a woman vanisheth away wheÌ„ a child is borne The billowes and surging Seas may dash against Christs Church Matt. 16.18 but for that it is stablished and setled on CHIST the Rocke the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it For as Physitians vse Serpents Vipers in Triacle for the help of men so God vseth Sathan in tentation for the profite of his childreÌ„ and for this purpose so ordereth his tentations that as he should blind the hearts of the disobedient and at last punish them eternally so he should only trie make knowne the Faith Hope Patience and Constancie of the godly that Gods Grace may be sufficient for them and that after they haue bin tryed for a while they may receiue the crowne of glorie that neuer withereth Therefore if hee would friendly insinuate himself pretending to do vs good that he may the sooner drawe vs out of the narrow way let vs oppose the expresse will and commandement of God against him not depart therefrom either to the right hand or to the lefte hand If he go about to rip vp our conscience with the knife of the Law to daunt vs with the vglinesse and haynousnes of our sinnes Gen. 4. Matt. 27. 1. Ioh. 1.9 as hee dealt with Cayne and Iudas let vs remember that if wée faithfully and penitently acknowledge our sinnes God is faithfull and iust to forgiue our sinnes and the blood of IESVS CHRIST his Sonne clenseth vs from all vnrighteousnes And to the beléeuer God hath twise thundred this most comfortable voyce froÌ„ heauen Mat. 3. 17. This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased If he perswade vs to murmure in dearths or be discontent with the flourishing state of some vngodly persons as he threw this stuÌ„bling block before Dauid Psal 33. 73. Iob. 27.7 Ierem. 12. and before Iob before Ieremias let vs submit our selues vnder Gods mighty hand and cast all our care vpon him for he cares for vs all and not feare because it is our Fathers pleasure to giue vs a Kingdome If he would puffe vs wâ—th pride for well doing and make our hearts swell with prosperitie let vs consider that when we haue done all we are vnprofitable seruants and that we are but stewards of Gods gifts and shall one day be called to an account for our stewardship If when he is expulsed once or twise yet he returne againe Exod. 14. for as Pharaoh stird vehemently to bring backe the Israelites when they were departed out of Egypt and as the spirit raged and fomed mightily when he was expelled out of him whom he had possessed from his infancie Matt. 9.20.21 so the Pharaoh that tyrannized ouer the soules of sinners if he léese his praie he vncessantly attempts to winne it againe and generally as our Sauiour witnesseth Matt. 12.43.44.45 when the vncleane spirit is gone out of a man he walketh throughout drie place séeking rest and finding none he saith I will returne into mine house from whence I came and if he finde the roome emptie swept and garnished he taketh seauen other spirits worse then himselfe and they enter in and dwell there and the end of that man is worse then the beginning therefore to escape that lamentable pernition if Sathan returne after his expulsion let vs betake our selues to earnest prayer and then as the Lyon feares at the sight of a Cocke and flies at the crowing of a Cocke so this roaring and ramping Lyon feares at the sight of a faithfull person and flies at his prayer For as some remedies against poyson are hoate and some cold so the remedies against tentations and troubles are either the mildnes and coldnes of patience or the vehemencie and ardentnes of prayer What if thou canst not still vse long and set prayer and vttered with tongue either for that thou art vnlearned or for that thy busines hinders and stops it or for that the time and place forbid it Yet pray continually in heart and pray earnestly in minde and pray zealously in spirit August ad ProbaÌ„ as it is reported that the Christians in Egypt were accustomed to vse often yet short prayers and to vtter them forcibly yet spéedily least the intention and heedfulnes which is requisite for him that praieth per productiones moras euanescat hebitetur should vanish away and become dull by long staie doe this and thou shalt trie vndoubtedly that such prayer though bréefe yet it is an ayde to the soule a sacrifice to God a scourge to Sathan For though while our life is in this pilgrimage it cannot be without sinne and tentation for our profiting is knowne by tentation neither doth any knowe himselfe except he be tried neither can any be crowned except he ouercome neither can any ouercome except he striue neither can any striue except he haue an enemie and trials though then the Sea can no more be without tempests then the world without tentations yet we must valiantly by vehement praier resist the assault and batterie and when the surge of triall flowes vpon vs we must call and crie with the Apostles when the ship was couered with waues Maister saue vs Matt. 8.25 we perish and then we shall sée that the windes and stormes will cease and that he doth nâ—â— sléepe that séemed to sléepe for a little season And aboue all things we must take héede that we resist Sathans suggestions and allurements in the beginning for he could not preuaile ouer vs vnles we did encrease his strength by our vices and did giue him roome to enter in and dominiere in vs by our iniquities For this cause the Apostle speaking of anger saith Ephes 4.26 that the Sunne must not go downe vpon our wrath and that we must not giue place to the Diuell As if he said that anger or any other sinne will growe past cure like a wound that by delaie waxes incurable if it be not repressed spéedily and because continuance in sinne makes an entrance for Sathan who hauing entered vpon our hearts doth péece-meale at last wholy possesse them therefore we must betimes shut the doores against so hurtfull a guest For as a Serpent easily conuaies in the rest of his body if he get an entrance for his head so Sathan that subtile and slippery serpent if we permit one sinne to créepe into vs and giue consent thereunto he insinuates his whole traine and he drawes vs from consent to practise from practise to delight from delight to custome from custome to boasting in sinne from boasting in sinne to obdurate hearts Hier. in epist Dum paruus est hostis interfice vt nequitia elidatur in semine kill the Enemie of the soule while he is but little that vngodlines may be crusht in the séede as the Cockatrice is most safely slaine in the shell before he be hatcht and brought forth Suppose that we had séene Adam in his tentation when thoughts arose
not stand in the Iudgement nor in the assemblie of the Righteous for their way shall vtterlie perish If an vnworthie seruant of Christ shall not be belieued yet belieue GOD himselfe who made this promise to the olde Israelites Exod. 34 24. I will cast our the Nations before thee â—â—d enlarge thy Coasts so that no man shall desire thy Land when thou shalt come vp to appeere before the Lord thy God thrise in the yâ—â—re The Israelites were to ascend thrise yearely out of all Iewry vnto the temple of Ieâ—uâ—alem leauing at home onely their wiues and small children and manie of the Tribes wâ—â—â— distant from the Temple the iourney of saâ—â—â—aâ—es God doth promise that by their ascending they should receiue no damage in their House-holde affaires and that no enemie or thiefe should spoyle their land or possessions in their absence This is a type for vs and written for our learning that we may know that GOD will haue care that we shall not be damaged in teÌ„porall things if we care to serue him and to labour for the bread that perisheth not At a word if an vnworthy seruant of Christ shall not be belieued yet belieue our Sauiour CHRIST himselfe who sayes here without any ambiguitie Seeke first the kingdome of God and his Righteousnes and all these things shall be ministred vnto you Finally if we must seeke first the kingdome of God and his Righteousnes those are to be reprehended that vndertake their daylie workes and businesses without commending their labours and endeuors to the blessed protection and benediction of God by prayer and supplication What can the most ingenious or industrious man performe of himselfe without the blessing of God Psal 127.1.2 Except the Lord build the house they labor in vaine that build it Except the Lord keepe the Citie the Keeper waketh in vaine It is in vaine to rise early and to lye downe late and to eate the bread of sorrow For it is the Lord that surely giueth rest to his beloued For that we depend not vpon God wee flée not to God wee pray not to God Am. 5.11 Zeph. 1.13 Agg. 1.6 Is not this the cause that many sowe much and reape little build houses other dwell in them plant Orchyards and eate not of the fruites eate but haue not enough drinke but are not filled cloath themselues but are not warme earne wages but lay it vp in a broken and bottomlesse Bagge Say not I cannot come to the church to praier euery day before I goe forth to my labour I am not learned it is for clergie men to be so diligent in prayers Although thou canst not come to the church yet hast thou not a priuate deuotion and prayers to powre foorth in thy house and on the way in the field and in thy labour Although thou be vnlearned yet art thou not able to vtter the Lords praier and in a word or two to beg mercy of God Althogh thou be no clerke yet art thou not subiect to manifold temptations aswell as clergie men They that trauell through vnwholsom countreys and infectious aires take preseruatiues to be safe from hurte those that know their enemies lie in wayt for them in euery corner carry still some weapon to defend themselues And shall not a Christian arme himselfe with the Armor of praier and defend himselfe with the preseruatiue of godly meditations since Sathan séekes by the venome of sinne to infect all our actions and layes a bayt to entrap vs in our meate in our drinke and in our garments and in our spéeches and in all our dooings Wherefore whatsoeuer we shall doe in word or déede Col. 3.17 let vs do all in the Name of the Lorde IESVS praying heartily to GOD the Father for the obtaining of his holy Spirit mercifull protection 1. Tim. 4.5 that all his Creatures may be sanctified vnto vs by his word praier and that whatsoeuer wee shall enterprise or attempt may redound to the glory of God the profite of our Neighbours and our owne saluation How comfortable is the promise Aske and it shall be giuen you seeke Matth. 7.7.8 and yee shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you For whosoeuer asketh receiueth and hee that seeketh findeth to him that knocketh it shal be opened How gratious is God Psal 145.8 Isay 65.24 to heare the requests of all those that call vpon him faithfully for he hath saide Yea before they call I wil answere and while they speake I will heare How can it be that the prayer of the Righteous should not preuaile much Rom. 8.26 and pierce the cloudes since Christ maketh intercession for vs at the right hand of God and thogh we know not what to pray as we ought yet the Spirite it selfe maketh request for vs Luk. 18.1 1 Tim. 2.8 with sighs which cannot be expressed O then let vs pray alwayes not wax faint O then let vs lift vp pure haÌ„ds euery where without wrath vr doubting O then let Prayer be the salte to season all our actions and the Doue to bring vs the oliue leafe that is the messenger to fetch down from Heauen the fauour and louing mercie of God vpon vs Gen. 8.11 and whither we goe foorth of our houses let vs pray and whither we returne home let vs pray Hieron in Epist Nec priùs corpuscalum requiescat quà m animam pascat and let not our body rest before it féede the soule with this celestiall foode To conclude and to binde vp all as it were in one little bundle let vs often and seriously consider the vanitie and fléeting mutabilitie of this life and of all the Pride and Pompe thereof and the vnspeakeable ioyes and perpetuitie of the Kingdome of God and then this exhortation and precept of our Lord and Maister CHRIST IESVS which containes the whole summe of a Christian mans dutie and may be in stead of a thousand Sermons will neuer slip out of our hearts wherein hée sayes But seeke yee first the Kingdome of God and his Righteousnes and all these things shall be ministred vnto you A WHIP FOR LOYTERERS Matth. 20.6 And hee went about the eleuenth houre and found others standing idle and saide vnto them Why stand yee heere all the day idle IN that none receiued the penny in the euening but such as laboured longer or lesse time in the vineyard we are taught that none of discretion age yéeres shall receiue the recoÌ„pence of the reward the ioyes of Heauen but such as in this present worlde labour diligently in their calling and endeuor to bring forth the fruits of such good workes as are commanded in the word of God procéed from a true Faith and serue for the honoring and glorifying of Gods holy name But as none shall be crowned in the kingdom of glory that hath not finished his course in the Kingdome of grace that is in the vineyard
