vaine doctrine Wherefore we must not be euer learning and yet not come to the knowledge of the truth but the trueth must dwell plentifully in vs with all wisdome that wee may discerne the spiritâ— And when we haue waied and found any thing according to the word then must wee receiue it as the word of God with reuerence and if we finde any thing false in it wee must be so farre off from receiuing it that we must hold him accursed that shall bring it though he were an Angell from Heauen Foolish then is that phreneticall fansie of the Familie of Loue which will say we may not iudge we cannot condemne For euery Christian taught by the spirit may yea and ought in the libertie of the spirit to trie and condemne all that is not consonant with the holy word of God The third thing required of a Christian is that by his knowledge he be able to instruct and admonish others This doth Iude in his epistle require that we should doe wheÌ„ he exhorteth vs to edifie one another in our most holy faith This also is giuen in charge Hebr. 3. that we should admonish one another and Hebr. 5. it is said that in respect of the times we ought to be teachers Our Sauiour Christ also commaundeth vs if our brother offend that we should admonish him This dutie wee owe and this we must be able to discharge especially to them of our household of our towne of our kindred and so by degrees to all men as wee haue occasion to deale with them and as our calling shall suffer vs. The fourth thing is that wee should be able to giue an account of our hope euen vnto our enemies This Peter requireth in plaine wordes this doth our Sauiour Christ require that if we would hee should confesse vs before his Father that we should confesse him before men These things were fulfilled in the Apostles times in the primitiue Church and in Queene Maries daies and this euen among vs may be found in many places therefore this is the true and natural meaning of this place This was neuer found in the Anabaptists who the younger they were in heresie the better they were in honestie and if once they waxe old in their heresie they grow not so much in knowledge as in subtiltie to inuent mens phrâ—ses to delude and deceiue with new starched termes They will auouch nothing before a Magistrate if they bee taken they will recaâ—t if they die they will say it is for treason and not for heresie And although nowadaies there be found few Christians which be able to trie theÌ„selues their Teachers to teach theÌ„selues to admonish others to giue an account of their hope before the aduersarie yet we may lesse marueile at it though they be not ashamed of it when as some occupying the roomes of Ministers and many wise and politique Magistrates cannot examine themselues and much lesse trie others Examine them and deale with them in matters of a better life of doctrine or discipline and they can say nothing but by act of Parliament by iniunctions and the common proceedings If there were a contrarie blast of heresie blowne in their eares they could not tell what to say to it they would follow the Court and doe as most doe affirme as the superiours affirme and denie that they denie because all their religion hangs on the Councels determination and on the Kings proceedings So that euery one is not a Christian that carrieth the title and beareth the face of a Christian but they indeede are professors of Christ who are annointed with his Spirit wherewith hee was annointed whether in a dropping or more flowing measure We see then what we ought to doe and doe not wherein we may be the more ashamed that the Papist the Turke the Familie of loue delight so much in their studie They be so carefull to dishonour God we are carelesse to honour him which thing ought to moue vs and to make vs more carefull to seeke knowledge Many so farre exceede that they begin now to be ashamed and they bid away with exercises of religion they can leaue them for and post them to others I am no teacher but an husband man saith one I am not booke-learned but a poore artificer saith another I was neuer brought vp at schooles with these learned men but at home saith the third it is not for vs to be seene in these points it appertaineth rather to Doctors The words of God are here very flat I will powre out my spirit vpon all flesh c. And surely if any man hath not receiued God his Spirit the Apostle pronounceth him to bee none of God his children and if wee haue the spirit wee shall sheew it in the fruites of the spirit Wherefore let vs cast away these vaine excuses farre from vs We are young men we must haue a fling youth is vnstable it will bee time for vs to be grauer hereafter when wee become old men Howbeit the Prophet Dauid saith Psal. 119.9 Wherewithall may a young man redresse his way c. And Eccles 12. 1. it is said Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth c. If young men will appertaine to God they must haue God his spirit that is such gifts as they may doe these things Let none say wee are old our memorie failes vs if our wits were as fresh as they haue been we could doe something now we can remember nothing For men can remember things of vanitie done in their youth and in chronicling theÌ„ they will weare tongues and to fetch euidences of lands or mony which they haue hidden their memorie failes in no point Well as the Lord saith that yong men shall see visions so old men shall dreame dreames If wisedome and the feare of God be the crowne of old age and without these the aged man euen of an hundred yeeres old is accursed they had neede to labour for knowledge Old men will pleade for their priuiledge to goe before young men in worldly things and will they hope for plackards to excuse them if they come behind them in heauenly things None must say We are but seruants and vnder others wee must labour for our wages and no time can wee haue as others to learne such things it is well if wee may haue the Lord his day to rest on we must haue our recreation then wee cannot alwayes be toyling Well if ye be the seruants of God as well as the seruants of men men or maides ye must by God his spirit be able to prophecie Is your condition hard vnder the Gospell oh praise God it is nothing so hard as vnder the Law For in times past seruants were bondmen little better in condition than bruite beasts and yet men being at that time in such an estate vnder such heathen men did so carefully attend vpon the Lord in the word and in prayer that they would redeeme al times possible for to
but it is the power of Gods presence preparing vs to prayer or some such seruice of God which when we feele if wee fall downe before God in prayer we shall finde an vnspeakable ioy following it but if we cherish it with euill surmises it will leade vs to further inconueniences 77 When we haue greatest cause of ioy for doing some good then it is a good thing most to feare our vnthankfulnes and our selfe-loue and our secure vnkindnes 78 When Sathan cannot get vs to grosse sinnes he will â—ssaile vs with spirituall temptations 79 Nothing in the world will so much feare and shame vs as God in his mercies powred vpon vs which meditation in receiuing graces from God will humble vs from pride in them and keepe vs in feare which be the waies to obtaine new mercies 80 We must beware of smoothering the watch word of our conscience when we are bent to sinne Euery man in his owne conscience is forewarned of sinne though the Lord speake not to him from heauen as he did to Cain 81 As a man being outlawed may take his pleasure for a while but whensoeuer or wheresoeuer he may be taken he must yeeld to that punishment which by verdict is appoynted so the wicked on whom sentence of damnation is already passed may for a while shake off their paines with vaine pleasures but afterward they shall be arrested and carried violently to the place of wofull execution But for the godly which haue the assurance of their inheritance sealed vp in their consciences though they shall be warned in the day of the resurrection to make their open appearance yet as honest men of the countrie shall stand before the Iudge not as fellonious offenders 82 We must first make men by a feeling of sinne to seeke Christ by an holy faith to find Christ and then by newnes of life to dwell with Christ. 83 Balâ—am prayed that he might die the death of the righteous but let vs pray that we may liue the life of the righteous for he liued not the life of the righteous and therefore he could not die the death of the righteous and if we liue the life of the righteous we shall be sure to die the death of the righteous 84 It is a great token of regeneration if we doe not onely sorrow for great sinnes and sigh for small offences but mourne for particular wants of good actions or in good actions for wâ—nt of good affections 85 There is small hope of him which cannot discerne in himselfe the life of the spirit and the life of the flesh and it is to be doubted that he is yet vnregenerate 86 When men being young are too much giuen to carnall pleasures they being old are too much giuen to worldly profit 87 As we haue taken a vaine delight in the vaine course of this life so we must sigh and pray to be delighted spiritually in spirituall things 88 Adam should haue been no worse for his temptation no more than Christ was but that the one yeelded the other did not 89 If the blood of Christ hath washed vs from the guiltines of sinne then the holy Ghost hath purged vs from the filthines of sinne 90 When our sinne hath lesse liking in vs then there is hope that it will decay in vs especially if we sorrow for it when we cannot fully forsake it and labour to forsake it because it is sinne 91 In true mortification we must haue the first motions of sinne and condemne them as accessaries to sinne in conspiring the death of our soules 92 Hypocrisie is seene when sinne lyeth most dead vnder a cloake and most liueth vnder a closet wherewith God is so displeased that when we make no conscience of sinne in close places our priuie sinnes shall breake forth into open places 93 Particular infirmities doe not hinder the preparation of our hearts for the Lord if we haue a true loue of his word as had Iehosaphat 94 Two things are necessarie to espouse vs to Christ the one to vse the pure meanes the other to vse those meanes with a pure heart 95 If we play with our owne affections sinne in the end from sport will spurre vs to confusion For though we be twice or thrice spared yet we must know that the Lord will recompence his long tarrying with wrath 96 Through our corruption we profit more by the doctrine of a man if we thinke he be our enemie than if we thinke him to be our friend for if he be our friend we let it passe as not spoken to vs though the matter neuer so much concerne vs if our enemie if it neuer so little touch vs we thinke it to be spoken against vs. 97 Walking spirits are vndoubtedly not the soules departed but the euill spirits of the ayre 98 It is a great mercie of God to haue a large affection of weldoing when we haue good occasion thereof for God neuer ceaseth in offering occasions but we often cease in hauing affections 99 Obedience is a chaine to tye vp all the creatures of God from our hurt and as a thing to muzzle their mouthes that they cannot bite vs. Againe disobedience breaketh and openeth the mouthes of all things to our destruction 100 If we haue not the fauour of men it is either for the triall of our faith or for want of dutie vnto them that are displeased with vs or because we sought to please them by displeasing of God or because we haue not prayed for them or haue offended God for which he causeth men to be offended with vs. 1 Because we doe not to men the good we should doe God often suffereth them to report of vs the euill they should not 2 Those temptations are most dangerous which haue most holy ends 3 When a man is most merrie he is neerest danger 4 It is the easiest thing in the world to deceiue a good man 5 God hath two hands in the one he holdeth a hammer to breake the proud in peeces and to bray them to powder in the other hand he hath a horne to powre Gods blessings vpon the humble 1. Pet. 5. 5. 6 If a man should be stinted to one meale a weeke he would haue a pined body at the weekes end euen so if our soules be but fed with the word once a weeke they would be as hunger-starued if we could see it 7 You are in earth to follow your calling you are not yet in heauen Adam when he was most holy by creation and free from euery iot of sinne and corruption did walke in his calling appointed of God much more then are we comfortably to follow the Lord his ordinance seeing these outward things did not come in with sinne but were ordained before sinne 8 Whatsoeuer is vpon you
the one and reiect the other but most principally respecteth in the whole to edifie the heart and conscience being well assured that this part hath most neede in most Christians of direction and consolation and as we be in this part affected so be we in substance and veritie before God For this cause hee desireth and laboureth most in all these workes to stirre vp the heart and to quicken the affections to embrace true godlines that so being freed from sin by the blood of Christ made the seruants of God we might haue our fruit in holines and in the end eternall life In this Impression I haue carefully reuised and corrected in the whole worke all the faults which either by mine owne priuate reading or by the helpe of other louing friends I could obserue in word or matter Here I rest for a time requesting thy prayers good Christian Reader that now all these holy workes thus knit together may serue to Gods glorie and to the further building of the Church of God in our Land Thine in the Lord Iesus HENRY HOLLAND CHristian Reader thou hast here all Maister GREENHAMS workes as they haue beene heretofore gathered and published by the industrie of that worthy and painefull Preacher Maister Henry Holland In this edition thus much is performed viz. the 119. Psalme perfected a praier of Maister GREENHAMS in the end of his workes added and the whole Booke reduced into a more methodicall order which would haue beene dâ—â—e by Maister Holland if he had longer liued all which hath now beene thought fit to be published in this manner as may appeare in the contents following A SHORT AND GENERALL VIEVV OF ALL SVCH MATTERS AS ARE CONTAINED IN THE VVHOLE VVorkes of Mr. Greenham digested after a more Methodicall manner then heretofore The whole Booke is diuided into fiue seuerall parts as hereafter followeth with their particular Titles contained vnder euery one of the said Parts THE FIRST PART Wherein are contained these Titles hereunder following 1 THE first portion is of graue Counsels page 1 2 Another or second portion of an hundred and one and fifty graue Counsels or diuine Aphorismes page 44 3 A third portion likewise of an hundred graue counsels and diuine directions for the attaining and retaining of faith and a good conscience page 51 4 A short forme of catechising page 71 THE SECOND PART Wherein are contained these Treatises following 1 A Sweet comfort for an afflicted Conscience page 95 2 A second Treatise of the same argument page 112 3 The markes of a righteous man 118 4 Sweet and sure signes of Election to them that are brought low 122 5 A Treatise of Contract before marriage 122 6 A Treatise of the Sabaoth 128 7 Notes of saluation with the necessitie and notes of a true vpright hart 171. 172 8 A direction for the reading of the Scriptures page 173 9 A Treatise of the Resurrection 178 10 A Treatise of examination before and after the Lords Supper 187 11 A Treatise of Gods feare 194 12 A Treatise of Hypocrisie 200 13 A Treatise of Anger 204 14 A Treatise of Blessednesse 207 15 A Treatise of Fasting 210 16 A Treatise of sending the Holy Ghost 216 17 A short treatise of prayer vpon the words of the Prophet Ioel chap. 2. ver 32. alledged by Peter Acts 2. ver 21. 236 THE THIRD PART Wherein are contained these Sermons following 1 THE first Sermon of Quenching the the Spirit vpon 1 Thes. 5. ver 19. 241 2 Of murmuring on Exod. 16. v. 2. 249 3 Of Zeale Reue. 3. v. 19. 255 4 Of a Good name Prou. 22. v. 1. 259 5 Of Humilitie Prou. 18. v. 12. 268 6 Of the education of children Prou. 17. ver â—1 276 7 Of Repentance and true sorrow for sinne Acts 2. ver 37. 281 8. 9. 10. Of the heauenly purchase in three Sermons on Mat. 13. 44. 287 11 Of Christian warfare on Ephe. 6. ver 10. 11. 307 12 Of diuers Christian instructions on Psal. 16. 316 13 Of flying ill company Idolatry and Sweareing on Gen. 42. v. 9. 12. 14. 15. 21. 332 14 Of the mutuall duties betweene the Ministers and the people on Heb. 13. ver 17. 339 15 Of the Confession of sinnes how many kindes of Confession how truly to confesse and the necessary vse thereof on Pro. 28. 15. 359 16 Of the first effect of Christs crosse what is meant thereby how rightly to professe this Doctrine the loue that we should beare thereunto the ioy that ariseth therefrom on Gal. 6. ver 14. 15. 363 17 Of the latter or second effect of Christ his crosses which is the power of Christs Resurrection how and by what meanes men are made new creatures on Galat. 6. ver 15. 370 THE FOVRTH PART Wherein are contained certaine Meditations on diuers portions and parts of Scripture 1 MEditations on the. 119. Psal. 381 2 Meditations on Pro. 4. vers 13. to 23. 609 3 Meditations on Prou. 14. ver 5. 6. 7. 8. 622 4 The summe of the Epistle to the Hebrewes 627 5 A briefe summe of Ecclesiastes 628 THE FIFT PART Wherein are contained godly instructions for the due examination and direction of all men to the attayning and retayning of faith and a good conscience reduced into diuers Chapters and common places as followeth Chap. 1. OF Christian Admonition 629 Chap. 2. Of the Forme and Rules of Christian Admonition 631 Chap. 3. Of Adultery and youthfull affections 635 Chap. 4. Of Affection 638 Chap. 5. Of Affliction ibid. Chap. 6. Of Anger 641 Chap. 7. Of Angels ead Chap. 8. Of Baptisme 642 Chap. 9. Of Couetousnesse and the desire of Riches 643 Chap. 10. Of Care couetousnesse and Contentation 644 Chap. 11 Of our generall and speciall calling 645 Chap. 12. Of conference and godly wisedome in the gouernment of the tongue 647 Chap. 13. Of the Church ead Chap. 14. Of the confession of sinne 649 Chap. 15. Of Conscience 650 Chap. 16. Of censure and correstion 651 Chap. 17 Of ceremonies things indifferent and of turning Christian libertie into vnchristian licentiousnesse 652 Chap. 18. Godly Meditations concerning Christs power against Sathan loue to the faithfull and how hee is our wisedome righteousnesse holinesse and of our communion with him 654 Chap. 19 Of Death and Iudgement 656 Chap. 20. Of the shortnesse of our life and the Meditation of Death how profitable 659 Chap. 21. Of dulnesse of spirit and of feeling 662 Chap. 22. Of Catechizing and instruction of youth 662 Chap. 23. Of Examples and how wee must not sinne vpon Example 666 Chap. 24. Of Examination of our selues and of all things by their issues and how to gouerne the eyes 671 Chap. 25. Of the Exercises of Religion Fasting c. and of the carefull vse of the meanes at all times 673 Chap. 26. Of the Gouernment of the Eyes 675 Chap. 27. Of Faith Iustification by faith of Iustice and iust men and of Feeling 678 Chap. 28. Of Feare 682 Chap. 29. Of Friendship Familiaritie
