for the eating and consuming of meate but that in enioying the coÌ„forr of God his creatures he might praise the Lord the more freely Neither can any man hereof iustly gather that therfore on this day he may fil himselfe with meate as he lusteth because that were rather to vnable than to enable him to keepe holy the Sabbath Againe we say in like maner that labour that is the commoditie that commeth by labour was made for man not man for the labour but for the glorie of God which by labour in his lawfull calling he may gaine to the Lord. Wherefore seeing the rest was appointed only but as meanes wherby man may the more fitly sanctifie the Sabbath and the disciples did eate this corne that they might be the fitter thereunto it is manifest they did not violate the sanctifying of the Sabbath Besides though no man can say that the Sacraments are figuratiue yet the Sacraments were made for man not man for the Sacraments that is for the bare vse of the elements although it must needs be graunted that to vse the word and Sacraments in purenes and holines for the further strengthening of our faith is one of the chiefest and most principall duties of man How be it in respect they be but meanes and are to giue place to the end to the which they are ordained I am perswaded that though the congregation were busie either in hearing the word preached or in receiuing the Sacraments ministred yet if an house being on fire were in loue to be helped the former actions were to giue place to the latter For we reade Act. 20. 10. where Paul being occupied in preaching and espying a young man who was in a dead sleepe fallen downe dead made no conscience to cease from speaking to goe downe to lay himselfe vpon the young man to imbrace him vntill his spirit returned into him and afterward went vp againe and continued his preaching Wherefore in all these reasons we may see how Christ did shew vnto the Iewes that they peruersly did stand in the ceremonie and did not abrogate the Sabbath Here then is a farre contrarie argument to that which these men affirme For seeing our Sauiour Christ might in one word haue shewed it to be a ceremonie if he had purposed any such thing and not haue so amplified the matter we see he rather speaketh against their superstitious opinion and abuse of the Sabbath than affirmeth any such thing as these men do surmise To these former reasons we may adde that which is Matth. 24. 20. Pray that your flight be not in the winter neither on the Sabbath day This say they sheweth that the persecution of Ierusalem should be by so much the more grieuous to the Iewes if it fell on the Sabbath because then it was not lawfull for them to flie so that if they stayed they were like to lose their liues by falling into the hands of their enemies if they fled they should breake the Law of God so become subiect to the punishment thereof But this was nothing in the purpose of our Sauiour Christ who therefore forewarned them to pray that the destruction of the citie should not fall on the Sabbath because then it would be the more grieuous punishment vnto them when besides the hauocke of their owne bodies they should see the glorie of God thrust through the sides the Temple polluted the worship of God prophaned the word of God blasphemed and the Sabbath of the Lord defiled The truth whereof appeareth in this that troubles the time of their visitation should come vpon them when the Sabbath should not be ceremoniall as now it was when Christ spake vnto them but at such time as men should worship God in spirit and trueth without all shadowes and figures when Christ should be ascended into heauen as indeed it came to passe So that this should increase the griefe of so many as sincerely worshipped the Lord that when they should reioyce in the holy worship of God they should mourne and lament for the enemies horrible blaspheming the name of God and that when they should sing the praises of God they would sigh and houle to see the open despite of God and his trueth In respect of which miserable calamities our Sauiour Christ foresheweth the wofull estate that should be in those daies of them which were with child and gaue sucke For though the fruite of the wombe and multiplying of children in respect of themselues were the good blessings of God yet the estate of those times should be so dangerous that euen the blessings of God should be turned to curses and the children which otherwise were a comfort vnto them should now increase their trouble discomfort and sorrow Wherefore it is certaine that Christ neither meant that euery day should be alike for then he would not distinctly haue pointed at this day neither did he thinke it to be a ceremonie because he knowing the time when ceremonies should cease would haue been so farre off from nourishing them in their superstition that being the Prophet of God he would in this as in other things rather teach them the pure vse of the Sabbath Thus hauing spoken of those places in the Gospell which might seeme to make against the Sabbath now let vs speake of those places in the epistles of the Apostles that we may see whether they containe any sound trueth for their purpose howsoeuer they be thought to haue some hold in shew These allegations are either out of the epistles of Paul or the epistles to the Hebrues out of the epistles of Paul which he wrote to the Romans to the Galathians or to the Colossians The place which they bring out of the epistle to the Romans is in the 14 chap. vers 1. Him that is weake in the faith receiue vnto you but not for controuersies of disputations 2. One beleeueth that hee may eate of all things and another which is weake eateth hearbes 3. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him which eateth not iudge him that eateth for God hath receiued him 4. Who arâ— thou that condemnest anothâ—r mans sâ—ruant he standeth or fallâ—th to his â—wne maister yea he shall be established for God is able to make him stand 5. This man esteemeth one day aboue another day and another man counteth euery day alike lâ—t euery man be fully perswaded in his minde 6. He that obserueth the day obserueth it to the Lord and he that obserueth not the day obserueth it â—â—t to the Lord c. In this last verse they would gather that a man might make choise of daieâ— as he will and as in a thing indifferent And some learned expositors affirme that the Apostle in this chapter intreateth of things which in their owne nature are indifferent and therefore here we are to vse theÌ„ in loue As I grant this to be the general scope of the place so I deny it to
