or other that he shall neuer taste of the ioyes laid vp for the children of God In the 20. of the Acts where S. Paul giuing charge of the Church and flock of Gods people vnto the ouerseers thereof giueth this charge first Take heed therefore vnto your selues and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers to feede the Church of God which hee hath purchased with that his owne bloud The Minister must watch ouer the soules of his flocke but first ouer his owne for hee that cannot keepe his owne soule can much lesse keepe the soules of others hee that cannot gouerne himselfe cannot rule another The Minister must watch ouer the soules of his flocke so carefully and warily feeding them with wholsome and necessarie doctrine and so hungring after the saluation of all that hee must not suffer one through his default to perish therefore aboue all it is requisite that hee keepe his owne very sure Then when hee preacheth damnation vnto the obstinate and such as remaine in their sinnes thundering out the iudgements of God against them because they will not repent by that meanes to beate them downe and bring them to a sight of their miserie hee must be assured that the same belongeth not to himselfe Againe when hee preacheth of election and remission of sinnes by the merits of Iesus Christ hee must haue an assured and vnfallible testimonie to his owne conscience that he is an elect vessell of the Lord that he is redeemed by the sacrifice of Iesus Christ and that he shall enioy all the promises of the Gospell as all other children of God if hee be not assured hereof his case is worse then all other mens for in preaching condemnation to others hee condemneth himselfe and in offering the kingdome of heauen to others he quite excludeth himselfe so that hee which helpeth other out of an hole falleth himselfe so deepe into the same that it is not possible for any man to helpe him out Last of all the Minister must not onely reade and studie the word of God preach the same purely by exhorting and all other meanes that may be profitable vsing them both openly and priuately continually in season and out of season praying also for his flocke that his Ministerie may be profitable vnto them and setting himselfe an ensample of all godlines vnto them carefully watching ouer their soules but hee must also loue them so dearely that his owne life must not be deare vnto him for their sake Which tender and louing affection was in that good childe of God Saint Paul as it is manifest in his Epistle to the Thessalonians where he writeth in this sort Neither sought wee praise of meâ— neither of you nor of others when wee might haue beene chargeable as the Apostles of Christ but we were gentle among you euen as a Nourse that cherisheth her children Thus being affectioned towards you our good will was to haue dealt vnto you not the Gospell of God onely but also your owne soules because yee were deare vnto vs. So singular loue had hee towards them that they were dearer vnto him then his life this affection did hee not beare to them onely but to all the elect children of God and suffered all things for the elects sake that they might also attaine the saluation which is in Christ Iesus with eternall glory The reason thereof is because wheresoeuer the Gospell is sincerely and purely taught there bee alwayes aduersaries seeking the ouerthrowe thereof by persecuting such as professe the same to the great dismaying of the children of God who so soone as they take vpon them the profession of Iesus Christ in truth with a good conscience are straightway resisted with great combats of affliction which were able to make them forsake the faith of Iesus Christ and the profession of the Gospell if the Lord should not hold them vpright in this distresse The Apostle therefore whom the holy Ghost hath filled with all wisdome knowing that the crosse was the greatest hinderance of the Gospell that could be and also that where the Gospell was truely professed there the crosse would not be absent because by it the Lord bringeth his children into glorie of a great desire that hee had to the edification of the Church of Iesus Christ willingly suffered all kinde of afflictions thereby to confirme and strengthen the faith of Gods children and did reioyce in that hee suffered for the Churches sake for their commoditie in that by his example the Lord did not onely worke in them a greater credence and beliefe in the Gospell but such an earnest zeale also that they were readie and willing to suffer all manner of afflictions for the same and that with great ioy Whereas if the Apostle who preached vnto them this glad tidings should haue shrunke from the testimonie of his doctrine when any afflictions were laide vpon him for the same the people which were guided by him the spirit of God so prouiding would haue fallen away from the truth and euen haue hardened their hearts against it But this childe of God was so ready to confirme the faith of Gods people by these meanes when it was tolde him of a Prophet called Agabus that he should be bound at Ierusalem and deliuered into the hands of Gentiles he being intreated of the brethren that he would not goe vp who euen with teares besought the same Then Paul answered and said what doe ye weeping and breaking mine heart for I am readie not to be bound onely but also to die at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus This affection must be in euery good Minister toward their flocke that for their soules sake he shall be readie to suffer all things yea euen to giue his life for the confirmation of his doctrine the strengthening of their faith and the glory of God Our Sauiour Christ also that good shepheard refused not to giue his life for his sheepe and truely in that place of Saint Iohn he doth notably declare the difference betweene the good shepheard and the hireling I am saith he that good shepheard the good shepheard giueth his life for his sheepe but an hireling and he which is not the shepheard neither his sheepe are his owne seeth the wolfe comming and he leaueth his sheepe and fleeth and the wolfe catcheth them and scattereth them So the hireling flieth because he is an hireling and careth not for the sheepe This place teacheth vs plainely that the Ministers of Gods word must not be hirelings such as haue no care of their flocke but respect their owne profit onely and in time of daunger they will forsake them howsoeuer before they haue fed their flocke but the true Ministers must not be such they must not measure their dutie and affection towards their flocke according to their profit but he must know that he is placed ouer them to watch ouer their soules to
looke vnto Gods children in former ages Paul was sore afflicted much troubled and often imprisoned yet all this did nothing grieue him so lōg as the Gospell had good successe and the Churches flourished Therfore in his Epistles he saith often I was comforted when I heard of your faith I liue if you stand fast and such like speeches whereby he did euidently declare that he sought the glorie of God and not his owne praise Daniel contrariwise was in greart credite honour and estimation he was preferred aboue all the Princes of Persia and was second vnto the King but how did he esteeme of this honour what account made he of his authoritie Surely very little for when he saw that the appointed time of the ende of their captiuitie was not come when he saw the worship of God decayed and worne almost cleane out of minde when he saw the oppression of Gods people by the wicked heathen his heart was heauie and his soule did melt for griefe yea though he had libertie to worship God though he were free from all oppression yet did he humble his soule with fasting and was in heauinesse three weekes of dayes because Gods Church was not farther inlarged because the Temple lay vnbuilded and because his brethren the Iewes had no opportunity to cleaue vnto Gods worship This was the practise of godly men in aunciēt times This also must be our practise if our hearts be pure thus farre for the triall of our hearts by feare ioy hope and griefe in all things which we take in hand Now followeth the second part of this triall by applying it vnto times as vnto prosperitie and aduersitie If we looke not warily vnto that time wherein we liue we through the great corruption of our hearts may be dangerously deceiued For prosperitie will moue vs to praise God and trouble will make vs tremble at the thinking of him and none almost is so desperate and voyd of all knowledge which will not doe so the wife of Iob will praise and blesse God in aboundance and prosperitie and she no doubt hath many companions Pharaoh will be humbled when the hand of God is vpon him Saul will be godly when God doth afflict him and will not many doe as Saul did are not many like vnto Pharaoh Therefore if thou wilt haue thy heart pure looke vnto thy profession in prosperitie and diligently trie thine heart when thou art in trouble For thou maist seeme to feare God when his hand is vpon thee thou maist seeme to loue God when he doth enrich thee and yet thou maist proue an hypocrite at the last Take heed therefore vnto thy heart and trie it thus when thou aboundest in all things thou louest God This is well if it be in trueth Doest thou also feare him Art thou afraid to displease him Art thou afraid to sinne against him Doest thou of very conscience abstaine from secret sinne against him though no law can punish thee Art thou afraid to do wrong to any man then when he cannot reuenge himselfe vpon thee This if thou canst do thy loue is true thy prosperitie hath not deceiued thee but if thy prosperitie puffe thee vp if it breede in thee a carelesnesse of sinne if by thy might thou wilt oppresse him although he be poore cannot withstand thee then if thou hadst the loue of men and Angels it were but hypocrisie though thou seemedst to be nothing but loue yet thy heart is bewitched thy prosperitie hath drawne thee from God thy wealth hath deceiued thee O looke vnto Iob and consider his life and thou shalt see that when he flourished like the greene bay tree yet if he had sinned he durst not goe out of the doores and if the most contemptible of his family had ought against him he would haue taken the reproofe if then thou abstaine from open sinne and yet make no conscience of secret corruption if thou abstaine from those things for which punishment is appointed and yet not from those which indeed are greater though by law they be not punishable thou doest not loue God because thou fearest not to offend him he will count thee an hypocrite although thou be called a Christian. The way to remedie this thy corruption is to labour in thy trouble that thou loue God and to striue in thy prosperitie that thou maist feare God and then thy heart shall be vpright neither thy prosperitie nor thine aduersitie shall draw thee from God But what speech can be sufficient to paint out the corruption of the heart which vnto man is vnsearchable and aboue all things most deceitfull One Sermon is too too little if the exercises of weeks and moneths might be spent in one thing this amongst many would minister sufficient matter in this exhortation Take heede vnto your hearts for from thence proceede the actions of life FINIS MEDITATIONS ON PROV 14. VERS 5. 6. 7. 8. Vers. 5. A true witnesse will not lie but a false witnesse speaketh lies THE righteous man knowing that his tongue was giuen to him speak the truth wil make conscience of a lie euen in the least things But if the matter be of more weight or if it come into the place of iudgement then hee will much more heartily abhorre all lying and deceitfulnes yea then he will not bee brought to speake any thing whereof hee hath not a certaine ground As for the vngodly it is not so with them for they hauing no care of trueth in light and common matters doe soone cast off all care conscience euen in greatest and most waightie causes This agreeth with the saying of our Sauiour Christ Luke 16. 10. He that is faithfull in the least he is faithfull also in much Which may be thus particularly applied he that for conscience sake doth speake the truth in common and small matters he will also speake the truth in matters of great importance and he that is not ashamed of a lie in his priuate dealing hee will also without shame beare false witnesse before the Iudge Here then wee be taught in the least things to inure our tongues to speake the Trueth So shall wee be better preserued from false witnesse bearing for the Lord would not haue vs to dallie with sinne Therefore in his righteous iudgement he doth leaue men that make no conscience of a lie and suffereth them to fall and to offend in some open and knowne trueth Againe whereas men take great libertie in lying if the matter be secret and vnknowne the Lord doth hate this hollownes and hypocrisie of men and doth often bring it to light that by the sorrow for and shame of that sinne if it be possible they may be caused to make greater conscience of a lie for euer after Therefore if we would not haue the Lord to punish our lesser frailties with greater sinnes if we would not haue him to punish our secret sinnes and faults with open and notorious offences then
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
