Selected quad for the lemma: prayer_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
prayer_n	earnest_a	zeal_n	zealous_a	69	3	9.4959	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01935	Certaine sermons preached upon severall occasions viz. The vvay to prosper. The vvay to be content. The vvay to vvell-doing. A summer sermon. A vvinter sermon. Vnknowne kindnesse. The poore mans hope. By Iohn Gore Rector of Wenden-lofts in Essex.	Gore, John, Rector of Wendenlofts, Essex.; Gore, John, Rector of Wendenlofts, Essex. Way to prosper.; Gore, John, Rector of Wendenlofts, Essex. Way to be content.; Gore, John, Rector of Wendenlofts, Essex. Way to well-doing.; Gore, John, Rector of Wendenlofts, Essex. Summer sermon.; Gore, John, Rector of Wendenlofts, Essex. Winter sermon.; Gore, John, Rector of Wendenlofts, Essex. Unknowne kindnesse.; Gore, John, Rector of Wendenlofts, Essex. Poore mans hope.; Gore, John, Rector of Wendenlofts, Essex. Oracle of God.	1636 (1636)	STC 12071; ESTC S120526	199,234	334

of David 〈…〉 upon me and would take no repulse but else more they rebuked him for his clamour so much the more he cryed Thou sonne of David have mercy on me God thy way saith our Saviour thy faith hath saved thee what kinde of faith was his it was ●n earnest ●aith a zealous a prayerfull faith faith without zeale without 〈…〉 and importunity to God in prayer will never save 〈◊〉 man it is the zealous faith that is the saving faith That is another vertue that must be added to our faith 6. Lastly Fides 〈◊〉 Mat. ● The faith of the Centurion 〈◊〉 Saviour himselfe admired it and said I have not found so great faith 〈…〉 in Israel What kinde of faith was his it was a mercifull a compassionate faith the Centurion ayled nothing himselfe onely he had a poore servant that lay sicke at home visited by the hand of God and his heart could 〈◊〉 bee as rest till h●e had wrought a meanes to our Saviour to relieve and restore him Here is 〈…〉 man 〈…〉 to them that are in misery Faith without compassion and mercy to the poore and needy will never save a 〈…〉 it is the mercifull faith that is the saving Faith These be the vertues that 〈◊〉 be added to our faith without which whatsoever we professe are cannot 〈…〉 in truth and reality to beleeve 〈◊〉 in God If 〈◊〉 bee away all the rest of ●osephs brethren might as good stay at home so if vertue be wanting our faith will stand us but in little stead to 〈◊〉 and therefore marks what followes in the 〈…〉 God 〈…〉 I might here by the way observe from 〈◊〉 order of the words that before a man can doe good workes that may be acceptable to God and availeable to his owne soule hee must first be a beleever and be endued with faith and other graces from above for if the water be soule in the well it must needes be soule in the bucket if the heart be uncleane within the workes that issue from it must needes bee so much the worse But I never loved to dishearten any man from well-doing to tell men as some doe because they have alittle authority for it that the best workes that men can doe if they be unsanctified to their thinking and unregenerate are but splendida pec●ata glorious and glittering sinnes that may perhaps slake the fire of Hell but not extinguish it and make a mans damnation it may be somewhat more tolerable but not a whit the lesse durable what miserable comfort is this to a weake well meaning Christian it is just for all the world like that which Bias calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Backeward forwarding of a cause it is rather terrifying then induring and wil sooner drive a man off then draw 〈…〉 God with his substance and to helpe himselfe to heaven by well-doing for my owne part I am of the same minde for matter of good workes that Saint Paul was for matter of preaching Phil. 1. 15. some saith the Apostle preach Christ of ●●vie and strife and 〈◊〉 of good will and love what then saith he why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 whether in pretence or in truth so that Christ bee preached I therein doe rejoyce yea and will rejoyce for I know that somebody shall fare the better for it It shall 〈…〉 my 〈◊〉 ver 18 19. Thus say I some men doe good workes out of faith and a good conscience others perhaps out of vaineglory and ostentation what 〈◊〉 Why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Any way so that good workes be done sincerely 〈…〉 sincerely I for my part both do wil cōmend 〈…〉 for I 〈◊〉 that God must needes have some glory the Church the poore some good and themselves without all doubt shall be ultra condig●um rewarded for it In the 9. of Luke there was one that cast out devills in Christs name who followed him not the Disciple tell our Saviour they had forbidden him our Saviour rebuked them and said noe I will none of that Forbid him n●t for ●ee that is not against us is for us ver 50. Christ would have no man hindered or discouraged from well-doing whether hee follow him or follow him not but let them have all the encouragement that may be to forward and further men in doing good You know what God sayd to Caine Gen. 4. 