we trust in God when others make flesh their arme so shall wée séeke for lawfull meanes to escape whē others shal vnlawfully therfore vnprofitably shal seeke to law to auoid danger We must hold therefore a generall rule that our trust must be vpon the promises of God And now let vs consider what God promiseth God saith Ps 118.1 2 3 4. that if he hath thought vpon vs to day to fauour vs he will not forget vs to morrow but wée shall be helped by his hand all our life long Psalm 89 28. My mercy will I keepe saith God for him that is Dauid for euermore and my couenant shall stand fast with him Behold what his promise is Then may we well assure our selues that GOD will alwaies kéepe vs and that by meanes thereof we shal not be in daunger of falling into decay Psal 23. But yet herewithall wee must make our accompt to be subiect to fall into many inconueniences For our gratious and louing father saith not that he will kéepe vs as it were shutte vp in a mewe that we should sée none aduersitie nor be acquainted with any trouble but be in continuall ioy and felicity he promiseth vs no such matter but onely that he will ayd and succour vs in all our necessities Wherfore it behooueth vs to vnderstand that God wil exercise vs with many aduersities that we are subiect to the cōmon afflictions of this present life that in the meane season it ought to suffice vs that wée shal be aided by him and that wée shall not be vtterly forsaken Seing the case so standeth let vs not sléepe when we be in prosperity as though this state were euerlasting so as nothing could chaunge it And therefore in presuming so farre we step beyond our bounds Why so Our louing good Father telleth vs that wee may peraduenture suffer many aduersities but hée will helpe vs continually Now then in the meane while wée shal fight yea be assailed at all assaies And they that passe their boundes shal be punished for their ouerhardines yea the faithful may euer looke for strokes yet neuer cease to be quiet to possesse their soules in patience How so when wée consider the chaunges turmoylings of this world we must néeds be carefull euery one of vs must prepare himselfe to receyue blowes when it pleaseth God to smite him But yet herewithall we know that in our falling we cannot but light vpon our feete because we be held vp by the hand of God nor be vtterly oppressed because he relieueth vs. We see then how we cannot be vexed with excéeding great vnquietnes yet we may be sore gréeued in our heauinesse not to withdraw our selues frō God to make none accompt of calling vpon him but to haue our recourse vnto him Ps 25.5 Lead me forth in thy truth teach me Text. for thou art the God of my saluation in thee do I trust all the day Doct. 2 2. Doct. It is the duty of vs all men and women in our afflictions to pray vnto the Lord that whatsoeuer shall come vnto vs by his permission and appointment that he would not suffer vs to fall away from his will or to be drawen away eyther through contumacy or by any other wicked desire but rather by the truth of his holy word hée would stay vs quieted vnder his holy obedience The Reason is Our owne experience doth teach that when as aduersities haue darkned our senses how hard a thing it is in that darknes to discerne what we should follow take in hand And if this demonstration was so necessary for Dauid so holy and worthy a Prophet endewed with so excellent a light of the knowledge of Gods word and holy will what shall become of vs vnlesse the Lord driue away that great and palpable darknes which we haue in our afflictions lest that it darken the sight of his light Vse The Vse Let vs therefore alwaies pray vnto the Lord so often as any temptatiō doth trouble vs that his truth may shine before vs lest we taking euil courses run astray frō his wil. Wherefore let vs shut our eies when things go contrary to our liking let vs only settle our selues vpon this point to say O Lord thou art righteous I wil by the assistance of thy holy spirit be cōtented with thy righteousnes for so the truth of thy holy word teacheth me vntil thou make me to enter into thy sanctuary there perceiue why thou orderest the state of mankind after the sort Truly if I should follow mine owne fancy as it is in these mine afflictions being daseled therwith I should murmure yea repine against thée to sée how things are confoūded here O Lord teach me instruct me with thy truth that thou gouernest the whole world in wisedome righteousnes let me confesse the same although I know no reason thereof Thou art the God of my saluation Text. Doct. 3 The Prophet by these words acknowledging his saluation from the Lorde teacheth vs that the former benefits receiued of the Lord should bee vnto vs motiues of his continuall sauour to bée vndoubtedly perswaded The Reason is It is not onely his vsuall custome but his nature so to doe For for this cause he vndertaketh the deliuerie of his seruantes and relieueth their necessities that he might still continue his grace towards them Let vs therefore know that whome the Lord loueth he loueth to the ende So long as wee know not whether the Lord loueth vs or no wée must néeds feare and with Adam shun his presence as much as is possible So as you sée in what case the wretched creatures are which haue no taste of Gods goodnesse to trust in him that they might comfort themselues Therefore let vs marke well that it behoueth vs to be perswaded of Gods loue towards vs that thereby wee may conceiue such trust as we may present our selues vnto him and bee well assured that our soueraigne good is to answere him that is not to hide our selues from his sight but to be alwaies willing to bee guided by his hand so as wee desire nothing but to be vnder his hand and at his direction Psal 95.67 Let vs consider that wee are the workes of his hands For the thing wherein wee may settle our trust that we be acceptable vnto God is that hee hath created vs and that we be his people and the shéepe of his pasture Then must we not pretend to be loued at Gods hand for any deserts of our owne but because he séeth that we are his workemanshippe and his people and shéepe Thus in Esay and the Psalmes Psa 131 8. Esay 64.8 Lord thou wilt not despise the worke of thy hands thou wilt not forsake that which thou hast begun without finishing it How be it wee must not looke onely to our first creation for the hope that wee shall haue thereby wil be very
a father he is to his children Therefore Iudgement and way signifie none other thing then the gouernment whereby he sheweth himselfe as an excellent good father to his children Doct. 1 The 1. Doct. The poore in Spirite onely are directed by the Lord to haue a right iudgement in all things that concerne the glory of God the saluatiō of their soules The Reason is God resisteth the proud 1. Pet. 5.5 such as are wise in their owne conceit Decke your selues inwardly in lowlinesse of mind for God resisteth the proude and giueth grace to the humble Math. 13.11 And he answered said Because it is giuē to you to know the secrets of the kingdome of God The vse is That we pray to God to giue vs his spirit of iudgement of the workes of the Lord. And first of his word Let vs consider how gratious the Lord is to them that are méeke to them he will open his iudgements which to the prowde are secrete vnknowen as to the Papistes many others A foolishnes of self estimation of self-wéening of our selues that wée are of some value is so rooted in man possessed with the spirit of pride that it is very hard to bring thē euen vs regenerate to a right vnderstāding of our owne wāts so as we might be cléere from all pryde presumption Concerning the doctrine of Election Reprobation Wheras the Apostle knew that flesh blood would dispute Why should God elect some refuse other some Rom. 9.20 he answereth But O man what art thou which pleadest against God Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it Why hast thou made me thus vers 21. Hath not the potter power of the clay to make of the same lūpe one vessell to honour and another to dishonour And this he setteth downe after that he had alledged the obiections wherein men thinke thēselues to haue a faire colour to dispute against God and to demaund why hée should destroy those whom he hath created why he should put difference betweene one and another without knowing any causes so that the one should be loued the other refused Therfore whēsoeuer any such temptation hath taken hold on vs let vs pray vnto GOD to make vs lowly and poore in Spirite then shall we haue a right iudgement of his secrete mysteries and wonderfull workes When we treat of Gods word euery man almost falleth to it at aduenture and euery one shootes