diuels yet God is vnchaungeable and maketh them white as snow and as he loueth vs not simply for any wel doing so he doth not cast off his loue simplie for any euil doing We must often listen to that sweete Eccho which is betweene the Lord and our consciences Sinner saith the Lord I am thy saluation Father saith the sinner thou shalt be my saluation That we may be assured hereof it pleaseth the Lord euen to admit vs into his Tabernacle of coÌ„ference and will not only let vs tread in the courts but also giueth vs a stoolâ— to sit in his owne presence before the Arke yea and not onely giueth vs a roome in his Church but also diuideth vs our portion of heauenly consolation by his Spirit truth whereby not only our soules and bodies be holden together but also we grow from glorie to glorie from pleasure to pleasure vntill wee be made perfit in his Syon 34 The heart is God his owne part and that which must goe to the Lord Now as nothing should runne to common vses which was sacrificed to the Priests vnder the Law so the heart which is the Lords title must not be freely giuen to any possession but onely in for and from him 35 As of all mercies of God this is not the least that the Lorde will not let vs thriue in sinne but vouch safeth to crosse vs and meete vs in our way as hee did with Baâ—â—â—m going into an euill way So this of all iudgements is the sorest when the Lord taking away his carefull hand from vs shall suffer vs to prosper and growe cunning in sinne so as wee can rode thorow and cut downe whole woods drie vp whole fountaines and drinke vp manie riuers and ouerthrowe euery mountaine that stands in our way And therefore God his children are quickly espied to be bungerlike workers of sinne that the Lorde may shame them in this life but the wicked knit so close a web that they goe away with art and peace vntill the Lord shame them in the day of shame 36 As many being much diseased in bodie are the more thereby distempered in their mindes So manie troubled in minde bring a disorder of nature euen vpon their bodies And none more then conteÌ„tious persons who not looking to the hand of God but to the weaknes of man doe fret too much which is only to be remedied with considering of the vilenes of our sinne of the wisedome of our God Iob did not fume against the Chaldeans but humbled himselfe before God Dauid fretted not against Shimâ—i but cast himselfe into a searching of his conscience And wee shall finde by proofe that they that are much humbled for their owne sinnes are most meeke to others as also that they who are most contentious with others are not much humbled with their owne sinnes 37 It is one thing to haue our hearts hardening and another to haue them hardened Our hearts are hardened when there is litle hope of repentance or at least hard comming to repentance our hearts are hardening when we are but in the way to the other and this commeth either by wholly refusing of good things or by some carelesse vsing of them or else by doing of euill and suffering our selues to be hardened through the deceitfulnes of sinne This deceiueablenesse of sinne is either an inarching vpon vs after some good fruite or Christian profession when hauing beene any long time well occupied wee haue not through want of feare and priuie pride the former iealouzie ouer our thoughts but wee are ready to giue some larger libertie to our first motions motions breeding consent consent producing the action the action iterated bringing a custome and custome casting vs into hardnes of heart or else it slâ— lie stealeth vpon vs by leauing our exercises of religion by little little when we can leaue off for once without any necessitie one thing and â—notâ—â—r time another vntill at the length our desire die and our good purposes lye buryed â—re we â—e aware 38 Wee may learne to suspect our wisedome in matters concerning a better life euen by the wise men of the world in things concerning this life The Physition whose Arte hath bene fruitfull to manie will not content himselfe being fallen into some sicknes with his owne knowledge but will ioyne in conference with the more learned in that facultie for his recouerie The skilfull Lawyer hauing coÌ„mendablie handled the causes and controuersies of many Clients will not in his purchase or proper case trust to his owne practise but prouideth better for the matter by taking the aduice of many men of experience in that profession and yet in the matter of saluation in the great sicknesse of the soule and purchase of eternall life wee thinke our selues wise enough and that sinne can soone be plaistered and Heauen gotten with ease as though saluation were not worth the labouring for 39 Manie are readie to doe duties and they will also require duties and though they haue not duties answered to them yet they must goe forward in duties Manie will doe no iniurie and they will suffer no iniurie yet they must learne to beare iniuries and bee readier to receiue the second then to reuenge the first It is also true that many see their owne infirmities and will not see other mens and yet they espie not so manie things as they may espie Manie thinke they doe many good things and they doe so yet they doe not many things which they may doe And one may doe many things good in their owne natures and yet corrupt them in the manner of doing and by some blemish in the affection corrupt the beautie of the whole action Manie leaue many sinnes and doe manie good things thinking that all others should leâ—ue many sinnes too and that euery one should goe foote by foote by them and yet God giueth not the like measure to euery one Many rebuke a thing rebukable and when the offenders see it not they growe impatient and yet in wisedome wee should waite for the turning of the sinner Manie will forgiue when they see a man relenting neither is it any great matter yet this is a Christian dutie in deed by faith in God to hope and waite for the conuersion of a sinner in the meane time supporting all infirmities The naturall affection of parents with their children doth by hope vse great longanimitie and why should not we then vse the same and more in Christianitie For Gods children are to put vpon them the affection of fathers of mothers and of brethren and sisters to heare out and sustaine the infirmitie of our brethren Many do duties forbeare want of duties looke to the least infirmitie in themselues not prie into the defects of others and yet cannot away to bee adn onished but if a man can sustaine the rebuke of his friend and the reproch of his enemie not looking so
as though God were not able to recouer him Now to proue this the man of God bringeth an argument only for confirmation of the doctrine immediatly going before it is drawne from the greater to the lesser This man esteemeth one day aboue another day and another man acounteth euery day alike Which reason is thus much in effect although there should be some so weake in knowledge that they should make no difference of daies in respect of their vses which vndoubtedly is a great error yet I would not that for this respect a man should count him for no Christian much lesse then must this be done to one that of infirmitie eateth herbs which is a lesse error than the other The stronger opinion is set in the first place the weaker in the last For as this is the stronger one beleeueth that he may eate all things so this is the weaker another eateth herbes as this is the worke of faith this man esteemeth one day aboue another so this is the weakenes of faith another counteth euery day alike He that obserueth the day saith Paul he doth it not without knowledge and iudgement but obserueth it to the Lord so that the Sabbath day is the Lord his day This is the strong opinion I say to distinguish one day from the residue which was vnknowne to the Gentiles who although they had many holy dayes through a corrupt imitatiō of the Iewish obseruation which they had heard of yet were they ignorant of the true day But now hearing of the Lord his day some among them began to doubt of it with whom the Apostle willeth the stronger to deale in loue In our dayes we see that because there hath bin much crying out against holy daies some also wil not stick to cry out against the Sabbath Wel if a papist in al other general points of doctrine should be truly cōuerted vnto Christ and for want of instruction doubteth of the Sabbath we are in loue to deale with him and for a season to support his weakenes How be it we must remember that the weake must not alwayes be borne with as appeareth by the Apostles words chap 15. 2. Let euery man please his neighbour in that that is good to edification So long then as the errour is of weaknes and that it is but an infirmitie in the man from which by the knowledge of the truth he would be rid and be deliuered he must be borne with But if it proceede of illusiō obstinacie of a prefract iudgement as deceiued by the diuell then he must not be borne with no not euen now a dayes nay if we be herein faultie the errour is not so tolerable in vs as it was in them in that they wanted the old and new Testament both which are so abundantly opened vnto vs. But if one truly repenting him of his sinnes faithfully beleeuing in Christ shall through ignorance be afraid of the Sabbath as of a seruile ceremonie he is so farre to be borne with as he desireth to come to the truth if he come once to be obstinate he is no longer to be borne with But how proue you that this is the stronger opiniō to esteeme one day aboue another day and that this is the weaker to count all daies alike I answere the Apostles did obserue one day and cōmended it vnto vs by their owne practise which no doubt they wold not haue done had it been the weaker part Besides it is not vnlike but a law for obseruing this day was also made by them Act. 15. and therefore it must be the stronger part And although the Iewes could not be brought from their day yet the Apostles might haue one day Againe in that the Apostle would haue none iudged that of weakenes shall not obserue the Sabbath yet he doth not onely himselfe iudge the Galathians but also as being ielous ouer them he telleth thē that he feareth their falling away because they obserued dayes and moneths and times and yeeres it is apparant that this is the stronger opiniō especially seeing that Coloss. 2. 16. he saith Let no man condemne you in respect of an holy day or of the Sabbath daies that is if ye will not vse their solemne Sabbaths of their ordinarie feasts yet are ye free and the Church must not iudge you No◠that the Apostles practised this day it is euident Reuel 1 10. where it is called the Lords day As also 1. Cor. 16. 2. Euery first day in the weeke which in an ancient Greeke copie is called the Lords day Moreouer Act. 20. the Church kept this day because in it the Lord drew light out of darknesse and CHRIST on this day rose from the dead and the holie Ghost was sent in it whether wee may call to minde in it our Creation Redemption and Sanctification And where it is commonly translated 1. Corinth 11. When yes come together in the Syriake translation it is found O◠the Lords day when yee meet Wherefore it is like that the Apostles obserued this day and therefore also it appeareth in this place which we handle that it is the stronger opiniō wherein though a man faile through in firmity he is not to be iudged Thus we see how this place maketh nothing for the purpose of them that would disanull the Sabbath but is brought in rather by the way of an argument that if a brother counted all daies alike which was a great weakenes yet should he not be iudged so farre off should they be from iudging him that of weaknesse eateth herbes which is the lesse error Here if any shall obiect that our first parents did eate nothing but herbes fruits and therefore we should content ourselues therewith I answere that their nature being in innocencie was so sound whole and perfect that they needed not other nourishments as we doe who by reason of our weaknes and frailty which accompany sinne had need of other creatures all which are pure vnto vs by the word by prayer Now if our father 's not needing other creatures for their corporall foode stood in neede of the Sabbath much more we standing in neede of our creatures haue neede of the Sabbath The second reason is taken out of Galath 4. 10. Yee obserue daies and moneths and times and yeeres 11. I am in feare of you least I haue bestowed on you labour in vaine To this I answere that we must not stand vpon the titles of letters but obserue the scope of the writer and weigh the drift of the epistle The state of the cause is this the Galathians were Gentiles who by Paul his ministerie had receiued the Gospell afterward certaine false Apostles as all the learned agree crept in who did make them beleeue that because the same ciuill policie of religion should be there which was among the Iewes besides the puritie of Christianisme went about to intermingle the superstitions of Iudaisme The Apostle therefore sheweth that Christ
can be vnderstood of Christ in whom was no sinne and therefore no rising from sinne And thus much for the places of the old testament now we will alleage those places of the new First let vs consider of the words wherewith our Sauiour Christ confuâ—eth the Sadduces Math. 22. 32. I am the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Iacob God cannot be sayd to be the God of Abraham being dead except he raise his body againe which he hath in keeping as well as his soule For he saith not I am the God of Abrahams soule but I am the God of Abraham the God of his whole man wherefore it must needes be that Abraham must rise againe Mâ—t. 25. 31. When the Sonne of man commeth in his glorie and all the holy Angels with him then shall hee sit vpon the throne of his glorie Likewise Luke 14. 13. When thou makest a feast call the poore the maymed the lâ—me and the blinde 14. And thou shalt be blessed because they cannot recompense thee for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the iust As if our Sauiour Christ should say although thou maiest think that all the things thus giuen are lost here yet there commeth a time when thou shalt reape the recompence plentifully and haue thy reward with the iust Ioh. 5. 28. 29 The Lord sheweth the resurrection of both estates and willeth them not to maruell that he should raise their soules to life which would raise their bodies from death â—8 Marueilâ— not at this saith he for the houre shall come i. the which all that are in the graues shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of man â—9 And they soâ—ll come forth that haue â—â—â— good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation Ioh. 11. Martha as we shewed before plainely testifieth of the resurrection and confesseth her faith therein Act. 3. 19. The Apostle Peter calleth this rising againe the time of refreshing a thing most comfortable for as the wearisome way saâ—ing man recreateth himselfe with his Inne at night so the godly shall surely after their troubles bee renewed and refreshed at the presence of Christ. Act. â—3 6. Paul sheweth to the Pharisies how hee was accused of the hope and resurrection of the dead And Act â—4 15. Paul protesteth his faith of the resurrection that it should bee both of the iust and the vniust which thing wrought in him as it ought to do in all a carefull conscience of well doing and therefore he addeth in the verse following 16. And herein I indeuour my selfe to haue alway a cleere conscience toward God and toward men What is more largely proued and confirmed than this 1. Cor. 15. 