Pharaeh was afraide of God and therefore prayed Moses to entreate for him to remoue the plague from him Exod. 8. 8. Ahab as lewd as he was being a man sold to doe wickednesse yet was not voide of the feare of God which enforced him to humble himselfe in sack cloth and ashes I Kin. 21. 27. And infinite others which belong not to God but were strangers to him yet their hearts were not wholly estranged from his feare Apollos Many euill men which liue in the Church vnder a standing Ministery doe attaine by the power thereof vnto a shadow of Sanctification such as shall worke a certaine reformation in them but a sleight and light one not sound and thorow such as seasoneth and changeth the heart and vnto a resemblance of repentance so as they doe many workes of repenting persons they haue a certaine greefe and seare of sinne they in a sort humble themselues confesse their sinnes leaue many sinnes touching the outward act and worke but neuer come to purpose in their heart to endeauour an vtter forsaking of all and euery sinne with a true hatred and loathing of sinne as it is the offence of a good and righteous God and they doe many workes which for the matter and substance of the worke done are good but yet they are not done in a good manner and to a good end out of a heart purged by faith respecting Gods glory so they haue a shew of loue to God and of fearing God Howbeit they are but counterfets in all and namely in their loue which is not of God himselfe but of his good things where with their loue doth arise and fall They are likewise hypocrites in their feare which is seruile onely in regard of Gods power and strict iustice and of that punishment which his powerfull iustice hath either threatned or already inflicted vpon them Their feare is not towards God for his mercies and because hee is vnto them a gracious God and Father but because hee is righteous armed with might to hurt and plague them as the Apostle speaketh of circumcision of the Israelites and of Abrahams seede there is not one kind of these so it is of the feare of God it is not single and of one kind but it is diuers There is an Israelite and an Israelite one in heart another according to the flesh a circumcision inward and in truth another after the letter and outward in the flesh So there is a feare and a feare a good feare which wee are exhorted vnto and an euill feare which we are called from Feare not saith Moses for God is come to proue you that his feare may be in you that ye sinne not Exod. 20. 20. See in this one short sentence that they are bid not to feare and yet charged to haue Gods feare in them for there is a feare slauish and seruile arising out of the gultinesse of sinnes and strengthened with dread of punishment from the righteous power of God This feare correcteth not sinne inwardly it may well bridle some sinne and restraine from the externall worke of sinne but it doth not at all reforme the sinner inwardly who is the more driuen from God by it and we are dehorted from such a feare And there is another feare which is filiall and child-like which proceedeth from Gods mercies in Christ and bringeth sinners neerer in heart and affection to God holding them closer to him in all lawfull respects not to offend him but in all things to obey and please him This difference of feare may be expressed by this comparison There doth at one time stand in the presence of a Iudge his owne sonne and a male factor the one loth to misbehaue himselfe in his fathers presence for the loue and reuerence hee hath towards him whom he hath alwayes found a benigne tender father to him the malefactor for beareth also all lewd and disordered actions in feare of the Iudges power which he doth hate and of the sentence of death which he abhorreth So it is here euill men being in Gods presence are restrained and kept from many euils but it is through dread of his reuenging hand as seruants are brought to doe well through dread of the whip whereas the godly howsoeuer the infinite power and iustice of God be dreadfull to them and they often meditate of his fearefull iudgements against sin to enure their hearts the more to awe and trembling their flesh or old man hauing great need of such terrour to bridle them yet it is the sweete mercies of God in the forgiuenesse ofso many sinnes and calling them to so great glory which worketh in them a reuerent regard of Gods will not to transgresse it no child being so loth to displease his most kind father as the godly are to displease their louing Redeemer To this purpose they doe endeauour to set themselues as it were in the presence of God considering that his eye which is the Iudge of the World and their heauenly Father is euer vpon them and in this consideration they labour to carry themselues as becommeth them who are euer before the face of such a Maiesty abandoning that which is contrary to his Word and may prouoke him and carefully doing such duties as are liking and gratefull to him This is the ingenuous feare of Gods Children which bringeth forth these effects in them first it restraines them from sinne euen as touching the inward affection as it did Ioseph from incontinency the Israelites Midwiues from cruelty 〈◊〉 from exaction and oppression of the people yea it hoideth backe from all sinnes great and little secret as well as open and that because they are sinnes and offences of God whereas the feare of the wicked keepes him from grosse and open but not from small and priuate sinnes and that for the paine onely and not for conscience to God Secondly it constraines them to doe good things commanded out of a care to please God When Abraham offered his Sonne that which moued him was this for that he feared God Gen. 22. 12 Iob was a righteous man and did iust things for he was a man fearing God Iob 1. 1. Thirdly it seasons the worship of God that is to say the seruice of God Psal. 5. 7. I will draw neere to thy Temple in feare c. Insomuch as often the whole worship of God is thereby signified as in Acts 10. In euery Nation he that feareth God c. Fourthly it seasons our loue to God as in a Subiect that loueth his Prince for his excellent goodnesse and bounty his loue towards his Soueraigne is beautified by a reuerence of his Princes Maiesty so it is here Fiftly it driueth away security it awakes slothfulnesse and makes watchfull And lastly it beates downe pride and high mindednesse as it is written Be not high minded but feare Rom. 11. 20. These seuerall fruits and effects of the feare of God are so many
