vs his deare children that it might to our comfort abide within vs. True it is that wee must alwaies séeke the meanes that God offereth vs to keepe vs to it and to endeuour to attaine it but howsoeuer it be let vs be fully resolued of this that it is God onely that giueth it and deliuereth vs from all vnquietnesse Therefore let vs not storme nor frette against the Lord although it please him to turmoile vs For we are not taught in the word that God will so handle vs in this world that wée shall not be tossed to and fro wée haue no such promise yet let vs cleaue vnto God and cast our anchor on him so shall wée not bée ouercome of temptations although they be many and greeuous Text. And his seede shall inherite the land Doct. 2 2. Doct. Gods fauour and mercy extend vnto the children of the faithfull both while they liue and after their decease The reason is If the wicked fare the better for the godlies sake how much more shall the children of the godly walking in their fathers steppes fare the better in inheriting the land And there is no certainer inheritance wherin our children may succéed vs then when GOD with vs receyuing them into his fatherly fauour doth make them partakers with vs of his blessings Vse The vse of this Doctrine is That as wée tender our ofspring so to be the more carefull to walke in the feare of the Lord. Psal 25.14 The secrete of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him his couenant to giue them vnderstanding The 2. part of the sixth Sermon The sence thereof is ALthough secrete hidde vnknowen The sēce and Doctrine aboue the reach capacity of mans braine is the holy couenant of the most high and mighty God yet whosoeuer in the feare of the Lord that is in humble sort by prayer to his Maiestie séeke to know it shal by the directiō of Gods holy Spirite attaine to that high heauēly wisdome which for their saluation in the sacred Scriptures is there recorded The reason is God hath disappointed no man of the knowledge thereof that hath sincerely sought it By the word Secrete the Prophet vnderstādeth the excellency of Doctrine which is contained in the holy law of God Howsoeuer prophane mē by their lofty pride despise Moses the prophets yet the faithfull acknowledge that in the Doctrine therof the secrets of the kingdome of heauen are therby opened which farre excéedingly excell mans wisedome Vse 1 The first vse is That in reading the Law of God and the sacred Scriptures we be of a modest and humble Spirite that in trusting to our weake wits and diligence we take héed we attempt not to breake in the secrete mysteries thereof the knowledge whereof is the singular gift of God as Dauid in the 111. Ps verse 10. saith The beginning of wisedome is the feare of the Lord all they that obserue them haue good vnderstanding his prayse endureth for euer Vse 2 The second vse is That forasmuch as the Lord our God of his great mercy not of merite giueth his Spirite to many that are not teachers as to them that instruct the Church that therefore being endued with the Spirite of truth hauing the feare of God humility the desire to beléeue and to liue according to the prescript rules which in the sacred scriptures are cōtained he will giue vnderstanding to them and open the secrete mysteries thereof vnto them And therefore most iniurious to the common people is the Edict of the Pope and his followers which prohibite the reading of them vnto the people They hold that the Scriptures are most hard difficult obscure They do not onely affirme that some things are so but that all are hard doubtfull and vncertaine and compare thē therfore to a leaden rule which may be turned euery way Petrus a Soto And to a nose of waxe Lindan a Papist ex Tilmanno de verbo Dei error 5. Our Rhemistes affirme that it is all one to affirme in a writer some things to be hard the writer to bee hard So they conclude that the sacred Scriptures are both in respect of the matter manner very hard and therfore daungerous for the ignorant to read them Rhe. obiectiō 2. Pet. 3.16 A Dicto secūdum quod ad dictum simpl Answer Rhem annot 2. Pet. 3. verse 16. they obiect that place whereas the Apostle saith speaking of S. Pauls Epistles that many things therein cōteined are hard Therfore the Epistles of S. Paul are hard so the Scriptures B. R. We answere First he saith not that Pauls Epistles are hard but many things he entreateth of Secondly they are hard not to all but to the vnstable who do peruert them Thirdly we denie not but that some places in the Scriptures are obscure haue néede of interpretation but it followeth not that therefore the whole Scriptures are obscure and because of some hard places that the people should be forbidden the reading of all Obie ∣ ction of the Pa ∣ pists 2 2. Obiect The scriptures are obscure both in respect of matter and manner First the matter is high mysticall