10. in the whole chapter throughout Besides 2. Cor. 5 10. Wee must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ saith the Apostle that euery one may receiue the thiâ—gs that are done in his bodie according to that he hath done whether it be good or euill Philip. 3. 21. it is said that Christ shall change our vile bodies the place is set downe before The manner and end of this resurrection is also set downe 1. Thes. 4. 14. 15. 16. 17. If wee beleiue saith Paul that Iesus is dead and is risen euen so them which sleepe in Iesus will God bring with him 15. For this say wee vnto you by the word of the Lord that wee which liue and are remaining to the comming of the Lord shall not preuent them which sleepe 16. For the Lord himselfe shall descend from heauen with a shoute c. The Epistle to the Hebrues chapter 11. painteth out the manifold martyrdomes of the saints and sheweth how some were racked and would not be deliuered others were tried by mockâ— and scourgings by bands and imprisonments they were stoned they were hewen in sunder they were tempted and so forth and why did they indure these things The Apostle telleth vs verse 35. That they might receiue a better resurrection than any deliuerance they could haue here Againe verse 39. These obtained not the promise that is not the accomplishment of the promises verse 40. Why God prouiding a better thing for vs that they without vs should not be made perfect for euen the first member of Christ dying many thousand yeers agoe shal not receiue the fulnes of the promise that is in bodie and soule vntill the last member be readie But of all places most excellent are these 2. Pet. 3. 10. The day of the Lord wil come as a theefe in the night in the which the heauens shall passe away with a noyse and the elements shall melt with heate and Reue. 20. 11. And I sawe a greate white Throne and one that sate on it from whose face fled both the earth and the heauen and their place was no more found 12. And I sawe the dead both great and small stand before God c. 13. And the Sea gaue vp her dead which were in her and death and hell deliuered vp their dead which were in them Now as we here haue receiued the trueth of the doctrine so now let vs see into it further by reason that as on the one side we cannot denie there is a resurrection seeing the word doth confirme it vnlesse we will depart from the faith and denie the word so on the other side when we shall see how these things are we cannot withstand it euen with reason vnlesse we be senselesse The reasons therefore which we will vse are partly drawne from God himselfe partly from the order of nature and from the creatures partly from the commodities which accompanie the trueth of this doctrine and from the inconueniences which ensue the contrarie Those proofes which are drawn from the Lord himselfe are to be considered either in his owne person simply or as we consider of him in his Mediatorship and as the second person in the Trinitie Concerning those things which are in his owne person we must obserue his trueth his iustice and his power his trueth because heauen and earth shall passe but no title of his word shall faile and his promises in Christ Iesus are Yea and Amen Wherefore whatsoeuer the Lord hath set downâ— in his word to bee done it must beare with vs that credit that it is our part with Abraham to yeeld to it though outward meanes seeme cleane contrary and with Marie to beleeue it although no visible meanes are apparant His iustice is so espoused to his trueth that whatsoeuer we haue heard out of the word the equitie of his iustice doth require both to the accomplishment of his promises in rewarding the godly and the fulfilling of his threatnings in reuenging the vngodly This we see Matth. 25. 33. where by the rule of righteousnesse he seâ—teth the sheepe on the right hand and the goates on the left Luk. 16. 23. it is set downe how the rich man being in
neede not to condemne him he hath done enough let my sitting in iudgement vpon him cease seeing he hath so straightly examined himselfe I remit all I will examine no further hee is free let him come and so let him eate and drinke Thus I say our examination must be in a iudiciall forme that is we must enquire of our selues whether we be guiltie or not guiltie worthie or vnworthie And because euery man is readie to perswade himselfe that he is worthie to beare out this point we are to trie our selues whether we haue faith and because faith hath relation to the truth and the truth must try vs which saith Cursed is hee that continueth not in euery poynt of the Law to doe it wee must search our bookes of remembrance considering what God hath against vs and examine our selues according to euery word thereof Then because we must be constrained to conclude that we be vnworthie we must in the next place goe out of our selues and faint after the righteousnesse that can make vs worthie For a man that findeth himselfe to be left in the estate of condemnation to him will seeme a good saying worthie to be receiued That IESVS CHRIST came into the world to saue sinners and to him the name of a Redeemer will be most precious And therefore at this second returne commeth to be considered of that Faith which commeth by the blessing of the Gospell whereby wee seeing our owne ignorance doe seeke wisedome out of our selues being conscious of our owne vnworthinesse and sue for obedience in the Sonne of GOD and seeing we are altogether aliants from God by reason of these things we seeke for our perfection in CHRIST vpon this condition is righteousnes giuen vnto vs. Then because the examination of this standeth in another point for that a condemned person will redeeme his pardon by a price be it neuer so great if by any meanes he be able to make it and a man spareth no cost for that which indeede hee doth loue as wee may see in the example of a vile loue of Esau who setting his loue euen vpon meate was content with the losse of his birthright to buy it if we truely esteeme Christ his death wee will giue any thing for it And truely God requireth nothing at our hands but euen that small condition Ephes. 4. 52. To be curteous one to another and tender hearted forgiuing one another euen as God for Christs sake for gaue vs. Where we see that as God hath for giuen vs so we should forgiue others â—or a man that purposeth truely to haue Christ it is little to giue â—oue that as the Godhead head wrought in loue towards vs so we must worke in loue toward others This as a necessary thing is first to be required the rather for that we escaping the sentence of condemnation and that by no other meanes but by remission which is as a bridge to escape by it were very rigorous and hard dealing we our selues hauing gotten ouer others being as desirous to come ouer if we should pull vp the bridge from them this would be too sauage euen among the heathen This point of louing others God so loueth and so accounteth of that if a man were readie to come to the Lord his immediate worship hee is content this dutie should rather be left to him vndone then that dutie should be vndone to our brethren And in the parable of the debtor we see this more effectually For so long as the debt is directly the Lords hee breaketh out into no such words as hee doth when the seruant taketh his fellow seruant by the throate saying Pay mee that thou owest So that the retaining of enmitie to our brethren doth after a sort more offend God then our offending against God himselfe This is all the Examination before hand When a man hath by due Examination found himselfe vnworthie and vnworthy in respect of himselfe then is hee to be transformed And here note a thing contrarie to our common diet Though in our ordinary foode our meate is changed into vs and becommeth of our substance not we are changed into it here in this meate I say it is contrarie we are transformed into it not it into vs so that we may say of this spirituall food as of the nature of the leauen The leauen is not vnleauened and changed into the meale though it â—eth hid in the meale but the meale is transformed into it and leauened by the leauen So may we say of this sacramentall food we are traÌ„sformed into it Wherfore seeing the Apostle saith Leâ— a man examine himselfe and so let him eate our examination must end in eating and drinking and not in abstaining They then that thought they honoured the Sacrament with abstinence they by this rule plainely dishonour it for it is saide Let him examine himselfe and so eate not so let him abstaine And the Sacrament is abused as well by forbearing hauing examined our selues as by receiuing it vnworthily The things receiued are called Bread and Wine Concerning the nature whereof better relation we cannot haue then Psalm 104. where seeing the vse of Bread and Wine to bee to nourish to strengthen and to comfort wee shall the better marke the Analogie in this The bodie of Christ represented by Bread must haue that effect in the soule which bread hath in the bodie but bread hath this effect to strengthen the body of man as appears by the cited testimonie of the holie Ghost therfore our soules by CHRIST receiue strength against sinne We reade in Genesis that Abrahams seruant returning from their pursuite had their hearts strengthened by bread which they had of Melchisedech and we know that the Paschall Lambe was to giue strength to the eaters thereof so our Sauiour CHRIST calleth vs vnto him that hee may giue vs spirituall strength for newnesse of life in the strength whereof wee must so labour for righteousnesse as if heauen were to bee purchased by our works For CHRIST his bodie is not only quickened but quickening not only sanctified but sanctifying And as in the bodie such be the humours as in the meaâ—e so in the soule in the actiue parts of righteousnes wee receiue such meate as may enable vs to labour for the kingdome of heauen This is that which the holie men did take in the Sacrament On the other side the blood of CHRIST must worke that effect in our soules which wine doth in our bodies The effect of wine is also set downe Psalm 104. but more liuely Pâ—ou 31. it is said wine is to comfort them that are in the present estate of death for such wine was ordained Then looke what the gladnesse is of the bodie after the wine receiued so there is the same analogie by spirituall comforts in the blood of Iesus Christ seeing that wee can no more goe through that absolute
we must learne that we set not our harts on these things so as our ioy in them should become either greater or equall with the reioycing in the crosse of Christ but rather that hauing wiues we be as though we had none buying as though we possessed not and vsing this world as though we vsed it not For otherwise the things of this world vanish away and therefore they are no such things as we should desire to stay our affections in them 1. Cor. 2. 2. the Apostle speaking of the like thing saith I esteemed not to know any thing among you saue Iesus Christ and him crucified purposeth not to shew that he knew not any thing else or that he would denie vnto men the knowledge of tongues learning or handicrafts for we know that he was a Pharisie brought vp in good learning at the feete of Gamaliel and how he reporteth of himselfe to speake as much in the tongues as any of the other Apostles and that he was a Tent-maker exhorting also in some of his Epistles men to get their liuings with some honest trade but his meaning is that he thought nothing worthie to be knowne or coueted no knowledge as excellent in respect and in comparison of the knowledge of Christ and him crucified And therefore whereas there were some among the Corinthians a people very famous for their learning and knowledge who pleased themselues in a conceit of their great gifts and sciences the Apostle not wanting these things protesteth vnto them that he neuer made this humane knowledge the full scope drift and foundation of his labours and that he neuer vsed them as the treasure of his heart although he could tell how farre to giue them their reuerence their due time and place in others but that he esteemed them in that measure as they stood him in stead the better to offer his seruice to Iesus Christ. Againe we must not here thinke that the Apostle knew not parents Magistrates and gouernours the gifts of men and the duties to be giuen to euery one of these but if he saw that men did glorie in themselues in their titles in their dignities then he knew them not in the flesh that is he did not esteeme them for those things but so farre he knew them in the spirit as he could reioyce that they were new creatures And therefore men must not think that for these gifts we are all in all but that the crosse of Christ is the marke we shoote at without the which all authoritie learning and knowledge is accursed of God Neuerthelesse we see it is the weaknes of iudgement to reiect all other things in themselues being the good gifts of God as our vnaduised friends haue done as though the knowledge and practise of Arts Sciences tongues and handicrafts did defile a man or as though a man were the more holie for not vsing these outward meanes But in our daies few labour of this disease of such superstitious austeritie and in our carelesse times men are not so much ouerwise and benummed in iudgement in this behalfe but most men on the contrary reioyce either as much or more in these things than in the crosse of Christ and this is the euill wherewith most men haue surfeited this is the euill whereat the Apostle striketh For though men will graunt that Christ is to be reioyced in yet their workes doe shew that they reioyce in some thing more than in the crosse of Christ and if they shew any ioy to religion it is rather done to countenance their owne gifts than to gaine any credit to Christ. How many I pray you in our daies reioyce in open wickednesse as