Spirituall things Repentance a note of a person to be saued not any cause of saluation 3. Vnrepentance hath vnfitnesse for any seruice of God or any good worke Vnablenesse to take any profit by the meanes of saluation 4. Repentance hath the contrary 5. Consideration of a iudgment day 6. Repentance the ioy of Angels and men 7. Good consequents of Repentance Hind erances of Repentance Example of the oyle in the cruise Also Danieis pulse Rom. 6 22 23 Reuel 7. Mat. 5. Lu. 23 Math. 25. 1 Tim. 5. Psal. 51. Ecclesiastes 2 Cor. 7. 11. True Repentance is a turning from euery sinne to do euery good worke Iames 2. 10. Eccles. 10. 1. Simile Simile Simile Exod. 17. 14. Simile Es. 〈◊〉 3. Perfection is here set agaiust hypocrisie A double perfection 1. Of measure 2. Of parts Mar. 6. 20. 2 King 10. 31. Acts 8. 13. Simile Simile Worthinesse put for meeknesse and vnworthily for vnmeetely 1 Cor. 11. 27. Heb. 6. 7. Luke 19. 1 2 3 4 5. Luke 23. Iames 2. 26. What a good worke is How many things required to a good worke 1. Good matter Deut. 12. verse last 2 Kings 26. from verse 16. till verse 21. 2. Perso good that the manner may be good Simile Simile A threefold act of Faith in euery good worke 1 Pet. 2. 5. 〈◊〉 3. 14. 3. Good end Actions are measured by their ends Simile 4. Good meanes Good things must haue good meanes Gen. 27. Shee sinnes by impatiency 1 Sam. 21. 13. Psal. 34. 1. 5. Circumstances 〈◊〉 3. Good workes please God and why Woe be to the most cōmendable life of any man if it be iudged without mercy saith Augustine Philip. 2. 13. Deus in nobis coronat sua dona Good workes merit not and why Debitum non est meritum Merita nostra Domini misericordia meritum meum mors 〈◊〉 Christe Bernard A reward due vnto good workes and Why A reward of fauour not of debt Rom. 4. 4. God is not obnoxious 〈◊〉 his creature Heb. 1 3. Simile 2. Pet. I II. Our merite is misery It is sufficient for our merite to know we do not merite Vse of good workes 1. Vse of good workes in respect of God See M. Iohn Shaw his trea tise of Maries blessednesse Fol. 89 90. 2. In respect of the Gospell 3. In respect of our selues Simile 4. In respect of other men Vnconuerted 1. Elect. 2. Not Elect. 〈◊〉 1. Weake 2. Strong First of the workes of the first Table Mat. 22. Loue of God what it is to loue 1. Commandement What it is to loue God Why God is to be loued How much God is to be loued By what rule our loue is to be guided Whence our loue to God springeth 2 Cor. 5 14. What be the effects and signes of our loue to God More proofes of the sound loue of God Such as loue God do loue his word which they shew forth by 1. hearing 2. marking 3 remembring 4. laying it vp in their hearts 5. delighting in it 6. by meditation 7 praise 8 and practise or keeping it Hypocrites delight in knowledge but not in the thing to wit Christ known Their loue to Gods Children it is both in affect and effect in word and in worke * A feeling suffering together Acts 14. They rent their cloathes c. Amor sui diffusivus Iames is reported to haue made his knees hard 〈◊〉 Camels knees with labour in prayer 2 Sam. 15. * Dauids mourning Pe ters teares Christs agony doe manifest this truth Prayer a fruit and token of our loue Of the feare of God The feare of God how it belongs to the wicked Rom. 2 verse last Feare of God twofold Exod. 20. 20. 1. A seruile feare of this feare it is true which is commonly saide Whom wee feare we hate and wish they were not 2. Filial feare Simile Simile Psal. 112. 1. Prou. 26. 27. Prou. 8. 13. Of Ezra it is said hee feared God greatly God must be feared accordingly Trust in God proper to the faithfull Heb. 3. Heb. 10. Psal. 53. Tim. 1. 6. Psal. 18. Psal. 112. Psal. 32. What it is to trust in God Ground of trust in God The godly vse meanes but haue their trust in God onely Wherein the trust of the godly differs from the trust of the wicked Markes for triall of our trust in God Encouragements to trust in God Simile Of Prayer and thankfulnesse 2 Commandement Difference betweene good and bad in Prayer and thanksgiuing Col. 3. 17. Marke 9. Rom. 7. 16. Mat. 5. 16. 1 cor 10. 31. Note this When ones minde is vncleane it defiles his best workes Eccle. 4. verse last Exod. 19. Luke 11. 15. Mat. 5. 6. Simile The true vse of Gods Name 3. commandement As men vse their holy day cloathes And for the titles words properties Sacraments workes of God their care is to mention them with a godly reuerence 4. commandement The true vse of the Sabbath And with what 〈◊〉 they beare their absence from the Assemblies see Psal. 84. 1 2 41. Patience a vertue proper to a true Christian. Afflictions the obiect of Patience Simile Tentatio seductionis 2. Probationis Punishment Correction Triall Of Chastisements 2 Simile First ground of patience 2. God smiteth not for euery offence 4. He correcteth with wisedome and loue Kepentance furthered by chastisements Dan. 9. Luke 15. 〈◊〉 7. Humility furthered by chastisements 1 Pet 4. Esay 57. Of Tiyals 〈◊〉 14. 