sluggish our bodie being now vnfit for battell and enclining to ease and deliciousnes For so with little adooe hee wresteth out of our hand the sworde of the Spirite which is the Word of God as he preuailed against Euah She had the word of God if she had stickt vnto it she had not fallen But when Sathan saw that she was somthing careles in kéeping Gods word and that she turned the absolute commaundement of God into a conditionall peraduenture hee tooke the Word out of her heart And so soone as shee yéelded a little vnto him hee had the victorie Therefore Resist stedfast in the Faith Paul rehearseth the whole furniture of a Christian Soldiour all the parts thereof whē he saith Stand therfore Ephes 6.14.15.16 17.18 and your loynes girded about with Veritie and hauing on the Brest-plate of Righteousnes your feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace Aboue all take the Shielde of Faith wherewith yee may quench all the fierie dartes of the wicked and take the helmet of saluatiō the sword of the spirit which is the word of God pray alwaies with all māner praier supplicatiō in the spirite The weapons of a Soldiour must partly defend partly offend and with both these the Apostle armeth the Soldiour of Christ Hee props girds vs vp with truth that we may stād For wtout Truth which is Christ himselfe all other Vertues fall Least our breast shuld be woūded we becom forgetfull of our dutie he gardes vs with Iustice that giues to euery one his owne our feete must be couered that is the whole race of our life must bee so ordered that we may rūne in the gospell of peace not following our affections but Gods word that bréedes trāquillitie of consciēce that wee may repell the darts of distrust concupiscence he armeth vs with the shield of Faith which expels distrust bridles concupiscence makes vs to leade a life worthie of our profession And that Sathan may not strike the head and trouble the reason of man he giues the helmet of saluation that is Iesus Christ the head of the Church and Sauiour of the whole bodie If anie say I haue not those weapons I am vnarmed Whence shall I get them Hee shewes that they are gotten by Prayer that God giues his giftes to them that pray for them So that Paul is larger in this point thē Peter 1. Ioh. 5.4 but the sense is one for Faith onely is our victorie against the world For all that is borne of God ouercommeth this world and this is that victory that hath ouercome this world euen our Faith as S. Iohn affirmes Marke that he vseth the time that is past saying that Faith hath ouercome this world to giue vs to vnderstand that though as yet we be in the battell yet questionles we shal be conquerors and we may assure our selues of the victorie For Faith is the instrument and as it were the meane and hand whereby we lay holde vpon him that hath indéede performed it euen Christ Iesus It is but to resist in Faith and immediatly the fielde is wonne as saint Iames witnesseth Resist the Diuell saith he and hee will flee from you If we flie he is a Lyon if we stand stoutly and manfully Iam. 4.7 He flées as a flie and why not for he is Beelzebub that is the God of Flies For if anie should say If Sathā thā be bound why doth hee preuaile so much It is true indéed that he preuaileth much but he dominieres but on the lukewarme and negligent and them that doe not feare God in truth Hée is tyed like a dogge bound in chaines he cā hurt none but him that securely comes too néere vnto him And how foolish is the man that is bitten of a dogge bound vp in chaines Ioyne not thy selfe to him by the pleasures and desires of the world Aug. serm 197. de tempore and then hee will not presume to approach vnto thée He may barke he may allure he can byte none but such as are willing For hee hurtes not by enforcing but by perswading and hee doth not extort a consent from vs but hee begges and dsires it He can doe much indéede but not without Gods sufferance If his power were not bounded Psal 141. hee would molest and destroy the whole worlde and not suffer one godly person to remaine aliue But hee that kéepeth Israell will neither slumber nor sléepe the Lorde himselfe is the kéeper of the godly so that the Sunne shall not burne them by day nor the moone by night the Lord shall preserue their going out and their cōming in for euermore Iob. cap. 1. 2. Sathan could not afflict Iob either in body or goods wtout leaue graunted him of God 1. King 22 hee could not seduce Ahabs prophets without leaue granted him of God he could not enter into the Heard of swine without Christs permission Mat. 8.31 Let vs therefore bee couragious for the haires of our head are numbred the Dragon that old Serpent is bound cast into the bottomles pit cannot come out Reu. 20. till the Lord appoint a time for his losing He is a busie tēpter indéed but fixe thy Faith on CHRIST Matth. 12 29. Col. 2.15 for he hath bound the strōg man spoyled his house hee hath spoyled the principalities powers hath made a shewe of them openly and hath Triumphed ouer them in the crosse hée is the Sonne of God that was made manifest for this purpose 1. Ioh. 3.8 that hee might destroy the workes of the Diuell And he not onely conquers himselfe but also hee imparts the conquest on them that beléeue in him 1. Ioh. 2.13.14 And therefore Iohn writes to the young men because they had ouercome that wicked one because they were strong and the Word of God abode in them whereby they ouercame that wicked one He is a walker and wanderer and compasser of all the Earth indéed but he walkes onely 2. Pet. 2.4 when God permits him to goe out of his Dungeon and prison for otherwise he cannot stirre being fast bound in chaines of darknes Hee is an accuser of the godly indéede but who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth Rom. 8.1.33.34 who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request also for vs And there is no condemnation to them that are in CHRIST IESVS He is a deceiuer indeede but he cannot preuaile against Gods Elect. Mat. 7.24 The windes may blowe and the Rayne fall and the Floudes beate vpon the faithfull but their Faith is built on the sure ground and therefore it cannot be demolished The godlie may be afflicted Ioh. 16.21 but their sorrow shal be turned into ioy as the sorrow of
should goe out at them aboue all other I submissely implore your fauour for the acceptation and patronizing of my slender trauell beseechching you not to be displeased that I haue beene emboldned to dedicate this simple worke vnto you I was prouoked by your zeale to pure and vndefiled religioÌ„ by your vnpartiall regard of Iustice by your feruent affection to benefit your Countrey and by your loue to Learning and the learned which vertues as they are infused into you by the Author of all sincere vertue so they seeme in you to be hereditarie and deriued and transfused from your gracious Progenitors by these things I was prouoked to yeeld this testimony of your deserts as a consenting harmonie and generall applause of the multitude And thus praying the Lord to multiply and continue his mercies vpon you and yours I humble commend this declaration of my reuerent and due conceit of your worthines vnto your selfe and your selfe vnto the Almightie Your Worships in all dutifulnes to be commaunded ROB WOLCOMBE THE SEEKING OF HEAVEN Matt. 6.33 But seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes and all these things shall be ministred vnto you I It is the dutie of a sincere teacher of the will word of God Ier. 1.10 2. Cor 10.4 first to plucke vp iniquitie and to roote out vngodlines to destroy sinne to throwe downe the strong holdes of Sathan and then to build pietie and to plant the feare of the Lord. For as we see that thornes must be first pulled vp before good séede can be dispearsed with gaine and profit so none can apply their mindes to vertue before they lay aside the contrarie and repugnant vices Ier. 4.3 Isai 1.16 Psal 34.15 Therefore the Prophets exhorting sinners to repentance haue said that we must plough vp our fallow ground and not sowe vpon thornes and we must cease to doe euill and learne to doe well and we must decline from euill and doe that which is good The same order is obserued by Christ the true publisher of Gods pleasure For when he had sufficiently dehorted from anxietie and carefull pensiuenes touching earthly things as meate drinke and raiment namely because it hinders the seruice of God drawes vs to the seruice of Mâ—â—â—mo that is of worldly wealth and because it is foolish and superfluous for God will giue foode and raiment to his children for he that hath giuen life which is the greater will giue foode and raiment which is the lesser he that féedes the fowles of the heauen that neither sowe nor reape will he not féede his seruants that both sowe and reape he that cloathes the lillies that labour not nor spin will he not cloath his children that doe both these and when he had shewed both that this carefulnes is troublesome and profits nothing for who by carking can adde one cubite to his stature and that this anxietie pertaines to the Gentiles and Ethnicks which are ignorant of God and strangers from Christian religion and therefore ought to be far from vs that are Christians and doe acknowledge God to be our mercifull God and father When Christ had by these reasons disswaded from pensiue carefulnes now in these words he exhortes to godlines vertue and righteousnes saying But seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes and all these things shall be ministred vnto you In which words there are contained two things the first is an exhortation in these words But seeke ye fâ—rst the kingdome of God and his righteousnes the second is a reason of the exhortation in these words And all these things shall be ministred vnto you We are exhorted to seeke principally and before all other things the kingdome of God and Gods righteousnes And what is the kingdome of God It is the kingdome of grace in this life wheÌ„ Gods holy spirit swaies and rules in our hearts doeth so transforme and alter vs that of enemies of God we are reconciled vnto him For we are by nature strangers from God and the commonwealth of Israel and replenished with all vncleannes and iniquitie Ioh. 3.5 Matt. 3.11 and the spirit of God and his grace is water to purifie our pollution and fire to burne away our drosse and rust and oyle to supple and soften our hardnes and the seede of godlines 1. Io. 2.20 1. Io. 3.9 Luk. 11.20 froÌ„ which our soules growe vp into faire and goodly trees in whose branches vertues and good workes make their nests and dwelling places and the finger of God that engraues in our hearts the will and commandement of God and obedience vnto the same Luk 1.32 In this kingdome of grace Christ Iesus is the King and high Lord appoynted by his father to rule and gouerne it In this kingdome of grace the Subiects are the faithfull whom Christ hath redeemed with his death and set â—ree from the tyrannie of Sathan In this kingdome of grace the lawes are the word of God wherein all things are commaunded that belong both to the humble seruice and obedience of that supreme King and to the concord of the Subiects and citizens In this kingdome of grace all things are spirituall namely the King himselfe his glorie power Subiects lawes reward and punishment of Rebels And therefore Christ saith to Pilate Ioh. 18.36 my kingdome is not of this world For Christ requires no such thing of his Subiects as earthly kings are wont to aske but contrarily he doth continually enrich them with his owne gifts and spirituall riches he makes all his Subiects partakers of his kingly dignitie which earthly Kings cannot doe he doth not onely commaund as other Kings doe but also giues vs his owne spirit which puts power into vs whereby we are made able to yéeld our humble and dutifull obedience to his commaundements Finally all other kingdomes are subiect to alteration change but this kingdome of grace is inuincible and shall endure vntill the last comming of Christ This is the kingdome that our Sauiour bids vs to séeke first and chiefly and therefore let vs all pray that we may be Subiects thereof For grace is the balme to cure the sores and sicknesses of our soules grace is the directer of our thoughts spéeches and works in the awe of God as the rudder rules the ship grace is the garment and robe that couers and clothes our naturall defects and imperfections grace is the celestiall influence that makes our minds to spring foorth into godly actions as the raine that drops from heauen bréedes fertilitie in the earth grace is the swéetner of our workes which are otherwise bitter and vnsauorie as they issue from our corrupt wels as Eliâ—haes salt cured the bitter and venemous water of the citie Iericho 1. King 2. And what can be more fitly said of grace then that Saint Austin hath said Tract in Iohan. 41. As the Physitian hates the infirmitie of the Patient and workes by curing