the adulterer in his lusts the wrathfull man in his reuenging the couetous man in his riches the enuious man in his emulation and the ambitious man in his honours Why doe men learne but to get preferment why doe men so labour but to attaine to profit why doe men take such paines but in the end to reape pleasure So farre are we off from reioycing in Christ crucified that men now reioyce in open sinnes and that so manifestly as couetousnes ambition creeping vnder the cloake of vertue pleade for abilitie and maintenance for place and countenance without which as they say a man cannot doe good But these men that thus labour more for promotion profit and pleasure than to find Christ crucified and cannot find the vncomparable ioy if they were new creatures may happily carrie the face of Christians but surely by outward calling as yet they belong not vnto Christ. And what are these outward things to be reioyced in Admit that a man had all learning authoritie riches and credit are they not common as well to the wicked as to the godly are they not so transitorie and insufficient that the more a man hath of them the more he may haue doe they make the possessor the better can they keepe euill from him can they minister comfort to the afflicted conscience can they make vs reioyce in the houre of death or can they saue vs from confusion before God his iudgement seate Surely this is not in wit eloquence learning friends glorie riches and authoritie all which the wicked know better to abuse than the godly to vse but in Christ which was accursed and in his crosse which was a blessing vnto vs. Seeing it is so well did the Apostle to reioyce in this aboue all For were a man neuer so good so glorious so learned so well brought vp of such authoritie he must stoope at God his iudgement seate and there fall like a miserable caitife vnlesse he vsed these things to God his glorie and aboue all reioyced in the crosse of Christ. But now let vs see what is meant by the crosse of Christ. Some vnderstand it of the afflictions which hee did suffer for the profession of Christ because the Apostle saith in another place how he did beare about with him the marks of his sufferings in his body But this sense were too hard to be brooked that we should reioyce in nothing but in affliction albeit this is a truth that we may reioyce in those afflictions which we suffer for Christ his sake Againe the crosse of Christ taken for affliction cānot be said to be a principal cause of the world crucified to vs or of crucifying vs to the world although in some respect it may be coūted an inferior cause Further if we compare this place with other places of the scriptures we shal find it to be vnderstood of the crosse which Christ suffered for vs rather than of the crosse which we suffer for him as 2. Cor 2 2. where the Apostle laboureth to know nothing as heere he reioyceth in nothing more than in Christ crucified as he calleth it in that place or in the crosse of Christ as he speaketh in this place The Apostle his meaning then briefely is this Be it farre from me that I should chiefely
their best workes yet seeing they haue pure hearts they are happie and blessed and shall finde the good effects of their blessednesse True holinesse and true happines are neuer separated As for perfection God lookes not for it at our hands If sinne hang on vs but we would faine cast it off if we finde vnbeliefe but would most gladly get faith if we be troubled in our hearts with hardnes but are desirous of softnesse if we be humbled for that we cannot be humbled sufficiently nor get such a large heart as we would desire and expect grace from heauen let vs not be discomforted for our defects and frailties for the Lord will spare vs and be gracious vnto vs in his beloued sonne according to that worthy prayer of good King Hezekiah The good Lord be mercifull toward him that prepareth his whole heart to seeke the Lord God of his Fathers though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary Though many haue beene braullers heretofore let them labour to be peaceable though they haue beene worldly let them striue to be heauenly though they haue beene filthy let them endeuour to get chastity though they haue beene ignorant and prophane let them study to obtaine knowledge and holinesse and then they may come to the Lords table and welcome the Lord will haue respect vnto them and grant them pardon for their sinnes and supply all their wants and giue them more grace to doe their dutie in the remainder of their life and in the daies of their pilgrimage that are yet behinde ¶ Vers. 3. Surely they worke none iniquitie which walke in his waies That is they make not a trade and common practise thereof Slip they doe through the infirmitie of the flesh and subtilty of Sathan and the allurements of the world but they doe not ordinarily and customably goe forward in vnlawfull and sinfull courses In that the Psalmist setteth downe this as a part and not the least part neither of blessednesse That they worke none iniquitie which walke in his waies the doctrine to be learned hence is this that it is a maruellous great prerogatiue to be freed from the bondage of sin If there were no other reward but this yet it were a happy thing to be religious euen in this respect that we shall be set at liberty from such a seruice This point is euident from the Apostles words where he speaketh thus God be thanked that yee haue beene the seruants of sinne but ye haue obeyed from the heart vnto the forme of doctrine whereunto ye were deliuered Wherby we see that this was not the least priuiledge that they had being Gods seruaÌ„ts but indeed a matter for which he was greatly to be magnified that whereas they had beene the slaues of sinne and as base drudges at the command of euery vile and wretched lust by the vertue of the word powerfully preached vnto them faithfully receiued by them they had beene deliuered from that bondage and made the seruants of God in righteousnesse and holinesse of life and conuersation And therefore in that same Chapter verse 14. it is promised vnto Gods children as a speciall fauour That sinne shall not haue dominion ouer them It may sometimes tyrannously vsurpe authoritie in them but the strength of grace and the operation of the holy spirit of God will still diminish and at last abolish the force and violence thereof so that it shall neuer beare such sway ouer them as in the time of their vnregeneracie it did The truth of this doctrine will yet more clearely shine forth if we consider what the maister the seruice and the reward of sinfull persons are As for their maister it is Sathan For he is the God of this world and the Prince that ruleth in the children of disobedience of whom all vnbeleeuers are held in captiuitie and still imployed according to his will and pleasure Now he is a more cruell and sauage tyrant then euer Pharaoh was though he were very fierce against the Israelites exercised great tyranny ouer them yet Sathan putteth his vassals to carry heauier burdens and to toyle out themselues in baser workes then euer the taskmasters of Aegipt imposed on the poore Israelites For all impenitent sinners are in thraldome to euery brutish lust they must defile their bodies and corrupt their soules and consciences and pollute all their workes and waies when and in what maner soeuer the Diuell will haue them they must conuerse with euery lewd and sinfull companion they must runne vp and downe like drudges to follow euery vaine and base delight to pursue euery meane and trifling commodity and to hunt after euery promotion and dignity that offers it selfe vnto their view They cannot liue peaceably in the day nor rest quietly in the night as we may see in gamesters who breake their sleepe â—â— spend their time and strength depriue themselues of a comfortable estate and bring many miseries vpon themselues and their families by the ouer eager pursuite of their vngodly and vnthrifty courses It is a wofull and lamentable case that frantick persons are in that must haue euery one in the family to attend vpon them and to haue an eye vnto them least they should hang themselues or drowne themselues or get a knife to cut their throates or some way or other worke theÌ„selues mischiefe but farre worse is their case that are possest with a spirituall frenzie and led by the suggestions of Sathan who are euermore labouring to worke out their owne ouerthrow and to bring vpon themselues destruction of body and soule which is the reward that Sathan giueth them for al their paines that they haue taken in seruing him and in fulfilling the lusts of their owne wicked flesh according to the saying of the Apostle the wages of sin is death that is euerlasting death which is an vtter separation from Gods blessed presence from all maner of comforts whatsoeuer to endure vnspeakable and endles torments in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Another reason why it is a great priuiledge to be exempted from the dominion of sin is because it is a testimony that we are the sonnes of God as it is said by the Apostle Iohn He that committeth sinne is of the Diuell and whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not And why because the efficacy of the word and spirit doe restraine him there from A third reason is because that is it whereby we are made conformable vnto Christ Iesus when we are freed from the slauery of sinne we are still translated from glory to glory and haue the Image of God renued in vs daily more and more purging our selues euen as Christ is pure 1. Iohn 3. 3. This serueth for our instruction that seeing it is such a preheminence not to be a worker of iniquity therefore we should hereby fence and arme
peace as the godly whilest no trouble bloweth vpon them but so soone as the storme of temptation ariseth then the hellish waues of their fearefull torments yeeld a manifest distinction betweene their rage and the estate of the godly The very Heathen had a taste of these vnquiet brunts anguishes of spirit which they tearmed Furies which tosse a mans conscience with such continual accusations as neither eating nor drinking nor sleeping nor waking nor speaking nor keeping silence they can finde any quiet Neither is there any greater plague than this as testifieth the Wiseman in the booke of the Prouerbs Giue mee any plague sauing the plague of the heart c. No maruaile for when our reason and appetite fight one with another and there is an hurly burly within vs wee shall finde nothing to be more pretious than the peace of conscience which so commendeth vs to God that we shall finde in trouble peace in banishment our countrie in imprisonment libertie in death life What madnesse then is it to put this peace from vs and to hale towards vs as with cart ropes these direful plagues of the spirit which so torment vs in this life without repentance in death wil bring vs to hell If then by the grace of God his spirit wee would oft set before vs some serious meditation of death and thinke earnestly of our departure from hence euen as our deliueraÌ„ce out of the flesh were then at hand doubtlesse we should finde by that an approued triall of the image of that estate which we should haue if death indeede were present And if in the quietnes of our mindes on our beds at midnight we would without hypocrisie present our selues before God his iudgement seate as if Christ in that instance did appeare in the cloudes we would redeeme this benefit and peace of conscience with all the goods in the world Wherefore as the Prophet exhorteth vs it is good thus to examine our selues and not to tarrie the triall of our hearts vntil affliction commeth vpon vs but in the calme of our minds to vse this practise in trembling Let vs pray then that this may still sound in our eares that vnto them that loue God all things shall turne to the best as wee may see Iosh. 1. Psalm 1. Rom. 8. And as to them that loue all things counted ill doe turne to the best so to the wicked all things that are counted good doe turne to the worst so that when a mans conscience doth boyle with finne all his pleasures profits and glory will the further feede on him to his griefe and awake the more the troubles of his minde Contrariwise the godly in the death of Christ shall haue all their troubles so sanctified that reason would wonder to see their happie issues out of so fearfull dangers Yet we see God his promise will bring it to passe Well we see how this verse followeth of experience the verse going before as if the Prophet had said I see O Lord that they that loue the law haue good successe and whatsoeuer befalleth to flesh and blood most contrarie it is turned to their saluation contrariwise in them that feare thee not I obserue thus much how they are plagued here and there and how in their chiefe felicitie they are subiect to thy curse For as for theÌ„ that are delighted with thy law if they be rich they swell not if they abound they are not puffed vp if they prosper in name bodie and goods they are not proud but vse this world as though they vsed it not if thou callest them to a contrarie estate they are thankfull and if they want or fall into sicknes or infamie they fret not they despaire not they are not so appalled in their spirits but still they beleeue on thee they call on thee they glorifie thee euen vntill their deaths Wee shall not onely see the truth of this in the Patriarches and Prophets and Apostles and in the Primitiue Church but also in the Saints of God of late memorie in King Edward his daies who vsed their time as though they vsed it not when affliction came they neither feared nor forswore themselues but quietly suffered imprisonment banishment torment and martyrdome as the deare children of God We may call now to minde how the blessed man Dauid behaued himselfe in all his miseries and how Saul plunged himselfe in disobedience who thinking in time of God his iudgement to followe his owne wiâ— fell from sinne to sinne vntill he fell into a furie when hee began to aske counsaile of the diuell and afterward by the iustice of God had a miserable death The like we may see in the Egyptians Babylonians Caldeans and Israelites when they forsooke the Lord. In comparing these things together wee shall marke the workes of God and how they that loue not the truth in loue are plagued of the Lord with anguish distractions and terrors of minde some ending their liues in treasons some in prophanenes some in heresies some in shame and some otherwise They that loue thy law c Rom. 8. 28 We know that all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God c. This is a thing worthie of obseruation that he saith Thâ—y that loue thy law For it is an easie matter to say that wee loue God as Heretikes Atheists and the Familie of loue will bragge but they loue not with the man of God the word which is the true and onely touch stone to tâ—ie vs whether wee loue God or no. Wherefore the Apostle Iohn saith 1 Ioh. 5 3 This is the loue of God if we keepe his commandements This then must be remembred whatsoeuer loue we pretend to God we must beare it to his word and looke how little our loue is to the word so little in trueth is our loue to God And this is that which discerneth the feruent loue of the godly from the cold loue of the wicked Wherefore as the Prophet saith Psalm 16. 5. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance so hee saith Psal 119. 111. Thy test montes haue I taken as mine heritage for euer We must thinke then that this doctrine standeth in neede of our meditation and prayer to trie ourselues if wee fâ—â—re the Lord how we feare his threatnings if we loue the Lord how wee are affected to his promises and to that which he commandeth So shall wee see that the godly haue the Angels of God continually waiting on them least they should hurt their foote against a stone and though they haue many troubles yet they take no offence at them If we diligently consider how Dauid prospered whilest he continued in the loue of God what distresse in his affaires disquietnes of mind streights in his kingdome punishments in his children be felt when he began to loue carnally we shall haue a sufficient truth of this doctrine And for our example wee haue seene how they that loued God either