humble them more and more to giue them a terror of Gods iustice for particular sinnes for experience doth teach that this is the best way to obtaine sound comfort both to see our sinne and to be humbled to see our sinne because often men will more readily acknowledge greater sinne they haue beene in than that lesse sinne they presently lie in to be humbled that being throughly throwne downe we may directly seeke Christ and keepe no stay vntill we haue found comfort in him who then is most readie to free vs from our sinne and to comfort vs with his spirit when we are most cast downe with our sinnes and most feare them 12 If the health of body be such a thing as is rather with comfort enioyed than in words to be expressed how great is the peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost which may be tasted but cannot be vttered 13 There are some which haue peace neither with God nor with themselues as desperate heretikes some haue peace with themselues but not with God as secure sinners some haue peace with God and with themselues as repentant Christians 14 We must learne to pitie them that are cast downe in griefe of spirit though they be also pettish for it is an easie matter when one seemeth much to be quiet with God to be in peace with men who often hinder our quietnes with God Againe we little know how great their desire is to feele peace which when they cannot feele presently they are made impatient and yet see this was in Dauid the man of God who found in himselfe this diuersitie of affections which we so much wonder at and speake of in the children of God in our daies he diuides himself as it were into two parts Psal 43. 5. he thought himself sometime very strong in God againe at another time so cast downe that he would on no side lay hold on any comfort in the world yet more then that he was tumultuous and fretting within himselfe And therefore learne this thou that art vnmercifull to stay thy impatiencie behold this thou that art afflicted to stay thy griefe and say not oh Dauid indeed was humbled but I finde another qualitie in my self besides I am pettish I am vncomfortable and vnquiet with them with whom I liue for Dauid was both impatient and pettish Here also learne of Dauid for thy minde to waite on God for faith deliuereth both from griefe and anger and causeth comfortable waiting and not to make too much haste but to possesse our soules in patience vntill God performe his promises vnto vs. 15 It is an vsuall temptation to afflicted consciences to perswade them after some free deliuerance that they are not to looke to be deliuered again because as the Lord hath beene very liberall so we must not wearie and make tedious his bountifull dealings with vs but we must know that the gifts of God are without repentance and the Lord hath manifold deliuerances in store which is as impossible by vse and often receiuing to waste as it is the Lord himselfe should be deceiued he will surely make an end of his owne worke in vs and that for his owne glorie which as he hath appoynted to be endlesse in our deliuerance so the meanes thereunto are also endlesse and therefore yet and againe we are to learne against our vnbeleefe the vnmeasurable treasure of Gods goodnesse in our saluation yea when wee seeme as it were to be in a whirlepit and to be carried with a violent griefe and gulfe of troubles wee know not whither and are constrained oft to diue and plunge downe the waters of affliction running ouer our head yet the Lord will recouer vs and set our feete in steady places if we be cast downe so we can but scraule vp againe if we be resisted of Sathan so we can but kicke against him if we can but open our lips and accuse his malice before the Lord there is sound hope of comfort to be found of him Couering of infirmities 1 GOds children couer many infirmities in others vnder one good gift the vngodly burie many good gifts in others vnder one infirmitie Confession of sinnes 1 HE said vnto one troubled in minde that we should not much be troubled in light things but that rather in griefes we should make knowne our hearts vnto God than deuoure them priuately for if in carnall sorrowes we find some ease when we make things knowne to our faithfull and louing friends as to our parents or to our brethren much more are we to thinke it an ease to our spirituall griefes if wee powre foorth our griefes into the bosome of the Lord who is most faithfull to conceale most louing to take pitie and most able to helpe vs in all our griefes whatsoeuer 2 He obserueth that men would make knowne many sinnes and infirmities and yet retaine one which is the most secret and oftentimes the most chiefe as Moses had many reasons of his tergiuersation and yet there was one secret reason and that the greatest which he would not vtter Where obserue the great mercy of the Lord that though hee might haue been displeased especially after so great promises for his refusall vet he rather pardoneth this one infirmitie of feare that forgetting his manifold good things would presse him with this one want and therefore after many reasons the Lord vouchâ—aseth to handle very gently his priuie sore and to salue it on this manner Nay Moses there is one thing that thou fearest most and that is thine euill entertainement with Pharaoh and the reuenging of his blood whom thou sheddest but let not this stay thee for they are all dead This answere seemed to take away the greatest argument of tâ—rgiuersation though it was least knowne for presently vpon this comfort he takes his calling in hand wherein also is to be noted that how fearefull soeuer man is in respect of himselfe yet when God enableth and incourageth him wee see he shall be inuincible as Moses against Pharaoh himselfe Concupiscence 1 ONe asking his aduice how he might best auoide concupiscence he said to him that a continuall examination of our selues by the law a reuerent and daily meditation of the word a painful walking in our honest calling a holy shaming of our selues and fearing of our selues before our friends a continuall temperance in diet sleepe and apparell a carefull watching ouer our eyes and other parts of our bodies a zealous iealousie to auoide all occasions of person time place which might nourish concupiscence a godly frequenting of persons times places which may breed in vs true mortification together with an humbling of our selues with the shame of our sinnes past with the griefe of sinnes present and with feare of sinnes to come lastly a carefull vsing of fasting prayer and watching when neede required for he still recommended a religious fasting these are
his mercies are most wonderfull there if they bee contemned the iudgements of God ensue most feareful The serpent of all beasts the wisest abusing that wisedome became of all the cursedst Sodome the beautifull valley being puft vp with pride became the filthiest pit The church of the Iewes the valley of vision not vsing it dignitie was as a scattered wildernes Ierusalem is an heape of stones Sion as a thicket the Temple as a vast vessell The Church of Rome refusing Christ is become the seate of Antichrist The churches of Asia lost their candlesticke because light comming to them they loued darknes more than light 66 Vntill a man by feeling the sorrowes of sinnes determineth to arise goe to his father the word doth say he is not come to himselfe as Luk 15. in the lost child contrariwise when a man by feeling the sorrowes of sinne saith he will arise and goe to the father the world crieth with Festus he is besides himselfe too much learning hath made him mad So farre differ the iudgements of the word and of the world 67 As the Serpent was the first instrument of sinne â—o sinne retayneth still a qualitie of the Serpent For first it windeth round about vs as though it would imbrace vs but in the end it playeth the Serpent and with the tayle it doth sting vs. For the sorrowes which belong vnto sinne do not commonly accompanie the fact to be committed but the fault already committed and doggeth the conscience to sting it to death at the time of most aduantage for sinne taketh occasion by the law and deceiueth and therefore sâ—ayeth vs. And let not him thinke that findeth not a present controlement of conscience for euery sinne committed that therefore he hath not offended God for we are oâ—t suffered to haue the spirit of slumber for a while that the spirit of Christ Iesus might more perfitly awake vs. 68 God his children are to reioyce for the day of their Resurrection is their day of Redemption Their iudgement day was when Christ was iudged at what time all that are in Christ were iudged And as the wicked are now damned but then shall haue the sentence of damnation so now the godly are saued but then they shall haue the full testimonie of their saluation by Christ yea with Christ they shall be assistants in iudgâ—â—â—â—â— to condemne others so farre they shall be from comming into iudgement to be condemned 69 Bersillai hauing done a great benefit to Dauid the King could no◠〈◊〉 estimation how sufficiently to recompence it but referred him and his children to â—eat Salomons table Bersillai thought in himselfe this to be so great a recompence that he reâ—use 〈…〉 If it were both in Dauids estimation and in Bersillaieâ— opinion so great a 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 Salomons table how much more glorious a benefit is it to sit at Christ his table 〈…〉 Salomon but a greater than Salomon is present 70 It is our corruption that we are more grieued when we suffer as â—el-doers than when we suffer for euil-doing For this is the logicke of the world I am grieued that I am thus dealt with because I neuer deserued it had I done any thing worthy of punishment it would not haue grieued me though I had beene punished Thou speakest like a foolish man thou knowest not when to be grieued and when â—ot to be grieued For whether is it better to suffer when thy conscience is free and suffereth not or when with thy outward affliction thou art afflicted also of thine owne heart And is it not a glorious thing to suffer for well doing wherein thy cause of griefe is the lesse and an ignominious thing to suffer for euill doing wherein the cause of griefe is the more For if rather the cause of affliction than affliction itselfe should grieueâ— hee then affliction without cause of affliction being for God his cause should rather comfort thee 71 Companie is the best thing and worst thing in the world how much and how 〈◊〉 are men beholding to it it maketh and marreth whatsoeuer commeth neere it 〈◊〉 as wormes do easily breede in the softest wood so doth it commonly spoyle the best â—â—â—â—sition 72 When we haue any crosse it is hard lucke say we Well that luck as you call it and prouidence as I iudge it is often more worth vnto vs than all our substance And why so the reason seemeth simple and yet is most forcible for then we begin to be in necessitie That is as you thinke a cold comfort and I should hardly perswade you that this argument is good For if I shall say that if ye did beleeue ye should see this as sure as your life I know that you would smile at it Notwithstanding it is sure that the sense of our necessitie causeth vs to looke for a remedie the asking of it by prayer doth assure vs to obtaine because of the promise 73 Herein is a difference betweene children and bastards that originall sinne in the refused hath the roote as rottennes the branch as dust the bud as blasphemie the fruite as despaire in the elect being ouerturned with the power of affliction then ariseth in stead of it both the blossoms of rising from sinne and the sweete smelling fruite of conuersion vnto God 74 There is nothing so good but priuie pride will corrupt it nothing so euill but a lye will couer it For priuie pride cast the Angels from heauen exiled Adam out of Paradise ouerthrew the deerest of God his children when they were most full of the spirit and was the last but most fierie temptation wherewith our Sauiour Christ was assaulted It is seene of others before it is espied of our selues it commeth with greatest graces of God whereas other sinnes come with sinne it was the first sinne in God his childe and it will be last For euen when all sinnes seeme to bleede and all graces seeme to stand herein we can be proude that sinne is so dead and godlinesse so abundant in vs. 75 It is good still to attend vpon hearing the word although we feele not that inward ioy and working of God his Spirit which either we haue felt or desire to feele The preaching of the word is God his ordinance if it hath noâ— wrought heretofore though it worke not presently it may worke hereafter And because we know not who is the man what is the time where is the place which is the sermon that God hath appointed to work on vs let vs in all obedience attend on the ministerie of euery man watch at all times be diligent in euery place and runne to euery sermon which we can conueniently because though the Lord touch vs not by this man in this place at this time through such a sermon yet he may touch vs by another Let euery one therefore thus meditate with himselfe Though I hearing am as dead as a stone and
saluation and of an vpright heart 8. Necessarie rules for the profitable reading of holy Scriptures 9. A treatise of the Resurrection 10. A treatise of Examination both before and after the Lords Supper 11. A treatise of Gods feare 12. A treatise of hypocrisie 13. A treatise of Anger 14. A treatise of blessednes 15. A treatise of Fasting 16. A treatise of sending the holy Ghost 17. A short treatise of Prayer vpon the wordes of the Prophet Ioel chapt 2. vers 32. alleadged by Saint Peter Acts 2. vers 21. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SIR DRV DRVRIE KNIGHT GENTLE-MAN-VSHER OF HER MAIESTIES PRIVIE CHAMBER AND MAISTER THOMAS FANSHAW Esquire the Queenes Remembrancer in her Highnesse Court of Exchequer H. H. wisheth the increase of all mercies and comforts in Iesus Christ for euer SOme of these Treatises Right Worshipfull serue well to teach vs both the daunger and the cure of the greatest wound a man can haue on earth the rest differ in argument yet haue one generall scope as namely the building of Gods people in the faith and obedience of Christ. Herein first I request your worships patience to take some view of a short representation of the whole booke by speciall branches couching the authors owne very words and matter in this compendious forme following The first treatise is of a wounded spirit wherein this faithfull seruant of Christ teacheth vs 1. How great an euill the wound of the spirit is for that the very Pagans and Papists can beare great afflictions till their spirits be wounded but if their minds be deiected they will dispâ—tch themselues with any violent death and the faithfull also cast downe with Gods arrowes and sight of their sinnes and the feeling of Gods hand vpon their mindes Iob Dauid Ezekiah Ieremiah mourned heauily for the wound of the spirit 2. What comfort the true peace of conscience carries with it able to free vs from all discomforts of this life and contrarily how the minde appalled no blessing can long cheere vs in this present life 3. How mad they be which by violent death seeke to end their afflictions of minde for that this is the onely way to increase their torments for if their burthen be great here it is intollerable in hell 4. How most men seeme actiue painfull and prudent to preuent and foresee other troubles and euils but few regard with any care aâ— all to preuent the troubles of minde How many trauell with great skill for riches and honour c. but few take any paines for the precious treasure of the peace of a good conscience 5. Preseruatiues against afflictions of minde are the searching of our sinnes past and present great and small and the examination of our faith 6. In examination for sinne we may not content our selues to haue left them We must also heartily sorrow for them euen the sinnes of our youth for if we doe not truly repent vs of them they may againe rebound vpon vs saith he after many yeeres to the great affliction and tormenting of our minds 7. Examination of sinnes must be as well of sinnes committed after our calling as before for these sinnes of all other bite sorest and pearce deepest Couer them not but confesse them to God in time least thou be constrained to blaze them abroad to thine exceeding griefe and torment 8. After knowledge and light receiued from