hower to â—umble ouer a sort of prayers when the heart is drowned in securitie These be fooles yea these bewray theÌ„selues to be fooles for he saith that like as a dreame commeth foorth by the multitude of busines so the voice of a foole by the multitude of words Looke how a mans minde which is earnestly busied in the day time doeth dreame of it in the night and so out of the multitude of busines the dreame doeth disclose it selfe euen so by many words the voice of a foole is bewrayed We doe account theÌ„ fooles which are full of words and prattle vnaduisedly of euery matter and what reason is it that we should not as it is here said take them to be fooles which doe so vnto God What shall we say then of al the popish worship and of the Papistes which do bable many words which they do not vnderstand what shall we thinke of those also which wil haue praier with so many words so many turnings in out in the publike assembly when thou vowest a vow to God c. This is another part of Gods worship about which he doeth instruct We speake to God in praier in thankesgiuing so do we also in vowing vowes for we make a soleÌ„ne promise to God either to doo some good thing or else to forsake some euill In old time some of the kings of Iuda did cause the people to sweare that they would serue the Lord cleane vnto him and renounce the worship of idols Holy men of God in their afflictions did vow and promise to God that when he should deliuer them they would openly declare his praise We haue in baptisme vowed to consecrate our selues euen our soules our bodies to God by renouncing the diuell the world and the flesh If we goe backe from this our vowe how can we come rightly to Gods table for there we doe also renew the same wée bind our selues with promises vnto God There be also particuler vowes promises as euery man hath cause If we féele our selues slacke vnto good duties we are to stirre vp our selues to bind our selues by some earnest promise to God If we be inclined to any vice we are to doo the like When we be in distres séeke helpe at Gods hands we promise vpon our deliuerance to be thankefull and obedient We must take héed in al these that we be not rash with our mouth nor let our hart make hast to vtter a promise We must be well aduised what we sweare promise to God What a fault is it accouÌ„ted in such as will promise much vnto men performe little do not all despise such persons the fault is much greater when there is promise made vnto God and not performed He willeth therefore that he which hath vowed be not flacke to performe his vow they be vaine fooles which make promise and pay it not God is not delighted in fooles God is delighted in his true worshippers Vow therefore and performe For he saith it is better not to vow then to vow and not to performe we are to vow vnto God and therefore it is euill not to vow but it is a greater euill to vow not to doo that we haue vowed Men are rash afterward doo repent then séeke they to excuse the matter that they did ignorantly but this will not serue for he saith Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sinne and say not before the Angell that it is an errour why should God be angrie at thy voice destroy the worke of thy handes He that rashly maketh vowes to God may very well be said to suffer his mouth to cause his flesh to sin that is himselfe a part being put for the whole As often on the contrary the scripture doth vse to put y e soule for the whole man There is no excuse before the Lord Christ who is the Angel he here speaketh of when he saith say not before the Angel it was an error for he is called the Angel of the couenant Malach. 3. Make what excuse thou canst to excuse thy rashnes yet Gods wrath shal be kindled against thée he will plague punish thée he will as it is here said destroy the worke of thy hands It is a lamentable case why wilt thou cast thy selfe into it againe he vseth a coÌ„parison In the multitude of dreames saith he there be vanities so in the multitude of words Wee sée he likeneth those foolish vowes made to God vnto dreams which are but vanitie but feare thou God Know thou well vnto whom thou speakest and be wel aduised kéepe thy promise Thus we sée briefly what is to be obserued in our vowes which wée make vnto God Let vs consider in some particulers who breake these rules And first for our generall vow in baptisme we haue promised to consecrate both our soules and bodies to the seruice of God in true holinesse by renouncing the deuill and all sinfull lustes Then all such as despise Gods truth and walke in darkenesse after the flesh haue besides al other there sins this great burthen vpon them that they be vowbreakers they haue broken their faith promise made vnto God It had béene better for them neuer to haue vowed then thus to deale they be in a bad case Secondly those offend as we sée it vsually come to passe which in great affliction make promise if God deliuer theÌ„ they will glorifie him but are false For God doeth will vs Psal 50. Call vpoÌ„ me in the day of affliction I will deliuer thée and thou shalt glorifie me When a man hath lewdly spent his time in riot in drunkennes in wantonnes in enuie hatred and malice If God strike him with gréeuous sicknes that his bones séeme to rattle in his skinne and that hée feareth death then doth he tremble then doeth he desire that God wil haue mercy vpon him and then doth he make vowes and promises If God doe restore me to health againe and geue mee life I will neuer be the man I haue béene I haue liued a naughtie life I haue dishonoured God I haue despised his worde I will harken to his voice leaue my naughty vices and liue to Gods glorie How wel were this if men did as they say But marke and ye shall finde the most partâ— so soone as euer they be recouered can but crawle out fall againe to their former wayes and be as euill or worse theÌ„ euer they were before What shall wee say of these men are they not gréeuous offenders I haue obserued some very wicked liuers God hath stricken them and terrified them so that with teares they haue confessed their vngodly behauiour They haue promised and vowed if God would restore them to become new men They haue recouered and become as vile in sinne as before God hath stricken them againe and they haue died in fury and rage without any apparance of grace or remorse Doth
