being come to put away figures all that maintained such daies moneths and times which the Iewes obserued as they were Iewes should obscure Christ. The Iewes had their solemne assemblies and conuocations Leuit. 23. 2. certaine times in the yeere the first and last dayes whereof they kept as Sabbaths to the Lord of which Paul here speaketh and therfore he saith ye obserue Sabbaths he saith not a Sabbath for which assuredly he is not here grieued with them For Paul had planted this day among them as appeareth 1. Corin. 16. 1. Concerning the gathering for the Saints as I haue ordained in the Churches of Galatia so doe ye also Where we may see that ancient custome of the Primitiue Church which was that after the word read for the space of an houre after the â—â—â—mon ended and the Sacraments administred many did vse to giue not of constraint but of good will to the poore Now seeing he had appointed the Lords day in Galatia it is not like that hee would so sharply haue reprehended them for his owne ordinance as to say vnto them that he feared their backsliding from the trueth by it but rather of those Iewish holie daies which being peculiar vnto the Iewes had their beginning and their ending with them And if wee say that that day should not be kept for a ceremonie but some other that were not to abrogate but to change the ceremonie as he that stripping himselfe of one sort of clothing and for pride inuesteth himselfe with a new sute putteth not away but chaungeth his pride or as hee that of a filthie lecher is become a couetous miser riddeth not himselfe from sinne but changeth from one sute of sinne whereof he is weary to some other The Papists therefore though they haue not the same daies yet hauing newe daies in their stead haue not abrogated but altered Iudaisme Iustinus Martyr affirmeth that they had no holy day but one in the Primitiue Church He speaketh then flatly against the ceremonies which by the eternitie and perfection of Christ his sacrifice are abolished Heb. 9 and 10 Our first father Abraham when hee beleeued receiued circumcision as the seale of his faith to which Baptisme is subrogated vnto Christians The particular signe that appertained to the posteritie of Abraham is gone but the water in Baptisme doth appertaine to all in a generall equitie Likewise as the Sabbath did put them in minde of their deliuerance it is gone but as by it we remember Christ his resurrection wee retaine it To conclude the Apostle meaneth not in this place that Sabbath but those holy daies of the Iewes which being the beginning and ending the first day and last day of their feasts were Sabbaths The third reason Coloss. 2. 16. Let no man condemne you in meate and drinke or in respect of an holy day or of the new moone or of the Sabbath daiâ—s 17. Which are but a shadow of things to come but the bodie is in Christ. This is also vnderstoode of the Iewish distinguishing of meates and daies For the Colossians were troubled with false Apostles as were the Galathians And what is the reason that they were so encombred with Iewish obseruations Forsooth the religion of Christians which rather consisteth of pure simplicitie than pompous solemnitie hath but the word barely preached the Sacraments without vaine shewes administred prayers in humilitie offered and therefore it seemeth not so polished so glorious and so garnished as the Iewish religion which did drawe the greater part of men after it Thus our fathers seeing the Iewish religion so vernished and the Gentiles religion so pompous and Christian religion ful of simplicitie drew the Gentiles from the simplicitie of Christianisme and brought in this heape of ceremonies Wherefore here Paul telleth them that these things were but instructions for a time and pedagogical and therefore did not so appertaine vnto them as they should neede to trouble their consciences about them though they obserued them not Let no man condemne you saith the Apostle in such Iewish ceremonies as for the not obseruing of them they should count you no Christians Heere is the same drift of the matter which was of the former here the Apostle descendeth from generals to particulars there he ascendeth from particulars to generals Let no man condemne you in respect of an holy day which was an octonarie for eight dayes long did the feasts of the Iewes last or of the Sabbath daies hee saith not of the Sabbath for hee meaneth those Sabbaths which were appertenances of the former holy daies not that holy Sabbath which was common to the â—ewes with all other the people of God And whereas in the former part of the verse it is said Let no man condemne you in meate and drinke hee sheweth that the Iewes had certaine beasts and birds vncleane and drink-offerings which were forbidden them howbeit vnto Christians all things are pure But some will say what neede wee now to fast who will censure vs I answere the Lord himselfe For albeit wee that are Christians are not to bee charged as the Iewes were with one speciall day yet as the Iewes with all God his people did humble themselues before the Lord either for the remouing of some iudgement which presently did lie vpon them or for the preuenting of some perils which were towards them or for the obtaining of some grace which they wanted and yet without all obseruations of daies so wee must ioyne with them And therefore whosoeuer refuseth the exercise of humbling either priuately or publikely the same is to bee controlled by the word If any bee commaunded publikely by the Magistrate whether the cause be iust or not iust wee are to obey if the cause bee iust it is not the commaundement of the Magistrate but of God and who so breaketh this is surely to be condemned The similitude here annexed of the Apostle is very fit for as the skilfull painter first portraiteth and then painteth with fresh and liuely colours that which before more rudely and obscurely hee did frame and fashion with a blacke coale so these rudiments more darkely did represent that which now is liuely described vnto vs the truth of all things in Christ. The bodie is Christ as if hee should say yee haue receiued Christ and the things which he hath prescribed and though yee haue not the Sabbaths and holy daies of the Iewes yet haue yee the true Sabbath pure holy day which Christ hath left vnto you Here then the Apostle is so farre from abrogating of the Sabbath that hee maketh no mention nor includeth any meaning thereof in these words And thus much for the reasons which they thinke they haue gotten out of the epistles of Saint Paul Now let vs consider of that place which is in the epistle to the Hebrues chap 4 verse 3. For wee which haue beleeued doe enter into rest as he saide to the other As I haue sworne in my wrath If they
trie their loue two wayes What is the first 1. First if they be as carefull to doe all duties to their children as they would haue had their parents in times past to haue performed all good duties vnto them What is the second 2. Secondly if they bee as carefull to doe duties to their children as they would haue their children hereafter to be dutifull vnto them What be the duties of Seruants to their Maisters Seruants ought in feare and trembling to submit themselues to the instructions commandements and corrections of their Maisters and to doe no eye-seruice to them What if Parents and Maisters doe not their duties to their Children and Seruants Yet they must obey them for conscience to Gods ordinance What if they command vniust things Then they must obey God rather then men and submitte themselues to their correction Why are these words added That thy dayes c They are added to allure vs more carefully to keepe and willinglie to obey this Commandement And shall not disobedience bee punished Yea it shall be rewarded with a short and miserable life How may they trie their loue by these duties They may trie it three manner of wayes What is the first 1. First if they bee as desirous to doe all these duties to their Maisters as they would haue their Maisters to doe the dutie of Maisters vnto them What is the second Secondly if they bee as carefull to doe all these duties to their maisters as they would haue their seruants to be dutifull vnto them when they shall be maisters What is the third Thirdly if they be as willing to doe all duties to their maisters as they would be glad to receiue long life or any other blessing at the hand of God What duties doe Maisters owe to their seruants Maisters ought to teach and correct their seruants and to pray for them How may they trie their loue by these duties They may trie their loues two wayes What is the first 1. First if they be as desirous to doe all these duties to their seruants as they would haue their Maisters deale with them if they were seruants What is the second thing 2. Secondly if they be as carefull to doe all these duties to their seruants as they would be to haue their seruants to doe all duties vnto them Rehearse the sixt Commandement Thou shalt doe no murther How many things are here forbidden Foure especially 1. First is forbidden by weapon or poyson to kill our brother 2. Secondly by wound or blowe or anie other meanes to shorten the life or empaire the health of any man 3. Thirdly by word countenance or gesture to mocke grieue or contemne any man 4. Fourthly wee are forbidden all anger hatred or enuie whereby we may be brought to reuenge our selues vpon our brother What good is here commanded 1. First wee are commaunded to haue peace with all men as much as is possible and in vs lyeth 2. Secondly wee are commaunded in thought word and deede to seeke the preseruation of the health of our brother Rehearse the seuenth Commaundement Thou shalt not commit adulterie How many things are here forbidden Three things are forbidden Which is the first First all outward actions are forbidden whereby the bodie is defiled as Adulterie Fornication vncleannesse How many wayes is vncleannesse committed Two wayes First either against Our owne bodies which is vnnaturall or The bodies of beasts which is monstrous Secondly by marrying one 1. Of a false religion or 2. Of no religion at all 3. Within the degrees forbidden 4. Without the consent of parents 5. It is committed by vsing the marriage bed intemperately What is the second thing forbidden Secondly all instruments and occasions are forbidden whereby this sinne is raised vp or strengthened in vs and they bee all contained in this word Wantonnesse How is this wantonnesse seene In two things First when either 1. The whole bodie is abused in idlenes or vaine sports or 2. Any part of the bodie as the eye the eare the tongue the nose the hand or foote are abused Secondly when we doe intemperately abuse meate drinke sleepe or apparell or vse any inconuenient companie time or place What is the third thing forbidden Thirdly all inward setled lusts are forbidden wherunto the heart doth giue consent What good is cammaunded 1. First I am commaunded to keepe my selfe pure and chaste both in body and soule 2. Secondly to vse those meanes carefully which may keepe vs chaste Which â—ee the meanes of Chastitie Continuall sobrietie in meate drinke sleepe and apparell Continuall painfulnes in our calling Fasting and watching so often as neede requireth What if by these meanes wee cannot be kept chaste 3. Then thirdly wee are commanded to marrie and in marriage to vse those meanes carefully whereby the marriage bed may be kept pure and vndefiled Rehearse the eight Commandement Thou shalt not steale How many euils are herein forbidden 1. First all those outward acts are forbidden whereby stealth is committed How many wayes is stealth committed outwardly in acte Two waies either By our selues and this is three waies 1. First all secret filching and open robberie â—e it neuer so small a thing for neuer so great a neede 2. Secondly all extortion or violent wrong all oppression and vnmercifull dealing 3. Thirdly all deceit in buying and selling or exchanging in restoring things borrowed found giuen to keepe and such like By others either By commanding or counselling others to steale By keeping counsell By consenting any way to them when they steale Which are the second euills forbidden 2. Secondly all outward occasions of stealth forbidden Which be they All idlenes wastfull spending of goods liuing in an vnlawfull calling all false weights measures coynes and such like What is thirdly forbidden 3. Thirdly all inward stealth of the heart is forbidden What is that The setled will or desire of our neighbours goods although wee cannot get them or for feare â—hame or some other respect we doe not take them What is hâ— recommaunded 1. First to restore goods euill gotten or wrongfully kept 2. Secondly to labour faithfully in a lawfull calling to be sparing of that wee get and to helpe others as their neede requireth Rehearse the ninth Commandement Thou shalt not beare false witnes c. What is forbidden herein Wee are forbidden not onely to beare false witnesse our selues but also to be partakers with false-witnes bearers How many wayes doe mâ—n â—eare false witnesse Two waies 1. outwardly and against others and that is in iudgement or out of iudgement or 2. inwardly themselues When they denie that to bee in them which is indeed or When they take vpon them that which belongeth not vnto them whether it be good or euill In Iudgement when they giue or receiue false information pronounce or write anie false sentence Out of Iudgement 1. When anie raise vp spread abroad or listen after false
his worship The morall law and the naturall law differ for alâ—eit the morall law be the explaining of the naturalâ— lâ—w yet it doth not follow that thâ—t which is in the morall law is no more than that which is in the law of nature 10. Hauing shewed the morall vse of the Sabbath to concerne the Gentiles as well as Iewes and answered all obiections to the contrarie In the next place he teacheth the obseruation of iâ— how it is to be kept and how it is broken what are the publike exercises of the Sabbath with what care and conscience we should prepare our selues to meete the Lord on the Sabbath how we must attend vpon him for the time present in the congregation and lastly what our priuate exercises must be after our departure from the publike assemblie 11 In the second part or negatiue â—e sheweth vs in this law what workes are forbidden and them all he referreth to these two heads First all workes of our ordinarie calling Secondly all lawfull recreations Concerning the first kind be they more vsuall or lesse vsuall â—â— question would be made if men were as wise to serue God in diâ—iâ—ing the times and seasons for the â—asements of their bodies and refreshing their soules on the Sabbath as they bâ— politike for the increase of their worldly substance And as concerning lawfull recreation on the Sabbath day If labour be forâ—iâ—den in seede time and haruest much more pleasuâ—â— all the yeere long iâ— things more needfull for the preseruation of lifâ— to the glorie of God be disallowed then assuredly these lesse needfull cannot be allowed Againe saith he the zeale of worldlings may shame vs in our securitie for so long as any profit drops on them they giue no place to pleasure Behold the policie and painfulnes of the world may teach vs what we ought to doe for our seules And thus farre of the compendious summe of the treatise of the Sabbath Of this argument I found three very good copies after due examination and conference had I haue here published the best in my iudgement both for matter and forme in the best manner that I can This worke hath beene in many hands for many yeeres and hath giuen light to some and I trust shall giue further occasion to others to trauaile yet more herein for the good of posteritie And whereas so many in all Churches in these daies passe by this argument of the Sabbath and that other of Titâ—e is meere shadowes and ceremonies it were to be wished that as this reuerend man of God and Maister D. B. haue painfully trauailed in the one so the learned and faithfull seruants of Christ would communicate their knowledge and iudgement of the other vnto the Church and people of God The seuenth portion is short but containeth very good notes of saluation and of an vpright heart The eighth and last part oâ— treatise teacheth vs very profitable and necessarie rules for the reading and vnderstanding of the holy Scripture which be these 1. That Gods people which will profit by prâ—â—â—â—ing must 〈…〉 the reading of the holy Scriptures for that none saith he â—ar so wâ—ll profit by preaching as they that hâ—â—e beene iâ—â—iâ—â—d vp in reading the Scriptures or hearing thâ—m râ—â—d 2 Next to profit by reading of the Scripture â—e requireth â—â—â—â—â— speciall things to be obserued 1. Diligence 2. Wisedome 3. Preparation 4. Meditation 5. Conference 6. Faith 7. Practise 8. Prayer 1. Diligence maketh a rough way plaine and easie here keepe an euen course and perseuere without wearines or starting from it 2. With diligence desire to ioyne wisedome for choise of matter what of order how of time when to reade For matter search things reuealed and hunt not after things not reuealed In things reuealed seeke after things most necessarie and then things lesse necessarie For order first desire to lay the foundation of Christian religion then build vpon it as God giues thee increase of faith and knowledge For time we must not reade alwaies but keepe our appointed times The Sabbath day we may spâ—â—d a great part of it in reading the nâ—â—â—â— daies in the morning at noone and euening when we may redeem the day from the workes of our calling 3. Againe a due preparation is required whereunto appertaine first the feare of Gods maiâ—sâ—â—â— wâ—ich serues well to correct the pride of reason and to subdue our â—ffâ—ctions â—nd so to fit vs for the châ—le of Christ Secondly faith in Christ for that he alone opâ—â—â—th â—ur vnderstanding that we may vnderstand the Scriptures Thirdly great desire in the heart 〈◊〉 vpon the good word of God 4. The fourth propertie is meditation which is the life of all good learning and makes that we haue heard to be our owne and this is two-fold first of the minde or vnderstanding discoursing of things read or heard Secondly of the affection when liking any thing in iudgement we labour that it may worke also vpon our affections Here this rule is to be noted that meditation without reading â—â— câ—râ—neous and reading without meditation barren 5. The fifth helpe here is conference For if in naturall things and in all things appertaining to this life man standeth in neede of the helpe of other men much more in spirituall things 6. The sixt propertie after reading meditation and conference is faith which he requires as an increase of that aforegoing preparation We must beleeue in Iesus Christ by a generall faith going before but we must vse saith he all the meanes before named to increase our knowledge and faith in all particulars after 7. The seuenth is practise for this is a good way to increase our store to put to good vse that mediocritie of knowledge and gifts we haue receiued And assuredly according to Christs words we see by daily experience their gifts decay which put them not in practise 8. The eight rule or propertie is prayer and thankesgiuing With this he wilâ— vs to begin to continue and to end this whole worke Like as we haue no title to meate and drinke without our prayer so saith he they be impudent that doe touch Gods booke without prayer And here he requires also a spirituall thank sgiuing for saith he if this be needfull for corporall foode how much more for spirituall be thankefull for any light and for euery good motion which proceedeth from Gods spirit And thus farre the compendious summe of all these treatises Now Right Worshipfull this holy worke I recommend to your protection first because I knew not any in heart more affected towards that reuerend man Maister R. Greenham who was the author of them all Againe this worke in part appertaines to one of your Worships by a former dedication And therefore I am the more bold to recommend it thus amplified and inlarged vnto you both And the rather for that Gods good spirit hauing so knit your hearts together in the holy faith of Christ I may not doubt
Gods prouidence in going in vnto his maide in lying himselfe and causing his wife to sinne so Lot in departing from Abraham to whom the couenant was made and without a iust cause in being loth to depart from Sodome in lying with his daughters so Dauid Iob Zacharie Noe Peter and the Publican sinned who were all iustified by saith as Abraham was who beleeued in God Some as a meane betweene these doe magnifie the righteousnes which is by faith with out works but in the meane while liue vngedly but these haue imagined a kind of righteousnes common to the dissolute Protestants which shall better be discouered when it is set downe what a righteous man is True righteousnes is by imputation for the obtaining whereof we must first feele and acknowledge our selues voide of all righteousnes full of all vnrighteousnes by reason of our sinnes And this caused Paul to count all his former righteousnes as dung Secondly that we feeling the weight of our sinnes desire to leaue them and be freed from the punishment due vnto them Thirdly that by faith we flie vnto Christ seeking to haue his righteousnes imputed vnto vs and our sinnes not imputed but cleane forgiuen vs. So was the Publican and Abraham so is Christ sent a Mediatour vnto vs when we are wounded by the sword of the word Now although being thus iustified in Christ there doe yet sinne remaine in vs for all that it must not raigne in our mortall bodies but we must doe the worke of our father Abraham walking in vprightnes of heart before the Lord as it was required of Abraham in which sense Dauid saith In whose spirit there is no guile as if he should say his sinnes did still remaine if he walked not vprightly This vprightnes of heart may be tried by foure speciall notes first that we loue all good things as well as one and hate all sinnes as well as one and that both in our selues and others so that although we cannot performe all yet we will haue respect vnto all the Commandements Psalm 119. 6. Whereof Saint Iames giueth a reason when he saith that he that commanded the one commanded the other whereby he discouereth the hypocrisie of those which had religion in respect of persons and such is the religion of Papists and of the Familie of loue Such was the religion of Herod and of the yong man that would follow Christ but when the one was reproued of his whoredome and the other bidden sell all that he had they would be Disciples no longer although before they would doe many things gladly and be great professors Such is the state of many Protestants who will condemne whoredome yet be couetous yea they will doe great things but will not be brought to glorifie God in their callings which sheweth their religion to be vaine their hearts full of hypocrisie And yet this rule may haue exceptions for we doe neither know all good nor all euill at the first much lesse loue the one and hate the other as we ought yea we see many sinnes which as yet we cannot come out of as we should Againe there may be sinnes of frailtie although not of presumption but yet if we be not grieued for these and displeased with our selues when by any one we are ouertaken and hate sinne and loue goodnesse when the Lord doth reueile it vnto vs we keepe an euill conscience and our corruption shall be discouered for in that measure we like of sinne in that measure is hypocrisie in vs and if the oftner we sinne the more we be grieued it is a signe of vprightnesse and then there is hope to recouer the fall for this worketh a care and strife to come our of sinne and at the last a recouerie but in the hypocrite contrarie The second note is that we haue a single care to please and glorifie God in all our doings and to approoue our selues vnto him without hope of reward though trouble doe come vpon vs for it and that onely because we would please God and glorifie his Name and for the same cause eschue euill The want of this caused Christ to reprooue the Scribes and Pharises for fasting and prayer because they did it to be seene of men The want hereof condemneth the Papists and Familie of loue in all their workes because they doe them that thereby they may be righteous When iustification was giuen to workes then men would build Churches Abbeyes c. and these things were greatly praised of men but now when good workes are commanded not to merit but for Gods glorie as to be signes and seales of righteousnes few are brought to doe them which is a signe that there are but a few righteous men vpon earth This rule also hath his exceptions for we shall see much rebellion in our flesh and hypocrisie withall but we must note what is our chiefest drift and what beareth the chiefest sway within vs and of that shall we be named as is the vse in other things as to be of this or that complexion because that or this is the principall and it is called leauened bread though water be mixt with it so that if our consciences do witnesse with vs that our chiefe care is to please God then is our hart vpright with God though hypocrisie be ioyned with it For it is one thing to do a thing for hypocrisie another thing mixt with hypocrisie one thing for vaine glorie and another thing mixt with vaine glorie If we could see nothing by our selues yet herein must we not iustifie our selues and when we see infirmities ioyned with our speciall care we must haue care to leaue them striue thereunto so that we yeeld not our selues to them but rather they leade vs away captiues and whensoeuer we see them to behold Satan in them and therfore hate them and though they buffet vs yet still pray and arme our selues against them as Paul did The third note is that we neuer content our selues in our selues nor in the things that we haue done but still goe forward to leaue sinne and draw neere to God And this may be seene in Abraham and is set downe in the Prouerbs And Paul saith As many as are perfect are thus minded Here then are disclosed those that either stay in the beginnings or else slide backe when they are gone somewhat forward For if we haue tasted once of the good grace of God and then turne backe from it it is impossible to be renued by repentance whereof there are two causes first because they are alwaies learning and neuer the better Esai 28. where the Prophet rebuketh saying Line vpon line and precept vpon precept Secondly because that if they attaine to knowledge yet doe they not build themselues thereupon to keepe a good conscience thus experience teacheth in those that become heretikes This is so fearefull to the godly that they had rather
