bring forth fruit in due season theÌ„ shall not our leaueâ— wither and that which we take in hand shall prosper vnto the full fruition and happy enioying of that his loue wherof he hath now giuen vs an assurance in his Sonne Iesus Christ. Read well and reape much poâ—â—esse your soules with patience and assist me with your prayers Your seruant for the Lord Iesus W. B. THE FIRST SERMON OF THE ASSVRAVNCE OF GODS LOVE Nouember 19. Psal. 41.11.12.13 By this I know that thou fauourest me because my enemy doth not triumph against me 12. And as for me thou vpholdest me in mine integritie and doest set me before thy face for euer 31. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel without end So be it euen so be it COncerning the author of this Psalme it was the Prophet Dauid who was both moued thereunto and guided therein by the holy Ghost and therfore we néed not doubt to receiue the doctrine thereof because he which is the spirite of truth neuer led any but to the truth The time when he made it was as it séemeth in y e 9. verse wheÌ„ Absalom aspiring to the kingdome like a monster in nature sought by the wicked counsell of that faithlesse counseller fained friend Achitophel to pull from his owne father the crowne vpon his head to lay his honour in the dust and his life in the graue No small teÌ„ptation either to blaspheme or to dispaire yet he did neither of both because God kept him from both but then eueÌ„ in that hard time of winter as we may call it bethought with him selfe how he might make his affliction an occasion of further profit to himselfe and the whole Church of God whereby it appeareth that no affliction is able to quaile the spirite of God in the godly but as oyle maketh the fire to flame out which before did but onely burne so with the godly when the outward man doth perish the inward man is renued and their afflictions doe make the spirite to flame out of theÌ„ to the good of others which before did but burne within them to their owne comfort Now for the matter of the Psalme In generall he sheweth 1. How great his afflictioÌ„ was 2. How greatly he profited by it But more particularly he recordeth 1. The blessed estate of such as did wisely consider of his distressed estate verses 1.2.3 2. He sheweth y e cause of his affliction to be his sinne ver 4.3 He setteth downe the greatnesse of his affliction and the daunger that he stoode iâ— for his enemies looked euery day for his death and destruction And of those his enemies he nameth thrée sortes The. 1. sort were flatterers of whom he complaineth and saith that they would come to sée him but they would speake lyes horde vp wickednesse in their hart as in a vessell and when they could get fit oportunitie they would emptie it vpon him vers 6. The 2. sorte were malitious whisperers which did nothing but priuily contriue his ouerthrow of whom he complaineth in the 7. 8. verses thus All that hate me whisper together against me euen against me do they imagine my hurt A mischief is light vpon him and he that is downe shall no more arise The 3. sort were a more trecherous brood who while they pretended kindnesse intended his subuersion like Iudas who couered his treason with a kisse Of these traiteroâ—s companions he complaineth in the 9. verse after this manner Yea my familiar frend whom I trusted which did eate of my bread hath lifted vp the heele against me And therefore being thus beset with open enemies on one side with flattering clawbackes on the other side with whisperers behinde traitors before his daunger must needes be great and his case in mans sight very desperate 4. He sheweth what meanes he vsed to preuent them all and that was prayer to God as appeareth in the 10. verse Therefore O lord raise me vp so shall I reward them But least Sathan might perswade him to doubt of Gods fauour towardes him in his affliction as he would haue done with Iob in his temptation and so make him either cold in prayer or distrufull in prayer that so he might also haue lost the fruite of his prayer therefore in the 5. place he proueth by two arguments y t all this notwithstanding God doth still fauour him The 1. is draweÌ„ froÌ„ his enemies person in the 11. verse The 2. is taken from the consideration of his owne person in the 12. verse Last of all because God had geuen him such tokens of his loue therfore he concludeth his Psalme with thankesgeuing vnto God in this sort Blessed be the Lord God of Israell world without end c. This Psalme was left vnto the Church of God doth teach vs. 1. To take héede how we do rashly coÌ„demne those that be in trouble and affliction and are beset with diuers sorts of enemies but wisely to consider and charitably to iudge of their cause if we looke for the Lordes helpe when we are in trouble our selues and not to measure Gods fauour by outward prosperitie nor his anger by outward aduersitie as blind worldlings commonly vse to do 2. That the vse of affliction is to worke in vs repentaunce for our sinnes to make vs flye to Gods mercy for succour as Dauid did 3. That Gods childreÌ„ while they liue shall liue in dauÌ„ger of open enemies of malitious whisperers and false brethren though they be as godly as Dauid was 4. That if we theÌ„ go to God by prayer we shall preuent all our enemies if they were as many as Dauids were 5. That in our prayers we must be assured of Gods loue in Christ to vs ward least otherwise we loose the fruite of our prayer 6. That when God hath heard vs we must with hartie consent prayse vnto him for it as Dauid did So much of y e Psal. in generall now to the text By this I know c. In this text we sée two things 1. How Dauid assureth himselfe of Gods loue towardes him 2. How thankefull he is to God for assuring him of his loue The .1 he doth by two arguments One takeÌ„ froÌ„ his enemies they were preueÌ„ted of their expectation therefore thou louest me The other is taken from his owne estate which was no whit hurt or impaired but bettered by them In his thankesgiuing we may note two things 1. To whom he giueth thankes namely to the Lord God of Israell 2. In what manner he geueth thankes with doubling of his speach in tokeÌ„ of his harty vnfained coÌ„sent to that which he spake as one afrayed that it was not wel inough when it was at the best he saith So be it euen so be it So much for y e methode now to the matter By this I know that thou fauorest me c. First here the Prophet speaketh of his knowledge and telleth vs that though he knew