28 〈◊〉 30. Esay 43. * This Righteousnesse is commutatiue and distributiue * This Righteousnesse is habitual or actuall * Hence it is that such righteous persons as these doe turne away from their righteousnes and so lose themselues their labour Eze. 18. Sincerity or truth is in all graces as a common adioynt or quality The fixt commandement Loue. What brotherly loue is How our Neighbour may be loued without iniury to God An enemy is a neighbour and a brother if he be a christian Difference betweene a neighbour a brother Degrees of Loue. Rules to guide our loue Reasons why wee ought to loue Properties of Loue. Actions of Loue. Difference betweene Faith and Loue. Brotherly kindnesse Foure kinds of Peace Prouerbs 17. Humility Micah 6. 8. col 3. 10. Grauity Gentlenesse It is reported that Peter he wept so often as he 〈◊〉 the mildnesse and gentlenesse of his Lord. Luther Long sufferance peace Forgiuing offences Goodnesse Meekenesse Mercy Philip. 3 18. Prou. 12. 10. Neh. 13 14 31 Gouernment of the tongue for speech and silence Prou. 10. Selfe-preseruation Seuenth commandement Vprightnesse towards our Neighbours goods Psal. 15. 3. 7. Eze. 18. Ninth commandement Truth vprightnesse in speech 〈◊〉 in keeping of promises Iob 1. verse last Three doubts Master Luther confesseth that hee was not troubled great ly with this vice Philarguria Pleonexia 〈◊〉 Honesty Zeale a Election b calling c Meanes of calling d Illuminatiō e Opening the heart f Faith g Vnion with christ h Iustification i Sanctific atiō k Spirituall conflict l Repentance m Good workes n General graces o Vprightnesse p Particular gifts q 〈◊〉 r Encrease or growth s Glorification
all meanes both priuate and publike for support and helpe of it lest any tempt God by refusing the meanes whereof all haue need continually Beside this each faith little and great may bee knowne of him in whom it is vnlesse it be in a great storme of temptation or at the instant and about the time of their first conuersion else Christ would not haue asked particular men if they did beleeue nor Paul would haue saide of himselfe I know whom I haue beleeued nor exhorted others to examine themselues if they be in the faith 2 Cor. 13. 6. 2 Tim. 1. Yet moreouer in each faith this is common that the things beleeued are aboue compasse of naturall reason for if we consider the things which the Word setteth forth to be beleeued as for example that the World was made of nothing that a dead body turned into dust shall liue againe that a Virgin remaining a Virgin can be a Mother that God and man is one person that so many thousand beleeuers so far distant are one body that Saints in Earth are one with Christ in Heauen and eate drinke him without diminishing that one offence of one man condemned the whole world that the righteousnesse of one man maketh millions to be iust that God is then a Father when hee shewes himselfe an enemy in these and many such like things faith can beleeue them because God hath spoken them when blinde reason cannot see Lastly one faith is as sufficient to saue as another a little as wel as a great because a weake faith can looke vpon Christ and lay hold on him no lesse truly then a strong and great faith euen as a weake and sore eye might behold the brasen Serpent to health as well as a sound and cleere eye but though there be such great and manifold likenesse betweene faith and faith yet this letteth not but that there is a difference amongst the godly as touching the diuers measures of their faith euen as much as betweene the hand of a babe and of a man betweene a young plant and a growne tree The most wise God distributing his graces as it pleaseth him to some thus to some otherwise so as none haue cause to disdaine such as be infirme if themselues be strong for it was God who established them nor any to enuie others if haply they doe not so abound in wisedome and faith as others doe because it was God that so disposed euery man his portion But the strong must apply themselues to helpe the weaker bearing with infirmities and the weaker with reuerence and loue to honor such as goe before them Euen as the foote doth not lift vp it selfe against the head nor the head doth not despise the foote but each member respecteth and cherisheth one another to the preseruation of the whole body so let beleeuing Christians in respect of God who doth all in them of his good pleasure worke out their saluation in feare and trembling euery one being thankefull to him for their owne measure knowing that they haue nothing but what is giuen thinking themselues happy to haue at all any measure of liuely faith and in respect of themselues to walke in mutuall loue one supporting and comforting another in all loue and modesty as becommeth Saints Aquila Whereas yee haue shewed many things wherein the two measures of faith doe accord and be alike let it not be offensiue to you that I put you in mind of one correspondency between them which it should seeme you thought not vpon and that is this It is common to each degree of faith first to beleeue the promise before they come to any experience feeling or comfort from the apprehension of Gods mercies as in the woman of Canaan who verily beleeued that Iesus was the Messias and would minister helpe to her distressed daughter which was vexed with a Diuell as the Story shewes Mat. 15. 23. when as yet shee had not onely no experience but rather all things went crosse and contrary to her Therefore it was a fault in Thomas who would haue his senses the guide of his faith Except I feele and see saith he I will in no wise beleeue Ioh. 20. 