away Thus much therefore we say that as we prescribed in the other callings so for milking of kine making of beds and dressing of meates as for trauailers Bakers and Brewers that their busines if it be necessarie must bee done either early in the morning or lately in the euening There are two kindes of calling of more difficultie the one by sea the other by land the one of Mariners the other of posts For men being on the Seas cannot come conueniētly to the publike places of religion and in ciuill matters there are often great necessities and vnknowne to priuate men Concerning the first we say they are either in necessary affaires or they are not if not they are to be counted as flat breakers of the Sabbath if they be in their lawfull and necessarie callings the times must bee so diuided that their bodies may be cased and their soules refreshed Howbeit if the present necessitie grow to be more violent then holds the generall rule of things that cannot be done before or after To this we adde that in some respect because the Mariners haue intermissions by reason of their oft changing there might be meanes appointed for the worship of God priuately For there be vicissitudes of labouring spent in quaffing drinking and sleeping which leisure they might haue as free for the worship of God priuately as any on the land Besides the proportion of sixe and seuen obserued that they may doe some one day in seuen which they should do on the Sabbath it selfe For then the Lord accepteth the equitie of the law when vpon necessitie we cannot obserue the prescript time of the law Furthermore when their ships lie at roade and at ancker when they either are staied by tempest or mend their tackling or waite long at hauens for their traffique then what time hath before been lost it is now to be redeemed if it be not at the set times yet as we saide at some times obseruing the proportion of the law Thirdly if they were as prudent in heauenly things as politike in earthly though they cannot so conueniently haue accesse to the publike meanes yet in the whole companie for feare of pirates they goe for stronger fence many together by a generall contribution they might allow a Minister among them Againe considering that the Mariners are either such as be of the richer fort or such as bee of a meaner condition we say that the richer and more wealthie Merchants swimme so in their gaines as if they haue but hearts to pay the tithe of their increase they may not onely conueniently finde a Minister in the ship but also liberally prouide for the worship of God on the land As for the poorer fort if they cannot offer an oxe let them offer a turtle doue if they cānot offer a doue let them offer a little fine wheate flower I meane if they cannot prouide a graue preacher yet at the least they may procure some good man to read the holy word of God vnto them to deliuer the plaine and pure sense of the Scriptures to them and to help them in prayer and other holy exercises of religion For if they can in their seuerall ships maintaine a guide skilfull in seafaring to conduct them in ther nauigations then by a generall purse they may farre more easilie sustaine the charges of a teacher who in great dangers may strengthen comfort them in all estates may guide and safegard them to the hauen of heauen Fiftly in respect that they haue greater blessings on the Seas receiue greater testimonies of Gods fauour taste more bountifully of Gods power in imminent and fearfull dangers and more liberally haue experience of his prouidence in their marueilous preseruation than their brethren on the land I thinke they ought not to be lesse zealous but more carefull of the worship of God than others on the land Though then the prescript forme of the law cannot alwaies be vsed and yet the proportion of the law may bee obserued and seeing God is the Lord of the seas as well as he is the gouernour of the land he is no lesse to be worshipped in the one than in the other yet the want of this his worship hath distinguished the seafaring men from others by their monstrous prophanenes and brutish irreligiousnes And yet in that this euill is not so generall but that euen in that calling there are some that feare the Lord it is manifest that the fault is not in the calling which in it selfe is lawfull but in the corruptions of the persons who are degenerated into an hellish atheisme Now concerning Posts thus much briefly Either the Posts trauaile on the Lords day vpon necessitie or without necessitie If they goe on the necessarie affaires of the land and such as by foreslacking would be more dangerous and the speedie dispatching of them would be more profitable to the whole bodie of the realme the libertie is permitted and is greater or lesser according to the grauitie and slendernes of their affaires but if they haue no necessitie the rule of God his lawes take hold on them Howbeit for the most part subiects are not so precisely to iudge of them because Princes matters are not knowne to all men but they are rather to pray that both the Princes heart may be right herein and that the Lord would moue them euermore to vse those waies which are most conuenient And thus much generally of the vsuall workes of our calling It remaineth to speake of those works which haue not the ordinary course of the weeke daies but are neuerthelesse vsed at certaine set times and seasons as Faires in certaine moneths and quarters of the yeere as the seeding in the winter and in the spring time and the haruest in summer in Autumne Hereunto we may adde speciall iourneies taken in hand not vsually but extraordinarily the gathering of Saffron at the time of the yeere Al which things haue their seuerall seasons and are vnnaturally thrust on the Lords owne times howsoeuer men haue pretended a necessitie flesh and blood hunting after liberty disputeth to the contrary First as for Faires and Markets which by politike wise and worldly men on the Lords daies are maintained it argueth the want of godly wisedome where they be vsed because without any preiudice to the worship of God they may not conueniently bee obserued For if no necessitie profit nor pleasure could cause the Papists to haue their Faires on their Christmas day Easter day holy Thursday and Corpus Christi day then it is a shame for vs that in truth and zeale ought to goe before them to defile the Lords day herewith yea I adde it is intollerable because a firme statute ciuill law enforceth a plaine inhibition of all such worldly conuents and assemblies on that day These faires are for the most part either solemne Marts and of greater continuance or petie Markets and of lesse
day of toyling The equitie of the not kindling of a fire must binde Christians although the sanction doth not constraine them whereas the Israelites of an inch of libertie would take an ell for a childish instruction this thing was restrained them And although we haue a further libertie to kindle a fire for as much as we are in colder countries than the Israelites were yet the equitie of the law must teach vs that we ought not to turne this libertie to be seruant of our wanton desires or to foster carnall licentiousnes and hinder the worship of God If it be demaunded whether this day be fit for mariage or no I answere it is because on that day as it is a day of reioycing there is a more lawfull libertie of speech and a more liberall vse of cheerfull behauiour Howbeit let them not on that day if they marrie make their solemne cheere but seeing they may haue a conuenient companie some other day let them either both marrie and feast some other day or marrie on the Lords day feast another And if it be demanded whether Loue feasts may be kept on this day or no I an swere there is difference betweene loue-feasts and solemne feasts And if men were as wiseas they were in the times of Poperie they would be politike to finde out some meanes to prouide for the glorie of God and yet not altogether neglect the conuenient furniture for their table I am not to appoint neither doe I vndertake to prescribe how meate should be prepared or how offices should be deuided yet by experience I can giue testimonie of some who for their religion beare credit in the Church and for their authoritie carie some countenance in common wealth and yet on the Lords day haue their tables both Christianly and worshipfully furnished without any hinderance of the worship of God at all notwithstanding the number of their daily retinue ordinary familie is great It is one thing to prouide feasts of intertainement more than competent and another thing to vse loue-feasts nothing lesse than is conuenient the one oppressing and disabling vs to holy exercises the other refreshing and enabling vs to the duties of religion Now concerning the exercises pleasures of the body leauing all vaine pastimes at all times vnlawfull but most especially on the Sabbath and to speake of such recreations as in themselues are lawfull and may lawfully be vsed of the children of God in their time and place as those of shooting training vp of souldiers and such like all which their pleasures carie a profit either present or in time to come to the Church or common-wealth we denie not simplie then their places but thinke them conuenient and commendable with the testimonie of the holy Ghost 2. Sam. 1. where Ionathan is commended of Dauid for his shooting Howbeit the Sabbath day is no fitte time for these vses which we will shew briefly First we must know that the Lord hauing forbidden the workes of our ordinarie calling which carie with them a more speciall promise of profit and warrant of reward in their time forbiddeth also lawfull pleasures because if the vse of those be forbidden being lawfull and necessarie for the vpholding and maintaining of mans life then these things not so needfull though conuenient for recreation are much more inhibited And this we shall see more plainely if we remember that rest is so farre commanded as it is an helpe and furtherance to sanctification and labour so farre is forbidden as it is an impediment of the same In regard whereof if pleasures be no lesse lets and impediments to the hallowing of the Sabbath than bodily and ordinarie labours then pleasures haue no more libertie on the Lords day than our outward workes Furthermore we must be circumspect not to rest in any drowsie or sleepie securitie of the flesh but in what measure soeuer we detract from the ordinarie workes of our calling in that proportion must we adde to the sanctification of the day not much vnlike to good Christians who bestow on their soules whatsoeuer they take from their bodies Which wisedome and diligence though we vse most carefully yet for as much as we shall leaue as many duties vnperformed as we shall haue performed I see not what leisure we can lawfully lend to recreations If any carnall professor shall presse this thing more vehemently me thinketh he may blush at the defence of it seeing this kinde of keeping holy daies in pleasures and playing was vsed euen of the Heathen who sate downe to eate and drinke and rose vp to play first balacing their bellies with feastes then refreshing themselues with play Wherefore as we now denie Church feasts as imitations of the Heathen so we denie holy-day playes as remnants of ancient prophanenesse But if it be here obiected that the Iewes had their solemne feasts musicall instruments and exercises of pleasure yet the men alwaies by themselues and the other sexe by themselues not with that monstrous mixture of men and women which is a chiefe sinne and arch-enemie to religion of our age and that with holy Psalmes made by Dauid and Moses not with vaine minstrelsie vsed of prophane Atheists I answere as Paul speaketh 1. Corinth 13. of his owne person that they being as children spake as children they vnderstood as children they thought as children being but in the rudiments but we becomming men must put away childish things Againe the superstition of the Papists checketh this abuse who would admit none outward exercises on their Easter Whitsontide and holy Thursday at what times they thought a bird would scarsely build her nest Did not the Papists breake their superstitious holidaies and shall we so prophanely pollute the Lord his Sabbath Our Easter day our Ascension day our Whitsontide is euery Lords day and therefore we ought to make a speciall care of sanctifying of this day What shall I say of the zeale of worldlings which may controll by contraries the securitie of our sinnes For all worldly men seeke neuer for pleasure whilest profit doth drop as we may see in them that liue on Faires and Markets as Chapmen and Inholders So long as they hope to gaine a penie how waite they how diligent are they how little play they how busie are they And why Forsooth it is their haruest it is their market which say they they must attend vpon whilest occasion lasteth Behold the policie painefulnesse of the world may teach vs what we ought to doe for our soules Is not the Sabbath the haruest time and market day for the soule wherein we should gather in whilest the Sunne shineth wherein we we should be very diligent whilest our gaine is promised wherin we must prouide for a liuing and maintenance and lay vp store laying all pleasure aside vntill the time to come And to returne to the Papists what posting Priests what mumbled masâ—es what hunting praiers what hastie seruice had
brother then are we streightly commanded to helpe forward our own as much as we be able then it cannot be without great sinne that a man should cast off all care of his owne credit The very Heathen saw this to be a fault they did commonly say that whosoeuer regardeth not the reports of men he is dissolute indeed and hath in effect lost the nature of man And therefore we may well say that he is without all hope of amendment which is not brought to some remorse and sorrow which with a shamelesse face can face out sinne hauing adders cares and will not heare charme the charmer neuer so wisely As then a shamelesse face openeth a doore to all vngodlinesse so due care of credit causeth a man to be very carefull of his waies whosoeuer therefore will liue godly he must safely prouide for his good name Seeing these things be so it shall be profitable to consider how this good name may be gotten and preserued and againe if we be discredited what vse and profit we must make of it For the first it is certaine that seeing fame honest report are good things therefore they must needes arise and spring of those things that are good as of vertue godlinesse and good religion Now whereas Turkes and such vngodly men haue great fauour amongst the people and be well reported of this indeed is no good name because it ariseth not of goodnesse it is only a vaine applause of the simple people nay it is euen the great and fierce wrath of God vpon them though they neither see nor perceiue it when they be well spoken of for their euill deedes For by this meanes they be hardned in their sinne by this meanes they be hindred and holden from repentance then the which there is not a greater punishment vnder the Sunne Such a name then is not to be desired nay wee ought rather to pray against such a name And if wee will purchase a good name and be of good report then let vs take heed that we seeke it by goodnesse and vertue and then it will be a good name indeede But let vs weigh these things more particularly and let vs know that the first step to a good name is the carefull and continuall auoidance of euill both outward and inward In outward and grosse euils wee must first beware of all euill generally which thing if wee be not carefull to doe then will our good name be soone impaired Secondly wee must narrowly looke vnto some speciall sinnes whereunto our nature is most inclinable and subiect For as one dead flye corrupteth a whole boxe of oyntment though it be most precious so some one sinne doth often crack the credit of a man though otherwise he haue been very well reported of And if it behooueth euery man thus neerely to looke to his waies then much more is it needful that euerie childe of God should so doe For the world through the hatred it beareth to them dealeth with them as it dealeth with witches Physitions The witch though she faile in twentie things yet if she doe some one thing aright though it be but small the world loueth and commendeth her for a good and wise woman But the Physitian if he worke sixe hundreth cures yet if through the waiwardnes of his patient or for the punishment of his patients sinne hee faile but in one that one faile doth more turne to his discredit than his manifold goodly and notable cures doe get him praise In this manner doth the world deale with men if a worldly man haue but an outward gift of strength of speech or of comelines he shall be greatly praised and counted a goodly man though hee be an Idolater or a prophane person and though he swimme and flow ouer in al manner of vices But let the childe of God be truly zealous in true religion let him be honest and holy in conuersation yet if there be but one infirmitie in him or if he haue through weakenes fallen once into some one sinne that one infirmitie against which he striueth or that one sinne for which hee is grieued shall drowne all the graces of God in him be they neuer so great and the world wil account him a most wicked man Seeing then this is the enmitie of the world against Gods people how warily ought they to walke in so crooked and froward a generation And hereof they must bee so much the more carefull because the wicked by such slips and infirmities will not only take occasion to discredit them but euen to speake of all their profession yea and to blaspheme the glorious word of God aâ—d his eternall truth Then if wee be carefull of our owne good name nay if we haue any zeale of Gods glorie if we haue any care of the word if wee haue any loue of the Saints then let vs carefully shunne all and euery infirmitie whereby Gods name is dishonoured his glorious Gospell blasphemed his children grieued and we our selues discredited amongst the wicked And thus much for the open and outward sinne As open sinne committed in the sight and view of men hath alwaies the punishment of an euill name ioyned with it so also secret sinnes which are hidden as it were in the darke corners of our hearts doe bring vs out of fauour credit with God and when we be once out of credit with him then doth hee make our sinnes further knowne vnto men For nothing is so hidden that shall not be brought to light and nothing so secret that shall not be discouered in the sight of the world And that we may the better be perswaded of this let vs all know of a suretie that the Lord hath many meanes to bring such things to light for he can make the fields to haue eyes to see our wickednesse he can make the woods to haue eares to heare our vngodly counsailes yea hee can cause the walles of our bedchambers to beare witnesse against vs for the sinnes committed vpon our beds If this will not serue he can goe further and cause our friends to fal out with vs and the men of our counsailes to bewray our wickednes And though he hath not any such purpose when we make him priuie to our naughtie deuices yet in displeasure the Lord doth cause him all at once to lay open all our secrets Yea rather than thou shouldest beare no reproch for thy secret faults the Lord will cause thine owne mouth to testifie against thee and thine own words shall get thee discredit for either vnawares thou shalt bewray thy selfe or in thy sleepe by dreames thou shalt make the thing knowne or in thy sicknesse thou shalt raue of it or in some phrensie thou shalt vomite it out or else the torment of thine owne conscience shall be so sharpe that euen to thine owne shame thou shalt confesse thy fault Last of all when thou thinkest or
