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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A73373	Christs kingdome Described in seuen fruitfull sermons vpon the second Psalme. By Richard Web preacher of Gods word. The contents whereof follows after the epistles.	Webb, Richard, preacher of God's word.	1611 (1611)	STC 25150A; ESTC S123316	169,960	226

also doth shew in chap. 9.3 that it is like the ioy in haruest and as men reioyce when they diuide a spoyle True it is that religion doth cut off all wicked and prophane mirth and ioy but as for that which is holy and good consisting in the Lord and vpright waies it doth bring that in and daily increase it in our soules For as Paule doth teach vs in Rom. 14.17 The kingdome of God standeth not in meate and drinke but in righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost As here is righteousnesse in the Church or Kingdome of God so here is peace and ioy which the holy Ghost doth worke in the hearts of men You may see in Psal 68.3 Psal 106.5 that reioycing doth belong to the people of God But the righteous saith the Prophet in the former of these two places shall be glad and reioyce before God yea they shall leape for ioy And againe he saith in the latter of them Remember me ô Lord with the fauour of thy people visit me with thy saluation that I may see the felicity of thy chosen and reioyce in the ioy of thy people and glory with thine inheritance The musicke that was vsed vnder the Law in the Temple may well declare this thing for that was typicall and figured out the true ioy and mirth which should be in the Christian Church where is the assurance of the remission of sinnes and life eternall Surely to speake all in one word Gods children haue more ioy of heart then the wicked haue as Dauid doth declare in Psal 4.6 and this their ioy also is of longer continuance for it shall neuer be taken from them as our Sauiors words do import in Ioh. 16.22 Finally out of this we may learne to stzine against our sorrow and pensiuenesse that so we may reioyce still in the Lord and his wayes For seeing we are called vpon for this duty we must performe it We must reioyce and be glad in the Lord as the Church doth speake of her selfe in the Canticles Chap. 1. ver 3. Howsoeuer we may mourne sometimes for our sinnes and be pensiue for our transgressions yet we must not suffer our sorrow to ouercome vs but we must ouercome it and breake out into ioy and mirth before the Lord. And this our ioy and mirth must not be in feasting in playing and in wickednesse according to the course of this world but it must be in spirituall matters and in the holy exercises of religion which do belong vnto the Lord. We must go about the businesse of our God and his holy seruice as chearfully and as willingly as if we went vnto a feast and take as great delight and pleasure therein as we do in any banquet whatsoeuer according vnto the example of Dauid and others spoken of in Psalm 42.4 who are said there to go into the house of God with the voyce of singing and praise as a multitude that keepeth a feast And that this may the better be performed of vs we must first labour to be fully reconciled vnto God to be assured that he is become our God and Sauiour For otherwise we shall neuer reioyce in him aright but rather detest and abhorre him Secondly we must know and remember that the seruice which he doth require of vs is a reasonable sernice and that there is a great reward layd vp for them which shall do the same For otherwise it will be grieuous and irksome vnto vs but this will make it easie and pleasant and as sweet to vs as the hony or hony combe as Dauid doth speake of it in regard of himselfe in Ps 19.10 Wherefore looke I pray vnto both these things that so the Lord and his seruice may be vnto you the very ioy and reioycing of your hearts And in any case be neuer quiet or at rest vntill you haue brought your hearts to this euen to reioyce in the Lord your God as it is here in our text required of you For this ioy being once had will be maruellous commodious and beneficiall vnto you For first it will bring comfort vnto you in the midst of all your troubles and take away the sharpnesse thereof from your soules Secondly it will helpe the good estate of your bodies and make them the more strong and healthfull For a ioyfull heart saith Salomon in Prou. 17.22 causeth good health but asorrowfull minde drieth the bones Thirdly it will fit you for the seruice and worship of the Almighty and cause you to be very prompt expert in doing the same For the heart is fittest for holy duties when it doth reioyce as Elisha was to prophesie when the musitian plaied 2. King 3.15 Finally it will confirme you in your holy religion and so establish you in the same that you shall neuer shrinke away from it while you liue For we are neuer weary of that wherein we do reioyce but the more we do the same the more greedy still are we for to do it and it is a kinde of death vnto vs for to leaue it And yet wil you not for all this reioyce in the Lord Remember your selues and labour for to do it and giue no rest I say vnto your soules vntill you can bring it to passe And so I come vnto the last poynt which is Trembling As we must reioyce in the Lord nothing doubting of his loue and good will towards vs so we must tremble before him carrying our selues with all reuerence and lowlinesse towards him as it doth be come vs. And therefore the Prophet doth adde in trembling Reioyce saith he intrembling It is manifest in the former part of the Psalme that they were high-minded and stout against the Lord in that they did take vp weapons and armes against him but now the Prophet would haue them to tremble and quake before him and to do all seruice vnto him with humblenesse and lowlinesse of minde Where there is ioy and gladnesse of heart there oftentimes do men forget themselues and become too bold and malapert Now lest they should do the like they are commanded here not onely to reioyce in the Lord but also to tremble before him that so there might be found in them no lightnesse or wanton behauiour but all reuerence and graue carriage whatsoeuer with an humble soule not lifting vp themselues in any of their workes but euen trembling before him that is the Iudge of the world Whence we collect this doctrine Doct. that euery person must quake and tremble before the Almightie Paul shewes in Philipp 2.12 that we must worke out our saluation with feare and trembling There are two great euils which do hinder mans saluation The one is carnall securitie the other is the pride of the minde Carnall securitie makes a man too negligent in the doing of good workes and doth cause him oftentimes to fall into many offences and sinnes And pride doth make him too arrogant in his good workes when he hath done them

and causeth him often to attribute that vnto himselfe which doth belong onely vnto the Lord and his grace Herein the diuell hath a great stroake and skill First he laboureth to keepe vs from good workes by making vs secure and carelesse Then secondly if he cannot preuaile therein he endeuoureth to make vs proud of our good workes by lifting vp our soules with an high conceipt therein Against both these doth the Apostle here go about to arme the Philippians First setting feare against carnall securitie then trembling against the pride of minde And as there the Apostle dealeth so doth the Prophet here in our text He would not haue vs onely to feare the Lord but also to tremble before him The like in effect we haue in Hebrewes 12.38 Where the Apostle sheweth that seeing we doe receiue a kingdome which cannot be shaken it is our part to haue grace whereby we may so serue God that we may please him with reuerence and feare So that nothing must bee done in the seruice of God lightly or arrogantly but all with great reuerence and humblenesse of minde whereby we tremble before him and feare his iudgements The reasons hereof are two The one is Reasons because the Lord doth delight in such and regard them much as we may see by his words in Esay 66.2 when he saith And to him will I looke euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my words For we must alwaies do that which will be well pleasing vnto God cause him to take a delight and pleasure in vs considering that his loue is better then life it selfe Psal 63.3 The other is because the Lord doth resist the proud and such as be arrogant and cannot in any case endure them as may be seene by our Sauiours words when he made mention of the bragging Pharisie poore Publican in Luk. 18.9 c. For after he had shewed what both of them had done and how the latter of them was more iustified in the sight of God then the former he gaue this reason of it saying For euery man that exalteth himselfe shal be brought low he that hūbleth himselfe shall be exalted For we must euermore auoyde that which will cast vs out of the fauour of God and bring his iudgements vpon vs. This then may serue to pull them downe who are proud and hautie Vse Behold saith Habakuk in chap. 2.4 he that lifteth vp himselfe his minde is not vpright in him There is no goodnesse in such They can neuer serue the Lord aright but they will alwaies marre euery good thing which they take in hand Looke vpon thē euen in holy assemblies if they tremble not before the Lord nor quake at his iudgements you shall finde them enermore vnreuerent therein They will neither be attentiue neither yet will they bow and becke as they ought to do either they will talke or sleepe or gaze about or reade of some other matter in a booke then of that which is in hand or thinke on things at home or abrode or go out before all is ended or laugh and grin when they should rather mourne and weepe or do the like yea when they should kneele lowly vpon their knees they either fit or stand or bow their bodies but a little Such vnreuerence and stoutnesse is found amongst them from time to time But here for our selues we must learne to be humble and lowly as Christ our Sauiour was And as we looke to be respected by God and not to be plagued by him we must labour to draw our hearts vnto a trembling and a quaking before him that so we may carry our selues reuerently in his worship at all times and when we haue done all that we can doe not trust in any thing but think our selues to be vnprofitable seruants and to come too short of our duties by many degrees But what shall we do will you say to attaine to this We must performe these things First we must pray to God that hee would humble vs and bestow vpon vs meeke and lowly hearts For by nature all of vs are proud and arrogant like to Euah our first mother who would not be subiect to God but be as God herselfe and of our selues we cannot be humble and lowly when we would be but God must humble vs and make vs lowly who said in Zophonio 3.12 Then will I leaue in the mids of thee an humble and poore people and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. Secondly we must consider often with our selues how base and vile we our selues are and how glorious and full of Maiestie the Lord is For by this consideration it may come to passe that we shall cast our selues downe before him in most humble submissiue maner as Abraham did when he acknowledged that he was not worthy to speake vnto the Lord because he was but dust and ashes Gen. 18.27 And as Esay did when he cried out and said Woe is me for I am vndone because I am a man of polluted lips and I dwell in the mids of a people of polluted lips For mine eyes haue seene the King and Lord of hosts Esay 6.5 Thirdly we must alwayes remember that all the seruice which we can do vnto the Lord is due vnto him that our best righteousnes is as a polluted garment that if the Lord should enter into iudgement with vs to reward vs according to our wayes we could not answer him one for a thousand or be able to stand before him or appeare iust in his sight Lastly we must set before our eyes all the iudgements of the Lord which he hath executed vpon men for their transgressions and which he hath in great store for all such as shall stand stoutly out against him and breake his commandements For they may quaile vs and breake the stony rocke of our soules to peeces and make vs cry out with Habakuk saying When I heard my belly trembled my lips shooke at the voyce rottennesse entred into my bones and I trembled in myselfe that I might rest in the day of trouble For when he commeth vp vnto the people he shall destroy them Hab. 3.16 Remember these things and performe them Thus farre for the duty belonging vnto God the Father now followeth the duty which belongeth vnto God the Sonne Wherin consider first what must be done vnto him then the Reasons to moue vnto the same The duty to be performed is this they must Kisse the Sonne The vse of a leisse in the holy Scripture is twosold one of subiection as in 1. Sam. 10.1 where it is sayd that Samuel did kisse Saul when he annointed him to be king of Israel for this was in token of his subiection vnto him And in this sence also is it taken in 1. Kings 19.18 where the Lord told the Prophet Elijah that he had left 7000 in Israel whose knees had not bowed vnto Baal and whose mouth had not kissed him

grant that this labour of mine may be accepted of the Saints and tend to Gods glorie And I heartily beseech the Lord the God of all grace and giuer of all blessings that he would so multiply his heauenly graces vpon you that you may alwaies walke worthy of the Lord and please him in all things battering downe continually the kingdome of Sathan and setting vp the kingdome of Christ to the vttermost of your powers that so many soules may be saued by your meanes and you your selues haue the greater weight of glory bestowed vppon you at the day of iudgement when all persons shall be rewarded according to their workes And so crauing pardon for my boldnesse I ende and humbly take my leaue Rodborough the twentieth of August 1610. Your Worships to be commanded in the Lord Richard Web. To the Christian Reader all grace and peace CHristian Reader the whole care and burthen of the Ministery of the Lords word is or at the least ought to be how to bring men to the liuing God to pull them out of the kingdome of Satan that they might be planted in the Kingdome of Christ Euery one should helpe forward this worke which is the greatest and the most honorablest worke in all the world The miserable estate wherein they are who do remaine vnder Satan and his dominion as all men do by nature and the most blessed condition that they are in who are vnder Christ and his gouernment as none are but by grace should moue men sufficiently thereunto For mine owne part what I haue done this way these Sermons of mine in part will shew thee Reade thē at thy leasure marke them well begin not alone but make an end For haply as it is in S. Iohns Gospell the best wine is reserued till the last VVhen thou hast ended if thou receiuest any profite thereby blesse thou the name of thy God for it vnto whom all honour and praise do belong and pray also vnto the same God for me the instrument therein of thy good that so I may alwaies stand fast in the truth and increase daily in all heauenly graces to the honour of his name and the good of his Church Our daies thou knowest are corrupt and full of sinne and we our selues are very fraile and weake looke therefore to thy selfe and keepe thine heart with all diligence Run not with the world neither decline after vanity but cleaue fast vnto thy God come life or come death and be thou sure euermore to worke out thy saluation with feare and trembling and so fare thee well most heartily in the Lord. Thine for thy good euer in the Lord R. W. The principall matters which are handled in euery Sermon The Contents of the first Sermon THe Author Summe and Diuision of the whole Psalme It is proued that Dauid and Christ had many enimies according to the letter of the text The causes why Christ in the daies of his flesh was reiected by men albeit he was most worthy of loue and fauour which are in number 7. whereof 3. are intrinsecall or inward being inherent in men and 4. extrinsecall or outward being wickedly pickt from Christ himselfe It is shewed how the enimies of Dauid and Christ were oucrcome and came to fearefull ends The godly are vnlikely for foure causes to ouercome their enimies yet do they preuaile against them the reasons why and the vses thereof There are foure things in God for the which the victory doth alwaies go on his side and theirs whose part he doth take It is declared how the godly do ouercome euen then when they be put to death for the truths sake God is a patient God not willing the death of a sinner but rather that he should conuert and liue the reasons why and the vses thereof The Contents of the second Sermon IT is proued that Christs enimies did rage and murmure against him in the daies of his flesh according to the letter of the text The multitude and common people of the world are enimies to the Lord and his truth the reasons why which are foure and the vses thereof which are also foure Murmuring is a sin and to be auoided of Gods children the reasons why which are two and the vses thereof which are also two Eight preseruatiues or remedies against murmuring The diuers ends wherefore Questions are proposed The acts deeds of the vulgar sort are so foolish mad that wise discreet persons fearing the Lord may well wōder at thē with the vse therof The Contents of the third Sermon IT is proued that the States of the land did oppose themselues against Christ in the daies of his flesh according to the letter of the text Rich men and great persons haue foure chiefe reasons aboue others to serue the Lord yet they contemne him most the reasons why which are sixe and the vses thereof which are foure Councels and assemblies are as well against the Lord and his truth as for him the reasons why which are 2. and the vses thereof which are 3. The wicked haue their Comes and Exhortations vnto vngodlinesse with the vse thereof There are three causes why the lawes of God should be regarded by men yet the wicked do reiect them the reasons why which are foure and the vses thereof which are two There are foure causes why the godly do delight in the law of God and desire to keepe the same By resisting Gods lawes men do resist God himselfe the reason why and the vses thereof which are two The Contents of the fourth Sermon GOd is in all places at all times three waies Two reasons why God is said to be in heauen rather then in any other place Gods laughing what it is at whom he doth laugh and the vse thereof No power or counsell can stand against the Lord but downe it must go the reasons why which are two and the vses thereof which are three Men like Giants fight against the Lord many waies but chiefly foure waies Gods anger what it is and the double way by the which he doth speake vnto man The enimies of Gods Church shall be ouerthrowne the reasons why and the vses thereof which are three The Church of God is like to an hill or mountaine in three respects with the vses thereof The Church of God is said to be holy for three causes with the vses thereof God the Father made Christ the King of his Church the reasons why respecting his Godhead and those eight notable-vertues which were in him most worthy of a King and the vses thereof which are three The Contents of the fifth Sermon Christs faithfulnes in opening his Fathers decree with the vse therof Three causes wherefore Christ published his Fathers decree touching himselfe and his calling Euery person must stand vpon his office and calling the reasons why which are foure and the vses thereof which are three An argument to proue that our Church in England is the true Church of God and

may see by the example of Nicodemus who came to Christ by night Ioh. 3.2 and of Ioseph of Arimathea who went secretly for feare of the Iewes to Pilate to begge leaue to take downe the body of Christ from the crosse and to bury it Ioh. 19.38 so did they feare trouble from abroad as may be seene by their words in Ioh. 11.48 When they say If we let him thus alone all men will beleeue in him and the Romanes will come and take away both our place and all the nation Thus you see that some of them through ignorance some through malice and some through feare did reiect Christ but all of them through their owne corruptions and naughty natures and none of them for any iust cause that was found in Christ himselfe But yet as Daniels enemies did picke out matter against him in regard of his religion for the which they should haue commended him and not haue condemned him as they did so these enimies of Christ haue drawne occasions of dislike against him from sundry things for the which they should rather haue liked him In number they were 4. The first was his base estate who came of meane parents who liued in this world as a poore simple man As the Israelites said whē they reiected Rehoboā for their king What portion haue we in Dauid we haue none inheritance in the house of Ishai to your tents ô Israel now see to thine owne house Dauid 1. King 12.16 As if they should say Why Ishai was but an husbandman Dauid was but a shepheard we wil not be subiect to so base kindred nor suffer such a foole as Rehoboam of their bloud to reigne ouer vs. So these said Is not this the carpenter Maries sonne the brother of Iames and Ioses and of Iuda and Simon and are not his sisters here with vs and they were offended in him Mark 6.3 The second was his familiarity and fellowship with sinners and with those that were publicanes As they reiected Iohn the Baptist for his strangenesse and austerity of life because he came neither eating nor drinking and said of him He hath a diuell so they despised Christ for the contrary because he came eating and drinking and said of him Behold a glutton and a drinker of wine a friend vnto publicanes and sinners Math. 11.17 c. The third was his faithfulnesse in the discharge of his calling in speaking the truth and in reprouing of men for their sinnes As the Prophets and Apostles lost their liues for this so did he leese his life for the same the people still hating him for it vntil they had nailed him vnto the crosse Mat. 21. 26. and Iohn 18. 10. The fourth and last was his strong confidence in God and his sure trust in him As Dauid was flouted at by his aduersaries for his trusting in God chiefly then when God did seeme to forsake him and left him in some troubles they crying out vnto him saying Where is thy God Psalme 42.3 10. So these did floute and mocke Christ chiefly in his troubles for his resting vpon his Father and his good beleefe in him breaking out into these words saying He trusted in the Lord let him deliuer him let him saue him seeing he loueth him Psalme 22.8 From hence Doct. that all persons doe thus oppose themselues against Christ we collect this doctrine as an infallible rule that all those that do truly belong to God and are the sincere members of Christ shal haue troubles enimies here in this world according to the axiome of our Sauiour in Ioh. 15.20 when he saith The seruant is not greater then his maister if they haue persecuted me they will persecute you also The Scripture is full of testimonies for the confirmation of this doctrine but I wil presse onely two or three Paul writing vnto Timothie and making mention of his owne persecutions and afflictions which came vnto him at Antiochia at Iconium and at Lystri lest Timothy or others might thinke that they might be free from all he doth plainely auouch that all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution in 2. Tim. 3.12 In like manner when he Bernabas came againe to these cities now repeated of Antioch Iconium and Lystri whom before they had taught the right way of saluation to confirme the disciples hearts and to exhort them to continue in the faith they told them that they must through many afflictions enter into the kingdome of God Act. 14.22 Finally Christ himselfe who is truth it selfe doth teach vs in Math. 10.22 that we shall be hated of all men for his names sake and that those that are of our owne houshold and kindred shall be our enimies vers 36.37 And that wee shall be here in this world as sheepe in the middes of wolues vers 16. But what is the reason of this Reason A man might iudge that the faithfull should be loued and be honored of all the world First because they are deare vnto God who hath not spared his owne Son to redeeme them Rom. 8.32 Secondly because they are peaceable and doe offer wrong vnto none In the mount of the Lord there is no hurt done Isay 11.9 They turne their speares and swords into mattockes and sithes Isay 2.4 Yea they goe like sheepe to the slaughter house Psalme 44.22 Thirdly because they are profitable vnto the world and do bring great commodity to them as Laban fared the better for Iacobs sake Gen. 30.27 Patiphar for Iosephs sake Gen. 39.5 All the Israelites for Moses sake Exod. 32.14 Zoar for Lots sake Gen. 19.21 and the Mariners for Paules sake Acts. 27.24 Fourthly because they are adorned with most rare and excellent gifts Ephes 1.3 Fiftly because they are attended vpon by the most glorious Angels of heauen Math. 18.10 Lastly because they are the children of the Almighty and the apparant heires of all the world Rom. 8.16.17 Heb. 1.14 In regard of all these things a man may well demand and aske Why the world should hate and persecute them But the answere is for these causes First because they are not of their number and fellowship being not men of this world as they be according to the words of our Sauiour in Ioh. 15.19 If you were of the world the world would loue you but because you are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Secondly because they are not like them in their waies and conuersations doing as they doe but will be more holy and iust then they are according to the words of Peter in 1. Pet. 4.4 Wherein it seemeth to them strange that yee runne not with them vnto the same excesse of ryot therefore speake they euill of you which shall giue accounts to him that is ready to iudge quicke and dead Thirdly because they reproue them for their euill waies and doe iudge and condemne their opinions and doings which

