And so I shut vp this point in a few words and make an end THE THIRD SERMON vpon the second Psalme PSAL. 2. VER 2. 3. The Kings of the earth band themselues and the Princes are assembled together against the Lord and against his Christ Let vs breake their bands and cast their cords from vs. HAuing spoken in the first verse of the Commons and the meaner people of the world he comes now in these two verses to speake of the Nobles and the great States of the world Though the former did rebell against Christ and his kingdome yet haply these as a man might thinke will not For these are wise and religious and see what is good for themselues But out alas they do it as well as the former they haue the like treacherous and rebellious hearts within them For they band themselues together with all their power and strength But yet there is some difference betwixt them For these go as it were warily to worke and are very circumspect in their wayes they take deliberation and time they haue their meetings and consultations they lay their heads together and take aduice what is best to be done But in the end they conclude vpon this That they will be subiect no longer to Christ and his kingdome nor suffer themselues to be bridled any more by his lawes which they accounted to be an intollerable burthen and such bands and cords as were not in any case to be endured but to be broken asunder and to be cast behind their backes like dung and filthinesse which they could not abide to looke on And whereas good subiects should prouoke one the other vnto all dutifull obedience and loyall subiection vnto their dread Soueraigne they as apert and open enimies do encourage one the other vnto plaine and manifest treason and rebellion saying Come let vs breake their bands and cast their cords behind vs. In summe then you haue nothing else to remember Summe here in these two verses but the rebellion or conspiracie which the great men of the world do make against Christ Iesus our Lord King Wherein note first what they do then secondly what they say Their deedes are set out in the second verse and that two wayes first by the thing it selfe which they-do then by the persons against whom they do the same Their words in the third verse containing an exhortation in them and the matter whereunto they do exhort Of these we will speake in order and say somewhat of each of them by Gods good grace Touching the first of them which doth concerne their deeds we will obserue this methode in handling the same that first we will see the meaning of the words then the truth of the storie and lastly the vse and benefit that we may make thereof The meaning of the words standeth thus By Kings are vnderstood such as were in highest place and authoritie amongst men and by Princes such as were next them for rule and gouernment ouer the people but by them both are vnderstood all persons whatsoeuer of chiefe place and state for this world by the figure called Synecdoche when some sorts or kinds are put for all Howsoeuer these are here sayd to band themselues and to be assembled together but in Acts chap. 4. vers 26. they are sayd to assemble and to come together the reading is somewhat diuerse but yet it is all one in sence For the meaning is nothing else but this that they ioyned hand and head together in power and counsell against the Lord and his Christ Where by the name of the Lord you must vnderstand the Almightie euen the first person in the Trinitie God the Father and by the name of his Christ first Dauid whom God did annoint king of Israel Then secondly Iesus the sonne of the Virgin Mary whom the same God did annoint king ouer his Church For against both of them was this conspiracie made The word in the Hebrew tongue called Meshihho coming of Mashahh to annoint and the word in the Greeke tongue called tou Christou autou coming of chriô to annoint do signifie his Annointed And seeing that both Dauid and Iesus were annointed by God the Father either of them may be noted out by this word and be called His Annointed or his Christ which is all one For annointed or Christ is all one in sence though not in sound of words in our English tongue Thus you see in few words the meaning of the place how that the great states or chiefe men of the world bid band themselues wholy against Dauid whom the Lord had chosen to be the King of Israel and against our Sauiour Iesus Christ whom he had chosen to be the gouernour of his Church and the only ruler thereof But yet before we come to see the veritie of this matter which is to be touched in the next place a question here may be moued and a man may aske how these men did ioyne hand and head together against the Lord himselfe For can any like the Giants make warre against the Almightie Yes Many haue done it and do daily still do it For all those are sayd to warre against the Lord himselfe who do oppose themselues against his will and pleasure and withstand such matters as do tend to his glorie and the good of his Saints but chiefly those that do resist the higher powers and rebell against such as the Almightie hath set ouer them to be their rulers and gouernors either in the Church or Common-wealth As we may se by the words of the Lord to Samuel when Israel would haue a king in 1. Sam. 8.7 where the Lord doth say vnto him Heare the voyce of the people in all that they shall say vnto thee for they haue not cast thee away but they haue cast me away that I should not reigne ouer them As we may see by the words of our Sauiour to his Apostles in Luke 10.16 when he