most full of Gods spirit he was then led to be tempted in the wildernesse when he was most furnished he was most tried On like manner when wee haue receiued some great gifts wee must looke both that the Lord for his part will take some triall of them and that Satan also watching for the richest pray and gaping for a man when he hopes to haue the best spoyle will for his part there vse the most force and cunning where he findeth the rarest and most notable seruants of God partly because he most enuieth them and partly for that by pride he thinketh soonest to inueigle them Wherefore if Gods children shall truly examine their owne hearts in this sinne they shall haue some testimonie and triall in themselues whether they bee thankfull for Gods mercies in truth or no if hauing receiued much they feare much and by how much the more they increase in gifts by so much they grow the more iealous ouer their thoughts wordes and deedes and sit as it were in the watch-tower of their hearts viewing to espie euen their least declinings Which thing if we could doe in trueth hee should not so haue the graces of God and feeling of the spirit by fits but both in greater measure and longer continuance the want of which heede taking to our selues constraineth the Lord to punish vs as I sayd with dulnes and deadnes of spirit thereby to preserue vs from viler sinnes which otherwise our pride and securitie would carrie vs headlong into And were it so that in reuerence and feare wee could attend more on the Lord we should not haue his good spirit so rare a guest vnto vs wee should finde the increase and returne of greater consolations than we haue Why doe men then so much marueile at the dulnes of minde comming on them after some rare feelings of the spirit and when they haue tasted ioyes glorious and vnspeakable and thinke that now all the fruites of Gods grace are as cleane gone away in them as if they neuer had tasted of the power of regeneration seeing vnthankfulnes is so ordinary and vsuall a sinne with vs But admit we haue some good witnesse of conscience and our heart telleth vs that we haue been thankfull then must we thinke that the Lord doth trie vs and will bring vs to acknowledge that the thing we had was his onely gift to giue and take away at his pleasure and that it came not from our selues as a thing to command at our becke Howbeit vsually and for the most part our vnthankfulnes is the cause of this dulnes Now albeit this kind of buffeting be grieuous vnto vs yet wee must not desire vtterly to be freed from it because by it our pride is cured For if that chosen vessell and seruant of the Lord Paul so abounding in graces of the spirit so frequent in fasting so often in prayer watchings and temptations could not preuaile against this sinne seeing by all these former waies hee could not subdue this corruption in the flesh we must not dreame and delude our selues that wee vsing nothing so many helpes of mortification should vtterly be rid from the same When the Lord then shall exercise vs with this pricke in the flesh although it is the messenger of Satan to buffet vs yet we must take hold on this to our comfort that the Lord disposeth and moderateth it and though wee be often and long assaulted with it yet still wee must mislike it we must still be grieued for it and pray in Christ against it we must tremble and hee humbled in our selues that wee should haue such strange and doubting thoughts of Gods wisedome power maiestie and prouidence c. and yet in such manner and measure as knowing it to be Gods mercie that by these meanes the Lord would keepe vs from more vile and enormous crimes Further and besides this the Lord giueth vs to see such monsters of the minde to forewarne vs and to make vs more afraid of falling into the outward action of sinne Thus wee haue often temptations of vnbeleefe to make vs to feare the falling from the faith we haue priuie discourses of Poperie to shew what a dangerous thing it were to be giuen ouer vnto Poperie wee haue often vile thoughts of adulterie murder and theft to driue vs more earnestly to pray that we neuer fall into thâ—â—e sinnes in action And for this cause they that will not make some holesome instruction of their inward temptations nor suspect their falling into the action of sinne by the affection of sin often fall for their pride suddenly into adulteries murthers thefts heresies poperie and such like Thus the Lord coÌ„meth by the messenger of Satan the pricke of the flesh to try vs whether wee will sticke to the word preached or to such suggestions ministred to tri our faith to confirme vs in the fauour of God when wee shall obtaine the fauour of God who often assisteth his children being humbled euen in most dangerous assaults and leaueth them being puft vp in the least temptations so as they fall that thereby they may know what helpe is of God and not of man And howsoeuer flesh and blood counteth this but a paradoxe yet sure it is that our case is worse when the Lord ceaseth by such meanes to â—â—ft fanne vs than when he holdeth vs from some profitable temptation for our exercise For we shall see many who desiring rather to â—e freed from the crosse than to reape the fruite of it although for the time wherein they endured their temptations at the first they were cleere and innocent yet afterward haue fallen most grieuously because they would not profit by those temptations which the Lord sent either to punish some sinne past not throughly repented of or to correct some sinne present not espied or to forewarne vs of sinne to come not suspected of vs â—ome haue been tempted to heresie some to pride some to worldlines who disdainfully looking at such thoughts as matters of no importance though they were before vnattainted of these euils yet now haue come to be heretikes proude persons worldlings This ought to teach vs then most to suspect our selues when wee thinke our estate safest And blessed is the mâ—n that fâ—â—reth alâ—â—â—es This numbnes of the soule striueth and striketh deeply euen against the ordinance of God for our saluation I meane the word the Sacraments and praier so that oftentimes our case standeth thus we thus say iâ—â— our selues If I heare the word so it is I feele no great want of it in receiuing the Sacraments I haue no pleasure in not receiuing them I haue no griefe If the exercises of religion priuate and publike bee vsed there is noâ— much good done if they bee omitted there is no great hurt done if I haue spare time I can goe vnto them if I haue neuer so little businesse I can keepe me away
we offering our selues to be gouerned by him hee will worke in vs heauenly things and howsoeuer we are euil by nature or custome yet by grace we are kept safe in him This is that which helpeth in trouble of conscience this comforteth in banishment this relieueth vs in pouertie this is the fruite of true religion In false religion there appeareth not like effects not being able to deliuer vs much lesse to comfort vs in time of triall but it leaueth vs in a mazed spirit and troubled mind Wherefore in respect of the issues of both these compared together wee see how deare true religion ought to be to vs and how wee must abhorre the contrarie The very heathen men by the instinct of nature did most labour for those things which would in death bring peace of minde and asswage their inward troubles who neuer had this remedie how much more then ought we to imbrace this pure religion hauing such effects and hate the contrary which then yeeldeth a swelling and plausible ioy when no heauinesse is at hand but is voide of all substance of perfect consolation to ease a perplexed mind Wherein it may wel be compared to those water brookes which in time of winter when water in euery place aboundeth flow ouer but in summer when droughts bring the necessary vse of water are for the most part dried vp It followeth now in the fift verse The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup thou shalt maintaine my lot He prosecuteth the same matter which he handled before shewing a reason why he linked himselfe so to the Saints and abhorred the wicked to wit because as the Lord defended his holie ones so he defended him as he was their inheritance so he was his as he was a portion vnto them so also he was a sufficient portion vnto him for so was he tied to the Lord and to the loue of his truth that no corrupt religion could moue him from it And why hee saw in the word that God prouided on euery side for him both spiritually for his soule and corporally for his body Wherfore his meaning may thus briefely bee gathered I neede not to seeke for helpe in any false religion although mine enemies would constraine me because I am perswaded sufficiētly that God is my portion hee is mine inheritance God filleth full my cup and as his mercie hath chosen me so his power maintaineth me the sure perswasion whereof maketh me grow in the loue of true religion and in the hatred of false Out of the scope then of the Prophet we may draw thus much that whosoeuer is grounded on pure knowledge and a sure faith shall neuer wander after idolatry because the word of God will shewe them now all sufficiencie both for their soules and bodies is in the Lorde who freely hath taken the whole charge thereof into his owne hands On the contrarie it is apparant how that from hence commeth such slipping into idolatrie because we want true faith in the true religion and true loue of those things which we belieue This place then commendeth vnto vs a continuall care which we must labour for whereby such assurance of God his fauour and prouidence watching ouer vs may be in vs as we contenting our selues with him our portion and inheritance should couet nothing else Some referre this saying of the Prophet thou art the portion of mine inheritance to the soule but it is to be thought that hee rather meaneth how he only resteth and stayeth himselfe concerning his whole felicitie of body and soule on the Lord alone and in that the Lord did not only begin but did continue in him his grace hee assureth himselfe as well of finall perseuerance as of his gracious entrance which vndoubtedly is no small comfort For many haue inheritances who hardly keepe the assurance of them from all assaults of crafty men who craftily vndermine the estate and hold off their possessions by falsifying their euidences Wherfore he addeth in the latter end of the verse thou shalt maintaine my lot For although nothing be more casuall then the life both of body and soule and in manner of a lot is most vncertaine yet the issue of them both being in the hands of the Lord hee dare safely commend himselfe vnto him Thus then must wee be perswaded of our inheritance as for loue of it we had rather with Naboth haue our bloud spilt then suffer our selues to be depriued of it which wee see alreadie to be performed of the Martyrs But here we are to note how all our assurance hereof is in the word and not elsewhere to be found as the man of God himselfe sheweth Psal. 119. 57. O Lord thou art my portion I haue determined to keepe thy words and 111. Thy testimontes haue I taken as an heritage for euer for they are the ioy of mine heart it is both easie and vsuall for all to say God is my portion God is mine inheritance God is hee that prepareth a table before mee God filleth my cup The gayest hypocrites will brag of this and the most wretched worldlings will auouch as much but here in they be wray themselues in reuerencing so smally the meanes hereof and accounting so little of the word which is the onely assurance whereby they holde their inheritance Doth hee seeke by his portion or inheritance bequeathed vnto him by testament or otherwise who maketh none account of his euidence and auncient coppies whereby he holdeth his assurance Can men then thinke that God is their inheritance when they esteeme so smally of his promises which ratifieth their hold and keepeth in record their assurance Can a man assure himselfe that God is his portion when he hath no delight in his sacraments wherein it is sealed and surrendred into his hands This then is a true triall whether we may in truth subscribe to the Prophet his protestation when we delight in the meanes that is in the word in prayer in the sacraments and in discipline which thing if we haue not pretend wee what we will all is but hypocrisie If God be our portion we must be as charie and warie of the word as of some Will wherein some great thing is giuen vnto vs we must be as much afraid and grieued to lose our faith in God his promises as wee are to lose the euidence of our lands wee must be as carefull to vse the sacraments as to keepe whole and vnuiolated the seales of our euidences we must be as carefull to performe to God that which his will requireth of vs as to receiue of him that which in his testamēt is bequeathed vs otherwise we haue nothing to doe with God God hath nothing to doe with vs in mercie God is none of our inheritance neither are we his inheritance Such then as will come a◠their leisure and when they list or when the world will afford no further profite nor the flesh further delight as they did
that they should rather reioyce that Christ Iesus was crucified than that their foreskin was either cut or not cut Againe by circumcision in this place the Apostle meaneth all other ceremonies putting part for the whole whereby he would shew that no ceremonies whatsoeuer no not circumcision whereof their Doctors so much vaunted themselues could do any thing to a new creature Now if Moses his ceremonies which in their time and place had some authoritie from God were not auaileable hereunto then mans traditions which at no time nor in any place are in season or credit in that they neuer were authorised by the Lord can neither be meanes nor fruites neither causes nor effects of regeneration If then the Iewes were deceiued with their ceremonies as the Papists were by their traditions what shall we thinke of our traditions for if the Lord would not suffer his owne ordinances which for their time were lawfull then hee will neuer suffer traditions which were neuer his but mans What shall we then say wee haue pompous Papists and politike Protestants Aske the Papists if they reioyce in the crosse of Christ and if they be new creatures they say they be so and they shew it in their crosses altars holidaies mètallish gods banners roodes resurrrection in finger crosses in crosses at their lying downe in crosses at their rising vp in their oyle salt wafercakes pannes ashes and such like Heere is their reioycing Well suppose wee had to deale with the more learned Papists the Iewes did not only now reioyce in their ceremonies and circumcision but they thought it good policie to retaine these things with the preaching of the Gospell and our more subtill Papists will confesse that their traditions are not specially and only to be reioyced in but they will haue them mingled with the Gospell as necessarie helps and furtherances thereof But in what order soeuer they are placed of them Paul here remembreth them to make nothing for a new creature And as in ciuill matters fooles to auoide one extreame runne into another some seeing the superstitions of these men and that popish religion is more ceremonious than the Iewish religion straight affirme that neither Baptisme nor want of Baptisme neither receiuing of the Sacrament nor want of it neither hearing nor not hearing praying nor not praying is auaileable to a new creature And these Anabaptists and hereticall familie of the doctrine of loue so farre reiect holidaies that they take away the Lords day also and as vnder the pretence of the Gospell they take away the set dayes of fasting which were to the Iewes they reiect fasting altogether and wholy relinquish that exercise vnlesse they maintaine a Sabbath in resting from sinne and continue the fasting in fasting from sinne Thus we see how we sayle betweene two rocks and betweene two flats and therefore neede the sterne of God his spirit and gouernment of the word to sayle aright Wee must not thinke that the Apostle in speaking of a new creature excludeth but rather includeth the meanes to come to this new creature For both our Sauiour Christ and the Apostles teach as well by practise as by precept that we must heare the word offer vp our prayers receiue the sacraments reuerence true discipline First our Sauiour Christ exhorteth vs to search the Scriptures which testifie of him and commandeth them that haue eares to heare speaking most sharply euen against them that heare not fruitefully Paul 1. Thess. 5. forewarneth vs not to quench the Spirit nor to despise prophecying And 1. Pet. 2. 2. the Apostle exhorteth the Iewes as newe borne babes to desire the sincere milke of the word As for prayer besides that our Sauiour Christ did commend the vse of it to his disciples he also prescribed them and vs a forme of prayer whereby we might leuell our requests And Paul often stirreth vp the Churches vnto whom he wrote continually to frequent this exercise Of the Sacraments the Apostle speaketh plentifully 2. Corinth 10. 2. Cor. 11. 2. Cor. 15. as also of discipline 1. Cor. 4. 2. Cor. 5. 2. Cor. 10. And although the Apostles abrogated the Iewish Sabbath yet they substituted the Lords day Act. 20. 1. Corinth 16 Reuel 2. And albeit we haue not a prescript time of fasting as had the Iewes yet we know Christ told his disciples that there was a time to fast in as then the Bridegroome should be taken from them the Apostles in their election and instituting of Preachers fasted So that we affirme nothing to helpe to true ioy but a new creature and the meanes to a new creature It remaineth And as many as walke according to this rule peace shall be vpon them and mercie and vpon the Israel of God That the Apostle might shew that this was no speciall prerogatiue to himselfe alone but a benefit common to all not a worke of supererogation in him but a dutie required of others he saith As many c. As if he should say Let no man looke to haue peace in his conscience and mercie at the hands of God vnlesse he can thus reioyce in the crosse of Christ. And by the way obserue this marke of a faithfull Teacher he laâ—eth not any charge vpon others vntill he had applied it to himselfe and from his owne practise he aduiseth vs. The word which he here vseth is a rule whereby he noteth such a thing as a Christian man cannot well want being a chiefe instrument which worketh in vs mortification and sanctification He termeth it not a good counsell or a good aduice which we may take vp and lay downe at our pleasure which if we could doe it were well if we doe it not it is no great matter as the Papists account of the spirituall interpretation of the Law which our Sauiour Christ vseth Matth. 5. For Poperie which is no better than countrie Diuinitie thinketh it were a good thing if we could liue so carefully but it shaketh off this thing as a charge and wil not acknowledge it to be a rule wherewith they stand bound before the Lord. A rule we know is commonly vsed in building leuelling or framing whereby one thing is made fit for another and therefore vsuall to Carpenters Masons Geometers or such who measure all things by square and compasse Now because there is a glorious building in the word and a man needeth continually to be built vp in Iesus Christ to haue his affections leuelled his heart framed to faith and obedience the Apostle borroweth this word rule But what is this rule Be it farre from me that I should reioyce c. So that we must especially reioyce in our sinnes pardoned in the world crucified in our hearts bodies and soules renewed This is the rule of all And why Is it not rather an effect than a rule Yes but it is vsuall to put the name of the effect for the cause and the fruite for the meanes as we may see Iam. 1. 27 Pure religion and
be deepelier humbled and â—raue more earnestly the pardon of that and other sins For as the beggar is alwaies mending and peecing his garment where he findes a breach so the penitent beleeuing hart must alwaies be exercised in repairing it selfe where it findes a want Againe oft times this triall serues to quicken and reuiue the hidden graces of the heart that men may be thankfull for them and feele an increase of them in the heart The good husbaÌ„d man cuts the braunches of the Vine not that he hath a purpose to destroy theÌ„ but to make them beare more fruit In the Canticles wheÌ„ Christ left his spouse then she riseth out of her bed she opens the dore her hands drop myrrhe on the barre of the doore then further she seekes and cals for him and praiseth him more then euer before Dauid testifieth the like of himselfe In my prosperitie I said I shall neuer be mooued c. but thou didst hide thy face I was troubled TheÌ„ cried I to thee O Lord prayed to my Lord. Lastly men that liue in the Church being for a time left of God become so impeniteÌ„t as that they must be giuen vp to Satan yet for no other cause but that the flesh may be killed and the spirit made aliue in the day of the Lord. The third end is the preuenting of sin to come This appeareth in Paul Least saith he I should be exalted out of measure through the aboundance of reuelations there was giuen vnto me a pricke in the flesh the messenger of Sathan to buffet me because I should not be exalted out of measure In the former times when the Lord among many other had set out Craâ—â—er for the maintenance of his blessed truth against his Gods enemies he left him for a while to fall from his religion to make a dangerous recantation but so as therby he preuented many sins and prepared him to a glorious martyrdome As some of his owne words may testifie which he spake a little before his ende And now saith he I come to the great thing that so much troubleth my conscience more then any thing that euer I did or said in all my life that is the setting abroad of a writing contrary to the truth which now here I renounce as things written with my hand contrary to the truth which I thought in my heart that for feare of death to saue my life c. And for as much as my hand offended writing contrary to my heart my hand shall be first punished therfore for may I come to the fire it shall be first burned Answerably wheÌ„ he was at the fire first he burnt his right hand which subscribed his body suffered the flame with such constancie and steadfastnes as he neuer almost mooued his eyes lift vp to heauen often he repeated his vnworthie right hand Thus death which he most feared he most desired that he might take reuenge of himselfe for his sinne The vse that all good Christian hearts are to make of these desertions is manifold First if they haue outward rest and walke in the feare of God and be filled with the ioy of the holy Ghost let them not be high minded but feare least a forsaking follow Secondly if in any temptation they iudge themselues forsaken let them coÌ„sider this wonderfull worke of spirituall desertions which God exerciseth vpon his owne childreÌ„ very vsually then it may please the Lord they shal find it to be restoratiue against many a quame and swound of spirit conscience into which otherwise they would certainly fall Thirdly seeing God for their triall doth often withdraw himselfe from them let them again draw neere to God presse vnto him euen as a man that shiuers of an ague is always creeping to the fire If it be demanded how a man should come neere G O D the answer is by the vse of his word and praier For by his word he speakes to thee by prayer thou speakest to him Lastly seeing by desertions God will take experience of his seruants let euery man triâ— and search his waies and euer bâ— turning his feete to the waies of Gods commâ—ndements let him indeuour to keepe a good conscience before God and before all men that so he may with Dauid say Iudge me O Lord for I haue walked in mine innocencie my trust hath beene alwaies in the Lord I shall not sâ—ide prooue me O Lord and trie me examine my raines and my heart Vers. 9. Wherewithall shall a young man redresse his waies in taking heede thereto according to thy word FIrst of all be perswaded that the word of God is that onely rule whereby the whole life of euerie man and that in euerie thing must be ordered euen the life of a young man who hath most reasons for himselfe why hee should bee excused as he is most disordered Vers. 10. With mine whole heart haue I sought thee let mee not wander from thy commaundements THen vpon this perswasion giue your selfe vnfainedly to the reading and heating of God his word as the meanes whereby God hath appointed to teach you and pray to God in the carefull vse of those meanes for his holy spirit that thereby you might come to the true vnderstanding of his word Vers. 11. I haue hid thy promise in mine heart that I might not sinne against thee THat which you haue thus learned let it not onely swimme aloft in your braine but let it be deeply setled and grauen in your heart as a treasure labouring to frame all your affections according to it otherwise if thou knowe neâ—er so much it will notkeepe you from sinning against God Vers. 12. Blessed art thou O Lord teach me thy statutes YOu thus profiting giue thankes to God alwaies for that which you haue learned be it neuer so little it is more than many in the world doe know yet content not yourselfe with it as though you had sufficient but pray vnto him to be further inlightned because it is lesse than many other doe and yourselfe ought to know Vers. 13. With my lips haue I declared all the iudgements of thy mouth BVt aboue all be careful to talke of that to others which you do daily learne yourselfe and out of the abundance of your heart speake of good things vnto men Vers. 14. I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all riches THat you may doe all these things labour to haue a ioy in the word and in all the exercises of it more than in any worldly thing and to be occupied in these things with greatest delight for in what soeuer we take greatest delight that will stick fastest in vs. Vers. 15. I will meditate in thy precepts and consider thy waies LAst of all meditate and consider of that with yourselfe which you haue learned and muse vpon it alone not contenting yourselfe with the generall rules but labouring in