seruice and therefore his title to the bodie is good wherefore against the Anabaptists Familists we say that as God is the God of the spirit so he is the God of all flesh and though he will be worshipped in spirit yet not in spirit only but in truth also which truth being his word requireth the seruice of the bodie So many then as refusing the congregation making the corners of their chambers only witnesses of their religion detract from the Lord his worship But they excuse themselues with fearing the suspition of hypocrites an easie slander a thing that none can purge himselfe of a case therfore to be referred to the Lord himself But these men of all other do euill in speaking against hypocrisie for if they be no more inward than they are outward if their Chamber-holines be no more than their Chappellgodlines then are they of all men most miserable Reade Psal. 122. and 84. and 68. and we shall see the Prophet Dauid highly to magnifie that which they smally account of 7 Many carnall men thinke they can trust in God and in riches too they will carrie two bowstrings into the field that if one faile another may serue But we must serue God either euer or neuer either in all or in none either euery where or no where These meÌ„ will not say with Christ one thing is necessary but they will serue God and the world Thus some pray to God and perform their vowes to the diuel some are only retainers to Christ and beare his liuerie but are indeed the seruants of sinne and their owne corruption some beare the marke of God in their foreheads and in profession but they beare the marke of the beast in their hands and conuersation wee dare and must credite the Lord with our soules why should we not credite him with our bodies also God knoweth that wee are but fraile and he hauing made vs will surely preserue vs. 8 The place where God is worshipped is called in the Scriptures The presence and face of the Lord. It is oftentimes said in the Psalmes that we must come before the face of the Lord and they that eate of the sacrifices are said to eate with the Lord. Therefore when we come to heare the Word to or pray to receiue the Sacraments we come euen before the Lord where he sheweth his presence more cleerely although wheresoeuer we be we are in his presence for as the power of the Prince is ouer all the land yet his chiefe presence â—â—â—â— the Court so is the presence of the Lord chiefly in the house of prayer though he be euery where which if men would rightly consider of then would they also take heede with what feete they enter into the house of the Lord and would not â—e so bolde as to come thither without preparation nor to passe away without any meditation of that which they haue done or heard The want of this perswasion causeth all carelesnes both before and after and when wee are present If this kinde of dealing will not bee liked nor allowed of any worldly Prince that men should bee admitted to the Chamber-of-presence and yet care not what they speake nor how they bâ—lieue themselues surely the Lorde will not alwayes beare with such as abuse the house of praier and â—â—reuerently behaue themselues in his holy presence though for a time hee suffer them yet certainly in the ende he will be sure to punish it most grieuously Therefore we had neede to be watchfull ouer our selues both soules and bodies least by abusing our selues before the face of the Lord we prouoke him vnto anger and cause his displeasure to fall vpon vs. 9 In the beginning of our gracious Soueraigne her raigne it was vsually said that the dearths that then were was for the New learning Afterwardes the Lord sent peace and wealth as wee doe now see whereby he giueth vs to vnderstand that it is he that brought them from poperie so that now hereafter none can complaine Wherefore they doe sinne very grieuously that shall say the Gospell hath brought dearth diseases and warre For we can all testifie that the Gospell hath brought peace plentie and health which if wee will not belieue then the Lorde will roote vs out though for his Name and glories sake and for his Sonne Christs sake he will raise vp a seede after vs that shall confesse this to his glorie as we see in the example of the Israelites which had a Iosuah and a Caleb But as hee punished the Aegyptians because they were ignorant and the Israelites because they abused knowledge as hee punished the Israelites because they would not worship him and punished the Aegyptians because they would not suffer them to worship him so he hath punished the Papists because they were false worshippers and the Protestants for that they abuse the true worship and as hee punished the Papists because they would not suffer the Lord to be worshipped so will hee punish the Protestants if they will not worship him in spirit and truth for there is like proportion 10 Some will say what can we gaine by hearing the Word can we liue by prayer Our household must be prouided for if we could come by our liuing so easilie as some doe or if wee were as well to liue as such a man is we would serue God then as well as any of them they may serue God freely and without any cares to hinder them we must take pâ—ines for our liuing necessity calleth vpon vs to follow our labour But dost thou not knowâ—ô man that the Lord leauing thee in this neede doth now proue thee whether thou serue him for thine owne ease or for his glorie sake If thou doe not now discerne of thy temptation and applie thy self to the seruing of God in hearing praying reading thinking of his Word but doest in a greedy care seeke after earthly things be sure that if thou be his sonne he wil at one time or other correct thee by one way or other waine thy minde from these outward things but if thou belong not to his couenant of Grace hee may perhaps giue thee thy desire and leaue thee also without correction which is a signe of a Bastard but at the last he will cut thee off from the things that thy chiefe delight is in and finally thou shalt perish euerlastingly in hell 11 When men will not harken vnto the Truth then will hee giue them vp to belieue lyes and when they will not regard his faithfull ministers that labour with them to bring them to holinesse then will he leaue them to such deceitfull workers as shall please them in prophanenesse And as it fared with Pharaoh and his people that would not belieue Moset but hearkened to the sorcerers of Aegypt so shall it fare with all those that will not belieue Gods faithfull seruants the true Preachers and ministers of the Gospell
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