out his verdit as though they reasoned but of moon-shine in the water so vnreuerently wée speake thereof The things therein contayned be such as passe all mans vnderstanding and yet notwithstanding it is manifest that some are bold to treat of Gods high mysteries without reuerēce which ought to rauish our wits to wonder at them which with al feare trembling we ought to honour I say we are bolder to babble of them then if a man spake of a matter but of 5. shillings value or of some trifle I know not what And what is the cause thereof but that men haue not cōsidered how God hideth ouercasteth his owne secrete determinatiōs hath in his holy Scriptures vttered vnto vs his wil whereunto it behoueth vs to be subiect We sée on the one side how the Papistes blaspheme God wresting falsifying marring corrupting the whole holy Scripture so that they spare not to scorne God his word And why They neuer knew what it is to haue a right iudgement in Gods will word they are possessed with the spirit of pride the spirite of sound iudgement is farre from thē they scorne at our answere when to their demand Who shal iudge of the true meaning sence of the Scriptures we say The holy spirit shal doth lead not onely the whole Church but euery particular singular member of the Church into all truth Campianan ratione Sophismat Also there are drunkards which could find in their harts to subdue God in their fantastical mind Yf they were the wisest men in the world the best séene in the holy Scriptures yet shall they be faine to stowpe to this point that Gods purposes are aboue our reach But they are vtterly dull brutish there is neither skill nor reason in them the wine ouer-mastereth thē they are worse then swine yet will néeds be Diuines and wil controll things in such sort that if a man should now beléeue them he should be driuen to forge and frame a new Gospell Let vs alwaies know that whensoeuer wée speake of God of his workes or of his word they are high matters On the other side what is it that we cā bring forth of our selues except wee be truly humbled what is that little that wee can conceiue in our vnderstanding Euen wordes without knowledge Let men put themselues into the balance and they shal be found lighter then vanitie it selfe as it is said in the Psalme Psal 62.10 So much the more it behooueth vs to marke this doctrine that there is neither skill aptnesse nor iudgement in vs to entreat of Gods workes or his word except he vouchsafe by his blessed Spirite to direct vs. Let vs therfore pray vnto his diuine Maiesty to vouchsafe of his vnspeakeable mercy and goodnesse to powre downe his holy Spirite into our hearts that whereas by the fall of our first parents our Iudgements concerning Gods mysteries his workes and word are corrupted and therefore haue néed of direction that by the same Spirite of truth and iudgement wée may be ledde into all truth and iudgement so shall wée iudge according to his holy will Let vs also mislike our selues to the end wée may resort vnto him to find the goodnesse there which wanteth in our selues that thereupon it may please him so to gouerne vs by his holy Spirite that beyng replenished with his glory wée may haue wherewith to glory not in our selues but onely in him And teach the humble his way Text. Doct. 2 2. Doct. The Lord will surely teach the humble the way of his gratious fauour The Reason is Vnto him that hath it shal be giuen by him As the Lord hath giuen him humility which is a spirituall gift and grace bestowed vpon the elect onely whom he especially loueth as a father Psalm 103. much more will he cause him to tast of his prouidēce which extendeth it selfe in respect of sustentatiō not onely to the wicked but to euery liuing creature be it neuer so base Vse The Vse is That wee magnifie the glorious name of our good and gratious Father who so mercifully causeth vs the childrē of wrath to become his children by adoption and assureth vs without all doubting of the continuance of his fauour towards vs. This doctrine of Gods fauour towardes the humble his children is comfortable to our conscience and therefore the longer to be vrged and taught Euery man naturally séeketh to comfort himselfe some by voluptuousnesse some by worldly wealth some by
vs his deare children that it might to our comfort abide within vs. True it is that wee must alwaies séeke the meanes that God offereth vs to keepe vs to it and to endeuour to attaine it but howsoeuer it be let vs be fully resolued of this that it is God onely that giueth it and deliuereth vs from all vnquietnesse Therefore let vs not storme nor frette against the Lord although it please him to turmoile vs For we are not taught in the word that God will so handle vs in this world that wée shall not be tossed to and fro wée haue no such promise yet let vs cleaue vnto God and cast our anchor on him so shall wée not bée ouercome of temptations although they be many and greeuous Text. And his seede shall inherite the land Doct. 2 2. Doct. Gods fauour and mercy extend vnto the children of the faithfull both while they liue and after their decease The reason is If the wicked fare the better for the godlies sake how much more shall the children of the godly walking in their fathers steppes fare the better in inheriting the land And there is no certainer inheritance wherin our children may succéed vs then when GOD with vs receyuing them into his fatherly fauour doth make them partakers with vs of his blessings Vse The vse of this Doctrine is That as wée tender our ofspring so to be the more carefull to walke in the feare of the Lord. Psal 25.14 The secrete of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him his couenant to giue them vnderstanding The 2. part of the sixth Sermon The sence thereof is ALthough secrete hidde vnknowen The sēce and Doctrine aboue the reach capacity of mans braine is the holy couenant of the most high and mighty God yet whosoeuer in the feare of the Lord that is in humble sort by prayer to his Maiestie séeke to know it shal by the directiō of Gods holy Spirite attaine to that high heauēly wisdome which for their saluation in the sacred Scriptures is there recorded The reason is God hath disappointed no man of the knowledge thereof that hath sincerely sought it By the word Secrete the Prophet vnderstādeth the excellency of Doctrine which is contained in the holy law of God Howsoeuer prophane mē by their lofty pride despise Moses the prophets yet the faithfull acknowledge that in the Doctrine therof the secrets of the kingdome of heauen are therby opened which farre excéedingly excell mans wisedome Vse 1 The first vse is That in reading the Law of God and the sacred Scriptures we be of a modest and humble Spirite that in trusting to our weake wits and diligence we take héed we attempt not to breake in the secrete mysteries thereof the knowledge whereof is the singular gift of God as Dauid in the 111. Ps verse 10. saith The beginning of wisedome is the feare of the Lord all they that obserue them haue good vnderstanding his prayse endureth for euer Vse 2 The second vse is That forasmuch as the Lord our God of his great mercy not of merite giueth his Spirite to many that are not teachers as to them that instruct the Church that therefore being endued with the Spirite of truth hauing the feare of God humility the desire to beléeue and to liue according to the prescript rules which in the sacred scriptures are cōtained he will giue vnderstanding to them and open the secrete mysteries thereof vnto them And therefore most iniurious to the common people is the Edict of the Pope and his followers which prohibite the reading of them vnto the people They hold that the Scriptures are most hard difficult obscure They do not onely affirme that some things are so but that all are hard doubtfull and vncertaine and compare thē therfore to a leaden rule which may be turned euery way Petrus a Soto And to a nose of waxe Lindan a Papist ex Tilmanno de verbo Dei error 5. Our Rhemistes affirme that it is all one to affirme in a writer some things to be hard the writer to bee hard So they conclude that the sacred Scriptures are both in respect of the matter manner very hard and therfore daungerous for the ignorant to read them Rhe. obiectiō 2. Pet. 3.16 A Dicto secūdum quod ad dictum simpl Answer Rhem annot 2. Pet. 3. verse 16. they obiect that place whereas the Apostle saith speaking of S. Pauls Epistles that many things therein cōteined are hard Therfore the Epistles of S. Paul are hard so the Scriptures B. R. We answere First he saith not that Pauls Epistles are hard but many things he entreateth of Secondly they are hard not to all but to the vnstable who