l. 1. c. 13. Deus uâ—que laborat in maximis neque fastidit in minimis Amb. in Hexam lib. 5. cap. 2. Indeed the Poet sayd Non vacat exigu is rebus adesse Iovi But the Scripture otherwise that the very haires of our head are numbred Mat. 10.30 and that not so much as a sparrow which is sold for a farthing can fall on the ground without our heauenly fathers prouidence Disponit membraculicis pulicis as Augustine In Psal 148. For besides his generall prouidence which is seene in the gouernment of the whole vniuerse Calvin Instis lib. 1. c. 16. he hath a speciall also mode rating euery singular action and accident Who dwelling on high Aquin. 1. part quaest 22. art 2. Caiet ibid. Heb. 1.3 Wisd 8.1 beholdeth vs as Emmots vpon the mole hils of the earth in whom we liue and moue and haue our being For it is written he supporteth all things by his mighty word He reacheth from one end to another and ordereth all things sweetly Omnia non solum permissa à Deo sed etiam immissa as one saith Lip sius Constâ—nâ— lib. 1. Cap. 14. so that nothing falleth out by blinde humane chance but by diuine choise The Lord doeth not onely suffer and see what is done heere below but also disposeth of euery particular euent to the glory of his name and good of his children He beheld Dauid in his trouble Daniel in his dungeon Peter in his prison and ordered their short affliction to their endlesse consolation In that then though he dwelleth on high hee humbleth himselfe to behold the things below In that he keepeth Israel Psal 121.4 which doth neither slumber nor sleepe In that he graueth his children on the palmes of his hands Isay 49.16 In that he heareth the very grones of his children in their closets Psal 38.9 and maketh their beds in their sicknesse Psal 41.3 In that as Augustine sweetly hee taketh care for all his children as if all were but one Confes l. â— c. 11. and for euery particular as if one were all Because of this diuine and most blessed prouidence Trust in the Lord. Vnto these we might further adde many more forcible reasons grounded on the person in my text as namely sixthly from the power seuenthly from the mercy eightly from the loue ninthly from the wisdome tenthly from the goodnesse adde also the truth of Iehouah and looke how many meditations you may conceiue concerning God so many reasons you haue to Trust in the Lord. Whatsoeuer he is he is it to vs and for vs because hee is the Lord Iehouah our God wherefore let vs trust in the Lord. Thus farre of the Doctrine and the Illustration thereof by Scripture and by reason Proceed wee now to the vse of this Doctrine which is diuerse Vse 2 It serueth first for our information I. Iohn 14.1 we ought alwayes to trust in Iehouah Our Sauiour so enformeth and comforteth his disciples Let not your hearts be troubled yee beleeue in the father beleeue also in me in whatsoeuer dangers of soule or of body of life or of death ye may bee yet be not discouraged but trust in the Lord. Dolosum aerumnosum est cor hominis as the heart of man is aboue all things deceitfull so is it distrustfull For as S. Basill to this purpose speaketh In Psal 44. we are of one condition in prosperity but of another in aduersitie as it is most plainly exemplified vnto vs in that example of Peter in Matth. 26.33.69 Fortune saith Seneca freeth many from punishment Epist 61. 79. but none from feare many and manifold dangers like waues comming fast one on the backe of another one griefe calling on another as the clouds burst foorth with raine Many and fearfull are those dangers whereunto the life of man is liable yet if God be for vs what shall be against vs if our trust be grounded on the Lord Psal 46.2.3.4 if our confidence be sure we need not feare though the earth bee remoued and though the mountaines be cast into the middest of the Sea though the waters thereof roare and bee troubled though the mountaines shake with the swelling thereof though the world be lifted off the hinges and all things be turned vpside downe though all things goe the cleane contrary way in a word though the Sunne be turned into darknesse and the Moone into blood though the pillars of the earth and the powers of heauen be shaken yea though the frame of the world like the temple of Dagon fall ratling vpon our heads yet we will not feare for as Dauid saith Psal 18.2 The Lord is my rocke and my fortresse and my deliuerer my God my strengh in whom I will trust my buckler and the horne of my saluation and my high tower God is our Captaine therefore like Souldiers wee will rely vpon his warinesse and watchfulnesse God is our Shepheard therefore like sheepe wee shall sleepe in peace vnder his staffe God is our Pilot therefore like passengers sayling in great waters we shall be without feare vnder the protection of his care and experience God is our King therefore like subiects we will feare no inuasion of enemies no want of prouision vnder his so well-ordered gouernment God is our father therefore