7. If thou doest well shalt thou not be accepted and you know what Caine was to shew that God will accept of any mans well doing Some men no doubt doe good workes Obediently because God commands them so to doe others perhaps doe it onely R●tinually because they thinke well of it themselves what then as long as God accepts it what reason have we to speake against it I say no more but what was said to Gideon Vp a●●kee doing and the Lord shall 〈◊〉 with you for good So I come more neerely to the Apostles in junction touching the maintenance and continuance of good workes among men which are of three sorts 1. Opera pirtatis workes of piety and devotion to God as prayer thankesgiving besides other divine expressions and exhibitions of ou● duty of 〈…〉 our God for Gods services are of two sorts some are cheape services that come gratis and cost us nothing comming to Church hearing of Sermons receiving the Sacrament and few there bee that make any scruple of these because they come of free cost yet the old world was 〈…〉 other some a●● chargeable service● 〈…〉 the may●tenance of Gods ministry the building and repayring of his sanctuary and those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostle speakes of Heb. 7. 4. paying tythes of the best and principall of allthings in 〈…〉 did when it comes to these as 〈◊〉 said 〈…〉 The Lord pardon his servants in these things 〈…〉 have not one to an hundred but will haggle and dodg● with God most shamefully and basely when it comes to a matter of cost what law compels them that they doe but it is 〈…〉 God knows against the haire nay against the very heart of them to part with any to the Lord from whom they have received all things just as one said of his Saint Martyn Martinus ●onus in auxilio churu● in negotio he was a good saint for his assistances but a chargeable saint for his businesses so basely doe many thinke of God they like his succour well but hot his service He is a good God for his comforts but for his costlinesse they would willingly have that abated Time was when men faulted in excesse the Iewes were faine to be restrained by Proclamations our Ancestors were faine to be restrayned by Statutes of Mortmayne now there needes none of all this men know how to shut their hands alone and strive rather to be injurious then any way helpefull to God and his Church I say no more but referre you to our Saviours determination Hee oporte● facere these works of piety must not be left undone

great thy corruptions never so many thy passions never so strong He that could calme the sea can calme thy sorrowes and speake peace unto thy soule in the midst of all thy troubles and therefore if at any time thy passions be stirred and thy heart disquieted within thee know of a surety that there is some Ionah that hath raised this storme some sinne or other that hath caused this trouble to thy soule then fall to thy prayers as Eliah did and give God no rest till God hath given rest to thy soule Eliah was a man subject to passions and 〈…〉 It followes How did he pray My text 〈◊〉 he prayed earnestly in the Originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In praying he prayed or he prayed a prayer we translate it He prayed earnestly and it is to very good purpose for it implies thus much that no prayer is a prayer indeede but an earnest prayer Cold and carelesse prayers counterfeit and superstitious prayers they be but res nihili in Gods account no prayers at all I will give you an instance Act. 9. 11. When Paul was converted and stricken with blindnesse Almightie God sent Ananias to him to lay his hands upon him and to recover him of his sight now least he should mistake the man and lay his hands upon a wrong party God gives him this prive token to know him by for behold he prayeth Now let me demand do you think that S. Paul never prayed to God till that time or doe you imagine that was the first prayer that ever Paul made It is the first we reade of but doe you thinke he never prayed before I beleeve hee did many a time and oft and I will give you my reason Saint Paul you know was a Pharisee one of the strictest and devoutest of all the Sect as he testifies of himselfe and the Pharisees you know were altogether given to long praying it was their glory and their gaine to that they could make long prayers in every place in the open streets in widowes houses and no doubt but Saint Paul had as excellent a faculty that way and could pray as long and as largely as the best of them all but see the issue Almighty God who stiles himselfe the hearer of prayers gave no eare tooke no notice of all his formall Pharisaicall hypocriticall prayers which he had made in former times till he came to this humble this earnest this heart-breaking prayer And now saith God Behold he prayeth hee never prayed indeed till now for as Philo saith well God doth not numerare but ponderare not number our prayers but weigh them if he finde them cordiall if he finde them hearty that they have some substance and so●e weight in them then he records and registers and sets them downe in that booke of remembranc● which the Prophet speakes of Mal. 3. 16. If otherwise they be dull and heartlesse lazy and spiritlesse God doth by them as hee doth by onr sinnes of ignorance Act. 17. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 winke at them over-see them passe by and take no notice of them let no man therefore deceive himselfe to thinke that all kinde of praying speeds alike for no prayer is a prayer in Gods account but an earnest prayer Eliah prayed a prayer because he prayed earnestly Furthermore it is worth your noting to see the constant disposition of this holy man Eliah was well knowne to be a hot spirited man in all his actions exceeding zealous and earnest in all his reprehensions both of the King and of the people Now here you may observe the equability the evennesse of Eliahs zeale as he was earnest in his reprehensions so he was as earnest in his devotions and as zealous in his prayers as he was in his anger There is many a man hot and fiery in his anger but cold and luke-warme in prayers such zeale is never right Gal. 4. 