after a sort nor any way expresse the greatnes thereof For why What fellowship hath Light with darknes what communion hath calamitie with tranquilitie what part hath the endles life with the fickle and momentanie life Therefore when thou liuest in obscuritie if thou wouldest be ready to giue euen all thy state and substance and to doe thy vtmost endeuour that thou mightest be brought into the presence of an earthly Potentate and liue in his presence and sit at his table and enioy his company and fauour wilt thou refuse to séeke the righteousnes of God and to walke in the good workes that God hath appointed for vs that thou maiest be made partaker of the companie of Angels and Saints and vnspeakeable ioyes of heauen Propter haec Hom. 35. de diuers quae Pecuniae quae Corpora non sunt impendenda Imò quot Animas exponere dignum fuerit That we may enioy those ioyes what mony should we not expend what strength of body should we not impaire Nay how many liues if we had many liues should we not neglect and léese as saith Saint Iohn Chrysostome Wherefore let this exhortation of our Sauiour Christ be neuer forgotten when he saith But seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes Now the reason why we should séeke first Gods kingdome and his righteousnes is for that then all other things shall be ministred vnto vs and shall be giuen vnto vs as a surpassage and aduantage If we finde the kingdome of God and his righteousnes though we haue fewe or none of these transitorie things yet it surpasseth all the treasure of India and gold of Peru but if we abound with earthly blessings and yet want the inestimable iewell of Gods grace while we liue heere and shall not be citizens and inhabitants of Gods eternall and glorious kingdome of heauen what are we but hungrie in the midst of our dainties and thirstie in the middest of our fountaines and naked in the middest of our garments and poore and miserable in the middest of our abundance and imagined felicitie for our true and principall felicitie is in heauen of which these earthly blessings and commodities are the additions pledges and tokens Christ therefore saith But seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes and all these things shall be ministred vnto you or shall be cast vnto you He vseth a word taken from them that buy fruits as Peares apples or the like who when they bestowe monie and paie it they haue commonly cast vnto them somewhat aboue the number So saith Christ if you séeke first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes earthly benefits shall be added and ministred ouer aboue your expectatioÌ„ Where the Sun is there is light and warmth where the soule is there is liuely motion and action where the fauour of the Prince is there is honour and preferment and where the kingdome of God is and his righteousnes there is ioye plentie peace prosperitie and what not Therefore if we desire to abound with all good things let vs séeke first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes Here perhaps some may say many godly people and Paul himself by name who chiefely did séeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnes yet spent their life in hunger 2. Cor. 11.23 c. and thirst and fastings and colde and nakednes and then how is this promise true that all other things shall be cast and ministred vnto vs yea but behold Pauls minde and contentation for he could say Phil. 4.11.12.13 I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am therewith to be content and I can be abased and I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry and to abound and to haue want I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which strengtheneth me Wherby we sée that other things are cast and ministred vnto the godly either in very déede or else as much as they doe desire He hath no néede of any thing that desires nothing Very litle is enough for him that is filled with the loue and feare of God and depends on Gods prouidence and liberalitie and séekes chiefly the kingdome of God and his righteousnes A certaine Philosopher could say when he sawe a faire fraught with all varietie of wares Basil Const mon. cap. 5. Quam multis ego non egeo How many things are there here which I neede not An ancient Father saies that as oftentimes when we muse and contemplate earnestly on things of this life the minde is so deepely fixed on the cogitation that the eares eyes and other senses doe not execute their function but the minde as it were forsakes the outward senses and altogether strickes in the contemplation so our vehement fastning of our loue on God and godly things will easily expell and chase out vaine thoughts for worldly profite and pleasure So that God casteth all things vnto him Gen. 15.1 and 17.1 who wants nothing and vnto whom God is all things and who hath learned with the Apostle in whatsoeuer state he is therewith to be content that is who thinks whatsoeuer he hath to be sufficient and longs after no more then he hath Saint Chrysostome saies fitly that none that goeth to a rich feast is carefull for that daies diet and none that goeth to a Well is carefull for his thirst Therefore since we may and must assure our selues of the liberalitie and mercifull prouidence of God farre more plenteous then all feasts and wels let vs not account our selues poore and néedie Luk. 14.16 Let vs goe to the great supper vnto which wée are inuited and we shall not lacke meate in the way let vs goe to that Fountaine which saide If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke Ioh. 7.37 and we shall not want drinke in the iourney So true is it that Christ sayes heere that if wee absolutely and principally seeke the Kingdome of God and his Righteousnes all these things shall be ministred vnto vs as things either necessarily depending on the former or else following them of their owne accord Questionles of our selues we are vnapte to séeke the kingdome of God and his Righteousnes because our depraued nature is repugnant vnto it and is rather delighted with the workes of darkenes then with the armor of light Therefore we must beséech God to giue vs the grace of his holy Spirit that wée may applie our hearts to the heauenly Wisedome and encline our stubborne disposition to â—is blessed and acceptable pleasure and commandement And we must diligently attend â—nd hearken to the word of God which is the incorruptible seede whereby the Spirite doth regenerate vs 2 Pet. 2.2 and worke effectually in vs. Why doe manie not long for the Kingdome of God and his Righteousnes Because they are carnall and the carnall cannot conceiue the things of Gods kingdome which is spirituall
it is cut downe and withereth the time of our life is threescore yeeres ten and if they be of strength fourscore yeeres yet their streÌ„gth is but labour sorrow for it is cut off quickly we flee away Note what the great Apostle doctor of the GeÌ„â—iles Paul saith Ephes 6.12.13 We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities against powers and against the worldly gouernours the Princes of the darknes of this world against spirituall wickednesses which are the high places And therefore he addes presently For this cause take vnto you the whole armor of God that yee may be able to resist in the euill day and hauing finished all things stand fast Euen so doth Peter in this present place declaring vnto vs the couÌ„terwaites of Sathan and exhorting vs diligently to beware take héed of them And therefore he saith Besober and watch for yuur aduersarie c. In which words the holy Apostle doth thrée things first he exhortes vs vnto a continuall care for our saluation which care consisteth in Sobrietie vigilancie or watchfulnes in these words Be sober watch secoÌ„dly he addes a reason of his exhortation and therein is contained a description of our grand-enemie Sathan in these words For your aduersarie the Diuell as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whoÌ„ he may deuoure Thirdly he shewes what we must doe in this case in these wordes Whom resist stedfast in the faith 1. We must continually care for our saluation First then the Apostle commends vnto vs a perpetual care and studie for the sauing and health of our soules And because he hath an eye and respect to warfare he vseth a double metaphore borrowed spéech from the things that are requisite and necessarie in Earth Warfare and Militarie discipline The first borrowed phrase is this Be sober that is vse temperaÌ„cie in all your actioÌ„s For as surfeting druÌ„kennes makes the body vnapt for worldly busines So they that drowne their soules in the sinke of earthly delights pleasures they caÌ„not desire follow the kingdome of heauen And as the worldly souldior that stuffes crains himselfe too full with meate and drinke cannot readily nimbly resist his bodily enemie So CHRISTS souldior that liues intemperately cannot withstand the enemies of his soule as he ought to doe And therefore the Apostle sayes Be sober When Peter saith Be sober hee saith no other then that which Christ saith Take heede to your selues Luk. 21.34.35.39 least at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfetting drunkennes and cares of this life least that day come on you at vnawares For as a Snare shall it come on all them that dwel on the face of the whole earth watch therefore pray continually that yee may bee counted worthie to escape all these things that shal come to passe that yee may stand before the Sonne of man When Pâ—ter saith be sober he saith no other theÌ„ that which Paul saith It is now time that wee should arise froÌ„ sleepe for now is our saluation neerer theÌ„ when wee belieued it the night is past Rom 13 11.12.1â— the day is at hand let vs therefore cast away the works of darknes let vs put on the armor of light so that we walke honestly as in the day not in gluttony druÌ„kennes neither in chaÌ„bering wantonnes nor in strife and enuie WheÌ„ Peter saith 1. Thess 5.5.9.7.8 Be sober it is no other then that which Paul saith againe Yee are all the childreÌ„ of light the childreÌ„ of the day we are not of the night neither of darknes therefore let vs not sleepe as doe other but let vs watch and be sober for they that sleepe sleepe in the night they that be druÌ„ken are druÌ„ken in the night but let vs which are of the dai be sober WheÌ„ Peter saith Ephes 4.22.23.24 be sober it is no other theÌ„ that which Paul saith againe cast off concerning the coÌ„uersation in time past that old maÌ„ which is corrupt through the deceiuable lusts be renued in the spirite of your minde put on the new man which after God is created vnto righteousnes true holines And what is teÌ„peraÌ„cie or sobrietie It is a vertue that moderates the desires of meat drink that we may neither by excesse hinder meditation prayer the labors of our calling nor yet on the other side hurte our bodily health by too much abstineÌ„ce Therefore else-where our Apostle saith Be sober watching in praier For what atteÌ„tion â— Pet. 4.7 or intention caÌ„ druÌ„kards vse in praier how caÌ„ they muse thinke deuoutly of God godly things S Basil saith truely DrunkeÌ„nes chaseth away the gifts of the no yâ— Spirit smoke driueth away Bees druÌ„kennes driuet away the gifts of the holy Ghost And the Hathenish Poet saith well Corpus onustum Hesternis vitijs animum quoque praegnauat vnà Horat. ser l. 2. sat 2. Atque affigit humi diuinae particulam aurae When the body is surcharged with excessiue diet it burdens the minde also and fasteneth to the earth that portion of the diuine breath Drunkennesse saith Austin is a flattering Diuell a sweet poyson a pleasant sinne In sermons quod which whosoeuer hath hath nor himselfe which whosoeuer commits not so much commits sinne as is altogheter made sinne Drunkennesse is the bewitching Circe that metamorphoseth turneth men into Swine Dogs and Lyons Apes discouering and setting on fire the vices that were before secret and drawing foorth into the light of the Sunne those qualities of the minde which were lurking in close caues and cabbines Then the vnchast professeth and publisheth his disease then the wanton refraines Sen. ep 8 nor tongue nor hand then appeares the pride of the insolent the crueltie of the vnmercifull the enuie of the malignant Omne vitium grassatur prodit Euery vâ—ce then rageth and rusheth foorth And who becomes not a Beast in his Drunkennesse when he knowes not himselfe nor others hée cannot speake plainely intelligiblie he speakes to no purpose hee rowles his eyes he staggars and réeles hee vtters and vomits his owne secrets and shame hée féeles the swimming of the head he imagineth one candle to be two and that the very house whirleth round about him he findes that of the Poet verified in himself â—agnuÌ„ hec vitium est vinc Plautus in Pseudolo Pedes captat primuâ— luctator dolosus est That the great faulte of immoderatie drinking of wine is this that like a craftie wrestler it first seekes to trippe vp the héeles Drunkennesse makes men worse then beasts For beasts will not by compulsion take more meate or drinke then their neede craueth And therefore Drunkards those that enforce others to drinke excessiuely are in this respect to be iudged worse then Asses and worse then Dogs saith S. Chrysostome Hom. 58.
