good is not in us for as the Wiseman saith A man may well purpose a thing in his heart but the answer of the tongue commeth from the Lord Prov. 16.1 Whereof we have often experience They that have the office of teaching in the Church albeit they do before-hand prepare what to say yet when it comes to the point are not able to deliver their mind in such sort as they had purposed as on the other side when God doth assist them with his spirit they are inabled on a sudden to deliver that which they had not intended to speake Fifthly as the ability of effecting was attributed to God so is the will Phil. 2.14 Sixthly for understanding the Apostle saith The naturall man perceiveth not the things that are of the spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. For the wisedome of the flesh is enmity with God Rom. 8.7 Seventhly the power of thinking the thing that is pleasing to God is not in us so farre are we from understanding or desiring it as the Apostle in this place testifieth And therefore where the Prophet speaketh generally of all men Psal 94. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men that they are but vaine the Apostle affirmeth that to be true of the wise men of the world that are endued onely with the wisedome of the world and the flesh that their thoughts are vaine also 1 Cor. 3.19 20. Secondly that we should not thinke that the want of abilitie standeth onely in matters of difficulty and weight the Apostle saith not we are unable to thinke any weighty thing but even that without the speciall grace of Gods spirit we cannot thinke any thing So Augustine understandeth Christs words Joh. 15. where he saith not Nihil magnum difficile but sine me nihil potestis facere This is true in naturall things for we are not able to prolong our owne life one moment the actions of our life are not of our selves but from God in whom we live move and have our beeing Act. 17. Therefore upon those words of Christs Ego à meipso non possum facere quicquam nisi quod video Patrem I of my selfe can do nothing but what I see my Father doe c. Joh. 5.9 Augustine saith Ei tribuit quicquid fecit à quo est ipse qui facit But the insufficiencie of which the Apostle speaketh is not in things naturall but in the ministration of the Spirit So he saith that God of his speciall grace hath made them able Ministers of the new Testament not of the letter but of the spirit his meaning is that no endeavour of men can endue us with the grace of repentance with faith hope and Christian charity except the inward working of Gods spirit As the Apostle speakes of the gift of tongues of the understanding of secrets and of all knowledge without charity Nihil miht prodest 1 Cor. 14. So all our endeavours are unprofitable to us unlesse God by his spirit do co-operate with us for He that â—abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit Joh. 15.5 that is the fruit of righteousnesse the end whereof is eternall life Rom. 6.22 Thirdly the persons whom he chargeth with this want of ability are not the common sort of naturall men that are not yet regenerate by Gods spirit 1 Cor. 2. but he speakes of himselfe and his fellow-Apostles So these words are an answer to that question 2 Cor. 2.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto these things who is sufficient he answereth himselfe Not we for we are not able of our selves to think a good thought much lesse are we fit of our selves to be meanes by whom God should manifest the favour of his knowledge in every place So that which Christ spake Joh. 15. he spake it to his Disciples who albeit they were more excellent persons then the rest of the people yet he telleth them Sine me nihil potestis facere The negative being generall we may make a very good use of it If the Apostles of Christ were unable how much more are we If Jacob say I am unworthy of the least of thy blessings Gen. 32. If John Baptist say I am not worthy Mat. 3. If S. Paul confesse I am not worthy to be called an Apostle 1 Cor. 15. much more may we say with the Prodigall sonne that had spent all I am not worthy to be called thy sonne Luk. 15. and with the Centurion I am not worthy thou shouldest come under my roofe Mat. 8. The reason of this want of ability is for that the nature of men cannot performe that which the Apostle speakes of neither as it is in an estate decayed through the fall of Adam and that generall corruption that he hath brought into the whole race of mankind nor as it is restored to the highest degree of perfection that the first man had at the beginning Adam himselfe when he was yet perfect could not attaine to this for he was but a living soule the second Adam was a quickning spirit 1 Cor. 15. And it is not in the power of nature to elevate and lift it selfe up to conceive hope of being partakers of the blessednesse of the life to come to hope to be made partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. and of the heavenly substance if men hope for any such thing it is the spirit of God that raiseth them up to it As the water can rise no higher then nature will give it leave and as the fire giveth heat onely within a certaine compasse so the Perfection which Adam had was in certaine compasse the light of nature that he had did not reach so high as to stirre him up to the hope of the blessednesse to come that was without the compasse of nature and comes by the supernaturall working of grace As we are corrupt it never commeth into our minds to hope for the felicity of the life to come for all the thoughts of mans heart are onely evill and that all the day long Gen. 6. That is true which the Apostle witnesseth of the Gentiles Rom. 2.13 That they by nature do the things of the Law if we understand it of morall duties for the very light of nature doth guide us to the doing of them But as the Prophet saith Ps 16.2 My goodnesse doth not extend to thee So whatsoever good thing we doe by the direction of naturall reason it is without all respect of God except he enlighten us before Therefore in our regeneration not onely the corruption of our will is healed but a certaine divine sparke of fire and zeale of Gods Spirit is infused into us by which we are holpen to do those duties of piety which otherwise naturally we have no power to do Now followes the qualification of this generall negative sentence For where the Apostle hath said We are not able to thinke any thing of our selves the Scripture recordeth divers good purposes that came into the hearts of Gods servants The Lord
repentance The persons to be delivered are expressed in the word nos which implyeth a twofold reason the one in regard of the word libera We are thy servants therefore make us free and suffer us not to be slaves to Satan So the Prophet reasoneth Psal 116. 143. Secondly againe deliver us for we are thy children those whom thou hast taught to call thee Father therefore though we be Mephibosheths for our deformity and Absolons for our ungraciousnesse yet shew thy selfe a Father to us and of servants though we be not only unprofitable Luk. 17. but evill and wastfull Luk. 16. yet because we are thy servants deliver us Thirdly we are thy workmanship therefore despise not the workes of thine owne hands Psal 138. Fourthly We are thy Image Gen. 1. Fifthly the price of thy Sonnes blood Sixthly Vessels to carry thy Name we are they upon whom thy name is called therefore deliver us else wee shall be a reproach to them that are about us Dan. 9.18 Seventhly we are the members of thy Church which is the body of Christ Jesus our Saviour our head Rom. 12.5 Eph. 1.22 The other reason is from the word mala the devill as hee is our enemy so he is Gods and he hateth us because we are thine and therefore laboureth to draw us from thee but save thou us that wee fall not from thee as he hath done Lastly us for we may not pray for our selves alone but for our brethren also that God will be good to them likewise and though we be out of trouble yet because we be of the body we may truly say deliver us when we pray in the behalfe of our brethren that are under the crosse Untill the last enemy death be destroyed 1 Cor. 15.26 we shall never be fully freed but have one evill or other Therefore we are to pray for that time when we shall hunger and thirst no more when God shall wipe all teares from our eyes Rev. 7.16 at the least if he take us not presently out of the world yet to keepe us from the evill of the world Joh. 17.15 till that day when there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor paine Rev. 21.4 but God shall be in all to us for ever THE EIGHTEENTH SERMON For thine is the Kingdome Power and Glory for ever and ever SAint Paul willeth that all things in the Church be done orderly 1 Cor. 14. which no doubt he tooke from Christ whose answer to John Baptist Matth. 3.14 was Sic enim decet for so it becommeth whereby wee see that both Christ and his Apostles have alwaies observed a decorum or decency in all things So touching prayer our Saviour Christ to shew that it is an undecent thing for any having done his Petitions to breake off suddenly or to beginne his prayer without any introduction hath not onely made an entrance to his prayer wherein he acknowledged Gods goodnesse but also addeth a conclusion wherein hee confesseth his Kingdome Power and Glory which the Fathers call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hee tooke the patterne of this conclusion out of the old Testament where King David acknowledgeth Thine O Lord is greatnesse power and glory and victory and thine is the Kingdome 1 Chron. 29.11 In the beginning we heard that all Prayer and Invocation is nothing else but a testimony and confession The Petitions that are severally made in this Prayer are confession of our weaknesse want need and unablenesse to do any thing that may please God The beginning and end of it are an acknowledgement of Gods riches power and goodnesse whereby he is inclined to supply our wants for that hee is not onely willing as a Father but able as a King so that whatsoever prayer we make whether Tekinnah or Tehillah whether we pray that we may receive some good thing of God or praise him for good received is a confession and both these confessions make for Gods glory not only to him that was to make confession of his sin it was said Da gloriam Deo Josh 7.19 but the blind man that had received a benefit by the recovery of his sight was said to give glory to God Joh. 19.24 The beginning of this prayer was a confession of Gods goodnesse the end of his power for unto doing of good is required not onely willingnesse but power and ability To shew that God is willing we are taught to call upon him by the name of Father for any father is willing to do his child good but with this willingnesse there must concurre an ability to do good which howsoever it be wanting in earthly Fathers yet it is not wanting in our heavenly Father for whereas nothing doth more expresse power then the name of a King Christ acknowledgeth God to be such a Father as hath Kingdome power and glory and therefore is able to do us whatsoever good he will So God himselfe affirmeth of himselfe I am a great King Mal. 1.14 Rev. 19.16 he is called King of Kings and Lord of Lords so that if wee will pray to God the Father wee have cause to conceive hope that hee will heare our Petitions and help us because he is not onely willing as a Father but able as a mighty glorious and powerfull Prince Secondly if to God the Sonne his dying for us doth assure us of his good will and readinesse to do us good and his rising againe from the dead when he hath broken the yron barres doth assure us of his power Thirdly if to the Holy Ghast we shall not need to doubt of his willingnesse for he is the essentiall love of God which is shed in our hearts Rom. 5. Besides he is the spirit operative by whom God worketh all good things in the hearts of his people and therefore able to do whatsoever good for us and those two to wit the assurance of Gods goodnesse and power are the two parts of the anchor of our hope Heb. 6.18 19. and he gives us not onely audaciam petendi but also fiduciam impetrandi not only boldnesse to aske but also assurance to obtaine The make requests in our owne behalfe and acknowlegement to God of his love and power are both confessions but the principall is the acknowledgment of his gooodnesse and Kingdome power for to make request to God for good things that we want concernes men but to confesse Gods power and goodnesse is that wherein the heavenly Angels are occupied in they feele no want of any good thing and therefore they have no neâ—d to make petition to God as we on earth and therefore all the confession that they make is of Gods goodnesse and power whereof they cry continually Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts the earth is full of his glory Esay 6.3 The same is done by the Saints in heaven Blessing and glory and wisedome and thanks and honour and power and might be unto our God for evermore Rev. 7.12 Whereby we learne that wee
to have sentence pronounced against us for our owne consciences will condemne us For comming 2. Assiduity Because in the second place we see by Act. 17.21 an humour in the Athenians whiles Pauls doctrine was they came gladly as Luk. 23.8 Herod rejoyced when Christ came to him hoping to see some miracle wrought by him Augustine calleth the three daies journey of the people monstrum diligentiae the wonder of diligence therefore as they Acts 2.46 daily continued and resorted together c. and Pro. 8.33 Waiting daily at my doores and giving attendance at the posts of my doores so are we to doe the like and never to intermit this exercise Cyrill Villa non est peccatum sed si impediat est peccatum The Farme is no sinne but if it hinder that is a sinne Excuses ordinary Not to be admitted 1. Businesse 2. Play Math. 20.6 He reprehended them that stood in the market idle Non sunt istae institutiones sicut homiliae these institutions are not as Homilies for if we misse a Sermon we may redeeme it if we once misse this exercise we cannot have a perfect building Comparatur enim aedificio si vel una desit pars totum sit imperfectum aedisicium necesse est it is compared to a building in it if one part be wanting then of force the whole Fabricke is imperfect Therefore we are to follow the Apostles counsell Ephes 5.16 Redeeming the time because the daies are evill Then are we not to excuse our selves whether it be by excuse or businesse as Matth. 22.5 for though the things of themselves be lawfull and good yet where they come to hinder the knowledge of God they become sinne Or by play Gen. 25.27 no other reason given of Esaus idlenesse then that he was a man of the field and loved his pastime and gaming Or by Idlenesse Exod. 32.16 The people sate them downe to eate and drinke and rose up to play Or by a spirit of unlustinesse as Esay 29.10 The Lord hath covered you with the spirit of slumber and hath shut up your eyes Ergo deponenda quaelibet impedimenta therefore all impediments must be laid aside Yet if sicknesse or any other impediment hinder us then are we to follow the counsell of the Apostle Eph. 5.16 of redeeming the time 3. Forasmuch as we see by Matth. 22.11 that every commer is not welcome 3. Idlenesse but he that hath his wedding garment and commeth prepared as he ought 4. Spirit of unlustinesse Videndum quomodo audiamus Take heed how we heare Bona bene good things well 2 Chron. 29.34 the Priests being too few adhuc imperfecta existente religione to slay all the burnt-offerings their brethren the Levites helped them till they had done the worke and other Priests were sanctified for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctifie themselves then the Priests And seeing 1 Chron. 29.18 when David had taken as good order as he could he directed his prayer to God that it would please him to prepare the hearts of the people And for the Gospell Matth. 3.3 the office of John was to prepare the way of the Lord and to make streight his pathes Therefore we are to be prepared as the Lord requireth which though it be so manifold that the wise men of Israel have set downe 48. things to be used yet may they be reduced to two First Wherein our preparation to hearing doth consist 1. The purpose of the heart that which the light of nature hath set downe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the purpose of our heart to frame our lives accordingly Act. 11.23 Barnabas his first exhortation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with purpose of heart to cleave unto the Lord. And this is the first whosoever will heare must heare with this condition that he convert it to his life and put it in practice quia hic finis est for this is the end Psal 119.9 A young man must rule his life according to the word to this end to cleanse his waies Ergo he that practiseth not that which he heareth faileth in this first point Luke 12.1 Christ calleth the doctrine of the Pharisees there leaven Sic dici potest doctrina Christi fermentum Christi so the doctrine of Christ may be called the leaven of Christ whose property is as 1 Cor. 5.6 to turne the whole lumpe into the property of it selfe So if we heare the doctrine of Christ it must be leaven to us But the leaven turneth the taste of the lumpe into the taste of it selfe To this purpose a most fearefull place Deut. 29.18 That there be not among you man or woman nor family nor Tribe which should turne his heart this day from the Lord our God to serve the gods of these Nations and that there be not any roote among you that bringeth forth gall or wormwood The second thing is prayer ◠Prayer Because as David saith Psal 10.19 when the Lord hath prepared ones heart then he bendeth his eares to his prayers Againe the feare of God is wisedome wisedome cannot be got except it be asked for of God as Iames 1.5 If any one lacke wisedome let him aske it of God c. Practise whereof in Salomon 1 King 3.9 praying to the Lord for wisdome and the Lords approbation that he required wisedome in the same place vers 10. Matth. 21.13 Domus mea domus orationis vocabitur My house shall be called the house of prayer These short prayers are those the fathers call ejaculationes Of such is the Psal 119. full as vers 18. Open thou mine eyes that I may see the wondrous things of thy Law And in the middest when he feeleth himselfe dull vers 37. he saith O turne away mine eyes lest they behold vanity and quicken thou me in the way And in the same place concludeth with thankesgiving saying I will thanke thee with an unfained heart when I shall have learned the judgements of thy righteousnesse By these and such like we must seeke to be upholden Effect of our prayer preparing to the catechisme For the effect of our request that forasmuch as Eccles 12.11 the words of the Lord are likened to goades and nailes as on the contrary Psal 19.10 to Honey-combes we are to pray that it would please the Lord that we may as well feele the nayles of his threatnings as the Honey-combes of his mercy Thus must we believe that there be such things in the word though we have no feeling of them yet the Saints of God have felt them If this might also be in us it would pricke us forward as Genes 32.11 Jacob prayeth to be delivered from the hands of his brother Esau but contrariwise If we might feele the sweetnesse and delight of this Honey-combe so that we might have a love to them the diligence would necessarily follow for Delectatio diléctio diligentia ex se pendent Dilectio
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And to the woman were given two wings of a great Eagle c. God saith to the woman that is the Church that he will give her two wings even the wings of a great Eagle These two wings by the interpretation of the learned are 1. the providence of God 2. His especiall grace Dei providentia in hoc seculo ala una gratia Deispecialis ala Ecclesiae altera The providence of God in this world is the one wing his speciall grace the other wing of the Church As in a wing there is an infinite number of feathers so in each of Gods wings infinite number of particular benefits but especially these three 1. Gods care over us whereby he abaseth himselfe to number the haires of our head to our dough bread c. 2. The use of all his creatures both for necessity and pleasure 3. The gard of his Angels for us base matter wormes compassed about with sinne His providence is thus considered He being a God infinite and eternall yet he considereth to looke upon every particular little thing of ours Levit. 26. and Deut. 28. to our dough our bread Psalm 41. to the turning and making of our bed In the Gospell the number of the haires of our head which we never doe Last of all he hath allotted to us poore wormes an handfull the most excellent guard of his Angels Heb. 1.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heires of salvation He hath commanded them to waite on us Yea he hath made this goodly Theater and all creatures and hath given them for our use Adeo ut sit inexhaustus fons divinae bonitatis so that the fountaine of the goodnesse of God is inexhaustible For his speciall grace in vouchsafing his sonne to redeeme the world by his death 2. A measure of sanctification and vertue to doe well 3. The outward ministery of his Word and Sacraments are as seales of his promises 4. Revel 3.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold I stand at the doore and knocke if any man will heare my voyce and open the doore I will come in to him and will suppe with him and he with me Pulsationes spiritus good motions to doe well Generall grace is first preventing 2. Following God bestoweth his benefits on us before we looke for them they are acceptable and accepted by the following The use of his meanes his Word Sacraments and motions of the Spirit the judgements of God Particular grace In particular the good gifts of nature of grace of those among whom we live of whom we have benefit Beside these if we come in particular to weigh every man by himselfe Gods particular graces 1. by bond of nature 2. of charge 3. of friendship in these graces particular we are to consider 1. that God seeing he hath done thus much for us must needs love us 2. That loving us he will command us no other thing then that which is good and profitable for us But adde to those benefits that are promised the promises that are to come Prae his illa nihil sunt in comparison of these those are nothing namely beneficia futura in futuro seculo benefits to come in the World to come The Prophet Esay 64.4 valueth them by the eye eare heart and he denieth that eye hath seene or eare hath heard or that it hath entred into the heart of man to understand those joyes that are for them which seeke him For since the beginning of the World they have not heard nor understood with the eares neither hath the eye seene another God beside thee which doth so to him that waiteth for him The eye may see much for Christ saw all the world 1. Cor. 2.9 The place of Esay recited 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither hath entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him The eare can heare many things but the heart can conceive infinite things Therefore the joyes of the World to come must passe infinite being compassed about with the flesh when as yet it was never seene heard nor conceived of any And this is that name which is said Revel 2.17 No man knoweth it but he that receiveth it Revel 2.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To him that overcommeth will I give to eate of the hidden Manna and will give him a new name written which no man knoweth but he that receiveth it No knowledge of it till we receive it But for some taste of it whereas this Earth and this Heaven is too good for us yet he promiseth that he will make a new Heaven and indeed the uttermost of his power will he shew in heaping joyes and creating anew for those that seeke him so it is proved by manifest demonstration that he will shew the uttermost of his power in increasing our pleasures Therefore this is it that we conceive of it that it is more then we can conceive So that this shall be more then excellent or over-excellent because we are not able to conceive it All this tendeth to this end to stirre up in us a love and if that come we shall finde ease and delight these will diligence and continuance follow And there are but three things to move us to love 1. Pulchritudo the beauty of that we are to love 2. Consanguinitas neerenesse of kindred 3. Beneficentia benefits these make the most savage beasts to love For the excellency of the beauty of the Lord and his house his creatures and the sparkes we have by nature will sufficiently shew us 2. For the neerenesse what greater can be then betweene creature and Creator and then by the second bond of adoption we shall be his sons 1 Sam. 18.18 What am I and what is my life that I should be sonne in law to the King David maketh it a wonderfull great matter to be sonne in law to the King much more to God 3. For Benefits The Asse knoweth the Masters Cribbe and the Oxe the Stall he hath not onely bestowed on those that were before rehearsed but his love was such to mankind that he was faine to have his onely begotten sonne to come downe and die for us And if this move us not then let Jeremies saying take place Obstupescat coelum terra let Heaven and Earth be astonished And thus much to make us willing The second point is in the 10. vers Moreover the Lord said to Moses 2. Point goe to the people and sanctifie them to day and to morrow and let them wash their clothes and let them be ready on the third day For the third day the Lord will come downe in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai As the first was to make us willing so the second is to make us able and giveth us ability Before in the preface was said Sacta sanctis