do peruert them Thirdly we denie not but that some places in the Scriptures are obscure haue néede of interpretation but it followeth not that therefore the whole Scriptures are obscure and because of some hard places that the people should be forbidden the reading of all Obie ∣ ction of the Pa ∣ pists 2 2. Obiect The scriptures are obscure both in respect of matter and manner First the matter is high mysticall as of the Trinity of the incarnation of the word of the nature of Angels such like Answer We answere These mysteries may be said to be obscure two waies First in their own nature so are they hard in deed for by humane reason wee cannot attaine to the depth of them Secondly in respect of vs so must they needs be obscure if men be not contented with the knowledge in the word but curiously search further Luther therefore doth aptly distinguish Res Dei saith hee the thinges of GOD are obscure the depth of his mysteries cannot bee comprehended of vs but Res Scripturae the things that are opened in the Scriptures are plaine if wee will content our selues with that knowledge Obie ∣ ction 2 Secondly Bellar. saith The maner of handling is hard and obscure there are many Tropes Metaphors Allegories Hebraismes which cānot easily be vnderstood Answer We answer First many of these are rather ornaments of the Scriptures as Tropes and Metaphores then impedimentes to the Reader Secondly although the phrase of the Scripture may séeme hard at the first yet by further traueile therein it may become easie and plaine for all thinges are not at the first vnderstood Thirdly wée denie not but that some places are obscure and had néed to be opened Obie ∣ ction 3 3. Obiection If the Scriptures were not hard what néed so many Commentaries and expositions R. B. Answer We answer First so many Commētaries as are extant are not requisite some may be spared Secondly Expositions are néedfull for the vnderstanding of darke places but many thinges are playne enough without expositions and may be vnderstood of the simple We hold not that the Scripture is euery where so plaine and euident that it néed no Interpretation as
tokens of the horrible vengeance that is prepared for them at the latter day You sée then that many men are touched with Gods hand which notwithstanding are accursed For they begin their hell in this world as we haue examples of all them that amend not their wicked life when God sendeth afflictions vpon them but a man shal sée them take a corner and stand barking like dogges although they can do no more yet they cease not to shew continuall madnesse or else they are like horse and mule like restie Iades or finally Psal 32.9 they are altogether ouer-sotted so that they know not their owne harme or miserie I meane as to consider the hand that striketh they will crie out Alas and they féele the blowes yet they thinke neuer the more vpon Gods hand neither know they how it is hée that visiteth them Wée sée then before our eyes that many men are the more vnhappy for being chastised at Gods hand because they profite not in his schoole nor yet take any good by his corrections Let vs assure our selues that when God maketh vs to féele his hand so as wée are humbled vnder it he giueth vs a speciall benefit and it is a priuiledge that he giueth to none but to his owne children When we féele the corrections which hée sendeth vs and also are thereby taught to mislike of our selues for our offences to sigh and grone for them before him and to flie to his mercy for refuge it is a token that he hath wrought in our hearts by his holy Spirite For it is too high a point of wisedome to grow in the mind of man it must procéed of the frée goodnes of our God the holy Ghost must first haue softened that cursed hardnes and stubbornes whereunto wée are enclined of nature euer since the transgression of our first parents Adam and Eue. Let vs marke then out of this branch of Dauids prayer In his great afflictions and trauell vexations both of bodie and Spirit which inward griefes procéeded from the remorse of sinne wherewith he was gréeued and tormented that Gods children are not stubborne vnder his hand but are ouermastered and tamed by the working of the holy Ghost to the intent they should not striue against the afflictions which hée sent vnto them But yet wil this saying séeme strāge after the opinion of the flesh for whatsoeuer afflictions or tribulations fal out otherwise then we would haue them wée terme them aduersities When we suffer any hunger thirst cold or heate wée say that euery one of these is an aduersitie Why so The reason is because wée would willingly haue our owne appetites and desires fulfilled in all things And in good sooth this manner of speach to say that the afflictions and tribulations that GOD sendeth vpon vs are aduersities that is to say things against vs is not without reason Neuerthelesse we must vnderstand the end of them namely that Gods scourging of vs is because of our sinnes And therefore by flattering our selues let vs not beguile our selues Furthermore I haue already preached vnto you not onely that it is requisite for vs to consider that Gods scourging of vs is because he hateth sinne and that his summoning of vs before him is to make vs to feele him to be our Iudge but also that we had néede of him to reach out his armes vnto vs and to shew vs that he is ready to be at one with vs whensoeuer wee shall come to him by true repentance So then we perceiue that they whom God chasteneth are happie notwithstanding that we shunne aduersitie as much as we possibly can Also we shall neuer consent to this doctrine to receyue it with our hearts vntill that faith hath made vs to behold the goodnesse of God which hee vseth towards his seruants when hee draweth them backe to himselfe And that we may the better comprehend this let vs marke what becommeth of men when God leaueth them to themselues maketh none accompt of clensing them from their sinnes Looke vpon a man that is giuen to al euill for example a despiser of God If God permit him and chastise him not you shall see him harden himselfe the Deuill shall cary him still farther and farther and therefore it had béene much better for him that he had béene chastised sooner And so the greatest hurt that can light vpon vs is God to suffer vs to welter in our owne wickednes for then must we néeds rotte away in it in the end Looke vpon mine afflictions Text. Doct. 2 2. Doctr. This example of Dauids teacheth vs that in all our miseries we must séeke reliefe onely at Gods hands The Reason is Because first hée hath so commaunded Psal 50.15 Secondly all power to help is onely in his hands 2. Chron. 20.6 And Iehoshaphat said O Lord God of our fathers art not thou God in heauen and raignest not thou ouer all the kingdoms of the heathē in thine hād is power might none is able to withstand thee The vse is first In all our distresses to séeke only to the Lord and that alone by such lawful meanes as he hath warranted in his word Secondly to reproue them that séeke to be relieued by Saincts Angels or any other in heauen then God alone Also them that séeme to séeke only to the true God but vse vnlawfull meanes to haue his helpe as by Coniurers Witches or such like The holy Scriptures forbid all séeking to Sorcerers Witches Astrologers Enchanters Wisards Fortune-tellers such like All which each séekers vnto them al that any thing trust in thē are abominable before the Lord. These vnlawfull artes hinder the kingdome of heauen They are of diuers sortes all which may most fitly be referred to two heads The first are soothsaiers diuiners wizzards iuglers gessers before what shall come after witches by which all vnlawful artes are forbidden Michah 5.2 And I will cut off thine enchaunters out of thine hand and thou shalt haue no more soothsayers In the Hebrue they are called Ceschaphim and Megnonemin They are called Ceschaphim Iuglers or Couzeners such as with Legerdemain deceiue delude the eie-sight but principally in this place the Prophet meaneth such which by witchcraft that is by Magical artes do hold bewitch the sights of mē that they séeme to do those things which in déed they do not or if they be done by the workings of Sathan they are wrought Of this sort were the sorcerers of Egypt Exod. 7.10 Then went Moses and Aaron vnto Pharaoh did as the Lord commaunded and Aaron cast forth his rod before Pharaoh and before his seruants and it was turned into a Serpent vers 11. Then Pharaoh called for the wisemē It seemeth that these were Iannes and Iambres 2. Tim. 3 8. So euer the wicked maliciously resist the truth of God sorcerers those charmers also of Egypt did in like manner with their enchantments vers 12.
