stay their talke and to lay their hands on their mouths And yet here we must beware of their hastie zeale who will not sticke to charge the children of God to be without zeale if presently and abruptly they rush not into an open reprehension of men that are mightie in authority as though no regard of place time and persons were to be had which opinion many by weaknes of iudgement defending finde neither fruit in others nor comfort in their owne consciences when they do admonish in that presumptuous manner for that hunting after feruentnes without the spirit of meeknes and casting off all consideration of a godly oportunitie they rather exasperate than humble the parties admonished and they themselues rather depart with confusion and shame for such posting on without warrant of wisedome and not according to knowledge than with comfort of heart for any dutie done Neither am I here ignorant how great daunger of trouble of minde commeth to many in that they being so curious obseruers and waiters of oportunitie doe for some ease of the flesh vnder the cloake of this wisedome altogether leaue off that godly dutie Wherefore as we affirme that wisedome and loue mixed together doe deepely enter into the most prefract and prodigious spirits so we mislike their fearefull delay of dutie who hauing a meane occasion offered them from the Lord doe not earnestly puâ—â—ue the quarrell of the Lord and earnestly rebuke sinne though in some higher personaâ—â—es Out of this may issue another fruit of right zeale namely when we are zealous in their behalfe who can neuer recompence vs againe for flesh and blood will easily admit to rebuke the iniuries and reuenge the oppressions vsed to men of credit and abilitie because it is a warie wisedome to patronage them in lesser things who can be our patrons againe in greater things Thus Iob deliuered the poore that cried the fatherlesse him that had none to helpe him he was the eyes to the blinde the foote to the lame at whose hands no hope of reward was to be looked for But to draw to the last and most glorious propertie this thing in zeale is most commendable when we are humbled in our owne soules for those sinnes which we espie and censure in others euen as though we our selues for want of instruction or prayer were in some sort guiltie of their sinnes If this rule were receiued in iudgement and â—uerenced in practise of Ministers Magistrates and masters when they are to admonish their inferiours of sinne it is sure it would breede in them great conscience and religion Alas wee see many who can mangle and martyr a man for some offence who neuer learned for consâ—nce sake to mourne for those infirmities which so bitterly he would iâ—ueigh against in others Let vs consider this in ministers how the Apostle saith to the Corinthians I feare leâ—â—t when I come mâ— God aâ—â—ase me among you and I shall beâ—aile many of them which haue â—â—â—ned alreadie c. Which no doubt he did as thinking that he did not duty enough but that there was euen some cause of griefe in himselfe Did the Apostle who had so little or no cause so to doe thus lament and suspect himselfe as though hee had not vsed all good meanes or with the meanes good affections and should the ministers of our time whose gifts and paines are fâ—rre inferiour nothing bee moued for the sinnes of them for whom they ought to care and mourne Well I hope that euen at this day there are some that feare they haue not in preaching publikely opened al the mysteries of God to them they thinke they haue failed in priuate admonition they suspect themselues of want of praying for them they are readie to accuse themselues that they haue not walked so wisely and warily in vsing their libertie before them or that their life hath not yeelded that example of godlinesse to them as they ought to haue done And so in the whole discourse almost of the sinnes of the seuerall Churches the holy Ghost runneth on in this tenour that whatsoeuer is spoken of the Church is spoken to the Angels that is to the ministers of the Church who are said to haue this or that sinne which indeede was in the people In the Primitiue Church when the credit of the Apostles was called into question they might seeme to haue been much troubled about the matter but they were much humbled by it they examined them selues they accused themselues and afterward they instituted a new ministerie But doth not this dutie as deepely charge Ministers and Masters to mourne for the sinnes of their people Yes doubtles and for good reason For if they will confesse that they must reioyce in the good things that befall their children and families they must also lament the euils which betide them so long as they are vnder their tuition and gouernment FINIS OF A GOOD NAME THE FOVRTH SERMON Prouerbs 22. verse 1. A good name is to be desired aboue great riches and louing fauour aboue siluer and gold ALl that is to be desired of a man is this that hee bee vertuous godly and truly religious This because it is in it selfe most excellent and most contrarie to our nature therefore the Scripture vseth many arguments and reasons to perswade vs thereunto as in this place where the Wise man would stirre vs vp to the loue of vertue by setting before our eyes two principall effects and fruits which we may receiue by it The first of these is a good name the second is louing fauour both which as they doe proceede from vertue and godlines so they doe maintaine and increase one another For as a man findeth much fauour with those that doe speake and report well of him so those that will shew a man louing fauour will or at least ought to shewe it in this that they may willingly affoord him a good report Now both these are preferred before great riches both these are accounted better than gold and much siluer and surely whosoeuer is truly wise will make this account of them whosoeuer doth rightly knowe to discerne what is good he will first and especially labour for them for a good name doth commend vs to God and to his holy Angels in whose eyes those vertues whereof a good name doth arise are most acceptable But riches are not able to doe this no the abundance of siluer and golde is often an occasion of sinne whereby we are most out of the fauour of God Againe whereas riches especially if they be euill gotten do cause men many times to hate vs this good name and louing fauour doth win the hearts of many yea it doth sometimes cause our enemies to be at peace with vs. And this euer hath been and euer will be most certaine and true whether we looke to prosperitie or aduersitie whether we looke to the common callings of this ciuill
is not so iust and mercifull as they say if there be no God there is neither heauen nor hell or if there be any the ioyes are not so eternall nor the paines so continuall as some haue taught Why then doe I sell my certaine pleasures in this world for vncertaine pleasures in the world to come This diuellish illusion so farre preuailed that he stole an horse for which he was apprehended imprisoned arraigned condemned but by the prouidence of God he conferring with a godly Minister confessed himselfe an Atheist whereupon suite was made and granted for his reprieuing vntill the next Assise in hope of his conuersion in which time he would willingly graunt all generall truths taught him with liking of his teachers but could not by any thing be brought from his Atheisme The Assise following drew neere he is to be executed the place is assigned the person needs must be executed who when he should be turned from the ladder cried thus For Christs sake stay my life whereupon he spake these or the like words Well let the world say what they will doubtlesse there is a God and the same God is iust for euer to his enemies and euerlastingly keepeth his mercies with his children now turne me ouer and so he made an end of his speech and of his daies 2 He feared rather Atheisme than Papisme in the Realme for many hauing escaped out of the gulfe of superstition are now too farre plunged and swallowed vp of prophanenesse thinking either that there is no God or else that he is not so fearefull and mercifull as his threatnings and promises commend him to be Calling 1 A Certaine man afflicted in minde began through the temptation of Sathan to mislike his calling and chaunged it afterward he thought this calling that calling to be vnlawfull and so was almost brought to mislike all He felt on a time a great paine in his legge and being desirous to goe from his bed to his table for a booke he could not his legge remaining sore Then remembring that it was said in the Scripture If thy foote offend thee cut it off he straight way laying his leâ—ge on a blocke and taking a hatchet in his hand stroake off his legge not feeling paine the veynes being so torne he could not but bleed to death how be it he dyed very penitently so dangerous a policie so perilous a temptation is it to leaue our callings as things vnlawfull 2 A godly Gentlewoman said that euen in her ordinarie labour she tasted oft of as heauenly meditations as if all things ordinarie laid aside she had giuen her whole minde to attend vpon the spirit of God in quietnes of studie She also said that we are like children who need not once to be bid to aske things necessarie but twice to be thankfull for mercies receiued 3 As in mariage though the parties met in the flesh without any sanctified meanes to assure themselues to be ioyned of the Lord yet if God afterward giue them grace to liue holily in their meeting he sheweth that not onely their corrupt meeting is pardoned but that now their meeting is blessed so if entring into a calling for want of gifts and affections we haue no assurance at the first of a warrantable calling yet if God afterwards furnish vs with able gifts and sanctifie vs with pure minds he doth not onely shew vs that our former sinne is pardoned but also that he is well pleased with our calling whereunto he hath so blessed vs. 4 No trouble should hinder vs in our calling vnlesse it be in a case of meere vngodlines for if for euery trouble or for many troubles a man may forsake his calling he should be out of all for euery calling hath both lets and troubles 5 To one that asked his aduice whether he might auoid the doing of a thing wherevnto he was called because he felt corruption in himselfe he said In auoiding societie you should couer but not cure your infirmities and though you depart from men yet you cannot goe out of your selfe 6 Vnto one that was willing to change his feate for the corruption of the place where he dwelt he said Wheresoeuer he purposed to liue as a Christian the crosse would follow him because that Christ would follow him and because on the earth are some good men and some euill but when we come to heauen all would be good and therefore there shall be no trouble 7 He said he neuer looked for a better estate than that wherein he was but often prepared himselfe for a worse 8 Whensoeuer we are out of our place and calling Sathan hath a fit occasion of temptation Care 1 VVHere there is an immoderate care of outward things there commonly is little care of inward good things for if one haue inward good things they so content the persons that haue them that they labour not much for outward things if they want them and desire them the carefull seeking of them bringeth a godly neglect of outward things 1. Cor. 7. 30. 31. Censures 1 IT is a marueilous thing that many will make more of a small infirmitie in another although that they see that the whole course of their life is truely to please God than they make of grosse sinnes in themselues notwithstanding they take no course at all in their life to please God Conference 1 BEing desirous to speake to the profit of others he said that he obserued such a silence in men as none could well breake into it often such a libertie of speech as none can take hold of to turne it to good he obserued the cause of such silence to be some great griefe or some deepe meditation occupying the mind or some deadnes of spirit or some worldly shame or some desire to speake and the Lord staying the speech or the carelesnes in them that should heare it in that they doe not desire it The remedie against this is either in humilitie to aske some question or to speake somewhat and not to giue place to such deadnes 2 In the most abrupt and disordered speeches of men he thought God disposed them for his profit though presently reason could prompt no reason why they should speak so yet long after it would He was much affected with the fact of Iosias who would not be moued with the speech of wicked Pharaoh but entring battell was slaine whereupon he would say that no man was so good but the Lord would sometime let him fall into some euill for his further humbling and no man so euill but the Lord did conuey goodnes into him at sometimes to make his condemnation the greater Conscience afflicted 1 A Certaine man some yeares afflicted in conscience said his continuall agonies were as great as the paines of a man readie to die and that he felt so small comfort in Gods countenance that he would willingly haue suffered his
our good if the more wee haue the more we feare to sinne the more we care to doe well 57 If in respect of sinne the will onely be enough to conuince and condemne a man though the worke follow not and he is counted an adulterer before the iudgement seate of God who hath onely looked on his neighbours wife to lust after her so in respect of good things we must not doubt but our good will and desire which but for abilitie and occasion is ready to good is also approued and accepted of God although the effects follow not so soone and so excellent as we doe desire If there be a willing minde it is accepted according to that which it hath 2. Cor. 8. 12. and such is our imputation with God as is our affection howsoeuer in effects we lagge somewhat behinde and come short of that ende and perfection which is set downe in the Law Abraham was accepted for his will and Paul reioyceth in nothing but in his will Rom. 7. 58 Merchants of one companie and partners are partakers alike of all their profites and damages which grow of their merchandise The man and wife ioyned both in marriage are both one flesh and participate in well and woe one with another Christ Iesus by reason of that societie which we haue together with him giueth vs a part and we likewise him of all that we haue and possesse And as a Prince marrying a meaner woman indoweth her with all his treasure is conteÌ„t with her ragges purposing now to inuest her with his robes So the Lord Iesus espousing vs most vnworthie to him is content to take the ragges of our vnrighteousnes to endow vs with the treasures of his holines and to inuest vs with the robes of his righteousnes Indeed some difference is betweene the Merchants and vs for both the gaine and the vse of trafficke is equall among them but betweene Christ and vs the gaine of his glorie is ours deserued and purchased by his obedience and the losse of our deserued death is his and charged wholly vpon him though our disobedience hath purchased it 59 Whosoeuer is ioyned in Christ for iustification hee must be ioyned to him in sanctification Shall we then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot Shall we make the Temple of God the mansion of diuells Shall we doe such iniurie to the member of Christ Shall wee offer such violence to the Temple of God Shall wee being rotten imps and yet ingraffed on the stocke Christ Iesus willingly cut off our selues that we might rather be fit for our rottenes to be laid on the fire than for bringing of fruite remaine in so sound a roote God forbid 50 If Christ his Crosse be as a chariot of Triumph and as a pillar to fasten on the euidence which accused vs if the entrance of his Passion was so grieuous the continuance so fearefull the ende so lamentable and all to free vs from the guiltinesse of sinne it were great vnthankfulnes to let all his paines be lost by continuing still in the filthines of our sinne whereby though we haue no care of our owne saluation we shew an open contempt of Christ his precious Passion And we are then worthie to die in that whereas we might liue wee rather did chuse to die with sinne then to liue with Christ. If wee will not ouercome when wee may wee shall loose the promised rewards that are giuen to them who will not onâ—ly presse out the breath of sinne and at the death of it close vp the eyes of it but also follow it to the graue and couer it with moules that it neuer rise vp againe Râ—uel 3. 5. 12. 22. 61 Though we cannot wholly leaue off sinne yet the body life and kingdome of sinne is weakened in vs Sinne in the godly is as a rebell not as a Prince it is readie to spue out treason against the Spirit but it hath no power to rule ouer the spirit And as a serpent cut into many pieces hath but certaine relikes of poyson in the maimed and mangled members thereof and is not able to exercise the like violence to a man as when it was whole and right membred so howsoeuer some remnants of sinne sticke in our old but martyred Adam yet it hath no such force to exercise it selfe against vs as when it was a perfect monarchie and had the sole regiment and primacie in vs. 62 Sathan is very wise in all his attempts hee taketh the best instruments as politike men vse to doe in matters of importance In Paradise he maketh choice of the most subtill beasts and opposeth his strength to the weakest vessell After being moued to choler for the Churches deliuerance in Egipt he stirres vp no meane parties but sorteth out Magicians inchanters mathematicall heads men of deeper wit and experience Vnder the Prophets he chuseth Kings and Queenes and they carrie the traine of the common people as the drouer doth his heard Against Christ he setteth the profound Scribes and learned Pharises yea he chuseth out Iudas so cunning an hypocrite that the disciples being forewarned of that treason euery one suspected rather himselfe than Iudas 63 The Scriptures lap vp in one sinne all that are accessarie to that sinne whether it be by ministring instruments of sinning or by commaunding or by counselling or by consenting or by concealing or by communicating in the bootie gotten or by commending the sinne or by not hindering it as we may or not by dissoluing it before a magistrate or by not admonishing or by not mourning for the offender or lastly by not praying when wee heare of euill both that the malefactor may repent and wee may be preserued from the same sinne When wee are free in euery of these wee are not truely accessarie to the sinne 64 Wee must beware of drawing a thicke skinne on our conscience and of searing it vp but rather labour to keepe it in a feeling of sinne and in a bleeding plight so as the least straine may presse out somewhat Otherwise we shall soone fall to hardnes of heart and consequently lie open to the iudgements of God And as the wound which at euerie small crush shrinketh and yeeldeth forth pure bloud is lesse dangerous and more curable as the sore which hardly being pressed feeleth nothing there not at all bleeding or if it yeeld affording but a little blacke and corrupted bloud is more dangerous and lesse curable Euen so the conscience which at euery checke is melting and resolued into godlie griefe as feeling the least smart of the least impression of God his correction is furthest from hardening and neerest to the hearing and that minde whatsoeuer which at a griping pinch remaineth vnsensible and at a dead blow continueth as one vnremouable as a blocke is not onely furthest from recouering but also in danger of a finall obduration 65 Where God