his wordes Wherefore doe the wicked liue and waxe old and grow in wealth to shew that a man may be a wicked man though he be a wealthy man and that honestie goeth not by riches he goeth on saith Their seede is established in their sight with theÌ„ and their generation before their eyes Their houses are peaceable without feare the rod of God is not vpon them Their bullocke gendreth and faileth not their cow calueth and casteth not her calfe They send forth their children like sheepe and their sonnes dauÌ„ce They take the tabret harpe and reioyce in the sounde of the Organes They speÌ„d their dayes in welth sodenly they dye or go down to the graue That is they lye not loÌ„g sicke Now sée theiâ— Religion They say vnto God depart from vs for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Who is the almightie that we should serue him and what profit should we haue iâ— we should pray vnto him Now sée their endâ— They shalbe as stubble before the wind and as chaffe that the storme carrieth away God will lay vp the sorrow of the father for hiâ— children when he rewardeth him he shall know it his eyes shall see his destruction and he shall drinke of the wrath of the almighty Aske the Prophet Dauid and he will iustifie as much for thus he speaketh of the wicked They are not in troubles as other men neither are they plagued with other men Their eyes stand out for fatnesse they haue more then hart can wish They set their mouth against heauen and their toung walketh thorough the earth Now sée their blasphemy against God And they say how doth God know it or is there knowledge in the most high Lo these are the wicked yet prosper they alwayes and increase in riches Now sée their end Surely thou O Lord hast set them in slippery places and cast them downe into desolation How sodenly are they destroyed perished and horribly consumed If this be not sufficient he can proue it by an example of the Israelites of whom he maketh this report They lusted with concupiscence in the wildernesse meaning wheÌ„ they desired the flesh pots of Egypt againe And saith he The Lord gaue them their desire for he sent them quayles but he sent leannesse into their soules for he cursed it it did them no good but they dyed with the meate in their mouthes what became of the rest that had their desire they rebelled against Moses Aaron whereupon y e earth swallowed vp some and fire from heauen deuoured other some If you aske the Prophet Esay he will auouch this to be true for speaking in the person of God to the stubburne Iewes he saith thus Wherefore should you be smitten any more for you fall away more and more the whole head is sicke and the whole hart is heauie Meaning that he would correct them no more séeing they were neuer the better for correction but to let them do as they listed that his indgemeÌ„â— might be excéeding great and iust vpon theÌ„ For the followeth in the 7. verse Your land is wast your Cities are burnt with fire strauÌ„â—gers deuour your land in your presence anâ— it is desolate like the ouerthrow of strauÌ„gers And the daughter of Zion shall remaine likâ— a cottage in a vineyard like a lodge in a garâ—den of cucumbers and like a besieged Citie And all this came vpon them wheÌ„ the Lorâ— left them to themselues to do what they liâ—sted All which places doe shew and prouâ— how mad foolish they are which measurâ— Gods loue and fauour towardes them bâ— outward prosperitie and his anger by ouâ—â—ward aduersitie On the contrary his children he puts thâ— alwayes in minde of their duetie by whipping them with his fatherly rod they do not so soone step awrie but by and by he fetcheth them home againe What is Diues the better for all his wealth being now in hell torments Lazarus a poore man yet a godly man was kept vnder in this life but now is exalâ—ed And God indéede doth many times kéepe â—is children vnder and geueth them but sroÌ„â—and to mouth and yet loueth them neuerâ—helesse As a father kéepeth his sonne heire â—hort without any money in his purse or any thing els at his owne will till the time come that he shall inherite in great wisedome he doth it for if his sonne should haue â—he inheritaunce presently he would wast â—t spend it vaynely so God dealeth with his children and for no other cause both in singular wisedome and loue that they may say afterward By this I know that thou â—ouest me c. So that this is not the thing that can assure vs of Gods fauour to haue no enemies and no troubles for if we be Gods children we must looke for both Therefore is the Church called militaÌ„t alwayes in battaile alwayes beset with enemies Therefore is y e Gospell called y e word of the Crosse. Therefore S. Paule describing the way to heauen saith we must passe through many tribulalations Therefore Esaw and Iacob shall no sooner haue life but they shall striue together in their mothers belly Therfore Abraham shall no sooner receiue the promise but he must looke to be banished and therefore Abell shalbe enuied of his owne brother so soone as the Lord regardes his sacrifice Thâ— righteous man is like Lot amoÌ„gest the Soâ—domits and like Sampson amongst the Phiâ—listins This is the state of the Church calleâ— militant it is like a ship tossed with the waâ—ues driuen with the winds beset with Piâ—rates on the one side with rockes sandeâ— on the other side alwayes vpon the sea anâ— when it is safest there is but a bord between life and death Their peace is persecution their rest is labour their riches is pouertieâ— their glory is reproch their libertie is imâ—prisonment And yet by this they know that God doth fauour them because he doth so tâ—â—â—per these cuppes vnto them with his graceâ— holy spirite that in persecution they finâ— peace in labour they finde rest in pouertâ— they finde contentement therefore great riches in reproches they finde glory in imprisonment they finde libertie and in death they finde life It is no new thing you sée for good men to haue enemies nay the better men the more enemies as Peter the more faithfull to Christ the more sifted by Sathan but as Christ then prayed for Peter that his faith might not fayle so he prayeth still for the faithfull that their faith may not fayle so that still they may say with Dauid By this I know that thou louest me because my enemies do not triumph against me But what did not Dauids enemies triuÌ„ph against him when they said A mischief is â—ight vpon him and he that lyeth shall rise no more As appeareth in the 8.
