the Lord giue a blessing that they may be profitable Now let vs pray THE SIXTH SERMON December 19. 5. Sabboth Blessed be the Lord God of Israell world without end So be it euen so be it THe Prophet Dauid hauing receiued assuraunces of Gods fauour towards him he prayseth God the giuer What tokeÌ„s he had of Gods loue both without him and within him we haue heard in the verses before of his behauiour after the receipt therof we shall heare in this last verse He now returneth to God for his iewells such as he had prayse thaÌ„ksgiuing loue for loue praises for blessings as was his duety The Lord of loue wooeth Dauid his beloued he hath woÌ„ne his affectioÌ„ Dauid is y e Lords both in body and soule in all that he hath Dauid is happy thereby for he is samed therby but y e Lord is neuer y e richer for his gift In Dauids thankesgiuing we may obserue two things first to whoÌ„ he offereth his sacrifice of praise secoÌ„dly in what maner he offereth it For y e first it is y â— Lord to whoÌ„ he doth offer it to none but the Lord. Papistes say blessed be God our Layd blessed be God such a sainct such a sainct for this y e blessing so doth not Gods child here Ergo they are not Gods childreÌ„ in so doing A maÌ„ after Gods owne hart doth not so Ergo they are not men after Gods owne hart in doing so Great reason had Dauid great reasoÌ„ haue all y e faithfull to prayse God onely for first who kept Dauids enemies froÌ„ triuÌ„phing against him but the Lord who vpheld him in his integrity but y e Lord who set him before his face for euer but y e Lord therefore who must be praysed but the Lord This was y e Lords own doing this was y e Lords onely doing therfore he onely is to be praysed Again the Lord which saueth vs euen for his own name sake wil not haue his glory parted betwéene him his creatures but giuen wholly to himselfe as y e Prophet Esay saith â—herfore cursed be they whatsoeuer they be y â— dare ioyne any whatsoeuer as partners w t God either in his workes or in his worship For his maner forme of praising God it is most excelleÌ„t for he doth it in such wordes maner as noteth a woÌ„derfull earnest affectioÌ„ in him towardes y e Lord a great zeale of his glorie great humilitie in him selfe a great feare least he should not doe it as he ought for first he doth not say simply blessed be God but blessed be the Lord God of Israell to shew that nothing in him selfe deserued such loue at Gods hands but onely the couenaunt which y e Lord made with his Church moued him thereunto Dauid being a member of the Church Secondly as Gods loue is infinite and euerlasting so accordingly he praiseth his name for it saying world without end Thirdly to shew his hartie and vnfained coÌ„sent to that which he spake he saith So be it and as one not repeÌ„ting him of that he had said but rather fearing that he came too short in the first he doubleth his speech and with a second blow to rouse vp his hart and affection which were scant awakened with the first he saith So be it and againe I say So be it So be it euen so be it The doctrine that is to be gathered from this verse ariseth two wayes first from the matter subiect secondly from the forme of y e words The matter subiect of the verse is Dauids thankesgiuing to the Lord for that he had so many wayes sealed vp and made sure his loue vnto his soule From which example we may gather this general doctrine that after benefits receiued of God it is our dutie and our delight to returne thankes vnto the Lord if Gods loue be swéete vnto vs. And this dutie can none performe aright but the elect children of God which are led by Gods spirit endued with Gods grace enriched with Gods benefites and inflamed with his loue All of vs do begge and craue like lepers but scarce one of ten do returne praises and thankesgiuing for our healing as though Gods gifts were not worth thaÌ„ks We are not so kinde to the Lord for all his benefites as we are to a mortall man for one curtesie Onely the faithfull being once throughly enlightened and effectually called are afraid to omit or neglect this dutie and when they do faile therein they are not a litle grieued thereat and that they do for Gods spirit is in them Therefore as they pray by the spirit so by the same spirite they praise God alwayes knitting vp their prayers with thankesgiuing for they must not be separated Daniell prayed praised God thrée times a day on his knées no doubt he did it oftener as occasion was offred but this he bound him selfe vnto what businesse soeuer he had because of his dulnesse to teach vs what we must do But how many deuour the graces of God one after another like a hogge vnder the trée neuer looking vp to the trée from whence they come as though all that God sendeth were nothing Some are afraid to be acknowen who did them good or gaue them goods like the blind mans father who for feare of the Iewes durst not tel who gaue his sonne his sight Some are ashamed like Sarah who laughed at the Angels message when she should rather haue giuen thankes this is because the wicked mocke the godly for praising of God as the sonne of the bond woman mocked the sonne of the frée woman and it is now become a reproch to speake any one word amongst many to the praise of God whereof it commeth that the most part both at bed and boord do so commonly forget to prayse the Lord but like beasts they sit and lye down and like beasts they rise vp againe But litle may we do beloued if we cannot by prayer aske leaue of God to take his blessings when we haue no right to any thing but in Christ and litle may we do if we cannot giue him thanks acknowledge him to be the giuer Thus like théeues we steale the Lords benefites and do nothing for them as if we should boldly goe into our neighbours house take our diner and his plate and go away and neuer say with your leaue nor I thanke you the Lord open our eyes and touch our hearts Some that would séeme to be a litle more manerly will vtter nay I may more truely say smother out a few cold words of course like gossips protestants at large when they meete one another Here is a goodly weather God be praised Oh you haue a swéete child neighbour God blesse him God be thaÌ„ked of your vpsitting or your comming abrode againe and so foorth but if any thing be added more then these common gratulations whereby God may reape
not all things yet he knew that God loued him and so long as he knoweth that he passeth not greatly for other matters how the world goeth with him c. And to say the truth he néede not for he that is sure of that is sure of all God loueth all his creatures as a good God and hateth nothing that he made but he loueth his elect children with a more special loue then y e rest as a father in Christ Iesus he that is sure that God doth so fauour him is sure I say of al. For to him whō God loueth he wil denie no good thing no not his owne sonne and if he gaue vs his sonne because he loued vs how shall he not with him giue vs all things els When the child is perswaded that his father loueth him he is bold to aske this that of his father so may we be bold to aske any thing of God our heauēly father that is good for vs when we be sure that he loueth vs. As Mary and Martha put Christ in minde but of two things the first was that Christ loued their brother Lazarus the second was that Lazarus was sicke He whō thou louest is sicke it was no néede to tell him what he should do for they knew he would do what might be done for him because he loued him So we may say to the Lord when we are sure that he loueth vs Lord he whō thou louest wanteth this or that for his body or his soule we néede not then appoint him what to do or whē or how for looke what he séeth most conuenient for vs for his owne glory he wil surely do it Therfore whatsoeuer Dauid knoweth he will be sure to know this whatsoeuer he be ignoraūt of yet of this he will not be ignoraūt To teach vs y t whatsoeuer we séeke to make sure this must first be made sure or els nothing is sure Peter bids vs make our election sure Iob when he saith I am sure that my redeemer liueth teacheth vs to make our redēption sure And here Dauid teacheth vs to make Gods fauour sure now if we make that sure thē our election is sure our redemption is sure our vocatiō is sure and our saluation is sure The suter desireth but the fauour of his beloued what doth the child desire of his father but fauour what doth the subiect séeke for of his Prince but fauour as Hester desired nothing but that the king would hold out his golden scepter to her in token of fauour what doth the prisoner craue but fauour And all these thinke thē selues in good estate if they may know that they be in fauour And shall not we thinke our selues sure whē we are sure that God doth fauour vs whose loue is aboue the loue of Princes aboue the loue of fathers and mothers yea aboue all loues Yea no doubt of it for if we make that sure then our Prince is sure our kingdome is sure our Cities are sure our bodies are sure our soules are sure and all is sure for who dare hurt or who can touch him whom God fauoreth they touch the very aple of his eye Shall we labour and trauaile to be sure of loue which is mutable not of that loue which is vnchaungeable mans loue is mixt with hatred and is commonly more like hatred then loue but Gods loue is perfect without any mixture whom men fauour they fauour for a while but whom God loueth he loueth to the end euen for euer Shal we then séeke for the scraps let the feast go shall we go the crickes whē we may go to the sea nay to filthy puddles when pure fountaines are by so we may soone proue as wise as Esaw that chaunged his birth right for right naught nay so we proue as foolish as Iudas that valued y e good-will of the Iewes aboue the loue of Christ but he gat nothing by it by that time he and the gallowes had reckned together Dauid makes more accompt of Gods fauour then of his kingdome yea then of victorie against his enemies as if he should say my foes do not triumph against me that is well for me but by this I know that thou louest me that is better We haue markes to know euery thing by sauing the loue of God but of that we thinke we are sure for we thinke so well of our selues that God must néedes loue vs whether we will or no as y t Papistes which set their good workes vpon the score make God indebted to them for their workes and therefore we regard neither the time when nor the place where nor the persons by whō nor the tokens by which the Lord doth offer to make his loue knowen vnto vs. When the seruaūts of Benhadad king of Aram went with ropes about their neckes to Achab king of Israel to entreat for their maisters life they gaue diligēt héede if they could catch any thing of Achabs mouth that might be a signe of fauour and when they heard him call Benhadad his brother oh how glad were they How did they play vpon that word how did they féede their hope vpon it they made hast and said Thy brother liueth The Lord hath greater aduantage against vs thē euer Achab had against Benhadad for he did flye from Achab so can not we from the Lord he did hide himselfe from Achab so can not we from the Lord Bēhadad had seruāts to send to king Achab but what spokesmen shall we send to the Lord we must come forth our selues Achab had power but against the body of Benhadad the Lord hath power against both our bodies and soules king Achabs power was subiect to the Lordes power but who shall withstand the Lordes power for his counsel shall stand If Achab had exercised his power vpō Benhadad it had bene but for a time but if the Lord should execute his wrath vpon vs if it were kindled yea but litle it would flame for euer now if we did consider these things well if we were asmuch afrayde of the king of heauen as they were of the king of Israell and if our miserable daungers and daungerous miseries did as nearely touch vs as theirs did touch them we would take as diligent héede to y e words of God as they did to the wordes of king Achab and we would be as glad to heare a word that might be as a token of fauour as they were but alas we do not consider we are not touched nor moued therfore when y e Lord doth by his messengers entreat vs to be saued wooe vs by all the names tokēs of loue we regarde not the Lord open our eyes to see in what a desperate case we stand and let vs make more reckening of Gods loue tokens then we do if not shall not the Aramites rise vp in iudgement against vs When the Angell came downe to stirre vp the poolé of
Bethesda wherein lay many sicke and diseased there was wayting on euery side and happy was he that could step in first for he that stept in first after the stirring of the water was healed of what disease soeuer he had We haue a better poole theÌ„ the poole of Bethesda for the word of God is water of life and able to cleanse the soule body too if we step into it wheÌ„ it is stirred by the Angell of the Lord how often hath y e Lord by his Ministers stirred vp this water that we might be healed by it no small fauour no doubt But who waiteth for it who steppeth into it Nay who steppeth not from it rather who is cleansed by it and yet who hath not néede of it For none caÌ„ say his hart is cleane Now if we make no more reckoning of Gods loue and his loue tokens then thus shall not those sicke and diseased men of Bethesda rise vp in iudgement against vs no doubt they shall We thinke that whatsoeuer we want yet we are sure that God doth loue vs neuer make any reckoning of his loue tokens but we may be deceiued Dauid was not alwayes so sure for sometime he thought that the Lord had forgotten him sometime he thought that God had geueÌ„ him ouer to him selfe hereupon he cried out at one time how long shall thy wrath burne like fire for euer at another time he prayeth O take not thy spirite from me restore vnto me the ioy of my saluation by which pitifull cries it may appeare that he was halfe afrayde Therefore he was glad to take a loue token when it was offred him for when he was not sure of Gods loue towardes him he thought that God was angry with him and that was of all things most terrible vnto him and intollerable So must we if we wilbe sure that God is not angry with vs we must be sure that he fauoureth vs. If Gods people must be sure of Gods fauour towards them in Christ as Dauid teacheth then we must not stand in doubt of it as Papists do teach we haue no reason so to do For doth he call vs his sonnes and we call him our father that we should doubt of his loue Doth he call vs his friends his brethren his spouse his loue his doue and by all the names of loue that we should doubt of his loue Hath he kissed vs with so many kisses of his mouth hath he sent vs so many pledges of his loue hath he renewed his couenant so often hath he sealed it with the Sacraments and bound it with an oth and al this that we might doubt whether he doth loue vs or no Thus you sée one point of poperie ready to soune at the hearing of this doctrine If there be any Papist here that hath a mind to it let him take it vp make much of it for Gods people you sée care not for it they had rather know for a certaintie that God