lyes And are not drunkards that depriue themselues of reason and common sense that abuse the good creatures of God that deâ—â— their soules and bodies with vices and prepare themselues to be as spunges to receiue all iniquitie are they not comprehended vnder the name of vncleane persons and dogs If any say that these are but probabilities and collections then behold those most cléere places where the holy Ghost saith by the mouth of the Apostle 1. Cor. 6.10 Gal. 5.21 that drunkards shall not inherite the kingdom of God and that drunkennes and gluttonie are manifest workes of the flesh and that they which do such things shall not inherite the kingdome of God The second Metaphor borrowed spéech which the Apostle vseth in his exhortation is likewise taken from earthly souldiers and warfare when he saith and watch If the souldiour that lieth in field against his enemie be not watchfull but careles and sléepie how soone may his foes preuent and circumuent him so if they that are enrolled souldiours in Christs band to fight his battels vnder his banner be remisse drousie and negligent the enemies of their soules may soone ouerthrowe and destroy them It is necessarie therefore for vs to watch And why must we watch We must watch for the comming of Christ our Lord and Maister for so he commaunds saying Watch therefore for ye know not what houre your Maister will come If this be sure that if the good man of the house knew Matt. 24.42.43.44 at what watch the theefe would come he would surely watch not suffer his house to be digged through therfore be ye also readie for in the houre that ye thinke not will the Sonne of man come And againe Let your loynes be girded about Luk. 12. â—5 36 and your lights burning and ye your selues like vnto men that waite for their Maister when he will returne from the wedding that when he commeth knocketh they may open vnto him immediately And why must we watch for Christs comming because it will be suddaine for the day of the Lord shall come euen as a theefe in the night 1. Thess 5.2.3 for when they shall say peace and safetie then shall come vpon them sudden destruction as the trauell vpon a woman with childe they shall not escape And whereto must we watch we must watch to righteousnes godlines vertue good works for so the Apostle S. Paul doth admonish vs saying awake to liue righteously sinne not 1. Cor. 15.34 As if he had said sin is like the Aspe for as that Serpent when it stings any it brings them into a drousines and they die sléeping so they that are hurt with the sting of sinne fall into a drousie forgetfulnes of God godlines and except the Lord touch their hearts with repentance they senselesly sléepe vp into the second death Ephes 5.14 Awake therefore thou that sleepest and stand vp from the death of sinne and Christ shall giue thee light And why must we watch we must watch least Sathan sowe tares among the good séede of Gods word and take it away out of our hearts and choake it with the thornes of cares and voluptuous liuing Matt. 13.34.25 For Christ saith expressely That the kingdome of God is like vnto a man which sowed good seede in his field but while man slept there came his enemie and sowed tares among the wheate and went his way Briefly wherein must we watch we must watch in praier for so our Sauiour taught his disciples Matt. 26.41 Luk. 21.36 saying Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation And again Watch therefore and pray continually that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to passe and that ye may stand before the sonne of man And so Saint Paul commaunds continue saith he in prayer Col. 4.2 and watch in the same with thanksgiuing And iustly might he commaund vs to pray continually for what else is praier to the soule but that which the kéele is to the ship the foundation to the house and the moisture to the tree and the sinewes and ioynts to the body Take the kéele away and the ship is dissolued take the ground-worke away and the edifice falles take the moisture from the trée and there comes no fruit take away the sinewes and cut the ioynts of the bodie and the members will not hange together and take away prayer from the soule and it is exposed as a preie to euery Enemie Praier to the Christian is as a sword to the traueller that chaseth away the théefe and the bowe of the hunter that kils the sauage beast and the fortresse and bulwarke that defends the cittie and castle for the wicked spirits are put to flight when they see our soules armed with supplication and the enemies that as gréedie beasts would deuoure our soules are driuen off by the spirituall arrowes of zealous praier and the castle of the soule is protected by praier and thereby made inexpugnable Chrys de diuersis and therefore if praier be taken from the soule perinde est ac si piscem ex aqua traxeris vt illi vita aqua ita anima preccs it is as though a fish were drawne out of the water As water is life to the fish so prayer is life to the soule Art thou in tranquillitie pray to God that thy tranquillitie may be permanent Dost thou sée a gréeuous storme comming pray to God that he would auert it and turne it into calmenes Art thou heard thanke God for hearing thée Art thou not heard perseuere that thou maiest be heard For although God defer for a little space yet he doth it not of hatred towards thée neither for that he reiects thée but by deferring he keepes thee the longer by him Chrys de profectu euangelij as fathers are woont not to grant presentlâ— to their children whoÌ„ they loue entirely â—he things which they desire but to put them off with some delay that they may tarrie the longer with them and desire it the more feruently and estéeme it the more regardfully when it is graunted Wherefore since prayer is so profitable and necessarie for vs let none passe away the time ordained for prayer in sléepe and trifling and in worldly cares and musings or in vttering the words of prayer coldly and negligently and with a roauing and wandring minde onely vsing his lips but let vs powre foorth our praiers before the Lord with attentiue mindes and carefull hearts Cyprian saith well Let the minde muse on nothing else then that which it praieth for And againe How canst thou desire to be heard of God when thou hearest not thy selfe Vis esse deum memorem tui cum tu ipse memor tui non sis Wilt thou haue God to remember thee when thou remembrest not thy selfe Bernard also hath a memorable sentence I offer saith he great iniurie to God when I pray
in his heart and when he was straitned betwéene the commaundement of his Creator and the request of his yoke-fellowe should we not haue cried out and said vnto him ô thou wretch Bernard inser om sanct take heede to thy selfe see thou doe it not the woman is seduced beleeue not her entisements Should this haue béene our perswasion to Adam that he should looke to himselfe and shal we not perswade our selues after the same manner when we are compassed thronged with the like tentations As the dogge that stands by the table Chrys hom 3. de Laz. if he that eateth cast some bone or crust vnto him he tarrieth and waites still for more but if nothing be giuen him at length he departs and waites for sustenance no longer so Sathan that gréedie and biting dogge standing about our life if he receiue from vs some vngodly spéeches or wicked doings he remaines and expects longer but if we nourish him not by word nor déede he forsakes vs and séekes after another preie Therefore if we will subdue Sathan we must quickly flée all appearance of euill 1. Thess 5.22 we must spéedily flée the time the place the opportunitie to commit sinne we must by and by feare the baite suspecting that it couers the hooke and we must neuer forget that the fowler carries himselfe most guilefully when he calls and allures most pleasantly And this is the adiuration and coniuration that repels Sathan namely a true and stedfast faith that knowes the mercies of God towards mankinde reuealed in Gods word and that assureth and perswadeth vs of those mercies towards our selues also and that depends and relies wholly vpon those mercies and that is not barren idle or dead but abounding with good workes The summe of all is this we must liue soberly and watchfully and wâ—y because we haue an Aduersarie to witt the Diuell that as a roaring Lyon doth walke about seeking whom he may deuoure But we must be of good courage and coÌ„stantly beléeue on Christ the séede of the woman that hath bruised the Serpents head and hath not onely vanquished the infernall powers but also is our grand-captaine in these spirituall wars and hath promised victorie to those that fight valiantly vnder his banner Ioh. 16.33 and hath willed vs to be of good heart because he hath ouercome the world and commaunds his holy Angels to pitch a campe round about the godly and to put those wicked spirits to flight We reade 2. King 6.14 that when the king of Aram had sent horses and charets and a mightie hoast and they came and compassed the citie Dothan by night where the Prophet Elizâ—us lay and when the seruant of the man of God arose early to goe out saw the citie coÌ„passed with horses and charets he said vnto Elizans alas Maister how shall we doe his Maister answered feare not for they that be with vs are moe then they that be with them Then Elizeus prayed and sad Lord I beseech thee open his eyes that he may see and the Lord opened the eyes of the seruant and he looked and behold the mountaine was full of horses and charets of fire round about Elizeus Euen so forasmuch as we are weake of our selues and vnable to defend our selues and we haue a great companie of spirituall foes which inuent a thousand waies to entrap vs and to bring vs to euerlasting shame and lay waite to ensnare vs both in wealth and pouertie both in pleasure and affliction both in our words and in our workes and are vigilant when we are negligent let vs beseech our mightie and mercifull God to haue mercie on vs and to encrease our faith that being harnessed in compleate Armor we may doe valiantly and tread downe Sathan our Arch-enemie vnder our feete and we may haue the eyes of our minds opened to behold the inuincible charets and spirituall horsemen that are on our side and that being strengthened through the power of his might we may be able to resist and stand against all the assaults of that wicked one and that holding the faith and finishing our course and fighting a good fight we may in the end triumph eternally with our Sauiour Christ Iesus in the kingdome of Heauen Amen PRACTISE MVST ACCOMPAnie profession Tit. 3. 8. This is a true saying and these things I will thou shouldest affirme that they which haue beleeued God might be carefull to shew forth good workes These things are good and profitable vnto men AS he caÌ„not rightly be called a good Citizen or commonwealths man that doth not obserue the lawes of the cittie or common-wealth so he cannot be truely called a Christian that followes not the direction of the Christian faith and of the Church of God And that we may followe this it is necessarie that we knowe what it is What it is the Apostle declares a little before Verse 3.4.5.6.7 saying We our selues also were in times past vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing the lustes and diuerse pleasures liuing in maliciousnes and enuie hatefull and hating one another but when that bountifulnes and that loue of God our Sauiour toward man appeared not by the worke of righteousnes which we had done but according to his mercie he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renuing of the holy ghost which he shed on vs abundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour that we being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life In which words the holy Apostle shewes first what we are by nature namely vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing lustes and diuerse pleasures liuing in malitiousnes spight and hatred Secondly he shewes the cause of our saluation namely the bountifulnes and loue of God our Sauiour by which two namely our owne vildenes and Gods mercy he excludes vtterly in the matter of saluation our righteousnes and our merites Thirdly he shewes the manner how we are saued namely by regeneration and the renuing of the holy ghost and in Christ we haue aswell the one as other Out of all which this may be gathered that this is the summe of our saluation that God so loued the world Ioh. 3.16 that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And therefore whosoeuer haue not this faith they are destitute of the spirit of God For heereby shall we know the spirit of God 1. Ioh. 4.2.3 euery spirit which confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and euery spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God but this is the spirit of Antichrist But because in this summe of the Christian faith either distrust and doubling or carnall securitie and the libertie of the flesh doe assaile vs S. Paul preuents and stops both those when he saith This is a true saying and these things I will thou shouldest affirme