saith vnto them He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that hath sent me As lastly we may see by Pauls words to the Romanes in Rom. 13.2 when he saith Whosoeuer therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receiue to themselues iudgement Wherefore in that they did resist Dauid and Christ whom the Lord had set vp it is apparant that they did resist the Lord himselfe Oh that all traytors and rebels did well consider of this point and lay it neare vnto their soules For our owne parts let vs looke vnto it alwayes remembring what the Lord doth say Touch not mine annointed and do my Prophets no harme But to passe this matter and to come to the truth of the story that we may see how true euery thing is which is here reported and not to stand vpon Dauid the figure whose storie you may reade at large in the first booke of Samuel where you
impouerish his subiects by exacting of them grieuous subsidies and taxes but he doth greatly enrich them by bestowing large giftes and benefites vpon them Ephe. 4.7.8 c. The last is loue or mercy for he doth beare that kind affection towards his people that all their miseries doe touch him Heb. 4.15 and for to do thē good he was content to die for them Ephe. 5.2.25 Where all these things do concurre meet together there is a party well qualified for gouernement A man may be couragious yet not fearing God if fearing God yet not dealing truely if dealing truely yet not hating couetousnesse if hating couetousnesse yet not wise if wise yet not diligent if diligent yet not bountifull if bountifull yet not louing if louing yet not couragious But where shall all these be found together Surely in none but in Christ Iesus for in him they are in the highest degree of perfection and therefore did the Lord make choice of him before all others to goe in and out before his people and to be the Head or gouernour of his Church Here we must take heed of some abuses Vse we must not collect from hence either that Christ is inferiour to his Father or that he was made King as he was God for he is equall with his Father in glory Maiesty touching his diuine nature or God-head as the Apostle doth shew in the beginning of his 2. chap. to the Philippians True it is that he is inferiour to his Father in respect of his humane nature and as he is man but not otherwise as he is God of the same substance or being which he hath together with the Father frō all eternity Againe whereas he is made King this is done in respect of both his natures together as he is God-man and Man-God and not simply in respect of one of them alone for so to affirme of either of them were absurd if not blasphemous But leauing the abuses the true vses are these First hereby we may learne to reuerence Christ the more because he is established in his throne by his Father For if Dauid were pricked in heart onely for cutting of Sauls garment who was a wicked man and his deadly enimy too because he was the Lords annoynted with what reuerence and care should we carry our selues towards Christ Iesus our Sauiour who is holinesse and righteousnesse it selfe and one that loues vs well seeing the Lord hath annoynted him and made him to be our King But alas our carriage is such towards him as if he had vsurped this place vnto himselfe by tyranny or were set vp in his throne by some created authority but let vs looke to ourselues and amend this our fault In the second place here we may learne that seeing God hath set vp his Sonne in his kingdome he will still defend him and aide him in the same as also bring fearefull iudgments vpon all such as shal go about to resist him And this is the chiefest end wherefore this sentence is here alleadged and therefore let all men take heed what they do and let all those know also who are in lawfull authority that so long as they carry themselues worthy of their places the Lord will alwaies stand about them for their defence and protection as here he did about his Sonne Christ and blessed Dauid the King Lastly here we may learne by the example of Christ that it is not good to run into a calling but to stay vntill the Lord doth place vs in the same A great complaint is made in Ieremy by the Lord against men in this respect that they did run before that he did send them as we may see at large in the 23. chapter of Ieremy But beware we that we doe not the like For shall Christ that had the Spirit of God without all measure stay and waite his Fathers leasure and shall we mortall and sinnefull creatures who haue not the Spirit almost in any measure yet runne and goe before our commission is drawne out and sealed by the Almighty More things might be spoken vpon these matters but let these short obseruations minister an occasion vnto you to contemplate more at large vpon these points The end of the fourth Sermon THE FIFTH SERMON vpon the second Psalme PSAL. 2. VER 7.8 9. I will declare the decree that is the Lord hath said vnto me Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee Aske of me and I shall giue thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession Thou shalt crush them with a scepter of yron and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell IN the former verses mention was made of God the Father whose maiestie and power was excellently set out for the confounding of such wicked aduersaries as did rise vp against him But now these verses do intreate of God the Sonne who is also most liuely described in the same by a certaine inuincible power and maiestie as being one sufficient to ouerthrow