God note euer what sinnes sway most in thee by the often checks of thy conscience and so labour to auoide them being grieued for them which if thou doe not thou canst not escape either hardnes of heart or afflictions of minde 9. Sinnes of omission haue much distempered Gods good children the negligent vse of the meanes of saluation and for the not putting of their gifts in practise many haue beene whipoed afterwards in their naked consciences and the Lord hath euen pearced them in their secret bowels 10. Some are troubled for their priuate pride and this is a good preparatiue to receiue Christ Some for doing more in shew than in truth abusing their knowledge in that they make it but a maske to iuggle in and for that they make but theâ—r affections to fight with their owne iudgement Some righteous men are troubled when they offend not for they are their owne greatest accusers for some secret corruptions in other matters so that there is nothing more difficult than to search our hearts to the bottome for sinnes past and present for priuie pride hidden wants and secret corruptions 11. That we must carefully auoide too scrupulous a feare as well as carnall securitie If the aiuell finde vs voide of all feare he thinkes his assaults must be stronger because our resistance is the weaker but if he finde in vs a cowardly feare and fainting of heart before we strike one stroke against him he will suddenly stab vs to the heart and make a spoile of vs. 12. If we see the godly afflicted in their consciences either before or in the issues of death we may not conclude therefore they are hypocrites or great sinners before God for that the Lord may as well make triall of their faith as take punishment of their sinnes as we see in Iob and others for saith he if such affliâ—tion come principally for sinne then the greatest sinners should haue the greatest afflections 13. When any shall come to the cure of soules afflicted they must not begin with words of compassion onely God is mercifull c. but first with a gentle searching of their sores labouring to draw out of them the confession of some speciall and secret sinnes 14. All griefes are either confused or distinct â—rising of knowne or vnknowne causes The spirituall Physition must wisely consider of the originall of the euill whether it be in soule or bodie or both for this cause he warneth that in this distemper the Physitions counsell be neuer seuered nor the godly ministers labour neglected 15. The persons ministring in this affliction must be men learned of sound iudgement wise and of good experience meeke and of most louing spirits I counsell thee saith he if thou canst not come to the particular sight of sinne iâ— and by thy selfe vse the helpe of such men vnto whom thou must offer freely thine heart to be gâ—ged anâ— searched and the whole course of thy life to be examined by the bright shining glasse of the law of God 16 A certaine cause or knowne sinne is either alreadie committed and not repented or a sinnâ— not committed but whereunto we be tempted If troubles come for some speciall sinne committed say thus Doth this one sinne so displease thee and deserue I thus to be punished and farre more grieuously for this one how great then should my punishment be if thou shouldest so deale with me for all my other sinnes If the heart be terrified with feare of the commission of sinne for temptations and motions vnto siâ—ne we are not so much to dispute with our motions as to
all to be vsed when we would breed comfort in one I demaund whether if it be necessarie to maintaine the righteousnes of Christ it be not also as necessarie to preserue the righteousnes of the law Seeing the righteousnes of the law of vs not fulfilled will draw vs vnto the righteousnes of Christ to vs imputed sith the righteousnes of Christ to vs imputed is neuer throughly and truly esteemed vntill we see the righteousnes of the law of vs to be vnperformed Againe if our Sauiour Christ did foreshew his Disciples that the first work of the holy Ghost at his comming should be to conuict the world of sinne to make men know that without Iesus Christ there is nothing but sinne then that he should rebuke the world of righteousnes that they might see how Christ died not for his own sins but for the sins of others I see not why it should not be very coÌ„uenient first to lay open the righteousnes of the law that men may see their sinnes and then the righteousnes of Christ that men may see their sins discharged in him Besides where the Lord saith by his Prophet At what time soeuâ—r a sinner doth repent of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart I will put all his wickednes out of my remembrance it may well be gathered that there must be first a sound sorrow for sinne and then a true ioy of sins pardoned may more freely by vertue of his promise be both hoped for and looked for afterward Moreouer seeing all the promises of God in the Gospell are commended vnto vs vnder the title tenour of restoring sight to the blinde hearing to the deafe strength to the lame health to the sicke and life to the dead it is manifest not onely that there is no disease of the soule which Christ cannot heale but also that we must first finde our selues blind deafe dumbe lame sick dead before he will meddle with vs because they that are whole neede not the Physition and he came to call sinners not the righteous to repentance Now to doe this in wisedome by neither pressing the conscience too seuerely nor releasing the conscience more vnaduisedly it shall be a safe way to vse the well tempered speech of the Apostle to the sorcerer Repent that if it be possible thy sinne may be forgiuen thee Where he doth not wholy discourage him because it may be his sinne may be pardoned neither yet too boldly incourage him in that without repentance he sheweth it to be altogether impossible to be pardoned And that we be not too preposterous in our consolation let vs be warned by the blasphemous speech of that detestable ArriaÌ„ who of late yeeres was put to death at Norwich This hellish heretike a little before he should be executed affoorded a few whorish teares asking whether he might be saued in Christ or no When one told him that if he truly repented he should surely not perish he brake out most monstrously into this speech Nay is your Christ so easily to be intreated indeed as you say then I defie him and care not for him Oh how good a thing had it bin not to haue cast this precious stone to this swine Oh how safe had it been to haue dealt more bitterly and to haue dwelt more vehemently on the conscience of this caiâ—ife Now to attaine some discretion in curing this wounded spirit we must learne wisely to iudge both of the person afflicted and of the nature of his affliction First we may note whether it be a man or a woman because we may vrge more fearfully the vse of the law to a man as being the stronger vessell And as Sathan knew the woman to be most easie and framable to be wrought vpon at his first temptation so is he not ignorant that she is the weaker partie to sustaine any temptation now Then let vs consider whether they that are thus humbled haue knowledge or no Because if they haue no knowledge they thinke trouble of minde to be so strange a thing as neuer any before had it if they haue knowledge then Sathan is readie to accuse them of the sinne against the holy Ghost as though euery sinne done against knowledge were a sinne of presumption Further we are to enquire how strong or weake they are that if they be sorely striken we cease to humble them any further if they be not sufficiently wounded then to touch them with some deeper sense of sinne Also we must be circumspect to finde out whether by nature they are fearefull and melancholike or no as also whether they be vsuall sinners or haue fallen once of infirmitie that so vpon their disposition and inclination we may build our speeches the better To these it is good to adde the consideration of the persons age estate and abilitie as if the partie be troubled for worldlines whether he be not a great house holder if he complaine of vncleannes whether he be not a yong man vnmaried if he be humbled with couetousnes whether he be not old because diuers couÌ„tries callings ages conditions and estates of men haue their diuers and peculiar sinnes which we must rightly discerne Howbeit of what sex soeuer they are men or women of what complexion soeuer they are of what knowledge to discerne sin of what degree of committing sin of what age authoritie wealth estate or coÌ„dition soeuer they are it is good to marke that there be many who are more troubled for the vexation and disquietnes of their minde being distempered than for the vilenes and horriblenes of their sin coÌ„mitted who are wounded more with the feare of shame with the feare of being mad or with the feare of running out of their wits than with the conscience of sinne Which thing if we finde in them it is our part to trauell with them that they make a lesse matter of the outward shame and more conscience of the inward sinne Neither must we here forget to make a distinction betweene our speeches vsed to the humbled in the very time of their extreme agony burning ague of their troubles and those speeches which we vse to them the fit being past because the one and former requireth more consolation and lesse exhortation the other and latter would haue vs more abundant in admonishing and more sparing in comforting when we may wisely admonish them to beware of sinne which so procured their owne woe In this breathing time it is also expedient to exhort them that for some season vntill they shall finde greater power of regeneration they would tye themselues to some holy orders and godly vowes whereby they may either be furthered in mortifying some speciall sinne which for that they could finde no power against it did most grieue them or strengthened in some speciall grace the want where of did also wound them But before we launch deeper into this sea of particular temptations and begin to sound the
feele that the seede of God his Spirit may bud foorth that both we and they ioyning together in deuout prayer and Christian practise of our profession may call and allure others as yet further from vs to come neerer to vs. But some will say vnto me I was wont to haue better dispositions and to feele sweeter motions than I haue done of late I profit little or nothing nay I feare rather I goe backe Why I pray you is this I say surely God his spirit worketh not in me as he hath done before because I cannot haue such delight in the word such sweetnes in feruent prayer such ioy in the Sacraments I haue not such a plentifull measure of God his spirit in me Now followeth the second thing in these words Vpon flesh Here are two things in nature opposite one against another the one most pretious the other most vile What more pretious than the Spirit of God what more vile than flesh that is than a man meerely vnregenerate That this word flesh so signifieth it appeareth Genes 6. 3. where the Lord saith My spirit shall not alwaies striue with men because he is but flesh that is such as in whom my image is blotted out And Rom 7. 18. the Apostle saith I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing In which place the Apostle speaketh of himselfe as of a man meerely naturall and vnregenerate And Ioh. 3. 6. it is said That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that that is borne of the Spirit is Spirit Where the antithesis and contrarietie doth shewe the meaning of this word flesh Here then is the depth height length and breadth of God his mercie commended vnto vs in giuing his holie spirit to sinful flesh and therefore we may iustly crie out with the Prophet Psal. 8. 4. what is man that thou art mindfull of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him Oh what is man that the Lord should giue him his Spirit If the man of God cried out thus for the benefit of outward things how much rather are we to crie for the benefit of God his Spirit If Iob in his booke reasoneth that it is a great mercie of God that he will take paines to chastice man how much more mercie is it when he will vouchsafe his Spirit to be giuen vnto him If then flesh is so contemptible a thing that it lieth without all honour vntil God doth send his blessed Spirit here is confuted the doting opinion of the Papists who think that there is some good thing in man which moueth the Lord through a liking and louing of him to bestow these inestimable graces of the spirit on him when as of it selfe it is wholy alwaies and in al things corrupt and onely euill continually Wherein these blinde Diuines shew and bewray themselues not to haue tasted truly at any time of the spirit of God but to glance at it with some glimmering sight to their further condemnatiō as the foolish Philosophers For God his people doe plainly feele and to the glorie of God boldly confesse that there is no first degree or preparation in themselues whereby they might moue the Lord once to cast his fauourable countenance towards them but that it is onely the merit and the vndeserued mercy of God that his spirit which worketh any good proceedings in them doth also begin in them and the same spirit both continueth the worke and maketh a way for the worke which he himselfe must worke vpon afterward It is said Esay 44. 3. I will powre water vpon the thirstie and flouds vpon the drie ground where our nature for barrennes is compared to drie ground and the Spirit to a fountaine of water The Lord moreouer by his Prophet sheweth that vntill by his good spirit he doth soften vs wee haue stonie hearts And can a stone bleede though you bruise cut and breake it in peeces Surely no more can wee bee bruised humbled and broken in heart for sinne be the iudgements of God neuer so sorely vrged vpon vs vntill God by his good spirit touch vs. If it bee then a great worke to turne a stone into flesh to make a thing most insensible most sensible then surely to make a stonie heart fleshie and our hearts that are hardened to melt bleede and to be resolued into teares is a more excellent worke and this is the onely worke of God his spirit And as thus much wee haue spoken for doctrine so also it may make for our consolation and for the comfort of al them that are broken in minde and feele the burthen of their naturall corruption True it is that all generally and naturally are flesh drie ground and hard hearts but all doe not feele this all see not this all lament not this and therefore all that haue not the beginnings of faith and haue not tasted the first fruites of the spirit because they are but flesh how can they feele any thing in themselues But when the spirit commeth that hardnes is taken away the vale is rent and then wee begin to complaine of our deadnes and dulnes then wee will crie out of our selues as of men vnworthie of any grace or fauour of God Then remember to thy comfort the couenant of God made vnto vs that is that God will powre out his spirit on flesh and thou shalt receiue of the power thereof if thou complaine in truth and not as a Parrat counterfeiting the worke of reason For as some birds can counterfeite mens wordes so some men can counterfeite God his words If then thou art not truly moued and purely affected neither feelest such gratious working in thee as thou desirest remember that God will powre his spirit on flesh God will powre waters on drie ground God will soften the hard hearts and though in our selues wee finde no towardnes the Lord will send flouds of water in steed of drinesse and fleshinesse in stead of hardnes and comfort in stead of heauines Now followeth the third thing that is that this benefit shall vniuersally be powred out vpon all And this setteth out the goodnesse of God that doth giue it in that he doth it without respect of persons as well on children as on fathers as well on seruants as on masters as well on women as on men as well on young as on olde together with the fourth thing in that this heauenly gift shall in plentifull measure bee powred out in that the ions and daughters shall prophecie the young men shall see visions and the olde men shall dreame dreames Wherein we obserue first the difference betweene the Law and the Gospell betweene the Fathers vnder the Law and those that are vnder the Gospell We grant that we al had one substance of faith and repentance only they looked for Christ to come we to Christ alreadie come And here are to be noted two other differences the one that then the spirit was giuen to
