mad and franticke immediately after their reproaches and indignities shewed against the seruants of God and ran vp and downe iustifying those in words whom they had condemned in deed And scarce any of them escaped but the hand of GOD was strongly and strangely vpon them all before they dyed To tell vs and teach vs this trueth that the persecutors of the Church defiled with the blood of the Saints shall not alway escape vnpunished albeit for a time they doe preuaile The Reasons are these First because God Reason 1 is true in all his words iust in all his works He is a most righteous Iudge who will take his owne cause into his hands and be glorified in the confusion of his aduersaries It cannot therefore be that they should escape seeing GOD so tendereth them their blood is precious in his sight Matth. 23 35. Not one drop of it shall fal to the ground vnreuenged he hath said Psal 105 35. Touch not mine annointed do my Prophets no harm He hath put all their teares in his bottle such as touch them to do them hurt do touch the apple of his own eye Yea whatsoeuer iniuries wroÌ„gs oppressions and indignities are offered vnto them he accounteth them as done vnto himselfe This our Sauiour testified from heauen when Paul made hauocke of the Church and breathed out threatnings against the Saints saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Actes 9 4. They haue not to do onely with men they fight against God and therefore shall not preuaile This reason is vrged by the Apostle 2 Th. 1.6 7. It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you to you which are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mighty Angels Againe he is a gracious God and merciful Reason 2 to his people therefore in his good time hee will punish their enemies and those that hate them He is as pittifull toward his children as he is iust against all their aduersaries This the Prophet expressely handleth at large Psalme 136 1â— 16 17 18. c. He ouerthrew Pharao his hoast in the red sea for his mercy endureth for euer which smote great Kings for his mercie endureth for euer and slew mighty Kinges for his mercy endureth for euer as Sihon King of the Amorites for his mercy endureth for euer and Og the King of Bashan for his mercy endureth for euer And gaue their Land for an heritage for his mercie endureth for euer euen an heritage vnto Israel his seruant for his mercy endureth for euer It remaineth to make vse and application of this Doctrine First it is a great comfort to the Church to consider how God is mindfull of vs in our distresses he doth not forget our afflictions he seeth the iniuries that are offered vnto vs as he surely saw the trouble of his people in Egypt and therefore we ought not to sinke downe in our miseries No chastising indeed for the present time seemeth to bee ioyous but greeuous but afterward it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnesse to them that are thereby exercised Heb. 12 11. So that in the midst of them we must reioyce Knowing that tribulation bringeth foorth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. Rom. 5 3 4 5. Albeit hee make vs runne through fire and water hee will in the ende bring vs to a sweete place of rest Let vs not therefore be dismayed for tribulation all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution Let vs not be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ Which is the power of God to saluation vnto all that beleeue Let vs waite for the day of our deliuerance assuring our selues that albeit the enemies of Gods people and Religion band themselues and assemble together against the Lord and against his Christ yet in the end he shall crush them with a Scepter of Iron â—m 2 2 9. and breake them in peeces like a Potters vessell not leaue so great iniquity vnpunished Thus doth Moses comfort the people Exod. 14. Feare ye not stand still and behold the saluation of the Lord which he will shew to you this day for the Egiptians whom ye haue seene this day ye shall neuer see them againe the Lord will fight for you therefore hold you your peace He will harden the hearts of the Egiptians and will get him honour vpon Pharaoh and vpon all his hoast and vpon all his Chariots and vpon his Horsemen to shew his power in theÌ„ and to declare his Name throughout all the world Thus doth God comfort Abraham Gen. 15 by foretelling that the same Nation which should deale so churlishly and cruelly with his posterity should not alway escape vnpunished but in the end he would recompence them according to their desarts Know for a surety that thy seed shall bee a Stranger in a Land that is not theirs foure hundreth years and shall serue theÌ„ and they shall intreate theÌ„ euill notwithstanding the Nation whom they shall serue I will iudge and afterward shall they come foorth with great substance Gen. 15 13 14. As if the Lord should haue said vnto him I would not haue thee dismayed and discouraged O Abraham by these heauy tydings which I haue told thee that thy children shall be strangers in a strange Land and not onely strangers but be made seruants and bondslaues and not onely made slaues but be euilly and despitefully handled thus God by a Rhetoricall Gradation seemeth to augment his sorrowes rather I would haue thee strengthen thy faith against this tentation comfort thy heart with this cogitation that I will in the end punish that barbarous Nation and bring vpon it all those euils which it hath brought vpon thy posterity when they haue filled to the full the measure of their sins The truth of this promise is set downe in the booke of Exodus from the seuenth chapter to the fifteenth which we may reade and in reading consider that God is true in all his promises and Prophesies and will accomplish whatsoeuer he hath spoken for the confusion and destruction of his enemies Let vs therefore comfort our selues and comfort one another in these things that God will arise and his enemies shall be scattered Secondly let vs refraine anger and reuenge Vse 2 toward such as deale euilly with vs. It is the nature of flesh and blood to rise in choler to desire reuenge and not to put vp wrongs and iniuries We must be more then a lumpe of flesh if we will be the children of God We see that Stephen when he was stoned prayed for his persecutors Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Acts 7 60. The like wee see in Christ our Sauiour toward those that crucified him The consideration of this truth that God
his power is not now weakened he can deale thus with all his enemies the enemies of his Church If he blow vpon them with the blast of his mouth they passe away suddenly as the chaffe is scattered before the winde An example heereof is recorded in the holy History 2 Chron. 20 23. when a great multitude of the Moabites Ammonites and Amorites assembled themselues to fight against Iehoshaphat after he had set himselfe to seeke the Lord proclaiming a fast throughout all Iudah asking counsell of the Lord and praying to him in the zeale of his spirit the enemies slew one another with the sword Thus doth God turn the edge of the sword drawne against the Church vpon themselues rescueth his people when there is none to helpe We haue had experience of Gods protection of his church our eyes haue seene and our eares haue heard how one hath butchered and murthered another whereby God hath giuen a time of rest and breathing vnto his seruants Hee is the same without changing with him is no variablenes neither shadow of turning if we turne to him with all our hearts he will turne to vs and not suffer the rod of the wicked alwaies to rest on the lot of the righteous lest they should put forth their hand to wickednes Therefore Israel dwelled in all the Cities of the Amorites in Heshbon and in all the Villages therof We haue heard of the murthers slaughters that were betweene the Moabites the Amorites in the which howsoeuer one sought to defend himselfe the other preuailed by vsurpation as might sometimes ouer-cometh right yet the purpose of God who ouer-swayeth all actions of men and draweth good out of euill was to giue rest to his people and to make them inherite and inhabite the Cities and Villages which the Amorites had wrongfully gotten Doctrine Gods childreÌ„ are oftentimes brought into the inheâ—itaÌ„ce of the vnfaithfull Hereby we learne for our instruction that God oftentimes bringeth the godly and faithfull that please him to inherite the Lands and possessions of the wicked and vngodly Howsoeuer the beleeuers that feare God are many times thrust out of house and home and haue their lawfull possessions taken from them as we see in Naboths Vineyard 2 King 21 15. Gen. 21 25. and in Abrahams Well yet sometimes God returneth in mercy to the faithfull and maketh the substance and inheritance of the vnfaithfull to descend vnto them This is confirmed in the Booke of Exodus at the departure of Israel out of the Land of Egypt at which time GOD recompenced the sore labours and heauy trauels of his people imposed vpon them by cruell taske-masters For they asked of the Egiptians Iewels of siluer and Ingots of gold and change of rayment then the Lord gaue them fauour in the sight of the Egiptians so that they granted their requests inriched the Israelites and spoiled themselues Exod. 12 35 36. This goodnesse of God the Prophet with praise acknowledgeth toward his people saying He cast out the Heathen before them caused them to fall to the lot of his inheritance c. Psal 78 55. This verifieth the saying of the wise man Prou. 28 8. He that encreaseth his riches by vsury and interest gathereth them for him that will be mercifull to the poore And in another place Prou 13.22 The good man shall giue inheritance to his childrens children and the riches of the sinner is laid vp for the iust In like manner Iob describing the condition of the vngodly fheweth that though he should heape vp siluer as the dust Iob 27.16 17. and prepare raiment as the clay hee may prepare it but the iust shall put it on and the innocent shall diuide the siluer Thus God taketh away the things of this life from such as vse theÌ„ wickedly and bestoweth them vpon such as will imploy them lawfully Reason 1 The Reasons remaine to be considered to strengthen this truth and to make it appeare to the conscientes of all of vs to be a necessary and apparant truth First of all the mercy of God toward such as are sealed vp to be his seruants is without end there is no brim nor bottome of it If then his mercy surmount our thoughts he will let passe no part of his kindnes toward them that do feare him Thus