because these are cōmon to the hypocrite which is close and craftie in hart aswell as to the faithfull whose hart is vpright before the Lord we are not to rest in these outward things but to search and neuer leaue searching vntill we finde out the inward kisses of Christ Iesus which are most sure testimonies of his loue indéed And those are faith in Christ Iesus repentaunce vnfained for sinne patience in affliction ioy in the holy Ghost and all the other fruites of the sanctifying spirite whereof we may read more in Gal. 5. Euery one cannot shew these but onely he which hath the spirite of sanctification Saul had the spirite that is some gifts of the spirite and yet was reiected but Dauid had the sanctifying spirite and therefore was not reiected of the Lord neither did he reiect y e Lord but by this was sure of Gods fauour to his soule If Dauid had bene a king a conquerer a man of wisedome of pollicie of learning and of riches and in all these vncomparable and had lost his integritie he had lost his marke of Gods loue and might haue followed Saul well inough So if we were rich wise and learned if we were Preachers Bishops Prelates Lordes Earles Dukes and Emperours haue lost our sinceritie our zeale our loue our faith our religiousnesse our godlinesse a good conscience we haue lost our markes too and may follow Saul too wel inough for all our outward pompe and glory On the other side if one haue enemies or be in pouertie disgrace imprisonment out of credite with the world out of liuing c. and kéepeth a sincere heart and a good conscience in all these things he may say and sing too with Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace if his time be come They which haue the outward kisses not the inward assurances are like Esaw with his pottage but without his birthright But they which haue lost all but kéepe still their integritie are like Iacob who lost his pottage but found the inheritance and the loue of God for God loued Iacob but hated Esaw Many wil say saith the Prophet who will shew vs any good that is any worldly good but Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs and then I shall haue more ioy of heart then they that haue their corne and wine and oyle increased So now a dayes many séeke for Gods loue in the cōmon trash of the world and they run about the world by sea and by land crying Who will shew vs any credit any worship any riches any offices any promotions c. And some of the Ministerie cry Who will shew vs any moe liuings any Deaneries any Bishoprickes any spirituall promotions yea this is the voyce of gaping Courtiers too by report and if they spéed of these such things then they are sure as they thinke that God loueth thē as Achab thought him selfe well if he might obtaine Naboths vineyard but many times it falleth out that as Dinah while she wandred to sée fashions sought to féede her fancy vpon the daughters of a strange countrey she lost her virginitie amongst the sonnes of the country So some men while they séeke to féede fill their gréedie worme of couetousnesse and ambition with diuerse pleasures profits of y e world they loose their sinceritie amongst them and make shipwracke of faith and a good conscience And then they go away out of their houses as Thamar went out of her brother Amnons chamber with her maidens garment of diuerse colours rent because she was enforced to leaue her maydenhead behind her So these worldlings which sometime with Demas followed Paule but nowe with Demas embrace the present world are enforced to go away with their garment of diuerse colours rent and torne for whiles they will venter through the bushes and thorns of worldly cares to get worldly promotion is it not a miracle if they come out with their zeale not quenched their courage not abated their faith not blasted their loue not cooled their knowledge not withered their humilitie not defaced their sinceritie not decreased the whole garment of pietie and Religion not scratched torne and rent in péeces And then a man may say to them as Absalō said to his sister Hath thy brother met with thee so hath not y e world met with them And no maruell for if Sisera looke for any rest or refreshing in Iaels tent he shall surely be made naile fast So if any wil séeke for infallible markes of Gods fauour in Sathans tents and in the worlds tents or in pleasures tents or in profites tents a thousand to one but their sinceritie and godlinesse will be nailefast before they come out againe What wise man will séeke for grapes vpō thornes or figs vpō thistles or for gold amongst old iron or hony out of a spider or heate in the ise So no wise harted Christian wil looke for certain marks of the Lords fauour in such things as may be markes of his wrath as well as of his loue But if these outward and general graces be offred them they take them and if they go from them they go not after them to loose their sinceritie for thē but thus they resolue with them selues O Lord my God I sée that by no outward thing a man can certainly tell whether he be in thy fauor or no but if thou vpholdest me in mine integritie and in the studie of pietie and the true zeale of thy glory c. then I shalbe sure of thy fauour indéede therfore O Lord if want come then kéepe my faith in thy prouidence firme and strong if thou sendest enemies to trie me kéepe my loue sound if thou sendest sickenesse or aduersitie kéepe my patience entire if riches and preferment come kéepe my zeale vnquenchable like Lot who when it was not granted him to abide stil in great Sodome requested that he might go to litle Zoar. And then although they haue nothing else but the inward testimonie of Gods spirit they haue inough for by these inward kisses they are sure of Gods fauour because a good conscience is a continuall feast to y e afflicted makes merrie at home in the house of the inward man when there is nothing but warre and trouble abroad As for me thou vpholdest me in mine integritie This same integritie is like Noahs arke◠wherein he was preserued when others perished being without it it is like the redde thrid which the spies of Ioshua gaue to Rahab it was a charter wherby she claimed her life when the rest were destroyed which had not the like So is this integritie of smal reckning I confesse with the men of this world which thinke that there is no other heauen but earth but as Rahabs thrid was better to her then all her goods and substance when the sword came so this is better to Gods children then