doth fauour them then to stand in doubt thereof To loue God and to be loued of God is all that God requireth of vs and all that we desire of God For if we loue him then we feare him we worship him we trust in him we heare him we obey him c. If he loue vs then he prouideth for vs all good things and preserueth vs from all that may hurt vs c. Our loue to him hath marks and so hath his to vs. God doth not loue vs and kéepe it from vs but he maketh it knowen that he loueth vs as Ionathan made his loue knowen to Dauid and as the father of the prodigal child made his loue manifest to his sonne when his affection was towards him By this I know that thou fauorest me saith Dauid because mine enemie hath â—ot triumphed against me When God doth deliuer vs from the haÌ„ds of our enemies or any trouble else we may perswade our selues thereby that he hath a fauour vnto vs as Dauid did But then it may be demaunded If God doth loue his Church why doth he suffer his Church to be troubled and molested with enemies The reason is this because by this meanes his loue may be made more manifest in sauing and deliuering them For as a sure friend is not knowen but in time of néede so Gods goodnesse and loue is neuer so well perceiued as it is in helping of vs wheÌ„ we cannot helpe our selues As Adams fall did serue to manifest Gods iustice mercie the one in punishing the other in pardoning of sinne which otherwise we had neuer knowne so the troubles of the Church serue to manifest 1. our desertes by reason of our sinnes 2. our weakenes and inabilitie to helpe our selues and 3. the louing kindnes of the Lord our God in sauing and defending that so we might be truly thankfull returne all the praise and glorie to God and none to our selues So that the Church of God may haue enemies and yet be still the beloued of God as Lazarus was beloued of Christ although he was sicke for whom the Lord loueth he correcteth and therefore he correctech them because he loueth them Now some men will say Oh I thankâ— God I am in prosperitie and I liue well out of all danger and trouble and I want nothing therfore I am sure God loueth me Againe such a one serueth God well I warrant you for you sée how he doth thriue and prosper in the world he is come vp of noâ—thing c. therefore no doubt God doth louâ— him this is the corrupt iudgement of blind worldlings which take all for gold that gliâ—stereth and thinke there is no other heaâ—uen but earth but these men deceiue themâ—selues and so many as listen vnto them for when God shall neuer visite vs with anie crosse but shall giue vs all things at our pleasure and let vs haue what we lust for it is a signe that he is angrie with vs then we are nearest to our destruction For as the oxe that is stall fed waxeth fat and the fatter he is the fitter he is for the butcher and the nearer he is to the day of slaughter so it â—areth with the wicked worldlings which neuer come vnder the crosse whose necks â—ould neuer abide the yoke of the word of God they are set vp a fatting for the butâ—her of hell and made ready against the day â—f slaughter which is the day of Iudgement when all these outward commoÌ„ and geneâ—all blessings shall tend to their greater coÌ„â—emnatioÌ„ They liue at ease in this life that â—hey may feele payne in the world to come â—hey haue their heauen here that they may â—aue hell hereafter The greatest iudgemeÌ„t â—f God that can be in this world is to let vs â—iue in securitie and to geue vs ouer to our â—wne harts lust And this is witnessed by many places of Scripture Aske Iob and he will iustifie this to be true for these are
verse of this Psalme Why did Dauid then so gréeuously complaine The aunswere is at hand they spake euill indéede of Dauid and as they would haue had it yea and as they thought to haue had it too but the Lord deliuered him so that they triumphed before the victorie When they saw that the Lord did a litle visite him they cried out now he is met withall now he is downe c. And thus rashly they iudged of the Lordes annointed and triumphed ouer him whom the Lord raised vp again So played the Popes Catholikes when they would haue come vpon vs like the fat Bulles of Basan gaping vpon vs as though they would haue eaten vs vp when they saw some of our men ouercome in battaile or when the Lord did a litle frowne vpon vs they began straightway to triumph ouer vs marching into IrelaÌ„d as though all had bene cocke sure for theÌ„ but y e Lord put a bridle into their mouthes so caried theÌ„ backe again by Senacheribs way So likewise before they came last with their inuincible Nauy they deuided our kingdome and prouided owners for euery country Citie Bishopricke Lordship and whippes for euery body Indéede they troubled vs put many in great feare but through Gods goodnesse the feare was greater then the hurt by which the Lord would geue vs to vnderstaÌ„d that he had a fauour towardes vs. And that we might know it indeede he would not suffer vs to destroy them least we should say that through our owne power we gaue theÌ„ the ouerthrow and gat our selues the victorie but with his owne hand and with his holy arme he gat himselfe the victorie that the whole prayse might returne to himself by this we might be assured of his loue and fauour towardes vs blessed be his name for it Surely this was one of the greatest loue tokens that euer he bestowed vpon vs of teÌ„porall benefites the greatnesse whereof shal appeare when we consider how they would haue handled vs if they had triumphed against vs. For this purpose let vs take but a litle view First of their exactioÌ„s in Naples secondly of their sauage cruelties vpon the poore Indians and theÌ„ shall we sée what miseries and mischiefs such a triumph and such triumphers would haue brought vpon vs. And first of their exactions in Naples when they triumphed there To passe ouer their trecherous entraunce it is reported by one of their owne Bishops in a booke that he wrote to the king of Spaine for the redresse of these things y t euery foure or fiue yeares they receiued 200000. or 400000. and a Million of gold Their landed men were defeated of their landes and houses if they had not their euidence to shew which perhaps might be lost although they could make iust proofe of their lawfull possessioÌ„ and right for a 100. yeares before The farmer of their butcherie and powltrie receiueth 300. Duckets daily for his fee Euery chimney payeth 6. â— Euery strumpet iij. â— what should I say if all the payments were layed together that all the kings had before they were not comparable to the extraordinarie exactions of the Spaniards in Naples As for their cruelties on the poore IndiaÌ„s they are not to be spokeÌ„ for they dispeopled more then 10. Realmes greater then all Spaine AragoÌ„ and Portugall Within 40. yeares they butchered aboue 12. Millions of men women and infants They would set vp men and women naked against trées or walles c. and would lay wagers who should shoote or throw their dartes nearest the hart and made a sport of murther as ordinarily as we do of shooting or bowling c. They would vse to broyle men to death vpon gridirons especially great men whereupon it fell out that certaine Lordes being broyled foure or fiue through their pitifull roaring and crying which they were enforced to make through extremitie of torment disquieted y e Captaine that lay not far of to make them hold their peace they had their mouthes stopped with bullets vntill they were rosted to death Their cruelties were so great that a certaine Lord for feare fled to the Ile of Cuba where he was taken and burned and being exhorted by a Frier to dye a Catholique that he might go to heauen he asked the Frier whither the Spaniards weÌ„t when they dyed to heauen quoth the Frier Then I will not goe to heauen said the Indian Lord because the Spaniardes as you say goe thither for it is better to go to hell said he theÌ„ to come where any Spaniards haue any thing to do Another time a certaine Spanish gouernour entring the firme land a Lord of the countrey to gaine his goodwill and to auoid torture met him and presented him with nine thousand duckets in recompeÌ„ce wherof they bound him to a stake and set fire to his féete whereupon he brought thrée thousand Castillans more with which summe this tyrant not satisfied put fire againe to his féet vntill the sinewes burst and the marrowe sprung out of the bones and so he died The king of Mexico sent a thousand presents to welcome him besides that him selfe in his owne person met him with an honourable troupe of Lords and Gentlemen he was laden with bolts for his labour and being in prison y e rest came to solace their King with some pleasant sports and shewes wherupon they were apprehended by the Spaniards a solemne day of slaughter was proclaimed and at the day appointed two thousand yong Gentlemen were put to death for a terror to all the countrey The same tyrant going to warre against any Citie or prouince would yoke many together by the neckes allowing no sustenaÌ„ce to twentie thousand but the flesh of so many Indians as they could kill They had as ordinarie a shambles of mans flesh as we haue of beasts they kept mastifes other great dogs to hunt men and women from which a woman séeing she could by no meanes escape she went and hanged her selfe vpon a trée with her babe tyed to her féete and yet before the babe was dead the dogges came and deuoured it Another hunting venison could find no game and comming homward he met a woman with a child in her armes he tooke her infant and cut it in péeces and threw it to his dogges for liuerie It is not possible as one saith to vtter in words the mercilesse dealing of Spaniards in India the gastly remeÌ„brance whereof is able to daunt the stoutest courage Yet these are the men which pretend supporting of the Catholique faith Now by this â—ast we may giue a gesse how our cup should haue bene tempered if the Lord had suffered them to triumph ouer vs for if they handled these poore soules after this maner which neuer did hurt them nor their religion how wold they haue handled vs which alwayes haue bene enemies to their irreligious procéedings surely their hatred against vs would haue proued like Nebuchadnezzars fornace seuen times
hotter then it was before yea they would haue sent vs Rehoboams message and his measure vz. that their litle finger should haue bene greater vpon vs then their loines were vpon them And whereas they did burthen them with a grieuous yoke they would haue made our yoke heauier and whereas they chastised them with rods they would haue corrected vs with scorpions if they had triumphed ouer vs as they made full accompt By this then we may know that the Lord loueth vs alas a nation not worthie to be loued because our enemies did not triumph against vs. Blessed be his name for euer But doth God loue none but those whom he deliuereth out of their enemies handes Yes surely that he doth for it is no matter how we be ouercome of our bodily enimies so that our spirituall enemies do not ouercome vs. For euerie Christian hath two sorts of enemies as Dauid had bodily and spirituall our spirituall enemies be our sinnes and the temptations of the world the flesh and the deuill which fight against the soule as S. Peter saith Now these do often trouble the children of God rebelling against them and many times leading theÌ„ captiues to the law of sinne yet finally they do not triumph against them because they do not willingly yéeld them selues to sinne with delight in sinne as the wicked do but they do coÌ„tinually striue against them by earnest prayer vnto God by hearing the word of God and by faith in Iesus Christ they are made more then conquerours in the end as S. Paule teacheth in his doctrine to the Rom. By this I knowe that thou fauourest me c. Without doubt the Prophet Dauid had néede of many blessings moe which the Lord did not bestow vpoÌ„ him but kept them back from him and all to humble him and yet he did not murmure against God for the want of them but gaue him thanks for those which he had alreadie receiued Although the Lord did not suffer him to take any rest because of his enemies yet he praiseth God because they did not triumph against him a good lesson for vs to learne WheÌ„ y e Lord shal afflict vs with any maner of affliction as losse of goods losse of friends losse of health or whatsoeuer else we should remeÌ„ber then what benefites we haue still which we are vnworthie of Then thus may Gods childreÌ„ say to God Though the Papists do molest vs and speake all euill of vs though our enemies séeke and sift vs yet they misse of their purpose and thou doest raise vp friends vnto vs. Though Athiests scoffers worldly beasts do â—out at thy preachers yet thou doest not let them discourage them whereby we know that thou louest vs. And hath the Lord taken away thy goods c. yet remember that he hath gâ—uen thée leaue to enioy thy sight thy spéech thâ— hearing thy vnderstanding thy wits his spirite c. all wich are more then thou deserâ—est and more then he doth for euerie one So we may say for matters of reformation although euery thing be not in all respectes as it should be and as if were to be wished yet let vs thaÌ„ke the Lord for these good things we haue Though the growth of the Church be yet hindred by many ignoraunt Ministers and idle nonresidents yet hath the Church many good Pastours and teachers to whom the porter Iesus Christ hath opened the doore and furnished with singular graces for the good of his Church Let vs thanke his Maiestie for them and not as some do which for the want of some things condemne all the things which we haue because the Church forsooth is not so purely purged as it ought to be therefore we haue no Church no Ministers no Sacraments c. as it please our schismatiques to affirme and therefore in a maâ— rage being carried with pride and tempestuous spirites whose glorie is altogether iâ— condemning their brethren they cry separate your selues come out from amongest theÌ„ as though we had nothing left amoÌ„gâ—t vs which might be a token of Gods fauoâ—r loue towardes vs. Ah my good brethreâ— is this to shew our selues thaÌ„kefull for that we haue receaued shall we acknowledge nothing good because all is not perfect we ought to striue orderly and lawfully I confesse vnto perfection if it may be that Zion may shine in perfect beautie But in y e meane while let vs feare that the Lord for our vnthankefulnesse and scornefull contempt will take away those good things which we haue before he giue vs any more If we should want nothing we should waxe waÌ„toÌ„ forget the Lord as Dauid did who thought wheÌ„ God had made him strong he should neuer be moued and therefore to humble vs and kéepe vs vnder the Lord still kéepeth somewhat from vs. But now let vs sée what vse we may make of all y t hath bene said we haue heard that y e Lord doth not onely loue vs but also that he maketh his loue knowen vnto vs by sauing vs from the cruell hands of our enemies this is no small matter for the Lord to bestow such loue vpon his enemies which deserue nothing but his hatred and heauie displeasure should not this make vs loue the Lord againe That we do will euery one be ready to say but if you loue me saith our Sauiour Christ kéepe my commauÌ„dements how is it now that we say we loue God and yet for the loue that he beareth to vs and we to him many will not leaue one iote oâ— their pleasure nor any vnlawfull gaine no nor a haire of their head by this we may be sure that we hate the Lord. The vsurer whoremonger will say they loue God so will the swearer and the drunkard say wheÌ„ their whole life is nothing but a warre against God You prophane y e Lords Sabboth and refuse to heare his word wheÌ„ it is preached and yet you will say you loue God a spitefull loue The scoffer at Religion and euery hypocrite will tell vs that he loueâ—h God or els it were hard when yet they will do nothing that God commaundeth them If you loue me saith Christ to Peter feede my flocke to shew that if Ministers féede not y e flocke of Christ with the foode of their soules the liuely preaching of the word they loue not Christ and yet both ignoraunt Ministers negligent Pastors carelesse non-residents will beare men in hand they loue God O cruell loue that suffreth meÌ„s soules to sinke downe to hell with their owne for whoÌ„ the Lord Iesus hath shed his bloud You Magistrats will say you loue God if you do so indéede let it appeare in couÌ„tenauÌ„cing his word when it is preached and encouraging his Ministers in reforming his Sabboth in suppressing of lewdnesse in vpholding of goodnesse and iudging iustly which if you do not by this you may be sure you loue not God If you loue me saith Christ