the Prophet reasoneth Psal 136 21 22. Where vpon these examples of Gods great kindnes toward Israel in ouerthrowing Sihon King of the Amorites and Og the King of Bashan hee saith He gaue their Land for an heritage for his mercy endureth for euer euen an heritage vnto Israel his seruant for his mercy endureth for euer Whensoeuer therefore wee see this come to passe we must acknowledge the cause of it to be in God who ceasseth not to bee good to those that be his Reason 2 Againe God maketh knowne his power among his people to teach them to depend vpon him to shew vnto them that they serue not a weake and impotent God to instruct them to walke in the obedience of his waies This the Prophet pointeth out Psalm 44 2 3 and 111 6 105 44 45. Vse 1 The vses follow First this truth teacheth who is the soueraigne disposer of all things in heauen and earth namely God He ordereth kingdomes and disposeth Countries he giueth and taketh away hee encreaseth and diminisheth he maketh rich and maketh poore It is not our owne strength or pollicy it is not our owne care or labour it is the bountifulnes and blessing of God that is all in all We haue heere beneath vpon the earth Owners and Land-lords we haue such as account themselues possessours of houses and lands but we must know that wee are all Tenants at will we enioy nothing by Lease or Indenture for terme of yeares but hold the tenure of the Lands and liuings at the will and pleasure of the great and high Land-lord of all the world This is the confession of Hannah in her song of thanksgiuing 1 Sam. 2 7 8. The Lord maketh poore and maketh rich bringeth low and exalteth he raiseth vp the poore out of the dust and lifteth vp the begger from the dunghill to set them among Princes and to make them inherite the seat of glory for the Pillars of the earth are the Lords and he hath set the world vpon them Whatsoeuer therefore we haue let vs acknowledge therein not our owne desarts or merites but the goodnes of God toward vs filling vs with good things to serue him Secondly let vs from hence confesse that Vse 2 all the carke and care of man with his best endeuours cannot alwaies attaine to the benefit and fruite of his trauell but he prouideth that which another enioyeth This the Prophet Haggai testifieth chap 1 6.9 Yee haue sowne much and bring in little ye eate but ye haue not enough ye drinke but ye are not filled ye cloathe you but ye are not warme c. According to that which
will chasten him with the rod of men and with the plague of the Children of men but my mercy shall not depart away from him as I tooke it from Saul whom I haue put away before thee So then he dealeth not extremely with his people but spareth them Malac. 3 17. as a man spareth his owne sonne that serueth him Reason 3 Thirdly as his nature is to shew mercy so knoweth he the matter whereof we are made and he considereth that we are but dust If he should deale with vs according to our deserts and pay vs home as wee haue prouoked him by sinning against him he should bring man to nothing and consume him for euer Wherfore the Lord saith I will not contend for euer neyther will I bee alwaies wroth Esay 57 16. for the spirite should faile before me I haue made the breath Wee are as a winde that soone passeth as a breath that is easily stopped and as the dust that is quickly blowne away The Prophet calleth this to our remembrance which wee ought to learne without the worde by daily experience Psal 103 13 14 15 and 78 38 39 and 30 5. As a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him for hee knoweth whereof wee bee made he remembreth that we are but dust the daies of man are as grasse as a flower of the field so flourisheth he And in another place He being mercifull forgaue their iniquity and destroyed them not but ofttimes called backe his anger and did not stirre vp all his anger for he remembred that they were flesh yea a winde that passeth and commeth not againe If then we consider that God punisheth vnwillingly that he sheweth mercy and remembreth our frailty wee must needs conclude with the same Prophet that he endureth but a while in his anger but in his fauour is life weeping may abide at euening but ioy cometh in the morning Let vs now obserue the vses that may bee gathered from this doctrine First marke the Vse 1 difference betweene God and man whose waies are not as our waies nor his works like vnto our workes It is not with God as it is with man Esay 27 4. Albeit he bee daily prouoked and offended yet he is not easily moued and vpon our submission and repentance he is quicklie appeased and his wrath by and by is turned backe Psal 103 8 9 10 11. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy slowe to anger and of great kindnesse hee will not alwaies chide neither keepe his anger for euer he hath not dealt with vs after our sinnes nor rewarded vs according to our iniquities for as high as the Heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercy toward them that feare him But when man is once moued hee sildome keepeth any meane or moderation he can hardly or neuer will be appeased againe albeit hee that hath offended and prouoked him doe submit himselfe vnto him and craue pardon for his offence Hence it is that God is constrained to restraine the outrage and cruelty of man in his Law that as a violent streame breakes out can be kept within no bounds of reason where he giueth in charge that if the wicked be worthy to be beaten Deut. 25 2 3 the Iudge shall cause him to lye downe and to bee beaten before his face according to his trespasse vnto a certaine number forty stripes shall because him to haue and not past lest if he should exceede and beate him aboue that with many stripes thy brother should appeare despised in thy sight This law declareth that so soon as we are iniuried a fire is kindled within vs we conceiue rancor and choler we fret and fume with indignation and cannot be reconciled wee are filled with our passions wee lay on loade and know no moderation If the Lord shoulde deale with vs as we measure to our brethren we were not able to beare it and abide it If he should be so fierce and full of rage against vs we should vtterly be destroyed and consumed but there is alwaies mercy with him that he may be feared Secondly this serueth greatly to comfort Vse 2 all the faithfull seruants of God to consider the moderation of his chasticements and the gentlenesse of his hand in all his corrections We see by daily experience how hee forbeareth vs and powreth not out all his wrath vpon vs. If it were not so it would oftentimes goe hard with vs. Albeit his hand be sharpe vpon vs yet wee must needs confesse our sins haue iustly deserued greater plagues longer plagues sharper plagues And when his iudgments are ceassed and withdrawne our sinnes are found to be as great and sometimes greater then before so that wee deserue other plagues and punishments to come in place immediately to follow the former Our deliuerance therfore is for his mercies sake Herevpon the Prophet saith Psal 30 5. He endureth but a while in his anger but in his fauour is life weeping may abide in the euening but ioy cometh in the morning In like manner sorrow may happen in the morning but ioy and comfort shall abide within the euening that we may acknowledge the greatnesse of his mercie and the shortnesse of his wrath Wee heard how sorrowfull a message and what heauy tydings Dauid had brought vnto him so soone as he was vp but this sorrow was soone turned into ioy and this heauinesse into gladnesse when the Angell of vengeance is commanded to stay his hand and to put vp the sword of iustice into his sheath To this purpose the Apostle teacheth the Hebrewes chap. 12. Heb. 12 9 10 12. Wee haue had the fathers of our bodies which corrected vs and we gaue them reuerence should we not much rather be in subiection vnto the Father of spirits that wee might liue For they verily for a few daies chastened vs after their owne pleasure but he chasteneth vs for our profite that we might bee partakers of his holinesse Wee must euermore remember that it is his mercy that moueth him to stay his hand and to call in his iudgements and to make our plagues to ceasse Wee cannot stand to pleade with GOD we must not iustifie our selues we ought not to hold our selues innocent but rather perswade our selues that God hath a iust quarrell and controuersie against vs. Hath he visited our brethren that dwell neere vs as good and peraduenture better then our selues and yet hath not touched vs Hath he freed vs when others haue felt the stroke of his rodde Haue wee stood vpright when others haue fallen downe When his arrowes flye abroad and sticke in the flesh and enter into the bones hath hee passed ouer vs and hidde vs vnder the shaddow of his wing as in a place of safety Oh consider this and let vs not forget the fauour of God toward vs O let vs remember his louing kindnesse and engraue it in
family which was the Church of God not onely Isaac the sonne of promise in whose seede the nations of the earth should bee blessed but Ismael that was borne after the flesh that mocked his brother persecuted him that was borne after the spirit and in the end was cast out of the Church Gen. 21.9 10. Gen. 21.9.10 Gal. 4.30 Gal. 3.30 And as it was with the father so was it with the son for we see this in the children of Isaac who stroue and struggled within the wombe of their mother Gen. 25.22 and when the time of her deliuerance came she brought foorth not only Iacob Gen. 32.24 who afterward was sirnamed Israel obtaining a farre more honourable name then all the Affricani or Germanici or Asiatici among the Romanes whose praise was wholly from the earth and a blast of the mouthes of mortall man whereas he wrastled with God in Peniel and preuailed but also prophane Esau Heb. 12 16. so branded as it were in the forehead by a marke of yron by the Spirit of God who sold his birth-right for a messe of pottage For the children being not yet borne neither hauing done any good or euil that the purpose of God according to the election might stand not of workes but of him that calleth It was said vnto her Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated Rom. 9.11.13 Rom. 9.11.13 Samuel was a man that feared God exceedingly and gouerned the people vprightly so that he appealed to the people and to the consciences of all men to witnesse his innocency and integrity what wrong he had done them whose oxe he had taken and whose asse he had taken or at whose hand he had receiued any bribe to blinde his eyes 1 Sam. 12.3 1 Sam. 12.3 Yet when hee was old and made his sonnes iudges ouer Israel they walked not in his wayes but turned aside after lucre they tooke bribes and peruerted iudgement 1 Sam. 8.3 1 Sam. 8.3 Dauid was a man after Gods owne heart yet he had not onely Salomon that was beloued of God 2. Sam. 13.14 and 15.16 1 Kin. 1.5 but also incestuous Amnon ambicious Absolon and trecherous Adonijah the first defiled his owne sister and wrought folly in Israel the other two rebelled against their father and sought to take away the kingdome from him The like we might say of Eli who sate vpon a seat by a post of the Temple and by his residence on his charge and daily attendance to giue answeres to the people that came vnto him gaue testimony of his godlinesse yet his sonnes were the sonnes of Belial and knew not the Lord 1 Sam. 2.12 1 Sam. 2.12 To conclude for the examples that might be brought to this purpose are infinite who was more Godly then Iosiah who remembred his creator in the dayes of his youth and reformed religion betimes in his kingdome yet his children followed not the wayes of their father but did euill in the sight of the Lord according to all that their wicked forefathers had done 2 King 23.32 37. 