neuer dreaming of a troubled minde haue had their hearts set on nothing but how they might get some great fame and renowne and therefore haue slipt into such vaine-glorious attempts and foule flatteries as they haue not onely lost the peace of their consciences but also fallen most deepely into reprochful shame which they sought to shun Now as the peace of conscience ioy of minde is such a treasure as the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard nor the tongue expressed but passeth all vnderstanding so the wounded spirit is such as the eye hath not seene it the eare hath not heard it nor the tongue vttered but passeth all vnderstanding And as they onely know what the peace of minde meaneth that feele it so they alone can in trueth speake of a troubled minde that haue tasted of it by experience But let vs shew what way is to be vsed to keepe vs from this wound of the spirit It is the vse of Physicke as to cure vs of diseases when we are fallen into them so to preserue vs from sicknesse before it hath taken hold of vs it is the power of the word as to asswage the trouble of conscience when it doth once presse vs so to preuent it before it hath ouertaken vs. It is a chiefe point of worldly wisedome not to tarie for the vse of Physicke vntill we be deadly sicke but to be acquainted with Gods mercifull preseruations to defend vs from it likewise it is a chiefe policie of a godly Christian not onely to seeke comfort when the agonie is vpoÌ„ him but also to vse all good helps to meet with it before it comes And we condemne them of follie who will not as well labour to keepe themselues out of debt as to pay the debt when they owe it so it is a madnesse not to be as circumspect to auoid all occasions which may bring trouble of minde vpon vs as we would be prouident to enter euery good way which may draw vs out of this trouble when we haue once entred into it The remedies preseruatiue are first the searching of our sinnes and then the examining of our faith The searching of our sinnes is the way to the due acknowledging of our sinnes and to the true sense and feeling of our sinnes The acknowledging of our sinnes is either of those that be past whether we haue vnfainedly repented vs of them or of those which be present whether we be truely grieued for them Thirdly of those secret corruptions which in the course of our life are likely to come whether we are reuerently afraide of them and resolue to suppresse them with all our endeuour Concerning sinnes past we must call to minde the sinnes done of old in our youth in our middle age in our old age that we iudging our selues may not be iudged of the Lord that accusing of our selues Sathan haue no occasion to accuse vs and throwing downe our selues before the Lord he may lift vs vp For many going quietly away and sleeping in carnall securitie notwithstanding the sinnes of their youth and neglecting to make conscience of their sinnes done long agoe suddenly haue fallen into such horror of minde that the violent remembrance of all their sinnes surcharging them they haue beene ouerwhelmed This examination doth then rightly proceed when it reacheth to the errors of this life and to the sinnes of our youth because many men euen from their childhood by a ciuill righteous life hauing escaped grosse sinnes wherewith the world could neuer charge them haue notwithstanding caried the burthen of their secret sinnes done in their youth Dauid Psal. 25. 7. prayeth the Lord not to remember the sinnes of his youth Iob 23. 6. the man of God confesseth that the Lord writing bitter things against him made him to possesse the iniquities of his youth What shall we thinke that Dauid or Iob were giuen to notorious wickednesse in their youth No they knew they were subiect to youthfull wantonnesse and vnstayednesse of their affections which though it did not burst out yet it made them lesse carefull to glorifice God which loosenesse the way to leudnesse which weakenesse the way to strange vanities which wantonnesse the way to open wickednes is euen in the best of Gods children in the daies of their youth which being afterwards in the time of their regeneration brought as it were to iudgement and laid before their consciences doth cause them to repent But here is a thing to be blushed at which maketh mens eares to tingle when they heare it that many men farre no doubt from this true repentance can largely indeed discourse of the things done in their youth but with such a brauerie with such boastings and pleasing of themselues in the remembrance of them as besides that they prouoke others to sin in the like and set themselues a flat back byas against repentance and this christian examination they seeme to renue the decayed colours of their old sinnes with the fresh suite of their second pleasures therein But alas what pleasure haue they in those things whereof they haue no profit what profit haue they of those things whereof they should be ashamed Neither in this streine can we forget the madnesse of them who may seeme to steppe one degree farther towards this examination of sinne than did the former by thinking that the leauing of sinne and repenting of sinne is all one Against these both dayly experience and the word of God doth sufficiently decline Ioseph brethren Iacob his sonnes who deuised euill against their brother put him into the pit and sold him vnto strangers did cease from this crueltie but yet they are not read to haue remembred their sinnes with any remorse vntill thirteene yeeres after the sinne was committed as we may see in the processe of the historie Dauid had left his sinnes of murther and adulterie as thinking all quiet and well the space of a whole yeere after which time being admonished by the Prophet â—athan he repented of it And experience hath tried in many that haue had some working of God in them that though they left their sinnes many yeeres agoe yet because they repented not truely for them they haue rebounded vpon them with terrible sights and fearefull visions to humble them and to bring them to a serious examination of them being done and left long since Examples whereof we neede not fetch from farre seeing so many preachers as are acqauinted with fearefull spirits will giue witnesse hereof The fruite of which amazed mindes for sinnes alreadie left is ours to beware of sinnes which are to come And that other mens harmes may teach vs blessed wisedome let vs labour not onely to leaue sin which one may doe for profit for feare for praise or for wearisoâ—nesse but also to repent of it for conscience sake This examination of our sins past must be partly of those that we committed before our calling
A conflict of the flesh and spirit and therein by practise the power of the spirit geting the vpper hand Rom 7. 23. 7. A sowing to the spirit by the vse of the meanes as of the word prayer c. 8. A purpose vnfained vpon strength receiued of vowing ones selfe whollie to the glorie of God and good of our brethren 9. A resignation of our selues into Gods hands 10. An expecting of the daily increase of our soules health our bodies resurrection 11. The forgiuing of our enemies 12. An acknowledging of our offences with a purpose truely to leaue them 13. A delight in Gods Saints 14. A desire that after our death the Church of God may flourish and haue all peace 15 A spirit without guile that is an vnfained purpose alwayes to doe well howsoeuer our infirmities put vs by it These are sure notes of our election wherein if anie bee short yet let him but see into his heart if he desire and long after these graces and remember Nehem 11. Psalm 10â— 18. Psalm 119 6. 40. 37. A TREATISE OF A CONTRACT BEFORE MARIAGE After prayer hee spake as followeth THat none of vs might doubt whether there bee iust occasion of this manner of our meeting or no wee are to call to minde euen from the Heathen that the light of nature taught them that there was a solemne promise to be made of the parties that should bee maried before they were to be ioyned in marriage and that was called the espousage and therefore we were the more to be blamed if we should neglect so good a custome especially being commended to the chosen people of God as we may gather of his words for we reade that the Lord God made a law concerning the espoused persons that if they were vnfaithfull of their bodies they should be condemned as adulterers euen as well as the maried parties Mary also was affianced vnto Ioseph before the solemnising of their mariage And the vse of the Church standeth with good reason for that the neglect of it is an occasion that many are disappointed of their purposed mariages because some of them through inconstancie goe backe It is very meete also that they should haue some instructions giuen them concerning the graces and duties that are required in that estate that they may pray vnto the Lord and so be prepared and made fit to be publikely presented to the congregation afterwards Now further as concerning the nature of this contract and espousage although it be a degree vnder mariage yet it is more than a determined purpose yea more than a simple promise For euen as he which deliuereth vp the estate of his lands in writing all conditions agreed vpon is more bound to the performance of his bargaine than he that hath purposed yea or made promise thereof by word of mouth although the writings be not yet sealed euen so there is a greater necessitie of standing to this contract of mariage than there is of any other purpose or promise made priuately by the parties These things obserued I purpose as God shall giue me grace to giue some lessons how you must prepare your selues to liue in the estate of mariage I will for the helpe of your memorie deale in this sort and order first briefly going through the Articles of your faith and then through the Commandements noting some especiall duties fit for this purpose As concerning your beleefe in God the Father you know brethren you must beleeue in him as being creator of all things and also the gouernour and preseruer of the same you must also vnderstand that he created man according to his own image and gaue him the preheminence gouernment of the woman for the helpe of the man that he might be furthered in the seruice of his God So you must much more look that you be not hindred from the Lord by your wife for there are many whilest they desire mariage so long as their hope is deferred they are carefull in the discharge of their dutie but afterward once enioying those things they looked for they waxe more negligent than they were before greatly dishonouring God by their vnthankfulnes And it may be the onely fault of man if he be not helped by his wife to grow in godlines for I thinke that euen Euah in moning her husband Adam to eate of the forbidden fruite had been an helper vnto him to bring him acquainted with the malitious enmitie of Satan against them both if according to the great measure of graces he had receiued from the Lord he had bin more faithfull in obeying the will of God and had wisely rebuked his wife And againe although the woman was the occasion of sinne yet the force of sinne to the corruption of mankind came into the world by the sinne of the man For so the Apostle saith Rom 5. As by one man meaning Adam sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men for as much as all men haue sinned So much more the grace of God and the gift of grace which is by one man Iesus Christ hath abounded vnto many And in the 3. of Genesis we reade that the eyes of the woman were not opened vntill the man had eaten of the fruite but so soone as he had eaten the eyes of them both were opened they knew that they had sinned Therefore I gather thus much that rebuke should haue preuailed more to conuert her than her mouing of him to transgresse should haue been able to peruert him I speake not to excuse the woman for I know the Lord was displeased with her and for that cause hath laid a special punishmeÌ„t vpoÌ„ her in the painful bringing forth of children But that I might shew the great charge that lieth vpon the man to stay the corruptions of the woman by reason of the authority which the Lord hath giuen him ouer her which I would haue you brother diligently to consider of And you my sister must take profit by calling to minde that this was one end of your creation that you should glorifie God in being an helper to your husband therefore take heede that you be not a hinderer vnto him to trouble him or to vexe his heart whereby he should be lesse fâ—uitfull in his calling but be you cheerful towards him so that although he should haue little comfort in al other things yet he may finde great cause to reioyce in you And this you must know that as it is required of your husband to seeke for wisedome to be able to gouerne you so the Lord requireth of you to be subiect vnto him remembring also that as God hath inioyned you silence in the congregation so you must seeke for instruction at his mouth in your priuate chamber Another thing I would haue you both to coÌ„sider of in this point of your beliefe is faith in Gods prouidence And marke that well I shall say vnto
fond song Christ was thought to cast out diuels by the power of the diuell Iohn Baptist was thought but a melancholike man Iehu being threatned called the Prophet a mad braine for so they iudged of the Prophets digressing somewhat from the set order and compositions of words and precepts of their art So that the graces of God seeme often to men to be cleane contrarie If this hath been alwayes the iudgement of the world that because they could no longer heare men or further see into things than either reason or art did guide them they thought the Prophets and Apostles railing spirits and barren soiles wee must not thinke it a new thing And hearers are here greatly to be circumspect that they thinke not so basely of men zealous in gifts of the spirit as that they should account them mad melancholike or cholerike men and such as either would hurt themselues or doe some hurt to others but rather reuerently acknowledge that there is a secret and mightie power of the Spirit which the Lord often conueieth into the hearts of the godly Men can for the most part well away with an ordinary course in preaching and so long as it fals into an oratorie stile and iust proportion of words or so long as a man sheweth a wittie inuention and comely composing of the matter but if a man presse into the consciences of men and with some vehemencie speake against their familiar sinnes straight way they say surely this kind of teaching bewrayeth him to be brainesick And that we may be the more wearie herein let vs consider who they were that inueyed thus against the Apostles were they not men out of euery natioÌ„ fearing God and such as were somewhat religious yes surely And who nowadayes will sooner and sorer open their mouthes against zealous preachers than men claborate in arte and skilful in precepts who not being able by reason to see into this vehemencie iudge them that vse it too austerely Wherefore as this must correct iudgement in hearers least they iustly offend God in being vniustly offended at them that are zealous for the Lord of hoasts sake so also it must teach the Ministers of the word patience if sometimes they be wrongly coÌ„strued so recompence their furie with meekenes as the Lord may humble their aduersaries the more euen by their meeke dealing of whom they thought so hardly which vndoubtedly oftentimes is most effectuall euen to breake the hearts euen of the most obstinate gainesayers And it cannot be gainesayd that these men seeing the Apostles meekenes were farre more wonne and sooner humbled than if he should haue breathed out furious speeches and so haue ceased from his holy busines And we shall see by experience that men thinking one to be curious singular or precise after the Lord hath sanctified some crosse vpon them and humbled them in some measure vnderneath his hand they are more humbled at the meekenes and long suffering of him whom they offended than by any other meanes because they then perceiue they haue resisted the grace of God and persecuted the gifts of God in him In the last dayes That is when Christ should be manifested in the flesh preached vnto the Gentiles belieued on in the world and receiued vp in glorie shall these gifts of the spirit abound It is called the last day because of the stabilitie of the Church and perfection of the word in that in it wee looke for none other doctrine vntill Christ come in iudgement 1. Corin. 10. 11. After that the Apostle had feared the Corinthians with the example of the Iewes he commeth â—o applie his doctrine in this manner Now all these things came vnto them for ensamples and were written to admonish vs vpon whom the endes of the world are come As if he should say these things seemed not to serue for them alone but for vs in the last daies And Heb 1. â— it is plainly in euident phrase said At sundry times and in diuers manners God spake in old â—imâ— to our fathers by the Prophets in these last dayes he hath spoken to vs by his Sonne c. All which places in sense at the least agree with this place together with that Galath 4. 4. where it is called the fulnes of time For the estate of the people before Christ his comming was childish and paedagogicall and therefore men looked as Iohns Disciples for another that should come and the Samaritanes had this generall principle among them That the Messiah when he came would restore all things and set them in order Whereby we must learne not to looke for any new doctrine or reuelations of men Christ himselfe is come and hath made things perfit Christ the prince of Prophets whom they looked for is manifest in the flesh by how much the Prophets were neerer him by so much they had the clearer sight of him the further they were from him the dimmer was their knowledge of him The Lord himselfe hath spoken the booke is now shut vp with a complet conclusion if any man shall diminish of the words of it God shall take away his part out of the booke of life if any man shall adde vnto it God shall adde vnto him the plagues threatned in the booke And therefore all Heretikes Papists and Turks wil not stick to agree in this common errour The Turke though he doth not denie Christ and the scripture but giues them their time and place yet will haue a way for his Mahomet who must expound the word to him as he please The Papist in plaine tearmes dares not denie Christ and his Gospell yet can he not see all sufficiencie therein but complaining of some defect he looketh to vnwritten verities and leaneth to old traditions to be giuen to the Church therefore he will haue the Pope to be Christ his vicar and looke whatsoeuer their Synodes do conclude that must be established as a catholike trueth measuring the scriptures by their traditions and not their traditions by the scriptures The damnable Familie of loue make the word which is a thing fearefull to bee thought much more to be spoken of but a nose of waxe or a shipmans hose and yet they will haue their H. N. who is the eight person and the last man who must bee ioyned with the Gospell and so farre forth as hee with other gray-headed and illuminate elders do interpret the Scriptures they will agree We now against these and all other heretikes confessing the scriptures of God to be perfect and absolute to saluation ioyne none other thing with them but say that wee liue in the last dayes wherein Christ left the fulnes of doctrine of prayer of Sacraments and discipline to the Church by his Apostles and therefore we minde no reuelation Mahometicall interpretation nor traditions of men but though an Angell come from heauen bring an vnwritten veritie varying from the trueth of God his word we vtterly reiect him Neither as running too
serue the world if all our minde heart and affections bee giuen to the world wee cannot serue God They then that are filled with wine are drunken cannot haue the holy Ghost I say drunken because otherwise there were no reason For one may drinke wine moderatly and yet speake wonderfully of the workes of God and a man may after eating and drinking vtter the graces and praises of God to shewe that he hath not immoderatly abused God his creatures For it is a flat argument whereby we may proue our selues that if after our repast receiued wee can discreetly reuerently and humbly speake of things to God his praise and glorie we haue not been immoderate or intemperate deuourers of his gifts This is a profitable argument and worthie our meditation In what worldly thing soeuer we exceede we cannot applie our selues to God his kingdome For if the kingdom of God be our chiefest delight we shall vse this world as though wee vsed it not Wee are wont to marueile much that after the word preached our prayers made the Sacraments receiued there yet appeareth no change nor alteratiō in vs our affections are as they were our life is the same that it was before but we doe not consider that before we came to the word prayer and Sacraments our hearts were fraught and ballaced with worldly cares so that there was no place left voide in our affections for the word and that our hearts were so pestred and thronged with vaine pleasures that there was no roome for God his spirit to keepe residence in and for religion to dwell among vs. The due consideration whereof must waine vs from the world and surfeting pleasures which locke vp our hearts that the Lord cannot enter in We cannot well runne with the Hare and hold with the Hound wee cannot hold fire and water together we cannot reconcile Christ and Belial light darkenesse God and the diuell If one be vp the other must downe if one be downe the other will vp Againe we marueile that after the word preached we are so ouertaken with our accustomed pleasures and profits seeing that whilest we did heare we had a secret and sweete disliking of sinne and an irking of our selues for the same so long as these after-thoughts correct the former Surely I answere out of Paul 2. Cor. 3. 3. because we are yet carnall we are more carnall than spirituall we are babes in Christ we haue but young beginnings in Christ but old proceedings in the world Why then doe we come to God so halting and limping euen because we are not come to any good growth in new birth Howbeit let vs beware that we continue not still to be staruelings least it breedeth in vs a sickne vnto death both of body and soule If we were more spirituall than carnall had the Spirit powred vpon vs in some plentifull measure were fully perswaded of God his prouidēce watching ouer vs of the ministerie of his holy Angels waiting vpon vs assured of the glorie of the life to come feeling the mightie power of the word of the law to humble vs of the Gospell to breede faith in vs of the Sacraments to seale vs of Christ to liue in vs oh how should we liue in this world Whilest Christ liued in Paul he vsed this world as though he vsed it not he felt such ioy in the fruites of the Spirit that all other things were vile vnto him So the cause why good motions die in vs so soone and the suggestions of the flesh preuaile so strongly against vs is because we are more carnall than spirituall Many rules may be giuen how a man may vse himselfe but to set downe all either we shall come short or else in reaching some good measure of them we may swell in priuie pride but learne this well and learne all which after a long part of a sermon our Sauiour Christ concludeth with Matth. 6 33. First seeke ye the kingdome of God and his righteousnes c. This is hard but if we come to any meane growth in holines and taste how sweete the Lord is to vs then we shall surely feele our flesh not to be so masterfull neither shall it be so laborious to doe the good we desire to doe The argument of the Apostle we see is this It is so farre from these men that they are drunken that it is God his spirit in them than which two what can be more contrarie and it is written euen by one of your owne Prophets In the last daies I will powre out my Spirit vpon all flesh c. This is now come to passe and therefore Christ his kingdome is now For whensoeuer God his Spirit shall come vpon all then is the kingdome of Christ come but now God his Spirit is come vpon all therefore now is the kingdome of Christ come Thus the Apostle reacheth vs how we may know when and where Christ his kingdome is euen where as well the young as the old the women as the men the seruants as the maisters can shew forth the workes of the Lord. In Poperie men and women old and young maisters and seruants could not talke of the mysteries of God therefore in Poperie there is not Christ his kingdome And though our compound Anabaptists haue great things in their mouthes yet because their men and women speake nothing but dreames forsaking the word of God they haue not the kingdome of Christ. In many places in the daies of Queene Mary both old and yong were not afraid to shew the praise of God as well women as men boldly professed the truth not only maisters but seruants gaue testimonie to the Gospell with their bloud and therefore then in such places appeared this kingdome And we may safely at this day reason so in euery congregation where old and young men and women can speake the praise of God there is the Spirit of God there is the kingdome of Christ otherwise if these things are not there there is not his kingdome what meanes so euer are vsed And now to braunch out these words more particularly first we are to note that God bestoweth such an excellent thing as his Spirit secondly that so excellent a thing is sent to so vile a thing as flesh thirdly this grace is not leased out to a few here and there but is freely offered to all sorts ages sexes and conditions of men fourthly it is not distilled by thinne drops but powred out in full measure and plentifull abundance What more vile than flesh what more pretious than the Spirit of God the excellencie whereof we shall see more euidently Ioel. 2. where after the Prophet had seuerely threatned the Iewes and exhorted them to conuert he comforteth them againe by promising vnto them the renewing of God his mercies and not staying in telling them how the Lord would send them againe corne wine and oyle he commeth at the last and putteth them in minde of that which
