were by Moses to them in sundry tipes figures and shadowes of things to come Exod. 4.10 But to vs hee hath spoken plainely by Christ in the Gospel So that wee haue the same Word that they had but more legible and in a fairer letter and they haue the same Law that we haue but more vailed with ceremonies and darker to them then it is to vs. The Church and people of Rome who say with those Iewes which pursued Christ to death wee haue a Law Ioh. 19.7 Haue another rule not drawne vpon the ground nor according to the rule of faith neither yet built vpon the foundation that is here spoken of but of Popes and Councels The great things of Gods Law they count as a strange thing or thing they much respect not Hos 8.12 only their owne dreames please them But there is enough least written for the guiding of euery true beleeuer to Christ and to life in him Iohn 20.31 and they that will not heare Moses and the Prophets how shall other things perswad them Luke 16.31 Here also we haue no building but vpon the Apostles and Prophets Ministers and Christ the Master vpon their Doctrine and his person and what warrant then for additions to these by such as they were of whom God complaineth by Ezechiel that they set their threshold by his thresholds and their posts by his posts Ezech. 43.8 I speake of our aduersaries who adding to that which is written so many vnwritten fabulous vanities to which they giue the countenance of Scripture doe set the threshold of tradition by the threshold of the Word written making the Lords siluer drosse and mingling his Wine with worse then water Esai 1.22 But wee that haue a most sure Word of the Prophets let vs take heede vnto it 2 Pet. 1.19 and be wise in that not aboue that with Heretickes nor against that with Atheists that is able and therefore sufficient enough of it selfe to make vs wise to saluation 2 Tim. 3.15 Let vs not with the Papists whom we heare condemned make it onely a partiall rule of our liues but impartially set our wayes to it with respect to all Gods Commandements Neither let vs presume to giue our selues a dispensation for any thing forbidden by it though neuer so small which is but to erect a court of faculties in our owne bosomes against it For some will commit a sinne and then stretch the Word to make it a little sinne if it bee great and if it be little to make it nothing But good Christians must be builded as well in their conuersation as faith vpon the Apostles Prophets and Christ that is vpon the whole Word of God that they may bee absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes 2 Tim. 3.17 that is made perfect indeed and furnished thorowly to the power of godlinesse And therefore they are iustly reprooued who seeke to any thing in their corporall and spirituall distresse rather then to the Scriptures In the worship of God some more esteeme their owne opinion and the tradition of their Elders then the rules of the Word If they bee sicke they will goe first to carnall meanes and lastly to Scripture In their apparell they are rather led by the fashion in their recreation by the company in eating and drinking by their appetite then the Scriptures And generally in their liues it is esteemed a course too strict and of too much nicenesse to stand to the direction of the Scriptures Gods intent in writing and giuing his Word was the setling of our hearts in the truth and the grounding of our affections by the nature thereof if therefore wee care not to build our faith vpon it by the Ministerie nor to direct our course by it in our ordinary way that it may bee said though in a better sense this was done that the Scripture might be fulfilled Iohn 19.36 we frustrate Gods purpose of inditing holy Scripture and make our selues guiltie of a prodigious sinne or a sinne as bad as the sinne of Witchcraft 1 Sam. 15.23 Besides in our obedience this way our owne good is sought but wee ouer throw it and our selues by odious disobedience Therefore the Lord by Ezechiel speaketh thus Statutes and ordinances haue I giuen them which if a man doe he shall liue in them Ezech. 20.11 Loe the doing of them is our life or our gaine as the not doing of them must needes be and iustly our destruction Lastly not to build vpon the Word is to build vpon ignorance and so to build Popery in vs which in stead of building in Conscience is to build in Hell for there is no conscience that is good conscience without it and without good conscience what are we but vnconscionable sinners So much for our building vpon the foundation but what manner building must this be for the manner it must be a coupling together and for the end it must be a holy Temple in the Lord as it followeth VERS 21. In whom all the building coupled together groweth vnto an holy Temple in the Lord. THE common knot that coupleth vs to God and one to another is the spirit and in the spirit this building must be coupled as with the foundation by Faith so in it selfe by loue for it commonly falleth out that that which is diuided in it selfe is easily from it selfe diuided also And therefore as we haue one God and Father of all which is aboue all and through all and in vs all one Lord one Faith one Baptisme Ephes 4.5 so must we