next he doeth in generall expresse which is the right way and which is the wrong The one is in these words draw neare to heare The other in these rather then to offer the sacrifice of fooles for they perceiue not that they do euill Solomon doeth in a worde set downe that which Moses and the Prophetes doo so much and so often vrge namely that the true worship of God hath for the ground foundation sincere obedience Harken to the voice of the Lord thy God in all that he commandeth thée thou shalt walke in his commandements his statutes ordinances and lawes Thou shalt adde nothing vnto his word thou shalt take nothing therfro In this place he saith draw neare to hearken that is to be vnderstood that we must giue eare vnto y t which God speaketh for there ought to be no voice in Gods house but his owne It is high sacriledge for any other voice but Gods to be vttered there And Christ saith hée is the true shéepeheard his shéepe heare his voice but a stranger they will not heare The true and faithful pastors when they preach vttering nothing but Gods word it is not their owne voice but his There is one lawe giuer which is able to saue and to destroy wée haue then one soueraigne Lord and King euen the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and first wée must begin with this to giue eare vnto his voice We know not how to worship him we may not worship him after our owne deuises for of such hée saith they worship me in vaine teaching for doctrines mens precepts he hath prescribed fully and perfectly in euery point how we shall worship him We are therfore willed to draw neare to heare For if we faile in this and will be worshippers not regarding to hearken we faile in the foundation and goe awrie out of the waie in all that we doo Therefore herein take heed to thy feet when thou goest to Gods house to heare and not to doo is not worth ought Be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing your selues Iam. 1. And our sauiour saith if any heare my words doo them not I will liken him to a man that buildeth his house vpon the sande great is the fall of that house Matth. 7. The holy Scripture doth not account it worth the name of hearing vnles a man be a doer Moreouer this is to be wel obserued when he saith drawe neere to hearken for it teacheth that the true worshippers must haue a readie and chearefull minde to hearken Loue and reuerence to their God doeth make them delight in his voyce and not that onely but the benefit which we receiue by his worde he doeth beget vs by it to be his children as S. Peter saith We are borne not of mortall but of immortall séede the worde of God which indureth for euer Of his owne good will saith S. Iames hath hée begotten vs with y e word of trueth therfore let euery man be swift to heare By hearing the holy word wee become the sonnes and daughters of God If wée be swift to heare and kéepe happie are we For our Sauiour saith Blessed are they â—hat heare the word of God and kéepe it To make this yet more plaine why wée â—hould drawe nigh to hearken I will speake some what more of the new birth which is wrought thereby We are all dy nature the children of wrath in as much as we be borne in sinne All that is in vs is but flesh that is to be crucified with the lusts and concupiscences This mortification of the flesh through the spirite is called the putting off the old maÌ„ This is wrought by learning God hath appointed his worde for to purge vs. All our vncleannes is to be cleansed away by the pure word Ignorance heresie errors darkenes and vnbeléefe are expelled by it Then further there is the true image of God to be set vp which is called the putting on of the new man which after God is created in righteousnes and true holines The blessed spirite of grace breathing life and all good thinges into our soules doeth it by hearing the word It is therefore the swéete foode of our soules the Preachers are called Shepheards which féede the Lords flock We may well see there is no comming to séek God and to worship him but this way This is the right way take héede to thy féet for to walke in it draw néere to harken Learne by the word of the Lorde how thou mayst worship him aright I will come now to the other parte which is the worshippe disalowed called the sacrifice of fooles In olde time before the comming of Christ God instituted many ceremonies sacrifices which did shadow things to come These was the Church then to be exercised in Not that he estéemed the doing of those outward things so much or accounted his worship to consist therein but he regarded the inward faith and integritie of heart Those outward ordinances were but for helpes to further faith and true godlines When they offered slayne beasts in sacrifice Christ was represented and withall the offerer did declare his faith and repentance thereby This was forgotten or not regarded of many and so they offered their sacrifices omitting the