also have observed and may be reduced to these six First as the Jewes say in every Commandement there is praeceptum faciens an affirmative precept and praeceptum non faciens a precept negative if the Commandement be affirmative it implieth also his negative and contrarily according to the rule of Logicke à contrariis taken from contraries Si hoc sit faciendum ejus contrarium fugiendum if this be to be done then his contrarie is to be shunned Psalm 34.14 Fuge malum fac bonum Eschew evill and doe good the practise of this rule The affirmatives of the law are but two namely the fourth and fifth Commandements These the Rabbins finde in the books of Moses dilated into 248. Commandements affirmative which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Precepts commanding to the number of joynts in a mans body And the negatives in the same five bookes of Moses into 365 negative Commandements which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 precepts forbidding to the number of the daies in the yeere both added together make 613. according to the letters of the ten Commandements 2. That wheresoever a thing is either forbidden or commanded 2. Rule there all the homogenea of the same kinde to it are commanded or forbidden The same may be seen in mans law A law is extended vel specificè vel per aequipollens specifically or by a thing of like force and valew Specifically Cum quid sit ejusdem naturae circumstantiis diversum when a thing is set downe that is of the same kind but by circumstance is diverse 2. By equipollent The Rabbins call it by two names 1. Where the ballances hang equall the Logicians call it à pari from the like As in the Commandement of theft to set a mans house on fire is as evill as to steale 2. Where one is either lighter or heavier from the lesse to the greater If a man be bound to honour his superiour then much more to preserve him The third is peculiar to the law of God Ro. 7.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. Rule the law is spirituall c. When you have extended this specifice per aequipollens specifically and by equipollent they must be extended to the spirit Lex humana ligat manum linguam divina verò comprimit animam The Law of man ties the hand and the tongue but the law of God presseth the soule John 4.23 the true worship of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in spirit and truth And the reason is good for the heart is the fountaine for all evill è corde cogitationes malae out of the heart come evill thoughts This appeared in the heathen by the dreame of Polydorus in Plutarch de sera numinis vindicta of the grievous punishment of God that dreamed in the night that his heart came to him and said Ego tibi horum omnium malorum sum author I am unto thee the authour of all these evils The heart therefore is first to be cleansed by truely planting the feare of God in it and the knowledge of him Plutarch said that the heathen if they could they would have restrained the heart but because they could not come to it they forbare it The law of man by reason of it ceaseth two waies 1. For want of knowledge because they know not the heart 2. For want of power as where the number of the offenders is so great or the power so great that there is no standing against thē And upon these must needs come both tolerations in the Church Common-wealth For want of knowledge as when things are so subtilly and slylie conveyed that one cannot tell where the fault is or how it may be remedied But in Gods law neither of these holdeth and therefore there is no fault tollerable with him For his power Jerem. 17.9 Cor hominis pravum inscrutabile quis cognoscit idem the heart of man is wicked and unsearchable who knoweth it And in the next verse scio I know he sheweth that there is a quis who and who it is that knoweth it Ego dominus scrutans renes corda I the Lord who search the reines and the hearts There is no defect of knowledge in God for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the knower of hearts August If the Candle burne videt te he sees thee if it be out videt te he seeth thee he seeth all thy faults both present and past and thy thoughts too 7 Degrees in sin before we come to the act A desire to looke on it a little longer Therefore in this point it s justly said that the law is spirituall Now for the thought it may be divided into seven branches or stations 1. Cogitatio ascendens the thought ascending the very suggestion 2. Inclinatio voluntatis the inclination of the will to give entertainment to that thought 3. Mora a delay in the thought 4. A delight which commeth of the conceiving of it 5. The desire of the feeling in outward act of the inward pleasure agreeable to the outward act 6. The consent of the heart to the practise 7. The deliberation of many meanes and the choosing of some one to bring it to passe The law of God taketh hold of all these though mans law doth not The fourth rule of extension is 4. Rule that which the law of man hath made Cum quid prohibetur prohibentur illa omnia per quae pervenitur ad illud contra when any thing is prohibited all things which lead thereunto are also prohibited and on the other part The Jewes say ambulandum est in praeceptis we must walke in the Commandements not by any out-path but viâ regiâ by the Kings high way that is by those meanes and instruments that God hath commanded the reason is Bonum pendet à fine A good thing dependeth upon the end The goodnesse of a way or motion dependeth of the end So that if these or these meanes bring to an evill end they are evill and so consequently are not to be used in good things neither are we in them to seeke God Psalm 1. Nor stood in the way of sinners The way is the meanes So with the act we conclude the meanes So if the thing be good the omission of it as also of the meanes is evill Bonae legis est non solùm tollere vitia sed etiam occasiones vitiorum and contrariwise Good lawes do not onely prevent vices but the occasions of vices The fifth rule is a rule also of man Cum quid prohibetur 5. Rule vel jubetur prohibentur vel jubentur illa omnia quae consequuntur ex illo When any thing is prohibited or commanded then all the consequences thereof are prohibited or commanded That is the signes and outward notes of things ante before namely where the good thing is commanded there is also the signe of it commanded And contrariwise when it pleaseth the Holy Ghost to condemne pride
a building the foundation is first in the naturall generation of the members the heart This also is done the first being Thou shalt have no other Gods before me Scopus primi mandati The scope of the first Commandement Then to observe our former rules It s said Fines mandatorum sunt diligenter observandi the end of the Commandements are diligently to be observed We must first know what intent God had in giving this Commandement The end of the law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to beget good It s said that the generall end of this Commandement 1 Cor. 10.31 is the glory of God of the first table godlinesse holinesse or religion Religion being an action must needs proceed from something and so it doth For that that it commeth from is the soule of man and principally from the spirit of it In that regard it is compared Matth. 12.35 Luke 6.45 to a treasure-house out of which good men bring good things evill men evill things for that as the furniture of any part of the house commeth from thence so in like state is it of outward worship of the tongue the hand the eye it commeth de bon◠thesauro cordis out of the good treasure of the heart if it be good our worship will be good as mala de malo Mat. 15.19 The breaches of it commeth from thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For out of the heart proceed evill thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts false witnesse blasphemies This then we see in as much as this is principall 1. Regard must be had of his spirituall worship and it s the scope of the first Commandement It s said that according to the superiour end the Commandement is esteemed quo prior finis eo prior necessitas the more principall the end is the more prime the necessity The first table before the second Mar. 2.27 man was made the end of the Sabbath not the Sabbath the end of man therefore the breach of the outward part of the Sabbath must yeeld to the health of man This is generall the higher the end the nearer the necessity Therefore this precept is primae necessitatis of chiefe necessity This was never dispensed with nor ever shall be Now we come to the second Which is the first rule in extension to the affirmative part of the Commandement The negative was Thou shalt have none other Gods The affirmative part is set downe Matth. 4.10 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve And in his allegation out of Deut. 6.13.10.20 Thou shalt worship one God or to answer the negative Thou shalt have me alone for thy God This is done in the third rule which is the drawing of it into particular branches The second rule herein is best First to follow the plaine order and to see how many propositions will naturally arise out of it and they be three First we must have a God Secondly we must have him for our God Thirdly we must have him alone for our God So you see The affirmative as a proposition compounded of three propositions Propositiones primi mandati The Propositions of the first Commandement First that we should have a God the meaning of this that we should not be our selves Gods which was the beginning of all mischiefe judging of good and evill by our owne choice but to knowledge a superiour nature and of him to take our rules to follow God and abstaine from evill and not to stand to our owne mind 2. That this nature thus teaching us what is good and evill and promising to bring us to the full fruition of all good things by the contrary we should acknowledge him and tie our selves to him This acknowledging or tying our selves to him is to have a religion and so consequently that we should worship him and have our religion from him 2. The second That we must have him for our God The meaning of it is this that the gods of the Nations are nothing but Idols and no Gods and consequently that their services are false But Jehovah our God who hath shewed himselfe to be a true God he is the God indeed and his religion is the true religion and therefore that we should give over them and their religion and consecrate our selves to him and his worship and here is commanded true religion 3. That we should have him alone The meaning is that there is not one of those Gods and indeed none besides God that hath revealed or can performe eternall blessednesse to us or that can joyne with him and helpe him in performance but he alone is able and willing and consequently as he alone doth and will do it so he will onely have all the glory to himselfe he will have none to be joyned with him in it Profanenesse Peccata contraria virtutibus mandati Sins contrary to the vertues of the Commandements 1. The sinne of the first of these of not having a God but following our owne mind is called prophanenesse when a man will have his owne liking in every thing so that he will doe that onely that seemeth good in his owne eyes when he will have no yoke no cords no bonds but will breake them giving credit to nothing but that which his owne reason his God perswadeth him unto and pursuing nothing but that his will standeth well affected unto And doe nothing but by his owne direction 2. The sinne of the second is false worship or whatsoever false religion it be it pleaseth the Holy Ghost here to call it other gods 2. Cultus peregrinus Strange worship As in the Scriptures he calleth all evill by the name of strange as strange flesh an harlot strange worship idolatry strange gods false gods This is secondly forbidden 3. Idolatry Samaritanisme 3. The sinne of the third That which Elias found such fault with namely halting on both sides mingling Gods religion with others following both God and Baal as the Samaritans did having an Altar on the one side of the Temple and the image of an idoll on the other joyning God together with other Gods and idols These are three speciall things that the divell shooteth at and hath helpes in our nature to bring his purpose to passe when he tooke upon him first the name of Belus Belial which is being without the yoke that he would lay no yoke upon any he would force him to nothing then that he was willing to follow himselfe and therefore this was his way in his first tentation that Adam was now yoked that he must be underaw and that he needed a director whereas if he would but taste of the Apple he should be a guide to himselfe and should doe whatsoever he thought good and that he should appoint good and evill himselfe This vaine licentiousnesse wherein men according to their corrupt nature delight dissolutely to follow their concupiscence and in all things to sit Judges to define good and evill is
â—â—iplex Our love to God is mixt with feare for a three-fold reason 1. Reason The doctrine of feare sheweth plaine that it is vaine 2. Reason The reason why it pleased God when love commeth to command feare is threefold 1. that the vaine dreame of many spirits of error dreaming of a perfection in this life might be overthrowne Prov. 28.14 Beatus qui semper pavidus If any have perfection in this life he cannot fall if he cannot fall feare is superstuous but because we might know that during this life there is an unperfect perfectnesse therefore this feare is alwayes necessary 2. The children of God feele alwayes in themselves how feeble their faith how doubtfull their hope how cold and unsavory their prayers how slacke their repentance and how all the rest of the duties are weakened in them in some more in some lesse as the Spirit in measure more or lesse communicateth to them as they did in David yet if feare remaine we shall recover our selves to God againe and he that loseth it not Prov. 28.14 his heart shall never be hardened there is a good preservative for the heart Though all other duties be failing yet if this tarry there shall come no despaire Bernard saith In veritate comperi that he knowes the truth of it by experience that for the keeping recovering assuring of the vertues and duties that God hath commanded there is not a more profitable rule then to feare while the grace of God is present with us The Fathers Custos omnium virtutum est timor Feare is the guard of all other vertues and when that is once departed then there is nothing left but to feare and never rest till we have made our selves fit for the receiving of it againe knowing this quia si deficit illa deficis tu if once thy feare decay thou decayest with it and when we have recovered it then to feare lest we should lose it againe for feare of relapse will make us more circumspect Jerome calleth it Custodem omnium virtutum the preserver of all other vertues 3 That this excellent duty love 3. Reason the effect of this feare might not waxe carclesse Cant. 3.1 Love fell asleepe with her beloved in her armes and her beloved was gone so if there be not a mixture of feare with our love it falleth asleepe and waxeth secure and so it loseth her beloved therefore that we may be sure we keepe love in our armes and keepe her waking there must be a mixture of feare with it So in these three Reasons feare is necessary even in our perfect estate And withall this wee see how that Solomon Prov. 1.7 as also David Psal 111.10 how they call it the beginning of wisedome As feare is the first so it is the last worke and thus is timor castus Col haadam This filiall feare the whole man or the summe of all The Negative part and Col haadam the whole man In the end of the Preacher the conclusion of all things Feare God and keepe his Commandements Prov. 14.27 it is called fons vitae the feare of the Lord is a well-spring of life c. Faith is the beginning of Christian religion as principles of sciences so feare is the beginning as the first worke so the other the reverent feare that is the conclusion of all things There is forbidden here first want of feare the effect whereof is hardnesse of heart and that is of two sorts and the first is a way to the second The first commeth of a false erroneous perswasion Eccles 8.11 Because sentence against those that set their heart on evill is not speedily executed the children of men they harden their hearts there goeth away feare and the conclusion of this is Psal 50.21 they will say to us God is like to us that will suffer men to do wickedly and let them goe unpunished whereas Rom. 2.4 they ought to have reasoned that God doth delay his punishment that we should not delay but be brought to repentance Prov. 29.1 If we delay and profit not by it his destruction will be sudden upon us By this meanes commeth it to passe which the Prophet saith Psal 36.1 that his heart giveth him that there is no feare of God before the eyes of the ungodly Gen. 20.11 as Abraham said there is no feare of God in this place therefore no care of the Commandements of God no care of duty According as thou art feared so is thy displeasure 2. So secondly because there must be still a proportion betweene the object and the power apprehending Psal 90.11 our feare if it be not according to the power of Gods wrath we shall not have so reverend an esteem of his judgements as we ought not that we can feare God as much as he ought to be feared Si contereremur usque ad pulverem though we grind our selves to powder though we should tremble till one bone fell froÌ„ another yet there is a measure Our feare must goe farre beyond mans tradition Esa 29.13 when a man is sure he feareth God beyond mens precepts Mat. 15.2 that he abstaineth from such things as mans law forbiddeth not nor punisheth if he goe no further then mans law his feare is short This then is the triall of our feare if we make the like conscience of doing those things which mans law doth not forbid as of those which both Gods and mans law do take hold of This feare is in respect of an object that is not to be feared it pleaseth God to punish the feare of man 2. wayes 1. In this life Psalm 53.6 2 Prov. 10.24 that whereas they give over the feare of God that which they most feare shall fall on them as Exod. 1. and 1 King 12.11 Againe as want of feare is forbidden so on the contrary to feare that we should not feare Psal 53. the reprobates have this for their punishment v. 2. Corrupt are they and become abominable in their doings v. 6. They were afraid where no feare was c. Trepidaverunt timore ubi not erat causa timoris So we see where superstition and the religion of God are mixed there is small account made of Gods feare that he hath set downe and of the other what man hath invented there is great feare of conscience So likewise Luk. 12.4 the feare of man is forbidden Revel 21.8 the fearefull that for feare have transgressed their portion shall be with the unbeleevers We have examples Pharaoh was afraid of the growing of the Israelites into too great a number and made edicts to kill the male children of the Israelites 1 King 12.27 Jeroboam feared the heart of the people would returne to their Lord Rehoboam if they should go up and do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem and therefore he made two calves of gold and so brought the people to Idolatry Mat. 2. Herod was afraid that hee should lose his Kingdome therefore
Filâ—â— Sp. Sancti Tantum How great Rom. 8.32 it was so great that he spared not his owne Sonne and that for God the Fathers tantum and on Christs behalfe his tantum was that for our sakes being such wretches he was content to leave the society of the Angels and Saints and to come downe here to endure such things he suffered all Aristotles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 five fearfull things 1. ignominy 2. neede 3. sicknesse 4. enmity 5. death 1. for the first i. ignominy and reproach he had it while he lived and as it is Matth. 27.63 he was not free from it after he was dead for they call him causâ—ner and deceiver We remember that this cousener and deceiver said while c. 2. And for his neede his owne mouth may witnesse Luke 9.58 that he was in poorer case then the fowles and beasts 3. For his infirmities Esa 53.4.5 he suffered wounds and blew wounds liâ—ores for our sakes 4. For his enmity Iohn 15.18 he saith that the world hated him while he was in it 5. But that which is the infallible signe of his love and the greatnesse thereof towards us Iohn 15.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there can be no greater love then to die for a mans friend but Christ suffered a most shamefull death for us that hated him and were his enemies and as Cantic 8.6 the love that is as strong as death is perfect love that he tooke upon him too For the holy Ghosts tantum is this that in stead of Christ he descended and Rom. 5 5. shed this gift of the grace of God and all other good gifts among us and is content to make his residence with us to the worlds end And now we may judge betweene God and our selves as Esa 5.4 Whether a man may not justly demand whether there bee any thing that he hath not done and suffered for us Now for the last 6. Gratis i. gratis the freenesse of it as Psal 16.2 he is like to have no reward of us for we cannot helpe him nor reward him nothing but onely this amorem pro amore Our love for His and nihil est decenâ—â—â— nothing is more feemely their that all these which God hath bestowed upon us per amorem by his love should bee requited amore with love againe 11. Wiseman 27. the Wiseman calleth to God and that most justly and truely all these wayes having testified this his affection to us and he enjoyning us nothing but this to love him againe Aug. Quid est homo quod aâ—arâ— vis ab eo si non anat â—e minaris ingeniem poenam annon poena satis mag na est non amareâ—e What is man that thou commandest him to love thee O God and if he love thee nor thou threatnest to punish him can there be a greater punishment then not to love thee For our naturall love of meate and drinke there neede no threatning nor reward but this love that is supernatural and should make us supernatural must have threatnings and rewards so untoward we are This for that that God performeth on his behalfe Love commanded Now we come to that which is commanded and that is love whether it be naturall and consequently by nature due to God that we should amare cum a quo habemus potentiam anandi bestow that affection of love upon him that gave it us equity it is or whether it be amor delectus a love of choyce For when we have made a summe of all our thoughts we cannot finde that is more to be loved then God or whether it be amore infuso Rom. 5.5 he hath shed this love into our hearts and it is reason that he that hath scattered should gather that which he hath scattered for so the wicked and unjust servant can tell us This love and the measure therof is considered in it selfe first either as it is hindered or not hindered As it proceedeth freely Denre it hath two parts 1. desiderium 2. gaud um Desire and Joy Desire so long as we seele not the certifying of Gods spirit in our hearts as the Prophet David he had Psal 42.1 and joy when God giveth it cum sustulit gaudium posuit gaudium the Devils have a desire unto that good which they know they want and shall never enjoy which makes them breake out into malice and blasphemy but the desire which is wrought in our hearts by the worke of the holy Ghost produceth the effects which the Apostle speakes of Gal. 5.22 But the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace longsuffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith When it is hindered and resisted that it cannot get a desire Zelus ex ira delore then commeth zelus zeale ira est vindex laesi desiderii it is called sacra ebullitio a boyling of griefe and anger incensed against all impediments and it is one of the signes of love for qui non zelas non amat there is no love when there is no zeale he that can see impediments to the glory of God if he have not an earnest desire for the removing of them hee hath no love Modus amoris the measure of love For the measure it must proceede thus high as that we be ready to hate Father and Mother Wife Children Brother and our owne soule for it i. as it is somewhat more gently set downe Matth. 10.37 that they must not be loved more then God nor come in comparision with him but when their Commandement commeth against Gods Commandement that must yeeld to this and God alone must come to have our love The royall law saith that we must love him with all our soule withall the minde with all the heart and with all the strength As the heart is said improperly to beleeve so the minde is said no lesse improperly to love but it must be so forced in us as that all the powers of the body and minde must yeeld to it and shew forth their actions else we come short Quia fecisti me because thou hast created me therefore I owe my selfe to thee si tantum pro facto quantum pro refecto if so much for making thee then how much more for making thee a new saith Bernard For it is harder to make againe then for to make All things at the first were made with a word but when it came to the remaking there was not dixis facta sunt He spake and they were made but there were many things spoken Christ was faine mulia dicere mulia facere gravia perpeti etiam indigne perpeti to speake much and to doe much yea and to suffer much even cruell and unworthy things before we could be restored and with the second making there came the gift of God himselfe nisi dedisset se non reddidisset te He had not restored thee unlesse he had given himselfe for thee Benard upon Datus est nobis filius Nam etsi millies pâ—ssem rependere
Now for the third when a man hath neither deep nor long thoughts yet if those that he hath may be crebrae often repeated if any man is thus affected to God Crebra it is a good signe that the love of God hath taken deepe roote in him though they are not extaticall nor continuall yet at times with some intermission 2. The second signe of love is this if we esteeme the pledges of that party to whom we beare love 2 Looke what estimation wee give to them we give to God if wee account of those earnests which he hath left us as David Psal 119 97. saith he loveth the Law of the Lord. Looke what estimation a man beareth to his word and Sacraments and outward meanes of prayer the same he beareth to God if he love him as on the contrary Gen. 25.30 and it is afterward urged Heb. 12.16 that whereas the primogenitura the birth-right was a pledge of Gods favour Esau is called a prophane man and one that loved not God and his reason is because hee did forgoe that pledge 3 If wee forgoe that that is most deare unto us it is a signe of love We have the picture of God in his creatures Vbi amor ibi oculus 3. So out of Gen. 25.30 that forasmuch as we cannot see him and as the Heathen saith ubi amor ibi oculus we love the party that if wee have his picture our eye will not be off it yet so if we have an eye to his creatures So this third also was in that profane Esau we see his love to his brothers pottage was so great as that hee cared not what he did forgoe for that which he liked the best thing that hee had scil the title of the eldership among his brethren the pledge of God it was not deere unto him so great a care had he of his belly This may be for an instruction to us when we can accept of any condition though it be never so hard that may set us into Gods favour that may be to us a good and perfect signe 4 Desiderium an earnest desire that thinks the time thing till it come to the fruition of that it loveth 4. Psal 12.5 all these fall indesiderium if as we have a desire so if we can have a griefe for the absence of God as for the deferring of that we love and for not being able to enjoy it such is the saying of David Psal 42.2 When shall I come to appeare before the presence of the Lord Gregory saith inaudituâ— est hic amor an unheard of love that a man should love one and not desire his presence so he that desireth to live here and never to be dissolved hath no love These are signes of that part of love that is called desiderium or desire Now follow the signes of the second part Joy A generall rule for those things that we love if we be greatly joyful when we have obtained when we feese in our selves that which the Prophet Psal 4.7 protesteth 1 When a mans affection is occupied in that thing that hee loves he thinks the time short so long as he is occupied about it The second part is joy an especiall effect and part of love and a signe of it as Gal. 5.22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace- c as Psal 4.8 when a man hath no lesse joy for the increase of spirituall things then the worldly man hath that he hath a good seede time or a good harvest Of this love there are sundry signes 1. Gen. 29.20 To thinke the time that we spend in his affaires that we love a short time though it be many yeeres as Iacob served Laban seven yeeres for Rachel yet because he loved her they seemed to him but a few dayes this if we can doe in Gods affaires it is a signe we love him as on the contrary if a man thinke one houre three in doing good surely he hath no joy no delight and so his love is not stable 2. Againe in the the true affection of love when there is joy it is shewed thus the Philosopher saith Quicquid cupis habere times perdere cuicunnque cupis conjungi ab eo times separari 2 In regard of feare whatsoever a man loveth he is afraid to lose Whatsoever a man desireth to keepe he feareth to lose and to whomsoever we desire to be united from them we feare to be separated Now if any mans heart can beare him witnesse that he can tremble at sin and those operations are marvellous fearfull to him that he should be separated by from God it is a good signe All affections discover love as on the other side feare umor occupat omnes affectiones Iobn 19.3 Pilat had a good minde to Christ but his love came to be touched when notwithstanding all the innocencie he found in him he would deliver him up to the people to be crucified and all was by reason of the feare he had of forgoing that that he best esteemed namely Caesars favour and so that feare was a signe that he loved that best So Acts 19.25 the Silver Smith being afraid that his Craft whereunto his love was should downe he stirres up sedition preferring his owne gaine before the disquietnesse of all the people 3 That that we love most we will forgoe any thing for it so if we be overtaken that we have lost it to be in continuall griefe til we recover it 3. And as for feare so griefe when we have lost it for if we bee grieved when we feele not the ancient comfort and vigor of the spirit that we were wont to have it is a signe that we loved it as Luke 18.23 there was a good minde in that young man that came to Christ and our Saviour Christ was well affected towards him but when he came to be touched in his love he was grieved more to part from his possessions then from Christ so griefe will be a way to love 4 If wee take great care for the recovery of what we lost it is a signe that we tooke joy in it 4. Againe the care that we take for the recovery to be marvellous carefull to recover it Psal 132.4 When a man will not suffer his eyes to sleep nor his eye-lids to slumber nor the temples of his head to take any rest untill he had recovered it and in the songs of Solomon This care is in worldly men Numb 23. the care of Balaam loving the wages of unrighteousnesse though God said he should not goe and albeit he himselfe had said vers 19. God would not lie as a man nor change as the sonne of man yet he would trie againe whether God would change his minde so carefull was he to obtaine it 5 If we stiâ—k last to God when all â—lse forsake him 〈◊〉 a signe of love 5. Againe in Psal 119. vers 127. a certaine signe it is a
