from the secrete and malicious conspiracies treasons and trecheries of vnnaturall subiects and from the sauage cruelties of forraine foes doo giue sufficient cause not only to vs but euen to the enemie also to say That there is no God that can deliuer after this sorte but onely the Almightie that hath established her All these benefites O Lorde wée confesse doo procéede from thy goodnesse and from thy mercy toward vs. To thée belongeth praise and honour and power but to vs shame and confusion Yet grant vnto vs good Lord that we may both receiue these thy benifits thankfully and that we may performe our duties accordingly Increase her daies continue her gouernment defend her from her enemies keepe her in thy feare and after this life grant her all happinesse euen to rule and raigne with thée for euer among the blessed soules Grant also to vs that we may haue the benifit of thy truth and Gospell long among vs and that thy blessings of peace and prosperitie may be séene in this land So shall we be bound more and more to praise and magnifie thy name for thy great and infinit goodnesse towards vs For her Maiesrie and for vs thy seruants and her faithful subiects thus we conclude our praiers O Lord blesse and kéep vs O Lord make thy face to shine vpon vs and be mercifull vnto vs O Lord lift thou vp thy countenance vpon vs and giue vs thy peace All which benifits and blessings we begge of thée O heauenly Father for Iesus Christ his sake in that forme of prater which he himselfe hath taught vs saying Our Father c. A secret Meditation to God before the deliuery of the word LEt the words of my mouth O Lord and the meditation of my heart be alwaies acceptable in thy sight Set thou a watch before my mouth and so kéepe the doore of my lippes that speaking before this congregation assembled here in thy holy name I may specially intreat of those things which tend to thy glory the good of thy Church the discharge of my dutie the comfort of the afflicted conscience the euerthrow of sinne and the aduauncement of vertue through Iesus Christ our Lord. So be it I. D. A publque forme of Praier O Most mightie God most gracious and mercifull father we stand before thy maiestie defiled with the filthinesse of many and most gréeuous sinnes whereof we confesse we are not able to answere thée one of a thousand if thou O Lord shouldst enter into iudgement with vs. For in sinne were we conceaued and borne and therefore are guiltie of originall corruption and in sinne haue we liued and continued and therefore stand guiltie of actuall transgression which hath broken foorth vppon vs in thought word and déede from time to time continually euen vnto this present Wherefore we humbly craue thy mercy and the grace of forgiuenesse in Iesus Christ for therein we confesse standeth the only hope of our comfort and welfare And forasmuch as it hath pleased thée to giue thine owne sonne to be a flaine sacrifice for our sinnes and to offer the grace of reconciliation by the preaching of the Gospell to all them that repent and beléeue the same good Lord we beséech thée vouchsafe to make vs of that blessed number worke true repentance in our hearts increase our faith and giue vs grare to bring foorth the frutes thereof that so it may appeare that we haue not receiued thy holy grace in vaine And for this purpose good Lord we beséech thee blesse the Ministery of thy word at this present gius me grace to speak it as it ought to be spoken sincerely and boldly giue grace to this people to he are it attentiuely and reuerently giue grace to vs all to beléeue it stedfastly to follow it obediently and constantly to continue euen to the end That seruing thée faithfully in this life we may liue and raigne with thée for euer in the life to come through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Praier which M. Deering vsed before his Lectures O Lord God which hast left vnto vs thy holy word to be a lanterne vnto our féete and a light vnto our steppes giue vnto vs all thy holy spirite that out of the same word we may learne what is thy eternall will and frame our liues in all obedience to the same to thy honour and glorie and increase of our faith through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen An excellent speech of M. Deering a little before his death whereby thou maist clearly see and learne that there is a sweete peace in death to all such as painfully serue the Lord in life For he being raised vp in bedde and his friend requesting him to speake the Sunne shone on his face and thereby tooke occasion thus to say THere is but one Sunne that giueth light to the world there is but one righteousnesse there is but one communion of Saints If I were the excellentest creature in the world If I were as righteous as Abraham Isaac and Saâ—ob for they were excellent men in the world yet we must all confesse that we are great sinners and that there â—â—â—o saluation but in the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ And we haue all néed of the grace of God And for my part as concerning death I féele such ioy of spirit that if I should haue the sentence of life on the one side and the sentence of death on the other side I had rather choose a thousand times séeing God hath appointed the seperation the sentence of death then the sentence of life Soli Deo laus gloria gratia IN euery Sermon for the most part these points are to be vsed The declaration of the order of the text by opening the circumstances The diuision The doctrine The confutation The vse and application Exhortation or reprehension or both The Conclusion wherin the chéefest matters must be remembred and briefly collected that the auditorie may the better kéepe and carry away those things which are necessary and for their vse All which although I haue not vsed I haue left the matter to the discretion of them that shall haue knowledge better to handle their matters then I haue handled mine Let thy text be applied to thy auditorie and haue care to vtter those thinges that are most waightie to be touched and of thy auditorie to be remembred Be circumspect wise and discréete Endeuour to be briefe and pithie There is an other Methode as profitable which Maister Vdall vseth in his Commentary vpon the Lamentations of Ieremy Consisting on these thrée points the Doctrine Reason Vse Some only learne for knowledge sake but that is curiositie And some for praise great paines do take but that is foolish vanitie Some learne for gaine but lightly those do leaue the text and vse the gloze But learning ioynd with vertues lore doth leade to Christianitie The glory of God and people taught the way is to eternitie To the Right Worshipfull and one