chiefe vse as though they had doone the Lord a pleasure This wee may sée by the Psalm 50. And many are the complaints of the prophets against such worshippers They neglect the holy doctrine of God and be ignorant and vnskilfull in his waies for which he calleth theÌ„ fooles in this place He doth wish men to take héed of it because these fooles doo nothing but sinne when they come to worship God Al that they doo is accursed and abominable yea euen their praiers whols worship yet he saith they doo not perceiue that they doo euill Their blind deuotioÌ„ to séeke God séemeth to themselues a goodly ie well and that is one great part of their follie Thus we sée the sense of his wordes Now will I come to apply this doctrine more particularly that wée may know who they be that erre how miserable their estate is And first I will beginne with the church of Rome and all Papists This doctrine doth ouerthrow them for this beyng true they can not be the Church of God There is no drawing néere to hearken to the word of God among them they haue banished it and buried it God speaketh not in their synagoges but the deuises of men are set vp therefore all their worship is the sacrifice of fooles They do sinne they be abominable and accursed in all their doings It is a vaine excuse when they alledge wée worship none but the true God we worship Christ When ye sée it plaine that a man may goe to Gods owne house where his worde is purely taught and séeks to worship the very true God and yet offer the sacrifice of fooles if he giue not eare to be taught in
the holy doctrine How much more then where God speaketh not but mens abominable inuentions are set vp Let not this séeme harde but marke our Sauiour doth cite out of the prophet Iesay Math. 15. This people draw néere me with their lippes and honour me with their mouth but their hart is farre from mée in vaine doo they worship me teaching for doctrines mens precepts There be a thousand abominatioÌ„s among the Papistes which make their worship to be the sacrifice of fooles but if there were no more but this it doeth ouerthrow them I will come now to a second sort of men which denie poperie yet care not for drawing néere to hearken They can not away with the preaching at least wise with the true preaching of Gods word I can not tel what I should terme them but our land doeth swarme full of them in all places These crie out for praier in Gods house There is say they so much preaching that there is no time for prayer good praiers are hindred Yea say these the prayers be better then all their pratling for so it pleaseth them to terme preaching by which God speaketh vnto vs. In déede prayer is a speciall part of Gods worship but if a man doe not pray aright though the praier in it selfe bée most excellent which he vttereth it is the sacrifice of a soole it is turned in to sinne Lette vs consider the causes The holy Ghost willeth draw néere to hâ—arken when a maÌ„ will worship God And great reason God is our soueraigne Lord whom we are to serue He is our king lawmaker whose will wée are to obey and none other He is our shéepeheard whose voice wée must heare and follow him My shéepe heare my voice Iohn 10. He hath appointed giuen pastors and teachers to féede his shéepe Ephes 4. How canst thou without contempt of Gods maiestie yea without rebellion against the king and renouÌ„cing thy shepheard neglect to heare his voice Thou art a blinde foole thou art so ignorant that thou doost not vnderstand the Lords prayer Thou wouldest haue God heare thée speaking thou knowest not what thou wilt not heare what he saith What reason is it that God should regard those which regard not him Reade the firste Chapter of the Prouerbes and there yée shall see how wisdome complayneth against these ignorant fooles and denounceth vengeance I cried and stretched forth my hand and yee regarded not but despised my counsell ye shal crie when your destruction commeth and I will not heare If this doctrine doe séeme hard heare what is written Prouerbs 28. Hee that turneth away his eare from hearing the law euen his prayer shalbe abhominable Is not this plaine inough to she we that God abhorreth the prayers of blind ignorant persons which care not for his word What shall we say then of persecuters of Gods word they must néedes be worse Our Lord and Sauiour doeth call them dogs Such as doe not regarde the precious and heauenly doctrine hee doeth liken vnto swine which care not for pearles but tread them in the mire Such as haue the holy things of God offered them and doe persecute the bringers he compareth to dogs which turne againe and rent them Consider now beloued how woful is the state of all these The men which do not hearken to Gods voyce but to superstitioâ—s inuentioÌ„s those that despise and set light by the preaching of the word or heare and doe not obey it such also as bée persecuters of the same all their praiers are turned into sinne they offer the sacrifice of fooles God doth abhorre them and all their doings Destruction and miserie come vpon them they crie vnto God but he doeth not heare them they be neuer the better yea they doe increase their sin by praying For as he saith here they doe euill I know it will be here replied that the Scripture doeth promise that he which calleth vpon God shalbe heard and at what time soeuer a sinner doeth repents him of his sinne all his wickednes shall be done away This must néeds be true but yet wee must vnderstande that the prayer and repentance which are allowed before God procéed from faith which is Gods gifte the work of the holy ghost and not in a mans owne power Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom 14. which is all one with that which our sauiour doeth teach Iohn 15. Where hee compareth himselfe to the true vine and the faithfull to the branches The braÌ„ch can bring foorth no fruite except it abide in the vine no more can we do any thing except we abide in Christ All that is of our selues is corrupt yea euen prayers Nothing pleaseth God but that which procéedeth from y e spirit of Christ which those only haue that are graffed into him by faith And this is by the worde as he saith in the same place if ye abide in me and my word abide in you aske what ye will and it shall be done vnto you Wherefore brethren receiue this instruction of Solomon Take heede to thy feet when thou goest to Gods house drawe neere to hearken rather then to offer the sacrifice of fooles Bow down with reuerence with feare trembling to heare the voyce of your God and to know and obey his will then crie he will he are you your prayer shal come vp before him as swéete incense Otherwise yée shall be but fooles Let vs procéede to that which followeth Be not rash with thy mouth neither let thy hart make hast to vtter a thing before God for God is in heauen and thou art vpon earth and therfore let thy words be few The former verse did giue vs instructioÌ„ that in séeking to worship God we must giue eare and hearken to his voice Now in this he giueth rules how we are to speake vnto him For in Gods house the Lord God speaketh vnto vs againe we speake vnto him He speaketh when the faithfull shéepheards doo declare his word We speake in prayer in thankesgiuing in making promises vowes Looke what he speaketh it is to be accepted because he is most holy and nothing can come from him but that which is pure and good CoÌ„trariwise we be corrupt and all that we speake is foolish and vile vnlesse it be ordered by his holy spirit Therfore we must be taught of him how to speake we may not come at aduenture before the Lord to speake vnto him for he is a great king and wée are poore and base wormes He is full of glory power and heauenly maiestie we are dust ashes We ought to consider therefore into whose presence we come and vnto whom we speake and this is it which he saith God is in heauen and thou art vpon the earth Our Sauiour prescribing vnto vs a forme of prayer leadeth vs vnto y e same when he willeth vs to say Our Father which art in heauen The necessitie of this precept
heart so that he sinned and fell grieuously He was reproued of God for it as we read 1. Kings 11. He made this booke to remayne as a publike record of his returne and therfore he is Koheleth a person or a soule reconciled to God and to his Church In this sence we may call him Ecclesiastes I know it will be replied by some that the word of God doth not any where testifie that Solomon euer repented after his great fall but leaueth it in doubt and to proue his repentance by this one title by which hee doeth name himselfe is but a weake reason For let the signification of the name be certaine yet is it vncertaine whether he wrote this booke after his fall To this I answere that he did write it after the long triall and experience which he had made in all things vnder the sunne and no doubt after his fall For touching his repentance although it be not said any where in these expresse words Solomon repented yet may it bée proued by necessarie consequence out of the scriptures that he did vnfaynedly repent I reason thus He was one of Gods elect therefore he returned to his God by true repentance séeing it is vnpossible that the elect should perish Math. 24. To proue that he was Gods elect I first alledge that which was said to Dauid at his birth 2. Sam. 12. which Nehemiah doeth speake of him Chap. 13. Nathan the Prophet was sent to Dauid from the Lord willing him to call his name Iedediah tendring this cause that God loued him Nehemiah speaking of the fall of Solomon saith yet he was beloued of his God grounding vpon those wordes of Nathan What a spéech were this to say hée was beloued of his God if he were not gods elect Doeth the Scripture euer speake so of any reprobate God saith by the prophet Malachie Chap. 1. Iacob haue I loued and Esau haue I hated Saint Paul hereupon doeth argue Rom. 9. and proue that God hath chosen Iacob And why may we not reason thus vpon these words the Lorde loueth him hée was beloued of his God therfore he was Gods elect Then the Scripture leaueth not his repentance in doubt I will not stand vpon this that hée was a figure of Christ Psal 45. That hee was an excellent Prophet opening high misteries of Christ and his Church but I will come to that which is written of him 1. Chro. 17. where God saith to Dauid I will be his father and he shall be my sonne and I will not take away my mercie from him as I did from him that was before thée Some wil say this is spokeÌ„ of Christ for the title is too high for any Angell Heb. 1. I answere that God said of Dauid thou art my sonne but yet as he was the Figure of Christ Psal 2. and so herâ— of Solomon For this caÌ„not be denied that the Lord speaketh it of that sonne of Dauid which should build the materiall Temple which Dauid had in purpose for to build and God said of this man I will be his father and he shall be my sonne and I will not take my mercie from him If God did not take his mercie from him then he repented When heir Solomon was dead his way is ioyned with the way of Dauid his father For RehoboaÌ„ his sonne did wel thrée yeres and those thrée yeres he is saide to haue walked in the way of Dauid and Solomon 2. Chron. 