word when we come to it Vers. 78 Let the proude be ashamed for they haue dealt wickedly and falsely with mee but I meditate in thy precepts AS hee had before saide that the godly should be comforted in his deliuerance so here he saith that the wicked should see their wickednesse and bee ashamed either with such shame as might bring them to repentance or which might confound them if they would not repent He prayeth against their enterprises not against their persons nor the image of God in them He hath some prayers giuen by speciall instinct for the ouerthrow of the wicked in other places but here he maketh that praier which the Church ought to make For we cānot pray that Gods people may be comforted in our deliuerance but wee must also pray that the wickednes of the wicked may turne to their shame This being obserued that wee pray not against their person but their enterprise then this that wee simply respect the glory of God and the good of Gods people For if we should doe it of some speciall grudge then should we make Gods glorie a cloke of our euill purpose sin against him We may then pray that the Lord would blesse his word among vs that he would sanctifie vs by it that our good workes might be knowne to others for his glory Therefore we may pray so that it be in loue that the heresies of Papists Families of loue and others may be discouered and ouerthrown and the persons ashamed of their doings They dealt falsely with me This sheweth that their dealings that he praied against and not against their persons because their dealings were wicked and false And this teacheth when we must thus pray euen when their wicked dealings are plaine and their doings false and then may we pray with hope because the righteous God loueth righteousnesse and if the cause be good it will come to a good end For though trueth may be ashamed yet it cannot be ashamed for euer for God will defend his owne cause and though the wicked for a time preuaile yet in the end they shal come to shame This then first comforteth vs in euery good cause that it shall haue a good issue and againe that we take no euill cause in hand for if we doe it will bring shame at the last But I meditate in thy statutes He repeateth the same thing often and surely if the world could not containe the bookes that might be written of Christ and yet for our infirmitie the Lord hath comprised them in such a few bookes and yet one thing in them often repeated it sheweth that the matter is weightie and of vs duly and often to be considered And againe we are taught that that is a thing that none do so carefully looke vnto as they ought And he sheweth that as his enemies sought by euil means to hurt him so he sought to keepe a good conscience that so they might not hurt him Then we must not set policy against policy nor Cretizare cum Cretensibus but let vs alwayes tend to the word and keepe vs within the bounds of that and fight with the weapons that it teacheth vs. And this is the cause that many good men are ouercome by the wicked because they striue with them with their owne weapons and then they must needs be too hard for vs. Againe seeing they neuer want euill meanes because they giue ouer themselues thereto so if we would giue ouer our selues to God and his word and admit nothing but that which agreeeth to the word then should we be made wiser than our enemies Vers. 79. Let such as feare thee turne vnto mee and they that know thy testimonies AS he had not his owne flesh to fight against onely but the world also so hee did not only fight himself alone but seeketh the helpe of others When many see that religion cannot be truely professed but danger will come of it because many set themselues against it they flie from it and goe to the greater part which is the wicked If we will auoyd this let vs ioyne our selues to Gods children and they will helpe vs with counsell and aduise for one may be strong when we are weake another may haue counsell when we shall not know what to do therfore by them we shall be kept from many euill things So Paul 2. Timothie 1. 16. after he had complained of the wrong that many had done vnto him he straightway giueth thankes for the familie of Onesiphorus which refreshed him more than all his enemies could discourage him so that he durst oppose this one household to the whole rabble of the wicked It may also be a comfort to vs when the temptation of Elias commeth to vs to think that godlines were gone out of the world for then shal it be good to set the children of God before vs that we may heare of them and be in their company and so be comforted Againe it is no small thing to be godly indeed for then we shall be a comfort to Gods children when they heare that we continue in godlinesse whereas otherwise we are very many stumbling blocks if we shall be readie to fall or haue fallen Againe the mouthes of the wicked shall be stopped for when the Magistrate Minister and professor continue in holines then though he would speake euill yet his mouth should be stopped and what great glorie should come to God by this so that here is a speciall spurre to moue any to stand and continue in godlines If Dauid did thus desire the company of Gods children what ought we to doe But men know not their wants they know not the communion of Saints therefore they are carelesse of this Yet Paul desired to come to the Romanes that he might receiue mutuall comfort for euery member of Christ hath somewhat wherewith he may doe thee good because he is annoynted with the same oyle that thou art therefore by him thou shalt remember something forgotten or haue thy iudgement reformed in some particular thing But we know not the profit of this because we haue no vse of it In the eight part he said this chiefely that he might doe them good and here chiefely that they might helpe him He sheweth that the feete of Gods children are directed by God and if they come to vs it is a blessing of God if they doe not it is his punishment By feare he meaneth that when good men feare God they haue a chiefe care to please God a chiefe care that they might not displease him but may be approued of him in all their doings He ioyneth knowledge with feare because that knowledge without feare puffeth vp and so becommeth vnprofitable Secondly because knowledge without feare resteth not simplie in the word but seeketh by meanes Thirdly because if men haue knowledge without feare they will not come much to the afflicted because they haue not been humbled Therefore that we may be humbled and that
our selues in meditation and that this depriueth vs of much profit herein in that we doe not appoint some certaine time for meditation moderating other things of our ordinary callings making a conscience sometimes to refraine from our common speeches So our vnderstanding our iudgement our will to practise will be bettered If then at our tables in our beds at our worke we would redeeme some time to reade to pray or to conferre wee should finde wonderfull profit and walking in earthly things we should haue heauenly mindes Vers. 104. By thy precepts I haue gotten vnderstanding therefore I hate all the wayes of falsehood AS in the beginning of this part the Prophet of God protesteth his loue to the word so now in the end he sheweth his hatred to the contrarie This then as we haue partly set down before more largely by Gods grace shall shew hereafter is a true token of loue to the word wheÌ„ we either hate falsehood in religion or corruptioÌ„ in manners We are then to looke into our hearts to see if we hate Poperie and heresie if there bee in vs an hatred against blaspheming of the name of God against adulterie false dealing and such like For we cannot loue the true worship but we must hate heresie we caÌ„not loue Gods name and yet not hate the abusers of it wee cannot loue chastitie and true dealing but we must hate adulterie and vnrighteousnesse But if wee feele our selues to be indifferent persons and come what come may we care not greatly vndoubtedly wee are of no religion For if thou doest not hate an Atheist thou louest not God if thou hatest not heresie thou doest not loue Gods law if thou hatest not adulterie thou art not truly chast if thou hatest not false dealing thou art vnrighteous We see heretiks neuer hate one another because none of them loue the trueth for the Papists can be content with the Familie of loue and the Family of loue with them Wherfore we see that many doe falsely pretend religion chastity and true dealing Note here in that he saith I haue gotten vnderstanding by thy word as though his vnderstanding was the cause of his zealous hatred of the false worship What is the cause then that men doe not hate euill in greater measure because they bee ignorant and knowe nothing Indeede noueltie displeaseth them a little but when they be somewhat acquainted with that which is taught them they will like it well enough Why doe we hand ouer head take any religion euen because we haue not gotten vnderstanding Why doth heresie get such easie entertainment with many of vs because we are vnconstant and borne away with euery blast as witnesse Peter and Iude and because wee are not fast rooted in knowledge as is mentioned Ephes. 4. Many in our countrie are stiffe in heresie because they were neuer sound in iudgement they were euer inconstant they were neuer rooted in Iesus Christ and therefore were carried away with euery puffe of vaine doctrine Some indeede as we haue said before fall for lacke of good conscience but some neuer come so farre because they heard not or else heard very negligently and therefore whosoeuer shall now come and blow an illusion in their eare he shall be heard How shall we know an enemie he commeth vnder the cloake of loue and is couered with the vizard of honestie but his vnderstanding faileth his iudgement is corrupt In that it is here saide all the wayes of falsehood we must note that we are to growe from knowledge to knowledge from faith to faith from glorie to glorie that growing in godly vnderstanding we may grow also in hatred of falsehood This verse may seeme to haue some contrarietie with the verse a little going before where he saith I haue abstained from euerie euill that I might keepe thy law but indeede there is none because no true mortification both here and in that place is required an hatred auoyding of euill Wee must knowe that the way to make good things frâ—â—â—te is the way to feele euill thing sowre As when thou art grieued to feele thine eye an occasion of euill or euill thoughts to bee in thine heart with bitternes and vexation of spirit thou must striue against them and God will giue thee strength to striue not onely without constraint but also of a loue of good and a hatred of euill The first way then vnto righteousnes is wear somâ—â—es of sinne and to striue against it though with great trouble because the more we vexe torment and disquiet our selues the more we shall come to the loue of good and then the hatred of sinne will growe of it selfe If then a man cannot finde this hatred of sinne in him hee must labour to auoide all occasions that hinder his vnderstanding of the truth as distractions troubles of minde and vse all meanes to grow in knowledge as reading hearing conferring and such like For our not profiting in knowledge is our not profiting in hating of heresies and our â—ot hating of heresie is a token of our not profiting in knowledge When we heare then if our hearing doe not worke in vs a loue of the truth and hatred of the contrarie wee haue not profited in knowledge but if we grow in knowledge we shall knowe it by profiting in the loue of the truth and in the hatred of falsehood Wee haue shewed how in the former portion the man of God testifying his affection to Gods law and concluding with his hatred to the contrarie intermiâ—gieth his reasons that because he found by experience that the word of God made him wiser then his enemies than his teachers and the aged and did preserue him from euery euill way therefore he found such comfort in it that no naturall thing was so liking to his outward man as this was to his inward man PORTION 14. NVN. Vers. 105 Thy word is a lantorne vnto my feete and a light vnto my path THis portion following is a prayer to the Lord to bee further instructed in the word of God and to haue his affections thereby more reformed The reasons which hee vseth bee three the first is his faith in the word in that he made account of it to be the onely meanes whereby he should be directed in all his wayes and this is contained in the first verse of the portion Thy word is a lantorne vnto my feete and a light vnto my steps or path The second is his constant purpose to perseuere in the obedience of Gods word in the verse following I haue sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements The third is his miserable calamitie wherein he was which constrained him to pray which appeareth in the next verse I am very sore afflicted O Lord quicken me according to tâ—â—y word These things are afterwards shewed in the verses following as his faith in Gods lawe in the two last and his calamity
but if they will tremble at Gods word they shal be children of obedience and not be subiect to this wrath of God Thus Christ also reasoneth Matth. 24 â—7 Luk. 17. 18. As the dayes of Noah were so likewise shall the comming of the Sonne of man bee 38. For as in the dayes before the flood they did eate and drinke marrie and gaue in mariage vntill the day that Noah entred into the Arke 39. And knewe nothing till the flood came and tooke all away so shall the comming of the Sonne of man bee Luke 17. 28. Likewise also it was in the dayes of Lot when in Sodome the Sunne shined in the morning and all was well euen then came the wrath of God from heauen When the old world was making mirth and thought of nothing lesse than of drowning vntill Noah went into the Arke suddenly the waters came vpon them Likewise is our estate we know nothing now we see the world is as it was we prouide for our posteritie Thus wee see our Sauiour Christ reasoned much like to Dauid In the peculiar iudgement it shal be like with vs as with Sodome that Citie was destroyed suddenly and so shall we be In the generall Iudgement it shall bee as in the dayes of Noe the water swept them away at vnawares so the fire shall purge vs when we thinke not of it Thou hast saith Dauid troden downe in times past thou wilt tread downe againe 2. Pet. 2. 4. If God spared not his Angels that had sinned but cast them downe into hell nor the olde world nor Sodome c. Thus our Sauiour Christ and with him his Apostles teach by precepts and confirme by examples and so must all the godly Ministers approue and teach this doctrine that the godly may haue their faith established in Gods promises and to leaue the wicked excuse lesse against the day of iudgement They haue left vs a president to follow whereby we must be awaked from slum bring that Gods children may stoope and the rest be committed to the righteous iudgement of God We see how we may profit by examining seuerall iudgements for seuerall sinnes hath not God appointed in his word and executed from heauen a seuerall punishment for seuerall sinnes Doth God say that Idolaters Heretikes and prophane professors should bee swept away with plagues and warres and hath he not swept away the Egyptians in the red sea Exod. 14 Did the Lord threaten the breach of the Sabbath with death And did he not strike the man that did but in that day gather stickes Numb 15 Whose sinne though men spared on earth yet the Lord punished it from heauen Nehemiah taught his people this doctrine saying Did not the wrath of God fall on our fathers for our example Yet there is to be noted that euermore the Lord hath done and doth fatherly correct and admonish before hee vtterly sweepeth away Shall we thinke that the Lord is altred His long suffering did not presently punish neither after hee had threatned but hee gaue terme to repent hee hath dealt so gratiously with countries nations and people that hee hath not so troden them downe as they haue troden down his glorie but by benefits hath allured them by chastisements driuen them and by examples perswaded them to repent before his plague came The Lord hath appointed for disobedient children death Deut. 21. 18. If any man hath a sonne stubborne and disobedient which will not hearken vnto the voyce of his Father nor the voyce of his Mother and they haue chastened him and he would not obey them and after complaint made to the Elders of the Citie all the men of the Citie shall stone him with stones vnto death And Prou. 20. 20. He that curseth his father or his mother his light shall be put out in obscure darkenes There is among other one wicked generation euen a generation that curseth his father and blesseth not his mother but of such a one let the Eagle put out his eyes Hath God so threatned and will he not punish 2. King 2. Little children who for their age we would thinke to be spared for mocking the Prophet of God Elisha who cried for vengeance by the secret motion of Gods spirit were by two Beares deuoured Did the Lord punish scorners then and will he spare them now For fornication we know twentie foure thousand fell on one day were swept away with the plague and shall fornication now be vnpunished We stand but by grace we are but petitioners we must feare least liuing in these and such like sinnes we be swept away with these and such like iudgements This must make vs to feare our selues to loue and beleeue the word to grow in repentance and make our schooling in the iudgements of God some in one and some in another We haue heard now how the cause of the Prophets prayer was the sight of his infirmities this must stirre vs vp also to priuate prayer For though we haue receiued neuer so many and excellent graces of God yet without prayer shall we not be able to stirre vp our selues by them We must see how the man of God seeing the seuere iudgements of God was moued to prayer that he should not be troden downe and swept away with the wicked We are likewise to sweare to this practise both to make vs cleaue faster to the word also to make vs the more to feare our selues For it is a visible iudgement of God when we see the iudgements of God and are not staied in fixed faith in the Lord and a reuerent feare of our selues We haue bin taught because we are giuen to thinke that the iudgements of God appertaine not to vs that the long suffering of the Lord is to leaue the wicked vnexcusable and not to haue one of his vnsaued and still calleth some and doth not execute his iudgements vntill the measure of sin be fulfilled to the brimme Genet 6. So that he spareth to call his to repentance to leaue the wicked without excuse who would neither be moued with his promises nor feared with his iudgements And although it seeme an easie doctrine that God will by one way or other punish sinne and thinke that we haue learned this before it be taught yet we shall finde our selues ignorant of the practise of it which if we knew it would be a key of the whole Scriptures vnto vs. And thus much of the generall doctrine now of the particular For their deceit is vaine As if the Prophet should say notwithstanding all their high imaginations thou hast destroyed them for they haue but deceiued themselues in false religion and vanitie of life Thus then let vs consider of it that whether our vanitie be in religion or life it is but deceit Heresie and Idolatrie carrie a great sway vnder a colour of godly life but when Gods iudgements sweepe them away they seeme vaine that neither their Idols can
if we haue no loue of the Sacraments no care of discipline if our hearts be hardened all is not well either some iudgement of God is at hand or else we are to feare to be cast into some heresie or such like euill I finde that after Esay had prophecied a long time The Lord God who would not haue his name plasphemed seeing no amendment in his people comes with a greater maiestie and bids the prophet Esay 6. to tell them that they should heare but not vnderstand they should plainly see but not perceiue hee commandeth him moreouer to make their hearts sâ—t to make their eares heauie and to shut their eyes least they should see with their eyes heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts And because they would not make the word of God the sauour of life vnto life it should bee vnto them the sauour of death vnto death As this is especially meant of the vngodly yet surely the godly escaped not but by repentance It is the wisedome of God to vse all meanes and then to vse destruction when his word wil not serue We may be comforted euen at this day that the Lord yet giueth a scattering of his people and giueth vs some good ministers and magistrates but if we coÌ„sider of the Lords long suffering of vs of the peace abundance and many other graces bestowed on vs and yet so small amendment we trust for the remnants sake that the generall iudgement of God shall not as yet come vpon vs yet this sore saying should make vs afraide it is time for thee Lord to put to thine hand c. This may be much for the comfort of Gods children and for the discomfort of the wicked Vers. 127. Therefore loue I thy commandements aboue gold yea aboue most fine gold MArke here the spirit of the man of God Doe wee not see that this is a common rate the lesse religion is esteemed the lesse it is of the most regarded the greater the corruption of manners is the greater is the follie then this is a rare blessing of God when religion is in euery place hated euen then to loue religion when manners are euerie where corrupted euen then to be of good conuersation When in our time then we see so many kinds of religion as papistrie the sect of the Iesuites the family of loue Anabaptists and such like it is a singular grace of God to bee established in the loue of true religion When wee looke into their manners whether we turne vs to Magistrates or subiects wee shall neither finde zealous gouernment nor faithfull obedience If wee liued in a heauen among Angels or in a paradise with Saints and would defile our selues with sinne wee were worthie to be cast out of Paradise with Adam and out of the Church with Cain But to liue with Noah vprightly and to walke before God with him when all flesh hath corrupted his wayes or to liue iustly with Lot in the middest of filthie Sodomits or to keepe a pure religion or worship of God with Elias when not one can bee found that hath not bowed to Baal or to liue in keeping iudgement and iustice with Dauid where are so many oppressors of the truth to haue in this case an heart vpright both in religion and manners oâ— consider this to be an especiall worke of grace This we may also see both by naturall and ciuill reason we see the more generall and contagious a disease is the greater care we vse to watch ouer our health and the greater mercie of God we count it if we be not infected with the rest and shall wee not iudge the same in spirituall and more heauenly matters that the more hot sinne groweth to bee and like to ouerrun all shall wee not grow the more zealous of the saluation of our soules and thinke it the rarer grace of God if wee being subiect to the common sinnes are preserued from them In ciuill matters doe wee not see that now deceite in buying and selling vnfaithfulnes in bargaining is so great euery maÌ„ is circumspect to discerne ill dealings euery man almost is become a lawyer no man is ignorant of the common shifts of the world yet this maketh not men therefore to giue ouer their deedes but they make their deedes more sure neither doth deceitfull dealing keepe them the more from markets and faires but men are more carefull in their bargayning Do we loue the Church theÌ„ though there be so many corruptions of religion and so many corruptions of manners Let vs be more afraide of our selues and more carefull of the word and heedie in our liues than wee haue beene let vs listen to the word before the Lord hath sealed vp the prophecie least the wicked preuaile and the iust man make himselfe a pray Now is the time to repent it may bee that the Lord will mitigate his iudgements when they fal wil make his punishment particular and easier For then we truly feare the publike iudgements of God when wee feare the cause of them in our selues when we carrie not for the height of sinne but submit our selues with reuerence to all meanes of true religion and godly life and speedily iudge our selues for not looking to the least occasion of sinne watching ouer our soules that we become not remisse or with looser conscience of prayer the word sacraments or discipline And as it is a secret iudgement of God to passe from one sinne to another without any remorse of conscience vntill wee come to the contempt of the word so it is a speciall grace of God to be grieued with sinne in the beginning And surely that so many are giuen to ill workes and so few to good it is a manifest token seeing the word wil not moue vs to be zealous that the Lord will shortly send a iudgement vpon vs if not generall yet at the least particular This then is worthie noting in the man of God that the more religion decayed the more religious was hee the more godlinesse departed the more godly was hee which is a thing farre contrarie to our practises who allowe that which most doe and loue that least which most doe like making other mens examples placards for our sins For many will say how I pray liueth such a man how doth he doth not he liue an honest life can I follow a better man wee must not doe as other men doe but as the Lord commandeth by his word Let this then be a sure rule whereby euery man may examine himselfe if the more religion and manners decay thou art the more religious and godly thou shalt not be carried away with the common destruction but if thy zeale and care of godlines be the lesse then feare vnlesse thou repent as thou art wrapped in the common sinne thou shalt also be taken in the common reward of sinne Now that corruptions may not preuaile against vs wee must thinke there is as great
