him suffering them to be imprisoned racked whipped stoned Heb. 11. slaine with the sword Nay Christ his owne mother scaped not free Simeon speaketh that the sword of tribulation Luke 2. 35 should pearce her hart Christ himselfe entred not into his glorie but being consecrated through afflictions The miracles that Christ wrought in healing others did not so much moue the Apostles as the miracle they felt in themselues Their faith had not such exercise nor triall in sâ—ing the blind recouer their sight the lame their limbs the dumb their speach and the Iob. 2. 8. deaf their hearing but now that the ship vnder them is in danger and is violently tossed death is presented before them their faith begins to faint like Peter and to looke about like Iob for his patience when he lay scraping himself vpon the dunghill The storme put them to a stagger though Christ was in the ship with them This storme arose vpon their entring into a ship this ship is a figure of the Church So soone as thou arte receiued into the church and hast giuen thy name to Christ thou must looke for a storme or a tempest Satan wil neuer bend his mallice against thee till then When we are running and in the ready waye to Christ then comes Satan and layes stumbling blockes in our way tempting vs with one baite or other either with wantons Iud. 16. Iosuah 7. Acts. 12. 23 as Sampson when he dalyed with Dalilah or with couetousnes like Achan and Gehezy or with pride like Nabucad-nezzar or with selfe-loue like Herod or with enuy like Cain and all to turne vs aside quite out of the way from God as he cousoned Adam out of Paradice If these baites do not preuaile then he takes another course for Satan that suttle serpent hath more sleights in his budget then Dauid had stones in his shepheards 1. Sam. 17 40. scrippe he will begin to rage and raile against thee like Rabshake and throw all his stormes at thee as he threw a whole floud of Reu. 12. 13 water against the woman in the Reuelation and as he thought to sinke Christ and his Apostles in the shippe This of all the diuells darts is most violent euen his fiery dart of persecution There is a punishment executed by our magistracie vpon silent malefactors which is called the pressing to death and it is a torment of the greatest tortures And the diuell by his executioners exerciseth the same crueltie vpon Gods Saints he hath his pressing too we are forewarned to arme our selues against that torment by our Sauior In mundo pressuram sustinebitis If thou Ioh. 16 33 wilt not leaue thy way thou art in nor break thy course in running to Christ he will shew the vttermost of his malice against thee and put thee to the racke as he put Esay to the saw And this hath proued no small rub in the alley for it hath turned aside many a forward runner Iudas a great while ranne well but Satan Mat. 26. 15 stopt him in his race and made him swallow a siluer hooke as he beguiled Eue with an apple and so his end proued worse than his beginning he againe so frighted Demas a great professor a long time with giuing 2. Tim. 4 him but a small taste of the cuppe of affliction that he forsooke his way left Christ and his Apostles and embraced this present world He so preuailed with King Agrippa that thogh he gaue himself to heare Pauls preaching yet Paul left him but almost a Christian and could not make him a Christian Act. 27. 28 altogether not to dwell in particulars this Satan hath wrastled mightily euen with the elect vessells of mercy and with his stormes had quite ouerthrowne them if Christ had not rescued them euen then when the fatall blow was coÌ„ming like the angell that stayd Gen. 25. 22 Abrahams hand when he would haue slaine his sonne How long did he chaine vp Paul making him his instrument to persecute Gods children till Christ drew him by violence to himselfe and afterwards he persecuted Satan and had him in the chase as before Satan chased him How strong was Satan and how weake was Peter that seemed to be the strongest of the Apostles but shewed himselfe in this combat the weakest when he denied his master thrise together But though he receiued this foyle from the diuell yet Christ raised him vp vpon his feete from the downe fall of his sinne like Lazarus out of his graue He strooke at the roote as well as the branches and thought to haue disrooted with his violent blasts the vine it selfe Christ Iesus he tempted him in the desart he caused the Scribes and Pharasies to tempt him he made his owne Disciple Peter to tempt him when he would haue disswaded him froÌ„ going to lerusaleÌ„ he tempted Iudas to betray him he suborned fals witnesses to accuse him and Pilate to condemne him being altogether innocent But all this wrought Satans ouerthrow for Christ by his death ouercame the diuell and triumphed like Sampson when â—ud 16. he bowed himselfe and died with the Philistins And this much shall briefely suffize concerning this tempest now let vs consider of the time when it hapned But