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
his worship The morall law and the naturall law differ for alâ—eit the morall law be the explaining of the naturalâ— lâ—w yet it doth not follow that thâ—t which is in the morall law is no more than that which is in the law of nature 10. Hauing shewed the morall vse of the Sabbath to concerne the Gentiles as well as Iewes and answered all obiections to the contrarie In the next place he teacheth the obseruation of iâ— how it is to be kept and how it is broken what are the publike exercises of the Sabbath with what care and conscience we should prepare our selues to meete the Lord on the Sabbath how we must attend vpon him for the time present in the congregation and lastly what our priuate exercises must be after our departure from the publike assemblie 11 In the second part or negatiue â—e sheweth vs in this law what workes are forbidden and them all he referreth to these two heads First all workes of our ordinarie calling Secondly all lawfull recreations Concerning the first kind be they more vsuall or lesse vsuall â—â— question would be made if men were as wise to serue God in diâ—iâ—ing the times and seasons for the â—asements of their bodies and refreshing their soules on the Sabbath as they bâ— politike for the increase of their worldly substance And as concerning lawfull recreation on the Sabbath day If labour be forâ—iâ—den in seede time and haruest much more pleasuâ—â— all the yeere long iâ— things more needfull for the preseruation of lifâ— to the glorie of God be disallowed then assuredly these lesse needfull cannot be allowed Againe saith he the zeale of worldlings may shame vs in our securitie for so long as any profit drops on them they giue no place to pleasure Behold the policie and painfulnes of the world may teach vs what we ought to doe for our seules And thus farre of the compendious summe of the treatise of the Sabbath Of this argument I found three very good copies after due examination and conference had I haue here published the best in my iudgement both for matter and forme in the best manner that I can This worke hath beene in many hands for many yeeres and hath giuen light to some and I trust shall giue further occasion to others to trauaile yet more herein for the good of posteritie And whereas so many in all Churches in these daies passe by this argument of the Sabbath and that other of Titâ—e is meere shadowes and ceremonies it were to be wished that as this reuerend man of God and Maister D. B. haue painfully trauailed in the one so the learned and faithfull seruants of Christ would communicate their knowledge and iudgement of the other vnto the Church and people of God The seuenth portion is short but containeth very good notes of saluation and of an vpright heart The eighth and last part oâ— treatise teacheth vs very profitable and necessarie rules for the reading and vnderstanding of the holy Scripture which be these 1. That Gods people which will profit by prâ—â—â—â—ing must 〈…〉 the reading of the holy Scriptures for that none saith he â—ar so wâ—ll profit by preaching as they that hâ—â—e beene iâ—â—iâ—â—d vp in reading the Scriptures or hearing thâ—m râ—â—d 2 Next to profit by reading of the Scripture â—e requireth â—â—â—â—â— speciall things to be obserued 1. Diligence 2. Wisedome 3. Preparation 4. Meditation 5. Conference 6. Faith 7. Practise 8. Prayer 1. Diligence maketh a rough way plaine and easie here keepe an euen course and perseuere without wearines or starting from it 2. With diligence desire to ioyne wisedome for choise of matter what of order how of time when to reade For matter search things reuealed and hunt not after things not reuealed In things reuealed seeke after things most necessarie and then things lesse necessarie For order first desire to lay the foundation of Christian religion then build vpon it as God giues thee increase of faith and knowledge For time we must not reade alwaies but keepe our appointed times The Sabbath day we may spâ—â—d a great part of it in reading the nâ—â—â—â— daies in the morning at noone and euening when we may redeem the day from the workes of our calling 3. Againe a due preparation is required whereunto appertaine first the feare of Gods maiâ—sâ—â—â— wâ—ich serues well to correct the pride of reason and to subdue our â—ffâ—ctions â—nd so to fit vs for the châ—le of Christ Secondly faith in Christ for that he alone opâ—â—â—th â—ur vnderstanding that we may vnderstand the Scriptures Thirdly great desire in the heart 〈◊〉 vpon the good word of God 4. The fourth propertie is meditation which is the life of all good learning and makes that we haue heard to be our owne and this is two-fold first of the minde or vnderstanding discoursing of things read or heard Secondly of the affection when liking any thing in iudgement we labour that it may worke also vpon our affections Here this rule is to be noted that meditation without reading â—â— câ—râ—neous and reading without meditation barren 5. The fifth helpe here is conference For if in naturall things and in all things appertaining to this life man standeth in neede of the helpe of other men much more in spirituall things 6. The sixt propertie after reading meditation and conference is faith which he requires as an increase of that aforegoing preparation We must beleeue in Iesus Christ by a generall faith going before but we must vse saith he all the meanes before named to increase our knowledge and faith in all particulars after 7. The seuenth is practise for this is a good way to increase our store to put to good vse that mediocritie of knowledge and gifts we haue receiued And assuredly according to Christs words we see by daily experience their gifts decay which put them not in practise 8. The eight rule or propertie is prayer and thankesgiuing With this he wilâ— vs to begin to continue and to end this whole worke Like as we haue no title to meate and drinke without our prayer so saith he they be impudent that doe touch Gods booke without prayer And here he requires also a spirituall thank sgiuing for saith he if this be needfull for corporall foode how much more for spirituall be thankefull for any light and for euery good motion which proceedeth from Gods spirit And thus farre the compendious summe of all these treatises Now Right Worshipfull this holy worke I recommend to your protection first because I knew not any in heart more affected towards that reuerend man Maister R. Greenham who was the author of them all Againe this worke in part appertaines to one of your Worships by a former dedication And therefore I am the more bold to recommend it thus amplified and inlarged vnto you both And the rather for that Gods good spirit hauing so knit your hearts together in the holy faith of Christ I may not doubt