men to relieue them And therfore when the Angels came to him in the forme of men hee is noted by the holy Ghost to haue entreated them yea to haue as it were compelled them to eate meate in his house Good Lot folowed his steps wayting in his doores or gates to harbour poore straungers and therefore when the Angels came into Sodom Gen. 19.1 2 3. like straungers and pilgrimes hee compelled them in some sort to enter into his house and to take such lodging and entertainment as his state was able to afforde And hereby some as the Apostle noteth haue receiued Angels into their houses vnwares Heb. 13.1 But nowadayes there are many that are so farre off from this liberalitie that they will shut vp their gates euen in this great time of scarcitie The like hath not as I suppose of so long continuaunce béene in this Realme of England in many ages when many hundreds are ready through want of foode a lamentable case to bee considered which for our sinnes for which GOD is so highly displeased with this land especially our contempt of the holy Religion the breach of the Sabboth the blaspheming of the holy name of God vncharitablenes with infinite more the Lord doth inflict vpon them and vs in the time of refection And which is more detestable so hard are the hearts of many that they haue not onely not relieued them but rated them Is that the worst No. They haue which will make a good heart euen to melt and as the Prophet Ieremie saith Lam. 2. his eyes faile with teares his bowels swell his lyuer to bee powred foorth vpon the earth to thinke of their crueltie euen to whip them away from their gates Againe other some of great reuenewes because they will not kéepe hospitalitie nor relieue the poore at home they giue vp house and either soiourne and table with some friends or els take a chamber in some Citie or Towne where they will kéepe no house at all but with a man and a boy and that seldome liue both meanely basely and obscurely to the blemishing and slayning of their credite and worship for euer Euen they whose lands and possessions are worth peraduenture fiue hundred pound yea it may be a thousand pound yéerely whose parents and auncestors kept twentie or fortie men I allow not of Idlenesse but I commend maintaining them in a Liuerie maintained great hospitalitie to the great reliefe of al the poore Country about them euen they I say doe so And yet will al their reuenewes scarce serue to maintaine their small port withall notwithstanding that they so racke their lands raise their rents and exact such fines and incomes as they make two fold so much more of their liuings now as their forefathers did in times past Now it may profitably be demanded how they carrying so lowe a saile can spend so great reuenewes which before times maintained so many score and relieued so many thousands of poore I answere first Gods curse is vpon all they haue and then how can it be otherwise Secondly they spend it for the most part either in sumptuous apparell gorgeous buildings both which are too rife at this day in England or els in feasting and banqueting in ryoting and gurmandizing besides other chamber-workes which I blush to name For as the Apostle saith It is a shame once to name those things which are done of them in secrete God turne their hearts and giue them grace to containe themselues within themselues to maintaine hospitalitie for the reliefe of the poore and to vphold that porte worship and credite which their forefathers did Our Sauiour Christ saith Mat. 10.42 That a cup of cold water giuen in his name shall not bee left vnrewarded And the Apostle Paul calleth it Phil. 4.18 an Odour that smelleth sweete a sacrifice acceptable and pleasant to God Alas consider wherfore did God giue you such great store of riches and large possessions in this life aboue your brethren was it not to doe good with them and to helpe them that haue néede Know you they were not lent you to spend in ryot and excesse in pride or gluttonie drunkennesse or chambering no nor in hawking nor hunting nor in any such kind of vanitie No No it will not at the great day of accompt the day of iudgement goe for payment when it shal be said Luk. 16. Giue an accompt of thy stewardship for thou must no longer bee steward I counsel you therefore to learn of the vniust steward to make you friends of the wicked Mammon And to bend my speach to all generally I counsell you to study to bee more carefull in relieuing the poore distressed members of Iesus Christ euery one according to that portion which the Lord hath bestowed vpon you that so you may be counted the Lords faithfull stewards meete to inherite that kingdome which the Lord hath purchased for all them that walke in his pathes kéepe his couenant and testimonies verse 10. All the pathes of the Lord are mercy and truth to them that keepe his couenant and his testimonies Text. The Exposition By pathes in this place the Prophet vnderstandeth the whole regiment of God wherewith hee ruleth all thinges that he hath created The sence is Whatsoeuer the Lord doth towards them that kéepe his couenant and testimonies whether it be that he afflict them or whether he suffer them to fal into sin he therby sheweth mercy kéepeth the truth of his promise towards them Temptations wherwith Sathan assaulteth vs are not the least afflictions which God as with a salue doth eure our soules with When God giueth him power to wound the children of GOD he permitteth it to humble them to the end that when they be so grieuously tormented and do yet still resist the assaults that are made vpon them they should vnderstand Simil. that that commeth not of themselues but that they bee vpheld otherwise that is to wit by the grace of GOD and by the power of his holy spirite To this purpose it is that the Apostle Paul in the 8. Chapter to the Rom. 28. verse saith Also we know that al things worke for the best vnto them that loue God euen to them that are called of his purpose So then when God giueth Sathan leaue to tempt the faithfull ordinarily it is to serue thē as it were with a * Euen as an holesome medicine although biting grieuous to the flesh doth cure the diseases of the bodie euen so temptations of Gods children doe cure their soules medicine And heerein we sée the vnspeakable and wonderfull mercy and goodnesse of our gracious God in turning euill into good For what can Sathan and sinne bring but rancke poyson and venim Yea hee hath nothing but death for he is called the Prince of death So then whatsoeuer Sathan can effect it turneth altogether to mans destruction and to the drowning of them in endlesse damnation And yet
mercy I am excluded from being in the number of them that kéeping thy couenant and Testimonies receaue thy great mercies and true promises Therefore O Lord séeing I see how farre I am from kéeping the same by heaping vp daily howrely so many and greeuous sinnes I humbly euen for thy glorious name and not for my deserts sake beséech thée to pardon and forgiue them all so shall all thy pathes be mercy and truth to mée Doct. 1 1. Doctrine Whosoeuer desireth that all thinges that the Lord doth to his Church procéeding of his mercy and truth should turne to his good that hée may be not onely a member of it but also with it to be partaker of his mercies must feruently zealously and earnestly pray vnto God that for his names sake he would vouchsafe to pardon him al his sinnes The 1. Reason is Except our sinnes be pardoned which without our prayer to GOD shall neuer bée all that the Lord doth to vs shall euen our meate drinke hearing the holy worde receiuing the holy Sacramentes temptations afflictions prosperities and what else soeuer wée receyue from his hand redound from him not of his mercie and so hée a blessing but from his wrath and so bée a curse against vs. Vse The vse thereof is First let vs striue against that temptation which perswadeth vs to cease praying to God for remission of our sinnes Sathan our aduersary tempteth vs on the right hand and on the left that is by aduersity and prosperity By aduersity to distrust in God as he tēpted our Sauiour when he was hungry to diffidence and distrust in the prouidence of God when he perceiued that by aduersity he could not preuaile to ouercome him he tempteth him by his confidence Math. 4. Luk. 4. That séeing he trusted in Gods protection that therefore if hée cast himselfe downe from the pinacle of the Temple he should be protected of the Lord by the ministery of his holy Angels Lo we sée that by his confidence he would haue him to tempt God Euen so he tempteth vs if he perceiue that we haue no faith he will perswade not to pray for it if he sée that we are perswaded that the Lord loueth vs he will perswade vs that we need not pray to him for that which we already haue for although we are in our consciences to the great comfort thereof in all afflictions perswaded that the Lord loueth vs yet notwithstanding we must continually pray to his maiesty for the fame and the forgiuenes of our sinnes els we kéepe not his testimonies so by consequence it is but a vaine perswasiō that we haue that God fauoureth