25. whereas our Sauiour pronounced them blessed who beleeue and see not For it is not in supernaturall and diuine as it is in humane and natural things where by our sense and experience we are led but in heauenly matters first of all Gods children giue credit to the promise striuing against in-bred distrust they doe beleeue God to be true who hath spoken the word so as they waite vpon God till in his time he giue the feeling and comfort of that which they trust to be truly promised a marke worthy to be thought on because many esteem of faith by feeling iudging themselues to haue no faith because they want comfortable and ioyous feeling which is not faith but a fruit and consequent of faith in some more in some lesse and sometime none at all as in time of some great triall Apollos No Aquila I am not offended that yee did admonish me hereof I rather thanke you and wish you still to admonish me not withstanding this matter I knew would come further to be spoken of in the prosecution of this doctrine touching the seuerall degrees of faith But to goe forwards I thinke good to deliuer vnto you seuerally the difference betweene these two measures of faith more distinctly fully as their likenesse and agreement hath beene opened And first for the least measure and degree of faith it is this when Christians cannot certainly distinctly say I beleeue my own saluation and the pardon of all my sinnes but being displeased with themselues for their sinnes they doe vnfainedly constantly desire the pardon of them all and their reconciliation with God aboue the whole World yea aboue a world of worlds And this their desire of faith it is a degree of faith the seed and beginning of faith stirred vp by the Spirit of adoption Rom. 8. 26. pleasing God as faith it selfe hauing great promises made to it Mat. 5. 6. Ioh. 7. 37. As that indicious Diuine Master Perkins hath sufficiently proued both in his reformed Catholike and in the Book intituled the Graine of Mustard seede Therefore to let passe the confirmation of that point it is to be now shewed who be the persons in whom this weake faith is to be found which I find to be of two sorts The first is of such who haue but little knowledge by reason whereof their faith must needs be infirme Examples hereof we haue in Scripture in Rahab the Samaritanes Ioh. 4. 42. the Apostles of Christ at their first calling and Cornelius whereof some of them did onely know the promise touching a Messias and did not so much as know Iesus to be the Christ. Others which knew this yet were ignorant by what meanes he should effect the Worlds redemption hauing their heads troubled with conceit
with Christ and his afflictions suffering and dying with him they haue the Lords owne worde for their warrant that they shall also liue and reigne with him in glory So as with consideration of these things namely their conformity with Christ and that their light and momentany sufferings shall be turned into a glory immortall and weighty hence it is that looking for it looking vpon it and not vpon their temporall calamities they are very comfortable and coragious the ioy of good things to come swallowing at lest mitigating much the greefe of euil things present Aquila Sir you might now as I thinke proceede vnto the two last pointes of Iustification but that I would intreat you to loose two or three knots One is whether Gods children may imbrace worldly comforts And the second is sithence the hope of glorie breeds in them such ioy euen to the solacing gladding of their hearts in most irkesome and painfull sufferings how commeth it that sometimes some of the best and most faithfull men do strangely despaire and are not onely without hope and ioy but exceedingly appalled and danted despairing and full of discomfite Apollos Good friend albeit something hath by occasion bene said to this point twice or thrice heretofore if ye remember when wee spake of peace of conscience and of standing in grace and else-where yet I will answer your demand touching the despaires of the faithfull if first I speake somewhat of worldly comforts which as it pleaseth God sometime to afford his owne children and that in a good measure giuing them also power to apprehend them so there is great feare and danger of being deceiued by them as we see in the wofull examples of Salomons fall and Ezekiahs sinne and sundry others which haue lost the sense of spirituall ioy by being too much caried away with worldly ioyes not keeping a measure in them Therefore Gods children are to bee admonished of these few things about their ioy in earthlie comforts 1. First that simply considered it is common vnto them not onely with the vngodly but euen with sensuall beasts who are delighted when they haue things liking to their nature Thus wee see the Calues and Lambs to skip and sport themselues the very horse reioyce when he hath good prouender 2. Secondly too much worldly ioy when the hart is much and often cheered with pleasures of life is very perillous a great enemy to godlinesse hauing bene the baite wherein many a good soule hath bin caught so as there needs great caution to be taken about the well vsing of it especially it being so hard for vs to gouerne either our passions of greefe or ioy of feare or loue 3. Thirdly therefore prayer is to bee made vnto God to guide them in their mirth and to enable them to obserue a due measure therin that the heart be not deceiued thereby 4. Fourthly in the midst of mirth and worldly ioy when the heart beginnes to cheare much some sin of our life committed or some iudgement of God which we haue bene vnder for sinne or some threatning of the word against some of our sinnes would bee called to minde to checke the immoderatenesse of our affection and so to temper and take down our mirth that it be not with excesse 5. Fiftly as Chirurgeons are faine in some cases to diuert the course of blood for the healths of their patients so let Christians endeuour to turne theyr worldly mirth into a godly spirituall mirth by considering with themselues seriously that those earthlie pleasures and worldly comforts wherein their heart is delighted are the fruites of their redemption pledges to them of better things to come and so to learne to reioyce in the vse of them as testimonies of Gods loue and fauour in Christ. 