18. It is good to be alwayes earnest in a good thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is the word to be hot and fiery and zealously affected in one good thing as well as another in devotion as well as reprehension in prayer as well as in anger When a mans zeale is equable like Eliahs then it is right and pleasing to God As Physitians judge of the state of a mans body Vniversalia salutaria particularia ex morb● as thus if a man be hot in one part and cold in another if the palmes of his hands burne and the soles of his feet be key-cold then all is not right but if he be of an indifferent equall heate all over that held a good signe of good health in the body By the like rule judge thou of the state of thy soule if thy zeale be equable and uniforme both in prayer and in anger it is a good signe of grace and sanctification in thy heart but if it vary and differ that there is too much heate in the one too little in the other all is not well within It was the reason which old Father Latimer gave why men in these dayes doe not prevaile with God in their prayers as Eliah and such others had done in former times Deest ignis saith he deest ignis There lackes fire there lackes fire his meaning is our prayers want that zeale that heate that earnestnesse which they put into theirs For as Incense without fire yeelds no smell no more doth prayer without zeale and earnestnesse and as Hony is no Hony if it have lost its sweetnesse and Vinegar is no Vinegar if it have lost its sharpenesse so Prayer is no Prayer if it be void of earnestnesse Eliah prayed indeede because he prayed earnestly Now I come to the subject and matter of his Prayer which I told you was first for a judgement and then for a blessing first for a drought and then for raine as it followeth He prayed earnestly that it might not raine and it rained not on the earth by the space of three yeares and sixe moneths Here are two weighty points to be considered 1. What should move Eliah to pray for a judgement 2. Why hee made choise to pray for this kind of judgement of drought and dearth rather then for any other I will tell you my opinion of both 1. Vpon what ground or by what warrant did Eliah pray for a judgement S. Paul in my conceit seemes to taxe him for it Rom. 11. 2. and he brings it in with a notandum wote ye not i doe ye not marke and observe what the Scripture saith of Eliah how he made intercession to God against Israel Good men in former times were wont to make intercession to God For the people not Against them Abraham prayed for the wicked Sodomites Ieremy prayed for the Idolatrous Israelites till God forbad him and gave him a countermand Pray no more for this people for I will not heare thee Ier. 11. 14. The Husbandman in the Parable entreates his Master for the unfruitfull tree that hee

thee more than this so say I to him that trembles at the inundation of debt upon him cannot God if hee were sought unto give an issue out of this cannot God I say if the stumbling-blocke of thy sinne were taken out of the way by a sound and serious humiliation cannot God give thee even more than that thou owest cannot God doe more for thee than thou art aware of assure thy selfe he can nay assure thy selfe he will Take not my word for it but take the Apostles word Phil. 4. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be nothing carefull so we translate it but the word signifies be not distracted or troubled in minde and what is there in the world what worldly thing I meane that more distracts and troubles an honest-minded man than the thought and consideration of his debts and dangers well but is there no remedie is there no reliefe for one in such a case yes there is one universall remedie for all evils whatsoever and that is humble prayer that is the harbour we must put into in all our ill weather and that is it the Apostle directs unto in the place-forecited be carefull for nothing but in every thing let your request be made knowne unto God in supplication and prayer and giving of thankes and the God of peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall keepe and guard your hearts as Kings are kept and guarded from all annoyances This doe then thou that art perplexed and intangled in a labyrinth of debt that thou canst find no outgate no passage no way to escape down upō thy knees to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Chrysostome speaks unclaspe thy conscience before God lay open thy grievances to him unloade thy cares and wants and feares into the bosome of Iesus Christ and ifany meanes under heaven will ease and helpe thee this will doe it Beleeve it brethren all worldly policies without this are but Arenasine calce sand without lime they wil never hold together when wee have most neede of them but like untempered morter will fall asunder let earnest prayer be joyned with frugalitie skill and industrie and then expect with comfort the end that God will give and this is the way to make a poore man prosper I have but one thing more to move you in before I leave this point and that is this that you whom God hath already prospered and blest and enabled to doe good would be pleased and perswaded to give something out of your plentie to the poore and pious uses according as God hath prospered you it is the Apostles own word 1 Cor. 16. 