vs which may proceede from an opinion thereof onely which the infidels may haue but as for a true faith they onely that haue the Spirite of Praier and exercise the same haue it and so by consequence they onely shall receyue remission of their sinnes Let vs therefore resist this temptation Let vs vse this holy exercise for thereby we both encrease in godlines and all things that the Lord doth to vs euen temptations and afflictions shall redound to our good and from the Lords mercie Text. For thy names sake be mercifull to my sinnes Doct. 2 2. Doct. We must be perswaded that God when he forgiueth sinnes doth for his owne sake not for any other cause whatsoeuer pardō the same The reason is He is good and gracious of himselfe Vse The vse is That we acknowledge that there is none other name giuen vnder heauen whereby we are saued that our sinnes are forgiuen vs without the which there is no saluation but onely the name of our Lord Iesus none other meanes none abilitie power aucthoritie in any neyther in man or Angel but in the Lord onely * Similit Euen as an horseman holding the reynes of his horse guideth him as he wil euē so the Lord holdeth vs to guide vs at his pleasure either not to pardō or to forgiue vs our sins Act. 10. God holdeth the reynes in his handes to guide men at his pleasure and if it please him to punish our sinnes we haue nothing to reply why he should not condemne vs and if it please him of his great mercy wholy to pardon vs who shall resist him who shall let him to shew vs fauour True it is that this is strange to mans vnderstanding at the first sight For seing that God accepteth not the persons of men we aske wherefore he forgiueth some forgiueth not othersome wherfore tolerateth he the wicked seing him so disorderly Then may we trouble our heads to be curious to know wherefore doth the lord so deale But what cōclusiō must we make Euē only to refer al things to his wisdome purpose knowing that it is not in vs to rule him we cānot cōprehend those thinges that are aboue our reach And if it please God to forgiue vs let vs vnderstand that it is not for our deserts but of his frée mercy through Iesus Christ onely And this must bee well marked because the matter that I haue already spoken of comming naturally into mens imaginations hath béene the cause that false wicked doctrines haue ouerflowed in Christendome Psal 25.12 What man is hee that feareth the Lord Him wil he teach the way that he shall chuse The 2. part of the fifth Sermon 12. What man c. The sence is ALthough we know not of our selues what is right acceptable and pleasant to the Almightie what we might to Gods approuing and our owne profiting elect and chuse so that we feare the Lord in suffering our selues to be directed by him to a godly life wee shall alwayes find him a sure and holy guide vnto vs. Doct. 1 1. Doct. Whoso doth feare the Lord shall by his holy Spirite be directed how to frame his life The reason is Iob 1.1 Iob by fearing God is said to eschue euill was an vpright man and a iust man Vse The vse is That wee pray feruently vnto the Lord our God to giue vs his holy Spirite that wee thereby may lead our liues in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the daies of our life Luke 1. The feare of GOD is not a slauish feare Rom. 8. but filiall yea it is a reuerence and an honor which wee owe and performe vnto the Lord our God séeing he is our good and gracious God mercifull master and louing father Haue wée then the feare of God before our eyes Then without all doubt all other things we estéeme not in comparisō of doing him homage seruice and honor then we will wholly addict our selues to his seruice It also comprehendeth the knowledge of our good God Do wee know him Then we do it in such maner as hee hath vttered made himselfe to be knowen not otherwise that is that he is our maker our maintainer and one that hath shewed such fatherly goodnesse towards vs that wee of dutie
ought to be obedient children towardes him if we will not be vtterly vnthankfull The true feare of God also comprehendeth an acknowledging of his soueraigntie rule dominion and superioritie ouer vs to the end that euery one of vs yéelding him his due honor may learne to please him in all thinges Thus yée sée that vnder this feare of GOD is comprehended all Religion all the seruice and honour which man a creature oweth to GOD the Creator There are also here you sée two thinges to be considered the feare of the Lorde and an holy life He whom GOD blesseth with the one shall by his holy Spirite be directed to the other Both which are the gracious gift of GOD which hée giueth to none but to them that are his The meanes for the attainment both of the one and the other is Prayer to our God and all these goe together for when by reason of our sinnes wée are turned aside from the feare of GOD and holy lyfe and from praying vnto his diuine Maiesty all our wisedome is but follie all our shewes of godlinesse are but hypocrisie all our knowledge is but ignorance all are but a wind to make vs breake painted sepulchers full of dead mens bones faire without but fowle within Againe Feare importeth asmuch as that our life must be ruled according to the will of God For what becōmeth of mē when they know not acknowledge not yea are not subiect and obedient to the Lord their Maker They like wild Colts bruite beastes and vntamed heyfers rush foorth and as the Prophet Hosea saith like a great riuer Hoshea 4. which before hath bene staied and dammed vp the sluces set open the dāme pulled down breaketh forth into all lewdnes abomination and wickednes Wée know or should know what our lusts are how vntamed vnruly they are Therfore if the feare of God raigne in vs wée must will acknowledge that the Lord hath not set placed vs in the world to liue as we list but reserueth his whole interest title right ouer vs he expecteth obediēce at our hands Againe Feare importeth that God requireth of vs to learne to direct our whole life to his wil. It hath pleased him of his great mercy vnspeakable goodnes to giue vs his whole lawes and holy word wherby as a scholmaster teacheth his scholer and as by the sterne the master of the ship guideth it euen so by the same hee directeth guideth and teacheth vs what to do what to leaue vndone how to discerne betwéene that which is good and that which is euill Then we must here beginne Salomon saith The feare of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge Prou. 1.7 Yet notwithstanding nothing can further vs in the feare of God but onely the guiding gouernance and direction of Gods holy Spirite For is there any goodnes in the holiest and vprightest of vs all Are we giuen to any thing but to all euill and wickednes And if we lay Gods lawe to mens liues wée shall soone sée as great a deadly battell betwéene them as betwéene fire and water yea euen our whole nature and that there is nothing more contrary to the righteousnesse of God then the affections of our flesh For as the Apostle S. Paul in the 8. to the Rom. vers 7. They are he saith not enemies but enmity to God Seing it is so let vs pray vnto the Almighty and forasmuch as we are wholy giuē vnto wickednes and are altogether caried away vnto euill let vs zealously and earnestly beseech the Lord our God to lay his holy hand vpon vs to direct and guide vs to vouchsafe vs his holy and blessed spirite to rule and gouerne vs in such wise as we may fréely and with single harts lead an holy and godly life cleaue vnto his righteousnes be obedient vnto his holy precepts that of his louing kindnesse he will not suffer the temptations of Sathan to turne vs away from doing good that it would please him of his goodnesse to forgiue vs our sinnes be alwaies merciful louing towards vs. Praier ought to be ioyned with the feare of God that by his blessed Spirite we might be guided in the way that we should choose For it sufficeth vs not to be taught what wée should do what God requireth at our hands and what is our dutie but wee must repaire to him let vs haue our whole recourse to him let vs séeke of him those things that wée want for he hath all things in store for his children and beyng sicke in our soules let vs runne to him our carefull and louing Phisicion This is a profitable Doctrine and therefore I purpose the longer to insist hereupon knowing that this being well learned wee haue profited well in one forenoone in the Schoole of Christ You come oftentimes to the Sermons what profiteth that if we haue not the feare of the Lord wherof many are farre from liue not a godly life pray not to him to guide vs by his holy spirite We do but wāder if we bring not these things heare not diligently for wherfore is our cōming resorting hither To know our dutie what the Lord requireth at our hands how we ought to walke differing frō them that are more like beasts than men God alloweth nothing but obedience to his lawes For all the deuices of mens braynes are méere vanities starke folly Mark how the papists torment thēselues what gaine they by their fond deuices For all their doings are but their owne deuices the law of the Lord is as though it were buried among them So then let vs take héed we deceiue not our selues but let our cōming to the Sermons be an attainment to a certainty wherin we may not faile which thing wil then come to passe when we allow of admit nothing but onely Gods will to rule and gouerne our whole life Howbeit that is not al that is to be done For it is in vaine for men to beat their eares with preaching which is This you may do this God cōmādeth you to doe vntill such time as we haue learned that it is he only that giueth vs the feare of God that it is he onely that by his holy spirit hauing giuen the first Grace doth also to thē giue a secōd that it is he onely that imprinteth his Law in our harts ingraueth it in our bowels that it is he only that giueth vs power to cleaue to his cōmandemēts that it is he only which by his holy Spirit giueth force efficacy to the heauēly doctrine that it is he only which of his great goodnes tender mercy accepteth vs forgiueth vs our sins I say it is al to no purpose vntil we haue learned these things pray vnto him for all things we stand in néed of Furthermore our faith alwaies engēdreth in vs a desire to praise God to pray vnto him When the holy Minister preacheth vnto you and