puffed vp with pride that they reioyce when their pride may be pulled downe or their haughtinesse abated either by some sharpe rebuke or by some fearefull threatning or by some moderate correction from the Lord. For they know that if it were needefull for S. Paul to be buffeted and that by the minister of Satan to the intent that his pride might be beaten down then it is much more needful for them after sundrie waies to be humbled Besides they doe not only desire the word but they also waite vpoÌ„ the Lord vntill it please him to worke further in them thereby and this waiting is as earnest as is theirs who hauing watched all the night doe waite and looke for the dawning of the day Secondly as they see their wants so also they see that grace they haue receiued and are for that time well appayed and contented therewith and therefore as their wants doe humble them so the graces of God receiued doe comfort them and as their wants doe call vpon them cause them to seeke more so that they haue doth prouoke them to be thankefull for that they haue receiued See then a quite contrarie course of the wicked and those that of sinceritie doe worship God see I say how contrarily the graces and gifts of God doe worke in them And therefore from the consideration hereof wee may well draw a fourth rule whereby to make triall and examination of our selues So to conclude this point in a word when a man by the spirit of God hath been inlightned vnto a certaine and sufficient knowledge of Gods will when he findeth his affection chiefly and aboue all other things set vpon God when he findeth a pure and sincere loue of God in his heart not for wages but for the worke of grace which after an vnspeakeable manner doth moue him thereunto when he doth thankfully acknowledge mercies receiued as he doth carefully attend and waite vpon the Lord til he bestow some greater measure of graces vpon him then may he bee vndoubedly perswaded that hee hath found the spirit working in him in a more effectuall manner and that therefore it shall neuer be taken from him But what then may such men cast off all care No for vnto them doth S. Paul giue this charge That they doe not quench the spirit And notwithout cause doth he giue them this charge for though the spirit it selfe can neuer be taken vtterly from them yet doubtlesse if they waxe proud if they grow secure if they fall into sinne then the graces and gifts of the spirit may decay and dye in them their cleere vnderstanding their feeling their affection and all may be gone so that in their own iudgement and in the iudgement of others it may seeme that they haue quite quenched put out the spirit Neither must this seeme so strange for if the image of God which was more perfectly placed in Adam than it is now in vs If I say this image might quite be lost and blotted out as we see it was then no marueile if the graces of the spirit of God be for a time as it were dead and drowned in vs. And that we may be the lesse offended herewith the Scriptures doe offer vnto vs such examples of men as hauing been once effectually called and truly borne againe haue yet afterward through some sinnes lost the graces of the spirit such were the Galathians for they were truly called and effectually regenerate by the spirit and Gospell of God as may appeare by this that for the words sake they reuerenced the Apostle as the Angell of God yet they were snared with false doctrine and fel very dangerously to the choking and quenching of the graces of Gods spirit in them The spirit it selfe was not takâ—n from them nay Christ did still continue in their hearts but yet for want of godly graces hee was as it were without fashion or forme so that the Apostle did as it were trauell againe vntill Christ was fashioned anew in them Dauid also vpon the committing of his sinne was brought into the like â—ase therefore in the 51. Psalme he prayeth That God will create in him a new spirit What was the spirit quite gone No for by and by in the same Psalme he prayeth That the Lord would not take away his holy spirit from him How can these two stand together first to pray that a new spirit may bee created in him and then that the spirit of God may not be taken from him Surely the spirit it selfe was still in him and therfore he prayeth that it may not be taken from him but the graces and gracious working of the spirit they were dead and gone and therefore he praieth that they may be renewed in him By this then we see that the very chiefe graces of the spirit may be quenched euen in the most godly when they fall into sinne But yet that no libertie may be taken hereby let vs a little consider what griefe and punishment they procure to themselues that do by any meanes lose the graces of the spirit First of all we must know that though the spirit of God caÌ„not be gotten by our labour yet it costeth vs much labour and wee must vndergoe much trauell and suffer much trouble before the spirit of God doe take possession of vs now when the graces of the spirit are lost all this our labour seemeth to be lost and what griefe is it to see the whole labour and trauell of a man to vanish and come to nothing Secondly when a man receiueth the spirit of God and by the same spirit is assured that his sinne is forgiuen him that he is in the fauour of God there doth arise in his heart a great ioy in the holy Ghost a ioy I say that is vnspeakeable and glorious and this ioy is lost and gone when the graces of Gods spirit are gone with how great griefe and woe they knowe that in any measure haue tasted of it Againe when the graces of the spirit are choked in men then they haue no heart to doe good they haue no affection to goodnesse but all is gone and they are made for the time as it were an vnprofitable burthen of the earth What griefe can be greater than this what sorrow can sinke more deepe than that a good man should bee cleane withholden from doing good Moreouer it is sure that wheÌ„ the gifts of the spirit are in this sort gone then he that was most righteous before may soone fall into great sinnes yea and which is more they shall also suffer the reproch of their sinnes For this is a part of the couenant that God made with his That though he will not take his mercies vtterly from them yet hee will visite their sinnes with the rodde and their iniquities with scourges and what griefe this is the example of Gods children may shew vs. What griefe was it to
them their sinnes telling them of a suretie that their iniquitie was the cause of Christ his death whereby a certaine care began to bee wrought in them in so much that being thus troubled they enquired and saide Men and brethren what shall wee doe Whereupon afterward followed the second Sermon of Peter where hee exhorteth them to continue in their repentance and teacheth vs that if our sorrowe bee good wee must goe forward therein Further hee sheweth them to this ende that they must beleeue that beleeuing they may bee baptized that being baptized they might receiue the gift of the holy Ghost Lastly it is manifest how they hearing that Sermon first receiued the doctrine and after perseuered in the practise of the same Briefly therfore three things are hereto be noted First the fruit of the former Sermon of Peter contained in these wordes Now when they heard it c. Secondly the summe of a new Sermon of Peter in these wordes Then Peter said vnto them Amend your liues c. Thirdly is set downe the fruite of their obedience In the former part of this Chapter we may know the wonderfull workes of God that the Apostles who were neuer brought vp in schooles spake with diuers tongues which when the multitude heard some are said to maruell and to be astonished some mocked them and said They are full of new wine But when Peter with great boldnesse of spirit had in this Sermon which he made set the trueth of God against their false accusations and had preached against their sinne then they left off mocking and were pricked in their hearts Where first wee may note the power of Gods word which onely is able to touch our consciences for sinne For neither the diuersity of tongues nor other gifts of the holy Ghost could prick their hearts as being able onely to cast them into an admiration What more forcible thing than that which causeth a godly sorrow and causeth our consciences to be pricked What so able to pricke our consciences as the word of God Indeede many feele sorrow and are inwardly pricked but because therewith is not ioyned the power of Gods word they bee either senselesse as blockes or in their feeling they be murmurers This commeth vnto vs by the dignitie of Gods word in that no wonders from heauen no miracles on earth can touch our hearts and worke in vs any good fruit without the same For though the Lord should shew vnto vs all the wonders from heauen which he shewed on the old world and on Sodome although he should lay al the plagues vpon vs which he laid on Pharaoh and on the Egyptians without the word of God we should be as vnprofitable beholders as euer were the Sodomites and should become as hard hearted as euer were Pharaoh and the Egyptians so that no iudgement from heauen no trouble from earth can humble vs no blessing from aboue no benefit from beneath can profit vs vntill the word of God commeth which teacheth the olde way to forsake it the newe way to enter into it and the perfect way to continue in it And thus much for the generall scope of this doctrine Now more particularly we may obserue in this first part three things First the power of the word to pricke our consciences Secondly that this pricke must not cause in vs a more rebelling against the word and Ministers thereof but rather a greater reuerence to them both Thirdly such prickes must prepare vs to a greater desire to profit For the first we must know that this is the beginning of repentance this is the entrie to godlinesse euen to conceiue a sorrowe for our sinnes and so bee wounded with a feeling of our euils For as long as men are secure it is not possible that they should seriously apply their mind vnto doctrine neither without the knowledge and feeling of our sinnes can we heartily long for Christ. To this agree the Law the Prophets and the Apostles The law because in all their sacrifices wherein Christ was prefigured was manifested also vnder darke signes the contrition of heart and acknowledging their vnworthinesse The Prophet as Dauid and Esay Dauid in the fourth Psalme and fift verse faith Tremble and sinne not where the Prophet sheweth that this is an effectuall thing to true repentance to quake and tremble for feare of Gods iudgements That wee may then truly examine our selues wee must feare and humble our selues because before trouble terrour and quaking at the iudgements of God we wil neuer be brought to offer our selues to Christ alone In Psalme 51. vers 18. 19. the Prophet likewise sheweth that no sacrifice is acceptable to God without a contrite heart that is neither prayer neither almes-giuing neither praise of thanksgiuing vnles wee bringing an humble and contrite spirit with vs cast our selues downe before his iudgement seate and sue for mercy in Christ. And here marke that he saith The sacrifices of God are a troubled spirit c. where hee vsing the plurall number sheweth that the sacrifices of repentance which must not be one but many are humblenes of the spirit and contrition of heart For the affliction of the soule and contrition of the minde doe so cast vs downe wounded with our sins and humbled with a feeling of Gods wrath as that it maketh vs to acknowledge that we are nothing of our selues and to seeke for our saluation wholy at the mercie of God No marueile then seeing by this meanes we being confounded and ashamed of our selues staying our selues on the only promises of God doe come to confesse our owne nakednes and wretchednes if the Prophet should say that the Lord is pleased with his sacrifice as with the sacrifice of sacrifices The Prophet Esay 40. 6. 7. 8. saith All flesh is grasse and the beautie thereof as a flower of grasse the grasse withereth and the flower falleth when the breath of the Lord falleth vpon it Where the Prophet painting out man in his proper colours and driuing him to seeke out saluatiō not in himselfe but in Christ describeth the outward part of man to be as grasse and by the flower of grasse he sheweth his gifts of minde being vnregenerate as wisdome memorie knowledge and vnderstanding So that when Gods spirit doth but breath on vs all our wisdome all our knowledge riches and authoritie fal before the presence of the Lord of hosts neither can we remaine but only by the word of God whereby we are borne againe Wherefore the considering and meditating of our transitorie estate driueth vs to a contrition and humblenes of spirit Besides the Lord God saith Esay whom the heauens cannot containe nor the earth hold will come and dwell with a lowly poore and troubled spirit and which standeth in awe of his word God doth not accept our sacrifices which are offered without trembling at his word no more than if we should kill a man and choake a dogge
themselues carnall cannot see themselues sold vnder sinne The Apostles knew grosse sinnes as well as they did to be the breaches of the law of God yea and the worldly wise Philosophers could confesse as much but he saw further that euery little thought rebelling against the spirit and fighting against the law was sinne which they neuer dreamed of And therefore Paul sifting his corruption so low thought himselfe euen as a slaue or dead man howsoeuer before he might haue thought himselfe and did account himselfe as vpright a man as the best of them If we likewise shall looke narrowly into the law seeing the good things commaunded and the euill things forbidden and both of them infinite then shall consider our selues to be infinite our affections not being angelicall but our whole nature corrupt and our whole will rebelling this will rid vs of all imagined righteousnes and will cause vs to cast off our hold of our owne perfection for finding the law commaunding good things so plentifully and forbidding euill things so manifoldly and then seeing our selues to doe so many euill things and to leaue vndone so many good things wee shall not onely be conuicted to be sinners but we will confesse ourselues to be most miserable sinners But why are not our affections moued with a sense of sinne as in iudgement we haue the sight of sinne because our eyes are still set on the things commaunded and forbidden and withall we looke not into the curses of the law and threatnings against them that commit the euill things and omit the good things FINIS THE SEVENTEENTH SERMON Galath 6. vers 15. For in Christ Iesus neither circumcision auaileth any thing nor vncircumcision but a new creature AS we haue spoken of the former fruite of the crosse of Christ which was that the Apostle was crucified to the world and the world crucified to him so now wee are to speake of the latter effect that is hee was made a new creature And here note by the way that though mention here bee not expressiuely made of the resurrection of Christ as was before of the crosse of Christ yet it is necessarily vnderstood and that according to the meaning and custome of the holy Ghost because as it is the vertue of the crosse of Christ that crucifieth sinne in vs so it is the power of his resurrection that raiseth vs to newnes of life and as Christ died for our sinnes so he rose againe for our iustification Rom. 4. and as hee died to cleanse vs from our sinnes so also to crucifie sinne in vs and as hee rose to impute righteousnes vnto vs so also to worke in vs righteousnesse and holinesse In that the Apostle speaketh here of a new creature as also hee doth 2. Corinth 5 27. If any man be in Christ let him bee a new creature c. we are taught that it is not sufficient to be crucified to the world but we must be also new creatures we must not onely put off the old man but wee must put on the new man and looke what wee detract from the one we must adde to the other it is not enough to die vnlesse we be borne again it is not enough to be corrupted vnlesse wee bee chaunged For as it was not sufficient for Christ to be crucified but hee ought also to rise againe so it is not sufficient for vs to bee freed from the guiltines and corruption of sinne which we receiued of Adam but we must also be clothed with that righteousnesse and bee made partakers of that holinesse which floweth from Christ so that as none of our sinnes shall bee laid to our charge likewise all Christ his obedience is as fully ours as we our selues had done it Now the better to conceiue what it is to be a new creature we must consider for the one part that which is Ephes. 4. 22. 23. 24. Cast off concerning the conuersation in time past the olde man which is corrupt through the deceiuable lusts And bee renewed in the spirit of your minde And put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse and for the other part that which is Coloss. 3. 9. Ye haue put off the old man with his workes 10. And haue put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him briefly the word importeth thus much that whatsoeuer wee lost in the first creation wee must receiue in the second and whatsoeuer we haue been depriued of by Adam we haue it restored in Christ. Adam not in substance but in qualities was made like vnto God and we are new creatures made partakers of the godly nature as witnesseth Peter not in things essentiall but in holy qualities to resemble the Creatour And as Adam in the beginning and we in Adam were made wise righteous holy and in perfit felicitie and both he and we through sinne haue lost this heauenly image for in Christ it is renewed so fully as he is our wisedome and taketh from vs ignorance hee is our righteousnes and acquiteth vs from our sinnes he is our holinesse and freeth vs from our corruption hee is our redemption and restoreth to vs our libertie And because we are then renewed when wee are a wise people righteous holy and waiting for the comming of Christ we must on our parts in some measure haue our earthly wisedome mortified spirituall wisedome renewed our earthly affections slaine godly affections quickened our old conuersation quelled our conuersation from hence-foorth in heauen we must not liue as we were wont but our liues must be changed to the obedience of the word which wee must testifie in thought word and deede Briefly then wee are renewed by faith in Christ when wee assuredly beleeue that 1. Cor. 1. 30 Christ Iesus is made of God vnto vs wisedome and righteousnes and sanctification and redemption and by the fruites of faith by Rom. 12. 2. not fashioning our selues like vnto this world but by being changed by the renewing of our minde and by Ephes. 4. 24 putting on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse First therefore we must beleeue that Christ is made to vs wisedome because naturally Ephes. 4. 18. our cogitation is darkened and we are strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in vs. How blinde we are by nature and what neede wee haue of the Spirit of Christ to enlighten vs the Prophet Dauid euen in that image of a new creature Psal. 119. by his often praying for the same doth plentifully declare And when it shall please God thus to enlighten vs then must wee labour for a certificate in our consciences to haue our sinnes cleerely discharged in the death of Christ and to assure vs that Christ his righteousnes in his resurrectiō is as surely imputed vnto vs as if we had done all righteousnes and though we haue been sinners as others yet