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
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
from them be glad of such excuse Surely this estate bewraieth a proud heart blessing it selfe with a fulnes and cloyedenes of the meanes and either sheweth vs to lie in some sinne presently or that we are like to fall into some sinne hereafter and that shortly Howbeit being absent iâ— hauing these or like affections wee can mourne beate our owne hearts and iudge our selues enquiring of the things spoken at their hands that haue been at the congregation if being absent in bodie with an humble sight of our want wee are as present in spirit if euen in time of exercises we bestow the time in prayer in reading or in meditation the Lord will shield vs from sinne and the shame of sinne Againe if wee shall finde our selues subiect to peeuishnes concupiscence or couetousnesse with lesse power to preuaile against them that wee haue had let vs feare least some pride hath gone before If wee cannot recouer our selues out of these euils by prayer or mourning let vs suspect our owne hearts that some securitie in the meanes hath ouertaken vs the Lord for a time hath left vs the diuell hath foyled vs. It is a blessed thing to get the victory of our faults before they be ioyned with the offences of the world with the griefe of the godly with the reproch of our aduersaries with the trouble of our owne consciences with the hazard of Gods glorie And therefore if it be so the good will of God let vs earnestly desire him that our trials and temptations may bee inward that they may bee stayed and stenched when they beginne that they breake not out abroade to the greater dishonour of the Lord and our further discomfort which surely they will doe if by cherishing them and not checking them wee striue not for some safetie against them Let vs humblie therefore long before feare this reproch to come and pray with the Prophet Lorde keepe mee from the reproch which I feare least otherwise the Lord seeing vs make no conscience in these cases bee auenged of vs who surely will dishonour them that sticke not to dishonour him Cease then to gaze at the worke of God and labour to gage the pride of your owne hearts in affection which the Lorde is contrained to shame vs with for the abuse of his graces for the discredit of his word the contempt of his glorie and for the neglect of our owne saluation which being before purposed rather then it should bee vnaccomplished wee shall haue shamefull Sergeants sent vnto vs as fire on our houses warres to spoyle our goods sicknes to weaken our bodies and torment of minde to scourge our consciences which will draw vs out by the eares from the heauie slumber of sinne wherein wee snorted And thus fitlie though suddenly we are slipt into the second point and obseruation of this doctrine which is that wee should not be too hie to enter into the gates of aduersitie nor being entred to behaue our selues vnpatiently as though it would vndoe vs to sit in the house of mourning a while rather wee must reioyce in it and be thankfull for it saying with the Prophet It is good for mee ô Lord that thou hast afflicted me c. because the holy Ghost here telleth vs that lowlinesse goeth before honour and in the schoole of humilitie wee shall learne the way to true glorie and Nobilitie Neither doe I here meane that affliction in it selfe hath of it selfe such vertue as to humble vs truly vnder the hand of God but when the spirit of God worketh with it that then it will breede in vs the fruites of righteousnesse repentance faith and holinesse it will driue vs to seeke comfort in the world to aske comfort by praier to yeeld comfort by compassion on other mens euils And therefore it is necessarie against the policie of Sathan who would discourage the Saints of God in their profession by dressing them with afflictions to stay our selues in this testimonie of the holy Ghost that before glorie goeth affliction and after lowlinesse commeth honor either in this life or in the life to come or in both This must further teach vs to profit by the threatnings of God publikely preached not to threaten them or to murmure against them that lay the iudgemeÌ„ts of God against vs in the law this must cause vs to make much of them that by sharpe censuring of vs will soonest draw vs out of sinne This must worke in vs a desire to reape some fruite by priuate admonitions yea and to call on others to admonish vs that we may still be kept in some good course of humilitie Further and besides this it is profitable for vs to frequent them that are sicke ready to diâ— perplexed in spirit imprisoned in chaines and oppressed with miserie that in them we may see our selues as in a mirrour and so with Moses to chuse rather to suffer afflictions then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a time This acquainting our selues with the iudgements of God will both rubbe off securitie and stirre vs vp to greater thankfulnes for our selues and pitie towardes others Wherefore they are not in the way of humilitie to obtaine glorie who are so tender sighted that they cannot abide to see the iudgements of God they are too daintie eared that cannot or that will not heare the threatnings of the Lawe saying oh I cannot abide to heare one in desperation I cannot away to heare such fearfull speeches to heare the diuell speake in one I loue not to see one lie gasping and panting in death These things would depriue me of all mirth breede melancholy and stirre me vp to mâ—â—â—es Nay this delicatenes to flye from the Lord thus drawing neere vs will hasten these things vpon vs which we will not profit by in others Such eyes to see such eares to heare such hearts to be humbled it becommeth Gods people to haue that as they loue nothing more than glorie so they labour for nothing more than humilitie as they shun nothing more than coÌ„fusion so they auoid nothing more than pride of heart Which that we may doe let vs cast down our selues before the throne of mercie in the name and mediation of Iesus Christour Sauiour O eternall God and our most louing father behold vs in thine owne couenant c. FINIS OF THE GOOD EDVCATION OF CHILDREN THE SIXTH SERMON Prouerbs 17. 21. Hee that begetteth a foole getteth himselfe sorrowe and the father of a foole can haue no ioy THE holie Ghost speaking in the Scripture of foolish sonnes as that he that beâ—etteth such a one getteth himselfe sorrowe and that the father of a foole hath no ioy meaneth it not so much of naturall idiots and such as are destitute of common reason although it is true that this is a lamentable iudgement of God and a heauines to the parents of such a childe as of wicked children such as