saith that our louing Lord and swéete sauiour Iesus Christ hath of his mercies not of your merits for you haue none reconciled you to God his father and to wash and clense you hath shedde his precious bloud that he hath paid the price of your ransome that by his righteousnesse you might be acquited and by this meanes become holy and acceptable to GOD our heauenly father the knowledge of these things is to the end wee should throughly cleaue vnto him say What meanes haue we to be saued by but onely by the frée grace of God seing that our Lord Iesus Christ hath of his infinite goodnes made full and sufficient satisfaction for vs and to the ende that our faith should rest therupō But may we lie still and sléepe like Swine No. No. We must awake we must repayre by Praier to God say Wherein is our welfare Euen in the death and passion of our Lord and sauiour Christ Iesus Therfore we must seeke it there for wée shall neuer finde it elsewhere neyther with men nor Angels And how must wee seeke it but by Praiers and supplications Then let vs pray vnto him and say O Lord seing thou seest vs farre from all goodnes giue vs the true feare of thee send downe thy holy Spirite into our hearts to reforme renue and direct vs in our waies True it is we are wretched sinners but forasmuch as we are members of the mysticall body of thy deare sonne our sauiour Christ Iesus we pray thee make vs righteous through him True it is that we are polluted and full of spottes but his precious blood can cleanse vs we are guilty of euerlasting death and in bondage to it but our sweet Sauiour and Lord Iesus Christ hath set vs free from it Wherefore O gracious God fill thou vs with thy holy sweete spirite that by his strength wee in our pathes and waies that we haue chosen may be ledde and conducted suffer vs not for any temptation to fall from thee What man is he that feareth the Lord Him will he direct in the way that hee shall chuse Text. Doct. This beyng an Interrogation wee learne this Doctrine Litle is the flock and small is the number of them which truly feare the Lord. The reason is For although the most men seeme to pray the greatest nūber frequēting the assemblies where the word is preached as for others they euidently openly professe thēselues that there is no feare of GOD before their eyes séeme many times like painted Sepulchers faire without and foule within like Copper which resembleth Golde when it is not it like stage-plaiers that seeme to be Kinges and Princes when in deed they are starke and very beggers when they seeme as if they repented when their liues and conuersations doe euidently shew that they are not in substance that which thy seeme in shew Therefore most rare is the feare of God to be found whereby it cōmeth to passe that iustly vpon great cause the Lord depriueth the wretched and miserable worldlings of the Spirit of counsel and wisedome Vse The vse is That wee pray vnto God to giue vs his holy blessed spirite that wee seeme not to feare the Lord when wee are farre from it but that he will sanctifie our harts with sincerity that all hypocrisie being remoued farre from vs we may be so directed by the same spirit in our way that other seing our good workes may glorifie our father which is in heauen And forasmuch as hypocrisie is so great and gréeuous a sinne as that it not onely deceyueth men but so displeaseth the Lord as hee many times although not alwaies nor al such persons plagueth and punisheth them in this life but much more in that to come Apo. 21. who shall haue their partes with the fearfull and Adulterers in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death I thinke it conuenient to handle this point seing that the most are such that they seing how odious it is in the sight of GOD may not onely detest it but also vtterly flie from it as a most mortall and deadly enemy Euen as the fowler A similitude of a painted Oxe to take the silly birds which with a painted Oxe which is not an Oxe but vnder the shape and likenesse thereof lieth in waite for the poore birdes that hee might take them and kill them So he which with a counterfaited and fayned holinesse will colour and couer impietie wicked purposes or whatsoeuer is against the will word of God hath not the feare of God but vnder the colour and shape of godlinesse and honesty séeking the prayse and glory of the world hée casteth in his head and worketh by degrees the ruine decay vndoing of others that hée may compasse their goods lands and possessions and gaine some honour and dignity among men 2. Tim. 3 5. Such men haue a shewe of godlinesse but as the Apostle saith haue denied the power thereof And although some hypocrites will sometimes seeme to forsake their riches and lende some to their neighbors and bestow some vpon the poore yet still the marke and leuell they shoote at is to augment and encrease them A similitude of the soaring hawke for the silly bird For euen as the swift hawke entending to take the birde that flieth doth not presently when she seeth her seyse vpon her but rather at the first with fetching a compasse séemeth to forsake her but at the second or third flight she goeth towards her with a wonderfull force and incredible swiftnesse to take her in the ayre and to rend her in péeces Right so do hypocrites for at the first sight they will séeme not to regard neither thee nor thine but to continue the riches and promotions of the world but then they come and counterfeit a simplicity fowling for a greater matter then they presently sée and reaching at some greater promotion and higher dignitie then the present time and occasion doth offer but at the second or third flight when all thinges aunswere their expectation thou shalt perceiue that with all spéede and gréedinesse they will lay hold on those things which thou supposedst they had contemned These are doubleharted men they haue wicked lippes and handes that worke iniquitie these are sinners that go two waies and eternall woe is their reward The hypocrite goeth two manner of waies when he laieth vp one thing close in his hart the other he sheweth in his actions speaketh one thing doth another Such an one was Herod Math. 2. pretending a great deuotion towardes Christ and that he would worship him when hée was whetting his sword to destroy him True Christians lead their liues although not in perfection according to their profession and as S. Iames saith do shewe their faith by their workes All hypocrites whatsoeuer they would séeme to be do so farre differ from true Christianitie as the drosse of