who so seeth not great corruptions in his heart hee seeth nothing Yet the children of God may say that their hearts are pure by Christ which by Faith purifieth them and hath wrought the death of sinne in them though some corruption remaine in their hearts This doctrine hath two speciall vses First to humble vs secondly to comfort vs. We haue good cause to bee huÌ„bled seeing that it teacheth vs that the very cause of all our sins is in our selues cannot be laide vpon any other It is our owne corruption which causeth vs to sinne whilest it giueth place to the suggestions of Sathan to the policies of peruerse men and to the temptation of our owne flesh If this corruption were not in vs no temptation should preuaile against vs if this corruption were not rooted in our hearts we should ouercome euill through goodnes Christ was free from all sinnes and voide of all corruption therfore sathan by teÌ„ptations could not preuaile against him no sathan could not preuaile against our first father vntil his hart through vnbeliefe was corrupted but we through our corruption doe yeeld vnto our temptations and therefore we are the cause of our owne sinnes That saying therefore is altogether vnsauourie which theeues and others haue often in their mouthes when they say woe be to such a man or to such a woman that euer I knew them for if I had neuer fallen into their companie I had neuer come to this stay and wofull state For albeit euill company might be a great occasion of their fall and though such men and women did sinne greatly in tempting them to sinne yet their owne corruption caused them to be ouercome by euill companie and therfore the cause of their sinne resteth vpon themselues Secondly this doctrine doth greatly comfort vs seeing â—t giueth assurance of victorie against all temptations if wee be renued in our inward man if our hart be purified by Faith and if we labour against them by flying vnto Christ. And this shall seeme comfortable indeed if we consider that euery man hath some corruption either more or lesse in his heart according to the measure of his regeneration And againe if wee consider that the diuell as a deadly enemie goeth about to ouerthrowe him and to subuert his Faith by meanes of that corruption These things if we thinke of it wil be very comfortable to know that we shall perseuer and continue not able finally to be ouercome of any temptation it will be very comfortable to know that the diuell for all his furie is like vnto that souldier which launced the impostume of his enemy and preserued his life when hee purposed nothingelse but to haue slaine him Ioseph was regenerate and when the temptations of his Miâ—â—risse came into his eare hee did fight against them fledde vnto Christ and had a good issue of his temptations Dauid contrariwise though in part regenerate and truely renued yet when the like temptation was offered he yeelded and was ouercome because he looked not vnto his heart distrusted not his owne weakenes set not the Lorde for the time before his eyes fled not vnto Christ nor fought not couragiously himselfe against it therefore in what measure we be regenerate in what measure we vnto our regeneration doe adde the feare of God for the purging of our hearts and a distrust of our weakenes to driue vs vnto Christ in that measure shall we withstand all temptations and â—s we faile in all these or in some one of these so doe we yeeld vnto temptations and so are we buffeâ—ed by Sathan If we be pure in heart and stand stedfast the diuel the world wicked men our owne corruptions and all may tempt vs yet they shall not hurt vs. They may let vs see some corruption that is in vs some sinne whereof wee haue not throughly repented of or something that is not right within vs yet if wee yeeld not vnto them they shall doe vs good and not euill they shall driue vs to CHRIST before whom wee must lay open our wounds that hee of his goodnesse may binde them vp This doctrine then as wee see doth teach vs reuerent and Christian humilitie withall it doth â—â—nister most worthie matter of singular comfort Now that wee be not deceiuâ—d herein it is requisite that wee make some triall of our hearts whereby we may be truly humbled if we finde them corrupted or we may be comforted if through the blood of Christ wee doe feele our sinnes washed away Our hearts are tryed two wayes either by afflictions and temptations or else by the motions and affections thereof For if there be any corruption in our hearts it will appeare by one of these Sure it is that as a man doth shew himselfe in troubles and temptations such a one he is indeed if troubles doe not ouerturne him if feare cause him not to fall away if temptations cannot moue him to forsake the truth or to deny his profession then verily he hath a good argument that his heart is vpright he hath great cause of comfort and reioycing But contrariwise if for feare his heart faint if for troubles he turne away if in temptation he forget his triall and betray the truth his heart is not vpright with God he is in the gall of bitternes he ought in his heart to be greatly humbled Before this time of triall come hee may thinke well of himselfe he may perswade his heart that there is great godlines in him but if he examine not himselfe if he do not streightly looke vnto his heart his vertue will proue vanitie and such godlinesse will worke his griefe There be many men which now in this time of the Gospell doe account themselues verie religious and they will beare a countenance with the best and will outwardly appeare very forward but because they resting in their profession doe not examine their heart their hope faileth them and they fall away For when the state of the Common-wealth shall be changed when religion shall be altered when the truth shall be persecuted when the Lord shall take from them the light of his word and shall suffer Sathan to tempt them with heresie then their corruption will ouercome them and cause them to beleeue lyes Likewise men that haue beene brought vp by godly parents and men that haue the companie of good men may seeme to be sure setled in sound religion but whilest they rest in these outward meanes and labour not after some inward truth their hearts doe deceiue them and in time they shew themselues to be but hollow hearted hypocrites for when the benefit of good companie is taken from them and when they light vpon wicked companie their former godlinesse is forgotten they will frame themselues vnto that companie Therefore if they be tempted vnto theft they will proue theeues if occasion of filthines or other vices be offered they will take the occasion and stay themselues with many
if a man should hold vs a cup of the wrath of a multitude or a mightie man we must say if it be possible the truth may be defended without this then let this cup passe but if it cannot be otherwise let me drinke the dregs all So that God himselfe in such cases is the author of dissention He will haue dissention hee sweareth Esay 59. that hee is angrie for that none will make dissension in taking part with the truth GOD the Father may seeme farther off But euen CHRIST the Prince of peace himselfe Mat. 10. saith I came not to bring peace but a sworde that they which consent in wickednes might sticke no longer together And Psal. 94. Dauid saith Who will take my part against the wicked That was a voyce of dissention if euer there were anie euen that which Tullie calleth the fanne of dissention Augustine saith this is nothing but a question betweene the Counsell and the Tribune they will agree with the inferiour magistrate against him that is as farre aboue him as the Counsell is aboue the Tribune Therefore when there is dissention wee must not be dismaide It is foretold Esay 5. 24. Ieremiah is faine to crie my Mother hath borne mee a contentious man The Israelites said we shall neuer be quiet till Amos be from among vs. Euen the Diuel himselfe chargeth our Sauiour Christ with it Art thou come to torment vs And the lesse dismaide shall we be if as a learned father saith first if we praied against it secondly if we haue desired to ioine peace and truth thirdly if we haue felt a mourning for that there is dissention fourthly if we be readie to yeeld a reason of that we doe fiftly and will for quietnes sake confesse a fault where there is is none They haue one great argument that it breedeth no offence so to contend This troubled manie in the primitiue Church leauing many good things vndone which otherwise they would haue done till at the last they concluded in a councell which hath bin held of all fathers schoolemen and Diuines hitherto and I pray God it may be so of vs. It is better that an offence arise than that truth be forsaken and thus much of controuersies Manie now a dayes in giuing voyces haue a pretie wise policie because it is so euill a thing I will giue no voice at all hold you content such be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neuterpassiues indifferent men that will doe neither good nor euill These are odious vnto the Lord Zephani 1. 12 If there be any man that saith I will neither do good nor bad or hath set down that rule with himselfe I will saith the Lorde seeke him out with a lanterne to a straunge iudgement They will say as it is Ps 12. Our tongues lungs are our own and therefore we may speake as we list and when we list By this they shew that they haue neither Logike nor Diuinitie The holy Ghost saith thou shalt not giue thy voice If the precept be affirmatiue it bindeth semper not ad semper but if it bee negatiue it bindeth but semper and ad semper The like precept is thou shalt be no vsurer well I will not lend at all but thou must lend and yet not lend to vsurie Thou shalt not take the Name of the LORD thy GOD in vaine Well I will not sweare at all yea thou must sweare by his Name yet not take it in vaine Thou shalt not beare false-witnes well I will beare no witnes at all yea thou shalt beare a witnes but yet not a false witnes So I will not giue my voyce at all yes thou shalt and yet not to a Rabbi or a multitude The reason hereof is because we were born to beare witnes to the truth Therefore was I borne saith Christ. Whereupon Augustine saith this belongeth to all Christians Fulgentius a good and holy father saith when Truth is indangered both he which denieth it he which holdeth his peace do betray the Truth Well it is said thou shalt not answere and therefore wee hold it not needfull to giue our witnes to the Truth except we be asked and intreated But is it not often said in the Euargelists Then IESVS answered said wheÌ„ no man spake vnto him Hereupon one said Truth demanded it in his Conscience As GOD is said in Esay to heare vs before we call vnto him so will he haue vs to answer him before he speake to vs. Psal. 5. Dauid tarieth not to defend the innocent till he be intreated taketh no reward to doe right being reaâ—ie without desiring As we haue two kindes of sinnes sinnes of omission and commission and Psal. 128. if they put but their hand to wickednesse touch it with one finger and not put to their shoulders so is it not onely vnlawfull not to doe good but also not to worke together in good And as the man that lusteth after a woman coÌ„mitteth adulterie but she is cleere so those that giue not witnes to the Truth thogh it preuaile haue to themselues ouerthrowne the Truth and those that haue giueÌ„ witnes to it thogh the Truth fall to them it standeth But that is flat without all exception He that is not with me is against me Yet some haue answered this place vnto me in priuate conference with that other place He that is not against me is with me So then if ye giue a voice and not against the Truth ye are with it Marke of whom Christ speaketh of one that was no disciple that had not giuen his name to Christ of him Christ saith If he be not against vs he is with vs. As if one be of another land if he be not against the Prince he is with him but if he be a subiect if he be not with the prince he is against him and shall sustaine the punishment of a rebell 8 If we would know what it is to peruert wee shall see it in Augustine De vera religione cap. 34. to put out of order as it were shuffling the cardes to place a deuce with a King to bring in that which should bee kept out Now what is order that the worst be subiect to the better Then those are peruerse which place the worst aboue the best which place them in great callings which are vnworthy to bee among the base people To them it is saide cease to doe peruersly None peruerts another but first hee peruerts himselfe and those that peruert themselues peruert their rules or their ends their rules as to prefer mans lawes before Gods lawes their ends as preferring temporall things as this case this gaine before eternall now and then at their leisure thinking of the chiefe end of all but preferring the other Euen as the crab going backward himselfe perswadeth al other fishes they swim wrong so these being peruerse themselues begin then to shuffle the cards then they
