that before the foundation of the world was laide the foundation of our saluation was made before we sinned the remedie against sinne was found before the maladie the Lord had prepared a medicine before wee were damned he had purposed a way how wee should be saued In respect whereof seeing we are rather to reioyce in this that our names are written in heauen than if wee had power without hurt to treade on Scorpions or had spirites subdued vnto vs Luke 10. 19. 20. wee conclude with the Prophet Psalm 65. 4. Blessed is the man O God whom thou chusest and causest to come vnto thee The substance of this blessednes is our redemptiō in Christ Iesus which is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Ioh. 1 29 by whose blood we haue the forgiuenes of our sinnes Ephes. 1. 7 and by whose Spirit when we haue beleeued the Gospel wee haue the earnest of our inheritance Ephes. 4. 14. The excellent price whereof is set out vnto vs herein in that being filthy in the blood of our sinnes he washed vs with his owne blood Heb. 9. 14. in that hee being iust suffered for vs being vniust 1. Pet. 3. 18. in that we being of no strength vngodly he died for vs Rom. 5. 6. in that we being enemies through sinne were reconciled by him to God the Father Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore seeing he is Blessed whose wickednes is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Psalm 32. 2. let not the wise man glorie in his wisedome as though it made him happie nor the strong man glorie in his strength neither let the rich man glorie in his riches but let him that glorieth glorie in this that hee knoweth the mercie of the Lord wherein consisteth our saluation Ier. 9. 23 24. And let vs all learne the meaning of the salutation of Elizabeth to the virgin Marie Luk. 42. Blessed art thou because the fruite of thy wombe is blessed The formal cause is the illumination of God his spirit making vs capable of the former mysteries sealing them to vs with such assurance in our hearts that wee dare boldly crye Abbafather that wee dare boldly say If God bee on our side who can stand against vs Such blindnesse folly and incredulitie possesseth vs by nature that of our selues we can neither see into these mysteries of our saluatiō nor beleeue the thing we see concerning our comfort vntill we haue receiued of this Spirit which cōmeth from aboue For none commeth to Christ vnlesse the father draw him and how draweth he but by inlightening the hearts of his elect by the holy Ghost Ioh. 6. 44 Wherefore seeing these things are not reuealed vnto vs but by the Spirit 1. Corinth 2. 14. we end with that blessing of the Lord Iesus to Peter Matth. 16. 17. Blessed art thou Simon thou sonne of Ionah for flesh and blood hath not opened this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen The instrumentall cause is partly within vs as faith partly without vs as the word and the appurtenances accompanying the same as Prayer the Sacramēts the discipline of the Church Faith being the ground of things which are hoped for the euidence of things which are not seene Heb 11. 1. doth so applie the promises of God to our proper and peculiar comforts that it sealeth vs vp to the Lord affoording a certaine testimonie to our hearts that we haue not in vaine receiued of the good spirit of God Now because there is a certaine kind of faith which Satan himselfe doth broach in his schoole and propounds as a principle to all his schollers seeing the Papists vrge faith in their vnwritten verities the Familists will haue it in their foolish reuelations The Turke requireth it in his dry speculations of Mahomet and the wizzard will seeme to demaund it in his deuillish incantations we must not beleeue euery spirit but trust to the word onely which is our sure load-starre and touch-stone and being it selfe firme doth make our faith in it most firme sure and vnchangeable This blessednesse to haue the Lord communicate himselfe to vs by his word is priuiledged aboue that praise which the woman gaue our Sauiour Christ Luk. 11. 27. as may appeare by his sharpe answer Yea blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Wee conclude then with the Psalmist Blessed are they that dwell in the house of the Lord they will euer praise him Blessed is the man whose strength is in the Lord and in whose heart are his waies Psal. 84. 4. 5. If the Queene of Saba coūted those men happy that might stand before Salomon and heare his wisedome 2. Chron 9. 7. if Dauid thought it a high recompence and princelike benefit to preferre the sonne of Barzillai to sit at the table of Salomon how great is our happines to heare the wisedome of Christ how high is our blessednes to sit at the table of the Lord where not Salomon but a greater than Salomon is present where not Salomon but a wiser than Salomon speaketh vnto vs Behold then the causes of true blessednes which are our election redemption illumination sanctification all which are sealed vnto vs by the holy Ghost the spirit working faith through the word preached Christ Iesus so sending his Spirit to renue vs God the Father sending his Sonne to redeeme vs redeeming vs to call vs calling vs to iustifie vs iustifying vs to sanctifie vs sanctifying vs hee sealeth vs by his spirit and so by all these doth hee lay the sure ground-worke of our saluation and eternall blessednes Concerning the effects of blessednesse some are inward and some are outward the effects inward are partly in respect of our selues only partly in regard both of our selues and of others those in our selues are either concerning mortification or about our sanctification The first of these is both truly orderly couched in that sermon of the Lord Iesus Marth 5. where those men are set in the first ranke who are emptied both of the opinion of their owne wisedome and of all perswasion of their owne righteousnesse and of those it is said Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Now because many haue lost their hold in iudgement who haue not so throughly giuen ouer in affection in the next degree happines is promised to such who are so farre descended into the sight of their owne vilenes and sense of their naturall coruptions that they are not onely conuinced of an vnrighteousnesse inherent in their iudgements but also are much humbled for it in their affections of whom the Lord of comfort hath thus determined Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted Further for that Sathan laboureth and preuaileth much in ouer comming exercised mindes with pettie shames a thing oft incident to afflicted consciences the next be atitude is allotted to them that are meeke in spirit
who mourne rather in themselues possessing their soules in patience thā murmur against others as labouring in a secret disdaine of them and of this sort of mourners the Lord Iesus hath pronounced this iudgement Blessed are the meeke for they shall inherit the earth Neither must we be of too abiect a spirit as they that will patiently suffer all things because they would be troubled with nothing for that were rather a stoicall and vnchristian sottishnes than an heroicall and Christian meekenes but willingly submitting our necks to the yoke by the Lord his appoyntment imposed vpon vs we are rather patiently to waite for the time of our deliuerance and by labouring to keepe a good conscience we are to hunger and thirst after righteousnes where with vpon the credite of the Lord his owne word we shall in his good time be satisfied Now that wee may continue sanctification with mortification as wee ioyne together Christ his passion and resurrection let vs adde somewhat of those quickening graces of the spirit wherin some effects of Blessednesse doe appeare most euidētly the first is peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 5. 2. wherby we finde both truce with God and are at league with his creatures so as both for our comfort in the promises of God we haue accesse to him to reioyce vnder the hope of his glorie and for our confidence in the promises of God we can lie downe and sleepe in many perils because God hath either meanes to deliuer vs out of them or else is readie to sustaine vs in them Psal. 3. 6. and 4. 8. Of this thus speaketh the Prophet Blessed is the people that can reioyce in thee they shall walke in the light of thy countenance O Lord Psal 89. 13. Now least we should deceiue our selues with some false peace and illuding ioy we put vnto this peace of minde sinceritie which the holy Ghost hath linked together Psal. 32. 2. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquitie and in whose spirit there is no guile And Psal. 119. Blessed are those that are vpright in the way and walke in the way of the Lord. Beware least this vprightnes of minde be boysterous and voide of loue without which all is as nothing but a swelling pride so with this we make knowne our faith by fruites and our feeling by sweete effects For loue the enemie of securitie is carefull to please God and fearefull to displease him and blessed is the man that feareth alwaies Prou. 28. 14. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and walketh in his waies Psalm 128 1. Lastly this feare is ioyned with a care to please God in the obedience of his word Luk. 11. Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Those effects which concerne not onely our selues but others are of two sorts and comprehended Matth. 5. The first a Christian care to worke in others a taste of that sweete reconciliation which is from God to man or from man to man whereof it is said Matth. 5 9. Blessed are the peace-makers for they shall be called the children of God Many may vndertake this dutie but vpon some sinister affection and therfore we require a fellow-feeling of the euils of others mourning both for their inward defects outward necessities of whom Christ hath said Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercie Of the other the Psalmist speaketh Psal. 40. 2. Blessed is he that iudgeth wisely of the poore c. And when wisedome ioyned with compassion pitie mixed with policie doth worke such a moderation in our affections as that wee may vse such a mercifull seueritie where it is needefull and a seuere lenitie where the matter so requireth it this causeth vs to auoide on the one side taking of offence for Blessed are they saith the Lord Iesus that are not offended at me and on the other side it teacheth vs to reach out our hand to the needie for it is a blessed thing to giue rather than to receiue Act. 20. 35. The outward effects are prosperitie as a signe of God his loue and aduersitie as a thing sanctified vnto vs in the crosse of Christ Psal. 128. Many temporal blessings are propounded not vniuersally but as restrained to them that feare the Lord because indeed they haue the surest interest in them right vnto them The like felicitie falleth out Psal. 144. but to such as haue God for their Lord. And much more is a certain gain and handsell of happines ariseth euen out of the bitternes of affliction to them that feare God in that thereby the Lord strippeth them from some sin wherewith they might haue rotted or whetteth them vp to some actions of godlinesse wherein their zeale began to freeze for cold or to trie their faith which else would haue beene drosse or for the good of others that might make their profit thereby The Prophet his testimonie of this is Psal. 99. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest O Lord and teachest him in thy law Herevnto may be ioyned that beatitude of the Lord of all blessings Matth. 5. 10. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen To draw at the last to the consummation of all this we make the full heape of all happines after this life to be filled with the Lord of life and with the sweetnes of his presence who is happie aboue all that can be thought and counted happie This is foreshewed Matth. 25. Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you And Reuel 14. Blessed are they that die in the Lord c. For thus shall we be ioyned to God the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost then shall all teares be wiped from our eyes then shal our infirmities be taken from vs then shall we dwell with the Angels with all the hostes of heauen in most happines and blessednes it self We see now by this chaine not forged by our own braine but framed out of Gods his word that he is indeed blessed whom God chuseth whom Christ redeemeth whom the Spirit renueth whom faith staieth whom the Word Prayer Sacraments and discipline build vp in the Lord in whom faith breedeth peace peace sinceritie sinceritie loue loue a feare of displeasing and a care of pleasing God in whom this care striueth to a mortification in pouertie of minde this pouertie comming from a mourning heart possessed in a meeke spirit which hungreth after righteousnes all these things being ioyned with that sanctification which lamenteth the sinne of others and relieueth the wants of others knowing to vse prosperitie and aduersitie as pledges of God his fauour and vndoubtingly looking for the kingdome of heauen in the life to come If any of these linkes be missing the chaine is broken if any of these members be wanting the bodie of blessednesse is vnperfit FINIS
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
feele that the seede of God his Spirit may bud foorth that both we and they ioyning together in deuout prayer and Christian practise of our profession may call and allure others as yet further from vs to come neerer to vs. But some will say vnto me I was wont to haue better dispositions and to feele sweeter motions than I haue done of late I profit little or nothing nay I feare rather I goe backe Why I pray you is this I say surely God his spirit worketh not in me as he hath done before because I cannot haue such delight in the word such sweetnes in feruent prayer such ioy in the Sacraments I haue not such a plentifull measure of God his spirit in me Now followeth the second thing in these words Vpon flesh Here are two things in nature opposite one against another the one most pretious the other most vile What more pretious than the Spirit of God what more vile than flesh that is than a man meerely vnregenerate That this word flesh so signifieth it appeareth Genes 6. 3. where the Lord saith My spirit shall not alwaies striue with men because he is but flesh that is such as in whom my image is blotted out And Rom 7. 18. the Apostle saith I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing In which place the Apostle speaketh of himselfe as of a man meerely naturall and vnregenerate And Ioh. 3. 6. it is said That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that that is borne of the Spirit is Spirit Where the antithesis and contrarietie doth shewe the meaning of this word flesh Here then is the depth height length and breadth of God his mercie commended vnto vs in giuing his holie spirit to sinful flesh and therefore we may iustly crie out with the Prophet Psal. 8. 4. what is man that thou art mindfull of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him Oh what is man that the Lord should giue him his Spirit If the man of God cried out thus for the benefit of outward things how much rather are we to crie for the benefit of God his Spirit If Iob in his booke reasoneth that it is a great mercie of God that he will take paines to chastice man how much more mercie is it when he will vouchsafe his Spirit to be giuen vnto him If then flesh is so contemptible a thing that it lieth without all honour vntil God doth send his blessed Spirit here is confuted the doting opinion of the Papists who think that there is some good thing in man which moueth the Lord through a liking and louing of him to bestow these inestimable graces of the spirit on him when as of it selfe it is wholy alwaies and in al things corrupt and onely euill continually Wherein these blinde Diuines shew and bewray themselues not to haue tasted truly at any time of the spirit of God but to glance at it with some glimmering sight to their further condemnatiō as the foolish Philosophers For God his people doe plainly feele and to the glorie of God boldly confesse that there is no first degree or preparation in themselues whereby they might moue the Lord once to cast his fauourable countenance towards them but that it is onely the merit and the vndeserued mercy of God that his spirit which worketh any good proceedings in them doth also begin in them and the same spirit both continueth the worke and maketh a way for the worke which he himselfe must worke vpon afterward It is said Esay 44. 3. I will powre water vpon the thirstie and flouds vpon the drie ground where our nature for barrennes is compared to drie ground and the Spirit to a fountaine of water The Lord moreouer by his Prophet sheweth that vntill by his good spirit he doth soften vs wee haue stonie hearts And can a stone bleede though you bruise cut and breake it in peeces Surely no more can wee bee bruised humbled and broken in heart for sinne be the iudgements of God neuer so sorely vrged vpon vs vntill God by his good spirit touch vs. If it bee then a great worke to turne a stone into flesh to make a thing most insensible most sensible then surely to make a stonie heart fleshie and our hearts that are hardened to melt bleede and to be resolued into teares is a more excellent worke and this is the onely worke of God his spirit And as thus much wee haue spoken for doctrine so also it may make for our consolation and for the comfort of al them that are broken in minde and feele the burthen of their naturall corruption True it is that all generally and naturally are flesh drie ground and hard hearts but all doe not feele this all see not this all lament not this and therefore all that haue not the beginnings of faith and haue not tasted the first fruites of the spirit because they are but flesh how can they feele any thing in themselues But when the spirit commeth that hardnes is taken away the vale is rent and then wee begin to complaine of our deadnes and dulnes then wee will crie out of our selues as of men vnworthie of any grace or fauour of God Then remember to thy comfort the couenant of God made vnto vs that is that God will powre out his spirit on flesh and thou shalt receiue of the power thereof if thou complaine in truth and not as a Parrat counterfeiting the worke of reason For as some birds can counterfeite mens wordes so some men can counterfeite God his words If then thou art not truly moued and purely affected neither feelest such gratious working in thee as thou desirest remember that God will powre his spirit on flesh God will powre waters on drie ground God will soften the hard hearts and though in our selues wee finde no towardnes the Lord will send flouds of water in steed of drinesse and fleshinesse in stead of hardnes and comfort in stead of heauines Now followeth the third thing that is that this benefit shall vniuersally be powred out vpon all And this setteth out the goodnesse of God that doth giue it in that he doth it without respect of persons as well on children as on fathers as well on seruants as on masters as well on women as on men as well on young as on olde together with the fourth thing in that this heauenly gift shall in plentifull measure bee powred out in that the ions and daughters shall prophecie the young men shall see visions and the olde men shall dreame dreames Wherein we obserue first the difference betweene the Law and the Gospell betweene the Fathers vnder the Law and those that are vnder the Gospell We grant that we al had one substance of faith and repentance only they looked for Christ to come we to Christ alreadie come And here are to be noted two other differences the one that then the spirit was giuen to
saued which point is necessarily to be noted For the diuell will tell vs Christ died for others but not for vs True it is that all repentant sinners compared with the number of the vnrepentant are but few Howbeit if I truely abhorre my sinnes and my selfe for my sinnes sake if I purpose to leaue sinnâ— and trauell in the wayes of righteousnes if I loue GOD and hate â—niquitie and depart from it although I want all these solen ne preparations yet I am perswaded I shall be saued And yet remember that here is no such libertie for hard-hearted sinners neither is the Sea of mercie denied to sorrowfull sinners For as no sinner shall be damned that will repent and it truth desireth to be saued so the Lord will not iustifie the wicked and obstinate sinner Whosoeuer therefore hath eares let him heare who so hath eyes let him see who so hath an heart let him consider of this bountifull mercie of God whether hee be in miserie outward or trouble inward and know from the Lord his owne mouth that Whosoeuer calleth on the Name of the LORD hee shall be saued FINIS THE THIRDE PART OF THE WORKES OF THE REVEREND AND FAITHFVL SERVANT OF IESVS CHRIST MAISTER RICHARD GREENHAM MINISTER AND PREAcher of the Word of GOD containing seuenteene Sermons the Titles and Texts whereof appeare in the next Page following PROV 10. 7. The memoriall of the iust shall bee blessed but the name of the wicked shall rotte VERS 11. The mouth of the righteous is as a welspring of life VERITAS VIRESSIT VVLNERE TC AT LONDON Imprinted by Thomas Creede for William Welbie and are to be solde at his shoppe in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Swanne 1611. THE SERMONS FOLLOVVING ARE THESE 1 OF quenching the spirit 1. THES 5. 19. 2 Of murmuring EXOD. 16. 2. 3 Of zeale REVEL 3. 19. 4 Of a good name PROV 22. 1. 5 Of humilitie PROV 18. 12. 6 Of the education of children PROV 17. 21. 7 Of repentance and true sorrow for sinne ACT. 2. 37. 38. 8. 9. Three Sermons of the heauenly purchase on the 13. of 10. Matthew and the 44 verse 11 Of Christian warfare on EPHES. 6. vers 10. 11. 12. 12 Of diuers Christian instructions PSAL. 16. 13 Of flying euill company Idolatrie c. on GEN. 42. vers 9. 12. 14. 15. 21. 14 Of the mutuall duties betweene the Ministers and people on HEB. 13. vers 17. 15 Of the confession of sinne and the necessarie vse thereof on PROV 28. 15. 16 Of the effects of Christ his Crosse c. in two sermons 17 on GALAT. 6. vers 14. 15. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL SIR IVLIVS CAESAR KNIGHT AND TO THE RIGHT VERtuous Lady his wife HENRY HOLLAND wisheth an increase of all prosperitie and the rich grace of Gods spirit vnto life euerlasting THese Sermons right Worshipfull are full of good instruction and consolation I haue endeuoured to giue some view of theâ— al by some short aphorismes on this manner I. The first Sermon is of the quenching of the spirit where hee teacheth vs 1. That albeit those be worthily condemned that nâ—vâ—r tâ—sted nor desire to taste of the spirit of God yet a more iust and fearefull condemnation is like to come on them that hauing once receiued it doâ— after lose the same 2. To knowe whether we haue the spirit he saith like as hee knoweth best that hee hath lâ—fe which feeleth it in himselfe so hee best knoweth whether hee haue the spirit that feâ—eth thâ— spirit working in himselfe Againe he that hath the spirit of Christ hath some thing in him giuen him of God by his word aboue all that can be attained by any naturall gift or humane industrie 3. Tâ—e spirit often in regeneration causeth in the spirituall man a great and generall astonishment for great â—â—d enormous sinnes committed and then it dealeth more particularly smitâ—â—g vs with a speciall griefe for speciall sinnes 4. Then the spirit teacheth how the faculties of the soâ—le are all bent to rebellion against God and specially how reason fighteth against faith and is a great patronâ— of vnbeliefe 5 After all this the spirit saith he bringeth vs to seâ— the vnsâ—â—rchable riches of Christ and worketh in vs that precious faith whereby â—â— apprehend our free iustification in Christ. And then followes the feeling of ioy vnspeakable and that blessed peace of conscience which passetâ— vnderstanding iudgement is reformed affections are cleane altered and there wil appeare in â—ll faculties great forwardnes and readines to performe things acceptable vnto God 6. After some falies of frailtie â—f we continue our former hatred of sinne the oftner wâ— fal conceiue the more dâ—â—dly hatred against sinne if our sorrow for sinne increase if our care continue to preuent and cut off all occasions of sinne albeit we slip and fall often yet wee may not say the spirit is quenched 7. Such as haue the greater and more certaine graces of the spirit of regeneration their knowledge is well grounded and they labour euermore for a good measure of knowledge to direct them in their particular duties the knowledge of the wicked is but coÌ„fused general vncertaine 8. Albeit the spirit can neuer be vtterly taken from the beleeuers yet if they waxe proud secure and fall to sin the graces of the spirit the cleere vnderstanding the feeling the affection and ioy in the holy Ghost may so die decay in them that they may well seeme to themselues and others to haue quenched the spirit These and the like singular doctrines concerning this matter are contained in this Sermon This argument was further inlarged and amplified in other Sermons by him which as yet I cannot finde For he taught also by what degrees the spirit is quenched and they were these 1. By neglecting the meanes of cherishing the grace of the spirit 2. From neglecting the meanes to proceede to the grieuing of the spirit 3. From grieuing to come to vexing and prouoking the spirit 4. Lastly how some after long prouocations haue quenched the spirit and lost all the good light graces of God which they seemed before to haue had These be most dangerous degrees of sinne and steps to perdition And thus farre of the first Sermon II. The second sermon is against murmuring a sinne no lesse dangerous than common in all degrees and conditions of men We be here taught 1. What the nature is of impatiencie for outward things what dishonour it brings to God what a torment to vnbeleeuers in whom â—â—e want of one small thing breedâ— such â—isâ—â—ntâ—ntment â—â— the possâ—ssiâ—on of mâ—â— rich blessâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—â—ot quâ—â—t them 2. What remedies best sâ—rue to make our hearts calme in aâ—â— such distempred affections and they bee these first most highly to esteeme of Gods fauour and to prâ—ferre that one benefit of the â—ardon of our sinnes before all the riches of this life Secondly to labour for that precious faith iâ— Christ
of Gods iudgement 3. That we must wisely discerne betweene the true sorrow for sinne which causeth repentance not to be repented of and that worldly sorrow which causeth death For godly sorrow softneth the hart to the obedience of the word but that worldly sorrow causeth men to kicke and spurne against the word to the further hardning of their hearts 4. That many are galled and pricked with pouertie sicknes and other afflictions but few with their sinnes which is the cause of their afflictions But let men be well assured of this saith he that if a man be not troubled for sinne here he is in the way to hell if he be troubled in this life for sinne he is in the way to heauen 5. Lastly that in true repentance the pricking of the heart and sorrowing for sinne must be continued and daily renewed we must be humbled with continuall sorrow that we may bee refreshed with daily comfort in Christ. And thus farre the compendious and short view of all these Sermons This graue and reuerend Father who hath left vs these holy instructions hauing continued for many yeeres with good successe and a comfortable experience of Gods blessing on his holy ministery in preaching the Gospell of Christ his Sermons were many in number and how effectuall let the godly iudge by these fewe which Gods good prouidence hath reserued for posteritie Now right Worshipfull I offer them vnto your good patronage and protection because I am well assured you loue and what you may you further the preaching of the Gospell of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Much am I bound to remember your Worship and that vertuous Lady your wife for your great loue to me and mine I can no way require your loue yet by some poore testimonie I desire to make mine affection knowne in the performance of any Christian duty what I may The Lord Iesus Christ that hath knit both your harts by one spirit in one holy faith vnto himselfe and in loue vnfained one to another graunt you the true peace which passeth vnderstanding to keepe your hearts and mindes in his faith loue and feare vnto the end And thus I humbly take my leaue recommending you and all yours to the protection of the Almightie Your Worships euer to command in Iesus Christ HENRY HOLLAND A SERMON PREACHED BY MAISTER RICHARD GREENHAM VPON THESE WORDS THE FIRST SERMON Quench not the spirit 1. Thess. 5. 19. ALl the doctrine of the Scriptures may be briefly referred to these two heads First how wee may be prepared to receiue the spirit of God Secondly how the spirit may be retained when as wee haue once receiued it And therefore Saint Paul hauing laboured to instruct the Thessalonians in the former part of this Epistle how they may receiue the spirit doth here teach them how to keepe and continue this spirit vnto the end And this the Apostle doth by giuing them a charge and commaundement that in no wise they doe Quench the spirit thereby doubtles teaching that as the shunning of euill is the first step vnto goodnes so the readie way to continue the spirit of God in our hearts is to labour that it be not quenched Now the Apostle vpon great waightie cōsideration doth here deliuer this precept For first of all though al those be worthily and iustly condemned that neuer tasted of the spirit of God yet as our Sauiour Christ saith A more iust and fearefull condemnation is like to come vpon them that hauing once receiued it doe afterward lose the same againe Moreouer without this spirit of God no holy exercise can haue his full effect for the word worketh not where the spirit of God is wanting prayers haue no power to pearce into the presence of God the Sacraments seeme small and sillie things in our eyes and all other orders and exercises which God hath graunted ordained for man they are vnprofitable to man where the spirit is not present to cōuey them into our hearts there to seale vp the fruit of them Last of all we are fit to receiue no good grace at Gods hand nay we doe not esteeme Gods graces when we haue not the spirit to teach vs to set a due price vpon them for speake of the Law or of the Gospel of sinne or of righteousnesse speake of Christ or of our redemption and iustification by him yea speake of that huge and heauie waight of glorie wherewith the elect of God shall be crowned all this moueth not we are little affected therewith vnlesse God giue vs of his good spirit to profit by the same The Apostle therefore with good reason gaue this precept and we for many great causes are to listen vnto it least by any meanes the spirit of God be quenched in vs so we depriue our selues of all these fruits Now whereas the Apostle saith Quench not the spirit it may appeare that he speaketh to those that had alreadie receiued the spirit For as the fire cannot be said to be quenched where it is not so they cānot be said to quench or lose the spirit which haue not as yet receiued it Then know that this precept doth properly belong to thē that haue receiued the spirit of God and they especilly are to make a speciall vse of it for the other it cannot profit them vnlesse that as the seede lying in the ground a long time doth afterward budde and become fruitfull so this continue in their mindes till they haue tasted in some good sort of the spirit of God and then breed in them some carefulnes that they doe not quench it Well then to them that haue felt and found the spirit of God in them to them saith S. Paul in this place Take heede that ye quench not the spirit Of this if we doe somewhat seriously consider these two questions will offer themselues and soone arise in our minde First how we may know whether we haue the spirit of God or no. Secondly if we haue it whether it may be lost againe or no which if they bee well and sufficiently answered they will doubtlesse giue great force vnto this precept For the first then if we will knowe whether we haue the spirit or no we must surely vnderstand that as he knoweth best that he hath life which feeleth it in himselfe so he best knoweth whether he haue the spirit of God that feeleth the spirit working in him And if wee will further know this by the peculiar working and effects of the spirit then let vs marke these First of all if there bee nothing in man but the nature of man if nothing but that may be attained by the art and industrie of a man then surely in that man is not the spirit of God for the spirit is from God it is from aboue it is aboue nature and therefore the Apostle doth set the spirit of God against the spirit of the world when he saith We haue
of the soule how sweete excellent and beautifull a thing it is to beleeue and loue the word and how loathsome and palpable is mistrust and ignorance We must then be perswaded that though we are not in prison we walke in the night and in the darkenes whilest we are in ignorance yet the Lord wil giue vs in time to suspect our hearts of ignorance and worke in vs both a desire and a delight to loue and liue after the word and that we shall find the truth of this verse in ourselues to say with the Prophet Thy word is a lanterne to my fecte and alight to my paths Many there are which doe not so much as acknowledge this doctrine Some are come out of this darknes into the glorious kingdome of Christ and yet swarue so much in life that they shew not themselues to haue this true faith And where mens manners swarue besides their profession we see this sentence more professed in mouth than practised in life and they onely doe beleeue this to be true which enterprise nothing but that which hath it warrant out of the word For these acknowledge that in themselues there is nothing but darkenes and that they stand in need to be inlightned by the ministerie of the word and working of his spirit And as we confesse the truth of this in generall so must we deduce it to particulars and seuerals so that euery man may say I am either in light or in darkenesse if I haue a warrant for this which I doe out of the word I am in light but if I doe it by the motion of mine owne braine I am in darkenes Besides as this doth shew the great necessity of Gods word so also it must humble vs because of our ignorance as also it yeeldeth this comfort that as we thinke we trauell safely in respect of our bodies so long as we haue the light of the Sunne so also we are in the safe way to saluation as long as we are guided by the word And when as some doe obiect that the Scriptures doe containe great difficulties and are hard to be vnderstood we said that though the smallest things were deepe mysteries yet they be plaine to the least of Gods children For Prouerb 8. 9. Wisedome saith that all her words are plaine to him that will vnderstand and streight to them that would finde knowledge And the man of God saith Portion 17. 2. The entrance into thy word sheweth light and giueth vnderstanding to the simple And though all men are not curiously to search into questions yet all men are carefull to seeke the way of saluation No man then can herein complaine of darkenesse but as it is in his owne minde neither neede that so to bee if hee will vse the meanes to auoid it and in a repenting heart craue the light by prayer The cause therefore why the word is a parable and a darke riddle vnto so many is either the pride of their owne wit when they thinke their wit to be so good as they can conceiue euery thing and their iudgement and learning to be such as that they can vnderstand any thing and profit by their owne industrie when as God is the author so he is also the reuealer of his trueth or else they doe not esteeme so reuerently of the trueth nor are so much grieued with their blindnesse and ignorance as they should be Vers. 106. I haue sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements NOw as his faith was the first argument he vsed so the second was his conscience his loue his affection to the word which he sheweth by his oath that we may know it to be no wandring motion of his minde carrying him away but a thing well considered of and constant he protesteth that he will keepe his oath Wherein he declareth that many men haue sometimes motions to good but they either die presently or else they be so cold that they quickely fall away But as we may see he was no such light-headed man We haue here to learne that this is a iudgement of God why many doe not profit in the word because they cannot being void both of griefe for their natural blindnesse as also of the cleere sight and faith in Gods word say in trueth Thy word is a lantorne to my feet c. Now if these things be in vs we must pray that we may be moued with a purpose to continue in them and purposing we must beware we breake it not but be constant I haue sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements Concerning this binding of himselfe with an oath which the man of God here vseth it declareth his care to keepe a good conscience in laying the iudgements of God which were past the iudgements of God to come vp in his heart Wee see then that as when men sweare voluntarily it is a token of their good conscience so it appeareth most in good men who setting so much by the glorious name of God can sustaine any priuate discredit and swallow many troubles to maintaine the credit of it Wherefore Gods children though they are carefully to auoid all sinnes yet make a greater conscience of this sinne than of any other and when they take an oath though before they made a conscience of that thing yet now they make a greater conscience If hee had found no weakenesse no mistrust or doubtfulnesse in himselfe then needed he not so streightly to haue bound himselfe For if he had been alwaies carefull what needed he to haue vsed an oath But the care which hee had to meete with this weaknesse was the cause of his solemne couenant which teacheth vs that such infirmities as are in vs were in him who because of the vanitie and sluggishnesse which he felt in his corrupt nature did prouoke and stirre vp himselfe to a greater care by an oath Then if we see that euen the man of God thought this to be a necessary meane to stirre vp his infirmities why should we not thinke it as necessarie for vs when the most diligent amongst vs may thinke himselfe to bee behind him in many degrees But the cause why we make no such oath is because we are fearefull and our delaying of this practise from time to time sheweth that there is not in vs that feeling of our wants that reuerence of his word nor experience of his goodnesse which he felt This must make vs afraid and ashamed of our selues that we hauing the like infirmities haue not the like affections True it is that to be sparing in these othes is a good token of a Christian so that he be but a nouice in Christs schoole for euery man must not vse this oth because he knoweth not his owne strength but we must not alwaies be at A. B. C. and dwell still in the principles of Religion Neither must we thinke that
haue not with the Prophet the like graces If we then fall in vnbeleefe or in time of trouble possesse not our soules in patience let vs not hope for this mercie but if in a right cause we haue walked vprightly vnder hope of the like grace we may pray for the like mercy That loue thy name Whatsoeuer loue he had to God he would not expresse it by shewing it to the Lord but by testifying it to his word The name of euery person or thing serueth especially as we know to make them knowne to vs and to discerne them from other in that kinde So is it in the name of the Lord whose name is set downe to vs Exod. 33. and 34. by the Lord himselfe speaking to Moses The Lord passed before his face and cried the Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gracious c. We see what is the name of the Lord the eternitie wisedome power strength and goodnes of the Lord for all these things abide in him and spring from him to his creatures as from a fountaine Now in that these things cannot be known but by the word whatsoeuer loue we shew to God we must testifie it by obedience to his word For in that he is in all these things so infinit he sheweth vs in the second Commaundement that no Idoll can expresse his wisedome power loue and iustice but his word alone which is the glasse wherein alone whilest we are in this life we see the face of the Lord. Seeing then the word doth make his name so knowne vnto vs we then loue his name wheÌ„ we loue his word which sheweth vs his loue power eternitie and goodnes Wherefore the Prophet in this same Psalme saith Thy testimonies are mine heritage for euer expressing by the word his loue to the Lord according to that Psal. 16. 5. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance Then he said he loued the Lord when he loueth his law Here then we see that Heretikes loue not the Lord bragge they thereof neuer so much and call themselues the Familie of loue because they loue not the word We must then try our loue to God by our loue to his word and sith the loue of God is not pure in Heretikes let vs loue the word which is a sound triall of our loue of God for looke what loue he would haue done to him he requireth to haue it shewed to his word Thus we see they loue Gods name which loue his mercy iustice strength and power but because we cannot know them nor be endued with them but as the Lord by the ministery of his word and working of his Spirit communicateth them vnto vs we must shew that loue to the word which we would shew to the Lord. As we therefore are desirous of the reading hearing and meditating of the word of God as we delight to be conferring of it as we reioyce when we see it obserued and kept in our selues and in others as we are grieued to see this broken in our selues and others euen such is our loue to God his word Vers. 133. Direct my steps in thy word and let none iniquitie haue dominion euer me VVHen the man of God said before that he opened his mouth and panted and that he saw the word of God was wonderfull and that the very entrance into it gaue light vnderstanding vnto the simple he now prayeth for continuance in this his loue The ende then of this his prayer is perseuerance and sheweth that though he loued the word yet he is still ready to goe out of the way and so vnlesse the Lord stay and establish him iniquitie should get the vpper hand Thus we see how he feared and suspected himselfe for had he not feared this had been an vnnecessary prayer The man of God had not that opinion of himselfe which men haue now adaies in thinking so highly of their owne strength but prayeth to the Lord that he may not goe astray which thing he thought he might of himselfe easily doe and that if it were so that he slipt somewhat awrie yet that he might not goe too farre least that iniquitie should haue the vpper hand of him Thus we see that in this Psalme is set down vnto vs a myrrour of godlines wherin a man may come to the sight of his corruptions and to a feeling of his neede in hauing his steps numbred and his pathes guided by the word If we were truely perswaded of this same it would pull vs on our knees and humble vs it would make vs make much of the meanes whereby we might helpe these infirmities But we suspect no such danger and therefore wee are not so carefull in our singular actions to watch ouer our selues and that by degrees we may fall away and start out of the way or ere we beware In that this followeth so immediately his former prayer that God would looke vpon him and be mercifull to him he sheweth that there was neuer any man but he was in danger and most readie to fall vnlesse God looked on him and were the more mercifull vnto him So that with the gift of perseuerance hee prayeth for mercie declaring that vnlesse the Lord would bestow such grace on him he was not able to continue This must stay the pestilent doctrine of the Papists who foolishly dreame that a man hauing freewill may hold forth his course in the right way and may promise to himselfe safe passage True it is Gods children may assure themselues of strength because the Lord is on their right hand but so as they are still to feare their owne frailenes and to pray for finall perseuerance This verse is all one in effect with the first verse portion 14. Thy word is a lanterne to my feete and a light vnto my paths In both which places hee sheweth that as hee that goeth in a darke place or in the night cannot goe on right step but as hee receiueth light from the lanterne to see his way and when hee is in neuer so little darkenes hee is in danger and readie to stumble so we if we march forward in ignorance and darkenes cannot guide our selues one step to the kingdome of heauen but as wee may haue light from the lanterne of Gods word to beware how wee tread and when wee swarue neuer so little from this light wee are in daunger of making our conscience to stumble This borrowed speech goeth then thus farre As he that is in darknes can goe no further safely than he is within the compasse of the light of the candle so according to the measure of our knowledge of Gods word are we able to direct our affections happily and no further In thâ—t he saith Direct my steps he noteth that although wee haue the light of the word before vs yet vnlesse the Lord open our eyes it shall bee as vnprofitable and vnable to guide vs as the light of a candle is to
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
by lying in some grosse sinne Here is then a touch stone for them that can say I trust I feare God if I feared not God how should I hope to prosper or how should I liue for if their feare be tried by the word and their feare of the word be tried by particular sins they will soone bewray themselues Againe many there be who will say they feare God whilest sicknesse pouertie or some crosse lieth vpon them but when affliction is past ouer and prosperitie commeth let the Lord strike vpon their hearts neuer so hardly and they will not feare Wherefore the Prophet Esay saith chap. 28. 15. Because ye haue said we haue made a couenant with death and with hell we are at agreement though a scourge runne ouer vs and passe thorow it shall not come at vs. And 18. The couenant with death shall be disanulled and your agreement with hell shall not stand when a scourge shall runne ouer you and passe thorow then shall you be troden vnder by it And though sometimes we feare with Pharaoh the present tokens of Gods wrath as the thunder the lightning the earthquake and such like yet we make them scarsely as the wonders that last nine daâ—es neither feare we the word of God In stead of all the plagues whereof we reade in the old Testament as of the opening of the earth of the ouerflowing with waters of fire comming down from heauen we heare but one named in the new Testament namely that they that doe such things for which those plagues did come shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen which one doth so terrifie Gods children that they had leauer beare all the afflictions of Iob and all the plagues of Egypt than that one for all those are but forerunners of this one iudgement and this is the full heape of all other threatnings In that he saith my heart standeth in awe he sheweth his feare was not couertly as in the vngodly For at one time or other the Lord may shake the vilest villaine in the world with feare of his iudgements and sometimes to feele terrour but this kinde of feare soone vanisheth away and sinketh not into the heart how much soeuer it be striken into the head For we see whilest God lyeth â—ore vpon vs by some terrible iudgement of thunder lightnings or earthquakes how euery prophane man can be content to pray and for the time will be very godly and religious so long as the plague lasteth but when that is once ouer their feare is also ouer The most desperate feare but it sitteth not it dwelleth not long vpon their hearts but as a flash of Lightning suddenly striketh the face and suddenly is gone So a flashing sight of Gods Maiestie striketh their hearts and suddenly is departed Wee must not then haue an ouer-hearing of Gods threatnings nor an ouer-fearing of his iudgements For many will like the word because they like it in iudgement or for that it increaseth their knowledge but few loue it in heart because it renueth their affections For though our iudgement hee wrought vpon yet the heart is not wrought on which is Gods place wherin if he by the ministerie of his word once take sure hold it wil forthwith go to the eye eare and hand the whole body and wil be effectuall Now what is a more effectuall bridle against sinne then still to thinke that we are in the presence of God For if all men in the world should bid a man do any thing contrary to the will of God though in doing he might be next the King or in not doing with Daniel haue his bodie giuen to the Lyons yet would he not doe any thing against Gods lawes Neither did Daniel suffer all this because hee would not be an Idolater but for that he would not denie the worship to the true God but professed the same openly in setting open his windowes and manifesting his true religion for the space of three dayes And why did he thus euen because the feare of God did so touch his heart that the feare of man did nothing dismay him so that neither the gaine nor promotion which hee might haue had by the King on the one side nor the danger and losse which was layd vnto him on the other side could make him at all to displease God And as the feare of God hath these effects in God his children that the poorest creature shall stand in great courage before the face of a King so where this feare of God is wanting the mightie Prince shall stand in awe of his poorest subiect 1. Sam. 15. When Saul had a flat commaundement from the Lord who from a meane stocke and base parentage was aduanced to the kingdome to destroy the King he contrarie to the Lords commaundement saueth Agag yea and a great while stoutly iustifieth his sinne before Samuel but when he had streightly charged his conscience hee added the feare of the people moued me to doe it as if he should haue said I was afraid that the people in â—o doing would haue gone from me and haue denied me the honour which they were wont to yeeld vnto me Thus we see a poore soule and with Gods feare feareth not a Prince and a mightie King without this feare feared the poore people This feare of God also keepeth the godly that in all their distresses they dare not open their mouthes to any foule speech or corrupt language When Iob was spoyled of all hee had and wicked men had taken it from him he saith in the humblenes of spirit and feare of his God the Lord giueth and the Lorde taketh blessed be the name of the Lord He durst not chase against the Chaldeans although he was in this miserable perplexitie for the feare of God so gaged his heart that he durst not nourish any euill thoughts or breake out into euill words to displease the Lorde Contrariwise where this feare is not wee shall see great murmuring and grudging because Leuit. 20. the Lord saith If any man turne after such as worke with spirits and after southsayers then will I set my face against that person Let him keepe his sinne as close as he will and hide it as much as he can yet I the Lord wil finde it out In vaine then wee see doe words flâ—e out brutishly from wordly men who say they feare and loue God when they neither belieue his promises nor feare his threatnings nor loue that which he commandeth noâ— hate that which he forbiddeth Well runne they in the last day whither they will yell they neuer so much to haue the rockes to couer them and the hills to hide them the word will iudge those worldlings heretikes and scorners But they will thus say wee aske not counsell of the diuell as you charge vs yea but God his word so saith that hee that goeth to witches and wizards goes to aske counsell of the diuell Againe as wee said before
vncleannes securitie and such like sinnes haue so beaten and trampled vpon thy heart that it is euen hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne but repent thee of thy former sinne and put away the euill of thy workes and then come to the word with a holy heart and then thou shalt see and feele thy vnderstanding inlightened thy iudgement reformed and all the words of wisedome plaine and easie vnto thee All this is confirmed vnto vs by plaine and daily experience for when a man hath been buffeted with some sinne when he hath yeelded too much to pride worldlinesse anger and such like when he hath fallen into some misliking of the word or of the preacher then in hearing he heareth not and the word is a sealed booke vnto him Contrariwise when men doe most mislike themselues for their sinnes when they be most grieued for their dulnes when they thinke themselues most vnapt and most vnworthie of knowledge and yet desire to finde comfort in the word wish to be inlightened and led into the true knowledge of it then doth the Lord very often giue them the deepest insight into his heauenly mysteries then doth he worke in them a most comfortable feeling then doth he also put and stirre vp most heauenly and holy motions in their minds By all this must we learne many things first when we heare the word without fruite then we must returne into our selues and know that our sinnes are the cause of blockish dulnesse which is come vpon vs. Anger hath troubled our affections and pleasure hath stollen away our hearts profit hath corrupted our iudgements therefore our iudgements doe not yeeld vnto the word it cannot enter into our hearts neither can it worke vpon our affections We are then in this case to bewaile our sinnes to labour for repentance to pray for the spirit of sanctification whereby these sinnes may be consumed and then returne vnto the word with prayer and the Lord wil blesse our vnderstanding Againe when we see our iudgements reformed and our hearts touched so that the word worketh vpon our affections then we must know that the good worke of God hath gone before his mercy hath disburdened vs of the heauie burthen of sin his goodnesse hath emptied our hearts of vnprofitable thoughts and his good spirit hath wrought all in all in vs. Then to shut vp this verse let vs know that as sinne doth hinder and holde the word out of our hearts so doth the loue of the word as it were open the doore of our hearts and make a broad and large passage for the word to enter into vs and to worke that good worke for which it was sent It followeth in the next verse Vers. 7. Depart from a foole when thou perceiuest not in him the lips of knowledge GOD hath ordained that men should liue together that one might bee helpfull to another But there is a neerer bond of friendship when one entreth into league with another or when one maketh choice of another for some neerer bond of friendship affinitie or such like And because this bond cannot stand but where there is a great likenes of conditions and qualities and it is commonly seene that the partie better affected is sooner chaunged therefore in this place we be admonished to beware least at any time we ioyne our selues to those that are foolish and vngodly Not that it is altogether vnlawfull to haue any dealing with them but that wee may not come too neere vnto them For to eate and drinke with them to dwell in the same towne by them and such other common duties be not vnlawfull But to ioyne in marriage with them to make them priuie to to our counsels or to vse them as more neere and speciall friends this is vnlawful and this is here forbidden For little or no good at all can bee gotten by them they will hardly or not at all be brought to goodnesse and such is their subtiltie that one of them is able to peruert the faith or at least to corrupt the manners of very many Good cause therefore there is why we should depart and get our selues from them on the contrary side wee bee taught to seeke out good company and to ioyne our selues to them as neerly as may bee yet with this full purpose of heart that wee may receiue fruite and profit by them Nature doth call vpon vs to doe this the communion of Saints requires it at our hands our own profit should compel vs the examples of euery mā in each calling may moue vs therunto For men doe desire to be in companie of their betters the scholler would be in companie of him that is better learned the worshipful man desireth the companie of the noble man and the honorable delighteth much in the fauour of the Prince Yea in the basest occupations and handicrafts men doe still desire to bee in the company of them that are most skilfull And all this is to obtaine the knowledge of earthly things and the fauour of them that can helpe them how much more then should we desire the companie one of another that we might be helpfull one to another in heauenly things Nay how intirely should wee be ioyned one to another and receiue good one by another in all kinde of goodnesse And yet must this bee done in great discretion for the best men haue their faults Therefore wee must be most carefull as to receiue what good we can by any so to receiue hurt or hinderance by none at all It followeth Vers. 8. The wisedome of the prudent is to vnderstand his way but the foolishnesse of fooles is deceit THat is true wisedome indeede which beginning at knowledge doth goe forward vnto practise and beginning at faith doth further proceede vnto the fruites of faith For vnlesse there be profitable vse of knowledge both in our generall and particular callings it hath neither the sense nor the sauour of heauenly wisedome Then we be here admonished to labour that our knowledge may growe vnto faith and that we builde a godly life vpon faith And that we may thus do we must especially trauell that our hearts may stand in awe of Gods word and that we may haue a charitable and louing heart vnto men This if we can obtaine then shall wee in feare and loue doe the good duties which may glorifie God profit men and haue sure arguments that we haue true wisedome But the foolishnes of fooles is deceit That is they doe either take a wrong course of life or else if they take a right course yet their hearts are not aright and therefore they deceiue both themselues and others All this commeth to passe because with conscience they do not apply euery general point of doctrine to their particular estate and labour not to make practise of it We giue titles vnto men count them wise and politike men that can foresee and preuent worldly displeasure But the
vncleane or which hath vncleane issue in it selfe so that there are these kinds of pollutions the first if wee touch an vncleane thing a thing vncleane of it selfe as a leaper and thus if we touch sinne or the diuel or any limme of the diuell which be things vncleane we shall be also vncleane The cause is pitch will defile a man There is a second kind which is this we know that water for as much as it is a baser substance than the wine though in it selfe it be no meere vncleane thing corrupteth the wine being mixed with it In like sort the creatures the things of this world thogh they be not wholy vncleane of themselues yet because they be things of baser condition than our soules are if our hearts be set on them they pollute vs. There is a third kind and that is not by touching any vncleane thing but by committing impure by it owne nature and this is the touch of our owne reason of our owne wit of our owne imaginations proceeding of our selues which will defile vs though wee touch neither the diuell nor the world And indeede this is such a kinde of defiling as comes by a mans owne sweate or by our owne blood being polluted in it selfe as the babe which God passed by Ezech. 16. 4. 5. From these kindes of filthinesse we must be cleansed And yet there is another manner of cleansing and that is put downe for vs Leuit. 13. 48. where it is spoken of a warfe or woofe which had beene defiled with the plague of leprosie that shall be washed And yet although the Priest see it be cleane it shall not be cleane vntill it be washed the second time vers 55. We must proceed from cleansing with sope to cleanse with Fullers earth and with Nitrâ— Now how this cleansing must be the Lord Iesus sheweth Ioh. 15 3. 4. Now are yee cleane through the word which I haue spoken vnto you but the spirit worketh by the word In Baptisme wee are cleansed it is not the water that cleanseth vs but the spirit which is as a fire how be it this fire hath oyle to minister matter to it which is the word This word is that which quickeneth and inflameth vs and this is not only holy in it selfe but it maketh vs holy also if we beleeue it 8 If wee were to be cleansed but from some kinde of filthines it were an easie matter we would easily conclude it For there is no man but cleanseth off some filthines no man hath all the spots that are mentioned but to be scoured from all this makes the purification full It is saide Herod heard Iohn and hee heard him gladly and hee did manie good things So he was cleansed in many things but not in all when it came to the sweete sinne Thou shalt not haue thy Brothers wife which should haue made vp all then hee broke off When Felix Acts 24. had heard Pauls matter he gaue him libertie but with all hee hoped he should haue gotten some money so that his heart was not wholly clensed Ananias and Saphira Acts 5. gaue a great part of all their possessions to the Apostles but all came not they kept backe a peece Naaman 2. King 5. would worship and sacrifice to none but to the true God but yet he would haue the house of his master Rimmon excepted to offer to the God Moloch So may we say of our times The Bethulians would haue a tearme to serue God in they were tearmers but it was but for a time This all then is that which makes all perfect And then it is wittily saide of a Father of this word Catholike As it signifies an Vniuersitie of all as that God hath a Catholike Church that is in all Ages and in all places and of all estates of men a Church so me thinketh that they are good Catholikes that are sanctified throughout that will wholly cleanse themselues So then we must throughly be cleansed that is both in the flesh and in the spirit As 2. Cor. 7. 1. both in heart and in hand Iames 4 In the Hebrue tongue it is worth the obseruation how two words commonly to this effect runne together the one is that wee must bee straight as were all the Saints Iob Paul and Daniel who were alwayes straight So must they be that deale with God they must haue no crookednes in them the word as I thinke is alluding to the outward timber in a building The other word signifies Sound It must not be hollow though it be straight So that these two must goe together straight and sound we must neither be crooked nor hollow So referring these to the Saints of God whom we named if you looke to their outward parts they were straight if you looke into their internals they were sound This then serueth well for two sorts of men which are both hypocrites There bee some men that will be are the world in hand that the best side is inward and the worst outward as the Nicodemites who howsoeuer they doe outwardly inwardly they worship God deuoutly Others there are cleane skinned men as cleane as Alabaster outwardly but inwardly they bee dissemblers and they are contrarie to the other and beare the world in hand that the best side is outward These haue the cleannesse of the flesh though not of the spirit as the other thinke they haue the cleannesse of the spirit though not of the flesh and these be meere dangerous dissemblers If a man bow to Baal one may see a spot of his knee and yet he will haue a cleane spirit he is an hypocrite Well we must not be halfe Christians wee must be good Catholikes cleane throughout cleane both in the flesh and in the spirit 9 The flesh is sure a verie corrupt thing and wee should soone see it but for the soule which is as Salte to keepe it from putrifying for a while which if it be gone the flesh corrupts streight which we should see if we would but take the viewe of a dead man out of the graue It is but a rotten thing and therefore all that is bestowed on it is laide vpon that which in the end will make all as rottennesse it selfe They therefore doe euill that lay out all their substance on their flesh for it will rot in regard whereof the Apostle bids vs not to take any great thought for it or to prouide much for the lusts thereof Rom. 13. All that comes of the flesh and all that ends in the flesh is filthie and therefore we must not make our flesh a Queene or as a Paradise on the earth 10 Our Sauiour CHRIST saith our righteousnes must exceed the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisees therefore not to exceede the Pharisees not to exceede Heretikes nay not to exceede the Heathen men but to want euen the out ward good things which they haue sheweth that all our Religion is
so in vnaduised ioyes you can find no spirituall profit He was not so much moued at the reproches of his enemies as at the not profiting of his friends Yet herein he had this comfort first if all profited not by his speeches yet so that one among tenne profited he thought he had the winnings that Christ had secondly if they profited not which he spake to presently yet they might profit hereafter thirdly if none of them profited yet he knew the word should not be in vaine It is the policie of Satan as to blinde and beset the world with a quiet possession of an vniust mirth thereby to keepe them from the true sight of their sinnes so to oppresse the sillie flocke of Christ with false and causelesse feares thereby to keepe them from the glorious feeling of their redemption He knoweth to his griefe that your ioy may temporally be interrupted but not finally or eternally be denied you therefore he plieth himselfe though he cannot extinguish it yet to diminish your iust and royall right in your Christ in regard wherof you staÌ„d guiltie of not maintayning the Lords royaltie giueÌ„ to his elect if in the least measure you yeeld to these slauish feares of the aduersarie This subtill Serpent is not ignorant that by these pensiue practises he doth weare to a dulnes the edge of your prayers and that he draweth from you with an vncomfortable tediousnes the fruits of your faith and consequently by these meanes you are depriued of the fruit of a more comfortable seruice to your God the weake ones fearing also by your example the profession of Christ to be strict and comfortlesse Of the power and priuiledges of Gods word THhe Word of GOD is mightie liuely in operation Heb. 4 12. 13. This place commendeth vnto vs the Word by it effects shewing that it is not a sound in the aire to tickle mens eares please their conceits but it worketh with further power like a two edged sword to humble men and being humbled to raise them vp againe Hereunto therefore is due a speciall prerogatiue and honor because the worke of it shal be ratified in mens consciences whether they be good or euill elect or reprobates For the word is the power of GOD to all that an Anatomie of our corruptions laide before vs wee might be driuen out of our selues to IESVS CHRIST First of the words then of obseruations out of the doctrine The word is liuely Therefore not dead as the wisdome of Philosophie It is sharper then a two edged sword This Metaphor is vsed Esay 48. 2. where the Word is compared to a sword or an arrow wherewith men are shot at Also Ephes. 6. it is compared to a sword And entreth to the deuiding asunder of the soule and the spirit c. This declareth how the word reuealeth inward hypocrisie and telleth vs that all our holines is but dissimulation all our wisedome foolishnes all our righteousnes as a defiled cloth And of the ioynts and of the marrow This is added to shewe that though wee hide our hypocrisie and would â—urie it in the most secret parts yet euen the bones shall tremble and the marrow in the bones shall turne to rottennes as Iob. 33. 19. Psal. 51 8 Psal 32. And is a diâ—cerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Here we see that where no law of man can take hold of vs there the Lord will finde our intents by his word and will gage vs to the bottome Hence arise three questions First how the word doth thus worke in men It is when we vse good meanes and God his Spirit worketh vpon the meanes The vsuall meanes are hearing reading conferring and meditating and praying This we may see 1. Corinth 10. Proâ— 29. Ephes 4. 1. Thess. 5. by the vertue of the word preached To preaching we must ioyne reading of it Act. 17. As for conference and meditation we must know that neuer any shall come to the marrow of knowledge without this meane For meditation is the life of learning the want where of causeth that the greatest Clerkes are not the wisest men Of prayer Matth. 6. and 11. 1. Cor. 2. how needfull this is so many must acknowledge as confesse the word to be a mysterie and therfore not to be conceiued without the working of God his Spirit which we must pray for 2 Cor. 4. Secondly it is asked of what part of the word this is meant I answere of both that is of the Law and of the Gospell Zâ—ch 12. 1. Cor. 14. Thirdly In whom these effects of the word are found Both in the godly and in the wicked though not alike Where we must know that there is a feeling in both of these men which is inward and not seene Secondly this power is not alwaies presently felt but it worketh in God his appointed time We shall see the word will often strike the vngodly though they be loth to heare and although when they haue heard they would shake it off by inglutting their hearts with eating drinking and sleeping yet it will wring them on their beds at their tables in their chambers when they are with their companions And although God his deare children do not alwaies feele this power to saluation yet they haue it in greater measure at one time or at another Hence obserue three vses First we must come to know the word For the diuell moueth this fearefull question vnto many How knowest thou this is the word rather than any other doctrine To leaue grosse heresies I answere by an interrogatorie Whose words if he were but a man and spake as a man alone did euer driue thee to hell whose words did euer rip vp thy secret and close sinnes who hath drawne teares out of thine eyes and sorrow out of thy heart with a conscience of thy sinne at which thou wert wont to laugh Whose words haue taken thee from the hell of thy conscience to heauen who hath giuen thee ioy in sorrow comfort in trouble What words of Philosophers can make of a Leopard a Lambe of a viper a childe of a leacher a chast person of a couetous carle a liberall man All eloquent Oratours without the word are bare Physitions to a troubled minde Secondly the word needeth none other helpes 1. Cor. â— and 2 and 3. 2. Cor. 2. and 3. and 4. Howbeit we may vse other words besides the bare phrase of the Scripture but we must beware of humane inueÌ„tions take heed we vse not vncertain phrases for certaine If we vse the authoritie of Heathen men we doe ill We may alleadge them but most sparingly and not naming them but by way of an argument we may shew that the Heathen saw this and that and therefore we should not be ignorant of it Similitudes may be vsâ—d if they be naturall and not constrained We must vse them as sauce to prepare vs for better things We must not straine them least we presse
the one and reiect the other but most principally respecteth in the whole to edifie the heart and conscience being well assured that this part hath most neede in most Christians of direction and consolation and as we be in this part affected so be we in substance and veritie before God For this cause hee desireth and laboureth most in all these workes to stirre vp the heart and to quicken the affections to embrace true godlines that so being freed from sin by the blood of Christ made the seruants of God we might haue our fruit in holines and in the end eternall life In this Impression I haue carefully reuised and corrected in the whole worke all the faults which either by mine owne priuate reading or by the helpe of other louing friends I could obserue in word or matter Here I rest for a time requesting thy prayers good Christian Reader that now all these holy workes thus knit together may serue to Gods glorie and to the further building of the Church of God in our Land Thine in the Lord Iesus HENRY HOLLAND CHristian Reader thou hast here all Maister GREENHAMS workes as they haue beene heretofore gathered and published by the industrie of that worthy and painefull Preacher Maister Henry Holland In this edition thus much is performed viz. the 119. Psalme perfected a praier of Maister GREENHAMS in the end of his workes added and the whole Booke reduced into a more methodicall order which would haue beene dâ—â—e by Maister Holland if he had longer liued all which hath now beene thought fit to be published in this manner as may appeare in the contents following A SHORT AND GENERALL VIEVV OF ALL SVCH MATTERS AS ARE CONTAINED IN THE VVHOLE VVorkes of Mr. Greenham digested after a more Methodicall manner then heretofore The whole Booke is diuided into fiue seuerall parts as hereafter followeth with their particular Titles contained vnder euery one of the said Parts THE FIRST PART Wherein are contained these Titles hereunder following 1 THE first portion is of graue Counsels page 1 2 Another or second portion of an hundred and one and fifty graue Counsels or diuine Aphorismes page 44 3 A third portion likewise of an hundred graue counsels and diuine directions for the attaining and retaining of faith and a good conscience page 51 4 A short forme of catechising page 71 THE SECOND PART Wherein are contained these Treatises following 1 A Sweet comfort for an afflicted Conscience page 95 2 A second Treatise of the same argument page 112 3 The markes of a righteous man 118 4 Sweet and sure signes of Election to them that are brought low 122 5 A Treatise of Contract before marriage 122 6 A Treatise of the Sabaoth 128 7 Notes of saluation with the necessitie and notes of a true vpright hart 171. 172 8 A direction for the reading of the Scriptures page 173 9 A Treatise of the Resurrection 178 10 A Treatise of examination before and after the Lords Supper 187 11 A Treatise of Gods feare 194 12 A Treatise of Hypocrisie 200 13 A Treatise of Anger 204 14 A Treatise of Blessednesse 207 15 A Treatise of Fasting 210 16 A Treatise of sending the Holy Ghost 216 17 A short treatise of prayer vpon the words of the Prophet Ioel chap. 2. ver 32. alledged by Peter Acts 2. ver 21. 236 THE THIRD PART Wherein are contained these Sermons following 1 THE first Sermon of Quenching the the Spirit vpon 1 Thes. 5. ver 19. 241 2 Of murmuring on Exod. 16. v. 2. 249 3 Of Zeale Reue. 3. v. 19. 255 4 Of a Good name Prou. 22. v. 1. 259 5 Of Humilitie Prou. 18. v. 12. 268 6 Of the education of children Prou. 17. ver â—1 276 7 Of Repentance and true sorrow for sinne Acts 2. ver 37. 281 8. 9. 10. Of the heauenly purchase in three Sermons on Mat. 13. 44. 287 11 Of Christian warfare on Ephe. 6. ver 10. 11. 307 12 Of diuers Christian instructions on Psal. 16. 316 13 Of flying ill company Idolatry and Sweareing on Gen. 42. v. 9. 12. 14. 15. 21. 332 14 Of the mutuall duties betweene the Ministers and the people on Heb. 13. ver 17. 339 15 Of the Confession of sinnes how many kindes of Confession how truly to confesse and the necessary vse thereof on Pro. 28. 15. 359 16 Of the first effect of Christs crosse what is meant thereby how rightly to professe this Doctrine the loue that we should beare thereunto the ioy that ariseth therefrom on Gal. 6. ver 14. 15. 363 17 Of the latter or second effect of Christ his crosses which is the power of Christs Resurrection how and by what meanes men are made new creatures on Galat. 6. ver 15. 370 THE FOVRTH PART Wherein are contained certaine Meditations on diuers portions and parts of Scripture 1 MEditations on the. 119. Psal. 381 2 Meditations on Pro. 4. vers 13. to 23. 609 3 Meditations on Prou. 14. ver 5. 6. 7. 8. 622 4 The summe of the Epistle to the Hebrewes 627 5 A briefe summe of Ecclesiastes 628 THE FIFT PART Wherein are contained godly instructions for the due examination and direction of all men to the attayning and retayning of faith and a good conscience reduced into diuers Chapters and common places as followeth Chap. 1. OF Christian Admonition 629 Chap. 2. Of the Forme and Rules of Christian Admonition 631 Chap. 3. Of Adultery and youthfull affections 635 Chap. 4. Of Affection 638 Chap. 5. Of Affliction ibid. Chap. 6. Of Anger 641 Chap. 7. Of Angels ead Chap. 8. Of Baptisme 642 Chap. 9. Of Couetousnesse and the desire of Riches 643 Chap. 10. Of Care couetousnesse and Contentation 644 Chap. 11 Of our generall and speciall calling 645 Chap. 12. Of conference and godly wisedome in the gouernment of the tongue 647 Chap. 13. Of the Church ead Chap. 14. Of the confession of sinne 649 Chap. 15. Of Conscience 650 Chap. 16. Of censure and correstion 651 Chap. 17 Of ceremonies things indifferent and of turning Christian libertie into vnchristian licentiousnesse 652 Chap. 18. Godly Meditations concerning Christs power against Sathan loue to the faithfull and how hee is our wisedome righteousnesse holinesse and of our communion with him 654 Chap. 19 Of Death and Iudgement 656 Chap. 20. Of the shortnesse of our life and the Meditation of Death how profitable 659 Chap. 21. Of dulnesse of spirit and of feeling 662 Chap. 22. Of Catechizing and instruction of youth 662 Chap. 23. Of Examples and how wee must not sinne vpon Example 666 Chap. 24. Of Examination of our selues and of all things by their issues and how to gouerne the eyes 671 Chap. 25. Of the Exercises of Religion Fasting c. and of the carefull vse of the meanes at all times 673 Chap. 26. Of the Gouernment of the Eyes 675 Chap. 27. Of Faith Iustification by faith of Iustice and iust men and of Feeling 678 Chap. 28. Of Feare 682 Chap. 29. Of Friendship Familiaritie
were not vnprepared for it if contrarie by thinking and forecasting and fearing such an euill if the Lord be not mercifull because God doth often correct some sinne past which we regarded not or foreshewes some sinne to come which we were not afraide of and an euill dreame doth shew some euill in the heart either in some sinne alreadie committed or in some sinne which may be shortly committed If the dreame be terrible it is good to auoid all the occasions of that euill and to giue our selues to prayer and not to giue too great credit to dreames least they weaken faith The best is to be neither too remisse nor too wise in them but to labour to profit by them because the Lord by leauing such long impressions in vs doth as it were call vpon our consciences not to passe them ouer without some vse 2 Being asked how one might auoide the sinne of vncleane dreames in the night he said first it were good to auoide all obiects and wandring thoughts in the day and securitie of praying against it at night If these meanes did not preuaile we must then think that God calleth vs to some more earnest repentance for this or some other sinne before committed specially we are to beware of companie such as may stirre vs vp vnto euill either labouring not to come into their companie or hauing iust occasion to doe it with feare and with prayer and doing this not to tarrie longer than godly occasion is offered Distraction of minde 1 BEing asked why a man after sundrie and laborious reading in his calling being desirous by meditation to apply the things read vnto himselâ—e was so much interrupted and violently suddenly and vnwillingly drawne into other conceites he said it was either want of preparing and sanctifying our hearts by prayer before we set vpon so holy an exercise and therefore the Lord correcteth the pride of our â—â—ts and presumption of our hearts in being bold to worke vpon holy matters in our own strength or else for that we resting vpon a generall purpose of thinking some good thing or at least not to thinke any euil did not fasten our minde constantly or continually vpon some particular obiect but raunging vp and downe as hauing some part of our affections studies and meditations voide for some other matters did not wholy seriously set on the thing propounded to our selues The trueth hereof may appeare hereby for that which the heart is throughly set vpon it is so attentiue to that it can be present to no other thing at that instant especially if it be an hindrance to the thing taken in hand Dulnes 1 HE said after his great ioyes conceiued of some effectuall working of God in himselfe he most commonly not long after fell into deadnes and dulnes and thereby was humbled so that vntill that he was prepared with some new grace from God and had receiued some new mercie at his hands he was very vnfit to performe any seruice vnto God or men 2 Deadnes of the spirit is the graue of many heauenly graces Doctrine 1 BEcause in reading of examples we restraine duties to certaine persons and wring our own necke out of the yoke or else we chiefly tye the mercies of God to them and thinke they appertaine not to vs it is good to learne certaine rules whereby we may know when the vse of the doctrine is generall and when particular which is set downe in singular examples Three rules are to be obserued first if we reade of any thing in particular we are to search whether in some other place in the Scripture the samething is not set downe generally that is whether that which is commeÌ„ded or discommended in some proper person be not commanded or forbidden to all if it be then the vse of that is generall not particular but if it be a particular precept enioyned to some one and no warrant found in the word of that to be done of another then it is a thing personall proper to some not general appertaining to all The second rule is that wheresoeuer there is a generall equitie of a thing there is a general practise to be had howsoeuer we see it set down but in particular The third is whersoeuer by the scope of the place there appeares a generall drift either by something going before or comming after though the present place seemeth to be particular yet there is a generall vse of the doctrine to be gathered out of it Exercise of religion 1_THe wicked not daring openly to professe iniquitie redeeme times secretly to commit it so though we haue not the strength to professe religion publikely yet let vs redeeme times secretly to frequent the exercises of godlinesse 2 As it is but a small pleasure so long as we are in the gardeÌ„ to be delighted with the smel of herbes vnlesse we gather of euery kinde some to carrie with vs that so we may haue the benefit of the garden though we be farre from it And as it is but a small comfort to be rauished with sweet odors so long as we are in the Apothecaries shop and afterward to want them so it is but a flattering ioy nay rather a starting ioy no longer to be affected with the word and religion than we are in the Church therefore we must gather here and there that may worke on our affections when we be farre from the place where they grew 3 We must vse all exercises of reading hearing conferring praying singing and meditating but we must not tye the working of Gods spirit to any one particular Experience of our corruption 1 WE shall neuer be brought hungerly to seeke after Christ vntill we come by the last precept to see and feele our naturall corruption where of we must not onely haue knowledge but experience also as S. Paul had Rom. 7. Now wheras the Papists say that this corruption is a sinne in the vnregenerate but â—â—t in the regenerate we say it is a sinne in both I say a bare knowledge hereof is not sufficient for euen the knowledge of our corruption is not without the corruption of a priuie pride Faith IT is harder to beleeue in the abundance of worldly things than it is in the want of them for these things are as it were vailes set betwixt God and vs they stay our sight in them that it cannot pearce to God 2 As the arme being soundly knit to the body receiueth pith and strength from the bodie to resist all euill and to draw all good things vnto it and being but out of ioynt and the sinewes which did knit it to the body being loosed it hath no such force to performe duties so our faith being the meanes spiritually to ioyne vs vnto the Lord we receiue strength so long as it is sound both to resist euill and accomplish good but if it decay and fall
as it were out of ioynt then we cannot draw that full strength from the Lord for our defence and strength which we were wont to haue 3 When one asked him whether we first receiued the spirit or the word to the working of faith he said we first receiue the spirit howbeit to feele our faith we must necessarily receiue the word And although the smoke in respect of vs doe first shew that there is fire hidden vnder the ashes yet there was fire before the smoke came so though the word first make knowne vnto vs our faith yet sure it is that the spirit of God was giuen vs before our feeling wrought this mightily by the word As he that had but a dimme sight to behold the Serpent in the wildernes was healed as well as he that saw perfectly so he that hath but a weake faith in the sonne of God shall neuer haue his saluation denied him Zach. 12. 10. Familie 1 SO often as we be asked of the welfare of our people wife or family we ought to take it as an occasion whereby God stirreth vs vp to pray for them to giue thankes for them and to examine our owne heart what meanes both in presence and absence we haue vsed for their good 2 Care in superiours and feare in inferiours cause a godly gouernement both priuate and publike in familie Church and Common-wealth Feeling 1 THough a man haue knowledge yet he may want faith though he haue faith yet because many euils come betweene feeling immediatly doth not alwaies follow nor after feeling ioy nor after ioy practise 2 We can doe but little good to any body except we haue a feeling pitie and compassion of them 3 If any be afflicted in minde for want of feeling he must distinguish betweene Gods spirit and his graces in vs for his spirit may liue in vs when his graces are dead in vs Psal. 51. For as by some extreame sicknes life may be within one yet it cannot be felt of the sicke bodie so in some great temptation the holy Ghost may be in vs and yet we not feele nor finde his presence Howbeit as by breathing neuer so short we discerne life so by the actions of the spirit he it neuer so little we may iudge of the life of God in vs. 4 Such as for want of feeling be loth to pray must learne not to tarrie to pray till they finde feeling but offer themselues vp into the hands of Iesus Christ and so humbling themselues before him pray on and continue in prayer of faith though not of feeling 5 Though we feele not the spirituall ioy which we should feele yet let vs not be too much cast downe so that our conscience tell vs that we are readie to withdraw somewhat from our outward pleasures for want of this inward pleasure and that we haue not preuented or smothered out these spirituall ioyes but are grieued that we haue them not and waite for the time to feele them for of all things we must beware that we draw not into their steed carnall ioyes and so driue as it were into exile the working of Gods spirit in vs by them 6 A certaiâ—e man complaining that he was comfortlesse for want of feeling receiueth this answere Oh brother be of good comfort we hold Christ by faith and not by feeling Fruites of faith 1 ONe being curteously faluted and worthily commended of a Gentlewoman who said she heard a very good report of him he answered her the like haue I heard of you but God make our after fruits of his spirit more effectuall than the former or else we shall not answere the glorie of God and good opinion of his Saints conceiued of vs. 2 There are two workings of Gods spirit in vs the one inferiour which bringeth but some fruit of the spirit without any speciall fruits of grace the other superiour and more certaine when the spirit worketh an infallible sanctification the first may totally be darkened and fully quenched the other hath but a particular Eclipse and in measure may be dimmed as it was in Dauid Psalm 51. but this is not finally quenched As God made man so that hee might fall though afterwards hee had mercie vpon him so he regenerateth vs so that we may fall so as afterwards hee may raise vs againe and will And it is fearefull enough that there may be such particular decayes of grace in vs as after sinne to feele lesse comfort in the word lesse feare of sinne lesse care of well doing lesse zeale in praving lesse fruits in the meanes so that all our actions are turned to be bitter which were sweeter vnto vs then any worldly increase vnto the worldly man or honie can bee to them that loue it These are euident tokens of the sanctifying spirit to loue good because it is good and to hate sinne because it is sinne the more wee grow in gifts the more to hunger the more to complaine of our vnworthinesse the more being humbled in our selues the more meekly to iudge of others when we are most quiet with all things then to thinke our selues least quiet and then most to feare our selues so to feele the graces of God in vs as that yet our sense and feeling is not lessened and to feare and quake at the first degree and motions of sinne not least they fully quench but least they coole the heate of the spirit in vs. Here I say let vs not forget to feare for if it be so that thou being the childe of God canst not finally fall yet consider how will this grieue thee if thy sinne breake out to the dishonour of so louing a Redeemer or though he keepe thy sinne from flaming out yet that thou shalt feele such a burthen in thy selfe or such vile corruption or matter as shall coole the heate of all Gods graces in thee Falling into sinne 1 IF any doubt concerning this question whether the childe of God might fall often into one and the same sinne these cautions and distinctions are to be obserued First whether the partie bee generally called or specially touched if hee be but generally called as all common Christians professing the Gospell it were an easie matter to slippe in that state Secondly if the partie be effectually called it is to be enquired whether he be but a babe in Christ or no or whether he be come to some good growth in Christ for that if he be but a nouice he may twice fall so Thirdly we must obserue if he be now growne to some good age in Christ whether the sinne committed be a thing knowne vnto him or if hee know it not to be a sinne hee may doubtles slip into it 2 When wee consider how Noah Moses and others fell in their latter dayes and how the most excellent men haue fallen wee must earnestly pray rather that the Lord would take
though babish things both in life and doctrine become vs being babes yet hauing past our child-hood the Lord looks for more manly ripenesse both in knowledge in holines of life though our perfect age be not consummated before the resurrection As little children whether in teachablenes to good or reformablenes from sinne are either woâ—â—e by a faire word or â—llured by a trifling benefit or awed by a checke or feared by a frowning looke or stiiled by seeing another beaten before them or else quieted by the rod so if we be children either the promises of God must affect vs or the mercies of God must allure vs or his threatnings in his word must awe vs or his angrie countenance must feare vs or his correcting of others must humble vs or else the corrections of God vpon our selues must pull vs downe But as those children are of most liberall ingenuous nature who are rather allured with faire words than driuen to dutie with the rod so they are most gracious which are most broken with the conscience of their vnkindnesse more prouoked by the promises of God then by all the curses thunderings and threatnings of the law but they that are affected with neither degenerate as yet from the affections of children Hypocrisie 1 HEe obserued some who outwardly liued an honest ciuill life yet lying hypocritically in some sinne were constrained in death or before to vtter it to their shame Which kinde of iudgements are most necessarie that God might shewe himselfe to be God and his threatnings to be true that the wicked might lesse reioyce in their exceeding impietie and that Gods children might be raised from their securitie Iudgement 1 IN our most earnest matters wee must be zealous ouer our owne heart and then especiallie examine and call to account our affections because that in such a case there is either some speciall worke of God or else it is some notable worke of the flesh or of Sathan And whereas it is a pedagogie of the soule that in all things we had neede to aske the gouernement of God by his word and spirit for that a man knoweth what hee is but not what he shall be in this or that action When wee cannot gage the depth of our heart wee must impute it to want of prayer and the not trauailing with our heart how to doe the things in wisedome 2 Though all exercises of pure religion purely vsed doe both strengthen iudgement and whet vp affections yet reading hearing and conferring do most strengthen iudgement and in part whet on affections But praying singing and meditation doe mosâ— chiefly whet vp affection but in part strengthen iudgement and vnderstanding 3 Being desired to giue his iudgement of a weighty matter hee answered Syr neither am I able to speake nor you to heare for that wee haue not prayed indeede I may talke and you answere as naturall men but wee are not now prepared to conferre as tâ—e children of God 4 Hee fatherlie exhorted men to labour for increase of iudgment first by reason then by example by reason thus without soundnes of iudgement it is a more difficult trauailing for the childe of God with his owne heart to any fruit Againe not being stayed in iudgement one shall be troubled to commit and afraide to doe many things which indeede he might lawfully and comfortably doe if he had knowledge Thirdly wee shall not without good knowledge satisfie our godlie desire in perswading or dislwading anâ—e for that we cannot doe so assuredly substantially and effectually as wee ought and would doe By example he exhorted men to consider of the Prophet Dauid in his Psâ—lme â—19 hee prayeth for knowledge hauing no one thing oftner then this Teach mee O Lorde thy statutes c. Sound ioy 1 THe more one tasteth of heauenly things the lesse is his ioy in earthly things the more one feeleth earthlie things pleasant the lesse ioy can hee haue in heauenlie Coloss 3. 1. Phil 3. 20. 2 Wee must in reading the iudgements of God obserue this rule If any man will trie conclusions against Gods conclusions hee shall prooue nothing in the ende but himselfe to be a foole And if hee faile in his triall by how much the more he might be admonished by so much the more hee shall be without excuse There are many that feare Psal. 14. 5. where no feare is but there are more which reioyce where no cause of ioy is 3 Some ioy euery man must haue either carnall or spirituall and therfore when Cain had lost his title and interest in heauen hee made himselfe a seate on earth and when hee had lost the harmony of a good conscieÌ„ce his nephew Tubal was faine to inuent Organs that hee might haue some musicke and solace in outward things And 2. Kings 11. when the people could not haue their owne fond delights Salomon causeth Apes Peacockes and such like to bee brought from Ophir for them Men will haue ioy â—t they cannot haue the more solemne melodie by Arte they will haue the common instruments of the Countrey But the reason is because the soule is mouldring and the heart is pâ—rching drie But let these sandie mouldring earthly hearts consider that there is no secure nor true ioy which either time may loose or death dismay or the iudgements of God make afraide It is no sound ioy that either will leaue vs or wee shall be glad to leaue it as an vnprofitable possession 4 Manie had rather part from all fauour of God then loose the grace of some wittie speech which they haue deuised but cursed bee that merriment which respecteth not either dutie to God or loue to our neighbour Knowledge THere are manie who haue a generall knowledge of the Truth but when it comes to particular practise they are hindred with profites pleasures and selfeloue 2 They whose knowledge is in swelling words and painted eloquence of humane wisedome being but a doctrine of the letter in their death they are as if they knew nothing of Christ crucified and whereof comes it that there is so much preaching and so little learning but because men preach and delight to heare plausible nouelties to please the eare rather then the simple power of the Word to pierce the heart they take the bone and refuse the marrow they are content with the shell but want the kernell and not onely the law killeth but also the Gospell that is the letter of the Gospell beeing ministred without the spirite Aske the wounded conscience what comfort it is to heare that Christ dyed for our sinnes Nay aske if this gall not as much as the lawe it selfe so long as it is rather conceiued by reason than receiued by faith 3 He said how after hee knew God hee desired by prayer two things principallie the one that hee might loue the Saints the other that hee might willingly and
as namely in finding out the Causes Fruites Properties 4 The worke wrought in the affections is this that they are framed either to loue or hatred hope or feare ioy or sorrow according to the diuersitie of the thing which the reasonable part hath seriously considered of For example a man then meditateth on the word when he so remembreth it and museth on it that he goeth from poynt to poynt applying generally somethings vnto himselfe and wisely examining how the case stands betwixt the Lord and him in those things whereby he seeing what is like to follow vpon it hath his heart stirred vp to put something in practise 5 In hearing of the word with others and reading of it by our selues we think we haue to deale but with men because those are but outward things many men will carrie themselues cheerefully but there is nothing more tedious vnto vs without Gods speciall assistance than by meditation to call our selues to account before Gods iudgemeÌ„t seate for that which we haue heard and to deale with our hearts in good earnest for the doing or not doing of the things we haue learned and without hypocrisie to lay our hearts naked before God accusing our selues when we come short of any thing praying also for grace therein confessing our sinnes that we haue been rebuked of and crauing forgiuenes acknowledging his mercie where we haue receiued any thing and begging for the continuance of it and so to depart away either more humbled in our selues to auoide sinne more carefully or comforted in the Lord to goe on forward in weldoing more cheerefully 6 A great companie of men â—â—d euen many prosessors haue an euill opinion of meditation because hauing purposed to passe their time in mirth they feare if they should deale thus streightly with themselues least it would make them melancholike and heauy vpon which occasion they will not so much as abide to be alone nay in the companie of graue and sober men and to keepe them from thiâ— some of great place are content to maintaine Iesters c. But if we will consider the profits which come to those who vse meditation and the hurts which fall on them who vse it not we shall be easily perswaded to embrace it Commodities of meditation and hurts of the want thereof 1 IF we meditate of those generall rules which we haue heard out of the word we shall many times see more cleerely into the truth of it than he that preacheth or at least more than he expressed vnto vs. For by the spirit of God we shall be taught to applie it more particularly to our selues than he did or could doe because we are most priuie to our owne estate 2 Those that much meditate become there by the godliest men and most profitable to themselues and others because meditation so increaseth knowledge in vs as that it especially breedeth good affections and quickeneth them most being begun in vs by ouâ— affections we are carried to practise goodnesse in our selues Contrariwise they which vse not meditation cannot attaine to that knowledge which otherwise they might haue For we see that a scholler of a most excellent wit cannot attaine to great learning if he meditate not on the things read vnto him how much lesse can wee which are dull and blinde concerning spirituall things 3 Furthermore the knowledge which one gets whilest it swimmes in the braine and is not setled in the affections by meditation is but a vanishing knowledge For if persecution befall vs or if heretikes trie vs with subtill arguments or if Sathan tempt vs we shall be shaken from our former knowledge But contrariwise a setled perswasion of the heart is hardly or not at all ouercome 4 Those who omit meditation haue their knowledge for the most part grounded vpon other mens sayings and writings and they bring themselues into this bondage to belieue all to be true that their writer saith because they haue not examined it 5 Want of Meditation destroyeth the memorie and causeth men to trust altogether to their books so as if they haue time sufficient store of books they are able to speake with great admiration of the hearers and yet of the same matters can scarse speake to a priuate man tolerablie to his edification and comfort because hee hath but spoken it out of the booke and not laboured to make it his owne by Meditation that thereby hee might finde out how to applie it to his owne vse and the benefit of others Want of Meditation takes away the vse of knowledge Rules for Meditation 1 FIrst let the word be the obiect and beware of mingling it with mens deuices Psalm 1. 2. 26. 119. 99. Secondly heare reade and conferre much with reuerence and diligence else our Meditations may be erronious Psal 119. 99. The Prophet was wiser then his teachers therfore he had instructions and conference before his meditation Ioshuah and Timothie were commanded to reade before and then to meditate 2 Meditate but of one thing at once and at one time according to the olde prouerbe Hoc age 3 Though hee who is come to strength of Meditation can make his vse of all places and companies yet euen these and much more other not growne to such ripenesse must bee carefull to chuse time and place and to sequester themselues from all lets that â—ight carrie them away when they will giue themselues to earnest meditation as Iob did who whilest his sonnes were banquetting kept himselfe apart And they are to vse fasting that they may bring themselues into the presence of God and see into the depth of tâ—eir owne corruptions 4 In meditating of a point wee must first trauaile with our iudgement and affections before wee come to make vse of it in our hearts 5 Wee must know that there will neuer be sound nor abiding fruite of meditation vntill our heart be sound and sincere and dehorting others from sinne looke that wee our selues hate it 6 Before and in all wee must pray that the spirite may be giuen vs that we neither adde nor detract that wee goe not too farre nor come not too short 7 We must euer be mindefull to be thankfull vnto God when hee blesseth vs in our meditation else we shall be buffeted in our next meditation 8 Being often troubled suddenly in his deepest meditations with distractions of mind he tryed whether they were of God or not in this manner If they did either bring some euill things past into his minde to humble him or some good thing to comfort him and make him thankefull or if they did instruct him in any thing to come leauing an admonition in him to be circumspect then hee tooke them to be of God but if they drewe his minde from the things present to roue and wander after other matters hee presently suspected it and fell to prayer to be established in his present calling from whence his owne corruptions and