Whereas the Publican Luk. 18.13 did rightly pray vnto God casting down his eies it is not contrary to this both of Dauid Christ For although being cōfoūded with his sinnes he did cast downe himself yet did not that humility hinder him but that hee craued pardon with boldnes It was meet for Christ to pray after another sort who had nothing whereof he néeded to be ashamed For he will bring my feete out of the nette Text. Doct. 3 3. Doct. In that Dauid saith God wil plucke his féete c. wee haue to learne this doctrine That when we pray to the Lord in our miseries wée must without all doubting be fully assured that the Lord doth heare vs and at his good time he will surely deliuer vs. Ergo wee need none other Mediators then Christ The reason is He hath so promised to vs Psal 50.15 Call vpon me in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie mee Secondly who doth not so shal be frustrated of his desire Iam. 1.6 But let him aske in faith and wauer not Faith without doubting for he that wauereth is like a waue of the sea tost of the wind and caried away verse 7. Neither let that man thinke that he shall receiue any thing of the Lord. Obie ∣ ction Obiection The Apostle meaneth nothing els but that the asker of lawfull thinges may not either distrust Gods power ability or be in diffidence or despaire of his mercy but that our doubt be onely in our owne vnworthines or vndue asking Solutiō Solution Wee proue that men must pray for nothing but according to Gods wil promise and not to doubt of Gods truth in performing his promise But in respect of our owne worthines whereof al mē are void we oght to aske nothing Oecumenius vpon this text saith If hée hath faith let him aske but if he doubt let him not aske for he shall not receyue which distrusteth that he shal receiue Whē thou askest any thing of God dout not at al saying with thy selfe How can I aske receiue of the Lord anything which haue sinned so often against him Thinke not of these things but be conuerted vnto the Lord with thy whole hart aske of him without all doubting and thou shalt know the multitude of his mercies Vse The vse is That wee detest the doctrine of the Papists That in respect of our vnworthines wee should doubt of our prayers to be heard of the Lord but let vs beleeue the sacred Scriptures that teach vs If wee pray vnto God according to his holy will hee will surely heare vs if we pray in faith without all wauering and doubting Let vs put the case that a man had al things els that could be imagined and yet wanted this trust and faith in his praier surely all the rest were nothing woorth but shall bee turned into his bane What if a man laugh what if he liue in ioy pleasure what if he haue goods enough and too much what if all men honour him and to be short what if he séeme to be a pety-God here below as in a Paradise Yet if hee haue not this priuiledge of resorting vnto God with constant and full beliefe that his comming to him shall not be in vaine but that his requests shal be graunted all that euer he can haue besides shal be but a curse vnto him and an increase of his decay Then let vs marke well that it is not without fruite that Dauid bringeth vs here to the principall point of our whole life in the respect of the weale that we can wish which is that God should be at hand with vs and that wee should resort vnto him that he should heare vs and that wee should obtayne our requestes and bée helped and ayded at his hand according to our necessitie and as hee knoweth to bee conuenient for our welfare And this is not taught here onely but if wée looke vpon the whole doctrine of the holy Scriptures we shal see that men are alwaies vnhappy if GOD looke not vpon them and be ready to heare them True it is that by reason of our great dulnesse wee conceyue not so much but without all doubt if wee had but one sparke of sound vnderstanding there is none of vs but should comfortably perceyue that this Doctrine is very true So then let vs open our eies learne to enioy this happinesse know whereupon the same is chiefly grounded so as we may vnderstand that if we haue not God so fauourable to vs as we may resort vnto him with sure trust certainty that in necessity he wil be ready to help vs we be too too wretched and miserable And furthermore if wée be qualified with so excellent a gift grace of Gods holy Spirite as to pray vnto him neither sicknes pouerty imprisonment banishment persecution reproches slaunders no not death it selfe can hinder our happines For behold the remedy that sufficeth for all our miseries is that God promiseth to hold vs vp when wée are beaten downe to deliuer vs when wée are in prison to loose our feete out of the net when our enemies haue caught vs to deliuer vs in time conuenient yea and to turne all our miseries to our welfare saluatiō so as they shal be as many furtherances to helpe vs forward to euerlasting life and he will make vs perceyue that he sent not vs any thing which is not conuenient and profitable for vs. Such promises serue to asswage our sorrowes and euery one of vs may glory in thē as S. Paul saith Rom. 5.1 Then being iustified by faith wee haue peace towardes God through our Lord Iesus Christ verse 2. By whom we haue also accesse through faith vnto this grace wherein we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God verse 3. Neither do we so onely but we reioice in tribulations knowing c. We can haue no peace with God except we be assured of his loue so as the gate by it be opened for vs to haue accesse to him When we haue that once saith S. Paul wee be sure fully perswaded that we are the children of God whereby we may glory of that eternall inheritance which he hath promised vs. Obie ∣ ction But here it may be demaūded Iob 27.9 Will God heare the crie of the hypocrite whē trouble commeth vpō him how it cōmeth to passe that God refuseth a mā that calleth vpon him seing he hath promised that he wil be alwaies enclined to succour vs yea that he will not tarrie vntill he be entreated but will preuent our sute or at the least we are sure that assoone as we opē our mouth God will be ready to help vs as by the prophet Esai he promiseth vs. But in Iobs words wee sée a threat altogether contrary which is that although the wicked haue their recourse vnto God desire him to haue pity vpon them
preferment as it is probable did allure and tempt him If Iob the iust abstained from euill If Ioshua whatsoeuer others would yet hée and his houshold would serue the Lord ought not wee then in these daungerous dayes to doe the like especially séeing the Lord giueth vs warning that we cannot liue holy without great battailes The Lord of his vnspeakeable goodnesse giueth vs power and grace to ouercome all Sathans assaults in such sort as there is none excuse for vs if wee doe not as they did For they liued not in times when all things were well ordered or when men were as Angelles No they liued among Idolaters aboundance of wickednesse raigned in their time there was as great store of vice that raigned in the world then as there is at this day Yet notwithstanding they followed not the bent of other mens bowes as the Prouerbe is but they retired to them selues being well assured that they ought to serue God So then let none of vs in these daies wherein wickednesse hath gotten the vpper hand alleadge the corruption of the time in that all goodnesse is turned topsi-turuy but rather let vs consider that God by the meanes thereof prouoketh vs to bee so much the more careful by all possible meanes to shunne and auoyd those things that may any way infect vs. For seeing that wee plainely perceiue that vices are as it were an euill aire we must flie from them as if a man should tell me if I trauell such a way théeues lie in wait for me I shall be robbed my meat is poisoned I shall be slaine if I escape not another way Wherefore then are we not carefull séeing that the Lorde himselfe sheweth vs that all the vices in the world are as badde as deadly plagues And séeing that the Lord of his great mercy had giuen them his spirite to abstaine euen from not onely euill but from the appearance of euill let vs not doubt but if we by feruent and deuout prayer repaire vnto him that at this day he will assist vs with like power The second part of the eight Sermon Psal 25.18 Looke vpon mine affliction and my trauaile and forgiue me all my sinne The sense thereof is MAny and grieuous are the trauailes troubles and afflictions which I thy dutiful seruant and obedient sonne doe suffer in such sort as though thou haddest no regard thereof I most humbly beséech thée O Lord my God for the Messiahs thy dearely beloued sonnes sake to behold and looke vpon thē that thou mightest powre forth thy bowels of mercie and compassion vpon me in ridding and deliuering me out of them and because I am not O Lord onely outwardly afflicted but inwardly tormented the cause of all I most humbly and sorrowfully confesse vnto thine vnspeakeable goodnesse to be the huge and odious multitude of my sins which for filthines do stincke in thy nostrils for whose sake thou layest this heauie burthen both of outward and inward griefes vpon me I humbly beseech thee to burie them in the pit of obliuion that they neuer come into thy remembrance to cast them into the bottome of the sea that thou neuer sée them and to remitte and forgiue them al through the meanes and mediation of the Messiah thy dearly beloued sonne Christ Iesus who shal when the fulnesse of time is come take vpon him our nature and suffer the most bitter death and passion on the crosse for the redemption of all that beléeue in him both of them that liued before his incarnation in whose number and in which time I am one as also after his incarnation to the worlds end Text. Looke vpon mine affliction Doct. 1 1. Doctr. Generally out of the whole verse The principall desire of the godly is that the Lord would weigh their wofull estate The reason is Because first they know him to be a righteous iudge euer dealing fauourably with his people Secondly their consciēces do tel thē that notwithstanding they are gréeuous sinners against the Lord yet their enemies abuse them for the truthes sake Vse The Vse is to teach vs in all our miseries vnfainedly to repent vs of all our sinnes against the Lord so may wée with good consciences come vnto him with complaints in all our miseries Chastisemēts we sée are profitable for they