counteruaileth all the rest and saith that the Lord will giue them his Spirit to be powred out vpon all flesh which may seale and season all other his benefits and which neuer should leaue them vntill they were come to life euerlasting Aboue all gifts then in the world this is the gift of gifts the Spirit of God in which one the Lord preferres vs not onely aboue all other earthly creatures but also aboue many men like to ourselues whilest he maketh vs Kings Priests Prophets by powring the same spirit vpon vs. The excelleÌ„cie of this benefit Christ himselfe teacheth vs where he teacheth the people to pray saying Which of you iâ— your childe shall aske you a peâ—ce of bread will insteâ—d of bread giue him a stone c if you that be euill doe know how to giue vnto your children good things when they aske them how much more shall your heauenly father giue you good things saith Matthew his Spirit saith Luke This is the top this is the head this is the height this is the depth of all good things euen the Spirit Now if this is life eternall Ioh. 17 3. to know the Father to be the only very God and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ and no man can euer doe this but by the spirit of God whereby we know and beleeue this according to the word and so liue for euer who will denie this gift of all gifts to be most principall If this be the dignitie of dignities that we are the children of God and heires of a better life how precious a thing is it to haue the priuiledge of God his owne spirit which giueth vs the full title interest and assurance of all these things vnto vs Againe if this be the â—ulnes of our reioycing in the day of Christ that he is made of God vnto vs wisedome and righteousnes and sanctification and redemption and that through him we are as fully more assuredly perfect as euer Adam was in his creation and we cannot haue this wisedome vnlesse the Spirit telleth vs how we are cleered thereby from our ignorance we cannot reioyce in this righteousnes vnlesse the spirit assureth vs that by it we are acquited from our guiltines we can haue no comfort in that holines vntill we know by God his spirit it answereth for our impurenes and prophanenes and so seuereth vs and putteth vs apart to the works of sanctification we cannot triumph in our redemption vntill the comfortable spirit of God stay our impatient spirits by an vndoubted expectation for the glorious appearing thereof without this spirit all things are death but with this all things are life This bringeth knowledge in the things whereof we are ignorant this brings to our remembrance the things which we haue knowne and forgotten this assures vs of things wherein we haue been wauering this ioyneth vs to God and vniteth vs to Christ when we goe astray we come home by the spirit when by it we are renewed and by the same we are established come life come death come honour come dishonour prosperitie aduersitie wealth or woe the one shall not too much lift vs vp the other shall not too much cast vs downe If the Lord giueth vs an healthfull bodie credit riches and authoritie we are hereby resolued to glorifie God by these things to redeeme the time and so to possesse them as though we possessed them not if the Lord denieth vs these things and sendeth sicknes discredit pouertie and obscuritie the Lord will send a recompence of inward things and wanting bodily health he will giue the saluation of our soules in stead of outward credit we shall haue credit with God and be well thought of among his children and if wanting worldly riches we be enriched with heauenly things we haue lost nothing hauing changed drosse and dung for gold Without this wit becommeth subtiltie wisedome worldly policie authoritie is armed to tyraÌ„nie dignitie breedes ambition riches engeÌ„ders couetousnes Physicke is made vnfaithfulnes Law proueth craftines Diuinitie degenerates into heresie to be briefe without this heauenly gift of God sanctifying all gifts the wiser man the fairer man the stroÌ„ger man the fitter pray for the diuell the meeter subiect for him to work vpon But to haue wit and therewith the spirit of God sanctifying it what a thing is this To haue riches and the spirit of God to vse them is a double blessing to haue authoritie and in it to be guided by God his spirit what good may one hauing this benefit doe either in Church or Common-wealth If the spirit be absent all turneth to our hurt to God his dishonour to the establishing of Satans kingdome and with this all things are seasoned with their vse seruice and ministerie vnto vs. Oh how are we to pray that Ministers that Magistrates that euery one of vs may haue so great a good The Ministers that they may purely boldly preach Iesus Christ that they may be Ministers of the quenching spirit not Ministers of the bare and killing letter that they may preach the crosse of Christ sincerely and not themselues vain gloriously Magistrates that they may prouoke obedience by good gouernment that we our selues might liue holily both before God and men This then is that which keepeth a tenour in all things this giueth the pith and marrow of goodnes to euery thing If religion come once but to serue for fashion all wil be confounded Among many rules this is a notable rule to haue our hearts filled with heauenly and spirituall delights which fenceth out as at the doore and first entrie many idle discourses and vaine platformes of worldly deuises and causeth vs to vse this life as though we vsed it not And as they that are giuen to the world are not fit for God his kingdome so they that are replenished with good things haue such an inward and sufficient working in them as they seeke not after earthly things with those greedie affections wherwith others doe The Papists and Anabaptists rather babling than prophecying shew they haue no true reuelations how soeuer they bragge of them because they haue not the spirit and yet in that they are so painfull by their illuding spirit wherewith they were deluded to delude others this must make vs ashamed either of our ignorance or that hauing knowledge and the holy Ghost teaching vs we trauell no more to winne others vnto Christ. For whosoeuer is so ignorant that he cannot giue an account of his faith to God his glorie and the edifying of others he cannot say that he hath the spirit of God If any haue Christ his spirit he is Christs if he be Christs he must be a Prophetable to giue an account of his faith being required and so he is Gods if he be Gods then come life come death come health come sicknes come what will all comes well if a man hath outward things he is not too much puft vp with them if he hath them not
he is not too much grieued But if we haue not God his spirit surely we belong not to God For haue we wit wisedome health power wealth authoritie credit friends or any such thing and yet haue not receiued the spirit of God what are we but a more fit substance or subiect whereupon Sathan may frame the worke of sinne It is not the poore sillie or simple people that be the maine instruments which the diuell doth vse in his greatest affaires to doe hurt but the wise politique rich and mightie men of the world Contrariwise if with these good gifts we haue the spirit of God what great good may we doe in Church or Common-wealth If besides the beautie of God his spirit we haue the flowers of outward things what a singular ornament is this to our garland What shall I say more In affliction the spirit sheweth vs the hand of God both humbling and comforting vs reuealeth our sinnes worketh in vs the contempt of this life the desire of the life to come and so sanctifieth our crosse by wisedome repentance and patience Seeing then these are the effects of God his spirit that it feoffeth vs by faith into euerlasting inheritance it assureth vs of all our rich treasures in Iesus Christ seeing it sanctifieth all inward gifts seasoneth the vse of all outward things briefly seeing with it all things seeming miserable are most blessed and without it all things seeming happie are most miserable it followeth that of all gifts the holy Ghost is the most excellēt Howbeit one thing here is to be added that we may wholy separate our selues from the Anabaptists we speake of the Spirit as he sheweth his force in vs and worketh in vs by the ministerie of the word which two worke together and therefore it is said Ioh. 6. My words are spirit and life For without the Spirit the word is as the bright Sunne to a blind man who not for fault of a pure obiect but for want of sense is not able to discerne the cleerest thing in the world and therfore the Prophet Dauid Psal. 119 saith Open mine eyes O Lord that I may see the wonders of thy law True it is the Sunne is bright but what is that to a blinde man True it is the word is glorious but what is that to a man without the spirit of God For so farre we profit by the word as we receiue the power of it by the inward ministerie of the Spirit we must trie the spirits by the word and we shall then know that we haue receiued the spirit of God when he giueth vs the pure vnderstanding the carefull receiuing and zealous practising of the same Carnall men and our late Anabaptists be but boasters of themselues in terming themselues spiritual men we are not taught so to bragge of the Spirit or any worke thereof but as it is warranted vnto vs by the written word we confesse that blinde is our minde and that we cannot profit by the word but by God his spirit we looke not for the spirit in our phantasie but for the spirit which worketh by the word which spirit spake by Abraham by the Patriarches by Moses and the Prophets by Paul and the Apostles and by our Sauiour Christ himselfe Seeing the spirit of God is so high a thing we are here to complaine why we hunt after life profit and pleasure and haue so small care to obtaine God his good spirit which is so pretious It is a great fault to fansie so much the things of this world and so little to esteeme this And here not of a set treatise but by the way we will speake of the last part of our diuision that is of the meane how to attaine to these graces of the Spirit We know rich men can for their increase frequent faires ambitious men can get preferment carnall men will watch their opportunities and euery man in his kinde knoweth how to prouide best for his profit and pleasure Our way goeth on the other hand and heth in the carefull hearing of the word the feruent vse of prayer the reuerent fruitfull resorting to the Sacraments and most holy submitting of ourselues to the discipline of the Lord in frequenting the companie of God his children and in waining our selues from the world by all which meanes the spirit may haue a more voluntarie free and perfect worke in and vpon vs. And although all these things are not particularly here set downe yet marke here is named the most proper meane pointing at all the rest and this as ye see is prayer by the which the Lord conueigheth his spirit into vs to make all the other meanes more pleasant profitable to vs. Why then are not so many sermons now adaies more effectuall when one or two sermons touched these people so powerfully Surely God his spirit worketh not in vs as he wrought in them Why when any be conuerted doe so few turne to the Lord when as the Lord drew so many of these men at once to himselfe Because we are drawne away too much of our owne flesh and taste not the sweetnes of God his spirit as they did But can a man pray for faith and God his spirit which as yet hath neither faith nor the spirit of God Whatsoeuer good gift we haue it is certaine we haue it by faith and God his spirit in some measure in vs and then we may pray for the increase of them in vs. For it is God his spirit that prayeth in vs Rom 8 True it is that many haue receiued God his Spirit before they feele it and faith before they see it and by this meanes they pray to receiue faith and the spirit of God as they thinke or rather the increase of both thinke I because they haue receiued them before for els could they neuer truly haue prayed But they then that are called owe this dutie to Ministers that they must pray for thē euen as Preachers must pray for them Thus we shall see the prayers of the Church Psalm 67. The Pastor for the people the people for the Pastor must make prayers supplications Generally all must so let their light shine before men so watch in prayer that others seeing our godly life may say oh what a people in wisedome true godlines is this it is a good and an happie thing to ioyne our selues to them what zeale what humilitie what plentifull fruits of faith are here blessed are the people that haue such a Pastor blessed is the Pastor that hath such a people And here let vs remember how the Apostles did not onely pray for the increase of God his spirit in themselues but for the beginnings of it in others which as yet had not receiued it teaching vs thereby what is our dutie to wit that we rest not in our owne priuate feelings or in praying for the increase of them but that we pray that others may taste of the like ioyes as we
many haue laboured much spoken abundantly and trauailed in great eloquence and yet haue neither gained glorie to God nor affoorded fruit to the hearers Hereupon it is that some that haue been as full as the vessell that hath no vent haue become as barren as the flint-stone is of water because they haue sought glorie but not by humilitie they haue shunned destruction but not left their pride Contrariwise we shall obserue how many speaking in the singlenes of their heart and humilitie of their spirit haue wonne many soules to the rich inlarging of Gods honour and kingdome Many vsing few words with a pitifull and sellow feeling affection haue comforted afflicted consciences instructed ignorant soules throwne downe proud spirits confounded hautie hearts profited abundantly them with whom they were to deale Many being lowly in their owne eyes haue not so much gloried in noâ— receiued glorie for their great gifts which God hath bestowed vpon them as they were comforted in their owne consciences with a rich testimonie of the sanctifying spirit who wrought in them some carefull vsage of the gifts receiued to his glorie that gaue them The Lord refuseth the seruice of wicked men he will not vse a proud spirit in his worke and therefore if we shall see that God doth not blesse our labours let vs suspect our selues to lie in some sinne let vs feare our owne hearts that they be not humbled before the Lord. And here it is good that we should be forewarned what lowlinesse it is the Lord requireth of vs least wee deceiue our owne soules in a false and phantasticall humilitie Wherefore as all men will grant humilitie to be voide of murmuring and grudging so we affirme that that is not a minde rightly humbled vnder the hand of God which is still perplexed and affrighted with immoderate feare of the daunger of some euill to come For as we condemne that hellish securitie which is voide of all feare so wee mislike that abiect minde which is oppressed with too much feare stil breathing out of such trembling voyces Oh what shall become of mee I am afraide that some euill will befall mee I shall neuer be able to beare it I had rather dye then feele it WheÌ„ we thus distrusting the Lord begin to teach him what he shall giue to vs or what he shall take from vs we are in the hie way to meete with the euill wee feared and nothing in the world will sooner bring the danger vpon vs. We therefore commend and affirme that to be true humilitie which as it repineth not grudgingly against the Lord so it shrinketh not too distrustfully before the Lord but as on the one side wee are readie to be thankefull if it bee the good will of the Lord to deliuer vs so on the other side wee are willing to laie our head to the blocke and offer our bodie to the striker if the Lord in wisedome should make triall of vs. This will teach vs to possesse our soules in meekenesse and patience this will strengthen vs to say boldly Lord if thou send this deliuerance thy name be praised if thou shalt further trie me Lord thy holy will be blessed Lord here I am spare mee if thou wilt trie me if thou pleasest This humilitie was in Abraham Isaac Moses Dauid Daniel Azariah Sidrach Abednâ—go and others of the Saints and seruants of God Abraham when hee was most readie to offer vp his sonne euen then the Lord gaue him his sonne againe Dauid when he was prepared to surrender both life and liuing to the Lord obtained both life and kingdome for longer time At what time Ezekiah had resigned himselfe to dye at the will of the Lord the Lord gaue him his health againe and made him as it were a lease of his life for fifteene yeeres to come And surely there is no readier way to obtaine life than to offer our selues vnto death no better meane to auoide sicknes pouertie reproach or banishment than to haue our wils wholy resigned to Gods will as willing to beare the crosse as to be freed from it For as the more we striue against the will of God the lesse we preuaile so the sooner wee yeelde wee shall the sooner bee deliuered And yet I meane not that yeelding which the Lord by his threatnings or iudgements as by strong hand getteth of vs which is no voluntarie submission but a violent subiection and constraineth vs rather than allureth vs to obey the will of the Lord but I meane that willing humbling of our selues before the face of God which commeth from an hart bleeding at the conscience of his owne vnworthinesse and bruised with the sense of the Lords vndeserued goodnesse and that more kindly than if it were threatned with al the iudgements of the wicked and were braied and broken with all the plagues of hell The other extremitie which agreeth not with true humilitie is blockish senselesnesse and that dead and diuelish apoplexie of the minde which runneth without all foresight as neither caring for good nor bad sweete nor sowre heauen nor hell They that labour of this disease thinke it an high point of humilitie to say I am at a point let God doe what he will I care not if he saue me so it is if I be damned what remedie let men iniurie me as they will come what come will I passe not And these kind of men as past all feeling and now more brutish and blockish than any bruite beast in their life neither tremble at Gods iudgements nor reioyce in his promises in death they feare not hell they desire not heauen they are not grieued if they be damned they are not comforted to heare they shal be saued they confesse not their sinnes they professe not their faith they shew not their hope they liue like stockes and die like blockes And yet the ignorant people will still commend such fearefull deaths saying he departed as meekely as a lambe hee went away as a bird in a shell when they might as well say but for their fetherbed and their pillow hee died like a beast and perished like an oxe in a ditch But to come to the vse and fruit which we may gather out of this doctrine First let vs consider that if we be come to haue such a brawned and thicke skinne ouer our consciences as neither by publike preaching nor priuate reading as neither by the Law nor by the Gospell as neither with threatnings nor promises as neither by praying nor meditating wee can finde neither matter of comfort nor humbling wee are so farre from humilitie that we are as men rather dead than humbled and our case is most fearefull For in this Stoicall apathie and want of feeling wee feare nothing fearing nothing wee are easie to be deceiued being easie to be deceiued wee may soone be hardned and so by securitie being depriued of all heedfulnes we are snared of the tempter ere we
