calleth it likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a free gift 2 Cor. 8.19 it must be done gratis freely Now there is nothing but do ut des or do ut facias I give to thee that thou mayest give to me againe or I give to thee that thou mayest doe something for me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is free and is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a blessing 2 Cor. 9.3 So doing this 4. fruit shall come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the poore shall blesse us and God too God hath ordained that if a man doth appropriate that to his flesh that he will have common he taketh away his use Another use Gal. 6..8 this sowing it must be feede sowe in the spirit and reape life everlasting and so Hose 10.12 sowe righteousnesse and reape afterward 2 Cor. 9.6 Qui parcè seminat pareè metet qui seminat in multis benedictionibus metet in multis benediction ibus He that soweth sparingly shall reape sparingly and he that soweth bountifully shall reape bountifully Now a man may love his feede foolishly so that for very pure love he may set it lie in his barne but then we know that wormes will breed in it and consume it and so he doth amando perdere by loving it lose it therefore a man is so to love his seede as that he doth projicâ—re semen cast his seede into the ground and that is amare semen to love his seede And so if the temporall blessings of God be as seede as they are then there must be a casting and scattering of them And yet in this casting when a man hath so sowen an acre of ground and one aske Whose is this seed we say not it is the grounds but his that sowed it So if a man could be brought to this perswasion to thinke that semen is serentis and not recipientis the seede belongs to him that sowed and not to the ground that receives it he would sowe And that is the state of riches whensoever they are so bestowed c. And therefore as the husbandmen doe credere illud quod nonvident beleeve that which they see not so that they cast in one graine and see it rot and beleeve that howsoever showrs and snow fall yet at the last an Autumne will come and then they shall reape an eare for one come so if God enlighten our hearts and give us faith credendi ejus quod non videmus ejuis fructus est videre quod credimus to beleeve that which we see not we shall reape the fruit of seeing and enjoying that which we beleeve And so we shall see and feele that semen the seede it is serentis belongs to the sower and it will give an hundred fold â—ncrease For the comming to wealth it was said it stood in two things To come to wealth 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simplicity against deceit 2. Justice against violence or rapine And whether to those that are by lawfull contract or to those that are indirectly possessed restitution belongeth and in sundry other matters of depositum things committed to our trust and things found lent let debt and by vertue of restitution supplieth the other part of justice And then for the use to our selves against prodigality and thereby neglect of houshold and against the part of prodigality that consisteth in the neglect of a mans houshold and against too great nearenesse in scraping frugality it answereth temperance in the former Commandement And for the use that we have toward other against bottomlesse largition and against the shutting up or closenesse of bowels the vertue of liberality So in effect in these three vertues and in the vices opposed to them is all that is forbidden and commanded in this Commandement The spirituall paâ—t the heart Now according to the former course how every man may be an observer of this Commandement which may best be done in this manner As in the former Commandement so in this Christ saith Marke 1.22 that thefts and extortions and deceit and evill gettings of a mans goods which are of affinity they proceed from the heart and therefore in them the fountaine of them must needs be damned And so 1 Tim. 6.3 first they have the corruption of the minde before they come to covetousnesse 1. If we had continued in the state of innocencie mans desires both naturall and oeconomicall should by no other have beene willed but by reason since which losse the corruption of the minde is this appetere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to covet a fulnesse a satiety The belly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it hath an appetite beyond that that is sufficient for it so likewise in the corruption of this unruly appetite we are disquieted with a continuall craving Prov. 30.15 there is one in the minde that saith Have have bring bring Now against this there must be one that saith there is enough that is there must be an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a selfe-sufficiencie or contentednesse for as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the excesse is become the corruption of our wealth so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wealth of nature is selfe-sufficiencie which is contentednesse But now there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 covetousnesse Now we see how the case standeth with the heart 1 Tim. 6.9 because that men will be rich and because it holdeth in all evill things quod volumus valde volumus and whatsoever we desire that we earnestly desire and long after in so much as Prov. 21.25 if a man be never so slow yet if he desire any thing he will have it quickly he will be rich as soone as he can then Prov. 28.20 he that maketh haste shall not be innocent and Prov. 20.21 of an heritage that is soone gotten there never commeth a good end But to come to the heart by occasion of this your unclinablenesse 1 Tim. 6 9. he setteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a temptation a good round gaine and summe and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the snare nought but a false asseveration a few words a false oath or Luke 16. a dash with a pen 50. for 80. If you will come into this snare you shall have this baite and then Gods judgements when a man setteth himselfe to it he suffereth him to fall into it as Eccl. 5.9 he shall love it and not be satisfied and the reason is for the minde as hath beene said cannot bee satisfied with any thing but with God And from many desires a it is vers to he shall have a great many cares and as his desires shall encrease his cares shall encrease as that that Christ saith Quid edam quid bibam quid induam What shall I eate what shall I drink or wherewith shall I be cloaâ—hed if he be not rich and when he is rich Quid saciaâ— I have not barnes enough Rich and not rich have it And then beside these he saith they shall being thus distracted erre even from the
but by reason of ignorance or negligence let him alone then it is plaine by Levit. 6.4.5 and by Numb 5.8.9 we must not divert it to our owne uses but restore it to the kindred and if the party have no kindred it shall bee given to the Lord it shall be employed ad pios usus to sacred uses 4. Then for those things that are lent us that is that are given freely to us for to use for a time and then to restore them againe August saith Tameisi benigne dimittitur tamen non injuste repetitur although it were freely lent yet may it lawfully be demanded againe So he that doth not restore that which was lent him is injust therefore God hath taken order for it Exod. 22.14 where he saith that it shall not onely be restored but in this order if any hurt befall it it shall bee made good if it perish there shall be another given for it Now because restitution is in conducto in things that are hired he hath taken order for it the thing shall be restored if it perish not and Exod. 22.15 if it perish onely the hire shall goe for it and so he doth limit us in every action And because the unfaithfulnesse and untrustinesse of man hath brought in writings as Bils and Obligations and pledges and sureties c. therefore even for them also hath God taken order in his word Psal 15.4 If a man have once passed his promise hee must performe it and Exod. 22.26 and Zech. 18.7.12 of the pledge and Ezek. 33.15 if he restore the pledge he shall live and not die and if he doe not he shall be as he accounteth him there an unjust man and hurtfull and obnoxious So the surety seeing Prov. 22.26 it was such a dangerous thing to become surety and that the law was so strict Spare him not and that the world was now growne to make it a rule Prov. 20.16 to take the pledge of him that is surety and let the other goe therefore he saith Prov. 6. vers 4. If you be surety be carefull to discharge it And if he that is surety must be so carefull much more must he care for whom he is become surety because the care is brought upon the other by him And last of all Tenacitas in regard of the Common-wealth there is a detaining and that is as Solomon speaketh well Prov. 11.26 to keepe corne in the time of dearth the people shall curse him for it So it may be said of any thing that is beneficiall to the whole every man is bound not to detaine it but to utter it that is of that we call withdrawing Come to the use which is when we have neither by detaining that which is none of ours nor by taking away from others which have right of them but not power to retaine them if we come not to generare pecuniam increase money by usury after none of these wayes we are just Lords It is well said Vbi justitia est condus ibi Christus est Dominus where justice is the layer up there Christ is the Lord over those goods and we have a good tenure the Devill is Lord of the other Aug. upon Luke 8. vers 14. saith that the first gaines is thornes Simile A thorne non colligitur sine laesione if one come to gather it it may chance to runne him in the hand if it be not well gathered hereupon commeth it that it is a Proverbe Omnis dives aut iniqâ—us ipse aut haeres iniqui every rich man is either an unjust man himselfe or the heire of an unrighteous father A man being rightly enstalled in the right of his possessions and goods then the use of them is either upon himselfe or others the one Eccles 6.7 the other 2 Cor. 9.11 he saith he would have them rich to liberality The first is for sufficiencie to a mans owne neede the second for liberality to the neede of others These are the two uses of riches they are both comprehended in Prov. 5.15 for he saith there Drinke the waters of thine owne Cisterns and let the pipe of the fountaines runne forth to others for our use and for the use of others Gal. 6.8 there is a double sowing into the flesh and into the spirit for a man may sow them all into the flesh then as the flesh endeth in putrifaction it is a putrisving soyle and so he may reape putrifaction but if he sow in spirit to that is for spirituall uses propter pies usus for pious uses of the Church and the Ministery and propter pios civiles usus for religious civill uses for the poore But they are plainest and best of all seene in Christs purse Iohn 13.29 For there he biddeth Iudas dispatch Now it is said that some thought his meaning had beene because hee carried the bagge first to buy for their owne use those things they had need of or else the second that he should give something to the poore In the first use of these there is a double extreme Profusion Niggardnesse Profusion 〈◊〉 nigarâ—â—â—â—â—â— As one may not inserre caedem sibi kill himselfe and as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uncleannesse may be with himselfe so this is furtum in se theft against or from a mans selfe Eccles 4.8 he saith there is a covetous man alone by himselfe that gathereth with niggardnesse and never saith Quare desraudo animan meam bono why defraud I my selfe of so much pleasure here is a defraudation and theft of himselfe And while he doth this Iam. 5.3 his gold and his silver cankereth and his garments waxe full of moths and his canker and moths shall stand up in the last day and accuse and condemne him Ambrose upon that place saith Esurientium est cibus qui apud te mucescit sitentium est potus qui apud te acescâ—t it is the bread of the hungry that growes mouldy by thee it is the drinke of the thirsty that sowres by thee Of this man by the consent of interpreters Hosea speaketh Tâ—◠〈◊〉 o◠〈◊〉 8. cap. vers 7. he soweth into the winde and reapeth in the whirlewinde there is no profit of it and if there come any profit the stranger shall reape his labour That is the common plague as the Heathen man saith Quodque profunda hausit avaritia what profound avarice hath gathered together there shall another come Qui luxuâ— pejore retundet whose profuse vanity shall scatter it And indeed the hand of the Lord is upon them that whereas their sparing is that they at the last day may enjoy it and say as he saith Luke 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soule take thine ease eate drinke and be merry God disappointeth them vers 20. or else that they may be kept when they are sicke Psal 41.3 But when they are in sponda languoris upon their sick bed they shall receive no comfort but waxe worse and worse they shall spend all their
Should they abuse our sister as a whore For the eighth Genes 44.7 The putting of the cup into the Sacke was enough to clap them into prison For the ninth Gen. 38.23 Because Iudah promised to send the whore a Kid he was as good as his promise For the tenth Gen. 20.3 There was no act no purpose of Abimelech against Sarah yet he was punished by God No punishment preventeth a fault The Law what it was and how it consisted This is the first principle in nature dictum est is spoken The summe is Ambula mecum walke with me or before me The meanes to doe this Amos 3.3 Can two walke together if they be not in love Now to love Christ Iohn 14.15 is to keepe his Commandements Therefore we must be integri perfect both in body and soule There is no love but betweene likes The summe of the Law containeth two things 1. Flying from evill 2. Doing of good Psal 34.13 Esay 1.16 Take away the evils of your workes from before mine eyes cease to doe evill learne to doe good In flying the evill against the law which is peccatum commissionis sinne of commission in respect of the other is peccatum omissionis sinne of omission In respect of the first we are said militare Deo to warre for God In respect of the second we are called his operarii labourers Of the first we are called innocentes innocents Of the second boni justi good and just both goe together In good workes both facere abstinere to doe and abstaine must concurre if we could keepe the second we should not so much offend in the first For the Jewes were very diligent in offering sacrifice to God yet because they burned in lust and every one neighed after his neighbours wife their Sacrifices were not accepted with God Contra If we be never so innocent yet because we doe not pascere feed nor vestire clothes we sinne Doing good is set downe Titus 2.12 In living Pie godly towards God Iuste erga proximum righteously towards our neighbours Sobrie soberly toward our selves For these three Augustine setteth downe two naturall principles 1. Deterius subjiciendum praestantiori the worser is to be postposed to the more excellent For Pie godly Subde Deo quod habes commune cum Angelis Subject to God what thou hast commune with the Angels For sobrie soberly Subde rationi quod habes commune cum brutis Subject to reason what thou hast common with brutes For juste righteously Fac quod vis pati doe what thou wouldest suffer The corruption of these is the corruption and transgression of the whole Law The corruption of the first Ipse cognoscito bonum malum 2. Quod libet licet Know thou good and evill The corruption of the second what liketh is lawfull The temper to the sonnes of men Videte nubite see and cover Let your lust be your law The corruption of the third is that principle of Machiavel Bonum praestantioris bonum communitatis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quod potes exige The benefit of the superiour is the quietnesse of society the good of him that is more excellent is just Exact what thou canst Of the foure things required in the law the second is the means to this This manner is by learned men wonderfully dilated To the means three things 1. Toti 2. Totum 3. Toto tempore 1. That all doe it 2. That we do the whole 3. And that at all times 3. Poena the punishment To this are required three things For we must doe it 1. Toti all of us 2. Totum all the whole That we with whole soule and body commit our selves to the observation of it 2. Totum Gen. 7.5 Noah did according to all that God had commanded him 3. Toto tempore at all times That we continue in it all the daies of our life Gen. 6.9 Noah was a just and upright man in his time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abrahams old age like his youth 3. For the reward of punishment it standeth on this ground that it is impossible though a man breake one part of the law he should escape the whole Therefore God hath taken order for this that though they over-reach the law in one part in contemning of it yet on the other part punishment shall over-reach them This was knowne before the giving of the law Exod. 9.27 That God was righteous but his people wicked So saith Augustine Aut faciendum quod debemus aut patiendum quod debemus Either we must doe what we ought or we must suffer what we ought Both in Gen. 4.7 God to Cain If thou doe well shalt thou not be accepted if thou doe ill sinne lieth at thy doore like a wild Beare or like a Mastife dogge so long as thou art within doores i. ut Patres exponunt as the Fathers expound it so long as thou art in this life thou mayest haply escape punishment for thy sinne but when thou departest vae woe c. more distinctly this reward is to them that doe well 1. temporall benefits Gen. 39.3 of Ioseph Genes 39.3 And his Master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hands That the commandements were knowne of the Gentiles because he trusted in God all prospered under his hand that his Master committed to him Here felicity in this life 2. For felicity and eternall benefits Gen. 5.24 Enoch for walking with God was translated Here everlasting life 2. In the law of nature to them that do evill temporall punishment consequently in the estate of Adam Cain and Eve Josephs punishment but especially the confession of Pharao Exod. 9.27 I have now sinned the Lord is righteous but I and my people are sinners For the punishment in the life to come 1 Pet. 3.19 to the spirits of unbeliefe and are now kept in chaines and to the sinners that refused the voice of Noah And thus we see that this law hath all those that any other law hath But the heathen which were before the comming of Christ which did not use these because they are not mentioned in the Bible thinke themselves not to be included herein To shew therefore these foure points in them and first for the ten Commandements Though they had not the inward part of the law yet they had the outward For 6. it is very plaine 3 5 6 7 8 9. for the other foure namely 1 2 4 10. they are somewhat darke in the writings of the Gentiles For the third Diodorus Siculus saith that it was death among the Egyptians Perjurii poena capite plectuntur fustibus caeduntur The punishment of perjury they lose the life they are beate with cudgels So 12. Tab. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sweare not rashly For the fifth Homer Il. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brevi tempore durans erat vita quia parentibus nutritionis praemia non retribuit his life was short
the hand they will let him goe Quaecunque malo incobantur principio difficulter hono persiciuntur exitu God blesseth not the ends of those that come not in by the doote The Merceâ—â—â—y taâ—â—or Now the two other markes doe make a distinction againe For they that follow come in right but there is an abuse of it Therefore there is a thing called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Purpose 2 Tim. 3.10 O Timothy you know my purpose you know what you have to doe It is well expressed Phil. 2.20 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a naturall care as if there were some that had spuriam curam a bastard care And that germanam curam that naturall care one of the Fathers calleth zelum animarum a zeale of soules They that have not this purpose of heart John 10.13 be called mercenarii for they have no care of feeding Zach. 11.15 they are not instrumenta pastoris boni Inâ—irumâ—â—â—â— pâ—â—â—â—â—is stulti but stulei they are not the instruments of a good but a foolish Shepheard which the Fathers make forcipes mulclram a paire of Sheeres for the Fleece and a Paile for the Milke And so after whatsoever occasion befall that there come danger to the Flock for the soule they reward it not but when there is but the least danger of the wooll or milke then every one sumit instrument a pastoris stulti takes the instruments of a foolish Shepheard and bestirreth himselfe The Jewes call them such as draw neare to the Arke or Temple for the Corban for the offering box Mat. 15. they care not for the Law so the Corban speed well Abiathur of the offpring and posterity of Elie being a wicked man it is prophecied of him 1 Sam. 2. last that Elies posterity should stand thus affected they should come to some of the Priests desire a place to serve for a peece of bread and a peece of silver this was their end But Abiathar was displaced by Salomon and Zadok put in his room Christ Job 10. sheweth a way how this should be discovered For if there come a Wolf or fall Teacher with authority a persecutor they will flie to him And Acts 20.29 30. they will also become as bad as Wolves Heb. 13.17 the Apostle would have them marke the issue of their conversation Now this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or issue marreth all here for if the Wolfe come either he will give over Iohn 10.12 or worrie the flock too The Apostle saith that even of your selves shall rise men teaching perverse things So you see that whether he continue the care for his belly or degenerate into a Wolfe yet he hath his lawfull institution And this discerneth them that come in right but yet are Mercenary Now though this duty every minister ought to looke too yet quia obediendum est malo the people must obey an evill shepheard if it be not ad malum unto evill But this question is before Page 378. c. Come to the second that as care is to be had of their comming Mat. 22.12 in so of their abuse And that there is no abuse but where there is a duty it is plainely set downe Ezek. 34.3 that as the manner is now they did eate the fat and cloth themselves with the wooll and killed them that were fedde but the sheepe they feede not Where there is an abuse of a dutie and the duty here is of foure parts which may be subdivided into two The first they call Exemplum example it is here of Christ John 10.3 4. expressed by going before the sheepe And their manner was in the East countries they drave not their sheep before them but their sheep followed them More plainely 1 Tim. 4.12 he must be Typus that is such a thing as maketh a stampe upon the coine and the Iron that giveth the forme and impression to the money So it is used againe Tit. 2.3 and 1 Pet. 5.3 And it is Moses his order Deut. 33.8 first Thummim integrity of life then Urim learning and Num. 17.8 which is by way of figure it pleased God to make it a signe of Aarons calling that his rodde was virga fructifera a rod bearing fruit by which as by the fruits of the spirit good workes and vertues bee often meant So of Christ Acts 1.1 his order quae caepit Jesus 1. facere 2. docere first what he did and then what he taught and where it is ex professo handled 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. that he be exemplum unblameable that for manners he be not rebukeable So that is first that he be typus and that he may facere doe and then afterward that he may docere teach He may be exemplum an example two wayes First in himselfe Secondly in his Family 1 Tim. 3.4 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3.2 without spot so there is a relation to Levit. 21.17 18.22 none of Aarons seed if he were mishapen or had a blemish shall come neere to offer the sacrifices of the Lord made by fire That is it that the Apostle saith here If he have any notorious sinne or crime for he speaketh not of inward crimes but of outward onely of such as may be laid to a mans charge he may not take on him this Fatherhood the reason is because 2 Cor. 6.3 there must no offence be given to the weak to thinke that they may doe so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Ministery be not blamed that there might be no slander no Momus no slander for the adversary to laugh at For the taking away of these slanders according to the Apostles interpretation 2 Cor. 8.20 we must beware of all things which comprehend occasionem scandali occasion of scandall This was the Apostles care concerning the almes that should be carryed to the poore brethren in Jerusalem he would not meddle with it except he had another to goe with him because he would be without blame least some should suspect him of defrauding because he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 provide for honest things before God and men He would not give the adversary occasion to speak evill of him so John 4.27 when the Disciples found Christ talking with a Woman they marvelled shewing that it was not his custome Hee eschewed as much as might be all occasions of slanderous suspitions Thus of the Genus Now of the Species foure and the soure opposite vertues which he must have in himselfe The first is that he be Tit. 1.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temperate and 1 Tim. 3.2 opposite to this is non habere unam uxorem not to be content with one Wife onely So continencie or single life is the vertue Secondly 1 Tim. 3.2 3. the vertue opposed vers 2. Sober for his dyet opposed vers 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transiens ad vinum sitting by the Wine for the lust of the body and the pleasure of the taste they must be in this order
money with Physitians as the woman with the bloudy issue and be never the better as the Rabbins say they shall not shift from the sicke mans pallet to the bed of health or else it is Iob 20. that their children might have enough there he saith vers 10. that for all that their children shall be beggers too And there is nothing more commonly seene then this that the prodigall sonne is the heire of a niggardly father this is the use of it to our selves Now the other use is the other extreme Whereas he that doth right is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Steward and his action is a dispensation he that is prodigall Luke 15.13 his action is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wasting he flingeth his money from his as though he cared not for it or were angry with it as Seneca saith Ita segerit ac si iratus esset pecuniae he behaves himself as if he were fallen out with mony Luke 12.19 and that is that that fools some rich men into an easinesse of wasting on their pleasure what their avarice had layed up such unnaturall ends have wretched games for as his desire beganne from the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lust in the oâ—her Commandâ—ment so lightly if it have an end it is not naturall that the Preacher cap. 4. calleth a monstrous end this is the common end prosundere prodigally to consume it but so also as he is fur sui a thiefe of his owne for which being profuse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where he should not the stealeth from him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whom he ought not he wasteth and consumeth himselfe in superfluous things The Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that are more eager then needeth upon evill things 〈…〉 dall and heavy an good 〈◊〉 they shall be dull and heavie in good things When there commeth a good thing to be employed in they are wonderfull sparing and needy as in the case of redeeming a captive they are very neere Ten 〈…〉 he can 〈◊〉 but they are very profuse in a riotous supper As jusâ—tia justice must be our condus layer up so we must have a promus a layer out too and of that it is well said of the Heathen man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good temperance be thou my Steward that as Bâ—siâ— saith the way to avoid them both is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whetstone or riot is nothing else but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vaineglory and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the whetstone of prodigality which if they could take away they could take away the compasse of their owne nest they should never fall For howbeit that it be true that they say That how much soever they spend Pâ—â—dâ—â— they not excused by pieneâ— they have enough to doe it Luke 16.19 that they can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fare sumptuonsly every day yet it ought not to be And the Heathen man could say they that would spend profusely and say they had enough why saith he it is no answer For if you a low your Cooke a bushell of Salt and he by putting too much in the pot should make the pottage too salt and he should answer you he did it because he had enough it were a foolish answer you would not like it 〈◊〉 galâ—◠〈◊〉 at ability more grievous And much more grievous is this sin in them that are not able c. Of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prodigality and excesse there are two parts the first is this when they doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon no occasion daily oftner then needeth so a second when they doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above his ability and that may be done two wayes the one of his faculties that he can stretch unto the other of his condition Of his saculties Luke 14.28 for he saith there was one beganne a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tower that could not go through with it So secondly though Naball be so rich 1 Sam. 25.36 yet it is above his condition to make a feast like a King it is not allowed though he be able much lesse a man to do it if his purse wil not reach Therefore David Psal 69.22 he prayeth that his enemies table may be a snare unto him for both it becommeth a snare unto the soule and the body will despumare in libidinem waxe wanton and to the body Prov. 5.11 You shall mourne at your end it doth bring sicknesse to a mans body so here it is a snare to a mans substance it consumeth that Iob. 20.13 14 15. he saith the sinne of covetousnesse in getting is a very sweete sinne and he will keepe it close in his mouth and will swallow it And so where he commeth to spending it it is sweete too but at the last his meate in his bowels shall be turned and he shall vomit it for God shall draw it out of his belly againe Come to the second use there must be something given to the poore or we must sow to the spirit or we must let our fountaines run abroad Sowing onely upon the flesh is the fault in these dayes whereas we have warning given that of the ground commeth nothing but rottennesse and putrifaction and that it shall be destroyed when the belly is destroyed yet Christs saying we know this is more necessary Beanus est dare quam accipere it is more blessed to give then to receive Acts 20.35 But the other is more blessed it was his common saying In omni re ditati ad liberalitarem you are enriched in every thing to bountifulnesse 2 Cor. 9.11 therefore in this behalfe it is expedrent to know 1. how we have our riches 2. what wee are to thinke of the poore 1. Deut. 16. We shall see how God committeth riches to men there whosoever receiveth of God any temporall blessing hee must performe him homage Deut. 26.5 he commeth with his basket and bringeth him rent and the Priest setteth downe his basket before the Altar and then he saith c. He doth acknowledge that there is nothing in him or his progenitors that God should doe so with him or them and therefore he is come to doe homage to him 2. Before the Lord he must say vers 13. Sustuli quod sanctum est de saculianbus that is in the substance of every one I have taken that that is holy from my substance and I have not spent upon it my selfe but have taken it out and have given it ad usus ecclesiasticos to the Levite and secondly ad usus civiles to the strangers fatherlesse and widowes and not of his accord but by necessity of duty for he saith according to thy Commandement So every man must confesse that as he hath ex libera eleemosyna of a free and undeserved almes so secondly there is a duty a rent to be paid that is a tenth at the least to be paid to holy uses and a tenth to the poore For
these are not unlawfull but expedient and likewise necessary And thus much of the actuall offences of this Commandement For the obedience hereunto how we are to behave our selves toward our selves we are to learne these few precepts 1. That we may learne out of Psal 62.9 the Prophet saith there The children of men are deceitfull upon the weights that is they are too light This is that beginning indeed For it is vanity by which he hath the first vantage upon a man and therefore he must learne and labour to be stedfast 1 Cor. 15.5.8 he must be so grounded that every little suspition will not put him out of tune for if he want this every vanity in respect of himselfe and every affection toward his neighbour will set him out of the way For suspition is one of the fruits of concupiscence and the rising of it is a thing that cannot be resisted but the principium beginning of it must be suppressed 1 Tim. 6.4 The first use of this suspition was to procure our safety and to preserve our soules therefore for the safegard of our owne lives and soules it is better to be nimium timidus quam parum prudens it is better to be solicitously fearfull then securely improvident We have the example and practise of it in Paul he suspected the worst and yet the truth Acts 27.30 Now when these things given us for helpe of our selves and others are turned to the hurt and detriment of our selves and others this must be a great sinne wherewithall even the Godly may bee attainted but there is a difference For though the they arise as Iohn 13.19 when Christ said to Iudas quod facis fac cito what thou doest doe speedily there was suspition in the hearts of the Apostles some thought he bade him buy such things as he stood in need of against the feast other that he should give something to â—lepâ—oâ—e but these were privative suspitions they doe not prevaile c. Gal. 4.11 These suspitions prevailed so fame in the Galatians even beyond positive suspition that he said metuo ne srustra laboraverim I am afraid least I have laboured in vaine They prevailed to diminish his opinion of them and yet possessivam suspicionem a positive or possessive suspition had the Apostle of them that his paines were not so fruitfull as they might have been An argument of the Pharisee to prove Christ a sinner Luke 7.39 If hee had not beene a sinner he would have knowne who and what manner woman c. but he answered quickly and he was reproved So we see what difference is betwixt the highest and the lowest the suspition of the best goeth not into judgement they doe suppresse it and doe not lay sticks upon it to encrease it The lowest have a diminution of their good opinion that they had conceived and cherish the evill conceived opinion not suspending their judgements But in those that are evill they grow to say he is a sinner they make judicium ex saspâ—cione trabem ex festuca a judgement upon their suspition and out of a sprig a beame and some also proceede to action To keepe himselfe from judgement he must abstaine from two things 1. that is in Iob he enterpreteth every thing after his way stulti omnes sibi similes esse putant fooles thinke all men like themselves so are other men if they be evill they cannot keepe themselves from suspition 2. The other is as every man is affected so he judgeth and every small thing will encrease this affection in him As if he have concealed a jealousie of any thing every small action will augment An example we have Mar. 8.16 their minde ranne upon leaven c. If the other Gen. 37.8 after they had conceived an ill affection of Ioseph even his dreame made them to hare him If we doe not remove evill and avoid suspitions every thing will cause us to make this conclusion that the Barbarians did of Paul Surely he is a murderer Six things to be noted in the conclusions they reduce them to foure heads 1. That it is most naturall to suspition to arise upon a slender ground In good part as that If I will that he tarry till I come c. For the evill Mar. 14.6 7. the maid reasoned Thou art of Galilee thou srâ—ly art one of them When an affection hath possessed the heart the being of Galile will make him a Disciple of Christ But let every man when he is tried with a suspition trie the ground From this they come to the object sundry things pertaine to God which men will scanne and make conclusions of it whereas Solomon saith God onely knoweth the secret of thoughts 2 Chron. 6.30 Yet we must be concluding that men thought thus and thus even of their meaning Chrysostome saith that that Rom. 14.4 is most fitly applied to this Quis in es qui servum judicas alâ—enum Who art thou that judgest another mans servant our suspitions must not go into mens thoughts which are no mens servants but onely ought to be judged of God The second thing the condition in which men live in whom wee will be judging of the secret judgements and predestination of God so that if we see any man fall into sicknesse or any other calamity wee straight conclude that he is a wicked man a murderer with the Barbarians although the Preacher 9.2 saith All things come alike to all c. In those kindes of suspitions ye have one thing not to doe not to suspect Iohn 9.2 For neither was it the father of him that was borne blinde that had sinned neither yet he that was borne blinde This was a conclusion of Christs Disciples That either hee or his father must needs be a sinner whereas indeed the judgements of God are abyssus a great deep and cannot be searched Or else we enter into the secret counsell of God saying as Mal. 3.14 vanus est qui servit Domino it is in vaine to serve the Lord because Iohn Baptist and others have lost their lives for serving of God The third is concerning things to come They will affirme if a man be cast downe once and forsaken of God he can never recover againe Whereas we ought 2 Tim. 2.25 to enstruct them with the spirit of meekenesse And then so we come to give oftentimes foolish rash and preposterous judgements of good men not knowing that multi sunt intus Lupi multi etiam sunt Oves soris c. many Wolves are within and many Sheepe also without And these are Gods matters and are to be judged by him and not of us for his hand is long enough The fourth thing is in matters pertaining to men Sometime we judge of an 1. Act. 2. Thing it selfe 3. Person When de re we judge of the thing it selfe then if we judge amisse we hurt not the thing which cannot be allowed by our judgement or opinion but our selves So that in what thing
good is not in us for as the Wiseman saith A man may well purpose a thing in his heart but the answer of the tongue commeth from the Lord Prov. 16.1 Whereof we have often experience They that have the office of teaching in the Church albeit they do before-hand prepare what to say yet when it comes to the point are not able to deliver their mind in such sort as they had purposed as on the other side when God doth assist them with his spirit they are inabled on a sudden to deliver that which they had not intended to speake Fifthly as the ability of effecting was attributed to God so is the will Phil. 2.14 Sixthly for understanding the Apostle saith The naturall man perceiveth not the things that are of the spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. For the wisedome of the flesh is enmity with God Rom. 8.7 Seventhly the power of thinking the thing that is pleasing to God is not in us so farre are we from understanding or desiring it as the Apostle in this place testifieth And therefore where the Prophet speaketh generally of all men Psal 94. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men that they are but vaine the Apostle affirmeth that to be true of the wise men of the world that are endued onely with the wisedome of the world and the flesh that their thoughts are vaine also 1 Cor. 3.19 20. Secondly that we should not thinke that the want of abilitie standeth onely in matters of difficulty and weight the Apostle saith not we are unable to thinke any weighty thing but even that without the speciall grace of Gods spirit we cannot thinke any thing So Augustine understandeth Christs words Joh. 15. where he saith not Nihil magnum difficile but sine me nihil potestis facere This is true in naturall things for we are not able to prolong our owne life one moment the actions of our life are not of our selves but from God in whom we live move and have our beeing Act. 17. Therefore upon those words of Christs Ego à meipso non possum facere quicquam nisi quod video Patrem I of my selfe can do nothing but what I see my Father doe c. Joh. 5.9 Augustine saith Ei tribuit quicquid fecit à quo est ipse qui facit But the insufficiencie of which the Apostle speaketh is not in things naturall but in the ministration of the Spirit So he saith that God of his speciall grace hath made them able Ministers of the new Testament not of the letter but of the spirit his meaning is that no endeavour of men can endue us with the grace of repentance with faith hope and Christian charity except the inward working of Gods spirit As the Apostle speakes of the gift of tongues of the understanding of secrets and of all knowledge without charity Nihil miht prodest 1 Cor. 14. So all our endeavours are unprofitable to us unlesse God by his spirit do co-operate with us for He that â—abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit Joh. 15.5 that is the fruit of righteousnesse the end whereof is eternall life Rom. 6.22 Thirdly the persons whom he chargeth with this want of ability are not the common sort of naturall men that are not yet regenerate by Gods spirit 1 Cor. 2. but he speakes of himselfe and his fellow-Apostles So these words are an answer to that question 2 Cor. 2.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto these things who is sufficient he answereth himselfe Not we for we are not able of our selves to think a good thought much lesse are we fit of our selves to be meanes by whom God should manifest the favour of his knowledge in every place So that which Christ spake Joh. 15. he spake it to his Disciples who albeit they were more excellent persons then the rest of the people yet he telleth them Sine me nihil potestis facere The negative being generall we may make a very good use of it If the Apostles of Christ were unable how much more are we If Jacob say I am unworthy of the least of thy blessings Gen. 32. If John Baptist say I am not worthy Mat. 3. If S. Paul confesse I am not worthy to be called an Apostle 1 Cor. 15. much more may we say with the Prodigall sonne that had spent all I am not worthy to be called thy sonne Luk. 15. and with the Centurion I am not worthy thou shouldest come under my roofe Mat. 8. The reason of this want of ability is for that the nature of men cannot performe that which the Apostle speakes of neither as it is in an estate decayed through the fall of Adam and that generall corruption that he hath brought into the whole race of mankind nor as it is restored to the highest degree of perfection that the first man had at the beginning Adam himselfe when he was yet perfect could not attaine to this for he was but a living soule the second Adam was a quickning spirit 1 Cor. 15. And it is not in the power of nature to elevate and lift it selfe up to conceive hope of being partakers of the blessednesse of the life to come to hope to be made partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. and of the heavenly substance if men hope for any such thing it is the spirit of God that raiseth them up to it As the water can rise no higher then nature will give it leave and as the fire giveth heat onely within a certaine compasse so the Perfection which Adam had was in certaine compasse the light of nature that he had did not reach so high as to stirre him up to the hope of the blessednesse to come that was without the compasse of nature and comes by the supernaturall working of grace As we are corrupt it never commeth into our minds to hope for the felicity of the life to come for all the thoughts of mans heart are onely evill and that all the day long Gen. 6. That is true which the Apostle witnesseth of the Gentiles Rom. 2.13 That they by nature do the things of the Law if we understand it of morall duties for the very light of nature doth guide us to the doing of them But as the Prophet saith Ps 16.2 My goodnesse doth not extend to thee So whatsoever good thing we doe by the direction of naturall reason it is without all respect of God except he enlighten us before Therefore in our regeneration not onely the corruption of our will is healed but a certaine divine sparke of fire and zeale of Gods Spirit is infused into us by which we are holpen to do those duties of piety which otherwise naturally we have no power to do Now followes the qualification of this generall negative sentence For where the Apostle hath said We are not able to thinke any thing of our selves the Scripture recordeth divers good purposes that came into the hearts of Gods servants The Lord
of Timothy that he had Crebras infirmitates 1 Tim. 5. So the soule also hath certaine infirmities and that is the infirinity whereof the Apostle speaketh for albeit our soule be the stronger part as our Saviour speaketh when he saith The spirit indeed is strong Matth. 26. yet it is subject to many infirmities and weaknesses when it doubteth of Gods mercies saying Will the Lord absent himselfe for ever hath God forgotten to be gracious which the Prophet acknowledgeth to be signes of his infirmities Psal 77.10 And as the spirit is weake so there is a weaknesse of conscience 1 Cor. 8.7 and no marvel if there be such infirmities in the bodies also for life it selfe is but weake in regard whereof it is said of God that hereby hee is content to spare us for that hee remembreth that wee are but dust Psal 103. and considereth that we are but even as the wind that passeth away Psal 78. The difference is that as Christ saith Haec infirmitas non est ad mortem Joh. 11. and the dropsie palsie and such like diseases and infirmities of body are not mortall The second thing which the Apostle teacheth is that howsoever we be as the Apostle speaketh compassed with infirmities Heb. 5.5 yet they are not past cure for the Spirit helpeth our infirmitie◠so that albeit we are subject to fall through weaknesse yet there is hope concerning this thing Esay 10.2 and our errour may be healed Dan. 4. For there is balme in Gilead Jer. 8. which serveth to cure all our spirituall diseases Now the cure of the infirmities of our soule is not performed by any strength of our owne nor by our owne spirit but by the Spirit of God for so long as our infirmities are but bodily the spirit of man will sustaine them and there is helpe to be found but when the spirit it selfe is wounded then who can help it Prov. 18. The spirit of man must have helpe from a higher thing then it selfe as from the Spirit of God which onely is able to minister helpe The Apostle ascribeth to the Spirit of God two benefits first in regard of the life to come secondly in respect of this present life For the one as he is the Spirit of Adoption assures us of our estate in the life to come namely that as God hath adopted us to be his children so we shall be fellow-heires with his owne Sonne of his heavenly kingdome Touching the other because we are subject in this life to fall through infirmitie we have this benefit from him that he stayes and upholds us and therefore is called spiritus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As our infirmities are manifold whether we respect the body o◠the soule so the weaknesse and defects of our souls appeareth not onely in good things which wee cannot do because the flesh ever lusteth against the spirit so that we cannot do the things that we would Gal. 5. but in evill things which we should beare and are not able The evill things that we should beare are not onely afflictions and the crosses which we are subject to which the Apostle proveth to be more tolerable because they are not worthy of the glory to come but dilatio boni wherein we need the vertue of magnanimity because it is a great crosse as the Wiseman saith Spes quae differtur affligit animam◠Prov. 13. Touching which affliction and crosses because in this life we cannot obtaine that which the Prophet wisheth namely to fly away as it were with the wings of a dove that sowe might be at rest Psal 55. therefore we must betake our selves to the mourning of the Dove Esay 38. waiting patiently when God will give us time to escape The meanes and wayes whereby the Spirit doth helpe us are many but he onely meaneth prayer to teach us that howsoever it be not esteemed as it ought yet it is the chiefe prop and principall pillar which the holy Ghost useth to strengthen our weaknesse Therefore when the Apostle willeth that first of all prayers and supplications should be made for Kings and all in authority 1 Tim. 2. the reason is as Augustine noteth because both mans salvation the honesty of life knowledge of the truth quietnesse of kingdomes duties of Kings and whatsoever tendeth to the publique benefit commeth by and from Prayer So that not onely the Church and spirituall matters but the common-wealth and temporall things are stayed upon the pillar of Prayer Wherefore as prayer is aspeciall helpe so we are not onely exhorted by religion to use it but nature it selfe binds us unto it for so long as we can either devise any help of our selves or receive it from any other so long we leane upon our owne staffe but when all help failes then we flie to prayer as our last refuge and therefore when God is said to feed the ravens that call upon him Psal 147. that cry of theirs is the voyce of nature so that albeit men for a time leane to their staies and help yet there is a day when all flesh shall be made to come unto him who onely it is that heareth prayer Psal 65. that is when they lye howling upon their beds Hos 7. then they shall be faine to call upon God for help so howsoever Pharaoh in the pride of his heart say Who is the Lord that I should heare his voyce Exod. 5. Yet he made him come to him when he plagued him with thundring and raine and haile which made him send to Moses and Aaron that they might pray unto God for him Exod. 9.28 But here the Apostle meaneth the prayer of the spirit which alwaies reckons prayer to be the first and chiefest help in all trouble and not the last as the prayer of the flesh doth Therefore as we must discerne simulacra virtutum from vertues themselves and that which is naturall from that which is of grace so we must distinguish the prayer of the spirit from the carnall prayer and be sure that the vertues which we have if they be any are not naturall as those in many of the Heathen but that they proceed from grace and the working of Gods Spirit To the right framing of our prayer it is required that we do not onely orare mente spiritu 1 Cor. 14. but as the Psalmist saith of the praising of God so we pray to God with understanding Ps 47. Both our heart our understanding our affection must concurre in making intercession to God For a second point if prayer be a stay to us in our infirmities then we must be carefull that our prayers be not faint and weake but that they proceed from the fervencie and vehemencie of the spirit for as Christ saith If the light that is in thee be darknesse how great is that darknesse Matth. 6. If our prayer be nothing else but infirmity as it is for the most part how great is our infirinity But the Apostle sheweth our weaknesse in prayer in
wee meete with some great house we conjecture that some person of account dwells there and therefore Job saith that the basenesse of man in respect of the Angels is great for that he dwels in the houses of clay whose foundation is of the dust Job 4.19 But here our Saviour tells us that God our Father hath his dwelling in the stately Tabernacle of Heaven whereby we may gather what is the greatnesse of his power But before we come to these things which are particularly to be considered in these words First we are to take heed that wee run not into their errour which so confine and compasse God in Heaven as if he had nothing to do in earth such as they who say How should God know can be judge through the darke cloud the clouds cover him that hee cannot see Job 22.14 For when he is said to have his beeing in heaven the Holy Ghost thereby doth not expresse his presence but his power therefore we are to know that God is not so in heaven that he is not in earth also for so doth the old Testament witnesse of him Coelum terram ego impleo Jer. 23. Behold the heaven and heavens and the heaven of all heavens are not able to comprehend thee 1 Reg. 8.27 and the Prophet David saith If I goe up to heaven thou art there if I go downe to hell thou art there also Psal 139. Whereby it appeareth that we may not limit Gods power and presence to any one place who is every where present for when God is said to be in heaven we learne thereby what his excellencie is which doth especially shew it selfe there for as the glory Majesty of earthly Princes doth chiefly appeare in their thrones so the glory and Majesty of God doth especially shew it self in heaven which is his Throne Esay 66. Matth. 5.34 He hath not his denomination from earth a place of wormes and corruption but from heaven a place of eternall glory and happinesse Secondly the use of this is to temper our confidence in God for albeit we love him as he is our Father yet withall we must feare him for as much as he dwelleth in heaven as we may in regard of his goodnes pray unto him with confidence so withall considering his power we must pray with due devotion and reverence unto his Majewy for he is not as an earthly father that dwelleth in houses clay but his dwelling is in heaven and therefore as he is a Father and consequently will be honoured so because he is our Lord he requires feare at our hands Mal. 1.6 With thee is mercy that thou mayest be feared Psal 130.4 Whereby the Prophet would have us so to esteeme of Gods mercy that withall we be bound to feare him and that we be not like those that contemne the riches of Gods mercy the more that he laboureth with his bountifulnesse and goodnesse to bring us to repentance Rom. 2. for as sweet things have an obstructive power to stop the passages which are in our bodies and on the other side sowre and bitter things do fret and consume and so open the veines So it fareth with the soule for it is stopped when we consider nothing but the mercy of God and contrariwise when we cast our eyes too much upon the Majesty and power of God the force thereof casts us into an astonishment and brings to desperation and therefore that we neither have Nimiam trepidationem nor Nimiam ostentationem too much terrour nor too much security we must know that God is so in heaven as that yet he is a Father and as he is a Father so not an earthly but an heavenly Father and we cannot but feare and reverence God if we in humility consider our basenesse in respect of him for though he be our Father yet so long as we be on earth we are strangers and exiles from him and howsoever it please him to account us sonnes yet as it fared with Absalon we cannot see our Fathers face 2 Sam. 14. untill he take us hence that we may be at home with him in his kingdome of Glory Thirdly these words lead us also to a confidence in God and serve to raise up our faith There is Paternitas both in heaven and earth Ephes 3.16 There are Fathers of the flesh and Fathers of the spirit Heb. 12. But when the Holy Ghost saith that God our Father hath his being in heaven we are thereby to distinguish him from other fathers If he be an heavenly Father he is of a more excellent nature then other fathers that are earthly and carnall for they are mortall as they live on earth so by death they shall be brought sub terris and do forsake us but our heavenly Father is immortall his yeares change not Psal 102. and though our Fathers and mothers forsake us yet the Lord will take us up and succour us Psal 27. Secondly though earthly fathers were immortall yet they are not able and their affections are turned away either by meanes of some lewd parts in the children or for that they beare not that naturall affection towards their children which they ought But God is immutable in his love so that although Jacob will not acknowledge us and Abraham will not know us yet God will be our Father Esay 63.16 The Apostle saith There are wicked parents that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without all naturall affection Rom. 1. And it falleth out that sometime a woman will deale cruelly with her owne child but though she forget it yet God our heavenly Father will not forget his children nor turne his fatherly affection from them Esay 49. and therefore Tertullian saith Nullus pater tam pater no father so fatherly Thirdly though they wish us never so well yet many times they cannot do us that good they would for want of ability yea though they be never so able yet they cannot deliver from sicknesse and death for the sonnes of Princes die daily they can give us bread and fish Luk. 11. they have a care to provide and lay up for their children 2 Cor. 12.14 but it is such treasure as the moth and rust will corrupt Matth. 6.19 But God our heavenly Father can deliver us from all evill he can give us not onely bread and fish and other things necessary for this life but his holy Spirit if wee aske it Luk. 11. The treasure that God layeth up for us is not earthly but an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled 1 Pet. 1. such things as neither eie hath seene nor eare hath heard Esay 64. 1 Cor. 1. For God is not onely carefull in this life for our well doing the knowledge of that is spes mortua but his care extendeth to the life to come and therefore the Holy Ghost saith not Pater in coelo sed in coelis in the heavens whereby he hath begotten us unto a lively hope 1 Pet. 1.4 Quaecunque optant vel timent homines
the prayer that we make for outward things is not without respect to things spirituall and this Petition followeth upon the other by good consequent and order for as the Heathen man saith Haud facile emergunt quorum virtutibus obstat Res angusta domi So wee shall be unfit to seeke Gods Kingdome and to do his will unlesse we have the helps of this life Therefore we desire that God will give us the things of this life those things without which wee cannot serve him that as wee desire the glory of his Kingdome and the grace of his Spirit whereby we may be enabled to do his will so hee will minister to us all things for the supply of our outward wants in this life the want whereof hath beene so great a disturbance to the Saints of God in all times that they could not goe forward in godlinesse as they would Abraham by reason of the great famine that was in Canaan was faine to go downe into Egypt Gen. 12.7 The same occasion moved Isaac to goe downe to Abimelech at Gerar Gen. 26. and Jacob to relieve his family in the great dearth at this time was faine to send his sonnes the Patriarchs into Egypt to buy corne Gen. 42. The children of Israell when they wanted bread or water murmured against God and his servants Exod. 16. Numb 20. the Disciples of our Saviour were so troubled in mind because they had forgotten to take bread with them that they understood not their Master when he gave them warning to beware of the leven of the Scribes and Pharisees Matth. 8. So the want of outward things doth distract our Saviour were so troubled in mind because they had forgotten to take bread with them that they understood not their Master when he gave them warning to beware of the leven of the Scribes and Pharisees Matth. 8. So the want of outward things doth distract our minds and makes us unfit for Gods service Therefore that we may in quietnesse of mind intend those things that goe before in his prayer our Saviour hath indited us a forme of prayer to sue to God as well for things temporall as spirituall and eternall for it is lawfull for us to pray for them so that we do it in order The first Petition that the naturall man makes is for his daily bread but our care must be first for the Kingdome of God next for the fulfilling of Gods will and doing that righteousnesse which God requires at our hands and after wee may in the third place pray for such things as we stand in need of during our life This blessing the Fathers observe out of the blessings which Isaac pronounced upon his sonnes Jacobs blessing was first the dew of heaven and then the fat of the earth shewing that the godly do preferre heavenly comforts before earthly Esaus blessing was first the fatnesse of the earth and next the dew of heaven to teach us that prophane persons do make more reckoning of earthly commodities then of heavenly comforts Gen. 27.28 and 39. Therefore in regard of the Spirituall account we are to make of Gods Kingdome and the doing of his will we are to wish them in the first place and then Davids Unam petii à Domino One thing I have required of the Lord Psal 27. And that which Christ saith to Martha Unam est necessarium one thing is needfull Luk. 10. would bring us to Salomons two things Prov. 30. Give mee not poverty nor riches but feed mee with food convenient for mee lest being full I deny thee and say who is the Lord or beeing poore I steale and take the name of my God in vaine And that is it which wee are bold to do by Christs owne warrant for he hath taught us first to pray for his Kingdome then for the working of righteousnesse or for the doing of Gods will and lastly for daily bread If we do first pray for the two former then we may be bold in the third place to sue to God for the latter for he hath promised to with-hold no good thing from them that lead a godly life if the doing of Gods will be our meat then Requiem dedit timentibus se He hath given rest to them that feare him Psal 111. In the Petition we are to observe from sixe words sixe severall points first the thing that we desire that is bread secondly the attribute our bread thirdly daily bread fourthly wee desire that this bread may be given us fifthly not to mee but nobis to us sixthly hodie and as long as we say hodie to day Heb. 3. To beginne with giving hitherto the tenor of this prayer ran in the third person now we are to pray in the second saying Da tu whereupon the Church hath grounded a double dialect of prayer which comes all to one effect for that which the Church prayeth for Psal 67. God be mercifull unto us and blesse us is no lesse a prayer then if we should say in the second person Miserere nostri O Lord be mercifull to us and blesse us and that which is added and lift up his countenance is all one as if the Church speaking to God should say Lift up the light of thy countenance This change or alteration of person proceedeth from the confidence which the Saints are to gather to themselves in prayer for having prayed for the sanctifying of Gods name for the accomplishment of his Kingdome and for grace and ability to do his will Christ assureth us that we may be bold to speake to God for our owne wants Out of the word of Giving we are to note three things first our owne want for if we had it of our selves we would not crave it of God this confession of our want and indigence is a great glory to God that all the inhabitants of the earth usque ad Regem Davidem to professe to say Give us Psal 40. I am poore and needy but the Lord careth for mee they do professe themselves to be his beggers not onely by the voyce of nature which they utter for outward things as other unreasonable creatures do but by those prayers which they make for the supply of grace whereby they may be enabled to do Gods will so that not onely regnum tuum is Gods gift but also panem nostrum we acknowledge to be his gift It is from God from whom we receive all things as well the good givings as the perfect gifts Jam. 1.17 he is the author not onely of blessings spirituall but of benefits temporall he gives us not onely grace to obey his will but as the Prophet speakes dat escam Psal 104. The idolatrous people say of their Idols I will goe after my lovers that give mee my bread and my water my â—oyle and my wine but God saith after It is I that gave her corne and it is my wine and my flaxe and my oyle Hos 2.8 Ipse dat semen sementi panem
concerning whom Christ saith That wee shall bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equall or like to the Angels Luk. 20. ought while we live on earth not speake only with the tongue of men but of Angels not onely to confesse our owne wants and to crave a supply from God but to acknowledge Gods riches goodnesse and power Againe the Petitions that wee make for our selves is a taking and sanctification of his name by ascribing Kingdome power and glory unto God is a giving and therefore as the Apostle saith It is a more blessed thing to give then to receive Act. 29.35 So the confession of Gods goodnesse and power is a better confession then that which we make of our owne weaknesse and poverty and this is the onely thing which God receives from us for the manifold benefits that we receive from him Neither is this confession and acknowledgement left to our owne choice as a thing indifferent but we must account of it as of a necessary duty which may in no wise be omitted seeing God enters into covenant that he will heare us and deliver us out of trouble when we call upon him Psal 50. therefore God challengeth this a duty to himselfe by his servants Ascribe unto the Lord worship and strength give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name Psal 29. All Nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship thee and glorifie thy name Psal 86.9 Therefore our Saviour commends the Samaritan because he returned to give glory to God for the benefit received wherein he blames the other nine that being cleansed of their leprosie were not thankfull to God in that behalfe Luk. 17. For God for this cause doth heare our prayers and grant our Petitions that we should glorifie and honour his name But this is not all that we are to consider in these words for they are not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely an astipulation but an allegation wherein as we acknowledge Gods goodnesse and power that hath heard and granted our requests so wee alledge reasons why he should not onely heare us but also relieve and helpe us with those things that wee crave for at his hands wee do not onely say heare our Petitions for so shalt thou shew thy selfe to be a King but a mighty and glorious King and we for our parts shall acknowledge the same but we use this confession as a reason why our former requests are to be granted for it is in effect as much as if we should say Forgive thou our sinnes deliver thou us from evill hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdome come for Kingdome power and glory is thine and not ours The reason why we would have our requests granted is drawne from God himselfe in two respects first that we may by this humble confession make our selves capable of the graces of God which do not descend to any but those that are of an humble spirit For he giveth grace to the humble 1 Pet. 5. If we would have our desires granted because it is the nature of God to be good and gracious to be of power to do what hee will for the good of his people we must desire him to be gracious propter semetipsum Esay 43.25 Our motive unto God must be For thy loving mercy and thy truths sake Psalm 115.1 Helpe us for the glory of thy Name deliver us be mercifull unto our sinnes for thy Names sake Psal 79.9 By these motives we must provoke and stirre vp God to heare us This is the difference that is betwixt the prayers of profane men and those that are sanctified Heathen and profane men referre all to their owne glory so saies Nabuchadnezzar Is not this great Babell which I have built by my great power and for the honour of my Majesty Dan. 4.30 Such a man thinkes himselfe to be absolute Lord and will say Who is the Lord over us Psal 12. Therefore are they called the sonnes of Beliall But the Patriarches that were sanctified frame their prayers otherwise Jacob acknowledged I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies Gen. 32. by which humility he made himselfe capable of mercy To us belongeth shame saith Daniel chap. 9. but to thee belongs compassion and forgivenesse though we have offended So Christ himselfe in this place doth teach his Disciples to pray that God will give them the things they desire not for any thing in themselves but for his names sake for thine is Kingdome Power and Glory whereby wee perceive that humility is the meanes to obtaine at Gods hands our suites The other respect is in regard of God for he makes his covenant with us that he will be our God and we his people And when the Prophet stirreth up the faithfull to worship the Lord and to fall downe before the Lord our maker hee addeth this as a reason For he is the Lord our God and we are his people and the sheepe of his pasture Psal 95. Wherefore one saith Commemoratio est quaedam necessitas exaudiendi nos quia nos ipsius sumus ipse noster est It is a necessary motive to God to heare us because we are his and he ours Therefore in all the Prayers and Psalmes which the Saints of God make they ground their Petitions upon this in regard of God the Father who is the Creator they say Wee are thy workmanship created by thee therefore despise not the workes of thy owne hands Psal 138. Besides wee are the likenesse of Gods Image Gen. 1. therefore suffer not thine owne Image to be defaced in us but repaire it Secondly in regard of Christ Wee are the price of Christs bloud Empti estis pretio 1 Cor. 6. Yee are bought with a price therefore suffer not so great a price to be lost but deliver us and save us Againe We carry his Name for as he is Christ so wee are of him called Christians seeing therefore that his name is called upon us Dan. 9.19 be gracious to us and grant our requests Thirdly in respect of the Holy Spirit the breath of his Spirit is in our nostrills which is the breath of life which God breathed in us at our creation Gen. 2.7 Againe the same Spirit is to us an Holy Spirit and sanctifieth us wee are not onely Vaginae Spiritus viventis the sheaths of the living Spirit but Templa Spiritus sancti The Temples of the holy Spirit 1 Corinth 6.19 And therefore for his sake wee are to intreat him to be gracious to us Wee are Gods Kingdome and therefore it belongeth to him to seeke our good all the world is his kingdome by right of inheritance but we that are his Church are his Kingdome by right of purchase wee are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2.9 a people peculiar or gotten by purchase hee hath redeemed us to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 2.14 A peculiar people and the price whereby we are purchased is his owne blood 1 Pet. 1.
Secondly though he grant not the same thing we desire yet he will grant us a better The Apostle prayed Christ that the pricke in the flesh the messenger of Satan might be taken from him but he had another answer My grace is sufficient for thee that was better then if God had said Apage Satanas 2 Cor. 12. For if we pray to God in such manner and sort as he requireth we may assure our selves our prayers shall not returne into our own bosomes Psal 35.3 But he will either grant the thing we desire or else that which shall be better for us Fourthly that our Amen be indivisible that is we must say Amen to every Petition of the Lords prayer for naturally our corruption is such that we can be content to desire the accomplishment of some of them but not of others we doe willingly say Amen to Thy Kingdome come but as for Hallowed be thy name we give no Amen to that as appeares by the whole course of our life which is nothing else but a profaning and polluting of Gods most glorious and fearfull Name We would gladly pray for daily bread but as for doing of Gods will and obeying his Commandements we agree not to that We like well of the last Petition Deliver us from evill but as for that goes before it Lead us not into temptation we will not subscribe to that for we doe seeke by all meanes to tempt our selves and to draw our selves unto sinne We can be content to pray that he will forgive us our trespasses but as for the condition which is the forgiving of those that trespasse against us we give no Amen to that as is cleere by the wrathfull and revenging spirit that carrieth most men into all manner of outrages while they will not learne to put up wrong as they are taught by Gods word Therefore in regard of this Petition and the condition annexed our Saviour saith Take heed ye say Amen to this intirely except ye forgive one another your heavenly Father will not forgive you Matth. 6.15 Therefore we must have a care as well to hallow Gods none in this life as to be partakers of his Kingdome in the life to come we must labour as well for the fulfilling of his will as for the obtaining of daily bread If we will be freed from evill which is the effect of sinne we must take heed that we doe not tempt our selves and as we would be forgiven of God so we must forgive our brethren Lastly we must say Amen to the reason which our Saviour useth in the conclusion of the prayer As the Apostle saith How shall the unlearned say Amen to thy thanksgiving 1 Cor. 14. For there are many that will say with the Leapers Iesus Master have mercie upon us but being cleansed few or none will returne to give God thankes and to say as our Saviour teacheth Thine is Kingdome Power and Glory Luk. 17. We must not onely pray to him when wee lie sicke upon our beds that it would please him to comfort us and to make our bed in our sicknesse Psal 41.3 but to sing praises to him when he saveth us from adversity and delivers us out of our enemies hands Psal 106.129 Our Hallelujah must be sounded as loud as Hosanna The Saints in Heaven have no other prayer but Thanksgiving they cry Amen Blessing and Glory and Wisedome and Honour and Power be to God Revel 7.12 All their song is Amen Hallelujah Revel 19.4 Therefore if we will come where they are wee must sound out the praises of God as they doe If we will be like the heavenly Angels we must speake with the tongue of Angels If we say Amen to his praise and honour he will ratifie his word towards us so that his promise to us shall be Yea and Amen FINIS SEVEN SERMONS ON THE VVONDERFVLL COMBATE for Gods Glory and Mans Salvation BETWEENE CHRIST AND SATHAN DELIVERED By the Reverend Father in God Doct. ANDREWES Bishop of Winchester deceased JAMES 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth Temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised them that love him 〈…〉 LONDON Printed by Richard Cotes 1642. SEVEN SERMONS VPON The Temptation of Christ in the WILDERNESSE The first SERMON MATTH 4.1 Then was Jesus led aside of the Spirit into the Wildernesse to be tempted of the devill OUR Saviour Christ by his Nativity tooke upon him the shape of man Gal. 4.4 by his Circumcision hee tooke upon him Phil. 2.7 and submitted himselfe to the degree of a servant By the first he made himselfe in case and able to performe the worke of our Redemption By the second he entred bound for the performing of it All was to this end that he might restore the worke of God to his originall perfection In the bringing of which to passe it was decreed by God in the beginning as a thing necessary that the head of the Serpent by whose meanes it was violated and defaced should be bruised And For this cause saith John appeared the Sonne of God 1 Ioh. 3.8 that hee might loose the workes of the Devill whereof this was the first For in Gen. 3. we read that his first worke after his fall was enviously to tempt our first Parents and thereby to overthrow all man-kinde And here straight after our Saviour was baptized hee with like envy setteth on him Christ therefore first beginneth with the overcomming of that and for that purpose he is here led forth to be tempted that so being tempted he might overcome Our Saviour makes this question Matth. 11.7 upon their going out to see John Baptist What went yee out to see As if hee should have said They would never have gone out into the Wildernesse except it had beene to see some great and worthy matter and behold a greater and a worthier matter here If there be any thing in the Wildernesse worthy the going out to behold this is a matter much worthy of it Or if there be any matter worthy the hearing it is worthy our attention to heare not Michael the Archangell disputing about the body of Moses with the devill Jude 9. but our owne matter argued by two such cunning adversaries to see the combat betwixt our grand enemy who goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking to devoure us 1 Pet. 5.8 and our Arch-duke for so hee is called Heb. 12.2 to see our King of old Psalm 74.12 the pawne of our inheritance and our Prince of new or Prince by usurpation the Prince of this world John 4.30 enter the lists together to see the wisedome of the new Serpent Iohn 3.14 match the craftinesse and subtilty of the old serpent Rev. 12.9 to see the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah combating with the roaring Lyon 1 Pet. 5.8 If any thing be worthy the sight Apoc. 5.5 it is this Though there should come no profit to us by the victory yet were it
is one indirect meanes To the second and that is committing our selves as the wise man saith Prov. 3.17 to danger Qui amat periculum peribit in periculo when a man will put himselfe into danger and need not and when he useth not the meanes of escaping danger he is accessory to his owne death Matth. 4.6 We know what Christ did we must walke in the way not tumble downe when there is a paire of staires Acts 27.31 Paul was very carefull of the Mariners that they should not forsake him though he had Gods promise and Levit. 13.4 a Leaprous man shall be shut up that no man shall goe to him but if any man will goe to him and take the Leprosie of him that is againe presumption And the third meanes by our owne negligence 1 Tim. 5.23 the Apostle saith there I would have you drinke no more water because your stomacke is over weake but drinke a little wine that is the meanes that God hath given to strengthen nature I will have you to use it else you will weaken your nature And no doubt if he had not followed the Apostles counsell he had fallen into the breach of this Commandement Now as Timothy was to drinke a little for the strengthening of nature lest neglecting the meanes nature should have perished so Luke 21.34 when men with too much surfetting and glutiony die they kill themselves so that a man must use or reframe or temper himselfe so as that he use them to preserve his life and the image of God so 1 Tim. 6.8 meate and appatell though not so much Rom. 13.14 as to fulfill the lusts of the flesh but those that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for rest Marke 6.31 Col. 2.23 Psal 27.2 for due exercise and due release due study and due recreation not too much exercise nor too much rest for both with too much tristitia mâ—ndâ— care of the world 2 Cor. 7.10 destroyeth and Prov. 17.22 dryeth the bones and too much pigritia slothfulnesse robbeth a man therfore in these things that the Philosophers call non naturalia not naturall a man must use them carefully that he hasten not his end Now this neglect as it must not be in our selves so it must not be towards our brethren Deut. 22.8 There is the prescription of battlements that the workeman may not fall Exod. 21.29 If the Oxe be wont to push c. the Oxe and he both shall die and vers 33. if they stop not the Well at night and a man fall in and die hee shall die also for his negligence By the equity whereof Prev 3.27 and 24.12 there is extension made Contrariwise a Commandement as Ambrose saith Pasce ovem morientem Non pavisti occidisti feede that Sheepe which is ready to perish if thou feedâ—st it not thou killest it Ierem. 8.22 Is there no Balme in Gilead is there no Physitian that the people be not healed and Ezek. 47.12 that God hath ordained plants for bruises and sores and Exod. 21.9 hee saith that the party that shall afferre alii injuriam wound his neighbour he shall pay for his healing this is likewise a meanes to preserve our lives And on the other side Marke 5.25 he saith the woman with the bloudy issue had received many medicines of divers Physitians and had spent all her goods and was never the better but rather the worse The practise of Physitians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to their shame be it spoken in all examples it is a sinne to them and Ecclesiasticus 38.15 it is a punishment to the party Now come to a disposition hereunto For it is not onely the life of the body but incolumitas for we see that if the hurt be of any one part if you have hurt the least part of the whole consequently the whole counteth it selfe hurt and saith Quare me Why smitest thou me As not the whole so not any part must be hurt Levit. 24.19 there shall not be any blemish upon our neighbour Exod. 21.25 a wound and a stripe is forbidden if a rupture or ustulation with fire it is an injury we shall have the like our selfe Levit. 24.20 And as this vulnus is contra incolumitatem plaga contra sensum so contra motum wound impaireth the safety of the body and causeth smart so hindreth its motion 2 Sam. 3.34 binding restraint and Gen. 42.17 Deut. 32.36 imprisonment these are accounted as impediments and as punishments these things are not to be inflicted without consent of Magistrate Not any private man must doe it because therein there is a disposition ad totum yet one of the priviledges Eccles 6.3 if a man live not to his owne contentation he hath not lived at all so to bring a man into that estate to make his life odious commeth within the compasse of this Commandement Come to the soule the murther whereof is so much the more grievous as Gods Image is in the soule rather then in the body and certaine it is à comparatis that if the bodily bloud of Abel crie for vengeance Heb. 12.24 then the bloud of the soule much more especially because there is two lives of the soule one here another in the life to come if it be set in worse estate concerning the life to come if he that hath charge of soules Revel 2.14 Mal. 2.8 vos scandalizastis eos in lege yee have caused them to stumble at the Law or teaching them as Balaam taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel or whether it be indirectly by negligence Ezek. 33.6 If you watch not and the sword come upon any he is taken away for his sinne but his bloud will I require at thine hands So likewise though it be not he that hath the charge but a brother privately one private man against another if he gave counsell dicto or facto by word or example as Peter Matth. 16.22 was a scandall to Christ he had prevented Christ if he would have beene prevented and so have hindered the great worke of redemption Or whether it be the example Gal. 2.13 the same Peter by his example misled the other Jewes and Barnabas and Paul 1 Cor. 8.12 that the weake brethren were emboldned by the example of those that had knowledge to eate those things that were offered unto Idols wounding thereby the weake conscience of others yet they brought guilt on themselves for every example in deeds and Matth. 18.6 shall come upon them and woe bee to them it were better that a milstone c. then that he should minister this offence to take away the life of the soule of the least of his brethren Concerning this wee spake before Come to the second life of the soule Eccles 6.3 Col. 3.21 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that a man beginneth to loath the benefit of his life it is certaine his soule is killed and as in Gen. the missing of Ioseph and Simeon and Benjamin killed Iacobs heart and at
the newes of Ioseph that he was alive his spirit revived It commeth three wayes according to the three benefits of the soule 1. joy 2. peace 3. love Exod. 1.14 against joy where it is said there the Egyptians brought them in amaritudinem spiritus to bitternesse of spirit and Exod. 6.9 against peace by breaking their hearts they brought them in anxietatem spiritus into an anguish of soule that they would hearken to Moses Prov. 22.25 that when a man falleth into hatred of all things when he hateth himselfe it killeth his heart None of al these must be to our brethren especially must not be to the good 2 Pet. 2.8 Lots soule is not to be grieved and so bring him by their wicked deeds to the first death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drowsinesse of spirit he began to loath to attempt any good and not to goe forward this is a great and grievous fault and is done Psal 95.8 by provocation and irritation So we must not provoke him by any manner of these meanes Thus much of the second point The third rule concerning the spirituall law Our Saviour Christ Matth. 5.22 nisi sanguis sequeretur unlesse bloud were shed they counted it no murther nor way to murther as Christ there teacheth them to goe further then the arme or blow that is given that whatsoever are outwardly committed and accompany murther are nothing else and are but fructus irae the fruits of anger and that is the roote of Wormwood Heb. 12.15 and that must be pluckt up For when these bitter fruits come by vertue of that which is in the heart Matth. 15.19 he boldly pronounceth that out of the heart proceed murthers and so those that lay plaisters onely to the armour and weapon shall never helpe the disease For it is noted further Deut. 19.16 this is Gods reason that murther is not capitall of it selfe if it be not that he hated his brother before therefore this is to be punished As in the begining it was said so now that as the beginning of pride was the fountaine of the breaches of this Commandement so is it that likewise from which this anger commeth The wise man Prov. 13.10 he saith thas Onely by pride contention and anger commeth and therefore the Apostle Gal. 5.26 saith Bee not desirous of vaine glory this is the roote that maketh one envious and provoketh one against another so that envies murthers came here for as it was said in the beginning every one setteth this downe with himselfe That he is good and whosoever loveth him doth his duty and so consequently he must be good as on the other side hurting him and envying him that man must necessarily be evill so hee must conceive an anger against him omnis ira sibi videTur justa each froward man accounts his anger just as before omnis iniquitas mentitur sibi therefore it is that it commeth to the second for anger is compounded of two things 1. The griefe for whatsoever in dignity is preferred to us The 2. a desire to require it The griefe is the boyling aestus irae actualis or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 5.20 It is as Prov. 14.19 the inward fretting and from thence pride containing the party evill and as the Heathen saith there presently commeth to be mala mens an ill intent when his judgement will be corrupted Eph. 4.3 he doth reprehend that man that doth it sub malitia out of malice he maketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 malice to be that that corrupteth his understanding his affection 1 Pet. 4.15 he makes himselfe Bishop of other mens doings Then necessarily 1 Tim. 6.4 called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evill whisperings and Iam. 2.4 he is judex malarum cogitationum a judge of evill thoughts he draweth his thoughts to evill why he hath taken an opinion of him and then he thinketh he must be even with him Then followeth the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Luke 9.54 they would command fire from Heaven because they were not presently entertained Now then this anger or injurie if it be conceived to proceed from a superiour because Iam. 4.5 so there is a spirit in us that lusteth to envie and as Iob saith 5.2 that those same parvuli c. envie alwayes layeth hold on the inferiour hence it commeth to passe as the Apostle 2 Cor. 12.20 that there will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a swelling of the minde and either presently breake forth or if it lie long and be suppuratio an impostume as Cyprian calleth it it will prove rubigo animae the rust of the soule which is a fearefull thing and a great deale worse then anger Prov. 27.4 Anger is cruell and wrath rageth but envie goeth beyond them it bringeth to murther And as Matth. 27.18 Pilate saw that it was for very envie that the Jewes delivered Christ to him Now the occasion of it ariseth 1 Iohn 3.12 that there are some better then we because every one desireth his owne excellencie so if there be any better then he he thinketh he standeth in his light and therefore he seeketh to discredit him and to bring him low under-water and we will swimme above the water unlesse all swimme under Iohn 3.26 Iohns Disciples come to him and say He that was with thâ—e beyond Iordan now he hath got all the Disciples was an envious thing to them Luke 15.18 The elder brother came home from the field he saw his fathers entertainment of his younger brother hee would not goe in for envie the reason is because he thought himselfe better and consequently nothing can be done but envie will make it a matter for her to worke on But 1 Sam. 18.8 if it come once to ten thousand then vers 9. non potuit rectis oculis eum intueri he could not look right upon him as vers 10. on the morrow after there came an evill spirit on him And there is none that the Devill will sooner fasten upon then upon such Gen. 37.4 the making of a better coate for Ioseph and a little more love of Iacob to him then to the rest was a marvellous moate in their eye and vers 33. it is true that Iacob prophesieth though perhaps in another sense bestia pessima devoravit fil um meum an evill beast hath devoured him for envie was that cruell beast that devoured Ioseph The greatnesse of this sinne one saith Invidiae propier magnitudinem secleris futura poena non sufficit ergo hic plectitur so hainous is the sinne of envie that Hell alone is not a sufficient torment for it therefore is it punished here also and consequently Prov. 14.30 it is putrido ossium the rottennesse of the bones he that wished himselfe wholly an eye that wished himselfe an argus cannot wish himselfe a worse evill and torment The Saints Numb 11.29 were not envious in one envie as Moses that he would have none equall or like to him that was Pompeys envie and it is there