this maketh the full affirmative of this and is all one with that Deut. 6.4 or Deut. 10.20 onely there is not there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him onely but by him is supplied and all by the same spirit The reasons were before touched the reasons why and the scope that we may say Soli Deo God onely can deliver us from evill only give us good therefore his alone is the glory honor et gloria glory be unto God alone as the Apostles and other holy men did in the end of their Epistles and Writings as in the end of the Epistle to the Romans of the second of Peter and the last of Iude and the reason Esa 42.8 because he will give his glory to none other his glory is indivisible If any will adde another he shall see the conditions 1 Sam. 7.3 If you seeke me onely then will I helpe you then you shall have helpe both of body and soule by me if others then as it is Iudg. 10.14 let them whom ye serve helpe you 2. Another is this that the name wherewith God is intituled of a Father and of a Master Mal. 1.6 of a King Psal 5.2 Hearken thou unto the voyce of my calling my King and my God of an Husband Hoseah 2.20 all these can be but one there is one Master one King one Father one Husband unlesse it be an adulterous wife Luke 16.13 you cannot serve God and Mammon to this Et you as one noteth very well may joyne any thing Matth. 6.24 it is impossible for any to serve two Masters so the same estate being of God were see the precept standeth on good ground that there must be no other God In a conjunction of two things 3. The third was touched before Esa 1.22 if you joyne any with him that is worse then he as he must needs be worse whosoever hee be then you abase him if there were any matchable with him then it were no abasing and therefore you shall see a continuall course in Scriptures Gen. 35.2 by the light of nature if you goe to Bethel and make an Altar to Iehovah you must put away other and strange Gods In the Law by the way of a Commandement Deut. 4.10 and by way of figure Deut. 22.9 there are all mixtures forbidden 1 King 18.21 there is a reconciling humour in us the Israelites they would halt betweene two opinions and please both God and Baal 2 King 17.41 against the Samaritans So these Nations served the Lord and served their Images also So did their children and their childrens childrenias did their fathers so doe they to this day and Zeph. 1.5 against them that would sweare by Iehovah and by Malchom with one breath Luke 16.13 No servant can serve two Masters for either he shall hate the one Sincere religion sincere affection and love the other or else he shall leane to the one and despise the other ye cannot serve God and Mammon 2 Cor. 6.14 there is a perpetuall enmity of this mixture of religion That thing that is commanded Mandatum 2 Cor. 1.12 1 Cor. 5.8 2 Cor. 1.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that in simplicity and godly sincerity and not with fleshly wisdome c. he alludeth to a figure that we must keepe our Passeover in azymis with unleavened bread that figure of bread he applieth to immixtion of religion there must be no mixture and there must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that is here commanded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifieth a judging of such wares as have counterfeit with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 synceritas favi mel syncerum and carrying of them into the Sunne and the Sunne-light must judge whether they be counterfeit or no. God saith he will seeke us with Lanternes This is synceritas mellis when there is nothing but pure hony and no waxe mingled with it such an affection in religion is called synceritas religionis This is in two respects 1. for the matter Luke 5.36 a joyning of old patches with new garments or putting new wine into old bottles making a corrupt religion to be an incorrupt and true religion Revel 18.6 the Whore of Babylon is said to have a mixt cup of a perfect mixture and in the Turkes religion there is a mixture of all paganisme for they worship Iupiter Minerva c. and they have a Temple dedicated to Minerva and of the Nestorians and of the Iewes and beside he hath added devises of his owne this for the matter We must be carefull to preserve our affection sincere 2. Now for the mixture of our affections that as our religion ought to be sincere so that we come sincerely to it that in regard of the quality that commeth of the mixture of hot and cold water which is luke warme Esa 28.20 reason of it the heart to a strait bed as Revel 3.16 they that are affected with this quality the Lord will cast them out i. such men as come unto him with a narrow heart that will not serve him in the full Latitude of religion but will be sharers for themselves apart though they be not wholly like them in Iohn 6.26 yet as he saith Esa 36.16 and Esa 28.15 Because ye have said we have made a covenant with death and with hell we are at agreement they are at league with death and hell if persecution come they will not shrinke if Iosiahs Statutes go down and if Omries come they are ready to receive them also Iam. 4.8 he calleth them homines duplici corde men of a double heart and Iam. 1.8 he giveth a reason because their affection is not sincere because of their inconstancie The other extreme is the defect you shall finde it Prov. 30.39 we must not be so affected as he that will blow till there come bloud Qui mungit nimium sanguinem elicit he that will have his nose too clean maketh it bleede that we must not desire purity in the Church so and in so much measure that while we seeke to make it too clean we make it bleed at the nose The meanes 1. There is no better thing then that Revel 3.15 of luke-warme Gods wish there is that we would resolve with our selves to be either hot or cold So we shall come to the cera syncera or mel syncerum that resolution must be for men stand wavering How much hee esteemeth it how long hee will esteeme it 2. When we are resolved and we say we will be hot then that wee come to our price Iob 28.13 if it be the truth it is said there is no price of it nor that it is to be found in the land of the living i. though we give our selves and all that we have yet we must set no price The Simile is taken from Merchants that at the end of their clothes and wares will set a marke of the lowest price that they will
sell them at Otherwise as it is in Zach. 11.12 the Prophet in Christs person saith Let 's see what you will value me at they weighed for my wages 30. peeces of silver and what he esteemeth of the price we see he turneth it over to the Potter a goodly price for me to be valued at of them a price more fit to buy potsherds there is not such a price set on us God hath not valued us at so small a rate whatsoever we esteeme of the truth or Christ To know how God is to be esteemed is how he and Christ esteemed us 1 Pet. 1.18 as no corruptible thing neither silver nor gold could buy us 1 Cor. 6.20 Empti estis precio magno ye are bought with a great price more then 30. peeces of silver for it is certaine that all should have gone rather then he if it would have served therefore we must so price him for he is the truth that no corruptible thing buy us from Christ The signes of true religion likewise were handled before these foure 1. If it ascribe to God alone all things and give no part to any other 2. If it favour not man in any of his corrupted desires but urge the contempt of father mother friends and himselfe and all 3. If it be meerely spirituall and have no mixtures that were the decay of religion Mixtio theolog â—um Philosoph Judaismo the 1. in Col. 2.8 the mingling of Religion with the errors of Philosophy Aug. calleth them very well orationes Philosophorum acute abtusae and thus as Clemens Alexandrinus and Origen witnesse Platoes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Aristotles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By divers Platonists conversed to religion so divers Aristoteleans and other errors of the Philosophers crept into the Church and at length prevailed 2. The other is in Tit. 1.14 of Jewish fables i. that part of Judaisme that is abrogated more plainely Gal. 4.9 egena infirma elementa weake and beggerly elements i. Jewish ceremonies and Philosophers principles for these did the Whore mingle in her Cup. Among the 20. â—easons The signes of the sincerity of affection if we have no end or reward but our eye only upon him 4. Last is penetratio cordis circumcisio cordis that that taketh away the circumcised skinne of the heart this in its full extent giveth a marvellous scope to Non concupisces For sincerity of affection 1. Psal 73.24 Iohn 21.15 In the Psalme he saith Whom doe I respect in heaven or in earth but thee i. that he had no other end but God but the other place Diligis me plus his lovest thou me more then these then these things here on earth or else our heart is not aright for if we come not to that certainely look how farre short we come of it so farre are we short of true sincerity Of an example of a mixture that Peter would have brought in The 6. rule for the procuring of it in others 1 Tim. 6.14 there is injoyned by the Apostle that Timothy and especially all those that are in the roome of Timothy keepe the commandement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without spot without wrinkle Gal. 2.11 though Peter bring in Judaisme withstand him to his face to hinder whatsoever corruption is brought or ready to be brought into our religion Lest any man should thinke that this coram me were of no importance Aug. saith that this Coram me magnam habet emphasim Coram me this addition coram me hath a great emphasie and force and indeede so great force as it maketh a distinction betweene this commandement and the other three in this table The first rule here is that Rom. 7.14 the law is spirituall 1. For there is a great rule of it in Rom. 7.14 2. It maketh two distinctions this rule is grounded on these words gnalpanai before me coram facie humana coram luce c. in the sight of man they fall into the exterior act but coram tenebris coram facie Dei in the sight of God they come onely to the thought to the inward part of the soule and therefore properly pertaine to this Commandement and come onely to the sight of God Esa 45.7 He hath framed the light and created the darknesse therefore it is all one to him to see in darknesse and in light Psal 94.9 he made the eye and by vertue thereof he seeth whatsoever the eye can see and by a further vertue by creating and forming the spirit of man Zach. 21.1 he seeth that the eye seeth not It is against the nature of a Maker to make any thing prejudiciall to himselfe but onely the spirit of man so that as Aug. saith whether the candle burneth or be put out he seeth and that which is above all these 1 Iohn 3.20 he seeth more then our spirit can see in us though the heart cannot condemne us yet he can condemne us for hee is greater then our heart The other distinction Another thing touching this point in the morall Philosophy of Christians the distinction of bonum apparens verum good in appearance and true good this coram me before me i. God maketh it coram homine before man makes it not for coram homine or any other coram it argueth nothing else but every thing as it appeareth but it cannot truely be so except it be so to God that that appeareth so coram facie Dei that is so and for the better and plainer undestanding of this we must know how Ephes 3.16 he divideth man every one is divided into two men and the same words are used by Plato before him whereby some gather that he had read him there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the outward man and the inward man Now whether of these two pleaseth God he himselfe sheweth speaking of himselfe 1 Sam. 16.7 Samuel had a liking to Sauls countenance and high and comely stature man looketh into the eyes or face or comelinesse of body but God looketh not as man looketh he looketh into the heart and consequently because he looketh into the heart Psal 51.6 for this cause it is that he requireth truth in the inward parts and for the same cause is it that Luke 17.21 the Kingdome of God beginneth within us and not as certaine Pharisee like who looke onely to the outside of the dish and rest in some externall peeces of Gods worship It is the integrity of the heart which God especially looketh at for First there is the principal rule of the Scepter of Christ set subduing our will unto Gods will there is in us a corrupt affection of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that our desire is contrary to the desire of God We desire onely to seeme as 1 Sam. 15.30 Yet honour me I pray thee before the elders of my people and before Israel that he might seeme before them to be in good state
still Such is our nature and in Saul our nature bewraieth it selfe so then we see the coherence To apply it to the glory of God the common saying is Every man is delighted with that especially in the which he exceeds other and because we know that gnalpanai is a thing that God excelleth all other in for he only is a searcher of the heart therefore 't is that God delighteth so much in this Another and two more they are both Prov. 4.23 the wise mans counsell is to looke to our heart especially there is his reason because from thence commeth life and all the faculties of soule and body that is a cause containing a double reason 1. because it is the principall member therefore it must principally give glory to God 2. If it be corrupt there will be no glory by the fountaines The necessity appeareth in this that al those glorious duties before handled take them and remove them from this they are not onely not accepted before God but an abomination before his eyes therefore if our beliefe must be acceptable to him Rom. 10.10 it must come from the heart if our prayer 2 Tim. 2.22 it must come from the heart if our love 1 Iohn 3.18 it must be in word and in truth which is from the heart so likewise our obedience must be from the heart Rom. 6.17 and to conclude whatsoever we doe we must doe it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the heart Col. 3.23 Mandatum Inward soundnesse against inward hallownesse sincerity against mingling That which is commanded it is called by the Fathers virius integritatis the vertue of integrity they ground it on Gen. 17.1 when he beginneth the covenant of circumcision Ambula coram me walk before me what is that that is esto integer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be thou perfect you shall finde it commonly used with another word as in Iob 1.1 that Iob was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they properly sound thus streight and sound the nature of the words is taken from timber in which there must be streightnesse that it be not crooked that is coram facie humana and soundnesse that it be not hollow that is coram facie divina this is for God the other man may see Luke 8.15 Christ expresseth them under these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an honest and good heart Nazianzen speaking of that place in the person of God saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 give me the pithâ— and not that onely but streightnesse is required without too so that without and within we must be such as is required in good timber In Exod. 25.11 37.2 all his embroydering and workes they were both foris intus without and within but for the distinguishing other Kings daughters from the Kings daughter i. the Church Psal 45.14 it is said there that her beauty is specially within for the outward beauty may be counterfeit and represented by them that are not of the Church but the inward beauty is required and that is it that admitteth no hypocrisie The defect hypocrisie That which is forbidden there is forbidden here the fault of the Pharisees Matth. 23.26 whose fashion was to make cleane the out-side of the cup quod intus autem est non curare and never regard the in-side and we see hypocrisie is the sinne of seven woes more then ever any sinne had Excessus when a man is simple without wisdome The other extreme is as in Hoseah 7.11 i. soundnesse and plainnesse the Prophet calleth it columba sine corde a Dove without a heart Matth. 10.16 Christ cals it columba sine serpenie the Dove without the Serpent It is of one that is as we reade Prov. 29.11 powring out his spirit without any manner of wisdome and discretion before every man our integrity it must be preserved with wisdome The Meanes Media Where we are commanded a good thing there is also the meanes of it commanded 1. Senecaes counsell to Lucillius for he desired integrity was that whatsoever hetooke in hand he should imagine Cato or Scipio or some other of the ancient Romanes renowned for this vertue to stand before him and it is a good meanes we have in Psal 16.8 of the same kinde but it farre better exceeds that Let a man as the Prophet there saith say I have set the Lord alwayes before mine eyes i. imagining that whatsoever he doth he is in the presence of God And if that will not move him then that in Rom. 2.16 possibly will if he set not God onely absolutely but as he sitteth when all hearts and the secrets of man shall be opened i. the adding to God the day of judgement Preac 12. the last vers Every thing though it be never so secret shall come into judgement 2. Another is Ephes 6.6 and it may be a forcible reason if this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eye-service satisfie not God no not to our earthly masters if God will not allow that for currant to men but will have it done even to them in singlenesse of heart surely this may be a sufficient argument to perswade us that he will much more exact it of us for himselfe 3. The last is the dealing of Christ with us for the integrity of our heart for he yeelded the integrity of his heart to us he suffered it to be ripped and pierced therefore it is reason that we should yeeld up the integrity of ours to him Bernard Iuste cor nostrum vendicat qui suum pro nostro dedit he justly challengeth our hearts that hath given his owne for ours he thought not his hands and feete c. enough i. when he had given all his members beside he thought not himselfe that he had given enough to us except he had given his heart too therefore it is not our hands and our feete that can requite it for they cannot make recompence for his hands and his feete but the integrity of the heart also is to be yeelded The Signes Nilconsâ—ire sili nulla pallescere culpa hic murus aheneus esto 1. You shall know it by that of the Heathen man you shall know a sound heart by a wall of brasse about it it is so full of courage as we see what Paul saith 1 Cor. 4.3 Mihi pro minimo est at a vobis judicer with me it is a small thing that I should be judged of you i. that the soundnesse of the heart it is it that will put courage to the heart if he be not conscius mali conscious of evill as that all the strength in the world cannot appall it Contra if we want a sound heart our courage will fall We have examples of both Mar. 6.18 Iohns courage in a good cause and in an heart accordingly affected was exalted even above the Majesty of a Prince contra where the heart was false in Peter Mar. 14.66 69. we see two silly maids outcountenanced him and he is faine to cast himselfe
and 2. the other of the Commander And that people that hath picked out this day of all the dayes in the weeke to deale exceeding despitefully with GOD as the other did celebrare Sabbatum Tyri c. did keepe the sabbath like the man of Tyre So these doe celebrare sabbathum satanae Doe serve the devill in their sabbath But Esay 58.3 the right Sabbath is called Deliciae JEHOVAE that wherin the LORD taketh great Delight and pleasure and that is kept by ceasing from our owne workes Whether it bee from our owne nature and will or calling on the six days or ceasing from that that is Pleasant in our eyes from our owne pastime then wee shall keepe Sabbathum JEHOVAE delicatum and GOD will make it a day to learne his will in and learning it to practise it and practising it shall blesse us and so wee shall come to the inheritance of our crowne And on the contrarie side if Lament 1.4 and 7. he complaineth that the high ways of Sion shall complain That none came to and fro to GODS Sanctuarie or if it fall out as it is Verse 7. that the enemie mocke at her sabbaths if order bee not taken GOD himselfe Mal. 2.3 will take orde projiciet stercus solemnitatum vestrarum hee will make them as odious to us as dung and wee shall loath it or as Jer. 17. the last Verse hee shall punish it by fire But if yee will not heare mee to sanctifie the sabbath c. To sanctifie it It is well sayth an heathen man if one alone doe it but better if many together or an whole citie Psal 40.10 The speciall reason of the instituting this day was that his trueth and glorie might have the prayse thereof and that in the great Congregation hee might have the Glorie In this sense Joel 1.13 Gird your selves and lament you Priests howle yee Ministers of the Altar for meat-offrings and drink-offrings are taken from the house of your GOD. And Joel 2.15 Sanctifying is taken from assembling together The reason in regard of the Church was 1 vniformitie That they might bee knowne all to keepe one profession of fayth and to bee in one bond of obedience that did meete in one place at one time in one day to glorifie GOD. And 2. The Meanes Prayer And 3. for the Common wealth Psal 68.6 Hee is the GOD that maketh men to bee of one minde in an house and as the heathen men saw that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meeting together in one place was because of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was a way to maintaine amitie Therefore those that set up tyrannie seperate men 4. For each private man that as was said before from these nundinae animae from this spirituall faire they might carrie commeatum animae provision for the soule for the lightening of their understanding For the restrayning of their will even as in the market day before men gather for their use to serve them the whole weeke after And so consequently beeing thus stored and provided for the great ende may bee gained in Ezek. 38.23 That GOD might bee sanctified id est That hee might bee magnified Exod. 31.13 The Sabbath was a Signe betwixt GOD and us whereby wee may know that it is hee that sanctifieth us So when this is wrought wee might bring forth fruite of this sanctification Whereas GOD Gen. 2.3 did first make holy this Day out of the proportion of it John 17.19 hee sanctified it for our sakes and not for his owne and his sanctification was as it is Jer. 1.5 The ordaining of it to an holy use and that as Zach. 7.3 appointed by a separation to that exercise from other dayes and then as 1. Cor. 10.16 by giving a blessing to the exercise that is upon that day And that that was his to make holy is our dutie to keepe holy For if a thing bee destinated to an use and bee not applied to it it is perverted See Ezechias his course 2. Chron. 29.5 whatsoever God hath sanctified or made holy that the fruite thereof may redound to us it needs not that we should sanctifie the thing but we must first sanctifie our selves We cannot make it holy but keepe it holy as the destination is of God so the application is of our selves but Exod. 30.29 what thing soever is holy he must see he be holy that toucheth it So he that liveth in that day that he doe not touch it nor looke upon the Sunne that shineth in it but that hee be able to make it and himselfe holy all that looke on the sunne that day must be holy For the use of the meanes For this cause Rom. 15.16 it is plaine that we are sanctified by the Holy Ghost And there is therein a resemblance to Levit. 8.10 the Leviticall sanctifying There was nothing could be sanctified but it must first be annoynted 1 Iohn 2.27 it is said to be as the figure of the spirituall Unction which is nothing else but the spirituall working of the Holy Ghost in our hearts So then first we must see that the Unction be in us then as before Luke 11.13 because the Holy Ghost which onely can sanctifie us is the gift of God and is not denyed to any to whom hee hath given grace to receive it the spirit expresseth it in this manner and compareth himselfe to fire the sparke is given by God so that the matter must be gathered and prepared by us that wee 1 Thes 5.19 doe not quench the spirit that is Prophesies or the ordinary meanes which God hath ordained Deut. 12.8 That sanctification shall not come to any man by his owne braine by doing that which is good in his owne eyes but onely the prescript method that God hath set downe for the gathering of Matter for this Sparke which the Holy Ghost must set on fire that so it might not goe out The Fathers in the Councell of Gangara last Canon have set it downe thus That if any man keeping his house that day be never so fruitfully occupied and thinke he pleaseth God they give him Anathema for it especially at those times The meanes of sanctification In which nothing else can be said but that was said before in knowledge how the true knowledge might be come by Onely that that Augustine saith of the often iteration that this is the fruit of iteration that he that speaketh may say Domine scis quia dixi Domine scis quia iteravi Domine scis quia contestatus sum Lord thou knowest I have sanctified thy Name because I have preacht thy Name I have talked of it againe and againe I have beene witnesse unto thy truth In 1 Tim. 4.4 the Apostle attributeth the sanctification of every thing to Prayer that is used before and therefore they have termed it the Preparative to all the duties of a Christian More plainely Mar. 1.35 Christ in the morning before day arose and prayed so long and came into the