be collected out of Paules words Ans in the 8. Chap. of his Epistle to the Romanes and the latter end thereof which were touched before where he doth declare that though we be killed all day long and bee counted as sheepe for the slaughter yet we be notwithstanding that euen then therein conquerours yea more then conquerours through him that loueth vs. Howsoeuer this may seeme a parodoxe to flesh and bloud and be as a riddle vnto some of Gods owne children themselues yet it is an aphorisme in true Diuinity and a cleare point to them whose eyes are opened to behold the mysteries of the Almighty and to see the deepe things of the Lord. For I pray tell me is not he a conquerour yea more then a conquerour that doth so subdue his enimie that he can no more rise vp against him A man may vanquish his enimie and beate him cleane out of the field yet afterward he may gather a power against him againe and put him to the worst But here Satan the world and all our enimies are so beaten downe and troden vnder foote by all such as suffer and die for the truth that they can neuer assault them any more or stirre as it were either tongue or hand againe to do them any hurt For they goe immediately vpon that their death and passion to heauen and vnto all that happinesse which is prouided there for them as Iohn doth shew in Reuel 14.13 saying Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord euen so saith the Spirit for they rest from their labours and their workes do follow them It is good for vs to know this Vse as also to thinke oftentimes vpon it For first by it we may learne to take heed that we goe not about any thing which may be hurtfull or pernicious vnto Gods children For if we do we see here our labour shal be in vaine we shall not preuaile against them but they shall preuaile against vs. He is a very foole that will attempt a thing which he knowes for certainty he cannot bring to passe and which he is sure will bee his bane and destruction But wee know that we cannot preuaile against the faithfull and wee are sure that our plots against them will turne to our ouerthrow And therefore beware we that we lift not vp our selues against them at any time Againe from hence we learne euen so many of vs as do truely serue the Lord feare him from our hearts that there is no cause why we should feare man or what he can doe against vs because the victory shall alwaies goe on our side and not against vs. Oh we may reioyce and be glad as it is required of vs in Zeph. 3.14 c. and in 1. Pet. 3.14 which places you may reade at your leasure Feare not beloued but be of a good comfort though you haue enimies in euery corner yet be not discouraged you shall haue the conquest the Lord your God shall deliuer you out of all your troubles according to Dauids saying in Psal 34.19 when he saith Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth him out of them all He is wise he doth know how to do it and he is omnipotent he is able for to do it and as for his willingnesse he is ready at all times to accomplish it as iust occasion shall require it Wherfore be I say of a good comfort and feare not but trust in the Lord and commit your waies vnto him he shall bring all things to passe according to your owne hearts desire in the end He that deliuered Noah from the floud Lot from Sodom Iacob from Esau Ioseph from Potiphar Moses from Pharaoh Israel from Aegypt Elijah from Ahab Elisha from the Syrians Daniel from the Lyons the three children from the fire Peter from Herod Mordecay from Haman and here Christ and Dauid from all sorts of enimies he euen he will deliuer you from all troubles If you say that your enimies are many and that the whole world is against you I will say againe to you with Elisha the Prophet and Hezekiah the king that there are more with vs then are against vs. 2. Kings 6.16 2. Chron. 32.7 For God and all the hoast of heauen is for vs. If you say againe that your enimies are wise and politicke and that they are able to ouer-reach you by their craft cunning considering you are but simple and innocent like doues I will answere you with the Apostle that the foolishnesse of our God who is on our side is wiser then their best wisedome 1. Cor. 1.25 and that he will destroy their wisedome and bring their vnderstanding to nought 1. Cor. 1.19 to doe vs good If you say in the third place that your enimies haue so hemmed you in and compassed you about that it is vnpossible for you to escape them I will answere you with the Angel Gabriel that with God shall nothing be vnpossible Luke 1.37 And with the three children Shadrach Meshach and Abednego that God both can and will deliuer you Dan. 3.17 When they say Behold our God whom we serue is able to deliuer vs from the hot fiery furnace and he will deliuer vs out of thine hand ô King If you say lastly that your enimies haue already taken you and do put you daily vnto death I will answere you with Paul in Rom. 8.37 which place was touched before and with Iohn in Reuel 12.11 That by this meanes you doe ouercome your enimies most of all For when you resist thus vnto bloud and die for the truth you giue your enimies such an ouerthrow that they neuer rise vp against you any more as for your selues you enter presently into heauen the onely place which you striue for Euen as he hath the victory most in this world who doth enter into the citty and take all the spoyle thereof and doth so confound his aduersaries that they can neuer stirre any more against him In consideration of all which things cleaue fast I beseech you vnto the Lord feare no danger or perill but reioyce in the Lord and be glad alwaies fighting for the crowne of righteousnesse which shall be giuen vnto euery one who doth with patience waite for the appearing of our Lord Iesus and loue the same Now to the third point As wisedome cals vpon men for repentance and amendment of life in Prou. 1.22.23 saying O yee foolish how long will yee loue foolishnesse and the scornefull take their pleasure in scorning and the fooles hate knowledge Turne you at my correction Lo I will powre out my minde vnto you and make you vnderstand my words So doth the Lord here in the three last verses of this Psalme call vpon men for the like repentance and amendment of life saying Be wise now therefore ye Kings be learned ye Iudges of the earth c. to the end of the Psalme Wherehence shortly we gather this doctrine Doct.

that God is a patient God not willing the death of a sinner but rather that he should conuert and liue So much doth Paul teach vs of him in Rom. 2.4 saying Despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience and long suffering not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance So much doth Peter teach vs of him in 2. Pet. 3.9 saying The Lord is not slacke concerning his promise as some men count slacknesse but is patient towards vs and would haue no man to perish but would all men to come to repentance So much doth Ioel teach vs of him in Ioel. 2.13 saying And rent your hearts and not your garments and turne vnto the Lord your God for he is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the euill So much finally doth God himselfe teach vs of himselfe in Ezech. 33.11 saying As I liue saith the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue But what is the reason of this Reason Is not God a iust God and are not his eies pure eies not abiding to behold sin and iniquity Yes Why then doth he not strike Because his mercies are ouer all his workes and his compassions faile not according to Dauids words in Psalme 145.9 and the Prophet Ieremies in Lament 3.2 For as the one of them doth extoll the mercies of God aboue all things so the other of them doth declare that they are the cause why hee doth not consume vs accordingly as our sins do deserue Wherefore learne out of this Vse first to put a difference betwixt God and man for they are very much vnlike For my thoughts saith God are not your thoughts neither are your wayes my wayes saith the Lord For as the heauens are higher then the earth so are my wayes higher then your wayes and my thoughts aboue your thoughts Esay 55.8.9 If treason and insurrection bee once made against the chiefe gouernour of any land the parties offending therein are apprehended and according to law they are executed as traytors and rebels and all this is but well and according to iustice and equity without which no common-wealth can stand or flourish But yet with God it is not so though that we do dayly make insurrection against him and commit high treason against his person by blaspheming his holy name and by trampling his diuine statutes and ordinances vnder our feet yet he doth spare vs and not consume vs according to our wicked deserts and as one most desirous to haue vs saued to become blessed he doth cry vnto vs for a turning and amendment of life Oh who can extoll this goodnesse of the Lord sufficiently shall we rebell against him prouoke him to his face and yet will he come and intreate vs to be reconciled vnto him Doubtlesse if one doth but offēd vs some two or three times in some matters that do concerne our credite and profite so that we grow infamous or poore thereby we can neuer soundly and throughly endure that partie againe as we ought to do and though he should come vnto vs himselfe to aske vs forgiuenesse yet we should hardly euer receiue him to loue and fauour againe within our hearts so close would his wrong iniury cleaue vnto vs. We see that when the Samaritans refused to receiue Christ into one of their citties for a nights lodging Iames and Iohn two of his disciples were by and by inflamed with great choler wrath and they would needs haue their maister be reuenged vpon thē for it saying vnto him after this sort Lord wilt thou that we command that fire come down from heauen consume thē euen as Eliah did Luke 9.54 But as for our God we see here how patient he is in putting vp great rebellions and treasons and in calling vpon the rebels and traytors themselues for amendment of life that so they may be saued Learne we therefore in the next place that though we doe sin and offend yet there is mercy in the Lord to forgiue vs. For where sinne doth abound there grace doth more then abound saith the Apostle in Rom. 5.20 Dauid doth speake most excellently of this matter in Psalme 103. c. saying The Lord is full of compassion and mercy slow to anger and of great kindnesse He hath not dealt with vs after our sinnes nor rewarded vs according to our iniquities for as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercy towards them that feare him As farre as the East is from the West so farre hath he remoued our sinnes from vs as a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him And lest that any should doubt of the pardon of his sinnes marke what God himselfe doth say in Isay 1.18 Come now saith he and let vs reason together saith the Lord though your sinnes were as crimson they shall be made as white as snow though they were red like scarlet they shall be as wooll And surely if God doth here call vpon these traitours and rebels to forsake their sinnes with an intent and purpose to saue them if they will so doe then may you not doubt but that he will receiue euery repenting sinner that doth come vnto him and forgiue him all his transgressions be they neuer so many when he doth aske pardon for them and heartily forsake them Wherefore though you haue sinned greatly against the Lord and haue trespassed euen against heauen and his Maiesty with the prodigall sonne yet despaire not but with the prodigall sonne returne vnto him and know that you shall finde mercy at his hands as he did and as Dauid did and as Salomon did and as Peter did and as Paul did and as many more besides them did whose sins were great and hainous For God hath said it who cannot lye Yea he hath sworne it and bound it with an oath that he doth not desire the death of the wicked but that he should turne and liue as you heard before out of Ezech. 33.11 Lastly from hence obserue this vse Vse that if any doe perish through his sinnes and transgressions he must not impute the fault thereof vnto God but vnto himselfe For God here doth call men from their euill waies that so they may not perish but be saued In all our plagues and iudgements and in all our woes and calamities whether in this world or in the world to come the Lord may alwaies say vnto vs as it is in Hosea 13.8 O Israel one hath destroyed thee but in me is thy helpe For the Lord doth take as it were great paines to make vs good What could I haue done more saith the Lord to my Vineyard that I haue not done vnto it Isay 5.4 Wherefore accuse God I beseech you at no time if any destruction doth happen vnto you but lay the whole blame thereof vpon

did eate he should not perish but haue life euerlasting Ioh. 6.41.60.61 As thus you haue heard what they did so now heare what was the euent of their doing All was in vaine but in vaine saith the Prophet by which word he doth signifie that all their indeauour was to no purpose For a thing is said to be in vaine which cannot be brought to passe but shall lacke his effect In Hebrew the word is in the singular number called Rijk and it doth import a vacuitie or emptinesse and such a vanity of things as haue no substance in them no more then a dry pit hath water or an empty house hath stuffe But in Greeke the word is of the plurall number termed Kena and in signification is all one with the former sauing onely that this doth shew more fully as it were by the plurality of it that all the things which they did meditate vpon in their hearts murmuringly mutter forth with their tongues were frustrated and brought to nothing being in this respect like vnto sicke mens dreames which haue no truth or verity in them Here might many things be obserued As first that raging in a tumultuous manner and murmuring though in a secret sort are diseases and sores euermore to be found among the common people and the meaner of the world Secondly that by raging and murmuring resistance is made against the Lord and his Annointed Thirdly that all attempts which are made against the Almighty those whom he doth set vp whether by the one of these meanes or by the other shall be broken and come to nought Fourthly that the multitude and vulgar sort are alwaies enimies to the wise and gracious gouernement of our God And lastly that raging and murmuring themselues are two notorious euils which are alwaies to be abandoned by the holy and blessed Saints of the most High who doe purpose truely to serue the Lord and to go to heauen But as a man entring into a shop where is great variety of wares will buy onely that which is necessary for himselfe and his vses let the rest alone Or as a man sitting at a table where are sundry dishes will in wisedome feede onely on them which will agree with his body best and doe him most good and not meddle of the rest So let vs stand vpon those points alone which are most commodious for vs and may turne to our greatest good and let passe the rest And they are in number the two last which also are intended most if not onely by the Spirit of God in the text it selfe vnlesse it be the third respecting the vanitie of all such attempts as shall be made against the Lord whereof wee haue spoken already in the generall view of the whole Psalme and so are not now againe to speake thereof at this time First then in that the heathen do thus rage the people do thus murmure against Christ and his kingdome as we haue heard we gather this doctrine Doct. that the multitude and the whole body of the Commons will euermore be enimies vnto the Lord and his truth If we peruse the writings of the Prophets or runne ouer the Acts of the Apostles or cast our eies vpon the conuersation of the whole race of mankind we shall easily finde this to be most true and certaine Noah found it so when for all his preaching in sixscore yeares together he could not conuert any vnto the Lord but they would notwithstanding his preaching continue in their sinnes till the floud came and drowned them all 1 Pet. 3.20 Lot found it so when he vexed his righteous soule from day to day with the vnlawfull deedes and vncleane conuersation of the Sodomities 2. Pet. 2.7.8 chiefly then when they compassed his house about from all the quarters of the citty both yong and old with murthering hearts to kill those men or rather Angels that came to lodge with him Gen. 19.4 c. Aaron found it so when all the Israelites fell to idolatry and compelled him to make them a golden calfe to worship it or as they termed it Gods to goe before them Exod. 32.1 Isay found it so when he said of the whole people of Israel that they were a sinfull nation a people laden with iniquity a seed of the wicked corrupt children that they had forsaken the Lord and provoked the Holy one of Israel against them yea they were gone backeward and that there was nothing found in them from the sole of the foote vnto the top of the head but wounds swelling sores full of corruption Isay 1.4 c. Ieremy found it so when he said of the same people that they were a wicked people and that they did refuse to heare the word of God but would walke after the stubbornnesse of their owne heart and walke after other gods to serue them and to worship them Ier. 13.10 Dauid found it so when he said of all mankind that they were all of them gone out of the way that they were all corrupt and that there was wone that did good no not one Psalme 14.3 Finally to omit almost infinite examples Paul and Silas found it so when they were at Philippy a chiefe citty in Macedonia where all were set against them both people and gouernours and did not onely beate them sore with rods but they cast them also into prison and commanded the gaoler to keepe them surely there from all escaping away Acts 16.22.23 Hitherto you haue heard what the people do Reason euen rebell still against the Lord and his blessed word Now heare what are the reasons of this their so doing and marke what moues them thereunto There are many reasons of it but these foure are the chiefe and principall The first is there foolishnesse or ignorance For they not knowing the Lord nor vnderstanding his waies aright but being in this respect worser then the Oxe that knoweth his owner and the Asse that knoweth his maisters crib as the Lord doth complaine of them in Isay 1.3 they cannot but doe as Paul did in the time of his ignorance euen oppose themselues against the Almighty or those of whom Christ doth say that they shall thinke they do God good seruice in putting his Saints to death Ioh. 16.2 For this cause the Lord doth make his moane for the foolishnesse and ignorance of his people as of the wel-spring of all their rebellions against him in Ier. 4.22 in these words For my people is foolish they haue not knowne me they are foolish children and haue none vnderstanding they are wise to doe euill but to do well they haue no knowledge The second is their impatiency or angry waywardnesse who cannot waite vpon the Lord with any patience or beare any crosse quietly For this doth cary them away to horrible rebellions as we may see by daily experience and by the example of the children of Israel in the wildernesse who being angry for their crosses and impatient of thirst of

auoided by euery good Christian and those that would be the faithfull children of the most high God of heauen But on the former of thē I will not now stand partly because all do confesse that to be a most hainous offence and partly because we are somewhat cleare and innocent from it but I will stand onely vpon the latter as vpon a thing more doubtfull and wherein we are intangled most The which to be a most grieuous sin in the sight of the Almighty howsoeuer man doth iudge lightly of it appeareth euidently by three things First by his often condemning of it in his word Secondly by his branding of them with a note of great infamie or reprobation who were subiect vnto it And thirdly by his seuere punishing of them who were guilty in it If we peruse the word we shall finde many places condemning the same but I will presse two or three alone Do all things saith Paul in Phil. 2.14 without murmuring and reasonings And againe writing to the Corinthians in 1. Cor. 10.10 he saith Neither murmure ye as some of them also murmured making mention there of the Israelites and were destroyed of the destroyer Likewise Peter well agreeing with him saith in 1. Pet. 4.9 Be ye harborous one to another without murmuring If we search the Scriptures we shall finde againe that murmurers therein are brought in as the leawdest and vilest people that be Iude in his Epistle speaking of vngodly persons who are a staine vnto true religion euen of such as were ordained of old vnto eternall condemnation as appeareth in the 4. Vers of that Epistle doth amongst other things set them out by this marke that they are murmures and complainers walking after their owne lusts as it is in the 16. verse thereof Whereby we see that God doth brand them with the note of reprobation as I said before In like manner as Kain is recorded to be a murtherer a runnagate a vagabond and a damned wretch who was a murmurer and one that did repine and grudge that God should respect his brother Abel aboue himselfe Gen. 4.5 c. So are all the Israelites who did so often murmure and grudge against the Lord and Moses his seruant in the wildernesse reputed for most vile and notorious sinners and that by God himselfe in these words Forty yeares haue I contended with this generation and said They are a people that erre in heart for they haue not knowne my waies Wherefore I sware in my wrath saying suerly they shall not enter into my rest Psal 95.10.11 Lastly if we carefully obserue the story of sacred Oracles we shall find that most heauy plagues iudgements haue bene excuted vpon offenders in this respect But to touch one or two it is not vnknowne that though Miriam were an excellent woman and one of great account amongst all the people of God yet the Lord did not spare her but did strike her with the Leprosie a cursed an odious disease for her murmuring against Moses Numb 12.10 Againe it is apparant that though God made choise of Israel to be his people before all the nations of the world and did carry them as it were in his bosome as a mother doth carry her child in her bosome yet he did destroy many thousands of them by the Amalekites the Canaanites that dwelt in the mountaine of their wandring for their murmuring and repining yea and more then that hee debarred them all from entring into Caanan that came out of Aegypt except two viz. Iosuah and Caleh as we may see at large in the 14. Chap. of Numbers But yet his hand staid not there For besides all that he cast most of them downe to hell and would not suffer them to come to heauen which is the plague of all plagues and the heauiest iudgement that can be as the Apostle doth obserue in the 3. and 4. Chapters of his Epistle to the Hebrewes As thus you heare that murmuring is a sinne Reason so peraduenture you would gladly vnderstand the cause why it is a sinne In few words it is a sinne for two causes The one is because it hath an errour in it whereby we iudge amisse of the Lord and his wayes whether workes or words For whensoeuer we murmure for any matter we iudge and thinke that that matter is out of order and that it might be better disposed of then it is As for example when the maister of the vineyard gaue vnto euery one a penny at night that laboured in his vineyard the enuious man grumbled at this because he thought here was no iustice and equity obserued in that all of them were made equall in their wages who were vnequal in their labours So when we murmure against God we do dislike with something in God and so we do controll him and preferre our selues who are foolish and wicked before him who is most wise and holy as though we our selues in the like case could do better then God hath done then which blasphemy what can almost be more hainous The other cause is because it hath some rebellion in it as a cursed effect arising from the wickednesse of that former cause whereof we haue already spoken For when the soule is thus corrupted with a wrong iudgement the heart that begins to boyle and rise against God in many angry and foolish passions and the tongue oftentimes is loosed with most vile and reprochfull words that I may not speake of the hands and the rest of the members all which are much out of order by this meanes and carried ouer to a sea of corruptions as we may see in those murmurers and many others who were mentioned before Wherefore when Moses went about to draw the people from their murmuring he wils them to rebell no more as though to murmure to rebell were all one Numb 14.9 And when God doth reproue them he doth demand How long they will prouoke him and how long it will be yer they doe beleeue him in the 11. verse of the same Chapter as though there were no difference betweene murmuring and prouoking of God or not beleeuing in him So that then if it be an abhomination before the Lord to condemne the innocent in our thoughts and to rebell against the gouernours of the land it is apparant and euident that murmuring must needes be a great sinne seeing it hath these two great euils in it the one of iudging amisse of the Lord the other of rebelling against his maiesty But to passe the causes let vs come to the vses They are in number two The first of them sheweth the great impiety of our land Vse 1 for seeing that murmuring is a great euill and we haue murmurers in euery place and amongst all estates we may see that our land is wicked and naught In it reigne many sinnes as swearing lying whoring theeuing quaffing gormandizing contempt of the word and the faithfull embassadours thereof with many other notoriousvices such as couetousnesse