inkindle the wrath of God that hee will take away the hedge thereof and his vineyard shall bee eaten vp hee will breake the wall thereof and it shall be troden downe he will lay it waste and the wild bores shall enter into it What a thing is this that the deare Saints and Martyrs of God should deserue so well of vs and wee should deserue so ill of our selues and of our posterities Seeing then Gods mercie hath been shewed by so many blessings and we eate of their sweete of the haruest who neuer haue tasted of the cold of the winter nor heate of the summer let vs feare least for our vnthankfulnes the Lord doth come to punish vs and both for our want of religion and vngodly life cause the Lord to remoue the candlesticke take away the Gospel and bereaue vs of our talents Wherefore wee haue great neede to pray to be reformed in our iudgement renued in our affections that our thankfulnes may appeare in loue of sound religion and obedience of godly life to the glory of our good God Thus we see it is not a strange thing for Gods children to suffer in this world although God giueth vs sometime a breathing time and maketh vs as children of the wedding who so long as the Bridegrome is with them doe not lament nor mourne And seeing euery one that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution and for a good conscience Minister Magistrate and master of an household shall finde trouble in his owne flesh hatred of the world and persecution of Sathan it is certaine that we often purchase too much quietnes to our selues because we doe not so labour for the mortifying of our flesh for reproouing of sinne and the beating downe of the kingdome of Sathan as we ought to doe Thus we see the Prophet groundeth himselfe on Gods promises who hath said that the rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the godly shewing vs that no temptation shall come to vs but we shall haue either strength to beare it or else the Lord will remoue the force of it so that if he remoue the violent force of it we shall neede but little strength to beare it if our trouble be great the Lord will giue vs great strength Neither as some doe doth the man of God vse forgerie for forgerie and deceit for deceit but staieth himselfe onely and wholy vpon prayer For Gods children haue no such spirit as the worldlings haue who for the most part requite euil for euil subtiltie with subtiltie euill language with euill language but by prayer onely they labour for helpe at Gods hand We haue heard that insomuch as he protesteth to keepe the testimonies of the Lord he meaneth that he will more throughly keepe them than before We haue further learned that it is our corruption to be godly in time of trouble but afterward the case with vs is altered Wherefore our godlines then is to be suspected and he is very vngodly that at such times will not be godly But herein is the difference betweene the regenerate and vnregenerate that the regenerate after their visitations are more godly after sicknes they haue a greater zeale after their deliuerance a further care of glorifying God which is nothing with the vnregenerate Now seeing the Lord hath heaped benefit vpon benefit yeare after yeare mercy vpon mercy whether hath God wonne some speciall glorie or our brâ—thren some speciall benefit by vs or no And as the Lord heard the mones of his Martyrs their teares and their blood and gaue them mercy so let vs feare least our sinnes crie for vengeance vnto him All afflictions of themselues are tags of Gods vengeance yet being sanctified in Christ to God his children they be turned into blessings as all outward blessings not blessed of God are turned to curses to the wicked For as sicknes and aduersitie by the Lord sanctifying them are turned to blessings to Gods children so health peace and prosperitie are turned to ill to the vngodly because of their abuse Vers. 135. Shew the light of thy countenance vpon thy seruant and teach me thy statutes VNtill his deliuerance came the Prophet of God prayeth to be taught in the statutes of the Lord whereby he might learne to behaue himselfe well in the time of trouble For affliction is so violent a storme and carrieth away a man so headlong that vnlesse the Lord guide vs we may soone take hurt But what desire we most If we in sicknes delight most in the sweete face and gratious countenance of the Lord it is happinesse if not we are truely in miserie For this is the cause why many goe from euill to worse in their trouble and become so dull because they neuer pray to see the cause of their affliction and that they might profit thereby The sense of the man of God is If Lord thou wilt deliuer me I shall obey thee more if not Lord giue me strength to glorifie thee by patience Away then with the violence of flesh and blood which maketh vs to some out these and such like speeches Who could away with such pangs as I suffer who could suffer such paines as I am in Surely euen they that pray to God to profit by them they haue Gods spirit as for the wicked they cannot profit thereby If then we be deliuered out of aduersitie we must obey the word if not we must craue wisedome to see the will of God constancie to abide in it patience meekely and thankfully to suffer whatsoeuer the Lord shall lay vpon vs. I care not saith the man of God so much for my libertie as I might thereby praise thy name and obey thy commandements This is an vsuall thing in the booke of God to pray for the Lords countenance Psal. 4 6. Many say who will shew vs any good but Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs. And Psal. 67. 1. God be mercifull vnto vs and blesse vs and shâ—w vs the light of his countenance and be mercifull vnto vs. And Psal. 80. 3. 7. 19 Turne vs againe O God and cause thy face to shine that we may be saued This verse is read three times in this Psalme which sheweth vâ— that this ought to be the summe the heape and the chiefe of all our requests namely that in what estate soeuer we are we may be assured that we haue the testimonie of Gods fauour if we be in affliction that the Lord is not angrie with vs if we be in prosperitie because the Sunne shineth on the iust and vniust that we may see withall the mercies of God and his louing fauour in Christ giuen vnto vs. We see where Gods spirit is there we are thankfull in prosperitie and patient in aduersitie where God his spirit is not there we are proud in prosperity and murmurers in aduersitie Many saith the Prophet Psal. 4. 6. say who will shew vs any good See how
know a Cains heart from an Abels 5 Consider Gods liking of Timothie Dauid Samuel the Prophet of Prophets who serued God when hee was a childe and so the good King Iosiah These were not trees which blossome when others haue done Let men be neuer so soundly come home it were better they had neuer beene so both for the Churches and themselues for they carrie the smell of the garlike morter still where euer they goe 6 Old men which haue liued loosely in youth haue great diffidence in themselues for they dare not reprehend so sharply as others nor punish so seuerely as they should for that the sinnes of their youth are so in their foreheads and all men see them Many of these are rockes of offence They make Dauid and Salomon proctors of their sinnes which I am perswaded grieueth those soules at this day if there be any sorrow in heauen to heare men alleage them for their sinnes 7 We be taught Esai 9. 17. that when the Lord intendeth to destroy a Common-wealth a speciall note thereof is this He taketh no delight in their youth therefore where young men be dissolute it is a heauie note of Gods wrath to fall vpon his people 8 Such as doe take libertie by Salomons example let them consider it well He was in the prime of his youth well disposed and wise but hauing past to riper yeeres he grew vaine and dissolute Then by Gods free mercie he became a sorrowfull man in his age And he made himselfe a publike penitentarie leauing his Ecclesiastes as a monument of his follie and it may well be called his booke of Retractations This is Salomons experimentall conclusion All is vanitie and vexation of minde This he tried when he had gone through all things he was fame to returne to that wherewith he began His booke confuteth all Pagans best morall wisedome He wanted nothing he had experience of all kinds of blessings that may be found on earth Yet after long experience he found no true ioy in any thing on earth The wise men of this age would say he was too sad or of a melancholike humour and could not vse things well But himselfe answereth the follie of such chap 6 None could haue more ioy nor so much pleasure in them as he had yet he found in conclusion nothing in them but vanitie and vexation of minde 9 Iob was neuer adulterer yet made he a couenant with his eyes because he being cleane in heart would giue no occasion outwardly When Putiphers wife could not preuaile because of Iosephs constancie she was not moued to repentance as she ought considering that her seruant was so faithfull to her husband much more she ought to haue been but contrarily sâ—e vseth a desperate remedie worse than the fault it selfe namely to seeke his life And this is the end of all vnbridled and carnall loue that in the end it turneth to extreame hatred yea and that more bitter than of them who neuer bare them good will as appeared in that incestuous loue of Ammon to his sister Thamar who afterward hated her exceedingly Let vs learne to feare these vnbridled affections and if we will not haue this issue to come of them let vs make our bond in the Lord that one may draw another neerer to him thereby And this is not onely in this lusting loue but in all other familiarities of men whatsoeuer without the Lord whether it be for gaine or fauour c for when they cannot enioy the things they looke for their loue is turned to hatred 10 Ioseph in his prosperitie would not forsake the Lord to cleaue to his Mistris and now in that he seeth present danger yet he standeth fast Thus on euery side the Lord trieth his children and giueth grace withall to perseuere Out of this we may learne that we neuer know whether we loue righteousnesse and holinesse for Gods cause so well as when we endure some trouble for it Ioseph might haue done this secretly that it should not haue bin knowne yet the loue of God constrained him and the feare of the Lord caused him to refraine from euill Albeit he saw present danger of his life and good name yet because he knew that the Lord which seeth secrets he rewardeth openly therefore he committeth himselfe to the Lord and had rather hazard his good name before men than keep an euill conscience before God And he beleeued withall that the Lord at the last would make his righteousnes as cleere as the noone day 11 Many will not fight or murder openly but if their enemies were secretly deliuered into their hands they would be farre from Dauid who would not hurt the Lords annoynted in the meane time they deuise euill amongst themselues and when they come abroad they vtter it Many doe abstaine from fornication for feare of lawes and such like but they consider not that the Lord seeth their vnchaste mindes and will recompence them Many would be religious but yet vnlike to Sidrach Misac and Abednago who would not for feare of the King so much as consult of the worshipping of the Image But they would seeme to bee more than they are as Ananias and Sapâ—ira therefore they shall haue the same reward with them for their tempting of God So long then as our hearts doe deceiue vs and these euill desires ouercome vs and we vse vnâ—odly meanes wee shall neuer stand to suffer any triall We may learne also by Iosephs example euen for the least part of godly life or good religion to suffer persecution and not onely for the chiefe points and parts thereof And as great a signe of a good heart is it for if we should denie the faith or God or Christ all the world would crie out whereas in lesser matters they would hold their peace and therefore so much the greater triall is it if we stand 12 The end of adulterie is beggerie besides that oft such can haue no children by lawfull and chaste wiues Hence it is often that euen great men want children and their houses decay againe the wife requireth it with like whoredome This sinne of all others leaues a brand in mens consciences as theeues at Sizes conuicted of theft and confessing it yet doth it not oft so much trouble them as this of adulterie They crie out of this O adultery brought me to this miserie CHAP. IIII. Of Affection IT is a great mercie of God to haue a large affection of well doing when wee haue good occasion thereof The Lord ceaseth not to offer occasions but wee often cease to haue good affections 2 We must as well see what is against vs as those things that our affections leade vs to therefore must we pray that our hearts may be vpright that wee be not like â—alaam and the Elders that aske counsel of Ieremy So long as we haue to deale with men we set a glosse vpon the matter
shall haue a precept for it There is a fellow a controller of Moses the child of Belial that hath a precept Deny nothing that you may win the multitude But if hee had staied there hee had not bin clean contrary to Moses Exo. 23. 2. but he goeth further saith Though they goe wrong thou must go with them and do as they do Oh that this leade not to perdition We are naturally inclined to this euery man is first euil euery one by nature is a Papist a Machiuelist euery one is giuen to follow a multitude Of this doctrine some may haue vse now some hereafter And seeing as Aeschines saith we must learne that now whilest we be yong which we must practise when we be old I shall think the word of God hath it fruit if any shall beware by it practise it hereafter First I note wher the holy Ghost flatly forbiddeth the following of a multitude that it is a thing that commeth to passe daily we must not think the holy Ghost giueth precepts of those things that come not to vse in 7. yeeres this is one chief point in all offices Plato in his Alcibiades had perswaded Alcibiades to liue iustly al his life time he promiseth that he will do so I pray God saith Socrates you may begin and also continue but I feare least the sway of the multitude carrie you away and to an Elder he writeth though the multitude do not change you yet it may be as rubs in your way I will shew you a reason hereof Rom. 7. Paul saith there be many good things that I would doe and cannot and many euill things which I would not do and yet doe them And why because there is a law in my members rebelling against the law of the Spirit But when there is a law of companie comming to then the case is dangerous and in a double perill 2 There is an vse of following and this word follow is often in the Scriptures We must follow with choise iudgement and limitation The wise man saith it is the propertie of a foole to follow vniuersally that whatsoeuer he seeth others do he must needs do the same That eie is very weake that cannot look on a bleare eie but it must be bleared and Seneca saith in his booke of the blessed life We follow the droue like the beasts of the field when we thinke we goe to the pasture it is very like we should go to the shambles S. Iames vouchsafeth not to compare vs to liuing creatures but to the froth of the sea which is caried vp and downe with the water so we be caried and goe not The reason why we doe thus is because it is an hard matter to iudge but an easie matter to giue credit We beleeue how we should liue we iudge not We may see what their iudgement is by the Logicke which they vse they rest only in examples and similies which how weake argumeÌ„ts they be euery man knoweth no man will admit them in disputation Yet when we come to examples see what iudgement we shew we take them by tale and number them not we neuer waigh them as he said No man would so receiue his groats as we doe examples we ought not therefore to follow without choise We must not pleade simplicitie and say we came but behind for if we coÌ„sent it is enough though we be not the foremen Rom. 1. 31. we must not onely eschew those that do euill but those also that consent to euill and Ephes 5. 7. we are charged not to be companions with them And how is that Dauid telleth you Psal 50. 18. thou seest a theefe and dostrun with him 1. Tim. 5. 2â— Lay hands sodainly oâ—no man neither be partaker of other mens sinnes Act. 7. Saul threw neuer a â—one at Steuen but kept the clothes of them that stoned him and yet the holy Ghost bringeth him within the compasse of murther And so because the Iewes chose not Christ rather than Barrabas the spirit of God saith They killed the Lord of life wherefore with Augustine I say it is euill enough to follow and consent to euill 3 Many and few be respectiue words for so it is said in one place that Dauid had many sonnes How many seuen and in another place Dauid is said to haue a few souldiers How few seuen hundred So in that respect seuen are a great many and seuen hundred a few Againe least we should thinke a multitude to consist onely of rude and vnlearned and poore people we must know that by vulgus is meÌ„t not only those that haue chlâ—mydes but those that haue coronas also not only those that goe in round caps but them that goe in square caps also we may heare as vulgar speeches of the learned as of the vnlearned The 400. Prophets although they were learned yet they were a multitude and had a lying spirit in them And certaine it is they neuer proue truely learned that lacke religion and the true feare of God their wits serue them but to vulgar vses and to discouer themselues 4 The best things haue not commonly most voyces and it is a great presumption that the things are the worse if they haue a common consent This part is great therefore the worse saith Seneca So Aristotle great and good is not all one the first finder out of mans wisedome found out this and alwaies after made it his poesie The most the worse He found it by the earth seeing much pot-earth and little to make golde so there is much pot-reason And Aristotle giuing a reason of the hardest fairest saith first that they be so by nature and secondly because of the multitude of them that resist it This is a common prouerbe with Lawyers such as be ouercome appeale to the people This is espied out of the heathen and yeâ— our Christians cannot see But let vs come to the scripture Gal 1. 10. If I should please men I should not be the seruant of God i. the most men The Angels come by two or three at the most but the diuels are said in the scripture to come by legioÌ„s the scripture willing vs to flie the wicked saith flie the world because they are the most Hoseah compareth the good to gleaning after the haruest then the great haruest is the diuels a smal number the Lords Againe seeing they are so great a number they must haue a broad way but it leadeth to destruction Indeed it must be a great way in the which most must trauell and the godly haue a narrow way and therefore Dauid saith Lord shew me thy pathes and he lookes at the iournies end In heauen there is roome enough but hell as Ezechiel saith must be enlarged so daÌ„gerous it is to follow a multitude which is alwaies like it selfe ye may see how iudgemeÌ„t passeth on their behalfe when it is put
too much or too long whole daies from morning vntil night til we be set on fire with them We come to be too effuse Nabals feasts are like the feasts of a king he being but a countrie farmer 14 This is a general rule wantonnesse is the beginning of sinne we see in Esau to what great prophanenesse his wanton pleasure in hunting grew So in the Scriptures there can be found none other beginning of Salomons fall but this that 1. Reg. 5. when he had spent seauen yeeres in building the house of God hee spent thirteene yeeres after in building an house for himself This was scarse a good propertie to bestow thirteene yeares on his own house and seauen yeares on Gods house and the Apes and Peacockes that hee brought into the Land set the people on such vanitie that they vanished awaie in their wanton thoughts Idlenes and trifling be the callings of Gentlemen now adaies as also needelesse expenses 1. Tim. 5. CHAP. XLII Of Inuiries offences and controuersies WHen an iniurie is offered thee the Lord doth trie thee what loue patience and meekenesse is in thee to blesse them that curse thee which will followe if thou be the childe of God contrariwise if thou requite euill for euill then doth the Lord shewe vnto thee the corruption which thou must labour to pull out of thee if thou wilt ouercome 2 When we see that others stand in neede of our helpe and wee are able to helpe the Lord requireth our obedience 3 Meditations of GODS promises and prouidence will driue from vs all desire of reuenge 4 We must not tarry vntill others reconcile theÌ„selues vnto vs but as God doth rather oftentimes by heaping his benefits than powring his plagues vpon vs shew vs our sinnes so must we rather by courteous dealing than seuere handling shew others how they haue offended vs. 5 The more Pharaoh restrained the more Moses stood in the thing that was commanded coÌ„trary vnto those which making a mingle mangle in religion yeeld in some things but wee must not yeeld a lot of that the Lord requireth although in worldly matters wee ought for peace to yeeld one to another In religion it skilleth not how little the matter seeme for which we doe contend The least thing that God commandeth is great in the sight of God and Gods children haue been punished for small offences in appearance as Moses and Aaron for grudging were debarred from the land of promise Iosiah was slaine because he asked not counsell to goe to warre which may teach vs to beware of the least offences It ought not to be condemned nor counted precisenesse not to giue consent in the breach of the least thing though we may beare them when they cannot be redressed but not with consent 6 Shall we be contentious I thinke no nature is so misâ—reant that it doth delight in contention if any delight to dwell in Meshâ—ch as Dauid calleth it I would he had a tabernacle there if any delight in contention I wish no more harme than that he may be neuer without it What then shall we blot out controuersies That were to teach the spirit of God wisedome Could he not as well haue said let there be peace as let there be light â—ay God hath ordained there should be contentions and not onely permitted them but saith they must be and such as be about the waightiest matters in truth called heresies 1. Cor. 11. Then it is a dreame of idle braines that any good can be receiued without controuersies and as the Prophet Esaiah saith without the barking of some dog or other It is not so in euill things they are receiued with silence what then shal we play the pots and aske the potter a reason of his doing Albeit I like not that humor of men which wil search out the reason of God his doings when they know his flat wil yet in this we may because he hath set it downe There be three reasons first that those That are stedfast may be approued we will haue it in this As Sathan did to Iob God called him what saiest thou of my seruant Iob Liueth he not vprightly No grandmercie said he for he hath all blessings of thee but take away them and then c. Secondly there are cities to be gouerned and to that ende we must vse our talent Iohn reproued the Scribes and Pharisies and came to reproue Herod Samuel reproued Ely and came to reproue Saul that might haue smitten off his head Thirdly that the Diuell may haue the greater ouerthrow that as God triumphed ouer him in Iob so in our constancie he might doe the like Then controuersies are necessarie How then is it that God is called the God of glorie and peace that Christ is called the prince of peace the Gospell the Gospell of peace the Ministers the Ministers of peace of glad tydings and vnitie commended so generall Surely it is the fault of our age to deliuer the word by halfes and so I say that he that teacheth peace to be good simplie without exception teacheth an errour Therefore peace must be peace in truth and for this cause Christ saith I am the way the life and truth for to haue contention with such as hold not in him is no breach of peace Nay the wicked among themselues haue no peace it is but truce they haue couenanted with hell for a time a day a few yeares or as the rearme of their life and then is great and euerlasting debate we may see it in the first agreement among the wicked The serpent disputed with Heua vntill she had yeelded then all was quiet vntill the euening but then came one brake the truce Separate peace from truth and peace is no peace The reason therefore is set down Ps. 138. Lord thou hast magnified thy truth aboue al things therfore aboue peace And that I fal not into that error aforesaid my selfe I will tell you what truth is We thinke we are at peace haue vnitie perfect among vs if we be of the same religion and we agree that we must and wil be all Protestants but the fathers haue al distinguished truth into three parts First truth of doctrine in religion Secondly of life in our conuersation Thirdly of iustice in giuing preferments Vnlesse a man hath al these he hath none of them and if in all these be peace I will seeke ensue after peace as saith the Psalmist if any offend in these I will not haue peace with him We knowe that veritas doctrinae hath had witnesses martyrs so haue the other two though they send vs not to heauen in a firie chariot but an euil name which euery maÌ„ for their stakes must prouide to suffer we must be in this as Christ when he kneeled before his father in the garden If maÌ„s saluation may be wrought let this cup passe if not thy will be done So