prouide to be knit together in one minde and in one iudgement 1. Cor. 1.10 and to be as the primitiue beleeuers were of one heart and of one soule Acts 4.32 endeauouring to keepe as much as we may the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace Ephes 4.3 They dwell neere together that inhabit in one Citie but Christians who are holy Citizens are Citizens with the Saints should dwell neerer in heart then men doe in their houses The communion of Saints is as an vndiuided Citie and Cities in vnitie are goodly Cities so is it a goodly thing for brethren to dwell together in vnitie Psal 133.1 Againe Christs Coat had no seame and shall his body be diuided was Ierusalem compact in it selfe and shall Ierusalems Citizens iarre must her buildings touch together Psal 122.3 and shall not Christian brethren touch neerer who are linked in faith and ioyned in Christ must our houses be vniforme and shall wee that liue in such houses liue in no agreement One saith well the Church leaueth to be when she leaueth to be one And therefore they doe not a little deceiue themselues who thinke they can grow in the root and be torne from the branches or hold the foundation and be rent in the roofe for the branches must be vnited that will grow in the root and the roofe must be sound and well coupled that will any while keepe the foundation This would be considered of all
7 8. The ghests that were bidden to the supper were bidden by the Spirit to it but they refused to come Luke 14.18 19 20. Steuen spake by the Spirit to the Iewes but they stopped their eares Act. 7.57 neither vouchsafing to heare him nor the Spirit by which he spake Many times the Ministers of the Gospel knocke at our hearts by their exhortations and warnings to repentance yea many biddings wee haue by sickenesse and other wayes and wee doe as much But this is to refuse grace when the Spirit offereth it which cannot but grieue the Spirit by the which wee are sealed to the day of our redemption Ephes 4.30 And this is one kinde of sinne against the Spirit another is when wee make the Spirit weary of vs hauing receiued it or grieue it by our wicked behauiour not vsing our Ghest well Which made the Apostle in the foorth Chapter of this Epistle and the thirtieth verse as wee heard to exhort these Ephesians not to grieue or make sad the Spirit in them Where hee compareth the holy Ghost to a ghest and our bodies and soules to Innes Now as men will vse their ghests well that they may come againe so would the Apostle haue all Christians in these Christian Ephesians so to entertaine a good motion as a good ghest when it is offered that it may come againe and bring more company with it to enrich this shall I say Inne Nay Temple of the Spirit the heart with the aboundance of spirituall wealth and blessings in heauenly things in Christ But the children of God themselues doe not alwayes keepe one tenure in receiuing the Spirit when by it grace is offered to them for the auoiding of some euill or the doing some good For sometimes they are lesse apt to pray lesse sit to heare and lesse prepared to the Sacrament then at some other times they bee Yea they may haue lesse feare of sinne care of well doing zeale in prayer and comfort in the Word at one time then another This indeede is a tempting of the Spirit which though it make him not desirous to be gone yet somewhat cooles his loue toward vs as in Dauid and others And therefore we must striue with prayer against all manner of decay in these spirituall riches and omit no oportunitie to doe well as hee that meanes to bee rich in his trade will omit no meanes of gaining by it And here let vs consider what a shame it is for the children of God though they cannot loose the Spirit to loose for some season any graces which they once had of the sanctifying Spirit For was it not a shame for Lot who was so chast in Sodom to commit such incest out of Sodom in a Caue in the Mountaine Gen. 19.33.35 And did it not greatly blot Dauids Chronicle that in the dayes of peace which hee did not in the time of warre hee should fill his eyes with adultery and staine his hands with blood 2 Sam. 11.2 3 4 5.15 How weake was Sampson that was so strong and how ridiculous that was so feared when the Lord departed from him Iudg. 16.20.25 So Peter loosing by the deniall of his Master much of that courage hee had when hee cut of Malchus right eare Iohn 18.10 how was he posed and ouercome of two silly maydes Mat. 26.69.71 And surely if it bee a matter of discredit being rich to become poore in worldly substance what greater shame is it being rich in grace to decay in the Heauenly treasure This should make vs to purge our selues daily from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 not to be carelesse as if in prosperitie we could not be moued Psal 30.6 7. for a man may take a dangerous surfet after a full feast of grace and to be humbled when wee haue done our best confessing that we are vnprofitable Luk. 17.10 the best haue their infirmities and in euery Christian wombe as in Rebeccahs there is an Esau of flesh and Iacob of spirit strugling together Gen. 25.22 we are sanctified but in part and corruption goeth not out but with our last enemy