like to his children we will feare no ill vnder his armes O trust in the Lord for he is the Lord of hosts 1 Sam 15.45 Antigonus King of Syria as Plutarch speaketh being ready to giue battell by sea bard by the Isle Andros In Pelopida answered one of his men who told him that his enemies had more ships then he For how many men reckonest thou me indeed the dignity of the Generall is much to be esteemed when it is sorted with prowesse and experience But where is there prowesse where experience if it be not in the Lord Therefore Iob excellently saith hee is wise in heart and mighty in strength Who hath hardned himselfe against him and hath prospered Iob. 9.4 Surely saith Dauid Psal 3.8 Saluation belongeth vnto the Lord. And the Prophet Esay saith Esay 43.11 I euen I am he and besides me there is no Sauiour For as none can deliuer out of his hand so none can deliuer as he can To the righteous he is a shield Psalme 5.12 To the weake strength Psalme 22.12 To the oppressed a refuge Psalme 9.9 To the persecuted a fortresse Psalme 91.2.9 To the Sun-burnt with afflictions he is a shadow To those that are exiled for righteousnesse sake bee is a well furnished habitation To the thirsty he is a well of water as to Sampson To the pursued he is a wall of defence as to the Israelites To the hungry hee is the bread of life To the faint he is a bed of downe To the miserable he is a deliuerer neither are his deliueries palliatiue cures easing as cold water in a feuer onely for the
FAITH AND GOOD VVORKES Vnited IN A SERMON PREACHED at the Spittle vpon Wednesday in Easter weeke 1630. By RICHARD REEKS Minister of the word at Little Ilford in Essex LONDON Printed by THOMAS HARPER for IOHN HARRIGAT and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the Holy Lambe in Pater Noster Row MDCXXX TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SIR THOMAS FANSHAVV Knight Grace and Glory Right Worshipfull I Haue made bold to dedicate this Sermon to you for that as your affection to Religion loue to learning hatred of superstition and schisme hath rightly honored you so also you proceed euery way to adorne your eminent calling Praerogativam generis similitudo morum magis sibi vendicat quà m ordo maiorum The congruity of manners not the pedegree of ancestors hath the prerogatiue of noble birth wherein although you may plead both yet you are more dignified by the former The Lord hath exalted you to eminent place in the Commonwealth wherein you haue approoued your selfe faithfull to God and his Church so that you are of the number of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Agapet which are able to doe good not which need good to bee donne vnto That therefore which is herein required as touching doing good in this contemplatiue but cold age you haue both in generall and particular so well performed that you stand as a Lampe burning and light shining vnto others to follow your worthy example wherein nothing remaineth but that you be found faithfull as you haue beene vnto death that God may giue vnto you a crowne of life such shall the prayers of him be for you and yours which resteth Your worships in the best seruice euer to be commanded RICHARD REEKS Auspicante Deo Textus legitur in Psalmo xxxvij vers 3. Trust in the Lord and doe good so shalt thou dwell in the Land and verily thou shalt be fed THere is no faith where there is either meanes or hopes difficulties and impossibilities are the true obiects of beleefe Gods charges are oftentimes harsh in the beginnings and proceeding but in the conclusion alwayes comfortable God deferres on purpose that our trials may be perfect our deliuerance wellcome our recompence glorious This knew the holy Psalmist the Prophet Dauid right well and therefore through more then much experience penned this Consolatory Song or Psalme as it plainly appeareth by the argument of it throughout Wherein the Princely Prophet most grauely preuenteth many distrustfull doubts and feares which might in the contemplation of Christianity the comparison of the same with the present gliding delight of the wicked at any time arise in the minds of Gods seruants and followers Here by the way it may bee easie to obserue how hard a thing it is to be a Christian In this respect his meditation affording him not more griefe then wonder And here to keepe his station is hard but to remoue harder One while he scarce restraineth his vnruly desires from euill ofter can finde no list to good sometime he purposeth well and when those thoughts not his begin to lift him from the earth loe hee that rules in the ayre stoops vpon him with powerfull temptations or the world puls him downe with a sweet violence so that it is hard to say whether he be forced or perswaded to yeeld here is much weaknesse more trechery good duties seeme harsh and can hardly escape the repulse or delay of excuses and not without much strife grow to any rellish of pleasure and at the best cannot auoid the