And so I shut vp this point in a few words and make an end THE THIRD SERMON vpon the second Psalme PSAL. 2. VER 2. 3. The Kings of the earth band themselues and the Princes are assembled together against the Lord and against his Christ Let vs breake their bands and cast their cords from vs. HAuing spoken in the first verse of the Commons and the meaner people of the world he comes now in these two verses to speake of the Nobles and the great States of the world Though the former did rebell against Christ and his kingdome yet haply these as a man might thinke will not For these are wise and religious and see what is good for themselues But out alas they do it as well as the former they haue the like treacherous and rebellious hearts within them For they band themselues together with all their power and strength But yet there is some difference betwixt them For these go as it were warily to worke and are very circumspect in their wayes they take deliberation and time they haue their meetings and consultations they lay their heads together and take aduice what is best to be done But in the end they conclude vpon this That they will be subiect no longer to Christ and his kingdome nor suffer themselues to be bridled any more by his lawes which they accounted to be an intollerable burthen and such bands and cords as were not in any case to be endured but to be broken asunder and to be cast behind their backes like dung and filthinesse which they could not abide to looke on And whereas good subiects should prouoke one the other vnto all dutifull obedience and loyall subiection vnto their dread Soueraigne they as apert and open enimies do encourage one the other vnto plaine and manifest treason and rebellion saying Come let vs breake their bands and cast their cords behind vs. In summe then you haue nothing else to remember Summe here in these two verses but the rebellion or conspiracie which the great men of the world do make against Christ Iesus our Lord King Wherein note first what they do then secondly what they say Their deedes are set out in the second verse and that two wayes first by the thing it selfe which they-do then by the persons against whom they do the same Their words in the third verse containing an exhortation in them and the matter whereunto they do exhort Of these we will speake in order and say somewhat of each of them by Gods good grace Touching the first of them which doth concerne their deeds we will obserue this methode in handling the same that first we will see the meaning of the words then the truth of the storie and lastly the vse and benefit that we may make thereof The meaning of the words standeth thus By Kings are vnderstood such as were in highest place and authoritie amongst men and by Princes such as were next them for rule and gouernment ouer the people but by them both are vnderstood all persons whatsoeuer of chiefe place and state for this world by the figure called Synecdoche when some sorts or kinds are put for all Howsoeuer these are here sayd to band themselues and to be assembled together but in Acts chap. 4. vers 26. they are sayd to assemble and to come together the reading is somewhat diuerse but yet it is all one in sence For the meaning is nothing else but this that they ioyned hand and head together in power and counsell against the Lord and his Christ Where by the name of the Lord you must vnderstand the Almightie euen the first person in the Trinitie God the Father and by the name of his Christ first Dauid whom God did annoint king of Israel Then secondly Iesus the sonne of the Virgin Mary whom the same God did annoint king ouer his Church For against both of them was this conspiracie made The word in the Hebrew tongue called Meshihho coming of Mashahh to annoint and the word in the Greeke tongue called tou Christou autou coming of chriô to annoint do signifie his Annointed And seeing that both Dauid and Iesus were annointed by God the Father either of them may be noted out by this word and be called His Annointed or his Christ which is all one For annointed or Christ is all one in sence though not in sound of words in our English tongue Thus you see in few words the meaning of the place how that the great states or chiefe men of the world bid band themselues wholy against Dauid whom the Lord had chosen to be the King of Israel and against our Sauiour Iesus Christ whom he had chosen to be the gouernour of his Church and the only ruler thereof But yet before we come to see the veritie of this matter which is to be touched in the next place a question here may be moued and a man may aske how these men did ioyne hand and head together against the Lord himselfe For can any like the Giants make warre against the Almightie Yes Many haue done it and do daily still do it For all those are sayd to warre against the Lord himselfe who do oppose themselues against his will and pleasure and withstand such matters as do tend to his glorie and the good of his Saints but chiefly those that do resist the higher powers and rebell against such as the Almightie hath set ouer them to be their rulers and gouernors either in the Church or Common-wealth As we may se by the words of the Lord to Samuel when Israel would haue a king in 1. Sam. 8.7 where the Lord doth say vnto him Heare the voyce of the people in all that they shall say vnto thee for they haue not cast thee away but they haue cast me away that I should not reigne ouer them As we may see by the words of our Sauiour to his Apostles in Luke 10.16 when he saith vnto them He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that hath sent me As lastly we may see by Pauls words to the Romanes in Rom. 13.2 when he saith Whosoeuer therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receiue to themselues iudgement Wherefore in that they did resist Dauid and Christ whom the Lord had set vp it is apparant that they did resist the Lord himselfe Oh that all traytors and rebels did well consider of this point and lay it neare vnto their soules For our owne parts let vs looke vnto it alwayes remembring what the Lord doth say Touch not mine annointed and do my Prophets no harme But to passe this matter and to come to the truth of the story that we may see how true euery thing is which is here reported and not to stand vpon Dauid the figure whose storie you may reade at large in the first booke of Samuel where you

shall finde both Kings and Princes as well domesticall as forreine banding and assembling themselues against him it is apparant by the record of all the Euangelists that as the whole body and Commons of Israel were set against our Sauiour Iesus Christ so were the States of the land and the chiefe men of place therein most deadly foes and enimies vnto him As they banded themselues together to make their faction and side strong against him so they had their often assemblies and meetings for counsell and aduice which way to bring him vnto his death Herod and Pontius Pilate two kings as it were amongst them though they did iarre and disagree betwixt themselues yet now they could ioyne together against Christ and become friends as we may see in Luk. 23.12 in these words And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together for before they were enimies one vnto the other Here is the banding of the Kings of the earth together when these two agree in one like good friends who were before at ods and do assemble together at Ierusalem against our sweet Sauiour the Lords Annointed For now at this time both of them were at Ierusalem and so as well together in place as in heart as it is in the 7 verse of the same chapter of Luke But for their consulting together and the meeting of their Princes in assemblies for counsell and aduice against him there are many places in the Euangelists declaring the same but I will touch onely two at this time The one of them is in Iohn the 11 chapter and 47 verse with some others following For there we find that after Christ had raised vp Lazarus from the dead the high Priests and Pharisees who were the chiefe rulers of the people and as Princes among them gathered a Councell and assembled as it were in a Parliament against him plodding and deuising what were best to do vnto him and as it is in verse 53 of the same chapter from that day forth consulting together to put him to death The other of them is in Math. 26.30 where we reade that the chiefe Priests and the Scribes and the Elders of the people assembled together into the hall of the high Priest called Caiaphas and consulted how they might take him by subtiltie and kill him In regard of all which things now shortly touched you see that this is most true which is here recorded namely that the Kings of the earth banded themselues and the Princes are assembled together against the Lord and his Annointed The which thing the faithfull that liued after Christ was ascended into heauen and were eye-witnesses of those things which were done vnto him do in their prayer to God acknowledge and confesse saying For doubtlesse against thine holy Sonne Iesus whom thou hast annointed both Herod Pontius Pilate with the Gentles and the people of Israel gathered themselues together to do whatsoeuer thine hand and thy counsell had determined before to be done Acts 4.27.28 Hauing thus shewed the meaning of the text and confirmed the truth thereof let vs now come to the vse and benefit which we may make of the same Out of it we may gather two principall doctrines One from the persons rebelling the other from the manner of their rebellion Out of the persons rebelling we collect this doctrine Doctr. That great States mighty men of this world are oftentimes enimies vnto the truth and deadly foes vnto holy and vpright courses This the Prophet Esay doth shew when he doth call the Princes of Iudah and of Ierusalem the Princes of Sodome Esay 1.10 for Sodome was a city so wicked and the Princes thereof so leude and filthie that God could not spare them but for their abhominations he brought downe fire and brimstone from heauen and consumed them all as we find in the 19 chapter of Genesis This Ieremie doth shew when he saith I will get me to the great men and will speake vnto them for they haue knowne the way of the Lord and the iudgement of their God but these haue altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds Ier. 5.5 This Hosea doth shew when he saith They are all hot as an ouen and haue deuoured their Iudges all their kings are fallen there is none among them that calleth vnto me saith the Lord. Hos 7.7 This Amaziah though a wicked man doth shew when he said to Amos the Lords Prophet O thou Seer go flye thou away into the land of Iudah and there eate thy bread and prophesie there but prophesie no more at Bethel for it is the kings Chappell and it is the kings Court Amos 7.11.12 This the story of the Acts of the Apostles doth shew when they were apprehended cast into prison beaten and put to death by Herod by the high Priests and other officers and states men for gouernment as we may see in the 4.5.12 and other chapters of the same booke This the complaint of the Church doth shew when she doth say The watchmen that went about the citie found me they smote me and wounded me the watchmen of the wals tooke away my veile from me Cant. 5.7 for by watchmen here are meant the chiefe rulers of the Church who should watch ouer her for her good and not thus persecute her and wound her as they did This the storie of the ten persecutions doth shew when Nero Domitian Traian Antonie Seuerus Maximinus Decius Valerian Aurelian and Dioclesian most bloudy Emperours of Rome did make hauocke of the Church of God and persecute to the death such as did call vpon his holy name This lastly the example of all ages doth shew and daily experience with men of our time when we with our owne eyes do see and with our owne eares do heare what bloudy things are decreed in the Church of Rome in Spaine and in other places against true Protestants and the sincere seruants of the Lord euen by them that are in the highest roomes and do beare the chiefest sway amongst men in those dominions But how may this come to passe Reason may some man say that the highest persons and the chiefest for wealth and authoritie do thus oppose themselues against the Lord and his most holy and blessed wayes For of all men in the word they are most beholding vnto God and haue greater causes as one should iudge to loue him and to worship him then the meaner and poorer people haue For first they are daintily educated and with great charges brought vp in all good literature and learning Secondly they haue abundance of riches and worldly wealth to supply their wants at all times Thirdly they haue great honor and reputation amongst the sonnes of men in all places for gouernment and the matters of this world Lastly they excell all others for the most part in their persons both for wit and other naturall qualities of the mind and also for pulchritude and other goodly properties of the body Surely for all these causes

perswasion which they haue of themselues who thinke that they shall continue still in their flourishing estate and neuer see any woe or misery The sixt and last is the flattering and wicked counsell which they receiue from others who gladly accept of that which is spoken in their praise or agrees well with the vile inclination of their hearts But the generall reason of all is the corruption of their soules and the deprauitie of their crooked nature who turne that into poyson vnto themselues like the spider which they should conuert into hony with the Bee But to leaue the reasons Vse and to come to the vses here we may learne many things but chiefly foure The first is that we must not depend vpon great men or the higher powers of the world for their countenance as we learned in the first verse not to depend vpon the multitude for their number For here we see that they are against the Lord and his Annointed And therefore if we hang vpon them do as they do iniquity will be our ouerthrow and hell fire will be our portion at the last when we shall dearly repent for it but all too late Some there are of them I grant who are most godly and vpright persons walking sincerely in the paths of the Almightie but they are exceeding few here one and there another but for the greatest part of them they are naught and wicked as we may see by the Apostles words in 1. Cor. 1.26 when he saith For brethren you see your calling how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mightie not many noble are called And therefore I beseech you brethren looke well to this point conforme not your selues to the religion of great States nor walk after the maners of the wealthy men of the world but be you followers alone of Iesus Christ become holy as God your Father is holy in all maner of cōuersation so you shal not be fighters against the Almightie as these Giants are but be faithfull and obedient vnto him to your owne good euerlasting happinesse The second is this that if we will ioyne with the Lord take part with him we must looke for great enimies to arise vp against vs as well as small ones Ye shall be brought saith our Sauiour Christ vnto his Disciples in Matth. 10.18 to the gouernours and kings for mysake in witnesse to them and to the Gentles So must we looke to be brought before such and when such matters do fall out we must not be discouraged as though some new thing had happened vnto vs but be well contented therewith knowing that it hath bene so from the beginning and shall be so still to the end of the world As Ahab was set against Eliah Saul against Dauid Haman against Mordecay the Princes of Babel against Daniel Herod against Iohn the Baptist the high Priests and Elders of the people against the Apostles and Pharaoh with his Princes of Aegypt against Israel so must Gods children thinke that some great States and mightie men of this world will set themselues against them at all times and that they shall neuer be free from their oppositions but shall still be molested by them to the ende Oh thinke vpon this well and make a good vse of it for your selues For praemoniti praemuniti fore-warned fore-armed according to Christs words in Ioh. 16.1 These things haue I sayd vnto you that ye should not be offended The third is that euery one of vs who are more wealthy then others and haue greater places of dignitie then they haue should looke most warily to our selues that our wealth and places do nor steale away our hearts from God according to Pauls words in 1. Cor. 10.12 Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall For you see we stand in a slipperie place and if others do fall round about vs as we see and heare they do pray we heartily to the Lord that he would keepe vs and let vs watch and be sober alwayes walking faithfully in our callings and humbling our selues to the very dust before the Lord our maker Remember we stil what Paul doth write vnto Timothy in 1. Tim. 6.17.18.19 and let vs follow the same Charge them saith he that are rich in this world that they be not high minded and that they trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God which giueth vs abundantly all things to enioy that they do good and be rich in good workes and ready to distribute and communicate laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may obtaine eternall life If men trauell in those places where others before them haue suffered shipwracke or do fight with those enimies who haue alwaies conquered others they are very fearefull and circumspect lest they should miscarry So should it be with vs in this case Because we see others led away captiues to sinne by their outward pompe and state and do behold but a few rich men truly fearing the Lord we should vpon the due consideration thereof walke wisely and circumspectly redeeming the time and working out our saluation with feare and trembling The fourth and last is that we should both pray and reioyce in the behalfe of our gouernours and the highest powers of our land For seeing all generally do fall and become enimies to the Lord that are in those places of eminency farre aboue others and yet they do stand and are faithfull embracers of the truth we haue great cause to blesse the name of our God for it and to pray vnto him for a continuance of the same that so they may neuer shrinke backe but grow better and better vntill they come to the perfection of all goodnesse in the heauens aboue and there enioy all those beatitudes which are prouided for them in that celestiall place Doubtlesse there is no nation in the world so much beholding vnto God in this respect as we of England are As once we did say We haue an excellent Queene so we may now say We haue an excellent King His estate is most dangerous yet blessed be our God he doth stand and maintaine the truth of the Gospel as he ought to do He is like a goodly blazing torch set vpon the top of a mountaine which there doth giue light and not go out do all the winds of the heauen against it what they can Strange would the spectacle be if such a matter were visible to our eye I doubt not but all of vs would stand wondering if we should see a candle burning on the top of our houses in a windy and tempestuous night and yet neuer go out before it be burnt to the very end of it So may we wonder at his standing and at the Lords mercy in vpholding him he is so assaulted on euery side and set vpon by the contrary blasts of sundrie oppositions I pray you let vs alwayes pray vnto the Lord

4.1 And thus the Beroeans did for when Paul Silas came preached amongst them they receiued the word with all readinesse and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so or no as they taught them Acts 17.11 So also did the Ephesians For when some came vnto them and sayd that they were Apostles who indeed were not they examined them and found them liers Reuel 2.2 And so lastly must we our selues do for we must not build our faith vpon men who may deceiue vs but vpon the word of God which cannot deceiue vs. Any thing that is agreeable to the same we must receiue and whatsoeuer is contrary vnto it we must reiect and cast away saying with the Apostles We ought rather to obey God then man Acts 5.29 In the third and last place from this that Councels and Assemblies are as well against the Lord as for the Lord we may learne that we must not be too rash either in iudgement or in speech against the gouernors of our land for that they do condemne conuenticles and all other vnlawfull assemblies It is a thing to be wished that all meetings were for God and the aduancement of his glorie and it would be a thing very profitable if Christians did come together chiefly the Ministers of the word for holy conference in good matters that they might helpe one the other by their mutuall saith and other blessed gifts wherewith they do abound in great abundance But yet seeing many inconueruences oftentimes do come by Assemblies and that there are meetings as well against the Lord as for the Lord by traytors by Papists by Anabaptists by theeues by other malefactors who are enimtes both to God and the good estate of our land let vs not be discontented ouer-much though our meetings be somewhat restrained by law neither let vs repine in our hearts against our gouernours for the same but let vs know that they had some good reason for that which they haue done and that we our selues who are faithfull to God and loyall to our King may take libertie enough in the feare of God to prouoke to loue and to good workes and to be mutuall helpes one vnto the other in all duties of true Christianity if we will our selues Their words do now follow to be handled wherein consider first how they do stirre vp and prouoke one the other to their naughtinesse then the thing it selfe which they would do and gladly bring to passe as being the very issue of their whole counsell and consultation and the maine point wherein their rebellion and treason stood In the handling of these I will be succinct and short but chiefly in the first For that I will but onely touch and away It is expressed in this word Come come say they let vs breake their bands and cast their cords behind vs. In which we see the guise and propertie of the world the wicked haue a Come as well as the godly but farre differing from theirs For the godly haue their Come as a word of encouragement to religion and the exercises thereof as when they say O come and let vs sing vnto the Lord let vs heartily reioyce in the strength of his saluation or as it is in Esay 2.3 Come and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his wayes and we will walke in his pathes For the law shall go forth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem But the wickeds Come is to conspiracie and treason as here we may see in which they are more diligent then the children of light are in their good for their bodies meete their heads meete their hearts meete and both outward and inward they are earnest in euill the encourage one the other therein as much as may be and they haue their come alwayes for all their plots Such a come we reade of against blessed Ieremie Come said the wicked and let vs. imagine a deuice against Ieremy let vs smite him with the tongue and not giue credit to any of his words Ier. 18.18 Such another haue ruffians and theeues and swaggering fellowes in the booke of the Prouerbs Come and cast in thy lot with ours for we will haue all but one purse c. Prou. 1.11 c. Such another hath the harlot to the young man Come let vs take our fill of loue vntill the morning let vs take our pleasure in dalliance for mine husband is not at home he is gone aiourney farre off c. Prou. 7.18 c. But to such cursed comes let vs neuer hearken according to the good counsell which Wisedome doth giue vs in the Prouerbes and namely in the first chapter 15 verse thereof saying My sonne walke not thou in the way with them refraine thy foote from their path and let vs euer remember what the Psalme saith Blessed is the man that doth not walke in the counsell of the wicked nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the seate of the scornefull but his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night Psal 1.1.2 And so I passe from this point of their wicked and diuellish exhortation and come to the thing it selfe whereunto it is bent onely intreating you by the way that you would learne by their example to be more zealous and earnest in your holy religion then now you are For shall they exhort one the other and whet on each man his brother to wicked abhominations and to dreadfull rebellion and treason and shall not we much more prouoke one the other to loue and to all good works that we may be faithfull seruants vnto God and loyall subiects vnto our King Yes yes beloued it is our duty so to do otherwise these persons may rise vp in iudgement hereafter against vs. Wherefore let vs stirre vp one the other to goodnesse and to all holy duties whatsoeuer saying Come let vs honour all men loue brotherly fellowship feare God honour the King and doe in all points as it doth become vs c. The substance and matter of their exhortation if you marke the text is to cast off all obedience to the iust and holy lawes of the Lord and his Annointed For their words are these Let vs breake their bands and cast their cords behind vs. A diuellish conclusion and a wicked resolution you see it is What! could they in all their consultations find no better matter then this to agree vpon was this the only issue of all their labours Alas alas wee see what man is he is a very beast by his owne knowledge as it is in Ieremy 10.14 and as Paul doth shew he is an enimy vnto God his maker Rom. 5.10 But let vs examine this point a little As all good rulers haue their lawes and statutes for the better gouernment of their people so God hath his lawes and his statutes which he