loue one another to teach vs that if we loue not one another professing all the same Gospell w◠loue not Christ for he y t loueth him which begat loueth him also which is begottē and he that loueth the head must néedes loue the mēbers Now if we delight still in quarrelling and contending one with another in censuring and iudging one of an other for toyes and trifles in spiting and vexing in mistaking and misconstruing in racking and rending of wordes and halfe wordes if we continue still in bitternesse and wrath in mallice an enuie and will not be contēt to be curteous and louing and in the bowels of tender cōpassion fréely to forgeue as God for Christ his sake forgaue vs we may be sure we loue not God Againe if you loue me saith Christ doe good to the poore which you shall alwayes haue with you and looke what you do to them I will take it as if it were done to my selfe now if we be so straight laced against the poore as we haue bene and do not exercise the workes of mercy towardes them according to our abilitie how can we say that we loue God I meane not to be a proctour for the idle and slouthfull which can worke and will not for they ought not to eate and in Gods name let thē be driuen to worke or be seuerely punished for if you shall maintaine such when time shall serue they will cut your throats for that you haue to make you amends like Hanun who cruelly and shamefully entreated Dauids messengers when of curtesie and goodwill they were sent to visite him but reléeue while you may those that are impotent aged sickly diseased and labour hard for their liuing would worke if they had it sée to such I beséech you on Christs behalf and encourage the vertuous and godly amongst you you vse to say God helpe you I haue not for you a cold almes God knoweth but if God had suffred our enemies to triumph ouer vs thē we should haue said God helpe vs we haue neither for you nor for our selues therefore while you haue wealth and are able doe good withall do not be-lye the Lord that hath giuen you both for your selues for them too for in such time you may speake it that your wordes may proue truer then you wot of as it did with Ananias his wife who said they had no more left when they had as much more as they sold. Furthermore if we be assured that y e Lord doth loue vs in Iesus Christ we may be bold to pray without feare and not doubting that he will heare vs. Last of all this assurance of Gods fauour should bréed in vs a resolution to leaue all our odd shifts and deuises which we vse to liue by and to rely wholy vpon his prouidence vsing no meanes but good knowing that he which loueth vs will not see vs want any thing that he séeth good for vs. These things may trouble vs but if they do not triumph ouer vs by ouerruling vs thē we are beloued of God striue we then by faith and repentaunce against our affections and in the end we shall surely triumph in heauen for the Church can not be triumphant in heauen vntill it be militant on earth Now let vs pray THE SECOND SERMON OF THE ASSVRAVNCE OF GODS LOVE Nouember 21. Sabboth day By this I know that thou fauorest me c. THe Prophet Dauid careth not what enemies he hath nor how many he hath so that God be not his enemy he regardeth not what the Lord doth vnto him neither how he doth handle him so that he may be sure he doth it in his loue fauour towardes him and not in his wrath and displeasure therefore he prayeth Lord rebuke me not in thy wrath neither chasten me in thy displeasure as if he should say I care not O Lord what y u doest with me in this life so that I may be sure of thy fauour and louing kindnesse This serueth to teach vs that when any trouble or affliction shall come vpon vs we must not so much looke vpon that and séeke to be eased thereof as to looke whether we be in fauour with God or no. And being sure of his fauour in his sonne Iesus Christ to arme our selues patiētly to beare the crosse whatsoeuer it be because whatsoeuer it is outward or inward it is layed vpon vs in loue not to hurt vs but to helpe vs forward in the wayes of godlynesse We will take any thing well at his handes of whom we are perswaded that he loueth vs for the assuraūce of his loue swalloweth vp and swéetly sendeth downe all the rest if he teach vs we take it if he admonish vs we are contented if he reproueth vs we put it vp if he iest with vs we are not gréeued yea if he smite vs we are not offended all is taken in good part because they come frō loue who neuer did hurt his beloued So God dealeth with vs his children he teacheth vs when we are ignoraunt he correcteth vs when we goe astray he admonisheth vs when we are vnruly he reproueth vs when we transgresse he threatneth vs when we are stubburne and he smiteth vs when there is no remedy but is his fauor and mercy he teacheth correcteth reproueth threatneth and smiteth his children that they might not be damned with the wicked world If he woundeth vs his fauour is oyle to cure the wounde if he sendeth floudes and seas of troubles the assuraunce of his fauour is like Noahs Arke to beare vs vp from drowning If his wrath shall burne like fire his fauour is water to coole the heate whereof Diues in hell could not get a drop if he send sicknesse either of body or minde the assuraunce of his fauour is a present remedy like the brasen Serpēt if he sendeth sorrow ouernight his louing fauour shall bring ioy in the morning and a ioyfull tidings like Sonne be of good cheare thy sinnes are forgeuen thee If he chide vs his fauour that he beareth vnto vs will not suffer him to chide for euer if his wrath be kindled against his children his fauour puts out all againe if he sets vs vp as markes to be shot at he sets his fauour before vs with the assuraunce whereof we are defended as with a shield When he punisheth his childrē he pitieth them for he doth not punish them as an enemy but as a father therefore Dauid saith As a father hath compassion on his childrē so hath the Lord compassion on all those that feare him A fathers anger is rather loue then anger and his correction is to be compted rather a loue token then a punishment So is Gods anger towardes his children which feare him and keepe his couenaunts and therefore his correction is a loue token and no punishment Aske Salomon and he will tell you so nay the Lord himselfe will tell you
so if he sinne saith the Lord meaning by Salomon I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the plagues of the children of men but my mercy shall not depart away from him as I tooke it from Saul whom I put away before thee Aske Adam and Eue and they will tell you so for in punishing their first sinne he wrapped vp a blessing within the curse saying to the Serpent that the seede of the womaÌ„ should breake his head meaning that Christ should weaken the power of sinne of death such was his loue that he could scarce punish for loue Aske Dauid and he will tell you so The Lord hath chastened me sore saith he belike then he was very angry but he hath not deliuered me vnto death Therefore he made his choise to fall into Gods hands rather then into mens handes because saith he the Lord is mercifull in correcting Who would not be conteÌ„t now to beare whatsoeuer in this life such a a God should lay vpon him When Iesus wept ouer Lazarus the Iewes said behold how he loued him yea though he suffred death to cast him into his graue the common bed of all flesh yet behold how he loued him So may Gods children say when the Lord correcteth or reproueth or afflicteth theÌ„ yet marke how he séeketh vs entreateth vs and wooeth vs that when we sée this we must néedes say behold how he loueth vs. Sechem deferred not to doe all that was required of him for the obtaining of Dinah because he loued her So when we stand in néede of the Lordes helpe he deferreth not to helpe vs because he loueth vs. Dallila said to Sampson how canst thou say that thou louest me seeing that thy hart is not with me thou hast mocked me these three times But who can say that the Lord doth not loue his children séeing both his hart and his hand is with theÌ„ and he neuer mockt them When the Lord doth crosse his people he dealeth with them as Ioseph dealt with his brethren which because it is so liuely a resemblaunce of the Lordes procéeding with vs we will a litle compare the one with the other both for our comfort and also for our instruction When Iosephs brethreÌ„ came to Egipt to buy corne Ioseph knew them and spake roughly vnto them and bare them in hand that they came as spies so the Lord dealeth with his children many times wheÌ„ they come to him for such things as they want He knoweth them wel inough but maketh himselfe straunge vnto them and speaketh roughly vnto them by séeming to deny their request yea somtimes by encreasing their sorrow and affliction as Iacob striuing with the Angell for a blessing receiued a blow on his thigh more then he looked for Well Ioseph turned from his brethren and wept for he loued them but he kept it secret to him selfe a while so the Lord loueth his children when he handleth them very roughly but he kéepeth it sometime secret for a while Further it is sayd of Ioseph that he tooke Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes now all this while Ioseph knew his brethren but they knew not him for if they had knowen it had bene their brother Ioseph which loued them no doubt they would haue borne any thing at his hands So if we knew our troubles to come froÌ„ our Father which loueth vs would we not willingly beare any thing at his hands to Afterward Beniamin must go theÌ„ Iacob thought he had bene robbed of all his children but he found Ioseph Simeon and Beniamin all againe at the last So Gods children in the end find all when they thinke they haue lost all Well Beniamin goeth and when he is come Ioseph reasoneth the matter with them thus Is this your brother or whom you told me c. He knew it well inough but before he could go any further his affection was so inflamed towards his brother that he made hast sought where to weepe all this while he loued them dearly but kept it to him selfe After all this sée a secoÌ„d triall no whit inferior to the former As they went home hu and crie came after them for Iosephs cup which was in pollicie conueyed into their brother Beniamins sack search was made they thought them selues cleare so do we many times iustifie our selues they did afterward coÌ„demne theÌ„selues and wheÌ„ it was found in Beniamins sacke they were worse apayed then they were before Wel Beniamin must stay by the reckening and answer the matter this passed all the rest so doth the Lord many times finde out sinne by vs when we thinke all is wel and then things go worse and worse with vs as we thinke yet still the feare is greater then the hurt Well hereupon Iudah draweth neare to Ioseph and said Let me speake but a word in the eares of my Lord and tels him a long storie of the whole matter from the beginning to the ending as though Ioseph all this while had known nothing of the matter So we oftentimes in the griefe of our hearts powre foorth manie things complaints which the Lord knoweth well enough Now after many trialls it is said that Ioseph could no longer refrain before all that stood by but cried Haue forth euerie man from me which being done he wept and cryed so that all heard him both of the Egyptians of Pharaohs house And at the last his loue breakes foorth like the morning light and ouerfloweth after long restraint as a streame whose course is stopped ouerfloweth the banks Now mark how he vttereth him selfe I am Ioseph sayth he is my father aliue but his brethren could not answer him for they were astonished at his presence full litle did they thinke that Ioseph had bene so neare them they did not once dreame of any such matter or of anie such man Euen so the hand of God is many times in the tempring of afflictions to the godly for their good when they thinke full litle vpon it But againe saith Ioseph I am Ioseph your brother whom you sold into Egypt wel fare all good tokeÌ„s come neare I pray you vnto me be not sad nor grieued with your selues that you sold me for it was Gods doing for your preseruatioÌ„ Afterward they and their father and all his house came vp and had Egypt to inhabite after the like maner dealeâ—h God with his children as Ioseph dealt with his brethren but after many trials he vttereth him selfe vnto them he puts them in good remembrance of their iniuries done to his Maiestie he fréely forgiueth them and giueth them the inheritance at â—he last which is more then they deserued and more then â—hey desired and more then they looked for by which they are assured of Gods fauor vnto them Therefore who will not be content with patience to beare what triall soeuer this our louing God