thou forsaken me this was the complaint of Gedeon Did not the Lord bring vs out of Egipt but now the Lord hath forsakeÌ„ vs deliuered vs into the hands of the Midianites Iudg. 6. 13. M. Robert Glouer martyr at Couentrie after hee was condeÌ„ned by the Bishop was now at point to be deliuered out of the world it so happened that two or three dayes before his death his heart beeing lumpish and desolate of all spirituall consolation felt in himselfe no aptnesse nor willingnesse but rather a heauinesse and dulnesse of spirit full of much discomfort to beare the bitter crosse of Martyrdome readie now to bee laide vpon him wherevpon hee fearing in himselfe least the Lord had withdrawn his wonted fauour from him made his moane to one Austine his deere friend signifying vnto him how earnestly he had prayed day and night vnto the LORD GOD and yet could receiue no motion nor sense of any comfort from him vnto whome they saide Austine answered againe willing him patiently to waite the Lords pleasure howsoeuer his present feeling was yet seeing his cause was iust and true he exhorted him constaÌ„ntly to sticke to the same to play the maÌ„ nothing doubting but the Lord in his good time would visite him and satisfie his desire with plentie of consolation c. The next day when the time came of the Martyrdome as he was going to the place and was now come to the sight of the stake although all the night before praying for strength and courage he could feele none suddainly he was so replenished with the holy Ghost that he cryed out clapping with his hands to Austine and saying with these words Austine he is come he is come c. and that with such ioy and alacritie as one seeming rather to be risen from some deadly danger to liberty of life then as one passing out of the world by any paines of death Desertion in sinne is when God withdrawing the assistance of his spirit a man is left to fall into some actuall and grieuous sinne And for all this no man is to thinke that God is the authour of sinne but onely man that falleth and Sathan A resemblance of this truth we may see in a staffe which if a man shall take and set vpright vpon the ground so long as he holds it with his hand it stands vpright but so soone as he withdrawes his hand though he neuer push it downe it fals of it selfe In this desertion was the good King Hezekiah of whom the holy Ghost speaketh thus Hezekiah prospered in all his waies therefore dealing with the Ambassadours of the Princes of Babel which sent to him to inquire of the wonder which was done in the Land God left him namely to the pride of his heart to exalt himselfe in tempting him that he might trie out all that was in his heart To this place appertaine Noahs drunkennesse Dauids adulterie Peters deniall of Christ. The reason of such desertions may be this If a patient shall be grieuously sicke the Physition will vse all manner of meanes that can be deuised to recouer him and if he once come to a desperate case the physition rather then he will not restore him will imploy all his skill he will take poyson and so temper it and against the nature thereof he will make a soueraigne remedie to recouer health The elect children of God are diseased with an inward hidden and spirituall pride whereby they affect themselues and desire to be something in themselueâ— foâ—â—h of Christ and this sinne is very dangerous first because when other sinnes die in a man this secret pride gets strength for Gods grace is the matter of pride in such wise that a man will be proud because he is not proude for example if any shall be tempted of the diuell to some proud behauiour and by Gods grace get the victorie then the heart thus thinketh Oh thou hast done well thou hast foiled the enemie neither pride nor any other sinne can preuaile against thee such and such could neuer haue done so and a very good man shall hardly be free from such kind of motions in this life Secondly there is no greater enemie to faith then pride is for it poysoneth the heart and maketh it vncapable of that grace so long as it beareth any sway for he that will beleeue in Christ must be annihilated that is he must be brused and battered to a flat nothing in regard of any liking or affection to himselfe that he may in spirit mount vp to heauen where Christ sits at the right hand of the Father and as it were with both the hands of faith graspe him with all his blessed merits that he may be wisedome righteousnesse sanctification redemption life good workes and whatsoeuer good thing he is neither in nor by nor for himselfe but euery way forth of himselfe in Christ. Now this blessed condition of a beleeuing heart by naturall selfe-loue selfe-liking is greatly hindered God therefore in great mercy to remedie this dangerous corruption lets his elect seruants fal into trouble of minde conscience if they happily be of greater hardnesse of heart into some actuall sin so declaring his wonderfull mercy in sauing them he is faine against his mercy to bring them to his mercy and by sin to saue them from sin By this means the Lord who can bring light out of darknesse makes a remedy of sin to slay pride that inuisible moÌ„ster of many heads which would slay the soule Though this be so yet none must hereupon venter to coÌ„mit any sin against Gods commandemeÌ„ts least in so doing they cast away their soules For the godly man though he fal into sin yet it is against his purpose and it makes his hart to bleed the course of his life shall be alwaies vpright and pleasing vnto God because he is led by the spirit of God The ends for which God vseth desertions are three the first is the chastisement of sins past in the former part of mans life that he may search them out coÌ„sider them he hearâ—ily sorrowfull for them for this end was Iobs triall Thou writest saith he bitter things against me and makest me to possesse the sinnes of my youth The second end is that God may make triall of the present estate of his seruants not that he is ignorant what is in man but because he would haue all men know themselues To this effect saith Moses And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God lead thee in the wildernesse for to humble thee and to prooue thee to know what was in thine heart whether thou wouldest keepe his commandements or no. This also was the end why the Lord left Ezechias to prooue and trie what was in his heart The triall by desertion serueth for two purposes for other whiles the Lord vseth it for the manifestation of some hidden sinne that the godly may
not Here then is a mirrour of Gods children the worldly minded men would alwayes keepe one tenour and neuer bee moued but the children of God doe thus change they cannot finde this wisedome and comfort at the first but then when they are brought lowe Many when they heare a promise thinke to haue it by and by but they maâ—ke not that a promise and the fruition of it is not all at once for the lawe will make them fit before they enioy it This causeth many to fall from the promises which seemed to beleeue because they haue not helpe at the first but the children of God melte and cleaue to the dust and yet trust in God and waite on him and then feele comfortâ— others in the beginning of trouble pray and waite a little but if helpe come not quickly then cast they all away But the child of God hath a patient spirit and therefore feeleth comfort when the hasty minded man wanteth not his woe He marketh the deliuerance of others and hopeth for the same and so waiteth still on God Hee was as good as dead and saw no helpe but the word The nature of man is readie to trust in meanes so long as hee hath them therefore God pulleth all meanes from vs that we may onely trust in him Let vs thinke that God hath deliuered others and therefore hee will deliuer vs. ¶ Vers. 26. I haue declared my wayes c. VEers 59. He considereth his wayes that is his inward imperfections outward aberrations from the straite and stâ—eight wayes of God and here he is not ashamed to declare them that is to acknowledge and confesse that all this came vpon him because hee was forgetfull to doâ— Gods will My soule claue vnto the dusâ— because I claue not to thee I haue declared my wayes of wickednes teach thou me the wayes of rigtâ—eousnesse I haue declared my wayes Our wayes are our sinnes or rather that course which we followe in sinning wee ought with the Prophet to declare them that is wee must deale with our sinnes as the iudge dealeth with malefactors 1 Apprehende 2 Aâ—raâ—gâ—â— 3 Condemne our selues as guiltie before God For he that hideth his 〈◊〉 shâ—k not prâ—â—pâ—r Proâ— 28. 13. See what declarations or rather declamations the Saints mâ—â—e against themselues 2. Sam. 12. Psal. 32. 51. Neh. 9. 33. 34 35. Daâ— 9 5 6. 7 8. 9 10. It were good for vs in our life time to keepe a register of all our sinnes to recount them often before God that hauing from him our estâ—ere â—ere wee may not hereafter bee called to an account Men carefully looke how they stand in the world but are carelesse to see how they stand before God and therefore may iustly haue the statutes of bancke-rupts sued against them And thou heardest me This is the benefit that commeth vnto vs vpon the vnfained confession of our sinnes He that confesseth and forsaketh them shall finâ—e mercie Prou. 28. 13. Vncouer thou God will couer declare thou God will heare In the seate of Iustice vpon earth we say open confession open confusion here it is farre otherwise 1. Ioh. 1. 9. And thou heardest me God heareth our prayers two wayes first in mercie when he granteth the requests of such as call vpon him in the feare of his name Secondly hee heares mens prayers in his wrath Thus he gaue the Israelites quayles at their desire Psal. 78. 29. 30. 31. and Hos. 13 10. 11. Thus men often times curse themselues and others yea their children caâ—tell and accordingly they haue their wish Dauid was not euer heard at the first neither are we ouer heard at the first It pleaseth God to deale with vs as with the woman of Canaan Matth. 15. 24. 1. To proue vs by delay 2. To exercise our faith 3. That we may acknowledge from whom we haue receiued that which we praied for 4. That wee might more esteeme of the graces giuen by importunitie 5. To whet on our desires after such things as we pray for and 6 that others may learne that he that beleeueth will not make hast Isay 28. 16 Nay it pleaseth God ofteÌ„times not to heare vs at all 1 Because we theÌ„ know not to aske as we ought Matth. 20. 22. 2. Because wee aske amisse Iames 4. 3. 3. Because they are not good for vs 2. Cor. 12. 7. But because the Prophet saith thou heardest me after what maÌ„ner doth God heare the prayers of his seruaÌ„ts Answer 1. By graunting the thing which was asked according to his wil. 2 By denying the thing desired by giuing something proportionable vnto it We aske temporall he giues spirituall blessings we aske deliuerance he giues patience The Cup was not remoued at Christs prayer his manhood was inabled to beare Gods wrath The pricke in the flesh was not taken from Paul but he heard this voyce My Grace is sufficient for thee Teach me thy statutes This often repetition of this one thing in this Psalme argueth 1 The necessitie of this knowledge 2 The desire he had to obtaine it 3 That such repetitions are not then friuolous when they proceed from a sound heart a zealous affection and a consideration of the necessitie of the thing prayed for 4 That such as haue most light haue little in respect of that they should haue 5. As couetous men thinke they haue neuer gold enough so christian men should thinke they haue neuer knowledge enough ¶ Vers. 27. Make me to vnderstand the way of thy precepts and I will meditate in thy wonderous workes HE goeth on in his former petition and considering that euerie man is a beast in his owne vnderstanding like the owle that cannot beholde the sunne and the Mole that wanteth sight hee desireth that God would partly by his spirit partly by his ministers partly by afflictions partly by studie and labor make him to haue a right and sounde vnderstanding not onely of his statutes but of the wâ—y of his statutes that is after what sort and order he may liue and direct his life according to those things which God hath commaunded him in his Lawe Learne heere first how hard a thing it is for man ouerweening himselfe in his owne wisedome to knowe Gods will till God make vs to knowe wee are fooles and slowe of heart to belieue all that is written in the Worde till CHRIST open our eyes Luke 24. wee say with Nâ—câ—demus how can these things be Iohn 3. Secondly it is not enough to vnderstand the Word but to knowe the waye to walke in it that by it wee may be directed what to doe when where and how wee ought to performe euery action And I will meditate or as some reade speake of it as if he should say if thou teach me I by thy grace shall teach others and surely to what ende doth God giue knowledge but that wee should be carefull to edifie others by it Wee may not desire this knowledge onely to know
prayer doe wee come before his Maiestie as pricked with a feare thereof are wee pressed with feeling our wants doe wee feare the repulse Oh let vs craue by prayer that we may not come in fashion but in feare not on custome but of conscience and with a free spirit If the spirit make vs free saith Iohn then are we free indeede wee are so captiuated of our selues that we cannot be free but by the spirit When then we see vs in this dulnes and custome in hearing reading or praying we must pray with Dauid Psal 51. 10. Create in mee a cleane heart O God and renue a right spirite within mee 12. Restore to mee the ioy of thy saluation and stablish me with thy free spirit Where hee hauing lost as it were the freedome of the spirit the cleannes of his heart and the ioy of his minde prayeth to haue them all restored againe And thus much for our admonition Now for our comforts I am sore afflicted accept my free offerings How could hee before afflicted and yet free when he desired to be quickened he felt not this freedome Neuertheles he ceased not to offer his sacrifice whereby we are taught to offer our prayers to God although through perplexitie of the spirit wee know not how to pray nor what to say but speake sighing and groaning for this is a sacrifice acceptable to the Lord. For though wee cannot pray with comfort yet we must craue of the Lord euen by mourning and complaining of our owne estate and bewailing our case this also is an acceptable sacrifice For a sacrifice of sacrifices is a contrite heart saith the Prophet And as wee said before out of the last of Esay to an humble heart will I looke saith the Lorde When wee cannot then finde free ioy let vs come with free sorrow and when we know not how to pray Gods Spirit will teach vs how to craue how to sigh and how to pray and the Lorde will know the meaning of his owne Spirit crying in vs. The meaning of the man of God in effect is I powre out my prayer in the aboundance of my griefe and from a full heart we see when a man wanteth a thing though he cannot intreat his friend to obtaine it of him yet hee may freely mourne and lament his estate Let vs then when we cannot pray not cease to mourne and to make a noyse as Ezechias who chattered like a Crane or Swallow wherein he sheweth that he was so pressed with sorrow that he could doe nothing but sigh and groane When wee growe therefore in languishing grieses this is not the thing which pleaseth the Lord but it nourisheth still in vs mistrust Wee may see in the word of God the vnperfit speeches of Gods children and dearest Saints vttering in their griefe their patheticall affections For what was the remedie in this confusion but euen to powre out freely before the Lord their griefs and in opening them to their friends yea and when they could doe neither of both yet would they reueale their sorrowes to the trees of the fielde His offering we see were his griefes The Lord is God and not an Idoll hee will heare thee when thou criest vnto him It may be thou art ashamed to confesse thy faults before man thou needest not be ashamed to confesse thy sinne before God Man may cast thee in the teeth with thine infirmities the Lord will neuer vpbraide thee Man will not keepe counsell neither can giue thee counsell the Lord will both keepe and giue thee counsell Man may prescribe some means of deliuerance but the Lord will both tell thee the means of thy deliuerance and will deliuer thee So the Prophet in his owne example Psalm 42. 3. offereth his griefe vnto the Lord in teares for when one waue went ouer another and his reason and his soule had made a tumult within himselfe yet he said Why art thou cast downe my soule vnquiet within me waite on GOD c. Let vs then consider of the promise made Rom. 8. 26. The spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what to pray as wee ought but the spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed Let vs then though wee know not how to pray in freedome of ioy pray in freedome of sorrow Let vs beginne to offer in sorrow and in time wee shall offer in ioy For Psal 30. 5. Though weeping may abide at euening yet ioy commeth in the morning And Psal. 126. 5. Though we shall sowe in teares yet we shall reape in ioy Vers. 109. Mâ— soule is continually in mine hand yet doe I not forget thy law Vers. 110 The nicked haue lâ—ida snare for me but I swarued not from thy precepts BY this phrase is meant that hee was at the point of death as it may bee seene by other places of the Scriptures as when the Ephramites were angrie with Iephtha because he went to warre without them he answered I put my life in my hand c. The Witch likewise which spake to Saul vseth the same speech and I haue put my soule in my hand c. And Iob saith why should I rent my flesh with my teeth or carry my soule thus in my hand c. Where he meaneth that he was at deaths doore My soule sainteth mine eyes faile I wither like a bottle and such speeches declare his miserie This great danger wherein hee is hee vseth as a third reason to moue the Lord to heare his prayer for by this meanes it came to passe that his praier was more earnest The greatnes of his griefe he amplifieth in the 109. and 110. verses And in this extremitie of griefe we shall see that he had good cause to pray earnestly if we do consider the reasons which flesh and blood would put in to his minde For first when he saw that he was in such streights that he could not see meanes or waies to be deliuered then his reason would perswade him to leaue the light of the word as a thing that in this case shewed no light and to vse policie for to helpe himselfe This is a great temptation and if God had not assisted him he might haue fallen hereby For we see that Saul when the Lord gaue him no answere by Vrim and Thummim nor other ordinarie meanes hee thought good in policie to aske counsell of a Witch which he before time had punished with death Thus would corrupted iudgement haue carried him to vse policie and vnlawfull meanes and to haue forsaken the lanterne of the word if the Lord had not stayed him and therefore this was one cause to moue him most earnestly to pray Secondly if he looked to his affections he should find them as corrupt for they would haue carried him to reuenge when hee sawe himselfe to bee vnreasonably and vnconscionably dealt withall and therefore to restraine the headstrong affection of reuenge it was very needfull