In a word in all the regenerate there is a mixture of sleeping and waking Cant. 5.2 of sinne and grace it concernes vs therefore that put on our harnesse not to boast as he that putteth it off 1 King 20.11 and so to take heede that we giue the spirit no occasion by fainting or becomming secure in that warre which is betweene the flesh and spirit in euery Christian soule Gal. 5.17 It is sure that the elect can neuer quite loose the spirit that is the sauing graces of the spirit that dwelleth in them and yet it is as sure that the same may by sinning against it sundry wayes loose the feeling the comfort the ioy and peace of it for a season which made Dauid to pray vnto God that he would not take his spirit that is the ioy of his spirit from him as appeareth Psal 51.11 12. They that take him to speake otherwaies say that he spake but as a distempered sick-man who speakes he knowes not well what himselfe and what maruell that a guiltie prisoner at the bar the water standing in his eyes should misse in reading of his owne pardon But I take it that Dauid was come to himselfe when hee penned that exemplary Psalme of his sinne for the Churches instruction and that therefore hee knew what he said not distrusting any totall losse of the spirit of adoption but onely desiring that his feeling might come againe vnto him and that he might haue as he once had both a free and ioyfull spirit in worshipping toward God Yet let his example be a warning to vs who haue receiued a farre lesser portion of sanctifying grace then Dauid had for where such a Cedar fell let him that standeth take heede least he fall 1 Cor. 10.12 if so excellent a man so highly exalted as vpon his strong hill Psal 30.7 was so quickly vpon the loe ground in his adultery and murder as appeareth by his penitentiall Psalme wee had neede to take heede that we grieue not the spirit who stand vpon so loe a banke already How this may bee and how this our most worthy Ghest may bee grieued after wee haue receiued him into house and so our light eclipsed though not quenched as in the darknesse it selfe wee may see it though somewhat darkely in certaine earthly similitudes for as if when some noble Ghest should offer to come vnto vs we should receiue him but in some out or backe house not in our best lodgings wee should constraine him with indignation to leaue vs. So for this Lordly Ghest the Spirit who commeth to vs in his Word gloriously as in his Charet if we turne both it and him contemptuously into some forsaken corner as it were backe-romes of the heart what hope is there hee should tarry with vs and his Word any while abide among vs How much lesse if we receiue his
Word into our hearts as into some prison-house holding the trueth in vnrighteousnesse Rom. 1.18 or behead it as Iohn was in prison Mat. 14.10 Secondly if we shall not receiue a great man our friend chearefully or with good well-come wee shall giue him good cause with contempt to passe by vs another time so if we shall not receiue gladly and willingly the Spirit of comfort how can wee but driue away the Comforter If wee doe not flow vnto him as the Sea after such an ebbe and low-water of knowledge and true goodnesse how can wee retaine that God who will not tarry any while but where he findes a cheerefull giuer Thirdly though a man receiue his great friend into his best roomes yet if he doe not dresse vp those roomes and make them sweete remouing all noisome sauours he shall greatly offend that person his friendly stranger so though wee should receiue the Spirit into our hearts in some graces yet if wee prepare not for his comming nor make ready our hearts for his abode among vs remouing our filthy and vnsauory sinnes that offend so much how can wee but giue iust occasion to that same Spirit to forsake vs For what greater despit can bee offered to the Spirit of Grace and of Glory then to see sinne his most deadly enemie in his owne habitation 1 Sam. 2.32 Fourthly though a man receiue some great man his friend into a house swept and garnished that is well prepared for him yet if afterwards hee bring his enemie the greatest hee hath to out-face him and to vexe him in the same place how can hee but bee mooued against and offended with such an host So though we entertaine the Spirit for a time in some good motions and in a heart reformed in many things as Herods was yet if after some time wee returne being thus washed to our wallowing againe in the mire and begin to licke vp the vomit that wee cast how can wee thinke to reteine the Spirit and this forme of sinning together For as if one should set vp a rebell in that Kings owne dominions so are they who bringing sinne into the heart Gods owne Throne or further into any of their outward senses his owne dominions doe vexe him as it were at home in his owne possession Fiftly though one receiue a noble man into a faire and well furnished house and possesse him quietly of it yet if hee prouide not conueniently for his person and traine how can hee please him So who can please the Spirit though hee make neuer so godly a shew of being zealous in the Law if he abridge him of the diet and ordinary that belongeth to his good keeping in him If hee care not