present but all together not anodins to take away for some few howres the sence of our paine not the paine it selfe but they are saluation and as it were resurrections from the dead Euen as Daniel saith Dan. 6.27 he deliuereth and rescueth and hee worketh signes and wonders in heauen and earth So he deliuered Israel our of Egypt So he deliuered Dauid from Saul So he deliuered Hezekias and Iehosaphat from their enemies So hee deliuered Shadrach Meshach and Abednego from the furnace So he deliuered Daniel from the Den. So his people out of the Dungeon in Babylon and such hath euer been his deliuerance O how easie is it to be infinite in this matter how well might wee loose our selues in the wood rather the world of these wonders Such lastly was his deliuerance of the Church in England from the tyranny of the bloody Byshop of Rome from the Spanish inuasion 88. from that mercilesse and matchlesse treason both for fict and faction the gunpowder treason Nouemb. 5. 1605. O then being compassed about with deliuerances such deliuerances of such a Lord such a Sauiour such a Redeemer Let vs trust in our Lord God Let me now say to you all to conclude this vse as Dauid to his people Let Israel yea let vs all trust in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with our God is plenteous redemption With him is force and a strength to redeeme Israel out of all her troubles he may doe it hee can doe it he will doe it search and looke through all generations of men which haue beene since the World began and you shall not finde one forsaken that put his trust in the Lord therefore from hence foorth and for euer let vs trust in the Lord. Vse 2 Thus farre of the first vse for our information a second followeth for reproofe and terror For terror for it is written Thus saith the Lord Ier. 1◠5 Cursed be euery man that trusteth in men and maketh flesh his arme for reproofe then of all those which trust not in the Lord but in other both transitory and transient meanes such there are for Some me put their trust in vncertaine riches and say to the wedge of gold thou art my confidence but these intollerably offend Iob. 31.24 and grosly deceiue themselues for riches auaile not in the day of wrath Pro. 1◠4 The hoarders vp of siluer and gold come to nought and goe downe to hell as it is in Baruch 3.17 O foole this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee where is now thy god thy gold and thy trust yet this cankered gold is the worldlings god nothing more ordinary then to trust in vncertaine riches for the rich mans wealth is his strong City saith Solomon Now where will a man account himselfe safe but in his fort He sees Mammon to be a great Lord of great command he sees he can doe much and heares him say he can doe as much more yea all things and now no maruayle that hee trusteth is him Mammon is so proud a boaster that his clients must needs be confident in him what doth not he brag to doe Siluer answers to all sayth Solomon This wee grant yet wee would be loth it could command truth iustice iudgement yet he sayth he can procure all conquer all pacifie all He sayes he can procure all secular offices titles and dignities yea in some sacrilegious wretches Simonaicall patrons the promotions of the Church ye remember the old song of the Pope Claues altaria Christum Simon Magus the grand father of these made full reckoning to haue bought the holy Ghost for mony He sayes he can pacifie all a gist pacifieth wrath Let them in place of iustice looke to it whom it may concern he can bribe off sinnes and peruert iudgement He sayes he can ouercome all for so he singeth in the Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fight with Launces of siluer and thine shall bee the victory With this weapon hee thought to foyle the sonne of God All these will I giue thee briefly according to the French and Greeke prouerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things obey the Lord Mammon this is a great Lord if this be true he saith the worldling beleeueth and trusteth But let me tell you in a word what gold can doe He can both open and then barre the gates of hell to the vnconscionable soule and helpe his followers to damnation this he can doe and this is all As for other things though the foolish siluer Smiths of the time shout out great is Mammon of the worldlings yet weigh his power in the ballance of iudgement and you will conclude of him as Paracelsus of the Deuill that he is a base and beggarly spirit For tell me I beseech you what hee can doe Can hee make a man honest can he make him wise can hee make him healthfull can he giue to liue more merrily to feed more heartily to sleepe more quietly yea rather will hee not procure the contrary make dishonest foolish sick and vnquiet Can he buy off the gout cares death much lesse the paines of hell Gee to