which we freely renounce but of the merit of his obedience and of the value of his death vnto the saluation of those that beleeue in him So shall we at once stop vp the mouth of the enemie when refusing to plead our owne cause we referre our selues vnto Christ whom we know to be the wisedome of God and able to answere all that can possibly be obiected against vs. For seeing Sathan is a wrangling and subtill Sophister it is our surest and safest dispatch to breake off all dispute with him and to send him thither where he may receiue his best answere and we need not to doubt but he that hath answered the iustice of God and cancelled the obligation that was against vs before his heauenly father will easily defeate whatsoeuer the old Serpent our accuser the diuell is able to alleage against vs. But if we cannot so auoid his assault but needs we must enter the combat with him let vs take vnto our selues that courage that becommeth the souldiers of Christ and in the name of the Lord Iesus manfully oppose our selues knowing that he which hath brought vs into the battell will both saue vs and deliuer vs out of all dangers Then if the enemie shall say that we haue no faith and therefore haue no interest in Christ we may answere that our beleeuing dependeth not vpon his testimonie it is enough that our selues doe know and feele by the grace of God that we doe beleeue As for him we doe the rather perswade our selues of faith because he saith that we beleeue not knowing that he is not onely a murderer but also a lyer from the beginning and the father of lying Now he that was neither ashamed nor afraid to charge God himselfe with vntruth will make lesse scruple to deale falsely with vs and that therefore we vtterly reiect his witnes as the witnes of a notorious and treacherous deceiuer vnworthie all credit and whom we cannot beleeue euen in the truth it selfe without danger For which cause he was so oftentimes silenced by our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles euen then when after his deceiueable manner he bare witnes vnto the truth Againe when the question is of our faith in Christ whether we beleeue in him or not we must beware that we stand not here vpon perfection of knowledge which in the best Diuines is vnperfect or vpon the perfection of our perswasion which in all flesh is mingled with imperfection It is enough for our present comfort and to the silencing of our aduersarie that we haue a competent knowledge of the mysterie of our saluation by Christ farre remoued from that ignorance and implicit vnderstanding which Sathan hath planted in the kingdome of Antichrist For perswasion also we acknowledge that partly by the corruption of nature and partly by his assaults by the grace of God it is such as the same is oftentimes assailed and shaken yet faileth not nor falleth vnto the ground but standeth inuincible against all his attempts and inuasions whatsoeuer And finally for that faith whereby we rest for our saluation vpon Christ Iesus wee glorie not in our owne strength but wee say euery one for himselfe with him in the Gospell We beleeue Lord helpe thou our vnbeleefe Foâ— if faith he as it is indeed a repose setling placing and putting of our trust and confidence for our saluation in Christ whom the Father hath sealed then we doubt not to proue against Sathan and all his instruments of infidelitie that we doe beleeue and that the weaknes of our faith which we willingly acknowledge and that remnant of vnbeleefe which yet hangeth vpon vs is so farre off from dismaying vs that it is both a warning and motiue vnto vs of great force to stirre vs vp and to set a worke by all good meanes to establish and to increase our faith when wee finde the good hand of the Lord not to bee wanting vnto vs and his eares not to bee shut vp against our prayers in which we alwaies say with the Apostles of Christ Lord increase our faith If it shall bee obiected that because wee haue not the same sense and feeling of faith which sometime wee had as Sathan himselfe could not then denâ—e therefore we haue now no faith but haue vtterly lost the same wee may answere the argument followeth not for euen in many diseases of the bodie it is so with them that haue them that they seeme little better than dead corpses and yet there is life in them which hidden for a time after is recouered and raised vp againe so it is many times with the children of God that being ouerborne and distressed with extremitie of affliction and temptation they seeme for the time both to themselues and others to haue lost the life and light which once they enioyed Yet so it is that when the tempest is ouerblowne and the gracious countenance of the Lord againe beginneth to shine vpon them the faith which was as it were hid for the time taketh life and steweth foorth it selfe and plainly proueth that as the trees when they budde in the spring time and bring foorth their fruite were not dead in the winter as they seemed to bee so the faith of Gods children springing afresh after the stormie winter of temptation declaring manifestly that it was not dead when it seemed so to be but was onely respited for the time that afterward it might bring foorth more fruite and whereas the afflicted soule desireth nothing more than to beleeue though it feele not a present operation of comfort by faith euen that desire argueth a secret sense that cannot easily be discerned together with assurance of better estate in time to come according to that of our Sauiour Christ Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnes for they shall be satisfied And that of the blessed Virgin He filleth the hungrie with good things but the rich he hath sent emptie away Also that bewailing and deploring of vnbeleefe which is found in the afflicted is not onely a stâ—p vnto their former comfrort but a certaine proofe and demonstration of the returne therof For the Lord working by his spirit in the hearts of his childrens gronings that cannot be expressed thereby assureth theÌ„ that in his good time he will heare them grant their requests And so much the more wee may bee perswaded hereof because the loue of God towards vs as it began not of vs as S. Iohn saith so it dependeth not vpon vs but vpon the truth constancie of him with whom there is no change nor shadow of change Againe the temptation it selfe from which our affliction doth arise though it haue of itselfe a most bitter and sharp taste euen vnto the wounding of our soules neere vnto death yet hath it also in it an argument of comfort the Lord himselfe out of darknes raising vp light vnto his childreÌ„ For euen by
the viewe of such iudgements 1 2 3 4 5 Diem or Sabbathum 6 7 Of vnthankfulnes Vse of the creatures Simile How God tempteth vs. Phil. 2. 14. 15. Deut. 29 21. God trieth men as well by benefits as by wants The triall of our seruice and zeale of God The Diuels obiectioÌ„ Iob. 1. Doth Iob feare God for nothing Trial of faith We are as ready to mur mur as the Israelites What it is to tempt God To sin against knowledge is a tempting of God God beares long with the offences of our ignorance To refuse knowledge is a tempting of God Dauids sins 1. Sam. 2. 1. Cor. 10. To tremble in teÌ„ptation Simile Application of doctrine how necessarie Simile Truth how great speciall arguments 1 1. Father 2. Sonne 3. Holy Ghost 2 3 Men may be compared to laÌ„dor earth Note There are three kindes of truth Note The true standard of truth Note Truth in simplicitie of speech Truth in action Truth of the Common-wealth Truth in the Church Simile Verball profession Why Truth is not found among vs. Contempt of the Worde dangerous Familiaritas parit contemptum veritas parit odium Three good mothers bring forth three euill daughters Note Charitie is true The people of Mediolanum or Millaine Amittere animas quà m Episcopum The world followes and fauours the Gospell when it brings prosperitie with it Against scorners Adde these foure sections to the chapter of Temptation Simile The cure of Witches Voweâ— Wonders Notes of diuine wonders Who be deceiued with the lying wonders of Antichrist Simile The law Morall was before Moses and obserued in the in the Church before it was written The light of the Gospell hath dispeld the mist of Popery The Lord often vseth vehement speeches to spurre our dull hearts In Rhethorike Permssio cum Catastrophe In Logicke Per obliquum ductum Why God vseth vehemencie of speech and how we must reade it Risus Dei prae omni ira Dei. quod cum risu loquitur tâ— leges cum luctu A speciall grace to be humbled by the word Wonders * So the sinne hardneth the clay but softe neth the wax Sacraments Admonition The Fathers of the first age had the word Titles giuen to the word Duo ecclesiae vbera Cum Deus aliquid dieit etfiâ—d non amplâ—us quam semeâ— dicat ea fide ac deuotione accipien dum est ac â—i saepissimè dixerit Chrysoâ—t aduers. vituper Monasticae vitae Will worship Numb 20. Obedience Good workes Three signes of good works 1. Word 2. Faith 3. The end Gods glorie On whom to conferre our well doings Protestants most bouÌ„d to good workes 1 2 3 Motiues to good works 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Perdere beneficium dare non dare perdere We must doe good though it seeme to be in vaine Good works Scôtos tò exóteroâ— Amartimata exótera Extreame sinnes goe into extreame darknes We must doe good to all men 1 2 3 To doe good duties to the soule 4 Conferre this chapter with the sermon of zeale in the third part True zeale the properties thereof Conferre this with the 3. sermon of zeale the third part The recompence of true zeale Note Properties of true zeale 1 2 Zealous in a ceremonie in principall points as cold as ice Two rules 2 Hypocrisie vncased A third Rule A true triall of our zeale A fourth Rule Good notes of true zeale How to be grieued for the sinnes of others A fift rule Prouision for the Ministerie The cause of many 〈◊〉 contemâ—â—â— in the Church A sixt rule Anâ—er aâ—â— sorrow 〈…〉 be ten 〈…〉 toge 〈…〉 Coâ—s 〈…〉 mens ag 〈…〉 sinne Note * The old heretikâ—s Virtus est medium vtrinque reductum 2 Psal. 32. 1. Psal. 103. Simile Order Praeposteratio annihilat actum 1 Sterile officium Non facienduÌ„ quia multifaciunt sed quia bonum Vt bonum faciaÌ„ an bene satis mihi suÌ„t pauâ—i satis vnus satis nullus Augustine Si poteÌ„tiores faciunt non faciam quia faciunt sed gaudeo quia faciunt H◠ô theò◠ekathárise su mè koinou Touto gar esti to thélema tou theou ho agiasmos humôn Meanes for the sanctification of the Sabbath 2 Guides 1 2. 3. 3 4 1 2 3 4 * Visito poto cibo redimo lego rolligo condo * Corrige fuade doce solaâ—e remitte fer oâ—â— The Sabbaths vse Punishment for the breach of the Sabbath Recreations Sabbaths rest Sabbath a signe Nostri iuris Excommunication How dangerous to despise the censures of the Church Psal. 19. Discretion necessarie in discipline 1. King 9. Oratorious periods in preaching Patrones of Churches falsely so called Negligent Pastors Shame how to discerne it Impudencie of our times Obiection Answere 1 Two notes of Gods anger in exercising vs after sinne with shame 2 A secret hiding of sinne Sabbath Rom. 3. 28. Popish perfection Puritans be the old Catharoi and the Paepists Apt similitudes in scrip ture sorting and fitting all callings to instruct all degrees concerning Gods kingdome To stirre vp our owne drie and barren hearts considering and viewing the fruitfulnes of the ground Ioh. 15. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Matth. 3. To trie the hart whether it be barren Foure signes 1 1. If our eares hearts lie common for passengers 2 2. If we be not busie to driue away bad and corrupt affections 3 3. No blessings better vs. 4 4. The preaching of Gods worde discernes it to be fallow SathaÌ„s policy 1 3 1. Cor. 7. 4 Luk. 8. Mark 4. Matth. 13. 5 Matth. 7. Regeneration To leaue sin to repent of sin differ Opus operatum 1. TeÌ„ptation 2. TeÌ„ptation 3. Exercises of religion 4. Comfort discoÌ„fort 5 False feare 6. To discerne the spirit 7. Carnall securitie 8 Complaining 6. Disputation 10 Punishment 11 Not to distrust Gods helpe 12. Secret thoughts and speeches 13. Enuie 14. How to be affected in others weale woe 15. Crosses with blessings 16. Want of an outward blessing 17 Calling 18. Motiues vnto prayer 19. Sinne. 20. Iustification and sanctification 21 The bloud of Christ must be sprinckled by the holie Ghost in our heart Christ fastiÌ„g and prayer 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Note well this rule 20 21 22 23 24 Simile 25 A sweete Prayer 26 27 28 A sweete counsell 29 Friends not prâ—fiting in godlinesse 30 False feare Gal. 2. 20. In temptations striue to stand in faith and not to yeeld to the aduersarie Our corruptioÌ„ desires delights in the meanes we cannot haue Blindnes of mind hard nes of heart Many false perswasions come to the weak for waÌ„t of sound iudgement 1. Cor. 10 13. Esay 63. 15. Esay 59. 10. Esay 38. 14. Psal. 51. 10. The feelings of the faithfull in temptation lost Two kinds of hardnes of heart 1 Not perceiued nor felt 2. Perceiued and felt B. of 2. sorts 1. of purpose to resist good motions 2. Securely negligeÌ„tly to lie in sinne * or discerned The second kind of hardnes of heart not felt Note the difference between perceiued felt 2. kinde of hardnes perceiued felt is of two sorts Esay 63. A troubled conscience perswaded his sinne is pardonable but yet not feeling it is pardoned yet it may be God hath pardoned it as we see in Dauid Satan driues the faithfull in their teptations to be weary of yea sometimes to refuse the meanes The prayer of Christ belongeth to vs as well as to the Apostles 10. 