as of the Trinity of the incarnation of the word of the nature of Angels such like Answer We answere These mysteries may be said to be obscure two waies First in their own nature so are they hard in deed for by humane reason wee cannot attaine to the depth of them Secondly in respect of vs so must they needs be obscure if men be not contented with the knowledge in the word but curiously search further Luther therefore doth aptly distinguish Res Dei saith hee the thinges of GOD are obscure the depth of his mysteries cannot bee comprehended of vs but Res Scripturae the things that are opened in the Scriptures are plaine if wee will content our selues with that knowledge Obie ∣ ction 2 Secondly Bellar. saith The maner of handling is hard and obscure there are many Tropes Metaphors Allegories Hebraismes which cānot easily be vnderstood Answer We answer First many of these are rather ornaments of the Scriptures as Tropes and Metaphores then impedimentes to the Reader Secondly although the phrase of the Scripture may séeme hard at the first yet by further traueile therein it may become easie and plaine for all thinges are not at the first vnderstood Thirdly wée denie not but that some places are obscure and had néed to be opened Obie ∣ ction 3 3. Obiection If the Scriptures were not hard what néed so many Commentaries and expositions R. B. Answer We answer First so many Commētaries as are extant are not requisite some may be spared Secondly Expositions are néedfull for the vnderstanding of darke places but many thinges are playne enough without expositions and may be vnderstood of the simple We hold not that the Scripture is euery where so plaine and euident that it néed no Interpretation as
a father he is to his children Therefore Iudgement and way signifie none other thing then the gouernment whereby he sheweth himselfe as an excellent good father to his children Doct. 1 The 1. Doct. The poore in Spirite onely are directed by the Lord to haue a right iudgement in all things that concerne the glory of God the saluatiō of their soules The Reason is God resisteth the proud 1. Pet. 5.5 such as are wise in their owne conceit Decke your selues inwardly in lowlinesse of mind for God resisteth the proude and giueth grace to the humble Math. 13.11 And he answered said Because it is giuē to you to know the secrets of the kingdome of God The vse is That we pray to God to giue vs his spirit of iudgement of the workes of the Lord. And first of his word Let vs consider how gratious the Lord is to them that are méeke to them he will open his iudgements which to the prowde are secrete vnknowen as to the Papistes many others A foolishnes of self estimation of self-wéening of our selues that wée are of some value is so rooted in man possessed with the spirit of pride that it is very hard to bring thē euen vs regenerate to a right vnderstāding of our owne wāts so as we might be cléere from all pryde presumption Concerning the doctrine of Election Reprobation Wheras the Apostle knew that flesh blood would dispute Why should God elect some refuse other some Rom. 9.20 he answereth But O man what art thou which pleadest against God Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it Why hast thou made me thus vers 21. Hath not the potter power of the clay to make of the same lūpe one vessell to honour and another to dishonour And this he setteth downe after that he had alledged the obiections wherein men thinke thēselues to haue a faire colour to dispute against God and to demaund why hée should destroy those whom he hath created why he should put difference betweene one and another without knowing any causes so that the one should be loued the other refused Therfore whēsoeuer any such temptation hath taken hold on vs let vs pray vnto GOD to make vs lowly and poore in Spirite then shall we haue a right iudgement of his secrete mysteries and wonderfull workes When we treat of Gods word euery man almost falleth to it at aduenture and euery one shootes out his verdit as though they reasoned but of moon-shine in the water so vnreuerently wée speake thereof The things therein contayned be such as passe all mans vnderstanding and yet notwithstanding it is manifest that some are bold to treat of Gods high mysteries without reuerēce which ought to rauish our wits to wonder at them which with al feare trembling we ought to honour I say we are bolder to babble of them then if a man spake of a matter but of 5. shillings value or of some trifle I know not what And what is the cause thereof but that men haue not cōsidered how God hideth ouercasteth his owne secrete determinatiōs hath in his holy Scriptures vttered vnto vs his wil whereunto it behoueth vs to be subiect We sée on the one side how the Papistes blaspheme God wresting falsifying marring corrupting the whole holy Scripture so that they