returne vnto him By which forbearing many are wonne to God as also the worst sort are hardned against the day of wrath heaping vnto themselues vengeance against the day of the declaration of Gods iust iudgement Wherein all both the best and the worst cannot say otherwise but that the lord is gratious mercifull in forbearing Slow to anger and of great kindnesse yet Correcting not so slowe that hée will neuer strike or that he will suffer his patience to be abused but when he is throughly prouoked hée putteth his anger in effect Neuerthelesse as the wicked féele the waight of his anger so towardes his people hée dooth so moderate the same that in wrath hée remembreth mercie and causeth his punishments to be but remedies to his his owne people as the Surgion vseth cutting and launcing for the benefit of him whome hée so handleth The scourges and afflictions 2. Macc. 6. 12. 17. that God sendeth amongst his people are not for destruction but for a chastening For it is a token of his great goodnesse and of his gratious kindnesse not to suffer sinners long to continue but straightwaies to punishe them For the Lorde dooth not long wayte for vs as for other Nations whome hee punisheth when they are come to the fulnesse of their sinnes but thus hée dealeth with vs that our sinnes should not be heaped vp the full so that afterwards we should be the more gréeuously punished And therefore he neuer withdraweth his mercie from vs and though hée punish vs yet dooth hée neuer vtterly forsake vs. So slowe hée is to anger that hée punisheth them that goe wrong in a measure warning them by putting them in remembraunce of the thinges wherein they haue offended that they might leaue their wickednesse Furthermore hée maketh them féele his rodde by a little and little giuing them space to repent If saith the wise man thou haste punished the Egyptians the enemies of thy children hauing deserued death with so great consideration and requesting vnto them giuing them time and place that they might chaunge from their wickednesse with howe great circumspection wilt thou punishe thy owne children When thou doest chasten vs thou punishest our enemies a thousand times more to the intent that when we iudge we shuld diligently consider thy goodnesse and when we are iudged we should hope for mercie We are neuer further off frō God then when he doth most fauour vs and he is neuer more truly serued then when he striketh vs with his rod. These effects of Gods anger and his corrections may more truly be termed chastisements then punishments according to that of the Prophet Ieremy cap. 10. 24. O Lorde correct mee but with iudgement let thy punishment be lenified and moderated with mercy let it not proceede in thine anger least I bee consumed and brought to nothing In the Psalme 85. God saith by the mouth of his Prophet If my children forsake my lawe and walke not in my iudgements then will I visit their transgression with the rodde and their iniquitie with strokes and scourges For as sinne and the breaking of Gods commaundements is the cause of correction so is correction the remedie to bring vs into the way againe By which forcible mean of Gods fauour we are so humbled and altered that it procureth amendment in vs. Yea it wrought mightily with the heathen king Nebuchadnezer and brought him to the worship of God This forcible meane of Gods fauoure I say of his fauoure for otherwise where hee dooth correct vs hee might destroy vs preuailed so with King Dauid that after he felt the stroke of his correction hée desired that the Lorde woulde instruct him in his lawe and furthermore that it gréeued his heart to sée the wicked transgresse Gods lawe Finally howe great the goodnesse of the Lorde is in correcting vs wée may well perceiue by the words of the Apostle 1. Cor. 11. 32. We are chastened of the Lord because wee should not bee condemned with the worlde For those whome GOD loueth those doeth hee chasten as for the wicked and vngodly hée letteth them runne on still till they haue filled vp the measure of their sinne and then in steade of correction whiche mighte conuert them they shall féele the gréeuous and heauie burthen of Gods wrath vtterly to destroy them Correction bringeth with it time and place to repent but a suddaine destruction cutteth off all repentance For the grace of God doth often accompany correction as alwaies his wrath is ioyned with destruction The Lord is mercisull and gratious slow to anger to bring the wicked to repentance whom the Apostle Rom. 2. doth greatly reproue for their hardnesse of heart and for abusing his gratious mercy and long suffering Despisest thou saith he the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth thée to repentance Againe he is mercisull and gratious and slow to anger in respect of the godly because hee dooth not put his anger in full execution against them And that when he striketh them being moued thereto by his anger it is for their great good and benefit A more large exposition of that which goeth before is 3 Abundant in goodnesse seene in these words Abundant in goodnesse and truth Reseruing Mercy c. Which words giue vs to vnderstand how God vseth all meanes to kéepe vs in his feare by inriching vs with his benefits and powring downe his blessings vpon vs and not onely that but effectually performing whatsoeuer faithfully he hath promised dealing with vs and alluring vs as we sée how carthly fathers go about to winne their children to all vertue and goodnesse by faire words and promises and sometimes bestowing gifts vpon them And this onely and most substantiall argument doth the Apostle S. Paul vse Act. 14. 17. as it were by most sensible meanes to draw the minds of the heathen people from their Idolatry to the true worship of God For saith he although God suffered you to walke in your owne waies yet that you might be without excuse he left not himself without witnesse among you in that he did good and gaue you raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons filling your hearts with foode and gladnesse All which benefits although hée might haue withdrawne because you abused them to his dishonour yet still was he aboundant in goodnesse when you were most vnworthie of them A maister will not doo good to that seruant that shall disgrace him a father will withdrawe his heart from an vnkinde childe Although a mans iealousie bee such that hauing iust cause to forsake his wife for her lewdenesse hée will neuer be intreated to receiue her yet is the Lorde aboundant in goodnesse Let my people saith hee put away her fornications and I will receiue her againe into fauoure The Lordes workes are not as mans workes and hée is aboundant in kindnesse farre contrarie to our nature who can hardly or neuer incline our hearts