doth giue vnto his people for them to obserue and keepe that so they might not liue according to their owne phansies and pleasures but according to his will and pleasure they euermore auoiding those things which he hath condemned and performing those things which he hath commanded But behold here these men scorne those lawes and statutes and refuse altogether to be obedient vnto them They would cast them off for euer and breake them all to peeces if they could And because they would make all things odious in respect of the Lord his Annointed whether Dauid or Christ and very plausible and colourable in regard of themselues they forge a very grosse and palpable comparison for they do compare themselues as it were to certaine beasts and vnreasonable creatures and these lawes and statutes of the Lord published by Dauid and Christ vnto certaine bands and cords insinuating thereby that they are no better vsed then the very beasts of the field or other vnreasonable creatures that must be tied fast with bands and cords for feare of hurting people or wandring abroad whither they should not For as these beasts are bridled and restrained by their bonds and cords so were they by these lawes and statutes so that they could not do what they would do In regard whereof they go now about to be loosed from this bondage and subiection which was in their opinion altogether intollerable and not to be borne or suffered any longer Wherefore their meaning in these words when they say Let vs breake their bands and cast their cords behind vs is nothing else but this Let vs obserue and keepe their lawes and statutes no more nor be any longer subiect and obedient vnto them or their authoritie Out of this we may collect two doctrines Doct. the one is that mans nature is against the law of God and vnwilling to be subiect or obedient thereunto according to the example of these men The other is that when men do resist the law of God oppose themselues against the same then do they rebell against God himselfe and become traytors vnto him as these were for this is noted as the maine point wherein their treason stood in that they did thus reiect the lawes and statutes of the Almightie and withstand the same to the vttermost that they could On these two let vs stand a little The first is Doct. that mans nature is against the law of God and vnwilling to be subiect or obedient thereunto The whole story of the Bible doth shew this but one place at this time shall be alleaged for all as containing many ages vnder it and that is in Ieremy 7.23 c. when the Lord saith by his seruant there But this thing commanded I them saying Obey my voice and I will be your God and ye shall be my people and walke yee in all the wayes which I cōmanded you that it may be well vnto you But they would not obey nor incline their eare but went after the counsels and the stubburnnesse of their wicked heart and went backward and not forward Since the day that your fathers came vp out of the land of Aegypt vnto this day I haue euen sent vnto you all my seruants and Prophets rising vp early euery day and sending them yet would they not heare me nor incline their eare but hardned the necke and did worse then their fathers As thus Israel dealt so deale all men at all times we find it so still by daily experience as well as by andient records So that a good man may cry out and say as it is in the same prophesie of Ieremy Chap. 6. verse 10. Vnto whom shall I speake and admonish that they may heare behold their eares are vncircumcised and they cannot hearken behold the word of the Lord is vnto them as a reproch they haue no delight in it But what is the reason of this as God said to Israel What iniquitie haue your fathers found in me that they are gone farre from me and haue walked after vanitie and are become vaine Ieremie 2.5 so may we say to these men What iniquity haue they found in the lawes and statutes of the Lord that they do so spurne at them or what euill is lurking in them that they do so reiect them What are they not iust and vpright Yes as we may see by Deut. 4.8 where Moses saith And what nation is so great that hath ordinances and lawes so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day What! are they not good and profitable Yes as we may see by sundry places of diuine Writ namely by the testimony of Dauid in Psal 19.11 when he saith that in keeping of them there is great reward What! are they not lastly easie and pleasant Yes as we may see by Christs owne words in Math. 11.30 when he saith For my yoke is easie and my burden light and by the saying of Dauid who reports them to be sweeter vnto him then the hony or the hony combe Psal 19.10 How chance then are they reiected and for what cause are they so cast off The causes thereof are these First because they are contrary to their natures and to all the affections of their soules which are wholly bent against them in so much as Wisedome her selfe is an enmitie vnto them as Paul doth teach vs in Rom. 8.7 saying Because the wisedome of the flesh is enmitie against God for it is not subiect to the law of God neither indeed can be For they cannot loue or like that by any meanes which doth crosse their natures and controll the affections of their hearts that is euen death to them Secondly because they condemne their sinnes which are sweet and profitable vnto them and threaten eternall iudgements against them for them For they cannot endure to heare of their faults and of Gods curses belonging vnto them for the same Thirdly because they are not accustomed to them For we like not of things which we neuer vsed and they are tedious and burthen some vnto vs as a new straite doublet is to a child which neuer wore any before according to Dauids saying when he had Sauls harnesse on his backe I cannot go with these for I am not accustomed 1. Sam. 17.39 Lastly because they are vnable for to obserue to keepe them as wanting Christ to helpe them and the spirit of the Lord to assist them For we grieue and murmure against all those which require vnpossible things at our hands and we abhorre the burden which we cannot carry or safely vndergo The reasons of this doctrine thus touched Vse the vses of it are these First hereby we may see what a downfall man did receiue by Adams fall He is not a little maimed or hurt in some parts of his soule or body alone but he is wholly corrupted and made a deadly enimie vnto his maker Some there are that do extoll man too highly they say that he is

like a boy of a sprack wit that wants but a good maister to instruct him or a faire white paper that needs nothing but a writing to be set in it But here we see it is otherwise for as man is ignorant of the law of God so he is a starke enimie vnto it he will not be subiect to the commandements of God nor be obedient vnto them Surely euery man by nature is dead in his sinnes and trespasses as Paul did obserue of the Ephesians in Ephes 2.1 and no man vnlesse he be borne againe can thinke well of the law of the Lord and yeeld vp chearfull obedience thereunto Secondly here we may behold the great difference that is betweene the wicked and the godly For as the wicked do abhorre the lawes of God saying Come let vs breake their bands and cast their cords behind vs so the godly do loue the lawes of God saying Come and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord and to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his wayes and we will walke in his paths Mica 4.2 And the reasons thereof are these First because they see they come from God their sweet Sauiour and do tend to their eternall good for we cannot but loue that which doth come from him whom we loue best and of whom we are loued most especially when we know that he will send vs nothing which is hurtfull but good as we iudge of God and that according to his owne word in Rom. 8.29 Secondly because they know that the curse thereof shall neuer take hold of them in as much as Christ was made a curse for them Thirdly because they are made easie and pleasant vnto them as by vse and custome they exercising themselues therein day and night so chiefly by the regeneration of the holy spirit of God who doth assist them and make them powerfull vnto good workes Lastly because they bring with them great rewards and honours at the last euen ioyes that are vnspeakable and riches without all end for number and continuance For as this made Iacob to serue seuen yeares for Rahel and Moses to leaue Pharaohs court and to endure much trouble in the wildernesse euen the reward that they did looke for so doth this excellent reward which doth attend vpon the obseruers of Gods commandements make vs euermore to regard them and to haue a care to obserue and to keepe them More might be spoken of this difference that is betwixt the godly and the wicked but this is enough The other doctrine collected out of the text is this Doct. that when men do resist the law of God and oppose themselues against the same then do they rebell against God himselfe and become traytors vnto him As he is a traytor to his Prince who doth altogether set himselfe against the lawes of his Prince and will be subiect to none of them but breake them all to disgrace him and to bring an ouerthrow vnto his estate or kingdome The reason is this for I will but touch this point and end Reason because his lawes are but the significations of his will and the testimonies of his mind and pleasure vnto vs. And you know that none can resist his will mind or pleasure but he must needs resist him himselfe The vse hereof standeth chiefly in two things Vse For first it serueth to detect the great sinnes and enormities that are amongst vs. There is a generation saith Agur in Prou. 30.12 that are pure in their owne conceipts and yet are not washed from their filthinesse We are of that number for we thinke too well of our selues Who is there almost that doth count himselfe a rebell and a tray tor against his God yet all of vs are such for we breake his commandements still and will not be ruled by his statutes and ordinances but we follow the imaginations of our owne hearts and do what seeme good in our owne eyes For these things we must strike vppon the thighs and repent and learne to do so no more Secondly it should awaken vs vp and be a sharpe spurre in our sides to keepe vs alwayes running in the commandements of our God Oh beloued brethren how carefull should we be both to know the lawes of our God and also to keepe them considering that otherwise we do but rebell and commit treason against our sweet and louing God Shall we rise vp against him that hath made vs against him that hath redeemed vs against him that hath sanctified vs against him that doth daily prescrue vs and against him in one word that will glorifie vs hereafter in the heauens No no farre be this from our soules yet this we must needs do vnlesse we endeuor carefully to keepe his commandements And therfore I beseech you looke to them Let them be a lanterne to your feete and a light to your paths Let them be your counsellors and the men of your law and whatsoeuer you thinke desire speake or do thinke all desire all speake all and do all according to the rule and direction thereof that so you may not be rebels and traytors vnto the Lord but be his saithfull seruants and true subiects vnto your liues ende Amen The end of the third Sermon THE FOVRTH SERMON vpon the second Psalme PSAL. 2. VER 4.5 6. But he that dwelleth in the heauens shall laugh the Lord shall haue them in derision Then shall he speake vnto them in his wrath and vexe them in his sore displeasure saying Euen I haue set my king vpon Zion mine holy Mountaine HItherto the Prophet hath shewed who did rebell against the Lord and his Annointed Now he doth begin to declare what the Lord and his Annointed are against whom they do so rebell The Lord is set out in these three verses and his Annointed in the three next The scope drift in the description of them both is one and the selfe same and it stands in two points The one is to shew that all the opposition or resistance that is made against them is in vaine and to no purpose The other is to declare that those that do make the opposition or resistance are in most wofull and wretched case and such as cannot escape most fearefull and vnrecouerable iudgements vnlesse they do in time preuent the same by true and hearty repentance or amendment of life in turning vnto them and in becoming faithfull and loyall subiects vnto them as they ought to be This is the summe of all these verses but at this time we are to stand vpon the three former alone The Prophet going about to describe the Lord euen the Father in the godhead or the first Person in the Trinitie notes him out first of all by his place or abode which is not vpon the earth where his enimies may come at him but in the heauens where they cannot come neare vnto him so that all their power 〈◊〉 malice intended against him can do him no

the effects thereof which are fearefull plagues tormenting them The speech is allegoricall and drawne from man as was touched before for the Prophet doth speake of God according to man and as hee is well able to conceiue of him not that there is any passion of choler or anger in God as there is in man for he is free from all passions whatsoeuer but the meaning is that God was much offended with them for their rebellion and so are displeased with them for it And whereas man is angry and wrathfull he wil strike and lay on and take reuenge vpon such as do offend him so the Lord would be reuenged vpon them and plague them according to their deserts as being highly offended with them for their euill wayes and rebellion against him Then shall hee speake vnto them in his wrath saith the Prophet and vexe them in his soare displeasure That is ouer besides his former deriding of them or laughing at them he shal be exceeding much offended with them in his soare displeasure against them he shal confound them and bring such iudgements vpon them that they shall bee vexed with the cruell paine and remedilesse griefe thereof So then here is set downe how the Lord takes the matter at his enimies hands and how they shall speede for the same though he doth laugh yet he is angry and much offended with them for it and though they be many great ones yet they shall not escape vnpunished but be plagued according to their wretched waies For Gods speaking here vnto them is not by word of mouth but by stroake of hand Sometimes he speakes by word of mouth vnto men as he did heretofore by his Prophets and Apostles and as hee doth still vnto vs by the holy Scriptures and the faithfull expositors thereof Otherwhiles againe he speakes to men by the stroakes of his hand as euer he hath done and daily doth when he doth punish them for their sinnes and lay some iudgements vpon them for their iniquities Of this manner of speaking doth Elihu make mention in Iob cap. 33. vers 14. and so forward where hee doth shew that God doth not onely speake to men by dreames and visions of the night pulling them as it were by the eares and leauing euen in their minds an impression of those great punishments which hang ouer their heads to this end that he might warne and teach them to lay aside those things which they were intended to do and that he might for bid them to continue in their wicked enterprises but also when man will not take heed by these warnings he goeth on the second time to speake vnto him by his stroakes and iudgements in laying some grieuous sickenesse vpon his body whereby he is brought as it were to deaths dore being daily tormented with grieuous paine euen as he lyeth on his bed and being so changed through leannesse and the rage of his disease that he is rather like to them that lye in the graue then to any of the liuing Now after this manner is the word here to be taken as the circumstance of the place doth shew and as the words following doe declare And the word also here vsed in the Hebrew tongue called Iedabber comming of the root Dabar doth signifie as well to destroy as some iudge as to speak So that a man may translate it if he will after this sort Then shall he destroy them in his wrath and vexe them in his sore displeasure But howsoeuer you see the sense and meaning is all one and that the Prophet doth intend no other thing hereby but to shew that they shall be ouerthrowne and come to some fearefull ends that did so rise vp against the Lord and his Annoynted as you heard in the beginning of this Psalme And that this also did fall out accordingly and in the same manner as the text doth here speake was at large deliuered vnto you in my first lecture vpon this Psalme when I did runne ouer the whole body thereof at once together and therefore I will not now stand vpon it againe but referre you onely vnto that which was then spoken hoping that you haue it in good remembrance still to your sweet comfort and holy instruction The doctrine of the place at this time to be considered is this Doct. That the enimies of Gods Church shall be ouerthrowne and be confounded by the breath of the Almighty for their rebellion against him euen as the enimies of Dauid and Christ here were for their resisting of him Surely as they came to fearefull ends so shall those that rise vp from time to time against Gods children they euen they also shall come to fearefull ends The Lord that is at their right hand shall wound Kings in the day of his wrath he shall be iudge among the heathen he shall fill and with dead bodies and smite the head ouer great countries as it is in Psal 110.5.6 You know what God doth saith to Edom. For thy cruelty saith he against thy brother Iacob shame shall couer thee and thou shalt be cut off for euer Obadiah vers 10. You know what God doth say of Moah and of the children of Ammon I haue heard saith he the reproach of Moab and therebukes of the children of Ammon whereby they vpbraided my people and magnified themselues against their borders Therefore as I liue saith the Lord God of hoasts the God of Israel Surely Moab shall be as Sodom and the children of Ammon as Gomorah euen the breding of nettles and salt-pits and a perpetuall desolation the residue of my folke shall spoile them the remnant of my people shall possesse them This shall they haue for their pride because they haue reproached and magnified themselues against the Lord of hoasts people in Zeph. 2.8.9.10 You know what God doth say to Abraham I will also saith he blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee in Gen. 12.3 And what he saith to his whole people of Israel Behold saith he I will bruise all that afflict thee so that none shall be spared in Zeph. 3.19 Lastly you know to pretermit other places what God doth to that huge army of Gog and Magog that compasseth the Saints and holy citty about spoken of in Reuel 20.9 But fire saith the text there came downe from God out of heauen and deuoured them To this we might adde many examples if neede did so require as that of Aegypt who were plagued with ten seuerall plagues from heauen one comming after another and in the end were drowned the most of them in the redde sea for setting themselues against the Lords people the children of Israel As that of Haman who lost all his dignity and the great honour which he had in the end was hanged vpon a gallowes for seeking the ouerthrow of Mordecay and those of the Iewes as did belong to the Lord. As lastly that with diuers others of the whole nation of

miseries vexing our soules whiles we are here and tormenting both body and soule when we are gone from hence And therefore I beseech you brethren in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ who hath loued vs and giuen his life for our sakes let there be none amongst vs which do wish euill vnto Zion but let vs loue all those which do feare the Lord if no other thing can moue vs to it yet let Gods iudgements which otherwise will fall vpon vs bring vs vnto it O remember it is no sporting matter to make a iest and sport of Gods child neither is it a small matter to offer wrongs and iniuries vnto him but thus to do is an hainous offence a very dāgerous matter to al those that do it If Meroz must be cursed all the inhabitants thereof because they came not foorth to helpe Gods people against their enimies as indeed they must be cursed according to the words of the Angell in Iudges Chap. 5. vers 23 And if they must depart frō Christ be cast into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his Angels who do not feed the hungry cloath the naked visit the sicke do good to those that are his Disciples and do beleeue in him as they must indeed depart from him and goe to that fearefull place as we may see by Mathew Chapter 25. verse 41 c. How much more shall they be cursed that do resist the people of God and how much more shall they depart from Christ and be cast into euerlasting fire prepared for the deuill and his Angels who do rob the faithfull Disciples of Christ and offer violence and wrong vnto them Oh thinke on this ye that forget God lest he come and teare you in peeces before you be aware and there be none to helpe you But to proceede on here in the second place we may learne to be quiet and patient when we are molested and troubled by the wicked wee need not then to fret and chafe as many are wont to do but to be mild as Christ was and to commit all vnto God as he did according to Peters words in his first Epistle the 2 chapter and 23. verse thereof with some others following where he doth labour to draw men to the imitation of our Sauiour in his suffering that as he when hee was reuiled reuiled not againe and when hee suffered hee threatned not but committed all to him that iudgeth righteously so should they do bearing euery thing patiently and referring it vnto him that iudgeth iustly without any acceptation of persons For seeing that God will reuenge our quarrels and plague our enemies to the vttermost we our selues may be silent and dumbe and neither mooue hand or tongue against them Wherefore let vs do as Paul doth aduise vs for to do in Rom. 12.19 Dearely beloued saith he auenge not your selues but giue place vnto wrath for it is written vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. If any do abuse vs deride vs or offer any wrong iniurie vnto vs let vs not storme and fret therat but let vs possesse our soules with patience remembring with our selues alwaies that we haue a sweet and gratious God in heauen who doth behold what is done vnto vs and who will also in due time be auenged vpon our aduersaries for it when they shall mourne and lamēt we on the cōtrary side shall laugh reioyce That is a most comfortable saying which is in the 7 Chapter of the Prophecie of Micha in the eigth ninth and tenth verses when he saith Reioyce not against me ô mine enimy though I fall I shall arise c. I pray read the place at your leasure and peruse it well And so I come vnto the last vse which we are to make of this place and that is a dutie which is to be performed of vs. For it doth become vs vpon this to reioyce and to breake out into praises to extoll the Lord who doth so fight our battels and discomfite the enimie before vs in such a fearefull manner that he is wholly ouerthrowne and can haue no rest but lies in continuall griefe and vexation of minde O Iudah saith the Prophet Nahum Chapter 1.15 keepe thy solemne feastes performe thy vowes for the wicked shall no more passe through thee he is vtterly cut off And Zephany saith Reioyce ô daughter Zion be ye ioyfull ô Israel be glad reioyce with all thy heart ô daughter Ierusalem The Lord hath taken away thy iudgements he hath cast out thine enimie the King of Israel euen the Lord is in the midst of thee thou shalt see no more euill Both which places you see do declare that we must reioyce and triumph in our songs of praise vnto the Lord when he doth ouercome our enimies and beate them downe before vs And hereof we haue many worthy examples in the holy Scriptures I will touch onely a few of them Moses and those which came out of Aegypt with him did the same when the Lord had destroyed their enimies the Aegyptians had drowned thē all in the red sea as we may see at large in Exod. 15.1 c. Deborah and those which were with her on her side did the same whē the Lord had ouerthrowne their aduersaries the Canaanites had destroyed Sisera their chiefe captaine and all his chariots and all his hoast with the edge of the sword as it is in Iudges 5.1 c. The good and holy women who liued in the daies of Saul and Dauid did the same when the Lord had confounded the Philistines their foes and had brought an horrible slaughter vpon them and vpon their chiefe champion that great blasphemous Goliah that defied the hoast of Israel and railed vpon the God thereof as it is euident in 1. Sam. 18.6.7 Finally Hester Mordecay with their people such of the Iewes as liued in their times did the same when the Lord had strengthened them against their opposites and had brought an vtter ruine vnto their chiefe aduersarie Haman the cursed Amalekite as appeareth in Ester 9.17 c. So euen so beloued let vs deale from time to time whensoeuer the Lord doth giue vs a victory ouer our aduersaries and bring iust and deserued plagues vpon them let vs blesse his holy name for the same and reioyce greatly before him in that behalfe And so farre of Gods workes Now let vs come to his words I haue set my King vpon Zion mine holy mountaine These are not the words of the Prophet but of God himselfe sitting in iudgement and taking reuenge vpon his aduersaries that rebel against him his anoynted Not that God shall whē he doth strike them vtter these words in plaine termes and sound of voyce vnto thē as we do vtter words when we beate such as haue offended vs but the meaning is that they shal by their plagues sore iudgements executed vpon them feele and perceiue this to