to nourish his good motions at Sermons and in the point of hearing scantle him by attending vpon the Word but at certeine times onely and so become as Master Latimer merily said but a Straw-berry-hearer And may not the Spirit say to such as Christ to those on his left-hand at the last day I was hungry and yee fed me not thirstie and ye gaue me no drinke Mat. 25.42 Lastly though this great man should bee receiued in all conditions and manner answerable to his great place and companies yet if after a day or two as being weary of our Ghest before he bee willing to leaue vs wee withdraw things necessary from him wee cannot but much offend him so howsoeuer wee begin in the Spirit yet if waxing weary of well doing with those foolish Galatians that ranne well c Gal. 3.3 we end in the same in the flesh wee must needes grieue the holy Ghost and shall heare the last state of these men is worse then their first Luke 11.26 then shall wee bee seuen fold more the children of the Deuill And thus wee haue heard how many wayes the Spirit after it is receiued may bee made sad by vs and caused with griefe to leaue vs. Let vs bewar how wee so offend lest we turne the habitation of God into an habitation or hold of vncleane spirits And now to conclude with that which is full of singular comfort seeing wee are the habitation of God by his Spirit we may learne that God is not in vs as a stranger in another mans house but as at home in his owne and therefore will not loose vs as no man will loose his inheritance that is able to keepe it and who so able as hee that is Almighty Neither being the habitation of God can wee lacke any thing that is good that is that is good for vs. For what want can there bee in the Kings house And as all good things are brought to the court so what so euer is excellently good is to bee had here Here is loue ioy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance against which there is no Law Gal. 5.22 23. Here is no Winter nor fall of the Leafe but a perpetuall Spring-time and hee that would haue what hee can wish if hee will wish lawfully and well let him come hither Let him build in grace and set his house vpon Wisedomes pillars Prouerbs 9.1 and no enemie shall hurt him For it is the Bethel of God or house vpon the Rocke Matthew 7.24 And hee that is in it will keepe it when they that come against it shall fall downe before it for who dares interrupt Gods possession Or if hee dare shall not perish Thus the securitie is great and the walkes are strong where God is the inhabitant and hee that is a wall of defence about his people will bee a wall of fire against his peoples enemies Zecharie 2.5 Esa 4.5 Hee that builds Sion will throw downe Babel and hee that saues Ierusalem will ouerturne Palestina The reason is his Tabernacle is in Salem and his dwelling at Sion Psal 76.2 But Babel and Palestina were Countries wherein hee neuer vouchsafed either to dwell or bee as in his Church So I conclude make God your inhabitant and yee are sure but if hee dwell not in you by his Spirit yee shall neuer dwell in safetie And now hee that dwelleth in vs and in his elect by promise keepe vs and his whole Israel yea blesse vs and saue his Israel the Church which hee hath purchased with his owne blood that being the habitation of God by his Spirit it may bee a temple of holinesse dedicated to his glory in the grace of Christ and loue of God the Father to both which with the holy Spirit of both be rendred and giuen all praise and glory now and euer Amen FINIS THE CHRISTIANS GVIDE TO A wise Conuersation EPHES. 5. VER 15 16. Take heed that yee walke circumspectly not as fooles but as wise Redeeming the time for the dayes are euill TAke heed that yee walke circumspectly c. It is written of a Cardinall Pole Cardinall Pole that being demaunded which was the best way to vnderstand the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romans answered to begin with the
greater wisedome is required of vs and must be vsed by vs for our auoiding of the infection of that corrupt fellowship and misgouernment that like venome sheds it selfe vpon all that come neere it So farre off we must be because the dayes are euill from being euill as they are that wee must take the more paines and heede to be good And here we should rather goe alone in the narrow way then follow a multitude to doe euill Exod. 23.2 If it be of the fashion to be euill we must be like vnto Christ and resemble good Christians who doe not fashion themselus like vnto this world Rom. 12.2 but are in their Masters fashion and conforme to him But some will doe as the world doth and goe whither the most lead them and whither is that euen to the house where the dead are Pro. 9.18 and what to doe to be mad with the company to be baited with their allurements and to eate of such things as please them but no example should preuaile so farre though of thousands that so doe as to draw vs into wayes of wickednesse with follies children and if we would not be damned with such mates we must not follow their damnable wayes their pipes of smoake and pots of excesse Againe some feare not the contagious aire of any companie why what is their confidence No company say they can