lawe as pertaining to God but am in the lawe through Christ that I may winne them that are without the lawe to the weake I become as weake that I may winne the weake I am made all things to all men that I might by all meanes saue some And this I doo for the Gospell sake Rom. 1. 14. I am debter both to the Grecians and to the Barbarians both to the wise men and vnto the vnwise Philip. 2. 12. 13. Make an end of your owne saluation with feare and trembling lest that through the deceit of sinne ye should fall away or else lest ye be any offence to the weake For it is God that worketh in you both the will the déed euen of his good pleasure Concerning the second that we do not apply this doctrine to any man particularly or to any certaine company For in this also it differeth from election Because election as hath beene said is reuealed to vs by the spirit of God within our selues not in others whose hearts we cannot know And Reprobation is euer hid from men except it bee disclosed by God contrary to the common course of things For who can tell if God haue determined to shewe mercy at the last houre of death to him which hath spent all his life past lewdly wickedly But this trust ought not to incourage any man to maintaine and continue in his sinne vngodlinesse For I speake of those things which we ought to consider in others For the examples of such mercy of God are very rare Neither any man that is wise will promise to himselfe through a vaine securitie and trust that thing which is not in his owne power Iam. 4. 13. 14. 15. 16. Goe too now yée that say To day or to morrow we will go into such a citie continue there a yeare and buy and sell and get gaine And yet ye cannot tell what shall be to morrowe For what is your life It is euen a vapour that appeareth for a litle time and afterward vanish away For that yée ought to say If the Lord will and if we liue we will do this or that Now if we cannot promise the continuance of life vnto our selues how much lesse may we assure our selues of Gods mercie at our pleasure Luke 12. 19. 20. The rich man said vnto his soule Soule thou hast much good lain vp for many yéeres liue take ease eate drinke and take thy pastime But God said vnto him O foole this night will they setch away thy soule from thée 2. Tim. 2. 25. The minister is willed to instruct the euill disposed with méeknesse and such as are contrary minded prouing if GOD at any time will giue them repentance Therefore repentance is not at our pleasure or leasure 1. Pe. 1. 14. 15. 16 17. 18. 19. Fashioning not your selues vnto the former lusts of your ignorance But as he which hath called you is holy so be yée holy in all manner of conuersation And if yée call him father which without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans worke passe the time of your dwelling heere in feare Knowing that yée were not redeemed with siluer and gold and such corruptible things Hebr. 12. 14. Follow peace with all men and holinesse without the which no man shall sée the Lord. And if we obserue this order wee shall receiue great fruite of this doctrine especially in these foure considerations First it maketh men humble and to submit themselues to God Secondly it maketh the grace of God to be better knowne of the elect seeing it is not common to all Thirdly it bringeth a godly care to receiue faith when it is offered and to labour to increase it Fourthly it doth confirme vs against all offences All which reasons are more plainly set downe in the last part of this eight chapter Deo gratia A Praier for the Queenes most excellent Maiestie O Most gracious God and heauenly Father by whose disposition Kingdomes and Kealmes are gouerned and by whose power Kings Princes raigne we giue thée hartie thanks that in thy great mercy thou hast set such a Prince and Quéene ouer vs vnder whose godly and peaceable gouernment we enioy glad tidings of thy Gospell and the truth of thy word in manifest sort deliuered vnto vs with peace and quietnesse and other worldly great blessings of thine in a plentifull measure Endue her so with heauenly gifts that her heart may be alwaies framed to the obedience of thy will that by her godly and gracious gouernment thy name may be glorified thy Church edified the poore members of Christ relieued vertue aduanced and vice beaten downe and punished that so in wealth she may surpasse that prosperitie y◠was in the daies of King Salomon and that in life and health she may so be preserued long among vs to thy glorie and our comfort that the yeares of her royall fathers gouernment may bee doubled vpon her And although we for our parts haue and doo daily prouoke thy wrath against vs and haue worthily in respect of thy blessings deserued the contrary as for the heauenly vlessings of thy Gospell and truth ignorance idolatry and superstition for wealth and prosperitie penury and scarcitie for peace and quietnesse troubles and warres for our health and the continuance of our life diseases and death yet in thy mercy be fauourable vnto vs mollifie our hard and stonie hearts that we may repent mortifie sinne in vs that there may be séene amendment in our liues and conuersation that we may yéeld our soules and bodies to the obedience of thy blessed will and commaundements whereby thy manifold and good blessings and benefits may be both increased and continued toward vs. That the heauens may send downe their raine that the earth may giue forth her plentifull encrease that our garners may be full and plenteous with all maner of store that our shéepe may bring forth thousandes that our oxen may be strong to labour that there be no decaie no leading into captiuitie and no complaining in our stréets wherein we shall be blessed who haue the Lord for our God As for her enemies who séeke her destruction let them fall into the pitte that they haue digged for others and let their owne shame light vpon them And let thy crowne florish vpon her head whom thou hast annointed that in the maintenance of thy truth and of thy people it may be knowne that though the heathen rage so furiously togither and the Kings of the earth stand vp in armes against thée and against thine annointed that thou breakest the bowe and knappest the speare in pieces that thou art able to turne the swordes of her enemies to murther themselues And though the horse bee prepared vnto the battaile yet the victorie is from thée who can mightily confounde her foes and put a hooke in their nosthrilles and turne them backe the same way they came The straunge deliuerances which thou hast wrought in her behalfe both
