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
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
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
and mercifull Father shall thinke good to lay vpon him Although Israell were hardly intreated of Egypt yet God sayd I will get this people fauour in the sight of the Egyptians so that when ye go ye shal not go emptie Now if the Israelites went not away emptie wheÌ„ they were in fauour with the Egyptians much lesse shall we go away emptie froÌ„ the Lord if we be in fauour with him for séeing he hath of his frée mercie without any desert of ours giuen vs his onely Sonne how shall he not with him saith S. Paule giue vs all things else Hereupon it came that the Martyrs were alwayes so â—ocund and merrie for they were neuer sent away empty from the barre from the prison from the stake nor froÌ„ the fire but still the Lord filled their hearts with ioy and gladnesse and euer sustained their soules with the comfortable assurance of his fauour and so fast as their persecutors condemned them God iustified them so fast as they stript them their God clothed them so fast as they tormented them their God did comfort them wheÌ„â—hey impoâ—erished God enriched when they frowned God smiled when they spoiled the outward man God renewed the inward man when they wounded God healed when they killed God quickened and finally when they reiected them their God receiued them wherby they were not onely assured that he loued them but also were encouraged to beare whatsoeuer came for the assurance of Gods fauour so deare and precious was it vnto them Therefore Salomon saith that louing fauour is aboue gold and siluer if the louing fauor of men be aboue gold siluer how shall we value the louing fauor of God which being lost the whole world and ten thousand worlds cannot redéeme which being obtained is better theÌ„ the whole world And ten thousand worlds with all the deuils in hel can neuer take it from Gods children when they haue once the assurance therof in their hearts sealed vp vnto them by the spirit of adoption I say once againe whereat or at what price shall we value this fauour of our God When Iob was assured of this louing fauour of God in the heate of his affliction he was so far from shrinking or sinking down vnder his burthen that he said like a valiant souldier though he kill me yet will I trust in him As if he should say I loue my life well but I loue Gods fauour better to teach vs y t if we be assured of his louing fauour once we care not what we suffer in this life for it no more then Iob did for he knew that Gods killing would proue a quickning So that all our care and cunning my beloued in the Lord must be to sée the louing fauour of God in all our temptations troubles and afflictions And then as Iehoram said to Ieâ—u when he marched in his furie comest thou peaceably as if he should say if thou comest peaceably march as furiously as thou wilt So let vs say to our God O Lord comest thou fauorably and in loue against vs theÌ„ come as terribly as thou wilt Shoot thy arrowes and spend them all vpon me beate me to powder take all away and in this life do with me what thou wilt so thou doest assure me of thy fauour So we pray in that prayer which is called the Lordes prayer Thy will be done but Lord forgiue vs our sinnes and then doe what thou wilt deliuer vs from euil from the deuill and then tempt vs or bring vs into what battailes it pleaseth thée So reasoneth the Prophet Dauid likewise Happy are they whose oxen are strong to labour happy are they which are frée from forraine inuasion and ciuil dissention which a bound with many outward worldly and generall benefits c. but how if we misse of these outward things why then happy is the people whose God is the Lord. So again in another place he makes the very same reckening Many saith he wil say who wil shew vs any good that is wordly goods but Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenaunce vpon vs. c. to teach vs that we must not care what we want so that we may be sure of Gods louing countenaunce in the Gospell of his sonne Iesus Christ. The woman of Chanaan was content to take many repulses at the hands of our Sauiour so that she might be sure of one graunt so let vs be content to take many repulses so that we may be sure of Gods fauour in our repulses The birth of y e child into the world swalloweth vp all y e paines and panges of the mother in forgetfulnesse which went before the birth so saith our Sauiour Christ. So we if after our manifold afflictioÌ„s and sorrowes for Christes his sake we bring forth the assuraunce of Gods fauour here and of eternall life hereafter being dead let forgetfulnesse deuoure and coÌ„sume all the rest And séeing as the Lord in his louing fauour doth thus and thus crosse his children let patience beare it let forgetfulnesse weare it and by this let vs learne to trust in our God another time without fainting or shrinking when troubles come againe The wicked blind world takes another course they cast their eye altogether vpon the crosse and studie how to be eased of that with odd shiftings and many vnlawfull deuises and vngodly practises but because they sée not the louing fauour of God towards them in Christ Iesus they are ready to sinke downe in dispaire of mercy and horrour of conscience like a lumpe of lead in the sea The Lord in one hand hath fire to burne in his other hand water to quench but he holdeth it behind his backe many times that at the first it is not perceiued no not of his deare children but at the last they both sée it and féele the comfort of it and acknowledge the same saying with Dauid By this I know that thou fauorest me c. Therfore as the child is glad when his father smileth vpon him and speakes comfortably vnto him although he beates him so let vs be glad reioyce wheÌ„ our heaueÌ„ly father doth smile vpon vs in giuing vs the assuraunce of his loue although he doth afflict vs. By this I know that thou louest me because mine enemies do not c. Here further we are to coÌ„sider of the prouideÌ„ce and wisedome of God in that he turneth the rage and malice of our enemies tâ— our great good for by this he assureth vs oâ— his fauour which is the greatest good that is Thus you sée that the enemies of Gods childreÌ„ do them good against their will the Lord by his euer watching prouidence so disposing their enterprises and working in thâ— harts of his children for Gods prouidence doth first worke bring to passe good things secoÌ„dly it permitteth euill things to be done but then thirdly it directeth and ordereth aâ— things both good and bad to his