all such resistance as is made against him And that his enimies might be daunted the more as his friends receiue the greater ioy and consolation he comes in himselfe speaking and vttering his voyce vnto them declaring plainely amongst them all what is the very decree and ordinance of God his Father concerning him and his kingdome the summe and substance whereof he tels them is this The Lord the great God of heauen who hath created all things and who doth continually preserue the same he euen he sayd to me Thou art my sonne yea my naturall and onely sonne most deare and precious vnto me Thy workes which thou doest continually in working strange and admirable miracles do shew that I haue begotten thee but chiefly that day is an argument thereof vnto all the world wherein thou didst arise from the graue and returne againe from death vnto life And because thou art so neare vnto me and one on whom I haue set my whole delight and pleasure aske of me what thou wilt and thou shalt haue it I will not say to the halfe of my kingdome but to all my kingdome if thou shalt aske the whole I will bestow it vpon thee yea I will giue thee all power both in heauen and in earth and thou shalt reigne not in a small compasse alone but in a most spacious and large circuite euen throughout all the world from the one end thereof vnto the other And whereas there are many rebels and traytors that do daily rise vp against thee thou shalt not take pity and compassion vpon them to forgiue them but thou shalt punish them throughly according to their deserts with thy scepter or mace of iron wherewith thou art armed thou shalt destroy them And herein deale thou with them as the potter doth with his vessell as he doth dash that all to peeces when it is once broken and seruiceable for no vse so do thou so confound them that they may
lie still in their miseries and neuer haue any hope to recouer themselues againe or to repaire such ruinous breaches as thou dost bring vpon them Thus runneth the paraphrase of this place Wherein you haue nothing else to remember in summe Summe but a description of Iesus Christ the second person in the Godhead who is our sweet Sauiour and blessed King In which description obserue two things The first is the person that doth publish the description The other is the parts wherein this description doth stand The person that doth publish the description is Christ himselfe expressed in these words I will declare the decree or rather as it is in the Hebrew text I will speake or declure according to the decree and ordinance El hhok There are certaine decrees and ordinances established by God touching the person of Christ and his gouernment Now according to these will Christ speake and not otherwise You must not here conceiue that some other person is brought in speaking but that it is Christ himselfe and none else but he True it is that Dauid did vtter them as he was a type and figure of Christ but Christ himselfe as he was the body and truth and so the words are properly and in truth it selfe to be referred vnto him Behold he takes vpon him as it were the part of a faithfull Prophet to make knowne his Fathers will vnto mankinde in respect of himselfe and his waies I beseech you marke diligently how he doth it It is not according to his owne fansie as we often speake but it is according to his Fathers owne decree and appointment without all deceipt or fraudulent dealing whatsoeuer there is no adding nor detracting no chopping or changing found in him but all things are faithfully deliuered according to the truth it selfe A worthy thing to be thought often on and euermore to be had in good remembrance by all sorts of persons but chiefly by the Ministers of the Word who ought to be faithfull in their offices as Christ was in his and not to make merchandise of the word of God but as of sinceritie as of God in the sight of God to speake in Christ Iesus as the Apostle Saint Paul doth speake in his second Epistle to the Corinthians the second chapter and the last verse thereof At all times should men looke most carefully to this but much more now in these corrupt and rotten dayes of ours wherein the Lords ordinances are beazelled and his most sacred Oracles turned vp and downe like a nose made of waxe as pleaseth the wicked humor of many a sinfull man but beware we beware we of such cursed and satanicall dealing If we speake at any time let vs speake with all reuerence as doth become them who vtter the words of a mightie God and according to the truth it selfe and not otherwise So shall health be vnto our nauell and marrow vnto our bones when others are perplexed with intollerable woe and paine I might haue made a long discourse of this matter as being a very fit subiect to be stood vpon in our licentious times but thus shortly I passe it ouer as intending onely to stand most vpon those points which are most intended by the Spirit of God himselfe and not to do as many are wont to do vpon euery small occasion to wander abroad from my text in hand Two questions here may be moued the one is whether Christ did thus publish the decree and appointment of his Father touching himselfe and his kingdome as here he doth say he would do The other is for what causes he would do the same and for what end and purpose Touching the former of these two we find in the story of the Euangelists that he did do it according to the tenor of the text here in hand For they do shew how he did consesse and declare abroad that he was the Sonne of God that all iudgement was committed