owne glory and to the saluation of his children So God turned Adams fall to the manifesting of hiâ— owne glory and to Adams good for by thiâ— meanes had Adam experieÌ„ce of Gods greaâ— and infinite mercy and might say By this 〈◊〉 know that thou fauorest me because thoâ— forgauest me and didst not suffer the deuil to triumph against me so all the slippes and falles of Gods children are turned to their good in as much as by them they are made more fearefull of sinne and more watchfull ouer their wayes as the child is fearefull of the candle when he hath once burnt his finger in y e flame And S. Paule telleth vs from God that all things shall fall out for the good yea for the best to them that loue God Now of this point we may make a very holy vse It serueth first to confirme and vphold our faith in the prouidence of God and not to feare the endeuours of the wicked because we sée that God doth still dispose of theÌ„ to our good if we be his children Againe this may stand vs in good stead when our affeâ—tions begin to boyle in a burning desire of reuenge against our enemies would we be reuenged of theÌ„ The best way to be reuenged of our enemies is to pitie their case and to make that profite of them which Dauid did of his that is still to looke to God in theÌ„ theÌ„ shall we be sure to be no loosers but gayners by them whither they will or no. But here some may demaund and say Doth God vse to handle his beloued so or may a man be sure of Gods fauour being beset with so many enemies and ouerwhelmed with such heapes of troubles especially sinne being the cause wherewith God is prouoked to anger To which we may answere that sinne indéede is the cause of all our troubles but yet whatsoeuer the Lord layeth vpon his children here it is not a punishmeÌ„t of their sinne for that was discharged by the hellish suffrings of the Lord Iesus Christ but it is a fatherly correction froÌ„ which we are no more fréed by the death of Christ then we are fréed from our naturall death And it is layed vpon vs by our heaueÌ„ly father for two principall causes first to preuent sinne which we might fall into as presumption contempt vnthankefulnesse forgetfulnesse of God and many moe Secondly they are layed vpon vs as Phisicke to cure and heale sinnes which we are already fallen into and this is that which Dauid confesseth when he saith before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keepe thy word and therefore he saith It was good for him to be afflicted that he might learne the statutes of the Lord. And in both these endes of our afflictions the Lordes purpose is to stay vs that we runne not with the wicked world headlong to damnatioÌ„ whom he hath geuen ouer to them selues So that troubles and enemies are sent to vs the children of God as Phisicke and therewith all he sends a priuate messenger to tell vs that he loueth vs for all that it is because he loueth vs to that end y t we may be assured y t he loueth vs that messenger is his spirite of adoptioÌ„ which certifieth our spirites that we are the children of God And this being once made sure then all is sure But now the question is by what ordinarie meanes the spirite of adoption doth conuay this certificate of Gods fauour vnto the harts of Gods children in their afflictions for as God doth assure his children of his louing fauour in Christ Iesus so he doth it by ordinarie meanes which meanes being not vsed or neglected this assurance faileth and falleth from vs and nothing remaineth but either a bare faÌ„cie flotting in the aire in stead of a sure faith builded on a firme foundation and when trouble comes an impatient spirite to beare vp the burdeÌ„ and when death comes a heape of sorrow and a heauie waight of despaire to presse downe to y e lowest hells The meanes then by which the spirite of God doth worke this assuraunce in the harts of the godly is the preaching of the Gospell which is called glad tidings because it makes the harts of the faithfull to become ioyfull and glad And S Paule to put vs out of doubt that the spirite worketh not without the word of God calleth the word the sword of the spirite to teach vs that howsoeuer the spirite of God must beate downe Sathan and cut downe infidelitie impatiencie despaire presumption and all our vnrulie affectioÌ„s and howsoeuer it worketh faith patience ioy streÌ„gth courage c. yet all this it effecteth â—and bringeth to passe by the meanes of the word of God preached read heard marked and meditated vpoÌ„ for as the word without the spirite is but dead to the hearer so the spirite of God without the opening of Gods wil in hiâ— word doth not ordinarily giue this comfortable assurance of Gods loue Aske the Prophet Dauid himselfe who had this comfortable assuraunce of Gods fauour in affliction aske him I say how he came be it or how iâ— came to him and he will tell vs that by thâ— word of God he came vnto it for so he saith Except thy law had bene my delight I had perished in my affliction for therein he fouÌ„â— many gracious promises of his God both for the punishing of his enemies for the defending and rewarding of himselfe and all Gods seruaunts for the forgiuenesse of his sinnes which were the cause of all his troubles and therefore the promise of God he chalengeth at Gods hand RemeÌ„ber thy promise made to thy seruant wherein thou hast caused me to trust vpon this promise of God he resteth and stayeth himself It is my comfort in my trouble for thy promise hath quickned me And when he looked into this booke of God the storehouse of his promises there he found also how necessarie affliction was for him he found the causes thereof and what vse to make of all his enemies so through the inward working of the spirite of sanctification he behaued himselfe at all times accordingly and therefore when he saith it was good for him that he was afflicted he addeth that he might learne the statutes of the Lord to shew that the godly doe not know how good their afflictions be vntil they haue learned the statutes of the Lord. And therefore at another time he said that he was much moued at the prosperitie of the wicked and had much a do to kéepe himselfe in an innocent and vpright life hearing seeing the wicked so farre out of square vntill he went into the house of God and when he came into that schoole once he was taught by the word and the spirite of God what vse to make of all and then he saw how wisely and iustly the Lord ordereth all things
in the world to teach vs that it is impossible for vs to make right vse of troubles and to beare our selues in prosperitie and aduersitie as we ought vntill we become schollers to the word of God and submit our selues vnto the same Nowe as the word of God is the meanes of this comfortable assurance so is it not alwayes effectual to worke this assurance vnto vs except we vse it as it should be vsed of vs some think it sufficient to haue it in their house like the talēt hid in the napkin Some thinke it enough to heare it read at church or to reade it thē selues at home some thinke it necessary to be preached and expounded but not materiall whether they come at the preaching or no like Micah who thought himself safe whē he had a leuite in his house some thinke it sufficient if they heare it but they wilbe at their choise whether to beléeue it or no some giue credit vnto it thinking it to be true hold that to be sufficient when they come neither reuerently nor hūbly prepared vnto it but will be at libertie to descant vpon it and to censure both preaching and preacher at their pleasure like the proud cauilling auditors of Ezechiell which talked iested against him when they were amongst them selues and made as much accompt of his preaching as of a fidlers song Some think it sufficient if they heare it once a yeare once a moneth or once a quarter some thinke it sufficient if the word sound in a Church it is no matter out of whose mouth it come whether the speaker haue a calling or no calling but the parish Clarke and the parish Priest is all one to them But if they haue a Preacher then all is cocke sure on their side then they must néedes be sure of Gods loue Some againe thinke the plaine and bare word of God not sufficient to work this cōfortable assurance without a mixture of Rhetorick Philosophy Schoole-trickes Poetrie profane writers Gréeke Latin and merrie iests c. as they that crie Prophecie of new wine and strong drinke and if they haue these things clattering about their eares then they go away from y e church as full as a bladder filled with wind And some againe hold opiniō that if the preacher stand neuer so litle aboue his hower at any time it is inough to marre all that went before And some thinke that if there be any mention made of Gods iudgements against their sinnes it is inough to driue them to despaire and so quite from the exercises And many post off all hearing of the word or vsing any holy exercises of religion vntil they be stricken with age or sickenesse like the foolish Uirgins which put off all to the last cast Now all these would be assured of Gods fauour when affliction doth assaile thē yea thinke themselues sure of it howsoeuer the world shall go with them but they all deceiue them selues First they which thinke the bare reading of it to be sufficient but the expounding applying thereof to be a néedlesse thing they deceiue them selues for as reading is a good and holy meanes for the confirmation of faith and the consolation of the inward man so without the opening of the word applying of the same this comfortable assurance of Gods louing fauour is not ordinarily wrought whereby the soule is brought to rest in the bed of peace For proofe whereof we are to listen to the voyce of God himself which is the best iudge in this behalfe Iob both handleth the case and determineth the case very plainly A man is stricken with sorow vpon his bed and the grife of his bones is sore So that his life causeth him to abhorre bread and his soule daintie meate His flesh fayleth that it cannot be seene and his bones clatter So that he draweth to the graue and his life to the buriers meanig that his afflictiō both of body soule is so extreme that by meanes thereof he is brought to deaths doore Now sée what must comfort this man If there be a messenger or an interpreter one of a thousand to declare vnto man his righteousnesse Then wil God haue mercie vpon him and will say deliuer him that he go not downe to the pit for I haue receiued a reconciliation Then shall his flesh be as fresh as a childs and shall returne as in the dayes of his youth He shall pray vnto God and he will be fauourable vnto him and he shall see his face with ioy c. These are great things and therefore Iob saith that he that should do them must be a messenger he must be sent of God he must be an interpreter of the will of God a rare man one of a thousand therefore a blind reader is not sufficiēt for these things The Eunuch was reading the prophet Esay by him selfe but he knew not what he read vntill Philip expounded it vnto him after that he beléeued he was baptized he went on his way reioycing The Iaylour was in his desperate dumps and but in a mad mood when for feare he went about to kil himself but after Paule had preached vnto him the word of the Lord he beléeued in Christ and reioyced that he and his beléeued in God for then had he the assurance of Gods fauour in Christ Iesus which he had not before to shew vs how necessarie the preaching of the word is for the working of this assurance To this agréeth also the Apostle S. Paule for saith he We being iustified by fayth in Christ haue peace with God but this faith is wrought by hearing hearing by the preaching of the word of God All which do teach vs that if we would haue the assurance of Gods louing fauour in our troubles and on our death bed we must frequent the preaching of the word of God not because God cannot worke faith without the meanes of preaching but because in his singular wisedome mercy he hath appointed this means and promised a blessing to his own appointment and to none else This meanes being neglected the comfort is abated and the assurance is hazarded our faith is weakened and the deuil aduantaged against vs. And this may appeare to be true by the parable of the worldlings which preferred their oxen farmes their ploughs and their families before y e feast of the word not denying it to be good but they had businesse to do and they could not intend it and therefore in the end were shut quite out from the feast of Gods louing fauour This may further be séene in the confession of the Church and Spouse of Christ which Salomon hath recorded in his booke of Songs the fift Chapter My beloued saith the Church knocked and called saying Open vnto me my sister my loue my doue my vndefiled for
my head is full of dew and my lockes with the drops of the night meaning y t he had daunced long attendance vpoÌ„ her as one that standeth knocking without the doores all night but sée what cold entertainement she gaue him I haue put off my coate how shall I put it on I haue washed my feete how shall I defile them her meaning is she was in bed at her ease and was loth to rise to let him in a litle thing stayed her froÌ„ rising but what gat she by her sluggish delayes c. Afterward she arose and opened the doore but her welbeloued was gone and past she sought him but could not finde him she called but he answered not All this is to teach vs that if we would be assured of Christ his loue and saluation by him we must séeke it betimes without delay while it is offred vnto vs for although he knocke now yet we know not whether he will call againe or no. And besides that the more delayes we make the further are we of from him and the more vnfit are we to receiue the word hereafter for when Sathan hath so farre preuailed with men that he can bring them to a custome in sinne in negligence in slouthâ—ulnesse or any thing els what followeth but hardnesse of hart and what followeth hardnesse of hart but impeniteÌ„cie as the Apostle teacheth the Romanes this would be considered of all but especially of those men which haue so many lets and hinderances that they can not find any time for the hearing of the word of God Thus you sée that they which prolong the time thus of hearing the word preached and yet thinke to haue the assuraunce of Gods loue they do but deceiue them selues But I misse neuer a Sermon saith one I go euery day to the lecture But deceiue not thy selfe thou mayest for all that be as farre from hauing that swéete assuraunce of Gods loue in Christ Iesus as he that heareth it neuer a day except thou come both with reuerence and humblenesse of spirite like a young child tractable teachable and willing to be reformed for the Lord resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble and as he filleth the hungry with good things so it is as certaine that he sendeth the rich emptie away although they come neuer so often This you sée that proud and prophane hearers do likewise deceiue them selues Let the preacher say what he will say some we will neuer beléeue him but doe as we thinke good well be it so and know this withall that as a sicke body which saith to the Phisition prescribe me what you will I will take what I list he shall perish for all his PhisitioÌ„ so you which say say what you will we will do as we list c. You shal surely perish and goe to the deuill for all your hearing without spéedy repentaunce For whosoeuer beleeueth passeth from death to life but whosoeuer beleeueth not is condemned already and the wrath of God abideth vpoÌ„ him saith S. Iohn and thus you sée how vnbeléeuers deceiue themselues of this assuraunce and euidence I would heare the Sermon saith another but he speakes no Latin nor Gréeke nor authours c. Alas poore soule if thou wert condeÌ„ned to dye thou wouldest be glad to sée and heare thy pardon