the secret counsel of the Lord herein we must know that neither the promise of the Lord is so vniuersall that euery particular childe of a faithfull man should be within the couenant for if of many there be but one blessed the promise is performed Yea which more is though that a faithfull man haue neuer a good childe yet if vnto the thousand generation there be but one good the couenant is not broken Neither must wee tie the Lords worke so much to man that a good man may not haue an euil sonne seeing though the Lord visit not his sinnes yet hee may visit the sinnes of some of the forefathers to the third and fourth generation going before To the second I say that an euill father hauing a good child though the Lord shew not mercie to that particular man therein yet he may remember his promise to some of the forefathers in the thousand generation going before And though that an euill man haue no cursed child yet the curse may be accomplished in the third and fourth generation following Wherefore not speaking of election or reprobation which we leaue onely to the Lord to make good or bad according to the good pleasure of his owne will I exhort parents to vse the ordinarie meanes to bring vp their childreÌ„ so as they either by some good tokens may see them the children of God and heires of the couenant or at the least be comforted in their owne consciences if the Lord refuse their children for some cause vnknowne in that to their abilitie they haue vsed all good meanes to bring them vp well and offered them to God And if parents haue cause to be grieued when thus trauailing in good education they cannot see good in their children how much more cause of griefe may they haue when they haue vsed no labour at all to bring them vp in the feare of the Lord and yet many will be grieued for the one that will not be grieued for the other Wherefore let vs learne if we will conueigh Gods blessings to our posterities to vse all holy duties thereunto and on the contrarie if we will be loath to conueigh Gods iudgements to our children let vs carefully auoide all meanes that leade vnto them And surely as it is a blessed thing in the houre of death with Simâ—on to depart in peace leauing our wife children and seruants spouses to Christ children to God and seruants to the Lord so in death no one thing will be more grieuous to a man than the Lords hauing giuen him the charge and dignitie of so many soules to be furthered to saluation that his owne tormented conscience shall presse him how in as much as he could he hath helped them forward to their damnation and so which is more fearefull he shall haue them spuing and foming out in his face continual curses in hell accusing him for euer to be the murtherer of their soules Howbeit I doe not exempt children from all blame so charging the parents as though the children were free from all guiltinesse herein for I am not ignorant that as in the time of Ezekiel so in our dayes youth is readie enough to take vp this Prouerbe The fathers haue eaten sowre grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge But I affirme that though the occasion be offered of such wicked parents yet the cause of destruction is still in the children themselues And besides that it is sure that the soule which hath sinned shall die the death Seeing also there be some yong men who notwithstanding the great prophanenes of the most the manifold corruptions offered abroade the vngodly examples abounding at home are so mightily preserued by the seede of grace that they escape safely in an holy course of life lamenting when they see the least occasion of euill reioycing in the least occasion of good things the rest who please themselues and hope to shelter their sinnes vnder their parents defaults are plainely left without excuse and are iustly guiltie of the blood of their owne soules Labour therefore ye yong men to wipe away the teares of griefe from your fathers eyes and stay the sorrowfull spirits of your tender mothers and consider with your selues if you haue any good nature in you and haue not buried the vse of common reason what a shame it is to be a shame vnto your fathers to whom ye ought to be a glorie and thinke ye wanton wits that haue not cast off all naturall affections what a contempt it is to be a contempt vnto your mother to whom ye haue offered as it were a despightfull violence in that ye are as it were a corrosiue vnto her heart when as ye should haue bin a Crowne vnto her head The end of al this briefly is thus much that parents hauing children not walking either in knowledge or in a good conscience must make some vse of so iust a cause of griefe examining themselues and accusing their owne soules before the Lord either for that their meeting was prophane to so holy an estate or brutish because they desired rather a seede like vnto themselues in flesh and blood than such as might be like to Christ by grace and new birth or that they begat their of spring as meere naturall or very carnall men or because they either prophanely neglected al educatioÌ„ or monstrously misliked that in their children which they liked in themselues and punished in them their owne corrupt precepts or for that they suffered iniuriously their children to doe euill vnto others which they could not suffer them to doe vnto themselues or vntaught that at home which was taught abroad or in that they doe lie in some sinne vnrepented of or else because they neuer made conscience to bring their posteritie within the couenant of saluation but still loued their flesh in their children not their soules And children must here also learne that it is one speciall propertie of a liberall and ingenuous nature to be carefull so to liue that in time they may bee a glorie to their fathers and a ioy to their mothers which the Lord grant to vs all for his glorie and our euerlasting comfort through Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour FINIS OF REPENTANCE AND TRVE SORROVV FOR SIN THE SEVENTH SERMON Acts 2. vers 37. 38. Now when they heard it they were pricked in their hearts and saide vnto Peter and the other Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe Then Peter saide vnto them Amend your liues and bee baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes c. IN this portion of the holy booke of God is set downe to vs an effect or rather a fruite of Peter his sermon which hee made for the answering of the slanderous reports of the Iewes at what time they sawe the wonderfull gifts of God sent downe vpon the Apostles In which Sermon the Apostle had pricked their consciences with shewing
we offering our selues to be gouerned by him hee will worke in vs heauenly things and howsoeuer we are euil by nature or custome yet by grace we are kept safe in him This is that which helpeth in trouble of conscience this comforteth in banishment this relieueth vs in pouertie this is the fruite of true religion In false religion there appeareth not like effects not being able to deliuer vs much lesse to comfort vs in time of triall but it leaueth vs in a mazed spirit and troubled mind Wherefore in respect of the issues of both these compared together wee see how deare true religion ought to be to vs and how wee must abhorre the contrarie The very heathen men by the instinct of nature did most labour for those things which would in death bring peace of minde and asswage their inward troubles who neuer had this remedie how much more then ought we to imbrace this pure religion hauing such effects and hate the contrary which then yeeldeth a swelling and plausible ioy when no heauinesse is at hand but is voide of all substance of perfect consolation to ease a perplexed mind Wherein it may wel be compared to those water brookes which in time of winter when water in euery place aboundeth flow ouer but in summer when droughts bring the necessary vse of water are for the most part dried vp It followeth now in the fift verse The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup thou shalt maintaine my lot He prosecuteth the same matter which he handled before shewing a reason why he linked himselfe so to the Saints and abhorred the wicked to wit because as the Lord defended his holie ones so he defended him as he was their inheritance so he was his as he was a portion vnto them so also he was a sufficient portion vnto him for so was he tied to the Lord and to the loue of his truth that no corrupt religion could moue him from it And why hee saw in the word that God prouided on euery side for him both spiritually for his soule and corporally for his body Wherfore his meaning may thus briefely bee gathered I neede not to seeke for helpe in any false religion although mine enemies would constraine me because I am perswaded sufficiētly that God is my portion hee is mine inheritance God filleth full my cup and as his mercie hath chosen me so his power maintaineth me the sure perswasion whereof maketh me grow in the loue of true religion and in the hatred of false Out of the scope then of the Prophet we may draw thus much that whosoeuer is grounded on pure knowledge and a sure faith shall neuer wander after idolatry because the word of God will shewe them now all sufficiencie both for their soules and bodies is in the Lorde who freely hath taken the whole charge thereof into his owne hands On the contrarie it is apparant how that from hence commeth such slipping into idolatrie because we want true faith in the true religion and true loue of those things which we belieue This place then commendeth vnto vs a continuall care which we must labour for whereby such assurance of God his fauour and prouidence watching ouer vs may be in vs as we contenting our selues with him our portion and inheritance should couet nothing else Some referre this saying of the Prophet thou art the portion of mine inheritance to the soule but it is to be thought that hee rather meaneth how he only resteth and stayeth himselfe concerning his whole felicitie of body and soule on the Lord alone and in that the Lord did not only begin but did continue in him his grace hee assureth himselfe as well of finall perseuerance as of his gracious entrance which vndoubtedly is no small comfort For many haue inheritances who hardly keepe the assurance of them from all assaults of crafty men who craftily vndermine the estate and hold off their possessions by falsifying their euidences Wherfore he addeth in the latter end of the verse thou shalt maintaine my lot For although nothing be more casuall then the life both of body and soule and in manner of a lot is most vncertaine yet the issue of them both being in the hands of the Lord hee dare safely commend himselfe vnto him Thus then must wee be perswaded of our inheritance as for loue of it we had rather with Naboth haue our bloud spilt then suffer our selues to be depriued of it which wee see alreadie to be performed of the Martyrs But here we are to note how all our assurance hereof is in the word and not elsewhere to be found as the man of God himselfe sheweth Psal. 119. 57. O Lord thou art my portion I haue determined to keepe thy words and 111. Thy testimontes haue I taken as an heritage for euer for they are the ioy of mine heart it is both easie and vsuall for all to say God is my portion God is mine inheritance God is hee that prepareth a table before mee God filleth my cup The gayest hypocrites will brag of this and the most wretched worldlings will auouch as much but here in they be wray themselues in reuerencing so smally the meanes hereof and accounting so little of the word which is the onely assurance whereby they holde their inheritance Doth hee seeke by his portion or inheritance bequeathed vnto him by testament or otherwise who maketh none account of his euidence and auncient coppies whereby he holdeth his assurance Can men then thinke that God is their inheritance when they esteeme so smally of his promises which ratifieth their hold and keepeth in record their assurance Can a man assure himselfe that God is his portion when he hath no delight in his sacraments wherein it is sealed and surrendred into his hands This then is a true triall whether we may in truth subscribe to the Prophet his protestation when we delight in the meanes that is in the word in prayer in the sacraments and in discipline which thing if we haue not pretend wee what we will all is but hypocrisie If God be our portion we must be as charie and warie of the word as of some Will wherein some great thing is giuen vnto vs we must be as much afraid and grieued to lose our faith in God his promises as wee are to lose the euidence of our lands wee must be as carefull to vse the sacraments as to keepe whole and vnuiolated the seales of our euidences we must be as carefull to performe to God that which his will requireth of vs as to receiue of him that which in his testamēt is bequeathed vs otherwise we haue nothing to doe with God God hath nothing to doe with vs in mercie God is none of our inheritance neither are we his inheritance Such then as will come a◠their leisure and when they list or when the world will afford no further profite nor the flesh further delight as they did
varietie of learning as may giue content to each seuerall Reader Histories for the Temporist Philosophie for the Naturalist Ethiques for the Moralist Mysteries for the Artist and languages for the Linguist Heere is a Flood for the great Elephant to swimme in and â— Foorde for the little lambe to walke in Would wee be acquainted with the vanitie of the worlde what better meanes haue wee then the booke of the Preacher would wee know how to liue in the worlde whence better can we haue it then from the booke of the Prouerbes and if we would powre out prayers to God Dauid in his Psalmes hath a platforme of praying which one little booke is the Epitome of the Bible Caluin calls it the Anatomie of the soule Another the prayer-booke of the Church Athanasius the definition of humane life Basil the prediction of things to come Nazianzene the sweete Companion of life Augustine the common Treasurie of all good things Ambrose the Medicine of Mans salutation Chrysostome a Salue against euery sore Gregorie that Stone which killed Goliah And Bernard saith that whosoeuer faithfully and deuoutly doth sing the Psalmes in a sort is in association with the Angels without which deuotion what Quirister soeuer shall sing them in the Church I may say vnto him as Augustine once saide to the singing men of his time Plus placet Deo mugitus Boum latratus Canum grunnitus porcorum hinnitus Equorum quà m cantus Clericorum luxuriantium The bellowing of oxen the barking of dogs the gâ—unting of swine and the â—eying of horses doe more please God then the singing of luxurious Quiristers Now though euery Psalme be of speciall Obseruation yet this one is especially remarkeable It was penned by King Dauid that sweete singer of Israel it hath in euery verse a commendation of the word of God it is artificially written euery eight verses beginning in the Hebrue tongue with one Letter of the Hebrue Alphabet and the longest Meditation that euer Dauid had either concerning Gods word or workes it seemeth hee had it when he penned this Psalme which the Iewes vsed as a Catechisme for their children To the ende this Psalme might bee vnderstood of all it hath beene expounded by many worthie men especially by that worthie man of God M. Richard Greenham memorable in our Church It is pittie that all his meditations on this Psalme come not yet to light but that in former editions about fortie verses were left vnexpounded Now that godly man who hath the sale of his workes was very desirous that there might bee an Exposition vpon euery verse and to that purpose hath employed mee And I finding the foure first verses expounded by a worthie Elisha vpon whom the spirite of this Eliah doth rest was bolde to set downe the same as I found it the rest I haue finished according to the grace giuen vnto mee and thus offer them to the Church of God I remember that an ancient Father saith Iudicem aditurus patrâ—num quaere Must you appeare before the Iudge seeke a Patron I am now to appeare before as many Iudges as Readers I desire a Patron and I finde none fitter then your Honor who hauing for manie yeares post beene a bountifull Patron to my labours in the Church will I doubt not vouchsafe to become a Patron of these labours for the Church If euer wee must looke for a blessing from Counsellors it is then when they consult with the Lord and are not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ. Among manie such Honorable Senators in our Kingdome we haue good cause to number your Honor. What Sabbath is there which you passe ouer without the morning and euening sacrifice what Minister is there who preacheth before you whome you sende away without a blessing what moneth is there in which you once are not a CommunicaÌ„t at the Eucharist what day is there that passeth ouer your head in which you vse not both prayer and meditation You were once gracious in the eyes of that Queene then whome the Church neuer had a more nourcing mother you are nowe gracious in the eyes of that King then whom the Church will neuer haue a more nourcing Father in this honorable Parish wherein you liue what good you do by your owne example in frequenting Gods house your liberalitie bountie in maintaining Gods Saints your care that your familie may be the Church of God I had rather be silent then say little Your old age is a crowne of glorie being thus found in the generation of the righteous The consideration of your honorable respect to pietie and godlines hath made me a long time to honour you in mine heart and the consideration of your fauour to mee a poore preacher emboldeneth mee to publish these my labours vnder your Honorable name If it please you to allow that your name which I am perswaded is written in the booke of life may remaine in this liuing and worthie booke I haue that which I desire by this Dedication Thus crauing pardon I humbly take my leaue beseeching the Lord to continue you long a trustie Counsellor to our most gracious King your Honourable Ladie the Ladie Margaret a precious Iewell vpon your right hand and your hopefull and happie Children as Oliue plants rounde about your Table London From Salisburie Rents at S. Martins in the fieldes Nouember the first 1611. At your Honors seruice Robert Hill WHOSOEVER IS DESIROVS TO LEARNE AND REMEMber the Word of God that he might liue after it let him consider of that which is written in the 119. Psalme ALEPH. THE FIRST PORTION ¶ Verse I. Blessed are those that are vpright in their way and walke in the Lawes of the Lord. THat which all men seeke for and few finde the same is set out in the word of God namely felicitie and true happines And because God would haue all men to know wherein their blessed estate doth consist therefore Christ begins his first Sermon with it Math. 5. Dauid his first Psalme with it Psal. 1. And the Prophet in this place his first verse with it describing therein a blessed man A description opposite to all that vaine felicitie which euer vaine Philosophers deuised out of their deepe speculations or prophane men frame out of their corrupt affections not consisting in pleasures riches honors greatnes in ciuill honestie formall hypocrisie or the whole possibilitie of nature but in the sinceritie of the heart and continuall walking in the waies of God Salomon saw this and therefore after he had sought happines in all things of this life he willeth vs to heare the end of all namely to feare God and keepe his commandements for thus saith hee this is the whole man If this saith one be the whole man then without this man is no man no though hee wallowe in wealth swimme in pleasures and be carried alofte vpon the wings of Honor For first all these though they were all in the possession of some
be deepelier humbled and â—raue more earnestly the pardon of that and other sins For as the beggar is alwaies mending and peecing his garment where he findes a breach so the penitent beleeuing hart must alwaies be exercised in repairing it selfe where it findes a want Againe oft times this triall serues to quicken and reuiue the hidden graces of the heart that men may be thankfull for them and feele an increase of them in the heart The good husbaÌ„d man cuts the braunches of the Vine not that he hath a purpose to destroy theÌ„ but to make them beare more fruit In the Canticles wheÌ„ Christ left his spouse then she riseth out of her bed she opens the dore her hands drop myrrhe on the barre of the doore then further she seekes and cals for him and praiseth him more then euer before Dauid testifieth the like of himselfe In my prosperitie I said I shall neuer be mooued c. but thou didst hide thy face I was troubled TheÌ„ cried I to thee O Lord prayed to my Lord. Lastly men that liue in the Church being for a time left of God become so impeniteÌ„t as that they must be giuen vp to Satan yet for no other cause but that the flesh may be killed and the spirit made aliue in the day of the Lord. The third end is the preuenting of sin to come This appeareth in Paul Least saith he I should be exalted out of measure through the aboundance of reuelations there was giuen vnto me a pricke in the flesh the messenger of Sathan to buffet me because I should not be exalted out of measure In the former times when the Lord among many other had set out Craâ—â—er for the maintenance of his blessed truth against his Gods enemies he left him for a while to fall from his religion to make a dangerous recantation but so as therby he preuented many sins and prepared him to a glorious martyrdome As some of his owne words may testifie which he spake a little before his ende And now saith he I come to the great thing that so much troubleth my conscience more then any thing that euer I did or said in all my life that is the setting abroad of a writing contrary to the truth which now here I renounce as things written with my hand contrary to the truth which I thought in my heart that for feare of death to saue my life c. And for as much as my hand offended writing contrary to my heart my hand shall be first punished therfore for may I come to the fire it shall be first burned Answerably wheÌ„ he was at the fire first he burnt his right hand which subscribed his body suffered the flame with such constancie and steadfastnes as he neuer almost mooued his eyes lift vp to heauen often he repeated his vnworthie right hand Thus death which he most feared he most desired that he might take reuenge of himselfe for his sinne The vse that all good Christian hearts are to make of these desertions is manifold First if they haue outward rest and walke in the feare of God and be filled with the ioy of the holy Ghost let them not be high minded but feare least a forsaking follow Secondly if in any temptation they iudge themselues forsaken let them coÌ„sider this wonderfull worke of spirituall desertions which God exerciseth vpon his owne childreÌ„ very vsually then it may please the Lord they shal find it to be restoratiue against many a quame and swound of spirit conscience into which otherwise they would certainly fall Thirdly seeing God for their triall doth often withdraw himselfe from them let them again draw neere to God presse vnto him euen as a man that shiuers of an ague is always creeping to the fire If it be demanded how a man should come neere G O D the answer is by the vse of his word and praier For by his word he speakes to thee by prayer thou speakest to him Lastly seeing by desertions God will take experience of his seruants let euery man triâ— and search his waies and euer bâ— turning his feete to the waies of Gods commâ—ndements let him indeuour to keepe a good conscience before God and before all men that so he may with Dauid say Iudge me O Lord for I haue walked in mine innocencie my trust hath beene alwaies in the Lord I shall not sâ—ide prooue me O Lord and trie me examine my raines and my heart Vers. 9. Wherewithall shall a young man redresse his waies in taking heede thereto according to thy word FIrst of all be perswaded that the word of God is that onely rule whereby the whole life of euerie man and that in euerie thing must be ordered euen the life of a young man who hath most reasons for himselfe why hee should bee excused as he is most disordered Vers. 10. With mine whole heart haue I sought thee let mee not wander from thy commaundements THen vpon this perswasion giue your selfe vnfainedly to the reading and heating of God his word as the meanes whereby God hath appointed to teach you and pray to God in the carefull vse of those meanes for his holy spirit that thereby you might come to the true vnderstanding of his word Vers. 11. I haue hid thy promise in mine heart that I might not sinne against thee THat which you haue thus learned let it not onely swimme aloft in your braine but let it be deeply setled and grauen in your heart as a treasure labouring to frame all your affections according to it otherwise if thou knowe neâ—er so much it will notkeepe you from sinning against God Vers. 12. Blessed art thou O Lord teach me thy statutes YOu thus profiting giue thankes to God alwaies for that which you haue learned be it neuer so little it is more than many in the world doe know yet content not yourselfe with it as though you had sufficient but pray vnto him to be further inlightned because it is lesse than many other doe and yourselfe ought to know Vers. 13. With my lips haue I declared all the iudgements of thy mouth BVt aboue all be careful to talke of that to others which you do daily learne yourselfe and out of the abundance of your heart speake of good things vnto men Vers. 14. I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all riches THat you may doe all these things labour to haue a ioy in the word and in all the exercises of it more than in any worldly thing and to be occupied in these things with greatest delight for in what soeuer we take greatest delight that will stick fastest in vs. Vers. 15. I will meditate in thy precepts and consider thy waies LAst of all meditate and consider of that with yourselfe which you haue learned and muse vpon it alone not contenting yourselfe with the generall rules but labouring in