2 King 23. Iere. 22.18 Iere. 22.18 To all these testimonies of Scripture if we adde also the testimony of common experience of all ages and times and places and persons we may gather that all the children of the faithfull haue not beene alwayes continued vnder the covenant of God nor followed the steppes of their faithfull parents to be like vnto them Now because this is a point diligently to Reason 1 be marked of vs let vs consider the reasons whereby it may be better confirmed vnto vs. First to shew the election of God which is the highest steppe of our saluation to stand vpon the free wil and purpose of God and not vpon ordinary succession or naturall generation or any causes in our owne selues to the end that all both parents and children should confesse that such as haue receiued this power and prerogatiue to beleeue in the Name of Christ Iesus are borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Ioh. 1.13 Ioh. 1.13 This reason is noted concerning Iacob Rom. 9.11 that the purpose of God might stand according to election not of any workes but by him that calleth this was it that made difference betweene him and his brother Secondly that the best seruants of God Reason 2 may acknowledge that they can by no means conuey to their posterity the graces of God the gifts of sanctification repentance from dead workes which themselues haue receiued from God by supernaturall meanes and not by naturall they begetting naturally children of wrath as well as other men euen sinfull children tainted and defiled with originall corruption Adam begate Seth in his owne image that is in his naturall inclination to euil Gen. 5.3 Gen. 5.3 Hence it is that Dauid acknowledgeth he was shapen in iniquity and that in sinne his mother did conceiue him Psal 51. Psal 51. So then as the corne that is purged from the chaffe and made cleane bringeth vp corne againe together with the chaffe and as the father that is circumcised begetteth children that are vncircumcised so such parents as are sanctified themselues cannot leaue to their issue any sanctifying graces which must come onely from aboue from the Father of lights Reason 3 Thirdly God hath a purpose to shew his iustice in the destruction of the stubborne and disobedient as he doth his mercy in the saluation of those that are godly and obedient This is the reason rendred by the Spirit of God that albeit the sonnes of Eli were reproued by their father yet they hearkened not vnto his voyce because the Lord would slay them 1 Sam. 2.25 â— Sam. 2.25 God is determined to glorifie himselfe and his great Name in their destruction as they resolued and setled themselues their whole liues to dishonour him to their confusion Reason 4 Lastly the children euen of faithfull and godly parents doe oftentimes want the good meanes of a godly education and therefore no maruell if their hearts not being ploughed vp doe bring forth cockle and darnell in stead of good corne For the children of God doe themselues through humane frailty and infirmity sometimes faile in the performance of this duty They cocker them and are too choice and nice ouer them they dare not offend them or speake a word against them which ouerweening and suffering of them to haue their will too much God punisheth in their children whereof we haue a worthy example in Dauid toward Adonijah who exalted himselfe against his father saying I will be king and he prepared him chariots and horsemen and fifty men to runne before him The occasion of this presumption and rebellion is noted to be thus King 1.6 His father had not displeased him at any time in saying Why hast thou done so He failed toward him more then Eli did toward his sons for he said
we endure bee greeuous for the measure manifold for the number strange for the manner and long for the continuance yet if we put on the armour of a Christian it shall worke in vs experience of Gods mercy and bring forth hope of a full deliuerance which maketh not ashamed Verse 14. Thus saith thy Brother Israel Hitherto of the request sent by Moses deliuered by the Ambassadors and consented vnto by the whole congregation now we are to mark the reasons vsed to stirre vp the hearts of the Edomites The first is drawne from their nerenesse of blood and kindred in the flesh We are your Brethren Now if wee be Brethren then helpe vs But we are Brethren therefore helpe vs. The word Brother is taken in Scripture sundry waies 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 First for such as are brethren by birth as Cain Abel Iacob Esau Secondly by affinity which come of one family as branches of one roote â—s 13 8. â— 12. and streames issuing out of one fountaine so Abraham and Lot were brethren and the kinsmen of Christ are called his brethren Thirdly by Country Nation thus all the Iewes are called Brethren one to another Deut. 17.15 Rom. 9 1. Fourthly by profession thus all Christians are accounted Brethren being of the same religion and profession Now in this place it is taken in the second sence for such as were of the same kindred stocke as if they should say Wee are all the seed of Abraham we haue Abraham and Isaac to our father Thus we see they alledge their alliance communion of the same blood descending long agoe by many generations from one father Obserue here first of al the maner of their reasoning If we be Brethren of one kindred deny vs not this fauour but suffer vs to passe Where we see the strength of this reason how that to perswade some kindnes they plead some kindred Doctrine The consideration of our communion one with another must draw vs to the duties of loue one to another and beseech them by the amiable name of a Brother From hence wee learne that the consideration of our nerenesse and coniunction of blood must vrge and inforce from vs all duties of loue and brotherly kindnesse Howsoeuer we are to do good to all yet our Communion in blood should be a forcible meanes to moue vs to al duties of humanity This moued Abraham to take away the heate of contention kindled betweene his Heardmen and the Heardmen of Lot Genesis 13 8 Exodus 2 13. Let not vs I pray thee striue for we are Brethren The like we see pressed by Moses to the Israelites striuing together to the dishonor of God to the slander of their profession and to the opening of the mouthes of the enemies Sirs ye are Brethren Acts 7 26. why then do ye wrong one another This consideration was so strong that it preuailed with Laban toward Iacob saying Though thou be my brother sholdst thou therefore serue me for nought Genes 29 15. I will giue thee wages So Dauid vpon this ground expecteth kindnesse and reprooueth the Tribe of Iudah for their negligence in bringing him vnto his house Yee are my Brethren 2 Sam. 19 11 12. my bones and flesh are ye wherefore then are yee the last that bring the King againe The Reasons follow First the communion Reason 1 and fellowship of the same nature ought to moue vs to be bountifull and beneficiall vnto men because we must do to others as we wish and would that others should do vnto vs. Let vs put the case suppose we were in distresse would we not be glad to receiue good at the hands of others and would we not thinke it a duty belonging vnto them as men to releeue succor vs as men Euen so ought we in like case to doe and deale with them according to the rule of the Law and the exhortation of Christ Matth. 7 11. Whatsoeuer ye would that men should doe vnto you do ye euen the same vnto them for this is the Law and the Prophets Secondly the flesh of one is as the flesh of an Reason 2 other all the world was made of one flesh so that we are as it were parts and members one of another We see in the members of our body how one is helpful and seruiceable to another when one is pained the rest are troubled when one is honored the rest reioyce So should it be in the generall communion and coniunction of mankind This is that which the Israelites affirm being oppressed by their brethreÌ„ Our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren our sons as their sons Nehem. 5 5. and therefore in this consideration they looked for the duties of kindnes and fruits of humanity to come from them The Vse of this Doctrine is first of all to reprooue those that breake these bands and Vse 1 cast these cords from them wherewith the Lord hath tyed vs one to another For where many times shall you finde lesse familiaritie and friendship one with another then among those that are most neerely linked and allied one to another Their often iarres and most deadly dissentions proclaime to their open shame that they are voide not onely of true piety but of all due humanity What a reproch is it yea what a blot and blemish that the husband setteth himselfe against the wife and the wife against the husband the father falleth out with the son and the son with the father the mother caÌ„not liue peaceably with the daughter nor the daughter with the mother the mother in law with the daughter in law nor the daughter in law with the mother in law and that the loue of brethren and sisters is so geason among vs Great is the force and strength of Nature in all such as are not wholly without naturall affections as we see in Dauid albeit he had a godlesse and vngracious childe aspiring in the pride of his heart to vsurpe the kingdome and driuing his father out of Ierusalem yet when he was slaine in the battel the King was moued and mourned saying O my sonne Absolon my sonne my sonne Absolon would God I had dyed for thee O Absolon my son my son 2 Sam. 18 33. The like we see in the true mother to her childe whose bowels yerned within her when Salomon called for a sword to diuide it 1 Kings 3 26. The like force of loue could not be dissembled in Ioseph toward his brethren Gen. 45 1 1. and 33 4. but he turned from them his heart melted toward them Yea cruell Esau when he saw his brother a farre off though he had threatned to kill him yet he ran to meete him and imbraced him hee kissed him and wept vpon him And yet wee now see by lamentable experience that euery toy trifle maketh debate not onely betweene deerest friends but betweene neerest Kinsfolkes that they can neuer be reconciled And as no