al the world when death â—ome If they haue this within they care not nay they neede not care what can come without If Sathans buffeting come this â—s a helmet of proofe if Sathans darts flye â—ut this is a shield to quench them if flouds â—f crosses come to carrie vs awaye this is â— boate to beare vs vp if all the world cast â—â—ire and filth in our faces we are neuer a â—hit the more deformed but still beautifull â—or all that for the Kings daughter saith Saâ—omon that is the Church of Christ is all â—lorious within In mine integritie What should Dauid â—eane by his integritie that he is without â—â—nne no not so for he saith in another â—lace in sinne he was conceiued and in iniquitie was he borne and in another place he saith that he could not number his sinnes and therefore prayeth vnto God to kéepe him from presumptuous sinnes and to cleÌ„se him from his secret faults therefore that is not his meaning neither can it be his meaning because he speaketh by the spirite of God which in diuers other places doth tell vs that no man is without sinne Who can say my hart is cleane saith one And whosoeuer saith he hath no sinne deceiueth himself and there is no truth in him saith another and therefore that cannot be his meaning and if he should say so we are not to beléeue him in this point But when Dauid speakeâ— of his integritie and vprightnesse or innocencie he meaneth that he is guiltlesse and frée from that which his enemies did most maliciously charge him with all so that it hath alwayes respect or relation vnto somâ— particular matter wherewith he is charged by men or to something that is in coÌ„trouersie betwéene him and his aduersaries As in the 7. Psalme the 3. verse O Lord if I haue done this thing if there be any wickednesse in my handes that is if it be true that I am accused of c. if euer I were guiltie of séeking Sauls hurt with which some did charge me Iudge me O Lord according to my righteousnesse and according to mine integritie that is in me Here in this our text it signifieth two things First that there was no cause in the world why his enemies should triumph against him for the Lord had kept him frée from that which they accused him of SecoÌ„dly it importeth that his hart and affections were still sound and not moued to séeke reuenge vpon them although they had geuen him great and iust occasion so to do If we take it the first way we may very â—well for it is a speciall token of Gods fauour and a notable meanes of comfort wheÌ„ the Lord doth kéepe vs frée from the vniust accusations of the world or when we are not guiltie of those things which y e wicked may at any time charge vpon vs and the doctrine â—s this That the best way to stay vs in time of trouble and to kéepe our patience inuioâ—able is to looke in for a good conscience and sée that we be falsely accused which if we â—inde then all goeth well and we are mery â—t home howsoeuer the world shall say or do â—broad for still I say with Salomon that a good conscience is a continuall feast Oh if it were true thou sayest it would neuer gréeue thée nay then it might iustly gréeue thée if it were true which is reported against thée Wilt thou be gréeued to be blessed then be not vexed and moued out of order when thou are slaundered for blessed are ye when men reuile you and persecute you and speake all manner of euill saying against you falsely for my sake saith our Sauiour Christ. Oh this is a speciall fauour of God when we can without checke of conscience appeale to God in our owne harts and say Thou O Lord knowest my innocencie in this point But thy spirit boyling stil in â— desire of reuenge wil say oh but it is good to teach such a one to vse his toung better another time Indéede in some cases it is good sâ— to do as when a maÌ„s publique Ministery or the Magistrates gouernment is by hiâ— meanes defaced but there is no cause for thée to be so out of quiet or to rage stormâ— as thou doest defend thy good name in a good and Christian sort and be thankefull to thâ— God which hath kept thée frée from that oâ—â—fence that thou mayst say as Dauid said Aâ— for me thou vpholdest me in mine integrity If we take integritie for a sound hart frée from reuenge it ministreth no smal profite and instruction for the king although his enemies had so vexed him and had throwen so many slaunderous reportes and reprochfull speeches against him yea all their trecheries and conspiracies notwithstanding yet he thanketh God for that he did not séeke to reuenge againe but reioyceth that the Lord kept him in the soundnesse vprightnesse of his hart A notable blessing of God and a sure token of his fauour vnto vs whensoeuer we shalbe afflicted or any way molested if we finde our harts sound and our affections to be setled within vs if we can say Lord laye what crosse thou pleasest vpon me let men speake their pleasures of me inuent what â—yes they can let theÌ„ call me by what names they will and iudge me at their pleasure so that thou kéepe my hart sound I care not for if I haue all the goods in the world and not the integritie of my hart I am but in a mad case And therefore O Lord my God if thou wilt néedes raise vp enemies against me yet O Lord grauÌ„t me that my hart may be entire sound and vpright and then raise vp what enemies thou wilt Then I shalbe sure to speake nothing proudly nothing vaynegloriously nothing impatiently nothing vncharitably nothing distrustfully nothing against thy glory for if I should do so alas what should I get by it I were theÌ„ as déepe in sinne as they No Lord I am content to referre the whole matter to thée for although I am falsely charged in this yet it is thy goodnesse and fauour which did vphold me for if thou hadst let me goe after my owne will then I had bene guiltie indéede And although in this I be innocent yet I know my selfe to be guiltie of many things as vile as this which they know not of and that is also of thy mercy and goodnesse towardes me poore wretched creature And as for them thou hast set them a workâ— to try me it is thy doing O Lord though they haue no such purpose neither know they so much yet by thy grace I am so perswaded and if thou didst not kéepe me from falling I should be as wicked as they are If we would but enter into this meditatioâ— with our selues as in the sight of God theâ— should we put vp many things more theÌ„ wâ— do and not vexe one another