would neuer faile them nor forsake them till he had brought them to his habitation which should teach vs to doe the like for strengthning our faith in his goodnes by keeping continually as it were a beadroll of his benefits already receiued of him least by letting the olde slip out of our mindes which should make vs thankfull we neuer receiue the new whereof we are so carefull 3 As the roote of all sinne is in our soule so the beginning of all diseases is in our bodies And as there is no sinne which we should not fall into if the Lord leaue vs so is there no disease which should not come vpon vs vnlesse he preserue vs. For when his prouideÌ„ce watcheth not ouer vs we are ready to fall into all miserie It is not in our selues to keepe our good name from euill reports our minds from disquietnes our estate from pouertie c. This if it were beleeued and felt it would both make vs thankful continue in prayer not only in the want of such things we desire but also in the abundance of those we enioy For man liueth not by bread onely neither is it care can make vs rich nor our owne deuises bring quietnes to our mindes but it is the Lord who in his prouidence worketh all in all which must alwaies be acknowledged of vs to the end we may make vse of all things in any estate to the glory of his name and the good of our brethren 4 We may trie our faith in Gods prouidence by this as we vse the meanes to come to earthly things so for this we must vse the word and prayer Psal. 119. part 22. If then we esteeme not of the word and find no comfort in prayer Psal. 32. we can neuer esteeme of his prouidence we can neuer say in truth God giueth vs all things 5 The Lord oftentimes in his wise prouidence helpeth the wicked and such as are vnworthie and in steade of punishments which they doe deserue he sendeth blessings when they crievnto him for them From which we may gather that if he heare the wicked much more will he graunt the desire of such as feare him If hee remit the vngodly much more them that in truth of heart serue him for he dealeth not with vs as our deserts are as euery man may feele but he doth good both to the godly and the wicked that to diuers ends to the godly to hyre them from their sinnes to the wicked that after hee may confound them without excuse Therefore if when the Lord forbeareth we be touched in heart to repent this is the worke of Gods spirit the coÌ„fort thereof will abide for euer but if when he forbeareth we thinke our sinnes are lesse and so harden our hearts then are wee to feare that vtter confusion is at hand 6 The Lord neuer forsaketh his but in all dangers he will prouide though all meanes faile onely let vs belieue his prouidence and so will he giue vs our hearts desire if it stand with his glorie or else if we desire that which standeth not with his glorie yet let vs belieue that he is our FATHER in CHRIST and he will recompence the outward wants with a spirituall blessing 7 We may reade in Exodus 17. 7. that the Israelites through distrust doubted whether God was among them because they saw not such visible signes of Gods presence and fauour as they would With the like doubt our Sauiour Christ was tempted by the diuel Luc. 4 who laboured to make him doubt whether he were the Sonne of God because he wanted some things which were needful for this life wherby we may learne to know our own corruption how ready we are to iudge as the Israelits did because we sâ—e not such ordinary helps as we and other of Gods children haue at sometimes had but we are to correct this in ourselues and on the contrarie to thinke that God is amongst vs and with vs although we see some tokens of his anger Thus do we reason in religion Is this true religion seeing there be so many diuersities of iudgments such little godlines it is like it is not but rather we are to looke for some other so we reason in the common-wealth Is this gouernment good which bringeth so great hurly burlies and so great troubles so in mariage when contentions and temptations do arise then they thinke they were not ioyned together by God so in euery kind of trouble we iudge of the presence and prouidence of God by our outward sense feeling This is the policie of the diuel to cause men either to sink downe in despaire or else to be impatient at the least to murmur But to preuent this these are some remedies following The first that we looke to the word and when we see that religion hath alwaies had troubles and so shall haue still then shall we straightwaies see that our iudgement is fleshly Secondly wheÌ„ we see that many of Gods children in the world as Iob and others had trouble in their mariage and yet that it was of God then shall we learne that our iudgement is not according to the spirit Then let vs consider that the diuel doth herein exercise policie to ouerthrow our mariage we shal be wary to auoide them And if many haue been in this state yet the Lord hath not left them why should we yeeld to the temptation of Sathan who would perswade vs that our case is worse Thirdly we must looke to the former mercies of God which we haue felt If we haue once felt them then though we haue not alwaies the like feeling yet we must not thinke that he hath forsaken vs so that experience of former mercies must be our strength herein if we haue been in as great danger as now we are and euen then he helped vs why should we doubt Fourthly we must consider that many of Gods children are and haue been so and therefore we must take heede that in our rashnesse we do not condemne them We must not therefore iudge thus vnlesse we will be hurtfull to our selues and iniurious to our brethren 8 Moses was commanded to take the same staffe with which he stroke the red sea and therewith to strike the stonie rocke to giue the Israelites water to drinke to teach theÌ„ that the Lord was as well able to bring water where it is not as to stay the course thereof where it is This ought they to haue considered and then would they not in other things haue doubted If we wil auoid the like distrust we must remember the former works of God then labour to be garded in the hope of euerlasting life the resurrection of the body and the forgiuenes of sins that so we may be sure he will be good to vs still And as the chiefe helpe of al these let vs labour to be throughly
perswaded of our iustificatiō through Iesus Christ the rising againe to euerlasting life which if we be surely grounded in then shall we not doubt of Gods prouidence but on the contrarie if we labour not against fidelitie in these articles of our faith we shall neuer resist vnbeleefe in Gods prouidence 9 When the daughter of Pharaoh went of purpose to wash her selfe it might seeme to be fortunate and a thing that happened by chance but if we look into the euent we might see the hand of God in it and his most wise and mighty prouidence therein for the preseruation of Moses whō he was cast out by great cōstraint of his owne mother From whence we may learne the tender loue and most prouident care which the Lord hath ouer his Church to defend it from danger and to preserue it from perill yea and rather than it should perish or miscarie he wil so prouide that the very enemies thereof shal succour and nourish the same as Moses was who was brought vp in Pharaohs house in which example we must needs see the wondrous worke of God as appeareth in that Pharaoh his daughter neuer doubted nor questioned with his sister gaue him a name that might continue to posteritie gaue him to his owne mother to be nouised that he might as it were sucke religion out of her breasts be wained in the same rewardeth her for her paines wherein we see how the Lord doth crowne the worke of his children and their faith for Moses mother had not onely the thing which she desired but also a reward wherein appeareth the great and exceeding mercy of the Lord. God is the same now as then he was he will neuer faile those that trust in his mercy through Christ and obtaine forgiuenes of their sins studie and striue continually to serue him euen in their hearts and patiently and constantly waite vpon his fatherly prouidence But he will alwaies watch ouer them for good and not for euill and in what distresses soeuer they are he will make a way out and giue comfortable deliuerance in his due time CHAP. LVIII Of Prayer and Meditation IT is the nature of all men neuer to come to God wholy till they be destitute of all helpe but then they wil crie to God as the Israelites did The Israelites cried often because of some miserie and not because of sinne and therefore we are not heard but when they saw their sin and came vnto God then they were heard so God will come quickely though he tarie long quickly that is when we are fit do pray with feeling long because of our vnfitnesse and our want of feeling and continue not in wayting Let vs obserue this in all crosses as if any sicknes he long vpon vs it is because we haue not profited by it in feeling our sins in humilitie of hart in prayer to God therefore he is long but when we haue thus profited then will be come either to take away the crosse or to recompence the same with inward comfort and this may euery one of Gods children claime at Gods hands when they haue well profited by the crosse 2 Prayer is so acceptable and honorable a thing in the sight of God that oftentimes it is taken for the whole worship of God contained in the word as Genes 4. 26. and 12. 8. 1. Cor. 1. 2. 2. Tim. 2 19. And in our English tōgue we vse this phrase of going to prayers yea our Sauiour Christ calleth the Church a house of prayer and yet Christ knew and we see that it is a place of hearing the word administring the Sacraments vsing of Discipline By the way let vs see how it commeth to passe that few care to heare the word fewer to receiue the Sacraments fewest of al to come vnder Discipline and yet al or the most shew themselues friends to prayer yea the heretikes in other matters sundred from vs in this point agree with vs. It is God his goodnesse so to ratifie the vse of praier Neither are we to thinke that prayer and the word are diuorced but goe hand in hand as in a league Rom. 10. 15. He speaketh of praier Psal. 14. of the word Eccl. 4. 17. hearing prepareth vs for praying Psal. 95. 6. The Prophet stirreth vp the Church to prayer Psal. 7. To the hearing of the word As it is a dutie in the people to vse both so the Minister vseth both 1. Sam. 12. 18. Samuel prayeth vers 24. preacheth to the people Act. 6. 4. The Apostles finding themselues troubled with the ordinary ministerie of tables ordained new officers that they might giue themselues to continuall prayer and to the ministration of the word 1. Tim. 2. The Apostle giueth precepts both of the word and prayer both to pastors and people 3 And necessarie it is that the word should rectifie vs before we approch to prayer because comming vnprepared and in the guiltines of our sinne we cannot be heard Matth. 7. 21. and. 15. 8. 9. Psal. 145. 18. Psal. 34. 15. 16. and 66. 18. Iam. 1. 6. 5. 15. 2. Tim. 2. 19. And surely this point is needfully to be vrged in our time wherein men are cold entertainers of the word if they go vnto Church to pray a little they thinke themselues very religious Experience will proue that ignorant and superstitious persons wil much commend prayer but neuer call for preaching On the contrarie come to them that haue knowledge and be truely religious and yee shall obserue that they will more willingly heare and continue in hearing than they will pray continue in praying And I doe appeale to the consciences of Gods children who know that prayer is rather a trauel of the hart than a labour of the lips whether to giue God the glory and to shame themselues they must needes confesse that they had rather heare the word two houres than continue in serious prayer one halfe houre But let vs learne that there be some exercises do more strengthen iudgement than stir affection and yet in part doe rouse vp affections too as hearing reading and conferring some other more neerely worke vpon the affection and yet withal inlighten the iudgement also as praying singing and meditating It is easie to renue or increase knowledge by hearing It is hard to set a worke not onely the eye the eare and the hand but to trauaile with our mindes also our affections and hearts setting all in humble frame of holy subiection in the presence of God 4 And no maruell though our nature be so hard to pray as thinking it a thing painfull seeing among many exercises it is most profitable The word maketh knowne to vs the riches of Gods loue and strengtheneth faith praier feeleth the power of it and cōfirmeth with feelings The word telleth vs that God hath a care of his people prayer proueth that God hath a care of his people
seruice and therefore his title to the bodie is good wherefore against the Anabaptists Familists we say that as God is the God of the spirit so he is the God of all flesh and though he will be worshipped in spirit yet not in spirit only but in truth also which truth being his word requireth the seruice of the bodie So many then as refusing the congregation making the corners of their chambers only witnesses of their religion detract from the Lord his worship But they excuse themselues with fearing the suspition of hypocrites an easie slander a thing that none can purge himselfe of a case therfore to be referred to the Lord himself But these men of all other do euill in speaking against hypocrisie for if they be no more inward than they are outward if their Chamber-holines be no more than their Chappellgodlines then are they of all men most miserable Reade Psal. 122. and 84. and 68. and we shall see the Prophet Dauid highly to magnifie that which they smally account of 7 Many carnall men thinke they can trust in God and in riches too they will carrie two bowstrings into the field that if one faile another may serue But we must serue God either euer or neuer either in all or in none either euery where or no where These meÌ„ will not say with Christ one thing is necessary but they will serue God and the world Thus some pray to God and perform their vowes to the diuel some are only retainers to Christ and beare his liuerie but are indeed the seruants of sinne and their owne corruption some beare the marke of God in their foreheads and in profession but they beare the marke of the beast in their hands and conuersation wee dare and must credite the Lord with our soules why should we not credite him with our bodies also God knoweth that wee are but fraile and he hauing made vs will surely preserue vs. 8 The place where God is worshipped is called in the Scriptures The presence and face of the Lord. It is oftentimes said in the Psalmes that we must come before the face of the Lord and they that eate of the sacrifices are said to eate with the Lord. Therefore when we come to heare the Word to or pray to receiue the Sacraments we come euen before the Lord where he sheweth his presence more cleerely although wheresoeuer we be we are in his presence for as the power of the Prince is ouer all the land yet his chiefe presence â—â—â—â— the Court so is the presence of the Lord chiefly in the house of prayer though he be euery where which if men would rightly consider of then would they also take heede with what feete they enter into the house of the Lord and would not â—e so bolde as to come thither without preparation nor to passe away without any meditation of that which they haue done or heard The want of this perswasion causeth all carelesnes both before and after and when wee are present If this kinde of dealing will not bee liked nor allowed of any worldly Prince that men should bee admitted to the Chamber-of-presence and yet care not what they speake nor how they bâ—lieue themselues surely the Lorde will not alwayes beare with such as abuse the house of praier and â—â—reuerently behaue themselues in his holy presence though for a time hee suffer them yet certainly in the ende he will be sure to punish it most grieuously Therefore we had neede to be watchfull ouer our selues both soules and bodies least by abusing our selues before the face of the Lord we prouoke him vnto anger and cause his displeasure to fall vpon vs. 9 In the beginning of our gracious Soueraigne her raigne it was vsually said that the dearths that then were was for the New learning Afterwardes the Lord sent peace and wealth as wee doe now see whereby he giueth vs to vnderstand that it is he that brought them from poperie so that now hereafter none can complaine Wherefore they doe sinne very grieuously that shall say the Gospell hath brought dearth diseases and warre For we can all testifie that the Gospell hath brought peace plentie and health which if wee will not belieue then the Lorde will roote vs out though for his Name and glories sake and for his Sonne Christs sake he will raise vp a seede after vs that shall confesse this to his glorie as we see in the example of the Israelites which had a Iosuah and a Caleb But as hee punished the Aegyptians because they were ignorant and the Israelites because they abused knowledge as hee punished the Israelites because they would not worship him and punished the Aegyptians because they would not suffer them to worship him so he hath punished the Papists because they were false worshippers and the Protestants for that they abuse the true worship and as hee punished the Papists because they would not suffer the Lord to be worshipped so will hee punish the Protestants if they will not worship him in spirit and truth for there is like proportion 10 Some will say what can we gaine by hearing the Word can we liue by prayer Our household must be prouided for if we could come by our liuing so easilie as some doe or if wee were as well to liue as such a man is we would serue God then as well as any of them they may serue God freely and without any cares to hinder them we must take pâ—ines for our liuing necessity calleth vpon vs to follow our labour But dost thou not knowâ—ô man that the Lord leauing thee in this neede doth now proue thee whether thou serue him for thine owne ease or for his glorie sake If thou doe not now discerne of thy temptation and applie thy self to the seruing of God in hearing praying reading thinking of his Word but doest in a greedy care seeke after earthly things be sure that if thou be his sonne he wil at one time or other correct thee by one way or other waine thy minde from these outward things but if thou belong not to his couenant of Grace hee may perhaps giue thee thy desire and leaue thee also without correction which is a signe of a Bastard but at the last he will cut thee off from the things that thy chiefe delight is in and finally thou shalt perish euerlastingly in hell 11 When men will not harken vnto the Truth then will hee giue them vp to belieue lyes and when they will not regard his faithfull ministers that labour with them to bring them to holinesse then will he leaue them to such deceitfull workers as shall please them in prophanenesse And as it fared with Pharaoh and his people that would not belieue Moset but hearkened to the sorcerers of Aegypt so shall it fare with all those that will not belieue Gods faithfull seruants the true Preachers and ministers of the Gospell