Patriarkes and Prophets that by faith receiued a good report concludeth that we must rather looke to the example of Christ the Author finisher of our faith who endured the Crosse and despised the shame for the ioy that was set before him If theÌ„ the example of God be to be followed of vs we must be moued to shew mercy where we see the bountiful hand of God opened before vs. Reason 2 Secondly we are the children of God wee are the seruants of God we are the subiects of his kingdome we must therefore seeke to be like to him resemble him in our obedience to his Commandements as the Apostle Peter sheweth 1 Pet. 1.14.15.16 As obedient children fashion not your selues vnto the former lustes of your ignorance but as he which hath called you is holy so bee ye holy in all manner of conuersation because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy And thus saith the Lord by Malachy the Prophet ch 1 6. A sonne honoreth his father and a seruant his master If then I be a Father where is mine honour If I be a Master where is my feare Hereunto accordeth and agreeth the exhortation of Christ Ioh. 13 12 13 14. Know ye what I haue done to you Yee call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am If I then your Lord and Master haue washed your feete ye ought also to wash one anothers feet For I haue giuen you an example that ye should do euen as I haue done to you Vse 1 The vses First let vs learne to acknowledge from hence this truth that great is Gods mercy who neuer faileth nor forsaketh those that are his For assuredly his mercy and compassion should neuer be propounded to vs as a rule to direct vs and as an example to guide vs if there were not infinite loue in him and in our God plentifull redemption Wherefore we may safely conclude this principle of our faith and teach it to others that the mercies of God are sure and certaine to his Church This the Prophet handleth at large Psal 103 8 11 13. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy slowe to anger and of great kindnesse as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercy toward theÌ„ that feare him As a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him There is no end no measure no limitation of his mercy compassion The height of it is not to be taken the depth of it is not to be found the length and bredth of it is not to be comprehended It is higher then the heauens it is deeper then the graue it is longer then the earth it is broader then the sea Who is it that by searching can finde out God Iob 11 7 8 9. or search out the Almighty to his perfection For loue and mercy pitty are not in God as they are in men In vs they are such graces of the Spirit of God as wee are qualified withall througâ— his gift they are streames flowing from his Fountaine and as light drawne from his Candle But in God are no qualities or accidents he is of none but hath his being of himselfe giueth being to all other things Therefore the Apostle saith God is loue it selfe not onely the Fountaine and well-spring of loue 1 Iohn 4 16. but loue it selfe And one saith truely and properly Bernard in de d. l g. Deo God is not wise but wisedome it selfe not iust but iustice it selfe not pittifull but pitty it selfe not mercifull but mercy it selfe not good but goodnesse it selfe This is a great comfort and refreshing to vs in all afflictions be they neuer so great be they neuer so greeuous there is no infirmitie and weaknesse in God his mercy is ouer al his works he is infinite in compassion he can no more ceasse to bee mercifull then ceasse to be God and therefore it being essentiall to him our misery can neuer exceed or counteruaile his mercy Secondly we must Vse 2 learne from hence to loue all the creatures of God albeit not all equally after the example of God We reade euery where in the Scripture of the loue of God louing not onely his Sonne his Church his Elect Zanch denâ— dei lib. 4 â—ap quest 2. Acts 14 17 but the rest of the world the reprobate and all his creatures Giuing them raine and fruitefull seasons filling their hearts with ioy and gladnesse Let vs therefore first see what the loue of God is He loueth all his creatures euen all the works of his hands He saw all that he had made and loe Gen. 1 31. they were exceeding good Yea he doth good to all in him they moue liue breathe and haue their being Notwithstanding he loueth his elect and chosen people ordained to eternall life more then the rest of mankinde whom he leaueth in their sinne to worke out their owne confusion as the Apostle teacheth Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated For touching the faithfull Rom. 9 14 Rom â— 3â— Rom 3 2â— 1 Thess 5 â— Iohn 14 2â— Math. 25 â— he calleth them effectually he iustifieth theÌ„ freely he sanctifieth them throughly in soule and body yea as the faithfull increase in grace the exercises of piety so they more and more feele the loue of God toward them as Christ speaketh He that keepeth my Commandements is he that loueth me and he that loueth me shall bee loued of my Father Heere then we haue an example before vs for our continuall instruction to guide vs in the matter and measure of our loue For first the meanest of the creatures are to be loued none of them are to be abused of vs. Hereunto tend the lawes giueÌ„ to the Iewes not to oppresse our Cattell not to musle the mouth of the Oxe nor to take the dam with the young to helpe vp the Asse sinking falling vnder his burthen and such like Secondly we must much more loue mankinde made after the Image of God yea euen our enemies according to the commandement of our Lord and Master Christ Math. 5 44 45. This is not a counsell but a Commandement charging vs to loue our enemies seeking their good thirsting after their saluation ouercomming euill with goodnesse heaping coales of fire vpon their head and thereby gathering an assurance to our owne hearts that wee are the children of God Thirdly it belongeth to the faithfull to loue the faithfull with an especiall loue as children with them of the selfe same Father heyres with them of the same kingdome for heereby we shall know that we are translated from death to life â—hn 3 14. because wee loue the brethren This the Apostle teacheth Gal. 6 10. While we haue time let vs do good to all men but especially vnto them that are of the houshold of faith So that in the duties of loue we must preferre our godly
whether we shall returne to them aliue or not forasmuch as wee carry about vs euermore houses of clay And when we come into them we know not whether we shall go out of them againe vpon our feet or be carried out vpon the shoulders of others Lastly the manner and kinde of our death is also as vnknowne as the rest whether we shall dye a naturall or a violent death a suddaine or a lingring death whether our life shall be prolonged to the last point and period of nature our heat and moysture being consumed Cicer. de ◠as the light of a candle consumeth by little and little and at length goeth out of it selfe or whether it shall be taken away by fire by water by sword by famine by pestilence by beasts and such like casualties incident to the sonnes of men all which proclaime and publish in our hearts the vaine condition of all flesh Reason 2 Secondly God hath prepared for vs a City whereof he is the builder and maker This City we seeke being Citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem the mother of vs all For we shall neuer sufficiently be brought to acknowledge our fraile and brittle estate vnlesse wee be raised and lifted vp to the meditation of our future condition in the life to come If then the kingdome of glory be a place of rest what is this present estate but a sea of sorrowes If the heauen be our natiue Country what is the earth but an exile and banishment ◠3 20. If it bee true happinesse to enioy the blessed presence of the liuing God then it must needs be a miserable thing and death it selfe to want it If to leaue this earthly tabernacle be a setting of vs free and at liberty what is this body but a prison If immortality be as the putting on of a garment 〈◊〉 5.6 what is our mortality but as it were a nakednesse Lastly if to die in the Lord bee to goe vnto God what is this life but an absence from him This did the Patriarkes professe and to this they sealed by their practise Heb. 11 13 14 15 16. Abraham possessed not one bredth of a foote sauing the purchase bought to bury his dead Iacob was banished out of that Land a great part of his life Isaac and the rest of the fathers had but their walke in it and enioyed it as a pledge of another Country which is aboue Vse 1 The vses follow If we haue heere no abiding City in the daies of our vanity then acknowledge Gods great mercy toward vs being so vaine We see other creatures in their estate more permanent then man is far exceeding and excelling in naturall gifts in seeing tasting mouing hearing touching and such like properties yet no creature tasteth of his sauing mercies as man doth This consideration doth the Prophet leade vs vnto Psal 8 3 4 6 7 9 that hee is mindfull of him and visiteth him and hath put all things vnder his feet There is no merite in vs to be a motiue to moue him to shew so great mercy vnto vs. He findeth vs walking in our sinnes as it were wallowing in our blood all our righteousnesse is as a foule and filthy cloth Esay 64 6. This vse Dauid vrgeth Psal 103 14 15 16 18. Hee knoweth whereof we are made he remembreth that wee are but dust the daies of man are as grasse as a flower of the field so flourisheth he but the louing kindnesse of the Lord endureth for euer he is full of cōpassion and mercy slowe to anger of great kindnesse So that he confirmeth himselfe others in Gods mercy by the consideration of our owne vanity Vse 2 Secondly seeing our daies be