deâ—â—re of reuenge yet all this was giuen him of God it came not to him by nature to teach vs that of our selues we are not able to kéepe our selues but God must and doth vphold vs in our vprightnesse or else we fall as others 〈◊〉 and therefore we must craue this grace of God that he will kéepe vs and defend vs with his holy spirit There hath bene a great controuersie betwéene the Papists and vs euer since the abomination of desolation stoode in the holy place about this point They intending to iustifie them selues with the Lawyer in the Gospell say This haue we done and that can we do affirming that it is in the power of man which is but dust and ashes of himselfe and by him selfe to repent when he will to beléeue when he will to obey God when he will and to vphold them selues in their integritie And to make their matter good they say we haue the grace of God giuen vs to obtaine the grace of God by our own power Where you sée they speake flat contraries if they had grace to sée it for if y e grace of God be giuen vs then we haue it not of our selues if we haue it of our selues then is it not giuen vs of God Againe if we be vpholden by the grace and fauor of God then we vphold not our selues if we haue this power of our selues then not of God Thus they speake contrary to them selues and are deuided in their owne spéeches like the kingdome of Sathan which is deuided in it self that it cannot stand And to speake the truth they speake confusedly they know not what because Babell that is confusion is fallen vpon them as vpoÌ„ those men which would presume by their owne endeuours without God to climbe vp into heauen Now on the other side we hold that we can get nothing but by the helpe of God and we admit no first grace but if the grace of God be in vs it is giuen vs of Gods spirit not gotten of our owne power and this we proue by the word of God God worketh both the wil and the deede saith the Apostle to the Philippians Of our selues we are not able to thinke a good thought saith y e same Apostle to the Corinthians and therefore he demaundeth of all flesh What hast thou that thou hast not receiued as if he should say nothing If therefore thou hast receiued it why doest thou boast as though thou hadst not receiued it Aske S. Iames and he wil tell vs that euery good gift and euery perfect gift is from aboue commeth down from the Father of light As if he should say from whomsoeuer euill doth come yet all goodnes commeth from God Aske Abimelech and he will tell vs that if God had not kept him he had kept Abrahams wife Aske Peters fal and that will tell vs that if we stand by our selues we shall fall although we were as strong as Peter Aske Ieremie and he will tell vs that the heart is deceiptfull wicked aboue all things yea and though it be borne and bred and brought vp with vs and we haue daily familiarity therwith yet we can not know it Therefore if none can know it much lesse can any reforme it He that knoweth it can reforme it and doth reforme it where it is reformed but that is y e Lord which searcheth the heart for so it followeth in the next verse I the Lord search the heart and trie the reines Aske Moses and he will tell vs that the thoughts of mans heart are euill continually as if he should say If they be good at any time that is not of man but of God Moses him selfe being in prayer must haue his hands holdeÌ„ vp by Aaron and Hur if Moses were not able of him selfe to hold vp his hands in prayer much lesse was he able to hold vp his heart in prayer What doth this teach vs but this that if we were as zealous as Moses yet God must hold vs vp or else we faint There are but two things required of euery one The first is to become holy The second is to continue holy to conuert and turne into the wayes of God and to continue in the waies of the Lord now both these are of God and not of our selues Of the first the Prophet Ioell speaketh wheÌ„ he saith Turne thou vs ô Lord and then we shall be turned As if he should say Except the Lord do turne our hearts we shall neuer be turned vnto him for of our selues we cannot How farre how long had S. Paule walked in the way of persecuting the Christians if the Lord had not stayed him by the way When would Saul haue become a Paule if the Lord had not changed his name and altered his nature When would so naturall a persecutor haue become so holy a professor if the Lord had not called him And when he was conuerted who kept him from falling backe againe My grace saith the Lord is sufficient to vphold thee The spirit of the Lord is therfore called by the Prophet Esay the spirit of wisedome and vnderstanding the spirit of counsell the spirit of courage the spirit of knowledge and the spirit of the feare of the Lord to teach vs that if we haue holy wisedome vnderstanding or counsell or courage or knowledge or the feare of God we haue them of Gods spirit and not of our selues WheÌ„ God gaue Saul a Princely spirit he spake like a king but when his spirit was departed from him he spake like a clowne and not like a king Therefore Salomon prayeth vnto God for a wise and vnderstanding heart to teach vs y t we haue no such thing of our selues but from aboue The very phrase of the Scripture Dauids manner of speaking doth teach vs no lesse Thou vpholdest me saith Dauid yea eueÌ„ me thou vpholdest Now Dauid we know had many singular and excelleÌ„t graces of God and yet God must vphold him that is hold him vp from falling what doth this argue but thus much that we are subiect to falling euen the best of vs Therefore in the 15. of Iohn God is compared to a husbandman and in the 5. of Esay 1. verse in diuers other places of â—cripture his Church is compared to a vine which though it be most fruitfull yet is it most weake and must be purged by y e Lord â—hat it may be fruitfull must be vpholden â—y the Lord or els it will fall to the ground This doctrine hath a double vse for our selues First it serueth for our comfort if we â—e the seuauntes of God for albâ—it we be compassed about with many weaknesses assaulted with infinite temptations on euery side yet the Lord whom we serue doth will vphold vs If at any time he doth let vs fall it is to teach vs that we cannot vphold our selues but that we staÌ„d by him But
