may say with Salomon See the root therof Leu. 16.17 Prou. 28.1 Euerie wicked man flyeth when none pursueth but the iust are like a yong Lyon which is couragious This holy Prouerbe teacheth that wickednesse maketh the wicked verie fearefull and that righteousnesse maketh the innocent secure and bold In it first the wicked man is resembled to a bird or some such timorous creature which betaketh it selfe to flight when no cause is offered For the guiltie person after he hath committed some abominable act as theft or murther imagineth that some lie in waite for him doubteth he shal be taken the reason is for the although none is néere to pursue him yet the sound of terrour is in his eares as the Aramites are for example who cāping about Samaria 2. Kin. 6.7 The Lord had caused the campe of the Aramites to heare a noyse of chariots and a noyse of horses and a noyse of a great armie so that they sayd one to another Behold the kind of Israel hath hired against vs the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to come vpon vs. vers 7. Wherfore they arose and fled in the twylight and left their tents and their horses and their asses euen the campe as it was and fled for their liues The sting of conscience will not suffer him to be quiet in any place But the iust as