vaine short why doe we carke and care so much for the things of this life what we shall eate what we shall drinke and what we shall put on Why do we eate the bread of sorrow with too much painfulnesse heape vp worldly things It may be we shal not come to the sight of the fruite of our labours much lesse to the partaking of it A traueller the shorter his iourney is the lesse his prouision is We are all trauellers we are in the way to our country and we are not far from the end of our iourney what folly then and madnesse is it to cast all our thoughts and meditations to earthly things and to care not onely for the morrow Math 6 25 34 but for moneths and yeares This our Sauiour setteth downe Luke 12 19 20 21 for when the rich man saide to his soule Soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeares liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime It was answered him O foole this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee then whose shall these things bee which thou hast prouided So is he that gathereth riches and is not rich in God Hereunto consenteth the Apostle Iames chap 4 13 14 15. Go to now ye that say to day or to morrow we will goe into such a City and continue there a yeare buy sell and get gaine and yet ye cannot tell what shall be to morrow for what is your life It is euen a vapour that appeareth for a little time and afterward vanisheth away for that yee ought to say Thus rather the words are to be read if the Lord will both we shall liue and we shall do this or that Salomon hauing had plentifull experience of the shortnesse and vanity of mans life penned to this purpose the Booke of Ecclesiastes which is as it were the marrow and pith yea the very quintessence of all his best knowledge and wherein we may see the refined wisedome of reformed Salomon he proclaimeth Vanity of vanities all is vanity there is an euill which I saw vnder the Sunne and it is much among men one to whom God hath giuen riches treasures and honour he wanteth nothing for his soule of all that it desireth but God giueth him not power to eate thereof a strange man shall eate it vp though he leaue no sparke behind him neither son nor brother yet doth he not thinke for whom do I trauaile and defraud my soule of pleasure This also is vanity and this is an euill trauaile Eccles 1 2 and 4 8 and 5 12 and 6 1 2. To conclude this vse if we be not strangers in this life wee shall haue no part in the kingdome of heauen If we will haue God to auow and acknowledge vs for his children let vs liue heere as forreigners and warfaring men in our iourney or rather in our race We haue pitched and patched vp a Tent or Tabernacle for a day or a night we must not nestle our selues heere we must not alwayes goe groueling to the ground nor intangle our selues in the affaires of this life to make it our euerlasting habitation but bee flying vpwards as birds sitting vpon a bough True it is God is so fauourable to many
which we should account as the life of our liues Seeing therefore on the one side Warre is the iust wages of great sins and on the other side peace bringeth with it many blessings of all sorts spirituall and temporall we conclude that many are the miseries of warre The vses are in the next place to be thought vpon and application â—o be made of this Doctrine Vse 1 First let vs pray earnestly to God and call vpon him faithfully to keep from vs both warres and the rumors of wars and continue peace in our borders with the free publike vse of the Gospel to vs and to our posterities that there may not be the voice of lamentation lifted vp in our streetes weeping mourning and great howling Rachel weeping for her children and would not be comforted because they were not Mat. 2 18. Ier. 31 15. We liue in a plentifull and well-peopled Land no Nation vnder heauen is more populous This is a blessing of God as Moses declareth Leuit. 26 9. Likewise Prouerbs 14 28 Yet many times we repine at his mercie we thinke the Land will be too little for vs and that we shall not be able to liue one for another Hee can make roome enough for vs if he once send the bright weapons of warre and the glistering sword of the bloody enemy among vs. He can make fewer of vs and turne our Land into bryars thornes and make it a place of Salt-pits and Nettles Then shall a man nourish a yong Cow and two Sheepe Esay 7 21 22. and 4 1. and for the abundance of Milke that they shall giue he shall eate Butter The number of men shall then be so small thaâ— a few beasts shall bee sufficient to nourish the remnant abundantly Then shall seuen women take hold of one man saying We will eate our owne bread and will weare our owne garments onely let vs bee called by thy name and take away our reproch Let vs therefore in this great encrease of the land and store of people acknowledge his mercy let vs reioyce in the society one of another and pray that wee taste not the bitternesse of war that there be no slaying with the sword no shedding of blood no carrying into captiuity This the Prophet teacheth Ps 144 desiring God to continue his benefites toward his people the fruite of the wombe the filling of store-houses the encrease of sheepe the quietnesse of peace Psal 144 12 13 14 15. That our sonnes being as the plants growing vp in their youth and our daughters being as the corner stones may be the building of the temple that our corners may be full and our Oxen strong to labor that there be no inuasion nor going out nor no crying in our streets O blessed are the people that bee so yea blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. Where we see the Prophet prayeth and directeth vs to pray that there may be no taste of the sharpnesse and misery of warre nor we know the assaulting of our Citties nor going out to warfare that there may be no sorrow of heart no weeping of eyes no wringing of hands no shriking of voices among vs. Were it not a wofull and lamentable thing to see fire without mercy and without quenching consuming houses eating vp all things and sparing nothing How much more to see and heare and feele the affliction of warre when all things are in confusion and combustion For this is one great mischiefe and bitternes of warre that all things are holden to be lawfull and all men make themselues to bee lawlesse There is no regard of right or equity of shame or conscience when many times the souldiers are as hungry as wolues as cruell as Tygers as fierce as Lions as merciles as Bears robbed of their whelpes which spoyle in the euening and leaue not the bones vntill the morning Liberty is oppressed good men feare euill men expect knowing it is best fishing in troubled water if there be any place free from tumult at least there is none void of suspition and free from iealousie few then are to be trusted and none assured all things in confusion violence spoyling blood murthers outcrying and nothing else before our eyes but a lamentable face of all calamities extremities The Prophet Zachary describing the golden dayes of a peaceable life which should be giuen to the Israelites when they were returned from captiuity saith Zac. 8 4 5. There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Ierusalem and euery man with his staffe in his hand for verie age and the streets of the City shal be full of boyes girles playing in the streets therof Then is the mouth of the people filled with laughter and their tongue with ioy Psal 46 9. When the Lord maketh warres to cease vnto the end of the world he breaketh the bow and cutteth the speare burneth the Chariots with fire But in the time of war and in the day of battaile all things are turned topsie-turuý all things lye open to sacking and pillage to insolencie of souldiers to desire of reuenge and to most horrible accidents Then we are constrayned to see and lament the slaughter of men the rauishing of women the deflouring of virgins the spoyling of goods the robbing of houses the taking of prisoners the breaking of lawes the defacing of iustice the intermission of sowing the innouation of estates the subuersion of realmes the desolation of countries the violation of religion the destruction of Citties the effusion of blood the suffering of famine and sometimes the extreamity of eating children and alwayes the ouerthrowing of all order and honesty Who is able to recount rehearse the great horror and feare the sorow and mourning the weeping and lamentation the seditions tumults outrages villanies insurrections conspiracies calamities dangers difficulties and the miserable traine of infinit miseries and maladies that war bringeth with it No maruell therefore if Dauid preferred the pestilence before the sword 2 Sam. 24 14. desiring that hee might fall into the hands of the Lord because his mercies are great and not fall into the hands of man whose bowels of pitty are instruments of cruelty Let vs therefore pray earnestly and feruently vnto God that wee may not haue experience of these troubles nor endure the violence of this fire and intreat him to continue a gracious God to vs and to our posterities for euer This we see fruitfully and profitably practised by the people of Israel when the Lord for their idolatry threatned to deliuer them no more out of the handes of their enemies and bad them cry vnto the gods which they had chosen that they might saue them in the time of their tribulation they said vnto the Lord We haue sinned do thou vnto vs whatsoeuer please thee onely we pray thee to deliuer vs this day from our enemies Iudg. 10 10 11 12. Secondly let vs learne by the horror of the Vse 2