counsaile and instruction by the promises threatnings thereof For if this Praier and fafling be not godlinesse what can we say yâ— godlinesse is To the reading hearing of Gods word we ought to ioyne often and continual praier and preparing our selues more effectually by taming our body bringing it in subiection by vsing the great helpe of fasting For both the body therby shall be more apt able to endure and the soule shal be the more heauenly disposed hauing not the lusts of the flesh to hinder it in so great and godly an action Great and most necessary is the cause of praier not only that God would câ—ntinue his benefits gifts and graces towards vs which we stand in néede of continually from time to time but also that God would keepe vs from euill vnto the which we are moste prone and whereof by our fleshly and naturall corruption we are most desirous And if it were so that wee were not desirous nor prone thereunto yet mightily should we be prouoked by the secret temptations of the diuell and by the euill examples of the worldâ— and by the naughtie counsaile of those that are ill disposed From all which mischiefes by praier we are deliuered besides that in the exercise of praier wée haue the company of GOD we talke with God and God with vs. And being so Thankfulnesse heauenly exercised what can be more godly Thanfulnesse also is godlinesse when we are not vnmindfull of Gods benifits neither forgetfull to shewe our dutie both in heart and in word and in open profession and in doing good to others to testifie to the world Gods goodnesse towards vs and so to be thankfull Too thankfull we cannot be because we can neuer make recompence According to that the Apostle saith In all things giue thanks By nature we are too vngratefull but the grace of God doth change our minds and learne them to be thankfull Vpon thankfulnesse Contentation will also follow contentation that is a mind satisfied and contented with that portion which God hath sent They that are not contented can neuer be satisfied neither can they be thankfull and they that can neither â—e content nor thankfull it can hardly be said that there is godlinesse in them For godlinesse is greate gaine if a man be content with that he hath There is none of vs all that brought any thing into the world and certaine it is we shall carrie nothing out Therefore we may find our selues well contented if we haue foode and raiment wherewithall to serue our turne But if this will not serue marke what may followe They that will be rich they fall into temptations snares and into manie foolish and noysome lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction Remember who it was that said All these will I giue thée if thou wilt fall downe and worship me He that maketh gold his God shall surely be beguiled As destruction often followeth the great desire of riches so godlinesse which is séene in contentation is the high way vnto saluation They that are discontent haue many cares and desires and troubles and vexations to hinder them from God and godlinesse Of all which cares troubles desires and vexatioÌ„s they are disburthened which carry coÌ„tented minds and most frée they are by that meanes vnto the seruice of God From thankfulnes and a minde contented proceedeth a good will loue and a charitable desire yea and a fellow-féeling of the wants Charitable deeds and necessities of others so farre that it prouoketh vs not only to pittie them and their estate but also to helpe and relieue them to the vttermost of our power Charge them that are riche saith the Apostle that they trust not in their vncertaine riches but in the liuing God who giueth vs aboundantly all thinges to enioy And yet his charge stretcheth further that is that they should doo good and be rich in good workes and readie to distribute and communicate and giue to others And this is the gaine that bringeth godlinesse with it and this godlinesse hath great gaine For thereby we laie vp in store a good foundation against the time to come And hée that so laieth out his goods giueth them not to the poore but vnto GOD. And as God hath giuen vnto vs so let them whome God hath commended vnto vs I meane the godly poore the fatherlesse the widdow and the straunger be partakers with vs of Gods blessings Lest it may so fall out that wée may say that God hath oâ—â—en and God hath taken away And if there bee any good workes else as more there bee then I can name euen all the good workes that are are we bound to performe if godlinesse bee bounde and founde in our hearts For good workes is godlinesse and godlinesse desireth to shewe it selfe in them And who is it not that knowâ—â— not what it is to liue godly but who can say my knowledge is turned into practise my heart is turned to imbrace godlinesse and to followe good waies vnlesse the grace of God hath first thus wrought it And yet there is another kinde of godlinesse more harde then all the former which is patiently to suffer Patience losses wronges iniuries persecution yea and death it selfe for the stedfast profession of Gods truth and his seruice As wee reade They that will liue godlie must suffer persecution For GOD dooth thereby trie vs and by little and little hée dooth bring vs to contemne the worlde and to desire heauen If thou hast losse of goods or friendes or any other helpe taken from thée godlinesse exhorteth to take it patiently not grudgingly and to say as God hath taken so God may giue and forgiue mée my sinnes and restore vnto mée againe at pleasure If thy enemie hath done thée iniury and wrong say not with the worlde hée shall starue before I relieue him hée shall bee hanged before I will doo him anie good but godlinesse is charitable and teacheth thée to doo good to thine enemies that thy enemies heart may bee turned towarde thée to wish thée well and that god may blesse thée If thy patience be séene in thy persecution and death for gods truth blessed shalt thou be and thy rewarde shall bee greate in heauen As the Apostle saith In all thinges giue thanks because for the moste part we are forgetfull so also may it well bee saide In all thinges bee patient because our nature is such and so farre from patience Discontentment grudging enuying murmuring reuenge these are matters almost vnseperable from vs and patience cannot growe in our heartes before gods grace hath watered them that they may bring foorth this frute Cast not away patience which hath great recompence of rewarde For yée haue néede of patience saith the Apostle that after yee haue done the will of God yee might receiue the promise of an enduring inheritaunce For yet a verie little while and he that shall Perseuerance come will come