gift in secret peruerts iustice blindes the eyes of the wise as the famous Lawyer confessed who refusing a while to patronise a cause not very good when the Sollicitour cast downe before him a great summe of péeces of Hungarian gold on which were enstan ped the Images of armed souldiours Splinx phâ—los cap. â—2 he thus cried out Thou hast taken me captiue for who can resist so many armed men In regard of all this had not the Poets great cause to exclaime Quid non mortalia pectora cogis Virg. Auri sacra fames O execrable hunger of golde what doest thou not enforce mens hearts to doe And Ouid. Opes irriâ—imenta malorum wealth is a prouocation to wickednes But most chiefely had not Saint Paul great reason to say that They that will be rich 1. Tim 6.9.10 fall into tentation and snares and into many foolish and noysome lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction for the desire of money is the roote of all euill which while some lusted after they erred from the faith and pierced themselues thorough with many sorrowes And most aptly cals he couetousnes the roote of all euils For as from the roote spring branches boughes and fruits so from Auarice spring all sorts of wickednes as from the roote nourishment is sent and conueied to the whole tree so Auarice nourisheth all iniquitie as by the roote the Tree stickes fast to the earth so our mindes aâ—e fixed on earthly and transitorie desires and lye groueling in them by meanes of vnsatiable Auarice Therefore since couetousnes is so perillous a Vice breeding impietie periurie dissimulation falsehood treacherie oppression and fraude let this prohibition of the holy Apostle neuer slide out of our mindes wherein he teacheth that it is the will of God that no man oppresse or defraude his brother in any matter Matt. 7.22 And somuch the rather let vs beware of couetousnes because it procéedes from the naturall corruption of the heart as Christ affirmes and therefore being all by nature corrupt in our desires we haue much more néede then the holy Prophet Dâ—uid had who was a man regenerate and framed by the spirit of God Psal 119 36. to pray thus to the Lord Encline mine heart to thy testimonies and not to Couetousnes For as the Diamond layde by the loadestone debarres the loadestone from drawing of yron or if the loadestone haue drawne it the Diamond puls it backe againe so couetousnes dissents from Christian godlines and by all meanes drawes from Vertue and the law of God and suffers not the minde to sticke fast to Christ 2. The reason of the prohibition For the Lord is auenger of all such things Read the 5. of Ieremiah Among my people saith God are found wicked persons that laye waite as he that setteth snares they haue made a pit to catch men as a cage is full of birdes Ier. 5. â—6 2â—.28.9 so are their houses full of deceit thereby they are become great and waxen rich they are waxen fat and shining they doe ouerpasse the deeds of the wicked they execute no iudgement no not the iudgement of the fatherles yet they prosper though they execute no iudgement for the poore shall I not visite for these things saith the Lord or shall not my soule be auenged on such a nation as this Here we sée that God is auenger of violent and fruadulent dealing Reade the 8. Amos 8.4.5.6.7.8 of the Prophet Amos Heare this ô yee that swallowe vp the poore that ye may make the needie of the land to faile saying when will the new moneth be gone that we may sell corne and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheate and make the Ephah small and the shekell great and falsifie the weights by deceit That we may buy the poore for siluer and the needie for shoes yea and sell the refuse of the wheate The Lord hath sworne by the excellencie of Iacob surely I will neuer forget any of their workes shall not the land tremble for this and euery one mourne that dwelleth therein Here we sée that God is auenger of violent and fraudulent dealing Reade theâ— of the Prophet Habakuk Heb. 2.6.7.9.10.11.12 how he that encreaseth that which is not his how long and he that ladeth himselfe with thick claye shall they not rise vp suddenly that shall bite thee and awake that shall stirre thee and thou shalt be their praye Ho he that coueteth an euill couetousnes to his house that he may set his nest on high to escape from the power of euill thou hast consulted shame to thine owne house and hast sinned against thine owne soule for the stone shall crye out of the wall and the beame out of the timber shall answere it Woe vnto him that buildeth a towne with blood and erecteth a citie by iniquitie Here we see that God is auenger of violent and fraudulent dealing Reade the 15. Psalme there we shall sée that he that vseth deceit in his tongue that doth euill to his neighbour that sweareth to his neighbour and disappoints him if it be to his damage that frets out and bites with vsurie and takes reward against the innocent shall not dwell in Gods tabernacle nor rest vpon his holy hill And no maruell that no deceitfull person shall dwell in Heauen for Dauid that was but a man though a godly man protesteth Psal 101.7 that there should no deceitfull person dwell within his house and that he that tolde lyes should not remaine in his sight Reade the 2â— of the Prouerbs the bread of deceit is sweete to a man saith Salomon but afterward Pro. â—0 17 his mouth shall be filled with grauell Here we see that God is auenger of such things Reade the 6. of the 1. to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 6.9 Knowe yee not saith the Apostle that the vnrighteous shall not inherite the kingdome of God be not deceiued neither fornicators nor Idolaters nor adulterers nor wantons nor buggerers nor theeues nor couetous nor drunkards nor traytors nor extortioners shall inherite the kingdome of God Reade the 5. to the Ephesians For this ye knowe saith Paul Ephes 5.5 that no whoremonger neither vncleane person nor couetous person which is an Idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of God Here we sée that God is auenger of such things And though God permit Pharaoh to tyrannise and oppresse his children for a while yet as the olde and true prouerbe affirmeth cum duplicantur lateres tunc venit Moses when the number of bricke is doubled Ex. 5.9 6.1 c. then commeth Moses that is when oppression encreaseth deliuerance is at hand and the more cruelly that tyrants rage the néerer is Gods helps Yea but some doe flourish that are oppressers and guilefull and they come not into the misfortune of other men and there is a continuall course of their prosperitie without interruption where then
our hearts that otherwise would rebell against his decrées and because he comforts vs both by the swéete promises reuealed in his word and by that comforter Ioh. 14.16.17.26 and Ioh. 16.13 that abideth with the godly for euer euen the spirit of truth who shall leade into all truth and teach the faithfull all things requisite to their saluation and bring all things to remembrance that Christ hath told vs. Matt. 5.4 Christ saies expressely Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted One Prophet thus comforts the Iewes Sorrow and mourne Micah 4.10 ô daughter Zion like a woman in trauell for now thou shalt goe forth of the citie and dwell in the field and shalt goe into Babel but there shalt thou be deliuered there the Lord shall deliuer thee from the hand of thine enemies And another Prophet thus Isay 54.7.8 for a little while haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee for a moment in mine anger I hâ—d my face from thee for a little season but wâ—th euerlasting mâ—rcie haue I had compassion on thee saith the Lord thy Redéemer And another Prophet thus Come Hos 6.1.2 and let vs returne to the Lord for he hath spoyled and hee will heale vs hee hath wounded vs and hee will binde vs vp after two daies will he reuiue vs and in the third day wâ—ll hee raise vs vp and we shall liue in his sight These words are fully fraught with heauenly consolation and may be appropriated to all and euery one of the faithfull Sée the truth héereof in the beggar Lazarus who though he were full of sores in this world yet he was after this life in Abrahams bosome but the rich glutton though he fared deliciously and were clad gorgeously euery day yet after this life he was in hell tormented in firie flames And héereof Abraham yéeldes no other reason but this Sonne remember Luk. 16. â— 26. that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures and likewise Lazarus paines now therefore is he comforted and thou art tormented Wherefore as in the workes of nature God declares his prouidence not in taking away diseases vtterly from mens bodies but in prouiding fit remedies for all maladies so in the workes of grace God declares his goodnes in that he hath not altogether taken away tribulation from his elect neither would he haue them exonerated from all sorrowes but against all afflictions and crosses he hath giuen vs the certaine expectation of the life to come as a shield and rocke of defence and therefore Christ saith your sorrowe shall be turned to ioy As it is appointed for the godly to be sorrie in this world and then to reioyce so on the contrarie the vngodly reioyce héere but at length their gladnes is chaunged into sorrowe Isay 65.13.14 So saith the Lord by the Prophet Isayah Behold my seruants shall eate and ye shall be hungrie behold my seruants shall drinke and ye shall be thirstie behold my seruants shall reioyce and yee shall be ashamed behold my seruants shall sing for ioy of heart and ye shall cry for sorrowe of heart and shall houle for vexation of minde Reu. 18.6.7.8 Ihon the Diuine saith of the great whore of Babylon reward her euen as she hath rewarded you and giue her double according to her workes and in the cup that she hath filled to you fill her the double in as much as she glorified her selfe and liued in pleasure so much giue you to her torment and sorrow for she saith in her heart I sit being a Queene and am no widdowe and shall see no mourning therefore shall her plagues come at one day death and sorrowe and famine and she shall be burnt with fire for that God which condemneth her he is a strong Lord. As it is said of the godly Matt. 5.4 Luk. 6.25 Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted so also it is said of the vngodly woe be to you that are full for ye shall hunger Woe be to you that now laugh for ye shall