humble they feare themselues they seeke the Lord by prayer and are desirous to be established in the promises of God they are as strong as Mount Sion which cannot be remoued but remaineth for euer Psalme 125.1 Though then we be weake yet our Christ is strong though we haue many enemies yet the Lord hath promised to be our staie against them all Let vs knowe that perseuerance is as well the gift of God as to come at first to God We know what a free gift of God it was that we came to him Hee sought vs when we desired him not he found vs when we sought him not We see how before our calling we closed our eyes and would not see him we stopt our eares and would not heare him we drew backe and refused to goe to him and the Lord was faine to draw vs out so that our beginning came of God who reformed our iudgements and renewed our affections now to be established in seeing hearing and willingly drawing neere vnto God is his onely gift also Well we must be afraide of our selues and suspect our selues For why doe we slip often into such grosse sinnes why are we carried away with our owne affections why doe so many good motions die and perish in vs but only because of our securitie we are not careful to please God we are not afraide to offend God Well if we see that securitie hath bene the cause of our woe let vs labour to be carefull which is the cause of our good if securitie hath bene the cause we feared not let vs now be carefull that we may be afraide of our frailtie and trust in Gods word Otherwise if we be quiet with our selues and yeeld to presumption God will suffer vs to fall This is the cause why our sinnes breake out often to Gods dishonour and to the griefe of our owne consciences because we doe not more carefully to looke our thoughts and watch ouer our words It is added in this verse that I may liue So he saith Portion 10.4 Let thy tender mercies come vnto me that I may liue We see heere that the children of God thinke they haue no life if they liue not in Gods life For if we thinke we are aliue because we see so doe the bruit beasts if we thinke we are aliue because we heare so do the cattell if we thinke we are aliue because we eate and drinke or sleepe so do beasts if we thinke we liue because we doe reason and conferre so doe the Heathen The life of Gods children is the death of sinne for where sinne is aliue there that part is dead vnto God Art thou then giuen to malice to swearing to cursing to breaking of the Sabbath to adultery to filthines to stealing or slandring surely then art thou dead and if God should take away thy life from thee whilest thou art in this estate thy soule should goe sooner to hell than thy bodie to the graue We now see that Gods children finding themselues dull and slowe to good things when they cannot either reioyce in the promises of God or finde their inward man delighted with the law of God thinke themselues to be dead The Prophets meaning is this I am euen as a lumpe of flesh I am like an image or like an idoll of Gods childe I beare the face of his childe but I am as dead and as a blocke or a stocke or an idoll For as an idoll hath eyes and seeth not eares and heareth not mouth and speaketh not feete and goeth not euen so haue I eyes but I see not the glorie of my God I haue eares but I heare not the word of God I haue a mouth but I shewe not forth the iudgements of God I haue feete but I walke not in the law of my God The iust shall liue by faith Hab. 2. Rom. 1. Now I liue no more but Christ liueth in me saith the Apostle Oh that men would consider this that they are dead otherwise than their life is hidden in the promise and they haue no life but in Christ and from his spirit If the Prophet sayd this of himselfe where is the faith of our protestants where is the life of the godly where is their hope of a better life where is their practise of repentance where is the peace of conscience that passeth all vnderstanding where is the ioy of ChristiaÌ„s where is the care of mortification where is the quicknesse of sanctification where are all these become They are sewe and dead to good workes they liue in sinne they be but Christians in name they are very idols There is no life but in the word which we must finde by experience in our selues When Gods children finde this life of God in them then are they merrie and glad but when they feele that God withdraweth his spirit from them then they see how they are dead dull and carelesse as they were wont to be before they were regenerate Shall not this make vs more carefull and zealous of good workes and to be more iealous of our selues Let vs consider this that it is a ioy to haue a life and that euen the life of God the life of Angels the life of Christ when we contemne this life when wee are zealous of good workes when we feele spirituall ioyes when wee looke for a crowne of glorie when we labour to be renewed to the image of Christ. This is an heauenly life and though we will sweate and eate and drinke this is common with the beasts of the field and hauing no experience of faith in vs wee are either dangerously sicke or altogether dead If wee thinke it an hard matter to restore nature in a consumption how hard a thing is it to restore grace and saluation in a consumption of the soule If wee are without hope when a man is in a languishing disease when he hath no delight to eate when hee cannot brooke his meate and his sleepe is gone from him hee cannot labour and Physitians dare not meddle with him what hope is there when we are in such a consumption that the woâ—d which we heare doth vs no good the Sacraments which wee receiue doe vs no comfort prayer doth vs no good and when we cannot abide to labour in good workes surely it is a token we are almost languished to death if wee be not already dead wee are in extreame danger The Lord indeede is gracious and would not our death but if wee bee consuming and see it not if Gods life be going from vs and Sathans life is comming to vs if Gods graces be languishing in vs surely we are as dead Let vs then search our owne corruptione that we may see how neare we are to life or how neare wee are to death whether wee growe or consume whether for the one wee are to feare and pray to God or for the other to reioyce and praise God Thus we haue heard that the faith
is it to giue vs his truth to enrich vs with his Gospell and to blesse vs with such abundance of temporall things Oh that this were knowne of vs oh that euery man would say Oh Lord what am I that thou shouldest shewe mee such mercie to giue mee the enioying of thy word and Gospell more than any other and giuing it to mee makest me to vnderstand it aboue many oh what am I that thou shouldest offer to mee this goodnesse I was borne and conceaued in sinne I haue multiplied and enlarged my corruptions both before since my calling my vnthankfulnes is great my vnworthines therefore greater and yet thou hast not ceased to preferre me in mercies before many If we consider the fearefull iudgements of God in consuming all hypocrites who will not say that many haue beene called and few chosen When we shall see I say in the day of the Lord his seuere iudgements to tread downe these hypocrites and cause them to goe from his presence to hell oh how wil we esteeme that we are in Christ and say Oh how loue I thy law For I see thy iudgements are equall and thou dealest not with me in iustice but in mercie not in anger but in loue not in wrath but in pittie therfore they couenant is sweete because I haue deserued thy iudgements and thou hast spared me Vers. 120. My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am afraide of thy iudgements HEre may seeme at the first to be some contrarietie betweene feare and loue sith loue causeth not but casteth out feare For he had saide in the verse going before that hee loued the testimonies of the Lord and here he saith that his flesh trembled for feare Wherefore at the first sight here is some shew of contrariety but indeed there is none For he saith My flesh trembleth c. whereby he sheweth that as he loued the law of God in his inward man and with his part regenerate so it is the outward and olde man and the part vnrenued which is full of corruption that did feare So that as hee had Gods spirit to renue his minde hee had this witnesse in him that he did loue the promises of God but because his flesh rebelleth against the Spirit and hee found many corruptions of nature remaining in him and threatning him that after hee was like to fall againe if the Lord yea but a little should leaue him he saith I am afraid least for my vnthankfulnes and vnworthie refusing of thy mercie thou shouldest leaue me to my selfe and so shouldest make a way to thy iudgements Thus there is an harmonie in the Prophet for because as the flesh hath a trembling feare so the spirit reioyceth Thus as wee haue often heard Gods children finde to their comfort in themselues faith in Gods promises and a delight in his word sometime they are grieued for the absence of this sweetnes of faith in the same For as the presence of Gods spirit bringeth ioy so the absence thereof feare as faith breedeth a loue of Gods promises so infidelitie maketh vs afraid of his iudgements Although Noah had great cause to loue the promises of God for his wonderfull deliuerance so he had great cause to feare himselfe that he might haue fallen afterward Lot also hauing good cause to beleeue and embrace the couenant of God for his safegard had iust occasion also to haue suspected himselfe that he was subiect to falling It is said Prou. 28. 14. Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies but hee that hardeneth his heart shall fall into euill For where feare is not there is securitie securitie breedeth hardnesse of heart and hardnes of heart bringeth Gods wrath Wherfore the Apostle writing to the Philippians shewing that God worketh in vs both the will and the deede of doing good least hereby they should draw to themselues security addeth that they must fill the course of their saluation in feare and trembling For if wee doe only well by Gods grace working in vs wee are much to feare the absence of it Wherefore wee see how the man of God did iustly feare his part vnregenerate This feare of Gods children differeth much from the feare of the wicked for it bringeth vs to the Lord and driueth vs not from the Lord it helpeth and hindreth not our prayers it hurteth not but furthereth our duties For it maketh vs to feare least wee should lose Gods grace it causeth vs to waite more and more to haue it and hauing it moueth vs by prayer to continue it When Noah had Gods fauour he feared and being warned of God as Heb 11. 7. of the things which were as yet not seene moued with reuerence prepared the Arke c So Habacuk hearing of the iudgement of God which should fall vpon the faithfull by the Chaldeans saith Hâ—b 3. 16. My bellie trembled my lips shooke at the voyce rottennes entred into my bones and I trembled in my selfe Paul said he preached with feare and trembling Thus wee see how the good Saints of God did feare because they knewe that if the Lord should enter into iudgement with vs no flesh should be saued and that there was nothing in them but of mercie and therefore they acknowledge their weaknes vnworthinesse and wretchednesse Wee see also that Gods children haue diuers affects according to their diuers estates and though sometimes they are quickened through faith other times they are most ready to sinne if they doe not sinne No maruell then though the children of God feare when they see that God restraineth their will the greater their feelings are yet are they mixed with a reuerent feare of Gods maiestie and sight of their own corruptioÌ„s least they should not abide his glorie and least they should not continue in their good things We see moreouer that this feare humbled Noah that the Prophets Apostles spake in feare which the Lord gaue vnto them either to prepare them to some grace which they should receiue or else more zealously to keepe some grace which already they haue receiued And where it might be obiected that loue casteth out feare wee must vnderstand of that seruile and excessiue feare which driueth vs away from God And seeing though wee feele Gods loue by faith wee will feare then much more had we neede so to doe when by infidelitie wee feele not this loue So wee must haue both feare to prepare vs to grace and wee must haue loue to continue vs in this grace And surely onely they with whom this thing hath been familiar doe knowe how loue and feare doe dwell together For as blessed experiencâ— hath taught some that by this feare they haue attained to speciall graces and continued in them by the same so also by wofull experience some haue found that for want â—f this they either haue not tâ—sted of the grace of God or else not continued in the same PORTION 15. AYN. Vers. 1â—1 I haue executed iudgement and iustice
readie to deceiue themselues they are in daÌ„ger of being hardned because the maÌ„ of God here so ioyneth both together that he should haue â—is steps directed least that iniquitie should haue the dominion ouer him for I take the whole verse to be but one request The sooner we meete with temptation the better we shall ouer match it the longer wee continue and let it alâ—ne the longer will be our conflict If we begin betimes we shall easily conquer it if we let it alone we shall easily be conquered For it will either get ground of vs ouerreach vs and get the vantage or else we must get ground and vantage of it if it ouercome vs wee shall hardly recouer our paces This is then the wisedome of God his spirit in his children which men call precisenes to set a warie and heedy watch ouer euery affection that we thinke ouer euery word which we speake ouer euery deede we doe least wee be deceiued and through deceite bee hardened and so iniquitie get the dominion ouer vs. Thus we see the Prophet desireth the gift of perseuerance acknowledging that to continue is Gods gift as well as to begin And in that he desireth speciall mercy to perseuere he declareth that many begin well but afterward iniquitie getteth the vpper hand and they fall away so that it is a peculiâ—r mercy of God to preserue his to the end And in praying as well here for the 〈…〉 affections as he did before for the direction of his iudgmeÌ„t he giueth vs to vnderstand that if we purpose to perseuere we must no lesse looke to our affections than to our iudgement This then is a double grace of God on whomsoeuer first to haue our iudgement enlightened and then to haue our affections touched Direct my feete c. As our feete carie our bodies so our affections support our actions It is a good thing to stay our affections when our outward actions are rightly ordered and for this cause mention is made so often in the booke of God of lifting vp our eyes of holding vp our hands of walking with our feete As then we will haue our affections truly touched for we must not contemne this outward gouernment Now whereas he prayeth that the secret masse of corruption which lieth in him may not breake out in him he noteth that they who are carelesse of their finall perseuerance make little conscience of their former corruptions But such are greatly to feare least that in the latter end of their regeneration they bee cast our of Paradise with Adam and throwne out of the Church with Cain For if Adam sinned in Paradise whilest as yet he was perfect how easily may we fall which are in the dayes wherein iniquitie doth raigne and are full of imperfections Againe as we touched briefly before God his children doe not tarrie so long as to labour for life and striue for breath in temptations but in the beginning they espie their errours whereby they see how they might sail further were it not that Gods spirit mightily did preserue them And surely euery man by experieÌ„ce shal find that the sooner we begin to 〈…〉 the more speedily and easily we shall preuaile against it whether it be that we are tempted to leaue good things vndone or to doe things not to be done For let a man once leaue the searching of his heart vpon some great necessitie cease from the ransacking and rifling of his conscieÌ„ce when he hath not happily slipt notoriously we may see we may find our recouery to our exercises againe But if we haue omitted these exercises a long time and often when we should come to practise them and put them in vre againe what a strange thing will this seeme to vs how hardly shall wee get our hearts to yeeld to it our flesh is vnwilling this thing is so vncome vnto vs that we are faine to sweate againe for those practises of prayer and priuate examination which by vsing we had with ease and by not vsing we had almost lost Wherefore as proofe maketh euident like as in a tree though the rootes be somewhat mangled yet there will sprout buds which with a small instrument by daily resorting to them and keeping vnder may be kept from much growing and yet afterward by negligence and permission as with a hatchet they will hardly be hewen down And as in a great concourse of waters though the fountaine be stopped yet the riuers remaine open which being taken in time with a floud-gate may bee staied and leesing long oportunitie by great bankes from ouerflowing caÌ„not be restrained euen so a man in the beginning of his temptation whilest as yet it is but in the sprout and hauing a little course is vnable to make any great breach by prayer and the spirit of God may bee kept vnder and stayed but if it be left alone not looked to as before the extraordinarie spirit of the Preacher or the extraordinarie trauell of a man in prayer and fasting will not be able to remedie it Well many there be that charme the charmer neuer so wisely they will not heare that they might preuent the rage of sinne If when we shall vse all meanes to subdue sinne all is too little if we giue it any libertie how great is the daunger If a man in vsing a sparing dyet moderate apparell and little sleepe shall still finde in himselfe a selfe-loue and liking of sinne how much more when hee frameth himselfe to all the guises and fashions of the world shall he see selfe-loue preuaile against him when wee are iustified in Christ and ingraffed into him by faith and yet haue not the rootes of sinne throughly pulled out not the riuers of iniquitie dried vp but onely the spring head is staied I know there be many who thinke it a precisenesse to be so much afraid of our owne weakenes and to be watchfull and warie of our owne affections yea and oftentimes in those things which to iudgement are lawfull yet abstaineth in life and in our practise but blessed be that feare and happie is that precisenesse which is so carefull ouer our owne infirmities and so much suspecteth our owne wants and weakenesse Wherefore the man of God still prayeth for perseuerance In thy word In that he maketh the word of God his meanes of perseuering he teacheth vs that though we haue profited neuer so much yet vnlesse the word of God enlighten our iudgements and reforme our affections we may easily erre out of the way We knowe but in part our heart is reformed but in part our knowledge is bettered but in part and that which we haue is giuen of God by the preaching of the word and working of his spirit and that we may yet be deliuered from those affections which in vs remaine corrupt wee had neede to pray for the vse of the word Againe in that he would be grieued by the word the man of God sheweth