he was asleepe The wind bloweth and the storme rageth and the sea-swelleth and the shippe sincketh and the Apostles crie out and yet Christ is asleepe as if he cared not for himselfe nor his Disciples security Gods wisedome is not by mans wisdome to be examined Here Christ seemeth to be forgetfull of his Disciples of the shippe and of himselfe he slept crossing these scriptures He that watcheth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleepe And yet here the watchman of Israel sleepeth Againe can a woman forget the fruite of her womb though she doe yet I cannot forget thee yet here Christ forgetteth Esay 49 God said to Iacob I will go downe with thee to Aegypt and bring thee backe againe Gen. 46. And to all the godly Christ speaketh in the twenty eight of Mathew Lo I am with Mat. 28 20. you to the end of the world and yet here Christ sleepeth that I say vnto you I say vnto Mar. 13 37 all watch and yet Christ sleepeth and watcheth not Ioseph was in prison and there the Lord was with him yet here Christ being with his Disciples in this great danger sleepeth This sleeping of Christ must not be so construed that he should not be carefull of his Apostles it rather noteth how we are tempted when Christ sleepeth We are not safe longer than Christ awaketh ouer vs when he stretcheth his hand ouer vs we are as well guarded as the Israelites were when Moses helde vppe his hand Saint Austen writing vppon the fiftie sixe Psal 4. Psalme sayth Tunc in te dormit Christus cum oblitus fueris passionis Christi and then saith he Nauis tua turbatur when thou for gettest the passion
⧠Seauen Sermons OR The Exercises of seuen Sabbaoths 1 The Prophet Dauids Arithmeticke 2 Peters Repentance 3 Christs last Supper 4 Christ combating with Satan 5 The Sea-mans Carde 6 The Sinners Bath 7 The forming of Eue the first woman Together with a short Treatise vpon the Commanndements Quench not the spirit despise not prophecying 1. Thess 5. 20. Let the worde of God dwell in you plenteously Coloss 3. 20. Printed by Valentine Sims 1599 To the right Worshipfull Richard Broughton Esquire one of her Maiesties Iustices of Assise for the Counties of Merioneth Carnaruan Anglisea and of her highnesse counsell in the Marches of Wales Lewis Thomas wisheth continuall health and perfect happinesse RIght worshipfull the care of my dutifulnes inforced by the loadstone of your affection and more then common kindnesse towards me hath inboldned me to present these few labours the first fruits of my indeuours to the eyes of your discretion hoping you will in respect of good meaning and in regard of neighbourhood I trust with no lesse care vouchsafe to patronize the same and suffer them to shelter vnder the defensiue shadowes of your safe protection Many I confesse haue trauailed in the same kind before me both largely and learnedly far beyonde the reach of my skill many wise and cunning Bezaleels fraught with all spiriâ—â—al knoledge for furthring of spiritual workmanâ—â—p hath God in our time raised and stil may rayâ—â— I wish for the building of the Temple of his soâ—â—in the harts of his children a temple more glorioâ—s â— King 6. then that was of Solomons though it were ouâ—â—â—ayd within without with the purest gold Mâ— selfe also haue aduenturd to com after theÌ„ with my free-will offering howsoeuer worst able of a thousand to furnish the buylding of the sanctuary which though it may not presume to prease among the chiefest yet may it looke for acceptaunce at least in his due place like the goates Exod. 35 23. haire among the fine purple and skarlet The booke is too small to bee termed a Volume your labour will be the shorter in perusing is But I trust it wil be found of such value as may vpon due consideration be nothing to your dislike whatsoeuer it is I recommend both my selfe and it to your good fauour and so omitting vnnecessarie circumstances in regard of your weightie imployments I take my leaue resting in more affection than protestation Your worships to command L. Tb. ¶ These Texts of Scripture are handled in this Booke 1 The Prophet Dauids Arithmetike Teach vs O Lord to number our dayes Psalme 90. 12. II Peters repentance So he went out and wept bitterly Matthew 26. 75. III Christ his last Supper The Lord Iesus in the night that hee was betrayed tooke bread 1. Cori. 11. 23. IIII Christ combating with Sathan Then was Iesus led aside by the Spirit into the wildernes to be tempted of the diuell Mathew 4. V The Sea-mans Carde And when they were entred into a ship his Disciples folowed him Mat. 8. 13 VI The Sinners bath If we confesse our sins God is faithfull and iust to forgiue our sins Ioh. 1. 9. VII The forming of Eue the first woman Also the Lord saide It is not good that man should be alone I wil make him an help meete for him Gen. 18. 21. A Treatise vpon the Commandements Blessed are they that do the commandements Reuel 22. 