in plaine English and after the plainest maner that can be without any tales of Robinhood or Philosophie or Poetrie or any other authours but thy Princes hand to it but God must send thée thy pardon and must set it forth after thy fashion forsooth not after his owne manner that is too base for thée or els thou wilt none of it as though God were bounde not onely to saue thée which wert a coÌ„demned a wretched creature but to féede thy eares too forsooth with fine spéeches Aske these wise meÌ„ how their déedes and euidences and obligatioÌ„s are made or how they would haue them made and they will say make them after the plainest manner y t can be they care not in how plaine termes and wordes they be so that they may be thereby assured of their money houses and landes Now the word of God containeth in it the euidence of the faithfull which they haue to shew for heauen and this euidence â—s Gods promise and Gods childreÌ„ care not â—ow plainely Gods promises be set downe vnto them so that they may be assured of Gods louing fauour towardes them in the Lord Iesus I would heare the Sermon saith another but I would heare comfortable things â— loue not to heare of my sinnes of Gods â—udgements that is a terrible thing sée how â—unning meÌ„ are now a dayes to cousin their â—oules As though forsooth God would grauÌ„t â—hée the assuraunce of his fauour thou dwelâ—ing still in thy sinnes or as though thou â—ouldest know how to be discharged by the Gospell vntill thou didst know wherewith â—he law hath charged thee No no there can â—e no healing in this case without a déepe â—aunching no nor any going to heauen but the high way is to go by hell and to passe aâ— long by the fearefull sight of thy sinnes anâ— Gods vengeaunce due for them and theâ— shalt thou sée how much beholding to y e Lorâ— thou art for his louing kindnesse and fauoâ—â— towardes thée in Christ Iesus by whosâ— stripes he hath healed thée We haue a good Churchman saith anoâ—ther and a faire reader and he can tell a gooâ— smooth tale in the Pulpit too for a néede All this may be true and yet both thou he still farre inough from the assuraunce â—â— Gods fauour through a liuely faith for thâ— deuils can speake Scripture may speakâ— a great while of Scripture too before thoâ— by their speaking shalt be assured of God fauor And so is it with them whom God nâ—â—uer sent with message of comfort vnto thé◠for they runne and runne saith the Lord buâ— I neuer sent them and therefore bring theâ— no good vnto my people if no good theÌ„ whâ—â— assuraunce can you haue by their Ministerâ— who are not sent of God but intrude theâ— selues for filthie gaine or vaine glory Thus you sée how many men deceiue thâ—â— selues in abusing the ordinary meanes 〈◊〉 the word and yet thinke to be made as suâ—â— of Gods fauour as any man in the world To his word y e Lord hath annexed and ioyned the administration of his Sacramentes in his Church as an outward meanes likewise whereby we are more confirmed and strengthned in the assuraunce of his fauour â—o these two outward meanes he putteth the â—nward worke of his Spirite without the which the other are to no effect then on our parts is required a liuely faith in Christ Iesus the purchaser of this fauour and loue of his father for vs and this faith although â—t hath his beginning and encreasing his weakening and strengthning in
this life and her perfection in the world to come yet â—s it not idle but working nor naked â—ut clothed with good workes the fruites of faith so soone as it is begotten to this iustifying faith is alwayes ioyned the sanctifying spirite which worketh by loue and is continually occupied in purifying the hart â—or Christ Iesus and in applying of Iesus Christ vnto the hart of the owner And thus â—aue you heard both by what meanes the Lord doth conuay the assuraunce of his loâ—ing fauour vnto his children in affliction â— also how we are to vse the same meanes Let vs then diligently and carefully vsâ— these meanes and then shall we be effectually assured of Gods loue and fauour in Christ Iesus and being once assured oâ— that we may baldly cast downe the gantâ— let bid defiance to hell and all the deuilâ— in hell and make that chalenge which thâ— Apostle Paule doth make in the behalfe oâ— all Gods children Who shall separate vâ— from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine oâ— nakednesse or perill or sword As it iâ— written for thy sake are we killed all thâ— day long we are compted as sheepe for thâ— slaughter Neuerthelesse in all these thingâ— we are more then conquerours through hiâ— that loued vs. For I am perswaded that neiâ—ther death nor life nor Angels nor priâ—â—cipalities nor powers nor things presenâ— nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shalbe able to sepaâ—rate vs from the loue of God which is â—â— Christ Iesus our Lord. To this Iesus Chriâ—â— which hath so dearely purchased this fauoâ—â— for vs to the Father of our Lord Iesâ—â— Christ which hath so fréely bestowed suâ—â— fauour vpon vs and to this holy spiriâ—â— which doth so comfortably assure vs of this fauour thrée persons and one eternall God be all prayse glory for euer Amen THE THIRD SERMON Nouember 28. 2. Sabboth And as for me thou vpholdest me in mine integritie and doest set me before thy face for euer THe Prophet Dauid by two sortes of arguments assureth himselfe that Gods fauour belongeth vnto him the first is drawen from his outward estate in respect of the world which was very good in as much as his enemies did not triumph ouer him The second ariseth from a view of his owne inward estate in respect of God which was much better for that the Lord vpheld him in his vprightnesse and had a continuall care both of his soule and body The first argumeÌ„t of Gods fauor is strong but being ioyned to the second it is sure The first is great but because it is a generall thing and may be giuen to the vngodly to ouercome his enemies I meane the enemies of his body therefore Dauid resteth not in that but searcheth within himselfe to sée if he can finde any inward tokens of Gods fauour and searching he findeth two within himselfe the first was Gods hand vpholding him from falling away from his God the second was Gods eye alwayes vpon him for his safetie And hauing found these at home in himselfe he triumpheth and blessed God the giuer So that now the king sheweth what inward token he had receiued of Gods fauour for God doth more for his children then for the wicked he speakes comfortable things to the soules of his people Ioseph loued all his brethreÌ„ but Beniamin he loued with a more speciall loue and therefore he gaue messeâ— of meate to them all but Beniamins messâ— was fiue times so much as the rest so Goâ— giueth liberally to all his creatures as a good and a louing God in so much that the earth is full of his mercies but his loue to his elect children by Christ is a thousand times more then to the rest for them he vpholdeth in their integritie and doth set them before his face for euer Gods loue is more to men then to beasts of men his fauour is more to his Church then to all the world besides for he loueth the gates of Zion more then all the dwellings of Iacob he hath chosen that for his resting place he hath a delight in that there brake he y e bow he knapped the speare in péeces he burnt y e chariots with fire yea he wounded euen kings in the day of his wrath for Zions sake that is for y e loue that he bare towardes his chosen people Againe in this visible Church he fauoreth his elect more then the rest and his louing fauour to themward is greater then to all the world besides For Gods Church is like a noble maÌ„s house wherein are vessels of gold and vessels of earth and his vessels of gold are set vp safely kept more daintily vnder locke key theÌ„ the other Sing vnto the Lord saith Dauid sing vpon the harpe vnto our God which couereth the heauen with cloudes and prepareth raine for the earth and maketh the grasse to grow vpon the mouÌ„taines Which giueth to beasts their foode and to the young raueÌ„s that cry Thus much he doth for all his creatures but as for his seruaunts which feare him atteÌ„d vpon his mercies he delighteth in them and takes great pleasure in theÌ„ such pleasure he takes not in the strength of a horse nor in the legs or stature of a man From all the creatures in generall he descendeth to the Church in particular and saith Prayse the Lord O Ierusalem prayse thy God O Zion For he hath made the barres of thy gates strong and hath blessed thy children within thee He setteth peace in thy borders and satisfieth thee with the flower of wheat But hath he done no more for his Church then so Yes that he hath He sheweth his word vnto Iacob his statutes and his Iudgements vnto Israell He hath not delt so with euery nation neither haue they knowledge of his iudgements In the first of the Canticles the Church desireth to be kissed with y e kisses of Christes mouth that is to haue more testimonies and tokens of his loue then one or of one kind for by outward things saith the wiseman a man can not know loue and hatred because all things come a like to all Therefore saith the Church vnto her spouse kisse me with the kisses of thy mouth for thy loue is sweeter theÌ„ wine that is let me haue a continuance of thy fauour towardes me and many sure tokens thereof for no pleasure or profit is comparable to thy loue The kisses of Christ are his blessings bestowed vpon his Church his blessings are either teÌ„porall or eternall corporall or spirituall His spirituall blessings are of two sortes either outward or inward His outward yet spirituall blessings whereby he witnesseth his loue to his Church they are the preaching of the word and the administration of the Sacraments these be great benefites and swéete kisses of the Lord our God but
because these are cōmon to the hypocrite which is close and craftie in hart aswell as to the faithfull whose hart is vpright before the Lord we are not to rest in these outward things but to search and neuer leaue searching vntill we finde out the inward kisses of Christ Iesus which are most sure testimonies of his loue indéed And those are faith in Christ Iesus repentaunce vnfained for sinne patience in affliction ioy in the holy Ghost and all the other fruites of the sanctifying spirite whereof we may read more in Gal. 5. Euery one cannot shew these but onely he which hath the spirite of sanctification Saul had the spirite that is some gifts of the spirite and yet was reiected but Dauid had the sanctifying spirite and therefore was not reiected of the Lord neither did he reiect y e Lord but by this was sure of Gods fauour to his soule If Dauid had bene a king a conquerer a man of wisedome of pollicie of learning and of riches and in all these vncomparable and had lost his integritie he had lost his marke of Gods loue and might haue followed Saul well inough So if we were rich wise and learned if we were Preachers Bishops Prelates Lordes Earles Dukes and Emperours haue lost our sinceritie our zeale our loue our faith our religiousnesse our godlinesse a good conscience we haue lost our markes too and may follow Saul too wel inough for all our outward pompe and glory On the other side if one haue enemies or be in pouertie disgrace imprisonment out of credite with the world out of liuing c. and kéepeth a sincere heart and a good conscience in all these things he may say and sing too with Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace if his time be come They which haue the outward kisses not the inward assurances are like Esaw with his pottage but without his birthright But they which haue lost all but kéepe still their integritie are like Iacob who lost his pottage but found the inheritance and the loue of God for God loued Iacob but hated Esaw Many wil say saith the Prophet who will shew vs any good that is any worldly good but Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs and then I shall haue more ioy of heart then they that haue their corne and wine and oyle increased So now a dayes many séeke for Gods loue in the cōmon trash of the world and they run about the world by sea and by land crying Who will shew vs any credit any worship any riches any offices any promotions c. And some of the Ministerie cry Who will shew vs any moe liuings any Deaneries any Bishoprickes any spirituall promotions yea this is the voyce of gaping Courtiers too by report and if they spéed of these such things then they are sure as they thinke that God loueth thē as Achab thought him selfe well if he might obtaine Naboths vineyard but many times it falleth out that as Dinah while she wandred to sée fashions sought to féede her fancy vpon the daughters of a strange countrey she lost her virginitie amongst the sonnes of the country So some men while they séeke to féede fill their gréedie worme of couetousnesse and ambition with diuerse pleasures profits of y e world they loose their sinceritie amongst them and make shipwracke of faith and a good conscience And then they go away out of their houses as Thamar went out of her brother Amnons chamber with her maidens garment of diuerse colours rent because she was enforced to leaue her maydenhead behind her So these worldlings which sometime with Demas followed Paule but nowe with Demas embrace the present world are enforced to go away with their garment of diuerse colours rent and torne for whiles they will venter through the bushes and thorns of worldly cares to get worldly promotion is it not a miracle if they come out with their zeale not quenched their courage not abated their faith not blasted their loue not cooled their knowledge not withered their humilitie not defaced their sinceritie not decreased the whole garment of pietie and Religion not scratched torne and rent in péeces And then a man may say to them as Absalō said to his sister Hath thy brother met with thee so hath not y e world met with them And no maruell for if Sisera looke for any rest or refreshing in Iaels tent he shall surely be made naile fast So if any wil séeke for infallible markes of Gods fauour in Sathans tents and in the worlds tents or in pleasures tents or in profites tents a thousand to one but their sinceritie and godlinesse will be nailefast before they come out againe What wise man will séeke for grapes vpō thornes or figs vpō thistles or for gold amongst old iron or hony out of a spider or heate in the ise So no wise harted Christian wil looke for certain marks of the Lords fauour in such things as may be markes of his wrath as well as of his loue But if these outward and general graces be offred them they take them and if they go from them they go not after them to loose their sinceritie for thē but thus they resolue with them selues O Lord my God I sée that by no outward thing a man can certainly tell whether he be in thy fauor or no but if thou vpholdest me in mine integritie and in the studie of pietie and the true zeale of thy glory c. then I shalbe sure of thy fauour indéede therfore O Lord if want come then kéepe my faith in thy prouidence firme and strong if thou sendest enemies to trie me kéepe my loue sound if thou sendest sickenesse or aduersitie kéepe my patience entire if riches and preferment come kéepe my zeale vnquenchable like Lot who when it was not granted him to abide stil in great Sodome requested that he might go to litle Zoar. And then although they haue nothing else but the inward testimonie of Gods spirit they haue inough for by these inward kisses they are sure of Gods fauour because a good conscience is a continuall feast to y e afflicted makes merrie at home in the house of the inward man when there is nothing but warre and trouble abroad As for me thou vpholdest me in mine integritie This same integritie is like Noahs arke◠wherein he was preserued when others perished being without it it is like the redde thrid which the spies of Ioshua gaue to Rahab it was a charter wherby she claimed her life when the rest were destroyed which had not the like So is this integritie of smal reckning I confesse with the men of this world which thinke that there is no other heauen but earth but as Rahabs thrid was better to her then all her goods and substance when the sword came so this is better to Gods children then