more than the glorie of God because he did not more seuerely and more zealously rebuke his sons and in that there wanted in him that feruencie of spirit whreby he should haue cut off his sonnes from their office wherefore the hand of God did cut off his life and depriued all his posteritie of the Priesthood Although this good man was offended and grieued with the euils of his sonnes yet his coldnes in zeale brought â—pon him this plague Elias whose zeale as much pleased the Lord as the coldnes of Elie displeased him was of a feruent spirit for when the Lord asked him where he had been he answered I haue beene zealous for the Lord God of Hosts sake and when he complained that he could finde none which had not bowed vnto Baal the Lord vouchsafeth to comfort him and telleth him there be 7000. which neuer bowed their knees to him Well because he continued zealous in beating downe Idolatrie the Lord came downe visibly with a firie Chariot and fetched Eliah from earth to heauen We need not here speake of the great zeale of Moses Phinees and other of the seruants of God We see and know the cause of this loue in the man of God was the purenesse of the word We heard in the first verse that the iudgements of the Lord were righteous we haue heard in the second verse that the testimonies of the Lord contained a speciall righteousnesse wee shall heare in the sixt verse that the righteousnesse of the Lord is an euerlasting righteousnesse wee may see in the seuenth verse that it made him delight in trouble and in the eight verse that the righteousnesse of the Lord is euerlasting Wherefore doth hee this as we haue alreadie said to strengthen his Faith for after hee had said that the riuers of teares through zeale and griefe burst out of his eyes hee addeth and rehearseth these things What shall we say they are vaine repititions Nay we know the holy Ghost reproueth them Math. 6. We see then that in so oft commending the word of God the Prophet sheweth to vs our vnbeliefe which he felt so much in himselfe When do idle repetitions so much displease the Lord Surely when our tongues walke idlie and in our prayers wee speake we know not what But when a mans heart is full of sorrow and fraught with griefe of his sinnes or earnestly longeth after a thing then let vs crie Lord haue mercie vpon mee then let vs powre out our spirits say Sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me Lord I belieue helpe my vnbeliefe Thus when the heart is loth to bee ouercome of vnbeliefe and when it desireth to shewe forth his sorrow or when Gods children would exercise their Faith or feele in themselues any rare ioy which they would gladly expresse then they vse manie repetitions as wee may see both in the booke of Chronicles and the Psalmes Praise yee the Lorde because hee is good for his mercie endureth for euer where wee shall see in 26. verses this still repeated for his mercie endureth for euer What shall wee say now that here is any needlesse repetition No well we see here then that wee must not speake simplie against repetitions but in great wisedome of the Spirit because the heart of the godly cannot satisfie it selfe with Faith and feeling of Gods promises vnlesse it breaketh foorth as a fire into many speeches Hereby we know now that the man of God here expresseth his faith we are to learne that without some liuely feeling of faith of ioy or of griefe we are not to vse oft repetitions vnlesse happily they be vsed to stirre vs vp the more to these or such like So cried the woman of Canaan O Sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me and being rebuked she still cried O Sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me We would thinke it somewhat strange and as a great matter to see a poore body shoote out so many prayers at once when they speake out of the abundance of their heart which is stuffed with so many griefes and troubles Thy word saith the Prophet is proued true it hath no changeable goodnesse but hath in it an euerlasting righteousnes seruing for all ages for all persons and for all times Mens opinions faile the wisedome strength and authoritie of man in time hath an end but this Word is exceeding large and neuer hath end Thy word is proued pure Many would thinke this to be but a small commendation for the word of God but come to a man when his minde is much troubled and tell him of the word and what purenesse what comfort will he finde in it Surely he will be as one that hath no taste in it and as one that feeleth no more sweetnesse than a sicke man doth taste in a chip And notwithstanding all that the word shall doe to him he will still follow his owne waies and goe on forward in the deuices of his owne head Doe men then feele such infinite comfort in the word so much is their comfort as is their faith and so little is their faith as little is their comfort Looke into Gods children how greatly they lament their vnbeleefe looke into Dauid looke on Iob looke on the late and blessed Martyr of God Bradford who almost in all his bookes and in euery meditation complaineth of his vnbeleefe notwithstanding that he was a man so rich in the graces of God so throughly mortified to the world so stayed in faith and yet the neerer he came daily to Christ the more he stil crieth against vnbeleefe Wherefore Paul seeing this to be a common disease among all men saith This is a faithfull thing and worthie of all men to be remembred That Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners this is a faithfull saying with such like speeches which the Apostle vseth as preparatiues to stirre vp our faith The purenesse of the word is mentioned of the Prophet when after he had lamented the miserable ellate of the godly and the great decay of godlinesse he crieth out to the Lord speedily to assist his children saying Helpe Lord Psal. 12. 4 for there is not a godly man leâ—â— c. and by and by he addeth verse 6. The wordes of the Lord are pure words as the siluer tried in a furnace of earth fined seuen fold If we should imagine the purest siluer that is often tried and serueth in the court for Princes euen so pure must we beleeue the word of God to be which not seuen times alone but seuentie times seuen times hath beene tried in the fire of aduersitie and still hath remained most pure and neuer could any corruption bâ— found in it Wee haue seene good men as it were confounded and yet comforted and being tried are found to be pure The meaning of the man of God in that place is trie the word as you doe trie the purest mettals with persecution with torment with contempt or howsoeuer I
vs if we like idolatrie idolaters will be acquainted with vs if we wil walke carefully our selues and will not rebuke the sinnes of the world or desire the dreames of heresies happily we shall passe scot-free but when we hate the world the world will hate vs because though we be in the world we are not of the world Iohn 15. If we proclaime warre with heresies heretikes will condemne vs if we taunt and rebuke the sinnes and cold profession of worldlings they will soone put vs to silence For it may be they will be content that we should be Momes and doe well and not rebuke them but when we pull at their sins by the eares and lay violent hands on their cold profession then we shall see the enmitie betweene the seed of the Serpent and the seed of the Woman Thus we see so long as we will shake hands with the world the flesh and the diuell we shall be quiet enough but all our perils and dangers are in resisting them For all must haue these troubles that make their choise but all make not this choise therefore are so quiet all must suffer persecution that will liue godly in Christ Iesus but so few suffer because so few liue godly in Christ Iesus We may now conclude that all our conflicts are in new birth not that we haue more troubles temptatiōs in regeneration than in old birth but because we were so sowsed and brawned in them that we saw them not so much as we afterward do being enlightned with Gods spirit Why do the wicked then say of vs Oh these are new Professours ne◠fangled these men had need haue a new world surely because there is no argument with the worldlings and Gods children But all these troubles are to make vs more zealous in our choise True it is the Lord dealeth fauourably with vs in the beginning as a father dandleth his childrē as the Bridegroome vseth the children of the marriage but we are growne and are past children in knowledge and profession he thinketh it meete we should be purged as gold seuen times in the furnace Psal. 12 He thinketh we must be pruned to bring forth fruit more aboundantly Ioh. 15. If we dally then with our sinnes as truly as God hath sworne our saluation and it is most sure we shall be saued so hath he ordained meanes for so many as shall be saued as his word Prayer the Sacraments and discipline which when they doe not preuaile with vs yet hath he sanctified another meane that is affliction wherewith he wil rather humble vs than we should leese our saluation that when prayer cannot helpe vs when the word doth not instruct vs when the Sacraments doe not confirme vs when discipline doth not awe vs we should taste of this last remedie his fatherly correction Here we see deliberation did put the reasons in the ballance and election made the choise and Gods children comparing and examining the loue of the world with the loue of God though they be made of the same mould that others are made of yet seeing the iudgement of God on both parts they ponder the reasons of one side and the reasons of another side and after long deliberation they forsake that glory riches and dignitie which the world doth offer and taketh that which the Lord in mercy bestoweth on them But the wicked goe indeed so far as they see the good but to their condemnation for light comming into the world they refused it and though with Balaam sometimes they desire to die the death of the children of God yet they blot out these motions forsaking the word they follow error farsaking God they follow the diuell forsaking the Church they cleaue to the world so iust is their cōdēnation for burying the light of God his spirit Vers. 174. I haue longed for thy saluation O Lord and thy law is my delight THe man of God goeth on forward in shewing his vnfained affection to the word and therefore here he sheweth both how he longed for it and also how in the meane time he slayeth himselfe It might seeme a general speech of lesse importance which he vseth here for who is so farre gone and hath so small hope of recouerie that cannot say he longeth for his saluation for we reade that euen Balaam desired to be saued and the most wicked in their life time will haue many wishes of their saluation What notable thing then is there here in the man of God true it is that the Lord wringeth out thus much often euen out of the mouth of the wicked vnto whom he imparteth so much of his right and goodnes that they see what they should do desire but yet in truth they do it not in that their desire is so short and slender When we see then that all their wishing and praying commeth to nothing it is sure they are but hypocrites Againe they will say they long for saluation but they will not vse the meanes thereunto as if one should say he longed for bread and pray daily giue vs this day our daily bread and yet they will either walke in no calling or else get it by fraude rapine not staying themselues at al on Gods prouidence but they long rather for other things ioyned with Gods glory than for God his will howsoeuer in the meane season they make the help of God their pretence so it is in the spirituall estate of the soule for although Idolaters heretikes and hypocrites say that they long for their saluation yet they long indeed for their profit pleasure glorie and self-loue For if they longed for that saluation which is of God they would not so follow their owne dreames reuelations and superstitions but vse those meanes of the word which the Lord himselfe hath appointed As for prophane Professours they will indeed say as much as the other but bring them to the word to prayer to the Sacraments and to discipline yee shall see they haue no sound longing but are carried away with the desires of their owne flesh and blood Wherfore we see how this longing of the man of God differeth from the longing of other men as we may see by the sequels for my delight is in thy word Where wee see that as he longed after saluation so hee delighted in the meanes thereunto And here as we often shewed before the lawe is taken for that generall thing of the whole word of God and not for the particular thing of the morall lawe which consisteth in bidding and forbidding in promises to the obedient and threatnings to the disobedient And that the true longing is no newe thing in him but appertaineth to all men we may see in the first Psalme where he is said to be blessed who seuereth himselfe from the wicked in thought word and deed both in religion manners and giueth himselfe to meditate continually in the word Now if we will trie our selues whether
which is within but as good merchants keeping somewhat rather in the store-house of our hearts than as bankerupts which spend all at once or make a shew of all in our shop 3 In Pharaoh ye shall finde these speciall notes of Hypocrisie Take this death from me oneâ—y this once So many being in distresse haue more prayèd for the release of paine than for the forgiuenes of sinnes which cause the paine And therefore such being released are nothing the better as may often be obserued Contrariwise if we be grieued more for sin than for the punishment and can well beare the punishment so that the sinne were taken away then it is a certaine signe that we shall liue vprightly if the cup of affliction be taken from vs and assuredly it shall be taken away or else recompenced with some spirituall grace 4 The drunken peace of hypocrites must not be â—oupled with oyle but pierced with the two-edged sword of Gods word to the discouering of the secret corruption of the heart 5 It is the temptation of the godly to feare whatsoeuer they doe they doe it in hypocrisie but they are to know for their comfort that therefore they be not hypocrites because they see their hypocrisie which kinde of hypocrisie in them is not the grosse deceiuing which is in the wicked but that secret corruption of nature which mixeth it selfe in the best actions of the godly Neither is it possible to leaue this sinne wholy as long as we liue but to see it and mislike it is all that is required and can be performed of vs. The godly doe not desire to seeme to doe any thing better than indeed they doe it neither doe they desire to seeme to doe that which they doe not And whensoeuer they doe espie any weakenes in themselues they mourne for it And this desire of a perfect sinceritie and mislike of priuie hypocrisie is vnto them a sure zeale of their saluation and sanctification in Christ. 6 When men suffer themselues to be deceiued it is to be feared they will be hardened Let vs remember that Gods grace assisting sinne may easily be conquered of vs when it is young but we may easily be ouercome of it when it is old 7 It is easie to fall into hardnesse of heart by continuance in euill customes without remorse we see then it is a good thing to be moued betimes and often to be moued for it is a precious thing to haue a melting heart as contrarie a dangerous thing to haue a hard heart not yeelding to trueth Let vs not harden our hearts least the Lord also come to harden vs Heb. 3. For many not altogether abstaine at the first yet yeelding to sinne become obstinate altogether at the last Admonition is a meanes to keepe vs from it We should then be readie to giue eare to good counsell and admonition and be willing also to admonish others It is in vaine to controll the outward senses without the rebuking of the heart 8 Exod. 10. 1. the Lord saith of Pharaoh I haue hardened his heart because Pharaoh had a long time hardened his owne heart as is recorded in the former chapters therfore here the Lord is said to harden it that is wholy to giue him ouer to the diuell So man is said to harden his heart when he will not heare Gods word the diuell when he gouerneth vs and the Lord when he leaueth vs in Sathans handling Man then is guiltie of this sinne and the Lord doth iustly harden for the punishment of former sinnes The Lord is said to harden as he is said to leade into temptation and that is when he withdraweth his spirit from vs and leaueth vs to our selues and then we stay not long till we be hardened Pharaoh had many plagues yet this is the greatest for if his heart had not been hard these would haue had an end but this hardnes made the other but tasâ—s of hel because we do lesse feare this great plague than many other We ought to correct this in our selues for the childreÌ„ of God must feare this more than any other plague For if we doe but feare worldly punishments so doe the wicked but if we doe feare hardnesse of heart and other spirituall punishments then we may be sure Gods spirit hath wrought that feare If we couet worldly things this doe the Heathen Matth. 6 but if we desire the light of Gods countenance Psalme 119. and 4. and 67. this doe Gods deare children Wherefore as we labour for these things which our nature desires feare the coÌ„trarie so let vs labour for the light of Gods spirit and feare least it be quenched in vs or else decayed as when we feare pouertie we labour to be rich and when we feare sicknesse we labour to preuent it so let vs labour for our soules so long as we feele a taste in Gods word feare his iudgements and be comforted in his mercy if we labour to encrease the graces receiued the Lord no doubt will worke with vs but if this be not in vs it is to be feared least the Lord will harden 9 All men are naturally euill so that if the Lord giue not light and softnesse of heart we may all be iustly hardened this is as iust as other iudgements of God are When any thing is spoken in the Word which toucheth another that man will greedily snatch Againe if there be any thing that may cherish them in their sinnes that they note but that which concerneth their amendment they vtterly forget And this sheweth that we are the cause of our owne hardening for when the Lord cannot preuaile with his word then will he leaue men to themselues and then they stay not till they come to hardnesse We must not stay till the Lord strike vs with punishments for if we be hardened we shall not perceiue it and therefore the case is so much the more dangerous but so soone as we feele any coldnesse or dulnesse of spirit then let vs feare and stirre vp our selues that we may continually gaine some knowledge and feeling and thus may we prouide against hardnesse of heart 10 First the hypocrite desireth rather to seeme than to be it is said such crie Lord Lord they are most glorious Secondly he is more busie about the outward worke than about the spirituall and acceptable maner of performing the same Mat. 23. 27. Thirdly he worketh his saluation securely and coldly not with feare and trembling as Phil. 2. 12. not striuing with his rebellious lusts nor longing after the gifts of regeneration nor forgetting that which is behinde endeuouring himselfe forward Philip. 3. 13. Fourthly he hath no resolute purpose to endure but is wauering and vnconstant in all his wayes not cleauing to the Lord with purpose of heart Act. 11. 23. Fiftly hee is more carefull to stop the grosse sinnes than to damme vp the fountaine
be turned into sinne yet if we can continue in prayer and be diligent therein if we can euen then also heare the word when wee can receiue no comfort thereby yea though it euer rebuke vs and seeme to make our cōdemnation knowne vnto vs if wee can abide our selues to bee touched and continue our care to heare the word still if we can doe these things it is a notable token of true faith and the great worke of Gods good spirit doth shewe it selfe herein yea and that more liuely than when a man hath comfortable feeling 11 It is a speciall fauour of the Lord when he giueth such Ministers or Magistrates as will pray for the people for so they may see that he will not punish them as he ought but yet forbeareth them We see in Psalm 106. That by the prayer of Moses and Phineas the Lords wrath was stayed and Samuel prayed for the people Therefore Ministers and Magistrates ought to labour euen by praying and doing good for the people that euen for their sakes the Lord may spare them though they haue deserued to be punished Contrariwise it is a signe of Gods wrath when hee withdraweth the hearts of Ministers and Magistrates from the people and that they cannot doe them good 12 The lifting vp of the hands is taken sometimes for prayer it selfe the signe for the thing it selfe so the speech is vsed Psal. 141. 2. Let the lifting vp of my hands bee as an Euening sacrifice And in Tim. 2. 6. I will that men lifte vp pure hands in euery place Where we see that the truth of the things is ioyned neerly with the signe For if a man haue not an heart his lifting vp of hands is nothing but if the heart be thoroughly mooued then also will the eye be lifted vp yet we doe lift vp our eyes that our hearts thereby may be the better lifted vp and our eye doth not wander nor our care doth harken after other things but our hearts haue first wandered 13 When Moses preuailed with the Lord by prayer then did he also preuaile against his enemies S. Iames saith The prayer of a righteous man preuaileth much if it be feruent So that if he be not a righteous man that prayeth or if the righteous mans prayers are not feruēt it will not preuaile As S. Iames therefore gathereth a generall of a particular so may we gather that if we be feruent in prayer then we shall preuaile but if we be not feruent we can haue no hope And that is the cause that in our matters we bring not our purpose to passe because we are cold in praier or trust too much to our owne wisedome or such like Therefore in what matter soeuer we haue in hand if we do first seeke to God by prayer in feruencie as did the men of God herein then shall we preuaile as well as euer they did 14 Those things which wee heare and reade are other mens vntill by applying them to our selues by Meditation they be made ours 15 As reading hearing and conferring of the word do more encrease knowledge then feeling So praying singing and meditating doe more increase feeling then knowledge 16 It is not certaine how long after his sacrifice and prayer Iacob receiued comfort and therefore we see that the comfort of the Spirit doth not alwayes depend vpon the meanes neither is bound thereunto but sometime cōmeth long after the vsing of them As Christ saith of the Husbandmen that they sowe and looke long after for the fruites of the earth which may teach vs comfort for that our prayers are neuer in vaine but alwayes graunted though sometime long after and here are those corrected which looke for comfort immediately vpon their requests not knowing that sinne is the cause why wee receiue not when we aske and for that we vse not the meanes aright this also trieth our obedience if we will with patience continue vsing the same meanes though presently we feele not the fruite of them and learne with Marke and the Apostles to lay vp things in our hearts to trie what will come of them afterward Iacobs vision is not a bare and mute thing but is ioyned with the word and teacheth that all comfort must come out of the word and therefore what comfort by Sacraments visions apparitions and such like doth not leade vs to the word nor worke in vs greater obedience to the same nor giueth vs some victory ouer sinne that is vaine and proceedeth of error It is Faith in the Promises that worketh in vs obedience and therfore in euery commandement there is a promise either vnderstood or expressed for the law is spirituall and requireth a spirituall obedience which we cannot performe because we be carnall and by nature disobedient except the Lord do minister grace vnto vs. 17 Violence as it were must be vsed in the heart when we pray because it is the heauie iudgement of God that verball prayers bring vs to great blockishnes 18 It is good to reade before prayer to the better preparing of our hearts thereunto 19 Where prayer wanteth the action of sinne is as ready as the temptation 20 Generally we must desire Gods mercies greedily but particularly wee must aske them conditionally and with affection as well to leaue the thing asked as to haue it 21 Manie are barren in grace because they are barren in prayer We cannot be drie in the grace of God so long as wee resort to Christ by prayer who hath the seauen Vialls of gold full of seuen-fold mercies 22 In singing of Psalmes without some speciall occasion he would say in company specially of such as were of some generall instruction although priuately for himselfe according to his griefe ioy or affectiō he would sing proper Psalmes yet he thought they that did most reioyce might sing the Psalmes of greater griefe to put them in mind what was or may bee in them as also to season their ioyes with the remembrance of the sorrow of some of the Saints Againe those that are most throwne downe might reape fruit in vsing the Psalmes of greatest comfort that they may see what hath been and what is belonging to them after that they haue sowne in teares and mourned with that holy repentance which is not to be repented of 23 There be two extremities of singers Some hearing the action to bee good vse it of custome Some hearing that wee must vse it with prepared hearts stay so long for fitting themselues thereunto that they leaue it often vndone Others vse it so often and yet so vnfruitfully that their customable singing breedes wearisomnesse wearisomnesse causeth tediousnes and tediousnes causeth to leaue all Then wee are indeede prepared to sing when the word dwels so plentifully in vs and we be so filled with the Spirit that the assurance of our sinnes pardoned the perswasion of God his fauour the hatred of sinne the loue of