11. Solomons beginning was good and so was his ende or els hee shoulde not be coupled with Dauid And thus we sée he was Gods elect and therefore repented and became Koheleth So that we hold for certaintie that this name which he geueth himself and this booke are for publike note and record of his repentance and reconciliation to God and his Church Thus much of the Anthor of this booke and for what cause he calleth himselfe by this vnusuall name Now we must obserue to what end he made it or what was his chiefe purpose and intent in writing which in few wordes I may say was this euen to instruct men how to come vnto the true blessednesse A worthy worke and most profitable vnto al that thirst and long for saluation The whole worke consisteth of two partes For he draweth men first froÌ„ the wrong way Those that set their hearts vpon the riches the honors the pleasures and the wisdome vnder the sunne to séeke any felicitie or good in them are in a wrong way From this he persuadeth then he setteth forth the right way vnto blessednesse which is in the true worship and feare of God Hereunto he mooueth very carefully We must note that he beginneth with the vanitie and miserie of all thinges vnder the Sunne because no man can worship God a right or feare him in truth vntil he haue learned to renounce the world Marke well what our Lord saith No man can serue two Masters ye can not serue God and Mammon Math. 6. No man can loue God which loueth the world For thus it is plainely said Loue not the worldâ— neither the things of the worlde if any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him For whatsoeuer is in the world as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eies and the pride of life is not of the father but is of the world 1. Ioh. 2. The loue of the world is enmitie against God so that he which will be a fréend of the world maketh himselfe the enemie of God Iam. 4. In the same place also wee learne that such as loue the worlde committe who redome against God for he calleth them adulterers and adulteresses It is because mans heart and soule ought to be maried to God and to be kept chast and pure vnto him for the lone now when it doth giue away y e loue vnto the world and doth imbrace it as a sweete Ladie in which it doth delight it committeth spirituall whoredome For the same cause the holy Ghost calleth the couetous man an Idolater Ephes 5. His harte should be set vpon God and it is set vpon the world he should trust in the liuing God and he doth trust in riches What is this but to set vp an Idoll The cares also of this world and the deceitfulnesse of riches are thornes which choake the good séede of life Math. 13. Plow vp your fallow and so we not among the thornes saith God vnto his people Ierem. 4. By all these places we may sée how necessarie it is that before Solomon do come to teach men where they shall séeke true blessednes he emptieth their harts of the loue and care of earthly things and this is that I said â—he draweth men first from the wrong way How well he doth performe this we shall vnderstande if the Lord do giue vs eares to heare Vanitie of vanities saith Ecclesiastes vanitie of vanities
the Sea How commeth it then to passe that in so many hundreth and thousands of yeres the sea is not filled This is his reason by which he proueth that they do returne againe into their owne place and do not abide in the sea for if they did abide there the sea would be filled They be drawen vp by the sunne into the clowdes and so life is a vapor that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth The Prophet Dauid vseth a comparison beyonde all these Psal 62â— For he compareth the state of man yea euen of princes with vanitie it selfe and maketh it the lighter These be his words The sonnes of base persons are vanitie the sonnes of nobles are deceite If they be put together in the ballance they will ascende aboue vanitie Put all men in one ballance and vanitie in the other and they will goe vpwarde and be found the lighter For the heauier end of the ballance goeth down ward and the lighter ascendeth How commeth it to passe then that men yea such as should be wise and in déede doe take themselues of all other to be the wisest are so be witched and blinded that they make so great account of their estate in this present life as if it were all in al They thinke there is profite and commoditie of their labours and that great no man can perswade them to the contrarie Alas what should I say here I may well lament and bewayle our miserable blindnes I knowe not how to cure it There be so many thinges that doe deceiue it is almost without end Let it be that this worde of the Lord be receiued man is mortall he hath but his generation he passeth away as a shadow and neuer returneth againe his estate and condition is so vaine and transitorie that compared with other creatures he is farre inferior Yet this conclusion will not be receiued therefore their remaineth no profite vnto man of all his trauaile wherin he trauaileth vnder the sunne for this sticketh fast in the hart Although the daies of man vpon the earth be but as a vapor that appeareth for a short time and then vanisheth yea howsoeuer he passe away and returne no more and is inferiour to other creatures yet he receiueth very great profite by his laboures and that many waies He hath to féed and clothe himselfe withall and to serue other necessarie vses He commeth to haue countenance in the world of worship and honour his valiant acts and wisdome shall be renowmed vnto all posteritie He doth conuey ouer his honour and possessions vnto his sonne who is as déere vnto him as his owne soule He shall florish and prosper in the world He shall continue the