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
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 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
Parishe Clarkes which without any manner of calling thereunto from God doe intrude them selues into the Ministers office onely for a litle filthie lucre sake and most confusedly and disorderly tumble ouer the holy things of God as the Lordes prayer with diuers things which I blush to name vnder pretence forsooth of helping the Minister to say seruice a thing which I neuer saw but in this place How acceptable the prayers and seruice of such men are or rather how detestable it is vnto God I would they had grace to consider What will hypocrites and conteÌ„ners of the word preached say to this because they cannot chuse they come to common prayer which indéede is too much negelcted but as for other excercises of preaching and Catechising of all the most néedefull most proâ—â—table they dedicate those times to bowles or cardes or tables or tipling or wanton walking I know not what and then the exercises being done they repaire to the ordinary seruice where they make a fained confession and prayers and prayses for custome sake but He that turneth his eare froÌ„ hearing the law saith the holy Ghost euen his prayer shalbe abhominable If his prayer be abhominable what is his presumptuous prating and proude blaspheming Againe let pirates and rouers at sea with vsurers oppressours by land with swearers drunkardes filthie liuers Sabboth prophaners and such like lay this to their hart and God in mercy looke vpon them for their seruice done to God is as acceptable to his Maiestie as the harlots vowes and offrings of which we read in the 7. of the Prouerbes when she went about to entice vnto follie or as if they cut of a dogges head for the Lord. Againe if there be any husbands and wiues or any neighbours liuing in discord and suffering their harts to boyle in hatred one against another how can they thinke that the Lord wilbe delighted with their wrathfull prayers and prayses when they doe offer them what should I say more I would wish and I do earnestly desire that euery one would lay it to his hart to consider w t him selfe first what a sinne it is not to pray and praise God at all next how the sinne is encreased if they be not prepared and sanctified before they do blesse God as Dauid was for the sacrifices of the wicked are like the salutations of the Iewes when they bowed the knée vnto Christ and spit in his face together THE SEVENTH Sermon December 26. Blessed be the Lord God of Israell c. THe last Sabboth day we heard that Dauid hauing receiued assuraunces of Gods fauour towardes him returned prayse and thankes vnto the Lord for it how he was prepared thereunto we also heard then declared at large we will now consider and sée in what manner and forme he praysed God First let vs consider why he saith not simply Blessed be the Lord but blessed be the Lord God of Israel In these wordes be two points to be obserued First the cause why God loued him Secondly the largenesse and the greatnesse of Gods loue But first of the cause why God loued him and why he did so assure him of his loue fauor And that was not I warrant you any worthinesse that y e Lord found in Dauid nor for his frieÌ„ds sake nor for his couÌ„trey sake nor for his vertues sake but onely for his couenauÌ„t sake which the Lord made with his Church wherof Dauid was a member therefore must néedes haue his part amongest y e rest because God had so promised Blessed be the Lord God of Israell As if he should say I giue the Lord prayse thankes which hath choseÌ„ Israel to be his people which were not his peeple and hath bouÌ„d him self by promise to be y e God of Israel to watch ouer his people to assure theÌ„ of his fauor which deserued â—â—thing but his wrath displeasure for by this meanes I am now assured of his loue and fauor towards me which I should neuer haue had if the Lord had not chosen me to be one of theÌ„ vpoÌ„ whoÌ„ he meant to bestow his loue according to his gracious promise which he made to my fathers AbrahaÌ„ Isaac Iacob which was afterwardes called Israell and according to his promise which he made not onely to them but also to all their séede that is to all the faithful so hath he delt with his seruaunts blessed praysed be his name for it Now we sée the fountaine from whence springeth all the good that we haue blessed is Israell because the Lord is their God and blessed is England because the Lord is our God By this we may sée what an excellent thing it is to be of the Church of God for theÌ„ the Lord Iehouah the Lord almightie is our God and we are his people and if he be on our side who can be against vs or if any be against vs who caÌ„ preuaile against vs then are we in safetie from our enemies then are we vpholden in our integritie and prouided for according to our wants So that the Lord doth not saue vs nor helpe vs because we deserue it but because he hath so promised in Christ Iesus neither doth he chuse vs because he saw some goodnesse in vs but therfore is his goodnes grace bestowed vpoÌ„ vs because he hath first elected and chosen vs to be his people But now sée what a thing it is to be of the Church of God that is of the companie of Gods people and within the coÌ„passe of Gods couenaunt The Lord loueth the the gates of Sion that is the gates of his Church more then all the habitations of Iacob to shew how he loueth his Church for if he beareth such affection to the gates what affection doth he beare to the Citie If he loueth the most inferiour euen the porters of his Church that are set to kéepe the gates what doth he for the chief Citizens the common wealth of Israell no maruell though Dauid desired to be a doore kéeper in y e house of God for to be such a one yea to be the meanest in Gods Church is to be the beloued of the Lord at the least that wheÌ„ it is at the least is greater then all y e pleasures treasures of the earth yea it is better then wine saith the spouse of Christ in the Canticles that is better then all pleasures profites in the whole world But what doth he for his Church sée what he doth God is knoweÌ„ in Iudah saith y e Psalmist his name is great in Israel as if he should say god hath made his will and his counsels knowen to his Church the heatheÌ„ haue not the knowledge of his wayes The godly are of his couÌ„sell as Abraham was and is this a small matter But see yet more In ShaleÌ„ is his tabernacle his dwelling is in Zion as if he should say the dwellings of
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