of Gods children are not so sirme as that it is neuer shaken they are not alwaies in the tenour and as the Lord giueth them of his grace in measure so hee giueth them at sometimes more at sometimes lesse he often humbleth them with incredulitie to exercise them in prayer and to confirme them the more by his Spirit whereof they haue had a pledge in his word Wee haue learned that the Prophet thought himselfe to haue no life but as he had the feeling of the life of the Sonne of God to be conueyed to him by the spirit of God through the working of the word of God and that as we breathe eate playe and labour wee haue nothing differing from bruite beasts as we haue fiue wits to discourse of things we haue nothing more than the heathen than the Turkes than the vngodly infidels The Scriptures shew that all that liue in ignorance and sinne are dead for they that liue in ignorance sit in darkenes and in the shadow of death as it is in the song of Zacharie and if we liue in sinne the Apostle witnesseth we are but dead Ephes 2.1 The death of sinne is the life of a man and the life of sinne is the death of a man sinne then I meane to liue in vs when wee giue ouer our selues to sin with pleasure and lye in our sinne with delight And yet here is a further thing for the man of God speaketh of the experience of Gods children who when they feele delight in prayer and their inward man delighted with the word of God they thinke they are aliue and that so long they walke in the land of the liuing but when they fal into some sinne and become vnthankfull or pensiue there comes a dulnes and deadnes of heart they are not able to see any difference betweene themselues and the reprobates and finding in themselues such an heape of ill inclinations they think themselues to be dead It followeth in the verse And disappoint me not of mine hope As if he should say O Lord euen as I trust in thy word so my hope is that thy word shall be accomplished As faith is the mother of hope so hope is the daughter and nurse of faith for faith breedeth hope and hope nourisheth faith faith assureth vs of the trueth of Gods word hope waiteth for the accomplishment of it His meaning then is Lord as I trust in thy word so strengthen my faith and disappoint mee not of my hope for howsoeuer the wicked continue for a while I beleeue that I shall haue a glorious end I beleeue it is not lost labour to serue the Lord O Lord I hope to see them troden downe that breake thy statutes Thus we see how Gods children feare their vnbeliefe and nourish their faith with prayer so the true Minister of God cannot but be zealous to stirre vp his people to feruent and frequent prayer We see the one halfe of this Psalme to bee prayer and that in euery portion two or three or foure verses be prayers And the man of God being willing to bring his knowledge to feeling hath still this prayer Stay mâ—e in thy word teach mee thy statutes disappoint me not of my hope establish thy promises to thy seruant For as reading hearing and conferring doe more increase knowledge than feeling so meditating praying and singing doe more nourish feeling than knowledge Had he that had such a faith in Gods word such ioy such delight such life in the spirit neede so often and feruently to pray then I beseech you let vs pray pray pray Vers. 117. Stay thou me and I shall be safe and I will delight continually in thy statutes THis agreeth with that in the verse going before stablish mee according to thy promise Hadst thou need Dauid to be staied didst thou wauer oh how need we to be stayed and to pray against our wauering he meaneth here thus much although I am well minded and delight in thy law yet I am so brittle and so slipperie that if thou stay mee not I shall sall I am gone Oh man of God feeling his owne wants and infirmities I shall be safe that is If I be not stayed by thine hand I shall be at the last cast Psal. 30. 6 he said hee should neuer be remoued here is another spirit where he saith he should be safe But here wofull experience taught him that he durst not be stayed on himselfe whereby he declareth that as without Gods word he could not be safe so come what come would befall what danger could befall in the Lords word he was staied sufficiently Then we are to learne that the promises of God must engender in vs a care and feare of our selues for if we begin once to be quiet with our selues when wee begin to be secure and presumptuous let vs assure our selues that we are not farre from sinne But if we feare that wee are staggering and reeling persons and that we are very slipperie is there not cause of humbling that this humblenes should breed carefulnesse carefulnesse should cause watchfulnesse watchfulnesse should vse the meanes and the meanes should be sanctified by prayer Then come hell come the diuell come the world come the flesh if the Lord stay vs we shall liue and not die we shall surely not miscarie And I will delight continually in thy statutes Wee see here that there is no free will for he prayeth likewise Port. 5. 1. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes Neither did he promise of himselfe before but did hope in the Lord. Such brittlenes is in the world such sleights in the flesh such slinesse in SathaÌ„ such corrupt examples in the world that vnlesse the Lord stay vs we are so farre off from delight in good that we are ready to fall into great sinnes Euery man therefore is to search his owne heart and by the cause we may come to the effects and by the tree may coniecture of the fruite so by the effects we may iudge of the cause and by the fruite we may iudge of the tree Where is now this delight when we heare the word we heare it with such coldnesse therefore it is a manifest proofe we are not staâ—ed in the Lord. For whosoeuer doth not delight in the word he may deceiue his owne soule but surely as yet he is not staied on God If we are not delighted then are we stâ—ied on our own selues but if the Lord work in vs then shal we feele delight This is a griefe of my soule that I see no delight in the Lords day all things are done for fashion but the power of godlinesse is not among vs. The cause is the want of priuate exercises the want of priuate reading and praying and this bringeth a secret curse of publike exercises and therefore I cannot but so often vâ—ge priuate prayer and meditation Vers. 118. Thou hast troden downe all them that depart from
direct a man that is blind Now therefore he teacheth vs to pray that though wee haue the word yet the Lord would inlighten our vnderstandding and affections by his Spirit which may guide vs in our iourney And seeing the man of God hath vsed this prayer before vs wee are to learne that in reading hearing meditating and receiuing of the word wee are altogether vnprofitable vntill the Lord shall take the gouernment of our steps into his owne hand and shall direct vs by his Spirit My steps Loe he prayeth here for affection and not for iudgement as he doth in a verse following where he saith Shew the light of thy countenance vpon me and teach me thy statutes Here the Prophet instructeth vs as well to pray for affection to be mooued by the word of God as for iudgement to vnderstand it For if this were not needful then were this prayer but a vaine babling and often repeating of one and the selfe-same thing contrary to that rule of our Sauiour Christ Mat. 6. 7 When ye pray vse no vaine repetitions as the Heathen for they thinke to be heard for their much babling Why doth this man then vse this repetition Surely because it is another matter greater than we think of He saw there was much blindnes in our minds there is much rebellion in our affections and great sluggishnes in our hearts that without light we cannot tread in the right path yea though wee bee deliuered from by-paths if the candle be obscured and our way darkened yet wee returne to them againe For as a man being in the darke may easily goe out of the way and being out cannot easily come in againe but is faine to wander in vnknown and vncertaine places so if God guide vs not by his word and Spirit wee shall hardly finde the right way of knowledge and if we finde it we can hardly continue in it but may easily goe out of it and being out we can hardly recouer it againe Wherefore hitherto appertaineth the saying of our Sauiour Christ Matth. 7 13 Enter in at the streight gate c. because the gate is streight and the way narrow that leadeth vnto life wherein as it is hard to continue so to goe on either side out of it is most easie We see then how he prayeth that his paces might be guided by the word and that the spirit of God might carrie this lanterne of the word before him without whose guiding we cannot goe three steps but we shall misse of our way and leese the path and being once out we may easily erre and once erring we shall not returne aright Many would thinke this ridiculous but Gods children know by experience that there is a necessarie vse of these things by reason of the blindnes of our minde and that it is a speciall grace of God to be guided by his spiritual grace That no iniquitie haue dominion ouer me The simple sense of this verse is this Lord if thou doest not order my goings surely iniquitie will haue dominion ouer me The end of his request as we touched before is that he might not miscaâ—â—â—e in his way Hee acknowledgeth that a man being out of the way may be enforced to wander and after wandâ—ing can hardly recouer himselfe Wherefore he prayeth to this effect Lord so keepe me that though I â—rre yet I may returne so â—uide me that though I goe out a little yeâ— suffer me not to waâ—der altogether least iniquitie ouer runne me Thus we see Godâ— children feare themselues and why because though the raging raigne of sinne be takeâ— fâ—â—m them â—et the massiâ— lumpe of naturall corruption dwelleth in them and the very daungerous of sinne are very daungerous Wherefore our Sauiour Christ â—aught vs â—o pray Lâ—aâ—â— vs not into temptation the meaning whereof is here of the Prophet plainly set downe which is that though we cannot auâ—ide the causes of temptation which is ouâ— corrupt nature yet that euery man must resist and noâ— yeelde in willing coâ—sent vnto sinne that it should get the dominion ouer vs. It euery Saint of God â—ee commaunded to say this in â—â—uâ—h and not in hypocrisie of heart â—â—â— euery Saint hath neede of this prayer for euery man is subiect â—o temptation and iniquitie in him may haue the vpper hand True it is there are many weakenesses and infirmities in Gods â—â—iâ—â—ren asâ—râ—th and anger yet by how much they be the more and the greater the more and the oftner they are to watch ouer themselues Shall they then giue place and 〈…〉 themselues in anger Some man will say wee are full of corruption wee cannot but often fâ—ll Wee answere we must be the more watie of our selues for it is one thing to be tempted and another thing to nourish and foster a temptation for if a man being pâ—oâ—oâ—â—â— to anger and let the Sun goe downe in his wrath can fall asleepe in his anger and can be angrie still when he awaketh againe the spirit of God there hath not the chiefe rule but iniquitie hath dominion ouer him Wherefore when temptation ariseth let vs learne by prayer to preuent the raging of it As thus Lord I will not thus much trust myselfe that I can match with sinne Lord I haue corruption in me but cleanse thou me from my sinne and let it not vtterly preuaile against me The Saints of God dare not tarrie vntill the dead blowe commeth but they suspect the first strokes of sinne they â—arrie not to be stung to death but they feare the least bâ—zzing of sinne because they may easily be carried out of the way through the deceiuablenes of sinne and the deceitfulnesse of sinne may bring hardnes of heart Wherefore the Apostle Hebr 3 exhorteth them to applie one another with exhortations whilest it is called to day least any of them should be hardned through the deceitfulnes of sinne And the holy Ghost saith Psal 95 vers 8. To day if ye will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Wherefore the Saint of God thus prayeth that if hee should giue a little roome and sâ—â—ll libertie to his affections Gods grace could not continue in him Neither can the children of God being out of the way easily recouer themselues as we may see in Dauid who thought himselfe after that he had sinned to be cast from the presence of God to be for sakeÌ„ of his holy Spirit and vnlesse the Lord would cast him into the wombe againe vnles the Lord would cast him into a new mould there was no hope that he should recouer himselfe The violence of sinne is so impetuous that a man may soone slip and easily fall but hardly rise againe Wherefore the Wiseman saith Prou 28. 14. Blessed is the man that â—eâ—â—th alway but he that hardeneth his heart shall fâ—ll into euill that is blessed is he that in euery action examineth his heart that he fall not Not without cause then haue I this iealousie that when men are
the victorie of men so farre greater is the ioy and more glorious is the triumph of Christians than of earthly Captaines And as farre as the robes of Christ his righteousnes are richer than the royall armes of Princes so farre doth the ioy of Gods children exceed all the ioy of the Princes of this world Whosoeuer then haue not this ioy by so much they shew themselues as yet to be more carnall more worldly and more subiect to Sathan At thy word Still we must obserue this that what affections soeuer we pretend to God they must be tried by his blessed word whether it be of loue or of fear or of ioy Whosoeuer then will say they are merie in God as they hope when their mirth is not in the word and they can reioyce in Christ as well as others and yet they reioyce in vanitie and worldly things they deceiue theÌ„selues yea although they did not reioyce in ill things yet they cannot reioyce in prayer they cannot reioyce in the word they haue no ioy in the Sacraments whereby notwithstanding they attain all precious things and an inheritance which fadeth not away But alas how can men ioy how can they spâ—â—rt how can they laugh so earnestly at vaine things and take so little comfort and solace in Gods worde and why doth the word of God make vs so dull why doth prayer make vs so heauie why doth meditation cause vs to be so sad Euen because wee are so carnall and earthly minded Well the Prophet Esay sheweth chap 58. what is the ioy of Gods children 13. 〈…〉 hou turne away thy foote from the Sabbath from doâ—â—â— thy will in mine holie day 〈◊〉 â—â—ll the abâ—â—â—â— a delight to consecrate it as glorious to the Lord c. And the Prophet Dauid Psalm 63. Thy louing kindnesse is better then life therefore my lips shall praise thee And Psalm 84. 4. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will euer praise thee 10. A day in thy Court is better then a thousand other where I had rather bee a doore-keeper in the house of mâ— God thâ—n to dwell in the tabernacle of wickednes Psal. 42 4. I went with the multitude and led them into the house of God with the voyce of singing and praise as a multitude that keepeth a Feast This is the ioy of God his children this ioy will neuer leaue vs no not in the graue it will accompany vs to the iudgement seate of God If wee will reioyce in GOD his word God will reioyce in vs. But alas doe not all men reioyce in vanities and yet they shall perish with men and men shall perish with the abuse of them Whereas that ioy so farre excelleth this how is it that this is so farre preferred before that Doe wee not thinke him to be a foolish man who will make the day of his pleasure in playing and sporting whereas hee should make it the day of his profit in buying and selling Would we not account him a mad man who might be encouraged to goe into the field with a promise to carrie away the victorie and to triumph ouer his enemies if he linger the time vntill the occasion be past by the incurse of his enemies and so he willingly leese the victorie and make his aduersaries to triumph ouer him How foolish then are they to passe the Sabbath which is the market day of the soule and wherein the Lord calleth vs to come buy honey wine milke and oyle and that without peny or penyworth in vaine pleasures willingly to leese such spirituall and heauenly profits And how mad are they that on this day may receiue both counsell for policie and furniture for strength to encounter against the world the flesh and the diuell and runne rather to â—â—â—thie pleasures suffering themselues willingly to be a pray for the diuell to bee seduced by sinne to be ouercome of the flesh and troden downe of the world True it is that we haue many bickerings and fight many skirmishes in the weeke dayes but on the Lords Sabbath especially wee fall to the maine battaile and we come as it were to hand-strokes and buckle with our enemies hand to hand Doe wee not thinke this a daungerous thing then when the Lord doth offer as it were into our hands the spoyle of sinne Sathan the world and the flesh and wee willingly and vnthankfully will suffer our selues and offer our selues to be spoyled of them Where is now our ioy in the word where is our spoyle wherein we should triumph Well if men reioyce so much when they giue the foyle to their enemies and pray vpon the spoyles wee may easily coniecture how greatly they sorrow that take the foyle at their aduersaries hand and are become a pray and a spoyle before them For the same is the reason of contraries And to applie this same to vs if we truly reioyce when we haue subdued our affections murdered our temptations and put to flight the world the flesh and the diuell making a shew of them through Christ how much must wee be grieued when our affections haue carried vs captiue our temptations haue slaine the soule and our enemies haue taken the spoyle of all those spirituall graces which before wee possessed This then must trie our repentance whether wee haue this sorrow or no when the rage of sin hath spoiled vs of God his grace This affection wee see was in the Prophet Dauid Psal. 51. who crieth Haue mercie vpon me according to thy louing kindnesse make me heare ioy and gladnes that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce Create in mee a cleane heart O God renue a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thine holy spirit from me Where Dauid complaineth that his heart was hardened blind was his vnderstanding troubled was his minde and his soule in bondage of sinne and in danger to lose Gods spirit Thus wee see how hee felt himselfe spoyled of all the graces of God When then we shal see the flesh or the world hath taken from vs all comfort in the word and in prayer and that wee begin to be dull in good things we must know for a truth that either Sathan the flesh or the world haue giuen vs some â—oyle and that they haue taken rich spoyles from vs. Wherefore wee are not after sinne to be too quiet with our selues as wee vse to bee if wee truly consider of this for our ioy should not bee so great in one but our sorrowe should be as great in the other and as wee reioyce when wee haue gotten the victorie so must wee sorrow when wee haue lost and they haue gotten the spoyles For if wee find ioy of conscience to make a shew of our enemies because we haue spoyled them euen so when they shall spoyle vs that our vnderstanding be blinde our hearts made dull when wee cannot with comfort call God our Father when wee can
and Correction MAny thinke to priuiledge themselues from the name of Sinners by reading largely and reprehending plentifully the sinnes of other men counting it a compendious way to credite by building gorgeously on another mans discredit and ruine 2 Flesh and blood will ease it selfe superiours looke to inferiours and inferiours to superiours but euery man must looke to himselfe 3 As an house being on fire if it may bee quenched it is best to vse water onely but if it bee like to endanger and set on fire the houses rounde about it is best to pull downe the house quickely so if offence being raised it may bee quenched with water vse water and let the house stand still but if fire burst out on euery side then pull it downe When the Viper will still bee a Viper and retaine his poyson though the charmer charme neuer so wisely the Apothecary takes him and makes a Triacle of him to expell poyson out of others so if a brother will not be admonished if he will not leaue his poyson make triacle of him that he that would not take heede of others should bee made a preseruatiue for other to beware by him if euill will not be taken from one in Israel then take away the euill out of whole Israel If we must needes see somewhat dead it is better to see a dead arme than a dead corpes When men will harden themselues God in his iudgement makes them as an adamant and when they grow so hard it is good to cast them out 4 We are giuen to display euery sinne yea the least in others and to conceale and bury many graces yea the best in others 5 Such as be fallen must be restored with the spirit of wisedome and lenitie Such as be falling must be vpholden by al good meanes speedily least they fal so dangerously as that then cannot be recouered 6 In an euill report or vniust censures of men it is not good straightway to be angry but to fly to Gods prouidence and to desire to profit by them 7 Because we do not to men that good which we should doe God often suffereth them to report and speake euill of vs. 8 Though we may be discouraged to deale in exhorting or dehorting admonishing or reprouing or any ecclesiasticall and Christian dutie yet being called of God we must aske wisedome of him who will send wisedome to blesse his owne ordinance 9 It is a dangerous thing to haue a proud spirit with a vaine minde 10 The drunken peace of hypocrites must not be suppled with oyle but pierced with a speare 11 If we be reproued for sinne of man let vs feare the reproofe of God It is our great corruption that wee are sooner brought to leaue a sinne when man doth rebuke vs once than when God doth threaten vs often 12 It is a good thing sometime to haue enemies For we often are more afraid to sinne least our enemies should reproue vs than wee make conscience of sinne least God should condemne vs. 13 Although the wicked speake euill of vs let vs be content indeede a good name is better than a precious ointment but remember that the Lord had made vs all priests and therefore let vs offer vp our good name to his glory and if the wicked will bring coales of iuniper let vs sacrifice vp our good names and with Paul let vs say I esteeme it the least thing in the world to be iudged of you it is the Lord that iudgeth and there is a blessing propounded for them that are so euil spokē of But there are foure hundred Prophets that speak against you are they all deceiued Many eyes see more than one True if it be spoken of the like for one Eagles eye seeth more than a thousand owles eyes and as Salomon saith One man that feareth God is better than a thousand sinners And Paul saith what haue I to doe with them that are without God shall iudge them Vpon which words a learned man biddeth vs obserue how the Apostle accounts euil men as nothing wherefore seeing the wicked are so vile and so vaine one is better then many of them therfore their censures and calumniations not to be regarded CHAP. XVII Of Ceremonies things indifferent and of turning Christian libertie into vnchristian licentiousnesse AS it is a fault to vse vnnecessary ceremonies which with the peace of the Church may be left so it is faultie to leaue a good ceremonie which hath a good vse and no superstition with it 2 The Lord commanded Exod. 16. 33. an Homer full of Manna to bee reserued as a monument for posteritie And so it was kept by the Lords commandement and therefore not abused to superstition as the brasen Serpent and Gedeons Ephod which because they were without Gods commandement reserued therefore they were quickly abused But this Manna and the Alter which the Rubenites made hauing a warrant of Gods commandement were not abused Where we learne that in bringing in ceremonies and rites into the Church wee ought to thinke that if they haue not their warrant from the word of the Lord they are like to be vsed without fruit and in danger to be turned to hurtful superstition but if they haue their warrant from the word of God that the Lorde hath commaunded them then may they haue very profitable vses in Gods Church And they shall neuer be so much abused to doe hurt as they shall bee profitable in the right vse of them And therefore in bringing in ceremonies and orders we must aske counsell of the Lord that his word may be our warrant 3 The more ceremonies the lesse truth 4 This is a generall rule whatsoeuer separateth man from God or man from man is abrogated but whatsoeuer conioyneth man to God or man to man is left still In this respect the whole Law is abrogated according to the rigour of the curse for otherwise wee could not stand before God So in Christ now hauing found reconciliation we are more bound to keepe the law morall then the Iewes because Gods commandements are more cleerely reuealed and greater strength is now giuen against sinne therefore nothing is taken from the law that we should be carelesse but the curse and condemnation of the law is done away that wee may haue an entrance to God with boldnes Whatsoeuer separateth man from man is abrogated and so the ceremoniall law is abrogated that which is meerely ceremoniall is meerely abrogated and that which is in part ceremoniall is in part onely abrogated as the Sabbath 5 The Apostle 1. Tim 4. 1. prophecieth of certaine spirits of error which should superstitiously forbid the vse of Christian libertie but 2. Tim. 3. he speaketh of another sort who among many other properties should be louers of pleasures more then louers of God The former are said to be in the last times but these in the last daies one degree further
the life to come and such like prouoke vs thereunto CHAP. LIX Of Repentance OVr conuersion to the Lorde must bee with our whole heart without exception inward without hypocrisie speedie without delay continuall without Apostasie in faith without despaire First it must bee of the whole heart many repent but they will except one sinne Dauid saith Cleanse me Lord from all my sinnes but wee will haue the Lord dispense with some sinne 1. Corinth 5. A little leauen will sowre much a little Serpent will sting much Origen writeth very well that Christ did cast out not sixe but seuen diuels out of Magdalen for all must be cast out a cleane riddance must be made as seuen diuels out of her so all sinnes out of vs. Secondly it must bee inward many haue clensed their hands but not their hearts such sinnes as stare a man in the face are too palpable wee must bee doing against little sinnes For sinne is a Serpent whose tayle many haue cut off but fewe haue touched the head nay many haue a whole and vntouched Serpent who neither touch tayle nor head who proclaime with a Trumpet their re probation Wee must not cleanse the outside of the platter onely but wee must say in our conscience This action oh Lord haue I presented to thee with simplicitie Thirdly wee must doe it speedily For though the Lord saith At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent c. so hee saith Blessed is the man that hath borne the yoke from his youth for to giue the prime dayes to the diuell and our dogge dayes to the Lord what is but to powre out the wine to the world and to giue the dregs to God But if wee serue God when wee may serue the diuell the Lord will haue vs when Sathan would leaue vs Augustine being asked of ones estate by letters who had deferred his repentance to the ende said I will not auouch hee shall be saued nor that he shall be condemned but saith hee to him that wrote to him Repent you while you be well It must bee continuall least hauing begun in the spirit we end in the flesh Blessed are they that perseuere for so long as we liue we are in danger of falling There be many that are not called of them that are called many are not chosen Gods graces are no longer with vs than God himselfe is with vs. Wherfore seeing he is departed from many of our brethreÌ„ which first departed from him let vs beware we be not as dogs that returne to our vomit Lastly wee must doe it in faith Christ teacheth vs to say Lord increase our faith for we are of little faith Now faith is esteemed according to the qualitie not according to the quantitie the leprous hand though it cannot hold wel if it receiueth any thing doth some dutie The child that caÌ„not go is not forsaken but hath his guide we must learne then to holde fast and to goe by them as hand in hand whom the Lord shall assigne ouer vs to guard vs. 2 It is the prosperitie of all true repenting sinners to fall with humility to rise with dignitie and as the more grieuously they haue offended so the more humbly they will craue to be accepted the higher the dignitie is from which they are fallen the lower is the place whereunto they would be receiued And hee knoweth best what a godly thing it is to rise that â—ightly knoweth what a foule thing it is to fall For if a man be downe if Sathan â—â—ath assaulted him if sinne hath wounded him if his owne flesh hath betrayed him so that hee lieth stricken with Sathan with sinne and with himselfe against himselfe then shewe me whether it be not a godly thing that the same man in number though not in nature the same in person though not in propertie for a newe substance is not created but the saâ—e being fallen is restored falling a naturall man should rise a spirituall man not to be that â—â—e was and to bee that which he was not neither must any man so far flatter himselfe that hâ—e should thinke himselfe at any time to rise so farre as that he may cast off sinne as an vpper garment to lay it aside vntill he list to vse it For the seede of the woman hauing bruised the Serpents head the sword of the spirit hauing hamstringed Sathan the great Captaine CHRIST IESVS hauing spoyled the strong man of his furniture it cannot be but many broyles and bickerings will be behind and some blowes wil be in the controuersie so long as we be in this life 3 When the Israelites were in Egypt and saw things fall acrosse they murmured against Moses but being brought thence by him and seeing things prosper they willingly went with him and left off their murmuring but when any newe occasion was offered for the triall of their Faith patience they fell thereinto againe because they did not truly repent them of it And this we may see in all kind of sinners which for a time may leaue their sin and yet not repenting from their heart when a new occasion is offered doe fall more fouly then euer they did before as adulterers angrie persons theeues the lothsomnes of which sinnes leauing a sting in their conscience may cause them to leaue them for a time yet because they labour not with their harts and affections but only rest in iudgement they haue no sound sorrow for it therefore fall afresh This must teach vs therefore if we will truely leaue any sin both to condemne it in iudgement and to hate it in affection that so wee truely being penitent that is carefull to leaue our sinnes desirous to do the contrary good we may haue power and strength from aboue to ouercome them 4 We may reade in the 16 of Exodus how the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses Aaron which is a manifest signe that they neuer repented them of their murmuring in Egypt at the red Sea and waters of strife And although the Lord delayed the punishment yet could they not bee brought hereby to repentance because they neither felt what their murmuring deserued nor what the mercie of God is worth We must then learne not only to leaue sinne and purpose not to commit it againe but we must with griefe of heart repent of it feele Gods mercies in forgetting it and a harty hatred of it Otherwise when a new occasion is offered we shall fall thereinto againe as a swearer will after an Oath be angrie for it yet because he seeth not the grieuousnes of the sinne hath not acquaintance with the reuerend vse of the Name of GOD falleth to sweare againe So it is with them that prophane the Sabbath of the Lorde and of them that speake euill of the magistrates minsters they