be so as plainly as euidently as if they heard the Lord speaking from heauen vnto thē by word of mouth His destroying confoūding of them shal cry like a shril voice in their eares that it was he himselfe no created wight euen he himselfe that is the God of Gods the Lord of hoasts that did set vp Dauid to be King of Israel Christ his Son to be King of his Church whom they had so rebelliously resisted laboured to haue displaced out of their thrones Here is a great Emphasis it is as much as if he had said What shal I set vp a King will you ô ye rebels go about to put him downe How dare you do this What shall I place one ouer my people make him to be their Lord and chiefe gouernor will you ye traytors refuse to yeeld obedience vnto him ioine hand and head together to ouerthrow him and to remoue him out of his kingdome O impietie neuer heard of O wickednesse most intollerable Know you know you that for this cause I cannot beare with you but I must needes speake to you in my wrath and vexe you in my sore displeasure as now I do By Zion here his holy mountaine the kingdome of Israel is vnderstood if we referre it vnto Dauid but if we referre it vnto Christ the Church is meant thereby Zion was the citie of Dauid and the place where his Court was vsually held and kept as it is in 2. Sam. 7.7 But here it is put figuratiuely for the whole kingdome of Israel whereof that was a chiefe and principall part And it is tearmed withall the holy mountaine of God because it stood on high vpon a mountaine or hill where the Lord did manifest his holinesse vnto his people as by the presence of his arke which was there so also by the exercises of pure religion which were held in the Tabernacle and Temple that were built in that place and feared vpon that mountaine or hill Thus literally this place is to be referred vnto Dauid and it is true of him that God did set him vp as King ouer this kingdome of Israel as we may see in 1. Sam. 16.12 13. But sacramentally and after a spirituall maner these thing are to be referred vnto Christ and his Church For Zion also was a type thereof as we may see in Esay 2.3 and in Heb. 12.22 And Christ we know was chosen of his Father to bee the head and King thereof as anone by Gods grace shall more fully appeare And as the earthly Zion was tearmed the mountaine of Gods holinesse so may this heauenly Zion well beare that appellation or name For I. it is most like vnto a mountaine then 2. the Lord doth manifest his holinesse more there then in any other place It is most like a mountaine in 3. respects First for the exaltation and supereminencie of it for as a mountaine is an high place aboue other places so the Church of God is exalted aboue other congregations and that for Gods delight in it and most excellent blessings vpon it which are either present or to come Secondly for the manifestation and aptnesse of it for as a mountaine is in open sight view of all men so the Church of God stands in the eie-sight of all persōs euery mans eye is bent to mark diligently what they do as his eare is open to listen to that which they speake Thirdly for the strength and stablenesse of it for as a mountaine is a strong thing and vnmoueable so the Church of God is so strong and inuincible that all the powers of the world and of hell below cannot ouerthrow it but it shall remaine firme and stable notwithstanding the same for euermore I beseech you by the way make vse of all these things By the first looke vpon your honour and great aduancements wherunto you are exalted aboue all others As Salomon saith in the Prouerbs 31 29 Many daughters haue done vertuously but thou surmountest them all so you may say Many congregations in the world are exalted on high but we the true Church are lifted vp aboue them all By the second be moued to haue an holy care of your liues that you may walk circūspectly at all times in the waies of godlines that your light may so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen And by the third and last be secretly comforted and grow to a full resolution that nothing shall be able to separate you from the loue of your God but that you shall remaine firme and stable in his fauour for euermore Now for the other poynt as the Church is like to a mountaine so it is holy as the mountaine Zion was First for the Lords being in it who is holinesse it selfe for though he be in all the world yet hee is more especially in his Church then in any other place besides according to that in Psal 68.16 and 48.1.2 Secondly for the holy exercises of religion and the goodly works of Gods worship which are found therein for there is prayer singing of Psalmes reading and preaching of the word receiuing of the Sacraments and the like all which are workes of holinesse and purity Lastly for the sanctification of men and women which are therein for they are not prophane and licentious as in other places but they are sanctified made holy by the bloud of Christ the working of the Spirit Our of these things also gather some short notes as we go along Let the first of thē make you reioice be glad that you haue so good a God that though he be full of maiesty glory yet he is content to come home to your houses and to dwell in the chambers of your soules and there to quiet himselfe in your loue and to reioyce ouer you with ioy as Zephany doth speake in Zeph. 3.17 As Elizabeth said when the virgin Mary came to her Whence commeth this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me Luke 1.43 so may we say at the Lords comming to vs What a fauour and dignitie is this that the Lord of heauen and earth should thus come to vs Let the second of them stirre you vp to frequēt holy exercises and to throng to the house of praier and to such places where the Lord is rightly worshipped As the nations say in Mich. 4.2 Come and let vs go vp to the moūtain of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob so let vs say Come let vs go to the Church congregatiō of God to praier to the preaching of the word to other holy exercises of pure holy religion Let the third and last of them admonish you of that purity holinesse which ought to be in you that so you may neuer giue rest vnto your eies vntil you see your selues washed frō your sins by the bloud

impouerish his subiects by exacting of them grieuous subsidies and taxes but he doth greatly enrich them by bestowing large giftes and benefites vpon them Ephe. 4.7.8 c. The last is loue or mercy for he doth beare that kind affection towards his people that all their miseries doe touch him Heb. 4.15 and for to do thē good he was content to die for them Ephe. 5.2.25 Where all these things do concurre meet together there is a party well qualified for gouernement A man may be couragious yet not fearing God if fearing God yet not dealing truely if dealing truely yet not hating couetousnesse if hating couetousnesse yet not wise if wise yet not diligent if diligent yet not bountifull if bountifull yet not louing if louing yet not couragious But where shall all these be found together Surely in none but in Christ Iesus for in him they are in the highest degree of perfection and therefore did the Lord make choice of him before all others to goe in and out before his people and to be the Head or gouernour of his Church Here we must take heed of some abuses Vse we must not collect from hence either that Christ is inferiour to his Father or that he was made King as he was God for he is equall with his Father in glory Maiesty touching his diuine nature or God-head as the Apostle doth shew in the beginning of his 2. chap. to the Philippians True it is that he is inferiour to his Father in respect of his humane nature and as he is man but not otherwise as he is God of the same substance or being which he hath together with the Father frō all eternity Againe whereas he is made King this is done in respect of both his natures together as he is God-man and Man-God and not simply in respect of one of them alone for so to affirme of either of them were absurd if not blasphemous But leauing the abuses the true vses are these First hereby we may learne to reuerence Christ the more because he is established in his throne by his Father For if Dauid were pricked in heart onely for cutting of Sauls garment who was a wicked man and his deadly enimy too because he was the Lords annoynted with what reuerence and care should we carry our selues towards Christ Iesus our Sauiour who is holinesse and righteousnesse it selfe and one that loues vs well seeing the Lord hath annoynted him and made him to be our King But alas our carriage is such towards him as if he had vsurped this place vnto himselfe by tyranny or were set vp in his throne by some created authority but let vs looke to ourselues and amend this our fault In the second place here we may learne that seeing God hath set vp his Sonne in his kingdome he will still defend him and aide him in the same as also bring fearefull iudgments vpon all such as shal go about to resist him And this is the chiefest end wherefore this sentence is here alleadged and therefore let all men take heed what they do and let all those know also who are in lawfull authority that so long as they carry themselues worthy of their places the Lord will alwaies stand about them for their defence and protection as here he did about his Sonne Christ and blessed Dauid the King Lastly here we may learne by the example of Christ that it is not good to run into a calling but to stay vntill the Lord doth place vs in the same A great complaint is made in Ieremy by the Lord against men in this respect that they did run before that he did send them as we may see at large in the 23. chapter of Ieremy But beware we that we doe not the like For shall Christ that had the Spirit of God without all measure stay and waite his Fathers leasure and shall we mortall and sinnefull creatures who haue not the Spirit almost in any measure yet runne and goe before our commission is drawne out and sealed by the Almighty More things might be spoken vpon these matters but let these short obseruations minister an occasion vnto you to contemplate more at large vpon these points The end of the fourth Sermon THE FIFTH SERMON vpon the second Psalme PSAL. 2. VER 7.8 9. I will declare the decree that is the Lord hath said vnto me Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee Aske of me and I shall giue thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession Thou shalt crush them with a scepter of yron and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell IN the former verses mention was made of God the Father whose maiestie and power was excellently set out for the confounding of such wicked aduersaries as did rise vp against him But now these verses do intreate of God the Sonne who is also most liuely described in the same by a certaine inuincible power and maiestie as being one sufficient to ouerthrow all such resistance as is made against him And that his enimies might be daunted the more as his friends receiue the greater ioy and consolation he comes in himselfe speaking and vttering his voyce vnto them declaring plainely amongst them all what is the very decree and ordinance of God his Father concerning him and his kingdome the summe and substance whereof he tels them is this The Lord the great God of heauen who hath created all things and who doth continually preserue the same he euen he sayd to me Thou art my sonne yea my naturall and onely sonne most deare and precious vnto me Thy workes which thou doest continually in working strange and admirable miracles do shew that I haue begotten thee but chiefly that day is an argument thereof vnto all the world wherein thou didst arise from the graue and returne againe from death vnto life And because thou art so neare vnto me and one on whom I haue set my whole delight and pleasure aske of me what thou wilt and thou shalt haue it I will not say to the halfe of my kingdome but to all my kingdome if thou shalt aske the whole I will bestow it vpon thee yea I will giue thee all power both in heauen and in earth and thou shalt reigne not in a small compasse alone but in a most spacious and large circuite euen throughout all the world from the one end thereof vnto the other And whereas there are many rebels and traytors that do daily rise vp against thee thou shalt not take pity and compassion vpon them to forgiue them but thou shalt punish them throughly according to their deserts with thy scepter or mace of iron wherewith thou art armed thou shalt destroy them And herein deale thou with them as the potter doth with his vessell as he doth dash that all to peeces when it is once broken and seruiceable for no vse so do thou so confound them that they may

to account for such For our selues if we flie the corruption which is in the world through lust and giue all diligence thereunto ioyning moreouer vertue with our faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and with brotherly kindnesse loue we may assure our owne soules that we are the children of God and that he hath begotten vs vnto life eternall as Peter doth well declare in the first chapter of his second Epistle the 10. and 11. verses thereof For others we are to take them onely for the children of God who walke not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit and do become new creatures performing the same holy duties with vs whereof mention was made out of Peter last of all But if either we our selues or others faile herein leading wicked or loose liues we may tremble and feare but we must not challenge this prerogatiue vnto our selues to be called the sonnes of God nor giue it vnto others that are vnworthy of the same For as God is holy so are all those holy who are borne of him but as for the rest who are wicked and naught they belong to the Diuell who was a sinner from the beginning as Iohn doth teach vs in the place before alleaged Wherefore looke to your selues that you may be boly and righteous rising from the death of sinne vnto the life of righteousnesse that thereby you may be assured that God is your father and that he hath begotten you and beware also what title and appellation you giue vnto others that none may be wronged but euery one may haue that which doth of right belong vnto him Hauing thus spoken of the person of Christ or his sonne-ship now we are to speake of his office or princely kingdome wherein is set downe first the largenesse of it in the 8. verse then secondly the inuincible power of it in the 9. verse In handling these things I will be as briefe as I can In describing the largenesse of it there is included a duty which he must performe namely prayer then the fruit of it which is a great and large gift I will ioyne both these together for breuities sake Aske of me saith the text these are the words of God the Father inuiting Dauid or Christ to aske somewhat of him and enioyning them a certaine duty to performe if they would haue their kingdomes enlarged The words following containe the gift it selfe which God would bestow vpon them vpon their prayer and petition which they should make vnto him And I will giue thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession A worthy reward of such a small duty as prayer is and a gift as we say most worthy of a king Surely as God is such is his gift For as he is great and mighty so is his gift here great and mighty It is obserued of Alexander the Great that he gaue to one Perillus for the marriage of his daughter fiftie talents and when Perillus told him that it was too much by halfe he answered him and sayd If halfe be enough for thee to take yet it is not enough for me to giue And in like manner when he had giuen vnto a poore Aegyptian a rich and populous citie and the Aegyptian stood all astonished at it supposing that he had mocked him Take quoth he to him that which I giue thee for if thou art Bias that demandest I am Alexander that giueth Thus he would giue gifts according to his owne ability and power So euen so doth the Lord our God deale here he doth bestow his gifts according to his owne ability and power Though halfe a kingdome be a great gift yet a whole kingdome is but a small gift with him Dauid and Christ must haue more of him then that For Dauid who was but the figure and type of Christ had of him not onely the whole kingdome of Israel and Iudah but all the heathen also that were round about him as the Ammonites Moabites Aramites Philistims Amalekites and diuerse others all which were in subiection and became tributaries to him as may be seene by the second booke of Samuel and namely by the 8. chapter thereof But as for Christ who was the body and truth he had spacious and large dominions of him indeed For he bestowed vpon him not onely one kingdome or two alone but all the kingdomes of the world from one end thereof vnto the other as the Apostle doth at large declare in his 1. chap. to the Ephe. in his 2. chap. to the Phil. Wherupon Christ himselfe spake vnto his Disciples saying All power is giuen vnto me in heauen earth Go therfore and teach all nations baptizing thē in the name of the Father the Son the holy Ghost teaching them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue commanded you as it is in Math 28.18.19.20 Here I might stand vpon the largenesse of Christs kingdome and gather some good obseruations out of the vniuersality thereof as to shew that wheresoeuer we liue or be yet we are vnder his dominion and are there to worship him and that if we do once offend him and play a treacherous part with him there is no place of safetie for vs to flie vnto to escape his power and hand as who doth reigne throughout all the world and not in some places alone as kings here vpon the earth do amongst whom malefactors yea most vile and notorious traytors do escape oftentimes death and other punishments according to their just deserts because they shift out of one mans kingdome into another But I will passe them ouer to your owne considerations come to more neceslary points for our learning A duty you see here is enioyned vpon Christ that he must pray to his Father for his kingdome and aske the same of him Againe a large promise is made vnto him that if he shall so do he shall haue an ample one indeed euen such an one as shall reach from one end of the world vnto the other Vpon both these brances a man might seuerally insist and stand but as I promised before I will conioyne them both together that of two works I may for shortnesse sake make but one Wherefore the doctrine which is to be collected out of them both together is this Doct. that men must pray to God for benefits and that by praying vnto him they shall obtaine them Aske saith our Sauiour Iesus Christ and it shall be giuen you seeke and ye shall find knocke and it shall be opened vnto you For whosoeuer asketh receiueth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened as it is in Math. 7.7.8 Likewise Iames doth say making instance in one particular which is wisedome If any of you lacke wisedome let him aske of God which giueth vnto all men liberally and reproacheth no man

and it shall be giuen him as you may see in Iames 1.5 And whereas man will not regard vs in the time of need but then begin to forsake vs when once we come into trouble and miserie though in the time of our prosperitie he made much of vs and was readie to do vs what good he could it is not so with God For if we shall pray vnto him in the midst of all our calamities he will harken vnto vs and become most gracious and fauourable vnto vs to deliuer vs out of them all as he himselfe doth teach vs in Psalme 50.15 saying Call vpon me in the day of trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me By all which places you see it is a most cleare and euident doctrine that we must both pray to God and that by our prayers vnto him we shall receiue fauors at his hands And the reason hereof is this we must pray to him Reason because by prayers we do honour him most and bring great glory to his name in that we do acknowledge him to be the giuer of all things and one on whom our whole life and all that we haue do depend By prayers we shall receiue benefites of him because he hath appointed prayers as an ordinarie meanes and second cause to conuey his benefites oner vnto vs. For as he hath appointed the end of all things so he hath appointed also in the same decree of his the meanes which are fit to bring them to the same end And therefore seeing prayer is one of the chiefe and principall meanes which he hath ordained for the powring downe of his gifts and graces vpon mankind it is no maruell though by praying vnto him men do receiue from time to time most rare and excellent blessings from him Learne we then from hence these points Vse First that they are worthy of blame who do neglect prayer and do not powre out their soules from time to time vnto the Almightie as they ought to do It is our part to pray continually as the Apostle doth teach vs in 1. Thes 5.17 and to watch thereunto with all perseuerance and supplication for all Saints as it is in Ephes 6.18 But yet alas we do it too seldome and some almost neuer in all their liues But let vs amend this our fault and grow better in this respect Secondly that the reason why many do receiue few or no benefits at the hands of God is this not because his hand is shortned it and vnable to do them good but because they do not pray vnto him and aske for benefites of him Ye lust saith Iames and haue not ye enuie and haue indignation and cannot obtaine ye fight and warre and get nothing because ye aske not Iames 4.2 If you say that you aske and receiue not I will answer you with the same Apostle and in the same place that the cause thereof is because ye aske amisse as doth follow there in the next verse Either the thing which you craue is not lawfull and expedient or your mind in crauing is not earnest or Christ is not made the Mediator or the end is not good or the prayer is not continuall or faith lastly is not there to present it If these or any of these faile or be wanting it is no maruell though our prayer receiue the repulse But let them all concurre and meete together as they ought to do then shall we obtaine of God whatsoeuer we will ourselues Thirdly that prayer is a most fruitfull thing and such a meanes as it brings with it vnto vs the great and wonderfull gifts of the Almightie As it will stay the Lord from smiting euen then when his hand is vpto lay on as we may see at large in the beginning of the 32. chapter of Exodus where Moses prayer pacified the Lord and turned his wrath away from the Israelites so that they were not consumed according to their desers so it doth pull downe his mercies and benefits in great abundance vpon vs. For looke what we do desire the Lord is ready to graunt vnto vs yea he doth grant more vnto vs oftentimes then we do desire As for example Zaccheus desired onely to see Christ but befides that Christ called him by his name and offered his owne selfe vnto him for his saluation as it is in the beginning of the 19 chapter according to Saint Lukes Gospell The sicke of the palsie desired onely the health of his body but he obtained also the forgiuenesse of his sinnes as appeareth in the beginning of the ninth chapter according to S. Mathew Salomon desired only wisedome that he might know how to rule his people and to go in and out before them but as God did bestow that vpon him so he did giue him also riches and honor so that among the kings there was none like him all his daies as it is euident in 1. Kin. 3 6. c. Lastly Iacob desired onely food and apparell when he went from his parents to Padan Aram to fetch him a wife amongst his owne kindred but the Lord made him a great rich man and caused him to returne home againe with abundance of wealth and goods as it is storied of him in the booke of Genesis in chapter 28.30 and 33. Well therefore might Paul say that he that is Lord ouer all is rich vnto all that call on him Rom. 10.12 And well also might Dauid say that the Lord is neare vnto all that call vpon him yea that call vpon him in truth Psal 145.18 And as for the Lords dealing towards himselfe he doth vtter it in these words Thou hast giuen him his hearts desire and hast not denied him the request of his lippes For thou didst preuent him with liberall blessings and didst set a crowne of pure gold vpon his head he asked life of thee and thou gauest him a long life for euer and euer Psal 21.20 c. I pray thinke deeply on these things and let them encourage our hearts to pray still If we were sure that the kings Maiestie would admit vs alwayes into his presence and grant vnto vs whatsoeuer we should desire of him I doubt not but that we should be forward yea too forward to go vnto him often with our suites to haue benefits and high promotions from him But such a king we haue here who is the king of kings and shall not we then commence our suites continually vnto him and waite at the gates of his grace with our supplications a ready drawne in our hands to deliuer them vnto him at his coming forth Kingdomes we say go not a begging yet the Catholicke and vninersall kingdome of Christ which is the greatest of all was obtained by begging For he had it onely for the asking If beggers speed so well we say againe we our selues will begge To conclude therefore this point let vs do it then and runne still to God begging for benefits and doubt we not but we