name countenance of his father are not these great commodities and worth the trauailing for I answer that these had néed be worth somewhat for in déede they be the things for which many thousands doo sell there soules and bodies to the Deuil They be those rocks against which men doo runne and make shipwracke of faith and a good conscience so drowne themselues in perdition and destruction The wise men of the worlde are poisoned and killed with these baites The Deuil deth suggest them and mans blind hart receiueth them euen against the truth For let vs looke well into the matter and we shall find that there is nothing in all these but méere deceit the truth of this sentence shall continue firme that there is no profite vnto a man of all his labours wherein he laboureth vnder the Sunne Touching the first there is some present commoditie in déede obteined by mans labour for he eateth of the labour of his handes he hath to clothe himselfe withall Men are commanded to labour for that purpose this beyng Gods ordinance In the sweat of thy browes thou shalt eat bread Genes 3. Moreouer by their industrie and labour men doo prouide somewhat to leaue vnto their children as nature bindeth them the Scripture pronounceth such as doo not this to be worse then infidels Neuerthelesse here is nothing to contrary that which Solomon teacheth that there is no profite to a man of all his sore trauaile For he vseth a worde which signifieth a profite that doth remaine and continue or sticke by a man All present commodities are vaine yea most vaine because they continue not with menne Againe here is nothing to driue men froÌ„ labour diligence about earthly things but to moderate mens laboures and to correct immoderate vaine care which draweth men from the studie of better things It is the same doctrine which Christ teacheth Iohn 6. Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for the meat that indureth vnto eternall life And which S. Paule exhorteth vnto 1. Cor. 7. Let him that bieth be as though he possessed not for y e fashion of this world passeth away I may say further that to haue riches honors be good benefites in this respect also that by theÌ„ men are the more inabled to doo good and so to be rich in good workes But as worldly men doo account and as they doo couet them there is no good in them at all for if a mans substance be increased neuer so much hée shall carie none of it away with him his pompe saith the Prophet shall not descend with him into the graue Psalm 49. Shée doth often and vsually follow and accompany vnto the graues mouth but then returneth taketh her leaue Well his sonne he is now aloft this is as good to the father as if he had it himselfe Yea we sée many a miser labour like an horse and almost sterue himselfe to make his sonne rich hée continueth the name the lands and the houses haue the name set â—pon them What a goodly matter is â—his no doubt this séemeth a goodly matâ—er yea so goodly that it costeth as I haue â—aid many a soule The worldlings â—pare no trauaile to come to this Looke whatsoeuer standeth in their way to let â—hey will tread it downe if they can yea â—uen Gods truth all equitie faith and â—onestie This is the vaine glorie which the Prophet derideth Psal 49. Their minde â—s saith he that their houses may be for â—uer their habitations from generation â—o generation they call their names vpoÌ„â—heir landes But man is in honour and shall not continue he is like the beastes that perish This their way is their hope and their children approue their wordes They shall lie as beastes in the graue death shall be their shéepeheard This I say is it which God speaketh touching the vayne glory of blinde worldlings which doo more earnestly bende their minde to haue an house and glory in the earth to all posteritie then to séeke to know god aright to glory in him to magnifie set vp his honor and so to be glorified in the heauens for euer to haue their house or name coÌ„tinued is but an earthly commodity should not
goeth the innocent very often vnles the Iudge be of great courage and feare God Sometime there is hatred toward the person for religion When the iudge is corrupt in opinion that way as it falleth ont often because many iudges are so addicted to the studie of worldly matters and so wise in their owne estimatiō that they must haue Gods matters squared by their rule the wisdome of the flesh is their rule Somtime feare carieth awrie whē as some great person of honour doth speake or write in fauour of the guiltie The Iudges would be loth to displease such so in the place of iudgement there is iniquitie iudgement commeth foorth wrested as the Prophet complaineth This increaseth greatly the miserie of the life present when as we lie open cōtinually vnto a thousand oppressions where our refuge should be there we oftentimes find discouragement The prophane and wicked man doeth deale with the innocent euen at his pleasure the rich doth iniurie the poore and when they rome before the iudges or those that should minister iustice euen as if the power were set vp for countenance of the vngodly they are praised the other are rebuked and checked Alas what shall men doo where shall they séeke comfort is not this life miserable the world is euer full and neuer more then at this day of oppressions iniuries wrongs and violence the place of iustice that should right it doeth often increase the same Who is he that hath a peaceable minde but had rather lose a great part if he might choose then goe to the law for to séeke iustice how many are vndoone by going to law how many are there which with long suite great expences cā neuer