17. Heb 13. Rom. 7. 2. Cor. 1. 23. There may be faith with out feeling Psal. 51. 3. 10. Vers. 11. Vers. 12. Sathan and melancholie disquiet afflicted soules Psal. 51. Esay 17. 19. Esay 11. 6. Leuit. 5. 15. Numb 15. 38. Ignorance and error differ Gods childreÌ„ may fall after their calling into many foule faults Exod. 24. 6. 7. Esay 1. 10. 11. Vers. 8. Esay 31. 6. Esay 63. 10. Esay 63. 9. Iere. 31. 18. 20. Psal. 50. 5. 22. Psal. 89. 30. 1. Ioh. 2. 2. 1. Cor. 1. 6. 7. 1. Cor. 3. 15. 2. 3. 1. Cor. 10. 7. 13. Psal. 19. 13. True humilitie proceedeth from faith 2. Cor. 1. 4. The testimonie of the spirit The nature of faith Maâ—k 9. 24. Matth. 17. 2. Colos. 2. 10. 1. Cor. 1. 30. Rom. 8. 34. Rom. 5. 19. 2. Cor. 5. 21. 2. Cor. 1. 20. Coloâ— 1. 19. Rom. 8. 1. 1. Ioh. 21. Dispute not with Sathan intemptation Whether we haue faith or not Ioh. 8. 24. 25. Mark 2. 24. Act. 16. 18. A desciption of faith 2. Tim. 1. 12. Simile Simile The afflicted desireth to be leeue cannot discerne his estate Matth. 4. Ioh. 5. Temptation what it may teach vs. Simile Resistance in temptation a sure signe of faith and grace Remedie in temptation 1. Dispute not with Sathan 2. Exercise prayer reading 3. Be painfull in the workes of thy calling Faith proued by the fruits Psal. 77. 6. Psal. 119. Iob. 31. Rom. 3. 28. Rom. 8. 10. Ioh. 15. 2. Rom. 7. 17. Rom. 6. 2. Death the complement of mortification Loathing of this life c. Phil. 1. 21. Comfort froÌ„ the exercises of pietie The hearing of the word Prayer Praising of God Sacraments Simile To record our faith and comforts past Heb. 10. 32. 34. Iob. 29 3. Psal 77 6 12. Psalme 23 all Rom 8 16. Rom â—1 29. Ioh 13 1. The testimony of the spirit of adoption better theÌ„ the testimony of men and Angels Simile An eclipse of faith In teÌ„ptations how we conspire with Sathan against our selues 1. Pet. 5. 9. 1. Ioh 5. 4. Ephes. 6. 16. CoÌ„mfort froÌ„ the benefits of this life Rom. 8. 28. A speciall fauour of God to haue his faithfull seruants to pitie vs in our afflictions Matth. 18. 18. Esay Iam. 5. 15 Vers. 41. Ioh. 20. 23. How Gods faithfull Ministers binde and loose 2. Sam. 12. 13 Notes out of Iob. 33. 23. for the comfort of the afflicted 2 3 4 5 Ephes. 3. 18. 6 7 Apoâ— 7. 18. 14. 13. Against the doubt of election Deut. 29. 29. 3 4 Iob. 31. 5 6 7 Phil. 2. 13. Luk. 23. 42. The afflicted conscience like the couetous man Phil. 3. 11. Phil. 2. 13. 2. Pet. 1. 10. He that beleeueth maketh no hast
Wherefore we must needes see and confesse that either hee was very vile and wee very holie or he most holie and we very vile Shall we hope to attaine this without vsing the like meanes Did not hee attaine to Knowledge without so many meanes and shall wee attaine to it with vsing of no meanes Shall wee thinke the Lord will be more partiall with vs than he was with his beloued Prophet Did not the man of God obtaine without asking often and shall we obtaine without asking at all Shall he crie and call pray and complaine watch and wake to get vnderstanding and shall wee slugge and doe nothing Or did it more appertaine to him to doe these things or doe they lesse concerne vs seeing he did them for our instruction The holy Ghost hath for no other end blessed the commendation of so good men to vs then for a type of godlines which we must follow and wherby he vouchsafeth as it were to open heauen gates for vs and to giue vs accesse to the treasures of heauen Surely it was not for any profit of the Prophet himselfe who did it but for all posteritie to come to put vs in minde of our corruption to shew how we should striue against it Wherefore it standeth vs in hand more carefully more frequently more feruently to vse prayer if euer wee will hope for the like graces For the Lord hath promised that if wee knock on this sort the doore of knowledge shall be opened if we seeke wisedome on this sort wee shall surely finde her if wee craue vnderstanding with this affection and alaâ—â—â—â—e we shall receiue plentifully We must then in our behalfe know that wee must knocke and that instantly we must seeke and that carefully we must aske and that diligently with an holy importunitie Away then with our old drowsines God will not bestow his hidden secrets his treasures his mysteries his iewels vpon them who vouchsafe not to aske them For seeing the things which he promiseth in his word be no small things but such as the eye hath not seene the eare heard tongue expressed nor heart conceiued shall we thinke to come to them by shutting our eyes by making dull our eares by closing vp our mouthes and hardning our hearts Surely no. Behold then this vehement praying of the man of God for a president for vs to follow But why should the man of God here pray for vnderstanding had he not often prayed for it before was he a nouice in knowledge being a Prophet doth not our Sauiour Christ reprehend repetitions and babling in prayer True it is our Sauiour Christ doth reprehend that babling which is without faith and knowledge and a feeling of our wants but he speaketh not against these serious and often repetitions which proceede from a plentifull knowledge abundant faith and liuely feeling of our necessities Againe although it cannot be denyed but he was a man of God and had receiued great graces yet God giueth knowledge to his dearest Saints in this life but in part and the most which we see and know is the least thing which we see not nor knowe Besides when wee haue knowledge and knowledge must be brought into practise wee shall finde such difficulties such wawardnes such forgetfulnes such wants that although we haue had with the Prophet a very good direction in the generall things of the word which are vniuersall and few yet we shall finde many distractions in our practises which must bee particular and many and wee shal either faile in memorie by forgetfulnesse or in iudgement by blindnes or in affection by dulnes So easily may we slippe when wee thinke we may hold our iourney on Wherfore the man of God through that examination which he tooke of his heart and affections seeing those manifold streights and difficulties prayeth in the verse following not for the renuing of men in generall troubles but for the hindring of his particular estate and condition Vers. 170. Let my supplication come before thee and deliuer me according to thy promise WEl now if we only coÌ„sider those former causes we shal see that here is no vaine repetition and that in nothing this prayer was made too often For besides that as we said we know here but in part we forget also that which we know and wee cannot practise that which we remember so that it is a rare thing to haue a good iudgement but rarer when wee haue a good iudgement to haue a good affection and most rare when wee haue a good iudgement and a sound affection to haue them still For wee haue not in vs any indwelling righteousnes Againe as it had not been sufficient for vs to haue had light heretofore and not to haue it now or hauing it now vnlesse we haue it hereafter so it is requisit for our life which we hold in Christ that we haue not onely had iudgement heretofore vnlesse we haue it now and it is not sufficient to haue it now vnlesse we haue it hereafter For they that thinke their iudgement is perfit enough and their affections holy had no need to haue Christ to be their schoolemaster who teacheth the simple and ignorant they that are whole need him not to be their physition who came not to cal the righteous but sinners to repentance But God his children seeing their ignorance and corrupt affections euen by experieÌ„ce the schoolemistresse of schooles know how needful it is daily to craue knowledge and continually to labour for a good conscience On the contrary part who so bolde as blinde bayard who so loftie as hee that vnderstandeth least who so proud as hee that hath but slender knowledge But surely the children of God who are conscious still of their deadnes dulnes in heauenly things would euen haue despaired had they not seene the same in the Saints of God before them and had they not receiued from God this holy Psalme both for a patterne of godlines to their instruction and also for an example how they might be rid from their ignorance deadnes dulnes and how they might be comforted when after much striuing and shaking them off they returne to them againe to their consolation For when we see that the Saints of God before vs haue had such fightes not onely with corruptions of ill iudgement and corrupt affections which they had of nature but after they haue beene renued by knowledge and therewithall consider that by prayer alone they haue bene reuiued we are assured and comforted that if wee continue and renue our prayers GOD will continue and renue his graces in vs. Thus we see as well to our consolation as instruction that the Saints of GOD were not onely not safe from presumptuous sinnes but also they laboured to see the errors of this life and also desired to bee rid from the daungerous and sluggish sinnes of prophane professors who will see nothing at all According to thy Word These wordes will beare
a double interpretation for either the meaning of them is giue me vnderstanding which is according to the prescript truth of thy holy Word or else according as thou hast promised in the Worde to them that by prayer aske it of thee But because this latter sense comprehendeth the former I more willingly embrace the latter For if God helpe vs according to his promise it is doubtles according to his word for hee promiseth nothing which is not agreeable with his word Besides this may be prâ—ued by that wich is added in the verse following where hee saith according to thy promise Now in that he repeateth the same thing he sheweth that certainly God hath promised to helpe and relieue his necessitie Neither must we thinke that this promise was made to Dauid alone who alone had not such infirmities but hee speaketh as a member of the Church for the promise appertaineth to the Church to all in the Church vniuersally Howbeit looke what the Lord had promised to all generally he applieth to himselfe particularly For we may see both in this Psalme Port 17 2. The entrance into thy word sheweth light and giueth vnderstanding to the simple as also Psal. 19. 7. The testimonie of the Lord is sure and giueth light to the simple that the promise is generall and as well appertaineth to vs as to him So that the meaning of this latter part is nothing else but this as thou hast promised to giue knowledge to them that seeke it so Lord giue it mee for I thus seeke it Thus we see how needfull it is to haue knowledge of God his word seeing none obtaine but they that pray according as God hath promised in his word according to that Ioh. 5. 4 This is the assurance that we haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his will hee heareth vs. Ye aske saith S. Iames cap. 4. 3 and receiue not because ye aske amisse We must not pray then for euery phantasie and for euery grace that commeth into our minds but for those things for which we are taught to pray according to the word But how can we doe this without knowledge how should we pray to him in whom we haue not beleeued or how should we beleeue in him whom we haue not knowne Whosoeuer then will pray aright must pray in faith and he that will pray in faith must also pray in knowledge Againe we are heere to obserue thus much that whosoeuer he be that will be directed in singular actions he must acquaint himselfe with the particular knowledge of the word Wherefore let vs learne to vse often reading hearing and meditating of the word and with often reading hearing and meditating let vs vse often praying applying and examining of our selues that we may both seeke vnderstanding in knowledge and the obedience of it in our affections For often reading hearing and meditating bring ripenes of iudgement often praying applying and examining our selues bring quicknes of our affections We shall see then for often praying the Lord will driue vs to it with often giuing of his graces with the giuing of his graces he will giue necessities with the giuing of necessities he will often giue occasions to set forth his glorie How shall we pray now without iudgement or how shall we meditate without knowledge Wee must often heare for knowledge sake we must often meditate for conscience sake For as we cannot haue profit in the generall knowledge of a thing without particular meditating of it so can wee not meditate without some troubling of our minde vnlesse we doe it of iudgement no more then not hauing knowledge we can pray without great turmoyling and troubling of our minde Thus we must ioyne all meanes together as first by conference wee must labour for knowledge to make our knowledge more effectuall wee must ioyne meditation and that both knowledge and meditation may be sanctified we must vse prayer Let my supplication come before thee and deliuer me according to thy promise Here he prayeth to bee rid from these streights and encombrances which did hinder this vnderstanding of the word which hee desired For whereas some vnderstand it of outward and common troubles I thinke by those things which goe before and comparing it with those things that follow after that he meaneth that deliueraÌ„ct which might rid him from those things which are contrarie and preiudiciall to the things before prayed for that so both being enlightened with true knowledge and deliuered from all blindnes hee might praise God more freely and liberally both for his vnderstanding and for the escapes of those distresses perplexities doubts and ignorances of his mind And thus considering that he prayeth to obtaineÌ„ the good things and to be deliuered from the contrarie euill things let vs consider of that which followeth According to thy promise If wee will obtaine any thing of the Lord wee must first vow thankfulnes and as we be suiters we must be thanksgiuers as we be suppliants wee must be plentifull in prayses to the Lord. For this is the end of our creatioÌ„ this is the end of our redemption this is the end of our sanctification this is the end of all our praying and obtaining euen plentifully to praise the name of our good God Vers. 171. My lips shall speake praise when thou hast taught me thy statutes AS wee learne now that the end of all Gods blessings is thanksgiuing and vnlesse wee purpose and will performe this we must neuer looke to obtaine any thing in fauour so we are also to learne that before God teacheth vs from aboue we are as tonguetide and cannot pray before he by his spirit doth instruct vs we caÌ„not once speake of his word This he sheweth both in the first portion and seuenth verse I will praise thee with an vpright heart when I shall haue learned the iudgements of thy righteousnes and in the second portion where after he hath prayed to be taught in the statutes he promiseth with his lippes to tel the iudgements of the Lord. We cannot then blesse God before he instruct vs. When the Lord rectifieth our knowledge with cleere iudgement and renueth our hearts with holy affections wee are most readie to praise the Lord according to that in the Psalme Lord open thou my lippes and my mouth shall shew thy praise And Rom. 8. 29. The spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee knowe not how to pray as we ought c. Wherefore if wee liue to eate to drinke to sleepe and not to praise God we liue no better than bruit beasts or rather worse for they praise God in their willing seruing of mans necessities and according to their kinde in their waies But man to whom the Lord hath giuen eyes to looke to heauen eares to heare his word speech to sound his praises a mind to conceiue his glorious works and blessed word seeing he hath these gifts aboue beasts it is certaine there must