assuredly though we fall daily yet he will so vphold vs if we relye vpon him that we shal not fall finally from him If he taketh all his graces from vs as we thinke at any time let vs know that he doth it for no other purpose but that we might know our selues of our selues to be but naked and so might begge all of him againe Therfore whatsoeuer we want let vs séeke it at the hands of God that giueth to them which want when we féele any weakenessâ— in vs or any sinne strong let vs beséech thâ— Lord to vphold vs. Do not say I caÌ„ or I wil do this and that I will beléeue and repent when I list no for if the Lord by his grace and fauour doth not vphold thée thou shalt do nothing but fall from him Faith is y e gift of God therefore pray Lord increase my faith and Lord helpe my vnbeléefe A reformed hart and holy affections be the gift of God therefore pray with Dauid Create iâ— me O Lord a cleane hart and renew a right spirite within me The loue of wisedome is the gift of God therefore pray Apply my hart vnto wisedome To vnderstand the wil of God in his law is the worke of God therfore pray O Lord Open my eyes that I may see the wondrous things of thy law To set light by vanitie that is by vaine things and vaine persons is the worke of Gods grace not of nature therfore we must pray Turne away my eyes from beholding vanitie What should I say more Let vs beséech the Lord our strength to vphold vs in our integritie he wil vphold vs so farre as shal make for his own glory and our owne saluation and what would we desire more And this we must desire for els we cannot stand but fall SecoÌ„dly this doctrine serueth to humble vs and may be a preseruatiue against pride the vse of it is at all times but chiefly when we begin to waxe proude of any good thing which the Lord doth worke in vs or by vs which indéede is our corrupt nature And likewise when we insulte â—uer our weake brethren both which are our faultes When such thoughtes and temptations come to fasten vpon vs let vs thinke that it is the Lord by whom we stand and of him iâ— is that we are that which we are and if wâ— be proude therof he may and can take awaâ— our hold and we shall fall and our honouâ— shall lye in the dust Rome was sometime a famous Church the beloued spouse of Christ Iesus and â— daughter of the most high but for her pride God let her fall and hath now giuen her â— bill of diuorcement Of England it may be said as it was saiâ— of Ierusalem our habitation kinred is oâ— Canaan our father an Amorite and our mother an Hittite In our natiuitie our nauell was not cut we were not softned with water nor seasoned with salt nor swadled with cloutes no eye pitied our case we were caâ—â— out into the open field to the contempt of out person But the Lord of mercy and compassion passed by vs and séeing vs euen polluted in our bloud yea in our owne bloud saâ—â— in great pitie and compassion vnspeakable Thou shalt liue He caused vs to multipliâ— as the bud of the field he hath bestowed excellent ornaments vpon vs our breasts are fashioned our haire is growen whereas we were naked and bare behold further ouâ— time is as the time of loue he hath spread his skirts ouer vs and entred into a couenant with vs and we are become his he is become ours He hath washed vs with swéete water annointed vs w t oyle of gladnesse He hath clothed vs with broidered worke he hath shod vs with badgers skinnes and girâ—ed vs with fine linneÌ„ and couered vs with silke He hath decked vs with ornamentes put bracelets vpon our hands and a chaine about our necke He hath put a frontlet vpon our face eare rings in our eares and a beautifull crowne vpon our head he hath fed vs with fine flower honie and oyle he hath made vs very beautifull and hath caused vs to grow vp to a kingdome in so much as our name is spread among the heathen for our beautie which the Lord hath set vpon vs. What should be said more In a word the Lord hath compted nothing to costly or to deare for vs nay what could he do more for his vineyeard y t he hath not done vnto it but what of all this shal we bragge of our ornaments and be proud of our iewels no but let vs serue the Lord our God with feare reioyce vnto him with reuerence for if we shall trust in our beautie and play the harlot because of our renowne if we shall take our garmeÌ„ts and decke the high places with diuers colours if we shall abuse the riches of Gods mercy what then Then heare the word of the Lord O harlot Thus saith the Lord because thy shame is powred out and thy filthinesse discouered through thy fornication with thy louers I will therfore iudge thée after the manner of harlots and murtherers I will giue thée the bloud of wrath ielousie I will giue thée into thy enemies handes and they shall strippe thée out of all thy clothes and thy faire iewels and leaue thée naked and bare Therefore let him that thinke he standeth take héede least he fall but let vs make an end of our saluatioÌ„ with feare and trembling not fearing least we should fall from our election loose our saluation but least we fall from our integritie and loose our manifold blessings for want oâ— sober vsing of them But this is in generall let vs goe more particularly to worke Haue any of vs herâ— present any knowledge more theÌ„ he had oâ— more then others haue or wisedome zeale or faith or loue or patience or any grace whatsoeuer let vs not be proude of them because God gaue them and God can take them againe If any of vs do stand vpright and walke in honestie when others doe fall let vs not insult ouer them as the maner of some is to vpbraide honester men then them selues by faultes done fourtie yeare since and the law fully satisfied for them and yet this is y e maner of prophane Atheists which know neither God nor them selues to cast the old ragges and sores of the seruaunts of God in their face to make theÌ„ and their profession I meane the Gospell odious in the eyes of the world and such as them selues are And for no other cause but because they will not runne with them to y e same excesse of riot and eueÌ„ as Esaw hated Iacob because of the blessing wherewith God had blessed him so doe these men hate their brethren because they are better then them selues and séeke to haue them and their wayes reformed according to y e word of