by his terming of them excellent ones such as are fit as well to doe good as to receiue good from others Wherfore the Apostle saith Rom. 1. 12. that he desired to receiue mutual comfort by theÌ„ Secondly this appeareth by the opposition of the verse following which is of the worship of God and therefore it cannot be restrained to outward things Againe in that verse he maketh mention of false worshippers as here he nameth excellent ones meaning that he would vse the benefit of them to waine himselfe from false worshippers as men will frequent the companie of the learned that desire learning and they that will haue their lips schooled by the law of grace will oft resort to the graue speeches of the wise And surely it is a speciall helpe to further our selues in the pure worship of God if we diuorce our selues from the crue of false worshippers and wholy espouse our selues to the fellowship of them that worship in spirit and in truth This reason also may appeare to be generall because it followeth in the order of our confession of our faith that we beleeue the holy and vniuersal congregation the communion of Saints and this communion is in receiuing as well as in giuing and therefore being vnderstood of such a mutuall participation of gifts from one to another it must followe as a particular part thereof that wee be readie to doe good And where he saith All my delight is in them that is in the Saints we must not thinke that he meant to take away ciuill dutie from them that were in authoritie for that must be giuen to them in outward things yet in our hearts and in our affections the graces of God his children must be most esteemed In respect whereof when Iames saith Iam. 1. 2. that the Iewes had their faith in respect of persons when they were wont to say to the rich Sit thou here in a good place and to the poore Stand there his meaning was to rebuke them for that they so highly despised the one and so vily esteemed the other Wherefore wee must learne alwaies to giue vnto Caesar that which belongeth to Caesar but God his children must alwaies bee neerest our heart And this was it that our Sauiour Christ saith that they which heard the word and did the same were his mother his brother and his sister not that he lightly regarded his mother for he was a patterne of obedience to all children yet he loued her more as she was the daughter of God than as shee was his mother Likewise we reade that hee answered the woman that cried vnto him Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the paps that gaue thee sucke His mother no doubt had as singular blessings as euer were giuen to woman in outward things in that she brought forth the Sauiour of all mankinde howbeit herein she was chiefly blessed in that she beleeued in him to bee her Redeemer That are in the earth See hee maketh mention of the Saints here on earth and speaketh no of the Saints which are in heauen from whom as we are seuered in body so are we also in the soule and wee haue no dealing with them either in soule or bodie Wherefore it is â—â—â—d of the Prophet Abraham knoweth not vs. True it is that the Lord maketh his Angels ministers vnto vs and therfore sending them to doe any thing he maketh it known vnto them Howbeit wee reade no such thing of the Saints that are dead who as they know nothing of vs or our estate which onely is knowne to the Lord and are not vsed as ministers of the Lord so they caÌ„not heare or helpe vs as some foolishly haue imagined The Saints which are dead may be in some respect remembred but in no case worshipped remeÌ„bred I say not for their power to be prayed vnto but for their vertues to bee imitated Wherefore in Heb. 11 the holy Ghost setteth downe a register catalogue of the Saints that seeing wee are compassed with so great a clowde of witnesses wee must cast away euery thing that presseth downe and sinne that hangeth so fast on that we may run with patience the race that is set before vs. Here wee see these are set before that wee might so farre followe them as they followe Christ and in this respect they are called witnesses but to honour them as God or to appoint holy daies vnto them or for them it is not lawfull But behold when it was painful to the belly gods of Rome to remember the good life of the Saints to follow them than which nothing is more grieuous to them the diuell to drawe them from this inuented a more easie way for flesh and blood and taught them an easier lesson by appointing in the stead of this holy and painfull imitation a carnall and voluptuous rabble of holidaies vnto the Saints and that as they said for the better remembrance of them and thus that transformed Angell of light knoweth how to transforme pure religion In like manner wheÌ„ it was an hard thing to preach Christ crucified because it would call them to a sight feeling and forsaking of their sinnes and so they were made more vnquiet the diuell found out an easier way and for sooth would haue Christ painted vpon the crosse in their Church windowes which was a thing more easie to behold being pleasant to the eye than it was to heare that sinne should bee crucified in them if euer they would hope for the fruite of Christ his death Againe when they could not away with bearing the crosse of losse of name of friends goods and life for Christs sake they thought it was good to professe it by wearing some crosse about them or by erecting in euery place a crosse of wood stone or such like thing But let vs learne to be prouoked by the graces of God in his Saints to follow them in goodnesse and labour to haue Christ crucified in our hearts by the ministerie of the word euer preparing our selues in truth to beare the crosse of Christ by preferring the pure profession of his Gospell before any thing in the whole world deare vnto vs. Besides we are here to learne that if our delight be in God his Saints on the earth wee must be farre from vsing them maliciously or speaking of them cruelly This delight then must bee to receiue some profit and benefit by these graces which they haue also to vse to the comfort of the childreÌ„ of God whatsoeuer good we haue receiued For as well the seruant which puts not out his talent with gaine was punished as those that contemned the talent Neither in truth haue we any right vse of the gifts which wee haue receiued of God vnlesse we put them out by imparting them to our brethren in loue and so the gaine may returne by holy reuenewes to the Lord himselfe neither haue we truly learned any thing vnlesse wee haue in some measure communicated it with others