now yee worldlings God meanes to punish thee with death now try what thy bags can doe see if thou canst bribe God with a gift will the Lord bee pleased with thousands of Rams or with ten thousand riuers of oyle See if thou canst bribe death the Serpent of God he lookes thee sternly in the face and tels thee with Ehud his message is from God and sheatheth his sword in thy bowels yet See if thou canst bribe the Bayliffe of death thy disease he will tell thee as Laban this is proceeded of God I can therefore say to thee nor good nor euill In a word disease will summon thee to death death will arrest thee to the iudgement seat of God God will passe his doome and in all these true is that of Solomon Riches auaile not in the day of wrath Those therefore which make their wealth riuals with God shall be burned in die fire of his iealousie they that leane on them trust to a reed which will not only breake but also runne into their hands for he that trusteth in riches shall fall Some put their trust in their owne worth and holinesse as the Pharisee Luk. 1◠who thanked God that he was not like other men for which he receiued no thanks of God for he that trusteth in his owne heart is a foole his trust with himselfe will suddenly decay Pro. 28.1 Some put their trust in their politick counsell as Achitophell of whom it was said his counsell was reputed as an oracle of God 2. Sam. 16. But the Lord saith Iob catcheth the wise in their owne craftinesse and the counsell of the wicked is made foolish Iob. 5.13 Some put their trust in their strength as Goliah did in their sword and shield but cursed is he that maketh flesh his arme Some
put their trust in chariots and some in horses but a horse is a vaine thing to saue a man Psal 33.17 neither shall he deliuer any by his great strength Mentitur tibi equus quando promittit salutem if thy horse promise safety he lieth vnto thee saith Augustine Proud Pharaoh that trusted to his horses and chariots found them lyars indeed for when in the strength of this conceit he had furnished himselfe with six hundred chariots and was accompanied with all the Nobles Captains and souldiers and so pursued the Israelites to the Red Sea there their chariots and horses failed them in which they trusted Exo. 14. as hauing done seruice enough to bring their riders into perdition What trust now may be put in a horse The horse is prepared for battell Pro. 21.31 true but the safely is of the Lord. Vaine is this trust for with August mendax equus ad salutem Woe to them that goe downe into Egypt for helpe and comfort themselues with chariots because they are many and with horsemen because they are lusty and strong Isay 31.1 but looke not to the holy One of Israel nor seeke the Lord. Some put their trust in Princes and the sonnes of men are their confidence but Dauid biddeth vs not to put our trust in Princes nor in any child of man for his breath goeth forth and he returneth againe to his earth and then all his thoughts perish Psal 146.3 See in these words the first and last highest and lowest of the sonnes of Adam they may bee honorable because Princes but borne sinfull the sonnes of men borne weake for there is no helpe in them borne mortall their breath departeth borne corruptible for they returne to earth and lastly their mortality is not onely in their flesh for their thoughts also perish The order of these words is so set that euery member is a reason or confirmation of that which went before To this purpose that of Chysostome is excellent Trust not in Princes either because they are men or because helplesse or because mortall or because corruptible in the frame of their bodies in the cogitation of their hearts or lastly Si dicendū est aliquid mirabile if a man may speake that which the world may iustly wonder at trust not in Princes euen for this cause because they are Princes and in least safety themselues Tamille timere cogitat quātimeri was Cyprians iudgement of one in gouernment he hath as great cause to feare as to be feared I read in Plutarch In Alexand. that after Alexander the great had published that he was sonne to Iupiter Hammon yet when hee saw the humour running downe from his wounds was constrained to say this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the blood of man not of God and swelling the stench of his owne filth asked his flatterers if the Gods yeeld such a sent Where is Sapor King of Persia Marcelline l. 17. that tooke to himselfe the proud title of King of Kings brother to the Sunne and Moone partaker of the Starres like the proud Turker Where is he hath his pretended brother defended him hath his pompe deliuered him from death The like might I say of Herod and of all the Potentates of the earth yea of the Pope himselfe whose Canonists tell vs that he is neyther God nor man but we all know he is a man