wayle and weepe Worldlings desire to conforme and fashion themselues according to this present world to fulfill the lusts of the flesh to walke after the flesh to reioyce in strife enuying chambering wantonnes drunkennes gluttonie deceit guile lying couetousnes backbiting reuenge hatred malice anger These are the workes of the old man these are the desires of the world these are the reioycings of the vnregenerate of the children of disobedience But all this what is it but to heape vp wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust Iudgment For though the wicked act their parts neuer so plausibly yet when the Tragedie is ended and the stage broken downe then they shall crie out one to another We haue wearied our selues in the way of wickednes and destruction Wisd 5.7.8 c. and wee haue gone through dangerous wayes but wee haue not knowne the way of the Lorde What hath pride profited vs or what profite hath the pompe of Riches brought vs All those things are passed away like a shadowe and as a Post that passeth by As a ship that passeth ouer the waues of the water which when it is gone by the trace thereof cannot be found neither the pathes of it in the Floods or as a Bird that flieth through the Ayre and no man can sée any token of her passage but onely heare the noyse of her wings beating the light winde parting the aire through the vehemencie of her going and fléesh on shaking her wings whereas afterward no token of her way can be found or as when an Arrow is shotte at a marke it parteth the Aire which immediatly commeth together againe so that a man cannot knowe where it went thorough Euen so wee as soone as we were borne we beganne to drawe to our ende and haue shewed no token of vertue but are consumed in our owne wickednes And how can it be otherwise For the hope of the vngodly is like the dust that is blowne away with the winde and like a thinne fome that is scattered abroade with the storme and as the smoke which is dispersed with the winde and as the remembraÌ„ce of him passeth that tarrieth but for a day Is the matter euen so why then it is vanitie to trust in the ioyes of the world For all the imaginations of worldlings of their golde and siluer of their honors and promotions of their houses and possessions of their wiues and children of their Banquets and sportes doe fade away in a moment as if they had nere bene What are the ioyes of the world but the dreames of them that sléepe For so saith the Prophet Isay 29.8 And it shall bee like as an hungrie man dreameth and behold he eateth when he awaketh his soule is emptie or like as a thirsty man dreameth and loe he is drinking and when he awaketh behold
poore the maimed the lame and the blinde and thou shalt be blessed because they cannot recompence thee for thou shalt be recompenced at the Resurrection of the iust And this commaundement to shew mercy to the néedie is perpetuall and still stands in force and therefore the poore we haue alwaies amongst vs as God said to the Israelites Because there shall be euer some poore in the land therefore I commaund thee saying Deut. 15.11 thou shalt open thine hand to thy brother to thy needie and to thy poore in thy land The commaundement to loue one another and consequently to aid and succour one another is both new and old old because it was giuen in the lawe written by Moses Leu. 19.18 and engrauen by the finger of Naâ—ure in the tables of our harts and new because it was renued by our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell Ioh. 13.34 and therefore must neuer waxe old or decay Is it not méete that we should acknowledge that good things come vnto vs not by chaunce but by the good prouidence of God and how can we acknowledge this better then by yéelding obedience to Gods commandement that requires to impart of our store on the necessitie of other If thou confesse Hom. 1. that temporall good things saith S. Bâ—sill procéed from the diuine ordinance canst thou thinke that God is vniust in distributing vnequally these temporall things vnto vs Why doest thou abound and another beg but that thou maiest be recompenced for thy bountie he be adorned with the strength and arme of patience It is the bread of the hungry which thou withdrawest it is the garment of the naked that thou layest vp in thy wardrope it is the shoe of the bare-footed which rottes in thy custodie it is the siluer of the needie which thou possessest and therefore in not distributing thou destroyest all those whom thou mayest assist and succour Shall we daily and hourely receiue good things from our heauenly father and shall we denie benefits to our brethren Ecclus. 28.3.4 or shall we expect mercie from our maker that withhold mercie from men like to our selues Bernard reduceth the mercies of the Lord towards vs vnto the number of seuen In Cant. ser 88. saying that The first mercie is that God doth stay vs from failing into many sinnes into which otherwise we should fall the second is that God doth beare with vs when we sinne and doth patiently expect our conuersion the third is that God doth visite our heart with his holy spirit and cause vs to loath the sinne which before we loued the fourth is that God doth mercifully receiue vs when we repent so as we may be found among them of whom the Psalme speaketh Psal 32.1 Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen the fift is that God giues vs power to liue more circumspectly héereafter and not to commit a relapse least the last error be worse then the first these fiue mercies are in deliuering from euill the other two are in bestowing of good for the sixth is in that God giues vs the grace to liue in new and holy conuersation and the seuenth is in that vpon so often experiment of his goodnes he permits vs vnworthy and sinfull wretches to assure our selues of heauenly good things Are these the mercies of the Lord towards vs and shall we be vnmercifull to our afflicted brethren Hâ—th God so loued vs 1. Ioh 4.11 and shall not we loue one another If thou were distressed and in necessitie thy selfe wouldest thou not be glad to be comforted and wouldest thou not desire and expect aide from other that could doe it Matt. 7.12 Therefore whatsoeuer thou wouldest that men should doe to thee euen so doe thou to them for this is the lawe and the Prophets And that more is doest thou know what may betide thée before thou die Art thou sure of the permanencie of thy flourishing estate Wilt thou in miserie looke for reliefe that in prosperitie wert merciles Wâ—th what measure thou metest Matt. 7.2 Nazianz. in Oratione de panperibus amandis it shall be measured to thee againe It was grauely spoken by that great Diuine long since as he that saileth is néere to shipwracke and the néerer the more audacious he is so he that is cloathed with this mortall body is obnoxious and subiect to bodily calamities and the more the prouder he is and the more disdainefull hee is toward those that lie vnder his féete While thou say lest saith he with prosperous windes stretch out thine hand to him that hath suffered shipwracke while thou art helthy and welthy aide the miserable Stay not so long till thou learne in thy selfe how great an euill in humanitie and vnmercifulnes is and how great a good thing it is to open the bowels of compassion to the distressed How requisite and necessarie then is it for Christians to shew mercie that receiue of God such continuall mercie stand in continuall néede of mercie and how highly is the commaundement of shewing mercie to be estéemed of vs since both the law and gospell doe enioyne it so strictly and since Paul as a learned father well obserues doth not barely say Chrys hom 35. ad Heb. Col. 3.12 Antisthenes apud Stob ser 1. de prud that we must shew mercie but that we must put on the bowels of mercie to teach vs that Almes must be as a garment which is still about vs and since the Pagane Philosopher could affirme that they are alike impious that remoue the Altar out of the Temple and that remoue compassion out of mans nature and since the Latine Orator could giue no greater commendation to Caesar then to praise him for his mercie when he said vnto him Cic. prâ— Lagar that among his manie vertues none was more admirable acceptable then his mercie For men approach by nothing so neere vnto God as by sauing and succouring of others that in his estate there was nothing greater then that hee was able and in his Nature there was nothing better then that hee was willing to saue and shewe mercie This then is the precept and commaundement 2. Motiue to mercie to bee liberall and compassionate to the afflicted and poore but who hath performed it Holie religious and faithâ—ull men and women in all Ages Looke vpon Iob Iob. 29.12 13.15 â—6 who in his Golden and Halcyon dayes deliuered the poore that cryed and the fatherles him that had none to helpe him had the blessing vpon him of him that was readie to perish and caused the widowes heart to reioyce and was the Eyes to the blinde and the feete to the lame Iob. 31.16 17.19.20 and a Father to the poore and restrained not the poore of their desire nor caused the eyes of the widow to faile and ate not his morsels alone but the Fatherles ate with him and suffered none to perish for want of clothing but
inspiration and doeth seale it vp in our hearts Isa 3 1. Matth. 13.11 Luk. 8.10 1. Ioh. â— â—0 27 For the Arme of the Lord in working maÌ„s Redemption hath not bene reuealed to all and euery one vnderstandeth not the secrets of the kingdome of Heauen but whosoeuer are led by Gods spirit they easily acknowledge the force of the spirit speaking in the scripture they haue an anointing from that Holy one and knowe all things and they neede not that any man teach them but the same true annointing and not lying teacheth them of all things and therefore the Apostle saith 1. Cor 1.15 That he that is spirituall discerneth all things This testimonie of the spirit doeth chiefely confirme vs and doth onely satisfie vs for the certaintie of the Scripture Ioh. 14.17 and is onely knowne to the Elect without which the testimonie of the Church auailes nothing For as God is onely a méete witnes of himselfe in his word so his word can finde no credite in our hearts before it be sealed by the inward witnes of his holy spirit And this is the Authenticke irrefragable and vndoubted Authoritie of that scripture of which Paul speakes when he saith Let the words of Christ dwell in you plenteously in all wisedome that is Exercise your selues in the word of God and put it in practise The Word of Christ is the Doctrine of Christ and the word of the Gospell and generally the whole Canonicall Scripture * The whole scripture is the word of Christ because it aimes at him as a booke doth aime at the Title which is able to instruct in true Religion that is in Faith and loue and therewithall to saue our soules And the word of the Apostle hath a great Emphasis and force in that he saieth not Let the word of Christ be in you but Let the word of Christ dwell in you And how not sparingly and niggishly and a little but plenteously richly and aboundantly His meaning is that the doctrine of the Gospell should be very familiar and well knowne to the Faithfull and that it should be so farre off from them to be ashamed of the Gospell of Christ Rom. 1.1 which is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth as that on the contrarie 1. Pet. 3.15 they should be readie alwaies to giue an answere to euery man that asketh them a reason of the hope that is in them with meeknes and reuerence And here we may gather with what spirite they are led at this day who doe strictly forbid the multitude common sort from reading and perusing the Scripture crying out that there is no greater pestilence to be taken héede of