6. Sixtly it would do well in their ioy for worldly things to thinke how sodainly and soone they may be lost and all turned quickly into the contrary Also to remember the afflictions of the Church of some chiefe members therof which mourne now when they reioyce that by a fellow seeling of others miseries their owne ioy may be layed and brought into better compasse 7. Seuenthly let them further call to mind how often they reade of Christs teares and sighings for sins miseries of others how sildome or neuer they reade of his laughter and mirth Which though no doubt he had and did partake of it being a man like to vs in all things saue sin and to reioyce is in it selfe no sinne yet likely it was sparingly and surely no mention is made of it in the story of the Gospell He was at some feasts indeede but no word of his mirth there 8. Lastly our mirth as it would bee by all good meanes moderated so there would care be taken that it be referred to a good end which hath a great stroke in the goodnesse of any action namely to take our worldly comforts with this purpose and mind that we may be the more apt to praise God with cheerefulnesse of heart and to goe through the laborious and irksome trauels of our calling with more alacrity and liuelinesse Thus there will not onely bee no harme in our worldly mirth whereof to repent but it will proue an helpe to vs vnto godlinesse and be as an hand-maide to that spirituall reioycing vnder the hope of glory Now to your other knot how it falleth our that beleeuing Christians notwithstanding their hope and ioy in God yet are sometime filled with despaire and discomfort if I should say no more but that they may often thanke the abuse of worldly ioy as the cause of those heauy gnawings of despaire which come ouer their stomacks I should say something and which were too true howbeit I will deliuer to you more fully what I iudge of the despaire of the beleeuers And first I iudge it a very strange worke of God that it should fall out that a true beleeuer should despaire considering that the hope which is put into his heart as an anchor sure and stedfast hath such firme ground-worke as the constant truth the omnipotent power the vnchangeable mercies of God the Father also the precious death perfect obedience powerful resurrection of Christ our Mediatour finally the sanctification and graces of the holy Spirit which as the first fruites of the Spirit as the earnest of our inheritance the beginnings of life eternall the peculiar ornaments of Christs Spouse serue to be as vnder helpes and props of hope there being also the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments and many other meanes to confirme hope I say that for all this they should be sometime in that case as if they had neuer heard of God of life euerlasting or had not known what hope had meant it is very strange indeede Yet all experience both old and new telleth vs that as in the Elect before their calling there is a meere want and priuation of hope so after their
vse of their gifts seeke not themselues but God whom they loue and vpon whom they are ready to bestow not themselues alone and their graces but their goods too which albeit God hath no need of because gold is his and siluer is his Hag. 2. 9. Psal. 50. Yet when we giue forth his goods to the maintenance of his worship or the place of his worship or the Ministers of his Word or to the reliefe of others the Saints members of Christ then we doe honour the Lord with our substance and doe giue it vnto himselfe As he will openly acknowledge at the last day What ye did to one of these ye did it to me Mathew 25. Martha loued Christ Iohn 11. and the woman spoken of Luke 7. 37. Also the women mentioned Luke the 8. 23. and all they declared their loue to him by their charges and cost which they put themselues to for his sake That we cannot doe to him in his person as they did because he is gone to Heauen and hath now no need we are to doe it to him in his seruants and people which is taken as a fruite of our loue to himselfe And as our cost about him so our labour and paines for him doth speake forth our loue for true sincere loue is diligent and sticketh at no paines to please or pleasure the party loued What labour did not Christ endure that he might expresse his loue to his Church and what paines ought we to beare to expresse our loue towards him Such as loue riches or pleasures or honours it is a wonder to see how exceeding great their paines be to compasse them And such as truly loue God as they loue nothing aboue him so their paines which they take to glorifie him in the inward mortification of sinfull lusts and the outward performance of all outward obseruations doth farre surpasse the paines which they take in all other things of their owne The indefatigable and intollerable labour and toyle of body mind which Christ did vndergoe and which Paul also did endure about the redeeming and instructing of the Church the incredible paines which in prayer and preaching and liuing well both Iames and the rest of the Apostles haue suffered it clecrely demonstrateth that the loue of God and his Church is painfull and laborious There is nothing so hard which loue will not ouercome all paines to it seeme pleasure and pastime As they then which sticke at their paines and with-draw their hand from labour