vnto him by his Father that he was a king that all power was giuen vnto him in heauen and earth that he was the Messiah or Annointed whereof Esay did speake in the 61. chapter of his Prophesie and the beginning thereof that he was the bread that came downe from heauen and the partie whom his Father had sealed for the bringing of euerlasting life vnto mankind These and the like things do they report of him as you may see by Iohn the 5.6 and 18. chapters thereof By Luke the 4. the 22. and 23. chapters and by Math 16.21.26 and 27. chapters thereof Reade these places I pray at your ley sure and acknowledge the truth of this point Now for the other Christ might do it for many causes First that he might bring men into the greater and more willing subiection vnto him according to the speech of the housholder in Math. 21.37 But last of all he sent vnto them his owne Sonne saying They will reuerence my Sonne Secondly that he might leaue men without all excuse and make them vnable to answer for themselues at the day of iudgement if they did not obey him and do according to his commandements according to his owne saying in Iohn chapter 15. and verse 22. If I had not come and spoken vnto them they should not haue had sinne but now haue they no cloake for their sinne Lastly that he might comfort and strengthen them that did relie vpon him against the rage and surie of the world as also against the malice and power of Sathan himselfe according to that which is in Iohn chapter 16. verse 33. These things haue I spoken vnto you that in me ye might haue peace in the world ye shall haue affliction but be of a good comfort I haue ouercome the world Hauing thus in few words answered these questions which tend to the clearing of the text and the confirmation of that truth which is included therein let vs now come to the maine doctrine of the place And that in few words standeth thus namely that it is the part and duty of men in authority to stand vpon such gifts and callings as God hath bestowed vpon them according vnto the example of Christ here For as he did the same so must we do it by vertue of his commandement in Math. 11.29 Take my yoke on you and learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest vnto your soules So did Moses when he came vnto the children of Israel to deliuer them out of their bondage and stood before Pharaoh the King of Aegypt to craue leaue for a free passage for them For he did not onely make it knowne vnto them all how God had called him to this worke and businesse by word of mouth alone declaring what matters had passed betwixt him and God but also by workes and deeds doing strange and admirable miracles daily in their sight as we may see at large in Exodus from the latter end of the fourth chapter thereof and so forward
like a boy of a sprack wit that wants but a good maister to instruct him or a faire white paper that needs nothing but a writing to be set in it But here we see it is otherwise for as man is ignorant of the law of God so he is a starke enimie vnto it he will not be subiect to the commandements of God nor be obedient vnto them Surely euery man by nature is dead in his sinnes and trespasses as Paul did obserue of the Ephesians in Ephes 2.1 and no man vnlesse he be borne againe can thinke well of the law of the Lord and yeeld vp chearfull obedience thereunto Secondly here we may behold the great difference that is betweene the wicked and the godly For as the wicked do abhorre the lawes of God saying Come let vs breake their bands and cast their cords behind vs so the godly do loue the lawes of God saying Come and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord and to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his wayes and we will walke in his paths Mica 4.2 And the reasons thereof are these First because they see they come from God their sweet Sauiour and do tend to their eternall good for we cannot but loue that which doth come from him whom we loue best and of whom we are loued most especially when we know that he will send vs nothing which is hurtfull but good as we iudge of God and that according to his owne word in Rom. 8.29 Secondly because they know that the curse thereof shall neuer take hold of them in as much as Christ was made a curse for them Thirdly because they are made easie and pleasant vnto them as by vse and custome they exercising themselues therein day and night so chiefly by the regeneration of the holy spirit of God who doth assist them and make them powerfull vnto good workes Lastly because they bring with them great rewards and honours at the last euen ioyes that are vnspeakable and riches without all end for number and continuance For as this made Iacob to serue seuen yeares for Rahel and Moses to leaue Pharaohs court and to endure much trouble in the wildernesse euen the reward that they did looke for so doth this excellent reward which doth attend vpon the obseruers of Gods commandements make vs euermore to regard them and to haue a care to obserue and to keepe them More might be spoken of this difference that is betwixt the godly and the wicked but this is enough The other doctrine collected out of the text is this Doct. that when men do resist the law of God and oppose themselues against the same then do they rebell against God himselfe and become traytors vnto him As he is a traytor to his Prince who doth altogether set himselfe against the lawes of his Prince and will be subiect to none of them but breake them all to disgrace him and to bring an ouerthrow vnto