more glorie that is a note of a Puritane and he is too holy for our company Some would giue God thankes oftener then they do but they cannot remember him without a picture or a crucifixe or some Popish relicke like the Ioclatrous Iewes which could not remember God til they saw a calfe As though the Lords dayly benefits were not sufficient remembrances liuely pictures of the Lords goodnesse or as though when any doth bestow a benefite vpon vs by his sonne we should not thanke his father because we neuer saw him and we want his picture Some will for fashion sake giue God a good word or two and say perhaps God is a good God God be blessed I thanke God for my deliuerance c. but then they must run a long discourse of them selues but if I had not done this and that if I had not played y e man had a good forecast c. it had not gone so well with me as it did Thus many deale with God like him that when he hath tolde out his money to his creditor which he ought him and taken vp his bond snatcheth vp his money againe and for an hundred pound giueth him a penie and a boxe on the eare But to leaue all these to the Lord this is most certaine if we be afrayd or ashamed or forgetfull or indifferent to praise the Lord or if we be vnreuerent or idolatrous or superstitious in praising God how can we assure our selues to be the children of God But note further in this holy seruant of God how he was qualified and prepared before he would or before he could offer any sacrifice of praise acceptable to God First he examineth his heart and findeth his affectioÌ„s holy and vpright before the Lord his heart frée from reuenge his spirit humbled vnder the hand of God his soule assured of Gods fauour and his faith setled in his promises this being done he procéedeth and saith Blessed be the Lord God of Israell c. assuring him selfe that when his person is accepted with God his praises thankesgiuing shall not be reiected This is to teach vs that they which come vnsanctified and vnprepared by a liuely faith and true repeÌ„tance and haue nothing to coÌ„mend them vnto God but their pride their hatred their infidelitie their impietie and such like they cannot prayse the Lord and if they do it is returned vpoÌ„ their heads as sinne so they are sent away not onely emptie but in worse case then they came like the vnworthy guest that came to the Kings feast without his wedding garment And this doctrine runneth currant thorough the whole body of the Scriptures and no man doth aske from whence it commeth or whither it goeth but euery one of the Lords Seers and seruants giueth testimonie vnto it The Psalmist is of y t mind for he saith The eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares are open to their crie but the face of the Lord is against them that do euill to cut off the remembrance of them from off the earth to shew how little the Lord regardeth their prayers or any thing that they can offer vnto his maiestie Salomon is likewise of the same mind for he saith The sacrifice of the wicked is abominatioÌ„ to the Lord but the prayer of the righteous is acceptable vnto him He sheweth a good reason why For saith he the way of the wicked is abomination to the Lord but he loueth them that followe righteousnesse In another place he saith High talke becoÌ„meth not a foole If high talke becometh not a â—oole much lesse doth diuine talke become a wicked man for what talke hiâ—her theÌ„ talke with the most high and who so foolish as the wicked and profane The Prophet Esay is also of the same mind for he speaking in the person of God saith thus When you shall stretch out your hands I will hide mine eyes from you though you make many praiers I will not heare you for your handes are full of bloud that is your déedes are full of oppression and therefore your prayers and praises are stained with your bloudy hands S. Luke saith That deuils came out of many crying and saying thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God but Christ rebuked them and suffred them not to say that they knew him to be that Christ because they were deuils For our Sauiour Christ will not be praised out of a deuils mouth for their commendation tendeth rather to his discredite theÌ„ otherwise so deuilish men may perhaps come out of many houses to Church cry we prayse thée O God we know thée who y u art Iesus the sonne of the liuing God glory be to the father and to the sonne and to the holy Ghost and many good wordes and spéeches moe they vtter but surely the Lord is so farre from accepting any such thing at their hands that he is more prouoked to anger against them for it because they are deuilish and come without repentance into the presence of the most holy The like in all respectes shall we read of in the 16. of the Actes A certaine maid had a spirite of diuination she was such a one as some ignorantly call a cunning womaÌ„ no better then a witch or a coÌ„iurer one that wrought by the deuil could by helpe of the deuil tell where things were y t were lost such a one followed Paul and Silas crying These are the seruaunts of the most high God and this she did many dayes But Paul being greeued turned about and said to the spirite I commaunde thee in the name of Iesus Christ that thou come out of her Now as Gods seruaunts could not abide the confession of the deuill much lesse can God him selfe abide it being onely for feare and not of loue A straunge thing that deuils which are at defiaÌ„ce with God should confesse him And yet all things duely considered it is not so straunge as it may séeme to be for what if they do it of constrainte whether they wil or no or what if it be for feare onely and not for loue or what if they do it to bring credit vpon their own matters and to bring Gods matters into contempt then the strangenesse of the matter is diminished for indéede this is common not onely among the deuils but amongest all the reprobate SathaÌ„ shall alledge Scripture to credite his owne cause and Balam will not because â—e cannot passe the boundes of that which God hath put in his mouth wheÌ„ his hart hunteth for y e wages of iniquitie Sometime to make them inexcusable God will wring a confession from their own mouthes as he did from Pharao Sometime the wicked will doe that which their hart goeth against to bring Gods seruaunts in question amongest men like the cunning maide before mentioned Sometime to deceiue the more easily and strongly he will chaunge him selfe into the likenesse