in the things which concerne Gods glory and their owne eternall good doe sufficiently tell vs how little and poore their loue is so the great and constant paines which neither of vaine-glory nor of any corrupt respect but in vprightnesse of heart Gods Children put themselues vnto that they may execute the will of God in their callings is their acquittance and testimoniall of the great measure of their loue to God-ward Finally they make it appeare yet more thorowly herein that there is nothing greeueth them so much as the want of Gods presence and fauour if at any time he with draw his louing countenance from them It is not the losse of any worldly thing how precious or commodious soeuer doth afflict them so much with heauinesse as the displeasure of God conceiued against them for sinne King Dauid banished by Absolon wept bitterly not so much for losse of his Kingdome as for Gods anger against him Whereas such as doe but onely pretend to loue God they doe not chiefly ioy in his fauour but in their outward comforts neither is their greatest griefe for the displeasure of God against them but for outward damages and harmes wherein they bewray that other things are more loued of them then God himself whatsoeuer they say It is cleane otherwise with the godly for in them the holy Spirit of loue doth engender more ioy in the perswasion and feeling of Gods fauour then worldly men haue when their Corne and Oyle and Wine doth abound and more hearts sorrow in missing of Gods gracious presence then a mother conceiueth for the death of her onely sonne a strong euidence that God is their cheefe loue Aquila These things shall moue me I trust to preferre God and Christ his Sonne his Word and Children in my loue and to straine my selfe by all meanes to declare that I account of God and delight in him aboue all things endeauouring how I may attaine neere vnto that which is commanded euen to loue him with all my heart and strength and though I cannot perfectly yet I will pray for grace that I may loue him yet more feruently and lesse fainedly Now Sir may it please you that wee passe forwards vnto that other worke of fearing this God which after his loue is next to be spoken of Apollos Well pleased so to doe If I first aduertise you of something which almost I forgot namely that as our loue to God is approued by our praises of those good things which are in himselfe and be done for vs so hee takes it as a great fruite and signe of our loue in our necessity to make him our refuge and helpe by calling vpon him alone in all our distresses Aquila Ere ye set vpon your new worke doe make this point plaine for me thinkes God doth rather herein witnesse his loue to vs in that he would be found of vs when we seeke and in affording vs liberty and leaue to come vnto him then we which seeke and come vnto him doe thereby testifie our loue vnto him Apollos One would thinke that it were so that our suing and begging things needfull of God should more vtter our need and want of him then our loue to him yet so it is that our prayers are good proofes of our loue for seeing vpon the good successe of our prayers when they are heard and granted according to Gods promise there doth follow the demonstration of Gods great mercy and truth in keeping touch with his Children to the praise of his name therefore Gods Children out of a loue they beare vnto his name doe seeke and sue vnto God not so much to be holpen and succoured as that in the fulfilling of his Word made to their prayers his goodnesse and truth may appeare to his glory For God himselfe saith that when he heareth his people that cal vpon him in their trouble they are bound to glorifie him Psalme 50. And the loue of this glory moueth them to pray rather then the desire and hope of their owne good happy is the soule with whom it is thus Henceforth we will speake of his feare for of the loue of God enough hath beene spoken already Aquila Doe ye iudge of the feare of God to be such a worke as is peculiar vnto the Elect regenerate persons We reade of many wicked men who haue feared God Foelix an Heathen feared and trembled at the hearing of God and his Word Acts 24. 25.
in themselues but meere beggery and want of all good and that to God alone belongs all praise of all our goodnesse whatsoeuer And thus by their punishment they are humbled in truth not in shew onely Aquila I haue heard your selfe and some others speake highly to the praise of humility as that it is the foundation and base of other vertues that as hee that will build high had neede to lay his ground-worke low so hee that will build himselfe vp in Christ vnto glory in Heauen must found himselfe in humility Of which I 〈◊〉 read in Gods Book that humblenesse is that which exalteth a man it is the ready way to honour as pride is to shame which alwayes followes after where pride rideth before so honour and glory attendeth vpon the lowly minded Yea God himselfe hath promised to dwell with the humble and make the contrite and lowly heart his temple and habitation euen he that hath his seate in the highest heauens will come and rest with him who is of a broken and humble heart Finally this is the grace wherein we must bewray our selues to haue the Spirit of Christ who was lowly and meeke and being equall with God thinking it no robbery to be so Philip 2 yet humbled himselfe to the estate of a man of a seruant of an accuised man being content to die on the Crosse for our sinnes Oh what blessed things then are our chastisements how patiently are they to be borne how thankfully is God to be blessed for them who can and doth so blesse them as to make them meanes more and more to frame our hearts to that grace of humility whereby Gods Children are not onely kept from