thy children and hast given them the earth to order it and they to come in part of thine inheritance and they have abused thine inheritance and made it full of brambles and thistles and so seased and therefore have made themselves uncapable of honour It is better set downe Ezek. 34.5 ye have not performed the service and dutie therefore he saith Arise O Lord and take the inheritance into thy hands thou wilt performe the charge Before we come to particular duties here be two questions to be handled for the understanding of the duty of obedience hereafter to be handled Quest 1. Answer First whether we owe honour to one that is evill I answer yea Rom. 9. where the Apostle reasoneth in a like case that the unfaithfulnesse of a man cannot frustrate Gods promise so the wickednesse of the person cannot take away the commandement nor make Gods ordinance void Rom. 13.1 All power and ordinance is from God so no evill can make it void Evill is twofold either which runneth to the punishment or to the fault 1. For roughnesse or oppression 1 Pet. 2.18 Obedience must be given to the crooked and froward i. to such as Holofernes Judith 3.8 such as nothing will please example Gen. 16.6 of Sarah and Agar Although Sarah dealt roughly with Agar yet the Angell willeth her to returne to her mistresse and submit her selfe to her And as in the familie so in the Common-wealth It is knowne how Saul dealt with David yet Psal 120. v. last he saith He sought peace with those that loved not peace i. acknowledged submission offering no violence neither in the cave nor in the bed 2. For the other wicked governours be they never so hard it is plaine likewise that to them obedience and honour is due For as it is true Hos 10.3 that God in ira in his anger denieth us a Prince so also Hos 13.11 he giveth a King in his wrath expounded Job 34.30 that it is the peoples fault for their sinnes Hos 8.4 It is his doing because the people would have it so For when as they in election proceed not in timore Dei in the feare of God and things are not respected in themselves Hos 8.11 Because Ephraim will have altars to sinne they shall c. and because they will have a wicked man I will plague them c. so it cometh often by the peoples fault though the Prince be evill seeing Prov. 21.1 his heart is in the hands of God and he can rule it as a vessell in the waters he may as he hath moved divers evill Kings and them that have no feare of God to good decrees and purposes as Belshasser and Darius so though the Prince remaine good yet 2 Sam. 24.1 he suffereth Satan to prevaile over him as over David here and as it is temporall so 1 Sam. 16.14 he taketh away his good spirit continually and an evill spirit is sent of him on Saul So this is all one to make of a good Prince an evill and to set up an evill Prince at the first Which though it be thus yet Jer. 27.7 the Monarchy which the King of Babylon had was his owne Kingdome all other countries willed to serve him as likewise Esay 10.5 The rod of his wrath the King of Assur was by him purposely sent This being Gods doing Jer. 29.7 they must pray for Nebuchadnezzar and cap. 27.7 they must submit themselves to him and obey him So in the New Testament 1 Tim. 2.1 prayers for governours though no Christians and 1 Pet. 2.18 Obey the King Nero and Act. 25.11 Appello Caesarem I appeale unto Caesar Paul useth the benefit of his government refuseth his Deputy and appealeth to Nero himselfe Onely this adde out Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The honour we give is done not to man but to God himselfe We reverence the ordinance of God in men not man so that honour is due not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the person but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the vizard that God hath put upon the mans person more plaine Ester 6.8 Haman counselleth the King Thus shal it be done to the man whom the King would have honoured he shall put on a robe of estate c. And Mordecai a base man was so honoured and yet returned to his private estate The honour there was done to the Kings robes and Crowne not to the private man Thus we must conceive of evill men that they are invested in the Lords robes and Crowne to which we give honour not to the man The Heathen Embleme is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is an Asse laden with the Image of Isis a goddesse and the people fall downe and worship But the inscription is Non tibi sed religioni we worship not thee but the goddesse This is one thing Every one may bring downe himselse yet he is clothed with robes of estate Another is this and that is plaine by Hose 13. Because be a government never so bad yet it is better then none at all Oligarchia better then anarchia If in his wrath he gave them a King yet in the fury of his wrath he tooke him away and made their plague greater to leave them without a Prince So much of this question Quest â— The second question goeth a degree further Vtrum malo in malo or ad malum sit obediendum Whether a man doth owe absolute obedience to the wicked commandements of a wicked Prince Sâ—l The resolution is negative Absolute obedience is due only to God For the making plaine of this place we must understand that now it commeth to the point For here he commeth to be nobis Rex he now sheweth himselfe a King while he was in his robes though he had the honour yet he was not nobis Rex a King in deede for he is no further a King then quatenus imperat nobis then so farre-forth as he commandeth and ruleth over us therefore great heede is here to be had lest we be entangled in the action For the first entrance into this question the saying of the Fathers is to be embraced for they say that Lex charitatis Deo the Law of God which commandeth us to obey him did not take away the Law of nature therefore it is very good reason that this Law of nature by which is Father and Mother should not weaken but strengthen the Law of God We cannot say when we doe evill that the Law of nature is cause of it The second thing is this that because as we said before the word of God came to them and therefore their power is not absolute but delegate from God So we may say out of Prov. 8.15 there Wisdome speakes it which is the Word of God the second Person in Trinity that it is the word per quod reges regnant by Which Kings reigne Now per quod est by which any thing is that is the essence Every Superiour he hath something
the hand they will let him goe Quaecunque malo incobantur principio difficulter hono persiciuntur exitu God blesseth not the ends of those that come not in by the doote The Merceâ—â—â—y taâ—â—or Now the two other markes doe make a distinction againe For they that follow come in right but there is an abuse of it Therefore there is a thing called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Purpose 2 Tim. 3.10 O Timothy you know my purpose you know what you have to doe It is well expressed Phil. 2.20 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a naturall care as if there were some that had spuriam curam a bastard care And that germanam curam that naturall care one of the Fathers calleth zelum animarum a zeale of soules They that have not this purpose of heart John 10.13 be called mercenarii for they have no care of feeding Zach. 11.15 they are not instrumenta pastoris boni Inâ—irumâ—â—â—â— pâ—â—â—â—â—is stulti but stulei they are not the instruments of a good but a foolish Shepheard which the Fathers make forcipes mulclram a paire of Sheeres for the Fleece and a Paile for the Milke And so after whatsoever occasion befall that there come danger to the Flock for the soule they reward it not but when there is but the least danger of the wooll or milke then every one sumit instrument a pastoris stulti takes the instruments of a foolish Shepheard and bestirreth himselfe The Jewes call them such as draw neare to the Arke or Temple for the Corban for the offering box Mat. 15. they care not for the Law so the Corban speed well Abiathur of the offpring and posterity of Elie being a wicked man it is prophecied of him 1 Sam. 2. last that Elies posterity should stand thus affected they should come to some of the Priests desire a place to serve for a peece of bread and a peece of silver this was their end But Abiathar was displaced by Salomon and Zadok put in his room Christ Job 10. sheweth a way how this should be discovered For if there come a Wolf or fall Teacher with authority a persecutor they will flie to him And Acts 20.29 30. they will also become as bad as Wolves Heb. 13.17 the Apostle would have them marke the issue of their conversation Now this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or issue marreth all here for if the Wolfe come either he will give over Iohn 10.12 or worrie the flock too The Apostle saith that even of your selves shall rise men teaching perverse things So you see that whether he continue the care for his belly or degenerate into a Wolfe yet he hath his lawfull institution And this discerneth them that come in right but yet are Mercenary Now though this duty every minister ought to looke too yet quia obediendum est malo the people must obey an evill shepheard if it be not ad malum unto evill But this question is before Page 378. c. Come to the second that as care is to be had of their comming Mat. 22.12 in so of their abuse And that there is no abuse but where there is a duty it is plainely set downe Ezek. 34.3 that as the manner is now they did eate the fat and cloth themselves with the wooll and killed them that were fedde but the sheepe they feede not Where there is an abuse of a dutie and the duty here is of foure parts which may be subdivided into two The first they call Exemplum example it is here of Christ John 10.3 4. expressed by going before the sheepe And their manner was in the East countries they drave not their sheep before them but their sheep followed them More plainely 1 Tim. 4.12 he must be Typus that is such a thing as maketh a stampe upon the coine and the Iron that giveth the forme and impression to the money So it is used againe Tit. 2.3 and 1 Pet. 5.3 And it is Moses his order Deut. 33.8 first Thummim integrity of life then Urim learning and Num. 17.8 which is by way of figure it pleased God to make it a signe of Aarons calling that his rodde was virga fructifera a rod bearing fruit by which as by the fruits of the spirit good workes and vertues bee often meant So of Christ Acts 1.1 his order quae caepit Jesus 1. facere 2. docere first what he did and then what he taught and where it is ex professo handled 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. that he be exemplum unblameable that for manners he be not rebukeable So that is first that he be typus and that he may facere doe and then afterward that he may docere teach He may be exemplum an example two wayes First in himselfe Secondly in his Family 1 Tim. 3.4 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3.2 without spot so there is a relation to Levit. 21.17 18.22 none of Aarons seed if he were mishapen or had a blemish shall come neere to offer the sacrifices of the Lord made by fire That is it that the Apostle saith here If he have any notorious sinne or crime for he speaketh not of inward crimes but of outward onely of such as may be laid to a mans charge he may not take on him this Fatherhood the reason is because 2 Cor. 6.3 there must no offence be given to the weak to thinke that they may doe so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Ministery be not blamed that there might be no slander no Momus no slander for the adversary to laugh at For the taking away of these slanders according to the Apostles interpretation 2 Cor. 8.20 we must beware of all things which comprehend occasionem scandali occasion of scandall This was the Apostles care concerning the almes that should be carryed to the poore brethren in Jerusalem he would not meddle with it except he had another to goe with him because he would be without blame least some should suspect him of defrauding because he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 provide for honest things before God and men He would not give the adversary occasion to speak evill of him so John 4.27 when the Disciples found Christ talking with a Woman they marvelled shewing that it was not his custome Hee eschewed as much as might be all occasions of slanderous suspitions Thus of the Genus Now of the Species foure and the soure opposite vertues which he must have in himselfe The first is that he be Tit. 1.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temperate and 1 Tim. 3.2 opposite to this is non habere unam uxorem not to be content with one Wife onely So continencie or single life is the vertue Secondly 1 Tim. 3.2 3. the vertue opposed vers 2. Sober for his dyet opposed vers 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transiens ad vinum sitting by the Wine for the lust of the body and the pleasure of the taste they must be in this order
the newes of Ioseph that he was alive his spirit revived It commeth three wayes according to the three benefits of the soule 1. joy 2. peace 3. love Exod. 1.14 against joy where it is said there the Egyptians brought them in amaritudinem spiritus to bitternesse of spirit and Exod. 6.9 against peace by breaking their hearts they brought them in anxietatem spiritus into an anguish of soule that they would hearken to Moses Prov. 22.25 that when a man falleth into hatred of all things when he hateth himselfe it killeth his heart None of al these must be to our brethren especially must not be to the good 2 Pet. 2.8 Lots soule is not to be grieved and so bring him by their wicked deeds to the first death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drowsinesse of spirit he began to loath to attempt any good and not to goe forward this is a great and grievous fault and is done Psal 95.8 by provocation and irritation So we must not provoke him by any manner of these meanes Thus much of the second point The third rule concerning the spirituall law Our Saviour Christ Matth. 5.22 nisi sanguis sequeretur unlesse bloud were shed they counted it no murther nor way to murther as Christ there teacheth them to goe further then the arme or blow that is given that whatsoever are outwardly committed and accompany murther are nothing else and are but fructus irae the fruits of anger and that is the roote of Wormwood Heb. 12.15 and that must be pluckt up For when these bitter fruits come by vertue of that which is in the heart Matth. 15.19 he boldly pronounceth that out of the heart proceed murthers and so those that lay plaisters onely to the armour and weapon shall never helpe the disease For it is noted further Deut. 19.16 this is Gods reason that murther is not capitall of it selfe if it be not that he hated his brother before therefore this is to be punished As in the begining it was said so now that as the beginning of pride was the fountaine of the breaches of this Commandement so is it that likewise from which this anger commeth The wise man Prov. 13.10 he saith thas Onely by pride contention and anger commeth and therefore the Apostle Gal. 5.26 saith Bee not desirous of vaine glory this is the roote that maketh one envious and provoketh one against another so that envies murthers came here for as it was said in the beginning every one setteth this downe with himselfe That he is good and whosoever loveth him doth his duty and so consequently he must be good as on the other side hurting him and envying him that man must necessarily be evill so hee must conceive an anger against him omnis ira sibi videTur justa each froward man accounts his anger just as before omnis iniquitas mentitur sibi therefore it is that it commeth to the second for anger is compounded of two things 1. The griefe for whatsoever in dignity is preferred to us The 2. a desire to require it The griefe is the boyling aestus irae actualis or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 5.20 It is as Prov. 14.19 the inward fretting and from thence pride containing the party evill and as the Heathen saith there presently commeth to be mala mens an ill intent when his judgement will be corrupted Eph. 4.3 he doth reprehend that man that doth it sub malitia out of malice he maketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 malice to be that that corrupteth his understanding his affection 1 Pet. 4.15 he makes himselfe Bishop of other mens doings Then necessarily 1 Tim. 6.4 called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evill whisperings and Iam. 2.4 he is judex malarum cogitationum a judge of evill thoughts he draweth his thoughts to evill why he hath taken an opinion of him and then he thinketh he must be even with him Then followeth the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Luke 9.54 they would command fire from Heaven because they were not presently entertained Now then this anger or injurie if it be conceived to proceed from a superiour because Iam. 4.5 so there is a spirit in us that lusteth to envie and as Iob saith 5.2 that those same parvuli c. envie alwayes layeth hold on the inferiour hence it commeth to passe as the Apostle 2 Cor. 12.20 that there will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a swelling of the minde and either presently breake forth or if it lie long and be suppuratio an impostume as Cyprian calleth it it will prove rubigo animae the rust of the soule which is a fearefull thing and a great deale worse then anger Prov. 27.4 Anger is cruell and wrath rageth but envie goeth beyond them it bringeth to murther And as Matth. 27.18 Pilate saw that it was for very envie that the Jewes delivered Christ to him Now the occasion of it ariseth 1 Iohn 3.12 that there are some better then we because every one desireth his owne excellencie so if there be any better then he he thinketh he standeth in his light and therefore he seeketh to discredit him and to bring him low under-water and we will swimme above the water unlesse all swimme under Iohn 3.26 Iohns Disciples come to him and say He that was with thâ—e beyond Iordan now he hath got all the Disciples was an envious thing to them Luke 15.18 The elder brother came home from the field he saw his fathers entertainment of his younger brother hee would not goe in for envie the reason is because he thought himselfe better and consequently nothing can be done but envie will make it a matter for her to worke on But 1 Sam. 18.8 if it come once to ten thousand then vers 9. non potuit rectis oculis eum intueri he could not look right upon him as vers 10. on the morrow after there came an evill spirit on him And there is none that the Devill will sooner fasten upon then upon such Gen. 37.4 the making of a better coate for Ioseph and a little more love of Iacob to him then to the rest was a marvellous moate in their eye and vers 33. it is true that Iacob prophesieth though perhaps in another sense bestia pessima devoravit fil um meum an evill beast hath devoured him for envie was that cruell beast that devoured Ioseph The greatnesse of this sinne one saith Invidiae propier magnitudinem secleris futura poena non sufficit ergo hic plectitur so hainous is the sinne of envie that Hell alone is not a sufficient torment for it therefore is it punished here also and consequently Prov. 14.30 it is putrido ossium the rottennesse of the bones he that wished himselfe wholly an eye that wished himselfe an argus cannot wish himselfe a worse evill and torment The Saints Numb 11.29 were not envious in one envie as Moses that he would have none equall or like to him that was Pompeys envie and it is there
from God in our devotions and wed us to the world besides that of the Apostle vers 33. experience verifies Vegetius minus malum metuit qui minus delicias gustavit the lesse evill he tasteth the lesse evill he feareth so in regard of this he will be willinger to die or to follow Christ he commeth to the first and if not that then to the second conjugall chastity Meanes of preserving us â— The manner of behaving our selves to preserve us that wee may be found unblameable against this sinne of concupiscence 1. knowing that it is not tentari but uri to be set into a heate to be enflamed that the Apostle speakes against for his meaning is not that the gift of continencie bringeth with it naturalem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 privationem sensus naturall insensibility or privation of sense The inward boyling a man may examine thus whether it be in him a punishment for sinne It is certaine that adultery and uncleane lusts are a punishment for pride Enoch It is plaine Ose 5.5 the spirit of fornication is among them ratio because the pride of Israel testifieth to his face he that can accuse himselfe of pride may feare that the spirit of fornication is upon him as contra if he be assailed with the spirit of fornication he must looke backe and see if it be not the punishment of pride Rom. 1.22 he noteth that they thought themselves wise c. therefore God gave them over unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vile affections which appeared first Gen. 3.7 quasi Deus to be as God was the first punishment that came upon him for his pride he had first neede of Fig-leaves to cover the shame of his nakednesse as if he punished contumeliam spiritus with contumelia carnis the contumely of the spirit with the shame of the flesh 2. Another 2 Sam. 11.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is sadnesse or heavinesse that a man hath in spirituall things altogether unlusty to good exercises he must sleepe and then walke c. so he shall be sure to come to Davids tale therefore because man must have pleasure if he have it not in the spirit he will have it in the body and so when he feeleth it in him then beginneth his minde evagari circa illicita to rove and further there comes in importunitas mentis importunity of the minde whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anger then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 injuries then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 finall destruction If we finde us guilty in these it is not the way to strive with this sin but as with the former and repent If it be a tentation onely to sin its proceeding either from a cause Without Within From a cause without in two respects 1. Company Matth. 5.29 a man shall have evill eyes that offend him and hands he must cut them off and refraine their company Prov. 23.20 1 Cor. 5.6 modicum fermentum c. 1. Pet. 4.4 a man must forsake such company and be content to beare their outrages 2. And secondly in regard of some object Prov. 5.8 and that is the offending eye If the occasion grow by a party keepe farre from thence goe not nigh the dore of the house it must be by eschewing therefore Iob 31.1 he made a covenant with his eyes c. The counsell of Paradise you shall imperare Evae command Eve cavere Serpentem and avoide the Serpent and then you shall be safe if you come not to see the tree Gal. 3.3 Many mens love and affection beginnes in the spirit and after growing to a carnall delight ends in the flesh therefore he saith 1 Tim. 5.2 Comfort the elder women as mothers the younger as sisters in omni castuate in all chastity and 1. Pet. 1.21 cum omni puritate love with all purenesse as farre as you will but a man must vereri omnia opera sua be jealous of all his actions for most certaine it is that naturally we are subactum solum 2. From within us either from the body or soule 1. From the body if it be too much cherished Impinguatus dilectus our beloved waxed fat therefore Paul saith we must castigare corpus chastise the body to make it chaste 1 Cor. 9.27 that we keep it down and physicke for it 2 Cor. 11.28 in wearinesse and painfulnesse in hunger and thirst in watching and fasting in cold and nakednesse i. by avoyding excesse in dyet and apparell and as ease so also of sleepe so must the body be kept downe 2. If it be in the soule for anger and mistrusting but for this 1 Cor. 6.18 flie from fornication 1 Tim. 2.22 flie the lusts of youth Ambrose vide ne ingrediaris conflictum stand not resisting it with combate but flie and committing himselfe from solitude to good company and together with this because it hath pleased God to warrant his word as a tree of life and the leaves of his word are as medicines that the reading hereof shall be profitable unto us in this behalfe the seeking of such places as doe ex diametro pugnare fight against it cannot but be very profitable for us as Gen. 18.20 that he accounts it a very exceeding grievous sinne and that it is therefore so grievous because 1 Cor. 7.2 he hath appointed a remedy for it and Prov. 22.14 that in his anger he will suffer a man to fall into it that it is an infamous sinne that when it is knowne it maketh him as one of the fooles of Israel 2 Sam. 13.13 It bereaveth a man of his gifts Ephes 4. Hose 4. that it is a brutish sinne and makes a man brutish and such as Ierom saith delectat in momenium cruciat in aeternum the delight whereof is momentany but the paine eternall And the generall remedy here withall is prayer because Prov. 21.6 6.14 7. the latter end 19.18 it fhall be a marvellous priviledge of wisedome to keepe a mans selfe from a strange woman Eccl. 1. there is a speciall remedy for this tentation so Iames 1.5 that wisedome is Gods gift Wisd 8.21 when he saw that wisdome would not come except God gave it therefore he conformed himselfe to prayer for it Iames 3.17 the first thing it maketh a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chaste therefore aske it of God Where these prevaile not Gen. 20.17 as Abraham prayed for Aâ—imelec so if our owne prayers will not helpe we must seeke for other mens prayers and we must make them knowne to them therefore we are to take Simon Magus his way Acts 8.24 Pray ye for me c. Exo. 9.28 Pharaoh to Moses c. Pray you for me Ecclus. 4.9 Vae soli nunquam autem magis quam in hoc vitio Woe to him that is alone and most of all in the conflict of this vice And if this will not helpe but there is ustulatio burning 1 Cor. 7.9 there is a remedy appointed for it he is to take on him the estate
is the very Gospel the word of God promiseth Matth. 10.42 that if it bee but a cup of cold water it shall be returned there This is the warrant of delivering it here and receiving it there The Heathen man saith that opera misericâ—rdiae workes of mercie doe onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 swimme out with us Revel 14.13 corum opera sequuntor eos and their works follow them Esa 28.9 the other swimme not but are like to him that dreameth of a great dinner and when he awaketh he is hungry But then he will repay them that give their worke shall be accounted of and theirs is the Come ye blessed of my Father c. To conclude Prov. 21.21 he saith he that followeth after righteousnesse i. just dealing in getting and restoring and mercie in parting he shall finde life in this life and in the life to come and his righteousnesse shall have a certaine signe in this life and in the world to come glory The sixth point of the procuring it in others 6. Râ—â—â— Psal 50.18 It is set downe there that currere cum fure to runne with a Thiefe and Prov. 29.24 he saith that he that is partner with a Thiefe destroyeth his owne soule therefore Gen. 31.37 we see how bold Iacob is with Lâ—ban he saith Bring forth that which was stollen let him search and biddeth him shew then if he had found them hee knew he had not brought them And not onely for himselfe but Psal 62.10 for the other part he directeth himselfe and speaketh to all Trust not in oppression and robbery if riches encrease set not your hearts upon them And the like is Prov. 20.17 for he saith there My sonne the bread of deceit is sweete to a man but afterward his mouth shall be filled with gravell Prov. 3.3 he warneth him to take this order that truth and mercie forsake him not for so shalt thou fiâ—â—â— fafour And so we see both in themselves and others inwardly and outwardly concluded of theft of the Saints in all ages The IX Commandement Thou shalt not beare false witnesse c. THe exposition of this is in Levit. 19.11 16 17. and in Zech. 8.16 17. and by our Saviour Christ Matth. 12.34 and so forward and by Saint Paul Ephes 4.25.15 for so he setteth it downe Cast off lying and let every man speak the truth to his neighbour and the addition in vers 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speake the truth in love that is the affirmative part of this Commandement First to make plaine the words of this Commendement it is not of one word as the other the Hebrew translated is after this manner Non respondebis testimonium salsum super vicinum tuum thou shalt not answer a false testimony concerning thy neighbour In which the word respondebis must be understood after the * Hebrew phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a radâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Evangelists often use to begin thus Jesus answered and said Matth. 11 2â— where no man speaketh nor being demanded of any so that by answering is meant not onely when a man is demanded to speake the truth but also when he speaketh the truth no man demanding him for we see Exod. 32.18 the same word he saith there that he heard vocem cantantium the voyce of them that sing it is expressed by this word so that it signifieth to speake whether as of the mover of a question or of the answerer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4 Sorts of wâ—â—nesses 1. â—od Now then for witnesses It is of foure sorts in the Scriptures for 1. it is applied to the great and chiefe witnesses to God Iob 16.19 he saith Though they did oppresse him with their eloquence yet ecce testis meus est ia coelis behold my witnesse is in Heaven and 1 Iohn 5.7 he saith there are three witnesses in Heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit that there is no Person in the Deity but it is a witnesse of the truth and of our doings and thoughts whether good or evill Rom. 2. vers last Though the name of truth be attributed to Christ Iohn 14.6 yet often a wicked man shall have an applause of wicked men and a good man shall not so he hath his praise indeed but that praise shall not stand it is not that that hath the praise of men that is praise-worthy it is a judgement of God against them he is not a Jew that is outwardly a Jew but he is a right Jew that is inwardly one and therefore Paul when the judgement lay betweene them and God 1 Cor. 4.3 inrespect of true judgement he saith Mihi pro minimo est ut judicer à vobis he counts it a small thing what man can judge of him Now after this great witnesse 2. Conscience in the second place commeth the witnesse that Saint Paul speaketh of Rom. 2.15 attestante ipsis conscientia their conscience bearing them witnesse and 2 Cor. 1.23 he saith Now I call God to record unto my soule c. this is that the Heathen man cals conscientia mille testes conscience a thousand witnesses i. the knowledge that pertaineth to our selves and concerneth our doings and as the Heathen man saith that calleth him miserum miserable that contemneth hunctestum this witnesse for he will make but small conscience of this Commandement or else that it is worse for the Apostle Rom. 1.18 saith plainely that it is the beginning of Apostasie when a man will presse downe and smother the truth in unrighteousnesse When he hath a wicked affection an unrighteous appetite to any action for the attaining of that though his his heart speake unto him and tell him that it is not right yet he can be content to suppresse and keepe downe the truth as a prisoner and not let it over rule as the Heathen man saith That the foundation of the justice of God beganne here speaking in the hearts and consciences of men and they themselves will doe the contrary and it is a way for God as Paul saith 2 Thes 2.11 to give them over to strong delusions that they may beleeve a lie Though this witnesse be great yet as 1 Iohn 3.20 and Paul 1 Cor. 4.4 he saith that God is a greater witnesse then our conscience and Paul saith though his heart acquit him yet he is not acquited for a man often dreameth of himselfe and deceiveth himselfe and beguileth himselfe in his purposes which when it commeth to be ript up coram magno teste before the great witnesse shall be found to have beene wrong and shall not prevaile therefore we give it the second place Now the third 3. Man Because God will not speake from Heaven and a mans conscience may be seared the third is one man to another Ios 24.22 saith unto the people Vos estis mihi testes ye are my witnesses that ye have chosen the Lord to serve him and they said Sumus testes we are