but will be led headlongly caried away with popish seminaries and such wicked guides as sowe false doctrine and leade them into all errors and heresies The Sorcerers could not take away the plagues of the Frogges c. but indeed they caused moe to come wherby the King and his people were the more troubled so is it in all false religion they will bring men â—â—to many troubles but they cannot helpe them out of one they will helpe to perfect sinne in men but they cannot rid men out of one sinne It is proper to the word of God onely and to the true doctrine deliuered out of the same that ministreth comfort to Gods people in their troubles and stayeth them in their distresses as Dauid saith Except thy law had been my delight I had perished in my troubles Psalme 119. 92. Wherefore if in death and in troubles wee will bee quickned and comforted let vs delight in the statutes of the Lord and wholy depend vpon the doctrine of his word 12 Moses was not so well when he was in Madian as if hee had beene in Canaan yet better than when hee was in Aegypt for though Iethro had not the worship of God pure in euery respect yet was not he an Idolater For then Moses would not haue dwelt with him nor yet haue sacrificed with him if he had offered to a strange God Whence we learne two things the first that if we haue the chiefe and principall points of religion with vs although there may be some wants and defects yet that we make much of Gods great blessing therein and labour carefully diligently to vse them shewing our selues thankful to God for them so wil the Lord in his due time bestowe moe blessings vpon vs minister that which is wanting vnto vs Secondly that the Lord will alwayes haue some to keepe his truth to the glorie of his own name and the condemnation of the wicked Iethroes religion may be tried by these notes 1. That he reioyced more for the deliuerance of Gods people than for the promotion of his sonne 2. Because he was carefull to confirme his faith by the experience of them which had receiued greater graces 3. Because his ioy did breake out into an open profession of sacrifice 4. His diuine speech and good counsaile which he gaue to Moses doth testifie that he was a pure worshipper of God at the least he held the chiefest and was not a nouice in religion By Iethro his example we may learne to trie our religion if it bee pure then it worketh in vs a care to vse all the meanes 2. We take ioy in them 3. We expresse the fruites of it in our life 4. We reioyce more at the prosperitie of Gods people than at our owne preferments or commoditie CHAP. LXVII Of Regeneration and Sanctification IT is a greater miracle that a man should become a new creature than a man should be cured of neuer so strange a disease Hereunto agree the Prophets as Esay 11. where it is shewed that men as sauage as wilde beasts shall change their nature and become tame so that the Prophet counteth this a miracle yea if wee our selues saw the wilde beasts tamed we would count it a miracle The Fathers thinke that the regenerating of a man is more miraculous than to turne water into wine for the wine is of the grape the grape is of the tree the tree is nourished by the water so that wine after a sort doth come of water so that the one is more common the other is to bring out one contrary out of another a thing of that which haue no cause going before and he that marueileth not at the conuersion of men he hath not tasted of the gift of regeneration and new birth 2 Men must first bee made by feeling of their sinnes to seeke after Christ then by an holy faith to finde Christ and then by newnes of life to dwell with Christ. 3 Wee haue nothing to doe with God the Father the Sonne or the holy Ghost vnlesse we be regenerated 4 As wee haue taken a vaine delight in the vaine course of this life so wee must sigh and pray to be delighted spiritually in spirituall things If the blood of Christ hath washed vs from the guiltinesse of our sins then the holy Ghost hath purged vs from the filthines of our sinnes 5 The reason why the graces of God are sweetest in our new birth is because wee doe after the same fall somwhat to the flesh againe otherwise it would not bee so And regeneration Ioh 3. is the worke of the spirit only although in respect of vs it seemeth contrarie betweene vs and the world for the world thinkes the pleasures present alwaies sweetest so doe not the children of God euen of their spiritual delights nay they are contrary in another thing to themselues for they thinke their present corruptions and temptations euer greatest as in sicke men the last sicknesse is the sorest but they thinke the present feelings of the spirit euer least though it may be they be as great as euer they were before but who knoweth the cause of these things seeing it proceedeth wholy from the spirit of God who as the winde bloweth here and there and in what measure it pleaseth him 6 Seeing we are the temples wherein the Lord will vouchsafe to dwell it is good reason we should cleanse our selues In respect wherof first the Prophet Esay 52. 11. and then the Apostle 1. Cor. 6. 17. building the exhortation of cleansing presuppose this that where God will dwell there is a place cleansed and indeed a temple 7 There is no man of iudgement that though in other places he thinkes many things lawfull or at the least indifferent in their owne nature to be done yet he will not doe them in the temple So consequently if wee be Gods temple as euery Christian ought to bee wheresoeuer he goes we must be cleansed Againe for that the Lord hath made vs priests and we must carry the vessels of the Lord therefore we must be cleane Reuel 1. for priests were to cleanse others and therefore good reason it was they should be cleane and wee if we will be cleansers of others necessarily we must be cleane our selues Yet there is a third argument Iere. 31. 1. which is most effectuall and that is because our heauenly father is holy And if this moue vs not we are rather as seruants holy for feare of the whip or we are mercenaries we will cleanse our selues for hope of reward God our father is cleane therefore we his children must be also cleane God is of pure eyes and no defiled thing must enter into the new Ierusalem wherefore we must cleanse our selues because wee be the Lords Temple because we be priests because our father is cleane and holy A thing is filthy in the Law either by touching another thing that is
subiect to distractions is no lesse hindred by pleasure then burdened with worldly cogitations yea and so many are the exercises of religion and loue both priuate and publike appertaining to that day that a man is not able to performe all the number of them in one day much lesse then hath he time to follow his delights 25 Vpon a great raine falling in a Fayre time not long after the Sabbath which by the Faire was broken hee had this working in his heart how one should order his affections in such a case First in respect of God whether one should not reioyce seeing men would not be taught by so long preaching to keepe the Sabbath that the Lord euē by his afflictions should teach men his holy ordinance Secondly in regard of men whether he should not pittie them for that their goods were subiect to such dangers True it is that men are to be pittied but when the question is of Pietie towards GOD and pittie towards men it were better to reioyce that the Lord will through some hindrance of worldly things tender the obeying of his owne ordinance than pietie should decay and so many soules perish 26 Against them that say the Sabbath is ceremonial we must first marke that the Prophets are continuall vrgers of the morall lawe as for the ceremonies when they came to them they passe them ouer saying that God hath no pleasure in them as Esay 2. and 66. and among the rest nothing is more namely and precisely vrged than the Sabbath therefore it is no ceremonie Againe grant it to be ceremoniall and yee shall make God a confounder of the Law and Gospell a mingler of the ceremoniall law with the morall and admitting one ceremonie in the Decalogue why may there not be two or three or moe Concerning this mixture many heresies hereby haue crept into the Church and it cannot be auoided if we make the fourth Commandement ceremoniall We know that whē Saul was among the Prophets 1. Sam. 19. it was a common saying Is Saul among the Prophets as if it were no good order but the Prophets should be among themselues and Saul with his companions A third reason may be that Christ in the Gospell deliuereth a summe of the whole law Loue God aboue all and thy neighbour as thy selfe But this summe of the law is meerely morall therefore the lawe whereof this is a summe is meerely morall except wee will accuse Christ for giuing vs a morall summe of a ceremoniall thing Besides the Commandements were but a renuing of the law of nature for it was written in the brest of Adam by the finger of God Now there became a declining from this lawe of nature by the negligence of them that should haue taught it to their children Therfore would the Lord haue it written once for all But in the lawe of nature there is no ceremonie for it is the image of God and whatsoeuer is in God it is altogether holy and for euer and ceremonies are holy but for a time therefore in the image of God in the Decalogue there is no ceremonie and consequenly the Sabbath is not ceremoniall A fift reason is this they that affirme the Sabbath to be a Ceremonie must either say that the Ceremonie is in the word Sanctifie or in the word Sabhath for this is the Commandement Sanctifie the Sabbath as for Remember it is but a prouiso and no part of the Commandement but the force of the Commandement stands in the word Sanctifie and it is a Verbe transitiue and therefore cannot be without an Accusatiue case as Day or Sabbath and in sanctifying is no ceremonie Therefore the Commandement is no Ceremonie Moreouer it must needs follow that that which is concluded by a reason is commaunded by ◠precept but in this it is concluded by reason your labour and rest must bee scanned by Gods labour and rest and the Lord laboured sixe daies and tested the seuenth day therefore you must worke al your workes in sixe and rest the seuenth As much reason is this that as Christ reasoneth how the Diuorce being a thing brought in vpon occasion did not therefore bind the conscience of the Iewes because from the beginning it was not so which was as much as if he should say or insinuate by the contrary whatsoeuer was from the beginning it bindeth the conscience So we say of the Sabbath that it being from the beginning not onely printed in the breast of Adam but also sounded in his eares must therefore binde the conscience CHAP. LXIX Of Thankesgiuing and right vse of the creatures NOne can euer praise the Lord till he be rauished with his greatnesse and goodnesse and the want of this feeling causeth vs to be cold in thanksgiuing euen as our praiers be cold when we haue but small feeling of sinne 2 And that wee doe in truth of heart acknowledge God to be the preseruer of vs from all euils and giuer of all mercies we may trie by our thankfulnes and prayer 3 The sin that was in the Israelites is in vs for the want of one good thing doth make vs rather to mourne than the hauing of many good things doth make vs thankfull 4 We must be thankfull presently and speedily when wee wil long keepe the remembrance of any mercie 5 Because our faith yeeldeth but drops of thankfulnes the Lord is constrained to yeeld but drops of his mercies 6 Being with one afflicted in body and minde vnto whom the Lord had shewed great tokens of saluation and fruitfull to sanctifie the present afflictions he said I feare not the time of the visitation of them that thereby doe grow in the gifts and graces of God but rather I feare least the time of their deliuerance should be tainted with vnthankfulnes and so wofully they should loose the fruite of that good which so dearly they purchased of the Lord. 7 Wee haue no continuing citie now but we looke for another not that wee may not call these things ours which are sanctified vnto vs by the word and prayer and in a good conscience vsing them but that we should not set our harts vpon them further than they are sanctified vnto vs we should not desire to vse them 1 These outward benefits are promised with a condition that so far we shall haue them as is for his glorie and our good with which condition we are commanded to aske them if then we want any thing we must know it is not good for vs but hurtfull we are to magnifie his mercies which holdeth those things from vs which are not for our good and yet giueth vs that by the want thereof which by the thing enioyed wee could not come vnto For the thing doth not hurt vs but our corruptions which abuse it therefore he keepeth promise when he taketh it away for he hath made the promise for our good 9 It hath been the order of the
their whole possessions to giue to the preachers as it was done in the primitiue Church 5 The nature of true zeale is set downe Heb. 10. where the Apostle heauily threatneth them that willingly giue ouer thēselues to sinne there is named in the proper tongue the zeale of fire For as fire is not without heate so zeale is hot cannot long be holden in It is set downe by the contrary Reu. 3. when after the Church of Laodicea for her lukewarmnes is threatned to be spued out of the Lord his mouth it is added be zealous and amend where we see zeale to be opposed to lukewarmnes which is too temperate an heate for the profession of the Gospell Againe I. Cor. 14. 1. that which in our common translation we reade Follow after loue couet spirituall gifts c. the naturall text hath Be zealous after the more excellent gifts And Rom. 12. Be feruent in spirit i. let God his spirite kindle in you a fire which may flame out of you Now there are diuers kinds of zeale as the zeale of the world of the flesh of false religion according to the world And euery man is eaten spent consumed with some kind of zeale which must shame vs if we haue not the true zeale for that this zeale leaueth in vs some aduantage and recompēce which the world and carnall men haue not For when they haue spent set on tilt all the strength of their bodies powers of their minds they haue no gaine but torment of consciēce wheras the godly being spent in a good cause haue that repaired in the inner mā which is cōsumed in the outward Now to know what that true zeale is as neere as by properties we may describe it wee must first vnderstand that it is grounded on knowledge For if our zeale be not according to knowledge much like to the zeale of them spoken of Rom. 11. wee may come to persecute the Trueth and thinke we do very welll Our zeale must begin where the word begins end where the word ends that in all things it be proportionable to the word Our Sauior Christ rebuketh the Pharisies for straining out a gnat swallowing vp a Camel for tithing cummin seed and mint and for pretermitting the weightier matters of the Law wherein they bewrayed a rotten zeale in that they were carefull in the lesse and carelesse in the greater points So now a dayes many rather desiring to be counted zealous then to be zealous for a ceremonie wil be as hot as may be and yet in more principall poynts of religion they are as cold as can be in greater causes let this be our canon to vse greater zeale in lesse matters let this be our pedagogie to vse lesse zeale so that we remember to count nothing small in the word and that we can increase decrease in affection as the thing loued doth increase or decrease in goodnes If I say we can zealously pursue the most principall things and for the peace of the Church can tolerate lesse things for if any man in matters of lesse importance list to be contentious we haue no such custome neither the Church of God wee shall obserue this 1. rule still remembring this caution that we count nothing small commanded or forbidden in the Word The second rule is that wee haue an eye as well to things inward as outward our Sauiour CHRIST reprehendeth the Pharisies for that they made cleane the out side of the platter and left the inner-side foule whose liues though outwardly they were without reproofe yet inwardly they were full of pride disdaine self-loue such like Wel our zeale must begin within and in time appeare without we must no lesse feare to doe euill being by our selues alone then if we were eyed of the whole world least that we become as painted sepulchres and as such dishes as are cleane without and foule within A branch of this Rule is to haue a narrow and iealous eye of our owne corruptions lurking in the bottomles pit of nature and gaged onely by the word and spirit When we loue to be hypocrites in dissembling this naturall corruption and yet are busie in pretending some outward sanctimonie the iustice of GOD in time will vncase vs then the sinne which we would hide shall appeare in the face outwardly and the good which in Truth wee neuer loued shall be seene neuer to haue bene in vs. Herein then we may go to schoole with the couetous man who had rather be rich than be counted rich that we may rather be godly indeed than be counted to be godly least that seeing wee be not such indeed as we would bee we become notoriously to be such as we would not be 3 The third rule is that we keepe a tenor of zeale in both estates as well in aduersitie as in prosperitie Manie in peace are professors who in time of troubles are persecutors who louing the peace of the Gospell not the Gospell it selfe doe more bewray that they were neuer truely zealous Others whilest they be vnder the Crosse are very demure and deuout who if once they come aloft forget the simplicity of the Gospell and fall to the securitie of the world Hereof comes that fearefull complaint that men hote in preaching and professing while they are vnder are choked in their zeale when they come to preferment Such men are glad not of the gospell but of the prosperity of the gospell such men will be sad not for the want of the Gospell but for the aduersitie which followeth the persecutors of the Gospell Our triall herein may bee thus if our priuate estate be prosperous wee lament with Dauid the estate of the Church being ruinous or if our priuate estate being perilous wee can reioyce with Paul in the estate of the Church being prosperous our zeale is according to truth Dauid neere the Crowne for his happines fasted for the estate of the Church lying in abhominable filthines Paul a prisoner in bonds thought himselfe at libertie so long as the Gospell was free 4 The fourth Rule is that in pure zeale wee be patient in our owne causes and deuoure manie priuate iniuries that the Lord his cause may the better be prouided for haue the better successe Many can be as hot as fire in taking vp their owne cause who are as cold as yee in defending the Lord his cause This Rule obserued would sow vp the lips of the aduersarie who though for a time he thinke vs to be cholerike mad-men madly reuēging our priuate affections yet one day should confesse that we sought not our own cōmoditie but God his most precious glorie And to stretch this examination of our harts one degree further let vs beware of that corruption which springing from self-loue will giue vs leaue to reioyce at good things so long as they be in our selues but repineth at the sight of
heare thou the word of God preached diligently Potest enim tibi id in animo contingâ—re quoa Eutycho in corpore 2 There bee some of this sect that will yeeld vnto men their bodies to doe with them what they will but their soules they say are for the Lord. And why not their bodies for him also they haue an inward and a darke kinde of godlines that so thinke it enough to make the night or a corner of their chamber a witnesse of their religion which kinde of men are to giue an account for detracting from the Lord his worship Others there are and they will goe to the congregation but it is when the chaine of idlenes other busines is growne so long that they may goe with some case Some will come to the Church more often but when the iudgements of God are denounced they say they shal not come neere them Deut. 29. 19. we are deliuered though wee haue committed all these abominations We haue al vncircumcised eares and naturally we haue a praeputium before our â—ares and they that are skilfull in Anatomie knowe that there is as it were a hammer at the â—are which will open wide when wee heare vanitie but it is fast shut when the Lord speaketh vnto vs. It is a common disease in others to seeke after varietie and so after vanitie and so nature desireth an infinitum And these meÌ„ either hunt after words which may cause them to erre from the word of truth or else they say they heare such cold vncomfortable sermons as they cannot away with If good gifts bee ioyned with the preaching of the word and we heare the word with the gifts it is a question whether we heare for the words sake or for the gifts sake but if the word come without such glorious gifts a man may stirre vp himselfe sufficiently thereby And when it doth come to passe that such vnsauory liquors be drawne out of mustie vessels we must be driuen to this consideration that God for our dulnes hath shut vp the mouthes of his Preachers and hath denied the power and puritie of preaching vnto vs and that our dead and deafe eares are the cause that the Lord tieth vp the strings of our Preachers tongues Neither is this to smooth or sooth vp any one in negligent vsing of their gifts for the Lord will haue his gifts vsed and a candle put vnder a bushell is not of the Lord his setting it is the diuels doing when our gifts are suppressed Well if we haue eares and heare not the word then is no difference betweene a mans eares and an Asses and it is rather a propertie of Idols which haue eares and heare not haue eies and see not And as they that haue mouthes and speake not are rather Idoll shepheards than true Pastors so they that haue eares and heare not are rather Idoll gazers than true hearers of the word Againe for this cause we must heare because we heare the most excellent obiect the obiect of the eare is a sound or voyce now the most excellent sound is the sound of the Gospell the most excellent voyce is the voyce of the Preacher Another reason may be that our members are put to their best vse when they serue most for the glory of God as our feete are put to the best vse when they carrie vs to the congregation our hands when they are lift vp in prayer our eares when they be hearkening to the word of God and therefore they prouide well for themselues that early in the morning before they doe any thing else doe put out their members to the best vse in the worship of God And surely if there were nothing but the bare word of God deliuered vnto vs as it is a thing containing the will of God it were worthy the reading hearing and meditating but when it openeth to vs the treasures of saluation when it teacheth vs wisedome and equitie so as we may be able to discerne euery affection it is a thing much more worthie our trauell We think that we may flie vp to heauen by the wings of profound knowledge but saith the Scripture that learned preaching shall saue vs No the foolishnes of preaching must saue vs all our saluation must be fetched from hence therefore it is worth the hearing this is Ioels trumpet and of great force We must learne therefore to vse a preparation without which all our seruice stinketh before the Lord. When thou enterest into the house of the Lord looke vnto thy feete Eccles. 4. 17. Stand in awe saith the Prophet commune with your owne hearts Psal. 4. And Iob. 1. 6. Iob is said to sanctifie his sonnes 2. Chro. 30. 18. 19. though many of the people had not cleansed themselues yet Ezechtas prayed for them that prepared their whole hearts to seeke the Lord. But all we rush to the congregation as a foxe out of his forme And though we haue knowledge enough yet we had need to be straighted because we are as a broken bow and in seeking of knowledge we must seeke it fruitfully scire vt scias audire vt audias is meere vanitie Euery one would be a patient in the word of God but there be many pragmaticall things Beatiqui audiunt What is that enough Beati qui ambulant qui custodiunt eati qui perseuerant If we will not heare the time will come when we shall be constrained to heare if we will not heare when the Lord speaketh we shall crie but not be heard if we heare it as a bond to tie the Lord to heare vs againe according to his promise 3 Looke how neere we come vnto the practise of Dauid so neere are we to the liuely members of God and looke how farre we are from that so farre are we from the image of God Men rather seeke for profound knowledge than for faith that worketh by loue and couet more the ministeriall doctrine than after the power of the Spirit Therefore God who is as able to send a lying spirit into the mouthes of 400. Prophets as into any of the meanest Israelites doth punish them commonly with strange doctrine giue them vp to strong illusions We ought to haue such a burning affection in vs that we should not be able to expresse it as Dauid had who because he could not expresse it vseth an exclamation Psal. 119. 97. O how loue I thy law but mens hearts are dull and their spirits heauie they are farre from this affection that was in Dauid 4 Our loue to Gods word is a triall of our loue to God he that trembleth at Gods word and is obedient vnto his voyce doth better than he that offereth sacrifice and he that loues Gods word doth loue God and else not Where the loue of a man is the practise will be there Matth 6. where the treasure is there will be the heart As the couetous are bent vpon their riches as the adulterer is bent vpon his