mixture of many infirmities But this is not all O God! what aduersaries hast thou prouided for vs weake men What difficulties What encounters Malitious and subtle spirits an alluring world a Serpentine and stubborne nature distrustfull feare neither the least nor last enemie of mankind which though our eyes behold yet with such amazement because crossing carnall reason that from hence ariseth eyther a slauish feare whereby when we see the number and the happinesse of the wicked we like cowardly Israelites are ready to flie and plead their measure for our feare who is able to stand before the sons of Anak Or if not feare so that as we can we weakly resist yet are we foyled with indignation and enuie fretting our selues because of the vngodly and being malicious against the euill doers vers 1. Or which is worst of all heereby we are so stupified that fayth for a while seeming not to haue any being impious and prophane Atheisme stealing on vs maketh this question whether there bee a God or whether blinde chance and fatall necessity and fortune doe not hand ouer head moderate all things heere below So that at some time or other it is hard euen for a beleeuer not to be an Infidell at least in conceit looking carnally to haue God at a bent and if hee come not at a call how easie to cast him off and to betake vs to our owne no lesse idolatrous then ridiculous shifts like the Chinois whipping their gods when they answer not Whereas as the Prophet heere exhorteth his holy ones wait long and seeke him and not onely in their sinking but from the bottome of the deepes call vpon him and though hee kill them still put their trust in him To which purpose in this text is sayd Trust thou in the Lord c. It is not my purpose to spend any time in speaking concerning the authour of this sacred hymne who as it appeareth by the argument of it was Dauid the King neyther will I insist vpon that excellent order Alphabetically heere vsed for the auoyding of tedious prolixity according to the number of the Hebrew letters The Hebrewes in their songs as it might be shewed did follow the method Alphabeticall as some thinke heereby to helpe the memory Others as Vatab. tell vs there is no certayne reason of this versifying Apparet vulgatam carminis rationem fuisse It appeares to be an ancient and vulgar custome Others as Hierom auerre that they were written in Saphick verses to which purpose hee alleadgeth Origen and Philo. Others suppose this order was vsed not onely to help the memory but also to note the worthinesse of the matter And this last opinion may we in this place first of all incline vnto this Psalme being Alphabetum quoddam pijs omnibus discendum vt nouerint vbi sita sit foelicitas beatitudo as Vatab. elsewhere Heere the care of the holy Ghost is especially to bee noted for mans saluation not onely to make the way most plaine for vnderstanding but also the Scriptures as familiar as our A. B. C. for our best conseruing and retayning in our memory So that this Psalme is like Habakuks vision he that runneth may read a lecture of comfort in euery letter and may moreouer well remember what he readeth But what should I stay on that of S. Hierom. in his epistle to Paulus Vrbicus diuiding the whole Alphabet into seuen connexions interpreteth the two and twenty
conuersation honest and harmelesse that the name of God may not be blasphemed among the Gentiles and not only so but that they may winne those that are without by their holy cariage and conuersation according to that of the Prophet Isaiab 61.9 Their seed shal be known among the Gentiles and their of spring among the people All that see them shall acknowledge them that they are the seed that the Lord hath blessed And if this reason bee not sufficient let me lead you yet further Reason 4 Because this is the commandement of God to the performance whereof we are inuited à praemio from the reward à periculo from the danger That God commands it without further reason why is sufficient reason for vs to do it And that it is the command of the highest it appeareth in many places Eschew euill and doe good To doe good forget not Date eleemosynam Luke 11.41 Charge the rich that they bee fruitfull in good workes and heere be doing good And in many places which command implies obedience if we go no further then the command it selfe for he that commanded it to be done is that mighty one high aboue all men and angels by whose command all things were made for dixit factuns est but that the Lord might leaue vs inexcusable and that euery mouth might be stopped he hath enforced the same by a double reason For hoofac vines do this A praemiâ— and thou shalt liue There is a reward greater then our seruice Againe he that looketh in the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein being not a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the worke the same shall bee happie in his deed which happinesse is no lesse then eternall life then which what