cause the godly afflicted to come to God by praier to confesse and craue pardon for their iniquities transgressions and sinnes But yet notwithstanding we daily and hourely see that these said chastisements profite not all men also that hée giueth not all men the grace to returne vnto him For it is not enough for God to strike vs with his hand except hée touch vs within also by his holy spirit If God soften not the hardnes of our hearts it wil be with vs as it was with Pharaoh Similitude For men are like vnto stithies or Anuiles the beating vpon them is not able to change their nature for we sée how they beat backe the blowes againe Euen so then vntill God haue touched vs to the quick within it is certaine we shal in our afflictions do nothing but kicke against him and gather rancour more and more whensoeuer hée chastiseth vs we shall gnash our teeth at him and vntill regeneration alwaies storme at him And without all doubt the wickednes of men is so mischéeuous so head-strong and so desperate that the more that God chastiseth them the more do they vomit vp their blasphemies shew themselues to be vtterly past amendment so that there is no way to bring them vnto reason Let vs learne then vntill God hath touched vs with his holy spirite that it is vnpossible that his chastisements should serue to bring vs to repentance but rather to make vs worse and worse yet can it not be said that God is not righteous in so doing for thereby men are conuinced euen so much as if God held them not at a bay in such sort by punishing their sinnes they might pleade ignorance that they neuer knew of it and that they had ouer-shot themselues because God had not prouoked them to acknowledge their faults but when they haue felt the hand of God so as they haue béene faine to perceiue his iudgements in despight of their téeth and haue bene as it were summoned yet notwithstanding haue not onely gone forward from euill to worse but also bin puffed vp with open rebellion against God Héereby wee sée they haue their mouthes stopped and that they haue not any more to say for themselues You see then how God sheweth his iustice as often as he punisheth men notwithstanding it be not a correction for their amendment Obiecti ∣ on Furthermore when God chastiseth the reprobate it is all one as if he should out of hand begin to shew his wrath vpon them and that the fire of it were alreadie kindled Soluti ∣ on True it is that they are not vtterly consumed for the present time howbeit they are
our selues that GOD doth it not without cause and therefore wee ought to glorifie him in all his iudgements although they bee incomprehensible to vs. Psalme 25.20 Keepe my soule deliuer me let me not be confounded for I trust in thee The second part of the ninth Sermon The sence is FOrasmuch O Lord my God as all my whole trust and confidence I repose in thy mercie and none in flesh bloud nor any other meanes whatsoeuer to be deliuered from perill and danger which mine enemies to the losse of my life yea to my vtter confusion doe lie in waite to inflict vpon mée and forasmuch as thou art a God of power and therefore art able to deliuer a God of compassion and therefore regardest the afflictions of thy déere children trusting and calling vpon thée in their afflictions and aduersities I humbly beséech thée for Iesus Christs sake the Messiah to come to kéepe and preserue my foule from destruction and my bodie from the tortures which mine enemies would lay vpon it so shall I glorifie thy name among thy Saints in the great congregation and after this life sing prayses with the Saints and Angels in thy kingdome to thy glorious name for euer Doct. 1 1. Doct. Whoso trusteth in the Lord in the time of persecution by his enemies will flie to him to preserue his soule and his body by prayer The Reason is Where hope in God is there is also prayer to God seeing it springeth necessarily from it as the fruit doth from the trée The vse is That as we would be assured that we hope in God so also that wee exercise prayer séeing that wee cannot assure our selues of the cause without the effect Lette vs therefore according to his commandement in our afflictions and necessities seeke to GOD in the name of Iesus Christ for succour by continuall prayer and calling vpon his name Let vs call vpon him in the day time and in the night season lette vs powre out our complaints before him daylie and hourely let vs make our prayers vnto him although wee feele our selues nothing released but oftētimes worse worse which maketh vs oftentimes almost to doubt of his goodnes Psa 77. that he doth reiect and giueth no heede vnto them whereby we almost thinke it in vaine to pray séeing that we finde no release But this is our weakenesse and frailtie of our flesh which will not willingly bee subdued to the spirite Which lette vs beséech the Lord to forgiue vs for hee séeth our conflicts and looketh vpon our continuall sighes and petitions but hee deferreth and prolongeth his helpe the longer and doth not at the first helpe vs to this ende that wee may sée fully our owne weaknesse learne by little and little to subdue our rebellions to his gratious will who knoweth better what is meete for vs then we for our selues Therefore lette vs beseech him to strengthen vs by his holie spirite that wee may still perseuere and continue in prayer and with longing desires patiently waite for him being fully assured that although it presently appeare not yet hee is alwaies present with vs and heareth our sighes and complaints and will when hee seeth his time declare himselfe manifestly in kéeping our soules and deliuering our bodies in preseruing vs from confusion and in renuing our harts with spirituall ioy Lette vs earnestly entreate him to stirre vp our dull and sluggish nature to call vpon him continually appoynting him neither the time nor the meanes of our deliuerance but leauing al to his good will and pleasure we may in the meane time neuer cease by continuall prayer to call for his merciful helpe and assistance vntil such time it shal please his goodnesse to send vs full deliuerance Although wee féele our selues through the malice of Sathan verie vnwilling to prayer seeing that wee doe not fully perceiue them to bee heard but goe on still languishing in our sorrowes as though GOD had no care of vs. Yet this our dulnesse let vs entreate our mercifull father to pardon in vs and grant that wee may bee raised vp and pray for aide and reliefe of him continually and although we should sée no signe of fauour yet that we may continue still with the faithfull woman of Canaan and neuer cease in heart mind and mouth till he graunt our requests at his appoynted time when he knoweth it shall be most méete for our behoofe and his glorie And that when the Lord shall mercifully looke vpon vs we then fully with our whole hearts acknowledge his goodnesse towards vs and let it neuer slippe out of our hearts but continue thankfull for the same all the dayes of our liues whereby his glorie in vs may be declared and our soules relieued The tenth Sermon vpon the 25. Psalme verses 21.22 21. Let mine vprightnes and equitie preserue me for my hope is in thee The sence is O Lord my God whereas mine aduersaries persecute me thou knowest that they haue no iust cause so to doe séeing that thou hast giuen me integritie vprightnesse and iustice and seeing that it is not sufficient to bee of a sound and vpright conscience to bee deliuered from dangers but to trust to thy swéete promises therfore my safetie O Lord I committe to thy protection 1. Doct. The best way to stay vs in the time of our trouble to kéep our patience inuiolable is to look in for a good conscience sée that we be falsly accused which if we find thē al goeth well we are ioyfull at home howsoeuer the world shall say or doe abroad for wee may say with Salomon See the root therof Leu. 16.17 Prou. 28.1 Euerie wicked man flyeth when none pursueth but the iust are like a yong Lyon which is couragious This holy Prouerbe teacheth that wickednesse maketh the wicked verie fearefull and that righteousnesse maketh the innocent secure and bold In it first the wicked man is resembled to a bird or some such timorous creature which betaketh it selfe to flight when no cause is offered For the guiltie person after he hath committed some abominable act as theft or murther imagineth that some lie in waite for him doubteth he shal be taken the reason is for the although none is néere to pursue him yet the sound of terrour is in his eares as the Aramites are for example who cāping about Samaria 2. Kin. 6.7 The Lord had caused the campe of the Aramites to heare a noyse of chariots and a noyse of horses and a noyse of a great armie so that they sayd one to another Behold the kind of Israel hath hired against vs the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to come vpon vs. vers 7. Wherfore they arose and fled in the twylight and left their tents and their horses and their asses euen the campe as it was and fled for their liues The sting of conscience will not suffer him to be quiet in any place But the iust as