in vaine And yet to cleanse hand foote eye tongue and all without is called but the cleansing of the outside of the platters But wee must not rest here We must goe yet further and be pure in heart for Blessed are the pure is heart such shall receiue the blessing We had great neede to cleanse our spirits for as they retained the image of GOD before sinne came so now being corrupted they are most corrupt For euerie thing degenerating into a contrarie Nature to that which it was is made most contrarie The honie a very sweete thing yet when it is often purified many haue a most bitter matter of it So GOD his nature is gentle and hee is long ere he be prouoked to wrath but when he is angrie who is able to abide his wrath downe goe mountains and hills and all before him so the perfectest part of man being euill is of all things most abominable to the Lord. This deceiues all men to thinke some good thing is left in them But if the tongue which speaketh out of the abundance of the heart haue but the ouerplus and superfluitie of the heart be a world of wickednes as S. Iames saith how much wickednes thinke yee is in the heart Nay the sinne of the spirit is so euill that the Lord hates the smal smoking stemes of it euen the very euaporations which ascend out of it There be some motes in it which in the darke cannot be seene as in time of superstition because of their palpable ignorance they cannot be discerned but when the Sunne beames come those little motes are espied Vntill the Sunne-beame had shined to Paule he could not see these motes but afterward he saw that Thou shalt not lust was a great thing and then seeing his motes he fell out of conceit with himselfe Our fine spirits now-adayes will admit Religion but they wil mingle it with that filthines that comes out of theÌ„selues I meane their owne wittie conceits Thus we see that a man that will grow vp to the cleere hope of a better life hee must be cleansed from all filthines of the spirite euen from his finest sinnes for otherwise they will worke him woe enough 11 Touching sanctification wee must haue our direction out of the old Testament and we must consider whether our thoughts words and works be cleansed from their outward corruptions and though we be not guilty to men notwithstanding I say our thoughts are not sure And all things are impure vnto the Lord vnles they be sequestred and made impropriate to God so that if we haue set our very thoughts apart to God then there is a holines begun and then we are meete not onely for meate but for a sanctified vse To vnderstand this the better we must know that the Iewes who referre vs by proportion of sanctification to the signes which the Lawe hath set downe say that sundrie beasts seruing for meat only were not vncleane but if they come to an holy vse they were vncleane So we though wee be not vncleane in these outward things yet that is not enough wee must be cleane also to serue the Temple holy as the Temple that is holy Now the difference of the beasts vsed in the Temple and other coÌ„mon beasts is in this the beasts vsed to a common vse were vsed in many things but those of the Temple were vsed but to one So if we be to serue for an holie vse wee must not be for when and for what we list but taken vp in thought word and deede to scrue the Lorde wee are not to bestowe our thoughts on all things but to referre them to the Lord mediately or immediately 12 Certaine it is that to the cleansing of our selues as it was in the Lawe that the goâ—â— and siluer being cleansed for the seruice of God had such a defiling by the seruice of Idols that no water could wash them cleane enough but being neuer so well purged yet they must of necessitie passe through the fire so wee say of our corrupt nature though wee cleanse it and cleanse it very oft and very much being so much corrupted both of it selfe and with the touch of outward things yet it must needes goe through fire and passe by death which must throughly purge it without which it cannot wholy be purified For before an vniuersall cleansing there must be a dissolution of nature There may be other seruices to vse in vs as there was of those beasts that were for meat but when we must come to that one and immediate seruice of God there cannot be any vntill our nature he dissolued and are passed through the furnace of death and so we shall be freed from all filthines In the meane season the crackes and breaches of our nature and the corruption crept into the bones sinewes and veines hidden in the secret parts betweene the marrow and the ioynts whither the Apostle saith the word of God doth pearce Heb. 4. 12 I meane the sinnes of naturall corruption shall not be laide to our charge and for other pollutions in our soules we are to striue against them and to growe vp in the feare of God which 2 Cor. 7. 1. is to fulfill as the Virgin Mary fulfilled the daies of her purification the daies of our sanctification The word is taken from the text of the booke of Numbers where the daies of consecrating a Nazarite must be fulfilled Hee should be many daies in cleansing himselfe which if they were not fulfilled his sanctification should not be perfect So that if the Nazarite coutinued thus vntill the end then he should be free but if euen the verie night before his time was ended he touched any vncleane thing then all that he did before was voide and hee was to begin all his dayes againe for he was impure For so long as any part of the sanctification is to be done all is vnperfect This is more cleerly set downe Numb 19 11. 12. where mention is made of purifying the third day and the seuenth day and if the man touching the dead did not fulfill euery day then though he came neere the end and fulfilled not the end he should be impure still if he purified not himself the third day he should not be cleane the seuenth day So we must not deliuer an holinesse to God for a time or in some causes or for some persons but we must throughly fulfill the dayes of our holinesse not presenting I say a maimed holines as in the Law it was not permitted for a man to offer a lame or maimed beast though it wanted but a taile which was a small thing yet for that defect the Lord refused it There are a great manie of professors which would needes be men sanctified but they are loathe to be cleansed and to fulfill the dayes of their holinesse They will goe a while a day or two dayes they will not come to the third
what say you to the Truth of Religion that is among vs why our Doctrine is sound enough that needes not to be spoken of No Yes surely very needfull it is to speake of it Truth indeede runnes about the Church-walles for eares and goeth about the Pillars but it findeth no nearers and as the wise man saith he that hath a Treasure in store and not in vse is as though he had it not so we may say of our Age men haue a little knowledge but for want of vsing it they are as though they had no knowledge and seeing wee hide our knowledge if wee haue it and we cannot speake the truth at our going in and our going out as men are charged by Moses wee cannot be said to haue the truth So in a second degree Paul would haue vs vse the world as though we vsed it not surely had hee made his wish of the Truth as hee did of the world hee had surely had it All our knowledge is a knowledge of the braine it is not a knowledge of the hart for it neuer makes vs set lesse on the score of sinne yee shall see this plaine wee know that fire will burne and because wee know it indeede by no paine almost can wee be brought to put our finger in the fire and doubtles if wee were perswaded that sinne would burne vs as a fire wee would not so easily put our hands vnto it And I would know if a man had a rule or gold-weight whereby he might measure his timber weigh his mettals and yet he neuer vseth either his rule or his weights what good it would doe him Talke of religion and begin to speake of the word and you shall haue manie that will holde you talke a whole dinner time or halfe a day and looke into their liues and common course of their conuersation and they wil falsifie whatsoeuer they haue said so they haue a thing but without all vse of it There is yet another thing mentioned Ephes 6. and that is a gyrdle of Truth it must be tyed to vs but our truth is not gyrt to vs it sitteth not close to vs it will easilie be shaken off from vs if the Crosse come and persecution shake vs a little wee can easily shift it off 4 A man would not willingly dwell by an euill nature and hatred will driue any man a way Truth is hated among vs and no maruell though it delight not to be among vs. If a man should take vpon him to plucke vp an olde-hedge and to admonish one of sinne straight way one Snake or other will bee ready to hisse at him and to sting him for his labour They that should looke to vs are hated and if a man be so bold as to tell a man of his fault he shall haue a rebuke for his paines with this scoffe or the like this is one of the wise generation which can telll the truth so cold an occupation is it to tell the truth So that we are not onely culpable for not hauing Truth but because we haue driuen Truth out of the Land It would grieue me to name mens sinnes herein but yet your selues know that a man will sell credite Faith and all that he hath to set Truth out of the way and shall wee thinke then that Truth hath any heart to dwell among vs seeing wee sell it for two-pence or a groate nay for a paire of old-shooes But let vs know seeing that CHRIST hath pronounced himselfe to be the TRVTH hee hath made these men that sell the Truth guiltie of the sinne of Iudas they sell Christ not for so much but for halfe so much nay for a quarter so much as Iudas sold him For CHRIST is TRVTH and CHRIST is solde 5 Contempt and hatred ouerthroweth all estates if either the Law be contemned or the Law-giuer hated And as in Kingdomes so it fareth for this point in the Church if the law of God be not esteemed then the iealousie of the Lord of Hostes will surely either take away his Law or punish the abusers of it The cause of contempt commonly as they say is familiaritie Familiarity breedeth contempt Indeed the wise men of the world noted that there were three excellent mothers which brought forth three very euill daughters The mothers are these first Familiaritie which is the high pitch of friendship brings vp contempt so the more we enioy the thing loued the viler it growes in our eyes Secondly truth breeds hatred The third is peace and that is the mother of idlenesse and securitie So that whatsoeuer is free in vâ—e once that growes vile as Manna though it were a verie precious thing did in the eyes of the Israelites Yet we must know that albeit somtime these issue from these mothers yet they be not their natural daughters The naturall child of familiaritie is not contempt but it commeth of our corrupt nature which is cleane opposite to the nature of God For as the nature of God is so perfectly good that he doth turne euen very euill things to very good things as the malice of the Iewes in putting his Sonne to death to be a meane of our saluation so our nature is so absolutely euill that it turnes very good things into euill Wherfore retaining this foolish axiome of vanitie that nothing is precious but rare strange things it commeth not of the nature of the thing which is still good but of our nature which no more esteemes it In the first of Samuel it is said the word was precious in those daies which was because it was rare for they accounted highly of Samuel because they had no Prophet long before but we must not doe so neither in other things doe we so Doe we in naturall things contemne the sunne the water and the fire because they be vsuall we doe not Then surely naturally we contemne not a thing for familiaritie but the cause of contempt is the ignorance of the vse of the thing and therefore no doubt as we doe not contemne the sunne the water the fire because we know and are perswaded of the true vse of them so therefore we doe in long vse contemne the word and prayer and sacraments because we know not the necessitie and the vse of them Whensoeuer then we begin to be cloyed let vs know the nature of a sinne doth begin to grow in vs not that in the long vse of the word we are so full of knowledge but for that we know not the vse of it and therefore like swine we leaue the pearle and goe to the shels Greatly therefore are we to pray against this Concerning hatred when the pearles are contemned the Ieweller is wrathfull and when the word is despised the Lord is surely displeased for which cause good men feeling their spirits to grow hot at the sight of such contempt and the contemners seeing themselues to be drawen out
for all those which receiuing the first fruites of thy holy spirit walke before thee in vprightnesse of their heart wee thy vnworthy children come vnto thee in the name of thy onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ our Lord beseeching thee to renue and encrease thy holy spirit in vs and to purifie our hearts more and more by faith that we may haue a clearer sight and a surer perswasion of thy fatherly goodnesse vnto vs and that wee may more readily performe our dutifull obedience vnto thee For wee doe acknowledge and confesse vnto thy sacred Maiestie that we haue yet neuer hitherto worthily esteemed thy mercies towards vs nor sufficiently expressed the fruites of our bounden dutie towards thee but that still we remaine ignorant and forgetfull of many good things which wee ought and might know And we confesse Lord wee are slacke vnto those things which thy holy spâ—â—t offereth to our mindes vnapt to doe them soone wearie of wel-doing and wherein we please thee something we please our selues too much Moreouer wee likewise confesse that we are ignorant of many euill things that wee haue done doe or may doe forgetfull of diuers things which sometime wee haue hadde knowledge and remorse of And now the things which come to our remembrance and are in our sight doe not appeare to be soâ—sinfull in any measure as they are and ought of vs to be regarded Yea wee are beguiled ere euer we are aware with our present corruptions and they cleane so fast vnto vs that wee can hardly leaue them but most hardly bee brought to true repentance of them We beseech therefore thy sacred Maiestie to worke in vs by thy holy spirit a wise and carefull searching out of and into our sinnes that by the lawe wee may be conuinced of them awakened by thy threatnings rebuked for them by thy iudgements executed vpon the wicked and exercised toward thy children seruants and friends that so wee may feare and tremble for them And by the serious premeditation of the vncertaine houre of a most certaine death of the day of thy generall ineuitable and dreadfull iudgement of the horrible and euerlasting paines of the wicked in the helles and their losse of the inestimable ioyes of the heauens stirre vp our dead hearts to seeke thee O Father in thy Christ and thy sonne our Lord and Sauiour in the Gospell And finally we pray that we may bee euen confounded in our selues by the fruitfull remembrance of thy blessed sufferings the most precious blood-sheading and death of our Lord Iesus Christ that so we may be humbled after that manner and measure thy children should bee beseeching thee that wee may so aforehand accuse our selues before thy blessed Maiestie that our aduersarie may haue no power hereafter to accuse vs so iudge our selues that we be not iudged by thee so with shame sorrow feare and trembling acknowledge the vilenes of our sinnes wholely before the throne of thy iustice that wee finde it to be a throne of grace and mercie vnto vs in Iesus Christ our Lord. Now O Lord the searcher of the hearts and reynes thou knowing this to be the humble and single desire of our hearts wee flye vnto thee for refuge beseeching thee by thy holy spirit to worke in vs a clearer sight of the wisedome of our Lord Iesus Christ wherby our minds may be further cleared from blindnes and we haue a clearer sight of the whole ministerie of our saluation in him and graunt vs God a fuller perswasion of the discharge of all our sinnes in his death and of the imputation of his righteousnesse vnto vs in his resurrection that the guiltinesse of our conscience may daily more and more goe away from vs and peace of the same be confirmed in vs especially in the time of our temptation and trouble the day of our death and the houâ—e of iudgement And next most mercifull Father graunt vs a more powerfull experience of his death killing sinne in vs and of his resurrection raising vs vp vnto a new life that daily we may be lesse sinful and more holy righteous and sober in this present life that so also wee may haue a more sure and stedfast hope in his redemption and may more strongly resist the vanities of this world in false pleasures profits and glories and more patiently endure all manner of miseries of the same which may befall vs vntill his glorious appearing when hee shall come to be glorious in his Saints and made maruellous in al those which beleeue in him Amen Furthermore O Lord whereas we are priuie to our selues ere it is knowne vnto others or vnto thee that thereby any sinne or sinnes more strange in vs through our corrupt nature or custome or the temptation of others or of the tempter wee beseech thee that there we may labour to finde the precious death of our Lord Iesus Christ more powerfull in subduing the same and whereas through vnabilitie of nature want of meanes or grace we are weaker in any duties of well-doing there we may striue to finde the vertue of his glorious resurrection more effectuall in raising vs vp in meanes of life so that our familiar corruptions being cured and our speciall infirmities being relieued wee may be also endued as with generall graces meete for all Christians so with such peculiar graces as may be meete for our callings and inable vs to glorifie thy holy name build vp others in well-doing and treasure vp the fruites of a good conscience for our selues at all times and especially in our neede And in this behalfe the desire of our heart is that thy holy spirit worke in vs the renouncing of our reason so farre forth as it is blinde and the crucifying of our affections so farre forth as they be corrupt that so we may offer them vp with soule and bodie in sacrifice of humiliation and that hauing receiued these graces we may also offer them vp in sacrifice of obedience vnto thy gracious Maiestie And wherein soeuer we haue doe or shall with thy graces obey thee we desire to offer vp thy graces our obedience and our selues in a sacrifice of thankesgiuing and praising of thy holy and blessed name through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen All thy waies O Lord we acknowledge to bee mercie and truth we beseech thee therfore giue vs the holy fruites of al the good meanes thou hast heretofore wrought our good by as thy holy and sweete promises preached vnto vs read of vs meditated vpon by our selues or conferred of with others the prayers thankesgiuings Psalmes Hymnes of our selues our friends and thy Church thy sacred Sacraments the ministrie of thy holy Angels the communion of thy Saints and admonition which hath beene giuen vs for our good most humbly entreating that wee may haue sanctified vnto vs the remembrance of thy former mercies bestowed vppon thy Church vpon any member therof or vpon our selues either in benefits or in crosses and albeit our nature is