reward can be greater Againe wee are exhorted by good workes on earth to lay vp for our selues treasures in heauen to bring somewhat into Gods exchequer as the Israelites to the Tabernacle whereof in singular confidence clayming an especiall interest in Gods fauour and expecting the promised recompence we may say with Nehemiah Remember me O God concerning this For albeit the glory of God bee the vltimus terminus of our cogitations actions well doing and principall motiue of our good workes and as it were the primum mobile of our obedience yet as Aquinas in the actions of our obedience whilest we seeke the aduancement of Gods glory in the first place we may as a secondary obiect or adiunct respect our owne commodity and haue an eie to our owne reward for shall Iob or any one serue God for nothing But as S. Augustine saith in Pal. 100. Nisi Deus per misericordiam parceret non inueniret quos per iustitiam corenaret Except God should spare in mercy he should finde none to crowne in iustice For as conscious to our selues of our many imperfections in our best actions of defects and faults in the end matter maner or measure of our obedience we must supplicate and say misericordia tua meritum meum thy mercie is my merie pardon me according to thy great mercy In hope and expectation of which infinite reward we must in our seuerall callings dailie be doing good exercising our selues in works of piety and pity that so our soules as fields of sincerity being daily more and more charged with the deeds of mercy we may at length be accomplisht with the erest and crowne of eternall glory as himselfe hath promised Matt. 5. Blessed be the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy Luk. 6.35 Iohn 14.1 They shall be called the children of the highest and therefore haue a dwelling place in their fathers house For Quimiseretur proximo soeneratur domino he that casts his bread vpon the waters shall after many daies find for a crumme a crowne for one mite a million for a drop of cold water a full draught of that heauenly water wherof hauing tasted he shall neuer thirst any more and in a word for the gleanings and refuse of our vintage a ful measure pressed and running ouer saithfull is he that promised to performe it But if we cannot be wonne by reward let vs be wrested by danger for feare of punishment for feare and anguish shall be vpon euery soule that doeth euill and take and bind that vnprofitable seruant and cast him into vtter darknesse there shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth this is their portion for euer ignorans ignorabitur Primosâ—â—â— Aquin. hee that will not know God by doing good shall not be known of God among those to whom he shall shew himselfe good These forenamed reasons first to shew our loue to God in walking as his children secondly to shew our loue to our selues In quieting our consciences In making our election sure Thirdly to shew our loue to our neighbours In witnessing our faith In winning them by our godly conuersation Fourthly in yeelding obedience to the commandement of God In respect of the reward In respect of the danger These reasons I say as a cord diuinely twisted are sufficiently able to moue vs to and to confirm vs in the doing of good Vse 1 First then let vs sling this stone into the brazen foreheads of our Aduersaries which in their shamesse chalenges of our Religion dare tell the world that we are all for faith nothing for good workes all for saying but nothing for doing And that we hold workes to saluation as a Parenthesis to a clause that it may bee perfect without them Heauen and earth shall witnesse the iniustice of this calumniation and the consciences of all which heare vs shall bee our compurgators which testifie that there is no lesse necessity of doing good workes then if you should bee saued by them and th t though you cannot be saued by them as the meritorious cause of your glory yet that you cannot be saued without them as the necessary effects of that grace which brings glory We say and maintaine that fides nuda is fides nulla a naked faith is no true fayth to the conuiction of that lewd slander of Solifidianisme For although we doe not wee dare not make inherent righteousnesse the cause of our iustification yet wee say it is the effect thereof though with the Papists we make it not the Vsher yea rather the Parent of iustification yet we require it as the companion at least the Page thereof But some man may say what matters it if both ascribe the whole worke to God For comes it not all to one if one pay a summe for me or giue it me to pay my selfe These things may seeme little dissonant to some mens cares yet the spirit of God hath made them vtterly incompatible For it is written To him that worketh the wages is not imputed of grace but of debt if by grace now not of works for else grace should be no more grace Rom. 4.4 Ephes 2.8 for neither is it grace any way if it bee not free euery way saith Aug.