yea eate vâ— one another at law as we do Neither would we do so I am perswaded if we did throughly vnderstand the pollicies and slightes of Sathan for he is very busie to raise vp enemies against vs and then he is as busie to sâ—irre vs vp to reuengemeÌ„t what wilt thou put vp this at his hands c. then hath he that he would haue for while he sets vs one to â—unt another in the meane time he huntes vs all and therefore let vs pray to God to kéepe our harts sound and vpright If we did but consider on the other side what daunger our enemie is fallen into by vexing of vs when we giue him no cause we would be so farre from reuenging that we would rather pitie him and lameut him and pray for him as our Sauiour Christ did for his enemies Father forgiue them they know not they doe And as Steuen did for his Lord laye not this sinne â—o their charge For well may AlexaÌ„der the Copper-smith do Paule much hurt but the Lord will reward him according to his workes And the same God wil no doubt sée â—ur causes redressed in his good time And if it do come to this point that we be afflicted or wronged any manner of waâ— whatsoeuer the last remedy is to say Lord if I must néedes be thus handled or if thou wilt néedes take away my goods c. thy will be done onely kéepe my hart vpright before thée and put my affections in order and giue me grace that I may be content and put it to thée O Lord for I had rather haue all the world against me then to haue thée against me so long as thou louest me I care not who hate me Oh but if I should follow this counsell thou wilt say theÌ„ my enemy will laugh and reioyce and insult ouer me I will neuer beare that No I warraÌ„t thée and if he doth laugh at thée it is but froÌ„ the téeth outward for saith Salomon to the wicked there is sorrow euen in laughter he will not tell thée what is within him if thou didst or couldest sée into him thou shouldest sée that that would make thée to pitie him and euen shed teares for him We can not be better reuenged of our enemies then to let them sée how litle they preuayle against vs and how litle they moue our patience For as there is no such greef to a iester or a iugler as when hâ— doth sée that with all his iestes and foolerieâ— he cannot moue mirth nor chaunge the couÌ„tenaunces of them that heare him and sée him so there can be no greater torment to a wicked and a malitious enemy then to sée thée no whit gréeued nor moued at his mallice against thée but that thou do so beare his iniuries as if there were none at all for thy aduersaries purpose is to anger thée and to driue thée into thy dumpes which if he cannot bring to passe then is he chafed and vexed ten times more then he was before Therefore saith the Apostle Let vs not be ouercome with euill but ouercome euill with goodnesse to teach vs that good is stronger then euill and what is it that we desire but to ouercome our enemies or rather the euill that is in them theÌ„ we must do it with that which is contrary to their euill and that is goodnesse as fire is quenched not with fire but with water If theÌ„ thy enemy be vaine-glorious be not thou so too but be lowly giuing glory to God if he be puffed vp with pride be thou of an humble spirite if he boast himselfe abase thou thy selfe if he curse blesse thou if he be hoate be thou cold if he blaspheme doe not y u so but reproue him in good wordes if he be mad be thou stayed so doing y u shalt in the end both weare him wearye him and stay him too And wheÌ„ they sée this it will cut their very hart strings asunder and then thanke thou God for that he hath vpholdeÌ„ thee in thine integritie For Sathan whoÌ„ they serue hath not such a spite to our welth our learning or our cunning or credite though he loue none of all as he hath to our godlinesse the graces of Gods spirite in vs. Was it Iobs wealth that Sathan so much enuied or did he so sist him as he did because he was a rich man nothing gréeued the deuill so much as to sée Iob still continue in his vprightnesse and when he made him blaspheme and curse the day of his birth theÌ„ he left him for he careth not greatly how rich men be so that it be not in godlinesse nay he will helpe them to gather riches learning and credite c. if he sée that therewithall they may gather more sinne and he may gather them to hell as he was content yea and ready to make Adam eate one apple more when he had inough before because he knew not els how to set God and him at enimitie which were before at vnitie Now when Sathan shall thus sift vs as no doubt he doth and will sift vs as wheat is sifted saith Christ let vs theÌ„ looke to our faith pray y t it may not fayle then shall he his instrumeÌ„ts haue their labour for their trauel wheÌ„ we shal haue y e assuraÌ„ce of Gods fauor he vpholding vs in our integrity which God grauÌ„t for his mercy sake The Papists taught men to know whether they stood in the state of grace or no by many toyes and deuises as by going on pilgrimage hither and thither by offering to this stocke and to that blocke by going to shrift and by taking absolution at a balde Priestes hand by saying their stinte of MatteÌ„s and beads by kéeping of their dayes and houres and a number of such odd deuises but they were all deceiued because this was of the deuils inuenting for indéede by these things men were sure of the deuils geace but not of Gods grace But if we would know whether we stand in the state of grace or no indéede here is a triall if we finde Gods spirite by the preaching of the Gospell subduing the corruptions of our harts setling our faith in Gods promises through Christ Iesus and vpholding vs in our integritie when by course of nature we should fall into iniquitie then be we in the state of grace indeede for thus did Dauid assure himselfe of Gods fauour and so may we if we will watch our selues as Dauid did THE FOVRTH SERMON Decemb. 5.3 Sab. As for me thou vpholdest me c. IN these words we are to note further that the king doth not say simply I am vpholden or I haue kept mine integritie but he saith thou O Lord hast vpholden me and doest vphold me where we may obserue that though Dauids heart was sincere and sound and vpright before God frée from his enemies vniust accusations and frée from all
assuredly though we fall daily yet he will so vphold vs if we relye vpon him that we shal not fall finally from him If he taketh all his graces from vs as we thinke at any time let vs know that he doth it for no other purpose but that we might know our selues of our selues to be but naked and so might begge all of him againe Therfore whatsoeuer we want let vs séeke it at the hands of God that giueth to them which want when we féele any weakenessâ— in vs or any sinne strong let vs beséech thâ— Lord to vphold vs. Do not say I caÌ„ or I wil do this and that I will beléeue and repent when I list no for if the Lord by his grace and fauour doth not vphold thée thou shalt do nothing but fall from him Faith is y e gift of God therefore pray Lord increase my faith and Lord helpe my vnbeléefe A reformed hart and holy affections be the gift of God therefore pray with Dauid Create iâ— me O Lord a cleane hart and renew a right spirite within me The loue of wisedome is the gift of God therefore pray Apply my hart vnto wisedome To vnderstand the wil of God in his law is the worke of God therfore pray O Lord Open my eyes that I may see the wondrous things of thy law To set light by vanitie that is by vaine things and vaine persons is the worke of Gods grace not of nature therfore we must pray Turne away my eyes from beholding vanitie What should I say more Let vs beséech the Lord our strength to vphold vs in our integritie he wil vphold vs so farre as shal make for his own glory and our owne saluation and what would we desire more And this we must desire for els we cannot stand but fall SecoÌ„dly this doctrine serueth to humble vs and may be a preseruatiue against pride the vse of it is at all times but chiefly when we begin to waxe proude of any good thing which the Lord doth worke in vs or by vs which indéede is our corrupt nature And likewise when we insulte â—uer our weake brethren both which are our faultes When such thoughtes and temptations come to fasten vpon vs let vs thinke that it is the Lord by whom we stand and of him iâ— is that we are that which we are and if wâ— be proude therof he may and can take awaâ— our hold and we shall fall and our honouâ— shall lye in the dust Rome was sometime a famous Church the beloued spouse of Christ Iesus and â— daughter of the most high but for her pride God let her fall and hath now giuen her â— bill of diuorcement Of England it may be said as it was saiâ— of Ierusalem our habitation kinred is oâ— Canaan our father an Amorite and our mother an Hittite In our natiuitie our nauell was not cut we were not softned with water nor seasoned with salt nor swadled with cloutes no eye pitied our case we were caâ—â— out into the open field to the contempt of out person But the Lord of mercy and compassion passed by vs and séeing vs euen polluted in our bloud yea in our owne bloud saâ—â— in great pitie and compassion vnspeakable Thou shalt liue He caused vs to multipliâ— as the bud of the field he hath bestowed excellent ornaments vpon vs our breasts are fashioned our haire is growen whereas we were naked and bare behold further ouâ— time is as the time of loue he hath spread his skirts ouer vs and entred into a couenant with vs and we are become his he is become ours He hath washed vs with swéete water annointed vs w t oyle of gladnesse He hath clothed vs with broidered worke he hath shod vs with badgers skinnes and girâ—ed vs with fine linneÌ„ and couered vs with silke He hath decked vs with ornamentes put bracelets vpon our hands and a chaine about our necke He hath put a frontlet vpon our face eare rings in our eares and a beautifull crowne vpon our head he hath fed vs with fine flower honie and oyle he hath made vs very beautifull and hath caused vs to grow vp to a kingdome in so much as our name is spread among the heathen for our beautie which the Lord hath set vpon vs. What should be said more In a word the Lord hath compted nothing to costly or to deare for vs nay what could he do more for his vineyeard y t he hath not done vnto it but what of all this shal we bragge of our ornaments and be proud of our iewels no but let vs serue the Lord our God with feare reioyce vnto him with reuerence for if we shall trust in our beautie and play the harlot because of our renowne if we shall take our garmeÌ„ts and decke the high places with diuers colours if we shall abuse the riches of Gods mercy what then Then heare the word of the Lord O harlot Thus saith the Lord because thy shame is powred out and thy filthinesse discouered through thy fornication with thy louers I will therfore iudge thée after the manner of harlots and murtherers I will giue thée the bloud of wrath ielousie I will giue thée into thy enemies handes and they shall strippe thée out of all thy clothes and thy faire iewels and leaue thée naked and bare Therefore let him that thinke he standeth take héede least he fall but let vs make an end of our saluatioÌ„ with feare and trembling not fearing least we should fall from our election loose our saluation but least we fall from our integritie and loose our manifold blessings for want oâ— sober vsing of them But this is in generall let vs goe more particularly to worke Haue any of vs herâ— present any knowledge more theÌ„ he had oâ— more then others haue or wisedome zeale or faith or loue or patience or any grace whatsoeuer let vs not be proude of them because God gaue them and God can take them againe If any of vs do stand vpright and walke in honestie when others doe fall let vs not insult ouer them as the maner of some is to vpbraide honester men then them selues by faultes done fourtie yeare since and the law fully satisfied for them and yet this is y e maner of prophane Atheists which know neither God nor them selues to cast the old ragges and sores of the seruaunts of God in their face to make theÌ„ and their profession I meane the Gospell odious in the eyes of the world and such as them selues are And for no other cause but because they will not runne with them to y e same excesse of riot and eueÌ„ as Esaw hated Iacob because of the blessing wherewith God had blessed him so doe these men hate their brethren because they are better then them selues and séeke to haue them and their wayes reformed according to y e word of