then the reading of the word of God by the common people For questionles Paul speakes héere to men and women of all states and conditions and he would haue them not only to take a slender sleight taste of Christs word but he chargeth that it should dwell in them that is that it should be rooted and stablished in them and in all plenteousnes whereby they may daily profite and procéed in the attainment of euerlasting saluation But for that some haue a preposterous desire of learning abusing the word of God either to ambitiousnes or vaine curiositie or deprauing the sinceritie thereof one way or other therefore he ioynes immediately in all wisdome As if he had said it is not enough to haue the word of Christ among vs to handle it daily vnles we doe it wisely and reason and dispute of it religiously and reuerently For there are some prophane and vnreuerent men who handling the Scriptures with vnwashen hands and talking of them with rash tongues doe speake grossely of God and things pertaining to God and doe carnally expound that which coÌ„taines some secret mysterie Therfore prudence and discretion and sobrietie is necessarie for him that will handle the word of God profitably and to edifying For the Scripture doth compreheÌ„d mere Oracles and sets downe the holy and eternal will of God and therefore it requires readers and hearers studious of holines addiected to godlines who with ferueÌ„t sighes and groanings and zealous Prayers conceiued in the feare of the Lord Psal 111.10 Prou. 1.7 must desire to be instructed from aboue For the feare of the Lord is the beginning of Wisedome saith Dauid and of Knowledge saith Salomon And that this precept of the holy Apostle may be the better performed of vs let vs consider first how profitable and necessarie the word of God is for vs and secondly after what sort and with what heart we must heare it 1. The profitablenes of the Word First let vs see the profitablenes and commoditie of the word of God If we obserue duely the titles that God hath enstamped on his Word in holy Scripture we may easily perceiue the inestimable commoditie that redounds to vs by the searching reading and hearing thereof Deut. 8.3 It is the spirituall Manna that procéedeth out of the mouth of God and giues life to men represented by that foode of Angels and Bread sent from Heauen readie without labour Wisd 20.21 which had abundance of all pleasures in it and was meete for all tastes and serued to the appetite of him that tooke it and was meete to that that euery man would It is the light and the Trueth that leades vs in this world that giues direction to the people that walke in darkenes Psal 43.3 Isa 9 2. Ex. 28.18 and shines vpon them that dwell in the Land of the shadow of death expressed by the bright Carbuncle that was set in Aarons brest plate It is the pure Wheate in comparison whereof the traditions and deuises of men are but chaffe Ier. 32.28 It is the nourishment and Bread of life for want and scarcitie of which Am. 8. there comes the pining staruing and death of soule in comparison whereof the fantasies of men are but huskes fit to nourish swine withall Psal 23.2 Ier. 36.25 Ier. 2.13 Ier. 32.24 Psal 119.30 Isa 22. Psal 12.6 Matt. 13.43.44 It is the pure water of saluation in comparison whereof mens inuentions are broken cesternes that can hold no water It is the powerfull fire and the hammer that breakes the rocks and the word of truth and the siluer purified and refined from the earth in comparison whereof the doctrines of men are dreames and drosse and impuritie It is the inualuable pearle and treasure which no earthly riches can counteruaile and therefore to be sought and bought of all them that will be prouident Merchants for their soules health Io. 6.68 Isa 59.5 2. Tim. 2.17 Matt. 2.16.17 Luk. 2.62 10.42 13.34 It is the word breeding eternall life whereas humane ordinances are but Cockatrices egges and Spiders webbes and fretting cankers It is the new garment that must not be matched nor patched with old rags and the new wine that abhorres old bottels It is
the plough that manureth the Church of God and the one thing necessarie to saluation and the nest into which Christ gathers his chickens and couers them vnder the wings of his mercifull promises and the yoke Matt. 11.29 which euery one must vndergoe that will be the disciple of our Sauiour It is this word 1. Pet. 1.23 Io. 15.5 that regenerates and begets vs anew with an incorruptible séede and that clenseth vs from our pollution and that as a christall mirrour and looking glasse not onely shewes vs our spots Iâ—m 1.23.25 Ier. 15.16 Io. â—5 4 Io. 15.7 Heb. 4.12 but also affoords vs water to clense and wash them away and that replenisheth the hearts of the faithfull with vnspeakable ioy and that ioynes vs with Christ inseparably and that makes vs obtaine all things of God and that is liuely and mightie in operation and sharper then any two edged sword and entereth thorow euen vnto the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirit and of the ioynts and the marrowe and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart The summe of all is this the word of God teacheth vs the knowledge of God and the word of God is the foode and nourishment of our soules and the word of God is the spirituall armour to beate downe our inuisible enemies and the word of God will make vs absolute and entire if we receiue it aright If this be true then Gods word is most vsefull and behoofefull vnto vs and it is requisite that it dwell plenteously in vs. But it is most true for that Gods law doth teach vs the true seruice and worship of God the Psalmist doth witnes when he saith Psal 19.7.8.9 The law of the Lord is perfite conuerting the soule the testimonie of the Lord is sure and giueth wisedome vnto the simple the statutes of the Lord are right and reioyce the heart the commandement of the Lord is pure and giueth light vnto the eyes the feare of the Lord is cleane and endureth for euer the iudgements of the Lord are truth they are righteous altogether They that are enclosed in a darke Labyrinth and intricate roome of many turnings hope in vaine to get foorth without light so being in endles windings of sinne error and ignorance of this life we cannot escape out without the light and guidance of the word of God And therefore Saint Peter cals it a sure word which if we followe we shall neuer stray we haue saith he a most sure word of the Prophets 2. Pet. 1.19 to the which ye doe well that ye take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place As though he had said we are compassed about with a night of wickednes and infirmities and we are tossed as in a sea of surging calamities and therefore as marriners direct their course by the North starre least they wander out of the straight course and fall among sands and rocks so we must leuell and aime all our thoughts words actions after the prescription appointmeÌ„t of Gods word Origine makes an opprouable gradation Homil. 3. in exod man saith he that is reasonable though he be voyd of skill and learning yet if he be compared with other creatures that lacke reason and spéech he will seeme eloquent But if he be compared with learned and eloquent men replenished with all wisedome he will séeme vneloquent and dumbe But if a man consider the holy scripture and the diuine wisedome contained therein and weigh with himselfe how great and vnsearchable that learning is he will confesse himselfe to be more bruite and dumbe before God then beastes are before men That is as farre as a man by naturall wisedome excéedes a beast and as far as a man by Art and humane learning exceedes naturall wisedome so far doth the déepe knowledge of the word of God surpasse all humane Arts and learning whatsoeuer That the word of God is the Mannâ— and foode of our soules Saint Peter sheweth As new borne babes saith he desire that sincere milke of the word 2. Pet. 2.2 that ye may grow thereby Heb. 5.13 â—4 And likewise Saint Paul saith Euery one that vseth milke is vnexpert in the word of righteousnes for he is a babe But strong meate belongeth to them that are of age which through long custome haue their wits exercised to discerne both good and euill Which spéech an ancient Father séemes thus to expound and amplifie Orig. 〈◊〉 8. in Lew. not onely sayth he vnresonable Creatures doe know their proper and peculiar meates for the Lyon vseth one and the Goate another and the Oxe another and the birde another but in men also there are differences in the desire and appetite of foode He that hath an able and strong body receiues hard meate and presumes to eate of any thing and the Babe though not able to speake yet by proofe shewes that it desires but milke Thus euery Creature is delighted with proper and competent meate And so it fares in the sustenance of the soule which is the word of God euery one is not nourished with the selfe-same part of the word one is nourished with milke that is with plaine and easie doctrine of morall exhortations and rudiments of Christianitie and another takes the profounder mysteries and hidden secrets How plentifull a storehouse then is the word of God that hath fit foode for euery soule Some will say if the word be the foode of our soule why is it then so darke in many places as that the vulgar sort cannot any way comprehend the sense and the learned themselues striue for the true interpretation whereas foode should be easie to be perceiued and easie to be receiued The answere is that the scripture is cléere for the fundamentall points of the doctrine of saluation as the Articles of the faith Psal 119.105 and the commandements And therefore it is called a lanterne for those whose hearts the Lord doth open and it is said by Salomon Pro. 8.9 That all the words of God are plaine to them that will vnderstand and straight to them that will finde knowledge In these points it is darke onely to them that perish 2. Cor. 4.3 4 as the Apostle saith If the Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that is of the Infidels that the glorious Gospell of Christ which is the Image of God should not shine vnto them Howbeit also some things in the scriptures are not manifest to the very elect and why partly that they should not trust to their owne wit but should pray to God for the vnderstanding of them partly that they should be stird vp to a more diligent search and meditation on them partly that they should the more estéeme of the ministerie which is Gods ordinance for the explanation of the holy scriptures For though the Ministers of