spare not to scorne God his word And why They neuer knew what it is to haue a right iudgement in Gods will word they are possessed with the spirit of pride the spirite of sound iudgement is farre from thē they scorne at our answere when to their demand Who shal iudge of the true meaning sence of the Scriptures we say The holy spirit shal doth lead not onely the whole Church but euery particular singular member of the Church into all truth Campianan ratione Sophismat Also there are drunkards which could find in their harts to subdue God in their fantastical mind Yf they were the wisest men in the world the best séene in the holy Scriptures yet shall they be faine to stowpe to this point that Gods purposes are aboue our reach But they are vtterly dull brutish there is neither skill nor reason in them the wine ouer-mastereth thē they are worse then swine yet will néeds be Diuines and wil controll things in such sort that if a man should now beléeue them he should be driuen to forge and frame a new Gospell Let vs alwaies know that whensoeuer wée speake of God of his workes or of his word they are high matters On the other side what is it that we cā bring forth of our selues except wee be truly humbled what is that little that wee can conceiue in our vnderstanding Euen wordes without knowledge Let men put themselues into the balance and they shal be found lighter then vanitie it selfe as it is said in the Psalme Psal 62.10 So much the more it behooueth vs to marke this doctrine that there is neither skill aptnesse nor iudgement in vs to entreat of Gods workes or his word except he vouchsafe by his blessed Spirite to direct vs. Let vs therfore pray vnto his diuine Maiesty to vouchsafe of his vnspeakeable mercy and goodnesse to powre downe his holy Spirite into our hearts that whereas by the fall of our first parents our Iudgements concerning Gods mysteries his workes and word are corrupted and therefore haue néed of direction that by the same Spirite of truth and iudgement wée may be ledde into all truth and iudgement so shall wée iudge according to his holy will Let vs also mislike our selues to the end wée may resort vnto him to find the goodnesse there which wanteth in our selues that thereupon it may please him so to gouerne vs by his holy Spirite that beyng replenished with his glory wée may haue wherewith to glory not in our selues but onely in him And teach the humble his way Text. Doct. 2 2. Doct. The Lord will surely teach the humble the way of his gratious fauour The Reason is Vnto him that hath it shal be giuen by him As the Lord hath giuen him humility which is a spirituall gift and grace bestowed vpon the elect onely whom he especially loueth as a father Psalm 103. much more will he cause him to tast of his prouidēce which extendeth it selfe in respect of sustentatiō not onely to the wicked but to euery liuing creature be it neuer so base Vse The Vse is That wee magnifie the glorious name of our good and gratious Father who so mercifully causeth vs the childrē of wrath to become his children by adoption and assureth vs without all doubting of the continuance of his fauour towards vs. This doctrine of Gods fauour towardes the humble his children is comfortable to our conscience and therefore the longer to be vrged and taught Euery man naturally séeketh to comfort himselfe some by voluptuousnesse some by worldly wealth some by
Whereas the Publican Luk. 18.13 did rightly pray vnto God casting down his eies it is not contrary to this both of Dauid Christ For although being cōfoūded with his sinnes he did cast downe himself yet did not that humility hinder him but that hee craued pardon with boldnes It was meet for Christ to pray after another sort who had nothing whereof he néeded to be ashamed For he will bring my feete out of the nette Text. Doct. 3 3. Doct. In that Dauid saith God wil plucke his féete c. wee haue to learne this doctrine That when we pray to the Lord in our miseries wée must without all doubting be fully assured that the Lord doth heare vs and at his good time he will surely deliuer vs. Ergo wee need none other Mediators then Christ The reason is He hath so promised to vs Psal 50.15 Call vpon me in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie mee Secondly who doth not so shal be frustrated of his desire Iam. 1.6 But let him aske in faith and wauer not Faith without doubting for he that wauereth is like a waue of the sea tost of the wind and caried away verse 7. Neither let that man thinke that he shall receiue any thing of the Lord. Obie ∣ ction Obiection The Apostle meaneth nothing els but that the asker of lawfull thinges may not either distrust Gods power ability or be in diffidence or despaire of his mercy but that our doubt be onely in our owne vnworthines or vndue asking Solutiō Solution Wee proue that men must pray for nothing