his estate or kingdome The reason is this for I will but touch this point and end Reason because his lawes are but the significations of his will and the testimonies of his mind and pleasure vnto vs. And you know that none can resist his will mind or pleasure but he must needs resist him himselfe The vse hereof standeth chiefly in two things Vse For first it serueth to detect the great sinnes and enormities that are amongst vs. There is a generation saith Agur in Prou. 30.12 that are pure in their owne conceipts and yet are not washed from their filthinesse We are of that number for we thinke too well of our selues Who is there almost that doth count himselfe a rebell and a tray tor against his God yet all of vs are such for we breake his commandements still and will not be ruled by his statutes and ordinances but we follow the imaginations of our owne hearts and do what seeme good in our owne eyes For these things we must strike vppon the thighs and repent and learne to do so no more Secondly it should awaken vs vp and be a sharpe spurre in our sides to keepe vs alwayes running in the commandements of our God Oh beloued brethren how carefull should we be both to know the lawes of our God and also to keepe them considering that otherwise we do but rebell and commit treason against our sweet and louing God Shall we rise vp against him that hath made vs against him that hath redeemed vs against him that hath sanctified vs against him that doth daily prescrue vs and against him in one word that will glorifie vs hereafter in the heauens No no farre be this from our soules yet this we must needs do vnlesse we endeuor carefully to keepe his commandements And therfore I beseech you looke to them Let them be a lanterne to your feete and a light to your paths Let them be your counsellors and the men of your law and whatsoeuer you thinke desire speake or do thinke all desire all speake all and do all according to the rule and direction thereof that so you may not be rebels and traytors vnto the Lord but be his saithfull seruants and true subiects vnto your liues ende Amen The end of the third Sermon THE FOVRTH SERMON vpon the second Psalme PSAL. 2. VER 4.5 6. But he that dwelleth in the heauens shall laugh the Lord shall haue them in derision Then shall he speake vnto them in his wrath and vexe them in his sore displeasure saying Euen I haue set my king vpon Zion mine holy Mountaine HItherto the Prophet hath shewed who did rebell against the Lord and his Annointed Now he doth begin to declare what the Lord and his Annointed are against whom they do so rebell The Lord is set out in these three verses and his Annointed in the three next The scope drift in the description of them both is one and the selfe same and it stands in two points The one is to shew that all the opposition or resistance that is made against them is in vaine and to no purpose The other is to declare that those that do make the opposition or resistance are in most wofull and wretched case and such as cannot escape most fearefull and vnrecouerable iudgements vnlesse they do in time preuent the same by true and hearty repentance or amendment of life in turning vnto them and in becoming faithfull and loyall subiects vnto them as they ought to be This is the summe of all these verses but at this time we are to stand vpon the three former alone The Prophet going about to describe the Lord euen the Father in the godhead or the first Person in the Trinitie notes him out first of all by his place or abode which is not vpon the earth where his enimies may come at him but in the heauens where they cannot come neare vnto him so that all their power 〈◊〉 malice intended against him can do him no
of Christ made holy in some part by the sanctificatiō of Gods spirit wherby you may be able to go boldly vnto the throne of grace to receiue mercy to find grace to helpe in time of need That as Paul did say of the Corinthians when they were changed frō bad to good And such were some of you but ye are washed but yee are sanctified but ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of God as it is in 1. Cor. 6.11 so may you say of your selues And such were we our selues once euen bad and most wicked persons but blessed be God we are now changed and made better our sinnes are washed away by the bloud of Christ and the spirit of God hath begun to renew vs in some good part Leauing these things for the meaning of the words and some short annotations vpon the same let vs now come to the maine doctrine of the place and in few words it is nothing else but this Doct. that Christ our Sauiour did not take this office vpon him to be the King of the Church but was lawfully called thereunto by God his Father and not by any created power whatsoeuer This he confesseth of himselfe in Iohn Chapter 6. verse 27. Where he doth endeauour to draw men from a greedy hunting after the foode of the body vnto a carefull seeking for the foode of their soules saying Labour not for the meate which perisheth but for the meate that endureth vnto euerlasting life which the Sonne of man shall giue you for him hath God the Father sealed He hath chosen him for this purpose and set his marke and seale vpon him as designing him ouer this worke and businesse which is to be performed alone by him and none else And this also he doth proue in the fourth chapter of the Gospell according to Saint Luke by a testimony out of Esay chap. 61.1 c. where the calling of the Messias is excellently and at large set out vnto vs. But the Apostle