14. ⧠The Prophet Dauids Arithmetike Psal 90. verse 12. Teach vs O Lord to number our dayes THe Prophet Dauid noteth the carelesse securitie and wilfull ingratitude of carnal men whome neither the shortnesse of life nor the plagues of God powred out for sinne can stirre vp to a duetifull obedience In many precedent Psalmes he taketh occasion by checkes and admonitions to drawe the wicked and obstinate to a consideration of Gods benefites and blessings bestowed vppon them as in feeding and protecting them infinitely in suffering the Sun to shine vpon them the raine to fructifie the earth their children to multiply and grow vp afore them like the Oliue plants or like the pollished corners of the temple their sheep and cattell to increase c. Yet notwithstanding finding them to bee nothing the more thankefull vnto God or mindfull of his goodnes and seeing them to runne on still in their wickednesse without remorce or feeling as if they had beene solde 1. King 21. 25. to worke iniquitie like Achab and Ieroboam The Prophet turneth to his compassions prayes for them that would not pray for theÌ„selues desiring God to turne their hearts and to continue his mercies towards them and this is briefly the substance of all this Psalme Nowe then to descend into a more particular narration and to make you acquainted with the summe of the doctrine contained in these few wordes of my Text obserue with me these twoo principall pointes which the wordes do offer to your consideration viz. the petition of Dauid and a reason or motiue inforcing the petition The petition in these wordes Teach me to number my dayes The motiue in these wordes That I may apply my heart to wisedome I will onely speake of the former in this place viz. Dauid his prayer Teach vs O Lord to number c. This text may wel be tearmed the Prophet Dauid his Arithmetike a better Arithmetike than our schoole humanitians and professours of Arithmetike in Vniuersities are wont to teach This crosseth and vtterly confuteth the course of the vain men of this world for they giue themselues to calculate other matters The Marchant numbreth his debts the Vsurer his money the Lawyer his clyents the Husbandman his goods and cattells the Captaine his souldiers but Dauid a man after Gods owne heart knew well the vanity of the one and the necessity of this other and better Arithmetike He desireth God to teach him to number not his wealth nor his riches nor his possessions nor his tresures nor his pleasures but his daies Teach me saith he to number my daies We reade of Nabucad-nezzar a King so he was like Dauid but he had not learned to number his daies so he was vnlike Dauid This prowd king walking and strowting in Dan. 4. 27. his royal â—allace at Babel was numbering the towres thereof and was numbering his wealth and his magnificence and power Is not this great Babel is not this my kingdom c This Arithmetike made Nabucad-nezzar prowd and made him forget God that gaue him that power and that honour and that monarchie But this Arithmetik of Dauids taught him humilitie and meeknesse and keepeth him so far from forgetfulnesse of God that he rather forgets himselfe and his kingly titles and honour for in this psalme but especially in this verse he disclaimes as it were from al his regal authoritie power and state and exhibites himselfe a perfect paterne of humilitie Though he were Gods anointed and inuested with great maiestie and honor yet he forgat not his pedigree but hath
c. Now comes in another step of Peters repentance he first weighed his sinne as Mâ—rke noteth and in the meditation thereof being now throughly wakened from his former drowsines and slumber of sin he went out wherein note the effectual operation of Gods spirit in the children of God after we haue sinned presently the grace of God calles vs home againe and suffereth vs not to rest like the doue that being sent out from Noah found no rest for the solâ— Gen. 8. of her foote til she returned to the arke noâ— can Peter now find any rest til he had found Christ by repentance whom he had lost by deniall Peter his sinne was great it was no smaâ— baite that Satan layde in his waie for whaâ— greater aduantage could Satan almost hauâ— wished than this vnles he had driuen him to dispaire too and sure he had preuailed in this also had not the neuer-failing hand of Gods mercie staied him vp after his fall for his owâ— glorie and to the vnspeakeable comfort oâ— the godly who though they fal can neuer faâ— away for the promise of God standeth sure and hath this seale deus nouit qui sunt suâ— God knoweth who are his And our Sauior Christ saith of those whoÌ„ thou hast giuen me I haue not lost one sauâ— Ioh. 17. 12. that sonne of perdition Peter went out c. Being ashamed to stay any longer in the place where he had so grossely sinned in denying his maister and for that in regard of the companie he could not so wel aduise himselfe of the greatnes of his sinne by sounding the very bottom of his conscience by a due examination he left the companie and went out He went out c. As Isaac went out into Ge. 24. 