that we yeeld to them As Bathshaba yeelded to Dauid because she was corrupted Ioseph yeelded not to his mistresse because his heart was pure If we will be cleane in all let vs first know our hearts and see where we are weakest and get a speciall defence against that otherwise we shall take too much libertie and indeed the chastest in heart will be chastest in looke because they know their owne corruption and striue against it for whosoeuer hateth sin truly will hate the garment defiled with sin and will beware of those things which in themselues are lawfull because he is readie to abuse them 19 If God hath made any as the eye to see as the mouth to reproue as the hand to redresse sinne either in families in Church or in Common-wealth they must specially looke to themselues they sinne not For of al others it is a great disgrace to see them as the principall members of the body hurt Againe the hurt of such a member is the endangering of all the other members Now great reasons there are why such men sinne most dangerously First the higher we ascend the greater strength we receiue of God to resist sinne a thing then it were most deformed that the more strength we haue to keepe off sinne than others the lesse we should doe it Againe the greater and better credit wee haue the more we must thinke our selues bound to thankfulnes then where thankfulnes should abound most vnthankfulnes being found most it is the greater blemish Thirdly where wee are neerer to such dignitie wee should haue the chiefest gifts to keepe our motes and beames both great and small sinnes now if the eye that should foresee and preuent such things should receiue motes and beames in it selfe it is a thing most absurd when they I say that should rid the house the Church or Common-wealth of blemishes bee most full of blemishes it is a great deformitie Lastly the least offence that such a one commits euerie one is grieued with and then rather than such a thing should bee it were better not to be a Gouernour or that hee were faire burned For as without the eye no other member can doe this office neither the hand nor the foote can doe their function without sight so without the direction of such gouernours no part can doe his dutie The safetie of the eye is the safetie of the other members the good estate of the people is in the good estate of the Prince euery member hath his interest in the eyâ— and therefore the fault of the eye stickes in euery member So that in the perill of the eye how many members soeuer are dependant of it so many are in danger and so many slippes that men of authoritie fall into so many occasions of offence are offered to their charges 20 In a publike reformation we must specially meete with the greatest sin and begin first to cast out beames then motes This is the order of God himselfe for although he first talked with Adam and so proceeded to Eue and then to the Serpent for Adams sinne is as the mote yet when he comes to iudgement and to sentence of casting ouâ— he first begins with the Serpent whose sinne was a beame sinne and so proceedes against the other two which in respect of that were but as mote sins This was Dauids order first Psal. 101. he will cast out Apostataes and Atheists secondly scorners of Religion and all peruerse spirits thirdly the slanderer and taleteller and lastly euen him that looketh but proudly which thing we little account of This was the order of Christ for bodily diseases it is said Matth 4 he healed all sicknesses and then it is said he healed cripples for spirituall he first cured them that were possessed theÌ„ the luâ—atike then the leprous c. Lastly this was the order of the Primitiue Church whether they dealt in excoÌ„munication in suspension or in admonition For excommunication first they began with scorners then with blasphemers thirdly with heretikes fourthly with periured persons and fittly with the obstinate enemies of Discipline For suspension they dealt first against common scorners secondly against neglecters of the liturgie thirdly against quarrels fourthly against incontinent persons fiftly against slanderers For admonition first they met with the idle persons secondly with common pratlers thirdly with vnrederent behauiours of themselues against superiours fourthly against them that exceede aboue their abilitie in their apparell fiftly with them that neglected the state oeconomicall by needlesse running into debt and so into debt and so into wilfull pouertie Thus we see the order of God himselfe of Dauid of Christ the Sonne of God of the Church in it excellent beautie 21 The estate of sinners may well be compared to them that be sicke for as when one keepeth his bedde and goeth to Physicke it argueth some notable maladie and disorder whereby he is hindred from some necessary function so our soule by the distemper of sin is not onely hindred from her dutie but is cleane put out of all good course and temper Dauid complaineth of this My sinne hath taken such hold vpon me that I am not able to looke vp they be gone ouer my head they haue worne away my beautie there is no rest in my bones by reason of my sin Very aptly are they compared to sicke men that are sinners to the end they might more warily look to theÌ„selues search the bottome of their thoughts feele their griefe where it lieth finde out the cause thereof seeke beâ—imes for remedie least not taking it in time it rankle and fester inwardly it eate and infect more and more it come to a running sore as Dauid complaineth and so prooue very neere incurable The Pharisies are well called sicke men to moue those Peacock-tailed iusticiaries to pitie the miserable plight and pickle they were in and not so sleightly to ouer-looke themselues as they were wont to doe Who is so vnnaturall that is not mooued with pitie towards the sicke who is so without all bowels that is not touched with compassion of a sicke man If his heartstrings be not so hard as a horne if he haue not a flint stone in place of his hart if his reines be not steele and his hart and bowels hewed and framed out of an hard Oke he must needes haue some remorse his bowels must needes yearne and his heart within him cannot chuse but mourne ouer the groanes of a man that draweth his last breath And as the Lord spake it is a memorandum for them to strike their frozen hearts so for our selues we haue to take this Item also for in them he toucheth vs our share is in it he shadowes therein the whole estate of mankind subiect to euery disease alwaies drouping and complaining alwaies laid vp on one side or other teaching vs to giue ouer and to diuorce our selues from all securitie
The Scripture in this point is plentifull Who can say his heart is cleane There is none that doth good no not one all are sicke either of the couetous dropsie or ambitious feuer of the itch of concupiscence He that hath not the fit on him may start vp and looke to his neighbour All our health is a perillous disease our righteousnesse is as a rag stained with the flowers of a woman If none be voide if many sinnes lie hidde in vs for who can tell how oft he offendeth who can say he is not crased if our cleannesse be filthie if our light be darknesse if our health be sicknesse how filthie is our filthinesse how darke is our darknesse howsoeuer is our sicknesse And how truly is our body called abody of death If then we had any hope of our recouery it would make vs look for our Physition Christ. CHAP. LXIII Of Physicke and Diet Sicknesse and Health IN that Christ doth vouchsafe to bee called our Physition and to bee so it doth greatly commend vnto vs his kindnesse vnspeakable and mercie vnmeasurable that hee would come downe from heauen from his throne of glorie to become a Physition to heale our desperate diseases More that hee is no common leach but such a one as wee may safely put our liues into his hand it wil appeare easily if we consider the properties of an expert Physition in whom these three are chiefly to be considered and required First a sense of the infirmitie wherby in looking wel ouer vs we may know the disease the more throughly Such a one was Christ Esay 53. He had good cause to know our infirmities he needed not that any should counsaile him he knew what was in man Secondly a very readie and willing minde to heale them and take paines with them that are diseased This also was in our Sauiour Esay 64. The Spirit of the Lord is vpon me in that hee hath annointed me that I was willing to heale the broken hearted preach forth the acceptable yeere of the Lord. Thirdly a facultie and facilitie in healing This also was in full measure in him He went about saith Matthew doing good healing euery disease and maladie among the people which may far more fitly by way of a Metaphor be translated vnto the soule where after a more singular way he worketh great masteries and doth great cures This is the comfort of all comforts to the groaning soule to haue a pitifull a willing and a skilfull Physition to looke vpon them and take them in hand 2 When sicknes or any affliction is vpon vs wee must take heede that wee indent not with the Lord but learne presently to liue righteously and to profit by whatsoeuer is laid vpon vs though we see not present release For if the crosse onely humble vs and wee be not humbled in heart what shall we be when the crosse is gone Therefore let vs see the Lord and bee humbled because it is his doing and with our whole heart subscribe thereunto and let the Lord remoue it in his time so that we presently profit by it 3 A certaine man who had bin three yeeres pained with a grieuous disease and finding no remedie by Physick wished many times to die and yet when he had better considered he humbled himselfe and said with his heart If this lie on me all my life yet wil I serue the Lord which done he found present ease and was not troubled therewith afterward Also when men are fallen into the hands of the Magistrate or of the discipline of the Church they will shew great repentance for the time But when the time of their examination and course of Iustice is past then also is their pietie past they are neuer the better which sheweth that they were not truly humbled neither receiued any profit by their present correction But let vs learne to profit by both namely by the immediate or mediate haÌ„d of God vpon vs and know that if the Lord forgiue our sinnes they shall be forgotten of men and if we shame our selues and be truly humbled vnder his hand for them then the Lord will take away our shame and whatsoeuer affliction in his due time 4 If wee promise amendment in the time of our trouble and yet followe it not in the time of prosperitie it is for hardnesse of heart For Pharaoh his example is for to feare we must not put it off for time to come but presently learne to amend our liues otherwise the Lord may deale with vs as he did with him 5 When sicknes or any other trouble doth afflict vs if we would know whether it proceed from the fauour loue of God towards vs let vs learne to see it in the example of the theefe on the crosse who fled vnto God profited by the crosse and would that others also should so do for if we can in trouble flie to God not to witches and profit by our crosse which in it nature is able to make vs worse whereunto also Sathan will set to his hand if wee desire to amend our life and that others also should amend by our example by these fruites we may see that our sicknes is sanctified in Christ and all other our troubles are also sanctified in him For God would not haue receiued vs so graciously in the sacrifice of his sonne Christ if he ment to destroy vs he hath giuen vs so many pledges of his loue So we may reason with our soules as Manoalâ—s wife did with her husband ludg 12. 23. 5 Seeing God created all things nothing hath vertue in it but as God giueth it and when it pleaseth him he taketh it away Our father Adam liued with hearbs and yet should haue liued for euer but we haue many other things for our nourishment and yet liue not Again our fathers before the flood liued longer than we do yet had not so many â—â—shes as we haue The children of Israel liued fortie yeeres with Manna and Moses and Elia liued fortie daies without meate all these teach vs that man liueth not by bread onely and that the want of the creatures doth not necessarily cast vs into diseases but that it is our siâ—â—â—e which casteth vs into them Meate doth not nourish vs Physick doth not heale vs and the creatures doe not strengthen vs but the Lord doth all in all as it pleaseth him to trie his children or to punish the wicked 6 In corporall blessings if we haue not the spirit to teach vs that by the word and by prayer they are sanctified vnto our vse if we cannot receiue euen euery morsel of meate at Gods hands as tokens and pledges of his fauour surely we shall either at the last be brought to loathe them or to set our hearts too much vpon them so that the Lord shall be constrained to take them from vs to make them â—ot melt and stinke so that we shall not finde
lust and the gamester on his pastime is not wearie in sitting vp whole nights and daies so the godly on Gods law they studie in it night and day they studie not by fits and starts as some doe but continually Dauid prooueth his loue to Gods word because he placed his whole delight and felicitie in it as appeareth by the griefe he had in the want of it 5 When many meanes are vsed men stand more excuselesse that in so often repeated and reiterated mercies and methode of teaching will neuerthelesse buy out their condemnation by a willing ignorance and will not be taught Againe we are fitter one time than another to make our profit Tell men of their sinnes to day and they may fleare at it tell them to morrow of it and the teares may trickle down their cheekes and Elihu saith God speaketh once or twice and yet man heareth not till a third time come And shall we thinke our fathers needed this rather than we Surely there cannot be a more sure token that God his spirit is our teacher than that we finde a desire still to more and often hearing and who seeth not that we are subiect to spirituall transmutations and how easily fierie inflamations raised betwixt God and vs doe die if God be silent yea but a little Therefore let vs say with the Church in the song of Salomon chap. 8. vers 13. Cause vs still to heare it Some think to stand in some sort though the Lord build thē not although as the Psalmist saith Except the Lord build all is in vaine so there is a learning of things without the Lord yet the profitable building and learning is onely of the Lord. We are therefore to be deliuered of this common errour which makes vs when we do not profit to accuse our Teachers and to carpe at his matter or to quarrell at his manner of deliuerie wherein as we do not free and excuse all Teachers as faultlesse so it is a certaine truth that teach he neuer so well soundly and orderly yet that will not serue we must haue a greater thing Christ we know made many sermons yet there were many so farre from profiting by him that all that he gained in his life and in his death were not aboue sixe score persons and therefore no marueile though at our preaching some profit not It may be some thinke that if they should heare Christ speake personally to them they should profit and be made by and by perfect good Christians but it is not so Though Dauid was taught by Nathan and Gad two excellent men yet how oft doth he pray after they had taught him that the Lord would teach him To this purpose therefore we must learne two things the Minister teacheth but the eare he that teacheth the heart his chaire and his pulpit is in heauen so that at one time we must attend as it were on two Preachers Now if we thinke all to be one labour perswading our selues that it is enough to listen to men we deceiue our selues and this deceit hath wrought that either we bring no hearts at all but onely our eares and so though the Minister haue some part yet God hath nothing to worke on or else we bring such worldly hearts that there is no roome left within to any further teaching than the eare Hitherto come then the short and the long If we will be taught of God though Christ come to teach vs in his owne person yet we must labour for a double hearing that is both of the eare and of the heart both inward and outward else it shall fall out with vs as with sundrie other things there are some fruites both of corne and plants which come vp but not of any sound seede which commeth to a blade or so but it neuer yeeldeth a ripe substance so there is a momentanie springing vp of some knowledge from some corrupt seede as of eloquence of pleasing words but these men haue nothing but as it were a wilde egge ingendred in them and the fruite of it will neuer last long be the Preacher neuer so forcible in his speech But when God teacheth Amos the heardsman from his cattell Peter taken from his nets and fishing boate doe much profit vs. Many of the Saints of God before vs to this end haue shewed how they haue beene taught Augustine after he had nine yeeres studied Diuinitie in which time no doubt he oft read ouer the Bible yet at the length was much mooued with a place in the 13. of the Romanes Put on the Lord Iesus and this was the place that after often reading he was nothing but ordinarily touched with and yet after Gods spirit laying it to his heart is was the meanes whereby he confesseth himselfe to be conuerted CHAP. IIII. Who be swine and who be dogges BY nature we are all swine and dogges for that wee folllow our owne vncleannesse but especially wee that were Gentiles for in that respect Christ calleth so the Cananitish woman making the Iewes whom hee called children in a priuiledge aboue vs but since the wall is pulled downe Beside our naturall condition we are all vessels of wrath followers of our own gorge vntill that strōg strange change be come vpō vs Esay 11. when of dogs we become lambs of vncleanenes we become cleane Howbeit the Scripture doth not so vnderstand vs to be dogges but such are meant by our Sauiour Christ to be dogges and hogges who hauing the continuall meanes either breake into the contempt of the things themselues or fall to an open despite and violence against the Ministers that bring them Whether it be then that wee turne againe to our owne righteousnes and to seeke iustification by the lawe in which respect Paul calleth them dogges and concision or whether being raised in the blood of Christ we do not onely slip but plunge our selues into the gulfe of sinne againe in this respect wee may bee called swine and dogges For we see this is the estate of the dogge that continuing and carying in himselfe the torment of his owne body and bearing the burden of paine in his bowels he for a while casteth it out and being discharged of it he after chargeth himselfe with it againe so they that carie a fire of griefe in their owne bosomes euen a confidence of their owne righteousnes if hauing for their comfort cast it off resume it are well compared to dogs Such are our papists heretikes and familists The nature of the swine is that being cleane she retireth to her filthines so they on the other side who by the water and fire of the spirit haue beene so cleansed that there hath appeared an open and a sensible change among them if after they fall greedily to their former vanitie they are as swine And so both the falling away from true religion and the reuolting to the former corruptions of life the malitious refusing or brutish persecuting of the word or Ministers