Achab did that wicked King of Israel Some will say it is an eafie matter for a man to ouercome his sinfull affections and wee may doo well if wee will But I aske them who was more able and better furnished then the blessed Apostle S. Paul yet he findeth the matter so hard to performe that he confesseth it to the whole world Rom. 11. 22. I delight in the law of God concerning the inner man but I see an other lawe in my members rebelling against the lawe of my minde and leading me captiue vnto the lawe of sinne which is in my members that is in all the sences and in all the parts of my bodie Yea he seeth it to be a matter so impossible that he is faine to crie out O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me And seeth no other meane of deliueraunce but only praier for Gods helpe that it would please God to beate downe the power of sinne in him I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me And answere was made My grace is sufficient for thee and my power is made perfect through thy weaknesse For that which is impossible to man is most easie for God to bring to passe Most truly therefore might he say Very gladly will I reioyce rather in mine infirmities that the power of Christ may dwell in me and master and mortifie sinne which would full faine haue the better hand ouer me Many will not be knowne of their sinnes when they be admonished of them because they are loth to leaue them yet some of a better minde and more tractable will acknowledge them and in their minde will mislike them and also will not sticke to confesse that they would faine leaue them and would thinke themselues happie if they might be rid of them yet find in themselues no power at all to forgo them No maruell then though the Apostle Heb. 12. perswadeth vs to cast off sinne which cleaneth vnto vs and hangeth on so fast But how may we forgo them how may we be rid of them we cannot it is impossible to vs. Craue it and beg it as the apostle did once twice thrice yea often euer at the hands of God in earnest and humble praier and he will performe it vnto thée and after a while thou shalt perceiue how weake the power of sin will begin to be in thée So that thou shalt be daily lesse proude lesse giuen to drunkennesse to theft to whoredome and the like till thou growest at the last to hate that sin that troubled thy soule so much till in time thou hast gathered that strength that thou maiest dispossesse and throwe out that strong man Behold then how great cause the godly haue to reioyce at their infirmities in that not only the power of their ruling sinnes is abated but also by the power of Gods good spirit and by the grace of Christ who dwelleth in the harts of the godly they are quite ouercome and ouerthrowne Whereby we may gather these two comforts First that this is a sure token vnto vs that we appertaine vnto God and secondly that the diuel shall haue no power to destroy vs séeing that we haue escaped his snares and that his bands that held vs in so fast are loosed burst and broken I will adde but one ioy more which is most pertinent To do good for euill and for the present purpose And that is that the godly reioyce to do the wicked good as the wicked reioyce to hurt them and sport and solace themselues in their sorrowes At the conuertion of the sinner and wicked the Angels in heauen reioyce and it is not to be doubted but that the godly beare them company heerein and are as greatly ioyfull The enemy of the Prophet Eliseus sought his death but he set bread water before them and sent them away in peace when they were al in his hand and at his word they might haue bene put to death When Dauid might haue saline Saul yet he reioyced in preseruing his life The Prophet Ieremy counselled the Israelies to pray for the life of King Nabuchodonosor who held them in captiuitie although he were a wicked and an idolatrous King Our Sauiour Christ praied for the life of his persecutors O Lord laie not this sinne to their charge for they know not what they do So did the blessed Martyr S. Stenen when the stones flue thicke about his eares Thus doo they pray for them that persecute them that God would turn his wrath from them and that in mercy he would call them as the Apostle Saint Paul was called from persecution to profession thus doo they speake well of them that hate them blesse them that curse them thus do they good for euil and séeke the preseruation of their liues who gréedily hunt after their ouerthrow death According to the examples of the Apostles 1. Cor. 4. 12. We are reuiled and yet we blesse we are persecuted and suffer it we are euill spoken of and we pray I say the truth in Christ saith S. Paul Rom. 9. 1. I lie not my conscience bearing mee witnesse in the holie Ghost that I haue great heauinesse and continual sorrow in my heart For I would wish my self to be seperate from Christ for my brethren that are my kinsmen according to the flesh but his professed and vtter enemies by persecution Yet he calleth them brethren Brethren my hearts desire and praier to God for Israel is that they might bee saued Accounting the good and welfare of his enemies the greatest ioy that might befall him More might be said but I haue stood vpon this point of the ioy of the godly somewhat too long Wherefore as a matter more proper to the godly I will The sorrow of the godly returne vnto the words of my text and intreat once againe of their sorrow The world shall reioyce and ye shall sorrow as if they were both borne and bred to it and should end their liues in the same For as the oxen appointed to the slaughter are let runne a fatting at their pleasure and other oxen kept vnder daily labour of the yoke so fareth it with the godly that are exercised with trouble all the daies of their life while the wicked escape run at randam gathering fat and growing grosse dying shortly nay more then that eternally If the godly haue any comfort in this world it continueth not long and therefore their life may well be said to be a mixture of swéet soure and a continual interchange of sorrow comfort comfort sorrow Which if they consider wel is a benefit vnto them so far forth as to draw their minds frō earth to heauen from y◠world to God Wherunto they are the more moued bicause the world maketh a wonder of them a gazing stock a matter of contempt and derision As the Apostle 1. Cor. 4. 13. hath foretold We are counted as the filth of the worlde and the