arrogating to themselues what they haue not or be not but contrariwise they make no shew nor boast of that they haue but knowing all good to be receiued they glory not in the gift but in him who is mercifull vnto their sinnes Apollos You doe rightly iudge of Chastisements to be blessed workes of Gods loue whereby such a fruite is purchased to Gods children as the decrease of their pride and increase of humility not onely for the time they liue vnder the rodde for so long euen Pharaoh will be humble and Achab will be humble so long that is they will counterfet an humblenesse till they get out of Gods hands but to cause them to walke more humbly with their God and towards men all their life after for it is a consideration which sinkes deep into the children of God when they will bethinke themselues that they are beaten and by such an one as the great and good God deseruedly too for iust causes yea and so as others see their stripes and take knowledge that God is angry with them this makes them hang downe their heads and abate their courage Euen as an ingenious Scholler beaten for a fault before all his fellowes is much abashed therewith so it fareth with Gods children who yet are so humbled and abased in their owne eye by their blowes and strokes as they learne great patience and thankfulnesse as well as humility because they receiue all their chastisements as corrections of a most louing Father who seeketh in them their best good But it shall be sufficient to haue entreated thus farre of Chastisements let vs passe on to the trials of Gods Children Touching which we are to know thus much that in the corrections which God sendeth his Children hee doth not onely looke at this onely to admonish them of their sinnes past that they may turne and be more obedient for time to come and to abase the pride of their heart that they may carry themselues in all humblenesse but withall he doth take tryall of the faith patience and loue of his Children and sometimes it pleaseth him to inflict some greeuous iudgement vpon them without any such respect at all as to correct their sinnes but meerely for probations sake Thus hee dealt with Iob whole afflictions were not chastisements of his sinnes but trials of his faith and patience Of this kind were such aduersities and troubles as happened to Abraham Isaac and Iacob whose pilgrimages proued very combersome and full of crosses Also the crosses which 〈◊〉 Gods children for righteousnesse sake these are such 〈◊〉 as when they fall into them they are willed to 〈◊〉 exceeding ioy because they serue for triall of their faith and therefore be called Temptations 〈◊〉 1. 2. It is the pleasure of God as men try gold in a Furnace so to trie his Children by afflictions It stands with very good reason that God should at his pleasure make triall of men to see what is in them seeing men doe at their pleasure make triall of such things and persons as be in their power their Horses their Dogges their Seruants their Children And albeit times of prosperity are times of tryall for therein both euill men make proofe of their pride security and presumption and also the godly declare their modesty watchfulnesse and piety yet times of afflictions are meerest times of tryall because as on the one side many vices are couered in the dayes of prosperity and peace which are laide open in the euill day as selfe-loue loue of this World impatiency vaine confidence feare distrust and sundry others which afflictions bring to light so on the other side there be sundry vertues of good men as their faith loue obedience to God patience feare of God hope c. which be more better seene and more manifested by afflictions then out of afflictions It is an easie thing when men haue rest and riches to make profession and semblance of faith and piety Now that it may be manifested who doe it in truth who otherwise therefore God vseth to send afflictions as touch-stones to try the currant from the counterfet and as fire to seuer the drosse from the pure siluer There is much money lookes as faire as any currant money which yet is found to be vicious when it is brought to the touch to be tryed Likewise very many there be who in the dayes of peace haue faces and appearances of good and faithfull men who are made knowne in the houre of tribulation to be farre otherwise then they seemed to be the Crosse pluckes the visard of hypocrisie from their face and hauing vnmasked them makes them to shew what they are God himselfe needeth not to helpe his knowledge by these trials for he perfectly knoweth what is in vs searching our very heart and reines And indeede how should he that made vs be ignorant of vs Therefore these trials serue to lay vs open not to his al-seeing eye but to ourselues we being often very ignorant what is in vs some supposing they haue great faith loue and obedience when it is but little as Peter Others fearing their portion of faith to be little when it is great as Ioseph of Arimathea some boasting of much faith which haue neuer a deale as the Laodiceans Reuel