the Disciples when they saw Christ a litle transfigured he hides his face for a while sets the wicked vpon them and giueth SathaÌ„ leaue to sift them yet not so but that he hath stil an eye vnto them will sée theÌ„ take no hurt What a comfort is this to the godly to thinke that when heauen and earth go together yet their God hath them in an euerlasting remembraunce but for this they were of all men most miserable for but few in the world do care for them But our vntamed nature will not so be aunswered And our impatient humours will not so be satisfied for we feare that if we should striue to lead a godly life to put vp wrongs and to walke in innoceÌ„cie and faithfulnesse no body will care for vs or regard vs we shal lye open to the iniuries of all the world euery bodies plough will go ouer vs make long furrowes vpon our backes This indéede is the voyce of worldly reasonâ— but faith in Gods promises is of another minde that saith I beleeue in God the father almightie that is I am perswaded that God which is my father in Christ is willing to saue me and being almightie is able to saue me and according to his gracious promise will sée mâ— take no wrong When my father and mother forsooke me saith Dauid the Lord tooke me vp I am poore in miserie saith he but y e Lord careth for me But thou wilt say this is particularly spoken of Dauid what is that to me yes saith the Prophet it is for thee too for who so dwelleth in the secret of the most high shall abide in the shadow of the almightie I will say vnto the Lord O my hope and my fortresse he is my God in him will I trust surely he will deliuer me froÌ„ the snare of the fowler and froÌ„ the noysome pestilence c. As this comfort is great and large yet it perteineth to none but to the godly for this loue token is giuen to none but to such as stand in the integritie and vprightnesse of their hart Yet God is good to Israell saith the Psalmist but marke what followeth euen to those that are pure in hart to teach vs that if we would be such as God wilbe gâ—â—d vnto we must first be such as God doth delight in for not the Cananites nor the EgyptiaÌ„s nor the Moabites nor the Hittiteâ— nor the Amorites but y e Israelites were represented by the precious stones vpon the hart of the high Priest So not the Idolatrous nor superstitious nor couetous nor y e malicious nor proude nor prophane nor beastly conteÌ„ners of God but the true worshippers of God the méeke the faithfull the lowly the godly shalbe had in remeÌ„braunce before the Lord. Whosoeuer can truly say with Dauid Thou vpholdest me in mine integritie may vndoubtedly follow chearefully sing with Dauid and thou doest set me before thy face But how long will the Lord set his children before his face for euer saith the Prophet y â— is he will neuer be wearie of doing good vnto theÌ„ but from time to time he will stand by them no power shall withstaÌ„d him no pollicie shall preuent him no eloquence shall turne him no wisedome shall circumuent him no bribes shall peruert him for he hath sworne once by his holinesse that he will neuer faile his seruant Dauid nor alter the decrée that is gone out of his mouth His knowledge decreaseth not his strength abateth not his arme is not shortned His giftes are without repentaunce He is not like Isaac that hath but one blessing but the more he giueth the more he hath to giue his storehouse is euer emptied euer full The pooles of his mercy are not like the poole about IerusaleÌ„ which might be dried vp with tramplings of an armie of horsemen and horses but they are such as all the sinnes of a thousand worldes can neuer drie vp much lesse the sinnes of his chosen Therefore it is said in the Psalme with the Lord is mercie and with him is plenteous redemption and he shall redeeme Israell from all his sinnes if they were moe then they are for his redeÌ„ption is not scant redemption no more then néedes must like a garment that is but fit for one mans backe onely but it is plenteous and abounding euen for euer and for euer like the fiue loaues two fishes which fed fiue thousand to the ful and yet were not spent by twelue baskets full which remained that was more theÌ„ was set downe His loue to his Church was before all worldes In this life he loueth and for euer he loueth vs therefore his loue is called euerlasting loue He doth set his people before his face for euer that is in prosperitie in aduersitie in sicknesse in health in peace and in warre and at all times in bed and at boord in the house and in the field abroad and at home at sea and at laÌ„d in temple and in tent in all places therefore is he called y e God of y e hills and the God of the vallies what shall I say more He is for euer the same and chauÌ„geth not He hath not two willes as the Papistes do teach a former will and an afterwill a doctrine most damnable and vncomfortable but he is God and neuer chaungeth and the righteous shall therefore be had in an euerlasting remembraunce he doth not say the rich or the pleasaunt conceipted or the mightie or the wittie or the beautifull c. But the righteous shalbe had in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce As if he should say the wicked shall be euerlastingly forgotten be they neuer so wise neuer so wealthie neuer so mightie neuer so craftie or neuer so well liked of amongst men because they are not righteous Then you sée that no infirmitie no sicknesse no weaknesse no simplenesse no base parentage no low estate no miserie nor affliction no deuill of hell can make the Lord either to forget or to forsake those which haue had once the assuraunce of his loue for whom he loueth he loueth for euer Therefore if iniquitie come or if securitie stealâ— vpon vs let this doctrine be a staffe to stay vs vp in our integritie if sicknesse come or pouertie come or crosses come or affliction come nay if all the deuils in hell come let this doctrine vphold our faith in his promises which is faithfull for euer and cannot denie himselfe let it be a brasen wall to thy conscience against despaire let it be a preseruatiue against the infection of sinners let it be a cordiall for our fainting spirites let it swéeten all our sorrowes and swallow vp all our cares And while we liue let vs comfort one another with these wordes It is the Lord that vpholdeth vs in our integritie and doth set vs before his face for euer for the wordes are comfortable and
more glorie that is a note of a Puritane and he is too holy for our company Some would giue God thankes oftener then they do but they cannot remember him without a picture or a crucifixe or some Popish relicke like the Ioclatrous Iewes which could not remember God til they saw a calfe As though the Lords dayly benefits were not sufficient remembrances liuely pictures of the Lords goodnesse or as though when any doth bestow a benefite vpon vs by his sonne we should not thanke his father because we neuer saw him and we want his picture Some will for fashion sake giue God a good word or two and say perhaps God is a good God God be blessed I thanke God for my deliuerance c. but then they must run a long discourse of them selues but if I had not done this and that if I had not played y e man had a good forecast c. it had not gone so well with me as it did Thus many deale with God like him that when he hath tolde out his money to his creditor which he ought him and taken vp his bond snatcheth vp his money againe and for an hundred pound giueth him a penie and a boxe on the eare But to leaue all these to the Lord this is most certaine if we be afrayd or ashamed or forgetfull or indifferent to praise the Lord or if we be vnreuerent or idolatrous or superstitious in praising God how can we assure our selues to be the children of God But note further in this holy seruant of God how he was qualified and prepared before he would or before he could offer any sacrifice of praise acceptable to God First he examineth his heart and findeth his affectioÌ„s holy and vpright before the Lord his heart frée from reuenge his spirit humbled vnder the hand of God his soule assured of Gods fauour and his faith setled in his promises this being done he procéedeth and saith Blessed be the Lord God of Israell c. assuring him selfe that when his person is accepted with God his praises thankesgiuing shall not be reiected This is to teach vs that they which come vnsanctified and vnprepared by a liuely faith and true repeÌ„tance and haue nothing to coÌ„mend them vnto God but their pride their hatred their infidelitie their impietie and such like they cannot prayse the Lord and if they do it is returned vpoÌ„ their heads as sinne so they are sent away not onely emptie but in worse case then they came like the vnworthy guest that came to the Kings feast without his wedding garment And this doctrine runneth currant thorough the whole body of the Scriptures and no man doth aske from whence it commeth or whither it goeth but euery one of the Lords Seers and seruants giueth testimonie vnto it The Psalmist is of y t mind for he saith The eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares are open to their crie but the face of the Lord is against them that do euill to cut off the remembrance of them from off the earth to shew how little the Lord regardeth their prayers or any thing that they can offer vnto his maiestie Salomon is likewise of the same mind for he saith The sacrifice of the wicked is abominatioÌ„ to the Lord but the prayer of the righteous is acceptable vnto him He sheweth a good reason why For saith he the way of the wicked is abomination to the Lord but he loueth them that followe righteousnesse In another place he saith High talke becoÌ„meth not a foole If high talke becometh not a â—oole much lesse doth diuine talke become a wicked man for what talke hiâ—her theÌ„ talke with the most high and who so foolish as the wicked and profane The Prophet Esay is also of the same mind for he speaking in the person of God saith thus When you shall stretch out your hands I will hide mine eyes from you though you make many praiers I will not heare you for your handes are full of bloud that is your déedes are full of oppression and therefore your prayers and praises are stained with your bloudy hands S. Luke saith That deuils came out of many crying and saying thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God but Christ rebuked them and suffred them not to say that they knew him to be that Christ because they were deuils For our Sauiour Christ will not be praised out of a deuils mouth for their commendation tendeth rather to his discredite theÌ„ otherwise so deuilish men may perhaps come out of many houses to Church cry we prayse thée O God we know thée who y u art Iesus the sonne of the liuing God glory be to the father and to the sonne and to the holy Ghost and many good wordes and spéeches moe they vtter but surely the Lord is so farre from accepting any such thing at their hands that he is more prouoked to anger against them for it because they are deuilish and come without repentance into the presence of the most holy The like in all respectes shall we read of in the 16. of the Actes A certaine maid had a spirite of diuination she was such a one as some ignorantly call a cunning womaÌ„ no better then a witch or a coÌ„iurer one that wrought by the deuil could by helpe of the deuil tell where things were y t were lost such a one followed Paul and Silas crying These are the seruaunts of the most high God and this she did many dayes But Paul being greeued turned about and said to the spirite I commaunde thee in the name of Iesus Christ that thou come out of her Now as Gods seruaunts could not abide the confession of the deuill much lesse can God him selfe abide it being onely for feare and not of loue A straunge thing that deuils which are at defiaÌ„ce with God should confesse him And yet all things duely considered it is not so straunge as it may séeme to be for what if they do it of constrainte whether they wil or no or what if it be for feare onely and not for loue or what if they do it to bring credit vpon their own matters and to bring Gods matters into contempt then the strangenesse of the matter is diminished for indéede this is common not onely among the deuils but amongest all the reprobate SathaÌ„ shall alledge Scripture to credite his owne cause and Balam will not because â—e cannot passe the boundes of that which God hath put in his mouth wheÌ„ his hart hunteth for y e wages of iniquitie Sometime to make them inexcusable God will wring a confession from their own mouthes as he did from Pharao Sometime the wicked will doe that which their hart goeth against to bring Gods seruaunts in question amongest men like the cunning maide before mentioned Sometime to deceiue the more easily and strongly he will chaunge him selfe into the likenesse
y e Lord they are in peace for Shalem is peace There brake he the arrowes and the bow the shield and the sword the battaile The stoute harted are spoiled they haue slept their sleepe and all the men of strength haue not founde their handes At thy rebuke ô God of Iacob both the chariot and the horse are cast a sleepe therefore because thou art the God of Iacob for he is so tender ouer his Church that he will not abide any to annoy or molest his Church except it be for y e greater good of his Church the further greater confusion of their enemies Whō shall we now praise for our deliuerance we recken our ships giue them high prayses we vse to say in the forgetfulnes of Gods goodnes we may thanke such a ship such a thing and such a meanes so forth but we should say Blessed be the Lord God of Israell for it is he that wilbe and must be knowen in his Church Whom haue we to stād by vs if euer our enemies come againe but the Lord God of Israell Let vs say thē as the Psalmist saith God is our hope and strength and helpe in troubles ready to be found Therfore will we not feare though the earth be moued Some will say we haue ships at sea the hope the reuenge the dread nought and so forth nay God is our hope God is our reuenge God is dread naught indéede Though the waues of the sea be troubled and rage and the moūtaines shake at the surges thereof Yet there is a riuer whose streames shall make glad the Citie of God euen the sanctuarie of the Tabernacles of the most high God is in the midst of it therfore it cannot be moued The Lord of hostes is with vs the God of Iacob is our refuge Now marke what followeth Come and behold the workes of the Lord what desolatiōs he hath made vpō the earth He maketh warre to cease he breaketh the bow and cuts the speare and burneth the chariots in the fire Now heare what y e Lord himselfe saith Be still saith he know that I am God I wilbe exalted among the heathen and I wilbe exalted in the earth In the next verse they doe exalt him saying Th◠Lord of hostes is with vs the God of Iacob i◠our refuge Noting nothing to be the caus◠of all these workes but onely his couenant which he made with his Church In the first of S. Luke this is plaine He hath vpholdē Israel his seruant being mindeful of his mercy As he hath promised to our fathers Abrahā and his seede for euer The virgine Marie is of the same minde He hath sent vs deliueraunce saith she from our enemies and from the handes of all that hate vs but the cause thereof was his mercy which he shewed to our fathers in remembring his holy couenaunt and the othe which he sware to our father Abraham not mentioning any thing in her selfe Therefore whensoeuer we stād in néede of the Lordes helpe as we do continually let vs be sure that we are the Israell of God and then claime his promise and let vs not then doubt for he is faithfull and cannot denie him selfe And so much for the cause y t moued God to be so good vnto Dauid The second thing that I obserue in these wordes is the large extēt of Gods loue For therfore doth the Prophet call him the Lord God of Israell to shew y t God is not a God of one onely but of all y e faithfull to the end of the world He was not onely Dauids God but he is our God also or els perhaps some might say Oh Dauid was an excellent man and a man after Gods owne hart and God did assist him wonderfully But God is the same God to vs that he was to Dauid and will assist vs as mightely as he did Dauid if we call vpon him as Dauid did Yea to euery one of vs he is the same for God is no accepter of persons not the Iewes more then the Gentils the wall of separation being pulled downe But in euery nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him