for vs when we sleep he heareth when we are deafe he riseth vp for vs when we lie downe hee is a buckler about vs when we are assaulted he is the God of knowledge when wee are ignorant And if euer there were people vnder the heauen that hath experience of Gods watchfulnesse in this kinde it is this Nation of great Britaine O vnthankfulnes if we doe not acknowledge it O wretchednesse if we doe not euer remember it O wickednes if we do not teach it to our posterities For hath not God deliuered vs from the most cursed and execrable plot of desperate enemies that euer was contriued against the King the Queene the Prince and the rest of their progeny against the Lords the Commons the whole Church kingdome â—hen the fift 〈◊〉 Noâ—â—â— An. 〈◊〉 5. determining suddainly to haue blowne vp the whole house of Parliament with gun-powder Now as this was an inuention bloody an intention barbarous and inhumane See Act. 〈…〉 3. so by what meanes were wee deliuered was it by our fasting and prayer was it by humbling our selues before our God and crying strongly in the eares of the Lord of hostes was it by our teares and weeping for our sins saying spare thy people O Lord and giue not thine inheritance into reproch that the Priests and Iesuites should rule ouer them Nay we vsed none of all these we suspected no danger we feared no enemies we dreamed of no diuelish deuices against the land so that to detect and disclose the fore-named cursed conspiracy was the Lords doing onely and it is marueilous in our eyes When an inuasion in the yeere 88. was intended by the supposed inuincible Armado glorying in their strength munition shippes preparations confederates it was indeed the Lords mercy toward vs to crosse and curse their attempt and to raise the windes and seas against them howbeit this was not without vsing of meanes as rigging of shippes arming of men mustering of souldiers yea it was not without sanctifying of fasts calling solemne assemblies and crying vnto the Lord. If then wee did sing songs of thanksgiuing for that deliuerance how should our hearts be kindled and inflamed with ioyfulnesse and with what praises should wee expresse our thankfulnes 〈…〉 but euen vow vnto the Lord our selues our soules and bodies to offer them vp a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto him For as many haue bene the practices of the malicious and bloody Papists yet this surmounteth them all so many haue bene the deliuerances of our Princes of our Rulers of our Magistrates of our Ministers of our people but this surmounteth and surpasseth them all Psal 95 1 2. Let vs therefore reioyce vnto the Lord let vs sing aloud to the rock of our saluation let vs come before his face with praise let vs sing loud vnto him with Psalmes for the Lord is a great God and a great King aboue all gods He sitteth in heauen and laugheth to scorne the deuices of the wicked He ruleth in earth and maketh all his enemies his footstoole Verse 28. Then the Lord opened the mouth of the Asse When Balaam had smitten his Asse three times that had saued his life it pleased God to worke a wonder to alter the course of nature to giue speech to the Asse to make her able to reproue her master God indeed could otherwise haue set his sin in order before him but a dumbe beast is teacher fit enough for the fals Prophet We see hereby Doctrine God oftentimes worketh aboue nature that God so often as it pleaseth him worketh aboue nature ordinary meanes Hereunto come al the miracles which God hath shewed from the beginning of the world He gaue vnto Abraham Sarah a son in their old age who quickneth the dead Rom. 4 17. and calleth those things which be not as though they were He stayed the course of the Sun diuided the red sea fed his people with Manna Heb. 11 33 34. stopped the mouthes of Lions quenched the violence of fire opened the earth to swallow his enemies brought water out of the hard rocke Hee sent signes and wonders in the land of Egypt vnto this day in Israel and among al men hath made him a name as appeareth this day Hee brought his people out of the hand of Pharaoh with signes with wonders with a strong hand with a stretched out arme and with a great terrour He gaue power to a virgin to conceiue beare a son that he might saue his people from their sins Ier 32.20 Math 1 21 23. The reasons remaine to be considered and Reason 1 handled to confirme vs farther First marke the nature of God he is great in counsell glorious in holines fearefull in praises mighty in his workes and in his enterprises Who made the heauen who framed the earth and laide the foundation thereof vpon the depth who brought light out of darknesse Is it not the Lord that doth whatsoeuer he will in heauen in earth in the depth and in all the world This the Prophet Ieremy teacheth chap. 32. Ah Lord God behold thou hast made the heauen and the earth by thy great power Ier. 32.17 by thy stretched out arme and there is nothing hard vnto thee he maketh the barren fruitfull Psal 136.5 â— he brought all things out of nothing who onely doth great wonders for his mercy endureth for euer who by his wisedome made the heauens and hath stretched out the earth vpon the waters for his mercy endureth for euer Againe therby he maketh his name known Reason 2 and his power to bee acknowledged in the world This is declared by Nehemiah in the prayer of the Leuites chap. 9. Thou hast considered the afflictioÌ„ of our fathers in Egypt heard their cry by the red Sea and shewed tokens and wonders vpon Pharaoh and on all his seruants and on all the people of the land for thou knowest that they dealt proudly against them Neh. 9 9 10. therefore thou madest thee a Name as appeareth this day Wherefore to the end the power and presence of God may bee knowne both to the Church and the enemies of the Church hee breaketh and interrupteth the naturall order and course of things Heereupon it is that Ioshua calleth the children of Israel and telleth them that by the miracle of diuiding the waters of Iordan Iosh 3 10. they should know that the liuing GOD was among them and would cast out the Canaanites before them Vse 1 The vse of this doctrine may bee made in this manner First it serueth fitly to condemne all Atheists and earth-wormes that aduance nature to throw downe the power of God Indeed if GOD onely wrought by ordinary meanes and according to the strength of second causes some pretence might bee alleaged and some colour of reason produced to doubt of the diuine power But seeing GOD worketh not onely by nature and by meanes but sometimes aboue
do the sparkes flye out are scattered abroad to the shame and confusion of their owne faces This is it which the Prophet noteth in the people of Israel whom God of his mercy had chosen to be his Church aboue other Nations When the wrath of God came euen vpon them and slew the strongest of them and smote downe the chosen men of Israel then they returned to him and sought him early then they remembred that God was their strength and the most high God their redeemer but they flattered him with their lips and dissembled with him with their tongue for their heart was not vpright with him neither were they faithfull in his couenat Psal 78 31 34 35 36. Where we see that howsoeuer hypocrisy were in their secret soules and deepe dissimulation in their secret parts yet a counterfet repentance is in their mouthes their owne harts had taught their tongues to lye against God Secondly they would be like the children Reason 2 of God in their afflictions whom they regard not to follow in their conuersations They hate them with a deadly hatred and cannot abide them in their life so long as themselues liue in peace and sleepe in security but when the hand of God is heauy vpon them theÌ„ they would follow their example and would giue a world that they were like vnto them That they might die the death of the righteous Numb 23 10. yet is their confession no true confession because it proceedeth not from a feeling of the filthinesse of sinne but ariseth from a feare of punishment and therefore it is without conuersion to God without hope of mercy without prayer for pardon without hatred of sinne and without purpose to amend The vses of this doctrine are these First Vse 1 this ouerthroweth the doctrine of the Church of Rome which teacheth that confession is a part of true repentance which is a turning of the heart and a right reformation of the life For they make three parts of repentance contâ—ition of the heatt confession of the tongue satisfaction of the worke But these are not to be holden of vs as essentiall parts of a right repentance inasmuch as they may agree to the Reprobate and vnregenerate and are all of them found in Iudas that betrayed his Master Math. 27 34. For when he saw that Christ was condemned he sorrowed was striken with greefe for the treachery hee had committed againe he confessed his sinne before the high Priests in betraying innocent blood Lastly he made satisfaction and restitution of the mony which he had receiued Besides if wee marke their owne doctrine Catech. Rom. pag. 437. Tho. Aquin lib. 4. dist 2. quaest 1. art 1. who teach that contrition is an act of a mans free will proceeding from it not an act of the Holy-Ghost and that satisfaction may bee performed by another one satisfying for another as well as for himselfe Ioh. Chapeauil summ Catech. Rom. we may truely and soundly conclude from their false and vnsound doctrine that the reprobate may haue sorow of heart yea make confession and satisfaction and consequently their confession is no true member of repentance This therefore cannot be the true Religion which faileth and faultereth in the chiefe points and foundations thereof The like wee might say of the faith of the Romane Church which a reprobate may attaine For they define it to be a gift of God and a certaine light of the minde whereby a man giueth a sure and a certain assent to those things that are reuealed in the Word of God Rhe. Testam vpon 2 Cor. 13. And therefore our English Rhemists write that we may know and feele whether we haue faith but cannot know whether we be in the state of grace So Bellarmine in his first booke of Iustification auoucheth that whereas wee are taught in the Creed to beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes Bellar. de Iustif lib. 1. ca. 9. Sensus illius articuli non est credo aut confido mihi remissa esse peccata sed credo confiâ—cor in Ecclesia Catholica esse donum remissionâ—s peccatorum c. Iam. 2.19 Heb. 6.5 Luke 8 13. The meaning of that Article is not I beleeue or trust that my sins are forgiuen but I beleeue and confesse that the gift of forgiuing sins is found in the Catholike Church which is receiued by Baptisme and other Sacraments All this is but an historicall and generall faith which the diuell himselfe hath who beleeueth and trembleth as the Apostle teacheth and therefore also the reprobates whose mindes are so far enlightened to know the truth This is to beleeue as the Church beleeueth albeit they know nothing how the Church beleeueth If then the reprobate may be made partakers of the faith and repentance of the Church of Rome Acts 20 20.21 which are the two chiefe parts of Religion it confuteth those Polititians wise in their owne eyes who neither shame nor feare to maintaine that the Romish Religion differeth not in substance from the doctrine of the reformed Churches and consequently that they may be vnited reconciled If they can make a fellowship betweene righteousnesse and vnrighteousnes a communion betweene light and darknesse concord betweene Christ and Belial then