attaine to their right If he be rich or mighty that doeth the wrong let him take away house or land wrongfully we doo account it follie for a meane mā to seeke for iustice The world is miserably corrupted this way now what remedie what comfort Doubtles none but that Solomon doth set foorth in the next verse I said in my heart God will iudge the iust and the wicked for there is a time for euery purpose and ouer euery worke there The Lord hath made all men to dwell together vpon the face of the earth hée is the iudge of the whole world hée is a iudge by nature he is iustice and truth it selfe he can not doo wrong vnto any he must néedes rescue and deliuer the iust and execute vengeance vpon the wicked Herevpon Solomon doth gather beholding withall the confusion of matters vnder the sunne that there shall be a day of generall iudgement when as all both good and bad shall come to their account and when as euery man shall receiue according to his déedes It shall not euer be thus Violence oppression and iniuries haue but their time and there is also the time for iustice as he saith there is a time for euery purpose The last clause of this sentence may be taken diuers waies as namely that the iudgement shall be ouer euery worke or thus he that is ouer euery worke is there The sense both waies is true and tendeth to one purpose for it is most certaine by the scriptures that euery worke both good bad shalbe brought vnto iudgement and it is God who is ouer al that shall iudge Let vs here learne of the wise man when we behold oppression and peruerting of iustice to gather assuredly that there is a time when things shal be set in better frame Let vs not be cast downe discouraged when wée suffer wrong and can find no help at the seats of iudgement and places of iustice for the time commeth when the high iudge will take our cause into his hand Because matters now go so farre awrie be sure there is a day appointed for better order It cā not stand with Gods iustice that matters should thus go cléere away The wicked doo not reason thus but because the Lord doth let them alone and men doo escape with foule factes they be the bolder euen as if God did not regard the thing at all This I say is a wrong collection for that God now winketh at oppression and at y e peruerting of iudgement it is a strong reason to proue that he hath set a time vnto which he doth reserue all causes wée shall all come there both the oppressor and the oppressed Let vs proceed to that which followeth I said in my heart concerning the order of the children of men that God hath giuen them dignitie and to see to they are beastes to themselues This sentence is hard difficult by reason of some words in it which may bée construed diuers waies and therefore no meruaile though it be vnderstood diuersly But to let passe how it is translated in others I will shew the cause why I take it thus as I haue set it downe First here is one word Dibrath which in the Psal 110. is vsed for order in this sentence of the Psalme the Lord hath sworne and will not repent thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech This I take here to signifie the state and order of y e children of mē Here is an other word that is Barar which signifieth to choose to purge to declare I take it here in the first sence or the second that God hath chosen men or purged thē that is to say he hath set them vp adorned them with dignitie and honour and yet to sée to they be beasts to themselues For choise men set vp in dignitie are called in the holy scripture Berurim which cōmeth of the same word Barar And the Scripture saith Psal 49. Man is in honour but shall not continue he is like the beastes that perish So then touching the state or order of the children of men God hath giuen them dignitie and honour but yet they be but as the beasts to themselues as he sheweth by reasons afterward This is spoken to pull downe the pride and loftines of mans nature which doth so glory of an excellencie here in y e world For looke wel vpon it and we shall sée that this honour and dignitie doth not cōtinue but man becommeth euen as the beasts The beasts haue no order among them they haue no magistracie no seats of iustice or such like But the stronger doo oppresse the weaker the wild do pray vpon the tame there is no place of refuge or succour among them Among men this is a goodly dignitie a goodly order that God giueth the ciuill power princes and iudges and men of honour There are lawes there be orders there is authoritie to restrayne wrongs and oppressions that they may not be as y e beasts to deuour one another Yet do they partly in this become beasts to themselues when the stronger do push the weaker and when the seat of iudgement doth vphold wickednes Men are cruell and sauage beasts one to an other many