but according to Gods wil promise and not to doubt of Gods truth in performing his promise But in respect of our owne worthines whereof al mē are void we oght to aske nothing Oecumenius vpon this text saith If hée hath faith let him aske but if he doubt let him not aske for he shall not receyue which distrusteth that he shal receiue Whē thou askest any thing of God dout not at al saying with thy selfe How can I aske receiue of the Lord anything which haue sinned so often against him Thinke not of these things but be conuerted vnto the Lord with thy whole hart aske of him without all doubting and thou shalt know the multitude of his mercies Vse The vse is That wee detest the doctrine of the Papists That in respect of our vnworthines wee should doubt of our prayers to be heard of the Lord but let vs beleeue the sacred Scriptures that teach vs If wee pray vnto God according to his holy will hee will surely heare vs if we pray in faith without all wauering and doubting Let vs put the case that a man had al things els that could be imagined and yet wanted this trust and faith in his praier surely all the rest were nothing woorth but shall bee turned into his bane What if a man laugh what if he liue in ioy pleasure what if he haue goods enough and too much what if all men honour him and to be short what if he séeme to be a pety-God here below as in a Paradise Yet if hee haue not this priuiledge of resorting vnto God with constant and full beliefe that his comming to him shall not be in vaine but that his requests shal be graunted all that euer he can haue besides shal be but a curse vnto him and an increase of his decay Then let vs marke well that it is not without fruite that Dauid bringeth vs here to the principall point of our whole life in the respect of the weale that we can wish which is that God should be at hand with vs and that wee should resort vnto him that he should heare vs and that wee should obtayne our requestes and bée helped and ayded at his hand according to our necessitie and as hee knoweth to bee conuenient for our welfare And this is not taught here onely but if wée looke vpon the whole doctrine of the holy Scriptures we shal see that men are alwaies vnhappy if GOD looke not vpon them and be ready to heare them True it is that by reason of our great dulnesse wee conceyue not so much but without all doubt if wee had but one sparke of sound vnderstanding there is none of vs but should comfortably perceyue that this Doctrine is very true So then let vs open our eies learne to enioy this happinesse know whereupon the same is chiefly grounded so as we may vnderstand that if we haue not God so fauourable to vs as we may resort vnto him with sure trust certainty that in necessity he wil be ready to help vs we be too too wretched and miserable And furthermore if wée be qualified with so excellent a gift grace of Gods holy Spirite as to pray vnto him neither sicknes pouerty imprisonment banishment persecution reproches slaunders no not death it selfe can hinder our happines For behold the remedy that sufficeth for all our miseries is that God promiseth to hold vs vp when wée are beaten downe to deliuer vs when wée are in prison to loose our feete out of the net when our enemies haue caught vs to deliuer vs in time conuenient yea and to turne all our miseries to our welfare saluatiō so as they shal be as many furtherances to helpe vs forward to euerlasting life and he will make vs perceyue that he sent not vs any thing which is not conuenient and profitable for vs. Such promises serue to asswage our sorrowes and euery one of vs may glory in thē as S. Paul saith Rom. 5.1 Then being iustified by faith wee haue peace towardes God through our Lord Iesus Christ verse 2. By whom we haue also accesse through faith vnto this grace wherein we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God verse 3. Neither do we so onely but we reioice in tribulations knowing c. We can haue no peace with God except we be assured of his loue so as the gate by it be opened for vs to haue accesse to him When we haue that once saith S. Paul wee be sure fully perswaded that we are the children of God whereby we may glory of that eternall inheritance which he hath promised vs. Obie ∣ ction But here it may be demaūded Iob 27.9 Will God heare the crie of the hypocrite whē trouble commeth vpō him how it cōmeth to passe that God refuseth a mā that calleth vpon him seing he hath promised that he wil be alwaies enclined to succour vs yea that he will not tarrie vntill he be entreated but will preuent our sute or at the least we are sure that assoone as we opē our mouth God will be ready to help vs as by the prophet Esai he promiseth vs. But in Iobs words wee sée a threat altogether contrary which is that although the wicked haue their recourse vnto God desire him to haue pity vpon them