conceale a sinne in vs nor againe to mistrust him too much that will not willingly be admonished at the first For as a furious or a phreneticall braine can by no meanes away with him that shall lay any hands vpon him though it were for his profit so so long as we be in impatiencie we shall suffer no man to speake vnto vs though it be for our good but the lâ—thargie of our minde being cured we marueile at our former impatiencie and are ready to shew our selues thankful vnto him that would haue a care to draw vs out of such a sinne Regeneration 1 AS good natures doe not helpe of necessitie to regeneration so euill natures cannot hinder Gods purpose in calling if the meanes with his mercie and blessing be purely and painfully vsed Repentance 1 SAthan vnder the colour of repentance bringeth many into an extreame sadnes and strictnesse in vsing the creatures of God Again vnder pretence of Christian libertie and deliuering of men from extreame griefes he allureth them to an immoderate and an vnsanctified mirth and intemperate vse of the creatures of God so blinding iudgement he afterward corrupteth affection 2 One complaining vnto him for the not feeling of his corruption which did sometime enbolden him to sinne and to adde one sinne to another as to shuffle a little sinne vnder the pretence of a great sinne and to deferre the sorrowing of one sinne vntill the more generall accounting time when we should sorrow for more and many sinnes his temptation touching him on this manner Why fearest thou to commit this one sin and this little sinne which is as pardonable by repeÌ„tance as the former sinnes which are more in number and greater than this seeing thou maist repent for this sinne when thou repentâ—st for them all He made this answere In such a temptation because Sathan is very neere we are to tremble vnder the hand of God to feare our selues to striue in prayer and to mourne for the temptation whereby Satan would cause vs after not to dispute with it and we be to suspect our selues to be rather readie to adde sinne to sinne than to repent of any sinne howsoeuer Sathan would blind vs with a kind of repenting and we must stay vpon the power and helpe of God in Iesus Christ. Reproches 1 HE said although he was subiect to many and grieuous reproches yet two things did euer comfort him the one that his heart was well and not euill affected to any man secondly that going alone he could humble himselfe and pray to God that the authors of such reproches might be pardoned Riches 1 SOmetimes good outward gifts hurt the beholders when they hurt not the possessors as we may see in the beautie of Sara and Ioseph which thing ought to humble vs in the desire of outward things and to make vs thankfull for a mediocritie 2 It is a iust iudgement that earthly riches doe deceiue our hearts when heauenly riches doe not delight vs that the outward things should carrie vs away when heauenly things cannot so much preuaile with vs. Well howsoeuer gold or siluer goe here on earth for the greatest riches before men godlines is the greatest riches before God and Angels in heauen Sacraments 1 AS Isaaks intent being to blesse Esau hindered not the will of God in blessing of Iacob so the corrupt intent of the Minister doth not hinder the blessing of God in the Sacraments it being Gods owne ordinance 2 After one had asked his aduice for sitting or kneeling at the Lords table he said As for such things let vs labour what we may to doe as much as we can for the peaceof the Church Securitie 1 SEcuritie is a forerunner of some grosse sinne or of some great crosse 2 We must ouercome our vnwillingnes sluggishnes betimes in good things and preuent delayes at the first because it is certaine the longer we delay the worse 3 There is a great corruption in our natures which makes vs most dull when we haue most meanes This ariseth either because when we haue the publike meanes more plentifully we vse the priuate more sparingly or because we doe not so much esteeme of the meanes ordinarily administred as we doe when they are lesse familiar vnto vs or if the Lord seeing vs too immoderatly desire the place where we are denieth vs the benefits and fruites of the place to correct our desire or for that we promised to our selues too large a hope of freedome from many euils by the meanes of the word therefore it pleaseth the Lord to proue vnto vs that they are nothing vnto vs without the blessing of his holy spirit Or this may arise from the temptation of Sathan who because he would make vs discontent with our present estate and calling and to hunt after new therefore he sheweth vs all the inconueniences of the place present and hides all the profits and shewes vs all the profits of the place where we haue beene or shall be and hides all the inconueniences Or because when we were the best in a whole towne and saw nothing in others but corruption we pleased our selues and prouoked our selues more to good things and being among many good men we make not so much of our goodnes and grow something secure and trust too much in the goodnesse of the place persons Or in that we like of our selues well when we are teaching and instructing others and are more impatient of silence in our selues and to be instructed of others Or because we would still be getting praise by bringing out but we are loth to store vp treasures both new and old for time to come when as yet there is a time of both Or we more see this because the last complaint seemeth the greatest though indeed we haue suffered as euill euen as a man thinketh his sicknes present to be sorer than any sicknes past The onely remedie against this dulnes is continually by prayer and by vsing the meanes to striue against it Singing 1 HE wished all men that would sing that in singing they euer sing with affection and feeling or else haue a mourning in their hart that they cannot doe so Coloss. 3. 17. Ephes 5. Sinne. 1 Iâ— we goe on still in sinne God will goe on still in iudgement but if our hearts relent from sinne God will release his sentence of punishment 2 To a Courtier complaining of the occasions of euill he said Though you haue occasions of sinne offered yet the cause of sinne is still in your selfe 3 Because God worketh the sense of sinne by degrees in his children he suspected them who at euery sinne named would shew themselues forthwith troubled 4 Sinne is such a canker that it spreadeth secretly and there is such a chaine of sinnes that he that yeeldeth to one draweth on another grant a little one and a great
one will follow wherefore as it is good wisedome not onely to auoide the plague but to eschewe euery little ragge that may seeme to carrie the plague so it is heauenly wisedome not onely to auoide grosse sinnes but all such shewes of sinnes as may draw on the other And as we count it pollicie not to go as neere the riuers banke as we can least suddenly or at vnawares we should slip in so it is a spirituall policie not to goe too neere sinne least we be ouertaken of it before we be aware of it 5 It is our corruption to be scrupulous in sinne in the beginning but when we are entred in a little wee runne ouer head and eares 6 This is a sure experience whether the sinne which hath often assailed vs shall get dominion ouer vs or not if the oftner we are tempted the more we are grieued the more we striue against it the more we labour for the contrary vertue we shall shortly be conquerors ouer it But if the first comming of sinne wrought some griefe in vs the often comming of it makes our griefe the lesse and causeth vs to cease to vse the meanes of with standing it and to be carelesse in the contrarie vertue then it were to bee feared that that sinne in time should preuaile against vs and that we should get no victory ouer it 7 Though it is hard to find out our speciall sinnes yet by often and diligent examining of our selues by earnest prayer that God would reueale vnto vs our sinnes by often hearing and reading the word by marking the most checks of our consciences and reproches of our enemies we might be led to the neerest sight thereof 8 If Gods children are readie to slip in a moment how much more dangerous is the estate of the wicked who are willing to fall continuallie It is wonderfull to see a poore sinner ready to swound and fall dead almost at euery sinne which a man would thinke to be nothing to feare him or driue him to this feare and yet when aduersities straunge iudgements persecutions and death doe come to bee exceeding patient comfortable couragious and valiant And againe it is strange to see others who maruell that men will suffer themselues to be feared with sinnes and aske what meane men to stand trembling at the word of God yet let sicknes come or if the hand of God be vpon them or let death come towards them they quake at the name of sicknes death or hell and either they proue very senslesse and blockish or else they be in a most desperate estate yea if God begin to recken with them euery countenance of a godly man euery chirping of a bird and drawing neere of the least and weakest creature towards them euery shaking of a leafe mouing of a shadow euery noyse of the aire appaleth their courage and maketh them most fearfull cowards They feare most when Gods iudgements are executed which feare least when they are threatned And they feare least when Gods iudgements are accomplished which tremble most when wrath is denounced Wherefore if wee long for courage and lothe cowardise against the euill day let vs labour for a good conscience which breedeth true boldnes and flie from sinne which bringeth a spirite of feare vpon vs as daily experience may teach vs. It is better to feare the euill to come when only feare and not euill is vpon vs than to feare then when besides the feare the affliction it selfe is come which so sorely besetteth vs that wee haue no libertie or leaue to breathe for any comfort or to hope for any deliuerance 9 They that will haue a true faith in Christ must belieue in him that he is our wisdome righteousnes sanctification and redemption Are then thy cogitations confounded Seest thou no knowledge not so much as a literall knowledge of Christ but all is doubtfulnes all is dulnes all is deadnes in thee as though thou neuer knewest heardest readest or learnedst any thing Now know and belieue that whatsoeuer knowledge experienced power of vnderstanding was in Iesus Christ the same is made thine hee is thine annoynting that will teach thee all Hast thou knowledge and yet thy life not brought agreeable or proportionable to thy knowledge Thou art troubled with thy sinnes thou feelest no goodnes thou thinkest thy selfe as an euill tree voide of all good fruite Now remember that as Christ being no sinner was made of God a sinner and punished of God as a sinner for thee thou hauing no righteousnesse art made through Christ righteous and shalt be rewarded of God as righteous through him It may be God hath enlightened thee with heauenly vnderstanding he hath hitherto strengthened thy desire in giuing thee to walke vprightly but now thou art afraid thou shalt not perseuere because of thy corruptions thou tremblest to remember how many excelling thee in gifts and graces haue fallen away and that all is but hypocrisie thine owne heart thou thinkest will one day beguâ—le thee now call to minde that Christ is made vnto thee holines not as a new Moses to follow but as a Messias to beleeue in as the author and finisher of thy holinesse so that to perseuere seemeth impossible to thee yet with him it is possible yea and more easie to continue thee in holinesse being begun than to conuert Zacheus Mathew and Mary Magdalen or to reconcile the Lambe and the Lion others which he hath surely done There is one thing yet troubles thee thou hast many things promised thee and thou thinkest they are not performed thou lookest for peace of thy minde and behold a wound of the spirit thou art the heire of the whole earth and yet pinched with pouertie thou art Lord of libertie and yet liest in prison it is so and yet in all this see Christ is thy redemption not suffring thee to be ouercome with any of these in this life freeing thee wholy from them in the life to come Admit thou werst cruelly persecuted caÌ„not he that made the fire not to burne at all the three children in the furnace make the fire so easily consume thee as thou shalt comfortablie beare it Will not he that made the Lions being hungrie not once to open their mouthes on Daniel crush thee so greedily that thou shalt willingly sustaine it Now the meanes are the word prayer and Sacraments the word carrieth the spirit of faith into thy heart prayer giueth thee a feeling of thy faith the Sacraments confirme both thy faith and feeling 10 We must not be proud in our gifts for God hath in iudgement giuen iudgement to many simple ones to spie vs out If we confesse to God we must frankly and freely bring our selues into the presence of God and lay our hearts naked and bâ—re before him we must not as harlots wipe our mouthes and say we haue offended and yet fall into sinne againe but
a surgeon to shew vs our sinnes than a sergeant to arrest vs to perpetuall imprisonment for our sinnes 3 Sathan hath two waies to buffet vs first he moueth to despaire shewing vs how such men did abide trouble but they were rare men of rare faith of rare feeling of rare patience God hath not called vs to that measure of grace we are vnworthie by reason of our sinnes to hope for the like faith or fruites of faith His other temptation sauours of pride when he will make vs equall in dignitie with the highest of Gods Saints but vnequall in dutie with them then he will perswade that God is as good and as strong to vs as he hath been to others but he keeps vs from vsing those waies and meanes whereby others haue and we ought to haue this goodnesse and power of God conueyed into vs. Wherefore as we must not distrâ—st God that we shall obtaine the like mercie with others if we vse the like meanes so we must not be so bold as to dreame that euer we shall haue the like fauour with them vnlesse we labour for the like faith with them the like faith I say though not in quantitie â—â—â—â— qualitie and that by vse of the meanes 4 Vnto one that said he was possest of a Diuell he answered as hoping that he was the childe of God and rather deluded than so afflicted True it is that as much as lieth in you you haue giueâ— ouer your selfe vnto the Diuell but it is not in your power to giue ouer your selfe vnto him neither is it in his iurisdiction to possesse you Superstition 1 MAny hauing escaped out of the gulfe of superstition are too deepe plunged in prophanenes Strange corrections 1 VNto a very godly man whose onely sonne was drowned and therfore came vnto him in great anguish of minde and asked whether such strange corrections were not alwaies tokens of strange sinnes He answered That albeit God did seuerely correct sinne in it yet it was not necessarie that God should chiefly respect the punishment of sinne in this thing as might appeare in the like dealing with Iob and other of his children Eccl. 9. Such things happen oftner to the good c. Howbeit said he God might correct your securitie herein which either brings some sinne or crosse or God might correct your immoderate loue of him or your vnthankfulnes for what measure he was reformed or your not praying for him or the Lord might take away this consolation and withdraw wholie your minde from the world and more throughly sanctifie you to himselfe Or he might preuent some worldlinesse which you might haue fallen into or some sinne which your sonne might haue fallen into which would haue been a sorer trouble than his death and therefore you must stay your selfe on the loue of God in all Saluation 1 THat man is blest whom God hath from all beginnings chosen to eternall life To whom God hath giuen his Christ as a perfect redeemer In whoÌ„ he hath sealed the assurance of â—l those things by his holy spirit to whom he hath giuen his word in whom the word and spirit haue begot faith by whose power faith hath begotten ioyes in heauenly things in whom ioy hath wrought a sincere heart to please God in whom sinceritie is accompanied with loue vnfained to the Lord and his Saints loue ioyned with a care to obey the commandements this care breeding a reuerent feare to please God in whom this godly feare rebuketh sinne thâ— rebuking of sin worketh a mourning spirit in whom a mourning spirit begetteth true meekenes this meekenes of minde causing vs to hunger after Christ. So as feeling his owne miserie he is taught to shew mercie vnto others and so sheweth mercie as it is with the bowels of compassion whose heart God so gouerning that all outward benefits turne to his blessing as seales of the fauour of God vnto whom all crosses being sanctified in Christ turne to his good who finally in this faith and fruites of faith meekely and patiently possessing his soule waiteth and looketh assuredly for the glorious kingdome of God after this life This is the golden chaine of vndoubted blessednesse whose linckes are so fastened the one in the other that wheresoeuer any of them be wanting there is a breach and weakenes made in the whole To make speede to good things 1 AS it is a fearefull thing to hasten to doe euill and to linger to an euill thing is an holy lingring so it is a blessed thing to hasten to godlinesse and to make speede to a good thing is a hastines very godly Psal. 42. Psal. 95. Elisha must not salute any body in the way the Apostles must not commune with any in their iourney and why They must make haste to doe the will of God It is profitable to make haste to heauen but it is no wisedome to make haste to hell and yet to doe well we finde a Lion in the streetes but to doe euil nothing can stay vs He that euil come to heauen must make haste for the kingdome of God must be taken violently he must be like those wise virgins not lingeâ—ing to get oyle nor delaying â—o furnish themselues with the graces of God against the comming of Christ. Sleepe 1 BEcause great naturall and worldly sorrow and ioy will cause a man to breake his sleepe at midnight he â—ould trie himselfe whether sorrow for sinne and ioy in saluation had caused him to doe the like Sermons 1 MAny men may be said to be Sermon-sick as there are some said to be Sea-sick for as they that are Sea-sicke for the time of their seafaring so long as they be on the water are feeble stomacked faint hearâ—ed euer readie to die and yet arriuing on the land being gotten out of the ship and hauing paused some little time doe begin to forget their late troubles and to recouer their former strength againe So many so long as they are in the Church hearing and are tossed by the power of the word their hearts are sicke their consciences melt they are much troubled but when once the voyce ceaseth and they are out of the Church doores and haue acquainted themselues with the aire of the world they forget what they heard and wherewith they were moued and so retire to their former life againe Schisme 1 ALthough it is sure that a good man shall not finally fall in the maine points of his saluation yet hee may be seduced in some lesse matters but for all that in the end he shall escape but the seducer shall surely be punished For a well meaning man found in faith and yet a nouice in Christ may be carried to like some solemne superstitions and poâ—pous ceremonies in the worship of God Againe a man careful and right in the substance of saluation for
of the word which you knew yet if you turne to the Lord in feare serue him your sinne is remissible howsoeuer Sathan chargeth your conscience in that you haue done euill against your owne knowledge and in that you are afraide least that sinne be in you and would reioyce in God if it were not in you if you purpose to leaue your former sinnes and in truth to turne vnto the Lord I dare assure you that as yet you are free from that sinne 14 When a maide was so sore troubled that two or three held her in her fit he charged her in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ that when the agonie came she should not willingly yeeld to it but in the Lord resist it For both experience teacheth that the ouer much fearing of temptation before it commeth and little purpose to resist it when it commeth mightily incourageth Sathan and also the holy Ghost biddeth vs to resist the diuell and he will flie from vs to draw neere to God and he will draw neere to vs. And the maide was neuer after afflicted Thankesgiuing 1 OF all sacrifices most acceptable is that of thanksgiuing and therefore in many words the Saints of God haue vowed and entred into bands with the Lord to pay this oblation boâ—h to preuent the vntowardnes of nature which is so vnwilling to this as also to shame themselues more if happily they grow herein negligent in which repetition of their vowes and promises which argueth the great desire of their hearts for looke what one delighteth in he often speaketh of it and in many words they declare that as euen in things agreeable to nature we will helpe our delight by often speaking and repeating of them so much more this helpe is requisite in things aboue nature among all the parts of godlines which are aboue nature and chiefly in thanksgiuing which is most contrarie to nature for we will pray often for a thing but hardly giue thankes once And yet experience proueth in ciuill things that of all arguments to perswade one to giue vs a gift none is more eloquent or forcible than to promise our selues to be thankfull and mindfull for that we shall receiue 2 It is our common corruption that the immoderate griefe of euils present stealeth from vs all the remembrance of former benefits and all thankfulnes for them Vnbeleefe 1 HE gaue this aduice to one that when he felt mistrust of Gods promises he should set before him the examples of Gods mercies done to others that we may be the more assured to obtaine faith and when he began to presume he should set before him the examples of Gods iudgements that he might pray for humilitie 2 He said to a godly Christian much inueighing against her vnbeleefe I doe not now suspect your estate when you seeme to me rather to haue faith than when you seeme to your selfe to haue it For faith being the gift of God is then most obtained and increased of God when you thirsting after the increase of present feeling thinke the smallest measure obtained to be no faith and therefore be yet humbled vnder the mightie and mercifull hand of God for it Rather I suspect you when you say you haue faith because then you can lesse feare suspect your selfe and by that meanes lie open to vnbeleefe againe And surely experience proueth that when we shew we haue beleefe when we mourne for our vnbeleefe and then our faith may be least when we thinke it to be most Besides herein you are to comfort your selfe with hope of increase of faith because faith groweth by these two meanes either by some great feelings by the word and the spirit and humble thanksgiuing joyned thereunto or else by humbling our selues before the mercie seate of God for want of our faith Vngodlines 1 WE may not goe to see vngodlines to breede a great detestation of it in vs. For first in respect of our selues in so doing presuming on a thing not warranted it is the iust iudgement of God that we should learne to fall into that sin whereof before we were ignorant because naturally we are inclined to such an action Secondly in respect of our brethren it is vnlawfull for if they be strong we offend them if they be weake we misleade them Thirdly in regard of Gods glorie it is vnlawfull for such should be our zeale thereunto if not hauing heroicall spirits by the motions of Gods spirit to speake against it that we should not ouersee such a thing Dan. 3. 15. Vse of the creatures 1 AS naturall men vse Gods creatures to stirre vp a naturall comfort so spirituall men should vse them to procure some spirituall comfort and to stirre vp godly ioyes and fruitfull meditations in themselues for as Satan seeing men of a sanguine complexion and sanctified laboureth to mixe with their spirituall ioy a carnall iâ—y so seeing some of a melancholie complexion sanctified to haue spirituall sorrowes he bestirreth himselfe to bring vpon them carnall sorrowes Vnthankfulnes 1 HE would say I feare not the time of the visitation of them that thereby doe grow in the gifts graces of God but rather I feare the time of their deliuerance least it should be ouertaken with vnthankfulnes and so wofully they should lose the fruite of that good which so dearely they had purchased of the Lord. Visions 1 BEing asked if there might now be visions agreeable to the word he said They might be extraordinarie but not to be credited but for the words sake and who so is moued with them and not with the word wherewith a man is charged to be moued and is not drawne the more by the vision to the true meanes that mans faith is suspitious And as visions haue beene ordinarie and preaching extraordinarie so now preaching is ordinarie and visions extraordinarie But if you obiect that the visions be true he said Sathan will speake truth and keepe touch twice or thrice in lesse matters to get vs in the luâ—ch in greater matters and at length in some contrarie to the word of God Of Vsurie 1 VSurie is the diuels Alchymistrie to turne siluer into golde it is lucre by lending and they that vse it be a gracious kinde of theeues it is a sinne that hath many aduocates patrons But to whom may this be vsed Men are either poore meane or rich to the poore giue freely to the meane lend freely of the rich take vsurie The Lord was neuer the author of this diuision Aristotle by the very light of reason saw that it was a monstrous thing for money to beget money but Gods law goeth further Leuit. 25 36. Deu. 5. 19. Againe the Iewe of a Iewe might not take interest but the linke of a Christian is neerer than of a Countrie their brother-hood was but by Countrie onely ours by redemption Indeed recompence is to be made where the thing is the
and they in whom the spirit of God is decayed through the deceitfulnes of sinne their afflictions also are the punishmeÌ„ts of their sinnes for because they refused the gratious gouernmeÌ„t of Gods mercie in the Gospell therfore hee bringeth them backe to the rigorous gouernment of his iustice in the law till Christ be formed anew in them againe Those onely which are sufficiently called in whome Christ is thus formed their afflictions are no punishments of sinne but Christ suffers with them when they are medicines against sinne much more when they are trialls of Faith and most of all when they are for well doing but all the former suffered themselues Christ suffered not with them because they suffered for sinne 10 Rebecca wished to haue children but when they stroue in her wombe then shee brast forth into words of impatiencie so God giueth to some a desire to be borne againe who when their conception is so painfull and when the spirit and the flesh striue together they would sometime be content to be in the olde estate againe 11 When Moses came downe from the Mount the skinne of his face did shine but only the people did see it hee did not perceiue it So should our righteousnes shine in the eyes of others not in our owne 12 As a Fountaine and all the water that springs from it haue the same qualitie so the heart and the thoughts words and deeds are all of the same nature if one be filthy all be filthie and purge one and purge all 13 God calleth his children out of this world in the fittest time when though they liued longer yet they would be no better 14 If wee loue not Christ more then his benefites euen than our owne saluation wee are not worthie of him Phillip saith Iohn 14. 8. If wee may see the Father it is sufficient And Iacob said it is sufficient for mee that Ioseph is aliue hee cared not for his benefites And Dauid saith as if hee should say no more one thing haue I desired to dwell in the house of the Lord. 15 Wee must at all times â—eare the Worde and vse â—â—â— the meanes oâ— our 〈◊〉 though wee feele our selues most vnwilling thereunto For we know not when God will blesse it or any of them to vs. Yea it may be that when we do but once aâ—â—â—â—t our selues from the hearing thereof such things may be then spoken of as may most serue for our soules health 16 Albeit Marthaes part be the worst because it continueth not yet the world hateth Maâ—ies part which is the best and desireth â—uer to chuse with Martha 17 Looke how much we would come to Christ so much we must come to the Word and Sacraments 18 If wee rest too much in the outward action of the Word and not in the inward affection of the heart we shall be puffed vp and become prophane 19 Many Protestants can say it is God that worketh the will and the deede but in a conceiued imagination not from a perswaded minde and experienced conâ—câ—eâ—ce for if they were perswaded hereof it would greatly humble them and make them to finish their course with reuerence and feare 20 Looke what a man loueth hee wisheth the good thereof 21 Euery one is eaten vp with the zeale of one thing or othâ—r 22 No man can purchase to himselâ—e the glorious â—â—â—â—â— that he loueth God except hee hath a through hatred and detestation of that which â—â—d hateth 23 Then shall wee vnfainedly praise GOD for our â—â—â—â— creation and his Fatherly prouidence watching ouer vs when wee are created a new by the Spirit of God and feele our Redemption in Christ. 24 As farre as the Spirit is aboue the flesh God aboue men Heauen aboue the earth Eternitie aboue frailtie so farre is the new creation aboue the olde for the one is but of mortall and corrupt seede that shall perâ—â—h but the other is of immortall seede and from Heauen a great worke of God which shall abide for euer 25 In temporall things our ioy is greater then the cause in spirituall things the cause is greater than the ioy 26 If this be our chiefest felicitie to be Gods people it hath also the chiefest challenge to our ioy 27 They that be in the hell of things fleshly caÌ„not see the heauens of things spirituall 28 Spirituall thinges are tedious because sense reason and nature cannot taste of such ioyes 29 Gods children being in the world though not of the world but sauouring of the things of the world must be prouoked to this sound ioy and be led from the crackling ioyes which flame vp for a little and make a sudden noise but neuer truely heate or comfort the heart but in death and affliction doe muâ—h shame and feare vs. 30 To bee perswaded of Gods presence in our thoughts words and labours is a pure rule of Christianitie In euery place we are before God but more specially in priuate prayer and most of all in publike prayer 31 As there is no sinne so great but with repentance is pardonable so there is no sinne so little but without repentance is damnable 32 The offence of sinne is not so great as the deâ—ence of sinne 33 One teare of repentance is better then a thousand sack-clothes first our sorrow must bee spirituall then continuall because our sinne breedeth at the heart and buddeth foorth daily There is no greater miserie than to bee without miserie nor greater sorrow then to be without sorrow 34 As the childe breaking one rodde and burning it prouoketh his father to prepare a sharper so a man vnpatiently wrestling with one affliction sent from God and escaping it prouoketh the Lord in greater displeasure to send a sharper scourge 35 The more godly a man is and the more the graces and blessings of God are vpon him the more need he hath to pray because Sathan is busiest against him and because he is readyest to be puffed vp with a conceited holinesse 36 Where the Scripture hath not a mouth we ought not to haue eares 37 Oâ— that one would doe that thing the remembrance whereof â—o long after should bring comfort oh that one should doe that thing the reâ—eâ—oraâ—ce whereof so long after sh 〈…〉 g griefe and yet we so little esteemâ—â—hoâ—e â—â—â—â—gs which might after comfort vs and so little feare those things which mighâ— aftâ—r grieue vs. 38 The â—â—â—â—s is often taken for the morall law of God his precepts for the Ceremoniall Law his Iudgements or Righteousnesse for the â—aâ—ctiâ—us of the Lawe whereby the Lorde â—â—â— accomplisheth his promises for his Children or executâ—th his wrath vpon his â—â—â—mâ—es 39 A though the Lord hath promised a speciall blessing to the publike ministery of his word yet we must not tâ—e his wisedome to any ordinary
the second time And as we must not flatter our selues in euery motion as though we were sealed most surely so one sparke of pure zeale doth fire out the diuell and his whole traine Surely we must doe as much for our God as the wicked for the diuell that is we must be swept of all corruptions and garnished with all graces of God his spirit that the Lord may delight in his hold in vs euen as the wicked gratifie their Prince of darknes with sweeping cleane away the graces of God and furnishing euery roome with some loathsome sinne or other 28 The neerer Christ his comming was the cleerer was the Law Moses saw it cleerer than the Patriarches the Prophets saw it more cleerely than Moses Iohn Baptist more euidently than the Prophets Christ Iesus more spiritually than they all did see into it and taught it not as a teacher of any new doctrine which the grosse Pharises dwelling on the literall sense did thinke but as a confirmer and more diuine reader of the Law than euer had beene in any age before which thing we must needes beleeue For if Christ be the Fathers Counseller then is he wonderfull and why is he so wonderfull but because his doctrine is a mysterie if his doctrine be a mysterie no maruell though so many see not into it In this spritual interpreter the Fathers Counseller whose name is Wonderfull must we beleeue 29 There is no striuing in sinne but in God his iudgement and wrath and therefore it is vsuall with the Lord to checke sinne sooner in his owne children than in the wicked and to rebuke it sorer in his children regenerate than in them that are not renewed and to withstand more seuerely sin in his children renewed and hauing more plentifull meanes than in the regenerate not hauing so great a measure of the meanes 30 We must labour to haue the feare of God before our eyes alwaies Beleeue we cannot alwaies reioyce in God we cannot alwaies faith is often faint loue is little ioy is dead feeling is fallen asleepe yet if we continue in the feare of God fearing our selues for the absence of these things it will be a meane to recouer them all againe For this iealousie of our selues least we should displease God will driue vs to such an examination of our owne hearts as we seeing these wants we are constrained to mourne vntill the graces of God shine to vs againe but if this feare be once gone yea though we had those other gifts yet will they decay and we shall fall into so deepe a peace with our sinnes that though we slip very grossely we will neuer suspect our selues for any thing 31 That man is truly blessed whom God hath from all beginnings chosen to whom God hath giuen his Christ as a perfit Redeemer in whom he hath sealed vp the assurance of these things by his holy spirit to whom he hath giuen his word in whom the word and spirit haue begot faith by whose power Faith hath begotten ioyes in heauenly things in whom ioy hath wrought a sincere heart to please God in whom sinceritâ—e is accompanied with loue vnfained to the Lord and his Saints loue ioyned with a care to obey his commaundemens this care breeding a reuerend feare to displease God in whome this godly feare rebuketh sinne the rebuking of sinne worketh a mourning spirit in whom a mourning spirit begetteth true meekenes this meekenesse of minde causing vs to hunger after Christ so as feeling his owne miserie he is taught to shew mercie vnto others and so sheweth mercie as it is with the bowels of compassion whose heart God so gouerning all outward benefites turne to his blessing as seales of the fauour of God vnto whome all crosses being sanctified in Christ turne to his good who finally in this faith and fruites of faith meekely and patiently possessing his soule waites and looketh assuredly for the glorious kingdome of God after this life This is the golden chaine of the vndoubted blessednes whose linkes doe so coherently ioyne together that wheresoeuer aâ—â—â— of the least is wanting there is a breach and weaknes made in the whole 32 Great is the power and mightie is the force of the feare of God that is when wee haue a sure perswasion we are still in the presence of the God of all glorious Maiestie not sparing the least sinne vnrepented and yet in the sight of a most gracious Father not punishing the greatest sinne repented of First we consider this Maiestie and glory and are driuen to seeke comfort in Christ Secondly when we remember through Christ the seate of Maiestie to be turned into a seate of mercie and the throne of glorie to be made a throne of grace our feare is corrected tempered and mittigated least it should be excessiue that is rather hindering the certaintie of faith than repressing the securitie of the flesh For so exquisite is God his iustice so great is his glorie so bright is his Maiestie that without the view of his fauour we could not abide it Neither doth this faith in God his mercie abolish but correct the feare of his Maiestie Againe sure it is so long as we haue this feare before our eyes howsoeuer we may of ignorance or infirmitie sinne yet we shall neuer sinne presumptuously or if forgetting our selues we slip suddenly we shal not lie long in our sin but this feare of God will soone draw vs out and recouer vs. 33 The cause why oft our hearts want libertie and comfort in prayer is because our consciences tell vs that we haue beene vnthankful for the former benefits And therefore we must be thankfull as we are readie to craue For therefore is the Church often afflicted that it may often pray that often praying it may pull downe many benefits froÌ„ the Lord that pulling downe many benefits from God it may returne many praises vnto him In this dutie the godly differ from others for though others haue the outward benefits yet hauing no feeling of the fauour of God in them they cannot hartily praise him for them Another cause why our prayers are feeble is because our faith is faint but God can as well denie himselfe and cast downe his throne from heauen as denie to heare vs crying in faith which if we were perswaded of we should haue more heart in prayer yea euery little want would set vs a worke in it It is not a particular practise of God at one speciall time to receiue our prayers as it was of certaine Princes once in the yeere sitting in the gate to accept freely the bils of request preferred vnto them but it is an vnchangeable nature in God so as no sooner than he can cease to be a God can he cease to heare our requests Wherefore if our faith be weake in the assurance of our sinnes pardoned we must know that the Lord hauing chosen vs though our iniquities be as black as the
his mercies are most wonderfull there if they bee contemned the iudgements of God ensue most feareful The serpent of all beasts the wisest abusing that wisedome became of all the cursedst Sodome the beautifull valley being puft vp with pride became the filthiest pit The church of the Iewes the valley of vision not vsing it dignitie was as a scattered wildernes Ierusalem is an heape of stones Sion as a thicket the Temple as a vast vessell The Church of Rome refusing Christ is become the seate of Antichrist The churches of Asia lost their candlesticke because light comming to them they loued darknes more than light 66 Vntill a man by feeling the sorrowes of sinnes determineth to arise goe to his father the word doth say he is not come to himselfe as Luk 15. in the lost child contrariwise when a man by feeling the sorrowes of sinne saith he will arise and goe to the father the world crieth with Festus he is besides himselfe too much learning hath made him mad So farre differ the iudgements of the word and of the world 67 As the Serpent was the first instrument of sinne â—o sinne retayneth still a qualitie of the Serpent For first it windeth round about vs as though it would imbrace vs but in the end it playeth the Serpent and with the tayle it doth sting vs. For the sorrowes which belong vnto sinne do not commonly accompanie the fact to be committed but the fault already committed and doggeth the conscience to sting it to death at the time of most aduantage for sinne taketh occasion by the law and deceiueth and therefore sâ—ayeth vs. And let not him thinke that findeth not a present controlement of conscience for euery sinne committed that therefore he hath not offended God for we are oâ—t suffered to haue the spirit of slumber for a while that the spirit of Christ Iesus might more perfitly awake vs. 68 God his children are to reioyce for the day of their Resurrection is their day of Redemption Their iudgement day was when Christ was iudged at what time all that are in Christ were iudged And as the wicked are now damned but then shall haue the sentence of damnation so now the godly are saued but then they shall haue the full testimonie of their saluation by Christ yea with Christ they shall be assistants in iudgâ—â—â—â—â— to condemne others so farre they shall be from comming into iudgement to be condemned 69 Bersillai hauing done a great benefit to Dauid the King could no◠〈◊〉 estimation how sufficiently to recompence it but referred him and his children to â—eat Salomons table Bersillai thought in himselfe this to be so great a recompence that he reâ—use 〈…〉 If it were both in Dauids estimation and in Bersillaieâ— opinion so great a 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 Salomons table how much more glorious a benefit is it to sit at Christ his table 〈…〉 Salomon but a greater than Salomon is present 70 It is our corruption that we are more grieued when we suffer as â—el-doers than when we suffer for euil-doing For this is the logicke of the world I am grieued that I am thus dealt with because I neuer deserued it had I done any thing worthy of punishment it would not haue grieued me though I had beene punished Thou speakest like a foolish man thou knowest not when to be grieued and when â—ot to be grieued For whether is it better to suffer when thy conscience is free and suffereth not or when with thy outward affliction thou art afflicted also of thine owne heart And is it not a glorious thing to suffer for well doing wherein thy cause of griefe is the lesse and an ignominious thing to suffer for euill doing wherein the cause of griefe is the more For if rather the cause of affliction than affliction itselfe should grieueâ— hee then affliction without cause of affliction being for God his cause should rather comfort thee 71 Companie is the best thing and worst thing in the world how much and how 〈◊〉 are men beholding to it it maketh and marreth whatsoeuer commeth neere it 〈◊〉 as wormes do easily breede in the softest wood so doth it commonly spoyle the best â—â—â—â—sition 72 When we haue any crosse it is hard lucke say we Well that luck as you call it and prouidence as I iudge it is often more worth vnto vs than all our substance And why so the reason seemeth simple and yet is most forcible for then we begin to be in necessitie That is as you thinke a cold comfort and I should hardly perswade you that this argument is good For if I shall say that if ye did beleeue ye should see this as sure as your life I know that you would smile at it Notwithstanding it is sure that the sense of our necessitie causeth vs to looke for a remedie the asking of it by prayer doth assure vs to obtaine because of the promise 73 Herein is a difference betweene children and bastards that originall sinne in the refused hath the roote as rottennes the branch as dust the bud as blasphemie the fruite as despaire in the elect being ouerturned with the power of affliction then ariseth in stead of it both the blossoms of rising from sinne and the sweete smelling fruite of conuersion vnto God 74 There is nothing so good but priuie pride will corrupt it nothing so euill but a lye will couer it For priuie pride cast the Angels from heauen exiled Adam out of Paradise ouerthrew the deerest of God his children when they were most full of the spirit and was the last but most fierie temptation wherewith our Sauiour Christ was assaulted It is seene of others before it is espied of our selues it commeth with greatest graces of God whereas other sinnes come with sinne it was the first sinne in God his childe and it will be last For euen when all sinnes seeme to bleede and all graces seeme to stand herein we can be proude that sinne is so dead and godlinesse so abundant in vs. 75 It is good still to attend vpon hearing the word although we feele not that inward ioy and working of God his Spirit which either we haue felt or desire to feele The preaching of the word is God his ordinance if it hath noâ— wrought heretofore though it worke not presently it may worke hereafter And because we know not who is the man what is the time where is the place which is the sermon that God hath appointed to work on vs let vs in all obedience attend on the ministerie of euery man watch at all times be diligent in euery place and runne to euery sermon which we can conueniently because though the Lord touch vs not by this man in this place at this time through such a sermon yet he may touch vs by another Let euery one therefore thus meditate with himselfe Though I hearing am as dead as a stone and
himselfe whether hee be in the Faith or no 2. Cor 13. 5. Why else 2. Secondly because euery one must be able to proue and examine mens doctrines and doings by the Scriptures that they be not in their saluation by them deceiued 3. Thirdly because euery one must be able as his calling requireth to teach admonish exhort and comfort one another 4. Fourthly because euery one must be able to make an account of the faith and hope that is in him What if men cannot reade Then they must vse the helpe of others that can reade Is it enough to reade the Scriptures priuately or with others No for God hath also commaunded to heare them read publikely in the Church And is it enough to heare them read publikely in the Church No for hee also hath ordained preaching to be vsed Why must preaching be ioyned with â—eading Because it is the most principall and proper meanes to beget Faith in vs. Why must Faith be mixed with the Word read and preached Because otherwise the word profiteth vs nothing How many things are requisite to bee in euery one that will come to heare the Word read and preached Amongst others foure are necessarie What is the first 1. First a reuerend feare of the Maiestie of God 2. Secondly an assured faith in Christ. 3. Thirdly an earnest endeuour to frame our liues thereafter 4. Fourthly they must pray for the holie Ghost to bee giuen them to enlighten their mindes and to write all these things in their hearts Which be the principall parts of Gods word The Law and the Gospell What call you the Law It is that part of the Word that commaundeth all good and forbiddeth all euill What if wee could keepe the Law Then wee should be blessed What if wee breake the Law Then we are subiect to the curse of God and so to death and damnation What call you the Gospell It is that part of the word which containeth the free promises of God made vnto vs in Iesus Christ without any respect of our deseruings What doth that worke in vs It worketh in vs a true and liuely faith in Iesus Christ whereby wee lay holde of the free remission of our sinnes in him and the true repentance of them What must wee learne by the whole word of God Two things 1. First to make a right and sound entrance to our saluation 2. Secondlie how to encrease and continue in the same vnto the ende What is required for our right and sound entrance to our saluation Three things are required 1. First to know and to be perswaded of the greatnes of our sinnes and the miserie due to the same 2. Secondly to know and be perswaded how we may be deliuered from them 3. Thirdly to know and bee perswaded what thankes wee owe to God for our deliuerance How shall wee come to the right sight of our sinnes and a sound perswasion of the greatnesse of them By the spirit of God leading vs into the true vnderstanding of the Law and a due examination of our selues thereby Where is the Law set downe It is written in many places of the Scriptures but the summe thereof is contained in the ten Commandements Rehearse them I am the Lord thy God thou shalt haue none other gods but me How are they deuided Into two principall heads or tables as they be called What doth the first table teach vs It teacheth vs our dutie towards God and is contained in the foure first Commaundements What doth the second teach vs Our dutie towards our neighbour and is contained in the sixe last Commandements Why are the duties towards God set downe before the duties towards our neighbour 1 Because the loue of God is the ground of the loue of our neighbour What followeth hereof 2 That none can rightly loue his neighbour except he first loue God Why are the duties towards our neighbour ioyned to our duties towards God 3 Because the loue of our neighbour is the proofe of our loue towards God What ensueth hereof 4 That none can loue God aright except he also loue his neighbour Why are the Commandements set downe in ten parts and not in generall 5 Because God is not pleased with doing our duties in generall or in some part but he will be wholy serued in all and euery one of his Commandements Why are they set downe singularly or to euery one 6 Because euery one must doe his owne dutie though none goe before him What followeth of this That euery one must beare his owne burthen and none shall haue excuse by the example of others Are there not some rules which serue for the better vnderstanding of euery one of the Commandements Yea there be foure which haue speciall vses 1 First in euery commandement where euill is forbidden there the contrarie good is commanded 2 Secondly many moe euils are forbidden and many moe good things are commanded in euery commandement than in words are expressed 3 Thirdly because God is a spirit therefore his commaundements are spirituall and require spirituall obedience 4 Fourthly in euery commaundement where euill is forbidden there the occasions of the euill are forbidden and where good is commanded there also the occasions of good are commanded Rehearse the first Commandement Thou shalt haue none other gods but me What euill is here generally forbidden Euen that which the words doe import What good is commaunded To haue God to be my onely God and to be alwaies in his presence What is it to haue God to be our onely God To giue him all things which be proper and peculiar to his Maiesty Which be those that properly concerne God and therefore be the speciall things commanded They be very many Rehearse the summe of them wherâ— bâ— the rest may be vnderstood I am bound to beleeue in God to loue God to feare and obey him to pray vnto him and praise him After what sort mâ—st you performe these duties of faith loue feare obedience prayer and thankesgiuing With my whole mind and vnderstanding with my whole heart and my whole strength Which bee the peculiar sinnes herein forbidden To faile in giuing to God any of these or the like forenamed good things in any part or in any respect What else is particularly forbidden To giue any of the forenamed good things to any creature or any other thing whatsoeuer whereby my heart may be withdrawne from God in any part or in any respect Which be the occasions of the breach of this Commandement 1. First the vaine desire of the pleasures riches and glorie of this world 2. Secondly a negligent and carelesse vse of the meanes to serue God his prouidence Are not the contrarie good things to these commaunded Yea. Which are they 1. First a heart contented with any estate and vsing things of this world as though we vsed them not 2. Secondly a reuerend and diligent vse of the meanes to
serue Gods prouidence Rehearse the second Commaundement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse c. What euill is expressely forbidden in this Commaundement I am forbidden to make any Image either to represent God or to worship him by What euill is generally forbidden I must auoide all inuentions and deuices of men in the outward worship of God which be contrarie or besides the written word of God Which be the speciall euills forbidden Chiefly all corruption in the substance of doctrine prayer Sacraments and discipline of the Church What occasions of euill be forbidden There be some which wee must necessarily auoyd vnlesse wee will fall into superstition and idolatrie and they be these 1. First to ioyne the false parts of worship with the true worship of God 2. Secondly to be present in bodie at idolatrous and superstitious seruice 3. Thirdly the reseruation of some speciall monument of superstition and idolatrie Which bee the lesser occasions forbidden and yet so wee haue the speciall groundes of Gods worship we must and may tolerate them when we cannot helpe them 1. First all vaine idle and superstitious Ceremonies 2. Secondly all keeping companie with false worshippers Is not the euill in heart also forbidden Yea so farre forth as I lust in my heart to haue any of them preuaile or be established What good is generally commaunded All the outward meanes of Gods worship which be agreeable to his written word What is specially commaunded I must vse such doctrine prayers Sacraments and discipline of the Church as bee agreeable to Gods word in the substance What occasions of good be here commaunded 1. First to haue and vse good bookes of the doctrine and history of the Church written according to Gods word 2. Secondly erecting and maintaining schooles of learning as nurseries of the ministerie 3. Thirdly sufficient prouision to be made for the Ministers of Gods word 4. Fourthly building and maintaining Churches and all things belonging thereunto 5. Fiâ—ly I must vâ—â—â—ll good ceremonies and orders agreeable to the word of God 6. Sixtly 〈◊〉 famiâ—â—â— company with the true worshippers of God What good in heart is commaunded I am commaunded to vse the meanes of Gods worship not onely outwardly but also in spirit and truth What is meâ—â—â— by these words For I the Lord thy God am a iealous God c That God will punish false worship in the false worshippers and in their posteritie vnto the â—â—â—rth generation What is meant by these wordâ— And will shew mercie vnto thousands c Thâ— God will blesse his true worship in the true worshippers and their posteritie vnto the thousand desâ—ent Wâ—â—t is â—â—â—â—â—â—â—f these The vse is to make false worshippe more vile and his true worship more pretious in our eyes 〈…〉 third Commaundement Thou â—â—â—â— not takethâ— Name of the Lord thy God in vaine c. What 〈…〉 forbidden 1. First 〈…〉 â—â—â—ning or â—ursing enchanting or coniuring 2. Secondly all 〈…〉 by false Gods or naming them with reuerence 3. Thirdly 〈…〉 swearing or speaking of GOD without reuerence 4. Fourthly to câ—use Gods Name to bee dishonoured by false Doctrine or vngodlie life 〈◊〉 in my â—â—â—â—â—r in others Wâ—at good is herein commaunded 1. First in matters concerning Gods glorie I must sweare by GOD onely in Iustice. Iudgement Truth 2. Secondly I must endeuour from my heart to growe vp in true knowledge and a godly life that so Gods Name may bee praised in my selfe and by mine example in others What is meant by these words For the Lord will not holde him guiltlesse c That God will certainely punish the dishonoring of his Name in any sort What is the vse of this The vse of this is to make vs more fearefull to dishonour him and more carefull to glorifie his Name Rekâ—â—â—â—â— the fourth Commandement Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holie c. What is here generally commaunded I am commanded to make it my whole delight to sanctifie the holie Sabbath of the Lord from morning to night What is 〈…〉 commaunded 1 First to vse â—ll the publike meanes of Gods worship in the congregation of Gods people 2. Secondlie to reioyce to vse all such priuate exercises as may make the publike meanes â—â—â—â—â—table to my selfe and to others W 〈…〉 bee those priuate exercises 1. First the examining of my sinnes and wants priuate prayer reading of the Scriptures singing of Psalmes conference with others and applying all things to my selfe with a care to profite others 2. Secondly relieuing the needle visiting the sicke and them that be in prison comforting them that bee in any miserie reconciling them that be at variance admonishing the vnruly and such like What is especially commanded The spirituall beholding of the Creatures of God thereby to prouoke my selfe and others to praise him What else is A diligent searching of my heart with a like care to finde it out and to reape some profite of the forenamed meanes so that I may be the better for and through them What is then particularly forbidden 2. All such labours and pleasures in thought worde and deede are forbidden as may hinder mee and others for vsing of or profiting by the same meanes 2. Secondly the leauing 〈…〉 of those publike meanes or priuate exercises What is here generally forbidden The vsing either of those publike or priuate meanes in ceremonie without some good fruite in my selfe or care of fruite in others Rehearse the fift Commaundement Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the Land c. Whom doe you vnderstand by father and mother By father and mother I doe not vnderstand onely my naturall parents but also those whom God hath set ouer me for my good as Magistrates Ministers Masters such like What duties doe children owe vnto their naturall parents Children ought reuerently and obediently to receiue the instructions commaundements and corrections of their parents to succour them and to pray for them What are they forbidden to doe To refuse or murmure at the instructions commandements and corrections of their parents or to neglect any dutie belonging to them How may they trie their loue by these duties They may trie whether their loue be right three wayes 1. First if they bee as desirous to doe all these duties to their parents as they would haue their parents to doe all duties vnto them What is the second 2. Secondly if they be as desirous to doe all duties to their parents as they would haue their children hereafter to honour them What is the third 3. Thirdly if they bee as willing to doe all these duties to their parents as they would receiue long life or any other blessing at the hands of God What duties doe parents owe to their children Parents ought to teach correct pray and prouide for their children How may they trie their loue by these duties They may
people and so for mee How gather you this By the annointing of Prophets Priests and Kings which were figures of him Was Christ annointed with materiall oyle as they were No but he was annointed with all gifts of the holie Spirit without measure Why dâ—e you call him Prophet Because hee was he is and euer shall be the onely teacher of the Church What were then the Prophets and Apostles They were his Disciples and seruants and spake by his spirit What comfort haue you by this Hereby I am sure that he will leade me into all truth reuealed in his word needfull for Gods glorie and my saluation Why call you him Priest Because offering vp himselfe a sacrifice once for all he hath satisfied for all my sinnes and maketh continuall intercession to the Father for me What comfort haue you by the Priesthood of Christ Hereby I am assured that he is my Mediatour and that I also am made a Priest How are you made a Priest By him I haue freedome and boldnes to drawe neere and offer my selfe and all that I haue to God the Father Why call you him King Because â—e doth guide and gouerne me vnto euerlasting life by his word and spirit What comfort haue you by this Hereby I am assured that by his kingly power I shall finally ouercome the flesh the world the diuell death and hell Why call you him Lord Because not with gold nor siluer but with his precious bloud hee hath purchased vs to bee a peculiar people to himselfe What comfort haue you by this Seeing he hath paid such a price for mee he will not suffer me to perish What is the second thing wherein the faith of Christ consisteth Secondly I beleeue that he hath wrought my saluation indeed after that manner that is set downe in the Creede After what manner hath he wrought your saluation 1 By his most painfull sufferings for sinne 2 By his most glorious victorie and triumph ouer sinne In what words are his most painfull sufferings expressed In these words Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried he descended into hell What is the generall meaning of these words By them I shew my selfe to beleeue that Christ endured most grieuous torments both of body and soule What comfort haue you by this I am freed from all those punishments of bodie and soule which my sinnes haue deserued How then commeth it to passe that we are so often afflicted with grieuous torments both in bodie and soule Our sufferings are not by desert any satisfaction for our sinnes in any part but being sanctified in the most holy sufferings of Christ they are medicines against sinne Why are these words added Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate Not onely for the truth of the storie but also to teach that he appeared willingly and of his owne accord before a mortall Iudge of whom he was pronounced innocent and yet by the same he was condemned What comfort haue you hereof That my Sauiour thus suffering not any whit for his owne sinnes but wholy for mine and for other mens sinnes before an earthly Iudge I shall be discharged before the heauenly iudgement seate What is meant by this That he was crucified That he died not onely a common death but such a death as was accursed both of God and man What comfort haue you by this I am comforted in this because I am deliuered from the curse which I haue deserued by the breach of the law and shall obtaine the blessing due vnto him for keeping of the same What is meant by this That he died That his soule was separated from his bodie so that he died a corporali death Why was it requisite that he should die Because by sinne came death into the world so that the iustice of God could not haue beene satisfied for our sinnes vnlesse death had beene ioyned with his sufferings Why is it â—rther added That he was buried To assure vs more fully that he was truely dead What comfort have you by his death and buriall 1 I am comforted because my sinnes are fully discharged in his death and so buried that they shall neuer come into remembrance 2 Secondly my comfort is the more because by the vertue of his death and buriall sinne shall be killed in me and buried so that henceforth it shall haue no power to reigne ouer me 3 Thirdly I neede not to feare death seeing that sinne which is the sting of death is taken away by the death of Christ and that now death is made vnto me an entrance into this life What is the meaning of this He descended into hell This is the meaning that my Sauiour Christ did not onely suffer in body but also in soule did abide most vnspeakable vexations griefes painfull troubles feare of minde â—â—to the which both before and most of all when he hanged vpon the crosse he was cast What comfort haue you by this I am comforted in this because in all my grieuous temptations and assaults I may stay and make sure my selfe by this that Christ hath deliuered mee from the sorrowfull griefes and paines of hell What beleeuest thou in this article Hee rose againe from the dead I belieue that Christ in his manhood hath suffered for mee and that he did in the third day â—â—â— againe by his owne power from the dead Wherin doth this article minister comfort vnto thee In three things 1. His resurrection doth assure me that his righteousnes shall be imputed to me for my perfect iustification 2. it comforteth mee because it doth from day to day raise me vp to righteousnes and newnes of life in this present world 3 It ministreth vnto me a comfortable hope that I shall rise againe in the last day from bodily death What beleeuest thou in this Article Hee ascended into heauen I belieue that Christ in his humane Nature the Apostles looking on ascended into Heauen What comfort haue you thereby 1. I am comforted in this that Christ hath prepared a place for mee in heauen which now I see by Faith and herâ—aâ—ter shall fully enioy 2. I am comforted by his intercession to the Father for me What fruite haue you by his intercession 1. First it doth reconcile me to the Father for those sinnes which I doe daily commit 2. Secondly being reconciled in him I can pray to GOD with boldnesse and call him FATHER What is the meaning of this article Hee siâ—tteth at the right hand of God the Father I belieue that CHRIST in mans nature was aduanced by the FATHER vnto that high authoritie whereby hee ruleth all things in heauen and earth What comfort haue you thereby 1. I am comforted because I shall receiue from him all things needfull for mee vnder his gratious gouernment 2. By his power all mine enemies shall be subdued and troden vnder my feete What beleeue you in this article From thence hee shall come c I belieue
our selues to GOD whereby wee crucifie and kill the corruption of our nature and reforme our selues in the inward man according to Gods will What is it to crucifie the corruption of our nature It is truely and with all my heart to be sorie that I haue angred God with it and with my other sinnes and euery day more and more to hate it and them and to flie from them How is this sorrow wrought It is wrought in mee partly by the threatnings of the Law and the feare of Gods iudgements but especiallie increased by feeling of the fruit of Christ his death whereby I haue power to hate sinne and to leaue it How is this reformation of our selues wrought in vs Onely by the promises of the Gospell whereby we feele the fruit of the rising againe of Christ. What doth insue hereof Hereby wee are raised vp into a new life hauing a law written in our hearts and so reforme our selues Hereby it appeareth that none can repent of themselues or when they will Yea for it was saide before that it is the gift of GOD giuen vnto them that are borne againe By this it is also euident that Gods Children stand in neede of Repentance so long as they liue Yea for there is none of Gods Saints but alwayes carrying this corruption about them they sometime fall and are farre from that perfection of goodnes which the Lord requireth Seâ—ing it was said before that good workes did proceede from Repâ—ntance what properties are required of workes 1. First that they be such as God hath commanded in his Law 2. Secondlie that they that doe them bee such as be ingrafted into CHRIST and continue in him What say you then of the good workes of them that be not in Christ They doe no good workes because they neither are as yet members of Christ nor doe offer them to GOD in the Name of Christ. 3. The third propertie of workes is that they may bee to glorifie God and to assure our saluation Is it not lawfull to seeke our owne praise and merit by our owne good woorkes No For all our good workes are imperfect and saluation is onely merited by the death of Christ as was saide before We haue heard that the Law worketh the knowledge of our sinnes and feeling of our miseriâ— What meanes hath God ordained to worke and increase Faith in vs Hee hath ordained 1. The Gospell to beget and breede it in vs. 2. Prayer 3. Sacraments 4. Discipline 5. Affliction to confirme it in vs. What is the Gospell It is that part of Gods word whereby the holie Ghost worketh in vs a liuely Faith to apprehend the free remission of sinnes in Iesus Christ. How many kindes of Faith be there Two a Generall Faith whereby I belieue God to be true in all his workes Speciall and this is either whereby I belieue God to be iust in his threatnings and so am made penitent Or whereby I belieue him to bee made mercifull in his promises and so come to repentance What difference is there betweene Penitence and Repentance Penitence is a sorrow for sinne wrought by the Law Repentance is a recouering our selues from sinne wrought by the Gospell Is there such difference betweene the Law and the Gospell Yea for the Law differeth from the Gospell in foure things 1 First the Law reuealeth sinne rebuketh vs for it and leaueth vs in it but the Gospell doth reueale vnto vs Remission of sinnes bringeth vs to CHRIST and â—reeth vâ— from the punishment belonging vnto sinne 2. The Law commandeth to do good and giueth no strength but the Gospell inableâ—â— vs to do good the holy Ghost writing the law in our hearts assuring vs of the promise 3. The Law is the ministerie of wrath condemnation and death but the Gospell is tâ—e ministerie of grace iustification and life 4. In many points the Law may be conceiued by reason but the Gospell in all poinâ—â— is farre aboue the reach of mans reason Wherein doe they agree They agree in this that they bee both of God and declare one kinde of righteousnesse though they differ in offering it vnto vs. What is that one kinde of righteousnesse It is the perfect loue of God and of our neighbour What thing doth follow vpon this That the seuere law pronounceth all the faithfull righteous How doth the Law pronounce them righteous Because that they hauâ— in Christ all that the Law doth aske But yet they remaine transgressors of the Law They are transgressors in themselues and yet righteous in Christ and in their inward man they loue righteousnes and hate sinne What then is the state of the faithfull in this life They are pure in Christ and yet fight against sin What battell haue they They haue battell both within the battell of the flesh against the Spirit and without the temptation of Sathan the world How shall they ouercome By a liuely Faith in Iesus Christ. 1. Ioh. 5. 4. What call you thâ— flesh The corruption of our nature wherein wee were borne and conceiued Doth that remaine after regeneration Yea it dwelleth in vs and cleaueth fast vnto vs so long as wee carie the outward flesh about vs. How doth the flesh fight against the spirit By continuall lusting against the spirit What is that 1. By hindering or corrupting vs in the good motions words and deeds of the spirit 2. By continuall moouing vs to euill-motions words deeds What call you the spirit The holie Spirit which God in Christ hath giuen vs whereby wee are begotten againe Dâ—â— wee not receiue the spirit in full measure and in perfection at the first No but first we receiue the first fruits and afterward the daily increase of the same vnto the end if the fault be not in our selues How doth the Spirit fight in vs By lusting against the flesh How doth it lust against the flesh 1. First partly by rebuking and partly by restraining in vs the euill motions and deeds of the flesh 2. By continuall inlightning and affecting vs with-thoughts words deedes agreeable to Gods wil. What call you the world The corrupt state and condition of men and the rest of the creatures How doth the world fight against vs By alluring and withdrawing vs to the corruptions thereof What meanes doth it vse 1. It allureth vs by false 1. Pleasures 2. Profit 3. Glorie of this world from our obedience to God 2. It allureth vs other-paines losses and reproches to distrust Gods promises whiles by How shall wee ouercome the pleasures profit and glorie of this world 1. By a true Faith in IESVS CHRIST who despised all these things to worke our saluation and to make vs ouercome them 2. By Faith in Gods word that feareth vs from doing any thing against his will How shall wee ouercome the Paines losses and reproches of the World 1 By aliuely Faith in Iesus Christ who suffered all those things to worke our
saluation and of an vpright heart 8. Necessarie rules for the profitable reading of holy Scriptures 9. A treatise of the Resurrection 10. A treatise of Examination both before and after the Lords Supper 11. A treatise of Gods feare 12. A treatise of hypocrisie 13. A treatise of Anger 14. A treatise of blessednes 15. A treatise of Fasting 16. A treatise of sending the holy Ghost 17. A short treatise of Prayer vpon the wordes of the Prophet Ioel chapt 2. vers 32. alleadged by Saint Peter Acts 2. vers 21. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SIR DRV DRVRIE KNIGHT GENTLE-MAN-VSHER OF HER MAIESTIES PRIVIE CHAMBER AND MAISTER THOMAS FANSHAW Esquire the Queenes Remembrancer in her Highnesse Court of Exchequer H. H. wisheth the increase of all mercies and comforts in Iesus Christ for euer SOme of these Treatises Right Worshipfull serue well to teach vs both the daunger and the cure of the greatest wound a man can haue on earth the rest differ in argument yet haue one generall scope as namely the building of Gods people in the faith and obedience of Christ. Herein first I request your worships patience to take some view of a short representation of the whole booke by speciall branches couching the authors owne very words and matter in this compendious forme following The first treatise is of a wounded spirit wherein this faithfull seruant of Christ teacheth vs 1. How great an euill the wound of the spirit is for that the very Pagans and Papists can beare great afflictions till their spirits be wounded but if their minds be deiected they will dispâ—tch themselues with any violent death and the faithfull also cast downe with Gods arrowes and sight of their sinnes and the feeling of Gods hand vpon their mindes Iob Dauid Ezekiah Ieremiah mourned heauily for the wound of the spirit 2. What comfort the true peace of conscience carries with it able to free vs from all discomforts of this life and contrarily how the minde appalled no blessing can long cheere vs in this present life 3. How mad they be which by violent death seeke to end their afflictions of minde for that this is the onely way to increase their torments for if their burthen be great here it is intollerable in hell 4. How most men seeme actiue painfull and prudent to preuent and foresee other troubles and euils but few regard with any care aâ— all to preuent the troubles of minde How many trauell with great skill for riches and honour c. but few take any paines for the precious treasure of the peace of a good conscience 5. Preseruatiues against afflictions of minde are the searching of our sinnes past and present great and small and the examination of our faith 6. In examination for sinne we may not content our selues to haue left them We must also heartily sorrow for them euen the sinnes of our youth for if we doe not truly repent vs of them they may againe rebound vpon vs saith he after many yeeres to the great affliction and tormenting of our minds 7. Examination of sinnes must be as well of sinnes committed after our calling as before for these sinnes of all other bite sorest and pearce deepest Couer them not but confesse them to God in time least thou be constrained to blaze them abroad to thine exceeding griefe and torment 8. After knowledge and light receiued from God note euer what sinnes sway most in thee by the often checks of thy conscience and so labour to auoide them being grieued for them which if thou doe not thou canst not escape either hardnes of heart or afflictions of minde 9. Sinnes of omission haue much distempered Gods good children the negligent vse of the meanes of saluation and for the not putting of their gifts in practise many haue beene whipoed afterwards in their naked consciences and the Lord hath euen pearced them in their secret bowels 10. Some are troubled for their priuate pride and this is a good preparatiue to receiue Christ Some for doing more in shew than in truth abusing their knowledge in that they make it but a maske to iuggle in and for that they make but theâ—r affections to fight with their owne iudgement Some righteous men are troubled when they offend not for they are their owne greatest accusers for some secret corruptions in other matters so that there is nothing more difficult than to search our hearts to the bottome for sinnes past and present for priuie pride hidden wants and secret corruptions 11. That we must carefully auoide too scrupulous a feare as well as carnall securitie If the aiuell finde vs voide of all feare he thinkes his assaults must be stronger because our resistance is the weaker but if he finde in vs a cowardly feare and fainting of heart before we strike one stroke against him he will suddenly stab vs to the heart and make a spoile of vs. 12. If we see the godly afflicted in their consciences either before or in the issues of death we may not conclude therefore they are hypocrites or great sinners before God for that the Lord may as well make triall of their faith as take punishment of their sinnes as we see in Iob and others for saith he if such affliâ—tion come principally for sinne then the greatest sinners should haue the greatest afflections 13. When any shall come to the cure of soules afflicted they must not begin with words of compassion onely God is mercifull c. but first with a gentle searching of their sores labouring to draw out of them the confession of some speciall and secret sinnes 14. All griefes are either confused or distinct â—rising of knowne or vnknowne causes The spirituall Physition must wisely consider of the originall of the euill whether it be in soule or bodie or both for this cause he warneth that in this distemper the Physitions counsell be neuer seuered nor the godly ministers labour neglected 15. The persons ministring in this affliction must be men learned of sound iudgement wise and of good experience meeke and of most louing spirits I counsell thee saith he if thou canst not come to the particular sight of sinne iâ— and by thy selfe vse the helpe of such men vnto whom thou must offer freely thine heart to be gâ—ged anâ— searched and the whole course of thy life to be examined by the bright shining glasse of the law of God 16 A certaine cause or knowne sinne is either alreadie committed and not repented or a sinnâ— not committed but whereunto we be tempted If troubles come for some speciall sinne committed say thus Doth this one sinne so displease thee and deserue I thus to be punished and farre more grieuously for this one how great then should my punishment be if thou shouldest so deale with me for all my other sinnes If the heart be terrified with feare of the commission of sinne for temptations and motions vnto siâ—ne we are not so much to dispute with our motions as to
resist them strongly by instant and extraordinarie watchfulnes in prayer 17. If thou labourest in this due examination of thy selfe thou shalt in time be able to discouer the veines bodie age and strength of many temptations in others by an holy experience which God hath taught thee thou shalt see into mens secret corruptions and be able to beget an inspeakeable ioy in others who may be tempted as thou arâ— or hast beene 18. Againe when men proceed in this cure they must remember two speciall groundes first to labour that the afflicted may be perswaded their sinnes are pardonable and their sores curable Secondly that their visitations is not so much a signe of Gods wrath and anger as a seale of his mercy and fauour for that it is not blinde and barren but like to be plentifull in good effects fruitfull in godly issues 19. Albeit some in this cure suppresse the Law and applie the Gospell onely yet I see not but that there must bee a sound sorrow for sinne before the pardon of sinne be sealed and men must know and acknowledge themselues sicke before they seeke the Physition yet here is wisedome required neither to presse the Conscience too seuerely nor to release it too vnaduisedly 20. Lastly in applying the Law to some persons afflicted hee warneth vs wisely to obserue First whetâ—er wee speake to man or woman for that wee may vrge the Law more strictly to the man as being the stronger Secondly whether they haue knowledge or no for the ignorant in this case thinkes neuer any so tempted and Sathan perswades him that hath knowledge that he hath sinned against the holie Ghost Thirdly whether strong or weake more or lesse wounded for their sinne Fourthly whether by nature they are more fearefull and melancholike Fifthly whether it bee a signe of infirmitie or of custome Sixthly consider well the persons age estate and condition of life for Temptations and Afflictions doe varie according to all these And yet remember well how there be many of what condition sexe knowledge soeuer they are which be more troubled for the vâ—xation of tâ—eir mindes distempered then for the vilenes and horriblenes of their sinnes committed as fearing some outward shame rather then humbled for their inward sinne Seuenthly the time is to be obserued to be more milde in the burning agâ—â— of their fitâ—es but more shâ—rpe in admoâ—ition in their intermission and rest Eightly and lastly to beare patiently the impatiencie of the sicke remembring alwaies the wordes of Gods blessed spirit A wounded spirit who can beare And thus farre concerning the principall contents and rules of the first Treatise The second is of the very same argument and here hee commendeth these holy obseruations following First he willeth vs in afflictions not so much to fasten our eyes vpon them as vpon the ende which is most sweete and comfortable 2. That the Lord shackleth vs the more witâ— the chaine of his chastisements because wee are more carefull to â—ee vnâ— urthened of our afflictions than to be freed from our sinnes 3. How the godly should reioyce in their godly sorrowe for sinne for that it is an earnest of their regeneration And that they take heede to disquiâ—t themselues because they are pestered with wicked motions suspitions delusions vaine phantasies and imaginations for that the bodie of sinne will euer send forth some filthie froth which is not onely saith he detestable to the minde regeâ—erate but also would make abashed the very naturall man and vnbeleeuer if he could see into that sea of sinne and sinke-hole of iniquitie 4. Though wee finde in our selues manifold infirmities though we know not whether we striue for feare of punishment or for loue of so good a father yet if wee feele this in our selues that we would faine loue the Lord and be better and being wearied and tired with our sinnes long gladly to enioy the peace of righteousnesse and desire to please God in a simple obedience of faith then let vs be comforted there is no time too late to repent in 5. If any say his faith is weake and cold and my conscience is as a burning furnace I feare the Lord will pursue me with his wrath I answere thou doest wâ—ll to feare but feare and sinne not For that feare which sul dueth the securitie of the flesh is in all most requisite but fight euer against that feare which hindereth the certainâ—y of faith for that will encourage our enemies more fiercely to set vpon vs 6. Hee saith that some are vtterly ignorant of the afflictions of minde and when they heare any speech of any such matter they suppose they heare a man speake in a strange language But he counselleth vs to runne vnto the Lord in this life with a troubled minde least wee tarie with such men to be locâ—t vp with the heauie fetters of desperation when he shall summon vs to the bâ—rre of his iudgement in the sight of his Angels c. 7. In prosperitie many thinke Gods blessings are their ownâ— right and binde God as it were in this life to entertaine them at full charges and sue him as it were by an obligation if he seeme to withdraw his hand from them So they prouokt him to proue to their faces by some speciall crosse and affliction that all they haue is but lent and borrowed But Gods children acknowledge continually that God hath rods in a readines though they see no present euils to beate them from their sinnes and bend all their care how they may rather suffer aduersiâ—ie to Gods glorie than to sleepe securely in prosperitie to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season For they knowe Gods graces must not bee idle in his children but well exercised by afflictions Thus farre for the second treatise The third treatise teacheth vs what be the speciall markes of a righteous man Here first hee sheweth that true righteousnesse doth not consist of any inherent qualitie be it neuer so excellent but is onely by imputation for the obtaining whereof a man must feele and finde himselfe naked and voide of all righteousnesse and full of all vnrighteousnesse by reason of that sinne which dwelleth in vs. 2. A man must desire to lâ—aue his sinnes and to escape the punishment due vnto them 3. To commit himselfe by faith vnto Christ and trusting in him and in his al-sufficient merits for his full reconciliation with God 4. A man thus iustified and reconciled is also sanctified to walke with an vpright heart before the Lord. 5. This vprightnesse is tried by foure speciall notes First we must loue all good things as well as one and hate all sins as well as one hauing respect to all Gods commandements Yet this rule may haue some exceptions saith he for we doe not at the first know all good nor all euill much lesse loue the one and hate the other as wee ought yet let euery man walke according to that measure of grace and light receiued
he only considereth of the body and neglecteth the soule For my part I would neuer haue the Physitions counsell seuered nor the Ministers labour neglected because the soule and body dwelling together it is conuenient that as the soule should be cured by the word by prayer by fasting by threatning or by comforting so the body also should be brought into some temperature by Physicke by purging by diet by restoring by musicke and by such like meanes prouiding alwaies that it be done so in the seare of God and wisedome of his spirit as we thinke not by these ordinary meanes to smoother or smoke out our troubles but as purposing to vse them as preparatiues whereby both our soules and bodies may be made more capable of the spirituall meanes to follow after As we require these things to be the matter of our Ministerie in such a perplexitie so we would wish the persons ministring to be men learned and of sound iudgement wise and of godly experience meeke and of most iouing spirits For when the troubled patient shall be wel perswaded of our knowledge and discretion and there withall shall perceiue vs to come in tender and louing affection I thinke an entrance is made and all preiudice is taken away so as we may the more freely worke vpon the conscience first bringing them to the sight of sinne as to some cause of their trouble Herein we must labour to put away all confusion and blindnesse of sorrow endeuouring by wisedome to bring the parties wounded to some certaine obiect and matter of their trouble and so draw out of them the confession of some seuerall especiall secret sinne I say seuerall and secret sinne because I know how many through a palpable blindnesse or disordered discerning of sinne talke of nothing so much as of sinne and yet they either cannot desâ—ry seuerall sinnes or they will not be brought to acknowledge their secret sinnes whereof the one proceedeth of the ignorance of the law of God and the other of selfe-loue which maketh vs lâ—â—tâ—â—e euen in our trauell of minde to shame our selues Now that the confession of particular sinnes is requisite it may appeare by the two and thirtieth Psalme wherein being a Psalme of instruction concerning the forgiuenesse of sinnes the Prophet by his owne experience teacheth vs that he could finde no reliefe of his sicknesse vntill he had remembred and made confession of his sinnes What shall we thinke that the Prophet of God taught so wonderfully by the word and by the spirit did not see his sinnes before Be it farre from vs. Rather let vs know that he had not seuerally particularly ripped vp his sinnes before the Lord in a seuerall confession of them Which though the Lord knoweth farre better than we our selues yet such kinde of sacrifice is most acceptable vnto him Now if in this trouble the persons humbled cannot come to the particular sight of sinne in themselues it is good to vse the helpe of others vnto whom they may offer their harts to be gaged and searched and their liues to be examined more deepely by hearing the seuerall Articles of the Law laid open before them whereby they may trie the whole course of their actions For as we said before the grossest hypocrites will generally complaine of sinne and yet deale with them in particular pointes of the particular precepts and prooue them in the applying of things to be done or not done to their owne consciences and we shall see many of these poore soules tossed to and fro now floting in ioyes now plunged in sorrowes not able to distinguish one sinne from another Now when we shall see the wound of the spirit to arise of any certaine and knowne sin it is either for some sin alreadie coÌ„mitâ—ed wherein we lie or else for some sin as yet not committed but whereunto we are tempted For the former it pleaseth God ofteÌ„times to bring old sins to minde when we had not throughly repented of them before that so as it were representing them to vs afresh we might fall into a more misliking of them And yet herein is not all to mislike our selues for some particulars although it be good to be occupied about some speciall sinnes for as it is not sufficient for the auoyding of hypocrisie to see sinne generally so it is not enough to eschue the deceiueablenes of the heart euer to be poring busily in one particular and to be forgetfull of our great and generall sinnes But let vs learne by the particulars to passe to the generals When any such one sin then doth pursue thee rest not onely therein but say thus rather to thy selfe Oh Lord is this one sin so grieuous and doth my God punish this one sinne so sorely How great then should be my punishment if thou shouldest O Lord so deale with me for all my other sinnes Let vs labour to haue a sense both of generall and of particular sinnes least in time our griefe passe away without fruite whilest that not being displeased as well with one sinne as with another we either looke too superficially to generals and not to particulars or else too superstitiously obserue particulars and not the generals Concerning those sinnes whereunto we are tempted as when a man is moued to thinke blasphemously of God the father or to doubt whether there be a Christ or no or to imagine grossely of the holy Ghost or to deny God or to doubt of the Trinitie or to be moued to murther adulterie or such like in which temptations he feeleth Gods spirit to checke him for theÌ„ so as he knoweth not in this case what to doe for that on the one side he dares not listen willingly to these fearefull and monstrous temptations and on the other side he feareth least in time by long suite he might fall into them or at the least for that he seâ—th not how to be deliuered from them I suppose these motions are not so much to be disputed with aâ— we by them are to be prouoked to more instant and extraordinarie zeale of prayer Surely these are dangerous temptations and therefore are not to be kept close which our nature will easily incline vnto but particularly are to be confessed of vs. For the diuell will come sometime to thee to keepe thee still in a generall acknowledging of sinne and vrge thee on this manner Surely thou must needes doe this sinne thou seest thou canst haue no â—ase vntill thou hast consented thou art ordained to it the reason why thou art thus incessantly tempted is because thou doest not thus take thy pleasure Goe to denie God beleeue not his word it is but a policie to keepe men in awâ— Religion is no such matter as men take it Thus for feare of yeelding on the one hand and for shame of disclosing the temptations on the other hand many men haue pined away and almost haue beene ouercome by them If we should disclose this say
refresh our selues with spirituall pleasures in the pure worship of God and thankefull beholding of his workes We see how these reasons make rather flatly with vs than against vs. And thus much for their proofes out of the prescript words of the lawe now let vs consider what they alleage out of the Prophets Their reasons out of the Prophets be taken either out of Esay or out of Ezechiel Out of Esay they vse these places Esai 56. 1. 2. and 58. 13. 14. and 66. 13. The wordes of the Prophet chap. 56. vers 1. 2 are these Thus saith the Lord keepe iudgement and doe iustice for my saluation is at hand to come and my righteousnesse is to be reuealed Blessed is the man that doth this and the sonne of man which laieth hold on it he that keepeth the Sabbath and polluteth it not and keepeth his hand from doing any euill See say they here is the Sabbath commended as a resting from sinne I denie it not but our controuersie is about the ground of the Sabbath For why doth the Lord so call on his people by the Prophets for keeping the Sabbath and crieth so much against the breach of the same but because it was the especiall meanes of God his worship and their saluation which being contemned they contemned God his worship and their owne welfare And because in this horrible contempt of the holie schoole of the Lord where they should haue learned both their religion towards God and duties to their brethren they gaue a manifest token of carelesnesse in them both they are worthily threatned by the Prophet And concerning the pure interpretation of this place by keeping the Sabbath is meant the obseruation of the first table by keeping their hands from doing any euill is vnderstood the obedience of the second table so that the thing in this place chiefly vrged is this that they should keepe the Sabbath which might nourish them in the worship of God and in duties to their brethren But say they the Sabbath is here ioyned with ceremonies as may appeare in the verses following therefore it is a ceremonie This is no sound argument For in the law is set downe the morall law which teacheth the common duties of all Gods people wherein be also the ceremonies which describe the duties peculiar to the Iewes whereupon we must not conclude that therefore the morall law is ceremoniall Againe these ceremonies containe not only certaine truths of spirituall things which should be accomplished in Christ but also of other meanes which should succeed in their places True it is that if they had onely contained truths of spirituall things in Christ it had beene somewhat that they affirme but seeing they haue also in them such meanes which though not in the same manner yet more effectually are afterward to be vsed the reason is not good Wherefore we reason against them thus that albeit we haue not the manner of their sacrifices yet we haue our sacrifices and meanes of Gods worship succeeding them For though we haue not as they had Priests to offer for vs and such slaine sacrifices as the Priests did offer for them yet we haue the Ministers of the word of God which cut vp mens consciences by whom the secrets of mens hearts are made manifest 1. Cor. 14. 25. By the preaching of the Gospell and word of God which being mightie in operation and sharper than a two edged sword entreth thorough euen to the diuiding asunder of the soule and spirit and of the ioynts and the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the hearts Heb. 4. vers 12. And whereby Christ is as it were freshly crucified vnto vs and that by so much the more profitably than if we were present at the thing it selfe as beside the describing of the manner thereof the fruite of it is more effectually preached And certainely we may affirme that then the dumbe sacrifices of the blinde Papists came in when this glorious sacrifice of preaching ceased And where the word is administred in any power and sinceritie there doubtlesse the preaching of the law striketh vs and the preaching of the Gospell bringeth vs to Christ. Herein is the difference betweene the Iewes and vs that they in all their Sacraments and sacrifices represented Christ that was to come and shewed that their sinnes in him should be taken away being yet to come we manifestly in our sacrifices witnesse that he is alreadie come and that our sinnes in his death are fully pardoned Besides to those forenamed sacrifices we haue the sacrifices of prayer and thanksgiuing whereof the Prophet speaketh Psalme 141. 2. Let my prayer be directed in thy sight as incense and the lifting vp of mine hands as an euening sacrifice As also Psalme 119. part 14. vers 108. O Lord I beseech thee accept the free offerings of my mouth and teach me thy iudgements Of these sacrifices is mention Malac. 1. Hose 14. 2. Mat. 24. Ioh. Heb. 13. 15. Now in that it followeth Esai 56. 7. that the Lord will bring them to his house of prayer I grant in that they had but one house of prayer which represented to them the Church to be one it was ceremoniall yet I also confesse that in the same was this common truth that it should be a meane to worship God Wherefore in this place the Lord commaundeth and commendeth holie assemblies euen to vs to whom they be as needfull as to the Iewes For though it be not now necessarie nor required that wee should goe vp to Ierusalem to worship after the manner of the Iewes yet besides our priuate houses wherein we may worship the Lord we haue neede of one publike and common place to meete in whereunto the Lord in his Gospel hath made this promise that where two or three shall be gathered in his name he will be in the middest of them This also is commended vnto vs by the example of the holy Apostles who mette together and besides their seuerall houses it is said Acts. 2. 46. They continued with one accord in the Temple so that they had one place where the Word the Sacraments Prayer c were vsed And though we now haue not the same offerings places and sacrifices which the Iewes had yet we haue these things more effectually than they and though we haue not their Sabbath yet we haue a Sabbath The words Esay 58. 13. be these If thou turne away thy foote from the Sabbath from doing thy will on mine holy day and call the Sabbath a delight to consecrate is as glorious to the Lord and shalt honour him not doing thine owne waies nor seeking thine owne will nor speaking a vaine word 14. Then shalt thou delight in the Lord and I will cause thee to mount vpon the high places of the earth c. This is spoken to the present estate of the Iewes as then they were and not properly to
of learning They that want this how much soeuer they haue heard or read yet shall they neuer haue sound and setled iudgement And this is one cause why it is said that the greatest Clerkes are not the wisest men Meditation of the affections is when hauing a thing in iudgement we euer digest it and make it worke vpon our affections It is continuall searching of our selues and labouring to lay vp all things in the treasures of our hearts The other will goe away except this be ioyned with it for iudgement will away except we frame our affections vnto it Meditation in iudgement goeth before then this must follow that we may be sound in iudgement before we either feare or cheere vp our hearts least we haue false feares or false ioyes Many are of sound iudgement and yet haue not their hearts purged and touched they can giue counsell to others but cannot follow it themselues because they ioyne not affection with iudgement Meditation without reading is erroneous and reading without meditation is barren The next thing is conference In naturall things man standeth in neede of helpe then much more in spirituall things he standeth in neede of others And as iron sharpneth iron so one friend another Pro. 27. And as two eyes see more two eares heare more and two hands can doe more than one so this is a speciall communion of Saints God hath promised that when two or three are gathered together in his name that he will be present with them by his spirit as he was corporally with his Disciples going to Emaus Conference is either with Ministers of God Our equals Or others This rule must be kept that conference with our equals must be of those things which we heard of our Ministers as it must be kept also in meditation which is a conference with our selues We must for a time like babes hang at the mouthes of the Ministers because we cannot runne before we goe nay we cannot goe without a leader No man may presume to vnderstand aboue that which is meet to vnderstand but labour to vnderstand according to the measure of sobrietie as God hath dealt to euery one the measure of faith and when they haue laid the foundation then build the walles and pillars The Eunuch would not interpret the word without a guide but he laid it vp in his heart as the Virgin Mary did For want of true humilitie conference is slandered because it is vsed after an euill manner as before they be surely grounded in principall points of religion to talke of other matters aboue their capacitie and knowledge Secondly we must come in loue without anger enuie or desire of victory therefore in conference we must vse the preparation spoken of before the want of which maketh much â—anglings and wranglings in companie Lastly we must procure things honest before men that it may be done wisely without confusion and destruction and not by too great a multitude that we may affoord our doings before men not with the doores shut least any man should heare This is the difference betweene the conference of the godly and religious and the conuenâ—cles of Heretikes The next thing is faith The word must be mixed with faith Heb. 42. The word which they hear a profited them nothing because it was not mixed with faith But all haue not faith therefore the Prophet Esay said Lord who will beleeue our report And Luke 18. 18. Suppose ye that the Sonne of man when he commeth shall finde faith on the earth All the former must be vsed to refine faith for as gold before it be pure is seuen fold tried in the fire so faith which is much more precious than gold must goe through all these meanes Faith here is an increase of all that in * preparation A Merchant must haue something before he be a Marchant but he occupieth to increase and get more so we must beleeue in Iesus Christ by a generall faith going before but we must vse all the forenamed meanes to increase our knowledge and faith in all particulars One may be a faithfull person generally and yet an vnbeleeuer in particulars As Christs Disciples to whom he said If â—â— had faith but as much as a graine of mustard seed c. As Abraham Rebecca and Zacharie had There is a difference betweene faith and opinion or knowledge for our knowledge and opinions vanish away in afflictions but as golde is tried in the fire so faith will abide the fire of affliction Sathan winowed Peter but his faith failed not for Christ failed not for Christ praied for him and for his Disciples and for all beleeuers that their faith should not faile Next followeth practise That we haue a desire that the word may bring forth increase of faith and repentance Psal. 119 98. By thy commandements thou hast made me wiser than my enemies for they are â—â—â—â— with me The practise of Infidels is nothing because it is not ioyned with faith But Christ saith Blessed are they which heare and doe And so saith Iameâ— that this is that assureth vs that we haue faith He that doth this is compared vnto him that buildeth his house vpon a rocke and our workes are not the foundation of the house but then we haue builded vpon Christ when we ioyne the fruits of our faith with knowledge they will speake for vs to our consciences and to others Our Sauiour Christ saith That that seruant that knoweth the will of his maister and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes for it is worse to offend of knowledge than of ignorance And why should he giue vs any more if we practise not that we haue For to him that hath shall be giuen but from him that hath not shall be taken away c. Why do many hearing the word either continue or increase in their blindnes but because they would not practise that they knew and also euen that they had is taken from them If a good conscience be not ioyned with faith faith shall be taken away and errors succeed If then we be forgetfull we must confesse that the want of practise is the cause thereof The rule of reason in all things is that the best way of learning is by practise then how much more if we practise will God increase our talents The last thing is praier which must be vsed both in the beginning in the middle and in the end Prayer must be in all the former meanes for without it we can neuer vse them nor haue any blessing by them Prayer containeth vnder it Prayer Thankesgiuing For prayer that it must be vsed when wee reade it is plaine 1. Cor. 2. The eye hath not seene c. meaning not onely the ioyes contained in the kingdome of heauen but euen those that are contained in the word And againe in the same place As no man knoweth the heart of a man but the spirit of
man so no man knoweth the meaning of the Lord in his word except God giue him his spirit to declare it vnto him And if we must pray when we come to our meate and drinke that God may giue nourishment to vs by them then how much more must we pray God to nourish vs by his word for else we cannot profit thereby And as no man dare touch meate and drinke before he pray and we haue no title to it before it be sanctified to vs by prayer how impudent are they that dare touch Gods booke without prayer or thinke that otherwise they haue title vnto it Paul may plant and Apollo may water but God giueth the encrease so if any be senselesse still and yet haue heard long it is because God hath not reuealed his wil vnto them Men may be diligent yet they shall erre if God giue not his spirit and though they meditate and conferre yet they shall be punished for giuing libertie to their rouing braine and to their tongue except they pray for Gods spirit Many rest in knowledge and want faith because they want prayer and wee rest in knowledge and neuer practise because wee pray not to God to write his law in our hearts by his spirit that now not wee but he may worke in vs. They that take any thing in hand without prayer howsoeuer they say they abhorre Poperie yet they practise it because they take vpon them to haue some power in themselues For thanksgiuing if we be bound to praise God wheÌ„ he hath fed our bodies how much more when he hath fed our soules And shall God be iustly offended with vs if we thanke him not for our refreshing with meates sleepe c and shall wee not tremble for feare of reuenge if we haue not praised God for any light or any good motion that he hath put into vs For want hereof â—fter some lightning followeth some darkenes and after much feeling commeth deadnes and by this meanes Satan goeth about to take all Gods graces from vs. Dauid saith Blessed art thou Lord O teach me thy statutes This sheweth that wee must euer praise God before we come to reade Many are feruent in asking but cold in giuing thankes And if we would giue thankes to God it would much ease vs in asking and God would not punish vs in taking his graces from vs. FINIS A TREATISE OF THE RESVRRECTION Psalm 16. 10. For thou wilt not leaue my soule in the graue neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption Philip. 3. 20. Our conuersation is in heauen from whence also we looke for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ. Vers. 21. Who shall change our vile bodies that it may bee fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie according to the working whereby hee is able euen to subdue all things vnto himselfe ARe wee perswaded with the Prophet of God Psalm 16. that wee shall bee raised and freed from corruption that our death is a sleepe our graue as a bedde and that that God that raiseth the Sunne daily out of his denne will drawe vs also out of the earth then haue we true faith which vndoubtedly wee shall finde more strong if long before death come wee would exercise our selues with the meditations of death Many wee see by deferring all vnto the last ende die heathenishly many who would seeme to haue more heroicall spirits desire vnnaturally to dye not that they are surcharged with the burthen of their rebellion and corruption but because as beasts they neither can reioyce in things in heauen nor feare the paines in hell These are more drowsie and senselesse beasts than those who are more loth to depart in whom appeareth more nature and some conscience but the other degenerating from nature are a farre more monstrous and daungerous kinde of people Howbeit the common sort of people commend this kinde of death they say thus he departed as meekely as a lambe he went out of the world as a bird goeth out of the shell he died very quietly neuer speaking a word nay they might say more truly he died beastlike he gaue no token of repentance in acknowledging his sinnes he shewed no fruite of faith how he was saued in Christ he gaue no testimonie of his hope in witnessing a ioyfull resurrection and chaunging to a better life Thus wee see how readie wee are to extreames either fearing death too much or fearing it too little Well if wee will be rid of that feare in excesse behold here is a remedie My flesh doth rest in hope for thou wilt not leaue my soule in graue But there are othersome who can yeeld quietly to death also what is their reason what is their faith forsooth they say they must pay that willingly which is due of necessitie and seeing they owe God a death they had as lieue die at first as at last when the debt is payed it can bee no more required It is farre otherwise with the children of God who of all others haue the greatest preferment by death yet hauing tasted of the land of the liuing euen in this life cannot satisfie themselues in the multitude of many dayes with the sweete sâ—ppe thereof vntill their measure be brimme full Then they dying in the ripenes of yeeres and in the fulnesse of dayes are gathered in their due time into the Lord his barne as a ricke of corne Then they hauing fought a good battaile runne their full race and kept a true faith can with ioy in Christ looke for the crowne of glorie which is prepared for them To this wholesome meditation and fore-thinking of death the daily mortalitie and dropping away of others ought to stirre vs vp For wee see many round about vs of the same complexions of the same age that we are of breathing of the same aire vsing the same diet which wee doe who goe before vs and are gleaned from those miserable calamities which our long contempt of the word hath threatned to fall vpon vs. Let vs labour then to lay vp our flesh in hope that our departure from hence may be as the sailing ouer the Seas as the trauailing of a woman as a deliuerie out of prison and a returning from exile Certainly a man is neuer more tried to be a Christian than in contemning death for Heretikes concerning other things may haue as great gifts as other professors but in death they will bewray their hypocrisie either in murmuring as dogs or in vnsensiblenes as blockes But in Christians there appeareth such an heroicall alacritie tempered with so gratious humilitie that they desire not to liue but to keepe a good conscience they refuse not to die for nothing but for hope of a more happie inheritance It may be that others as we said may shew some cheerefull countenance to die but it either proceedeth of some phrensie vnaduisedly or of rashnesse especially or of numnesse carelesly Neither would I haue any
to leade such a strict life they will haue other men liue like Angels and they themselues like Deuils Some more effectuall notes and of more common vse than these are set downe Matth. 23. But some may say and gather hereupon If it be a grosse hypocrisie to reprehend I will not deale with it at all and these are either fearfull or wickedly subtile and they are worse than the other Wee must not mislike the doing of an hypocrite further than God misliketh his misliking must bee our rule and hee blameth him not for the outside but for the inside A reprehension is good but in him it is ill accidentally as the best things in the Gospell may be The Pharisies were reprehenders and our righteousnesse must exceede theirs that is comprehend theirs and more Augustine saith well Sheepe may not therefore cast away their skinnes because wolues sometimes are coated with them Euery outward thing in their hypocrisie was good making of Proselytes keeping Saints memories and hee that hateth them for their abuse shall prooue himselfe a foole in the end Another kinde of men may conclude and thinke that those that are such open offenders and riotous not to be hypocrites and it is all they can boast of I am no hypocrite But we know that he is a singular hypocrite by Christs owne testimony that hath a beame in his eye Surely they are of the brotherhood of hypocrites Esay chap. 9. speaking of young men of wilde youths saith they are all hypocrites Iustine saith Euery euill man is an hypocrite more or lesse none is worse than such And yet if a man should see him in a mantle and heare him to pronounce Iehouah in sixe lines seuen times hee would thinke well of him he being darknesse turneth himselfe into an Angell of light and as hee is an hypocrite himselfe so is his crue The flesh shee complaines she is very weake and cannot rise and the spirits are dull they cannot studie But Dauid omitting his spirituall watch fell seuen times worse than hee did before The world is an hypocrite you may see by the tares which all good writers expound hypocrites that there be bundles of hypocrites though few beare the name Christ saith in the Gospell Hypocrites Esay prophecied well of you you come neere me with your lips c. Of these there be many bundles such are all they as will not goe one inch further in doing their duties thaÌ„ the precepts of men A man might marueile at Saint Paul that he called some the circumcised of God and the Israel of God as though there were any other Israel or circumcision there are indeed the circumcised of Parliaments and the Israelites of Princes Many there are who if Iosias his statutes were abrogated would bee readie to take the statutes of Omry There is another kinde of hypocrites called Heretikes as the Nouatians Anabaptists Familists The worst kind are those in the Church which open well vntil they haue a morsell cast into their mouthes Diuers colour their hypocrisie vnder the cloake of affected popularitie as Absolom The cast of hypocrites is to ioyne to great men that if they make a scape they may not bee medled withall Secondly they will ioyne themselues to good men and if that cloake will not serue they flie to statutes as in Daniel and last of all to the cloake of religion as Pilate to Christ I adiure thee by the liuing God and as the sonnes of Iacob did to the Sichemites they gate them to circumcise them that they might kill them There is a kinde of dissemblers that thinke it but hypocrisie to take vpon one the dutie of admonishing and they say of themselues that they are not cleane fingred but cleane hearted and that they are glorious within for all that the world seeth But Iames saith they must be cleane fingred too One saith to Augustine It sufficeth mee that I haue a pure conscience or that I haue a good conscience Augustine answereth Let not that content thee but remember the words of Christ also Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good workes may glorifie your heauenly father Matth. 5. This is certaine saith hee if there be a beame in thine eye there is a whole stacke in thine heart How comes it to passe then that they that are more carefull than the rest are called hypocrites Christ indeede might call the Pharisies so for hee knew their thoughts but no Prophet euer called any hypocrite that had not a beame in his eye But this is the pestilent practise of the Diuell to vexe the children of God with that sinne which they cannot with any outward witnesses or compurgators so wel discharge themselues of being a sinne in the heart If a man be accused of adulterie hee might shew the contrarie by circumstance of time and place and so acquite himselfe but for this sinne no oth will serue for then hee is thought to be greater hypocrite Giue me all the Saints saith Augustine and say to them and see how they can discharge themselues Then the matter is this two things are required in a Christian which God giueth Iob that we be both straight without and sound within FINIS A TREATISE OF ANGER MOses in the twelfth of Numbers is coÌ„mended for the meekest man vpon the earth yet Exod 32. 19. he is said to be angrie and also is commended for it and his anger is allowed where wee learne that euery anger is not forbidden in the word of God but that only which is either without or not for a â—ust cause and which is not measured by the word For anger is in vs as other qualities of the minde are that is if it be ruled by our corruption it is euill and is forbidden in the word as a worke of the flesh but if by Gods good Spirit it be sanctified and ruled by Gods word it is a dutie commanded and we ought to bring it â—oorth as a fruit of the Spirit And many of Gods seruants in the Scriptures being angry for good causes and obseruing measure are commended for it whose examples in the like causes we ought to follow That we may therefore know spirituall and Christian anger from fleshly carnall anger and that we may discerne the workes of Gods Spirit in vs from the corrupted workes of our flesh it shall be profitable by some notes to make a difference betweene them that so they may both be knowne The first note or difference betweene these two kindes of anger is this If wee can patiently swallow vp and ouercome iniuries and faults committed against our selues yet in the cause of the Lord we can be very hot earnest and iealous this is a good signe that our anger proceedeth from the Spirit of God within vs. But contrariwise men in their owne causes and quarrels and when the iniurie is done to them will be very hot and angry and marueilously
we doe more accuse and condemne our selues than any other doth or can doe and againe if a sinne be not in vs yet we be afraid least it may bee and therefore wee vse meanes against it then if wee bee angrie with the sinne of others we haue this good warrant that our anger is good yea if we be accused or thought to be corruptly angrie either with our own causes or with our enemies insomuch that meÌ„ condemne our anger yet we haue the testimonie of our hearts and consciences to tell that it is not so and therefore herein may we take sound comfort Fiftly some men there are who when they are angrie with one they will bee angrie with all and their anger doth so chafe and ouercome them as it were that they are vnfit for duties either to God or their brethren This anger is altogether fleshly to be condemned That anger then which maketh vs vnfit to heare Gods word to goe to prayer which disquieteth our minds and troubleth vs that anger I say is to be misliked though it were for a good cause and in Gods behalfe for the workes of Gods spirit do not one let or hinder another but rather do further one another insomuch that if we were cold in prayer before yet this earnestnesse in Gods cause doth quicken vs vp and maketh vs very readie vnto prayer if wee were dull in hearing the word before wee are now better affected and this true zeale and anger in the Lords cause and for his glorie will put an edge to euery good thing we goe about True anger doth not let vs from doing our duties vnto God nor diminish our loue towards our brethreÌ„ but rather stirreth vp in vs a compassion ouer them for the wrath of God which wee see hang ouer their heads And for that cause we are in puâ—â— moued to pray for them more earnestly than before so farre are we from taking reuenge yea there is a greater care in vs how we may helpe them out of their sinne than to punish them for their sinne So that heere anger for the sinne is ioyned with a louing compassion ouer the partie and the one doth not so much moue vs to take reuenge of them as the oher doth moue them to pitie their case Here then is a speciall difference betweeâ—â— them for Christian anger hath euer a griefe ioyned with it both for the dishonour of God the hurt of our brother but carnall and fleshly anger hath a ioy and pleasure in it and â—eedeth it selfe therewith and is puffed vp Such godly anger was in Christ against the Pharisies where it is said that hee was angrie and sorrowfull and in another place when hee saw the destruction of Ierusalem for their sinnes for which he had bin angrie with them it is said of him that he wept Likewise Paul threatning the Corinthians that for their sins he would come to them with a rod saith after I am afraid that when I come the Lord doe humble me and I shall bewaile many that haue sinned contrariwise hee describeth fleshly anger to be such as puffeth men vp when they see the sinnes of their brethren Now that we may come to haue an holy anger wrought in vs for sin it is needfull that we labour for that affection which was in the Prophet Dauid when he saith The rebukes of them that rebuke thee haue fallen vpon me Where the Prophet sheweth that euery sin which was committed against God he thought that it was committed against himselfe and was as grieued and angrie therewith because the glorie of God which was committed to his care was stained and God himselfe dishonoured and this did make him angrie and zealous in the cause of the Lord and this zeale must be also in vs. Which that it may be tempered and not too rigorous we ought also to consider how the Apostle Paul appheth the same place when he would exhort them to beare the infirmities of the weake and not to deale ouer sharply with them he bringeth the example of Christ who suffered for the sins of the people as for his owne and so accounted of them So then we ought to thinke that the sinnes which by our brethren are committed are coÌ„mitted of vs and are ours which if wee can doe it will much abate rigour and sharpe dealing in admonition as also in the punishment of sinne The Apostle in another place saith Beare yâ— one anothers burthen and so fulfill the measure of Christ. Now if wee shall ioyne these two affections together in vs first to thinke that euery sinne committed against Gods maiestie is coÌ„mitted against vs and againe that euery sinne which our brother doth we in our own persons do the same the first will breede in vs an anger and zeale for the glorie of God the other will worke in vs patience and compassion because of our owne flesh and of the Image of God which our brother beareth and thereof will come a zealous anger ioyned with loue and compassion of the partie By these notes may true Christian and spirituall anger be tried and discerned from that which is fleshly and carnall that wee may follow the one as commanded in the law and wrought in our hearts by the spirit of God and that we may auoid the other as forbidden in the law and proceeding from the corruption of our flesh that we may neither be fooles which are alwaies angry for euery thing neither of the damnable and blasphemous family of fleshly loue which will not in their perfection be angry at all other differences there bee but if a man doe well consider of these and practise them hee shall easily discerne the rest FINIS A TREATISE OF BLESSEDNES HE may bee saide to haue tasted true blessednesse whom the Lorde before all beginnings hath chosen to saluation whose saluation purposed by God the father is performed by God the sonne to whom the election by God the father and redemption by God the sonne is ratified by God the holy Ghost in whome this assurance of faith is wrought by the word preached faith breeding peace of minde this peace causeth ioy ioy being accompanied with securitie securitie working in loue loue labouring with a care to please God with a feare to displease God from whence issueth a desire of weldoing to others indeuouring to bring them to the peace with God and man which he tasteth of himselfe Lastly he is truely blessed who besides all the former things knoweth how to vse prosperitie moderately and aduersitie patiently wayting and looking for the accomplishment of God his promise in the kingdome of heauen More particularly we will intreate of true happinesse by the causes and by the effects of it The originall cause is the loue of God in ordaining vs to bee heires of life eternall Ephes. 1. 4. Matth. 25 34. Wherein is laide open the bountifull riches of the mercie of God to vs ward in
you and hearken vnto my words 15 For these are not drunken as ye suppose since it is but the third houre of the day 16 But this is that which was spoken by the Prophet Ioel. 17 And it shall be in the last dayes saith God I will powre out of my Spirit vpon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dreame dreames IN the former part of this chapter is set down the worke of God in sending downe the holy Ghost on the Apostles as also the effects hereof both in the Apostles and in the hearers wonderful in the one diuerse in the other the Apostles speaking with such strage tongues the hearers hitherto not greatly moued but secretly murmuring saying they had drunke deepely and so became eloquent Whereat Peter taking this good occasion confuteth them by two reasons first telling them it was but yet nine of the clock or the third houre of the day at what time men vse not to be drunken Nay saith hee it is so far off that we are drunken as ye suppose that it is with vs cleane coÌ„trarie For the thing is not come to passe that one of your owne Prophets foretold you it is not superfluitie of drink but an aboundance of God his spirit not promised by speciall priuiledge to vs alone but to all sexes conditions and estates of men whatsoeuer if ye be prepared to receiue it For as the Lord hath bestowed the gifts of his spirit on vs so will he also doe it to you if ye wilfully refuse not and therefore the Lord is readie now to worke wonders in the world whoso either wittingly refuseth or carelesly abuseth these graces shall be snared in these iudgements yet so as the Lord being more readie to magnifie his mercie than to shew his iustice will accomplish this that whosoeuer calleth on the name of the Lord shall both escape the iudgements threatned and also obtaine these And thus much both generally briefely for the scope of this place More particularly we may obserue three speciall poynts first the liberall testimonie of Ioel and his rich commendation of the grace of God in bestowing such graces on his Church vnder the kingdome of Iesus Christ and this is set downe vers 17. 18. the second thing is that at what time the Lord will thus deale with his people the Lord will send many iudgements as heresies offences dearths plagues and warres which here are declared in figuratiue and borrowed speeches of blood fire vapour of smoke and such like whereby he will punish and auenge himselfe for the contempt of so gracious mercies as vers 19. 20. and the third thing is the meanes how wee shall escape such heauie iudgements and attaine to such heauenly graces and so perseuere in them which is declared vers 21. But before we enter further into the deep discourse of these particular poynts we will obserue the occasion and the circumstances of this speech of Peter the occasion was that the people not profiting by the former and marueilous work of the Lord the Apostle taketh occasion further to instruct them that were teachable and to reproue the scorners and yet he was not so offended at them in that God his wonderfull works did nothing profit them as that therefore he left off all but he stirreth vp himselâ—e the more earnestly and endeuoureth familiarly to teach them Whereby we are to learne not rashly suddainly or vnaduisedly too much to be offended at the not profiting slender profiting or back sliding of some but rather we must labour to attempt the matter with a new onset remembring alwaies that not onely a woe is threatned to them that giue iust occasion of offence but also vnto them that in Christ doe take offence and therefore taking a view of our selues either in naturall or spirituall gifts we must trie our selues how patiently we can susteine without offence either the want or resistance of the like gifts in others and yet we see that if after some meanes vsed men goe slowlie forward and not make such speedie proceedings as is desired men for the most part are readie to leaue off all and are glad to draw out of the yoke of their duetie as thinking themselues well exempted and as it were discharged when as spirituall men in such cases thinke themselues to be stirred vp to the more earnest and painefull vsing of the meanes to which well meaning minds and to men of so vpright an heart the Lord often giueth good increase of gifts that they may imploy the vse of them vnto others And surely if flesh and blood might iudge in such a case we would thinke that this present occasion might haue made Peter giue ouer and goe from the people but he more meekely and modestly as the foreman of the quest followeth the matter and answereth vnto them as we haue heard We may reade Acts 6. how there did arise a murmuring betweene the Iewes and the Grecians in so much as the Apostles credit began to be called into question that they had not care of the widowes which was a dutie belonging vnto them as though they had the faith of God in respect of persons This might seeme to be able to discourage them but contrariwise through the blessing of God his spirit they espied their own wants in themselues and began to seeke a new Ministerie Now if they had taken the matter too much to heart they might haue become vnprofitable but they meekely passing ouer the offence and wisely looking to the counsell of God thought themselues to be but men and that they could not infinitely bee ocupied or busied in many things ordained Deacons in the Church This then we must make a speciall vse of when for some good meanes vsed or otherwise much vnkindnes is offered vs euen of our friends or we find little thankes for our trauell nay sometime reape reproches at their hands for our reward that then we growe not slacker in our duties or waxe colde in loue and droope in our affection towards them which if we doe we shall bewray that our affection was meerely and onely naturall and not spirituall True it is and cannot be denied that a kinde heart and liberall minde is most broken with reproches but yet this offence must be ouercome and striuen against in vs after the example both of Peter in our present text and of the rest of the Apostles in that former place Acts 6. who rather tooke occasioÌ„ to accuse themselues than to cease to be profitable to the Church of Christ. Neither is it neither ought it to seeme to vs a strange thing that the graces and gifts of God haue found such cold entertainement yea which is a thing more contrarie great repulses and reproches Much learning saith Festus Acts 26. 24. maketh Paul mad the workes of God his spirit here are counted drunkennes Ezechiel is thought to sing a
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
For come to the younger sort of them then nouices and learners they will say openly somewhat and will giue some reason of their doctrine but their Elders and illuminate men cannot be seene they flie the light and goe into corners Are these men full of the spirit who so cowardly forsake the triall of their doctrine and leaue the poore people to stand to it who are not so deepe in their reuelations nor so well grounded in their mysteries of iniquitie Vndoubtedly they are not yea rather the elder heretike the ranker knaue and he is called most notable not which is most wise but which is most subtile to denie a truth and to set a face on a lie Wherefore this is not fulfilled euen among the Anabaptists and Familie of loue themselues This thing then cannot literally be vnderstood they must needs confesse that there is a borrowed speech in the verses following where mention is made of blood fire and vapours of smoake whereby is meant that there shall be great troubles heresies and such like And here the Heretikes will graunt a trope though in the former they will not God spake of the blessings of the new Testament after the manner of the old Testament because that was best knowne to the Iewes This deceiued them in that when they heard of the new Temple they were zealous of the old Temple and reioyced in that Temple which Herod made though it was nothing like that which Salomon made and this deceiueth the Iewes vnto this day The like error are the Papists in For where the Scriptures say that in the time of Christ there should be sweete incense offered in all places then say they behold the daily sacrifice the sacrifice propitiatorie for the quicke and the dead Neither of these doe consider that the Lord in the old Testament doth adumbrate foretell these things to come and that vnder those termes and phrases which were best knowne to the Iewes and vsed of the old Prophets This folly of theirs doe the Anabaptists see and yet they runne as farre on the other side as also doth the Familie of loue One of them reproueth another and yet neither of them will confesse his fault to the glorie of God nor returne and receiue the truth There may be also another argument why this place should not be literally vnderstood and that is drawne from the interpretation of the like places of Scripture Exod. 19. Moses telleth the people that the Lord hath called them to bee Kings Priests and Prophets This is repeated by the Apostle Peter in the new Testament by Iohn in the Apocalyps and is applied as in this place generally to all Christians Now the Iewes did neuer thinke that euery man was a King sitting in a throne thereby ouerthrowing the politicall estate they thought not that euery man was a Priest taking that office of the Priest vpoÌ„ him but that they had the liberty of their consciences were freed from the bondage of men of sin as also that now through Christ they might offer vp first their prayers theÌ„ their soules and bodies to be an holy and acceptable sacrifice to him Neither doe we at this day think any otherwise of the kingly Priesthood of Christians And why then should wee thinke grossely and literally that indeede wee are become Prophets hauing that speciall calling and so take away that order of Teachers and learners which God hath ordained For as we be Priests so are we Prophets if the speech must be qualified in the one why ought it not so to be in the other Againe we say of prophecies as we say of miracles Before the word was written the Lord taught his people by visions and by dreames and that hee might prepare them to receiue his doctrine and confirme them in it hee both wrought miracles himselfe and gaue power to others likewise to worke as wee may see in Moseâ— Eâ—iah and Elisha yea he gaue power to doe miracles when the Law was written because the Gospel was not yet reuealed and when the Gospell was reuealed hee continued his gift because the holy Spirit was not yet giuen yea and when the Spirit was powred out vpon the Apostles yet this gift was in the Church that as yet the Spirit had not gotten credit But when the Gospell was reuealed the spirit sent downe and confirmed by signes and wonders then the vse of miracles ceased not that there are no miracles at all now for wee doe not shorten the hands of the Lord but yet they be but few and those extraordinarie Now the rules whereby we shall trie them whether they be of God or no bee these If they doe either conuert and winne men to the word or confirme them in the word who are alreadie wonne if they be agreeable to the word and beare the same maiestie in them as doth the word then may they be receiued as from God But when they agree not with these rules though the thing wrought be miraculous yet they are much to be suspected as the miracles of olde time were with reuerence to bee receiued For God in his secret iudgement doth suffer some times such to be wrought that the wicked and vnbeleeuers may the more effectually be deluded Againe we know that Antichrist commeth with signes yea and the same so effectuall that euen the very elect if it were possible should therewith bee deceiued In like manner doe wee say of dreames and visions vntill the Gospell came and had gotten credit in the hearts of men there were visions and prophecies of things to come but these being now ceased it is not ordinarie that the Lord should make all Prophets or teach by visions and dreames But what doe we stand longer to proue that this place cannot be so taken and vnderstood as the words at the first shew might seeme to giue especially seeing that the deuillish ouerthwarters both of Papists and of the Familie of loue are so grosse and papable in this point For such is the spirit of these men and so contrary to the good spirit of God that where the Scripture ought simply and without any trope or allegorie to be interpreted they will there turne it into allegories as wee see many places peruerted by the Papists and almost the whole Scriptures by the Familie of loue and whereas the Scripture by conference of places doth shewe that it ought tropically to bee vnderstood they sticke bluntly to the bare letter as in these wordes Hoc est corpus meum The Papists here would haue no trope yet the whole course of the Scriptures doth inforce the same The Familie of loue will in no place almost admit the naturall sense as it floweth of the words and yet here they doe bitingly abide by the word notwithstanding all the former reasons And this surely commeth to passe by the righteous iudgement of God that seeing they would neither acknowledge nor yeelde to the naturall sense when they might
therefore they cannot see where a trope should haue his place Thus it went with their great Master and father of allegories Origen who giuing himselfe to follow his deuised allegories could not through God his righteous and iust iudgement see those places that will admir a trope For comming to that saying of Christ our Sauiour where he intreateth oâ— three kindes of chast persons whereof one maketh himselfe chast for the kingdome of God sake hee taking it too literally did cut off his owne members and so grossely did misunderstand it The true vnderstanding of this place then is this that in the Apostles times and in the ages following there should bee riper knowledge than was in the ages before But if it be here obiected that the men of our daies are not like the great men and Prophets of God as Eâ—â—y Dauid Ieremiah or Daniel to this wee answere that comparisons must be alwaies in the like Then if we compare the Apostles with the Prophets that were before them we know the Apostles in cleerenes and excellencie of knowledge did surpasse them And our Sauiour Christ testifieth of Iohn Baptist that he was the greatest among the Prophets and yet that the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospell were greater than he Then compare our Euangelists with the Patriarches and they saw a cleerer light than these did For Abraham sawe Christ but a farre off and to come they sawe him euidently and already come Proceede to compare the common sort of people then with the common sort in these dayes and euen we doe see Christ more liuâ—ly painted out before vs than they did they had assurance that these things should come to passe wee knowe that they are alreadie come to passe seeing plainly the effects and issues of them And thus wee see that God his graces are moe and more excellent than they were in the time of the Law Compare Christ with Mose and hee did as farre exceed him as the Master builder doth the hired seruant Compare their common Ministers the Priests and Leuites with our ordinarie Doctors and Pastors and they goe beyond them in the euidence of knowledge All these notable men of the Law knew that Christ should come and that the holy Ghost should come but the maner of their comming they saw but very darkly but we see it and reioyce therein The plaine meaning then of this place is that whereas God did in the old time reueale his will vnto some by visions and by dreames now al sorts of men young and old man and maide shall be instructed in the knowledge of God more plentifully and more perfitly For it is to be vnderstood as that Exod 19 Ye shall be a kingly Priâ—sthood c. and 1 Pet. 2. it must be interpreted as often in Esay as chap. 11. in Ieremy and in the Gospell aâ—ter Iohn it is saide They shâ—ll all bee taught of God and that which is in his Epistle the annointing shall teach you all things These doe not take away the ordinarie ministerie of the word but doe shew that men shall not onely haue the outward meanes but shall also haue the teaching of the Spirit And all of these are so begun in this life that they be not performed to the full vntill wee be vnclothed of this flesh and haue our full part with Christ in the life to come This is the meaning of the place and herein doe wee goe beyond the men of the old ages And besides this in the very manner of deliuerie there is farre more cleernes and euidence now than was in the times of the Law For the Prophets and holy men of God indeede laboured but the fruite for the most part was little and the Apostles as Christ saith Ioh. 4. entred into their labours Yâ—a the Apostle Peter goeth further and saith that they were a light shining in a darke place but wee haue a surer light of prophecie Further hee addeth in the same place that they serued not so much their owne ages and times as vs that are come after them Now hauing the right vnderstanding of this place we are to be greatly thankfull to God for that he hath not left vs to doubtfull dreames but hath giuen vs the certaintie of the word written whereunto serued all the former visions dreames and prophecies and it is confirmed vnto vs by euery one of them Thus wee haue the sense of this place wherein it was fulfilled in the Apostles times as Peter here witnesseth and in this sense it was fulfilled in the Primitiue Church as all good stories doe record Let vs further see what it is that men shall prophecie that is they shall be taught by the spirit of God in the word to trie themselues to trie the spirits of their teachers to teach others and to be able to giue a reason of their hope before their enemies for as the holy Ghost came vpon Christ so must be come vpon euery one of his members and as he was annointed a Prophet so must his members also be Prophets This sound knowledge consisteth in foure things The first thing required in a Christian is that he be able to trie himselfe and his estate â—efore God whether he be in the faith or no whether he be God his childe or no contrarie to the doctrine of the Papists and cold Protestants that rest onely on common iniunctions and accustomed proceedings Thus Paul giueth charge to the whole Church of Corinth 2. Cor. 12. Examine your selues whether yee bee in the faith or no and hereunto he addeth a fearfull speech vnlesse you be refuses Who so is not in the faith is a refuse and if a man knoweth not whether he be in the faith or no then he doth not know whether he be in Christ or no. This examination must be according to the Scriptures for so saith our Sauiour Iesus Christ search the Scriptures for they testifie of me and in another place he saith ye erre because ye know not the Scripture Then we must not hang on the Preacher nor on this nor on that man but we must beleeue because wee haue found it in the Scripture and haue been taught it by the Spirit according as the men of Samaria saide to the woman when she told them of Christ. Againe we must not simply and barely knowe the Scriptures but applie them to our owne vse and make our owne faith sure by them if we be not reprobates and this is the first thing required of Christians The second thing is that we be able to trie our Teachers not in euery thing that they speak but in things pertinent to saluation Thus we are commaunded to doe 1. Corinth 5. Ephes. 4. and in the Epistle of Saint Iohn Trie the spirits whether they be of God or no and in the epistles of Peter and Iude it is said that those were peruerted with heresies that neuer came to knowe the truth but were vnstable and carried away with euery winde of
vaine doctrine Wherefore we must not be euer learning and yet not come to the knowledge of the truth but the trueth must dwell plentifully in vs with all wisdome that wee may discerne the spiritâ— And when we haue waied and found any thing according to the word then must wee receiue it as the word of God with reuerence and if we finde any thing false in it wee must be so farre off from receiuing it that we must hold him accursed that shall bring it though he were an Angell from Heauen Foolish then is that phreneticall fansie of the Familie of Loue which will say we may not iudge we cannot condemne For euery Christian taught by the spirit may yea and ought in the libertie of the spirit to trie and condemne all that is not consonant with the holy word of God The third thing required of a Christian is that by his knowledge he be able to instruct and admonish others This doth Iude in his epistle require that we should doe wheÌ„ he exhorteth vs to edifie one another in our most holy faith This also is giuen in charge Hebr. 3. that we should admonish one another and Hebr. 5. it is said that in respect of the times we ought to be teachers Our Sauiour Christ also commaundeth vs if our brother offend that we should admonish him This dutie wee owe and this we must be able to discharge especially to them of our household of our towne of our kindred and so by degrees to all men as wee haue occasion to deale with them and as our calling shall suffer vs. The fourth thing is that wee should be able to giue an account of our hope euen vnto our enemies This Peter requireth in plaine wordes this doth our Sauiour Christ require that if we would hee should confesse vs before his Father that we should confesse him before men These things were fulfilled in the Apostles times in the primitiue Church and in Queene Maries daies and this euen among vs may be found in many places therefore this is the true and natural meaning of this place This was neuer found in the Anabaptists who the younger they were in heresie the better they were in honestie and if once they waxe old in their heresie they grow not so much in knowledge as in subtiltie to inuent mens phrâ—ses to delude and deceiue with new starched termes They will auouch nothing before a Magistrate if they bee taken they will recaâ—t if they die they will say it is for treason and not for heresie And although nowadaies there be found few Christians which be able to trie theÌ„selues their Teachers to teach theÌ„selues to admonish others to giue an account of their hope before the aduersarie yet we may lesse marueile at it though they be not ashamed of it when as some occupying the roomes of Ministers and many wise and politique Magistrates cannot examine themselues and much lesse trie others Examine them and deale with them in matters of a better life of doctrine or discipline and they can say nothing but by act of Parliament by iniunctions and the common proceedings If there were a contrarie blast of heresie blowne in their eares they could not tell what to say to it they would follow the Court and doe as most doe affirme as the superiours affirme and denie that they denie because all their religion hangs on the Councels determination and on the Kings proceedings So that euery one is not a Christian that carrieth the title and beareth the face of a Christian but they indeede are professors of Christ who are annointed with his Spirit wherewith hee was annointed whether in a dropping or more flowing measure We see then what we ought to doe and doe not wherein we may be the more ashamed that the Papist the Turke the Familie of loue delight so much in their studie They be so carefull to dishonour God we are carelesse to honour him which thing ought to moue vs and to make vs more carefull to seeke knowledge Many so farre exceede that they begin now to be ashamed and they bid away with exercises of religion they can leaue them for and post them to others I am no teacher but an husband man saith one I am not booke-learned but a poore artificer saith another I was neuer brought vp at schooles with these learned men but at home saith the third it is not for vs to be seene in these points it appertaineth rather to Doctors The words of God are here very flat I will powre out my spirit vpon all flesh c. And surely if any man hath not receiued God his Spirit the Apostle pronounceth him to bee none of God his children and if wee haue the spirit wee shall sheew it in the fruites of the spirit Wherefore let vs cast away these vaine excuses farre from vs We are young men we must haue a fling youth is vnstable it will bee time for vs to be grauer hereafter when wee become old men Howbeit the Prophet Dauid saith Psal. 119.9 Wherewithall may a young man redresse his way c. And Eccles 12. 1. it is said Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth c. If young men will appertaine to God they must haue God his spirit that is such gifts as they may doe these things Let none say wee are old our memorie failes vs if our wits were as fresh as they haue been we could doe something now we can remember nothing For men can remember things of vanitie done in their youth and in chronicling theÌ„ they will weare tongues and to fetch euidences of lands or mony which they haue hidden their memorie failes in no point Well as the Lord saith that yong men shall see visions so old men shall dreame dreames If wisedome and the feare of God be the crowne of old age and without these the aged man euen of an hundred yeeres old is accursed they had neede to labour for knowledge Old men will pleade for their priuiledge to goe before young men in worldly things and will they hope for plackards to excuse them if they come behind them in heauenly things None must say We are but seruants and vnder others wee must labour for our wages and no time can wee haue as others to learne such things it is well if wee may haue the Lord his day to rest on we must haue our recreation then wee cannot alwayes be toyling Well if ye be the seruants of God as well as the seruants of men men or maides ye must by God his spirit be able to prophecie Is your condition hard vnder the Gospell oh praise God it is nothing so hard as vnder the Law For in times past seruants were bondmen little better in condition than bruite beasts and yet men being at that time in such an estate vnder such heathen men did so carefully attend vpon the Lord in the word and in prayer that they would redeeme al times possible for to
get knowledge and feeling Wherefore all men must looke to this men and women old and young masters and seruants What will they challenge themselues to be Christians and glorie in the title alone and not esteeme of the dutie They will leaue that part peraduenture to book learned men and to Preachers Well they must know that againe whereof they are wilfully ignorant that there is a mutual coherence betweene these two things the title and the dutie What ye glorie that yeare Prophets and yet ye prophecie not ye boast that ye are Kings and ye ouercome not ye bee glad to be counted Priests and ye sacrifice not Euen Papists though they taught ignorance to be the mother of deuotion can say more for their superstition and Heretikes can say more for their diuellish opinions than Protestants for the defence of Christ his glorious Gospell Look but to the Papists and Familie of loue how painfull and cunning they are to goe to runne to ride to make one like of their heresies see how they will looke for you at markets how they will entertaine you what meekenes what mildenes they will vse to salute you This ought to shame vs this ought to make vs labour more for knowledge that when temptations inuade vs when Satan accuseth vs when heresie shal assault vs we may stand stedfast and vnremoueable we may edifie one another and in persecution not be dismaied but resist constantly vnto blood Now as Peter hath shewed that which Ioel prophecied to be fulfilled so these verses following shewe the iudgements of God which should fall vpon the Church for the neglect or contempt of these graces offered There is some question here about the time Some vnderstand it of Christ his comming in the flesh-some of his comming to iudgement others more truly thinke it to be that whole time which is betweene his comming in the flesh and his comming to iudgement and so it appeareth the most probable opinion both by the things going before and by that which followeth after For in the words going before it is saide In the last dayes I will powre out my spirit now the giuing of the spirit was fulfilled in that whole time spoken of Againe that which followeth after concerning calling vpon the name of the Lord is also meant of that time Now it both that which goeth before and that which followeth after be vnderstood of that time then it is probable that that which is in the midst is likewise so vnderstood And although Christ his first comming was a most glorious time as we may see by the testimonie of the Apostle yet his last comming shall be a farre more glorious day as wee may see Titus 2 2. Thess. 4. where his comming is described to bee with Angels and with a shoute Yet because this glorie doth appeare in the whole course of redemption it shall be good to vnderstand this as the places going before and comming after that is of the whole time in all which hee ceaseth not to offer these graces and to execute these iudgements As for the wordes themselues some thinke them to be vnderstood literally some allegorically and spiritually But they admit both First that they haue vse in their naturall signification it appeareth because the Lord neuer leaueth his Church without some instructions in the Sunne the Moone the Heauens and the Earth For besides naturall eclipses in Sunne and Moone and other exaltations yet there haue been workes extraordinarie in them both which haue been as prognostications of Gods wrath for sinne Further wee may safely gather that there was neuer any strange Eclipse Comet apparition in the heauens shaking of the earth strange and vnnatural births but after this change of nature some euent came strangely sooner or later which shewed that men had broken their obedience with God and were become monstrously disobedient which the Lord maketh knowne to vs by changing the course of nature Therefore wee say that before great Earthquakes plagues warres Comets famine or such like goeth great contempt of religion monstrous prophanenes so they be the prognostications of some notable sinnes either in religion or in life or in both Thus wee neither exclude the literall sense and yet wee doe not admit that fansie or rather frensie of the Familie of loue because we graunt that after strange disobedience and contempt followe strange punishments and reuenge so that the Prophet sheweth the workes of God for sinne either by the things following or by the signes going before It is a question why at this time wherein hee would shewe himselfe so gratious the Lord should send such tokens of his wrath Here wee see a contrarie order of teaching to flesh and blood because God will then haue his mercie manifested when he will shew his iustice And because men hearing of the Gospell imagine of a felicitie in this world therefore Peter to awaken them out of this dreame le ts them to vnderstand that vnlesse these gifts be reuerently receiued God will be most angrie because they either refuse or abuse the mercies of God so offered The vse of this is partly in respect of the elect and people regenerate and partly in respect of the wicked and vnregenerate in respect of the elect either before or after their regeneration before their regeneration to bring them to seeke Iesus Christ. For though it is certaine that God in time will call them whom he hath predestinated and chosen yet because his Gospell is not so pretious vnto them as it should be therefore the Lord sendeth them crosses sometimes pouertie sometime sicknes sometime reproch sometime a troubled minde sometime priuate miserie and sometime a publike calamitie to inuolue them among others because they haue no more trust in the promises of God before they be humbled And because men wil not easily or vsually be humbled by the bare word the Lord sealeth it by sending of troubles that when wee can feele no comfort either in heauen or in earth but perdition and matter of damnation in our selues wee should then be the fitter to receiue comfort in Christ. Againe for as much as God his children haue one speciall fault or other as priuie pride vainglorie selfe-loue or such like priuie corruptions that the word of God cannot be suffered to draw vs out of these sinnes for this cause the Lord sendeth affliction by his correction he draweth vs out of our ciuill righteousnes maketh vs make conscience of inward and hidden corruptions and putteth them in minde by miserie that the same corruption is â—â—rking in them which hath broken forth in others and that naturally it did dwell in them though repressed by the finger of God it did not violently flame out Againe where others lie in sinne and know it not because the very light of nature is choked in them God his spirit can take little hold to worke any thing vpon them that the Lord might bring them to see sinne vnknowne and to
or in others we shall be so gouerned that wee shall not onely auoide euill but coldnesse in well doing and looke what is detracted through the iniuries of times it shall be added in inward graces and recompenced in the kingdome of heauen When we shall then in extremitie of offences say Good Lord what shall we doe whither shall wee goe to heare a good Preacher what may wee doe to goe to some good man and zealous professor Remember then if thou wilt stay on the Lord and fall to Prayer thogh thou art troubled with Papists or Heretikes or monstrous liuers then leane to God trust in his word and vse prayer When thou shalt see no good neither in Church nor in Common wealth then haue recourse to prayers and thou shalt not onely bee preserued from daungers but also thou shalt enioy God his spirit with his graces Thus wee shall see in the volume of God his booke not onely what deliuerances the godly haue had by prayer but also by what meanes they were deliuered Noah calling on the name of GOD was saued in the Arke from perishing in the waters Lot was deliuered out of Sodome the Israelites obtained meate from heauen water out of the rocke passage through the Seas and many other righteous persons were not onely deliuered but greatlie ioyed But if we should passe them and looke to the daies of persecution vnder Queene Mary when the Sun seemed to be changed into darknes the Moone to lose her light then Christians were not onely many deliuered but also in the prisons in cabbins in bushes in flame and in fire they euer had sweete dreames heauenly visions and wonderfull consolation so as they were not onely comforted but at the stake they would prophecie of the restoring of the Gospell and they presently would reioyce as foreseeing the truth should come vnto their posteritie And it shall come to passe This importeth the time of the Gospell and here is shewed a difference betweene the time of the Law and of the Gospell If our fathers were heard vnder the Law if they receiued not the repulse in the dawning of the day what may we hope for vnder the Gospell what boldnes may wee receiue now when the sunne shineth out at the fulnes Looke what proofe they had we may haue more see what experience they had we may haue it in greater measure because what they had confirmed we haue confirmed The Lord requireth of vs now to trust in him the more we must remeÌ„ber that saying of our Sauiour Christ Ioh. 16. 24. Hitherto haue yee asked nothing in my Name aske and yee shall receiue that your ioy may be full If our fathers prayed feruently why doe not wee haue not wee mo deedes of God his fauour haue not we mo promises haue not wee mo examples all which accuse vs of want of zeale in prayer In the old Testament they named not Christ we are bold to looke vpon God in Christ his Sonne Woe then be to vs if these things do not moue vs seeing Christ standeth on the right hand of God the Father who is not now in the loynes of Abraham or in the wombe of the Virgin or in the bowels of the earth buâ—â—o as â—â—â—â—â—â—euen we may see him sitting in heauen on the right hand of GOD. The circumstance remaining is in this word whosoeuer which sheweth that whether it bee man or woman master or seruant young or old Iew or Gentil no age no sexe no estate no coÌ„dition is excluded True it is that there be priuiledges of the man aboue the woman of the master aboue his seruant of the elders aboue the yongeâ— but this is in some things not in all For in the worship of God in the matter of God his glory and our saluation there is no respect of persons with God but whosâ—euer calleth vpon the name of the Lord he shall be saued In respect whereof we are to be exhorted that if we will reioyce in this priuiledge we must vse the means due to them that are within the precincts of it we must not excuse our selues and say I am a woman and the weaker vessell I am a young man and rechlesse I am an old man forgetfull I am a seruant and am not at mine owne libertie For if wee looke for the grace offered wee must vse the meanes proposed But yet here is a further thing than this that not only the righteous shal be saued but also the poore sinner if now he will repent and hauing a pure purpose to please God call on the name of the Lord. Behold ô repenting sinner the Theese on the Crosse the Sunne was darkened the vale of the Temple rent earthquakes and troubles confusion was an ong men terrors were in himselfe and yet hee calling on the name of the Lord and saying Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome receiued this comfortable answere This day shalt thou be with mee in Paradise Peter seeing Christ was pardoned If we behold Dauids miserie in the troublesome estate both of Church and Common-wealth when he had not one of his owne children to comfort him but to the increase of his griefe one brother murthered another one of his sonnes being a traytor was through God his iudgement hanged by the haire of the head his chiefe friends rebelled against him hee was not onely in all this mightily preserued of God but also receiued plentifull graces of the Spirit When Manasses had caused Ierusalem to swimme with blood when the Citie was neere destruction and hee himselfe in chaines what hope was there either of the Kingdome or Prophecie to continue and yet calling on God his name hee was heard and helped If such great things were for poore sinners before Christ what comfort is there for them since Christ is come If the wretched man was so helped of CHRIST euen when he was on the crosse what comfort may afflicted consciences hope for in him being aduanced to the Throne Kingdome Nay I will adde more euen very hypocrites by Prayer haue escaped outward perils as Aâ—ab and such like Yea and marke them that are in warres or in some great distresse how praying to the LORD they are helped The same we shall obserue sometimes either in worldlings or in God his children vnregenerate All which will graunt that after they haue prayed but in their manner the Lord hath strangely deliuered them If wicked men haue had this benefite how much more shall the godly haue it If God his children haue found such grace before they knewe God what grace shall they haue when they know him beleeue in him and call vpon him Here then is all doubting to be taken away and we must cease to say Oh I am a sinner I cannot be helped mine vnworthines makes me ashamed Consider the tenour of this runneth in an vniuersall point to all thou caâ—st not be excluded if thou exclude not thy selfe And why It is said that all shall be
or great light in darke places or great heate in bodies that were nummed before euen so truly we may say and so certainly we may perswade our selues that the spirit of God is in vs when we see our corruption consumed our soules purged from the drosse of sinne our hearts inlightened and made hot in walking and working according to that light The second question to be cōsidered is whether that man which once throughly tasted of the spirit may lose it and haue it quenched in him To this it may be said that because the spirit of God commeth to and worketh in diuers men diuersly in diuers measures therefore we must consider of the diuers working of the spirit then frame our answere accordingly First then there is a lighter lesser worke of the spirit which may be quenched in them that haue it and that this inferiour or lesser kinde of working may be taken away appeareth plainly by the parable of the seede which our Sauiour Christ propoundeth for that besides them that receiue the word into good ground and bring foorth fruites some an hundreth some thirtie some sixtie folde he doth also make mention of some others that receiued the word and yet continued not And what had not these the spirit of God in them Yes doubtlesse for they receiued the word yea they receiued it gladly and that which is more they beleeued that which they had receiued Behold then three fruites of Gods spirit in these men and yet they continued not for they beleeued indeed but their faith was temporarie it lasted but for a time and after a time it vanished away and the spirit departed from them for either the pleasures and profits of this life did driue out the graces of God and drie them vp or else the fierie heate of persecution did quite consume them More plaine and notable for this purpose is that in the sixt to the Hebrues for there the Apostle saith That some may taste of the holy Ghost and thereby be made to taste of the good word of God to be inlightened to receiue heauenly gifts yea and to taste of the power of the life to come And what then surely the Apostle saith That if such fall it is impossible they should be renewed giuing vs to vnderstand that euen they which haue receiued the holy Ghost that haue been inlightened that haue receiued heauenly gifts and haue tasted of the power of the life to come euen such may fall away and the spirit may be quenched in such There is a second kinde of working of the spirit which is a more thorough effectuall working which can neuer be taken away frō them that haue receiued it This the Apostle Peter describeth when he saith That the chosen of God are begotten againe of the immortall seede of the word This is not a bare receiuing or a light tasting of the word but it is a deepe taste of the same whereby we are begotten and borne againe The Apostle S. Iohn setteth downe another note of it saying That they that are thus borne againe cannot sin that is they cannot make an occupation of sinne they cannot fall flat away by sinne and why Euen because the seede of God abideth in them euen that seede wherewith they were begotten to a liuely hope of life euen that seede doth abide and will abide vnto the end Who so is begotten againe by this seede and hath this seede abiding in him the spirit hath wrought that in him which shall not be taken from him and therefore our Sauiour Christ saith The word that I speake is spirit and life And in another place he saith That none shall take his sheepe from him for the father is mightier than all and therefore in another place he saith That it is impossible that the elect should be seduced Thus then we see the question answered namely that there is an inferiour working which may be lost and a more effectuall working of the spirit which can neuer be taken away from them that haue it And this must not seeme strange to vs neither must we be offended that the Lord should take some and leaue others or that he should begin in some and not bring his worke to perfection for so he dealeth with other things in the world Some corne is sowen and neuer riseth some springeth and yet shortly withereth some groweth vp to an eare yet then is stricken or blasted and othersome at his good pleasure doth come to a timely ripenes In like manner some trees are planted and neuer take roote some take roote but yet not blossome some blossome yet neuer bring forth fruite and othersome through his goodnesse doe bring forth fruit in good season If the Lord deale so with the plant and hearbe of the field why may he not deale so with vs the sonnes of men If we cannot conceiue the reason of this we must holde our peace for all the workes of God are done in righteousnesse and all our knowledge is vnperfect therefore we must herein rather accuse our selues of ignorance than the Lord of vnrighousnesse nay we our selues doe deale in like sort with those things which be vnder our hand In Colledges Fellowes are first chosen to be Probationers and if they be then approoued they be made full fellowes otherwise they are not If a man being childles doe take some friends childe to make him heire of all his goods he will keepe him vpon liking if his manners be honest he shall be preferred yea it may be set ouer all his house and yet afterwards for some fault committed quite cast off Some other man taketh another childe to the same end and maketh him heire indeed so then wee must thinke it righteous in the Lord to deale thus with vs seeing we are in his hand and we must not be offended though he call some and do not inlighten them and although he inlighten some and doe not continue them and doe of his great mercie continue some euen vnto the end let vs rather see what vse we must make of this doctrine First we must take heede that we neuer quench any grace or gift that God bestoweth vpon vs. Secondly we must still labour to haue greater measure of gifts for the wicked may come to haue some small gifts such as may be quite taken away from them Lastly it doth put a plaine difference betweene the godly and the godlesse betweene them that beare a shew of holinesse and them that are indeed the holy ones of the Lord for the one endureth but for a time and the other lasteth for euer Now if we require a further triall whereby we may know whether we haue receiued that spirit which lasteth but for a time or that which will abide for euer with vs then let vs marke these rules which put a plaine difference betweene them First we must marke that inlightning and insight we
puffed vp with pride that they reioyce when their pride may be pulled downe or their haughtinesse abated either by some sharpe rebuke or by some fearefull threatning or by some moderate correction from the Lord. For they know that if it were needefull for S. Paul to be buffeted and that by the minister of Satan to the intent that his pride might be beaten down then it is much more needful for them after sundrie waies to be humbled Besides they doe not only desire the word but they also waite vpoÌ„ the Lord vntill it please him to worke further in them thereby and this waiting is as earnest as is theirs who hauing watched all the night doe waite and looke for the dawning of the day Secondly as they see their wants so also they see that grace they haue receiued and are for that time well appayed and contented therewith and therefore as their wants doe humble them so the graces of God receiued doe comfort them and as their wants doe call vpon them cause them to seeke more so that they haue doth prouoke them to be thankefull for that they haue receiued See then a quite contrarie course of the wicked and those that of sinceritie doe worship God see I say how contrarily the graces and gifts of God doe worke in them And therefore from the consideration hereof wee may well draw a fourth rule whereby to make triall and examination of our selues So to conclude this point in a word when a man by the spirit of God hath been inlightned vnto a certaine and sufficient knowledge of Gods will when he findeth his affection chiefly and aboue all other things set vpon God when he findeth a pure and sincere loue of God in his heart not for wages but for the worke of grace which after an vnspeakeable manner doth moue him thereunto when he doth thankfully acknowledge mercies receiued as he doth carefully attend and waite vpon the Lord til he bestow some greater measure of graces vpon him then may he bee vndoubedly perswaded that hee hath found the spirit working in him in a more effectuall manner and that therefore it shall neuer be taken from him But what then may such men cast off all care No for vnto them doth S. Paul giue this charge That they doe not quench the spirit And notwithout cause doth he giue them this charge for though the spirit it selfe can neuer be taken vtterly from them yet doubtlesse if they waxe proud if they grow secure if they fall into sinne then the graces and gifts of the spirit may decay and dye in them their cleere vnderstanding their feeling their affection and all may be gone so that in their own iudgement and in the iudgement of others it may seeme that they haue quite quenched put out the spirit Neither must this seeme so strange for if the image of God which was more perfectly placed in Adam than it is now in vs If I say this image might quite be lost and blotted out as we see it was then no marueile if the graces of the spirit of God be for a time as it were dead and drowned in vs. And that we may be the lesse offended herewith the Scriptures doe offer vnto vs such examples of men as hauing been once effectually called and truly borne againe haue yet afterward through some sinnes lost the graces of the spirit such were the Galathians for they were truly called and effectually regenerate by the spirit and Gospell of God as may appeare by this that for the words sake they reuerenced the Apostle as the Angell of God yet they were snared with false doctrine and fel very dangerously to the choking and quenching of the graces of Gods spirit in them The spirit it selfe was not takâ—n from them nay Christ did still continue in their hearts but yet for want of godly graces hee was as it were without fashion or forme so that the Apostle did as it were trauell againe vntill Christ was fashioned anew in them Dauid also vpon the committing of his sinne was brought into the like â—ase therefore in the 51. Psalme he prayeth That God will create in him a new spirit What was the spirit quite gone No for by and by in the same Psalme he prayeth That the Lord would not take away his holy spirit from him How can these two stand together first to pray that a new spirit may bee created in him and then that the spirit of God may not be taken from him Surely the spirit it selfe was still in him and therfore he prayeth that it may not be taken from him but the graces and gracious working of the spirit they were dead and gone and therefore he praieth that they may be renewed in him By this then we see that the very chiefe graces of the spirit may be quenched euen in the most godly when they fall into sinne But yet that no libertie may be taken hereby let vs a little consider what griefe and punishment they procure to themselues that do by any meanes lose the graces of the spirit First of all we must know that though the spirit of God caÌ„not be gotten by our labour yet it costeth vs much labour and wee must vndergoe much trauell and suffer much trouble before the spirit of God doe take possession of vs now when the graces of the spirit are lost all this our labour seemeth to be lost and what griefe is it to see the whole labour and trauell of a man to vanish and come to nothing Secondly when a man receiueth the spirit of God and by the same spirit is assured that his sinne is forgiuen him that he is in the fauour of God there doth arise in his heart a great ioy in the holy Ghost a ioy I say that is vnspeakeable and glorious and this ioy is lost and gone when the graces of Gods spirit are gone with how great griefe and woe they knowe that in any measure haue tasted of it Againe when the graces of the spirit are choked in men then they haue no heart to doe good they haue no affection to goodnesse but all is gone and they are made for the time as it were an vnprofitable burthen of the earth What griefe can be greater than this what sorrow can sinke more deepe than that a good man should bee cleane withholden from doing good Moreouer it is sure that wheÌ„ the gifts of the spirit are in this sort gone then he that was most righteous before may soone fall into great sinnes yea and which is more they shall also suffer the reproch of their sinnes For this is a part of the couenant that God made with his That though he will not take his mercies vtterly from them yet hee will visite their sinnes with the rodde and their iniquities with scourges and what griefe this is the example of Gods children may shew vs. What griefe was it to
Noah to become a laughing stocke to his owne son What heart-breaking to Dauid by his owne sonne to bee thrust from his kingdome So grieuous were those punishments laid vpon them that if without any respect of hell or heauen we could consider of them we had rather want all the pleasures of sinne which they enioyed then wee could beare the reproch and feele the paine which they suffered Last of all when the graces of the spirit of God are once decayed they can neuer bee repayred and recouered but with much sorrowe and great danger for it cannot but breede much sorrow of heart to remember his former sinnes to examine and see the greatnes of them to apply Gods iudgements to them and to prouoke himselfe to sorrow for them This is as it were to goe through the pikes and through a purgatorie in this present life and yet this must be done before wee can recouer Gods graces againe Againe it is a very dangerous thing for in such cases men are brought as it were with Ionas into the bottome of the sea and as Dauid saith into the deepe waters so that all the surges and waues doe passe and flow ouer him Now we know what danger it is for a man to be thrust ouer head and eares into the deepe waters and therefore they that are in such a case are in great danger Wherefore all these things considered the losse of all our labour the losse of all true ioy the vnfitnes to doe good the readines to sinne the griefe and daunger that insueth thereof will or at the least wise may cause vs to beware how weâ— quench the spirit And this is the vse of the doctrine in humbling of vs which also doth furthermore serue to comfort vs knowing that we may suffer a great decay of Gods graces yet by the rod or by the word of God or by both they shall be renewed in vs againe And thus much of this commaundement that the Apostle giueth here that we should not quench the spirit OF MVRMVRING THE SECOND SERMON Exodus 16. 2. And all the congregation of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron MANY men nowadayes hearing the often murmurings of the children of Israel doe euen spit at them and account them as the worst people vnder the Sunne which would so often and so obstinately rebell against the Lord. But these men doe little consider either the temptations wherewith the Israelites were prouoked to murmur or the corruption of their owne hearts which will as bitterly murmur vpon lesse occasion For albeit they were an obstinate and stiffe necked people as Moses witnesseth of them euer since they came out of Egypt vntill now yet here no doubt they were vehemently tempted when they from the plentie of all things which in Egypt they enioyed were brought into a rough desert wildernes being sixe hundred thousand men besides women and children great store of cattel hauing neither meate nor drinke wherwith they might be nourished Wherefore let vs cease to wonder at this people and let vs in them see our owne corruption we shall finde it to be as great as euer theirs was For doe not many men I pray you euen among vs beholding the riches of others or the plentie of things which the Lord bestoweth vpon his Magistrates or ministers for the faithful discharge of their duties doe they not I say murmur against Gods seruants set ouer them And are they not more grieued for the waÌ„t of such things than thankful for that the Lord hath freed them from such troubles which others haue or giuen them sufficient to liue vpon True it is notwithstanding the greatnes of this peoples temptation yet their sinne was wicked in them and great and hainous in the sight of God because that whereas they had often times manifold waies after a wonderfull manner felt and tasted of the goodnesse of the Lord in so much that the very vnthankfullest of them all had been driuen to confesse it for wonderfull was their deliuerance out of Egypt so miraculous was their preseruation at the red sea and infinite mercies more aboue hope and expectation bestowed vpon them yet now forgetting all his former benefits would so gradge and murmur for the want of meate that rather than they would continue still they would wish againe to returne to bondage And indeede such is the nature of murmuring that it will cause a man not only to forget Gods benefits but to forget that he is a man It preuailed so much with this people that they wished themselues againe in Egypt although they knew that there they were most miserably afflicted that the Lord in carrying them thither at the first did in iustice punish them for their sinne And this wish of theirs is as much as if they should haue said would the Lord had at once cut vs off and destroyed vs rather than left vs in this case Thus they were contented to doe so that they might haue their bellies full and rather than they would depart from their flesh-pots and other pleasures which in Egypt they inioyed Many are like minded to these people nowadaies for wee see diuers vpon their death-beds very senseles and secure who can be conteâ—ted with open mouth to record the goodnesse of God towards him in things concerning this present life but in the meane time being without hope sense or feeling of the sweete ioyes to come doe die thus by their fleshpots Othersome if they bee brought to any miserie as pouertie sicknes or such like doe beare it so impatiently that in their hearts and oftentimes in open speeches they wish they neuer had been borne shewing thereby that their flesh-pors doe more like them and their health doth better please them than the goodnes and louing countenance of the Lord. None of all these doe euer consider what they haue receiued of the Lord but their eyes are still vpon their wants and the want of one thing that they doe desire though it be but small is more disquietnesse vnto them maketh them to murmure more than the enioying of many benefits which they haue can quiet their hearts in the trust of Gods prouidence or make them thankfull Now if any of vs shall be brought to wish our death by the griefe of any affliction let vs shake it off and put it farre from vs the desire is euill for it is better as Salomon saith to be a liuing dogge than a dead lyon For bee wee neuer so miserable whilest we liue there is a time left for repentaÌ„ce but after death there is none therfore in thy life time labour to feele Gods mercie in Iesus Christ and then no miserie shall euer hurt thee till thou be gathered into his kingdome This shalt thou learne to doe if thou canst receiue the fauour of God for it selfe though it come alone yea though trouble doe come therewith knowing and perswading thine owne
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
most full of Gods spirit he was then led to be tempted in the wildernesse when he was most furnished he was most tried On like manner when wee haue receiued some great gifts wee must looke both that the Lord for his part will take some triall of them and that Satan also watching for the richest pray and gaping for a man when he hopes to haue the best spoyle will for his part there vse the most force and cunning where he findeth the rarest and most notable seruants of God partly because he most enuieth them and partly for that by pride he thinketh soonest to inueigle them Wherefore if Gods children shall truly examine their owne hearts in this sinne they shall haue some testimonie and triall in themselues whether they bee thankfull for Gods mercies in truth or no if hauing receiued much they feare much and by how much the more they increase in gifts by so much they grow the more iealous ouer their thoughts wordes and deedes and sit as it were in the watch-tower of their hearts viewing to espie euen their least declinings Which thing if we could doe in trueth hee should not so haue the graces of God and feeling of the spirit by fits but both in greater measure and longer continuance the want of which heede taking to our selues constraineth the Lord to punish vs as I sayd with dulnes and deadnes of spirit thereby to preserue vs from viler sinnes which otherwise our pride and securitie would carrie vs headlong into And were it so that in reuerence and feare wee could attend more on the Lord we should not haue his good spirit so rare a guest vnto vs wee should finde the increase and returne of greater consolations than we haue Why doe men then so much marueile at the dulnes of minde comming on them after some rare feelings of the spirit and when they haue tasted ioyes glorious and vnspeakable and thinke that now all the fruites of Gods grace are as cleane gone away in them as if they neuer had tasted of the power of regeneration seeing vnthankfulnes is so ordinary and vsuall a sinne with vs But admit we haue some good witnesse of conscience and our heart telleth vs that we haue been thankfull then must we thinke that the Lord doth trie vs and will bring vs to acknowledge that the thing we had was his onely gift to giue and take away at his pleasure and that it came not from our selues as a thing to command at our becke Howbeit vsually and for the most part our vnthankfulnes is the cause of this dulnes Now albeit this kind of buffeting be grieuous vnto vs yet wee must not desire vtterly to be freed from it because by it our pride is cured For if that chosen vessell and seruant of the Lord Paul so abounding in graces of the spirit so frequent in fasting so often in prayer watchings and temptations could not preuaile against this sinne seeing by all these former waies hee could not subdue this corruption in the flesh we must not dreame and delude our selues that wee vsing nothing so many helpes of mortification should vtterly be rid from the same When the Lord then shall exercise vs with this pricke in the flesh although it is the messenger of Satan to buffet vs yet we must take hold on this to our comfort that the Lord disposeth and moderateth it and though wee be often and long assaulted with it yet still wee must mislike it we must still be grieued for it and pray in Christ against it we must tremble and hee humbled in our selues that wee should haue such strange and doubting thoughts of Gods wisedome power maiestie and prouidence c. and yet in such manner and measure as knowing it to be Gods mercie that by these meanes the Lord would keepe vs from more vile and enormous crimes Further and besides this the Lord giueth vs to see such monsters of the minde to forewarne vs and to make vs more afraid of falling into the outward action of sinne Thus wee haue often temptations of vnbeleefe to make vs to feare the falling from the faith we haue priuie discourses of Poperie to shew what a dangerous thing it were to be giuen ouer vnto Poperie wee haue often vile thoughts of adulterie murder and theft to driue vs more earnestly to pray that we neuer fall into thâ—â—e sinnes in action And for this cause they that will not make some holesome instruction of their inward temptations nor suspect their falling into the action of sinne by the affection of sin often fall for their pride suddenly into adulteries murthers thefts heresies poperie and such like Thus the Lord coÌ„meth by the messenger of Satan the pricke of the flesh to try vs whether wee will sticke to the word preached or to such suggestions ministred to tri our faith to confirme vs in the fauour of God when wee shall obtaine the fauour of God who often assisteth his children being humbled euen in most dangerous assaults and leaueth them being puft vp in the least temptations so as they fall that thereby they may know what helpe is of God and not of man And howsoeuer flesh and blood counteth this but a paradoxe yet sure it is that our case is worse when the Lord ceaseth by such meanes to â—â—ft fanne vs than when he holdeth vs from some profitable temptation for our exercise For we shall see many who desiring rather to â—e freed from the crosse than to reape the fruite of it although for the time wherein they endured their temptations at the first they were cleere and innocent yet afterward haue fallen most grieuously because they would not profit by those temptations which the Lord sent either to punish some sinne past not throughly repented of or to correct some sinne present not espied or to forewarne vs of sinne to come not suspected of vs â—ome haue been tempted to heresie some to pride some to worldlines who disdainfully looking at such thoughts as matters of no importance though they were before vnattainted of these euils yet now haue come to be heretikes proude persons worldlings This ought to teach vs then most to suspect our selues when wee thinke our estate safest And blessed is the mâ—n that fâ—â—reth alâ—â—â—es This numbnes of the soule striueth and striketh deeply euen against the ordinance of God for our saluation I meane the word the Sacraments and praier so that oftentimes our case standeth thus we thus say iâ—â— our selues If I heare the word so it is I feele no great want of it in receiuing the Sacraments I haue no pleasure in not receiuing them I haue no griefe If the exercises of religion priuate and publike bee vsed there is noâ— much good done if they bee omitted there is no great hurt done if I haue spare time I can goe vnto them if I haue neuer so little businesse I can keepe me away
them their sinnes telling them of a suretie that their iniquitie was the cause of Christ his death whereby a certaine care began to bee wrought in them in so much that being thus troubled they enquired and saide Men and brethren what shall wee doe Whereupon afterward followed the second Sermon of Peter where hee exhorteth them to continue in their repentance and teacheth vs that if our sorrowe bee good wee must goe forward therein Further hee sheweth them to this ende that they must beleeue that beleeuing they may bee baptized that being baptized they might receiue the gift of the holy Ghost Lastly it is manifest how they hearing that Sermon first receiued the doctrine and after perseuered in the practise of the same Briefly therfore three things are hereto be noted First the fruit of the former Sermon of Peter contained in these wordes Now when they heard it c. Secondly the summe of a new Sermon of Peter in these wordes Then Peter said vnto them Amend your liues c. Thirdly is set downe the fruite of their obedience In the former part of this Chapter we may know the wonderfull workes of God that the Apostles who were neuer brought vp in schooles spake with diuers tongues which when the multitude heard some are said to maruell and to be astonished some mocked them and said They are full of new wine But when Peter with great boldnesse of spirit had in this Sermon which he made set the trueth of God against their false accusations and had preached against their sinne then they left off mocking and were pricked in their hearts Where first wee may note the power of Gods word which onely is able to touch our consciences for sinne For neither the diuersity of tongues nor other gifts of the holy Ghost could prick their hearts as being able onely to cast them into an admiration What more forcible thing than that which causeth a godly sorrow and causeth our consciences to be pricked What so able to pricke our consciences as the word of God Indeede many feele sorrow and are inwardly pricked but because therewith is not ioyned the power of Gods word they bee either senselesse as blockes or in their feeling they be murmurers This commeth vnto vs by the dignitie of Gods word in that no wonders from heauen no miracles on earth can touch our hearts and worke in vs any good fruit without the same For though the Lord should shew vnto vs all the wonders from heauen which he shewed on the old world and on Sodome although he should lay al the plagues vpon vs which he laid on Pharaoh and on the Egyptians without the word of God we should be as vnprofitable beholders as euer were the Sodomites and should become as hard hearted as euer were Pharaoh and the Egyptians so that no iudgement from heauen no trouble from earth can humble vs no blessing from aboue no benefit from beneath can profit vs vntill the word of God commeth which teacheth the olde way to forsake it the newe way to enter into it and the perfect way to continue in it And thus much for the generall scope of this doctrine Now more particularly we may obserue in this first part three things First the power of the word to pricke our consciences Secondly that this pricke must not cause in vs a more rebelling against the word and Ministers thereof but rather a greater reuerence to them both Thirdly such prickes must prepare vs to a greater desire to profit For the first we must know that this is the beginning of repentance this is the entrie to godlinesse euen to conceiue a sorrowe for our sinnes and so bee wounded with a feeling of our euils For as long as men are secure it is not possible that they should seriously apply their mind vnto doctrine neither without the knowledge and feeling of our sinnes can we heartily long for Christ. To this agree the Law the Prophets and the Apostles The law because in all their sacrifices wherein Christ was prefigured was manifested also vnder darke signes the contrition of heart and acknowledging their vnworthinesse The Prophet as Dauid and Esay Dauid in the fourth Psalme and fift verse faith Tremble and sinne not where the Prophet sheweth that this is an effectuall thing to true repentance to quake and tremble for feare of Gods iudgements That wee may then truly examine our selues wee must feare and humble our selues because before trouble terrour and quaking at the iudgements of God we wil neuer be brought to offer our selues to Christ alone In Psalme 51. vers 18. 19. the Prophet likewise sheweth that no sacrifice is acceptable to God without a contrite heart that is neither prayer neither almes-giuing neither praise of thanksgiuing vnles wee bringing an humble and contrite spirit with vs cast our selues downe before his iudgement seate and sue for mercy in Christ. And here marke that he saith The sacrifices of God are a troubled spirit c. where hee vsing the plurall number sheweth that the sacrifices of repentance which must not be one but many are humblenes of the spirit and contrition of heart For the affliction of the soule and contrition of the minde doe so cast vs downe wounded with our sins and humbled with a feeling of Gods wrath as that it maketh vs to acknowledge that we are nothing of our selues and to seeke for our saluation wholy at the mercie of God No marueile then seeing by this meanes we being confounded and ashamed of our selues staying our selues on the only promises of God doe come to confesse our owne nakednes and wretchednes if the Prophet should say that the Lord is pleased with his sacrifice as with the sacrifice of sacrifices The Prophet Esay 40. 6. 7. 8. saith All flesh is grasse and the beautie thereof as a flower of grasse the grasse withereth and the flower falleth when the breath of the Lord falleth vpon it Where the Prophet painting out man in his proper colours and driuing him to seeke out saluatiō not in himselfe but in Christ describeth the outward part of man to be as grasse and by the flower of grasse he sheweth his gifts of minde being vnregenerate as wisdome memorie knowledge and vnderstanding So that when Gods spirit doth but breath on vs all our wisdome all our knowledge riches and authoritie fal before the presence of the Lord of hosts neither can we remaine but only by the word of God whereby we are borne againe Wherefore the considering and meditating of our transitorie estate driueth vs to a contrition and humblenes of spirit Besides the Lord God saith Esay whom the heauens cannot containe nor the earth hold will come and dwell with a lowly poore and troubled spirit and which standeth in awe of his word God doth not accept our sacrifices which are offered without trembling at his word no more than if we should kill a man and choake a dogge
or offer swines flesh which was counted an abominable thing among the Iewes or praise the thing that is vnright Lastly to this accordeth the Gospell and the Apostles Our Sauiour Christ Matth. 9 13. saith I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance not euery sinner but that sinner which condemneth sinne in himselfe and is wearie and laden with his sins Matth. 11. 28. Matth. 21. 32. our Sauiour Christ preferreth the harlots and Publicans before the Pharisies for they being pricked for their sinnes and conuicted did sorrow and heard Iohn preaching vnto them So then Christ giueth reliefe to those that want righteousnesse to them that feele themselues sinners ease to them which are burthened light to them which are in darkenesse life to them which are dead and saluation to them which condemne themselues The Apostle delareth 1. Corin. 14. how the Corinthians were moued with strange tongues but yet had not in admiration the word Besides hee sheweth by comparing the gift of tongues and prophecying together that if an Infidell or vnlearned man should come and heare them speake with strange tongues hee would say they were out of their wits but if he should heare them speake the word of God plainely hee would be rebuked of all men and iudged of all men and so the secrets of his heart should be made manifest he would fall downe on his face and worship God and say plainely when hee feeleth his sinnes they rifle mine heart they shew my secret sinnes doubtles this is Gods doing God is in them I will follow this religion Wherefore in this appeareth the power of the word in that it citeth and summoneth our consciences before the tribunall of God and woundeth vs with a liuely feeling of Gods iudgement that he who before through securitie did despise sound doctrine may now bee constrained to giue the glorie vnto God This appeareth more plainely Hebr. 4. 12. where it is saide that the word of God is liuely mightie in operation and sharper than any two edged sword and it pierceth through and searcheth the most secret chambers of the soule and deuideth thought from thought and then all our holines shall seeme hypocrisie all our righteousnesse shall seeme as a defiled cloth we shall finde with Paul that in vs that is in our flesh dwelleth no righteousnesse For mens consciences are colde neither are they touched and displeased with their euils so long as they be in ignorance but when the word of God pierceth into the vttermost corners of their consciences and telleth them that they haue to doe with the Lord they are throughly touched and begin to feare and entering into themselues examining their conscience they come to the knowledge of that which before they had forgotten Wee can neuer bee offered to God without his spirit Iohn 16. vers 8. For hee reprooueth the world of sinne and awaketh our consciences that those sinnes which before were hid should be made manifest Dauid did lie an whole yeere without this pricke of conscience and thought that all was well vntill Nathan came neither did he finde comfort of conscience vntill he had thus been pricked Iosephs brethren was thirteene yeeres and neuer remembred their sinnes vntill after such time the Lord laid it before them The Prophet Dauid Psalm 32. which he intituled a Psalme of instruction concerning the free remission of sinnes teacheth how we shall finde the same For many perswaded themselues that their sinnes are forgiuen when they be not He also sheweth that vntill trouble of minde did driue him to particularize and confesse his speciall sinnes to God he found no comfort Manasses did eate the bread of sorrowe and did drinke the water of griefe and vntill hee had lamented and sorrowed for his sinnes he felt no rest nor peace The woman of Samaria Iohn 4. was pleasant and iested with our Sauiour Christ vntill her sinnes were opened and then shee began to answere with more reuerence For vntill shee was willed to call her husband shee thought all was safe but after hee had tolde her that shee had plaied the adulteresse shee acknowledged him that hee was a Prophet Wherefore wee may see by this which hath been spoken that the word of God only pricketh our consciences as plainly may here appeare by the Iewes who cared not for the Apostles nor made any conscience vntill their hearts were pricked In the second place we must note that they were rightly pricked For many oftentimes are pricked which kick against the pricke and hauing their consciences galled by the word they murmure either against the preacher of the word or against the word it selfe Here then is the difference betweene the godly and the wicked the one is pricked and is made more carefull in a godly conscience the other more hardened than before But this is a godly sorrowe when wee loue the man that rebuketh vs and reuerence the word the more being by it reprooued in our conscience Doe wee loue him then that rebuketh vs then we heare profitably Let vs examine our selues in this sort I see God hath wounded me by him he is the instrument whereby God doth humble me I wil therefore loue him Contrarily if we be often touched and amend not we are in danger of Gods wrath Many indeede are pricked with pouertie many with sicknes and some with other like afflictions but few with their sinnes which is the cause of their pouertie sicknes and other afflictions Let vs then learne a willingnes to offer our selues to be taught and to bee pricked for sin as these men were The wicked also are pricked sometimes but it is rather for feare of punishment than for conscience to displease God as were Caine and Iudas Some men are pricked and to put away their sorrowe they will goe sleepe they will goe play they will goe sport they will get to merrie companie and passe away the time and so as they terme it they will purge and driue away the rage of melancholie they neuer goe to any preacher to aske of the Lord or at the mouth of his spirit they neuer respect prayer nor seeke any comfort in the word of God But to put away sorrow on this sort is to call it a againe and to feele it more freshly either in the houre of death or in hell Contrariwise if our sorrow doth driue vs to prayer or to the word of God it is good As for the wicked and prophane worldlings though as the Wiseman saith Ecclesiast 11. he spend all his dayes without any euill yet his darkenes will be greater than his light his sorrow greater than his pleasure his losse greater than his gaine his trouble greater than his vanity in hell Let vs not then so carnally shake off this godly sorrow for the word will send vs often an vnquiet spirit that wee may seeke to bee quiet in Christ. To examine our selues herein Haue we heard the
vs as that it is not onely to bee confessed of vs in words but also in vnderstanding to bee conceiued in affection to bee well liked of and agreed vnto and in life to be expressed For blessed are they that can so thinke of and make vse of this treasure Now where a mans treasure is there is his heart and where his heart is thither are all the powers both of soule and bodie carried headlong For so soone as men giue themselues to like of and to loue pleasures riches credit honour or learning wisedome or glorie so soone they make these as it were their Gods when men begin to be perswaded these things are a treasure when their hearts are once set on these things then wee see presently that all parts both of soule aud bodie bend that way then goeth minde heart and hand and affection and the whole delight to the attaining thereof Therefore if this Word be a treasure then all the powers and faculties of bodie and minde must bee giuen onely vnto it Wherefore euery one must know this that they onely haue this treasure whose hearts are set on the kingdome of God they are the neerest vnto saluation whose hearts are set on the Word and doctrine of saluation who can say from the bottome of their hearts with the man of God Dauid This one thing O Lord haue I desired and that I will require euen that I may dwell in the house of my God all the dayes of my life But what to doe to behold the beautie of the Lord and to see the light of his fauourable countenance in Christ Iesus and to receiue the gifts and graces of the spirit of God which may be sure seales and pledges of his saluation yea saith he I had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of vngodly men Neither must we desire so much to be present in the house of the Lord in bodie onely but also in spirit that wee may euen behold his fauourable countenance shining vpon vs in Christ Iesus Wherefore we ought to make most precious account of the meanes because they bring much excellent graces By them we are brought into Gods house to behold his face and to enioy his mercies Why then will some say is the preaching of the Word the gates of Heauen are the preachers of the Word the porters of these gates If this be such a treasure why is not the Word more preached why is it not more esteemed Are the graces of the spirit of heauen in earth are they our entranee into heauen how then is it that they are not longed after Why doe not men make more account of them Surely our Sauiour Christ teacheth his children to meete with this obiection when he saith it is hidden This treasure is not apparant but secret not of this world nor knowne to them of this world but hidden and vnknowne of them and therefore not so much regarded and esteemed of And this treasure is hidden whether wee consider the meanes as things of no glorious shew or the graces of the meanes which are not of this world but rather contrarie to this world That the graces of the spirit are hiddeÌ„ from them of this world our Sauiour Christ sheweth vs in Matthew 1â— and 25. verse saying I giue thee thankes O Father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hidden these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hast opened them vnto babes That the meanes are hidden Saint Paul witnesseth in the 1. to the Corinth 2. and 7. verse But we saith he speake the wisedome of God in a mysterie euen the hid wisedome which God hath determined before the world vnto our glorie which none of the Princes of this world hath knowne c. And in the 2. of Corinth 4. and 3. verse he saith If our Gospell be hid it is hid to them that be lost whose mindes the god of this world hath blinded The Word is hidden in the base meanes of the Ministerie as the Apostle saith 2 Corinth 4 and 7. verse We haue the treasures in earthly vessels c. And therefore it being in earthly vessels is the lesse esteemed of the world Also this treasure is hidden vnder the creatures of Water Bread and Wine I do now speake â—afely of these according vnto the manner of men but I knowe how I doe account of them for vnto God and the godly these meanes are not base but indeede in respect of the graces offered by these meanes they are very base and who would thinke that in a mortall man like my selfe should be hidden the treasure of heauen and earth Who would thinke that by the preaching of a sillie poore man Iesus Christ with all his treasure should be offered vnto vs Who would thinke that in the creatures of Bread and Wine and Water were hid the seales and pledges of the kingdome of heauen These be treasures indeede but they are hidden As a treasure in the field This treasure sure is such a hidden thing as that the eye of the quickest hath not seene it neither hath his eare heard of it neither hath it entred into his heart to conceiue of it Now as in a goodlie field adorned with Grasse Flowers Trees Herbes and such like perhaps there lieth hidden no treasure whereas contrarie in a barren peece of ground wherein no such things are there may be and doe commonly lie hidden treasures very great so there is an inequalitie of meanes and the Lord bestoweth his graces vpon them for the most part which carrie least shew in this world and vseth them as instruments and meanes to set foorth his glorie and so likewise in the Sacraments and in the word of God though they be lesse esteemed of in the world yet in them is the chiefest treasure of all hidden This must teach vs that it is no marueile though fewe of the world come to this treasure because that it is so hidden and therefore this was prophecied of long before of the Prophet Esay in his 25 chap. 1. verse Lord saith he who will beleeue our report And to whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed The which prophecie is also repeated againe of Christ Iohn the 12 and also of S. Paul Rom 10. 16. But answere may be made hereunto euen they who are transformed into the image of Christ. Seeing then it was the complaint of the Prophets in old time let not vs be offended that so few seeke this treasure and men doe so little esteeme of it but let the wicked esteeme neuer so ill of it and let it neuer bee reuealed vnto the vngodly yet the godly shall esteeme of it neuerthelesse and vnto them shall this good treasure bee reuealed and made most apparant Let vs therefore pray the Lord that hee would raise vp and send foorth most plentifull and diligent labourers into his haruest and that he would send foorth