according to the riches of his glorie that we may be strengthened by his spirit in the inner man God makes vs worthie of his calling and fulfils all the good pleasuâ—e of his goodnes and the worke of faith with power God giues vs euerlasting consolation and good hope through grace and doth comfort our hearts and stablish vs in euery word and good worke and is faithfull Iude. â—â—r 3.4 and will stablish vs and keepe vs from euill and is able to keepe vs that we fal not and to present vs faulties before the presence of his glorie with ioy Therefore pray we earnestly to God that he would so confirme vs wâ—th his grace that we may so runne that we may come to the goale of eternall happines For it is God alone that can and will grant this perseuerance vnto the end to those that vnfainedly beg it of him Therefore the holy Psalmâ—st speakes thus in the person of Christ Psal 36.8 I haue set the Lord alwaies before me for he is at my right hand therefore I shall not slide As if Christ had said I haue confirmed my saith by the consideration of the will of God For I knew that I should be offered vp a sacrifice for mankind by the speciall and vnspeakable determination of God and beholding and setting this decrée of God before mine eyes I see and assure my selfe that God is present with me stands on my right hand sustaines and helpes me therefore I turne not mine eyes from him and I am certainely perswaded that I cannot be ouercome and swallowed vp of these sorrowe And as Christ doth confirme himselfe so all the godly must know that when they are pressed with incumbrances and tentations they must promise to themselues certaine deliuerance For that which was auailable in Christ must needes be auailable in his members also And where are the Doctors of diffidence and distrust that teach men that they cannot ascertaine themselues of their finall perseuerance and therefore they must still remaine doubtfull since Dauid in the person of Christ doth not onely mention his confidence for the present time but also extends it to the time to come and therefore saies that he should not slide be shaken or mooued Psal 138.7 Say not what though Dauid could say Though I walke in the midst of trouble yet God will reuiue me he will stretch foorth his hand vpon the wrath of mine enemies and his right hand shall saue me And what though Paul said of the Corinthians 1. Cor. 1.8 that God would confirme them vnto the end that they might be blameles in the day of our Lord Iesus Christ And what though the same Apostle could say by inspiration that he was perswaded that neither death nor life Rom. 8.38.39 nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Yet how shall we be sure that we shall neuer fall away from our owne stedfastnes Consider what our Sauiour saith Ioh. 6.37 that all that the Father giueth vnto him shall come to him and him that commeth to him he casteth not away Ioh. 10.28 and that he giueth eternall life to his shéepe and that they shall neuer perish neither any shall plucke them out of his hand Consider what the Apostle saith Rom. 11 2â— that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance and that God is faithfull which will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we are able 1. Cor. 10 13. but will euen giue the issue with the tentation that we may be able to beare it Consider what Christ saith againe that the Gates of Hell shall not preuaile against his Church and children Matt. 16.18 Luk. 22.32 and what he saith to Peter I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not Nay consider this that if thou be the shéepe of Christ if thou beléeue in him if thou cleaue vnto him Christ praied for thée as for Peter Ioh. 17.20 that thou maiest be one with him vnited to him and neuer fall from him Let the vnfaithfull reiect the wisedome of God against themselues yet the elect will not onely embrace it and cleaue vnto it but also defend it maintaine it and iustifie it For wisedome is iustified of her children Matt. 11.19 Matt. 13.8 Let the foules deuoure the séede that fell by the way side and the Samâ—e parth the seede that fel on the stoâ—e ground though if haue a temporaâ—te flourishing the thornes choake the seede that fell among thornes yet that seede that fals on good grouÌ„d brings foorth fruit one corne an hundred sold some sixtie folde and another thirtie solde that is Luk. â— 5 They that haue an honest and good heart beare the wâ—rd and keepe it and bring forth fruit with patience Act. 5. Let Ananias and Sâ—phira fall from sinceritie and let many Antichrists depart from the true Church and faith of Christ yet the Lords seale abideth sure on his elect and the holy Ghost hath giuen the censure 1. Ioh. 2.19 They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had bene of vs they should haue continued with vs but this commeth to passe that it might appeare that they are not all of vs Let Pharaohs heart be hardned at Gods correction and let him repell the scourges that should reforme him as the hard Anuill beares off the strokes of the hammer yet Paul and euery faithfull person that hath his stonie heart changed into a heart of flesh by the working of the spirit will be bettered by the terrors and threatnings and chasticements whereby God prepares vs to subiection and will presently crie out and say Lord what wilt thou haue me to doe Act. 9.6 behold I am readie to fulfill thy coÌ„mandement Now since good workes and continuance in well doing are so necessarie for the glorifiing of our heauenly Father and for the profiting and edifying of our neighbours and for the infiniâ—e reward promised to the godly and for the auoyding of the sharpe punishments threatned to the wicked there remaineth an instruction both for them that haue not began to doe well and for those that haue began to doe well To the swearer the fornicator the drunkard the malitious person the railer the vnmercifull the vniust in a word to them that wallowe in their sinnes without remorse the saying of Paul is to be proposed The wages oâ— sinne is death Rom. 6.23 If the sweet pleasures of sinne haue so sowre sawce and if the workers of iniquitie haue deadly pay and wages detest and abhorre sinne then as a biting serpent and at length begin to doe well and to embrace vertue The Prophet saies of the stiffe-necked Iewes Zach. 7.11.12 that they refused to hearken and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their
eares that they should not heare yea they made their hearts as an adamant stone least they should heare the law and the words which the Lord of hoasts sent in his spirit by the ministerie of the Prophets There is no stone so hard as the Diamond yet the disobedient were as hard as the Diamond Let not vs Christians equall their hardnesse and let not vs be found harder then the Diamond so that the spéech of an auncient Father may be appropriated to vs when hee sayes that the Diamond though most hard Cyp. de dâ—p martyriâ— yet it is mollified and maistered with the blood of an hee Goate but that we doe not east aside our hardnesse nor as yet are softened by the blood of Christ who was the true scape goate Leu. 16.21 shadowed out in the types of the olde sacrifices vpon which Aaron was to put his hands and to confesse ouer him all the iniquities and trespasses and sinnes of the children of Israel and to send him away by the hand of a man appointed into the wildernesse and which was a true figure of Iesus Christ that beareth the sinnes of the people Moses strake the rocke with his rod Isai 53.4 Psal 78 2â—.2 and the waters gushed out so let the remembrance of Christes sufferings and the infinite benefites that wee receiue thereby pierce our hearts and draw forth teares of true repentance and of amendment of life Psal 78.8.9.10.11 For as the Israelites were a rebellious generation a generation that fet not their heart aright and whose spirit was not faithfull to GOD and the children of Ephraim being armed and shooting with the bowe turned backe in the day of battell and kept not the couenant of God but refused to walke in his law because they forgot his Acts and his wonderfull workes that hée had shewed them so what truer reason can be giuen of rebellion against Gods ordinances but our forgetting of Gods incomprehensible loue Rom. 8.32 Ioh. 3.16 who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all to death and that so loued the world that hée gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whoseuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Shall wee so long exhilerate and encourage our spirituall foes by wallowing in the filthinesse of sinne and giue them occasion to say in their hearts O our soules reioyce Psa 35.25 wee haue deuoured them And shall wée not by our conuersion procure ioy to the holy Angels of GOD Luk. 15.7 that reioyce more for one sinner that conuerteth then for ninety and nine iust men that neede none amendment of life Let vs dash the young children of Babylon against the stones that is Psa 137.9 let vs destroy the broode of sinne in the cradle and infancie before it wholly possesse vs and let vs spéedily driue away the tentations and enticements to wickednes that wee may say with the man of God Psâ—l 18.37.38 We haue pursued our enemies and taken them and haue not turned againe till we haue consumed them â—e haue wounded them and they were not able to rise they are fallen vnder our feete Let vs beware how sinne take roote in vs for as inueterate maladies of the body craue long and sharpe curing and as cloath often and deepely dipped in the fatte hardly or neuer leeseth his colour so the inâ—eterate vices of the soule are not easily remooued and the corruption of the minde that becomes an habite cannot be washed away without much adoe Ier. 3.23 Can the blacke Moore change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may they also doe good that are accustomed to euill saith the Lord by his holy Prophet Let vs breake the bands of Sathan and escape out of his snare wherin he would hold vs at his pleasure and let vs not suffer him to deale with vs as the childe deales with the bird which he tieth with a threede by the foote permitting it sometimes to skip fréely but then pulling it backe when it thinkes to escape so let not Sathan tie vs by the vse and custome of iniquitie that though we séeme likely sometimes to flie from him yet he may drawe vs backe because we are fettered in the traps of sinne Let vs auoid and shun the baite of wickednes with the warie fish least if we swallow downe the baite the hooke also catch vs and then our ghostly Enemie leade vs hither and thither as the fisher drawes and carries the ensnared fish according as himselfe desireth At a word 〈◊〉 not the tumults of our sinfull desires breede in vs a spirituall deafeneâ— that we cannot heare the distinct and piercing sound of the word of God that doth admonish vs Heb. 12.1 To cast away euery thing that prâ—sseth downe and the sinne that hangeth so fast on as the dwellers by some places of the Riuer Nâ—us in Egypt Cic. in sâ—m Scip. called Catadupae can heare no sound because they haue gotten a deafenes by the continual rumbling of the Riuer that rusheth downe from high mountaines but let vs beseech God to open our eares both inwardly and outwardly that we may abandon vngodlines learne to doe well and pray vnfainedly vnto the Lord Psal 69.14.15.16 that he would deliuer vs out of the mire that we sinke not and that he would deliuer vs from them that hate vs and from the déepe waters and that the water floud may not drawe vs nor the deepe swallowe vs vp nor the pit shut her mouth vpon vs and that the Lord would heare vs For his louing â—iâ—dnes is good and turne vnto vs according to the multitude of his tender mercies Contrarily to them that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse to them that haue taken vp the crosse of Christ and follow him to them that sigh vnder the burthen of iniquitie to them that are desirous to remooue hence and to dwell with the Lord to them that loue prayer the word and all good workes this spéech of the Apostle is to be proposed Let vs not be wearie of well doing for in due season we shall reape if we faint not Hast thou begun to renounce sinne and to embrace righteousnesse Let not the old Prouerbe be verified of thee 2 Pet. 2.20.21.22 The Dogge is returned to his owne vomite and the Sow that was washed to the wallowing in the miâ—e For if thou after thou hast escaped from the filthinesse of the world through the acknowledging of the Lord and of the Sauiour Iesus Christ art yet entangled therein and ouercome the latter end is worse then the beginning for it had béene better for thée not to haue acknowledged the way of righteousnesse then after thou hast acknowledged it to turne from the holy commaundement giuen vnto thée As the Scripture doeth witnesse that Christ should not surcease in the progresse of Mediatorship Math. 12.20 Luk. 1.74 75. till â—ee brought iudgement into victorie that is till hee shewed