for whatsoeuer is ours by gift it is the interest of others by necessitie whatsoeuer is proper to vs by possession is common to the Church by vse and participation and whatsoeuer wee haue wee haue it for dispensation as the stewards of God his gifts and disposers of his graces And therefore as at the audites and dayes of accounts such stewards are culpable and vnworthie of their places who hauing large summes of money for the liberal maintenance of the family haue appropriated all to themselues so likewise in that great day of reckoning and audite of Angels those stewards will bee found damnable and iudged vnworthie to haue had accesse to the Lord his treasurie who hauing receiued of God singular graces and plentifull gifts for the building vp of his Church and distributing things necessarie to the Saints in due season haue notwithstanding enriched themselues alone and impouerished their fellow seruants vnto whose vse and for whose good such rich reuenewes of God his graces and gifts were committed to their fidelitie It followeth in the Psalme The sorrowes of them that offer to another God shall bee multiplied their offering of blood I will not offer neither make mention of their names with my lips Heere the man of God declareth himselfe to bee no lukewarme professor and therefore as in the third verse hee sheweth the profession of his faith concerning the communion of Saints so in the fourth verse be protesteth his hatred to the false worshippers and he teacheth that none can truly loue the Saints but he must also hate the wicked God cannot abide to be worshipped in part or by mixture of religion as though the Arke and Dagon God and Mammon Christ and Belial should bee ioyned in worship together Many are not so fully contented with the Saints as that they are throughly discontented with the wicked who so long as they see matters of ciuill authoritie and good order haue successe can loue the word to serue time and season whose liking of it is so small that when other religion commeth they find not themselues much discontented But we must learne so to belieue in the true religion as our faith may drawe out of vs an vnchangeable loue and this true loue must be free from all appearance of idolatrie and contrary religion whatsoeuer If euer this doctrine was necessarie it is now most needefull sith true religion so decayeth false religion so aboundeth heathenish prophanenes so groweth all which no doubt arise oâ— so little esteeming and small liking of the truth For whereof first did spring heathenishnesse Euen from hence men were contented that euery nation should worship as they listed and liked whereupon they did grow to haue both their country gods and houshold gods for we reade that the Senate of the Romans would receiue Christ as their God yet so as they would also maintaine their owne gods Not much vnlike is our familie of loue and common sort of Protestants both which can easily tolerate any kind of religion come what profession come will Wherefore we may see how this Psalme fitly may be vsed when we will accuse our selues of want of loue to the Saints or when wee will accuse our selues of waâ—t of hatred to idolaters seeing the spirit of the man of God so earnest and our selues so cold herein In that he saith hee will not make mention of their names with his lips he declareth his through hatred vnto them which the more euidently appeareth in that hee would not only not coÌ„municate with them in his goods but also that hee would not meddle with their ceremonies Neither must wee thinke that this was any peculiar thing vnto Dauid but that it was common also to all the Israelites as we may see Exod. 23. 13 ye shall make no mention of the name of other gods neither shall it be heard out of thy mouth and not to them alone but to all Christians in like manner as appeareth Zechar. 13. 2. And in that day faith the Lord of hostes I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land yea and they shall bee no mâ—re remembred Besides the law commaundeth all auoyding of occasions of idolatry Deut. 7 25. where are set downe two reasons the one that wee should not bee snared with such occasions the other because it is an abomination to the Lord wherein although somewhat be political yet because whatsoeuer is impure is abhominable to the Lord and our nature is prone vnto and hardly kept from corrupt religion wee hating the impuritie of the doctrine must also hate the impuritie of the ceremonies To the Law agreeth also the Prophet as Esay 30. 22. where the Lord not only commaundeth them to auoid all idolatrie but euen the appertinances thereof Yee shall pollute the couering of the Images of siluer and the rich ornaments of the Images of gold and cast them away as a menstruous cloth and thou shalt say vnto it get thee hence This seemeth precisenes and puritanisme to the world which can be content to vse things for forme and fashion but if we vrge vpon puritie wee are counted precisians Well if it be so then Dauid was a precisian The holy ghost also exhorteth vs also to abstaine from all apparance of euill 1. Thess. 5 22. 1. Iohn 5. 21. Babes keepe your selues from idols And the Apostle Iude verse 23. willeth vs euen to hate the garment spotted by the flesh True it is that one may haue a priuate vse of the meate prepared for Images but as it is an appertinance of idolatrie it is to be auoided Wherefore we are to pray that we may so haue our hearts rectified by the spirit of God as not only the substance of false religion may be auoided but also the appertinances thereof whereby we may the better prouide both for God his glory and our owne peace Whereas he saith the sorrowes of them that offer to another God shall bee multiplied hee sheweth how besides the comforts which he had in the Saints he so much the more hated the idolaters because hee sawe the more they inwrapped themselues the more their spirits were troubled in them and then they could find least rest wheÌ„ they had most trouble So that as the man of God commendeth true religion by this effect that it yeeldeth peace of mind and comfort of conscience in trouble so hee discommendeth false religion by the contrarie because howsoeuer in prosperitie it bringeth aswelling ioy yet in aduersitie it maketh men cry to the rocks to couer them to the mountaines to fall vpon them This must cause vs more narrowly to search our hearts whether we haue this loue of true religion or no against the which neither the gates of hell nor terrours of Satan nor troubles of conscience can preuaile for this religion is no lesse comfortable than true when wee feele our selues assured thereby of our iustification by Christ of the ministerie of God his Angels watching ouer vs and that