and a man of sinne farre vnable to deliuer so many thousands out of hell and his fayned purgatory which can not deliuer himselfe from treason death and destruction Vaine fooles which leaue God and put their trust in men since the lowest are vanity the highest are vanity The lowest no lesse the highest no more Surely man saith Dauid is altogether vanity Some put their trust in Diuels as Saul when hee went to Endor as all those doe which runne in all sickenesse and in all losses to wisards buzzards sorcerers witches diuels for helpe and knowledge Cursed be all those that forsake the Lord and runne to the Diuell for helpe Some put their trust in Angels and in Saints imploring their ayde and desiring their helpe But Iob sayth To which of the Saints wilt thou turn thee meaning that none is able to helpe thee These therefore erre grieuously and are giuen ouerto strong delusions beleeuing a lie in that they relie on the creature and forsake the Creator who is blessed for euer and euer Vse 3 Thus for reproofe Lastly for obedience You haue plainely now heard that our helpe slandeth not in Angels Saints or men but onely in the name of the Lord which hath made the heauen and the earth Angels Saints Diuels Men Horses Chariots Gold Princes not one or all these nor any other externall meanes can deliuer vs from any euen the least iudgement which God shall lay vpon vs therfore let vs not trust in them let vs take heed we enquire not of them not relie vpon them In whom then shall wee trust In the Lord Iehouah and in his power alone Let vs sing that sweet strayne which the faithfull haue in the Prophet Hicurruum illi equorum nor vero nominis Dei Iehouae nostri recordabimur Psal 20.7 Let it bee the matter of our meditation in the day of trouble in all rimes of distresse let vs say in faith and sure hope Some trust in chariots and some in horses but we will remember the name of the Lord our God We will remember him and put our trust in him alone It we trust in the Lord a blessing shall attend vs. It is promised in Ieremy 17.7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is But how shall he be blessed It followeth in the Propher Hee shall bee as a tree planted by the waters that spreadeth out her roots by the riuer whom the heat cannot hurt whole leaues are alwaies greene in a word whatsoeuer he doeth shall prosper And loe thus shall the man be blessed that feareth and trusteth in the Lord. Let Alexander perswade himselfe to be the sonne of Iupiter Hamon till he see his bloud let Sapor King of Persia write himselfe King of Kings brother to the Sunne and Moone partner with the starres Let the Canonistes of Rome make a new Canon to transfigure their Pope into a new nature making him to be neyther God nor man but somewhat betweene both I thinke a monster Let Antiochus thinke to saile vpon the mountaynes Let Senacherib thinke like Xerxes host to drie vp the riuers with the plant of his foot Let Edom exalt himselfe like an Eagle and build his nest among the starres and in the clefts of the rocke and say in the pride of his heart who shall bring me downe to the ground Let the couetous say to his gold thou art my confidence let the wicked vanish away in their mortall vanity but let vs trust in the Lord Iehouah the mighty God of Israel so shall
wee euer finde mercy in time of need which the same God grant for his Sonnes sake to whom with the holy Ghost be ascribed all power and glory for euer Amen Text. And be doing good c. FRom piety to pity is a iust consequence the gradation of the Prophet is excellent from sure confidence to ready obedience in which hee requireth that the inward and outward man may be both exercised The former words strooke at the heart Trust in the Lord but these at the hand at the outward conuersation and hee doing good The streames cannot chuse but be wholesome if the fountayne be sweet For euen as the Sunne cannot bee without lire the fire without heat the body without a shadow no more can sayth and good workes be separated hence it is that S. Iames challengeth an outward obedience answerable to an inward confidence Shew mee thy fayth by thy works thou sayst thou beleeuest shew it by thy doing good This beneficence which we ow to men by doing good is not onely in this place glanced at or barely repeated by the Prophet but called for in many more places of the holy Scripture as Heb. 13. To doe good forget not and in many more places and is expressed in the variety of no lesse then foure epithites 1. Doing good 2. being rich in good workes 3. ready to distribute 4. willing to commun cate diuers words all to one sence all is but beneficence doing of good This ingeminating lest any Atheist might quarrell at this waste is not any way superfluous The Scriptures redouble the same wordes without fault of Tautologie a redoubling of the same sence