place and degree Honour thy father c. Apollos Indeede friend Aquila you say well and this platforme had not beene amisse for the decalogue or ten Commandements of the Law as they doe immediately come from God so they are most perfect for matter and most exquisite for order and manner of deliuery the chiefest and greatest duties first mentioned and after the meaner and lesser and that both in the first and second Table howbeit we are not bound so strictly and precisely to follow that order in our teaching and instruction but that it may be altered without fault A president of which alteration is the Apostle Paul himselfe both in his fift Chapter to the Ephesians and the 3. and fourth Chapter to the Colossians wherein after doctrine he descendeth to morall duties and he affordeth the first place to such as be common and then commeth vnto the peculiar and proper duties in which steppes I thinke it fit for vs to tread in speaking first of generall and next of speciall duties Aquila I mislike not your purpose and yet ere you deale with such particular graces as enable vs to doe duties to other men and to our selues let me call to mind that which you saide before of the workes which we are to doe towards God that truth and sincerity is an affection common to them all to distinguish them from the workes of piety done by Hypocrites who haue a certaine feare of God and loue of God c but it is seuered from truth it being the mercy done to sanctified persons that they should truly loue and feare God and doe all duties towards him in soundnesse right so is it in these duties which belong to men As in our natural body bloud is dispersed through all the body and where bloud is there is spirit too so sincerity and truth runneth through all duties as bloud in the body and where any grace is there is truth with it and all the good things which the godly doe are done in truth and godly vprightnesse They loue their Neighbour in truth and are truly mercifull and truly meeke and truly sober and truly chaste and not in appearance onely to the eye of men but be such before God as they seeme to be before men in all duties seeking to honour and obey the name of God wherein lyeth the grand difference betweene them and the vngodly who doe the same things for matter and substance which holy men doe but not in the same manner because they are voide of sincerenesse Apollos You say right As euery Starre doth partake in the light of the Sunne to take brightnesse from it so truth and sincerity passeth through all Christian graces euen as the soule that doth animate and quicken euery part of the body for all graces if they lacke truth and soundnesse they be as rotten members or as shadowes and dead carkases which carry the semblance of graces and are not the true fire doth not more differ from the painted then grace from grace that is the sincere graces from such as be but counterfet A Man or a Lyon pictured artificially seemes a man or a lyon and is not so vertues seuered from truth and sincerity haue a goodly shew but are not the liuely things themselues But now it were meete that we did set vpon that amiable grace of loue which is the glue and band that linkes all other graces together and holds vs Chistians fast tyed and linked as many stickes in one bundle Therefore worthily it is called the band of perfection without which all humane things fal apeeces and come to ruine Let me heare what you haue heard and learned of this worthy grace of loue wherewith we loue one another whose gift it is whence it springs what it is what are the properties and effects of it the manner and measure thereof and what are the duties of loue whom we are to loue and by what perswasions we may be incited to the exercise of this vertue wherein it differs from faith and finally how we may ouercome the lets and hinderances of loue with such other things as shall come to your remembrance not forgetting to tell vs along as you goe how true loue differs from the counterfet Aquila Sir ye haue enioyned mee taske enough which I had rather it had happened to your selfe but sithence ye haue put it on me I will performe my endeuour be you ready to helpe defects and by your patience I will first tell you what it is I take Loue or Charity to be that grace whereby wee are moued to hold our Neighbour deare vnto vs also to desire and seeke his good in all things that be deare vnto him euen as we would haue our selues and our things deare vnto others This grace it is the free gift of God who is Loue himselfe and author worker of loue in all others Therefore Paul prayeth God for this gift and prayseth him for it as in his salutation of the Churches is to be well perceiued no man nor other creature can worke loue in vs and by nature we haue it not it is God onely who out of his free mercy doth both plant and continually vphold it in vs. And let this generally be spoken of loue and all the other vertues following that they grow not in the barren soyle of our hearts but come from without being the fruites and gifts of Gods Spirit Galat. 5. 22. This Loue giuen vs of God is alwayes linked with the loue of God whose Daughter it is being bred and brought forth by it for therefore we loue our Neighbours because we first loue God Thus the Apostle Iohn teacheth 1 Ioh. 4. 21. Our mutual loue being a beame of our loue to God as our loue to God is a sparkle of his loue to vs neither can any man loue God but because he is first loued of him neither can any loue man who first doth not loue God neither can any but loue men who haue in them the loue of God for this enforceth vs for Gods sake to loue such as he will haue vs loue hauing put his Image and likenesse in them and neerely linked them to vs the parties whom wee are to loue are our Neighbour that is euery one that commeth of Adam of what Countrey Religion Language soeuer euen euery man and woman being so neere to vs as to be of our kind and bloud and hauing any need of vs in any sort euery such is our Neighbour vpon whom we must bestow our loue not as commonly men thinke them onely to be our Neighbours who dwelles in the same streete or burrow The parable of the Samaritan quitteth this who acknowledged the wounded Iew for his Neighbour Luke 10. 33. Christs example also doing good to Samaritans as well as Iewes Iohn 4. 26. cleareth this point Apollos But seeing God onely is to be loued and that with all the heart is it not a wrong to God to giue any