many of his porters to awaken vs out of sinne and to stirre vs vp to the receiuing of the kingdome of God that so they seeking may finde and knocking it may be opened vnto them It followeth which when a man hath found c. To pursue euery particular farre in a parable is not the safest way except it agree with the analogie of the things wee must here know that parables doe not hold but in some things and not in all and therefore in this sense the word doth not agree with a treasure which when a man hath found he hideth to this end that none else should finde it and be partakers of it but himselfe but in the Word it ought not to be so but in this sense it agreeth with the analogie of our faith A man which hath found a great treasure it is so great ioy vnto him as that he suspecteth himselfe whether it be so or no hee is afeard least he hath not found it and therefore he searcheth more neerely into it againe least that his sudden ioy should be soone decaâ—ed or else hauing found it hee lose it and therefore hee hideth it and euen so it is with the spirituall kingdome of God for when it pleaseth God to worke in the heart of his people by the ministerie of his word to feele their saluation in Christ Iesus by by there ariseth a kind of feare in their hearts least they be missed by seeking the way to saluatioÌ„ or hauing found the way they are afraide least they should lose it againe they are full of doubts that they continually striue to come to a greater assurance therof For in the imbracing of this treafure they finde it to be so sweete and the tast thereof to be so precious as that they labour throughly to seek after it they desire not to haue a glimmering fight of our Sauiour Christ but euen a full taste of him and all his benefits And therefore there is neuer through peace in the hearts of the childreÌ„ of God so long as they reuerence the word til they haue hidden the word of God in their hearts and grow more and more in the assurance of their saluation in Christ Iesus And therefore Dauid in Psal. 119 the second and third vers saith I haue hid thy commaundements in my heart that I might not sinne against thee And in Prouerbs the second and first verse My sonne if thou wilt receiue my wordâ— and hide my commandements within thee and cause thine eare to hearken vnto wisedome and incline tâ—â—â—e heart to vnderstanding when wisedome entreth thy heart and knowledge delighteth thy soule then shall counsaile preserue thee and vnderstanding shall keepe thee Where wee see that the holy Ghost giueth this precept vnto the children of God that they labour so for the word that it be hidden in their hearts they must labour to haue their hearts wholâ—e to prossesse the word for the minde of man it may be deceiued but the heart cannot if the heart bee once throughly possessed of the word it cannot easily be depriued of it Now as a treasure is found before it be sought so is the word of God Esai 65. 1. Rom. 10. 20. I was found of them that sought me not and haue been made manifest to them that asked not after me This sheweth that all goodnesse coÌ„meth of the free grace and mercie of God but to this end doth God manifest himselfe to them that sought him not that men when God hath once found them should then seeke after him and when hee hath once spoken vnto them then they should hearken vnto him And this no doubt the children of God who who when the Lord hath found them and they know that the Lord hath spokeÌ„ they haue heard him O then so glad would they heare him againe and fearefull they are least they should bee depriued of hearing him in his word neither doe they desire to haue Christ transfigured in the mount but themselues to bee transformed into new men that they might grow vp in righteousnesse from strength to strength and from faith to faith This I speake vnto the sonnes and daughters of God which languish in their sinnes and in the feeling of their infirmities and hunger and thirst after the graces of God O how ioyfull are they in hearing the word hauing felt comfort in it such feruencie of spirit is in them to heare the preaching of the word being so precious vnto them they delight in the Sacraments finding confirmation of faith and strength by them The companie of Gods children is most delightfull vnto them as Dauid saith All my delight O Lord is vpon thy Saints on earth Their consciences are comforted and they are ful of alacritie and cheerefulnesse These things may serue to stirre vs vp to hunger and thirst after righteousnesse the hearing of Gods word For by experience I haue knowne and tried some which in the beginning of their profession haue been zealous haue taken pleasure in the word of God haue felt some comfort in the word and for coÌ„firmation of their faith both the word and the Saints of God were deare vnto them They haue distributed to the poore and haue had many other graces yet when they looked for the vertue and power and effect which the word should haue wrought in their hearts it was not in them alas these things are now gone but although the children of God haue many seuerall temptations and that often without any feeling of this yet let them assure them of this that be they whosoeuer they are at one time or other they shall feele this mightie power of the spirit of God in them to quicken them vp It is requisite therefore for them to knowe how this commeth and what the remedie thereof is that so they might finde out the way to the attaining of it Truly the Lord was found of vs when we sought him not he made himselfe known vnto vs when we were ignorant of him he caused the light to shine on vs when we sate in darkenes and in the shadow of death It pleased him in the first shining of the Gospell to put the teate and the milke into our mouthes euen as a good mother dealeth with her yong childe and to put the cloathes vpon our backes and to prouide all things for vs without asking but after that the Lord hath thus nourished vs and regenerated vs by his word and spirit and found vs out euen then when we thought not of him and then we like vnto little children were readie to come vnto him behold here the great mercie and louing kindnesse of our God towards vs but when as yet notwithstanding these mercies are increased not in faith in repentance and godly obedience vnto the lawes of God he still vseth vs as children euen as Christ vsed his Apostles giuing vs to know and to see that surely there is good and that there is comfort and
from sinne for who so will bee made partaker of the kingdome of heauen must here wholie addict himselfe to seeke the kingdome of heauen euerie one therefore is to make great account of the word of God which is the meanes to leade vs to this kingdome that so he may be assured that he hath alreadie departed from death vnto life and so he may haue the assurance of the kingdome of heauen The word of God and the graces offered by it are called a treasure because that without this all things else are nothing and this of it selfe is sufficient to our saluation Many there are which will confesse that this is the onely treasure which a man ought to seeke for but few there are which doe agree thereunto in their liues and labour to expresse the same in their conuersation But blessed are they that can so thinke of it and labour to haue a testimonie in their consciences that they doe thus seeke after it for where euery mans treasure is there is his heart also So that if the word of God and the graces of the Spirit and eternall life bee our treasure then our hearts must bee set on them and then must wee wholie seeke after them but this treasure is a hidden treasure and therefore not so esteemed and reuerenced for whether wee doe consider the meanes which haue no outward power or shew in them or whether wee consider the graces of the Spirit offered by the meanes it is a treasure altogether hidden but yet though it be hidden yet it is not any whit lesse esteemed of the godly This must teach vs not to be offended with any when wee shall see them make no account of receiuing the truth for it is no new thing but hath been a thing prophecied of old Lord saith the Prophet Esay who will beleeue our report or to whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed Wee shewed that treasures are found before they bee sought for and so God he hath offered vnto vs the treasure of his word before wee sought it and therefore we must acknowledge that this is onely of the free mercie and fauour of God that wee doe enioy the treasure of his word Now for as much as God hath once vouchsafed to call vs wee must obey and hauing once spoken vnto vs we must hearken vnto him for it hath pleased the Lord to deale with vs as parents deale with their young children who when their children be tender they put the teate into their mouthes put on their cloaths vpon their backes and feede them with milke but when they waxe elder and grow to some yeeres of discretion then if they offend they are rebuked and scourged And euen so the Lord at the first beginning of our regeneration he offered his graces most plentifully vnto vs he sent his watchmen to call vs vnto him but now whether for omission of duties correction of our sinnes or triall of our patience it pleaseth him to withdraw his merciful countenance from vs and as it were to be gone from vs to the intent that now we might seeke him now wee must fast and mourne or he will not returne vnto vs againe Euery one must therefore examine his owne heart whether that hee doth there finde such power of the spirit of God working in him as that hee is willing to seeke vnto the Lord and a proceeding and holding on in grace in vertue and in goodnesse And if vpon due triall and examination of our hearts we finde them not in vs then we are to know that the reason why we haue them not is this wee would still be babes and still bee fed as children not seeking not knocking nor looking after the Lord. The man that findeth a treasure hath a ioy suddenly arising in his minde but by and by he doubteth of himselfe whether he hath found a treasure indeede or no and therefore he looketh ouer it againe to the intent he may be the better certified thereof least otherwise his sudden ioy should soone vanish away And euen so the children of God finde by the word of God the treasure of their saluation to bee in Christ Iesus and being throughlie touched in heart to seeke after the same yet oftentimes they doe make many doubts they seeke againe and againe and are desirous not onely to haue a smacke and a glimmering taste of Christ but a liuely eating and feeding vpon the Lord Iesus and therfore they hide the word with the Prophet Dauid in their hearts A man hauing found a treasure reioyceth Ioy and sorrow hope and feare working on mens hearts doe make knowne vnto men how farre off or how neere our hearts are vnto God for the neerer a man is vnto saluation the more ioyfull and gladder hee is Great is the ioy of haruest vnto them which haue haruest at hand great is the ioy of siluer and gold vnto them which haue abundance thereof but greater is the ioy of a good conscience great is the ioy of spoyles of victorie and glorie gotten by victorie and spoyles but greater is the ioy of a true Christian in the mercies of the Lord. And therefore Dauid speaking in the person of a regenerate man saith in Psalme the 119. the last part saue oneâ— I reioyce at thy word as one that findeth a great spoyle Those then which haue no ioy in the word in the spirit of God and in the graces of Gods spirit they neuer tasted of the good spirit of God neither shal they taste of the ioyes of the world to come There is a ioy of the minde and a ioy of the heart a ioy when a man knoweth that a treasure is to bee found but a greater ioy when in experience the heart is fully setled in the finding of it The ioy of a man which commeth in this that he knoweth that there is saluation this ioy may vanish away but that ioy which is setled in the heart in the full assurance of saluation this ioy though it may sometimes be darkened yet can it neuer bee vtterly extinguished heauinesse may abide for a night but ioy commeth in the morning It followeth He withdraweth himselfe or he departeth The naturall signification of the word is not onely to depart and goe away but to withdraw and seperate himselfe as it were from other businesse And this wee see aptly and fully to be resembled of vs in the finding of a treasure for when a man hath found a treasure hee goeth about to buy the field or when one is about to vndertake any other thing of great waight or importance then hee giueth himselfe wholy ouer vnto it hee goeth aside to consider of it what it is whether hee bee not deceiued in it what his owne abilitie is what good it may doe him what it must cost him what it may be worth vnto him and whether it will counteruaile all those things he laieth out for it and euen so in the doctrine of saluation it
80. We see true hearts shall be iustified in the end and hypocrisie shall blush in the issue Thus we see the reward of a good heart the reuenge of an euill heart when we know not how to do our duties simply The honest heart still is strugling out of sin commeth the hollow heart makes a shew of mortification c. but God takes away his vizard in time For some mens sinnes goe before to iudgement and some follow after some mens good deeds are cleered in this life to shew that all weldoing shall be glorified Iniquitie may be coloured but not euer couered truth may be blamed but not shamed For exemplifying the Lord himselfe giues testimonie to his vprightnes Dauid was an vpright hearted man Saul an hypocrite Nathaniel had a good heart Iudas was an hypocrite Iosiah Ezekiah prepared their hearts to the worship of God 2. Chron. 25. Amaziah did good but not with a right heart The people 2. Chron. 20. are said not to prepare their hearts to seeke the Lord their God 2. Chron. 30. Ezekiah craueth mercie for them that came with an vpright heart and God heard him so acceptable is an vpright heart But how shall we discerne our hearts to be vpright It is not by nature Gen. 6. Iob saith a cleanething cannot proceed from an vncleane sinne Dauid confesseth originall hypocrisie which is shewed Prouerb 12. and 20. We then Act. 13. must see that our hearts are made cleane by faith Of it selfe aboue all the heart of man is vnsearchable Ierem. 17. But how comes this because there is a labyrinth of hypocrisie in it there is a gulfe and depth and priuie discourse in it that no man can gage but the Lord who is said Prouerb 16. to be the searcher of the raines howsoeuer our heart is hollow This secret searching is by the Spirit of God 2. Cor. 2. and by the word wrought vpon by the Spirit 1. Cor. 14. Heb. 4. 12. The Spirit rebukes vs of sinne Ioh. 13. but by the word searching the very hidden intents of the heart Therefore as it is to no end to hide any thing from the Lord so it bootes vs not to looke for an hiding of thoughts For be they in loue of good good or for hate of sin or sinfull things then God is pleased for it If we doe good for reward or auoide euill for shame c. all is wofull in the fight of the Lord seeme mens goodnesse neuer to be so good in a mans eye FINIS A GODLY EXPOSITION OF THE XVI PSALME THE TVVELFTH SERMON PSAS 16. vers 1. Preserue me O God for in thee doe I trust THis Psalme containeth the acknowledging of the Prophet his vnworthinesse and sheweth how all things are of God it witnesseth the man of God his loue to the Saints his hatred of false religion the assurance of God his prouidence and his vndoubted hope of life euerlasting All which things containing so many points of heauenly doctrine ought much to prouoke in vs the loue of the Psalme and louing it to frequent the vse of it The Psalme seemeth to be generall and may be vsed at all seasons and of all estates as not being bound to any peculiar condition of men or tied to any seuerall circumstance as are many other Psalmes containing particular matter and therefore is it to be vsed as a notable meditation which may be shewed by this word Mitchtam The first verse is the proposition of the whole and the residue of the Psalme prosecuteth the same matter Now to the words of the text Preserue me O God Here Dauid desireth not deliuerance from any speciall trouble but generally prayeth to be fenced and defended continually by the prouidence of God wishing that the Lord would continue his mercie towards him vnto the end and in the end whereby he foresaw that it was as needfull for him to be safegarded by God his protection in the end as at the time present as also how he made no lesse account of it in his prosperitie than in aduersitie So that the man of God still feared his infirmitie and therefore acknowledgeth himselfe euer to stand in neede of God his helpe And here is a sure and vndoubted marke of the childe of God when a man shall haue as great a care to continue and grow in well doing as to begin and this praying for the gift of finall perseuerance is a speciall note of the childe of God This holy ielouzie of the man of God made him so to desire to be preserued at all times in all estates both in soule and bodie Euery man will say true it is if God should not preserue vs how could we continue But few there be who rightly and carefully vse the meanes as this man of God did whereby they may attaine this grace And therefore howsoeuer they pretend a good affection and well liking generally of the thing yet they haue no true faith as the Prophet had for faith would driue them carefully to vse the meanes how beit this generall knowledge is left in many to take from them all excuse but in the faithfull it worketh an holy feare and feare ingendreth a conscience to vse the meanes I appeale to the conscience of a naturall man If a man being sicke would crie Lord helpe me Lord restore me to my health and yet in the meane time wilfully refuseth the prescribed meanes for his recouerie tempted he not God which if it be so how much more dangerous is this in things concerning the soule when a man either for want of hearing reading the word feeleth not the diseases of the minde or feeling them effectually pineth and languisheth away vnder the burthen of them neglecting prayer confessing of his sinnes repentance and such like meanes of his saluation True it is that man liueth not by bread onely and therefore the wicked are but stalled vp and made fat against the day of slaughter And the children of God know and acknowledge that without the blessing and fauour of God their meate may bring their bane and therefore they craue that by the word and prayer the meanes may be sanctified vnto them much more in things concerning our saluation we must both carefully vse the meanes and in the vsing of them not to trust in the outward worke wrought but to craue the inward ministerie of God his holy spirit which worketh by them not being ordained for God but for vs. For in thee doe I trust Here the Prophet setteth down the cause why he prayeth to God whereby he declareth that none can truly call vpon God vnles they beleeue Rom. 10. 14. How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued In regard whereof as he prayeth to God to be his Sauiour so he is fully assured that God will be his Sauiour If then without faith we cannot truly call vpon God the men of this world rather prate like Parats than pray like Christians at what time they vtter
God the Sonne and assuredly warranted by the ministerie of the word and working of God the holy Ghost No. Why then should I doubt that my sinnes are freely pardoned Can a man by reason conceiue the mysterie of the Trinitie in vnitie the distinction of natures in one person Christ Iesus the secret working of the holy Ghost in them that are called the rising againe to life the dead bodie consumed to earth No we walke not by reason we liue by faith and we beleeue against reason euen because the spirit of God by the preaching of the word hath sealed and beareth record of of these things to our spirits Wherefore seeing we haue no warrant of any thing concerning faith but by the word and by the spirit and the same word and spirit assure vs as well of one parcell of faith as of another what blockishnes is it to beleeue all other points that doctrine and to doubt and call in question one concerning the forgiuenes of sinnes and seeing we beleeue as great things what peeuishnes is it to doubt either of the comfortable assuraÌ„ce of our saluation present or to despaire of finall perseueraÌ„ce in time to come Against these we see the man of God opposeth his glorious reioycing wherefore the holy Ghost speaketh Rom. 5 1. Being iustified by faith we haue peace toward God through our Lord Iesus Christ. And 1. Pet. 1. 8. You beleeue in Christ and reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious In which point we are taught that this reioycing of the heart praising of God with our tongue and holie securitie of the whole man is the spirit of faith and this is our true ioy euen our assurance that we are righteous in Christ that God is our portion our inheritance our guider gouernour and preseruer of vs to life euerlasting yea and this fruite of faith is a sure token of faith though it be not alwaies and in all men in like measure Howbeit where the want thereof is felt we must remember both to mourne and groane in our spirits for the want of it and also waite on God in the meane time and vse all meanes possible to recouer the same This certaintie of our saluation spoken of by Paul rehearsed of Peter and mentioned of Dauid Psal. 4 7. is that speciall fruit then of faith which breedeth that spirituall ioy and inward peace which passeth all vnderstanding True it is all God his children haue it not One thing is the tree and another thing is the fruite of the tree one thing is faith and another thing is the fruite of faith And that remnant of God his elect which feele the want of this fruite haue notwithstanding faith which manifesteth it selfe in them by groaning and sighing for it and by the complaining of the absence of it For albeit indeed there is no greater argument that a man is aliue than his liuely quicke and cheerefull spirits his fresh memorie nimblenes and agiâ—itie of bodie yet it is some token also of life when a man not hauing in himselfe this alacritie of minde acrimonie of weldoing can complaine of his lumpish earthly and dead spirits dull memorie and heauinesse of bodie as one that feareth and suspecteth these things to bee forerunners of some fainting languishing or dangerous sicknesse which is towards him And surely God his children who hath been made drunken as it were with this spirituall gladnesse are often wained from it either for their triall how highly they esteeme it or to punish them for some sinne past or else to forewarne them of some sinne to come Wherefore when any such morse of our spirits and extraordinarie deadnes doth come vpon vs let vs thus commune with our owne hearts Surely all is not well I must looke out I haue not heard the word cheerefully I cannot reioyce with his Saints I am subiect to some trouble and must preprare my heart for some crosse I must rouse vp my selfe raise vp God his spirit in me that I may recouer that life which is in Christ without the wich I am thus dull or rather dead The Prophet Dauia as wee knowe Psalm 119. finding in himselfe this vntowardnesse to good exercises the want of this delight the losse of God his countenance counteth himselfe as dead and hauing these things hee thought himselfe aliue It is a wonderfull thing to see it is a wonderfull thing I say to see how naturall a thing it is to all men to seeke a quiet minde and glad heart how vnnaturall it is to wish for sorrow of minde and griefe of heart and on the other side to behold the securitie of men in neglecting the meanes of true ioy and their vndiscreete plunging of themselues in endlesse and easelesse sorrowes in pulling vpon themselues sorrow after sorrowe and that with phantasticall delights all which kind of pleasures haue either their present paine or paine to come accompanying them and therefore worthily are they compared to the cracking thornes vnder the pot which make a sodaine blaze and are quickly out So the pleasures of fooles vanish away without any issue yea they are so farre from bringing any ioy in the houre of death that euen then most will they sting and accuse vs for dishonouring of God On the contrarie when wee feele the glorie of God to be our chiefest ioy and the peace of the Church with the feeling of our saluation to be the peace of our minds we haue that gladnes and calmenes of a good coÌ„science which God reserueth in store as a treasure and pretious iewell whose vertue is to comfort vs in time of greatest trouble whose operation is to draw ioy out of the bottomlesse pit of sorrowe when the world doth hate vs to shewe how God doth loue vs and when our minds are deiect to bring a pawne from God his spirit to our spirit to assure vs that our troubles shall haue an issue to God his glorie and our saluation This solace only cleaueth vnto vs in death and in sicknes and in time of trouble and therfore the more carefully must we vse the meanes whereby we may buy and purchase the same when wee want it let vs complaine and mislike our selues accusing our selues of some sin past or enarming our selues for some euils to come Vndoubtedly the iealozie of God his children ouer the securitie of these times maketh them to suspect that men may beare out themselues in good things for a time to serue persons time and place and that for lack of this true ioy and delight in them they will fall away and deceiue especially when men come to their libertie and are without controulement of person awe of any place or regard of any time Men for a time be hearers of the Gospell men may for orders sake pray sing receiue the sacraments but if it be without ioy will not that hypocrisie in time breake out will they not begin to be wearie nay will they not be as readie to heare any
other doctrine Good things cannot long find entertainement in our corruptions vnlesse the holy ghost hath changed vs from our old delights to conceiue pleasure in these things Where loue is there is no lack in pleasure there is no paine and when we finde the pearle of price which passeth all vnderstanding we will sell all our former delights and depart from our vaine pleasures to purchase this It is a continuall ioy that worketh a conscience to vse the meanes of any thing it is an abounding delight that auoydeth and fenceth off all wearisomnes in good things wherefore the holy Ghost saith Be yee filled with the Spirit and in another place Let the word of God dwell in you plenteously In which place we are to gather that there is in vs sometime an emptinesse of the Spirit and a scantnesse of the power of the holy ghost the spirit of God is not so mightie in operation grace is not so plentifull the word is not so powerful in vs and from hence commeth our momentarie ioy and transitorie gladnes And my tongue reioyceth That which in truth is inward will in time shewe it selfe outward as wee may see in these holy affections of the man of God The Prophet himselfe confirmeth this in another place Psalm 116. 10. I beleeued therefore did I speake which the Apostle repeateth in the person of the whole Church 2. Cor. 4. 13. because we haue the same spirit of faith according as it is written I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken We also beleeue and therefore we speake And Rom. 10. 10. it is saide With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the tongue man confesseth to saluation and sure it is that of the abundance of the ioy of the heart the mouth reioyceth as coÌ„trariwise of the abundance of the griefe of the heart although there may be for a while an inward deuouring binding and suppressing of sorrow yet it will in time breake forth and wee shall euen rore for disquietnes of minde and cannot hold long vntill we haue eased our hearts with some outward complaint For we see if a man haue a through griefe how it consumeth him vnlesse he vtter it Againe if a man hath conceiued a true ioy how he longeth how hee is rauished how hee trauaileth vntill he hath brought it forth If then in any good measure we feele the ioy of the spirit the tongue will be at commaundement to vtter it Wherefore we are to try our selues and examine our hearts whether we heare reade pray or sing with this grace in our hearts with this ioy in our spirits with this comfort of conscience let vs lament considering how singing and spirituall reioycing is decayed how great a stranger the word is with vs what little delight and alacritie we haue in holy and religious exercises and let vs accuse our selues that therefore our tongues cleaue to the rough roofe of our mouth because our hearts are lockt vp in securitie which vndoubtedly is so open to all men that there is no man but bewaileth his want of inward ioy Many indeed as hypocrites can blow and bellow outwardly who make no melodie in their hearts who sing not in grace who haue not the sweete and naturall voyce which commeth from a well affected and right ordered minde either ioyfully shewing a godly digested mirth or dolefully breathing out into the passions of an exercised minde My flesh also doth rest in hope See his godly ioy made him haue a securitie in his flesh It is our naturally infirmitie that wee haue a trembling of the flesh which hindereth in vs many good actions as may be seene in our thoughts suspecting of dangers scarefull imaginations and wandring conceits forecasting this euill and that euill to the great disturbing and disordering of the peace of our minds all the which excessiue feares were in this man of God wisely corrected though not vtterly remoued but suppressed in him by faith Whereof commeth then our carnall and immoderate feares in dangers but of want of faith This our Sauiour Christ teacheth his disciples at what time they were with him being asleepe in a tempest on the seas when they through vnbeliefe feared his diuinitie to haue slept with his humanitie where he saith vnto them O yee little faith why doe you not beleeue Heere wee see hee rebuketh their excessiue feare which thing hee also doth almost in the same manner When they carnally feared him to haue been a spirit as he walked on the seas they were not throughly perswaded that God was their portion their inheritance and watched ouer them for if they had they would haue corrected these fleshly and immoderate feaâ—â—s that they should not haue hindred their holy meditations of God his powerful prouidence nor their prayers for his gratious assistance nor any other good exercises of their mindes Thus we see how the sure perswasion of God to be his inheritance his mainteiner both in soule and body his reacher both by day and by night both by his word and his spirit made the man of God secure both in soule and body And what caused this partly that which wee spake of before partly that which followeth for thou wilt â—ot leaue my soule in the graue neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption so that the promises already tasted of and the sure expectation to haue the good worke begunne to bee finished in him made him rest in hope and hauing God his cause in hand he saw how the Lord would not onely watch ouer him for his present estate but also would guide him to immortalitie Behold how his inward assurance wrought an outward safetie wherby wee plainely see that where there is a want of this comfort and faith in the soule there is a want of peace and securitie in the body It is our vnbeliefe then that hatcheth and nourisheth wandring thoughts and filleth our braine with suspitious phantasies and fruitlesse illusions dreaming of dangers where there are none and imagining mountaines where scarsely are molehils Let vs then strengthen our faith and certifie our soules that our flesh shall stand before God which will so worke in vs that neither flesh and blood shall weigh vs downe with securitie in time of prosperitie nor ouerlode vs with desperate terrours in time of aduersitie Neither as we said must we thinke Dauid to be a senselesse Stoick as feeling no troubles but that by the power of God he was in trouble a triumphant conquerour and in all these dangers through faith more than a victorer For as God reserueth his vnspeakeable ioyes for his children in vntolerable agonies so he neuer armeth them strongly but he prepareth them a field wherethey must fight stoutly Oh that this heauenly ioy were in vs more aboundantly and of moe men more frequented then should not the small remnant that now alwayes vse it be counted and called precisians then should wee giue more liuely testimonies of our effectuall faith to
but there are three especiall plagues which the Lord is readie to powre vpon vs and three manner of waies there be whereby the Lord scareth vs which are verie plaine and manifest and almost euerie childe may perceiue He scareth vs by feare of dearâ—â— and famine whereof this vnseasonable weather these immoderate waters which wee haue had cannot but be fearefull tokens He scareth vs by tokens of a pestilence to come amongst vs which is alreadie laide vpon the necks of many of our brethren in this land not onely farre off as at Yarmouth at Norwich and diuers other places which wee know not but also in this shire at Ely wee knowe not how night it is our owne doores A third way there is whereby he scareth vs and that is more fearefull than all these and that is by the secret deuices of our enemies whom the Lord hath stirred vp euen to threaten a separating of vs from his Maiestie and from his word and the continuance of his gouernment by his word amongst vs and a captiuitie a subduing of vs to false gods and an ignorance of all the lawes and commaundements of our good God whom only to serue is perfit felicitie And this is a sore scaring the other are sore for the time but this punishment if it commeth it shall end at no time We may partly see it I would to God we could as well consider of it and euen yet at the length before we feele the rod as did the brethren of Ioseph acknowledge our sinnes before the Lord whom we haue prouoked to wrath humble our selues before him and call for mercy and euen by prayer stand in the gap and preuent the punishment prepared for vs. Now let vs herein learne one point of wisedome more which is if God sometime shall threaten vs by scaring and shall sit him downe againe a little and it falleth not out presently that wee be punished let vs not thereby get occasion to flatter and deceiue our selues as though Gods rods were then cleane ouerpast as a storme caried away with a clowd but let vs carefully consider what were the causes that moued him to threaten vs and no doubt wee shall finde that euen they were causes sufficient to prouoke him to plague vs and if we will not call them to minde and confesse them while we haue respit giuen vs they wil neuer lin yelling and crying in the cares of the iust and righteous iudge for whole vessels full of vengeance to consume vs vtterly Now as for the godly and those that feare the Lord and haue their hearts vpright before him they are as it were forewarned and fully prepared whatsoeuer plagues come they know that nothing shall come nigh them to hurt them and they can see a glimmering of the thing a great way off and the Lord telleth them before hand what he is minded to doe he told Noah before hand of the great iudgement of waters when the whole world was drowned for sinne he told Lot how hee was minded to burne and boyle vp the filth of Sodom he told Moses before how he would destroy the Aegyptians yea and the Prophet Dauid speaketh truly The Lord reuealeth his secrets to them that feare him and yet notwithstanding the deare children of God when as nothing will serue they must then needes looke for affliction And if it be so that affliction must needes come let vs yet pray to God rather to lay any plague vpon vs than the famine of his word and the subiection to the enemies of his grace yea let vs hartily confesse our sinnes before God as Dauid did at the threatning of the Lord by his Prophet and if the Lord might put vs in choise if it seemed good vnto his Maiestie whether we would flye before our enemies or whether we would wish or chose rather a dearth in the land or a pestilence let vs from our hearts beseech the Lord God that we may rather fall into the hands of the Lord than into the hands of cruell and persecuting men The summe of all is 1 Precepts to flye ill companie which is the plague of our soule Not only to mislike but also to detest from the heart a wicked custome least wee giue consent and reach ouâ— hands vnto sinne as Ioseph and Lot did 2 To beware of swearing by false gods which is idolatry 3 To beware of often swearing for feare of periury 4 How the Lord hath two meanes of humbling vs the law and affliction FINIS THE FOVRTEENTH SERMON Hebr. 13. vers 17. Obey them that haue the ouersight of you and submit your selues for they watch for your soules as they that must giue accounts that they may doe it with ioy and not with griefe for that is vnprofitable for you WHensoeuer it pleaseth the Lord God by his prouidence to call me to preach his word vnto his people as he hath at this present called me vnto you reuerend Fathers and brethren beloued in our Lord Iesus my desire is to intreate of such a parcell of his most holy word as may minister matter both to stirre vp and rouse them out of the denne of ignorance which haue not knowne Iesus Christ nor the sweetnes of his grace and also to pricke forward them which haue receiued some measure of the Spirit of God assuring them of saluation purchased by Iesus Christ to a greater studie and care for to increase this inestimable treasure The Lord of his great mercy therefore hath presented vnto me such a place for my desired purpose as I hope by the assistance of his holy Spirit shall be profitable both to you to my selfe The words are written in the thirteenth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrues and in the seuenteenth verse Obey them that haue the ouersight of you c. The spirit of God doth most plainly set foorth vnto vs in this place 1 First what duties the Ministers of God doe owe vnto his people declared in these words They watch for your soules 2 Secondly what dutie the people owe vnto them againe expressed herein Obey them that haue the ouersight of you and submit your selues 3 Thirdly the fruites that come of weldoing of these duties to both parts that is both to the Minister and to the people 4 Fourthly what danger it is not to doe them well We must first speake of the duties of Ministers But before we enter into it it is very necessarie that we consider whether it be requisite to haue a Minister or no and also to what vse and end we should haue him For if it were not needfull to haue a Pastor it were in vaine to speake of the dutie of a Minister Whereas the holy Ghost saith Obey them that haue the ouersight ouer you c. It is meant of the Pastors of the Church of the dispensers of the holy word of God For there were placed ouer the Church of God both Pastors Doctors and Elders which were certaine
graue wise men appointed to looke to the manners of the children of God and not to be alders and helpers of the Ministers of God in the furtherance of his office and whereas they saw any disorder among the children of God they were to admonish them of it which if it would not serue together with the whole congregation would vse admonitions but if they would not be obedient thereunto such was the authoritie of the Church that they might excommunicate them so rend them off from the Saints fellowship and deliuer them to the diuell that thereby they might be driuen to true repentance for their sinnes and haue their soules saued To these ouerseers doth the Apostle will them to be obedient and doth not meane generally all kinde of superiors and ciuil Magistrates as in diuers other places of the Scripture In Rom. 13. 1. 2. 3. and Titus 3. 1. also 1. Pet. 2. 13. we must take it in this place according to the Scriptures in the first Epistle to the Theslasonians and fist chapter S. Paul writeth in this sort Now we beseech you brethren that ye acknowledge them which labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you that ye haue them in singular loue for their workes sake Be at peace among your selues Here the Apostle also speaketh of them that rule ouer mens consciences by the ministerie of Gods word and not of ciuill Magistrates We see therefore that it is meant that there should be a gouernour ouer euery congregation which we call in our English tongue a Pastor Only this remaineth among vs that we haue Pastors Doctors or Teachers and Ministers How necessarie they are our Sauiour Christ testifieth in the ninth chapter of his Gospell after S. Matthew But when he saw the multitude he had compassion vpon them because they were dispersed and scattered abroad as sheepe hauing no shepheard This people by whom our Sauiour Christ spake had the Scribes and Pharisies great learned Clerkes Doctors of the Law and yet he saith that they wanted shepheards and therefore he willed his Disciples to pray to the Lord of the haruest that hee would send foorth labourers into his haruest Whereby he noteth that those only be true Pastors which be labourers He likeneth true Ministers to faithfull shepheards and the people of God to a flocke of sheep taking the occasion of this similie according to that countrey where were many mountaines deserts and wildernesses so that their sheepe without a shepheard were scattered abroad very dangerously in that so many wolues and sauage beasts laid waite in euery corner to deuour the sillie sheepe In like case are they that haue not a Pastor that laboureth faithfully in preaching the word of God which is the instrument which God hath appointed to pull his people into the sheepfold of Iesus Christ where they are without daunger of destruction when as all they that are without a Pastor are wandring abroad to their owne destruction such horrible disorder is there where Gods word is not truly preached In another place he saith O Ierusalem Ierusalem how often would I haue gathered thy children together as the henne gathereth her chickens vnder her wings and ye would not This people dwelt all together they were not scattered here one there another but abode whole in that goodly citie of Ierusalem yet because they were not in the vnitie of the spirit of the household of God they were scattered abroad in most miserable disorder For the Church of Iesus Christ is not in one place onely but dispersed and scattered in diuers places throughout the whole world and yet are they all of one household all of one sheepfold and are vnited together in one spirit and though we be here yet are we of the same number and flocke with them in Germany so long as we are of the true faith of Iesus Christ for their faith and ours is all one their spirit and our spirit all one according to the words of the Apostle There is one bodie and one spirit euen as ye are called in one hope of your vocation There is one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and father of all which is aboue all and through all and in you all We must therefore take this as the Scripture teacheth that the ministerie of his word is the necessariest thing in the world which cannot be done without faithfull Pastors and distributers of the same For when the Lord will beget your soules which he doth not by mortall seede but by the immortall seede of his word he will appoynt you a spirituall father also He neuer establisheth any kingdome but he appointeth a King and when he hath any scholler he prouideth him a schoolemaster to instruct and teach him his most holy will For this is most certaine where a Common-weale is without gouernment the case is very miserable one man shall not liue by another Againe if there be such gouernours as vse tyrannie oppression and seeke to enrich themselues gathering and scraping all into their hands what miserable slauerie shall the poore people be brought into So it is in the church of God if such be placed ouer it as be blind vnable to feede the flock such as seeke their owne pleasure to fill their bellies to cloathe their backes to enrich their coffers and to liue as they list the people of God shall be in miserable case as blinde men groping out of the way and be deuoured of their aduersarie the diuell who as a roring lion walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure because they know not how to resist him by a stedfast faith and so be led away captiue vnto hell This commeth of not hauing a Pastor or hauing such a one as regardeth not the soules of his people For the end why the Lord placeth faithfull and labouring pastors of his Church is that they may teach his children out of his word the way to heauen sincerely and purely and such gouernours must wee obey and bee ruled by them according to the word of God Neither must we say in heart Who shall ascend into heauen that is to bring Christ from aboue or who shall descend into the deepe that is to bring Christ againe from the dead but the word of God is neere thee euen in thy mouth and in thine heart We must therefore obey the true Ministers and faithfull laborers in the Lords Vineyard and learne by that holsome doctrine which they bring vnto vs how to attaine vnto saluation for there is no other meanes in the world to come vnto Christ than by the preaching of the word according to that saying of S. Paul faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God and as hee speaketh a little before how shall they heare without a Preacher We may therefore draw a very strong argument to proue that faithfull Ministers are appointed of God to this ende only to
by their doings the Lord hath pronouÌ„ced by the mouth of his Prophet Malachy that he will bring a curse vpon them and will curse their blessings he will corrupt their seede and cast dung in their faces Thus will the Lord deale with such vnfaithful seruants that nothing shall prosper but euen their very seede shall be corrupt and he shall be called to a straight account and he shall beare the burden not only of his owne sinnes but of all the sinnes of the people and euery soule that hath perished thorough his negligence shall be laid to his charge and so shall he become a notable Diuell in hell there to be tormented with euerlasting and vntolerable paine Finally if the people doe not their dutie vnto the Minister they shall make him full of griefe and sorrow maruellously troubled in spirit nothing ioyfull in his calling but alwaies mourning and moreouer the Lord will harden the peoples heart that the word shall not be profitable vnto them but euen as S. Paul testifieth a â—auor of death vnto death and in the end they shall be rewarded in hell fire which shall neuer be quenched nor the worme shall neuer die but there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Thus haue we learned first how necessary a thing it is to haue Ministers in the Church of God because without them the people should be as sheepe without a shepheard ready to be deuoured of their aduersary the diuell secondly that the Lord hath appointed them to this vse by them to call together the number of them that shall be saued by the preaching of the word wherewith he hath giuen them power to open heauen to all beleeuers and to giue as good assurance of their saluation by the word as if Iesus Christ himselfe were present to certifie the same and on the contrary to shut out all the vnpenitent from the kingdome of heauen and to binde them ouer to euerlasting woe which they shall be so sure of as they see the light that shineth in the day And therfore it behoueth all such as desire to be saued to learne the way to saluation of them and to harken vnto them for because the Lord hath appointed no other meanes in the world for to attaine to the knowledge thereof and hath said plainely that whosoeuer will not beleeue the truth at their hands shall not beleeue though one should come from heauen to tell them who shall be saued and another from hell to tell them who are damned We haue also heard that when the Lord determineth to beget soules he appointeth spirituall fathers fit and able for that purpose by reason that he giueth them gifts for the accomplishing of that busines and herewithall we haue learned what is the duty of these spirituall fathers or Ministers which we finde to consist in foure principall points 1. He must reade and study the word of God diligently that he may be able to teach and instruct his people 2. When he hath studied he must come forth and deliuer wholesome doctrine that their soules may be refreshed for therefore must he study to haue knowledge for them and sing to himselfe and his muses not filling himselfe so full of knowledge till he become as a tunne that will giue no sound but he must keepe knowledge not only in his heart but also in his lips for the Minister must be the mouth of the Lord from whence Gods people must know the will and counsell of God also he must obserue the true order of teaching that is to build vpon the true foundation Iesus Christ for he that buildeth vpon any other foundation is an Antichrist and not the Minister of God but the messenger of Sathan Moreouer he must by all meanes pricke forward the godly to increase in godlines beate downe the obstinate and hardharted with the terrible iudgements of God and after to raise vp thâ— penitent with the sweete promises of the Gospell the which he must doe not onely openly in the pulpit among the congregation but priuately also in euery house because that generall doctrine doth not driue the people to such a consideration of their estate as when they are particularly admonished of their sinnes exhorted to repeÌ„t for them Thus must the Minister labour to make his doctrine profitable and that continually supposing it not sufficient to be done now and then but he must do it in season and out of season omitting no opportunitie wherein the Lord may call home some into the Church of Christ and that God may the rather vouchsafe to blesse his ministry he must pray continually for himselfe and his people both openly and priuately be very circumspect in administring the Sacraments 3. He must liue a godly life aad set himselfe as example for his flocke to follow and so much the rather ought he to looke more neerely to all his waies because the aduersaries if any thing be otherwise than well with the Ministers will straightway with open mouth blaspheme the Gospell which is most pure and vnreproueable whereas if they haue nothing whereof to accuse the Minister neither can they blame the word which they onely heaue at to ouerthrow it if it were possible taking occasion by the Minister to blame the word For an other cause also must he liue vnreproueable and that is because hee must watch ouer the soules of other which charge he cannot performe except he be able to watch ouer his own Thirdly in this respect that his election may be surely known vnto himselfe least in preaching of the election vnto other he be a reprobate himselfe So that when he threatneth the iudgements of God against other hee shall condemne himselfe and when he raiseth vp the penitent with the promises he himselfe shall fall into the hole of his owne condemnation and no man shall be able to comfort him 4. Last of all he must â—â—â—â—e his flocke so deerely that he must giue his life for them But because it were contrarie to the wordes of our Sauiour Christ to say he might not flye at any time and on the other side if wee say he may flye wee should put no difference betweene the true Ministers and the hirelings wee haue heard that the Lord will teach his faithfull Ministers by his holy spirit when it is good to flye and when not Thus much haue we learned concerning the dutie of Ministers In the second part we haue heard the dutie of the people towards their Ministers which we haue learned to consist first in obedience because it were altogether in vaine and an vnprofitable labour for the Minister to teach the people if they should not bee obedient vnto his doctrine and also because it is impossible for any to bee saued that will not bee obedient vnto the word of God besides which the Lord hath appointed no meanes for man to attaine vnto the knowledge of saluation and therefore hath he giuen it vnto his
Birth in Paradise her education in Canaan her foode Mannah her habite righteousnes her Armes the Lambe her children Saintes her kinred Angels her habitation vpon Earth is the Church militant and in Heauen the Church triumphant This poore Ladie hath euer yet liued by milke which being drawne out of the two dugs of the Olde and Newe Testament is called the syncere milke of the word of God after which all her true children doe thirst as after that foode which must nourish their soules This Worde it was decreed by God the Father preached by God the Sonne inspired by God the holie Ghost and by Angels Prophets Apostles and Euangelists successiuely made knowne to the children of the Church The Church of the Iewes knew it onely for a time there he thewed his wayes vnto Iaakob his statutes and ordinances vnto Israel The Church of the Gentiles shall know it for euer he dealeth now graciously with euery Nation and the Heathen haue knowledge of his Lawes True it is indeede the Iewes haue the Bible but by reason of that curtaine drawne before their eyes they cannot see him who is the ende of the Bible there is a great diference betweene them and vs. They as Hierome saith haue the bookes wee the worde of those bookes they the Prophets wee the vnderstanding of the Prophets they are killed by the Letter we are quickened by the Spirite They haue Barrabas the murtherer deliuered to vs is deliuered CHRIST the Sonne of God Iudas solde him the Iewe bought him the true Christian is the possessor of him whom he findeth in this Word feeleth in the Sacraments and feedeth on in his heart by a liuely Faith The antiquitie necessitie dignitie and commoditie of Helie writte if it were truely thought of as it should would breede a greater loue to the reading of it desire to the knowledge of it and care to the practising of it then is now a dayes in the most of the worlde For Antiquitie it is in part as ancient as the first Adam and in whole as olde as the second in whome all the Promises contained in this booke are Yea and Amen For necessitie as needfull as the true knowledge of God whome to knowe is eternall life For dignitie so greas that it alone must be called the Law of God yea that law then which no man can shewe a better to serue God by or by which hee may better knowe his dutie to man Compare wee this our Christian lawe with those of Lycurgus Draco Solon Zaleucus Numa Pompilius Romane twelue tables themselues which Cicero preferreth aboue all the bookes of Philosophers and the difference will bee as great as the light of the Sunne to a candle the Cedar to the shrub and the little Ant to the great Elephant â—â—â—â—â— Augustine considering but one sentence of this booke writeth thus What disputations what writings of Philosophers what lawes of any Cities are to bee compared to these two Precepts vpon which as CHRIST saith depend the Law and the Prophets Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength and thy Neighbour as thy selfe Heere are Physiques here are Ethiques here is Logique here is the laâ—daâ—lâ— gouernement of the Common-wealth c. Againe would we knowe the commoditie of the Word of God Psalme 19. 7 c. Dauid saith the Law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule the Testimonie of the Lord is sure and giueth wisedome to the simple the Precept of the Lord is pure and enlighteneth the eyes The feare of the Lord is cleane and endureth for euer the iudgements of the Lorde are true and righteous altogether They are more to bee desired then golde yea then much fine golde Sweeter are they then the honie the honie combe By them also is thy seruant made circumspect in keeping of them is great reward 2. Tim. 3 Paul saith the Scriptures make wise to saluation are profitable to teach to reproue to correct instruct and to make the man of God that is Gods minister who only in the Scripture is termed a man of God perfect to euery good work And surely if men now a dayes could lay aside curiosity in searching after things not meet affection in louing and hating men too much ambition in seeking their owne glorie selfe-loue in liking their owne opinions best pertinacie in maintaining preconceited errors and in a worde preiudicate opinions of some mens gifts and a popular following of most mens conceipts and that bitter calumniation which is vsed one against another if men I say could lay aside these and onely hearken what God doth say in his Worde there would bee an ende of many Controuersies which till then will neuer be without controuersie The Prophet that hath a dreame will tell a dreame he that hath Gods word will speake Gods word Ierem. 23. If once wee reiect the word of the Lorde what wisedome is in vs Iâ—â—â— 8. 9. I had rather heare what God saith by his Prophets and Apostles then what all the Fathers and Schoolemen and Doctors and Casuists in the world can say though also I will be content to hearken vnto them when they also should hearken vnto the Lord. It is well obserued by Erasmus in his prefuce before Ireneus that that holy father did onely with the weapons of the Scriptures encounter with the whole troupe of heretickes The sung of Dauid against Goliah the sword of Goliah against the Philistines are not comparable to these weapons The word of the Lord it is the sword of the spirit wee must fight with it the light of the soule see by it the guide of our life walke by it the fire of the Sanctuary be warmed by it the water of life be purged by it the food of heauen be nourished by it the interpreter of Gods will we must know him by it the meanes of consolation be comforted by it and that mallet to knocke out the braines of Antichrist we must euer haue it in our hands If euer the Perditionâ—â—e â—â—e ouercome it must be by this meanes To the reading of this word the Fathers especially Chrysostome in many places exhorteth the people and Erasmus in his preface to the new Testament protesting his dissent from such as would not haue priuate persons to reade the Bible saith that the Sunne in the firmament is not so commoÌ„ as the Doctrine of Christ. No man euer hated this light but either he that wanted yes to behold it or feared the light to discouer his workes of darkenes O then let vs reade this and to reading adde meditation to meditation prayer to prayer humilitie to humilitie an ayming at Gods glorie and our good and to all a desire to turne Gods word into good workes This euery word of God is pure and is to be preferred before the golde of Ophir And to the ende wee might all delight in it there is set downe in the Bible all such
their best workes yet seeing they haue pure hearts they are happie and blessed and shall finde the good effects of their blessednesse True holinesse and true happines are neuer separated As for perfection God lookes not for it at our hands If sinne hang on vs but we would faine cast it off if we finde vnbeliefe but would most gladly get faith if we be troubled in our hearts with hardnes but are desirous of softnesse if we be humbled for that we cannot be humbled sufficiently nor get such a large heart as we would desire and expect grace from heauen let vs not be discomforted for our defects and frailties for the Lord will spare vs and be gracious vnto vs in his beloued sonne according to that worthy prayer of good King Hezekiah The good Lord be mercifull toward him that prepareth his whole heart to seeke the Lord God of his Fathers though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary Though many haue beene braullers heretofore let them labour to be peaceable though they haue beene worldly let them striue to be heauenly though they haue beene filthy let them endeuour to get chastity though they haue beene ignorant and prophane let them study to obtaine knowledge and holinesse and then they may come to the Lords table and welcome the Lord will haue respect vnto them and grant them pardon for their sinnes and supply all their wants and giue them more grace to doe their dutie in the remainder of their life and in the daies of their pilgrimage that are yet behinde ¶ Vers. 3. Surely they worke none iniquitie which walke in his waies That is they make not a trade and common practise thereof Slip they doe through the infirmitie of the flesh and subtilty of Sathan and the allurements of the world but they doe not ordinarily and customably goe forward in vnlawfull and sinfull courses In that the Psalmist setteth downe this as a part and not the least part neither of blessednesse That they worke none iniquitie which walke in his waies the doctrine to be learned hence is this that it is a maruellous great prerogatiue to be freed from the bondage of sin If there were no other reward but this yet it were a happy thing to be religious euen in this respect that we shall be set at liberty from such a seruice This point is euident from the Apostles words where he speaketh thus God be thanked that yee haue beene the seruants of sinne but ye haue obeyed from the heart vnto the forme of doctrine whereunto ye were deliuered Wherby we see that this was not the least priuiledge that they had being Gods seruaÌ„ts but indeed a matter for which he was greatly to be magnified that whereas they had beene the slaues of sinne and as base drudges at the command of euery vile and wretched lust by the vertue of the word powerfully preached vnto them faithfully receiued by them they had beene deliuered from that bondage and made the seruants of God in righteousnesse and holinesse of life and conuersation And therefore in that same Chapter verse 14. it is promised vnto Gods children as a speciall fauour That sinne shall not haue dominion ouer them It may sometimes tyrannously vsurpe authoritie in them but the strength of grace and the operation of the holy spirit of God will still diminish and at last abolish the force and violence thereof so that it shall neuer beare such sway ouer them as in the time of their vnregeneracie it did The truth of this doctrine will yet more clearely shine forth if we consider what the maister the seruice and the reward of sinfull persons are As for their maister it is Sathan For he is the God of this world and the Prince that ruleth in the children of disobedience of whom all vnbeleeuers are held in captiuitie and still imployed according to his will and pleasure Now he is a more cruell and sauage tyrant then euer Pharaoh was though he were very fierce against the Israelites exercised great tyranny ouer them yet Sathan putteth his vassals to carry heauier burdens and to toyle out themselues in baser workes then euer the taskmasters of Aegipt imposed on the poore Israelites For all impenitent sinners are in thraldome to euery brutish lust they must defile their bodies and corrupt their soules and consciences and pollute all their workes and waies when and in what maner soeuer the Diuell will haue them they must conuerse with euery lewd and sinfull companion they must runne vp and downe like drudges to follow euery vaine and base delight to pursue euery meane and trifling commodity and to hunt after euery promotion and dignity that offers it selfe vnto their view They cannot liue peaceably in the day nor rest quietly in the night as we may see in gamesters who breake their sleepe â—â— spend their time and strength depriue themselues of a comfortable estate and bring many miseries vpon themselues and their families by the ouer eager pursuite of their vngodly and vnthrifty courses It is a wofull and lamentable case that frantick persons are in that must haue euery one in the family to attend vpon them and to haue an eye vnto them least they should hang themselues or drowne themselues or get a knife to cut their throates or some way or other worke theÌ„selues mischiefe but farre worse is their case that are possest with a spirituall frenzie and led by the suggestions of Sathan who are euermore labouring to worke out their owne ouerthrow and to bring vpon themselues destruction of body and soule which is the reward that Sathan giueth them for al their paines that they haue taken in seruing him and in fulfilling the lusts of their owne wicked flesh according to the saying of the Apostle the wages of sin is death that is euerlasting death which is an vtter separation from Gods blessed presence from all maner of comforts whatsoeuer to endure vnspeakable and endles torments in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Another reason why it is a great priuiledge to be exempted from the dominion of sin is because it is a testimony that we are the sonnes of God as it is said by the Apostle Iohn He that committeth sinne is of the Diuell and whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not And why because the efficacy of the word and spirit doe restraine him there from A third reason is because that is it whereby we are made conformable vnto Christ Iesus when we are freed from the slauery of sinne we are still translated from glory to glory and haue the Image of God renued in vs daily more and more purging our selues euen as Christ is pure 1. Iohn 3. 3. This serueth for our instruction that seeing it is such a preheminence not to be a worker of iniquity therefore we should hereby fence and arme
our selues against all enticements whereby we might be allured to sinne either in hart or in behauiour when pleasure smileth vpon vs or filthy lucre setteth on our hearts or preferment calleth for vs c. Let this be as a buckler whereby to repell all the fiery darts of the Diuell It is a blessed thing to worke none iniquitie and what should it profit a man to winne the whole world and to loose his owne soule Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne and the preferments of Egipt for a season It was a foolish mad part of the Israelites to desire to returne into Egypt the house of their bondage that they might eate of their flesh-pots and of the leekes onions that in time past they had there enioyed but much more void of sense reason are they that wheÌ„ they haue bin once deliuered froÌ„ that spirituall seruitude wil cast theÌ„selues into thraldome againe when they haue bene puld out of the snares of the diuel wherein they were held at his pleasure will returne againe to folly intangle theÌ„selues the second time Wherefore let this put strength into vs in all conflicts that we may stand resolutely as against other assaults so against that of the example of great mighty men who vsually take their liberty in all voluptuous and licentious kinds of liuing This consideration I say should arme vs against it The Lord hath pronounced them blessed that worke none iniquitie and if I â—ee of the number of them I shall be more happy in renouncing sinne then the greatest Potentate on the earth is or can bee in committing of sinne And therefore let vs deale as Eliphaz did in the booke of Iob I haue seene the foolish well rooted saith hee and suddenly I cursed his habitation not by way of imprecation but of denunciation of Gods iudgements due vnto them for their euill workes shewing that they tooke such courses as did make them and theirs accursed and bring the vengeance of God vpon them the meditation whereof was a strong bulwarke to fence him against all temptations vnto the like sinfull and vile practises 2. This maketh for the terror of all such as doe drinke in sinne with greedinesse and giue allowance to themselues in blaspheming in Sabbath-breaking in wantonnesse in lying and slandering and scoffing and such other foule vices If they be blessed that do not worke iniquitie then cursed are they that make a common practise thereof But I hope will some say a mans heart may bee good though hee ouer-shoote himselfe by rapping out an oath now and then and by speaking foolishly and lightly c. you must not iudge say they God knoweth our hearts Hee doth so indeede and he hath made knowne vnto vs by his word that an ill tongue and an ill life doe alwayes argue an ill heart for out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and a good tree cannot bring forth such rotten fruite nor a pure Fountaine send foorth such muddie and filthy streames as doe euermore issue foorth at their prophane mouthes and are deriued from their impure consciences vnto all or to the most part of their actions Vers. 4 Thou hast commaunded to keepe thy precepts diligently THe doctrine that these wordes affoord is this that nothing is superfluous that is done in obedience to Gods holie will The word translated Diligently doth signifie in the originall tongue wonderfull much so that the wordes goe thus Thou hast commaunded to keepe thy precepts wonderfull much And this the Apostle vrgeth the Corinthians vnto Hauing such promises beloued let vs purge our selues from all fithinesse of the flesh and of the spirit that is from all manner of corruption as wel inward as outward And that was the â—rift of Christ Iesus in giuing the true interpretation of th law which the Pharisees had corrupted by their false Expositions I say this was the drift to draw men from resting on the outward obseruation thereof and to bring them to haue regard vnto their thoughts and to the affections of their hearts and moreouer in their practise to doe those things which heathen men and hypocrites could not attaine vnto and therefore he often vrgeth this sentence to shew the slâ—ndernesse and insufficiencie of their obedience What singular thing doe yee Implying that Christians must in many things bee singular and differ from and goe beyond the common sort of men If one could doe as much good as an hundred yet he could not doe the hundreth part of that which a Christian ought to performe Let him say still for it is a truth I am an vnprofitable seruant I haue done no more then my dutie nor so much as my dutie As Christ came to fulfill all that his Fathers law required so it behoueth vs to obserue euery thing that wee are commanded though not in perfection which wee cannot attaine vnto yet in vprightnesse and with our best indeuours When the Israelites told Moses that if he would goe neare and heare what the Lord saide and declare it vnto them they would heare and doe all that the Lord should say the Lord himselfe testified the equitie of their words that they had well spoken all that they spake wished that there were such an hart in them to feare him and to keepe all his commandements alway that it might goe well with them and with their children after them Whereby we are informed what is acceptable vnto God and profitable for our selues namely entire obedience for our comfortable welfare and constant obedience for our continuall happines and to the same purpose tendeth that serious instigation of Paul to the Corinthians Therefore my beloued brethren be ye stedfast vnmoueable abundant alwayes in the worke of the Lorde for as much as yee knowe that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. 1 First no vaine thing is commaunded but euery precept that he giueth is holy and euery dutie prescribed to vs is needfull to be performed he requireth nothing but that which is good and iust and who can charge vs to doe more than enough whiles we deale onely in that which is iust and good 2 Secondly the Lord desireth to be serued with all due care and faithfulnesse Can any man say I am before hand with him and I haue done more for his sake than he hath for mine doe we not receiue from him breath and being and life and liuing and preseruation and saluation it selfe and all things else 3 Thirdly our labour is not lost nor trauell mis-spent in yeelding obedience to him for he will reward it at the full and aboue all desert No man worketh for him without wages not a godly action not a godly word not a godly purpose not a godly motion of heart shall passe without pay and compensation 4 Fourthly euery default and omission of well doing at euery
and for the tribes of thine inheritance 4. Fourthly God graunts his seruants the holy meanes of saluatioÌ„ namely preaching prayer Sacraments holds backe the efficacie of his spirit for a time In this case they are like the corne field that is plowed and sowed with good corne but yet for a time it neuer giues rooting beneath nor so much as a shew of any blade appeares aboue Thus the spouse of Christ when she comes into his wine-seller she fals into a swowne so as she must be staied with flaggons and comforted with apples because she is sicke of loue 5. Fiftly God giueth his children a strong affection to obey his will but he lets them faile in the act of obedience it selfe like as a prisoner who hath escaped the hand of his Iayler hath an affectioÌ„ to run a thousand miles euery houre but hauing happily his bolts on his legges hee cannot for his life but goe very softly gauling and chafing his flesh and with much griefe falling againe into the hands of his keeper This is it that Paul complaineth of when he saith I delight in the lawe of God concerning the inner man but I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind leading me captine to the law of sin which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death This second manner of Gods forsaking of his Elect is when hee hides his graces for a time not by taking them quite away but by couering them by remouing all sense and feeling of them And in this case they are like the trees in the winter season that are beaten with winde weather bearing neither leaf nor fruite but looke as though they were rotten dead because the sappe doth not spread itselfe but lies bid in the roote Dauid often was in this case as namely when he saith Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer Ana will hee shewe no more fauour is his mercie cleane gone for euer Doth his promise faile for euermore Hath God forgotten to be mercifull hath hee shut vp his â—ender mercies in displeasure Selah This comes to passe because the Lord very often in and by one contrarie workes another Clay spittle tempered together in reason should put out a mans eyes but Christ vsed it as a meanes to giue sight to the blind Water in reason should put out fire but Elias when he would shew that IEHOVA was the true God powres water on his sacrifice and fills a trench therewith to make the sacrifice burne The like appeareth in the worke of grace to saluation A man that hath liued in securitie by Gods goodnes hath his eyes opened to see his sinnes his heart touched to feele the huge loath some burden of them and therefore to be waile his wretched estate with bitternes of heart Hereupon hee presently thinks that God will make him a firebrand of hell whereas indeede the Lorde is now about to worke and frame in his heart sanctification and sound repentance neuer to bee repented of The man which hath had some good perswasion of Gods fauour in Christ comes afterward vpon manie occasions to bee troubled to be ouerwhelmed with distrustfullnes grieuous doubtings of his saluation so as he iudgeth himselfe to haue been but an hypocrite in former times for the time present a castaway But indeed hereby the Lord exerciseth fashioneth and increaseth his weake faith In one word marke this point that the graces of God peculiar to the elect are begunne increased and made manifest in or by their contraries A man in this Desertion can discerne no difference betweene himselfe and a cast-away and the rather if with this Desertion be ioyned a feeling of Gods anger for then ariseth the bitterest temptation that euer befell the poore soule of a Christian man and that is a wrastling and strugling in spirit and conscience not with the motions of a rebelling flesh nor the accusation of the Diuell which are oftentimes very irkesome and terrible but against the wrath of a reuenging God This hiddden and spirituall temptation more tormenteth the spirit of man then all the rackes or gibbets in the world can do And it hath his fits after the maÌ„ner of an ague in which euen Gods own seruants ouercarried with sorrow may blaspheme God and cry out that they are damned Iob was in this estate as hee testifieth Oh that my griefe were weyed saith he and my miseries were layd together in the ballaâ—ce for it would be heauier then the sand of the sea therefore my words are swallowed vp for the arrowes of the Almighty are in me the venome thereof doth drinke vp my spirit the terrours of God fight against me And further he complains that the Lord is his enemy that he sets him as a But to â—â—â—â—â—e at This was Dauids temptation when hee said O Lord rebuke mee not in thine anger neither chostise mee in thy wrath haue mercie vpon me O Lord for I am weake O Lord heale me for my bones are vexed my soule is also sore troubled but Lord how long wilt thou delay Returne O Lord deliuer my soule saue me for thy mercies sake Hence it followes that when any that hath bene a professor of the Gospell shall despaire at his ende that men are to leaue secret iudgements to God and charitably to iudge the best of them For example one Maister Chambers at Leycester of late in his sicknesse grieuously despaired and cried out that he was damned and after dyed yet it is not for any to note him with the black marke of a reprobate One thing which he spake in his extremitie O that I had but one drop of faith must moue all men to conceiue well of him For by this it seemeth hee had an heart which desired to repent and belieue and therefore a repentant beleeuing heart indeed For GOD at all times but especially in temptation of his great mercy accepts the will for the deede Neither is it to be regarded that hee said he was damned for men in such cases speake not as they are but as they feele theÌ„selues to be Yea to go further when a professor of the gospell shall make away himselfe though it be a fearefull case yet still the same opinion must be carried First Gods iudgements are very secret 2. They may repent in the very agonie for any thing we know 3 None is able to comprehend the bottomles depth of the graces mercies which are in Christ Iesus Thus much of the manner which God vseth in forsaking his Elect Now followe the kinds of desertion which are two desertion in punishment desertion in sinne Desertion in punishment is when God deferreth either to mitigate or to remooue the crosse and chastisement which he hath laide vpon his children This befell Christ on the crosse My God saith he my God why hast
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
your conscience to make the vse of them profitable to yourselfe in the particular practise thereof Vers. 16. I will delight in thy statutes and I will not forget thy word THus doing all these things carefully you shall surely neuer forget that which you learne for though you doe not remember euery thing yet God wil by his spirit cal so much especially into your remēbrance as is needful for you to know thē especīally when you haue most neede of it as in the houre of death and in the day of temptation but as you faile in all or in any of these so may you feare to faile in the truth of them Nicolas Bownde D. of diuinitie Preacher of Gods word at Norton in Suffolke PORTION 3. GIMEL Vers. 17. Be beneficiall vnto thy seruant that I may liue and keepe thy word THe Prophet desireth life where he teacheth why mē should desire to liue that is that they might keepe Gods word for life is common to them with beasts and plants and yet all desire to liue some for one ende some for another but Gods child maketh this the end that hee might keepe Gods word And in that he ioyneth these together hee signifieth that his life without it is no life as in the 4. part vers 11. where he counteth himselfe dead vnlesse he finde a readines to obey Gods will A widow liuing in pleasure is dead whilest she liueth and this is to be vnderstood of all that liue in any sinne And this if all they considered which are not ioyned to Christ it would amaze them for though this appeare not now yet at the last day it shall appeare This cannot be perswaded to the carnall man but to vs that haue the knowledge of God it ought to be certaine and we must trie our hearts whether this be our desire to liue that we may keepe Gods word Many men doe speake this and sing this yet fewe in heart doe this therefore if we be thus minded wee must shewe it by referring all our doings to Gods glory which we shall then do when we measure all our doings by the word Therefore Paul Rom. 4. and Phil 2. desireth not life but that he may be ioyned to Christ. All other religion is of no effect till this principall end be in our hearts for no man can haue two ends of his life as to come to preferment and to be saued but this must be onely the end that we might be ioyned to Christ. He desireth not to know but to keepe which presupposeth knowledge wee are here then prouoked to practise and not to rest in knowledge but to labour to doe that we know And this is the cause why they of the olde Testament desired longer life that they might finish that onely which they had to doe at such time as they felt some signes of Gods displeasure and had not sufficiently tasted of Gods fauour so we if we cannot finde assurance of the forgiuenes of sinnes then let vs desire to liue but when we are come to this that with Paul we can say I haue finished my course with ioy then will the children of God be readie to dye Many there be that haue neither care of life nor death and although they feele and see signes of Gods displeasure yet they are not moued but the children of God knowe that it is better to be a liuing dogge than a dead lyon And seeing by their euill life they haue dishonoured God they would be ioyfull to purchase some praise to him by their holy conuersation He knoweth his great vnhabilitie to doe good and therefore desireth it of God It is not in our choyse to doe good or cuill for then this prayer had been in vaine hee knew that this was not in him to keepe Gods word and therefore in the next verse he desireth that his eyes might be opened wher he acknowledgeth that he had not so much as the knowledge of Gods word in himselfe therefore he was far from yeelding such obedience therevnto as the Lord requireth He desireth now to vnderstand which goeth before practise and is lesser than it and yet it is the meanes to come to practise And if we cannot vnderstand it without special grace then much lesse can we practise it Many of vs in iudgement doe hate Papists yet in practise we are such seeing wee doe many things without prayer and the knowledge of Gods word Knowledge goeth before practise and therefore many in vaine doe say that they keepe the word when they labour not to know it Vers. 18. Open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law IN the former verse hee shewed that hee could not keepe the word without Gods grace now he sheweth that he cannot know it vnlesse the Lord open our eyes this is the want that is in all men but flesh and blood shall not reueale this and Paul saith that it was hid from the Princes of the world which must serue to humble all flesh and to stirre vs vp to pray to the Lord when we come to reade it otherwise wee shall reade and not vnderstand it because wonderfull things are contained therein therefore when wee see the wonderfulnes of this law this is one degree of profiting because the ignorant thinke they haue knowledge enough Dauid well instructed in the word yet made this prayer to teach vs that wee must goe daily forward for we know but by degrees and ignorance is mixed therewith therefore many continuing long fall in the end away which may teach vs to pray that he would not leade vs into this temptation that we should thinke we haue knowledge enough This is the cause why many fal into errors because that they resting in that which they haue conceiued in their owne braine and haue heard or learned of others in the meane while neuer looking to bee taught by Gods spirit when they see their teachers fall away then doe they fall away also because their ground is gone So many therefore as loue to abide stedfast in the truth and neuer to be remoued there from let them neuer rest neither in that they conceiue of themselues neither in the wordes and doctrine of men but let them alwaies by prayer craue that the Lord by his spirit may instruct them this if they doe the Lord will not turne them away emptie but will so season their hearts by his spirit that though a thousand fall away on the one side and ten thousand on the other yet shall they continue stedfast to the end The cause why we haue so great need to pray is set downe when hee calleth the things contained in the word wonders And surely if iniquitie be a mysterie as the Apostle calleth it then much more is the law of God Yet so it is not vnto al for the Prophet in this Psalme saith that the very entrance into Gods word giueth light to the simple And Psal. 88. when hee had called the
word parables hee saith that fathers must teach them to their children and we know that the things which fathers must teach to their children ought to be verie easie and plaine The word then is said to be ful of mysteries or parables to all those whose eyes the Lord hath not inlightned and whose hearts he hath not touched by his spirite But as for them who are beloued of God whom the Lord bestoweth his spirit vpon for their direction those haue an easie entrance into his word and they do behold the mysteries of the law Therfore saith Christ vnto his Apostles To you it is giuen to know these things but to the other are all things spoken in parables Then it is for good cause that the Prophet desireth to behold these mysteries yet hee restraineth his desire and desireth to know no other mysteries than are contained in the word Many would gladly desire mysteries and many flie to reuelations yet they will not bee kept within the bounds of Gods word but wil needes follow the speculations of their own fantasies of this sort is the Family of loue But we must desire with this man of God to behold mysteries and keepe our selues within the compasse of the word euer crauing for the good spirit of God to enlighten our hearts in the true vnderstanding thereof that we neuer bee like the carnall Protestant which resteth in the outward word neuer crauing for Gods spirit to helpe their vnderstanding therein neither yet like the phantasticall Familie of loue which followeth reuelation and illumination without the word Vers. 19. I am a stranger vpon earth hide not thy commandements from me I Am a stranger vpon earth He setteth downe another reason why he would be instructed in the law of the Lord because he is but here a stranger that is that he had not here any long abiding place but continued here for a while And this doe all the men of God professe Heb. 11. vers 14. that they looked for another citie and therefore God was not ashamed to be called their God so in another place Dauid saith I am a stranger as all my fathers were If this were the affliction of Gods childreÌ„ in times past it must be in vs now if we with them will be partakers of the same promises in the kingdome of heauen We see then where we must make the beginning of all godlines and good religion euen in denying this world and acknowledging our selues to bee but pilgrimes in the same When a sonne is sent beyond the seas to learn the tongues c. and hath his time appointed him how long hee hath to tarrie the consideration of that time if he be any thing toward will moue him to take paines that when he returneth home hee may please his father So let vs then often set our times before vs let vs in time learne knowledge and apply our hearts speedily thereto Againe if we be strangers we haue fewe friends and many enemies and therefore it standeth vs in hand to bee carefull of the lawe of God which may teach vs that good path in which if wee walke we shall well please God and so be guarded and defended against our enemies We haue our own corruption to striue with the vanities of the world the euill examples of wicked men to prouoke vs to doe the like their malitious practises against vs and the great enemie of mankinde the diuell and with principalities and powers in heauenly things If wee doe well and wisely consider of these enemies wee shall soone see what neede we haue to be instructed in the law of God that wee may bee able to resist them Hide not thy Commandements from me The Prophet beholding these enemies craueth of the Lord that he would not hide his commandements from him This hiding doth the Prophet oppose to that inlightning which hee spake of before as our Sauiour Christ doth when he saith I thanke thee O Father that thou hast hid these things from the wise and reuealed them vnto babes where is signified that vnlesse the Lord doe reueale his law vnto vs he is said to hide it for it is hidden from vs and we cannot attaine vnto the knowledge of it vnlesse he make it knowne vnto vs. Vers. 20. Mine heart breaketh for the desire to thy iudgements alway THe Prophet sheweth the vehemencie of his desire when he saith that his soule fainteth for the desire thereof So in another place he saith that his heart panâ—â—t and that his soule cleaueth to the dust many such complaints the man of God maketh wheÌ„ he seeth the Lord withdrawing his spirit from him that he cannot so clearely see into Gods word as contrariwise he sheweth his ioy that in heart hee conceiueth when the Lord by his spirit doth open his sight that he can feele some comfort thereby when he saith How sweete are thy precepts vnto my mouth Oh how loue I thy Law c. Many men being not acquainted with this practise of the Prophet doe thinke that it is some melancholike humour c. when they see Gods children suddenly sorrowfull or suddenly full of reioycing but those that haue experience of these things doe know that the griefe sitteth neere their heart when they cannot feele comfort in Gods word and that then they are most comforted when the eyes of their mindes are most inlightned For seeing that our nourishment and life is in the Word we ought continually to fetch nourishment from thence by meditating therein Therfore many are on a sudden cast into great sadnesse and heauinesse of heart and yet they know not for what cause whereas this no doubt is one among the rest because they vse not to meditate in Gods word therefore by this meanes would the Lord driue them to his word that there they might find comfort and so for euer after haue the word in greater estimation and bestow greater diligence thereupon By iudgements here is meant the whole word of God whether it be promises or threatnings wherein the Lord â—heweth himselfe to bee as good as his word in performing and bringing to passe that which he hath spoken This desire which the Prophet had to Gods Commaundements it was not for a start and soone done but it was continually wherein he sheweth a plaine difference betweene a true desire and that which hath no truth in it for there is not the wickedest man that liueth but he may for a time seeme to haue very good things in him and at a start the most wicked will make a shew of very good desires but all this is like a morning clowde and soone vanisheth away therefore if wee will haue our desire to be true let vs also labour that it be continuall Vers. 21. Thou hast destroyed the proud cursed are they that doe erre from thy commaundements THe Prophet doth not let passe Gods iudgements without profit but meditateth vpon them that thereby he may bee kept in greater
obedience because the Lord hath in former times executed his iudgements he will shew himselfe righteous still and therefore the Prophet gathereth that though the wicked bee not all presently punished yet they are all accursed and in time they shall be punished By erring hee meaneth not euery slip but the falling away from God Vers. 22. Remoue from me shame and contempt for I haue kept thy testimonies IN this confidence that the Lord will destroy the wicked hee assured himselfe that hee would defend him against those that set themselues against him The iudgements of God then haue these two effects first to humble him secondly to comfort him as portion 7. and 15 so that he feareth when his heart is broken hee also loueth when he receiueth hope of helpe in confidence whereof he maketh this prayer The vse of Gods iudgements vpon others must we make to ourselues first that we be brought to acknowledge our deserts and so feare and to behold his iustice that we may haue assurance of mercy This is hard to flesh and blood for some can be brought to reioyce at the destruction of others and cannot feare some when they are feared cannot receiue comfort But those which God hath ioyned together let vs not seperate therefore let vs make these vses of Gods iudgements His prayer is this Lord let not mine enemies which pursue an euill cause let them not haue their desire in bringing mee to contempt least whiles I labour to keepe thy Law and â—m become contemptible thy Lawe also should receiue some blot First here we see that it is no strange thing that they which keepe Gods CoÌ„mandements should be standred and therfore we must reforme our iudgement which is ready to condemne those of whom they heare an euill report Secondly seeing hee prayeth against contempt he sheweth that contempt is the greatest crosse that can come to the childreÌ„ of God for many could loose their goods which yet would be grieued for the losse of their name hee here prayeth so not onely because of that naturall cause which hee had but chiefely because his name was ioyned with the glory of God All the punishmteÌ„s of Christ did not so much grieue him as wheÌ„ he was reproched therfore the diuel chiefely goeth about this that when this coÌ„meth to passe that all speake euill of vs we might doubt whether our cause were good or no so fal away therfore the Prophet prayeth thus earnestly against it When we are brought to contempt for our deserts we ought not otherwise to be grieued than that God is dishonoured but when hee shall by this meanes bring vs to the knowledge of our sinnes then shall wee bee content to shame ourselues because thereby we shall glorifie God Vers. 23 Princes also did sit and speake against mee but thy seruant did meditate in thy statutes HE was thus abused euen by Princes these did speak against him eueÌ„ in iudgement whither he was drawne as a malefactor therefore he praieth thus earnestly against it We must then prepare ourselues for euill words not only of the coÌ„mon sort but also of the chiefest Dauid had coÌ„fort in Gods statutes When we are thus dealt with rightfully then let vs be humbled but if in a good cause we be thus dealt with then let vs take heed for the diuel wil goe about either to make vs vse vnlawfull shifts meanes as to reuenge to lie or to contend by our owne wit and policie and to flatter and confesse that to bee a fault which is none or els altogether to despaire of helpe or to be carelesse of our calling and to cast it off that thereby he may haue more aduantage for he will make vs wearie of wel doing by trouble therfore many are ouercome thereby The helpe against al these is Gods word for that will assure vs that our cause is good and that God will helpe vs therein Vers. 24. Also thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellours BY this meanes had hee help by the Word by making it his delight and counsellour for this the diuell in trouble will goe about to bring men to their wittes end or else to breake their hearts and make them faint and a wounded spirit who can beare He put not away craft with craft but made the commadements his counsellours whereby hee first learned wisdome then good meanes to withstand the wicked Hereby then we shall not onely haue wisedome but also comfort we are not come yet to be called afore Princes yet who so will liue godly in Christ shall haue troubles though not alwaies in goods nor life nor banishment yet in reproch and contempt euen from thy wife thy seruants thy children thy neighbours c. The word teacheth that reproch is not without cause for when the wayes of a maÌ„ please the Lord the righteous shal be his friend the beasts of the field shall be at league with vs therefore there is some sin in vs which the Lord by this meanes would correct then let vs first looke to that and then seeke to the word that there we may find comfort wisdome to sustaine vs. For this is the cause that we are without comfort in our trouble because we meditate not in his statutes make them our counsellors If thou be Gods child and despisest lighter troubles hee will send greater till he haue broken thy heart but if thou belong not to God the curse shal be hid from thee thou shalt be eaten vp before thou be aware Thou must not striue with the diuels weapons as to requits euill for euill for fire is not quenched with fire but with water euill is not ouercome with euill but with good and therefore rough speeches must be ouercome with gentle and euer when thou art vncourteously dealt with then consider thine owne sinnes and labour to feele them and thy heart shall be brought downe for then shalt thou be brought to the presence of God who wil not suffer thee to be honoured because thou hast not honoured him c. yet consider that he doth but fatherly correct thee and therefore put thy trust in him Marke what wisdome he hath giuen to his children in the like troubles and then goe to him by prayer and lay open thy selfe to him with hope and faith and thou shalt haue comfort But if when the tentation commeth we cannot come to the word and to prayer that thereby we may finde comfort we haue not laid vp the word in our heart though we can say it all by heart therefore wee must turne a new leafe and learne after to lay vp the word in our heart PORTION 4. DALETH Vers. 25. My soule cleaueth to the dust quicken me according to thy word THe comfort and wisedome which he had was by vicissitude and change sometime comfort sometime sorrowe so Gods children finde this change both into ioye and sorrowe those know this that haue experience of it others knowe it
this is foolish curiositie or to be knowne this is vanitie or to gaine by this is couetousnes but to edifie our selues this is wisdome and to edifie others this is charitie The woman of Samaria had no sooner a knowledge of Christ Iohn 4 but thee runnes into the Cittie leauâ—s her pitcher and saith Come see a man that hath told me all that I haue done Is not he the Christ Am I my brothers keeper was Kayns speech Gem4 But he that belieueth in me saith Christ out of his belly shal flow riuers of the water of life â—oâ—â— I will mâ—ditâ—â—e Three things saith Luther make a good diuine Prayer affliction meditation this last is as the chewing of the cud which we reade of in Lâ—â—â—tâ—cus Meditation without reading is often erroneous reading without meditation makes a barren student In thy wonderous workes Or wonders that is either of those wonderfull things that are contained in thy law as verse 19. of this Psalme and verse 129 which being high and hidden mysteries did cause him to haue them in admiration and reuerence or of those wonderfull workes which God before had done in the world and daylie did amongst the sonnes of men and which ought to be had in perpetuall remembrance Note we first first that Gods word is wonderfull because it containeth in it such things as transcende the reach of mans capacitie and without illumination from aboue cannot be vnderstood by the wisest in the world But especially if we consider the power of this Word in that it is that immortall seede by which we are begotten againe that sincere â—ilke by which wee are nourished that siluer Trumpet by which wee are awakened that Christ all glasse in which wee may behold what manner of persons we are and that mightiâ— arme of GOD by which we are corrected for sinne and protected from sinne we must needes say that this Word is wonderfull Giue mee a man as lasciuious as a Goate as rauâ—â—â—â—â— as a Wolfe as couetous as Hell as prosuâ—e euery way as the prodigall sonne if this Word assisted by Gods spirite seize vpon his soule it will chaunge him as if hee were a newe man and to say as one once did to his wanton louer it is not I. Now as for the workes of God whether wee looke vpon them in the creation or preseruation of them they are euery way wonderfull Dauid could not looke vpon them but hee cryeth out Psal 8. O Lorde how wonderfull are thy workes throughout the worlde And Psal. 139. But considering the frame of his owne bodie he saith I will praise thee O Lorde for I am wonderfully and fearefully made ¶ Vers. 28. My soule melteth for heâ—â—ines raise me vp according vnto thâ— Word ME thinks I see Dauid here resolued into teares and pouring them out at his cies as at â— well with two buckets by reason that the hand of God was heauy vpon him Hee can find no comfort but in the word of God therefore he to be raised vp by it be taketh himselfe to this ciaculatory prayer He thought it not enough to say My soule cleaueth to the dust vers 25. but here wil he adde that it melted for heauines The spirit of a man may beare his infirmities but a wouÌ„ded spirit who can beare saith the wise man Prou. 18 14 There is much in this booke concerning afflicted consciences therefore I need not to adde much In all those sorrowes which the soule hath arising from the consideration of Gods wrath for sinne the first consolation is from the word of God in which is promised grace and forgiuenes of our sinnes Thus it will quicken and comfort vs in trouble and assure vs of this haruest that though we sowe in teares we shall reape inioy But because wee can neither apprehend nor apply this word further then wee receiue grace from God wee must with Dauid pray to the Lord that hee would so guide vs that wee wander not vphold vs that we fall not confirme vs that wee funt not encourage vs that wee despaire not and quicken vs that wee dye not This verse requires rather the meditation of a penitent conuert then the Exposition of a learned Diuine as for the wicked they vnderstand not what is here written Though the righteous fall hee shall not bee cast off for the Lord putteth vnder his hand Psal. 37. 24. ¶ Vers. 29. Take from mee the way of lying and graunt mee graciously thy lawe AS before hee prayed to vnderstand the way of Gods precepts so here hee would bee kept from the way of lying and because they whom God keepeth are best kept he therefore continues his prayer to God desiring so to bee instructed by his word that his minde being purged from all vanitie he may be taught to obey Gods word The way of lying is that which the Prophet calleth vaine inuentions Vers. 113. falshood Vers. 163. the way of the wicked Psal. 1. Our owne wayes Ezech. 18. In a word the Prophet here desireth to be confirmed by God against all corruptions in doctrine and disorder of conuersation which Sathan by his wittie and wilie instruments doth seeke to set abroach in the world These are called the way of lying 1. Because they are inuented by Sathan the father of lies 2. They are countenanced by mans witte the store-house of lyes 3. They seeme to bee that which they are not which is of the nature of lyes 4. They are contrary to God and his truth the discouerers of lyes This way of lying before sinne came into the world it was a way so vnknowne to man that indeede it was as a desert wildernesse in the which neuer any foote had troâ—e but now it is so broade and wide a way that the most in the world walke in it The heathen by his Idols the Turke by his Alcoran the Iesuite by his newe Gospell the Lutheran by his Contransubstantiation the Protestant by his denying the power of godlinesse the Schismatike by his pretenced puritie haue walked so along in this way that the way of trueth they will not knowe Wee haue wrangled so long about trueth in religion that as hee could not finde Rome in Rome so wee cannot finde Religion in Religion And wee haue cloaked so long trueth in conuersation that true dealing is banished from the sonnes of men hee that will vse it must dye a begger Hijs diebus iam peractis nulla sides est in factis mâ—l in ore verba lactis fel in corde fraus in factis Helpe Lord for good and godly men doe perish and decay And faith and truth from mortall men is banisht quite away Had we not neede then with this holy Prophet to hate al vaine inuentions but to pray most earnestly with him to the Lord that he will take from vs this lying way and to teach vs that good and olde way in which if we walke all the dayes of our life we shall in the end finde rest to our soules
would not make a shewe of godlinesse and denye the power of it in their liues but earnestly desire that the good worke begunne by the Lord it might in due time bee accomplished by them Quicken me in thy righteousnes He said before quicken me in thy word here in thy righteousnes all is one for the word of God is the righteousnes of God in which is set down the rule of righteousnes In this the Prophet desires to be quickened that is to be confirmed that in cheerefulnes and gladnes of spirit hee might relye vpon the word of God If any by righteousnes vnderstand that iustice of God by which hee defendeth such as commit themselues to him I gainesay it not VAV THE 6. PORTION ¶ Vers. 41. And let thy louing kindnes come vnto me O Lord and thy saluation according to thy promise HE goeth on yet in his prayer and here beggeth of God two things First mercie secondly saluation and both because God had promised them No maruell if hee desire Gods louing kindnesse For thy louing kindnesse saith hee is better then life it were better to be in hel with Gods fauour then in heaueÌ„ without it Mans sauour is mutable Gods immutable mans temporary Gods eternall mans of desert Gods free mans respecteth somewhat in man Gods beholdeth man in Christ. This wee must desire aboue all earthly things And thy saluation First mercie and then saluation the one is the cause the other the effect By saluation he meaneth ayde deliuerance victorie and eternall life this he calleth Gods saluation because it commeth onely from him According to thy promise This is â—â— which hee â—uer chargeth God with all it is an easie matter to trust God on his word in presperitie 〈◊〉 that can doe so in aduersitie hee is the man indeede But what benefit shalt thou haue Dauid if God bee a mercifull Sauiour vnto thee c. ¶ Vers. 42. So shall I make answere to my blasphemers for I trust in thy word MAny aduersaries had this holy Prophet they came about him like bees they layde to his charge things which hee neuer did and especially because hee made his boast of God and trusted to his word they oftentimes reproached him for it and when he was driuen to any extremitie they beganue to say where is now his God Thus became hee the shame of men and thâ— contempt of the people All they that sawe him had him inderision they made mowes and nodâ—ea their heads saying Hee trusted in God let him deliuer him let him saue him seeing hee loueth him Psal. 22. 6. 7. 8. In this hee was a type of our blessed Sauiour who was taunted in the like sort vpon the câ—osse Matth. 27. 39. 40. 41 42. 43. What now doth this man of God labour for to confute and put to silence these his blasphemers Surely the performance of Gods louing kindnesse and saluation the which it pleased him to make promise of This if wee pray for in all our troubles as the propher here doth in his this if wee staye our selues vpon as Dauid euer did though our enemies hee neuer so many neuer so mightie neuer so malitious wee shall in the ende haue such assured victorie that wee shall not onely answere our aduersaries but they with shame shall answere themselues and say wee fooles thought his confidence sollie but now wee see that hee is the Lords beloued and blessed are they that trust in him Obserue 1 That it is no new thing for the aduersaries of religioÌ„ to scorne such as trust onely in God and relie vpon his promises of saluation made vnto theÌ„ These wicked ones knewe no arme but flesh no security but in the things of this life as for such as thinke the name of the Lord to bee the strongest tower them they haue daily in derision 2. Not that if we trust in the word of God we shall be able to answere all our aduersaries for Christ will giue vs a mouth and wisedome whereagainst all our enemies shall not bee able to speake or resist Luk. 21. 15. Hugo Cardinalis obserueth that there are three sorts of blasphemers of the godly the deuils heretikes and slanderers The deuill must be answered by the internall word of humilitie heretiques by the externall word of wisedome slanderers by the actiue word of good life Vers. 43. And take not thy word of trueth vtterly out of my mouth for I waite for thy iudgements HE might for a while not finde the word of trueth to answere yet he prayeth that the word be not vtterly taken from him so hee saide â—â—â—sake me not ouer long This then sheweth that our case doth alter and change ebbe flow as it pleaseth God which reproueth them that are alwayes in the same case for the children of God haue a other course and wee must looke to be so our selues And this is a comfort when wee feele our selues weake yet Gods children haue been so also it may humble vs considering that God doth for some sinne lay this vpon vs let let vs pray that we may not be so for euer For I haue wâ—â—ted c. This sheweth that we may be so for a while yet we must wait til it please him to helpe vs. For thy iudgements that thou wilt execute iudgement on the wicked that thy children may obtaine the promises for then doth the Lord execute iudgements when he punisheth the wicked as he hath threatned and when he fulfilleth his promises to his children giuing them a tong to answere his blasphemers Vers. 44. So shall I alway keepe thy Law for euer and euer IF thou wilt deale thus then shall I keepe thy worde where hee teacheth that if God doe daily assist vs we shall stand but if he do not we shall fal flat This must teach vs to pray and that earnestly and this sheweth perseuerance contrary to the Papists which teâ—â—â— to doubt of saluation for the perswasion of Gods goodnes doth assure vs that we shall continue to the ende and if wee feele our faith weake and pray with assurance of his goodnesse that he will helpe vs we may be assured to stand Vers. 45. And I will walke at libertie for I seeke thy precepts HE will walke in the commandements that he may be at libertie for that is the plaine way all other are biâ—-paths which hee shall be free from if he sticke to the commandements For this is the cause that we are troubled and intangled because we aske not counsell at Gods word and wholy sticke vnto that and therefore we fall into some sinne and be ouercome with some temptation For the word is a lanterne to direct our steps without this we shall wander but if we tend to this light wee shall be at libertie This setteth out the benefit that those haue which enioy the word and their miserie that want it This then requireth that we be thankfull for Gods word and reproueth them that hauing the word yet wander astray and
loue darkenes more than the light and falshood heresies and lyes more than the trueth This is a sin to be punished when we haue the word and yet walke not at libertie and if wee cannot be at libertie when we haue the word it is sure that we cherish some secret sinne and doe not search into God word For that is so full of wisdome that it will rid vs our of all Yet the children of God haue their infirmities out of which they haue good issues But the ignorance of Gods word is the cause of many troubles for though a man were in as great a streight as Abraham was when hee should offer his sonne yet should he be directed Then this layeth a straight charge on vs to studie the word of God Vers. 46. I will speake also of thy testimonies before Kings and will not be ashamed IF God will thus assist mee I will speake euen before the wisest and stand in the sight of the Kings though it be fearefull This then will assure vs that we shall neuer fall if we study heare reade c. on Gods holy word and take heede to our wayes according thereto Then if we desire to stand for euer let vs meditate on Gods word for God hath giuen this not onely to the learned but also to idiotes Here wee see that wee neuer rightly profit till we be not afraide before whomsoeuer wee come for if wee bee assured that our cause bee good then may wee be assured that it shall be giuen vs what to answere and this maketh men afraide when they doubt of their cause Wee are not afraide to speake to a Gentleman if a Lorde bee with vs then shall wee not neede to feare a King when the King of Kings is with vs as Moses Hebr 11. None then haue this gift of bouldnes but they to whome God giueth it not the wise not the mightie of the world The Word giueth vs what to answere then if we faile it is a signe that wee faile in the Word But let vs deale earnestly with the Word and keepe a good conscience and it shall be giuen vs. This doth againe commend the word of God vnto vs. If wee be not ashamed of him before Kings we shall be Kings in his Kingdome Vers. 47. And my delight shall be in thy commandements which I haue loued THat he may come to this grace he will loue the Word because he delighteth in it for delight is the signe of loue Doe wee not then delight in the Word wee haue not a loue to it so of prayer and hearing the Word if we delight in it we will prepare our selues to heare it and meditate in it afterward for hee sheweth his loue when he saith I will meditate then if we will not finde terror of conscience and fall into many euils let vs make conscience to call it to minde For if wee doe take the Name of GOD in vaine by hearing the Word without meditation then the Word being a true witnes shall be a witnesse against vs in that day for this meditation is commended Part. 13. There are set times for hearing praying c but meditation must euer be with thee that thou mayest knowe whether the thing thou doest bee agreeable to his will and whether thou mayest looke for his blessing in it ¶ Vers. 48. Mine hands also will I lift vp vnto thy commandements which I haue loued and I will meditate in thy statutes IT was not sufficient as he thought to acquaint GOD with the delight of his heart vnles he also made manifest vnto him that his outward gesture was answerable to his hart You shall obserue it euen in little children that if they desire to haue any thing that they see they will stretch out their hands that they may get holde and hauing once gotten it you shall hardly get it from them againe And certainly if the inward man be sound you shall obserue it by the outward gesture of the bodie The people were desirous to heare Christs Sermon their eyes were bent and fixed vpon him Luk 4. 6. Dauid would expresse his loue to Gods Arke he daâ—nced before the Arke of Gods Couenant If wee loue Gods Worde and loue it in truth our hands will be as ready to turne ouer the leaues of that blessed booke as our hearts are desirous of the vnderstanding of it that in this longing desire taking it into our hands we may in the ende haue such fast holde of it that wee will not forgoe it for all the worlde We cannot employ our hands in a better worke especially when we haue freedome from our callings then to take vp the booke of God and peruse it ouer Augustine tooke it vp and was conuerted by that one sentence Rom 13. 14. The night is past the day is at hand c. Vrsine tooke it vp and was comforted by this one sentence None can take them out of my Fathers hands Iohn 10 29. Chrysostome tooke it vp and was assured that in his zeale hee should not want because Dauid had saide The earth is the Lords and all that therein is Bilâ—ey tooke it vp as it is in the booke of Martyrs and was much quieted by that saying of Saint Paul This is a true saying and by all meanes worthie to be receiued that IESVS CHRIST came into the worlde to saue sinners of whome I am chiefe And such was the loue of one Gregorie Crowe of whom wee may read in the said booke that suffering shipwracke hee cast away his money and kept his Testament in his bosome and after many dayes floting on the Sea vpon a maste being taken vp by a certaine passinger his first care was for that booke of his fearing least it should haue bene wet with the Sea If he had looked for a Crucifixe as hee looked for Gods booke surely the whole world should haue bene acquainted with it Doth Dauid thus shew his inward loue by his outward gesture let vs doe it whensoeuer wee come either to heare God speaking to vs or will our selues speake vnto God Let our eyes bee fastened our eares attentiue our hearts intent our persons reuerent before our God that whatsoeuer wee doe may argue our pietie to God and bee answerable to the inward affection of the soule And I will meditate And why should not wee The Iewes are reported to be so skilful in that Bible that many of theÌ„ were able to tell how many times euery letter of the Alphabet was in the Hebrue Bible The Scriptures are a light shining in a darke place 2 Pâ—â— 1. 19. we must attend vnto them while we are wandring in the darke places of this world can wee attend without meditation the word of God is the sword of the spirit Ephes. 6. without meditatioÌ„ it is a sword in the hand of a child or a mad â—â—aÌ„ How many take delight in reading of bâ—llads and idle discourses who neuer meditate to the word of God The sicke stomacke
a prayer for them that sinne it will be an argument that we shall be comforted and shall escape when the iudgement commeth Then men ought to mourne for their owne sinnes for if Gods children cannot be discharged vnlesse they can mourne for the sins of others how much lesse shall we be discharged if we cannot mourne for our owne sinnes Vers. 54. Thy statutes haue beene my songs in the house of my pilgrimage HE sheweth that he was not enuious against the wicked for their delights but taketh a delight in another thing that is in praising God that he might not be intangled with their pleasures The remedie of sinne that we fall not into those sinnes which others haue is to feare least God punish some secret sinne in vs as he hath done in them For God doth neuer let vs fall into grosse sinnes but to punish some other sinne we lie in which is secret and we will not come out of because it is vnknowne And if wee will not be intangled with the pleasures of the wicked we must doe as Dauid doth here so acquaint vs with the word as that we make our songs of it that is that we doe not onely reade heare and talke grauely of it but also make it our songs when we will be merrie as Paul Coloss. 3. for where there is a delight there men will euen be singing of it And hereof come these spirituall songs in the Bible to shew their great delight in the word So Ephes. 5. Paul maketh this a signe that we are full of the Spirit when we can sing of them Here we are taught that our songs ought to be made of the statutes of God and agreeable to the same and not after our own will This we see to be the matter of these Psalmes the lawes the promises of God c. The talking of godlines maketh worldly men heauie but the children of God vse all worldly things as though they vsed them not and then they are heauie when they displease God but contrà c. The want of a spirit in singing doth shew a great decay in godlines and coldnes in this holie exercise argueth a coldnes in faith and true religion Then if men obiect Will you not haue men to be merrie Yes but yet with the word otherwise their mirth is sinne The want of this sheweth that men do not their duties with cheerfulnes which thing is threatned in Deut. 28. 47. Vers. 55. I haue remembred thy name O Lord in the night and haue kept thy law AS in another place the name of God is a strong tower to the former meanes he addeth this of prayer to shew that without this the other are vnprofitable In the night First that is continually because in the day also Secondly simply because he auoided the applause of men Thirdly cheerfully because the heauinesse of natural sleep could not ouercome him All these shew that he was wholy giuen to the word as we see men of the world will take some part of the night to their delights And in that he did keep Gods testimonies in the night he sheweth that he was the same in secret that he was in the light whereby he condemned all those that will couer their wickednesse with the darke Let vs examine our selues whether we haue broken our sleepes to call vpon God as we haue to fulfill our pleasures All these meanes did the Prophet vse to keepe him from falling by the reproch of the wicked which we also must vse if we will ouercome it Vers. 56. This I had because I kept thy precepts AS God doth punish sinne by sinne so doth he reward goodnesse with goodnesse as that To him that hath it shall he giuen Matth. 23. for the Lord crowneth his owne gifts so that if there be in vs a loue of Gods word this beginning will God increase and blesse so that riuers of water shall flow from him Ioh. 7. and the little lumpe of leauen shall sower the whole If thou be wicked God will punish one sinne with another as in Saul So Dauid when he was not thankfull for his sleepe he fell to adulterie which was punished with murther But if we be thankful for that we haue we shall haue more This then is the cause that we haue no more mercies because we vse not them well which we haue for if we could open our monthes wide we should be filled Psal. 81. PORTION 8. CHETH Vers. 57. O Lord thou art my portion I haue determined to keepe thy words HEre the man of God protesteth that the Lord is his portion and he further saith that he will keepe Gods commandements All will say that God is their portion and that their chiefe desire is to be in his fauour but Dauid seuereth himselfe from others when he saith that he will keepe the commandements And hereby he is assured that the Lord is his portion because he maketh his word his chiefe desire We shall then know that we make God our portion when we haue this delight to heare the word c. and those that haue not a delight in the word they make not God their portion The like saying is part 15 vers 2. Let vs then alwaies examine and trie our hearts to Godward by the word if we say that he is mercifull then let vs see if we beleeue his promises if that he is iust then that we beleeue his threatnings Thus if we can set the word aloft it is a sure argument that we haue made God our portion Againe if we can be grieued when neither promises nor threatnings can affect vs and we are desirous that they might this sheweth that we haue a longing desire to haue God our portion I haue determined Dauid was fully resolued of this for he had duly considered all things and therefore in wisedome made his choise and hath made a full resolution Many haue such motions by starts as the couetous man the adulterer c. but it passeth away therefore they shew that they haue not made God their portion for if they had then would they haue this resolute purpose Verse 58. I made my supplication in thy presence with my whole heart be mercifull vnto me according to thy promise HE sheweth by a second argument that God is his portion in that he prayeth to God for that which we loue we desire to commune and talke with Then by this we may likewise trie our selues for if we haue this delight to pray and if we be sorie when we cannot doe it then doe we further shew that the Lord is our portion or else not Againe we see that it is not enough to make a determinatio vnlesse we further pray that the Lord would assist vs in our purpose This is the cause that we cannot make such determination nor haue such good purposes because we are not often in prayer The diuell will be most busie to tempt when we haue determined and we our selues
in that he is the punisher of sinne and rewarder of goodnes we shall haue strength against the temptations which shall be offered to make vs thinke that sinne is not punished and that it is lost labour to serue God and of this argument are many of the Psalmes And this he did at midnight when all things are most fearefull and therefore a fit time to examine our selues in feare and this shewed that his faith was sound seeing he could now praise God His subscription to the righteousnes of Gods iudgements was an argument of his faith for the nature of flesh is to thinke they are rigorous Vers. 63. I am companion of all them that feare thee and keepe thy precepts TO receiue helpe from them and to be helpfull vnto them so Psalme 16. Then if we will make God our portion we will make much of good men for if Dauid did this how much more ought we It is an argument of pride to despise the company of others If thou want knowledge it is to make thee seeke it of them that haue it if thou haue more than others then oughtest thou to bestow it vpon others so that thou oughtest not either for the greatnes of thy knowledge or for the want of knowledge to withdraw thy selfe from the companie of them that feare the Lord. If he loued good companie he hated euill men Pro. 29. for they are abomination one to another as he saith I hate them that hate thee And this is the propertie of a good man Psalme 15 yet this must not stay vs from doing them good in our callings as the Magistrate to the subiect c. As the euill may be in good mens companie yet not companions to them so may the good be with the euill and yet not their companions for we beleeue onely the communion of Saints That feare Here is the description of Gods children first that they feare God which is the foundation of all Prou. 1. and then they that feare God rest not in the iudgement of men but approue themselues to God to doe or to leaue vndone any thing as it pleaseth or displeaseth God This feare bringeth foorth obedience and without this fruite it is but to boast of feare And these men are they that we must be companions vnto Vers 64. The earth O Lord is full of thy mercie teach me thy statutes THe same thing was in the second verse yet after another manner Though the whole earth be full of mercie yet he desireth onely the statutes of God and this is the eight argumēt So he saith shew me thy fauour teach me thy statutes part 9. 1◠because he made this the chiefest signe of Gods fauour to knowe his word it is an argument that the Lord was his portion Let vs see how oft wee haue made this petition and how vaine our petitions are desiring riches c. he desired not his kingdome so much as this He was a Prophet yet he desireth it and this is it the more wee know the more we must desire to know and neuer make any stay He prayeth chiefly for the teaching of the Spirit without which hee should erre Hee differeth farre in desire from the men of this world for they craue many things before knowledge and if they haue knowledge they rest therein and neuer look nor aske for the teaching of the Spirit Secondly he confirmeth himselfe that the Lord will teach him because his goodnes is ouer all the world hee letteth his Sunne rise on the euill how much more will he graunt the good requests of his children When we would then pray to receiue we must remember all Gods goodnes and wee must desire the teaching of the Spirit so farre as agreeth with the word and not desire the reuelation of the Spirit without the word PORTION 9. TETH Vers. 65. O Lord thou hast dealt gratiously with thy seruant according vnto thy word HE putteth the Lord in minde of his former mercies and so comforteth himselfe For when hee had saide that the Lords goodnes was ouer the earth and that hee also had found the same hereby hee comforteth himselfe in that hee shall receiue more For God is not as man is but take we neuer so much from his treasure there is neuer the lesse and the more hee giueth the readier hee is to giue Hee knewe that Gods gifts are without repentance and that hee is not wearie of weldoing but will finish the thing hee hath begunne and nothing is more forcible to obtaine mercie than to lay his former mercies before him Here are two grounds first if he dealt with him well when he was not regenerate how much more will he now and secondly all the gifts of God shall bee perfectly finished And here is a difference betweene faith and an accusing conscience the accusing conscience is afraid to aske more because it hath abused the former mercies but faith assuring vs that all his benefits are tokens of his fauour bestowed on vs according to his word is bold to aske more accusing our selues of our vnworthines and labouring to come out of our sinnes When he asked according to Gods word he made the word a rule of his prayer which assured him that his prayer should bee heard we must not then abuse Gods mercies least they accuse vs but if wee accuse our selues then let vs see if they haue been giuen according to Gods word and then may we aske new Vers. 66. Teach me good iudgement and knowledge for I haue beleeued thy commaundements HE maketh this prayer oft but we doe not so and therefore the vanitie of our prayers is rebuked which so often aske other things and so seldome aske this Hee was the man of God regenerate therefore he maketh this spiritual request which though carnall men mislike because they cānot conceiue of the word yet it is a signe of faith He maketh this prayer though he beleeued because his knowledge was in generals but his practise in particulars therefore if God in the particulars did not direct him he should faile in doing Hereof commeth it that the learnedst men are deceiued in particulars because they rest in their generall knowledge Example of admonition we haue generall rules to teach vs to admonish but when we come to practise in particulars then must we either haue the new grace of God or else we shall faile in the practise If this man that beleeued prayed thus how much more ought they that beleeue not And they that beleeue generally must confesse their blindnesse in particulars and therefore they should pray for it Although ignorance be helped yet it is not altogether cured therfore haue we need to pray Secondly because our knowledge is in generals but practise is in particulars and therein must we haue a new assistance Therefore when wee haue not good successe in our busines wee must not as men are wont lay the fault on this or that but wee must see the cause in our selues
will punish it in them ass we may see in this kingly Prophet Dauid 2. Sam. 12. 2 to bring them to an examination of themselues as he did in the Mariners Ionah 1. 3 to moue them to repentance as in the Israelites Hoseah 5. vers 15. 4 to trie them as the Eagle her yong ones and the goldsmith his mettals as hee did lâ—b chap 1. 5 to confound Sathan all his ministers who would ioy if Gods children should euer prosper doe these men serue God for nâ—â—ght Iob 1. 9 6 that as the camomile doth spread better by treading the tree growe better by pruning the Pomander smell better by rubbing the iron looke better by scouring and the bodie like better by purging so the godly might be better by affliction In a word were wee not sometime in trouble wee should forget God we should not cal vpon his name nor be distinguished from bastardes nor conformable to Christ nor weaned from this world nor vnderstand Gods will nor desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ. Vse Is Dauid afflicted who then can iudge of Gods loue or hatred by outward things Eccles 9. Dauid in his trouble thought he was cast out of Gods fauour but hee was deceiued Dauids enemies thought that God had forsaken him but they were deceiued and euen Gods children doe oftentimes thinke the proude and rich and Epicures blessed but they also are deceiued To gee on is Dauid afflicted 1 Suspect thine estate if thou euer art at ease in this world It is the greatest misery neuer to taste of any misery 2 Be patient to endure crosses since the most godly haue beene thus crossed 3 If the righteous scarcely be saued where shall the wicked and the sinners appeare 1. Pet 4. 18. I had perished 2 Note that Dauid was readie to sincke vnder this burthen to faint vnder this crosse to be swallowed vp of these waues and to perish in this trouble of his Thus God woundeth but he healeth againe casteth downe but setteth vp againe killeth but reuiueth againe and afflicteth but comforteth againe We before troubles come are like vnto Peter wee thinke wee can walke vpon the Sea but it pleaseth the Lord to send one dangerous storme or other that we may say with the same Apostle Helpe maister I perish But why was Dauid thus readie to perish he saw the Sea but not the Whale the Egyptian but not the saluation the water but not Christs power walking on the water He was impatient of delaye looked too much to man trusted ouer much in himselfe and thought more of them that were against him then God and his Angels that were on his side And is not this our case when there is but a thinne curtaine drawn for a while betwixt God and vs O let him that is exercised with troubles but aske his owne heart of this point Except thy lawe wee haue heard how Dauid was wounded here is that plaister which cured that wound namely the lawe of the Lord his God He being pursued with the heart betaketh himselfe to these riuers persecuted flieth to these mountaines inuironed hasteth to these bulwarkes and afflicted with delight he comes to these comforters The word of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous flieth to it and is deliuered Here note a difference betweene humane and diuine lawes Philosophie and diuinitie Art thou in trouble what will Philosophie say vnto thee all that it can say is but thus much ferendum est quod vitari non potest I must vndergoe that which I cannot auoide But come to diuinitie it will teach thee whence troubles come why they are sent how thou must endure them by what meanes get out of them to depend vpon God repent of thy sinnes examine thy waies that the ende will be good and that death is aduantage vnto thee it will teach thee that sinne is pardoned Sathan vanquished and that Christ is thy companion in troubles and crowne after It is as the sword of Goliah no weapon like â—â—â— that spirituall Mannah no foode comparable to it and that poole of 〈◊〉 or â—â—â—â—â— riuer into which if thou once descend whatsoeuer thy disease be assure thy selfe of cure But it must be applied or else it will doe thee no more good then the bread that is euer in the cubbord the cloth in the drapers shop the wine in the vessell or the medicine which thou keepest euer in thy pocket Dauiâ— applies it by delighting in it My delight This word my is very remarkeable Dauid a great man delighted in the lawes and statutes of God he made them his counsellors from which as from graue Senators he euer receiued the best counsell One faith that bookes are the best counsellors because they teach without flatterie it is not euer true of the writings of men their maisters teach them to speake silkâ—n words but it is most true of the word of God which as a true glasse sheweth to euery one his proper fauour If great men would take counsaile here they would not in so short a time make Rehoboams diuision of their inheritance vpon earth nor sell heauen Esau-like for a messe of pottage But because in steed of the booke of God they delight in dice cardes pride pleasure luxurie flatterie and all vanitie no maruaile that the place which did honour them doth honour them no more Delight In the originall it is the plurall number delights as if he should say all my delight onely my delight my chiefe delight And no meruaile for what is it that can delight the heart of man to reade of which is not contained in the booke of God is it historie here is the most ancient and true historie is it poesie here are most harmonicall and golden verses is it Philosophie the secrets of nature are heere opened is it moralitie here are most Christian ethiques is it mysteries what greater mysterie then the mysterie of godlines preached to Adam shadowed out to the Iewes manifested in Christ and reuealed in the word is it policie Aristotle neuer wrote such politikes as here are would you reade much in fewe wordes Theognis and Phocylides and Pythagoras short sentences come farre short of Salomons prouerbes In a word are we merrie here we may sing Dauids Psalmes to Dauids harpe would we be sorie who can reade Ieremies lamentations and not lament In this lawe young and old rich and poore high and lowe males and females may finde that which will delight them And truely all ought to make it their delight it is the word of God the way to life the sword of the spirit our fathers testament the trustiest friend the most comfortable companion and the best salue that euer we can applie to our diseased soules When Chrysosteme was to be exiled by the Emperesse he comforted himselfe with this saying The earth is the Lords and all that therein is Psal. 24 1. when Vrsinus was driuen almost to despaire he comforted himselfe with this saying my
Father that gaue them me is greater thâ—n all and none can take them out of my Fathers hands Iohn 10. 29 Now if we would be knowne to delight in Gods lawe we must reade it with our eyes heare it with our eares treasure it in our memories ponder it in our hearts talke of it in our assemblies and practise it in our liues least we with Saul reiecting Gods word he in the end reiect vs. We should indeed haue this delight but we haue not by reason 1. of our naturall corruption 2. it is against naturall reason 3. it shewes vs our sores 4. we thinke it simple 5. we come with preiudicate opinions 6. we say ô it is difficult 7. we are impenitent 8. we resolue not of repentance 9. we thinke those lawes are against our profit and 10. we see that the maine promises annexed to this lawe are for hereafter in heauen not on earth But if with a pure heart knowledge of the grounds of religion loue of God deniall of our selues faith in Christ an ayming at Gods glorie earnest prayer and an holy admiration of the maiestie puritie and power of this word we set vpon it we will cast with Ierome all vaine pamphlets out of our hands and both lift vp our hands to these testimonies bend our eyes to looke vpon these statutes and set our hearts to delight in these lawes especially such as promise saluation Verse 93. I will neuer forget thy precepts for by them thou hast quickened mee THis afflicted good man is nowe comforted his comfort came from the delight of Gods law he thinks of it he feeles the force of it and therefore to the end he might euer receiue the like comforts he will bind himselfe by a promise to the Lord that he will neuer forget his precepts adding a reason they were to him spirit and life By them I will neuer forget Hee that neuer thinketh of times and things past his life is no life saith Seneca Memorie it is the storehouse of all such things as wee see heare or inuent A forgetfull minde is like the lande of Sodome in which nothing groweth which perisheth not or that Lâ—thean Lake in which nothing commeth which dyeth not or the Ostrich that forgetteth her egges or Messala Coruintes who forgot his owne name or a casting stomacke that casteth vp whatsoeuer it receiueth There are foure things which wee must forget first wrongs Leuitie 19. 18. 2. Benefites bestowed Matth. 6. 3. 3. The pleasure taken in sinne Rom. 6. 21. 4. The progresse alreadie made in godlinesse Philipp 3. 3. But manie things there are that wee must euer remember as first the mercies of GOD Psalm 103. 2. 2. His Iudgements Psalm 119. 52. 3. The day of death Luke 12. 19. 20. 4. The day of Iudgement Eccles. 11. 9. 5. The death of CHRIST 2. Tim 2. 8. 6. The vanitie of this world Psal 1 19 96. 7. The ioyes of heauen 2. Cor. 4 â—7 18. 8 The torments of hell 2. Thess 1. 8. 9. 9. The confusion of the carelesse Prou. â—4 32. 10. The taking away of the godly Isaiah 57. 1. 2. 3. 11. The liues of the godly to follow them Phil 3. 17. and 12. The law of God to keepe it I heare many complaine of bad memories they cannot carry away any thing of a sermon they forget all they reade of Gods word or good bookes Why canst thou comming to an Enterâ—ude remember much of it and of a sermon dost thou forget all Art thou able to repeate many daintie dishes set before thee in thine owne house not to record any one so much as tasted of in Gods house If thine appetite were spirituall thy memorie would be more firme then it is Olde men haue bad memories yet neuer forget where treasure is laide O but I would faine get a good memorie If I were a Physitian I might speake of many good meanes for that purpose or an Orator appoint images to place words in but I am to speake now as a diuine I aduise thee therefore to vse 1. temperate dyet 2. attention 3. delight 4. meditation or chewing of the cud saying to thy soule when thou commest home my soule what hast thou bene taught to day 5. conference 6 practise Vse memorie and haue memorie 7. presse not memorie with ouermuch at once 8. write but take heed that thy booke be not more learned then thy breast 9. binde thy selfe euer to remember somewhat especially that which doth most concerne thee 10. hoc age doe that only for which thou commest let not thy minde be at home when thou art at Church 11. draw euer as much as thou canst remember into a short praier 12. teach others that which thou hast learned 13. consider that the ende of the word is the saluation of thy soule 14. and lastly change that good word into good works I had rather with Dauid remember Gods precepts then with that mighty gouernour Mithridates bee able to speake two and twenty seuerall languages and to call with another euery souldier of many thousands in his Campe by their owne names For by them thou hast quickened mee Ten seuerall times in this one Psalme doth the Prophet make mention of this quickening partly by the way of supplication that hee might be quickened and partly by way of exaltation that hee was quickened as in this place where he protesteth with ioy that by the power of Gods worde accompanied with Gods spirit hee was as it were raised from the graue of despaire to the life of Faith and so became a liuing or rather indeede a liuely man It is reported that a Philosopher being demaunded what good hee got by the studie of Philosophie his Answere was Vt vtramque Fortunam patienter ferre possim That is I get this good that I can patiently beare either prosperitie or aduersitie If the rules of philosophie could teach him this our rules in diuinitie must teach vs as much By them saith Dauid thou hast quickened mee It seemeth that Dauid before was become as a dead man in his owne sense and feeling but now is reuiued by the word Thus Gods children both Ministers and Auditors are not alwayes alike either in their faith or the fruites of faith They haue their waxings and waynings as the Moone their settings and rysings as the Sun their ebbings and flowings as the Sea and their springing and falling as the leafe And as they that are troubled with an intermitting ague they haue their good and badde dayes Sometimes you shall see them as heauie as lead 1 by reason of the weather 2 their complexion 3 some griefe 4 some sinne committed 5 some good omitted 6 some meanes of saluation not vsed 7 some sinne not repented of 8 or not fully repented of 9 vnthankfulnesse for benefits 10 pride of gifts 11 to prouoke them to pray 12 that they may see what they are when God leaues them and not to presume vpon their owne strength At other times
obserue with what delight of heart cheerefulnesse of countenance volubilitie of speech nimblenesse of wit strength of memorie and dexteritie of the whole man they goe about euery good thing and what is the cause of all this God putteth into them his good spirit and maketh all things as it were possible vnto them Hee that knoweth not this bee hee Minister or Auditor knoweth little of the Christian combate Is this so 1 humble thy selfe vnder the mightie hand of God that he may exalt thee in due time 1. Pet. 5. 7. 2 despaire not though sorrowe come in the euening ioy may come in the morning they that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy 3 censure not when men are not alike cheerefull in diuine duties especially Ministers who oftentimes partly for their owne sinne and partly for the sinnes of their auditors who either pray not for them or loue them not or grace them not or are not worthie of the best things are put to silence Augustine reporteth of himselfe that at his meditations of many sermons hee was often most cheerefull in the Pulpit on the suddaine heauie And I heard once a godly man in the like case speake thus to his auditors I was neuer so humbled as this day the Lord hath humbled mee in my ministery because you haue not assisted mee with your prayers A willing patient louing and charitable auditorie setteth an edge vpon the zeale of the Preacher 4 art thou dull waite for this quickening for in comming it will come and will not tarie That Martyr founde it who after the combate of many a dayes conflict cryed out euen at the stake Austine it is come it is come Mistris Honnie-wood that worthie woman found it after many yeares conflict betwixt frayletie and faith and here the Prophet Dauid found the same 5 vse all holy meanes to stirre vp the graces of God in thee as men doe to rayse vp one out of a dead sleepe the neglect whereof is the graue of many graces 6. feare this relapse into deadnesse of spirit after some extraordinary ioye and when you haue most meanes It is strange to see what readinesse there is in many people that want Gods word to goe many a mile for it to studie and talke of it and what small account it is made of amongst them that haue it in abundance 7 take heed of the soules languishing no consumption is like to this For by them c. Quickened hee was as hee saith by GOD but yet also by the word soundly preached sauingly vnderstood and particularly applied to the conscience This then doth the power of CHRISTS death make a man indeede to dye vnto sinne then doth the power of his resurrection make him to walke on in newenes of life No Aqua-vitae or caelestis like vnto this by which wee haue inward peace of conscience and an outward obedience to GODS commaundements Dauid reioyced in this blessing so ought wee wee desire to bee euer quicke and cheerefull to all good duties it is onely GOD by his spirit in the word that can giue it ¶ Vers. 94. I am thine saue me for I haue sought thy precepts IN the former verse the Prophet felt the spirit of God stirring vp his heart to beleeue Gods promises heere it becomes the spirit of supplication for he yet feeling terrors within and troubles without crieth to his Sauiour Saue me ô Lord. Yea Dauid but thou art a grieuous sinner thinkest thou that God will heare sinners didst not thou affirme Psal. 66 18. if I regard iniquitie in mine heart God will not heare me why then prayest thou vnto me why Lord I am thy seruant and the Sonne of thine handmaide I am thine saue me yea but many very hypocrites will say that they belong vnto me how prouest thou that thou art mine He that seeketh to know and doe thy will he is thine but I haue sought to know and to doe thy will therefore I am thine and this is the summe of this verse Saue me Saluation then belongeth to the Lord. Psal. 3. 8. yea it belongeth to him alone he saueth both man and beast an horse is a vaine thing in the day of battell neither is any man deliuered by mans might He is that Aiacis clypeus vnder which we are safe those Eagles wings vpon which we are carried that strong tower to which we must resorte and a very present helpe in the time of trouble when neither the wisedome of thy minde nor the strength of the body nor the gold in thy chest nor the endeuours of thy friends nor the multitude of an armie nor the defensed citie can doe thee any good then the name of the Lord is a strong tower euery righteous Dauid may flie vnto it and is deliuered How often doth God complaine of Israel that they had trusted in man and in the power of man and did not make him their saluation It is mans nature to relie more vpon outward meanes as physicke in sicknes friends in disgrace an hoast in warre c. then vpon God But he that without this captaine will conquer shall haue Zenacharibs reward without this Pilote will enter vpon the sea shall haue Pharaohs reward without this Physitian will be cured shall haue Asahs reward and he that will pray vnto any other for helpe saue the God of Israel shall in the ende haue the reward of Bâ—all Prophets When all saile vs God will not saile vs. Cast thy burthen vpon the Lord and he will nourish thee Psal. 55. 23. cast your care vpon him for he careth for you 1. Pet. 5. 7. Saue me with the Prophet let vs at all times in all places for all persons vpon all occasions call vpon God For 1. it is his commandement 2. a part of his worship 3. an honour to him 4 a testimonie of our faith 5. it distinguisheth him from idols vs from idolaters 6 By it we obtaine all things 7. our many wants moue vs to this dutie 8. all nations call vpon their Gods shall not Ionah call vpon his God 9. By it we talke with God 10. the contrarie argueth an Atheist Psal. 53. 4. Say therefore in all troubles Saue me ô Lord for thy mercy sake 1. But remember that thou must call vpon God alone forsaluation The Gentiles that know not God haue many other Sauiours the idolaters that knowe not God aright haue many also But cursed is the image and the image maker an idol is nothing nothing worth it workes nothing The learned Papist knoweth this the ignorant must not 6. If they would not haue the poore people to adore their breaden God why doe they make it at sometimes to bleede or their wooden gods why doe they cause them sometimes to speake otherwhiles to sweate many times to smile and oftentimes to stretch forth the hand to receiue oblations offered vnto them Origen saith well Impossibile est vt qui Deum rectè nouit supp ex sit statuae It is impossible that he
dayes because wee attribute so much to ministeriall knowledge and haue felt so little profit by the teaching of the Spirit and seeing we brag so much of faith haue so little loue lastly whereas wee boast of our professioÌ„ and yet are so little profited in holy conuersation the Lord for such contempt of his trueth doth now teach vs by deluding spirits and fantasticall deuisers and the lying Familie of loue Wherefore vnlesse we be more enflamed with a loue of the truth and an hatred of heresie than we haue been it may come to passe that as in the Primitiue Church the Gospell of Iesus Christ being preached at the first of men of the lowest state and afterward for the good liking of it was brought to bee preached after the more learned sort euen so heresie now beginning in the vnlearned and ignorant people may by the iust iudgement of God for the contempt of the word take place euen among the best learned For it is as easie for the Lord in his iudgements to send a lying spirit into foure hundred learned men as to suffer the common Israelites to bee deluded therewith so then we haue the mysteries of iniquitie to teach the mysteries of righteousnes and we must learne loue of them which are the abusers of loue Wherefore if wee desire to know Christ crucified by the spirit in his word if wee will know him to be our Prophet our Priest and our King we must be new creatures for the olde things are gone and new things haue succeeded them in their place wee must let loue be laborious in vs and fruitfull in good workes But when wee haue not so good misliking of heretikes wee shall finde them as the grashoppers of Egypt we shall see new and old enemies ioyne together to the great dishonour of our God Oh how I loue thy lawe We haue then in this verse a iust occasion to examine our selues how we profit in the loue of Gods word wherein the Prophet for our example and imitation pathetically protesteth how he loueth the word of the Lord to declare that it was not in outward shew but in inward affection and that he did not indeede delude himselfe as we do in many things he proueth it by effects for that here alone is true wisedome and not elsewhere to bee found Wherefore it shall not bee amisse to gather all such proofes whereby we may see his loue was vnfained and came from the bottome of his heart The first is a speciall hatred that hee had to the contrarie that is to all false religion opposed to the true seruice of God Secondly it may be shewed in the circumstance of the time and that for two causes both in respect of the lawe which then had little countenance and in respect of his person which then did suffer contempt The third is the reposing of his felicitie in the word when either he felt the sweete promises of God or his inward man delighted with the law in that he preferred it before all profit pleasure glorie with which things naturall men are most delighted as also his great griefe of minde when either he felt not such comfort in Gods promises or his inward man not delighting in his word or when he saw any other traÌ„sgressing the same The fourth is his careful vsing of the means which were many namely his conference with Gods children either in reaching his gifts vnto them or in the participating of their gifts with him his praying praysing of God his holy meditations and his vowing with himselfe to keepe the law of the Lord. In that so vehemently he bursteth forth into this speech Oh how loue I the law we are to see his great zeale to compare our selues with it and where he saith 〈◊〉 we are to learne that if we finde in our selues any wearinesse and loathsomnesse to this exercise we are not as yet sound at the heart Concerning this word thy law we may note that he putteth the law of God his loue thereunto for his loue to God for this end because euery man wil say that he loueth God as the Turke the Pope the Familie of loue but few of vs and none of them doe loue his word For is there any heretike or hath bin who perswadeth not himselfe and would perswade others that he loueth God Wherefore to our vse we must know that if we feare the Lord we must feare him in his threatnings denounced by his word if we say we loue him we must loue his promises contained in his truth if we obey him we must obey his commandements reuealed in his will if we will worship him we must worship him according to the prescript rule of his owne ordinances For the first reason which we haue shewed to be the heartie hatred of false doctrine or false religion he saith Portion 15. vers 1. I hate vaine inuentions but thy law doe I loue And in Portion 21. vers 3. I hate false hood and abhorre it but thy law doe I loue And in the fourth Portion vers 5. he â—larly prayeth against it saying Take from me the way of lyâ—â—g and graâ—â—t me gratiously thy truth Where we see that as the mail of God sheweth his loue to the truth so he sheweth his hatred to lies Neither must we vnderstand here that which he calleth the way of lying for a breach of any particular commaundement but for a generall breach of the whole law of God for a thing opposite to the truth of Gods word so also is it to be vnderstood when the Spirit of God calleth Satan the father of lies that is of fained and forged doctrine both in religion and life as also God is said to be the Father of all truth Now it is manifest I neede not as I thinke to shew this out of the Law nor by the Prophets nor by the example of godly Kings how it is by precept commaunded and by practise vsed onely we will shew a few places in stead of many Deut. 7. vers 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Deut. 13. 6. 7. Zach. 13. 3. Where we may see that naturall loue shall giue place to heauenly loue the second table must giue place to the first and the loue of man to the loue of God Psal. 16. 4 the Prophet professeth that he will not once make mention of their names within his lips For examples we may see Reuel 2. 6. how acceptable it was in the sight of the Lord that the Church of Ephesus hated the heresie of the Nicolaitans and Reuel 3. 15. the Spirit of God reprooueth the Laodiceans because they were neither hot nor cold So grieuous a thing is it in the eyes of the Lord when the world will rather take vp false religion than zealously gainsay it But it may be that their ciuill conuersation and outward courtesie doth much slake our hatred against
the Prophet here setteth downe by proofe in his owne person Neither must wee thinke that as it were with a trumpet he doth here blow and sound forth his owne praise but rather by his example is desirous to stirre others vp Vers 98. By thy commaundements thou hast made mee wiser than mine enemies for they are â—uer with me THe first of the particular effects is contained in these words By thy coÌ„mandements thou hast made me wiser than mine enemies Wee see how men now adayes straine their wits to match their enemies in policies deuices but few thinke on this sound meanes whereby we shall surely preuaile against them Now if it be so that whatsoeuer is written is written for our instructioÌ„ and comfort in making mention of the meanes the Prophet of the Lord doth teach vs that it was no extraordinarie worke of the Lord proper to him but a meanes appointed of God for vs all to follow Whereby hee teacheth vs that God will blesse vs to attaine to the like wisedome if we will endeuour to vse the like meanes To apply this to our profit wee must gather the particular out of the generall doctrine on this manner whosoeuer shall haue the commaundements of God euer with him hee shall be wiser then his enemies than his teachers than the ancient but Dauid did so or wee doe so therefore Dauid and we shall finde this wisedome But some man will say Experience teacheth vs a cleane contrarie doctrine that Gods children are not so wise in their light as the children of this world are in their generation I answere That it is true experience prooueth and our Sauiour Christ teacheth but this I adde that the experience commeth from our small sight of the word and not for any want of the word it selfe when Gods children haue it on their side And our Sauiour Christ his speech tendeth rather to shew what it is through our corruption than what it ought to be so that iustly he vseth it to our shame Indeede ciuill wisedome which choketh in them all temptations with worldly delights hauing the diuell to be their schoole master doth worke in them a contentation of minde while for a season they smother as they thinke the iudgements of God breathing vpon them And because on the contarie the spirits of Gods children are occupyed in heauenly things yet often the flesh so laboureth against the spirit that whilest they would be wiser than the Lord or would vse any indirect meanes against their enemies or in vsing good meanes faile in prayer or in not staying themselues on Gods prouidence and appointed time of deliuerance it commeth to passe that they are ouercome But whilest they renounce themselues and their owne wisedome and craue counsaile of God in his word and the direction of his Spirit by prayer whilest they vse good meanes in a good cause and keeping a good conscience waite on the hand of the Lorde they shall bee sure to haue the ouerthrowe of their enemies Proofe doth teach vs that a silly soule in the Countrey which walketh in the wayes of the Lorde will soone discouer the shifting pollicies of a worldly learned man brought vp in the Vniuersitie because the wrath of the Lord hangeth ouer the one and his mercifull spirit watcheth ouer the other But so long as wee will shoote with Sathan in his owne bowe and repell policie with policie what follie shall be found in vs though we can howle loftily with the wolfe and deale cunningly with the Grecians when as the Lord will neuer suffer a good cause to be maintained by euill meanes Some of vs seeke the word but in seeking it we rest in our owne good meaning not humbling our selues before the Lord but our wisdome herein must come from the spirit For we can no more by the eie of reason see the light of the word then Howlets looke vpon the bright Sunne Wherefore the Lord will haue vs in all controuersies with our aduersaries to depend on him and to know that the cause must not depend on our owne shoulders then must we by faith in the bloodshedding of Christ beleeue that our sinnes neither new nor old shall hinder the helping hand of the Lord. We must trust on Gods prouidence and promises and stay our selues by prayer on his wisedome if we look to be wiser than our aduersaries An excellent example hereof we haue to proue that secret sinnes not repented of may hinder the Lords dealing with vs against our enemies We read that after that filthy incest mentioned in Iudg. 17. which made the Leuite whose wife was abused to cut her in twelue peeces and send her through all the parts of Israel there was warre betweene the Beniamites and Israel and the Beniamites being but few in number and maintaining an euill cause in two battels ouercame the Israelites vntil at length they humbled themselues with prayer and fasting and repented of that euill which was amongst them so that in the third assault the Lord gaue his people strength mightily to preuaile against their enemies So we may haue a good cause and vse good meanes and yet for want of reconciling our selues to God for some sinne new or old we may suffer the ouerthrow If then our cause be good we must vse good meanes faith in Christ trust in his prouidence and staying our selues on his wisedome Doe we not see by experience how the Martyrs of God humbling themselues on this maner preuailed in mightie power against their accusers Deut. 4. Moses sheweth that the enemies of God were driuen to confesse that only Gods people were wise euen because God gaue them good lawes This was it that made Ioseph wiser than his brethren Moses wiser than the Egyptians and Daniel than all the Magicians of Babylon and Dauid than all his politike enemies Marke I pray you all figuratiue hyperbolicall and darke speeches the Metaphors and Parables which are in the word of God and you shall finde that they were learned people to whom the bookes were written and had attained that measure of wisedome and knowledge which in our time none can vnderstand but they which are brought vp in learning which thing we may also obserue in them of whom the Histories of the booke of God are written and yet who were more blockish then the Iewes after they had transgressed so obstinately the law of the Lord But shall wee vnderstand this as though the children of God were in euery particular action wiser then the wicked ones No but onely in those things and then wherein and when they vsed this wisedome of the Spirit and gaue themselues and their causes to be gouerned according to Gods word Looke on Dauid who though hee was wise so long as he kept a good conscience yet harkening to policie and not willing to stay himselfe on the simplicitie of Gods word how suddenly was hee ouercome and yeelded so farre that he dissembled euen
to fight against Gods enemies Whiles he was in his fetching policies did not the Lord send enemies the instruments of destruction to his wife and children Whilest he would rest on God hee was wise but when he would number his people he was confounded What did his policie in adulterie preuaile to disguise in such sort Vriaâ— to make him drunken to set him in the forefront of the battaile was he not much foyled Salomon who whilest he walked before the Lord was wiser than his father Dauid when hee gaue himselfe to many wiues and began to be secure and to runne into grosse Idolatrie was greatly displeasing in the sight of the Lord. Iehosaphat so long as he obeyed the Lord was feared but when in policie he ioyned himselfe in affinitie to a wicked King he was almost confounded and surely had been punished had hee not in repentance turned and humbled himselfe before the Lord whose policie also in ioyning his ships with the ships of Ahaziah was afterward punished in his posteritie Vers. 99. I haue had more vnderstanding than my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation IN the second particular effect the Prophet saith he did excell his teachers which hee doth not to bragge or boast of himselfe but commending the free graces of God he stirreth vp himselfe to make other men not onely to content themselues with a care of hearing the word but also to make conscience of meditation This then is leâ—t of the Spirit of God for our comfort in that we may find the like fruite vsing by praier the like meanes so that if we bring not forth an hundreth fold yet threescore or at the least thirtie fold according to Gods wisedome True it is that the scholler often becommeth better learned than the teacher which is a singular blessing of God that the learned man should ascribe nothing to himselfe and to giue God the glorie hee enlighteneth where he thinketh meete and encreaseth when he seeth it good Now we may see this by experience euen in heathen men Aristotle was wiser than his Maister Plato in whom this blessing of God appeared in that they ioyned studie and meditation with their learning In Law Physicke they are most frequented who with much reading haue vsed much musing and practising None either in peace or warre haue euer gouerned excellently but they were great musers and did often sequester themselues from company then more freely to attend on meditation This doctrine shall be taught in a contrarie thing We know there is a speciall kinde of musing whereby Sathan doth often teach and communicate things to many in greater measure than they can receiue by all the books in the world so also there is a speciall meditating whereby the spirit of God communicateth to vs more heauenly things than either wee heare or reade As when Sathan will polish a mans wit to any euill hee will haue him to waite on him so God would haue vs to fill our iudgements in the particular meditation of things heard to see how all circumstances hold and faile This is then the wit which experience confirmeth that when wee are taught any thing which by reason is conceiued wee can adde if this bee true then that is false if it holdeth in the lesser then it holdeth in the greater On this sort let any man heare with meditation he shall finde something by the generall rule heard hauing the Spirit of God for his teacher which the Preacher had not or saw not or seeing expressed not Doe they then most profit who after hearing doe meditate and see more by the ministerie of the Spirit than by the ministerie of the Pastor Let vs marke it then by the blessing of God vpon it and let vs note the contrary by Gods curse vpon it What is the cause that there is so little profit by the ordinarie ministerie of the word and so great fruites arise where it is more seldome vsed but because meditation is the life of learning and the death of things conceiued is the want of musing Mans minde is infinite which nothing can satisfie but God or the diuell and continually rolleth either in good or ill In that he addeth thy testimonies are my meditation wee must note that to haue a sound meditation wee must be circumscribed within the limits of the word otherwise it will be erroneous but being ioyned with knowledge it refineth our knowledge and teacheth the vse of it If Philosophers saw that a mans life was a meditation of death whereby as they abstained from many pleasures they became neuerthelesse very vaine-glorious yet could they not attaine to any sound comfort because they were destitute of the hope of a better life But Gods children meditating on the last iudgement day make a conscience of many things past pare away many present corruptions and sigh for the remembring of their poysoned temptations to come How godly people haue excelled their teachers it needeth not long proofe out of the Scriptures Moses excelled all the learned men in Egypt Daniel surpassed all the Magicians in Babylon Paul excelled his teacher Gamaliel because though the Egyptians were learned and the Babylonians profound yet Moses and Daniel refined their knowledge humane with the studie of Gods word And Paul being brought vp in the doctrine of the Iewes vnder Gamaliel after he came to meditate on the Gospell of Christ excelled not onely his teachers but ouer-reached all other of the Apostles in heauenly knowledge We may then blush at the great knowledge in times past but herein we may be comforted because they as they were wise were also wicked but we may be as wise vsing their meanes and more godly meditating on the word which cutteth off all errors in doctrine and corruptions of life Againe Elie brought vp Samuel who proued wiser than Elie by his continuall meditation Salomon excelled Dauid by studie and prayer vntill he forgetting himselfe gaue himselfe to women Paul was taught of Ananias the principles of religion but he excelled him as far in the learning of the Spirit as he surpassed Gamaliel in the doctrine of the Iewes Let vs marke then the blessings of spirituall meditations which make vs fit in wisedome to admonish and in the spirit of consolation to comfort For in my iudgement their wisedome which depend on generall rules is in their bookes and must be fetched from their teachers but meditations may well be called a readie mother of knowledge and a nursing mother of wisedome If men then will whet their wits and helpe their memories they must vse meditation because when Gods word hath taught vs we shall neuer neede to consult with our booke nor take aduice of our teacher Vers. 100. I vnderstood more than the ancient because I kept thy precepts IT followeth I vnderstood more than the ancient c. As we haue heard of the glorious effects of the word in this man of God how he excelled his foes in
worldlinesse die in folly because the Lord recompenceth the vanitie of their youth with ignorance in their age So it is the mercy of God to giue them comfort of conscience in their death which haue had care of his word in their life Now we see because some men thinke so basely of the word of God how the Prophet hath commended it by the effects found by experience in himselfe Againe he sheweth that this was not in him by any particular prerogatiue of Gods spirit although the spirit wrought wonderfully in him but that it earne by vsing the mâ—â—â—â—s of the word Teaching vs that as hee was wiser than his enemies because in all peâ—ils â—â— asked counsel of the word wiser than his teachers in that he rested not in their vniuâ—â—s 〈◊〉 but by meditation did appropriate them to himselfe and wiser than the Anâ—â—â—â— because he learned as well to line according to the word as to loue it so we also vsâ—â—g â—â—◠〈…〉 shal find the like effects though not in like measure By which effects we 〈…〉 out these meanes wee become foolish dolâ—â—ish and blockish The word of God 〈…〉 a â—â—easure that if such an holy thing bee cast to swine I doe not douâ—â—◠〈…〉 see our God will execute his heauie vengeance and iudgements Wherof now 〈…〉 it to passe that wâ—â—â—â—â— young men die olde fooles emptie of Gods gracâ—â—f 〈…〉 youth were well brought vp of their parents as Iohaz vnder Iâ—hoiada who also whilâ—st they did look into their former life and repent spake very effectually aginst sin but in their age haue not so much knowledge as before but because they continue not in the faith and in a good conscience It were better to preach to one that neuer heard of Iesus Christ than to such an old ProtestaÌ„t because the one is thankful the other is vnthankfull Tell me O man I speake vnto thy conscience when thine eye did see into the word when thine eare did heare it when thou diddest looke into thine owne conscience when thou feltest sweetnesse in Gods promises wheÌ„ thou diddest tremble with seare of Gods iudgements and diddest delight in the wayes of the Lord Oh how quiet was thy conscience what comfort didst thou finde in thy minde Oh how whole an heart was in thee And on the contrary when neither Gods promises were sweete nor his iudgements fearefull nor his waies pleasant vnto thee oh how cold was thy zeale how weake was thy conscience how feeble was thy heart in good things We shall see some now adayes and that many being but priuate men speake with greater knowledge and conscience than a Preacher Why may a Preacher spend his breath his strength and his life in preaching and so small profiting commeth of it euen because he preached well and practiseth ill Wherefore we see here how necessarily vpon the foresaide effects the Prophet pronounced as followeth Vers 101. I haue refrained my feete from euery euill way that I might keepe thy word SEeing the Lord will put much into their hands who handle a little well wee must expresse our knowledge by life and our profession by practise If a man would consider how fearfully the Lord hath made him how woÌ„derfully he hath redeemed him with what power he hath conuerted him should he spend his youth in vanitie or his age in worldlinesse and so become depriued of all Gods graces in death Looke into the former times Ioseph being but seuenteene yeeres old was wiser than all his brethren young Samuel was wiser than old Ely Moyses than the Egyptians Dauid than Saul Salomon was wiser in his youth than the gray haires Daniel Azariah Mishel wiser than all the Astrologians Chaldeans and Magicians Timothie being but young was preferred to the Euangelistship Paul wiser than all the Apostles Behold our age how mercifully the Lord hath blessed many young men and why are ancient men now so barren of knowledge euen because they are barren in a good conscience There was in time past lesse knowledge more practise lesse science more conscience lesse vnderstanding more wisedome but now there is more knowledge and lesse practise because men labour not to keepe the word of God in a good conscience When wee shall see therefore heretikes growe wiser then Preachers Idolaters wiser then true Professors some young impes of Sathan wiser then olde Ancients in the house of God we must knowe they are made so foolish either because they are not of a good conscience or lye in some secret sinne Would it not grieue a good 〈◊〉 to labour many Winters and Sommers and in the end to finde no Haâ—uest what 〈◊〉 full thing thinke you would it then be to a Minister after he hath long trauailed to â—â—â—â— no fruit The Lord vndoubtedly will punish such fruitlesse Professors with hardnes of heart iâ— they will not heare with care that care may cause prayer that prayer may bring forth meditation and meditation may haue in fruit in godlinesse and practise in perseuerance In this verse then the Prophet declareth that as before he vsed the right meanes to godlinesse and therewithall had the proofe of good effects so now he had power from God to resist all lets hinderances and encombrances therunto Whereby hee teacheth vs that these two things especially make to attaine true godlinesse the one to vse good meanes thereto the other to auoyde carefully all occasions which may hinder vs from the same Neither must wee thinke that all these things can be done presently for if Rome was not built all in one day who would thinke IerusaleÌ„ should be built in one day Surely the necessitie of this practise is such that vnlesse men make couenants with themselues and bind themselues as it were in body and soule to auoid occasions of euill they shall neuer attaine to true godlines Manie will confesse that they ought and will learne the way to holinesse of life but in the meane time because they will not forsake their euill wayes they faile in their purpose To the bettter vnderstanding of the Prophet we must vnderstand that euill wayes are in two things considered either as they be euill in their owne natures or as they be euill by circuÌ„stance the first all men will confesse to be auoided as full concupisceÌ„ce wrath murther malice such like and yet the cause why many men are lesse carefull in holy things is because they make no conscience to stay euill things noâ— to vnburdeÌ„ themselues of all worldly delights But what is the cause that thou canst not ouercome worldlines and vanitie thou dost not consider that thy reason is corrupt and that if thou fightest not against thy corrupt reason thou canst not auoide corrupt affections If a man would fight against Ambition he must not first fight against the thing it selfe but against his own reason leauing him there unto which on this manner perswades him If I may attaine to such dignitie I shall
they must both ioyne together least that wee considering of them being olde and not on new should think they were not or at least that we resting on the iudgements of God executed of late not lifting vp our eyes to the iudgements of old should ascribe them to euil fortune chaunce and destinie We may then see how they which vsed the meanes of good things encreased in them and how they that resrained not from euill did slide backe vnto wickednesse Wherefore that we may throughly be perswaded of the truth of the Lord in things commanded forbidden threatned promised it is requisite to obserue the proofe of them so oft as God giueth iust occasion thereof For vntill wee looke on these things and see his blessings and his iudgements we shall neuer haue a care to doe good nor a conscience to auoid euil and to looke into them is to looke into the glasse of Gods word Many deny prouidence because they haue not a knowledge of the word or else leaning to their reasoÌ„ giue too much to naturall causes or lastly because they haue not a daily growing in the word For that may well be the sense of this place Thou dost make me to grow in knowledge Here is also commended vnto vs the teaching of the spirit by the ministry of the word For otherwise we may often read the Scriptures and yet be ignorant in Gods iudgements in not ascribing euery iudgement to his peculiar office For when we heare of an heretike wee say what is he an heretike I maruell hee is become such a one I knew him an honest man I neuer knew any euil by him yet the word of God telleth vs that some mens sinnes goe before to iudgement and some mens come after and that it is come to him either for want of good workes or for some secret sinne It followeth Vers. 103. How sweete are thy promises vnto my mouth yea sweeter than â—â—ny vnto my mouth VVEe haue heard in the ninth portion that vntill wee put our whole folicitie in the word wee shall not profit That which here is called promises I take rather for iudgements partly because in the proper tongue the word is left out and partly because he had vsed this word iudgements in the verse immediately going before But so me will say how can the iudgements of God hee sweete which are so troublesome fearefull and grieuous I answere that the godly haue no greater ioy than wheÌ„ they feele either the mercies of God accomplished towards them that feare him or his iudgements shewed vpon the reprobates Vnto my mouth That is I take as greate pleasure in talking conferring and perswading thy iudgements as my mouth or the mouth of any that loueth honie is delighted therewith So he saith portioÌ„ 2. vers 6. I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in â—â— manner of riches The meaning then of the verse is when I feele O Lord such effects of thy promises in my selfe and in others that feare thee and such fruites of thy vengeance on them that despise thee I finde great comfort in thy word The Prophet Dauid found this sweetnes by experience in himselfe and therefore spake by proofe Why doe not we feele the like comfort because we vse not the same meanes we finde not the like effects For if we could see our enemies put to the wall by the word then should our knowledge exceede the knowledge of others if we felt the allurements of the world the inticements of the flesh and the motions of the diuell bitter vnto vs then should wee taste this sweetnesse Wherefore before wee make conscience to vse the meanes of good and to auoide the occasions of euill we cannot profit Thus we haue shewed how the iudgements of God may be sweete that is vnto them that reioyce either to see the promises of God performed to the penitent or his wrath fulfilled in the impenitent This delight made the Prophet out of the abundance of his heart to speake ioyfully of them portion 2. 6. With my lips haue I declared all the iudgements of thy mouth And because they testifie no small loue to a thing which for affection to it will rise at midnight he addeth portion 8. 6. At midnight will I rise to giue thankes vnto thee because of thy righteous iudgements This is then a true note that a man hath delight in Gods word if from the abundance of his heart his mouth can speake of it and when the word of God dwelleth so plentifully in him that hee can speake it in wisedome Againe if we haue such an earnest and naturall delight being wearie to refresh our selues with fables what a dulnesse is it in vs that wee cannot finde as great comfort in the word of God Wherefore we are to examine our owne hearts that how so euer we haue bin delighted before to heare vaine and friuolous tales so from henceforth we may please our selues in true histories in the word For though other may be corrupt with flatterings yet these histories are true free from all assentation because they register as well the sins of the Kings and their kindreds as their vertues Neither can wee euer sound the Prophet vntil from the experience of our own selues we can proclaime forth the examples both of Gods promises and of his iudgements We shewed that the cause why wee felt not such profit as the man of God did in the word was because wee vsed not the like paines wee vse fewer meanes therefore our loue is the lesse to the truth wee auoide not so many occasions of euill therefore we sinne the more If we then would be more diligent in conference more feruent in prayer more giuen to meditation wee should profit more if wee would refraine from euill and abstaine from occasions of it wee should both bee great in good things and auoide many afflictions The cause then why we either speake not of Gods iudgements at all or speaking speake so coldly is because we are so dead in vsing the meanes of good and so dull in auoyding the occasions of euill The Prophet port 7. 4. saith I haue remembred thy iudgements of olde and haue beene comforted Where we are to note that wee are not at vtter defiance of sinne and in full league with goodnes vntill we haue found comfort when either the Lord shewed mercy vpon his or vengeance on the wicked And then Gods iudgements will bee sweete vnto vs when remembring that no sinne shall be vnpunished we abstaine from sin â—nd seeing that no good thing shall be vnrewarded we are moued to goodnesse For what can strengthen a man more than to consider this that God will punish sinne one day and that in time he will fulfill his promises to his childreÌ„ which walke in truth before him although in great weakenesse We haue also taught that we must vse such a moderation of our affections as we may stay
in the first and sixt verses with prayer couched in the middest of the portion It is a marueilous strange thing that one thing should bee so often repeated as this to commend still Gods law and to pray still to be taught in the same This proceedeth from the comfort which he felt in the word and from the fight of the corruption of his owne heart and is commended to vs in writing to shew vs our corruption and to labour for the like fruite Wherfore seeing experience hath taught vs thus much we must learne that we can neither see the comfort of our seeking after God nor our calamitie and miserie to be deliuered out of it vnlesse we pray with the Prophet for the right knowledge of the law of God so that we are much to thanke our God that he giueth vs in another such a fight of our owne corruption As in the first verse there is a notable commendation of the word so is there also a singular declaration of his faith Thy word O Lord is a lantorne to my feete and a light vnto my path This seemeth to all men to haue been learned long agoe and belched out in time of Poperie and that it is no new thing but a saying very well knowne but when we looke into the seuerall practises of men which is the righteous iudge of all mens iudgements wee shall finde men to be farre from any inward faith shewed in such fruits This made the Prophet to sweare in that he saw on one side his happines so great in the word the corruption of his heart on the other side And in meditating day and night in Gods law and considering his righteous iudgements he saith in trueth Thy word is a lanterne c. If we will looke into our selues we shall finde that those things which seeme to be most easily beleeued are furthest from faith and that things most easie to be learned are furthest from practise True it is that euery man will say Who will not beleeue this what a beast were he that would denie the truth of Gods word But alas our carelesse reading our rare meditating our cold praying and praising of God for his word our seldome conference of the word will testifie against vs in time to come that we neuer truely beleeued We must first looke and note our selues and then we shall profit somewhat more The man of God opposeth here the word to mans wisedom which he had meÌ„tioned in the verse going before as light is contrarie to darknes For as in darknes we cannot goe safely without the light of a lanterne or such like euen so are we in ignorance and rebellion if we be not continually guided by the word of God and his Spirit This then is a further thing how durst blind bayards be so bold who liuing in the darknes of Egypt thinke they are in the light and being vnable to discerne betweene persumption and despayre betweene promises and threatnings betweene things streightly commanded voluntarily done suppose themselues to be sharpe sighted Nay we shall finde these fruites to be but in few It is said Matth. 22. 23. The light of the body is the eye if then thine eye be single thy whole body shall be light 23. But if thine eye be wicked then all thy body shall be darke Where our Sauiour Christ borroweth his speech from the senses of the body and translateth it to the powers of the soule For as euery part of the body is lightsome whilest the eye seeth so a man being inlightened with the word and the Spirit hauing his eyes alwaies to heauen hath his affections aright and on the contrarie as all things are lothsome to that bodie which for want of the eyes is wholy darkened so a man sitting in the darknes of ignorance hauing his mind wholy set on earthly things hath his affections disordered Now that there is no light in vs but all is darknes in our soules the Apostle Peter doth plainely shew it 2. Pet. 1. 19. We haue a most sure word of the Prophets to the which ye doe well that ye take heede as to a sure light in a darke place c. Where he commending the Christians for their care of the word sheweth that it is a light in the darke and teacheth vs that how much knowledge we haue so much we are in good affections Also Paul Ephes 4. 17. 18 saith I testifie in the Lord that ye henceforth walke nâ—t as other Gentiles walke in the vanitie of their minde 18. Hauing their cogitation darkened and being strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them c. Where he sheweth that the man vnregenerate hath his minde vnderstanding and heart corrupt and blinde in that life which God liueth in his and that as the man which seeth being in darknes or in light the blind man gropeth vncertainely euen so all our doing are endlesse and headlesse which are without the light of knowledge Shall we thinke now that euery man beleeueth this to be true No for if they did they would doe otherwise If they felt this in affection in any measure would they not come out of their prison to the liberty of Gods saints would they not auoid the darkenesse to see the bright sunne What a follie were it for a man who hauing scales and gleamy diseases on his eyes might be cured and will not This is a double fault that when men may know they will lie in errours and ignorance and when they may be conuerted they will dwell still in Heresie Oh what a thing is this wilfullie to remaine in darkenesse and to sleepe at the hearing of the word when the Lord giueth them a lanterne for their feete and offereth knowledge and yet to be no better than the stockes they sit on If it pleased the Lord who giueth vnderstanding to the ignorant and draweth light out of darkenesse to reueale the light into their darke coÌ„sciences they should know that when light came vnto them they refused it and that they are louers of darknes more than of light But he that worketh all things mightily iâ— all men must shew this light vnto their darkenes because they that are in hell thinke on none other heauen they that lie in vnrighteousnes thinke of no other righteousnesse and sitting in the vallies of death they remember none other life We must therefore pray that the Lords glorious light of the gospel may open the eyes of their consciences and let euery man examine his owne heart that he may pray to haue his iudgement cleared by the true knowledge of the word and his affections renewed to the due obedience of the same For how much knowledge wee haue so much light haue we and looke how much we lie in ignorance so much we lie in darknes Wee know but in part when we are at the highest in this life how great then is that darkenes
when we know not so much as the word may instruct vs in When a man seeth as much in a Papist as in a blocke let him consider that as little as the care is which we haue of the word and as small as our conscience is in the obedience of the same so little is his light in heauenly things Yea though we haue knowledge and liue not after it we are yet in darkenes wee grope as it were a farre off who hauing knowledge haue no conscience A saying that may touch vs to the quicke that wee are but hauing a glimmering light as Paul had in the outward man at his conuersion or being as purblinde men not hauing our eyes cleane out nor our sight cleere when we haue knowledge and labour not to build vertue vpon vertue If then thou hast not a care to profite by the word thou hast a darke sight and a glimmering light there is a shadowe before thine eyes thou canst not discerne chalke from cheese No maruaile then why so few are sharpe sighted in the word sith either we know little or knowing somewhat we practise nothing Againe as if wee haue gone some part of the iourney in light and yet passe the other in darkenes it is very dangerous likewise in regeneration though wee haue spent some part of our life in the obedience of true knowledge and in the residue of our life do not escape the willnes of the flesh we cannot without dangerous darknes hold forth our course in the Spirit If we mingle light and darknes together and confound the world and the Church the wisedome of God and the inuentions of man we doe not as yet truly obey nor walke in the light of the word For as whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne and whatsoeuer is not in the light is darknes so whatsoeuer is not done according to the light of knowledge is done in the darknes of ignorance In all our affaires then we must learne to aske counsell of the word Here then is a good comfortable doctrine also that wee are so much in darknes as in whole or in part we be in ignorance so whether in part or in whole wee be warranted by the word of God for our doing so farre we haue a guide we haue a load-starre a lanterne and a sure light as Peter witnesseth to conduct vs. The Papists then are here confuted which say the word containeth hard things wee graunt indeed that there are many mysteries in the word of God and that the testimonies of the Lord are wonderfull especiallie in the doctrine of saluation and to a naturall man yet there be many things easie to a man regenerate and the very entrance into them giueth light to the blinde and to them which are lowly in their owne eyes It is our great corruption that when wee know in part we are as they that haue a glimmering sight of their way and therefore least they should bee accounted starke blinde refuse a leader But although wee see as in a glasse in part and in measure yet as a man may follow if he be not blinde the light of the lanterne so we may come to knowledge vnles wee shut our eyes at the truth We may therefore as safely for the soules health follow the light of the word as we may for the safegard of our body follow the light of a lanterne The way of saluation prescribed in the word is an high plaine and heaten way if anie thing hinder vs therevnto it is the curse and our sinne in that wee are not carefull to be directed For surely this is the word to open our vnderstanding yea though wee be borne blinde if you doe not willingly shut your eyes But wee must note that Gods word is a lanterne when Gods spirit worketh thereby for whilest we goe about the bare and literall sense it is no otherwise then if a blinde man should reade or a man hauing sight should put a vaile before his eyes Wherfore the man of God praieth port 17. 5. Direct my steppes in thy worde c. and vers 7. Shew the light of thy countenaunce vpon thy seruant teach mee thy statutes Why then do we so little profit by the word because we thinking that of our selues we can conceiue aright doe not pray to be taught by God his spirit For as no man seeth or can see what is in man but the spirit of man that which he vttereth with his tongue no more can we see what is in GOD but being taught by the spirit of God and his word Wherefore the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 2. 20. God hath reuealed them vnto vs by his spirit for the spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God 11. for what man knoweth the things of a man but the spirit of a man which is in him euen so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God Flesh and blood as our Sauiour witnesseth to Peter cannot reueale the things of our saluation vnto vs but the spirit of God And why then are we yet so vnprofitable surely because we are not guiltie of our owne infirmities and we see not the darkenesse and blindnesse which is in vs or if wee see it wee feele not our selues pressed with the miserable captiuitie and bondage wherein it holdeth our soules This sight made the Prophet so often vse this prayer Teach me true iudgement teach me true vnderstanding teach me thy statutes c. All which repetitions might otherwise haue seemed to haue bin a vaine babling had he not vsed such a narrow sight of his inward corruptions with a desire to be deliuered from them which may condemne vs of our darknes and teach vs that there is no light in vs but by the word Many indeed are of a modest spirit and haue some sight of their ignorance yet they haue not a feeling of their miserie in particular things and doe not examine themselues in euery particular thing what it is to be in darkenes and therefore as we haue said doe no more desire to be enlightned and gouerned by another than he that hauing a slender eye-sight hardly discerning his way refuseth to haue a guide as though he were blinde And though the Lord often shineth vpon vs and maketh vs guilty of our blindnes yet we doe not see how loathsome yrksome and vncomfortable a thing darkenes is nor how pleasant amiable and comfortable a thing light is although we confesse in generall that we haue not the light but are in darkenes The want of seeing the monstrous vglines of this palpable darkenesse maketh vs dull in prayer for the light of Gods spirit Wherefore we must desire that that may be stricken into our consciences which we haue in iudgement that is that we may see how amiable glorious and heauenly a thing it is to be enlightned with Gods light and how horrible a thing it is to be plunged in the darkenes
concupiscence shall solemnely vow to refraine the familiaritie of wanton women and will not come in place where light women frequent but with Iob shall make a couenant with his eyes we see this by the word also to be warrantable And thus much for meanes to auoide euill now for meanes to doe good If a man feele himselfe dull and slow in reading the word or slacke in prayer shall to the prouoking himself the more make a couenāt daily to reade some portion of the word and to bestow some time of the day in prayer if this be taken vp in the wisedome of the Spirit to cast off sluggishnesse and prouoke alacritie herein we see because at morning noone-tide and euening some of Gods children haue vsed it he may set himselfe a taske and thereby may make a stay for his wauering minde Howbeit these things must not be perpetuall as it is in other couenants For a man may abstaine from women and wine for a time and yet not for euer because it must bee done for some certaine ends and causes as also with some holy conditions As for example if a man hath taken a time of the day to pray in and at that time he shall haue some speciall cause of setting foorth Gods glorie or if his particular calling requiring an whole man shall call him away then if hee omit it there is no breach because the thing which hee is about to doe is according to Gods law This is needfull to be considered with a godly care that wee double that some other day when we shall be more at libertie which we haue for the same causes pretermitted the day before If then there be iust occasion offered of this remission for otherwise wee must not be remisse we know that the couenant is not broken in that we made it with a condition that we would vse it so farre foorth as it might not hinder Gods glory our dutie to our brethren nor our seuerall calling because in such a case to obey is better than sacrifice But if there be no iust cause of pretermitting this purpose then is there iust cause of sorrowing for breaking the couenant But here wee see an helpe wee haue not done this taske to day because of idlenes what then We must returne to the assurance of forgiuenes of sinnes and must redeeme that with double diligence which wee haue lost through wilfull negligence In these vowes then taken vp of our selues as meanes to auoid sinne or to doe good we must first take heede that they bee made within the compasse of the word Secondly that they be but for a time and not continuall Thirdly that they bee euer made with wife and discreete considerations least being broken our cōsciences be troubled Fourthly if there be any fault that it be recompenced by double dutie and diligence afterward Thus wee see how either for to pricke vs to good or stay vs from some euill wee may make a couenant vpon condition in a desire of Gods glorie and in crauing Gods grace And thus much of his care and conscience to Gods iudgements now let vs come to the third argument which is his affliction Vers. 107. I am very sore afflicted O Lord quicken me according to thy word IN that the man of God vseth this as a reason before his prayer it seemeth hee was not meanely troubled but sorely vexed as wee may see in ioyning that which he saith in the verse following My soule is continually in mine hand yet doe I not forget thy law Wherein carying his soule in his hand he meaneth that he hath no assurāce of his life but is in continuall danger of it as wee count those things which be in our hand to be hardly sure and in perill to slip from vs as we may see by other places of the word As in the booke of Iudges Iephtha saith I caryed my life in mine owne hand that is I did hazard my life 1. Sam. 28 21. where the Pythonisse saith I haue put my soule in my hand which is all one as if shee should say I haue ventured my life or I was at deaths doore Iob. 13. 14. Wherefore doe I teare my flesh with my teeth and put my soule in my hand As if hee should say Why doe I put my life in danger For euen as water lying in our hand is soone slipt out so our soule beeing in our hand is said to be at deaths doore Besides he confesseth that he had many snares and pestilent deuices of his enemies laid against him so that at his least going astray hee was layed for and readie to bee taken In that hee needed thus to pray wee may see how reason might haue moued him to the contrarie Flesh and blood might haue taught Daniel that in such narrow search hee might haue shut his window when he praied or haue conueied himselfe into some secret chamber and so to haue vsed some policie and prouided means to haue saued himselfe had not the spirit of God mightily preuailed in him against all such temptations So when by reason of some imminent danger we are at our wits end sathan would haue vs go in by-paths and not to make the word of God a lantorne to our feete Saul when hee could heare nothing from the Lord was driuen thus by his extreame daunger to goe to the witches We see then how necessary it is for Gods children in the time of triall to pray for their direction in the right wayes Againe because when we are hardly dealt with wee are ready to reuenge with policie we see how he prayeth to keepe himselfe aright It was vndoubtedly the great mercie of God to Dauid then to pray that no affection of reuenge might enter into him Oh how needfull then is it for vs whē the wicked shall deale with vs vnreasonably to pray to the Lord to be kept in iudgement from policie and in affection from reuenging and that we may stay our iudgement on Gods promises and our affections on his dealings Thirdly if all meanes be wanting to vs then will the diuell moue vs to despaire and therefore great neede haue we to pray that we may be deliuered from the darkenesse of despaire by the lanterne of Gods word We see how necessarily the man of God praied not to be tempted aboue his strength and that the rod of the wicked should not fall on his lot least he should put his hand vnto wickednesse and therefore craued wisedome in Gods word faith in his promises and patience in his goodnesse We see then the plaine meaning of the man of God in this verse if we call to minde in this word very sore afflicted that which we haue heard before that his eyes failed his heart fainted his spirit panted his naturall powers melted and to be briefe that he was an image of death As a man cannot abide great prosperitie no more can he abide great aduersitie For as we are puft vp
in more wicked daies than he did For whom shall we haue to follow Some follow this religion some follow that some giue themselues to this shift some to that so that we haue no examples to build vs vpon but a multitude to bring vs from the right way Seeing then we are farre worse than the Prophet and our daies worse than his times let vs say Away from me ye wicked that is seeing we cannot auoide our dwelling and liuing among the wicked yet Lord let vs be kept from the corrupt example of the wicked and graunt that we may eschue all familiaritie with them And as in haruest if in euery place of the lands where we reape or mow were Snakes we would be very warie least we were stung or impoysoned so had we neede in these dangerous and plentiful daies of sinne to be circumspect least we be either impoysoned with false doctrine or stung with an euill conscience And as a man being a meere stranger in goodnes liuing in the companie of godly men hearing them seeing them and conferring with them in good things would by Gods grace so be conuerted so a good man falling into the familiaritie and like affections speeches and actions of the wicked shall easily be corrupted We shall see sooner that we are infected and hurt than wee shall espie how wee are infected and hurt and though presently we see it not yet hereafter wee shall And as it is the mercie of God to be good by the communion of Saints so it is the iust iudgement of God to be wicked with the companie of the vngodly Neither must we thinke that here is meant to goe out of the world to auoide the euill for we liue all vnder one Sunne which is aboue vs we treade all on one earth which is vnder vs we vse all one water for our necessities wee haue like callings with them wee ioyne in the same townes with them yea and often dwell in one house with them but we must beware wee haue no fellowship with them in their sinne we must away with their deuices to mistrust Gods mercie wee must hate their imaginations wherewith they displease God we must not draw in their yoke with them If then thou hast a wicked father or if thou hast a wicked sonne or vngodly seruant or an euill companion thou must not haue familiaritie or drawe in a line with them thou must not bee a fellowe or a companion in sinne with them so shall wee keepe our selues vnspotted For as the euill men if they purpose to be obstinate in sinne will take no profit by the companie of the godly so the good men if they will feare and suspect the vngodlines of the wicked and looke vnto their waies shall by the Lord bee preserued from their euill For we see that as the euill men are not the better for the godly with whom they are ioyned in the same towne or house with them because they are so shie of goodnes so if we be as shie of their wickednesse wee shall be freed from much vngodlines Wherefore wee must not be like affected we must not thinke as they thinke speake as they speake doe as they doe nor vse their calling as they doe Otherwise wee see that as the euill by the godly are bettered so the good are made worse by the vngodly Thus we haue heard that as the man of God in the first shewed himselfe to haue an hatred to the secret deuices of mans imaginations so in the second he setteth downe a reason of the same where we declared that we could neuer be brought to the true hatred of euil inuentions vntil we be throughly perswaded of Gods prouidence whereof when we be once truely perswaded wee shall not need to swarue this way or that way because in all assaults we haue a sufficient refuge in God In that he putteth his trust in Gods word we must learne that we must neuer seuer faith and Gods promises whereby we must be staied and leane to his prouidence otherwise we shall haue but vaine speculations of his prouidence vntill wee knowe out of the word to whom the promises doe appertaine and what hee requireth of them to whom they are made On which word of God whilest wee take hold euen as a shield safegardeth vs from the blow of the aduersarie so the promises of God are a sufficient buckler to defend vs from the darts of our enemie So that if we haue the Lord for our tower against Sathan if we be in pouertie we shall see the Lord our shield and wealth if wee be in sicknes hee shall be our castle and health The Israelites had proofe hereof who so long as they made the Lord their shield and refuge were not once touched of their enemies If this faith be in vs then shall wee bee perswaded that the hearing of the word and time which wee spend in prayer to the Lord will not hinder our calling nor hurt our profit but so long as wee walke in our waies ioyning with our calling the hearing of Gods word and prayer hee will be our defence and tower and either saue vs from damage or turne all our euils to our good We must see all this out of the word of God For our Sauiour Christ as we saide before did not rest in the omnipotencie of God to put away Sathan being an euill spirite and therefore hauing nothing to doe with him but withstood him with this It is written still alleaging the word of God shewing that whilest he had bread hee should vse it as an ordinarie meane and when he had none â—e should not make bread of stones but stay vpon the blessing of God which is aboue all meanes Thus wee see how the promises of God in his word did stay him And here see how the faith of Gods children differeth from the loose imaginations of the wicked who though they giue great titles to the Lord of his mercie iustice loue and prouidence neuer looke for this in his word But if we will obey the Lord and waite vpon his promises we must doe it by the word which is as a pipe through which doe flow Gods graces towards vs and as a chariot to bring his will vnto vs. Wee are not then to looke into the ayre or elsewhere for Gods will than in his word but trusting still on God wee must looke for helpe in his promises That the man of God might do this the better he seuered himselfe from the wicked giuing vs to vnderstand that he could not goe forward in that hee saw so few examples of good and so many examples of euill whereby so many by paths are ministred vnto him to step out of the right way in seeing the corruptions of that generation When wee see then out of the word how we should beleeue what we should doe what we should eschue and looke into the world wee shall finde so many wicked ones that
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
of Gods children are not so sirme as that it is neuer shaken they are not alwaies in the tenour and as the Lord giueth them of his grace in measure so hee giueth them at sometimes more at sometimes lesse he often humbleth them with incredulitie to exercise them in prayer and to confirme them the more by his Spirit whereof they haue had a pledge in his word Wee haue learned that the Prophet thought himselfe to haue no life but as he had the feeling of the life of the Sonne of God to be conueyed to him by the spirit of God through the working of the word of God and that as we breathe eate playe and labour wee haue nothing differing from bruite beasts as we haue fiue wits to discourse of things we haue nothing more than the heathen than the Turkes than the vngodly infidels The Scriptures shew that all that liue in ignorance and sinne are dead for they that liue in ignorance sit in darkenes and in the shadow of death as it is in the song of Zacharie and if we liue in sinne the Apostle witnesseth we are but dead Ephes 2.1 The death of sinne is the life of a man and the life of sinne is the death of a man sinne then I meane to liue in vs when wee giue ouer our selues to sin with pleasure and lye in our sinne with delight And yet here is a further thing for the man of God speaketh of the experience of Gods children who when they feele delight in prayer and their inward man delighted with the word of God they thinke they are aliue and that so long they walke in the land of the liuing but when they fal into some sinne and become vnthankfull or pensiue there comes a dulnes and deadnes of heart they are not able to see any difference betweene themselues and the reprobates and finding in themselues such an heape of ill inclinations they think themselues to be dead It followeth in the verse And disappoint me not of mine hope As if he should say O Lord euen as I trust in thy word so my hope is that thy word shall be accomplished As faith is the mother of hope so hope is the daughter and nurse of faith for faith breedeth hope and hope nourisheth faith faith assureth vs of the trueth of Gods word hope waiteth for the accomplishment of it His meaning then is Lord as I trust in thy word so strengthen my faith and disappoint mee not of my hope for howsoeuer the wicked continue for a while I beleeue that I shall haue a glorious end I beleeue it is not lost labour to serue the Lord O Lord I hope to see them troden downe that breake thy statutes Thus we see how Gods children feare their vnbeliefe and nourish their faith with prayer so the true Minister of God cannot but be zealous to stirre vp his people to feruent and frequent prayer We see the one halfe of this Psalme to bee prayer and that in euery portion two or three or foure verses be prayers And the man of God being willing to bring his knowledge to feeling hath still this prayer Stay mâ—e in thy word teach mee thy statutes disappoint me not of my hope establish thy promises to thy seruant For as reading hearing and conferring doe more increase knowledge than feeling so meditating praying and singing doe more nourish feeling than knowledge Had he that had such a faith in Gods word such ioy such delight such life in the spirit neede so often and feruently to pray then I beseech you let vs pray pray pray Vers. 117. Stay thou me and I shall be safe and I will delight continually in thy statutes THis agreeth with that in the verse going before stablish mee according to thy promise Hadst thou need Dauid to be staied didst thou wauer oh how need we to be stayed and to pray against our wauering he meaneth here thus much although I am well minded and delight in thy law yet I am so brittle and so slipperie that if thou stay mee not I shall sall I am gone Oh man of God feeling his owne wants and infirmities I shall be safe that is If I be not stayed by thine hand I shall be at the last cast Psal. 30. 6 he said hee should neuer be remoued here is another spirit where he saith he should be safe But here wofull experience taught him that he durst not be stayed on himselfe whereby he declareth that as without Gods word he could not be safe so come what come would befall what danger could befall in the Lords word he was staied sufficiently Then we are to learne that the promises of God must engender in vs a care and feare of our selues for if we begin once to be quiet with our selues when wee begin to be secure and presumptuous let vs assure our selues that we are not farre from sinne But if we feare that wee are staggering and reeling persons and that we are very slipperie is there not cause of humbling that this humblenes should breed carefulnesse carefulnesse should cause watchfulnesse watchfulnesse should vse the meanes and the meanes should be sanctified by prayer Then come hell come the diuell come the world come the flesh if the Lord stay vs we shall liue and not die we shall surely not miscarie And I will delight continually in thy statutes Wee see here that there is no free will for he prayeth likewise Port. 5. 1. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes Neither did he promise of himselfe before but did hope in the Lord. Such brittlenes is in the world such sleights in the flesh such slinesse in SathaÌ„ such corrupt examples in the world that vnlesse the Lord stay vs we are so farre off from delight in good that we are ready to fall into great sinnes Euery man therefore is to search his owne heart and by the cause we may come to the effects and by the tree may coniecture of the fruite so by the effects we may iudge of the cause and by the fruite we may iudge of the tree Where is now this delight when we heare the word we heare it with such coldnesse therefore it is a manifest proofe we are not staâ—ed in the Lord. For whosoeuer doth not delight in the word he may deceiue his owne soule but surely as yet he is not staied on God If we are not delighted then are we stâ—ied on our own selues but if the Lord work in vs then shal we feele delight This is a griefe of my soule that I see no delight in the Lords day all things are done for fashion but the power of godlinesse is not among vs. The cause is the want of priuate exercises the want of priuate reading and praying and this bringeth a secret curse of publike exercises and therefore I cannot but so often vâ—ge priuate prayer and meditation Vers. 118. Thou hast troden downe all them that depart from
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
long and lowd prayers preuaile not For such prayers crie lowd in the Lords eares which make a noise with the feeling of our wants and when though they continue to the failing of our eyes yet we mistrust not God For many either pray coldly or praying zealously they become so dull that they cease to put their trust in the Lord. So that the corruption of our nature is either not to feele our wants or if we feele them to dispaire For thy iust promise Heere we see how the Prophet prayeth not according to his owne fantasie but according to the will of God reuealed in his word When we desire any thing of God we must doe it according to his promise For when we pray not according to the promise of the Lord we waite vpon our owne fantasies and seeke after our owne imaginations Many breake in their prayers into headie and rash conceits who haue not in the meane time the word in their hearts but they obtaine nothing neither shall we obtaine if we be like affected vnto them Ye know saith S. Iohn ye shall obtaine if ye aske according to the will of God And whereas he saith I waited for thy iust promise he sheweth that the Lord is no more liberall in promising than faithful in performing for if we waite for his promise surely he will performe it Euery man will peraduenture confesse this to be a truth at the first but the selfe same thing being in this Psalme so often repeated bewrateth our incredulitie and hardnesse of beleefe of it We can alledge indeed generally that Gods promises be true but we will falle in the particular applying of them to our selues in saying They are true vnto me I haue felt the truth of them by experience in my selfe The Prophet vseth oft to giue this Epithite to Gods word as vers 106. I will keepe thy righteous iudgements 137. Righteous art thou ô Lord and iust are thy iudgements 144. The righteousnes of thy testimonies is euerlasting Why would the spirit of God repeate this one word so often but because it is a singular worke of faith to beleeue the word and a thing much incident to our nature not to beleeue Wherefore Paul vseth often this Preface as a prerogatiue This is a true saying and of all men worthie to be receiued or this is a faithfull saying So that the holie Ghost prepareth such words to purchase credit to the word of God because flesh and blood is so readie to mistrust and Sathan so subtil to discredit the truth This may happily soone seeme true but put case a man being troubled had prayed til his eyes failed his heart fainted and his flesh were parched and still trusteth to Gods promises this man indeed hath a true faith This then commendeth the Prophet that when he was at the last cast he continued in his strength His sense and meaning is this although I be not as yet helped yet I shall be in Gods good time which thing if we also could truly say we should neuer be ouercome of temptation Vers. 124. Deale with thy seruant according to thy mercie and teach me thy statutes HEre the Prophet is desirous to be further taught in the word Here we see the man of God complaineth not of the word though as yet the promise was not performed but of his owne faith Here is then a difference betweene the faith of the godly the presumptiō of the vngodly that when the Lord suspendeth his truth for a while the godly suspect not the truth of the word but the vnbeleefe of themselues and pray against the same If then when Gods promises are suspended we be through Sathans policie and our frailtie tempted to mistrust we can say Thy word ô Lord doth not faile but wee are dull in faith we are wauering we are full of vnbeleefe good Lord increase our faith take from vs these mists and cloudes of mistrust by shining vpon vs with the bright beames of thy spirit and though Sathan would weaken our hope to discredit thy truth yet strengthen vs and though we haue failed in many particular points of thy commandements yet we beseech thee to forgiue the secret errors of our life wee haue beleeued thy word but if wee failed in faith then reueale thy couenants vnto vs that we may recouer Two things as we haue often heard sustaine Gods children in trouble the one is the testimonie of a good conscience the other is faith in Gods promises both which are heere set downe in the verses going before for in that he executed iudgement and iustice he had the testimonie of a good conscience in that his eyes failed by waiting on the promises of God his faith most plainely appeareth This faith breedeth a good conscience and this good conscience doth nourish faith For whosoeuer will execute iudgement and iustice must belieue the promises of God that the couenant of Christ is a sure couenant ratified in their hearts which when they feele they are vrged by loue to keep a good conscience For the place to lay vp the treasure of faith in is a good conscience Here then the man of God prayeth for both these things and if we will seeke still after knowledge without feeling we will iudge this prayer to be barren but if we will looke into our owne incredulitie and enter with a single eye into our owne hearts for such Christians are we as we then shall be found to be and shall enter into the particular troubles of bodie and soule wee shall finde our masse of vnbeleefe and we shall see that we may labour often in the meditation of this Psalme and finde sufficient matter all our life long For the man of God said before I haue executed iudgement and iustice and yet heere he saith teach me iudgement and iustice hee meant not that he had iudgement and iustice fully perfitly and absolutely but that it was according to the grace which hee had receiued yet he thought not himselfe therefore iustified though he was not conscious in himselfe His meaning then is Lord thou searchest the heart corrupt is my hart and blind is my minde if I haue fallen Lord grant me to recouer my selfe if I faile in vnbeliefe Lord increase my faith that I may daily grow in executing iudgement and iustice So farre off was he from being weary in vpright dealing that he praied still for the continuance of it Then if we be not wearie in our calling and could come to say with this man of God and with the Apostle Paul that we are not conscious in our selues yet we must further proceede and say that we are not hereby iustified because the largenes of the lawe cannot be concluded in the narrow compasse of our braine we must pray for the increase both of our knowledge and faith According to thy mercie Hee saith not giue iudgement because I haue done well but deale with thy seruant according to thy
contrarietie betweene vs and others as is betweene light and darknesse God and the diuell But if wee beginne to bee in mammering of Religion and know not what to holde but wauer in all it is to bee doubted that wee shall bee partakers of the common punishment Let vs learne then to shut vp our faith within the compasse of Noah his Arke and not commit it to the broad waters of the wicked world To this ende saide our Sauiour Christ When the Sonne of man shall come where shall hee finde faith in the earth as though hee should say it would be an hard matter to finde faith amongst men We see in this man of God if we will esteeme aright of the law of God we must loue it aboue gold Vers. 128. I esteeme all thy precepts most iust and hate all false wayes HE sheweth that there is no sound loue of good things where there is not an hatred of euill We shall see this by experience he that loueth to keepe the Sabbath he wil hate a prophane breaker of the Sabbath he that loueth chastitie will abhorre adultery he that loueth true dealing hateth all vnrighteousnes and surely if we doe not in truth loue good and hate euill but bee found to halte in hypocrisie wee shall in time be discouered and one day taken in a trip In that he vseth emphatically I esteeme all thy precepts hee declareth that he loued not one or two but all the commaundements His meaning then is this O Lord there is not one of the least of thy commaundements but I esteeme it there is not one way of falsehoode but I abhorre it Now we are to learne not to esteeme well of one commaundement which our nature best liketh and to dispense with another but true christianitie esteemeth all alike euen that most which by nature we are most ready to breake PORTION 17. TETH Vers. 129. Thy testimonies are wonderfull therefore doth my soule keepe them THe selfe same argument is here continued which hee vsed before For hee partly prayeth for graces and partly sheweth what graces hee hath receiued in the first second third and last verses of this Portion hee sheweth his graces in the other hee prayeth for graces As we see the selfe same argument so we see a new reason Thy testimonies saith he are wonderful that â—â— thy lawe hath in it such mysteries as naturall men cannot reach them and therefore loneâ— thy law As if hee should haue said Lord what is the cause that men doe so basely esteeme of the greatnes of thy couenants why doe men so little regard it because they neuer tasted the excellencie of it they neuer felt the wonderfull and powerfull maiesty thereof Why doe â—lay them vp as my soule because in my soule I haue felt by thy word suâ— wisdome â—s eye hath not seene eare hath not heard nor reason able to conceiue And why I pray you in our times doe so few conceiue or conceiuing doe keepe and so esteeme of the word of God because the wise men of the worlde thinke it a thing very easie and they can conceiue 〈◊〉 they list the more common sort of people make â—o more account of iâ— â—han to giue it the hearing and that with their naturall wit and reason onely Some men may tâ—inâ—◠〈…〉 tâ—â—uâ—â— against mens wits but all men may see that that is a mysterie which cannâ—◠〈…〉 by reason and that if it be a thing which by wit and reason may be conceiueâ— and 〈…〉 that it is no mysterie This is the reason why comming to the word we must haue new eyes to see spiritually new eares to discerne new hearts to conceiue Vers. 130. The entrance into thy word sheweth light and giueth vnderstanding to the simple THis is no painted wisedome yet the simplicitie of the word is of more glorie and pompe than all the wisedome of the world besides Wherefore Paul Ephes. 3. prayed that the Ephesians might according to the riches of Gods glorie receiue strength by his spirit in the inner man to comprehend the breadth and height and length and depth of this our Sauiour Christ speaking to Peter of this mysterie attained to by faith saith Flesh and blood hath not 〈…〉 this vnto thee but the Spirit And in Matth. 13 11. where our Sauiour Christ spake in Parables he â—â—â—â—e Because it is giuen to you to knowe the secrets of the kingdome of â—â—â—â—â—n but to â—hâ—m it is not giuen Many may haue the word of God strike their eares they may haue an humane conceiuing of it but few haue the right and spirituall vnderstanding of it When we come then in feare and trembling to heare the word as knowing that of our selues we can neuer vnderstand the word but must craue of God by prayer to be giuen vs by his holy Spirit who as he was the author in giuing it so hee is also the causer of conceiuing it wee are sure we shall vnderstand There is an hearing of the letter and an hearing of the Spirit Why then haue wee so little iudgement and cold affections in hearing and reading but because we heare and reade so malapertly and are not throughly and truely perswaded of the maiestie thereof The Lord is delighted with the soule that is humbled and refuseth the purpose of the proud For what is the cause that so many runne into heresie but because they are proude in their owne conceits On the contrarie if we had this humbled minde we should not be so senselesse in conceiuing nor so soone caried away with the flouds and tempests of corrupt doctrine In that he saith My soule doth keepe them his meaning is that therefore hee laide vp the precepts of God in his heart that hee might haue them in a readinesse when hee should practise them as he saith portion 2. 3. I haue hid thy promise in my heart that I might not sinne against thee The soule is the seate of affections for hee saith that hee had the statutes of the Lord in his affections The seate of diuinitie is the heart wherefore the Scriptures vse so often to say the heart of man is corrupt the Lord searcheth the heart the foolish man hath said in his heart For though the Philosophers saide that the minde was the seate of knowledge yet they could neuer see that the heart is the seate of Christian religion Which if it were in our minde wee should surely be puft vp with it as wee are with knowledge Here is then a triall of our hearts I see many labour after knowledge but fewe after affections This in temptation will not helpe vntill both knowledge and affections be on our sides to resist so that which we haue in knowledge may also be in affections For though wee may learne it and commend it for a while yet surely wee shall haue no profit by it in temptation When we haue none other seate for diuinitie but our heart and doe not place
it in our braine and when we haue throughly set our affections on it our life though it should be taken from vs yet our soule would sticke to the thing whereon our affections are so earnestly set So Ionathans heart was saide to bee knit to Dauid wherefore let vs labour to say with the Virgine Mary My soule doth magnifie thâ— Lord my spirit reioyceth in God my Sauiour Thy testimonies are wonderfull Hereof say the Papists that the word of God being mystical should not be taught to the common sort of people the common people say themselues what will ye haue vs doe with the word of God what should simple men meddle with it we are not like the learned it is for you it is for you that are learned not for vs. The holy ghost here most fitly prouideth against the Papists and the common people Let vs know then this that a simple man of the countrie though at the first he be not so capable yet offering and submitting his heart and whole reason to the Lord and his word he shall afterward attaine to great knowledge They are wonderfull then to humane wit and reason not sanctified and the more wise men wander in the skyes and houer aloft in vaine conceites and yet haue not learned Christ Iesus crucified haue nothing in them when as poore simple people desirous to be taught doe vnderstand wonderfull things The Prophet saith Psalm 78. Heare my word O my people c. I will open my mouth in a parable c. and hee addeth afterward we will not hide them from their children He calleth them high speeches and darke sentences to mans capacitie but Gods people can vnderstand them they are hidden to them that trust too much to their owne reason and are reuealed vnto them that renounce their owne reason Marke here he saith the 〈…〉 into thy statutes Will then the beginning giue vnderstanding what will it doe to them that are gone forward in it what hindreth vs why we goe forward no more but euen the too much trusting to our owne wits What haue we such wits in outward matters and are so grosse in matters concerning our saluation Oh hypocrites saith our Sauiour Christ you can discerne the outward seasons c. What meaneth then this dulnes and deadnesse in heauenly things but that men deceiue their owne soules For if their wits were sanctified they would as well conceiue spirituall things as corporall To doe ill saith â—eremie this people is wise but to doe good they haue no wit What a curse of God vpon our wits is this that wee are so quicke in worldly things and so dull in heauenly things surely it is the punishment of the Lord for the pride of mans reason The meaning then of this place is not that they which are altogether bereaued of discretion haue such a light in the word but it is vnderstoode of them who being lowly in their owne eyes abase their pride of wit to the pure wisedome of Gods spirit so that neither the simplicitie of the baser sort is any hinderance to the gospell neither the wisedome of the mightie any thing auaileth thereunto vnlesse it be sanctified howsoeuer men brag of an holy foolishnes For Ioseph Iob Dauid and Daniel had good wits but sanctified and subiect by Gods spirit to the word Wee are then to learne by the things which we haue spoken that no man hateth sinne with a godly zeale in another but he first hated it in himselfe we must cast the first stone at ourselues True it is that we cannot auoide all ill wayes yet we must hate one euill way as well as another and though we cannot doe all good things yet we must loue one commaundement as well as another This then is that which the Lord requireth euen to heare â—l his commaundements alike Againe so much we profit by the word the more when we must esteeme of those things against which our reason doth most resist and our affections most fight We shewed also out of the 129. verse that the Prophets meaning was not that there were some profound mysteries in the word but that all were mysteries what thing soeuer therein contained We shewed that the man of God did not place the word in his vnderstanding onely but also in his heart and affections We must labour to ioyne iudgement and affection for in â—oble if affection bee not ioyned with iudgement iudgement will not helpe because affections rebell and wee shall finde such a conflict that we will say we haue lab 〈…〉 much in iudgement and too little in affections When then in temptation we shall not onely haue iudgement but also affection on ourside we shal be able the better to â—â—â—â— unter with 〈…〉 things commaunded a speciall meane to embrace them is to trauaile as well with affection â—s with iudgement in things forbidden these two ioyned together will make vs the better to auoyde them Wherefore it is good for a man thus to â—rie himselfe Lord giue mee a sight of my former estate why did I not according to knowledge why did I so little profit either in particular duties or in particular troubles surely I euer laboured so after my affections as after iudgements I laid vp thy word more in my minde than in my heart Vers. 131. I opened my mouth and panted because I loued thy commendements SOme would thinke this zeale to be madnesse because they had neuer such feelings nor affections But what saith this man of God more of himselfe hee saith that with his feete he walked in the lawe of God his eyes looke to it his hands were lift vp his spirit panted and as a man being wearie gapeth to take breath and swalloweth vp the ayre so the Prophet in the wearinesse of his troubles swallowed vp the word of God O hungrie soule which the Lord did â—atisfie and with his word alone could comfort The metapher is taken from wearied and panting Hinds which after long pursuing and chasing was very drye through heaâ—e and desire nothing more than the water bâ—ookes So that as he chased Hart longeth after the waters so his thirstie soule desired nothing more than to be satisfied with the word This Psalme is giuen vs by Gods blessing to remoue vs from our dulnesse and to teach vs that we should not labour more after knowledge that after affection why then profit we no more in the word there is little hunger in vs much 〈◊〉 doth 〈…〉 vs we examine not ourselues at midnight we are not humbled we thust not we pant not All Gods promâ—ies are chiefly made to them that hunger after them it is said Pro. 2. 4. It thou seekest knowledge as siluer and searâ—hest for her as for treasure 5 Thâ—â—â— shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the Lord c. Here we see the holy ghost calleth 〈…〉 word a â—reasure that is â—id and sheweth how we must seeke search for it Awakethe your affections awake your affections
behold here the blessing of God he will blesse â—ts and satisfie the hungrie soules The Lord requireth nothing of vs but to mistrust our reason and to suspect our affections but to be teachable in spirit to hunger in heart and thirstingly to long after his word which if we shall doe we shall receiue increase of knowledge and amendment of life For to them that as meeke schollers wil be taught of Gods spirit and submit their reason to the simplicâ—tâ—e of the word the Lord saith Matth. 5. Blessed anâ— the poore in spirit for theirâ—s is the kingdome of heauen Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousnes for they shall be filled But here may seeme to mans reason a great repugnance to the verse aforegoing The entrance into thy word sheweth light and giueth vnderstanding to the simile For hee had shewed in the verse going before that the testimonies of the Lord were wonderfull not in part â—â—â— meaning that all therein was mysticall and here he saith that the very entrance into Gods word giueth light and vnderstanding to the simple We answere that the law or especially the second table of it may bee conceiued by reason but it is nothing so in â—â—â— doctrine of faith which is here meant in this word testimonies which we shewed to bee taken for the couenants of God The doctors of reason I meane the papists say the word is not to be taught to the common people because it is mystical but they neuer knew not by good experience felt that the Scriptures of God were easie to them that would submit themselues to them and vse them familiarly Others indeed may read see and heare them but they shall be as Parables and enigmaticall vnto them If then wee did see this aright that that which the wisest man cannot conceiue the simplest soules may attaine to if they will be taught of God would it not take vp our affections This made our Sauiour Christ say I thanke thee O Father Lord of heauen and earth that thou hast hia these things from the â—â—â—â— and prudent and hast reuealed them vnto babes euen so O Father was it thy good will and pleasure As if our Sauiour Christ should haue said O Lord I see the wise men haue great conceiuings and yet they attaine not to thy word yet to them that are humble and poore of spirit I see thou makest it knowne Did our Sauiour Christ giue thankes for this thing and shall not we for whose example these things were done We can giue thankes for our wits and for our memories but what is that to the purpose our wit may rather hinder vs than further vs in the true knowledge of the Lord vnles it be humbled and subiect to Gods spirit But here is a great cause of thankefulnesse that the simple shall vnderstand these mysteries not as we shewed before such as haue no conceiuing at all but such as acknowledge their simplicitie and hunger after the word euen as we also grant that wisemen shall haue this vnderstanding if they will denie their reason and stir vp affection For as all wise men shal not be debarred from this priuiledge so all simple men shal not be preferred thereunto For neither wisedome in it selfe nor simplicitie in it owne nature doe either further or hinder hereunto But alas I see how loath men would bee to lose their worldly wit and how they seeke after praise and commendation for the same but few eyther with like affection desire spirituall vnderstanding or sorrow in any like measure when they haue it not Deut. 4. 6. That is your vnderstanding and wisedome in the sight of the people saith A Moses That the Lord permitteth you so neere to approch to him and to bee taught his ordinances and lawes What then meane these speeches of them that hunt so much after worldly wit Why doe you thinke I am a foole Doe you thinke I am an asse and haue no wit to conceiue what things be as well as other men Doe you count me but a dul head Surely they are too proud and too much blinded in their owne conceits Wherfore the Prophet doth shew vs that as the mysteries of Gods word are reuealed to them that are simple of vnderstanding so are they to theÌ„ that are zealous in affectioÌ„ The cause then why we do no more profit by the word is because wee doe not denie our reason wee haue not affections that hunger after it nor loue to make vs pant for it which things if we did we should surely be satisfied Indeed the Lord giueth vnderstanding to whom he pleaseth where he purposeth to bestow so great a blessing hee giueth grace also more aboundantly to suboue their reason And as simplicitio cannot of it selfe bee a cause of spirituall vnderstanding but as it sooner bringeth vs to a sight of our wants and maketh vs the more to long after Gods word so wisedome is no cause of hinderance but as wee resting too much in the feare of reason cannot easily be brought to the simplicitie of Gods word And if the entrance rudiments and principles of religioÌ„ giue such knowledge and the very catechismes yeeld such vnderstanding what is to be hoped for when wee attaine to riper knowledge when wee haue more vnderstanding when wee haue more affections well let vs then examine our owne hearts herein when wee begunne were wee delighted with vnderstanding and did our vnderstanding moue in vs such affections and in our proceedings is our vnderstanding lesse and our affections fewer or doe we not thinke still of our ignorance and desire to haue our iudgemeÌ„t clearer we are in a dangerous estate we must suspect our selues Sathan wil bewitch vs and tel vs that this is a paradoxe that after so long hearing and reading we should still be ignorant and that still we haue neede to hunger after the word It is therfore the great mercy of God that to the receiuing of so singular a benefit he requireth nothing of vs but the acknowleding of our ignorance and bewayling of our wants Hee would that we should still put our selues in minde of this one thing that though we haue not this vnderstanding in the highest degree or in an hundred fold yet we must haue it in some degrees either in threescore fold or in thirtie fold we must vexe grieue and trouble our selues for this affection For where it is the heart is a liberall and free ruler of our affections and where it is not we must learne to lay violent hands euen on our affections We are to shew that which we omitted in the latter ende of the verse going before Because I loued thy law c. Heere the prophet sheweth that the loue which hee did beare to Gods lawe was so great that it could not satisfie him but still hee thirsted after it and thirsting did pant Loue as we say alwaies setteth a price of things nothing is too deare no trauaile
direct a man that is blind Now therefore he teacheth vs to pray that though wee haue the word yet the Lord would inlighten our vnderstandding and affections by his Spirit which may guide vs in our iourney And seeing the man of God hath vsed this prayer before vs wee are to learne that in reading hearing meditating and receiuing of the word wee are altogether vnprofitable vntill the Lord shall take the gouernment of our steps into his owne hand and shall direct vs by his Spirit My steps Loe he prayeth here for affection and not for iudgement as he doth in a verse following where he saith Shew the light of thy countenance vpon me and teach me thy statutes Here the Prophet instructeth vs as well to pray for affection to be mooued by the word of God as for iudgement to vnderstand it For if this were not needful then were this prayer but a vaine babling and often repeating of one and the selfe-same thing contrary to that rule of our Sauiour Christ Mat. 6. 7 When ye pray vse no vaine repetitions as the Heathen for they thinke to be heard for their much babling Why doth this man then vse this repetition Surely because it is another matter greater than we think of He saw there was much blindnes in our minds there is much rebellion in our affections and great sluggishnes in our hearts that without light we cannot tread in the right path yea though wee bee deliuered from by-paths if the candle be obscured and our way darkened yet wee returne to them againe For as a man being in the darke may easily goe out of the way and being out cannot easily come in againe but is faine to wander in vnknown and vncertaine places so if God guide vs not by his word and Spirit wee shall hardly finde the right way of knowledge and if we finde it we can hardly continue in it but may easily goe out of it and being out we can hardly recouer it againe Wherefore hitherto appertaineth the saying of our Sauiour Christ Matth. 7 13 Enter in at the streight gate c. because the gate is streight and the way narrow that leadeth vnto life wherein as it is hard to continue so to goe on either side out of it is most easie We see then how he prayeth that his paces might be guided by the word and that the spirit of God might carrie this lanterne of the word before him without whose guiding we cannot goe three steps but we shall misse of our way and leese the path and being once out we may easily erre and once erring we shall not returne aright Many would thinke this ridiculous but Gods children know by experience that there is a necessarie vse of these things by reason of the blindnes of our minde and that it is a speciall grace of God to be guided by his spiritual grace That no iniquitie haue dominion ouer me The simple sense of this verse is this Lord if thou doest not order my goings surely iniquitie will haue dominion ouer me The end of his request as we touched before is that he might not miscaâ—â—â—e in his way Hee acknowledgeth that a man being out of the way may be enforced to wander and after wandâ—ing can hardly recouer himselfe Wherefore he prayeth to this effect Lord so keepe me that though I â—rre yet I may returne so â—uide me that though I goe out a little yeâ— suffer me not to waâ—der altogether least iniquitie ouer runne me Thus we see Godâ— children feare themselues and why because though the raging raigne of sinne be takeâ— fâ—â—m them â—et the massiâ— lumpe of naturall corruption dwelleth in them and the very daungerous of sinne are very daungerous Wherefore our Sauiour Christ â—aught vs â—o pray Lâ—aâ—â— vs not into temptation the meaning whereof is here of the Prophet plainly set downe which is that though we cannot auâ—ide the causes of temptation which is ouâ— corrupt nature yet that euery man must resist and noâ— yeelde in willing coâ—sent vnto sinne that it should get the dominion ouer vs. It euery Saint of God â—ee commaunded to say this in â—â—uâ—h and not in hypocrisie of heart â—â—â— euery Saint hath neede of this prayer for euery man is subiect â—o temptation and iniquitie in him may haue the vpper hand True it is there are many weakenesses and infirmities in Gods â—â—iâ—â—ren asâ—râ—th and anger yet by how much they be the more and the greater the more and the oftner they are to watch ouer themselues Shall they then giue place and 〈…〉 themselues in anger Some man will say wee are full of corruption wee cannot but often fâ—ll Wee answere we must be the more watie of our selues for it is one thing to be tempted and another thing to nourish and foster a temptation for if a man being pâ—oâ—oâ—â—â— to anger and let the Sun goe downe in his wrath can fall asleepe in his anger and can be angrie still when he awaketh againe the spirit of God there hath not the chiefe rule but iniquitie hath dominion ouer him Wherefore when temptation ariseth let vs learne by prayer to preuent the raging of it As thus Lord I will not thus much trust myselfe that I can match with sinne Lord I haue corruption in me but cleanse thou me from my sinne and let it not vtterly preuaile against me The Saints of God dare not tarrie vntill the dead blowe commeth but they suspect the first strokes of sinne they â—arrie not to be stung to death but they feare the least bâ—zzing of sinne because they may easily be carried out of the way through the deceiuablenes of sinne and the deceitfulnesse of sinne may bring hardnes of heart Wherefore the Apostle Hebr 3 exhorteth them to applie one another with exhortations whilest it is called to day least any of them should be hardned through the deceitfulnes of sinne And the holy Ghost saith Psal 95 vers 8. To day if ye will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Wherefore the Saint of God thus prayeth that if hee should giue a little roome and sâ—â—ll libertie to his affections Gods grace could not continue in him Neither can the children of God being out of the way easily recouer themselues as we may see in Dauid who thought himselfe after that he had sinned to be cast from the presence of God to be for sakeÌ„ of his holy Spirit and vnlesse the Lord would cast him into the wombe againe vnles the Lord would cast him into a new mould there was no hope that he should recouer himselfe The violence of sinne is so impetuous that a man may soone slip and easily fall but hardly rise againe Wherefore the Wiseman saith Prou 28. 14. Blessed is the man that â—eâ—â—th alway but he that hardeneth his heart shall fâ—ll into euill that is blessed is he that in euery action examineth his heart that he fall not Not without cause then haue I this iealousie that when men are
vs that vnlesse the Lord teach vs it is vnprofitable Wee must ioyne to the ministerie of the word the direction of Gods spirit What is the cause why we haue a generall liking of the word and yet haue not a particular misliking of our deserts euen because we haue not the particular guiding and gouernment of Gods spirit Marke here the Prophet prayeth not the Lord to direct him either by fantastical reuelations whereof heretikes dreame so much nor by vaine superstitions which blinde the Papists nor by ciuill policies wherein wicked worldlings so abound but onely by his word Nâ—â—â—â—â—r in truth is there any thing that can purifie our hearts or cleanse our affections but onely the word which also is vnfruitful vnlesse the Lord guide vs For it is an hard thing to gette in to the way but it is harder being once in the way to continue in it and hardest of all when wee are out of the way to come in againe For seeing the way to be so strict that sometimes we goe on this hand and sometimes on that it is a grace of graces either to be kept in the way or being out quickly to be brought in againe And let none iniquitie haue dominion ouer me c. Iniquitie as wee taught before hath dominion ouer them where it breaketh out without controlement and in whom it beareth a sway with delight to the hinderance of Gods glory to the breaking the peace of their owne consciences and to the euill example of others He prayeth not we see to be without sinne for that he know he could not be in this life but that 〈…〉 might not rule raigne in him No more doth our Sauiour Christ teach vs to pray that we might be without sinne but that our sinnes might be for giuen not that we should bee voide of all temptations for of all temptations not to bee tempteâ— is the greatest but not to be ouercome of temptations not to be freed from all sinnes but that Sathan the author of euil might not preuaile against vs. Wherefore the Prophet saith Psal. 19. 13. Keepe thy seruant from presumptuous sinnes let them not raigne ouer mee Where he meaneth Let not the errors which are so rife in me grow too presumptuous but giue thy seruant grace to espie and foresee them which agreeth with his sense in this place Lord though I see this heape of corruption is still in me and lurketh still in my body and is buried in my flesh yet let it not breake out to thy dishonour or to the griefe of mine owne soule Now as wee are indeede to beware of the great securitie and carelesnesse of many professors in our time so must wee beware of the presumptuous pride of heretikes For if either Gods commaundement or promises had permitted him to pray for a full deliuerance from sinne then hee had beene remisse or flacke in so doing he should haue shewed himselfe not to haue beleeued the promise of God but disobedient to his Law and to haue flattered himselfe in sinne and to haue had some loue liking thereof Seeing then the scriptures of God allow this kinde of prayer that seeing we knowe not the manifold errors of this life we might â—râ—â—e that we breake not 〈…〉 preâ—◠〈…〉 maruaâ—â—e though the fantaâ—â—â—e â—ll heretikes be blowness high that they 〈…〉 cannot sinne If Adam in his perfection in paradise sinned against the 〈…〉 who an hundred yeares continued a iust man â—ell in the Arke â—f Moses 〈…〉 earth was ouercome by â—â—pâ—â—iencâ—e if Dauid a man after Gods 〈…〉 dayes began to 〈◊〉 his people â—â— Ezechias a good ruler of the 〈…〉 did breake out to vâ—â—â—glorie in shewing of his treasure if 〈…〉 n all things was woâ—â— to aske couâ—sell of the Lord did noâ—â—â—ke 〈…〉 was to fight against the King of Egypt though â—iâ—â—ne â—id nâ—uer 〈…〉 mon ouer any of them and yet after abundance of Gods graces 〈…〉 sinne tooke holde on them then what â—â— hellâ—â—h pride of 〈…〉 of such perfection And againe here wee must beware of the conu 〈…〉 that we gâ—ue not our selues to much libertie For though for Gods children which tâ—rouâ—â— infirmities haue â—lâ—ded this is a â—oâ—oâ—t yet for them that giue the bridle to â—inâ—â—â—â—o lâ—ade â—hem as it listeth it is nothing appâ—â—taining For it is easier to slippe wâ—â—â— Gods â—â—ilâ—ren then when wee haue slipped to recouer our selues with them â—â—ame â—â—â—â— easier to fall â—â—â—â— to rise againe with them and manâ—e haue their sinnes which haue â—eâ—tâ—er their repentance â—or the remâ—ssion of sinnes with them It is saide Ezech. 18 14. â—â— the â—igâ—tâ—â—us turne away from his righteousnes and coâ—â—it iniquitie and doth according to all the abbomiâ—â—tiâ—â—s that the wicked doe shâ—lâ— hee liue all the righteousnes that hee hath done shall not be mentiâ—ned but in his transgressâ—â—ns that â—e â—aâ—â— committed and in his sinne that he hath sinned in them shâ—ll hee diâ— We must not thinke hee speaketh here of â—nie particular breach but of generall back-slidings when iniquitie hath gotten the vpper hand But here is a common objection now a dayes vsed almost in euery mans mouth what sir what doe you tell vs of sinne and make so much adoe about it is there not sinne in you as well as there is in mee why speake you so much of sinne is it not in other preachers and in other hearers as it is in me why do you chaâ—ge me so sir we answere is there no difference betweene dimnes of sight blindnes is there no difference between numnes and senslâ—snes betweene slumbring and dead sleeping betweene a little slâ—p and a dead fall if there be a distinction to be made of these things shall we not also put difference betweene infirmities and leauing of some good things and grosse sinnes and â—uâ—â—ing headlong to vngodlines Is there no difference betweene the error and ignorance which is iâ— Gods children with griefe and with a desire to be freed from them and the errors and ignorance of the wicked wherein they gladly he still and where oâ—â—â—â—â— haue no care to bee â—id No difference betweene the frailâ—â—e and infirmitie of Gods children â—â—â— the sinne and iniquitie of the wicked is there no difference betweene iâ—fiâ—â—â—tâ— and presumptuous fraâ—ltie and rebellion betweene motion and action is there no difference betweene two steppes of a long ladder to the skyes and two steppes at the bottome â—â—â— betweene him that trauaileth though hee attaineth not to the highest steppes and him that still tarrieth at the ladders foote Thus we see they are willingly blinde Where Gods children steppe into some one sinne and being admonished are therefore sorrowfull and labour to recouer themselues and the wicked wallâ—w in so many sinnes and by no admonition can be brought either to a goâ—ly sorrowing oâ— forsaking of their sinne is there no difference betweene these Iudas and Peter sinned both and both against their Maister was there no
the man of God setteth downe the tearmes of his companions and sheweth how he coueted only Gods louing countenance The sicke desire health the imprisoned libertie the poore desire riches but few desire Gods countenance in the forgiuenes of sinne in the beholding of vs in Christ in giuing the graces of his holy spirit which are the pledges of his loue Many worlds are nothing worth it is a good heart which the Lord requireth Sanctification holines and the blessing of Gods spirit are true riches which we must craue and obtaine with sighs grones and teares For if we can sigh if we can grone if we can sorrow when we are but in sicknes of body or some outward calamitie what a shame is it if we cannot sigh sorrow and grone for the inward wants and necessities of the soule But if men knew what it were to haue the inward peace of conscience which passeth all vnderstanding they would surely desire it more That I might keepe thy statutes So many would haue Gods fauour to shine vnto them in libertie in health or in riches but he craueth God his fauour in his word which if we can get let the Lord deale with other things which concerne vs as pleaseth him best Will we know then when we haue a true loue to God his word It is when we especially desire it and nothing aboue it For as the greatest light that euer came to the world is the light of the Sunne so the most precious thing that can come to the world is the light of Gods word that we may see the light in God his light and behold the countenance of the Lord Otherwise if we be in prosperitie we will thinke our selues to be well when we are in aduersitie we thinke our selues ill Here we may see that as there is cleerenes when the Sunne shineth and that there is darknesse in the mists and cloudinesse so there is a vicissitude of Gods children whilest sometime their vnderstanding is cleered by the comfort of the word other sometimes it is darkened by the mists of ignorance which commeth to passe that we might the more reuerently and louingly esteeme the word For as the Lord hath the dispensation of the Sunne in heauen so hath he the disposing of his countenance to vs on earth Vers. 136. Mine eyes gush out with riuers of water because they keepe not thy Law MIne eyes gush out with water He doth here shew a cause why he did so earnestly pray for Gods louing countenance in his word for he was greatly grieued and sore afflicted and trouble compassed him on euery side The speech is not a false or fained speech but such as sheweth the greatnes of his griefe by that which is greater and it is as much as if he had said I weepe bitterly and often because men keepe not thy Law And this is the note of true zeale which easeth it selfe with teares and not with reuenge or anger and this is godly zeale when we cannot helpe a thing then by teares to commit it to God who alone is able to saue men This was not for priuate iniurie but because Gods law is broken This then is true zeale when we can deuoure priuate iniuries be zealous in Gods cause for fleshly men are hot in their owne causes and cold in the cause of the Lord. A man cannot thus be sorrowfull for another vnlesse he be sorrowfull for himselfe and then are we truely sorrowfull for our selues when we can mourne for others As Marie loued much and therefore wept much because much was forgiuen her And hereof it commeth that most notorious sinners being conuerted are most truely zealous haue greatest compassion ouer sinners for they haue felt Gods goodnes so greatly to them that they desire that others should be partakers thereof As Panl more zealous than the rest because more notorious than the rest of the Apostles PORTION 18. TSADDE Vers. 137. Righteous art thou O Lord and iust are thy iudgements AS in the latter end of the former Portion the Prophet shewed that his eyes gusht out with riuers of waters because of the generall backsliding and falling to iniquitie so here he sheweth that he had almost pined away and consumed to nothing to see the ripenes of iniquities in them which were his enemies And whereas this might haue beene a great temptation that notwithstanding there were made so many promises to the godly and such iudgements threatned to the wicked yet the godly sustained so hard things and the wicked were in so good a case he confirmeth his faith by staying his whole confidence on God and trusteth in God because he is righteous and acknowledgeth him to be a righteous God because euery part of his word is righteous and whatsoeuer the Lord hath said either concerning his promises to his seruants or threatnings to his enemies is most iust and true The selfe same must also stay vs when we are in the like temptations when we shall be counted as precise fooles and vnquiet spirits because we weepe and lament for the sinnes of others or when we seeing the wicked liue in such pleasures begin to maruell how it commeth to passe that the godly are so ill dealt withall and when the godly liue with teares and the vngodly passe their time in ioy Wherefore the man of God raiseth vp himselfe with this meditation howsoeuer those things seeme to be confounded cast together yet thou ô Lord art God and gouernest all thou art a righteous God and thy iudgements are righteous yea euery word of thy word ô Lord is righteous and true thy promises which in time thou shalt performe will not fall away nor thy iudgements which thou wilt one day execute shall not faile Behold how we also must strengthen our faith in the like assaults This was a notable example of faith which so yeelded to the due obedience of the word of God for our instruction when we are in such distresse our eyes must not be set on any visible or earthly things but onely on things inuisible and heauenly euen on the word of God on his promises which he wil performe on his iustice which he will execute we must I say haue our eyes lifted vp further than the scope of heauen and the circuites of the Sunne we must looke to heauen where Gods promises shall be fully performed and accomplished we must looke to hell where his iudgements shall be finished fully executed For though both Gods promises may on earth be performed and his vengeance may here be executed yet all his promises are not shewed to any nor many of them shewed to all but there may be some wanting of them and the wicked may haue a great torment of minde and hell of conscience and yet all haue them not neither haue any all because many are glorious in their life and pompous in their death What then shall we say to this but with the
see many men that will come and are driuen to subscribe to these generall speeches That the righteousnes of the Lord is euerlasting so they will easily be brought to discredit the word whereunto they will not stand For the Turke cleaueth to his dreames the Pope to his traditions the heretikes to their reuelations the heathen to their fantasies the worldlings to their policies Thy word is truth 1. As there is one sure and neuer changing righteousnes so I will not clime vp to heauen to seeke for it there I will not goe down to the low places of the earth to seeke it out there neither will I descend into hell for it but I will looke for it in thy word according to that Deut. 30 11. 12. 13. 14. This commaundement which I commaund thee this day is not hid from thee neither is it farre off it is not in heauen that thou shouldest say who should goe from vs to heauen neither is it beyond the sea c. And Rom. 10. 6. Say nos in thine heart who shall ascend into heauen who shall descend into the depth c. Here then is the difference betweene the heretikes and Christians Idolaters will haue Gods word but ioyned with their traditions heretikes will haue the word but with their reuelations But we say that it is all perfit it is a through truth and all truth hauing nothing too much nor any thing too little For it were a disgrace to adde or detract froÌ„ it to ascribe excesse or defect to it So the Prophet his sense is this Seeing I goe not to the right hand or to the left though I am contemned yet herein I stay my selfe because thou hast one righteousnes which thou hast certainly set down in thy word how thy children shall be gouerned by it Here we may also see the infinite wisedome and goodnes of God because otherwise what misery should we haue been in seeing so many heads there would haue been so many religions Wherefore the Lord hath set downe one perfit rule to gouerne all wherein nothing is either abounding or wanting Our Sauiour Christ saith Iohn 17. Father sanctifie them thy word is truth Father sanctifie them and seuer them out being thine with the word it is true Saint Iames saith We are begotten by the pure word this is that sword of the spirite which heretikes cannot abide and putteth Sathan to flight and giueth vs an happie issue and speedie out-gate in all our troubles and temptations if wee stay vpon it This doctrine is as necessarie also for manners euery wicked man will confesse the word to be true yet if we come to examine their life they will faile for if they were perswaded that the word were truth how durst they liue so profane such swearers such murderers such adulterers such theeues and such slaunderers So that we must needs confesse that the word for doctrine preserueth vs from heresies and for life saueth vs from many corruptions We must then labour that the word may haue a credit in our coÌ„sciences that we may not onely confesse God to bee true mercifull iust and righteous which euery of-scouring of the world may doe but let vs beleeue that all is trueth mercie iustice and righteousnesse is sufficiently set downe in the word which word the Lord hath set downe for all vs to beleeue and to obey Vers. 143. Trouble and anguish are come vpon mee yet are thy commaundements my delight SEe here is a further thing The sense then of the words is this Seeing thy righteousnes â—s constant and there is one constant rule of it therefore where besides my contemning I feele also trouble I doe not onely forget thy word but also much delight in it See a rare gift in the man of God for this is a singular gift of God not onely in anguish to bee heauily troubled but also to be comforted not to doe good heauily but to doe it cheerefully In that hee vseth as it were a doubling of the word trouble and sorrowe hee sheweth his griefe to bee the greater It is â—n hard matter not to forget God in trouble but a far greater matter then to haue a delight and a pleasure in the word yet so it is that if we can come neere the one wee shall also come neere the other Here is our strength if wee forget not the word and nourish not vnbeleefe ioy and delight will come after because it is the mercie of the Lord inwardly to recompence that which outwardly hee detracteth from vs. Thy word is my delight or my delight is in thy word This is the same that the Apostle reporteth of himselfe Rom. 7 22. I delight in the law of God concerning mine inner man The way to come to this is to fight against vnbeleefe to beleeue the word is most pure and holy It is a singular comfort to vs though our minde be troubled when we should doe good yet to doe it sith after we haue done it it leaueth a pleasure behinde incontrariwise how sweete soeuer sinne is in committing the pleasure will depart but the sting of sinne remaineth with vs still And surely it is a great quickning to a man when hee doth doe well True it is that this quickning commeth from the peace of conscience But when wee cannot onely reioyce in the forgiuenes of sinnes but feele a speciall comfort arise when wee doe well this is a double quickning For what can bee more comfortable then to be fruitfull in good workes in time of trouble When did faith loue patience constancie meekenes and boldnesse more abundantly flourish in the Church than in trouble In prosperitie wee defer and delay from day to day from to morrow to next day to doe well but when the hand of the Lord is vpon vs it setteth vs forward to the worke This then must mitigate our griefe in time of trouble and make vs iealous of our prâ—spâ—riâ—ie because wee are fuller of the exercise of weldoing in trouble than otherwise Besides a preacher may better perswade good things in time of trouble than in prosperitie Well as it is a generall rule in all things that a good beginning is as good as halfe done so as it is in all godlines likewise is it in this part of godlines What is the cause why men cannot come to this ioy in trouble euen because in the very entrance of it they straight forget the word and so they either despaire or vse vnlawfull meanes This is a thing needfull to be considered of For if a man bee in trouble and hath nothing to ouermatch it then his trouble will ouerquel him For why doe men in trouble lay violent hands on themselues but because they haue nothing in their mindes to comfort them therefore they fal to desperate meanes Wherefore Gods children should soone despaire were it not that they felt comfort in the remission of sinnes and stay themselues on a godly securitie in God his promises and prouidence
and in an holy courage to be delighted in weldoing For the godly whose onely stayes in trouble are faith and a good conscience are brought by their affliction to a sight of their sin to a desire to haue them pardoned to a feeling of God his mercy in hearing their prayers to an hatred of their sinnes Thus if we can support our faith in Gods promises wee shall reioyce in trouble When heretikes suffer for their illusions and being taught of man they quickly shrinke but when Sathan deludeth them with strange fantasies they are ready to suffer much Doe we know that heretikes wil suffer for their illusions and shall not wee much rather suffer for the truth And yet we see the Lord maketh a distinction betweene their sufferings our martyrdomes For Christians through faith can sing Psalmes in the midst of the flame heretikes by their roring shewe they haue no such ioy It stands therefore vpon vs euen now to be iealous of our prosperitie to bestow the time which we haue in weldoing and striue against sinne For we shall breake the first wall by this and so come with ioy to the other And as the word is a comfort in trouble so is it a bridle from sinne in prosperitie For as it doth not let vs fall in trouble so also it bridleth vs from sin in prosperitie For to this end we read and heare the word that in prosperity it should subdue sin and in aduersitie it should minister comfort But what is the iudgement of God vpon them that know not the word If they bee in health they seeke for nothing but for pleasures for profit and for gaine and thinke whatsoeuer they do to be lawfull yea admonish a man of his couetousnes by the word yet will hee not repent vntill eyther theeues or fire or some other iudgement of God vtterly consume him but hee will obiect why should I not get riches why should I not maintaine my gaine Admonish a theefe at his libertie of his theft and it prevaileth no more then if ye should tel him a storie vntill wofull experience â—each him the truth of it by the prison or by the halter There is no hope to any profit to perswade the adulterer vntill some plague of God haue wrought vpon him So we see when fire is on our houses when we must goe to prison or yeeld to any other calamitie men wring their hands teare their haire and rent their clothes crying for woe to themselues and saying they cannot liue they wil not be seene in the world they are ashamed to looke their friends in the face and why because they haue no feeling of the ioyes of the life to come they haue no stay on Gods prouidence they feele no comfort in his promises but they curse they moyle and pine away with sorrow If we see then the great mercie of God in staying vs from sinne in time of prosperitie and in aduersitie telling vs that he doth not punish vs in wrath but in loue and as a father doth teach vs the contempt of this world the desire of the world to come faith in his promises patience and repentance let vs reuerently esteeme the word Verse 144. The righteousnes of thy testimonies is euerlasting graunt mee vnderstanding and I shall liue IN repeating the same againe which hee had saide before the man of God here vseth two words the righteousnes of thy testimonies whereas before he vseth this one word thy righteousnes so that he meaneth here nothing els but the righteousnes of God reuealed to vs in his word For they bee called testimonies both in respect that they bee records of Gods loue towards vs as also they are testimonials of our obedience towards God So the words may beare this sense true it is Lord that that part of thy word where in thou hast comforted vs with thy promises is euerlasting and that part of thy word wherein thou hast set downe our duties is also euerlasting And I shall liue That is what doe men desire but life that I may liue therefore in godly pleasure Lord teach me to vnderstand thy testimonies See the man of God doth rest his life in this vnderstanding of the word They then that are ignorant are dead in sin Ephes 2. They sit in the shadow of death Luk 1. they are bound in the chaines of â—â—â—â—â— as Paul witnesseth of the widowes that liue delicately For as we cal him a man of death on whom not the Iudge but the law or not the lawe but the fact hath already giuen iudgement so they are subiect to the spirituall death on whom not God but his word or not the word but the sinne hath pronounced guiltie What is then life surely this was life the estate wherein Adam liued before hee fell his other life afterward which now is common to vs is a death and wee in him are all dead For when there was no sinne there was no shame when there was no shame there was no trouble when no trouble no death Wherfore sinne bringeth in shame trouble and death and hath left vs dead spiritually by cutting vs off from God For as a ciuill life is when wee are obedient to the ciuill lawes so we liue in God when wee liue according to his lawe And as he is dead ciuilly that by transgressing the lawes of the realme hath cut off himselfe from the common people so we are spiritually dead when sinne hath cut vs off from God The Prophet Abacuk saith chap. 2. 4. Hee that lifteth vp himselfe his minde is not right in him Where the Prophet sheweth that though a man for a time swel not hauing an vpright heart yet afterward he sodainely vanisheth away as a bubble of water for as a bladder with the wind is soone drawne out so the vngodly with conceit of his reason seemeth to bee puft vp but all is but inconstancie The iust man saith the Prophet shall liue by faith not by workes as some would dreame for all the shift of them that will be righteous in themselues will bee as a bubble of water but the iust man beleeuing the forgiuenes of sinne looking for euerlasting life staying himselfe on the promises and prouidence of God hath true soundnesse in him Hee shall liue saith the Prophet noting perpetuitie of time So the man of God his meaning is I shall liue i. perpetually and for euer Wee see then the great mercie of God that commeth by the knowledge of the Worde in that wee finde how hee deliuereth vs from wrath and taketh vs into his fauour he rescueth vs from sinne and clotheth vs with righteousnes he taketh from vs death and restoreth to vs life But marke who speaketh these words doth this man of God attaine to such an heroicall spirit as to crie graunt me vnderstanding and shall wee thinke ourselues sufficiently rich well sighted and that wee are so well clothed that wee neede no such prayer We are like the Laodiceans
who hearing the word were neither hote nor cold Seeing then we are rather Laodiceans than Dauids wee must crie Lord giue vs vnderstanding that we may liue Then let vs learne by other mens harmes which is a princely and heroicall kind of teaching For as Princes children are taught themselues in their owne persons but are not beaten seeing rather others beaten before them so the Lord preacheth to our persons but punisheth other persons round about vs sparing vs that we by their sinnes and stripes may learne to amend and to repent in prayer There is a winter after haruest after heate colde and it is vsuall with the Lord to tempeâ— his blessings most sweete with some crossings most sower Wherefore let vs pray with our Prophet for the vnderstanding of God his word not onely to be bettered in our mindes but also reformed in our liues Then no diuell no hell no plague no pestilence shall hurt vs yea those troublesome trials which vnto others are testimonies of God his wrath shall be vnto vs seales of his loue which although the world cannot discerne yet by faith we shall both finde it and feele it PORTION 19. COPH. Vers 145. I haue cried with mine whole heart heare me O Lord and I will keepe thy statutes Vers. 146. I called vpon thee saue mee and I will keepe thy testimonies IN the last verse of the former part he set downe the righteousnesse of GODS lawe hee prayed therefore that hee might haue vnderstanding and liue and therefore they that are ignorant haue no life in them because life is onely reuealed in the word Sinners then hauing not receiued the word are dead for the life of sinne is the death of man And our first father was dead when hee had sinned and they who liued in pleasure and all other sinners are dead though they for a while prolong their life on earth yet at death the soule goeth to hell and waiteth there for the bodie and this cuise waiteth on all Cursed are all that continue not in all things c. and after Gods great suffering they shall be cut off Hee knew that the beginning of this life was in the word and hee also knewe that the continuance of it was in the word by the grace of God and therefore hee laboured to haue it increased by the word because he was conuinced by his infirmitie that hee might lose it as Adam did and therefore hee seeketh to finish the course of his saluation with feare If Dauid whose zeale had consumed him did yet in this sort pray how much more ought we which for euery light trouble are discouraged in our dutie He prayeth for the vnderstanding of the word because the diuell wil be ready to allure vs from the word if we be inclined thereto as he dealt with Christ when he laide our scripture against it And yet he liketh not of those that rest in the literall sense but hee craueth the spirit to teach him according to the word for the spirit quickeneth and flesh and blood doth not reueale these things and all that are of God must bee taught of God Isa. 54 yet alwaies agreeable to the word Now in this part he prayeth that he may haue vnderstanding and ease from his trouble this request he groundeth on these reasons first of his earnestnes in the foure first verses secondly in respect of his enemies in the sixt verse and thirdly in respect of Gods mercies in the fift seuenth and eight verses In the foure first verses he setteth downe his earnest desire and zeale that he had and he prayeth that he may haue a good conscience in the first verse and faith in the promises in the second verse teaching that these two were al the comfort that he had in trouble when he suffered for well-doing and had his sinnes forgiuen and had the fauour of God Then if we will stand in trouble let vs labour to be grounded on the promises of forgiuenes of sinnes of a new life of his fatherly prouidence and let this purge vs from sin and if we can doe this then nothing shall seperate vs from God as Paul saith Rom. 8. and againe he saith there is no condemnatioÌ„ to them that are in Christ for they haue his spirit to purge them from sinne and to strengthen their faith The want of these causeth men to step backe and the weakenes of our faith the carelesnes of these causeth such feare in Gods children and such shrinking for the diuel layeth their sinnes to their charge which they see not discharged and their faith is weake and therefore they are diuing vp and down And surely trouble must come to all for so it is ordained though to some lesse than others and therefore when it commeth we are faint if we haue not been carefull to keepe a good conscience and to strengthen our faith But if we haue done thus then shall death be pleasant vnto vs for wee shall be blessed Apoc. 12. and our workes shall follow vs that is our faith and the fruites of our faith Againe if wee suffer for our sinnes c. then wee want faith and a good conscience and therefore we murmur and crie out yea and goe to witches and wisards Yea Gods children though they come not to this grosse sinning yet they inwardly grudge and they haue secret murmurings because they haue failed in strengthening their faith keeping a good conscience but the children of God that make Christ all in all they say the Lord giueth and the Lord taketh this is the patience of Gods children And Iob did not faile till his faith failed and though his three learned aduersaries reasoned against him to proue him an hypocrite yet his conscience sustained him and therefore reckoneth vp his vertues chapter 28. and 31. And he also confessed his faith I know that my Redeemer liueth this was his faith and this was his conscience that in his trouble sustained him These things haue no lesse fruite in prosperitie for the want of them cause men to lift vp themselues on high but the word represseth pride lust and loue of worldly things so that they are â—â—uÌ„â—le in prosperitie for the worldlings seeke after the things of this world because they neuer felt the peace of conscience they seeke their owne glorie because they neuer felt what the glory of God was and neuer seeke knowledge because they know not what the soule is Yea the children of God because they labour not continually to keepe a good conscience and to strengthen their faith they are carried away with the loue of earthly things after the example of the wicked for prosperitie is as a floud which carieth all things with it and as well good as bad and therefore they are often caried away with the loue of these outward things But the children of God which doe diligently labour after these things they behaue themselues so as that God may be glorified by their prosperitie and aduersitie
many will be readie in hearing to snatch at this and that if any thing may make to cloake their licentiousnes who as they haue itching eares and greedie mindes to hunt after euill so by the iust iudgement of God they fall into the misunderstanding of the word And to speake the truth doe we thinke that the diuell like a roring Lion coâ—passeth vs about the flesh daily rebelleth against the spirit the world continuilly sighteth against vs are wee truly conscious of that ignorance which ouerwhelmeth vs and guâ—â—tie of those manifold temptations which daily ouercome vs and shall we not thinke that there is great neede to vse the meanes to withstand these which is the word and prayer Nay Gods children notwithstanding they vse prayer feruently and accustome themselues to the word diligently feele the diuell so strong the flesh so subtile the world so deceiueable that they thinke not the Sabbath sufficient but redeeme all time possible to bestowe in the meanes to withstand their assaults Besides if we must needes eate euery day to preserue natural life needs must we giue our selues to the word and prayer euery day to preserue that life which wee haue in Christ Iesus Two sermons on the Sabbath are not sufficient for a man to feede on all the weeke after if he be well acquainted with his owne wants if hee truely consider of his dangers Our Sauiour Christ willeth vs if we wil obtaine to aske earnestly if we wil find to seeke diligently if we will enter to knocke continually Furthermore this wisedome of the spirit must teach vs to bestowe that time in Gods worship which is most fit in respect of Gods glory and our owne estate wherefore the children of God will not omit the morning as being the fittest time for all good things Humane wisedome teacheth that in all things wherein is any commendation excellencie the morning time especially is to be spent The student for his studie the worldâ—ing for his deuising counteth this time againe Yea the drunkard saith the Prophet riseth early to be filled with wine Wherefore if the word and prayer be our chiefest pleasures â—f the belly and the meate shall perish in time but the word will make our soules coâ—tiâ—â—â—â— for euer seeing without it our soules cannot liue and in respect of it all other things are â—â—â—â—â—ngbyes and accessories then true wisedome to attaine to it will make the best choyse of the morning And if in things which are agreeable to nature wee serue morning as an helpe to bring things to passe in much more had we need to vse such helps in those things which are lesse agreeable to nature aboue nature yea contrarie to nature as is prayer and the spirituall vnderstanding of the word Nature and experieÌ„ce teach vs that our memorie is quickest our senses are readiest our naturall powers ablest in the morning for meditation because our mind is then free from ill vaine and worldly thoughts our memorie is renewed and hath recouered farre greater strength our senses are not inâ—eigled with any outward things our naturall powers being reâ—â—â—ed haue then their greatest libertie Wherfore seeing by nature we are not capable of the â—â—â—â— but it goeth with nature as against the dreame or against the â—aire now necessarie is it in the morning that the first thing to come to our eyes should be the temple of the Lord the first thing to our eares his word and to season our mindes with meditation of the same so that wee may walke with Eliah all the day after in the strength of those things which out of the word of God we haue heard or read And although no time is vnfit for the word and prayer yet now we speake not simply what time is fit but what time rather is most fit herein to be vsed On the contrary when we haue been trauailing in our worldly businesse many things haue occupied our senses and after much trauaile wee prouoke our appetite to receiue â—eâ—â—e and after much lâ—bouring and much eating â—oâ—ned â—â—â—â— eaâ—â—â—es much dulnes â—â—â—â—peth vpon vs which hardly will admit vs with any good profit to heare the word of God For euen Gods children though they â—iâ—iue by all meanes that they become not oppressed with meate and drinke and yet they feele after their â—epaâ—â— a naturall â—eaâ—ines and dulnes which maketh them lesse able and fit to receieue the word with readme and reuerence For to the receiuing of the word and prayer two things especially are necessarie that is a prepared mind before we begin and an examination that meditation with our selues after we haue ended els if we come hand ouer head as good neuer a whit as neuer the better True it is indeede that as a man going continually in the sun shall in time haue a blacke hew so in oft hearing a man may attaine to some knowledge but he shall neuer without this true preparation and examination of his heart attaine to the soundnesse of iudgement Most needfull it is with prepared minds to come to the word and prayer because when we heare the word the Lord commeth downe into the Church as it were among vs and when we pray we mount vp as it were to heauen among the Angels wherefore wâ—â—re not to come to so high a banket with vnwashed â—â—nds not to draw neere to the mariage without our wedding garment but we must take heede with what foote we enter into the house of the Lord â—east happily we offer the sacrifice of foâ—â—es For fooâ—es thinke they haue done well when they haue giuen their bodily presence when they haue heard and prayed as others doe neuer preparing their hearts or examining their owne wants But wee must learne truly to search our selues and according to our necâ—ssities wee must pray that the â—iâ—isâ—ers mouth may be opened who iâ— preaching is the mouth of God speaking to vs and in praying is our mouth speaking to God for vs. And surely as for the hearty desire of the godly euen euill men haue somtimes their mouthes opened to speake some good things Euen so for want of this affection in the hearers the good minister doth not speake so plentifully and fruitfully as were to bee wished Wherefore standest thou in neede to be comforted standest thou in neede to be humbled standest thou in neede to be exhorted pray that thine heart may be prepared to conceiue those things which especially concerne thine estate and that thy pastor may open his mouth to thy profit For for the prayers of the godly the mouth of the vngodly shall vtter profitable things Balaam shall blesse for Israels sake and the Lord will be vnto them as an Vnicornes horne against Balaams cursing and Caiphas shall prophecie good things of Christ. On the contrary because the people are ill Dauid shall number them and the Lord shall make drie barren the graces of God in the minister when the hearts of the
may know that he felt great dulnesse and deadnesse in himselfe which often creepeth euen on the dearest Saints of God but so as they struggle against it still and referre themselues to Gods mercie wherein consisteth our life both spirituall and corporall Vers. 160. The beginning of thy word is truth and all the iudgements of thy righteousnesse endure for euer AS if hee should say I beleeue that thou wilt thus quicken men because the verie beginning of thy Word is most iust and true and when thou diddest first enter into couenant with me I did finde that thou diddest not deceiue me nor beguile me and when by thy spirit thou madest me beleeue thy couenant thou meanest trutâ—â—â— I know that â—s thou diddest promise thou wilâ— performe for thou art no more liberall in promising than faithfull and iust in performing and thy iudgement will be as righteous as thy promise is true wherefore as soone as thou speakest trueth proceedeth from thee so â— know that thou wilt defend and preserue me that thy iudgements may sâ—â—â—e as righteou in thee And as this was particular to him so is it generall to all for where the Lord doth in mercie promise there in righteousnesse he will performe and where the Lord in wâ—â—â—h doâ—â— threaten there in iudgement he wil righteously execute For where he 〈◊〉 he sheweth himselfe true and when he performeth he executeth righteousness when the Lord threatneth he manifesteth himselfe to be iust when he executeth he proueth himselfe to be righteous So the speech of the man of God containeth thus much Though all men be liars I know thou O Lord art true thou doest promise that thou wâ—â—t watch ouer thy children and that no temptation shall ouercome them I know this promise is true and therefore as thou diddest promise in truth in the beginning so wilâ— thou performe in righteousnes in the ending For both in beginning and in ending thou â—â—â—â—like and true How iniurious then are we to the Lord who will doubt of Gods promises that in prosperitie he will renue our hearts and put into vs a good spirit And why doe we doubt of his prouidence in aduersitie seeing his promise hath euer his issue in truth and veritie and seeing the Lord will not leaue vs vntill euery word that he hath spoken come to pass for heauen and earth shall passe but not one word of his mouth shall faile And as the consideration hereof doth coÌ„fort vs in his promises so also must it humble vs in his threatnings Seeing then he hath pronounced and giuen out his sentence that no vnrighteous persons nor fornicatours nor idolaters nor adultereâ—s nor wantons nor buggerers â—â—r theeues nor couetous nor drunkards nor â—aâ—lers nor extortioners shall inherit then his kingdome as this is truth so it shall surely come to passe in his righteous iudgement So that they that haue done these things without speciall grace and singular repentance shall surely be damned For as true as the word of God is so righteous are his iudgements He is true of his mouth when the word passeth from him he is iust in his workes when he is righteous in performing Thus we see that to be soundly grounded in faith we must couple with the promises of God his performance with his threatnings his executions Thus also must we fight against vnbeleefe so that if we will not 〈◊〉 the Lord of vntruth we must waite for the accomplishmeÌ„t of his truth Whether then concerning â—â—s mercy his promise be of newnes of life of forgiuenes of sinnes of his prouidence or of life euerlasting we must strengthen our faith with assurance that as his word is true so also his executing of it is righteous So that the word of God shall certainly haue an issue either to humble vs by profiting or else to debarre vs of his kingdome in refusing it The sense then of the man of God is plaine and euident in shewing whatsoeuer the Lord hath spoken for good in his promise he will performe it to his children Whatsoeuer he hath threatned for euill he will execute it vpon the sinners so that we may be assured of the full accomplishment of his promises and of the righteous executing of his iudgements PORTION 21. SHIN Vers. 161. Princes haue persecuted me without cause but mine heart stood in awe of thy word AS the man of God not long before shewed that he had many persecutors so here she sheweth they were no meane men nor of the inferiour sort but mightie Princes neither Princes of a prophane people but rulers of the chosen of God the Iewes and that he did not suffer for deserts as an ill doer but innocently as one that had â—â—â—ther presu 〈…〉 transgreâ—sâ—d against the Maiestie of God neither disobediently done against th 〈…〉 〈◊〉 this was no 〈◊〉 temptation in that Princes who should haue taken â—is part against his eneâ—â—â—â— â—â—â— whom he should haue received countenance in his cause being good should 〈…〉 and goe against him For what 〈◊〉 â—t to haue the 〈◊〉 to be our 〈◊〉 who should â—ee the gouernouâ—â— of Gods Church in that hee should be◠〈◊〉 to thinke that 〈◊〉 the gouâ—rnours of the people weâ—e â—â—â— or that his one â—â—â—â—â— of your head â—f noâ— one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lesse your bodie iâ—â—â—ppâ—ly 〈…〉 yet not the soule You sâ—â—â—â—e â—â—â—â—lâ— bodies of feathered fowles without God â—â—s permission fâ—ll not into the hands of men which are so little in value that two of them are sold for a penie how then can they haue power vpon your bodies without leaue of the Lord seeing ye are far more pretious in his sight and hee taketh a further care of your bodies But if for my glorie yee shall lay downe your liues they can reuenge themselues but of your bodies as for your soule they cannot touch it But mâ—ne heart 〈…〉 we of thy word c. Here wee see the greater feare ouercame the lâ—â—sâ— If the faces of Princes be terrible because their angrie lookes threaten euill their wrathfull words â—enace death because whatsoeuer they will doe they can doe and whatsoeuer they can doe they dare doe yet fâ—are them not â—aith Christ but feare him who in his wrath 〈…〉 â—â—ule into hell They can take and attach the bodie but the good eâ—t â—â— of the soule can they not 〈◊〉 but rather feare him who can arrest the bodie and afterward can â—lso attaâ—h the soule The 〈…〉 het may be this I was afraide to displease thee O Lord and 〈…〉 noâ— to please mâ—â—â— enemies although they were mightier then I. Thus 〈…〉 hâ—w he wâ—â—◠〈◊〉 and that hee perseuered in the feare of God without 〈◊〉 For â—â—â—th hâ— though the feare of my mightie aduersaries was great â—et â—â—◠〈◊〉 the feâ—re of thee had â—â—asoned mine heart and had left sucâ— a deep impression in to 〈…〉 thâ—â— by infidelitie I should mistrust thee or by disobedience I 〈…〉 Wherefore the spirituall feare of thee
ouercame â—ll corporall feare of 〈◊〉 The r 〈…〉 corporall feare are which so much dâ—unteth the heart is to craue a greater feare of Gods Maiestieâ— the strength whereof may ouermatch the 〈◊〉 feare When the Kings of 〈◊〉 had conspired against the people of God the Prophet of God said vnto them Esay 8. 12. Say â—ee 〈◊〉 A confedâ—racie to all them to whâ—me this people â—â—ith a confederaâ—â—â— neither 〈…〉 nor be afraid of them 13. Sanctifie the Lord of Hostes and let him be 〈…〉 your drâ—â—â— And least we should think that this appertaineth not as well to all Christians as to the Iewes Let vs heare what the Apostâ—â— Peter â—aith 1. Perâ— 3. 14 Blessed are yâ—e if we suffer for righteousnes sake yea feare not 〈…〉 e neither be troubled 15. But 〈◊〉 the Lord in your hearts be ready 〈…〉 were to euery sin â—n that 〈◊〉 you a reason of the â—oâ—e that is in you Were the blessed Apostle sheweth that wee are not readie to make Confession of our hope vntill wee put away this feare and sanctifie the Lord in our harts glorifying his truth in promising and his 〈◊〉 in performing And to applie this to our selues if the Magistrate should bring vâ—to the Racke or torture to betray the good cause of God or innocencie of our brethren let vs rather feare to displease God for his threatnings then man for his punishment And in particular example to applie this doctrine we heare Ierem. 1. 17. what the Lord saith to the Prophet Say not I am a childe c. Be not afraide of their faces for I am with thee to deliuer thee saith the Lord. Here the Lord addeth ver 17. Thou therfore 〈◊〉 vp thy loynes and arise and speake vnto all that I commaund thee be not afraide of their faces least I destroy thee before them In which place the Lord setteth downe a promise to assist him and a threatning to punish him both which did so preuaile that he durst speake boldly and prouoke the King to wrath Acts 5. wee reade that when the Priests and Sadduces being full of indignation laide hands on the Apostles and put them in the common prison Peter the rest of the Apostles answered We ought rather to obey God then men Menace vs say they as much as yee will we care not for it we feare to discredit the blessed promise and lightly to passe ouer the heauie threatnings of our God and wee feare you not Againe this feare was written in the heart of Paul 1. Cor 9. 16. Though I preach the Gospell I haue nothing to reioyce of for necessitie is laid vpon me and woe to vnto me if I preach not the Gospell c. Howsoeuer we thinke this easie to be learned it is doubtlesse most hard to be practised For though Princes doe not their duties yet wee must not therefore rebell against them and though we be persecuted of rulers without a cause yet we must stand in awe of Gods word and our Sauiour CHRIST hath pronounced that whosoeuer striketh with the sword shall perish with the sworde If then either our Princes shall be vngodly or their vnder officers vnfaithfull we must not therevpon grudge to pay tribute to giue taske and to yeeld subsidie but we must doe them euen with conscience as to the ordinance appointed of God knowing and acknowledging that the hand of Gods wrath in their corrupt Gouernment is iustly layd vpon vs for some sinne Wherefore the holy Ghost saith Eccl. 10. 20. Curse not the King no not in thy thought neither curse the Rich in thy bed-chamber for the fowle of the heauen shall carrie the voyce that which hath wings shall declare the matter If then our Princes should vse all their tribute to sensualitie or take vp all their taxes for pleasure withour either feare of God or loue of their Common-wealth yet curse not the King saith the Wiseman no not in thy bed-chamber So that if flesh and blood should moue vs to murmure that wee should be readie to thinke euill of them that are in authoritie the holy Ghost here warneth vs that wee vse no such speeches and put away such thoughts because both our speeches and thoughts stand at the controlling of God his iudgements but we must humbly ascribe it to our sinne that hee withdraweth his grace from them and pulleth his wrath vpon vs. Wherefore if we thinke as many worldly men doe that thoughts are free and are not called into the Court and that euery man is a King in his priuie chamber the spirite of God chargeth our conscience here before the Court of heauen and telleth vs that our chambers are the Lords chambers also and therefore as true Israelites euen in secret we should thinke no guile for the Lord will reueale it and punish it openly yea euen the fowles of the ayre shall bewray our vnfaithfulnes To come lower to our selues because we must not thinke that this affection must be in Dauid and not in vs for so shall we make vnprofitable whatsoeuer is taught whereas the man of God did feare to offend euen when Princes are against him we not onely cannot sustaine so great a triall in the feare of our God but if the losse of any worldly pelfe come to vs we are straight voyde of all feare and cannot abide to be taught any good thought we are vnquiet vntill we haue consulted with wizards witches not withstanding in awe of Gods threatnings against that sinne Deu. 18. 10 Let none be found among you that vseth witchcraft 11. Or that is a charmer or that counselleth with spirits or a southsayer or that asketh counsell at the dead 12. For all that doe such things are abomination to the Lord c. where the Lord counteth no otherwise of these things then of the vp-heape of sinne Againe 1. Chron. 10. 13. it is said that Saul died for his transgression that hee committed against the Lorde euen against the word of the Lord which hee kept not in that hee sought and asked counsell of a Familiar spirit 14. And asked not of the Lord c. where we see that in reckoning Saul his sinne this is the laâ—â— and wrappeth vp all the rest in that hee asked not counsell of the Lord but went to a witch So this was the heape of his sinne this filled the iust measure of his iniquities because when he should haue repented of all other sinnes hee made this the full heape of his sinnes and pulled consequently vpon him the height of Gods iudgements for he was cut off from the kingdome and desperately ended his life Esay â—8 when the Lord reckoned vp the sinnes of the people as their infidelity their obstinacie he commeth at the last to their sorceries saying 19. When such shall say vnto you enquire of them that haue a spirite of diuâ—â—ation and at the south sayers which whisper murmure should not a people enquire at their God from the liuing to the dead
c. Therefore the Lord denounceth plagues and punishments on euery side to fall vpon them Looke into the destruction of the old cities namely of the Egyptians of the Moabites of the Assyrians and of the Philistines and yee shall see how witcherie was the most especiall cause of their destruction So shall we thinke now that the feare of God doth touch their hearts who for losse of so small pelfe runne to wizards Well we are here to learne that as where the Lords feare doth so rule our hearts that we sanctifie the Lord therein we are free from the greatest temptations So where this reuerent feare of God is wanting there is no temptation though neuer so vile and grosse but we will yeeld vnto it The prouidence of the Lord being so rich and his hand so wide and large we must not be afraide of so small a losse of worldly goods Wee know that Zedechiah being a Prince Iere. 37. when the feare of God was gone from him feared that the very common people would mocke him so that he could not obey the Prophet Againe we know that Ieremiah being the Prophet hauing this reuerent feare of God seasoning his heart was nothing dismaid with all that either Zedechiah or any other of the kings could do vnto him Among many places excellent is that Iob. 31. where the man of God partly to stop the mouths of his aduersaries partly to comfort his own soule with the record of a good conscience and partly to shew the secret iudgements of God and that he did not suffer for his sinnes as he was accused but for som secret cause best known to the Lord he testifieth how free he was from fornication from adulterie from iniuries from vnmercifulnes from crueltie with his seruants and from oppression and sheweth the cause why all these things were in him because the Lord beheld all his wayes and told all his steps First for fornication he made a couenant with his eyes because there is no portion no inheritance from the Almightie to the wicked but destruction and strange punishments to the workers of iniquitie and as of fornication so also he speaketh how he was preserued by the feare of Gods iudgements from adulterie ' and afterward comming to shewe his innocencie in not cruelly dealing with his seruants he saith If I should contemne the iudgement of my seruant c â—hat then shall I doe when God standeth vp and when he shall visite mee what shall I answere Againe he professeth that the cause why he did not oppresse nor iniurie others was not that hee refrained for feare of men but for feare of God For saith he If I haue lift vp mine head against the fatherlesse c. I thinke my shoulder bones would goe out of their sockets Gods iudgements were fearfull vnto me I could not be deliuered from his Highnes c. And though he might by his great countenance which he did beare haue dealt roughly with men and might haue made afraide a great multitude Yet saith he the most contemptible of the families did not feare me Yea though the men were farre lesse then hee yet hee could not hide his sinne as Adam he could not conceale his iniquitie in his bosome Whosoeuer then wil be trulie religious and make a conscience of sinne in sinceritie he must thus walke in the feare of God and though he might so doe as no man could euer touch him for his outward conuersation though he did not run into the hand of the Magistrate and no man thogh he would could say Black is his eye he must submit himselfe to what perill soeuer and ouercome all feare of mans power with feare of Gods punishments And we must know that if there be some sin in vs on which the ciuill law can take no hold yet the fear of the law of God must be in stead vnto vs of all lawes knowing that though we escape the court of men we cannot escape the iudgements of God who will iudge vs not according to the law of man but according to his own law So that the children of God are so far off froÌ„ flattering themselues in these sinnes where mans lawes faile and which they doe not punish that they labour the more against them fearing that God will punish those sins more grieuously in the world to come which by the law of man in this world he doth not correct And because by mans punishing we are oft brought to repent of those sinnes wherein now oft times we die without any repentance So that we see how effectuall an instrument of God this feare of his law is against all kinds of sinne whatsoeuer For though in politike lawes there be no lawes against swearing breaking of the Sabbath or filthie speaking yet Gods children are not for that cause such as cast off all feare but such as by so much the rather feare and suspect such sinnes Now in that the man of God saith in awe of thy word see the man of God performeth that feare to Gods word which he oweth to God himselfe This is profitably to be considered of vs. If any deale now adaies with a prophane worldling in things concerning the true knowledge of God and the way of saluation he will answere What tell yee me of these things tell me what you can I am sure of this you can tell me no more than this Loue God aboue all and thy neighbour as thy selfe and I trust I shall loue God as well as you or the best learned But here is their hypocrisie descried in that they haue so small loue to the word For our Sauiour Christ witnesseth Iohn 8. He that is of God heareth Gods word if ye were of God ye would loue his word so one may say to this effect if we feare God we stand in awe of his word Wherefore the man of God saith Oh how loue I thy law protesting that loue to the law which he had to God And as he saith O Lord thou art my portion so he saith also thy testimonies haue I taken as an heritage Thus we must honour God in Christ and Christ in his word For looke what honour God would haue he would haue vs shew vnto Christ and looke what honour Christ would haue he would haue it done to his word Wherefore the Apostles not reuerencing our Sauiour Christ onely for his person but also for his word said Maister whither shall we goe from thee thou hast the word of spirit and life As this corrupt opinion of the feare of God is in the worldlings so also is it in heretikes and in the familie of loue who perswade themselues to loue God when they loue heresies more than the word but herein are those hypocrites and heretikes descried they will generally confesse they loue and feare God but examine them in any particular either of doctrine or of life and they will bewray their want of loue by heresie and their want of feare
but of a patient faith and the cause of impatiencie is want of faith Of this faith speaketh the Prophet Esai 28 16. Behold I will lay in Sion a stone a tried stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation He that beleeueth shall not make haste to wit to by-waies and indirect meanes as casting off his hope of God his promises Of the contrarie the want of faith speaketh our Sauiour Christ Luke 18. 8. When the Sonne of man commeth shall he finde faith on the earth Likewise Heb. 10. when the Apostle had said The iust shall liue by faith If any withdraw himselfe his minde is not vpright in him my soule shall haue no pleasure in him Againe Habac. 2. when the Lord had commanded the Prophet to waite he saith He that lifteth vp himselfe his minde is not vpright in him that is he hath a troubled minde and vnquiet spirit Wherefore let vs attend vpon that exhortation of the Apostle Iam. 5. 11. Ye haue heard of the patience of Iob haue knowne what end the Lord made As if he should say ye are not ignorant of that my errour of patiēce who when the Lord suspended his iudgements still waited for the accomplishments of his promises Whosoeuer then thinketh himselfe to haue faith and by patience cannot waite for the Lord his leisure and due time of helpe but withdraweth himselfe and maketh haste to other meanes and not staying himselfe on God his word and promises but hastneth and cannot be quiet in his minde vntill presently he haue gotten some helpe he is as yet an vnbeleeuer And I haue done thy Commandements Euen as without faith it is impossible to please God so is it impossible truly to trust in God his saluation vnlesse we labour by faith to serue him in loue and to please him with good workes Wherefore as the Apostle hath taken vp the truth of this rule so he sheweth Heb. 11. how all the Fathers by their faith did trauell in good workes By faith saith he Abel offered vnto God a greater sacrifice than Cain by faith was Enoch taken away by faith Noah prepared the Arke by faith Abraham obeyed God through faith Sarah receiued strength to conceiue c. A contrarie argument to that which we haue in our times where our faith and profession is so barren of good workes True it is that when we will glorie before God all boasting in good workes is shut out in that if he entreth into iudgement with the best of our actions he shal find them polluted with many imperfections so that we can by no meanes stand before him but in faith but Iam. 2. 20. Wilt thou vnderstand O thou vaine man that the faith which is without workes is dead was not Abraham our father iustified through workes c. where we must note the diuers significations of the word iustifie if we will shew these two propositions to be true and how they may be reconciled we are iustified by faith we are iustified by workes For as God sanctifieth vs when he maketh vs partakers of his holinesse and we sanctifie him when we shew him to be holie so God is said to iustifie vs when we are approued iust before God and we iustifie God when we testifie that he is iust In like maner faith iustifieth vs in that it acquiteth vs before God from our sinnes for Christ his sake in whom we beleeue workes iustifie vs in as much as they witnesse to vs and to men that we are iustified by faith before God whereof our sanctification is a pledge So that we meane nothing else when we say we are iustified by works than if we should say We declare and make knowne that we are iustified by these works For when euery good worke is of the spirit of God and the spirit of God is giuen to none but to the children of God when we faile in doing many things whereunto we are by Gods spirit moued and in those things which we doe we corrupt those motions so that our best actions stand in neede of faith to haue them purged in Christ his perfit obedience it is manifest that our workes onely giue a testimonie to our selues and others that we are iustified If then we haue true faith it must worke by loue that as faith doth acquite vs from sinne before God so good workes may giue euidence thereof before men When then we are carried away with dulnesse in good things and with deadnesse in weldoing we are to trie our hearts if we want God is not pleased with vs if we haue saith without workes we deceiue our selues The meaning then of the man of God in this place is thus much Because I know that they haue happie successe that loue thee and obey thy word this moueth me to keepe a good conscience So we haue learned thus much that it is but follie to boast of faith without good workes For as we iudge a man to be aliue so long as we perceiue his vitall spirits his animall powers and naturall operations to exercise themselues and thinke that he is not dead whilest the faculties of the minde are exercised in the senses mēbers powers of the body but notwithstanding that life it selfe is a thing most secret yet by a mans seeing hearing tasting touching going and working we discerne the same euen so so long as we perceiue the fruits of God his spirit and new birth and the effects of grace and fruites of sanctification in the soule we thinke him not spiritually dead in whom these things are And notwithstanding saith which is the life of Gods children be a most secret thing yet when we can open our eyes to see the wonderfull word of God to his praise and shut them from seeing vanities when our eares are open to the works of God and closed and dull to heare worldly vanities when our mouthes can speak of Gods iudgements and are dumbe in leasings we may iudge by these and the like effects that there is the life of Christ in vs. And herewithall we must obserue as these naturall workings are not the cause of life but that rather insomuch as we liue these things do exercise themselues in vs euen so the good workes are no cause why we are good or liue by faith but because by faith in Christ we are accounted good and iust before the Lord therefore we are good For as the tree hath not his goodnes of the fruits but the fruits haue their goodnes because first the tree was good so we cannot be said to be good in respect of our workes but our workes are good in respect of vs iustified before by faith And although the sap life and nourishment of the tree be a thing most secret and hidden from common sense yet by the leaues buds greenes and fruits thereof we draw knowledge of the life in it so though our life which is hidden in Christ be hidden from flesh and
be thankfulnes in man aboue that which is in beasts vnlesse man will be iudged euen by the bruit beasts to bee more guiltie of his condemnation For as there is no more praying in vs than there is beleeuing so there is no beleeuing without knowing God and there is no thankesgiuing without both knowing and also beleeing in God If in any measure therefore we will praise God wee must in some measure know God if we will praise God more than the common sort of men wee must labour to know more than the common sort of men But what meaneth the Prophet to desire to bee taught was hee not well seene in the word had he not learned much as becommeth a Prophet what teaching doth hee here meane knowledge puffeth vp and is voide of humilitie confessing our wants This is the teaching of the spirit For it is no doubt but he had eyes to see as well as others he had cares to heare hee had an heare to conceiue hee was a man of God Howbeit wee are to know that though our eyes be vpon our booke and the word be sounded in our eares yet it is the spirit of God that maketh vs teacheable in iudgement and frameable in our affections What haue we which we haue nor receiued it is the gift of God and to you it is giuen saith our Sauiour Christ to his Disciples to vnderstand the mysteries of God This then being giuen of God by his spirit must cause vs to bee thankefull Why doe so many excell in knowledge and why doe so few giue thankes surely because they are taught by the letter and not by the spirit For a man may attaine to the knowledge of the word as others attaine to the knowledge of humaine arts but to his iuster condemnation Wherefore in a word we may conclude if the man of God might haue atchieued such knowledge without such meanes he was either too much busied in that wherein he needed not haue troubled himselfe or else an hypocrite But if we reade that the blinde which were restored to their sight the deafe whose eares were opened the dumbe who by the finger of Christ his power did speake againe acknowledged this to be the only worke of God and were thankefull although indeed of the ten leapers which were cleansed one onely was thankful and nine held their peace how much are wee bound to praise and magnifie the name of our good God who hath deliuered vs from blindnes and ignorance wherein we were plunged to see the bright beames of the glorious Gospell who hath opened our heauie and dull eares to heare the sweet voyce of the sonne of God who hath vntied our tongues and vnclosed our lips which were sewed vp from sounding the praise of our saluation yea and which more is hath vntied restored our feete to walke in the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God and hast cast out of vs the diuell and his power and spoiled from henceforth his kingdome in vs that we might serue the Lord in newnes of conuersation We see now that whosoeuer is taught aright to the kingdome of God he shall praise the Lord. But what is the cause why this effect is so little found in vs of praising God euen because we are voyd of the cause that is of teaching of the spirit For either surely we haue none vnderstanding or else we haue not the vnderstanding of the spirit O blessed work of Gods spirit thankesgiuing This made the Propher say Psal 16. 2. My weldoing extendeth not to thee O Lord. And 116. 12. What shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benefits towards me I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord. That is I will acknowledge his olde graces receiued and hope that I shall haue his mercies continued But herein is another thing worthy to be obserued that according to the proportioÌ„ of his praiers is the proportion of thankesgiuing For as the two former verses containe two prayers so the two latter verses containe two thankesgiuings And marke how according to the vehemeney of his praier there is a vehemencie of thankesgiuing For as he had said let my complaint come before theâ— so he addeth my lips shal powr eforth thy praise continually A word drawn from spoutes or spring-heads which aboundantly yeeld water out from them So to complaints answereth the word of powring out In the second he saith Let my supplication come before 〈◊〉 Whereunto answereth my tongue shall intreat of thy word Where he promiseth to be no â—â—sse shrill in thankesgiuing than loude in praying to the Lord. Oh â—â—â—s throweth downe the hearts of Gods children that they can in no measure nor proportion be thankefull for Gods benefits This vnthankefulnesse must needes be grieuous vnto the Lord which is so odious in the sight of man wee see bestowe a benefit on a begger their suites and complaints doe in many degrees exceede their thankesgiuing and certainely as this vnthankefulnesse is from man to man so also it is from man to God For let vs be in paine in sickenesse in pouertie or any other affliction and what prayers make we what protestations vowe we how often crie we Lord helpe me Lord haue mercie upon me rid me now Lord and I will giue thankes to thee But when the rod is off how many among ten returne to giue thankes for our deliuerance peraduenture one Thus wee see how liberall we are in praying because it is easie to see our wants and how sparing wee are in thankesgiuing because we doe not so easily see our benefits We see how often wee are in praying how seldome in thankesgiuing we see how feruent wee are in crauing how cold we are in acknowledging the supplie of our wants If we attaine not to this measure and proportion of thanksgiuing with the man of God at the least let vs complaine and mone our vnthankfulnesse and dulnesse For we must be assured that if we offer not in some degree the calues of our lippes the Lord hath lost his mercies and spent them as it were in vaine and we depriue our selues of the fruit of them to be continued vnto vs hereafter Vers. 172. My tongue shall intreate of thy word for all thy commandements are righteous ANd though the man of God saith here My tongue shall intreate of thy praises Wee must not therein denye but that our liues must expresse the fruites of the same as wee may see port 5. vers 1. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I will keepe it vnto the end And port 1. vers 8. wheÌ„ the man of God hath promised to praise the Lord with an vpright heart he addeth in the verse following I will keepe thy statutes c. As also port 19. 1. Heare me O Lord and I will keepe thy statutes So that not onely in word but in our liues must we endeuour to praise God It followeth in the same verse For all
thy commaundements are righteous that is there is no one of thy commandements but it hath in it righteousnesse it selfe neither is there any righteousnesse but it is altogether in thy law This is an Hebraisme to call a thing righteousnesse when they wil expresse it to be righteous in the highest degree Wee are here to learne what yeeldeth matter of teaching others and of praising God Euen because whatsoeuer is good it is in Gods law and whatsoeuer is in Gods law it is absolutely good Besides here the man of God teacheth vs that the coldnes of teaching others giuing of thankes proceedeth from hence euen because we want this thorough perswasion that whatsoeuer is in the law of God it is righteous perfit and holy and whatsoeuer is righteous perfect and holy is in it Vers. 173. Let thine hand helpe me for I haue chosen thy precepts HEre we see the effect of the man of God his prayers which hath this sense As I haue prayed for vnderstanding so that now I might see the issue of it let me see O Lord thy fatherly and prouident care of me As afterward he saith Let me see if thou host true iudgement for me For as he praied to be directed by knowledge so he also praieth for the effect of it that he might therby see the merciful hād of God assisting him in al his troubles For I haue chosen thy precepts that is I know I am but a man I haue many iniuries offered me which may hale me this way and that way yet I preferre thy word before all these troubles Wee must not thinke now as the world doth iudge of Gods children that hee chose these as a Mome or of silly simplicitie but his election was with iudgement which proceeded from consulation which cōsultation proceeded of reasons vsed on both sides of his causes so that he made his choyse aduisedly considerately and after long deliberating of the matter he preferreth the word of God before all the pleasures of this life It was not then a foolish precisenes of puritanisine it was no childish simplicitie as of a man who chose this because he knew no other things but it was of wisedome Wherefore the man of God here teacheth that it is not with Gods children as the world deemeth them that is that they be sillie soules simple men and Gods fooles who knowe not what the world meaneth but as the world is of it selfe too wise so it thinketh too hardly of Gods children For it is not to be doubted but that he had many temptations and that he debating them by the wisedome of Gods spirit chose the word of God They are not ignorant what it is to haue worldly wealth and pleasures and earthly commodities but comparing these with the wealth of the soule the pleasures of the spirit and commodities of the world they by iudgemēt and sufficient aduice prefer the word of God And herein is their blessed wisedome that they seeing and weighing both in the ballance being moued on one side by carnal reason and sustained on the other side by spiritual wisdome they refuse the worst and chuse the best contrary to the folly of the world who also hath some sight of them both and yet refuseth most cursedly the word and chuseth most foolishly the pleasures of this life For as the preferring of good things is the blessing of God in the godly so it is a fearefull iudgement in the vngodly in preferring these transitorie pleasures before eternall treasures Againe what is the cause of such halting betweene two professions and of such mammerings in religion surely the want of choise and a purpose not resolutely set in any part in that whilest we will be betweene the flesh and the spirit betweene the Church and the world betweene God and the diuell we know not which side to cleaue vnto For if our choise were made we must not seeke Gods glory and our glory the honour of the Gospell and our owne commendation For vndoubtedly if God his children thus walke in a mammering as though they would giue the Lord the halfe part of their profession and part stakes with his glory shall for their pleasure be sure to seeke paine and seeking sport they shall find smart when they looke for profit they shall haue losse when they sow for glory they shall reape shame This is the singular mercy of God in this world to his children to punish them here and to saue them from the great iudgement to come And as the Lord vsed in mercy these meanes to his to schoole them in their choise so also when they are come to their choise he also in wisedome will trie them Again with permitting the world to offer on the one side preferment or if that serue not on the other side imprisonments he suffereth Sathan either to illude them with faire promises or to terrifie them with fearefull threatnings and giueth leaue to the flesh to assault them with delights or to oppresse them with calamities that he may in truth proue their constancy whether they haue so chosen as they will not repent them or whether their choise be as sure as free For many if they might be basted with glory and estimation and might maintain still their credit wallow in wealth would not care greatly to serue God but without this resolute purpose we shall surely find that when trouble cōmeth we would shrinke away Wherefore the Lord trieth his in the furnace of affliction and in the floods of temptations he gageth them to trie their hearts to find their faith to scoure them from the drosse of infidelitie the drosse of securitie the drosse of hypocrisie as the furnace is not only for the triall of gold but after the trial had to purge it throughly frō corruption Indeed so long as we are led with the cord of our naturall corruptions there is no conflict the flesh rebelleth not against the spirit but when our iudgements are heauenly and our affections spirituall fighting with carnall reason and earthly cogitations then is the maine battell When Sathan seeth a man giuen to the world and as long as he is in a mammering he striueth not with him but when he seeth himselfe forsaken and defied and that Christ Iesus a stronger than he hath made an entrance into the house then he rageth then he vseth his cunning al his shifts and summoneth a Parliament of seuen diuels more who come all together to the casting out of Christ to the discouraging of the man newly called and to make a reentry into his old possession Thus then we shal see he is a roring lion and that our fight is not only with worldly powers but also with spirituall enemies in heauenly things So long as we follow the guise fashion of this world and frame our selues to liue after it we shall be at league with them and they will be at peace with vs if we follow heresies heretikes will not speak ill of
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
this true longing be in vs or no we must see whether it be after that saluation which is to be ioyed or whether it vanisheth away and is nothing but a tormeÌ„t of the conscience Besides this is a sure note of it if our desire be sound it is not satisfied vntill the thing longed for be accomplished As wee may see in naturall and humane things is in them that are sicke with loue they are in continual perplexity of mind vntil they haue obtained their loue likewise must we long after the word For loÌ„ging is a feruent desire and not a thing quickly come quickly gone but a thing that hath bin searched by reason and in iudgement hath bin chosen So that as we shewed before there is a great difference betweene a lightning desire a setled iudgement which causeth vs in truth to long In that he now maketh mention of his longing after his election he sheweth that he had cast his accounts set down how he might be able to meet the mighty man indenter battaile with him as it is in the gospell This longing cannot bee in the wicked for when they long it is for heresies or worldly pleasures and right longing commeth from a right sight iudgement and affection which will bring in the carefull vsing of the meanes For as it holdeth in false longing so also in holy longings that after long debaâ—ing and examining of our selues and casting our accounts what will be the fruite of the good and what will be the end of sinne carefully wil vse the meanes For as the desire vseth meanes so longing vseth meanes carefully Let vs now examine our selues where our feruency is for ioy and hope feare sorrow shew a maÌ„s heart as whatsoeuer we ioy in whiles we haue it that we sorrow for when wee haue lost it And let vs examine our longing whether we can vse the word with delight or no whether praier be pleasant whether the sacraments be coÌ„fortable to vs or no and whether the discipline of the Church be reuerend and precious to vs. If our desire be cold our â—sing of the meanes is also cold if we be feruent in desire wee are also feruent in vsing of â—â—e meanes The Apostle speaking to the Romans cap 6. after the manner of men saith he will not extort so much as he might doe but hee will deale with them more easily and whereas he might require greater obedience he saith as ye haue giuen your members seruants vnto vncleannes and iniquitie to commit iniquitie so now giue your members seruants vnto righteousnes in holines This is but an humane thing if we should see how wee haue longed after things naturall and vnnaturall if we should see how wee haue longed inordinately let vs â—ee if our longing be alike after the word and let vs say to our owne soules what was there such a longing in vs after such things whereof wee are now ashamed before God in our prayerâ— and before men when they are but named and haue we such slender longing after our saluation it is to be feared our choise is not yet made for if it were wee should surely long mâ—â—e and longing we should more vse the meanes Vers. 175. Let my soule liue and it shall praise thee and thy iudgements shall helpe mee HEre â—â—â— man of God desireth life to none other end but to praise GOD in keeping of his word as he said before Port. 3. 1. Be beneficiall to thy seruant that I may liue keepe thy Worde In which place hee also desireth none other life but that which is according to the word of God For all other liues haue a vaine title of life but this is true life We see the man of God doth not onely feele with the Apostle that in God wee mooue liue and haue our being but also speaketh of a more excellent thing to wit that in him we liue spiritually Againe he looketh not in himselfe for any naturall life but acknowledgeth that manâ— life is of the word of God Let vs therefore learne with Dauid to commit our liues to the Lord Psalm 31. 15. Into thine hands I commend my spirit c. He speaketh this in his life time and committeth it to the Lord that as he gaue it him so he would vouchsafe to keepe it being giuen Now we shall neuer in truth say the like vntill we perceiue how wee receiued our life of God how he nourisheth it and how to him we must surrender it againe Wherefore we are not to liue as doe the bruite beasts and the heathen but we must liue to enioy our saluation and couet our saluation to praise the Lord because there is no other end of mans life than Gods glorie As for them which liue to any other end Salomon iudgeth no better of the vntimely fruite than of them who enioy many dayes in pleasure and after goe to the darkenes Besides we know how all other inferiour things were created to glorifie God in seruing man and man was made to glorifie God by the true vse of the word Let my soule liue c. This is the vsuall phrase of the Scripture when they vse to set dowâ— a thing more pathetically as Luke 1. My soule doth magnifie the Lord my spirit praiseth Goe my Sauiour And Psalm 103. 1. and 104. 1. My soule praise thou the Lord. Psalm 115. 17. The dead praise not the Lord neither any that goe downe into the place of silence and Psalm 6. 5. In death there is no remembrance of thee in the graue who shall praise thee and Esay 38. 19. The pit cannot praise thee the graue cannot confesse thee death cannot praise thee they that goe downe into the pit cannot praise thee but the liuing the liuing shall confesse thee as I doe this day c. How grieuous a thing it is now euery man may iudge that a man should goe out of this world or euer he knew wherefore he came into the world and this is that which maketh vs so loth to die This was it that made the Saints of God in former times so vnwilling to leaue this life not that they wanted any hope of the life to come or had not the ioy of a blessed resurrection but either they had some speciall sinnes heauily pressed their consciences whereby they had dishonoured God or else they desired to liue in greater measure to glorifie God either in entring into the way of repentance or else growing in the same after they had entred because as yet they could not say in truth I haue fought a good fight I haue runne a good race I haue kept thy faith from henceforth a crowne of glorie is prepared for mee For they knew that whereof we are willingly ignorant that we shall neuer vncessantly praise God in heauen vnlesse wee carefully serue God in earth and we shall neuer praise God in the congregation of Angels which praise not God in the congregation of his saints
owne nature and kinde are good yet doe become euill sinfull through vs. This may be perceiued in all the parts of our life let vs then a little fee how our corruption deceiueth defileth vs in many things First this is without all controuersie that is onely the corruption of our owne hearts which causeth vs to be slacke in doing good or to leaue it altogether vndone or else to do that which is euill and odious in the sight of God For albeit many causes may be pretended which sometime may haue a shew of goodnesse yet those causes are but corruptions there is no goodnesse in them Some men are kept back from doing good to their familie by catechizing them because they would not haue all meâ—â—â— talke of them and because they would not hazard the credit of their name Some are 〈◊〉 backe from being zealous in godlinesse because they might stil vse their libertie in buying and bargaining whereby they might prouide for their selues and families And for euery thing they doe they will haue a colourable excuse they will doe nothing without a reason But their excuses are but colours their reasons are very rawe not seasoned with the word They are deceiued through the deceitfulnes of sinne their corruption deceiueth them they are beguiled because they make no triall of their hearts The same thing commeth to passe euen in those things which in their kinde are good To leaue sinne is a very good thing yet if wee doe not herein take heede vnto our hearts we may besore deceiued for when wee be minded and doe purpose to leaue sinne let vs consider the cause why wee purpose and goe about such a thing and we shall often finde that it is not the conscience of sinne but the feare of punishmeÌ„t or the shame of the world which moueth vs so to do The adulterer doth many times abstaine from his filthie adulterie not because that sinne is odious in the sight of God but because it will bring him to open shame among men The theefe without any hatred of theft doth sometimes keepe himselfe from the outward act that hee may auoid hanging and the outward danger of the lawe And that the shame of the world and feare of men doth more preuaile with many than the feare of God it may appeare by this that they wil abstaine from such things whereunto there belongeth shame or for which some grieuous punishment amongst men is appointed as for theft murther adulterie c. yet they will passe by great sinnes for which there is no penall statute as swearing c. For if there were any true conscience of sin in them they would make a conscience of all sinnes but especially of these sinnes which in Gods eyes are most abominable Againe we must not rest when we haue left any sinne as though that were sufficient but we must narrowly search into our hearts to see what cause hath moued vs so to doe for if we doe not with sorrow repent vs of our wickednes and leaue it for the feare of God but forsake it either because it will bee no longer profitable vnto vs or because wee be sickly or olde or weake and take no longer pleasure in it then our labour is but lost our hearts haue deceiued vs. And many no doubt are thus deceiued yea they shew that they be deceiued by this that they can still speake of their sinnes without sorrowe and laugh at others which commit the same sinnes Verily if they had repented of their sinnes the remembrance of them would haue bene grieuous vnto them yea they would be very sorie when they saw others fall into the like sinne But seeing they can laugh and make a sport at it when any man doth it as they haue done most sure and certaine it is that their hearts haue deceiued them they are yet in their sinnes though they haue left them outwardly Let vs proceede a little further that we may see into the corruption of our hearts We purpose to deale faithfully we purpose to heare the word to reade it These things in themselues are very good yet if wee be not carefull ouer our hearts their corruption will pollute and defile them For if we be moued hereunto not with any zeale of Gods glorie but with a care of our owne credit not because in Truth wee would countenance the Gospell but because wee would get some countenance by it the thing good in it owne nature is made euill vnto vs and sinfull because our hearts are not right in the thing And how manie bee thus deceiued may soone appeare by the small fruit which most men doe get by the word For when wee see manie very diligent in hearing of the word yet profiting nothing nor desiring to profite it is vndoubtedly true that those men are deceiued by their owne hearts which are not right with God If there were any conscience if there were any heart or spirit in men they would profit something or at least they would be greatly grieued for their not profiting Moreouer when wee haue brought our purpose to practise and haue done any good thing indeed euen then I say may wee be beguiled if wee take not good heede The corruption of our heart is readie to make vs proude of well-doing whereas indeed we should be humbled it is readie to make vs glorie in that for which we should giue glorie to GOD it is readie to make that an occasion of slothfull carelesnesse which should be as a spurre to make vs more carefull Therefore when the thing is done when the worke is wrought and when all our purpose is brought to passe wee must still be carefull ouer our hearts wee must still haue an eye to them that our corruption bee in no wise hurtfull to that good grace which God hath giuen vs. Thus whether wee purpose to leaue sinne or wee leaue it indeede yet we may be deceiued by our hearts if they bee not right in doing of them Therefore aboue all things we must take heede vnto our hearts otherwise we may doe many goodly glorious things in the sight of men yet our hearts wil one day accuse vs for them our conscience will check and controll vs and God which is greater then our consciences will vtterly condemne vs. Now contrariwise when our heart is vpright with God when it is sound and sincere then will the Lord fauourably accept of our doings and through his Sonne he will count them righteous Thus if we with a pure heart doe leaue sinne though the dregs therof remaine with vs if with a good heart to Godward we labour after goodnes though wee cannot doe the good which we would this vprightnes of our hearts doth please God greatly and he will surely pardon the other imperfections through Christ. True it is that no man can say his heart is pure if he compare it with the rule of Gods word or with the iustice of God and therefore
let vs bee afraide to tell a lye in the very lightest and most secret causes But if this will not at all moue vs yet let vs bee ouercome with the consideration of those fruites which will come of true speaking specially let vs consider of these two First the loue of the Trueth doth breede and beget in vs a great and singular comfort when wee see that herein wee resemble our heauenly Father who is the God and author of Trueth Secondly the loue of the trueth is a speciall helpe to reuoke vs from sinne For as the lyer can so cloake his sinne and set such a colour vpon it that no man can accuse him no admonition or rebuke can take hold vpon him no threatning feare him So the sillie soule that in simple truth doth confesse his sinne is open vnto rebukes and holy censures his heart lieth naked before the word which doubtles will worke effectually to reclaime him from sinne The second thing which we must learne out of these words is this that albeit we must speake the trueth at all times and in all places yet must we be especially carefull so to doe when we be called as witnesses before the iudgement seate For the whole state and order of iudgement doth depend vpon the witnesse so that the Questmen the Iudge and all doe proceed either falsly or truly according as the testimonie of the witnesse is either false or true Last of all we learne that good care must be vsed in chusing of witnesses so that we may not take periured persons or common liers no not such as doe often lie though it be but in light matters but if there be any one man that of conscience speaketh truth in all things he is worthie and fit to be a witnesse This condemneth the practise of the receiuing all indifferently to be witnesses in court and specially such as be knowne to be common liers Thus much for this verse Vers. 6. The skorner seeketh wisedome and findeth it not but knowledge is easâ— for him that will vnderstand BY the skorner is here meant the proud contemptuous man who in the pride of his wit will compasse any thing neglecting yea contemning those holy meanes which God hath ordained This proude and contemptuous skorner shall not finde knowledge By knowledge we may vnderstand not the knowledge of the letter floting in the braine and flowing euen at the tongues end which indeed is not worthie the name of knowledge but the true vnderstanding of the word taught by the spirit which entreth into the heart and worketh on the affections frameth to obedience and assureth of euerlasting life This indeed is healthfull knowledge which the skorners though they seeke shall neuer obtaine And hereunto doth our Sauiour Christ giue witnesse when he saith Many shall seeke to enter in and canâ—ot Now if we would see the cause hereof it is this they doe refuse the right and direct meanes whereby to come to knowledge or else vse the meanes with corrupted hearts For if they seeke and search in the prophane writings of Heathen men or in the corrupted writings of hellish heretikes no marueile if they neuer finde this knowledge For how can they finde trueth in falsehood How can they finde the true knowledge of God in the fained deuises and inuentions of men Againe though they cast off all these and come to the holy word of God yet if their hearts be not sound and right if they seeke profit preferment and vaine pleasure doubtlesse they shall neuer attaine to this holy knowledge For sure if the heart be corrupted when they come to studie vpon the word they shall be made worse and not better by it The experience of this doe we see in many who seeking and searching after knowledge either to get liuings or to gaine credit or to some such like euill and corrupt end they haue beene disappoynted of their hope and haue failed of that which they sought after By the example of others then let vs beware and learne to seeke after the knowledge of God and of godlinesse in the written word of God which onely is able to make vs godly Againe aboue all things let vs take heede vnto our hearts that they be vpright and sound in seeking for it Now for the triall hereof let vs examine whether we seeke knowledge that we might be better able to glorifie God and to profit our brethren let vs examine whether we seeke Christ for Christ whether in Christ we seeke nothing but Christ and this if we can truely see and feele euen in the truth of our hearts then our heart is vpright then haue we before vs a right end then doe we rightly seeke God and he whom he hath sent Iesus Christ euen to the saluation of our soules True it is that the Lord may and doth often bestow liuings riches and such other outward helpes and benefites on his children but they doe not chiefly seeke these They take these as an handfull yea as an ouerplus of his fauour but their hearts are not set vpon them Their loue is set vpon God and vpon his glorie that they especially labour for that they doe toyle and trauell about and that is the ende of all their labours in what measure they obtaine that in that measure they be quiet though they want other things but in what measure they doe not finde that in that measure are they grieued though they abound in outward things WheÌ„ a man is of this mind when he hath this heart when he hath this good will to learne then among many other blessings he shall be sure to finde that which followeth in this verse Knowledge shall be easie to him that will vnderstand There be two things whereat many men are much offended and whereby they are driuen from that due care which they ought to haue of the word The first is because they see that great and wealthie men of this world little esteeme it and make light account of it But men should know that the affections of such are for the most part weaned from the word their loue is set vpon their profit vpon their pleasure and vpon such other things below Now the minde and heart being forestalled yea and surcharged with the liking of these things they cannot with desire receiue the word into their soules and seeing that they haue little liking of it and lesse will and desire to learne it no maruâ—ile though it be as vnsauourie salt vnto them The second thing which feareth and offendeth many is the hardnes of the word Oh say they we would gladly learne indeed but the word is so obscure and hard that indeed it cannot be learned See the shamelesse vngratiousnesse of some men who to cleere themselues will lay a fault vpon the holy and pure word of God But know this O man that the word is hard because thy heart is hard through sinne Couetousnesse anger
but when wee knowe that wee haue to deale with God before whom no wickednesse will stand this will humble vs. 3 The people of Israel would not heare Moses though hee did sharply rebuke them wherein we learne to pray that our affections be masâ—red betime for many are so heady in their affections that they will giue no eare to admonitions and as it is said of the belly to haue no eares so it is of such headstrong affectioÌ„s Some giue so much place to their grief that they will not receiue comfort of the promises noâ— be rebuked by the threatnings of God in his word This griefe is carnal and dangerous and therefore euery man is to search his heart to see how such corruption is setled in him let him in time stâ—iue against it suffering himselfe to be rebuked by the word and so grace assisting him he shal ouercome it 4 Many see Gods workes with Moses but cannot profit by them because the Lord hath not giuen them the affections of Moses According to our affections so wee profit both by workes and word of God let vs therefore euer pray vnto God to fill our hearts with good affections CHAP. V. Of Affliction WHen we are in affliction we are not so wise of our selues as to see the cause of it or if we see the cause we cannot see the mercy of God that his hand which is vpon vs is not a destroying hand but a deliuering hand 2 Afflictions worke much in men but most when they come with the word of God to giue vs a more liuely sight of sinne and to manifest the rich mercies of God in Iesus Christ to deliuer vs from sinne Iehosaphat was more humbled by the speech of Iehu the Seer than he was being compassed with an host of enemies round about 3 When affliction commeth to Gods children not so much the sinnes themselues as the not auoiding of the meanes which procured their sinnes and not the vsing of the meanes which might haue preserued them from sinne will torment their consciences for as a man falling into some sicknesse if it come whilest he is walking in his calling is then lesse grieued than if through surfetting hee had procured and haâ—ched the disease in himselfe euen so it commeth to paâ—â—â—m in the other By vsing the meanes of godlines in simplicitie of heart we shall be either freed from sinne wherein we haue lyen or else be confirmed in some good things begun in vs. 4 Although the godly shaâ—l escape hell in the world to come yet they shall be punished in this world and though the wicked be not punished in this world yet shall they not escape hell in the world to come 5 When Sathan doth descaâ—t vpon our afflictions we must be comforted being Gods children because we suffer no more than Gods childreÌ„ before haue suffered and the Lord himselfe doth suffer with vs. 6 It is the Lord which sendeth crosses to his children to saue them that they freeze not with the wicked world in their dregs 7 When Moses was rebuked of the Lord for the not circumcising his sonne his faith was weake and his wife in performing that dutie was almost without faith yet the Lord saith and that if any affliction lie vpon vs it is for want of faith and if it depart without effect in vs then a sorer punishment is like to light vpon vs because we haue not profited by the crosse of Christ but if we effectually profit by it and still it lie vpon vs let vs then patiently abide for it is to trie our faith 8 If we would so prouide for our selues that no afflictions make vs quaile let vs in the time of prosperitie and quietnes cut off all headie affections as griefe sorrow and such like and then shall they not in our trouble preuaile against vs. 9 When our afflictions doe not driue vs to God nor cause vs more humbly to heare and seeke his word but rather to stoppe our â—aâ—es and to runne from it and to seeke vnlawfull meanes let vs then mourne secretly and heartily vnto God for the direction of Gods spirit for that case is dangerous 10 It is the Lordes mercie that wee are not destroyed Lamenta Chap. 3. But when we are freed from punishments and others are afflicted it is either to shewe his further mercie or his further iudgement if wee waxe better and bee more thankefull then it is of mercie but if wee waxe proude and thinke our selues better then others then is it assuredly to confound vs And heereby wee may gather comfort or griefe when wee escape punishments If hee puâ—ish not in this worlde eyther GOD is vniust or else there is a hell to punish them euerlâ—stingly But his children if they profite not by one he sends another to condemne them in this worlde that they may escape in the worlde to come 11 We must denie our selues and our owne reason that we may continue with Christ we must take vp our crosse and follow him and if wee will be glorified with him wee must also suffer with him and if we will rise againe with him we must first die with him and if we will partake of his benefits we must also drinke of his cup. But many would willingly haue in Christ forgiuenes of sinne yet would they not beare his crosse 12 We must faithfully remember Gods corrections and though our trouble be past yet still with feare to remember the hand of the Lord not to attribute our crossâ—s to Fortune complexions or humours nor health to Physicke but only to God glorifying him continually and making our daily profite by all his louing chastisements vpon vs. 13 The deliuerance of the people of Israell is often repeated in the Scripture And it is not without great cause for it serues notably for the comfort of the godly and the terrour of the wicked for if we would thinke that hee were not able to helpe vs we see that he diuided the mighty Seas If we should think our selues vnworthy of helpe he then did miâ—htily deliuer the vnworthie So that if wee being in any danger can be perswaded that the Lord is able to helpe vs and that he will helpe them that are vnworthie it wil be a notabâ—e stay vnto vs that we fall not away vnder the crosse by the vehemencie of temptations 14 Curses are turned into blessings through Christ as by sinne blessings are turned into curses The benefices of God being in themselues good yet by our corruption wee make our table a snare vnto our selues and so in other of his mercies 15 Iob serued God in trueth and yet punished and so Lazarus but this was not so much for their own sin as for the trial of their faith and that after them the Church might receiue great coÌ„fort by their examples For as it hurts not the gold to be put into the fire
our guide and goe before and we must follow after Many make strange to follow his call they will not giue vp their names they wil it may be goe before him or euen by him or cheeke by cheeke but they will not follow after And wherefore Surely they will doe all with reason But Christ requireth faith and reason to Christ is a very euill seruingman A great number already taught in the word will not follow it but if any thing proceed from the forge of their own reason that they magnifie that they wil follow So Ezech. 20. certaine prophets would not follow God and his word but their own spirits and yet there is no greater ods in the world than betweene our owne reason and Gods wisedome as Esa. 55. My thoughts saith the Lord are not as your thoughts Well if wee will follow Christ wee must follow him not as a great Lord to graunt vs great leases fat farmes or high towers but as a man contemned as the reproch of the world as a man full of sorrowes Christ hath two crownes the one of thornes the other of glorie he that wil be honoured with the last must be humbled with the first CHAP. XII Of Conference and Godly wisedome in the gouernment of the tongue AS we often speake of things lawfull but yet for want of wisedome to examine the time place and persons when where and with whom we talke Sathan laboureth to make vs strict silent in our speech when often we might speake to Gods glorie to the auoyding of which temptation we must endeuour to speake when God giueth occasion and that with thankefull acknowledging of Gods spirituall grace by the motion whereof we speake as also with humble acknowledgement of our weakenes who being measured with Gods iustice we should be found to haue stained our speeches and Gods graces with great corruptions and to faile in many circumstances How be it if we do it in a single heart and euen because we loue Gods word and in zeale of Gods glorie we may boldly speake committing the successe which on vs if we obserued all circumstances did not depend to the omnipotencie of God to the blessing of Christ and to the working of the holy spirit for we being neither God nor Christ nor Angels must not thinke to preuaile of our selues by our speeches nor stay vntill we thinke our selues most fit but cōmend our hearts to the Lord who vndoubtedly spareth weakelings 2 Being Christians we must not stay our selues in our meetings for others to begin good speeches but if God giue vs any good thing in our mindes let vs with all humblenes put it forth to be examined if we feele nothing let vs complaine of our dulnesse and deadnesse euen thereby we shal giue occasion of good conference For as in silence among euil men one euill word setteth abroch many so in deadnes among good men one good word may quicken many 3 It were to be wished that godly men in their meetings would first by prayer offer vp their speeches to God to vse them aduisedly reuerently and not passing their bounds of knowledge and if they could not speake of any thing yet they should aske some thing if they could not aske yet they might speake of the communion of Saints if they could say nothing yet at the least they should complaine of the dulnes of their mind so that of their dulnes and deadnes should arise quicknesse and life of speech againe 4 We must be carefull in vsing and watchfull in restraining the tongue Dauid prayed for a watch before his tongue and for a porter at the doore of his lips he would keepe his mouth with a bridle that it should not go riot nor open oft without a cause The eie glaunceth our hands slip our foote treads awry yet if we hold our tongue qualified we shall doe the better It is a little peece of flesh small in quantitie but mightie in qualitie it is soft but slipperie it goeth lightly but falleth heauily it striketh soft but woundeth sore it goeth out quickly but burneth vehemently it pierceth deepe and therefore not healed speedily it hath libertie granted easily to goe forth but it will finde no meanes easily to returne home It is compared with perillous things to a sharpe two edged sword to a razor to sharpe arrowes to an Adders sting to the poyson of an Aspe to fierie coales and being once enflamed by Sathans bellowes to the fire of hell CHAP. XIII Of the Church THe Papist of pride the Familie of loue of hypocrisie and many of singularitie haue singled themselues from vs as Hymenaeus did But we are little discouraged and lesse follow it For if they separate themselues as stones from the building and as members from the body what hope is there of them The Papists will say we forsake them and not they vs. We forsake them in the wall they vs in the foundation For our faith was before their opinion though their persons were before ours As Noah forsooke the world as Lot forsooke Sodome as Abraham forsooke Aegypt as our Sauiour Christ forsooke the Pharisies so wee for sake them and Christ shall be the iudge who hath bene the runnagate who hath bene the Apostata 2 Behold a miracle heauen made subiect to the earth O what is man that thou art so mindfull of him not onely to giue him the rule of the earth but euen of heauen Whom the Church doth loose on earth the Lord doth loose in heauen and whome the Church hath bound on earth he also hath bound in heauen Hee doth manie things without vs yet when we haue done this he will not alter it nor doe otherwise 3 Albeit the Church be base and contemptible in the world yet hee counteth it as the apple of his eye The earth the aire and the heauens attended on it and hee hath made the Angels to serue it Hee hath committed his treasures to it And what bee his treasures Surely when Dauid commeth to value it hee saith that it is better than golde than much golde than much fine golde than all pretious stones The word of reconciliation the couenant of grace the broade seales of his kingdome Baptisme and the Lords Supper binding and loosing life and death are left and committed to the Church and her holy Ministers 4 The Church is euen the quintessence of the world such as Sathan hath sifted to the proofe it is euen washed and made cleane with the bloud and water which issued out of Christs side It seemeth hee forgot to loue himselfe that hee might loue vs yea if that one death and suffering had not beene sufficient hee would yet once more come againe for vs. 5 It is one thing to liue where meanes of pure worship are wanting another to bee where false worship is erected for the first we are not to flie the Church but by prayer and patience
will haue it so hee will haue the vineyard so that Naboth was a foole to dye Let vs come to the open reasons for sinne which are two Commaundement to doe the sinne or example for it commaundement from them in authoritie example from the learned for commandement you shall see it in Esay 36 Rabsakah his commandement the King saith so he bid me doe it Now if he had spoken this of Dauid as he did of Rabsakah a most wicked wretch yet had it not been enough for his warrant For if that were sufficient then were it enough to slay Amon at Absolons commaundement and as soone as the seruants shall haue taken witnesse that their master gaue them leaue or bad them they might kill Amon they might doe it and because Iesabel commandeth to slay Naboth the Elders may by this reason lawfully slay him if they bee so wise as to keepe Iezabels letters to shewe for themselues And if Plato could say that the Common-wealth is like a fish that perisheth first at the head and as a cunnies skinne that strippeth off easily vntil it come at the head there stayeth so alwayes reformation stayeth there The second argument which is example ye shall finde Ierem. 18. The Iewes being reproued of Ieremy say Come let vs imagine somewhat against him let vs smite him with the tongue Why Counsaile shall not perish from the Priests We follow them therefore we cannot erre Can my Lord Pashur not know this and shall it be reuealed to this Ieremie So in the Gospell Can Caiphas and Annas not knowe this Christ and shall we receiue him Nicodemus was learned and saide you may not condemne this man Oh say they you must looke better on your booke Caiphas he saith you are starke fooles and see nothing better it is that one die than the people perish Looke what the statutes of Omrie will affoord and Achab suffer so farre God shall bee serued but if Caesar bid me doe no more God shall haue no more At the first comming to Balaac Balaam thrice setteth down a good proposition I would wee could followe it I would not for this house full of gold doe otherwise he thought by keeping this good rule to haue beene preferred by the King But the King saith to him goe your wayes I had thought to haue preferred you and afterward for lesse than halfe a house full of gold hee willeth the King to mingle harlots with the children of Israel so to cause them to sin And this I see to be generall in men that if they presse not and guide not their affections by the word they wil carry them away 13 Euery sinne hath a small beginning First the diuell will craue of vs to yeelde him but a little but in the end he will come further Hee will and so will his champions at the first binde vs with a little corde that we may breake when we list but in the end it groweth to a rope and then we cannot breake it Moses would not yeeld for one hoofe because hee had no commaundement for it A marueilous strange fellow will he not yeeld a little what not for so little as for an hoofe why men thinke it nothing to yeeld a little de minimis non â—urat lex But a great matter is made of a little pricke and a great tree will arise of a little mustard seede CHAP. XXIIII Of Examination of our selues and of all things by their issues and how to gouerne the Eyes IF when God doth crosse vs with punishments we doe not examine the whole processe of our proceedings and imaginations wee profite not 2 Wee must search our owne hearts carefully how well soeuer others report of vs for wee may speake of our selues of knowledge when others doe speake of charitie 3 If wee will truly examine our selues then let vs set our selues before the Lord who shall and will examine quick and dead for to him wee must render a iust account and then let vs tremble and feare and so trie whether the Lord doth allow of our doing if he doe and we haue a warrant out of his word then may we haue comfort though trouble come thereof But if we cannot tremble nor cannot see our hearts and if the Lord looke not to vs to shewe vs our hearts wee haue to feare and know that our cause is not right Therefore when we will effectually performe this dutie let vs set Gods feare before vs which may subdue our affections reasons otherwise our affections will controll vs and our reason will carry away our hearts which in it hath many starting holes But if we feele that our affections are subdued and that our reason will subscribe to those things that are contrary thereto then let vs trie our worke by the word whereto if it be agreeable then will the Lord allow of it though not as perfect yet in his sonne Christ. This is the way to raise vs when we are fallen to strengthen vs when we stand and euer to maintaine the peace of our consciences 4 It is a blessed rule to learne to iudge our selues that we be not iudged of the Lord if we considering any sinne in vs then straightway by the word learne to amend it But if we doe it not then certainly the Lord will iudge either in this world or in the world to come for sinne cannot be allowed but must needes be iudged Then if we by Gods spirit bee not taught to iudge our selues and so to lament our sinnes wee cannot preuent Gods iudgement but the Lord will take the cause into his owne hands and then if we be his hee will not cease till he hath brought vs to him and if wee belong not to him then will it be corruption in our bones till it hath consumed vs. 5 Iob. chap. 21. from the seuenth vers to the fourteenth doth describe the vaine conuersation and merie liâ—es as they say of impious men Whereon an old writer saith thus O Iob thou hast well described the life of wicked men now let vs heare what is their ende whereby wee bee taught to haue a speciall respect to the end Philosophie teacheth vs to iudge of euery motion by the terme or point wherein it tendeth wee may not so much regard the way for a man may goe through a faire ciâ—â—e to execution and that is an ill motion And againe a man may goe to a feast through a blind lane and this we count a good motion It is our common prouerbe That is well which endeth well We must therefore carefully examine the end of all our wayes A man may goe for a time by the gallerie of merrie deuices but they helpe not long for the end of them is iudgment Eccles. 11. In the latter end wee shall see all vaine delights come to iudgement Now therefore let vs preuent that iudgement as we be warned by iudging our selues and the continuall
acknowledge it not hauing his word regard it not enioying his mercies inful measure wilfully resist them all If we so lie vnder sinne and fancie to our selues the Gospell and promises and mercie we deceiue our selues for as those that haue the fruites of the spirite haue no lawe written against them so they that haue not such fruites haue no Gospell written for them It is not the vniust man that shall liue by faith for hee lyeth vnder the law but the iust Gala. 3. Rom. 1. 17. Heb. 10. 38. Might not a man thinke you pen a Psalme of as many verses wherin the foote might run in this tenour For his Iustice endureth for euer as Dauid had done of his Mercie Psalme 136. The Lord will not part from any drop of his mercy to them which first haue not bin swallowed vp of his iudgements which haue not laboured and been heauie laden which haue not beene locked vp in hell for a season and felt for a time the fire thereof in their bones which haue not been baptized with the baptisme of their owne teares He that feeles not these things in some measure here elsewhere shall he feele them It is the iudgement of Abraham The diuels policie in youth in health in prosperitie is to sing vs songs of God his mercy but in age in sicknes in tribulation vpon thy death-bed he will make such reasons for his iustice as we shall neuer be able to answere Wherefore the Lord hath to make it more terrible in our eyes put vpon it the name of his most wrathfull indignation fierce and heauie displeasure It is not for vs as we do to put the remembrance of this farre from vs or to shift it lightly by turning ouer to a Psalme of mercy but to terrifie our owne soules with it and to cast our selues downe with the trembling consideration of his iudgements Of one example without a precept nothing is to be concluded and therefore in great wisedome that men at the last gaspe should not vtterly despaire the Lord hath left vs but one example of exceeding extraordinary mercy by sauing the theefe on the crosse by faith onely yet the peruersnes of all our nature may be seene by this in that this one serueth vs to loosnes of life in hope of the like whereas we might better reason that is but one and that extraordinary and that besides this one there is not one moe in all the Bible and that for this one that sped a thousand thousands haue missed what folly is it to put our selues in a way where so many haue miscarried To put our selues in the hand of that Physition that hath murthered so many going cleane against our owne sense and reason whereas in other cases we alwaies leane to that which is most ordinary and conclude not the spring of one swallow It is as if a man should spur his asse till he speake because Balaams asse did once speake so grossely hath the diuell bewitched vs. And yet if we mark in that example which the diuell so oft tempteth vs with we shall see euen in that little time he liued sundry good works as many as in that time case would be required first prayer secondly confession thirdly glorifying of Christ fourthly humilitie remeÌ„ber me fifthly reprouing of his fellow sixtly acknowledging of his own deserts seuenthly patience And it is to be thought by these few that if he had liued he would not haue been behind any of the Saints The root being holy the braÌ„ches must needs be like vnto it My senteÌ„ce is that a man lying now at the point of death hauing the snares of death vpoÌ„ him in that streight of feare and paine may haue a sorrow for his life past but because the weaknes of flesh and the bitternes of death doth most commonly procure it we ought to suspect our selues if we neuer sorrow till then And therfore let vs store our selues with good things against the euill day come vpon vs for our life past for as that man which in his health and good successe hath been diligent to feare God and to do good feeles in his sicknes an vnspeakable comfort which he would not misse for all the world and a mighty boldnes to speake vnto God towards whom he knoweth he hath not beene vnkind doth not feare at all so that man which whiles the world prospered with him neuer thought of God nor regarded his word nor the preaching thereof when the visitation of the Lord is vpon him when God shall take his soule from him his case is most miserable feeling no comfort nor daring to speake to God whom he hath neglected And sorrow such a one neuer so much yet he doubteth and must needs doubt for that he knoweth not whether his remorse be of the loath somnes of sin or for the feare of death whether he be humbled before the Lord or before sicknes It is good policie to print his iudgements first in our bowels and to diet our selues more sparingly with his mercies least making vp our sins in the remembrance of his mercies they breake forth flame to our confusion in body soule euerlastingly Eccles. 12. Psal. 73. Heb. 12. Rom. 11. Thy iudgements are as the great deeps Then to feare God when he sheweth mercy and to loue him when he executeth iudgements are two hard things yet necessarie Howsoeuer God doth now forbeare he will not doe so alwaies but he will set him downe in his iudgement seate and throne of iustice and our chiefe care must be how we may appeare without feare and trembling before him This is it that we must thinke of at midnight what we shall answere that dreadfull Iudge when he shall aske for our account Let vs set him before our eyes not as our fond braine is wont to imagine of him but as the Scriptures describe him When he will arise to commaund the Angell to blow his trumpe such a God as the Seraphins hide their faces at his glorie at whose presence the mountaines smoke and melt away whose wrath shall shake the foundations of the earth who ouertaketh the wise in their policie who wil not account the guiltie innocent at whose purenesse all our innocencie is as a stained cloth whose iustice the Angels themselues dare not call for whose iudgement when it is once kâ—â—dled burneth to the bottome of hell Let this God take his place let him trie our hearts and examine our thoughts let him call for the account and take his reckoning let vs thinke how we shall stand before him quietly with peace of conscience who is it that can doe it Esa. 33. 4. let him of vs come forth Alas none shall dare to doe it If the Lord in his owne person should appeare vnto vs without Christ a redeemer we should flie from him with horrour and feare and neuer be able to stand in his sight 2 He that searcheth
serue to nouzell vs in our sinnes because the childe of GOD may come to this through often infirmitie but when hee seeth it it is time to bestirre himselfe and to feare least those fearefull beginnings doe bring him at the last vtterly to fall away 16 The first meanes to keepe vs from hardnes of heart is to feare it long before for if wee once be fallen into this then are wee past all sense and feeling and cannot perceiue it and therefore our case is more fearefull and dangerous as those are which fall into some great disease of the body and know it not Againe if we be not of hardned hearts then the word may worke with vs and all other afflictions may haue their effect and so haue a good end but if our hearts bee once hardened then all our plagues are vnfruitfull vnto vs yea they are nothing else but euen a taste of hell and of those punishments which are and abide for euer So had Pharaoh many and great plagues yet because his heart was hardened he profited not but ranne on forward till he was vtterly destroyed But Iob whom the Lord had not yet forsaken profited by all his miseries had a good and ioyful issue and escaped from them Therefore the children of God doe feare it more than all other punishments and had rather bee plagued with all the miseries of Iob and the botches of Aegypt than with an heart that is hardened It goeth not well with vs then when we feare wordly and bodily punishments more than wee doe hardnes of heart and other spirituall punishments for euen here is a difference betweene the wicked and the children of God for the wicked are euer greatly troubled for feare of outward afflictions but the spirituall punishments of the soule doe neuer a whit affect them Contrariwise the children of God doe aboue all things dread spirituall punishments as for outward troubles they are content to beare them and are grieued no otherwise for them than as they are signes of Gods displeasure this is a good note to trie our selues by The second is a true desire and loue to haue a melting heart to be often touched with the word and with Dauid to desire the vnderstanding of the word aboue all worldly treasures and the light of his louing countenance aboue all earthly helpe or treasure for the worldly men doe greedily hunt after worldly things and thinke themselues best at ease when they enioy them we must then not be like minded to these men but earnestly desire the former and then it will be an vndoubted signe of the spirit of God The third remedie against hardnes of heart is to ioyne to the feare aboue named and continually to labour and striue against it in vsing carefully all those meanes which may serue thereunto and as in our nature there is a continuall desire of earthly things so should wee continually bee moued to pray that in spirit we may daily labour and striue against it and as the husbandman fearing pouertie because his goods decay or his ground bringeth not foorth his fruite doth labour more carefully to lay vp against the time of neede like vnto Ioseph when hee was in Aegypt and as the maâ—â— fearing sicknesse because his naturall powers are weakened or his stomack waxeth weake will by Physicke and other meanes labour to preuent it so wee must doe against hardnes of heart for so long as wee feele taste in Gods word to bee humbled by his threatnings and comforted by his promises if wee striue and contend to growe in grace the Lord no doubt is with vs. But if wee waxe wearie of the world and can feele not taste in it if wee cannot bee terrified by his threatnings nor affected by his promises then is our case dangerous and we haue good cause to feare least the Lord will harden vs therefore must wee in daily hearing and reading of the word labour to come to some feeling of it and in our quiet state whiles the world is with vs lay vp such things in store as may bee able to comfort vs when our ministers are remoued and the world taken from vs. But many will bee like Ioseph to prouide for the dearth but they will not store themselues with spirituall food against the time when the word shall be taken away Now if through infirmitie wee doe fall and the light of the spirit be darkened and our hearts begin to bee hardened then let vs call to minde our former practise which we haue had in the word and remember the care wee had to keepe it and it will be a great helpe to recouer vs againe For Dauid no doubt was very well helped in his greatest conflicts by the remembrance of those places which aforetime he had read 17 When as in receiuing of meate the meate that nourisheth is changed into vs it is far otherwise in the chirurgerie of our soules For in receiuing of the word of the SacrameÌ„ts which feed the soule they are not changed into the qualities of vs but we are chaÌ„ged into them It is the folly of the world now adaies and the euill that troubles not onely the base people but the great also and the wise that they thinke they must giue sap iuice to nourish the word rather thaÌ„ that they should suffer their wisdome to be maintained by the sap of the word and they will set the Lord to learne of them Wel in applying there is a great reason we applie to the heart It is the principall place for God to worke on it is the vsuall place that Sathan most inueâ—gleth and therefore it must needes haue a plaster And here wee inquire not onely Esaus heart who saide in his heart the dayes of mourning for my Father will come shortly then I will slay my brother Iacob Genes 27. 42. but Sarahs heart too who hearing she should conceiue in her olde age laughed in her heart c. So that they must come to this cure Esaus mourning heart and Sarahs vnbeleeuing heart â—ea and with them all hearts Applie the plaster to any place saue to the heart and it will doe no good If the disease come from the heart as all sicknesse of sinne doth lay to the hand the plaster or to the foote or to the face though it heale in one place it will breake foorth in another because vnlesse the heart be well purged and cured it will still minister new matter of corruption into euery part of the body We are not then to be healed at the eare as wee thinke wee may and yet many will not so much as be eare-wise wee must not bee healed in the braine for many will goe so farre in hearing that they may bee braine-wise but wee must be cured at the heart for it is required wee should be heart-wise Well many will come so far too as they will conceiue and iudge well of things so that they growe tongue-wise
ourtakes vs and we are as good as absent or else if wee be waking we goe away before it be done or if we tarrie as soone as we be gone we commit all to forgetfulnesse And so if with want of knowledge wee be mercifull and true dealers it is but after our owne braine and because the Lord hath not planted the Lord will roote it out The end of all is if men will not grow in the knowledge of God his wil they shal neuer come to the knowledge of God that is they shall not knowe God his mercy God his trueth glory and blessednesse neither will he euer know vs. For as without the knowledge of Gods will there is not nor shall be any knowledge of God so if we know not God God will neuer know vs. 11 When we shal be ioyned to God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost then shal we know as we are knowne then shall all teares be wiped from our eyes then shall our infirmities be taken from vs then shall we dwel with the Angels and with al the hosts of heauen in most happie blessednesse it selfe We see now by this chaine not forged by our own braine but framed out of Gods word that hee is indeede blessed whom God chooseth whom Christ redeemeth whom the Spirit reneweth whom faith stayeth whom the word Prayer Sacraments and Discipline buildevp in the Lord in whom faith breedeth peace peace sinceritie sinceritie loue loue a feare of displeasing and a care of pleasing God in whom this care striueth to a mortification in pouertie of minde this pouertie comming from a mourning heart possessed in a meeke spirit and aspiring to true righteousnesse all these things being ioyned with that sanctification which lamenteth the sins of others and relieueth the wants of others knowing to vse prosperity and aduersitie as pledges of Gods fauour and vndoubtedly looking for the kingdome of heauen in the life to come If any of these linkes be missing the chaine is broken if any of these members be wanting the body of blessednesse is lame and dismembred CHAP. XLV Of Miracles and how God worketh without and with meanes and how we ought to attend on the meanes THe Miracles that were wrought in the Church were partly in mercie and partly in iudgement as in turning Iereboams hand into leprosie and into cleane flesh againe but the miracles against Aegypt were onely in iudgement 2 Signes are giuen to confirme vs in the word are not more excellent than it if then they draw vs from the word we must hold them accursed as wel as the false Prophet Deut. 12. That which Paul speaketh of tongues 1. Corinth chap. 14. is true of all miracles which are signes to beleeuers which may teach vs not to desire them for if we beleeue not Moses and the Prophets neither would we beleeue if miracles were brought from heauen So is it in the Sacramēts which are ordained to nourish that faith which is ingendred in vs by the word and therefore must not bee separated from the word nor esteemed aboue the word For we shall then profite truely by Baptisme when we in and by the word shall beleeue the washing away of sinne and get power to mortifie sinne daily within vs and then shal we profit by the Lords Supper when we beleeue all the promises of our Redemption wrought by Iesus Christ and shall be vnited into his body daily more and more by the word 3 Pharaoh did aske a signe not for any purpose to yeeld thereunto but if they could not doe any he might haue the greater aduantage against Moses and the people So the Scribes and Pharisies aske a signe of Christ to whom he answered the adulterous generation seeketh a signe So many in these daies aske proofe of many things in religion not that they minde to yeeld thereto but if they cannot haue such proofe as will stop their mouthes they may more quietly continue in their error We must learne to leaue this kinde of questioning which is seldome graunted for good let vs so frame our requests as that they may be reuerent and we may haue a desire to rest in that which is graunted 4 A wonder may moue vs for a time but commonly it lasteth at the most but for nine daies and we shall neuer gather any fruite thereby except it doth prepare vs to profite more effectually by the word 5 Some think that the miraculous Manna was not so straunge because it is to be found in these daies in other countries I answere not of that colour not of that propertie Therefore this was a miracle as may appeare by these reasons following First because it was neuer seene before and then came at Gods commaundement Secondly because neither raine nor faire weather did let it Thirdly because as soone as they came to the borders of the promised Land it ceased Fourthly because if it were kept till the morning it stanke but on the Sabbath day it continued sweet albeit gathered the day before Againe when it was reserued in the Arke it putrified not Fiftly because it followed the Israelites whither soeuer they went Sixtly because it fell in such abundance as that it sustained so great a multitude 6 At what time the Lord first sent Manna the children of Israel being rauished with the loue of it called it Manna that is meate prepared of the Lord herein they acknowledged the goodnesse of the Lord. This Manna is first commended for the colour it was as white as the precious stone called Bdellium Secondly for the taste tasting like fresh oyle Numb 11. 7. Thirdly for that it was Angels foode or meate prepared by Angels Psalm 98. And yet for all this when the people had beene accustomed to it they loathed it and set light by it wherefore their sinne was the greater The reason of it may be this This Manna was giuen them not onely to be foode for their bodies but also to be a token vnto them that seeing the Lord fedde them from heauen they were not to settle themselues on the earth but to looke for their inheritance in Heauen So many therefore as did rest in the bodily foode not respecting the thing spiritually signified by it they were soone weary of it So is it also with vs for albeit all the blessings of God be very deare vnto vs and of a great price at the first receiuing of them yet when they are common the best blessings are lightly regarded If it be so in earthly things which are agreeable to our nature how much more will it be in spirituall things which are so contrarie to our nature And hereby the great corruption of mans heart is discouered which will not be moued but with noueltie As for example the sunne if it were but seldome seene how glorious a creature would it be accoūted but because we haue the daily vse of it therfore very few of vs regard it Nay the word of
rude in speech yet not in knowledge 2. Corinth chap. 11 vers 6. in conuerting Paulus Sergius a learned man Dioâ—â—siâ—s Aâ—â—opagita a great Philosopher disputing with the whole troupe of the Stoicks and Epicures at Athens read in Aâ—â—atus Epimenides Menander made Foelix to tremble with the force of his eloquence was thought Mercurie for his eloqueÌ„ce at Lâ—â—aonia by the notable course and vaine of all his epistles not inferiour to the writings of any of the â—eaâ—hen Festus thought him to be madde with much learning Act. chap. â—6 verse 24 he wâ—lled Timothie to bring his bookes and parchments from Troas 2. Timoth. chap. 4. verse 13. by Peters testimonie 2. Pet. chap. 3. verse 16 according to the wisedome giuen vnto him Timothie was perfectly taught in the Scriptures froÌ„ a child 2. Timoth. chap. 3. verse 13. in so much as he had prophecyings going before of him 1. Timoth. chap. 1. verse 1â— nourished vp in the word of faith and good doctrine 1. Timoth. chap 4. verse 6. charged to giue attendance to reading and learning and to continue therein 1. Timoth. chap. 4. verse 16. 10 Euerie thing in the Sanctuarie was double to that which was common as the Shekle the Cubit so ought it to be with the Minister Triâ—les in the Ministers mouth are blasphemies laughter in him is vnseemely and to moue laughter is more vnseemely Alâ— will crie and say to them in their infirmities Art thou become weake also as we Aâ—t thou become weake like to vs Esa. chap 14 verse 16. Thy voycetruely is Iaâ—obs sweete and soft but thy hand is the paw of â—saâ— rough and hairie Let such a one be called Pastor of the Church as in comparison of him the rest may be called a flocke Hâ—â—râ—â— ad Ocean And it is the Canon which the very Papists vse in electing of Ministers Distinct. 25 Whosoeuer of Aarons seed had any bâ—emish in him should not prease to offer before God neither to come neere the vayle neither to stand by the Altar Leuit. 21 17 Vnlesse he will depart from iniquitie let him not once name Christ his name his mores will be beames Iohn Baptist is too streight Christ is too loose and his disciples wash not their hands before meate Elisha hath a bald paâ—â— and one thing or other stands yet in the way â—e delights not or he â—â—ifies not Doth Gods Minister rebuke sharpely then is he too sowre if he admonish mildely then is he too colde A Bishop saith Hierome must be of such knowledge and holmesse that both his gesture and motion habite and attiâ—e must as it were speake of his grauitie his words and actions must be instructions to his people And Hâ—â—rome saith what shall the multitude commend in thee if they finde their owne dâ—forâ—i ties in thee If they finde nothing which is not in themselues If they finde that in thee whom they thinke to reuerence which being found in themselues would make them blush Ministers are the Lords messengers and they must not carrie with them as did Vvias a letter for the knowledge of such things as serue and tend to their destruction Damnant se ipsos sua voâ—e qui sui similes â—â—ferno dâ—mnant with their owne words doe they condemne themselues which doe condemne such as be like themselues in the hels If I aske a man of the right way he shall point at one way and himselfe will goe another way I will not regard his words but follow his steps Wel as he is an adulterer that with a desiring eie looketh on the beautie of his neighbours wife albeit that woman shl remaine chast so are they murtherers in doing as much as in theÌ„ lieth to kill by their Iewd example the soules of their brethren although the Lord by his mercy preserue them from contagion An euil minister is the diuels hauke he is the diuels best factour Surely Sermons confuted by an euill life are like to milke turned in the seething By preaching they hew timber out of the thicke trees by euill life againe they breake downe the carued worke and with axes hammers Psal. 74. But whereunto shall I compare them They be like to spittle-men perfit in the waies they neuer went directing others lying still themselues They be like Heraulds at Armes setting their armies together by the eares they theÌ„selues neuer strike one stroke like to markes in the high waies which rotte away themselues whiles they staÌ„d instructing others in the way or to bels calling other to the places where they neuer come to blacke sope making white remaining blacke to blunt whetstones which sharpen other things but they continue dull to rough ragged files smoothing all other things themselues remaining rough and not changed to Noahs ship-wrights which make the Arke but themselues were not saued in it 11 When a certaine man had put Master Foxe in minde of one on whom being afflicted in mind God blessed his ministerie and asked him if he were yet in his remembrance yes said he I forget Lord and Lady but I remember such 12 A certaine man said that in our age many Ministers were like to seruants who had long liued vnder a good Maister so as they had gotten some competent stocke vpon the increase whereof they did so much attend that they neglected and forgat their ancient care for their maister 13 He obserued that some speaking against eloquence did sauour much of an humane spirit in their preaching which is as euill or worse For eloquence is not simply forbidden but when it waiteth on carnal wisedome for otherwise ioyned with the power of the word and demonstration or euidence of the spirit it is effectuall but humane wisedome very barren and destitute of eloquence is euill 14 It were necessarie in the church of God as Iosuah ministred to Moses Elisha to Eliah Samuel to Ely Gehezi to Elisha Baruch to Ieremiah the Disciples to Christ Timothy to Paul that likewise euery learned godly Pastor should traine vp some young scholler to commend him the better and to enable him the more in the Church 15 The climing Canons of the Pope were the cause of this mingling of Ciuill lawes with Diuinitie First Odia restringere Fauores ampliare that is you must restraine euery commaundement of God for they call those Odia As Feed my sheepe we must distinguish of that by that old distinction either by my selfe or by another sometimes by my selfe these are the promises of God which they make so large that they maruell how one that is conuersant in the Scriptures can be but a wicked man But Dauid saith the contrarie Psalme 119. Lord thy commaundements are so broad that I am astonied at them and the promises are set forth with so many conditions that they shall find them very narrow Câ—phalus as I reade who was an Atheist when he was young comming to be old said what if there be an
a promise it is rather paid to the promiser than to him to whom it is promised as one of the fathers saith God paieth his promises to himselfe and the accomplishment of it most respects himselfe 3 The nature of a promise is not presently to yeeld the thing promised for if wee had that wee haue not a promise of a thing to bee performed but a performance of a thing that hath beene promised we stand in faith and receiue in hope and whatsoeuer wee are we are but one hope which is our tenant and takes vp our possession of things to come for our behoofe Our life saith Paul is hidde with Christ. And it appeares not â—aith Iohn What we shall be But the best that may be made of the wicked is here to be seene to the vttermost And seeing our life is in Christ all that are on the stage of the world it is knowne who they be namely the wicked but whatsoeuer is the price of the godly it is yet hidde in Christ we haue nothing but the hope of it Now least some should say if wee haue nothing but in hope it were better to haue some thing certaine To them I say wee doe not speake of a promise from a man The Apostle saith the Lord is faithful If the life of a Christian be compared to a warfare then hope is our helmet Ephes. chap. 6. If it bee compared to a sea-faring then our hope is as an anchour which we must cast into the sea with them Act. chap. 28. to stoppe our shippe in dangers vntill the day appeare Lastly this is our stay God is faithful he hath promised therfore he will surely performe it First he speaketh the word then he promiseth that is saith it double In blessing thee I will blesse Then he addeth an oath As I liue saith the Lord I will visit thee yet more he hath left vs pledges further to assure vs of the trueth of his word if neither his word his promise nor his oath wil serue vs we haue nothing but promises for concerning riches glorie countrey and such like God his children often want them Come to God his grace and to peace of conscience which one would thinke they should haue they often haue them not but faith they haue the promise they haue euery thing else they haue not still they haue the promises them they haue Our faith takes hold on our sins pardoned on the assurance of the life to come these we haue without peraduenture wee haue the other things but by peraduenture The best things we haue we possesse haue them by hope and they that haue outward things are beholden highly to God but they be not his best blessings 4 Howsoeuer some thinke but meanely of God his promise yet nothing is more worthie our consideration and thankefulnesse That that is 1. Sam. 18 18. in the speech of Dauid wheâ— one tolde him that Saul was disposed to giue him one of his daughters in marriage may here be noted for what saith hee seemeth it small to you to bee a Kings sonne what am I or what is my life or the family of my father in Israel that I should be the sonne in lawe vnto a King So may wee say what are wee or what is our life or the familie of our father that the Lord should vouchsafe to make such promises vnto vs Dauid made no light account of his promise To set Dauid in our case and Saul in the Lords Dauids case was farre better than ours For by reason of his victories he had deserued wel of the countrey and therefore worthie to be considered of Saul againe though he should haue had Michol to wife he was not for this to be heyre of the crowne and yet he saith seemeth it to you a small thing Then I say if we could come to make the comparison betweene Saul and God who is the Saul of Saules and prince of Princes in whose respect al the Princes of the world are but wash pots and Cyrus is nothing to him he vnto whom the Angels are subiects and seruants and to whom heauen and earth stoope downe what analogie would there bee betwixt him and Saul On the other side that wee may stand in stead of Dauid if the Spirit of God would shew vs our vnworthinesse in a thing far aboue the promise of Dauid wee would say or wee should say what are wee what is our fathers house that the Lord should haue respect to vs were not our fathers Amorites drowned in superslitious idolatrie carried away with the loue of the world solde vnto sinne and men full of ignorance what was in our fathers house for ourselues what are we haue we not beene deriders of the word of God or hearers of the Lord speake to vs with far lesse reuerence than we heare a mortall men what is there in vs I thinke not of the worst but he that can best expresse his mind and meaning cannot expresse our vnworthinesse My stammering speech cannot vtter iâ— we must conceiue more of it knowe that there is nothing in vs or in our fathers house that the Lord should vouchsafe vs such mercy It must not seeme little that wee haue the word and are compassed about with so many promises wee must reade them with humility then no doubt wee shall reade them with thankfulnes The Apostle saith When the Angels looke at the mysterie of our redemption they are wonderfully astonished they can neuer looke enough to see the vnspeakeable highnes of the Lord and the great gulfe of our vnworthines to behold the ods betweene his greaâ—nes and our vilenes It needeth their conceauing which if we could also doe it would swallow vs vp to see the Lord bestow his promises on such vnworthie wretches When the Lord shall not only make promises in generall but in particular not onely reall but personal not onely conditionall but free not onely temporall but eternall who can goe through them all But setting aside these great promises benefits of his word of his Spirit he hath promised that euen our very corrections * shall doe vs good Setting these apart with all the care of his Angels ministery of all creatures he saith he wil so narrowly looke to vs take charge of vs that he will looke to the haires of our head nay Leuit. 26. he will looke to our kneading troughes and which more is Psal. 41. he will turne our beds couches in the time of sicknes A strange thing that the Lord should thus do with vs. In the heathen histories we reade that because a certaine Captaine came to wash his souldiers wounds they could not praise him enough Then if God the Captaine of his whole Church the God of glory shall so narrowly looke to vs as to number our haires to take care for our kneading troughs to turne our beds to swaddle our wounds these are able to amaze vs and to
note that both prosperitie and aduersitie drawe vs neere to God if wee haue once receiued the Spirit of God but without that in their owne nature they are forcible to drawe vs away from God as may bee seene in the Israelites who for all their trobles in Aegypt could not bee brought to the Lord let vs learne then to glorifie God in our owne present estate and to vse that well and then shall wee bee prepared to â—eare well whatsoeuer commeth Iacob at his death giueth his Sonnes that which hee himselfe had neuer the possession of which declared his faith grounded on the word for heâ— faith God said thus Thus must we beleeue when wee haue the word though it seeme ridiculous but wee must not beleeue without the word CHAP. LVI Of Prophecie and Preaching THe office of a Prophet is not onely to foretell things although many did so the grosse vnderstanding whereof hath put downe our prophecies but also to teach to pray and plainly to interpret with a fit application to the people by the reuelation of the Spirit 1. Corinth 24 Genes 18. and 19 Number 11. Deuâ— 18. 1. Sam. 12. This reuelation commeth sometimes by meanes sometimes extraordinarily but alwayes spirituallay for this difference is betweene prophecying and teaching that a man may teach that he hath learned in the Schooles but the other hath a further reuelation of the Spirit to applie the word to times and persons fitly that euery one may haue his portion Reuelation is ordinarie or extraordinarie ordinarie when hee spiritually speaketh of the word as the word of God with power deuiding it aright as the Apostle Pauâ— saith If any be spirituall let him vnderstand what I say Extraordinarie when by some reuelation of Gods Spirit hee can note and specifie the time or manner or place of Gods threatnings here againe I say as the Apostle saith If any be spirituall let him consider what I say and the Lord giue them vnderstanding yet this is not to bring in the reuelations of the Familie of loue or any other Heretikes which dreame of such things as are not in and according to the word 2 To receiue a Prophet in the name of a Prophet is effectually to profit by their doctrine for all things are written for our learning so are all gifts which God bestoweth vpon others 3 As they that receiue a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receiue a Prophets reward so he that is receiued in the name of a Prophet must performe the dutie of a Prophet 4 It is one thing to speake daily by meditation and to beate vpon the consciences as a Pastour and another thing to set downe a thing with iudgement and deepe studie as a Doctour must doe 5 There are three kindes of false Prophets The first teacheth false doctrine The second teacheth true doctrine but applieth it falsely The third teacheth and applie well but liue ill 6 It is good to preach according to the state of a mans owne conscience vnlesse wisedome require a consideration to be had of the time person and place 7 Pastors were not able to deuoure their great paines to the people vnlesse they should consider what paines Christ deuoured for them and that their paines may bee the more profitable as the Pastor or Preacher should pray for the people so in like sort the people should pray for the Preacher 8 We care not though the Lord accuse or condemne neuer so much so he doth it in another court and touch vs not So long as Ieremy prophecied against Edom against Moab against Ammon or against mount Sâ—ir so long presently after the threatnings the people would goe to the Church they were willing enough to heare the burthens of the Lord so long as it concerned not Iudah and Ierusalem but when he came to the burthen of Iudah and Ierusalem then they say the Lord hath not sent thee thou art taught to speak euil c. Wherefore wee must bring our selues to this to bee as glad to heare and with as great patience the action of the Lord commenced against vs as against any other And we may note it as a fault and marke of false Prophets to prophecie against other countries and to be full of generall tearmes but to come to particulars that they were loth to speake and others were loth to heare Being at Samaria they speake against Ierusalem and being at Ierusalem they speake against Samaria being at Bethel they prophecie against Gilgall and when they are at Gilgall they speake against Bethel at Dan against Sheba at Sheba against Dan. This is a sinne of false Prophets the true Prophets doe not so 9 The honour of a Prophet is not from the breast of his Mother it is not so materiall who was his father as who was his teacher In whom chiefly is to bee considered what the Prophet speaketh how The Prophets did somtimes threateÌ„ sometimes promise sometimes comfort sometimes reprooue but this they did rather as teachers than Prophets as whose proper function specially was in speaking of future things we doe not so much imbrace good things as wonder at strange things The Prophets spake that by inspiration which they knew by reuelation God disposing both their words and writings so that all that they spake and wrote they did but as instruments from God so great a difference is there betwixt our speeches and theirs Though we conceiue exquisitely how long are wee before we can speake And when we haue meditated wel doe not our tongues falter in our mouthes Though our tongues vtter most the puritie of knowledge when wee vtter the wisedome of God yet when herein we adde much indeuour how sore we grieue our hearers sometimes by obscuritie sometimes by vnsauorie and sometimes by vnseemly speeches In things of arte or reason be they Prophets bee they Apostles be they Euangelists or be they Pastors they may be deceiued Was not Moses counselled by his father in law Iethro Was not Peter conuicted of error by Paul Was not some of the Prophets conuicted by Ieremiah and Ezechiel But how then are the bookes of the Prophets so generally allowed Answere is that the Prophets were exempted from all possibilitie of errour in those things which they receiued by diuine reuelation indeede they must be voide of errour because God teaching them immediatly euery word and writing is voide of errour But how shall wee know that these their bookes were of such diuine reuelation and deliuered from God himselfe We must know that the certaine knowledge hereof to the prophets was one and to the hearers was another The Prophets by vision most certainly knew that the things they deliuered were from God The knowledge and certaintie of these things were confirmed to the hearers by miracle and oracle by miracle the persons of the Prophets were authorized for without doing of miracles they were accounted of as the
The word saith God is merciful prayer findeth by practise that God is mercifull The word speaketh of the maiesty power and goodnes of God praier obtaineth the exprience of the maiesty power and goodnes of God If a man commeth to knowledge faith and comforts by hearing it is rather an infusion from God into man than an action proceeding from a man to God but if we tast of the power of these things by praier as there is an infusion from God as the author so there is an action from man as the agent instrument This gift of praier is also a nurse of repentance because our praiers looke with bloody cheekes as ready to blush when with guiltie consciences we come before the Lord. If we should haue a suite to a prince we would be loth he should haue a iust complaint of our rebellion to lay against vs for feare of repulse or of a worse thing we would not willingly haue our accuser stand before him wheÌ„ we are suters vnto him much more are we to feare our hypocrisie if we presume in wilful disobedience to pray vnto the prince of the spirits and searcher of all mens hearts And if we can be bold to pray in the hypocrisie of our hearts to such a God we must needs either be abashed without comfort or astonied without feeling we shall find our praiers either accused or accursed or both 5 Although there was but a weake faith in Moses when he prayed yea though it seemed rather to be an expostulation than a prayer Exod. 5. 22. 23. yet the Lord respected his faith and pardoned his infirmitie Exod. 6. 1. 2. 3. c. So great is the Lord in mercy and readie to heare those that call vpon him though in weaknes which may not onely serue to moue vs to pray but also assure vs that the Lord will heare vs. 6 If any would know a true faith then trye it by one speciall fruit thereof if our faith moueth vs to prayer it is true and so much faith so much prayer which will take away doubting and confirme vs more in Gods goodnes Where are confuted those which say if Gods prouidence rule ouer all what needeth praier For then had Moses and the children of Israel prayed in vaine and Dauid saith Psal. 34. The Lords care is open to our prayers But if the promises of God whereon our faith is grounded make vs to refraine prayer from the Lord it is manifest we are too secure and carnally minded we are to feare that our faith is false 7 In that the Lord heard Moses in prayer wee may asluâ—e our selues that hee will also heare vs for from a particular example may be gathered a generall doctrine as is euident by the like gathering of Iam. 5. of the prayer of Eliah so that we shall either haue that we couet or else some spirituall recompence onely this let vs care for that we be righteous faithfull and continue in prayer and then shall we haue comfort in our selues For reading getteth knowledge but prayer is that that getteth feeling and experience 8 Notwithstanding the Lord had promised by the mouth of Moses that hee would giue deliuerance to the Israelites yet hee ceaseth not although hee was surely perswaded that the Lord would performe his promise to pray for the same and that in most hartie and seruent affection euen so did Eliah when he prayed for raine which hee knew would certainely be which teacheth vs first that Gods promises doe not make such as feare him to be carelesse but carefull to vse the meanes Secondly that faith will alwaies shew it selfe in prayer the stronger faith is the more vehement shall be our praier It is said that Moses cried and yet he did not speake a word so the holy woman Hannah 1. Sam. 1. 5. prayed in the very bitternes of her spirit yet vttered not a word which teacheth vs that the hartie prayer onely pearceth the cloudes and is heard of God and the voice is no further heard than the vehemencie of the spirit doth cause it For as the bullet out of the Gunne or an arrow out of a bow so out of the abundance of our heart must our prayers proceede Therfore the voice may be vsed in priuate prayers to stirre vp the affections and to keepe the minde from wandering and in publicke prayers because God will bee glorified in soule and bodie and that others may be edified but both publikely and priuately it is the heart onely that is accepted 9 The refuge of Moses was by prayer to flie vnto the Lord and this is the manner and dealing of all the deare children of God not to keepe close their griefe within themselues but by prayer to make it knowne vnto their God that in him they may finde helpe If wee then when griefe oppresseth vs can pray vnto the Lord and make knowne our requests vnto him we may haue hope that in his good time he will deliuer vs but if our griefe doe so trouble vs that it causeth vs to fret so that we can seeke no helpe for it or else doe in our owne strength fight against it there is small hope of our deliuerance 10 Moses praved sometime very vnperfectly and yet then the Lord heard him which teacheth vs that the Lord doth greatly like of prayer yea though it bee after a stuttering manner as Hannah praied in the Temple or if it he but a chattering as Ezechias prayed in his sickenes yet if it be in the bitternes of the soule and in the vprightnes of the heart the Lord doth like of it very well It is not the fine words nor the well framed sentences that he delighteth in he is then wel pleased with our praiers wheÌ„ in the vprightnes of our hearts wee offer them vp vnto him and when the Spirit by working vnspeakeable grones in our hearts doth make our requests known vnto God Onely let vs looke for the perfection of our praiers in Christ let vs still rebuke our selues and stirre vp our hearts to gather confidence that we may come more cheerefully vnto praiers as Dauid did saying Why art thou so heauie O my soule And then may we be sure that such praiers are very well pleasing in his sight And here there appeareth a special difference between the vnbeleeuing Israelites and the faith of Moses they looked on the drie earth and vnto Moses where they could haue small hope of redresse but they forgot the Lord therefore they murmured when they should haue prayed Contrariwise Moses forgot them and so escaped murmuring he looked vnto the Lord and so fel to prayer This is a certaine note of true faith when at the first time that trouble doth oppresse vs wee can yet powre out our complaints into the Lords bosome and by prayer looke for helpe from aboue And although we can find no fruit of our prayers yea though we thinke that our praiers
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
inditement to be executed there against some sinne Therefore when we blesse our selues for our riches and say the Lord be blessed for my wealth this is a goodly inheritance My lines are fallen in a faire place we must also say though this also be a good saying All this I haue of the Lord and hold whatsoeuer I haue of him doe I keepe that part of the couenant which is of my part as he hath performed his part of his condition with me If I doe then I am no vsurper for he hath giuen me a condition and I haue kept it he commended knowledge to me and I know in knowledge so that I am able to make an account of it c. but otherwise though I neuer come for any other sinnes to iudgement yet our action for dwelling in our possessions is sufficient to stand against vs. For if we keepe not the couenant the Lord hath or will enter an action and to thee or thy posteritie he will surely performe the execution of it CHAP. LXI Of Sacraments GOd might haue wrought miracles without the rod which he willed Moses to vse for he vsed it not for himselfe but for Moses and the people of Israel to helpe their infirmities So must we receiue the Sacraments as helpes Contraâ—aereticos And as the rod in it selfe was a common rod but being appointed of God for more excellent vse was so to be accounted of them So water bread wine although in themselues common yet put apart for the vse of the Sacraments are to be esteemed and receiued as the ordinance of the Lorde for the strengthening of our Faith wherein also the Lord will trie our obedience whether we will worship him in these things which haue so small a shewe 2 The neglect of Gods Sacraments doth prouoke him against vs as it did against Moses for the neglect of the Circumcision of his Sonne The Lord met Moses with some such affliction as that he was readie to die according to the threatning Gen. 17. Where we may see the neglecting of Gods ordinance punished but not the want for Moses did omit it either to please his wife or his father or both wherein hee honoured them more then the Lord. The like is said of the Passeouer Num. 9. Deut. 27. Our Baptisme and the Lords Supper doe answere these Sacraments therefore the neglect of them requires the like punishment Wee haue no lesse grace offered to vs in our Sacraments then they had in theirs if they then were worthily cut off much more are wee if we refuse either of our Sacraments vnlesse it be for necessities sake And although the Lord doth not presently meete vs as he did Moses yet is he the same God as in mercie to those that vse them in Faith so in iudgement to take vengeaÌ„ce vpon the contemners of them But some wil say they would come but the Ministers will not suffer them If the Ministers do hinder them without cause they shall beare their condemnation but if for want of Faith and repentance he doe stay them and be diligent and willing to teach and warne them and they still continue carelesse their blood shall be vpon their owne heads they can claime no part in the companie of Gods children for hee should communicate with them in their sinne if he should receiue them being vnworthie either for want of knowledge or because of sinnes which they lie in 3 The institution of the Passeouer Exod. 12. hath in it some things which are peculiar to the first celebration other some things which belong to the continuall obseruation as in the â—â— verse and before that they must not goe out of the doores c. These belonged to the first celebration of it afterward were not to be vsed because they had respect onely to the present Time therefore our Sauiour Christ offended not when they did eate the Passeouer sitting and went forth after the institution of the Lordes Supper some things were personall and had respect to the present time which were not after to be vsed as that it was to be eaten with vnleauened bread for then there was none other then that it was at Night in a parlor which was that it might be shewed that the other Passeouer was abrogated and this came in it stead other things that had no such particular respect are whollie and onely still to be obserued 4 We must be prepared to receiue the Lords Supper with sinceritie and holines which is the truth of the ceremonie of vnleauened bread for vnleauened bread had first respect to true doctrine as our Sauiour Christ himselfe expoundeth it Beware of the leauen of the Pharisies And this teacheth vs not onely to beware of all false doctrine as the doctrine of the Papists or such like which in it selfe is euill but also to beware that wee be not defiled with the corruption of the true doctrine which in it selfe is most pure for the doctrine of the Pharisies was much of it true yet somewhat mingled and otherwise defaced and this corruption of true doctrine is called leaueÌ„ because if it be suffered it wil corrupt the whole Secondly this hath respect to maliciousnes for so Paul expounded it The leauen of maliciousnes where also not onely the grosse sinnes are said to be of the nature of leauen but euen the very rootes of sinne maliciousnes Contrary to this are we commanded to come in a pure and sound religion and doctrine also in sinceritie and trueth of heart hauing respect vnto and hauing a desire to fulfill all the commandements of God Thirdly whereas it is called the bread of tribulation Deut. 16. 3. it sheweth with what affection wee must eate this Passeouer namely that as the poore man hath much paine and labour before he can get bread so that his hart fainteth with want or when all taste is gone by reason of his sicknes and when he hath gotten bread or findeth nourishment thereby he euen weepeth for ioy so should wee euen a long time bewaile our sinnes and repent vs of the euill which we haue done and euen saint for the desire of IESVS CHRIST that so we comming to the table of the Lord being refreshed may effectually receiue grace and be heartily thankfull 5 This is one great cause why the Family of loue and others doe with so deadly hatred despise our Sacraments because they neuer felt the power of them nor sought to haue by them the assurance of the merits of Christ conueied vnto them and sealed in their hearts Would we not then be like vnto this kinde of people in dâ—spising the Word Sacraments and other holy graces let vs not then rest in the bare vse of them let vs not come to them of fashion let vs not content our selues with hauing the outward things but let vs labour to feele in our hearts the power of the spirit let vs pray that by them the
and then they are vncleane the seuenth day and so all their labour is in vaine Others when they cannot away with this strictnes to continue say on this manner Seeing we are still vnperfect let vs be vnperfectly vnperfect let vs be vncleane still let vs prepare riuers of sinne for Christ shed streames of blood the more wee sinne the greater glorie will come to Christ. And thus they stand at a stay their holines is a standing holines it fils not it stands at a stay they are no perfect Nazarites they still lie in their pollutions their motions are from the house to the Church and from the Church home againe and at the yeares end they are as holy as in the beginning of the yeare they goe go to the Church and make many voyages as an horse in the Mill makes manie circuites who labours still from morning vntil night and then he is but where he was at the first so they are in a motion from morning vntill night and at night they are euen where they were when they begun in the morning There is another sort not standing still but they make many beginnings and when they come to the third day they beginne againe and againe and againe still they goe backe and then they must begin againe and so they come to holines by fits These manie beginnings are not good There is but one motion commanded but it must be continued we must fulfill our many dayes when we haue once begun we must not defile our selues to become new Nazarites Neither must we stand at a stay but goe forward but if happily we doe fall wee must take a viewe of our selues that if we fall not the second time we will fulfill our dayes indeede The equitie hereof stands in this the Lord respects the fruite and not the blossome He calles himselfe Alpha the beginning for he is so but in respect of the end he is also Omega So must it stand with them that are his Temple they must not be only Alpha but also Omega they must fulfill their holines In regard whereof we see Ezech. 9. that the mourners are marked it is with the letter Tau which is the last letter in the Hebrue Alphabet and it betokeneth an ende to shewe they had not quaumes and starts of well doing but they were men fulfilling their dayes Wee know the Trees in Gods Orchyard are Palmes and Cedars The nature of the Palme tree is to growe being young and to beare fruit continually the Cedar though it be long indeede ere it grow yet when they bring forth they beare fruit long and when they are very olde So they that are planted in the Lords house the older they growe the more fruite they beare being of the nature of the Cedar growing from faith to faith not making many beginnings And if the Lord be not content to abound but to ouer-abound in mercie then must we also euen abound more and more in mercie grace and sanctification 13 It is not possible without affliction to enter in Christs kingdome except ye sup of that cup and be baptized with that baptisme that hee was baptized with Why But here is now no persecution Surely if wee haue not Esaues sword we shall be sure to haue Ismaels tongue and that is worse than a two edged sword This time will affoord no sharper but when the beast shall be loosed againe and when the Dogge-dayes come in againe wee must learne ioy fullie to receiue the other and to accompt a chaine of golde lesse honourable than a fetter of yron which shall be clapt vpon vs for Christ and his Gospell sake 14 The bellie was the first sword the diuell drew against man Paul saith to Timothie drinke no more water in sicknesse or infirmities we haue leaue to drinke wine otherwise we must take heed of wine wherein there is excesse Noah thought that after the great water wine would haue done him no hurt but it made him a laughing stock to his owne son The children of Israel did eate and drinke and then rose vp to play for they had not so much lust before meate and what play plaied they at that time that which made Moses breake the Tables for anger Lot did most shamefully abuse his body where though hee cannot be accused for wilfulnes yet he may be condemned of negligence And what children came of that stocke surely the washpot and the maker cleane of shooes the enemies of God his children which might not be receiued after fourteene generations WheÌ„ Eliah was to be prouided of God to haue him his Cater what meate fed he of A cake bakte on the coales and a pot of water might not God haue sent him rost meate and baked meate But he knew it was not best for him So Daniel being in the lyons den God might also easily haue caught one of Nabuchadnezzers garde carrying a seruice vp to the Kings board to bring meate to Daniel he seazed vpon Habacucke carrying the Reapers their meat which I thinke was but a homely seruice Elisha when he made a set feast for the yong Prophets they had nothing to dinner but a fewe worts and there were Coliquintidaes among them too Daniel durst not venture on the Kings fare but put vp a supplication that they might haue nothing but gruell 15 It is too vnnaturall to yoke the spirit vnder the flesh in most miserable thraldome to set the crowne on her head to make her a Ladie and to compell the spirit to take lawes iniunctions and commandement at her hands to set her at the helme and to make her word to stand and if she say I will that thou abuse thy body with surfettings drunkennes adulterie it must be done whatsoeuer it cost Why this is to set a blind horse or an vntuly mad horse formost in the teeme this is to saw off our owne legge of flesh and to get vs on a woodden legge this is to take the Crown the Scepter the kingdome from the Oliue tree and Figge tree and to giue it to the scratching and vnprofitable Bramble which will serue vs to no vse but to scratch vs by the hands True it is it goeth well with this bodie of sinne that it should be so and it goeth to her heart it should bee otherwise But alas consider though to a man ruled by the flesh adulterie â—ee at the first as sweete as the honey combe and as smooth as the oyle yet the end is verie wormehood nay nay it is a pearcing sword Though wine in the glasse hath a goodly looke yet at last it â—â—ingeth like a Serpent and biteth like a Cockatrice Though to be vnruly in wringing and oppressing grudge not the conscience awhit though stolne water bee sweete and bread priuily eaten hath a good taste yet in the end their mouth shall bee full of grauell and Sâ—châ—ms whoredome will end with a sword and Achans Baby
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
speech into sharpenes as Mat. 6. If light be darknes how great is that darknes If sweetnes become bitternes how great is that bitternes Euery thing when it degenerateth into his contrarie becommeth most contrary as of the sweetest wine is made the sowrest vineger and that which is coldest when it is boyled is most feruent the sea calmest when it is moued is most raging Augustine saith that his laughter is more to bee feared than his anger That which he speaketh with laughter let vs reade with weeping For God neuer vseth such speeches of derisioÌ„ but there followeth immediatly destruction Prou 1. 26 27. Psal. 2. Hee will laugh them to scorne and then will breake them in peeces And because this is the last warning before iudgement when wee finde the Lord speaking so vnto vs it is as much as if he should say Now heare the word or neuer Well these speeches are vsed to wilfull sinners as Micaiah speaketh to the King that would go to battaile whatsoeuer came of it Go to and prosper Prou 2. Because you haue not heard any word nor profited by my sermons nor by my inward checks nor come when I shewed out my benefite but refused my correction then commeth this I will laugh at your destruction Ephraim will needes follow Idols well let him saith God Iosu 4 Psal. 2. We will not be yoked and will ye not goe to the Lord in heauen will yoke you And againe such as drinke iniquitie till they haue no vse of God his gifts in them woe be to them 4 We must redeeme time euen from our ordinary callings to read the holy Scriptures 5 It is best to note the general vertue of the word and not to vse exceptions but vpon particular and constraining necessitie 6 It is the grace of God when the word of God is of such credit with vs that it humbleth vs more than all manner of corrections 7 The vsuall dealing of the Lord is that hee first sendeth his word then his wonders which if they preuaile not then doth hee fall to afflicting vs and the ending of one crosse shall be the beginning of another till he hath brought vs to him if we be his or till we bee hardened if we belong not to him 8 The word of God is the sauour of life to some and the sauour of death to others it bringeth some to repentance and others it hardeneth 9 We must esteeme highly of the Sacraments admonitions of our brethren because in contempt of these we despise Gods ordinance and they can neuer haue their fruit in vs. For whosoeuer haue felt the fruites of the spirit can tell that nothing is so comfortable to vs as that great ioy which they felt in the right vse of these holy ordinances of God And hereof commeth that continuall ioy which the children of God take and finde in reading hearing and speaking of his word prayer Sacraments Therfore let vs learne to esteeme the word of God which hath been offered so long and let not our corruption as in other things so in this lesse esteeme it because it hath been long with vs which through corruption we shall doe if God by his great grace doe not sustaine vs. 10 Our father Adam had nothing to leade him by but the great booke of the creatures which when by sinne it was blotted the Lord supplied this want by the word though not written which is cleere for that without faith it is impossible to please God but Abel by faith pleased God and that faith presupposed the word therefore they had the word for which cause some were called the sonnes of God because they were ruled by the word of God And this word is said by the Apostles and Prophets that it endereth for euer therefore our Fathers had this word though not alwayes written 11 We must learne principally those things which the spirit of God most purposeth to teach vs and be more sparing in those things which to knowe Gods spirit is the more sparing to teach vs. 12 Although the word of God is alwayes in season to be ministred yet mens hearts are not alwayes in season to receiue it 13 To one that said she had a thing told her in the spirit that should vndoubtedly come to passe he answered how it might bee of God who after some great and grieuous conflict comforteth her But euermore such workings are according to the word if they be of God And seeing such inward motions for the most part are either offered or wrought by our owne corruption or sent of the diuel as an illusion we must trie these motions by the word whether they be for spirituall or temporall things if they be of God and according to his word beleeue them for the words sake and not onely because of the reuelations if they agree not to the word how pleasant soeuer they seeme to flesh and blood listen not then to them too much and lesse beleeue them 14 The word of God is reuerenced with many titles it is the reuealed will of God the librarie of the holy Ghost the cubit of the Sanctuarie the Lanterne of Israel Psa. 119. â—09 the spirituall Manna Christ his Aphorismes the wisedome of the crosse the Lord his legacie the touchstone of error the key of the sheepfold the mystery of godlinesse the oldest way of life and truth Prou. 28 the fulnes of knowledge the Schoole-master of mankind the beacon of the soule the seede of new birth the mouth of the Lord Iehouah the two-edged sword the acts and statutes of the highest Parliament the mint of the Church the lode-starre of the faithfull pilgrim the signeâ— of God his right hand â—he Lambes book the watch-bâ—l the glasse of our life 1. Pet. 2. 2 the scepter of his kingdom the arch of the truth the breath of the holy Ghost God his Oracle the Epistle of God to the world the inestimâ—ble pearle the tenour of our freehold the couenant of promise the Court-roule of his fiâ—es and amercements the well of the water of life the Lord his treasurie the lightning and thuÌ„der of the most High WheÌ„ God speaketh any thing although it be no more than once spoken we ought to receiue it with that faith and deuotion as if it had often bin spoken Wee must thinke of the Lord his writings at the least to be as sure as the proclamations of the Medes and Persians which alter not Dan. 6. 12. Euerie iot title in the librarie of the holy Ghost is fined hath passed seuen times through the fire ere it come to our hands so it shall not neede the furnace of our vaine reason for it further triall Psal. 12. This word was giuen first by God in his owne person secondly by the ministerie of Angels thirdly by his seruants the Prophets fourthly by his owne Sonne Coloss. 2. 3. it was written 2. Pet. 1. 21. it was inspired 2. Timoth-3 â—6 it is
their whole possessions to giue to the preachers as it was done in the primitiue Church 5 The nature of true zeale is set downe Heb. 10. where the Apostle heauily threatneth them that willingly giue ouer thēselues to sinne there is named in the proper tongue the zeale of fire For as fire is not without heate so zeale is hot cannot long be holden in It is set downe by the contrary Reu. 3. when after the Church of Laodicea for her lukewarmnes is threatned to be spued out of the Lord his mouth it is added be zealous and amend where we see zeale to be opposed to lukewarmnes which is too temperate an heate for the profession of the Gospell Againe I. Cor. 14. 1. that which in our common translation we reade Follow after loue couet spirituall gifts c. the naturall text hath Be zealous after the more excellent gifts And Rom. 12. Be feruent in spirit i. let God his spirite kindle in you a fire which may flame out of you Now there are diuers kinds of zeale as the zeale of the world of the flesh of false religion according to the world And euery man is eaten spent consumed with some kind of zeale which must shame vs if we haue not the true zeale for that this zeale leaueth in vs some aduantage and recompēce which the world and carnall men haue not For when they haue spent set on tilt all the strength of their bodies powers of their minds they haue no gaine but torment of consciēce wheras the godly being spent in a good cause haue that repaired in the inner mā which is cōsumed in the outward Now to know what that true zeale is as neere as by properties we may describe it wee must first vnderstand that it is grounded on knowledge For if our zeale be not according to knowledge much like to the zeale of them spoken of Rom. 11. wee may come to persecute the Trueth and thinke we do very welll Our zeale must begin where the word begins end where the word ends that in all things it be proportionable to the word Our Sauior Christ rebuketh the Pharisies for straining out a gnat swallowing vp a Camel for tithing cummin seed and mint and for pretermitting the weightier matters of the Law wherein they bewrayed a rotten zeale in that they were carefull in the lesse and carelesse in the greater points So now a dayes many rather desiring to be counted zealous then to be zealous for a ceremonie wil be as hot as may be and yet in more principall poynts of religion they are as cold as can be in greater causes let this be our canon to vse greater zeale in lesse matters let this be our pedagogie to vse lesse zeale so that we remember to count nothing small in the word and that we can increase decrease in affection as the thing loued doth increase or decrease in goodnes If I say we can zealously pursue the most principall things and for the peace of the Church can tolerate lesse things for if any man in matters of lesse importance list to be contentious we haue no such custome neither the Church of God wee shall obserue this 1. rule still remembring this caution that we count nothing small commanded or forbidden in the Word The second rule is that wee haue an eye as well to things inward as outward our Sauiour CHRIST reprehendeth the Pharisies for that they made cleane the out side of the platter and left the inner-side foule whose liues though outwardly they were without reproofe yet inwardly they were full of pride disdaine self-loue such like Wel our zeale must begin within and in time appeare without we must no lesse feare to doe euill being by our selues alone then if we were eyed of the whole world least that we become as painted sepulchres and as such dishes as are cleane without and foule within A branch of this Rule is to haue a narrow and iealous eye of our owne corruptions lurking in the bottomles pit of nature and gaged onely by the word and spirit When we loue to be hypocrites in dissembling this naturall corruption and yet are busie in pretending some outward sanctimonie the iustice of GOD in time will vncase vs then the sinne which we would hide shall appeare in the face outwardly and the good which in Truth wee neuer loued shall be seene neuer to haue bene in vs. Herein then we may go to schoole with the couetous man who had rather be rich than be counted rich that we may rather be godly indeed than be counted to be godly least that seeing wee be not such indeed as we would bee we become notoriously to be such as we would not be 3 The third rule is that we keepe a tenor of zeale in both estates as well in aduersitie as in prosperitie Manie in peace are professors who in time of troubles are persecutors who louing the peace of the Gospell not the Gospell it selfe doe more bewray that they were neuer truely zealous Others whilest they be vnder the Crosse are very demure and deuout who if once they come aloft forget the simplicity of the Gospell and fall to the securitie of the world Hereof comes that fearefull complaint that men hote in preaching and professing while they are vnder are choked in their zeale when they come to preferment Such men are glad not of the gospell but of the prosperity of the gospell such men will be sad not for the want of the Gospell but for the aduersitie which followeth the persecutors of the Gospell Our triall herein may bee thus if our priuate estate be prosperous wee lament with Dauid the estate of the Church being ruinous or if our priuate estate being perilous wee can reioyce with Paul in the estate of the Church being prosperous our zeale is according to truth Dauid neere the Crowne for his happines fasted for the estate of the Church lying in abhominable filthines Paul a prisoner in bonds thought himselfe at libertie so long as the Gospell was free 4 The fourth Rule is that in pure zeale wee be patient in our owne causes and deuoure manie priuate iniuries that the Lord his cause may the better be prouided for haue the better successe Many can be as hot as fire in taking vp their owne cause who are as cold as yee in defending the Lord his cause This Rule obserued would sow vp the lips of the aduersarie who though for a time he thinke vs to be cholerike mad-men madly reuēging our priuate affections yet one day should confesse that we sought not our own cōmoditie but God his most precious glorie And to stretch this examination of our harts one degree further let vs beware of that corruption which springing from self-loue will giue vs leaue to reioyce at good things so long as they be in our selues but repineth at the sight of
none there it is good to make many doubts and hence commeth conference all these meanes are to be vsed for God sometime blesseth one and not another we must vse all least we should tempt God some heare and not reade some reade and not meditate some keepe their studie and neuer conferre Faith is a knowledge it is called a demonstration it hath alwaies relation vnto the word as the schollers learning is the Maisters doctrine Wicked men know the Scriptures as it is a knowledge but they cannot applie it and haue the true vse men of God speake as if they were moued therfore the interpretation of the scripture must be of the same spirit no man knoweth the minde of God but Gods spirit CHAP. XII Daemonis appellationes or the diuers names giuen to the Diuell in scripture THE Diuell is called Daimôn of his great knowledge and great experience Diábolos of his slaundering and false accusing peir ázan of sifting boring and broching the faithfull to see what is in them skoloposarkòs of making vs subiect to the rebellion of the flesh the Diuell of doing euill or à diuellendo or else as in the old english monuments the diuels fetched from the Greeke Diábolos for his authoritie the Prince of this world that is of the corrupt estate of the world for his forme and vgly shape the Prince of darkenes for his vntruth a lying spirit for his filthines an vncleane spirit for his hurting a serpent for his experience in hurting an old serpent for his strength a Lion for his greedines a ramping or roaring Lion for his poyson a Dragon for his alluring a tempter for his constraining an armed man hauing store of darts sometimes he ramps and roares in one sharpe with hornes and clawes full of terrour in a Lions skinne which is especially in the euill day at the houre of death Sometimes he transformes himselfe into an Angels shape in bright apparell full of compassion in the mantle of Samuel in a religious habit full of scripture euery other word is scriptum est setting an ambush of Diuels to inuade vs holding the crosse and this is his craft If he be able to change himselfe into an Angell of light much more is he into a shadow of the night for he setteth his nets and diggeth his pits in euery thing to take vs in our flesh by ease or pleasure or pride of the eyes suis mimis by death and the feare of it In our soule he hath his forge and bellowes euill motions lusts suggestions to kindle the fire of concupiscence in our affections bending our feare and our loue and such like to that which they should not be imployed vnto in our reason by casting doubts and planting the roote of bitternes in vs which is infidelitie in the creatures by abusing of them or by vnthankfull receiuing of them in the world by hauing his nets in riches preferments euill examples customes and euill companie in melancholie humors perswading despaire to be true sorrow in cholericke bodies perswading wrath to be good zeale in ciuill wisedome by mingling policie with Christianitie in our best motions by mingling with repentance distrust in Gods mercies with faith securitie in making vs measure Gods loue or hatred by blessings or afflictions of this life in preuenting vs of good by breeding in our hearts a loathsomnes of the word and wearines in the meaner in stripping Christ of his high Priests garments and true office of mediatorship vrging sometime these sayings Except ye also repent ye shall all likewise perish which kinde of sentences are not so properly his as belonging to his office which is a Mediator and true Sauiour 2 Sathan is inuisible changeth himselfe into an Angell of light that he cannot be discerned by the eye no nor by reason he windeth himselfe into our reason Peter thought Christ should not dye what reason was it that the sonne of man should dye CHAP. XIII Of the contempt of the Ministerie 1 IEhu being threatned called the Prophet a madbraine for so they iudged of them that digressed any whit from the set composition of words and orderly precepts of their arte which no doubt therefore hath and will come to passe because men can no longer either lend eye or eare than either they can see by reason or discerne by arte or whiles the speaker keepeth himselfe within this ordinarie course of stile or carieth himselfe euen in an orderly and oratorious period so long as wittie inuention comely compassing of matter proportionable measure of words are afforded but if a man come to cut vp the conscience and in some vehemencie of spirit dealeth more roughly and lesse orderly with their speciall sinnes then he is brainesicke and runneth as they say besides the text Neither are these complainers sillie soules but learned Parthians and wise Arabians men elaborate in arte skilfull in precepts and proud Babylonians who cannot discerne betweene a godly vehemencie of spirit for the Lord of hosts sake and a rayling austeritie of speech for malice or vaine glorie sake If then Paul be misconstrued wrongfully he must recompence such sinnes with meekenes patiently whereby often the Lord hath brought to passe that the proudest heart of most obstinate gainesayers haue beene more broken seeing the mild sufferance of the Ministers of Christ than if they had beene pursued with most hote reuengement which then especially experience hath proued true when the Lord with some crosse and humilation sealing the truth of his faithfull and zealous seruants hath caused many to thinke themselues to haue resisted the graces of God and persecuted the gifts of God in them whom they thought before to be curious precise and seekers of singularitie 2 Grieuous enough it is when our corne our cattell our goods and treasure shall come to the tables of our enemies but what though we be yet freed from such Chaldaeans yet is there a great famine in the land which they little thinke of that are the Church-robbers whom we falsely call Patrons of the Church Little thinke they of it who in stead of feeding to saluation starue many thousands to destruction in whom if there were any loue of God from their hearts I dare say and say it boldly that for all the promotions vnder heauen they would not offer that iniurie to one soule that now they offer to many hundred soules But Lord how do they thinke to giue vp their reckning to thee who in most strict account wilt take the answere of euery soule committed vnto them one by one Or with what eares doe they often heare that vehement speech of our Sauiour Christ feede feede feede With what eyes doe they so often reade that pearcing speech of the Apostles feede the flocke whereof you are ouerseers looke vnto the flock committed vnto you But if none of this will mooue them then the Lord open their eares to heare the grieuous grones of many soules lying vnder the grislie altars of destruction
not see it nor respect it FINIS More speciall directions to be obserued for the comfort of afflicted Consciences ACcording to the measure of Temptations GOD is accustomed to giue graces afterward Belieue that GOD the FATHER doth gouerne your Temptations that the HOLIE GHOST shall and doth assist you that IESVS CHRIST was tempted to ouercome in you that the Saints on earth doe pray for you euen those which neuer knew you but doe pray for the tempted ones Vse the Word Prayer and Sacraments Psalmes Conference Fasting Vowing Nothing must trouble you but God his Word truely vnderstood nor comfort you but the same A false feare doth often trouble and vexe one more then that which is a true one None can iudge of the worke of the Spirit but by the light of the Spirit as none can iudge the light of the Sunne but by it selfe None can say they are asleepe which are so indeede So none can say they are secure which in heart confesse their securitie Leaue off reasoning and complaining of your owne corruption but aboue all things beware you complaine not of God Dispute not with GOD least you be confounded nor with Sathan least you bee ouercome Be still perswaded that your punishment is farre beneath your sinne Beware to say you cannot be helped this is to hinder the worke of God if you haue so said repent you heartily thereof aske God forgiuenes therefore for Christ his sake Thinke not nor speake not that secretly vnlesse it be complaining of your selfe which you would not openly thinke or speake Enuie not the gifts of God in anie neither thinke too hardly of anie for their infirmities fret not your selfe for the prosperity of the wicked Iudge not too hardly of your selfe because you see so manie of Gods graces in others which you cannot finde in your selfe Take not pleasure in hearing or seeing euill in anie or of anie but be grieued rather reioyce in the good of others In such multitude of God his mercies as you enioy maruell not you haue some crosses God sends blessings with crosses least wee should despaire likewise crosses with blessings least we should presume In any outward blessing which you see you cannot haue beseech God you may neuer be vexed for it Any spirituall or corporall inward or outward blessing which you trust God will giue you in time beseech God you may not couet them too much but â—arie his good houre vntill you doe enioy them If you will haue an outward blessing be well content to want it If you would haue a crosse remoued be content to goe vnder it and beare it vntill the Lord remoue it If too greedily you couet any such things it is longer or ere you shall enioy them and more danger to abuse them when you haue them A wiâ—e walking in your calling is a meanes to auoyde Temptations 1. Our neede c. 2. God his goodnes to his creatures 3. His commandements 4. His promises 5. Examples of others 6. The benefits receiued before vnasked 7. The assistance of the holy Ghost 8. The mediation of Iesus Christ. 9. The ministerie of the holy Angels 10. The communion of the Saints 11. Psalmes and prayers made of others read of vs. Thinke nothing so vile as sinne Nothing so precious as Gods mercie Water and bloud were especially vsed in sacrifices water signifieth clensing bloud reconciliation therefore there gushed out of Christs side both water and bloud to declare that by him we haue both sanctification and iustification The bloud of the beasts which were sacrificed was not onely shead but also sprinkled vpon the holy vessels vpon the booke vpon the Tabernacle vpon the Altar to signifie that the shedding of Christs bloud is vnprofitable to vs vnles our harts be sprinkled with it by the holy Ghost and that God accepteth no sacrifice at our hands except his spirit come vpon it to sprinkle it with the blood of Christ. Our Lord Iesus Christ fasting and praying at the entrance of his calling is our instruction first in respect of the greatnes of the calling secondly of gifts needfull thirdly of the grieuous perils which may insue fourthly of the losse of our labours at the least Hee prayed in his own ministerie often and when he sent foorth others Matth 9 and Luke 21. As Abraham feared more so likewise Iob the neerer they came to the presence of God Iob 39. 37. and 42. 5. Gen. 18. 27. Circumcision was neglected in the wildernesse fourtie yeers likewise the Paschal Lamb more yet the Church of God was among them Certaine rules for an afflicted minde concerning seuerall temptations THose temptations shall be laid to your charge whereunto you yeeld c. No motion shall hurt you whereunto you giue not consent in heart You haue no sin Whilest in heart you long to be free from it you want no goodnes which in heart you couet to haue Rom. 7. Where sicknes is at the highest there is hope of diminishing so likewise in temptation It is a great mercie of God to discerne a temptation in time of temptation When you would doe any good or receiue any good offer vp your endeuours actions and meanes in a sacrifice to God in Christ beseeching God to giue his holy spirit to sanctifie his owne sacrifice As you pitie your childe in the fit of an ague so the Lord will pitie you in a temptation If you haue receiued but a little release of temptation giue thankes and you shall haue more It is a sinne as well to denie God his gifts as to presume of them Temptations smothered as fire burne more inwardly Be perswaded alwaies you are in the presence of God and of his Christ. Be more afraid of secret sinnes than of open shame Lay this foundation sure that there is mercie with Christ Iesus Remember the former mercies you haue receiued and thinke your present estate to be none other than the estate of Gods children If you bee grieued pray to God if relieued praise him there is a vicissitude of griefe and comfort as of light and darknes Beware of a discontented minde in any case yea be contented to haue your desires denied you of God and if your prayer be not heard vexe not your selfe too much neither vehemently couet nor be grieued for any thing sauing the hauing or losse of the fauour of God Let nothing pearce your heart deepe either in griefe or feare but sinne and vnbeliefe Labour for meeknes and patience bee readie to kisse the rod and to offer vp all to him of whom you haue receiued your selfe for if you struggle it will fare with you as with a bird in a grinne the more she striueth the faster she is and more twitched Wee must vse the word in troubles and temptations as a sicke man doth
perceiued and felt and of the former that there be two sorts the first which is most fearefull when any doe purposely resist the motions of God his spirit and wilfully refuse the meanes of their saluation Of the which the Prophet Zacharie speaketh chap. 7. vers 11 c. They refused to hearken and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their eares that they should not heare yea they made their heart as an Adamant stone least they should heare the Law and the words which the Lord of hostes sent in his spirit by the ministerie of the former Prophets The outragious sinne of these men the Prophet Esay expresseth in these their owne fearefull tearmes chap. 28. 15. We haue made a couenant with death and with hell are we at agreement though a scourge runne ouer and passe through it shall not come at vs for we haue made falsehood our refuge and vnder vanitie are we hid This was a fearefull estate indeede yet for all that no man can say but some of those hauing so hardened their hearts might be and were afterwards conuerted The other kinde of hardnes of heart which is not felt nor perceiued or if perceiued yet not felt which albeit it is lesse fearefull yet it is dangerous enough is in such as although they wilfully resist not God his spirit in good means yet securely carelesly willingly they lie in sinne without any remorse of it or true taste of good things Such was Dauids state by the space of a yeere before Nathan the Prophet came to proue him and rouse him from his lulled sleepe Both these kindes I am perswaded you are free from otherwaies than in temptation Sathan may sometimes moue you thereunto The other kinde and hardnes of heart which is perceiued and felt is of two sorts the one in them which are desirous of meanes whereby they may be relieued although they do finde small or no ease in themselues for a time Of this kinde the Prophet Esay in the name of some of God his people complained Esay 63. 15. And such was Dauids state after that Nathan had reprooued him and God his spirit began â—â— worke with him yet crieth he out as you heard before of the losse of God his graces and when he saith that God will accept of no sacrifices be they neuer so many or pretious without a contrite heart and broken spirit he sheweth that for a time euen after the Prophet had reproued him he wanted both This is your case and therefore you are in the state of saluation for Dauid was in this case euen after he had confessed his sinne and had receiued absolution pardon from God by the ministerie of Nathan although he neither felt ioy thereof nor true griefe for the other yet because in truth of heart he confessed his sinne as my trust is you doe and was certainely perswaded of the pardonablenes of it by God his mercie as you must be if you will haue mercie although he was far off from feeling it or applying it to his wofull conscience his state was good and very well to bee hoped of And you must knowe and bee perswaded that those things which are written of God his Saints and namely of Dauid and Peter and such others are ensamples for vs if wee will stay our selues vpon the word of God in the ministerie of his seruants and waite vpon the Lords good time vntill he come neerer vnto vs by his spirite neerer I say for he is come already vnto you or it may be he neuer went from you because to be grieued and humbled with blindnes of minde and hardnes of heart to belieue certainely the truth of God his promises in generall and to reuerence the seruants of God which bring the glad tidings of saluation and to long after comfort vsing the meanes of the Word and Prayer the Sacrament of the Supper and the company of God his children contrarie to hope vnder hope yea without any present feeling all this is a certaine argument that God his spirit is with such and therefore with you This estate though it may be very grieuous yet it is neuer dangerous much lesse is it fearfull vnlesse any be so wilfull that they doe perseuere and continue in desperate refusing all good meanes vnlesse they perseuere I say for that through the subtill sleight of the spirituall aduersarie and his forcible power whereby God suffereth him sometimes for a season to winnowe them as Wheate they are so bewitched and intoxicated that they are carried by violent force of temptation to waxe wearie of or to refuse all meanes of comfort by fits yea almost to haue no desire at all vnto them yea sometimes euen to speake euill of them But all this is but in temptation and therefore God will be mercifull vnto them for Christ his sake Thus Iob cursed the day of his birth and wished to be strangled Ieremie also repented that euer he preached in the Name of the Lord both scarcely abstained from blasphemy Dauid moued with the spirit of ambition thogh dutifully admonished wilfully went on in numbring the people Peter also vaingloriously presuming of his owne strength being most wisely and effectually premonished of his weaknes euen by our Lord Iesus yet wittingly rusheth as an horse into the battell and then very cowardly yeeldeth yea doubly denieth yea strengtheneth his sinne with a threefold corde and fasteneth it with banning and cursing And yet all these obtained mercie most bountifully For why as Satâ—aÌ„ had desired to winnow them so our Lord IESVS CHRIST prayed for them that their Faith thogh it were vehemeÌ„tly assaulted yet should not be ouercome although it was battered yet that it should not be destroyed and though it were sore oppressed that it should not be extinguished And heere be you fully perswaded that though Luk. 22. 32. the words seeme to runne as belonging but to Peter viz. I haue prayed for thee that thy Faith should not faile yet that hee prayed as well for the rest of the Apostles yea for all the faithfull For first he saith not Simon Sathan hath desired to winnow thee but you Why then saith he I haue prayed for thee Verily because he should more grieuously offend then the rest although their offence was very great therefore his and our most blessed Sauiour applyed to him the promise but did not impropriate it to him onely and restraine it from the rest Compare with this place Ioh. 17. 20. and you shall see that the heauenly veritie affirmeth that he prayed not only for the Apostles but for all those which should belieue through their word Yea further our Lord Iesus Christ was yesterday is to day and shall be for euer And as the fore-fathers were baptized into him and did eate his Flesh and drinke his bloud so was his prayer effectuall euen vnto them vnder the law much more vnto vs vnder grace And wheÌ„ you can finde testimony of your heart that when you would doe well
euill is present with you and that when you do the euill you would not then do you not it but sinne in you when it leadeth you captiue Rom. 7. much more then whē Sathan worketh withall buffeting you assure your selfe that God hath pitie on you that the vertue of his power shal be perfect in your weaknes 2. Cor. 12. 9. If you belieue according to your faith it shall be done vnto you But you will say you cannot belieue that this vile and crooked hardnes of your heart can bee remitted and renewed and euen this was the second point which in the former part of my letter I gaue you to vnderstand was the cause of your excessiue distresse I beseech you and I charge you in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you will not willingly lie nor offer iniurie to God his spirit nor to your selfe who haue receiued it tell me what is the reason why you think you haue no faith Verily because you haue no feeling nor no other fruites thereof as you thinke Well first then agree with me herein as you must if you will not disagree with the truth that feeling is but an effect and a fruite of faith And therefore there may be faith without feeling as well as the cause may be without the effect and the tree without any appearance of fruite yea of sappe for a season And as a man sore wounded or diseased may for a season be depriued almost of all operations of the naturall life to the outward shew and his owne iudgement and feeling so may a spirituall man be so sore wounded by Sathan and diseased by present sight and feeling of his sinfull corruptions specially in temptation that he may thinke yea and may appeare to others that the life of the spirit is not in him Thus Peters faith did not wholy faile as you haue heard or else the prayer of our Sauiour preuailed not Thus when Dauid Psal. 51. 12. declared that his heart was vncleane and his spirit crooked or vnstable and vers 14. that he had lost the ioy of his saluation and the spirit of libertie or adoption yet vers 13. he prayeth that God would not take his holy spirit from him therefore hee was not depriued of the spirit of sanctification Here seemeth repugnance but there is none He was depriued for a season of the graces of the fanctifying spirit but none of the holy Ghost wherewith he was sanctified Which graces as God restored vnto him so I am perswaded he will vnto you yea I doubt whether you are depriued of them but onely that partly melancholy and partly Satan worketh therewith make you doe iniurie to your selfe and to the graces of the spirit in you which I beseech you take heede of But the messenger cannot stay and therefore I cannot write as I would either of this or of the remedies you should vse which hereafter I will as God shall inable me And I pray you let me vnderstand as I requested in the beginning of your estate iu particular somewhat more and that by this bearer if you can because hee is of your acquaintance and will bring it vnto me faithfully Onely I adde now vnto that I haue written of hardnes of heart at large that you must diligently obserue the word Create which Dauid vseth Psal. 51. declaring how hee had no feeling of his heart To this ioyne that which the Prophet Esay speaketh in the person of God chap. 57. 23. I create the fruite of the lips to be peace peace as well to him that is fare off as to him that is neere Therefore in faith you may as well pray with hope to obtaine as did Dauid Therefore say with him often and with God his people Esay 64 12. O Lord thou art our father we indeede are clay but thou art our maker and we are the worke of thy hand c. Know you that God can cause Wolues Lions Leopards c. dwell louingly with Lambes Calues Kine Esay 11. 6. c and that which is vnpossible vnto men is possible vnto God euen to cause a cable rope to goe through a needles eye that is to change the hard heart of the vnbeleeuing couetous wretched man much more yours Yea knowe you that all things are possible to him that beleeueth crie then I beleeue O Lord helpe my vnbeleefe And I dare promise you in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you shal haue your harts desire in goodnes Thus abruptly I must make an end I commend you vnto God and the word of his grace which is able to build you vp and giue you the right of inheritance among them which are sanctified And the very God of peace sanctifie you throughout that your whole spirit and soule and body may be kept blamelesse vntill the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ faithfull is he which hath called you which will doe it Amen I pray you pray for me and I trust as I haue so I shall pray for you and much more Yours in Iesus Christ to vse in any neede A LETTER CONSOLATORIE TO Mistris Mary Whitehead THe Lord Iesus Christ by whose blood you are iustified stay and strengthen you now and for euer Amen Seeing we be so miserable blessed bee God that wee bee also mortall seeing wee be subiect to sinne praised bee God that wee are also subiect to corruption It would now grieue vs to bee mortall because wee sinne and by sinne purchase miserie it is sufficient that we shall then neuer die when we shall neuer sinne and then wee shall no more taste of corruption when wee shall no more so much as feare condemnation In regard whereof good Mistris looke not so much to your griefe for the death of your sonne which you see to be the cōmon lot of al and the happie lot of the godly as vpon his freedome from misery his libertie from sinne and his holy change to eternall felicitie And albeit he was young in yeares yet was hee come to sufficient yeares to goe to God that hee that hitherto did grow in Christ should now bee gathered and reaped vp to the kingdome of Christ so that we cannot thinke him to die in his flowers whose perfection groweth to so blessed a maturitie before the Lord. If then you reioyced in him as he was the interest of the Lord you are not much to sorrow that the Lord hath his right Which if your loue to him was right you know did euer appertaine vnto him Hee must not of you his earthly parents be deemed to be lost which of his heauenly father is so surely preserued And without all question his very growing in godlines vnder so manifold afflictions in this life could not haue been so profitable to him and comfortable vnto you as the losse of a few and faint pleasures recompenced with so infinite and vnspeakable ioyes in the life to come are I hope and must be vnto you Be not then so grieued for that
seemeth you are sometimes grieued because you taried not stil at Cambridge according to mine aduise you must know I aduised it not as a thing necessarie but more conuenient as I then supposed but I aduised you to obey your father if his pleasure still continued to haue you home whereunto you yeelded I cannot see how you offend it being your fathers pleasure you should so doe And who knoweth whether being there you might not haue beene as much troubled there being no priuiledge for persons and places in such cases And who knoweth whether it bee the Lords pleasure for the example and instruction and I hope the consolation of others in the end And albeit you will now thinke that here you were neerer the moe and stronger meanes yet knowe you and bee perswaded that God can and doth in such cases worke by fewer and weaker according to his good pleasure Besides it is in our corrupt nature to make much of such as we cannot haue and not so to esteeme those which God doth offer vs as we should I beseech you therefore in the name of Iesus Christ humbly to praise God for those meanes he offereth in mercie vnto you to vse them in faith accordingly and so God shall blesse you by them And then by such conference as you may haue from hence by letters wherein if I may stand you in any stead rather for the good opinion you haue of mee than for any great matter I am able to performe I shall be readie to offer any office of loue vnto you as God shall enable mee and so farre forth as I shall bee at any time instructed in your particular estate in some letters sent from you by conuenient messengers That which I perceieue presently by M. S. Letter is that you are afflicted with the blindnesse of your minde and hardnes of your heart which cannot bee moued either with the promises of Gods mercies or feare of his iudgements nor affected with the loue and delight of the things which bee good nor with the hatred and loathing of the euill Great cause you haue of griefe I confesse but no cause of despaire dare I graunt because I am perswaded that your perswasion is somewhat false partly for want of a sound iudgement of your estate and partly for some defect of faith somewhat through your owne default First therefore knowe you for a certaintie that this is no other tentation than such as diuers of Gods children haue beene humbled with and afterward haue had a good issue out of it and if it please God to mooue you to credit me I my selfe haue knowne others as deepely this way plunged as you can be Remember therefore that God is faithfull and will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that which you shall be able to beare And yet further to confirme you herein the holie Scriptures doe record that this way God heretofore hath humbled his owne people in whose person the Prophet Esay lamentably complaineth O Lord looke downe from heauen behold from the dwelling place of thy holinesse and of the glorie Where is thy zeale and thy strength the multitude of thy mercies and of thy compassions They are restrained from mee And afterwards O Lord why hast thou made vs to erre from thy wayes and hardened our hearts from thy feare And in the next Chapter verse 6. Wee haue beene all as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnesse is as filthie clouts and we all doe fade as a leafe and our iniquities as the winde doe take vs away and there is none that calleth vpon thy name neither that stirreth vp himselfe to take hold on thee for thou hast hid thy face from vs and hast consumed vs because of our iniquities And before Wee grope for the wall like the blinde and we grope as one without eyes we roare like Beares and mourne like Doues So complaineth Ezechias in the bitternes of his soule Like a Crane or a Swallow so did I chatter I did mourne as a Doue And when Dauid crieth Create in mâ—e O God a cleane heart renue in me a right spirit Restore to me the ioy of thy saluation establish mee with thy free spirit Doth he not declare that his heart was vncleane his spirite crooked the ioy of his saluation lost and himselfe subiect to the spirit of bondage So that wanting the spirit of libertie or adoption hee could neither crie Abba Father nor haue any power against sinne Thus you see how Gods children may be blinded in minde and hardened in heart for a time so that they feele in themselues the grace of the holie Spirit to bee as it were perished and dead Further to relieue the infirmitie of your iudgement in this case because I know it may much distresse you you must vnderstand that there be two kinds of hardnes of heart the one which is not felt nor perceiued the other perceiued and felt and of the former that there be two sorts the first which is most fearfull when anie doe purposely resist the motions of Gods spirit and wilfully refuse the meanes of their saluation of which the Prophet Zacharie speaketh 7. 11. They refused to hearken and pulled away their shoulder and stopped their eares that they should not heare yea they made their hearts as an Adamant stone least they should heare the Lawe and the words which the Lord of Hostes sent in his spirit by the ministerie of the former Prophets The outragious sinne of these men the Prophet Esay expresseth in these their owne fearefull tearmes Wee haue made a couenant with Death and with Hell wee are at agreement though a scourge runne ouer and passe through it shall not come at vs for we haue made falshood our refuge and vnder vanitie are we hidden This was a fearfull estate indeed yet for all that no man can say but some of these hauing hardened their hearts might bee and were afterward conuerted The other kinde of hardnes of heart which is not felt nor perceiued or if perceiued yet not felt which albeit it is lesse fearfull yet it is daÌ„gerous enough is in such as although they wilfullie resist not Gods spirite in good meanes yet securely carelesly and willinglie they lie in sinne without any remorse of it or true taste of good things Such was Dauid his estate for the space of a yeare before Nathan the Prophet came to reprooue him and rouze him from his lulled sleepe Both these kindes I am perswaded you are free from otherwise then in temptations Sathan may somtimes moue you thereunto The other kind of hardnes of heart which is perceiued and felt is of two sorts the one in them which are desirous of meanes whereby they may be relieued although they doe finde small or no ease at all in themselues for a time Of this kinde the Prophet Esay in the name of some of Gods people complained And
such was Dauids state After that Nathan had reproued him and Gods spirit beganne to worke with him yet hee crieth out as yee heard before of the losse of Gods graces and when hee saith that God will accept of no Sacrifices bee they neuer so manie nor precious without a contrite heart and broken spirit he sheweth that for a time euen after the Prophet had reproued him hee wanted both This is your case and therefore you a in the state of saluation For Dauid was in this case euen after he had confessed his sin and had receiued absolution and pardon from God by the ministerie of Nathan although he neuer felt ioy thereof nor true griefe for the other yet because in trueth of heart he confessed his sinne as my trust is you doe and was certainely perswaded of the pardonablenes of it by Gods mercy although he was farre off from the feeling of it or applying it to his wofull conscience his state was good and very well to be hoped of And you must know to be perswaded that those things which are written of Gods Saints and namely of Dauid and Peter and such others are examples for vs if we will stay our selues vpon the word of God in the ministerie of his seruants and waite vpon the Lords good time till he come neerer vnto vs by his spirit neerer I say for he is come alreadie vnto you or it may be he neuer went from you because to be grieued and humbled with blindnesse of minde and hardnesse of heart to beleeue certainely the truth of Gods promises in generall and to reuerence the seruants of God which bring the glad tidings of saluation and to long after the comforts vsing the meanes of the word and prayer the Sacraments of the Supper and the company of Gods children contrarie to hope vnder hope yea without any present feeling all this is a certaine argument that Gods spirit is with such and therefore with you This estate although it be very grieuous yet it is neuer dangerous much lesse is it fearefull vnlesse any be so wilfull that they perseuere and continue desperate refusing all good meanes vnlesse they perseuere I say for that through the spirituall aduersarie and his forcible power whereby God suffereth him sometime for a season to winnow them as wheate they are so bewitched and intoxicated that they are carried by violent force of temptation to waxe wearie of or to refuse all meanes of comfort by fits yea almost to haue no desire at all vnto them yea sometimes to speake very euill of them but all this is but temptation and therefore God will be mercifull vnto them for Christs sake Thus Iob cursed the day of his birth and wished to be strangled Ieremie almost repented that euer he preached in the name of the Lord both scarcely abstaine from blasphemie Dauid mooued with the spirit of ambition though dutifull admonished wilfully went on in numbring the people Peter also vaingloriously presuming of his owne strength being most wisely and effectually preadmonished of his weakenes euen by our Lord Iesus yet wittingly rushing as a horse into the battaile euen then very cowardly yeeldeth yea doubly denieth yea strengtheneth his sinne with a threefold cord and fasteneth it with bannings and cursings and yet for all these he obtained mercie most bountifully For why as Sathan had desired to winnow them so our Lord Iesus prayed for them that their faith though it was vehemently assaulted yet should not be ouercome although it was bartered yet that it should not be destroyed and though it was oppressed yet that it should not be extinguished And here be you fully perswaded that albeit Luke 22. 31. the words seeme to runne as belonging but to Peter viz. I haue praied for thee that thy faith should not faile yet he prayed for the rest of the Apostles yea for all the faithfull For first he saith not Simon Satan hath desired to winnow thee but you Why then saith he I haue praied for thee Verily because he should more grieuously offend than the rest although their offence was very great therefore his our most blessed Sauiour applied to him the promise but did not appropriate it vnto him onely and restraine it from the rest Compare with this place Iohn 17. 20. and you shall see that the heauenly veritie affirmeth that he prayed not onely for the Apostles but for all those that should beleeue through their word yea further Our Lord Iesus Christ was yesterday is to day and shall be for euer And as the forefathers were baptized into him did eate his flesh and did drinke his blood so was his prayer effectuall euen to them vnder the law much more to vs vnder grace And when you can finde testimonie in your heart that when you would doe well euill is present with you and that you doe the euill you would not then do not you it but sinne in you when it leadeth you captiue much more when Sathan workes withall buffetting you assure your selfe that God hath pitie on you that the vertue of his power shall be perfect in your weakenes If you beleeue according to your faith it shal be done vnto you But you will say you cannot beleeue that this vile crocked hardnes of your heart can be remitted and renewed and euen this was the second point which in the former part of my letter I gaue you to vnderstand was the cause of your excessiue distresse I beseech you I charge you in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you will not willingly lie nor offer iniurie to Gods spirit or to your selfe who hath receiued it Tell mee what is the reason why you thinke you haue no faith Verely because you haue no feeling nor any other fruites thereof as you thinke Well first then agree with me herein as you must if you will not disagree with the truth that feeling is but an effect and fruit of faith and therefore there may be faith without feeling as well as the cause may bee without the effect and the tree without any appearance of fruite yea of sappe for a season And as a man sore wounded and diseased may for a season be depriued almost of all operations of the naturall life to the outward shew and to his owne iudgement and feeling so may a spirituall man bee sore wounded by Satan and diseased by the present feeling of his sinfull corruptions specially in temptations that he may thinke yea appeare to others that the life of the spirit is not in him Thus Peters faith did not wholy faile as you haue heard or else the prayer of our Sauiour preuailed not Thus when Dauid declared that his heart was vncleane or his spirit crooked or vnstable and that he had lost the ioy of his saluation and the spirit of libertie or adoption yet hee prayeth that God would not take his holy spirit from him therefore he was not
depriued of the spirit of sanctification Here seemeth to be repugnance but there is not any hee was depriued indeede for a time of the graces of the sanctifying spirit but not of the holy Ghost wherwith he was sanctified which graces as God restored vnto him so I am perswaded he will doe vnto you Yea and I doubt whether you are depriued of them but onely that partly Melancholie partly Satan working therewith make you doe iniurie to your selfe and to the graces of the spirt in you which I beseech you to take heede of But the messenger cannot stay and therefore I cannot write as I would either of this or of the remedie which you should vse which hereafter I will as God shall enable me and I pray you let me vnderstand as I requested in the beginning of your estate in particular somewhat more and that by this bearer if you can because he is of your acquaintance and will bring it to me faithfully Onely I adde now vnto that I haue written of hardnesse of heart at large that you must diligently obserue the word Create which Dauid vseth declaring that he had no feeling of hart To this ioyne that which the Prophet Esay speaketh in the person of God I create the fruite of the lips to be peace peace as well to him that is farre off as to him that is neere Therefore in faith you may as well pray with hope to obtaine as did Dauid therefore say with him often and with Gods people O Lord thou art our Father we indeede are clay but thou art our maker and wee are the worke of thy hands c. Know also God can cause Wolues Lyons Leopards c. to dwell louingly with Lambes Calues and Kids c. and that which is vnpossible to men is possible with God euen to cause a cable rope to goe through a needles eye that is to change the hard heart of the vnbeleeuing couetous wretched man much more yours yea know you that all things are possible to him which beleeueth Crie then I beleeue O Lord helpe mine vnbeleefe and I dare promise you in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you shal haue your hearts desire in goodnes Thus abruptly I must ende I commend you to God and the word of his grace which is able to build you vp and giue you the right of inheritance among them that are sanctified And the very God of peace sanctifie you throughout that your whole spirit and soule and body may bee kept blamelesse vntill the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Faithfull is he which hath called you which will doe it Amen I pray you pray for me and I trust as I haue so shall I pray for you and much more Yours in Christ Iesus to vse in any neede R. GREENHAM ANOTHER COMFORTABLE LETTER BY MASTER R. G. TO MASTER M. BRother beloued in our LORD IESVS CHRIST seeing you haue had heretofore not onely Knowledge but also experience of Gods gracious and mercifull goodnesse in Iesus Christ of your owne vnbeliefe and of Sathans subtlenesse I could maruell why you should giue such place and not keepe your ground no surer if I were not much acquainted with such occurrences I knowe not therefore whether with wordes of rebuke or of comfort I should seeke to relieue you Because I cannot come vnto you my counsell and desire is that you would come vp to London the next Terme at the farthest that so I might aske of God to frame my speech to your good In the meane season I beseech you to call vnto minde that which you cannot bee ignorant of that in the Lawe Sacrifices were offered for Gods people not onely at their first entrance into couenant with the Lord but also afterwards many times and that not onely for sinnes committed by ignorance but also by error that is Forgetfulnes Frailenes Retchlesnes Carelesnes c. If you haue not Tremelius his Translation by you you must take heed of the English that hath ignorance for they failed that so translated it It is manifest that the sinne of error is there opposed against the sinne committed with an high hand that is a blasphemie with contempt of God and making his Law of no effect but to be in vaine Which sinne I am sure you are most farre off from I would you were as farre off from vnbeliefe and distrust That Gods children may fall after their calling into diuers foule faults may appeare by many proofes First in the Law when the Lord speaketh in his Maiestie and proclaimeth his glorie yet in how manie wordes commendeth he his mercy and for how many seuerall sorts of sinnes Doth not Esay the holy Prophet call the people of his dayes the people of Gomorrah and their Princes the Princes of Sodome Doth not hee accuse them as grieuous transgressours both of the first and second Table and yet doth afterwards promise them that though their sinnes were as crimson they shall be as white as snow though they were red like skarlet they should be as wooll Doth he not charge them that they were sunke deepe in rebellon and yet exhorteth them to returne vnto the Lord Yea doth he not charge them not onely with rebellion but also with vexing the holy Spirit of God And yet reade what is written Pray as there you may learne of Esay chap. 63. vers 7. 15. 16. What doth not the holy Prophet Ieremie shew that Ephraim was as an vntamed calfe c. yet so soone as he mourned and was ashamed of himselfe doth not the Lord shew that his bowels of mercy were troubled for his estate Doth nor the Lord offer mercy vnto the prophane and forgetfull transgressours of his holie couenant Is not this part of the couenant made with all the sonnes of Dauid in Christ Iesus that if they not only omitting many good things but also committing rebellions iniquities that though he may visite them yet it shall be with the rod of his children and that his mercy he will not take from them nor breake off his couenant made with them in Iesus Christ Therefore remember that the holy promises threatnings precepts examples are written that we should not sinne but If any man sinne wee haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust and hee is â—he reconciliation of our sinnes and not for our sinnes onely but for the sinnes of the whole world Doth not the blessed Apostle Paul charge the Corinthians whom hee affirmeth to be rich in Christ and destitute of no spirituall gift to bee more carnall than spiriuall yea babes in Christ yea to be fallen into idolatrie committing of euill things fornication tempting not onely of God but of Christ yea murmuring against them yet doth he not herein comfort them that no temptation hath taken hold on them but such as appertaineth to man and that God will be mercifull vnto
most sweete and soueraigne remedie of his grace So ancient and so experienced a souldier as you are in this spirituall battaile should now be valiant and strong vnto the combat and though victorie be not to be hoped from the weaknesse of flesh yet the experience we haue had of the goodnesse of God in our former troubles ought to assure vs of the returne of his helping hand in all our necessities Shall I put you in minde of the grace of God towards you in your comforting of others euen then when your selfe haue been in some discouragemēt If others haue receiued comfort from you raise vp the same comforts vnto your selfe Neither is there any cause you should feare least the spirit which in you was able to erect and confirme others should not be able to refresh and comfort your owne soule In other things we loue our selues too much and doe well vnto our selues rather than to others but here many times by the fraud and deceit of the enemie wee are made cruell vnto our owne bowels and become his abused instruments to torment our selues Who will put a sword into the hand of his aduersarie to wound himselfe withall And who will strengthen his enemie that is alreadie too strong for him Yet this is our folly that we will conspire with Sathan against our selues and arme him with weapons vnto our owne destruction Saint Peter saith Resist the diuell being strong in faith We must not therefore yeeld our selues vnto his tyrannie nor cast away that weapon of faith by which alone wee may bee able to ouercome But I will vrge this argument no further I know that the benefits of this life are common for the most part both to the reprobate and to the elect yet both in those which are common there is a great and large difference and there are some so singular as carrie with them a stronger testimonie of the fauour of God than that it may without impietie be denied In common benefits it holdeth that as things most aduerse are yet turned vnto our good so much more the good gifts and blessings of God doe carrie with them a testimony of his loue and fauour towards vs. For as the Lord speaketh vnto vs in the word and by his spirit so his good and fatherly prouidence towards vs is not without voyce but soundeth aloud vnto the declaration of his loue But there are as I said some benefits so special that the vse of them is proper only vnto his children Remember with me the first time of this trouble dismaying of your conscience and remember withall how many meanes the Lord hath ministred vnto you for your comfort What shall I say of those whom the Lord hath put euen into your bosome the more neerer to applie his mercie vnto you Maister C. Maister B. Maister R. c. all so furnished vnto your comfort that you may well thinke they were as so many hands stretched out from heauen to support and strengthen your weaknes withall If I should set myselfe to remember how many other the seruants of God haue by diuine prouidence been directed to minister cōfort vnto you the number would be innumerable Master S. Master F. Master D. Master B. Master G. Master G. and almost who not of those that haue been trained and brought vp in that schoole Consider how great a mercie this hath been that so many excellent Physitions of the soule should at seueral times apply themselues if not vnto the cure at the least vnto the mitigating of your disease I will not examine how many and great comforts you haue receiued from them by word in presence and by letters in absence this onely I aske of you whether you haue not knowne all these to beare vnto you the same testimonie to speake the same comfort and to cōfirme you in the same assurance of the loue of God towards you Now what spirit must that bee that shall contradict the spirit of God in the mouthes of so many and faithfull witnesses My good friend marke what I will say vnto you as the patient that is sicke in body willingly resigneth himselfe vnto the sentence and direction of his skilfull and faithfull Physition so must the children of God in their spirituall maladies yeeld themselues vnto the Physitions of their soules so much the more because the Lord hath giuen vnto the ministers of his Gospell the power of binding and loosing both in the publike ministerie of his word and also in the priuate consolation of his children I will not speake of that which is publike although not altogether vnfit vnto my purpose considering that that which is publikely spoken as vnto all hath also a particular addresse vnto those that are the Lords As whē the Lord saith by his Prophet Blessed are all they that mourne in Sion I will for the present rest in that vse of this power of binding and loosing which is priuate and particular Remember that of Saint Iames who saith that vpon the prayers of the Elders of the Church the sins of the diseased shall be forgiuen him which words can haue no other sense but that by them shall bee pronounced vnto him the forgiuenes of sins A most excellent practise wherof we haue in our Sauiour himselfe Luk. 7. where first he proueth by argumēt vnto Simon the Pharisie that the mourning sinner was pardoned all her sinnes and therefore was now no sinner and wicked one as hee vncharitably esteemed her to bee then turning himselfe vnto the distressed soule first saith Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee and afterward Thy faith hath saued thee goe in peace Wherein though there be some things extraordinary in our Sauiour Christ as the sonne of God yet is it that power which he hath communicated vnto all his seruants saying Whose sinnes you forgiue they are forgiuen c. which is nothing else but whose sins vpon due examination and trial of their repentance you pronounce to be forgiuen they are forgiuen Here again remember my deare friend how many of the faithfull and expert seruants of Christ haue examined your estate by conference with your selfe haue found all signes vnto health and saluation Vnlesse therefore Sathan dare contradict the spirit of God speaking by the mouthes of so many witnesses he cannot say but you are the Lords Now for your selfe I am assured that you will not nor dare not say but this hath beene the constant testimonie of all the seruants of God sent vnto you and that they were such as you had no cause to suspect their partialitie or flatterie in any sort How is it then that the voyce of so many should not be vnto you as the voyce of God himselfe Who though he do not speake vnto vs now immediatly from heauen as in some times past yet he speaketh vnto vs by the mouthes of his seruants his Prophets When Dauid said in the horror of his
to folfow it 586 Seeking of God 836 Sermons â—6 twice on the Sabbath 563 SeruaÌ„ts their maisters dutie 163 177 their dutie to their maisters 784 Shame and shamefastnes 851 Shepheards and heardsmen 306 Sicknes in minde how cured 5 794 all are sicke 793 their impatiencie to be borne with 7 rules for them 34 to visit the sicke 275 what they should doe in their sicknes 640 715 Signe of grace 170 how it differeth from a figure 138 Silence in meetings not good 5 not too strict 64â— Similitudes of things naturall and better knowne applied to things diuine and lesse knowne vnto vs 11 12 15 16 18 20 21 29 4â— 4â— 244 245 247 262 264 285 613 100 â—52 162 164 166 174 874 875 876 877 294 265 636 640 651 652 655 656 659 661 673 676 682 685 689 693 7â—4 710 713 717 752 722 776 785 79â— 793 802 809 813 819 822 829 Simplicitie godly 715 Sinceritie 161 209 Sinne to finde out specialll sinnes 5 and to confesse them 10â— 484 cause of it within vs 30 in what respect worldlings leaue it 616 fearefull to make a sport of it 626 secret sinnes 37 262 272 610 5â—1 secret sinnes not repented of 461 sinnes not equal 631 euery sinne hath two reasons for it 670 the death of it in the faithful 682 first motions of sinne must be crucified 467 particular sight and loathing of speciall sins 475 wisedome of Gods children to preuent sin 514 of three things which may keepe vs from it 697 two heads of many sinnes 703 ripenes in sins 712 foure companions of sin 7â—0 the cause of the losse of many blessings 786 dominion of it 527 528 presumptuous sinnes 852 to leaue sinne and to repent 85â— differ 858 to leaue it not sufficient 304 sinne of apostacie and fiue reasons to disswade therefrom 627 A maruellous great prerogatiue to be freed from the bondage of sinne 90 we must deale with our sinnes as the iudge doth with malefacters 4â—9 Singing of Psalmes with feeling 30 Sleepe triall therein 36 Slothfulnes 1 Sobrietie at all times required 769 214 Societie 14 of the wicked ought to be shuâ— ned 610 612 â—93 Gods children how sweete 458 Sophistrie of the diuell 734 Sorrow two extremities in it 16 not to delay sorrow for sin 29 worldly 265 godly sorrow 282 signes of it 284 it must be continued 286 it is the way to heauen 285 foolishly put off 95 Soule the consumption thereof 4â—7 starued 846 847 Speech good in meetings required of dutie 647 to speake pleasing things and serue the time 750 Spirit of God comes by the word 12 two workes thereof 13 singularitie of spirit 37 religion vnprofitable to those that want the spirit 241 precepts of not quenching the spirit 242 testimonie of it 875 of faith 484 of cheerefulnes 556 Spirituall man must haue an alteration 42 Superstition 35 41 it breaketh off loue in all estates 801 popish superstition described 345 Surmises euill against others 263 666 Swearing 659 790 Swine who be 455 T TO be taught of God 469 temptation 37 702 47 when and how it breeds 39 wee must not yeeld in it 865 866 how to know whether wee be tempted 816 why many are ouertaken therewith 300 how we conspire with Sathan therein 876 how God tempteth vs 813 what it may teach vs 874 resistance of it a signe of grace 874 dispute not with Sathan 874 Terrors of minde sudden 48 Thanksgiuing 812 of al sacrifices most acceptable 40 483 to God for feeding our soules 177 it was a chiefe exercise of Dauid 458 459 How a Christian may say vnto the Lord I am THINE 449 Thoughts euill resting in the minde how dangerous 267 why Gods children are often exercised therewith 27â— euill thoughts on the Sabbath depriue vs of the fruit of Gods worship 171 two kinds of thoughts 704 what Satan doth suggest into men 748 Conscience of thoughts 543 Theefe on the crosse 794 notes markes of faith in him 693 Time the â—ithe of it to Gods worship 1â—5 To redeeme it for good meditations 471 Tinder the efficacie of it in our nature 676 Trauelling on the Sabbath 167 Tree of life Adam had it for a signe 133 Troubles necessarie to feele them for foure causes 439 Two things sustaine vs in our troubles 508 Trust. 29. to trust onely in God 494 Truth how we ought to speake it 622 Truth and peace go together 728 how God punisheth such as receiue not the truth in loue 802 3. kinds of truths 818 V VAnitie both of life and religion is deceit 501 Vertue two speciall fruites of it 260 Visitation of the sicke 275 Vnbeleefe the godly often troubled with it 95. why we see it not 5â—7 how it is shewed vs. 549 Vngodlines 41 Vnmercifulnes how great a sinne 837 Vnthankfulnes 41 punished 269 cause of it 678 Vse of the creatures 41 813 Vaine-glorie 518 Why God visiteth his dearest sernants 445 Visions how farre to be beleeued 41 Vowes rash 822 what a vow is 477 two things hinder vs from holy vowes 478 to vow against drunkennes 479 Vowes in baptisme must be remeÌ„bred 477 against Whoredome Ibid. 41. Vowes in holy purposes 397 Vsurie 41 Vulgus how it may be taken 667 W WAiting on God properties thereof 17 Wanâ— to lament it in others 457 Wantonnes ends in wickednesse 727 799 468 Watchfulnes 703 527 two causes of watching ouer our hearts 616 304 Way in it three things to be considered 703 euill way two things to be considered therein 416 The way of lying what it is 411 why it is so called ibid. the good way must be chosen ibid. Wearines in good things 531 453 Warfare of a Christian. 531 29â— 298 Description of a wicked man and why he is so called 450 451 Wicked their societie to be auoided 610 how they walke in sinne and know it not 614 the diuell helpes them in meditation 463 punished 699 Wickednesse and wantonnesse 468 Wife how the husband should gouerne her 124 Will free 525 how accepted for the deede 61 Wisedome how to hold it fast 609 what it is 625 99 how the faithfull are wise 124 461 our owne wisedome to be suspected 57 Difference betweene true and false wisedome 414 415 Wits the diuell chuseth the best for his seruice 62 Witchcraft 468 aduertisement against it 42 how cured 822 consulting with witches is to aske counsell of the diuell 578 581 Wonders to beware of 822 Word of God 649 549 preparation to heare it 42 true arguments of Loue thereto 453 the power of it 282 283 857 it is a treasure and hidden 289 few loue it therefore 290 wherfore so many neglect the word 462 how it is found before it be sought 291 famine of it 791 loue to it 440 5â—4 44â— it is necessarie for safe direction 475. to keepe it in a good conscience bringeth wisedome 466 it yeelds most profit pleasure and glory 457 whole felicitie therein 470 direction thereof safe 475 why Gods word is wonderfull 410 it neuer
deceiueth 501 hard to beleeue it 508 sixe meanes to profit by it 173. 174 c with out it no faith sacrament or repentance 237 three questions of the operation of it 857 a good note of our loue to the word wherein it consisteth 470 a true marke thereof 471 generall plagues for the contmpt thereof 513 Words idle and euill prophane the Sabbath 170 World 43 their iudgement of the godly 262 the loue of it 721 in what respect it loueth sâ—nne 616 how farre it fauoureth the Gospell 820 Workes 15 826 two rules of good works 〈◊〉 the reward is of mercie not of merit â—â—7 motiues thereunto 827 they are necessarie for all 828 workes without warrant are works of darkenes 475 why good workes are to be done 838 Worship God requireth the vse of the body as well as the soule in it 808 147 wil-worship condemned 810 826 Wrath what sinne brings iâ—â— 651 how to speake of the wrath of God 696 how great it is 197 Y YOuth the sinnes thereof 100 vnbridled affections thereof how dangerous 636 726 it is dissolute 637 it being spent in vanitie commonly ends old age in prophanenesse 464 Sathan laboureth especially to poyson it 653 it must renounce pleasure 800 it is blessed of God 465 Z ZEale properties of true zeale rules of it 255. 256. 829. 830. 50. 542. 543 c. triall of it 653. 814. incident to all 517. diuers kinds of it 541. zeale of the flesh 46â— FINIS Or Posthumes Luk. 1 3. 2 Ioh. 1. Prou. 10. 21. Ephes. 4. 13. Intemperantiae genus est Seneca lib. 13. epist. 89. Non discentes necessaria quia superuacua didicerunt Seneca In his Schoolmaster 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hip. lib. 1 Aphor. 1. Pro. 25 11. Cypr tract 4. de Idolor vaâ—it Magnum esse solem Philosophus probabit quantus sit Mathematicus qui vsu quodam exercitatione procedit sed vt procedat impetranda illi quaedam princifia sunt Sen lib. 13 Epist. 89. In his Apologie In the same Booke D. Lopes Noctâ—s Atticâ— Gellius Phauorinus Da mihi Mâ—strum In his Epistle before his notes on the Reuelation M. Hopkins He knew right well the Poets wittie counsell Vos ò Pompilius sanguis carmen reprehendite quod â—â—n multa dies multa litura coercuit atque perfectum decies non castigauit ad vnguem Heb. 9. 14. Rom. 6. 22. Donat. in vit Virgil. Gen. 6. 9. Ruth 2. 20. Luk. 21. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 1. 26. Mat. 25. 34. Triall of affections How to labour for knowledge and affection Naturall affections When to suspect affectioÌ„ See more in the title of iudgement sect 1. Slothfulnes Feeling Of sudden gripes and nips in the bodie and feares in the minde Prayer In afflictions to descend into our selues and to ascend to God Deut. 30. 1. 2. 3 4. Simile The diuell cannot hurt vs till we haue hurt our selues The crosse doth seale and season Gods graces in vs. Three things in all trials Publike calamities must affect vs most Extraordinarie affliction in appearance See Affections pag. 1. Psal. 91. Heb. 1. A Papist became a â—amiiâ—st and so an Atheist and his end Feare of Atheisme to increase rather than Papisme The mistiking of our ordinary callings how dangerous Meditations in labour Mariage Entring into a calling without gifts to discharge it Change of places Immoderate or distracting cares Matth. 6. How blinde many be in themselues A dead silence in meetings * Iosias hearkened not to the words of Necho which were of the mouth of God 2 Chro. 35. 22. The godly afflicted consciences feare to displease God A good conscience how sweet and comfortable Prou. 15. 15. The word cures the conscience Esay 28. 16. The true Ministers of Christ neuer cure nor comfort the sicke hastely as wizards doe To find out our speciall sinnes 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Faith without feeling Causes of deadnes of minde 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. How it comes to passe that Gods graces are more sweete vnto vs at our first entrance into regeneration than after A conscience touched for small sinnes How to proceed in comforting the afflicted 1 2 3 Our ioy in the holy Ghost we cannot expresse Philip. 4. Rom. 14. 17. A threefolde pealce Psa. 41. 1. To beare with impatiencie of the sicke A sweet consolation for weake consciences after their often fals Rom. 11. Simile To powre forth our griefes into Gods bosome Not to hide any one of our sinnes 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Fasting Mariage Neglects in any occasioÌ„ of doing good The spawne of all sinnes in euery man A particular faith Examples God is most free in his mercie therfore let no thought of vnworthines keâ—pe thee from him Simile A measurable feare of death commandable Wishes of death euill Maister Greenhams death Not to iudge of any man according to his state in death How to profit by dreames 1. A naturall dreame 2. A good dreame 3. An euill dreame 4. A terrible dreame Vncleane dreames See more in the title of Humilitie sect 2. How we be hindered in godly meditations Deadnes and dulnes Rules concerning doctrine drawne from examples in Scripture 1 2 3 As Nicodemus Iohn 3 Simile Of starting ioyes and affections to the word which some haue while they are in the Church See before of corruption in C. Hard for the rich to beleeue Simile Faith sound how needfull 1. Ioh 5. 4. The spirit comes by the word Gal. 3. 2. yet is he the first cause of our faith and loue to the word Smile Our care for our familie Feeling How to distinguish betweene Gods spirit and his graces in vs. Simile Prayer without feeling In any case take heede ye draw not carnall ioyes into the place of spirituall ioyes Two works of Gods spirit Euident tokens of true sanctification 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 CautioÌ„s concerning a relapse 2 3 Immoderate feares To submit our selues to Gods haÌ„d acknowledging that he may iustly confound vs yet desiring to meete with his mercies in Christ Iesus To cherish the feare of God in men Noscitur ex comite qui noÌ„ cogno citur ex se. Psalm 1. 1 Rules to discerne such as wee receiâ—e into our societie 2 A true token of loue Societie PerseueraÌ„ce in the vse of the meanes Extraordinarie gifts The pollution and pow er of sin The decay of Gods graces how dangerous Simile Three rules to trie our sorrow for the sinnes of other men 1 2 3 Triall of our ioyes Two extremities of ioy and sorrow Simile Note Conferre this with the 6. Sermon concerning the education of Children Harlots are sooner reclaimed then heretikes Wee find this true alreadie in our time 1 Properties of constant waiting on God 2 3 4 Admonition 1 how the faithfull must â—ee liâ—â— little children â—2 1. Pet. 2. 1. 3 Heb 5. 12. Simile How the wicked often discouer themselues in their death Affections What exercises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meÌ„ what fâ—rre vâ— affection
commonly despised We may not loue that best which the world esteems best A good rule Depth of mystery in plainnes of words Heart seat of diuinitie Triall of heart Note Note Affections Note Popish doctors of reasoÌ„ A wit not huÌ„bled hinders vs in godlinesse Loue. Canticles Griefes Motions Mercie 〈…〉 nts 〈…〉 they 〈…〉 〈…〉 câ—p 7 7. 〈…〉 true sense A two fold iudgement the one in righteousnes another in mercie We are to follow the holy Prophets c. in their holy affections Note Note The name of the Lord. The word the onely glasse to see and know the Lord. Iohn 14. 23. Psalm 119. A mirrour of godlinesse Freewill Albeit wee haue the light of the word yet the Lord must opeÌ„ our eyes before we can see Affection Anger Watchfulnes Simile To meet with teÌ„ptations before sinne be perfected Simile Godly feare The dominion of sinne Rom. 6. 12. Not to bee tempted Heretikes 〈…〉 â—0 Note Simile The blindnes of sinnes Simile Note the louing mercie of the Lord couering our manifold infirmities Simile The ChristiaÌ„ warfare The end of all deliuerances Thankfulnes Two principall props in trouble Esay 5. Godlinesse Afflictions Gods countenance Godly sorrow Loue to Gods word Simile God iust in his prouidence Note Diues and Lazarus Matth. 5. Incredulitie in Gods children Beleeuing the word That the 119. Psalme concernes all the regenerate Iobs sinnes Note A true propertie of zeale Galath 6. 1. Zeale for the contempt of the Word Of Zeale Diuers kinds of zeale 1 2 3 The first propertie of true zeale The first rule of true zeale Toleration of many things for the peace of the church The second rule of true zeale Two obseruations The second obseruation Simile Conscience of thoughts The third rule of zeale The fourth rule of zeale Triall of our obedience To heare with the frailties of Gods children Duties of loue euen to Gods children The fift rule of zeale Sufficiencie for the ministery The sixt rule â—â— zeale Difference betweene fretting anger and pining zeale Admonition Our vnbeleefe and wherefore we see it not Triall of our zeale Our vnbeleefe is shewed vs in the often repetitions of the commendatious of the word No idle repetitions in this Psalme M. Bradford and holy Martyrs much lamenting euer fâ—r their vnbeleefe The word of God a tried friend in troubles Simile Dauid against Goliah Triall of our loue to the word Triall of our loue to the word How Christians differ much from heretikes Heretikes cannot abide the word Good notes for prayer 1. Importunate in praier with God Luk. 1â— 1. 2 Wherfore God delayes to graunt our requests 2. Wisedome of he spirit in prayer Our times for prayer Sabbath Luk. 10. 41. 42 Callings Diligence in hearing and prayer Note Sabbath two Sermons the mornings 〈…〉 eâ—es Note Preparation and meditation Preparation The minâ—sâ—eâ— Balaams witchcrafe Num 23. 22. 23. Meditation The morning meditation 1 2 3 Note 1. Cor. 7. Ierem. 7. 13. Iob. 8. 2. Matth. 21. 18. The third point cheerefulnes in prayer Spirite of cheerfulnes a singular grace Note The fourth propertie in prayer is Faith Faith and patience A iudgement of mercy and of seueritie Note Note Note Secret sinnes Note Witchcraft Zeale Anger Hypocrisie Note Note Rom. â— 3. 4. 5. Luk. 7. 47. Dulnes Esay 25. â— Feare Consulting with witches Is Gods feare be wanting there is no temptation so great but we faâ—â— inâ—o it Triall of our feare of God False feare Simile Witchcraft A true note of Gods child The true ioy of the faithfull howfor it exâ—â—â—des all carnall ioy Triall of our ioy Simile Sabbath Dulnesse in prayer and other holy exercises Feare and ioy tempered together Loue to good things and hatred of euill things may not slakâ— in vs. Prayer AdmonitioÌ„ Relapse Polygamie Heresie or profâ—â—â—nesse like to follow our securitie The true faith worketh by loue Iohn 17. Furies Application Waiting an effect of faith AsouÌ„d faith breedeth a good conscience Incredulitie hastie A patient faith Impatience True faith not without good workes To iustifie diuersly taken How we are iustified by workes Simile Simile Simile RepetitioÌ„s in prayer how reprooued Simile Promises are generall Prayer must bee ioyned with faith knowledge Ripenes of iudgement and quicknes of affections whence Thankesgiuing the end of Gods blessings Many thinke they loue God his word religion wheÌ„ indeed they doe not Simile How to holde fast true Wisedome The cause of forgetfulnes is carelesnes Two things to be auoided first vanitie of minde secoÌ„dly worldlinesse if wee will entertain and possesse wisedome What to be auoided Simile To auoyd the societie of the wicked Citò longè tardè Psalm 119. and 1â—0 1 The practises of the wicked against the godly 2 3 What euill examples doe No hope of Lucre or preferment must linke vs in any league with wicked men Reasons of the former precept The delight of the wicked A true marke of the wicked How we must endeuour to sâ—irre vp otâ—ers â—o â—â—ad neâ— â—â—â— be 〈…〉 we haue not performed any such autie Psal. 119. It is not sufficieÌ„t to flie the counsells anâ— companies of the wicked Wee must hasteâ— to the societie of the godly 〈…〉 〈◊〉 â—â—al â— 1. 2. 〈◊〉 16. â— Gen. 16. 8. Vaine and vnprofitable changes of places of callings c. Two marks of a righteous man 1 2 Notes of a good conscience 1 2 3 Simile Simile Simile Good cautioÌ„s to keepe vs from sinne How the wicked walke in sinne know it not Profit by reading preaching conferring of the word We must store vp the word in our heart by prayer meditations We must not rest in the vse of one good meanes 1 Two causes of watching ouer our hearts 2 The second cause of watching ouer our hearts In what respects the worldlings leaue sinne The triall of our hearts whether in sinceritie wee loue the Gospell for the Truths sake or because we get some gaine glorie by it Cause of all sinne in our owne selues SataÌ„ is made a chirurgion to cure the corruptionâ— of the Saints How the pure heart stadeth fast in temptations Our hearts tried two waies The first by afflictions The second triall of the hart by our ioy and griefe in good and euill Desire of saluation How to discouer a couetous heart Care for the prosperitie of the Church a speciall note of Gods children Psal. 122. True triall of our ioy and sorrow Paul afflicted yet great ly comforted wheÌ„ he heard of the peace of the church and prosperitie of the gospell Triall of the heart in prosperitie To loue and speake the trueth in the least matters How God chasteneth his children for lying To speake the trueth in iudgement Scorne True knowledge where and how to finde it Triall of our hearts whether we principally respect Gods fauour in all our actions Contempt of the word what causes breed it 1 We say the rich and the mightie estâ—eme it not 1. Cor. 1. 2 We say it is too hard
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
resort to the children and people of God which in this verse are called righteous The righteous men whose companie wee must keepe and to whom we must associate and ioyne our selues are here described by two notes The first note of a righteous man is this that his life bee ordered and guided by the word of God which shineth out before him as a light to his feete and a lanterne to his paths When a man therefore hath a desire and care to measure all things by the word he walketh in the light his light shineth he hath an argument that shee is a righteous man The second note of a righteous man is that he still growes vp and maketh daily good proceedings in godlines But here may some man say I feele not this encrease and going forward nay I am so far from that that I am somtimes driuen to commit sinne To this I answere that such a state is both doubtfull and daungerous yet if in a good conscience thou labour to prouide for the peace of thy soule then trie thy selfe and thine owne heart by these notes First if the conscience of thy former carelesnesse doe make thee carefull if the remembrance of thy former sinnes do cause thee more to hate and abhorre sinne more to flie from it and the more manfully to striue and fight against it and to be short if thou caâ—st make euery thing that befalleth thee an occasion to help thee forward then maiest thou thinke that euen in these things thou makest some good proceedings for as wee knowe that the cloudes can neither lessen the light of the Sunne nor let the course thereof because at the last they are scattered by the heate of the Sunne which shineth out most comfortably so we may be sure that although sometimes our righteousnes be couered with our infirmities yet if we ouercome them driue them away the course of our righteousnes is not hindred And againe as a man is not letted by a fall in his iourney when hee learneth thereby to take better heede and to haste faster forward so wee by our falles and infirmities are not stayed if they make vs more careful of our selues and more earnest in going forward yet must we not say heere it is a light matter to sinne that thereby they may be made more carefull for if a man haue once truely felt the griefe of heart for sinne if hee know how hard it is to get victorie ouer it if hee consider how much hee hath displeased God by sinne if he consider the fearefull punishment which he hath procured to himselfe and if hee be perswaded that none can raise him vp from sinne but God alone then hee will be most afraide to sinne because hee knoweth not whether God will rayse him vp or no and therefore if anie thinke that it is but a small matter to sinne it is certaine that they haue not as yet vnfainedly repented they are not as yet washed from their sinnes This first rule is good and very fit to trie ourselues when to our owne feeling we can perceiue no encrease of godlines within vs which doth cause vs when wee see it to esteeme more highly of the word and to make greater account or it for if our former negligence or some sin through infirmitie whereunto we haue slipped doe make the word more sauorie lightsome vnto vs then it is certaine that the Lord of his goodnesse by this fall hath helped vs forward Contrariwise if our former carelesnesse do make vs more carelesse if our slippes or sinnes doe make the word vnsauourie or vnseasonable vnto vs we are in a most fearefull plight we are in great danger to fall away therefore let vs striue against these let vs labour to vse euery thing to helpe vs forward let vs labour to finde sweetnes in the Word and thus we shall haue comfort euen in our infirmities then shall our light shine brighter euery day vntill we come to our dying day now the meanes which God hath appointed to preserue and increase this light in vs is his holy Word by which as we receiued our light so must wee labour to haue it continued therefore iâ— wee will not â—auâ— our light quenched wee must not despise prophecie if we will haue it to burne clâ—â—â—e then we must attend vnto hearing reading conferring meditating and other exercises of the Word we must eschue euill and the occasions of euill then our light shall flame out continually Vers. 19. The way of the wicked is darknesse they knowe not wherein they shall fall THe former verse is amplified by the contrarie estate condition of the wicked their way is as darknes because they be destitute of the light of Gods word and they know not wherein they shall fall they sin see it not they run vnto heresies and knowe it not the iudgements of God hang ouer their heads they espie it not therefore when they thinke least they shall be brought into greatest danger trouble shal assaile them like an armed man and their sorrow shall come vpon them like as vpon a woman that trauelleth with â—hild In this case are all those which are not inlightened by the word this is the state of all those that make not the word their lanterne continually to shine out before them But the children of God are in a contrary case they are directed by the word in all their doings and in the light of the word they see light They see the subtiltie of sinne and therefore they shunne it and they are taken with an horror as it were of all manner of heresies they foresee Gods iudgements and preuent them and so are they kept safe and preserued from euil Thus farre haue we bene dehorted from vngodly company both by precepts and reasons The second part of this dehortation followeth from this place to the end of the Chapter Vers. 20. My sonne attend vnto my words incline thine eare vnto my sayings HEre followeth the dehortation wherein we are forewarned of the corruption which â—s in our selues yet before the Wiseman commeth to giue any speciall or particular precepts of this corruption he doth after this maner deliuer some generall precepts for the vse of the word whereby this corruptioÌ„ may be cured in vs. These general precepts are set forth in these 3. verses wherin first there is generally required of vs great attendaÌ„ce vnto the whole word of God in these words Attend vnto my wordes Secondly wee are commaunded to heare the word This precept bindeth vs to heare whether the word be read or preached or whether it be conferred of for all these wayes we may get great profit by hearing the word And because wee are not easily drawne vnto this hearing therefore the precept is very effectually deliuered in these wordes Incline thine eare In which kinde of speech there is first noted our naturall slothfulnesse and securitie which of our selues
haue no good desire or inclination to heare vnlesse GOD by his spirit doe worke it in vs and bore through our eares Secondly there is noted this that wee should heare though it be plaine for vs to doe wee must striue and struggle with our selues that wee may heare when the Lord doth neuer so little stâ—â—â— vs vp therevnto Vers. 21. Let them not depart from thine eyes but keepe them in the middest of thine heart IN these words is a third charge giuen vnto vs and that is this that wee should make a profitable vse for our selues in the reading of the word and in beholding of the creatures for both these wayes we may winne great and good strength to ouercome our corruption and both these exercises are in the word commended vnto vs. The fourth and last precept is contained in the latter end of the verse in these words Keepe them in the middest of thine heart In this precept is prescribed the manner of the vsing and doing of the former duties for all of them must be done with the heart wee must giue attendance to the word not onely with the stilnes and quietnes of the outward members but wee must also be attentiue with our hearts we must heare the word read preached and conferred of not with our outward eares alone but also with our very hearts Wee are not to rest in the simple reading of the word or the bare beholding of the creatures but wee must labour for a fourth thing wee must looke that our hearts be present when wee either reade the word or behold the creatures And yet there is a further thing to bee here obserued for by this commandement we are charged to lay vp in our hearts all the profit which we learne by these meanes It is not sufficient to vse them it is not enough to feele some present vse and profit by them but wee must lay vp in our hearts whatsoeuer gaine wee get that wee may be stored and prepared for the time to come This must be done by prayer and meditations for if wee pray feruently before after and in the vsing of these meanes and if after we haue vsed them we do diligently meditate vpon them both that we may be confirmed in each dutie and also that wee way applie them to our own particular priuate vse then vndoubtedly God will giue a blessing to his meanes rightly vsed and will write the fruite of them in our hearts yea the Lord will giue a further blessing vnto them life vnto vs and health vnto our flesh as it followeth in the 22. verse which before hath beene expounded These verses are very notable and worthie of all remembrance for they commend vnto vs all the meanes whereby Gods word is made effectuall vnto vs as hearing reading preaching praying conferring meditating and such like godly and heauenly exercises In other places of the scripture sometime one sometime another is mentioned But here all are expressely named and this no doubt was done by the great wisedome of God the holy Ghost which by this hath met with the corruption of our owne nature For this corruption much preuaileth and beareth great sway in vs that wee vsing some one meanes diligently doe neglect all the rest Some men doe so rest in their priuate reading that they neglect hearing praying other holesome meanes some do so highly esteeme hearing that they will neuer reade to confirme the thing that they haue heard nor vse any other meanes And so of the rest for there are men of all sorts But the holy Ghost commendeth all vnto vs and chargeth vs with all and that so straightly that we cannot with hope looke for any blessing from God vnlesse wee bee carefull and diligent in all It is the dutie then of euery man to be seriously exercised and occupied in all thos exercises that God may blesse al or if not that sometime one sometime another according to his good pleasure may profit vs. These 9. verses because they giue vs in charge to vse with diligence the hearing and other exercises of the word must bee referred vnto the second commaundement Vers. 23. Keepe thy heart with all diligence for thereout proceede the actions of life IN this verse hee doth call vs from all kinde of inward euill which secretly lieth lurking in our heart for as much as that in very deede is the wel-spring of all wickednesse and because Salomon doth here note the heart as that which is the cause of al sinful actions so that although we should neuer see any man doe euill and although wee should not at any time be tempted to doe euill by any yet our owne hearts would corrupt vs and cause vs to sin We do hereby see that the doctrine both of the Papists and of the Familie of loue is most vntrue for they do teach that a maÌ„ is not naturally inclined vnto euil that his nature is not wholy corrupted with sinne but that hee is corrupted and infected either by the allurement or example and temptation of others True it is that the occasion of euill may be offered by some other man but Salomon doth here teach vs that the cause of our euill is in our selues and for this cause he commaundeth vs aboue all things to bee watchfull ouer our hearts for from them doe proceede the actions of life or of death Now the causes why wee are charged to keepe such straite watch ouer our hearts are in number two The first is because the heart doth carrie with it euery way all our senses so that as the Heathen said It is not the eye that seeth but the heart it is not the hand that toucheth but the heart and so the other senses So from hence it commeth that there be oftentimes great sounds and much noyse yet because our eares doe attend vpon our hearts which are earnestly occupied about some other matter wee heare not the sounds we doe not listen vnto the noyse From hence it commeth that we see not goodly sights and shewes when they bee sometimes offered vnto our eyes because our eyes are set vpon that thing about thwich the heart is occupied Yea from hence it commeth that we sometimes stumble in the plaine ground and our feete doe faile vs euen in â—â—â—â— places because our feete are carried with our heart which is earnestly occupied on some other matter Therefore although we ought to keepe with great care our eyes our handâ— our eares and other parts of our body yet doth it most stand vs in hand to keepe all watch and ward ouer our hearts seeing they rule all the rest The second cause why we should watch ouer our hearts is because it maketh or marreth all our actions for if our heart bee pure then all our actions bee pure and accepted of through Christ though some want bee in them and contrariwise if our hearts bee not sound but corrupted and vnpure the things that in their