63. the fields to pray so Peter went out to meditate and consider what he had done The faithful soule when it is desirous to enter into any holy consulation or coÌ„ference couets to be alone like Christ in the desart sequestred Mat. 4. from the societie of men Iacob being alone wrastled with the Angell and preuailed for Gen. 22. 24 a blessing Ionah went out of the citie Niniuie to mourne Ionah 4. 5. Moses was bid to put off his shooes Exod. 3. 5 when he pressed nere the flaming bush so we must put off our shooes of carnalitie and go out from our selues as it were casting off our olde affections as the adder casteth his slough if we will treade vpon holy ground and presse to come where God is Peter so long as he stayed in the high priests hall among the enemies of Christ he became as one of them and had quite forgotten that ere Christ was his master or he his scholler and therefore he demed him whom he should haue confessed but being diuided from those wicked ones he deepely weighed within himselfe the guilt and greatnesse of his sinne as if hee should haue reasoned in this or the like sort with himselfe Oh what haue I done miserable man that I am howe daungerously haue I falleâ— in denying the Lord of life my Lord I a rebellious sinner to denie him that sâ—ued me and by his death redeemed me Anâ— was I so wicked as hauing denied him once must proceed to denie him thrise together and that with oaths and curses and banningâ— Hath my protestation and confident boldâ— nesse come to this issue haue I shewed mâ— selfe so cowardize and such an impoteâ— weakling that I could not remaine constaâ— till the morrow This last day I protested if all the world were offended yet I would not be offended Mat. 26. 33 yea I was readie to lay downe my life fo Christ my Lord and yet lo before the cockâ— crew twise I had denied him three times O periured wretch that I am how hauâ— I transgressed what a shipwracke haue made of my faith by denying him that dieâ— for me I that thought my faith strong enough to incounter with the whole world most shamfully suffered a maide a woman and the weaker vessells to discountenaunâ—â— me Is this nâ—t to be offended is this to giuâ— my life for my masterâ—nay is not this to forsake him quite and to ioyne with the wickeâ— Iewes to condemne and crucifie him For what could I haue done more hainously against him vnlesse I had ioyned with the wicked to take his life from him Iudas did but betray him and sell him for money and I haue voluntarily denied him without hyre and without mony The world hereafter and al posterities shall take knowledge of my sinne My name deserues to go with a brand vpon it like the name of Ieroboam my name cannot once be mentioned but my sinne must likewise be remembred Ieroboam goes with his traine Ieroboam 2. Ki. 10 29 2. Ki. 3. 3 that made Israel to sinne and Peter deserues to haue his traine too Peter that denied his maister In this or the like manner Peter at his going out reasoned with himselfe and surely nothing is so mightie in operation nothing so forcible as the benefit of consideration the carefull weighing of our sinnes it is the very stone that must sincke into Goliah his temples it is the spirituall hammer breaking the stonie hardnes of our hearts And Satan should neuer be able to deteine so many sinfull soules in the slauery of sinne if they did but examine and consider of their sinnes For this examination this going out wiâ—â— Peter to parly with our sinnes where it hatâ— his effectual working there it sifteth eueâ— corner of the conscience it lights a candle â—â— our vnderstanding and makes a search anâ— as it were a quest of inquirie throngh thâ— sinfull places thereof it searches and sweep Luke 15. 8 euery foule corner like the woman that haâ— lost the groat and when they are all summoned do make their apparance at the barâ— of consideration they are all arraigned anâ— condemned and executed and our souleâ— quite ridde and purged of them like a prisoâ— at the goale deliuery This examination laieth open as it were by way of euidence alâ— the losses and harms done by sin as the loâ—sing of the grace of God which once was giuen vs and all things accompanying grace as the vertues and giftes of the holyghost wherewith the soule was beautified Secondly the losse of Gods fauour and his fatherly protection thirdly the losse of the reward of all our good workes fourthly the losse of the peace of conscience fiftly we make our selues guiltie of eternall condemnation and so consequently do bind ouâ— selues to all those incumbrances whereto the reprobates are subiect as to be inheritour of hell fire and to be in the power of the diuell and his Angells These are the losses and inconueniences which we draw vpon our heads in euery sin that wee commit and haue we not neede then to goe out with Peter after euery sinne that we commit weighing the greatnesse thereof as he did and neuer rest