the faithfull of the Land shall be his and vers 7. The lier shall not tarry in his sight And thus much of the ninth Commandement The X. Commandement Thou shalt not covet c. IN this Commandement the Papists are against us and make it two which it cannot be Our reasons as we said in the generall division are these 1. Because there is but one period 2. Because there should be a Law of particulars which in least of all is Gods Lawes 3. Because onely these two concupiscences should be forbidden And whereas they say all other ought to be referred unto these they teach not how 4. Because Rom. 7.7 the Apostle sets it downe in one word non concupisces thou shalt not lust 5. The consent of the Hebrewes before Christ and the Fathers since 6. The inconveniencie that they are driven to to transplace this Scripture and say sensus est perturbatus that the sense thereof is perplexed 7. They themselves cannot speake of it distinctly as they divide it but confound it Now for the Commandement Deut. 5. Esa 55.7 Ier. 18.11 Mar. 7.14 Rom. 7.7 Ephes 2.3.4 whence we must take all that we speake herein The dependance The dependance as Aug. saith si quis caetera facere studeat hoc maximè faciat if any man endeavour to observe the other Commandements let him much more labour to fulfill this Prov. 4.23 As life issueth from the heart so good and evill life And Esa 59.5 commeth the Cockatrice egge which if it be not broken Iames 1.15 will be sinne whence commeth death The end The ends 1. That God may shew himselfe to looke further and his Law to reach further then mans Law For though mans Law say Binde the hands and stop the mouth yet it saith cogitationis poenam nemo patiatur let no man be punished for his thoughts But Gods Law saith not so Act. 8.22 but the very thought must bee prayed for 2. Propter Pharisaeos for your Pharisaicall justiciaries that though in the other Commandements we may flatter our selves yet this Rom. 7.14 will make us see that we are wretched The consent is in the other Commandements But the thought which in respect of the consent is called partus imperfectus an imperfect birth is forbidden in this For as in the other intentio the intention is forbidden etsi non consequaris although yee accomplish it not so here cogitatio etsi non consentias the thought although ye consent not as Aug. magnum fecit qui non sequitur sed non perfecit he hath done much and gone a great way who bath never assented to lust This Paul Rom. 6.12 calleth sinne raigning in us and Rom. 1.2 dwelling in us For as Aug. saith transivit in affectum cordis impetravit consensum rationis ut faciat si adsit occasio facultas this raigning sinne hath built his nest amongst the affections of the heart and hath obtained the consent of reason to fulfill its lust whensoever occasion and ability presents the opportunity So that it is here whilest it is in question but when it commeth to that Faciam I will or would doe it it is done before God This concupiscence is of two sorts 1. 2 Pet. 3.3 proper 2. Gal. 5.17 of the spirit against the flesh This of the spirit is good and Ephes 1.18 causeth good motions in us and 1 Pet. 4.1 armeth us to performe them and checketh us Psal 44.5 and is opposite to us Matth. 5.22 from this commeth our prayer and maketh us to love those things so much the more Prov. 3.9 And that of our owne Concupiscentia naturae which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naturae naturall is not evill for so Christ desired to eate when he was hungry Matth. 24.18 and rest when he was weary Concupiscentia corruptionis Iohn 4.6 But that which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corruptionis from corruption 2 Pet. 1.4 which is not an hand to the understanding as it ought to be but choketh it up and maketh us to be men of concupiscences And of this corrupt concupiscence 1 Tim. 5.19 some is foolish and some is hurtfull 1. Foolish concupiscence Foolish concupiscence is Colos 3.1 earthly desires when the naturall desire transit lineas passeth the bounds wholly to seeke those things and set their heart on them 2. Hurtfull concupiscence Hurtfull concupiscence is that which is against the spirit Gal. 5.7 7. opposite to the spirit This is that praeputium uncircumcision Act. 7.51 which hindreth the eares and heart from that which is good And this in good things corrupteth our understanding making it Eccles 10.1 like a flie in a barrell of honey and provoketh us to evill by these things which though they are good yet will worke in us an evill humour 1 Cor. 6. i. to make us subject to evill to need to have it then the Devill will bring such a condition as Mat. 4. he did to Christ And in evill it will bring us per malum aut ad malum an evill way or to an evill end as to make us use evill meanes to a good end or an evill end to good meanes It is called the old man Ephes 4.22 Col. 3.9 peccatum inhabitans sinne dwelling in us Rom. 7.5 the sting 1 Cor. 15.16 the pricke 2 Cor. 12.7 virus Serpentis the poyson of the Serpent The Scholemen call it fomitem peccati the fuell of sinne the late writers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 virium a want of power and strength to rule the passions and affections for when man would make his concupiscence above his understanding Hose 8.11 God permitted it to be And this is that giving up Rom. 1.24 delivering to themselves And whereas the giving to Satan hath a returne 1 Cor. 5.1 2 Cor. 2. this to be given up to himselfe hath no returne so that it is better to be delivered up to the Devill We see then what this concupiscence is and how we are affected to it Now for the danger and the meanes to it though we come not so farre as suppuration i. the consent which is the lowest degree in the other Commandements we must not yet once cover for this desire being in us Ephes 2.23 as also of the world and of the Devill Suggestions from conen piscence Per hanc còncupiscentiam carnis by this lust of the flesh there is two suggestions the one in regard of this alone and the other as it is applied to us of the Devill 1. Alone as Matth. 9.5 in the dialogue Mar. 7.2 those ascending thoughts for nothing in us is good but that which descendeth Ascending thoughts 2. The Devill seeing this as he did with Christ when he was hungry Matth. taketh occasions to cast thoughts into us as hee did into them Luke 9.49 and together Ephes 2.2 the world carrieth them away For as Nazianzen saith The sparke is in us and the Devill doth onely blow it up Now those that arise are
as a speciall means thereto in Commandement 7. not onely adultery but also all wantonnesse so here is forbidden not onely falshood but also vaine and foolish speech Our Saviour sets downe three heads of the sinnes against this Law 1. Slander 2. Pride the occasion of flattery and boasting 3. Foolishnesse which is the roote of vaine speech Our Saviour Matth. 12.36 and verses before going treateth of this Commandement and concludes it thus of every idle word wee must account Besides false witnesse in judgement and out of it of flattery boasting and simulation notwithstanding this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foolish talking and jesting and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he distinguisheth not as he did in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filthy communication and filthie but he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foolish talking and jesting though it be accounted of nothing in the world but urbanity Whereas indeed they doe but abuse that word for in truth it is nothing but a foolish and idle babling as our Saviour cals it and after shall appeare and as Iob 34.35 words of no value The Prophet Esa 5.18 Woe to them that draw iniquity with cords c. woe to them and Prov. 30.8 he prayeth to be removed farre from vanity and lies By which two places it is manifest that vanity brings lies and with them the catalogue of those sinnes that belong unto this Commandement As wantonnesse is forbidden in the seventh and superfluity in the eighth Commandement so here vanity of speech Concerning which Psal 144.8 he maketh it an especiall part of a wicked man And Esa 59.4 they trust in vanity which is the first step to lies and they proceed further to iniquity David Psal 26.4 glorieth that he had not kept company with dissemblers and vaine men or as Solomon saith Prov. 21.6 among such as tosse vanity like a Tennis-ball Such as make questions and receive as vaine answers and reply againe as vainely And this Iob. 31.5 by the light of nature saw among the rest that this was one thing wherein his conscience bare him witnesse that he was free that hee had not walked in vanity which is good for no use And then as Chrysostome saith well upon Ephes 4. what workeman is there that will have any toole that will serve him to no use and therefore he concludeth that this ars animarum this art of saving of soules being ars artium scientia scientiarum the Art of Arts and Science of Sciences there must not be any thing in it belonging to vanity And hereupon the Fathers say that Quicquid est ociosum est criminosum whatsoever is idle is sinfull For this cause the Apostle bids us stay foolish questions Tit. 1.8.9 and his reason is because they be vaine Now except the major proposition be this which must be generall whatsoever is vaine is to be avoided it were no syllogisme And we see this is to be avoided so there is in us saith the holy Ghost an untowardnesse as is pullus onagri the wild Asses colt so is man from his youth A forge of vanities 1 Pet. 1.18 Rom. 13.4 For as Iob saith there is a forge of idle thoughts which bring forth Ephes 4.17 vaine conversation therefore we must in the beginning take heede of this that we will not as the Gentiles doe that we lift not up our heads to vanity Both which we shall doe Psal 24.4 if we have our conversation idle and vaine Ephes 4.29 he sheweth us what this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let no corrupt communication proceed c. He will have our conversation to be to edification that God may have praise our neighbour may be built up in his knowledge and affection by our example If not this then a second that there be a necessary use of it or if not that yet it must be such as may give grace to the hearer And if we will take Paul for example we may best learn ex verbis ejus in Epistolis from his owne words in his Epistles what his speech was For we doubt not but he shewed himselfe like in his common speech For the first we know his examples are plentifully to edification That we may doe it ad necessitatem for our necessary use it is manifest by 1 Tim. 5.23 he bids him for the health of the body drinke wine which no man will say was done ad aedificationem but ad justam necessitatem to edification but yet it was done upon just and necessary grounds Thirdly if not this yet that whereas he bade him bring the cloak which he left at Troas 2 Tim. 4.13 c. and so vers 20. he saith Erastus abode at Corinthus Trophimus I left at Miletum sicke which doe not directly serve to edification though indirectly it doe all other things And therefore those narrations which concerne a man to know being not things of necessary use take a second place for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 salutations this is a third whither Rom. 16. wholly may be reduced Now in these Salutations there is no edification nor yet just necessity for in divers examples they are omitted but they serve to encrease love and savour among men Col. 4.6 he exhorts every man that his speech be powdered with Salt not with scurrisity and profane urbanity non nigro sale Momi sed canâ—â—nte sale Mercurit not with that blacke Salt of Momus but with the white Salt of Mercurie Whereby our wits being dulled and our spirits condensated they may be sharpened againe which often have a good and necessary use To this end serveth that 2 Cor. 12.13 where he saith I have not beene chargeable to any of you I pray you forgive me this wrong Surely there was no cause why he should crave pardon for this fault but no doubt this pierced deeper then if he had uttered it in direct words and termes Now but that grace must concurre with edification Rom. 12.3 a fruitfull speech and profitable to edification and none in the world could have expressed it more wittily and Phil. 3.3 he calleth the circumcision concision Eph. 5.4 The Apostle disswadeth us from foolish talking and exhorteth us to thanksgiving whereupon the Hereticks called fratricelli the poore humble brethren would have no word in answering but laudate Deum praise God Who when they were demanded any question said alwayes laudate Christum praise Christ But the old Church understood well enough per metonym effecti by a metonymy of the effect thanksgiving for that which was thankworthy Then whatsoever speech it is that may be brought to one of these three kindes is not evill but good Albeit that that which is lawfull be not kept for we are to strive after the best things that is that it may be done ad aedificationem to edification so that though these terrene consolations these pety comforts be lawfull yet exultations in Psalmes and spirituall songs are better Yet
these are not unlawfull but expedient and likewise necessary And thus much of the actuall offences of this Commandement For the obedience hereunto how we are to behave our selves toward our selves we are to learne these few precepts 1. That we may learne out of Psal 62.9 the Prophet saith there The children of men are deceitfull upon the weights that is they are too light This is that beginning indeed For it is vanity by which he hath the first vantage upon a man and therefore he must learne and labour to be stedfast 1 Cor. 15.5.8 he must be so grounded that every little suspition will not put him out of tune for if he want this every vanity in respect of himselfe and every affection toward his neighbour will set him out of the way For suspition is one of the fruits of concupiscence and the rising of it is a thing that cannot be resisted but the principium beginning of it must be suppressed 1 Tim. 6.4 The first use of this suspition was to procure our safety and to preserve our soules therefore for the safegard of our owne lives and soules it is better to be nimium timidus quam parum prudens it is better to be solicitously fearfull then securely improvident We have the example and practise of it in Paul he suspected the worst and yet the truth Acts 27.30 Now when these things given us for helpe of our selves and others are turned to the hurt and detriment of our selves and others this must be a great sinne wherewithall even the Godly may bee attainted but there is a difference For though the they arise as Iohn 13.19 when Christ said to Iudas quod facis fac cito what thou doest doe speedily there was suspition in the hearts of the Apostles some thought he bade him buy such things as he stood in need of against the feast other that he should give something to â—lepâ—oâ—e but these were privative suspitions they doe not prevaile c. Gal. 4.11 These suspitions prevailed so fame in the Galatians even beyond positive suspition that he said metuo ne srustra laboraverim I am afraid least I have laboured in vaine They prevailed to diminish his opinion of them and yet possessivam suspicionem a positive or possessive suspition had the Apostle of them that his paines were not so fruitfull as they might have been An argument of the Pharisee to prove Christ a sinner Luke 7.39 If hee had not beene a sinner he would have knowne who and what manner woman c. but he answered quickly and he was reproved So we see what difference is betwixt the highest and the lowest the suspition of the best goeth not into judgement they doe suppresse it and doe not lay sticks upon it to encrease it The lowest have a diminution of their good opinion that they had conceived and cherish the evill conceived opinion not suspending their judgements But in those that are evill they grow to say he is a sinner they make judicium ex saspâ—cione trabem ex festuca a judgement upon their suspition and out of a sprig a beame and some also proceede to action To keepe himselfe from judgement he must abstaine from two things 1. that is in Iob he enterpreteth every thing after his way stulti omnes sibi similes esse putant fooles thinke all men like themselves so are other men if they be evill they cannot keepe themselves from suspition 2. The other is as every man is affected so he judgeth and every small thing will encrease this affection in him As if he have concealed a jealousie of any thing every small action will augment An example we have Mar. 8.16 their minde ranne upon leaven c. If the other Gen. 37.8 after they had conceived an ill affection of Ioseph even his dreame made them to hare him If we doe not remove evill and avoid suspitions every thing will cause us to make this conclusion that the Barbarians did of Paul Surely he is a murderer Six things to be noted in the conclusions they reduce them to foure heads 1. That it is most naturall to suspition to arise upon a slender ground In good part as that If I will that he tarry till I come c. For the evill Mar. 14.6 7. the maid reasoned Thou art of Galilee thou srâ—ly art one of them When an affection hath possessed the heart the being of Galile will make him a Disciple of Christ But let every man when he is tried with a suspition trie the ground From this they come to the object sundry things pertaine to God which men will scanne and make conclusions of it whereas Solomon saith God onely knoweth the secret of thoughts 2 Chron. 6.30 Yet we must be concluding that men thought thus and thus even of their meaning Chrysostome saith that that Rom. 14.4 is most fitly applied to this Quis in es qui servum judicas alâ—enum Who art thou that judgest another mans servant our suspitions must not go into mens thoughts which are no mens servants but onely ought to be judged of God The second thing the condition in which men live in whom wee will be judging of the secret judgements and predestination of God so that if we see any man fall into sicknesse or any other calamity wee straight conclude that he is a wicked man a murderer with the Barbarians although the Preacher 9.2 saith All things come alike to all c. In those kindes of suspitions ye have one thing not to doe not to suspect Iohn 9.2 For neither was it the father of him that was borne blinde that had sinned neither yet he that was borne blinde This was a conclusion of Christs Disciples That either hee or his father must needs be a sinner whereas indeed the judgements of God are abyssus a great deep and cannot be searched Or else we enter into the secret counsell of God saying as Mal. 3.14 vanus est qui servit Domino it is in vaine to serve the Lord because Iohn Baptist and others have lost their lives for serving of God The third is concerning things to come They will affirme if a man be cast downe once and forsaken of God he can never recover againe Whereas we ought 2 Tim. 2.25 to enstruct them with the spirit of meekenesse And then so we come to give oftentimes foolish rash and preposterous judgements of good men not knowing that multi sunt intus Lupi multi etiam sunt Oves soris c. many Wolves are within and many Sheepe also without And these are Gods matters and are to be judged by him and not of us for his hand is long enough The fourth thing is in matters pertaining to men Sometime we judge of an 1. Act. 2. Thing it selfe 3. Person When de re we judge of the thing it selfe then if we judge amisse we hurt not the thing which cannot be allowed by our judgement or opinion but our selves So that in what thing
will turne to you we must pray Convert thou us O Lord and we shall be converted Lam. 4. If he say to us Make you cleane hearts Ezek. 18 Because that is not in us we must pray Create in me a cleane heart and renew a right spirit in mee Psal 51.10 When Christ saith Beleevest thou this Joh. 11. for as much as Faith is the gift of God Eph. 2. we are to pray with the Disciples Domine adde nobis fidem Luk. 17.5 When the Apostle exhorteth Perfecte sperate 1 Pet. 1.13 we should say with the Prophet Lord my hope is even in thee Psal 39. And where our duty is to love with all our hearts because we cannot performe this without the assistance of Gods Spirit we are to pray that the love of God may be shed in our hearts by the holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 THE SECOND SERMON JAMES 1.16 17. Erre not my deare brethren Every good giving and every perfect gift is from above and commeth downe from the Father of lights with whom is no variablenesse neither shadow of turning AS Saint Paul 2 Cor. 3.5 tels us that we are not sufficient to thinke a good thought but our sufficiencie is of God So the Apostle saith â—t is God onely from whom every good giving and every perfect gift commeth And that we shall erre if we either thinke that any good thing which we enjoy commeth from any other but from God or that any thing else but good proceedeth from him so that as well the ability which man had by nature as our enabling in the state of grace is from God He is the Fountaine out of whom as the Wiseman saith we must draw grace by prayer which is Situla gratiae the conduit or bucket of grace Therefore he promiseth in the old Testament To poure upon his Church both the Spirit of grace and of prayer that as they sue for grace by the one so they may receive it in by the other Zach. 12.10 Unto this doctrine of the Apostle in this place even those that otherwise have no care of grace doe subscribe when they confesse themselves to be destitute of the good things of this life and therefore cry Quis oftendit nobis bona Psal 4. As before the Apostle shewed that God is not the cause of any evill so in this verse he teacheth there is no good thing but God is the author of it If he be the Fountaine of every good thing then he cannot be the cause of evill for no one Fountaine doth out of the same hole yeeld sweet and bitter water Iam. 3.11 Secondly if every good thing be of God onely then have we neede to sue to him by prayer that from him we may receive that which we have not of our selves Wherefore as this Scripture serves to kindle in us the love of God for as much as he containes all good things that we can desire so it is a speciall meanes to provoke us to the duty of prayer This proposition hath two parts first an Vniversall affirmative in these words Every good giving secondly a prevention for where it may be objected that howsoever some good things come of God yet evill things also may successively come from him even as the Heathens say that Iupiter hath divers boxes out of which hee doth powre both good and evill the Apostle preventeth that objection and saith that with God there is no variablenesse nor shadow of changing So that as the meaning of these words in the Prophet Hosea 13.9 Salus tua taniummodo ex me is both that salvation is onely of God and that nothing else but salvation commeth from him so the Apostles meaning in these words is both that God is onely the cause of good and that he is the cause of nothing else but good lest when we are tempted unto evill we should make God the Author of all such temptations The former part of the proposition called subjectum is Every good giving c. The latter part called praedicatum is descendeth from above Where the heathen call all vertues and good qualities which they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of having the Apostle calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of giving to teach us that whatsoever good quality is in any man he hath it not as a quality within himselfe but he receiveth it from without as it is a gift Esau speaking of the blessings bestowed upon him saith I have enough Gen. 3.3 And the rich man Luke 12. Anima soule thou hast much good as though they had not received them from God but the Saints of God spake otherwise Iacob saith These are the children which God hath given me Gen. 33.5 Againe when Pilate without all respect of God of whom the Apostle saith There is no power but of God Rom. 13. said Knowest thou not that I have power to crucifie and to loose thee our Saviour said againe Thou shouldest not have any power over me except it were given thee from above Iohn 19.10 The consideration hereof serveth to exclude our boasting Rom. 3. That the Wise man boast not of his wisdome Ier. 9. seeing wisdome strength and whatsoever good things we have it is the good gift of God as the Apostle tels us Quid habes quod non accepisti 1 Cor. 4. Secondly this division is to be marked that of the good things which come from God some are called Donationes others Dona and to these two substantives are added two adjectives whereof one doth answer to the givings of Gods goodnesse the other to the gifts of God ascribeth perfection The first errour the Apostle willeth them to beware is that they thinke not that God is the cause of any evill because every good thing commeth from him the second errour is that they should not conceive this opinion that the maine benefits are from God and the lesser benefits are from our selves not so for the Apostle tels us that as well every good giving as every perfect gift is from above That which the Apostle cals Donatio is a transitory thing but by gift he meaneth that which is permanent and lasting Ioseph is recorded to have given to his brethren not onely corne but victuals to spend â—y the way Gen. 45.21 So by giving the Apostle here understandeth such things as we neede in this life while wee travell towards our heavenly Countrey but that which he calleth gifts are the treasures which are laid up for us in the life to come and thus the words are used in these severall senses Of things transitory the Apostle saith No Church dealt with me in the matter of giving Phil. 4.15 there the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but speaking of the good things that come to us by Christ he saith The gift is not as the fault Rom. 5.16 where the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By Givings he understandeth beauty strength riches and every transitory thing whereof we stand in neede while we are yet in our journey