is to bee estéemed from our disposition how rude how vnreuerent how vnmannerly our hearts be when we speake to the Lord. We dore not in such sort speake vnto an earthly prince no noâ— to a man of meane worship But to auoide this rudenes and to come with due reuerence yea euen with feare and trembling before so high a Maiestie hée willeth each man not to be rash with his mouth nor to let his heart make haste to vtter a thing before God where reuerence is set a part of him to whoÌ„ he speaketh a man dooth hastely and rashly babble whatsoeuer commeth into his mind But when he doth carrie great reuereÌ„ce hee doeth not speake but with feare and treÌ„bling aduisedly waying whatsoeuer he doeth vtter When we come to speake vnto y e God of glory how wicked a thing is it to come vnreuerently and yet men doe it and as boldly as it were to come before the meanest man vpoÌ„ earth Nay there is no man would take it well but thinke he were mocked and despised as a foole if men should speake so vnto him as they do vnto God It is true that there be some outward signes of reuerence as knéeling or vowing which is méete but God doth looke vpon the hart They babble and vtter wordes with their mouth which they vnderstand not or speaking them their mind is vpon other matters This is a foule contempt of Gods maiestie a sinne which shall be punished with the vengeance of eternall â—re He that is rash with his mouth doeth let his hart make hast to speake vnto God doeth not reuerence his glorious maiestie and yet ye sée how such blind grosse hypocrites doo glory in their vaine babbling euen when they know not what they say Let vs coÌ„sider beloued how to eschew this euill how shall a man frame himselfe that he may not vnaduisedly rashly speake vnto God but with reuerence which is due yea with feare trembling I will shew ye First consider déepely of that he saith God is in heauen Consider I say what a great and glorious God hee is His maiestie and power are aboue the heauens He is iust holy and good a hater of all iniquitie and vncleannesse the fountaine and giuer of all good things louing to the faithfull and a most terrible God to the wicked Then looke vpon thy selfe remember that he saith here thou art vpon earth Thou art weake base sinfull and miserable What art thou to come before him how wilt thou speake vnto him wherein shalt thou be regarded consider thine vnworthinesse cast downe thy selfe in humilitie with y e sense and féeling of thy sins and beggerlinesse Looke what he doeth promise to giue craue it earnestly with stedfast faith and with a groning spirite Not thus when they come to speake vnto God are rashe foolish they imagine that the very babling of words is a seruice of God and as the blind Papistes thought if a man did one day say more then his ordinarie stint God was in his debte and wée sée how the foolish pardons are granted from the bishop of Rome with condition that a man shall say ouer seuen or ten Aue Maries and so many Pater nosters Solomon giueth warning to beware of this Be not rash with thy mouth neither let thy heart make hast to vtter a thing before God To performe this there is néede of déepe meditation before a man pray the vnskilfull and vntaught in Gods holy word can not meditate any thing but corruptly and after the rotten braine of flesh and bloud in vaine imagination and therefore they can not pray aright they cast forth their words and desires vnaduisedly they come rudely before God because they know not him nor yet themselues By his heauenly word the Lord doth reueale himselfe vnto vs by the knowledge and light thereof we behold his glory we are caried vnto a wonderment and admiration of his excellencie we reuerence him we tremble before him As by the worde we behold God that in him is life and all good things so by the same wée sée and know our selues that we be very corruption miserie we be poore naked and void of all good things He is the bottomles fountaine of holines life and ioy if we will haue ought we must draw it from him This may lead vs to humilitie to hunger thirst for his heauenly gifts hunger and thirst be such things as no man can endure but will spéedily crie out for reliefe The hungrie and thirstie soule doth make as great hast vnto God and doth vehemently crie out to be refreshed such doth God call for such onely doth he heare all other doo not pray but babble The prophet Iesay chapt 55. doth in the name of the Lord proclaime Come to the waters all that be a thirst The blessed virgin in her song saith that he filleth the hungrie with good things and the rich he sendeth away emptie Those be called rich which féele not their miserie And Christ saith Come vnto mée all yée that trauaile and be heauy laden and I will refresh ye Math. 11. Againe by the word of the Lord we sée what he hath promised vs. For we must aske according to his will and not after our owne fantasies destres we must also aske in faith not wauer or else we shall receiue nothing Iam. 1. Which can not be but where we haue his promise wée must giue him thankes and praise with vnfained harts All this is to be done as he willeth in fewe words for it followeth after he had said God is in heauen and thou art vpon the earth therfore let thy words be few The faithful soule doth crie continuallie vnto God for being in continuall néede it watcheth vnto prayer But yet the words are fewe On the other side the blinde and foolish as our Sauiour sheweth Mat. 6. vse many words much babbling and vaine repetitions for which they thinke to be heard They wish and desire euen as their blinde fantasie doeth leade them they speake they knowe not what they multiplie words vpoÌ„ words babbling vpon babbling supposing that they do a great good thing to please God We are warned ye sée to take héede of such rashnes What are now all the prayers the vowes and thanks geuing of the Popish Church What is all the babbling of long prayers either publike or priuate where the word of the Lorde is not opened to the people Can they haue those former things which I noted Is it possible that they should not be rash in speaking vnto God They think if they haue tumbled ouer their stinte and full number of prayers all is well they laye on tongue they cannot tell what neither doo they much care their heart is blind and wicked When they haue cast behinde their backes the word of the Lord haue filled themselues with lustes and vayne pleasures forgetting God yet they must for fashion sake haue halfe an