in diuers words without idlenesse Aug. Verbatoties incul ata viua sunt vera sunt sana sunt plana sunt as an ancient well sayth There is feruour in these repetitions not loosenesse God would haue our duty so plainely set downe that hee that runneth may read it As it was wont for this cause to be obserued both in counsels and acclamations to Princes how oft the same word was reiterated that by the frequence they might iudge of the vehemency of affection It were easie to instance in many of this kinde as especially Exod. 25.35 Psa 89.30 Ioh. 1.20 and in many more places This heape of words therefore shewes the vehement intention of his desire of good workes whence I obserue That it is not left arbitrary to vs Doctr. that wee may doe good if we will but there is an important necessity of the performance of good Illustr That it is layd vpon vs as our charge and duty it is euident from hence in that it is positiuely by way of precept set downe hoc fact be doing good The very maner of the expression heereof in Timothy enforceth no lesse where it is sayde Charge the rich that they doe good and be rich in doing good in which place as in this text confidence in God and beneficence to men goe hand in hand together neyther as I spake is it left as arbitrary to vs to doe or leaue vndone but if wee sayle in this latter we are guilty of the former For this is our charge and our duty we must be doing good and woe be to vs if wee doe not This is nor a counsell but a precept although I might say of God as we speake of Princes Sic volo sic iubeo stat pro ratiom voluntas his will is his command And forasmuch as you see them linked together and coupled in the text I may iustly conclude the same necessity that there is of trusting in God the same is in doing good to men Hence it is that the Apostle S. Iames so often calleth for deeds Quid verba audiam cumfacta videam What auayleth Iacobs voyce when we haue none other then Esaus hands Not the hearers but the doers of the law are iustified And againe See that yee bee doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing your owne selues wherein the Apostle sheweth that God is better delighted with obedience then sacrifice with doings rather then sayings a lesson fit for our time wherein too many make perfunctory hearing of Sermons both duty and fruit of their Religion neuer doing any other good then hearing how to doe good hauing a contemplatiue but cold Christianity in them as if they did ow nothing but their cares vnto the Lord whereas he who speaketh by eare to the heart speaketh to the eare but for the heart that we may heare with reuerence and beleeue to obedience and make them both perfect by our doing good And not onely S. Iames is for doing good but all the belles of Aaron and Christ ring the same peale For Deut. 4.1 Hearken O Israel vnto the Lawes which I teach you to doe Rom. 2.13 Not the hearers but the doers are righteous before God Luke 11.28 Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Ioh. 14.21 Hee that hath my commandements and keepeth them is he that loueth me To which purpose S. Aug. speaketh notablie Tract 75. in Ioan. Qui habet in memoria seruat in vita qui habet in sermonibus seruat in moribus qui habet audiendo seruat faciendo aut qui habet faciendo perseuerando ipse est qui diligit me He that hath my word in memory and sheweth it in his life which hath it in mouth and sheweth it in his maners that hath it in hearing and sheweth it in doing that hath it in doing and sheweth it in perseuering this is he that loueth me For as the same Father saith Lex Dei tenetur non audiendo sed obediendo Eyist 107. non lectione sed dilectione So S. Hierome Scripturarum cupimus verba in opera vertere non dicere sancta sed facere So the rest of that sacred society haue well obserued that Christian Religion consisteth in practise more then in theorie being an occupation rather then a meere profession of doing good De virtute loqui minimum virtutibus vti Hâ—c â—â—bor hoc opus est as Persius spake hoc Sampsonis opus est as Tertullian And not the worke of Sampson but also of Solomon not onely of a strong man but in very deed of a wise man euen as our Sauiour in the Gospell sheweth saying Whoso heareth my words and doeth them I will liken him to a wise man which had built his house on a rocke Matth. 7.24 Moreouer the Prophet Dauid sheweth what priuiledge belongeth to him that escheweth euill and doth good in his Ep phonema or conclusion of the 15. Psalme Whoso doth these things shall neuer fall In which words as iudicious Caluin notes the Prophet doth not say he that hears these things or he that knowes these things or he who can discourse of these things but he that doth these things for as we iudge of the corporall health of the heart not by the words of the mouth or colour of the countenance but by