towards our heavenly countrey such as Iob speakes of Dominus dedit Dominus abstulit Iob 1.21 By gift he meaneth the felicity that is reserved for us after this life the Kingdome of Heaven that whereof our Saviour saith to Martha Luke 10. Mary hath chosen the better part which shall not be taken from her That which is a stay to us in this life is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the things which neither eye hath seene nor eare heard all which are reserved for them that love God 1 Cor. 2. these are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as well the one as the other come from God So much we are taught by the adjectives that are joyned to these words Givings are called good and the Gifts of God are called perfect In which words the Apostles purpose is to teach us that not onely the great benefits of the life to come such as are perfect are of him but that even that good which we have in this life though it be yet imperfect and may be made better is received from him and not else where Who doth despise little things saith the Prophet Zach. 4.10 God is the Author both of perfect and good things as the Image of the Prince is to be seene as well in a small peece of coine as in a peece of greater value so we are to consider the goodnes of God as well in the things of this life as in the graces that concerne the life to come yea even in this To thinke that which is good 2 Cor. 3. Of him are the small things as well as the great Therefore out Saviour teacheth us to pray not onely for that perfect gift ut advenia Regnum but even for these lesser good things which are but his givings namely that he would give us our daily bread Under Good is contained all gifis both naturall or temporall Those givings which are naturall as to live to move and have understanding are good for of them it is said God saw all that he made and lo all was good Gen. 1. Of gifts temporall the Heathen have doubted whether they were good to wit riches honour c. but the Christians are resolved that they are good 1 Iohn 3. So our Saviour teacheth us to esteeme them when speaking of fish and bread he saith If you which are evill can give your children good things Luke 11. And the Apostle saith Hee that hath this worlds good 1 Iohn 3. For as Augustine saith That is not onely good quod facit bonum sed de quo fit bonum that is not onely good that makes good but whereof is made good so albeit riches do not make a man good alwaies yet because he may do good with them they are good The gift which the Apostle cals perfect is grace and glory whereof there is in this life the beginning of perfection the other in the life to come is the end and constancie of our perfection whereof the Prophet speaks Psal 84.12 The Lord will give grace and glory The Apostle saith Nihil perfectum adduxit Lex The Law brought nothing to perfection Heb. 7. that is by reason of the imperfection of our nature and the weaknesse of our flesh Rom. 8.3 To supply the defect that is in nature grace is added that grace might make that perfect which is imperfect The person that giveth us this grace is Jesus Christ by whom grace and truth came Iohn 1. And therefore he saith Estote perfecti sicut Pater vester coelestis perfectus est Matth. 5. And by this grace not only our sinnes are taken away but our soules are endued with inherent vertues and receive grace and ability from God to proceed from one degree of perfection to another all our life time even till the time of our death which is the beginning and accomplishment of our perfection as our Saviour speakes of his death Luke 13.32 In the latter part of the proposition we are to consider the place from whence and the person from whom we receive these gifts the one is supernè the other à Patre luminum Now he instructeth us to beware of a third errour that we looke not either on the right hand or on the left hand that we regard not the persons of great men which are but instruments of God if we have any good from them all the good we have it is de sursum the thoughts of our hearts that arise in them if they tend to good are not of our selves but infused into us by the divine power of Gods spirit and so is whatsoever good thought word or worke proceeding from us This is one of the first parts of divinity Iobn Baptist taught A man can receive nothing except it be given him from above Iohn 3.27 This was the cause of Christ ascending into Heaven Psal 68. He went up on high and dedit dona hominibus and the Evangelist faith the holy Ghost which is the most perfect gift that can come to men was not yet given because Christ was not yet ascended Iohn 7.39 Therefore if we possesse any blessing or receive any benefit we must not looke to earthly meanes but to Heaven The thing which is here mentioned excludeth the fourth errour we thinke that things come to us by fortune or customably he saies not that good things fall downe from above but they descend qui descendit proposito descendit Our instruction from hence is that they descend from a cause intelligent even from God himselfe who in his counsell and provision bestoweth his blessings as seemeth best to himselfe for as the Heathen man speakes God hath sinum facilem but not perforatum that is a lappe easie to receive and yeeld but not bored through to let things fall through without discretion When the Prophet saith Tu aper is manum Psal 145.15 he doth not say that God lets his blessings droppe out of his fingers Christ when he promised to his Disciples to send the Comforter saith Ego mittameum advos Iohn 16.7 Whereby he giveth them to understand that it is not by casualty or chance that the holy Ghost shall come upon them but by the deliberate counsell of God so the Apostle postle speaks Of his owne will begat he us by the word of truth The person from whom is the Father of lights The Heathens found this to be true that all good things come from above but they thought that the lights in Heaven are the causes of all good things therefore is it that they worship the Sunne Moone and Starres Iames saith Be not deceived all good things come not from the lights but from the Father of lights The naturall lights were made in ministerium cunctis gentibus Deut. 4. and the Angels that are the intellectuall lights are appointed to do service unto the Elect. Heb. 1.13 It is the Father of lights that giveth us all good things therefore he onely is to be worshipped and not the lights which he hath made to
knew not what Luke 9.32 we cannot receive the truth But if as Moses speakes we seeke the Lord with all our heart Deut. 4.29 If we doe with Paul orare spiritu orare mente 1 Cor. 14. then we may conceive hope to be heard for the commandement to aske is given Cordi non pulmoni to the heart not to the lungs Id quod cor non facit non fit that which the heart doth not is not done Secondly touching the manner as with fervencie so we must pray with reverence not having our heads covered as we see many doe which behaviour how rude and unbeseeming it is we may easily discerne as the Prophet speakes Offer this kinde of behaviour to thy Lord or Master and see whether he will accept it Mal. 1. If thou having a suite to an earthly Prince darest not speake but upon thy knees with all submission how much more ought we to reverence the Lord God in comparison of whom all the Princes in the earth are but Crickets and Grashoppers Esa 40. Therefore the manner of our prayer to God must be in all reverence Solomon prayed upon his knees 2 Chron. 6. Daniel fell downe upon his knees Dan. 6. So did Saint Peter Acts 9. So Paul Ephes 3.14 And not onely men upon earth but the glorious spirits in Heaven cast themselves and their crownes downe before him that sits upon the Throne Apoc. 4. Yea Jesus Christ the Sonne of God fell downe upon his knees and prayed to his Father Luke 22. exauditus propter reverentiam Heb. 5. So did Paul serve God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 20.19 Secondly If we would obtaine any thing at Gods hand we must not onely aske it but seeke for it He that having prayed sits still without adding his endeavour shall not receive the thing he prayes for for he must not onely orare but lahorare pro quibus enim orandum pro eis laborandum est to this end the Apostle would have us to pull up our faint hands and weake knees Heb. 12. And when we have asked grace we must be carefull that we our selves be not wanting unto grace as well as we were carefull that grace should not be wanting unto us This diligence is noted in the word petite which as it is used in the first place so also it signifieth to goe to or to hit and knocke so that it containeth all the three vertues that are required unto prayer but for our instruction our Saviour hath expressed them in three severall termes Thirdly having found the way we may not rest there there is a dore whereby we must enter and that shall not stand open for us against we come we must knocke at it It pleaseth God to entreate us 2 Cor. 5. to seeke and finde us when we are lost Luke 15. He stands and knockes at our dore Apoc. 3. Therefore as Moses speakes in Deut. We are to consider what he doth require at our hands The service that we owe him is likewise to entreate him to seeke for grace at him to knocke continually till he open the gate of his mercie If God heare us not so soone as we aske we may not cease to knocke as Saul did who because that God answered him not neither by dreames nor by Urim nor Prophet asked counsell of a Witch 1 Sam. 28. Importunity as our Saviour speakes Luke 11. is a meanes whereby often times men obtaine their suites The unjust Judge will be content to heare the Widowes cause at length even because he would bee rid of cumber if she be earnest with him she shall at last obtaine her suite by importunity So howsoever God be not inclined to doe us good and have his eares open to our prayers yet he is much delighted with our importunate suites If the unjust Judge that neither feared God nor reverenced man may be overcome with importunate suite much more will God revenge them which give not over their suites but cry to him night and day Luke 18. Let us not be weary of well doing for in due season we shall reape if we faint not These conditions being performed that we seek in the desire of our heart and in humility secondly that we be not wanting to grace but worke with it thirdly if we doe it with continuance not giving over then we shall finde it true which Christ saith Omnis qui petit accipit The summe is as when God said Seek ye my face David answered Thy face O Lord I will seeke Psal 27. So when Christ saith to us aske our answer must be we will at least dispose our selves thereunto especially seeing he doth not onely praeire exemplo but dicere ut petas seeing he doth not onely by his commandement permitiere but praecipere ut petas Lastly seeing by his promise he doth not onely allure them ut petani but doth minari si non petas threaten if thou aske not for if we aske of any but from him he is angry as he was with the King of Israel that required of Baal-zebub when he should recover 2 Reg. 1. Is there not a God in Israel And Christ was offended with his Disciples for the neglect of this duty Hitherio ye have asked nothing Iohn 16. And when we come to aske of God we must not cease our suite if he grant us not our suite at the first but say with Iacob Non dimittam te Gen. 32. We must be instant as the Canaanite was Mat. 15. We must be earnest as he that came at midnight to borrow bread Luke 11. and importunate as the Widow with the Iudge Luke 18. and then we may assure our selves of a comfortable effect of prayers THE FOVRTH SERMON ROM 8.26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh request for us with sighs which cannot be uttered OUt of Saint Paul 2 Cor. 3. we may see first that of our selves we are not sufficient at all to do good and that all good comes from the Father of lights Jam. 1.17 and that in that regard we must aske and receive at his hands from whom it comes Matth. 7.7 Now the Apostle meeteth with another difficulty which is how we may pray for as we cannot performe any good thing of our selves unlesse God minister power so we know not how to aske this grace at his hands Therefore to answer that question of the Disciples which desired that Christ should teach them how to pray Luk. 11. the Apostle saith that because we know not what to pray for as we ought therefore the Spirit doth helpe our infirmities The Apostle begins at our infirmities which he laies downe in such sort as wee may plainly see that our defects and wants are many for as there are infirmities of the body which the Scripture calls the infirmities of Egypt Deut. 7.15 Whereunto the Saints of God are subject as well as other as the Apostle speakes
that he denyeth men two things first that we know not what to pray for secondly that we know not how to pray for both these defects we have a double supply for Christ as he is the light of the world Joh. 8. hath directed us what to pray for by that forme of prayer which he hath prescribed unto us and the holy Ghost who is compared to the wind that bloweth where it will instructeth us how to pray for that it stirreth up our affections so that we pray with fervencie of spirit and utter our desires unto God with sighes that cannot be expressed for as a man that travelleth must have a knowledge of his way so he cannot take a journey in hand except he have a good wind to set him forward to this end we are taught not onely by the wisedome of God the Father what to pray for but from the power of his Spirit we have those motions kindled in us whereby our prayer is made fervent Touching the persons whom the Apostle chargeth with this twofold ignorance they are not the common sort of men but even the Apostles themselves for he includes himselfe in the words We know not So Christ said not to the Heathen men Nescitis quid petitis Matth. 20. but to his Disciples James and John so that this is generally true of all men that they know not what to aske 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they ought except Gods Spirit help them It is true that we have a diffused knowledge of good and evill and a desire to be partakers of the one and to be delivered from the other for Ignoti nulla cupido but we must have a distinct knowledge that is whether the thing we desire be good or no There is an estate of life which is contemplative and another Active and our infirmity is such as we know not which of them to take our selves unto but oftentimes we thinke that course of life to be good for us which albeit it be good in it selfe yet turns to our overthrow so that when we desire of God to place us in any such course of life we speake after the manner of men Rom. 6. taking it for a contented course for our selves whereas it falls not out so This will appeare more plainly both in things temporall and spirituall The sonnes of Zebedee in their suit to Christ Matth. 10. had a desire to obtaine some good thing at our Saviours hands and they could not bethinke themselves of any thing better than to be exalted to some place of honour and therefore desired that one of them may fit at his right hand and the other at his left hand but Christ told them they asked they knew not what for honour it not fit for all men they were the Disciples of Christ and were to drinke of the cup of affliction and therefore willed them to be mindfull of it and not to affect that which was not for their good Likewise in spirituall things we may erre and hereof we have example in Saint Paul whom a man would thinke to have knowledg enough so that he would not aske the thing that was not good for him he had the messenger of Sathan sent to buffet him and hee prayed that it might be removed from him which seemeth to have have beene a reasonable petition but God answered him that hee asked he knew not what it was more necessary for him to be exercised withthe temptations then not and vvhereas he desires to be so pure as not once to be driven to evill God told him that his grace was sufficient for him for it was his will to perfect his strength in his weaknesse 2 Cor. 12. Therefore if vve have any revelation from flesh and blood Matth. 6. that persvvadeth us that this or that is good for us vve must know that all such are false and that we must suffer our selves to be directed by Gods Spirit who knoweth better what is good for us then we our selves But to the end that we should not erre the Spirit of God maketh intercession for us and therefore we may be sure that although we know not how to pray in such sort as may please God yet the Spirit of God who knoweth the secrets of the counsell of God will make that prayer for us which shall be both for our good and also according to Gods will 1 Cor. 2. It cannot be verified of the holy Ghost which is God that hee either prayeth or groaneth but the Apostles meaning is that he makes us to make intercession and hath that operation in our hearts that he makes us to groane So when the Apostle Galat. 4.6 sayes that the Spirit cries Abba Father his meaning is that by it wee cry Abba Father Rom. 8.15 Againe the Spirit is said to make intercession for us because it sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts Rom. 5. for from the love of God proceeds this love and affection in us that we desire him and all his blessings and therefore make our prayers to him to that end which is nothing else but explicatio desiderii so that we do not so soone desire any good thing but we are ready to pray for it So sayes the Prophet Lord thou knowest my desire and my groaning is not hid from thee Psal 36. Likewise when our desire is delayed so that we obtaine not the thing wee would have then wee are cast into sorrow which is wrought in us by the Spirit which is in us and by prayer for it is the Spirit of God which kindleth this fervencie of desire in prayer as Augustine saith Tepida est omnis oratio quam non praevenit inspiratio every prayer is luke-warme which is not prevented with inspiration The first thing that the Spirit of God workes in us is that he inclineth our hearts to pray to God for the good which wee lacke which is a thing not in our owne power and therefore David thankes God that he found in his heart to pray 2 Sam. 7. for when we would settle our selves to pray Nihil tam longè abest à nobis quà m orare ut decet Now being thus untoward in our selves the Spirit of God comes and helps our infirmitie and as the Psalmist saith He opens our hearts to pray By this meanes it comes to passe that a man having his affections cold shall on a sudden feele in himselfe a desire to pray and shall say Domine paratum est cor meum Psal 108. Secondly whereas the Lord saith Open thy mouth and I will fill it Psal 87. We find this infirmity in our selves that when wee have found an heart to pray yet we cannot open our mouthes and therefore David sayes Open thou my lips Psal 51. and so must we sue to Christ that he will give us words to speake for God hath a key both to our tongue and will Thirdly having begun to pray that falls out many times which David complaines of Cor meum
dereliquit me Psal 40. So our heart will be gone and our mind will be wandring abroad not regarding what our tongue speakes It falls out often that as Abraham had his sacrifice ready he was no sooner gone from it but the fowles of the aire did light upon it Gen. 15. So while we offer up to God the calves of our lips Hos 14. and our course is past Psal 141. it comes to passe through our wantonnesse many foule thoughts be got upon our sacrifice and dispoyle it and the remedie that the spirit of God affords us against this infirmity is that it calls us home and tels us we are kneeling before the Majesty of God and therefore ought to take heed what we speake in his presence Therefore Bernard to keepe his mind in the meditation of God when he would pray began thus Let God arise and let all his enemies be scattered Psal 68. and Augustine to the same purpose began thus Save mee O God for the waters over-flow Psal 64. Fourthly though we have our meditation still on God yet wee shall find in our selves that our spirits are dull and heavie and have no manner of vigour to help our infirmity herein the Spirit helps and puts these meditations in our hearts whereby it kindleth as the Prophet saith a fire burning within us so that God shall be faine to say to us as he did to Moses Dimitte me let mee alone Exod. 32. Fifthly albeit we pray but faintly and have not that supply of fervencie that is required in prayer yet we have comfort that ever when we most faint in prayer there are of Gods Saints that pray for us with all instancie by which it comes to passe that being all but one body their prayers tend to our good as well as their owne for the faithfull howsoever they be many and dispersed into divers corners of the world yet they are but one dowe and as they are the members of one body so they pray not privately for themselves but for the whole body of the Church so that the weaknesse of one member is supplyed by the fervent and earnest prayer of the other Therefore when the Apostle saith The Spirit maketh intercession for us gemitibus inenarrabilibus Augustine asketh what groanings are these are they thine or mine no they are the groanings of the Church sometime in Mee sometime in Thee and therefore Samuel to shew that the Ministers of God do the people no lesse good when they pray for them then when they teach them said God forbid I should cease to pray for you and so sinne against God 1 Sam. 12.23 for he was an help to them not onely in preaching to them but in offering burnt offerings for them Therefore the people pray to Esay Lift thou up thy prayer for us For as the offering of the Minister is to put the people in mind 2 Pet. 1. so they are Gods remembrancers they are Angels as well ascending upwards by their prayer in the behalfe of the people as descending to teach them the will of God But if the Spirit that quailes in us do quaile also in the whole Church yet we have a supply from the teares which our head Christ shed on his Church Luk. 19.41 and from the strong cries which he uttered to God his Father in the daies of his flesh Heb. 5.7 by which he ceaseth not to make request to God still for us so that albeit the hardnesse of our heart be such as we cannot pray for our selves nor the Church for us yet we may say Conqueror tibi Domine lachrymis Jesu Christi Lastly because we cannot pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have two helpes also in that behalfe from the Spirit first that the Spirit teacheth us to submit our will unto Gods will because as we are men so we speake after the manner of men Rom. 6. This submission we learne from the example of Christ his prayer to God his Father Transeat calix isle à me Let this cup passe from mee yet not my will but thy will be done Matth. 26. So David qualified his desire If I have found favour with the Lord he will bring mee againe but if not let him do what seemeth good to himseife 2 Sam. 15. Secondly when wee looke backe upon our prayer and see that by reason of want of fervencie and zeale it is but smoaking flaxe then the Spirit stirreth us up to desire God that according to his promise Esay 42. He will not quench it but that his grace may be sufficient for us and that he will make perfect his strength in our weaknesse 2. Cor. 12. The other thing wherein the Spirit helpeth our infirmities is that he worketh in our hearts certaine groanes that cannot be expressed which is a plaine opposition to drousie and sloathfull prayer for a devout prayer plus constat gemitibus quà m sermonibus it is not fine phrases and goodly sentences that commend our prayer but the fervencie of the spirit from whom it proceeds It is well if wee doe orare mente spiritu 1 Cor. 14. but if our prayers do draw out sighs and groanings from our hearts it is the better fâ—r then it appeares that our prayer is not a breath comming from the lungs but from the very depth of the heart as the Psalmist saies of his prayer De profundis out of the deepes have I cryed to thee O Lord Psal 130. What the Apostle meaneth by groanings which cannot be expressed is plaine for when the griefe of the heart is greatest then are wee least able to utter it as appeares by the Shunamite 2 Reg. 4. Notwithstanding as it was God that wakened in us the desire of good things so though we be not able to utter them in words yet hee doth heare etiam vocem in silentio There are mutae preces tamen clamantes such as are the silent prayers of Moses which he made in his heart to God though hee expressed it not in words to this God said Cur clamas ad me Exod. 14. Now as Martha was loath to serve alone and therefore would have Mary to helpe her Luk. 10. So the spirit doth not pray alone but doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beares together or helpes us whereby the Apostle gives us to understand that man must have a co-operation with Gods Spirit So we see the Saints of God albeit they acknowledge prayer to be the work of Gods Spirit in them for as much as we are not able to call Jesus Lord but by the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 12. Yet they are not themselves idle but do adde endeavour as David Lord open thou my lips So he affirmes of himselfe I have opened my lips and drew in my breath Psal 119. But that we may have the help of Gods Spirit without which our endeavour is but vaine wee must still thinke upon our owne weaknesse and humble our selves in the sight of God as the Publican did Luk. 18. So the
petition we are to consider two things First the Kingdome it selfe secondly the Comming of his Kingdome Touching the first point it may be objected how it is that Christ teacheth us to make this petition for Gods Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and his Dominion endureth throughout all ages Psal 145.13 How then is it said to come For the answer of this doubt the Kingdome of God must be distinguished First God hath an Vniversall Kingdome such a Kingdome as ever was and for ever shall be of which it is said The Lord is King be the people never so impotent he ruleth as King be the people never so unquiet Psal 99. Secondly there is a Kingdome of Glory that whereof our Saviour speaketh Matth. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you c. And the thiefe upon the Crosse said Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome Luke 13. and this is the Kingdome which in the first place Christ teacheth us to pray for we pray for this Kingdome that it may come we pray for our owne good for it is a Kingdome of power and therefore able to defend us and therefore our Saviour in the conclusion of his prayer addeth this For thine is the Kingdome Matth. 6. According to which the Prophet David saith Thy Saints give thankes to thee they shew the glory of thy Kingdome and talke of thy power Psal 145.11 The government of his Kingdome is committed to Christ of whom it was said by God I have set my King upon my holy Hill of Sion Psal 2. In which regard he doubteth not to affirme of himselfe Matth. 28 Data est mihi omnis potestas c. All power is given â—e in Heaven and in Earth And notwithstanding God reigneth as King yet that is verified which the Prophet complaineth of Isa 26.13 O Lord God other gods besides thee have ruled over us for Sathan taketh upon him to be King and hath played the Tyrant and hath prevailed so farre as that the greatest part of the world are subdued unto him in which regard our Saviour calleth him the Prince of the world Iohn 14.30 And by the Apostle he is termed the God of this world for that he blindeth mens eyes and maketh them subject to the Kingdome of darknesse 2 Cor. 4. Secondly there is a Kingdome of sinne against which the Apostle exhorteth Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies Rom 6 â—2 which he meaneth when he saith That sinne hath reigned unto â—â—â—ath Rom 5.21 Thirdly the Apostle sheweth that Death hath a Kingdome when he saith that by meanes of sinne death reigned from Adam to Moses Rom. 5.14 These are enemies to the Kingdome of God for while the Devill reighneth by meanes of sinne as he doth so long as he worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes 4. he taketh away the glory of Gods Kingdome and Death takes away the power of it And in regard of Sathans Kingdome he is said to be a King over all the children of pride Iob 41.34 For he makes the whole world rebell against God so that they are not ashamed to deny him to his face and that is true not onely of the common sort of the world but even of a great many of the Church of which number are those that sticke not to say We will not have Christ to rule over us Luke 19.14 Againe there are many stumbling blocks for the hinderance of Gods Kingdome Matth. 13.41 that the Kingdome of God cannot come and therefore we doe worthily pray as well that the Kingdome of Sathan and sinne may be overthrowne as for the removing of those offences God having exalted his Sonne into the highest Heaven saith unto him Sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy foot-stoole Psal 110. The last enemy that is to be destroyed is death 1 Cor. 15.16 Wherefore our desire is that there may be such a Kingdome as wherein the Law of God may be exactly kept and that it would please God in this Kingdome to tread downe Sathan under our feete Rom. 16. that not only death it selfe but he that hath the power of death being destroyed Heb. 2.14 God may be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 When we behold the state of the world and see that good men are trodden under feete and the vessels of wrath and sinne are exalted and prosper then we may know that that is not the true Kingdome and therefore we pray that God will set up his Kingdome in our hearts and governe us by his Spirit And therefore this point doth not onely concerne our selves but also God for unlesse his Kingdome come his name cannot be sanctified of us As there are temporall Kingdomes so there is a spirituall Kingdome called the Kingdome of Grace whereof our Saviour speaketh The Kingdome of God is within you Luke 17.21 As before we prayed for the Kingdome of Glory so now for this Kingdome of Grace for without this we shall never bee partakers of that other Kingdome The glory of other Kingdomes is the reformation of things that were before amisse but the glory of the Kingdome of Grace is that as during the tyranny of Sathan Sinne raigned unto death so now under this Kingdome Grace may raigne through righteousnesse by Iesus Christ Rom. 5.21 That we may have interest in both these Kingdomes wee must hearken to that which Christ proclaimeth Matth. 4.27 Repent for the Kingdome of God draweth neare as it draweth neare to us so wee must draw neare to it else we shall never enter into it for except a man be borne againe he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Iohn 3.2 And that we may beginne to draw neare to it there is an outward regiment to be used which is a token of the grace of God bearing rule in our hearts we must by the Kingdome of God within us cast out Devils Matth. 8. We must intreate God by the power of his Spirit to plant in our hearts that which is good and to roote out and remove out of them that which is bad Matth. 13.48 We must displace Sathan and sinne that they set not up their thrones in our hearts and in stead of it we must set up Gods Kingdome ruling in us by his Spirit for the Kingdome of God stands in righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 If we finde these vertues in us they are sure pledges of the Kingdome of Grace and we may assure our selves that after this life is ended we shall be received into the Kingdome of Glory And how soever he hath appointed Kings and Rulers over us for our outward safety and defence yet they have their Scepter from him and the end of their rule is to further Gods Kingdome as the Apostle speaketh That we may live under them in all godlinesse and honesty 1 Tim. 2. Touching the comming of his Kingdome it may be demanded why we pray that it may come to us seeing that