they may make an harmony and hotch-potch betweene these two so contrary the one to the other But they shall assoone bring the North and South pole together and cause heauen earth to ioyne in one as these two the one grounded vpon the infallible rock of the Scriptures onely the other builded vpon the traditions of their fathers Vse 2 Secondly we must learne that they are further from the Kingdome of heauen that deny their sinne that hide it that excuse and iustifie it the reprobate shall rise vp in iudgment and condemne this generation It is one steppe toward the Kingdome of Heauen to tremble at the iudgements of God to feare to commit sin to sorrow and weep for it when a man hath committed it to humble himself and acknowledge his particular sinnes before mens and to pray to God in his distresses yet the reprobate may goe thus farre in his profession and afterward fall away This we see in Ahab when Eliah had reproued him for his bloody oppression and Idolatry and had denounced the wrath of God to fall vpon him and his posterity 1 Kings 2â— 29. He rent his cloathes put on sackcloath vpon him fasted and went softly in token of mourning Thus he humbled himselfe for some sinnes which hee had committed yet not for all his sinnes neither did he aske pardon for them So the Israelites murmuring against God desiring flesh for their lusts in the wildernesse had their prayers granted Numb 11 If then the vngodly may goe thus farre in Religion then they are heereby condemned that iustifie themselues in their iniquities and cannot bee brought to a free confession of them but hide them as Adam Gen. 3 2â— or excuse
to be annointed So then we haue heere in this attribute a testimony of the constancy of God Doctrine God is vnchangeably true in al hi◠waies words and works From hence we learne that God is vnchangable infallible faithfull true in al his waies words and works His decrees are immutable and irreuocable and without shew or shadow of turning This is that which the Lord claimeth and challengeth to himselfe I am the Lord Mal. 3 6. I change not I am God and there is none other God there is nothing like me My counsell shall stand and I will do whatsoeuer I will So the Prophet speaketh in the Psalme 105 7 8 10. He is the Lord our God his iudgements are thorough all the earth he hath alway remembred his couenant and promise that hee made to a thousand generations and since hath confirmed it to Iacob for a Law and to Israel for an euerlasting Couenant To this purpose the Apostle saith The guifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11 29. By all these places we see this truth plainly proued vnto vs that God is vnchangeable in his mercy and goodnes toward his Church and Children Reason 1 The Reasons follow to be considered First he is not like vnto man his wayes are not like mans wayes nor his thoughts like vnto mans thoughts but as farre as Heauen is distant from the Earth so farre are the works of God from ours We know by experience the changeable nature of man of whom the Scripture sayth All men are lyars Psal 116 11. He is ready to say and vnsay to affirme and deny with one breath He is constant to day he changeth to morrow He loueth one day and hateth another The people that receiued Christ with great ioy when he rode to Ierusalem not long after cryed out Crucifie him crucifie him It is not so with God whose mercy endureth for euer he falsifieth not his truth neyther altreth the thing that is gone out of his mouth Hee giueth liberally vnto all Iam. 1.5 and reprocheth no man Reason 2 Secondly his loue and mercy to his people is not changeable as the Moone vnconstant as the winde floating as the sea vncertaine as the weather but stable as the earth that cannot be moued out of his place and stedfast as Mount Sion that remaineth for euer Psal 125.1 This will plainly appeare vnto vs if we consider the similitudes and comparisons whereby it is expressed His loue is like to the Couenant of waters as sure as the promise that he made to Noah that the waters should no more ouerflow the whole earth as the Prophet Esay teacheth chap. 54 7 8 9. Reason 3 Againe his goodnesse is as the ordinance of God that hath set an order for Summer Winter for day and night for seed-time and haruest for cold and heat which shall not bee changed therefore the Lord saith by his Prophet If thou can breake my couenant of the day and my couenant of the night that there should not be day and night in their season then may my couenant be broken with Dauid my seruant Ier. 31 35 and 33 20. Nay his mercy is saide to bee more stable then the Mountaines for they shall remoue and the hils shall fall downe but my mercy shall not depart from thee neither shal the couenant of my peace fall away saith the Lord that hath cōpassion on thee Esay 54 10. We see the loue of mothers is tender full of pitty toward their children who bare thē in her womb brought them into the world nourished them with her breasts and refused no base seruice for theyr good yet the Lord saith Can a woman forget her childe and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe Though they forget yet will not I forget thee Esay 49 15. Seeing therfore that God is not like to the sonnes of men and seeing his louing kindnesse is firmer then the waters of Noah surer then the couenant of the day faster then the foundation of the Mountaines and stronger thē the loue of mothers toward their children we may conclude that the stablenes of his counsels are as the Pillars of the earth that cannot be shaken and the changeablenes of his goodnesse as the standing Rockes that cannot be remoued Now let vs come to the vses of this Doctrine Vse 1 First heereby we learne that God is to be preferred before all creatures They are changeable and subiect to alteration which agreeth not with the nature of God True it is God hath highly honoured and aduanced man aboue the rest of the works of his hands he made him a little inferiour to the Angels crowned him with glory dignity Ps 8 5 Heb. 2 7. he hath made him Ruler ouer the earth put all things in subiection vnder his feet yet he is subiect to mutability and mortality and must returne vnto the earth out of which hee was taken Great is the excellency of the heauens and the stars yet they shall be changed deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God But with God is no change neyther any alteration with the Almighty who remaineth one the same for euer This difference betweene the Creator and the creature betweene God and the works of God the Prophet teacheth Thou Lord hast in the beginning established the Earth Psal 102 with He◠the Heauens are the works of thine hands They shall perish but thou shalt remaine and they all shal waxe old as doth a garment and as a vesture shalt thou fold them vp and they shall be changed but thou art the same thy yeares shal not faile Thus we must magnifie the Lord aboue all creatures that are weake and fraile and acknowledge a great difference betweene the infinite and incomprehensible Maiesty of God subiect to no change at all but remaining the same for euer and the creatures of God subiect to vanity misery Vse 2 Secondly we may from hence assure our selues that God will make vs vnchangeable like himselfe and we may reioyce in the comfort of this his fauour For seeing his nature is vnchangeable and altereth not he will make vs in our measure partakers of immortality when this corruptible shall put on incorruption 1 Cor. 15 53 this weake shall put on power and death be swallowed vp in victory we shall be like the Angels of God nay be transformed into the liuely Image of God to reigne with him in euerlasting glory This is a great comfort vnto vs in these dayes of sorrow to consider that the time will come when our state shall be changed and we continue for euer without change Heere we are subiect to many turnings and returnings but after this life shall be no more place for changing our happines shall be vnchangeable and firmly established with God This the Prophet sets downe Psal 16 12. In thy presence is fulnesse of
his voyce Acts 9 4. saying to him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me His persecution was directly against the Saints but wee heare how the Lord acounteth that persecution to be against himselfe This is a singular encouragement to euery one of vs to loue the seruants of God from our hearts and to serue their necessities considering that it is as it were put vpon the Lords accounts and he will recompence it vnto our bosomes It is a great terror to al mercilesse malicious men for whatsoeuer mischiefe they worke against the godly it is done against Christ and they shall be arraigned as guilty of oppression and persecution against Christ Againe as this is an incouragement in well doing so it is a great comfort vnto vs in these fruites and works of mercy that God will remember them be mindfull of them and for them will assuredly helpe vs when wee are in distresse This the Prophet saith Blessed is hee that iudgeth wisely of the poore the Lord will deliuer him in the time of trouble Psal 41 1 2. So then when we haue bene seruiceable comfortable vnto others especially to the seruants of God there ariseth from hence a great comfort to our consciences an assurance of our eternall peace acception with God so that we may with boldnesse come to the throne of his grace pray vnto him for the graces of his Spirit Obadiah proueth that he seared the Lord in the truth of his spirit assureth his conscience thereof because hee had hid the Prophets of God in the persecution raised against them by Iezabel 1. King 18 12 13. Therefore when he feared that Eliah would procure vnto him the displeasure of Ahab and so bring vpon him a cruell death hee found comfort in the former fruites of mercy and said to the Prophet Was it not told my Lord what I did when Iezabel slew the Prophets of the Lord how I hid an hundred men of the Lords Prophets by fifties in a caue and fed them with bread and water And now thou sayest goe tell thy Lord Behold Eliah is heere that hee may slay mee The like wee see in Nehemiah when hee had relieued the oppressed people and euery way sought rather the welfare of the Church then his owne commodity hee turneth himselfe to God and saith Neh. 5 19 13 14 22 31. Remember me O my God in goodnesse according to all that I haue done for this people Neh. 5 19. And chap. 13 14 22 31. Remember me O my God heerein and wipe not out my kindnesse that I haue shewed on the house of my God and the offices thereof He doth not heere glory in his owne merits nor putteth