doe vs hurt Can it not and why can it not hurt them Is it because they are already so bad that no company can make them worse or haue they forgotten what company was able to doe against Peter himselfe a farre holier man then themselues in Caiaphas hall Mat. 26.70 72 74. Likewise how it preuailed against righteous Lot vertuous Ioseph and Dauid Gods owne King If these were intangled shall they goe free if these carried with them a smatch of the company that yet they liked not shall they that runne desperately vpon the sharpe of this worldly fellowship and take pleasure in it keepe their state still It cannot be and therefore to make my end here I beseech you remember your great danger and forget not your holy calling in these euill dayes so euill that you may not bee moued from your hope for this cause take vnto you the whole armour of God that yee may be able to resist in the euill day and hauing finished all things stand fast Eph. 6.13 The God of power giue you to bee so minded and to this God the Father with his holy Sonne Christ Iesus and the Spirit of both three persons in Trinitie one God in vnitie be rendred all glory dominion and honour now and euer Amen FINIS THE SHORT PROSPERITY of the Wicked AND THE HAPPIE ESTATE of the IVST PSAL. 37. Ver. 35 36 37. I haue seene the wicked in great power and spreading himselfe like a greene Bay-tree Yet he passed away and loe hee was not yea I sought him but he could not be found Marke the perfect man and behold the vpright for the end of that man is peace I Haue seene the wicked strong c. There are two things obseruable in this Scripture the vnstable prosperity of the wicked vers 35 36. and the certaine and constant felicitie of the righteous vers 37. Albeit that the wicked man be neuer so strong and in the pride of his heart spread abroad like a greene Bay-tree neuer so faire yet hee suddenly passeth and is little marked he vanisheth speedily and is as little remembred whereas the iust and vpright man though his life be a kinde of warfare on earth findes peace at the last and after his red euening a faire day followeth Mat. 16.2 This is the sum and scope of these three verses A point if euer necessary now most needfull for our present times and state and such as can neuer be too much vrged or enough considered specially since it is a thing incident to the best to looke but on the outside of things and to measure the secret iudgements of God with the scant yard of his outward blessings whereas indeede his very chastenings are blessings and that which we account blessing but a fatning to the slaughter for not to say any thing of meere flesh and bloud who say in their hearts there is no God Psal 14.1 or at the best no Prouidence of God Quòd malis benè est bonis malè seeing it goeth well with those that are euill and ill with those that are good it is a temptation greater then the very children of God can ouercome or resist as long as they are cloathed with this earthly and mortall tabernacle to see the wicked so greatly and high to rise aboue the head of the righteous and to haue not a large measure but such an ouer-measure of these commodities and blessings that they so much want whose godlinesse notwithstanding hath the promise of the life present and not onely of the life to come 1 Tim. 4.8 for albeit godlinesse be great of it selfe I doe not say riches but gaine and haue enough in it selfe to commend it for it selfe to all that are godly-wise yet I know not how it commeth to passe that we praise the thing but labour for the reward and stand more vpon the fruit then the conscience of a good worke We can be content with the old people and children of Israel to giue an eare to the Commandement of louing the Lord and of fearing him and swearing by his name as we finde it of record in Deuteronomie chapter 6 8. but our chiefe respect and speciall eye is to the promises there spoken of as the prolonging of our dayes in the Land our increase therein and prosperitie in the blessings thereof our hauing of Cities which we builded not houses full of goods which wee filled not Wels which wee digged not Vineyards and Oliue-trees which wee planted not Deut. 6.2 3 10 11. We can be content to seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse Mat. 6.33 but not in the first place and with our first care and our zeale will soone waxe cold if all other things be not added to vs. In a word we can be content to thinke that godlinesse is great riches but if the promises which it hath of this life be not presently performed to it we thinke wee haue clensed our hearts in vaine and washed our hands in innocencie Psalme 73.13 Howbeit the want of these outward things in the godly though it be a tentation very grieuous doth not so much trouble them as that they are poured out in so great plenty and fulnesse vpon the wicked for howsoeuer there are to be found that haue so farre profited in the Schoole of the crosse that they can suffer many things for Christ and for his name and testimony with great patience and sound ioy yet who is hee that is not moued beyond his patience and afflicted euen aboue the measure of his affliction to see the wicked not onely free from troubles in the