to be scorned whose desire is to liue according to Gods will and commandements And this is a greate cause of the fall of many that otherwise would doe well let them that vse it refraine it they knowe not what hurt they doe The least of vs are readie to fall away and therfore the Apostle willeth vs to exhort and Esd 10. 50. prouoke one another vnto good workes daily This mocking and taunting the Apostle doubteth not to call by the name of persecution wherewith Isaac was vexed by Ismael In consideration whereof it gréeueth the godly that they are aliue among the wicked whose reproachfull spéeches and vngodly behauiour haue bin pricks in their sides and thorns in their eies if not knines to their throats and as grieuous as the point of a dagger to their hearts For if they looke into the world and take a viewe of the fashion of men amongst whome they must liue they shall sée the mallice of Caine reuiued the hatred of Esau set on foote flattering tongues like Ioab but murdering minds Some as proud and as diuellish as Haman some as trecherous as Iudas some as cruel as Iezabel as incroching and gréedily hunting after other mens mainteuance and liuings if not their liues withall as euer was wicked Achab Naboths vineard litle kindnesse and much churlishnesse as bad or worse then that of Nabal many dissemblers as Ananias and where is the man that speaketh the truth from his heart For the most part all the conuersation of the wicked stanvpon Vncleannesse to beare so greate asway baudry and vncleannes Iust Lot was vexed with the vncleanly conuersation of the wicked For he being righteous and dwelling among them in séeing hearing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their vnlawfull déeds In respect of all which snares and incombrances the godly are vexed with sorrow euē to the death I am aweary of my life for the daughters of Heth saith Rebeccay Abrahams wife It is inough now O Lord take my soule for I am no better then my fathers séeing I only am aliue and the rest hath forsaken thée saith Elias Woe is me saith the Prophet Dauid Ps 120. 5. that I must dwell with Mesech and haue mine habitation among the tents of Cedar My soule hath too long dwelt among them Yet hath God so appointed that we should shine as glistring starres amongst a naughty generation Whose behauiour shall make vs more wary and circumspect as also our good workes which they shall sée and behold shall turn either to their happy conuersion or most iust confusion and endlesse condemnation The weake minds which are not as yet throughly strengthned wish daily continually although it be godly and wel with the Apostle I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ which is best of all Hitherto of the sorrowes of the godly And y◠I may make perfect this part touching the difference betwixt the godly and the wicked concerning ioy and sorrow as also that ye may be the better comforted and encouraged to vndertake and endure sorrow I will let you vnderstand howe that the world hath his sorrow also And séeing I haue begun to be tedious beare with mee a while I hope you will not thinke your labour altogither lost in reading which may be at your leisure though it cost mee some studie to gather it Who would thinke that the wicked should haue any sorrow in this world howsoeuer they are like to spéed in the world to come séeing they haue the world at will and as the Prophet saith they come in no misfortune like other men And yet it falleth out sometimes that they haue sorrow but what is the cause of their sorrow No other but for worldly matters for temporall losses and that their transitorie ioyes are abated and diminished As for example when their goods are taken by pirates their wealth consumed by shipwracke their houses burnt with fire their landes taken from them by violent oppression their riches wasted by vsurie their libertie restrained by imprisonment their children to miscarry suddeinly their friends either to die or to fall away from them daily as the wise man saith In prosperitie a friend cannot bee knowne and in aduersitie and calamitie a mans verie friend will fall away from him and forsake him Now when these miseries and these worldly calamities come vppon them what crying what wringing of hands what lamenting what wéeping is there among them But that God by their wickednesse is offended his name through them blasphemed his lawe and holy word contemned his patience and long sufferance daily prouoked and abused his threatnings his admonitions his counsels neglected his louing mercies forgotten and his great benefits not remembred that many good things pertaining to our dutie haue bin through our follies omitted and many wickednesses whereof we should haue bene cleare committed by vs who wéepeth for these matters who lamenteth for these causes The world reioyceth in hurting the godly and if their mischiefe and their mallice be preuented then are they sorry for nothing more then that they can do no more hurt nor any more mischief where the godly pray for them their cōuersion How do they enuy maligne those persons in whō they sée Gods gifts graces This was the cause y◠Iosephs brethren hated him that Core Dathan and Abiram did set themselues against Moses that king Saul did enuy and séeke the destruction of Dauid Whereat the godly are not to take any discomfort for their enuie shall not hurt them no more then Ioseph and Moses and Dauid was hurt For God shal turn all to his glorie and their good as is in his good pleasure determined of them And as they cannot abide the godly so secretly in their hearts they hate God as their déedes and workes declare for if the loue of God were in them the fruites therof would also appeare For who are more backward to heare Gods word to be present at his diuine seruice who make lesse accompt of christian profession yea they hate it they scoffe and scorne it and they that counsell them to religion goodnesse are their chiefest enemies King Dauid bearing the person of the godly was otherwise minded who counted it his great sorow that he was debarred for a time from Gods seruice Ps 48. 3. O Lord of hostes how amiable are thy tabernacles my soule longeth yea and fainteth for the courts of the Lord for my heart my flesh reioyce in the liuing God Yea the sparrow hath found her an house and the swallow a neast for her where she may lay her yoong ones euen by the altars ô Lord of hostes my king and my God But because the wicked are so set against God good men therefore the Prophet said truely of them Many are the sorrowes and great are the plagues that remaine for the wicked Psa 32. 10. Which is most effectually set downe Eccles 40. Great trauell is created for all men