2. He would have every one lay up in store by him to bestow on the poore and needy according as God hath prospered him for the quantitie God hath left it to every mans conscience onely in generall he is directed 2 Cor. 9. to doe as God hath prospered him we should doe therefore in this case as the Iewes doe in another case who because they know not the precise time when the Sabbath should begin and end they beginne it an houre the sooner and end it an houre the later this they call Additionem de prophano ad sacrum an addition from prophanenesse to holinesse I will not dispute the lawfulnesse of that act in particular but generally in such cases as this it is good for every man to doe rather with the most than with the least Quantiscumque sumptibus constet lucrum est piet at is nomine facere sumptus Whatsoever cost a man is at for pious and charitable uses it shall be a gaine unto himselfe We finde 1 Chron. 22. 14 when David had bestowed all his cost in preparation for the Temple a hundred thousand talents of gold a thousand thousand talents of silver thus he exprest it Ecce in paupertate meâ this saith he I have done according to my poverty as if he had said if I had beene able to doe more I would have done more but this was as much as I could reach to and this I trust God will accept say not then in thy heart if I were rich If I were able I would doe thus and thus but doe as God hath prospered thee if thou canst not doe according to thy minde doe according to thy meanes and that is all that God requires we read Mat 21. when our Saviour came riding to Ierusalem some strewed their garments in the way and some cut downe bowes and branches If thou beest not able to strew thy garments in the way of Christ that is to cloath his poore naked members then cut downe bowes and branches at least speake comfortable words to them plead for them and what thou wantest in substance make up in prayer You know the poore widdowes case in the Gospell that put her two mites into the poore mans box our Saviour Christ affirmed that she gave more than all the rest because shee gave all that shee had which testified as one saith not only her liberality to God but her confidence in God that she did verily beleeve though shee left her selfe nothing she should not lacke whereupon Saint Augustine saith Divites largiuntur securi de divitiis pauper securus de Domino a rich man gives and feares no want because hee knowes he hath enough at home a poore man gives and feares as little because he knowes he hath enough above there is one above will supply his wants Beleeve it brethren he that gives any thing with a true intent to relieve the poore and to maintaine the distressed shall doe himselfe more good than he doth them whom hee releeves and I will prove it out of Deut. 15. 7. 10. If there be amo●g you a poore man one of thy brethren within any of thy gates thou shalt not harden thy heart nor shut thy hand upon thy poore brother but thou shalt surely give him and thy heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall blesse thee in all thy workes and in all that thou puttest thy hand unto Contrariwise he that is so gripple and so base that he will part with nothing to the poore let him know that in so doing he makes a forfeiture to God of all his goods and God will be a severe exacter of it at his hands when hee comes to judgement We have a president for it in the Gospell of the man that had a talent given him and did not use it as hee ought there came an extent from God first upon the talent Take away his talent from him thē there came an extent upon his person too Take away the unprofitable servant bind him and cast him into utter darkenesse As S. Peter told Simon Magus Thou and thy money perish together it had beene happie for him if nothing but his money had perished but there comes an extent from God against all Hee and his money must perish together As the Idolater as one said of

him doe whatsoever seemeth good unto him for whatsoever seemeth good to him cannot but be good howsoever it seemes to us Doe but thus thinke thus beleeve thus conceive of God and that 's the way to be content I have done with the first generall part of my Text which was disciplina pacis the discipline of peace and therein you may learne what a happinesse it is to be Content or as the world signifieth to be selfe-sufficient I come now to the second and that is pax disciplinae the peace of this discipline or the profit of this learning and therein you shall see how I for my part you for your parts and every one for his owne part may doe to attaine unto this happinesse and learne for our owne particulars to be contented with our owne estates My Text you see is generall and comprehensive and doth extend and enlarge it selfe not to any one estate or condition of life but to all conditions and to all estates whatsoever For if contentment consisted or rested onely in nobility and greatnesse what should become of the meaner multitude how should they be Content if it consisted in ease and pleasure how should they be content that worke and labour if in costly apparell and dainty fare what a case were they in that goe poorely and fare hardly In a word if contentment were limited and confined to any one condition if it were included and shut up in any one estate what should become of all the rest But the comfort is that God in mercy hath so divided and dispersed and diffused this grace into all estates of men that in whatsoever state a man is in through Gods blessing and his owne endeavour he may be contented with the poore man as content as the rich man the husbandman as the Gentleman and the subject as content as the King I have learned saith S. Paul like a t●tragonismus or a Die that falls square which way soever it lights In whatsoever state I am therewith to be Content Thus farre in generall I come now to particulars As God charged his Prophet Ezek. 14. 