will and as Christ saith willingly deny our selves Matth. 16.24 We must oppose Gods will to the will of the flesh and the will of man Iohn 1.13 We must pray unto God Converte meum nolle in tuum velle convert my froward and unwilling will into thy will and because thy will is the true will Insereolem voluntatis tuae oleastro voluntatis meae ingraft the true Olive of thy will into the wilde Olive of my will If our will be contrary unto Gods will and will not be subject unto it then we must scatter it and pull it up by the rootes Psal 32.9 In chamo fraeno constringe maxillas meas sayes an ancient Father and upon the words of Christ Compell them to enter that my house may bee full Luke 24. saith he Compelle me Domine intrare si vocare non est sais Secondly that Gods will may be done in us we must be possessed with a base conceit of our will and have an high and reverent opinion of Gods will we must be perswaded that our owne will is blinde and childish and perverse and therefore Solomon saith Ne innitaris c. Doe not leane to thine owne wisedome Prov. 3.1 Every man is a beast by his owne knowledge and to expresse the fault of mans will Iob saith that man is tanquam pullus asini like an wilde Asses colt Iob 11.12 which of all other beasts is most foolish But be hee never so wise naturally yet he is but a foole in heavenly things as Saint Paul witnesseth 1 Cor. 2.14 Men speake evill of things which they know not yea even in those things which they know naturally they are but beasts Iudg. 10. All our reason and understanding hath not in it selfe sufficient direction for our will and therefore Christ saith of Saint Peter that flesh and bloud did not reveale to him that knowledge that is attained by Gods Spirit Matth. 16. and in spirituall things Saint Paul he counselled not with flesh and bloud Gal. 1.16 Lastly our will is wholly enclined to that which is evill Ier. 4. wherefore one saith truly Tolle voluntatem tuam ego extinguam inferaum take away thine owne will and I will quench hell fire They that are given over to Satan as the Incestuous Corinthians 1 Cor. 5. may be restored but those whom God giveth over to their owne will Rom. 1.24 their case is desperate and therefore wee have the more cause to thinke the more humbly of our owne will and willingly submit our selves to the holy will of God Touching both Saint Paul saith The Law is holy and the Commandement is holy and just and good and the Law is spirituall but I am carnall sold under sinne Rom. 7.14 But we must thinke honourably of Gods will and this we cannot but doe if we consider that his will is so perfect as it needeth no rule to be guided by but our will being crooked and perverse must of necessity be directed by the rule of his holy will or else we shall swerve out of the way Our will is blinde and foolish but his will is full of counsell and wisedome our will is crooked and perverse and froward but his will is full of all goodnesse which we are to understand hereby that he sheweth himselfe a Father to us if a child be left to his owne will it is as much as his life is worth therefore with-hold not correction but strike him with the rod and he shall not die Prov. 22.13 and our will being childish we must be abridged of it or else wee shall fall into danger therefore we doe pray that we may not onely submit our will to Gods but that we may utterly deny our owne will being foolish that Gods most holy will may take place in us but we doe not onely pray that we may have a will and desire to doe Gods will but also ability and power for of our selves we have no strength to doe it that appeareth by the petition it selfe Nam quid stultius quam petere id qâ—od penes nos est What is more foolish then to aske those things that are in our owne power and the Apostle saith We are not sufficient of our selves to thinke a good thought 2 Cor. 3. Such is our corruption That though God will yet we will not Matth. 23. We cannot speake unto God for no man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. We doe not finde either will or ability but it is God that giveth both Phil. 2. and though the Spirit be willing yet the flesh is but weake Matth. 26.41 Therefore we are petitioners for the grace of God and for power from him without which we cannot doe Gods will so that our desire is to obtaine something from God whereby his will may be accomplished in us for it is not said faciamus or fac tis tuam voluntatem let us doe or doe thou thy will but fiat voluntas tua thy will be done Wherein we are to consider a quo per quem fiat from whom and by whom it is to be done we pray not that we of our selves may doe the will of God for no man can rise up to Heaven unlesse hee first receive a grace from Heaven He that is of the earth speaketh of the earth Iohn 3. Therefore our suite is not onely for good thoughts and heavenly desires but also for ability of grace but this grace is either passive or active The passive grace is that which proceeds from God towards us which standeth in offering grace as God is said to doe 1 Pet. 1.13 or when he causeth his grace to appeare to all men Tit. 1.2.11 and that is not enough unlesse we be made capable of it as it is invaine that light doth shine unlesse we have eyes to see it and therefore as hee offers grace so he must give us grace and enable us to draw grace from him Prov. 12.2 That he would powre grace into us Zach. 12. That he would sow in our hearts good thoughts change our affections and make them conformable to his will and so though the thoughts of his heart seeme hard to flesh and bloud may for all that please us And last our desire is ut induamur viriute ex alio Luke 24. and he doth offer his grace and doth powre it into us Then we must have that active grace by which the will of God may be done in us of which the Prophet saith Omnia opera nostra operatus es in nobis Thou Lord hast wrought all our workes in us Isa 26. God must not onely sanare cogitationem mutare affectum heale the thought and change our affection but perducere ad actum that is he must bring to passe that as he gives us ability to doe his will so his will may be done by us we must say with the Prophet Psal 27. Thou art my helpe for sake me not O God of my salvation As
of their enemies Josh 10.13 Thirdly the earth it selfe and things contained in it do yeeld obedience to heaven for if the heaven be favourable in sending downe raine and fruitfull seasons Act. 4.17 Psal 65. the earth answerably will bring forth her encrease for the good of man but if the heaven be brasse the earth also will be Iron Deut. 28. Lastly as the powers of the heavens are such as that they can draw up clouds from the earth Psal 13.5 which do distill raine upon the earth to water the Furrowes thereof so we desire that the spirituall heaven may transforme us into an heauenly nature not setting our minds on earthly things but on things above For the things contained in heaven as they are heavenly so we desire that we living on earth may have our conversation in heaven that earthly man to whom God said Terra es Gen. 3. may by this meanes be made heavenly In the third heaven is contained in respect of his humanity first Christ himselfe who is both in heaven and earth for as he is called the head Ephes 3.23 of his Church he is in Heaven but in respect of his body which is called Christ 1 Cor. 12. he is on earth Therefore we pray that Christ on earth that is the Church may do Gods will even as Christ the head who is in heaven hath done it that as Christ our head came not to doe his owne will but the will of him that sent him Joh. 6.38 so the whole body of Christ may labour to fulfill the same Secondly in heaven thus are Angels which fulfill his Commandement and hearken to the voyce of his word Psal 10. So our prayer is that men to whom God hath made the promise that they shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 20. may labour to be like the Angels in doing Gods will as they hope to be like them in nature Thirdly in heaven there is the Congregation of the first borne Heb. 12.23 that is the Saints departed wherefore our prayer is that as they have and still do carefully fulfill Gods will so the Saints on earth and Church militant may do the same Againe whereas Saint Cyprian out of the 16. Psalm 2. and 19.1 saith that heaven is here upon earth for when the Psalmist saith The Heavens declare the glory of God the Apostle applyeth that to himselfe and to the rest of the Apostles Rom. 10. of whose preaching he saith No doubt their sound went out into all Lands and their words unto the ends of the World So that the Apostles were heavens living on earth So our prayer is that as they living on earth lived an heavenly life and began heaven here so our carnall heart may be applyed to the meditation of heaven that we may be Saints on earth Ps 16. The Wiseman saith of the body That it being dust at the houre of death turnes it self to dust from whence it came and that the spirit returnes to God that gave it Eccl. 12.17 Thus must the spirit returne to God in our life-time and we must while we be on earth and beare the Image of the earthly man seeke still to be in heaven and here labour more and more to beare the Image of the heavenly 1 Cor. 15.49 As the heavenly part of man that is his spirit is willing and doth not only consent that Gods Law is good but delight in it Rom. 7. so must we be carefull to bring our flesh in subjection that our old man and outward man may conforme himselfe to the inward and new man 2 Cor. 4. Eph. 4. Secondly touching the question How Gods will is done in heaven the answer is that where his will is both dulcis and amara voluntas a sweete and a bitter will it is there obeyed and performed in both kinds for the heavens do not onely at Gods commandement keepe a continuall motion which is agreeable to nature but against nature Sunne and Moone stand still at his will Jos 10. whose obedience tels us that our duty is to doe his will not only in things agreeable with our nature but when his will is contrary to our liking This obedience was performed in Christ Not my will but thine be done Luk. 22. and in the Angels which at Gods commandement are ready not onely to ascend but also to descend Gen. 28. to shew that they are content not onely to appeare in heavenly glory which is their nature but also to be abased according to the Apostles rule I can abound and I can want Phil. 4. The heavenly bodies do service to all Nations and the Angels are ministring spirits Heb. 1. As naturally they have a desire to ascend to beare rule so at Gods commandement they are content to descend to do service here below they do altogether fulfill Gods will Psal 104. whereas the nature of man doth hardly grant to obey Gods will in that which seemeth strange to flesh and blood as Agrippa affirmeth of himselfe Thou somewhat perswadest mee Act. 26.25 The Saints in heaven confesse to God Thou hast created all things and for thy wils sake they are and were created Rev. 4.11 And therefore refuse not to subject their will to the will of God be it pleasant to them or not but as our Saviour speaketh Yee seeke mee not because ye saw the miracles but for that ye did eate of the loaves and were filled Joh. 6.26 So if we do that which God requireth it is rather for our owne sake with regard to our owne private profit then to do Gods will The heavenly Angels do Gods will with willingnesse and readinesse of mind which is the fat of their sacrifice and therefore they are said to have every one sixe wings Esay 6. From whose example wee must learne to do all things commanded of God without murmuring or disputing Phil. 2.14 and that because it is Gods will we should do it In earth when God willeth any thing that is not pleasant to our wils we make excuse Luk. 14. or we post it off to others as Peter said to John Joh. 21. Quid autem hic We are ready to communicate with flesh and blood Gal. 3.16 and to say with the Disciples Durus est hic sermo this is a hard speech Joh. 6. If we cannot shift it off from our selves yet as the Devill reasoned Cur venisti ante tempus Matth. 18.29 and as the people say It is not time yet to build the house of the Lord Hagg. 1.5 So we are ready to deferre and prolong the doing of Gods will as much as may be when we do it as the uncleane spirit would not come out of the child but with much crying and renting of him Mark 9.26 so we cannot do Gods will but with great murmuring and grudging and when men do Gods will in this sort they do it not as it is done in heaven by the Angels and Saints that willingly obey it but as the Devills in hell which against their
concerning whom Christ saith That wee shall bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equall or like to the Angels Luk. 20. ought while we live on earth not speake only with the tongue of men but of Angels not onely to confesse our owne wants and to crave a supply from God but to acknowledge Gods riches goodnesse and power Againe the Petitions that wee make for our selves is a taking and sanctification of his name by ascribing Kingdome power and glory unto God is a giving and therefore as the Apostle saith It is a more blessed thing to give then to receive Act. 29.35 So the confession of Gods goodnesse and power is a better confession then that which we make of our owne weaknesse and poverty and this is the onely thing which God receives from us for the manifold benefits that we receive from him Neither is this confession and acknowledgement left to our owne choice as a thing indifferent but we must account of it as of a necessary duty which may in no wise be omitted seeing God enters into covenant that he will heare us and deliver us out of trouble when we call upon him Psal 50. therefore God challengeth this a duty to himselfe by his servants Ascribe unto the Lord worship and strength give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name Psal 29. All Nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship thee and glorifie thy name Psal 86.9 Therefore our Saviour commends the Samaritan because he returned to give glory to God for the benefit received wherein he blames the other nine that being cleansed of their leprosie were not thankfull to God in that behalfe Luk. 17. For God for this cause doth heare our prayers and grant our Petitions that we should glorifie and honour his name But this is not all that we are to consider in these words for they are not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely an astipulation but an allegation wherein as we acknowledge Gods goodnesse and power that hath heard and granted our requests so wee alledge reasons why he should not onely heare us but also relieve and helpe us with those things that wee crave for at his hands wee do not onely say heare our Petitions for so shalt thou shew thy selfe to be a King but a mighty and glorious King and we for our parts shall acknowledge the same but we use this confession as a reason why our former requests are to be granted for it is in effect as much as if we should say Forgive thou our sinnes deliver thou us from evill hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdome come for Kingdome power and glory is thine and not ours The reason why we would have our requests granted is drawne from God himselfe in two respects first that we may by this humble confession make our selves capable of the graces of God which do not descend to any but those that are of an humble spirit For he giveth grace to the humble 1 Pet. 5. If we would have our desires granted because it is the nature of God to be good and gracious to be of power to do what hee will for the good of his people we must desire him to be gracious propter semetipsum Esay 43.25 Our motive unto God must be For thy loving mercy and thy truths sake Psalm 115.1 Helpe us for the glory of thy Name deliver us be mercifull unto our sinnes for thy Names sake Psal 79.9 By these motives we must provoke and stirre vp God to heare us This is the difference that is betwixt the prayers of profane men and those that are sanctified Heathen and profane men referre all to their owne glory so saies Nabuchadnezzar Is not this great Babell which I have built by my great power and for the honour of my Majesty Dan. 4.30 Such a man thinkes himselfe to be absolute Lord and will say Who is the Lord over us Psal 12. Therefore are they called the sonnes of Beliall But the Patriarches that were sanctified frame their prayers otherwise Jacob acknowledged I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies Gen. 32. by which humility he made himselfe capable of mercy To us belongeth shame saith Daniel chap. 9. but to thee belongs compassion and forgivenesse though we have offended So Christ himselfe in this place doth teach his Disciples to pray that God will give them the things they desire not for any thing in themselves but for his names sake for thine is Kingdome Power and Glory whereby wee perceive that humility is the meanes to obtaine at Gods hands our suites The other respect is in regard of God for he makes his covenant with us that he will be our God and we his people And when the Prophet stirreth up the faithfull to worship the Lord and to fall downe before the Lord our maker hee addeth this as a reason For he is the Lord our God and we are his people and the sheepe of his pasture Psal 95. Wherefore one saith Commemoratio est quaedam necessitas exaudiendi nos quia nos ipsius sumus ipse noster est It is a necessary motive to God to heare us because we are his and he ours Therefore in all the Prayers and Psalmes which the Saints of God make they ground their Petitions upon this in regard of God the Father who is the Creator they say Wee are thy workmanship created by thee therefore despise not the workes of thy owne hands Psal 138. Besides wee are the likenesse of Gods Image Gen. 1. therefore suffer not thine owne Image to be defaced in us but repaire it Secondly in regard of Christ Wee are the price of Christs bloud Empti estis pretio 1 Cor. 6. Yee are bought with a price therefore suffer not so great a price to be lost but deliver us and save us Againe We carry his Name for as he is Christ so wee are of him called Christians seeing therefore that his name is called upon us Dan. 9.19 be gracious to us and grant our requests Thirdly in respect of the Holy Spirit the breath of his Spirit is in our nostrills which is the breath of life which God breathed in us at our creation Gen. 2.7 Againe the same Spirit is to us an Holy Spirit and sanctifieth us wee are not onely Vaginae Spiritus viventis the sheaths of the living Spirit but Templa Spiritus sancti The Temples of the holy Spirit 1 Corinth 6.19 And therefore for his sake wee are to intreat him to be gracious to us Wee are Gods Kingdome and therefore it belongeth to him to seeke our good all the world is his kingdome by right of inheritance but we that are his Church are his Kingdome by right of purchase wee are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2.9 a people peculiar or gotten by purchase hee hath redeemed us to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 2.14 A peculiar people and the price whereby we are purchased is his owne blood 1 Pet. 1.
our Saviour faith Heaven and Earth shall passe but one joy of my word shall not passe Matth. 5.18 that is in regard of his power and ability For the other part of his faithfulnesse which is his will and readinesse he is said to be a faithfull Creator that will have care of the soules committed to him 1 Pet. 5. and to this purpose serveth that which S. Iohn affirmeth Behold what love the Father hath showed us that we should bee Sonnes of God 1 Iohn 3. There is in God that faithfulnesse that is in a mother towards her children for as a woman cannot but pity her owne child and the son of her womb so the Lord will not forget his owne people Isa 45.15 As his arme is not shortned but is still able to helpe so his affection towards us is such that he is most willing to helpe In this regard as hath beene observed he is both a King and a Father the one shewing his power the other his willingnesse and good-will towards us upon both these we doe ground our Amen and doe learne not onely Credere vero beleeve God which is true but fidere fideli trust him which is faithfull upon this faithfulnesse we may ground all our Petitions if we seeke forgivenesse of our trespasses as Christ teacheth us to pray then God is faithfull to forgive us our sinnes 1 Iohn 1. If we will pray against tentation the Apostle saith God is faithfull and will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able to beare 1 Cor. 10. If to be delivered from evill which is the last Petition the Apostle tels us The Lord is faithfull and will stablish us and keep us from all evill 2 Thes 3. Thus we see both what is our Amen and whereupon it is grounded The last thing is the right saying of this word which is a thing to be inquired for the Apostle as though he tooke care for the right saying of it saith How shall the unlearned say Amen 1 Cor. 14.16 Teaching us that it is not enough to say Amen unlesse it be said in right forme and manner The right saying is reduced to foure things First that as the Apostle sayes We pray with the Spirit 1 Cor. 14. For of the foure evill Amens which the Hebrewes note one is when our Amen doth not come from an earnest desire We must powre out our hearts before him Psal 62.8 So our Amen must come from the heart we must be so disposed that we may say As the Hart brayeth for the rivers of waters so thirsteth my soule after thee O God Psal 42.1 My soule thirsteth for thee and my flesh longeth for thee in a barren and dry land where no water is Psal 63. without this Amen our Amen is evanime a dead Amen Secondly a man may desire a false thing so did the Prophet give his Amen to the false prophecie of Hananiah Ier. 28. but wee must bee carefull that it be true that we pray for therefore the Apostle saith He will not pray with the Spirit onely but with his understanding also 1 Cor. 14.25 So our Saviour tels us We must worship God not in Spirit onely but in Spirit and Truth That is we must have understanding that our Petitions be true and agreeable to Gods will Ioh. 4. for as in thanksgiving it is requisite that we sing praise with understanding Psal 47. So the like must be done in prayer they are both good both to pray with the Spirit and with the mind therefore it is better to pray with both then with but one alone Therefore it is a marvell that any should thinke it enough to pray with the Spirit though they doe not know in their mind what they pray for but pray in an unknown tongue as the Church of Rome doth seeing the Apostle saith He will pray both with the Spirit and with the understanding 1 Cor. 14.15 and this understanding is not of the words onely but of the matter that we pray for We may understand the words wherein the prayer is made and yet not understand the thing that is prayed for The sonnes of Zebedee prayed in their owne Language and yet our Saviour tels them Yee know not what yee aske The Eunuch that was reading the Prophet Esay no doubt understood the Language of the Prophet and yet when Philip asked him Vnderstandest thou what thou readest he answered How can I except I had a guide Acts 8.31 Therefore we must pray not onely Intelligenter but Scienter we must know what we aske wee must be carefull that whatsoever we aske be according to his will for then may we be assured that he will heare us 1 Iohn 5. we must aske in Christs name Iohn 16. Lastly to a good end for otherwayes our prayers shall not be heard Yee aske and receive not because yee aske amisse Iames 4. But this is not all that is required that we may pray with the Minde and Vnderstanding for we must intend the thing that wee pray for with out heart that the Lord may not have cause to complaine of us as of the Jewes that honoured him with their lips while their heart was farre from him Isa 29.14 That we may with more attention of heart addresse our selves to pray our Saviour bids us to gather our selves from all things that may carry away or distract our minds and to enter into our chamber there to pray to our â—ather which is in Heaven Matth. 6.6 This did not Saint Peter observe when he prayed Master let us make here three Tabernacles and therefore the Evangelist saith He knew not what he said Lake 9.33 Thirdly that we may say Amen aright we must not onely understand in our mind and desire in our spirit the thing that wee pray for but must confidently looke for the performance of that we desire for unto this confidence there is a promise made on Gods part of whom the Prophet saith That the Lord is nigh to all that call upon him in truth Psal 145. that is in faith and confidence that they shall obtaine the thing that they pray for therefore our Saviour saith whatsoever yee pray for belâ—eve and it shall be done Marke 11.24 and the Apostle saith If we will obtaine our requests we must aske in faith without wavering or else we shall be like the waves of the sea that are tossed with the wind and carried about with violence Iames 1.6 And we shall not need to doubt but we shall be heard if we pray in a right manner if we pray for a right end that we may say Tua est gloria This confidence and trust hath certaine Limitations first wee may assure our selves that God will grant our requests if it be expedient for us and therefore we must not limit God nor appoint him his time but as the Psalmist saith We must direct our prayers early to him and wait for his pleasure Psal 5.3 We must tarry our Lords leasure Psal 27.