of an Angell of light and put vpon a fowle matter a faire cloake of holinesse The truth wherof may sufficiently appeare in the kingdome or Poperie amongest the Monkes and Friers which vnder pretence of holinesse commit all kinde of wickednes I haue knowen some Arian heretiques whose life hath bene most strickt amongest men whose toungs haue bene tired with Scripture vpon Scripture their knées euen hardned in prayer and their faces wedded to sadnesse and their mouthes full of prayses to God while in the meane time they haue stoutly denied the diuinitie of the sonne of God and haue not sticked to teare out of the Bible all such places as made against them such were Hamond Lewes and Cole heretiques of wretched memorie lately executed and cut of in Norwich what shall I say of Fraunces Ket another Arian which succéeded them in opinions more monstrous then his predecessours for he held that whosoeuer wilbe saued must before he dye go to Ierusalē that Christ with his Apostles are now personally in Iudea gathering of his church that y e faithfull should miraculously be preserued at Ierusalem with a wall of fire be fed with Angels foode from heauen but these were his dreames yet such dreames as rather then he would for go them hauing once embraced them caused him to plunge him selfe ouer head and eares in most damnable cursed heresies for behold to maintaine his former fancies he held most impudently that Christ Iesus is not God but a good man as others be and that which was neuer heard before that Christ hath suffred once for his own sinnes and shall before y e end of the world suffer again for the sinnes of the world and that being done he shalbe then made God after his secōd resurrection And yet as monstrous as he was in opiniō sée how holy he would séeme to be in his outward conuersatiō The sacred Bible almost neuer out of his handes him selfe alwayes in prayer his toung neuer ceased praysing of God when he went to the fire he was clothed in sackcloth he went leaping and dauncing being in the fire aboue twentie times together clapping his handes he cried nothing but blessed be God blessed be God blessed be God and so continued vntill the fire had consumed all his neither parts and vntill he was stifled with the smoke that he could speake no longer all which I was a witnes of my self But shall we thinke that the Lord tooke any delight in the prayers or prayses of such a deuill incarnate farre be it from vs. A straunge and fearefull example of a desperate of a hardened and a cursed creature and yet not to be wondered at for the deuill hath his souldiers and martyrs aswell as the Lord and oftentimes they are more resolute in the deuils quarrell then some are in Gods quarrel As for his willing and ready going with his cōstant enduring it was no more then is perfourmed by such as hang them selues or drowne themselues but what pleasure hath the Lord in the sacrifices of such What shall we say of our English Donatists our schismaticall Brownists followers of Barrow and his crue they hold our Church for no visible Church neither that we haue so much as a face of a Church amōgst vs they cōdēne all our assemblies at their pleasure terming vs our Churches to be but dunghils and Sinagogues of Sathan our Ministerie no Ministerie our Sacramēts no Sacraments our teachers they terme Baals Priests the taile of the red dragon the whole Church of England they call Babilon Sodom Egipt all that naught is thus they cast mire in y e face of their mother in whose bowels they were first begotten if euer they were begotten to the Lord separating thē selues frō all the holy things of God because euery thing is not iust as they would haue it But in the meane time to get more credite vnto their pretended cause of separation they séeme to be very deuout in prayer and as though the spirite of prayer were proper vnto them they condēn◠all other mens prayers their mouthes alwayes thundering out the iudgements of God while they take a felicitie in condemning their brethrē they come vnder a cloake of sinceritie and reformation while they go about to plucke vp the Lordes vineyeard by the rootes and none more zealous in their profession none more deuout in praysing of God none more ready in the Scriptures then they yea as plentifull in their proofes and textes of Scripture they séeme to be for vpholding of their errors shcisme as Kett was for the defending of his heresies but what pleasure the Lord hath in such schismaticall prayers prayses which haue nothing to present them to the Lord but a spirite of pride and errour I feare to speake y e Lord open their eyes to see their sinne that so many as belong to him may be conuerted and be saued Thus we sée it manifest both by testimonies and examples that the sacrifices of the wicked vngodly are vile before the Lord how holy soeuer they séeme to be amongest men and they can not prayse him but as the deuils did confesse him But if any come before the Lord as his beloued spouse decked with their garment of diuers colours I meane their soules clothed with the riches of Gods fauour as true repentaunce a liuely faith brotherly loue lowlinesse of spirite integritie of hart patience in affliction ioy in the holy Ghost if any come to the Lord depending on Gods grace naked in himself yet clothed in Christ doubting of himselfe yet assuring himselfe of Gods fauour both promised purchased in y e bloud of Christ Iesus they may bring their offering w t Dauid say Blessed be the Lord God of Israell and the king of glory shall then haue delight in their beautie for he loueth the prayses of his people and of none els This doctrine if it were throughly applied and closely layd to the conscience of euery estate calling it would I hope make vs all more warie and carefull in offering our selues with our presents of prayses and prayers vnto the Lord while we liue And first of all what will Idolaters and persecuters of Gods Sainctes say vnto this In a merry note they sing Te Deum laudamus Benedictus Deus Israel c. But whether such Popish and bloudy seruices be accepted of God or no I would wish them to consider In our Church if there be any in y e plate of seers watchmen ouer the Lords people and yet haue neither will skill nor courage to lead the people of the Lord in the wayes of righteousnesse and also do wearie them selues in the wayes of loosenesse and prophanesse and yet wil come into Gods house and without repentance offer vp cōfessions prayers thākesgiuings for themselues the people how acceptable such sacrifices are vnto the Lord I would wishe them also to consider Agayne there are some called