the viewe of such iudgements 1 2 3 4 5 Diem or Sabbathum 6 7 Of vnthankfulnes Vse of the creatures Simile How God tempteth vs. Phil. 2. 14. 15. Deut. 29 21. God trieth men as well by benefits as by wants The triall of our seruice and zeale of God The Diuels obiectioÌ„ Iob. 1. Doth Iob feare God for nothing Trial of faith We are as ready to mur mur as the Israelites What it is to tempt God To sin against knowledge is a tempting of God God beares long with the offences of our ignorance To refuse knowledge is a tempting of God Dauids sins 1. Sam. 2. 1. Cor. 10. To tremble in teÌ„ptation Simile Application of doctrine how necessarie Simile Truth how great speciall arguments 1 1. Father 2. Sonne 3. Holy Ghost 2 3 Men may be compared to laÌ„dor earth Note There are three kindes of truth Note The true standard of truth Note Truth in simplicitie of speech Truth in action Truth of the Common-wealth Truth in the Church Simile Verball profession Why Truth is not found among vs. Contempt of the Worde dangerous Familiaritas parit contemptum veritas parit odium Three good mothers bring forth three euill daughters Note Charitie is true The people of Mediolanum or Millaine Amittere animas quà m Episcopum The world followes and fauours the Gospell when it brings prosperitie with it Against scorners Adde these foure sections to the chapter of Temptation Simile The cure of Witches Voweâ— Wonders Notes of diuine wonders Who be deceiued with the lying wonders of Antichrist Simile The law Morall was before Moses and obserued in the in the Church before it was written The light of the Gospell hath dispeld the mist of Popery The Lord often vseth vehement speeches to spurre our dull hearts In Rhethorike Permssio cum Catastrophe In Logicke Per obliquum ductum Why God vseth vehemencie of speech and how we must reade it Risus Dei prae omni ira Dei. quod cum risu loquitur tâ— leges cum luctu A speciall grace to be humbled by the word Wonders * So the sinne hardneth the clay but softe neth the wax Sacraments Admonition The Fathers of the first age had the word Titles giuen to the word Duo ecclesiae vbera Cum Deus aliquid dieit etfiâ—d non amplâ—us quam semeâ— dicat ea fide ac deuotione accipien dum est ac â—i saepissimè dixerit Chrysoâ—t aduers. vituper Monasticae vitae Will worship Numb 20. Obedience Good workes Three signes of good works 1. Word 2. Faith 3. The end Gods glorie On whom to conferre our well doings Protestants most bouÌ„d to good workes 1 2 3 Motiues to good works 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Perdere beneficium dare non dare perdere We must doe good though it seeme to be in vaine Good works Scôtos tò exóteroâ— Amartimata exótera Extreame sinnes goe into extreame darknes We must doe good to all men 1 2 3 To doe good duties to the soule 4 Conferre this chapter with the sermon of zeale in the third part True zeale the properties thereof Conferre this with the 3. sermon of zeale the third part The recompence of true zeale Note Properties of true zeale 1 2 Zealous in a ceremonie in principall points as cold as ice Two rules 2 Hypocrisie vncased A third Rule A true triall of our zeale A fourth Rule Good notes of true zeale How to be grieued for the sinnes of others A fift rule Prouision for the Ministerie The cause of many 〈◊〉 contemâ—â—â— in the Church A sixt rule Anâ—er aâ—â— sorrow 〈…〉 be ten 〈…〉 toge 〈…〉 Coâ—s 〈…〉 mens ag 〈…〉 sinne Note * The old heretikâ—s Virtus est medium vtrinque reductum 2 Psal. 32. 1. Psal. 103. Simile Order Praeposteratio annihilat actum 1 Sterile officium Non facienduÌ„ quia multifaciunt sed quia bonum Vt bonum faciaÌ„ an bene satis mihi suÌ„t pauâ—i satis vnus satis nullus Augustine Si poteÌ„tiores faciunt non faciam quia faciunt sed gaudeo quia faciunt H◠ô theò◠ekathárise su mè koinou Touto gar esti to thélema tou theou ho agiasmos humôn Meanes for the sanctification of the Sabbath 2 Guides 1 2. 3. 3 4 1 2 3 4 * Visito poto cibo redimo lego rolligo condo * Corrige fuade doce solaâ—e remitte fer oâ—â— The Sabbaths vse Punishment for the breach of the Sabbath Recreations Sabbaths rest Sabbath a signe Nostri iuris Excommunication How dangerous to despise the censures of the Church Psal. 19. Discretion necessarie in discipline 1. King 9. Oratorious periods in preaching Patrones of Churches falsely so called Negligent Pastors Shame how to discerne it Impudencie of our times Obiection Answere 1 Two notes of Gods anger in exercising vs after sinne with shame 2 A secret hiding of sinne Sabbath Rom. 3. 28. Popish perfection Puritans be the old Catharoi and the Paepists Apt similitudes in scrip ture sorting and fitting all callings to instruct all degrees concerning Gods kingdome To stirre vp our owne drie and barren hearts considering and viewing the fruitfulnes of the ground Ioh. 15. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Matth. 3. To trie the hart whether it be barren Foure signes 1 1. If our eares hearts lie common for passengers 2 2. If we be not busie to driue away bad and corrupt affections 3 3. No blessings better vs. 4 4. The preaching of Gods worde discernes it to be fallow SathaÌ„s policy 1 3 1. Cor. 7. 4 Luk. 8. Mark 4. Matth. 13. 5 Matth. 7. Regeneration To leaue sin to repent of sin differ Opus operatum 1. TeÌ„ptation 2. TeÌ„ptation 3. Exercises of religion 4. Comfort discoÌ„fort 5 False feare 6. To discerne the spirit 7. Carnall securitie 8 Complaining 6. Disputation 10 Punishment 11 Not to distrust Gods helpe 12. Secret thoughts and speeches 13. Enuie 14. How to be affected in others weale woe 15. Crosses with blessings 16. Want of an outward blessing 17 Calling 18. Motiues vnto prayer 19. Sinne. 20. Iustification and sanctification 21 The bloud of Christ must be sprinckled by the holie Ghost in our heart Christ fastiÌ„g and prayer 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Note well this rule 20 21 22 23 24 Simile 25 A sweete Prayer 26 27 28 A sweete counsell 29 Friends not prâ—fiting in godlinesse 30 False feare Gal. 2. 20. In temptations striue to stand in faith and not to yeeld to the aduersarie Our corruptioÌ„ desires delights in the meanes we cannot haue Blindnes of mind hard nes of heart Many false perswasions come to the weak for waÌ„t of sound iudgement 1. Cor. 10 13. Esay 63. 15. Esay 59. 10. Esay 38. 14. Psal. 51. 10. The feelings of the faithfull in temptation lost Two kinds of hardnes of heart 1 Not perceiued nor felt 2. Perceiued and felt B. of 2. sorts 1. of purpose to resist good motions 2. Securely negligeÌ„tly to lie in sinne * or discerned The second kind of hardnes of heart not felt Note the difference between perceiued felt 2. kinde of hardnes perceiued felt is of two sorts Esay 63. A troubled conscience perswaded his sinne is pardonable but yet not feeling it is pardoned yet it may be God hath pardoned it as we see in Dauid Satan driues the faithfull in their teptations to be weary of yea sometimes to refuse the meanes The prayer of Christ belongeth to vs as well as to the Apostles 10. 17. Heb 13. Rom. 7. 2. Cor. 1. 23. There may be faith with out feeling Psal. 51. 3. 10. Vers. 11. Vers. 12. Sathan and melancholie disquiet afflicted soules Psal. 51. Esay 17. 19. Esay 11. 6. Leuit. 5. 15. Numb 15. 38. Ignorance and error differ Gods childreÌ„ may fall after their calling into many foule faults Exod. 24. 6. 7. Esay 1. 10. 11. Vers. 8. Esay 31. 6. Esay 63. 10. Esay 63. 9. Iere. 31. 18. 20. Psal. 50. 5. 22. Psal. 89. 30. 1. Ioh. 2. 2. 1. Cor. 1. 6. 7. 1. Cor. 3. 15. 2. 3. 1. Cor. 10. 7. 13. Psal. 19. 13. True humilitie proceedeth from faith 2. Cor. 1. 4. The testimonie of the spirit The nature of faith Maâ—k 9. 24. Matth. 17. 2. Colos. 2. 10. 1. Cor. 1. 30. Rom. 8. 34. Rom. 5. 19. 2. Cor. 5. 21. 2. Cor. 1. 20. Coloâ— 1. 19. Rom. 8. 1. 1. Ioh. 21. Dispute not with Sathan intemptation Whether we haue faith or not Ioh. 8. 24. 25. Mark 2. 24. Act. 16. 18. A desciption of faith 2. Tim. 1. 12. Simile Simile The afflicted desireth to be leeue cannot discerne his estate Matth. 4. Ioh. 5. Temptation what it may teach vs. Simile Resistance in temptation a sure signe of faith and grace Remedie in temptation 1. Dispute not with Sathan 2. Exercise prayer reading 3. Be painfull in the workes of thy calling Faith proued by the fruits Psal. 77. 6. Psal. 119. Iob. 31. Rom. 3. 28. Rom. 8. 10. Ioh. 15. 2. Rom. 7. 17. Rom. 6. 2. Death the complement of mortification Loathing of this life c. Phil. 1. 21. Comfort froÌ„ the exercises of pietie The hearing of the word Prayer Praising of God Sacraments Simile To record our faith and comforts past Heb. 10. 32. 34. Iob. 29 3. Psal 77 6 12. Psalme 23 all Rom 8 16. Rom â—1 29. Ioh 13 1. The testimony of the spirit of adoption better theÌ„ the testimony of men and Angels Simile An eclipse of faith In teÌ„ptations how we conspire with Sathan against our selues 1. Pet. 5. 9. 1. Ioh 5. 4. Ephes. 6. 16. CoÌ„mfort froÌ„ the benefits of this life Rom. 8. 28. A speciall fauour of God to haue his faithfull seruants to pitie vs in our afflictions Matth. 18. 18. Esay Iam. 5. 15 Vers. 41. Ioh. 20. 23. How Gods faithfull Ministers binde and loose 2. Sam. 12. 13 Notes out of Iob. 33. 23. for the comfort of the afflicted 2 3 4 5 Ephes. 3. 18. 6 7 Apoâ— 7. 18. 14. 13. Against the doubt of election Deut. 29. 29. 3 4 Iob. 31. 5 6 7 Phil. 2. 13. Luk. 23. 42. The afflicted conscience like the couetous man Phil. 3. 11. Phil. 2. 13. 2. Pet. 1. 10. He that beleeueth maketh no hast
vs out of the worlde than that our life should bring any offence to the Church or slander to the Gospell Feare 1 BEe neuer afraide of leauing good vndone least the Lord suffer you to fall into the contrarie euill 2 Hee thought when he had no feare nor griefe he could not profit 3 Beware of immoderate feare which rather hinder the certaintie of saith then beate downe the securitie of the flesh and which be the readiest meanes to pull Gods wrath vpon vs in that they be the fruites of vnbeliefe and such as would tye the grace of God promised to the present danger and deliuerance out of the same The meane and middle path is that wee should feare and forethinke of euils to come not as thinking that of necessitie they must fall vpon vs as though God could not or would not deliuer vs from them but as they who beeing guiltie in this one desire to submit themselues to the hand of God and acknowledge themselues heires of Gods iustice or wrath in this or that euill yet so as we meete with the Lords mercie who is both able and willing euen then most of all to assist and deliuer vs when wee most feare and through this godlie feare are reuerentlie humbled vnder the hand of his Maiestie For if naturall pareÌ„ts know then to mitigate the stripes of their correction to their children when they see in them a milde meeke submission of themselues vnder the hand of their authoritie and yet so fearing them as Gouernours but vpholding with mercie as fathers if they haue that wisedome by so much to make their hand in correction the heauier by howe much the Childe to bee beaten is the stubborner we must then thinke this mercifull wisdome and confideration to bee much more in the Lorde from whose brightnesse the parents haue receiued these sparkes 4 Hee said that to winne anie or to continue anie in the feare of God he would giue no such things which he loued not but such things as he loued most dearely that they might know it to be a gift of loue and not of fashion Feastings 1 IN our meetings and feastings we are to looke to our selues if good speeches be vsed wee must be thankefull if euill sorrowfull if things not meerely euill not greatly to torment our selues Friendship 1 THis aduise he gaue that it was good to discerne of them whom wee much receiue into our companie least we lose the credite of the Church conceiued of vs. For although many seeme and shewe themselues to bee well disposed yet because there be so many corruptions in our nature it is heauenly wisedome to discerne of men wherefore it is good for vs to consider with what soundnesse of iudgement and power of true knowledge they doe speake first looke what sight they haue of inward corruptions This humility teacheth true wisedome and the sight hereof would cause vs to seeke after Christ and him Crucified For manie who haue a little confused knowledge will much bee talking but for want of this knowledge they are not so sound Secondly we must see how ready they are by their soundnesse of knowledge and feeling of inward corruptions to doe good to others with cheerfulnes and to speake of the infirmities of others with compassion and griefe for manie for want of this sanctified knowledge will rather bitterlie and openly declaime against the infirmities of others then either wisely â—dmonish them or brotherly pittie them 2 Hee said the best way to haue comfort in any of our friendes was to pray for them and that hee neuer had more ioy in anie then from them whom hee most prayed for and in them most when he prayed the oftner and vehementer for them present or absent for this is a true token of true loue to pray for them whome we loue 3 Though he was most seuere to his friends and kindred so long as they were not reconciled to God yet once being wearyed with one hee shut vp the matter with this sentence It is wonderfull that diuers hearing the same word of God spoken one should belieue and another should not belieue but I am rather to thanke God that I belieue then to search oâ—t a reason why another doth not belieue and as I am to be thankfull for my selfe so I am to be pitifull to others 4 Like as naturall men doe well by naturall wisedome so wee ought much more to be stirred vp to doe well by spirituall wisedome It is commended â—or sâ—â—ciall wisedome in our Sauiâ—ur Christ Iohn 2. that hee did not committee himselfe vnto â—lâ—â—â—â—â— because hee knewe what was in their hearts So it is a speciall token of wâ—sedome in vs on the contrarie not to commit our selues vnto all men because wee know not what is in their hearts 5 Hee reioyced to see his friends but hee was humbled in tha hee rested so much in that ioy that hee forgate to doe them good to their saluation or to receiue good from them to his saluation which he thought he should doe and to be his dutie 6 His loue euer grewe to a man as he knew the man to grow in godlines he said that if hee had once seene any effectuall worke of Gods spirite in anie man hâ—e could neuer but hope well of him If graces decayed first hee was grieued and then his loue decreased in him Grace of God 1 HE feeling on a time the grace of God assisting him in a thing which of himselfe he despaired of said Oh how easie are the waies of man whilest the Lord doth gouerne him and how is he beset as with a hedge of thornes when the Lord doth not assist him 2 As we are carefull to vse the meanes of our saluation so must we wholy referre the blessing of the meanes to the grace of God neither as some doe thinke that we can obtaine or continue the graces of God in vs without vsing the meanes for that is but a dreame of fantasticall spirits neither as the manner of some is so to trust to the meanes as neglecting to pray for the grace of God in them which is but a preposterours zeale of such as are not rightly instructed in the way of their saluation 3 It is a profitable note to obserue when extraordinarie gifts of God be for our good and when for our hurt If our extraordinarie blessings driue vs more carefully to seeke to the ordinarie meanes then it is of Gods mercie but if they slaken our care in the ordinarie meanes and puffing vs vp with a spirituall pride cause vs to rest in them then they are for our further condemnation as if God blesse vs maruellously without prayer in any thing if we are driuen more to prayer by it then this is of God if it cause vs to leaue prayer it is perilous 4 There is nothing so precious as Gods grace which chaungeth the face of heauen and earth and nothing
so vile as sinne which openeth hell and staineth the earth and shutteth vp heauen 5 As of all gifts the gift of Gods spirit is the dearest so the losse of it is most daungerous for besides that wee know how few taste of it and with what paine they that haue gotten it keep it and with what hard brunts they that lose the graces of it recouer them againe we may coniecture the greatnesse of the losse by our experience in other things they that haue beene in reputation for their riches are become bankerouts are grieued and ashamed how much more then should their griefe be who by the riches of Gods graces haue beene comfortable to themselues and honourable among others and now by the decay of those gifts haue lost both the sweet ioy and peace in themselues and their credite with God and in the conscience of the godly 6 Some reioyce so much in the hearing of good things preached that they forget to be humbled for their wants againe others alwaies looking on their wants walke not thankfully for Gods graces receiued The meane way is the best so to reioyce in the grace of God that we be humbled for our wants and so to mourne for our wants that we praise God for his graces Good workes 1 AS it argueth great height and willingnes to sinne when men fearing to sinne in the day redeeme and steale time to sinne in the night so it sheweth a great height and willingnesse to godlinesse when men being not sufficiently contented to do good in the day stretch their wel-doing euen to the night also wherein they shew themselues to be free from vaineglory that none seeing them yet they doe good for the loue of God and not for outward things 2 A man may truely iudge himselfe to be truely willing to doe any good when he striues all that he can to do it although he cannot do it as he should Griefe for sinne 1 WE cannot heartily be grieued for that sinne in another whereof we haue not made great conscience in our selues 2 The things that are euill and grieue vs so farre as we see them with griefe hurt vs not 3 Seeing a woman lamenting for the sinnes of the people he said vnto her not purposing to cause her to cease from so good an action but admonishing her to looke to her affections you shall well trie your heart said he if this sorrow for sinne be first bred for your owne sinnes and from your selfe proceed to the sinnes of others Againe the measure of your mourning must be agreeable and proportionable to the sinne Lastly your griefe must so be for the person as you may be moued rather to pittie and pray for him than to hate and despise him 4 That is true sorrow and griefe for sinne which neither can by outward pleasures be stollen away nor by continuance of time be taken from vs but onely in Christ. 5 Because great naturall and worldly sorrow and ioy will cause a man to breake his sleepe at midnight he would trie himselfe whether sorrow for sinne or icy in saluation had caused him to doe the like 6 His greatest sorrow was when he spake of some good thing that was not in himselfe and the greatest ioy he had was in the contrary 7 As by nature we are long and hard to be brought to be grieued for sinne so being once downe we are hard to get vp and to rise out of griefe againe For two extremities attend vpon vs the one to be grieued and feared too little the other to â—e grieued and feared too much the one makes vs secure and the other dead and dull To meete with these two it is good in time of ioy to thinke what iudgements â—aue befallen vs heretofore what may befall vs hereafter In time of humbling we are to consider what mercies we haue receiued and what mercies are stored vp and â—â—rrie for vs againe and surely no one thing makes griefe more to waste vs than the forgetfulnes of Gods mercies past and doubtfulnes of Gods mercies to come and nothing doth more strengthen our new temptations than the forgetfulnes of Gods iudgements past and the carelesnesse of them that are to come Though mercies succeed mercies yet the sea of Gods mercies is neuer drawn drie if we claime hold of them by our faith and former experience Hardnes of heart 1 THe cause why mens hearts are hardened now adaies may be this in part because they see as great gifts of learning tongues and ciuill life in Papists and heretikes as in Gods true seruants Euen as the cause of Phaâ—â—â—hs obstinacie was this that being willing to be deceâ—ied he would not obey the Lord because other Sorcerers in Aegypt could doe as he thought as great matters as Moses and Aâ—ron 2 To one that complained of hardnes of heart he said You must waite for comfort and know that you can now no more iudge of your selfe than a man sleeping can iudge of things which he did waking or a man wandring in the darke can discerne of bright colours for as the one may while he waketh doe excellent things and yet now neither he himselfe knoweth of them nor any other can espie them in him and the other may be among flowers and for want of light can haue no vse of his eyes nor pleasure in the obiects so you haue done great good things whilest God gaue you a waking heart to put them in practise and the light of his spirit to discerne his graces in you though now you haue neither the sight nor sense of them and this is the thing which deceiueth and disquieteth many they looke for that discerning of themselues when in them Gods graces were more oppressed which they had when Gods spirit wrought in the sweetest and fullest measure in them and because there is some intermission of the worke of new birth they thinke it is a flat omission in them of the spirit of God But as it is a token of a minde too presumptuous and infatuated in time of dead securitie to perswade our selues still of that safetie for hauing those graces which sometime we had so it is a signe of a minde abiect and too much deâ—payring to thinke that because that we haue not euen present seeling of those ioyes glorious and vnspeakeable which we haue had therefore we neuer had â—â—â—m heretofore or that we shall neuer haue them againe hereafter 3 Admonisâ—ing one to preuent hardnes of heart in his childe by godly and discreete correction he said that because children incline often to the sinnes of their fathers parents correcting should in wisedome first consider if it were not a sinne before in themselues which they gaue them as it were which now they are about to correct and finding it so that they should be humbled in themselues and being humbled proceed to correction in prayer in the feare of God in wisedome in