not the devill left Christ he departed not for altogether but went to come againe as appeateth in Luke 4.13 He departed for a time Christ was too cunning for him in disputing he meant therefore to take another course for as James noteth chap. 1. ver 14. there be two sorts of temptations one by inticement as a Serpent another by violence as a Lyon if he cannot prevaile as a Serpent he will play the Lyon He had also another houre at Christ in the garden the houre of darkenesse Luke 22.53 there he bruised his heele III. Thirdly we are to consider the leader He was led by the Spirit In which we are to note five things not making any question but that it was the good Spirit for so it appeareth in Luke 4.1 First that the state of a man regenerate by Baptisme is not a standing still Matth. 20.6 He found others standing idle in the market place and he said to them Why stand ye idle all day We must not only have a mortifying and reviving but a quickning and stirring spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 which will move us and cause us to proceed we must not lye still like lumpes of flesh laying all upon Christs shoulders Phil. 3.16 We must walke forwards for the Kingdome of God consists not in words but in power 1 Cor. 4.19 Secondly as there must be a stirring so this stirring must not be such as when a man is left to his owne voluntary or naturall motion wee must goe according as we are led For having given our selves to God we are no longer to be at our owne disposition or direction whereas before our calling we were Gentiles and were carryed into errors 1 Cor. 12.2 we wandred up and downe as masterlesse or carelesse or else gave heed to the doctrine of devils 1 Tim. 1.4 or else led with divers lusts 2 Tim. 3.6 But now being become the children of God we must be led by the Spirit of God For so many as be the Sons of God are led thereby Rom. 8.14 We must not be lâ—d by the Spirit whence the Revelation came Matth. 16.22 from whence revelations of flesh and blood doe arise but by the Spirit from whence the voyce came This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased It came not by the spirit that ministred wife counsell but by that which came downe upon them Thirdly the manner of leading is described to be such a kinde of leading as when a Ship is loosed from the shore as Luke 8.22 it is called launching forth so in the 18. of the Acts the 31. verse Paul is said to have sailed forth The Holy Ghost driving us is compared to a gale of winde Joh. 3.8 which teacheth us that as when the winde bloweth we must be ready to hoyst up saile so must we make us ready to be led by the Spirit Our hope is compared to an Anchor Heb. 6.19 which must be haled up to us and our Faith to the Saile we are to beare as great a saile as we can We must also looke to the closenesse of the vessell which is our Conscience for if we have not a good conscience we may make shipwracke of Faith Religion and all 1 Tim. 1.19 And thus are we to proceed in our journey towards our Country the spirituall Jerusalem as it were sea-fating men Act. 20.22 Now behold I goe bound in spirit to Jerusalem to which journey the love of Christ must constraine us 2 Cor. 5.14 Fourthly that he was led to be tempted His temptation therefore came not by chance nor as Job speaketh chap. 5. v. 6. out of the dust or out of the earth nor from the devill not onely over Jobs person but not so much as over his goods Job 1.12.14 He had no power of himselfe no not so much as over the Hogges of the Gorgashites who were prophane men Mat. 8.31 Hence gather wee this comfort that the Holy Ghost is not a stander by as a stranger when we are tempted Tanquam otiosus spectator but he leads us by the hand and stands by as a faithfull assistant Esay 4.13 He makes an issue out of all our temptations and will not suffer us to be tempted beyond our strength 2 Cor. 10.13 And he turneth the worke of sin and of the devill too unto our good Rom. 8.28 so that all these shall make us more wary after to resist them and hell by fearing it shall be an occasion unto us to avoid that might bring us to it and so they shall all be fellow-helpers to our salvation So that temptations whether they be as the Fathers call them rods to chasten us for sinne committed or to try and fist us Mat. 3.12 and so to take away the chaffe the fanne being in the Holy Ghosts hand or whether they be sent to buffet us against the pricke of the flesh 2 Cor. 12.17 Or whether they be as matters serving for our experience not onely for our selves that we may know our owne strength Rom. 5.3 and to worke patience in us but to the devill also that so his mouth may be stopped as in Job 2.3 Hast thou marked my servant Job how upright he is and that in all the world there is not such an one Howsoever they bee the devill hath not the rod or chaine in his hands but the Holy Ghost to order them as they may best serve for his glory and our good and as for the devill he bindeth him fast Rev. 20.2 Fifthly by the Greeke word here used is set forth the difference betweene the temptations of the Saints and Reprobates In the Lords Prayer one Petition is Lead us not into temptation but there the word importeth another manner of leading than is here meant We doe not there pray against this manner of leading here which is so to lead us as to be with us and to bring us backe againe Heb. 13.20 but we pray there that he would not cast or drive us into temptations and when we are there leave us by withdrawing his grace and holy Spirit as he doth from the reprobate and forsaken IV. The fourth point is the end that is the Conflict as it concerneth Christ insomuch that he was led to be tempted In which temptation Augustine saith Habemus quod credenies veneremur quod videntes imitemur There be two things for faith to adore and two things for imitation to practise First for faith that the temptations of Christ have sanctified temptations unto us that whereas before they were curses like unto hanging on a tree now since Christ hath beene both tempted and hanged on a tree they be no longer signes and pledges of Gods wrath but favours A man may be the childe of God notwithstanding and therefore he is not to receive any discouragement by any of them Secondly besides the sanctifying it is an abatement so that now when we are tempted they have not the force they had before for now the Serpents head is bruised so
103.8 How gracious and long-suffering God is who rewardeth us not according to our deserts And Psal 136. That his mercy endureth for ever God therefore being so full of mercy will take all things in good part But this mercy the devill tels them of differeth from the mercy David meant For the mercy David speaketh of is coupled with judgement Psal 101.1 I will sing mercy and judgement to thee O Lord. and Psal 85.10 Mercy and Truth are met together Justice and Peace have kissed each other Thus I say they shall have musicke all the way and if any at the height thinke it a great way downe no saith the devill you need but a jumpe from your baptisme into heaven you shall need no staires at all THE FIFTH SERMON MATTH 4.7 Jesus said unto him It is written againe Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Considering that Saint James saith Chap. 4.5 The Scripture speaketh nothing in vaine and that as our Saviour Christ saith John 10.35 No Scripture can be disappointed it may seeme strange that the devill comming armed with The Sword of the Spirit for so is the Word of God termed Ephes 6.17 Christ gives not place but opposeth himselfe to answer We see that a message comming in the name of the Lord this very name abashed Nehemias Neh. 6.10 at the first hearing till he perceived it was contrary to the Law of God and so came not from him which here we see to be the cause why Christ doth not yeeld by and by upon the hearing of the Word but sets himselfe to make answer forsomuch as the word is not of Quia dicitur onely but Quia creditur as Augustine noteth If there be not the mixture of faith with it whereof Paul speaketh Heb. 4.2 it is nothing worth And therefore the bad spirit was nothing abashed or daunted at the hearing of the bare names of Jesus and Paul Act. 19.15 but answered I know them but who are ye They did not beleeve and therefore could doe them no good but were wounded themselves glorious names would not serve the turne So was it here used without faith When the Scripture is here urged against one a man would thinke it were not to be answered by citing another place of Scripture but by some tradition of the Elders Mark 7.1 or some glosse or other shift but we see our Saviour answereth here no other way but by Scripture Because the Woolfe comes sometimes disguised in a sheepes skinne it is no reason that therefore the very sheepe should lay away their fleeces so here because the devill useth the Word as the slaying Letter 2 Cor. 3.6 or as the sword to kill men with it is no reason why Christ may not therefore use it in his owne defence Why then will some say one of these two inconveniencies will follow that hereby we shall thinke the Scripture is of the devils side aswell as of Christs side and so divided as in like sort they make a division of Christ when one holds with Paul another with Apollos 1 Cor. 1.13 No it is not so Christ alledgeth not this Scripture in that sort as one nayle to drive out another but by way of harmony and exposition that the one may make plaine the meaning of the other For albeit the devill sheweth himselfe to be the devill in citing that Text so as might best serve for his purpose in that whereas the Psalme whereout he taketh it hath it thus That he might keepe him in all his wayes which words he leaveth out For if he had cited that he could not thereby have enforced any casting downe For the Angels have no charge over a man but in his wayes and from the top of the Pinacle there was no way but downe the staires on his feete He was not relying on the Angels to cast himselfe downe with his head forward But the devill hath a wrest to make the string sound high or low as he list or if that will not serve he hath a racke to stretch them out as some did Saint Pauls Epistles 2 Pet. 3.16 He can set them on the tenters to prove that downe the staires or over the battlements all is one the Angels shall safe-guard him Though this I say be the devils corruption which the late writers have well spyed yet Christ we see is not willing to take advantage of that but useth a wiser course for so are we to thinke that he went the best way to worke that is the conference of Scripture with Scripture which Christ here practiseth and commendeth unto us In every Art all propositions are not of a like certainty but some be grounds and principles so certaine as that no exception is to be taken against them From them are others derived by a consequence called Deduction not so certaine as the other from these againe others to the twentieth hand So is it in Divinity Christ here reduceth the devils argument and place to a place most plaine to be confessed For the Jewes valuing of the meaning had to consider that God fed them with Manna which they knew not to teach them that Man liveth not by bread onely Deut. 8.3 contemning the same and in Deut. 6.16 bade them They should not tempt their Lord their God as in Massah when they cryed for bread The Lord curseth him that maketh flesh his arme and with-draweth his heart from God Jer. 17.5 They sacrificed unto their yarne because their portion was plentifull Habak 1.16 Job condemneth the making gold our hope or the wedge of gold our confidence Chap. 31.24 As then we must not defie the meanes attributing all-sufficiency to them so we may not nullifie them and think too basely of them but use them that we tempt not God according to his word Out of these two grounds may every question be resolved for every proposition must be proved out of the ground So that as we may not thinke the arme of God to be so shortned that he cannot helpe without meanes so are we not to thinke basely of God for ordaining meanes Secondly we heard that the devils allegation was taken out of the Psalme and one of the most comfortable places of the Psalme Christ by not standing in Disputation about the words and meaning of the Text commendeth to us the safest and wisest way to make answer in such like cases Our Saviour would warne us that the 91. Psalme is not fit matter for us to study on when we are on the toppe of the Pinacle he therefore chuseth a place of a contrary kind to counterpoise himselfe standing in that fickle place The Law we know is a great cooler to presumption If one tamper much with the Psalmes being in case of confidence he may make the fire too bigge Faith is the fire which Christ came to put on the earth and it is seated betweene two extreames Distrust and Presumption Distrust is as water to it which if it be powred on in abundance it will make
thing is commanded there all things are commanded that are of the same kinde And wee finde Levit. 16.31 and 25.32 That the day of Humiliation or a Fast is called there a Sabbath an ordinance or as Augustine sayth well If the estate of Innocencie had continued then there had beene but one onely day to have beene observed of Christians and that had beene wholly spent in the giving of Thankes c. But since the Fall there commeth by the wants wee feele in our soules that GOD is not onely Glorified Sacrificio Eucharistiae with the Sacrifice of Prayse and Thanksgiving but also Sacrificio spiritus tribulati humiliati with the Sacrifice of an humble and contrite heart Quia bonum perfectê vt volumus non possumus And so alleadgeth that place of Paul the bond that lyeth upon us cannot bee so accomplished of us as it ought to bee and so consequently wee have ofter occasions to glorifie GOD in this forme or way of Humiliation for At tonement then wee have of the other and the portion of this Sacrifice Rom. 12.2 is greater then the portion of the other so that as the other tendeth to the initiation of the joyes to come so this tendeth to the mortification in this present life It is the Ordinance of God that there should be a day of both It is strange thing that whereas some doe agree that the exercise of fasting is morall and not a ceremonie yet they will not grant the same performance to the Sabbath it selfe And the reason that it is morall is because whatsoever was a ceremonie it might not at any other time be used in any other place or order then was prescribed of God in the book of Ceremonies but this of fasting hath been otherwise in Joel 2.15 and Zac. 7.5 in the fifth and seventh month they had both upon an extraordinary cause And Zachary not that only but also in the tenth month which had it been a ceremonie had been unlawfull to doe But a ceremonie in the time of the Law was tyed to certaine places and times Againe that our Saviour Luke 5.35 as he doth there give a reason why his Disciples should not fast so he sheweth plainely that after the Bridgroome was taken away from them after his taking up into glory they should fast and so consequently when he should be taken up into glory it should continue Lastly the practise of the Church Acts 13.3 at the sending forth of Barnabas and Paul of private fasting as of Paul 2 Cor. 11.27 In muli is jejuniis in fasting often and his precept 1. Cor. 7.5 even of those that are Marryed that they might sever themselves for a time to give themselves to Fasting and Prayer shew plainely that it was accounted lawfull then and therefore practised And for the later part of the Primitive Church the Bookes of the Fathers are exceeding full of the praise of this exercise herewith they did so consume themselves that they might say with David Psal 109.24 Their knees were made weake with fasting and their flesh had lost all fatnesse This Sabbath of humiliation or day of fast receiveth the division of a publike exercise or private Publike as to which the silver Trumpets must be blowne Joel 2.15 Private which none might know off Matth. 6.16 it must be done as privately as may be so that this is onely the difference for the ends and parts they concurre and are the same no difference The ends and reasons of a publike fast are these 1. Either for the turning away of some evill or for the procuring of some good and because malum is paenae or culpae evill is either of sin or of punishment for both these and specially the punishment either our owne or upon some other Our owne either present mali grassantis or impendentis hanging over our heads For present evill When the Church or Common wealth hath any of the shafts of the Lord sticking in their â—â—â—es as Chrysostome saith very well on Joshua 7.6 a publike fâ—â—â— and upon the overthrow in Judges 20.26 and consequently 〈◊〉 â—he time of Captivity under the Philistims 1 Sam. 7.6 and in 〈◊〉 time of dearth Joel 2.13 When as the judgement of God 〈◊〉 as not yet come but onely imminent 2 Chron. 20.3 and Jehosoâ—hat feared and set himselfe to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah a publike fast Hester 4.16 Goe and assemble all the Jewes that are in Susan and fast ye for me and neither eate nor drinke in three dayes neither day nor night and I and my Maids will fast liken I se c. Jonah 3.5 When Ninive was threatned with destruction within forty dayes When this punishment lyeth not upon us but upon the Churches about us Zach. 7.3 Solemne Fasts for the Churches dispearsed in Babylon and Chaldea To come to Malum culpae to the Fault because there is a great affinitie therefore we see though there was no visitation to the Jewes they matching themselves with strange wives yet therefore Esra 9.12 they are forbidden to match their sonnes with the daughters of the Gentiles And though it be an evill example 1 Kings 21.12 At the command of Jezabell a Fast is proclaimed Last for procuring of some good Acts 13.3 and 14.23 The one at the ordayning of the Apostles the other at the ordayning of the Ministers that it would please God to make them sit for the worke unto which they were called In this duty of fasting if we respect the punishment onely or the visitation of God no doubt it is hard to make it Statarie at a set time a prefixed day neither hath the Lord appointed so for that Jom appormi a day of expiation Expiare peccata sua jejunio and so consequently it hindreth not but that there may be set dayes and a set fast and it is more expedient it should And as these are the causes which when they befall the whole people ought to make a solemne Sabbath to move all so the same causes when they concurre but to a private man then cometh out the second the private exercise of it 2. The causes are the same either when we are under the hand of God 2 Sam. 12.16 there David himselfe alone fasteth when it is not upon us but threatneth us and hangeth over us 1 Kings 21.27 Ahabs Fast though not inward yet not unrewarded of God when as the Prophet Elias threatned for the unrighteous putting of Naboth to death When it is not our owne case but pertaineth to others it may be lawfully used as Psal 35.13 David saith That when they were sick hee fasted When it is no punishment but a fault onely so that it be Propter languorem boni 1 Cor. 7.5 When the prayer loseth some part of his fervencie when it is not so fervent or when there is any tentation Christ saith there was such a kinde of spirits as that without prayer and fasting they could not bee cast out Matth 17.2
without prayer and fasting some kinde of tentation not to bee avoyded Last for the procurement of some good and that either in generall Acts 10.13 Cornelius himselfe when hee was to enter into the generall vocation of a Christian Or particular CHRISTS owne example in the entring of his Mediatorship Matthew 4.1 It is the opinion of the Fathers 13. and 14. of the Acts before the Inauguration and calling of the Ministrie This whatsoever the Magistrate doth ought to be done of our selves The Parts are of no other nature then the parts of the Sabbath and they are two First the externall as the rest outward sorrow Secondly internall abstinence as Sanctification The outward they call abstinence or fasting the inward sorrow or mourning or humiliation First in the outward it is required of us that from Even to Even we doe wholly celebrate the Sabbath Levit. 23.32 wholly abstaine from meate and drinke Ezra 10.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whatsoever is to be eaten and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever is liquid a generall restraint of both Secondly in Joel 1.13 Gird your selves and lament you Priests howle ye Ministers of the Altar come and lie all night in sackcloth yee Ministers of my God c. An abridgement or breaking off the ordinary course of our sleepe Thirdly in Exod. 33.4 of laying aside of the best apparrell which in Nehem. 9.1 and in sundry other places is expressed by wearing of sackcloth And that we should be without that too but onely for the commandement of God for nakednesse And generally Zac. 7.3 separating our selves from all that is commodious or pleasant to the senses from all commodities and delights of this life Et quia non peccavit sola gula ne jejunet sola Bernard Because the taste hath not sinned alone therefore it must not keepe a fast alone but the rest of the senses must have their separation also And as we are forbidden and restrained all these so Levit. 23.28 are we forbidden any labour or worke of the six dayes and so falleth in that the same rest is required then as on the Sabbath Last of all as we finde Esay 58.10 the precept an example Acts 10.3 the Centurions fasting that it was joyned with almes Canon Quod ventri subtrahitar illud pauperi addatur that which we spare out of our owne bellies must be given to the poore But now because as we said before it is not bodily labour or bodily rest so Rom. 14.17 the Kingdome of God is not in meate and drinke If there we stay and goe no further it will not serve Therefore the Prophet telleth such fasters Esay 58.3 though they lay in sackcloth a whole day yet it was not that God required because the outward action is but ordained for the inward the account that God maketh is of that it is instituted for humbling Matth. 9.13 what is there said of Sacrifice may be said as well of outward mourning And as it is Joel 2.12 not the rending of apparrell but the heart and the fast that he alloweth off must be accordingly And 2 Cor. 7.11 where the Apostle describeth the full course of whatsoever is required of us inwardly in this fast And Rom. 8. it must come from the spirit with such sighings as cannot be expressed Of the sorrow there cannot be an exquisite method but as he setteth them downe there they are in two companies either a working of seare and consequently a sorrow and after that a sorrow that we have been so unkinde to offend so mercifull a Father and then after that we have a while remained that we proceed to a desire of amends and that we be carefull and that care sheweth it selfe zealous and if we chance not to proceed a right then that we be ready to punish our selves In a word the fruit of those actions they tend to this end 1 Cor. 11.31 that we may judge our selves that so we may escape As his policie was 1 Kings 20.31 and as we see the common practise of the rebellious subject if by any meanes he may make the bowels of his Prince to yearne within him But alwayes except the seale of humiliation and fasting be added all is naught Nehem. 9.1 and last Where after a great vow before the Congregation protested that after an exhortation foure times and after a solemne reading of the Law at that time When as ordinarie readings was but twice This was the order for the furtherance of this and when hee had drawne a Covenant they set their hands and seales to it and so bound themselves by an everlasting Covenant Which vow if wee can keepe if we can bring our selves to the vow of obedience if we can doe this unfainedly and doe it so effectually as we promise readily ever afterward it is very certaine that this hath taken a good root in us The fourth rule The spirituall part of the Law Which because Esay knew the value of it in the Fast as Cha. 58.3 and in his Sabbath at the 13. verse of the same nothing did so belong to them as if they would give over their owne corrupt Will if mans corrupt will could be brought under This is that he sheweth 1 Pet. 3.15 Sanctifie the Lord your God in your hearts It is a thing that may be performed of man and such as the Lord delighteth greatly in The meanes in which the lord throughout the Scriptures comprehendeth these that whereas there must be a solemne prosession of thankefulnesse and our sorrow for our unthankefulnesse there must be a place also and persons chiefe in these actions of Sanctification And these persons not Ex tumultuario grege they must not be men of the common rout but such as must be trayned up for it And because the trayning up will require cost therefore the order for the maintenance of the Ministers and the Universities which are the places to prepare them for Ministers and Schooles they are commanded alike of God For the place Leviticus 19.30 and 26.2 in both places is this sentence Yee shall keepe my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuarie making the observation of his day and reverence of the place to runne in one verse and making them of one nature The Sabbath is the day of rest and when we hallow it we call it the Lords rest so Psalm 132.14 we see the Lord will give the same name to the place This is my rest Concerning which as the Apostles tooke order as that the exteriour part of GODS worship might be performed decently and in order So on the other side that the place of GODS worship should bee so homely and so ordered that the Table of the Lords Supper where one saith well Tremenda Dei mysteria the dreadfull mysteries of GOD are celebrated that it were fitter to eate Oysters at to be an Oyster table then to stand in the Sanctuary of the LORD this is so farre from Pompa that it is farre from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Decencie that every