Whosoeuer is a right Israelite is such a one as feareth God and whosoeuer feareth God is a right Israelite therefore when Iesus saw Nathaniell he said Behold indeede an Israelite in whom is no guile therfore he that feareth God and is without guile is an Israelite indéed that is one of Gods children indéede what a comfort is this to all the faithfull though they be neuer so poore and base in the sight of men yet God is their God they being his people and they may chalēge his promise aswell as any other and God will surely heare them and they shall say Blessed be the Lord God of Israell Now are we to cōsider of the next words why he saith world without end He doth not praise God so long as the benefit of deliuerance lasteth and no longer but so long as his mercy endureth and that is for euer for it hath pleased the Lord to chuse vnto him selfe a Church and a kingdome out of Angels and men which neuer shall haue end and those shall praise him continually as well for his iudgements as for his mercies And this is it that S. Iohn set downe by the spirit of prophecie when he saith I heard a great voyce of a great multitude in heauen saying Halleluiah saluation and honor and glorie and power be to the Lord our God for true righteous are his iudgements We vse to say if a mortall man doth shew vs any curtesie or bestow any benefit vpon vs Oh giue him great thankes but how great thanks and what presents shall we offer to God who gaue it him first and gaue him a heart to giue giueth for euer If a Prince should send vs any thing were it neuer so litle for a remembrance we will thanke him according to the worthinesse of his person not according to the value of the thing which was sent But God is the Prince of al Princes and he giueth more then trifles for in him we liue and moue and haue our being and he hath giuen vs his Sonne who hath purchased a kingdome for vs which shal neuer haue end And if it were but our bare being here he were to be praised for euer how much more for such and so many benefits as can neither be numbred nor valued Yea for his infinite wisedome which he hath caused to shine in all his works of creation if we consider but the excellent wisedome of God in a poore litle flie he is to receiue infinite praises for the same How much more for his infinite goodnesse power mercie iustice and prouidence ouer all his creatures and his vnspeakeable loue towards his children in his couenant of grace If a sily man shall frame
toūg is silent So be it smothered Many times a thing passeth through all to the hart where the matter is debated betwéene natural reason the hart there for want of Gods spirite to countermaund naturall reason it stayeth vnderstāding can no skil of it But what saith the toung In stead of So be it he brings this answere Sir y e hart hauing cōsulted with worldly pollicie naturall reason doth finde this to be against his profit or against his pleasure or against his gaine or against his custome or against his credite in the world therefore this bill cannot passe my master the hart with reason and pollicie do therefore desire you to be contented speake no more of this matter but of something els that may stand better with their liking as for the rest of the house vnderstāding will affectiō although they know the matter to be true iust equal which you demaund yet they can do no good in the matter because the other two haue nipped it in the head Sometime the toung saith Amen to that which the hart condemneth because reason confirmeth it this is cōmonly when the eye séeth some body whom he feareth or the eare heareth something that he cānot answere therfore though y e toung be a cōmon speaker yet is he not alwayes a true speaker Sometime againe the eare admitteth the hart affecteth desireth that which reasō subscribeth vnto but for wāt of faith reason reuoketh y e hart fainteth y e toūg foltreth and either for feare or for shame dareth not vtter what is agréed vpō within A miserable Parliamēt y t hath such a speaker but this is y e matter indéed This house hath two doores at one doore y e billes are brought in that is by the eare and the eye at another doore they passe out againe with their answeres that is the lips within at which the cōmō speaker stādeth Now if y e Lord do set a watch there kéepe the doore of our lippes then they are opē the toung doth boldly confesse y e truth but if the fearefull deuill or the bashfull deuill kéepe the doore the toūg durst not for his life speake the truth God in mercy remoue such porters y t we may boldly confesse with our toūgs that which we beléeue in our hart to saluatiō So likewise in prayer thākesgiuing if our toung doth speake any thing which the vnderstanding is ignorant of and therfore the hart cannot affect our sacrifices are but a mockerie against God because the Parliament house is deuided there is but a mutinie betwéene the hart the toung and the rest but if all agrée vpon the point thē the toung sheweth the consent of the hart and boldly without feare of any whatsoeuer stādeth forth and saith So be it But why doth he double his speech say So be it euen So be it it should séeme that the speaker of the Parliamēt house is but a simple man wanted matter he meant well it may be but for want of matter he is faine to harpe vpō one string much Surely beloued y e Prophet spake as he was moued by y e holy Ghost this is Gods wisedome therfore let vs not finde fault withall this is y e plaine simple dealing of a faithful soule indéede It is vsuall in the Scripture to haue one thing oftentimes vrged in teaching no oftener then is néedefull because first it is long before we can learne Gods will secondly it is lōger before we can remēber Gods wil but principally because it is lōgest of all before we can make a cōscience to obey Gods wil therfore let no man in hearing one thing often be wearie because euery mā may learne the same thing better do not say the preacher wants matter but say rather that we want grace or vnderstanding or memorie or zeale or loue or something Againe let no man in teaching stand so much vpon his reputation as to compte it a disgrace vnto him if he doth often repeate one thing being necessarie for we sée it is Gods wisedome to teach so if any man wilbe wiser thē Gods spirite he will proue him selfe a foole In prayer also the same spirit hath taught Gods childrē to speake one thing oftētimes partly because there is in euery one great dulnes want of féeling partly to note how earnest they are desirous to obtaine y t which they pray for So doth Dauid here in this place say So be it euen so be it as though his hart had bene scarce awake at the first A mā that would faine haue a thing which he néedeth indeede will say being asked if he will haue it oh yea yea yea if it be a thing that he cannot away withall he will say oh no no no often together as if he could not deny it too often as the first could not desire it too much This may the Church do if their harts be touched with their owne wants weakenesses But this doth not serue to maintaine any idle vnnecessarie repetitions such as were vsed in Popery condēned by our Sauiour Christ in the Scribes Pharisies In Popery they bable one thing oftētimes Iesus Iesus Iesus you must say ouer the Lordes prayer so many and so many times together and then you shall be heard say they And so they play in their chaunting curious singing which is more like the hunting of y e fore thē any spiritual holy seruice of God they are sometime a quarter of an houre almost in singing some one word Alas poore soules they thinke y t God is delighted as man is they thinke that the Lord is a sléepe as Baals Priests thought therfore they call often but Gods children féele their owne harts a sléepe therfore it is that they cry often in the same wordes So be it euen so be it saith the holy Prophet as if he should say did I speake it I will say it againe I doe not repent me of it I am not afrayde I am not ashamed if I said it not with such féeling the first time as I ought I will say it againe To shewe how carefull how constant how bold and how holy we should be in praysing of God For many times in our prayers our mindes are crossed with one thing or other so that God hath not the hart thē to it againe Hart what sayest thou then So be it euen so be it Some thinke a cold word vnreuerently blustred out to be good inough for God and are ashamed to amend any thing if it be amisse and afrayde to stand to a thing if it be well Some will vtter in table talke whatsoeuer commeth in their mindes of God against him too sometime when they should either defēd it or deny it or reforme it they turne it away with a iest Nay sir it is not my profession I will not
God Is it thinke you a small matter thus to quench or to gréeue the spirite of God in any of our brethren doe we stand by our selues shall we neuer fall i we neuer fall our selues what if the Lord shall pull the staffe of his grace from vs then we shal fall with shame inough and then others shall insult ouer vs and reioyce at our fals as we haue reioyced at their faults For further proofe wherof let vs heare what the holy Ghost saith to such kinde of persōs in the 52. Psalme Why doest thou boast thy selfe in thy wickednesse O man of power the louing kindnesse of God indureth daily as if he should say thou thinkest thy selfe a iolly fellow and takest pride in thy wickednes as though thou were a great man of power and shouldest neuer come downe and because God doth suffer thée from day to day waiting for thy repentaunce thou thinkest either that he cannot or dare not or that he will not meddle with thée but now sée thy selfe in thy colours and then iudge what cause thou hast to bragge it out as thou doest against all the world what art thou what goodnes is in thée Thy toung imagineth mischief is like a sharpe rasor that cutteth deceitfully Thou doest loue euill more then good and lyes more thē truth Thou louest all wordes that may destroy O deceitfull toung Now sée thy end So God shall destroy thee for euer He shall take thee and plucke thee out of thy Tabernacle and roote thee out of the land of the liuing The righteous also shall see it and feare and shall laugh at him saying Behold the mā that tooke not God for his strength but trusted vnto the multitude of his riches and put his strength in his substance But I saith Dauid shalbe like a greene oliue tree in the house of God for I trusted in the mercies of God for euer and for euer But some will say this is spoken against the wicked sort of the world but I haue more grace moe graces of God then they haue all the world cannot detect me of such vices therefore I may be more bold to speake my pleasure of others then they may But deceiue not thy selfe thou séest a child while he will runne vp down to shew his new clothes and catcheth a fall séeing himselfe downe and his clothes soiled in the dust he crieth lowder at his fall thē he crowed before at his new coate so God hath put many excellent graces vpon thée thou crowest at the sight of them as Nebuchadnezzar did at the sight of his pallace like a foole thou art in admiratiō of thy selfe till thou stumblest euen vpon thy owne gifts when thou art downe thou which before didst crow like a foole doest then crye like a child especially because thou séest thy excellent graces euē thy coate of diuers colours stained and soiled with thy fall be not therefore proude of thy giftes nor insolent ouer thy weake brother for God vpholdeth thée God can set him vp and cast thée downe for promotion saith Dauid commeth neither from the East nor from the West but God is Iudge and he setteth vp one and pulleth downe another Thinke we vpon this and it will humble vs who would haue thought that Dauids holinesse should haue bene so stayned in the puddle of vncleannesse Who would haue thought that Salomon his wisedome should euer haue bene wrapt vp in the follie of women Who would haue thought that Sampsons strength had slept in the lap of weaknesse Who would haue thought that such a valiant souldier as Peter was would haue proued such a coward as he was afterward what do all these but crye with one voyce take héede how you walke for it is God that vpholdeth How many Iudges haue come downe from the bēch to the barre how many prisoners haue gone vp from the the barre to the bench how many Dukes Earles Lordes Knightes and Gentlemen how many I say both honorable worshipfull wise and learned stoute and valiant haue bene pluckt from their places of honor and dignitie like vntimely fruite from the trée and bene brought some to the gibbet some to the scaffold and some to perpetuall imprisonment what haue they there confessed but thus much while God vpheld vs we stood and for want of grace we fell Therfore let no mā reioyce at our fals for if you stand God doth vphold you and if he do not vphold you you shal surely fall Haman was neuer so high in the kings fauour but at last he was as high on his owne gallowes Mordecai was neuer so neare the point of death but at last he was aduaūced to great honor Iudas once thought much with another for bestowing a box of ointment more then needed as he thought vpon Christ at last he knew that him selfe had taken more then he ought by thirtie pence the price of innocent bloud The swelling red sea was once deuided in sunder which before threatned present death to any that durst go into it The Sunne which runneth his course as a swift giant did once stand still The rauens did once féede Elias The dogges bellyes were once a graue for Iezabell The fire which by nature consumeth all had once no power ouer the haire of a mans head The lice and the flyes did once preuaile against a kinges power The hungry Lions had once no power against Daniell Litle naked Dauid did once giue great armed Goliath the ouerthrow There was once a song of Sauls thousand and Dauids ten thousand And what was once which may not be againe if God will Therfore let no man be proude of that he is but let him remēber what hath bene and what may be and that none vpholdeth from falling but God Thou vpholdest me saith Dauid Think we vpon this text when we sée the hand of God in iustice vpon any malefactor we run out by troupes to sée some executed some whipped and some to be some other way openly shamed we sée them we talke of thē we wonder at them and so we forget them But if we would then take so much paines as to lay our inside to their outside that is our owne faults concealed in Gods mercie with their faults reuealed in Gods iustice we would thē pitie their case and feare our selues we would pray for them and for our selues we wold humbly thanke God which by his grace had kept vs from falling For if the Lord in mercy should not vphold vs we might be théeues or murtherers and commit any wickednesse as well as others And this let vs know that the Lord doth but pick them out to preach this vnto vs that except he vphold vs we fall and except we repent we shall fall Thou vpholdest me saith Dauid both a king and a Prophet and therefore both mightie and learned to teach vs that there is none so great for liuing so high for authoritie nor so