4. to answer them according to their Idols goe no further than their owne case and speake home to that so give me leave to lay before you certaine particular cases of discontent which are or may be your owne cases in particular and when I have answered you according to them when I have satisfied and shewed you how they may be borne with a contented minde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have done The cases are fixe 1. Moses case to be crost in ones wife as he was by Zipporah 2. Elies case to be crost in ones children as he was by ●●ophni and Phin●has 3. Iosephs case to be crost in ons reputation as he was by his mistresse 4. Mephibosbeths case to be crost in ones friends and meanes as he was by Ziba 5. The Cripples case Iob. 5. to be crost in ones preferment and hopes as he was for he lay at the poole of Bethesda 38. yeares yet still one or other crost him and stept in before him 6. Hezechias case to be crost in ones departure out of this world to be called to dye as he was at such a time when a man desires most to live These six in my opinion are the principall cases and the chiefest causes that are as Aristotle speakes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the makers and breeders the provokers and procurers of greife displeasure and discontent I will but strike these severall slints with a touch and away and I hope in God that each of them will afford you a sparke to inlighten my Text and to shew you the way to be content As Jacob when he blest the sonnes of Ioseph Gen 48. blest them with a crosse crossing his armes as you may see by the Text so the greatest blessing that ever came into the world came by a crosse the crosse and passion of our blessed Lord and Saviour and there is no man living so blest of God in this world but he hath some crosse or other to keepe him humble and the most usuall are these 1. Moses case to be crost with a Zipporah with an ill-tongued wife or Abigails case to be crost with a Naball with an ill-conditioned husband we wil put them both together because this crosse is like an Amphisbaena a Serpent with two heads which bites both wayes and stings at both ends and there must be a redresse on both sides or there can be no contentment on eyther As the Poets feigne of Venus that she brought forth a sonne and called his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love this sonne of her● would never thrive nor come to any growth till shee had brought forth another sonne and she called his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as you would say love for love Thus stands the case betwixt a man and his wife they are like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the love of the one will never grow nor thrive without the love of the other if there be not a reciprocall affection a mutuall endeavouring to give each other content their life will proove rather Conjurgium than Conjugium as one said rather a watfare then a welfare and they shall live in the family as Iacob and Esau did in the wombe and doe nothing but wrestle and struggle for superiority which is a hatefull life both to God and man Well but if it be thus that a man or woman be thus crost what is to be done in such a case I answer there is no way but one and that 's it my Text speakes of onely to learne to be Content But yet there is a course to be taken for that and it is this David tells us in the Psalme that it is God that maketh them that are in one house to be of one heart if therefore any discontent arise in a family the onely way is to have recourse to heaven by humble and earnest prayer and God will worke a peace twixt man and wife Wee see in Genesis as long as Adam and Eve lived at one with God they lived at one among themselves but so soone as they were divided from God by sin they became divided among themselves by discord Adam falls a blaming of Eve and accusing her to God in whom before he rejoyced as bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh So marke it where you will seldome doe man and wife fall out among themselves but first they are fallen out with God and seldome agree except God hath a hand in it The Hebrewes observe that Gods Name Ichovah and mans and womans name Ish and Ishah begin both with one and the same letter now if you takeout the first letter of Gods name from a mans and womans name nothing remaines but Esh which signifieth fire This is the true reason why there is so much fire I meane so much unkinde and unnaturall flames of contention betwixt

if ever wee hope to bee saved by that God whom we professe to beleeve 2. Opera 〈◊〉 workes of Charity and compassion to the poore Esay●8 ●8 10. Draw out thy soule to the hungry if thou beest not able to draw out thy purse or thy possessions then draw out thy soule in a tender compassion and commiseration of their miseries as it is said of our Saviour when he saw the poore people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his bowells yerned upon them why is it that Christ saith The poore yee shall have alwaies with you but that such as are rich and wealthy might make God some part of amends for their trespasses and sinnes by supplying the wants of the poore and needy that God may have honour from them both as from a Phisitian a Patient when a bodily cure is wrought both are joyfull both thankefull to God you know the place Dan. 4. 27. Breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse thy 〈◊〉 by shewing mercy to the poore if there bee any way in the world for a rich man to breake off the yoke of sin and Satan from his necke and to deliver his soule from the hand of hell it is by deedes of charity and workes of mercy to the poore I will have mercy saith God and no● sacrifice Hof ● 6. where mercy and sacrifice may stand together it is reason God should have both but it there must bee a separation if there must bee a defalcation that must be cut off God had rather lose his owne part then the poore should lose theirs God had rather lose a sacrifice or a worke of piety then the poore should lose an almes or a worke of mercy I will have mercy and not sacrifice I say no more but this shew mercy to the poore for Christs sake and Christ will shew you mercy for the poores sake and so much for the second sort of good workes which are Opera charitatis workes of charity to the poore 3. Opera H●n●statis workes of honesty and good dealing with neighbours and strangers that is to doe as we would be done unto and to be as loath to doe wrong as we are to take it They say that honesty and plaine dealing is a jewell and he that useth it shall die a begger but wot you what one wittingly replyed That Begger shall go into Abrahams bo●ome when all dishonest worldlings with all their dishonest gaines shall be damned like Dives to the pit of hell And therefore as you desire to escape that direfull slaughter-house of hell those everlasting burnings in that infernall pit be ru●e● 〈…〉 and see that you provide things honest in the sight of God men that if ever you shal come to be questioned as Iacob was by Laban how you came by your goods you may be able to say as Iacob did my righteousnesse shall answer for me And so much briefely for the three severall sorts of good workes which every Christian is bound by his beliefe and faith to God to do and to maintaine to the utmost of his power and ability It remaynes how this must be done and that you shall see by the sequell 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be carefull to maintaine good workes so wee translate it the word signifies somewhat more i. ut studeant that they study devise and beate their braines how they may doe good to those that stand in neede of their goodnesse according to that Esay 32. 8. The liberall man deviseth liberall things he studies upon his bed as a mother doth when her child is sicke what course to take what meanes to use to make the Church and the world the better for him Solomon saith Pro. 14. 22. Mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good i. Mercy in the promises and truth in the performances of Gods favour and goodnesse to that mans soule As on the contrary it is the brand-marke of a man that feares not God Psal 36. 4. He deviseth evill upon his bed it is bad enough to doe evill any manner of way though it bee ex non advertentiâ for want of good taking heede as Gods best servants doe many times and are heartily sory for it when it is done so that were it to doe againe they would not willingly doe it for a world but for a man in cold blood as wee say to lye and study and contrive a way to sinne and to project and plot his sinnes aforehand it is damnable and devilish And marke the place where a gracelesse man deviseth evill David saith In cubile suo upon his bed in the darke and silent night when a man should doe nothing but pray and sigh and grone and cry to God for mercy and grace and remission of sinnes then doth a wicked man lie and plot and beate his braines how to bee revenged on such a neighbour how to bring such a wicked enterprise to passe that the world may take no notice of it oh that such men would remember that woe Mich. 2. 1. Wee unto them that devise evill upon their beds and in the morning rise and practise it that is a degree beyond the former evill if a man hath had evill thoughts or evill purposes in the night as the best man may have the first thing hee should doe in the morning should bee to downe upon his knees to God and desire the Lord as Peter advised Symon Magus to pray Act. 8. that the thoughts of his heart might be forgiven him but for a man first to devise evill without remorse of conscience and then to practise it what is this but to adde sinne to sinne and even with cartropes to pull downe the curse of God upon his owne head And therefore as you love your soules take heede of devising evill by your selves drive away those evill thoughts as Abraham did the fowles with the staffe of earnest prayer and as the Apostle saith Phil. 4. 8. If there ●ee any vertue if there be any praise in you thinke on these things that my text enjoynes you and when you have any leasure any spare time from the world devise in Gods name and beate your braines how you may compasse to doe some good worke which may tend to the right way of pleasing God and of saving your owne soules So much for that particular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men that beleeve in God must study and take thought how to maintaine good workes 2. To maintaine good workes the word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies pr●esse to bee before others to be a President or an antecedent in good works not onely to take example by others but to give example to others of goodnesse and well-doing as in giving of honour so in doing of good we must strive to goe one before another not singer and stay till we see what an other man will doe or what such a man will give to pious and charitable uses but strive to be the first