of speech after the manner of a story but now commeth an exhortation to hand wherein all the former rebels standing in most woefull case and dreadfull perill of their liues are graciously called vpon to returne and to submit themselues vnto the Lord and his Annoynted against whom they made their former rebellion and insurrection Great was the sin which they had committed yet the Lord whose mercy hath neither bottome nor measure not willing the death of any sinner much lesse of so many thousands together but rather that by repentance pardon may be procured in this place fauourably vseth the meanes that their hearts may smite them with true feeling of their faults and so they turne be spared He cals vpon them all for true repentance and amendment of life shewing vnto them both wherein it doth stand and also when it must be yeelded vnto him It standeth in two things the one is an heauenly wisedome and an holy knowledge of the Lords waies The other is a loyall subiection and a faithfull obedience vnto his commandements Both these he doth require of them First that they be wise and learned in his word or statutes then secondly that they be subiect and obedient vnto him and his Sonne in performing such duties as do belong vnto them And as for the time when these things are to be done it is straight and out of hand they must not deferre them no not so much as one day but presently they must goe about them whithout any delay or procrastination whatsoeuer This is the summe of this verse with the two next following But to leaue them at this time and to stand onely vpon this marke the paraphrase thereof it runneth after this manner Now therefore saith the Prophet while there is time before the iudgement before spoken of do ouertake you and consume you to nothing labour you to get true wisdome and vnderding plant you the word of the Lord in your soules and be well seene and learned in his statutes that you may know your selues and vnderstand aright what the Lord your God doth require at your hands for all matters which do respect his worship and your owne peace And here I speake not alone to the small ones and the baser sort of the people but I speake to you all and chiefly to you that are the great ones and the states of the land euen to you that are Princes and haue the chiefe stroke in matters of gouernment and to you that are Iudges and haue authority to sit vpon life and death and to censure all matters and persons that are brought before you to you I say do I chiefly speake and therefore looke to your selues deferre not your repentance any longer but presently while you haue time be wise and learned So that the summe of this verse is nothing else Summe but an exhortation vnto the first part of repentance which standeth in the true knowledge of the Lord and his wayes wherein remember two points Part. First the persons to whom the exhortatiō is directed then secondly the matter to the which they are exhorted containing first the time when the duty is to be done which he doth require of them then the thing it selfe wherein it doth stand or consist The persons to whom the exhortation is directed are the kings and iudges of the land The Spirit of the Lord doth single them out by name from all the rest not meaning thereby that they alone were to do the things that here and after he doth require of them but his meaning is by them to vnderstand all of what degree soeuer they were by the figure Synecdoche when some are put for all For he would haue all to repent and to submit themselues vnto the Lord who before did rebell against him But yet he nameth them onely who were thus the Kings and Iudges of the land for sundry causes As first because they were deepest in rebellion and had trespassed most therein as being the ringleaders of all the rest Secondly because they bad more things to stay thē backe then others had and a greater meanes to pull them from the performance of the exacted duties And lastly because they being conuerted would easily draw all others after them and cause them to do as they had done For the multitude commonly doth depend vpon the higher powers and looke what they do the same doth content them well according to that in 2. Sam. 3.36 And all the people knew it speaking of Dauids mourning and fasting for Abner and it pleased them as whatsoeuer the king did pleaseth all the people For these causes and the like the holy Ghost might well direct his speech by name vnto the Kings and Iudges and not speake in generall vnto all though he did meane all and his purpose were to haue euery one to do the things here exacted of them and not that the Kings and Iudges should doe them alone Here by the way we may obserue a notable good instruction which is this namely that Magistrates and men in chiefe authority should first of all turne vnto the Lord and be as the captaines of all the rest in performing loyall and faithfull obedience vnto him in all dutifull manner as it doth become them For first and foremost they are more bound as we say vnto God then others are as hauing larger benefites and greater giftes bestowed vpon them then any besides them haue for the more bountifull that any is to vs the more dutifull should we be to him a gaine Secondly because they for the most part go beyond all others in sins and trespasses for number and greatnesse for the more and greater our sinnes and trespasses be the more speed and hast should we make to leaue them and to turne vnto the Lord from them lest they bring destruction vpon vs before we are aware Finally because all others do hang vpon them as the dore doth on the hinges and turne as they doe turne for whom also they must answere at the dreadfull day of iudgement when all secrets of mens hearts shall be disclosed and euery one shall receiue according to his waies For the more that we may bring to God and the heauier charge we haue to answere the more forward should we be to do those holy duties which do belong to vs that we might saue many and not be damned our selues Oh that gouernours would lay this neare vnto their hearts and make a good vse thereof vnto themselues Blessed yea twise blessed then should both they and we be Abraham Iosuah Samuel Dauid Asa Iehosaphat Hezechia Iosiah and others that were men of great place and authority haue done this long before our daies The Lord grant for his mercies sake that our rulers and chiefe men for gouernment may do it alwaies do it in our daies in the daies of our posterity after vs. But if they should faile herein which God forbid yet let vs who haue some authority ouer others looke

to our selues in this case and performe that duty which the Lord doth require of vs. We must not alone bring our children and seruants to the knowledge of their sins and cause them to walke in the waies of the Lord but we our selues must go before them in these duties and by our examples leade them on to a carefull performance thereof First we our selues must turne to the Lord and become most dutifull and loyall vnto him and walke continually in his cōmandements Then when this is done we must be most earnest with thē see that they do the like that so all of vs may ioyne together in turning vnto him from whom we went astray and redeeme as it were the time that is past by an eager persuing after all those things as do belong to vs according to our roomes callings I pray thinke on these matters and I beseech God to giue a blessing vnto them that they may do you good But to to come to the chiefe point which is here to be stood vpon marke diligently vpon what consideration the Kings and Iudges and so all others in them are called vpon to repentance and amendment of life It is vpon the consideration of the great perill and danger wherein they stood For the exhortation which is here made is deduced out of the former words and the manner how it is drawne standeth thus All those that are in a most dangerous estate and are likely to be ouerthrowne with a shameful and perpetuall destruction they had neede to be wise and learned and turne to the Lord as it doth become them But such is your case o Kings and Iudges your are in a most dangerous estate and you are likely euery one of you to be ouerthrowne with a shamefull and perpetuall destruction Therefore it stands you vpon to be wise and learned and to turne to the Lord as it doth become you From hence we gather this doctrine Doct. that where there is any perill or danger hanging ouer mens heads for their sinnes and trespasses there they must repent and amend their liues and turne to the Lord whom they haue offended So did vncircumcised Nineueh For when the Prophet Ionah had cryed in their citty and said Yet fourty daies and Nineueh shall be ouerthrowne they fasted and prayed and did put on sackecloth from the greatest of them euen to the least of them and did turne from their euill waies and from the wickednesse that was in their hands as we may see at large in the third chapter of the Prophecy of Ionah So did wicked Ahab for when the Prophet Elijah had told him of his sinne and of Gods iudgements that did belong vnto him for the same and had shewed him how the Lord would bring euill vpon him and his posterity and make his house like the house of Iereboam the son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha the sonne of Ahijah for the prouocation wherewith he had prouoked and made Israel to sinne euen then when he heard those words He rent his cloathes and put sackecloth vpon him and fasted and lay in sackecloth and went softly as it is in 1. Kings 21.27 So did stifnecked Israel For when troubles did come vpon them and miseries were likely to weare them out and to consume them to nothing they cryed from time to time vnto the Lord and bewailed their sinnes and transgressions before him as may be seene at large in the bookes of Moses the Iudges the Kings and the hundreth and seuen Psalme So lastly did the prodigall sonne for when he saw all was spent and he was like to die for hunger as hauing nothing to eate no not so much as the huskes which the swinne did feed vpon he came to himselfe and resolued to returne home vnto his father and to confesse his fault vnto him and to craue fauour at his hands as it is in Luke 15.16 c. that so he might be made as one of his hired seruants if not to be accepted of him as a deare sonne and child againe Thus you see how perils and dangers should moue vs to repentance and amendment of life The reason is this Reason because by repentance and amendment of life all perils and dangers are preuented and wholly remoued away from vs as all the former recited examples do notably declare vnto vs. But to adde a testimony or two thereunto consider what the Lord himselfe doth say in Ieremy chapter 18. verse 8. touching this matter in these word But if this nation saith he against whom I haue pronounced turne from their wickednesse I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vpon them And do you neuer forget what he also said to Iosiah the king in 2. Chron. 34.27.28 Because saith he thine heart did melt and thou didst humble thy selfe before God when thou heardest his word against this place and against the inhabitants thereof and humbledst thy selfe before me and tarest thy clothes and weptest before me I haue also heard it saith the Lord. Behold I will gather thee to thy fathers and thou shalt be put in thy graue in peace and thine eyes shall not se all the euill which I will bring vpon this place and vpon the inhabitants of the same Most acceptable therfore you see vnto the Lord is an humble casting downe of our selues before him and shall bring vnto our soules mercy and comfort when proud rebellion and stiffe standing out with Pharaoh and others shall procure plague vpon plague till we be destroyed out of the world Seeing then that repentance doth stay the iudgements of God from falling downe vpon vs and remoue them cleane away from vs that they may do vs no hurt there is cause sufficient why we should repent and amend when his iudgements do hang ouer our heads and are likely euery houre to fall downe vpon vs to our destruction and vtter vndoing By this then we are taught first Vse that they deale very foolishly and fondly who being in perill and danger do yet still perseuere on in their sinnes and transgressions Alas it is like as if a man should remaine in an house when the house is all one a fire ouer his head and likely euery minute of an houre to consume him either by burning or falling Or else it is like as if a man should be in the midst of a riuer where he is ready continually to be drowned and doth see no way to escape yet will not stretch out his hand to lay hold of that which may saue his life and minister vnto him a present succour and aide Secondly hereby we may learne what we our selues ought to do in all manner of distresses and calamities whatsoeuer Is the hand of the Lord already vpon vs or do we feare some iudgements to come Humble we our selues then before the Lord be we sory for our sinnes leaue we all our wicked wayes and turne we soundly vnto the Almightie and all shall be well

with vs both his hand that is vpon vs shall be remoued away and those iudgements that do hang ouer vs shall be staied and neuer fall downe vpon vs. Neuer forget we that comfortable saying which is in 2. Chro. 7.14 and is vttered by God himselfe in these words If my people saith he among whom my name is called vpon do humble themselues and pray and seeke my presence and turne from their wicked wayes then will I heare in heauen and be mercifull to their sinne and will heale their land Downe then at night and downe in the morning before your God send vp vnto him the true sighes of an humble heart and of a broken soule for all your transgressions and assure your selues as you liue and breathe he will respect them with a sauing grace For he hath a most melting heart towards his poore people that when the rod is euen vp and he ready to smite then euen then he stayeth his hand oftentimes of himselfe and is loath to strike yea he breaketh out into compassionate words such as are in Hosea 11.8 when he saith How shall I giue thee vp O Ephraim how shall I deliuer thee O Israel How shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim My hart is turned within me my repentings are rolled together I will not execute the fiercenesse of my wrath c. as it is there in that place Could euer any father speake more compassionately ouer his child when he were about to beate him Surely no tongue can expresse the Lords goodnesse and pitty towards vs. And therefore settle with your selues this comfort that if you returne from your sinnes and once leaue your transgressions he will not punish you nor execute those iudgements vpon you which you haue deserued Obiect But we are in no danger may you say Obiect and so need not to repent for that cause For we liue in the dayes of peace and no peril doth hang ouer our heads Ans Ans Let no man deceiue himselfe For we all haue sinned and trespassed against the Lord and his Annointed as well as these Kings and Iudges had done who are here called vpon to repentance and amendment of life and looke what danger they stood in through their sinnes and trespasses the same do we now stand in through our sinnes and trespasses and therefore we haue as great need to repent as they had Will you that I speake all in one word Then thus it is Euery person of vs haue deserued to be cast into hell forasmuch as we do daily breake the commandements of God and all the iudgements that are there do of right belong vnto vs and we are liable vnto them euery houre yea euery minute of an houre and therefore I say we haue great need to repent to auoide them Questionlesse the more we stand out the worse it will be for vs. We our selues dislike haughtie pride in others towards vs but especially in such as owe vs duty and obedience and humble and meeke spirits we take pleasure in He that yeeldeth when we chide and stoopeth to vs when we are angry we quickly obserue and readily receiue to fauour againe How much more thinke you are these things due to God from dust and ashes Follow then what to him you know is pleasing and to your selues euer profitable An army of souldiers shall not sooner repell our enimies from vs then true repentance shall the Lords wrath that hangeth ouer vs. That is the onely thing that can make vp the hedge and stand in the gap before the Lord for vs that he should not destroy vs. For the Lord cannot strike vs when we hold vp our hands for mercy and looke vpon him with watery eyes humbled in the dust before him and for Christ begging pardon at his hands And therefore euer make vp this wall of defence by true prayer and hearty repentance against him and stand your selues in the gap thus crying vnto him in his Sonne against your sinnes and be assured you shall preuaile But alas men do faile much in the performance of this dutie It may grieue a good heart and soule to thinke how wretchlesse and carelesse they are therein Though iudgements lie heauy vpon some of them already yet they repent not nor returne to the Lord. The sicknesse that is vpon them the vexation of spirit that is within them the vntowardnesse of their children and seruants that are neare vnto them and the losse of their goods which do decay each day more and more round about them cannot rouze them vp from their sinnes nor conuert them soundly vnto the Lood but they continue still in their transgressions and grow rather worse then better therein adding drunkennesse vnto thirst and one sinne vnto another God amend them if it be his pleasure and giue vnto them better hearts Others there are amongst them who yet are spared ouer whom notwithstanding the iudgements of the Lord do hang in a most fearefull and cuident manner For they are likely euery houre to haue some plague fall vpon them and to be carried away body and soule to hell their sinnes and abhominations are so vile and filthy before the Lord. But yet alas they perseuere on still in their euill wayes and take not this holy course of repentance to stop the Lords iudgements from falling downe vpon them and to saue themselues from that sulphurian and euer-tormenting place It is noted of the wise man in the Prouerbes chapter 23.3 that he seeth the plague and hideth himselfe but the foolish on the the contrary side goe on still and are punished Deale we as this wise man and not as the foole Looke we vpon our dangers and labour we by a sound conuersion vnto the Lord to preuent them otherwise the Lord himselfe will say of vs as he did of Ephraim when he sayd The sorrowes of a trauelling woman shall come vpon him he is an vnwise sonne else would he not stand still at the time euen at the breaking forth of the children Hosea 12.13 Great stirre doth euery man almost make when his aduersarie commeth to take the possession of his house and liuing ouer his head and that by force and violence or when the Shrieffes men do approach neare to take him and to carry him to the gaole where he knowes he shall lie in wofull miserie some time and in the end leese his life by a shamefull death Oh what ado then is there what shiftings then do enter into mans heart No stone then as we say is left vnmoued but euery course that may be thought vpon is taken to preuent that perill and danger And yet shall men lie still and do nothing to preuēt the danger of hel which is 10000. times worse thē any prison or death in this world brings with it more troubles by millions then euer the losse of any house or liuing can do here Awake we awake we and if euer men will bestirre their stumpes as it

Gods name and the doing of his will before the food that we liue by much more before the sins and pleasures which we perish by And so soone lastly as he receiueth any talent or gift from aboue he is commanded to vse them to shew that we must go about the Lords businesse and not our owne be occupied alone in such matters as may bring glory and honour vnto his name So that nothing is to be preferred before the Lord but the Lord before all things and therefore repentance not to be deferred any time but the workes thereof to be done out of hand that so God may haue his due and right in being serued and honored before all things as he ought to be Finally because all seruice whatsoeuer is onely due vnto the Lord who may iustly challenge vnto himselfe as his owne due and right our selues and all that we haue Ye are bought for a price saith Paul in 1. Cor. 6.20 therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit for they are Gods We must loue the Lord our God you know with all our hearts with all our soules and with all our strength Deut. 6.5 And we are deliuered from our enimies you know also to this end that we should serue the Lord in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Luke 1.75 So that God must haue all we may not take so much as an houre no not so much as a minute of an houre and bestow the same vpon the seruice of the world the flesh or the diuell but he that hath made vs must haue euery part and portion thereof And therfore in all these respects you see we must immediatly without any further delay apply our hearts to wisedome and seeke only those things which do concerne the Lord and his worship and take no more care for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof The vse hereof standeth chiefly in three things Vse The first sheweth the great folly and wickednesse that is in the world whose propertie is euermore to deferre their repentance till the last If we should see a man wounded to death as we speake that is sorely hurt and mangled in his body and yet would seeke for no remedy to cure himselfe which might be had presently but would post it off from day to day a long time together we should thinke that he were desperate or foolish Or if we should heare of a man that hauing offended the kings Maiestie and for the same were likely to be put to death who yet would not seeke to pacifie his wrath and to stay the execution against himselfe though he did know how to do it but would deferre it from time to time and say that he would consult thereof hereafter braine sicke and mad would we take him to be So euen so doth the world deale For though they know how to asswage Gods anger that is kindled against them for their sinnes yet they will not take that course in hand but they will post it off till the last and so hazard their eternall saluation vpon an vncertaintie Herein the diuell doth most bewitch them and lull them fast asleepe in the bed of their securitie Looke how racking vsurers are wont to giue day to yong heires from time to time vntill at last they winde their inheritance from them So doth he deale with them he doth harden them on still from day to day in their sinnes vntill he hath gotten them for his owne inheritance and firme possession in hell for euer But to leaue the world let vs come to our selues out of this in the second place we may learne that it is our part and dutie not to runne on still in our transgressions as the most do but presently and out of hand to leaue them and to turne vnto the Lord our God As Abraham rose vp betimes in the morning and deferred no time to go to sacrifice his sonne Isaac according to Gods commandement as it is in Gen. 22.3 So we must make hast and post off no day to go to sacrifice our sinnes and transgressions that do offend the Lord and displease him All of vs do confesse that our sinnes must be left and that God must be serued but we cannot accord of the time when to begin One saith he will begin when he is rich another saith he will begin when he is free an other saith he will begin when he is settled an other saith he will begin when he is out of debt an other saith he will begin when he is old and so forward We are like the Iewes in the first of Haggay who said The time was not yet come when they should build the Temple But beloued the time is present we must change our minds out of hand and turne to the Lord. Did euer any whom we reade of in the Scriptures feeling the piercing power of Gods Spirit smitting vpon the rocks of their hidden hearts within take time with the Lord and say They would yeeld after two moneths foure moneths or the like No no they did not couenāt with the Lord for any time but presētly they were conuerted they staied not an houre houering hammering looking backe to Sodom with Lots wife or to Aegypt with the Iewes but ioyfully embraced the truth without delay To day to day is the voice of God as you haue heard and to morrow to morrow is the voyce of Satan Christ you know would not suffer one of his Disciples to go home as it were to bury his father but he must leaue that businesse to others and come and follow him as it is in Math. 8.22 So that no delay in the world must be made but immeadiatly we must leaue our sinnes and go about the Lords businesse Many reasons there are as you haue heard before to moue vs vp thereunto I pray remember them well and let them stirre you vp to the discharge of your dutie that this day wherein I do now speake vnto you may be the day of your sound cōuersiō vnto the Lord for the which hereafter you may reioyce for euermore Say not with your selues that you will repent hereafter For first you are not sure that you shall liue till hereafter As the Israelites died while the meate was in their mouthes Numb 11.33 And as Iobs children were killed as they were banquetting in their eldest brothers house Iob 1.18 So may you die or be killed on the suddaine before you are aware Goe to now saith Iames in Chap. 4.13.14 ye that say To day or to morrow we will goe into such a citty and continue there a yeare and buie and sell and get gaine and yet yee cannot tell what shall be to morrow For what is your life It is euen a vapour that appeareth for a little time and afterward vanisheth away Secondly if you had a charter of your liues as no man hath and so were sure to liue till hereafter yet you are not certaine that then you