to folfow it 586 Seeking of God 836 Sermons â—6 twice on the Sabbath 563 SeruaÌ„ts their maisters dutie 163 177 their dutie to their maisters 784 Shame and shamefastnes 851 Shepheards and heardsmen 306 Sicknes in minde how cured 5 794 all are sicke 793 their impatiencie to be borne with 7 rules for them 34 to visit the sicke 275 what they should doe in their sicknes 640 715 Signe of grace 170 how it differeth from a figure 138 Silence in meetings not good 5 not too strict 64â— Similitudes of things naturall and better knowne applied to things diuine and lesse knowne vnto vs 11 12 15 16 18 20 21 29 4â— 4â— 244 245 247 262 264 285 613 100 â—52 162 164 166 174 874 875 876 877 294 265 636 640 651 652 655 656 659 661 673 676 682 685 689 693 7â—4 710 713 717 752 722 776 785 79â— 793 802 809 813 819 822 829 Simplicitie godly 715 Sinceritie 161 209 Sinne to finde out specialll sinnes 5 and to confesse them 10â— 484 cause of it within vs 30 in what respect worldlings leaue it 616 fearefull to make a sport of it 626 secret sinnes 37 262 272 610 5â—1 secret sinnes not repented of 461 sinnes not equal 631 euery sinne hath two reasons for it 670 the death of it in the faithful 682 first motions of sinne must be crucified 467 particular sight and loathing of speciall sins 475 wisedome of Gods children to preuent sin 514 of three things which may keepe vs from it 697 two heads of many sinnes 703 ripenes in sins 712 foure companions of sin 7â—0 the cause of the losse of many blessings 786 dominion of it 527 528 presumptuous sinnes 852 to leaue sinne and to repent 85â— differ 858 to leaue it not sufficient 304 sinne of apostacie and fiue reasons to disswade therefrom 627 A maruellous great prerogatiue to be freed from the bondage of sinne 90 we must deale with our sinnes as the iudge doth with malefacters 4â—9 Singing of Psalmes with feeling 30 Sleepe triall therein 36 Slothfulnes 1 Sobrietie at all times required 769 214 Societie 14 of the wicked ought to be shuâ— ned 610 612 â—93 Gods children how sweete 458 Sophistrie of the diuell 734 Sorrow two extremities in it 16 not to delay sorrow for sin 29 worldly 265 godly sorrow 282 signes of it 284 it must be continued 286 it is the way to heauen 285 foolishly put off 95 Soule the consumption thereof 4â—7 starued 846 847 Speech good in meetings required of dutie 647 to speake pleasing things and serue the time 750 Spirit of God comes by the word 12 two workes thereof 13 singularitie of spirit 37 religion vnprofitable to those that want the spirit 241 precepts of not quenching the spirit 242 testimonie of it 875 of faith 484 of cheerefulnes 556 Spirituall man must haue an alteration 42 Superstition 35 41 it breaketh off loue in all estates 801 popish superstition described 345 Surmises euill against others 263 666 Swearing 659 790 Swine who be 455 T TO be taught of God 469 temptation 37 702 47 when and how it breeds 39 wee must not yeeld in it 865 866 how to know whether wee be tempted 816 why many are ouertaken therewith 300 how we conspire with Sathan therein 876 how God tempteth vs 813 what it may teach vs 874 resistance of it a signe of grace 874 dispute not with Sathan 874 Terrors of minde sudden 48 Thanksgiuing 812 of al sacrifices most acceptable 40 483 to God for feeding our soules 177 it was a chiefe exercise of Dauid 458 459 How a Christian may say vnto the Lord I am THINE 449 Thoughts euill resting in the minde how dangerous 267 why Gods children are often exercised therewith 27â— euill thoughts on the Sabbath depriue vs of the fruit of Gods worship 171 two kinds of thoughts 704 what Satan doth suggest into men 748 Conscience of thoughts 543 Theefe on the crosse 794 notes markes of faith in him 693 Time the â—ithe of it to Gods worship 1â—5 To redeeme it for good meditations 471 Tinder the efficacie of it in our nature 676 Trauelling on the Sabbath 167 Tree of life Adam had it for a signe 133 Troubles necessarie to feele them for foure causes 439 Two things sustaine vs in our troubles 508 Trust. 29. to trust onely in God 494 Truth how we ought to speake it 622 Truth and peace go together 728 how God punisheth such as receiue not the truth in loue 802 3. kinds of truths 818 V VAnitie both of life and religion is deceit 501 Vertue two speciall fruites of it 260 Visitation of the sicke 275 Vnbeleefe the godly often troubled with it 95. why we see it not 5â—7 how it is shewed vs. 549 Vngodlines 41 Vnmercifulnes how great a sinne 837 Vnthankfulnes 41 punished 269 cause of it 678 Vse of the creatures 41 813 Vaine-glorie 518 Why God visiteth his dearest sernants 445 Visions how farre to be beleeued 41 Vowes rash 822 what a vow is 477 two things hinder vs from holy vowes 478 to vow against drunkennes 479 Vowes in baptisme must be remeÌ„bred 477 against Whoredome Ibid. 41. Vowes in holy purposes 397 Vsurie 41 Vulgus how it may be taken 667 W WAiting on God properties thereof 17 Wanâ— to lament it in others 457 Wantonnes ends in wickednesse 727 799 468 Watchfulnes 703 527 two causes of watching ouer our hearts 616 304 Way in it three things to be considered 703 euill way two things to be considered therein 416 The way of lying what it is 411 why it is so called ibid. the good way must be chosen ibid. Wearines in good things 531 453 Warfare of a Christian. 531 29â— 298 Description of a wicked man and why he is so called 450 451 Wicked their societie to be auoided 610 how they walke in sinne and know it not 614 the diuell helpes them in meditation 463 punished 699 Wickednesse and wantonnesse 468 Wife how the husband should gouerne her 124 Will free 525 how accepted for the deede 61 Wisedome how to hold it fast 609 what it is 625 99 how the faithfull are wise 124 461 our owne wisedome to be suspected 57 Difference betweene true and false wisedome 414 415 Wits the diuell chuseth the best for his seruice 62 Witchcraft 468 aduertisement against it 42 how cured 822 consulting with witches is to aske counsell of the diuell 578 581 Wonders to beware of 822 Word of God 649 549 preparation to heare it 42 true arguments of Loue thereto 453 the power of it 282 283 857 it is a treasure and hidden 289 few loue it therefore 290 wherfore so many neglect the word 462 how it is found before it be sought 291 famine of it 791 loue to it 440 5â—4 44â— it is necessarie for safe direction 475. to keepe it in a good conscience bringeth wisedome 466 it yeelds most profit pleasure and glory 457 whole felicitie therein 470 direction thereof safe 475 why Gods word is wonderfull 410 it neuer
of a stammering prayer if wee speake in heauines of soule and vprightnes of heart Feeling Magistrates Ministers praying for the people Lifting vp of hands The feruent prayers of a righteous man What exercises increase knowledge most what feeling Genes 46. Gen. 31 3. Isaack False coÌ„forts Verball prayers how dangerous TemptatioÌ„s Barren in grace for waÌ„t of payer Singing of Psalmes How we must coÌ„uert to the Lord the notes of a true conuersion 1 All sinnes 2 We must not repent only of stâ—ring and grosse sinnes 3 Speedy repentance Simile Non dico saluabiâ—uâ— non dico damnabitur Age tu poenitentiam dum sanus â—â— Repentance must bee continued Micrópistoi Simile Repent in faith Simile Katalambánein Properties of true peniteÌ„â—s NoÌ„ nouâ— substantia creatur sed lâ—â—befactata repatatur After our repentance our strife with Sathan doth continue to the end of our dayes What sinne we repent not truely of wee fall to it againe Note Sorow for sin How to ouercome our particular sinne The people which murmured in the wildernesse gaue a mani est â—igne thereby that they repented not of their murmuring in Aegipt To leaue a sin wee must first haue griefe of heart for it 2 a feeling of Gods mercies in forgeting it 3. a hearty hatred of it Wee must see our harts desiled with the sin we leaue else it is impossible to repent Simile Wee must haue most griefe for our chiefest and greatest sinnes Note a good lesson The causes of imâ—netency 1 2 3 4 Note Repentance after forgiuenes How to know whether one speciall sinne shal get dominion ouer vs. Priuiledges of the Elect. 1 2 3 4 Repentance Gods gift Afflictions open the eares of many Iob. 33. 16. The mercies of God to whom they are deare pretious Be not sad Esay 23. Verse 5. Whom yee sold. Note The miserie of rich men quicunque diues aut iniquus aut iniqui haeres Riches stinke in a short time How riches are abused and how many waies they may decay with vs and deceiue vs. Simile Simile Simile How to haue both earthly and heauenly riches Seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof Matth. 6. Iohn 17. The worldling prefers one corporall blessing before many spirituall graces Note Wherefore God denieth vs many earthly blessings Poore in godlines qui diligit legem diligit Regem qui diligit Verbum diligit Deum Strife in the regenerate Rom. 7 Simile Christ must not onely ouercome for vs but also in vs. Our sinnes crucified Christ. Zach. 12. 10. Christ â—ow ouercome to our comfort The Lord will coÌ„demne vs for the vnworthie possession of his creatures Sin the cause of the losse of many blessings Our Sacraments Neglect of Sacraments CoÌ„teÌ„pt of our Sacraments is death To receiue the vnworthy at the Lords Supper The truth of the ceremony of vnleauened bread 1 2 1. Cor. 5. 3 Papists heretikes neuer felt the power of Christs grace nâ—r any assuâ—â—â—â—e of salâ—â—tion â—y the Sacrament and therfore despise them Sacramental phrases wher fore vsed Câ—â—â—uniâ—ants but indifferently prepared for the Sacraments We must abstaine from the least sin and from all shew of sinne Two kinds of euils Meanes to keepe vs from sinnes c. â— Cor. 11. 30. 31. To prosper in sinne a signe of wrath See Admonition Note Sixe notes of the greatnes and enormitie of sinne 1 2 3 4 5 6 Simile Of iniquitie and the punishment thereof Negligence in the Ministerie Swearing Oppression and adulterie Poore Plagues threatned Famine of Gods word Idlenes in the Ministerie Calamities for the contempt of the Gospell and Gods worship neglected Popish persecution how great Persecution To be mooued onely with palpable and prodigious sins a signe of securitie Occasions of sinne Gouernment of the eyes A note of the diâ—els child and Gods Verse 12. Hearts The greater place we are in the greater our sins The Magistrates and Ministers sinne most dangerously 1 2 3 4 Simile Great sinnes must first out Degrees of sin 1. 2. 3. 4. Excommunication 1. 2. 3. 4. The order of the ancient discipline Suspensis 1. 2. 3. 4. Admonition 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Simile Psalm 40. 12. Note All sicke Properties of an expert Physition 1 2 To be truly humbled in sicknesse to beare the Lords crosse Hardnesse of heart The theefe on the crosse How to entertainâ— the Ministers of Christ. Plague If a crosse be remoued before we profit by it God will send an other Exdo. 4. 24. Fruites of repentance So soâ—â—e as we bâ—e humbled wâ— haue the fruite of our afflictions Deut. 6. 3. 4. Sathans seruice Dauids adultorie How Sathan shreds Scripture See the first part Securitie Note Griefe Feare of sin Securitie Enmitie Reconciliatio Sudden iudg ments See the first part of Education Exod. 17. 14. Prouide for posteritie Families must be Catechised Young age is a dangerous age Late repentance dangerous We must vse pleasure but with restraints Sinne by degrees growes to impudencie Wantonnes ends in wickednesse Against verball professors which turne Gods graces to wantonnesse Iud. Haste to doe good Youth must renounce pleasures Sathans policie Superstition To be present at the Masse how dangerous God requireth the vse of the bodie in worshipping him as well as the soule How iustly God may challenge of vs to serue him in bodie and soule We must not be of a darke and close Religion or of a double profession Gods presence Simile Eccles. 4. 17. Mal. 1. Popish obiections against the Gospell Note this proportion Mal. 3. 14. 15. 16. How God punisheth such as receiue not his truth in loue 1. Thess. 2. 11. Iethro no Idolater Triall of Religion RegeneratioÌ„ how wonderfull We must delight spiritually in spirituall things Of feeling We are Gods Temple How we must purge our selues how many wayes we may be defiled 1 2 3 Note Tit. 1. 15. We must be throughly washed and sanctified Our sanctification must not be of one part The godly are 1. Straight 2. Sound Simile Two sortes of men hypocrites 1 2 We must sanctifie both bodie and soule to the Lorde PagaÌ„s Papists haue better outward things then carnall Protestants Spirit What is required to be sanctified Our sanctification must be continual and is not perfected vntill our resurrection Death is the complement of our mortification Death To fulfill the daies of our sanctification The sanctification of a Nazarite A true discription of our ignorant and idle Protestants Simile The Palme tree Rom. 5. 10. Affliction Temperance abstinence Practised of God children Lots posterity 1 King 19. 6. Simile The flesh must not rule Faith Note The religious obseruation of the Sabbath Two extremities for want of the religious obseruation of the Sabbath 1 2 3 The sanctification of the Sabbath Simile Marriage 1. Sam. 15. Will worship euer condemned Num. 15. The breach of the Sabbath punished The Lords day Kindling of fire on the Sabbath Note The breach of the Sabbath punished and how to order our affections in
is to say whether is the happiest I. Hall ANOTHER IN ENGLISH IN COMMENDATION of Maister Greenham and his godly and learned workes set forth by Maister Holland Preacher of Gods word GReene yet I am may Greenham say and greene shall flourish still Though World Sicknes Death and the Graue on me haue wrought their will The Apostate world me wore with griefe and troubles manifold Whilst that I sought with all my strength her pillers to vphold Then Sicknes came Deaths Sergeant grim my â—arkesse craz'd t' arrest And Death at sheeles with gaping graue receiu'd me for their guest But great Emmanuel mark'd and smilde to see them take this toyle To roote and race out Greenham quite and gaue them all the foyle My soule he plants in Paradise there greene to flourish aye And charg'd the graue my body safe to keepe till the last day And least Death should suppose on earth h 'had blotted out my name He stirs vp Hollands louing minde for to renue the same So that as oyntments precious my workes on earth doe smell Refreshing poore distressed soules whom Sathan seekes to quell Loe here the fruit of godly zeale and zealous pietie In Greenham who triumphs against all Sathans tyrannie In spite of world Sicknes Death Graue and all the powers of Hell With godly Men aliue and dead it alwaies shall goe well F. Hering TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL SIR MARMADVKE DARRELL AND SIR THOMAS BLOOTHER KNIGHTS SVRVEYERS GENERALL FOR THE VICTVALING OF HIS MAIESTIES NAVIE Stephen Egerton wisheth increase of all true comfort in this life and euerlasting felicitie in the life to come through our Lord Iesus Christ. PVblius Virgilius Prince of Latine Poets being demaunded why he read the writings of old Ennius made this answere Aurum colligo ex Ennij stercore that is I gather golde out of Ennius his dunghill meaning thereby that though Ennius his Poems were not so exquisitely penned as they might haue been by Virgil himselfe yet much good matter might be picked out of them Surely right VVorshipfull if one heathen man could gather gold out of the writings of another how much more may we being Christians gather not gold only but pearles and pretious stones out of the religious and holy labours of Master Richard Greenham though not all polished by his owne penne being a most godly brother yea more than a brother euen a most painefull Pastor zealous Preacher and reuerend Father in the Church of God of whom I am perswaded that for practicall diuinity which ought worthily to haue the preheminence he was inferiour to few or none in his time VVherefore the same prouidence of God which moued that faithful Minister Master Henry Holland to collect and publish so many of his worthie labours for the good of the Church doth call and allure others to the reading of them and namely you right VVorshipfull who haue shewed singular kindnes as Naomi saith of Boaz both to the liuing and to the dead that is both to good Master Holland while he liued and to his desolate widow and fatherles children since his death In respect whereof shee desired by my hand to testifie hir thankfulnes to both your VVorships as it were by these two mites of this dedicatory Epistle which office of loue to my deare brother deceased and to his widow and children liuing I doe the more willingly tender to your VVorships because I am partly priuie to your kindnes and bountie both towards them towards others The Lord giue mercie saith Paul to the house of Onesiphorus for he often refreshed me c. The same might faithful Holland say and the same may his widow and children say The Lord giue mercie to your houses and posteritie for you haue often refreshed them which being done as I doubt not in faith and from loue out of a pure heart shall be put to your reckning and brought in as a cleare euidence for a comfortable sentence to passe on your side in the day of the Lord Iesus Christ To whose most gratious direction and blessing I commit you both with the vertuous and Christian Ladies your wiues and whole families From my house in the Black Friers this third day of Aprill 1605. Your VVorships readie to be commanded in the Lord STEPH EGERTON GRAVE COVNSELS AND GODLY OBSERVATIONS SERVING GENERALLY TO DIRECT ALL MEN IN THE WAIES OF TRVE GODLINES BVT PRINCIPALly applyed to instruct and comfort all afflicted consciences Affections HE vsed this triall of his affections as of anger griefe ioy or such like in this manner If by them he was made lesse fit to pray more vnable to do the good he should lesse carefull to auoid sin then he thought his affection carnall and euill and not of God but when his anger loue grief and other affectioÌ„s prouoked him more to pray and made him fitter to do good then he thought his affections to be sent from God as a blessing vnto him 2 God sheweth vs often in our affections what we may doe in our outward actions 3 Some labour more for knowledge lesse for affection some more for affection lesse for knowledge some busie themselues in Church-discipline and are slender sighted in their priuie corruptions some be diligent to espie things in others abroad and negligent to trie themselues at home but it is good to match both together 4 Rare good things are pleasant but by vse they are lesse esteemed and rare euill things are fearefull but by vse they become lesse grieuous This comes to passe because we rather bring with vs naturall affections of ioy and sorrow and feare than spirituall meditations which are onely of the true ioy and sorrow 5 We must euer learne to suspect our owne opinion and affection when the case any thing concerneth vs. 6 He said that when for some causes naturall affection deceiued him yet the ordinance of God caused him to doe duties 7 He thought it not good at table to be extraordinarie either in ioy or sorrow vnlesse it were for some special cause but rather it were conuenient priuately to a godly friend or before the Lord to powre out our hearts and after the example of Ioseph to make our affections knowne as little in companie as may be Afflictions 1 HE thought all afflictions to be puttings of him to God from slothfulnes 2 It is a most certaine thing in Gods children that the more their afflictions grow the more their faith groweth the more Sathan striueth to draw them from God the more they draw neer to God although indeed in feeling they caÌ„not see somuch 3 Many can speak faire things in the eares of God so long as they be in affliction but afterwards they will speake euill things in the eares of heauen and earth 4 He said to one complaining of sudden gripes and nips in the bodie Of sudden â—eares in the minde that we should make our vse of them and though it were hard to search the particular
cause of them it was both easie and sure to attribute it to our failing in religion in not doing some good which God required at our hands or if we did it because we were too ceremoniall and rested in the thing wrought If we haue failed in not doing it may be the Lord calleth vs to some thing to be done Againe by these sudden feares and griefes the Lord will sometime prepare a way to come vnto vs not much vnlike to a Prince who before his comming hath a peale of gunnes as a warning peece and then we are to meete the Lord with prayer for now is the time now is the fit oportunitie of praying because the Lord will shortly passe by vs and therefore we must stirre vp our selues And hauing prayed it is good to make an holy pursuite after him as laying a godly claime to the promises of God not in particular but in generall for who knoweth but the Lord what is good in particular for our saluation Here he shewed by his owne example to commend the vse of prayer how he being once feared with deceiuable and grieuous visions called to minde being alone in the darke night the vnbeliefe of the Disciples on the Seas where our Sauiour Christ was asleepe then he asked his owne soule whether he had prayed or no or whether in prayer he made not some haste out of it as being desirous to be rid of it Then cōsidering that he gaue himselfe to God who was the Lord of the night as well as of the day of darknes as well as of the light he prayed againe to the praise of God he spake it he slept more quietly than before after he did so striue in faithfull prayer 5 In afflictions we must search the cause first by ascending to God then by descending into our selues First we must ascend to God pleading guiltie crauing mercie and not stand quarrelling with the malice of men or hatred of the diuell against vs for as it were no good wisedome for a man condemned to die to make any long suite to the Iaylor or to the executioner for they be but vnder officers can do nothing but he must labour to the Iudge who can either reprieue or release him so it is no good policy to stand about Sathan in our temptations who doth all by constraint restraint vnder the Lord but we must goe to the principall that is God in whose hands are both the entrance the continuance and the issues of our sufferings Secondly we must search our selues how farre either reason is vnreformed or affections vnrenewed knowing that the diuell himselfe can neuer hurt vs vntill we haue hurt our selues And looke in what measure our reason is corrupt or our affections disordered in that measure are we weake and easier to be ouerthrowne of men or of Sathan and in what measure our reason is sound and our affections sincere in that measure we remaine inuincible Before and in all we must pray that the spirit may be giuen vs that we neither adde nor detract that we goe not too farre nor come too short 6 If God bestow good gifts on a man it were good to feele some crosse to seale and season them in vs. If God giue vs foode and raiment it were good to be exercised with some crosse 7 He that will haue comfort in his triall and trauels must haue a good conscience a sound cause and must be sure that he hath vsed and doth vse sound discreete and louing meanes 8 We must not like fooles stumble at the crosse but profit by the grace offered to vs in it by repenting our former state past and by giuing thankes for our state present and fearing our state to come 9 It is a great corruption in men to be more grieued when the crosse priuatly toucheth themselues than when publikely it concerneth the whole Church and common-wealth 10 Being in great paines and crosses which he suffered hee said Blessed be God that I suffer no more for the Lord that in mercie laieth this affliction vpon me might iustly punish me in my soule and bodie and cast me into hell and as soone haue taken away the life of my soule and bodie as this thing 11 To one complaining that his afflictions were extraordinarie he answered It is not so for your afflictions are farre inferiour to your sinnes and therefore howsoeuer it seemeth to you to be an extraordinarie affliction yet with God it is but ordinarie or lesse than ordinarie Besides this is a dangerous temptation for it will bring you to this conceit that you shall reason thus in your selfe that an extraordinarie crosse must haue an extraordinarie comfort and therefore you must looke for some wonderfull and strange consolation whereby Sathan will moue you to contemne or at least not so to regard ordinarie consolations which haue helped others and may helpe you by this meanes breed in you such vnthankfulnes that before you are aware an extraordinarie affliction shall be sent indeed 12 He that will suffer great things in persecution must suffer small things in peace and they that will suffer of Papists must suffer of Protestants Anger 1 THis is a good triall whether our anger be spirituall or carnall if our anger hinders not some other holy action but stirres vs vp to good workes if it hinder vs not to pray with libertie of minde if it interrupt not our meditations if we doe not omit the doing of any dutie to the partie offending vs if we can deale with others without peeuishnes then our anger is spirituall and will comfort our consciences 2 He was euer most grieued and angrie yet in loue with them whom he tendred most in the Lord and who had giuen him most credit by submitting themselues wholie to his ministerie Angels 1 TO one asking how the Angels of God watch ouer vs he answered we are rather to pray for the experience of their ministerie vnto vs than either to describe it or prescribe it This is sure if we be Gods children and walke in his waies the Angels of God do watch ouer vs and yet all see it not and when they see it it is by the effect of their ministerie for though their ministerie be certaine yet the manifestation of it is extraordinarie Atheisme 1 A Certaine man being a Papist though not so grounded as he desired to be tooke a view of the life of Papists if it were as glorious in truth as they pretended which when he found not he turned himselfe to the Protestants and looking into their conuersation he found himselfe not contented vntill in the end he met with Familists in whom he so staied himselfe that he grew into familiaritie with their doctrine The first principle that they taught him was that there was no God This boyled much in him so that he began to adde conclusions to this precept on this sort If there be a God he