vnto God through affliction and persecution Whereby the Apostle signifieth that there could be no worke more acceptable in the sight of God then that The captaine in war sheweth himselfe most venterously and if he die he is resolued What is his comfort and his ioy this that he cannot please his prince and countrey better The souldiers likewise through the captains valiant exploits are incouraged hauing the selfesame comfort and ioy with their captaine And a valiant souldier aimes at nothing more then at honour and renowme How should the extremitie of sorrow or the dint and horror of death pull vs backe séeing the recompence is so glorious honour renowme and ioy But many are loth to venture fearing their own frailty weaknesse Good it is to be aduised and to cast al circumstances to pray to God for strength and when thou art resolued doubt not that God will laie more vpon thée then thou art able to beare neither will God suffer vs to be afflicted aboue our power but in the bitter hest of persecution and in the smarting sorrow of death approching he wil giue a comfortable issue and fill thy heart with swéet ioyes Comfort in warre makes death séeme nothing so sorrowfull and séeing in affliction and persecution many haue suffered before thée and thou art not like to bee the last bee not faint-harted yea althogh thou mightst escape knowing that thou shalt receiue a better resurrection Moreouer it is not the least comfort that the faithfull and the godly yea and Christ himself doth help vs with their praiers wherby the extremitie of paine is mitigated vnto vs or sufficient strength courage granted vs to endure euen to the end and in the end For this cause saith the Apostle to the Colloss cap. 1. We cease not to pray for you that ye might be strengthened with all might through his glorious power and addeth this comfortable clause Giuing thankes vnto the father which hath made vs meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light And if as yet thou desirest greater comfortâ— more abundant ioy if thou mightest haue thy choice thou canst not make a better choice then the quietnesse of conscience and ioy of the holy Ghost Can a mother forget her children if she could or would yet the Lord wil not forget vs being vnto him as the signet vpon his right hand and therfore in coÌ„tinual remembrance and as the apple of his eie and therfore most tender So that the prophet Dauid had great cause to say to the great comfort and ioy of the godly Right deare in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Psal 116. 15. Knowing therfore that the cause is Gods cause and his glorie and that it is his wil we should suffer in fulfilling his wil let vs commit our soules vnto him in weldooing as vnto a faithfull creator Let me adde a constant Martir his exhortation in verse who neither feared nor doubted but most willingly and ioyfully was to giue vp his life for the profession of the truth and maintenance of the Gospell Cotent thy selfe with patience with Christ to beare the crosse of paine Who can and will thee recompence A thousand fold with ioyes againe Let nothing cause thy heart to quaile Launch out thy boate haul vp thy saile Put from the shore And at the length thou shalt attaine Vnto the port that shall remaine For euermore Thus if it please God that they shall be put to the shedding of their blood and the losse of their liues for the testimony of a good conscience for the profession of his truth and maintenance of his Gospell ye sée that it is a matter that brings heapes of ioyes so that although there be great sorrowes yet this persecution and triall of their faith makes them in a maner not to appeare Else how could it haue bin true which the Apostle reporteth of the churches of Macedonia 2. Cor. 8. 2. that in the great trial of affliction their ioy abounded As though in their extremitie they had felt no sorrow nor perceiued any discomfort In token whereof the Apostle willeth the Philippians to be so bold that in nothing they shuld fear their aduersaries which is saith he to them a tokeÌ„ of perditioÌ„ but to you a tokeÌ„ of saluatioÌ„ and the of god And that which furthereth â—ur saluation with what ioy is it vndertaken and performed Neuerthelesse God séeing our heartes and knowing our readinesse doth not alwaies put vs to the triall and yet accepteth our readinesse as though we had béen tried doth send vs comfort ioy and that after such a sort as we least looked for That we might praise him in his iudgementes and woonder at his mercies and giue him thankes for his goodnesse that worketh so great deliuerances for his people And to increase our ioy the more God worketh our deliuerance Ioy by deliuerance Their enemies being destroied by the destruction of our enemies The Israelites being deliuered saw the Egyptians their enemies drowned in the red Sea and their dead careases lying on the Sea shore Then sung Moses and the children of Israel When the Iewes were deliuered from the cruel massacre Eze. 38. 16. 21. 22. 23. and bloudie slaughter which was deuised and pretended and purposed against them and almost put in mischieuous execution through the meanes of that proud and wicked Haman Haman himselfe was destroied and hanged and fell into the pit that he had made for others Then had the Iewes rest and ioy and they remembred it for euer This also is plainly set downe in the storie of godly Tobit chap. 1. If king Senacharib had slaine any when he fled from Iudea I buried them priuily but the bodies were not found when they were sought for of the king Therefore when a certain Niniuite had accused me to the king because I did burie them I hid my self and because I knew that I was sought to be sâ—aine I withdrew my selfe for feare Then all my goodes were spoiled neither was there any thing left me besides my wife Anna and my sonne Tobias Neuertheles within fiue and fiftie dayes two of his sennes killed him and another of his sonnes reigning in his stéed appointed Achiacharus my brothers sonne to be the ouerseer of his accountes who made request for me and I came againe to Niniuie When Herod was dead who sought Christ his death then he being a babe and infant was brought againe into the land of Israeâ— Presently after the death of King Herode mentioned Actes 12. the bloody tyrant being punished by Gods iudgement and that after a strange sort then the word of God grewe and multiplied and flourished and God gaue his seruants libertie If we aske an example in our owne realme Quéene Mary and mischieuous Gardiner bishop of Winchester being taken away and strooken by the hand of God our gracions Soueraign whom God long preserue to his glory and our comfort came then to her