iudgements of the Lord sounded out of his word against them for the same For as these mothers are wont commonly to comfort their children thus fearing with one of these two things either that there is no time yet past or else if the time be past that their maister is a gentle man and will forgiue them So they do vsually heart on themselues against all feare dread whatsoeuer by the consideration of these two things first that there is no time vnfit or too late for repentance secondly that God is a mercifull God and one most ready to forgiue them though they haue posted off their repentance ouer-long and haue not turned vnto him in time as they ought to hane done In this snare and cord of the diuell lest you also should be led along to your destruction at the last marke what answer may be giuen to these things To the first it may be sayd that though no time be vnfit or too late for repentance while we are here in this world yet oftentimes we are taken out of this world before that we can thinke of repentance and soundly turne vnto the Lord. For as many are taken away on the sudden so it fals out by the iust iudgment of God most vsually as an ancient Father doth wel obserue vt moriens obliuiscatur sui qui cum viueret oblitus est Dei That he should forget himselfe in the time of his death who did forget God in the time of his life Againe you must know that late repentance is seldome or neuer good and true but alwaies for the most part feigned and dissembled like to that which was in Pharaoh Ahab Saul and others who seemed to be sorry for their sinnes and desirous to haue the hand of the Lord remoued from them For qualis vita finis ita such as the life is such commonly is the death A good man hath a good end and a bad man hath a bad end Lastly you must alwaies remember what was said before namely that repentance is not in our power and that we cannot turne to God when we will And therefore as a begger must take his almes when it is offered vnto him and not refuse it because there is no time amisse to take an almes so we must take repentance when the Lord doth offer it vnto vs and not vpon such a foolish consideration cast it off as now was touched Now to the second it may be answered that though God be a God of mercy receiuing all sinners vnto himselfe vpon their repentance and amendment of life yet he is withall a God of iustice visiting the iniquities of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation of all such as do hate him as you are taught in the end of the second commandement Dauid tels vs in Psal 18.26 that he will shew himselfe froward with the froward Salomon sheweth in Prou. 3.34 that with the scornefull he scorneth And in the first chapter of the same booke Wisedome her selfe informeth vs that she will not regard wilfull and obstinate sinners turning vnto her in verse 28. saying Then shall they call vpon me but I will not answere they shall seeke me early but they shall not finde me because they hated knowledge and did not choose the feare of the Lord. You know how the Lord did sware in his wrath that the Israelites that did prouoke him in the wildernes should not enter into his rest Heb. 3.8 So that God will be farre off at such a time to giue repentance and vpon repentance to receiue to mercy And therefore as the women sung concerning Saul and Dauid saying Saul hath slaine his thousand and Dauid his ten thousand 1. Sam. 18.7 so we may mournefully sing that the despaire of Gods mercy hath slaine thousands but the grosse presumption of his mercy hath slaine ten thousands Wherefore to conclude this point let neither of these impediments nor any other whatsoeuer hinder you from a present conuersion vnto the Lord but out of hand take him for your onely God and serue him Lastly here we may learne what to do in regard of those who are vnder vs. We must not suffer them to go on still in their sins but breake them quickely to the Lords yoake and bow He is a fond fellow that will not breake his horse while it is a colt but let him runne on till he be old and shall fling him into the ditch And he deales very foolishly that hauing a beautifull standing cuppe and very precious balme giuen vnto him to put into the cuppe will not yet put it in before the cup hath stood long full of stinking liquor So we our selues shall be no better if we shall suffer our children and others vnder our tuition to go on in their childhood and youth vnnurtured in the waies of the Lord and suffer them to liue after their owne will and to drink in the deadly poyson of the world whereby they shall be made vnable to be reclaimed at the last But teach we them betimes and labour we to bring them to the knowledge of the Lord and obedience vnto his will so shall not sinne be their destruction nor rebellion be their ouerthrow But more of this elsewhere As thus we haue heard when we must repent so now let vs heare wherin repentance doth stand And that is in two points the one is knowledge or vnderstanding the other is obedience or subiection Of the former of these mention is made in this verse of the latter in the following Bewise saith the Prophet ye Kings be learned ye Iudges of the earth Here is that knowledge vnderstanding expressed which is required of vs in euery true sound repentāce but what means the Prophet hereby may you say were the Kings vnwise and were the Iudges of the earth vnlearned Yes surely for otherwise they would neuer haue rebelled against the Lord and his annoynted as they did Yet his meaning is not that they were altogether without wisedome and learning for they had wordly wisedome and learning in great aboundance but that they wanted the heauenly wisedome and learning therefore he doth exhort them to looke for that Marke here there is a two-fold wisedome and learning one that is earthly and from man an other that is heauenly and from God The children of this world saith our Sauiour in Luk. 16.8 are wiser in their generation then the children of light In which words he doth intimate that as there are two sorts of men the one wicked called the children of this world the other godly termed the children of light so there are two sorts of wisedome the one for the body and this life the other for the soule and the life to come This latter wisedome the Kings and Iudges here wanted but the former they had For the body and this life they were wise and learned they knew well enough how to rule and gouerne and to turne all things to their

greatest honour and profit that might be But for the soule and life to come they were vnwise and vnlearned they had no good experience in the word of God nor any sound knowledge to do their soules good but herein I say they were vnlearned and no better then fooles before the Almighty This the Apostle doth make most cleare and euident in his first Epistle to the Corinthians the second chapter thereof the sixth verse and so forward when he saith And we speake wisedome among them that are perfect not the wisedome of this world neither of the Princes of this world which come to nought but we speake the wisedome of God in a mysterie euen the hid wisedome which God had determined before the world vnto our glory which none of the Princes of this world hath knowne For had they knowne it they would not haue crucified the Lord of glory Loe here you see that the Apostle doth not onely say that the Princes of this world who are here in our text spoken vnto by the name of Kings and Iudges are without the true and heauenly wisedome of God but also doth proue it to be so euen because that they did oppose themselues against the Lord Iesus Christ and did put him to death Wherefore here by the way we may obserue that in truth and before the Lord all are fooles and vnlearned who do withstand Iesus Christ and his kingdome and do liue wretchedly and not according to the Lords commandements Howsoeuer they be for this world men of great reach and policie and be well schooled in all kind of literature for the gouernment of humane life and the procuring of much honour and wealth vnto themselues yet being ignorant in the word of God and not seasoned with an heauenly wisdom which may sanctifie them in their waies but do liue vngodly and vnholy liues they euen they whatsoeuer they be be vnwise and vnlearned and no better then fooles idiots before the Almighty For so also it doth please his Maiesty for to style them in his holy word as you may see in many places of the Prouerbes and namely in the first chapter thereof as also in the fourteenth Psalme and sundry other places besides Hereof is it that that comparison is made by our Sauiour himselfe in the beginning of the 25. chapter of the Gospell according to Saint Matthew wherein all wicked persons are compared to foolish virgins as the godly on the other side are compared vnto the wise virgins And hereof also is that saying of Paul that the wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with God and that the Lord knoweth that the thoughts of the wise are vanity 1. Cor. 3.19.20 Obiect Yea but this shall neuer sinke into mine head may some man say that thus the chiefe men of the country those that do beare the greatest stroke and sway amongst men and do know how to rule and gouerne themselues and others well should after this sort be reputed and taken for fooles and vnlearned persons as you speake I thinke rather that the godly and those that do resort vnto Sermons are such for they are simple persons in my iudgement and very idiotes indeed Answ It may be so indeed for the naturall man perceiueth not the things of Gods Spirit for they are foolishnesse to him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned as it is in 1. Cor. 2.14 But consider of things well thou that art of that minde and opinion tell me what is the property of a wise man and of one well learned Is it not to walke circumspectly and to prouide best for himselfe as well for the time to come as for the time that is present Yes for so we are taught in Ephes 5.15 in Luk. 16. the beginning thereof where the steward is commended for a wise man for that he did prouide how to liue when his maister should take away from him his stewardship Well then go on tell me in the second place do those walke circumspectly prouide best for thēselues who do war against the Lord his Annoynted not fore cast what shal become of them after this life but do run on still in their sinnes to be damned for euer Answer me this point if thou canst Suppose thou didst see a man who is but weake and feeble taking vp weapons against his soueraigne Lord and King who is most warlike and potent and challenging him into the field wouldst not thou take him for a foole and one destitute of good sense and vnderstanding But so deale all wicked persons how politick or rich soeuer they be for this world For they are but weake and feeble persons yet they warre against their dread soueraigne the Lord and King euen the mightie God of heauen who is able in the twinckling of an eye to destroy them all And yet shall they bee wise and prudent with thee Suppose againe that thou didst behold one in a place where is both gold and brasse in great abundance and goodly garments together with much base attire so that it should be lawfull for him to take of either of them most freely which he would himselfe yet he would not meddle of the gold goodly garments but would be exceeding busie still in gathering vp the brasse and base attire reaching after one peece here and another peece there what wouldst thou iudge of that partie wouldst not thou take him for a simple fellow and a meere idiote Yes I must needs do that thou wilt say So euen so is the case here with men of this world For whereas they might gather vp gold and goodly garments that is prouide for themselues heauenly graces and euerlasting happinesse in new Ierusalem aboue where are more precious things then euer the eye of man hath seene or his eare hath heard of or can enter into his heart yet they leaue them and occupy themselues wholely in gathering vp the brasse and base attire that is they leaue the cate of heauen and hunt after the world altogether being very busie about the pleasures and commodities thereof which are nothing in comparison of heauen And shall not they then bee vnwise and vnlearned with thee But if thou wilt not count them so yet the Lord doth as thou hast beard and let this suffice vs. And by it let vs bee admonished to take heed of all rebellion wickednesse whatsoeuer lest we our selues be styled after this manner and be registred in the booke of God for fooles vnlearned persons And so much shortly of this point bythe way In that the Kings and Iudges are called vpon to be wise and learned we obserue this doctrine that euery person must labour to get vnto themselues an heauenly wisedome and vnderstanding of the Lords will and word Get wisedome saith Salomon in Prou. 4.5 get vnderstanding forget not neither decline from the words of my mouth forsake her not and she shall keepe thee loue her and she

others that would enter to come in But let these things thus spoken suffice and cause vs not onely to see their fault and that woefull miserie wherein they liue but also to behold the sweet and great blessing of knowledge which God hath vouchsafed vnto vs through the happy gouernment of his Annoynted ouer vs who doth permit vs to enioy the Gospell freely for the good of our soules and doth take a care also for the right publishing of the same that so his subiects might not bee ignorant therein but haue the sauing knowledge thereof established within them to their eternall happinesse and euerlasting life Lastly out of this we may obserue what is our owne duty to do and that is this We must cast away our ignorance and become learned in the Lords will we must set his statutes before our eyes and make them the men of our counsell we must call after knowledge and cry for vnderstanding We must seeke after wisedome as after siluer and search for her as for treasures Let the word of Christ saith Paul to the Colossians chap. 3.16 dwell in you plenteously in all wisedome teaching and admonishing your selues in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs singing with a grace in your hearts vnto the Lord. Here you see hee would not haue them to content themselues with a little knowledge but they must labour to be furnished with a great abundance thereof that they might know how to carry themselues in all matters as well for them of mirth and ioy as for others that were more graue and weightie And good reason too for the word of Christ must bee the stone Ezell to vs that we may know where to stay and remaine as Dauid did 1. Sam. 20.19 It must be our tinne-stone spoken of in Zecharie 4.10 that we may know the measure of the walles of new Ierusalem our glorious and renowned Cittie the foundation whereof is of pearle and the streets of pure gold In a word it must be our starre that we may know which way to go directly vnto all our duties that are here below and vnto all those sweete beatitudes that are aboue Doubtlesse without the true knowledge thereof we are all of vs like to Sampson without his eyes or vnto an hawke that is hooded we shall wander from the Lord we know not whither and commit most grieuous abhominations but we shall neuer serue him aright or doe any faithfull homage vnto him For onely those that know his name do trust in him but others do renounce him as the Scriptures do teach vs. Knowledge we finde by experience doth helpe men exceeding much in the waies of eternall life For it doth direct them aright both what to iudge and what to do in all matters of saith and maners and it is a good bridle vnto their lusts It is most like vnto a clocke whereby thou maiest know how thy life is spent as also vnto a man which striueth to beate the dust out of our cloathing Wherefore I beseech you and that in the bowels of the Lord Iesus Christ haue a care of knowledge and labour by all meanes possible to plant a sauing wisedome within your hearts Remember the reasons that were alledged before to moue your selues to this thinke oftentimes vpon them and if neither your owne beastlinesse by nature who haue grosse and thicke scales of blindnesse vpon the eies of your soules as Paul had vpon the eyes of his body at the time of his conuersion can stirre you nor yet the commodities that comes by the knowledge of the Lords will which are sweete and great can awaken you yet yet I say let the feare of your owne damnation rouze you vp hereunto For it is a most wofull thing to lye burning in hell and yet as it hath bene obserued all ignorant persons do so Suppose here were a fire prepared to burne you and to morrow you must be cast into the same and there lye burning peece after peece till all be consumed would not you doe any thing which any man should command you to do to auoyde this punishment O yes any thing I doubt not And yet will you do nothing to auoyde hell fire which is tenthousand times worse then this where you shall lye burning body and soule for euermore Shall not this moue you vp to get knowledge and vnderstanding If you were blinde in body you would giue great summes of money to haue your perfect sight againe And yet will you doe nothing for the sight of the soule which is blinde and can see nothing at all Will you take no paines to haue that couering that couereth all people and that veile that is spred ouer all nations to be remoued away from you that you may be troubled no more with it Darkenesse was one of the greatest plagues which God brought vpon Aegypt But as for the darknesse of the soule that is worse then that by many degrees For as this doth hinder the iudgement which as an eye should guide our actions from discerning things fit to be done and fit to bee vndone and as it doth let our hearts and minds from going and walking about our workes of godlinesse so that we cannot passe through the sweete fields of true comforts and heauenly meditations to life eternall so it doth make vs fall oftentimes into most horrible sins while we are here and it doth cast vs downe at the last into the bottomlesse pit of hell wherehence we can neuer come out againe so soone as we doe depart from hence And will you then rest in it and not seeke rather to come out of it What could Pharaoh that wicked King vse meanes to come out of that bodily darknesse wherein he was by sending vnto Moses and Aaron for that end and purpose by offering vnto them a certaine kinde of libertie to depart out of his country And will you sit still and not vse meanes to come out of the spirituall darknesse wherein you are which is farre worse then that of his was Remember your selues I pray and do as you ought to do But here some man may say Obiect that it is better for vs to remaine still in our ignorance then to get knowledge vnto our selues because ignorance doth excuse men before God and the more knowledge that any man hath the greater shall his iudgement be at the last if he serue not God according to his knowledge as hee ought to do For the seruant saith our Sauiour in Luke 12.47 that knoweth his maisters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes yea with more then he that knew it not and did it not Here is a goodly shift for men to cosen their owne soules by Ans But know thou ô sinfull man first that ignorance doth not excuse men before God but rather accuse them as all other sinnes do and lay matter of condemnation against them to their eternall woe and death for it is a grieuous transgression in his sight

and vnlesse it be pardoned by the sacrifice of his Sonne which was figured out by those sacrifices which were offered vnder the Law for the sinnes of ignorance it will damne them in hell for euermore and keepe them there in flames of fire that cannot be quenched as thou heardst in effect before Indeed in some cases ignorance doth excuse men in part from the greatnesse of the fault but not in whole from all the fault Secondly that though he shall be beaten with more stripes that knoweth the Lords will and doth it not yet the other which is ignorant of it shall be beaten with stripes and he also shall be cast into hell as well as the former howbeit his iudgement there shall not be altogether so seuere as his And wilt thou willingly be beaten with any stripes and go to that fearefull and euer-tormenting place Lastly that some ignorance doth increase a mans fault and make his iudgement to be the more cruell at the last to wit that ignorance which is wilfull and affected as when a man hath meanes to know the Lords will and yet doth refuse it of wilfulnesse or stubburnnesse euen because he will be ignorant still and not haue knowledge to controll him in his sinnes or to stand vp as a Iudge against him in the end of the world when the bookes of mens consciences shall be opened and euery one iudged according to the things which are written therein for this doth make him to be the more abhominable before the Lord and doth procure vnto him the heauier plagues to be executed vpon him I will shew this vnto thee by a familiar example taken euen from thy selfe Thou hast two seruants the one of them doth reuerently hearken vnto thee to vnderstand thy will and pleasure and he is content to learne it to the vttermost but yet he will do nothing accordingly the other doth so far scorne thee and thy worke that as he will do nothing for thee nor according to thy mind so he will not come into thy presence to heare what thou wilt say vnto him or standing before thee will giue no heede to thy words Which of these two I pray thee is the worse and the viler in thine eyes and which of them wilt thou beate most Is not the latter Yes I must needs confesse that wilt thou say for he doth commit a double fault he will neither heare nor do but the other doth commit but a single fault though he will do nothing yet he is content to heare So euen so must thou iudge of most ignorant persons who do liue now in our dayes For they cōmit a double sin in that they will neither learne the will of God nor do it wheras others cōmit but a single sin in that they only neglect it not do it And therefore I say they are most abhominable before the Lord and shall at the last be beaten of him with more stripes then others shall be Wherfore let this be no impedimēt to thee but rather a spur in thy side to prick thee forward to get knowledge and vnderstanding But what course shall I take maist thou say to attaine vnto it Thou must performe these things First thou must pray earnestly vnto the Lord to intreate him to disclose his minde vnto thee and so to circumcise thine eares and heart that thou maist vnderstand his will and see the wonders of his law For wisedome comes by prayer as Iames doth shew in chapter 1.5 saying If any of you lacke wisedome let him aske of God which giueth to all men liberally and reprocheth no man and it shall be giuen him Secondly thou must regard the Ministery of the word most reuerently and frequent alwaies the holy exercises thereof watching daily as Salomon doth speake in Prouerbes 8.33 at the gates of Wisedome and giuing attendance at the postes of her doores For this is an excellent meanes to beget and to increase knowledge within vs as Paul doth well obserue in many places of his Epistles and namely in the fourth chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians as we our selues do find to be most true by our daily experience both in our selues and others Thirdly thou must meditate carefully with thy selfe both day and night in the law and word of thy God For as the infant doth grow from strength to strength to be able to go by it selfe by sucking and plucking his mothers breasts so doth the child of God grow from knowledge to knowledge by hanging continually vpon the two breasts of the Lords booke the old and new Testament Fourthly thou must conferre and talke considerately with men of GOd and with such as cary knowledge in their lippes and are able to discouer vnto thee the secrets of the Almighty For they shall make thee to vnderstand that which thou couldst neuer attaine vnto by thy selfe and cause thee to see those points after some cleare and euident manner which were before vnto thee as dark as a riddle it selfe as thou maist see by the example of Philip and the Eunuch spoken of in the eight chapter of the Acts of the Apostles Fiftly thou must teach others circumspectly that which thou thy selfe dost know already and rehearse the waies of the Lord euermore vnto them For by teaching another a man doth teach himselfe and ripen his owne knowledge and iudgement exceeding much as many by their owne practise haue found it to be most true to the great ioy and comfort of their soules Finally thou must abstaine most prouidently from all such things as will hinder thy knowledge and bring a spirituall darknesse vpon thee For as he that would haue a perfect sight to behold all things clearely must beware of euery thing which will blemish his eye so all those that would haue a good vnderstanding in the coūsels of the most High must take heed of all such matters as are a stop and impediment therevnto Now these are in number chiefly three The first is a lodging of the affections of the heart and the cogitations of the minde vpon this world for as outward darknesse groweth sometimes by two much gazing vpon bright and glistering things as in experience we finde by white snow white paper and the like so doth inward darkenesse grow also by fixing the minde too much vpon the glistering glory of this world the pompes and pleasures that shine in it Proofe hereof is that rich glutton that wealthy Barne-builder in the Gospell and that turne-coate Demas of whom Paul speaketh who all were blind you plainly see with gazing too much vpon this tempting world The second is a cōtinuing in euil a doing of things which are wicked naught For as outward darknesse groweth by long being in darkenesse as in a prison or elsewhere for by experience it is found so often so by long custome of walking liuing in the outward works of darkenes groweth a strong thicke inward darkenes in the heart of man or woman