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
would neuer faile them nor forsake them till he had brought them to his habitation which should teach vs to doe the like for strengthning our faith in his goodnes by keeping continually as it were a beadroll of his benefits already receiued of him least by letting the olde slip out of our mindes which should make vs thankfull we neuer receiue the new whereof we are so carefull 3 As the roote of all sinne is in our soule so the beginning of all diseases is in our bodies And as there is no sinne which we should not fall into if the Lord leaue vs so is there no disease which should not come vpon vs vnlesse he preserue vs. For when his prouideÌ„ce watcheth not ouer vs we are ready to fall into all miserie It is not in our selues to keepe our good name from euill reports our minds from disquietnes our estate from pouertie c. This if it were beleeued and felt it would both make vs thankful continue in prayer not only in the want of such things we desire but also in the abundance of those we enioy For man liueth not by bread onely neither is it care can make vs rich nor our owne deuises bring quietnes to our mindes but it is the Lord who in his prouidence worketh all in all which must alwaies be acknowledged of vs to the end we may make vse of all things in any estate to the glory of his name and the good of our brethren 4 We may trie our faith in Gods prouidence by this as we vse the meanes to come to earthly things so for this we must vse the word and prayer Psal. 119. part 22. If then we esteeme not of the word and find no comfort in prayer Psal. 32. we can neuer esteeme of his prouidence we can neuer say in truth God giueth vs all things 5 The Lord oftentimes in his wise prouidence helpeth the wicked and such as are vnworthie and in steade of punishments which they doe deserue he sendeth blessings when they crievnto him for them From which we may gather that if he heare the wicked much more will he graunt the desire of such as feare him If hee remit the vngodly much more them that in truth of heart serue him for he dealeth not with vs as our deserts are as euery man may feele but he doth good both to the godly and the wicked that to diuers ends to the godly to hyre them from their sinnes to the wicked that after hee may confound them without excuse Therefore if when the Lord forbeareth we be touched in heart to repent this is the worke of Gods spirit the coÌ„fort thereof will abide for euer but if when he forbeareth we thinke our sinnes are lesse and so harden our hearts then are wee to feare that vtter confusion is at hand 6 The Lord neuer forsaketh his but in all dangers he will prouide though all meanes faile onely let vs belieue his prouidence and so will he giue vs our hearts desire if it stand with his glorie or else if we desire that which standeth not with his glorie yet let vs belieue that he is our FATHER in CHRIST and he will recompence the outward wants with a spirituall blessing 7 We may reade in Exodus 17. 7. that the Israelites through distrust doubted whether God was among them because they saw not such visible signes of Gods presence and fauour as they would With the like doubt our Sauiour Christ was tempted by the diuel Luc. 4 who laboured to make him doubt whether he were the Sonne of God because he wanted some things which were needful for this life wherby we may learne to know our own corruption how ready we are to iudge as the Israelits did because we sâ—e not such ordinary helps as we and other of Gods children haue at sometimes had but we are to correct this in ourselues and on the contrarie to thinke that God is amongst vs and with vs although we see some tokens of his anger Thus do we reason in religion Is this true religion seeing there be so many diuersities of iudgments such little godlines it is like it is not but rather we are to looke for some other so we reason in the common-wealth Is this gouernment good which bringeth so great hurly burlies and so great troubles so in mariage when contentions and temptations do arise then they thinke they were not ioyned together by God so in euery kind of trouble we iudge of the presence and prouidence of God by our outward sense feeling This is the policie of the diuel to cause men either to sink downe in despaire or else to be impatient at the least to murmur But to preuent this these are some remedies following The first that we looke to the word and when we see that religion hath alwaies had troubles and so shall haue still then shall we straightwaies see that our iudgement is fleshly Secondly wheÌ„ we see that many of Gods children in the world as Iob and others had trouble in their mariage and yet that it was of God then shall we learne that our iudgement is not according to the spirit Then let vs consider that the diuel doth herein exercise policie to ouerthrow our mariage we shal be wary to auoide them And if many haue been in this state yet the Lord hath not left them why should we yeeld to the temptation of Sathan who would perswade vs that our case is worse Thirdly we must looke to the former mercies of God which we haue felt If we haue once felt them then though we haue not alwaies the like feeling yet we must not thinke that he hath forsaken vs so that experience of former mercies must be our strength herein if we haue been in as great danger as now we are and euen then he helped vs why should we doubt Fourthly we must consider that many of Gods children are and haue been so and therefore we must take heede that in our rashnesse we do not condemne them We must not therefore iudge thus vnlesse we will be hurtfull to our selues and iniurious to our brethren 8 Moses was commanded to take the same staffe with which he stroke the red sea and therewith to strike the stonie rocke to giue the Israelites water to drinke to teach theÌ„ that the Lord was as well able to bring water where it is not as to stay the course thereof where it is This ought they to haue considered and then would they not in other things haue doubted If we wil auoid the like distrust we must remember the former works of God then labour to be garded in the hope of euerlasting life the resurrection of the body and the forgiuenes of sins that so we may be sure he will be good to vs still And as the chiefe helpe of al these let vs labour to be throughly