thy sonnes take heed to their way that they walke before me in truth with al their hearts and with all their soules thou shalt not said he want one of thy posteritie vpon the throne of Israel So also because the Rechabites kept the commaundement of their father their continuance by posteritie was their blessing as we reade Iere 35. 18. 19. which God caused to be pronounced vnto them by the mouth of the Prophet Ieremiah Thus saith the Lord of hostes the God of Israel Because ye haue obeied the commandemeÌ„t of Ionadab your father and kept all his precepts and done according to all that he hath commanded you Therefore saith the Lord of hostes the God of Israel Ionadab the sonne of Rachab shall not want a man to stand before me for euer but his posteritie shal continue and be continually in my fauour What greater preserment can come to the godly to requiâ—e their sorrowes withall then that it pleased God to make them all men-children and also heires of his heauenly kingdome if so be they can frame themselues to be content to suffer with him else are they in no sort worthie to be glorified with him For all the sorrowes and afflictions of this life are nothing to the glorie that shall be reuealed They may also be well said to be heires of the crown which is not so lightly obteined for oftentimes such a matter costeth many a man his life And how many dangers are vndertaken before we may be capable of this royaltie or thought worthie to be princes fellowes All things that are excellent haue a deare price and he that would be a prince must perswade himselfe it shall cost him full deare Yet a worthie mind thinkes no labour too painfull no danger impossible and all sorrowes to be swéete which haue so swéete a recompence Reu. 4. 4. I sawe round about the throne foure and twentie seates and vppon the seates foure and twentie elders sitting cloathed in white raiment and had on their heads crownes of gold Reu. 3. 11. Behold I come shortly hold that which thou hast that no man take thy crowne To the preferment of the godly this also may be added Nâ—me that their name and good report shall liue for euer wheras 〈◊〉 39. 13. the remembrance of the wicked rot Many things are done by the wicked for a name but it turnes cleane contrary For the credite of their name shall be but shame and discredite shall be their glorie They that built the tower of Babel got themselues a name but with dâ—risition of their follie and as good haue no name as such a name But the name that the godly leaue after their death is precious and the constant Martirs that gaue vp their liues for the profession of Christ his truth are remembred with reuerence Their bodies although they haue bene put to extremities and gréeuous punishments yet shall their names liue for euermore The congregation shall talke of their praise and although they be dead they shall leaue a greater fame then a thousand The doating foolishnesse of the world is such euer to neglect heauen and to séeke for a name in earth where nothing is firme nothing continueth but sadeth away and perisheth as a thought What is a name of great wisedome of great wealth of great eloquence of warlike prowesse yea of the princes fauour In the world they are obtained in the world they are enioyed and to the world they must be left Besides this the name of the godly is more durable and of longer continuance he that will loose his life shall saue it he that estéemeth more of the fauour of God then the fauour of the world shall in this life haue sorrowes and persecutions but in the life come ioyes Their names are defaced on Reâ— 2. â—7 earth among the wicked but they are written in heauen and registred in euerlasting remembrance Reioyce saith Christ that your names are written in heauen Yea let them reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable because that none shall be saued at the dreadfull day of iudgement but they whose names are sounde in the writing of Israel and recorded in the booke of life For whosoeuer was not founde written in the booke of life Reuelat. 20. 15. was cast into the lake of fire where is nothing else but burning and brimstone wéeping and gnashing of téeth and wofull lamentation without any compassion The former part of the similitude and comparison being Application I will see you againe ended now followeth the second consisting in application set downe in these words And ye now are in sorrow but I will see you againe and your hearts shall reioyce and your ioy shall no man take from you This application Iohn 1. 51. 14. 19. as you sée is furnished with thrée proofes whereof the first is I will see you againe The woman when she trauelleth hath sorrow but when she is deliuered of a manchild her sorrow is turned yea and swallowed vp of ioy I will see you againe So still he performeth his word and promise Your sorrow shall bee turned into ioy When the Apostle Saint Paule tooke his leaue and his last farwell of the Church of Ephesus knéeling downe and praying with them they wept all aboundantly and fel on Pauls necite and â—â—â—ssed him Being sorrie for nothing so much as for the words which he spake That they should sée his face no more How then could the Apostles choose but be sorrie and wéep aboundantly at the departure of our Sauiour Christ which was so deare a friend vnto them and whose presence they had so long enioyed to their great comfort and contentment Departure of louing friendes bréeds paine and taking of leaue is often with great heauinesse As we sée when one is to depart from his friends and to take his iourney into some farre country this griefe of departing is ioyned with sheading of teares But when there is departure by death theÌ„ what wéeping what wringing of hands what outcries and lamentation The reason of this their excessius sorrow for the departure of their friends is that they are without hope Who although they shâ—l â—ée their face no more yet ought they to be assured that their soules shal be at rest and in the hands of God and that no torments shall touch them They that are thus perswaded leaue their sorrow and are contented with Gods will and are also thankful that it hath pleased God to take them to his mercy and that he hath released them out of the troubles of this miserable world Yet are there some that are of opinioÌ„ that euen in heauen also they shal haue knowledge and sée their friends again which are departed in the Lord which is a matter to abate all sorrow Neuerthelesse we may not imagine any worldly knowledge For greater things are reserued for the saints of God According to that we reade 2. Cor. 5. 16. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh