a tongue which having tasted the bitternes of sinne lifts up as bitter and lowd a cry Purge me with Hysop and I shall be cleane wash me and I shall be whiter then snow and shall I not heed such a warning I will heare the rod and who hath appointed it When he poureth forth the oyle of comfort into thy wounded heart bruised and broken with repentance Take words to thy selfe and say This is that glorious Comforter whom my Saviour hath sent to dwell in me and speake peace unto me that he might be a seale and earnest of his promises and that inheritance purchased with his blood This oyle he brings to my bleeding soule in that horne of Dauid an horne taken from his Altar consecrated and fitted by that holy Annointing I will therefore open my sores unto him and call upon him O Lord heale me for my bones are vexed When thou art exhorted to walke in the good path and to run in the way of Gods commandements thus meditate It is the onely true Way who hath giuen me his Spirit to leade me and he now cals vpon me by the voice of such a Guide who conducts me no farther nor faster then himselfe by his owne example goeth before me and shall not I hasten my slow feete and spurre on my dull affections to follow Yes certainely I will say unto him Let thy good spirit lead me into the land of righteousnesse Draw me and I will run after thee O enlarge my heart and I will runne in the way of thy Commandements In all thy course let this thought of thy Guide never depart from thee but commune thus with thine owne heart what is there that should stop me in this way What is there that should not rather incite and hasten me Shall I say I have great possessions promoted to some high oâ—fice increased in children keepe a great familie and burdened with many affaires both publike and private But how farre did this my Guide exceed me in all outward blessings Yet I find that every where he useth them as so many cords to pull on his heart with more force to the practice of Godlinesse Should I complaine of discouragements trouble contempt poverty affliction What a shame were this to me when I heare him professing They had almost conumed mee upon earth but I forsooke not thy precepts The proud have had me exceedingly in derision yet have I not declined from thy Law I am small and despised yet doe I not forget thy statutes Trouble and anguish are come upon mee yet are thy Commandements my delight Follow therefore cheerfully so good a Leader and learne of him in riches to be rich in good workes in poverty to be poore in spirit to imploy all thy power to adorne and beautifie the Temple of God within thee and when thou art despised by worldly Michals for thy zeale and cheerfulnesse in Gods service to be more vile and low in thine owne eyes 2 Reâ—utation Let us here not so much refute as detest and accurse those Popish blasphemies concerning this and other Scriptures Surely though a reverend opinion and speech of the written Word be not ever an infallible signe of a faithfull Christian yet an un-reverend aestimation contemptuous and disgracefull speech is a sure argument of infidelity and Atheisme The Ancients received the Scriptures as the Iudge sent from heaven and the voyce of Christ which they durst not censure but by which they censured all other writings yeelding to the Canonicall Scriptures and to them alone an un-deniable consent Thus Origen thus Austen And above other Scriptures they wonderfully extolled the Psalmes affirming the Prophet was a most sweet and delightfull companion of our journey relieving and helping all sorts that travaile this way becomming all to all men that there is nothing which we may not learne in the Psalmes that such as with a faithfull and serious mind exercise themselues in the Psalmes are in a manner fellowed with the Angels of God Thus Nazianzen Austen Chrysostome Bernard Now how they which boast so much of Antiquitie and the onely Church agree with the Ancients and with the true Church we may perceive in this particulars It is almost incredible how basely and despitefully they speake of the Oracles of God Let me cleare this point a little 1. They aâ—firme the Scriptures mistie and darke despising that woe pronounced on those who call light darkenesse and darkenesse light nor once fearing in evident termes to contradict the Spirit of truth who so often cals it light 2. They obscure it by many Apocryphall and humane writings which as the Moone under the Sunne mingled with the word of truth make a fearefull Ecclipse in the Church commanding those Bastard writings to be received as the Genuine with aequall authority and estimation 3. They have set up an earthly Meteor exhaled from their own braine to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another counterfeit Sunne to confront the true in pretence to supply the defects of it This is their Traditions in word equaling but in deed preferring them before the Scripture 4. The better to depresse the splendour of it they haue laboured to hide it under a bushell under the veile of an vnknowne tongue And of many other haue they chosen the Vulgar translation as Authenticall which of all the rest is knowne and by some of their own confessed to be the most barbarous spotted and defectiue commanding it under censure of Anathema to be received and in no pretence whatsoever in any thing rejected 5. They affirme the Scripture is no further a light then it shall please the Pope to kindle and light it up by his breath and interpretation defining that whatsoever hath the holy Fathers exposition hath the very word of God though he know not whether it doe nor how it can possibly agree with the word expounded peremptorily decreeing that no man presume to receive it in any other sense then the holy Mother Church interprets it whose Prerogative it is to unfold it 6. With monstrous impudence they dare maintaine that the strength of all former Councels and if of all then of that Councell also which was held by the Apostles and all Doctrines depends upon the authority of the present Church Lastly they reproach and revile it that it is a nose of waxe a Lesbian or leaden rule that it may be well defended as godlily spoken that the Scriptures without the Churches authority is of no more force then AEsops fables and there the same Hosius stickes not plainely to say that the Scripture should have little waight with them without the Churches authority Nay a Priest in a controversie with my selfe blasphemously averres which testimony of Iesuiticall doctrine I will ever keepe by me that the Scripture was not written by the command of God nor of set purpose but by chance I have seene
that there is no estate of man which may not there find what soever is comfortable and usefull 2. Even heathen wise men acknowledged that in wisedome there were admirable pleasures and could perceive and professe him to be the wisest happiest who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most godly wise 3. Especially the very object of delight being goodnes hence the wil is necessitated to take pleasure in it It proceeds from God the infinite goodâ— it is in its kind infinitly good therfore called the good word of God the end effect of it to lead us to our supream good happines But is it not the savour of death No otherwise then Christ is a rocke of stumbling not in it selfe but by the perversnesse of man Nay rather this argueth the goodnesse of it because as a thing is more good so the abuse of it is more dangerous In a word whatsoever goodnesse is in any creature whereby the bodily sense and life is refreshed all this in a farre more excellent manner and measure is comprised in the word The fleshly eye is ravished with beautifull colours and corporall fairenesse but the understanding is that eye of the soule to which truth is the most proper and pleasing object and therefore the feete beautifull that bring it The eare is pleased with sweete words and â—loquent speeches but how pleasant to a spirituall eare is this upright writing the words of truth The tast is delighted with sweet meats but the word is hony and â—he hony combe to the mouth of the soule How delightfull is gaine and profit to a worldly heart But this word is the currâ—nt coyne of that heavenly Kingdome which stocketh the heart with the treasures of grace and bringeth us to those full riches and inheritance of glory It is therefore our dutie to draw our averse hearts to delight in it and not onely necessarily but joyfully to converse with it Try here and proue thy selfe whether thou art yet entred into this way of happinesse See here the happy or blessed man delighteth in the law of God as well the word it selfe as the way set him downe in that word is pleasant and delightfull Obserue therefore the worke wisedome of our Creator and thou shalt find that as he hath allotted to the creatures severall beings and natures so hath he filled every nature with severall affections dispositions Among the sensible some take their pastime in the ayre some in the water nay some within the earth In the vegetatiue we see some trees and herbs delight and thriue in waterie and marish grounds other in dry and rockie some in hot and others in cold some in a fat others in a barren soile Thus in the food and nourishment of sensible bodies what a strange difference doe we see That is pleasant and wholsome to one which to another is loathsome and a deadly poyson Thus hath that all-wise Creatour disposed that there shall be a kind of aptnesse and affection in one creature to sustaine and beare up the nature of another Now as he hath given to the creatures severall natures and fitted them with severall nourishments answearable to their constitutions so also hath he so tempered their complexions that they are necessarily and strongly carried by their appetite to desire those things whereby their nature is sustained and comforted applying their tast to delight in those nourishments Thus in thy bodily life he hath given bread and wine for thy sustenance and so ordained that by his blessing there is in this food a power of increasing and strengthning the body and in the body a necessary and earnest desire of these aliments and in the tast a pleasure to receiue them Thus now is it with thy soule If thou art entred into this new life Christ Iesus is that bread which came downe from heaven the bread and water of life the true vine which cheeres up thy soule hee is brought home to thee in his word which word God hath purposely given to be the meanes of spirituall life and hath put into it his power to salvation therefore as he hath given to the spirituall man an unseparable appetite to hunger and thirst after it so likewise hath he given a spirituall tast to which this good and wholesome word is as hony and the hony combe so that they are not a little delighted and pleased with it If therefore thou canst finde in thee this spirituall tast constantly delighting in the word it is a sure note of life But had not Herod and haue not temporary beleevers a tast yea a delighting tast in the word Yes but 1. not constantly no not in the promise 3. The delight which they haue is not indeed in the word but in their owne conceits falsly drawne from it as remission of sinnes at all adventure mercy and grace without any true change or repentance and such like yea even then many things of Gods law they spit out as bitter and unsavory But the true Beleever hath this tast in him constantly though sometimes dulled by tentation and rejoyceth not onely in those sweet promises which nourish him but even in those bitter reproofes as in sowre but wholesome salets provoking to appetite and clensing the stomacke So likewise all the wayes of heauenly wisedome pointed out to him are wayes of pleasure The way of godlinesse righteousnesse sobrietie are all delightfull This is not so with the wicked man who may please himselfe or at least seeme so in some of these but hath no heart to many necessary duties nay utterly dâ—tests and abhors them The most civill man will take much libertie not onely in omission of pious duties as of prayer in his closet and familie breach of some part of the Sabboth but â—steems it a light matter to breake out into commission of some ungodlines as oaths so they be not frequent nor of the greater size in his measure but especially in shaping a religion and worship of God after his owne fancie neglecting nay even despising the rule of God at least precisenesse of that rule The hypocrite will gild over his out-side with a faire resemblance of pietie to God and the eye must be very sharpe to spie out a fault in the outward forme of his profession but is far from that seeming care of righteousnesse and just dealing with men but that we may easily discerne grosse neglect of such duties But he that delighteth in the Law of God cannot be thus disposed But as he loues the Lord for himselfe and delights his soule in rendring to God that which is his so doth he loue his brother for God and will carefully obserue his respects unto him 3. Seing the Lord giues this name of Law to the Scripture hence is just occasion to refute that blasphemous errour of Poperie that the written word is not a perfect rule or direction But 1. God in evident termes contradicts it The Law
we may more then probably gather from one to another but especially to the Patriarchs by inspiration and gift of Prophecie But in processe of time when he had called out a Nation sanctified them to himselfe to be his Church and people he contracted this spirituall light into the body of the Scripture and appointed not onely the people in his Chuâ—ch but even the Starres the Ministers to take from it what they brought to us and to shine with no other beames to the people then which they drew from the word Hence the Prophet recals the people to this fountaine of light to the law to the testimonie if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no lightâ— in them Hence so often called Light and the Apostle as before witnesseth that the Minister is made wise to salvation and perfect to every good worke by it As therefore the Creatour framed one great originall light to rule the day so that by the beames of it the creature might haue power to discerne all things necessarie to be seene so to this end he calleth the Scripture light because he hath given it a lightsome qualitie whereby it discovers unto us whatsoever is necessary to eternall life and it might direct and instruct us in every good way and worke for surely words are to the eare the same that light is to the eye the eye by light discerneth things visible and distinguisheth every creature which it seeth so the word of man opens his intention to us which else lieth hidden in his heart and is altogether imperceptible Thus the word of God doth manifest unto us the will and purpose of God and cleerely reveales to all and every one what is necessary for them to know as being all plaine to them that will understand Now then seeing God cannot dissemble and it were blasphemie to affirme that he who hath given us Christ would giue us an obscure light which should make us doubtfull in seeing and should utter words to discover his minde which wee cannot understand this he doth in judgment to the reprobate but he deales not so with his children see Mar. 4. 11. 12. How lewdly doth he thinke of God who should affirme that he giues to his children a word cals it light commaunds them so to use it and continually to converse with it which yet is darke and imperfect and may easily deceiue them 2. The word whether that which God hath written downe for our eyes by the hands of his Secretaries or that which he speaketh to our â—ares by the mouth of his Messengers is the very law doctrine and word of that great Iehova the Lord of all and therefore so to be received with more reverence and subjection then any word or law of any creature The first of these is evidently affirmed here namely that this doctrine is the law of the Lord the second necessarily deducted that therfore it must bee received with all submission and obedience which becomes us servants to so great a Lord. Neither can this doctrine be confined to the Scriptures onely seing God doth not onely by writing but by preaching teach us the way to happinesse and lead us in it Hence is it that as the Scriptures are sayd to be inspired of God and by the moving of the holy Ghost so our Saviour without any ambiguitie plainely testifies that he speakes and is heard in his Ministers Flesh and bloud stands out against this truth and by no meanes will yeeld to it that the Ministers who now liue speake the very word of God and that the word which they heare is indeed not mans but Gods The Prophets say they and Apostles were extraordinary men and furnished with peculiar gifts for such a calling and with an unerring spirit therfore their word was infallibly Godâ— message and so to be received but not so the Ministers of our times who haue not the same gifts but may erre and be deceived True it is that the Prophets and Apostles were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so infallibly assisted by the Spirit that they could not erre in their preaching and therefore their word without skanning might be safely received by those who knew them to be such But because even the faithfull themselues did not at the first thus know them therefore they examined their preaching by the touch-stone of the Scripture Paul was a singular Apostle in doctrine and miracles c. yet did not the faithfull take his word at adventure but tryed it by the Scripture and then gaue credit to it Acts 17. 11. Nay certainly had even these men though knowne Apostles preached other doctrine then was revealed in the written word it might not be received And therefore though the Ministers of these times are nothing comparable to them in gifts yet being Messengers of the same God sent by him when they speake the same doctrine which was before by them published and after left in writing they speake no lesse the word of God then they unlesse we thinke the qualitie of man can alter the truth of God When Satan spoke Thou art the holy one of God was it not the truth When Balaam a false Prophet over-ruled by God prophecied was not the prophecietrue because the tongue was false and might nay often did speake lies How much more is that word to be received as the truth of God which being spoken by his Messengers is no other then himselfe hath written In the time of the Law as there were some extraordinary Ministers as Prophets so were there ordinary Teachers the Levites who expounded the Law instructed the people and dare any man deny their preaching to be the word of God So was it likewise in the times of the Apostles They ordained Ministers in every congregation and was not their word the embassage of God Epaphras no Apostle and as farre as wee can gather no inspired Preacher yet planted the Church of the Colossians and the word preached by him was the word of Christ the Gospell the word of truth To conclude this point Hence the word delivered by Timothy an inferiour Minister was equally the word of God as if it had beene uttered by the Apostle see 1 Thes. 2. 13. Nay it must be remembred that those words of our Saviour he that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me were not spoken to the Apostles but to the seventie Disciples and then when as yet the holy Ghost was not given nay when as yet the Apostles themselues were altogether unacquainted with the chiefe mysteries of salvation even the death and resurrection of Christ. But if any man reply that he cannot giue so assured assent unto the word now preached as to that of the Apostles let him know the fault is in himselfe not in the word and Ordinance of God for he ought to be so stedfastly grounded in the truth that if Angels from heaven
Thou wilt say he is full of sorrow and mourning but blessed are they that mourne he feeles this godly sorrow to be such as he repents not of it he knowes that it is better to goe to the house of mourning then to the house of feasting Thou perhaps dislikest his condition as being bound and wained from earthly and worldly delights and pleasures but first he knows his liberty in any lawfull use of the creature and for abuse in which the worldling hath set all his joy he accounts and indeed knowes it to be a deadly poison a toad a serpent as venomous as loathsome and as much detesteth as any can approue it Thou wilt say None are so obnoxious to injurie to contempt and despight of all men he knowes all these troubles to be as so many gemmes set in his crowne of glory Thou wilt adde besides these outward fightings how many terrors are there within but he will tell thee he is one of the Israell of God and in all these wrastlings with men and Angels shall prevaile so that nothing neither life nor death principalities height depth things present or to come shall separate him from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Put now in the other ballance those particular blessings which make up his happinesse here on earth doe but goe along with him while he leads thee through the pallace or rather temple which God hath built within him First thou shalt see a little heaven in his understanding wherein all those bright starres of the Apostles and Prophets shed their beames nay where Christ himselfe that great Light and Sunne of the world is risen looke into his heart and thou shalt see a little paradise planted with all choice immortall and heavenly fruit and in the midst God himselfe walking even a third heaven where in the throng of Saintly thoughts God himselfe hath set his throne Thou mayest perhaps see some battles against sinne wrastlings with corruption combates with principalities and powers but with God a most sweet peace a peace which passeth all understanding In a word thou shalt find him all glorious within rich and stored with much abundance and infinite wealth Whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are his nay he that is all in all God is his The Father hath already begotten him to himselfe Christ is his head the holy Ghost his comforter and earnest of that glorious inheritance purchased for him the Father so loved him that he hath given him his onely beloved Sonne the Sonne so honoured him that he hath bestowed his life upon him and parted with him his Kingdome the holy Ghost so delighted in him that he dwels in him enlivens him leads sustaines strengthens and will never forsake him till he is enthroned in heaven No marveile therefore if blessed Augustine feared not to affirme It is more that he hath already done for thee then what he hath promised to doe what hath he done he hath died for thee what hath he promised that thou shalt liue with him It is more incredible that the Eternall should once die then that thou a mortall should'st liue for ever He hath promised heaven but given the Lord of heaven and earth Certainely he that ponders these good things which the faithfull already possesse shall soone find them more weighty then any evill which now they suffer Every teacher may here learne his method of instructing and every learner is here taught the way of profiting Dost thou teach the way of holinesse Begin with the end of the way make thy scholler to see the goale before he sets out to the race point out to him and leaue him not till he discovers and views the crowne of blessing at the end of his course Art thou a scholler in the schoole of Christ Get this first lesson by-heart that he is blessed who is indeed a Christian know and ever remember that man may teach thee to preserue a whole or repaire a decayed body how to secure thy earthly estate or wring it out of the hand of a griping oppressour but thy soules health and happinesse is onely taught by God and no humane science will presume to lead thee â—o true aud everlasting blessednesse but one even this of the heavenly Doctor thus he here teacheth thee in the Psalmist Blessed is the man c. Thus also that Eternall Wisedome in that wise Salomon instructs thee blessed is the man that keepes my wayes blessed are they that heare mee watching daily at my gates and giving attendance at the posts of my doores for he that findeth me findeth life Thus when himselfe in person and in our flesh became our Teacher hee enters us with this first lesson Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven Blessed are they that mourne c. And indeed it is the especiall point of art to inflame the learner and fire his heart with desire of that knowledge which we professe to teach which cannot be otherwise or at least better effected then by propounding some necessary or excellent fruit or consequent of it And in every reasonable Agent the end must be first in the mind nay continually in the memory if they will proceed orderly common experience makes us see that while we hunt for any thing upon a cold sent as they say we are but coldly affected but when we are in view we follow eagerly When Moses had him in his eye who is invisible and saw in his hand that recompence of reward with what courage could he breake through all impediments the riches and pleasures of AEgypt the fiercenes of the King c. Thus Christ himselfe fastning in his heart the joy and honour prepared for him at the right hand of God indured the crosse and despised the shame such therefore as are Vshers in the schoole of Christ let them obserue this rule of the great Master remembring that the Scripture was given to instruct that the man of God might be perfect in every good worke and whosoever art a Christian if ever thou desirest to be a proficient in this study stampe in thy heart and print in thine eyes this lesson Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsell of the ungodly c. Try here what progresse thou hast made in the way of happinesse hath God separated the light in thy soule from the darkenesse this is the first worke of the spirit in the new creation hast thou at least so much light as to discerne with griefe much darkenesse in thy heart Hast thou attainâ—d to that steppe of wisedome to know thou knowest nothing as thou oughtest to know and therefore callest for knowledge and cryest for undersâ—anding dost thou from sence of blindnesse lift up thy voice to that light
of the Lord is perfect 2. By many necessary arguments it may be proved for that is perfect to which nothing may be added or from it detracted and thus is it with the Scripture Deut. 4.2 and 12. 32. Prov. 30.6 Rev. 22. 18. 19. And very idle is the cavill of the Papists who affirme that the Prophets and Apostles added many things But first for the Prophets it is cleere that they added no new doctrine as was said before but in their prophecies largely expounded further enforced the duties before coÌ„manded not the most prying â—apist is able to shew any new doctrine in any Prophet which before by Moses was not delivered The Apostles disclaime all addition as before we saw Act. 26.22 Againe that w ch is able to make wise to salvation through faith that is a perfect rule doctrine such is the Scripture Nay that which is inspired by God to this end that the man of God even every faithfull Minister may be made perfect in his office to instruct refute exhort c. that surely is a perfect rule but such is the Scripture see 2 Tim. 3â—15 16.17 Let contentious heretickes search their braines to finde out thorny distinâ—tions and subtile shifts to delude the truth But farre be it from any who truely feareth God and hath tasted his loue once to imagine that he hath given to the wicked world a perfect light beside the lesser lights that he madâ— al things eveÌ„ the most abject creatures perfect in their kind but gaue his Elect an imperfect light not able to direct them sufficiently to lifeâ— that he made his word so excellent a creature lame and imperfect Surely though the Lord hath appointed Ministers as lesser lights and left some glimmering traditions to cleare some darker poynts yet he is wilfully blind that will not confesse the Scripture to be that great and set light from whose beames all other receiue their lustre so that whatsoever shines not with this light is but as rotten wood glaring in â—he night to such as erre in darkenesse bnt when it is brought to the light is indeed very dirt and of no use for any direction see Esay 8. 20. 2 Pet. 1. 13. 1. Those are here reproved who in practise of religion will either adde to this Law or diminish for many will put religion in many things which haue no warrant from this Law and other as farre wide on the other hand will take libertie to detract from it making no conscience of duties there commanded This fault is not onely palpable among the Antichriâ—stian Papists who haue addâ—d Lawes of perfection and rules of religion which they magnifie and extoll aboue the rule of Christ as of Dominicke Francis c. and place the top and pitch of their devotion in abstinence from meatâ—s marriage and other lawfull and holy ordinances of God lâ—aving the meaner degrees of holinesse to Laiks which consisteth in keeping the commandments of God but challenging the height of perfection to their religious orders Friers Nunnes c. standing only in wil-worship and devices of men So also they make light account of many precepts insomuch that they place among their veniall sins divers grievous and enormous transgressions of the Law as well against God as man affirming that they need no repentance but are taken off by sprinkling holy water the Bishops blessing saying a Pater noster although the person mindeth not what he sayes Thus it seemes that with them one grosse sinne may take away another But this offence is common also among many other ignorant people who are ever learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth Thus some put all their religion into their good meaning some place it in the outward and formall performance of some duties Many savoring strongly of the old leaven imagine they doe not a little please God in abstaining from some meates in the time of Lent They will serue God at home when they should be employed in his publike service by reading some good booke and saying some good prayers in their chimney corner nay even in the place and season of hearing they will be reading and so plucke down that curse on their heads He that turneth away his eare from hearing even his prayer shall be abominable There is no more common sinne thâ—n this presumption to prescribe unto God a worship of their owne devising and despise that wisedome of God in his perfect law by preferâ—ing their owne conceits before it curtailing his worship and cutting it off at their pleasure and piecing it out and lengthning it againe with their owne inventions This rebelâ—ioÌ„ as it raigned among the heathens so it prevailed even among Gods people so farre that it made all their service and their persons also most odious and abhorrâ—d to God as we may see Psal. 106. 29. 30. Esay 1.11.12.13.14.15 What Prince will endure lawes to be by his subjeâ—ts prescribed to him what Father or Master will be obeyed at his childs or servants discretioÌ„ How strange is this pride that we should disdaine to receiue from a fellow-creature whom we wage for a fâ—w pâ—nce that usage service which we wil put upon God what madnâ—s in men to thinke that either they should know better then God how he should be worshipped or that God will take this insolent carriage at their hands to giue him what they list 2. Here comes under censure that impudence of men w ch deny God in his word some more grosly in speech others little lâ—sse palpably altogether as lewdly in their workes Oh! how many are there in every Congregation which deny the Lord and say It is not he The Prophets shall be as the winde and the word is not in them The generalitie of men are like Ahab 2 King 22. greedily they drinke in any flattery of Sycophants but if any speake to them that which is evill that is if we tell them they shall not proâ—per in their wickednes in their swearing oppression drunknes preseÌ„tly they hate both the word speaker and are ready to reply with those proud men thou speakest falsly the Lord our God hath not sent thee It is with the Ministers of Christ as sometimes it was with his owne person Luke 4. 22.23.24 c. At first they all gaue witnes to him wondered at the gracious words which he spake but when he came neere the quicke and began to grate upon their galled consciences presently they thrust him out of their Citie would haue slung him headlong from the brow of the hill Thus also inâ—inite numbers of people deny him in their workes utterly refusing to square their life practice according to this rule of Gods word whereby the Lord is manifestly denied For when they confesse with their tongues that it is Gods will yâ—t resolue in their hearts to doe their own their practice is as an hundred tongues to proclaime their deniall of God
and called honest men hence thinke all safe though in the meane time they liue in many actuall sinnes both of commission omission yea such as are palpable For aske even one of these Indeede I perceiue you doe not fill your mouth with the grosser oaths nor abuse the wounds bloud and body of your Saviour to his dishonour as too many but doe you not sweare at all Doe you not vse the Masse our Lady your faith and troth in oaths Well now And hath not Christ commanded Sweare not at all Is not this then a confessed breach of Gods commandement and doe you not liue in this and refuse to be reformed So againe I see you are no common druâ—kard to abuse your selfe as many doe who are every weeke and most dayes in the weeke distempered and are turned into beasts with drinke But doe you not spend too much time in the Ale-house doe you not ordinarily drinke more then is suâ—ficient nay tipple when you haue no need at all But especially if you question them in sinnes of omission Doe you not leaue undone many necessary duties doe you not continually neglect reading and private meditating in the word doe you not let passe private and Houshold prayers and the like Aboue the rest negligence in performance of dutie they account as nothing as demaund of them what zeale haue you in prayer what hnnger for the word what diligence in service what thirst of righteousnesse what longing after God They cannot denie that they are very deficient nay indeed that they haue no sense of these things And alas dost thou not know that sentence is past for sinnes of omission Mat. 25. Dost thou not know that the curse belongs to those who doe the worke of God negligently Ier. 48. 