his trust in his good works for before he pleadeth mercy craueth pardon but desireth that God in goodnes would graciously reward the works which hee had done with a good conscience and is bolde to put him in minde of his promise who hath promised to repay whatsoeuer is done for the benefit and behoofe of his Saints A great comfort it is to be able in the simplicity of our hearts to speake thus How many are able in our dayes to say with Nehemiah Lord remember me according to all that I haue done for thy people For their owne conscience would by and by accuse them and cry out of the wrongs and iniuries they haue done vnto them how they haue hated them in their hearts smitten them with their hands wounded them with their tongues trampled vpon them with their feet and sold themselues to work mischiefe against them If they will not remember the seruants of God in kindnesse let them know God will remember their vnkindnesse and the children of God may pray vnto him not for desire of reuenge but for the aduancement of his glory to reward them according to their desarts as we see in Nehemiah Remember them O my God that defile the Priesthood Neh. 13 29. This must of necessity galle a mans conscience whē the terrors thereof shall accuse him for want of doing good seruice to the Church of God Iob 27.23 Iam. 2 15. yea for doing great wrongs and offering many indignities against the Church 10 Then Balak was very angry with Balaam and smote his hands together so Balak said vnto Balaam I sent for thee to curse mine enemies and behold thou hast blessed them vncessantly now three times 11 Therfore now flee vnto thy place I thoght surely I will promote thee vnto honour but loe the Lord hath kept thee backe from honour 12 Then Balaam answered Balak Told I not also thy Messengers which thou sentest vnto me saying 13 If Balak would giue mee his house full of siluer and gold I cannot passe the commandement of the Lord to do either good or bad of mine owne minde What the Lord shall command the same I shall speake 14 And now behold I goe vnto my people Come I will counsell thee such things as this people shall do to thy people in the latter dayes Hitherto we haue spoken of the preparation into the Prophesie and likewise of the Prophesie it selfe Now followeth the effect and euent thereof expressed partly in Balak the King and partly in Balaam the false Prophet Touching Balak Moses declareth that when he saw himselfe againe disappointed of his hope and expectation hee bursteth for anger and smiteth his hands together in token of the inward indignation of his heart For as the patient abiding of the righteous shall be gladnesse Prou. 10 28 so the hope of the wicked shall perish He is content to hearken vnto the Sorcerer so long as hee hopeth to heare pleasant and pleasing things of him but when he is deceiued he rayleth and rageth without measure Balaks anger against Balaam His indignation conceiued against him appeareth first by comparing his owne purpose with Balaams practise when he saith I sent for thee to curse mine enemies and behold thou hast not ceased to blesse them now three times It is no lesse absurd and iniurious in thee to blesse mine enemies thē if thou shouldest curse my friends for in that thou blesses them it is all one as if thou cursedst me If thou standest with them thou standest against me both of vs cannot stand together If they continue I fall Secondly he doth cashire him and cast him out of his fauour he withdraweth the present prepared for him and denyeth him the wages and stipend promised vnto him I saide Surely I will aduance thee to honour but the Lord hath kept thee backe from honour as if he should say Depart from me thou vnhappy Prophet vnhappy in thy Prophesie vnhappy in thy preferment vnhappy to me vnhappy to thy selfe I called thee not to blesse this people but to curse them I haue honoured thee among my Princes and would moreouer if that had bin too little haue done vnto thee and for thee greater things then these But seeing thou settest so light by my gifts goe thy wayes
it self who notwithstanding are saued in the day of the Lord. This appeareth in Lots wife Gen. 19 she looked backe contrary to the commandement of the Angel and was turned into a pillar of salt Her offence might seeme little at the first and the punishment to be ouergreat howbeit we must not measure sinne by the outward acte but by the commandement and will of God which is the onely rule of righteousnes This her disobedience seemeth to proceed from infidelity vnthankfulnesse curiosity and the immoderate loue of the world of the substance which they had left behind and therefore she is punished and made as a mirror and monument of Gods iustice which Iosephus testifieth to continue to his time Ioseph antiq Iud. lib. 1. ca. 1◠yet we doubt not but her soule was saued and she receyued to mercy The like we might say of Iobs childred they were all sodainly slaine by the fall of the house wherin they were assembled yet they gaue good testimony of their godlynesse in their life for as no euil is recorded of them in the Scripture so it appeareth they were wel taught and trained vp in the feare of God by their carefull father euen in the daies of theyr youth God heard their father when he praied for them when bee sent for them they came dutifully and obediently vnto him if they had despised that God whom their father worshipped he would not haue said It may be my sonnes haue blasphemed God and it had beene a vaine thing for him to speake to them of sanctification Moreouer if their bankettings feastings had bene like our Wakes and reuels which they commonly call Yeauals or drunken feasts of such as call themselues good fellowes he ought to haue forbidden their meetings and not to haue prayed to God to pardon their sins which they might commit in their meetings and thereby suffer them to liue in the continual practise of sin forasmuch as that were to mocke and dally with God not desiring pardon for sinne past but to craue free liberty to sin for the time to come And if the father had doubted of their saluatiō no doubt hee would haue bewailed their destruction Lastly it is to bee noted that they feasted in their owne houses they did not run to Ordinaries or haunt Ale-houses or frequent Tauernes neither did they feast euery day like the rich glutton whose daily dinners were daily feasts for hee did nothing else but feast euery day neither did they keepe companie with ruffians swearers drunkards swaggerers and such like but they inuited one another to witnesse their good will and to continue mutuall loue among themselues The like wee might say of Vzzah that stayed vp the Arke and was stricken with sodaine death because he laid his hand vpon the Arke 2 Sam. 6 7. So was it with Vriah the faithfull seruant of Dauid yet he was slain by the sword of the Ammonites 2 Sam. 11 17. Iosiah that good king serued the Lord from his youth yet dyed hee a violent death and was slaine by Pharao Nechoh at Megiddo and al the people of the land mourned for him 2 Kings 23 29. Reason 1 Thus doth God deale with his owne children oftentimes they are chastised in this world lest they should be condemned with the wicked in the world to come 1 Cor. 11 32. Secondly those whom God loueth hee loueth vnto the end Ioh. 13 inasmuch as all his giftes are without repentance Rom. 11. therefore temporall chastisements cannot alter his loue or make frustrate the gifts that once he hath bestowed vpon his children Thirdly euen his owne people sinne against him for in manie things we sinne all Iames 3 ver 1. and therfore when they sinne against him he chastiseth thē with death as with a rod howbeit his mercie he neuer taketh from them Thus did Iosiah offend he would not heare the word of the Lord which was brought vnto him therefore he was smitten by the hand of God Vse 1 This teacheth that it is a false rule and a deceitfull measure to iudge of the saluation of men by temporall things whereas commonly all things fall out alike to the godly vngodly Eccl. 9 12. Many there are that wil take vpon them to iudge and censure men to bee out of the fauour of God because sometimes they dye sodainly and sometimes strangely and contrarywise if they dye in their beddes quietly and calmely they conclude that they must necessarily bee the children of God for that cause onely But if we haue no better testimony to discerne a childe of God then this note we may soone be deceiued for this may often happen more by the nature of the disease then through any grace in the soul of the diseased The constant course of a mans life is the best witnesse what is in man A man may dye rauing and haply blaspheming and yet be the seruant of God by the violence and rage of some sicknesse disturbing the head and the braine For as Paul sayeth It was not hee but sinne that dwelled in him Rom. 7 15 so I may say it is not they that raue and blaspheme it is the force of their sicknesse to which they do not consent and againe a man may go away like a Lambe and yet dye out of Gods fauour and go to hell as Iob chap. 21. verses 13 14. Vse 2 Secondly this reprooueth the Popish sort that commonly condemne Zuinglius a sound defender of the true and Apostolike faith Zuinglius defended because he died in the field as a good Patriot against the enemies of his country Hee did no more then euery true Minister and faythfull man ought to be ready to do Hee was slaine with the sword of wickedmen but that death was an honourable death Hee exhorted the people to constancy in the faith as the Priest is commanded in the Law to do Deut. 20 23 It is no reproach to dye in a good cause and a iust quarrell If he had dyed as Sanders an arch enemy to the Queene and State dyed in Ireland in the rebellion which himselfe had procured who died distracted and in a frenzy to behold the hand of God gone out against him and all his plots and proiects crossed O what outcries would these men then haue made he died as a Traitor against his lawfull Prince in the Popes quarrel and was in the field against his owne Soueraigne whereas Zuinglius dyed with his owne Cittizens in a good cause and was lamented of all good men Lastly we must take heed we doe not iudge Vse 3 rashly and rigorously of the Churches sorrowes and afflictions albeit they seem oftentimes both strong and strange when God feedeth them with the bread of teares giueth them teares to drinke in great measure Psal 80 5. The dead bodies of his seruants haue the enemies giuen to be meate to the fowls of the heauen and the flesh of his Saints to the beasts of the earth their