sinnes this is a tempting of God and this shall be laid to our charge as wee see that the Lord saith to Dauid that he was in all things vpright before him but in the case of Vriah because his other sinnes which he committed both often and grieuously were but of humane infirmitie and this was contrarie to knowledge and againe he sought meanes to hide his sin and was not easily brought from it yet did hee obtaine pardon because this was but once and he was much humbled for it But Saul often doing the same at last asked counsaile of a familiar spirit by a Witch which he before had punished wherein he did cleane contrary to his knowledge euen for this it was said that the Lord did cut him off Wherefore we haue to pray with Dauid Psal. 19. Lord who doth vnderstand the errors of his life then purge vs from our secret sinnes and keepe vs that no presumptuous sinnes doe beare rule ouer vs. so shall we be free c. For if a man sinne against man there may be an arbiter but if a man sinne against the Lord who shall deale for him As Eli saith to his Sonnes q d. If you had done this being ignorant it had beene a small matter but now you that haue beene taught of me the contrary haue now made the sacrifice of the Lord to stincke and so haue tempted the Lord. 9 As it is a great comfort that no temptation doth inuade vs but that which hath taken hold of the nature of man so this ought to make vs with profit to humble ourselues that there is no temptation vppon any man but the same may take hold on vs in time also 10 Wee are neuer the further from temptation for misliking it but the nearer vnlesse as in iudgement we mislike it so in affection we humble our selues in feare and prayer before the Lord as knowing the same in time may inuade vs. 11 Wee must not keepe our hearts too close in dangerous temptation nor denie mercie to others least God denie mercie to vs. 12 If wee be tempted let vs examine it by prayer whether it be contrarie to the word for sinne by the law is reuealed and rebuked if it be sin then it bringeth the curse for the Lawe accurseth the sinner if it bring a curse then must we tremble if we tremble not let vs suspect that our nature liketh the temptation and let vs apply prayer if we tremble in truth we will neuer doe the thing whereunto we are tempted 13 When Satan cannot get vs to omit grosse sinnes hee will assaile vs with spirituall temptations 14 Those temptations are most dangerous which haue most holy ends 15 If wee conceale our temptations long it is the policie of Sathan to make vs keepe his counsell 16 The Lord through grace doth quench in vs those temptations which would quench in vs his spirit 17 Temptations being resisted to bring a proofe of that grace that is in vs temptation being receiued argueth corruption in vs. Adam should not haue been worse for his temptation no more than Christ but that the one yeelded the other did not 18 They that tremble in the temptation shal triumph after the temptation our faith is as a pots mouth which being large receiued much and being narrowe receiueth but little 19 The godly see their temptations oft much and with profit the vngodly see them seldome scant and without profit 20 Being both feeble in body and sicke in minde when hee felt the Lords strength in his sicknesse nourishing him as also that he did cleere his iudgement and more and more giue him a misliking of euill and a liking of good hee knewe his temptation should goe away in the end CHAP. LXXI Of truth and errors sinceritie and contempt of the word THere is no profit in teaching or hearing without application Ephes. 6. Paul speaking of the trueth calleth it a girdle of truth it must not bee a loose truth out of which a man may easily bee shaken it must be a tied truth not a ranging truth if it bee loose about vs it will fall away with the least flaw of winde Rom. 15. The Apostle speaketh of this putting on of Christ wee must not make a broad cloath of him to make him apparel to warme vs at the houre of death or in some time of trouble but wee must presently make him a garment that it may sit as close to vs as our coates Iames saith in his first chapter that the word must be ingrafted in vs it must not hang by vs but as there is no true grafting without the renting of the old stocke that the newe graft may hee fastned and closed vp in the rent so there is no true receiuing of the word vntill our corrupt wisedome bee rent asunder and the word of God closed vp in stead of it So that as there is truth required so a girdle of truth As Christ is our comfort so he must be put on As the word is receiued so it must bee ingrafted in vs. In more sensible things we are familiarly acquainted with this matter What profit is there in a plaister be it neuer so skilfully made vnlesse it be applied Well nothing indeed is good without applying The Sunne is comfortable but what doth it if wee bee shut vp and it neuer come to vs What nourishment is in meate what vse in apparell if we vse and apply them not So Christ and the word not applied are nothing to vs though most profitable in themselues 2 Truth is a thing specially esteemed of the Lord and it is a seruice so acceptable vnto him that he will not be without it and therefore a rent or pension due vnto the Lord. But why doth the Lord so require truth at our hands the Prophet saith The Lord hath magnified his truth and his name aboue all things and he hath put on himselfe as his name to bee called the God of truth And Christ the second person in Trinitie witnesseth his death to this in calling himselfe not the God of truth but truth itselfe and he bare witnesse before Pilate that he especially came into the world to beare witnesse to the truth so greatly he loued it For the holy Ghost we read Ioh. 14 He is said to be the spirit of truth So we see how great a thing this truth is with God for he makes himselfe glorious in this title and makes it the Crowne of his head his Sonne his Spirit his Ministers are glorified by it In a second respect truth is deare for that Adam being charged to beware of the forbidden fruite had his first assault of Sathan against the Lords truth back-sliding from it he lost all his posfession in Paradise Because of this dealing of the Diuell in Paradise euer since the Lord hath beene very iealous of his truth and wils men should whatsoeuer they doe remember to
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
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