pay him truth The third respect why the Lord will haue truth is because it is a thing most concerning vs and comforteth vs in the agonie of a distressed cōscience For in this case mercie cannot so comfort vs for God hath iustice as well as mercie and hee is iust as well as he is mercifull and for Christ he cannot comfort vs for he is not giuen to all and it may be not to thee and therefore in these two onely there is no comfort But to challenge the Lord his truth is best and his faithfulnes in giuing Christ whom he hath promised is our chiefest hold and nothing can put vs beside it This is the surest tenour of our saluation because by this we hold whatsoeuer we hold and howsoeuer we are defectiue in other things yet in respect of truth we must make much of it Thus in these respects that truth is the diadem of the Lord in respect that Sathan doth so assault it it is the tenour of our saluation it is sure that it is a pension to bee paid But to come neerer whether this truth be in vs or no we see the earth it selfe is not only true but liberall to vs. And as it hath truth and mercie so knowledge is in it too for it knoweth al times and seasons When to receiue when to returne it shewes it selfe a cunning Scholler and it keepes such a comely course in all seasons as if it had perfect knowledge and this is another reason why wee must labour for truth We may well be compared to a land For though there be a soule in vs of the substance of heauen and comming into our bodies made of earth should make them like to heauen and so heauen should lift vs vp to heauen from the earth yet our bodies which by the soule should be more heauenly haue so weighed down heauen as it were to the earth pressed downe the soule to things below That we haue set earth as it were aboue heauen in all our attempts and imaginations and so our soules are become a very ground and land for all our intent being earthly we are iustly called earth 3 There are found out three truths First The truth of life which euery man must labour for The second is The truth of Iustice which is in Common-wealths The third is Truth in doctrine and religion which is in the Church For that truth of life which ought to be among men that we may better vnderstand it wee will shew it in measures and weights In a measure there is a Standard and in weight there is a Seale and if our measure be equall with the standard and if our weights be iust with the seale so as they be neither lighter nor heauier than the standard weight our measures and weights are true Now to applie these things the maine and standard truth is set downe Ioh. 17. Thy word is the truth Then here is the point the word is trueth If our thoughts bee agreeable to this standard and then our tongues be agreeable to our harts well agreeing to the standard if our doings agree with our tongues then comes sinceritie of heart simplicitie of speech and constancie of life Now here is the question then whether the conclusion wee make in our braine be equall with the standard or else our hearts are false and they being false our tongues are out of rule and our outward life can neuer be true For surely if the word haue not taught vs our truth wee haue no truth in the world and then wee truly measure all things according to the truth when we esteeme all things as the word doth esteeme them looke what conclusions the word hath set downe of the world and of other things that must be our conclusion and principle in euery thing Phil. 3. Paul who doubtlesse knew the truth and deliuered nothing but measured by the standard of the truth hath this conclusion that to winne Christ he would lose all there was nothing so glorious in the world but he counted it riffe raffe for the attaining of Christ. This is then the first thing to doe al things by the analogy of the word and then we shall haue but one heart not a heart and an heart Otherwise wee shall be as deceiueable as the vineyard that Esay speakes of whereof grapes were looked for but it brought foorth wilde grapes And because men haue worldly conclusions and the world not the word is their standard so that they are resolued of their principles speaking thus secretly in their hearts We will keepe this gaine and profite they haue lost the truth So must it be in the simplicitie of our speech for vnlesse our words bee according to our hearts we delude our selues For if in the Church we shall haue an Amen a great praising of heauen and a large cursing of sinne and yet no regard of this simplicitie all is but an illusion When men shall publikely sing out of the Psalmes that nothing is more precious than the word of God and yet wee set by nothing lesse this is plaine mockerie to beare the world in hand that we loue the word and yet our thoughts are more large and deepe and attentiue to the world So that wee haue false hearts and dissembling words and truly though we dare not shew this to the world and though in our hearts wee care not for a Sermon once in seuen yeeres yet if wee were asked how wee stood affected to the word what great credit and commendations would flie out of our mouthes But now let vs come to the truth of our actions in stedfastnesse of life that a man may bind on our word the ouerthrowing of our liues doe so much drowne the voice of our mouthes that whatsoeuer we protest in word wee spoyle in our workes The blood of Habel was an action and it cried vp to heauen our Amen in our mouthes is drowned by the blood of our actions crying so loude before the Lord. For our actions bewray men for there is such wringing going ouergoing and incroching that there is no Truth in our liues in respect of the concordance of the tongue And whatsoeuer their bonds are we must haue other forfeiture vpon forfeitures to proclaime their falsehood to the world Now come to the Truth of the Common-wealth wee see as the Prophet saith Iudgement is turned in to Worme-wood that is a man had as good eate a hand-full of Worme-wood as haue our cause pleaded in the Courte Let Noble-men be neuer so wise to open the Truth yet the Diuell hath made many wiser in breaking of the Truth then any can be wise in setting it downe It is knowne too well that many grieuances haue beene for that men haue growne more cunning in ouerthrowing of Iustice then manie haue bene able to establish Iustice. But euery man would be content to beare this burthen because it concernes another Courte But
what say you to the Truth of Religion that is among vs why our Doctrine is sound enough that needes not to be spoken of No Yes surely very needfull it is to speake of it Truth indeede runnes about the Church-walles for eares and goeth about the Pillars but it findeth no nearers and as the wise man saith he that hath a Treasure in store and not in vse is as though he had it not so we may say of our Age men haue a little knowledge but for want of vsing it they are as though they had no knowledge and seeing wee hide our knowledge if wee haue it and we cannot speake the truth at our going in and our going out as men are charged by Moses wee cannot be said to haue the truth So in a second degree Paul would haue vs vse the world as though we vsed it not surely had hee made his wish of the Truth as hee did of the world hee had surely had it All our knowledge is a knowledge of the braine it is not a knowledge of the hart for it neuer makes vs set lesse on the score of sinne yee shall see this plaine wee know that fire will burne and because wee know it indeede by no paine almost can wee be brought to put our finger in the fire and doubtles if wee were perswaded that sinne would burne vs as a fire wee would not so easily put our hands vnto it And I would know if a man had a rule or gold-weight whereby he might measure his timber weigh his mettals and yet he neuer vseth either his rule or his weights what good it would doe him Talke of religion and begin to speake of the word and you shall haue manie that will holde you talke a whole dinner time or halfe a day and looke into their liues and common course of their conuersation and they wil falsifie whatsoeuer they haue said so they haue a thing but without all vse of it There is yet another thing mentioned Ephes 6. and that is a gyrdle of Truth it must be tyed to vs but our truth is not gyrt to vs it sitteth not close to vs it will easilie be shaken off from vs if the Crosse come and persecution shake vs a little wee can easily shift it off 4 A man would not willingly dwell by an euill nature and hatred will driue any man a way Truth is hated among vs and no maruell though it delight not to be among vs. If a man should take vpon him to plucke vp an olde-hedge and to admonish one of sinne straight way one Snake or other will bee ready to hisse at him and to sting him for his labour They that should looke to vs are hated and if a man be so bold as to tell a man of his fault he shall haue a rebuke for his paines with this scoffe or the like this is one of the wise generation which can telll the truth so cold an occupation is it to tell the truth So that we are not onely culpable for not hauing Truth but because we haue driuen Truth out of the Land It would grieue me to name mens sinnes herein but yet your selues know that a man will sell credite Faith and all that he hath to set Truth out of the way and shall wee thinke then that Truth hath any heart to dwell among vs seeing wee sell it for two-pence or a groate nay for a paire of old-shooes But let vs know seeing that CHRIST hath pronounced himselfe to be the TRVTH hee hath made these men that sell the Truth guiltie of the sinne of Iudas they sell Christ not for so much but for halfe so much nay for a quarter so much as Iudas sold him For CHRIST is TRVTH and CHRIST is solde 5 Contempt and hatred ouerthroweth all estates if either the Law be contemned or the Law-giuer hated And as in Kingdomes so it fareth for this point in the Church if the law of God be not esteemed then the iealousie of the Lord of Hostes will surely either take away his Law or punish the abusers of it The cause of contempt commonly as they say is familiaritie Familiarity breedeth contempt Indeed the wise men of the world noted that there were three excellent mothers which brought forth three very euill daughters The mothers are these first Familiaritie which is the high pitch of friendship brings vp contempt so the more we enioy the thing loued the viler it growes in our eyes Secondly truth breeds hatred The third is peace and that is the mother of idlenesse and securitie So that whatsoeuer is free in vâ—e once that growes vile as Manna though it were a verie precious thing did in the eyes of the Israelites Yet we must know that albeit somtime these issue from these mothers yet they be not their natural daughters The naturall child of familiaritie is not contempt but it commeth of our corrupt nature which is cleane opposite to the nature of God For as the nature of God is so perfectly good that he doth turne euen very euill things to very good things as the malice of the Iewes in putting his Sonne to death to be a meane of our saluation so our nature is so absolutely euill that it turnes very good things into euill Wherfore retaining this foolish axiome of vanitie that nothing is precious but rare strange things it commeth not of the nature of the thing which is still good but of our nature which no more esteemes it In the first of Samuel it is said the word was precious in those daies which was because it was rare for they accounted highly of Samuel because they had no Prophet long before but we must not doe so neither in other things doe we so Doe we in naturall things contemne the sunne the water and the fire because they be vsuall we doe not Then surely naturally we contemne not a thing for familiaritie but the cause of contempt is the ignorance of the vse of the thing and therefore no doubt as we doe not contemne the sunne the water the fire because we know and are perswaded of the true vse of them so therefore we doe in long vse contemne the word and prayer and sacraments because we know not the necessitie and the vse of them Whensoeuer then we begin to be cloyed let vs know the nature of a sinne doth begin to grow in vs not that in the long vse of the word we are so full of knowledge but for that we know not the vse of it and therefore like swine we leaue the pearle and goe to the shels Greatly therefore are we to pray against this Concerning hatred when the pearles are contemned the Ieweller is wrathfull and when the word is despised the Lord is surely displeased for which cause good men feeling their spirits to grow hot at the sight of such contempt and the contemners seeing themselues to be drawen out