out of house and home and pay you your wages according to your euill deserts in that lake that burneth with brimstone and fire where you shall be tormented for euermore For you know that euery tree which bringeth not forth good fruit must be hewen downe and cast into the fire according to Iohn the Baptists words in the third of Mathew and the tenth verse thereof For as you your selues after you haue taken some paines and bestowed some cost in the planting of an orchard do looke that the same orchard should bring forth fruit not for other men but for your selues your owne vses and if it happen that any trees therein do waxe barren and fruitlesse you will cut them downe and not suffer them there to remaine So you must thinke that the Lord will deale with you Behold you are his orchard and vineyard he hath taken great paines with you and hath bene as it were at great cost and charges to plant you as he speakes of Israel in the fifth of Esay and the beginning thereof and he lookes that you should bring forth fruit not to your selues or to the world or to the diuell but to the honour and praise of his name Now then if you shall be barren or bring forth wild fruit much displeasing vnto his Maiestie assure your owne soules that he will not spare you but cut you downe and not suffer you to grow in his orchard still as our Sauiour doth most excellently declare by the parable of the figge-tree in the 13. chapter of the Gospel according to Saint Luke and about the beginning thereof Wherefore I beseech you serue ye the Lord your God and worship him be obedient vnto his voyce and let no commandement of his seeme grieuous or irkesome vnto you but endeuor you to obserue and keepe them all And as he that hath called you out of darknesse into his maruellous light is holy so be you holy in all manner of conuersation knowing that we are deliuered out of the hands of our enimies to this end that we should serue the Lord without feare all the dayes of our life in holinesse and righteousnesse before him Luke 1.74.75 And therefore in one word submit your selues vnto the Almightie at all times and in all matters and do as Iames doth will vs for to do when he saith Be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing your owne selues Iam. 1.22 Thus farre shortly for the worship or seruice it selfe which doth belong to God the Father now followeth the maner how it must be yeelded vnto him For as God doth respect the matter of euery worke so he hath an eye also vnto the maner of the same as you may see most euidently by the story of the Scriptures and namely by the first chapter of Esay and the sixth chapter of Mathew where you may finde that he doth euen loathe and reiect almes fastings prayers sacrifices and other holy duties which are commanded by his owne Maiestie for that they are not done in the same manner as they ought to be Note it I pray well by the way and make vse thereof to your selues that in all your wayes you may not onely looke that the worke it selfe which you go about be correspondent to the will of your God but also besure that you do it with that holy mind and affection in euerie respect as it ought to be done both by you and others And seeing that here are three things required of vs by name in the seruice of the Lord as noting out the right manner how it must be exhibited vnto him namely feare ioy and trembling labour you to haue them all established within your owne soules and rest not till they be rooted there within you For they will do you exceeding much good and fit you euery way vnto your duties The first of them which is feare will make you carefull of all the commandements of God and cause you to faile in none of them The second of them which is ioy will make you constant and stable and cause you neuer to be weary of well doing For the more delight that a man doth take in a thing the more willing is he for to do it and it is a kind of death vnto him to be abridged from it The third and last of them which is trembling will make you humble and lowly and cause you neuer to swell for any good which you shall euer do For he that doth tremble doth suspect his owne workes and dare not trust in them but doth seare lest some iudgment will fall vpon him for some defects therein Thus in a word or two I passe ouer the manner of Gods worship as being a thing not so cleare in it selfe but somewhat questionable whether to wit it be agreeable to the spirit of God in the text or no for some may doubt thereof But yet on the points themselues I will stand more largely vpon as on matters which are most euident and beyond all question and doubt whatsoeuer The first of them is feare In feare saith the text or after some with reuerence both come almost to one end but the former word is the better of the two and he meanes the feare of his children who are loath to offend him not so much for feare of punishment as for loathsomnesse on their part of loue to displease his Maiestie or to cause him to be angry with them for any thing There is a two-fold feare the one is holy and good called filiall or childish the other is bad and naught termed seruile or slauish The filiall or childish feare is such an one as is in children towards their parents who do reuerence and feare them as being vnwilling to offend them any way whether by words or deeds through the tender loue and affection which they do beare towards them The seruile or slauish feare is such an one as is in bond-slaues towards their maisters who do reuerence and feare them and are loath to displease them whether one way or other through the dread and feare of punishment which otherwise they are sure to haue if they offend and do contrary to their duties So that some do feare the Lord through loue and care to offend him and others againe do feare him through dread of punishment and power to torment them Of the former of these is mention here made not of the latter It may be defined thus It is a reuerence of Gods Maiestie in our hearts whereby we are made vnwilling to offend him in any thing and most willing to please him in all things through the loue which we beare towards him and the great excellency of superioritie dignity power and goodnesse which we see in him farre aboue our selues and all other creatures besides This is a vertue most necessary and requisite for all Christians whatsoeuer For hereupon hang the whole seruice of God and all graces that belong to man as might at

large be shewed if it were needfull But let the Example of Abraham suffise who thinking that the feare of God was not in Gerar vtterly despaired of any other vertue and therefore moued his wife to say that she was his sister Gen. 20.11 In this respect the feare of God is both by Dauid in Psal 111.10 and also by Salomon in Pro. 1.7 called the beginning of wisedome that is the roote and fountaine of all goodnesse and therefore of the whole worship and seruice of God spoken of here in this place So that there is good cause why the Prophet should require of vs to serue the Lord with feare Where-hence let vs collect this doctrine Doct. that as we must serue the Lord so we must feare the Lord and stand in great awe and reuerence of him Thou shalt feare saith Moses to Israel in Deut. 6.13 the Lord thy God and serue him and shalt sweare by his name Esay doth require the same duty of his people in chapter 8.13 when he saith vnto them Sanctifie the Lord of hoasts and let him be your feare and let him be your dread But to passe other places marke what Salomon doth say of this in Eccles 12.13 Let vs heare saith he the end of all feare God and keepe his Commandements for this is the whole duty of man There are diuerse reasons to moue vs hereunto Reasons As first the greatnesse of his power and might aboue vs. Secondly his authority and iurisdiction which he hath ouer vs. Thirdly his goodnesse and mercy which he doth shew vnto vs. Fourthly his Maiestie and glory which doth shine and glister round about vs. Fifthly his puritie and holinesse that is in his eyes beholding vs. And lastly the great blessings which the feare it selfe being had will bring vnto vs. For all these things may iustly worke a feare in men Meane men we find by experience do feare great men those that are too mighty for them and they dare not in any case displease them Children feare their parents and such as haue a ruling tuition ouer them Workemen feare their maisters by whom they liue and are maintained and looke who are most bountifull and prodigall vnto them to them againe do they become most obseruant and obsequious as being afraid to offend them in any thing Simple persons feare great states such as excel in glory maiestie aboue thēfelues though other wise they owe no homage or subiection vnto them Loose liuers and wantons feare graue religious persons and such as are zealous for Gods glory earnest for the saluation of mans soule as being ashamed to powre out their euil words or to cōmit their wicked facts before them in their presence Lastly euery one by nature is forward to apply himselfe to those things which he doth know will bring great profit and benefit vnto himselfe as being desirous to be out of misery and to liue in happinesse and prosperity all the dayes of his life Now to apply this to God to our selues first he is of power and might we are no body vnto him in that respect he is able to pay vs home if we do displease him This reason our Sauiour doth vrge in Math. 10.28 when he wils his Apostles not to feare men who can kil but the body but to feare the Lord who is able to destroy both body and soule in hell Secondly he hath authority iurisdiction ouer vs we are his he hath made vs and he may do with vs what he will as the potter doth with his vessell or as the master doth with his seruant This reason the Lord himselfe doth presse in Malach. 1.6 saying A son honoreth his father and aseruant his maister If then I be a father where is mine honor if I be a master where is my feare saith the Lord of hosts vnto you ô Priests that despise my name Thirdly he is good and kind to vs his benefites which we do enioy from him are infinite we haue all that we haue from him euen our liues and all the rest This reason Dauid doth touch in Psal 130.4 when he saith vnto the Lord But mercy is with thee that thou mayest be feared Fourthly he is a God of infinite Maiesty and we are but poore simple creatures made of the dust and clay of the ground the heauen of heauens cannot containe him neither can the Angels themselues stand before him for his brightnesse vnlesse they couer their faces with two of their wings This reason doth Moses glance at in Exodus 20.20 when he shewes the end wherefore the Lord did publish his law in that glorious and maiesticall maner as he did in thunders lightnings and the like saying For God is come to proue you and that his feare may be before you that ye sinne not Fifthly he is holy and righteous his eyes are pure eyes and cannot abide to behold sinne and iniquity This reason is laid downe before the eyes of the Israelites oftentimes in the old Testament by the Spirit of God when he would draw them to the true feare and seruice of the Almighty from all such manners as were found among the Gentiles For then still his holinesse and puritie was enforced vpon them Finally the cōmodities which the feare of the Lord being once had wil bring vnto vs are exceeding large and great For first it will make vs holy and frameable vnto Gods will in auoiding those things which he hath condemned and in performing those things which he hath commanded The feare of the Lord saith Salomon in Prou. 8.13 is to hate euill as pride and arrogancie and the euill way Where he sheweth that in what measure any one feareth God in the same measure he doth loath and detest all euill yea not onely the open abhominable sinnes which the world doth condemne but the most secret and hidden For he saith not to hate euill as murther and adultery but pride arrogancy which lie in the heart and do not shew themselues to the world yet he that feareth God will hate them Secondly it wil make vs blessed and happy in all our wayes Blessed saith Dauid in Psal 128.1 is euery one that feareth the Lord and walketh in his wayes This reason the sweet Singer of Israel hath alleaged in Psal 34.9 when he saith Feare the Lord ye his Saints for nothing wanteth in them that feare him nothing he meanes which is good and wholesome for them as he speakes elsewhere saying The Lord will giue grace and glorie and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walke vprightly Psal 84.17 So that the feare of the Lord brings with it alwayes a plentie of all good things comes laden with the blessings of God whersoeuer it comes For all these causes now rehearsed should we feare the Lord and in reuerence endeuor to please him The vse that we must make of this Vse is first to condemne those that haue not the true feare of the Lord

not so much as think one good thought as Paul doth confesse of himselfe in 2. Cor. 3.5 Lastly you must often and seriously thinke on all the reasons before going as also deeply meditate with your selues vpon Gods fearefull iudgements which he hath executed vpon sinners from time to time For this will breed in your hearts a sense awe of his Maiestie as we may see by many stories in the Bible and namely by that which is written in the Acts of the Apostles chap. 5. verse 11. where you find that feare came on all the Church and on as many as heard what iudgement fell vpon Ananias and Sapphira his wife when both of them fell downe at Peters feete and yeelded vp the ghost before him Wherefore performe these things with care and conscience and no doubt but you shall haue the true feare of the Lord at the last within you Hitherto of the first point now followeth the second which is ioy Andreioyce saith the Prophet In the entrance of the Psalme it is euident that they were grieued against the Lord and that they did as it were loathe and abhorre him but now on the contrary side they are willed to reioyce in him and to be glad in his behalfe and there is good reason for it too not onely because he hath set such a good and bountifull king ouer them as his Sonne is but also because he himselfe is so sweete a God and his seruice so pleasant and beneficial as it is Then as men do desire to haue their seruants to reioyce in them and in their seruice and to doe whatsoeuer they doe with chearefull hearts so the Lord would haue them his seruants to reioyce in him in his seruice and not to go about his busines with murmuring and repining soules but with cheerfulnesse and alacritie of spirit Learne we then from hence this doctrine Doct. that we must reioyce and be glad in the Lord our God and in all that seruice which we do performe vnto him To this we are exhorted in many places of the word Be glad ye righteous saith Dauid in Psal 32.11 and reioyce in the Lord and be ioyfull all ye that are vpright in heart Likewise Paul writing vnto the Philippians in the 4. Chap. and 4. verse thereof he doth stirre them vp vnto the same duty saying Reioyce in the Lord alway againe I say reioyce But those places which are in Esay 54.1 and in Zophonie 3.14 c. are excellent for this purpose if they be well considered of and therefore I pray reade them at your leisure and marke them well But to leaue the doctrine Reasons which is cleare and cuident of it selfe and to come to the reasons of it to consider with our selues why we should do it they are in number these two First because he doth excell and passe all the creatures in the whole world for all good things whatsoeuer For we are wont to reioyce in such things as are singular and do go beyond others for goodnesse As for example if a man hath a faire beautifull woman to his wife passing other women for beautie or pulchritude Or if he hath a goodly child of admirable parts to his sonne excelling other children for learning and other rich endowments Or lastly if he hath a stately commodious house for his dwelling ouer-matching all other houses in the country about him for pompe and necessary vses how much doth he reioyce in these daily experience doth teach vs that they are the only ioy and delight of his soule And euen so should it be with vs in regard of our God for he doth passe and excell all others whatsoeuer as in wisedome in mercy in iustice in power in loue in goodnesse in glory and the rest And therefore we should reioyce in him and make him our sole delight and pleasure The other reason is this because he doth and also is most able to do vs most good and to blesse vs both here in this world and also in the world to come For it is an vsuall thing with vs euermore to reioyce in those things which are good and profitable vnto vs and the more commodious and beneficiall any thing is vnto vs the more commonly do we reioyce and delight therein I need not demonstrate this vnto you by any examples For you know it too well your selues Doubtlesse if any of vs haue but a friend who is alwayes kind and louing vnto vs as being ready still with his horse to lend it vs with his plough to labour for vs with his money to lay it out vpon vs and with his body to go and come at our desire for our profite and emolument we cannot but greatly reioyce in him and be exceeding glad that euer we met with such a good and faithfull friend But behold dearely beloued the Lord our God doth passe him by many and infinite degrees for all that we haue we haue from him he doth neuer faile vs but he doth helpe vs euery day and night and he is able to do vs good for euermore to blesse vs here and all that we haue and to crowne vs with glory hereafter in the heauens aboue where shall be ioy and no sorrow health and no sicknesse holinesse and no wickednesse glory and no shame riches and no pouerty life and no death and in one word happinesse and no misery And therefore there is great cause why we should reioyce and be glad in him Vse This then plainly reproueth such as take their delight and pleasure in worldly matters and in the vanities of this life but not in the Lord nor his wayes Some you shall find reioycing in their wisdome some in their riches some in their strength some in their parentage some in their honors some in their sports some in one thing and some in another but few in the Lord and his seruice But this is condemned you may see in Ieremy 9.23.24 where the Lord doth forbid the wise man to glory in his wisedome and the strong man to glory in his strength and the rich man to glory in his riches and doth command all to glory in him and his knowledge And therefore Paul doth say Let him that reioyceth reioyce in the Lord. 1. Cor. 1.31 2. Cor. 10.17 Secondly as this doth controlle them who take no pleasure in the Lord but do go about his seruice with vnwilling and heauie hearts like vnto the Beare that is drawne to the stake so it doth teach vs that that is but a slaunder which is cast out against vs when men say that Religion breeds melancholy and cuts off all mirth and ioy For here you see we are called vpon to reioyce and this ioy also that is in vs is exceeding large and great For Peter doth shew that it is vnspeakable and glorious in 1. Pet. 1.8 when he saith that we do beleeue in Christ though we see him not and do reioyce in him with ioy vnspeakable and glorious And Esay

there is nothing wanting in him which is fit to be in one on whom we are to place our trust There are sixe things required of such an one First power that he may be able to helpe vs. Secondly will that he may be ready to do it Thirdly skill that he may know how to do it Fourthly remembrance that he may mind vs for the doing of it Fifthly carefulnesse that he may not post it off or neglect it from time to time Lastly boldnesse that he may feare no inconuenience to ensue vpon it to hinder him from the doing of it But all these are in Christ He is able to helpe vs because he is omnipotent and can do all things He is willing because he loues vs to the death He is skilfull because all the treasures of knowledge and wisedome are hid in him He is mindfull because his eyes are alwayes open vpon vs as who doth neither slumber nor sleepe but stand alwayes girded in the mids of the seuen golden candlestickes to do them good He is carefull because he is touched with our wants and infirmities Lastly he is bold because he is Lord and King ouer all and that Lyon of Iudah that feares nothing Withdraw not then your hearts from him but trust in him most constantly for euermore Secondly by this we see that godlinesse is great gaine or riches as the Apostle doth speake for trust here you see brings with it blessednesse It is not a barren thing but fruitfull it comes laden with all the blessings of the Lord vnto vs. Cursed man will say that it is in vaine to serue God and that there is no profit in keeping his Commandements and in walking humbly before him as it is in Mal. 3.14 But here we are taught the contrary The wicked that do rebell they are cast downe and do perish but as for those which do serue Christ and trust in him they stand vp and are blessed Then for as much as your labour is not in vaine in the Lord that I may vse the phrase of the Apostle be ye stedfast vnmoueable abundant alway in the worke of the Lord and trust you in Christ for euermore which will thus bring blessednesse vnto you Finally seeing they are blessed that do trust in Christ euen then when others perish and are destroyed we should not feare at any time but be of a good hope and comfort in the midst of all our calamities as knowing that then we are blessed and in happy estate as well as at other times For Christ doth know how to make a separation betwixt vs that are his friends and others that are his enimies Questionlesse as God did put a difference betwixt the Israelites and the Aegyptians in all such plagues as he sent amongst them sparing still the Israelites and punishing the Aegyptians And as he did put a difference betwixt his seruant Noah and the old world sauing Noah and drowning the world And as he did put a difference betwixt holy Lot and wicked Sodome deliuering Lot and burning Sodome with brimstone and fire from heauen So will Christ put a difference betwixt vs and others to saue vs and to destroy them as we may see most apparently in Math. 25.32 c. where it is said that he will gather all nations before him and that he will separate them one from another as a sheepheard separateth the sheepe from the goates sending some to hell and carying others with him to heauen Let vs then neuer feare in any perill or danger whatsoeuer whether of warre famine plague or the like lest we should perish with the wicked hand ouer head We see he hath a care of his owne and what he will do he can do If it be good for vs to escape these worldly woes we are assured we shall as we are sure we liue And if otherwise it please him to wrap vs with others in the outward punishment yet shall we euer be sure to be distinguished from them in the eternall paine and these outward griefes shall be but meanes to leade vs to euerlasting ioyes Wherefore cleaue ye fast vnto him and feare not be of good comfort though others be cursed yet you shall be blessed For you see the difference of being religious and being prophane of louing Christ and of loathing him And this difference here will