Saint Paul not to stand vpon other places doth make this point most cleare and euident vnto all persons in the first chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians beginning at the twentieth verse therof and so forward in the second chapter of his Epistle to the Philippians in the ninth verse thereof with others following For in both these places you shall finde that as Christ is exalted aboue all the creatures in the world and made the supreme head of the Church both warring in earth triumphing in heauen so he was raised vp hereunto by God his Father he making him thus the vniuersall gouernour of all the world So that looke what the Author to the Hebrewes said of Christ in regard of his Priest-hood that he tooke not to himselfe that honour to be made the high Priest but he that said vnto him Thou art my Son this day begat I thee gaue it him Heb. 5.5 So may we say here of him in regard of his kingdome that he tooke not this honour to himselfe to be made the supreme King of the Church but God that sitteth in the heauens and hath his enimies in derision gaue it vnto him but somewhat more of this hereafter when we come vnto the 8. verse of this Psalme Reason But why did God may you say set vp Christ and make him thus the King of his Church Wherefore did he not make choise rather of some Angell or Arch-angell or of some Emperour or great state of this world Because none of them were fit for this office As no man was worthy to open the booke and to loose the seales thereof which Iohn saw in the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne but onely the Lyon which is of the tribe of Iudah the roote of Dauid as it is in Reu. 5.1 c. So no creature was found fit for this office whether in the heauen aboue or in the earth beneath saue Iesus Christ our sweete Sauiour and the blessed Sonne of God and therefore God his Father did make choise of him before all others But why was he fittest for this office may you further say For two causes the one is in regard of his Person the other of his qualities belonging vnto his Person For his Person because he is not onely man as many others are but also God as none else besides him is and thereby is made able to weald such a great mighty kingdome as he hath Otherwise it is impossible that he should rule his people according to his will and subdue his enimies to make them his footstoole considering that they are Principallities and powers and the greatest Potentates of this world For what man or Angell is able to ouercome all the diuels in hell rushing vpon him at once together and to withstand the whole army of mankind assaulting him together with them with their whole power and force Surely none he must be a God that must doe it And therefore was Christ chosen for this purpose who is a God as well as man for his qualities belonging vnto his Person because he is indued with most singular giftes and graces fit for gouernement Iethro in his counsell to Moses required but foure things in a Gouernour namely courage the feare of God true dealing and the hating of couetousnesse as we may see in Exod. 1 S 21. But here in Christ the chiefe gouernour of all we shall finde as many more for besides these foure you shall haue in him foure more namely wisedome diligence bounty and loue So that in number there are eight The first is courage for he feares no man as being the Lord of Lords the God of Gods according to his name which is written on his garment and thighs in Reu. 19.16 The second is the feare of God for he reuerenced his Father and was obedient vnto him euen vnto the very death of the crosse Phil. 2.8 The third is iustice or true dealing for the Scepter of his kingdome is a Scepter of righteousnesse and he himselfe is one louing righteousnesse and hating iniquity Heb. 8.1.9 The fourth is hating couetousnesse for he neuer receiued any bribes or recompence for all the cures he did but he became poore that he might make vs rich 2. Cor. 8.9 The fift is wisdome for in him are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Col. 2.3 The sixt is diligence for he was so painefull that he trauelled from place to place to doe good and left his owne foode to go about his Fathers businesse Ioh. 4.34 And he is brought in by Iohn in the Reuelations Chapter 1.13 standing in the midst of the seuen Candlestickes which are the seuen Churches there busily occupied in gouerning them as a man is when his garment is about him and trust vp with some girdle that it may not trouble or hinder him in the execution of his businesse The seuenth is bountifulnesse or liberality for he doth not
before their eies Alas their case is miserable For they serue not the true and liuing God what shew of religion soeuer they do make or what brags soeuer they do giue forth concerning the same For seeing the feare of God is the very beginning of wisedome and the soundation or groundsill of Gods worship as hath bene proued vnto you already it is vnpossible that either they should haue any true wisedome in them or else religiously should serue the Lord when they want this feare the only cause and fountaine thereof Secondly this may serue to stirre vs vp to get the feare of the Lord vnto our selues and to labor by all meanes possible to bring our hearts thereunto that so we may truly say of our selues that the Lord is our feare and our dread But against this it may be obiected Obiect first that perfect loue doth cast out feare according to Iohns words in 1. Iohn 4.18 Secondly that we are deliuered from our enimies that we should serue the Lord without feare as it is in Luk. 1.74 To this I answer Ans that perfect loue doth cast out hellish feare and that slauish or seruile one whereof we spake before that makes man to tremble before God for feare of punishment and to flie from him as from a terrible Iudge but on the contrary side it causeth that holy and childish feare mentioned also before that makes man more carefull to come vnto him and to worship him as he ought to do From the former of these we are deliuered but not from the latter We haue not receiued the spirit of bondage saith Paul in Rom. 8.15 to feare againe but the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abbah Father So that true loue is so farre off from casting out this holy feare of adoption or reuerence whereby we are drawne to hate sinne in loue towards God and not for punishments sake that it doth bring it in and establish it within vs. Yet this is to be noted by the way that seruile feare is a good meanes at the first to bring vs vnto God For it prepareth a place for the holy Ghost to bring him into our soules as the bristle bringeth in the thrid but when he is once entred into vs and hath taken vp the possession of our soules within vs then this feare is gone as the bristle is when the thrid is entred into the hole Besides this you must marke that as the children of God are not by and by perfect so a peece of this feare may still remaine in them wherupon some make a feare which is in the midst of these two feares the filiall and seruile calling it timor initialis an entring feare reaching out her right hand vnto the one and her left hand vnto the other being found euen in men renued by the Spirit of loue whose sanctification is but begun and therefore as they feare separation from God by offence which belongeth vnto filiall feare and proceedeth from loue so they feare punishments and euils which God hath prepared for the offendors which belongeth to seruile feare and proceedeth from the same But to proceed on the feare that is here required of vs and which is to last for euer is that feare of reuerence whereby we beholding on the one side our owne paruitie and smalnesse and the excellency of our God and his incomprehensible Maiestie on the other side dare not lift vp our selues against him but do stand in awe of him with all reuerence being loath to offend him in any thing and most carefull to please him in all things It is such a feare as is in louing children towards their parents in dutifull wiues towards their husbands and in faithful subiects towards their Princes The fountaine whereof is loue and a due consideration of his excellency euery way aboue vs. To this feare must we stirre vp our soules euery day And so farre as we would either worship God aright or haue his blessings powred downe vpon vs whether for this life or the life to come we must striue and contend with our soules and hearts to bring them hereunto that so we may alwayes reuerence and dread the great name of the Lord of hosts Doubtlesse we shall nener serue the Lord aright or become happie and blessed vntill this be brought to passe Well we may performe some duties in outward appearance but we shal neuer looke to all with a good heart and conscience within and howsoeuer we prosper and flourish for a while yet woe and destruction will ouertake vs at the last But let his feare be once planted within vs then shall we inwardly and from the heart haue a respect vnto all his commandements and be most carefull to please him in all things And then againe shall we prosper and flourish for euer not only in this world but much more in the world to come If any then shall come vnto vs to entice vs vnto any wickednesle whatsoeuer as Potiphars wife came vnto Ioseph enticed him vnto vncleannes we shall not consent vnto him therein no more then he did vnto her who was kept therefrom by the feare of his God And if any crosse then shall begin to assault vs and to lie heauie vpon vs the Lord will be ready to remoue it from vs to supply on the other side all our defects wants whatsoeuer For he is alwaies present with them that feare him there is no good thing but they shall haue the same stom him as you haue heard already Wherefore looke you to this your duty and feare ye the Lord your God Remember that he is your Father your Master your Sauiour your Benefactor your King and one that is full of power and maiestie and of such pure eies that he cannot endure any corruption whatsoeuer For shall the child feare his father the seruant his maister the subiect his king the poore his benefactor the redeemed his sauiour the weaker his stronger the baser his more honorable and the loose persons such as are stayd and graue for religion And yet will not you feare the Lord your God who is all these vnto you Yes yes we would do it may you say but what course shall we take to attaine thereunto You must do these things First you must deny your selues quite and renounce vtterly all the carnall wisedome that is in you As Salomon saith in Prou. 3.7 Be not wise in thine owne eies but feare God and depart from euill As though a man could neuer feare God so long as he is well conceited of his owne wisdome And indeed no more cā he For the wisdome of the flesh is enmitie to God and will not be subiect in any sort vnto his law Rom. 8.7 Secondly you must pray heartily vnto the Lord for his heauenly grace to helpe you in this respect For it is he alone that must bestow this feare vpon you for otherwise you can neuer haue it who of your selues can do nothing no