10. But what marvaile if these flatter themselues when even the most enormous livers sing peace to their owne soules and make no doubt to goe to heaven through the midst of all profanenesse For aske them Is it not sinne to breake the Sabboth to doe thine owne worke upon Gods day to absent and with-draw thy selfe from the Assemblies Is it not sinne to sweare to curse to raile to slander to speake basely of those that desire to feare the Lord what wretch can deny this who yet practiseth it continually and fouly scornes to amend and repent or to heare of repentance but hates his reprover and deteâ—ts any admonition though spoken from the mouth of God Learne here to know thy estate and thy selfe and shake off that securitie of men in a matter of such importance goe upon sure grounds and such as cannot deceiue thee And for motiues remember First That a wise-man will bee diligent to know the estate of his flocke and of his heards a man that is carefull to thriue in the world must often cast up his account and is it not more needfull to know the estate of thy soule Secondly Thou knowest not how suddainely the day of thy account shall come or whether then the Lord will giue thee any leasure or heart to doe it or whether hee will then suffer thee to come nigh him But what meanes are to bee used First learne not to trust in thine owne heart for it is deceitfull aboue all things Remember Prov. 12. 15. and 14. 12. The way of a foole is right in his owne eyes but hee that heareth counsell is wise Secondly take the word of God in thine hand and apply thy heart to that rule It will discover thy heart to thy eyes for God hath purposely given it to this â—nd It is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Psalme I. Verse VI. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous but the way of the ungodly shall perish IN the former verses the Prophet having discovered the good and evill way and the issue of both now in the conclusion by a necessarie argument confirmes all that truth and giues an evident reason why the godly who seeke the Lord in his word and wayes cannot but prosper and be blessed and the wicked that despise God and walke after their owne lusts cannot but come to confusion namely because God knowes the way of the righteous and the way of the ungodly shall perish The first proposition is Because God knowes the wayes of the righteous therefore shall they prosper and bee blessed Two words must be opened first what is ment by the way of the righteous secondly what kinde of knowledge is here intended For the former though there is here a double figure â—irst a metaphor where the soule directing the continuall course of our actions according to the rule of God is resembled to the body walking in some tracke or path and a metonymie where the way is put for a continuall walking or stepping in the way yet is so ordinary not onely in the Scripture commonly used by the Spirit but in our speech to compare the life or practise of any man in any trade temporall or spirituall to a way and so to call it that it shall need no further labour in explication The other what this knowledge is in God hath more difficultie and needs more unfolding Knowledge â—s it is very frequently used in Scripture is not confined to the undâ—rstanding but more largely extended to other faculties of the soule even the will and affections In which generall acception it may be described that action of any of the reasonable faculties namely understanding will or affection whereby that facultie apprehends any thing and applies it selfe unto it For looke as in the bodily senses they are then said to heare or see when the object of the eare and eye entring into them is by them apprehended and applied For example The â—are is said to know what is spoken when it apprehends the words applies it selfe in the facultie of hearing unto the voice the eye to know the colour which it lets in and exerciseth it selfe in beholding so when the understanding will and affections busie their severall offices in applying their powers to any thing they may not bee unâ—itly said to know it Now therefore as when the understanding apprehends any intelligible object and applies the facultie of discerning unto it it is said to know it so when the will whose oâ—fice is to choose or refuse applies it selfe to the object in chusing then the will may bee said to know So likewise wee may say the affections know that which they loue or honour Thus man is said to know God 1. when the Lord having revealed himselfe and his will in his word the understanding applying it sâ—lfe to this object and receiving into it selfe this revelation perceiues it Thus it is used Psal. 9. 10. They that know thee will trust in thee c. Thus it is said The heathens know not Gods judgements as being never revealed to them nor they perceiving them Psal. 147. 20. 2. When he chuseth the Lord to bee his God So